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Malachi Chapter
Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO MALACHI 3
This
chapter begins with a prophecy of John the Baptist
the forerunner of Christ;
and of the coming of Christ
and the effects and consequences of it
with
respect both to the righteous and the wicked; and it contains accusations and
charges of sin against the Jews
intermixed with exhortations to repentance.
John the Baptist is promised to be sent
and is described by his office as a
messenger
and by his work
to prepare the way of the Lord; and the Messiah is
prophesied of
who is described by his characters; with respect to himself
the
Lord and Messenger of the covenant; with respect to the truly godly among the
Jews
as the object of their desire and delight; whose coming is spoken of as a
certain thing
and which would be sudden; and the place is mentioned he should
come into
Malachi 3:1 and
this his coming is represented as terrible to the wicked
and as trying and
purifying to the righteous
expressed by the various similes of a refiner's
fire
and fuller's soap; and the end answered by it
their offering a righteous
offering to the Lord
Malachi 3:2 but
with respect to the wicked
he declares he should be a swift witness against
them
whose characters are particularly given
and this assured from his
immutability; the consequence of which to the saints is good
being their
security from destruction
Malachi 3:5 and
next a charge is commenced against the wicked Jews
as that in general they had
for a long time revolted from the Lord
and were guilty of sins of omission and
commission
and are therefore exhorted to return to the Lord
with a promise
that he will return to them
and yet they refuse
Malachi 3:7 and
in
particular
that they were guilty of sacrilege
and so accounted
even the
whole nation
in withholding tithes and sacrifices
which they are exhorted to
bring in; to which they are encouraged with promises of blessings of prosperity
and protection
Malachi 3:8 and
that they had spoken impudent and blasphemous words against the Lord; which
though excepted to
is proved by producing their own words
Malachi 3:13 and by
the contrary behaviour of those that feared the Lord
who were taken notice of
by him
and were dear unto him
Malachi 3:16
wherefore it is suggested
that the time would come when there would be a
manifest difference made between the one and the other
Malachi 3:18.
Malachi 3:1 “Behold
I send
My messenger
And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord
whom you
seek
Will suddenly come to His temple
Even the Messenger of the covenant
In
whom you delight. Behold
He is coming
” Says the Lord of hosts.
YLT
1Lo
I am sending My
messenger
And he hath prepared a way before Me
And suddenly come in unto his
temple Doth the Lord whom ye are seeking
Even the messenger of the covenant
Whom ye are desiring
Lo
he is coming
said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold
I will send my messenger
.... These are the words
of Christ
in answer to the question put in the last verse of the preceding
chapter Malachi 2:17
"Where is the God of judgment?" intimating that he would
quickly appear
and previous to his coming send his messenger or angel; not the
angel of death to destroy the wicked
as Jarchi thinks; nor an angel from
heaven
as Kimchi; nor Messiah the son of Joseph; as Aben Ezra; nor the Prophet
Malachi himself
as Abarbinel; but the same that is called Elijah the prophet
Malachi 4:5 and is
no other than John the Baptist
as is clear from Matthew 11:10
called a "messenger" or "angel"
not by nature
but by
office; and Christ's messenger
because sent by him and on his errand; and
which shows the power and authority of Christ in sending forth ministers; his
superior excellency to John
and his existence before him
or he could not be
sent by him
and so before his incarnation; for John was sent by him before he
was in the flesh
and consequently this is a proof of the proper deity of
Christ: and the word "behold" is prefixed to this
in order to raise
the attention of those that put the above question
and all others; as well as
to show that the message John was sent upon was of the greatest moment and
importance; as that the Messiah was just ready to appear
his kingdom was at
hand
and the Jews ought to believe in him; though it also respects the coming
of the Messiah
spoken of in the latter part of the text:
and he shall prepare the way before me; by declaring
to the Jews that he was born
and was in the midst of them; by pointing him out
unto them; by preaching the doctrine of repentance
and exhorting them to
believe in him; and by administering the ordinance of baptism in general to all
proper subjects
and in particular to Christ
by which he was made manifest to
Israel; See Gill on Mark 1:2 the
allusion is to kings and great men sending persons before them when on a
journey
to give notice of their coming
and provide for them:
and the Lord
whom ye seek; this is the person
himself speaking
the Son of God
and promised Messiah
the Lord of all men
and particularly of his church and people
in right of marriage
by virtue of
redemption
and by being their Head and King; so Kimchi and Ben Melech
interpret it of him
and even AbarbinelF17Mashmiah Jeshuah
fol. 76.
