“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”
My angel, viz., John the Baptist, the messenger of God, and forerunner of Christ. (Challoner) — His purity and office procure him this title. (Worthington) — Afterwards Christ himself shall come, for the ruin and for the resurrection of many, Luke ii. 34. Hence threats and promises are intermixed. The evangelists read his face, making the Father speak, whereas the Son is introduced by the prophet, who however presently changes the person. It is all the same which person of the blessed Trinity speaks, as all act together. (Calmet) — Testament. The Messias, the mediator of the covenant with mankind, (Worthington) with Abraham, and Moses. The latter calls him the prophet; (Deuteronomy xviii. 18.) and Zacharias, alluding to this text, explains angel in the same sense, Luke i. 76. — Temple. The ancient Jews were convinced that the Messias would come to the temple of Zorobabel, and be its chief glory, Aggeus ii. 8. (Calmet) — Their descendants put off the coming for some long time, though the prophet says presently, or on a sudden. (St. Jerome; Basnage vi. 26.) — Some take this temple to be the womb of the bless Virgin [Mary]. (St. Cyril; St. Augustine, City of God xviii. 35.) (Calmet) — The Baptist was conceived, born, and preached first; and shortly after Christ appeared. (Worthington)
“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:”
Coming. This may be explained of [John] the Baptist, (Luke iii. 7.) or of the second coming of Christ; though his first coming shewed the hypocrisy of the Jews. They would not acknowledge him, but sought his death, and brought on their own condemnation. (Calmet) — Fuller’s. Septuagint, “washers’ herb.” Borith is found in all the low places of Palestine, (St. Jerome) and probably denotes soda, (Jeremias ii. 22.; Calmet) or fullers’ earth. (Haydock) — Christ purified the religion of the Jews, or did what was requisite for that purpose. The people would not obey. Yet he established his Church in all purity.
“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”
Justice. This is spoken of the Christian priesthood, which far excels that of Levi, Hebrews v., and vii., &c. (Calmet) — Many Jewish priests embraced the gospel, Acts vi. 7. (Haydock)
“Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. former: or, ancient”
Years. So in the mass we beg that God would receive the sacrifice, “as he received the presents of Abel.” (Menochius)
“And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. oppress: or, defraud”
Judgment. He has answered (ver. 1, 2) the complaint of the Jews, chap. ii. 17. (Haydock) — This he does here (Menochius) more pointedly. (Haydock) — Christ condemned the world, as his spirit did likewise, John xvi. 8. He made an example of Jerusalem, which shewed that he would not leave crimes unpunished. We may also understand this of his last coming. (Calmet) — God threatens to punish even secret sins, which are know to him alone. (Worthington)
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
Change. Hebrew also, (Haydock) “hate or recommence.” I do not strike the fallen. Did I spare Sennacherib? &c. Have I not protected the posterity of Jacob? How then can you say that I am indifferent about human affairs? (Calmet) — Consumed. Septuagint, “you depart not from the sins of your fathers. You have rejected my,” &c.
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”
Afflict. Literally, “pierce.” Septuagint, “supplant,” (Haydock) or kick at, 1 Kings ii. 29. But the term applied to Heli is different. Here it signifies to nail or irritate. (Calmet) — Tithes: the payment is most strictly commanded. (Worthington)
“Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”
Want. Hebrew, “malediction.” St. Jerome specifies the kind. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “and you obstinately turn away your eyes, and supplant me,” &c. (Haydock)
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. pour: Heb. empty out”
Heaven; copious showers. — Blessing; fertility.
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. destroy: Heb. corrupt”
Devourer; locusts and other vermin. (Menochius) — Malachias came later than Aggeus, and probably speaks of a different famine, to which the Jews were exposed for neglecting to pay tithes. (Calmet) — How many now work on holydays, as if all depended on their labour and not on God’s blessing! (Haydock)
“Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? ordinance: Heb. observation mournfully: Heb. in black”
Vain. Murmuring against God is blasphemous and unsufferable. When the Jews were punished by famine, for neglecting to pay tithes, they laid the blame on God, as if he took more care of other nations which had abundance. (Worthington) — Sorrowful: “humbled.” Chaldean, “in mourning.” (Junius) — But is seems to denote downcast countenances, which our Saviour orders his disciples not to affect, Matthew vi. 16. (Calmet)
“And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. are set up: Heb. are built”
Proud. Septuagint, “strange.” (Haydock) — Z has been taken for v. — Built up: have a numerous family, (Calmet) and abundance. — Tempted. Septuagint, “resisted.”
“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
Then. Grabe changes tauta, these things, into tote, then. The Septuagint make the pious express the former sentiments. (Haydock) — David, Jeremias, &c., had experienced such anxiety, Psalm lxxii. 2. (Calmet) — According to the Hebrew, &c., the just hearing such blasphemies, doubt not but God will mark them in the book (Haydock) of his justice, and punish them.
“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. jewels: or, special treasure”
Possession; (peculium) the property of a slave. (Calmet) — Such look upon the smallest things with eagerness. Hebrew segula, (Haydock) means some precious thing. (Calmet) — Spare. Septuagint, “chose,” &c. (Haydock)