Zephaniah 3:12

An afflicted and poor people - In such a state will the Jews be found when they shall hear the universal call, and believe in Christ Jesus. Indeed, this is the general state of the Jews in the present day; except a Jew that are called Jews, who are very rich; and who believe just as much in the God of Jacob, as they do in Jesus Christ.

I will also leave - (Over, as a remnant, it is still the same heavy prophecy, that a remnant only 'shall be saved') "an afflicted and poor people." priests, (except that 'great company who were obedient to the faith') Acts 6:7, scribes, lawyers, Pharisees, Sadducees were taken away; and there remained "the people of the land" , the "unlearned and ignorant" Acts 4:13, "the weak things of the world and the things despised" 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 who bore the very title of their Master, "the poor and needy; poor in Spirit" Psalm 41:1; poor also in outward things, since "they who had lands, sold them and they had all things common" Acts 2:44-45; Acts 4:32, Acts 4:35. They were afflicted above measure outwardly in the (Acts 8:1; Acts 9:2, Acts 9:13-14; Acts 12:1-2; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5, Acts 14:22; 22; etc. Romans 8:17, Romans 8:35-36; Romans 12:14; 1 Corinthians 9:19; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 3:11-12; Hebrews 10:32-34; James 2:6-7; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:13; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 6:9 etc.) persecutions, "reproaches, spoiling of" their "goods," stripes, deaths, which they endured for Christ's sake.

They knew too their own poverty, Rup: "knowing themselves to be sinners, and that they were justified only by faith in Jesus Christ." When the rest were cast out "of the midst of her," these should be left "in the midst of her" (the words stand in contrast with one another) in the bosom of the Church. "And they shall trust in the name of the Lord." "As they looked to be justified only in the Name of Christ," and (Dionysius) "trusted in the grace and power of God alone, not in any power or wisdom or eloquence or riches of this world, they converted the world to a faith above nature." Cyril: "Conformed in this too to Christ. Who for our sakes became poor and almost neglected both His divine glory and the supereminence of His nature, to subject Himself to the condition of a servant. So then those instructed in His laws after His example, think humbly of themselves, They became most exceedingly loved of God, and chiefly the divine disciples, who were set as lights of the world."

3:12 Of thee - In Judea and Jerusalem.