4. himself; the Messiah that had been so long spoken of and so much expected
and whom the Jews sought after
either in a scoffing manner
expressed in the
above question
or rather seriously; some as a temporal deliverer
to free them
from the Roman yoke
and bring them into a state of liberty
prosperity
and
grandeur; and others as a spiritual Saviour
to deliver from sin
law
hell
and death
and save them with an everlasting salvation:
shall suddenly come to his temple; meaning not his human
nature
nor his church
sometimes so called; but the material temple at
Jerusalem
the second temple
called "his"
because devoted to his
service and worship
which proves him to be God
and because of his frequency
in it; here he was brought and presented by his parents at the proper time
for
the purification of his mother; here he was at twelve years of age disputing
with the doctors; and here Simeon
Anna
and others
were waiting for him
Luke 2:22 and we
often read of his being here
and of his using his authority in it as the Lord
and proprietor of it; and of the Hosannas given him here
Matthew 21:12 the
manner in which he should come
"suddenly"
may refer to the
manifestation of it
quickly after John the Baptist had prepared his way by his
doctrine and baptism:
even the messenger of the covenant; not of the covenant of
works with Adam
of which there was no mediator and messenger; nor of the
covenant of circumcision
at which
according to the Jews
Elias presides; nor
of the covenant at Sinai
of which Moses was the mediator; but of the covenant
of grace
of which Christ is not only the Surety and Mediator; but
as here
"the Messenger"; because it is revealed
made known
and exhibited in
a more glorious manner by him under the Gospel dispensation
through the
ministration of the word and ordinances. De Dieu observes
that the word in the
Ethiopic language signifies a prince as well as a messenger
and so may be
rendered
"the Prince of the covenant"
which is a way of speaking
used in Daniel 11:22
whom ye delight in; either carnally
as they pleased themselves
with the thoughts of a temporal prince
and of great honour and grandeur under
him; and as they would have done
had he submitted to have been made a king by
them in this sense; or rather spiritually
and so is to be understood of such
who had a spiritual knowledge of him
and joy in him; who rejoiced and
delighted in the contemplation of his person
offices
righteousness
and
salvation:
he shall come
saith the Lord of hosts; this
expresses the certainty of his coming
being said by himself
who is the Lord
of hosts
the Lord of armies in heaven and in earth
the King of kings
and
Lord of lords. This passage is
in some Jewish writersF18Bemidbar
Rabba
sect. 16. fol. 219. 4.
interpreted of the world to come
or times of
the Messiah.
Malachi 3:2 2 “But
who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He
is like a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap.
YLT
2And who is bearing the day
of his coming? And who is standing in his appearing? For he [is] as fire of a
refiner
And as soap of a fuller.
But who may abide the day of his coming?.... When he
should be manifest in Israel
and come preaching the Gospel of the kingdom; who
could bear the doctrines delivered by him
concerning his deity and equality
with God the Father; concerning his character and mission as the Messiah
and
his kingdom not being a temporal
but a spiritual one; concerning his giving
his flesh for the life of the world
and eating that by faith; concerning
distinguishing and efficacious grace; and all such that so severely struck at
the wickedness of the Scribes and Pharisees
and their self-righteous
principles; and especially since for judgment he came
that they might not see?
nor could they bear the light of this glorious Sun of righteousness; and he
came not to send peace and outward prosperity to the Jews
but a sword and
division
John 9:39 very few
indeed could bear his ministry
or the light of that day
it being so directly
contrary to their principles and practices:
and who shall stand when he appeareth? in his
kingdom and glory
to take vengeance on the Jews for their rejection of him and
his Gospel; for this coming and appearance of his include all the time between
his manifestation in the flesh and the destruction of Jerusalem; and so all
those sorrows and distresses which went before it
or attended it
and were
such as had never been from the creation of the world; and unless those times
had been shortened
no flesh could have been saved; see Matthew 24:3
for he is like a refiner's fire; partly by the
ministry of the word
compared to fire
Jeremiah 23:29
separating pure doctrines from ones of dross; and partly by his fiery
dispensations and judgments on the wicked Jews
when he distinguished and saved
his own people from that untoward generation
and destroyed them:
and like fuller's soap; or "fuller's
herb"
as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it
and Jarchi
interprets it: and so R. JonahF19Apud Kimchi in Sepher Shorash. rad.
ברר. interprets it of an herb which fullers use: and
in the MisnaF20Niddah. c. 9. sect. 6. this is one of the seven
things used to take out spots
namely
"borith"
the word here used;
and which MaimonidesF21In Misn. ib. says is a plant known by the
name of "algasul" and "gazul" in the Arabic language: it
signifies something by which filth is washed away; and so BartenoraF23In
ib. says it is a plant which purifies and cleanses; and JeromF24Comment.
in Jer. ii. 22. relates that this herb grows in Palestine
in moist and green
places
and has the same virtue as nitre to take away filth; agreeably to which
some other versions render it "fuller's weed"
or "soap
weed"F25כברית מכבסים
"ut lanaria fullonum"
Drusius; "radicula
vel
saponaria"
Vatablus. . The Syriac version is
"as
sulphur that makes white;'
and
fullers
with the Romans
were wont to make use of that along with chalk to
take out spots; and so PlinyF26Nat. Hist. l. 35. c. 15. speaks of a
kind of sulphur which fullers make use of. A metaphor signifying the same thing
as before
the removing of spotted doctrines or spotted persons
the one by the
preaching of the Gospel
the other by awful judgments
as spots in garments are
removed by the fuller's herb or soap.
Malachi 3:3 3 He
will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of
Levi
And purge them as gold and silver
That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.
YLT
3And he hath sat
a refiner
and purifier of silver
And he hath purified the sons of Levi
And hath refined
them as gold and as silver
And they have been to Jehovah bringing nigh a
present in righteousness.
And he shall sit as a refiner
and purifier of silver
.... Kimchi
interprets this
as he does the latter part of the preceding verse Malachi 3:2
of the
day
and not of the Lord
which he compares to a judge that sits and separates
the guilty from the innocent; see 1 Corinthians 3:13
but it is to be understood of the Lord himself
and expresses his diligence in
sitting and separating good men and principles from bad ones
just as silver is
purified and refined from dross. MaimonidesF1Hilchot Melachim
c.
12. sect. 3. understands the passage of the Messiah; for he says
"in
the days of the King Messiah
when his kingdom is restored
and all Israel
shall be gathered to him
all will have their genealogies set right by his
mouth
through the Holy Spirit that rests upon him
as it is said
"he
shall sit a refiner and purifier":'
as
a refiner sits and observes his metal while it is melting
and waits the proper
time to pour it out and separate the dross from it; so Christ is here
represented as sitting
while his people are purifying and refining by the
various ways and means he makes use of: it denotes the continued care of Christ
over them; his eye is upon them
that nothing be lost but their dross and
corruption; and his patience in waiting to be gracious to them
and do them
good; and his diligent attention to the proper season of doing it; designing by
all that he does
not their hurt and damage
but their real good
for he saves
them
though it be by fire; and indeed every trial and affliction is for the
purifying of their souls
and the brightening of their graces
and increasing
their spiritual experience
light
and knowledge.
