Furnace. At the day of judgment, the difference between the just and the wicked will plainly appear. (Worthington) — This sense is most generally given, as well as to those words where our Saviour speaks of the signs of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the end of the world together, [Matt 24:3], and [Luke 21:5]. Yet the prophet may also allude to the punishment of the Jews by the Romans, when all were assembled at the Passover, (Calmet) a scourge which the Christians escaped by retiring to Pella. (Eusebius, History of the Church iii. 5.) — Proud. Septuagint, “strangers.” (Calmet) — Branch. No hope shall remain. (Menochius)
 | Author: George Leo Haydock Rank: Author AD: 1849 Source: Title: Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary Year (original): 1859 Number of pages: 571 Print: Edward Dunigan and Brother, New York, New York |
The prophet Malachi prophesies about the coming of the incarnate Word to realize salvation. Although He stretches His arms to all mankind; Yet He also comes to cast fire. Whoever believes in Him will enjoy eternal life. Whereas who haughtily rejects Him will burn like stubble in fire. That is what the Psalmist prophesied about the Messiah, saying: “You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger; The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath; and the fire shall devour them” [Ps 21:9].
God who, alone, knows the hearts can separate the stubble from the gold; the haughty from the humble. The former, counted as evildoers, would be consumed by fire, to be left neither root nor branch; whereas the latter would grow in splendor and purity.
Some have called the haughty as blessed, because they are apparently happy in this world [Mal 3:15]. But now the fact is revealed that they, like stubble, will burn in the oven to become ashes.
By the ‘haughty’ here, He probably means those like the Pharisees who, having been boasting of their knowledge and their literal righteousness, they opposed the Lord Christ; and in doing so, they became like stubble in the fire. While by the ‘wicked,’ He means the rest of the Jews who rejected the Savior.
The Lord left them neither root nor branch, when He allowed ‘Titus’ the Roman leader, later on, to utterly destroy Jerusalem and the temple. This will be realized more perfectly, on the day of the ultimate coming of the Lord Christ, to judge the wicked and reward the true believers, who fear the Lord.
St. Cyprian - But, When will be the day of the divine revenge for the innocent blood? This is what the Holy Spirit proclaims through the prophet Malachi: “Behold, the day is coming burning like an oven.” [Mal 4:1 (1)
The so-called Clement of Rome - The whole earth will become like lead melting in fire; when the deeds of men, the apparent and the hidden are revealed. (2)
St. Ireneaus - The two comings of the Lord Christ are both truly His: One in which He has become man submitted to scourges… And the second in which He will come on the clouds (Daniel 7:13); when “He burns up (the proud) like fire” [Mal 4:1]; when He “strikes the earth with the rod of his mouth” [Isa 11:4], and kills the wicked with the breath of His lips. And when “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” [Matt 3:12]; [Luke 4:17]. (3)
St. Cyprian
The Lord warns the wicked that they will be burned up and perish; as they are foreigners to the divine race; defilers of the sanctuaries, and have not been spiritually born anew, to become the children of God. Those who were born anew, and were sealed with the mark of Christ, can alone escape. God says in another place, that He will command His angels whom He will send to destroy the world, and to put an end to the human race, on the last day; saying: “Go after them through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark” [Ezek 9:5].
Now, What is this mark? And where will it be on the body of man?… This was indicated by God in another place, saying to His angel: “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it [Ezek 9:4]. Being a mark concerning the passion and blood of the Lord Christ; And that everyone with this mark would be kept secure against any harm; are confirmed by the testimony of God, saying: “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” [Exod 12:13]. What previously happened in the symbol of the slain lamb has been later on realized in Christ, the Truth. When Egypt was stricken, it was not possible for the Jews to be spared, except by the blood of the lamb and by its mark. Likewise, when the world starts to be destroyed and stricken. He, alone, who on him he has the blood of Christ and His mark, will be spared [Ezek 9:4]; [Rev 7:3]; [Rev 9:4]. (4)
God who, alone, knows the hearts can separate the stubble from the gold; the haughty from the humble. The former, counted as evildoers, would be consumed by fire, to be left neither root nor branch; whereas the latter would grow in splendor and purity.
Some have called the haughty as blessed, because they are apparently happy in this world [Mal 3:15]. But now the fact is revealed that they, like stubble, will burn in the oven to become ashes.
By the ‘haughty’ here, He probably means those like the Pharisees who, having been boasting of their knowledge and their literal righteousness, they opposed the Lord Christ; and in doing so, they became like stubble in the fire. While by the ‘wicked,’ He means the rest of the Jews who rejected the Savior.
The Lord left them neither root nor branch, when He allowed ‘Titus’ the Roman leader, later on, to utterly destroy Jerusalem and the temple. This will be realized more perfectly, on the day of the ultimate coming of the Lord Christ, to judge the wicked and reward the true believers, who fear the Lord.
St. Cyprian - But, When will be the day of the divine revenge for the innocent blood? This is what the Holy Spirit proclaims through the prophet Malachi: “Behold, the day is coming burning like an oven.” [Mal 4:1 (1)
The so-called Clement of Rome - The whole earth will become like lead melting in fire; when the deeds of men, the apparent and the hidden are revealed. (2)
St. Ireneaus - The two comings of the Lord Christ are both truly His: One in which He has become man submitted to scourges… And the second in which He will come on the clouds (Daniel 7:13); when “He burns up (the proud) like fire” [Mal 4:1]; when He “strikes the earth with the rod of his mouth” [Isa 11:4], and kills the wicked with the breath of His lips. And when “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” [Matt 3:12]; [Luke 4:17]. (3)
St. Cyprian
The Lord warns the wicked that they will be burned up and perish; as they are foreigners to the divine race; defilers of the sanctuaries, and have not been spiritually born anew, to become the children of God. Those who were born anew, and were sealed with the mark of Christ, can alone escape. God says in another place, that He will command His angels whom He will send to destroy the world, and to put an end to the human race, on the last day; saying: “Go after them through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark” [Ezek 9:5].
Now, What is this mark? And where will it be on the body of man?… This was indicated by God in another place, saying to His angel: “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it [Ezek 9:4]. Being a mark concerning the passion and blood of the Lord Christ; And that everyone with this mark would be kept secure against any harm; are confirmed by the testimony of God, saying: “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” [Exod 12:13]. What previously happened in the symbol of the slain lamb has been later on realized in Christ, the Truth. When Egypt was stricken, it was not possible for the Jews to be spared, except by the blood of the lamb and by its mark. Likewise, when the world starts to be destroyed and stricken. He, alone, who on him he has the blood of Christ and His mark, will be spared [Ezek 9:4]; [Rev 7:3]; [Rev 9:4]. (4)
Footnote
(1) St. Cyprian: Treatise 9 on the Advantage of Patience, 22.
(2) 2 Clement 16.
(3) Adv. Haer. 4:33:1.
(4) The Treatises of Cyprian, 5:22.
 | Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2022-11-03 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
