Malachi 1:6
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?" says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. "But you ask, 'How have we despised Your name?'
A son honors his father
This phrase establishes a fundamental principle of respect and honor within familial relationships, which is deeply rooted in the cultural and religious traditions of ancient Israel. The Hebrew word for "honors" is "כָּבֵד" (kavod), which implies a weightiness or significance. In the context of the family, this respect is not merely a social expectation but a divine commandment, as seen in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12). The relationship between a son and his father is a microcosm of the relationship between humanity and God, emphasizing the importance of reverence and obedience.

and a servant his master
This phrase extends the principle of honor to the social and economic structures of the time. The Hebrew word for "servant" is "עֶבֶד" (eved), which can also mean "slave" or "bondservant." In ancient Israel, servitude was a common practice, and the relationship between a servant and master was governed by mutual respect and responsibility. This analogy underscores the expectation of loyalty and duty, reflecting the covenant relationship between God and His people, where God is the ultimate Master deserving of honor and service.

If I am a father, where is My honor?
Here, God speaks directly, using the familial metaphor to question the Israelites' lack of respect. The rhetorical question highlights the disconnect between the expected behavior and the reality of the people's actions. The use of "father" (אָב, av) emphasizes God's role as the originator and sustainer of Israel, deserving of the same honor a son would give to his earthly father. This appeal to the father-child relationship is meant to provoke introspection and repentance among the Israelites.

And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?
The term "fear" (יִרְאָה, yirah) in Hebrew conveys a sense of awe and reverence, not merely terror. This phrase challenges the Israelites to consider their lack of reverence for God as their sovereign Lord. The master-servant relationship is one of authority and submission, and God is questioning why the Israelites do not exhibit the proper respect and obedience due to Him. This call to fear God is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing the importance of recognizing His power and authority.

says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name
The title "LORD of Hosts" (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, Yahweh Tseva'ot) is a powerful designation of God as the commander of heavenly armies, underscoring His supreme authority and might. The priests, as spiritual leaders, are specifically addressed because they have a critical role in guiding the people in worship and reverence of God. The accusation of despising God's name (בָּזָה, bazah) indicates a profound disrespect and irreverence, which is particularly egregious given their position. This rebuke serves as a call to accountability and a reminder of the sacred responsibility entrusted to them.

Yet you ask, 'How have we despised Your name?'
This question reveals the priests' ignorance or denial of their wrongdoing. It reflects a spiritual blindness or complacency that has taken root among the leaders. The name of God represents His character and reputation, and to despise it is to treat it with contempt or disregard. This dialogue between God and the priests sets the stage for the subsequent verses, where specific examples of their failures are addressed. It serves as a wake-up call for self-examination and a return to genuine worship and honor of God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Malachi
The prophet through whom God delivers His message to the Israelites. His name means "my messenger" in Hebrew.

2. The LORD of Hosts
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty and command over the heavenly armies.

3. Priests
The religious leaders in Israel responsible for temple worship and sacrifices, who are being directly addressed and rebuked by God in this passage.

4. Israel
The nation chosen by God, to whom the message is directed, represented here by the priests.

5. Temple Worship
The context in which the priests are failing to honor God, as they are responsible for maintaining the sanctity and reverence of worship practices.
Teaching Points
Honor and Reverence for God
God deserves honor and reverence as our Father and Master. Reflect on how you show respect and reverence in your daily life and worship.

The Role of Spiritual Leaders
Spiritual leaders are held to a high standard of honoring God. Consider how you can support and pray for your leaders to maintain integrity and reverence.

Self-Examination of Worship
Evaluate your personal worship practices. Are they honoring to God, or have they become routine and insincere?

Understanding God's Sovereignty
Recognize God's authority as the LORD of Hosts. How does acknowledging His sovereignty impact your obedience and fear of Him?