And he shall purify the sons of Levi; the priests
either literally understood
some of these were converted from their evil
principles and practices
and became obedient to the doctrines of the Gospel
Acts 6:7 or
figuratively
the apostles of Christ and ministers of the Gospel
who were made
clean by him; or rather all the people of God
who are made priests as well as
kings
and are a royal priesthood
and are purified by Christ
both by his
blood
and the imputation of his righteousness
by which they become without
spot and blemish
and as white as snow; and by the Spirit in sanctification
he
sprinkling clean water upon them
and purifying their hearts by faith in the
blood of Jesus; and also by afflictive dispensations of Providence sanctified
unto them. Mention is made of the priests and Levites
because these were so
very corrupt in the times of Christ
and as appears from the preceding chapters.
And purge them as gold and silver; are purged in the fire
from their dross: this shows of what worth and value
and in what esteem the
Lord's people are to him; he reckons of them as gold and silver
and as his
peculiar treasure: and it suggests
that before conversion they are joined unto
and mixed with wicked men
comparable to dross; and that they have in them the
dross
corruption
and impurity of sin; which is original and natural to them
and inherent in them
and which can only be removed by the grace of God and
blood of Christ.
That they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; themselves
their bodies and souls; the sacrifices of prayer
praise
and alms deeds; to
the offering up of which in righteousness
in sincerity and truth
in an
upright way
it is necessary that a person should be purified by the blood of
Christ
and sanctified by the grace of his Spirit.
Malachi 3:4 4 “Then
the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the Lord
As in the days of old
As in former years.
YLT
4And sweet to Jehovah hath
been the present of Judah and Jerusalem
As in days of old
and as in former
years.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto
the Lord
.... Or "sweet"F2ערבה
"dulcescet"
Vatablus
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius;
"dulce"
Piscator. ; grateful and well pleasing to him
as all
spiritual sacrifices are acceptable to God through Christ
being offered up in
the faith of his atoning sacrifice and righteousness
without which it is impossible
to please God:
as in the days of old
and as in former years: under the
first temple
and when the tabernacle was set up by Moses
and in the times of
the patriarchs; and even before the flood
and as early as Abel
who offered a
more excellent sacrifice than Cain
Hebrews 11:4.
Malachi 3:5 5 And
I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers
Against adulterers
Against perjurers
Against those who exploit wage earners
and widows and orphans
And against those who turn away an alien— Because they
do not fear Me
” Says the Lord of hosts.
YLT
5And I have drawn near to
you for judgment
And I have been a witness
Making haste against sorcerers
And against adulterers
And against swearers to a falsehood
And against
oppressors of the hire of an hireling
Of a widow
and of a fatherless one
And
those turning aside a sojourner
And who fear Me not
said Jehovah of Hosts.
And I will come near to you to judgment
.... And so
will manifestly appear to be the God of judgment they asked after
Malachi 2:17 this
is not to be understood of Christ's coming to judgment at the last day
but of
his coming to judge and punish the wicked Jews at the time of Jerusalem's
destruction; for the same is here meant
who is spoken of in the third person
before
and who will not be afar off; there will be no need to inquire after
him
when he will come he will be near enough
and too near for them:
and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers; not only a
judge
but a witness; so that there will be no delay of judgment
or
protracting or evading it
for want of witnesses of facts alleged; for the
Judge himself
who is Christ
will be witness of them
he being the omniscient
God
before whom all things are manifest. The Targum is
"my
Word shall be among you for a swift witness.'
Mention
is made of "sorcerers"
because there were many that used the magic
art
enchantments
and sorceries
in the age of Christ and his apostles
and
before the destruction of Jerusalem
even many of their doctors and members of
the sanhedrim; See Gill on Isaiah 8:19
and against the adulterers; with whom that age also
abounded; hence our Lord calls it an adulterous generation
Matthew 12:39
and against false swearers; who were guilty of
perjury
and of vain oaths; who swore by the creatures
and not by the Lord
and to things not true; see Matthew 5:33
and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages
the widow
and the fatherless; defrauding of servants of their wages
devouring widows' houses
and distressing the fatherless
were sins the Jews
were addicted to in those times
as appears from James 1:27 who
wrote to the twelve tribes; and from what our Lord charges them with
Matthew 23:14
and that turn aside the stranger from his right; and so Kimchi
supplies it
"that
turn aside the judgment of the stranger;'
that
do not do him justice in civil things; yea
persecuted those that became
proselytes to the Christian religion:
and fear not me
saith the Lord of hosts; which was the
root and cause of all their sins; irreverence of Christ
disbelief of him
and
contempt of his Gospel.
Malachi 3:6 6 “For
I am the Lord
I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed
O sons of Jacob.
YLT
6For I [am] Jehovah
I have
not changed
And ye
the sons of Jacob
Ye have not been consumed.
