God reproaches the Jews with their ingratitude: and the priests for not offering pure sacrifices. He will accept of the sacrifice that shall be offered in every place among the Gentiles.
God shewed his especial loue towards the Iewes, in that he choise their progenitor Iacob, rather then Esau. 7. Priestes are reprehended, for not offering the best thinges in sacrifice. 10. The old sacrifices shal be reiected, and new farre more excellent shal be offered in al nations.
1The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the hand of Malachias.Annunzio pesante del Signore ad Israele per Malachia.THE burden of the word of our Lord to Israel in the hand of Malachie.Onus verbi Domini ad Israël in manu Malachiæ. 2I have loved you, saith the Lord: and you have said: Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau brother to Jacob, saith the Lord, and I have loved Jacob,Io vi amai, dice il Signore, e voi avete detto: Dov'è, che tu ci amasti? non era forse Esaù fratello di Giacobbe? ed io amai Giacobbe,I haue loued you, sayth our Lord: & you haue sayd: Wherin hast thou loued vs? Was not Esau brother to Iacob, sayth our Lord, and I loued Iacob,Dilexi vos, dicit Dominus, et dixistis: In quo dilexisti nos ? Nonne frater erat Esau Jacob ? dicit Dominus: et dilexi Jacob, 3But have hated Esau? and I have made his mountains a wilderness, and given his inheritance to the dragons of the desert.E odiai Esaù, e abbandonai alla solitudine le sue montagne, e il suo retaggio ai dragoni del deserto.but hated Esau? and I layd his mountaines into a wildernes, & his inheritance vnto the dragons of the desert.Esau autem odio habui, et posui montes ejus in solitudinem, et hæreditatem ejus in dracones deserti. 4But if Edom shall say: We are destroyed, but we will return and build up what hath been destroyed: thus saith the Lord of hosts: They shall build up, and I will throw down: and they shall be called the borders of wickedness, and the people with whom the Lord is angry for ever.Che se dirà l'Idumea: Siamo stati distrutti, ma torneremo, e ristoreremo le nostre rovine; ecco quello, che dice il Signore degli eserciti: Costoro edificheranno, ed io distruggerò, e saran chiamati, Regione di empietà, Popolo, contro del quale il Signore è sdegnato in eterno.But if Idumea shal say: We are destroyed, but returning we wil build the thinges that are destroyed: thus sayth the Lord of hosts: These shal build, and I wil destroy: and they shal be called the borders of impietie, and the people with whom our Lord is angrie for euer.Quod si dixerit Idumæa: Destructi sumus, sed revertentes ædificabimus quæ destructa sunt: hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Isti ædificabunt, et ego destruam: et vocabuntur termini impietatis, et populus cui iratus est Dominus usque in æternum. 5And your eyes shall see: and you shall say: The Lord be magnified upon the border of Israel.Voi ciò vedrete co' vostri occhi, e voi direte: Sia glorificato il Signore oltre i confini d'Israele.And your eyes shal see: and you shal say: Our Lord be magnified vpon the border of Israel.Et oculi vestri videbunt, et vos dicetis: Magnificetur Dominus super terminum Israël.
6The son honoureth the father, and the servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts.Il figliuolo rende onore al padre, e il servo al suo padrone; se adunque io son Padre, dov'è l'onore dovuto a me? e se io son il Signore, dov'è il timore dovuto a me, dice il Signore degli eserciti? a voi dico, o sacerdoti, i quali disprezzate il nome mio, e dite: Come abbiam noi disprezzato il nome tuo?The sonne honoureth the father, and the seruant his lord: if then I be the father, where is my honour? and if I be the Lord, where is my feare: sayth the Lord of hosts?Filius honorat patrem, et servus dominum suum. Si ergo pater ego sum, ubi est honor meus ? et si Dominus ego sum, ubi est timor meus ? dicit Dominus exercituum. Ad vos, o sacerdotes, qui despicitis nomen meum, et dixistis: In quo despeximus nomen tuum ? 7To you, O priests, that despise my name, and have said: Wherein have we despised thy name? You offer polluted bread upon my altar, and you say: Wherein have we polluted thee? In that you say: The table of the Lord is contemptible.Voi offerite sul mio altare un pane sozzo, e poi dite: In che ti abbiam noi sozzato? In questo che voi dite: La mensa del Signore è avvilita.To you ô priests, that despise my name, & haue sayd: Wherin haue we despised thy name? You offer vpon myne altar polluted bread: and you say: Wherin haue we polluted thee? In that you say: The table of our Lord is contemptible.Offertis super altare meum panem pollutum, et dicitis: In quo polluimus te ? in eo quod dicitis: Mensa Domini despecta est. 8If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and the sick, is it not evil? offer it to thy prince, if he will be pleased with it, or if he will regard thy face, saith the Lord of hosts.Se voi offeriste ad essere immolato un animale cieco, non sarebbe cosa mal fatta? se n'offeriste uno zoppo, o mal sano, non sarebb'ella cosa mal fatta? offeriscila al tuo governatore, e vedi se a lui sarà grata, e se egli ti accoglierà benignamente, dice il Signore degli eserciti.If you offer the blind to be immolated, is it not euil? and if you offer the lame and the •eble is it not euil? offer it d to thy prince if it shal please him, or if he wil receiue thy face, sayth the Lord of hosts.Si afferatis cæcum ad immolandum, nonne malum est ? et si offeratis claudum et languidum, nonne malum est ? offer illud duci tuo, si placuerit ei, aut si susceperit faciem tuam, dicit Dominus exercituum. 9And now beseech ye the face of God, that he may have mercy on you, (for by your hand hath this been done,) if by any means he will receive your faces, saith the Lord of hosts.E voi adesso pregate dinanzi a Dio, affinchè egli abbia di voi pietà; perocché da voi sono state fatte tali cose; chi sa, che egli non vi accolga benignamente, dice il Signore degli eserciti.And now besech ye the face of God, that he may haue mercie on you (for by your hand hath this bene done) if by any meanes he wil receiue your faces, saith the Lord of hosts.Et nunc deprecamini vultum Dei ut misereatur vestri (de manu enim vestra factum est hoc), si quomodo suscipiat facies vestras, dicit Dominus exercituum.
10Who is there among you, that will shut the doors, and will kindle the fire on my altar gratis? I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts: and I will not receive a gift of your hand.Chi è tra voi, che chiuda le porte, e accenda il fuoco sul mio altare gratuitamente? l'affezione mia non è per voi, dice il Signore degli eserciti; ed io non accetterò doni di vostra mano;Who is there among you, that wil shut the doores, & wil kindle fire on my altar for naught? I haue no wil in you, sayth the Lord of hosts: and gift I wil not receiue of your hand.Quis est in vobis qui claudat ostia, et incendat altare meum gratuito ? non est mihi voluntas in vobis, dicit Dominus exercituum, et munus non suscipiam de manu vestra. 11For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation: for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts.Perocché da levante a ponente, grande è il nome mio tralle genti, e in ogni luogo si sacrifica, e si offerisce al nome mio obblazione monda, perchè grande è il nome mio tralle genti, dice il Signore degli eserciti.For from the rising of the sunne euen to the going downe, great is my name among the Gentils, & in euerie place there is sacrificing, and there is offered to my name a cleane oblation: because my name is great among the Gentils, sayth the Lord of hosts.Ab ortu enim solis usque ad occasum, magnum est nomen meum in gentibus, et in omni loco sacrificatur: et offertur nomini meo oblatio munda, quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus, dicit Dominus exercituum. 12And you have profaned it in that you say: The table of the Lord is defiled: and that which is laid thereupon is contemptible with the fire that devoureth it.Ma voi l'avete profanato con dire: La mensa del Signore è contaminata, e quello, che vi si mette sopra, è cosa vile insieme col fuoco, che lo consuma.And you haue polluted it in that you say: The table of our Lord is contaminated: and that which is layd therupon, is contemptible with the fyre, that deuoureth it.Et vos polluistis illud in eo quod dicitis: Mensa Domini contaminata est, et quod superponitur contemptibilis est, cum igne qui illud devorat. 13And you have said: Behold of our labour, and you puffed it away, saith the Lord of hosts, and you brought in of rapine the lame, and the sick, and brought in an offering: shall I accept it at your hands, saith the Lord?E voi dite: Ecco il resto de' travagli, e vi soffiate sopra, dice il Signore degli eserciti, e portate ostie zoppe, e mal sane, e mi portate obblazione delle vostre rapine: accetterò io queste cose dalle vostre mani? dice il Signore.And you haue sayd: Loe of labour, and you puffed at it, sayth the Lord of hosts, and you brought in of robberies the lame & the sicke, and brought in a gift: Why, shal I receiue it of your hand, sayth our Lord?Et dixistis: Ecce de labore, et exsufflastis illud, dicit Dominus exercituum: et intulistis de rapinis claudum et languidum, et intulistis munus: numquid suscipiam illud de manu vestra ? dicit Dominus.
14Cursed is the deceitful man that hath in his flock a male, and making a vow offereth in sacrifice that which is feeble to the Lord: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the Gentiles.Maledetto l'ingannatore, che ha nel suo gregge un animale senza difetto, ed avendo fatto un voto, ne offerisce uno malato al Signore; perocché un Re grande son io, dice il Signore degli eserciti, e tremendo è il mio nome tralle nazioni.Cursed is the deceitful, that hath in his flocke a male, and making a vow immolateth the feeble to our Lord: because I am a great King, sayth the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the Gentils.Maledictus dolosus qui habet in grege suo masculum et, votum faciens, immolat debile Domino: quia rex magnus ego, dicit Dominus exercituum, et nomen meum horribile in gentibus.
1:1
Year of the World about 3604, Year before Christ 400.
Calmet
Malachias, "the angel of the Lord." St. Jerome always reads Malachi, "my angel." Septuagint, "his angel;" whence Origen infers, that this was an angel incarnate. (Calmet)
1:2
Haydock
Loved us. So they thought, (Theodoret) and perhaps spoke. (Haydock)
Challoner
Jacob. I have preferred his posterity, to make them my chosen people, and to load them with my blessings, without any merit on their part, and though they have been always ungrateful; whilst I have rejected Esau, and executed severe judgments upon his posterity. Not that God punished Esau or his posterity beyond their deserts, but that by his free election and grace he loved Jacob, and favoured his posterity above their deserts. See the annotations upon Romans ix. (Challoner)
Worthington
Neither deserved any thing. God's choice was gratuitous, both with respect to the fathers and their offspring. (Worthington)
1:3
St. Augustine
Esau, perceiving the evil which was already in him, and would appear afterwards; (St. Jerome and Theodoret) or rather he was a figure of the reprobate, though not of course one himself. (St. Augustine)
Calmet
A person is said to hate what he loves less. Esau's privileges were transferred to his brother, who enjoyed a much finer country, and was chosen for God's peculiar inheritance. (Calmet)
Temporal blessings are here specified.
Haydock
Dragons. Septuagint, "houses;" so that they shall be deserted. (Haydock)
Edom was ravaged by Nabuchodonosor. The people retired into the cities, from which the Jews were driven. Yet afterwards they rebuilt their own habitations.
1:4
Calmet
Down, by the Machabees, who forced the people to receive circumcision, 1 Machabees 5:3. (Calmet)
Haydock
At that time the Jews were more pious, and glorified God. (Haydock)
Worthington
Ever. God's gratuitous love appears in his leaving Edom in captivity, and restoring the Jews. (Worthington)
1:6
Calmet
Father. God sometimes took this title, Exodus 4:32. But he was oftener represented as a master; and the old law was a law of fear. (Calmet)
Juvenal xiv
Servant et metuunt jus. (Juvenal xiv.)
1:7
Worthington
By vile presents they shew their contempt of God. (Worthington)
1:8
Calmet
Lame. The victims must be without defect, Leviticus 22:21. Those of the Jews were also rendered inadmissible by their evil dispositions, Aggeus 2:14. It is surprising, that after such scourges they should not have been more upon their guard. The negligence of the sacred ministers, is a sure sign of faith being extinct. (Calmet)
Clement of Alexandria
Pagans often thus treated their idols. (Clement of Alexandria, Strom. vi.)
Calmet
Prince: the governor sent by the Persians. If you dare not make such presents to men of eminence, how shall I accept them? (Calmet)
Worthington
How dare you offer them to me? (Worthington)
1:10
Calmet
Gratis? Are you not well paid? Why then perform you not your duty exactly? (Calmet)
Calmet
Septuagint, "Wherefore also among you shall the doors be shut, and my altar is not enkindled for nought," (Haydock) as if God menaced the Jews with the rejection of the temple, as the sequel does. (Calmet)
Worthington
Pleasure. Many other prophets had foretold the reprobation of the synagogue, but none more plainly. The reason is also assigned, viz., the ingratitude and repeated sins of the people, on which account the Gentiles of all countries shall be chosen. (Worthington)
1:11
Haydock
Sacrifice. Protestant, "incense." (Haydock)
Challoner
Clean oblation. The precious body and blood of Christ in the eucharistic sacrifice. (Challoner)
This is denoted by the very word mincha, the offering of flour and wine. (Calmet) See St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho; St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4:32.; St. Augustine, City of God 18:35.)
"We pollute this bread, that is the body of Christ, when we approach the altar unworthily." (St. Jerome 5:7.)
Calmet
This sacrifice is always pure, though the priest or receiver be otherwise. (Calmet)
Menochius
Hence it is always clean. (Council of Trent, session XXII. ch. I.) (Menochius)
Calmet
It is offered daily throughout the world. The Jews see the completion of this prediction, and are vexed; they strive to elude its force. Though enemies, they bear about these proofs of our faith, and of their own condemnation. (Calmet)
Worthington
God not only changed his people, but instituted a better sacrifice. Instead of the former needy elements, (Galatians 4.) which were often defiled by the sins of the offerers, He instituted the sacrifice of his own Body and Blood, under the appearance of bread and wine, as St. Chrysostom (in Psalm 95.), Theodoret, etc., prove against all opponents. A sacrifice different from any offered by the Jews, who could offer only at Jerusalem, (Deuteronomy 16.) is clearly specified, as many have demonstrated. (Worthington)
Haydock
Christ's bloody sacrifice on the cross was performed on Calvary, and not among the Gentiles. What sacrifice can Protestants now produce? (Haydock)
1:12
Calmet
It. The priests complain that all is burnt, (Grotius) or rather they treat sacred things with contempt. (Calmet)
Menochius
They falsely pretend that they give their best, being poor. (Menochius)
1:13
Challoner
Behold of our labour, etc. You pretended labour and weariness, when you brought your offering; and so made it of no value, by offering it with an evil mind. Moreover, what you offered was both defective in itself, and gotten by rapine and extortion. (Challoner)
Worthington
These were two defects. (Worthington)
Hebrew, "what fatigue, or if we change one letter, and read (Calmet) mothlae, (Haydock) it stinks, and you." etc. Some copies of [the] Septuagint, Arabic, etc., "I blew them away," with disgust.
Rapine. Ecclesiasticus 34:24.
Calmet
Offering. Mincha, ver. 11. (Calmet)
Pliny
Such victims and presents as are lame or strange, are rejected. (Pliny, [Natural History?] 8:45.)
1:14
Virgil
Male. So better things are styled mascula thura. (Virgil; Pliny, [Natural History?] 12:14.)
Calmet
It was unlawful to offer a female by vow, but not out of devotion, Leviticus 22:18, 23. (Calmet)
King. So the Persian monarchs were called.
Haydock
Dreadful. Greek, "Epiphanes." (Haydock)
1:2
I have loved Jacob, etc.... I have preferred his posterity, to make them my chosen people, and to lead them with my blessings, without any merit on their part, and though they have been always ungrateful; whilst I have rejected Esau, and executed severe judgments upon his posterity. Not that God punished Esau, or his posterity, beyond their desert: but that by his free election and grace he loved Jacob, and favoured his posterity above their deserts. See the annotations upon Rom. 9.
1:11
A clean oblation.... Viz., the precious body and blood of Christ in the eucharistic sacrifice.
1:13
Behold of our labour, etc.... You pretended labour and weariness, when you brought your offering; and so made it of no value, by offering it with an evil mind. Moreover, what you offered was both defective in itself, and gotten by rapine and extortion.
1:2
Gods peculiar loue was first shewed to the Israelits in preferrīg their progenitor Iacob and them his issue befor Esau & his of spring, though in them there vvas no difference at al, the one neither deseruing more, nor lesse then the other, but of his mere mercie electing the one and iustly reiecting the other. vvherof see the Annot. Rom. 9.
1:3
Concordance Rom. 9. v. 1•.
1:4
Againe lastly the same special vndeserued loue vvas shevved. in that the Idumeans subdued by the Chaldees remained in captiuitie, but the Israelites were novv reduced into their countrie.
1:7
Those that offer ba•• and contemptible thinges to God shew that they esteme litle of God. and so by their •ct dispise and contemne him. d If you dare not offer your worse thinges to your temporal prince, hovv dare you offer them to God?
1:10
10. I haue no vvil in you.] Manie Prophets (as vve haue often noted) did foreshevv the reiection of the Ievves, and vocation of the Gentils: but none Reiection of the Ievves and vocation of the Gentils. more plainly then this here; by vvhom God expresly sayth. I haue no vvil in you: and I vvil not receiue gift of your hand. The reason is also explicated in this chapter, because God most peculiarly louing them, they vvere stil vngratful, and disspised him, committing sinnes vpon sinnes And therfore in their place, he would bring in the Gentils: and that not anie one, or fevv nations, but al from the rising of the sunne, to the going downe therof, should sovvner or later come into his Church.
1:11
11. In euerie place there is sacrificing.] God not only changed, and multiplied Al old sacrifices abolished, and the sacrifice of Christs bodie & bloud prophecied. his people, but also changed, and bettered his Sacrifice. For in place of sacrificing cattel, birdes, and other weake and poore creatures, vvhich vvere not able Gal. 4. v. 9. to purge sinnes, and vvere also polluted oftentimes by the sinnes of them that offered the same, God here promiseth a most effectual, pure, & excellent daylie Sacrifice, to continevv perpetually in al places of his Church, that can not be polluted. VVhich accordingly our Blessed Redemer and Sauiour instituted, of his ovvne bodie and bloud, in the formes of bread and vvine. As al ancient Fathers proue, by this place amongst others. So S. Iustinus Martyr teacheth, in dialogo cum Triphone. S Cyprian. li. 4. • 18. aduersus Iudaeos: S. Damascen. li 4. Proued by the fathers. c. 14 de •ide Orthodoxa. S. Ierom, S. Theodoret, and S. Cyril in their commentaries vpon this place. S. Augustin li 18 c. 35. de ciuit. S. Chrysostom in Ps. 95. and Orat. 2. contra Iudaeos. shevving plainly, and vrging the Ievves, and al oppugners of And reasons deduced from the scriptures. this Catholique beleefe and doctrine, that this prophecie is no otherwise fulfilled, but in the daylie Sacrifice of the Church. For that here is prophecied an other Sacrifice, distinct and different from the Ievves sacrifices: neither vvere sacrifices offered in al the vvorld. neither could be ordinarily offered out of Ierusalem. But of this most sacred Mysterie, and particularly that it is here prophecied, Deut. 16. here is so much published by ancient and late vvriters, that more nedeth not to be here added.
Concordance Psal. 11•.
1:13
Tvvo defectes vvere in their sacrifices: they offered that vvhich they gotte by robberie, or extorsion:
and not the best, but vvorse part therof.
1:1
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… the one that they may in every place be lifted up holy; and that they may lay hold of the discipline of Christ, lest the Lord at any time be angered; and that the Word may gain credence by action, as was the case with that which was given in the hand of a prophet; the other, that they be not swift to shed blood, nor to run to evil,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans the-argument
… But if they have a different order in the Bibles, that is nothing wonderful, since the twelve Prophets, though not exceeding one another in order of time, but standing at great intervals from one another, are in the arrangement of the Bible placed in succession. Thus Haggai and Zachariah and the Messenger
1:2
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.21.2
… that the one also should be under bondage, but the other free; but [that both should be] of one and the same father. Our God, one and the same, is also their God, who knows hidden things, who knoweth all things before they can come to pass; and for this reason has He said, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.12
… And divine Scripture says the same of the Father; ‘The Righteous Lord loveth righteousness; Thou hatest all them that work iniquity ,’ and ‘The Lord loveth the gates of Sion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob ;’ and, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 124.8
… “If we once admit that, when one vessel is made to honour and another to dishonour, this is due to antecedent causes; why may we not revert to the mystery of the soul and allow that it is loved in one and hated in another because of its past actions, before in Jacob it becomes a supplanter and before in Esau it is supplanted?”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 133.9
… Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?” Bring a yet graver charge against God and ask Him why, when Esau and Jacob were still in the womb, He said: “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 78.8
… and I do not presume to pretend that my house is better than the ark of Noah, in which among eight persons one was found a castaway; or better than the house of Abraham, regarding which it was said, “Cast out the bondwoman and her son;” or better than the house of Isaac, regarding whose twin sons it was said, “I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 98
… “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 1.10
… But those who are born within the family, of the womb of the mother herself, and then neglect the grace they have received, are like Isaac’s son Esau, who was rejected, God Himself bearing witness to it, and saying, "I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau;"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 2.15
… makes to differ who—of those who are not yet born, and who have not yet done any good or evil, that His purpose, according to the election, might stand not of works, but of Himself that calleth—said, The older shall serve the younger, and commending that very purpose afterwards by the mouth of the prophet, said, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.7
… and what in the same elder, equally as yet unborn, He could have rejected; concerning whom, on this account, the prophetic testimony is recorded, although declared long subsequently, “Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated,”’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 58.4
… “Alienated are sinners from the womb.” What is this? Let us search more diligently: for perhaps he is saying this, because God hath foreknown men that are to be sinners even in the wombs of their mothers. For whence when Rebecca was yet pregnant, and in womb was bearing twins, was it said, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated”?
1:3
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 11.10
… But where have we evil of good figured? Rebecca, Isaac’s wife, was a free woman: read, She bare twins; one was good, the other evil. Thou hast the Scripture openly declaring by the voice of God, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
1:6
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.31
… Lord, and you say well, for so I am,” but in another passage, “I call you no longer servants, for the servant knoweth not what is the will of his master, but I call you friends,” because “you have continued with Me in all My temptations.” They, then, who live according to fear, which God exacts from those who are not good servants, as we read in Malachi,
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 18
… There is then on the one hand a natural glory, as light is the glory of the sun; and on the other a glory bestowed judicially and of free will ‘ ab extra ’ on them that are worthy. The latter is twofold. “A son,” it is said, “honoureth his father, and a servant his master.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 20
… For no sooner were they created than bondage was commenced. The heavenly bodies exercise no rule over one another, for they are unmoved by ambition, but all bow down to God, and render to Him alike the awe which is due to Him as Master and the glory which falls to Him as Creator. For “a son honoureth his father and a servant his master,”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.61
61. How can it be right to pass by Malachi, who at one time brings bitter charges against the priests, and reproaches them with despising the name of the Lord,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 14
… and what Esdras charges. How then did [the people] receive him? And how no man enquired of the Lord, inasmuch as they [the priests] themselves also transgressed, and knew it not even themselves?
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 52.7
Be obedient to your bishop and welcome him as the parent of your soul. Sons love their fathers and slaves fear their masters. “If I be a father,” He says, “where is mine honour? And if I am a master where is my fear?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.4
… as, for instance, we have that statement, “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me;” and that other, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High;” and this again, “If then I be a Father, where is mine honour? and if I be a Master, where is my fear?”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 11.9
… Of which fear and love the Lord in chiding some shows what is befitting for each one: “A son knoweth his own father, and a servant feareth his lord: And if I be a Father, where is My honour: and if I be a Lord, where is my fear?”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 11.13
… And therefore there is a twofold stage of fear. The one for beginners, i.e., for those who are still subject to the yoke and to servile terror; of which we read: “And the servant shall fear his Lord;”
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St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 22.7
7. Also the blessed David shall advise thee the meaning of this, saying, Thou hast prepared a table before me in the presence of them that afflict me . What he says, is to this effect: Before Thy coming, the evil spirits prepared a table for men
Ecumenical Councils The XXX Canons of the Holy and Fourth Synods, of Chalcedon 6
… no one will forget that the Prophet Malachi complains how in his days there were those who deemed “the table of the Lord contemptible” and said of his worship “what a weariness is it.” (
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 28
… and I shall not accept your sacrifices at your hands: for from the rising of the sun unto its setting My name shall be glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place a sacrifice is offered unto My name, even a pure sacrifice: for My name is honoured among the Gentiles, saith the Lord; but ye profane it.’
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 41
… ‘I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord; and I will not accept your sacrifices at your hands: for, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, My name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure offering: for My name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord: but ye profane it.’
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 117
… But He utterly rejects those presented by you and by those priests of yours, saying, ‘And I will not accept your sacrifices at your hands; for from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is glorified among the Gentiles (He says); but ye profane it.’
