Gen. sermons, Ex - Job

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Gen. sermons, Ex - Job

Dr. Martin Luther's

Complete Writings,

published by

Dr. Joh. Georg Walch.

Third volume.

Interpretation of the Old Testament.

(Continued.)

New revised stereotype edition.

St. Louis, Mo.

CONCORDIA. PUBLISHING HOUSE.

Dr. Martin Luther's

Interpretation of the Old Testament.

(Continued.)

Sermons on the first book of Moses and interpretations on the following biblical books up to the Psalms (excl.).

Published anew on behalf of the Ministry of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod

of Missouri, Ohio and other states.

St. Louis, Mo.

CONCORDIA. PUBLISHING HOUSE.

Foreword

After "Luther's Great Interpretation of the First Book of Moses" has been included in the first two volumes of our edition, "Luther's Sermons on the First Book of Moses" from the years 1523 to 1526, as well as the interpretations of the following books of the Old Testament up to the Psalms exclusive, follow in the present volume. The text of all these writings, which are given in the table of contents, has been improved and corrected to the best of our ability, and in the first note to each writing the necessary information is given about the occasion, time of writing, publication of the same 2c. A special introduction is therefore not required.

Through the Luther finds in the Zwickau Rathsschulbibliothek we were put in the position to make more exact and correct time determinations for some of the writings than could be done in the previous editions, e.g. for Luther's sermons on the first book of Moses, for the sermons on Gen. 3, 15. and on Gen. 22, 18.; for the annotations

to the fifth book of Moses; the dates for other writings, e.g. "Luther's interpretation of some chapters of the second book of Moses", are confirmed by the same finding.

Two major writings of this volume have been newly translated from the Latin, namely (according to the Weimar edition): "Die zehn Gebote dem Volk zu Wittenberg gepredigt" and (according to the Latin Erlangen edition) "Luthers Anmerkungen zu dem fünften Buche Mosis". Although the full, pure light of the Gospel does not yet shine in all parts of the former, it is also rich in salutary teachings and extremely interesting due to the detailed description of customs and traditions in the age of the Reformation, and has great value as a historical document of the Reformation. The old translation of the latter scripture is full of errors that disturb the meaning, which are partly to be put on the account of the translator, and partly probably also of the printer; e.g. (according to the old edition) Col. 2294, § 13 "carnal" instead of: falsely (per-

VI Foreword.

vorse); Col. 2323, § 30: but the parents who strongly resist her (the virgin], instead of: who strongly resist him (Christo); Col. 2332, § 16: it reads cruelly, instead of: it indicates from cruelty (atrociter sonat:); Col. 2336, § 26: that the stepmother should not take the son, instead of: that one should not take the father's wife (uxorem patris non accipere); Col. 2347, § 8: the law soon to follow, instead of: the law just preceding; Col. 2349, § 13: who is a new plant of faith, instead of: a neophyte in faith. Col. 2349 s., § 13: the children of the bridegroom, instead of: the wedding people (filii sponsi); Col. 2405, §44: "my enemies" instead of: arrows; Col. 2412, §24: "of gold" instead of: of solde (mercede); Col. 2418, §4: seduced by false similarity of the little words, instead of: deceived by the similarity of the expression, and the like.

Although "Luther's Lecture on the Book of Judges" 1) recording healthy

1. "Dr. Martin Luther's Lecture on the Book of Judges. From a manuscript in the Zwickauer Rathsschulbibliothek edited by Georg Buchwald, Dr. Phil. Cand. Theol., senior teacher at the grammar school in Zwickau. Leipzig, Julius Dreschers Verlag. Before this manuscript was included in the Weimar edition, Kawerau once again compared the text with the manuscript and improved it. Buchwald himself had placed it 1. e. p. 10 in the year 1529 or 1530, whereas Köstlin in his preface to Buchwald's edition lets the lectures be held in the year 1516 or 1517. The latter. The Weimar edition agrees with the latter assumption, but says (Supplements to Vol. IV) that the starting date assumed by it (1516) is also uncertain. This much is certain, it is a pre-Reformation writing. About the manuscript, the Weimar edition says: "It is a

In the Weimar edition, Vol. IV, p. 527, we have not been able to decide to give this writing a place among the "Luther's interpretations of the Old Testament" because of its fragmentary and otherwise doubtful nature. Should, however, the venerable ministry of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states desire it, we shall add it to a supplement volume.

In the last writing of this volume, "Of the Last Words of David," a

Clean, but with little understanding, fair copy prepared from a college booklet. The manuscript does not extend evenly over all chapters of the book of Judges; it breaks off in the interpretation of Cap. 18 sCap. 15 and 17, shows gaps and has a fragmentary character; it was probably an incomplete and unevenly made postscript that was available to the scribe. The numerous errors in the manuscript suggest that the scribe himself had not been the listener of the lecture, but only relied on the faulty postscript of another for his work." In another place, under the "Supplements" to the 4th volume of the Weimar edition to p. 569, note I (so to read instead of: "To p. 610, note 1."), it is said about a citation from a letter of Erasmus to Nicol. Everardus, May 15, 1524: "The similarity is so great that it can only be based on borrowing, and this can only be put .... on the account of the transcriber of the judge's lecture, since the lecture itself was necessarily delivered far earlier than this letter of Erasmus was written or published (1524 or 1529). But is the assumption warranted here that the author of the Zwickau copy.... . has supplemented gaps in the Collegienheft available to him at his own hand, then it is highly probable that also the multiple pieces borrowed or excerpted from Augustin are to be put on account of this writer, yes perhaps also the passage on p. 538, which sounds so strongly like Luther's V666M praeeexta" - We are firmly convinced that the passage just mentioned is borrowed from "Die zehn Gebote dem Volk zu Wittenberg gepredigt". Cf. Col. 1218 of this volume.

Foreword. VII

of Luther's most important writings, we have been able to correct some passages and bring others closer to understanding by comparing them with Cruciger's Latin translation.

May God in His grace also bless this work, so that through it we may commemorate our dear Savior, the LORD

We know that we can recognize Jesus Christ ever better and, as Luther says (Col. 1959, § 139), "may thus see the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, eternally. To him who has the Son, the Scriptures are open, and the greater and greater his faith in Christ becomes, the brighter the Scriptures shine to him." Amen.

St. Louis, circa Michaelmas 1894.

A. F. Hoppe.

Content

of the

The third part of Luther's complete writings.

Doctor Martin Luther's Interpretation of the Old Testament.

(Continued.)

I. Interpretations about the first book of Moses.

(Continued.) Column

B. Luther's Sermons on the First Book of Moses, preached from March 15, 1533, to the fall of 1534; edited 1527 1

Inserted into these sermons is the following scripture: An Instruction > How Christians Should Send Themselves in Moses. Preached after May > 1525, issued 15262-17

C. Sermon on Gen. 3:15, delivered April 2

1526 650

D. Sermon on Gen. 22, 18, delivered April 2, 1536 662

II. interpretations on the second book of Moses.

Luther's Interpretation of Several Chapters (Cap. 1 to 18) of the > Second Book of Moses. Preached by

October 2 1524-1526 672

This interpretation is inserted:

Another sermon by Luther on Exodus 3:1-6, preached April 3, 1526 744.

B. Luther's interpretation of the ten commandments from the

19th and 30th chapters of the second book of Moses, preached at > Wittenberg in 1526. Printed in 1528.... 1004

C. The Ten Commandments Preached to the People at Wittenberg. Preached from the end of June 1516 until the

24. february 1517. printed 1518 1132

D. The Ten Commandments of God with a brief interpretation of their fulfillment and transgression. Made by D. M. Luther, Augustinian. 1518 1352

III. interpretations on the fourth book of Moses.

The blessing, which is said after the mass over the people, from 4 > Mos., Cap. 6, interpreted by D. M. Luther. Preached 1527, published > 1532 1362

IV. Interpretations about the fifth book of Moses.

A. Luther's Notes on the Fifth Book of Moses. From February 1523 to 1525. Outgoing 1525 1370

B. Luther's Interpretation of Several Chapters Cap. 1. 4-9 of the Fifth Book of Moses. 1529 1638

C. Luther's Interpretation of the Song of Moses, 5 Mos.

32. laid out 1530 or later, issued 1532 1846

V. Interpretations on the second book of Samuel.

From the last words of David, 2 Sam. 23, 1-7. Anno 1543- 1880

Sermons on Genesis & how to teach Moses

I. Interpretation of the first book of Moses.

(Continued.)

B. D. M. Luther's Sermons on the 1st Book of Moses,

*together with a lesson on how to teach Moses. )

Preached from March 15, 1523, to the fall of 1524; edited in 1527.

Martinus Luther to the Christian readers grace and peace in Christo.

1. For a time I preached the prophet Moses here in Wittenberg, mostly for the sake of the spirits of the mob, so that they might pretend to their dreams, 1) so that they would not deceive the common man through Moses. How then the Masonic spirit began to make Jews out of Christians by false glory and misunderstanding of the Old Testament. Of which spirit there is still much effervescence and raving everywhere, and it is still stirring.

1. In the old editions: to degenerate their dreams.

2. Such sermons have been collected by other scholars, and brought together here, so that I can well put up with them, and recognize them for my sermons, although, if my pen had had the time, they might have come out more complete and stronger. But enough is given to my sense and understanding here. Order these to be read by anyone who desires to read them, and I am pleased to serve them. No one is forbidden to do better. God's grace be with us, amen.

*Luther began, as Aurifaber reports, on Sunday Lätare (March 15) 1523 with his continuous sermons on the first book of Moses. (Weim. Ausg., Vol. 12, pp. 435 and 704.) On Sunday Judica, March 13, 1524, he was at the 31st chapter (Buchwald, Andreas Poach's Collection, Vol. I, p. XXXIII and p. XX), and on the 19th Sunday after Trinity, October 2, 1524, in the afternoon, proceeded to the exposition of the second book of Moses. All that we know about the occasion for these sermons 2c. is limited to what Luther communicates in his short address to the reader, therefore it is not necessary to say the same again here. By the "Rottengeistern von Münzerischem Geist" are probably mainly the Zwickau enthusiasts to be understood. The reason that Luther calls them by the name of Münzer is that these sermons, which were copied by others, were published only in 1527 with Luther's approval, and it was therefore obvious to apply the name of Münzer, whose kindred spirits they were, to them as well. The text added to these sermons, "Eyn Vnterrichtung wie sich die Christen vnn Mosen sollen schicken, geprediget durch Mar. Luth." appeared (alone) already in 1526 with Hans Weiß in Wittenberg. This "instruction" does not actually belong to the "Sermons on the First Book of Moses" as an integrating part, but Luther preached it, as can be seen from §28 and §30, after the end of the Peasants' Revolt (on May 15, 1525, the Battle of Mühlhausen took place). Therefore, in the Jena edition, it is not printed in the sermons on the first book of Moses, but separately, under the writings of 1525. A Latin translation of the sermons appeared in 1527 at Hagenau by Joh. Secerius under the title: In Oenesin, Mosi lidrum sunotissinnnn, I). Äartini Imtkkri Uecrlnnmtiones. The first single German edition of the whole came Under the title: "Vber das Erstbuch Mose predigete Mart. Luther, sampt einer Unterricht, wie Moses zu leren ist" published by Georg Rhaw (Raus in Wittenberg in 1527. This edition was reprinted in the same year by Friedrich Peypus in Nuremberg. In 1528, another edition was published in Wittenberg by Georg Rau. In the collections: In the Wittenberg (1553), vol. V, p. I; in the Jena (1566), vol. IV, p. 1 (Die "Unterrichtung", vol.III, p. I76I-) ; in the Altenburg, vol. IV, p. 1; in the Leipzig, vol. I, p. I, and in the Erlangen, vol. 33 and vol. 34. We give the text according to the Erlangen, which brings the original print, comparing the Wittenberg and the Jena. For the preface, see the note in this volume, Col. 18.

2 Erl. 33, 3-5. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. IN, 2-4. I

How we should teach ourself in Moses An instruction on how Christians should send themselves in Moses,

preached by Martin Luther.

(Preached after May 15, 1525, issued in 1526.)*)

Dear friends, you have often heard how there was never a public sermon from heaven, but only twice, although God has otherwise often spoken through and with men on earth, as through and with the holy arch-fathers, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others, until Moses. But by and with these he spake not with such glorious pomp and outward manner, or public shouting and proclamation, as he did these twice, but inwardly enlightened their hearts, and spake by their mouths, as Zacharias the father of John doth indicate in his song, saying Luc. 1:70., "As he spake of old by the mouth of his holy prophets."

Now, the first sermon is in the other book of Moses chap. 19 and 20, when God made Himself heard from heaven with great splendor and glorious power, at the time when He gave the law to the people of Israel with thunder and lightning, 1) with smoke, vapor and very strong trumpets, all of which the people heard and trembled and were terrified.

5. on the other hand God preached another public sermon Apost. 2, 2-4 by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. For there the Holy Spirit also came with great splendor and outward appearance, so that "a swift sound of a mighty wind came from heaven, and filled the whole house where the disciples were sitting; and tongues were seen to be divided among them, as though they were fiery, and He sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to preach, and to speak with other tongues. This was done with great splendor and glorious power, so that the Apo

1. In the Wittenberg and Jena: "plixen". Erlanger: "Blixen".
2. Erlanger: "their". This is not an oversight, but "the" (which is also offered by the Wittenberg and the Jena) is given as Walch's variant.

They preached so powerfully after that, that the sermons that are now going on in the world are hardly a shadow compared to their sermons, namely according to the outward splendor and character. For they spoke with all kinds of tongues and performed great miraculous signs, as Lucas describes in the stories of the apostles.

(6) But by the present preachers he can neither be heard nor seen; it does not go down publicly from heaven. That is why I said § 3 that there are only two special and public sermons that have been seen and heard from heaven. Although God the Father also spoke to Christ from heaven when he was baptized in the Jordan and on Mount Thabor Matth. 3, 17. 17, 5., but this did not happen in front of the church.

The other sermon he would send into the world, which before was announced by the mouth and in the books of the holy prophets Rom. 1, 2. He will no longer speak publicly with sermons, but the third time he will come personally with divine glory, so that all creatures will tremble and shake before him, and he will no longer preach to them, but they will see and feel him themselves.

The first sermon and teaching is the Law of God, the other is the Gospel. These two sermons do not agree, therefore one must have good sense to know how to distinguish between them, and to know what is the law and what is the gospel. The law commands and demands of us what we are to do; it is directed solely to our doing, and stands in the demanding. For God says through the law, "Do this, leave this, and I will have this from you. The gospel, however, does not preach what we are to do or not to do, does not demand anything of us, but turns it around, does the opposite, and does not say: Do this, do that; but only tells us to hold out and take the lap, and says: Behold, dear man,

*) Compare the note to 8 28.

4 Erl. 33, 5-8. Sermons on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 4-6. 5

This is what God has done for you: He put His Son in the flesh for you, had Him strangled for your sake, and saved you from sin, death, the devil and hell; believe this and accept it, and you will be saved. So there are two kinds of teachings and two kinds of works, God's and man's. And as we and God are separated from each other, so also the two teachings are far separated from each other. For the gospel alone teaches what is given to us by God, not what we should give to God and do, as the law is wont to do.

(9) Here we will see how the first sermon sounded, and with what splendor God gave the law on Mount Sinai. He chose that place especially for him, that he might be seen and heard there; not that God spoke in this way, for he has no mouth, tongue or lips like we do, but he who created and made the mouth of all men can also make speech and voice. For no one could speak a word unless God gave it to him first, as the prophet says: it would be impossible to speak unless God gave it to our mouths first. Thus speech, language and voice are gifts of God, like other gifts, such as the fruit on the trees. He who created the mouth and put speech into it can also make speech, even if there is no mouth.

10. Now 1) the words that are written here in Moses were spoken by an angel; not that there was only one angel, but a great multitude, and an innumerable host, who served God and preached before the people of Israel on Mount Sinai. But the angel who spoke here, and who leads the words, speaks as if God Himself spoke and said: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" 2c., 2 Mos. 20, 2. As if Peter or Paul spoke and said in the place of God: I am your God, who will make you blessed through my most beloved Son 2c. Paul to Galatians Cap. 3, 19. says, that the God
11. "Nun" is missing in the Wittenberger.
12. Thus the Wittenbergers. Jenaer: in the place of God; Erlanger: in the place of God.

The law was ordered by the angels, that is, angels were ordered to give the law of God to the people of Israel instead of God, and Moses, as a mediator, was to receive it from the angels. I say this so that you may know who gave the law. He did it all because he wanted to force, capture and collect the Jews with it.

011 But what manner of voice it was, think ye well. It was a voice like the voice of a man, so that it was well heard; the syllables and letters sounded so that the physical ear could grasp it. But it was a brave, glorious and great voice, as it is written in the fifth book of Moses, Cap. 4:12, where he says that they heard the voice, and saw no man; but they heard a strong voice, for he led a strong voice, as when we hear a voice in the dark from a high tower or roof, and see no man, but hear only a strong voice of a man; and therefore it is called the voice of God, that it was above the voice of man.

12 Now you will hear how God sent Himself to the voice to move His people and make them strong. For he had in mind to start the outward spiritual regiment. For before Ex. 18, 14. ff. the text said how Moses, through the counsel of his adviser Jethro, instituted the temporal regiment, appointed captains and judges. Above this there is also a spiritual government, in which God reigns in the hearts of men; and this same kingdom cannot be seen, for it stands in faith alone, and will endure until the last day. Now these are two kingdoms: the temporal, which reigneth with the sword, and is seen outwardly; the spiritual, which reigneth with grace and forgiveness of sins only. And the same kingdom is not seen with bodily eyes, but is apprehended with faith alone. Between the two kingdoms there is another kingdom set in the middle, half spiritual and half temporal, which comprehends the Jews with commandments and outward ceremonies, as they should behave toward God and man before the world in an outward manner.

6 Eri. 33, 8-10. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, s-v. 7

The Law of Moses does not bind the Gentiles, but the Jews alone.

(13) The law of Moses pertains to the Jews, which henceforth binds us no more. For the law was given to the people of Israel alone, and Israel accepted it for themselves and their descendants, and the Gentiles are excluded here; although the Gentiles also have some laws in common with the Jews, such as that there is one God, that one offend no one, that one neither commit adultery nor steal, and such other things; all of which are naturally written in their hearts, and they have not heard it from heaven, as the Jews have. Therefore this whole text does not concern the Gentiles. I say this for the sake of the enthusiasts. For you see and hear how they read Moses and highly esteem him, and bring forth how Moses governed the people with commandments, wanting to be clever, wanting to know something further than is contained in the Gospel, considering faith small, bringing up something new, boasting and pretending that it is in the Old Testament, wanting to govern the people according to the letter of the Law of Moses, as if it had never been read before.

14 But we do not want to confess this; I would rather not preach any more for the rest of my life before I would let Moses in again, and let Christ be torn from our hearts. We do not want to have Moses for a regent or lawgiver anymore, yes, God does not want it himself either. Moses was a mediator and a lawgiver of the Jewish people alone, to whom he gave the law. One must therefore shut the mouths of the red spirits who say: Thus says Moses, it is written in Moses, and the like. So you say: Moses does not concern us. If I accept Moses in one commandment, I must accept the whole of Moses; so it would follow that if I accept Moses as my master and lawgiver, I must be circumcised, wash my clothes according to the Jewish way, and thus eat and drink, clothe myself, and keep all these things, as the Jews were commanded in the Law. So let us not keep or accept Moses. Moses is dead, his reign was over when Christ came; he does not serve here anymore.

(15) That Moses did not bind the Gentiles may be deduced from the text in the other book of Moses, chap. 20, 2. where God Himself says: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. From the text it is clear that even the ten commandments do not apply to us, for He did not bring us out of Egypt, but only the Jews. The spirits of the Jews want to put Moses on our backs with all the commandments; let us leave that alone. We want to consider Moses as a teacher, but we do not want to consider him as our lawgiver, unless he agrees with the New Testament and the natural law. Therefore it is clear enough that Moses is the lawgiver of the Jews and not of the Gentiles. For in this text Moses gave a sign to the Jews that they should take hold of God when they call upon Him, as the God who brought them out of Egypt. The Christians have another sign, in which they take hold of God, as the one "who made his Son for them for wisdom, and for righteousness, and for sanctification, and for redemption", 1 Cor. 1, 30.

16 Item, it can be proved from the third commandment that Moses does not concern the Gentiles, nor the Christians. For Paul and the New Testament abolish the Sabbath, so that it may be understood that the Sabbath was given to the Jews alone, to whom it was a strict commandment. The prophets have also implied that the Sabbath of the Jews should be abolished. Isaiah says Cap. 66, 23: "When the Savior comes, there will be a time like this, a Sabbath on another, a new moon on another. 2c. As if he wanted to speak: There will be a Sabbath every day, there will be such a people, who will have no difference of days. For in the New Testament the Sabbath lies low, according to the gross, outward manner, for it is holy day every day 2c.

017 If therefore any man reproach thee with Moses and his commandments, and urge thee to keep them, say, Go unto the Jews with thy Moses: I am no Jew; let me not be sworn with Moses. If I accept Moses in one piece (says Paul to the Galatians Cap. 5, 3.), then I am obliged to keep the whole law. For not a single point in Moses concerns us.

8 Erl. 33, lo-i.]. Sermons on the first book of Moses. W.m, 9-11. 9

018 If any man say, Why preachest thou Moses, if he be no concern of ours? Answer: For this I will keep Moses and not put him under the bench, for I find three things in Moses that can also be useful to us. First, the commandments given to the people of Israel concerning outward things I will leave aside; they do not compel me, nor do they press upon me; the laws are dead and gone, unless I will willingly and gladly accept them from Moses. As if I said: "Moses ruled in this way, it seems fine to me, I will follow him in this or that part. I would gladly have the lords rule after the example of Moses, and if I were emperor, I would take from it an example of the statutes; not that Moses should force me, but that I should be free to follow him, and to lead such a regiment as he ruled.

Nineteen: For with tithing it is a right commandment of his. For with tithing all other interest would be cancelled, and it would be more convenient for the common man to tithe than annuity and rent. 2) As if I had ten cows, I would give one; if I had five, I would give nothing; if I grew little in the field, I would give little; if I grew much, I would give much; that would be in God's power. But therefore I must give the heathen interest, and if the hail should strike down all the fruit. If I owe a hundred guilders of interest, I must give it, even if no fruit grows in the field. This is also the pope's decree and regiment. But it would be the same if it were so ordered: if I grow much, I give much; if I grow little, I give little.

020 And it is also written in Moses, that no man should sell any field for an inheritance for ever, but only until the year of jubilee; and when that year was come, every man should return to his field, or to his goods which he had sold, and so the goods should remain in the friendship. So other out of measure beautiful commandments are in Moses more, which one would like to accept, to use and to let go in pregnancy, not that one thereby

1. me them - me them.
2. Gült (Gülte) - levy, tax on goods, land rent.

(Missing from Dietz.)

should force, or be forced, but, as I said before 18], the emperor would like to take an example from it, to set up a fine regiment from Moses. As also the Romans have led a fine regiment, and as also the Saxon mirror is, according to which this country holds itself. The Gentiles do not owe obedience to Moses; Moses is the Saxon seal of the Jews. But if a fine example were taken from it for the rule, one would keep it without restraint as long as one wanted.

21 It is written in Moses Deut. 25:5, 6, Matt. 22:24 that if a man died without children, his brother or next of kin should take the woman home and have her for a wife, and raise up the seed of the brother or next of kin who died; and the first child should be counted to the brother or next of kin who died. And this is also a fine commandment. There are many more such commandments in Moses, all of which could be gathered into a fine regiment, and thereby rule the land and people properly and honorably.

022 Now when the spirits of the wicked come, and say: Moses commanded, let Moses go, and say, I ask nothing of that which Moses commanded. Yes, they say, he commanded that one should have one God, trust and believe in him, not swear by his name, honor father and mother, not kill, not steal, not commit adultery, not bear false witness, and not covet another's wife or property. Shall one not keep these things? Say therefore: Nature has these laws also; nature gives that one should call upon God, this also the heathen indicate. For there never was a heathen that called upon his idols, though they lacked the right God, as did also the Jews. For the Jews also had idolatry, as did the Gentiles; only that the Jews received the law, but the Gentiles have it written in their hearts, and there is no difference, as St. Paul also tells the Romans Cap. 2, 15: The Gentiles, who have no law, have the law written in their hearts. But as the Jews are lacking, so are the Gentiles.

3. Erlanger: one.

10 Erl. 33, 13-15. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 11-13. 11

23 And therefore it is natural to honor God, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to bear false witness, not to put to death; and it is not new that Moses commanded. For what God gave from heaven to the Jews through Moses, He also wrote in the hearts of all men, both Jews and Gentiles, only that He had it written and proclaimed to the Jews, as His own chosen people, for a surplus, even with a bodily voice and writing. So now I keep the commandments given by Moses, not because Moses commanded them, but because they are implanted in me by nature, and Moses agrees with nature in all things 2c. But the other commandments in Moses, which are not implanted in all men by nature, the Gentiles do not keep, neither do they go about them, as, of tithes and others, which are nevertheless also beautiful. I wish we had them also, as I have said 18]. Now this is the first thing that I am to see in Moses, namely, the commandments, to which I am not bound, for if they are implanted in any man by nature, and are written in his heart.

The other piece in Moses to remember.

(24) Secondly, I find in Moses that which I do not have from nature, that is, the promises and assurances of God from Christ. And this is the best thing almost in the whole of Moses, which is not written naturally in the hearts of men, but comes down from heaven. As that God promised that His Son should be born in the flesh, 4ms proclaims the Gospel. And now these are not commandments, nor do they demand anything of us, that we should do or refrain from doing anything, but they are comforting, joyful promises of God, which we should accept, 'and boldly rely on them, against all temptation of sin, death, the devil and hell. And this is the most noble thing in Moses, which also belongs to us Gentiles. The first, namely the commandments, do not concern us; but the other we are to perceive with our hearts, and therefore read Moses, that such excellent and comforting promises are written therein, that I may strengthen my weak faith. For thus

In the kingdom of Christ, as I read in Moses, I find the right reason.

025 And so, in this manner, shall I accept Moses, and not put him under the bench. First, that he may give beautiful examples of the laws that may be taken from it to govern the land and people outwardly in a fine and orderly way. Secondly, in it are the promises of God, so that faith may be strengthened and preserved. When God says to the serpent, as it is written in the first book of Moses, Cap. 3, 15': "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bite him in the heel." This is the first gospel and promise of Christ, which came to pass on earth, that he should overcome sin, death and hell, and save us from the power of the serpent, in which Adam believed with all his descendants, whereof he also became a Christian, 1) and was saved from his fall.

26 Item, Abraham was given this promise by God, as also in the first book of Moses, Cap. 22, 18, 12, 3, when he said to him: "Through your seed all nations on earth shall be blessed. This was the other gospel of Christ, that through Him all men should be blessed and saved, as St. Paul explains to the Galatians, Cap. 3, 8.

27. Item, in the fifth book Moses, Cap. 18, 15. 16., speaks to the people of Israel: "A prophet, like me, the Lord your God will raise up for you, from you and from your brothers, and you shall obey him. As then thou hast asked of the LORD thy GOD in Horeb, in the day of the congregation." And soon after, v. 18, 19, Moses continues the words that God spoke to him: "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. And whosoever will not hear my words, which he shall speak in my name, of him will I seek." This is all said of Christ, that he should bring a new preaching upon the earth. There are many sayings in the Old Testament

1. In the old editions "Christians" instead of: a Christian.

12 Erl. 33, 15-17. Sermons on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 13-I.]. 13

Testament, to which the faithful Jews adhered, who often led and attracted the holy apostles.

28. But our red spirits go to: Everything they read in Moses, they speak: God speaks, no one can deny it; therefore it must be kept. Then the rabble falls to it: Huh, God has spoken it, who wants to speak against it? Then they are driven in like pigs over a deception. 1) Our dear 2) prophets have thus spoken to the people: Dear people, God has commanded his people to slay Amalek to death; and other sayings more. Out of this came misery and distress; the peasants stood up, knew no difference, and were led into this error by the mad spirits of the mob. If there had been learned preachers, who could have met the false prophets and fought them, and thus spoken to them: Dear spirits of the wicked, it is true that God has commanded Most, and has thus spoken to the people; but we are not the people to whom the Lord speaks. Dear, God also spoke to Adam, therefore I am not Adam. He commanded Abraham to slay his son; I am not Abraham, therefore, to slay my son. He also spoke to David in the same way. It is all God's word, it is true. But, God's word to, God's word to, I must know and be careful to whom the word of God is spoken. It is still far from being the people that God has spoken to. The false prophets speak: You are the people, GOD is talking to you. Prove that to me. So they might have been put down. But they wanted to be beaten, and so the mob went to the devil. 3)

(29) The Scriptures must be carefully handled and followed. The word has been spoken in many ways from the beginning. One must not only consider whether it is God's word, whether God has spoken it, but much more to whom it is spoken, whether it affects you or someone else.

1. Trough - Trough. So the Jenaer. Wittenberg and Erlangen: Trüge!
2. Wittenberger: "ausfrhürische" instead of: love.
3. What is said in this paragraph proves that the peasants' revolt was already over, so this "instruction" does not actually belong to the "sermons on the first book of Moses". Cf. § 30.

the other. Then there is a separation, like summer and winter. God has spoken many things to David, has told him to do this and that; but it is not my business, it is not spoken to me. He may speak it to me, if he will have it. You must look at the word that concerns you, that is spoken to you, and not what concerns another. There are two words in the Scriptures: One does not concern me, neither does it affect me. The other concerns me, and on the one that concerns me I may boldly venture, and rely on it as on a strong rock; if it does not concern me, I shall stand still. The false prophets go to and say: Dear people, this is the word of God. It is true, nor can they deny it; but we are not the people to whom he speaks. God has not commanded us to do this or that, which He has commanded Him to do.

(30) The spirits of the mob came, wanting to get something new, and said, "The Old Testament must also be kept. So they led the peasants into a sweat that they will not soon wipe off. Yes, they have ruined the poor people, both in body and goods, in wife and child; as we, unfortunately, have experienced and seen. The foolish people thought that they had been restrained from such a word of God, that no one had told them that they should strike the wicked to death. But it serves them right, they would not follow nor listen to anyone. I saw it myself and experienced how mad, furious and nonsensical they were.

(31) Therefore say to the same riffraff thus, Let Moses and his people alone; they are finished, he is no concern of mine; I hear the word that concerns me. We have the gospel. Christ says Marc. 16, 15.: "Go and preach the gospel", not only to the Jews, like Moses, but to all Gentiles, even "to all creatures". It is said to me Marc. 16, 16., "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Item Luc. 10, 37.: Go and do to your neighbor as it has been done to you. The words also apply to me, for I am one of all crea-.

4. So the Wittenbergers. Jenaer: "jn"-you. Erlanger: him.

14 Eri. 33, 17-is. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, is-n. 15

tnren. If Christ had not added: "Preach to all creatures", I would not turn to it, I would not want to be baptized, and thus oppose it, as I now oppose Moses; to him I turn nothing at all, nor does it concern me, because it is not given to me, but only to the Jews. But because Christ says that the gospel, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," is to be preached, not to one people only, not in that place or in that part of the world, but to all creatures, there is none excepted, but all creatures are included; let no man doubt that the gospel shall be preached to him also. So I believe the word, it concerns me also, I also belong to the gospel and to the New Testament, therefore I dare to take the word, and if it should cost a hundred thousand necks.

(32) Let the preachers who teach other people, and indeed all Christians, know, understand and take the difference to heart. For it is the power that is entirely concerned with it. If the peasants had understood this, many would have been saved, and not so miserably deceived and corrupted. And where we understand otherwise, we make sects and mobs, where we spit and salivate among the rabble, among the mad, ignorant people, without any distinction: God's word, God's word. Yes, dear fellow, not so; it means whether it is told to you or not. God may speak to angels, wood, fish, birds, animals and to all creatures, but it does not concern me; I should look at what concerns me, what is told to me, so that he may admonish me, drive me and challenge me.

Thirty-three Take an example. If a householder had a wife, daughter, son, maidservant and servants, he would say to the servant to start the horses, drive them into the woods, plow the field and do such work; to the maidservant he would say to milk the cows, churn butter and so on; to the wife to tend the kitchen; to the daughter to spin and make the bed. These are all the words of a master, a householder. When the maidservant would lead the horses and go to the woods, the servant would sit under the cows and milk the cows.

The daughter wanted to drive the cart, wanted to plow; the wife wanted to make the bed, wanted to spin, and miss the kitchen; and wanted to speak thus: The Lord has commanded it, it is the order of the father of the house. Then the father of the house should go and take a shillelagh, and throw them all together in a heap, and say: Though it be my commandment, yet have I not commanded thee, but have given every man his own charge; and ye shall abide in it.

(34) So it is with the word of God. If I were to accept that which he has commanded another, and were to say: Did you say it; he should say: Who knows it 1) Thanks to you? but I did not tell you. One must make a good distinction, if the word meets one, or all at all. If the father of the house said, "On Friday we will eat meat," that would be a common word to all in the house. So what was spoken to Moses by God concerning the commandments applies only to the Jews; but the gospel goes through and through the whole world, no one is excluded, but it is presented to all creatures. Therefore all the world should accept it, and so accept it as if it were presented to each one in particular. The word John 13:34, "We ought to love one another," concerns me, for it concerns all who belong to the gospel.

35 Therefore we read Moses, not that it concerns us, that we must keep it; but that it is consistent with the natural law, and is better composed than the Gentiles ever could have done. Thus the ten commandments are a mirror of our life, wherein we see what we lack 2c. The red spirits have also not understood Moses of the images correctly, because it also concerns only the Jews 2c. Secondly, as has been said, we read Moses for the promises of Christ, who belongs not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. For through him all Gentiles should have the blessing and the giving, as was promised to Abraham Deut. 22:18.

1. Erlanger: dir.
2. In the editions: gleichstimme.

16 Eri. 33, is-21. Sermons on the first book of Moses. W. m, 17-19. 17

The third piece, so is to be perceived in Moses.

Thirdly, we read Moses because of the beautiful examples of faith, love and the cross in the dear holy fathers, Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and so through and through. From this we should learn to trust and love God. Again, we see the examples of the unbelief of the wicked, and the wrath of God, how God does not give the unbelievers their unbelief; how He punished Cain, Ishmael, Esau, the whole world with the flood, Sodoma and Gomorrah; and the like punishments more, which He has visited upon the wicked. And the examples are necessary. For though I am not Cain, yet if I do as Cain did, I shall receive the same punishment as Cain. In no other place can one find such beautiful examples of both faith and unbelief: faith and unbelief, than in Moses. Therefore, Moses should not be put under the bench. And so the Old Testament is rightly understood, if one keeps the beautiful sayings of Christ from the prophets, and the beautiful examples are well grasped and remembered, and if we use the laws according to our pleasure, and make the same useful to us.

Decision.

(37) I have said that all Christians, and especially those who want to teach other people and act on the word of God, should be careful and learn Moses correctly, so that where he gives commandments, we do not accept him in this, except as far as he rhymes with the natural law. Let Moses be a master and doctor of the Jews. We have our Master Christ, who has set before us what we should know, keep, do, and refrain from doing. But this is true: Moses writes,

Besides the laws, beautiful examples of faith and unbelief, punishment of the wicked, exaltation of the pious and faithful, and also the sweet and comforting promises of Christ. We are to accept these, just as we are to do in the evangelists. As when one reads of the ten lepers, it does not concern me that he calls them to go to the priests and do their sacrifice; but the example of their faith concerns me, that I also, like them, believe Christ.

(38) Enough has been said about this, and it is well to be remembered, for there is power in it, and many great, excellent people have failed in it, and now many great preachers are offended by it, do not know how to preach Moses, are not well able to do it, are nonsensical, rage and rage, chatter to the people: God's word, God's word, God's word; seduce the poor people and push them into the pit. Many learned people have not known how far Moses should be taught. Origen, Jerome and their ilk have not clearly indicated how well Moses serves us. 1)

39. This is what I wanted to say about an entrance into Moses, how one should go about it, and how Moses should be understood and accepted, and not even put under the bench, in which such a beautiful order and outward regiment is understood, that it is air, without which he describes many excellent things, as you have heard, beautiful things, as you have heard, which are not only not to be rejected, but also to be highly esteemed, and to be accepted with an earnest heart, as for the advancement and strengthening of our Christian faith, by which, as we, so also the dear holy fathers, have been saved.

1. Erlanger: dienet.

18 Erl. 3s, 21-23. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 19-22. 19

Preface to the sermons on Genesis Preface to *) the sermons on the first book of Moses.)**

1. Since it is to be so ordered in Christianity that God's Word is always preached and practiced, and is daily kept alive (because all power lies in it alone, and souls cannot live without it), so that among Christians the holy Scriptures, namely both the Old and New Testaments, may become known and current to everyone, so that we may be equipped, hardened, and strengthened in faith by God's Word, to stand against all kinds of temptation and misfortune: I will therefore also take a book before me from the Old Testament, and interpret and explain the same, as much as God will give grace, as we have done so far in the New Testament, so that every Christian may see how the Scriptures everywhere agree, and how all the examples and histories, indeed, the whole of the Scriptures through and through, are directed to make Christ known, of which we have always preached, and still preach.

(2) For although it is true that we have enough to teach faith from only one saying from the Scriptures and God's Word, God has shown us special grace and abundantly showered us with many examples and sayings, so that we may clearly see how faith alone matters, and strengthen our faith through so many sayings, and be certain with ourselves that we will not waver. Therefore, as we have hitherto seen how all the Gospels teach and do no more than one thing in all places, so let us also see the same in the Old Testament, without the Old Testament having anything more about it, that it also instructs the people according to the outward rule, for those who are not Christians; how to keep and govern the same.

shall be in external change, regiment and order.

Let us begin with the first book of Moses, in which it is primarily described where all creatures came from, especially man with sin, death, and godliness, which all the world strives for and writes about, and yet has never attained.

Before we proceed to this, it is necessary to know that the Word of God is acted upon in two ways. First, by those who do not believe righteously, and grasp it externally with the letter alone, according to reason and human understanding, making a thought of it, as the words read. The other by those whom the Holy Spirit teaches, who do not grasp it with outward thoughts, but to whom God gives a right mind and experience in the heart.

(5) The first crowd never really understands it, although many great talkers come out of it, who boast that they have read it and understand it, and think that they can do it better than all the others. Therefore the Jews also forbade (as Jerome writes) that no one should read this book until he was well practiced and had come to his thirty years. Likewise they have also withdrawn some more books not to be read by young people. But now I do not think that such things are set and ordered by gross hypocrites, but consider that they have been done by high people. For it is well written, in the first chapter, that no reason can understand it.

For this is undoubtedly the highest article of faith in which we speak: I

*) Wittenberg and Erlangen: in.

**This preface and the interpretation of the first chapter (up to § 19 incl.) appeared already in 1524 in several single prints (the Weimar edition lists four of them) under the title: Ein Sermon und Eingang in das erste Buch Mosis, das ist, in das Buch der Schöpfung, darin gründlich angezeigt wird der Artikel des Glaubens, so wir sprechen: Ich glaube in GOtt Vater allmächtigen, Schöpfer Himmel und Erdreichs. Martin Luther. This passage, which essentially corresponds to the text given here, is printed in the Weimar edition, vol. XII, p. 438. Below the line, this edition from the Zwickau Rathsschulbibliothek brings a postscript by Stephan Roth in Latin, which (although it is the longer of his two recensions) probably does not include the fifth part of the German text. The redaction of this section given in our edition is indisputably significantly better than the one given in the Weimar edition.

20 Erl. 33, 23-26. Sermons on the first book of Moses. W. m, 22-21. 21

believe in God the Father, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. And whoever believes this righteously is already helped, and is brought back to the place where Adam fell. But few are they who come so far that they completely believe that he is the God who creates and makes all things. For such a man must have died to all things, to good and evil, to death and life, to hell and heaven, and must confess from the heart that he is unable to do anything by his own efforts.

This is the reason why the dear fathers did not let everyone read and act on this chapter. Therefore, we do not want to act it harshly, but, as much as God will give grace, we want to interpret it simply and see that we get to the heart of it, that is, as Moses meant it, even though we do not know how it all happened.

(8) For many people have written so much about it, and given so many different understandings, that I do not know whether they have the right understanding. First, some have said that all things God created were perfect in a moment. And take this from this saying Deut. 32, 4: 1) Dei perfecta sunt opera, that is, God's works are perfect and whole." And from this, Sir. 18, 1.: Qui vivit in aeternum, creavit omnia simul, "He who lives forever created all things with one another." And many great men, such as Augustine and Hilarius, are of this opinion, that in a moment all things stood as we see them now, the heavens with sun, moon, and stars, the earth full of fruit and living animals, that is, that beginning and end stood at the same time. But we do not want to understand it that way.

(9) For I have often said that whoever wants to study the Scriptures should always see to it that he remains on the simple words, as he always can, and should never depart from them, unless some article of faith compels him to understand them differently than the words say. For we must be sure that no more simple speech has come on earth than that which God has spoken.

1. Both sayings are quoted according to the Vulgate.

(10) Therefore, when Moses writes that in six days God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, let it remain that there were six days, and do not find a gloss on how six days were one day. But if thou canst not understand how it hath been six days, give glory to the Holy Ghost, that he is more learned than thou. For thou shalt thus deal with the Scriptures, that thou mayest think as God himself speaketh. But because God speaks, it is not for you to direct his word where you want to go, unless necessity forces you to understand a text differently than the words say, namely, if faith does not suffer such understanding as the words give.

011 If then it be said, God's works are perfect, it must follow that he did not spend so long in the creation, that is, six whole days. Answer: Yes, they are perfect; but as we see that we human beings are not made soon, but that the child lies in the womb for nine months, and does not become perfect until it is tall and male, even though He could make it perfect in a moment, just as He does with other things, so we must also say that God did not do such perfect works. Therefore, understand it this way: When God has arranged and completed it, His works are perfect; but because He still has the work before Him and is doing it, it is not perfect. Now it is before our eyes that he is always making and creating. Therefore, just as when a man makes an image, it is not yet finished while he is still working on it: so also God's work is not perfect until it is made. For so it is in the whole world, that God has determined from the beginning to create so many people, and yet creates daily, even though he could make all people at once. Therefore, this saying does not conclude that they want to prove it.

12 Likewise their opinion also does not follow from this saying: "God has created all things with one another" 2c. For he only wants to say this: There is one who lives forever, who has made all things, all that there is in one heap; and no one else. Therefore

22 Erl. 33, 26-28. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. 111, 24-26. 23

It is just that which Moses says and tells here, how God began to create the world, and made six days over it, and did just as he still does when he creates a man in his mother's womb. And even though he hastened here more and more, it still happened with leisure, and finely one thing after another was done, until it all became perfect. Therefore one should remain with the words here, because faith does not force one to understand it differently. But if there were a saying of the Scriptures, which clearly compels, that all things were made at once and at one moment, then we would have to understand this text also differently. That is a piece that we wanted to say to the preface.

The other is, as we have said § 4, that each one should grasp these words with the spirit and take so much from them that God does, creates and works all things in heaven and earth, as the text also wills. Whoever understands this will soon realize that he cannot stir a vein or have a thought, God must work it; that his life is not in his own hand, but only in God's hand. For if I believe that he made the whole world out of nothing, but that everything was made solely out of his words and commandments, then I must confess that I am also a piece of the world and of his creation. From this it must follow that it is not in my power to move a hand, but that God alone does and works everything in me. That is where it wants to go, and that is where it must be directed, so that reason is right.

(14) When you feel this, you will be frightened, for nature cannot suffer it. But it is comforting to those who stand in faith, for there is nothing that can strengthen and comfort them, except that they know how they stand in God's hand, so that he works even the smallest thoughts in them. Whoever has such faith can fear nothing and rely on nothing, neither in heaven nor on earth, neither in life nor in death, neither in sin nor in piety, but only on God. Therefore, even if the whole world stood against me and attacked me, so that I was in their hands, I know that they can do nothing, except as far as God wills. And if

If the enemies are as many as the sands of the sea, they are God's creatures, so they cannot have a thought without his will and care; let alone that they can harm me, if he wills. But if he will, good for me,' for I know that it is his gracious will and fatherly love.

Therefore such a believing man stands in such joy and security that he does not let himself be frightened by any creature, is master of all things, fears no thing that may be at his disposal, but only God, who is in heaven. Again, if he were a great lord in the world, and were set over all kingdoms, that all pleasure and joy on earth should be given to him, he would take nothing for himself; nor would he ask anything if all these things were taken from him again. For he does not put his trust in any creature, but in God alone.

(16) But where faith is not, since man judges according to his reason and conceit, and this reason is also revealed, there is also hell itself, and man cannot have greater torment. For as he stands there in faith without fear, and is master of all things, and gives himself into God's hand alone, so it is here again; if he does not believe, and yet sees that all creatures stand in God's power, there is no creature that does not frighten him, that he must be afraid of all. For since God is against him, all things must also be against him.

(17) Thus it is, as Moses wrote Deut. 26:36, that even a rustling leaf falling from a tree terrifies the wicked. The heart cannot be so full of courage that it can stand against such a small rustling leaf: what should it do when death comes? Wherever he goes or sees, God is against him, and thinks to strike him before the head. Therefore, these words are nothing but a thunderclap and lightning. Therefore Moses says: "God will give you a despondent heart, and you will pine away for sorrow, and you will never be sure of your life. In the morning you will say, 'Who knows if I will see the

1. Weimarsche: must.

34 Erl. 33, 28-30. Sermon on Genesis 1:1,2. W. m, 27-W. 25

In the evening you will say, "Oh, how I wish I could live in the morning!

So here in Moses, on both sides, is hell and heaven. Those who grasp it with faith learn to trust God and give themselves completely to Him, and become so stouthearted, 1) that they do not fear anything, for they know that God is with them. But those who grasp it with reason, without faith, and feel that their conscience tells them that God is hostile to them, they can have neither peace nor joy. The other group, or those who do not grasp nor feel such reason, can do no more than say, "God created the heavens and the earth; come to them," for they have no peace of mind.

1. In the editions: hearted.

but not to the heart, but only keep the words on the tongue.

(19) These are the two things which we have to say for the preface, namely, first, that the words may be kept in the simple, bad mind; and secondly, that the words and the substance may be rightly grasped, and felt in the heart. Those who cannot do this are forbidden to read, so that they do not attack it, for they do it without fruit. By this our works, merits, free will and reason have already come to powder, because no creature can do the least work by itself. Now let us turn to the text and see how Moses describes the creation one after the other.

The first chapter.

V. 1. 2. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was desolate and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the wind 2) of God swore upon the face of the waters.

1 This is the beginning of this book, and it has truly begun on a high note. But we do not want to go too deep into it. It is enough if we can teach faith from it and understand God's work. First of all, everyone should get used to the idea that he should not regard the words differently than if they were written yesterday. For it is such a short time in the sight of God, just as if they had been written now. Therefore, there is a new thing, and this beginning is still going on.

2nd On the other hand, the beginning is also to be understood in the most simple way, that before it there was nothing, neither hour, nor days, nor time. But this is also a high understanding, that before time there was no time, and yet God was. Therefore divine and eternal life is much different than this life, which always goes from day to night. Therefore, if one clings to it, one cannot think what eternity is. In the sight of God, the beginning of the world is as near as the end; a thousand years...

2. Wind or Spirit (In the old editions in the margin).

as One Day; and Adam, who was created first, as the last man who will be born. For he looks at time as the eye of man brings two things together in a moment, which are far apart. I say this so that no one may have a foolish mind and speak of the beginning as if something had existed before, but that time and creation have begun which did not exist before.

But what is it that he says: "God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was desolate and empty"? This is what I said before, that the Almighty God did not create the world in one fell swoop, but took time and a while to do so, and dealt with it just as He now makes a child. He first made the smallest things, heaven and earth, so that it was still uncreated, desolate and empty, since nothing had yet been created or grown, and had not been created or shaped, nor had it been brought into a form.

4 Here, however, one should not think as the philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, did with their ideals, but in the simplest way, that heaven and earth are righteously united.

3. Weimarsche: haw.

26 Erl. 33, 30-33. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 33-35. 27

The first creature was the first being, as he himself calls it, and the first creature; but neither of them was prepared as it should be. Just as a child in its mother's womb is not nothing at first, but is not prepared as a complete child should be. Just as smoke is not nothing, but it has neither light nor lightness: so also the earth was not made into anything, and had no form, neither in width nor in length, and there was neither grain, nor trees, nor grass on it, but bad, barren earth, as a land or desert, where no one is, and nothing grows. So the sky was also shapeless, and yet was not nothing.

5 Moses indicates this by saying that the earth was desolate and empty, and darkness was on the deep, and the wind of God was hovering on the water. The darkness, depth, water, desolate and empty earth, is nothing else (as Peter explains 2. Ep. 3, 4. 5.), because the earth was made up by God's word in the water. Around the earth it was like a dark night or fog, and humid air or waters that smoked alike, and there was no light. So the world started.

Now this is the most simple understanding of how the words read that God created the heavens and the earth, but not as it is now. For that one should not take the earth in such a way, the article of faith urges, of which one would have to say that it would have been adorned with tree, grass and all kinds of plants. Therefore he explains himself that neither plants nor living animals were on it, but was desolate and empty, and bore nothing. But afterward, on the third day and afterward, he prepared it to bear all kinds of things. Above it was covered with the deep, which he afterwards called water; which was a moist, thick air, as though it were a cloud; in it lay the earth. But that which was above the earth, the same was heaven, and was the deep, wherein the earth lay, and so that it was compassed about; and where the deep was, there was as yet no light, but the wind, or Spirit of God, floated upon the face of the waters.

In the Hebrew language, "wind" and "spirit" are the same as one name, and you may take it here as you wish. If it is a wind

it is that the air weaves among itself 1) on the deep, as it is wont to do; but if you want to call it a spirit, you may do so. For I do not know how to say it, but if it were called a spirit, it could be understood that God had taken the creature he had created under himself, as a hen takes an egg under herself and hatches the chicken. But I would rather leave it that way, that it is called a wind. For I would like the three persons in the Godhead to be shown here in order one after the other, first the Father, then the Son, then the Holy Spirit, of whom we will say after this. So we have now how first the world was created, and how God attacked it. Now follows one after another, how he distinguished all things.

The first day.

V. 3-5. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. And God saw the light as good. Then God separated the light from the darkness, and called the light Day, and the darkness Night. Then the evening and the morning became the first day.

(8) Here a great question arises: whether one should count the things that precede this time as the first day, or whether one should only understand the preceding as a preface? So it sounds as if the first day began when God said, "Let there be light." We 2) have said before § 2 that nothing could have been before the beginning; so 3) the beginning must ever have begun at night, and the morning must have begun when God created the light. For he said that it was dark. So the night is the first part of the day, which the Scriptures also hold otherwise. For according to the Jewish language, the day is reckoned to begin at night, when it has become dark, and lasts until evening again; which we now reverse. Therefore, since we have it clear from the text that there was no light at the first, but

1. Weimarsche: wehet.
2. In the editions: "And we". We have deleted the "and".
3. "Must" is set by us according to the Weimar edition. In the other editions: müßte.

28 Erl. 33, 33-35. Sermon on Genesis 1:3-5. W. m, 35-38. 29

Since night and darkness have lasted until morning, and God has separated night from day, it must be reckoned, as the text says, that evening and morning, that is, night and day, have become one day.

9. ^1^) Now these are the first words of Moses, so that he begins this book; they are to be understood, as § 2 said, in the most simple way, as they are set, that there were six days differently one after the other, and that Moses at the first described heaven and earth with names, and these were still rough and raw and not adorned, as afterwards, as he then explains himself, when he speaks: "The earth was desolate and empty"; that is, that there was neither strength nor sap in it, so that something could have grown out of it, but lay in the water that went around it; which he also calls here the deep, that is, a dark, thick mist or air, from which the water came.

(10) Further, in these words the three persons in the Godhead are also touched and secretly indicated; but especially the first two are expressed in the clearest way, on which many high people, but St. Augustine most of all, have broken. But this is the sum of it: At first, when Moses speaks: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth" 2c., no person is particularly named or expressed. But as soon as he says further: And God said: "Let there be light"; there he expresses that with God there was a word before the light came. Now the same word that God speaks could not be anything of the things that were created, neither heaven nor earth, since God, by the very speaking that he did, made heaven and earth together with light and all other creatures, so that he did nothing more to create than his word. Therefore it must have been before all creatures. If it was before time and the creatures began, it must be eternal, and a different and higher being than all creatures; from this it follows that it is God.

(11) But when God speaks, and the word is forged, he is not alone; neither can he himself be the word that he speaks. Therefore, because the word is also God,

1. This entire paragraph is missing from Weimar's.

it must be another person. Thus the two persons are expressed: the Father, who speaks the Word and has the essence from Himself; the Son, who is the Word and comes from the Father, and is eternally with Him. 2) Hence St. John took his Gospel, which he begins thus: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word" 2c.

Now here a carnal man must take off his shoes. For these high and excellent words are not written nor set forth for children, but are intended by men of understanding in the Scriptures, who are accustomed to them; otherwise it is childish to say that the Lord speaks one word, and by the same creates all creatures. Now let it be held, as the text compels, that it is such a word, which was before the light and all creatures, because by it all things are made. But the word is not made, for you do not hear here that he makes the word, but only speaks it. With this, Moses wants to teach that it is inexpressible and unfathomable how God creates the creatures. We can say that God created all things freely, from nothing; but it is incomprehensible to us, without our being able to repeat the words.

(13) Moses says this much about the light: God has a word with Him, and by it He made the light at the first, and needed no more for it than the word. Thus he determined that the light should be made on the first day; and because he had thus determined it, it also happened thus. Therefore it follows that the Word is like God, and must be God Himself, since it is not a creature, but that from which all creatures spring. But if he who speaks and that which is spoken must be two things, then they cannot both be One Person, and yet must be One God. Thus, from this is founded the article of faith that there are two persons in the Godhead, yet One eternal 3) God. For Moses has with

2. Here, in the Weimar edition, there is another execution (of two paragraphs), in which essentially the same thoughts are given that we encounter in 8 14.
3. So the original, the Wittenberg and the Jena. The Erlanger has, just as Walch: a some. The latter reading is also found in the Weimar one.

30 He". 33, 35-37. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, 38-41. 31

He has given so much to these short words and speaks in such a way that it is impossible for a human being to speak in such a way and to grasp so much with such short words, if he already had the intellect. It is so highly, so actually, briefly and deeply spoken that it surpasses all reason.

14 The third person, the Holy Spirit, is secretly indicated and understood in the words when Moses says: "God saw the light as good," that is, he was pleased with it. For there was pleasure in that which he had made by the word; which pleasure is nothing else than that God sustains the creatures 1) as he made them, and assists them. This is actually attributed to the Holy Spirit, that He is the life and preservation of all things. Therefore the Scripture speaks of him as being the bond that holds all creatures and gives them all their exercise and effect. Thus the Holy Spirit is called the good pleasure of God the Father, as the Word is His eternal counsel.

15. But here is 2) a question: why Moses did not put thus at the beginning: In the beginning God said: Let there be heaven and earth, but says: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth", and only afterwards says: "God said: Let there be light. Answer, in the first place: If we do not know the cause, let us give glory to the Holy Spirit, that he knows better than we. But as far as I can think, it is because of the cause. For if he had said, In the beginning God said, Let there be heaven and earth, it would almost sound as if the word had not been before the beginning, so that one could not know whether it had begun or had been from eternity. Therefore it could not well stand that he said: In the beginning God spoke; lest someone thought that it had begun at the very beginning, when time and the creatures began, as the heretics Ariani have said. So the error is met with it before. This is one cause, as far as I can judge.

16 The other is that he has to indicate the three persons properly one after another.

1. Weimarsche: "erhebt" and immediately following: "erhebung" instead: Preservation.
2. but - again.
3. "the" is missing in the Erlanger.

First, the Father, saying, "God created"; second, the Son, saying, "God spoke"; then the Holy Spirit, saying, "God saw it good." The seeing that God did was not after the speaking, but at the same time; and His speaking and seeing did not begin there, but His creating began there. Even though the three were at the same time, he still had to write it one after the other, because he could not comprehend it with one word at the same time. As the three persons go one after the other, and we have to put the words one after the other, if we want to talk about it, and cannot say it all at once with one word, so he could not say it at the same time: God created, spoke, and saw; and does not want to deny with it, but to confirm that all three persons are the same, and all were there on the first day.

(17) For since he says that by the Word God makes light and separates it from darkness, surely the Word was before light and darkness. For how could he make them light and separate them from one another by the word if they were not there before? So it goes together that the Father does the work through the Son, who is the Word, and in the Holy Spirit, who is the divine good pleasure, and to each person is given its characteristic, so that one can grasp a difference that three persons and One God remain; and although they are at the same time, they still have to have their different description.

(18) Now what he could not do the first time, that he put the word first, he afterwards turns back again, and puts the word first, when he says, "God said, Let there be a feast," after which follows: "Then God made the feast, and it came to pass." He actually made this change in order to prevent the word from being placed not after but always before the creatures, even though on the first day he was unable to place it first for a reason, as he does afterwards. And all this was done with diligence and careful counsel, so that the article of faith might be rightly established, that the Word existed at the same time that God created all things. Thus we have the first day, when the earth together with the heavens was rough and raw,

32 Erl. 33, 37-39. sermon on Genesis 1:3-8, 11-13. W. m, 41-44. 33

and created the light, which he called the day when the night had gone before. Now what this day and this darkness were, we shall hear further on the fourth day, when they will clash with each other. Now follows

The other day.