For I am the Lord
.... Or Jehovah; a name
peculiar to the most High
and so a proof of the deity of Christ
who here
speaks; and is expressive of his being; of his self-existence; of his purity
and simplicity; of his immensity and infinity; and of his eternity and
sovereignty:
I change not; being the same today
yesterday
and forever;
he changed not in his divine nature and personality by becoming man; he took
that into union with him he had not before
but remained the same he ever was;
nor did he change in his threatenings of destruction to the Jews
which came
upon them according to his word; nor in his promises of his Spirit
and
presence
and protection to his people; nor will he ever change in his love and
affections to them; nor in the efficacy of his blood
sacrifice
and
righteousness; wherefore
as this is introduced to assure the truth and
certainty of what is said before
concerning his being a swift witness against
the wicked
so also for the comfort of the saints
as follows. The Targum is
"for
I the Lord have not changed my covenant.'
Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed; such who were
Israelites indeed
true believers in Christ; these were not consumed when the
wicked Jews were
but were directed to leave the city before its destruction
and go to another place
as they did
whereby they were preserved; and so it
was
that not one Christian perished in it; See Gill on Matthew 24:13 and
so it is owing to the unchangeable love
grace
and power of Christ
that none
of his perish internally or eternally
but have everlasting life.
Malachi 3:7 7 Yet
from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have
not kept them. Return to Me
and I will return to you
” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said
‘In what way shall we return?’
YLT
7Even from the days of your
fathers Ye have turned aside from My statutes
And ye have not taken heed. Turn
back unto Me
and I turn back to you
Said Jehovah of Hosts. And ye have said
`In what do we turn back?'
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances
.... Here begins an enumeration of the sins of the Jews
which
were the cause of their ruin; and here is first a general charge of apostasy
from the statutes and ordinances of the law
which they made void by the
traditions of the fathers; and therefore this word is used as referring to this
evil
as well as to express their early
long
and continued departure from the
ways of God; which as it was an aggravation of their sin
that they should have
so long ago forsook the ordinances of God
and have not kept them
but transgressed them by
observing the traditions of men
Matthew 15:3 so it
is an instance of the patience and forbearance of God
that they were not as
yet consumed; and of his grace and goodness
that he should address them as
follows:
Return unto me
and I will return unto you
saith the Lord of
hosts; this message was carried to them by John the Baptist
the
forerunner of Christ
and by Christ himself
who both preached the doctrine of
repentance to this people
Matthew 3:2. The
Targum is
"return
to my worship
and I will look in my word to do well unto you
saith the Lord
of hosts;'
and
such who returned
and believed in Christ
and submitted to his ordinances
it
was well with them.
But ye said
Wherein shall we return? what have we
to turn from
or repent of? what evils have we done
or can be charged on us?
what need have we of repentance or conversion
or of such an exhortation to it?
do not we keep the law
and all the rituals of it? this is the true language of
the Pharisees in Christ's time
who
touching the righteousness of the law
were blameless in their own esteem
and were the ninety and nine just persons
that needed not repentance
Luke 15:7.
Malachi 3:8 8 “Will
a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say
‘In what way have we robbed
You?’ In tithes and offerings.
YLT
8Doth man deceive God? but
ye are deceiving Me
And ye have said: `In what have we deceived Thee?' The
tithe and the heave-offering!
Will a man rob God?.... Or "the gods"; the false
gods
the idols of the Gentiles; the Heathens will not do that
accounting
sacrilege a great sin
and yet this the Jews were guilty of: or "the
judges"F3אלהים "deos
vel judices"
Calvin
Drusius
Grotius.
as the Targum; civil magistrates; will any dare to
defraud them of their due? see Malachi 1:8.
Yet ye have robbed me; keeping back from the
priests and Levites
his ministers
what was due to them; and which
being no
other than a spoiling or robbing of them
might be interpreted a robbing of
God:
But ye say
wherein have we robbed thee? as not being
conscious of any such evil; or
however
impudently standing in it
that they
were not guilty: to which is returned the answer
In tithes and offerings; that is
they robbed God
in not giving the tithes
and not offering sacrifices
according as the law
required: but it may be objected
that the Jews in Christ's time did pay
tithes
even of all things; yea
of more than the law required
Matthew 23:23 to
which it may be replied
that though they gave tithes
yet it was בעין רעה
"with an evil
eye"
as Aben Ezra says; grudgingly
and not cheerfully
and with an evil
intention; not to show their gratitude to God
and their acknowledgment of him
as their Lord
from whom they had their all
but in order to merit at his
hands; besides
our Lord suggests that they did not give to God the things that
were God's
Matthew 22:21 and
the apostle charges them with being guilty of sacrilege
Romans 2:22 and
moreover
the priests might not give it to the Levites
as they ought; and
which is what they are charged with in Nehemiah 13:10 and
Grotius says that they were guilty of this before the destruction by Vespasian
as appears by Josephus.
Malachi 3:9 9 You
are cursed with a curse
For you have robbed Me
Even this whole nation.
YLT
9With a curse ye are cursed!
And Me ye are deceiving -- this nation -- all of it.
Ye are cursed with a curse
.... Or "with
penury"
as the Vulgate Latin version; which
though not a proper rendering
of the word
is the meaning of the curse they were cursed with; rain was
withheld from them for their sins
and the earth did not bring forth its usual
increase; wherefore there was want of food in all their land; their blessings
were cursed
as in Malachi 2:2 for the
following reason
for ye have robbed me; because of this their
iniquity
in not bringing their offerings to the Lord
and the tithes to the priests
and Levites
their land was stricken with barrenness
and God gave them
cleanness of teeth
and want of bread in all places: or
"but ye have
robbed me"F4ואתי א־תאם
קבעים "et tamen diripitis me"
De Dieu. ;
notwithstanding they were thus chastised of the Lord
yet were not reformed
but went on in withholding from God and the priests
what belonged to them:
even this whole
nation; the sin was become general
and therefore a general judgment was
inflicted on them: Grotius thinks
that the people seeing the priests withhold
the tithes from the Levites
they refused to pay them to them
and so the sin
became universal. Kimchi observes
that in other sins charged upon the nation
the people were not all alike guilty
but in this which respected the tithes
and offerings they were.
