Malaquías 2

Juicio contra los sacerdotes

1 »Ahora, pues, este mandato es para ustedes, los sacerdotes.

2 Si no me hacen caso ni se deciden a honrar mi nombre —dice el SEÑORTodopoderoso—, les enviaré una maldición, y maldeciré sus bendiciones. Ya las he maldecido, porque ustedes no se han decidido a honrarme.

3 »Por esto, voy a reprender a sus descendientes. Les arrojaré a la cara los desperdicios de los sacrificios de sus fiestas, y los barreré junto con ellos.

4 Entonces sabrán que les he dado este mandato, a fin de que continúe mi pacto con Leví —dice el SEÑOR Todopoderoso—.

5 Mi pacto con él era de vida y paz, y se las di; era también de temor, y él me temió, y mostró ante mí profunda reverencia.

6 En su boca había instrucción fidedigna; en sus labios no se encontraba perversidad. En paz y rectitud caminó conmigo, y apartó del pecado a muchos.

7 »Los labios de un sacerdote atesoran sabiduría, y de su boca los hombres buscan instrucción, porque es mensajero del SEÑOR Todopoderoso.

8 Pero ustedes se han desviado del camino y mediante su instrucción han hecho tropezar a muchos; ustedes han arruinado el pacto con Leví —dice el SEÑOR Todopoderoso—.

9 Por mi parte, yo he hecho que ustedes sean despreciables y viles ante todo el pueblo, porque no han guardado mis caminos sino que han mostrado parcialidad en cuestiones de la ley».

Deslealtad de Judá

10 ¿No tenemos todos un solo Padre? ¿No nos creó un solo Dios? ¿Por qué, pues, profanamos el pacto de nuestros antepasados al traicionarnos unos a otros?

11 Judá ha sido traicionero. En Israel y en Jerusalén se ha cometido algo detestable: al casarse Judá con la hija de un dios extraño, ha profanado el santuario^[a] que el SEÑOR ama.

12 En cuanto al hombre que haga eso, quienquiera que sea, que el SEÑORTodopoderoso lo excluya de los campamentos de Jacob, aun cuando le lleve ofrendas.

13 Otra cosa que ustedes hacen es inundar de lágrimas el altar del SEÑOR; lloran y se lamentan porque él ya no presta atención a sus ofrendas ni las acepta de sus manos con agrado.

14 Y todavía preguntan por qué.Pues porque el SEÑOR actúa como testigo entre tú y la esposa de tu juventud, a la que traicionaste aunque es tu compañera, la esposa de tu pacto.^[b]

15 ¿Acaso no hizo el SEÑOR un solo ser, que es cuerpo y espíritu? Y ¿por qué es uno solo? Porque busca descendencia dada por Dios.^[c] Así que cuídense ustedes en su propio espíritu, y no traicionen a la esposa de su juventud.

16 «Yo aborrezco el divorcio —dice el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel—, y al que cubre^[d] de violencia sus vestiduras», dice el SEÑOR Todopoderoso.Así que cuídense en su espíritu, y no sean traicioneros.

Acusaciones contra Judá

17 Ustedes han cansado al SEÑOR con sus palabras.Y encima preguntan: «¿En qué lo hemos cansado?»En que dicen: «Todo el que hace lo malo agrada al SEÑOR, y él se complace con ellos»; y murmuran: «¿Dónde está el Dios de justicia?»

Malaquías 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The priests reproved for neglecting their covenant. (1-9) The people reproved for their evil practices. (10-17)

Verses 1-9 What is here said of the covenant of priesthood, is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests. It is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of all happiness, both in this world and in that to come. It is an honour to God's servants to be employed as his messengers. The priest's lips should not keep knowledge from his people, but keep it for them. The people are all concerned to know the will of the Lord. We must not only consult the written word, but desire instruction and advice from God's messengers, in the affairs of our souls. Ministers must exert themselves to the utmost for the conversion of sinners; and even among those called Israelites, there are many to be turned from iniquity. Those ministers, and those only, are likely to turn men from sin, who preach sound doctrine, and live holy lives according to the Scripture. Many departed from this way; thus they misled the people. Such as walk with God in peace and righteousness, and turn others from sin, honour God; he will honour them, while those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed.

