The Messenger Comes and the Lord Also
Here comes the answer to the challenging question at the end of the previous chapter: “Where is the God of justice?” Malachi lets it be known that the LORD sends His messenger, His herald, to clear the way before the God of judgment. This messenger is neither Malachi nor Elijah, but John the baptist. We know this from the quotations of this verse in the Gospels in connection with John the baptist [Matt 11:10]; [Mark 1:2]; cf. [Isa 40:3-5].
In the quote in [Mark 1] it becomes clear that the Lord Jesus before Whom the way is to be cleared is seen in His Godhead, that is as Yahweh [Mark 1:2]. There it says “AHEAD OF YOU” – “You” is the Lord Jesus – and here in Malachi it says that the LORD says “before Me”, that is Yahweh. The clearing of the way through John happens in the hearts of people so that Yahweh can come into their hearts. It is about taking away rebellion against God through the preaching of repentance. John is the forerunner of the humble Man Jesus who is none other than Yahweh, God Himself.
Malachi does not speak here about the coming of the Lord Jesus in humiliation. He goes directly from the announcement of the forerunner to the coming of the Lord to His temple. That coming takes place in the end time and will happen suddenly. Then comes “the Lord”, Adonai, the sovereign Ruler. In this verse the first and the second coming lie side by side (cf. [Isa 61:1-3]). John the baptist has announced His first coming. But when He came, He was rejected. Now He is in heaven, awaiting the command of God to ask the earth [Ps 2:8]. Then He comes in power and majesty.
Malachi’s contemporaries seek the Lord in His majesty. They look forward to a Messiah Who will make them the head of the nations. Only for that reason do they find their joy in Him. But with that they will end up ashamed. They reveal a spirit other than that which we hear in [Ps 143]: “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous” [Ps 143:2]. He will surely come, suddenly, but to judge all who live wickedly. He will come as “the messenger of the covenant” (cf. [Isa 63:9]; [Exod 23:20-23]). He fulfills all the conditions of the covenant, including the judgment on those who have broken the covenant.
The verse ends by declaring once more that He is coming. It is a confirmation of a truth that must make a deep impression and lead to sanctification and expectation. We too look forward to the coming of the Son of God. We wait for Him from heaven. He comes first to caught up to Himself believers of the church and the Old Testament believers [1Thess 4:16-17]. Then He comes to earth with His own [1Thess 4:14]. If we live in that prospect and expectation, it has a cleansing effect on our lives [1John 3:3].
In the quote in [Mark 1] it becomes clear that the Lord Jesus before Whom the way is to be cleared is seen in His Godhead, that is as Yahweh [Mark 1:2]. There it says “AHEAD OF YOU” – “You” is the Lord Jesus – and here in Malachi it says that the LORD says “before Me”, that is Yahweh. The clearing of the way through John happens in the hearts of people so that Yahweh can come into their hearts. It is about taking away rebellion against God through the preaching of repentance. John is the forerunner of the humble Man Jesus who is none other than Yahweh, God Himself.
Malachi does not speak here about the coming of the Lord Jesus in humiliation. He goes directly from the announcement of the forerunner to the coming of the Lord to His temple. That coming takes place in the end time and will happen suddenly. Then comes “the Lord”, Adonai, the sovereign Ruler. In this verse the first and the second coming lie side by side (cf. [Isa 61:1-3]). John the baptist has announced His first coming. But when He came, He was rejected. Now He is in heaven, awaiting the command of God to ask the earth [Ps 2:8]. Then He comes in power and majesty.
Malachi’s contemporaries seek the Lord in His majesty. They look forward to a Messiah Who will make them the head of the nations. Only for that reason do they find their joy in Him. But with that they will end up ashamed. They reveal a spirit other than that which we hear in [Ps 143]: “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous” [Ps 143:2]. He will surely come, suddenly, but to judge all who live wickedly. He will come as “the messenger of the covenant” (cf. [Isa 63:9]; [Exod 23:20-23]). He fulfills all the conditions of the covenant, including the judgment on those who have broken the covenant.