V. 6-8. And God said, Let there be a firmament between the waters; and let it be a difference between the waters. Then God made the stronghold and separated the water under the stronghold from the water above the stronghold. And it came to pass thus. And God called the firmament Heaven. Then the evening and the morning became the other day.

(19) Here we must always be careful to remain in the simple mind. Therefore, just as on the first day he made a desolate and empty earth, and the sky with a dark mist or dark waters, so here especially on the second day he took the sky before him and made a firmament; that is, the raw, dark waters, which before were nothing but a floating and weaving thing, he made firm here, and made it so that he set the firmament between two waters. For before there were waters all around the earth. But now he reached into the midst of them, and divided the waters into two parts, keeping one above and the other below. In the midst of it he makes a ring, which we call heaven, and calls it a firmament, so that it does not waver and move to and fro, and is inconstant, like the air and the water, and like it was in the beginning, but stands firm, and goes in a straight course, and yet has under it the air, the water and the sea. But before that, before he was thus made ready, he also went unstable.

(20) But what kind of water is above the stronghold, we cannot well know. Therefore, as I have said §15, we must give room to the Holy Spirit and say that he knows better than we understand. In this way, God can certainly preserve the water above the sky. I wanted to make the air out of the water above the firmament, but it still remains under heaven forever. Therefore we must be captive, and remain that the heaven is made in the midst of the waters.

21. there we have now, as he did for the first time

He takes away the inanimate nature of heaven and gives it a secure nature, so that it is properly prepared and placed in the two forms, so that the darkness and floating disappear, that is, that it is no longer dark on the deep, and the wind no longer floats on the water. And when it is thus prepared, only on the next day does God give it its proper name and call it heaven. On the first day it was heaven and earth, but it did not yet have a proper name. For it was not yet completely prepared and fixed, so that it could be called.

So we have, I think, the most simple and right understanding of the text. But we do not want to set a goal for the Holy Spirit. If he gives us a better one, then we also want to have it gladly. So Moses now decides that again evening and morning have become the other day. So he has made over this work also a day and night.

(23) But here a question arises: Why does Moses not add, "God saw it good," and take away the blessing, and not write that God was pleased with it, since he remembers it all the other days? People were also very concerned about what he meant by this and thought about it in many ways. But I think it remains well hidden. That is why I do not know how to explain it. They say that the second number is a division out of unity, which 2) means love; as the same number in Scripture has a great sacrament and secrecy. But we will leave that aside. Be it as it may, there is no doubt that Moses did not forget to add it, but it was done out of deliberate counsel. So now heaven is prepared, that it is no longer dark, nor shaky, nor wavering, but stands firm, and has its space and place. Follow

The third day.

V. 11-13. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, and herb yielding seed, and fruitful trees, every one of them.

1. Wittenberg and Erlangen: den.
2. Erlanger: "and" instead of: which.

34 Erl. 33, 3S-4L. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 44-46. 35

after his kind bear fruit, and have his own seed with himself on the earth. And it came to pass thus. And the earth brought forth grass and herbage, every herb after his kind, and trees bearing fruit, 1) and having their own seed by themselves, every one after his kind. And God saw it good. Then the evening and the morning became the third day.

(24) After the heavens have been prepared in the two days, God takes the earth before Him on the third day and prepares it properly. For before it was covered and lay in the water, and there was no one on it, but was completely desolate and of no use. But now, when he speaks the word: "The earth comes forth, and the waters under heaven are divided, here into the sea, there into pools or lakes, so that the land and islands are seen, so that here a piece and there a piece of the earth comes forth: Now the earth ceases to be so desolate and clumsy, and comes to light and takes on a true form, so that it is something different from what it was before; so that it is never empty, but is given a power that it should have in itself, so that it gives forth and brings forth grass, herbs and trees, and all kinds of plants. This is what happened, and it pleased God well, and then he gave it a proper name. From this it is clear that he did not give her the right name on the first day. For now it is worthy of its name, because it is no longer desolate or empty, but is prepared and worked as it should be, and receives its strength so that it produces all kinds of growth.

(25) Now these are all excellent words for Moses to shut the mouths of all philosophers, and those who have studied in the high schools, and called themselves doctors and magistrates, and have taught the natural art, even natural folly. They have discussed much and have held many delusions, from which the earth and all things have come, and yet no one has hit it. Therefore, here Moses puts all this down in a nutshell, saying that by the eternal word of God it was decreed that on the third day of the world the earth and all things would be destroyed.

1. Erlanger: deceive.

Days the earth should come forth and be dressed.

(26) Now, if we compare everything with each other, we see that the creatures do not have their essence from themselves; and even if the essence is given to them, they have no power from themselves. For the earth and the heaven, being desolate, empty, and dark, could neither give nor bring forth anything of themselves, but were a poor, miserable, mere being. But if it should become light, then God had to give it and create it, from themselves they could not. Therefore it was neither the power nor the ability of heaven that it became firm. In the same way, the earth has none of its own, but everything had to be planted anew in it, so that it would bear grain, grass, herbs and trees; as we see when we dig it up, that it brings forth all kinds of growth, even that which is neither sown nor planted. It is indeed her ability, but she did not have it from herself, but God implanted it in her through the Word, so that no one can see or understand how it happens, and yet see how it grows; just as we cannot understand how she was created. Therefore we must shut up our reason and only believe, as Moses teaches here, that God thus creates it through the Word, that it grows without ceasing, and yet we do not know how. So it must also be said of heaven, whence it has the light and stands firm, which it has none from itself. For God could well make it heavier, neither the earth, as the clouds hover above, which are heavier neither the air. That it is nothing Aristotle says: What is light, that goes up. You cannot understand any of these things unless you believe.

27. and beware when you hear these words, "And God spoke," that you do not think of them as transient words, as we humans speak, but know that they are eternal words, spoken from eternity and will always be spoken. As little as God's being ceases, so little does the speaking cease, without the creatures having begun through it. But he still speaks, and continues to speak without ceasing, for no creature is able to have its being from itself. Therefore, as long as a creature lasts.

36 Erl. 33, 4"-44. Sermon on Genesis 1, 11-13. W. in, 46-49.37

As long as the earth bears or is able to bear, the speaking continues without ceasing. So understand Moses, how he holds up God to us in all creatures and leads us to God through them. As soon as we look at the creatures, we think: Behold, God is so, that all creatures in their nature and works are driven and controlled by the Word without ceasing.

(28) For it is well to be tested that the earth alone has its strength from God's word, that one still sees earth, on which nothing grows; nor is it earth and dry land, but it is empty, for God does not give his word or commandment there, that it might bear and something grow there. Therefore, the fact that all land does not bear fruit in the same way is because such property is not from the land, but from God's word. Where this is, there also follows the power to be fruitful, so that the whole world is full of word, which drives all things, gives power and sustains them. That is why God says to Adam afterwards Cap. 3, 17. 18.: "The earth shall not give you its wealth", since he puts a curse on it; he takes away the word and leaves it in its nature. So we have the earth, prepared that it is never desolate and empty, but full of sap and power and ability, not from its nature, but by God's giving and speaking.

029 Besides this, thou must also be accustomed to the language, that the text saith, The gathering of the waters was called the sea." For the Hebrew language calls all things sea where there is water, even lakes and pools; therefore many seas are now and then in the Scripture; but where there is dry land, it calls all things earth.

(30) So the earth is adorned, and the waters are separated from it, which before went round about it, so that it floated in the midst of them. See how easy it would be for God to drown the world, for it is its nature for water to go around and over it; but by God's word and command it is preserved contrary to its nature, otherwise it would remain unrestrained, and all would go in one lump. So he says in Job Cap. 38, 8-11: "Who closed the sea with its doors when it burst forth as from its mother's womb? When I clothed it with clouds, and wrapped it in darkness, as in swaddling clothes. Since I gave it the course

broke with my dam, and set a bar and a door upon it, and said, Thou shalt come hither, and no further. Here shall thy proud waves lie down." When the waters beat down, no one protects that the sea does not drown everything, because God's word, which has 2) everything powerfully in its hand.

(31) Thus the holy Scriptures paint God and the creatures, that they may cast down reason, which thinks that he is away from the creatures, and has nothing to do with them. There is not one little stick or drop that God does not have to do with, and that he does not do.

Thirty-two But here we are to beware lest we run aground. For it is also dangerous for an unclean soul to fall on it, and to seek it highly, lest it perish. Therefore, the piece does not belong to children. To those who taste what Moses says: "God saw it as good," 2c. it is useful to them to strive for it and to write poetry. 3. They are the ones who recognize God in the creatures, so that they must say: Well, what a kind, fine God this is? He is nothing but sweetness and goodness, so that he feeds us, sustains us and nourishes us. These see nothing else in the creatures, but that God sees in them. But he sees nothing in them but good. Therefore they have all the air and joy of it. But the others, who have evil consciences and do not believe, should be frightened by the slightest rustling leaf, when they feel that God is so near, and they do not like to suffer any creature, as it always is. Therefore it is a high and great thing who comes to this core and understands it. Of which is also said above § 14 in the preface, and therefore I have repeated it here, that one may always need it, and remember it through this whole chapter.

(33) In the first three days he adorned and decorated the heavens and the earth; the heavens with feast and light, the earth with grass and herbage, and all kinds of wood or trees. Will now follow, as God did in the other three days, both heaven and earth,

Wittenberg and Erlangen: bracht.

2. So the Jenaer. Erlanger: "the it". Wittenberger: which one.
3. "it" is missing in the Erlanger.

38 EU. 33, 44-46. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 49-52. 39

more, further, better adorns and makes rich. And he keeps the same order as in the previous days, that he first 1) decorates the sky with lights and stars; then the earth, that he puts in it all kinds of animals, birds, fish and men.

The fourth day.

V. 14-19. And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, dividing day from night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years, and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven, that they may shine upon the earth. And it came to pass thus. And God made two great lights, a great light to preside over the day, and a small light to preside over the night, and stars also. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, presiding over the day and the night, and dividing the light from the darkness. And God saw it good. Then the evening and the morning became the fourth day.

(34) This is the work done on the fourth day, that the sun and the moon, with all the stars, great and small, were created and fixed in the heavens, and that they should preside over the day and night, and give light to the earth, and that we should have hours, days, and seasons. But this is not to be understood in such a way that God created the sun and the moon beforehand, and then attached them to the heavens as one attaches a clasp, but because our language is so strained that it must make one word after another, and two things that happened at the same time cannot be spoken of and grasped at the same time in one word, he must say of them how they were created, and then how they were attached to the heavens, although they both happened at the same time, so that in making them they were also attached to the heavens. So that one knows that God has made a day of it; how long or short, many or few hours, stands with him. It says that he was slow in doing it, not because he could not do it in a moment, but because he wanted to take a day to do it, as he did on the third day above all the grass, herbs and trees, all the heaths, meadows and fields. And hath verily-

1. In the old editions of first.

He made a lot, even if he didn't spend an hour on it.

(35) So he may have made a whole day of the celestial body from evening to morning, which is so much that no one can count it, as the Scripture Gen. 15:5 says. Even as now: when he makes the sun rise, he drives it so that it runs from morning to evening, so that it could go in one hour from morning to evening, yes, in one hour in both places. But he does not do it, but gives space and time for it. As he does now here with the sun, as we see before our eyes, so he does with all creatures. Thus he makes grass and herbs spring up in the springtime, so that everything is green and blossoms as long as it is summer; all this can happen in an hour, or, if he wants, in a year or two. He makes it so long according to his will and pleasure, and neither shorter nor longer.

(36) I say all this so that we may remain in simple words and understanding, and not rise up and speculate. Even if we are lacking in this, it is still without a ride. But this is what we are to learn from this, as I also said above 26, how no creature has either its essence or power from itself, and it is not in its power how long it should last and remain, but everything has its order from God, how long he wants it to last, so that we can ever see how God holds the whole world in his hand so powerfully that nothing can move except what and when he wants. This is the first part.

Moses further says that God made and ordained the sun and the moon to preside over the day and the night. The sun is a master of the day, the moon is a master of the night. The moon does not make the night, but its light goes and shines nevertheless in the night. So also the sun does not make the day, but it goes and shines in the day. For we have heard before that God created the light, and called it day; but the darkness he called night. There was neither sun nor moon, and yet there was day and night, and would have remained so. So, even though the sun does not make the day and does nothing to make it, it rules by day as the moon does by night.

10 Erl. 33, 46-49. Sermon On Genesis 1:14-19. W. Ill, 52-S5. 41

38 Therefore we must leave the text in the simplest terms, that the two lights are ordered to rule day and night, not to make day or night. As we say of a man, he shall rule over the land; which is not so much said, that he shall make the land, but that he shall find it, and his rule shall be upon it. If the sun and moon had not been created, there would still have been day and night, light and darkness, but there would have been no government. So one reads also in the Psalter now and then, as Ps. 136, 7-9.: "He has made great lights, the sun to preside over the day; the moon and stars to preside over the night."

39 Thus we see that everything proceeds from God's order, and no thing has its essence or rule from Himself, but everything from God's hand, counsel and will, so that one should see God in all creatures, we open our eyes or ears, and thus give thanks to Him. And, as I have said enough above Preface, §§ 11. 12, we are not to think that God created the creatures then, and has gone away afterwards, and lets them act themselves henceforth; but that he made them, and still makes them, and sustains them through the Word. So, the word drives the sun still today and forever from morning to evening. For the fact that it goes around in the sky once every day is not its own nature or power, but that of the Word by which it was created.

Item 40: God also says that these two lights are to be used as signs, times, years and days, that is, so that one can count and know the time. We do not yet have thoughts to do this from our art, but everything is thus ordered by God. So now with these lights one measures both day and night, that one divides the sun's light into twelve hours, and also teaches to count the year with the sun's course, because it comes around once every year, and with its course brings the seasons, summer and winter, with it.

41. they shall also serve that one knows to count the newspapers thereby. The word newspapers is called XXXX in Hebrew. So the scripture names the special feasts in the year,

and is the same as one divides a day over the twelve hours into four parts, morning or forenoon, noon, afternoon and evening; which is at our discretion, how we want to divide it. Now as one divides the day, so one can also divide the year into as many parts as one wishes. As, first, into four parts; then into twelve months, at which time a certain time may be appointed; as, when I say, in the fourth or fifth month. Item, further one can divide each month into half, or fourth part; that is Hebrew: festa vel tempora, that is, such times, which are determined in the year. As according to our calculation are Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, or Michaelmas 2c. How to divide and divide the year, that is called times, for which the sun and the moon are created.

(42) Further, first of all, God says that they shall be "signs. Then the stargazers and natural masters have gone up to heaven, and have drawn on their lies that which he says here of signs, that they say: Whoever is born in this or that sign of the stars, he shall be sent thus or thus. He that is born under the sun must become a wooer or a wise man. Whoever is born in the Mercurio, he will become a good handler, and so henceforth he will be otherwise or so. But we let go of these crude lies, and stick to the simple understanding that they are signs, as the mariners need them, and judge themselves by them on the sea. Item, as a sign is, when the sun or the moon loses its light, so that God may indicate something, namely a future misfortune and punishment over the world.

Therefore we say that they are only signs and have no special power or effect. That they say that the lights and stars have three effects on earth: first, that they shine; second, that they move; third, that they have an influence, is all folly. That the light works down, that one grasps well when the sun shines. So it is also true with the movement; for we see, the farther it comes away, the colder it becomes. But the third, that they say that every sign and star has its influence, especially on men, that whoever is under a

42 Erl. 33, 49-51. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, ss-57. 43

If a man is born with such a sign, he must be born like this, live such a life, die such a death, so that they can advise everything, how it should be for everyone, this is false and fictitious. For they were not created to rule me, but for my use and service. Over day and night they shall rule, but over my soul they shall have neither rule nor power. The heavens were made to give light and time; the earth to sustain and feed us. That is all they can give or do.

(44) About this also the fools want to argue, why each country bears something special, as that this bears gold and silver, another grain 2c., and lie with force about such things, as they want, like the old people and countrymen 1), that they have no reason nor cause. But if they ask us why grain grows in one place, and ore, saffron, ginger and other things in another, which are not found in other places, we will answer, "Thus it is written in this first chapter, v. 12, about the third day, that on that day God caused to spring up from the earth by his word 2) grass, herbs, trees and all kinds of plants, each according to its kind.

Therefore, none of the things that grow out of the earth are created by the influence of heaven, but by the word of God. And even if they do not want to admit this, they must nevertheless confess that all grass, herbs and trees were created before the sun and moon with the stars. And, of course, this is why it was done and written, so that the fools are not believed as if it came from the influence of heaven, but was a special divine order. Stay with it, and keep your faith pure. The sun and the moon shall not create nor have more power than is written here. If God had given them more, he would have written more, because in this chapter all creatures are included, almost with all their works and abilities. This is the fourth day. Moses now continues:

1. Old lenges lie from what lies according to the time, landers from what lies far away according to the space. Landfahrer (Landferer) - travelers, who come far over land (Cf. Walch, St. Louiser Ausg., vol. XI, 301, 8 18); also by water (Walch, old Ausg., vol. Ill, 96k, Z 34).
2. Wittenberger and Erlanger: go out.

The fifth day.

V. 20-23. And God said, Let the waters be filled with living creatures that weave, and with fowl that fly upon the earth under the firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that weaves and stirs the waters, every one after its kind, and every feathered bird after its kind. And God saw it good, and blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea, 3) and let the fowl multiply upon the earth. Then the evening and the morning became the fifth day.

(46) Then he took the heaven again, and gave it another ornament. Until now he has given him light, feasts, sun, moon and stars, so that he has everything he should have. Here he gives him to the birds, which kingdom is in the air. And here you see that the Scripture calls everything that is above heaven, also the air in which the birds hover; item the clouds; so that water and heaven, or air, are almost one thing in the Scripture, for heaven came from water. And we see that also some birds live in the water. That is why he includes here both the birds in the sky and the fish in the water, and starts again at the water.

(47) Now notice here that no creature can be alive by itself; that no bird, though it is small, can have its own feathers or plumes, but God gives them to each one, so that it is impossible to count the number of feathers and to see how they are made. Besides, you hear that both the birds and the fishes are made of watery nature, just as the sun and the moon, that is, are made of the sky, which is made of water, just as the grass and trees are made of the earth. For the two creatures have given all the others.

48 Now the first time God the Lord gives a blessing, which he has not done before. For the blessing is only upon that which lives, that it may multiply or be fruitful. For he hath given to all the nature and ability in their bodies, that they may bring forth fruit, and bear much; which still indicateeth that which I have said §26,

3. Erlanger: of the seas.

44 Erl. 33, Ü1-Ü4. Sermon on Genesis 1:20-27. W. in, 57-60. 45

that none of them came from Himself. For the text first says that God called them to come out of the water and to be stirred up, and thus created them and gave them life; but they could not yet be fruitful until he spoke the word over them and blessed them, and called them to multiply. Now this is an implanted nature, as he planted above v. 11. 12. in the earth the power to bear the grass and trees. Where he had only brought them forth, they would not have had the power to multiply. Therefore it is not their nature to beget young, but a special work of divine majesty and his word or blessing, planted in nature.

49 I know nothing special to say about the whales, without knowing that he is also a lord of the sea, and makes many powerful, strange and monstrous animals in it. I also think that it is much more abundant, and that there is a greater quantity of fish in the water than of other animals on land, and of course the water is the richest element. So we have everything that water has given. Now follows:

The sixth day.

V. 24-27. And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures, every one after his kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, every one after his kind. And it came to pass thus. And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and all the creeping things of the earth after their kind. And God saw it good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him, and He created them male and female.

(50) So far we have heard all that God made in the five days. First, the heavens and the earth; then all the plants on earth, the stars in the sky, the animals in the water and in the air. Now on the sixth day he creates all kinds of animals that live on earth,

wild and tame, and also man; and besides, with other beasts, he is told that they shall be fruitful, and multiply one among another.

In the first place, as I have said above § 3, so I also say here that on the sixth day not everything was made in one go, because Moses writes here with few words about it, and runs over it in the very shortest, that God made man, an image that was like him, and they created a male and a female. But how the same thing happened, he is silent here, but will explain it later in the other chapter, and this day's business further. As he is also in the habit of writing a thing roughly and at the top, and of going over it roughly, which he then better emphasizes. Well, there would be much to talk about what God meant by this work. Let us see a little of it.

(52) This is the most important thing to consider here, that man is not created like the other creatures, although he is counted among them and is also placed on the earth. For God decides beforehand with deliberate counsel and says, "Let us make man." For "let us make" is a word of deliberate counsel, which he did not say before. So that he wants to indicate that he has wanted to create man with special diligence. This is already a great honor of the human creature, that God has applied so much more diligence to him than to other creatures.

(53) And from the words it is again evident that in the Godhead there must be more than One Person, because he says: "Let us make"; item: "An image that is like Us. For the little word "us" indicates that the one who speaks is not alone, although the Jews mock the text, so that there is a way of speaking, even if there is not more than One Person. We let them go, the word will remain before them.

(54) Here our teachers, both old and new, have broken themselves greatly in interpreting what the image of God is, according to which man was created, and have said that there are three powers in the soul, namely, memory, understanding, and will, so that it may be like the holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They wondered about this.

46 EU. ss, 54-56. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, eo-ss. 47

They have to break, and have come into so many questions that they can never be worked out. Let us leave the sense and stick to the simple sayings and speech of the Scriptures, and so let us speak of the image that is like God, as Paul speaks of it when he says: "As the earthly man is like this, so are the earthly ones; and as the heavenly man is like this, so are the heavenly ones. And as we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly." And to Ephesians Cap. 4, 22-24: "Put away from you therefore, according to the former manner of life, the old man, which is corrupted by the lusts of error; but renew yourselves in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which is created after God, in righteousness and holiness."

55 Paul sets two images, earthly and heavenly. Adam is of the earth and earthly, and all who come from him bear the image. But what kind of image is it? Adam, from whom we come, is a sinner, his reason was blinded, his flesh corrupted with evil desire and love for gross sins and unbelief, disbelief and despair. So he became after the fall, and so are all those who bring the flesh from him. But he was not so created. Again, the heavenly image is Christ, who was a man full of love, mercy and grace, humility, patience, wisdom, light and all good things, so that all his being was directed to serve everyone and be harmful to no one. We must also bear his image and be conformed to him. In the image also belongs how he died and suffered, and all that is in him; his resurrection, life, grace and virtue, are all directed that we also put on the same image. Now all heavenly people, that is, all believers, are of this kind. So you see what "image" means and what "likeness" means. Therefore, you must put out of your mind that sense which the doctors have given, otherwise this mind will only become darker.

In Hebrew, the words are thus: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," that is, an image that is similar and like us. Man must be

to be an image, either of God or of the devil; for according to whom he conforms, he is similar. So much is said here that in the beginning man was created in the image of God, full of wisdom, virtue and love, and in short, drowned in goodness, and without all evil lusts, like God, so that he was full of God. This is also what the wise man means Eccl. Sal. 7, 30.: "GOD created man sincere." This sincerity was natural in body and soul, and if Adam had remained in it, he would also have begotten such children in whom there would have been no evil desire, but would have been kind and helpful to everyone, as God is. Thus, we would all have been like God. This would have been called hereditary righteousness, as if it had been brought and inherited from Adam by birth. Now he did not remain so, and the image perished, and we became like the devil through this birth, as we will hear hereafter. Now follows at the end of this chapter:

V. 28. And God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Thus God blessed the living animals and man. If Adam had remained as he was created, the birth would have been fine, would have been conceived with full joy and without all evil desire, so that one would not be aware of some evil inclination. Even as now, where there is any man full of faith and spirit, it seems as if he were drunken, that his works depart from him before he considereth it, as if his nature carried him away to good works; as is seen in all the works of Christ. Otherwise, where there is no such spirit, one thinks and breaks himself, as one would do; there goes much counsel, that one does one thing with pleasure, another with displeasure, and is so drowned in it, that one can never do a righteous good work.

(58) But true faith always does good works, so that often it does not think about them or realize what it is doing.

48 Eri. 33, 56-59. Sermon on Genesis 1, 28. W. in, ss-"". 49

He is even drowned in the spirit. And such are also the best. Otherwise, when they feel and see it, they usually become hopeful. So it would have been, if we had remained pure, that we would have been so deeply immersed in the good, through which we are like God and his image. But now it is over, the blessing is gone; the image that was supposed to be has been torn apart; but the fruitfulness has remained.

(59) Understand, then, what God's image is; not a thing painted dead, but living and righteous, as God is, who makes it righteous, so rational and full of wisdom that it can govern fish, birds and all the animals of the earth, as God governs with right piety. There the work would have gone in full love, joy, humility and all good, also in the children, which man would have begotten and raised.

(60) There is much to be said here about marital status, and it would be good to have someone experienced to speak about it. But let us say something about it, and I mean that I do not want to miss far, because the Scriptures will not lie to us.

In the first place, we have heard how God divides man into two parts. Therefore we conclude: as other works of God are not in man's power, so also not that a man is man or woman. The sun cannot say, I will be the moon; again, the moon cannot make itself to be the sun, but each must remain as it was created by God. So also a man must remain that he is, and cannot be a woman; again, the woman must remain a woman as she is made, and is also not in her power to change such.

In another way God said to man when he was created: "Be fruitful and multiply. This saying is a thunderclap against the pope's law, and gives leave to all priests, monks and nuns to become legitimate. For as the sun must shine, and cannot abstain, for it is thus implanted in its nature by the word and commandment of God: so also is it implanted in man's nature that he must be fruitful, whether male or female.

63. that God therefore consumes some, as the corrupt and unfit bodies, and

Some high spirits, that belongs to other miraculous signs; but nature in general is in no man's power to resist or hold, but must have its course and breed itself. Therefore it is not in my will to pledge such things, for it is not possible for us to keep them. Therefore no vow is valid against it. For this is decided right away, no one can prevent the work that God has done.

64. What would it be for the sun to vow not to shine anymore? So much is it if you vow not to be fruitful, nor to beget or bear children. Vow or vow not, you cannot make yourself other than as God created you. If thou wilt or wilt not, then thou must do as nature is, or else go other ways, that such misery follows from it as is not to be called. And it shall also be so, where one wants to hinder and hinder God's work. Would you like to vow that you do not want to be a man, and yet you have to be, and trample your vow underfoot.

So you see how the vows and Pabst's commandments strive straight against God's order and appointment. Therefore there is almost no abomination on earth, for it is called coelibatum, that is, our spiritual chastity. If then thou wilt escape the abomination, only trample under foot the vow and the shameful estate, if thou art therein, or beware lest thou fall therein. If thou hast vowed, know that it is neither valid nor binding. For how can you vow that which is not yours, nor in your power to gain or keep? It is therefore ordained of God that thou shalt be married; there 1) is no free will. You cannot put a cubit, not even a finger, to your measure, as Christ says Matth. 6, 27.; so little can you deny flesh and blood its power and nature to inseminate itself, which is implanted in it by God.

(66) But I do not mean to detract from the high virtue of virginity, for God Almighty has retained for him his power to act over nature. Therefore we should leave the same to him, but where we see that he does not work the supernatural power,

1. Wittenberg and Jena: that.

50 Erl. 33, 5"-Ki. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, "6-63. 51

let the natural work go, to marry as he created it. Where Adam had not fallen, neither man nor woman would have remained barren; not that it was commanded, but that it was planted in nature, and thus must go unhindered and unstopped. But now God has put his work into it. Because some are unfit, He gives them a special, high grace, that they live without it Matth. 19, 11.

(67) Whosoever therefore shall be delivered by such grace, let him give thanks unto God, and let him follow it; but to whom it is not given, let him enter into the common married life. If he does not, he will make it much worse. As is now the case in the world, which has now become full of fornication and adultery, and has now been torn down by the priesthood, which the pope has erected for worship, and brought to the people: whoever wants to deal with God and spiritual things must not be a married man or woman; and thus young people are frightened away from the married state, so that they are only drowned in fornication. These are true doctrines of the devil 1 Tim. 4:1, 3, so that none more harmful could have come on earth.

(68) Hence it came about that they did not consider the married life to be a Christian state nor a good work, and did not see that in the Old Testament the highest patriarchs, who served God most highly, were married and often had many wives. And the priests were specially commanded by God to have wives and yet serve God. Which he did, that he might let the creatures go in their course and order, as he had made them, that they should not do other things contrary to his word and order.

Thus we have a clear text that absolves all monks, nuns and priests from their vows. These are two of God's sayings, and it is not proper to do, speak, vow or take anything against them. For God shall be right in His words and works. Therefore, if you are a woman or a man, and if you are fertile, only enter into marriage freshly and joyfully, at the word of God, who has blessed this state.

From this we also conclude that it is not possible to know what a woman or a man is, except in faith. For GOt

tes words and works are described here, but no one can understand either word or work except through faith and the Spirit. It may happen that one has an evil desire for a man or a woman, but this is not called knowing a man or a woman. For he who is to know what a woman is must be so skilled that he considers her to be God's work, which only faith does. For reason cannot do it, it is too blind, it thinks no more than: If only I had this one or that one; it does not see whether it is God's work or a creature, but only goes on in its mad lust, never lifts its eyes so high that it recognizes God in His works.

This is why she despises the marital state, because she finds and sees nothing in it but misery and unhappiness, which follows from necessity, where one does not know the other. For where there is no faith and knowledge of God and his work, there can never be peace nor rest. Before one enters it, one thinks that it will be full of joy. When one is inside and thinks he has found what he was looking for, and his lust is a little satisfied, then there is nothing left but unpleasantness. This then is the fault and cause, that thou hast not taken a husband or wife as a husband and wife, but as the old evil nature and evil lusts have driven thee. But if we remained spiritual in unchanged nature, as Adam was at first, then also every man would know a man as a man, and again; so it would be full of good, and no unkindness would follow.

Thus man and woman, begetting children and bearing fruit is surely God's work. Why then is it so difficult for us that we cannot suffer it? Because the work of God cannot be borne except by those who believe. If we were Christians, we would be able to recognize it. Now the whole world is vain unbelief, therefore it attacks it so that nothing good follows. Therefore the fault is not of the creature, nor of the estate, as the heathen complain, but of unbelief. Everything in him is good and delicious; but because you are in unbelief, the saying in Psalm Ps. 18, 27., which God says: "With the perverse you will

52 SO.W, oil-63. Sermon on Genesis 1:28-31. W. Ill, 68-71. 53

you will be perverted. Because thou art perverse, God pervades all things with thee, that it is vile affliction and misery; as we shall hear that Adam shall be.

(73) Now therefore know that these words are words of faith, that no one can understand them except by faith, which is everywhere in all things and in all business. Adam, when he was still standing, was full in all good things; all that he would have begun would have gone out with pleasure and joy. But when he fell, he still had to have a wife. There it turned around now that all work was vain misery and displeasure for him. Therefore it follows that all misfortune on earth is the fault of unbelief alone. But unbelief is not understanding what God's works are. This is the part that God sets up man and woman to beget children, so that one may learn that it is God's work, and thus must be, and that nature wants to be unchanged. Now follows the last part of the first chapter:

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb that groweth upon the face of the whole earth, and every fruit-bearing tree, and every tree that bringeth forth seed for your meat, and for every beast of the earth, and for every fowl of the air, and for every creeping thing that hath life, to eat every green herb. And it came to pass thus.

This is a fine, kind father. When he created all living animals and men, he also provides them with everything they should have. We now see the common cases in the world, why the conjugal state becomes difficult, and no one likes it, that everyone fears he could not feed himself. That's why it remains so full of knaves and fornication. The blame lies solely in the unbelief that naturally clings to all of us after Adam's fall. We must remain in it until God makes us different people and puts faith in our hearts.

Now these are the words of faith. For before Adam says a word, nor asks, yes, before he thinks where to feed himself, God comes before, and gives him all the herbs that pollinate, that is, all kinds of grain, wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet, rice. 2c.

that he may feed on it. Therefore we also have our food. Whether Adam did not prepare it in the same way as we do, let it go its way.

And here you see once again how neither grain nor leaf grows for us, for God grant it, since the text clearly says: "I have given you all kinds of herbs" 2c. But no one understands this except faith. Item, secondly, he gives not only this, but also all kinds of trees and fruits, apples, pears, grapes, figs, oil 2c., from which not only food but also drink is made. So he provided food and drink for man, but where did he leave the clothes? He had no need of them, for he would have gone naked; but after the fall he had to have them for shame, as we shall hear.

Now see if Moses does not masterfully teach faith in this first chapter. On the last day he makes man, but before that he builds him a hall; he makes him light in the heavens so that he can see; he separates the waters from the earth so that he has room to dwell on them, and for his sake he adorns them with all kinds of plants; in addition, he gives him the rule over everything that lives; that we may see that God does not forget us, but as our dear Father provides all things, and prepares everything before he makes man; and when he has made him, he also commands him, and orders him to feed himself from the earth.

(78) And truly, whoever fasts this chapter alone would have great teaching enough about faith, from which we trust in God and see how he gives us everything we should have; nor does unbelief have all the heartache. That we do not feed ourselves is not lacking in creatures, for everything is full, and all have enough; but faith alone is lacking. Therefore we grate and scrape so much that we may not believe; from this we also have so much unpleasure and trouble for wages. These are the works of God, which he created in the six days, therefore he now concludes, saying:

V.31. And God looked at all that He had made, and behold, it was all very good. Then the evening and the morning became the sixth day.

** **54 Erl. 33, 63-66. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, n-76. 55

79. The reputation, we have heard above §14, is God's good pleasure and air, which He has in the creatures. For He has continued to confirm it as He began it, so that not only is Adam commanded to beget children, but it is also considered good by God, that it is pleasing to Him, and still 1) must always be so. Therefore, we are also to regard it as God's...

1. Erlanger: according to.

The work will be regarded as a good work and considered good. But no one will do this but faith.

80 So far it has been described recently where all creatures in heaven and on earth come from; and finally this has been the conclusion that all creatures are created by God's word, so that they are neither of themselves nor of their own powers, nor are they able, but as God gives, so it all goes freely without hindrance.

The other chapter.

V. 1-3. So the heavens and the earth were finished with all their host. And so on the seventh day God finished all his works which he had made. And rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had done. He blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day he rested from all his works that God created and made.

1. First of all, since our Latin text has: Perfecti sunt coeli et terra, et omnis ornatus eorum, "so the heavens and the earth were perfected, with all their ornaments", according to the Hebrew it means thus: Et omnis militia eorum, that is, "with all their host," and is better thus translated, for the sake of the prophets, who introduce, and therefore establish, this word of Moses, from which one would not otherwise know where it came, which is also sung daily in the Mass: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Ze- baoth, that is, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, a God of hosts, Isa. 6, 3. Moses uses the same word here, and calls sun, moon and stars an army of heaven; and again, men, animals, birds, fish, and what grows from the earth, he calls the army of the earth. Just as a prince with his army, so he fights with all his might, and has all his power and strength with one another.

(2) Now why God needs this very word, we must leave it to Him; for it is not without cause. For it is true that all creatures that God has created are an army, so that they may use their power and their strength.

The words in the Scriptures are directed to the conscience of man, and are daily in conflict, so that they serve the good to the pious and the evil to the worst. Where there is a good conscience, it supports everything like an army; again, where the conscience is evil, everything opposes it; so that the words in the Scriptures apply to a man's conscience, that they serve it or oppose it. And thus from the saying come many sayings of the Scriptures, which otherwise one does not know where to draw them.

3 Another thing to note here is that he says, "God rested on the seventh day from all his works that he had done, and not only that, but also blessed and sanctified the same day. This is also a great thing, of which many have spoken and written, but few have understood. Sabbath, the Hebrew word, means rest or celebration, so that one keeps still and stands still from all words and works, and only hangs on God's works. But how this happened, that God rested from all his works, is of course a high question, although Moses describes it badly and simple. As is his way, that he often enters in such a way, and speaks in such a way, that everyone understands it, and again, puts the words, that the whole world does not understand it.

4 We see daily that all things are still being created, everything that is planted on earth, all fruit and all animals, and yet it is a work that actually belongs to God; as Christ Himself says John 5:17: "My Father works until here, and I work.

56 Erl. 33, 66-68. Sermon on Genesis 2, I-3. W. m, 76-7S. 57

also." How then are we to put the two together, that the Scriptures testify and we see before our eyes that God creates and works without ceasing until the last day, and here Moses, on the other hand, says that he rested on the seventh day from all works? I am concerned that it is higher than one could give it for the common man; but we must speak a little about it.

When one looks at the creature, one against the other, it has a much different look than when one looks at it before God. Above Cap. 1, § 2 it is said that before God the beginning of the world and the end are the same as at one moment, and the first moment and the last at the end of the world are the same. But if we look at it among ourselves, one thing always comes after another: the Son after the Father, one year, one day after another; but all this, as it goes after another, is before God as a moment. Which reason cannot well comprehend, for it is a comparison of temporal and eternal things. Because God is eternal, all things must be the same before and after Him. For what is eternal, all creatures are present to it, none first nor last, and nothing can ever be before it or after it. Now if you look at the world from the beginning to the end, before people one thing goes after another, but before God everything goes together. So grasp these two sights.

(6) Now that Moses described six days, this is actually what happened; but this is also true: what makes six days before our eyes is all one day, even one moment, before God. So it will rhyme that, since the seventh day has begun, it will always last until the end of the world, yes, after that it will really begin. But it is written for our sake, that it may be understood by our understanding that it has thus begun.

(7) But it is written for our sakes only, and not for the sakes of angels or other creatures. For the sun does not celebrate a day, but shines as brightly one day as another, and goes on its course forever; but something is indicated to us here, namely, in the most simple way, that God has wanted to govern man, whom he created in his image to be like him.

Because God creates and works such days, and celebrates them on the seventh day, he has written that we should do as he does. For this is God's image, which is even so minded, has such understanding and light, and does such works as God does, and always takes after Him. 1) That is why he commanded that we also work six days and celebrate the seventh. And therefore it was done, that the world might be ruled cleanly. For it is ever a fine, sweet, kindly government, that men weaken not themselves, but keep themselves fine, and yet walk not idly. Therefore, when they have worked the six days of the week, on the seventh day they shall rest from labor, for themselves and for the cattle; and especially that there may be time to hear the word of God.

But how? since this is written before man fell into sin, since this is already ordained, and the Scripture records the Sabbath much earlier than when Adam fell into sin. Is the same time also already decreed that he should work six days and celebrate on the seventh? There is no doubt, as we will hear, that he was to work in paradise, and to preside over fish, birds and animals on earth. Therefore God did not want him to go idle, and yet he would have remained to work and rule, without being displeased, and would not have been sore with sweat and fear; nor would the earth have borne thistles, but would have come forth with the most delicious growth, as he would have wanted; nor would any animal have done anything disobediently, and everything would have gone as he would have wanted.

9 So the work and the regiment would have remained, but without trouble and misfortune; just as the women would have carried children, but not with fear, sorrow and distress. But on the seventh day all would have stood still and rested. Let this be said of the Sabbath or seventh day; but what it signifies I will leave undecided. For we must remain here with the simple text. Now it is a different Sabbath, for it is the seventh day.

1. In the old editions: "sich nach jm omet", i.e., to be directed and formed after him, to imitate him.

58 Erl. 33, 68-7". Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 78-8i. 59

where Adam had remained; and is now pointed to Christ, who kept the right Sabbath and celebrated it in the grave; as we have also said elsewhere. Moses now continues:

V. 4-6. This is the birth of the heavens and the earth when they were created, at the time when God made the earth and the heavens, before any shrub was on the earth or any herb grew in the field. For God the Lord had not yet caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to build the land. But a mist came up from the earth and wetted all the land.

This is a strange speech. For there is nothing lacking in the chapter, except that one is ignorant of the language; he who does not know it, will singe 1) and break, that he does not know where to go in or out; as also happened to Augustino. This is Mosi's way, that he often repeats a thing, and says it again, that it is also sheer vexation. Therefore, what follows is only a repetition and explanation of what he said before. For in the first chapter, v. 27, he spoke it all in short words: "God created a man in his own image. Item: "He created them male and female"; this does not yet express how all this came about. That is why he brings it up again in this chapter and uses many words to explain how it happened one after the other.

(11) That Moses speaks here is therefore easier to understand if one makes the words in the Latin text all in praeterito plusquamperfecto; but that he calls the birth of heaven and earth is spoken so much: Since heaven and earth were created. But why Moses speaks just thus, that go his way, he has his own mysteria. Now all this is said: God created and established the heavens and the earth, as has been said; but in such a way that no creature did anything to it, nor could have done anything to it, but only a mist or dark cloud arose, like a dew, and made the earth wet. All this happened

1. "Sülen" here will probably be as much as "to work off". So it may also be taken in our edition Vol. VII, 1847.

without man and other creatures. That is Summa Summarum of it: It was created, before ever a man was there, yes, before it rained once or a little bush would have stood. And says further:

V. 7. And God the Lord made man of the dust of the ground.

I have said above that God created man male and female; now I will tell you how it happened. De limo terrae, we have in the Latin text, that is, from the mud, is called Aphar in Hebrew, and is the very word that he subsequently interprets pulvis, since he says: Pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris. But it actually means such earth that is dug up, and a little thrown up, like a land that is plowed, or from a grave; but not yet dust that flies into the air. From such loose earth he took a roll, and made man of it. What more?

And blew into his face a living breath.

We must get used to these words, because they are not spoken in German. But it cannot be understood better than by looking at a man. The breath that God has given him is found only in the face, and in no other place, and especially in the nose. Therefore the word Aph, which is written here, means both the face and the nose. But that we have spiritum vitae in our text does not mean a spirit, but that God has given it such life, not as fish have, but as animals have, as a cow, horse, deer, and all such things that have breath. And by this is signified that our breath also is not in our power, neither that we can snort of ourselves, nor fetch breath; and by this breath we live. For when it is stopped up, we are dead. Therefore he calls it a living breath, that it keeps a man alive, and is a sign that a man lives.

And so man became a living soul.

14 Paul refers to this saying in the first epistle to the Corinthians, Cap. 15, 45: "Thus

60 Erl. 33, 70-72. Sermon on I Genesis 2, 7-14. W. m, 8i-8t. 61

it is written (he says): "The first man, Adam, was made into the natural life. We must also learn to understand the word "soul" correctly. In our language we call it a soul, which, as soon as man dies, departs from the body. But Moses and the Scriptures call it soul, everything that lives in the five senses; as, it is also called soul, that a fish lives in water, as he called it above in the first chapter, v. 20: Producant aquae animam viventem, and I have rendered it "living animals. Item, as the birds live in the air, and the animals on earth, that it is actually called a life of the body or a living body. So that the saying actually goes to the mind, that man is created in the bodily life, which we call the natural life.

(15) So understand the saying of Paul: "The first man is made into the natural life. For there he contrasts the bodily and the spiritual life. The bodily life is that one hears and sees, smells, grasps, tastes, builds, takes to himself and casts out, begets children, and what the body has for natural being and work; this is called the "soul" in the Hebrew language. So we read in the other book of Moses Cap. 1, 5: "Of all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob, there were seventy," that is, seventy children born of Jacob. Now this is almost common in Scripture through and through.

16 Item, so also understand that Christ says Matth. 10, 39. 16, 25: "Whoever finds his soul will lose it", that is, his natural life. For he does not only mean the parting of the soul, but wants to say that for the eternal life of the body and the life of the body 2) one has to put himself together with the bodily and natural life. Therefore, the word soul cannot be better used than the bodily life, or a man who lives in the bodily life. So Adam was made into the natural life; but Christ, who is the last Adam, Paul says [1 Cor. 15, 45. 1, into the spiritual life; that is, he has a spiritual body, so that he no longer eats, nor drinks, nor sees, nor hears, as we do, pure.

1. Erlanger: "him" instead of Jacob.
2. "in Fahr Leibes und Lebens" is missing in the Erlanger. In the Jenaer these words are in brackets.

The Lord is not a bodily thing or work, but is a different being, and yet a true man, as we shall be in that life.

V. 8-14. And God the Lord planted a garden in Eden toward the east, and put therein the man whom He had made. And God the LORD caused to grow up every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And there went forth from Eden a river to water the garden, and there it divided itself into four principal waters. The first is called Pison, which flows around the whole land of Hevila, and there is found gold, and the gold of the land is precious; and there is found Bedellion, and the precious stone Onyx. The other water is called Gihon, which gushes out over all the land of the Moors. The third water is called Hiddekel, which flows before Assyria. The fourth water is Phrath.

The Latin text has made here right: Plantaverat, he had planted. So it should also say before, formaverat and inspiraverat, so that one would know that it was a repetitio, as I said. But there we have a strange text: The Lord, he says, had caused to grow all kinds of beautiful trees in the garden that he had created, but especially the tree that is called a tree of knowing what is good and what is evil. So in the Latin text we have: Plantaverat Paradisum voluptatis a principio. But I do not think that it is right. For if he had wanted to say a principio, in the beginning, he would have used a different word. Therefore it sounds in Hebrew thus, as we have made it: "A garden Eden, against the morning", or before.

18 The word Eden means pleasure. That is why they made Paradisum voluptatis, that is, as we say, a beautiful garden of pleasure, in which were all kinds of trees, pleasant to see and pleasant to eat.

3. Wittenberg and Erlangen: an.
4. As an aside, Pison is the great water in Jndia called Ganges, for Hevila is Jndia land. Gihon is the water in Egypt, which is called Nilus. Hiddekel is the water in Assyria, which is called Tigris. Phrath is the nearest water in Shria, which is called Euphrates.

62 Erl. 33, 72-75. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 84-87. 63

The trees in the middle of the garden toward the morning: a tree of life, and a tree by which one learned what was good and what was evil.

(19) Now here is the question: where is paradise in the world? That it is on earth, one must admit. For there is the text: "God has planted a garden in Eden, towards the morning," so it must be natural trees, like ours. Therefore it is nothing that our sophists said, how it lies high above the earth, hard under the moon. It must be here on earth, and must also be the trees that God created in the first chapter, v. 11. On the other hand, Adam was created on earth and ordained to be on it, and is therefore placed in paradise to build and preserve it. Thirdly, four waters are mentioned here, which are still known to flow out of the garden. All this proves sufficiently that it must be on earth 1).

20 Now this will become a strange thing. Origen and others have tossed about it; but Augustine has acted wisely and said: Whoever cannot understand this and other things, let him give glory to God and command him. But this is the remedy on that side, that Moses does not say that the four waters were in the garden, but only one stream of water, from which those waters are derived.

Twenty-one: What then shall we make of it? So I have said more, and I still say it: It is possible that it was so at that time, that God made a garden, or limited a land; but according to my liking, I would like it to be understood that it was the whole earth. But it is in my way that the text sounds that it is something else, namely a special place and space, just as even funny gardens do not comprehend a whole country. That is why I do not know how it was. I have to give myself up, because the four waters, as §19 said, are still well known, which come out of it.

22Therefore I would say that the pleasure garden is some place toward the morning, which is now hidden or perhaps torn apart.

1. Erlanger: of the earths.

that God knows well. But it must have been almost a wide space, because the waters lie mighty far from each other, even almost against each other. Therefore, I will give my reason captive, and stay with it, that it was a right, natural garden, as still would be a pleasure garden.

(23) For since Adam was a man in the flesh, and led a bodily being, the garden also must have been so, that it was felt, tasted, and smelled. For afterwards it is clearly stated that he broke and ate from the tree that taught what was good and what was evil. So that it must have been a natural bodily fruit, or Adam must have been a spiritual man. Let the garden be what and where it will, we give it home to God; although the Scriptures afterwards make a spiritual mind out of it, as they also do more of the same, as Christ Luc. 23, 43. says to the thief: "Today you will be with me in paradise."

024 And what tree is this in the midst of the garden, that he calleth it a tree to learn good and evil? Of course, he called it that for the sake of many things to come, and especially for the sake of the case that Adam would learn from it; just as the Scriptures in other places use to give some things the name for the sake of future events, per anticipationem. When, 1 Sam. 4, 1. the text says: "Israel 3) camped at Helfenstein", it calls the place Helfenstein, which at the same time did not have the name, and only in the seventh chapter, v. 12, it is said how it gets the name from the event that happened after it.

V. 15-17. And God the Lord took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden, to build it, and to keep it. And God the LORD commanded the man, saying, Thou shalt eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil shalt thou not eat: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

25 Here see why God gives the commandment to Adam before He creates Evam. He has

2. The story - the thing that happened, event.
3. "Israel" set by us instead of: "The Philistines" in the editions.

64 Erl. 33, 75-77. Sermon on Genesis 2:15-17. W. in, 87-8g. 65

Sermon on Genesis 2:15-17.

without doubt written from the Holy Spirit, and St. Paul 1 Tim. 2, 13. also touches it. The woman did not have to hear God's word without means, but had to learn from Adam, so that even before the fall the rule and authority was with the male person.

(26) Now this is the very first commandment, but it was not given to Adam to make him righteous, for this commandment must be set far apart from all the commandments that follow, for Adam was still without all sin. But God gave him this commandment only as a sign, because he had to keep it against man, so that he would know and think that he had a sovereign.

(27) So he could not become godly by it if he had kept it the same way, but he could become a sinner. This is already a great proof that no law can make one pious, but rather worse; but it is given to him to practice and prove that he is pious and walking in God's obedience. So the law does not give piety, but those who are pious do the law. This is the cause of the commandment of man half. But why God gave it for his person, since Adam was created in such a way that he did not need a commandment, we cannot and will not explain.

(28) The other thing is that God showed us what fools they are who are and have been subject to help people with many laws and teachings. Therefore, look at this example, even though it is simple. What do we poor people want to do with laws, vows and humanity, when we see that it did not help that God gave a commandment to the innocent man? And we, who are now corrupt, that there is nothing good in us, shall keep so many laws? If Adam, who was full of righteousness, lacked to keep it in such abundance and supply that all the trees were full of fruit, and he could have whatever his heart desired, yet let his wife deceive and persuade him that he did not keep the one commandment: what then shall we keep, when so many innumerable commandments, always one above another, are laid upon us? Therefore, let this be a great, mighty puff against the fools who would-

We must refrain from coming before God with laws. For he has never had it in mind that he would make anyone righteous, but actually that he would teach us to renounce our pretensions. As if to say, "If the first man, who was pious, did not keep the laws, what should you keep, since there is nothing good in nature?

29 Do you say: Why then did he afterwards, through Moses, lavish the people with laws and commandments 1)? Not, of course, because he wanted to make us righteous, for he knows our hearts better than we do ourselves, but because we think we can make ourselves righteous with commandments, so that in the end we have to give them up and realize that they are of no use. He has given us so much for this very reason that we should confess our wickedness and the infirmities of human nature, 2) that it neither wants nor intends to do anything good, and is evil from the top of its head to the bottom of its feet Rom. 7, 18. 19. 2 Cor. 3, 5. Is. 1, 6.

Therefore, let all prelates and bishops who want to govern consciences understand and consider this text. It is the duty of the secular authorities to defend with the sword, so that no one steals, 3) murders, or commits adultery 2c. But that they want to make the world pious with laws, and rule the consciences thereby, we do not want to have their law, since they do nothing, and no one keeps the laws.

The third part is that God shows His mercy here by letting Adam fall, but soon restoring him. For it is certain that he was created righteous and just, as said. It was all good that God was pleased with him and had no shortage of it. On the other hand, it must also stand that when he ate from the forbidden tree, he fell from the state that pleased God the most, to the very worst state, which did not please Him; for He has no pleasure in death Ezek 18:32. But this is also clear, that he takes him again to grace, has mercy on him, and gave him a gracious absolution, and brought him again into the state of grace, though not so perfect as before; yet it was

1. "Laws and commandments" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. "Affliction" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. "yet" is missing in the Jena.

66 Erl. 33, 77-79. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, "9-ss. 67

The same, as we will hear in the following chapter, v. 15, where God says to the serpent: "The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head. The saying is the absolution, so that he has absolved him and all of us. For if the seed is so strong that it crushes the serpent's head, it also crushes all his power; then the devil is overcome, and all the harm that Adam had is gone, and he comes to the state where he was before. He gave him comfort and grace to raise him up again, and to help him from where he had fallen.

(32) Now this is the first example of God's mercy, that God does not want us to despair, nor to despair if someone has fallen, because we see that Adam falls from the highest position, and yet does not remain so. Thus it is decided that God lets fall, and also helps up again. This is what has recently been said about the play.

(33) But here is a question: How it came to pass, because God says, In the day that thou shalt eat of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, thou shalt surely die, that he died not; for after the same sin he lived nine hundred and thirty years. How then is God's word true? Answer: We must leave it at that, that Adam in this commandment, as we shall hear, sinned against us all at once Rom. 5, 12. 1 Cor. 15, 21., for we are all planted in him, and his blood and flesh, that it must go with us as it went with him. For God has ordained that from this one man all men must come, and we are all his children. Therefore, as he has done, and what is laid to his charge, the same thing befalls us all, so that we must be counted with him for one cake and dough; lately, all that are men. Therefore also the Scripture gives one name to the first man and to all of us, that whatsoever is man is called Adam, from this first Adam, that is, from the first man, from whom we are all made. Therefore no ass may call the other (as one speaks) a sack bearer. That is why all arrogance is laid down here with all its force, that one man wants to raise himself above the other. We are Adam and remain Adam.

34 Why then did God say, "The hour you eat of the tree, you will die"? Some have interpreted it to mean, "You will be mortal" or, more sharply, "You will be guilty of death: You will be guilty of death. This I also consider to be the right understanding. For since we are all in sin, we are also in the curse and punishment, until such time as the seed comes to take them both away. It is true that Adam and Eve did not die so soon, nor did they feel death so soon, yet they felt so soon that they were naked, and made them aprons; but after that, when he heard the voice, he felt death Gen. 3:8. For this is also true, when God spoke to Adam, he was in agony. That is why we want to understand it in such a way, "you will die of death", that it is so much, you must die, and you will feel death; although the time is not actually determined. Now Moses goes on to say how the woman is made.

V. 18-20. And God the Lord said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper for him. For when God the LORD had made of the earth all manner of beasts of the field, and all manner of fowl of the air, he brought them unto man to see what he should call them: for as man shall call all manner of living creatures, so shall they be called. And the man gave his name to every beast, and to every fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field: but the man found no helper for him.

35 Then Moses repeats, and this is the summary: When all living things were created, God brought them to Adam to name them, but among all of them he found no helper around him. And this much is said: God saw Adam that he alone was a man's image. Now he had created all the animals, both she and he, then he brought all the animals, she and he, to Adam, but his she or companion 1) he did not find.

Our text reads: Adjutorium simile ei; but it should read: coram eo, id est, adjutorium ad generationem. There was no animal that would have joined him; they went and were counted, as they still do, but

1. Wittenberger: "gegaten".

68 Erl. 33, 78-82. Sermon on Genesis 2, 18-23. W. m, 92-95. 68

None of them adhered to him as his companion. He called each one as he wished; as well as, as one calls the animals, so they must be called. This is a sign that man is the master of all animals.

V. 21-23. Then God the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he fell asleep. And he took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh. And God the LORD made a woman of the rib which he took from man, and brought her unto him. And the man said, She shall be bone of my legs, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called a woman because she was taken from a man.

(37) These words are not the words of men, therefore I would not want them to be considered small and mocking. God speaks and does it Himself. Therefore it is a serious matter, and blaspheme God, who have made a jig out of it. So he wants to say: God let Adam fall asleep; that is, when he works where there is no sin, he works so neatly that the creature does not feel it. But he does not deal with sinners in this way; they must feel it, that it hurts them. If Adam had been awake, he would also have felt pain; but when he was asleep, he did not feel it, and when he awoke, he sees them standing before him, never having seen the image before among the others. Now the spirit was in him, as Christ interprets it Matth. 19, 5., that these are God's words, which Adam speaks here. Therefore one can conclude that Adam was full of God at that time, or that God spoke through Adam's mouth; therefore one should not let it be a mockery. And notice this: when God made the woman from the man's rib, the text uses the word "build": "He built a woman", just as if it should become a house. We will hear about this later.

38 This is now the opinion, as Paul interprets it Eph. 5, 28. ff, that there is no greater union than man and woman, and would have remained so everywhere if Adam had remained in innocence. Now it is corrupt that there is also seldom unity among the married. Therefore, says Moses, Adam knew that his image was like him, because before there was no animal that was like him.

as if it wanted to help him to give birth, according to the word of God Gen. 1, 28: "Be fruitful and multiply. This is what God planted, that man must be male and female, and neither can bear fruit without the other.

(39) And it is concluded that the woman was created to be the help of man, not for pleasure nor for evil, but that the saying might continue. Just as Adam could not refuse to be a man, so also God took a rib from his side and made a woman out of it; and just as it is not in her power that she should come from the rib, and not from anywhere else, so also that she should not become fertile from the man.