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.17.5
… “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord Omnipotent, and I will not accept sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun, unto the going down [of the same], My name is glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is My name among the Gentiles, saith the Lord Omnipotent;”
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 5
… as He says through the angel Malachi, one of the twelve prophets: “I will not receive sacrifice from your hands; for from the rising sun unto the setting my Name hath been made famous among all the nations, saith the Lord Almighty: and in every place they offer clean sacrifices to my Name.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 3.22
… “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord; neither will I accept your offerings: 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 sacrifice shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.1
… “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord, neither will I accept your sacrifices at your hands. 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 a sacrifice is offered unto my name, even a pure offering”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 1.17
… Because from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name is glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place odours of incense are offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice, because great is my name among the nations, saith the Lord.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 18.25
… For now that the one Church in Judæa is cast off, the Churches of Christ are increased over all the world; and of them it is said in the Psalms, Sing unto the Lord a new song, His praise in the Congregation of Saints . Agreeably to which the prophet also said to the Jews, I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord Almighty
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.8
… “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles: and in every place incense is offered unto my name, and a pure offering.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.35
… For from the rising even to the going down of the sun, my name is great among the nations; and in every place sacrifice shall be made, and a pure oblation shall be offered unto my name: for my name shall be great among the nations, saith the Lord.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 35.7
… let him produce that by which himself also may be vanquished. I read another prophet, and I find the Lord speaking to the Jews: “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord, nor will I accept sacrifice at your hands: for from the rising of the sun even to his going down, a pure sacrifice is offered to my name.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch 3
“Honour widows that are widows indeed.” Be the friend of orphans; for God is “the Father of the fatherless, and the Judge of the widows.” Do nothing without the bishops; for they are priests, and thou a servant of the priests. They baptize, offer sacrifice,
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, XXXVII 1
… For, “from the rising of the sun even to the setting my name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice;”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 A discourse by the most blessed Hippolytus, bishop and martyr, on the end of the world, and on Antichrist, and on the second coming of our lord Jesus Christ 34
And the churches, too, will wail with a mighty lamentation, because neither “oblation nor in cense” is attended to, nor a service acceptable to God;
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 4
… neither there alone was the feast to be celebrated, but wherever God willed it to be. Now He willed it to be in every place, so that ‘in every place incense and a sacrifice might be offered to Him
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… which is not in one place only, for not one place alone keeps the feast; but ‘into all the earth their song has gone forth, and to the ends of the world their words.’ And the sacrifice is not offered in one place, but ‘in every nation, incense and a pure sacrifice is offered unto God
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 18.25
… and of them it is said in the Psalms, Sing unto the Lord a new song, His praise in the Congregation of Saints . Agreeably to which the prophet also said to the Jews, I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord Almighty ; and immediately afterwards, For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, My name is glorified among the Gentiles
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.20
… for My name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.87
… Hearken to the Lord speaking through His prophet: "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."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Correction of the Donatists 1
… The law of God declared, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." The Lord said by the mouth of His prophet, "From the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, a pure sacrifice shall be offered unto my name: for my name shall be great among the heathen."
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.13
… For thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek . Of this bread the show-bread was an image . This surely is that pure and bloodless sacrifice which the Lord through the prophet said is offered to Him from the rising to the setting of the sun
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.61
… yet offering these in fulfilment of a vow to the King of the universe, to wit, the lame and the sick, and the deformed, which are utterly profane and loathsome.
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.30
… and closing his eyes, that he may not see unrighteousness: this man shall dwell in the lofty cavern of the strong rock; bread shall be given him, and his water shall be sure. Ye shall see the King with glory.” Likewise in Malachi: “I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is illustrious among the nations.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 32
… but if, having this only, they brought it, they were accepted. For this cause Cain also was blamed, not because he offered worthless things, but because they were the most worthless he had. “Accursed” (it is said) “is he which hath a male, and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing.” (
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1. THE BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD TO ISRAEL. — "Burden," that is a sad and burdensome prophecy, as I have said many times already; the horror of which he tempers by saying, "to Israel," as if to say, God has placed this burden in my mouth, so that I might bear it as it were to Israel, and might deliver and expound it to them. For God loves Israel as his son, and therefore corrects and chastises him with this burden. Therefore the Hebrew אל el is more aptly and properly rendered by our translator "to Israel" than by the Zurich Bible, "against Israel." TO ISRAEL. — To two tribes, namely Judah and Benjamin. For these alone, after the ten tribes were led away into Assyria, claimed for themselves the ancient and ancestral name of Israel, especially because many from Israel, that is from the ten tribes, either remaining or as fugitives, joined themselves to the two aforementioned tribes, and coalesced with them into the same nation and commonwealth, as I said in Zechariah. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Hugh and Lyra. Where learn morally that Israel, that is those strong with God, cannot be strong except those who cultivate brotherly union and fellowship; for they are weak and unarmed who, trusting in themselves alone, separate themselves from the fellowship and aid of brothers and companions. That saying is well known: "By concord small things grow, by discord great things fall apart." IN THE HAND OF MALACHI, — that is through Malachi as a hand, that is an organ and instrument. Therefore mouth is here called hand by catachresis: because the hand is the organ of organs, as the Philosopher says. Morally, learn here that he who corrects or chastises you of your vices or errors is Malachi, that is an angel, and as it were an angel sent to you from heaven by God, indeed a heavenly oracle, and bearing a great gift to you, ought to be received, honored and loved by you reverently. Whoever therefore corrects another, let him think that he is performing the office of God's angel; and therefore let him discharge this divine ministry angelically, that is without anger or other passion, sincerely, undisturbed, modestly, gently, showing forth the bowels of charity and compassion, just as angels have compassion on human weakness and ignorance, which they perceive fully, when they correct men, according to that instruction of the Apostle, Galatians vi, 1: "You who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted." See the things said there. Conversely, he who is corrected ought to think that he is being corrected by an angel, and that by him this burden of chastisement, even if somewhat harsh, is imposed upon him by God's command, and therefore he ought to give him thanks; as St. Charles Borromaeus did, who besides others had appointed two grave priests for the purpose of being inspectors and censors of all his actions. For he had given them this office, that they might constantly watch over all his words and deeds, and note wherever he might sin in anything, and admonish him of it freely and sincerely, whom he heard benignly; and when admonished of some error, he immediately corrected it: thus his Life has it, book VIII, chapter xvi. Certainly he had learned this very thing from his predecessor St. Ambrose, who, as his Life has it, when admonished by someone, gave thanks to his admonisher, saying that he had received a great benefit from him. The Wise Man truly said, Proverbs xxvii, 5: "Better is open rebuke, than hidden love. Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy." And chapter ix, 8: "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you." And Ecclesiastes chapter vii, 6: "It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools." On the other hand the proud, because they are foolish, "when they are struck by rebuke, think it is the sword of persecution," says St. Gregory, book X of the Morals, chapter iii. Indeed the Wise Man says: "He who hates reproofs, is foolish," Proverbs xii, 1. "A pestilent man loves not him that reproves him: nor does he go to the wise," Proverbs xv, 12. And verse 10: "He that hates reproofs, shall die." And verse 32: "He that casts off discipline, despises his own soul: but he that yields to reproof, is the possessor of his heart." This is what the mourning angels proclaim in Jeremiah li, 9: "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: let us forsake her." For "he who will not be corrected, will not be corrected. And he who hates correction, is a sign," that is a certain indication, "of a sinner," that is one fixed in sins, and obstinate like the devil, Ecclesiasticus xxi, 7. Wherefore St. Basil in the Shorter Rules, Rule 159: "He who is such," he says, "his conduct among the other brothers is pernicious." Hence the same elsewhere commands that they be separated from the congregation as pests. The same, Rule 158: Just as, he says, a sick man anxious for the health of his body willingly receives whatever the physician orders, even if the method of cure be harsh and severe; so the humble man, and he who truly desires the health of his soul, promptly and cheerfully receives correction, however biting and sharp. Galen wrote a book on this matter, On Knowing and Curing the Diseases of the Soul, wherein he teaches that just as the sole hope of a sick man recovering his health lies in the physician, so all hope of salvation consists in this, if one seeks and finds a man endowed with virtue and prudence, and delivers himself entirely to be instructed, corrected and formed by him, and trusts in him, not in himself, even if the defects which he himself notes, he does not see in himself. This is what he says in Ecclesiasticus xx, 4: "How good it is to make manifest repentance when reproved!" Thus did St. Peter, reproved by St. Paul, Galatians ii, 11; the Emperor Theodosius, reproved by St. Ambrose for the slaughter of the Thessalonians, as the Tripartite History relates, part II, book VII, chapter vi. In the Chronicles of the Cistercian Order it is narrated that once in the monastery of Clairvaux there was this pious custom, that if anyone was warned by another of some defect, or reproved, the reproved one immediately, in thanksgiving for the reprover, would recite the Lord's Prayer. I HAVE LOVED YOU. — God sets Esau against Jacob, by which he loved this one, he hated that one. By Jacob understand rather the family than the person of Jacob, namely his descendants, that is the Jacobites: thus by Esau understand the Idumaeans, the descendants of Esau. Moreover he says: I loved in the past, not in the present do I love, as if to say, as St. Jerome says: Once I loved the Jacobites, when they worshipped me and loved me in return: but now when they turn away from me, I likewise turn away from them. For "to love one who does not love in return is to waste the expenditure of love." But others better explain דלכי I loved through every difference of time, as if to say Jacob I loved, I love and I shall love. For thus the Hebrews often by one difference of time signify all the others. That this is so is evident from the fact that by these words he reproves the present Jews, in that they do not respond to his love, but repay love with hatred, as if to say, I have loved you from of old: for as I loved your fathers, so also do I love you their sons. Otherwise the Jews would have excepted, saying: What is it to us that you loved our fathers, when you hate us ourselves? Moreover the love of God is efficacious, and the fountain of all good and gift: for from love and benevolence is born all beneficence. I have loved you therefore, and for this reason I led you out from Egyptian servitude, I chose you into my Synagogue, I gave the law from heaven, I fed you with manna, I led you through the desert by a pillar of fire and cloud, I gave you miraculous victories over your enemies, I led you into Chanaan, I established you, protected you, nourished you, enriched you; I heaped upon you kings, prophets, and all good things. AND YOU SAID. — The Hebrew vau is a conversive particle, whose office is to turn the past into the future. Whence Vatablus translates, and you shall say; the Chaldean, that if you shall say. For up to this point they had not said this, because they had not yet heard from God: "I have loved you;" but having heard this they began to clamor and say: WHEREIN HAVE YOU LOVED US? — By what sign, by what gift, by what benefit have you shown your love for us? See here the remarkable ingratitude of the people, in that they are not only ungrateful for so many benefits of God, but also forgetful of them, so much so that they do not acknowledge them; just as if God were a stranger to them, nor had ever conferred any good upon them; when nevertheless from the books of Moses, Judges, Joshua, Kings and the other books of Holy Scripture it was evident that they had received innumerable and very great gifts from God. This is what the Psalmist reproaches them with, Psalm lxxvii, 11: "They forgot his benefits, and his wonders that he had shown them." To this question of the ungrateful, God answers, and says:
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2 and 3. WAS NOT ESAU THE BROTHER OF JACOB (and the same twin from one birth?) AND (yet) I LOVED JACOB, BUT ESAU I HATED? — Thus both the Syriac and Arabic versions, meaning: Jacob with his posterity, the Jacobites, I preferred and loved more than Esau and his posterity, the Idumaeans. And this first, when concerning both still in the womb of their mother Rebecca, and therefore before any merit or demerit of theirs, I said and foretold to the mother: "The greater shall serve the lesser," namely Esau shall serve Jacob, Gen. xxv, 23; where note that this hatred of Esau was not proper and formal (for God could not have hated Esau before he sinned), but only a lesser love, namely that Esau was set aside before Jacob, and yielded to him in gifts and was subjected to him. Thus in Gen. xxix, 31, for that which Our Version translates: "And the Lord seeing that (Jacob) despised Leah," the Hebrew, Chaldean and Septuagint have: And the Lord seeing that Leah was hated; where the neglect of Leah and the lesser love for her than for Rachel is called hatred: for Jacob did not properly hate Leah, whom he loved and sustained as his wife. Secondly, when I preferred the Jews to the Idumaeans, giving to the Jews my law, Church, temple, Prophets, kingdom, etc., and subjecting the Idumaeans to them. Thirdly and most pertinent to the present matter, when I freed the Jews from Babylon, I left the Idumaeans captive there for your sake; whence explaining this, he adds: "And I made his mountains a desolation," etc. Note from St. Jerome, Theodoret, Lyran, Vatablus, Arias, Ribera and others, that Malachi speaks literally not of the predestination of Jacob and the reprobation of Esau, as if to say: Jacob and the Jacobites I predestined, but Esau and the Idumaeans I reprobated and consigned to hell; for this is manifestly false: because many Jacobites were damned, and many Idumaeans, such as Job with his friends, were saved: but he speaks of the pre-election of Jacob before Esau to temporal goods. For he looks back to that promise made to the mother of both, while still pregnant, Gen. xxv, 23: "Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other people, and the greater shall serve the lesser," namely Esau shall serve Jacob, and the Idumaeans shall serve the Jacobites; which passage manifestly speaks of pre-election to temporal dominion, not spiritual. The sense therefore is, as if to say: I loved you, O Jews, more than the Idumaeans your brethren, and of this I give you this sign and proof: when I had delivered both you and the Idumaeans to the Chaldeans for devastation on account of your many sins, I, loving you and preserving toward your fathers the love of old, shortly after led you back from captivity and restored you to your homeland: but the Idumaeans, because they were your enemies, I left in that land for your sake, and their land I made a desolation, given to dragons to dwell in. That this is the literal and genuine sense is evident from what follows. From which the Apostle allegorically rises in Rom. ix, 13, to predestination and pre-election to spiritual goods, of which that pre-election of Jacob to temporal goods was a type. For just as God preferred the Jacobites to the Idumaeans in earthly riches, so in spiritual things he prefers and sets before the faithful before the unfaithful in faith, the just before the unjust in grace, the elect before the reprobate in glory. Thus St. Jerome and others everywhere, whom the scholastics follow, and namely Gabriel Vasquez, I part. Quest. xxiii, disp. xcv, num. 45. See what I said on Rom. ix, 13. Morally, let each one here learn to esteem God's love and beneficence toward himself, by which he is preferred to many others in some respect, for example if he is religious, he is preferred to seculars: if a priest, to laymen: if learned, to the unlearned: if faithful, to the unfaithful, etc., and so if anyone considers his natural and gracious gifts, he will find that he has received certain particular and proper ones from God, by which he surpasses others; just as conversely in some things he is surpassed by others; so that from this he may have occasion for humility, from that for praise and thanksgiving. See what I said Exod. cap. xxv, 4. Thus in any saint in his own way that saying of Abraham is true: "There was not found like unto him in glory, who kept the law of the Most High," Eccli. xliv, 20. And that of St. Paul: "Every one hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that," I Cor. vii, 7. AND I MADE HIS MOUNTAINS A DESOLATION. — "His," namely Seir, as some codices read with Rupert, that is Idumaea: for this is situated in mountains, just as Tyrol and Switzerland are in the Alps. He proves that he hated and hates Esau, that is the Idumaeans, from the fact that he laid waste their region through Nebuchadnezzar, so that with the citizens carried off to Babylon and not brought back thence, it became a haunt of wild beasts and a den of dragons. Thus Lyran, Vatablus, Ribera and others. For Nebuchadnezzar after the destruction of Jerusalem invaded and destroyed Idumaea, as I said in Obadiah.
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4. DESTRUCTI SUMUS. — In Hebrew יששנו russasnu, that is, we have been impoverished, and reduced to the utmost destitution: thus the Chaldean, Pagninus, Vatablus and Arias; namely through the devastation of fields and cities, which Our [translation] clearly renders, "we are destroyed;" the Septuagint [renders it], Idumaea is overthrown. BUT RETURNING WE SHALL BUILD THOSE THINGS THAT WERE DESTROYED. — In Hebrew חרבורת charabot, that is, those things which are desolate and deserted; just as we see the Jews, whose rivals we are, returning from Babylon to their homeland, rebuilt their houses and cities under Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes. THUS SAITH THE LORD: THESE SHALL BUILD, AND I WILL DESTROY. — Behold the hatred of Esau, and the love of Jacob, as if to say: You, O Jews, have rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple, and I have protected and promoted your building: the Idumaeans will wish to emulate you, and to restore their cities in like manner; but I will oppose them, and will hinder and destroy their buildings. "Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it," Psalm cxxvi, 1. AND THEY SHALL BE CALLED THE BORDERS OF WICKEDNESS, — as if to say: Idumaea shall be called a land destitute and cursed, a land laid waste on account of impiety; a land which, as it had the guilt of impiety, so also sustains the punishment thereof, so much so that all who pass through it shall hiss and mock it, saying: How wicked was this land, which God so laid waste, and as it were smote with fire from heaven like Sodom. The word רשער risça, that is, of impiety, alludes to רשש russas, that is, he was impoverished, as if to say: Idumaea was a people of risça, that is, of impiety, therefore russas, that is, impoverished and laid waste. For from this שח rase or rus is a poor man; just as if in Latin you should say: Idumaeus was Cyrus, was rich; let him therefore become Irus: he was under Cyrus, if not richer, certainly more wretched and more impious; let him therefore become poorer than Irus. Just as Cyrus, smitten by Tomyris queen of the Scythians, became Irus, when he heard his head, enclosed in a sack full of blood by her, mocking him: "Cyrus, drink the blood which thou hast so greatly thirsted for." AND A PEOPLE AGAINST WHOM THE LORD IS ANGRY FOR EVER. — This is a metonymy: for under the cause is understood the effect, namely under anger the vengeance flowing from anger, as if to say: The Idumaeans are a people against whom the anger of God and vengeance shall rest for ever: because He will punish them with eternal desolation, destruction and devastation. You will ask, how is this true? For just as the Jews, so also the Idumaeans survived the destruction by the Chaldaeans. For Simon Maccabaeus and his son Hyrcanus afterwards subdued the Idumaeans, as Josephus testifies in book XIII of the Antiquities, chapters xvi and xvii, indeed the Idumaeans took part in the Jewish war under Titus, as Josephus testifies in book VI of the Wars, chapter vii. I answer: this is true, first, because their captivity was never revoked by public decree, nor was it dissolved by a general return; because they themselves were all carried off to Babylon in bands, but were not brought back from it in bands, as the Jews were brought back by the edict of Cyrus, I Esdras, i, 1. Yet there remained in Idumaea and neighbouring places some remnants of them, which gradually grew and propagated themselves, with colonists also of other nations added, who migrated into Idumaea as being abandoned and open to all, which came to pass so that the inhabitants were not pure Idumaeans, but a mixed and as it were new people. See what is said in Jerem. xlix, 13. Secondly, these remnants of the Idumaeans were subdued by Hyrcanus, as I have already said, who forced them to circumcision and Judaism, and thus made Jews out of Idumaeans. Then therefore the Idumaean nation and superstition was cut off, and then this oracle of Malachi was fulfilled: "They shall be called a people against whom the Lord is angry for ever:" because He took away their commonwealth and unfaithful Synagogue for ever, and transformed and transferred it into the Synagogue and commonwealth of the Jews, and made them subject to the Jews, both in civil and in sacred matters. Wherefore when Titus besieged the Jews, twenty thousand Idumaeans came to their aid, so that they might fight for the Jews as for brothers, nay rather as for fathers, masters and lords of theirs. Finally, after the Jewish war the Idumaeans were gradually so extinguished, that not even their name survives, as the name and distinction of the Jews survives, though a wandering people: for everywhere the Jews are distinguished and separated from the natives. The Jews wrongly interpret the Idumaeans as the Romans, as I have said in Obadiah. Tropologically, Remigius says: "Esau and Jacob, brothers born of one stock, present a figure of vices and virtues: which two, although they are contrary, proceed from one fountain of the heart. For because we are free in will, according to our choice we either turn aside to vices or to virtues. Esau is the firstborn: because vices come first through infancy, adolescence and youth: Jacob is born afterward, who is interpreted as a supplanter; because the errors of the more fragile age are corrected and supplanted by the stronger age succeeding it. Whence rightly the elder brother, hairy and a wild hunter, and accustomed to forests, is said to have been; the younger, gentle and simple, is reported to have dwelt at home. And so under the name of Esau God is asserted to hate vices, not the nature which He made good: and therefore He sets his borders in solitude, so that all evil may be rooted out, and vices may not grow. But if shameless malice should attempt to build again those things which are destroyed, the Lord professes that He will destroy them again. Which He does in two ways, either while sinners are corrected, or when those who sin obstinately are condemned by just vengeance." To this is added George of Venice, vol. II On the Oracles of the Prophets, section vii, no. 318, where he inquires why Esau is called Seir, and answers: because Seir signifies a whirlwind, horror, fear, a goat, a hairy one, a faun (for Seirim are Satyrs), a demon, which things all rightly befit the wicked, living according to flesh and blood, whose end is destruction, and the wages sin, death (as the Apostle says) and hell. Their lot therefore is demonic, dreadful, full of horror, pain and anguish. Hence Christ came to snatch man from Seir, and to lead him into Jerusalem, that is into the vision of peace. And so Seir and Edom are the impious, and especially the damned in hell. Of these indeed it is most truly said: "And the borders of impiety shall be called, and the people to whom the Lord is angry even unto eternity." For they are damned, bellows and fuel of hell, upon whose head the burning wrath and indignation of God continually weighs, and that efficacious and fiery, vomiting forth the fires of flames, by which He will burn them eternally. Woe, woe, woe to crime and evils! May God turn this curse away from our necks.
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5. LET THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED BEYOND THE BORDER OF ISRAEL. — He opposes "border," that is the region of Israel, to border, that is to the region of impiety, namely Idumaea, verse 4, as if to say: Let the Lord be glorified who punishes the wicked, and rewards the good: namely because He laid waste the impious Idumaea, and exalted pious Judaea, indeed He subjected the impious to the pious, and thus made the faithful and pious out of the unfaithful and impious. This was done through Hyrcanus, as I have already said. Whence secondly, the Chaldean translator renders it: The glory of the Lord is multiplied: for indeed He enlarged the borders of Israel, namely even into Idumaea. Thirdly, others explain it thus, as if to say: May God extend the borders and dominion of Israel, so that in this way He may likewise extend His glory and magnificence, and may be known and worshipped by the nations subject to Israel. Fourthly, others translate it: Let the Lord be magnified beyond the border of Israel, as if to say: The glory and magnificence of God are not confined within the narrow borders of Israel, but beyond them they spread forth and extend through the whole world. This began to happen under the Maccabees, through their victories obtained from God in heaven; but allegorically it was fully accomplished through Christ and the Apostles. For into all the earth their sound went forth, and into the ends of the world their words. For the true Israel is the Church and the Christian people, which spread itself from Judaea through the whole world. Thus today true believers, with Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, etc. subdued, rejoice at the extended empire not so much of the commonwealth, as of the Church, and say: Let the Lord be magnified beyond the border of Israel. Anagogically, as if to say: Let God be praised for the glory, triumphs and multitude of Israel, that is of the saints and the elect. For these wonderfully praise God, because they see that so happy a lot has fallen to them, especially when they see the borders of impiety, that is the assembly of the damned, especially their friends and companions, thus punished and burned by God, and themselves snatched from their lot by the grace of God and saved. Thus St. Jerome. See the Apostle, celebrating and glorifying God on account of this benefit throughout the whole chapter 1 to the Ephesians.
