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英文原文
Thus prophet is sent first to convince and then to comfort, first to discover sin and to reprove for that and then to promise the coming of him who shall take away sin. And this method the blessed Spirit takes in dealing with souls, Joh 16:8. He first opens the wound and then applies the healing balm. God had provided (and one would think effectually) for the engaging of Israel to himself by providences and ordinances; but it seems, by the complaints here made of them, that they received the grace of God in both these in vain. I. They were very ungrateful to God for his favours to them, and rendered not again according to the benefit they received, Mal 1:1-5. II. They were very careless and remiss in the observance of his institutions; the priests especially were so, who were in a particular manner charged with them, Mal 1:6-14. And what shall we say of those whom neither providences nor ordinances work upon, and who affront God in those very things wherein they should honour him?
1-5
Ingratitude of Israel; Judgments and Mercies (400 BC)
以色列的不知恩；审判与怜悯（公元前400年）
¹ 耶和华借玛拉基传给以色列的默示。 ² 耶和华说：“我曾爱你们。”你们却说：“你在何事上爱我们呢？”耶和华说：“以扫不是雅各的哥哥吗？我却爱雅各， ³ 恶以扫，使他的山岭荒凉，把他的地业交给旷野的野狗。” ⁴ 以东说：“我们现在虽被毁坏，却要回归荒废之地重新建造。”万军之耶和华如此说：“他们要建造，我必拆毁。人必称他们的地为‘罪恶之境’，又称他们为‘耶和华永远恼怒之民’。” ⁵ 你们必亲眼看见，也必说：“愿耶和华在以色列境界之外被尊为大。”
本书的预言题为“耶和华话语的默示”（玛 1:1），这表明：1. 这信息分量沉重、关系重大；假先知所说的话轻如糠秕，真先知所说的话却重如麦子（耶 23:38）。2. 这信息当在他们中间由他们反复传诵，如同诗歌的重句。3. 对某些人而言，这默示是重担，也是羞辱；他们厌倦了它，觉得自己深受其扰，以致无法忍受。4. 对这些人来说，这默示终将成为真正的重担，把他们沉到极深的阴间——除非他们悔改。5. 对于那些喜爱、接受并欢迎这默示的人而言，它虽如救主所说的“轻省的担子”（太 11:30），毕竟仍是一个担子。
这“耶和华话语的默示”是：1. 传给以色列的，因为活泼的预言圣言与记载的圣言一样，都是托付给他们的。神已差遣许多先知到以色列那里，如今他要再用一位试试他们。2. “借玛拉基之手”——仿佛这不是口传的信息，而是交在他手中的一封信，为要更加确实。
在这些经文里，他们被控以不知恩之罪——他们没有适切地体会神对他们特有的恩慈；这样的控告确实可称为“重担”，因为它沉重无比。
I. 神宣告他向他们所怀的、且常常表明的大爱（玛 1:2）：“耶和华说：我曾爱你们。”讲章如此突然地开始，仿佛神定意无论要给他们什么责备，都要使他们与他的爱相和，并确保他们对他仍存善意。“我所爱的，我就责备管教。”讲章如此亲切地开始。神要他的百姓确信他爱他们，且永不忘记他的爱。这与古时他对以色列处女所说的一样，为要使她的心归向他（耶 31:3,4）：“我以永远的爱爱你。”神用这一句话概括了他向他们一切恩慈的作为；爱是一切的源头；他爱他们，因为他要“爱”他们（申 7:7,8），在他们年幼时就爱他们（何 11:1）。他的喜悦在于他们（赛 62:4）。“我曾爱你们，你们却不爱我，也没有为我的爱作出相称的回报。”注意：神的百姓需要常常被提醒神对他们的爱。
II. 他们质疑他的爱，贬损他爱的凭据，似乎因为他向他们提说这爱而与他争吵：“你们却说：你在何事上爱我们呢？”神把他向他们一切的恩惠追溯到源头——他的爱，照样他也把他们得罪他的一切罪追溯到源头——他们对他爱的轻慢。他们非但不承认他的恩慈、思想当如何报答，反倒耻于承认自己受过他的恩惠，挑战他拿出确实的爱之凭据，又对所得恩慈的实例极其轻看轻忽，仿佛那些恩惠既稀少又微小，不值一提，且不外乎他们已充分回报的，至少也不外乎他用怒气的实例充分抵消了的。“我们岂不是被毁坏、贫穷、被掳了吗？那么你在何事上爱我们呢？”注意：神极其不喜悦人轻看他的恩惠，以为不值一提；我们无论朝哪个方向看，都遇见他爱我们的凭据与实例，却还问他爱我们爱在何处，这是何等荒谬。
III. 他无可辩驳地证明他爱他们，是以分别的方式爱他们，这在特别的意义上更使他们知恩。为证明这一点，他指出他在雅各与以扫之间、以色列人与以东人之间所定意、且仍要定意的分别。有人把他们的问话读作：“你为何爱我们？”仿佛他们确实承认他爱了他们，却又暗示其中必有缘由——他爱他们是因为他们的祖宗亚伯拉罕爱他，所以这不是白白的爱，而是偿还的爱。他回答说：“以扫与亚伯拉罕的关系岂不和你们一样亲近吗？他岂不是雅各的同胞兄弟、且是长兄吗？所以，若要为亚伯拉罕的爱索取报答，以扫也有权利；然而我却‘恶以扫’，‘爱雅各’。”
1. 让他们看看神在雅各和以扫之间所定的分别。以扫是雅各的兄弟，他的孪生兄弟：“我却爱雅各，恶以扫”——即把雅各纳入圣约，将福气赐给他和他的后裔，却拒绝并弃绝以扫。注意：那些被纳入与神之约、得着活泼圣言与蒙恩之道的人，当看这些为他爱的凭据。雅各蒙爱，因他有这些；以扫被恶，因他没有。使徒引用了这话（罗 9:13），并与神对利百加论到她双生子所说的谕旨（创 25:23）“大的要服侍小的”加以比较，以阐明神在赐恩上主权的教义；因为“他不能对自己的东西随己意而行吗？”以扫之被恶是公义的，雅各之被爱却是白白的；父啊，“因为你的美意本是如此”，我们不可问为何或缘由。
2. 让他们看看他如今正在他们身上、且将要作的事，以贯彻这一最初的分别。
(1.) 以东人必作神公义的标记，他要在他们彻底的灭亡中得荣耀：“我恶以扫；我使他的山岭荒凉”——就是西珥的山，那是“他的产业”。当那一带地方全被迦勒底军队蹂躏时，以东地也与其余的一样沦为废墟，成了“旷野野狗的住处”，全然荒凉，正如以赛亚所预言的（赛 34:6,11）。以东人曾因耶路撒冷的倾覆而幸灾乐祸（诗 137:7），所以神把同一杯震怒的杯递在他们手中，乃是公义的。虽然以东的毁灭在最后，却是持久的，荒凉是永远的；雅各与以扫之间的分别正在于此，义人与恶人之间的分别也在于此——否则万物对众人都是一样的，似乎同有一件遭遇。雅各的城邑虽被毁坏，却要重建；以东的城邑被毁坏，却永不重建。义人的苦难终有尽头，且要善终；他们一切冤屈都必得伸，忧伤必变为喜乐；但恶人的苦难却是无尽无救的，正如以东的荒凉（玛 1:4）。在此请注意，[1.] 以东人妄想他们的废墟也要像以色列一样得以修复，尽管他们没有应许可以作为盼望的根基。他们说：“诚然，我们被毁坏贫穷了；这是寻常的厄运，无可奈何；但我们要回归，重建荒废之地；我们定意要这样行”（甚至不向神求许可）；“无论他愿意与否，我们要这样行；不，我们要顶着神的咒诅这样行，就是那论到以东的判语（赛 34:10）：‘世世代代，处处荒废。’”他们放肆地建造，正如希伊勒违背神的话建造耶利哥一样（王上 16:34），其结局也必相应。注意：那些在降卑的护理之下心未谦卑的人，往往妄想与神自己抗衡，要重新建造、栽种、兴旺如前，尽管神已经说过他们必被贫穷所困。但请看，[2.] 这些盼望的破灭与失落：他们说“我们要建造”；但“万军之耶和华”怎么说呢？我们确知他的话必立得住，他们的话却不能；他说：第一，他们的尝试必被挫败：“他们要建造，我必拆毁。”注意：凡与神背道而行的，必发现神也与他背道而行；“谁向神刚硬而得亨通呢？”当犹太人弃绝基督和他的福音之后，他们就成了以东人，这话就在他们身上应验了；因为在亚德里安皇帝的时候，他们试图重建耶路撒冷，神却借地震和火灾把他们所建的拆毁，以致他们不得不放弃这工程。第二，他们必被众人视为已注定彻底灭亡。凡看见他们的，必称他们为“罪恶之境”——一个犯罪的国，且无可救药，因此是“耶和华永远恼怒之民”。他们的恶既永不改悔，他们的荒凉也永不得修复。神对以色列只是“稍微恼怒”（亚 1:15），对以东却怀怒，且要永远怀怒，因为他们是“他咒诅的国民”（赛 34:5）。
(2.) 以色列人必作他怜悯的标记，他要在他们的拯救中得荣耀（玛 1:5）。“以东人必被钉上为神所恶之民的耻辱印记，但你们的眼必看见你们对他爱你们的疑心永远平息；因为你们必说，也必有理由说：‘耶和华’在‘以色列的境界之外’，必被尊为大，就是在以色列地的每一部分和边界。”以东的境界是“罪恶之境”，所以耶和华要“永远恼怒它”；但“以色列的境界”是“圣洁之境”，是“圣所的境界”（诗 78:54），所以神必显明（尽管它可能一时荒凉）他已为它存留了怜悯，并由此“被尊为大”；他必赐给他的百姓以色列有理由、也有心去赞美他。当以东的境界仍旧荒凉，而以色列的境界得以重建、重新有人居住之时，就显明神爱了雅各。注意，[1.] 那些怀疑神对他百姓之爱的人，迟早必得到说服人、无可否认的凭据：“你们自己的眼睛必看见你们所不愿相信的事。”[2.] 虽神的百姓可能被允许陷入患难，但脱离患难的拯救当算作神对他百姓善意之凭据（诗 34:19）。[3.] 特有的恩惠极其感人。若神重新建立以色列的境界，却任凭以东的境界荒凉，那么任何一个以色列人都当羞愧，不再问“你在何事上爱我们呢？”[4.] 尊荣以色列就是尊大以色列的神；无论以何种方式，神必从他口称的百姓得着尊荣。[5.] 神的良善既是他的荣耀，当他赐恩给我们时，我们就当宣告他为伟大——这就是尊大他。他“喜悦他的仆人平安”，这是他良善的一例；因此喜爱他救恩的人说：“愿耶和华被尊为大”（诗 35:27）。
英文原文
Ingratitude of Israel; Judgments and Mercies (400 BC)