(40) But it was of no avail; they preached to the whole world that one should vow virginity. It is good and right whoever can keep it, whom God especially tempts to stay that way. After all, he has the power to do as he pleases, he could also make a woman out of a man, and again. If we had not fallen, it would have been so that all would have borne fruit; for the blessing was spoken that it should be without woe and evil desire. But this is now broken; so God has caused some to be consumed, that they should not be fruitful. In this let the Holy Spirit do his work. But those who have not gone forth in this way, let it be done as it should be done. For as we all should have borne fruit, if nature had been unchanged, how much more must we do it, now that it is corrupt, and much more leavened? He who is healthy can eat if he wants to; a sick person must be forced to do so. That is why it cannot be resisted; but if it is resisted, it is made worse. Women are not created for any other purpose than to serve their husbands and to be their helpmates. To beget fruit.

41 Now see how Adam gives her a name, and calls her a woman, "because," he says, "she was taken from a man. In Hebrew, the little word Isch actually means a man among men. Because Sachar is called it also under other animals. So he calls her from his name Isha, that she has the name from and after him, as it is still called.

70 Erl. 83, 82-84. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 05-100. 71

So far it remains that the woman is called after the man's name. Now the word Jshah is as much as we may say a woman, because she comes from man and is made. Just as that which is made of wood is called wood, 1) so she must have the name from him, that he may give it to her and keep the rule.

V. 34. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and shall be two in one flesh.

These words are not to be understood as referring only to flesh and blood, but to everything that belongs to the outward, bodily life. Thus the Scripture calls "flesh" everything that belongs to the flesh, which one must have, household, children, money, fields, meadows, property, honor, or poverty, shame, sickness and health. Honor, or poverty, shame, sickness and health, and so on, what may fall to the flesh, so that flesh means an outward life in the flesh. This is how it should be now, that it is all of them at the same time, and they take on everything at the same time, and one brings the other body, good, honor, shame, poverty, sickness, and what it is more. This is such a life, which is in the flesh, that is, in the fleshly being, and what belongs to it, all shall be common; without the man having the rule, and she having the name from him. If he had said it should be one spirit, it would have been better; now it is indeed one flesh and blood, but various soul and spirit.

V. 25. And they were both naked, Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.

1. In the old editions: hültzen.

(43) We see this in all animals, that they are not in a state to sin; so it was also with man. But now it is finished, as we shall hear, that we must be ashamed and embarrassed. We must suffer shame until the last day, after which it will again be so that none will be ashamed before the other. So much joy will be in heaven. So again, in hell the torment will be so great that one will forget what is man or woman. The misfortune will probably drive away the tickle. So it will be again in that life, as in the first, that one will not say: Behold, this is a she, this is a he; but now nature is so corrupted that one cannot look at the other without shame.

44 Now I should also introduce the spiritual interpretation here: how Adam Christ fell asleep on the cross, and there from his side Christianity, his bride, was taken; which is a great comfort, defiance and glory for us. But it would be too much; therefore we will leave it to the scholars and idle spirits to act further.

So far, in the two chapters, we have heard the works that God created in the six days, and especially how in the last day man was created, both male and female, and how God gave them together, and before he created the woman, commanded Adam that he should eat of all kinds of trees in the garden, but only of the fruit of the tree, by which was learned what is good and what is evil. Now follows the third chapter, in which is described the sorrow and heartache that soon after came upon human nature and still continues.

The third chapter.

V. 1-6. And the serpent was more cunning than all the beasts of the earth, which God the LORD had made, and said unto the woman, Yea, should God have said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Then the woman said to the serpent, "We eat of the trees.

Fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden God said, Eat not of it, neither touch it, lest ye die. Then the serpent said to the woman: You will certainly not die of death, for God knows that which day

** **72 Erl. Z3, 84-86. Sermon on I Genesis 3, 1-6. W. m, ioo-103. 73

If ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be open, and ye shall be as God, and shall know what is good and what is evil. And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat of, and pleasant to look upon, that it was a goodly tree, because it made one wise.

The first thing that Moses describes here is how the serpent spoke to the woman. There we cannot pass by, we must, as I always say, let the scripture remain in a simple, plain sense, as the words give, and make no gloss. For it does not behoove us to interpret God's word as we please; we are not to direct it, but to let ourselves be directed by it, and to give it the glory that it is better set than we can make it. Therefore we must let it stand that it was a true, natural serpent, which the woman saw with her eyes; and therefore it is written, that the history should be written in a light understanding. For if he were to write in this way, that the devil had spoken to her in his own person would not be appropriate. Therefore he had to speak through the serpent, and is thus described as if the serpent himself had spoken here.

(2) But he has shown enough that the serpent was natural, but the devil dwelt in it, therefore he says that it talked with it. For speech is not given to any animal except man. Therefore he makes it clear enough that the devil spoke to the serpent through his tongue. And this should not surprise anyone, because the devil is a mighty spirit Luc. 11, 21. Eph. 6, 12.. God did not prevent him from dealing with bodily things; as we still see that he is lord and prince of the world Joh. 12, 31. 14, 30. 16, 11., and not only speaks through animals, but now most of all through men.

3. Secondly, it is 1) also a sign that it was the evil spirit that he speaks so highly of God's commandments. For no animal is so clever that it knows what God's commandment is or is not. Therefore, there must have been such a mind in it, which is above the serpents' nature, yes, also above human nature: it must have been an angel.
4. "it" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.

But because he acts against God's commandment, he cannot be a good angel.

4 Item, Eve was a woman of the world. For she stood talking with the serpent, and was not afraid of him, and regarded him as another animal, for she was a lord over all, as we have heard that God says to man: "Rule over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over all the creeping things that creep upon the earth. She was not afraid of any poison, nor of death, and there was nothing that could harm her.

(5) But she did not fail to see that the devil was there. For so Paul says 1 Tim. 2, 14: "Adam was 2) not deceived, but the woman was deceived, and brought in transgression." This much is said: Eve was not so understanding as Adam; as also it is said above Cap. 2, § 25 that God spoke to Adam himself, and gave him a commandment which he was to teach Evam. Therefore he will speak: Adam knew it well and understood it, but she was more simple, and too weak for the cunning devil, and did not fail herself; but Adam did fail himself, who should have been able to resist, if he had wanted to do it.

6 So you see here how the devil can disguise himself so that he is not known, and how he drives all temptation. Let us take special note of this. For as he did then, so does he still in them that are Christians. Therefore it is necessary that they watch diligently, and take heed lest he deceive them. For his own, whom he has possessed, he does not touch.

7 First of all, he attacks the human being, since he is the weakest, namely the female person, that is, Evam, and not Adam. For all his temptations are so directed that he breaks in where we are weak and not well guarded. If he had attacked Adam, he would have given him a different answer. He was afraid of that, so he thought: I want to attack you first, maybe I also want to bring him down by them afterwards.

8. now we have his own color off-

2. In the editions: was.

74 EU. 33, 86-89. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 103-in. 75

paints. Where he sees that you are weakest, where you are most inclined to pride, avarice, anger, or unchastity, or the like, he touches you; and tickles you most, because you are ticklish; attacks you, because you are soft. Therefore we should be prepared and brave to know his wickedness and beware of him, as Paul says 2 Cor. 2:11, "lest we be overawed by the devil, for we are not unaware of what he has in mind." So God has betrayed him to us, and warned us that we should be careful of deceitfulness and mischievousness toward him.

9 Secondly. Further, see how mischievously he attacks the woman. So he starts talking against her: "Yes, should God have said that you should not eat from all kinds of trees in the garden? With these words he throws God's commandment to the winds, and speaks of it so lightly, as if to say, "Do you think that God is so foolish that he should have forbidden this? I cannot give the Hebrew well, neither German nor Latin, it is just the word Aphki, as if someone turns up his nose and laughs at you and mocks you. With this he wants to move her around, so that she should think: Well, it must still be true. So he moves and pulls her away from the word of God, which is standing right there. So it is lost. As long as the word was in her heart, she lived and remained standing.

(10) Therefore he thinks, I must take the word from her above all things; and he uses deceit to make such a delusion in her mind that she thinks it must not be so. Do you think, he says, you fool, that God has commanded it? He says so cunningly, as if to say: There are so many hundred trees in the garden, and he has not forbidden you to eat from any of them, should he have forbidden that very tree? Should he forbid you a single tree, if he gives you so many hundreds? So he leads the woman to think that Adam does not understand.

This is the right black, yes, the white color of the devil. For he is a bright, light devil, who does not attack us with gross sins, but with unbelief. For when he has overthrown faith, he has won. Man must have God's word and cling to it with faith:

As soon as he lets the same thing ravish him, 1) there is no longer a shell. So here the devil takes away his word and faith that he falters, and thinks: Who knows, it might be

cannot be true. As soon as this is ordered in doubt, so that one thinks whether it is right or wrong, then it is lost. God does not want a wavering soul to say, "Yes, if it were true.

12 Therefore notice how the devil does, that he only attacks the faith. He does not attack the heathen, unbelievers and unbelievers, they cling to him like scales; but when he sees those who have God's word, faith and spirit, he cannot go to them; he knows well that he cannot win when they already stumble. He knows that he cannot win if they stumble. He sees that even if someone falls into grave sin, it is not lost, because he can always get up again. Therefore he thinks he must do things differently and take the main thing. When he has come to the point of doubting whether this is God's word, then the game is won.

(13) Therefore it is necessary that we look to this very thing. Paul 1 Tim. 6, 20 and Christ Matth. 7, 15. 16, 6. 12 have warned us enough; in addition, all of Scripture, in which there is no greater warning than to beware of false teaching. For God can consider everything good, as we stumble, only that we remain with the pure, loud word of God, which says: This is right, this is wrong. The devil knows this, that is why he creeps in at first; as soon as he snatches it away, man himself cannot resist him afterwards, he must fall into all vices; as you see that he does here, when he wants to move them around.

(14) She will do better, saying, We will not eat of the tree in the midst of the garden, lest we die (as we have always done better than God commanded); and she adds to it: Neither shall we touch it. With this she already begins to waver. When the devil sees this, he continues and pulls her to the point that she blasphemes God and stands straight against him. For when he brings man to this

1. rapture - to snatch away, to rapture.

76 Erl. 33, 8S-SI. Sermon on I Genesis 3, I-6. W. Ill, 10S-I08. 77

If the man who has been commanded doubts, he soon causes him to blaspheme, saying, "God has not commanded it, or if He has commanded it, He does not mean it rightly.

15 Therefore he continues, and says to her: Yes, "you will be like God, and know" 2c. These words have so much in them that there is not enough to say about them. For it is all so pictured, as he drives with all men whom he attacks. Therefore, beware that you do not think that this happened to Eve alone, nor that you think the story is an old tale, but think as if it had only happened this hour. For this is what Satan is still doing today, from the beginning of the world to the end. Thus we shall see, and already have before our eyes, how he deals with the Gospel, and how many souls he will snatch away from it, attacking it in such a way that from the beginning he puts God's word in doubt, and then goes on to deny it, and especially brings in, as he does here, that God is not friendly. This is the most poisonous challenge that can befall a man, that he looks at God with such eyes; which is nothing other than a hatred of God, for which we have mighty cause, especially when we begin to speak of the understanding why God chooses one and not another. This is what the devil does all the time.

(16) He also gives the woman evil thoughts, which are much worse. For by leaving the name and appearance that it is not against God, he first leads the woman and us poor people to think that they do not sin in it, and yet in essence they deny and hate God. For this we must still look at the examples we have before our eyes, otherwise we will not understand. So now he goes on, pretending to the pope, bishops, priests and monks that their conduct is right and not contrary to God; so they remain under the delusion that they are right; and yet God's word stands clearly before their eyes, that they should not do what they are not sure is God's word. Saying nevertheless: We know well that God has commanded that one should not do what he has not commanded; but

1. "Delusion" put by us instead of: "word", which does not seem to fit us. Because of our correctness compare § 21: "they stand out of your delusion" 2c.

but one may well do a little more and higher service to God, that it may be done to his praise and honor. This means, first, negligere mandatum Dei; then, eligere mandatum hominum. Therefore, this is not an old challenge, but will last until the end of the world.

Now see what happens next. When Eve stands in the wavering, and he has decided that it is not against God, then he has won; the faith is out and strangled, the word she has lost. Then the text says, "And the woman looked," first, "that the tree was fine to eat of;" second, "and lovely to look upon;" third, "that it was an airy tree, because it made wise." These three unfortunate desires she did not have before everywhere, has now already fallen into evil air and love, which she had none before.

18 Therefore, when faith and the word of God are gone, it is not to be thought that one could then endure the evil desire and love; the arrogance is there, and vain sinful, evil inclination. Before, when she stood in faith and was full of God's love in her heart, she did not see that the tree was particularly funny, or that it made her particularly clever, but one was to her like the other; but now there is a difference, that none is so beautiful as this one. What God has commanded, she does not want; but what he has forbidden, that she wants, and would now like to become wise.

And broke off the fruit, and ate, and gave her husband also of it, and he did eat.

19 Now the work follows. She would not have eaten if she had not been dead before. The faith was already gone, and was full of sin and evil desire. But this is the pity that she also gives Adam and he eats with her. For there would have been no need for him to stay, God would have created another wife. "Adam," says Paul 1 Tim. 2:14, "was not deceived, but the woman." But that he also transgressed makes the sin especially grave and horrible. She was a fool, easily seduced, and knew it no other way; but he had God's word before him, he knew it well, and should have punished her; so he stands there, watches, and also eats, willingly consenting to the devil's counsel.

2. Wittenberg and Erlanger: er.

78 Erl. 33, 91-93. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 108-111. 79

V. 7. Then both their eyes became alert. 1)

020 Now the gross sins follow. First, as the devil had said, their eyes will see and feel that they are naked. Now it was impossible to resist all the limbs they had, nor to control the evil lust. They both looked at each other with evil lust and unchaste desires when they were naked, which were unknown to them before. They had fallen away and disobeyed God, so that everything in their bodies became disobedient as well, so that they could not tame them, neither thoughts nor limbs. This is now inherited by us, and remains so; as they were, so are all their children. Where there is no faith and Christianity, it is impossible for them to be without evil desires and lusts, especially to resist the limbs that serve for anger and unchastity: Eyes, ears, tongue, and all other limbs.

21 So Adam and Eve, with all their fruit and children, are condemned, in sin, and none of them are exempt. We are all like father and mother, and bring the same plague and disease with us. This is how the devil deals with us even today, so that he leads us into the main challenge concerning faith; if he wins the word and faith, he has it all. As we see where priests and monks do not live in the faith, as they almost all are, there is none stingy, unchaste, angry people, and none so full of vice. For they are under the delusion that they want to help the cause with works, they do not see their unbelief and sickness, they do not know what they lack, they go on, and they also want to make aprons for them, so that they cover themselves; but they cannot resist their nature, it breaks out nevertheless that it comes to light what they are, and they themselves must confess it. When it is said to them that they lack God's word and faith, they do not believe it.

22 So the two go to the place. Seeing that they are naked, feeling the foul air in their flesh, and not being able to help them, they go and make them aprons.

1. Wittenberger: aufgethan.

or woven girdles of leaves, which they girded around themselves and covered the body. Now this means nothing else than what we have often said, how the same saints, when they have lost faith and see that they are in sins, want to help them, cover themselves and adorn themselves with works that they can devise. But it is beautifully expressed here that it does not help, even though they make aprons. When they saw that they were naked and felt the evil desire and love, they still could not resist it, nor dampen it; they thought they wanted to attack another way, but it did not help; they could well get out of each other's sight, so that one did not see the other; but the desire ceased nothing the more.

(23) It is the same with monks and priests. People who felt their sin and could not get rid of it thought they wanted to help the cause with a strict life, and locked themselves up in the monasteries all their lives; but as long as they are in them, they feel that it helps nothing, and only gets worse. So it seems that people think they are pious and holy, but this is nothing, because they cover themselves from the people; before God they remain just peelings in the skin, as before. Where we are not helped again by God's word, all is lost.

(24) So we have the miserable fall that Adam and Eve did, in which we are all stuck, so that no one can prevent it. For though the sword of the world, and the father and mother, may prevent the work, yet the foundation of the heart is not prevented, but the word alone must come again, from which we have fallen, and raise us up.

025 Wherefore this temptation is written for a warning unto us, that we may take heed, and not be carried away from the word, as they have done: for all things together are for the word and for the faith. Now that they have been deceived by the devil and have fallen into sin and death, and feel their unbelief and disobedience in all their limbs, body and soul, so that they had to cover their shame with aprons and leaves, here is how God has restored them and given them grace.

80 Eri. 33, 93-ss. Sermon on Genesis 3, 8-13. W. m, m-m. 81

V. 8-13. And they heard the voice of God the Lord walking in the garden, when the day 1) had become cool, and Adam hid 2) himself and his wife from the presence of God the Lord under the trees of the garden. And God the Lord called Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said: I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid; for I am naked, therefore I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou not eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat thereof? And Adam said, The woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree to eat of. Then God the Lord said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And the woman said, The serpent hath so set me up, 3) that I did eat.

(26) Now it is sufficiently said that the supreme sin in this case was that Adam and Eve were led away from the word of God by the cunning deceit of the devil. When this was snatched away from them, life was no longer there, for where the word is not, there is also no life. When life was gone, they felt the fruit of death, that they had gained evil desire.

(27) Now you see again in this piece that God restores them from death to life through the word. For there comes another word of God that saves them again; but not before they feel death before. And the text is well to be remembered, for it is not to be thought as if it were a thing that had passed away, and would never so happen; for where it does not so happen, there no Christian ever becomes. Let us see this.

28. Since the two were dead, having lost the word of God, and were in sin, yet they did not feel it so soon, but went, as the text says, girded themselves and covered themselves, not yet feeling how evil they had done.
29. Marginal gloss: Day was cool. This was around evening, when the heat had passed; it means that after a sin the conscience suffers anguish until God's gracious voice comes, and again cools and refreshes the heart; although even the stupid nature is terrified and shies away from the gospel, because it teaches the cross and dying.
30. Marginal gloss: Adam hid. Adam means man in Hebrew, therefore one may say man where Adam stands, and again.
31. put on - deceive, seduce (illudere).

They were full of the fruits of death and evil desires and love, and the tickling had not yet passed away. But when they heard the voice of God walking in the garden, says Moses, when the heat was over and cool, at the time of vespers, they hid themselves, not wanting to be seen; then the tickle was driven away from them, so that they felt such sorrow and distress that they forgot whether they were naked or not.

(29) For, as we shall see, when a man is condemned to death, such fear comes under his eyes that he does not know whether he is a man or a woman. And so it happened to them, when they had almost covered themselves and made aprons: as soon as God lets Himself be heard, their consciences are frightened, they want to hide and run away, and the garden becomes too narrow for them, so that they do not know where they should stay. Then they felt what they had done, saw sin, death and hell before their eyes; there was all sorrow and heartache. They wanted to flee and crawl, where they could find a hole, 4) where they could stay before God; but there is no room. The more they hid, the closer God came, and so close that He said, "Adam, where are you?"

(30) They could not stand this, and at that hour they were both in the midst of mortal distress that God should deal so unkindly with them, and not want to know them any more; as if he wanted to say: Before you were my child, now I have lost you. When they hear that he is so strange to them, they are certainly in hell. For thus their heart was: Behold, God is hostile to thee, but because God is hostile to thee, all creatures are hostile and against thee. Then everything became too narrow for them. In the same way, every day when God wants to convert a person from sin, He first leads him into such terror and fear.

Now behold, what should Adam do? When he sees how he has been fooled, he goes on, wants to make himself beautiful, and only fools more crudely, so that there is enough to see, if there were no other examples of how foolish nature acts without God's word. Believe this without doubt: if they had been able to do everything that could be done, they would have dared to do it with three necks. And if free will stands there

4. Erlanger: find.

82 Erl. 33, 96-S8. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, N4-118. 83

The highest, that he can never do what he did not do this time. For there they stood in hell, trying their best and highest to get out; but there is no help nor counsel to be found. See how he does it. He is not so pious that he could give glory to God and say: Oh, Lord, I have sinned, and would have asked for mercy and help; but only the heart thinks, Oh, that it did not know the sin! would gladly adorn it and help it; therefore he says, "I heard your voice in the garden, and was afraid," as if to say, "I feel well that before you no apron or covering is valid, nor does it help; I am utterly naked. Therefore he says: 1) You fool! Is this the way to act before God, to flee from Him, so that one should crawl to Him with all fours? .

32 Then God starts with him and pushes him even deeper into hell, so that he perishes. "Who told you," he says, "that you are naked," since you were naked before? This was asked too deeply that he could no longer answer, and was now decided and stood in the depths of hell, indeed condemned by God. For thus he concludes a verdict: "Because you feel that you are naked, and are afraid and afraid of me, you must have acted against me, and be disobedient, so that you and I are at odds. But what does he do? He goes on, and does not want to put the blame on himself, but on the woman, even on God himself. As if he were to say, "Oh, if you had not given me the woman, I would have remained pious. That is so much talk: If you had been so wise and so pious, you would not have created the woman. What else is this said, but so much: You have sinned yourself? So he answers the divine majesty.

Now no one speaks such words against God except a blasphemer who feels that he is condemned. For where there is a right heart, it confesses sin and gives God so much honor that it does not punish him. But this one goes to him and punishes him, blames him. As if he should say: If I am to be condemned, then you are guilty. Because Eve was God's work, it must take it upon itself. But he should have said: You have given me a wife

that I should have ruled, and not her, but she should have obeyed me; that I did not do. So he turns it around and puts the blame on God, making it much worse now than before, when he ate from the tree, that he would be worthy that God would have cast him eternally into hell. Now see what free will and reason do when it comes to a meeting, especially in mortal distress, how finely it can help itself, how it quarrels with God, what honor it gives Him, and how kindly it speaks to Him, so that the longer it goes on, the deeper it sinks into hell.

Now God has left him in such distress, and he will probably sink into hell; for he is completely of one mind, cannot feel or think otherwise than that he is eternally damned; he has no help nor comfort.

But where is the woman? She must also pass through. Therefore he starts again and asks: why she did it? still postpones the consolation, does not let himself be heard that he wants to help. Now she is just as foolish as Adam, and does not want to bear the guilt either. It is a high temptation, in which the mistake is accused in the most secret way. The serpent has set me up, she says. As if she should also say: Why did you create the snake? Since you were such a wise God, and knew such things, could you have accommodated it? This is horrible and frightening to hear.

36 So now they are both condemned. But now comes comfort and God's word again; Christ descends from heaven and helps; another word comes, as follows:

Then God the Lord said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed before all cattle and before all the animals of the field. You shall walk on your belly and eat dust all your life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bite his heel.

37 First, that he says to the serpent, You shall walk on your belly, is already half comfort; that is already as if he should let it be known that he does not want to condemn it forever. As if he should say: I still judge you.

84 Erl. 33, S8-1N0. Sermon on Genesis 3:14-16. W. Ill, I18-I2I. 85

not even to death, but it grieves me that you did it.

038 But the right consolation cometh, saying, I will put enmity between thy seed and the seed of the woman: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bite his heel. This saying is worthy to be diligently cut out. For therein is the word of life, whereof they shall live again; therein it is promised them in plain, clear words, that the woman shall bring forth a seed. But woman's seed, as the Scripture speaks, means a natural child born of woman, a child that brings flesh and blood from its mother. Therefore he wants to say: I will create a natural fruit, born of the woman. Does not express whether it should be a man or a child, but only that the mother might say of it, this is my child, and again the child might say, this is my mother. The same shall bruise the serpent's head; that is, the harm it has done, he shall suppress, trample underfoot, and crush. When Adam heard this, he came out of hell again, and he was comforted.

(39) Now this is the faith that the seed should take all the power of the devil and tread it down, so that it perishes. So Adam took these words and thought, "This is what God says, he does not lie; so we can hope for a man who will trample on the head 1) of the serpent who trampled us. And the fathers who came after them all waited and believed, and always preached that a fruit would come and crush the serpent's head. And included in this short saying is everything that the gospel and our faith contain, such as that a resurrection and another life should come after death; item, that one becomes pious and blessed through faith alone (Rom. 3, 28. Gal. 2, 16.); after that, that it is attached to this, that no man becomes righteous before God through his works; also that no monk or nun is blessed.

40 For the saying includes so much in itself. Your apron, your fortune will all not

1. Erlanger: the snake head.

For the devil has brought you completely under himself; so now there is no help, but all is lost. But if you want to be helped, there is no other remedy than the seed of the woman. It is a strong saying that destroys everything that is preached otherwise; it has already been decided that one must despair and give up all hope, and cling to the seed that alone does it. For if there were any other way to salvation, the text would have to be wrong.

41 Therefore see how the Old Testament speaks so bravely of things. It says that Adam was a Christian long before Christ was born, because he had the same faith in Christ that we have. For time makes no difference in faith: faith is the same from the beginning of the world to the end. Therefore he received by his faith the very things that I have received. He did not see Christ with his eyes, as we also do; but he had him in word, so we also have him in word. This alone is the difference, that it should have happened then, but now it has happened. Faith is the same; so all the fathers, like us, were justified by the word and faith, and died in it. This is the main saying in this text. But I will leave it here as it is said: "The serpent will bite him in the heel", because it will follow afterwards; item, whether the serpent also crawled before, and that he now eats the earth. For we must stay with the main part, where the power lies.

V.16. And to the woman he said, I will cause thee much grief when thou art with child; thou shalt bring forth thy children with grief, and thou shalt bow down thyself before thy husband, and he shall be thy master.

So God continues, and attacks the woman, and punishes her also. And there is a fine order. First, he claims Adam, then the woman, then the serpent; here he reverses this with the punishment. To the woman he gives her plague, but he goes carefully and spares her, absolves her from the sorrow of the soul, puts the punishment on the body, as also Adam,

2. Jenaer and Erlanger: beautiful.

86 Erl. 33, 100-103. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 121-124. 87

saying, "I will cause thee much grief when thou art with child"; after that, "Thou shalt bear thy children with grief"; thirdly, "Thou shalt cower before thy husband, and he shall be thy master."

(43) In these three pieces you see nothing but what concerns the body; the soul has already been saved and become God's child. Therefore he turns the eternal punishment into a temporal and bodily one, puts away the iron rod and gives a fox's tail instead.

44 The punishment now goes over all those who become daughters of Eve; it is not spoken to her alone. He also speaks as if they were all to become pregnant, but those whom he chastises with mercy have their portion. Otherwise in the congregation, as for women, he puts them to grief, so that they have much grief when 1) they are with child; he does not take from them what he gave before, that they should be fruitful. This is both God's word, which no one can change. In addition, he commands her to abstain from the man, that is, not to live her free will; otherwise it would have happened that they would have gone away from each other, one here, the other elsewhere, but with breeding. But now the woman can do nothing without the man; where he is, she must go with him and bow down before him. Now he comes further from the woman to Adam, also imposes a punishment on him, and says:

V.17-19. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed be the field for thy sake; thou shalt feed thereon with grief all the days of thy life; thorns and thistles shall it bear thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, until thou return unto the ground from whence thou wast taken. For thou art dust, and shalt become dust.

This is also a gentle, merciful punishment. But I think that the text alone makes the country full of whores and knaves, since otherwise there would be many pious boys and maidens who would enter into marriage together. Since 2) will never-

1. Erlanger: because.
2. Erlanger: There, there.

man. It is not laid upon a man that he should have heartache with childbearing; that belongs to the wife; but there is another, that he must provide and nourish wife and child; there belongs to toil and labor; there everyone shrinks from it, no one wants to bear it, and yet it must be borne. For if you do not take a wife and eat your bread by the sweat of your brow, God takes the punishment that he has laid on the body and lays it on the soul. This is not well changed. He wants to be merciful to the soul and help it, but he wants to afflict the body. Therefore, where there are people in the faith, they are quite prepared and gladly bear this burden, take wives, work and make it sour for them. It is not a good thing according to the flesh, but a good state according to the soul. The whole world still cries out about marriage, how evil it is. But whom do they blame? God alone, that he does not say, "You shall sit on a cushion, live in ease, and have no misfortune.

46 Therefore I conclude: Where there are married people, so that the wife is not unhappy with children and the husband is not angry, it is not right. Right married woman and man shall not have good days, there must be misfortune and trouble, or it is not right in the sight of God. If God gives you a rich wife or husband, so that you have good days and there is no trouble or work, then you are already absolved from the sentence and are not well. The world is so foolish and foolish against God that it thinks to live in wedlock and to enter into such a state that it may have good days and live well. Therefore, whoever wants to live conjugally must consider the sentence, or consider that he is going to the devil. You will not do better than God has done; if you want to follow the world and hear what it says and thinks of God's word and works, you must stay with it and not come to God. Therefore, send thyself in; God will not change it with thee, but he will do a miraculous work.

47 If this is the way things are in marriage, in sorrow and work, take comfort in this, and think that this is how it must be.

3. Erlanger: beautiful.

88 Erl. 33, 103-105. Sermon on Genesis 3:17-19. W. Ill, 124-126. 89

God has appointed and ordained that I should be married; therefore I will put on my body, and take upon me the burden in God's name, and enter into it willingly and cheerfully. But if thou doest not so, and wilt do better, thou shalt cause the soul to perish, though the body prosper.

For this reason, God still shows mercy to the world by marrying several of them against their will and giving them toil and work, if only they understood. For everyone would like to live in good days, that is what we all strive for; so God must come and salt it, so that 1) it does not go according to our will.

For this reason God curses the earth, so that it does not bear half of the grain, but most of the thorns and thistles, which otherwise would not grow, since man should not work. Now he mixes it so that it bears almost most of the thorns and thistles. Therefore this is the summa, that he thus wants to keep us in check, so that he may drive away the tickle. These are the three punishments laid upon sin: one abominable upon the serpent, and two consoling upon man and woman.

50. So now 3) it is written for the first time, how Adam was summoned and called before the court, that God said, "Adam, where are you?" The words are all short, but almost rich. So much, however, have 4) taken from it, who wrote on it that no one should judge anyone, unless he is first heard and overcome, because God did not want to condemn Adam (if He knew well that he had transgressed His commandment) before He had summoned him to court and heard his answer; and thus forbade all judges to judge before they hear the self-guilty. This is to be preached to those who have power to govern, that everywhere the manner and form of the law should be let go. We will now let this go.

51 But this is also indicated here, that when a man has fallen into sin, God is still such a man, who does not follow with the punishment as soon as it comes, but postpones it, and acts as if He knew nothing about it.

1. Erlanger: da.
2. "not" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. Wittenbergers: are.
4. "but" is missing in the Erlanger.

For although Adam has fallen here, and lies there in sin, nevertheless the right judgment, so that he has forfeited, is not yet there. For the text says that God will not come until evening and call them. Now I have said before that all this happened on the sixth day, but that man did not stand long, but soon sinned at noon, and the Lord then came at evening.

52. This is all the meaning, which is all directed to the future being, which should come into the world through the gospel and spiritual rule, that first man must come to the knowledge that he knows what he lacks. Because he sins, he is not despondent; but afterwards, when his conscience strikes him, and God comes to summon him, his eyes are opened, then he first becomes aware of how terrible, how great a sin he has committed. This is what Moses means by saying that they heard the voice of God when the day was cool and almost over, that is, when the evil desire passed, God came, leaving them enough time and space before.

53. item that Moses so diligently describes that God summons Adam to judgment, and leaves out that he summoned Evam. For when he came forth, she left afterward. Where was she to go? She was bound to him, where he came, she had to go. Therefore he was silent about it. But he did not call the serpent at all, because, I think, it was not there. With this, I say, the Holy Spirit indicated that God commands the office of ruling, teaching and preaching to the man-person. For the summoning of Adam is nothing other than a preaching of the law, so that he may know what he has done and what he owes to God. The preaching is commanded to the man, not to the woman; as Paul also teaches 1 Tim. 2, 12, as far as Christian matters are concerned; otherwise it can happen that a woman gives better counsel, as one also reads in Scripture. Otherwise, the office of leading, preaching and teaching God's word is given to the man.

54. But the fact that the serpent is not called, but the judgment goes straight over him, is that God has already condemned the devil, that he has
55. Wittenberger: "he" instead of: him. In the Erlanger, "him" is missing.

90 Eri. 33, ioü-107. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 126-129. 9k

can neither hear the law nor the gospel nor preach. Therefore he calls the serpent to walk and crawl on his belly; he is already lost, that no preaching will help him, and there is no hope that he will be able to come to grace.

55 Now see how God attacks. First he calls Adam, then he punishes the serpent. It is just the other way around. St. Peter said 1 Ep. 4, 17 that the punishment starts at the house of God, but the end goes over those who do not believe. This order is also kept here, since Adam and Eve are also punished, but the serpent remains damned. This is why he says: "I will put enmity between you and the woman" 2c. There it separates itself in the last punishment, and becomes so soon merciful, that it changes the eternal into a temporal, as a merciful and friendly father. Those whom one thinks he will not punish, he punishes most cruelly; again, those whom one thinks he will punish most severely, he punishes most mercifully. It seems as if he has attacked Adam the hardest, and yet spares his the most.

Thus, his work is different from everything else in the world. Those he should attack first, he keeps until the last. [First he attacks man, so that one would think he was worse than the serpent. Then he turns it around, puts the greatest plague on the serpent, then on Eve, the least on Adam. For to the woman it is life, but not to the man, but toil and labor. The serpent has its part, that it is eternally damned; the woman in the body. The woman in the body; the man in the work, that he may not die over it.

This is God's work, and we must learn to know it. For he acts in the same way when it comes to punishments; when one thinks that he is most merciful, he is most angry, and again. Thus he inflicts much punishment on the faithful, and attacks them severely; the punishment goes only over the body and goods, the soul he saves; but the unbelievers he condemns eternally.

58. So then, the sentence was: Cursed be you on earth 2c. There the spirit is damned, and no more grace.

1. Erlanger: teach.

And this is not enough, but also puts enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, which bruises his head. This 2) is the gospel preached, by which Adam came to life again, and the spiritual punishment is applied to the body. With this, death, sin and hell, all power and ability of the devil are abolished. That means he crushes the head, the tail and belly he leaves.

This seed, as I said, is Jesus Christ, a natural child, born of woman Gal. 4:4 and nourished like others, who has crushed the head of this serpent. Adam also waited for this, but did not know when it would happen or how it would happen. They are dark words, but almost rich. It is well understood how it should happen, but the spirit had to teach and explain it. This much they took from it, that from this woman, she be who she wants, a natural child would be born, who would bring this about; although it is understood that he had to come from a virgin Is. 7, 14, because he assigns him to the woman, and calls him only a woman's seed. But both of them did not understand it that way, as we will hear Cap.4, 1., when she says: "Now I have come over the husband of the Lord."

(60) Now God subjected this seed to the devil, thinking that he would devour it, so that he took from it its life, honor, good works, and nothing remained in Christ but death, disgrace and dishonor: so he took everything from it. But what happened? The seed was God, therefore he could not be defeated. The devil wrestled with another creature, because he thought that God was not there, the Lord of the devil and of all things. Therefore God gave this judgment on him: "Because you have attacked the man 1 Tim. 2, 5, the innocent blood Matth. 27, 4, my only Son Rom. 8, 32, you and death shall be damned. You knew that you had nothing in him; therefore you must pay, or again be subject to him and lie at his feet Heb. 2, 8.. So sin and 4) death must also be under-

2. Erlanger: Da.
3. "and" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.
4. "the" is missing in the Erlanger.

92 Eri. 33, 107-1V-". Sermon on Genesis 3, 17-19. W. m, 129-132. 9Z

than be because they ran to him and have no right; likewise also disgrace, dishonor and dishonor 2c. 1) Then all that had run to this person fell and lost the battle. He is an eternal king Jer. 10, 10. 1 Tim. 1, 17. Luc. 1, 33. and Lord of life Apost. 3, 15., grace and all honors Ps. 24, 7. 8., eats disgrace, death, sin and hell 1 Cor. 15, 54. ff., it must be captive and subject, or be loosed. 2) Now none of them can break away, because it has done against God; therefore it has lost all strength and power and must now lie under his feet. Who would have thought that Moses, who spoke in such a simple way, would have grasped such great things, in which the overcoming of death and all heartache is written, even everything that is written in the Gospel?

Now, to whom is all this preached? No one but Adam and Eve. Now God's word does not go in vain nor without fruit; therefore it must have brought Adam back together with the woman and comforted him again, that he stood on it and relied that a man would come who would overcome death and sin. Then he believed, and recovered, and thought, here again is grace and peace, life and comfort. So you see how God can speak in such short words that one word cannot be spread out sufficiently if one preaches about it for an equally long time. In these words, Christ's future from the Virgin, suffering, death and resurrection, His kingdom and Gospel are understood and written. Who could summarize it in such short words, or find it in them? Therefore it is called the word of God, that it speaks differently and higher than the word of man.

The other part of this saying, "You will bite him in the heel," has been sufficiently interpreted by St. Paul. Although Christ crushed the serpent's head and took away the power of death and the devil's authority over all who believe in him (Heb. 2:14), the devil is not left dead or idle, so that he does not create anything. What does he do? He still has to bite his heels, that is, he is always challenging. That is why the

1. "2c." is missing in the Wittenberg and Erlanger. 2) "lösen" - > to buy loose.

The gospel ministry is not established at once, at a moment's notice, as has been preached up to now, but proceeds in this way: When God has established a man, he does not leave him idle, but keeps him in constant training, so that he always has to work. Therefore, when one begins to believe, it is not perfect; but if he bruises his head, the devil bites him in the heel, so that he has to fight without ceasing. Adam and Eve heard this, therefore it also produced fruit.

63 It is still the same. If we recognize Christ and know that he has overcome sin, the devil and death for us, it is still not dead and does not cease as long as we live on earth. The main thing we have overcome is the devil; 4) but because we are here on earth, God and the gospel should have so much to do, that we should always fight against sin, and resist the devil who bites us in the heel Eph. 6, 12. The serpent's tail remains in the flesh and blood, so that we feel unbelief in the heart, hatred, envy and avarice, and what more are the sins that reigned before and were the head.

This was often taught by St. Paul to the Romans, when he says: "Do not therefore let sin reign in your mortal body, to render obedience to its lusts" 2c. We still have evil lust stirring within us Rom. 7, 8., but the Spirit drives it back, so that an eternal strife remains in Christians Gal. 5, 17.. For something always remains in the flesh; sin contests without ceasing to be felt, but is subdued by the fact that Christ is there, and reigns stronger than the devil and sin Luc. 7:22. But in those who do not have faith, the devil reigns even, is still alive with the head Eph. 2:2, that one follows him and does not resist Jac. 4:7. This is the beautiful sweet saying given here to Adam, by which God takes eternal damnation from him and gives him eternal blessedness.

What did Adam do to deserve this? With great, mighty sins. To the first.

3. "Devil" is missing in the Erlanger.
4. Erlanger: that overcomes the devil.

94 Erl. 33, IW-11L. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 132-135. 95

that he wanted to flee from God's eyes; then, that he still had to justify himself. That in this way one may see clearly what God gives, that he gives it freely, not for the sake of any merit, yes, even for the sake of evil merit, and that one may learn from this how God does to us, so that we may do likewise. He gives us his grace and all goods out of pure goodness and love: so we should also be gods to our neighbors, so that we love even the worst enemies, and the worse they are, the more we should serve them and do good Matth. 5, 44. How happy do you think Adam was? that his faith undoubtedly broke forth and showed itself, thinking: "Because God the Lord so graciously accepts me and shows me such abundant mercy, I who have so violated and blasphemed Him, will again do all good from the heart, even to the worst enemy I may have on earth. Such is the fruit of the gospel, when it comes into the heart, that a man becomes full of joy, and serves everyone with love, gladness and joy.

When the serpent was cursed, and the gospel of the seed of the woman was promised, the punishment nevertheless followed, laid upon the womb of both Adam and Eve, of which enough is said: that the woman must have trouble and heartache when she conceives and gives birth; the man toil and labor with food, until the man again becomes the earth, from which he is taken. For the part goes both to the man and the woman; though the woman recover from childbearing, that she may escape, yet she shall not escape death. In the same way, even if a man works and toils for a long time, his reward will be that he dies at last and escapes misfortune in life.

(67) Though this be hard spoken in the sight of the world, yet, when the spirit looketh upon it, it is a true and great mercy. For if the punishment were not laid upon our necks, we would all be the worst of boys, and no one would remain pious. Therefore all this is a loud gospel, and just as much spoken: I will forgive you your sins, and bring your souls into grace; but I will give the body restraint, that it be not too fierce and wicked, neither the flesh too proud.

(68) For if death were not, sin would never perish; therefore, by this very means, sin is finally stopped, and there is no other way to get rid of it. He gives us such a merciful and salutary punishment that sin is strangled by death. Therefore we should receive and bear this with joy, as from a gracious Father, as believers do. For so good is the Father, that even death must serve to kill and destroy all evil.

69 For this reason death is nothing but a pure grace, even a beginning of life. For after he makes the soul recover, the bodily being, what there is, sickness, danger, toil and labor, must all serve for the best, so that nothing better could be desired. Where the spirit is, it finds so much evil desire in the flesh, which does not want to be tamed, that if it blues itself for a long time, and yet nothing helps, it must itself wish that the body were dead Rom. 7:24. That therefore death is given for a remedy, which devours itself, strangles sin, and helps the spirit to be saved. Therefore, as before he threatened Adam with death, saying, "If thou eat of the tree, thou must die," so now he reverses it, and comforts him with it. As if he should say: If you want to get rid of all misfortune and live forever, die. These are the powerful comforting sayings, since our gospel is written completely inwardly, although not as clearly as it is preached and spread out to us. They had the Spirit more abundantly than we, but we have it much more surely; for they could not know who the Christ and Savior should be, whom we now know. Now follow on:

V. 20. And Adam called his wife Heda, 2) because she is a mother of all the living.

So far we have heard how God Almighty raised Adam and Eve from their fall, and through His divine Word and Gospel restored them to the hope of life after death. 3) Now it goes again to the

1. Jenaer and Erlanger: not.
2. Marginal gloss: Heva. Hai means life, hence Heva or Hava, life or living.
3. Erlanger: escape.

96 Erl. 33, 112-114. Sermon on Genesis 3:20, 21. W. Ill, 135-138. 97

Life, brings them together to sit down at home and in the state he has put them in. But first he tells how Adam gives his wife a name after life, and the reason why he calls her that. For the word Heva means life in Hebrew. As if he should say: He called her life, so that what should live, must come from her.

71] There is only confirmed what is written before v. 16, that the woman should be subject to the man; for so much dominion is given to him over her that she must let herself be called by him. Therefore women are still called after men, and not again. Now this also happened out of God's gracious will, so that the woman would remain without 1) rule, who, as a weak creature, cannot rule herself, nor is she fit for rule. This is one reason why this is written.

But there is also another, namely, that Adam already begins to feel a taste of life, because he gives the woman the name, that she should be the mother of all living, and speaks, of course, of bodily life. But, because he has heard that a seed is to come, which is to suppress the serpent, he lets himself think that he will have children from now on, who will enjoy the seed, he thinks that this woman should bring the seed, but it is far away. She also thinks the same, although she will realize it later. But this shows that they have taken the words of God with pleasure and receive them with joy. Therefore he speaks of it, and gives his wife such signs and names of the saying, and wishes all days that the seed should come; as also the patriarchs Gen. 49, 18. Ps. 14, 7. Ps. 53, 7. Isa. 45, 8. 64, 1.. Therefore the sayings of God are certain, but yet dark, so that the person, 2) time and way, how it should go, is restrained to the man. It was certain that he would be born, but it was dark and hidden which woman's seed he would be, what time, and how he would be born.

1. All editions offer "im", but it seems to us that "on" (i.e. without) should be read, although according to § 77 the woman "shall rule the house". But that is not what is meant here.
2. "Person" is missing in the Erlanger.

Thus God still makes certain promises, but keeps them from time, person, and manner; as He did with Abraham. He has the promise that from his seed the child should be born, in whom all the world should be blessed Gen. 15, 4. 17, 5. 6.. Now he could not know how it should happen; he was sure of his body, but he did not know the wife; he thought it should be Sarah, and waited sixteen years, but nothing came of it. Then she thought it was not she, and gave him her maid, which bare a son Gen. 16:2, 3; then she thought it should be he, but they were both absent: yet they were sure that the seed would come of Abraham. After that, in the thirteenth year, God came again, probably after twenty years, when He first indicated the person that it should be Sarah Gen. 18:14. This is how God works to keep us in the faith, lets His word be sure, but does not want us to agree on a certain time or person, lets us think about it, but also often misses it, like Adam, who says to Heva that she should become a mother of the living, but nothing comes of it, because she remains a mother of Adam's children.

V. 21. And God the Lord made Adam and his wife skirts of fat, and clothed them.

(74) Hitherto they have gone covered with aprons, not yet wise enough to know how to make garments; therefore God now lifts up and puts on furs for them, that they may be completely covered. This is a piece of comfort, and a sign of mercy, that he is so kind to them, and also provides them with clothing. For the food and nourishment he gave them before, saying v. 19, "In sweat shalt thou eat thy bread. "2c. Here we see the fatherly faithfulness that he does not leave us, even though we are sinners, provides food and clothing. As we see before our eyes that the saying is so strong that even those are fed and clothed who have no care for it; as one finds many a desolate child who neither thinks nor respects what grain or wool is worth.

The desperate unbelief is still so deep in us that we are always worried that we will not be fed. That makes alone,

98 Erl.ss, 114-118. interpretations on the first book of Moses. ' W. in, 138-141. 99

We want to know for sure how God will feed us, so that we have a house full of grain and a chest full of money, so we want to bind God to house and chest: so he will be free and unbound, neither to time, person, place, nor this or that. Let him take care how he will feed us, he will give grain and money, the time and measure well; that you only think: I will work today, will well fehen, from where he gives it; tomorrow again; so you would realize that he feeds you without your care.

For he will not let anyone die of hunger who relies on him Proverbs 10:3, Psa. 84:12, 13, as Christ said Matt. 6:25-34, "Do not be careful for your life what you eat or what you drink, nor for your body what you put on. Is not the life more than the food? and the body more than the clothing? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow, they do not reap, they do not gather into the sheds, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more than they? Who is there among you who can add a cubit to his length, though he cares for it? Why then do you care for clothing? Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither work nor spin. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which stands today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, should He not do this much more to you? Therefore shall ye not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed? The Gentiles seek all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about the morrow, for the morrow will provide for its own." As if to say, "Let each man work the day he lives; tomorrow he will not know whether he lives. If he lives, then he works. What will he provide today for tomorrow?

Therefore, let him not worry. The labor and toil you do is not against faith, but is useful to tame the flesh; but worry is against God.

The woman shall wait for the children, govern the house, and wait for what God will do with her. The man of the same shall work, and command himself unto God: he shall not leave him, for he hath promised strongly enough: for before Adam or Eve thinketh of it, or careth for it, God cometh first, and clotheeth them, and maketh them to eat. Therefore we do no more with our cares than to hinder him and lie in the way.

Now what this means, that Adam calls his wife; item, that God puts on them the furs, I will command idle spirits. Adam is a model of Christ; the wife of his bride, the Christian church, which he calls by his name; of which it is otherwise said. It is enough for us that we teach and establish the faith from the text.

V. 22. And God the Lord said: Behold, Adam became as our one, and knows what is good and evil.

79 Then again he tickled the conscience of Adam and Eve: for these words are spoken maliciously and mockingly. As if to say, "How well you have done! I have said, Ye shall not eat of the tree: so have ye obeyed the serpent, which saith, Ye shall be as God, and know what is good and what is evil. How fine is it now? These words, however, are not to be thought that God said them as if he had a desire to mock altogether in the greatest sorrow and misery, but that this is indicated by the fact that his conscience told him so, when the sorrow in which he had fallen struck him in the face, that he had to feel it daily. So it still happens to us, too, that we have to beat our conscience when we have fallen, and our heart says to us: "How well you have done it!

(80) Therefore it is not more than said, that a man all his life bears remorse for the foolishness he has committed. As if he should say: Yes, I mean, we have now become gods! Oh, how we have become such poor, laborious people; we have no one to thank but the serpent. They have had weeping and wailing, and all must have it if we are to be saved. For the fall that Adam made, we must all weep and lament, and say like him, "Oh, how I am!

100 Erl. 33, 118-IIS. Sermon on Genesis 3:22-24. W. Ill, 141-144. 101

fine we have now become gods! Thus shall one be witty who forsakes God and follows the devil. These are, I think, the words interpreted in the most simple way. What does he feel now?

But now lest he put forth his hand, and break also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.

The words, I say, are all spoken as Adam feels in his heart, for that is where God speaks the most; when the conscience hears, it hears rightly. And so much is spoken: Adam has been sentenced to death; now there is a tree of life in the middle of the garden; therefore I will prevent him from breaking and eating from it, and he will live forever. How does this work? According to the lamentation, whereof it is said, that they must cry and weep for sin, because the devil hath deceived them so.

(82) So we also find and feel that there is no counsel in the matter; we must die, for there is no one to protect us or to hold us out; we are sentenced to death, so severe and strong that no one can defend us; we must go up, so that we can never come to the tree of life, that we may break from it and live forever. Now this does not only apply to those who are in sin, but also to the faithful, because it still remains in them that they feel sin and complain about death. Thus, in short, it is canceled with the saying that we all must die; only dead, dead, and no other.

V. 23, 24: Then God the Lord sent him out of Eden to build the field from which he was taken. And he cast Adam out, and pitched before the garden of Eden the cherubim, and a shining fiery sword to keep the way unto the tree of life.

There we come again into a wild forest. Above Cap. 2, § 19 ff. it is said of the spouse or paradise that this text is still dark, and illuminated by no one, what the garden is. In some places it is said that it was nothing but the whole ground at the time when they had not yet fallen, when it still bore good fruit, but after that it was cursed. That is one opinion. But I hardly trust it to be preserved, although it is great.

It seems that many words in this and the previous chapter sound like this. Again, this is also strong, that God made a special place, which he called a garden; and it is especially expressed Gen. 2, 8. that he planted it in Eden toward the east; and here it is repeated that it was driven out of the garden of Eden, and fell into the field, so that the field was not the garden. Also the word Eden will come more afterwards, that it must be a name of a country towards the east, and not the whole earth.

So the text forces against it, that it is a special place, planted as a special pleasure garden in a funny place (because the word Eden also means pleasure in Greek), that man lived there before all animals on earth. There we must stay. Although we cannot be sure, the safest thing is to stick to the simple words; we are too small for the matter. For above Cap. 2, 8. he said, "GOD had planted." We must let the words stand, that of course he planted, as one otherwise plants; so that he says: He has made grow out of the earth all kinds of things; also does not suffer that one dreams Cap. 2, § 19, that it is above the earth, not far from the moon. We give glory to God, if we do not know it, and do not do like the high schools, who think it would be a shame that they should not know something, or could not say anything about it.

So the text is clear that Adam could not come to the tree of life, because the heart told him that there was no counsel for life; therefore he was cast out of it, and came again to the land and worked. This is all so much: God has set him so far from life that the heart says: Nothing else will come of it, we must die on earth.

86. But that God camps the cherub before the door of the garden toward the morning, and a shining fiery sword, which turns to and fro, and shines like a flame, he has done for this reason, he says, that he kept the way, so that no one would come to the garden; is all spoken, as enough is said, that man feels in his heart and gives the experience that death is not to be resisted and no help is against it.

102 Erl. 33, iio-1Z1. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. ^W. m, 144-148. 103

But here the fool, the reason, must blind her eyes, which almost worries what the cherub and the shining sword are. Cherub, what kind of animal is called, is still unconscious today; but up to now it is considered by our high schools that it is one of the nine choirs of angels in heaven. In the Hebrew language one finds no more of it, than that it has wings; it is for a beast, what it wants. Thus we read in Exodus 25:20 that Moses was to make two cherubs on the ark of God, which were to cover the mercy seat with their wings and 1) turn their faces toward each other. From this it is clear that the cherub must have wings like the birds. But what kind of faces they have, I do not know. Therefore they thought that they were angels, as painters paint them with wings, according to this word. The text does not conclude that the cherub had and held the sword in his hand, but only states that it was placed in front of the garden next to or with the cherub.

(88) But as to all this, let us first of all keep the simple mind, how that Adam and all his descendants were shut up from help, comfort, and all the ways that life might be saved or stopped. Therefore the cherub is there, and the sword that flasheth and terrifieth, and if any man would go thither, that it might slay him; which he felt all about him.

1. The bracketed words are inserted by us for the sake of what follows.

has. For this reason, I am not displeased that this is interpreted in the spiritual sense, that it is the evil conscience. For cherubim actually means the preaching office or word, and the oral speech, which is compared to a fittig; just as the pagans did when they wanted to paint the word. That is why they painted their Mercurio, who does the talking, with fittig, and the poets say of the word, how it flies along like an arrow, and cannot be revoked. So Cherubim here means the preaching of the law of God, which has next to it a shining fiery sword, that is, a severe judgment of God, which is terrible to the conscience.

89. is now the opinion: God has set Adam a word, which was: "You shall die"; item: "In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread", and "with sorrow you shall feed" 2c. These were fiery swords, severe judgments, so that he saw and felt that he could not overthrow them, nor could he get past them, he had to despair of returning to his former nature on earth. This is the interpretation that rhymes well with the bad, simple sense. Whether one now understands that it happened bodily in such a way, I also gladly allow, because I did not want gladly that one deviates from the words. Whether we cannot cover everything is not important; it is enough that we have as much as we have said about it. Thus we have the third chapter, how man was created, fell, and was raised again, and the whole of human life.

The fourth chapter.

V. 1.2 And Adam slept with Eve his wife, and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said: I have overcome 2) the man of the Lord. And she went on, and bare Abel his brother. And Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a husbandman.

2. Marginal gloss: UeberkommeW. Cain means that one gets or overcomes; Eve means that he should be the seed, since the Lord had said that he would crush the serpent's head.

(1) Now there are also histories and examples in which we see that it is as it was written before. In particular, here is a beautiful history in which we are told what the whole Christian life is like, almost in relation to each other, about the two brothers, Cain and Abel. First of all, someone might ask: What did Moses desire to write to us about how Adam lay with his wife? Therefore it happened that one must read this in

104 Erl. 33, 121-123. sermon on Genesis 4, 1.2. w. in, 148-151. 105

before all the world, as the two have marriage with each other, that the law is begun, which Moses manifoldly indicates afterwards, that before Christ's birth virginity must not remain, yes, was also condemned, because God had said that from the woman should come the seed. As long as the seed had not come, and it was not specified which woman should be the one to bring the seed, no woman had to remain a virgin, but all waited for God to bring the seed.

002 And it is written in Genesis, Cursed be he, or she, that bringeth not forth fruit, or leaveth not seed behind her. Therefore it was a great shame if a woman was not fertile, and was considered a great punishment and plague Gen. 16:1, 4, 29:31, 30:1. There we will hear many strange things about the holy wives, that they had the necessary cause that they had to have children. Otherwise there would have been quite a few who would have liked to remain virgins, but they all had to wait for the seed, so that it would not be prevented by someone. Should anyone have gone forth, God had to do it by a special infusion of the Holy Spirit. As one reads of Jeremiah Jer. 16:2, who did it because God said that he should not have a wife or children; otherwise he should not have remained without marriage.

(3) Now this has served to avoid many sins that would otherwise have occurred, and has undoubtedly been a more chastening life, even among those who have not believed, than now. Christ Matt. 19:10, 11 left it free, but we have made it mean, and have beaten commandments upon it. What virgins would be, Christians alone should be, for they alone may have such grace; to the rest of the multitude it is not given, they should remain under the commandment, for the sake of many sins and shameful conduct. For those who accept this freedom, if they are not Christians, do it only to escape the punishment that God has laid upon man 1 Mof. 3, 17. 19., to feed himself in the sweat of his face. But what it helps, you can see well; if you run away from the rain, you come into the middle of the water. It has been good for that, and would still be good,

That a boy and a maid should not go without marriage. But who will do it? Who can now see who are Christians or not Christians?

4 Item, it is also useful that the marriages of the dear fathers and mothers are described, so that the mouths of the future heretics may be shut. For the Holy Spirit saw beforehand that some would come and stand up, some of whom would condemn the marital state, some of whom would forbid it 1 Tim. 4:3. Like the first Tatian heretics, who saw that the people were corrupt, but that virginity was 1) a precious thing, therefore they wanted to make it 2) so holy that they should live without marriage; pretending that whoever was in the marital state would be condemned. The same was to be met herewith, that Adam and Eve, who were now alive and holy again, nevertheless remained with each other, and begat children naturally.

5 After that, those who forbid marriage appeared, that is, Squire Pabst and his group. He has appointed and confirmed several estates, in which marriage is not permitted, and they are to be a special people of God. Thus he made the world full of spiritual people, that is, of harlots and knaves, and brought about so much that man and woman was not man and woman. They have made it so that it was almost a disgrace for a maid or a boy to marry one another, as if it were not Christian.

6 This is also denied here. No man shall be forbidden conjugal life and virginity; both shall be free in the New Testament, but only to Christians. In the Old Testament virginity was forbidden and marriage compulsory; but where there are not Christians, there is not the Holy Spirit, only do not think that there is chastity, unless there is a natural infirmity.

(7) So Eve becomes pregnant (says Moses) and gives birth to a son. Then she becomes happy, thinks she now has enough, and says: "Now I have overcome the man of God", or with God. She had grasped the word of the seed, which is the devil.

1. "but" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. Wittenberg and Jena: they each other.