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6. THE SON HONORS THE FATHER. — Having recounted his benefits toward the Jews, God here passes to their misdeeds, which they ungratefully repaid. He therefore blames and accuses their ingratitude and irreverence. Note that "honors," that is, by the law of nature, divine and human, he is bound to honor, and, if he is truly a son such as he ought to be, he actually honors in deed. Now honor in this precept: "Honor thy father and mother," comprises four things, namely first, love; second, reverence; third, obedience; fourth, beneficence and support, if they should need it, as I said at Deut. v, 16. IF THEREFORE I AM A FATHER, WHERE IS MY HONOR? AND IF I AM A LORD, WHERE IS MY FEAR? — For to a father is properly owed honor from a son, to a lord fear from a servant, not only servile, but also liberal, which comprises reverence, love and careful and exact obedience. Moreover God is the father of the faithful: first, by creation; second, by conservation and governance; third, by sustenance; fourth, by paternal care and providence; fifth, by faith and grace by which he justifies us and adopts us to himself as sons and heirs of his kingdom. He is the same lord by these titles and others, such as that he has redeemed us and purchased us for himself as it were with the blood of his Son; that he is supreme majesty, to whom every creature is bound to serve; that he has hired us as it were as servants and laborers to cultivate his vineyard, with the reward of eternal glory proposed, etc. By these titles God is the father and lord of all, even of laypeople. Whence to all the Jews, even laypeople, this discourse is directed by God here, and they are accused of ingratitude, irreverence and impiety, in that they have not responded to his love, of which he said: "Jacob have I loved," but have held God loving them in hatred, dishonored and despised him, as St. Jerome, Theodoretus, Remigius and Hugh hold. Malachi begins his prophecy and correction from the correction of priests: because the reformation of the commonwealth and of laypeople depends on the reformation of the clergy and priests: for such as the priest is, such also is the people. Indeed in this age the ignorance and evil life of many priests gave occasion to the heresy of Luther. Wherefore Christ also at the beginning, equally as at the end of his preaching, rebuked the vices of priests. The Author of the Imperfect Work teaches this excellently, in St. Chrysostom, at the beginning of homily 38 on St. Matthew, where he rightly compares priests to the stomach; for explaining the solemn entrance of Christ on Palm Sunday into Jerusalem, when he first approached the temple: "And Jesus entered into the temple of God. This was proper to a good son, that coming to his father's house he should run and render honor to him who begot him, so that you, made an imitator of Christ, when you have entered into some city, first before every action run to the church. This was proper to a good physician, that entering into a sick city to save it, he should first attend to the origin of the passion. For as from the temple all good proceeds, so from the temple all evil proceeds: just as a physician when he first enters to the sick man, immediately inquires about his stomach, and hastens to set it in order first: because if the stomach is healthy, the whole body is strong; but if it is disordered, the whole body is weak: so if the priesthood is sound, the whole Church flourishes; but if it is corrupted, the faith of all is withered. But the heart and stomach are understood to be priests: because in spiritual matters the whole people is governed through them. And just as the heart is the seat of wisdom, so priests are receptacles of spiritual wisdom, Isaiah saying of kings indeed: Every head in pain; but of the priesthood: Every heart in sorrow." He explains this by applying the functions of the stomach analogically to priests, saying: "For just as the stomach, receiving food, cooks it within itself, and distributes it throughout the whole body; so also priests receive the knowledge of the word of Scripture from God, and cooking it within themselves, that is, treating and meditating upon it within themselves, minister it to the whole people. And just as the stomach, by ministering to each member, each member receives nourishment, and converts it to itself according to its own nature; for example, what the liver receives becomes entirely blood; what the gall receives becomes entirely bile; what ascends into the lung becomes phlegm; what goes to the breasts becomes entirely milk: so when priests speak the word of God in the Church, all receive it; but each one converts it according to his own heart, so that that same word in upright hearts proceeds unto life; but in perverse hearts stirs up anger, as it were bile: in others it works the sweetest love, as it were milk: in others hatred, as it were harmful phlegm to be expelled. See therefore, priests, how you conduct yourselves in word and deed. For just as in the body, if some member becomes infirm, the stomach does not entirely languish; but if the stomach languishes, all members are found to be infirm: so if some Christian has sinned, priests do not entirely sin; but if priests themselves are in sins, the whole people turn to sinning. Therefore each Christian will render account for his own sin: but priests will render account not only for their own, but for the sins of all. He saw a tree with pale leaves withered, and the diligent farmer understood that it had an injury in its roots. For truly, just as when you see a tree with pale leaves withered, you understand that it has some fault about the root; so when you see a people undisciplined and irreligious, without doubt know that its priesthood is not sound." I have recited these things at greater length, because all things are golden from a golden mouth. However, that God speaks here more properly and genuinely to priests is evident from what follows: "The Lord of hosts says to you, O priests." For the Hebrew texts have: The Lord of hosts says to you priests, despising my name. He says, namely that which preceded: "If therefore I am a father, where is my honor?" Whence the Complutensian edition thus reads and punctuates, so as to join all these things in this manner: Where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests. Thus Lyra, Pagninus, Vatablus and others. Note here that priests are called sons of God before laymen, both because they are dedicated and consecrated to God, so that they belong as it were to his household; and because they ought to be just and holy, so that they offer to God his holy sacrifices and prayers for the people: for the holy are adoptive sons of God; and properly, because in the old law the Levites and priests were offered and given to God in place of the firstborn sons of Israel, whom God had freed from the angel striking and from death, and therefore demanded for himself, Exodus chapter 13, verse 2, and Numbers chapter 8, verse 16. The sense therefore is, as if to say: You, O priests, God first accuses and blames, because although you are his firstborn, particularly beloved by him before laymen and the other sons of Israel, and chosen as priests; yet you do not honor him as a father, nor revere him as a lord; but you dishonor and despise him and his worship and sacrifices. For fear here and elsewhere denotes reverence, adoration, sacrifice, and all worship of God: "For he who fears does not scrutinize, but worships, observes, adores, honors, glorifies, praises, commends," says St. Chrysostom, homily 2 On the Incomprehensibility of God's Nature. Hear St. Ambrose on the words of Malachi, at the end of volume II: "If you are a servant," he says, "render to your lord the obedience of fear: if a son, show to your father the affection of piety. But you, since you give no thanks, neither love God nor fear him. Whence you are either a disobedient servant or a proud son. What Christian therefore is useful, he ought always to give praises to his father and lord, and procure all things to his glory; just as the blessed Apostle says in I Corinthians 10, saying: Whether you eat, or drink, or do anything else, do all things to the glory of God. See what kind of banquet the Apostle wished the true Christian to have, so that the faith of Christ be eaten rather than the fatness of food; and the frequent invocation of the Lord's name refresh man more than the manifold and abundant provision of feasts, and religion feed the hungry better than fatness." See what follows, where he beautifully teaches that a Christian ought to give thanks to God the Father morning and evening like the nightingale and other birds, and sing praises. Hear also St. Bernard, sermon 16 in the Canticles: "Thus he himself, he says, showed himself as a father to me; but I in turn did not show myself as a son to him. With what face do I now lift up my eyes to the face of so good a father, so wicked a son? I am ashamed to have done things unworthy of my birth, I am ashamed to have lived as a degenerate to so great a father. Lead forth the waters of the fountains, O my eyes, let confusion cover my face," etc. And sermon 83: "God demands, he says, to be feared as lord, to be honored as father, to be loved as spouse. What excels in these? namely love. Without this, fear has punishment, and honor does not have grace. And honor which does not come from love is not honor, but flattery. And indeed to God alone honor and glory: but God will accept neither of these if they have not been seasoned with the honey of love." not to eat these, but to have them consumed by fire. Whence they reserved the better ones for themselves, or exchanged them with the worse ones, thinking it better to give the worse to the fire, the better to the belly. Hear St. Jerome: "What does it profit, he says, if we offer the best things? Whatever things are offered, they are to be devoured by fire;" this was a pretext for avarice and gluttony. Thus today we see certain priests and prelates to be splendid at tables and banquets, sordid at the altar and in the temple; to use precious napkins and Falernian wines at tables, but at the altar torn linens, and cheap wine rather than wine. On account of which Cardinal Bellarmine rightly complains in the Groan of the Dove. Morally, learn here first, that to God, as the author of all things, not just any things, but the best and most excellent things ought to be given. Second, against heretics, that God is honored and delighted by the magnificence of temples, altars, sacred vessels, etc., because he himself is greater than all praise, and more magnificent than all magnificence. Famous and magnificent was the sacred table which, as Cedrenus, Baronius and others testify, the emperor Justinian erected in the august temple of St. Sophia. For it consisted of gold, silver, and every kind of stone, woods, metals, and all things which the earth brings forth, the sea and the whole world. From every precious material he had collected more, better, superior things, and having melted those which flow, he had mixed them with the solid ones, and had fashioned them into the form of a table: thus that whole varied work was a marvel to those beholding it. On the edge of this he displayed the inscription: "Thine own of Thine own we offer to Thee, Thy servants Justinian and Theodora, O Christ. Do Thou graciously accept it, O Son of God the Word, who for our sake didst assume flesh, and wast fixed to the cross, and keep us in Thy right faith. And the commonwealth which Thou hast entrusted to us, increase and protect it for Thy glory, interceding the holy Mother of God Virgin Mary." Josephus celebrates in book XII of the Antiquities, chapter II, the table which Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, sent as a gift to the temple of Jerusalem, so that he might obtain from the high priest Eleazar seventy interpreters, who would convert Holy Scripture from the Hebrew into the Greek language. For it was entirely of gold, two and a half cubits long, one cubit wide, one and a half cubits high. It was adorned with reversible moldings and excellent carvings. Moreover the outer face of the border was distinguished by beautiful gems in an oval shape. Beneath this was a crown running around, representing every kind of fruit, with bunches hanging down, and ears emerging, and pomegranates inserted, which all consisted of small stones reflecting the natural color of the fruits, and gold wound around the whole table. On the table moreover was carved a Meander of great value, variegated with gems through the middle like stars, with carbuncle and emerald shining most sweetly. The base was made of carbuncle a palm wide, in the form of a step; and the feet on which it rested were eight fingers
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7. And you say: In what have we polluted thee? — that is, have we offered polluted bread, that is, a victim, to thee? Note here, O priest, that he who is polluted offers a polluted sacrifice to God, pollutes and defiles God himself as it were: because he defiles the table, the victim and the food of God, especially in the new law, where the victim is Christ himself our God. Wherefore the Apostle in I Corinthians, chapter XI, verse 27, expressly asserts: "Whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," that is to say, shall be as it were a slayer of Christ and a slayer of God, just as Judas the traitor. "For when the sacraments are violated, he whose sacraments they are is violated," says St. Jerome. In that you say: The table of the Lord is despised (that is, contemptible). — Because namely you say: Now the altar of the Lord has become vile; and therefore any vile things whatsoever may be offered upon it. For he calls the table the altar, because, as I have already said, the sacrifice is as it were a banquet, in which the guest is God: the table is the altar, the food is the victim, the drink is the libation, the minister is the priest. He touches here the root of the evil, and says that the cause of the contempt of sacred things is the very vileness of the altar itself, that is to say, You, O priests, despise my altar, and say that it has become vile, and therefore it matters little what, and of what kind, is offered upon it: wherefore you offer upon it victims that are blind, lame and maimed. You will ask, for what reason and on what grounds did they say the altar had become vile? I answer, first, on account of the long cessation of sacred rites: because for seventy years of captivity they lacked the temple, the altar and victims. For these things are wont to generate in the minds of the inhabitants forgetfulness of sacred things, neglect, carelessness, contempt, as we have seen in the villages of Belgium, at the time of the Dutch war when deserted by priests, where the rustics, especially the young men and children who had never seen a priest, when they first saw one, stood amazed; or fled away, thinking they saw not a man, but a monster, or a spirit, as it happened to me to see and experience there at that time. Second, because they saw the temple rebuilt by themselves not equal to the glory of the former temple, which the elders had seen, and which the young men had heard about from the elders, and they thought the sanctity of religion was lacking, because the ambition of the building was lacking, as St. Jerome says; whereas on the contrary, "God requires not so much the ornament of the altar as the devotion of those who offer," says Remigius. Third, because the Jews recently returning from Babylon were poor; hence they could not give rich offerings to the priests, who therefore neglected the altar, and gave themselves to other business by which they might procure for themselves their livelihood. For thus we see today, when the revenues of temples are cut off or lost, the care and ministries of priests also perish or are diminished. Thus Vatablus. Fourth, because they saw God rejecting the victims width. So great was the subtlety of the art, that when agitated by the blowing wind, it appeared to be the work of nature, not of art: but the thickness of the table was half a cubit. These and many other things Josephus records. Mystically, From these things let us learn to offer to God a table honored and magnificent, not vile and despised as with the Jews. We shall do this mystically if we offer our soul adorned with every kind of virtue to God. For it is as it were a microcosm to be dedicated to God, who is the macrocosm; and especially if we exercise works of charity. By these we furnish the table, not so much for the poor as for God himself: for in this he delights and as it were feasts. Symbolically, Remigius and St. Jerome: "A victim of God," he says, "is some good thing, such as prayer, almsgiving, etc. But the victim is blind if the mind of the one offering is not illuminated by the light of truth; or if the intention of him who offers is not simple. The victim of prayer is lame of him who approaches with a double mind to beseech the Lord. It is weak, he who does not have Christ, who is the power and wisdom of God. If such victims are offered, they can in no way please God, but rather make the one offering guilty." The obedience is maimed, which subjects the will to the superior, not the intellect; the hand, not the soul. Tropologically St. Jerome: "We have polluted," he says, "the bread, that is, the body of Christ, when we approach the altar unworthily, and drink the blood of the world in filth and say: The table of the Lord is despised, not that anyone dares to say this, but the works of sinners despise the table of God." Hence of such the Apostle says in I Corinthians, chapter X, verse 20: "You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils," etc. Again, he pollutes the bread and the table of God, and casts insults upon God himself, says St. Jerome, the doctor and preacher, who teaches the word of God, which is the bread of the soul, for the sake of gain, or human glory, and flatters the rich, honors sinners, and repels the poor saints, "thinking the table of God's Scriptures to be common with the table of idols and worldly doctrine."
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8. If you offer a blind victim for sacrifice, is it not evil? — Thus both the Septuagint and the Chaldean translate interrogatively, as if to say: It is altogether evil, because it is contrary to the law of Leviticus, chapter XXII, 22, which requires a victim to be whole and free from defect. The more recent interpreters, such as Vatablus and the Zurich Bible, translate affirmatively: "When you sacrifice a blind victim (supply, you say), it is not evil," but good and lawful. The avaricious priests therefore sinned, who, in order to increase their offerings and their own gains, rejected no victim offered by the people, even if it were blind or lame; indeed, for a whole victim offered by the people, they themselves substituted from their own flock a lame or mutilated one, reserving the whole for themselves. Thus do Christians sin today, who for tithes and first-fruits give sheaves, or inferior animals, keeping the better for themselves; who thrust lame, one-eyed, foolish, inept sons into monasteries, while they deliver the vigorous and keen to the world; who give the time of flourishing youth to flesh and blood, the time of worn-out old age to piety and God, etc.; who give the better hours to studies, the worse to prayer: for they contemn the majesty of God, who prefer themselves to Him, so as to attribute to themselves what is better, to God what is worse. If they were to offer such things and such gifts to a prince or king, would they not be beaten? He who would set before a king half-eaten food for pigs or dogs would be fined; shall not he be fined who offers to God something half-eaten by the devil, and still exhaling something diabolical? Offer that to your duke (and see) if it shall please him, — as if to say: You will surely see that it will not please him, but will greatly displease him, and he will reject your gifts, nay, will be angry with you: for he will think himself contemned by you and held cheap, in that you offer such vile animals, namely blind, lame, maimed ones, and reserve the whole for yourself. If therefore you would not dare to offer such things to your duke, a mortal man, how do you dare to offer them to God immortal, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords? Or if he should accept your face, — namely you and your gift, which you offer to him with your face and countenance turned toward him: for the face is the index of the mind and soul, and represents the whole man and person itself. For a comely, honest, liberal, reverent face deserves to be accepted, and to be received with a cheerful and benign countenance by a prince, and much more is it received by God: but an uncomely, foul, avaricious, impudent, irreverent face is despised and rejected by the same, as if to say: A duke and prince will not accept so avaricious and impudent a face, which offers to him so avaricious and impudent a gift, but will oppose it; how much more shall I not accept it, but turn away from it? Thus concerning Job, reverent, patient and pious, God says in chapter XLII, 8: "But Job my servant shall pray for you, I will accept his face."
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9. And now entreat. — With these words He exhorts them to penance not ironically, as Clarius and Arias wish, but seriously, as is evident from what follows. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Haymo, Rupert, Lyran and others. From your hand (thus the Hebrew, Chaldean, Septuagint, Zurich Bible and others: therefore Pagninus translated wrongly: from our hand) this has been done, as if to say: This crime is not the fathers', but yours; the fault is not so much of the laity as of yours, O priests (for He addresses them, as is evident from verse 6). You therefore humbly entreat the face of God, whom you have offended and stirred to indignation. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Lyran and others. Otherwise Vatablus, as if to say: From your hands, that is, from the works of your hands has proceeded this curse, of which it is said in what follows, verse 14: "Cursed is the deceitful one who has in his flock a male, and making a vow sacrifices a weak one to the Lord." If in any way he shall accept your face, — that is, you and your offerings, as I said in verse 8. Some from the Hebrew thus translate: For he shall take away, that is, if in any way he take away from you his face, namely his angry one, or your sad one oppressed by evils, showing you his cheerful face, and thereby cheering you. For the Hebrew nasa signifies both to accept and to receive, and to take away or remove. Otherwise Theodoret, as if to say: Shall I receive you into favor without penance and entreaty for pardon?
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10. Who is there among you that will shut the doors (of the temple) and kindle (the Complutensian edition wrongly reads, will not kindle) my altar (that is, the fire of the altar, and through the fire the victims and incense, which are burned daily on the altar to God) for nothing? — that is to say, None of you serves the temple and altar freely, but receives the wages of his labor, and is sustained and lives from the offerings of the altar; why therefore do you neglect that which is mine and the worship of me in it, and perform it negligently? For if not from religious devotion and regard for God, certainly from respect for wages and bound by obligation of justice, you ought to perform and discharge this office to which you have been hired at a price, diligently and carefully. Thus St. Cyril, St. Jerome and others. Note, the Zurich Bible thus translates from the Hebrew word by word: Is there yet anyone among you who shuts the doors? Do you truly kindle on my altar for nothing? which Our author expressed in other words, but with clearer sense, when he translated: Who is there among you that will shut the doors, and kindle my altar for nothing? But others, with the Septuagint and the Chaldean, translate this passage contrariwise in this manner: Who is there among you that will shut the doors, that you may not kindle my altar for nothing? that is to say, Would that someone among you would shut the doors of the temple, that you might not burn upon my altar these polluted victims uselessly, or in vain. For these do not please me, but the pure mincha of Christ pleases me, which is offered throughout the whole world, as follows. Thus Theodoret, Vatablus and Clarius. Whence also St. Jerome notes that the Greek δωρεάν, that is, for nothing, can be translated as, in grace: "namely, that they may not have grace in serving the altar of the Lord, but be deprived of it." This second sense agrees very well with both the Hebrew and what follows and corresponds: and the Hebrew חנם chinnam often signifies for nothing, in vain, uselessly, as in Psalm XXXIV, 19: "They hated me for nothing," in Hebrew chinnam. There is no pleasure for me in you, says the Lord. — The Zurich Bible: There is no good pleasure for me in you, that is, you do not please me, you are not acceptable to me on account of your irreligion, neglect and contempt of sacred things. For the Hebrew חפץ chepets signifies pleasure, good pleasure, complacency, and the affection of love and benevolence, which the Septuagint is accustomed to translate and call εὐδοκίαν. "And (that is, therefore) I will not receive a gift (in Hebrew המנחה mincha, of which shortly) from your hand." For the old sacrifices did not please by virtue of the work performed, as they please in the new law, but only by virtue of the work of the one performing. Since therefore those performing and sacrificing here displeased God, the sacrifices also displeased; and therefore through Christ with the Synagogue, the law and the people they were abolished. The same will happen to Christians. Hear St. Chrysostom in chapter XX of St. Matthew: "First, he says, darkness will come in the valleys, the day declining toward sunset. When therefore you see the hills darkened, who doubts that it is already night? Thus first in worldly and lay Christians does the darkness of sins begin to prevail. But now when you see that priests placed on the highest summit of spiritual dignities, who are called mountains and hills, have been seized by dark iniquity, how can it be doubted that the end of the world is at hand?" The same in chapter XXIV of Matthew, homily 47: "If some part of a house, he says, has been cut off, it is still possible with effort that it be repaired. But if the very foundation has been shattered, what will the master of the house do, except in some place lay new foundations, and carrying stones from the former place, build himself another house? So also in spiritual matters, if indeed the common people have sinned, they are corrected through penance; but if the very priesthood, which is the foundation of the people, has been destroyed, what will God do? according to that saying of Christ: You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt lose its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out and trodden under foot by men," Matthew chapter V, 13.
