One ought to seriously ponder over the meaning of Malachi 2:7: It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the Lord Almighty.
Doesn’t this verse claim the authority of the priests to teach? Doesn’t it say clearly that the priest has to teach and the lay people have to learn? If the role of the priests is clearly spelled out in the Holy Scriptures, how do I dare to claim that the priests have to learn along with the lay people? In the online discussion, someone challenged me with this question.
What follows is an attempt to understand this verse in its context.
1And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2 If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence. 4 Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, 9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction. Malachi 2: 1—9.
Malachi was a prophet and here in this passage he is speaking to the priests on behalf of God. Malachi explains how the priests are supposed to conduct themselves, and then he also exposes the shameful conditions of the priests.
1. How are the priests supposed to be? (7)
· Lips of a priest should guard knowledge
· People should seek instruction from his mouth
· A priest is a messenger of the LORD of hosts
2. How are the priests now? (8-9)
· You have turned aside from the way
· You have caused many to stumble by your instruction
· You have corrupted the covenant of Levi
· You have shown partiality in your instruction.
3. The result of their irresponsibility? (9)
· They are despised and abased before all the people
It might be interesting if we compare this situation with our own situation today. In Malachi’s days, priests were despised by the people because they were not true to their responsibilities. In the message I referred to earlier, the writer commented that priests hesitate to teach for fear of ridicule from the faithful at large. Why do people ridicule priests today is probably a question worth pursuing.
It is interesting that Malachi himself was not a priest, but a prophet. Priests were not the only ones who spoke for God in the ancient times. Whenever priests forgot their responsibilities, God raised prophets to remind them of their responsibilities.
A priest is someone who conveys God’s wisdom to people. A priest himself is not the source of the wisdom. He is a messenger. The moon cannot claim the custody of the light it reflects because the original source of its light is the Sun.
A responsible priest, without pretenses to be the sole source of spiritual wisdom, will be able to lead people to the true source of divine wisdom. That is the hallmark of a good shepherd. On the other hand, an irresponsible priest, like a wolf disguised as a shepherd, will insist on being the only source of spiritual wisdom, and thus lead the sheep astray to satisfy his own ego-driven needs.
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