John Calvin Commentary Haggai 2:10-14

"In the four and twentieth [day] of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith Jehovah; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean." — Haggai 2:10-14 (ASV)

Although interpreters seem to perceive the Prophet's meaning, no one truly and clearly expresses what he means and intends to teach us. Indeed, they offer nothing but what is simplistic and uninspired. They refer all these things to this point: that sacrifices were not acceptable to God before the people had begun to build the Temple, but that from that time they were pleasing to God. This was because the people, by offering sacrifices in a desolate place, proved by such negligence that they disregarded God's command. But when their hands were applied to the work, God was appeased, and thus He began to accept their sacrifices which He had previously rejected.

This is, indeed, part of what is meant, but not the whole; and the Prophet’s main object seems to me to be entirely different. He has previously been exhorting the people to build the Temple; he now exhorts them to build from a pure motive, and not to think that they had done everything when the Temple assumed a fine appearance before the eyes of men, for God required something else. Therefore, I have no doubt that the Prophet intended here to raise up the minds of the people to the spiritual worship of God.

It was, indeed, necessary to build the Temple diligently, but the purpose was also to be regarded; for God never cared for external ceremonies, nor was He delighted with that building as men are with their splendid houses. Since the Jews absurdly ascribed these crude feelings to God, the Prophet here shows why so strict a command had been given regarding the building of the Temple; and the reason was—that God might be worshipped in a pure and holy manner.

I will repeat what I have said, so that the explanation may be more familiar to you. When the people neglected the building of the Temple, they manifested their impiety and their contempt of Divine worship. For what was the cause of their delay and tardiness, except that each of them regarded nothing but his own private interest?

Now, when all of them strenuously undertook the work of building the Temple, their industry was indeed praiseworthy, for it was a proof of their piety. But when the people thought that God required nothing more than a splendid Temple, it was manifest superstition. For the worship of God, we know, is corrupted when it is confined to external things; for, in this manner God is transformed into a nature not His own: as He is a Spirit, so He must be spiritually worshipped by us. Whoever then forces upon Him only external pomps in order to pacify Him, most childishly trifles with Him.

This second part, in my view, is what the Prophet now undertakes to address. From the seventh to the ninth month they had been diligently engaged in the work which the Lord had commanded them to do. But men, as we know, busy themselves with external things and neglect spiritual worship; therefore, it was necessary to add what is said here, so that the people might understand that it was not enough to satisfy God, though they spared neither expense nor labor in building the Temple; but that something greater was required—namely, to worship God in it in a pure and holy manner.

This is the design of the whole passage. But we must first examine the Prophet’s words, and then it will be easier to gather the whole import of his doctrine.

He says then that he was ordered by God, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the same year, in the second year of Darius, to ask the priests concerning the law. Haggai is not instructed to inquire about the whole law, but only that the priests should answer a question according to the Word of God, or the doctrine of the law, according to the common saying: What is law? is the question. For it was not allowed for the priests to claim anything they pleased indiscriminately; they were only interpreters of the law. This is the reason why God tells His prophet to inquire what the law of Moses defines regarding the ceremony mentioned here. And the design was that the people, being convinced regarding the legal ceremonies, might not contend nor complain, but acknowledge that all actions are condemned as sinful which do not flow from a pure and sincere heart.

Haggai asks first, If a man takes holy flesh—that is, some part of the sacrifice—if anyone takes and carries it in a sleeve or skirt, that is, in any part of his garment, and then touches bread, or oil, or any edible thing, will anything connected with that holy flesh be sanctified by mere touch? The priests answer, No.

Here also interpreters grossly mistake, for they take "sanctified" as meaning "polluted," which is altogether false; for a twofold question is proposed here. First, whether holy flesh sanctifies anything it may touch? And second, whether an impure and polluted man contaminates whatever he may touch? Regarding the first question, the priests wisely and truly answer that there is no such efficacy in sacrifices that they can sanctify what they may touch; and this is true. The second definition is also most proper: that whatever is touched by an unclean man is polluted, as the law everywhere declares.

The Prophet then applies this to his present case: So, he says, is this people, and this nation, and the work of their hands. For as long as they are polluted, however much they may spend money on sacrifices and greatly weary themselves in worshipping God, not only is their labor vain, but whatever they offer is polluted and is only an abomination. We now understand the Prophet's words, and so we may now consider the subject.

