Commentary on the book of the prophet Haggai

Prophet Haggai, Heb. Haggai - “festive” “solemn”, LXX: Αγγαῖος, Vulg: Aggaeus, whose book in both the Hebrew and Greek Bible occupies tenth place among the books of the twelve minor prophets, is the first prophet of God to leave his scripture after the Babylonian captivity. The important historical significance of the book of the prophet Haggai, which casts a certain light on the first days and years of life of the Jews after returning from captivity, is generally recognized. Many new researchers (Shrader and others) even believe that in the established dates for the beginning of the construction of the second Temple of Jerusalem, the only reliable source is the message from the book of the prophet Haggai (24th day of the 9th month of the 2nd year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes - according to Hagg. 2.15, 18, see Hagg. 1.1 next, and the message from the book of the contemporary prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 1:16, 4:9, 6:12, 8:9), which is completely consistent with it, while the message from the book of Ezra (1Ezra 3:1-4ch.) about the foundation of the temple in Jerusalem back in the reign of Cyrus, precisely in the 2nd month of the 2nd year after the return of the Jews with Zerubbabel and Jesus from captivity 1Ezra 3.8 et seq.) is declared by them to be devoid of historical authenticity due to the silence of the books of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah about any work on the construction of the church before their time. The extremeness and falsity of this opinion is obvious: there is no need to deny the fact of the foundation of the second church back in the 2nd year after the return of the Jews from captivity around 536 BC; the message about this in the book of Ezra is quite applicable with the dates of the books of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah about the resumption of construction work on the church in the 2nd year of the kingdoms, in 519 or 518. But here the accuracy and certainty of the chronological dates and the entire historical situation of the book of the prophet Haggai is correctly noted. Information about the life and activities of the prophet Haggai - the only person of this name known from the Bible, in addition to that reported by the book of his name and confirmed by the testimony of the 1st book of Ezra (1 Ezra 5:1, 6:14) about the appearance of the prophet Haggai together with the prophet. Zechariah with a sermon about the resumption of work on the construction of the second temple of Jerusalem - biblical writing has not been preserved. Jewish tradition calls (Baba Batra 15a) the prophet Haggai a member of the so-called Great Synagogue (Keneset-Gaggedola) as to the same Great Synagogue the rabbis counted not only the prophets Zechariah and Malachi, but also many other somewhat outstanding figures of the post-exilic era; As members of this Great Synagogue, the prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are credited in the Talmud with drawing up many rules and regulations of a ritual nature (Erubin II, 1 Shekalim III, 1). But the reliability of this testimony is already contradicted by the fact that, according to Jewish tradition, the Great Synagogue was founded only by Ezra (458 BC), therefore, only 62 years after Haggai entered the prophetic ministry (c. 520), and most importantly - extreme doubtfulness, even more complete unreliability of the very existence of the Great Synagogue. In the ancient Christian Church, a completely stable view of the personality of the prophet Haggai was also not preserved or developed. According to what is transmitted by Pseudo-Epiphanius, Pseudo-Dorotheus and Pseudo-Hesychius, it is known that Haggai, in his early youth, came from Babylon to Judea, prophesied about the return of the people from captivity, saw part of the restoration of the church and was the first to sing “Hallelujah” there; died in Jerusalem and was buried there near the tombs of the priests. It is difficult to say how reliable this information is, but it is possible that it is based on a genuine historical grain, especially since the work “De vita el morte prophetarum” containing all this information, as is now recognized in science, was originally written in Hebrew. How little, however, the view expressed here on the time and circumstances of the prophetic ministry of Haggai was generally accepted in the ancient Church can be seen from the fact that Blessed Augustine (ennaratio in psalm CXLVII) believed that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah began their prophetic ministry back in Babylon, and even more from the fact that, according to the testimony of Blessed Jerome and St. Cyril of Alexandria, Origen with his followers and some others, based on Haggai 1.13, considered Haggai not a man, but an Angel sent by God to preach. In his commentary on Haggai 1.13, Blessed Jerome writes: “Some think that John the Baptist, Malachi, whose name means the Angel of the Lord, and Haggai, whose book we now have in our hands, were Angels, but by the permission and command of God they took on human bodies and circulated among people” (Blessed Jerome - in Russian translation - One book of commentaries on the prophet Haggai, to Paul and