Malachi 1 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Loved you — Both personally considered and relatively, in progenitors. Us — Who have been captives, and groaned under it all our days 'till of late. Was not Esau — Did not one father beget them, and one mother bear them? I loved Jacob — I preferred him to the birthright, and this of free love. I loved his person, and his posterity.

I hated — I loved not Esau's posterity as I loved Jacob's. His heritage — Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains. Waste — By Nebuchadnezzar's arms five years after the sacking of Jerusalem, and whereas Jacob's captivity returned, and their cities were rebuilt, Esau's never were. The dragons — Creatures which delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation of Esau is signified.

Throw down — So he did in the times of the Maccabees. The border of wickedness — They will be a most wicked people, and so notorious, that all their neighbours shall brand them for it. Hath indignation — They will so highly provoke God, that his indignation will be kindled against them for ever.

From the border of Israel — Let Israel from all his borders give God praise.

O priests — Had undutifulness been found among the ignorant people, it might have been a little excusable. But you, O priests, whose business is to know me, have like Eli's sons despised me yourselves, and made others do so too.

Bread — Either the meal — offerings, or rather in a more large sense, all sacrifices and oblations. Ye say — Perhaps in words; at least your deeds speak your thoughts. The table — This comprehends all that was offered to God.

Evil — Is it not against the express command of God.

I pray you — O priests. Beseech — Intercede with God for his sinful people. This — This contempt of God.

Incense — A law term for a gospel duty, and under this type are contained the prayers and praises, nay, the whole gospel — worship. A pure offering — Both sincere, in opposition to hypocrisy, and holy, in opposition to impurity, superstition and idolatry.

But ye — O priests! And the people by your examples. Ye say — By your deportment. Is polluted — Not a sacred thing. His meat — Either the meat which fell to the priest's share, or the portion which was laid upon the altar.

What a weariness — What a toil and drudgery to observe every point of the law. This — With such minds snuffing at my service, and with such sacrifices, unfit for mine altar.

The deceiver — The hypocrite that would seem to offer a sacrifice of the best, but puts God off with the worst. A male — A perfect male, such as God requireth.