Verses 10-17 Corrupt practices are the fruit of corrupt principles; and he who is false to his God, will not be true to his fellow mortals. In contempt of the marriage covenant, which God instituted, the Jews put away the wives they had of their own nation, probably to make room for strange wives. They made their lives bitter to them; yet, in the sight of others, they pretend to be tender of them. Consider she is thy wife; thy own; the nearest relation thou hast in the world. The wife is to be looked on, not as a servant, but as a companion to the husband. There is an oath of God between them, which is not to be trifled with. Man and wife should continue to their lives' end, in holy love and peace. Did not God make one, one Eve for one Adam? Yet God could have made another Eve. Wherefore did he make but one woman for one man? It was that the children might be made a seed to serve him. Husbands and wives must live in the fear of God, that their seed may be a godly seed. The God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away. Those who would be kept from sin, must take heed to their spirits, for there all sin begins. Men will find that their wrong conduct in their families springs from selfishness, which disregards the welfare and happiness of others, when opposed to their own passions and fancies. It is wearisome to God to hear people justify themselves in wicked practices. Those who think God can be a friend to sin, affront him, and deceive themselves. The scoffers said, Where is the God of judgement? but the day of the Lord will come.

Footnotes

• [a]. "el santuario" . Alt. "las cosas santas" .
• [b]. "pacto" . Alt. "vínculo matrimonial" , o "misma nacionalidad" .
• [c]. "¿Acaso " "… " "Dios" . Texto de difícil traducción.
• [d]. "Yo aborrezco el divorcio " "… " "y al que cubre" . Alt. "El que odia y se divorcia … cubre" .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MALACHI 2

This chapter contains a reproof both of priests and people for their sins. It begins with the priests, Mal 2:1 and threatens, in case they attend not to glorify the name of the Lord, they and their blessings should be cursed, their seed corrupted, dung spread upon them, and they took away with it, Mal 2:2,3 and the end of this commandment being sent them, of giving glory to the name of God, was that the covenant might appear to be with Levi, or him that was typified by him, Mal 2:4 of which covenant some account is given, with the reason why the blessings of it were given to him, with whom it was, Mal 2:5 who is described by the true doctrine he preached; by the purity of his lips; by the peaceableness and righteousness of his walk and conversation; and by his usefulness and success in turning many from sin, Mal 2:6 and it being part of the priest's office to preserve true knowledge, and communicate it, it is the duty of the people to seek to him for it; since he is the messenger of the Lord, Mal 2:7 but as for the priests of those times the prophet respects, they were apostates from the way of the Lord; made others to stumble at the law, and corrupted the covenant; and therefore became contemptible, base, and mean, in the sight of the people, Mal 2:8,9 who are next reproved for their marrying with those of other nations, idolatrous persons; and using polygamy and divorces, which were a profanation of the covenant of their fathers; a piece of perfidy and treachery among themselves; an abomination to the Lord; a profanation of his holiness; and led to idolatry, Mal 2:10,11 wherefore they are threatened to be cut off from the tabernacles of Jacob, and their sacrifices to be rejected; insomuch that the altar is represented as covered with weeping and tears, because disregarded, Mal 2:12,13. The reason of which was, because marrying more wives than one, and these strange women, was dealing treacherously with their lawful wives; was contrary to the first creation of man, and the end of it; and therefore such practices ought to be avoided; and the rather, since putting away was hateful to the Lord, Mal 2:14-16 and the chapter is concluded with a charge against them, that they wearied the Lord with their wicked words; affirming that the Lord took delight in the men that did evil; and that there were no judgment, truth, nor righteousness, in him, Mal 2:17.