Eustochius. Creation Part 16: p. 333). This is an inconvenient opinion, which caused a refutation by Blessed Jerome and St. Cyril Alexander., could arise, in addition to the literal understanding of the term maleah Jehovah in Hag 1.13, also from the absence of the usual indication among prophets of the name of the prophet’s father, as well as from the unknown among the people of the prophet’s tomb. These grounds, of course, are completely insufficient, especially since at present the name of the prophet’s father may already be known. During excavations in the Haram es Sherif square, formerly occupied by the Jerusalem temple, an ancient Hebrew seal was found with the inscription carved on it in ancient Hebrew letters: “Haggai, son of Shevania.” In view of the presence only of the prophet Haggai, the mention of a seal-ring worn by men, not without reason, sees in this seal the seal of the prophet Haggai, and suggests that he could have lost it precisely near the church, near which he should have been often, since he followed with great interest the correctness of the work on the construction of the church (Prof. A. A. Olesnitsky, Old Testament Church. p. 855). With such scarcity and dubiousness of information preserved by tradition about the personality, life and work of the prophet Haggai, the historical grain can be seen in the messages of Epiphanius, Dorotheus, Hesychius, which are based, apparently, on an ancient, original Jewish tradition. In the spirit of this legend, some new researchers (for example, Reiss) admit that the prophet Haggai belonged to the sacred tribe of Levi and returned from Babylon at a young age. The opposite opinion of other scientists (Ewald Cornille and others) does not agree with the latter and has little probability - based on the interpretation of Haggai 2.3 - that the prophet Haggai was one of those elders who saw the temple of Solomon (cf. 1Ezra 3.12), and, thus, at the beginning of the construction of the church was at least 80 years old. The legend of Epiphanius Dorotheus, in its essential features, is reproduced by our Prologue and Chetya-Menaion on December 16, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of St. the prophet Haggai. In Chetyi-Minea St. Demetrius of Rostov, on December 16, we read the following about the prophet Haggai: “This one was from the tribe of Levi, born in Babylon, in captivity, while still young he came from Babylon to Jerusalem, and prophesied with the holy prophet Zechariah for thirty-six years. Having preceded the incarnation of Christ by four hundred and seventy years, the holy Haggai of prophecy revealed the corruption. And the form is partly an ecclesiastical publication, updated by Zerubbabel upon his return from Babylonian captivity. He died and was buried near the coffins of the priests, gloriously, even though he was from the priestly family. He was bald and old, surrounded by fords and honest in character, and testified in virtues. Let us love and honor everyone, as the great prophet is also glorified: and his name is interpreted as a holiday or a celebration.” Here, the chronological dates of both the duration of the prophet’s ministry are not very reliable: according to the Bible, his activity lasted only a few months, and the time of the prophet’s life, according to certain evidence from the Bible, the prophetic sermon of Haggai dates back to the 2nd year of the reign of Darius, i.e. about 520 BC. ; The same can be said regarding the indications about the prophet’s appearance. As for the omitted here mention of Epiphanius Dorotheus that the prophet Haggai was the first to sing “hallelujah” during the restoration of the church, this circumstance, in all likelihood, stands in connection with the inscriptions of some psalms found in ancient translations of the book of Psalms with the names of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah: psalms Ps 3.1, 145.1, 147.1, 143.1 according to LXX and glories, and the last three psalms in the Greek text are inscribed: Αλληλούια Αγγαίου καί Ζαχαρίου; Likewise, the names of these prophets appear in the Vulgate text in psalms Ps 111.1, 145.1, 146.1 and in Peshito - in psalms Ps 125.1 - Ps 126.1. But all these inscriptions, which usually and constantly combine two contemporary prophets, speak, obviously, not about the authorship of these prophets in relation to the listed psalms, but only about the time of their greatest, namely liturgical use, precisely during the period of activity of both prophets named in the inscription. But no matter how scant and vague the biographical information about the prophet Haggai, reported by tradition, is so clear are the historical circumstances and relationships that most immediately gave rise to the prophetic preaching of Haggai and generally constituted, so to speak, the historical background of his activity. The Jews who returned by decree of Cyrus (2 Chron. 