¹ The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.
² I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
³ And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
⁴ Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
⁵ And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.
The prophecy of this book is entitled, The burden of the word of the Lord (Mal 1:1), which intimates, 1. That it was of great weight and importance; what the false prophets said was light as the chaff, what the true prophets said was ponderous as the wheat, Jer 23:38. 2. That it ought to be often repeated to them and by them, as the burden of a song. 3. That there were those to whom it was a burden and a reproach; they were weary of it, and found themselves so aggrieved by it that they were not able to bear it. 4. That to them it would prove a burden indeed, to sink them to the lowest hell, unless they repented. 5. That to those who loved it and embraced it, and bade it welcome, though it was a light burden, as our Saviour calls it (Mt 11:30), yet it was a burden.
This burden of the word of the Lord was sent, 1. To Israel, for to them pertained the lively oracles of prophecy as well as those of the written word. Many prophets God had sent to Israel, and now he will try them with one more. 2. By Malachi, by the hand of Malachi, as if it were not a message by word of mouth, but a letter put into his hand, for the greater certainty.
In these verses, they are charged with ingratitude, in that they were not duly sensible of God's distinguishing goodness to them; and such a charge as this may well be called a burden, for it is a heavy one.
I. God asserts the great kindness he had, and had often expressed, for them (Mal 1:2): I have loved you, saith the Lord. Thus abruptly does the sermon begin, as if God intended, whatever reproofs should be given them, to reconcile them to his love, and to take care that they should still have good thoughts of him. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Thus kindly does the sermon begin. God will have his people satisfied that he loves them and is ever mindful of his love. This is the same with what he said of old to the virgin of Israel, that he might engage her affections to himself (Jer 31:3,4): Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love. In this one word God sums up all his gracious dealings with them; love was the spring of all; he loved them because he would love them (De 7:7,8), loved them in their childhood, Ho 11:1. His delight was in them, Isa 62:4. "I have loved you, but you have not loved me, nor made any suitable returns for my love." Note, God's people need to be often reminded of his love to them.
II. They question his love, and diminish the instances of it, and seem to quarrel with him for telling them of it: Yet you say, Wherein hast thou loved us? As God traces up all his favours to them to the fountain, which was his love, so he traces up all their sins against him to the fountain, which was their contempt of his love. Instead of acknowledging his kindness, and studying what they shall render, they scorn to own that they have been beholden to him, challenge him to produce proofs of his love that are material, and think and speak very slightly of the instances they have had of his kindness, as if they were so few, so small, as not to be worth taking notice of, and no more than what they had sufficiently made returns for, or at least than he had sufficiently balanced with instances of his wrath. "Have we not been wasted, impoverished, and carried captive; and wherein then hast thou loved us?" Note, God justly takes it very ill to have his favours slighted, as not worth speaking of; and it is very absurd for us to ask wherein he has loved us, when, which way soever we look, we meet with the proofs and instances of his love to us.
III. He makes it out, beyond contradiction, that he has loved them, loved them in a distinguishing way, which was in a special manner obliging. For proof of this he shows the difference he had made, and would still make, between Jacob and Esau, between Israelites and Edomites. Some read their question, Wherefore hast thou loved us? as if they did indeed own that he had loved them, but withal insinuate that there was a reason for it—that he loved them because their father Abraham had loved him, so that it was not a free love, but a love of debt, to which he replies, "Was not Esau as near akin to Abraham as you are? Was he not Jacob's own brother, his elder brother? And therefore, if there were any right to a recompence for Abraham's love, Esau had it, and yet I hated Esau and loved Jacob."
