Haggai's Sermon on Dec. 24. Haggai bases his exhortation on a pronouncement of the priests concerning the infecting power of holiness and uncleanness respectively. In the question put to the priests, holiness has its primitive sense of a physical state (i.e. taboo); but in the argument which Haggai bases on their answer a more spiritual sense of the word is intended. The law (Haggai 2:11) is a mistranslation; render Ask now the priests concerning tomb. Torah (p. 121, Deuteronomy 1:5 *, Proverbs 3:1 *) means strictly instruction as to right and wrong, and though with the definite article it may mean the instruction par excellence, viz. the Law, it never loses its more general meaning. The priests are here asked for an opinion on a hitherto undecided point. Their answer brings out clearly a principle which Haggai develops, viz. whereas indirect contact with holiness does not make holy, direct contact with uncleanness does make unclean; and therefore since the nation has so little contact with holiness, and so much with uncleanness, the whole nation is unclean and the sacrifices which are offered are similarly infected. [Or the point may be that uncleanness has an intenser energy for infection than holiness; it can operate to two removes, holiness only to one. Uncleanness may be primary in persons or things, a dead body is unclean in itself; holiness can only be secondary, since the sole source of holiness is God. See pp. 202f. A. S. P.] But when the Temple is rebuilt it being implied that the Temple worship will be a greater factor in the life of the community than formerly the sanctifying influence will outweigh the defiling, and with increased holiness will come an increase in welfare. The translation of Haggai 2:15; Haggai 2:18 is misleading, since the Heb. phrase from this day and upward always means from this day forward, as indeed it is rendered in 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Samuel 30:25. The LXX rendering of the Heb. text unjustifiably translated through all that time is who were ye? We should, however, expect some such sense as how did ye fare? Haggai 2:18 (except Consider, I pray you), should probably be omitted as an insertion founded on an incorrect inference from Haggai 2:10; Haggai 2:15; Haggai 2:17 is a quotation or reminiscence of Amos 4:9, probably not by Haggai himself. In Haggai 2:19 a question is out of place, a statement of fact being required; read (inserting one letter), Lo, the seed is still in the barn. Haggai 2:15-19 may be paraphrased as follows: Take notice from this day forward, and observe how different your experiences in the future will be from those in the past. Before stone was laid on stone in the Temple (i.e. the Temple proper as distinct from the whole sanctuary called - the house-') you experienced disappointment; but henceforth all will be changed. At this time, mid-winter, the agricultural year is over, and agricultural operations are at a standstill. The seed to be sown is not yet taken out of the barn, and no yield of any sort is in sight. The increase in the fertility of the land which may be expected at the next ingathering will therefore have begun after the restoration of the Temple is taken in hand, and must be regarded as its direct outcome.
Haggai 2:10-19
10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.
18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider it.
19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.