But before I speak generally of the present subject, I will first note what the Prophet says here, that he inquired respecting the law; for it was not allowed for the priests to claim anything they pleased. We indeed know that they had advanced into such unrestrained behavior as to arbitrarily demand what God had never commanded, and also to forbid the people what was lawful, whose use had been permitted by God’s law.

But Haggai does not here allow such liberty to the priests; he does not ask what they thought, but what was required by the law of the Lord. And this is noteworthy, for it is a destructive evil to exercise arbitrary control over the conscience. And yet the devil has always corrupted the worship of God and the whole system of religion under the pretense of exalting the authority of the Church.

It is indeed true that the priestly office was very honorable and worthy of respect; but we must always be careful that men do not assume too much, and that what is thoughtlessly conceded to them does not deprive God of what belongs to Him, as is the case, we know, under the Papacy. When the Pope seeks to show that all his commands ought to be obeyed without any dispute, he quotes what is found in Deuteronomy 17:8:

If a question arises about the law,
the high priest shall judge between what is sacred and profane. (Deuteronomy 17:8)

This is indeed true; but was it permitted for the high priest to disregard God’s law and foolishly claim this or that according to his own judgment? No, the priest was only an interpreter of the law. Whenever then God tells those pastors whom He sets over His Church to be heard, His will is, as has been previously stated, that He Himself should be heard through their mouth. In short, whatever authority is exercised in the Church ought to be subjected to this rule: that God’s law is to retain its own preeminence, and that men blend nothing of their own, but only define what is right according to the Word of the Lord. Now this is an aside; I come now to the main point.

The priests answered that neither flesh, nor oil, nor wine was sanctified by touching a piece or part of a sacrifice. Why? Because a sacrifice does not sanctify unclean things, except by way of expiation; for this, we know, was the design of sacrifices—that men who were polluted might reconcile themselves to God.

A right answer was then given by the priests: that unclean flesh or unclean oil is not sanctified by the touch of holy flesh. Why? Because the flesh itself was not dedicated to God for this purpose—to purify what was unclean by a mere touch. Yet, on the other hand, it is most true that when a man was unclean he polluted whatever he touched.

It is commonly thought that he is said to be unclean in his soul who had defiled himself by touching a corpse; but I differ from this. The word "soul" is often taken in the law for man himself—

The soul that eats of what died of itself is polluted;
the soul that touches a corpse is polluted. (Leviticus 17:15).

Therefore, he is here said to be polluted in his soul who had an outward uncleanness, as we say in French, Pollu en sa personne. Whoever then is unclean pollutes by touch only whatever might have been otherwise clean; and the conclusion sufficiently proves that this is the meaning of this passage. I have said enough about the Prophet's design, but the subject must be more fully explained.

We know how heedlessly men are inclined to deal with God, for they trifle with Him like children with their puppets. And this presumption has been condemned, as is well known, even by pagans. Hardly a Prophet could have spoken out more severely against this gross superstition than Persius, who compares sacrifices, so much esteemed by all, to puppets, and shows that other things are required by God, namely—

A well-ordered condition and piety of soul, and an inward purity
of mind, and a heart imbued with generous virtue.

He means then that men ought to be imbued with true holiness, and that inwardly, so that there should be nothing false or feigned. He says that those who are such, that is, who have imbibed the true fear of God, rightly serve Him, though they may bring only a crumb of incense, and that others only profane the worship of God, though they may bring many oxen; for whatever they think serves to cover their filth is polluted by new and repeated filth. And this is what has been expressed by pagan authors; another poet says:

An impious right hand does not rightly worship the celestials.

So they spoke according to the common judgment of natural knowledge. Regarding the Philosophers, they always hold this principle—that no sacrifice is rightly offered to God unless the mind is right and pure.

But yet the Philosophers, as well as the Poets, adopted this false notion by which Satan deceived all men, from the least to the greatest: that God is pacified by ceremonies. From this have come so many expiations, in which foolish men trusted, and by which they thought that God would be favorable to them, though they obstinately continued daily to bring upon themselves new punishments and, as it were, to openly carry on war with God Himself.

They admit today, under the Papacy, this principle that the true fear of God is necessary, as hypocrisy contaminates all the works of men; nor will they indeed dare to commend those who seek deceptively and frivolously to satisfy God, when they are filled with pride, contempt, and impiety.

And yet they will never receive what the Prophet says here—that men not only lose all their labor but also contract new pollution when they seek to pacify God by their sacrifices unaccompanied by inward purity.

