Malachi 2:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Savior confirms that His law was the one revealed to the ancients through Moses, stating, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil it. Amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth endure, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). In peace, the One who brings correction accompanies me and turns many from unrighteousness. He has attained peace with God (Romans 5:1) — what else can we and other scholars of divine truth mean by this, but to think and act in accordance with His will, striving not to provoke Him, but rather to pursue virtuous conduct and to live an upright and law-abiding life? The Apostle Paul likewise taught us, “We who have been justified by faith have peace with God” (Romans 5:1). We honor Him, recognizing Him as the true and rightful Sovereign. However, when we honor created things, surrendering ourselves to the dominion of sinful and vile thoughts, we stand opposed to the Lord as if in conflict with Him, taking up a heavy yoke and attempting to resist His will. The disciple of the Savior will affirm this, saying, “Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). But as we turn to the God of all with faith, relinquishing sin and with nothing to hinder us from His presence, we shall unite with Him in all honor, walking in a truly beautiful path that leads us and others toward Him. To strive for such a state is most fitting for holy ministers, of whom it can rightly be said: “In peace, He that correcteth walketh with me, and turneth many away from unrighteousness.” For followers typically mirror the teachings of their leaders, and those leaders who pursue the straight path can save many by easily guiding them away from a life of debauchery and immoral conduct, encouraging them instead to cherish and pursue what is noble and honorable, worthy of praise from both God and humanity.

He stated earlier, "That My covenant with Levi may be maintained, says the Lord of Hosts." Through the patriarch Levi, this promise extended to his heirs, including Aaron, Eleazar, Phinehas, and others from that lineage; now, at the conclusion, He proclaims: "You have made the covenant with Levi worthless, says the Lord of Hosts." This indicates that the mention of Levi pertains to the priests, particularly the high priests. The book of Numbers recounts how Phinehas, who slew with the spear Zamri, the leader of the Simeon tribe along with the Midianite woman, turned away His wrath from the people of Israel, as he was zealous for Me rather than for them; thus, I did not forsake the children of Israel in My jealousy, declaring: "Behold, I will grant to him a covenant of peace, and it shall be for him and his descendants a promise of an enduring priesthood, because he has demonstrated zeal for his God and has stood in the gap for the children of Israel" (Num. 25:8-13). The covenant of life must not be interpreted as the same life shared with beasts and livestock but rather the promise of that Life which declares, "I am life" (John 16:6). Our life with Christ is hidden in God (Col. 3:3), of whom we may affirm that He is also our peace, as the Apostle confirms: "For He is our peace" (Eph. 2:14). Therefore, the Lord entrusted to Levi and his descendants the task of fearing God, for "the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord" (Ps. 110:10). They shall stand in awe before Him, retreating humbly and manifesting the fear of the soul with physical trembling, as it is written, "On whom will I look, but on him who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word?" (Is. 66:2). The law of truth shall be found in his speech, meaning that his teachings shall not be marred by falsehood but shall flow entirely from the Source of Truth. Consequently, there is no unrighteousness on his lips, for he follows the example of his Lord, of whom it is said, "Who committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth" (1 Pet. 2:22). He walked in righteousness and peace with Me, gaining inner tranquility and reconciling others, while in judgment, he judges without partiality; he walks closely with God, akin to Enoch, who was taken by the Lord and was no longer found (Gen. 15:24). Many shall be turned away from unrighteousness. A priest who neglects to correct those who stray undermines the very essence of the priesthood. The priest's mouth shall safeguard knowledge, for it is written not merely that he shall serve, but that he shall preserve: he should speak appropriately and provide spiritual nourishment to those entrusted to him. The demand for understanding of the law shall come from his mouth, as articulated in Haggai: "Ask the priests concerning the law of the Lord" (Haggai 2:12). It is the priest’s responsibility to provide answers regarding the law. He who shelters ignorance among the faithful and disregards the knowledge found in Scripture only boasts vainly about a position he fails to honor. The Apostle instructs Titus: "He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it" (Titus 1:9), and to Timothy: "And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (Timothy 3:15). Following this, it is stated: "For he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts." Ezra, the priest of God embodies the meaning of his name, i.e., Malachi, which translates to Messenger of the Lord. A priest of God is accurately termed an angel, in the fullest sense, as he stands as a mediator between God and humankind, conveying God’s will to His people. This is why the word of judgment is placed upon the breast of the priest (Ex. 29) signifying that he is both a student and a proclaimer of Divine truth. Some mistakenly believe that all that was spoken to Levi, and subsequently to the priests through Levi, should be applied solely to Christ; they fail to recognize that what follows in the prophecy does not align with the essence of Christ.