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11. From the rising of the sun even to the going down thereof, my name is great among the nations, — that is to say, I do not wish to be confined any longer within the narrow borders of Judaea; Jerusalem is too narrow for me, the temple is too small: I am constrained in Palestine, for I fill heaven and earth. Wherefore it is fitting that the whole world be my temple, that all nations everywhere worship me with victims and sacrifices. For this reason, shortly through Christ I shall bring it about that my name is preached to the nations throughout the whole world, and that they everywhere acknowledge me, adore me, and celebrate me. And in every place there is sacrificed to me, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation. — "There is sacrificed and offered," that is, shortly through Christ and the Apostles there shall be sacrificed and offered: for the Prophet speaks prophetically, and prophesies concerning future things, that is to say, I do not wish, O priests of the Jews, your sacrifices, but shortly I shall abolish them, both because they are impure and polluted, and because they are offered in one place by a few Jews. Wherefore in their place through Christ I shall substitute another sacrifice, which shall be most pure and most holy in itself, and which shall be offered to me everywhere throughout the lands by all nations. You will ask, what is this clean oblation? First, the Jews answer that it is the prayers which pious Jews dispersed among the nations offered to God everywhere. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: I will receive your prayers, and my name shall be sanctified through your hands, and it shall be as a clean oblation before me. But this is plainly false from the text. For God here rejects the sacrifices of the Jews, saying: "I have no pleasure in you. And I will not receive a gift from your hand;" and he opposes to them the sacrifices of the nations, and accepts them. Secondly, Hugo thinks it is the oblation which the nations, proselytes and those acknowledging the God of the Jews, offered in the temple of Jerusalem. But the phrase in every place stands in the way, which Hugo wrongly inverts and explains as, that is to say, from every place. Thirdly, Arias understands the oblations and victims which the nations in the time of Malachi, acknowledging the true God from the motion of the heavens and the governance of the universe, offered to him everywhere. But the nations sacrificed to Jupiter, Hercules, Bel, not to the true God: for they placed Jupiter as the governor of the universe. For few of the gentiles, such as Job and his friends, acknowledged and worshipped the true God: all the rest worshipped idols, which are therefore called in Scripture the gods of the nations. Fourthly, Calvin and the heretics, who deny all sacrifice of the new law properly so called, understand the oblation as mystical, namely the worship of God through faith, hope, charity, prayer, invocation and praise, and pious works, especially of charity and almsgiving, or the conversion of souls. The same is the opinion of Clarius and Vatablus, whom Tertullian seems to favor in book V Against the Jews: but the same Tertullian opposes this in book III Against Marcion, chapter XXII, where he explains himself, and by clean oblation understands the sacrifice of the Eucharist, and the praises and hymns of God, which were wont to be sung with it: for which reason he is accustomed to understand the Eucharist under prayer and hymns, as also other Fathers sometimes call it θυσίαν, that is, prayer, sacred supplication, liturgy; indeed for this reason it is called Eucharist, that is, thanksgiving. Truly I say, it is a matter of faith that this oblation is a clean sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Whence it is evident against heretics that the Eucharist is not merely a sacrament, but also a sacrifice. It is proved first, because the Hebrew word for oblation is מנחה mincha, which word, although from its origin it signifies any gift, present, oblation, or sacrifice, was nevertheless appropriated by Moses and God to one sacrifice, namely that it might properly signify the meal offering, which was made from flour or bread, and which is described in Leviticus II, as I said there. Now this mincha, or meal offering, was properly called a sacrifice, as is evident from Leviticus II, and was a type of the Eucharistic sacrifice: for in both cases flour and bread are offered, but in the Eucharist transubstantiated and transformed into the body of Christ. Since therefore mincha, the typical and Jewish sacrifice, was properly called a sacrifice, it follows much more that mincha, the true and Christian sacrifice, namely the Eucharistic, is a true and proper sacrifice. Whence the Septuagint translates: In every place incense is offered to me, and a clean sacrifice; the Arabic: From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof my name is glorified among the nations, and they bring to me victims, and incense to my name in every place; the Syriac: In every place they make incense to me, and offer to my name clean oblations; the Zurich: In every place to my name incense, and pure meal is offered. For pure meal is the meal offering, or the flour with which the head of the victim to be immolated was sprinkled: whence from this meal the word immolate is derived. Malachi alludes to the continual sacrifice, which was offered daily both morning and evening, in which the victim was a lamb, with a tenth part of fine flour sprinkled with oil, Exodus cap. XXIX, 38. For the lamb represented Christ, the fine flour the form of bread, under which he himself is immolated in the Eucharist. Secondly, the same is signified by the word clean, that is to say, this mincha will be in itself a clean and holy victim, so that it always remains clean, even if those offering it are unclean. But such is the Eucharist alone, in which the victim is Christ himself, most pure, and the Holy of Holies. Thirdly, because Malachi here speaks only to the Aaronic priests, as I said in verse 6, and opposes to their polluted table and victims the priests, altar, and victim of the clean law of the new covenant. Therefore he speaks of a sacrifice not metaphorical and mystical, but genuine and properly so called. For these three things, namely priest, altar, and sacrifice, are correlative, so that where one is, the other two must necessarily be present. For the priest is the priest of the sacrifice, which is offered on the altar; and conversely, the sacrifice offered on the altar is the sacrifice of the priest sacrificing on the altar. Since therefore these three things were truly in the old law, which was a type of the new law, it follows that in the new law also there must be true and proper priests, altars, and sacrifices, especially since no Church or religion ever existed, indeed no nation worshipping God or an idol, was without priest and sacrifice. For nature itself dictates that God must be worshipped with latria and sacrifice. Fourthly, the same is proved by the word sacrificed, for which the Hebrew is מקטר muctar, that is, it is burned, kindled, fumigated, consumed by fire. But prayer is not burned, nor consumed by fire, but a victim properly so called. Whence muctar is the same as sacrificed, because formerly every sacrifice to God was burned. Now in the Eucharist it is not burned, but in another manner more worthy is sacrificed to God, and in his honor is transubstantiated, and is consumed by eating: of which more presently. Fifthly, the same is shown by in every place and among the nations. For there is no sacrifice which is offered everywhere among the nations by the faithful, except the Eucharistic. Sixthly, that this passage is to be understood thus is taught by the Council of Trent, sess. XXII, cap. 1, and all the Fathers and doctors, namely St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius, Rupert, Haymo, Hugh, Lyra, Ribera here, likewise Clement of Rome, lib. VII Constitutions of the Apostles cap. XXXI, St. Martial, epistle to Bordeaux cap. III, Irenaeus lib. IV, cap. XXXII, Justin Against Trypho, Cyprian lib. I Against the Jews, cap. XVI, Cyril, Catechesis 16, Eusebius lib. I Demonstration cap. VI, St. Augustine lib. XVIII On the City of God cap. XXXV, St. Chrysostom in Psalm XCV, and oration 2 Against the Jews, Tertullian in the place cited, John of Damascus lib. IV cap. XIV, moreover the Rabbis, such as R. Samuel, tract. On the True Messiah to R. Isaac, cap. XX, and others in Galatinus lib. XI, cap. XI; see Bellarmine lib. I On the Mass, throughout cap. X, where he refutes all the evasions of heretics. Calvin and Anthony Sadeel object, along with others who make the Mass into a mere thing, that mincha here is taken tropically for pure religion and spiritual worship of God, by which we worship and adore God in mind; because, they say, the Hebrew word for is sacrificed is מקטר muctar, that is, incense is offered, smoke is burned, or incense, as the Septuagint translates it. But there is no incense which in the new law is properly offered to God, but only mystical, namely prayer and pure worship of God: therefore that is understood here. I answer, the root of muctar is קטר catar, which although it properly signifies to smoke, to fumigate, to burn incense; yet often by metonymy it signifies to sacrifice: because in sacrifice formerly the victim was burned, and thus by fire and smoke it ascended to God: thus all lexicons teach, and all the Hebrews. The Eucharist therefore is a pure oblation, which is muctar, that is, sacrificed to God. Add, that it alludes to the old and Jewish mincha, to which frankincense was added, which was all properly muctar to God, that is, was fumigated and burned, according to the law of Leviticus, chapter II, 2: for by the frankincense, which by the custom and rite of all nations is burned to God, was signified this thing, namely mincha, that is, a grain sacrifice, to be offered and sacrificed to God. Whence also in our solemn Masses incensing is employed. By this incensing therefore the Prophet by metonymy understands sacrifice, of which that is the sign and symbol, nay some part; but more of this shortly. Now we examine the individual words more closely. In every place, — because nothing so celebrates and magnifies the name and glory of God throughout the whole world, as the sacrifice of the Eucharist, by which Christ himself offers himself as a victim to God the Father through the hands of his priests, as I shall show shortly after. Is sacrificed. — The Septuagint, the Zurich Bible and Pagninus, incense is offered; the Syriac, they place incenses, they burn incense; the Arabic Antiochene, they make incenses for me; the Arabic Alexandrian, they bring incenses to me. For the Hebrew muctar is a passive participle of the Hophal conjugation, which therefore either as a noun, signifying incense, frankincense, smoke; or as a verb, or rather a verbal, signifying is burned, is kindled, can be taken; the Septuagint took it as a noun, our translator as a verbal. Note here that the Eucharist is called incense or frankincense. First, because it contains the body of Christ as a victim, burned to God on the altar of the cross by the fire of charity, which exhaled a most sweet fragrance to God, by which it appeased his wrath, and reconciled him to men. Second, because the Eucharist is made and consecrated by sacred prayers, which are frankincense to God, according to that of Psalm CXL, 2: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight." Thus St. Chrysostom in Psalm XCV: "He clearly interpreted mystically the table, which is a bloodless victim. But he calls pure frankincense the sacred prayers, which are offered after the victim. For this smoke refreshes God, not that which is taken from earthly roots, but that which is exhaled from a pure heart." Finally the Eucharist is called incense, because it not only represents, but also in reality contains Christ burned on the altar of the cross for us, that is, toasted by sorrow and love, and sacrificed to God. Tropologically, frankincense are burning prayers, sighs and vows both of priests and of the faithful, while they consecrate and make the Eucharist, or receive and eat it, according to that which in Apocalypse, chapter IV, 8, the angels are said to have had and offered to God "golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints." Wherefore St. Chrysostom, homily to the people of Antioch: "Therefore, he says, as lions breathing fire from that table let us depart, made terrible to the devil, and turning over in our mind our head, and the charity which he exhibited to us." Is offered. — In Hebrew מגש muggas, that is, is brought, is led, is offered, is applied, is made near. For the root נגש nagas signifies to approach, to draw near: for the victims and gifts which are offered to God, approach him and draw near, especially the Eucharist, in which the victim is Christ himself the Son of God. Oblation. — In Hebrew mincha, that is, a gift, a present, which is brought to God, given, offered, from the root nacha, that is, brought, gave, offered. Moreover mincha properly was a grain sacrifice, namely of flour and bread, Leviticus II, which therefore in its form and species, was an express figure of the Sacrament and sacrifice of the Eucharist: whence also with it in the continual sacrifice of the lamb, wine was poured out daily according to the law of Exodus, chapter XXIX, 40, which re- presented the other species of the Eucharist, namely wine, under which by the force of the words of consecration the blood of Christ is placed and immolated, just as under the species of bread by the force of the same words the body of Christ is placed. Moreover, when they burned the mincha and offered oil, frankincense and salt: oil signifies the mercy of Christ, which in this Sacrament and sacrifice He daily exhibits to us as it were new and revived; frankincense, His own religion and that most sweet odor by which He immolated Himself to the Father on the cross, and again immolates Himself in the Eucharist; salt, the eternity and incorruptibility which He will bring to us in the blessed resurrection through the Eucharist, as He Himself promised in John, chapter VI, 55. I have said more about these things in Leviticus II. Thus also Ovid teaches that the ancient sacrifices of the gentiles, who fed on pottage and bread rather than meat, were bloodless and pure victims, that is, made of grain, not of flesh, in book I of the Fasti: "Before the gods what could reconcile man was grain, and the bright grain of pure salt." Therefore in sacrifices the mola, which was so called, consisted of grain and salt: for the mola, says Festus Pompeius, was nothing other than roasted grain sprinkled with salt; and because the victims were sprinkled with it when ground, the mola received its name from this: which therefore Virgil in book II of the Aeneid calls salted fruits: "And salted fruits, and around the temples ribbons." So also Tibullus in book III, elegy IV: "And the vain race of men, fearing all things of night, appease with pious grain and leaping salt." Again Ovid in book IV of the Fasti: "Grain to the Goddess, and grains of leaping salt do you give honor, and into the old hearths frankincense grains." The same, in book I of the Fasti: "Hence I am called Janus, to whom when the grain-bearing priest places a cake and grain mixed with salt." Indeed Arnobius in book II Against the Gentiles teaches that grain victims existed before the knowledge and use of frankincense: "Frankincense," he says, "neither Romulus himself, nor Numa, the artificer in devising religious rites, either knew to be or to be born, as the pious grain shows, by which it was customary to perform the duties of solemn sacrifices." Clean,—first, because the body of Christ, which is offered in the Eucharist, is most pure and most holy, inasmuch as it was formed from the Virgin by the work of the Holy Spirit, and is hypostatically united to God Himself. Second, because it cannot be defiled by any unworthiness or malice of priests or those offering, as the Council of Trent states, Session XXII, chapter 1. For even if the priest were most impious, the Eucharist nevertheless always retains its purity and the power of cleansing from itself, whether from the work worked. Third, because the Eucharist cleanses men not only from sins, but from the causes of sins, namely from concupis- cences, temptations, passions, and either removes occasions of sinning or adds strength to overcome them. Finally, there were three species of sacrifice prescribed by God to the Jews, Leviticus I. The first was a holocaust, namely an ox, sheep or dove, which was entirely burned in honor of God. The second was a victim for sin, namely to expiate it. The third was a peace victim, by which namely for peace, that is safety and benefits, either already obtained, they gave thanks to God, or they besought Him for obtaining them. To these three in the new law succeeded the unique sacrifice of the Eucharist, which eminently comprehends these three species in itself. For it is the most worthy holocaust to God, by which the supreme majesty of God is worshipped and honored, and it is a renewal and repetition of that holocaust by which Christ offered and immolated Himself wholly to the Father on the altar of the cross. It is likewise a propitiatory sacrifice for sins, according to that in Hebrews, chapter X, 6: "Holocausts for sin did not please Thee; then said I: Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me, that I should do, O God, Thy will." And verse 10: "In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of Jesus Christ." Third, the Eucharist is a peace sacrifice, by which we give thanks to God for all gifts received, and we beseech Him for those to be received. Morally, learn how pure and holy a priest ought to be, who consecrates, touches, eats, and distributes the most pure oblation, indeed purity itself, Christ, I say, the Holy of Holies, which has not been granted to angels. Therefore, angelic purity, and more than angelic purity is required, so that we may receive, indeed make, the Lord of angels. God therefore commanded the Jews, and much more Christians, Leviticus chapter XX, 26: "You shall be holy unto me, because I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from other peoples, that you should be mine." And chapter XXII, 32: "I am the Lord who sanctify you." See the sayings there, and Leviticus IX, at the end of the chapter. Truly our Thomas Theodidactus in book IV of the Imitation of Christ, chapter XII: "O how great," he says, "and honorable is the office of priests, to whom it has been given to consecrate the Lord of majesty by sacred words, to bless with lips, to hold with hands, to receive with their own mouth, and to minister to others! O how clean those hands ought to be, how pure the mouth, how holy the body, how immaculate the heart of the priest, into whom so often enters the author of purity! From the mouth of the priest nothing but what is holy, nothing but what is honest and useful ought to proceed, he who so often receives the Sacrament of Christ. His eyes simple and modest, which are accustomed to behold the body of Christ. Hands pure and lifted up to heaven, which are accustomed to handle the Creator of heaven and earth. To priests especially in the law it is said: Be ye holy, because I am holy, the Lord your God." Because my name is great among the nations. — The word "because" can be taken partly properly and causally, that is to say, The reason why the nations will offer to God an oblation so pure and noble, as is the flesh and blood of Christ the Son of God himself, is, because they will esteem my name greatly; for they will believe and profess me to be the supreme and most august divinity, and therefore will offer to me the supreme and most august victim already mentioned. Partly improperly and consecutively, in the manner of Hebrew, so that "because" does not signify a cause, but a consequence and effect, that is to say, From this victim of the Eucharist it will follow that my name is magnified; through this victim I shall be wonderfully glorified, and my name. You will ask: Whence, and by what reason? I answer first, because the Jews and gentiles offered to God, or to their gods, sheep, oxen, goats, fruits, and other creatures, so that they might testify that God is the cause, principle and end of all creatures, and that they had received from him all good things, receive them and ask for them. Christians, however, in place of creatures offer to God in the Eucharist Christ the Lord, the Son of God, who is the firstborn of all creation. Therefore, by how much Christ the creator is more noble than every creature, by so much more is God honored and glorified through this victory of his before the victims of the Jews and Gentiles. Secondly, because sheep, oxen and goats are not a worthy price for sins: but the flesh and blood of Christ are worthy. Therefore by them satisfaction is made equally to the offense and justice of God, and consequently God and the justice of God through them is supremely honored, appeased, reconciled. Thirdly, because through the Eucharist offered to God alone and true, idols and things sacrificed to idols, that is, sacrifices immolated to idols, are excluded; and consequently God's unity, dignity and majesty among the nations throughout the whole world is restored to him. For they acknowledge and profess in the Eucharist that they believe in, honor and adore no other divine powers which they had previously worshipped, but only the true God. Fourthly, because through this victim of Christ the supreme goodness of God is acknowledged, who gave his son to us as a redeemer: and justice, by which he punished sin by the death of his only-begotten Son: and wisdom, by which he found a way to save us; but in such a way that at the same time he would satisfy his honor, and just vengeance, namely by sending his son in the flesh, who in it suffering and dying would satisfy the injured divine majesty: and power, by which he instituted so august a victim and one equal to himself and shared with him. The same is to be seen in the other attributes of God, which through Christ became known to the world. Fifthly, because in the Eucharist "the merciful and compassionate Lord has made a memorial of his wonderful works," while he "gave food" so august "to those who fear him," Psalm CX, 4. For the Eucharist refreshes for us the benefit of creation, redemption, justification, glorification, and all other things, as I have shown in Zechariah chapter XI, 17. Sixth, because the Eucharist is the miracle of miracles, the work of works of God, a portent of the ages, according to that passage in Zacharias, chapter IX, 17: "For what is his good, and what is his beauty, but the corn of the elect, and wine springing forth virgins?" Wherefore St. Dionysius, in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, chapter II, calls the Eucharist "the consummation of all sacraments, the most divine and most holy Sacrament, the most holy and most august mysteries." St. Martial, in his epistle to the Bordeaux church, chapters III and IV, names the Eucharist "communion of the living God, the divine table, and food in perfect faith wholly heavenly." Irenaeus, book IV, chapter XXXII, calls it "the new oblation of the New Testament;" St. Cyprian, in his book On the Lord's Supper, "incorruptible food;" Optatus of Milevis, "the pledge of eternal salvation, the safeguard of faith, the hope of resurrection;" St. Ephrem, in his book On the Nature of God Not to be Scrutinized, "immortal fire: This indeed," he says, "surpasses all admiration, all understanding, and all speech, which our only-begotten Son Christ our Saviour has done for us: He has given me fire and spirit to eat and drink, namely His body and blood." St. Chrysostom, homily 14 on the First Epistle to the Corinthians: "When I speak of blessing," he says, "I speak of the Eucharist, and in speaking of the Eucharist, I open the entire treasury of God's kindness. For indeed with the chalice we have obtained the unspeakable benefits of God," etc. St. Cyril, catechesis 4, says that through the Eucharist we become "bearers of Christ, and sharers of the divine nature." Seventh, because through the Eucharist both the priest and those offering and assisting, indeed all the faithful of the whole Church, partake of the blood, redemption, and all the merits of Christ. Again, through it all grace with its source and author, namely Christ, is derived to us. Wherefore truly and wisely our Thomas the God-taught, in book IV of the Imitation of Christ, chapter V: "When," he says, "the priest celebrates, he honors God, gladdens the angels, builds up the Church, helps the living, grants rest to the dead, and makes himself a partaker of all good things." Is this not great glory of God's name, great praise and glorification of God? Hence it is called Eucharist, because it itself is the supreme giving of thanks. For we can render nothing greater to God for the natural and supernatural benefits which we have received than Christ Himself: for Christ equals all other benefits of God, indeed surpasses them immeasurably. Wherefore St. Chrysostom, book VI of the Priesthood: "At that time," he says, "the angels also stand with the priest, and the whole order of heavenly powers raises up cries, and the place near the altar is filled with the choirs of angels in honor of Him who is immolated." This is confirmed by the vision of a holy man, asserting that he beheld in the Mass a multitude of angels, clothed in shining garments, surrounding the altar itself, bowing their heads in such a manner that if one were to see soldiers standing in the presence of the king." The same, in the homily On the Eucharist in the Encaenia: "The Lamb," he says, "of God is immolated, Seraphim stand with six wings covering their faces." The same, homily 24 on the First Epistle to the Corinthians: "While we are in this life, this mystery makes heaven for us on earth. Ascend therefore to the gates of heaven, nay not of heaven, but of the heaven of heavens, and then you will behold what we say. For what is worthy of the highest honor, that I show you on earth, etc. For neither angels, nor archangels, not the heavens, not the heavens of heavens; but their Lord Himself I show you." The same, book III of the Priesthood: "This mystery therefore, most terrible and venerable, who then, unless he be mad and out of his senses, could despise and scorn it?" St. Gregory, book IV of the Dialogues, chapter LVIII: "Who," he says, "of the faithful could have doubt that at the very hour of immolation, at the priest's voice the heavens are opened, in that mystery of Jesus Christ the choirs of angels are present, the highest things are joined with the lowest, earthly things are united with heavenly, one thing is made from visible and invisible things?" Eighth, because in the Eucharist are exercised the highest faith, hope, charity, religion, and other virtues, by which we worship and glorify God. Faith, because we believe God when He says that the body of Christ is truly there, even if sight, taste, touch, and all the senses judge to the contrary, namely that it is bread and wine. Hope, for what should we not hope from God, whom we believe gives us His Son as food and sacrifice? Charity, for who would not be inflamed by it, thinking of the immense love of God and Christ toward us, by which He gives Himself wholly to us and communicates Himself? Religion, for who would not worship with the highest veneration God, whom he believes to be present and sees? and thus concerning the others. And this was one of the principal reasons why God instituted the Eucharist, namely that He might give an object and matter for exercising all virtues, so that by them we might worship and honor Him. Finally, the Eucharist is manna containing all delight in itself, and all sweetness of taste, and therefore magnificently celebrating and proclaiming God the giver, and as it were crying out with a silent voice: "Thou hast given them the bread of heaven: man hath eaten the bread of angels. O how sweet is, O Lord, Thy Spirit, who, that Thou mightest show Thy sweetness to Thy children, fillest the hungry with the sweetest bread sent down from heaven, leaving the rich empty!" as the Church sings. The priest, therefore, going to the altar, should consider what a great work he undertakes. Let him consider, and marvel that he is the legate of the Church, indeed of the whole world to God, that he may treat with Him the greatest matters, namely that in the name of all creation he may render homage to God, and doxology and thanksgiving for all benefits received by any creature; that he may pray and propitiate God for the sins of the whole world; that he may obtain liberation, pardon and grace for sinners rushing into hell; that he may present to God the diseases, temptations and afflictions of all the afflicted, and seek help; that he may obtain for each of the faithful God's grace, increase of virtues and all good things; that he may intercede for the dead, and supplicate for so many thousands of souls burning in Purgatory. Finally, that he may be the mediator of God and men, and take upon himself the very person of Christ, and repeat that same sacrifice which Christ offered on the cross, where He Himself was both victim and priest. Who, considering these things, would not be struck down, would not marvel, would not be inflamed?
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12. And you have polluted it (namely, you have made My name vile and as it were polluted) in that you say (not so much in words, as in deed and in fact): The table of the Lord is defiled. — "Table" of God is the altar. He returns to the priests of his age, whom he began to reprove in verse 5, as if to say: Such will be My table and victim in the time of Christ, as I have already described: But you, O priests of the Jews (as I began to say in verse 5) on the contrary treat My altar so basely, so sordidly and so unworthily, and My sacred things and sacrifices, as if they were vile, sordid and polluted things; and the victim placed upon the altar were a contemptible thing, likewise the sacred fire which devours and consumes it. Thus St. Cyril. The cause of this unworthiness was the long neglect of sacred things during captivity, likewise the poverty of the Jews, and the avarice of the priests, as I said in verse 7. Concerning the contempt of the altar fire also, the occasion was that this, after the return from Babylon, was not given from heaven, as the former was, but was kindled from gross water, as is evident from II Maccabees, chapter 1, verse 21. The Hebrew literally has: The fruit, or produce of it is contemptible, and he who eats it (for this is אוכלו ochelo): the fruit of the altar is the victim which is offered upon it: he who eats it is the fire which burns and consumes it. Whence Our [translation] clearly renders: "What is placed upon it (namely the altar, a holocaust or other victim) is contemptible with the fire which devours it." Now others in this passage read אכלו ochlo, that is, its food. Whence they translate: Its fruit is contemptible, its food, as if to say: The fruit of the table of God, which is the food placed upon it for God, namely the victim or sacrifice placed upon the altar, is contemptible. Whence the Chaldean renders: The table of the Lord is despised, and despised are its gifts; and the Zurich [Bible]: Its produce, namely its food is vile: because the fat of the victim, and the entrails, which are burned upon the altar for God, are vile and sordid things, says Vatablus. Otherwise St. Jerome: The fruit, he says, or produce of the altar is fire (for this as it were is born from and proceeds from the altar); but the food of fire is the victims, as if to say: The fire of the altar is vile; because vile are the victims, which it devours as it were as food.
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13. And you have said: Behold, from labor (the Septuagint, these are from affliction, that is to say, You cast the reason why my altar and victim are vile and sordid into your labors: for you excuse yourselves by poverty and hardships, and you say that recently, returning from the Babylonian captivity with great fatigue and expense, through all your labor you can scarcely yet obtain and offer such tiny and vile things): and (while you say these things) you have blown upon it, — that is, you have made it worthy of my blowing upon it. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Albert and Lyran. Cyrillus adds, that is to say, This victim was made lean, lame or defective not from itself, but from the labor of the journey. Otherwise the more recent scholars, R. David, Pagninus and Vatablus: for they read מתלאה metelaa with tsere, that is, from labor, as the Septuagint, the Chaldean and Our translator read, they read מתלאה mattelaa, and translate, behold labor; or rather, as R. Abraham, mattelaa is formed from מה תלאה ma telaa, that is, what labor, that is to say, O how much labor I have undergone in bringing this victim! how burdensome it was to me and my shoulders! how exhausted and breathless I became in carrying it! how grievous, thick and fat was this victim to me? Whence Pagninus translates, behold labor, and you have cast it down, that is to say, You cast the victim to the ground, as if you were about to relieve yourselves of the burden by which you are oppressed, and therefore, as Our translator renders it, you have blown upon it, as if you were about to draw breath by a gasping exhalation. Thus they say, but they lie: for their victim is so vile, lean and meager that it can be blown upon and driven away by a breath, indeed annihilated, and compels one to breathe out and expire his thin breath. The Septuagint in the Roman edition translates, I have blown upon it (although in the Royal edition it has, you have blown upon it, and thus St. Jerome and Theodoret read) by antithesis and a play on contrary meaning, that is to say, You have blown upon and sighed because of excessive burden: but I, as upon the lightest and vilest thing, blow upon it, repel it with a light breath, refute it, and indeed abhor it. Thus a parasite in Plautus tickles the boastful soldier, saying: "Whose legions did you scatter with your breath, as the wind scatters leaves." St. Jerome adds: "In the Hebrew it can be read: And you have blown upon me (reading אותי oti, that is, me: yet now all read אותו oto, that is, him), that is to say, You have done me injury not by the sacrifice, but by yourselves;" for you have tacitly mocked me, blown upon me and hissed at me. Note that this is said to the people more than to the priests. For just as he previously censured the negligence of sacred things in the priests, so here he censures the same in the people, who after the manner followed their priests in crime and avarice, indeed went before them. Whence concerning the people he adds, saying: "Cursed is the deceitful man who has in his flock a male, and making a vow sacrifices a defective one to the Lord." Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Hugh, Lyran, although some, as Castro and Sanchez, think the discourse continues here to the priests. For he continues to speak to them at the beginning of the following chapter. Let us say that both are censured here. Concerning robberies. — God refutes the false excuse of the people, that is to say, You say that you have obtained these victims from your labor, such as they are. You lie: for you have prepared them from robberies, you have stolen them; and from stolen things you have offered to me the lame and languishing, but you have reserved for yourselves the whole, fat and vigorous ones. Your crime is therefore twofold, indeed threefold: first robbery, second irreverence and irreligiosity, third falsehood. Shall I endure this wickedness? shall I accept from your hand a gift so foul and sordid? Far be it. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Albert and Lyran.