1. Let them see what a difference God had made between Jacob and Esau. Esau was Jacob's brother, his twin-brother: "Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau, that is, took Jacob into covenant, and entailed the blessing on him and his, but refused and rejected Esau." Note, Those that are taken into covenant with God, that have the lively oracles and the means of grace committed to them, have reason to look upon these as tokens of his love. Jacob is loved, for he has these, Esau hated, for he has not. The apostle quotes this (Ro 9:13), and compares it with what the oracle said to Rebecca concerning her twins (Ge 25:23), The elder shall serve the younger, to illustrate the doctrine of God's sovereignty in dispensing his favours; for may he not do what he will with his own? Esau was justly hated, but Jacob freely loved; even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes, and it is not for us to ask why or wherefore.
2. Let them see what he was now doing and would do with them, pursuant to this original difference.
(1.) The Edomites shall be made the monuments of God's justice, and he will be glorified in their utter destruction: For Esau have I hated; I laid his mountains waste, the mountains of Seir, which were his heritage. When all that part of the world was ravaged by the Chaldean army the country of Edom was, among the rest, laid in ruins, and became a habitation for the dragons of the wilderness, so perfectly desolate was it; as was foretold, Isa 34:6,11. The Edomites had triumphed in Jerusalem's overthrow (Ps 137:7), and therefore it was just with God to put the same cup of trembling into their hands. And, though Edom's ruins were last, yet they were lasting, and the desolation perpetual; and in this the difference was made between Jacob and Esau, and is made between the righteous and the wicked, to whom otherwise all things come alike, and there seems to be one event. Jacob's cities are laid waste, but they are rebuilt; Edom's are laid waste, and never rebuilt. The sufferings of the righteous will have an end and will end well; all their grievances will be redressed, and their sorrow turned into joy; but the sufferings of the wicked will be endless and remediless, as Edom's desolations, Mal 1:4. Observe here, [1.] The vain hopes of the Edomites, that they shall have their ruins repaired as well as Israel, though they had no promise to build their hope upon. They say, "It is true, we are impoverished; it is the common chance, and there is no remedy; but we will return and build the desolate places; we are resolved we will" (not so much as asking God leave); "we will whether he will or no; nay, we will do it in defiance of God's curse, and that sentence pronounced upon Edom (Isa 34:10), From generation to generation it shall lie waste." They build presumptuously, as Hiel built Jericho in direct contradiction to the word of God (1Ki 16:34), and it shall speed accordingly. Note, It is common for those whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences to think to make their part good against God himself, and to build, and plant, and flourish again as much as ever, though God has said that they shall be impoverished. But see, [2.] The dashing of these hopes and the disappointment of them: They say, We will build; but what says the Lord of hosts? For we are sure his word shall stand, and not theirs; and he says, First, Their attempts shall be baffled: They shall build, but I will throw down. Note, Those that walk contrary to God will find that he will walk contrary to them; for who ever hardened his heart against God and prospered? When the Jews had rejected Christ and his gospel they became Edomites, and this word was fulfilled in them; for when, in the time of the emperor Adrian, they attempted to rebuild Jerusalem, God by earthquakes and eruptions of fire threw down what they built, so that they were forced to quit the enterprise. Secondly, They shall be looked upon by all as abandoned to utter ruin. All that see them shall call them the border of wickedness, a sinful nation, incurably so, and therefore the people against whom the Lord has indignation for ever. Since their wickedness is such as will never be reformed, their desolations shall be such as are never to be repaired. Against Israel God was a little displeased (Zec 1:15), but against Edom he has indignation, and will have for ever, for they are the people of his curse, Isa 34:5.