Responding to God's Rebuke
When God convicts us of sin, like the priests in Malachi, our response should be repentance and a renewed commitment to honor Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of honoring God as a Father and Master challenge your current understanding of worship?

2. In what ways can you ensure that your worship is sincere and not just lip service, as warned against in Isaiah 29:13 and Matthew 15:8-9?

3. How can you support your church leaders in maintaining a reverent and God-honoring ministry?

4. Reflect on a time when you felt convicted by God. How did you respond, and what changes did you make to honor Him more fully?

5. How does recognizing God as the LORD of Hosts influence your daily decisions and interactions with others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 20:12
This verse commands honoring one's father and mother, which parallels the expectation of honoring God as a Father.

Isaiah 29:13
This passage speaks of honoring God with lips while hearts are far from Him, similar to the priests' actions in Malachi.

Matthew 15:8-9
Jesus quotes Isaiah, addressing the Pharisees' hypocrisy, which echoes the priests' failure to honor God in Malachi.

Hebrews 12:28-29
This passage emphasizes worshiping God with reverence and awe, aligning with the call for fear and honor in Malachi.

1 Peter 2:9
Describes believers as a royal priesthood, called to declare God's praises, contrasting with the priests' failure in Malachi.
A Dialogue with GodAlexander MaclarenMalachi 1:6
A Fatherly ExposulationW. Osborne Lilley.Malachi 1:6
A Life Expected Worthy of the Divine MasterMalachi 1:6
Christian ReverenceF. E. Paget, M. A.Malachi 1:6
Devotion to a MasterS. S. ChronicleMalachi 1:6
Honour Shown in Conduct and in SentimentChristian AgeMalachi 1:6
Human Claims Impressing Divine ClaimsR. Tuck Malachi 1:6
Obedience the Practical Test of AffectionD. A. Clark.Malachi 1:6
Of God's Being the Father and Master of MankindJ. Orr, D. D.Malachi 1:6
The Father's HonourCanon Wilberforce, D. D.Malachi 1:6
The Honour Due to GodJames Parsons.Malachi 1:6
The Priests ChallengedJ. Parker, D. D.Malachi 1:6
Truth Learned from Our Human RelationsJ. Johnston.Malachi 1:6
Whereby We Cry, Abba, FatherHugh BinningMalachi 1:6
The Profession and the Practice of ReligionD. Thomas Malachi 1:6-9
People
Esau, Jacob, Malachi
Places
Edom, Jerusalem
Topics
Almighty, Armies, Contempt, Due, Honor, Honors, Master, O, Priests, Respect, Says, Servant, Shown
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Malachi 1:6

     1431   prophecy, OT methods
     5042   name of God, significance
     5523   servants, good
     5554   status
     5878   honour
     6609   adoption, nature of
     8444   honouring God
     8471   respect, for human beings

Malachi 1:6-8

     5818   contempt
     5896   irreverence
     6616   atonement, in OT

Malachi 1:6-11

     8332   reputation

Malachi 1:6-13

     5800   blasphemy

Malachi 1:6-14

     5810   complacency
     5943   self-deception
     8783   neglect
     8807   profanity

