Malachi 2:8

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:8

But ye are departed out of the way ,.... Of truth and righteousness, of life and peace, of eternal salvation and happiness, pointed to by Christ and his forerunner, and by his apostles and ministers that followed him, and which was clearly showed in the preaching of the Gospel: this was the character of the chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, in Christ's time, to which the prophet seems to have respect; who not only failed in their observance of legal sacrifices, complained of in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:8

But ye are departed out of the way - Ye are become impure yourselves, and ye have led others into iniquity. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:8

Verse 8 He shows here how far were the priests of his time from fulfilling that compact which he had mentioned. He hence concludes that they were unworthy of the honor of which they were so confidently proud, and under the shadow of which they sought to cover their vices, as though they were not bound to God, and were at liberty to tread the Church under foot with impunity. He then shows that it was an extremely foolish arrogance in them to seek to be exempt from all law, and yet to regard God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Malachi 2:4-9

The minister of Divine truth, "My covenant was with him of life and peace," etc. We have here the minister of Divine truth as he always should be, and as he often is— I. THE MINISTER OF DIVINE TRUTH AS HE ALWAYS SHOULD BE . We learn: 1 . That he should be a man divinely called. "Ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts." What was the Divine commission to the priesthood? Here it is:... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Malachi 2:5-9

§ 5. In contrast with these evil ministers, the character of the true priest is sketched, and thus the faults of the former are shown in darker colours. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Malachi 2:8

But ye are departed out of the way. The priests of this time had far declined from the high ideal set forth in Malachi 2:6 , Malachi 2:7 , the "way" in which God would have had them to walk. Ye have caused many to stumble at ( in ) the law . By their example and teaching they had made the Law a stumbling block, causing many to err, while they fancied they were not infringing God's commandments. Septuagint , ἠσθενήσατε πολλοὺς ἐν νόμῳ , "Ye made many weak [equivalent to ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Malachi 2:8

But ye - o are departed out of the way “of knowledge, truth, equity, fear of God, which I appointed to Aaron and the Levites.” “Ye have caused many to stumble at the law.” He does not simply say, “in the law,” but “at” it. The law was what they stumbled at. They did not only misunderstand the law, through the false teaching of the priests, as though it allowed things which in truth were sins (although this too); itself was their source of stumbling. As Jesus Himself was “a rock of offence”... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Malachi 2:7-9

Malachi 2:7-9. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge Preserve and store up, so as to distribute it. It is his duty to understand the meaning of the law of God: and people ought to resort to him for instruction in any difficulty that arises concerning the sense of it. For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts He is appointed to declare God’s will unto the people, and to enforce upon them obedience to it. But ye are departed out of the way Ye act in a quite different manner from... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:1-9

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

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