1Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment. 2For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also. 3Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. 4Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. 5So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! 6And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. 7For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; 8but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God. 10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. 15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
In the time of Malachi the prophet, the priests had “corrupted” the ministry entrusted to them (Mal 2:1-9). They offered blemished sacrifices on behalf of the people (Mal 1:6-14), although they had ample instruction not to do so (Lev 22:17-25; Deut 15:21). They refused to teach the people the word of God, the fear of God, repentance toward God, and walking with God (Mal 2:5-7). They showed “partiality in the instruction,” meaning that they taught the parts of Scripture they wanted and ignored other parts (2:8-9). Men divorced their wives and married others who worshiped foreign gods (2:10-16). The people practiced sorcery, adultery, false oaths, and oppression (3:5). They also robbed the Lord by withholding tithes and contributions (3:8-12).
As a result, the priests and the people did not trust the love of God (1:2), challenged the prophet whether they actually despised and defiled the name of the LORD (1:6-7, 12-13), received a curse from God (2:2; 3:10-12), questioned the justice of God (2:17), and asserted that it was vain to serve God (3:14).
Jesus and His apostles taught similarly of the dangers that ministers can bring on themselves and on those who follow them. He said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt 7:13-23),” and, “they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matt 15:14; see also Matthew 23).” Peter warned, “There will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves (2 Peter 2:1).” Because of the gravity of the office of teacher, James also admonished us, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1).” For further study, consult Jer 23-29, Ezek 13 and 34, and Acts 20:17-38.