(2.) The Israelites shall be made the monuments of his mercy, and he will be glorified in their salvation, Mal 1:5. "The Edomites shall be stigmatized as a people hated of God, but your eyes shall see your doubts concerning his love to you for ever silenced; for you shall say, and have cause to say, The Lord is and will be magnified from the border of Israel, from every part and border of the land of Israel." The border of Edom is a border of wickedness, and therefore the Lord will have indignation against it for ever; but the border of Israel is a border of holiness, the border of the sanctuary (Ps 78:54), and therefore God will make it to appear (though it may for a time lie desolate) that he has mercy in store for it, and thence he will be magnified; he will give his people Israel both cause, and hearts, to praise him. When the border of Edom still remains desolate, and the border of Israel is repaired and replenished, then it will appear that God has loved Jacob. Note, [1.] Those who doubt of God's love to his people shall, sooner or later, have convincing and undeniable proofs given them of it: "your own eyes shall see what you will not believe." [2.] Deliverances out of trouble are to be reckoned proofs of God's good-will to his people, though they may be suffered to fall into trouble, Ps 34:19. [3.] Distinguishing favours are very obliging. If God rear up again the border of Israel, but leave the border of Edom in ruins, let no Israelite ask, for shame, Wherein hast thou loved us? [4.] The dignifying of Israel is the magnifying of the God of Israel, and, one way or other, God will have honour from his professing people. [5.] God's goodness being his glory, when he does us good we must proclaim him great, for that is magnifying him. It is an instance of his goodness that he has pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, and for this those that love his salvation say, The Lord be magnified, Ps 35:27.
6-14
God's Remonstrance with the Priests; Judgment of Wicked Priests (400 BC)
神对祭司的诤谏；恶祭司的审判（公元前400年）
⁶ "藐视我名的祭司啊，万军之耶和华对你们说：儿子尊敬父亲，仆人敬畏主人；我既为父亲，尊敬我的在哪里呢？我既为主人，敬畏我的在哪里呢？" ⁷ "你们将污秽的食物献在我的坛上，且说：'我们在何事上污秽了你呢？'因你们说：'耶和华的桌子是可藐视的。' ⁸ 你们将瞎眼的献为祭物，这不为恶吗？将瘸腿的有病的献为祭物，这不为恶吗？你献给你的省长，他岂喜悦你，岂能看你的情面吗？"这是万军之耶和华说的。 ⁹ "现在我劝你们恳求神，好叫他施恩与我们。这妄献的事，既由你们经手，他岂能看你们的情面吗？"这是万军之耶和华说的。 ¹⁰ "甚愿你们中间有一人关上门，免得你们徒然在我坛上点火。万军之耶和华说：我不喜悦你们，也不从你们手中收纳供物。" ¹¹ "万军之耶和华说：从日出之地到日落之处，我的名在外邦中必尊为大；在各处，人必奉我的名烧香，献洁净的供物；因为我的名在外邦中必尊为大。" ¹² "你们却亵渎它，说：'耶和华的桌子是污秽的，其上的食物也是可藐视的。'" ¹³ "你们又说：'这些事何等烦琐！'便嗤之以鼻。"这是万军之耶和华说的。"你们把抢夺的、瘸腿的、有病的，拿来献上为祭；我岂能从你们手中收纳呢？"这是耶和华说的。 ¹⁴ "行诡诈的在群中有公羊，他许了愿，却用有残疾的献给主，那人是可咒诅的；因为我是大君王。"万军之耶和华说："我的名在外邦中是可畏的。"
先知在此奉特别的委任向祭司算账，尽管祭司本身是被派为审判官，要向百姓算账。当让神家中作治理的知道，在他们之上还有一位，要因他们的失职而追讨。所以"万军之耶和华对你们祭司如此说"（玛 1:6）。神必向不忠心的执事说话；那从神向百姓说话的人，有责任首先听而留心神向他们所说的话，好叫他们首先"救自己"，否则怎能帮助"救那些听他们的人"呢？此处对"祭司"亵渎他们所受托之圣事，给予严厉而无可置疑公正的责备；若这是祭司的罪，我们也有理由担心百姓也犯了；所以对"祭司"所说的话，就是"对众人"说的，更是"对我们"说的——我们这些基督徒，不仅自称是神的百姓，更是向他作祭司。在此请注意：
I. 神向他们所期望的是什么，他期望的根据又何等充分（玛 1:6）："儿子尊敬父亲"，因为他是父亲；本性早已把这律法写在儿女心中，先于神在西奈山所颁布的；不但如此，"仆人"虽对主人的义务不是天然的本分，而是自愿契约所定的，却也以尊敬主人、遵行他的吩咐、忠于他的利益为本分。儿女仆人对父母主人尽尊敬之礼；若不尽，人人都斥其为可耻，他们自己的心也不能不责备他们；家庭的秩序因此得以维持，家庭的美观与益处也在于此。但那作神儿女、作神仆人的祭司，却不敬畏他、不尊敬他。他们对百姓是"父"是"主"，盼望人称他们为"父"为"主"（士 18:19，太 22:7,10），并要人如此尊敬顺服；他们却忘了在天上的父和主，忘了自己所欠他的本分。这里向祭司所控的，我们各人也可以拿来控告自己。注意，1. 我们各人都当看神为我们的父和主，看自己为他的儿女和仆人。2. 我们与神作为父、作为主的关系，强有力地约束我们当敬畏他、尊敬他。我们若尊敬惧怕那生身之父，更当尊敬惧怕那"我们灵的父和主"（来 12:9)。3. 神如此少被敬畏、少被尊敬，甚至那些认他作父作主的人也如此待他，这是当受公正控告和哀叹的事。"尊敬我的在哪里？敬畏我的在哪里？"
II. 祭司向神所行的轻慢是什么。
1. 这是对他们一般的控告：(1.) 他们藐视神的名；他们作为祭司因与这名相熟而生轻蔑，这名对他们不过是为了给自己和自己博取尊崇，而神的名在他们看为无关紧要。神的名就是他借以显明自己的一切——他的话语和典章；这些他们看为卑贱，反倒贬抑他们本当尊大的；既他们自己藐视，难怪他们也行那使它在别人眼中可藐视之事，甚至使"耶和华的祭物被人憎恶"，正如以利的儿子所行。(2.) 他们"亵渎"神的名（玛 1:12)。他们"污秽"它（玛 1:7)。他们不仅对圣事毫不在意，更妄用它，把它曲解到最卑污的用途上——他们的骄傲、贪婪与奢华。再没有比亵渎神的名更激怒神的事了；因为他的名是圣而可畏的。他的纯洁不能被我们污秽，因他是无瑕疵的；但他的名可以被亵渎；而最能亵渎它的，莫过于祭司的失职——他们的本分正是尊荣这名。这是对他们一般的控告。对此他们答辩"无罪"，并向神挑战，要他证明这控告，证实这罪名——这又为他们大胆的不敬加上放肆的无耻："你们说：我们在何事上藐视你的名呢？"（玛 1:6)，"我们在何事上污秽了你呢？"（玛 1:7)。骄傲的罪人受责备时，往往这样坚持自义。这些祭司已极其可怖地亵渎了圣事，却像"淫妇"一样说"没有作恶"；他们对自己毫无省察，竟不记念也不反省自己的行为；或他们如此不懂神的律法，以致以为那些事并无不是，所行的不算为藐视神的名；或他们如此无神论，竟以为自己虽知道自己的罪，神却不知道；或他们对待神和他的先知如此轻蔑，竟以戏弄严肃公正的责备并以戏言摆脱为荣。无论怎样解，他们的辩白正是他们的罪，他们自表清白之时，自己的口就定他们为有罪；他们说"我们在何事上藐视你的名"，正证明他们是骄傲顽梗的。他们若存谦卑的心发此问，渴慕被更具体地指明在何处犯了罪，那便是悔改的证据，可给他们改过的盼望；但如此在蔑视和抗拒神之道中发问，正表明他们的心"决意行恶"。注意：罪人竭力回避自己的良心，反而自取灭亡；但他们终必发现"用脚踢刺是难的"。
2. 单凭这一般的控告本可公正地定他们的罪，把他们的辩白作为无稽之谈驳回；但神不仅要胜过他们，更要显明自己清正，"在他审判时显为公义"，所以非常具体地向他们指出他们究竟在何处藐视了他的名，向他所施的轻慢是什么。从前他控他们拜偶像时，照样他如今控他们亵渎时，吩咐他们"在谷中看见自己的路"、"知道自己所行的"（耶 2:23)。
(1.) 他们在所言说的上藐视神的名，在他们心中对神的典章评价甚低："你们在心里说——也许你们祭司们聚在一起饮酒，离开百姓耳目之时，也口说出来——'耶和华的桌子是可藐视的'"（玛 1:7)；又说（玛 1:12)："你们说：'耶和华的桌子是污秽的'——它不过与别的桌子一样，再不当格外看重。"或是指殿中摆设陈设饼的桌子（他们既不明其奥秘，便视之为无足轻重之事而加以藐视），或更可能是指燔祭坛被称为桌子——因为在那里，神和他的祭司、他的百姓仿佛借祭物一同赴宴，作为友好的记号。他们以为这是可藐视的。从前在迷信的日子里，它比之列国所设的偶像祭坛被看为可藐视，被挪开让位给新样式的（王下 16:14,15)；如今它在他们眼中比之他们自己和大人物的桌子也算可藐视："其上的食物也是可藐视的。"事奉祭坛的当靠祭坛养生；但他们抱怨自己的生活贫苦卑微，以为为祭坛所得的果子和食物事奉祭坛并不值得，因为那些东西很寻常，老是同一套；他们没有美味，没有花样，没有佳肴。不但如此，他们还轻看祭物中归神的那份——血与脂油——以为不配神为它立那么多律法；他们问："何必为烧脂油、倒血大惊小怪？"注意：那轻看宗教的事——尽管它是极可尊贵——以为不值得费力；又轻看宗教的益处——尽管它是极可宝贵——以为不值得费力去得的人，大大亵渎污秽了神的名。那些疏忽圣典章的人，那些虽来赴会却毫不恭敬，散去后毫无所得、毫无关切的人，实际上就是说："耶和华的桌子是可藐视的；其中既无美德也无价值，既不得尊荣，也不得安慰。"
