Author: Brother Woody Brohm

From Abel to Zechariah: Understanding Matthew 23:35 and the Testimony of the Righteous
Published by Brother Woody Brohm
“And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.”
—Matthew 23:35

These are the haunting words of Jesus as He speaks to the religious leaders of His day. His voice, filled with both sorrow and judgment, delivers a sweeping indictment of Israel’s long history of rejecting the messengers of God. But this verse is more than just a rebuke. It is a powerful revelation about God’s view of justice, righteousness, and accountability. To fully grasp the depth of what Jesus said, we must explore the lives of the two men He mentioned—Abel and Zechariah—and understand why their blood forms the bookends of a long and painful history of martyrdom.

Words: 1626 / Time to read: 9 minutes

The Context: Jesus Confronts Religious Hypocrisy
Matthew 23 is one of the most sobering chapters in the Gospels. Often referred to as the “Seven Woes,” it records Jesus’ final public sermon before His crucifixion. Speaking directly to the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus exposes their spiritual pride, legalism, and hypocrisy.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’”
—Matthew 23:29–30

Yet Jesus pierces through their false self-righteousness with divine insight:

“So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.”
—Matthew 23:31

And then, as the climax of this rebuke, He issues the shocking declaration of Matthew 23:35.

Abel: The First Righteous Martyr
Jesus begins with “the blood of righteous Abel.” This is no casual reference—Abel was the very first person to die in human history, and his death was directly related to worship and righteousness.

Genesis tells us:

“Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.”
—Genesis 4:2–5

The difference was not in the gift, but in the heart. Hebrews explains:

“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”
—Hebrews 11:4

Abel was the first man to be called “righteous” because of his faith. And for that righteousness, he was murdered by his brother Cain in jealous rage.

“And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”
—Genesis 4:8

God responded with holy justice:

“Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”
—Genesis 4:10

Abel’s blood did not disappear—it cried out to God. It became a testimony against violence and a symbol of God’s demand for justice. Jesus recognized Abel’s life and death as the first in a long line of faithful martyrs.

Zechariah: The Last Righteous Martyr in the Hebrew Order
The second man Jesus mentions is “Zechariah son of Berekiah,” who was “murdered between the temple and the altar.” This reference has caused much discussion. The best historical fit is not Zechariah the prophet (author of the biblical book), but Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, whose murder is recorded in 2 Chronicles.

“Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, ‘This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has forsaken you.’ But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.”
—2 Chronicles 24:20–21

This stoning happened “in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple”—exactly where Jesus said the murder took place: between the temple and the altar. His death was a betrayal of sacred space, a brutal act carried out by religious leaders at the king’s command.

Though the text identifies him as the “son of Jehoiada,” not “Berekiah,” this was likely a common ancestral name or a scribal reference. More importantly, the story aligns with the murder Jesus described: a prophet of God killed in the holy precincts of the temple by those who claimed to represent God. This discrepancy is often explained in one of two ways. Some scholars suggest that Berekiah may have been a more immediate or prominent ancestor, with Jehoiada being his grandfather—a common occurrence in Hebrew genealogical references where “son of” can mean “descendant of.” Others propose that a copyist may have mistakenly inserted the more familiar “Berekiah,” the father of the prophet Zechariah who authored the biblical book bearing his name. Yet the context makes clear that Jesus was referring to the Zechariah who was stoned in the temple courtyard, not the later prophet. William MacDonald affirms this in the Believer’s Bible Commentary, stating, “The Zechariah referred to here is evidently the son of Jehoiada (2 Chron. 24:20–22). He was slain in the temple court. The reference to ‘son of Berekiah’ is a textual problem, perhaps due to a scribal slip.” Regardless of the name variation, the historical identity and symbolic placement of this martyr—at the close of the Hebrew canon—remain intact.

Chronologically, 2 Chronicles is the last book in the Hebrew Bible’s order. So Jesus’ reference from “Abel to Zechariah” spans the full timeline of Israel’s Scripture—from the first to the last martyr recorded in the Hebrew canon.

What Does This Mean?
Jesus wasn’t merely recounting a timeline—He was issuing a verdict. The blood of every righteous martyr, from Genesis to Chronicles, was crying out. And now, as the final Prophet and Son of God, He stood before Israel’s leaders, warning that their continued rejection of God’s messengers would reach its climax in the rejection of Him.

“I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.”
—Matthew 23:34

God’s long-suffering patience was coming to an end. The coming judgment would fall on that generation. Indeed, within a generation of Jesus’ death, Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD.

The Testimony of Blood
Throughout Scripture, blood represents life—and when shed unjustly, it becomes a testimony that God will not ignore.

“And the Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.’”
—Genesis 4:10

“I will avenge the blood of my servants.”
—Deuteronomy 32:43

“They poured out the blood of your people like water all around Jerusalem.”
—Psalm 79:3

God never forgets the suffering of the righteous. And Jesus, in referencing Abel and Zechariah, affirms this truth: their lives mattered, their blood mattered, and their testimony endures. Abel still speaks (Hebrews 11:4), and Zechariah’s voice echoes in the courts of heaven.

A Preview of the Cross
Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:35 are also a foreshadowing of His own death. Soon, He too would be killed by religious leaders—betrayed, condemned, and crucified outside the city.

But unlike Abel or Zechariah, His blood would not just cry for justice—it would provide atonement:

“Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
—Hebrews 12:24

Abel’s blood cried for justice. Christ’s blood cries for mercy. Both are heard in heaven, but only one saves. The righteousness of Abel and Zechariah pointed forward to the perfect righteousness of Jesus, who would fulfill the prophetic testimony and offer His life for the very ones who shed innocent blood.

Why It Matters Today
Matthew 23:35 isn’t just history—it’s a mirror. It calls each generation to ask: How do we respond to the truth of God?

Will we silence His messengers, harden our hearts, and claim our own righteousness like the Pharisees? Or will we humble ourselves, listen to the Word, and repent?

The church today must remember that the blood of the righteous still cries out. Persecution continues. From the first martyr Abel to countless believers today, the cost of standing for truth remains high.

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
—2 Timothy 3:12

But just as God saw the blood of Abel and Zechariah, He sees every sacrifice. None of it is forgotten.

Closing Reflection
When Jesus spoke of Abel and Zechariah, He wasn’t just naming two men—He was identifying with them. Like them, He would be murdered by those who claimed to serve God. But unlike them, He would rise again, victorious over death, and offer salvation to all who believe.

Their lives were a shadow; His was the fulfillment.

And so, when we read Matthew 23:35, let it sober us, inspire us, and call us to faithfulness. The world may despise righteousness, but God remembers the blood of the righteous—from Abel to Zechariah… and beyond.

Want to Go Deeper?
For more studies that focus on people of the Bible, check out my book God’s Plan, God’s People: A Dispensational Journey, part of The Grace and Knowledge Series available on Amazon.

All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.