Malachi 1:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

You will discover that you offer Me neither honor as Father nor reverence as Lord, for “where is... my glory, where is” your “fear” if you neglect to act in ways that reflect My glory, and if you do not, out of fear of punishment, adhere to the Master’s commandments? Isaiah’s words resonate as well: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me’” (Isaiah 1:2). It is therefore essential for us to pursue that which is aligned with God's glory and to endeavor to live righteously, keeping in mind what is stated: “As I live, saith the Lord... for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Sam. 2:30). The Father of all will be glorified through us not by our pursuit of what is merely pleasant in our eyes, but rather when we wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to Him and faithfully obey His commands in all respects. We will also hold Him in reverence as our Lord if we curb our inclinations toward evil out of a fear of inciting His wrath, and maintain a respectful attitude in light of divine judgment; “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

The Son is to bring honor to the Father, and the servant is to stand in awe of his master. The Lord Almighty asks how He is honored if He is indeed the Father, and how He is revered as the Master. Despite loving you as sons before your birth, you must now choose how to address Me: as Father or Master. If I am your Father, then honor Me as a parent deserves; if I am the Lord, why do you disregard Me, and why is there no fear of Me? When the people returned from captivity under Zerubbabel and Jesus, son of Josedech, alongside Ezra and Nehemiah, they had constructed an altar but had yet to build the temple or the city walls. Still, they continued in their sins, failing to honor the Lord with love or reverence.

The terms glory and honor, reflected in the Greek δόξα and the Hebrew chabod (כבוד), embody the same idea, though we have rendered the Hebrew word into Latin as "honor" due to linguistic nuances. In the Gospel, the Lord and Savior petitions, "Father, glorify (clarifica) Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee" (John 17:1); the original Greek states δόξασον, meaning glorify (glorifica). However, many in the Latin tradition have interpreted it as "give honor" (honorifica). Notably, the distinction between son and servant in Scripture is rooted in volition rather than mere biological ties. Those who receive the spirit of sonship become children of God, while those who embrace a spirit of fear become servants of God (Romans 8:15).

God desires us to be His sons, acting with goodwill, yet if we settle for being merely His servants, we must renounce evil to avoid punishment. The unworthy sons, termed "children of wrath" and "sons of Gehenna" (Eph. 2:3), are those misled by the Pharisees. Judas the betrayer is referred to as the "son of perdition" (John 17:12), and it is written, "The son of iniquity shall not be able to harm Him" (Psalm 88:23). The prophet Hosea identifies the “sons of adultery” born of an unfaithful mother, as illustrated in "Your mother hath committed fornication" (Hos. 2:5). The Gospel further likens the Jews to "sons of the devil": "Ye are born of your father the devil and desire to do the desires of your father" (John 8:44).

Conversely, there are those referred to as sons of God: "To them that received Him He gave power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12); as sons of wisdom, "Wisdom is justified by her children" (Matthew 11:19); as sons of Abraham, where it is noted that God can establish sons for Abraham from stones (Matthew 3:9); and as the Apostle’s sons: "My children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" (Galatians 4:19). Therefore, a son brings honor and glory to his father, as stated, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). A servant honors his master, albeit from a place of fear rather than love. Ultimately, God, recognizing the distinction between son and servant, seeks glory from the son and reverence from the servant, for "the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord" (Eccl. Cyr. 1:16). Thus, we transition from the fear of servitude to the glorification that comes from being a son.

Up to this point, the Prophet has addressed the Jewish people collectively; however, he now begins to speak against them individually, starting with the priests, who deserve significant reproach. They not only transgress the law themselves but also set a poor example for others. “You priests who despise my name and say, ‘Why have we despised your name?’” Your failure to uphold your priestly duties leads the people to perceive Me as unimportant and undeserving of their attention. Yet, you remain oblivious to this and show no desire to understand the offense. This implies that even if you do not express such words, these thoughts have nonetheless crossed your mind. The Prophet then clarifies the specific ways in which this disrespect is manifested.

There are, therefore, two levels of fear. The first pertains to beginners, those still under the burden of servile fear, as indicated by the prophet: the slave honors his master (Mal. 1:6). Similarly, in the Gospel, it is stated: I no longer call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master does (John 15:15). Accordingly, it is noted: the slave does not remain in the house forever (John 8:35). The Savior encourages us to move from this state of distressing fear to a place of complete freedom, characterized by the love and boldness of God’s friends and children. The holy Apostle, having triumphed over the lowest form of servile fear through the Lord's love, acknowledges the abundance of gifts he received from God, declaring: For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and chastity (2 Tim. 1:7). To those who possess a fervent love for the Heavenly Father, now embraced as sons through divine adoption rather than remaining as slaves, he urges: Because you did not receive the spirit of slavery, that you might live in fear again, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, Abba Father (Rom. 8:15).

Failing to give thanks indicates a lack of love and reverence for God, which means one may be either a rebellious servant or a proud son. Thus, a faithful Christian ought to continually offer praise to the Father and Lord, and seek to glorify Him in all actions. As the apostle instructs: whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).