The verse ends by declaring once more that He is coming. It is a confirmation of a truth that must make a deep impression and lead to sanctification and expectation. We too look forward to the coming of the Son of God. We wait for Him from heaven. He comes first to caught up to Himself believers of the church and the Old Testament believers [1Thess 4:16-17]. Then He comes to earth with His own [1Thess 4:14]. If we live in that prospect and expectation, it has a cleansing effect on our lives [1John 3:3].
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-10-27 Source: Title: Maleachi Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher. |
First, God responds to the wicked challenge of the previous verse. He will send His messenger, a promise that found an early and partial fulfillment in John the Baptist but will have a later and complete fulfillment when Elijah [Verse 23] will prepare the way of the Lord, the angel (or messenger) they were expecting (note the irony).
The irony here is that, when He later came (at His first coming), the people of Israel did not rejoice in Him but instead crucified Him.
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-09-06 Source: Title: Commentary on the Old Testament Title (Original): BBC – Believer’s Bible Commentary – Old Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1184 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck Translation: Christiane Eichler, Hermann Grabe, Sven und Esther Passig, Melanie Reimer, Alois Wagner Cover design: OTTENDESIGN.de, Gummersbach |
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 2:34]. 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; [Deut 18:18] and Zacharias, alluding to this text, explains angel in the same sense, [Luke 1:76] — 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)
 | Author: George Leo Haydock Rank: Author AD: 1849 Source: Title: Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary Year (original): 1859 Number of pages: 571 Print: Edward Dunigan and Brother, New York, New York |
Here the Lord refers to St. John the Baptist, whom He sends to prepare the way before Him by proclaiming repentance, by offering the baptism of repentance, and by testifying to the Lord as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He calls St. John “His angel.” Here, many of the Church Fathers stand in awe before such exalted love of God for man. He wishes to call every man His own angel. In His love, He wishes to lift every man up to the highest heavenly level.
He prepared humanity for His coming since the fall of Adam and Eve, when He promised them, saying: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” [Gen 3:15]. Then, came the Patriarchs to present symbols and prophecies about His coming; and finally, St. John the Baptist, called by God “His angel” [Verse 1] came to prepare the way before the promised Messiah. He is coming to proclaim the divine message, which he received from heaven, and not from human. The Old testament ended by that promise; Then came the beginning of the gospel of the apostle St. Mark, being the first of the gospels, to testify to the realization of that promise [Mark 1:12].
St. John the Baptist came to prepare the way before the Lord Christ, by proclaiming repentance, and by offering the Baptism of repentance. He came to proclaim to the people that their salvation does not lie in being carnally referred to Abraham the Patriarch, but by the coming of Him, whom Abraham hoped to come.
This prophecy came very clear; and was realized in the person of St. John the Baptist, who testified to the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” [John 1:29]. The Jews tried to present various interpretations of this text. Some claimed that Malachi speaks about himself as the angel of the Lord; and some others claimed that he refers to the angel of death who casts the wicked into Hades.
The prophet confirms that the Lord will suddenly come to His temple; He, whom the pious who fear the Lord seek since the days of Adam and Eve. They wait for Him with great joy; and according to the evangelist: “They anticipated the comfort of Israel;” “A redemption in Israel;” and “The desire of all nations” [Hag 2:7]; in whom, all will find the pleasure of their heart.
“Will suddenly come” [Verse 1]; His coming is at hand. We are not, like the Patriarchs and the prophets, who had to wait for Him to come in the distant future, because His coming drew near. By saying “suddenly,” He probably means that His coming will be at a time not expected by many, despite the clarity of the prophecies, and even the reference to the time of His coming, as it came in the book of Daniel. Although the priests, at the time He was born, confirmed that this would take place in Bethlehem Ephratah, yet His coming for them was sudden; because they were not prepared, despite their mental awareness of it
“To His temple”: At the age of twelve, He stood in the temple among the teachers, drawing their hearts by His authority; doing “His fathers business” [Luke 2:49]. And several times, He came to the temple of Jerusalem, and drove away from it the sellers of pigeons and the moneylenders. He did that with authority, being His own temple and His own house. And when He came to Jerusalem in the last week, He headed directly to the temple [Matt 21:12]. There many blind and lame came to Him to seek healing [Matt 21:14]. And there, He preached and performed miracles and wonders.