106 Erl. ss, 123-125. interpretations on the first book of Moses. , W. m, isi-isi. 107

She was to tread it down; it tasted her in her heart, she lived on it, all her desire was for it. Therefore a great comfort befell her here, that she should have a son; then she thought: This will be the man who will set right what the serpent has corrupted. Therefore she gives him the name Cain, which means "come over". As if she should say: Now he has become mine, or: Now I have won or got the noble jewel. Gives him the noblest name she can always give him. Soon after that she gives birth to another son, whom she does not name in this way; then she worries. 1) The first one took her mother's heart away, he was the dear child; but this one she does not care for so much, does not say what is to become of him, but calls him Abel, which means misery, woe, lamentation and sorrow; the same as the antithesis. Perhaps she will have suffered and become angry at birth that he had to bear such a name.

008 Now behold, how they brought up the two sons, that Abel should be a shepherd, and Cain a husbandman to till the field. It is reasonable to think that Eve and Adam had an eye on the first son and raised him as if he were to do so; they also preached to him the word that God had spoken about the seed. The holy fathers diligently practiced the gospel and taught their children. So Adam had to practice worldly and spiritual ministry. That is why his two sons were also priests, as we will hear.

(9) So the first son, Cain, was raised in such a way that he thought to become rich, and to sit down and to send himself into the regiment, as was fitting after the first birth; as Moses wrote afterwards Gen. 49:3 that the first son was always entitled to two parts of the inheritance before the others, first of all the regiment and priesthood, so that he would be lord of the other brothers; so that the priesthood, to sacrifice and preach, would also be the spiritual regiment. Cain inherited 2) first of all, that is why he is so far preferred.

1. "da bekümmert sie sich vor" probably means: about whom she worries. The Jena edition brings the conjecture in the margin: "da bekümmert sie sich nicht vor".
2. Erlanger: da.

(10) Now behold the work of God, of which I have often said how he rules, that he lets holy men go in their delusion, and yet brings it out in a different way than they think. There goes the saying of Solomon Proverbs 16:1, that man proposes something to him, but God leads it out. They had God's word and faith, but they did not know the person, time and way that God wanted reserved for them. He does the same with us. Although he wants us to rely on him for all our help and comfort, he does not want to tell us the time, the person, or the place, how, where, when, and by what means he wants to accomplish it. So now follows, as it is clearly reversed, against Adam's opinion, who stands on great confidence, that this should be the right seed.

V.3-5. And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought offerings unto the LORD of the fruit of the field. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of the sheep, and of their fat. And the LORD kept himself to Abel and to his offering, but to Cain and to his offering he kept not.

11 Then he writes how the brothers both sacrificed. But sacrificing is actually a priesthood, to come before God and serve Him. Therefore, where a sacrifice is made, the person must certainly be a priest, even if he is unanointed and unshorn, as the two undoubtedly were.

12. From whom then did these have it, or who taught them how they should serve and sacrifice to God? From no one but Adam, who preached to them nothing but that they must wait for the seed that would crush the serpent's head. This is what he always did, and it was their gospel; besides this they also prayed and sacrificed.

013 And what did they offer? Cain of the fruit of the field; Abel of sheep and their fat. There you can see where the sacrifices in the law came from. For almost the laws which Moses has originated from the beginning of Adam and the world, and so are kept and confirmed; and the sacrifices, of which he writes afterwards in the third book, are commonly of fruits of the field or of fat. Thus

108 Erl. 33, 125-128. Sermon on Genesis 4:3-5. W. m, 154-157. 109

Cain's sacrifice of grain was in the field and happened as Moses writes in the third book Cap. 2, 1. ff., that one should take scorched and dried ears and pound them, and put them on the altar, and burn GOtte, for he says much of the flour offering, baked, roasted, pounded, dried 2c. All this is called in Hebrew mincha, grain offering, which may be eaten as bread. Such the Cain sacrificed of his own, as it gave his food.

14 Likewise Abel also sacrificed of his food, namely of 1) the sheep, and especially of the firstlings or springlings, and of the fat. It is also written in the third book Moses, Cap. 3, 9. 10., how one should take the fat from it, the tail with the back, and the fat that covers the intestines, along with all the fat that is inside, and the kidneys with the fat that is on them on the loins, and the net around the liver on the kidneys with it, and should cut off the net around the kidneys, and should lay it on the altar and set it on fire. This is what Abel did, and the way came from him.

Now the question is asked here: Which of these sacrifices was the best? The Jews say that Cain was rejected because he sacrificed too little; they want to condemn the person and justify him according to his works, as they are wont to do. But let us look at the text, we will find how it urges faith against works.

16 First of all, it should not be considered that Cain offered a lesser sacrifice than Abel, for they were the best fruits. And if one looks at the sacrifices in Moses, the grain offerings are almost the noblest among all the sacrifices, but they signify the pure gospel. For this reason the text does not say that it should be rejected for the sake of the least sacrifice, for the work of the sacrifice is equal before God, whether it be small or delicious.

(17) Nor is it to be held that Abel pleased God precisely because of the sacrifice, but because of faith; just as Cain was condemned not because of his work, but because of his unbelief. This is clearly inferred from the text, where it says: "GOD

1. "of" is missing in the Erlanger.

He kept Abel and his sacrifice, but he did not keep Cain and his sacrifice. For Moses means to say that God looks first at the person or man, and then at the work he does, and not again. Therefore, a man must first be pious and please God before he can do a good work; otherwise he would have had to say: God was kind to the sacrifice, and then to Abel 2c. He does not want to look at anyone for the sake of his work, but only for the sake of the person: if he is good, the work pleases him; if he is bad, the work is not good either. For they both, according to outward appearance, do one and the same work; each offers his own, and each is as good as the other; indeed, Cain's offering is more glorious and more apparent. Therefore, if God judged according to the works, he would have to either consider Cain's sacrifice good or condemn Abel's as well, so that both would be judged according to the same work.

But behold, what a judge he is. He condemns the work that is most apparent, most beautiful and best, and praises the other. Neither Cain nor Abel, Adam nor Eve could have done this. Cain thought that he was so sure that he could not fail to please God with his sacrifice, much more than his brother. So he thought: I am the first son, I am entitled to the priesthood before God, I am also the regent, I also bring the best sacrifice; therefore God will ever look upon my sacrifice and please him better than Abel, my brother. Again Abel thought thus: I am the least, he is the best, has much advantage over me, has also brought the best sacrifice, therefore God must look upon my sacrifice out of pure grace. So God judges on this side, looks at the small person and sacrifice, the greatest person and best sacrifice he condemns.

(19) Now we have a certain divine judgment, that one should not judge by works, and only beware of pretty, glittering works; for the prettier, the more annual it is. It does not condemn the coarse pieces, but commonly the highest works. Therefore the text is to be well and strongly grasped, that we do not let our eyes be blinded with something else. If this text does not strike, I do not know,

110 Erl. 33, 138-13". Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W, III, I57-IM. Ill

what is to be done. Now then, see and judge whether it is enough that our saints of works say: If you want to do God a great service, become a priest, monk or nun, establish and hold many masses and services; they think it is enough, however, if it only has the name, and seems to be a service and good work. When they only hear it, they blurt and plump on it as if they were blind, mad and foolish. Here is also a service, as glorious as one can ever do; yet he God will not be. Therefore one must go on, and first judge by the person, that this is worship, which comes from faith. The person must first be pious and pleasing to God, after which the service will also be pleasing.

(20) By what then did Abel become righteous? Without doubt by faith, as we do; for he could not have been justified in any other way than all other people. Thus the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 11:4 also writes of him: "By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, by whom he bore witness that he was righteous, when God bore witness to his offering; and by the same he still speaks, though he is dead," that is, this example still speaks and preaches, and is known to all the world, that we all become righteous by faith alone.

21 Therefore, behold how his heart stood. Behold, the Almighty God gave the word and promise to Adam, proclaiming to us that a seed should come from the woman, treading down all the calamities that the devil has brought. Now I am also under the same affliction, having brought it with me from my father and mother, and am naturally a child of wrath and death Eph. 2:3. But because I see that God has shown me such grace, and has offered me through his word that he will help me from all misfortune through the seed that is to come, I will consider it with all confidence, praising and thanking him. Then he comes and brings the sacrifice. His heart is happy in God because of the knowledge, he does not stand on any work, but sacrifices so that he can show himself outwardly that he gives thanks to God's grace from the heart. See,

1. "a" is missing in the Erlanger.

God wants to have such a believing heart. That is why he is kind to him and his sacrifice, so that we may learn to recognize how he alone is concerned about faith.

But how this happened, that God kept to His sacrifice, Moses does not express. But it is said that in the days of the ancient fathers fire came down from heaven and lit the sacrifice, which was to be a sure sign that God was pleased with such a sacrifice. As one also reads afterwards in the book of Judges Cap. 6, 21. about Gideon's sacrifice. Therefore, the sacrifices of the fathers must be considered to have been instituted by God as a sign by which one would know that God was gracious. As we now have a sign with and beside the word, baptism and the sacrament, so that we may both be sure of God's grace through word and sign, so they also had the word and their sign, that the sacrifice was lighted from heaven, so that their faith might be strong and sure.

(23) Now see also how Cain's mind was, that is, as I said: I am the first son, the dear child, the priesthood is due to me, the Father is on my side, (I) am more and better than Abel; so now I will make an offering to God. So he must have thought without a doubt. For if he had had faith and brought it with him, God would not have rejected him. Since he rejected him, it is certain that there was no faith, without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11:6. For faith does not stand on itself and works. Therefore God judges rightly and condemns both the person with the presumption and the work. This then is the first example of Scripture, wherein we are to learn what is valid and pleasing in the sight of God, and how He judges, not according to works, but according to faith.

V.5-7. Then Cain was very angry, and his mind was changed. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why is your mind wrong? Is it not so? if thou wert righteous, it would be a sacrifice; but if thou art not righteous, sin shall lie revealed. 2)

2. Marginal gloss: To the revelation. That is, whether dik sin at this time lies still and remains unpunished, so

112 Erl. 3g, 130-133. Sermon on Genesis 4:5-7. W. in, I6o-i63. 113

(24) Now here is the unbelief of Cain with its fruits. Since God was so kind to his brother's sacrifice, but not to his, he becomes angry, strikes down his head, looks sour, and resents him. For Adam and Eve had meant that he should be the right man and please God. Since he lacks this, what he has in his heart bursts out and becomes bitter against God and his brother. For where there is not a right faith, the heart certainly looks at God with displeased eyes, and thinks: I would that God were not God. In fact, all trustworthy saints cannot suffer their works to be rejected; they are all bad to their father. Again, God also cannot suffer them to throw themselves up and condemn other people; their wrath is too small against God. Even though Abel must die because of it, it is still smelled many times.

025 Now when he is angry, grumbling and purring, God says to him, Why are you angry? if you were righteous, the sacrifice would be valid. As if he should say: You should turn it around, and be pious first, then the sacrifice would also be good. Therefore, if thou be not godly, that is, without faith, all that is in thee, and all that thou doest, is sin. Therefore sin, he says, will lie down at the door, or, will lie down for revelation. These words are somewhat dark; but I think that this is the opinion: If you are not pious, then you do nothing but sin, and the punishment will also follow, will not remain outside for long, will come one day, and can hardly wait until you open the door. Thus he strikes his heart with these words: If you disbelieve, you are full of sin; but if you reprove, it will break out; if it breaks out, it will not remain unspotted. This is a simple understanding of this piece, but also stretches further into the conscience.

But let her bow down before you, and be her master.

026 Thou hast sin, saith he, and art full of unbelief, and art angry: but look to thyself, and compel, and hold sin under thee, that it may

It will not last longer than God's judgment, when everything must be revealed and repaid. Therefore, no hypocrisy nor salvation of sin will help.

must bow down before you, and you be her lord. And needs just the words, which he speaks before Gen. 3, 16. to the woman: "You shall bow down before your husband, and he shall be your lord." Thus he means: As the woman shall be subject to the man, and let herself be ruled, so also sin shall be at thy feet. Even though you are in sin, be its master; do not let it rule over you, but be its master, and subdue it, so that you do not do what you desire Rom. 6:12.

(27) From this saying some have tried to prove the doctrine of free will, but there is no reason for it. For the saying is no more than a doctrine or law how one should do; as when one says to one, if you would act rightly, you should do so or so. But it is like another commandment in the Ten Commandments, all of which require that sin and evil desire not be allowed to reign, but be restrained and subdued. Now as free will cannot be proved from the other commandments, so also nothing can be concluded from these words; since all the commandments are given and serve for this very purpose, that we may see how free will and our ability are nothing. For we cannot keep any commandment with our own strength, just as Cain did not keep this one.

28 There is no evil described yet, but the great sin that is in the saints of works, who, though they do many good works, rage and rage inwardly in their hearts.

29 Thus in these two brethren is presented to us an example of both false and righteous saints. Cain is an image, yes, a father of all hypocrites who serve God kindly with beautiful works, but with a false heart; Abel, however, is the noblest of all who walk in righteous faith and serve God from the heart. But these two groups may never be one with each other; it is neither to be hoped nor thought that God's word will be so acted upon that both parts will accept it. The saints of works must persecute the other believers, like Cain. If one rejects their works, they start to rage and get angry against God and their neighbor. As you can see now, how angry they are against the gospel and its preachers.

114 Erl. 33, 133-135. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, un-iM. 115

(30) Now these words which are spoken here to Cain were spoken, as I hold, by Adam, for he was the chief father a long time afterward, even unto the nine hundredth year, that he also lived through the patriarch Lamech, the father of Noah, in the eighth generation after him. Therefore, God preached through him and punished Cain here, as He is doing through us now. I do not think that a voice came down from heaven, but that, just as Christ says in Matt. 19:5, God said Gen. 2:24, "A man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife"; yet, as we heard above Cap. 2:37, Adam spoke the same thing. That Christ thus wants to say that God said such things through Adam's mouth. Just as all Scripture says that God spoke what the prophets say. That is why Adam chastised Cain when he stood like this, knocked down his head, and became angry with his brother. Now what did Cain do when he was punished? Says the text:

V. 8. Then 1) Cain talked with his brother Abel.

That is, because of shame, that he was so publicly overcome and punished, he had to be outwardly friendly against him, as if he never wanted to be angry; he straightened his head again, but out of a wrong heart. That the saying is almost drawn from it in the 28th Psalm, v. 3: "They that speak kindly to their neighbor, and have evil in their heart." The Holy Spirit has delicately portrayed the heart, courage and mind of all the false saints, all of whom have this Cainian way about them. What he now intends to do in his heart with his brother, he proves soon after, as follows:

V.8-12. And it came to pass, when they were out of the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Then said the Lord unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said: I know not; shall I be my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the earth. And now cursed

1. Marginal gloss: For shame's sake, he had to outwardly face and talk to his brother, because he was punished, even though he intended to kill him in his heart. Thus Cain is of all hypocrites and false saints father.

Be thou upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth, and received thy brother's blood at thy hands. When thou shalt build the field, he shall not give thee away his substance: thou shalt be inactive and fugitive upon the earth.

(32) God spoke these words one after the other through Adam. Behold, such comforting words were already spoken in the beginning of the world, promising help, comfort and assistance to all who suffer for God's sake. How many fine sayings are drawn back and forth in the prophets from this text. Abel walked on the right path of faith, so that he had to leave the life of his closest friend. But what does God do? As soon as he is dead, since Cain thinks that he has won, that he is now alone the dear child, that Abel is forgotten: then he lives stronger and more powerful than ever before. There the high majesty takes care of himself, cannot suffer nor be silent that his own are oppressed. And even though they are oppressed a little, they soon emerge more glorious and stronger than when they lived. That is where Abel is now, that the world becomes too narrow for his murderer without all sword and blows, that he cannot be safe in any place. Thus, in the beginning of the world, there is already a picture of the reward of God for those who do good and for those who do evil; for the comfort of the latter, but for the terror of the latter.

33 Know therefore that this example is not written in vain. First, that it will and must happen that for the sake of the gospel we must await the hostility, not only of strangers, but of our closest friends and brothers. Christ also said before in the Gospel: "I am come to kindle a fire upon the earth: what would I rather that it were kindled? There will be five in one house, three against two, and two against three. The father will sit down against the son, and the mother against the daughter" 2c. [These things are proclaimed and written, first in this place in the beginning of the world, and much more afterwards proved by manifold examples. Therefore we Christians must confidently consider this and sing like the bride in the Song of Solomon Cap. 1, 6: "My mother's children are angry with me. They have made me

116 Eri. 33, 135-137. Sermon on Genesis 4:8-12. W. m, iM-iss. 117

I have not kept my vineyard, which I had." As if he should say: They wanted me to guard and keep outward statutes, so I wanted to be free; they wanted to force me, so I preached against it, therefore I must suffer myself.

(34) This is a thing that we must consider, and be glad of, when they that are nearest to us become hostile to us, who ought to protect us, and to handle us. For it is a good sign that the gospel is right, as we see even now where it is despised and persecuted; though it is not good for those who scoff at it. The certain sign is that it is felt in the heart, that one becomes certain of it; after that, that beats to it. Otherwise, if it were not so, one would be weary in preaching the gospel. Therefore, if one does not like to hear it, he should like to see it and preach it freshly.

The other piece we are to see here is: As soon as a man dies for God's sake, that he may be praised and live in God. There is already 1) indicated the resurrection of the dead, that Abel must come forth again and live, more gloriously than before. For God cannot and will not forget him. Hence the saying of Christ in Matthew Cap. 22, 32.: "God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Now as He is Abraham's GOOD, so He is also Abel's GOOD. Because God must not have a dead people, but a living people, he must also live. For he takes care of him here as his servant, so that one can see how he not only lives, but how God also fights for him. He does not want to leave the blood unscented, it must come forth again. But it is not yet fulfilled, it is still going on until the last day. For the fact that Abel is sleeping now is a short time, that when the resurrection will be, he and all of us will think that we have died only now. There is a semblance of life now, that it will last one or two thousand years, but there it is all in an hour. So Abel lies now, yet he must go forth, and the voice still goes, and will not cease to call until the last day.

1. Erlanger: beautiful.

Thirdly, the terrible judgment is presented here, and the reward given to the wicked and the persecutors of the faith, to frighten them into turning away. For behold, how horribly God leads and speaks with Cain here. First, he asks, "Where is Abel, your brother?" But he gives an insolent and proud answer, "I know not; shall I be my brother's keeper?" Is not this a great contempt of divine majesty? So one sin begets another and greater, until one comes to the end. He is so stubborn: he has strangled his brother, and not only wants to deny it, but also to defy and insist against God; he thinks he is not guilty of taking care of his brother. If there were a speck of love in his heart, he should take care of his brother as himself; but he has fallen so deeply into blindness that he thinks he is doing well by answering in this way.

But this does not last longer, because until the rebuke comes, and God says, "What have you done?" then he sees what he has done, and cries out when the wickedness is revealed to him and put before his eyes; as the prophet Ps. 50:21 says, "I will punish you, and put myself before you"; so also of Babylon Isa. 47:3, "I will expose you, and all the world will see your shame. Now there is no consolation, but only fear and trembling. Thus he exposes Cain here, so that he feels that he is condemned and shall be cast into hell. Just as Judas, when he cried out Matt. 27:4, saying, "O, I have sinned, and betrayed the innocent blood." When the plague comes, it is over, there is no salvation, but hell is there, that one can never come out, and must despair, where the gospel does not help out, and God gives comfort to those who are to be helped.

But here follows no consolation nor sweet words. You see, he says, "Your brother's blood cries out to me. In this he remains stuck, to this he is also condemned, and the punishment also follows bodily, when he says: "Cursed be you on earth" 2c. Whether this punishment still lasts over all the wicked, we do not want to fight out here. But this is what the text wants, that Cain is punished on his goods, body and soul. The soul is given to the devil, in addition the food is to become sour and heavy for him; as also

118 Erl. 33, 137-140. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, i68-171. 119

Even to all unbelievers, when it is seen that their labor and food become much more sour than to those who believe. There is much toil and labor, and little fruit follows; again, these do lighter work, and much fruit follows. There the work and care is greater, because it carries, which pays the cost and trouble; those have well work, but have neither care nor fear.

039 Of these things saith the Lord, Thou shalt be iniquitous and fugitive upon the earth: and his conscience is shown to be foolish and desponding. So shall it be with all who disbelieve, and have such wicked pieces upon them that they are never safe; as also it is written in the third book of Moses Cap. 26, 36: Thou shalt be afraid of a rustling leaf on a tree; so stupid and despondent is it, especially when it knows something on it; as also in many places more is written; than once Moses Deut. 28:67. says, "In the evening thou shalt say, Alas, if it were morning! and in the morning, Alas, if it were evening!" and thy life shall stamp and hang before thee, that thou shalt never be safe. Item, in the Proverbs Cap. 28, 1. Solomon thus says: "The wicked flieth when no man chaseth him"; flieth before his own star and thoughts; "but the righteous standeth as a brave lion." Such sayings are all drawn here. For he also saith here, Cain shall never be safe, not from him that chaseth after him, but from his own conscience. This is the punishment that no one can escape. What then does Cain do? Follow:

And Cain said unto the Lord, My iniquity is greater than this, that it should be forgiven me. Behold, thou shalt drive me from the face of the earth this day, and I will hide myself from thy face, and be iniquitous and fugitive upon the earth. So it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall find me shall strike me dead.

He is at the end, has a judgment that he himself confirms; there is no faith nor comfort. The gospel is taken from him, and he is deprived of the knowledge of God; he sees nothing but the terrible seriousness of God and his sin, therefore he must despair and perish. This is what all the damned must say and feel. And yet behold what he does. For such a despondent heart looks to and fro, does not know

where it shall abide, it becomes the world too narrow for him, that he must say, "Behold, you drive me from the face of the earth." These are vain desperate words. How should he push him from the face of the earth, since the world was so wide? but conscience makes a thousand worlds too narrow for him. Item, how should he hide himself from God's eyes? Who can escape from God? It is all the fault of the conscience, which is in such fear, and would gladly run away from the world and flee from God's face, if it could. This is the real, highest fear of evil consciences, which will actually be the hellish torment, that the damned want to flee and hide themselves, so that they do not see God, and cannot.

41 Item, about which he is even more afraid: "I will be ingenuous and fugitive. So it will happen to me that whoever finds me will kill me. Then his conscience itself pronounces a verdict on him, that he will be strangled as he strangled his brother. And it is truly a horrible, miserable plague, of which we know little. O, how is the murder so hard smelt and paid for! We still worry that God has abandoned us. We should gladly die ten times, because we see how horribly he punishes the murderers, and so richly repays us for our suffering; and we should not desire to avenge them, but to give God home, yes, gladly pray for our enemies, as high as we can, so that God will not let them fall into such fear. We should pity their sorrow as much as we can; just as Abel would have done, without a doubt, had he lived, and would have gladly died again to save his brother.

When Cain was in such fear, God lifted the plague a little, but not completely, and consumed it. For if he had let himself be seen as Cain feared, he would have had to become powder so soon. Therefore he gives him a bodily salvation, but does not give him a gospel and security, and says:

V.15. And the LORD said unto him, Whosoever killeth Cain shall smell sevenfold. And the LORD made a sign unto Cain, that whosoever found him should not slay him.

In these words God removes the temporal punishment and makes him sure that he will not be strangled, putting a commandment on it.

120 Erl. 33, 140-142. sermon on Genesis 4, 15-22. W. m, 171-175. 121

But everything happened through Adam, as said above 30. And God has undoubtedly forbidden the death stroke so severely, so that it does not tear so deeply among the people, as it has done. Now here the teachers argue about when and how this punishment is fulfilled. Answer recently: There is no power in it, if one does not know it; they probably think that Lamech, who slew Cain v. 23, 24, was punished in this way, that seven of his family were strangled. [But there is no reason in the Scriptures; God will have found the punishment. [It is enough that we know the reason why God forbade it.

44. But what is the sign that God puts on him? The Jewish masters write thus: it was such, that he always went trembling and shaking. [It is well to be believed, but I do not know it, because the text does not give it; although they draw it from the fact that God said, "He shall be inactive and fugitive." Therefore it is possible that God set a sign in his body, that as he trembled inwardly and trembled, so also did he go outwardly, when people saw him, that they should say: Behold, this is Cain, who slew his brother; let no man put him to death. So he had to bear the shame of body and soul. This is a terrible punishment. Therefore it is well said to the Hebrews Cap. 10, 31: "Terrible is it to fall into the hands of the living God." It is still merciful and gentle when God punishes through men, but it is horrible when he himself punishes body and soul.

V. 16 So Cain departed from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, beyond Eden, toward the east.

(45) How did Cain depart from the presence of God, when no one can escape from him? Answer: It is said this much: He fled from his father into misery and came to a strange land where no one lived. That is, fled from God's presence. For where there are Christians who have God's word and preach it, there God is present, there He looks, as the Scripture says many times. So he had to flee from Adam and the assembly of believers, as many as there were of them; so he also fled without love and friendship.

fled, and came to a land of Nod. There is a doubt whether the word Nod means fugitive, or whether it is a name of the country to which he fled. But I take it for the name of the land that is beyond Eden. For we have heard above Cap. 2, § 19 ff. that paradise was planted in Eden, that it wants to penetrate there, that paradise was in a special place. Well, what is dark, let it remain dark; we do not want to make much of it.

46 Thus we have the two examples of Cain and Abel from the beginning of the world and still strong until the end, what Christians and unbelievers are, how God takes care of and rewards those who believe in Him, and how cruelly He punishes the unbelievers. Now follow on:

V. 17, 18: And Cain slept with his wife, and she conceived, and bare Hanoch. And he built a city, and called it Hanoch, after the name of his son. And Hanoch begat Jrad. Irad begat Mahujael, Mahujael begat Methusael, Methusael begat Lamech.

(47) Moses describes Cain's lineage to the seventh generation; specifically, he says that Cain built a city. He built this city as a citizen of the earth. For if it were so that we were all Christians, we should not have the worldly sword and protection. Those who remained with Adam did not build a city, nor did they think to protect and defend themselves. But he built for the reason that he might be somewhat secure, because he was afraid and timid. This shows what the world is doing; they must be described first, and they must rise high. For that which is God's people comes forth slowly, is low; the other breaks forth, and soon rises high, builds, keeps, and increases in time.

V.19-22. And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal, from whom came they that dwelt in tents, and had cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal; from him came those who handled harps and pipes. Zilla also gave birth to Thubalcain, who was a polisher of all the masterpieces of brass and iron. And the sister of the Thubalkain was called Naema.

** **122 Erl. 33, itL-145. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 175-178. 123

(48) But here our teachers have been wise to say that Lamech was the first adulterer (as they respect the digamos, that is, those who have two wives). I do not think that this is the opinion. Because the text says badly, he had two wives. Whether he was also the first, I do not know. But with it is not concluded that he did wrong, having two wives; because one reads the same afterwards from many, also holy people. But it is only indicated as much as the betting people break out, before the children of light Luc. 16, 8., want to spread out soon and make themselves great; for this they are always more skillful than God's children.

(49) So he says, as Jabal son of Lamech was a man prepared and sent for food, he dealt with it that he might be rich, thinking of provisions, that he might lay aside and have enough of cattle and all manner of possessions. Adam and Eve did not bother with this. But the other son, Thubalkain, became a master, who dealt with ore and ironwork; dug it from the first out of the earth, became a man of war, the first, who thought to force the people with sword and iron and to bring them under himself; thinks on people and land to submit to him, like that on the food. The third son, by the other woman, has gone about dancing, jumping and courting, has set his date on good days, pleasure and joy. This is the course of the world. This is how it is with each other: to seek great food and wealth, to subdue land and people, to have power and honor, and to live in pleasure and good days.

50 It is also said of the sister Naema, how she invented silk embroidery, sewing and knitting, that both men and women became skilled people. All this was written before God's children were born, as a mirror of what the world is; as it began, so it continues to do; God does not deny, so it does not let go of its kind. Thus it is described how the worldly rule came from Cain, and his children became skilful and skillful men, and sat down on the wager, and kept themselves with cities and all things. There was no longer a spirit, although outwardly there was a great, glorious appearance of an honorable man.

Life, as we will see from the following text. For so he writes of Lamech, when they now sat in the regiment:

V. 23, 24: And Lamech said unto Ada and Zillah his wives, Wives Lamech, hear my voice, let my words come into your ears. I have slain a man for a wound, and a young man for a bruise. Cain shall be smelled seven times, but Lamech seven and seventy times.

(51) There are now few men so pious as this Lamech, especially among princes and great lords. For you see that he condemns himself and judges that the death stroke is not right, even though he is of the worldly lineage, in which there was no spirit. It is to be noted that those of Cain kept a fine outward nature and rule, much better than is now always kept, so that it may stand, as said above § 50: Outwardly pious, inwardly husks; in fine works, but without faith walked.

The text does not tell how this story happened, but it does tell that Lamech killed Cain, because he himself confessed it with his words. Now we have heard above §§ 43. 44 how Cain said that whoever struck him dead should be smelled sevenfold. The word went among them, and they took it for a common law. For they also had the word of God; but not the true, wholesome gospel, but only the law. But Adam and Eve had the gospel. As God always rules the world, that he keeps many people under the law, but few under the gospel. So the word spoken to Cain is also the word of God, but not a gracious word; not a promise, but only a commandment to do what one should not do. According to this they acted and carried out the same, which was well known to everyone in the generation.

(53) Since we do not know from the text how it happened that Cain was slain by Lamech, we must leave it in doubt. The Jewish scribes say that it happened in this way, that Lamech once went hunting with a boy that he had with him, and Lamech

124 Erl. 33, 145-147. sermon on Gen. 4, 23. 24. w. m, 178-181. 125

was blind; that he shot nowhere, except where he was directed. Now Cain crawled in the forest and atoned there, and when he was rough, he is said to have been shot by Lamech, as his boy instructed him, for a deer; but when he realized this, he also killed the boy in anger. But it says so; I do not want to say it for truth, because the Jews also use to do good, strong lies.

(54) Now be it as it may, the text is clear that Lamech slew Cain and committed the murder; we may trust it. [It does not matter much if one does not know how it happened. But this is the reason why it is written, namely, that God wanted to show with this example how pious people we are when we are governed by the law, when the gospel does not beat us to it. For no one has ever become pious before God through the law, hardly even before the people. In the sight of God, not only is wickedness unresisted, but it only grows stronger and greater. Thus nature, if one holds the commandments against it alone, does nothing more, that one may see how it has been from the beginning, that no one is helped by laws. For Lamech ever had God's commandment, as said, that he should do no harm to Cain, just as Cain had before not to do evil to his brother; 1) nor has it helped anyone. For the Jews to say that Lamech did it by chance is not to be believed, since afterwards in the law of Moses such a death stroke, which happens unknowingly, is punished very gently, so that some cities are set apart to flee there and be safe Deut. 35, 11. 15. Deut. 19, 5..

55 Now see what he does. So evil he repays the old man, his ancestor, who had now reached the sixth generation, and was almost five or six hundred years old, and was held in high esteem by everyone from this side, as the highest and the wisest. Therefore, Lamech must have committed a great wickedness against him, because it so exposes the scripture to others. For he does not report that more murder has been done here; and yet, because

1. Wittenberg and Jena: "gethan" instead of: zu thun.

his son, Thubalkain, first invented and made ore and iron, that is, armor and guns, there must have been much envy and hatred among them, so that there was cause to make swords, that one thought to bring the other from life; as the other brother gave himself to avarice, and Naema gave himself to jewelry, from which hope grew up, also envy and anger, and a quite worldly being, as one still sees it.

56 When Lamech had committed the evil deed, the evil conscience also came and bit him, so that he was much more afraid, fidgety and timid than Cain. Therefore he goes to his wives and tells them, showing them how he has been despondent; no one else wants to tell them that he was also afraid that everyone would kill him. For it was a great thing that he should slay such a man, his old lord and father, against God's commandment, who had the rule among them, and was honored of all; that even the natural law condemned him; wherefore he saith, "Cain shall be smoked seven times, but Lamech seven and seventy times."

The text does not say that God spoke this, nor do I believe it to be true. Therefore it is vain for us to be concerned about how he smelled seven and seventy times. Which some draw to the seventieth part, unto the flood, in which not only they that came of Cain, but also of Adam and Seth, perished, that only eight souls were left, when the children of God were also made flesh and blood. This is the most certain thing, because the Scriptures do not say that we let God command it; He could have revealed it if something had been involved. But that is certainly what happened, that Lamech was punished sevenfold, because it was God's word.

(58) So far we have heard about Cain's members. He writes no more about them, and from now on he refers to the other gender, and divides them both, as we will hear in the sixth chapter, that he calls them "children of men" in one part, and "children of God" in the other. Thus we have seen how the children of the world have positioned themselves, as they still do, that they do all wickedness, and yet pretend to be God's law. Now God's children are not

126 Erl. 33, It7-It9. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 181-184. 127

without husband and wife, because it was not valid to be without marriage. So they both spread out; but God's children did not have the law alone, but also the gospel, from which they also became and are called God's children. More about this hereafter.

Adam slept with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son, whom she named Seth; for God has given me, she said, another seed for Abel, whom Cain slew. And Seth also begat a son, and called his name Enos. At the same time people began to call 1) on the name of the Lord.

(59) Moses describes what the children of God have done on the other side, which is absurd. For the children of men build cities, focus on food, on fighting, think how they sit down here, want to have good courage here and live well, yet pretend they are pious.

But here Adam begets another son, whom he calls Seth, who shall lead another being, and gives cause for the name, that Eve said: "God has set me another seed for Abel. Here St. Augustine (who deceived him) says that the word should be resurrectio, that is, resurrection. But it actually means "set," as one lays or sets a foundation, so there it should stand.

61 He also begat a son, and called him Enos. What this means, we want to hear; first of all, that the text says: "At that time people began to call on God's name"; that is, that at that time the service began. Do not take this to mean that it had not been before; for this must be left undone, that since the Word of God came to the woman, faith has never ceased, for the Word has not ceased nor fallen. The Christian congregation must always remain, even if there are only two people on earth; for the sake of those who believe, he lets it go forth alone. Therefore there is no doubt that it has never perished.

1. Marginal note: They began. Not that God's name had not been invoked before, but after the worship service had fallen through Cain's wickedness, it was reestablished, and some altar was built, where they gathered to hear God's word and to pray.

gone. However, it suffers a break-off at times; nevertheless, it remains standing.

(62) What does Moses mean by this word? Answer: This much is said, that the gospel, as Adam was told, has come again and has been preached publicly. For the children of men, Cain with his servants, when they became tyrants and oppressed the people, made it impossible for the gospel to be preached or confessed, until God was again pleased with Enos, and he began to gather a small group of believers together in one place to preach the word of God, and perhaps also to set up an altar, where they praised God, gave thanks, and prayed. Which means to call on God's name, as Paul says Rom. 10:13: "Whoever calls on God's name will be saved." Item, v. 14: "How will they call without a preacher?" So that the calling must follow after faith, but with it also to bring others to it.

63. If it should come about, as the text sounds here, that God's name was publicly called upon, it had to happen in such a way that Adam and his descendants had to preach in several places. Therefore it must be understood from the outward service of God; not as we now do jiggery-pokery, but as David says in the 102nd Psalm, v. 22, 23: "That they may preach His name in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the nations come together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord"; that is, that they preach, baptize, perform the sacrament, and pray together. Thus we have heard that the fathers had neither baptism nor sacrament, but another sign, namely the sacrifice, when fire came down from heaven and kindled the same. Such worship has been reestablished, not in one place, but in more places, where they have been, that worship has increased again, and been improved.

Therefore I think that Enos must have the name, because Enosh means Hebrew "a man". The same language has probably three words and more which mean "man". Isch means a man, but often in the common sense any man. The other is Adam,

2. Jenaer and Erlanger: would have to.

128 Erl. 33, 149-152. Sermon on Genesis 5. W. m, i84-i88. 129

has the name of the earth, as a reddish earth. So Enosh is also called a man, but especially from the misery and heartache that the man suffers, so that one would like to call it a troubled, miserable, afflicted man, so that it means his misery and poor being.

So he had to be called that he was a miserable, wretched man. And all who call upon God's name must be according to the outward character in the holy cross, which he had to bear and first lay the foundation for.

The fifth chapter.

This is the book of man's birth, at the time when God created man and made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name man, at the time they were created. And Adam was an hundred and thirty years old, and begat a son in his own image, and called his name Seth. And after that he lived eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died. Seth was an hundred and five years old, and begat Enos. And after that he lived eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. Enos was ninety years old, and begat Kenan. And afterward he lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were nine hundred and five years, and he died. Kenan was seventy years old, and begat Mahalaleel. And after that he lived eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were nine hundred and ten years, and he died. Mahalaleel was five and threescore years old, and begat Jared. And afterward he lived eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were eight hundred and five years, and ninety years; and he died. Jared was an hundred and two and threescore years old, and begat Enoch, and afterward lived eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were nine hundred and two and threescore years, and died. Enoch was five and threescore years old, and begat Methuselah. And he led a godly life three hundred years after that, and begat sons and daughters; and all his days were three hundred and five years, and he died.

sixty years. And while he walked in godliness, God took him away, and he was seen no more. Methuselah was an hundred and seven and fourscore years old, and begat Lamech, and lived after him seven hundred and two and fourscore years, and begat sons and daughters; and all his days were nine hundred and nine and threescore years, and he died. Lamech was an hundred and two and fourscore years old, and begat a son, and called his name Noah, saying, He shall comfort us in our works, and in the affliction of our hands upon the earth, which the LORD hath cursed. After this he lived five hundred and ninety years, and begat sons and daughters: and all his days were seven hundred and seventy years, and he died. Noah was five hundred years old, and begat Shem, Ham and Japheth.

(1) This is a bad chapter to look at, because it does not tell more than the birth of the fathers, and how God's commandment was done when He blessed and created mankind to bear fruit. And count ten members one after another, that is, ten patriarchs, namely: Adam, Seth, Enos, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methusalah, Lamech and Noah. But that he says before: "This is the book", that is, the description, "of the birth of man" 2c., everything is spoken before, but he brings it again, so that he adds something, and further describes, how it has gone on. Therefore it is not necessary to stand here for a long time.

We have said in the first chapter §56 what is meant by being created in God's image, namely, that God is conformed to it, and what good is attributed to God's nature,

130 Erl. 33, 152-154. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 188-191. 131

That man also might be made like it, and be made like it. But that image has now perished and perverted, and in its place the image of the devil has been set up. But through Christ it is brought again and renewed; by whose blood we are saved from sin, death, and the devil, and through the Holy Spirit, purchased by Him, are made righteous, true, and good in heart, and set apart unto everlasting life.

(3) Enough has been said of what he says here again, that God created man male and female, and blessed him, so that the power is not ours to make or prevent a man from being a man, or a woman from being a woman, and so also to prevent a man from being fruitful. But these words are not spoken in vain; they are soon spoken, but they are words of faith, and of a high understanding; neither doth any man understand, save he that is in the faith, what is man and what is woman.

(4) But this is what I call recognizing a man or a woman in faith, when a person believes without a doubt that both man and woman are God's work. But there are few of them who come together in this way, or who are with each other. Flesh and blood and evil desire are certainly felt, as well as unhappiness in the conjugal state; but that it is God's work is not seen. Therefore, as one sees every day, one soon tires of it and cries out about it. This is nothing but blindness, that they go up only to atone for their pride and lust; but God has appointed it so that the creatures might be increased. But enough of that. Now let us pass over the patriarchs.

Adam, writes Moses, lived to be a hundred and thirty years old, and begat a son in his own image, and named him Seth 2c. If someone asks what he did during that time, and the chapter is seen as if the fathers were nothing but flesh and blood, that Moses can write nothing about them but how they had marriage and begat children. But of course there is no book in Scripture that praises chastity so highly as this one. Is it not praised highly enough that Adam walked a hundred and thirty years in chastity? In addition, the other patriarchs all, who so

have gone until sixty, seventy, a hundred years from now? Where can you find such people now who could do it?

(6) Nature has subsequently become more and more corrupt, so that now no one can remain chaste for so long, nor live. Many people have dreamed and said that Adam has atoned for the hundred and thirty years in a hole in the land, and the like; but these are fables, and are contrary to faith. For he received forgiveness of his sin, along with Eve, through the promise of the seed. Faith has erased sin, for God does not atone for sin with works.

Now it is to be thought further that Cain on that side has also begotten children. Adam, on the other hand, governs his children in a Christian way, has been their father, bishop, priest and preacher, but has acted against the spiritual law, in which the priest writes and states that one cannot serve God and be legitimate. He not only preached this to his sons, but also continued to do so, and for a long time he was the supreme father, and will have been a fine, beautiful world. For if we count the ten members, we find a thousand six hundred and six and fifty years, until the flood. Now Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years; so after his death the flood was not much more than seven hundred years: so near did he come that he lived with his sons until Lamech, Noah's father. Thus the dear fathers lived among themselves, old, aged people, ruling the world in great spirit, wisdom and understanding. It was right in the spring, that it was green; but soon after it decreased.

(8) Thus we have here the first virtue and noble fruit of faith, which is called chastity. The fathers did not use flesh and blood more than to beget children; they served God with the advantage that they did not teach from books. For it is a great sign of infirmity, and of the evil mind and memory of nature, that we must have books. Then one went to the fathers, asked about all things, and they answered from the spirit. Is finely governed by living voice

132 Erl. 33, 154-157. Sermon on Genesis 5. W. m, 191-194. 133

without all scripture. Now we have to make do with books. Also, because they lived so long, they were able to learn and experience so many things about the stars in the sky, about herbs and animals, and about all kinds of things on earth, that they became highly knowledgeable about all creatures, of which we may gain very little. It has slipped our minds too soon; before we can get our strength back, we must die.

Item 9: On the other hand, they will also have seen countless evil things from the people of the world, especially on that side; because now, when we live through thirty years, we see so many evil deeds that are sin and shame. Although the world could not have been so evil then as it is now, and they had the advantage that among so many patriarchs God's word went forth.

10. Summa: It is not because of books or reason; it is because God sends people on earth. Thus we see in all history and all Scripture that when God wanted to help a people, He did not do it with books, but no other way than by raising up one or two men, who govern better than all Scripture and laws. So this must have been a paragon of good government, since not one man, but so many fine men and old fathers, full of spirit, have been and ruled. It is truly a strange, precious treasure. One still finds intelligent and learned people; but those who also have God's spirit are few. But it must be that the faith would be preserved, and the people would not fall from God's words. Let this be said of the patriarchs in general.

(11) But among others, we must especially consider the one in the seventh member, namely Enoch. Of him he writes something special, that he lived longer than the others, in the fifth and sixtieth year, and begat a son, although he was the most holy, so that the text says especially: He led a divine life, and lived in it afterwards three hundred years. "And while he led a godly life, God took him away, and he was seen no more." Of him alone it is written that he did not die, but was taken away, so that no one knows where he remained. And is a

great, high praise and strange text, that it gives glory to Enoch, that he pleased God specially. Therefore, he must have been a high man in the Christian faith and practiced high preaching. Otherwise, if he had not been especially high, God would not have had him painted so evenly and done such a miracle with him.

(12) First, I said that all the holy fathers had the same faith and the same Christ that we have now. That this has now been taken away is no doubt a comfort to those who believed in Christ. For God is so diligent in His word that He strengthens those who have it daily, both with words and works. Thus he did this to strengthen the faith of the fathers, that there might be another life after this life. As if he wanted to indicate and say: "Behold, with this I want to show that I have something else, because I keep the people, so that they do not die, even if I take them out of the world. Therefore the sum is, that with this history he hath signified the resurrection of the dead, and hath separated this mortal life from that which is immortal, and hath given us consolation, that we which are of flesh and blood may come to live for ever.

(13) Now the question arises: Where did this Enoch go? or where is he now? We only read of two in the Scriptures that God took away, this Enoch and Eliam 2 Kings 2:11; also it is said of St. John the Evangelist. I leave that in its dignities, because the Scripture says nothing about it. Now one must undoubtedly believe that Enoch was not stolen away secretly, otherwise it would not have been a comfort to them, but that he was taken away visibly and apparently before their eyes, and that God proved this beforehand with signs.

(14) Where then is the place where he remained? It is said that he is in paradise, and this is also to be believed. But what paradise is, I do not know; it is enough that one believes that God has a place where he still perhaps also keeps angels. And stand on the fact that Enoch and Elijah themselves do not yet know where they are. For, as I have often said, we must open our eyes very wide if we want to see into that life. It does not go

134 Eri. 33, 157-159. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 194-197. 135

so to, as here. He is such a God that he can keep someone out of the world, and in the air, or where he wants, that he himself does not see it, let alone another. So it is enough to know that God has taken him away, and remains with God; but where he is, we do not want to and should not know.

(15) Whether he will come again, as has been said until now, I leave aside; I do not believe it, and I have this reason: If God wanted to do such an apparent work, that this patriarch should come and preach the end of Christ, he would have undoubtedly said it beforehand in a place in Scripture. For he never does such things without word and promise, as it is written in Amos Cap. 3, 7: God will not do a thing unless he has revealed it beforehand through his servants the prophets. Since this is not the case, we consider it to be a fable, as many others have been invented so far.

16 Behold, the dear fathers shall all stand with us at the last day, and we shall see them standing with us, and we with them. Then we shall know where they have been. Now it is a long time since he was taken away; but on the last day he will stand there just as if he had gone away that same hour. In the sight of God everything is in one hui; there is no time, as with us, when one thing goes after another. That is enough about this patriarch.

(17) The ninth father Lamech," says Moses, "was an hundred and two and fourscore years old, and begat a son, and called his name Noah, and said, He shall comfort us in our works, and in the affliction of our hands upon the earth, which the LORD hath cursed. What this Lamech had in mind with these words, whether something was perhaps proclaimed or revealed to him, I cannot say for sure. Methinks it is the opinion that he thought this should be the seed of the woman who should help the world; as above Cap. 4, 1. Eve said of Cain. Therefore he actually says, how he wanted to be saved from the plague and the curse, which was brought upon the

Earth gone. There has also been something about it, but not everything. For the man Noah afterward helped the world greatly.

018 And now, behold, Noah lived five hundred years, and after that an hundred years, until the flood: how much labor and trouble he must have had out of the earth! Here on this side were God's children, and the right seed: yet it has become so evil that even God's children have fallen away much. On this side it has also happened that among them evil people have become, and so much that it is terrible to hear that from this side not more than eight people have been preserved from the flood.

(19) There has been a great, horrible decrease of so many holy fathers, who undoubtedly lived and ruled well; what shall now become in the soup of hell? Methuselah lived until 1) that same year when the flood came, and died soon before. If he had lived, he would also have come into the box. He had to see that the world had become so evil, and no one turned back to his old, good life. So this Lamech also cried out about it, as if he wanted to say: "Is it now all evil and cursed?

20 This is how it happened, as we will hear in the next chapter, that the children of God and the children of the world were thrown together and became tyrants in the land, mighty and famous people. The fathers saw this well. Now when a country is so wicked, and the excesses get out of hand, it is a sure sign that it must break and become different. Just as it is now that everyone says that everything is at its highest; therefore either the last day must be present, or else a great plague and change. Because the wickedness is too great, it cannot come higher. So Lamech also means here, the son, Noah, must change it and make it better, or it must even perish. What Noah did, we will see in the following chapter.

1. Erlanger: in.

136 Eri. 33, 159-161. Sermon on Genesis 6:1-4. W. m, 197-200. 137

The sixth chapter.

V. 1-4. But when men began to multiply on the earth, and to beget daughters unto them, the children of God looked upon the daughters of men, how they were fair, and took them wives of all that they would. Then said the LORD, My spirit 1) shall not be judge among men for ever, because they are flesh. I will give them yet an hundred and twenty years. There were also tyrants in the earth in those days. For when the children of God 2) slept with the daughters of men, and begat them children, they became mighty men in the world, and mighty men of renown.

Then Moses began to describe the great and mighty change that took place at the time when the world had stood a thousand six hundred and six and fifty years, which comes upon it with such a terrible and dreadful seriousness that whoever considers it must be terrified that all men will sink drowned, without even considering Noah. Now we have said that Moses had planned for him to write where men come from, and for this reason he drew two cords and lines, of the pious and the wicked, the spiritual and the secular. But it is shown above Cap. 4, § 47 ff. enough how Cain's lineage soon turned to worldly things with all kinds of handling; what serves for food, honor, dominion, adornment, good days and pleasure was torn down one after the other. As nature does when you leave it a hand's breadth, it takes a whole cubit. It began gradually 3) but became so rampant that it became too much and too big.

1. Marginal gloss: My spirit. That is, it is in vain what I have them preach, say and punish by my Spirit; they have become too carnal, despising and blaspheming my Spirit's word; therefore let him cease, and I will let them go, and no longer quarrel and punish myself with them.
2. Marginal gloss: Children of God. These were the children of the holy fathers, who were brought up in the fear of God, and then became worse than the others, under the name of God; just as the clergy have always been the worst tyrants and the most perverse.
3. In the old editions: meilich.

(2) When Moses says that sin has come about because the children of God have looked after the daughters of men, (2c) he shows sufficiently that the world has become vain flesh and blood, as he also says afterwards, and that it had already come about that such a thing was brought into a habit and considered a custom of the country. There remained no discipline until there was nothing more to advise and help, so that the world had to perish; as is also now before our eyes.

(3) He does not say this about those who came from Cain, but those who were born from the holy fathers. For that which he calls the children of God is actually to be interpreted to the people, to the tribe and line of Seth, Adam's son. Although one finds little else written in the Old Testament that men are called children of God, it was already called at that time, which is to be taken from the fact that they were fine, highly understanding people, and understood the gospel or the promise given to Adam, that whoever believes in the promised seed, would have everything that God Himself has, and would become God's child.

(4) I say this because our scribes have been mistaken about this, and have made up various things about who God's children were, because they were not accustomed to calling people on earth God's children and holy, when the Lord's Prayer, which we pray daily, puts it into our mouths that we are God's children. Out of such ignorance, some dream that the angels are meant by this, who are true children of God, as if they had gone to human daughters and slept with them, from which great giants or giants are said to have been born. But it is fool's heiding. It is possible, as Mau says, that the evil spirit can take hold of the sorceresses, and also impregnate them and cause all kinds of misfortune. Therefore, they thought that it would have happened here with the angels as well.

4. appointed - known.

138 Eri. 33, 161-183. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 200-203. 139

(5) Therefore we must be accustomed to the Scriptures, that we may have a right understanding, that they which believe are called the children of God, that is, the pious and justified. So at that time there was almost a distinction between the children of God and the children of men, as we called the spiritual and the secular. But as it has now come into abuse with the spiritual state, so it has also gone there. The Scriptures ask in many places that God would appoint those who preach and guide his word, so that if he does not do it, it may remain unpreached. But it has always been like this: when at first pious, holy people led the spiritual regiment of preaching righteously, carnal people arose after them, and abused the same office, yet they kept the regiment, place and name that they had.

(6) Thus in the Jewish people there were first Moses, Joshua, and some others, who lived and ruled according to and by the word of God. But after them came others, who knew nothing of those, yet were also called priests and Levites, inherited and kept the name alone. Likewise, when the apostles and their disciples were gone, the people who kept the name soon followed, but they are as far away as heaven and earth. So it also happened here. Seth, Enos, and their children to the tenth generation kept it fine; but when they came hillway after hillway, it broke out and ceased. Then they kept the name, that they were also called children of God, but they were quite carnal and worldly.

(7) And especially he refers to the time when they looked after the daughters of men and took as wives whom they wished. With these words, he claims that there was no law, discipline or honor, but that they lived according to all their will, mingled with the people of the world, sought their friendship, fell in with them and took whatever they desired, and asked for nothing. Summa, they have been quite safe and without fear of God.

(8) This is the first fault, that they have become carnal. The other, which follows from this, is that when people have good days and live well, it costs them violence, of course, to make others

People flay and scrape. Therefore he says: "There were also tyrants on earth in the days of old, who were mighty and famous men," and also indicates where they came from, namely, as said, that the children of God of men slept with children and begat children; from this they came. It is that the name of God must be the cover of shame, under which all misfortune is done; as it is also said: In the name of God all misfortune is done. What is the greatest abomination, God's name must always embellish and take upon itself, as has happened to this day with our churches and masses, priesthood and monasticism, and everything 1) that is called worship. If only the name is attached to it, everyone falls on it and considers it delicious. Those who can only boast of the name, that they say they are children of God, are afraid and frightened by everyone; then it falls apart, and they become mighty lords under the appearance and name of God.

(9) This is what Moses means by saying: "There were tyrants in those days", which he calls in Hebrew Nephilim, which the teachers called in Latin gigantes. And they write that they were called so, that they were great, that the others stood against them as if they had fallen. But they are also fables, because they were all of the same size; although Moses will later also say of giants or giants. But therefore they are called Nephilim, because they attacked the people and forced them. For Naphal is Hebrew for fall, from which this word comes; as in the 10th Psalm, v. 10, it says, "He falls with his power upon the poor," or "He falleth the poor multitude with his power. Item, in the 20th Psalm, v. 9. "They are bent and fallen." It has been said of them, as the heathen said of their Hercules, as of great men and heroes, who did many battles and wonders, forced everyone, and obeyed no one nor were subject. So the world has become full of evil, as the text says.

10. Now see what God says about this, since such things began to prevail. "My Spirit (says He) shall not always be a judge among the people.

1. In the old editions: everything.

140 Erl. 33, 163-166. Sermon on Genesis 6:1-4. W.'m, 203-206. 141

to men, because they are flesh." But the words and sermon he has undoubtedly said through Noah, as before through Adam. Now the verdict is pronounced in the shortest possible time, but it is almost horrible and terrifying.

(11) But the words must be drawn out into the ministry which the Holy Spirit performs by the word which is preached; and it is such a clear and powerful saying, that if it were in the New Testament, it would be enough for the Holy Spirit to say how his ministry is to punish the world; as Christ says in John 16:8, "When the Holy Spirit comes, he will punish the world for sin, righteousness, and judgment." And here it is finely indicated what the world would be if the Holy Spirit were not judge and punish. If it could do something good and please God by its nature and works, the Holy Spirit should not punish and judge. Now if it is to be right and of divine nature, the Holy Spirit must be there, carry out his office, and do everything through the word alone; that it is a great grace where he thus punishes and quarrels with men, and again, the highest disgrace and punishment where he abstains and does not punish the world.

(12) Therefore he will say this much here: It is in vain what I preach and punish until now and still through my spirit in the patriarchs, Adam, Seth, Enoch, and try to control and ward off the wickedness of the people. They are too drowned in the flesh, will not hear nor believe, but despise and blaspheme the word that I preach through my children who have my spirit; therefore I will also desist and cease to punish, and let them go. This is the terrible plague that God will bring upon the world when he destroys it, that he will first shake off his hand and lift up his word, so that each one will go according to his own delusion and conceit, groping like a blind man and not knowing what he is doing; so that all sin and shame will follow in one heap, until everything must perish and perish to the ground.

This is what Moses in the fifth chapter Cap. 28, 28 calls madness, blindness and racing of the heart, when he tells the curses that are to come upon those who despise God's word and do not want to hear it. This plague is also foretold by the apostle Paul in 2 Thess. 2,

10-12. To the same multitude: "For that they have not received the love of the truth, that they might be saved, God will send them strong errors, that they may believe the lies; that they all may be judged who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness. Just as it has happened in the world, as we now see before our eyes, that 1) we thought we had the right worship and that everything was right, but it was the devil and death. In the end it will happen again: because everyone does not want to hear or accept the gospel, but acts and blasphemes in the worst way, and no one wants to do it, God will again take it away, and punish the world again with greater blindness than ever before, until he finally destroys everything. This is the meaning and opinion of this saying.

14 Then God said, "I will give them a hundred and twenty years. This refers to the time that He wanted to give the world until the flood, so that the people would convert and reform. Now Noah was there, as the text says chap. 5, 32, five hundred years old, and it is indicated afterwards that there were only a hundred years before the flood, when he got the order to build the ark, that it will be six hundred years together, when the flood came. Is now the question: where then the twenty years remain, which God adds in these words? I know nothing to answer it, nor to resolve it, without saying that it may well be that wickedness so excellently prevailed that God hastened with the flood, and cut short the twenty years; or that it is said per anticipationem, that is, that these words, "twenty years," were spoken before Noah begat the three sons, or ever before he became five hundred years old altogether.

(15) But, as has been said, it is a question of the number of years that God has given to the world for correction until the flood: not, as some say, that he has determined how long a man's age and life should extend. For if reason were right, it would follow that every man should live a hundred and

1. Jenaer: da.

142 Erl. 33, 166-168. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 206-210. 143

twenty years, while most of the people die young, and it is considered a miracle when one hears of someone who lives a hundred and twenty years; in addition, it is not found in Scripture that God specifies how long one should live. Therefore the goal of the whole world is presented, through God's long-suffering, whether they want to convert; it has not become better, but worse day by day.

(16) So this history is good for us to remember, because it is a great, terrible change, in which one sees how God has to rule on earth. He does it secretly, sees through the fingers so long that people become so blind and foolish that they say there is no God, and surely despise everything that God preaches. So we have an example and warning that we certainly believe that God will not let injustice and evil go unpunished nor unscented, even if He has been consuming for a while. This is a piece of this text. Follow on:

V.5-10. But when the Lord saw that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth, and that all the thoughts and actions of their hearts were evil for ever, then it grieved him that he had made man upon the earth, and it grieved him in his heart, and he said: I will destroy mankind, which I have created, from the earth, from man to cattle, and to the worms, and to the fowls of the air: for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord. This is the birth of Noah. Noah was a godly man and without change, and led a godly life to his lines, and begat three sons, Shem, Ham, Japheth; but the earth was corrupt 2c.

(17) Here one asks, and is almost troubled, how it is that the text says that God repented that he had made man, because it is said that he could not be sorry for what he does, since he is the highest wisdom? Answer: I think that this piece was written to indicate the lamentation and cry of the dear fathers who lived, that they had felt such a grief and terrible judgment of God, who wanted to change everything on earth. Likewise also afterwards Gen. 18, 23-32 to

is shown, when God wanted to turn back the cities of Sodoma and Gomorrah, how Abraham took care of them, was afraid, and was so hard on God with pleading that he would have gladly saved them, as will follow hereafter. So here, too, it is well to think, as the heart of the pious father Noah confessed, that he had felt everything that was coming, and that he had grieved and worried about it; that it must not be attributed to God, as if it grieved him that he changed and changed it in this way, for everything had already been decided with God. But if he changes it, it is no different than that he will turn it around, as he has provided from eternity. But he changes it so that the pious people feel it beforehand; they have thought, "Oh! God now has it in mind to change and reverse everything.

(18) This rule must often be observed in Scripture, that God is spoken of as we feel Him. For as we feel him, so he is to us. If you think he is angry and ungracious, he is ungracious. So, when the Scriptures say that GOD is angry, it is not otherwise than that He is so felt. So it is often written in Psalms: Wake up, Lord, why are you sleeping? How dost thou hide thyself? (Ps. 44, 24. 25.) And the like, although his nature and will have no change, without him putting himself thus and thus, and making us see and feel him. Therefore as it was felt here by Noah and struck his heart, so it was. So I wanted to resolve the question; for it is the surest thing to stay down 1) and yet it is God's, not man's, thought. For He gives such sorrow and anguish to the heart that it comes not from man but from the Holy Spirit.

V. 13-16. Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is full of their wickedness. And, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee a box of fir wood, and make chambers therein, and try them with pitch, within and without, and make them the arks thus: Three hundred cubits shall be the length, fifty cubits the breadth, and thirty cubits the height. You shall make a window on the top of it, one

1. Erlanger: ernieder.

144 Erl. 33, 168-171. Sermon On Genesis 6:13-16. W. Ill, 2W-213. 145

Elle large. The door shall be placed in the middle of its 1) side. Make the lower part two-layered and three-layered.

(19) In order that we may understand the text, let us first see how the ark was built, then what kind of faith Noah had, and thirdly, what is meant by it. The first, which is called the archa, is a Latin word that has come into the German language; otherwise we have many more Latin and French words. In our language, we actually call it a box or a long drawer. If it is now measured according to how it has been decided here, and put into heaps: it is six times longer than it is wide, and ten times longer than it is high. This is what scholars call proportionem geometricam et arithmeticam, when one says that a thing is twice as long as it is wide; since one does not name and express how many cubits or spans it has in itself.

20 Thus the chest should have been longer than wide, so that if it had been smaller, it would have been counted as a coffin. For if you take a man's body before you and measure it rightly, it is ten times longer than it is high, and six times longer than it is wide. This is how the teachers measured the ark and interpreted it to make the Lord Christ out of it. But we leave that alone; it is enough to know as much of the history as I have said. Now he shall make a door in the chest in the middle of the side, so that ten cubits remain above and ten cubits below, that it is almost fourteen cubits above and fourteen below. For the box will have gone almost close ten cubits in the water, so remained twenty cubits above in height. But over the door, which was in the middle of the side, the window should stand, and not be larger than a cubit in length and width.

(21) It is to be inferred what kind of light was in the ark, and it is well to be felt that the Scripture wants to indicate here that it was not made for this reason, that they should keep the day of it, nor that they should not be guided by the sun. For it has been seen above on all sides, that the day went in only a cubit far above the door; so it follows that they were in the

1. Jenaer: the.

They were always burning light in the box, because they could not help themselves to light from the sun, and they did this for so long, as long as they were in there, that it actually happened like in the tabernacle of Moses, where no day could come in, but seven lights had to burn without interruption Ex. 25, 37. 27, 20. 21., as we do at night. So it was built only so that they might see whether it was day or night.

22 Further he says: the lower part he shall make two-layered and three-layered. Think, then, that the chest had three bottoms, ten cubits below, ten in the middle, where the door was, and as many above, where the window was. In the lowest he made chambers, here two, there three, and so on various dwellings, in which this and that cattle and animals should stand; for these he made such a building, or perhaps also for himself; so that the box would be a dwelling for all kinds of animals, so that seed would be preserved from all. This is the building of the ark, for the first.

23. Secondly, in this history is shown the faith of Noah, which is the best part of it. Let us see how a Christian faith should be skilful, and it would be right that such histories should be written out as they are worth; but it is lacking, that it cannot be attained with words, and that we cannot think so completely, how a great, mighty faith this must have been, that it is exceedingly; that also, if one looks at it rightly, it is not a miracle that not more than Noah, the eighth, is preserved in the flood 2). For, behold, Noah hath three sons, and they have three wives; that is, together with his wife, eight persons, which have not been without servants, and without mates, as it is yet in the world, and at the same time greater than it is now. Of all these, as great a friendship as he had, none adhered to him and his sons, but badly all departed from him; that it was ever a pity that his word and all the preaching he did did not help, and no one believed nor accepted.
24. Erlanger: retain.

146 Erl. ss, 171-173. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, 213-21s. 147

(24) On the other hand, it is a great thing that eight people alone should stand so firmly, and certainly think that they alone are right, while so many people in the whole world are all wrong. If it should happen today that a man should come who could say and conclude that he alone was right, and that all others' doings and opinions were wrong and lost; not considering how wise, holy, powerful people, popes, bishops, princes, etc. they might be, who could believe it? Let us see how they now cry and rage against the gospel, so that no one can tell them or defend them. Therefore, there is no doubt that it was the same at that time.

Twenty-five: now reckon it evenly: Noah was now five hundred years when he began to build the box, and he built over it a whole hundred years. Then he preached daily and said, "Correct yourselves, God is angry and will destroy the world with the flood, so I am building the box as God commanded me. This, of course, spread far and wide throughout the world, which is why God gave him so much time and so long to do it. But what happened? He kept preaching and preaching and did not stop. Therefore Peter 2. Ep. 2, 5. calls him praeconem justitiae, a crier and crier or preacher of justice, which title the Scriptures do not give so highly to any patriarch.

26. but the world did as it still does, mocking and despising God's word and his preachers, so that the more he preached of it, the more he had to hear them say: you are a great old fool, worried that heaven will fall on you, preaching and shouting now ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years 2c. of the flood; when will it come? Do you think that you alone are the most pious, that God should destroy the whole world and spare your 1) alone? or that you are the smartest, that he should tell no one but you?

27 He heard these things daily, and many more innumerable scorns and reproaches; but he was not dismayed, and continued to preach until the sixtieth, and seventieth, and eightieth, and ninetieth year. Only then did they become sure and certain. Yes, yes, should God wait so long, when He has

1. Erlanger: dir.

If he were so angry, he would not have waited ten years. So God preached to the world for so long, taking his word for foolishness and lies, and acting in the most shameful and disgraceful way. See what the world is with its prudence and reason, how finely it can place itself at God's word. Now it is still a wonder that his wife and his sons believed with their wives and clung to him alone, yet so much remained with him, 2) especially because it was delayed so long when he always said it would come. How many before there were people who took money and made the box, but paid no attention; nor did he stay on it, believing it would go like this, that God would drown everything.

28 Therefore learn what is the right way of faith, that it follows no thing except the word. For all things are contrary to sense, strive against all reason of men, yea, against his own senses, and all things that he seeth, and feeleth, and heareth, that he may think well: How can God be so strange as to choose me alone and condemn all the people of the earth? just as Noah undoubtedly felt this, and suffered great trial.

29 For this also is the great temptation in the world, except the high spiritual, to think, Behold, all the world holdeth it otherwise; shouldest thou alone be right, and be the wisest? Dear one, how if you are wrong? do you not think that God is merciful, that he will preserve many people, and not destroy everything so completely? If he had seen and not closed his eyes, he would not have stopped. But he has often suffered such blows and blows.

(30) He saw that God's word stood there to be received by eight persons alone. That was said as much as if he said: Only dead, dead, everything that lives there. There faith stands and says: God cannot and will not lie. Therefore he has closed his eyes and subdued all reason, and has held only to the word. So faith must trample all reason, senses and understanding underfoot, and put everything it sees out of the general, and not want to know anything.

2. The meaning is: It is a miracle that nevertheless all those who stayed with him clung to him alone.

148 Erl. 33, 173-175. sermon on Genesis 6, 13-16. w. m, 215-218. 149

for the word of God. So let us praise and glorify reason and our natural light; what is it but blindness and darkness? What can it be better than to fight against faith and God's word? What is the meaning of long custom, and that so many people in the world hold and believe differently?

He has done all this for a hundred years through such faith, which no one can attain or measure enough. Help God, we could hardly stand for an hour when it comes to the meeting, and he has stood there for so long in the highest battle without ceasing and has not wavered; and not only that, but has also preached daily and received scorn and ridicule as a reward, so that his heart has been well crucified.

32 We must do likewise. Whoever wants to be saved must not intend to believe what the pope, bishops and the whole world believe, or what the Concilio decides. Whoever believes in this way is already lost. For as long as the crowd stands, it also stands; does not stand on God's word, but on man's delusion; thinks, should those err and miss, so many and great people? and does not see that God's word says straight against it: Many and great people shall err Ps. 62, 10.. In Noah's time there were countless more learned, wise, pious, honorable people than now, because the world was still young; yet he had to break his mind and keep only what God says.

This will be fine when we die. There faith must stand alone and fight against the devil and all senses and reason. There he will reproach you: This is what the pope says, and this is what the whole world believes; what would you think if it were lacking and wrong? Then the heart that has relied on it must begin to wriggle, is so soon in doubt; when it doubts, it goes astray and must be lost. Therefore we must come to the point that faith stands on God's word alone, that we can say: God give, the world believe otherwise or so, I have God's word, as Noah had; if there is someone in the world who thinks otherwise, I let him go, God's word must be right, that does not deceive Ps. 94, 15.

34. thus we see here the great, mighty earnestness and wrath of god, that he only has the eight

In addition, the great work that a human heart should believe this. It is both, grace and wrath, incomprehensible and unbelievable to all reason and human powers. The text Gen. 7, 1 says: Noah was justified and without change in his time. Item Gen. 6, 8: "Noah found grace with the Lord." The words are set in such a way that they should apply to something, namely such great things as we have heard. From this it also follows that the eight persons were holy. Eight living saints, and yet remained only six; for Ham fell after the flood, and I hold, even his wife. It is terrible that one should stand in such faith, and yet fall. Of which we shall hereafter hear.

Thirdly, we will also see the secret interpretation of this story. St. Peter 1 Ep. 3, 21 interpreted it in such a way that the flood meant baptism, because the latter is a spiritual flood, as the former was external. And as Noah was kept in the box, so we are saved in baptism. Now by baptism many more people are drowned than by that flood of sin, because it has spread through the whole world and is still going on. Now as all men were drowned there, except the eighth, who were preserved in the water: so also in baptism all that is carnal is drowned. For we are baptized so as to die to the world, to the flesh, and to the blood; as Paul says Rom. 6:3, 4, "All that are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death; so we ever died with him through baptism into death. "2c. That it is as much to put a child into baptism as to say, I drown and choke in thee all that is flesh and blood; that when it is drawn out, it is without all sin and unhappiness, so that in baptism all that is worldly and carnal must perish, that the Spirit alone may live. So hold the two against each other: there men drown who are flesh and blood; here spiritually drowns all sin and all misfortune that man brings with him. Thus it rhymes with baptism. 1) The saying in the Psalm goes to this: Dominus diluvium inhabitare facit,

1. Wittenberger: "day", which is in the first edition.

150 Erl. 33, 175-178. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 218-221. 151

The Lord sits to create a flood of sin Ps. 29:10, that is, a lasting flood of sin that will not pass away until the end of the world.

(36) Now what is the ark? It was made for this purpose, that Noah should put into it all kinds of animals, of both sexes, clean and unclean, so that seed might remain on the earth and the world might multiply. That is, the Christian church, the assembly of all those who are baptized, called to the Christian faith, who hear the gospel, are all in the box, but are still few compared to the other great multitude. For I say only of those who hear the gospel and are righteous, not that they alone are called Christians, but that there is no false preaching. In the same congregation are all manner of beasts, they and they, according to Noah himself: that is, in the preaching of baptism in the gospel are gathered together divers persons, not only that believe, but also that believe not; yet all have the gospel, which they hear and know. For the rest, who hear it not, are not in the box, but are drowned in the water.

037 Now therefore among these there are some that are clean, and some that are unclean. What these are, we shall hear hereafter; now enough is enough, that the Christian church is of a kind that it hath not vain saints; whereof I have often said. And it would be good to make a proverb out of it, to answer those who take offense at our weakness, saying, "Did Noah have to have both unclean and clean animals;" saying, "If we want to be Christians, we must get into the habit of having many infirm brothers and sisters among us, so that we may be like one another, and bear one another, and say: Dear, we will not all be pure, there must be ravens and doves, wolf and sheep in the box among each other. Therefore also the Sophists said: Omnis anima in arca Noae, all kinds of souls are in the box Noah. Would be well said if they had understood it. You can also see this in the Gospel, that Christ deals with tax collectors and sinners Matth. 9, 10. 11. 11, 19. Luc. 5, 29.j, leaves the others behind, who only wanted to have pure animals, and yet they themselves were not. So it must be in Christianity

stand. [The greatest art, the highest wisdom and virtue that Christians have are also found in it. He who cannot do these things does not consider himself a Christian.

The ark is made of smooth and planed fir wood. This is the highest virtue of Christianity, that it is gentle and mild, like a fine, bad, smooth wood without branches; there is no impatience, anger, ill-will or envy among them, not rough, gnarled, nor unbroken; recently, pure love, so that one can hold all things to the other's advantage.

(39) Above this, it is to be written out and written in, or glued. This is both love and patience. If you do not glue a ship, it can soon split and tear. Now pitch is an unflattering, black thing that does not adorn, but preserves. Suffering, too, is not pleasant to look at, but it holds and preserves well. Summa, it is patience and the holy cross, of which Paul says: Patientia probationem operatur, patience brings experience. It is challenged on all sides; it rained on the top, and the water beat against it; now it is protected from the outside with pitch everywhere, so that it will not be damaged. This is to be humility and patience, that we may suffer all that afflicts us, within and without.

(40) Therefore, in sum, all things are directed that the highest virtue is to suffer and bear all the infirmities of our brethren, and then all the temptations of the devil and death. There is not the least suffering from 1) infirm people; we always want to be with holy people who are not whimsical, but who are finely guided by us, so that it always goes according to our purpose. Therefore, there have been many who have run hither and thither, thinking that they would find a place where things would not be unequal; each one wanting to pull himself out of the loop, and always having the string, so that everyone would live according to his will, and no one would live according to his will: He wanted everyone to live according to his will, and he should not give in to anyone. Just like that fool who stood in the sun and was bent over, and was angry that the shadow was also bent over. So we want others

1. Jenaer: an den. - The meaning is: The suffering, which happens to us from infirm people, is not a small one.

152 Erl. 33, 178-180. Sermon on Genesis 6:13-22. W. Ill, 221-224. 153

We have to be right on the string and do not judge ourselves, thus making our own lives sour.

41 Weiler is here also to see what the door in the side, the window above the door, and the two-layered and three-layered compartments at the bottom of the box mean. Now I have often said that one should above all stay with the writing in the simple sense that the letters give, pure and unadulterated; when this is done, one can then play with figures and interpretation, as we first did with the simple words in this history. Nor should such an interpretation be taken as certain and certain, unless it can be proved from Scripture that it is meant to interpret such things. Where this is not the case, you may well interpret it, but no one should rely on it. It is not to be resisted that one should play according to his spirit; but what is to teach faith must be so well founded and certain that one may also leave one's life over it.

(42) Thus we have established above § 35 from St. Peter's saying 1 Ep. 3, 21 that the flood signifies baptism; but of this we have no saying that the door on the side signifies the wound in the left side of Christ (as it has been interpreted up to now), or also that the ark signifies the body of Christ; therefore it is not to be built upon. It is true in itself that the interpretation is indicated by it; but whether the interpretation is also right and rhymes with it cannot be taken for an article of faith. But if you interpret it in such a way that the box is the Christian church, but the door means the word, through which one enters the Christian church, as St. Paul also uses to call the sermon, as 1 Cor. 16:9: "The door is opened to me, and there are many adversaries"; likewise also Christ in John Cap. 10:9 says that he is the door, through which one enters and leaves the sheepfold; this I accept as not contrary to Scripture. But whoever does not want to accept it, we will let his mind be his own; for we must stick to the main understanding that the letter gives; the rest we may decorate and cross out as we can.

43. Item, that the window above is lit, no doubt, as § 21 said, not that they would have light from it; for how should a

How could a large building receive light from such a small hole? Therefore Noah had to stay in the ark without light, and make light for him with lamps, as we do in the night. One would have liked to say that God had given the light so much brilliance to the box that it had illuminated it the ark; but this is not to be believed. Also, if he had wanted the box to be illuminated by the window, he would have made more of them. What this means, I also give home to everyone. Do what you will, let it remain according to the letter, that he let it be made so that one could see how it would be in the sky, when it would be day or night, the clouds would stop, clear or dark. And he has determined a measure for it, that it should not be larger than a cubit.

44 I wanted to interpret this as Paul's scientiam, that is, knowledge, that Christianity, which lives inwardly by the light of grace, not by the light of the world, sees and judges by heart what is good or evil, as it is according to the outward nature; what is evil, not to be accepted; what is right and good, to be judged by it, and to give thanks to God. This is my interpretation; if anyone has another, let him follow it, for I have no certain reason from Scripture.

45 Now that he goes on to say about the lower part, to make it two-layered and three-layered, it can be seen how the box is made on the inside. Below it stood in the water, there it leaves a building for all kinds of animals; there must have been many chambers with many doors, because the animals all had to graze, and each especially with pairs. I will interpret this to mean that there are various gifts in Christianity. God has given each one his gift to serve Christianity; Paul writes about this in Rom. 12, 6. 1 Cor. 12, 28. 29. Eph. 4, 11: "He has appointed some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as shepherds and teachers" 2c. This interpretation I also do not have from the Scriptures, but it rhymes well with the Scriptures. That is enough of the interpretations. Moses now continues:

V. 17-22 For behold, I will cause a flood of water to come upon the earth to destroy.

** **154 Eri. 33, 180-18L. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, 224-227. 155

I will destroy all flesh in which there is a living breath under heaven; everything on earth will perish. But with thee will I establish a covenant. And thou shalt enter into the casket with thy sons, and with thy wife, and with thy sons' wives. And thou shalt put into the coffer all manner of beasts of all flesh, every pair male and female, that they may live with thee. Of the birds after their kind, of the cattle after their kind, and of all the creeping things of the earth after their kind; of all these a pair each shall go in unto thee, that they may live. And thou shalt take unto thee every kind of meat that is eaten, and gather it unto thee, that it may be food for thee, and for them. And Noah did all that God commanded him.

Thus God's work goes on forever, so that it is foolish to think that he should ever disgrace the world. Could he not provide so much, since he had in mind to preserve Noah in such a terrible flood of sin, that he could not bring in so much food? Did he first have to gather such a supply of temporal goods, as if God could not feed and nourish them long enough? [He starts and lets Noah take care that he has food and drink. Now why does he do this? First of all, there is no other reason than his will. But yet it is also written to warn us against presumption, which is called tempting God. It is true that God wants all our works to be done in faith, that we do nothing without faith; but nevertheless he does not want us to leave in place what is available and has been given by him beforehand.

47 So that we may see it in other examples: He hath built bridges over the waters, that every man might safely pass over them. If then thou shouldest defy faith, 1) and walk not over the bridge, but upon the waters, thou shalt surely be drowned, and go to the devil. For this would be done, which he neither commanded nor commanded. It may be both, but this he has given, that he has not given. Therefore, because thou feelest not in the spirit that thou hast cause why thou must walk on the water, thou shalt not do it.

48. so Christ also did, as in the

1. In the editions: wollest.

Matthew Cap. 4, 7. When the devil led him to the top of the temple to let himself down, he said: "It is written, you shall not tempt God" Deut. 6, 16. It would be the same if you were to walk idly and not work, saying, "I believe God will feed me. Not so. It is true that He gives all things, feeds and sustains all things; but that you would not use what you could well use, God would be tempted. For he wants you to use what you have before you, what is already given and available to you; not to open your mouth to heaven and let the creature go that he has given you. He will not do a miracle for your sake without need.

49. But if it so happens that it is out of your control, that you cannot work, that you have no grain, money or cash, you must still believe that God will feed and nourish you. So, if you would like to cross the bridge but could not, and yet you are urged to cross the water, go in God's name with strong faith.

50 In short, it is done for the faith that it travels both in supply and lack on the right middle road, so that it needs the supply with gratitude, where God gives it; also again, where there is lack and yet firmly trusts, through such confidence in lack suffers no distress.

51 Item, the same is to be said of chastity, yes, of all things. Virginity is a great gift, but it comes from heaven; no one is born with it. For God has made it so that this is a male and this is a female. If you now want to let go of what you have in store and can do well, and gaze at heaven, waiting for the high, strange gift, you will be lacking; as now all monks and priests tempt God, yes, desecrate Him with their vowed chastity. If it should be so, you may also say: What may one preach God's word orally in the church, or otherwise hear and read; I would rather wait until God Himself speaks to me from heaven; He will certainly enlighten and set my heart on fire without a word, and give me the spirit 2c.; which He has forbidden.

156 Erl. 33, 182-185. Sermon on Genesis 7, 1. W. Ill, 227-230. 157

52 Therefore it is God's will that we use what He has created or ordained, and not throw it to the wind; yet you will have enough to believe. This is what this piece wants to teach, and it is almost necessary that it be well perceived. Since

God presents Himself in such a way that the wise might think Him a fool to take on such a thing; but He does it for the very reason that He makes fools of them in their prudence, as Paul says 1 Cor. 3:19, 20. Now follow:

The seventh chapter.

V. 1. And the LORD said unto Noah, Go into the box, thou, and all thy house.

There you see the right judgment of the Almighty God, which is terrible to hear, but much more terrible to see. St. Peter also quotes it, and moves it up: "God did not spare the former world, but preserved Noah, the preacher of righteousness, and brought the flood upon the world of the wicked. As if to say, That world was much better that time than now, nor did he destroy it; how terribly will he punish now, at the end of the world?

2 Now therefore behold Noah standing there in the midst of hell. It is a bad history to look at, but so powerful that no one can get enough of it. If it were to happen today that we were to live like him in the box, who would not despair? It is too horrible for reason and the senses to see that they have to float like this, that they have no place to stay, that water bursts and beats above and below.

(3) Secondly, they see nothing before their eyes, where they turn, but only death and dying, which should make one's heart tremble. For in such terrible wrath, since God is so severe that he does not spare any animal for the sake of mankind, they would think that God would also strike among them, especially because they saw the water striking all around.

4 Therefore, see what kind of faith it was that could stand in such a reputation of cruel wrath. There has been a real battle with faith and unbelief, and their heart must have suffered many a strong blow. There they still do not know any

1. In the editions: er.

They had to hold out for forty days, so that they could come out and be safe, neither above nor around themselves. Whoever would have helped him himself would have despaired, for there was no help to be seen. They had to cling to the word alone and fight by faith against all sense and reason. So you see what great, mighty power the word has when it is grasped with faith, that for five months they had death before their eyes without ceasing, and yet could despise it.

(5) Therefore it is written for the praise of faith, as all scripture is given for the strengthening of faith. The fish is one, that Christ might feed the people in the wilderness; and the ox or fatling, slain for the marriage, as it is written in Matthew Cap. 22:4. These things are to be preached and rehearsed; no work nor any pretence can help, one must cling nakedly to the mere word that God has said.

For I have seen you justified before me at this time.

This was so strong that it preserved them all with the ark in death, who otherwise would not have remained one day. The faith had to remain alive, even if there had been an eternal flood of sin. So they had to give themselves freely in the midst of death, so that they would be lost body and soul, where the word had not been.

7 Let us therefore also learn, when the hour cometh that we should die, and death is before our eyes, and with his look the devil's deceitfulness and God's wrath terrifieth us; lest thou think thou must perish, and grope about thee, and see where thou shalt tarry and stand (as they do that say, I die, and know not when; I go, and know not when).

158 Erl. 33, 185-187. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 230-233. 159

not where). There you must close your eyes and all your senses, neither knowing nor wanting to hear, but what God's word says, not paying attention to what you feel, or ever overcoming it. Take hold of the word and do not let it be taken away from you, that you say: Here I am in distress and fear, but I know that I have been baptized and that God has promised me this and that; therefore, as much and as strongly as death may break in, hold out his word to him.

8 It will not do to say, "Oh! who has served God and done many good works. These are vain, nonsensical words, so that the devil only makes the poor people despondent. But then one should say: I have sinned and done much evil, and I am sorry for it; but you are such a God, who does not consider how pious or how evil one is, if one only looks and trusts in your goodness. Thus one can recover and remain in death, as the eight remained in the midst of the flood. That is what one should learn from this. Now this is the promise given to Noah: "Go into the box, you and your whole house" 2c. And these are living words, in which they are much more firmly preserved than in the box. For if he had not had this, he would have had to sink deeper than under the earth, where it could be. But to us they are written for an example, to strengthen and comfort the faith.

(9) And here it is necessary to be accustomed to the fact that the Scripture is called a "house", since we say "wife and child". But he excludes the servants, understands only what is of one flesh and blood and of the clan. Accordingly, in the other book of Moses Cap. 1, 17. 21., we read of the mothers of sorrow: "Because they feared God and let the children of the Jews live, he made them houses," that is, he gave them men and children; not that he built them houses of wood and stones. So you will find hereafter in this book, Cap. 30:3, how Rachel, when she had no children, gave her handmaid to Jacob her husband, saying, "Lie with her, that I may be built up by her," that is, that we may chasten ourselves and become more in the house. So he says here: "Thou and all thy house," that is, thy wife, three sons, and their wives.

V. 2.3 From all the clean livestock take to you seven and seven, the little woman and her maiden; but from the unclean livestock a couple each,

the male and his female. The same of the birds of the air, seven and seven, the male and his female, that seed may live upon the face of the whole earth.

(10) This is a strange text, so that I would not know why it was said if it did not contain mysteria, that is, spiritual interpretations. Above Cap. 6, 20 he said about pairs and pairs, as also afterwards in this chapter, and yet here in the middle of the text he speaks that he should make a distinction between the clean and the unclean, and especially he expresses the birds, that he should take seven and seven in each.

(11) First of all, it is clear to see that much of the Law of Moses is taken from the ancient histories of the patriarchs. For so we read in the third book of Moses Cap. 11, 3. 9. 10. that God makes a distinction between the clean and the unclean, which are to be eaten or not eaten, and says what the sign is of the clean animals, namely, what splits the claws in two in the middle and chews the cud; item, from the fish, which have scales and raft feathers 2c. This is what Noah already said here, distinguishing the animals. In this way, Moses shows how the Law was already in effect in many parts among the earliest fathers, which he subsequently compiled, increased and improved by God's command.

12. As to the second, why he says here seven and seven each of the clean animals and birds, and above in the sixth chapter, v. 20, only one pair of all kinds of cattle and birds, we leave it until the mysteria. For according to the written sense, it is enough to think that there were not too many unclean animals in the box. After that, when Noah came in, he was to sacrifice perhaps once or twice, as it was already done, as afterwards with Moses in the law. If he had taken only one pair of clean animals with him, nothing else would have remained, so that a living seed would have been preserved.

V. 4. For yet more than seven days will I cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and will destroy every living thing from off the face of the earth that I have made.

** **160 Erl. 33, 187-190. sermon on. Genesis 7:4-24. W. m, 233-236. 161

This is the last sermon that Noah preached "on earth" before the flood, when he had now registered and prepared all things. But the people were now used to him bluing with them so long, 1) that it did not help and they were only hardened. Therefore Moses besieged:

V.5-10. And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. Now he was six hundred years old when the waters of the flood came upon the earth, and he went into the coffer with his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives, before the waters of the flood: of the clean cattle, and of the unclean, and of the fowls, and of all the creeping things of the earth, went into the coffer with him in pairs, male and female, as the LORD commanded him. And when the seven days were expired, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

14. above Cap. 5, 32. he says that he was five hundred years old, now he says six hundred, that he has just preached a hundred years, and has given the castes enough time to mend. They lived a long time at the same time, so God gave them such a long time. Now He does not give such a long time, because we do not live so long. This also made them angry and hardened them, so that they thought: God gives us such a long respite, makes us comfortable, which is a sign that He is merciful to us and does not yet have need; if He were so angry and wanted to plague us so horribly, He would not let us live so long; as all unbelievers think. But God only allows them to be blinded and hardened by the fact that they deserve it.

(15) But when it came upon their necks, they fled, and had nowhere to go. God would not listen to them anymore, because they had not obeyed any preaching; they had called him in vain, so he calls them again in vain (Micah 3:4). So we are to learn in this, both the long-suffering and the wrath and punishment of God.

V. 11: In the six hundredth year of Noah's age, on the seventeenth day of the second month.

1. to blanch - to struggle, to toil.
2. Whoever reads in Moses must be accustomed to the fact that he uses many words in a hostile manner, so that he always does one thing, and is sometimes rich beyond measure, and therefore floods with words; again, at times so ill that he hardly dribbles, and does many things with one word, that it might be annoying to one who does not know the way of language. But God allows it to be written in such a way that he makes a fool of reason, because where he speaks most foolishly, he is most wise; therefore it is not to be despised. But he does it here in the chapter especially because Noah was concerned about it, since he was in such fear. When one is in distress, it is not too much to hear a word three or four times, one cannot preach and comfort enough; but when one has a good rest, one soon becomes discontented, as here one would think: You fool, why do you speak so many words? because it seems like he is washed; but this does not make anything different, because we are not in the sense that he had here.

V.11-24. This is the day when all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and opened the windows of heaven, and there came rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights. That same day Noah went into the box with Shem, Ham, and Japheth his sons, and with his wife, and his sons' three wives. And all manner of beasts after their kind, and all manner of cattle after their kind, and all manner of creeping things that creep upon the earth after their kind, and all manner of fowls after their kind, and all that fly, and all that have feet, all went in unto Noah into the coffer by couples, of all flesh, wherein was a living spirit: and they were male and female of all flesh, and went in, as God commanded him: and the LORD shut up after him. Then the flood came upon the earth forty days, and the waters increased, and lifted up the box, and carried it up above the earth. So the waters overflowed, and increased greatly on the earth, so that the box on the waters

2. hostile-----very much.

162 Erl. 33, iso-192. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 236-240. 163

went. And the waters overflowed, and increased so much upon the earth, that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; fifteen cubits high did the waters overflow the mountains that were covered. Then all flesh that crept upon the earth perished, of birds, of cattle, of beasts, and of all that moved upon the earth, and of all men; every living thing that had a living breath in the dry land died. So everything that was on the face of the earth was destroyed, from man to beast, and to creeping things, and to the fowls of the air, all were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah remained, and all that was with him in the box. And the waters stood upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

(17) Then he says where the waters come from, that is, from below and above. What then are the fountains of the deep, and windows of heaven? It is spoken with flowery words, and so much is said: Where there was depth, as great ponds and lakes, there it went out, welled up and poured out, so that it washed away; so that the wells are, from where it welled up, and is broken out below; but above it is poured in.

Broken with a vain breast of clouds, 1) and violently washed away, suddenly gave much water; for much water belonged to it, that it went fifteen cubits over all the mountains, as he writes here.

(18) Of the secret interpretation of this chapter I will not say much; for what the flood signifies is sufficiently dealt with above Cap. 6, § 35; but of the clean and unclean animals belongs in another book of Moses, where it is commanded not to eat of unclean things, nor to sacrifice. For this interpretation is too broad and belongs to the gospel and the law. We have it also still in many pieces that we do not eat some animals, which uncleanness does not come from nature, but from God's law. So from the beginning of the world there have always been some statutes. For it is almost impossible for a government to exist without various outward statutes. The fathers already had differences among the animals, but they undoubtedly dealt with them freely, according to the freedom of conscience, just as many prophets afterwards did under the law.

1. Cloud breast - cloudburst.

The eighth chapter.

V.1-12. Then God remembered Noah, and all the animals, and all the cattle that were with him in the box, and caused the wind to come upon the earth, and the waters fell, and the wells of the deep were stopped up, along with the windows of heaven, and the rain from heaven was prevented, and the waters went out from the earth continually, and decreased after an hundred and fifty days. On the seventeenth day of the seventh moon, the box settled on Mount Ararat. The waters continued to flow and recede until the tenth moon. On the first day of the tenth moon, the tops of the mountains appeared. After forty days Noah opened the window of the box he had made and let a raven fly out; it flew out and came back again, just as it had done.

When the waters dried up on the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had fallen on the earth. When the dove did not find a place to rest its foot, it came back to him in the box, because the water was still all over the ground. Then he waited another seven days, and again a dove flew out of the box, and came to him at supper time; and, behold, it had broken off a leaf of oil, and was carrying it in its mouth. Then Noah heard that the waters had fallen on the earth. He waited another seven days, and sent forth a dove, which came not again to him.

** **164 Erl. 33, 19L-I94. Sermon on Genesis 8:1-12. w. m, 210-213. 165

The chapter stops, how the flood has decreased and has gone away, after it had stood and grown an awful long time, and also has cost some days, until it has passed; hundred and fifty days it has stood, says the text, that is almost half a year. Then you can think: should Noah not have trembled and fidgeted with his own during that time, so that it would not stop? God's work is so horrible and terrible; faith is still much stronger, which can endure it and expect the end. To indicate this, he describes it here so diligently with so many words that he also counts the days so evenly. First, he says that it began to decrease after a hundred and fifty days, that the box stood on the highest mountain Ararat in the seventh month, when the water had previously gone fifteen cubits high over all the mountains. After that it fell forty days, until the tenth moon. Then he waited until the other moons of the following year. So he stayed in the box for one year and two moons. This is to show the power of faith and the miraculous work of God.

After that, he sets two pieces, one of the raven and one of the dove. And it is strange to behold, as if nothing had happened in the box but this. Of the first he sent forth a raven, saith Moses, which flew out, and returned as long as the waters were dry. That is so much said: he made it so long with the coming again, until it became quite dry, that he should still come again. As we would say in German: He comes and comes, he waits and waits; that is, it will be until he remains outside.

But what lusts the Holy Spirit to speak such a thing? It is a loose history, to reckon humanly. But God does not judge as men do; He is the Master who knows what He should have written. Summa Summarum: The history has that in itself, that Noah naturally needs the raven; because he is the kind, where he comes on a rotten carrion, he sits on it and eats; so Noah thought, he would eat himself full and come again. But he would not, and remained outside.

4 Then he sent out the dove, which was to come again and say. This is a

pure animal, eatset no carrion nor unclean; therefore a saying is: It is so pure, as if the doves had selected it. This one comes again, and brings nothing. The other brings a green oil leaf; the third remains outside.

If one wants to interpret this, one cannot do it better than to the preachers who are commanded to preach God's word. The Christian church, signified by Noah's box, has two kinds of preachers: first, the belly-servants and gluttons, signified by the raven, who seek nothing by preaching but to have enough and fill their bellies; where the word will not serve their bellies, they turn their noses at it, so that it must be directed to it. In addition, if it goes to the meeting, that they should confess it, then they deny; these are unclean rogues, who eat carrion; we must have these also. For so it has been in all the times of the prophets and apostles until now, that beside the right doctrine false teachers fly out; for this purpose this raven shall be lifted up, that he preacheth the right law of God, though he interpreteth it not aright.

Our lumpen preachers, who preach humanity alone, are not yet so good. Now, these also come from the box, have the name that they belong to Christianity, are preachers and bishops. But what do they do? They eat unclean, dead carrion; that is, their doctrine is all of flesh and blood and outward works; there they drag the Scriptures, there they stop, they do not come back, as Paul 1 Tim. 5:12, 6:4, 5 Tit. 3:11 says: "They have their judgment there." The hub brings no good testimony, nor anything comforting; such teachers preach, since no one has any joy from it, make vain fear of the conscience.

7. but those who are signified by the dove are those who walk in the word of God with simplicity; as St. Paul [2 Cor. 1:12.That is, we preachers have a simple mind, like the doves, seeking nothing else but the pure teaching of the gospel, desiring neither honor nor favor, daring everything to be done only so that the teaching may remain pure, so that it may be done to them as God would have it.

166 Erl. 33, 194-197. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 243-246. 167

will. But the others are not simple-minded, but are full of their own profit; this is a mischievous eye, as Christ says Matt. 6:23. Now this is the dear dove, which first flees, but finds nothing; it is not yet time for the gospel to be preached; God must be left to flee, until the raven gorges itself full of carrion; therefore it comes back into the box.

(8) And again he sends forth another dove, which cometh again, bringing a leaf of oil in the mouth at the time of vespers. All Scripture has indicated everywhere that the Gospel is to be the last sermon; therefore one finds in Scripture from time to time that the evening always means and indicates the last time and sermon, as also in the Gospel, where Christ Luc. 14, 16. compares it to the Lord's Supper. Even though the evening is long gone, it is still the last sermon, after which there should be no other. That is why the dove comes at vespers, when the day is about to end.

(9) What is the oil leaf in their mouth? Nothing else, but the pure gospel in the mouth of the pure preachers. Oil signifies grace and mercy throughout the Scriptures. For it is of such a nature that, as wine makes the body inwardly beautiful and joyful, so oil makes the body outwardly beautiful, supple, smooth, and beautiful. Because it so delicately soothes, heals and soothes with its sweet, delicate juice, it signifies divine grace and mercy preached through the gospel. Therefore the dove carries the oil leaf in its mouth; for the leaf signifies the preaching, as the fruit signifies the works. So see what the gospel is: nothing else, but like the oil leaf, which the dove brings into the box.

(10) From such an example and figure we Christians should make a daily proverb, against all doctrines and laws of men, which we should keep in our speeches: The dove brings nothing in the mouth, but the oil leaf, that is, one should preach nothing in Christianity. Preach something else than the true gospel? Otherwise, if something else were to be preached, it would be some leaf from a bush, 1) or a piece of rotten carrion.

1. Holder---Elder.

bring. He who does not lead the oil leaf is not the pure dove, that is, he who does not preach the gospel alone is not a Christian preacher. So such figurae allegoricae, that is, which mean something secret, serve for mean sayings. Thus the Holy Spirit takes pleasure in describing such simple histories. I think it would have been necessary to write other things; he lets that go and takes the very least.

(11) When this was done, Noah saw, as Moses says in the beginning of this chapter, that God remembered him; now the distress is ended, and the wrath is gone. This is now the last sermon, as the dove is the last messenger, after which no more shall come. When this goes out, we have a certain sign of grace, that God turns away the wrath; there comes comfort, and the temptation ceases, and the heart comes forth from death into life. Up to now, the pious Noah has always been in a great struggle, so that the dove with the oil leaf has certainly been a comforting messenger.

In the six hundred and one year of Noah's age, on the first day of the first month, the waters of the earth dried up. Then Noah took the roof off the box and saw that the ground was dry. So the earth became completely dry on the seventh and twentieth day of the second month.

You see that they have been in the box for a whole year. Above Cap. 7, 11. he says, how he went in in the six hundredth year, on the seventeenth day of the other moon. Here he says that the earth became completely dry in the six hundredth and one year, on the seventh and twentieth day of the other moon, that Noah went out. On the first day of the first moon, he says, the earth dried up; then, on the seventh and twentieth day of the second moon, it became completely dry, that is, it lasted three months after the dove flew out, and even longer.

V.15-19. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, "Come out of the box, you and your wife, your sons and your sons' wives with you, all the animals that are with you, of all kinds of flesh, of birds, of cattle and of all kinds of worms,

** **168 Erl. ss, 197-199. sermon on I Moses 8, 15-19. W. in, 246-24S. ItzA

that crepeth upon the earth, let it go forth with thee. And stir yourselves upon the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. So Noah went out with his sons and with his wife and his sons' wives. And every kind of beast, and every kind of creeping thing, and every kind of fowl, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, went forth out of the box, every one to his own kind.

(13) This is also a proper text for faith, for you see that he did not go out of the box, nor would he have gone out before God commanded him to do so. By God's commandment he went in, by God's commandment he goes out again, and not only he, but all that lived on earth. And see how it goes one after the other. First, God bids him, his wife, sons and their wives, and animals, to go out. Then He says, "Be fruitful and multiply." For it seemed as if there should be no more life left on earth; therefore he tells them to discipline themselves again. And this is not only a commandment, but also strict earnestness, as we have heard above.

(14) Now this is shown in all of Moses, more than in all of Scripture, that no life or work is valid before God that he does not command, either publicly or secretly through men. Therefore he did not let Noah do anything, because he had commanded him to do it; although it was done here that such a work had to be done, that he went out of the box with everything that was with him, because he saw that God had let the whole earth become dry; nevertheless he was not allowed to do it until he had commanded him to do it, so that he would be sure that his work would be in God's favor.

(15) Accordingly, each one should arrange his state and all his works in such a way that he may be sure that they please God, and live in such a way that we may always be ready for death. Which no one can do unless he is sure that his life and what he does will please God. For he who cannot say this is in a damned state. But that we may be sure of this, it will not be done by works, but by faith, which makes a man comfortable, and assures the heart that everything pleases God;

And even if he does something he does not like, it often happens that he still credits him with it. For man's life is such that he does many things that he would not like to have done, as Paul says in Romans 7:19. But nothing else comes of it, 1) nor can anything else come of it; sins and gross infirmities must always run along with it; therefore man becomes hostile to your life, and always desires death. Thus a Christian man must always deal with the works that are allowed to grace and mercy; he would like to deal with good works, but he cannot.

(16) Therefore, we have taught that the whole life must be based on faith and God's words if it is to please God. For faith without the word is nothing. For what shall I believe if no one promises me? If something is to be promised to me, the word must come to me. Therefore Moses concludes that before everything we do, there must first be God's word, and then we must cling to it through faith. So man can happily say: God has said this, I am sure of it, and I cannot be deceived, so I know that what I do pleases Him; and if I find it, He spares me and looks through my fingers until I am dead.

17 You will find this especially in Moses' books, that it seems to me that he wanted to do it so that he would teach us not to do any work, because we have the testimony of God that it pleases him. With this, all life and being is already down, except for God's commandment. So tell me, where will those remain who have conceived and chosen beings of their own, of which God has not commanded? How can anyone say that the works of the so-called spiritual state are pleasing to God, because no one can say that he commanded them? If you are not sure that he has commanded it, you are in danger that it will not please him; or, if it does please him, you do not know it. For this reason they build on sand and uncertainty. Yes, they say, the Christian church and holy fathers have ordered it so, therefore we are obedient; so God will say again: Yes, where is my word? where have I ordered it to be so?

1. In the issues: not different from.

170 Erl. 33, 199-Loi. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 249-251. 171

The devil will pretend this to you when you die; so you are uncertain whether it is rightly commanded, because they themselves do not know whether it pleases God. But "uncertain" cannot receive the puff, nor escape the devil.

18 For this reason I have often preached that no one should do anything that is good in the sight of God, unless he first knows whether it pleases him. If you do something on your own initiative, so that it seems good to you, only know for certain that it is the devil's work.

19 Therefore notice this text, how Noah, the holy man full of the Spirit, does not step out of the ark without the word of God; indeed, that no animal should hedge until God has commanded it. Therefore he comes before anyone speaks of it, saying, "Reprove, be fruitful, and multiply." In short, he will not let any creature do any work, for he has commanded it. Thus we have heard above in the first chapter, "And God said," 2c. that no thing could thus go as it goes, he must first call it; nor do we want to be wiser and more than God, that we do everything according to our own conceit, and do not once think on God's word.

Noah built an altar unto the LORD, and took of all clean cattle, and of all clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar. And the LORD smelled the sweet savour, and said in his heart, 1) I will curse the earth no more for man's sake: for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. And I will no more smite all that liveth, as I have done. As long as the earth stands, seed and harvest, frost and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.

(20) The sacrifice that was made in the Old Testament was commonly of doves or turtledoves, and of birds. But of cattle, goats, sheep, and bullocks or oxen. We will save these for the fourth book of Moses. And among other sacrifices, the burnt offering is chief, of which it is said here. This was

1. The words: "in his heart" are missing here in the editions; but later in the interpretation (Z22) they are set.

such a sacrifice, of which the priests got nothing, but had to be burned even, with dung and fur. Which all points to the faith; of it is to be said elsewhere.

(21) What is this that the Scripture says, as if God had a nose, and smelled sheep and cattle, and said that it was a sweet savour unto him, as it is afterwards often read in Moses? After all, it is a small pleasure to smell an ox or sheep being burned to powder. Therefore it is a spiritual smell; and that it comes before God is that God learns of it, or makes it known to Him, and takes care of the sacrifice, just as one can test what it is from the smell that one has of a thing that one does not otherwise see. So he wants to say that something pleasant and agreeable happens to him, which he likes and pleases him, from which a good cry goes out and comes before him. And this is especially said of our faith. If I do something pleasing in the sight of God, and my heart feels it, as it surely must, it is still hidden from me; therefore, as it is in my heart, so it is in the sight of God. The heart must perceive that it is pleasing to God, pleasant and a pleasant smell, but because I do not yet see it, it is still covered up in faith. Therefore, the Scriptures speak of how it is between God and us, that it be as we hold it, as my heart walks in faith. So the scripture writes that he now smells, now not, therefore that I feel it, now therefore, now differently.

22. There now come again the comforting promises of God, since the text thus says: "God said in His heart, I will no longer curse the earth for the sake of mankind" 2c. Who said this to Noah or to Most? It is this much: he felt it in the bottom of his heart that God would no longer curse the earth for man's sake. Why is that? "Because the thoughts of man's heart are evil from his youth." This is truly praised, and a great honor to us. He who thinks himself a man may well let the rhyme stand. It is painted in the shield of all of us, that we may put down our faces and never cheerfully rise up. And so I will say: What good would it do if I beat them without ceasing; I can see that it is ruined; it is nothing.

172 Erl. 33, 201-2V4. Sermon on Genesis 8, 20-22. W. m, Ai-256. 173

Good from his youth, that no young child is pure and innocent; for he speaks of those who are not baptized. If then all the intentions and thoughts of man, which come from your free will, are evil, what should the works be? For this is what the world must say: What comes from a wicked, mischievous heart is not good, even if it seems to be the very finest, and is called a treacherous evil. There all our clergymen, that is, world saints, are attacked, that God says out of thin air: there are boys in the skin, where they are the best; how they take it and write it, it is all basically evil.

(23) Therefore he says: I will no more smite the world so, with all that liveth. For after the mark he smites

He will leave a city, a country and a heap, but he will do so no more; we are safe until the last day. Day and night, summer and winter shall remain, lest all things perish, as long as the earth stand. And with it it is indicated that it is not to stand eternally, that once the youngest day will come. So long he will let it remain, until he turns it all around. However, land must always remain, which takes seed to itself, and grows, and lets it harvest. All this shall be consumed in one day, but no longer by water, but by fire; so that there shall be no more day nor night, winter nor summer, seed nor harvest, but new heavens and earth, and one everlasting day.

1. Erlanger: neus.

The ninth chapter.

V. 1-3. And God blessed Noah and his sons, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. Let your fear and dread be upon all the beasts of the earth, upon all the fowls of the air, and upon every creeping thing that creepeth upon the face of the earth; and let every fish of the sea be delivered into your hand. Let everything that moves and lives be your food; like the green herb, I have given it all to you.

Since God, as we have heard, had destroyed the whole world by his wrath, so that it seemed as if he no longer wanted to show mercy, therefore he repeats here everything that he had given to man before. The first, that they should discipline themselves and multiply. The other, that they should be lords over all animals, birds and fish. And here he adds to this. For before the flood it is not read that he gave them flesh to eat, so that it is a little better here than before.

(2) But all things are spoken and written for this purpose, that we may see, as it hath been sufficiently said, how that God would not have any thing done upon earth, which was not first commanded of him; that no work should be done, except by his word, or without his command. Which also all creatures keep, without

man and the devil. The others could not go otherwise than as God has ordered, without us being angry and having transgressed; yet it must nevertheless go according to God's order, that men chasten and multiply themselves.

3. that he now says: "Your fear and terror be over all animals and birds, and fish in the sea", is not to think that we should have all fish in the great sea, and all animals on earth. I some person can not have all the fish and animals in forests under hand. It is said to the whole community that everything that lives would have to be subject to men if they did together. Thus the power is not given to each in particular, but to the multitude, that it may bring all things to and under itself. "The fish in the sea." Sea 2) is the name given to all large bodies of water, which we call ponds, small and large lakes, item swamps, in which fish walk and live, as is the scriptural way of speaking. But that he gives them power to eat flesh is, as I said, a new gift. But there went out the unclean beasts, as yet before the eyes, that one might

2. "Sea" is missing in the Wittenberg and the Erlanger.

174 Eri. 33, so!-2vk. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 256-258. 175

does not eat them. But he only takes a common excerpt from all kinds of animals and says:

V. 4. 5. But eat not the flesh with the blood, wherein is the soul. For I will require your blood, wherein is your soul, from the hands of every beast; and I will require the soul of man from the hands of man, and every man's soul from the hands of another.

This commandment is almost enforced in the Old Testament through the Book of Leviticus. [The Jews also still keep it strictly, that they strip the blood from all flesh and squeeze it. But the reason why it is forbidden to eat, I do not know, especially according to history, because he wanted to wean us so that we would not become addicted to blood, and also gain a horror 1) to shed human blood. For the death stroke had already begun and come into the world from Cain, that God struck a special prohibition on it, as he also does here. By this commandment he wanted to tear the people away from it, so that they would become timid. But now we no longer hold such things, comforting ourselves that in the New Testament we are free from such outward statutes, as Paul often indicates in his epistles, that all statutes are no longer valid in Christianity.

5 So here he adds the cause itself, and says: "In it is the soul. "For I will have your blood, wherein is the soul" 2c. "The soul," that is, "the life." I would that we had such a word in our language, that we might rightly give the Hebrew word nephesh. When we call "the soul" according to our language, we call the other part of man that separates from the body, that is, the Scriptures commonly call "the spirit. For the Hebrew language is much richer than we in our language. But "soul" they call the bodily life, which we naturally lead, according to the five senses. So it is commonly used in Scripture, as one often reads in the third book of Moses Cap. 5, 2. 7, 21.: "When a soul defiles itself." Item Deut. 19, 11. 22, 26.: "If someone strikes a soul," and the-

1. In the editions: "a grawen"; but "grauen" is always of the neuter gender in Luther.

same that it is called no more, because a natural man.

(6) So we shall hear in the twelfth chapter v. 5, how Abraham went forth with all the substance which they had gained, and souls which they had begotten; and Cap. 46, 27. how Jacob went into Egypt with seventy souls. We cannot suffer it well in our language, but must be accustomed to the Scripture way. So also understand the saying in the Gospel John 12:25, "He that hateth his soul keepeth it unto life eternal." Item Joh. 10, 12.: "I leave my soul for my sheep." If one wants it rightly German, it is so much: I leave my body life for my sheep. Item: He who sets down his body life and despises it. Therefore do not think, as some pagans have thought, that the spirit or soul dwells in the blood; for where this would be, the soul could never separate from the blood. For I will require your blood from the hands of every beast, and I will require the soul of man from the hands of man," which is to say, "Whosoever sheddeth blood, I will require it of him, though he be a beast. This is a strange saying, since one can see that this commandment is actually intended to prevent murder and death. Therefore it follows:

V. 6. 7. Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood shall also be shed by man, for God made man in His image. Be fruitful and multiply, and be active on the earth, that you may become many.

7. The 2) is the first commandment of the worldly sword: Whoever sheds men's blood, he shall be guilty that his blood be shed again; yet not that he God will do it himself, but it shall be done by men. In the words the worldly authority is appointed, and the right of God, the sword, is given into its hand. As also above Gen. 4:14 of Cain, when he said, "Thus it shall come to pass, that whosoever finds me shall slay me," which he would not have said if Adam had not wielded the sword. Therefore Noah will have preached and led this also. This is one that is founded here.
8. Erlanger: Da.

176 Erl. 33, 206-208. Sermon on Genesis 9:6-17. W. Ill, 258-201. 177

(8) But understand the saying to mean that it is true that all the blood of the slayer is shed by the hands of men, unless God comes first. For he only establishes law and power here, although it is often abated by those who have the law. This does not mean that justice is abolished, but rather that it continues; for he does not say de facto what is to be done, but de jure what is to be done, what is to be done; but for this reason it does not always happen so soon.

V. 8-17. God further said to Noah and to his sons with him, "Behold, I establish a covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, of birds, and of cattle, and of all the beasts of the earth that are with you, of all that are gone out of the casket, of whatsoever beasts they be upon the earth. And establish my covenant with you, that henceforth all flesh shall no more be destroyed with the waters of the flood, neither shall there any more come a flood to destroy the earth. And God said: This is the sign of my covenant, which I have made between me and every living creature among you forever. I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of my covenant between me and the earth. And when it comes that I bring clouds over the earth, then my bow shall be seen in the clouds. Then I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures in all flesh, so that there will no longer be a flood to destroy all flesh. Therefore my bow shall be in the clouds, that I may look upon it, and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature in all flesh that is upon the earth. God said the same thing to Noah: "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and all flesh on earth.

9 See the order. First, he has exposed it again according to the outward nature, given more gift, freedom to eat meat, and given new laws. For he seeth that there is no good in us: therefore, though he cannot inwardly, yet will he outwardly defend the wicked with the sword; for the pious may not. Now make

He also gives faith for his own, first the word and then the sign. For he has acted this way from the beginning: when he gives the gospel, he does not leave it at the word, but adds a sign. As we have in the New Testament the word Marc. 16, 16.: "He that believeth" 2c., with it also the sign: "He that is baptized." Likewise we have Christ's body and blood in the bread and wine besides the word Matth. 26, 26. 27.. So he does like a pious, faithful man who writes a letter and presses his seal on it.

(10) But these words are not yet the true gospel, for it is a promise that concerns not only them, the people, but all the animals of the earth; it is a physical good and benefit that he promised before Noah asked for it or thought about it. Therefore he keeps these words, we believe or not. Noah had faith, and was a devout man. The animals could not believe, yet he also promised them. But it helps Noah that his faith is strengthened and comforted. But he speaks differently, not that no flesh should perish, but that it should no longer be destroyed by the waters and the flood. As if to say, I will hereafter cause another destruction, not with water, but with fire at the last day 2 Pet. 3:7. Item, that he says: "all flesh", indicates that it may well happen that a city or country is drowned; item, that the animals are drowned in the water; but in general it shall not perish. These are the words; now of the sign.

(11) Here the masters of the pagans, the philosophers, wanted to be clever, and were almost worried and broken about what the rainbow was, and they were hostilely striving, 1) how it happened that it always stood against the sun, and generally against the morning, when the sun stood against the evening. Item, that it is only half round, some have said, it 2) comes from the fact that the hollow clouds push the ray of the sun back against the sun, so that it breaks and makes such an arc of various colors. Some bring also other causes, mean, we should it

1. That is, very much sought after. Jenaer and Wittenberger: "vleissig betrachtet".
2. Erlanger: er.

178 Eri. 33, 208-211. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, -2M-264. 179

believe. But if you look at it, it is such loose fables, as if it had been said by vain old cripples. So leave off such fables and follow the Scriptures, which say that it is because God says: "When I cover the sky with clouds, then my bow shall be seen in the clouds"; not that it is always seen when there are clouds in the sky, for he does not say that; but when he desires, he makes us see him.

12. as often as we see him (he says), he wants us to remember the covenant he made with us. So we shall know and understand how it means so much that God remembers his promise not to drown the world any more with the flood of sin, and reminds us of the great wrath and judgment that went over the whole world before, that there is none more terrible from the beginning to the end of the world. Thus he admonishes us of the terrible wrath that the world deserved, and still deserves, and yet comforts us that he will no longer punish it so, because the earth stands.

013 And what is this, that he saith, Then will I remember my covenant; item, Therefore shall my bow be in the clouds, that I may look upon it, and remember my everlasting covenant? When is he ever so drowsy that he forgets, when all things are ever before his eyes, that he must see and cannot forget? But these are sayings that indicate the nature of faith. The Scripture says that God remembers when we feel and realize that he remembers, namely, when he presents himself outwardly in such a way that we notice how he remembers. For since the bow does not always stand, it seems outwardly as if he does not always remember it; but when it is seen, we can say: Behold, God remembers his word. So it all goes like this: as I stand against God, so He stands against me; He cannot otherwise deal with us except by words and signs. Therefore, it is called "remembering" when it is done in such a way that I see and hear it. You must be accustomed to this throughout the Scriptures. So we have the flood of sin gone, which is all written for our sake, that we may learn what God's works are.

