Malachi 2:9

“Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base, etc.] When their city and temple were destroyed by the Romans, and they were carried captive by them, and became a taunt and a proverb in all places where they came: before all the people; the nations of the world, among whom they were scattered: according as ye have not kept my ways; neither those which the law directed to, either moral or ceremonial; nor what the Gospel directed to, the ordinances and institutions of Christ, particularly baptism, which the Jews rejected against themselves, (<420730>Luke 7:30): but have been partial in the law; in the observance of it, attending to the lesser, and taking no notice of the weightier…”

“Because ye do not keep the condition of the covenant, I will not fulfil the promise. partial in the law--having respect to persons rather than to truth in the interpretation and administration of the law (Lev 19:15).”

“Therefore have I made you contemptible - They had said in their hearts Malachi 1:7, “The table of the Lord is contemptible.” So God would requite them “measure for measure.” Yet not only so, but in their office as judges, against the repeated protestations in the law Leviticus 19:15, “Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty, in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor Deuteronomy 1:17, ye shall not respect persons in judgment Deuteronomy 16:19, thou shall not wrest judgment,” he says, Ye have accepted persons in the law - You have interpreted the law differently for rich and poor, or have put it in force against the poor, not against the rich. It…”

“Have been partial - You have perverted the law to please great men, or to serve some unworthy design. When we inquire into "the reasons of the contempt of the clergy," ought we to forget this? Malachi 2:10”

“2:9 shown favoritism (literally lifted up the face): The expression is also found in 1:8 (“see how pleased he is”). The priests should have administered the law with kindness and fairness, but they had not done so. It was ridiculous for the priests to suppose that God would show them favor when they had shown partiality in discharging the prescribed duties of their office.”

“made: Mal 2:3; Sa1 2:30; Pro 10:7; Dan 12:2, Dan 12:3; Mic 3:6, Mic 3:7 before: Kg1 22:28; Jer 28:15, Jer 28:16, Jer 29:20-22, Jer 29:31, Jer 29:32; Eze 13:12-16, Eze 13:21; Mar 7:13, Mar 7:14; Luk 20:45-47 but: Mal 2:8; Mat 5:21, Mat 5:22, Mat 5:27, Mat 5:28, Mat 5:33-37, Mat 5:43, Mat 5:44, Mat 19:17, Mat 19:18, Mat 23:16-24; Mar 7:8-13; Luk 10:29, Luk 11:42; Rom 7:7-10 have been partial in: or, lifted up the face against, Heb. accepted faces. Deu 1:17 \*marg. Gal 2:6 Malachi 2:10”