Malachi 3
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
MESSIAH'S COMING, PRECEDED BY HIS FORERUNNER, TO PUNISH THE GUILTY FOR VARIOUS SINS, AND TO REWARD THOSE WHO FEAR GOD. (Mal. 3:1-18) Behold--Calling especial attention to the momentous truths which follow. Ye unbelievingly ask, Where is the God of judgment (Mal 2:7)? "Behold," therefore, "I send," &c. Your unbelief will not prevent My keeping My covenant, and bringing to pass in due time that which ye say will never be fulfilled. I will send . . . he shall come--The Father sends the Son: the Son comes. Proving the distinctness of personality between the Father and the Son. my messenger--John the Baptist; as Mat 3:3; Mat 11:10; Mar 1:2-3; Luk 1:76; Luk 3:4; Luk 7:26-27; Joh 1:23, prove. This passage of Malachi evidently rests on that of Isaiah his predecessor (Isa 40:3-5). Perhaps also, as HENGSTENBERG thinks, "messenger" includes the long line of prophets headed by Elijah (whence his name is put in Mal 4:5 as a representative name), and terminating in John, the last and greatest of the prophets (Mat 11:9-11). John as the representative prophet (the forerunner of Messiah the representative God-man) gathered in himself all the scattered lineaments of previous prophecy (hence Christ terms him "much more than a prophet," Luk 7:26), reproducing all its awful and yet inspiriting utterances: his coarse garb, like that of the old prophets, being a visible exhortation to repentance; the wilderness in which he preached symbolizing the lifeless, barren state of the Jews at that time, politically and spiritually; his topics sin, repentance, and salvation, presenting for the last time the condensed epitome of all previous teachings of God by His prophets; so that he is called pre-eminently God's "messenger." Hence the oldest and true reading of Mar 1:2 is, "as it is written in Isaia…
Open source ↗Behold, I will send my messenger,.... These are the words of Christ, in answer to the question put in the last verse of the preceding chapter Mal 2:17, "Where is the God of judgment?" intimating that he would quickly appear, and previous to his coming send his messenger or angel; not the angel of death to destroy the wicked, as Jarchi thinks; nor an angel from heaven, as Kimchi; nor Messiah the son of Joseph; as Aben Ezra; nor the Prophet Malachi himself, as Abarbinel; but the same that is called Elijah the prophet, Mal 4:5 and is no other than John the Baptist, as is clear from Mat 11:10 called a "messenger" or "angel", not by nature, but by office; and Christ's messenger, because sent by him and on his errand; and which shows the power and authority of Christ in sending forth ministers; his superior excellency to John, and his existence before him, or he could not be sent by him, and so before his incarnation; for John was sent by him before he was in the flesh, and consequently this is a proof of the proper deity of Christ: and the word "behold" is prefixed to this, in order to raise the attention of those that put the above question, and all others; as well as to show that the message John was sent upon was of the greatest moment and importance; as that the Messiah was just ready to appear, his kingdom was at hand, and the Jews ought to believe in him; though it also respects the coming of the Messiah, spoken of in the latter part of the text: and he shall prepare the way before me; by declaring to the Jews that he was born, and was in the midst of them; by pointing him out unto them; by preaching the doctrine of repentance, and exhorting them to believe in him; and by administering the ordinance of baptism in general to all proper subjects, and in particular to Chr…
Open source ↗Coming of the Lord to judgment. Mal 3:1. "Behold, I send my messenger, that he may prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to His temple, and the angel of the covenant, whom ye desire; behold he comes, saith Jehovah of hosts." To the question, Where is or remains the God of judgment? the Lord Himself replies that He will suddenly come to His temple, but that before His coming He will send a messenger to prepare the way for Him. The announcement of this messenger rests upon the prophecy in Isa 40:3., as the expression וּפנּה דרך, which is borrowed from that passage, clearly shows. The person whose voice Isaiah heard calling to make the way of Jehovah in the desert, that the glory of the Lord might be revealed to all flesh, is here described as מלאך, whom Jehovah will send before Him, i.e., before His coming. This maleâkh is not a heavenly messenger, or spiritual being (Rashi, Kimchi), nor the angel of Jehovah κατ ̓ ἐξοχήν, who is mentioned afterwards and called maleakh habberı̄th, but an earthly messenger of the Lord, and indeed the same who is called the prophet Elijah in Mal 4:5, and therefore not "an ideal person, viz., the whole choir of divine messengers, who are to prepare the way for the coming of salvation, and open the door for the future grace" (Hengst.), but a concrete personality - a messenger who was really sent to the nation in John the Baptist immediately before the coming of the Lord. The idea view is precluded not only by the historical fact, that not a single prophet arose in Israel during the whole period between Malachi and John, but also by the context of the passage before us, according to which the sending of the messenger was to take place immediately before the coming of the Lord to His temple. It is true that…