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14. Cursed is the deceitful man who has in his flock a male, and making a vow offers a weak one to the Lord. — "Male," that is, robust, perfect, whole, without blemish. Note first, Leviticus chapter XXII, 23, it is sanctioned that if the victims be votive, or offered from a vow, they be perfect; but if voluntary, this is not required, but it is permitted that they be mutilated and imperfect. I have assigned the reason there. Here therefore God, according to the law, in a vow requires a victim that is male, both properly so called; and male, that is, perfect: for he opposes it to the weak, or, as the Zurich version translates it, blemished; Pagninus, spotted; the Chaldean, corrupted. For the Hebrew משחת mascat, which our translator renders as weak, signifies cut off, excised, maimed, corrupted. Thus Virgil says in the Pharmacology: And burn the fat vervain, and male (that is, strong and excellent) frankincense. Thus Persius, satire 5: Beneath the warm breast male bile Swelled up, which the urn of hemlock did not extinguish. Thus we call male wines, male spirits, that is, strong and generous. Note second: In the holocaust alone, as being the most perfect sacrifice, God requires a male victim, Leviticus chapter I, 3. Whence in the peace offering, if it be voluntary, he permits it to be female, Leviticus chapter III, 1. I say, if it be voluntary: for if it were votive, that is, owed from a vow, a better one ought to be chosen, and therefore male, as is evident from this place of Malachi. Wherefore if anyone had vowed to God a sheep from his flock, he ought to have chosen a male, not a female; the tropological reason for which I have assigned at Exodus chapter I, 16, namely that God loves, and therefore wishes to be consecrated to him by those who vow, male, that is, generous and manly, not female, that is, weak and infirm. The best things therefore ought to be vowed and offered to God, and that with the utmost zeal, says St. Cyril. Note third, τὸ if he shall have, for, as St. Jerome says: "If you do not have a male, this curse does not harm you. But in saying these things, he shows that they have what is best, and offer what is bad." A female therefore offering herself to God pleases him: equally as a man offering a female sheep, when he does not have a male. Note fourth: τὸ deceitful signifies here that sin is committed not only against religion, but also against justice. For just as a merchant who has sold his goods to a buyer at a certain price, if he afterwards delivers them to him vitiated and corrupted, sins with malice, and is unjust; so also he who has promised a victim to God, namely one worthy of God, and according to the prescription of the law whole and perfect, is fraudulent, and sins against justice, if he afterwards delivers to him one maimed, mutilated and blemished, and commits theft in sacred things, and therefore sacrilege. Morally, let religious persons and those who vow learn here that their vows ought to be male; and that which they have vowed ought to be given to God whole, manly, perfect and best. Therefore their chastity ought to be in every respect unviolated and whole, poverty perfect, obedience manly and male. For this is what the reverence of the supreme and divine majesty demands, to whom they consecrate themselves, that they offer to him the highest, best and most perfect things; namely that they make themselves a holocaust to God, offering all their faculties to him through the vow of poverty, their whole body through the vow of chastity, their whole soul through the vow of obedience. Wherefore St. Basil in sermon 1 On the Institutions of Monasteries asserts that he who has sent a messenger to the world has become a certain divine vessel; and therefore he must beware lest it be polluted by vicious use; and he ought to guard himself as something dedicated to God, lest he incur the crime of sacrilege; if namely he contaminates with the ministry of common life the body which he has consecrated to God. Hence St. Gregory in homily 12 on Ezekiel teaches that religious are holocausts of God: "Those, he says, who abandon all things that are of the world, and set their whole mind on fire with the fire of divine love; these truly become a sacrifice and holocaust to almighty God." The same doctrine is taught by St. Thomas, II II, Question CLXXXVI, article VII. Indeed, St. Augustine also in book X of the City of God, VI: "Man himself, he says, consecrated and devoted to the name of God, insofar as he dies to the world that he may live to God, is a sacrifice," in which namely the victim is man, the knife is self-hatred and self-denial, death is the renunciation of worldly life that he may undertake the spiritual, fire is the love of God, wood is prayer and exercises of piety, sacrifice is his very oblation and consecration of himself through the three vows. Thus St. Teresa, as her Life relates, vowed that in every matter she would do what was best, most perfect and most honorable to God. Thus they offer a male victim to God, who through continence slay all desires, namely the feminine desires of women. Again, those who despise all shame and fear for the glory of God. Moreover, those who generously endure and overcome persecutions, exiles, hunger, prisons, torments and death for God, as the martyrs did. Thus the Maccabean mother, a virago, offered to God a male spirit and seven male offspring as it were victims for the law of God unto martyrdom, she who "exhorted each one with her native voice filled with mighty courage, and inserting a masculine spirit into feminine thought said: I know not how you appeared in my womb," etc., II Maccabees, chapter VII, 21. St. Felicity offered to God for martyrdom with her the same number of males under the emperor Marcus Aurelius, in the year of the Lord 175, who, when Publius the prefect urged her to consult for herself and her sons, by obeying the emperor and sacrificing to his gods, answered: "Your compassion is cruelty, your counsel is alluring and cruel;" and turning to her sons: "Behold, she said, O sons, heaven, where Christ looks upon you and awaits you with his saints: strive manfully for the salvation of your souls: show yourselves faithful and steadfast in the love of Christ Jesus." Animated by these words, the sons all gave their bodies as prey, and underwent a glorious death for Christ, as did their mother after them. St. Symphorosa with her husband Getulius offered to God the same number of males, who all obtained the laurel of martyrdom under the emperor Hadrian, in the year of the Lord 138, to whom applies that saying of the Wise Man, Proverbs XXXI, 10, 17, 19, 25: "Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. She hath put out her hand to strong things. Strength and comeliness are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day." Because I am a great king, says the Lord, — and therefore great things are fitting and due to me, namely singular and most perfect things, and therefore male, not female: strong, not weak; whole, not maimed or mutilated. And my name is terrible. — In Hebrew נורא nora, that is, to be feared and revered; the Chaldean, powerful. It refers back to verse 6: "If therefore I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a lord, where is my fear?" Terrible therefore is the same as supremely to be feared and revered. For reverence, when it is singular, from a deep consideration of such great majesty generates trembling, horror and amazement. This is the sacred horror, of which Virgil in the Aeneid I: And a dark wood hangs over with horrible shade. And Lucan: In the trees their own horror dwells. Again, terrible, that is, dreadful, as Pagninus translates it, and to be dreaded: because he himself terribly chastises and punishes the neglect of himself and his sacred things. Hence Zephaniah chapter II, 11, says: "The Lord shall be terrible upon them, and shall consume all the gods of the earth, and all the islands of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place." The Septuagint, deriving the Hebrew נורא nora, not from ירא iare, that is, he terrified; but from ראה raa, that is, he saw, translate it ἐπιφανές, that is, my name is illustrious among the nations. This was true in the time of Malachi and the Maccabees, whose heavenly victories made God illustrious and terrible to all nations throughout the whole world; it is more true in Christ and Christians: for all nations celebrate Christ, and his God the Father. Thus Theodoret.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 1 praebeant verbum Domini factum esse &v ye:pt ay- Y£Xov aj:c5 nomen proprium reddentes per modum appellativi, effecerunt ut propheta noster saepius angeli nomine designaretur; ita v. g. Tertullianus (adv. Iud. 5; M. 2, 608) et S. Chrys. scribit: « lege quid dicat Aggaeus, quid Zacharias, quid angelus, quid Esdras incuset » (hom. 14 inep. ad Hebr.; M.63, 114)! et S. Augustinus : « Malachias sive Malachi qui et Angelus dictus est » (de Civ. D. 20, 25; M. 41, 699); quare aliqui, ut Origenes, eum prophetam angelum fuisse censebant humana forma indutum., Contra quam sententiam S. Hier. Cyr. etc. invehuntur. « Dictus est angelus, quod eius nomen hanc notionem haberet ; deinde quod coelestes et a Deo inspiratos sermones Israeli nuntiarit, non inscite etiam angelus vocari possit » (S. Cyr.) ; addunt alii, uti S. Ephr. Isidorus, Pseudo-Epiphanius, Barh. ob suavissimum et mitissimum ingenium et praeclaram in iuvenili aetate pulchritudinem ei hoc nomen esse inditum. Sed satis de nomine. Esse Malachiam ultimum prophetarum omnes consentiunt et paucis exceptis, qui eum ad Alexandri Magni tempora relegare volunt, omnes ei tempus Esdrae et Nehemiae assignant. Sed si accuratius inquisieris, quanam eius temporis parte officio functus sit, num cum Esdra iam septimo anno Artaxerxis regis, an cum Nehemia et quando, an post Nehemiam, in varias sententias abeunt, neque facile est responsionem invenire, quae non uni alterive difficultati sit obnoxia. Eum iam ante Esdrae adventum prophetasse eique quasi viam parasse censet Lap.; sed communiter tempus posterius ei assignant vel simpliciter et in universum tempus Nehemiae (Calm. Kaulen), vel dum Nehemias priore vice versaretur in Ierusalem (Schegg), vel post priorem Nehemiae in Ierusalem commorationem i. e. post annum 32 Artaxerxis regis (Keil) vel tempore inter primam et alteram eius commorationem interiacente (cf. Schrader, Koehler, Naegelsbach) vel demum aliquo tempore post Nehemiam (Herbst-Welte, Reinke, Der Prophet Malachi, p. 32). Certum est, Malachiam prophetasse templo iam aedificato et cultu et sacrificiis ordinariis institutis, uti ex 1, 6 seq. 2, 4 seq. 3, 1. 10 indubie colligitur. Et cum multum conqueratur, offerri animalia clauda, languida, idque fieri ex dolo et avaritia, forte ad illud tempus deducimur, quo res ad cultum necessariae iam non per munificentiam regiam (uti fiebat Esdrae tempore ex regio decreto anno Artaxerxis septimo, Esdr. "7, 20 - 26) suppeditabantur, sed ab ipsis incolis erant largiendae. At sub Nehemia, qui vigesimo anno Artaxerxis in Ierusalem advenit, moenibus exstructis et foedere cum Deo renovato etiam resad sacrificia necessarias se allaturos spoponderunt : « et statuemus super Ros praecepta, ut. demus tertiam partem sicli per annum ad opus domus Dei nostri, ad panes pro- Dositionis, et ad sacrificium sempiternum et in holocaustum sempiternum in sabbatis, in calendis, in sollemnitatibus » etc. Cum antea de tali negligentia nulla adsit reprehensio in libris Esdrae, probabile est, eam irrepsisse postea, cum Nehemias anno trigesimo secundo Artaxerxis regis in Babyloniam reverteretur. Malachiam vaticinatum esse Nehemiaabsente, etiam colligi posse videtur ex 1, 8 offer illud duci tuo, si placuerit ei aut si susceperit faciem tuam. Nehemias enim annonas quae ducibus debebantur non comedit per annos duodecim — « duces autem primi qui fuerunt ante me gravaverunt populum et acceperunt ab eis in pane et vino et pecunia quotidie siclos quadraginta, sed et ministri eorum depresserunt populum ; ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei » Neh. 5, 14. 45 — sed e contra e suo multa populo tribuebat (l. c. 18); unde argumentatio illa ad hominem qua vates utitur vix ad Nehemiae tempus apta est, sed potius alium adesse supponit ducem a Persis institutum qui tributa et munera exigat. Nehemia absente etiam facile explicatur, quomodo alii abusus invaluerint, in quos Malachias invehitur. Accedit, quod Nehemias cum secunda vice reverteretur in Ierusalem fere de iisdem conqueritur, de quibus apud nostrum prophetam populi obiurgatio fit ; cognovit enim quod partes levitarum non fuissent datae « et egi causam adversus magistratus et dixi: quare dereliquimus domum Dei » (Neh. 13, 10. 11) : quae obiurgatio generatim magnam in divino cultu negligentiam adfuisse demonstrat ; dein multumiterum in connubia cum alienigenis invehitur, similiter uti Malachias 2, 11. Nehemias sab-: bati legem multipliciter quoque violari obiurgat cives, de quo peccato mentio specialis non fit apud Malachiam ; sed cum ex dolo et avaritia viles offerant victimas, non certealienum erat ab indole talium etiam leges sabbati conculcare. Malachias eos accusat, quod uxores sine causa legitima repudient et abiiciant. Nihil quidem hac: de re apud Nehemiam legitur explicite ; at talem duritiem coniunctam fuisse cum studio illo ducendi uxores Azotidas, Ammonitidas et Moabitidas, de quo adeo graviter loquitur Nehemias (13, 23 seq.), vix quisquam negaverit. Quibus omnibus perpensis probabilius videtur, prophetam vaticinatum fuisse post annum 32 Artaxerxis eo tempore quo Nehemias in aula regis versaretur. Cum igitur Nehemia absente varii abusus irreperent et plurimorum animi propter temporis conditionem afflictam et humilem rempublicam pusillanimitate et diffidentia opprimerentur, Deus misit. prophetam, qui abusus reprehenderet, deiectos erigeret omnesque de vera animorum praeparatione edoceret, qua Domini adventus sit exspectandus. Ita factum est, ut Nehemias reversus auctoritate sua qua dux et magistratus regis Persarum facilius omnia et efficacius eo quo decebat ordine restitueret. Hanc si amplexus fueris sententiam, non adeo difficile erit explicare, cur in libris Esdrae et Nehemiae non fiat mentio Malachiae. Libri enim ea potissimum et explicite describunt quae facta sunt. ab Esdra a septimo anno Artaxerxis et a Nehemia usque ad annum 32 Artaxerxis ; de secundo vero reditu Nehemiae pauca tantum et per modum appendicis referuntur Neh. 13, 1-31. In qua narratione succincta et summatim aliqua tantum attingente non fieri sermonem dé Malachia, facile explicari potest. Cur autem Esdrae memoria apud Eccli. non explicite celebretur sed plane omittatur — quae omissio aliquibus, uti supra vidimus, tam incredibilis est visa, ut Esdram in duodecim prophetis laudari censuerint —, ea ratio reddi potest, quod Eccli. 49, 13-15 aedificatio templi et urbis effertur et ii solum recensentur, qui in hoc opere laborem suum et industriam collocarunt i1. e. Zorobabel, Iesus filius Iosedec et Nehemias « qui erexit nobis muros eversos et stare fecit portas et seras, qui erexit domus nostras ». Esdrae autem conatus urbis aedificandae et exiguus erat et mox quae erexerat ab hostibus sunt destructa (cf. Esd. 9, 9. Neh. 4, 2-4 et huc quoque refer Esd. 4, 1-23). Quare non Esdras, sed Nehemias erat urbis restitutor ; unde sicut Eccl. 49, 13. 14 templum celebratur et eius aedificatores laudantur, ita v. 15 urbis DE ARGUMENTO MALACHIAE À15 restitutio et Nehemias commemorantur. — Ceterum ne quis nimium illi tribuat Iudaeorum traditioni, Esdram esse nomine symbolico Malachiam, iuvat advertere, aliam quoque ferri in Talmude traditionem, esse Malachiam Mardochaeum illumnotum ex libro Esther (cf. Reinke 1. c. p. 8). Cum theocratiae instauratio a parvis initiis profecta exigua caperet incrementa multisque hostium infestationibus esset subiecta et generatim conditio eorum qui ex Babylonia reversi erant, satis esset afflicta et humilis, mirum non est quod multi ex eis animos despondebant et splendida prophetarum de nova theocratia vaticinia cum statu misero reipublicae comparantes in querelas quoque et murmurationes prorumpebant. Qua in re, uti fieri solet in hominum exspectatione vehementiore et desideriis importunis, ad duo non attenderunt ; alterum, minime fuisse promissum, ut statim cum reditu omnis vaticiniorum messianicorum splendor et sublimitas in opus deduceretur; e contra data erant indicia quaedam intervalli longioris (cf. Dan. 9, 24) ; alterum, ipsius populi negligentiam, socordiam, peccata varia obstare, quominus florentiore ac laetiore a Deo donarentur conditione. Accusarant negligentiam illam Aggaeus et Zacharias eaque divinos retineri favores significaverant ; attamen populus neque serio, neque constanter socordiam excussit neque vitam suam ad omnem divinae legis normam composuit. Quare cum postea septimo anno Artaxerxis regis i. e. an. 457 vel 456 a. Chr. Esdras rediisset in Iudaeam, varia et apud primores et apud plebem invenit reprehensione digna; « non est separatus populus Israel, sacerdotes et levitae a populis terrarum et abominationibus eorum » (Esd. 9, 4 seq.). Esdrae monitionibus morum quaedam reformatio est effecta (Esd. 10, 1 seq.), at parum stabilis; adventante enim Ncehemia . anno vigesimo Artaxerxis variae denuo proferuntur querelae de iniustitiis et oppressione. pauperum, de societate inita cum alienigenis, de UeESent cultus divini (cf. Neh. 5, 4 seq. 9, 1-10, 31). Neque sub Nehemia constans morum emendatio est effecta. Cum ipse post annos duodecim rediret in Babyloniam, ea vitia denuo invaluerunt, cuius rei testis est propheta noster et ipse Nehemias qui in fine libri sui de ea morum perversione conqueritur (Neh. 13, "1 seq.). Populus autem afflictum rerum statum et miserum non sibi suisque peccatis attribuit, verum de Deo conquerebatur, qui populo suo electo non eum quem deceret favorem ostenderet et amorem ; immo ad id perversitatis aliqui progrediebantur, ut servitium Dei ullam afferre utilitatem audacter negarent. Propheta igitur totus in eo est, ut ostendat, Deum iis praestitisse ac praestare beneficia; verum ipsos esse perversos; sacerdotes a munere suo et officio turpiter descivisse; multos in re matrimoniali peccare eo quod uxores legitimas abiiciant et alienas adsciscant ; immerito eos conqueri de dilato auxilio et favore divino; venturum esse Messiam, sed bene sibi prospiciant, eum enim iudicium esse exerciturum ; si divina ope sint destituti et in statu afflicto, videant, quanta cum negligentia res divinas procurent; si vero totis animis Domino serviant, visuros esse magnalia Dei. In libello prophetico alii duas distinguunt partes 1-2, 16 et 2, 11-4, 6 (Schegg), alii tres agnoscunt 1, 2-2, 9; 2, 10-16; 2, 17-4, 6 (Ewald, Keil, Vigourouz, Trochon), alii quattuor, alii quinque minores, alii sex partes unius concionis propheticae distinguunt (cf. Reinke, Dleek, Naegelsbach, Schrader). Secundum argumentum varium sex quasi sectiones possuntassignari. Titulo praemisso in prima (1, 9-5) admonet vates Iudaeos ingratos et praedilectionis Deiimmemores, immo eam negantes, quantum prae Edomitis qui tamen a fratre Iacobi, ab Esau sint prognati, ipsis maiora beneficia praestiterit Deus : rempublicam enim Edomitarum esse prostratam ruina irreparabili, dum theocratia sit restituta et maiorem etiam gloriam sit auspicatura. Altera sectione (14, 6-2, 9) sacerdotes reprehenduntur, qui honorem Deo debitum sacrificiis pollutis et immundis graviter laedant ; quare talia sacrificia Deus omnino repudiat; purum enim sacrificium postulat, quale demum ubique tempore messianico ei offeretur. Nunc autem altare ab ipsis sacerdotibus despicitur et cum ignominia tractatur. Quod si non emendaverint, egestate, maledictione, abiectione erunt puniendi. Ut sacerdotum scelus et indignitas eo magis efferatur, describitur, quantum a foedere illo cum Levi inito et a veri sacerdotis forma et praeclara specie defecerint. In tertia sectione (2, 10-16) duo vituperantur, quae in re matrimoniali fiebant perperam : matrimonia enim ineunt cum dliehigenis contra pactum eum Deo conclusum et legem Dei, et uxores proprias sine ulla earum culpa dure repudiant, ita ut istae fletu et lacrimis.et gemitibus ad Dei opem implorandam altare Dei oppleant. Quam autem crudeliter et impie agant, ex foederis initi natura, dignitate, fine et ex eo, quod Deus eius foederis testis et sponsor et vindex sit, graviter demonstratur. Quarta sectione (2, 1'1-3, 6) eorum retunditur audacia, qui de rebus afflictis conquesti importune et cum impatientia expostulant cum Deo, quia non tamquam iudicii Deum et sui populi causam agentem se praebeat. Respondet vates, venturum esse Messiam ; sed eius adventum iis potius esse timendum, quia severum iudicem se sit exhibiturus, qui omnem iniquitatem et maculam districto iudicio et severa castigatione puniturus sit ; tum autem impietate ablata et peccatoribus punitis sanctam fore ac Deo placentem theocratiam. | Iis, qui de Deo conqueruntur, quasi ipse in reddendis promissis tardior esset, propheta in quinta sectione (3, 1-129) obiicit magnam ipsorum negligentiam in decimis et primitiis reddendis ; si autem fideliter reddiderint et solverint quae debeant, fertilitatem terrae et abundantiam fore pollicetur. Quare perperam (in sectione sexta, 3, 13-4, 6) et impie conqueruntur, quasi nullum sit emolumentum in Dei servitio : Deum enim sedulo attendere ad pios eosque beneficiis suis et gloria ornaturum esse, dum in tremendo iudicio impii quasi ingenti incendio sint absumendi. Quare omnes demum adhortatur, ut bene observent legem. Denique spondet, se missurum esse ante diem iudicii Eliam ad omnium conversionem, ne forte iudicis adventus ipsis vergat ad perniciem. Peculiare est Malachiae, quod sermo eius fere per interrogationes et responsiones incedat. Sententia enim quae argumenti summam complectitur proposita per modum interrogationis populi querelas et expostulationes et murmurationes in medium affert, quibus sermone longiore respondet (cf. 4, 2. 6. 1; 2, 14. 171; 3, 'l. 8. 14). Ceterum genus dicendi est facile, nitidum, concisum, a sublimitate et splendore tamen remotum, at planum et in ipsa simplicitate non sine elegantia quadam. Ita de eo iudicium fert Ros. : «stilo utitur pro saeculi sui genio satis eleganti, terso ac nitido, conciso tamen et ad aculeos in legentium animis. relinquendos composito et argumento suo tam in correptionibus quam in promissis scite attemperato ». Unde breviter libri partitionem ita designare poteris : introductione praemissa de populi electi praerogativa (1, 2-5) primo reprehenduntur sacerdotes de cultus divini neglectu et contemptu iisque et poenae denuntiantur et vera sacerdotis species quaedam ac figura proponitur (1, 6-2, 9) ; secundo populus reprehenditur, idque a) de re matrimoniali, in qua duplex peccatum committitur (2, 10-16); b) de importuna cum Deo expostulatione; cui iudicium opponitur messianicum (2, 17-3, 6); c) de negligentia in sacris tributis solvendis (3, 7-12) ; d) de impia et inepta accusatione Dei, quasi nullam ex eius servitio perciperent utilitatem, cui varia bonorum ac impiorum sors in iudicio manifestanda opponitur (3, 13-4, 6). Quare post introductionem ad omnes spectantem duas partes distingue, priorem speciatim de sacerdotibus, generatim de populo alteram. Anc. — Ostenditur praedilectio quam Deus habet erga Israelitas comparatione instituta cum Edomitis, qui quamvis ex fratre Iacob, ex Esau, prognati sint, tamen ita a Deo abiiciuntur, ut omnem instaurationis conatum evertere Deus sit paratus. In Israel autem Deus gloriam suam et maiestatem manifestabit. — Animos deiectos propheta erigere studet veritate solatio plena, eos revera diligi a Domino et huius dilectionis documentum et pignus cerni et haberi docet in instauratione reipublicae facta ; est ea quidem parva et exigua, at certissima fide scitur, magnam in ea praeformari et, praeparari salutem et gloriam. Quam apte in misera rerum conditione eiusmodi memoriae populi murmurantis offerantur, declaratione non indiget. Praemittitur prophetiae titulus : « Onus verbi Domini ad Israel in manu Malachiae » ; — cf. Zach. 9, 4; 12, 1; de significatione oneris vide ad Nah. 1, 1. Continet enim prophetia populi reprehensionem et minas Dei; quare merito oneris nomine designatur, quamvis laeta quoque et consolatoria exhibeat. Adverte, quam constanter prophetae oracula sua verbum Domini 'appellent et se ipsos solum tamquam ministros et quasi instrumenta considerent, per quos (i. e. in manu) Deus verbum suum, cum hominibus communicat. LXX habent 35g... £v yetpt a£ Àov a9*co in manu angelieius . « Seipsum angelum appellavit, quod divinorum sermonum administer esset » (TAeod.). In locutione ad Israel, cum non dicatur aperte et directe contra Israel, aliquid consolationis et quasi partem amicitiae inesse censet S. Hier. Notatu etiam dignum, nomen Zsrael de reducibus dici, qui potissimum ex tribu Iuda et Beniamin erant. lam S. Hier. advertit, abducto in captivitatem Israel i. e. decem tribubus indifferenter etiam duas tribus Iuda et Beniamin appellari Israel. Vel potius nomen honoris et dignitatis patriarchae Iacob ob suam in Deum fidem et constantiam et. patientiam inditum.ad totum populum theocraticum extenditur, idque iure, quia omnes tribus ex Iacob descendunt. Hac ipsa appellatione admonentur, ut eadem mente qua patriarcha, Deo serviant et ab eo benedictionem pro se et universo orbe reportent. Quare nemen frequens est in libris Esdrae et Nehemiae eo modo quo etiam a leremia, Ezechiele etc. adhibetur (cf. Reinke p. 1710). Cum populus afflictam rerum conditionem aegre ferret et memor vaticiniorum splendidorum magnificam Dei manifestationem cum impatientia exposceret, propheta aegris animis medicinam primo eo afferre studet quod ostendit et asseverat Deum, uti olim eos elegit et maxima dilectione per saeculorum cursum variosque eventus duxit atque protexit, ita nunc quoque eadem caritate eos prosequi et affectu et effectu ; nunquam enim fore ut electionem olim factam Deus fidelis et immutabilis revocet aut irritet. Quare hac suae dilectionis commemoratione murmurantibus non solum os obstruit querelasque fundi prorsus inanes ostendit, verum etiam eos ingratos esse et immemores beneficiorum collatorum accusat. Unde in ea rerum conditione insigne pondus habet verbum Dei :