(2.) 他们在所行的事上亵渎神的名，这与他们所说的一致，并源于所说；败坏的原则和观念是苦根，所结的是茵陈苦胆的败坏行为。他们既看耶和华的桌子和祭坛为可藐视，于是[1.] 他们以为无论什么都可以作祭物，无论多么粗劣鄙陋；他们非但没有献上最好的——这本是他们当献的——反而挑出他们所有的最坏的，既不适合市场，也不合他们自己的餐桌，却把它献在神的坛上。每献祭物本当带"细面浇油"的素祭，但他们献"污秽的食物"（玛 1:7)——粗鄙的食物，仆人的食物，或是干霉的，或是用麦的渣滓做的，他们以为够好可以烧在坛上；因为若是更好，他们便会说："何必这样浪费呢？"至于所献的牲畜，律法明文规定献为祭的不可有残疾，他们却献"瞎眼的、瘸腿的、有病的"（玛 1:8)，又献（玛 1:13)"抢夺的、瘸腿的、有病的"——已经快要自己死的。他们只看到祭物被烧，便辩称若是别处有用，烧了可惜。百姓倒是被说服当献祭物，不敢全然忽略这本分，却献虚浮的供物，戏弄神又自欺，把自己最坏的拿来；而本当教导他们更好的祭司，竟收纳带到坛前的礼物并在那里献上，因为若是拒绝，百姓就再也不带来，他们便失了所得的分；所以既顾自己的利益过于神的尊荣，他们便收纳那明知神不收纳的。有人把玛 1:8 解为祭司亵渎话的延续——你们对百姓说："你们献瞎眼的为祭物不为恶；或献瘸腿的有病的，也不为恶。"注意：向神献瞎眼瘸腿、抢夺有病的为祭，无论人是否以为恶，这实在是极恶之事。我们若无知无悟地敬拜神，便是献瞎眼的；我们若怠惰不假思索地敬拜，冷淡死沉地敬拜，便是献有病的；我们若止于身体的劳碌而不以心行事，便是献"瘸腿的"；我们若容许虚妄的杂念盘踞心中，便是献"抢夺的"。"这不为恶吗？"这岂不是大大冒犯神，又大大伤害我们自己的灵魂吗？我们的书岂不告诉我们，我们自己的心岂不告诉我们，"这是恶"吗？因为神既是最好的，就当用我们所有的最好的来事奉他。[2.] 他们不做未付工价的那部分工作。祭司肯献带到坛前的祭物，因为其中有他们当得的份；但至于殿中其他没有特别酬劳的事奉，他们一动也不肯动，一臂也不肯援；这是他们普遍的脾气（玛 1:10)。祭司中无一人肯"白白地关门"，或"白白地点火"。要他做最小的一点事奉，他便问：我怎能得着工价？他们不肯作"白白"的事，都为有所得，"各人专顾自己的利益，从不离弃"（赛 56:11)。注意：神虽下令他的仆人当在今世得丰厚的酬报，但那些唯利是图、若非为工价便不肯作工的人，并非他可悦纳的仆人。[3.] 他们的工作对他们完全是苦役（玛 1:13)："你们又说：'这些事何等烦琐！'便嗤之以鼻。"祭司和百姓都这样想，以为神加在他们身上的担子太重；百姓抱怨备办祭物的花费，祭司抱怨献祭的劳苦；他们以为耶和华的节期来得太密，被迫在耶和华的院中侍立太频太久；祭司以为按所要求的洁净自己来侍奉祭坛、吃圣物是一种严苛的苦行；他们以为职务的本分劳苦烦人，便"嗤之以鼻"以为不合理、太难堪；他们尽这本分，却是勉勉强强、满心不愿。神为他律法的缘故辩明：他并未"使他们因供物服事"，也未曾"因香品使他们疲乏"（赛 43:23)。"我使你疲乏了吗？"（弥 6:3)。但他们自己邪恶的心使这成为疲乏；他们如同多益"被扣留在耶和华面前"，宁愿在别处。注意：那些厌倦神的事奉和敬拜、并嗤之以鼻的人，对神对自己都是大不公。
III. 请看神怎样与他们理论，为使他们知罪谦卑。1. 他们对地上的君王敢这样冒犯吗？"你们献给神'瘸腿的有病的'；你献给你的省长吧"（玛 1:8)——或作贡物，或在求恩时作礼物，或为所得之恩感恩；"他岂喜悦你吗？"不如说，他岂不以此为冒犯吗？注意：那些在宗教敬拜的本分上漫不经心、毫不恭敬的人，当想：他们羞于献给省长的东西竟献给他们的神，这是何等羞耻；他们更顾及礼貌和规矩的法则，过于宗教的法则；更怕失礼，而不怕亵渎。2. 他们能想象这样的祭物会蒙神悦纳、能达到献祭的目的吗？"我从你们手中收纳这事，可以吗？"这是耶和华说的（玛 1:13)。"你们有何理由以为我会看不出这冒犯、也不会因此动怒，会纵容违犯我自己律法的事？不（玛 1:10)；'我不喜悦你们'，所以也不从你们手中收纳供物——收纳这样的供物。"神若不喜悦这人，这人若不在称义的状态中，若不圣洁，神就不收纳他的供物。神先看中亚伯，后看中他的供物。注意：我们要蒙神悦纳，不仅所作的事本身要好，更要从一个正确的原则出发，以正确的方式，为正确的目的而作。古时所定的规则是（创 4:7)："你若行得好，岂不蒙悦纳？"如今我们若不蒙神悦纳，敬拜他便是徒然；一切都是枉然劳力；不，我们便完了，永远完了，若我们达不到神的悦纳。所以那些为省宗教上的花费而失去宗教一切目的的人，是作了吃亏的买卖；他们自以为走了捷径，结果一事无成。那些以"无论在身内身外都要蒙主悦纳"为至上抱负的人（这也当是我们众人的抱负），就不敢献上"抢夺的、瘸腿的、有病的"为祭。3. 他们既在祭物上冒犯神，怎能指望在为百姓代求时得着神的听允？有人把玛 1:9 解作讽刺的话："如今你们若肯尽祭司的本分，站在破口拦阻那些眼见要倾注在我们身上的审判，'我劝你们恳求神，好叫他施恩与我们'，并施恩给我们的地——这地几乎被蝗虫和蝻子吃尽了"（如玛 3:11所言)。"如今你们且试试你们在施恩座前有何影响力；用它来除掉这灾祸吧，因为'这妄献的事既由你们经手'，是你们惹动神降下它。但你们既继续亵渎他的圣事，'他岂能看你们的情面'，或听你们的祷告？不，你们不能劝服他叫它退去。"因为"我们若心里注重罪孽，神必不听我们"——无论为我们自己，还是为别人。4. 神配受他们如此对待吗？不，他厚厚地供给他们，又为他们工作赐他们勉励，足以吸引他们甘心尽力而为；有人如此解玛 1:10："你们中间有谁肯'白白地关一门、点一火'？不，神并不指望你们白白事奉他；你们必得丰厚的酬报，也必如此；为神的尊荣而奉的一杯凉水，也'不能不得赏赐'。"注意：想到我们不断从神所领受的，又在顺服中即时所得的赏赐，就大大加重我们在向神尽本分上怠惰吝啬的罪。
IV. 他召他们为亵渎他圣名的事悔改。这样我们可解玛 1:9："现在我劝你们恳求神，好叫他施恩与我们。你们当为自己的罪自卑，向神大声呼求赦免，以祷告的信心和热心弥补你们祭物在价值和贵重上所欠缺的；因为我们所受的一切来自护理的责备'都是由你们经手'。"注意：那些因自己的罪助长点火的人，理当借自己的悔改、祷告和实际的归正来帮助灭火。我们当看见神的审判与我们有多大关系，并因此受激发恳切求他在怜悯中转回；若不走这条路，怎能指望他看我们的情面？
V. 他宣告他既要保全自己名的荣耀，也要向亵渎的人算账。那轻慢神和宗教、以为可以把圣事贬下去的人，当知道：
1. 他们不能如愿以偿。神必尊大他的律法使它尊荣，尽管他们贬抑它使它可藐视；因为（玛 1:11)"从日出之地到日落之处，我的名在外邦中必尊为大"。或有人说："这些人既不是神所悦纳的敬拜者，那么他便没有敬拜者了。"仿佛他必须将就他们的服事，否则就没有人事奉他；那么"他为他的大名要怎样行呢？"但此事只管交托给他；"虽然以色列不忠心，不被招聚"，神仍要显为荣耀。这些祭司虽激他撤去礼仪的体制、废掉那"不能使近前来之人得以完全"的"诫命之律"，他最终却不因此有损；因为：(1.) 在他们所亵渎的属肉体典章之处，必有属灵的敬拜方式被引进设立："人必奉神的名烧香"——这表明祷告和赞美（诗 141:2，启 8:3)——代替公牛山羊的血和脂油。并且这是"洁净的供物"，不仅从祭司实际操作中的败坏炼净，也从典章本身所仅有的身体动作中炼净——这些被称为"属肉体的条例，命定到振兴的时候为止"（来 9:10)。当"真正拜父的用心灵和诚实敬拜"的时辰来到，那时这"香"就被献上了——这"洁净的供物"也就献上了。(2.) 他不再仅在犹太人中被敬拜事奉——他们不过是世上偏僻一角的小民——而要在各处被事奉敬拜，"从日出之地到日落之处"；"在各处"，在世界每一部分，"人必奉他的名烧香"；列国要作主的门徒，要说神奇妙的作为，并要用自己的语言听见这些事。这是对恩典国度那场大革命清楚的预言——那班本为"外人和客旅"的外邦人，成了"与圣徒同国，是神家里的人"，与犹太人从前一样欢迎到施恩座前。这话说了两次（因为这事是确定的）："我的名在外邦中必尊为大"——而从前惟独在犹大他被"认识"，"他的名为大"（诗 76:1)。神的名必传给他们，这传扬必被领受相信；外邦中必有人比犹太人——连祭司自己——更尊大荣耀神的名。
2. 他们必不免受罚（玛 1:14)。这里是对那些行如这些祭司之人的判决，因为对他们的判决就是对一切这样的人的判决。请注意：(1.) 那些亵渎懈怠之敬拜者的描写。他们是那些"在群中有公羊"却"许愿并献给主有残疾之物"的人。他们有最好的，可以借此事奉尊荣他——他在所赐上如此丰富；他们却用最坏的打发他，以为那对他够好——他们如此忘恩。这是百姓的错，但祭司纵容他们，迁就他们。律法中有一分别，允许某些物"作乐意献的祭"，却"不被悦纳为许愿的祭"（利 22:23)。但祭司竟收纳神所不收纳的，装作比他更宽容，对此他日并不领情。(2.) 这等敬拜者所得的称呼。他们是"行诡诈的"；他们对神行事虚假诡诈；他们对他假冒为善；他们许愿时装作尊敬他，到了履行时却大大冒犯他，以致"宁可不许愿，胜过许愿而不这样还"；但这样的人不要自欺，因为"神是轻慢不得的"。那些想要欺骗神的人，终必发觉是在自己灵魂上施了致命的欺骗。假冒为善者是欺诈者，终必证明是自欺者，因此也是自毁者。(3.) 对他们的判决：他们是"可咒诅的"；他们指望祝福，却要遇见咒诅——神震怒的记号，正如所记的判语。(4.) 这判决的理由："因为我'是大君王'，万军之耶和华说"，所以我要与那些只把我当作和他们一样的人算账；"我的名在外邦中是可畏的"，所以我不容它在我的百姓中为可藐视。外邦人虽拜偶像，对他们的"神"的尊敬，胜过犹太人对那独一又真又活的神。注意：想到神普遍的统治和这统治普遍被承认，就当约束我们在他事奉中一切的不敬。
英文原文
God's Remonstrance with the Priests; Judgment of Wicked Priests (400 BC)
⁶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
⁷ Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
⁸ And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
⁹ And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.
¹⁰ Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
¹¹ For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
¹² But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
¹³ Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
¹⁴ But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
The prophet is here, by a special commission, calling the priests to account, though they were themselves appointed judges, to call the people to an account. Let the rulers in the house of God know that there is one above them, who will reckon with them for their mal-administrations. Thus saith the Lord of hosts to you, O priests! Mal 1:6. God will have a saying to unfaithful ministers; and it concerns those who speak from God to his people to hear and heed what he says to them, that they may save themselves in the first place, otherwise how should they help to save those that hear them? It is a severe, and no doubt a just reproof, that is here given to the priests, for the profanation of the holy things of God, with which they were entrusted; and, if this was the crime of the priests, we have reason to fear the people also were guilty of it: so that what is said to the priests is said to all, nay, it is said to us, who, as Christians, profess ourselves, not only the people of God, but priests to him. Observe here,