36.22–23; 1 Ezra 1.1–3) in the year 538–537 amounted to 42,360 free people, 7,337 slaves and 245 singers (1 Ezra 2.64–65; Neh. 7.66–67) in the first year in the seventh month - Tisri - they built an altar to Jehovah in Jerusalem and restored the correct performance of sacrifices and all worship in general (1Ezra 3.2-6), and in the second month - Iyar - of the next second year, they, full of hopes for the fulfillment of the promises connected with the return from captivity, zealously prepare building materials and lay the foundation of the church of the Lord (ibid., 1Ezra 3.7-11). This apparent haste in the immigrants’ concern for building the church is completely natural and completely understandable in view of the importance of the church in the Old Testament as the true center and vital nerve of the theocracy (see. Deut.12.5, 11; 1 Kings 8:29, 9:3; 2 Kings 21.4; Jer 32.34). The covenant of God with the chosen people and the promises given by God to Israel required, for the implementation of grace-filled communication between God and the people, a special place - the church, and the new Jewish community, by laying the foundation of the church, actually testified to its sincere desire to restore its communication with God, broken and, as it were, interrupted by the destruction of Solomon's temple, and to receive the fulfillment of the promises. The prevailing mood of the people at first was cheerful and full of energy and joy (1 Ezra 3:7, 11). However, in the general chorus of rejoicing, dissonance was immediately heard at the very foundation of the new church, and, of course, in subsequent times, along with the rejoicing of the younger generation, the crying of the old people was heard, who saw the splendor of Solomon’s temple and, based on the foundation of the new church, judged the comparative poverty and insignificance of the latter (1Ezra 3.12-13; Hagg 2.4), and this greatly weakened jealousy for construction and, in addition, there was reason to doubt the fulfillment of God’s promises associated with the church. External obstacles had a further adverse effect on the energy of the builders and the success of the construction. The Samaritans offered the Jews their participation in the construction, and when their proposal was rejected by the Jews, they began to interfere with the construction work, which was favored by the absence of Cyrus, who at that time was waging a fatal war with the Massagetae, and after the death of Cyrus (529), the Samaritans obtained from the Persian court an official ban on the construction of the Jerusalem Temple (1 Ezra 4.2–6.23). The construction, stopped by royal decree, was not resumed during the entire reign of Kirov’s son, Cambyses (529–522), as well as his successor, False Smerdiz (522–521). This continued until the reign of Darius Hystaspes (521–485). The very outward state of the Jewish community in the first years after returning from captivity did not correspond at all to the brilliant hopes that those who returned undoubtedly nurtured on the basis of prophetic predictions linking the return from captivity to the complete renewal and worldwide glorification of Israel (see. for example, Isa 60.1 and Isa 62.1 ch.): Instead, the immigrants were oppressed by the desolate consciousness of their slavish dependence on the Persians (Neh 9.36), their extreme poverty and all kinds of failures (Hag 1.6, etc.). All this led to the fact that the initial zeal and energy for building the church among the people disappeared and was replaced by complete indifference to the work begun; there was even a conviction that “it is not time to build the house of the Lord” (Hagg 1.2). Instead, the Jews began to build their own dwellings, sometimes even very decorated (Hagg 1.4) and generally arrange their own well-being. But God did not bless the success of these works: the country was constantly visited by droughts and complete crop failures (Hagg 1:6, 9–11, 2:15–19). And this, in connection with everything mentioned, evoked in the people a feeling of abandonment by God, the idea that God had terminated his covenant relationship with His people, that He had taken away His Spirit (Hag 2.5). When, therefore, not only could the construction of the church be postponed for an indefinite period of time, but the great danger of death threatened the entire religious and moral life of the theocratic community, then Haggai was raised by God to the prophetic ministry. The purpose and meaning of the activity of the prophet Haggai, obviously, was to explain to the people the reasons for their disastrous state and failure in their labors and undertakings; to raise the fallen spirit of the settlers, to convince them with threats and exhortations to build the church as soon as possible; to inspire in him faith in the immutability of God’s covenant relationship with the Jews and the promises of God, which are to be fulfilled precisely in the church under construction, - to convince him that the Messiah will appear in it and lay the foundation of His eternal and universal Kingdom, and that the upheavals that preceded this among the earthly kingdoms will not be fatal for the Jews, as they stand under the protection of God. This is the circle of main ideas of the small book of the prophet Haggai (38 verses in both chapters). It consists of four speeches, precisely dated by the time of delivery. First speech ch. I Hag.1:1–11 was pronounced on the first day (new moon holiday) of the 6th month (Elul) of the 2nd year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes. In it, the prophet reveals the real reason for the stop in the construction of the church and shows its inconsistency, urgently demands the resumption