Malachi 2:9

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. He describes the promises, and also the conditions of the covenant; Levi's observance of the conditions and the consequent reward (cf. Numbers 25:11-4, Phinehas' zeal); and, on the other hand, the violation of the conditions, and consequent punishment of the present priests. MY COVENANT WAS WITH HIM OF LIFE AND PEACE - "life" here includes the perpetuity implied in Numbers 25:13, "He shall have ... the covenant of an everlasting priesthood." "Peace" is specified both here and there (Numbers 25:12, "Behold, I give unto him...

The Prophet draws this conclusion — that the priests in vain gloried in the honor of their office, for they had ceased to be the priests of God. We may now return to the main point. We perceive what the subject is which the Prophet handles here: as the priests sought by a peculiar privilege to exempt themselves from all reproof, he assails them in particular; for teaching would have been useless as to the common people, except the priests themselves were brought to order. The priests no doubt flattered the people, and thus attempted to deprive the Prophets of every respect, in order that their doctrine might produce no effect. This is the reason why our Prophet so sharply reproves them. But we must consider the state of the case. The priests said that they had been set, by divine authority, over the whole Church, and that they could not be deprived of that honor which they had received f...

1-9 What is here said of the covenant of priesthood, is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests. It is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of all happiness, both in this world and in that to come. It is an honour to God's servants to be employed as his messengers. The priest's lips should not keep knowledge from his people, but keep it for them. The people are all concerned to know the will of the Lord. We must not only consult the written word, but desire instruction and advice from God's messengers, in the affairs of our souls. Ministers must exert themselves to the utmost for the conversion of sinners; and even among those called Israelites, there are many to be turned from iniquity. Those ministers, and those only, are likely to turn men from sin, who preach sound doctrine, and live holy lives according to the Scripture. Many de...

Verse Malachi 2:9. _THEREFORE HAVE I ALSO MADE YOU CONTEMPTIBLE_] The people despised you because they saw that you acted contrary to your functions. This has happened repeatedly since, to several _classes_ _of priests_. Not maintaining, by _purity of life_ and _soundness of_ _doctrine_, the dignity of the ministerial function, they became contemptible before the people; their meager preaching was disregarded, and their persons at last cast out as a general loathing to the universe! See what happened to the truly abominable priesthood of France and Rome 1796-8. They were the _sole cause_ of that _infidelity_ that brought about the _revolution_. They are now partially restored; and are endeavouring to supply by _grimace, paltry superstition_, and _jesuitical cunning_, what they want in purity of morals, soundness of doctrine, and unction fro...

THEREFORE HAVE I MADE YOU CONTEMPTIBLE - They had said in their hearts Malachi 1:7, “The table of the Lord is contemptible.” So God would requite them “measure for measure.” Yet not only so, but in their office as judges, against the repeated protestations in the law Leviticus 19:15, “Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty, in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor Deuteronomy 1:17, ye shall not respect persons in judgment Deuteronomy 16:19, thou shall not wrest judgment,” he says, Ye have accepted persons

EXPOSITION MALACHI 2:1 _§ 4. For these derelictions of duty the priests are threatened with punishment._ MALACHI 2:1 THIS COMMANDMENT. The threat or announcement is called a commandment, because God ordains it and imposes its execution on certain instruments. (For the expression, camp. Leviticus 25:21.) The threat is contained in Malachi 2:2, Malachi 2:3. MALACHI 2:2

THEREFORE HAVE I ALSO MADE YOU CONTEMPTIBLE AND BASE,.... When their city and temple were destroyed by the Romans, and they were carried captive by them, and became a taunt and a proverb in all places where they came: BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE; the nations of the world, among whom they were scattered: ACCORDING AS YE HAVE NOT KEPT MY WAYS; neither those which the law directed to, either moral or ceremonial; nor what the Gospel directed to, the ordinances and institutions of Christ, particularly baptism, which the Jews rejected against themselves, Luke 7:30: BUT HAVE BEEN PARTIAL IN THE LAW; in the observance of it, attending to the lesser, and taking no notice of the weightier matters of it, as the Jews are charged by Christ, Matthew 23:23 and in the interp

THE REBUKE OF THE PRIESTS CHAPTER 1:6-2:9 The priests, the religious leaders of the people, are described first in their evil ways, and rebuked. But the rebuke includes the entire people, for it is true, “like priests like people.” The Lord called Israel to be His firstborn son, and therefore, nationally, He is their Father. He is the Lord, and Israel called to be His servant. But they had not honored Him, as a son should honor the father by obedience; they did not fear Him, but despised His Name. This charge brought forth from the side of the priests another brazen statement, the result of their hypocritical self-righteousness. They answered back, demanding proof of the charge by saying, “Wherein have we despised Thy Name?” They seemed to be hardened in their consciences, though they kept up outward appearances. Such, too, is the religious condition in much of Christendom. Another char...

MALACHI 1:6 TO MALACHI 2:16. ISRAEL'S DISREGARD OF THIS LOVE. This section falls into two parts, one dealing with the priesthood (Malachi 1:6 to Malachi 2:9), the other with the people (Malachi 2:10). Yahweh has not received the honour due to a father from a son, or to a master from a servant. The priests (note the sudden application, Malachi 1:6) have brought His service into contempt by offering polluted bread (an archaic expression for sacrificial flesh) upon His altar. They bring

PEOPLE. peoples: i.e. the tribes. ACCORDING AS. because, or, in so far as. BEEN PARTIAL. had respect of persons. Compare James 2:4. IN. in [administering) the law....