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v. 2 « dilexi vos, dicit Dominus; et dixistis: in quo dilexisti nos »? — amorem Dei dicit qui et olim se miris modis prodidit et etiamnum perseverat. Cum autem. populum loquentem et quasi cum quadam indignatione interrogantem faciat, intima animorum sensa pandit et promit, quibus apud se de Deo murmurant et rerum angustias Deo exprobrant quasi nihil praeclari ab eo accepissent, immo vana spe et exspectatione ab eo essent delusi. Quare haec interrogationis forma minime in sola peculiari loquendi ratione, qua usus sit Malachias, reponenda est (uti volunt Schegg, Keil, Trochon), sed hac interrogatione optime delineat, quid populus secum iudicet, quo animo in Deum sint affecti; «illorum sensa promit, cogitationes aperit atque interpretatur. Mos Scripturae est dicere, quae quis cogitavit ab eo esse prolata, vel aliquem pronuntiasse, quae non protulit quidem, sed ita se gerit quasi ea sentiat ac proferat» (Calm.). Ingratum igitur eorum animum reprehendit, quo non agnoscunt neque in pretio habent praerogativam collatam (Theod. Theod. M.). Eorum murmur et impatientiam Deus exemplo et demonstratione praesenti et quasi palpabili castigat et retundit : « nonne frater erat Esau Iacob, dicit Dominus, et dilexi lacob,
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v. 8 Esau autem odio habui et posui montes etus in, solitudinem et hereditatem eius in. dracones deserti » ? — i. e. hereditatem eius (dedi) thoibus deserti vel canibus aureis, qui saepe ad vastitatem et loca deserta designanda a prophetis inducuntur (cf. Is. 13, 22 ; 34, 13. Ier. 10, 22 ; 49, 33 etc.). Deus illis in memoriam revocat, quam diversa fortuna utantur et quam felici prae Edomitis, quamvis et ipsorum et illorum origo ad unum eundemque patrem, ad duos eiusdem patris filios, ad fratres Iacob et Esau ascendat. Unde cum emphasi primo loco ponitur praedicatum: nonne frater erat Esau Iacobo? Duo sunt populi sanguinis cognatione intime coniuncti et tamen quam diverso loco et ordine a Deo habentur ? Dilezi lacob etc. potissimum spectari posteros lacob et Esau, multi interpretes (cf. Sanct. Lap. Tir. Reinke — et partim iam S. Hier.) rite agnoscunt et indubie ex eo colligitur, quia tamquam argumentum odii divini in Esau affertur, regiones Edomitarum ita esse vastationi traditas, ut ad instaurationem stabilem gens Edomitarum iam non sit perventura. Elucet igitur amor Dei praeclarus ac prorsus gratuitus in eo erga Iacobitas, erga populum Israel !, quod populum propter peccata enormia in exsilium eiectum nihilominus revocavit, eorum rempublicam instauravit et in hac ipsa instauratione documentum iis et pignus exhibuit instaurationis etiam magis gloriosae i. e. messianicae ; eos igitur dilexit, eos misericorditer ex afflictione et poena eripuit, eos qui nil tale meriti erant, cum gratia et amore denuo suscepit et ad patriam reduxit paratus etiam maiora praestare. Aliter autem egit et agit cum Edomitis. Etiam ipsi propter varia peccata poenas debitas incurrerunt; subiecti sunt et dispersi; regnum eorum est destructum, regio deserta ; ergo factum est, quod prophetae contra eos vaticinati erant (cf. Am. 1, 11. 12. Abd. 4 seq. ler. 49, "1 seq.). At Deus odium illud quod Edomitae contra se provocaverant, non aufert, iis non ita reconciliatur, ut eorum regnum restituat, verum eos in afflictione et desolatione quam amplissime meriti sunt, derelinquit. Israelitis igitur misericorditer ignovit, Edomitas iuste relinquit in ruina quam ipsi sibi intulerunt ; illos ergo diligit gratuito, hos iuste propter scelera admissa odio habet. Habes igitur in utroque populo adumbratam divinae gratiae et iustitiae administrationem ac dispositionem. Uterque populus sua culpa peccavit : alter misericorditer a Deo reparatur, alter in miseria relinquitur : alter sine ullo merito diligitur, alter iustissimis ex causis odio habetur. Deus enim miseretur cuius vult, et gratuitae divinae electionis participem fieri non est volentis neque currentis, sed miserentis Dei.- In hac acceptione illud Esau odio habui iam non adeo durum sonat, uti multis videtur. Dicit enim nihil aliud, nisi Deum Edomitas peccatores iusto prosequi odio ; insuper qua in re odium istud cernatur et declaretur, statim ab ipso vate subditur ut iam S. Ephr. notat : et posui montes etc. Quare omnino ad rem advertit Rib. : « atque ut explicet, quid sit odio habuisse, ait et posui i. e. feci ut eius urbes a Chaldaeis vastarentur et draconibus deserti habitandae traderentur: vos autem etiamsi capti ab iisdem Chaldaeis fueritis, reversi estis in patriam vestram eamque tranquille incolitis », et Men. : « cuius odii argumentum statim subdit ». Regio Edom vel Seir montibus est conspicua; quare saepe montes Seir commemorantur (cf. Gen. 14, 6; 36, 8. Deut. 41, 2; 2, 4 etc. Ier. 49 16. Abd. 4 et c.). Quamvis igitur posteri Iacob et Esau potissimum intelligantur, tamen in hac divinae praedilectionis demonstratione ipsum etiam patriarcham Iacob eiusque fratrem Esau respici, certum videtur, quia sermo cum emphasi effert : nonne frater etc. Utriusque enim populi sors iam adumbrata est in utriusque parentis indole varia et sortediversa. Iacob divina praedilectione praeventus sine ullo suo merito ad maiorem dignitatis gradum est evectus ; ipse est constitutus in serie illa patriarcharum, ex quorum nominibus se Deus appellare dignatus est Deum Abraham, Isaac et Iacob ; quare, ut Deus statim a primordiis populi electi liberam suam ostenderet electionem eamque a naturali praerogativa independentem, non Esau, sed Iacob in ius et benedictionem primogeniti succedere voluit. Atque haec patriarchae electio ad dignitatem illam theocraticam causa etiam est et ratio, cur Deus etiamnum Iacobitas diligat, cur eos in patriam restituerit. Verissime igitur de ipso patriarcha dici valet : Jacob dilexi. An etiam de ipso Esau alterum illud : Esau odio habui? ld hoc loco de ipso Esau dici, mihi non est persuasum. Subiuncta enim probatio de solis Edomitis valet et quotiescumque apud prophetas Edamitis vastatio annuntiatur, eius ratio nunquam ad Esau neque ad eius peccata neque ad odium divinum vel minorem in Esau dilectionem refertur, sed unice ad superbiam, arrogantiam et inimicitias Edomitarum, quas in populum cognatum adeo contumaciter exercuerint. Cum igitur probatio ex Edomitis deprompta sit et de solis procedat Edomitis, etiam ipsam sententiam quae probatione illustratur atque declaratur, de Edomitis esse accipiendam censeo, et cum utriusque partis par sit ratio, Iacob quoque statim de Israelitis accipio : unde ad probandam divinam praedilectionem sermo divinus commemoratis duobus fratribus Iacob et Esau prius quidem eorum .vocationem sortemque diversam in memoriam revocat, quae cum ex Geneseos narratione satis esset nota, ulteriore explicatione non indigebat, deinde vero statim transit ad variam Israelitarum et Edomitarum fortunam explicans et in memoriam reducens, quam misericorditer et gratiose Deus amore suo continuo prosecutus sit peccatores Israelitas, dum Edomitas peccatores iusto iudicio puniverit et puniat nec ruinam peccatis promeritam auferat i. e. Jacob dilexi, Esau autem odio habui. Neque haec verborum explicatio de populo a Iacob et Esau oriundo ullo modo pugnat cum argumentatione S. Pauli Rom. 9, 10 - 43, verum cum ea optime concordat. Adducit enim S. Paulus verba Malachiae ; ergo a priore certum est ea adduci in sensu illo quem habent apud Malachiam. Sensus igitur loci originalis primo est exquirendus et secundum hunc argumen(atio S. Pauli intelligenda. Concedo quidem si verba S. Pauli nude et per se spectentur, videri posse ea ad ipsos referri fratres. At si eius arguendi rationem, seriem et progressum bene excusseris, mox advertes, sensum e Malachia petitum non modo non pugnare cum argumento Apostoli, verum illud iuvare et explicare. Est enim Apostolus in ea epistolae parte totus in eo, ut probet a) aditum et vocationem ad regnum messianicum esse meram gratiam et gratuitam divinae benignitatis electionem ac misericordiam, b) quicumque puniantur et in suis peccatis relicti damnentur, puniri et damnari, quia quam maxime id promeriti sint. Hisce duobus S. Apostolus mysterium divinae electionis, in quantum hominibus illud suspicere fas est, illustrat et declarat. Iudaeis enim, qui vel suae stirpis nobilitate confisi sibi aditum ad regnum messianicum quasi deberi existimabant vel de parvo numero Iudaeorum Christi religionem amplectentium offensi eam repudiabant, ex populi electi historia prius probat, electionem ad theocraticam quandam dignitatem semper dependisse nona carnali stirpe, verum a Dei gratia : ita ex Abrahami filiis unus /saac est electus ad dignitatem illam patriarchalem ; ex eius filiis unus lacob et quidem ita, ut iam ante nativitatem eius haec apud Deum electio firma .fuerit atque rata : « non ex operibus, sed ex vocante dictum est ei : quia maior serviet minori », i. e. Jacob fruetur iure primogeniti, Iacob decorabitur praerogativa patriarchali ; ex hac autem electione efficietur, ut populus a Iacob oriundus dominaturus sit in populum ab Esau progenitum. Is enim sensus aperte ex verbis Geneseos quae a S. Paulo afferuntur, colligitur ; cum enim parvuli in utero Rebeccae colliderentur, responsum accepit mater a Domino : « duae gentes sunt in utero tuo et duo populi ex ventre tuo dividentur, populusque populum superabit et maior serviet minori » (Gen. 25, 23). Deus matri praenuntians sortem theocraticam diversam populorum a geminis eius progignendorum (dictum est ei a5x5, scil. matri) directe et immediate, eo ipso mediate et indirecte ei annuntiat electionem Iacob prae Esau. Inde cernitur, verba ea : maior serviet minori, non de ?pso solo Esau dici, uti et oratio contexta in Genesi et ipse probat eventus ; nunquam enim Esau fratri suo Iacob servivit !. Si autem ne ea quidem verba ad ipsum Esau et Iacob pertinent, sed posteros eorum spectant, multo magis id de subsequentibus valet: «sicut scriptum est : Iacob dilexi, Esau autem odio habui ». Hisce enim Apostolus iam ad alterum illud quod ostendere vult, gressum facit, scil. quicumque puniantur, iuste puniri, simul indicans, qua ratione per saeculorum cursum id in opus deductum fuerit, quod oraculo priore maior serviet minori annuntiabatur ; unde addit sicut scriptum est, quasi dicat : ecce quod in Genesi est praedictum, cernis ab ultimo demum propheta ex utriusque populi historia demonstratum et probatum : sine suo merito diligi populum Iacob, iuste puniri populum Esau. Atque utramque veritatem in brevi formula enuntiatam : Jacob dilexi, Esau odio habui, Apostolus in subsequentibus magis declarat, priorem illustrans verbis ad Moysen dictis v. 13. 16, alteram alio demonstrans exemplo in Pharaone conspicuo v. 171. 18, ita viam parans doctrinae quam postmodum enuntiat de vasis miscricordiae et de vasis quae se ipsa aptaverunt in interitum (v. 22 seq.) et quam brevi complectitur dicens : « vide ergo bonitatem et severitatem Dei » (Rom. 11, 292). Ex hisce apparet, neque illis assentiendum esse qui hos locos de praedestinatione ad gloriam et de reprobatione accipiant, neque illis qui dilectionem Iacobo praestitam et odium in Esau exhibitum ad sola bona temporalia (cf. Sanct. Lap. Tir.) restringunt. Non prioribus ; nam neque apud Malachiam neque apud S. Paulum sermo instituitur de praede- . stinatione ad gloriam, sed de electione et vocatione ad aditum regni messianici vel ad dignitatem quandam theocraticam, non autem praecise et per se de vita aeterna ; non posterioribus, nam bona Iacob et Israelitis collata et praerogativa illa et institutio et restauratio theocratiae in re et significatione et beneficiis adnexis multum excedunt ordinem bonorum mere temporalium. Qui odium habere de ipso Esau accipiunt, ad emolliendam locutionem viam ineunt duplicem. Vel enim locutionem mitigantes explicant de minore dilectione, de excellentia aliqua negata! — qua in re provocari potest ad locutiones similes obvias Deut. 21, 15 de uxore odiosa, Prov. 14, 20 de paupere odioso et praesertim ad Luc. 14, 26 : «qui non odit patrem suum ... non potest meus esse discipulus » ; quod odium apud Matth. 10, 37 quale esse debeat, a contrario describit : « qui amat patrem aut matrem plus quam me, non est me dignus » ; vel etiam ad Gen. 29, 30. 31 de Lia odio habita et de Rachel plus dilecta quam Lia (cf. hebr.); quibus adde Luc. 16, 13 « unum (dominum) odiet, alterum diliget » et Ioan. 12, 95 « qui odit animam suam in hoc mundo, in vitam aeternam custodit eam ». Vel dicunt, Esau esse odio habitum a Deo, quia eius peccata a Deo praevisa sint (cf. S. Cyr. Alb.) eta contraria ratione Iacob dilectum ; « itaque secundum praescientiam dignus dilectione habetur Iacob et meretur odium Esau» (Cyr.). At haec sententia male sonat et errorem gravem facile inferre potest. Unde in ea explicatione prior via est terenda. Bene dicit S. Augustinus de priore versiculi parte : « non electione meritorum quae post iustificationem gratiae proveniunt, sed liberalitate donorum Dei voluit intelligi » ; sed ad alteram quam sibi ponit quaestionem : cur in utero positus Esau reprobatus sit ? responsionem post longam rei disceptationem non aliam affert, nisi « Deus odit impietatem ; in aliis eam punit per damnationem, in aliis adimit per iustificationem » (cf. ad Simplicianum I quaest. 2; M. 40, 115-123). Án ergo peccatum originale causa est reprobationis ? Vel an de sola reprobationea gratia efficaci responsio erit intelligenda ? Hae omnes spinosae difficultates vitantur in ea verborum HECDUQUS quae supra ex contextu apud Malachiam est proposita. De eodem loco S. Hier. quoque tractat ep. 120 ad Hedibiam quaest. 10 ; M. 22, 998 seq. In commentario ad Mal. 1, 2 rem breviter expedit : « in Iacob vos dilexi, in Esau Idumaeos odio habui. Quem locum iH Paulus mystica disputatione eventilans scribit ad Romanos . .. non solum, ait, dilexi Iacob antequam nasceretur et odio habui Esau BE s ddp ex utero matris funderetur, sed in posteros eorum amorem meum et odium conservavi; odium in Esau, cuius montes redegi in solitudinem ... odium igitur in Esau rebus ostendi ». Demum iuvat adscribere, quomodo S. Thomas (in ep. ad Rom. cp. 9 lect. 2)rem consideret : « Esau odio habui propter peccata ... odium dequo hic loquitur pertinet ad reprobationem, qua Deus reprobat peccatores ... Praescientia peccatorum potest essealiqua ratio reprobationis ex parte poenae quae praeparatur reprobatis, in quantum scil. Deus proponit se puniturum malos propter peccata quae a se ipsis habent, non a Deo ». Verum ab hac disceptatione quae potius ad theologos pertinet revertendum est ad quaestionem exegeticam. Illud et posui montes eius rite plerique interpretum de vastatione regionis edomiticae per bella intelligunt (cf. S. Hier. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Rib. Sanct. Sa, Lap. Men. Mar. Calm. Reinke, Trochon) ; unus Schegg ita accipit, ut Deus dicat se ab initio pro Esau montes hos destinasse eosque propterea collocasse in deserto et hereditatem eius statim ab initio constituisse inter dracones et bestias deserti. At huic expositioni et verba repugnant et res ipsa et contextus ; verba, nam posu? montes eius desolationem et hereditatem draconibus illum sensum nequit habere vel saltem non habet nisi coacte, cum Q9 duplici accusativo iunctum idem sit quod latinum reddere, facere montes eius desertos (cf. Ps. 39, 9); res repugnat, nam regio edomitica non erat adeo deserta et sterilis; e contra Gen. 27, 39 Esau accipit benedictionem : « in pinguedine terrae et in rore coeli erit bene- - dictio tua » ; montes quidem Seir qui stricte dicuntur, horridi sunt et steriles, at altera regionis edomiticae pars El-schera (Esch-scherat) amoena est et frugifera (cf. Schenkel, Bibellex. II, 52). Demum contextus aliud suadet; nam v. 4& sermo est de desíructionibus quas reparare et reficere volunt ; ergo sermo est de vastatione ab hoste illata, non de desolatione a natura et origine regioni congenita. Alia est quaestio, quando haec vastatio et a quo sit effecta. Dubitandum non est, quin a Chaldaeis sit profecta sub Nabuchodonosore ; de qua re cf. Ier. 27, 3 seq., ubi etiam ad regem Edom mittuntur vincula et catenae et de Edom quoque dicitur : dedi terras istas in manu Nabuchodonosor regis. Accedit, quod argumentatio vatis eo est efficacior, si ab eodem populo et Israelitae et Edomitae sint destructi ita tamen, ut illis restitutis hi in ruina et abiectione maneant. Dum Nabuchodonosor Tyrum oppugnaret per 13 annos, tempus et occasio aderat ad gentes illas circa Palaestinam vastandas. Refert Flavius losephus (Antiq. 10, 9, 'i) quinto ab urbe destructa anno Aegyptios, Ammonitas et Moabitas a Chaldaeis fuisse expugnatos et subiectos ; nonne hisce bellis etiam Edomitas fuisse afflictos probabilissimum erit (cf. Reinke, Mal. p. 212)? - Hebr. ninm LXX vertunt ei; óópatx ; sim. Syrus ; vertit Chald. in. vastationem ; Sym. Theod. €i; Xvzzióxtx (cf. Hexapl. fragm. M. 16, 3007 et cod. svr.. hexapl.). E plerumque vocem hebr. explicant Q*3n| et bestias deserticolas, thoes intelligunt ; ia Aq. vertit si; os:9sva; ; S. Hier. dracones ; recentiores plerumque serpentes vel canes aureos (cf. Ros. Hits. Reinke l. c. 211) ; quae versio commendatur eo. quod vocem non à radice N3n quae in hebr. est inusitata, sed ab usitato 1? derivat; insuper ad Quam diversa sit post eadem peccata et similem ruinam sors utriusquc populi, ad oculum demonstratur consilio Dei, quo etiam clarius proponit, quanta Israelitas dilectione et quali Edomitas odio prosequatur
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v. 4 « quodsi dixerit Idumaea : destructi sumus, sed revertentes aedificabimus quae destructa sunt, haec dicit Dominus exercituum: isti aedificabunt et ego destruam, et vocabuntur termini iniquitatis et populus cui iratus est. Dominus usque in aeternum » ; —hebr. Edom; Edom nomine Esau vocabatur; cf. Gen. 23, 30; 36, 1. 8. 19; inde nomen totius regionis et populi; cf. Gen. 36, 9; hebr. etrevertemur et aedificabimus ruinas (desolationes) i. e. iterum aedificabimus; damna illata reparabimus. Similiter olim Samaritani dixerunt «in superbia et magnitudine cordis: lateres ceciderunt, sed quadris lapidibus aedificabimus; sycomoros succiderunt, sed cedros immutabimus » (Is. 9, 9. 10). At frustra; si rempublicam instaurare tentaverint, Deus ipse eam destruet; vane laborabunt; nam «nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam » (Ps. 126, 1). Hebr. et clamabunt eis: terminus impietatis vel vocabunt eos... regio eorum tamquam regio impiorum divino maledicto percussa iacet, ita ut Domini vindictam ultricem omnes statim-agnoscant et «regionem illam exsibilent et subsannent, dicentes: quam scelerata fuit haec terra, quam Dominus ita desolavit» (Lap.). Minis istis non excluditur, posse Edomitas a ruina illata respirare et aliquatenus rempublicam instaurare; verum hanc reparationem non fore stabilem, sed alia ruina esse excipiendam certo praedicitur. Quod revera aliquo modo instauraverint eversa, ex eo liquet quod a Machabaeis iterum vastati sunt(1 Mach. 5, 3. 2 Mach. 10, 16; Josephus, Antiq. 13,171, 9); tandem a Ioanne Hyrcano subiecti et ad circumcisionem adacti sunt (cf. Sanct. Reinke). « Iram meam aeterna eorum vastitas approbabit.... ex comparatione malorum quae frater vester patitur, Dei in vos beneficia sentietis » (S. Jlier.) Tunc abiecta murmuratione et pusillanimitate in laudem Dei prorumpent : v. $9 « eL oculi vestri videbunt et vos dicetis : magnificetur Dominus super terminum Israel » ; — hebr. magnus est Dominus ultra terminum (fines) Israel : LXX &yeqaX5v0r. Cum gaudio ac tripudio confitentur et praedicant magnificam Dei maiestatem, quae se potentem et gloriosam exhibet non tantum in Israel, verum ultra eius fines, ubique terrarum, in exaltatione suorum et in castigatione peccatorum. Exclamatio haec admirabunda et laus Dei, ad quam tandem aegri et impatientes eorum animi (cf. v. 2) assurgent, quam optime describit praeclaram instaurationem et eximiam divinae praedilectionis exhibitionem, qua demum recreati exornabuntur : dum Edom vastatio est aeterna, Deus Israel in medio populo suo et apud gentes exaltabitur; cum Deo suo etiam Ierusalem glorificabitur : « super te orietur Dominus et gloria eius in te videbitur, et ambulabunt gentes in lumine tuo et reges in splendore ortus tui » (Is. 60, 2. 3). Hac spe se de rebus afflictis solentur; hac spe vero etiam condemnent et abiiciant omnem animorum moerorem, impatientiam, socordiam ; hac spe ad omnem virtutem et obedientiam Deo praestandam se excitent ! Unde prooemio utitur sacer vates aptissimo, efficaci, temporis necessitati accommodato. ÀnG. — Sacerdotes immemores Dei honoris et timoris ei sacrificia polluta et immunda offerunt; quare eius gratiam frustra implorant et exspectant (1, 6-9). Illa sacrificia Deus repudiat; purum enim postulat, quod demum tempore messianico per universum orbem ei offeretur (14, 10-11). Nunc vero altare Dei contemptui habetur et indigne tractatur. At divina maledictione scelus tale punietur. Quod si sacerdotes non removerint, egestate et abiectione et maledictione a Deo punientur (4, 12-2, 4). Pactum enim Domini foede violarunt eta vera sacerdotis forma in Levi egregie adumbrata, quae doctrina et sanctitate ad hominum mores emendandos consistit, non solum ipsi turpiter recesserunt, scd etiam populum seduxerunt ; quare omnium contemptui merito exponentur (2, 9-9).
