Albert Barnes Commentary Malachi 1:8

"And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts." — Malachi 1:8 (ASV)

And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? – Some interpret this as the people saying, “it is not evil,” as we would say, “there is no harm in it.” Both views equally imply an utter unconsciousness on the part of the offerer that it was evil: one view being that, ironically, this was always their answer, “there is nothing amiss;” the other being that it is an indignant question from God, “Is there indeed nothing amiss?” And this latter interpretation seems the most natural.

The sacrifice of the “blind” and “lame” was expressly forbidden in the law (Deuteronomy 15:21), and the sick with various kinds of animal disease. Whatever hath a blemish ye shall not offer, blind or with limb broken, or wounded or mangy or scabby or scurfy (Leviticus 22:22). Perfection was an essential principle of sacrifice, whether in the daily sacrifice, or the sin or trespass offerings (typical of the all-perfect Sacrifice), or in the whole burnt offering (representing entire self-oblation). But these people knew better than God what was fit for Him and for them. His law, they thought, was to be modified by circumstances. He would not be so particular (as people now so often say).

Is it then fit to offer to God what, under the very same circumstances, a person would not offer to another person? Against these idle, ungrateful, covetous thoughts God says:

Offer it now unto thy governor. He appeals to our own instinctive thought of propriety toward our fellow creature, which may so often be a test for us.

No one would think of acting toward a fellow creature as they do toward Almighty God. Who would make diligent preparation to receive some great person of the earth, only to turn his back upon him when he has come? Yet what else is the behavior of most Christians after Holy Communion?

If you would not do this to a mortal man, who is but dust and ashes, how much less should you do so to God Almighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords!

“The words are a reproof to those most negligent persons, who go through their prayers to God without fear, attention, reverence, or feeling; but if they have to speak to some great man, prelate, or prince, they approach him with great reverence, speak carefully and distinctly, and are in awe of him. Do not prefer the creature to the Creator, man to God, the servant to the Lord, and that Lord, so exalted and so Infinite.”