of work on the construction of the church, pointing out the disasters experienced by the people in the present and possible in the future, as a manifestation of the wrath of God for neglecting the work of God. The speech is accompanied by a historical note, Hag. 1:12–15, about the favorable consequences of the prophet's first appearance: the renewal of the church. The second speech, Hagg 2.1–9, is dated 21 days of the 7th month (Tisri) of the same year (on the 7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles) and contains an exhortation to vigorously continue the construction, not embarrassed by its apparent poverty and lack of funds to provide the new church with the splendor of the first, Solomon’s temple; then he shows those high spiritual blessings - the mercy of the covenant of God and the grace of the presence of Jehovah, and then the Messiah - which will be inherent in the new church to an even greater extent than the first. In the third speech, Hagg 2.10–19, delivered on the 24th day of the 9th month (Kasleva) of the same year, the prophet, in order to maintain the zeal of the church builders, points out that without the church, in which people receive cleansing and sanctification, everyone was unclean, the sacrifices themselves were not pleasing to God, and God in His anger punished people with the infertility of the earth; but when the Jews had already shown their zeal for the construction of the church, the Lord proclaimed His blessing to the people and all the spiritual and material benefits that it brings to people. The last, fourth speech, Hag 2.20–23, delivered on the same day as the previous one, is addressed to Zerubbabel himself, and proclaims to him, as a descendant of David and a faithful and obedient servant of Jehovah in the construction of the church, integrity, preservation and prosperity under the special protection of Jehovah at the very time when great political upheavals and world catastrophes will occur. All these speeches, as can be seen from even a cursory review of them, are distinguished, firstly, by their special brevity, due to which many researchers saw in them nothing more than an abbreviation of longer speeches delivered to the people (cf. Agg 1.13), and then by their direct (like the 1st and 2nd speeches) or indirect (3rd and 4th speeches) relation to the construction of the church. The last feature led some Protestant scholars to accept the significance of the theology of the prophet Haggai, considering, for example, the lack of his book “unprophetic zeal for the restoration of the ancient cult” (De Wette) and even admitting that the prophet. Haggai, with his zeal for building the church, fell under the guilt of the people denounced by the prophet Jeremiah, who said: “Here is the church of the Lord” (Jer 7.4) (Dum). But such views are fundamentally false and fall by themselves in view of the well-known central significance of the church in the religion and theocracy of the Old Testament. The high biblical theological significance of the content of the book of the prophet Haggai is confirmed by other ideas of revealed teaching contained in it. This is, in connection and agreement with the general biblical teaching about the providence of God, the thought of the prophet that God punishes those who neglect the glory of His name with infertility (Hagg 1.6, 9–11, 2.16–17, 19, see Deut. 28.22, 23, 38; Jer. 12.13; Micah 6.15; Zech 8.10). The messianic idea about the superiority of the glory of the second church over the glory of the first, and about the coming gift of peace in the second church (Hagg 2.9): in this church the Lord Jesus Christ appeared and preached His Gospel of peace is deeply important and justified by the New Testament. Even two legalistic questions in Hag 2.11–14 are posed and resolved not only in strict agreement with the letter of the law (Lev.6:26; Num. 19.22), but are also accompanied by the prophet with certain and sublime moral demands. Finally, the idea that amid the turmoil of nations and kingdoms, earth and heaven, the Lord saves the elect and accepts them all into his unshakable Kingdom (Hag 2.6–7, 21–22. See Heb 12.26–28) has a high theological and messianic meaning. The authenticity and unity of the book of the prophet Haggai, with a few exceptions, is generally accepted in science (only Andre denies the authenticity of the section Hagg 2.10–19, and Boehme considers the section Hagg 2.20–23 inauthentic, but on grounds that are too insufficient and untenable). The language of the book, as something that happened after the captivity, rightly points out many stylistic features of the biblical Hebrew language in its later stage of development. Literature for studying the book of the prophet Haggai: A) translations in Russian: 1) blessed. Jerome. Creations part 14; 2) St. Cyril of Alexandria – Works, part X; 3) Blessed Theodoret, bishop. Kirsky. Creations part V. 1907. The best of the educational manuals is D. N. Nartsissava. A Guide to Studying the Prophetic Books of the Old Testament. 1904. B) Foreign. Andre, Le prophete Aggee. Paris. 1895. Keil, Biblischer Commentar über die zwöll kleinen. Propheten. 1886. Lange. Die Propheten HaggaI, Sachara Mateachi 1876. Marti, Dodekapropheton. Tübingen 1904, s. 378 ff. etc. You might be interested in: