Malachias 3:1-4
Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I send My Angel, and he shall prepare the way before My face; and presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the Angel of the Testament, whom you desire, shall come to His temple. Behold He cometh, saith the Lord of Hosts; and who shall be able to think of the day of His coming? and who shall stand to see Him? for He is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb; and He shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years; saith the Lord almighty.
Haydock
Verse 1. My angel, viz. John the Baptist, the messenger of God, and forerunner of Christ. Ch. — His purity and office procure him this title. W. — Afterwards Christ himself shall come, for the ruin and for the resurrection of many. Lu. ii. 34. Hence threats and promises are intermixed. The evangelists read his face, making the Father speak, whereas the Son is introduced by the prophet, who however presently changes the person. It is all the same which person of the blessed Trinity speaks, as all act together. C. — Testament. The Messias, the mediator of the covenant with mankind, (W.) with Abraham, and Moses. The latter calls him the prophet; (Deut. xviii. 18.) and Zacharias, alluding to this text, explains angel in the same sense. Lu. i. 76. — Temple. The ancient Jews were convinced that the Messias would come to the temple of Zorobabel, and be its chief glory. Agg. ii. 8. C. — Their descendants put off the coming for some long time, though the prophet says presently, or on a sudden. S. Jer. Basnage vi. 26. — Some take this temple to be the womb of the bless Virgin. S. Cyr. S. Aug. de Civ. Dei. xviii. 35. C. — The Baptist was conceived, born, and preached first; and shortly after Christ appeared. W.
Verse 2. Coming. This may be explained of the Baptist, (Lu. iii. 7.) or of the second coming of Christ; though his first coming shewed the hypocrisy of the Jews. They would not acknowledge him, but sought his death, and brought on their own condemnation. C. — Fuller’s. Sept. “washers’ herb.” Borith is found in all the low places of Palestine, (S. Jer.) and probably denotes soda, (Jer. ii. 22. C.) or fullers’ earth. H. — Christ purified the religion of the Jews, or did what was requisite for that purpose. The people would not obey. Yet he established his Church in all purity.
Verse 3. Justice. This is spoken of the Christian priesthood, which far excels that of Levi, Heb. v. and vii. &c. C. — Many Jewish priests embraced the gospel. Acts vi. 7. H.
Verse 4. Years. So in the mass we beg that God would receive the sacrifice, “as he received the presents of Abel.” M.