Malachi 3:10 10 Bring
all the tithes into the storehouse
That there may be food in My house
And try
Me now in this
” Says the Lord of hosts
“If I will not open
for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there
will not be room enough to receive it.
YLT
10Bring in all the tithe unto
the treasure-house
And there is food in My house; When ye have tried Me
now
with this
Said Jehovah of Hosts
Do not I open to you the windows of heaven?
Yea
I have emptied on you a blessing till there is no space.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse
.... Or
"treasury"F5אל בית האוצר "thesaurum"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "vel in domum thesauri"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius
Burkius. ; for there were places in the temple
where the tithe was put
and from thence distributed to the priests and
Levites
for the support of their families
as they wanted. There were the
tithe or tenth part of all eatable things paid to the Levites
and out of this
another tithe was paid by the Levites to the priests; and there was another
tithe
which some years the owners ate themselves at Jerusalem
and in others
gave them to the poor; and these were called the first tithe
the tithe out of
the tithe
the second tithe
and the poor's tithe; though they are commonly
reduced to three
and are called first
and second
and third
as they are by
Maimonides; who saysF6Hilchot Maaser Sheni
c. 1. sect. 1.
"after
they have separated the first tithe every year
they separate the second tithe
as it is said "thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed"
&c. Deuteronomy 14:22
and in the third year
and in the sixth
they separate the poor's tithe
instead of the second tithe.'
So
Tobit says; Tobit 1:7
"the
first tithe I gave to the Levites
who stand before the Lord to minister to
him
and to bless in his name the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the second tithe I
sold (as he might
according to the law in Deuteronomy 14:24)
and took the money
and went up to Jerusalem
and bought with it what I
pleased; and the third tithe I gave to the repair of the temple;'
so
Fagius reads: but according to Munster's edition it is
the second and third
tithes I gave to the stranger
the fatherless
and the widow; see Deuteronomy 26:12.
It appears from hence that the sin of the people was
that they did not bring
in "all" their tithes; they kept back a part of them: wherefore they
are called upon to bring in the whole
and which they did in Nehemiah's time;
see Nehemiah 10:38
where mention is made of the treasuries for the tithe
which were certain
chambers adjoining to the temple; and besides those that were built by Solomon
there were other chambers prepared by Hezekiah in his times
when the tithes
were brought in
in such plenty
that there was not room enough for them
2 Chronicles 31:11
and besides those in the second temple
that were in the court of the priests
there were others in the court of the people
as L'Empereur thinksF7Not.
in Misn. Middot
c. 2. sect. 6. No. 14.
where what the others could not
contain might be put; and into which court the priests might come; and there
were also receptacles underground
as well as upper rooms
where much might be
laid up; add to all this
that Dr. LightfootF8Prospect of the
Temple
c. 5. p. 1058. c. 19. p. 1097. suggests
that these tithes were
treasured up in the chambers by the gates of the temple
and were at least a
part of the treasuries of the house of God
which the porters at the gates had
the care of
1 Chronicles 9:26
and particularly that the house of Asuppim
at which were four porters
was a
large piece of building
containing divers rooms for the treasuring up things
for the use of the temple; in the Apocrypha:
"
And are resolved to spend the firstfruits of the the tenths of wine and oil
which they had sanctified
and reserved for the priests that serve in Jerusalem
before the face of our God; the which things it is not lawful for any of the
people so much as to touch with their hands.' Judith 11:13
that there may be food in mine house; in the
temple
for the sustenance of the priests and Levites: so the Targum
"the
prophet said
bring all the tithes into the treasury
that there may be food
for them that minister in the house of my sanctuary:'
and prove me now herewith
saith the Lord of hosts; by bringing
in all their tithes; when they would find
by making this experiment or trial
that the curse would be removed from them
and blessings be largely and
liberally bestowed upon them by him
who is the Lord of hosts
and so able to
perform any promise he makes; and here one is implied
and is as follows:
if I will not open you the windows of heaven; which had
been shut and stopped up
and let down no rain upon their land
which brought a
scarcity of provisions among them; but now
upon a change in their conduct it
is suggested that these windows or floodgates should be opened
and rain let
down plentifully upon them
which only could be done by the Lord himself; for
the key of rain is one of the three keys
the Jews sayF9T. Bab.
Taanith
fol. 2. 1. Sanhedrin
fol. 113. 1.
which God has reserved for
himself
and never puts into the hands of a minister:
and pour you out a blessing: give abundance of rain
to make the earth fruitful
and bring forth its increase in great plenty
which
is a blessing; and not destroy the earth
and the fruits of it
as in the times
of Noah
when the windows of heaven were opened
and a curse was poured out
upon the earth:
that there shall not be room enough to receive it; and so Kimchi
says his father interpreted this clause
that there would not be a sufficiency
of vesselsF11עד בלי
די "adeo ut non sint vobis sufficientia
vasa"
Pagninus
Vatablus. So Burkius. and storehouses. Some render the
words
as Junius
"so that ye shall not be sufficient"; either to
gather in the increase
or to consume it. The Targum is
"until
ye say it is enough;'
and
so the Syriac version. The phrase
which is very concise in the original text
and may be literally rendered
"unto not enough"F12Eousque
ut nunquam sit satis
nempe a parte datoris
Gussetius. So De Dieu.
denotes
great abundance and fulness of good things
so that there should be enough and
to spare; and yet
as Gussetius observes
not enough to answer and express the
abundance of mercy and goodness in the heart of God.
