Gann's Commentary on the Bible

Mal. 2.1

Malachi - Chapter 2 Margin Notes

2:1-9 A Message for Messengers

2:1 commandment = a threat or announcement?

Malachi 2:2

2:2 lay it to heart = give attention to it

2:2 curse your blessing = the blessing the priests gave to the people would be turned into a curse. Like that of Baalam in Numbers 23:11

Glory to God Numbers 6:22-27.

Mal. 2.3

2:3 Nehemiah 13:1-2

2:3 spread dung = maws - Deut 18:3. Imagine the shame when the sacrifice the priest was killing and splitting open burst its first stomach (which was given to the pirests) and its contents spewed upon him.

2:3 taken away with it = This made the priest ceremonially unclean and he could not perform his job until he was cleansed.

2:3b Treated as filth.

Mal. 2.4

Mal. 2.5

2:5 God’s Gift, and Man’s Part

Mal. 2.6

2:6 The way things ought to be. His teaching and his life were to be good.

Malachi 2:7

2:7 for he is the messenger of the Lord

Mal. 2.8

2:8 But ye ...

Mal. 2.9

2:9 respect of person in the law - perversion of judgment

Mal. 2.10

2:10 The brotherhood of man

2:10 Sound ethics must be based upon sound theology.

Mal. 2.11

2:11 daughter of a foreign god - a woman who is an idolatress

Mal. 2.12

2:12 him that waketh and him that answereth ... master and scholar. Priest and people, as teacher and pupil.

Mal. 2.13

2:13 again... or a second time.

2:13 with tears and weeping – 1) weeping wives (?); or 2) worshipers because their sacrifices are not accepted.

2:13 Worship is spoiled by the tears of those injured.

Mal. 2.14

2:14-16 Marriage is a divine institution

2:14 Marriage is made before God.

2:14 covenant – Proverbs 5:18; vows

Mal. 2.15

Mal. 2.16

2:16 God is served by meeting our family obligations.

Malachi 2:17

2:17 Words of skepticism.

1) God hears our words

2) Skeptical words are offensive to God

2:17 Cf. Complains ofMalachi 1:1-15

2:17 Thinking that evil men were blessed, or today we say, Why do the wicked seem to prosper? Psalms 37:1 and Psalms 73:1.

2:17 where is the God of justice? = the theme of the next chapter