14. but if there is still the point, which means that one should not eat blood; that must be

we act a little, because ^s stands here first, and is often repeated in the Scriptures. But I have said before that where one cannot prove the interpretation, one should not build and stand firmly on it; so here I say that what is interpreted is right and true, but that it rhymes here, I do not want to die on it. First, to eat and drink is to believe in the Scriptures, or to see the doctrine with faith; as in the Gospel of John the bread signifies the doctrine or law, the fish good examples. This is right and certain by Scripture through and through; for Christ John 6:54 clearly says, "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life," is not said of bodily, but of spiritual eating, as he himself interprets it, v. 35, which is, "He that believeth on me." Thus to eat is always to believe; but according as the food is, so is the eating; as the doctrine is, so is the faith. If the doctrine is right, it is also right faith; if it is wrong and poisoned, it is also wrong, dead faith.

(15) Since it is also said here about food, it must of course concern doctrine and faith, so that the blood means the doctrine that God does not want. But which is it? I have often said that the Christian life consists of two parts. When one preaches about faith, one should see to it that one preaches in the most truthful way, for it cannot suffer anything to be added to it; but love can suffer many things, as Paul says 1 Cor. 13:7: "Love endures all things," even the most wicked of boys, as Christ has borne us; but faith bears nothing, thus saying: "That people live imperfectly, there may be patience, but with unrighteous doctrine I have no patience.

Therefore, there is a great difference between 1) doctrine and life. With doctrine there is no joking, it must remain pure and right, but with life we do not keep it so strict. As can be seen in the Gospel, Christ is patient with the disciples and sees through their fingers when they stumble. But he also punishes them at times, saying, "This is not right; this is the teaching. But with the Pharisees and hypocrites

1. "the" is missing in the Erlanger.

180 En. 33, Zn-213. Sermon on Genesis 9, 8-29. W. m, 264-268. 181

he never had any patience; for it is not the life that is affected, but the doctrine. The greatest power lies in the doctrine; if it remains pure, one can bear all kinds of imperfect life and weakness, so far as one holds to the doctrine and confesses that life should be different; but where the doctrine is falsified, life can no longer be helped.

(17) So God relents here, wanting people to eat flesh, but refusing to eat blood. As if to say: Keep only faith pure, though you cannot keep and have love pure and perfect. The blood is pure in man, because the soul is in it. That is, faith teaches: You are condemned from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. That is why we are baptized and immersed in water, so that it may be understood that man must be drowned and perish in this life, because this bodily life is vain sin. Now he that preacheth otherwise, and layeth up our own work, as the Jews did, when they said that the law of Moses must be kept, giveth blood to eat, wherein is life in the flesh; that is, he maketh men to stand in their vesture and blood, because we are born in it.

(18) So I could well bear all the errors that the pope, bishops, 2c. have, apart from doctrine; but that they want to have their doctrine preached, and condemn ours, that is not for us to suffer. For they have corrupted the world, they have preached nothing, that the old Adam might be killed, and they have not suffered him that would preach it. Therefore their doctrine is nothing but eating blood and drinking. So you see why God forbade so severely to eat blood, that is, not to preach anything that makes men able and strengthens works, but only that man must die before God. Therefore, when I preach thus: Dear man, if you want to be saved, it is necessary that you despair of everything that is human, and die to everything that is innate to you 1 Pet. 2, 24, take off the old Adam altogether, and crawl into another skin Col. 3, 9. 10., that is preached purely, and no blood eaten.

19 Now against this is that preaching. For they let man still live in his will and works, as something before God.

should apply. If then thou teachest to kill man Rom. 8, 13. Col. 3, 5., thou mayest eat flesh; but from the blood thou must beware, that is, thou teachest to put to death the flesh that is not yet in the pit. The flesh cannot be cast away altogether; for what is not perfect we must suffer, and bear the infirmity. Let that be enough of it.

V. 18-29. The sons of Noah who went out of the box are these: Shem, Ham, Japheth. Ham however is the father Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah, by whom all the lands were occupied. And Noah began and became a husbandman, and planted vineyards. And when he drank of the wine, he was drunken, and lay uncovered in the tabernacle. When Ham, Canaan's father, saw his father's shame, 1) he told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took their garment, and put it on both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered their father's shame; and their faces were turned away, that they might not see their father's shame. When Noah awoke from his wine, and learned what his little son had done to him, he said, Cursed be Canaan, and be a servant of all the servants of his brethren. And said further, Praise be to GOD, the LORD of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant. Let God spread out Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant. Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years, and his whole age was nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.

20 This history is easy in itself, that Noah, the holy patriarch, teaches the world also to seek temporal food, as when he planted vineyards and built them. For this is not to be rejected, that the Scripture speaks of the holy fathers, how they outwardly performed small works.

1. Marginal gloss: Father's shame. Many interpret this story to mean that prelates should not be punished for their vices, which Christ and all the apostles did. But interpret it correctly, that Noah is Christ and all believers. Let drunkenness be love and faith in the Holy Spirit. The nakedness is the cross and suffering before the world. Ham are the false saints of works and the glorifiers who mock Christ and his own, and take pleasure in their sufferings. Shem and Japheth are the pious Christians who praise and honor such suffering.

182 Erl. 33, 213-215. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 268-271. 183

See what they have done, so that it is not evil, but well done, to work the earth and bring forth the food that God wants to give.

21 Although it is also indicated that it should be used moderately. For God showers us abundantly with his goods, but no one needs them except the spirit; where this is lacking, they are misused, so that they are 1) squandered away nefariously, or that avarice takes hold of them too much, and no one enjoys them.

This chapter also gives an almost good sermon for us Germans. For here we have an example that we get drunk and drunk up. For the text clearly says how the holy man became drunk, as we will also hear about Lot hereafter Cap. 19, 33, 35. Nevertheless, we cannot soon blame this work for being done so badly, although the Scripture does not say whether it was done well or badly. But the fact that it says that he was a holy man also indicates that he certainly did not do it out of any evil opinion or intention, that he may or may not have done it, but perhaps, when he was tired, he wanted to refresh himself and thus became drunk; so that such a work might well be done by a holy, pious man, as otherwise by bad boys. As in many other works, it is common to be angry, to be angry, to be scolded, but we read that Christ himself did it.

(23) This I say, that the saints, when their lives and examples are led, are to be regarded, not according to works, but according to the person, and according to their faith. It is not a dangerous thing, for when one looks at the works that the saints have done, he does not look at the faith in which and from which they have done the works. As if I fell on the work and wanted to get drunk and then say, "If the holy man Noah did it, I will go to the devil, just as he went to heaven. Likewise also judge other works of the saints. Therefore, whoever wants to follow the saints must have the faith in which they walked. If

1. In the old editions: smokeless.

he has, he can follow them without driving.

24 Thus we read in the book of Judges Cap. 15:8, 11 of Samson the holy judge, how he smote the Philistines, and his people asked him why he had done this thing: and he said, As they have done it unto me, so have I done it unto them. Behold, this is ever unchristian, and contrary to the gospel. Therefore, if you would follow the example and do so, you are leading to the devil. The reason is that you are not the man Samson was, and he was not the man you are. He was righteous in heart, therefore the work was blameless. For he was so minded to suffer for his sake that they would have killed him. But because he was appointed judge, and was to punish the Philistines, and to deliver his people out of their hand, he speaketh rightly, as if he should say, Inasmuch as they have done it unto my people, they have done it unto me.

(25) Therefore we conclude with the epistle to the Hebrews chap. 11, where he explains how the holy arch-fathers did all works by faith: "Look at your forefathers, how they believed"; as if to say, not what works they did. For it is not possible for us to do all works as the saints did. Nor would anything but vain sect and dissension come of it. In this way all cobblers should be fishermen, because the apostles were fishermen Matt. 4:18. Shouldn't a shoemaker be able to be pious and do his trade in faith? But should everyone therefore follow him? Therefore let every man wait for his work. But if it should come to pass that there is need, then thou also shalt follow his work. Otherwise, stick to your own, and you will stay out of the way. The works are many, but faith is one. So you may follow the outward nature, which is called good, that you do well as he has done, but do not determine the very work, person, time, place, 2c. determine.

26 Therefore I say that Noah's getting drunk could have been done without sin. If another did it, it would be sin. This makes it necessary to separate works from faith. God judges according to the person; as the person is, so is the work.

27. there were also many who preached against the

184 Eri. 33, 215-218. Sermon on Genesis 9, 18-29. W. m, 271-274. 185

Drunkenness, and we Germans in particular, have the 1) clamor of it in other countries. It is also not a delicious virtue. But however shameful it is, it is also true that if I had to choose one, I would rather suffer this vice than the one they practice and lead, which they despise us so proudly for, which I do not want to name. Nor do I want to incite them to it, but rather from it, and I would also like to ward it off and stop it if I could. For this reason, no one may take the example for himself and protect his bad habits.

28 Now further. Behold, what a fickle thing it is about a man, and how terrible is God's judgment. There are only eight persons preserved in the ark on earth, four men and four women, and all holy. For if Ham had not been pious, God would not have preserved him in the box with the others, nor would he have been able to carry it. For it had to be a great, strong faith that should stand before the terrible plague, and float in the water, and likewise live in the midst of death, which was always before his eyes. That we may well be astonished that such an excellent man in high faith falls so low that he is cursed with all his descendants, and that God becomes so hostile to him that he subsequently destroys all his family. If then he who has had such faith does not stand, how easily may we who still have so little faith fall?

29. But I have said that it is God's judgment prescribed in all histories from the beginning of the world, that we may see what God's works are. But this is God's work, that no one is so high up that he cannot fall down, and again, no one is so low that he cannot come up. Therefore, there is no reason for either side to despair or to be presumptuous.

(30) So we see in the example that he and his wife fell into presumption, became secure, and insisted on their faith, and so fell into negligence. They sank down until they fell to the ground, 2) so that everyone who has faith may fear and be afraid, and not be sure.

1. "that" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. Erlanger: fall.

as Paul 1 Cor. 10:12 also says 3), "Let him that standeth see that he fall not." It cannot be said that this man did not have true grace or faith; he was much more worthy than perhaps anyone else on earth, for one would hardly find anyone who is now like him in art and understanding. But what does Noah do now? When he learns of the wickedness that his youngest son had done to him, the text says:

V. 35. 26. Cursed be Canaan, and be a servant of all the servants among his brethren. And said further, Praised be GOD, the LORD of Shem, and Canaan be his servant 2c.

(31) This is also to be considered contrary to the gospel, for it is ever forbidden in express words, that one should not avenge himself, nor curse anyone, nor wish evil, but only good Rom. 12:19, 14. Yes, if another had done it without the Spirit, it would not have been good, but because Noah does it, it is well done, because the Holy Spirit does it, who is in him. Who then will say, Why doest thou this? No one can judge a Christian man and say, you are not doing right; as Paul says, "The spiritual man judges everything, and is judged by no one"; what he concludes is right, because what he judges, God judges; but whoever judges him, judges God. This is how the holy scriptures and their examples go in great things, which the world does not know how to handle.

32 Now the curse is nothing else, but outwardly malediction, that Ham shall be subject to his brethren. And this is the prophecy that followed long after and was fulfilled. For we read soon after that Ham and his family have risen very high and have almost taken the core and the best part of the land and have built it most splendidly. There is still a clear saying here that he is to be a servant of the others, so that it must be assumed that the curse did not begin until after God had brought the Jewish people into the land.

(33) This is because when God speaks a word, it seems as if a fool has spoken it and it is a lie; likewise, when God speaks a word, it seems as if a fool has spoken it and it is a lie.

3. "also" is missing in the Erlanger.

186 Erl. 33, S18-SS0. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 274-276. 187

When he says here that Ham should lie down and be a servant, you can see that he always lies up thereafter for a long time. But where is God's word? But that is why it is called God's work, that his way is: whom he wants to lift up, he presses down; whom he wants to overthrow and press down, he lifts up first.

34 Thus he plays with all kingdoms, dominions, wise men and high men still. Thus he did with the kingdoms of Assyria, Persia, Greece, Alexandria, 1) and finally with Rome. Thus he still does: Whoever floats highest and thinks he cannot sink, he throws to the ground. This is his work, faith belongs to it; the spirit must be, which says: Even if it seems differently, than the words are, nevertheless God will follow his word and fulfill it, even if one should not become aware of it. Let only Ham become strong and powerful enough: if he thinks that he sits most firmly, he will lie in the dirt in a moment. This is history and an example. We now want to touch the secret 2) interpretation as well.

Until now, the good patriarch has been made a spiritual prelate, and this example has been interpreted to mean that the spiritual prelates should not be touched or scolded, or their vices punished. How the evil Ham of the father laughs, since he lies so shamelessly, and points at him with fingers. This is what they have done in the world and protected themselves with it, so that everyone was afraid to open their mouths against them. Now it is nevertheless a pity and an annual thing, if one thus drives sayings with wrong understanding into the people, that they grasp it; that it costs afterwards more, as I have experienced myself, that one learns it again, than that one has learned it before.

(36) Therefore, first of all, a right mind must be made of it. It is true that we should live like this with the next Christian: if we know of a shame that is still secret, we should cover it up; as I would like to be done to me Matth. 7, 12. But if it is evident that it is known to all.

1. Alexandria will probably mean the empire of Alexander the Great.
2. Jenaer: spiritual.
3. But we should help to decorate and embellish as much as we can. But to let it go unpunished and not to resist, this is not valid in any way. For so Paul says to Timothy 1 Ep. 5:20, Thou shalt punish publicly, that others may be offended at it. And behold, as he himself cometh, and reproacheth also their spiritual nature, he calleth them hypocrites and reprobate sects 2c. Why does he do this? Because their nature was a public offense, which led the people to say that their thing was right. There was no longer any use in covering up or keeping silent, for this corrupts the souls.

37 Therefore, when vice breaks in and does harm, one must no longer be silent. But because it is secret, so that it harms no one but itself, I must keep silent and secretly punish it, help it out, or lock it up so that it does not break out any further.

(38) Our blind leaders have told us that neither the pope nor the clergy should be scolded if they do not carry out their office and live more secularly than anyone else, and they have set an example and made a chapter on it in their sacred right. We say no to this. Let it be done that they keep silent what is secret, but that it is known to everyone that their nature and rule is contrary to the gospel, we must say publicly, so that the people do not get into the delusion as if it were right.

(39) This is the least of the punishments, though they alone fear it. But it is much worse if they have to be punished for their holy life, which everyone thinks is delicious. Then stone and wood should cry out and say, "I will be silent about their shameful lives," but that is not to be suffered, that they want to make people devout with their beautiful nature and works. Then I must stand and preach: You are murderers of souls, and thus bring the whole world into misery and distress; you are most of all devils, where you are most holy.

40 Now look at this example with its proper interpretation. God has more to accomplish than that he should, through the holy man, destroy evil.

3. Erlanger: we it.

188 Erl. 33, >20-222. Sermon on t Genesis 9, 18-29. W. Ill, 276-279. 189

Interpret jacks. If he is holy, he will also interpret a saint. The holy scripture does not point its interpretation to harlots and knaves, but commonly to Christ. Therefore, if you want to interpret it without a driver, interpret it to Christ. For as Noah planted the vineyard, and drank of the wine, and was drunken with it, and fell asleep, and lay naked in the tabernacle, and was laughed at by this, but was covered up by others: so it was also with Christ. He built a vineyard Is. 5, 2. 7., that was the Jewish people; from it he drank, that is, he had to be silked by Jews and hang on the cross; then great love made him drunk, so that he died. And because he suffers so from great love, from which he is drunk, that he forgets himself, that he only helps us, he hangs there with all shame, is mocked, reviled and defiled, like an unfit man, yes, like the worst thief and murderer Matth. 27, 39. ff..

Above the suffering and the holy cross, the two are now separated. The pious and the wicked. It angers Ham, but the others mend his ways. Ham mocks him and points fingers at him. These are the saints, the Jews, who do not want to go to heaven through suffering and shame, but through their works. Therefore, it is not that Ham should point out dre who despises the prelates of the Roman church, but that the prelates, bishops 2c. of this Ham are themselves, who do not want to suffer anything, do not want to bear shame, but who despise, mock, and blaspheme Christ's and the pious Christians' suffering. They should embellish, honor and adorn it, so they ridicule it and condemn it.

The others are the devout Christians who understand the gospel well and accept the word of the cross by faith, which brings shame and disgrace, as Christ himself had to bear. Therefore they do not mock it, but hold it in all honor, confessing it before everyone.

Turn to it all that they have, take the garments on their shoulders, and cover it up, that is, confess with words and works that this is the true life, that Christ must suffer and die, and all who are in Christ.

43 Thus the nakedness of Noah is nothing else than the shameful suffering of Christ and His own, which is preached and accepted by the faithful. Ham, however, are the great saints, not gross sinners, who scoff at the suffering, as they said at the cross: Yes, is this the Son of God? "If he is Christ, let him come down and help himself" Matth. 27, 40.. This is what they did to all the martyrs who died for the sake of the crucified name of Christ. It will still be done to us, if we become worthy of it. This is the pious son, who should comfort and help carry, so he is happy and proud about it, laughs at the misfortune. As Christ says in the 35th Psalm, vv. 13-15: "When they were in trouble, I bore grief and put on sackcloth; but now when I am in trouble, they dance and leap and rejoice at my loss. And the most grievous thing of all is that the Holy Father's own Son does this, which also happened to Christ from his own people, as the Psalm 55:14, 15 laments. Therefore he also curses them, as Noah cursed Ham, in many places, as, through the whole hundred and ninth Psalm. Thus you have the interpretation of this example, that it, like almost all other figures, interprets the nature, so the gospel causes and brings with it, if it 2) also happens to us in such a way, that we know it must be so. Therefore, beware of the shameful, perverse doctrines and interpretations that our papists have so far driven into the people.

1. "willen" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. "it" is missing in the Erlanger.

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The tenth chapter

V. 1-12. This is the birth of the children of Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth; and they begat children after the flood. The children of Japheth are these: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Thubal, Mesech and Thiras. But the children of Gomer are these: Askenas, Riphath and Thogarma. The children of Javan are these: Elisha, Tharsis, Kittim and Dodanim. From these are spread out the islands of the Gentiles in their countries, each according to their language, gender and people. The children of Ham are these: Chus, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. But the children of Chus are these: Seba, Hevila, Sabtha, Raema and Sabtecha. But the children of Raema are these: Sheba and Dedan. And Chus begat Nimrod, who began to be a mighty lord in the earth, and was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore one says: this is a mighty hunter before the Lord, like Nimrod. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Acad and Chalne in the land of Sinear. From that land came Assyria, and built Nineveh, and the streets of that city, and Chalah, and Ressen between Nineveh and Chalah, which is a great city.

(1) Now Moses begins to describe the lineage of the three sons of the patriarch Noah, how all men came from him after the flood on earth; and this is done so that history may remain in order, so that one may know where it came from and where it is going; but mostly so that one may see how God's word remains true at all times. For we have heard how God, through Noah, cursed Canaan, the son of Ham, but blessed Shem and Japheth. This chapter explains this further, and although it is bad and simple, it is still very necessary for those who study the Scriptures. There are many things from the prophets written in it, where these names are written. Therefore we must not cast it to the winds and throw it away.

2 But to grasp a little of it is enough for the laymen, that one takes a little raw knowledge of it, not so sharply marked. Thus

he now begins to write about the youngest son, what kind of people have come from him, and decides that from him are spread out the islands of the Gentiles in their countries 2c. Now if you want to know where they have come, divide the world into midnight, noon and morning.

3. Japhet came in here with his family about midnight. Hispania, France, Welsh and Germany, Poland, Hungary, Moscow and Turkey, with the whole sea and islands, and here are expressed a part of names of the sons of Japhet, which names also the countries have kept, as namely:
4. Gomer, the first son, of which three sons came, Askenas, Riphath and Thogarma. Gomer is interpreted by St. Jerome to be the Galatians. But it does not rhyme well. We think that they are the Riphei, who live in the land and mountains of the Tartars. Madai are the Medes, a great people and country, situated towards the midnight of the Jews. Javan, are actually Jones, that is, the Greeks, of which Eliza, the Aeoles. Tharsis, the Thraces, Moscowiter, and there the Turk seat is, Constantinople. Kittim I consider to be the land of Macedonia, where the great king Alexander ruled 1 Macc. 1, 1., although they all write that it is Welschland. In short, the Javan is a father of all Greeks, from where their language also came. Askenas is considered to be our, the Germans', father. So now the writing goes in, does not drive the son and his lineage much; but in the prophet Ezekiel Cap. 38, 2. Gog and Magog are primarily attracted and driven, so strongly that I would like to draw the Turk to it. [But it is uncertain and not easy to guess.

005 And Ham the other son hath gotten the best of the south country, Syria, Judea, Arabia, Egypt, Lybia, Mauritania, 2c. even unto the end of the world, all that lieth toward the south: and he hath, I say, gone further and ruled than both of them, and hath sat down in the right hand lard pit. We

192 Erl. Z.], 224-227. sermon on Genesis 10:1-12. W. m, 233-235. 193

have come in to the cold, barren lands. In addition it is torn so far in that it reached in Chaldea and Babylonia far against the morning. And many think that because he was a man, skillful and equipped in the world, he invented the letters; item, how to fight and ship. It is true that he was the first from whom the lords of the world came.

Now Moses takes before him his children and his children's children. The first son is called Chus, who is the father of the Moors. Therefore the word Chus is still called a Moor. He was well populated and spread out, fathered five sons, and they settled in the land of Arabia. The land of the Moors is bordered by the Red Sea and Egypt. The kingdom of Arabia is far in the east. There is also said to be a city in the same land, named Saba, after one of the sons of Chu, of whom the Sabaeans are called. After that, the other sons all came there to the border of Moorland, toward the south.

7 But especially the text indicates here how the same first son of Chu also begat Nimrod. This one did not take the land of the Moors, as the others did; and it is said that he was a whoremonger; they commonly turn out that way. In German, Nimrod means a renegade; as when one falls away from his lord, to whom he has sworn and paid homage, and does not keep the oath he has sworn. This Nimrod must bear the name that he is an apostate and a father of all who rule in the world by force.

8 See now how the text sets the words. "He began to be a mighty lord in the earth, and was a mighty hunter"; yes, "in the sight of the Lord," and a saying came forth from him, not among the heathen, but among the faithful (for Shem's family was pious, therefore they departed from this Nimrod), that they say of a tyrant: Behold, here we have a Nimrod, or a mighty hunter. Therefore it is called 1) "hunter", who oppresses and forces the people; thus, that Nimrod became a lord by force, and brought people under himself by force, as still happens in all principalities. For it is

1. Jenaer: the.

No prince who is satisfied with his own 2). Thus, from the very beginning, this prince has always been a man of his own and has brought a great regiment under him. Without a doubt, he was an excellent man before the world, who brought and kept the worldly regiment in a delicious pregnancy; otherwise, the Scriptures would not have so diligently drawn to him and said that he was a strong hunter before the Lord. If we now see such princes ruling in the world, we should think that we have a golden year.

9th For, as he says afterwards, he raised up a great and excellent capital, which was called Babylonia; which he divided into four parts, as they were called Tetrapoles in the days of old, when Hebron and Rome were also. They were arranged in such a way that the first part were patricii, rulers and mightiest; the other equites, the travelers or the nobility, who had to be ready for war; then plebs, the common man; to the fourth rus, that is, the farmers and builders. Therefore, it must have been a fine, honorable and brave regiment that the people had the desire and love for it, otherwise he could not have built such cities and brought so many people to himself. They were not fools at that time, they did not have many books, but nevertheless they established and kept a fine regiment, which everyone had to praise.

(10) Why then does the Scripture call him a strong hunter? Because, even though he led a delicious regiment before the world, none has ever been so delicious; it has avarice and ambition in it, always wanting to eat away at itself. So he had all his thoughts and desires that he would become a great, powerful lord, that he would have much land and people to rule and reign over. Therefore he is an example of all world princes.

(11) Why, then, has God so confirmed the regime that it has nevertheless arisen and been preserved? God has never said to anyone, "Take the land or the kingdom," except to the Jews. But He has established the authority of the parents, which is the greatest and best over the children and the servants, which is commanded to our first father Adam with expressed words. After that he did it again through Moses.

2. In the old editions: at his.

194 Eri. 33, 227-rss. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 285-288. 195

Ex. 20:12 commanded: You shall honor your father and mother. Therefore this power is greater than the power of all kings or emperors, even the closest to God. Therefore one reads in the Old Testament 2 Mos. 21, 7.) that a father had power to sell his child.

(12) This authority is given and established for the purpose of raising children and teaching them the Word of God, to know, fear and believe in God, so that a father should actually be a bishop and pastor of his household. For he is entitled to the same office over his children and his household that a bishop is entitled to over his people. In addition, God gave the fathers Deut. 21, 18-21, over the most noble office, also the power of the temporal sword, that he might, as said, sell his child, yes, even kill it, if he did not want to obey rightly 2) that both, spiritual and corporal power, is given to him.

013 What then is it that God hath ordained and commanded the temporal sword and power to be subject unto it? This is it: When the children did not want to be obedient to their parents, as it still happens that a father has an unruly child whom he cannot control, becomes too wilful and runs away from the parents; item, that one's parents have now died, who wants to live freely and nefariously according to his will and obey no one, God nevertheless did not want the world to remain so disorderly, without compulsion and supremacy; therefore he has ordered the sword to come up, so that the boys are strangled; otherwise one would not be allowed to be anywhere. Where that power can neither create nor prevent anything, God has ordered and confirmed this power and is pleased with it. If that power remained in force, one would not be allowed to have it; but because it is too weak, one must have it, so that the executioner may force those who will not let themselves be pulled by their parents. So it is a necessary thing on earth. Now these are the hunters who have such power; but those who use it evil in every way are the successors of Nimrod. The violence of it is delicious in itself, but not the robbery by which it is abused.

(14) Then Moses said, "The an-

1. Wittenberg and Erlangen: the.
2. "obey," which is missing in the editions, we have inserted with Walch after Deut. 21, 18.

fang of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Acad and Chalne in the land of Sinear." These are four names, and are all one city. But the main name is Babel, which is highly famous in the Scriptures, has long had the empire in the land of Sinear, that is, Chaldea. Item: "From it came Assyria", that is the other kingdom, which is called the Assyrian, coming from the Babylonian. As it always happens, God overthrows and overthrows one, and sets up another. By the same kingdom the Jewish people and kingdom were captured, of which the prophets say many things. This Assyrian also built the great city of Nineveh and the streets of the city, the marketplace and the main square. Read about it in the prophet Ezekiel and others.

V. 13. 14. Mizraim begat Ludim, Anamim, Leabim, Naphthuhim, Pathrusim, and Casluhim. From there came the Philistim and Caphthorim.

015 This is the other son of Ham; he hath six sons at first, and after him two more. By this the Egyptian country has the name, that it is called everywhere Mizraim, and has had very much people. This is a sign that he took the land of Africam, a large part of the world. This is the other people. Now comes the right line, where the power lies, from the third son.

V. 15-19: And Canaan begat Zidon his first son, and Heth, Jebusi, Emori, Girgosi, Hivi, Arki, Sini, Arvadi, Zemari, and Hamathi. Therefore the families of the Cananites were spread out, and their borders were from Zidon, through Gerar, to Gasa, until one comes to Sodoma, Gomorrah, Adama, Zeboim, and to Lasa.

016 These are eleven sons, which had the promised land, but were afterward driven out by the Jews, and smitten. Therefore he says, "Therefore the families of the Canaanites are spread out," as if to say, "These are all the people we are smitten with.

V. 20. These are the children of Ham, in their families, languages, countries and people.

Thus we have two great parts of the world, towards midnight and towards noon. The

196 Erl. 33, 229-231, sermon on I Genesis 10, 20-32. W. Ill, 288-291. 197

But the third son came far behind, toward the morning; there we know little of. [It has often troubled me where the people have come and stayed; I also wonder if most of the apostles have come there. We have had one apostle of the Gentiles, on Japheth's side, namely Paulum; no one else has come here. What Peter did I do not know, but methinks that the prophecy of Noah of Japheth was fulfilled by none but Paul. For he brought this, that we have known the God Shem. Of him we have certain writing that he came in here; of the others we know nothing; but it is to be thought that they came into Shem's land from behind. For Shem is highly endowed, and became a mighty nation, as we know nothing of; for that we know, the race is scarcely half.

18 These occupy the largest space in the world. Whether they are Christians is unknown to me. But I freely believe that there are also Christians among them, because I had the Scripture, which blesses the Sem, and promises him the seed; and Christ is a Lord over the whole world. Therefore he will have just as well Christians among them, as with us, and perhaps better. This is how he tells the story of Shem's lineage.

But Shem, the brother of Japheth "the greatest," also begat children, who is a father to all the children of Eber. And these are his children: Elam, Asshur, Arphachad, Lud and Aram. But the children of Aram are these: Uz, Hul, Gether and Mas. And Arphachad begat Salah, and Salah begat Eber. Eber begat two sons, one of whom was named Peleg, because in his time the world was divided; the other was named Jaketan. And Jaketan begat Almodad, Saleph, Hazarmaveth, Jarah, Hadoram, Usal, Dikela, Obal, Abimael, Seba, Ophir, Hevila and Jobab. These are all the children of Jaketan, and their dwelling was from Mesa until one comes to Sephara, to the mountain toward the east. These are the children of Shem, in their generations.

languages, countries and people. Now these are the descendants 1) of the children of Noah in their families and people, from whom the people of the earth spread out after the flood.

019 This patriarch Shem lived a long time, about five hundred years Gen. 11:11, that he lived and saw the patriarch Jacob. [There are also many who think that he is Melchizedek, which follows Gen. 14:18, but I do not believe it. Summa Summarum: the scripture says here that he is a father of all the children of Eber, whom he calls here especially, because the story happened among them, which is written in the following chapter; there the languages were divided, but the right Hebrew remained with those who kept to it. That is why he is called Father of the Children of Eber.

(20) Of his sons, one is called Elam, of whom the Elamites are called, which are the Persians. The other is called Asshur, which is the Assyrians. After them Aram, of which they make Syriam, but it is not yet certain. The others we do not know.

021 From Arphachad came Eber, who had two sons, saith Moses, and called one Peleg, that is, Certification. For when Eber saw that they that built the tower of Babylon were deceived in the language, and at that time had the son, he gave him the name in remembrance thereof.

(22) This is how the children of Shem are described. But there is no government nor worldly power; they still have the father Shem, whom they let rule them. The others set up worldly rule, so that they force other people under them and rule far away.

(23) Now in this chapter it is described where the wager came from after the flood. But with Shem the Scripture has little to do, likewise also with Japheth; but with Ham, and what came from him, it has the most to do. Because almost all histories deal with it, as we will hear.

1. Wittenberger: Gender.

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The eleventh chapter.

V.1-9. Now all the world had one tongue and language. As they journeyed toward the east, they found a plan in the land of Sinear, and dwelt there. And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks, and let us burn them. And they took brick for stone, and clay for lime, and said: Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, that we may make us a name: for we may be scattered abroad. Then the Lord came down to see the city and tower which the children of men were building. And the LORD said, Behold, there is one people and one language among them all, and they have begun to do this thing; they will not cease from all that they have undertaken to do. Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that none may hear another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad abroad, and they ceased from building the city. Therefore their name is called Babylon, because the LORD there confused the language of all the countries, and scattered them abroad into all the countries.

Here Moses concludes a special piece of divine work, which he did and still does to this day, namely, that he confused, changed and increased the language. It is also a great miraculous sign that everything has been one language and has been so widely divided. Many have also written of the division of languages, and commonly say that two and seventy languages are everywhere in the world. The same number, I think, is taken from the number of the children of the three sons of Noah, Ham, Japheth and Shem; of which so far almost two and seventy are told.

(2) Now this has no reason, neither can we know how many languages there are on earth. For the sons of Canaan, of whom there were eleven, of whom eleven nations came with different rulers, all spoke almost the same language, without a little change; as with

The German language is spoken differently by others, that it changes almost a hundred times. After that, the Arabic, Syriac, Madian and Chaldean languages are almost close to each other. When Abraham went from Chaldea, he understood the people where he was going, and yet he passed through a great country. This is why I say that we should stick to the text and leave the Scriptures pure, and not always give a gloss, as if there had to be just two and seventy languages, because so many of Noah's children are counted. We know that they are many, but how many they are, we cannot say.

3rd Item, of the tower of Babel, of which Moses writes that they wanted to build a city and tower, whose top reached up to heaven, they also lie confidently, and have taken cause from the words to write that the tower was already so high that one could hear the angels singing that it had already gone above the clouds. Item, so they lie further, it still stands today a piece of it; but thus that it sank three miles into the earth, and three miles above away wafted by the wind, and stands still three miles high of it. These are all lies.

(4) It was a well-built city like another, but they did not dare to build something high and great, where God would not have resisted them; and indeed Nimrod started it, of which it is said above Cap. 10, § 9. Do not understand the words of Moses in any other way than that he meant to say that they would build a high and mighty city. For it is the way of the Scriptures to speak thus, as in the fifth book of Moses Cap. 1, 28.: "Our brethren have said that the people are greater and higher than we, the cities are great and walled up to heaven." Item, again in the same book Cap. 4, 11. it is written: "And ye came near, and stood in the lower part of the mountain: and the mountain burned up to the midst of heaven." Thus, according to the Scriptures, everything is called heaven,

200 Erl. 33, L34-236. Sermon on Genesis 11:1-9. W. Ill, 295-298. 201

what is above and below us, all that blan sees, near and far; as also Christ speaks in Matthew Cap. 6, 26.: "Look at the birds of the sky" 2c. That is why there is so much talk here; they wanted to raise the top of the tower high up to the blue sky. For that it should have reached into heaven, that was impossible.

(5) Let this be said, that there be no cause to make such gross lies as they have done here, as well as that they should have built the tower, if once more a flood would come, that they might remain before it, when Moses here clearly shows how they said, "Let us make a name, for we may be scattered abroad. They wanted to put their date on the building, so that people would say and sing about it in all the world; they wanted to bear honor and glory from it, so that all people would say: There is a city and a building, the like of which has never been seen or heard. This will serve as a secret interpretation.

Now let us see what he intended to show with this history. It is an example in which one can see what the world is. Above Cap. 6, § 3 f. he described God's children; here he describes the children of men. For the book is written for the purpose of learning about both peoples. Thus we find God's children described in such a way that they used the world, but did not roll in it, nor did they seek to rule in it, as if they wanted to remain in it forever; but those have set all their date, defiance and comfort on it. These have not had enough of temporal good, but of spiritual; those have sought only temporal things, that they might have only good and honor.

(7) Thus is found the presumption of many to build, though it is yet small that presumption is atoned for. But this is punished here, as the text says, that they had undertaken such things, and would not leave them; that is, they were drowned in temporal goods, that they put their confidence and glory in such buildings; they did not seek God. He did not want to suffer such arrogance and defiance, therefore he descended and overthrew everything.

(8) Moses said: "When they were going against

the morning, they found a plan in the land of Sinear, and dwelt there" 2c. Sinear was a place or flat field on which they built the city. For so the writers say, that it lies in a delicious country and free, level field, that one can see it everywhere far; has also had many powerful kings, as first of all the Nimrod, item, the Semiramis 2c. that one writes so much miracles of it, that I do not know whether it is to be believed all or not. It has been a beginning of the worldly empire, and has stood longer than any city. Aristotle also says that it was not a city, but a country surrounded by walls. Now they learned to paint bricks, but they had no lime, only clay, just as it is still said that in the country they only build with glue.

009 And what is this that he saith, Then the LORD descended, that he might see the city and the tower? Item: "And the Lord said, Come, let us go down, and confound their language there," and speaks of himself as of many. This is not to be interpreted by one person, although the Jews interpret it that way, that God said it to the angels; but it is not sufficient. Of course, it is said that the Lord, of whom Moses says, descended, because he had previously spoken of One Lord. The same One now says: "Let us descend". So he has already indicated the high article from the beginning, as is also heard before Cap. 1, §§ 13. 53,

and here and afterwards more, that One God is, and yet more than One Person.

But why did the Lord have to come down, if he would have stayed up there? He says through the prophet Jeremiah Cap. 23, 23: Non Deus a longe, I am not a God from afar; item, v. 24: Implebo coelum et arida, I fill heaven and earth. Also we say in faith: I believe in God, Creator of heaven and earth. If he has created heaven and earth, he must ever be in all places where his creature is. Yes, he says in the 99th Psalm, v. 1: Qui sedet super Cherub, et intuetur abyssos, he sits on the Cherub, and sees all depths, that one must confess, where the creature is, that there is also God. For no one has the essence of himself, all must be preserved by God's Spirit.

202 Erl. 33, 236-238. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, 298-301. 203

wall. How does it happen, if he is already down there, that he says he wants to come down?

(11) Answer: We also heard in chapter 3, v. 9, how the Lord was looking for Adam in the garden and said, "Where are you? Just as if he did not know where he was. Item, in the fourth, v. 9, he said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Also he comes down to Noah and talks with him Cap. 6, 13.). Thus the Scriptures speak everywhere that God descends from heaven, which cannot be. But if this is exactly what I said above, God descends when He reveals Himself, either inwardly in the heart, or outwardly through a work; as in the Gospel of Matthew, Cap. 3, 16, 17, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in a bodily form when he was baptized, and a voice fell from heaven, that is, God the Father; in addition, the Holy Spirit also reveals himself through an outward work, so that he had not revealed himself before, although he is everywhere before. Thus he also became man and came from earth, not that he left heaven, but revealed himself to the world in a special work. He still does this when he visits us with good or punishes us. All this is called coming to us, but it is nothing else than that he reveals himself. That is one way.

12 The other is that man also open his eyes and feel this. For God comes to many who do not see Him, nor are they aware of Him. When Christ was revealed, there were few who recognized him, but those who did recognize him saw that God had come down, but the others thought that he was a man like another. Now this piece is higher and deeper than the first. For I have often said that as the conscience holds itself against God, so is he. If you think that he is merciful, he is merciful; if you are afraid of him, as of a terrible judge, he is also, judging you always according to your conscience. Now as such conscience changes against God, so also the language of the Scripture changes, which speaks of just how one feels him. So David often says in the Psalter: "Lord, stand up, why are you sleeping, why are you angry with us?" 2c. Ps. 7, 7. 68, 2. 44, 24. So it admits GOtte: to see, to hear, to walk, to stand, to talk, to be silent, to sleep and to watch, that we may

Because I feel it this way, and because it changes between me and him, although otherwise God's nature remains unchanged. [But everything is to be done for the sake of faith.

(13) Understand, then, that God descends here by an outward work, namely, by dividing the language, so that no one can hear the other; not only that such a terrible plague and work is done outwardly, but also that their conscience feels that God is ungracious to them, and condemns their banishment, by which they seek glory. As they now feel, so it has been; therefore, through such terror of conscience and outward confusion, they are all divided and separated from one another in the world. The heart was despondent and outwardly confused; therefore they could not remain with one another. For the unity of speech is given because of this, that they keep themselves friendly together. This is how it happened with Adam and Cain, as I said. Therefore all this is no more than that God stirs the heart by outward works; as this feels, so God is called sleeping, rising, working, speaking 2c.

(14) How is it that the Lord does not freshly feed them, dividing their speech, and making them astray, but takes counsel concerning it, and first decides it in himself? What need has he of such a thing, that he first of all feigns not to see it? Answer: The sentence is set with diligence against the free judgment. This should offend all those who speak and blow their ears. Although God knew and saw all things, yet he descended to see what they did. Therefore, no judgment should be made, no matter how certain one is of the matter. One should act on it and on it beforehand, inquire into all things, so that the judgment cannot be lacking.

(15) This is a necessary piece, and well to be remembered. For this is now the third time, first in Adam, then with Cain. So we will hear again about Sodom and Gomorrah, where he [Cap. 18, 20. 21.) says: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become much. I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that came before me or not, so that I may know.

16. and is therefore necessary to note, because

204 Erl. 33, 238-241. sermon on Genesis 1 l, 1-9. w. in, 301-304. 205

The devil has always possessed people with poisonous tongues, so that one speaks after the other, and yet presents it so seemingly, as each one adorns his cause and makes it the best, that those who hear it are often caught, and say that it is not right before God. To prevent this, God has written this example, that one should be careful not to condemn anyone, but to hear the other part first. Therefore, if a man speaks of another in his absence, no matter how holy he may be, he should never be believed so soon, so that one should beware of sudden judgments. If you ever want to believe, you may do so; but only shut up, and do not judge; do not go and say that it is as you have heard; do not pass judgment, for you see it for yourself.

(17) Therefore do not base a thing on the words of another. For it is not valid for you to refer to another and say, "This one or that one said it. But if thou doest, thou shalt surely fail, and shalt soon be deceived and made a fool. Oh what misery and misfortune would remain if one did not do this! So we go and rely on man, when we know that he lies, as the Scripture Ps. 116:11 says. God Himself will not judge, for He has asked before, "Where art thou?" Therefore, let us first hear what the self-guilty man says. When he is publicly overcome, then you may judge. If God would have us form this in the heart, and judge according to it, that we might subdue the tongue, which causes all heartache, that it is hard to counsel again, even by true tongues.

18 Thus we have heard what the history of this chapter teaches us about the tower of Babel. Now it is also to be said of the spiritual interpretation given therein. I have said, then, that in this work the children of men have done nothing so much as to have a name. This is specially put to it, and their presumption is censured and punished for this very reason. But the great multitude and the common evil of the world, which is called false preachers, is thus denounced. For God is most concerned that His holy word remain united in Christianity, without any addition of the doctrine of men. But the word cannot remain, unless Christ is

have alone for the builder, and let him have the name alone. Where this is not, there is no unity, and must certainly also become a Babel; namely, thus:

19. when one preaches of Christ, one gives as much to one man as to another, so that no one has more of Christ than another; St. Peter no more than I, Mary no more than another married woman; for there is no more than one Christ, which is given in full to each. But it is also true that one can grasp it better than the other; but it is one treasure. As when one setteth a jewel in gold, and another in a poor vessel, the vessel may be better and better made, but that which is set therein is no better nor nobler: so one may have special, superior gifts than another, yet Christ remains common; and as the man remains common, so also all the goods which he brings with him. So a young child has just as much as an old man, a scholar no more than a layman, a lord no more than a servant. These names, baptism, gospel and spirit, are all common.

020 As long therefore as this doctrine remaineth, so long shall there be unity in the world. For every man must say, I have no more than the least of these; we are all equal in inheritance; one is another's brother; we have all equal right to it. But when other builders come and appear, they so soon make a division and a separation out of the unity. As it goes in: papal, and also must go in all: secular regiments. There one rules so that one people has more than the other. Yes, a prince must rule so that it happens unequally.

21 So also in the papacy, which is called spiritual, there has always arisen one order after another, only that one has always wanted to be better than the other. For they ever publicly ask: Yes, should we not have more than others, what kind of beings do we create? So they always add to it that it should be something special; then it is already separated and separate, and never the same; in addition, vain envy and hatred come from it among them.

022 But if they do not do this, saying, I am no better than the least of them, I am no better than the least of them.

206 Erl. 33, sti-243. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 304-307. 207

Christ, we all have the same Christ, baptism, gospel and faith Eph. 4, 5. 6.: then they would have to confess that their thing is foolishness, and it would fall away from itself. Therefore their being cannot stand, except it set up discord, and depart from unity. So one after another always comes up and says, "My position is the best. [Each one takes something before himself that should be something more delicious, therefore he despises the others. Now where such doctrine and such things are taught and practiced, that we are all equal has been done away with. Therefore the gospel does not suffer itself to be mixed with the doctrines and sects of men. That is why all these things are rejected everywhere in the Scripture; it is still of no use, it has been left lying around as if it did not concern us, when it alone is a living book, full of living words John 6:68, Hebrews 4:12.

(23) And so it follows one after another. When one departs and establishes a special status, one must soon also raise up another name, so that the name may become diverse, just as the essence is diverse and separate. Therefore they say, "Yes, should I not have another and better name than they all have? We want to be called Benedicter, Franciscer, Carthäuser 2c., which we want to lead over Christ's name. These are the ones, so here means, who build the tower, who wanted to make them name, that they did it. It is a great blindness and presumption, yes, sin and shame, that one should suffer and hear such preachers who impudently say: He who follows St. Francis is in a better life and higher state than any other Christian, as if Francis should be holier than Christ, when he has had toil and labor to follow Christ.

24 Thus we have the interpretation of this history, that the builders are preachers. Those who are not in the faith build and preach something great and special before others, so that they have a great name; but the plague and punishment will follow, which is indicated here, that they will be disunited, confused in their language and divided as far as the world is. You will find this in all sects. Where there are true Christians, all things are of one accord, and none can rise above the other, nor be divided, there the language must be reduced to one.

Ways go, and even agree. What you speak and preach, I also preach and speak; and again. Thus one remains one, inwardly in the heart, and outwardly in the life.

But there it is so that they have all said: One must remain under one head, that is the pope, that is still united. But from this flow as many sects as there are monasteries and bishoprics; none is one with the other, each wants to be the best, and one must become the enemy of the other, or even despise it. To this also belong the high schools with their various sects that follow them. No one understands the other's language, no sermon pleases the other; it has never been heard that a monk of the Order of Preachers 1) stood up to exalt the Order of St. Francis, but every monk praises his Order. 2) So also no one likes to hear what the other one throws out and praises, or again.

This is the confused and mixed language. From this also follows a divided being, that no one takes care of the other, no one shows love to the other. [It has come to such a point that one priest is not one with the other, indeed, one altarist with the other. Therefore there is no more unskilful people on earth than these people; none of them serves anyone but himself. But Christianity is made so that each one takes care of the other's needs, and cares for him and serves him. That is why such a disunity is called a Babel, that is, a confusion or confounding. It was nothing like the Babylonia, compared to this. Here God drives it much more strongly, that he separates and scatters them, so hurries and drives from each other, that none of them is good to the other. This is a terrible punishment and plague.

The prophets also looked into this chapter and drew much prophecy from it; as in the 5th Psalm, v. 11: "Blame them, God, that they fall from their nobility" or Rathschlagen, "cast them out" 2c. There he touches this history finely, as if he should say: They had also proposed to build a tower and to lead high, but what happened?

1. Thus the Jenaer. Wittenberger: a monk of another order. Erlanger: another preacher.
2. The bracketed words are missing in the Erlanger, but are in the Wittenberger and in the Jenaer.

208 Erl. 33, 243-246. sermon on Genesis 11, 1-32. W. Ill, 3N7-310. 209

They had to desist and leave with shame. Item, so he also says in another Psalm: Lord, devour and cut off their tongues Ps. 55:10.

(28) We should also make such prayers against our Babylon, saying, O Lord, have mercy on their divisions and sects, that they may fall away; separate and divide them; only make them disunited, that they may fall to the ground, because they have provoked thee to anger in so many ways with their sects, and have corrupted thy one people, doctrine, and name. There are many more such prophecies in the Scriptures, which come to pass to those who have regard for them.

029 And what is it that causeth them to build iniquity in the place, in the place of Sinear, where they found a fine fat field? It is never forgotten in the Scripture that it always blames them for being belly servants and stingy vultures. These two things are certainly found in them, avarice and 1) belly. This is the very reason why they do everything they do. Thus Paul says of them Phil. 3, 19: Quorum Deus venter est, belly is their god; and Col. 3, 5: Avaritia idolorum cultus, he who is stingy is idolatrous. They all have that about them, do not believe in GOD, therefore they worry and fear, they cannot feed themselves. That is why they use their tongues, hands, and works to fleece people and to make them rich, so that they may fill their bellies first and have enough before they serve God. And this is the sum of it, that they build the tower on the best place, where a fat, full lard pit is, there they want to live and stay.

These are the births of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood, and lived five hundred years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Arphachad was five and thirty years old, and begat Salah, and lived after that four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. Salah was thirty years old, and begat Eber, and lived thereafter four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. Eber was four and thirty years old, and begat Peleg, and lived four hundred and thirty years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Peleg was

1. Wittenberg and Erlanger: or.

was thirty years old, and begat Regu, and lived two hundred and nine years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Regu was two and thirty years old, and begat Serug, and lived two hundred and seven years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Serug was thirty years old, and begat Nahor, and lived two hundred years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Nahor was nine and twenty years old, and begat Tarah, and lived afterward an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. Tharah was seventy years old, and begat Abram, Nahor and Haran.

(30) Moses describes ten members one after another, from Shem to Abraham, the line from which Christ was to come. These are truly great, holy people. How fine the world must have been, since everyone lived so long, and saw so many children and children's children, and everything was governed by fatherly authority. For here you do not see a world regiment, therefore it has stood deliciously on this side. The holy father Noah still lived through Abraham; Shem, his son, also saw ten children after him, and ruled among them, so that if one counts the years, it is found that he lived up to Jacob, yes, almost up to Joseph, into the eleventh generation.

(31) Thus the fathers all kept one another in a fine spiritual regiment. Moses describes it, however, that he wants to lead the line of Christ one after the other; also that he would keep the marriage state in honor, because he is allowed to do so, especially now. God has enough to do to keep it in honor against our clergy, who have not only despised and belittled it, but have also blasphemed it. I think that none of them who have kept the virginity is as holy as one of the archfathers. For they are not to be regarded as bad men, because Moses brought them forth by the Holy Spirit. If it has pleased them that they have had wives and begotten children, let us do likewise with all honor.

V. 27-32. These are the births of Tharah. Tharah begat Abram, Nahor and Haran. But Haran begat Lot. But Haran died before his father Tharah in his father's land, at Ur in Chaldea. Then Abram and Nahor took Wei-

** **210 Erl. 33, 246-248. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 310-313. 211

ber. Abram's wife's name is Sarai, and Nahor's wife's name is Milcah, Haran's daughter, who was a father to Milcah and Jezca. But Sarai was unbreakable, and had no child. So Tarah took Abram his son, and Lot his son Haran's son, and Sarai his son Abram's wife's cord, and brought them from Ur out of Chaldea, that he might go into the land of Canaan. And they came to Haran, and dwelt there. And Tharah was two hundred and five years old, and died in Haran.

32 Here he lists the lineage of Tarah, the father of Abram, and states that he had three sons, which must also be known for the sake of the following histories. According to the account, Abram must have been the youngest son, although Moses claims him to be the first. I can therefore judge that he survives Haran, his brother, and two daughters and a son. For Lot was Abram's brother's son; his two sisters were Sarai and Milcah. So the two brothers, Abram and Nahor, took two sisters, their brother's daughters.

(33) From these things it can be concluded, and has never been abolished, and no one can prevent anyone from taking his brother's daughter with God and honor, because Abram and Nahor, who are praised in the Scriptures, did it, and we are to believe that they were more holy than we are. If it had not been right nor godly, neither Abram nor Sarai would have done it. But it is forbidden that a man should not take his wife, though it be in like manner.

34 We will hear later about Abram's brother-son, Lvt, and also about the two sisters. For Milcah will also become a friend and a mother, Gen 22:20, 21. The Jews say of the others, whether it is true or not, that Jisca was Sarai, Abram's wife, and had two names. If this is so, the account shows that Abram was much younger than Haran. For it is clearly stated that he was a hundred years old when Isaac was born to him, and Sarai his wife was ninety years old. That is, Abram was ten years older than his wife.

35 If Haran is the father of Sarai, and Abram is older, he must have begotten the daughter in the eighth or ninth year, and given her to his brother in the tenth year. Therefore we say that it is not certain that Sarai and Jisca are one wife. But if it is a woman, then Abram must be the youngest son, and yet the honor is done to him that Moses separates him first, because God wanted to make something special of him.

Thirty-six: Thus saith the text: Tharah and his three sons dwelt in Ehaldea, that is, in their own land, when they built the tower of Babylon; for Babylonia is in the land of Chaldüa. There was a city called Ur, in which they dwelt. But one brother, Haran, died in it; and Tarah, with the other two sons, would have gone into the land of Canaan; and they came and sat down in Haran, that is, in the land of Syria, which is toward the promised land eastward, and is often spoken of in the Scriptures.

(37) Here the Jews make out strange things, and I do not know whether they are to be believed. They think that Haran was martyred by the Chaldeans because he would not worship fire; that is why Tarah fled with the other sons. But I wished to make Abram a sinner first, before I made him righteous; and that for this reason, for so it is read in the book of Joshua Cap. 24, 2. 3., that he says to the people: "Beyond the water your fathers, Tarah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, have been accustomed, and have served strange gods; therefore I have taken your father Abraham out of Mesopotamia, and brought him into the land of Canaan" 2c., so that Abraham must also have been idolatrous, lest the patriarch be exalted of his holiness and free will. He was as deep in the mud as we are; but that he became such a man, he has well learned, that it was out of pure calling, grace and goodness that God led him out into the land of Canaan. Therefore I cannot well believe that they should have fled from Chaldea, lest they should have worshipped idols, unless there had been some other idol than fire.

212 Erl. 33, 248-250. sermon on I Moses 11, 27-32. W. Ill, 313-316. 213

(38) I have left the word Ur as it is, and hold with those who say it is the name of a city in Chaldea or Babylonia. Some say that it is called fire, because the Babylonians called it that for their god and honored it, as some pagan books say. So it is not yet certain. Ur does not actually mean fire, but light, although it is almost one; therefore, I think, they gave the city a name. Similarly, we still have several named among us Germans, as Lichtenstein, Lichtenfels, Lichtenberg 2c.

(39) I do not think that the Babylonians there were such rude people that they should have known nothing of God, who created all things, or that they considered fire to be a true God; but it may be that they called and honored God, who created heaven and earth, by name. Just as the Jews gave God many names, as Baal, that is, a man, because they wanted to be as close to him as a bride or wife to her husband. Item, Moloch, that is, a king, and others more, always dealt with it, so that they would honor the right God.

40 We have also done this, and have given our God many names, such as Augustinum, Benedictum, Franciscum 2c. For as we think of God, so he is to us, so he also has a name. So when I look at him, and think of him as making me blessed through my spiritual state, I have already made myself an idol, and think that the true God, who created heaven and earth, is such a man as I respect him, and should look at me as keeping such obedience, praying and fasting. So I paint him, and paint him a color as if he had a Carthusian or Augustinian cap on, and think: "Oh, how fine it is about the cap. So everyone who is without faith puts on his own clothes, makes a PotzmannH out of him, gives him a name and shape in his heart, as seems good to him.

41 But when faith comes, it produces

1. Potzmann - doll, popanz, scarecrow.

He says: "God looks neither at this nor at that, but only at the Lord Jesus Christ; whoever believes in the dear child has the right God, and sees Him as He is.

Forty-two: So these also have done. But they were not yet such great fools as we are, they wanted to be so wise and prudent that one should not say that they worshiped wood and stones; nevertheless, they take God's right name and honor, draw him to themselves, and give him another one; he must keep this one in the world, so he must still let himself be led in all the sermons in the mummery the whole year through. Thus they have taught zero, where one sees the light, there one should worship God; as one has preached to us, where a Crucifix or other image stands, there one should 2) worship Christ. They are not yet such great fools that they think that this light or image is God; but they are such fools that they worship God there, and think that he desires it and sees it. And so they teach: Where you come before a light and worship all, you will meet God, and it will please Him. There was also a fine, apparent worship, which no one could have overthrown but the spirit, as in our times. Who would have been so wise as to say that such things were wrong, which we have done with our worship, masses and spiritual life? But the Spirit comes and says: God has not commanded it, it is contrary to faith, therefore it is unjust and idolatrous.

(43) Even then the holy fathers did so, and preached against it: Not so, God has not commanded it, you have no testimony of it by God's word, do it out of your own head and presumption, that you thus bind God all such place and your work. And so you shall do: God has promised us (Gen. 3:15) a seed that shall bruise the serpent's head; 3) you shall cling to it and believe in it. But they did not want to hear this, they scolded the patriarchs for heretics and threatened them with death. Therefore it is also said that they have burned the people with fire, as now, in the last

2. In the editions: shall.
3. Wittenberg and Jena: sollt.

214 Erl. 33, 250-253. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, 316-320. 215

Babylon, our clergy also do. For this regiment, as it is written, liked to handle fire.

(44) Thus it is written of the three being put into the fiery furnace in the prophet Daniel Cap. 3:22. Therefore some have written, as it was said, that Haran, Abram's brother, died in the land for faith's sake, and was burned with fire; item, that Abram therefore fled, that he might escape clear fire. How nuy dem fei, we have no text. But this much we have sIos. 24, 3.], that Abram was also idolatrous, and Haran, together with the third brother. Then God came and enlightened Abram by special grace, so that he might see how faith alone was valid before God for the future seed; then he came to the right understanding of what the right service of God was.

45 Therefore there is a fine saying in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 50:2, 40:25, 46:5, 9: Behold, I am such a God as maketh the sea dry, and there is none other but I; to whom then do ye liken me, that I should be like me? As if he should say: I have such great power that I have all things in my hand, nor are you so foolish that you want to grasp me in a small work, and I am so great that the whole sea cannot grasp me. What is this but to deal with distant dreams, and to worship those who stretch God so close as we think one should

lift above all creatures, which faith alone does?

46 I have spoken this so that one may understand Moses correctly, who describes how Abram is torn from God out of the idolatrous nature, but not yet called, as it is written in the following chapter. Therefore I will let him remain a poor sinner until God comes and calls him to leave his father's house Gen. 12, 1. 2c. This is all for our comfort, that we may see how God lifts up few people to heaven who are pure, but all are lifted up out of the mud.