I. What it was that God expected from them, and with what good reason he expected it (Mal 1:6): A son honours his father, because he is his father; nature has written this law in the hearts of children, before God wrote it at Mount Sinai; nay, a servant, though his obligation to his master is not natural, but by voluntary compact, yet thinks it his duty to honour him, to be observant of his orders, and true to his interests. Children and servants pay respect to their parents and masters; every one cries out shame on them if they do not, and their own hearts cannot but reproach them too; the order of families is thus kept up, and it is their beauty and advantage. But the priests, who are God's children and his servants, do not fear and honour him. They were fathers and masters to the people, and expected to be called so (Jdg 18:19, Mt 22:7,10) and to be reverenced and obeyed as such; but they forgot their Father and Master in heaven, and the duty they owed to him. We may each of us charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests. Note, 1. We are every one of us to look upon God as our Father and Master, and upon ourselves as his children and servants. 2. Our relation to God as our Father and Master strongly obliges us to fear and honour him. If we honour and fear the fathers of our flesh, much more the Father and Master of our spirits, Heb 12:9. 3. It is a thing to be justly complained of, and lamented, that God is so little feared and honoured even by those that own him for their Father and Master. Where is his honour? Where is his fear?
II. What the contempt was which the priests put upon God.
1. This is that, in general, which is charged upon them:—(1.) They despised God's name; their familiarity with it, as priests, bred contempt of it, and served them only to gain a veneration by it for themselves and their own name, while God's name was of small account with them. God's name is all that whereby he has made himself known—his word and ordinances; these they had low thoughts of, and vilified that which it was their business to magnify; and no wonder that when they despised it themselves they did that which made it despicable to others, causing even the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred, as Eli's sons did. (2.) They profaned God's name, Mal 1:12. They polluted it, Mal 1:7. They not only made no account of sacred things, but they made an ill use of them, and perverted them to the service of the worst and vilest purposes—their own pride, covetousness, and luxury. There cannot be a greater provocation to God than the profanation of his name; for it is holy and reverend. His purity cannot be polluted by us, for he is unspotted, but his name may be profaned; and nothing profanes it more than the misconduct of priests, whose business it is to do honour to it. This is the general charge exhibited against them. To this they plead Not guilty, and challenge God to prove it upon them, and to make good the charge, which added daring impudence to their daring impiety: You say, Wherein have we despised thy name? (Mal 1:6), and wherein have we polluted thee? Mal 1:7. It is common with proud sinners, when they are reproved, to stand thus upon their own justification. These priests had most horridly profaned sacred things, and yet, like the adulterous woman, they said that they had done no wickedness; they were so inobservant of themselves that they remembered not or reflected not upon their own acts, or they were so ignorant of the divine law that they thought there was no harm in them, and that what they did could not be construed into despising God's name, or they were so atheistical as to imagine that though they knew their own guilt yet God did not, or they were so scornful in their conduct towards God and his prophets that they took a pride in bantering a serious and just reproof, and turning it off with a jest. They either laugh at the reproof, as those that despise it, and harden their hearts against it, or they laugh it off, as those that resolve they will not be touched by it, or will not seem to be so. Which way soever we take it, their defence was their offence, and, in justifying themselves, their own tongues condemned them, and their saying, Wherein have we despised thy name? proved them proud and perverse. Had they asked this question with a humble desire to be told more particularly where in they had offended, it would have been an evidence of their repentance, and would have given hopes of their reformation; but to ask it thus in disdain and defiance of the word of God argues their hearts fully set in them to do evil. Note, Sinners ruin themselves by studying to baffle their own convictions; but they will find it hard to kick against the pricks.