Although He came to set a new temple in the hearts of His believers; yet He honored the temple in Jerusalem; commanding us to honor the house of the Lord.
“’Behold, He is coming,’ says the Lord of hosts.” The Speaker is faithful in His promises; is capable of realizing them; He came with no delay.
St. John Chrysostom
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John” [John 1:6]; called “a messenger” [Mal 3:1]; in reference to that a messenger is not speaking on his own. (1)
The Lord Jesus talked about John’s attire, imprisonment, and role in prophecy; revealing that he is greater than a prophet; being so near and so close to the Messiah who is to come. He says: “Behold, I send My messenger before Me.” Those who ride close to the king are greater than any other. (2)
St. Jerome - St. John the Baptist is considered greater than other prophets for the following reason: While the other prophets prophesied about the coming of the Messiah, St. John pointed with his finger, saying: “This is the Lamb of God who carries away the sin of the world” [John 1:29]. By baptizing His Lord, his status was further enhanced; realizing the prophecy of Malachi that he is an angel. Being so called was not according to his nature, but because of the importance of his message; being the messenger who proclaims the coming of the Lord. (3)
Fr. Ambrosiaster - The word “angel” means the messenger of God, like Moses, Joshua the son of Nun, and the other prophets, till St. John the Baptist. (4)
St. Augustine
In this text he tells us about the two comings of Christ – the first and the second. Concerning the first, he says: “Will suddenly come to His temple” [Mal 3:1], referring to Christ’s body, about which He Himself says: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” [John 2:19]. And about His second coming, he prophesied by the words: “Who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?” [Mal 3:2] (5)
Humans could be called angels; as what the apostle says about himself: “You received me as an angel of God” [Gal 4:14]. And according to what is said about St. John the Baptist: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You” [Matt 11:10]. And at His coming, with all His angels [Matt 25:31], He will have with Him His saints as well. (6)
He calls St. John “His angel.” Here, many of the Church Fathers stand in awe before such exalted love of God for man. He wishes to call every man His own angel. In His love, He wishes to lift every man up to the highest heavenly level.
He prepared humanity for His coming since the fall of Adam and Eve, when He promised them, saying: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” [Gen 3:15]. Then, came the Patriarchs to present symbols and prophecies about His coming; and finally, St. John the Baptist, called by God “His angel” [Verse 1] came to prepare the way before the promised Messiah. He is coming to proclaim the divine message, which he received from heaven, and not from human. The Old testament ended by that promise; Then came the beginning of the gospel of the apostle St. Mark, being the first of the gospels, to testify to the realization of that promise [Mark 1:12].
St. John the Baptist came to prepare the way before the Lord Christ, by proclaiming repentance, and by offering the Baptism of repentance. He came to proclaim to the people that their salvation does not lie in being carnally referred to Abraham the Patriarch, but by the coming of Him, whom Abraham hoped to come.
This prophecy came very clear; and was realized in the person of St. John the Baptist, who testified to the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” [John 1:29]. The Jews tried to present various interpretations of this text. Some claimed that Malachi speaks about himself as the angel of the Lord; and some others claimed that he refers to the angel of death who casts the wicked into Hades.
The prophet confirms that the Lord will suddenly come to His temple; He, whom the pious who fear the Lord seek since the days of Adam and Eve. They wait for Him with great joy; and according to the evangelist: “They anticipated the comfort of Israel;” “A redemption in Israel;” and “The desire of all nations” [Hag 2:7]; in whom, all will find the pleasure of their heart.
