Revised by Cory Driver, 8/23
The Prophet Malachi
The Prophet Malachi, Anonymous, Circle of Francesco Rosselli, 1480-1490
Though frequently imagined and used as a proper name, it is likely that “Malachi” (my messenger) is more of a role or title than an individual’s name. Indeed, 1:1 and 3:1 discuss God’s messenger. The association with the messenger and God’s appearance at the TempleThe Jerusalem temple, unlike the tabernacle, was a permanent structure, although (like the tabernacle) it was a place of worship and religious activity. On one occasion Jesus felt such activity was unacceptable and, as reported in all four Gospels, drove from the temple those engaged… More (3:2) might indicate that EzraScribe who helped establish Jewish practices in Jerusalem after the exile. More may originally be in view of the prophet as the messenger. Christians will have a tendency to see JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God’s saving act for humanity. More as the messenger who will come before God. Indeed, Malachi’s messenger will undertake the refining activity that John the Baptizer ascribes to Jesus (LukeThe "beloved physician" and companion of Paul. More 3:16-17).
Divorce
Malachi tends to offer a middle path here between the insistence on divorce for Judahites with a foreign spouse in Ezra and NehemiahThe governor of Jerusalem who rebuilt the city walls after the exile. More, on the one hand, and the lifting up of RuthThe great-grandmother of David. More the Moabitess as a worthy progenitor of Israelite kings, on the other hand. Malachi chides returned Judahites for marrying foreign spouses who may turn their hearts to foreign gods. At the same time, the prophet chides men who abandon their wives, to whom they have made a lifelong commitment.
The Hebrew of Malachi 2:16 is unclear. Some translations choose to maintain “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord,…” (New American Standard Bible), while others prefer “If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel,..” (Christian Standard Bible). The Greek SeptuagintThe Septuagint is a pre-Christian (third to first century BCE) Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures. It is believed that the term Septuagint derives from the number of scholars-seventy (or seventy-two)-who reputedly did the work of translation. More switches to second person, and reads, “If you hate [and] send away/divorce…”. Whether it is God who hates divorce, or a hateful husband who divorces his wife, the take-away of the passage is the same – divorce, where it serves the husband and injures the wife, is to be avoided.
This was not a ruling meant to chain women to abusive husbands! Rather, it was meant to protect women from arbitrary divorce. This is the understanding that Jesus brings to his discussion of divorce in MatthewA tax collector who became one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. More 5:31-32: “Anyone who divorces his wife, except if she committed adultery against him, makes her a victim of adultery.”
Martin Luther recognized Jesus’ allowance for divorce in the case of adultery, and reluctantly added two more approved reasons for divorce that might lead to remarriage to a different partner. First, if either spouse abandons the other by running away, or as a metaphor, if either spouse runs away from the other by practicing a different religion, Luther approved divorce. Second, if either partner refuses to fulfill the sexual desires [Luther would say “duty”] of the other partner, Luther permitted divorce, citing 1 Corinthians 7:4-5.
Divorce is a difficult experience for all involved, and to be avoided where possible – especially when it is carried out by one partner with no regard to the responsibilities and duty to care for the other. Yet, Malachi is not a blanket prohibition on divorce, and must not be read that way. Instead, it is a prohibition on divorce as abandonment of someone who is owed care.
The Problem of Evil/Theodicy
Repeatedly in the dialog between God and the people, the people question why God does not do something about injustice or evil (2:17, 3:13-15). God says that God will send a messenger eventually, and that the names of the righteousA righteous person is one who is ethical and faithful to God’s covenant. Righteousness in the Old Testament is an attitude of God; in the New Testament it is a gift of God through grace. In the New Testament righteousness is a relationship with God… More will be written in the book of remembrance. But in the meantime, the wicked still prosper and the righteous still die. What is God doing?
The problem of evil, or how/why bad things happen under the watch of a good God is an ancient issue. The Book of Job deals with this topic, essentially concluding that God is mysterious and lavish in creationCreation, in biblical terms, is the universe as we know or perceive it. Genesis says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In the book of Revelation (which speaks of end times) the author declares that God created all things and… More. Jesus concludes that sometimes bad things happen to morally neutral people, so therefore we should all repentRepentance is a central biblical teaching. All people are sinful and God desires that all people repent of their sins. The Hebrew word for repent means to “turn away” from sin. The Greek word for repentance means to “change on’e mind,” more specifically, it means… More and do right while we can (Luke 13:1-5).
The prophet insists that the proper response to suffering and injustice is to get busy doing the work of justice. If the innocent are harmed and the workers deprived of their wages, we must disrupt that injustice and be part of a holyHoly is a term that originally meant set apart for the worship or service of God. While the term may refer to people, objects, time, or places, holiness in Judaism and Christianity primarily denotes the realm of the divine More community that provides justice for all. Perhaps God does not remove injustice because we do not remove injustice. That seems to be the understanding of the prophet, or at least God expects us to work justice now, and God will complete the task someday.
As for why the wicked seem to prosper, and the righteous seem to suffer, Søren Kierkegaard wrote in The Gospel of Sufferings: “God truly is love, despite how we suffer… then he is also love in everything, love in what you can understand and love in what you cannot understand, love in the dark riddle that lasts a day or in the riddle that lasts seventy years.”
The perennial problem of evil remains a sticky issue for Christians. The prophetic writer of Malachi seems to offer a collaborative picture where humans and God both have a role to play in establishing justice and preventing suffering.
Return of ElijahA miracle working Israelite prophet who opposed worship of Baal. More
Elijah Announcing the MessiahThe Messiah was the one who, it was believed, would come to free the people of Israel from bondage and exile. In Jewish thought the Messiah is the anticipated one who will come, as prophesied by Isaiah. In Christian thought Jesus of Nazareth is identified… More – Washington Haggadah – Ben Simeon Yoel, 1478.
The Return of Elijah, a theme from Malachi, seems to be an important sign of the coming Day of the LordThe Day of the Lord, in prophetic writing, is the day of judgment when God will intervene directly in world affairs. As described in Zephaniah, for instance, God will sweep everything away. In Matthew’s gospel God is described as gathering the elect on the day… More.
The Gospels are bursting with references to Elijah’s return. Zechariah announces that his son John will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). John denied being Elijah (John 1:21), but Jesus confirms that John came in the role of Elijah (Matthew 17:10-13). After John was murdered, some thought that Jesus was a resurrected John, or a returned Elijah (Matthew 16:14).
Chair of Elijah – Unknown Artist – 1800
In Jewish tradition, at every circumcisionCircumcision is an act of cutting off part of a male (or female) sex organ for religious or health reasons. In the Bible circumcision was performed on males to indicate inclusion into the Jewish religious community. Some church calendars commemorate January 1 as the Circumcision… More, Elijah is invited and provided a chair to sit in, as the messenger of the covenantA covenant is a promise or agreement. In the Bible the promises made between God and God’s people are known as covenants; they state or imply a relationship of commitment and obedience. More (Malachi 3:2) (a circumcision is a brit milah “covenant of circumcision”). Elijah comes to ensure that the covenant is kept and extended to the next generation. In this way, Elijah comes to turn the hearts of fathers to sons, and sons to fathers, that they continue the covenant throughout the generations. Similarly, a cup for Elijah is set out as part of the Jewish PassoverPassover commemorates the deliverance of the Hebrew people from Egypt as described in the book of Exodus. It is celebrated with worship and a meal on the fourteenth day of the month called Nisan, which is the first month of the Jewish year. The time… More Seder, to welcome Elijah in case he comes to announce the messiah.
