Malachi 3:13-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Malachi 3:13-18

Among the people of the Jews at this time, though they all enjoyed the same privileges and advantages, there were men of very different characters (as ever were, and ever will be, in the world and in the church), like Jeremiah's figs, some very good and others very bad, some that plainly appeared to be the children of God and others that as plainly discovered themselves to be the children of the wicked one. There are tares and wheat in the same field, chaff and corn in the same floor; and here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 3:13

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 3:14

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;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 3:15

And now we call the proud happy ,.... Or "therefore now" F17 ועתה "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 word F18 זדים "arrogantes", V. L.; "feroces", Cocceius. signifies, that stretch out their hands against God, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:13

Your words have been stout against me - He speaks here to open infidels and revilers. What have we spoken - They are ready either to deny the whole, or impudently to maintain and defend what they had spoken! read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:14

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God - They strove to destroy the Divine worship; they asserted that it was vanity; that, if they performed acts of worship, they should be nothing the better; and if they abstained, they should be nothing the worse. This was their teaching to the people. Walked mournfully - Even repentance they have declared to be useless. This was a high pitch of ungodliness; but see what follows; behold the general conclusions of these reprobates: - read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:15

And now we call the proud happy - Proud and insolent men are the only happy people, for they domineer everywhere, and none dares to resist them. They that work wickedness are set up - The humble and holy are depressed and miserable; the proud and wicked are in places of trust and profit. Too often it is so. They that tempt God are even delivered - Even those who despise God, and insult his justice and providence, are preserved in and from dangers; while the righteous fall by them. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:13

Verse 13 Here again God expostulates with the Jews on account of their impious and wicked blasphemy in saying, that he disappointed his servants, and that he made no difference between good and evil, because he was kind to the unfaithful and the faithful indiscriminately, and also that he overlooked the obedience rendered to him. He says now that their words grew strong; by which he denotes their insolence, as though he had said, Vous avez gagné le plus haut; for חזק, chezak, is to be strong.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:14

Verse 14 He then gives the reason why he said, that their words grew strong against God, that is, that they daringly and furiously spoke evil of God; and the reason was, because they said, that God was worshipped in vain. They thought that they worshipped God perfectly; and this was their false principle; for hypocrites ever lay claim to complete holiness, and cannot bear to confess their own evils; even when their conscience goads them, they deceive themselves with vain flatteries, and always... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:15

Verse 15 This verse is connected with the last, for the force of these words, “We have walked sorrowfully before God and have carefully kept his precepts,” does not fully appear, except this clause be added — that they saw in the meantime that the proud flourished and had their delights, as though they said, “We strive to deserve well of God by our services; he overlooks all our religious acts, and pours as it were all his bounty on our enemies, who are yet ungodly and profane.” We now see how... read more

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