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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET MALACHI

CHAPTER TWO:
PRIESTLY SINS

Malachi 2:1-4 – A Commandment to Priests

ML2:1 O priests, here is a commandment for all of you. ML2:2 If all of you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to glorify my Name,” Yehowah of Hosts says, “I will surely send upon all of you the curse. I will curse all of your blessings. 25 Yes, even your blessings, because you did not take it to heart.

25

I will curse all of your blessings: In Deuteronomy chapter 28 Moses predicted the possible curses upon Israel. If worship is not rendered in God’s way it will result in a curse. Compare Hebrews 6:4-8 and the principle among the Saints. One wonders if this were applied to Christendom [Christ’s Realm on earth] if modern priests and clergy would come in for a similar “commandment”?

ML2:3 Behold, I rebuke the seed of your planting, and I will smear excrement on all of your faces – the excrement of your festivals. 26 Someone will carry all of you into that garbage. 27

26	Excrement of your festivals: God’s view of Jewish ritual. Compare Colossians 2:16.

27	Someone will carry all of you into that garbage: Perhaps pointing to 70 AD and the destruction of Jerusalem with her Temple.

ML2:4 Then you will realize I sent all of you this commandment so that my covenant with Levi 28 continues,” 29 says Yehowah of Hosts.

28	My covenant with Levi: Given at Exodus 40:14; Numbers 3:6; 18:23. A priesthood for an unknown period of time would exist through Hebrew and Jewish generations. This ended between 33-70 AD. [For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Hebrews 8:13.]

29	Continues: For another 500 years or more. The priesthood ends with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Malachi 2:5-7 – Levitical Priests Should Keep Knowledge

ML2:5 “Regarding this covenant [with Levi], it was contracted with him – life and peace. And I continued giving these to him – Me as the One to be revered – and he did revere me. Indeed, because of my Name, he was awe-struck. ML2:6 The instruction of truth was in his mouth, and no perversity was found on his lips. He walked with me in uprightness and peace and so he turned crowds of people from error. ML2:7 For the priest’s lips should follow knowledge, 30 and from his mouth you people should search for the Law. For he is the messenger 31 of Yehowah of Hosts.

30	Follow knowledge: Or, keep, guard. Compare a Christian principle at Titus 1:9 and James 3:1-3.

31	Messenger: A play on Malachi’s name. The Hebrew is MALAKH and the Greek is ANGELOS. Thus the Jewish priest was viewed as an “angel.” Compare notes on Revelation 2:1.

Malachi 2:8, 9 – Priests Condemned

ML2:8 “However, you [priests] – all of you have turned aside from the Way. You [men] have caused many to struggle awkwardly 32 in the Law. You [men] have wrecked 33 the covenant of Levi,” says Yehowah of Hosts.

32	Struggle awkwardly: Or, stumble.

33	Wrecked: Or, ruined, corrupted. This was the condition of Judaism during Christ’s ministry and his speech toward the Jewish hierarchy indicates the same vehemence as seen in Malachi.

ML2:9 “And so by myself I will surely cause you [men] to be disdained and abased 34 to all the people, just as you [men] did not continue in my ways but instead demonstrated prejudice in the Law.”

34	Disdained and abased: In fulfillment of the curse of Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 28 this took place by the year 70 AD when Jerusalem and her Temple were destroyed.

Malachi 2:10-12 – The Prophet Condemns Judah

ML2:10 Do we not all have one Father? 35 Did not one God create us? 36 Why do we treat one another so hurtfully, 37 in desecrating the covenant of our fathers?

35

One Father: This is a rare designation of God as Father in the Hebrew Bible, such occurring about a dozen times. In the Christian Bible the opposite is true as “Father” becomes one of the preferred designations. For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 6:9 and Nazarene Principles 2000.

36	Did not one God create us: The Hebrew for God is EL and the Greek THEOS HEIS. [God one] It is clear the Father is God just as Jesus taught.

37	Hurtfully: Or, treacherously, forsaken, break faith. The prophet Malachi says “we” and so humbly includes himself in this harmful treatment of neighbor.

ML2:11 Judah had behaved hurtfully, and something detestable has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. For Judah has desecrated Yehowah’s holy place that He loved, and [Judah] has wedded an alien god. 38

38

Wedded an alien god: Or, RHM: taken to himself the daughter of a foreign god; JPS: espoused daughters of alien gods; LXX: gone after other gods. Just as Israel was slow Babylonized and Grecianized so was her counterpart Christendom. The latter rejected monotheism for the worship of the triad of Egypt and Greece. For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Error of the Trinity.]

ML2:12 Yehowah will cut off everyone doing it – the person awake and the one responding – from among Jacob’s tents, as well as the person sacrificing to Yehowah of Hosts.

Malachi 2:13-17 – The Second Reason for Condemnation

ML2:13 “Now this is the second reason 39 for you [men] to cover the altar of Yehowah in tears – weeping and screaming – for will He turn toward your gift offering with favor, or be pleased with anything from your hand?

39	The second reason: The first reason was polluted worship. The second deals with the way Jewish priests treated their wives.

ML2:14 Now you say, ‘What is the reason?’ For this reason – because Yehowah testifies between you and the wife of your youth with whom you have treated her hurtfully 40 even though she is your partner and the wife of your covenant-promise.

40	Hurtfully: Or, treacherously, forsaken, broken faith [trust]. On how to treat a wife see notes on Ephesians 5:24-31.

ML2:15 Did He not create everyone? So that all the remaining breath of life is His? And what did that one search for? Godly people! Now you men must be on guard regarding your own attitude 41 so that you never treat the wife of your youth hurtfully.

41	Attitude: Or, spirit, disposition.

ML2:16 For He hates divorce,” 42 says Yehowah, the God of Israel, “as well as the man clothing himself with lawlessness like a garment,” 43 says Yehowah of Hosts. “So all of you men guard your attitude and never be hurtful.

42	He hates divorce: God’s simple and straightforward opinion about divorce. [For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 19:3-12.]

43	Lawlessness like a garment: Possibly within the marriage regarding the treatment of their wives by these priestly husbands. Note 1 Peter 3:7 where the treatment of a wife may affect a Christian husband’s prayers.

ML2:17 You men have made Yehowah tired of your words. But you ask, ‘Why do you grow tired?’ Because all of you men say, ‘Anyone who is harmful 44 is good in the eyes of Yehowah, and He surely delights in such persons.’ And, ‘Where is the God of justice?’”

44	Harmful: Likely within the marriage.

Review Questions on Chapter Two