VITRINGA.—Malachi delivered his prophecies after the second return of Nehemiah from Persia, and subsequently to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, or about B. C. 420.—In loco.
Ingratitude
ARISTOTLE.—A father is by nature the ruler of his sons; and ancestors, of their descendants; and a king, of his subjects.—Ethics, lib. viii., c. II.
Unworthy Offerings
PLATO.—The Lacedemonians conduct themselves in so slighting a manner towards the gods as to sacrifice animals which are even maiMed.—Alcib. de precat., c. 12.
PLUTARCH.—It is necessary that the beast sacrificed to the gods should be pure, sound, entire and uncorrupt.—De defect. orac., c. 49
The Priests to Be Instructors
DIODORUS SICULUS.—The priests of Egypt are highly reverenced and possess great authority with the people, both for their piety towards the gods and their great wisdom and learning, in which they instruct the people. They are always at the king's elbow, as the chief of his privy council, and assist, advise, and instruct him on all occasions.—Diod. Sic., lib. i., c. 73
CICERO. —Many things, O priests, have been devised and established with divine wisdom by our ancestors; but no action of theirs was ever more wise than the decree that the same men should superintend both what relates to the religious worship due to the immortal gods, and also what concerns the highest interests of the state, so that it might preserve the republic, as the most honorable and eminent of the citizens, by governing it well, and as priests, by wisely interpreting the requirements of religion. The dignity of the whole republic, the safety of all the citizens, their lives, their liberties, their altars, their hearths, their, household gods, their properties, their conditions as citizens, and their homes, all appear to be committed and entrusted to your wisdom, integrity, and power.—Orat. pro domo, c. I.
The Forerunner
The Immutability of God
SOCRATES.—If God be changed, does He change himself to what is better and fairer, or to the worse and more deformed? To the worse surely, replied Adimantes, if He be changed at all, for we can never say that God is at all deficient in beauty or excellence. You speak most correctly, said I: and this being so, think you, Adimantes, that any one, either of gods or men, would willingly make himself any way worse? Impossible, said he. It is impossible, then, said I, for God to desire to change himself.—Plat. De Rep., I. ii., c. 20.
CICERO.—Plato thinks that to be nothing which begins and perishes; and that that alone is which is always the same. —Cic. Tusc., I. i., c. 24.
TACITUS.—The Jews maintain that the Divine Being is eternal and supreme.; that He is incapable of all change, incapable of ever ending. In their cities, therefore, no images are seen, much less in their temples.—Hist., 1. v., c. 5.
Sacrilege
PLUTARCH.—Caphis went to Delphi, but was loath to touch the sacred deposits, and lamented to the Amphictyones the necessity he was under, with many tears.—Sull., c. 12.
Communion of Saints
LUCIAN.—The Deity now looks down from heaven upon the just and unjust, writes down all that every one does in books, and will, on a day that he has appointed, reward them according to their deserts.—Philop., c. 13.
CICERO.—The gods know what sort of person every one really is; they observe his actions, whether good or bad: they take notice with what feelings, and with what piety he attends to his religious duties, and they are sure to make a difference between the good and wicked.—De Leg., lib. ii., c. 7.
SOPHOCLES. —
Far above all other gifts doth Jove,
The almighty Father hold true piety.
Whether we live or die, that still survives
Beyond the reach of fate, and is immortal.
—Philop., v. 1443.
The Sun of Righteousness
SIMEON. —Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a LIGHT to lighten the Gentiles, and the GLORY of thy people Israel. —Luke 2:29-3229Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:29‑32).
JOHN.—There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the LIGHT, that all men through him might believe. He was not that LIGHT, but was sent to bear witness of that LIGHT. That was the true LIGHT, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. —John 1:6-96There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:6‑9).