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MALACHI 2 COMMENTARY
Written and edited by Glenn Pease
1. "And now this admonition is for you, O priests.
1. The priests are held to a higher standard of accountability, for it is their duty toobey all that God has commanded for his people, and so if they fail to do so, thewhole community will be dragged down to the lowest level. God hits the priestshard, for their failure has a greater impact on the community than any other group.When religious leaders go astray from the will of God they do the greatest damage,and so they must suffer the greatest judgment.2. Calvin, "To you, he says, O priests. They might have indeed exoneratedthemselves, or at least transferred a part of their guilt to others: “Oh! what can wedo? for we see that the people are growing cold in God’s worship; it is better thatimperfect sacrifices should be offered than none at all.” As then they might byevasion have somewhat extenuated their guilt, the Prophet the more sharplyreproves them and says, To you especially is addressed this command, as they oughtto have shown to others the right way; for when they dissembled, their connivancewas nothing else but a consent; and thus they divested the people of God’s fear, andallowed them to corrupt the whole of religion by offering spurious sacrifices. To youthen, he says, that is, “Though the whole people is guilty before God, think not thatye are on this account excused; for it behoves you to check this wickedness, for Godhas set you over the people as their teachers and guides: as then ye have neglectedyour duty, whatever others have done amiss, falls justly on your heads. For how hasit happened that the people have dared to proceed so far in impiety? even becauseyou have no concern for religion; for God has promoted you to the priesthood forthis end — to preserve in integrity the worship of his name; but ye know of all theprevailing profanations, and ye hold your peace: To you then is this command.”3. God's omniscience is a real pain for hypocrites, for he knows too much aboutwhat we can hide from all others, and he holds us accountable.A small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witnessto the stand in a trial -- a grand-motherly, elderly woman.He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?"She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I’veknown you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you’ve been abig disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, youmanipulate people and talk about them behind their backs.You think you’re a rising big shot when you haven’t the brains
 
to realize you will never amount to anything more than atwo-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, hepointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know thedefense attorney?"She replied, "Why, yes I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since hewas a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. Andhe, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy,bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normalrelationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of theshoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him."At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silenceand called both counselors to the bench.In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you’ll be jailed for contempt!"4. Piper asks the question, and then answers it: "Who are the priests today? Or arethere any? The New Testament never uses the term priest to describe a pastor orelder in the church. There is no official priesthood in the New Testament church.The reason for this is very clear: Jesus Christ himself has become a permanentpriest for us and the Old Testament priesthood is now obsolete. Hebrews 7:23-25,The priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death fromcontinuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continuesfor ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to Godthrough him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Christ is now theone and only priest between us and God. The reason for this is that his sacrifice wasfinal and his life is indestructible (7:16). When Christ appeared as a high priest . . .he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calvesbut his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:11-12) So theOld Testament priesthood is replaced once and for all by the priestly ministry of Jesus -- the offering of himself as the final sacrifice for sin, and the interceding forus today in heaven. There is no official priesthood in the New Testament church."5. Piper goes on, " But this raises the question: Were there other duties that priestshad in the Old Testament besides offering sacrifices for the sake of the people --duties that may indeed be continued in the New Testament? The answer is a clearyes. Notice Malachi 2:7, "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and menshould seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." In other words the priests were teachers. This part of their ministry iscontinued in the church of the New Testament. Ephesians 4:11 says that Christ gaveto the church some pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of theministry. 1 Timothy says that there are to be overseers who are able in teaching
 
(3:2), and that some elders in the church are to labor in preaching and teaching(5:17; cf. Titus 1:9).So this part of the priests' duties in Israel is continued in the elders of the NewTestament church -- they are responsible to teach and guide the church. But theyare never called "priests", because that would imply too much likeness to the OldTestament office. Pastors do not offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins -- not inthe mass or any other way. We do not offer people Jesus Christ in the mass, wepoint people to the finished, all-sufficient work of the cross and directly to the living,interceding Jesus Christ, by the Word of God. We are teachers and preachers aboveall else. So my conclusion is that Malachi 2:1-9 is very relevant for us today becausethe priestly failure that Malachi talks about has to do especially with their duties asteachers and moral examples for the people. The failure he warns against would be just as much failure today!"
2. If you do not listen, and if you do not set yourheart to honor my name," says the LORDAlmighty, "I will send a curse upon you, and I willcurse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursedthem, because you have not set your heart tohonor me.
1. Here is another paradox-cursed blessings. The priest blesses someone, and insteadof it being a blessing, it becomes a curse. I would suspect that not many wouldcontinue to come to the priest for a blessing after it turns out to be a curse. Imaginesome Jewish farmer coming to ask for a blessing on his crops and after all of hiscrops wither, do you suppose he will go back and ask for a blessing on his livestockafter that? The point is the priests will soon be avoided, for it will be obvious thatGod is cursing them, and so nobody will have any faith in them.2. How pathetic is the situation when the religious leaders are under the curse of God. They are the ones that are to lead people to God, and now they are the onesthat God is rejecting. Religion has become a negative thing in the lives of the people,for God has refused to honor its function because the leaders will not honor hisname. Religion was nothing but a sham, and a scam to make money, and so Godrefused to put his stamp of approval on it. Instead he puts his curse on it, and Godbecomes anti-religious. Here is another paradox, for God has become the enemy of his people's religion.2B. Here we see the choice is totally in their hands, and it is their move. You listen
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