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Advent · Second Sunday in Advent · Year C

Malachi 3:1-7b

The Messenger Who Purifies

December 5, 2027

Saint John the Baptist Preaching, Mattia Preti
Saint John the Baptist Preaching, Mattia Preti, c. 1650Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
A Neapolitan painting of the Baptist mid-gesture, lit from the side, with the crowd pressed into shadow around him.See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me: Malachi's messenger is the figure the gospels identify as this one.Mattia PretiA Calabrian painter who worked in Naples and then Malta, where he decorated the knights' cathedral almost single-handed.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkThe largest art museum in the Americas, founded in 1870 by a group of New Yorkers who wanted one and had no collection to start from.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
LSB Three-Year Lectionary
GospelLuke 3:1-14Lk 3:1-14
EpistlePhil. 1:2-11Phil 1:2-11
Old TestamentMal. 3:1-7bMal 3:1-7b
PsalterPs. 66:1-12Ps 66:1-12

Overview & Insights

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.” (Malachi 3:1)

Malachi announces that the Lord will suddenly come to his temple by way of a preparing messenger, refining and purifying the sons of Levi like a smelter's fire, and calls Israel to return to the God who does not change.

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Take it further: Malachi 3:1-7b

Commentary

Malachi 3:1-4Mal 3:1-4 Working Preacher

The Lutheran home voice on the coming messenger and the refiner's fire, covering the opening of this reading.

Malachi 3:1-4Mal 3:1-4 Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary linking Malachi's messenger to John the Baptist in the Gospel reading.

Malachi 3Mal 3 Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse by verse evangelical commentary on the messenger of the covenant and the call to return.

Malachi 3 CommentaryMal 3 Commentary Precept Austin

A deep study page gathering word studies and many expositors on Malachi 3.

Classic commentaries on Malachi 3:1Classic commentaries on Mal 3:1 BibleHub

A classic aggregator stacking Barnes, Gill, and other historic commentators on this verse.

Background & Word Study

Malachi 3 interlinearMal 3 interlinear BibleHub

The Hebrew text of Malachi 3 word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers.

Malachi 3:1-7Mal 3:1-7 Sefaria

The Hebrew text of the messenger oracle alongside an English translation.

MalachiMal BibleProject

An animated overview of Malachi's closing word to a spiritually weary post exilic Israel.

The Church Fathers

Malachi 3, patristic commentaryMal 3, patristic commentary Catena

A verse linked catena gathering patristic comment on Malachi 3.

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