Leviticus assigns priests the responsibility to distinguish holy from common and clean from unclean and to teach Israel YHWH’s statutes. Malachi later says the priest’s lips should preserve knowledge and people should seek Torah from his mouth, then condemns priests who have corrupted that teaching vocation.

Malachi says priestly lips should guard knowledge and people should seek instruction from them. Jesus accuses legal experts of taking away the key of knowledge, neither entering nor allowing others to enter. The role correspondence is suggestive but not an explicit citation.

Numbers gives Phinehas a covenant of peace and an enduring priestly grant; Malachi recalls a covenant with Levi described as “life and peace.” The lexical and priestly correspondence is strong, though Malachi does not name Phinehas.

Moses’ blessing of Levi highlights teaching God’s judgments and presenting sacrifice; Malachi’s ideal priest likewise guards knowledge, teaches Torah, and walks faithfully before God.