V. 1. For behold, a day is coming that shall burn as one.
All this is said of Christ, and this is spoken by those who fear God and comfort one another. Admittedly, the godly have everything against them for a time while they trust in the word, whereas everything goes well with the godless. But it will not always be like this with both, but until the hour comes etc. "The day is coming, namely the kingdom of Christ.
And will leave them neither root nor branch.
Germen, that is branch. For the light of the gospel has burned and consumed the whole synagogue. Now it has neither root nor
Branch, neither kingdom nor priesthood. All this was burned up by the day of the revelation of the gospel, so that nothing is left of it.
But to you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise.
In the kingdom of Moses there is only darkness, everything is hidden in secrecy 2) and confused. But then the wicked will be separated from the godly, namely when the clear truth of God shines through the gospel of Christ. Here you see that the kingdom of Christ is again described as being a ministry of the word. He says: There will indeed be a
2) Instead of Ministerio in the Latin editions we have assumed ro vsterio. The old translator also read it that way.
The new sun will shine, but not the sun that animals see, but the sun of righteousness, which justifies, which sends out rays by which people are justified and freed from sins, by which all the harmful moisture of carnal desires is consumed. But the rays are the word of the Gospel which penetrates the hearts, and this sun is seen only with the eyes of the heart, that is, with faith, and is closer to the godly than our visible and bodily sun, because it shines day and night through the Holy Spirit and is not hindered by clouds; it is always rising. It will rise for those who fear the name of God, that is, for the humble, not for the presumptuous, not for those who trust in their works, but for those who recognize that they are sinners.
And salvation under the same wings.
Here you see clearly that this passage cannot be interpreted from the last day, when judgment will be, but now there is salvation and protection under the wings of Christ. Now the kingdom of Christ is such that he himself is the mediator and protector, as a hen defends her chicks against the hawk. Therefore, anyone who wants to be safe from the wrath and judgment of God, which the law urges, should take refuge under the wings of Christ. Under the law is weakness and condemnation, under the wings of Christ, under the gospel, salvation, strength and blessedness. The sun rises when the gospel is preached, under the wings of Christ one takes refuge when one believes. Therefore, even though you are a sinner, if you flee under his wings you will be healed; you will not fear death, you will not be overcome by the lust of the flesh.
And you shall go out and come in, and increase.
Here is the fruit of faith and the kingdom of Christ, namely, a joyful conscience and public confession, thanksgiving, joy in tribulation, preaching and converting others to salvation. - Instead of salietis [you will leap] it should more correctly read: you will be spread out, you shall dwell room
The Christian has to have what happiness has, while sadness narrows it down. A Christian thinks that the world is his, and goes out into the public, not looking for angles.
Like the fattening calves.
So, he says, you also will be fattened in the righteousness of faith, and valiant; your pasture is Christ.
V. 3. You will tread down the wicked.
They are always enemies of the church, or tyrants, or heretics, or false brothers. The heretics trouble the godly, but they finally become nothing, ashes, dust etc. The truth of the Lord abides forever. The fire of Christ will turn them to ashes, so they can be easily trampled. But first they will trample us, but finally the wheel will turn around; nothing grows from the ashes.
V. 4. Remember the law of Moses, my servant.
Malachi has now prophesied of the kingdom of Christ, but it is not yet here. Meanwhile, he says, you shall be shut up under the law until that sun shines forth. The law will last until the one who will not come without the messenger being sent ahead, who will say that he is present. Therefore, do not despise Moses and do not set him aside, who testifies to you about Christ and keeps you from evil. And when the time shall come for me to save you, I will send you a messenger in the spirit and power of Elijah etc. This text is therefore the conclusion of the sacred Scriptures, the end of the Old Testament. Here the prophecy ends, and the messenger Elijah is expected, who is John the Baptist, who will lead the ministry of Elijah, which is to convert the heart of the fathers to the children, that is, that they may know the wisdom and faith of the fathers, that they may be of one mind in Christ, who are now divided into sects, as John found when he preached baptism unto repentance, seeing many Pharisees, Sadducees etc. in short, that this one people had one heart, one faith etc. The time of the gospel is day, everything else is night and darkness. For Christ Himself is the Sun.
V. 5. 1) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.
"The dreadful day, which makes the hopeful whole, and enlightens the humble. "The great day that does glorious things, makes alive, just and blessed etc.
1) This verse number is missing in Weimar's.
V. 6 Lest I come and smite the earth with the ban.
That is, to destroy it completely. Thus the Scripture uses this word XXX, "ban", which could not be loosed, but had to be destroyed. So that this does not happen to the people, but at least the remnants are saved, I will send John etc.
End of Malachi.