For from where does that "partial righteousness" which the Papists imagine come? For they say that if one does not keep the whole law, yet partial obedience is approved by God; and nothing is more common among them than this expression, "partial righteousness."

If then an adulterer refrains from theft and gives some of his wealth as alms, they will consider this to be charity and declare it to be acceptable. Though it proceeds from an unclean man, it is yet made a covering, which is deemed sufficient in some way or another to pacify God.

Thus the Papists seek, indiscriminately, to make God indebted to them by their works, though they may be full of all uncleanness. We therefore see that this error has not sprung up today or yesterday for the first time, but it is inherent in the very bones and marrow of men; for they have always thought that their services please God, though they may be unclean themselves.

Therefore, this definition must be kept in mind: that works, however splendid they may appear before our eyes, are of no value or importance before God unless they flow from a pure heart. Augustine very wisely explained this in his fourth book against Julia. He says that it would be an absurd thing for the faithful to judge works by their outward appearance; but that they ought to be estimated according to the source from which they proceed, and also according to their design.

Now the source of works I consider to be integrity of heart, and the design or purpose is when men's object is to obey God and to consecrate their life to Him. Therefore we learn the difference between good and evil works, between vices and virtues, namely, from the inward state of the mind and from the object in view.

This is what the Prophet addresses in the first part; and he drew an answer from the priests which was entirely consistent with the law. It amounted to this: that no work, however praised and applauded by the world, is valued before God’s tribunal unless it proceeds from a pure heart.

Now regarding the second part, it is no less difficult to convince men of its truth—that whatever they touch is contaminated when they themselves are unclean. And yet this is what God had plainly made known to the Jews: and the priests neither hesitated nor doubted, but immediately returned an answer, as if the matter were well known—that an unclean man contaminates whatever he touches.

But when we come to apply the subject, men then reject what they had been clearly taught; indeed, what they are forced to confess, until they see the matter brought home to them, and then they begin to accuse God of too much rigor: “Why is this, that whatever we touch is polluted, even if we might leave some defilement? Are not our works still deserving of some praise, since they are good works?”

And hence also comes the common saying that works which are good in their kind are always to some extent meritorious; and though they are without faith, they yet serve to merit the gift of faith, because they are in themselves praiseworthy, such as chastity, liberality, sobriety, temperance, beneficence, and all almsgiving. But God declares that these virtues are polluted, though men may admire them, and that they are only abominable filth, unless the heart is really cleansed and purified. Why so? Because nothing can flow from an impure and polluted source but what is impure and polluted.

It is now easy to understand how fittingly the Prophet had led the priests and the whole people to see this difference. For if he had abruptly said this to them—that no work pleased God unless the doer himself had been cleansed from every defilement—many arguments would have immediately arisen: “Why will God reject what is in itself worthy of praise?

When one observes chastity, when another liberally gives a part of his property, when a third devotes himself entirely to promote the good of the public, when magnanimity and firmness shine forth in one, when another cultivates the liberal arts—are not these such virtues as deserve some measure of praise!” Thus a great clamor would have been raised among the people, had not Haggai made this kind of preface: that according to the law what is unclean is not sanctified by the touch of holy flesh, and also that whatever is touched by an unclean person is polluted.

What the law then prescribed in its rituals silenced all those clamors which might have immediately arisen among the people. Moreover, though ceremonies have now ceased and are no longer in use, yet what God has once declared still retains its force: that whatever we touch is polluted by us, unless there is real purity of heart to sanctify our works.

Let us now inquire how our works please God. For no one is ever found to be pure and perfect, as even the most perfect are defiled with some vices, so that their works are always sprinkled with some spots and blemishes, and contract some uncleanness from the hidden filth of their hearts.

In answer to this, I say first, that all our works are corrupt before God and abominable in His sight, for the heart is naturally corrupt. But when God purifies our hearts by faith, then our works begin to be approved and obtain praise before Him; for the heart is cleansed by faith, and purity is diffused over our works, so that they begin to be pleasing to God. For this reason Moses says that Abel pleased God with his sacrifices:

The Lord had respect to Abel and to his gifts. (Genesis 4:4).

