View Malachi 1 in the note window.
The prophet reproves the Jews for their ingratitude to God,
ver. 1 - 5.
For their neglect of his institutions, ver. 6 - 14.
2: Loved you - Both personally considered and relatively, in
progenitors. Us - Who have been captives, and groaned under it all
our days 'till of late. Was not Esau - Did not one father beget
them, and one mother bear them? I loved Jacob - I preferred him to the
birthright, and this of free love. I loved his person, and his posterity.
3: I hated - I loved not Esau's posterity as I loved Jacob's.
His heritage - Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains.
Waste - By Nebuchadnezzar's arms five years after the sacking of
Jerusalem, and whereas Jacob's captivity returned, and their
cities were rebuilt, Esau's never were. The dragons - Creatures
which delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation
of Esau is signified.
4: Throw down - So he did in the times of the Maccabees.
The border of wickedness - They will be a most wicked people, and
so notorious, that all their neighbours shall brand them for it.
Hath indignation - They will so highly provoke God, that his
indignation will be kindled against them for ever.
5: From the border of Israel - Let Israel from all his borders
give God praise.
6: O priests - Had undutifulness been found among the ignorant
people, it might have been a little excusable. But you, O priests,
whose business is to know me, have like Eli's sons despised me
yourselves, and made others do so too.
7: Bread - Either the meal - offerings, or rather in a more large
sense, all sacrifices and oblations. Ye say - Perhaps in words; at
least your deeds speak your thoughts. The table - This comprehends
all that was offered to God.
8: Evil - Is it not against the express command of God.
9: I pray you - O priests. Beseech - Intercede with God for his
sinful people. This - This contempt of God.
11: Incense - A law term for a gospel duty, and under this type are
contained the prayers and praises, nay, the whole gospel - worship.
A pure offering - Both sincere, in opposition to hypocrisy, and holy, in
opposition to impurity, superstition and idolatry.
12: But ye - O priests! And the people by your examples.
Ye say - By your deportment. Is polluted - Not a sacred thing.
His meat - Either the meat which fell to the priest's share,
or the portion which was laid upon the altar.
13: What a weariness - What a toil and drudgery to observe every
point of the law. This - With such minds snuffing at my service, and
with such sacrifices, unfit for mine altar.
14: The deceiver - The hypocrite that would seem to offer a sacrifice
of the best, but puts God off with the worst. A male - A perfect male,
such as God requireth.
