“This is the word of the Lord concerning Zerubbabel: Not by great power, nor by force, but by my Spirit, says the Almighty Lord” (Zech. 4:6).

This is the same as saying that all that Zechariah had just seen would come to completion at the appointed time, not as the achievement of human power, nor by physical force, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, and as at a sign from God.

For the Only Son was made a man like ourselves. However, he did not engage in physical combat to set up the Church as a light to the world.

Nor did he wield arms in a literal sense, drawing up the two nations in warlike battle-lines around him.

He did not even provide the lamp-stand with spiritual lamps, but by the force of the Holy Spirit he first appointed Apostles in the Churches, next Prophets and Evangelists and the rest of the holy assembly,…enriching them with the Spirit in abundant profusion.

So it was neither by great power nor by the physical strength of Christ but by the power of the Spirit that Satan was despoiled, and the whole horde of hostile powers fell with him.

[...] Lamps were revealed in the Churches too, the saints who shone out together with the lantern, that is, Christ.

[...] Again, the fact that it was not by human hand but by his own power as God that Emmanuel saved the world he solemnly affirmed through the mouth of Hosea:

But I shall have mercy on the children of Judah, and I shall save them – not by bow and arrow, sword, war, chariots, horses or horsemen, but by the Lord their God.

But he gave the clearest message to Zerubbabel, of the tribe of Judah, who was at that time placed in the position of king of Jerusalem.

For in case he thought that the splendid and marvell­ous achievements foretold for him meant wars, and it was fighting that would begin at the appointed time, the Lord had to drive such unsound human thoughts out of his mind.

Instead he com­manded him to understand that it was by activity worthy of God and not by human power that Christ would bring such things to a conclusion.

And then we remember saying that in himself Zerub­babel signified Christ, since he was of the tribe of Judah and a king.

But he was also this in conjunction with Jesus the son of Jehozadak, so that Emmanuel might be understood as both king and high priest at once in the same person.

Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376-444): In Zachariam Prophetam (PG 72:64-65); from the Monastic Office of Vigils, Sunday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Year 2.