This commentary proceeds by first offering a synchronic view of the canonical final text of
Malachi especially the argumentation in the disputation speeches. Then the history of the
text's origins is reconstructed revealing an originally independent collection of disputation
speeches. The additions provide some precision introduce motifs from other writings or
accommodate the text to changing historical frameworks. In a third move the reader's view is
directed beyond the Malachi document itself: as the last writing in the Book of the Twelve
Prophets Malachi refers back to other prophetic writings. The New Testament in turn adopts
sayings from Malachi and develops them further. Finally Schart investigates the theological
relevance of the book.
