Matthew Poole and continuators on Malachi 1:7

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar ; And ye say , Wherin have we polluted thee? In that ye say , The table of the LORD is contemptible.

You through covetousness take any the people bring, whether such as the Law requires or no. If it answer not the perfection of the Law, yet you first make it serve me, through your contempt of me, and then to serve your turn to feed you and yours.

Either by ill-managing it, and misordering what is good and allowable, or accepting what is disallowed and forbidden, because of its blemishes.

Either the shew-bread, of which Exod. 25.30. or meat-Offerings, Exod. 29.41. Lev. 2. Numb. 28.5. or in a more large Sense, all that was to be offered unto God, Sacrifices, and Oblations.

By this it appears bread is to be expounded here of Sacrifices, and not to be confined to the narrow bounds of this one kind.

They stand upon their own Justification, and proudly contend with God, either implying they did not offer such polluted things, or if they were defective, and in law sence polluted, yet that this did redound to God, or affect him no more than the perfection of them could add to him.

Perhaps in words, however by your deeds you speak your thoughts and judgment; you think so, and then act so.

Before 'twas Altar, now it is Table, not to be opposed each to other, but comprehending both, and all that was offered unto God on both.

As if they measur'd Sacrifice and Oblation by the splendor, and Riches of the Temple and Altar, the first were more pompous than the second, and these Priests probably thought they mig[illegible: 2 letters] abate in the qualities of the offerings, as this Temple abated i[illegible: 1 letter] its splendour, they contemned this, and then contemn those offerings.

Marginal references: Or, bring unto, &c.