Library
Blemished Offerings
'Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of Hosts.'--MALACHI i. 8. A word of explanation may indicate my purpose in selecting this, I am afraid, unfamiliar text. The Prophet has been vehemently rebuking a characteristic mean practice of the priests, who were offering maimed and diseased animals in sacrifice. They were probably dishonest as well as mean, because the worshippers would bring sound beasts, and the priests, for their own profit,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Dialogue with God
'A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a Father, where is Mine honour? and if I be a master, where is My fear? saith the Lord of Hosts unto you, O priests, that despise My Name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised Thy Name? 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon Mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted Thee?'--MALACHI i. 6, 7. A charactistic of this latest of the prophets is the vivacious dialogue of which our text affords one example. God speaks and the people question
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"Whereby we Cry, Abba, Father. "
Rom. viii. 15.--"Whereby we cry, Abba, Father." All that know any thing of religion, must needs know and confess that there is no exercise either more suitable to him that professeth it, or more needful for him, than to give himself to the exercise of prayer. But that which is confessed by all, and as to the outward performance gone about by many, I fear is yet a mystery sealed up from us, as the true and living nature of it. There is much of it expressed here in few words, "whereby we cry, Abba,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Counter-Reformation
For more than thirty years the new religious movement continued to spread with alarming rapidity. Nation after nation either fell away from the centre of unity or wavered as to the attitude that should be adopted towards the conflicting claims of Rome, Wittenberg, and Geneva, till at last it seemed not unlikely that Catholicism was to be confined within the territorial boundaries of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. That the world was well prepared for such an outburst has been shown already,[1] but it
Rev. James MacCaffrey—History of the Catholic Church, Renaissance to French Revolution

Whether the Gifts are Set Down by Isaias in their Order of Dignity?
Objection 1: It would seem that the gifts are not set down by Isaias in their order of dignity. For the principal gift is, seemingly, that which, more than the others, God requires of man. Now God requires of man fear, more than the other gifts: for it is written (Dt. 10:12): "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God?" and (Malachi 1:6): "If . . . I be a master, where is My fear?" Therefore it seems that fear, which is mentioned last, is not
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether God Can be Feared?
Objection 1: It would seem that God cannot be feared. For the object of fear is a future evil, as stated above ([2457]FS, Q[41], AA[2],3). But God is free of all evil, since He is goodness itself. Therefore God cannot be feared. Objection 2: Further, fear is opposed to hope. Now we hope in God. Therefore we cannot fear Him at the same time. Objection 3: Further, as the Philosopher states (Rhet. ii, 5), "we fear those things whence evil comes to us." But evil comes to us, not from God, but from ourselves,
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether a Man May Make Oblations of Whatever He Lawfully Possesses?
Objection 1: It would seem that a man may not make oblations of whatever he lawfully possesses. According to human law [*Dig. xii, v, de Condict. ob. turp. vel iniust. caus. 4] "the whore's is a shameful trade in what she does but not in what she takes," and consequently what she takes she possesses lawfully. Yet it is not lawful for her to make an oblation with her gains, according to Dt. 23:18, "Thou shalt not offer the hire of a strumpet . . . in the house of the Lord thy God." Therefore it is
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether God Reprobates any Man?
Objection 1: It seems that God reprobates no man. For nobody reprobates what he loves. But God loves every man, according to (Wis. 11:25): "Thou lovest all things that are, and Thou hatest none of the things Thou hast made." Therefore God reprobates no man. Objection 2: Further, if God reprobates any man, it would be necessary for reprobation to have the same relation to the reprobates as predestination has to the predestined. But predestination is the cause of the salvation of the predestined. Therefore
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Of the Popish Mass. How it not Only Profanes, but Annihilates the Lord's Supper.
1. The chief of all the abominations set up in opposition to the Lord's Supper is the Papal Mass. A description of it. 2. Its impiety is five-fold. 1. Its intolerable blasphemy in substituting priests to him the only Priest. Objections of the Papists answered. 3. Impiety of the Mass continued. 2. It overthrows the cross of Christ by setting up an altar. Objections answered. 4. Other objections answered. 5. Impiety of the Mass continued. 3. It banishes the remembrance of Christ's death. It crucifies
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