Had Moses said only that the sacrifices of Abel were approved by God, he would have spoken rashly, or at least obscurely, for he would have been silent on the main thing. But he begins with the person, as if he had said that Abel pleased God because he worshipped Him with an upright and sincere heart. He afterwards adds that his sacrifices were approved, for they proceeded from the true fear of God and sincere piety. So Paul, when speaking of the real keeping of the law, says that the end of the law is love from a pure heart and faith unfeigned (1 Timothy 1:5). He shows then that no work is deemed right before God unless it proceeds from that source—namely, unfeigned faith, which is always connected with an upright and sincere heart. This is one point.

Secondly, we must keep in mind how God purifies our hearts by faith. There is indeed a twofold purification: He first forms us in His image, and engraves on us true and real fear, and an obedient disposition. This purity of the heart diffuses itself over our works; for when we are imbued with true piety, we have no other object but to offer ourselves and all we have to God.

Far indeed are hypocrites and profane men from having this feeling; in fact, they are entirely alienated from it. They offer liberally their own things to God, but they wish to be their own masters; for a hypocrite will never give himself up as a spiritual sacrifice to God.

We therefore see how faith purifies our hearts and also purifies our works; for having been regenerated by the Spirit of God, we offer to Him first ourselves and then all that we have.

But as this purification is never found complete in man, it is therefore necessary that help should come from gracious acceptance. Our hearts then are purified by faith because God does not impute to us the uncleanness that remains and defiles our works.

As God then regards with gracious acceptance the purity that is not yet perfect, so He ensures that its contagion does not reach our works. When Abel offered sacrifices to God, he was indeed perfect, since there was nothing feigned or hypocritical in him; but he was a man, we know, surrounded by weakness. It was therefore necessary for his remaining pollution to have been purified by the grace of Christ. Therefore it was that his sacrifices were accepted: for as he was accepted, so God graciously received whatever proceeded from him.

We now see then how men, while in a state of nature, displease God by their works and can bring nothing but what is corrupt, filthy, and abominable.

We further see how the children of God, after having been renewed by His Spirit, come pure to Him and offer Him pure sacrifices. They come pure because it is their object to devote themselves to God without any deceit; but as this devotedness is never perfect, God supplies the defect by a gracious imputation, for He embraces them as His servants in the same manner as if they were entirely formed in all righteousness.

And in the same way He approves of their works, for all their spots are wiped away—indeed, those very spots which might justly prevent all favor, if all uncleanness were not washed away by the blood of Christ, and that through faith.

We therefore learn that there is no ground for anyone to deceive himself with empty delusions by attempting to please God with great pomp. For the first thing which the Prophet discusses here is always required: that is, that a person must be pure in his heart, that inward purity must precede every work.

And though this truth meets us everywhere in all the Prophets, yet as hypocrisy dazzles our eyes and blinds all our senses, it ought to be seriously considered by us. We ought to notice especially not only this passage but other similar passages where the Prophets ridicule the eagerness of the people when they busied themselves with sacrifices and outward observances, and neglected the main thing—real purity of heart.

We must also note what the Prophet says in the last verse, that so was every work of their hand and whatever they offered. It apparently seems a difficult matter that the very sacrifices were condemned as polluted.

But it is no wonder that false modes of worship, by which profane men dishonor God, should be repudiated by Him; for they seek to transform Him according to their own fancy, as if He might be soothed by playthings or such trifles. It is therefore a most disgraceful mockery when men deal thus with God, offering Him only external ceremonies and disregarding His nature; for they make no account of spiritual worship, and yet think that they please Him.

We must then, in a word, make this remark: that the Prophet teaches us here that it is not enough for men to show obedience to God, to offer sacrifices, to spend labor in building the Temple, unless these things were rightly done—and how rightly? By a sincere heart, so there should be no deceit, no duplicity.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that because we come from our mother’s womb entirely impure and polluted, and afterwards continually contract so many new defilements—O grant that we may flee to the source which alone can cleanse us. And as there is no other way by which we can be cleansed from all the defilements of the flesh, unless we are sprinkled by the blood of Your only begotten Son, and that by the hidden power of Your Spirit, and thus renounce all our vices—O grant that we may so strive truly and sincerely to devote ourselves to You, as daily to renounce more and more all our evil affections, and to have nothing else as our object but to submit our minds and all our affections to You, by really denying ourselves, and to exercise ourselves in this strenuous effort as long as we are in this world, until we attain to that true and perfect purity which is laid up for us in Your only-begotten Son, when we shall be fully united to Him, having been transformed into that glory into which He has been received. Amen.