47. Finally, a great question arises over the text, when one comes to the twelfth chapter: how does it rhyme together, which is written here: Tharah was two hundred and fifty years old, and died in Haran; and after that Cap. 12, 4. it follows, how Abram went out of the country; as if he had endured his father's death, before he went out? But it is easy to report, so that this is said per antwiprUiouom, and before that it is written how old his father became. Now it is said above v. 26F that Tharah was over seventy years old when he begat the three sons; and it follows hereafter chap. 12, 4. that Abram was five and seventy years old when he came into the land of Canaan; which is not yet two hundred years; therefore he must have gone out a year or thirty before his father's death.

The twelfth chapter.

And the LORD said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy father's country, and from thy friendship, and from thy father's house, unto a land which I will shew thee. And I will make thee a great nation, and will bless thee, and make thee a great name, and thou shalt be a blessing. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee. And in thee shall all kindreds of the earth be blessed.

Here let us see a great, mighty, excellent example of faith. It is also säst

of the noblest chapters in this book; therefore, it must not be regarded badly, and beyond that, listen as if it were no longer valid. I have made this book so that there is no need to preach fables and fairy tales about the legends of the saints, of which the whole world is full, but so that one may see righteous examples of faith and love, so that one may not only deal with commandments and laws, but may have living words and ways before one's eyes, how it goes when one believes and loves.

216 Erl. 33, 253-S55. Sermon on Genesis 12:1-3. W. HI, 320-3-23. 217

(2) We have also heard above a great example of faith in the holy father Noah, and an example of unbelief in those who built the tower of Babel, so that it may be seen everywhere how faith is affected. Now as we have seen what is the manner and nature of unbelief in the unbelievers, namely, how they gave their minds to "having enough here, to gain good, honor, and pleasure," and did not set their hearts on the uncertain good to come, wherefore they also said, "We will make a name for ourselves; what was this but that they thought to gain temporal honor and prize, that they should not be lowly and despised men? They wanted to set themselves up as if they were to stay here forever. So let us see here again what faith can do and what power it has.

(3) Besides this, it is a great thing that here again a promise is made by Christ that he should come to Abram. For until now, the fathers had all made do with the promise that God had made to Adam; that had been their gospel, which they had kept until God made it clearer and brighter again, because it had now almost fallen into disrepair. They are short words, but have mighty great things behind them.

(4) Now this is a new gospel, which brings Abram out of idolatry; for he must be an unchristian before five and seventy years, and a valiant and strong sinner before he is sanctified, that the scripture alone may praise grace and mercy everywhere. There is no merit; it begins arduously, as God calls Abram; does not write that he ever did a good work, sacrificed, or built an altar, as afterward; but while he is still in sins, and never thought that he should receive such grace, it comes unawares.

(5) Therefore I have said: If anyone is to be converted, devout, or become a Christian, we do not start; neither prayer nor fasting serves this purpose; it must come from heaven and from grace alone, that God, through the promise of the Gospel, should strike the heart, that it should feel and say that it had never before considered or thought that such grace should befall it. As here: Before Abram should have dared to ask, yes, before he even thinks about converting, God comes first, takes

He brings him out of error and sets him in a different being. Therefore, let this example be as new to you as if it had happened yesterday, for it is the work of God that is still going on. This is the way it must go every day if one is to become devout; what one teaches otherwise counts for nothing. He who wants to become devout does not say, "I will start and do good works, so that I may obtain grace: I will wait and see if God will give me his grace and spirit through his word. It must do so, otherwise all is lost; as the prophet says in the 85th Psalm, v. 9: ^uckiam, Huiä lo^aatur in ins Oominus, I will hear what God the Lord speaks.

(6) Now in these words are written both the law and the gospel. To the law belongs that he says: "Go from your father's country, and from your friendship, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. That is to say: All your doings and being are not pleasing to me, I do not want you here, you must leave Heralls and everything. That hurt him, too, and was a hard blow. That's why they didn't go with him much, because his wife and Lot, his cousin. Then he had to say and confess before his father, mother, brother and everyone: "This creature is not fit; if there were anything good here, God would not call me out.

Now these people were not fools, but the best that one should find. It was just as if I had told a Carthusian: step out of your nature and order. As hard as it would be for such a one, so hard it became for Abram. No one judges such things but the spiritual preaching of the law, when it comes and says: What you do is nothing, you are blind, you do not see what is good, how then should you do good? So it puts us into sin and hell.

8. After this comes the other sermon, the gospel, in these words: "And I will make you a great nation and bless you" 2c., yes, he says, I will raise up such a man from your seed, who will bless all the world. That 1) is vain grace, spiritual and temporal, temporal and eternal. Now this is the
9. Erlanger: Da.

218 Erl. 33, 255-LS7. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 323-325. 219

comforting word, which establishes and sustains him, otherwise he would have to despair through the word of the law. These are the words in which the two sermons are contained; one which makes him a sinner and kills him; the other by which he becomes serene and alive. Now let us hear how he goes into it and follows the word.

(9) First, behold, how the faith of the holy patriarch stood. Thus we have said that faith is a certain assurance of things not seen, see Heb. 11:II, but promised, by which it is waited for, which seemeth as if it should never come. Therefore it is a blind and yet a bright knowledge, a light in the midst of the darkness, so that he also has such good that he does not have, that is, that he does not see, and everyone must say that he has nothing. So that I explain it with a rough example: If a poor man is to marry, and faith is not there, his heart stands thus: What shall I do? shall I take a wife, and have nothing to support myself? Because he does not see where the good lies for his sustenance, he does not want to go there. But if there is faith, he says: I will be married in God's name; where the good is that I am to have, or where I am to take it from, I do not know; I do not look, but am content with the fact that Christ says: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you"; this I grasp and take comfort in, just as if I had what I should have, 1) and yet have nothing.

(10) Behold, this is the manner of faith, that it dealeth with goods which it seeth not, nor feeleth, and dealeth with them as if it had them in its hands; having no other consolation, but that it knoweth that God doth not deny nor confide. He does the same in all other things; for when I am to die, and death comes before my eyes, I have to walk away, and do not know where to put my foot in the first step. Now if unbelief is there, fidgeting, trembling, and saying, Where will I go? Who knows where I will stay? He always wants to see and feel where he should stay, but nothing comes of it.

1. Erlanger: shall.

therefore he must despair. But faith thinks like this: I don't know where I'm going, I have to get out, I don't see or feel anything, but I want to entrust myself to him who said in the 55th Psalm, v. 23: "Cast your care and concern on the Lord, he will provide for you"; then I'll go there, because I know he won't lie. So he has life, and does not see it; indeed, he sees nothing but the contradiction. What does he know about? Only that God has promised that He will not let those who trust in Him fall out of His hand. Such examples should be diligently observed throughout the Scriptures.

11. It happened to the patriarch Noah (as heard Cap. 6, 13) that God said He would drown the world and destroy it. However, a hundred years passed, he saw nothing, indeed, it seemed as if nothing would come of it; therefore, people thought it was a lie; but he saw it a hundred years before it came, and acted on it as surely as if it should come tomorrow. Faith has such sharp eyes that it can see in the dark when there is nothing to see, see when there is nothing to see, feel when there is nothing to feel. So we also believe in the Lord Christ, that he sits above at the right hand of the Father Almighty, and so rules, that he has all creatures in his hands, and works everything in us. This we do not see, nor do we feel; nor does the heart see by faith as surely as if it saw with eyes. Now when a man is to die, the same faith is there, and knows for certain that it will go into his bosom.

The scripture praises this kind of faith in the holy father Abram. He was in the country, known to his friends, and was to inherit his father's estate; there was still no faith, for everything he wanted was available, and he felt no lack or need. Then God sends the word to him, snatches him out of all that he has before his eyes, and when he wants to be comforted, says: "Go out." From what? "From your father's country, and from your friendship, and from your father's house," that is, let go, and forgive yourself of all that you see and enjoy here. Where to? "To a land that I will show you." There nothing is mentioned; ses) is a high temptation and struggle of the

220 Erl. 33, 257-260. Sermon on Genesis 12:1-6. W. Ill, 325-328. 221

Believing that he should leave the country, and not knowing where, he goes wherever the wind takes him; item, not knowing whether he will come to friends or enemies, and having to consider that he will come to enemies first. Do you think that this was a small quarrel?

13 For the heart must feel this way: Here you tear me from all acquaintances, and lead me there, perhaps in the midst of the worst enemies, where they will not be able to suffer me at all; make me even a poor beggar, so that I have no place where I can stay safely. Yes, he has had to consider with his wife, and whoever has gone with him, that they must die, and give honor, goods, body and life into the journey; let go certainly goods, joy and security, and give himself into certain enemies, poverty and death. What does he do? He takes no more than the word that God says: "I will make you a great nation and I will bless you. Yes, if unbelief had added, you add a lot of blessing, and I only see the contradiction; here I have a barren wife Gen. 11, 30., then you throw me into a foreign country and people; does that mean blessed? Yes, rather set in all misfortune. He still follows the mere word, as if he should say: You have said that you will bless me; even if everyone curses me, it will not hurt me; therefore I will dare to do it freshly. So he goes into the darkness with such faith, not knowing where he is going, nor does he find the right land; as we shall hear.

14 The epistle to the Hebrews (Cap. 11:8) praises this: "By faith was he obedient," who is called "Abraham, to go forth into the land which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went, and knew not whither he went. Now this is written for our sake, that we also learn to hang on his word, if he promises us that he will sufficiently provide and preserve body, life, and also the soul, even though it is not before our eyes, nor yet present. Only lift yourself up and accept it as if you already had it. If you believe, you have it. Faith cannot fail thee nor deceive thee, though it may already seem as if all things were about to fall to the ground. If it does not come as soon as you see that God has raised up Abram, do not desist, for he has

he does to strengthen the faith. Now follow on:

V.4-6. Then Abram went out, as the LORD had said to him, and Lot went with him. Abram was five and seventy years old when he left Haran. So Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, with all their substance which they had gotten, and souls which they had begotten in Haran, and departed to go into the land of Canaan. And when they were come into that land, he passed through unto the place of Sichern, and unto the grove of More: for the Canaanites dwelt in the land at that time.

15 Then see how God has tried faith. For it is not a bad example, because the scripture diligently shows it, which gives this man alone the honor, that it calls him a father of faith [Rom. 4, 11. Gal. 3, 9.), and Christ Himself [Luc. 16, 22.) Abraham's faith the Schooß Abrahä calls; that also God himself holds much of it. He was five and seventy years old, the text says, when he went out; from those he counted until he was a hundred years old, when he first had a son. There we will see how he is tempted in faith so long that he might have despaired a hundred times. God promised him to multiply his seed, so he waited and hoped all the years. It lasted five, ten, fifteen, twenty years; nothing would come of it. Oh, how he had to struggle with unbelief during this time. When he was a hundred years old, he was almost in despair, for it was impossible by nature; yet he did not leave the word and promise of God, so that St. Paul Rom. 4:18 says: "He believed" against hope "in hope."

(16) Learn, therefore, that it is not enough to begin to believe, but that one must also continue and persevere, and not be carried away. For God only tempts faith, as I have said, so that faith may become strong and firm, and the old Adam and unbelief may be strangled, who only clings to the present, which he sees and feels, so that he may tear us away from the present, that we may cling to the word alone, and then we will have enough in body and soul.

17 So he has learned and practiced the: Saying

222 - Erl. 33, 260-262. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 328-331. 223

In the most silent book of Moses Cap. 8, 3: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes through the mouth of God: If a man does not live by the word alone, but by every word that passes through the mouth of God," Matthew 4:4 he lives by the word alone, so that he clings to it and abides in it; then he must be blessed with all goods. Let this be the example by which we learn how far we still are from faith.

18. but that God first indicates in the promise and says: "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you", then he puts the holy cross on him. This is the other piece we have to learn -from the fathers legends. For these are the main pieces of the Christian life, faith, hope, love, and the cross. For where God's word, the holy gospel, is, there the holy cross should not remain outside. For Paul gives it the name 1 Cor. 1:18 that he calls it a word of the cross, that is, it costs the cross and must bear the cross. For the world and the flesh are so minded that they do not like to suffer the gospel, for they only want to cling to that which they see before their eyes, to have honor and good enough, and to be sure of the thing. If then the gospel preaches that it is not right, she cannot hear it, for it only preaches against her. Therefore God tells Abram beforehand that he will be cursed, so that he may consider this and know that it must be so, so that he will not be challenged; and at the same time he comforts him with the same words, as if to say, "Be of good cheer and hold fast; you shall see that I will curse him who curses you, and I will bless him who blesses you.

19 But this is also in faith. It is not all described how it happened, but afterwards, in another place, it is well indicated, and here also that he was cursed by many, condemned, mocked and scorned, he "was a stranger in the land among his enemies, and not sure of life, had to fear his wife also verse 10-12. So now the Holy Spirit comforts him; but is silent, and yet lets him 1) lust, pretending not to see it. Therefore this is a blessing and cursing of God in the spirit, as if he should say: Those who curse you are

1. Erlanger: them.

well blessed in the sight of the world, and again; but hold thy peace, and eat into thyself; look upon me, as I lead thee in the spirit, that they are accursed before me.

20 So he always points him to the word. So he had to live in the eyes of the enemy, risk life and limb, and let what he had be taken away; that God should stand by him, as if he did not hear and see how everyone blasphemes and defiles him. This is great; but it is even greater that he must go with his wife and large household; for if he had been alone, he could have gotten along much better. [It is well to think that they have been lords in the land, how often he has been wronged and violated and deprived of what is his.

(21) All this is presented to us as a high example, the like of which is not much found among the saints. For God Himself has arranged to describe His legend with all diligence, that the whole world should call Him a father of faith, from whom everyone should learn how faith must be skilful and what its nature is, namely, that it passes between life and death, honor and dishonor, good and poverty; so that he can say to God: You are mighty, you can keep me alive in death; because you have enough and live, I must also live and have enough. For even though he sees the contradiction, he is always guided by the promise.

22. But I have said, that in these words, "In thee shall all kindreds of the earth be blessed," Christ is actually promised. Although the Jews, to whom Christ is actually promised,Z) draw the saying, as they also pervert and sin other Scriptures, that so much is said: "In you all generations on earth shall be blessed," that is, by you all generations shall be praised; so that if the Gentiles turn to the faith of the Jews, or to their state, and are circumcised, they can boast that they also belong to Abraham. That is how far they interpreted it.

23 But we are to draw it further. Because

2 " "To whom Christ is actually promised" is missing in the Wittenberg.

224 Erl. 33, L6S-265. sermon on Genesis 12:4-6. w. ill, 331-334. 225

It goes to the Seed of Jesus Christ, as it is also subsequently greatly deleted. And the blessing is to remain on the whole man, body and soul. For he that is a Christian is blessed through and through, all that he sees, and hears, and feels; so that the word is mightily extended.

24 This saying concludes that we are all cursed and damned in Adam, to whom the sentence is laid Gen. 3:16, 17: "Cursed be the field for your sake"; and to the woman: "I will cause you much grief when you are with child" 2c. The sayings and curses go over man and woman and all of us, for the sake of sin, so that sin would be punished and repelled. But all this ceases when Christ comes, who brings a blessing for the curse, not so much that he takes away the sweat and labor, and the pain of childbirth, but much more. For the blessing is entirely spiritual, so that it first takes away and strangles the sin for which the curse has passed over us; which is also the right curse, through which we are stuck in the maw of eternal death; as above s^Cap. 2, 17.] is heard, "Which hour thou shalt eat of the tree, thou shalt die the death."

025 But how he taketh away man's labor, and woman's anguish, is not seen. For he taketh away as death, so that sorrow and death remain; but giveth us such medicine, and maketh us so drunken, that all these things do not deceive us, and we suffer them with a cheerful conscience. For he that believeth goeth up cheerfully, 1) not with displeasure and bitterness as before; and though it grieve the flesh and blood, yet the conscience remaineth cheerful. The taking away is much more glorious than if he were to stop it altogether; for there he shows his power and strength, as he is so mighty that in the midst of death life comes and drowns death. In the same way, he does not take away the work or the sweat, but makes it not hurt, and the heart full of joy, so that it thinks it cannot hurt him. He also does this with the woman, that she suffers everything gladly, even if it were more; it hurts her well.

1. Erlanger: in.

but before, much more sore; yet now it becomes sweet and light to the conscience.

26. so he leads his blessing so strongly that he blesses all men in such a way that the curse must become harmless; will also finally take it away, but first the whole Adam must die. When we are through it, it is all gone. So the blessing must be understood as working in the heart, comforting and strengthening it, so that no misfortune will be too hard for it. Where this is not the case, the pain is too great and unmistakable, and there is only unhappiness and heartache, so that one always wants to be overburdened. Unbelief can suffer nothing willingly, flees because it can, so that it does not work, wants to have enough beforehand and be well provided for.

27 Thus it is seen everywhere that unbelief is a cursed thing, and makes all things bitter and bitter; but that faith is a blessed thing, and brings all good and joy. Now this is promised here, that such a blessing should come and go upon all generations, because the world stands, so that it is said and preached to the last day, Abram is dead, Christ is in heaven; yet the blessing is there. Wherever the gospel is preached, it proclaims that whoever believes in Christ, Abraham's flesh and blood, shall have his sins forgiven, death taken away, and eternal life. This is ever highly blessed, offered to everyone. If you want to be blessed, believe in Christ. Therefore it is nothing else than preaching the gospel, in which the blessing is spoken daily.

28 This then was the gospel which they had at that time, which saith the same thing, and is none other than our gospel, by which Christ is preached in all the world. Whoever accepts and believes it shall be saved from all calamity. The same gospel was also given to Adam, but not so clearly as here to Abram. From him it is always driven away and expressed more clearly, until Christ has come.

Thus we have seen the holy cross that the holy patriarch carried. He has now come to the land, but does not know that this is the one that God told him. Therefore he went up and down like a pilgrim, coming as far as Shechem, almost in the middle of the land of Canaan.

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Now that he has obeyed his God and gone forth, He will not leave him without comfort at last. Therefore Moses says:

V.7-9. Then the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land. And there he built an altar unto the LORD, which appeared unto him. And he departed from thence unto a mountain that was toward the east of the city of Bethel, and pitched his tent, that he might have Bethel toward the west, and Ai toward the east. And there he built an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram departed from Bethel, and went out toward the south.

030 This text may be thought to be a bad text, as indeed it is; but three journeys are signified therein. First, Abram passed through the land from time to time, and encamped once at Shechem. From there he departed and moved away, settling down between Bethel. And the third time he departed thence, and went forth toward the south, unto the land of Egypt, and built altars in two places, when God appeared unto him, and at Bethel.

(31) The prophet David has rightly considered this text, when he says: "I am a stranger with you, and a sojourner, like all my fathers." Item, the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 11, 9. also says "By faith he was a stranger in the land promised to him, as to a stranger." And Stephen Apost. 7, 4. 5. also says: "God brought our father Abraham over to this land, where you now dwell. He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot wide, and promised him that He would give it to him to possess, and to his seed after him, since he had no child." So he had to be freryd all his life, that he also had to buy his burial Gen. 23, 16. 17.. Therefore he did not put his hope in temporal goods.

32. it is a strange history and a strange faith that God leads the man from the temporal to the eternal, names and indicates to him temporal goods, namely this country, and

1. "says also" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. Irr the expenses: they.

But faith, which is attached to the word, even though it speaks of the temporal, gives him eternal happiness. Therefore, it depends on God's word. When God speaks, even from a straw, it is nevertheless an eternal word, so that whoever believes in it is justified and pious, that he has God and enough for eternity. Therefore, you must not look only at what he says, for it is all the same, one thing and another; but you must look at the very most of his word. If you are sure of this, close your eyes and do not ask what he is talking about. If the word is there, you have enough, because it is the eternal truth and God Himself Psalm 119, 160. Joh. 17, 17.. So faith is also an eternal treasure.

(33) I say this because there has been a hostile disagreement as to how the promises of the Old and New Testaments are to be separated, and they commonly separate them in such a way that in the Old Testament good is promised temporally, and in the New eternally. Such a distinction is not sufficient, and does not conclude. For Abram is not promised eternal possessions when he says, "This land I will give to your seed," for he is speaking of physical children and land; nor is the word eternal, and the faith that holds to it attains eternal life and blessedness. Therefore, the word of God is to be kept in the same regard, he speaks whatever he wants, and always clings to it. It is all God's power and supreme good. Otherwise, if one were to judge according to the difference, Abram would not have become a Christian through faith in this word, from the bodily good.

Now this is the comfort that God gives us in suffering. For he has a way of tempting faith, he tempers it, and makes it last, so that we take off the old skin and cling to the mere word and insist on it. But if it lasts too long, and comes too hard, he does not leave it without consolation. But the scripture is reasonable and does not say how he was taken along. Why did he not stay in Shechem? Of course, he did not do it because he wanted to. Moses also mentions it in the 5th book, Cap. 26, 5: "The Syrians wanted to kill my father, who went down to Egypt and was a stranger there. The people of the land did not like him.

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35 For it is certain that Abram preached the word of God, and so lived as he believed. If he preached and lived like this, it is impossible that he pleased the people. For he had to punish them and say out of Christian love, "Your nature is not right and against God. If he had not done this, he would not have been a true pious, holy man, for Christian love cannot remain silent nor tolerate that the neighbor errs and sins, it must punish and punish where it can. That is what he has done; therefore, wherever he goes, he remains as long as he does not speak the truth. When he opens his mouth, he has to leave.

In those days there was still a fine world, many wise and understanding people, also pious and holy. But he found many of them, especially hypocritical and presumptuous people, who especially persecuted the true saints, as Moses touches on in the fifth book, as we will hear later. Therefore he did not do it out of recklessness that he broke out like this; nobody wanted to suffer him. And because he stands thus in the holy cross, having no one among the people to comfort him, God Himself comforts him, but puts such words that it is contrary to all appearance. 1) As if to say, "You are a stranger among men who are enemies to you, who think that they have possession of the land and that you must live at their mercy; but I will turn it around so that you will be lord and they will not. Abram was comforted by this. This is how God deals with all His believers. This is one piece.

(37) The other thing, that Abram buildeth an altar at Shechem, and afterward one when he cometh to Bethel, is no other thing than that the pious patriarch prepared a place for himself and his servants, that they might come together to hear the gospel, and to pray, and to sacrifice. For from the beginning this was the outward worship, that they slaughtered and sacrificed animals, as Noah, Cain, and Abel; as we have the mass or sacrament, where we preach and pray. They also preached and prayed as we do, but had other signs, namely the sacrifice. Sometimes it happened when they put it on the altar.

1. Erlanger: which is reflection.

that it lit and consumed the fire from heaven, when I said about Abel's sacrifice Cap. 4, 22.. But I will believe that ses^ did not happen here, or not at all times. Alan probably afterwards finds it clear that ses^s had happened; as, of Gideon and Manoah in the book of Judges Cap. 6, 21. 13, 2O.. But it is not to be thought that they established such a service, that they wanted to do God a good work with it; but, because one must have a place and place, where one comes together, and God's word teaches and acts, such the necessity forces to establish, thus that actually Abram did such for the sake of preaching.

(38) What then did he preach? Just what we preach in the Gospel, namely: Here is God's word, which promises me that he will give me a seed through which all the world will be blessed, and will give me this land. If we believe the word, we are pious. He] has thus set forth how one should serve God with faith, and how in the promise the whole gospel is understood, that no one can please God without faith Heb. 11:6, but no one could believe without God's word, that is, the sermon.

39 Then he also asked that the promise be fulfilled for himself and his servants, and for his enemies who had harmed him. There he is landlord and priest, has both regiments in his hand. Therefore, this history is not to be rejected. He has been holier than any pope or bishop has ever been; he has also led the spiritual office better than any of the very best. Preaching is the highest and noblest office. Where this is not, nothing can make a priest before God.

40 So the sacrifice is not to be understood as if he had done it as a good work, but as a sign to confirm the sermon, just as we take the sacrament in addition to the word to strengthen faith. For if thou receive this, and hold fast the word, and believe that his body is given for thee, and his blood shed for thee, thou art blessed. He also said: "If we believe that what God has said will come to pass, we will become a sign of God.

230 Erl. 33, 289-272. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 340-344. 231

make a sacrifice to strengthen the faith, so that we may be the more sure. Scripture has not set this in vain. For the less the service, the better it is to keep only the word and the sign.

041 And Abram, when he went forth, and came to Bethel, set up an altar again, and offered sacrifices. Bethel is called a house of God. For Beth is a house of God; so that when the man came, and met the place, he set up a house of God, and called upon the name of God, saith the text. This is all said of the public ministry; so that where it is found that the saints have built an altar or the like, that it may be learned that it is not said of secret prayer and worship. For he did the same thing that no man saw: but this is the public work which he did in the sight of the people when they were assembled together.

For "to call upon the name of God" in Scripture means "to call upon publicly. This is nothing other than the outward service of God, by which the gospel is made known with the mouth and preached before everyone. He will have done so, that his people were present and listened; to them he preached and put sayings in their mouths, how they praised God and gave thanks for the future Christ and all the goods that were promised to him Rom. 10, 9. 10..

These are the three journeys, that he must be a pilgrim, and flee from the holy cross. He would have gladly stayed, since he built the altar at the first, but he always had to leave, so that he would be well trained in righteous faith; he always thought that God would give him a place where he would stay, but he had to hover between heaven and earth.

44 If anyone should say, "It is forbidden in Moses that any man should not perform a service for him. Item, that the Scripture says, God will not suffer the works which we ourselves choose, that they should be well done before God Matth. 15, 9. Marc. 7, 7.. For, as I have often said, what we do must be done in such a way that we can say that it pleases God, and have certain sayings that say that God wills and gives. Where this is not, I shall do nothing before God. As,

That a Christian should believe and love is God's word. What I do now, so that I can always say: I do this because God has called it; then I am right before God. Otherwise, all works are nothing and condemned, no matter how great and beautiful they may be, as all priests and monks are.

(45) For no work shall be called and be good, except it have the word of God in it; not that it seemeth good to me or to thee, that it seemeth good in the sight of the world and in the sight of reason, that it be great, long, and heavy, or that there be great devotion and good opinion in it; but that it have goodness and nobility only in that it proceedeth in the commandment of God. Now, if all the clergy and ecclesiastics in the world could come up with a saying that God had ordered and commanded their thing, we would also carry it on our hands. It takes more than good opinion and what the world can do to make it good. God's word must do it.

(46) How then shall we save the holy father, that he should lead and build altars, when he hath no word of God concerning them? As long as he does not say so, he should not build an altar, no matter how holy he is and how good he means it. Answer: That he certainly had orders from God, whether it is not written that the Holy Spirit said that he should build, otherwise one could not defend it. But this helps that he had God's word, because the text says: "He built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him"; he concluded from the Spirit, because he wanted to give him the same land, that it would please him to build altars there. If he was to be in the land, he had to preach there; therefore he had to build an altar. Therefore he does not do it out of his own presumption, but in obedience. So we must dwell on this and groan, 2) that we always say that they did nothing that pleased God without God's word. For if one allowed that one might do something more, monks and priests would have already won justice.

V. 10-16: And there was a tempest in the land. Then Abram went down into Egypt,

1. Erlanger: heavier.
2. moan - support.

232 Erl. 33, 27S-274. sermon on Genesis 12:10-16. w. ill, 344-347. 233

That he might abstain there as a stranger: for the theure was heavy in the land. And when he was come nigh unto Egypt, he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, I know that thou art a fair woman in countenance: and when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say that this is his wife, and shall slay me, and keep thee. Dear, say that thou art my sister, that it may go well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live for thy sake. Now when he came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was almost beautiful. And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her before him. Then she was brought into Pharaoh's palace. And Abram prospered because of her; and he had flocks, and herds, and asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and asses, and camels.

This is the last and hardest journey that Abram makes; he has had comfort for a while, but now a greater temptation comes again than before. This is another great example of faith. The land is weighed down with dear time, the inhabitants can hardly feed themselves, where will the pilgrim stay? He must leave. So he is once again] chased away, knows nowhere to go, God is silent about it, and lets him be pushed out of the land that is promised to him, since he thinks that he is the most firmly established. So God does not let His own rest, so that no one will hang on to temporal good; thus He plays with us, gives and takes it away again; and again. Over this he must also put his wife on the road, yes, first of all surrender his life, knows no advice to save himself, but that he gives his wife away.

48 And is he right in putting his wife in the way, and in daring to honor her? Item, that he has such evil thoughts of people, when one should think the best of one's neighbor? Answer: He does as much as he can, so that he does not tempt God. Because he can do that, so that he can save himself with his wife, he needs her. After all, God commands it all. Think, then, if I did not have my wife with me, God could protect me and keep her in honor as well as with me; but because I have her and can use such means, I will not tempt God.

For faith is so made that it freely considers the mere word of God.

and home all things to him, and yet do not try. But what does trying mean? It is two things: The first is on the left side, not accepting God's promise that He will give it into our hands. As if Abram, about the promise, would have the land in his hands so soon, and would not believe until he had it in his hands, the word would have been struck away and God would have been tempted, as the Jews did in the wilderness, to whom God had promised that He would lead them and not let them lack; but now when they saw that it would lack, they began to grumble, not wanting to believe that they had it in their hands Ex. 16:2, 3. That is, God tempts in lack when there is not available what one should have.

50. the other is in abundance on the right side, when God has given food that can be used, and one leaves that and shuts his mouth to heaven, wanting to have a special sign. If we are hungry, he could well keep us without food; as he said Deut. 8:3 that he would feed us by his word; but because he also gives bread, he does not want us to leave it lying around. So here God is said to be tempted when one has need and want, and can well help the matter, and does not use what God has given. Those who vow chastity are also of this kind. God has proposed and instituted the conjugal state so that we may escape fornication; whoever does not want to accept this, and does not have the nature to keep chastity, leaves behind God's word, which he has given, as if God were to perform a special, supernatural work and miracle with him.

(51) Therefore faith should walk and drive in this way: If there is lack, that he may freely trust in God's word; but if there is abundance and enough, he should need it and not seek something else. Thus he walks between the left and the right side, staying on the right middle road. This is what this example teaches us. If he is in want, he commands God, even though he must now live in the road; but if he has a wife, and sees that if he said she was his wife, they would kill him, he takes what God gives him for protection and uses it.

52. but it is a great thing, his wife

234 Erl. 33, 274-Ä7K. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 347-349. 235

from himself, and dare to do so only on God. He must have had no doubt that God would keep her, must also be a pious woman who is so obedient that she gives herself to strangers. In sum, it is quite fraternal that she also puts her body and honor there, and does what pleases her husband. Two people came together in a crowd: Abram, the father, Sarai, the mother, have well deserved to be preferred as an] example and model of faith. But they suffered many and great trials, that the faith might be kept pure and sincere, both in want and sufficiency; and both were able to live in want, and to be rich, and to be high, and to be low, and to engage in all manner of good and evil.

(53) God is wont to deal with His own in this way, that He does not let them stay long in one place, but chases them hither and thither, not only for their sake, that their faith may be proved, but also for the benefit of other people. For Abram certainly could not keep silent, nor was it proper for him not to preach to the people about God's grace. Therefore God drove him through the famine in Egypt, so that he might also be of use there and enlighten some with the right knowledge of God. Which he undoubtedly did. For it is not fitting that a man should deal with people and not reveal to them what is good for their salvation. Because he says that he dwelt in Egypt, and that it was well with him for Sarai's sake, he did not fail to teach her. Thus God acts strangely on earth, sending apostles and preachers to the people before they know it or think of it; even those who are sent do not know how to get there.

V.17-20. But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh with great plagues, and his house, because of Sarai Abram's wife. Then Pharaoh called Abram to him and said to him, "Why have you done this to me? Why did you not tell me 1) that your wife was? Why saidst thou then that she was thy sister? because I took her to me to wife. And now, behold, thou hast thy wife; take her, and go. And he commanded his mighty men over him to go with him, and with his wife, and with all that he had.

1. In the issues: say.

54 You see how God always responds to faith and does not let it fall. So he goes and puts his wife and her honor on the road. That was very daring, especially in the king's court. He does not worry, does not set a goal for God, how he should bring her back, does not set a time, a way, or a person, but goes freely, thinking: "It is God's command, where I stay and come with the wife, I do not want to know how or when she will come back. He clings only to the blessing in which God promised him that he would not leave him; and when he is tempted, he goes and does not doubt that he will help her to come back to him or otherwise for the best. As now his heart stands, so he finds. For God cares for him so highly that he also attacks the king and all his household with great plagues.

(55) Moses does not say what the plagues were, but he presses the king so far that he gives Abram back his wife himself, and orders his officials and officers to escort him with all that he has. That is how exactly God respects this man, who in front of the world seems as if he does not know or see him, let him take his wife. Before he looks around, he attacks King Pharaoh for his own sake, which the prophet David praises in Psalm 105, v. 14. Therefore, it is a remarkable example that God cares so much for him and gives more to him than to the whole kingdom. What is in the king's kingdom is a hundred times less than poor, foreign Abram; that the prophets may have seen this, so that we may learn how God holds himself against those who trust in him, and believe that there is no power so great and terrible that is not subject to a Christian.

For God does not strike a bad man here; he was not warned before. Now he warns him so highly that he is glad to keep Abram as a friend; he causes so much trouble that the king must humble himself before him. How bad it would be now to suffer that a poor beggar would come into a king's country, that the country and the people would have to call him gracious lord 3) and be afraid of him, and be glad that they

2. In the editions (according to Latin idiom): itself.
3. In the old editions: "gnad Herr".

236 Erl. 33, 276-27." Sermon on Genesis 12, 17-20. 13, l-18. W. Ill, 349-35.;. 237

showed him all the services? Nor can God accomplish this so soon. Therefore it is not possible for him to leave anyone who trusts in him and clings to him; indeed, he helps more and better than we can ever desire.

57 For Abram would never have desired nor wished that the king should send for him, restore his wife, and make him well attended. Therefore let the faithful be undaunted in all troubles. For thus says Solomon in Proverbs f^Cap. 16:7], "If a man's ways please the LORD, he will also make his enemies content with him."

The saying flows from many histories. If God is pleased with us, let Him take care of the enemies. He can throw them around in a hui and make them friends. It is only the hopeless, damned unbelief that cannot be resisted; as he sees with eyes, so he judges and goes, not wanting to step into darkness.

(59) Great benefit and correction will come from him, so that kings and princes will be taught and converted through him. For such

The punishment is that the king became Abram's friend. And it is a sign that he has recognized God, so that Abram has carried out his ministry with great benefit. How God always deals with his own, that he gives them to work on earth. That is why he tosses them back and forth. That is enough of this chapter.

60 But what is to be said now between Abram and his Sarai, I command others. [It is also shown how a fine marriage it was, and how it should be done. For Abram laid out a commandment to his wife, saying that she was his sister, and so put himself in the way for her husband. There is no reluctance, but fine friendly obedience, ssie^ keeps to her Lord's word that right conjugal love has been there. Therefore she has also done a mighty great work of faith there, because she has also had to surrender herself and her honor to God's power. Therefore, both women and men have ample examples and stimulation of faith and Christian conjugal love.

The thirteenth chapter.

(vv. 1-18) So Abram went up out of Egypt with his wife, and with all that he had, and Lot also with him, toward the south. Abram was loaded with cattle, silver and gold. And he went on his way from the south even unto Bethel, unto the place where his tabernacle was first, between Bethel and Ai, even unto the place where he had made the altar before: and there he called upon the name of the LORD. And Lot, which went with Abram, had also flocks, and herds, and tents; and the land could not bear that they should dwell together: for their substance was great, and they could not dwell together. And there was always strife between the shepherds over Abram's cattle and the shepherds over Lot's cattle. And the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt in the land at that time. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours.

teu, because we are brothers. Isn't all land open to you? Dear, part from me. If thou wilt go to the left, I will go to the right; or if thou wilt go to the right, I will go to the left. Then Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the region of Jordan: for before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it was full of water, even unto Zoar, as the garden of God, even as the land of Egypt. Then Lot bought him the whole region of Jordan, and went toward the east. So one brother separated himself from another, and Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot in the cities of the same region, and pitched his tent in Sodom. But the people of Sodom were wicked, and sinned greatly against the Lord. And it came to pass, when Lot was departed from Abram, that the LORD said unto Abram, Lift up thine eyes, and behold from the place where thou dwellest, toward the north, toward the midst.

** **238 Erl. 33, L79-L81. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 353-356. 239

day^ toward the morning, and toward the evening; for all the land which thou seest I will give thee, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. If a man can number the dust of the earth, he shall number thy seed also. Arise therefore, and go through the land, into the length and breadth thereof; for unto thee will I give it. So Abram raised his tents, and came and dwelt in the grove of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

This is a short, easy chapter, and actually written for the sake of God's promise. For here you see the very first promise that he makes to Abram about this land. For in the previous chapter we heard that God told him to go out, but did not point to any other land, leaving him hovering between heaven and earth, moving from time to time, so that he did not yet know what the actual land was until he came out of Egypt again and parted from his brother. Then he said, "This is the land I promised to give you," confirming and explaining the promise he made in the previous chapter.

(2) This is first of all the cause why it is written; there it stands in the bottom. For the promise that the Jews should take the land and possess it is therefore taken, and 1) is always afterwards continued. [But it is also written, that it may be seen how God does not desist from those who believe, as long as they do not desist; but as he sends one affliction after another, so also one comfort follows another; so that it is finely mixed, that now the sun shines, now it rains, and now it is dark, that they may be tempted in good and evil at the same time. He let Abram go a good while after the comfort in Egypt, but it lasted a year or two until the shepherds quarreled with each other that he should separate from his brother. Now another comfort comes, but it gives him room to wander, and he is a sojourner and a stranger here and there until Hebron, where he remains. Thus this chapter also indicates the pilgrimage of the holy father.

1. "and" is missing in the Erlanger.

This is now also part of his faith, that he has walked with his brother's son until now, but now he must also separate from him; it is also an example of love. Since his and his cousin's shepherds could not get along, which he undoubtedly tried many times, he does what he can, stakes his good and friendship on it with Lot, before he breaks the love, and lets anger and strife become. We are so skilled that we may quarrel and rumble over a drink of beer. He is in a foreign country with his wife and servants, yet he holds so firmly to love and peace that he puts everything he has into it, thus remaining in harmony with his brother and allowing him to choose his own advantage. Another would not have divorced him so easily. Thus one sees how they have been righteous children of God.

In the last also here is described the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. To understand this, one must know the occasion. The Promised Land is situated so that it has Egypt toward the evening and the Jordan toward the morning. At the end of the Jordan is the sea called the Dead Sea, in which the five cities were drowned, as we shall hear. The same land, before it was turned back and sunk (says the text), was full of water as a garden of God, like Egypt land. There he praises it highly, and especially indicates that Egypt is more delicious than the promised land, which is as pleasant as if God Himself had planted and prepared it; however, it was a lard pit, the right core and soil of the land, since everything was enough; after that Bethlehem is not far from it, even deliciously situated.

(5) This is why, in addition to the story of Abram, he shows that worldly good and faith are hardly together. For because the land was so delicious, rich and full, they became bad boys who asked nothing of God and his word. If they had been more pious, they might have suffered sorrow and hardship. That is why abundance and full sufficiency lead them into such sin and vice that God had to destroy them. This was also indicated by the prophet Ezekiel j^Cap. 16, 49. 50.]: "This was the sin of your sister Sodoma," he says to Jerusalem, "hope, abundance of bread, and plenty, and her idleness, and her daughters," the

240 Erl. 33, 281-283. sermon on Genesis 13:1-18, 14:1-16. W. Ill, 356-380. 241

The people of the land, the villages and the countryside around, "and that she gave no hand to the poor, no one could come up to her; therefore she became proud, and did such abominations, that I destroyed her.

6 Therefore, I say, where it is full, there is not much grace; but where it is narrow, there is skill. As we see: When one is full and has no lack, there is no one who looks to God; again, when one suffers hunger for one day, everyone cries out. So the world does nothing, except that it is

God is angry with good and riches; if he does not give them, they are angry. Thus, Scripture indicates that God likes to deal with the poor, and how dangerous it is to live in abundance; when He gives much, we cannot moderate ourselves, we must abuse it. Therefore it is a great mercy that he lets the common rabble have little, otherwise he becomes 1) so naughty that fes] no one can suffer, as Solomon says in Proverbs.

1. In the issues: wills.

The fourteenth chapter.

V. 1-16. And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Elassar, and Kedorlaomor king of Elam, and Thideal king of the Gentiles, that they warred with Vera king of Sodom, and with Birsa king of Gomorrah, and with Shinarab king of Adamah, and with Shemeber king of Zeboim, and with the king of Bela, whose name is Zoar. All these came together into the broad valley where the Salt Sea is. For they had been twelve years under King KedorLaomor, and in the thirteenth year they had fallen from him. And Kedorlaomor came, and the kings that were with him, in the fourteenth year, and smote the giants of Astharoth Karnaim, and the Susim of Ham, and the Emim in the plains of Kiriathaim, and the Horites in mount Seir, unto the breadth of Pharan, which is upon the wilderness. Then they turned and came to the Rechtborn, which is Kadesh, and smote all the land of the Amalekites, and the Amorites that dwelt in HazezonThamar. And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Adamah, and the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is called Zoar, went out, and prepared themselves to fight in the broad valley with KedorLaomor king of Elam, and with Tideal king of the Gentiles, and with Amraphel king of Shinar, and with Arioch king of Elassar; four kings with them.

And the broad valley had many clay pits. But the king of Sodom and Gomorrah were put to flight there and laid low, and what remained fled to the mountains. Then they took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the food, and departed. They also took with them Lot, Abram's brother's son, and his goods, for he dwelt in Sodom, and departed. Then one who had escaped came and told Abram, the foreigner who lived in the grove of Mamre, the Amorite, who was a brother of Escol and Aner. These were in league with Abram. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken, he armed his own servants, three hundred and eighteen, born in his house, and pursued after them unto Dan, and divided himself, and fell upon them by night with his servants, and smote them, and pursued after them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of the city of Damascus, and brought back all the goods, and Lot his brother with his goods, and the women, and the people.

This chapter is also easy and bad. Whoever wants to know how the battle happened, may look at the figure of the Jewish land printed. Why it is written, we will see later. First of all, one must know how the land is situated in order to understand the history correctly. The land where the Moabites, L-eir and Edom dwelt, even unto the Red Sea, is all that is called Arabiam Petraam. Abram

242 Erl. 33, 283-286. interpretations on the first book of Moses. > W. Ill, 360-363. 243

Interpretations about the first book of Moses.

But dwelt in Hebron, which was at that time a goodly and great capital, when afterward Rome was in the Welsh country, so that all looked upon it; now it is upon the border, having the salt sea, that is, the dead sea toward the east; item, Amalek, likewise the Carnaim, giants, Susim, and Emim, Horites, Amorites, also toward the east. They have fallen upon all these in the land, and have smitten all that they found in the same places and in the same mountains.

(2) Now the kings are specially mentioned. The king Amraphel of Sinear and KedorLaomor of Elam are the kings of Persia and Medes, from whom the Elamites came and still remain. Although it happens in all the world that the names are changed, after that one people drives out the other, and sits down in a country, as here the Horiter lived before times, where after the Edomiter sat. Therefore the names of a part are uncertain.

003 So it came to pass, that the four kings fell from the east, through the land of the Amorites and Moabites, whom they smote; and the Shushim also, which were the nobles of the land; which were also smitten, because they wished to make the kings of the land free again, and to be their lords. At that time almost every city had a king, so that it was a powerful nation. So now the five kings have armed themselves for battle against those four.

4 Now this battle is told, not that God should desire to tell how the nations quarrelled and fought with one another, but for Abram's sake and for the miraculous work that was done. Twelve years they had served the Persian kings, says the text, but in the thirteenth year, when they were rich and thought 2) they were established, they fell away and gave neither tithes nor interest any more; this they did for one year. But in the fourteenth the others arose and smote them; the rest they took away, as the land was full and rich.

005 Now this is the miraculous sign, that the five kings, who were strong and mighty,

1. In the old editions: one part.
2. In the editions: "meant them, they".

item, the giants, a mighty people) with the Amorites, also the Amalekites, Susim, and all that was about the border, were smitten by those four kings, that none could withstand them; and Abram, the one man, was to smite them, without all the help of any king or city. For the text saith, He took of his own servants three hundred and eighteen, and none more than three brethren, Mamre, Escol, and Aner, which might have been nobles at Hebron, where he dwelt.

(6) In order that Moses may show what Abram's rule was, that he nevertheless had a very large number of servants, because so many servants alone are counted, many of whom had wives and children. With them he had to move in the country, where he had nothing of his own, ruled them physically and spiritually, with preaching, sacrifices and prayers, as said above Cap. 12, § 37 ff. Nevertheless, some also joined him in Hebron and kept company with him, as these three, who are mentioned here.

(7) So the stranger set out, and with his company alone he pursued so many and mighty enemies from Hebron to Dan, at the end of the promised land; so that he passed through it from noon to midnight. When he came to Dan, which at that time was not yet called Dan, but Leshem (Jos. 19:47), he used reason, although the spirit ruled them, and attacked them secretly, not hurrying after them, but letting them go far before, so that they were safe, and thought they had passed through. That one sees how God thus plays as if it had happened naturally and through human cleverness, and yet it is God's miraculous sign. So he suddenly attacked them, when they did not know it. For if five kings were lying together, they would still consider it a disgrace that they should let three hundred and eighteen men frighten them, break out, and leave behind them what they had captured and stolen. But because this happened, the story itself shows that it did not happen naturally, but must be a miraculous sign. When they now

3. "they", namely reason.

244 Erl. 33, MU-288. sermon on I 41 lose 14, 1-16. w. ill, 363-365. 245)

When the two men, who were in such a hurry, separated, fled and were beaten, he brought back all the plunder they had taken away, and of course much more rich booty. This is a piece of history, how it happened.

The first thing to ask here is: Since Abram is an evangelical man, who walks in pure faith, and all his life is in the Word of God, how is it that he wields the sword here, and commits such murder, since he must have slain many people? How can such a Christian man do such a work that belongs to an executioner, shed so much blood? Should he not have suffered it cheaply, as Christ Match. 5:40, and thus say, "If they have taken my brother away from me, I must suffer that they also take me away.

(9) Answer: So we have taught, a Christian is such a man, who stands completely in God's will, does everything he knows to be pleasing to him; and again, is so skilled that he completely shuts his eyes from the works, does not see how great or small, short or long, how pretty or foolish it seems, as reason does, which always makes a distinction among the works, saying: This is delicious, this is small; but faith looks only at God's will. If it is God's commandment, he does it; if not, he does not do it, even if it were good; he sees no further. If God demanded that I strike my neighbor, I would have to do it, and not judge by the work, but by God's will. Where else would worldly power come from if he had not commanded the sword to be used? Because he says so, it must be done. Although a prince must be so minded that he does not harm anyone for himself, he must nevertheless strangle the wicked, even though he would rather grant them life.

(10) This must be understood when one reads the histories of the Old Testament, for there one finds many examples of how the saints shed blood and strangled people. Whoever now wants to judge according to the works of the fathers becomes a fool, for they are so strange that no human reason can judge from them. So this is also to be considered a foolish work, as also above Cap. 12, 13, when he gave his wife.

The Scriptures are full of them everywhere. As we read in the first book of Kings Cap. 20, 31-42, when Ahab, king of Israel, had so smitten Benhadad, king of Syria, and driven him in, that he had him in his hand, he wished to be merciful, and to show mercy to his enemies: He let him go and called him brother, because he thought he was doing a good deed. God did not want to suffer this, and as soon as a prophet arose, he came to his neighbor and said by the word of the Lord [vv. 35-37I: "Dear one, strike me. But he refused to strike him. Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the word of the LORD, behold, a lion shall smite thee, if thou depart from me. And as he departed from him, a lion found him, and smote him. And he found another man, and said, Slay me, I pray thee. And the man smote him sore." After this the prophet went to the king, and said [v. 42I: "Because thou hast left the banished man alive, thou shalt perish, thou, and thy people."

(11) Behold, is not this a foolish work before reason of the prophet? Even if another did it, without spirit and word, it would be impossible. What is different here that makes such a work praiseworthy, but this: Because God wants him to be struck, 1) he must be struck, and only the eyes must be closed. Many high people must be offended by such histories, when the light of reason looks into them; it is blind and mad, and cannot do otherwise with God than to suggest to him what is good and delicious; and as it judges, so shall one do. God does not like this, therefore he often does such works, and wants them to blind reason, and thus says: Believe me, and see no work, be it what it may; if I say it to you, do it. So we will hear again hereafter [Cap. 22:2I that Abram was to sacrifice his son. Was it not strange that he should kill the only son he loved without any guilt, when God had said before [Cap. 21, 12I had said that He would give him a seed from Isaac? Nor did he have to do the whole thing, not seeing if it was his son.

l) Jenaer: solt.

246 Erl. 33, 288-290. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 365-368. 247

and freshly went with him to slaughter him. These are right men, who regard not the commandment, but the will of him that commanded it. Thus they have done strangely, that the whole world is made fools of.

(12) Now answer the question, whether a Christian may use the sword, since he is to love everyone? A Christian must not use the sword at all for his own sake, nor for the sake of other Christians; but if God wants him to use it and gives it into his hand, he must do so, freshly executed and strangled.

(13) So it happened here that the Spirit led Abram to do this battle as a Christian man, not as a pagan to cool his courage or atone for his lust, but according to God's order, word and command. That this was the case is shown by what follows, how the high priest Melchizedek praises and glorifies him when he came from the battle; it also proves the work and miraculous signs in himself. If God had not commanded it, he would never have done it, nor should he have dared to stand up against such mighty kings, who had defeated everything that stood against them. But because God commands it, especially to save his brother, he does it and goes in faith. Now when such people come, they can penetrate and win. God wanted to strike them miraculously, so that the miraculous work was confirmed enough that it was done by his will and pleased him.

14 Let this be said in answer to the question, that Christians may not use sword or spear for themselves, nor for those who believe; but because it is necessary for the sake of evil men to defend them and to protect the pious, a Christian, if he is ordered to do so by God, and by those who are in God's stead, may go and slay like the others. Therefore, if a ruler of a country or an authority has to defend himself and protect himself, and if he has to go into battle, go in the name of God, burn, rob, and kill what you find among the enemies; whatever you can do, do it freshly with a good conscience and faith. Do not spare yourself, but do as the warrior does; not

think that you will make widows and orphans, but consider that God has decreed that the land or the people should be ravaged. But if you are struck by it, let God rule it.

15 Thus shalt thou always read in the histories of the children of Israel, how they were commanded to slay all that lived among their enemies, that they should not leave a dog alive. It is his anger against the wicked; for this he needs both the pious and the wicked. Therefore Abram did right in that he spared not the sword; only srisch stabbed and hewed, no mercy showed. So again you read in the first book of Samuel [Cap. 15, 3. 9.), how the Jews wanted to be sober, although they had God's commandment, that they should destroy Amalek, what was in the whole country, dry and clean, not letting live a cattle, shas, house, or stable. For thus he had foretold in the other book of Moses [Cap. 17:14), "I will cut off Amalek from under heaven"; and they were to have complied with this, and to have cleared away everything fresh, so that not a stick remained. But when they did not do so, he was angry, so that he expelled King Saul from the kingdom (1 Sam. 15:23), so that all his blood also had to be cut off because of his disobedience.

16 Thus the pious Abram was skillful and had a heart full of love for everyone, as well as for God. Therefore, afterwards Cap. 18, 23. ff. he prays so diligently for the Sodomites that he would have died for them. Where is the love here? Because God wants such things, God's love goes beyond the love of the neighbor. Therefore, these kings would have remained for his sake, because he kept them like his neighbors; but because God called him to be slain, there must be no more love nor mercy.

(17) Therefore let us learn what are called righteous works, to which all histories look, as one finds so many of Samson, David, Elijah, and Elisha, 2c., which seem to reason as if they were done out of anger, revenge, and ill will, that reason cannot distinguish between an angry tyrant and the holy prophets; so they rage. There is still a great difference. Here goes

1. Erlanger: what.

248 Erl. 33, 290-293. Sermon on Genesis 14:1-16. W. Ill, 368-37l. 249

God's word and obedience, and elsewhere one's own will of courage. Therefore, we see the contradiction in Scripture, that those who wanted to show mercy to the enemy, who wanted to be spiritual and pious, angered God and perished.

(18) Learn then from such histories that works are not to be considered at all, but only God's commandment; that you do none, for you have the testimony of His will; so go up with joy, whether you must put yourself and all that you have into it. Then right men go out, are not bound to any work, do nothing except what God has commanded; therefore they are sure that God is pleased with everything they do. So the patriarch went with a good conscience and right faith, knowing that his killing would please God in the best way. It is good to argue with such people, they are courageous and joyful. At times one man can beat ten, twenty or thirty. 1) If they die, they die well. The others are sad and despondent. For this reason he had good war with God's word, which was his right armor; therefore his sword had to press on. Let it be decided, then, that a Christian man, be he what he will and who he will, shall2) wield the sword when he is called upon to do so; if not, let him leave it. Therefore, if the authorities want the priests and the clergy to join them in the field, they are as guilty as the others, even though they finely pull themselves out of the noose against God's order, and want to be free from all authority's command.

(19) This is the story in which we see that Abram kept the love of neighbor, so that he nevertheless put it under God, so that faith and love for God should govern love for neighbor, so that we do not love man more than God. Where it goes right, it also goes right against the neighbor.

(20) After this, love of neighbor shall rule all outward works, that we do all that love requires; so that all the commandments may be mastered by the same, that we may do all things whatsoever we ought to do, to convert other people.

1. Erlanger: to be beaten.

2> In the outputs: it shall.

and to bring them to the faith, as with the Jews and the Gentiles; so that one does them all kinds of love and service that one can, to the faith without harm. For according to love one must judge everything that is commanded against one's neighbor; where it is contrary, it must cease. No law can be set over love; it must rule by force, so that everything may always remain free, whether commanded or not, for the benefit of the neighbor; if not, that everything may only come to ruin. So one should only do freely against the 3) pope's commandment, set against love. Therefore, we have prescribed many examples in which we see faith toward God and love toward one's neighbor so strangely intermingled that it seems contrary to all reason.

(21) This is the first part of this chapter, written to instruct those who deal with warfare, according to God's word or order, not to consider the guilt or innocence of the enemy, but only that God wills it so. For this holy father has certainly struck and strangled many people. And even though he did not do it himself, he nevertheless gave the cause of all the slaughter and murder that was committed, so that he must answer for it: and yet he has done well, and is praised and glorified before God. Without ever arguing in such a way that it is done for the protection of our people, which concerns the Red.

(22) But that the mad princes of the world now wanted to help themselves with this does not apply. For they have only started wars out of sheer will of courage, not to protect their country and people, but to atone for their lust; that is what sets them against each other. The common man has to take the blame, to destroy country and people for the sake of their will to be brave.

(23) But where it is necessary, it is not a will of courage, but to protect the oppressed; for if it is the work of love, it is no longer a sin to make widows and orphans, even to kill the innocent at times, if it cannot be done otherwise. For there it goes, as one says: One neighbor owes another a fire. If we live near each other, we must also expect common misfortune. And even if we do not

3. "des" is missing in Erlanger, 4) Erlanger: wilchen.

250 Erl. 33, L93-295. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 371-87p. 251

But because we are in the crowd that causes it, we must suffer with it. Whom God wants punished, He punishes; therefore, we must look at nothing but the adversity that God's will and wrath brings.

V.17-24. Now when he returned from the battle of KedorLaomor, and the king with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the area called the king's valley. But Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. 1) And he was a priest of GOD Most High, and blessed him, saying, Blessed art thou Abram, to GOD Most High, which possesseth heaven and earth; and blessed be GOD Most High, which hath determined thine enemies into thine hand. And unto the same Abram gave tithes of all the spoil. Then said the king of Sodom unto Abram, Give me the souls, and the spoil keep thee. And Abram said unto the king of Sodom, I lift up my hands unto the LORD God most high, which possesseth heaven and earth, that I will not take of all that is thine, neither a thread nor a lace, lest thou say that thou hast made Abram rich. Except that which the young men have eaten, and the men, Aner, Escol, and Mamre, which went with me, let them take their part.

24. this was done so that Abram would be the more certain that he had acted with God, and God was pleased with his work from the heart, that he punished the kings whom God wanted punished. As one finds more 'in the Scriptures than 2 Kings 10, II. 23. of 'Jehu, who so purely exterminated the kingship of Ahab and all the priests of Baal that not one remained, as the LORD had spoken. He showed no mercy there, and is praised for it. For such is the same in the sight of God as when a father strikes his children with rods, and he is praised. Therefore he is pleased to give the sword to those who deserve it, so that they may use it only when it is needed. Thus Moses 2 Mos. 32, 28. slew three thousand men at once, who was the meekest of men, as the Scripture says, because he had GOt-.

1. Marginal gloss: Not that he offered it, but that he fed and honored the guests. By this is meant Christ, who feeds the world with the gospel.

to take away the wrath of the priest. This is what happens here to the pious Abram, that the priest blesses him and strengthens him in this work.

025 Secondly, the high priest indicates that God has performed a miracle when he says, "Praise be to God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. Abram would have left it well that he should have defeated with three hundred men four mighty kings, who before had laid low five kings, and all where they came. It is a public miracle, therefore he says that God did it.