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v. 6 «l'ilius honorat patrem et servus dominum suum. Si ergo Pater ego sum, ubi est honor meus? et si Dominus ego sum, ubi est timor meus? dicit Dominus exercituum ad vos, o sacerdotes, qui despici- (is nomen meum et dixistis : in quo desperimus nomen tuum » ? — iure naturae, divino et humano honorare tenetur et si vere filius est, qualis esse debet, reipsa honorat i. e. amorem praestat et reverentiam et obedientiam (Lap.) ; similia officia incumbunt servo fideli. Saepius Deus tamquam populi sui pa/er i. e. creator et beneficentissimus bonorum omnium largitor, qui genuerit populum, portaverit, nutriat, in s. Scriptura exhibetur (cf. Ex. 4, 22. Deut. 32, 6. Is. 63, 16; 64, 8), et Deus qui parentum iura sua lege est tuitus (Ex. 20, 19. Lev. 19, 3. Deut. 8, 16), hanc legem etiam erga se observari vult. Quare eos acerbe repre- " hendit, qui labiis eum vocant patrem, Dominum, reipsa autem turpiter negligunt. Quoties v. g. sacerdotes et levitae in psalmis canendis Deum appellant laudantque Dominum ? at quam inconsiderate ! Unde Dominus conclusionem infert : ubi est timor et honor mihi debitus vestra ipsorum confessione? Ergo de eo tempore valuit quoque illud : labiis me honorant, cor eorum longe est a me. Cum emphasi dicitur. ad. vos, i. e. « vos quibus divinum ministerium commissum est quique duces ceteris ad virtutem esse debetis, vos ita vivitis, ut nullo me dignum respectu ostendatis » (Theod. M.), cum tamen « eiusmodi habeatis dominum, qui omnium rerum visibilium et invisibilium simul imperium tenet» (Theod.) ; quare Dominus exercituum vocatur (cf. Os. 49, 8). Verum sacerdotes ita callum obduxerunt, ut mirentur talem fieri ipsis obiurgationem. Putant enim se rite omnia peragere. Ad eiusmodi mentem designandam propheta eos facit interrogantes inm quo...? Quaestionis vim bene perpendit Theod. : « vos autem nec huius rei sensum capitis nec delictum cognoscere vultis; illud enim dixistis : in quo despeximus? hoc significat ; non quod eiusmodi verbis usi fuerint, sed quod istiusmodi cogitationes habuerint » ; quaerunt enim et expostulant, « quasi nulli se peccato obnoxios putarent, sed strenue sacerdotali satisfecisse muneri et divino honori cumulatissime consuluisse » (Sanct.). S. Hier. autem in modo quaerendi cernit dissimulationis impudentiam qua vulnus conscientiae protegant. « Vultis ergo scire in quo despexeritis nomen meum » (S. Hier.)? Responsio datur v. '1 « offertis super altare meum panem pollutum et dici- Lis : in quo polluimus te? in eo quod dicitis : mensa Domini despecta est» ; — panis Orb, uti rite iam advertunt veteres aliqui et recentiores approbant (cf. Vat. Clarius, Lap. Mar. Men. Tir. Calm. Retnke, Schegg, Keil, Trochon), dicitur omnis victima Deo oblata, utpote cibus Dei (cf. Lev. 91, 6 ; 22, 93 et praesertim Lev. 11, 3. 16 hebr.). Ita h. 1. etiam intelligi, ex eo patet, quia in subseq. de sacrificiis animalium est sermo; illa vero adolebantur et ceremabantur in cibum oblationis Domino (Lev. 41, 3. 46 etc.), vel in odorem suavitatis Domino etc. Est enim, ut Lap. notat, sacrificium etiam convivium quasi Dei, in quo Deus cum hominibus quasi comedere et bibere videtur; dein « quod ignis devorabat et consumebat, hoc censebatur Deus per ignem repraesentatus edere et consumere » (Lap.). Quare non opus est, panem solum explicare de oblationibus similae, placentarum etc. ! (S. Cyr. Sa, Sanct.) ; multo minus intelligi possunt (cum S. Hier. Theod. M.) panes propositionis ; isti enjm altari non imponebantur. Panis i. e. sacrificia sunt polluta, si victimae offeruntur non secundum legis praescripta ; excludebantur autem animalia caeca, clauda, manca ; victima debuit esse absque macula ; si secus, non licuit eam offerre (cf. Lev. 235, 19-25. Deut. 15, 91) nam « noli offerre munera prava, non enim suscipiet illa » (Eccli. 39, 14). « Atque ita quidem agentes, inquit, ne considerare quidem voluistis rei actae absurditatem. Nam vocabulum dicitis hic etiam pro animi affectione ponit ; id est, quasi nihil feceritis, ita animo affecti estis socorditer et absque sensu tantam patrantes iniquitatem » (Theod. M.). Deus vero dicitur pollui, cum ei polluta munera offeruntur, quia eo facto Deus contemnitur, ignominia afficitur et a sacerdotibus et offerentibus vilipenditur (Rib.). Deum autem polluunt, cum ignominia tractant et omnium despicatui exponunt, quia mensam Domini i. e. aram reipsa despicabilem faciunt et contemptam, quae quasi indigna sit honore et debitis sacrificiis. Eo ipso enim quod talia sacrificia admittunt, aram Dei ut rem vilem apud populum traducunt. Talis contemptus etiam augebatur forma templi et altaris viliore (cf. Esd. 3, 19. Agg. 2, 4). Iam qua ratione id perpetrent, explicatur
In prooemio divinam erga populum praedilectionem ostenderat vates. Iam quid Domino rependitur ? Bene nexum effert Alb. : « posito beneficio gratuitae dilectionis e contra ostendit Iudaeorum ingratitudinem ct ad hoc utitur humana similitudine et ratione ». Incipit a parte potiore, a sacerdotibus, qui peculiari ratione electi sunt, ut Deo appropinquent Deumque glorificent (Lev. 10, 3; 22, 3), quorum exemplum adeo multum valet in vulgus. Nam, ut h. l. adnotat S. Cyr. : « subiecta multitudo pene in omnibus principum bona exempla sequitur, nec mediocre detrimentum accipit, cum eos reverentiam erga Deum posthabere cernit ; statim enim eodem redigitur et desidia in cultu divino simul languet et ad magistrorum supinam negligentiam fingitur ». Atque convenienter « correctionem suam incipit propheta a correctione sacerdotum, quia rcformatio reipublicae et laicorum pendet a reformatione cleri et sacerdotum » (Lap.). Obiurgationem e veritate et usu communi et a lege ubique expostulata, quam ipsi sacerdotes a suis rigorose sane exigunt, illustrat et auget :
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v. 8 « si o/feratis caecum ad immolandum, nonne malum est ? et si offeratis claudum et languidum, nonne malum est » ? — magis nervosa est accusatio sacerdotum in textu hebr. per formam affirmationis : et cum affertis caecum ad immolationem, non est malum etc. non id a vobis malum et perversum neque illegitimum reputatur. Conscientiam iam habent satis obtusam et cum legis violatione talem inierunt familiaritatem, ut turpem rem iam existiment rectam et bonam vel saltem reprehensione carentem. « Et rei absurditatem ostendens ait » (Theod. M.) : « offer illud duci tuo, si placuerit ei aut si susceperit faciem tuam, dicit Dominus exercituum » ; — de duce cf. Agg. 1, 1; hebr. num te benigne excipiet (in te delectabitur, tibi propitius erit) aut gratum te habebit? faciem suscipere idem est atque alicui favere, ab eius partibus stare, eum gratum et acceptum habere. Bene exemplum expendit TAeod. M. : « agesis, si rei peractae absurditatem non agnoscis, fac periculum in offerendo principi et videsis, num excipiat, num tui reverens hanc iniuriam dissimulet ? Nonne contra a te magis offensus quam honoratus contumeliose te reiiciet cum tali oblatione tua » ? « et hoc audetis Deo offerre, quod dare hominibus non audetis » (S. Hier.)? Exemplum hoc omnino supponere videtur, talem adfuisse ducem, cui munera et tributa et vectigalia erant solvenda ; nam si duci nihil erat offerendum, si ergo poneretur casus fictus, vis sermonis esset. valde manca et oratio satis languida. Nehemias autem nihil a popularibus accepit ex iis quae ut dux postulare potuit (Neh. 5, 15- 19). Unde haec dicta sunt tempore, quo Nehemias in Babyloniam ad aulam regis erat reversus (Neh. 13, 6); vide supra p. 413 . Hac suppositione facta argumentatio est vere ad hominem. Cum ita reverentiam Deo tot titulis debitam seponant, qua ratione sacrificia Deo fore accepta precesque exaudiri vana spe sibi promittunt? Quare cum ironia eos iubet v. 8 : si offeratis caecum ... si offeratis claudum et infra 2, 12 offerre munus, 3, 9 offerre sacrificia et insuper vide usum eundem Ex. 32, 6. Lev. 2, 8; 8, 14. Iud. 6, 19. Am. 5, 23. Esse autem nnr22 vocem propriam ad sacrificium incruentum designandum, apud omnes in confesso est (cf. Lev. 2, 4 seq. ; 6, 13; 71, 9. Num. 15, 4 etc.). Neque ullum adest indicium, vocem accipi vel posse accipi sensu metaphorico. Primo enim m?nchaA nullibi sensu metaphorico de sacrificio analogico dicitur; secundo ubi voces ceteroquin sacrificiales de sacrificio metaphorico usurpantur, id non fit nisi addita quadam determinatione, uti iam bene notavit Bellarminus, dici scil. v. g. sacrificium laudis, iustitiae, hostiam vociferationis vel sacrificium Deo esse spiritum contribulatum vel sacrificium sanctificationis, sacrificium salutare esse attendere mandatis (Eccli. 35, 2) vel: «qui facit misericordiam, offert sacrificium » (Eccli. 38, 4) ; neque obstat Ps. 140, 2: «elevatio manuum mearum, sacrificium vespertinum »; psalmista enim a Deo efflagitat, ut orationem ipsius tam benigne respiciat et gratam habeat, ut acceptum ei est et gratum sacrificium vespertinum, utpote a Deo ipso ordinatum. Sacrificium veri nominis secundo h. ]l. prorsus exigitur oratione contexta. Adest enim, ut ait Bellarminus (1l. c.), « antithesis contemptus et gloriae Dei : per Hebraeos sacerdotes contemptum ac despectum fuisse nomen Dei, sed per oblationem gentium glorificatum. Hebraei autem Deum offendebant in publico ac visibili sacrificio, ergo gloria Dei etiam nasci debuit ex publico ac visibili sacrificio ; alioquin maior fuisset contemptus illatus nomini Dei in sacrificiis Hebraeorum, quam gloria in sacrificio gentium ; ille enim fuisset contemptus interior et exterior et privatus et publicus, haec autem gloria esset solum privata et magna ex parte interior ». Reiectis porro sacrificiis Iudaeorum eorumque minchah, alia statuitur oblatio (minchah) munda offerenda ubique : ergo nisi ratio evidens contrarium persuadeat, in utroque membro de vero et externo sacrificio debet esse sermo ; neque effatum aliter ab iis qui Malachiam loquentem audierunt, intelligi potuit. Adde quod pollutis illis opponitur munda oblatio. Illa polluta erant ob vilitatem materiae et defectus varios contra legem ; oblatio ergo munda talis sit oportet quae in se ita sit excellens, ut nulla negligentia sacerdotum possit maculari. Denique oratio ita est conformata, ut reiecto cultu illo manco sacrificali novus cultus introducendus sit, « constat autem sacrificia spiritualia precum, psalmorum et similium rerum omnia fuisse apud Iudaeos ; ergo non loquitur de sacrificio spirituali, sed de sacrificio proprie dicto » (Bellarminus). Quare merito concludit Corluy : « si propheta aliud intendisset quam sacrificium gentilitatis externum, verum ac proprium, auditores suos voluntarie decepisset ». Quale autem futurum sit sacrificium, ipso nomine minchah indicatur, quae vox propria est et sollemnis ad sacrificium designandum incruentum, fertum. Vide supra p. 432 et cf. p. 441 infra. Quareomnibus, quae a propheta praedicuntur, optime respondet sacrificium Missae in Ecclesia catholica. Est scil. cultus sacrificialis externus ab ortu solis usque ad occasum i. e. per universum orbem Deo inter gentes et a gentibus, i. e. ab iis exhibitus qui potissimum natione non sint Iudaei ; immo Ecclesia per orbem dilatata etiam eo sensu offertur a solis ortu usque ad occasum, ut nulla sit diei pars qua non in hoc vel altero hemisphaerio sacrificium offeratur. Haec oblatio fit in omni loco ; fit reiectis Iudaeorum sacrificiis ita, ut eorum omnium significationem omnesque fines in se uno complectatur ; per illud eximius, immo vero sensu infinitus Deo honor tribuitur, ita ut et tale sacrificium revera nomini eius magno debeatur et propter eximium istud ac dignissimum sacrificium honor nominis eius magni infi nito quasi splendore refulgeat et populis innotescat. Est oblatio munda, « quae nulla indignitate aut malitiaofferentium inquinari potest » , ut optime ait Concilium tridentinum (Sess. XXII cp. 1) ; est munda, quia victimam continet sanctissimam, pretiosissimam ; ideoque Deo est summe placens et accepta ; congrue designatur per m?nchah, cum sit sacrificium incruentum et sub specie panis et vini oblatum merito referatur ad sacrificium farinaceum, ad fertum, qualia ex lege mosaica farina, . polenta aut libis constantia cum oleo, sale, thure in altari offerebantur et cremabantur. Unde iure optimo Concilium tridentinum declaravit esse - Missam oblationem illam, « quam Dominus per Malachiam nomini suo, quod magnum futurum esset in gentibus, in omni loco mundam offerendam praedixit » (1l. c.). Hisce stabilitis solum reliquum est, ut quaeratur, quid sit suffitur. S. Hier. vertens sacrificatur notionem dat sacrificii generatim, quae adiecta determinatione et offertur oblatio munda ad certam sacrificii Speciem restringitur, ita ut sermo a generali et indefinito ad particulare et definitum atque distinctum progrediatur. Magis cum textu originali h. l. concordant LXX et Syrus (cf. supra p. 434). Hebr. suffitur plerique metaphorice explicant de veneratione et adoratione Deo praestita, ita ut preces sint odoramenta (Apoc. 5, 8) et thymiama orationes sanctorum (S. Hier.). Metaphora inde peti potest, quod incensum adolere signum erat externum cultus interni et venerationis et adorationis ; inde volunt incensum adolere esse orationis symbolum (cf. Lap. Reinke). Non nego varia in incenso eiusque odore excogitari posse, quae orationem piam apte adumbrent et symbolice exhibeant. At in interpretando non agitur, quid possitesse, sed quid s? ; quaerendum scil. est, non utrum nobis eiusmodi metaphora familiaris, sed utrum veteribus, utrum Malachiae fuerit necne. Et in hac re experior difficultatem. Frequentissime enim in V. T. de suffitu vel incenso est sermo ; at nullibi sensu metaphorico, ubique sensu proprio (etiam Hab. 1, 16). Neque iure opposueris Ps. 140, 2 et Apoc. $, 8. Nam « dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo » non ipsa oratio dicitur incensum, sed petitur, ut Deus orationem hominis habeat acceptam et gratam, sicut ei placet sacrificium thuris, quod etiam clarius, ut addit Bellarminus ad hanc textus acceptionem, posuit Daniel : cum ait : «in animo contrito et in spiritu humilitatis suscipiamur, sicut in holocausto arietum et taurorum et sicut in millibus agnorum pinguium » (Dan. 3, 39, 40). In Apocalypsi autem non est locutio metaphorica, sed visio sensibus exhibita enarratur ; at ex eo quod in tali visione phialae aureae plenae odoramentorum cernantur, ut exprimatur orationes sanctorum ascendere ad thronum Dei esseque gratas, non sane concludi potest, incensum in s. literis V. T. metaphorice dici pro oratione. Locutio vero metaphorica apud Malachiam etiam ex eo excluditur, quia cum minchah, quae vox metaphorice capi nequit, revera fere semper thus erat coniunctum (cf. Lev. 2, 1. 15; 6, 15; 24, '). Quare non video, quomodo iure ad locutionem metaphoricam confugiamus. Neque id opus est. Nam ubique et frequenter in cultu liturgico thus adoletur, et adoletur in oblatione Missae sollemniore. Id casu ac fortuito fieri dicet nemo. Ergo revera prophetia ad literam impletur. Si autem (alis est impletio, cur eandem esse praedictionem asserere dubitabis? Veram .explanationem iam profert Theod. ita oraculum proponens : « omnium terrarum habitatores, quas sol exoriens et, occidens radiis suis illustrat, et ubique incensum (8op(xuxx) mihi offerent et hostiam puram mihique gratam sacrificabunt ». Exinde tamen minime consequitur, incensum habere ratiomem veri sacrificii in N. T. ; neque enim in V. T. thus ferto additum erat sacrificium distinctum, et cum in oraculo nostro ita coniunctum cum minchah efferatur, de sacrificio thuris cogitari nequit. Ceterum si dicitur suffitur, nihil aliud indicatur nisi quod verbum de se dicit ; utrum ei insit ratio sacrificii vel sola honoris significatio, aliunde determinari debet. Talis autem oblatio munda per orbem frequentabitur, quia magnum est nomen meum i. e. « causa cur gentes Deo offerant tam puram et nobilem oblationem est, quia magni me meumque nomen aestimabunt ; credent enim et profitebuntur me esse summum et augustissimum numen, ideoque summam et augustissimam hostiam mihi offerent » (Lap.). Vide inde, quam verum sit, Dei cultum tanto magis florere eiusque nomen eo magis honorari, quo maiore devotione, frequentia, sollemnitate augustissimum Missae sacrificium offertur ; cultum autem publicum et Dei adorationem languescere et emori, ubi istud non habetur sacrificium aut ubi negligitur. Hoc solo vaticinio sectae protestantium qui dicuntur prostratae iacent et a vera Ecclesia per prophetas descripta exclusae et separatae. lium probat quam indecens sit iis qui epulas sacrificales N. T. Eucharistiam perceperunt, in idolio recumbere ? sed epulae sacrificales sacrificium supponunt. Cur non etiam Hebr. 13, 10 « habemus altare, de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deserviunt» sacrificium N. T. commendari censendum est ? Apte h. l. in memoriam revocatur, quod iam scripsit Bellarminus contra Chemnitium, qui simili modo urgebat in T. N. inveniri sacrificia fidelium spiritualia, ergo de vero sacrificio Malachiam non esse locutum. Cui respondet Dellarminus : « si in novo Testamento legeremus, nulla esse sacrificia fidelium nisi spiritualia, argumentum Chemnitii recte concluderet. At nusquam id legimus. Non autem licet concludere ex eo quod sunt in Ecclesia quaedam sacrificia spiritualia, nulla esse proprie dicta vel prophetam loqui de spiritualibus ; alioquin quoniam in Testamento veteri multa erant etiam sacrificia spiritualia, liceret eodem modo concludere, non fuisse in Testamento veteri sacrificia proprie dicta ». Demum in vaticinio adeo insigni quo eximio modo Ecclesia catholica demonstratur tamquam vera Ecclesia, quippe in qua sola adest veri nominis sacrificium offerendum omni in loco !, nemo aegre feret, si praeclara quaedam Patrum testimonia recitantur de sensu quo hoc oraculum semper ab antiquissimo tempore intelligebatur. Venerandae antiquitatis testimonium, vaticinium hoc de s. Eucharistiae sacrificio esse intellectum a primordiis religionis christianae, nobis iam offertur modo quam maxime claro atque perspicuo in Doctrina Apostolorum, opere antiquis noto et saepe a Patribus laudato, quod nostro demum tempore a Philotheo Bryennio iterum inventum et editum est Constantinopoli 1883. Testimonium hoc eo gravius censeri debet quia argumentis haud spernendis libellus iste saeculo primo aerae christianae videtur esse attribuendus (cf. Cornely, Introd. I p. 214; Bickell, Zeitschrift f. kath. Theol. 1884 p. 402; Sabatier, la Didaché, Paris 1885, p. 150 seq.). Ibi autem legimus cp. 14, postquam mentio iniecta est de confessione peccatorum ut pura sit oblatio vestra 0ucíz 049v, des. Eucharistia, quae bis 6vcta appellatur : a3: tp £octs d; brOstoa 05 Kuplou* £y xavst sóxo wal ypóvo xpoqet£petw pot ucíav xa0ap&v etc. S. Irenaeus (adv. haer. 4,471, 5. M. 1,1023) Eucharistiae a Christo confectionem refert : « calicem similiter ... suum sanguinem confessus est et novi Testamenti novam docuit oblationem, quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo, ei qui alimenta nobis praestat, primitias suorum munerum in novo Testamento, de quo in duodecim prophetis Malachias sic :praesignificavit ... manifestissime significans per haec, quoniam prior quidem populus cessabit offerre Deo, omni autem loco sacrificium offeretur ei et hoc purum ». S. Justinus (dialog. c. Tryph. 41 ; M. 6, 564) loco ex Malachia recitato addit : « de lis quae in omni loco anobis gentibus ei offeruntur sacrificiis, hoc est de pane Eucharistiae et de calice similiter Eucharistiae iam tum praedicit, illud etiam addens nomen suum a nobis glorificari, a vobis autem profanari ». Eusebius (dem. ev. 14, 10 ; M. 22, 89-93) plura de sacrificio Eucharistiae praefatus v. g. « post omnia (Christus) quasi mirabilem quandam victimam sacrificiumque eximium Patri suo operatus pro nostra omnium salute obtulit eiusque rei memoriam ut nos ipsi Deo pro sacrificio offerremus continuo, instituit » et « huius sacrificii memoriam signis quibusdam in mensa celebrandam corporisque item illius salutarisque sanguinis, ut novi Testamenti institutum habet, accepimus », demum oraculum Malachiae recitat : « quod futurum erat nostrum ipsorum institutum divinitus nuntiat : quoniam ob ortu solis ... sacrificamus Deo plenum et horrorem afferens et sacrosanctum sacrificium, ' sacrificamus novo more secundum novum Testamentum hostiam mundam ... Igitur et sacrificamus et incendimus (0jsyev xai 0op:iópev), alias quidem memoriam magni illius sacrificii secundum ea quae ab ipso tradita sunt mysteria celebrantes et gratias Deo pro salute nostra agentes, alias nos ipsos totos ei consecrantes » etc. (cf. Eclog. proph. 299 ; M. 29, 1156). Atque S. Chrysostomus nostro loco recitato sic Iudaeos exagitat (adv. Iud. 5 ; M. 48, 902) : « quando haec evenerunt, Iudaee ? quando in omni loco incensum oblatum est Deo? quando sacrificium purum? non possis aliud proferre tempus quam hoc posteaquam Christus advenit. Quod nisi de hoc tempore praedixit, nisi de nostro sacrificio vaticinatus est, sed de iudaico, etiam legi repugnat prophetia ; . . fidenter dicimus, nostrum sacrificium solum dici debere mundum ; non enim per fumum et nidorem, non per sanguinem et redemptionis pretia, sed per Spiritus gratiam offertur ». S. Hier. in hanc prophetiam advertit, praedici « in omni loco offerri oblationem, nequaquam immundam, ut a populo Israel, sed mundam, ut in caerimoniis Christianorum » et ad Ez. 21, 25 seq. (M. 25, 207) scribit de hoc Malachiae oraculo : « quae munda oblatio sine sanguine hircorum, arietum atque taurorum in Christi completur adventu ». S. Augustinus (de Civ. Dei, 18, 35 ; M. 41, 594) allato vaticinio ita pergit : «hoc sacrificium per sacerdotium Christi secundum ordinem Melchisedech cum in omni loco a solis ortu usque ad occasum Deo iam videamus offerri, sacrificium autem Iudaeorum ... cessasse, quid adhuc exspectant alium Christum » ? et vide l. c. 19, 23 (M. 41, 655), et in Ps. 95 n. 13(M.37, 1421) : « quaeris sacrificium apud Iudaeos ; non habes secundum ordinem Aaron ; quaeris secundum ordinem Melchisedech ; apud illos non invenis, sed per totum orbem celebratur in Ecclesia ; et dicit illis Deus : non est mihi voluntas in vobis etc. » !. S. Cyprianus in libris testimoniorum adversus Iudaeos (1, 16; M. 4, 6871) affert oraculum Malachiae, ut probet « quod sacrificium vetus evacuaretur et novum celebraretur ». Theod. ad vaticinium haec adnotat : « cessavit loco cireumscriptus cultus sacerdotum, omnis autem locus ad Dei cultum idoneus est declaratus et victimarum quidem ratione carentium caedes finem cepit, solus autem immaculatus agnus sacrificatur, qui tollit peccatum mundi et tamquam signum virtutis odoratum offertur incensum ». De Eucharistia scribens dicit S. Joannes Damascenus (de fid. orth. 4, 44; M. 94, 1149), qui doctrinam Patrum graecorum fideliter referre solet et uno quasi conspectu exhibere : « hoc purum illud et incruentum sacrificium est, quod ab ortu solis usque ad occasum sibi oblatum iri Dominus per prophetam dixit ». Neque ab hac explanatione recedit S. Cyr. in commentario, quamvis non adeo clare loquatur : « praenuntiat in omni loco ac gente sacrificia munda et incruenta (0ocíaxt xax0zgal xat avatyaxvo) ^ nomini suo oblatum iri, non iam sacerdotibus illis eius (scil. nominis) dignitatem obscurantibus neque incuriose spiritualem cultum ei offerentibus sed cum diligentia, bonitateet sanctimonia incensorum spiritualium suaveolentiam offerre satagentibus, fidem scil. spem, caritatem et honestamenta bonorum operum, ita constituto scil. Christi sacrificio coelesti ac vivifico, per quod destructa est mors et caro ista terrena et corruptioni obnoxia incorruptionem induitur » ; ait igitur S. Cyr. offerri cultum spiritualem, quem consistere dicit virtutibus et bonis operibus, et hisce contineri thym?ama spirituale; sed ad hoc apponi, vel ad hoc ulterius addi (xgogrezayuévug SqAovóst zs Xeisvoo Üuclac) Christi sacrificium. secrationem ab eo dici benedictionem ; notum est enim illam saepius vocari eulogiam ; dein Tertullianus (de orat. 19; M. 1, 1181) de sacrificiorum orationibus loquitur, intelligens sacrificium eucharisticum : «similiter et stationum (i. e. ieiuniorum) diebus non putant plerique sacrificiorum orationibus interveniendum, quod statio solvenda sit accepto corpore Domini. Ergo devotum Deo obsequium Eucharistia resolvit, an magis Deo obligat? Nonne sollemnior erit Statio tua si et ad aram Dei steteris ? Accepto corpore Domini et reservato utrumque salvum est et participatio sacrificii et exsecutio officii ». Eandem interpretationem vaticinii etiam interpretes catholici et antiquiores et recentes strenue tuentur. Haimo eo praedici ait « sacrificium quod nunc frequentat Ecclesia » ; Rup. : « et offerunt nomini meo oblationem mundam, oblationem panis et vini, sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Redemptoris sui » ; Lyranus : « dicendum quod iste passus loquitur ad literam de sacrificio novae legis, quod est Eucharistia, quod est mundissimum et Deo acceptissimum » ; et sim. Alb. Rib. Sanct. Lap. etc. Reinke (cf. praeter comment. in Mal. eius vaticin. mess. 1V, 2. p. 339) Schegg, Allioli, Loch, Trochon, Corluy etc.