Malachi 3:11 11 “And
I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes
So that he will not destroy the
fruit of your ground
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the
field
” Says the Lord of hosts;
YLT
11And I have pushed for you
against the consumer
And He doth not destroy to you the fruit of the ground
Nor miscarry to you doth the vine in the field
Said Jehovah of Hosts.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes
.... Or
"eater"F13באכל
"comedentem"
Drusius
Cocceius; "eum qui comedit"
Burkius. ; the locust or caterpillar
or any such devouring creature
that eats
up the herbage
corn
and fruits of trees; every such creature is under the
restraint of Providence; and by a nod
a rebuke
they are easily prevented
doing the mischief they otherwise would; these are the Lord's great army
which
he can send and call off as he pleases
Joel 1:4
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; as he has
done
by eating all green things
as the locust
caterpillar
and canker worm
do
grass
corn
and trees:
neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the
field; which some understand of the devourer or locust
that that
should not cause the vine to be abortive
or cast its fruit before its time
or
bereave it of it; but it seems best to interpret it of the vine itself not
casting its fruit
as an untimely birth
by blighting and blasting winds:
saith the Lord of hosts; who holds the winds in
his fists
and will not suffer them when he pleases
any more than the locusts
to hurt the trees of the earth
Revelation 7:1.
Malachi 3:12 12 “And
all nations will call you blessed
For you will be a delightful land
” Says the
Lord of hosts.
YLT
12And declared you happy have
all the nations
For ye are a delightful land
said Jehovah of Hosts.
And all nations shall call you blessed
.... When they
shall see the land freed from the devouring locust
and other hurtful
creatures; the former and the latter rains given in their season
and the earth
yielding a large increase:
for ye shall be a delightsome land
saith the Lord of hosts; or a
desirableF14ארץ חפץ
"terra desiderabilis"
V. L. Pagninus
Drusius; "terra
beneplaciti"
Montanus
Vatablus
Burkius; "oblectationis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. one; not only pleasant to themselves
being
fruitful
but wished for by others
by their neighbouring nations
who
seeing
their prosperity
could not but desire to dwell with them; or delightsome to
the Lord of hosts: thus Jarchi interprets it
the land that I delight in; and
so Aben Ezra; to which agrees the Targum
"and
all nations shall praise you
because you dwell in the land of the house of my
Shechinah or majesty
and do my will in it;'
and
the Syriac version renders it
"the land of my delight": see Isaiah 62:4.
Malachi 3:13 13 “Your
words have been harsh against Me
” Says the Lord
“Yet you
say
‘What have we spoken against You?’
YLT
13Hard against Me have been
your words
Said Jehovah
and ye have said: `What have we spoken against Thee?'
Your words have been stout against me
saith the Lord
.... Hard and
strong; they bore very hardly upon him
were exceeding impudent and insolent;
murmuring at his providence; arraigning his justice and goodness; and despising
his word
worship
and ordinances. Aben Ezra says
this is a prophecy
concerning the time to come
that is
the times of the Messiah; and so it
describes the Jews in his times.
Yet ye say
what have we spoken so much against thee? or "what
have we spoken against thee?" as if they were not guilty in any respect
and as if nothing could be proved against them; and as though the Lord did not
know what they had said in their hearts
seeing they had not spoken it with
their mouths: though the supplement of our translators
"so much"
is
confirmed by the Targum
which is
"and
if ye say
how (or in what) have we multiplied speech before thee?'
and
so Kimchi observes
that the form in which the Hebrew word is denotes much and
frequent speaking: and Abarbinel agrees with him
though he rather thinks it
has this sense
"what are we spoken of to thee?" what calumny is
this? what accusation do they bring against us to thee? what is it that is
reported we say against thee? thus wiping their mouths
as if they were
innocent and harmless.
Malachi 3:14 14 You
have said
‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have
kept His ordinance
And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?
YLT
14Ye have said
`A vain thing
to serve God! And what gain when we kept His charge? And when we have gone in
black
Because of Jehovah of Hosts?
Ye have said
it is vain to serve God
.... This they
said in their hearts
if not with their lips
that it was a vain thing for a
man to serve God; he got nothing by it; he had no reward for it; it fared no
better with him than the wicked; nay
the wicked fared better than he; and
therefore who would be a worshipper of God? see Job 21:15.
Abarbinel understands this also with respect to God
who is worshipped; to whom
worship
say these men
is no ways profitable
nor does he regard it; see Job 35:7 and
therefore it is in vain to serve him
since neither he
nor we
are the better
for it:
and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance; or "his
observation"F14משמרתו
"observationem ejus"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius;
"observantiam ejus"
Cocceius. ; that is
have observed that which he
commanded to be observed; this respects not any single and particular
ordinance
but every ordinance of God: the Sadducees of those times seem
designed
who denied the resurrection of the dead
and a future state of
rewards and punishments
and so might well conclude it in vain to serve God:
and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? or "in
black"F15קדרנית "atrate"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Stockius
p. 926; "pullati"
Tigurine version; "atrati"
Cocceius. ; which is the habit of
mourners; see Psalm 38:6 with an
humble spirit
as Jarchi interprets it; or with humiliation (or contrition) of
spirit
as the Targum
which paraphrases the whole verse thus
"ye
have said
he gains nothing who worships before the Lord; and what mammon (or
riches) do we gain because we have kept the observation of his word
and
because we have walked in contrition of spirit before the Lord of hosts?'