“Will suddenly come” [Verse 1]; His coming is at hand. We are not, like the Patriarchs and the prophets, who had to wait for Him to come in the distant future, because His coming drew near. By saying “suddenly,” He probably means that His coming will be at a time not expected by many, despite the clarity of the prophecies, and even the reference to the time of His coming, as it came in the book of Daniel. Although the priests, at the time He was born, confirmed that this would take place in Bethlehem Ephratah, yet His coming for them was sudden; because they were not prepared, despite their mental awareness of it
“To His temple”: At the age of twelve, He stood in the temple among the teachers, drawing their hearts by His authority; doing “His fathers business” [Luke 2:49]. And several times, He came to the temple of Jerusalem, and drove away from it the sellers of pigeons and the moneylenders. He did that with authority, being His own temple and His own house. And when He came to Jerusalem in the last week, He headed directly to the temple [Matt 21:12]. There many blind and lame came to Him to seek healing [Matt 21:14]. And there, He preached and performed miracles and wonders.
Although He came to set a new temple in the hearts of His believers; yet He honored the temple in Jerusalem; commanding us to honor the house of the Lord.
“’Behold, He is coming,’ says the Lord of hosts.” The Speaker is faithful in His promises; is capable of realizing them; He came with no delay.
St. John Chrysostom
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John” [John 1:6]; called “a messenger” [Mal 3:1]; in reference to that a messenger is not speaking on his own. (1)
The Lord Jesus talked about John’s attire, imprisonment, and role in prophecy; revealing that he is greater than a prophet; being so near and so close to the Messiah who is to come. He says: “Behold, I send My messenger before Me.” Those who ride close to the king are greater than any other. (2)
St. Jerome - St. John the Baptist is considered greater than other prophets for the following reason: While the other prophets prophesied about the coming of the Messiah, St. John pointed with his finger, saying: “This is the Lamb of God who carries away the sin of the world” [John 1:29]. By baptizing His Lord, his status was further enhanced; realizing the prophecy of Malachi that he is an angel. Being so called was not according to his nature, but because of the importance of his message; being the messenger who proclaims the coming of the Lord. (3)
Fr. Ambrosiaster - The word “angel” means the messenger of God, like Moses, Joshua the son of Nun, and the other prophets, till St. John the Baptist. (4)
St. Augustine
In this text he tells us about the two comings of Christ – the first and the second. Concerning the first, he says: “Will suddenly come to His temple” [Mal 3:1], referring to Christ’s body, about which He Himself says: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” [John 2:19]. And about His second coming, he prophesied by the words: “Who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?” [Mal 3:2] (5)
Humans could be called angels; as what the apostle says about himself: “You received me as an angel of God” [Gal 4:14]. And according to what is said about St. John the Baptist: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You” [Matt 11:10]. And at His coming, with all His angels [Matt 25:31], He will have with Him His saints as well. (6)
Footnote
(1) Homilies on St. John, Homily 6:1.
(2) The Gospel of Matthew, homily 37:2.
(3) Comm. on Matthew 2: 11:9.
(4) Epistle to the Galatians 3:19:1.
(5) City of God 18:35.
(6) On [Ps 50] (49).
 | Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2022-11-03 |
And what sort of connection may this have with what was said before? Much, assuredly, and in full accord with it. By this topic also he proceeds to urge and press them into faith. At the same time he is speaking in agreement with what had been before said by John. “For if all things are fulfilled even down to John, I am ‘he that should come.’ ” “For all the prophets,” says he, “and the law prophesied until John.” For the prophets would not have ceased unless I were come. Expect, therefore, nothing further, and do not wait for anyone else. For that I am he who is manifest both from the prophets ceasing and from those that every day “take by force” the faith that is in me. For so manifest is it and certain that many even take it by force. Why, who has so taken it? Tell me. All who approach it with earnestness of mind. Then he states also another infallible sign, saying, “If you will receive it, he is Elijah, who was to come.” For “I will send you,” it is said, “Elijah the Tishbite, who shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” This man then is Elijah, if you attend exactly, says he. For “ ‘I will send,’ says he, ‘my messenger before your face.’ ” And well has he said, “If you will receive it,” to show the absence of force. For I do not constrain, says he. And this he said, as requiring a candid mind and showing that John is Elijah, and Elijah John. For both of them received one ministry, and both of them became forerunners. He did not simply say, “This is Elijah,” but “If you are willing to receive it, this is he,” that is, if with a candid mind you give heed to what is going on. And he did not stop even at this, but to the words “this is Elijah, who was to come” he added, to show that understanding is needed, “he that has ears to hear, let him hear.”
 | Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
And that we may not have to ask, of what God was the Word made flesh? He does himself previously teach us, saying, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came as a witness, that he might bear witness of that light. He was not that light but [came] that he might testify of the light.” By what God, then, was John, the forerunner who testifies of the light, sent [into the world]? Truly it was by him of whom Gabriel is the angel, who also announced glad tidings of his birth: [that God] who also had promised by the prophets that he would send his messenger before the face of his Son, who should prepare his way, that is, that he should bear witness of that light in the spirit and power of Elijah. But, again, of what God was Elijah the servant and the prophet? Of him who made heaven and earth, as he does himself confess. John therefore, having been sent by the founder and maker of this world, how could he testify of the light, which came down from things unspeakable and invisible? For all the heretics have decided that the demiurge was ignorant of that power above him, whose witness and herald John is found to be. Therefore the Lord said that he deemed him “more than a prophet.” For all the other prophets preached the advent of the Father’s light and desired to be worthy of seeing him whom they preached. But John both announced [the advent] beforehand, as did the others, and actually saw him when he came, and pointed him out, and persuaded many to believe on him, so that he did himself hold the place of both prophet and apostle. For this is to be more than a prophet, because “first apostles, secondarily prophets,” but all things from one and the same God himself. .
 | Author: Irenaeus of Lyons Rank: Bishop AD: 202 |
Of these two comings the prophet Malachi says, “And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek”; that is one coming. Of the second coming he says, “ ‘And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire, yes, he is coming,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying.’ ” In what immediately follows the Savior himself says, “I will draw near to you for judgment, and I will be swift to bear witness against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers.” It was with this in view that Paul says in due warning: “But if anyone builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—the work of each will be made manifest, for the Day of the Lord will declare it, since the day is to be revealed in fire.” Paul indicates these two comings also in writing to Titus in these words: “The grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men, instructing us, in order that, rejecting ungodliness and worldly lusts, we may live temperately and justly and piously in this world; looking for the blessed hope and glorious coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Do you see how he speaks of a first coming, for which he gives thanks, and of a second we are going to look for? We find the same lesson in the wording of the creed we profess, as delivered to us, that is, to believe in him who “ascended into heaven and sat down on the right of the Father, and is to come in glory to judge the living and dead, of whose kingdom there will be no end.”
 | Author: Cyril of Jerusalem AD: 386 |
Since then it is evident that many are to judge with the Lord but that others are to be judged, not however on equality but according to their deserts, he will come with all his angels. [At the judgment] before him shall be gathered all nations, and among all the angels are to be reckoned those that have been so perfect, that sitting upon twelve thrones they judge the twelve tribes of Israel. For men are called angels; the apostle says of himself, “As an angel of God you received me.” Of John the Baptist it is said, “Behold, I send my angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.”
 | Author: Augustine of Hippo Rank: Bishop AD: 430 |
“For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God.” John said this, of course, about Christ that he might diminish himself from him. Why? Did not God send John himself? And didn’t John himself say, “I have been sent before him,” and, “He who sent me to baptize with water,” and about him it was said, “Behold, I send my messenger before you and he will prepare the way”? Does not he too speak the words of God, about whom it was said that he was more than a prophet? Therefore if God also sent John, and he speaks the words of God, how, in regard to the distinction [between himself and Christ], do we know that he said about Christ, “For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God”? Tractates on the Gospel of John.
| Author: Augustine of Hippo Rank: Bishop AD: 430 |
Speaking further of Christ in the same vein, Malachi says, “Behold, I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament whom you desire, shall come into the temple. Behold, he comes, says the Lord of hosts. And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? And who shall stand to see him?” In this text he foretells both comings of Christ, the first and the second—the first where he says, “And presently the Lord shall come into his temple.” This refers to Christ’s body, of which he himself said in the Gospel, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” His second coming is foretold in these words: “ ‘Behold, he comes,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? And who shall stand to see him?’ ” City of God
| Author: Augustine of Hippo Rank: Bishop AD: 430 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