2. Justly might they have been convicted and condemned upon the general charge, and their plea thrown out as frivolous; but God will not only overcome, but will be clear, will be justified when he judges, and therefore he shows them very particularly wherein they had despised his name, and what the contempt was that they cast upon him. As formerly, when he charged them with idolatry, so now, when he charges them with profaneness, he bids them see their way in the valley and know what they have done, Jer 2:23.
(1.) They despised God's name in what they said, in the low opinion they had of his institutions: "You say in your hearts, and perhaps speak it out when you priests get together over your cups. out of the hearing of the people, The table of the Lord is contemptible" (Mal 1:7), and again (Mal 1:12), "You say, The table of the Lord is polluted; it is to be no more regarded than any other table." Either the table in the temple, on which the show-bread was placed, is that which they reflect upon (not understanding the mystery of it, they despised it as an insignificant thing), or rather the altar of burnt-offerings is here called the table, for there God, and his priests, and his people, did, as it were, feast together upon the sacrifices, in token of friendship. This they thought was contemptible. Formerly, in the days of superstition, it was thought contemptible in comparison with the idolatrous alters that the heathen had, and was set aside to make room for a new-fashioned one (2Ki 16:14,15); now it is thought contemptible in comparison with their own tables, and those of their great men: The fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Those who served at the altar were to live upon the altar; but they complained that they lived poorly and meanly, and that it was not worth while to attend the service of the altar for the fruit and meat of it, for it was very ordinary and always the same again; they had no dainties, no varieties, no nice dishes. Nay, that part of the sacrifices which was given to God, the blood and the fat, they looked upon with contempt, as not worthy the multitude of laws God had made about it; they asked, "What need is there of so much ado about burning the fat and pouring out the blood?" Note, Those greatly profane and pollute God's name who despise the business of religion, though it is very honourable, as not worth taking pains in, and the advantages of religion, though highly valuable, as not worth taking pains for. Those who live in a careless neglect of holy ordinances, who come to them and attend on them irreverently, and go away from them never the better and under no concern, do in effect say, "The table of the Lord is contemptible; there is neither virtue nor value in it, neither credit nor comfort from it."
(2.) They despised God's name in what they did, which was of a piece with what they said, and flowed from it; corrupt principles and notions are roots of bitterness, which bear the gall and wormwood of corrupt practices. They looked upon the table and altar of the Lord as contemptible, and then, [1.] They thought any thing would serve for a sacrifice, though ever so coarse and mean, and were so far from bringing the best, as they ought to have done, that they picked out the worst they had, which was fit neither for the market nor for their own tables, and offered that at God's altar. With every sacrifice they were to bring a meat-offering of fine flour mingled with oil; but they brought polluted bread (Mal 1:7), coarse bread, servants' bread, perhaps it was dry and mouldy, or made of the refuse of the wheat, which they thought good enough to be burnt upon the altar; for had it been better they would have said, To what purpose is this waste? And as to the beasts they offered, though the law was express that what was offered in sacrifice should not have a blemish, yet they brought the blind, and the lame, and the sick (Mal 1:8), and again (Mal 1:13), the torn, and the lame, and the sick, that was ready to die of itself. They looked no further than the burning of the sacrifice, and they pleaded that it was a pity to burn it if it was good for any thing else. The people were so far convinced of their duty that they would bring sacrifices; they durst not wholly omit the duty, but they brought vain oblations, mocked God, and deceived themselves, by bringing the worst they had; and the priests, who should have taught them better, accepted the gifts brought to the altar and offered them up there, because, if they should refuse them, the people would bring none at all, and then they would lose their perquisites; and therefore, having more regard to their own profit than to God's honour, they accepted that which they knew he would not accept. Some make Mal 1:8 to be a continuation of what the priests profanely said Mal 1:7, You say to the people, If you offer the blind for sacrifice, it is not evil; or the lame and the sick, it is not evil. Note, It is a very evil thing, whether men think so or no, to offer the blind and the lame, the torn and the sick, in sacrifice to God. If we worship God ignorantly, and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, and without consideration, if we are cold, and dull, and dead, in it, we bring the sick; if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and, if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to God and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? Do not our books tell us, nay, do not our own hearts tell us, that this is evil? for God, who is the best, ought to be served with the best we have. [2.] They would do no more of their work than what they were paid for. The priests would offer the sacrifices that were brought to the altar, because they had their share of them; but as for any other service of the temple, that had not a particular fee belonging to it, they would not stir a step, nor lend a hand, to it; and this was the general temper of them, Mal 1:10. There is not a man among the priests that would shut the doors, or kindle a fire, for nought. If he were required to do the smallest piece of service, he would ask, how shall I be paid for it? They would do nothing gratis, but were all for what they could get, every one for his gain, from his quarter, Isa 56:11. Note, Though God has given order that his servants be well paid in this world, yet those are no acceptable servants to him who are mercenary, and would never do the work but for the wages. [3.] Their work was a perfect drudgery to them (Mal 1:13): You said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! Both priests and people were of this mind, that they thought God imposed too hard a task upon them; the people grudged the charge of providing the sacrifice and the priests grudged the pains of offering it; they thought the feasts of the Lord came too thick, and they were forced to attend too often, and too long, in the courts of the Lord; the priests thought it a severe penance imposed upon them to purify themselves as was required when they attended the altar and ate of the holy things; they thought the duty of their office toilsome and troublesome, and snuffed at it as unreasonable, and bearing hard upon them; they did it, but it was grudgingly and with reluctance. God speaks of it, in justification of his law, that he had not made them to serve with an offering, nor wearied them with incense, Isa 43:23. Wherein have I wearied thee? Mic 6:3. But their own wicked hearts made it a weariness; and they were, as Doeg, detained before the Lord; they would rather have been any where else. Note, Those are highly injurious, both to God and themselves, who are weary of his service and worship, and snuff at it.