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v. 9 « et nunc deprecamini vultum Dei, ut misereatur vestri (de manu enim vestra factum est hoc), si quomodo suscipiat facies vestras, dicit Dominus exercituum » ; — i. e. « cum tales sitis et eiusmodi sacrificiis irritetis me potius quam placetis, in vanum deprecabimini ; cuius rationem reddit, quia de manu vestra factum est hoc ; quod perinde est atque si diceret : a vobis est hoc opus i. e. a peccatoribus... neque ista mala videtur explicatio » (Sanct.). Eundem sensum ironicum etiam agnoscunt Clarius et Arias Montanus (teste Lap.), Reinke, Schegg, Keil ; recte quidem ; eum enim sensum suadet parenthesis, qua propheta denuo eos reprehendit de tam absona agendi ratione — a manu vestra factum est hoc — suadet interrogatio subiuncta in hebr. : num accipiet a vobis (vestra causa, propter vos) facies i. e. num Deus alicui propitius erit vel esse poterit propter vestram agendi eumque placandi rationem ? num: vos tales estis vel talia facitis, ut Deus placari possit? Idem demum suadetur iis quae immediate sequuntur. Pergit enim propheta in, reprehensione, immo eam auget dicens satius esse, si omnino non sacrificarent ; talia sacrificia prorsus repudiari a Domino (v. 10). — Alii tamen veram ac seriam ibi deprehendunt admonitionem (cf. S. Hier. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Rib. Lap. Trochon) ; dein latinum si quomodo etc. rei difficultatem ostendit et ea dubitatione tacite incitantur, ut eo ardentius orent et ex animo agant poenitentiam (cf. Rib. Men.). Pergit Deus in reprehensione sacerdotum eamque auget dicens satius fore ut fores templi claudant et omnino nullam inferant oblationem. Modus est loquendi eius qui cum indignatione rem sacram adeo profane tractari conqueritur. Ita quidem ex hebr. ad. literam : quis etiam ex vobis et claudat fores et non incendat altare frustra ; locutio est exoptantis (cf. 2 Sam. 15, 4. Iob 19, 23) : utinam etiam (potius) aliquis fores clauderet neve frustra altare incenderet ; frustra id fit, quia Deo displicet qui tali sacrificio non placatur sed irritatur ; ita Clarius, Vat. Figuerius (apud Sanct.), Sa, Mar. Schegg, Reinke, Keil, Pressel, Trochon ; . quem sensum etiam Chald. exprimit. — Aliter ex versione S. Hier.; illorum enim negligentia ex eo perstringitur, quia quamvis mercedem et emolumenta ex altari cultuque sacro percipiant, tamen adeo contemptim res sacras tractant :
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v. 40 « Quis est in vobis qui claudat ostia et incendat altare meum gratuito » ? — i. e. merces penditur pro minimo quoque servitio ; cur ergo rem negligitis? « nullus enim in vobis usque ad extremum ministerium, non dico pontifex, non sacerdos, non levita, non cantor, sed nec ianitor quidem et is qui ignem supponit altari ad cremandum holocausta, qui non a me mercedem accipiat laboris sui ; hoc autem dicens decimas significat omnium frugum, quae offeruntur a populis » (S. Hier.) et ea quae de sacrificiis cedebant in usum ministrorum altaris. Ergo : « mihine gratis obsequimini? cur ergo remissam adeo servitutem mihi exhibetis » (Calm.)? et sim. Rib. Lap. Men. Tir. Eundem sensum S. Cyr. scribit etiam subesse textui hebr. ; ita enim habet : « Sciendum Hebraeorum editionem alium sensum reddere alio verborum contextu ; dicit enim : vos et levitae et sacerdotes qui extremum in templo locum obtinent, a vobis constituti, ut ostia claudant, non accendetis altare meum gratis, hoc est, sine mercede non servitis, sive sacerdotio non fungimini, cum populus decimas et primitias et dona gratiarum actoria vobis offerat ». Alii in versione latina accusationem avaritiae deprehendunt (Rup. Alb. Sanct.). Id certe minus apte, quia talia servitia gratis praestare nemo tenebatur et ministri altaris de altari vivant oportet, cum aliunde sibi victum quaerere neque deceat nec commode fieri possit. S. Hier. omisit particulam negativam in altero membro; eam vero tuentur LXX, Syrus, Chald. et sensus omnino exigit. LXX legerunt *2 (pro YD), uti etiam unus cod. hebr. apud de fossi habet, et sensum efferunt alium : propterea et in vobis claudentur ostia et non succendetur altare meum gratis i. e. Deus minitatur fore, ut templi ostia claudantur et ignis sacrificialis exstinguatur ; abolitionem igitur hoc iam loco praedici (cf. S. Cyr.) ; àwpskv explicat Theod. : « non patiar temere (ucav) victimas offerri, cum ad neminem utilitas ulla inde perveniat ». Illud frustra reddit Chald. : ne offeratis hostiam exsecrandam super altare meum ; intellexit porro "N51 de crematione hostiae ; sim. Syrus : ne Dixit : satius esset ostia claudere templi (1. e. atrii. interioris, ubi erat altare holocautomatum) et ignem sacrum in altari omnino non accendere, quam hostias offerre immundas et pollutas contra legis praescriptum. Indignationem suam ulterius pandit addens se iam nullo in eos beneplacito, nulla propensione tangi et non solum animalia illa caeca et languida tamquam victimas repudiare, verum etiam aliud sacrificiorum incruentorum genus nolle accipere ab eorum manibus : « non est mihi voluntas in. vobis, dicit Dominus exercituum, et munus non suscipiam de manu vestra» ; — hebr. non est mihi beneplacitum in. vobis ; munus. n3 dicitur quidem aliquoties sensu generico de sacrificiis generatim vel etiam de sacrificiis cruentis (cf. Gen. 4, 4 sacrificium Abel dicitur minchah ; 4 Sam. 2, 171 etiam de cruentis sacrificiis est sermo), dicitur quoque saepe de donis et muneribus, quae principibus et nobilibus offeruntur (cf. Iud. 3, 43. 1 Sam. 10, 21. 1 Reg. 5, 1. 2 Reg. 11, 4. Ps. 45, 13. Os. 10, 6 etc.) ; at in usu liturgico vox est sollemnis et terminus technicus de sacrificio incruento, de ferto, de oblatione frumentacea, quae farina, polenta, libis constabat et cum oleo, sale, thure in igne altaris cremabatur et cui libatio vini quandoque iungebatur ; cf. Lev. 2, 4 seq. 6, 1l. | Talia sacrificia incruenta offerebantur vel pro arbitrio atque devotione singulorum, vel ex legis praescripto ; hoc v. g. obtinebat in iugi sacrificio quotidiano (Num. 28, 5). Iam quo sensu vox minchah erit h. l. capienda? Sunt qui eam h. l. sensu generico de sacrificio in genere ! accipiant (Reinke, Trochon, Corluy, Spicilegium dogmatico-biblicum, II p. 399), et tamen eandem vocem in versu subsequenti sensu stricto explicent. Sed talis vocis eiusdem in sententiis immediate iunctis explicatio diversa non placet neque ulla adest eius vel necessitas vel utilitas. Commodior est ac plane apta ea vocis acceptio quae in re sacrificiali unice locum habet. Versu enim '] Deus conquestus est de cibo polluto, qui cibus omnia sacrificia complectitur; iam in subsequentibus prius sermonem fecit de sacrificiorum cruentorum genere (v. 8) eaque reprehendit ; nunc ad incruenta quoque sermonem transfert et ita id quod v. " indicaverat, per singulas suas partes est expositum. Ita simul sermonis habes progressum : declarat enim Deus se ab iis accipere ne illa quidem sacrificia velle, quae dummodo farina, simila, oleum, vinum et ceterae res adhiberentur, natura sua erant oblationes mundae Deoque placentes; se igitur repudiare non solum sacrificia quae manca sint, verum ea quoque in quibus materia inepta ne eligi quidem poterat ; ergo omne sacrificium ab iis oblatum se fastidire et abiicere, magno cum pondere manifestat. Quare hanc vocis significationem propriam h. l. bene censuit retinendam Hitz. qui adnotat : fertum quoque quamvis sit ex legis norma praeparatum nolle Dominum ex illorum manu accipere, quia propter prava sacrificia cruenta sacrificulos offerentes ipsos reprobet. Quam vero dignus sit omni poena talis contemptus Deo exhibitus et quam merito Deus cum nausea sacrificia illa immunda et sacrificulos peccatores abiiciat et repudiet, sublimi modo et argumentatione a maiori ostenditur vaticinio duplici de maiestate et gloria Dei per universum orbem et in cunctis gentibus manifestanda et de oblatione munda ubique offerenda. Est scil. summa rei indignitas Deum adeo sublimem negligere, et si Deus gloriam suam splendide diffundere vult et manifestare ubique terrarum apud omnes gentes, plane tolerari nequit, ut haec gloria ei negetur a sacerdotibus populi electi, quorum erat gloriae illius diffusionem praeparare. Et si Deus mundam respicit oblationem ubique ei offerendam, certe res erat indignatione plena, huius oblationis typum, figuram, praeparationem adeo turpiter tractari ab iis, quos ad regale sacerdotium et messianicae sacerdotalis dignitatis adumbrationem evexerat. Decebat enim expiationem messianicam et summam oblationis mundae sanctitatem adumbrari sancte et digne 1. e. oportuit vetera offerri sacrificia eo honore et decore, ea reverentia .et devotione, quae ad tantam mysterii sacri significationem typicam rite exprimendam requirebatur. | Quare Deus haec omnia considerans iuremerito sacerdotes repudiat et sacrificia illa quae sacerdotum culpa utpote dignitate sua exuta iam non cultum a Deo expetitum adumbrare possunt. Ita ratio redditur pro antecedentibus in
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v. 14 « ab ortu enim so]is usque ad occasum magnum est nomen meum 1n gentibus et in omni loco sacrificatur et offertur nomini meo oblatio munda, quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus » ; — tempus designatur messianicum ; primo enim Dei nomen magnum, i. e: Dei maiestas dicitur agnosci, celebrari, praedicari et omni obsequio honoris et excellentiae adorari per orbem universum inter gentes ; a. solis ortu etc. totum designat terrae ambitum, quem sol ab ortu usque ad occasum perlustrat et lutnine suo exornat (cf. Ps. 49, 1; 112, 3. Is. 43, 6 ; $9, 19) ; Deum autem per orbem universum et a gentibus agnosci et laudari, constanter a prophetis tempori instaurationis theocratiae, i. e. periodo messianicae adscribitur (cf. Is. 11, 9; 49, 6; 60, 9; 66, 19. Am. 9, 12. Mich. 4, 2. Ps. 21, 98; '14, 10. 11 etc.). Secundo offerri in omni loco mosaicae legis et institutionis abolitionem dicit, qua uno solum in loco, quem Dominus elegit, sacrificare licuit ; tertio offerri oblationem messianici, ubi et lex mosaica oblivioni est data (cf. Ier. 3, 16) et gentes remotis limitibus veteris theocratiae (cf. Mich. 7, 11) sunt sanctae et . Deo placentes. Cum igitur ex serie prophetiarum indiciis adeo claris tempus messianicum designetur, non audiendi sunt qui propter participia hebr. non tempus futurum sed praesens describi volunt. Quasi non etiam apud Hebraeos participium adhibeatur de re futura (cf. Gen. 45, 14) vel quasi non sollemne sit apud prophetas res futuras praesentes sistere et tamquam praesentes videre et describere ; cf. Is. 7, 14; 9, 5. Delineat enim participium statum et conditionem permanentem (cf. Ewald, Lehrb. 2. 168 c). Textum hebr. optime vertes : :n omni loco suffitur, offertur Avomini meo et quidem oblatio munda ; LXX £v xav sóxo 0vupíaya vpog- &yeczat éri 5 ovépatl uou xat Oucla xabapa. Hoc oraculum de tempore messianico valere, etiam inde patet, quia de tempore prophetae tale effatum nullo modo dici potest. Eo enim tempore nomen Dei apud gentes non erat notum ea ratione qua hic asseritur neque omni loco ei munda oblatio offerebatur. Theod. M. quidem verba refert ad gentilium sacrificia, qui in cultu suo numen venerantes verum Deum adorasse censeri possint : « ubique terrarum nomen meum cuncti sectantur cuiusque regionis incolae; nam singuli Deum colere satagunt eiusque nomen venerari ceu principis et domini, cuiuscemodi ego revera suni, adeo ut etiamsi errore decepti nomen iis quos non decet imponunt, nihilominus nomen adhuc meum quodammodo honorent omnes et in nomine meo sacrificia perficiant, dum omnium rerum maximam et excellentissimam iudicant divinitatem (xà 8eic» — numen divinum) ». Hanc sententiam cum plausu exceperunt suamque fecerunt Arias Montanus, Hitz. Koehler aliique; at. perperam. Nam, uti iam adnotat Bellarminus (de Missa, I cp. 10de Controversiis II p. 986; Ingolstadii 1994), illa oblatio nullo modo dici potest munda, nec Deo vero offerebant; quae enim gentes immolant, daemoniis immolant non Deo, dicit Apostolus (1 Cor. 140, 20). Porro teste Apostolo eodem gentes cognoverunt quidem Deum, at non sicut Deum glorificaverunt aut gratias egerunt, sed creaturae potius quam creatori servierunt. (Rom. 1, 21-25), neque dici potest Apostolum Atheniensibus innuisse, cum aram deprehenderet inscriptam ignoto Deo, gentes ignorantes Deum coluisse. Apostolus enim ex hac inscriptione capit opportunitatem illis annuntiandi Deum revera illis ignotum ; nullo autem pacto docet Athenienses eousque verum Deum iam coluisse. Absurda quoque est sententia a Hitz. proposita, prophetam indicare voluisse, lahve, Ormuzd, Iovem et forte alia deorum nomina non esse nisi varias unius eiusdemque numinis divini appellationes. Id quod, ut alia omittam, iam ex eo patet, quia propheta non dicit in universum Dei vel Divinitatis vel numinis nomen esse venerationi, sed distincte et expresse nomen Iahve Sabaoth magnum esse in gentibus. Quare alii!, uti Ewald, Pressel, oraculum hoc referunt ad Iudaeos inter gentes dispersos qui fideliter Deo adhaereant eique sacrificia incensi variasque oblationes (scil. quae teruma '"2*n vocabantur) dedicaverint. Sed obstant haud pauca. Falsa enim supponuntur; dein etsi ea concesseris, ne verbis quidem prophetae satisfieret. Gratis asseritur, Iudaeos dispersos aliqua sacrificiorum genera obiisse; gratis quoque supponitur eos qui invitationi tam urgenti (cf. Zach. 2, '1) et frequenti non obsecuti inter gentes remanserunt, adeo pietate, fide, devotione eminuisse, ut et inter gentes fuerint Deo in gloriam et laudem et popularibus suis in exemplum proponi potuerint. Sed esto, fuerit utrumque; at. verba Prophetae aliud et maius indicant. Iudaei non poterant dici habitare a solis ortu usque ad occasum, habitare et offerre in omni loco' — quare Hitz. prophetam modum exaggeratione excessisse contendit — ; dein magnum nomen in gentibus minime dicit, esse aliquos alterius nationis nter gentes habitantes qui nomen Dei venerentur, verum ab ?psis gentibus nomen Dei agnosci et magnifice laudari vel cum timore ac reverentia coli, quia eius potentiam et maiestatis magnitudinem sint expertae. Ita Deus dicitur exaltari in gentibus (Ps. 45, 11), ita in Israel magnum nomen eius, vel magnus in Sion, magnus in medio Israel (Ps. 15,2; 98, 2. Is.:-12, 6), quia se magnum praestitit erga lsrael et ab Israel magnus agnoscitur; simili modo Deus dicitur glorificari in Pharaone et in exercitu eius (Ex. 14, 4. 17), in conspectu populi (Lev. 10, 3) in medio Sidonis (Ez. 28, 22) etc. non quia ibi apud exercitum Pharaonis sint aliqui, qui Deum agnoscant etc., sed quia suam potentiam et maiestatem terribilem ipsi Pharaoni et exercitui, ipsis Sidoniis etc. experiendam et quasi gustandam exhibet. Demum propheta effert, fieri mundam Deo oblationem, quia magnum est nomen eius in gentibus; Iudaei . autem dispersi non obtulerunt munera, quia Deus gloriam suam gentibus manifestans ab iis colitur, sed e sententia adversariorum res est potius inversa: quia offerunt Iudaei inter gentes commorantes, nomen Dei est magnum in gentibus. Alii saltem. priorem vaticinii partem de tempore Malachiae valere volunt, ita v. g. S. Ephr., qui nomen Dei magnum esse exponit in gentibus quae signa et mirabilia in Aegypto et in possessione terrae palaestinensis facta audierint; alii per exsilium babylonicum et Iudaeorum dispersionem et mirabilem eorum liberationem et reductionem, per prophetas v. g. Nabuchodonosori notos, Ieremiam et imprimis Danielem, per edicta Nabuchodonosoris, Cyri, Assueri, per victorias Cyri, qui in idololatriam Asiae etin Aegyptum iudicium divinum exercuerit, ingentem quandam factam esse volunt mentium animorumque gentium mutationem in melius et propensionem ad verum Deum agnoscendum et saniora vitae et doctrinae praecepta sequenda (cf. Loch, Pressel). Inde magnum nomen Dei effectum esse in gentibus contendunt et hanc gloriam Dei a propheta hoc loco praedicari ; immo Loch pro hac explicatione confidenter ad S. Hier. provocat ; dici scil. a S. Hier. :« sic futurorum texit vaticinium, ut praesens tempus non deserat ». Utique ita dicit S. Ifier. sed quo sensu ? Is elucet ex verbis immediate praecedentibus : « cum, inquit, nomen meum magnum sit futurum in gentibus, o vos principes Iudaeorum, polluistis illud atque polluitis ». Sic ergo vaticinium futurorum infert, ut praesens tempus reprehendat. Dein adverte, S. JHer. explicite non de gloria nominis Dei iam praesente loqui, verum de futura. Atque recte quidem. Nam quamvis per Iudaeos dispersos aliquam Dei veri notionem essc inter gentes propagatam nemo negaverit, ea tamen nullatenus talis erat, ut illi volunt. Ex monumentis cuneiformibus didicimus, Cyrum etiam diis Chaldaeorum templa erexisse, eum veneratum esse Bel, Nebo, Marduk, numina Babyloniorum, eum asserere recepisse mandata a Marduk, et aliis quoque gentibus permisisse reditum in sedes patrias (cf. Vigouror, la Bible et les découvertes modernes, 3. edit. IV p. 460. 514 seq. ; Civiltà cattolica, serie XII vol. 3 p. 526 ; vol. 5 p, 165 ; vol. 8 p. 403). Unde edicto Cyri non est nimium tribuendunr; similiter enim de diis Babyloniorum loquitur, et optime intelligitur, cur de ipso dicatur: «accinxi te et non cognovisti me » (Is. 45, 5). Ergo non iam sermo esse potest de Cyro, veri Dei cultore, non iam de Persis quasi idololatriae destructoribus ! Vim idololatriae iam tempore Malachiae esse confractam omnesque populos magno quodam impetu ad Deum unum adorandum fuisse propensos, quis de Asia, de Graecia, de Italia, de Aegypto id asserere potest? Ergo sensus oraculi nequit esse: nomen iam est magnum in gentibus. Ad summum aliquam Dei notionem spargi coeptam esse iure asseritur, sed vix verum erit dicere : nomen magnum fieri in gentibus iam coeptum esse. Atsi ita prophetam explicaveris : pudeat vos sacerdotes vestrae socordiae : ecce enim inter ipsas gentes nomen meum quod vos inhonoratis, iam incipit clarescere (quem sensum Reinke approbat), non repugnabo, dummodo plenum sensum magni nominis et oblationem mundam ad tempus messianicum retuleris. Praedici pro tempore messianico veri nominis sacrificium, sanctum, Deo placens et Dei gloriam declarans et promovens, in ipsis verbis prophetiae et in oratione contexta continetur. Primo enim verba id enuntiant. Adhibentur quippe eae voces quae veram sacrificii rationem designant et frequentissime per totam s. Scripturam de sacrificio proprie dicto usurpantur. De v^33 dubitari nequit, iam eo quia modo v. 1 vox est adhibita in sensu sacrificiali : offertis panem pollutum ; item bis
1:12
v. 129 « Et vos polluistis illud in eo quod dicitis : mensa Domini contaminata est et quod superponitur contemptibile est cum igne qui illud devorat » ; — hebr. et proventus (fructus) etus contemptus, cibus eius, sensu eodem ! ; nam fructus altaris et cibus eius victimae sunt quae altari imponuntur, ut sint in placationem et suaveolentiam Domino ; cf. v. "i. Aram igitur Dei et quaecumque ad sacrificia referuntur, despiciunt sacerdotes; idque non tam verbis, quam rebus et factis clamant, dum aram victimis malis contaminant et tamquam rem vilem habent (cf. S. Cyr. Mar. Tir.). Et quia ipsi cultum Dei ita despiciunt et victimas viles admittunt nihil curantes de dignitate et decore domus Dei, nihil solliciti de muneris sui excellentia, naturae rei plane consentaneum est, ut taedio et fastidio affecti muneris sui exercitium aegre ferant et fere abominentur :
In oppositione ad magnum honorem Deo per oblationem mundam ubique exhibendum et ad Dei nomen sublime ac maiestate plenum effert vates denuo, quanto contemptu Deus ab illis sacerdotibus vilipendatur ;
1:13
v. 13 « et.dixistis : ecce de labore ! et exsufflastis illud, dicit Dominus exercituum ; et intulistis de rapinis claudum et languidum, et intulistis munus. Numquid. suscipiam illud de manu vestra? dicit 1. S. Hier. partim sequitur LXX qui 33321 verterunt «ai «Xx. i£zisi0psva ; pro cibo forto Dominus » ; — hebr. ecce, quae (quanta) molestia ; est. enim natura plane institutum, ut nos ipsos taedeat eorum quae negligenter facimus. Unde ezsufflant, quasi sputo proiecto aram se contemnere ostendunt. Et hunc contemptum reipsa quoque manifestant et palam omnibus declarant inferentes et offerentes victimas lege prohibitas et variis defectibus laborantes. In hebr. et apud LXX et Chald. tria genera enumerantur : infertis raptum et claudum et languidum, i. e. quod vi et iniustitia aliis ereptum possident ; talibus vero sacrificiis Deus non honoratur, sed illuditur. Ad ea addunt munus, minchah i. e. oblatio enim incruenta ex simila et oleo cum libamento vini addebatur ad holocausta et pacifica ; cf. Num. 15, 4 seq. 28, 5. 9. 19 etc. Sed cum Deus holocausta et pacifica eiusmodi defectibus inquinata abominetur (cf. Lev. 22, 19-25. Deut. 15, 91. Eccli. 35, 14), etiam accessoria illa munera, etsi rite et ex rebus praescriptis offerantur, repudiat ; rei indignitatem interrogatione effert ; cf. v. 8. 10. Textus mas. fert nu5na quod explicant quasi conflatum ex nxon-na quis labor ? quae molestia ? pro qua contractione afferri possunt exempla aliquatenus similia Ex. 4, 2 (kethib). Is. 3, 15. Ez. 8, 6. 1 Chron. 15, 13. 2 Chron. 30, 3 (cf. Olshausen, Lehrbuch d. hebr. Spr. p. 186). Verum LXX, Syrus, S. Hier. Chald. legerunt nu5na ex labore. Sensum dein explicant : ea offerimus, quae in conditione nostra misera et afflicta nobis praesto sunt; de labore et paupertate offerimus (S. Hier. sim. Cyr. Theod. Alb. Rib. Sanct. Lap. Mar.). Excusationem praetendunt ex tem- » porum angustiis. Vel, ut Calm. : « victimas aegre offerlis et querimini, me laborum vestrorum fructum a vobis exigere ». Advertit S. Hier. in hebr. legi posse ef exsu[- flastis me et revera iste locus recensetur inter fiqqume sopherim, correctiones scribarum ; volunt scil. prophetam scripsisse *TY|N me; quod ne durius sonet, ipsum scil.-Deum exsufflari, mutatum esse in. *rN lud scil. altare. LXX et Syrus praebent : et. exsufflavi in illud. Sunt, qui explicent de illa. oblationum parte quae sacerdotibus tribuebatur ; sacerdotes scil. conqueri, oblationes esse adeo mancas, carnes adeo insipidas, ut labor sit et molestia illas comedere (cf. Hitz. Reinke). At inepta interpretatio, qua sacerdoles non reprehenderentur, sed stultos esse atque ridiculos ostenderetur, quippe qui cum multo suo damno victimas illas pravas admitterent, dum ex legis observantia emolumenta illis accrescerent. Si sacerdotes carnes victimarum accipere noluissent, ne victimas quidem admisissent. Unde potius ita erit res cogitanda, ut ex victimis maculas et defectus habentibus nihilominus sacerdotibus iustae ac bonae partes provenerint ; sic suae utilitati caute providentes eamque in tuto collocantes magis contemptum cultus divini prae se ferunt et obiurgationi obnoxii fiunt. Ex ultima sententia, esse rem intolerabilem Deo offerri res mancas et defectibus foedatas, infertur reprehensio in omnes; poterat enim fieri, ut sacerdotes quandoque admitterent tales victimas, ne pauperes cum eorum offensione a sacrificiis excludere et repellere viderentur;
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v. 14 « maledictus dolosus, qui habet in grege suo masculum et votum faciens immolat debile Domino ! quia rez magnus ego, dicit Dominns exercituum, et nomen meum horribile in. gentibus » ; —in hebr. et LXX reprehenduntur duo : prior qui fraudem committit, dum tamen habeat in grege suo masculum ; qui igitur quando ex lege animal masculum erat immolandum, praetendit se non habere et ita vilius offert ; alter qui voto facto, in quo sacrificio votivo etiam femellae offerri poterant, femellam debilem et languidam, non valentem et sanam offert (cf. Lev. 3, 1. 6). Maledictus « grave sane verbum et pondus plane importabile, quod est a Dei maledictione quae omnia secum apportat mala, sicut in Dei benedictione cumulus intelligitur bonorum. Hoc porro fulmen in eorum intorquetur caput, qui meliora aut sibi retinent aut aliis impendunt, id vero Domino reservant quod despectum est quodque amicis aut bene de se merentibus porrigere illiberale ducerent » (Sanct.) ; cf. 1, 8; horribile nomen i. e. dignum omni timore et omni reverentia (Rib.), sed quod sit simul terribile illis, qui eius provocant vindictam. Cuius vindictae minas et speciem statim vates affert et tamquam Dei mandatum, tamquam nuntium sibi pro iis commissum declarat, nisi resipiscere maluerint ;
1:1
… 4; Jer. 4, 20 ff.; Is. 5, 9; 22, 14; Ezek. 9, 1; Jer. 20, 7-12; 23, 28; Mic. 3, 8; Is. 6, 6-9; Jer. 1, 17-19; Ezek. 3, 8-9). The hagiographer or biblical writer is therefore the intermediary through whom God speaks or writes (Hos. 1, 1-2; Hag. 1, 7; Mal. 1, 1), he is the mouth of God (Jer. 15, 19; Is. 30, 2, in accordance with Ex. 4, 15 ff.; 7, 1). Some symbolic actions describe plastically the divine influence on the prophet-writer, e.g., …
The Septuagint in Mal. 1:1 designates him as angel (ἔγγελος), translating the Hebrew Malé'áhlí (= "messenger of Yahweh" or "my messenger"). …
… True, the repatriates are the foretold "remnant" (Hag. 1, 12; Zech. 8, 6.11; cf. 2, 9.14 [Vulg. 2, 5.10]), the Israel of the promises (Zech. 1, 7-17; 2, 5-17 [Vulg. 2, 1-13]; Mal. 1, 1-5; Joel 2, 18 f. 26 f.), the heirs of the covenant of Sinai or of David (Hag. 2, 5; which now has its full realization: Zech. 2, 16; 8, 8; Joel 2, 17; 4, 2.16 f. [Vulg. 3, 2.16 f.]), …
1:4
destruction (Mal. 1:4). Implacable enemies of Israel,
1:7
… which one sacrifices," rarely bāmah [v.] which for the most part designates places of idolatrous worship), the altar is a mound, then a platform, on which gifts or victims are offered to God; later it implies the concept of a table ("table of Yahweh" Mal. 1:7, 12; Ez. 41:22). The first mentioned is that of Noah, Gen. 8:20; Abraham erects altars at Shechem, near Bethel, at Mamre, on Moriah, Gen. 12:7 ff.; 13:18; 22:9; Isaac at Beersheba, …
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14-15, 18), and that the worthless oblations (Mal. 1:8, 13, 14) are those prepared by the kings of Persia (Eid. 7, 20-26). This would indicate the post-Nehemian period and would also justify the silence about M. in Ezra-Nehemiah. …
1:10
… In its place arises the altar of the messianic offering "from the East to the West" (Mal. 1:10 ff.).
MALACHIAS. - Prophet, the last in the canon of the Old Testament, and therefore called the "seal of the prophets." He prophesied after the exile, during the Persian domination, whose peḥāḥ ("governor") he mentions, and after the restoration of worship in the Zerubbabel temple (Mal. 1:10; 2:4 ff.; 3:1, 10). It does not appear, however, whether this was before, during or after the return of Ezra-Nehemiah to Palestine. …
… more, for from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation, for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 1:10-11).
True priests of the New Testament, in whom the promises of the Prophets had been fulfilled (cf. Isa. 66:20-23; Mal. 1:10-11), the Apostles felt with pride the honor of the divine investiture: "Everyone should regard us as ministers of Christ and stewards (οἰκόνουσα) of the mysteries of God" (1 Cor. 4:1); …
… creator of the universe... are a priestly race (the broadening of the meaning with respect to 1 Pt. 2:9 is noteworthy), as God himself attests when he says that pure and acceptable sacrifices will be offered to him in every place among the nations (Mal. 1:10). Now God accepts sacrifices from no one except from the hands of his priests" (Dialogus cum Tryphone, ch. 116; PG 6, 745). St. Irenaeus attributes a priestly dignity to all the …
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The latter, in fact, is by vocation and by divine mandate « the minister of Christ and the dispenser of the mysteries of God » (I Cor. 4:1); he offers to God on the altar the clean oblation foretold by Malachi (Mal. 1:11), performing that sacrificial action which has a real efficacy for reconciling sinners with the divine Majesty; he remits sins in the name of God; he accompanies man throughout the …
… 19:33 ff.; Deut. 10:18 ff., etc.; cf. H. Lesêtre, Etranger, in DB, II, col. 204); they could embrace the Jewish religion (v. proselutti); and the prophets announce their aggregation to the messianic kingdom: Is. 2:2; 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; Zach. 2:15; 8:23; Mal. 1:11, etc. In the persecutions suffered upon the return from exile (Neh. 5:8; 9:2; 13:1-3) and particularly by the Seleucids (I-II Maccabees) there developed among the Jews that hatred …
… renew the covenant, are of the tribe of J.; the new community formed by them is the elect Israel, legitimate heir of the divine promises, prologue and immediate preparation for the messianic kingdom (Hag. 2:6-9, 20-23; Zech. 6:12-15; 8:6-8, 20-23; Mal. 1:11; 3:1). This spiritual supremacy was tangibly manifested in the Temple, the only place where external worship of Yahweh was permitted. …
… of the M., a gentle king, who comes on a donkey, and will rule peacefully over all the earth: Zech. 9, 9 f. = Mt. 21, 5; b) a single perfect, immaculate sacrifice, offered to Jahweh throughout the world, will take the place of the Mosaic sacrifices: Mal. 1, 11; c) a precursor will immediately prepare the people for the work of the M. (Mal. 3, 1 ff.; cf. Is. 42, 6; 49, 8; Hag. 2, 9). Such a precursor, of whom Elijah (v.) is the type, "will …
… With the sacrifice of Christ there ceased juridically, as foretold by the prophets (cf. Dan. 9:27; Mal. 1:11), the ancient sacrifices and the whole ritual economy, imperfect and transitory, of the Old Testament (cf. Heb. 9:11-10:14).
1:15
… All the messianic prophecies bear this imprint (see, for example, Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; Ps. 2:8; 21:26-29; Is. 2:2; 60:4 ff.; Jer. 3:17; Dan. 2:44; Mal. 1:15). In the New Testament the texts that affirm the universalist character of the Church, the kingdom of God on earth, are innumerable. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.