The main aim of the article is to illustrate the social crisis in the 5th century BC, whose symbol in Mal 3,5 is a hireling working for wages. The grammatical and syntactic analysis of the expression Sekar-Säkîr helps to elucidate the situation of the hireling in the 5th century BC brought almost to the status of slave. The editorial addition, identifiable in Mal 3,1-5, is in turn the evidence of attempt to incorporate the original prophecy of Malachi in the process of extinguishing the embers of the social crisis.
The article presents the teaching of St. Augustine on priesthood – priests, their attitudes and commitment on pastoral work. Bishop of Hippo’s commentaries on the excerpts from the Gospel of John (J 10, 1-17; J 21, 15-17) are basis for the elaboration. Bishop of Hippo indicates that every priest receives his calling from Christ, the Good Shepherd. Thus, he ought to follow Christ and have absolute trust in Him, believing that without God’s grace he can do nothing in his pastoral work. What appears to be especially interesting is St. Augustine’s proposition that even the ministry of an unworthy priest – the evangelical mercenary – can be of a great benefit to the faithful, provided that they will not follow in his footsteps, but merely fulfill the proclaimed Word of God. In the commentaries one can see St. Augustine as a sophisticated exegete, but above all as a zealous priest of the lay faithful and a formation advisor.
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