Malachi 2:6

The law of truth was in his mouth,.... The Gospel, the word and doctrine of truth; which comes from the God of truth; is concerning Christ the truth and men are guided into it by the Spirit of truth;

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

The law of truth; the law of God which is the truth, the doctrine of the law according to the true meaning thereof. Was in his mouth; he did teach it to the people, he resolved all cases by this law; Aaron, Eleazar, Phinehas, or, as we must understand it, every one of those godly priests or Levites, in what age soever they lived, who, as , feared God, and were humble. They taught the people (as was their duty) first to know the law of God, and then to obey it; this by their example, the other by their instruction. The law of truth was in his mouth, he pronounced according to the law truly, pronouncing that unclean which the law determined unclean, and that clean which was clean. Iniquity was not found in his lips; he judged not with respect to persons, nor for bribes perverted judgment, nor judged that lawful which was unlawful, or that unlawful which was lawful. He walked with me; his whole life was a continual walking with God, as Enoch’ s was, and Noah’ s was, and as God required Abraham’ s should be, in holy fear of his majesty, in true love of his precepts, and reverent observing his ordinances; he lived with God, and to him. In peace, with God, and with men; it was his aim to live peaceably towards others, that God might make them peaceable toward him, and God gave him much of that he desired. And equity; in rectitude of mind, or in sincerity and uprightness, free from hypocrisy; or else in all righteousness among men. And did turn many away from iniquity; by his instructions, and by his excellent example, he converted many from ways of sin.

Malachi 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.Ver. 6. The law of truth was in his mouth] Hitherto hath been set forth what the priests of old were for their own particular, and as private persons; they were not high minded, but feared God. Now as pulpit men and public teachers, they have a four fold commendation. And first, that truth was their study and trade; they were expert in it, and had an excellent faculty in communicating their conceptions of it to others; so that if they did but open their mouths almost, it was a sermon; they bad a ready and easy way of discourse, a holy volubility and dexterity of delivering themselves to the benefit of others; as the law of God was in their hearts, so their mouths spake wisdom, and their tongues talked of judgment, Psalms 37:30-31. Out of the good treasure of their hearts they could throw forth at pleasure good things, for the edification of others; yea, like full clouds, they willingly distilled, and like full paps, they were in pain till eased of their milk. Neither meddled they only with toothless truths, lest themselves should be left toothless (as one said, truth is a good mistress, but he that followeth her too close at heels shall have his teeth struck out), as Balak bade Balaam neither curse nor bless at all; and as the Papists were wont to say, Missa non mordet, The mass biteth no man: but they held that truth must be spoken, however it be taken; and abhorred, to be looked upon as the devil’ s dirt daubers and upholsterers, to daub with untempered mortar, or to sew pillars under their elbows, Ezekiel 13:10. They affected rather to be styled (as Arrianus the historian was) φιλαληθεις, lovers of truth, plain dealers; and, as it is reported of Suetonius, they took the same liberty to cry down sin that men did to commit it. Ea libertate scripsit Imperatorum vitas qua ipsi vixerunt. Aelian tells us that the high priest among the Egyptians wore about his neck a sapphire stone, which was called Aληθεις, truth. This was but an apish imitation of Aaron’ s Urim and Thummim, i.e. light of truth and integrity of life, Exodus 28:30. Mercury’ s priests were wont to feed upon figs, and then to say, γλυκειαηαληθεια, truth is sweet. It is so indeed to those that "have their senses exercised to discern good and evil," Hebrews 5:14. But most men cannot brook downright truth: the hearing of it galls them, as they write of some creatures, that they have fel in aure, their gall in their ears. Hence truth breeds hatred, and plain dealing is generally disgusting; it is bitter in the stomachs of those that hear it, though sweet in the mouth of those that utter it. Revelation 10:9.

(6) The law of truth—i.e., right instruction in the Law, and judgment in accordance with the Law, the reverse of which is “iniquity,” or rather, perversion.Walked with me—i.e., had their conversation in heaven. (Philippians 3:20; comp. Zechariah 3:7; and Genesis 5:24, of Enoch.) In peace.—See on the preceding verse. Equity—i.e., integrity of life. And did turn. . . . iniquity.—Of this, says Pusey, “What a history of zeal for the glory of God and of the conversion of sinners in those of whom the world knows nothing, of whose working, but for the three words in the closing book of the Old Testament, we should have known nothing.”

Verse 6. The law of truth was in his mouth] See the qualifications of Levi: 1. "He feared me;" he was my sincere worshipper. 2. "He was afraid;" he acted as in the presence of a just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did. 3. "My law of truth was ever in his mouth; " by this he directed his own conduct and that of others. 4. "No iniquity; " nothing contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded "from his lips." 5. "He walked with me in peace;" he lived in such a way as to keep up union with me. 6. "He did turn many away from iniquity;" by his upright administration, faithful exhortations, and pious walk, he became the instrument of converting many sinners. This character suits every genuine minister of God. And as the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, so the people should seek "the law at his mouth;" for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, Malachi 2:7.

6. The law of truth] Teaching, as a function of the priesthood, entered into the original idea and constitution of the office (Deuteronomy 33:10; Leviticus 10:11), and was revived in connection with it after the return from Babylon (Ezra 7:10; Ezra 7:25; Nehemiah 8:1-8). To be without “a teaching priest” was a national calamity (2 Chronicles 15:3). And iniquity] Rather And unrighteousness, R.V. This clause refers perhaps to the judicial decisions of the priest (Deuteronomy 17:8-13), as being without respect of persons and uninfluenced by bribes. (Deuteronomy 16:18-19.) he walked with me &c.] Comp. Genesis 5:22; Genesis 5:24; Genesis 6:9. The walk of the priest, in the peace of a right relation to God, and the uprightness (R.V.) of a holy life, accorded with his teaching and his judicial sentences, and as the result of both he turned many away from iniquity. “What a history of zeal for the glory of God and the conversion of sinners in those, of whom the world knows nothing; of whose working, but for the three words (many he-turned-away from-iniquity) in the closing book of the Old Testament, we should have known nothing!” Pusey.

The law of truth was in his mouth - Apart from those cases, which were brought to the priests at the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 17:9-11; Deuteronomy 19:17 (add Deuteronomy 21:5; Ezekiel 44:23-24),

Malachi 2:6 states in greater detail how Levi met his obligation. The law of truth was in his mouth — For law see on Hosea 4:6.