John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same , etc.] From east to west, which is all habitable; not so north and south, as Kimchi observes, the extremes of which are not habitable. Abarbinel thinks that m in jrzmm is causal; and that the sense is, because of the motion of the sun in rising and setting, the Gentiles acknowledge God to be the first mover and cause of all things; and who, though they worship the host of heaven, yet ultimately direct their worship to the supreme Being, the Cause of causes; and supposes this to be a reproof of the priests, who might have learnt better even of the very Heathens; but the former is to the true sense, which declares the large extent of true spiritual worship in the Gentile world: my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles ; through the preaching of the Gospel, attended with the spirit and power of God to the conversion of many; whereby he himself is made known, and the perfections of his nature, and his several names, and particularly that of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus; who, as such, is called upon, and greatness and glory are ascribed unto him for the gift of his Son, and the mission of him into the world, to be the Saviour of Gentiles as well as of Jews: and in every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name ; some Jewish writers understand this of Israelites, the disciples of the wise men, studying in the law, and putting up their evening prayers to God, in every place where they live among the Gentiles; which are as acceptable to God as if they offered incense, and a pure offering; this way goes Jarchi, to which agrees the Targum; and this sense is given in the Talmud f36 , and other writings of theirs; but Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, interpret it of the Gentiles, though in different ways, and foreign from the sense of the text; which is, that not in Jerusalem the worship of God should be as formerly, but in all places in the Gentile world, and where particularly prayer should be made to God; (see John 4:20,21,23 1 Timothy 2:8) comparable to incense for its fervency, fragrancy, and gratefulness, ( <19E102> Psalm 141:2 Revelation 8:3,4): and a pure offering ; meaning either the Gentiles themselves, their souls and bodies, ( Isaiah 66:20 Psalm 51:17 Romans 12:1) or their sacrifices of praise, good works, and alms deeds (He 13:15,16) which, though imperfect, and not free from sin, may be said to be “pure”, proceeding from a pure heart, sprinkled by the blood of Christ, and offered in a pure and spiritual manner, and through the pure incense of Christ’s mediation: for my name [shall be] great among; the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts ; which is repeated for the certainty of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-14 - We may each charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests. Our relation to God, as our Father and Master, strongl obliges us to fear and honour him. But they were so scornful that the derided reproof. Sinners ruin themselves by trying to baffle their convictions. Those who live in careless neglect of holy ordinances, wh attend on them without reverence, and go from them under no concern, in effect say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. They despised God' name in what they did. It is evident that these understood not the meaning of the sacrifices, as shadowing forth the unblemished Lamb of God; they grudged the expense, thinking all thrown away which did no turn to their profit. If we worship God ignorantly, and withou understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, if we are cold, dull, and dead in it, we bring the sick; i we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. And is not this evil? Is it not great affront to God, and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? I order to the acceptance of our actions with God, it is not enough to d that which, for the matter of it, is good; but we must do it from right principle, in a right manner, and for a right end. Our constan mercies from God, make worse our slothfulness and niggardliness, in ou returns of duty to God. A spiritual worship shall be established Incense shall be offered to God's name, which signifies prayer an praise. And it shall be a pure offering. When the hour came, in whic the true worshippers worshipped the Father in Spirit and in truth, the this incense was offered, even this pure offering. We may rely on God' mercy for pardon as to the past, but not for indulgence to sin in future. If there be a willing mind, it will be accepted, thoug defective; but if any be a deceiver, devoting his best to Satan and to his lusts, he is under a curse. Men now, though in a different way profane the name of the Lord, pollute his table, and show contempt for his worship __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
כי 3588 ממזרח 4217 שׁמשׁ 8121 ועד 5704 מבואו 935 גדול 1419 שׁמי 8034 בגוים 1471 ובכל 3605 מקום 4725 מקטר 6999 מגשׁ 5066 לשׁמי 8034 ומנחה 4503 טהורה 2889 כי 3588 גדול 1419 שׁמי 8034 בגוים 1471 אמר 559 יהוה 3068 צבאות׃ 6635
