And now, O ye priests ,.... That despised and profaned the name of the Lord; that suffered such corrupt and illegal sacrifices to be brought and offered up: this commandment is for you : of giving glory to the name of God; of taking care of his worship; of teaching the people knowledge, and directing them in the way in which they should walk; as follows: read more
Verse 1 Though the priests did not sin alone, yet it is not without reason, as we have said, that they were regarded as the first in wickedness; for it was their office to correct what the people did amiss. Their dissimulation had the effect of encouraging the common people to sin: hence the Prophet accuses them especially as the authors of impiety; and this is what the words intimate, if they are rightly considered. To you, he says, O priests. They might have indeed exonerated themselves, or... read more
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. Le 25:21.) The threat is contained in Malachi 2:2 , Malachi 2:3 . read more
Spiritual reformation. "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you," etc. The grand subject we gather from these words is spiritual reformation. "Now, O ye priests." The priests are specially addressed and reproved, for they, whose mission it was to raise the people to true worship and to holiness, led them into sin. Notice— I. THE NATURE OF THE SPIRITUAL REFORMATION REQUIRED . "If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my Name,... read more
§ 4. For these derelictions of duty the priests are threatened with punishment. read more
And now this is My commandment unto you - , not a commandment, which He gave them, but a commandment in regard to them. As God said of old, upon obedience , “I will command My blessing unto you,” so now He would command what should reach them, but a curse. “He returns from the people to the priests, as the fountain of the evil, whose carelessness about things sacred he had rebuked before. Let the priests of the new law hear this rebuke of God, and conceive it dictated to them by the Holy Spirit... read more
Malachi 2:1-4. O ye priests, this commandment is for you Or decree, rather, for properly speaking no commandment is here given to the priests, only punishment is denounced upon them if they did not repent. If ye will not hear, &c., to give glory unto my name Which you have despised and dishonoured, by your irreverent performance of my service, Malachi 1:6. I will send a curse upon you I will send poverty and affliction upon you, and you shall not prosper in any thing. And I will... read more
Unworthy priests (2:1-9)The priests are chiefly to blame for the poor spiritual condition of Israel. If they do not quickly reform their ways, God will punish them. He will reduce their income from the people’s tithes and offerings, and bring public disgrace upon them. He may even remove them from their position as priests, in order to stop the priesthood from becoming so corrupt that it has to be abolished. God prefers to maintain the priesthood, according to the promise he gave to the tribe... read more
priests. . this commandment. As to reformation. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Malachi 2:1-9
What was said in the foregoing chapter was directed to the priests (Mal. 1:6): Thus saith the Lord of hosts to you, O priests! that despise my name. But the crimes there charged upon them they were guilty of as sacrificers, and for those they might think it some excuse that they offered what the people brought, and therefore that, if they were not so good as they should be, it was not their fault, but the people?s; and therefore here the corruptions there complained of are traced to the source... read more