Aben
Ezra and Abarbinel seem to understand this last clause of their being afflicted
and suffering for the sake of religion
and which they endured in vain
seeing
they were not respected and rewarded for it; but the other sense is best
which
represents them as sincere penitents
and humble worshippers of God in their
own account
and yet were not taken notice of by him: it seems to describe the
Pharisees
who disfigured their faces
and affected down looks and sorrowful
countenancesF16The word is used by Josephus ben Gorion for sincere
walking
l. 6. c. 20. p. 612. Vid. Not. Breithaupt. in ib.; it is interpreted
"humbly" by R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 102. 2. .
Malachi 3:15 15 So
now we call the proud blessed
For those who do wickedness are raised up; They
even tempt God and go free.’”
YLT
15And now
we are declaring
the proud happy
Yea
built up have been those doing wickedness
Yea they have
tempted God
and escape.'
And now we call the proud happy
.... Or "therefore
now"F17ועתה "ergo nunc"
V.
L.; "igitur"
Cocceius; "adeoque"
Burkius. ; since this is
the case
that the worshippers of God are not regarded
and there is nothing
got by serving him; they that are proud and haughty
that neither fear God nor
regard men
are the happy persons; even presumptuous sinners
as the wordF18זדים "arrogantes"
V. L.; "feroces"
Cocceius. signifies
that stretch out their hands against God
and strengthen
themselves against the Almighty; these enjoy all worldly happiness
while they
that serve the Lord are mourning in sackcloth
and are in the utmost distress.
The Targum explains it of the ungodly
and as it is explained in the following
clause:
yea
they that work wickedness are set up: or
"built up"F19נבנו
"aedificati sunt"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius
Burkius;
"aedificantur"
Vatablus
Tigurine version
Calvin
Junius &
Tremellius. ; or "seeing
because"
or "for they that work"F20גם "siquidem"
V. L.; "nam"
Piscator
Noldius.
&c.; they are increased with children
by which their houses or
families are built up; they are in a well settled and established condition;
they abound in riches and honours; they are set in high places
and are in
great esteem among men
even such who make it their constant business to commit
sin:
yea
they that tempt God; or "yea
they tempt
God"F21גם בחנו
"etiam probaverunt"
Pagninus
Montanus
Burkius. ; by their wicked
words and actions
and try whether he will cause his judgments to fall upon
them
which he has threatened to such sinners; see Isaiah 5:18
are even delivered; or
"and are delivered"F23וימלטו "et evaserunt"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"et effugerunt"
Cocceius. ; from the punishment threatened; they
escape it
and go on with impunity; from which observations these persons
reasoned that there was no God of judgment
or that judged in the earth; that
there was no providence concerned about human affairs; and that there was
nothing in religion; and these were the hard and stout words which they spoke
against the Lord.
Malachi 3:16 16 Then
those who feared the Lord spoke to one another
And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written
before Him For those who fear the Lord And who
meditate on His name.
YLT
16Then have those fearing
Jehovah spoken one to another
And Jehovah doth attend and hear
And written is
a book of memorial before Him Of those fearing Jehovah
And of those esteeming
His name.
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another
.... Abarbinel
thinks this is a continuation of the speech of the wicked; observing
that
while they that work wickedness were set up
and they that tempted God escaped
punishment
they that were religious
and feared God
"were destroyed one
with another"
particularly by the plague; so he would have the word נדברו rendered
which we translate
"spake often one
to another"; in which sense he observes that root is used in Hosea 13:14 but
rather this is opposed unto what they said
by such
who
at the time referred
to (which seems to be between the time of Christ's coming
spoken of in the
beginning of the chapter Malachi 3:1
and
the destruction of Jerusalem after mentioned)
feared the Lord
and served him;
embraced the Messiah
and professed his name; for the fear of God takes in the
whole of religious worship
both internal and external; and describes such
not
that have a dread of the majesty of God
and of his judgments and wrath
or
distrust his power
providence
grace
and goodness; but who have a filial and
holy fear of God
a fiducial and fearless one
a reverential affection for him
and are true and sincere worshippers of him: these "spake often one to
another"; of the unbelief
impiety
and profaneness of men
with great
concern and lamentation; and of the great and good things they were led into
the knowledge of; the everlasting love of the Father in the choice of them
and
covenant with them in Christ; of redemption by the Son; of the glories of his
person
and the fulness of his grace; of the work of the Spirit of God upon
their souls; and of the various truths of the everlasting Gospel; and of the
gracious experiences they were indulged with; and all this they said for the
glory of God's grace
and for the comforting and strengthening
and edifying
of each other's souls: it follows
and the Lord hearkened
and heard it; what they
said one to another: this is spoken after the manner of men
and does not so
much regard the omniscience of God
who hearkens and hears everything that is
said by wicked men
as by good men; as his special regard unto
peculiar notice
he takes of
and the approbation he has of his people
and of their words and
actions
and even of their thoughts
as is afterwards intimated:
and a book of remembrance was written before him; in allusion
to kings that keep registers
records
annals
and chronicles
as memorials of
matters of moment and importance: see Ezra 4:15 Esther 2:23
otherwise there is no forgetfulness in God; he bears in his own eternal mind a
remembrance of the persons
thoughts
words
and actions of his people
and
which he will disclose and make mention of another day; even our Lord Jesus
Christ
who is God over all
and who will let the churches and world know that
he is the searcher of hearts
and trier of the reins of the children of men:
for them that feared the Lord
as before
and that thought upon his name; either the name of the
Father; not any particular name of his
by which he is known
but him himself;
for
as Kimchi observes
his name is himself
and he himself is his name; and
especially as he is in Christ
and proclaimed in him; and this is expressive of
faith in him
love to him
and reverence of him: or the name of Christ; and not
any particular name of his
unless it be Jesus the Saviour: but rather his
person as the Son of God; his office as Mediator; and his blood
righteousness
and sacrifice: and it is not a bare thinking of him that is here intended
but
such a thought of him as is accompanied with esteem and value for him
because
of the dignity of his person
and the riches of his grace. The Septuagint and
Arabic versions render it
"and that reverence his name"; and the Syriac
version
"that praise his name"; and the Targum is
that think of the
glory of his name.