Open source ↗The first words of this chapter seem a direct answer to the profane atheistical demand of the scoffers of those days which closed the foregoing chapter: Where is the God of judgment? To which it is readily answered, "Here he is; he is just at the door; the long-expected Messiah is ready to appear; and he says, For judgment have I come into this world, for that judgment which you have so impudently bid defiance to." One of the rabbin says that the meaning of this is, That God will raise up a righteous King, to set things in order, even the king Messiah. And the beginning of the gospel of Christ is expressly said to be the accomplishment of this promise, with which the Old Testament concludes, Mar 1:1, Mar 1:2. So that by this the two Testaments are, as it were, tacked together, and made to answer one another. Now here we have, I. A prophecy of the appearing of his forerunner John the Baptist, which the prophet Isaiah had foretold (Isa 40:3), as the preparing of the way of the Lord, to which this seems to have a reference, for the words of the latter prophets confirmed those of the former: Behold, I will send my messenger, or I do send him, or I am sending him. "I am determined to send him; he will now shortly come, and will not come unsent, though to a careless generation he comes unsent for." Observe, 1. He is God's messenger; that is his office; he is Malachi (so the word is), the same with the name of this prophet; he is my angel, my ambassador. John Baptist had his commission from heaven, and not of men. All held John Baptist for a prophet, for he was God's messenger, as the prophets were, and came on the same errand to the world that they were sent upon - to call men to repentance and reformation. 2. He is Christ's harbinger: He shall prepare the way before me, by c…
Open source ↗3:1 my messenger (Hebrew mal’aki): This is a wordplay on Malachi’s name. The messenger may be either an angel or a human being functioning as a divine courier. Jesus identified John the Baptist by pointing to this passage (see Matt 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27). • Malachi’s audience probably would have understood the messenger of the covenant to be a divine being (cp. Exod 23:20-23). The Christian church has understood Jesus Christ to be the messenger of the new covenant.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) מֲלְאָךְ (mălʼâk, H4397) — a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher) פָּנָה (pânâh, H6437) — to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc. דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… אָדוֹן (ʼâdôwn, H113) — sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine) בָּקַשׁ (bâqash, H1245) — to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to… פִּתְאוֹם (pithʼôwm, H6597) — instantly בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) הֵיכָל (hêykâl, H1964) — a large public building, such as a palace or temple בְּרִית (bᵉrîyth, H1285) — a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh) חָפֵץ (châphêts, H2655) — pleased with אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗כּוּל (kûwl, H3557) — properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses) יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… צָרַף (tsâraph, H6884) — to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively) אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) כָּבַס (kâbaç, H3526) — to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal… בֹּרִית (bôrîyth, H1287) — vegetable alkali
Open source ↗יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… צָרַף (tsâraph, H6884) — to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively) טָהֵר (ṭâhêr, H2891) — to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally,… כֶּסֶף (keçeph, H3701) — silver (from its pale color); by implication, money בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… לֵוִי (Lêvîy, H3878) — Levi, a son of Jacob זָקַק (zâqaq, H2212) — to strain, (figuratively) extract, clarify זָהָב (zâhâb, H2091) — gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky נָגַשׁ (nâgash, H5066) — to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God מִנְחָה (minchâh, H4503) — a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually… צְדָקָה (tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) — rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue)…
