The Book of Malachi: Its Place in the Twelve Minor Prophets, in Jewish and in Christian Canon

ABSTRACT This study discusses the establishment of the corpus of the Twelve Minor Prophets into which the book of Malachi is integrated. The grouping of the Twelve in one body was known prior to the second century bce, and the Baraita explains the necessity of putting them together. After exploring the place, literary status, and standing of Malachi within the Twelve and the Prophets more generally, the study examines whether or not the canonicity of the book was disputed among Jews and Christians. Malachi plays a significant role in the Jewish canon: It connects Nebe’im with Torah, serves as a transition from Prophets to Writings, and is the transition point from the Written to the Oral Torah. In the Christian canon, Malachi is located at the end of the Old Testament, just before Matthew that opens the New Testament and recounts the birth of Jesus. That Elijah is forerunner of the Messiah is common to Jewish and Christian tradition. However, while in Judaism he will appear again, in Christianity, he has already appeared and was identified with John the Baptist who announced Jesus as Christ.