Amaziah, the priest of Bethel - Was probably the high priest, in imitation of the high priest of the order of Aaron and of God’s appointment. For the many high places around Bethel required many idol-priests; and a splendid counterfeit of the ritual at Jerusalem, which should rival it in the eyes of Israel, was part of the policy of the first Jeroboam. Amaziah was at the head of this imposture, in a position probably of wealth and dignity among his people. Like “Demetriers the silversmith” Acts 19, he thought that the craft whereby he had his wealth was endangered. To Jeroboam, however, he says nothing of these fears. To the king he makes it an affair of state. He takes the king by what he expected to be his weak side, fear for his own power or life. “Amos hath conspired against thee.” So to Jeremiah “the captain of the ward” said, “Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans” Jeremiah 37:13.
And the princes; “Let this man be put to death, for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt” Jeremiah 38:4. And of our Lord they said to Pilate, “If thou let this Man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king, is an enemy to Caesar” John 19:12. And of the Apostles; “these men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans” Acts 16:20-21; and, “these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also - and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” Acts 17:6-7. And so the pagan, who were ever conspiring against the Roman Emperors, went on accusing the early Christians as disloyal to the Emperors, factious, impious, because they did not offer sacrifices for them to false gods, but prayed for them to the True God . Some doubtless, moved by the words of Amos, had forsaken the state-idolatry, reformed their lives, worshiped God with the prophet; perhaps they were called in contempt by his name, “Amosites” or “Judaizers,” and were counted as “his” adherents, not as the worshipers of the one true God, “the God of their fathers.” Whence Amaziah gained the plea of a “conspiracy,” of which Amos was the head. For a “conspiracy” cannot be of one man. The word, by its force, signifies “banded;” the idiom, that he “banded” others “together against” 1Sa 22:8, 1 Samuel 22:13; 1 Kings 15:27; 1Ki 16:9, 1 Kings 16:16; 2 Kings 10:9; 2Ki 14:19; 2 Kings 15:10, 2 Kings 15:15, 2 Kings 15:25; 2 Kings 21:23 the king. To us Amaziah attests the power of God’s word by His prophet; “the land,” that is, the whole people, “is not able to bear his words,” being shaken through and through.