Open source ↗מִנְחָה (minchâh, H4503) — a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine עָרֵב (ʻârêb, H6149) — to be agreeable יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or… קַדְמוֹנִי (qadmôwnîy, H6931) — (of time) anterior or (of place) oriental שָׁנֶה (shâneh, H8141) — a year (as a revolution of time)
Open source ↗קָרַב (qârab, H7126) — to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a… מָהַר (mâhar, H4116) — properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a… עֵד (ʻêd, H5707) — concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince כָּשַׁף (kâshaph, H3784) — properly, to whisper aspell, i.e. to inchant or practise magic נָאַף (nâʼaph, H5003) — to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, H8267) — an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial) שָׁבַע (shâbaʻ, H7650) — to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times) עָשַׁק (ʻâshaq, H6231) — to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow שָׂכִיר (sâkîyr, H7916) — a man at wages by the day or year שָׂכָר (sâkâr, H7939) — payment of contract; concretely, salary, fare, maintenance; by implication, compensation,… אַלְמָנָה (ʼalmânâh, H490) — a widow; also a desolate place יָתוֹם (yâthôwm, H3490) — a bereaved person נָטָה (nâṭâh, H5186) — to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used…
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God שָׁנָה (shânâh, H8138) — to fold, i.e. duplicate (literally or figuratively); by implication, to transmute… בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… יַעֲקֹב (Yaʻăqôb, H3290) — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch כָּלָה (kâlâh, H3615) — to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitived (to complete,…
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application סוּר (çûwr, H5493) — to turn off (literal or figurative) חֹק (chôq, H2706) — an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage) שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) קָבַע (qâbaʻ, H6906) — to cover, i.e. (figuratively) defraud אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) מַעֲשֵׂר (maʻăsêr, H4643) — a tenth; especially a tithe תְּרוּמָה (tᵉrûwmâh, H8641) — a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute
Open source ↗אָרַר (ʼârar, H779) — to execrate מְאֵרָה (mᵉʼêrâh, H3994) — an execration קָבַע (qâbaʻ, H6906) — to cover, i.e. (figuratively) defraud גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight…
Open source ↗בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) מַעֲשֵׂר (maʻăsêr, H4643) — a tenth; especially a tithe אוֹצָר (ʼôwtsâr, H214) — a depository טֶרֶף (ṭereph, H2964) — something torn, i.e. a fragment, e.g. a fresh leaf, prey, food בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) בָּחַן (bâchan, H974) — to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate זֹאת (zôʼth, H2063) — this (often used adverb) אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… פָּתַח (pâthach, H6605) — to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve אֲרֻבָּה (ʼărubbâh, H699) — a lattice; (by implication) a window, dovecot (because of the pigeon-holes), chimney… שָׁמַיִם (shâmayim, H8064) — the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds… רוּק (rûwq, H7324) — to pour out (literally or figuratively), i.e. empty
Open source ↗גָּעַר (gâʻar, H1605) — to chide אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) שָׁחַת (shâchath, H7843) — to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively) פְּרִי (pᵉrîy, H6529) — fruit (literally or figuratively) אֲדָמָה (ʼădâmâh, H127) — soil (from its general redness) גֶּפֶן (gephen, H1612) — a vine (as twining), especially the grape שָׁכֹל (shâkôl, H7921) — properly, to miscarry, i.e. suffer abortion; by analogy, to bereave (literally or… שָׂדֶה (sâdeh, H7704) — a field (as flat) אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… אָשַׁר (ʼâshar, H833) — to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy);… חֵפֶץ (chêphets, H2656) — pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause חָזַק (châzaq, H2388) — to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a…
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) שָׁוְא (shâvᵉʼ, H7723) — evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively… עָבַד (ʻâbad, H5647) — to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc. אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… בֶּצַע (betsaʻ, H1215) — plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust) שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mishmereth, H4931) — watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively… הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively) קְדֹרַנִּית (qᵉdôrannîyth, H6941) — blackish ones (i.e. in sackcloth); used adverbially, in mourning weeds פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.