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Geneva Bible Notes (1560): Malachi 1

1 ! A complaint against Israel and chiefly the Priests.

1 a Read {Isa. 13:1}

2 b Which declareth their great ingratitude that did not acknowledge this loue, which was so euident, in that he chose Abraham from out of all the worlde, and next chose Jaakob the yonger brother of wome they came, and left Esau the elder.

3 c For besides that the signes of mine hatred appeared euen when he was made servant vnto his yonger brother, being yet in his mothers belly, and also afterward in that he was put from his birthright, yet euen now before your eyes the signes hereof are euident, in that that his countrey lieth waste, & he shal neuer returne to inhabit it, where as ye my people whome the enemie hatred more then them are by my grace and loue towarde you deliuered, read {Rom. 9,13}.

6 e He noteth their grosse hypocrisie, which wolde not se their fautes, but moste impudently couered them, & so were blinde guides.

6 d Besides the rest of the people he condemneth the Priests chiefly because they shulde haue reproued others for their hypocrisie, & obstinacie against God, & not haue hardened them by their example to greater euils.

7 f Ye receaue all maner offrings for your owne griedines, and do not examine whether they be according to my Law or no.

7 g Not that they said thus, but by their doings they declared no lesse.

8 h You make it no faute: whereby he condemneth them that thinke it sufficient to serve God partely, as he hathe commanded, & partely after mans fantasie, and so come not to that purenes of religion, which he requireth, & therefore in reproche he sheweth them that a mortal man wolde not be content to be so served.

9 i He derideth the Priests who bare the people in hand, that they praied for them, & sheweth, that they were the occasion, that these euils came vpon the people.

9 k Wil God consider your office and state, seing you are so couetous, & wicked?

10 l Because the Leuites who kept the dores, did not trye whether the sacrifices that come in, where according to the Law, God wisheth, that thei wolde rather shut the dores then to receiue suche as were not perfite.

11 m God sheweth, that their ingratitude, and neglect of his true service shalbe the cause of the calling of the Gentiles: & herethe Prophet that was vnder the Law framed his wordes to the capacitie of the people, and by the altar, and sacrifice he meaneth the spiritual service of God, which shulde be vnder the Gospel, when an end shulde be made to all these legal ceremonies by Christs onely sacrifice.

12 n Bothe the Priests and the people were infected with this error, that they passed not what was offred: for they thoght that God was aswel content with the leane as with the fat: but in the meane season they shewed not that obedience to God, which he required, & so committed bothe impietie, and also shewed their contempt of God & couetousnes.

13 o The Priests & people were bothe weary with serving God, & passed (???) not what maner of sacrifice & service they gaue to God, for that which was least profitable, was thoght good ynough for the Lord.

14 p That is, hathe habilitie to serve the Lord according to his worde, and yet wil serve him according to his couetous minde.