If any one Shall Teach that the House of God and the Assemblies Held Therein...
If any one shall teach that the house of God and the assemblies held therein are to be despised, let him be anathema. Notes. Ancient Epitome of Canon V. Whoso styles the house of God contemptible, let him be anathema. This canon is found in the Corpus Juris Canonici, Gratian's Decretum, Pars I., Dist. xxx., c. x. The commentators find nothing to say upon the canon, and in fact the despising of the worship of God's true church is and always has been so common a sin, that it hardly calls for comment;
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Excursus on the Word Prospherein .
(Dr. Adolph Harnack: Hist. of Dogma [Eng. Tr.] Vol. I. p. 209.) The idea of the whole transaction of the Supper as a sacrifice, is plainly found in the Didache, (c. 14), in Ignatius, and above all, in Justin (I. 65f.) But even Clement of Rome presupposes it, when (in cc. 40-44) he draws a parallel between bishops and deacons and the Priests and Levites of the Old Testament, describing as the chief function of the former (44.4) prospherein ta dora. This is not the place to enquire whether the first
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Reverence in Prayer
"Lord, teach us to pray."--Luke xi. 1. "Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person? saith the Lord of Hosts."--Mal. i. 8. IF we were summoned to dine, or to any other audience, with our sovereign, with what fear and trembling should we prepare ourselves for the ordeal! Our fear at the prospect before us would take away all our pride, and all our pleasure, in the great honour that had come to us. And how careful we should be to prepare ourselves, in every possible
Alexander Whyte—Lord Teach Us To Pray

An Appendix to the Beatitudes
His commandments are not grievous 1 John 5:3 You have seen what Christ calls for poverty of spirit, pureness of heart, meekness, mercifulness, cheerfulness in suffering persecution, etc. Now that none may hesitate or be troubled at these commands of Christ, I thought good (as a closure to the former discourse) to take off the surmises and prejudices in men's spirits by this sweet, mollifying Scripture, His commandments are not grievous.' The censuring world objects against religion that it is difficult
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches.
Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Whether those to whom Christ's Birth was Made Known were Suitably Chosen?
Objection 1: It would seem that those to whom Christ's birth was made known were not suitably chosen. For our Lord (Mat. 10:5) commanded His disciples, "Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles," so that He might be made known to the Jews before the Gentiles. Therefore it seems that much less should Christ's birth have been at once revealed to the Gentiles who "came from the east," as stated Mat. 2:1. Objection 2: Further, the revelation of Divine truth should be made especially to the friends of God,
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Triumph Over Death and the Grave
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. T he Christian soldier may with the greatest propriety, be said to war a good warfare (I Timothy 1:18) . He is engaged in a good cause. He fights under the eye of the Captain of his salvation. Though he be weak in himself, and though his enemies are many and mighty, he may do that which in other soldiers
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Healing the Centurion's Servant.
(at Capernaum.) ^A Matt. VIII. 1, 5-13; ^C Luke VII. 1-10. ^c 1 After he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people, ^a 1 And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. ^c he entered into Capernaum. [Jesus proceeded from the mountain to Capernaum, which was now his home, or headquarters. The multitudes which are now mentioned for the third time were not wearied by his sermon, and so continued to follow him. Their presence showed the popularity of Jesus, and also
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy.
The fact of Covenanting, under the Old Testament dispensations, being approved of God, gives a proof that it was proper then, which is accompanied by the voice of prophecy, affording evidence that even in periods then future it should no less be proper. The argument for the service that is afforded by prophecy is peculiar, and, though corresponding with evidence from other sources, is independent. Because that God willed to make known truth through his servants the prophets, we should receive it
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Letter xvi to Rainald, Abbot of Foigny
To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny Bernard declares to him how little he loves praise; that the yoke of Christ is light; that he declines the name of father, and is content with that of brother. 1. In the first place, do not wonder if titles of honour affright me, when I feel myself so unworthy of the honours themselves; and if it is fitting that you should give them to me, it is not expedient for me to accept them. For if you think that you ought to observe that saying, In honour preferring one another
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

The Gospel Feast
"When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?"--John vi. 5. After these words the Evangelist adds, "And this He said to prove him, for He Himself knew what He would do." Thus, you see, our Lord had secret meanings when He spoke, and did not bring forth openly all His divine sense at once. He knew what He was about to do from the first, but He wished to lead forward His disciples, and to arrest and
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

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