Chapter 1:
| Darby
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| Gill
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| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 Zechariah Matthew
Malachi 1
THO' Malachi be the last of the prophets, and in him prophecy
ceased: yet the spirit of prophecy shines as clear, as strong, as
bright, in him, as in any that went before. The Jews call him the
seal of prophecy, because in him the succession of prophets came
to a period: God wisely ordering, that prophecy should cease,
some ages before the Messiah came, that he might appear the
more conspicuous, and be the more welcome. Haggai and
Zechariah were sent to reprove the people, for delaying to build
the temple: Malachi to reprove them for their neglect of it, now it
was built, and for their profanation of the temple-service. And the
sins he reproves, are those complained of by Nehemiah, with
whom he is supposed to have been cotemporary. And now
prophecy was to cease, he speaks more clearly of the Messiah,
than any other of the prophets had done.
I. The prophet reproves the Jews for their ingratitude to God, ver.
1-5.
II. For their neglect of his institutions, ver. 6-14.
Verse 2. Loved you - Both personally considered and relatively, in
progenitors. Us - Who have been captives, and groaned under it
all our days 'till of late. Was not Esau - Did not one father beget
them, and one mother bear them? I loved Jacob - I preferred him
to the birthright, and this of free love. I loved his person, and his
posterity.
Verse
3. I hated - I loved not Esau's posterity as I loved Jacob's. His
heritage - Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains. Waste -
By Nebuchadnezzar's arms five years after the sacking of
Jerusalem, and whereas Jacob's captivity returned, and their cities
were rebuilt, Esau's never were. The dragons - Creatures which
delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation of Esau is
signified.
Verse
4. Throw down - So he did in the times of the Maccabees. The
border of wickedness - They will be a most wicked people, and so
notorious, that all their neighbours shall brand them for it. Hath
indignation - They will so highly provoke God, that his
indignation will be kindled against them for ever. 5. From the
border of Israel - Let Israel from all his borders give God praise.
Verse
6. O priests - Had undutifulness been found among the ignorant
people, it might have been a little excusable. But you, O priests,
whose business is to know me, have like Eli's sons despised me
yourselves, and made others do so too.
Verse
7. Bread - Either the meal-offerings, or rather in a more large
sense, all sacrifices and oblations. Ye say - Perhaps in words; at
least your deeds speak your thoughts. The table - This
comprehends all that was offered to God.
Verse
8. Evil - Is it not against the express command of God.
Verse
9. I pray you - O priests. Beseech - Intercede with God for his
sinful people. This - This contempt of God.
Verse
11. Incense - A law term for a gospel duty, and under this type are
contained the prayers and praises, nay, the whole gospel-worship.
A pure offering - Both sincere, in opposition to hypocrisy, and
holy, in opposition to impurity, superstition and idolatry.
Verse
12. But ye - O priests! And the people by your examples. Ye say -
By your deportment. Is polluted - Not a sacred thing. His meat -
Either the meat which fell to the priest's share, or the portion
which was laid upon the altar.
Verse
13. What a weariness - What a toil and drudgery to observe every
point of the law. This - With such minds snuffing at my service,
and with such sacrifices, unfit for mine altar.
Verse
14. The deceiver - The hypocrite that would seem to offer a
sacrifice of the best, but puts God off with the worst. A male - A
perfect male, such as God requireth.
Chapter 1:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 Zechariah Matthew
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