III. Observe how God expostulates and reasons the case with them, for their conviction and humiliation. 1. Would they, durst they, affront an earthly prince thus? "You offer to God the lame and the sick; offer it now unto thy governor (Mal 1:8), either as tribute or as a present, when thou art entreating his favour, or in gratitude for some favour received; will he be pleased with thee? Or, rather, will he not take himself to be affronted by it?" Note, Those who are careless and irreverent in the duties of religious worship should consider what a shame it is to offer that to their God which they would scorn to offer to their governor, to be more observant of the laws of breeding and good manners than of the laws of religion, and more afraid of being rude than of being profane. 2. Could they imagine that such sacrifices as these would be pleasing to God, or answer the end of sacrifices? "Should I accept this at your hand, saith the Lord? Mal 1:13. Have you any reason to think I should either not discern or not resent the affront, that I should connive at the violation of my own laws? No (Mal 1:10); I have no pleasure in you, and therefore, I will not accept an offering, such an offering, at your hand." If God has no pleasure in the person, if the person be not in a justified state, if he be not sanctified, God will not accept the offering. God had respect to Abel first and then to his sacrifice. Note, In order to our acceptance with God it is not enough to do that which, for the matter of it, is good, but we must do it from a right principle, in a right manner, and for a right end. It was the ancient rule laid down (Ge 4:7), If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Now, if we be not accepted of God, in vain do we worship him; it is all lost labour; nay, we are all undone, for ever undone, if we come short of God's acceptance. Those therefore make a bad bargain for themselves who, to save charges in their religion, miss all the ends of it, and, by thinking to go the nearest way to work, bring nothing to pass. Those who make it the top of their ambition, as we all ought to do, whether present or absent, to be accepted of the Lord, will not dare to bring the torn, and the lame, and the sick, for sacrifice. 3. How could they expect to prevail with God in their intercessions for the people when they thus affronted God in their sacrifices? So some understand Mal 1:9, as spoken ironically, "And now if you will do the duty of priests, and stand in the gap to turn away the judgments of God that you see ready to pour in upon us, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us, and to our land which is almost eaten up with locusts and caterpillars," as appears Mal 3:11. "Try now what interest you have at the throne of grace; improve it for the removing of this plague, for it has been by your means; you have provoked God to send it. But as you go on thus to profane his sacred things will he regard your persons or your prayers? No, you cannot prevail with him to command it away." For, if we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will not hear us, either for ourselves or for others. 4. Had God deserved this at their hands? No, he had provided comfortably for them, and had given them such encouragement in their work as might have engaged them to do it cheerfully and well; so some understand Mal 1:10, "Who is there among you that shall shut a door, or kindle a fire, for nought? No, God does not expect you should serve him for nothing; you are well paid for it, and shall be so; not a cup of cold water, given for the honour of God, shall lose its reward." Note, The consideration of our constant receivings from God, and the present rewards of obedience in obedience, very much aggravates our slothfulness and niggardliness in our returns of duty to God.
IV. He calls them to repentance for their profanations of his holy name. So we may understand Mal 1:9, "Now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us. Humble yourselves for your sin, cry mightily to God for pardon, and make up in the faith and fervency of your prayers what has been wanting in the worth and value of your sacrifices; for all the rebukes of Providence we are under are by your means." Note, Those who have by their sins helped to kindle a fire are highly concerned by their repentance, prayers, and the personal reformation, to help to quench it. We must see how much God's judgments are by our means, and be awakened thereby to be earnest with him to return in mercy; and, if we take not this course, how can we think he should regard our persons?
V. He declares his resolution both to secure the glory of his own name and to reckon with those who profane it. Those who put contempt upon God and religion, and think to run down sacred things, let them know,
1. That they shall not gain their point. God will magnify his law and make it honourable, though they vilify it and make it contemptible; for (Mal 1:11) from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles. It might be said, "If these are not the worshippers whom God will accept, then he has no worshippers." As if he must make the best of their service, or else he would have no service done him; and then what will he do for his great name? But let him alone for that; though Israel be not faithful, be not gathered, yet God will be glorious. Though these priests provoke him to take down the ceremonial economy, and to abolish that law of commandments, which could not make the comers thereunto perfect, yet he will be no loser by that, at the long run; for, (1.) Instead of those carnal ordinances, which they profaned, a spiritual way of worship shall be introduced and established: Incense shall be offered to God's name (which signifies prayer and praise, Ps 141:2, Re 8:3), instead of the blood and fat of bulls and goats. And it shall be a pure offering, refined, not only from the corruptions that were in the priests' practice, but from the mere bodily exercise that was in the institutions themselves, which are called carnal ordinances, imposed till the time of reformation, Heb 9:10. When the hour came in which the true worshippers worshipped the Father in spirit and in truth, then this incense was offered, even this pure offering. (2.) Instead of his being worshipped and served among the Jews only, a small people in a corner of the world, he will be served and worshipped in all places, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same; in every place, in every part of the world, incense shall be offered to his name; nations shall be discipled, and shall speak of the wonderful works of God, and have them spoken to them in their own language. This is a plain prediction of that great revolution in the kingdom of grace by which the Gentiles, who had been strangers and foreigners, came to be fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and as welcome to the throne of grace as ever the Jews had been. It is twice said (for the thing was certain), My name shall be great among the Gentiles, whereas hitherto in Judah only he was known, and his name was great, Ps 76:1. God's name shall be declared to them, the declaration of it shall be received and believed, and there shall be those among the Gentiles who shall magnify and glorify the name of God better than ever the Jews had done, even the priests themselves.
2. That they shall not go unpunished, Mal 1:14. Here is the doom of those who do like these priests, for the sentence on them is a sentence on all such. Observe, (1.) The description of profane and careless worshippers. They are such as vow and sacrifice to the Lord a corrupt thing when they have in their flock a male. They have of the best, wherewith to serve and honour him, so bountiful has be been in his gifts to them, but they put him off with the worst, and think that good enough for him, so ungrateful are they in their returns to him. This was the fault of the people, but the priests connived at it, and indulged them in it. We find a distinction in the law which allowed that to be offered for a free-will offering which would not be accepted for a vow, Le 22:23. But the priests would accept it, though God would not, pretending to be more indulgent than he was, for which he will give them no thanks another day. (2.) The character given of such worshippers. They are deceivers; they deal falsely and fraudulently with God; they play the hypocrite with him; they pretend to honour him, in making the vow, but, when it comes to be performed, they put an affront upon him, to such a degree that it would have been better not to have vowed than to vow and thus to pay; but let not such be themselves deceived, for God is not mocked. Those who think to put a cheat upon God will prove, in the end, to have put a damning cheat upon their own souls. Hypocrites are deceivers, and they will prove self-deceivers, and so self-destroyers. (3.) The doom passed upon them: They are cursed; they expect a blessing, but will meet with a curse, the tokens of God's wrath, according to the judgment written. (4.) The reason of this doom: "For I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and therefore will reckon with those who deal with me but as a man like themselves; my name is dreadful among the heathen, and therefore I will not bear that it should be contemptible among my own people." The heathen paid more respect to their gods, though idols, than the Jews did to theirs, though the only true and living God. Note, The consideration of God's universal dominion, and the universal acknowledgment of it, should restrain us from all irreverence in his service.
这位先知受差遣，先要使人知罪，而后给予安慰；先揭露罪恶并加以责备，然后应许那将要来除罪之人的降临。这也是圣灵在对待人灵魂时所采用的方法（约 16:8）——他先揭开伤口，再敷上疗伤的膏药。神已经借着护理之工与所设立的典章为以色列民作了安排（按理说应当是奏效的），使他们归向自己；但从此处对他们的控诉看来，他们在两方面所得的神恩似乎都徒然领受了。I. 他们对神所赐的恩惠极不知恩，并未按所受的益处加以报答（玛 1:1-5）。II. 他们在遵守神所设立的典章上极其怠惰疏忽，祭司尤其如此，而这些典章本是特别交托给他们照管的（玛 1:6-14）。对于那些既不受护理之工、也不受典章之感化，且在当尊荣神的事上反倒冒犯神的人，我们还能说什么呢？