Malachi 3:17 17 “They
shall be Mine
” says the Lord of hosts
“On the day that I
make them My jewels.[a] And I will
spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
YLT
17And they have been to Me
said Jehovah of Hosts
In the day that I am appointing -- a peculiar treasure
And I have had pity on them
As one hath pity on his son who is serving him.
And they shall be mine
saith the Lord of hosts
.... That is
such as fear the Lord
and think of him
hereby they are known to be his; and
hereafter
in the time referred to
it will be manifest that they are his: they
are Christ's already by his Father's gift of them to him; by his own purchase;
by the conquests of his grace; and by the voluntary surrender of themselves:
but
in the last day
they will be claimed and owned by Christ before his Father
and his holy angels; and they will be known to be his
by themselves and
others; and there will be no doubt about it
or questioning of it:
in that day when I make up my jewels; Christ has
some
who are his jewels
or peculiar treasure
as the wordF24סגלה "peculium"
Munster
Pagninus
Vatablus
Tigurine version
Calvin
Drusius
Junius & Tremellius. here used
signifies; who are loved with an everlasting love; chosen in him; redeemed by
him; justified by his righteousness; have the graces of his Spirit in them: and
will be glorified: they are a peculiar people
separate from all others
and
preferred unto them; for whom Christ has the strongest affection
and takes
special care of: and there is a time when he will make them up; the number of
them is already complete in eternal election; and there was a gathering of them
together in Christ at his death; at every conversion there is an addition to
them
as his regenerated and sanctified ones; and at death they are received
into heaven
into his presence and bosom; and at the last day there will be a
collection of them all together. The words may be rendered
even "my
jewels in the day that I shall make"F25ליום
אשר אני עשה
"illa die quam facio"
so some in Vatablus; "in diem quem ego
facio peculium"
Cocceius
Burkius. ; or "the day I shall make
peculiar": distinct from all others; meaning either the famous Gospel day
made by him the sun of righteousness
in which so many of his jewels are picked
up
and brought in; or the day of Jerusalem's destruction
when Christ took
care of his jewels
and by the preservation of them showed that they were his
even all that believed in him; so that not one perished that believed in him
when he took vengeance on his enemies
that disbelieved and rejected him.
Kimchi refers this to the day of judgment.
And I will spare them
as a man spareth his own son that serveth
him; this is a favour not granted to the apostate angels; nor to the
old world; nor to the Jewish nation; nor even to the Son of God; but is
vouchsafed to his special people: the lives of these are spared
until they are
called by grace; and though they are sometimes afflicted and chastised
it is
very gently
and in love; their services are accepted
and the imperfections in
them overlooked; their sins are pardoned
and they will find mercy at the great
day of account; they are used in the most tender manner
not only as a son
an
own son
but as an obedient one
for whom the greatest regard is had
and
affection shown.
Malachi 3:18 18 Then
you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked
Between one who
serves God And one who does not serve Him.
YLT
18And ye have turned back and
considered
Between the righteous and the wicked
Between the servant of God
and him who is not His servant.
Then shall ye return
.... Either
the wicked
who will be "converted"F26ושב־תאם
"et convertemini"
Cocceius
Gussetius
so Pagninus
Montanus;
"conversi"
Drusius
Junius & Tremellius.
as some render the
word
and will have a different view of things
and change their minds and
language; or they that feared the Lord
who at the time before spoken of will
have a new turn of thought
and another and clear discerning of persons and
things
and better judge of the dispensations of Providence: some that refer
this to the resurrection of the dead
and the last judgment
understand it
as
Abarbinel does
of the returning of souls to their bodies
when indeed the
difference between persons after described will be very discernible; but it
seems to refer to the time of Christ's first coming
and Jerusalem's
destruction:
and discern between the righteous and the wicked; the
difference between such who are really and truly righteous
who are here meant
even such who believe in Christ
and are justified by his righteousness; and
those that are wicked
as all by nature are: though sometimes this character
designs the more profane and abandoned
and even professors of religion; the
difference between these is not always easily discerned; as for the righteous
they are not known and discerned by the world; and by reason of afflictions
temptations
and sins
they are apt to judge wrong of themselves; and sometimes
are so left to fall into sin
that they look like others: and there are wicked
men under the appearance of righteous men
as were the Scribes and Pharisees in
Christ's time; but by the destruction that came upon them
and the preservation
of such as believed in Christ
it was discernible who were wicked
and who were
righteous; indeed
at the last day
this difference will be more visible; in
the bodies of the righteous
which will be raised glorious
when those of the
wicked will not; in their souls
having on the wedding garment
the robe of
Christ's righteousness
and perfectly holy; and in their situation
being set at
Christ's right hand
and the wicked at his left; and by the characters that
will be given of them by the Judge
and the different sentences passed and
executed on them:
between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not; that is
between such persons that serve the Lord
and him only
privately and publicly
in righteousness and true holiness
in spirit and in truth
with faith and
fervency
with reverence and fear
heartily and willingly
seeking his glory
without any dependence on their services; and those that are ungodly
or only
outwardly serve the Lord
for sinister ends
and with selfish views
and
according to their own inventions
and the traditions of men
and not the will
of God
as the Scribes and Pharisees; between whom
and Christ's sincere
disciples and followers
the awful day
described in the next chapter Malachi 4:1
will
make a manifest difference.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)