26 So the text says, "Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine." Sodom and Gomorrah were not far from Jerusalem. But Jerusalem at that time was called Salem. In those days there were not so great kings as now; almost every city had its king. So the king of Sodom and Salem and Abram were with each other. The king of Salem was also a priest of God; therefore he used his office and blessed Abram. No one has looked at this text and cut it out like the epistle to the Hebrews [Cap. 7, 1. ff.). From it one can see what it is to whom God puts the word in the mouth, that he finds and sees what no man had seen. At first, they did not esteem it highly that he offered wine and bread; but our teachers and preachers made it hostile and raised it up, and thus said: he offered bread and wine, therefore it was a figure of the Lord Christ, who also instituted a sacrifice, of his body and blood in the bread and wine. Thus we have been told and led by the nose; they have made of it what they only desire.

(27) Against such error we shall sit down and say, first of all: There is no word in the Hebrew text that means sacrifice. The Hebrew language is as rich as any language, especially to speak of spiritual things and worship; therefore it also has many words that point to sacrifice. But there is none of them here, but a common word, hozi, which actually means prockueera, axpioniara, that is, to bring forth, as from a cellar or pantry, that (it) says so much: he has given Abram and the people who came from the slaughter, a sacrifice.

252 Erl. 33, 295-L97. Sermon on Genesis 14:17-24. W. Ill, 375-378. 253

He gave them food and drink, made them live well and rejoice, thanking God that so many kings had been defeated. This must indicate to our dreamers that Christ should have offered wine and bread when he gave the sacrament to his disciples.

He sacrificed himself only once (Hebr. 7, 27), so that he himself is the priest and also the sacrifice, but the altar is the cross. He could not have offered a more delicious sacrifice to God, because he gave himself to be strangled and burned in love fire. This is the right sacrifice. The sacrament and the mass are only a sign of such a sacrifice, like baptism next to the word of God and faith, since we do not work, but only take, and God only gives. That is why we have torn this saying out of their mouths, that it does not speak of sacrifices, but badly of food and drink, presented to the people who had come from the battle.

29. but he leads it right, that the epistle is to the Hebrews, saying Cap. 7, 3. that this Melchizedek is Christ's figure, not that he offers wine and bread, but that he carries it forth. His wine and bread, which he brings forth, are the words of the holy Gospel, that he may feed the strong Christians. For the young Christians are to be fed neatly with milk, as children; for they are not yet manly enough to stand in temptation, and to fight with the devil; there belong armed men, who can wield the sword in their hand, defend themselves, and fight. These are the ones to whom one should present bread and wine, whom one strengthens to the utmost. So that one always remains on it, as often said, that one draws the figures on the preaching office, and lets remain on the teaching. [Just be careful not to interpret it as works that one wants to carry and sacrifice before God, as they also do here.

30 After that it is stated that the king of Salem is described here, and yet it is not indicated who his father or mother was, neither gender nor friendship is mentioned, nor is his death expressed. Moses drives in plump, in the middle of the history, breaks off also briefly again; leaves it to say, where or how he comes, and where he remains; indicates only, what he has with Abram, and

Abram did with him. The epistle to the Hebrews interprets this in a masterly way, saying Cap. 7, 3: "Since he is without gender, father and mother, without beginning and end of his life, he is compared to the Son of God, who remains a priest forever. Whoever does not understand Christ, does not understand this figure either. The prophet David understood it well when he says: "The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, that you are a priest forever, after the manner of Melchizedek"; there he expresses exactly what the epistle indicates when he says: "forever"; but not like Melchizedek, after the manner when he offered wine and bread, but as it is written of him, so you are (he says sHebr. 7, 3.]) a priest without father and mother, and without beginning and end.

31 Therefore it is evident that Christ was much more of a priest than the Levitical priests. One was a priest for twenty, thirty, forty or fifty years, but all of them died. 2) The priesthood lasted from the beginning of the race until the end. But this priesthood lasted from the time the race began until the end. Through this priest Adam and Eve had to be absolved; so also the last Christian who is yet to be born. He is an eternal person, who remains forever, because God (says David [Ps. 110, 4Z) has sworn, will hold fast to it, and will not be sorry. How finely the prophet has spoken of it and seen deeply! [It is all written in the short words, which is Christ. He says not, A priest like Aaron, but like Melchizedek. The latter are temporal priests, who preached no more than the law, but helped no one; this priest never dies, but can help forever. That means after the way of Melchizedek, that it concerns an eternal priesthood.

32 Now it is often said what a priest is. It is a mighty and sweet word, that there is not a lovelier, kinder name on earth; and much rather to hear Christ called a priest, than a Lord, or otherwise; without pitying that the devil hath brought into the world, that one may call the

1. "without" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.
2. "a" is missing in the Erlanger.

254 Erl. 33, 297-300. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 378-381. 255

name in such a way and abused it that it was of no use. Our Papist mob has led the name as priests before God, but acted like the boys, and only murdered souls, with outward appearance and violence.

33. priesthood is a spiritual power, which is nothing else than that the priest comes, takes all the infirmities of the people upon himself, not differently, as if it were his own, and asks God for them, takes the word from him, so that he comforts and helps everyone; is even more lovely and comforting than father and mother name; yes, the name brings us all other namesP For by being a priest, he makes God our father, and himself the Lord. If I consider him to be a priest, I know that he does nothing, except that he sits up in heaven as our mercy seat, and there without ceasing represents us before the Father j^Rom. 8, 34.], prays for us (Hebr. 7, 25. I John 2, II, and speaks the best. This is the highest comfort that can befall a man, and no sweeter sermon can be preached into the heart.

34 He has now demonstrated this in the gospel with all his words and works. For he does nothing but serve and help people, and surrenders to everyone, taking upon himself all the wrath we have deserved, costing himself his blood and his life to reconcile us; even now, though he sits up there with the Father in his glory, he still preaches here without ceasing, sweeping, cleansing, carrying, and correcting us through his limbs, as he did bodily on earth, so that he also makes us all priests. I, 6. sii, IOP What could be more comforting to the afflicted conscience?

35 What you now hold against this is vain filth and unwillingness. The papal mob has taken it upon itself to make priests who, with their masses and works, should blot out our sin and reconcile God to Christ and His sweetest name to the highest shame and disgrace, so that no more abominable blasphemy and denial of Christ has come on earth.

Therefore, let us each keep this name pure.

1. Jenaer: they would be.

It is so glorious that we should fall down before it; it was well done when Christianity was still standing. As happened to Paul; when he gave the last 2) and made his farewell, all their eyes went over and fell around his neck [Apost. 20, 37.). For he had acted with them and taught them how a right priest should act. This should also be done well. But those who go on like this, as the pope goes on through the devil, press the world only with laws, and make it full of sins, that they should first be called priests, and the chief priests; let us bless them. Let them be called cane-masters, executioners and murderers. Priests and ministers shall do their office enough, so that they give themselves completely and become servants with life and limb, praying before God and preaching before the people.

This is the saying of David (Ps. 110:4), drawn from this text powerfully, mightily, that Christ is an eternal priest, after the manner of Melchizedek, that is, an eternal, immortal priest; for he will comfort the conscience, not by works, or any temporal thing. For it is ever the greatest comfort that his priesthood stands forever; if it stands forever, it is not possible for us to be condemned. Here is our mercy seat and priest, which does not cease; even if we stumble and fall back, so that the devil overpowers us, it stands and does not fall: that God has not spoken alone, but has sworn to assure our consciences to the highest degree, that we keep the promise; take an oath to this effect, and say that it shall not repent Him, if it were enough that God said it alone. Now Melchizedek was a man, that he also died; but because the Scripture does not report it, he is like, says the prophet, the true Melchizedek, who truly has no beginning nor end.

Now, I have also spoken of the priesthood before, how we are all kings and priests in Christ Revelation 1:6. Which is also the great and mighty treasure, that through Christ we are allowed to come before God (Hebr. 4, 16), to ask, to teach and to preach, and to have the authority to be called children of God (Joh.

2. Erlanger: letzt Gabe. Jenaer: last gift. Wittenberger: letzt gäbe. Letze - Valete is also often written "Letzte".

256 Erl. 33, 300-302. sermon on Genesis 14, 17-24. W. m, 381-383. 257

1, 12.]. Which stretches so far, that what we ask, we are sure, that he hears us ^1 Joh. 5, 14.], like a father his child. It is ever an exuberant good that he honors me poor maggot sack so highly that he listens to me and lets my word count. For this we also have the power, what we preach, that it is valid as much as if God Himself said it. When a Christian preaches, baptizes or absolves, it is as much as if God Himself came down, spoke, and did everything Himself; He has kept nothing that He has not given us. What more shall he do?

39. Is it not beyond measure that a man should become God? Nor has he also said it in the Scripture M'. 82, 6.s said: "I have said that you are gods, and all children of the Most High", because because we become His children, we must also become fellows of the divine nature and name, as Peter 2. Ep. 1, 4. says. Our word and work is all God's word and work, without distinction. That is how close he is to us, and how highly he blesses us. This is the priesthood of Christ, which all stands and lies in faith, which the epistle to the Hebrews j^Cap. 11, 6. ff.s so abundantly leads.

(40) They also refer to this king's name, Melchizedek, rex Lalem, which means in German, king of righteousness, king of peace. The two titles actually belong to Christ, that he is both, a king of righteousness and of peace. How so? We have said that righteousness is what God gives us in the heart, so that we become true and righteous through it, so that he is true and righteous; this is nothing else than his grace, so that we also become like him in heart, as wise and strong as he is; all the virtues that he has in himself are imparted to us through the gospel, if we believe that we are heirs with him in the heavenly being. So Christ is a king of righteousness because he is the head from whom all righteousness flows into Christians. For through him alone must we attain to it.

Now notice what a great, beautiful title this is, and what a lovely kingdom. Christ is the king of righteousness, truth, light and life; the devil is the king of unrighteousness, death, darkness and lies. Everything that Christ in his kingdom

Luther's Works. Vol. m.

He works to make people righteous; if this is to happen, he must put away sin and take it away. Therefore his kingdom is nothing else, but that he should rid us of sin. Therefore, if you want to understand Christ, understand the two names. Now despite him that taketh away his name, that any man should be called a king of righteousness. One may find kings of court, of worldly honor and good, 2c. but one does not find a king of righteousness but this one alone. Therefore those who seek righteousness by works and free will are already outside Christ, in the kingdom of the devil. Now Christ's kingdom is nothing but a constant exercise on earth. That we may be freed from sins, no one does but this priest, who alone executes it, that we may be freed from calamity; not with driving and beating by the 2) law, but by the comforting gospel and the 3) sweet grace and goodness.

42 Furthermore, the most noble prize and virtue of this kingdom is that it is called a peaceful kingdom. Where his kingdom is, there shall be peace Rom. 5:1. Not outwardly, but in the conscience, that the same is sure, joyful and undaunted. This is what the heart feels when it is at ease and at one with God. He who does not yet have peace does not belong in the kingdom. Thus, recently it has been depicted how Melchizedek is Christ's figure with the eternal kingdom and priesthood.

43 Lastly, the text says how Abram gave a tithe of all the spoils to Melchizedek. The epistle Heb. 7, 5. ff. now shows this with many words; it wants to conclude: Because Abram gives tithes to Melchizedek, and Abram takes blessings from him as from a priest, it is a sign that Melchizedek is greater than Abram. Although the Jews are of the opinion that Abram was greater, so much is proved from the text that Abram professes to be less. From this it is seen how the Levitical priesthood was inferior to the priesthood of Christ. The priests, who are of Levi, came from Abram, and through him they were ten times as much as the priest Melchizedek, while they were still in the priesthood.

1. Wittenberg and Erlangen: the.
2. "that" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. "the" is missing in the Erlanger.

9

258 Erl. 33, 302-304. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 383-386. 259

Abram's loins were. There is no eternal priesthood. If Melchizedek's priesthood is to be eternal, not after the Levites, it must ever be more precious than Abram's and what came from him.

44. so here is the last thing according to history, that already at that time the priests took tithes. For God has from the beginning of the world provided for the ministry that they take their food from other people; also Christ Matth. 10, 10. confirmed it, and Paul, as, Gal. 6, 6. where he says: "He who is taught by the word divides with all good things to him who teaches him." It is a divine order, and it would have been well worth it, that one would have stayed with it in Christianity, that one would have provided such a pastor with the tithes". But now that freedom has been torn down, the preachers are commanded on their conscience to take as much as they need; although St. Paul did not use or demand such, he was nevertheless right. Now because compulsion is out in the New Testament, there is no need to tithe. Such an order, I say, would still be fine, if we were to be one among ourselves; but the priests who preach should also be allowed to do so, because God has ordained that they feed on the gospel 1 Cor. 9:14, but those who want to be of the spiritual state and do not preach the gospel should not have it. If one finds such, one could feed them with it, but one will find few enough of them.

(45) The world is full of others, all of whom have enough, and preach no gospel; have more than half the goods of the well, if it be divided equally; pretend no more than that they are spiritual. To what end are they spiritual? That they feast and demmen, preach no word of God. They are the ones who desecrate the noble and pure name, which should be considered holy.

(46) I say this so that it may be known how God Himself ordered it at that time, and how it has been kept for a long time afterward, that the priests had to tithe. But as it stands now, it will come to this, that the gospel must be dropped, only because one does not want to give those who preach it their food. That others do it in vain

is not right; for it is well known that such people have little air to the gospel, to whom everyone should preach for free. But those who are the devil's preachers are to be given enough, as has been done; to this the whole world gives with heaps. We are already facing the same situation: no one is willing or able to give to the gospel; we are all worried that we will become poor and starve.

The last part of this chapter is that the king of Sodom says to Abram that he should keep the goods and give him the souls alone; but Abram swears that he will not keep a thread of them all, lest he say that he has made him rich. Moses also describes this as if there was great power in it, but it seems to be a bad history. There is no doubt that there was great wealth; it is to be thought, since four kings are defeated, who had won so much land, and brought together great, mighty wealth, and Abram takes it all back from them. It must have been a great booty, that he, if he had kept it, would certainly have become as rich as one of the kings. Now the king of Sodom, recognizing such a miracle that God had done through him, wanted to be grateful to Him for giving him all his possessions, without the living bodies. He refused, and would not even take a shoe lace from it.

48 I have said before Cap. 2, § 14 that one must get used to the word "soul" in the Scriptures, that it is not only the spirit that separates from the body, as we use it in our language, but the living body, living people. This is the way of speaking in Hebrew, as Christ also speaks in John Cap. 10, 12: "A good shepherd leaves his soul for his sheep"; item Cap. 12, 25: "He who hates his soul" 2c.

49 What then does the Holy Spirit teach in this example? A great, noble, valiant fruit of faith, how finely free a man clings to God, even without all avarice; that such an example the Holy Spirit considered good, that it should be written to strengthen us against vice. For behold, how great a cause he has to take the good to himself. First of all, if he is a stranger in the land, it would be a great advantage for him to have as much as the king, so that he might sit down and stay in the land with the king.

260 Erl. 33, 304-306. sermon on Gen. 14, 17-24. 15, 1-5. w. ill, 386-^90. 261

feif has often had to suffer much from his neighbors, so that he could never sit safely and quietly. And even more honestly, because he has earned it himself with his work, has put his life and limb into it, so that it is also due to him before God; in addition, that the king gladly gives it to him, and even accepts it, yes, is glad that he is only saved; so that he has good reason and right to it on all sides.

(50) Why then is he afraid to take it? Not other than that he wanted to avoid evil appearances; as he himself says: "That you do not say that you made Abram rich. He could not leave the honor and glory to the king. For if he had accepted it, he would have said, He had given so much to Abram, and should have been his debtor; as always happens when one accepts such things, it is sweet; but it soon sows. As it is also said, It is not bought more dear than that which is taken as a gift; if one does not give it back double, he is said to be ungrateful, and must be bound to have right to one. So it is also in the secular regime: that fs] is something better, one buys it and pays for it freely, than to have it given to him. This is what he wants to do here, too, to be bound to the king, even if he has the right to do so.

1. In the editions: "somewhat better" in the Jena one with the conjecture "about" in the margin.

51 But the greatest cause is this: that he keeps his honor pure to God, and proves his faith, how he is not at all attached to temporal goods, and for the sake of evil reputation prefers to leave his right. Now let us look at the world, how many would be found who would do the same? We are so drowned in goods that it is better to throw everything into the redoubt before someone lets something go for nothing, even if he has the right to do so. Then see what kind of spirit it was that drew the sword in such a way that he got land and people and property, as the mad princes do now. Therefore the Historia forces, that Abram had a high, sincere spirit in that; not at all his use sought, but only his neighbor, that he pardons himself here such large property and use. Therefore he now says: "I have a Lord, to whom I lift up my hands", who has given that the kings are defeated, will also give what is necessary for me. I will give glory to God alone, and not to you, that I may have something from you.

(52) This chapter is written for our instruction, that we do not act like fools who do not believe in the Old Testament. [It is a great store and treasure given unto us, that we may strengthen our faith, a thousand times better than all the legends that were ever written.

The fifteenth chapter.

After these things it came to pass, that the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a cloak, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy very great reward. And Abram said, Lord, Lord, what wilt thou give me? I go without children, and my servant hath a son, which is Eliezer of Damaseo. And Abram said again, Thou hast given me no seed; and, behold, the son of my servant shall be my heir. And stand, the word of the LORD spake unto him, saying, He shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come of thy seed shall be thine heir. And

And he bade him go out, and said, Look toward heaven, and number the stars; canst thou number them? And said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

(1) This is also a rich chapter, for the sake of the one2) saying which Paul indicates, not in one place. Behold, Abram has no child yet, and it is promised him, not only that he shall have children, but also that his seed shall be so great that God wills the land for their sakes.

2. Erlanger: one.

262 Erl. 33, 306-300. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, 390-393. 263

not only one, as Egypt, where he led them out, but also others, namely the one where he is a sojourner; so that he will destroy them and put his seed in them. Here we must now grasp the history of what God means by this. How he leads the children of Israel out of Egypt and sets them in the land, we will hear later in the other book. The promises are here, but they are still dark until it comes to pass that 1) everything is fulfilled and done.

2. The first, that he says, "After these things came unto Abram the word of the Lord, saying, Fear not," 2c. is not the word of the law, but a promise and a gospel word. For we have heard the difference between the gospel and laws. Law is when God means to do or not to do, and demands something of us. Gospel is when he proclaims something good that he himself wants to do and give to us. Thus the two go against each other: one drives, the other gives; one demands, the other gives. Thus all sayings that promise God's grace and mercy should not be called anything else than gospel, which means good news.

(3) Secondly, see again how God is so particular about His own. Abram is a stranger in the land, so he holds on to God that he does not even consider the good that he had great right to do, willingly remains on the road among the enemies; therefore God does not leave him without comfort. If we also believed, he would also let us hear such comfort; but we cannot come to it, for we do not try.

-The gospel has now gripped Abram, making his faith stronger than before; as God always tends to make stronger the more and more one preaches. Therefore he was glad of the promise that God said he should not be afraid; made him sure that nothing would harm him. Item, that he further says: "I am your shield" and protector, who will protect you everywhere; not only your shield, but I will also be "your reward" myself, and will repay you abundantly. The 2) is the same, that he will give him such a great seed, and also the land.

1. Erlanger: da.
2. Erlanger: what.
3. Now faith belongs to these words, because if he had not believed it, it would have been lost. So then he had to do this, that he had considered, 3) that he needed no man's protection, and had a certain patron from heaven. These are excellent, great words, also a mighty faith that grasps them; he] sees none, but hears only the words, and relies on them. God had called him from his fatherland and promised to bless him and make him a great nation, as mentioned above [Cap. 12, 2/ heard. He did not understand how it should be done, nor did he know if the people should be his flesh and blood, or otherwise add a great nation. For God can raise up a man and give him many people, when he has already become so great that he has three hundred servants in his house, none of whom is his blood or flesh.

006 Then he inquired, and desired to know whether it should be of his blood and flesh, or of his servants only; saying therefore, Lord, what wilt thou give me? As if to say, "I do not desire much good; I have restored all the people to the king of Sodom; I would have a desire, if I had one, to have an heir; but thou givest me none, but my servant and his children, I hope, are my goods and my inheritance. As if he should say, "You treat me so strangely, giving children to so many people to whom you promise nothing; but to me, to whom you show such great mercy and make such a promise, you give none; how can I wait? Then God gives him comfort, saying, "The son of thy servant shall not be thine heir"; thou shalt not become a people by thy servants, but I will give thee a son out of thy womb. And still further he says, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them; so great shall thy seed be also." These are the words of promise, from which Mosi's word follows and speaks:

Abram believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness. And

3. In the old editions: "to venture"; to venture - to rely on.
4. Erlanger: wool.

264 Erl. 33, 309-311. Sermon on Genesis 15:6, 7. W. Ill, 393-396. 265

And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Chaldea from Ur, to give thee this land to possess.

7 This is the great main saying in this book, which Paul Rom. 4, 3. leads and rightly emphasizes, that it is a miracle; says, it was not written for his sake, because it was written long after his death, but for our sake, so that we also believe. Therefore the text is not to be taken for granted. So you see that no work is mentioned here at first, no more than that God promises Abram that he should have a child from his womb. He does nothing, prays nothing, works nothing, but believes alone; and faith is counted so highly that it is therefore holy and righteous before God.

8 Therefore we conclude with Paul that faith without works justifies. Why is that? Because, says St. Paul, he gave God the highest honor that can be given to him, that he believed him to be true and was obedient. For he would have had good reason to doubt, because he was now ninety years old, and also his wife not much younger, that they were both of course no longer capable, so long ago in the age) that it was impossible that they should beget fruit; as he was also concerned here that he would have to go without children.

(9) Then he contended against reason, against nature, and against hope, that he should be the father of such a rich seed, which should become so great. But what did he do? He grasped the words that God speaks here, "did not see (says Paul Rom. 4, 19.) the dead body", and that her womb was completely cold; there was no hope of having a fruit; yet he closed his eyes, did not see how impossible it was, walked in darkness, held to the word; there he put on all his confidence, and was sure that it could not lie. Thus he gives glory to God, that he considers himself a fool, God wise, kind, truthful, mighty, almighty. To do so is the right worship of God. For this is the right honor, when you honor him from your heart,

1. "so long there in the age" - so far advanced nn age, "so" put by us instead of "pulled" iy the issues.
2. In the editions: "deceased".

That is, if you think of him as you think of God, that he cannot lie and do whatever he says, no matter what. Unbelief cannot do that. Thus he has fulfilled the first and highest commandment.

See, St. Paul builds his sermon on this text, makes it dry, pure and strong, and concludes that faith is nothing else than a killing of the old Adam, who would have to say, according to all reason and sense, that it is impossible, unheard, and contrary to nature, therefore it will not be true, it will be a dream or a deception. Thus the old man judges God's word. But such arrogance dies completely in Abram, and he becomes strong and alive in the word, so that he insists that it will and must happen this way, even if all the world says otherwise, and all the senses are deceived. In this way he even gains a different, new delusion and understanding about nature. This is what it means to be justified by faith alone.

11 So now I command to move this example well from St. Paul's epistle Rom. 4, 1. 2. 3., who leads it with higher words. "What shall we say (saith he) of our father Abram, that he found according to the flesh? This we say: If Abram was justified by works, he has glory, but not before God"; as if he wanted to say: God does not ask that a man justifies himself by works. "But how does the Scripture speak? Abram believed God, and this was counted to him for righteousness." The Scripture says plainly that he was justified by faith without works.

12 He proves this further by what will follow in chapter 17, v. 11, about the circumcision, which came long after. And if it had done any work, it should have done that also. [But it^ is long before described that he should be justified before he remembered this work. Thus the holy father goes forth in God's words, saying that he would be his reward, and give him a child and a great nation from his own womb, which was now dead. To beget fruit according to nature. Now God says to him again: "I am the Lord who brought you out of Chaldea" 2c. Then he explains what he means and decides that this is the land that he has brought him.

266 Erl. 33, 311-314. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 396-399. 267

as he also promised above Cap. 13, 15. These are all strong gospel words and sermons to show that Abram was distressed and needed to be comforted with so many words. For such words of God and great comfort do not come in vain or without need.

(v.8-21) And Abram said, Lord, Lord, how shall I know that I possess it? And he said unto him, Take a heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took all these, and divided them in the midst of one another, and laid one part over against another; but the birds he divided not. And the birds fell 1) upon the carcase, and Abram scattered them away. When the sun had set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto him, 2) Know thou that thy seed shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and there shall they be made servants, and shall do evil four hundred years. But I will be judge over the people, whose servants they shall be. After that they shall go out with great goods. And thou shalt return to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age. And they shall come again after four days: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet here. Now when the sun had set and darkened, behold, a furnace smoked, and a fiery fire went up among the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To my seed I will give this land from the waters of Egypt to the great river Phrath; to the Kenites, to the Kinites, to the Kadmonites, to the Hittites, to the Perizzites, to the Giants, to the Amorites, to the Cananites, to the Gergesites, to the Jebusites.

1. Marginal gloss: birds fell. The birds and the smoking furnace and the fiery fire mean the Egyptians who were to persecute Abram's children. Abram scares them away, that is, God delivers them, for the sake of the promise promised to Abram. But that he is frightened after the sun goes down means that God wanted to leave His seed for a time, that they would be persecuted; as the Lord Himself indicates here. In the same way it happens to all believers that they are abandoned and yet are redeemed.

L) Jenaer: Abram.

13. Abram is now sure that the Safire, which was promised to him, should come from his body. The father is interpreted, but the mother is still in doubt, as we will hear. For GOD is still exercising him more and longer. Now what is it that he says, "Whereby shall I know that I shall possess this land?" I have often said that when God makes a promise, He also makes a sign; so also here, when He promised to give him a child to possess this land, He gives him such a sign that he should take three kinds of animals and divide them and lay them one against another. It is a strange sign, as it seems to us, because he has been dead for a long time; but it was comforting to him, it confirmed and strengthened his faith. But what this sign means, the Lord himself interprets; as we will hear.

(14) To the first: Those who read the Bible above consider it as if Claus Schmid were talking to Hans Mist, one man to another; but, if one looks right into it, it is great and excellent that the divine majesty speaks to man as to a child. sIt] is no greater sign of God's grace and mercy than when he lets himself be heard, than again no greater plague is than when he is silent and does not let himself be heard. Therefore, such stories that God spoke to the fathers should be held in high esteem, not because of the fathers, who were people like us, but because God held them so high that He spoke to them. If Abram had no other praise, it would be enough that God had spoken to him once or twice. Now you see how he lifts him up so high that he speaks to him so often and with so many words and comforts him, and yet leaves him stuck beside it in all danger of body, good and honor, and also of the woman. For this reason, the histories are not to be overrun and considered bad.

(15) So this sign is almost unpleasant to the disgusting spirits who do not like the Scriptures, but otherwise it is almost rich to him. For God strengthened Abram's faith with the sign, so that he would not doubt that he would not only have a seed, but also take over the whole land. But how far the figure and interpretation stretches, we can not better meet, because the text

268 Erl. 33, 314-316. Sermon on Genesis 15:8-21. W. Ill, 399-401. 269

itself gives. For the text does not deal with the meaning of the three-year-old heifer, goat and ram; but this much it wants, that the sign should make him so certain, not only that he should have the seed, but also know how it would go with them. As if to say, This land I have spoken to thee, and thou shalt not doubt it: but so long shall it be delayed, and faith shall be so well tried, that it shall seem as if nothing came of it. Therefore he proclaims to him that his seed shall be a stranger in foreign lands, and shall do evil until the time comes for him to possess the land, that is, after four hundred years, when no one will believe that God remembers his word.

For thus I have said that God's work is always so done and skillful, that when he wants to fulfill his word, he so foolishly attacks it, as if it should even go back: as, here he promises him such a great thing, that his seed shall have the land. Since this was to happen, no reason nor sense could see and feel otherwise than that it was to perish with him. For it is written in Exodus 1:7, 10, that when the children of Israel multiplied so that it was teeming with children, and it seemed as if it would come to pass, a king arose and put all the children to death, weakening and deceiving the people, so that all hope was gone. Yes, when they had already left Egypt Ex. 14:9, 10 and came to the Red Sea, the enemies chased after them, so that they could not get out on either side, and were like the enemies and stuck in the jaws of death. This is how God acts with all his deeds, words and signs. For His works are not like the works of men, Isa. 55, 8, but even contrary to sense. So here it is that when something is to go out, it goes down first; and again.

Thus such histories teach everything that faith is. Whoever cannot be guided by this, does not understand God's work, must resent it and fall back. Where there have been Jews who have not believed, they have thought, "Oh, it has long since ended, what is to become of it now? Whom no doubt there have been many

are those who have measured God's work with reason, judged by the eyes and senses, and cannot understand it.

18 For this reason the Lord gives a sign, comes first and warns as a kind father, as if to say, "See, this is how it will be, so that you will not be offended by my work or my word. As Christ also did when he said John 16:1, "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended." This is to say, "Here you have the word, but hold fast to it, for if it seems as if it is to be fulfilled, it will go back before the eyes of all people; but be of good cheer, and only see that you do not waver, but hold to the word, I will perform it well, higher than you can think or ask. This is also a warning: Although it seems that I have forgotten my promise to oppress you, I will use great power and miracles to avenge you on your enemies.

(19) Behold, so it was with Christ, and so it is daily in his kingdom. Since everyone thought that he should redeem the people and become king, he attacked them in such a way that the people had to say-: Now it is finished; ser] lay down, and was nailed to the cross, and was condemned as the worst of men, that they spied on him, and said Matt. 27:42, Yea, is this the King and Redeemer, which helpeth other men, and cannot help himself? We esteemed him as the most despised," and saw nothing but pain and weakness in him, says Isaiah Cap. 53:3, and Lucä at the last, v. 21, the two disciples said, "We hoped he should redeem Israel." Therefore, when he wanted to go to his kingdom, he went in such a way that all reason and senses had to resent it, even the apostles themselves, could not comprehend it, although Christ warned them so diligently beforehand.

This is how it always goes, in all histories. Wherever God works, he does it so foolishly that according to reason it falls into mud, but according to the spirit it turns out in the strongest possible way. This is the warning that God is doing here, not only for Abram's sake, but for the sake of his seed.

21. for Abram will not receive the promise at all.

270 Eri. 33, 316-318. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 401-405. 271

1. diligently preached, then Isaac, and so from then on, when this was their gospel: "We are Abraham's seed" John 8:33, have the promise. "Abram believed, and is counted justified thereby beforeGOtt" Rom. 4:3., therefore let us also believe. Thus Joseph says to them, when they were already in Egypt Gen. 50:24, 25: "God will visit you and bring you out of this land to a land that He swore to Abram, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore, when GOD will visit you, carry my bones away from there." They knew and practiced the gospel well, but when it was to begin, it turned out to be so absurd that it was necessary to comfort and strengthen the pious with these words, which God says here before. Now the examples serve us through and through, that we may be prepared: When we have the gospel, and it shall come to pass and help, it shall be as if he had forgotten us; when life shall come to pass, death shall come upon us with all power.

22 Now what is the sign here? The animals he divided and the doves are his seed and children in Egypt. The ravens and birds that want to eat it are the Egyptians, the king with his tyrants, who want to devour and consume Abram's flesh and blood. But he scares them away, not because of his holiness, but because of the promise. For he must stand there in place of the divine promise. For the word which GOD saith, that is, the promise, hath driven them away, that it might be so much as said, Because GOD remembered his promise, which he did unto Abram, therefore he helped the Jews, and redeemed them. Thus the prophets themselves often refer to it, and especially Moses 2 Mos. 2, 24, that God says: "I have remembered my covenant with your fathers, Abraham, Isaac" 2c., I have come down to help you. That is, the birds away Fescheuchet, that for his sake, that is, for the sake of the promise, he promised him, will help his seed. So, where in the Scripture it is mentioned that God remembers Abram and the fathers, everything is mentioned for the sake of His promise.

23. but here is a question: how the Rech-

1. Erlanger: fine. Wittenberger and Jenaer: vleissig.

How is it that the four hundred years of which he says here agree with each other? For when it is reckoned, it is found that they were almost two hundred years and some sixteen in Egypt; but the persecution lasted fifty or sixty years; so that from the time Jacob went into Egypt to Moses, who carried it out again, are two hundred and sixteen years. Why then does he say here of four hundred years? Because he includes Abram with his seed. Because from Abram to the exit from Egypt four hundred and thirty years are counted. As if he were saying, "It will not happen until four hundred years have passed. But that he says afterwards, "They shall come again after four men's days," that is, four men's remembrance, which is almost two hundred years. For one man's remembrance is not much more than fifty years. This is what I command the scholars to do further.

024 But that after this a great terror fell upon Abram, when the sun was down, 2c. is the same as the former sign. (He) gives him two signs, as Pharaoh the king had two dreams, which indicated one thing, how it will follow after Cap. 41, 1. 5.; so that he would ever be sure and certain that it should happen that way. God has great concern for the future people, that he would keep them in faith, so that they would know how it should be viewed much differently. Thus the fiery furnace means the Egyptians; therefore God says now and then in Scripture (Deut. 4:20, Jer. II:4): "I brought you out of the iron furnace of Egypt," in which you were baked. The fact that Abram was terrified and in great darkness means that his blood and flesh were to be pressed, forced and persecuted in Egypt, so that he had to be a figure. The fiery fire or torch is Moses, or the angel who carried it out. This is the sign or both signs that God gives for sure faith.

(25) So also we, when we have the word, have also signs beside it. And as I said about Abram, that we feel in him that God has done great things with him, and for one of us.

2. Wittenberger and Erlanger: should.

272 Erl. 33, 318-320. sermon On Genesis 15, 8-21. 16, 1-16. W. Ill, 405-408. 273

great saint, that he spoke with him: so it is with us, we also have come into the grace of hearing God's word. How miserable a pity sund) strangling is in all the world, because the word of God does not go, no one can measure. Again, the riches of having His word, no one can measure.

1. "Strangle" is missing in the Wittenberger.

enough praise, no tongue to speak out. It is a gracious sign when the majesty lets himself be heard. Now he lets himself be heard much more abundantly than to Abram. But this is the defect, Abram perceived it with ears, but also understood; we hear it, but do not perceive it. But they that understand with the heart are as worthy as Abram: for as the word is one, so is the worthiness one.

The sixteenth chapter.

1-16 Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him nothing; but she had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Hagar, and said unto Abram, Behold, the LORD hath shut me up, that I should bear nothing. Lie with my maidservant, that I may build myself of her, rather than of myself. Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her Egyptian maid, and gave her to Abram her husband to wife, after they had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. And he lay with Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she was with child, she esteemed her wife little before her. And Sarai said unto Abram, I am wronged for thy sake: I have laid my handmaid with thee, but when she seeth that she is with child, I am contemptible in her sight: let the LORD be a judge between me and thee. And Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thine handmaid is under thy power; do with her as it pleaseth thee. 2) And when she would humble Sarai, she fled before her. But the angel of the LORD found her by a well of water in the wilderness, that is, by the well that is by the way of Sur, which said unto her, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence comest thou? and 3) whither wilt thou go? She said: I have fled from my wife Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return unto thy wife, and humble thyself under her hand. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, I will take thy

2. The following text to the end of the chapter is missing in the Wittenberg.
3. The words: "where ... and" are missing in the Erlanger.

So multiply the seed, that it shall not be numbered before a great multitude. Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son, whose name you shall call Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him, and shall dwell against all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD which spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Surely here have I seen the back of him that saw me. 4) Therefore she called the well a well of the Living One who saw me, 4) which is between Kadesh and Bared. And Hagar bare Abram a son; and Abram called the name of the son which Hagar bare him Ishmael. And Abram was six and fourscore years old when Hagar bare him Ishmael.

What bad histories does he describe? Did he have nothing else to write? I have said before that one should read the Scriptures, God's work and word, and God's judgment with fear, and not pay attention to them as other histories, but always pay attention to the one who speaks the word and does the work, because you will always find God, no matter how small it may seem.

2 So far we have heard how God promised Abram that a great nation would come from his blood and flesh and take over the whole land. He preached this to Sarai, who was five and seventy years old when Ishmael was born:

4. Thus the Erlanger. Jenaer: siehet.

274 Erl. 33, 320- 323. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 408-III. 275

But she waited two, three, four, five, six years to see if God would still make her fruitful; nothing came of it. Since she now sees that she bears no fruit, as the text says, she thought so: My husband has the promise that he is certain to become so rich from the seed of his own womb; but nothing will come of it, perhaps GOD will not have it from me; throws herself down, thinking thus: I am not the woman, God does not consider me to be the mother of the seed; he pardons himself of the honor with great humility, so that it will be highly honored again.

What is she doing? She also wanted the promise to be fulfilled, stood in faith just as Abram did, was also justified by it, gives God the honor that he is true, is content with that, and forgives herself for the other. As if she were to say, "If it is not to be me, let it be another;" yet she does not want to take a stranger, but takes her maidservant. At that time the servants and maids were serfs, like cattle, so that what they bore was the property of the masters and wives, and if they wished they could cast them out and keep the children. Which is now abolished.

(4) So Sarai said, I will not take a stranger, but I will take her whom I have nearest me, who would bear me children, that they may be mine; as she saith, Whether I will build myself of her. In the Old Testament, to build means to beget children, as we will hear more about in this book; and in the other book of Moses, Cap. 1, 21, it is written: "God built houses for the Hebrew women," that is, he gave them fruit so that they bore many children and filled their houses.

005 Now here is a great faith, both of Abram and Sarai. He came into the land when he was five and seventy years old, and Ishmael was born in the tenth year after. There they are nine whole years in the land, to which is added the last promise a year or four or six before, that they shall be abundantly tempted in all places. [They may well think, When will it be? nor have they always held fast to how long God will give them.

has also spoiled. She would also have liked to hurry, as all women do, would have liked to have a child soon, therefore she drives it, gives him her maid; Abram grants this. This seems to be foolish to those who ignore the Scriptures, as if Abram had been a man who gave himself to a maidservant for the sake of lust and vainglory. But God has finely preceded him. If he had had a desire for a handmaid, he would have found another one, the best one in Hebron; but he did not go further, because Sarai wanted to have one and asked him. Therefore it is clear that he has not stinted for another, and seeks no more than the fruit.

(6) Here we should also speak of the question whether a man may have more than one wife. Enough has been said. What has happened and been described here must be left as God's history; no one has the right to punish such history; therefore Abram must not have sinned in this. Further, we have heard that Abram was a true, yes, perfect Christian, living in the most evangelical way in the spirit of God and faith; therefore, we must let his life be an example to follow where it happens in faith itself. So now we ask: Since it was forbidden for him to have more than one wife, how can we account for him that he remained a Christian?

(7) First of all, if one wants to speak plainly about it, one says that it is abolished by the gospel, since Christ says in Matthew [Cap. 19, 8I: "From the beginning it was not so"; item, Paul 1 Cor. 7, 2.: "Let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband", that one would like to say, Abram did some outward works, which are annulled.

(8) But this will not do, for we must keep ourselves so that he may be justified. For this is ever true, that all things which we find in the Old Testament, done outwardly by the fathers, should be free, not forbidden. Thus circumcision is abolished, but not so that it would be sinful to do it, but free, neither sinful nor well done. So, to eat the paschal lamb, and all such things, without doing it in the name of being justified thereby, is not forbidden.

276 Erl. 33, 3S3-3Z5. Sermon On Genesis 16, 1-16. W. m, 4N-4I4. 277

as the fathers also did not do it for this reason. So also among other examples of the fathers must go, that they took many wives, that it was also free. And Summa Summarum: Abram did not lead it so far, as other patriarchs, does not take the maid sooner, than it calls him his wife and asks. Other examples will penetrate further; this could still go on as a special one before other fathers.

(9) I say therefore, and conclude, Where there are not honorable, but heathen people, I would that the law should be observed concerning divorce, that one should put away a wife, and take another. Christ has abolished it; thus he says in Matthew [Cap. 19:8, 9I: "Moses gave you leave to put away your wives for the hardness of your hearts; but from the beginning it was not so. But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his 1) wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery." Likewise also Paul to the Corinthians [1 Ep. 7, 10. 11I: "I do not command the married, but the Lord, that the wife should not divorce the husband. But if she divorce him, that she remain without marriage, or be reconciled to him, and that the husband not put away the wife." But those who do not hear Christ would be well enough to obey the law of Moses before they had to suffer the fact that two husbands and wives do not spend a good hour together. But they would have to be told that they were never Christians, but in the pagan regime. But if you are a Christian, you do not have to divorce.

(10) But it is not forbidden for a man to have more than one wife. Even today I could not forbid it, but I would not advise it, for it still remains that a man should not divorce but be attached to his wife. That is why the preceding sayings do not apply to this. But I did not want to bring it up, but therefore I say it: if it would come to the sharpness, that one would know rightly to answer, that one would not reject the father, as if it had not been proper to do; as the Manichaei said.

11 So now we have seen the great

1. Erlanger: one.

Humility of the holy mother Sarai, that she forgave herself the honor and the child, and let another wife have the seed and blessing promised to Abram. He does not speak much about the holy woman; but the example gives enough indication that she was of rich spirit and highly gifted; therefore the Scriptures mention her in more places. jMe] did not exalt herself, but humbled herself, therefore she was also exalted [Matth. 23, 12I.

Now the Historia, although it lays the foundation of a holy life, is not written for this reason alone; Paul Gal. 4, 22. ffI has masterfully deleted it. There are also the words so set, must be something behind it, not only the history. For otherwise he could have included many things and kept silent about them; but he leaves it, saying how the maid became proud when she saw that she was with child, so that she had to cast out the woman; and how she came to her again and gave birth to the son Ishmael: The angel proclaimed how he would be a wild man, and how he would fight against all his brothers. Therefore it is still considered that the Turk came from this Ishmael, who lived in Arabia, from where they also have origin that one calls HaZnrenos the Saracen.

(13) Therefore we will deal with the figure as history brings it to itself. Thus you have heard that the Scriptures everywhere exemplify the two sermons, the Law and the Gospel; according to the same two sermons they also preach to two kinds of people, the Law and grace. In Ishmael the people who keep the law are shown; therefore he also bears the name, manner and way, in which such people lead, that he is an example of all saints of law and works. For this reason it should also be known to us, because the apostle Paul has especially emphasized what kind of people they are who want to become godly by works, that is, without grace.

14. first, he is not born of the right matron, who has the rule, but of the maidservant; though she also is legitimate with Abram, yet there is a great difference. For the other son, Isaac, is not of the maidservant, nor bondwoman, but of the free woman, as Paul says to the Galatians [Cap. 4, 22I, who is the right woman and rules in the house.

278 Erl. 33, 325-328 Interpretations on the First Book of Moses. W. in, 414-416. 279

And, which is the greatest, he is born of the woman, since the promise of God points to. This is apt; and St. Paul Gal. 4, 23. carries it out with great force, that Ishmael was indeed born of Abram's blood and flesh; but it happened without God's word; but Isaac by God's word.

015 For when Sarai said, Behold, I cannot bear fruit. Dear, take my maidservant, if I may beget children with her," there is no word of God nor command, but no more, for a work of love, that she depart, forsaking her honor, which she would gladly have had; so he is at her will. In addition she, the Hagar, is a young woman that the birth is quite natural. But afterwards j^Cap. 17, 16] God's word comes to Sarai and says: "You shall have a son, whom I will bless. This was a miracle of God. This must now be noted that Paul leads mightily, as Ishmael was born by the handmaid, without God's promise; Isaac by Sarai, by the promise. Now we have said that it is very great to throb, since God's word is; where that is, there is a precious thing; for it is an eternal thing. If it were not for the jewel and treasure, Isaac would be no more than another.

(16) It is the same in the New Testament and from the beginning of the world; in the spiritual regime everything is born either from God's law or by grace. Since the law people rule, they are like Ishmael, also receive right seed from God, as Ishmael is received from Abram; hear the word and preaching, wash more of it than the right Christians, but do not become righteous, fall on works, attack it with free will, rely on it, have God's commandment before. There they go in an apparent life before the world, that no one can reprove. These are all the children of the handmaid. For there is still no word of God of the promise, but only flesh and blood, natural things; God's grace does not work, there is neither faith nor spirit, through which they become free from the law, therefore nothing but Ishmael comes of it.

17 But Ishmael is called in German a hearer of God. The title has the people everything, especially the Jews, they are finely painted with it.

have heard the word of God, how Christ will come; they had both ears full, were highly gifted with many prophets, have diligently practiced the law of Moses through and through, are the people who had God's law before all the world all the days; therefore, they have such rain that they hear much from God, but do not see Him. Just as when one walks on the road, he hears and sees what is before him, but in the straight 1) walk he cannot see what is behind him. So it was here also. Christ was to come after Abram; they heard it, but did not see it; indeed, since he was present, and still is, they remain only Ishmael, hearing forever.

(18) All are of this kind who deal in works, not knowing or seeing God, who is hidden from them, hearing only of Him, and standing in delusion and resolution to live thus in their works until God comes and gives grace. He has not yet come to them, indeed, he never comes. But they always hear that he will come, so that he always remains behind them, like the Jews. Thus the people are masterfully painted with names and all things. We Christians, however, have him before our eyes, and know him, thus saying: With works I trust to gain nothing; but I know that Christ is there, who has purchased everything for me, I see him before me in the mirror, I am no longer an Ishmael. This is a piece of this character.

19. but the mother's name is Hagar. Hagar means a guest; therefore Hagareni the guests. So Paul says Gal. 4, 3O, all those who work are guests and strangers, not children in the house. He that is a sojourner, of whom neither house nor goods are his own, eateth and drinketh, and departeth again. So are all temporal saints of works; God pays for their good life with temporal goods; when he gave the land of Canaan to the Jewish people, he exalted them for being a famous and powerful people, as indeed they were. Since we were outwardly pious, he gave us a belly full of food, great goods and honor in the sight of the world. To such saints, who deal in temporal, corruptible things, temporal reward is due. But the Christian reward of righteousness is eternal, as the prophet j^Jes. 32, 17.] says.

1. Wittenberg and Jena: starcken.

280 Erl. 33, 328-330. Sermon on Genesis 16:1-16. W. m, 416-419. 281

Now when we die, it will be all the more true: death will be gone, and in its place will be life and bliss. On earth they do not have the reward, but all misfortune, shame and disgrace. Therefore we are no longer guests and strangers, as Paul says, but citizens with the saints and members of God's household, yes, the children and the inheritance.

(20) The saints of works also have the name of Abram's children and Christians, and yet they remain in temporal holiness, which does not last forever. But the faith that God's word takes hold of is an eternal thing, namely in Christ who does not die. Thus the name Hagar is called the whole company of saints of works; they are sojourners, they do not finally remain with us in Christendom, but fall on works that perish. But we cling to Christ, who is eternal. The text goes on to say:

V. 12. Behold, he shall be a fierce man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him, and shall dwell against all his brethren.

This is the right way and color, so these saints lead, who do not walk in faith. The more beautiful their conduct, the more wicked they are; hopeful, proud and ill-tempered people are not to be found on earth, nor impudent, crude and unrighteous. For they think they are pure, therefore they cannot suffer anyone, nor have mercy on others; they cannot refrain from judging and judging everyone, but they can least of all not suffer that their cause should not be heard and exalted.

22. We have also done this, we have said: We are spiritual, the other crowd is the world; we have become such puffed up people that they would have driven in an emperor before a shabby monk. If one touched one, then one had touched 2) God's eye; if also someone has subjected himself, they have banished him to hell. That is it, which the text calls, that they are insolent and disobedient, want to be right and must be right; one laughs or weeps,
23. Erlanger: still.
24. Jenaer: has.

ask or dräue, so] they remain with the head harder than no anvil, as Job [Cap. 41, 15J says that if one forges for the same length of time, it does not become soft, but rather softens other irons.

Thus Christ says in the Gospel Matth. 11, 18.lü.: "John came, did not eat and did not drink, so they say: He has the devil. The Son of man is come, eateth and drinketh, they say, Behold, how he is a glutton and a winebibber." As one does with them, one cannot do them right: "If one whistles, they do not dance; if one laments, they do not weep" Matth. 11, 17.. It counts for nothing, except what seems good to them, and what pleases them; if not, it shall not please God. These are true Ishmael, unruly, stubborn and unruly; a people that cannot be controlled nor bent; how one wants to catch them with God's word, they know how to turn out. Such must be suffered among themselves, we] cannot resist that they have the name that we have; as Abram must suffer Jsmael in the house.

24. further: "His hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him. One still says that the same people, from Ishmael come, a desolate, unfriendly people fei, which feeds itself only with robbery, snatches to itself what it seizes. Such will have fulfilled now Ishmael. These also follow ours. The hands are the works, they must be other than the Christians. What is to become of it? There are many worldly-wise people who say that the gospel should be preached so that there would be no turmoil and discontent in the world, otherwise the people would go astray. But we have our preachers to thank for that. Why did they not preach the gospel so that people would know what was right or wrong? After all, it is commanded that everyone listen and know how to judge; they] have just taken away our right. Because they have heard this, there is no uproar. But if one is to follow the judgment whether the pope and his teachings are right, God has instituted strife, so that it cannot and should not go any other way.

(25) Therefore let no man think after resting: if the gospel come to pass, it is right to lie down confidently against it. We who

3. Erlanger: could.

282 Erl. 33, 330-332. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 4IS-122. 283

If we live with Ishmael, we must surrender to him and gladly consider that his hand is against us; then he will have to suffer that our hand is also against him; we must put our necks to it and not be silent, but always resist. So he is impudent and insolent, does not let him be told, becomes angry, and strangles us at last; so we die in God's name for the sake of God's word. So let no one be dismayed, but still rejoice when we see how shamefully the gospel is persecuted. For it has been said before that we may take comfort in it and fs] venture freshly upon it. One must lie here in the army, there no man will be judge, neither Pabst nor eonbilia, but God himself wants to be judge, he says s^Ps. 82,l.], therefore nothing will come of it, that the thing will be judged; smarf thue was man will, so will Ishmael on his side be stronger and close.

(26) It is not possible that there should be a concilium which closes with one accord, without flesh and leaven. I have never seen a concilium among all where the Holy Spirit reigned. There may have been a Christian piece or two in some, but I have not read that it was entirely pure. Therefore it is nothing that one still wants to refer to a concilium, nothing good is done. It went exactly with the Concilio to Jerusalem that it went off purely. [There were only three men there who kept it pure, all the other Christians closed their eyes against Christ; no one but Peter, Paul and Barnabas kept it pure, nor did they allow anything to happen; if it had not been for them, it would have all been falsified. Who has blinded us, [that what we set and do must be right?

(27) There will never be a concilium when people should agree together by the Holy Spirit. God allows this to happen precisely because he himself wants to be the judge and not suffer men to judge. That is why he commands everyone to know what he believes. It will not help that you say you have heard or heard preached; the devil will not inquire. But if you have God's word, you can say: Here I have the word, what else may I ask, what the Concilio say? So he must go back.

28. because now God wants to have when we have

see that his word shall suffer no judge but him, then let no man depart here, neither can there be any rest. And, since God is for, if there were silence and stillness, the gospel would be over. It must rumble where it comes; if it does not, it is not right. Therefore Christ Luc. 12, 49. 51. says: "I have come to kindle a fire on earth; what would I rather that it were already kindled? Do you think that I have come here to give peace? I say no to that, but discord." If this is to work, Ishmael must move his hand, and that again. That is where the Holy Spirit separates us. When people want to separate, it only gets worse.

(29) I say all this so that one may be accustomed to what God's word is, that one may not regard it as if it were a quiet and calm thing, as is suggested by the highest reason, which finds it so hard that it goes on in such a tumultuous way; I would so gladly help the matter that there might be unity after all. I can let it be done, but if it comes to that, Ishmael will always lay his hand against us, if we already offer ourselves in the most friendly way. So they must remain mixed together, some Ishmael, some Isaac, and always let hand go against hand. Since we see this illustrated in the Scriptures, we should be confident and thank God, who assures us that it is right. God is so wise that he soon makes fools of such wise people, as he will also do. [He is able to let His word be preached through despised little people, to whom no one thinks of going. His judgments are high, hidden and incomprehensible. The world wants to look only at the person; if he is wise and seems holy, then everyone wants to fall to him, and again, he does not only hang on the word of God, as the believers do. So this remains the office and manner of Ishmael and his crowd, that they are insolent and proud, judge everyone, are unruly, unconquerable, do not stop rumbling against the gospel and the right Christians.

The other people is a people of grace; they are also born of Abram, but also have the promise of it, and are called Äii promissionis Rom. 9, 8., over whom God's word passes, and says: You are it. These are the ones who, according to the holy gospel, are marked with the Spirit.

284 Erl. 33, 332-234. sermon on Genesis 16, 1-16. 17, 1-27. w. ill, 422-426. 285

will, as Paul writes Rom. 8, 16, trust in Christ, not in works, hold on to their salvation; they are not born of the flesh, but of the Word and the Spirit Joh. 3, 5. 6., you cannot see who they are, but God has decided that they are the ones He 2) wants. One preaches publicly to everyone, but he knows which ones he wants to touch and make born again. These are they who are not bound by works, but are finely tempered, neither proud nor insolent, able to suffer all things, condemning no one, having their goods and treasure in heaven; as their righteousness is eternal, so is their reward eternal. They are not born of Abram's blood and flesh alone, but of the woman and the free woman, of which Paul says Gal. 4:23.

(31) The liberty which Christ hath purchased and set us free, that neither works nor laws should bind the conscience. For Christ has done enough for all things; through the Holy Spirit we have it all; henceforth we owe nothing, but to love and serve one another. This is the right mother, and these are 3) the right children. For '7^ Sarai, as we shall hear hereafter, is called a woman who rules in the house,

1. Instead of the preceding words, the Erlanger: "they are not born by the preaching", one can read 2c.
2. "it the" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. "that are" is missing in the Erlanger.

to whom all things are subject, as the man is called a lord. So Paul wants to say: She is a maid and a guest, she is a woman in the house: House, there she has the name after.

(32) These are the two kinds of people, but under one rule, all flowing from the word of God. For it is not said of rude, impudent people who belong under the worldly sword, but of the very best, most pious and wise of the earth; but before God it is not valid, unless otherwise born of the Holy Spirit, and become a new man. It is evident that many a pious man, monk and nun live in such a way that no one can reproach them. Of such people he says here, these are the righteous; when they hear that their thing is nothing, they want to become senseless; these are the real devil's kingdom and his scales, through which he does the greatest harm. The others belong among the executioners and princes, but these also want to be ruled by the Holy Spirit; but it is only appearance and glitter. One should get used to understanding such things. Reason and human conceit are so deep in us that few people see it and approach it. It is hard to despise such brave, great people; no one can do it, because he who has the spirit, it fits reason and all people's sense.

The seventeenth chapter.

V.1-27. When Abram was nine and ninety years old, the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be without change; and I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you almost greatly. Then Abram fell on his face. And God spake further unto him, saying, Behold, I am, and have my covenant with thee, and thou shalt become a father of many nations. Therefore thou shalt no more be called Abram 4),

4. Marginal gloss: Abram is called high father, but Abraham, the heap father; although the same heap is indicated only with one letter in his name, not without cause.

But Abraham shall be thy name: for I have made thee the father of many nations. And I will make thee almost very fruitful, and will make of thee nations, and kings also shall come of thee. 5) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, among their seed, to be an everlasting covenant; that I may be thy God, and thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger within, even all the land of Canaan,

5. The following, to the end of the chapter, is missing in the Wittenberg.

286 Erl. 33, 331-337. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 426-429. 287

for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God. And God said to Abraham, "Keep my covenant, you and your seed after you, with their descendants. Now this is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you, and your seed after you, among their descendants: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the foreskin of your flesh; the same shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Every male child that is eight days old shall be circumcised among your descendants. In the same way, you shall circumcise all that are born at home or bought from all strangers who are not of your seed. So shall my covenant be upon your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And if a child be not circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh, his soul shall be cut off from among his people, because he hath omitted my covenant. And God said again unto Abraham, Thou shalt no more call thy wife Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. For I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son. For I will bless her, and nations shall come out of her, and kings over many booms. Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto me an hundred years old, and shall Sarah bear ninety years old? And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael should live before thee! And God said, Yea, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac: for with him will I establish mine everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. For Ishmael also have I heard thee. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and multiply him almost greatly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. And I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this time in the next year. And he ceased speaking with him, and God departed from Abraham. Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants that were born at home, and all that he bought, and all that was man's name in his house, and circumcised the foreskin of their flesh that very day, as God had told him. And Abraham was nine and ninety years old when he

circumcised the foreskin of his flesh. Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when his flesh was circumcised. On the same day they were all circumcised, Abraham, his son Ishmael, and whatever man's name was in his house, born at home and bought from strangers; all were circumcised with him.

(1) We have heard so far how the patriarch Abraham was first promised God's grace and protection, then a fruit and reward from his rightful wife. Now the chapter describes how God speaks to him again, and changes his name and his wife's name, and establishes the covenant of circumcision with him; and especially that he promises him the son Isaac from his wife Sarah. It is a large chapter and belongs to the scholars, but we will make as much of it as we can. The first promise is where God promises him, as Cap. 15, 1. heard, that he would be his protection and his reward, on which words he hung with faith, as before on the other. But, as I have said, when God denies His promise and His word, it is always a matter of a new and better faith. For because we are on earth, no one becomes so perfect, must always increase, and become stronger. Thus God has led this holy man on and on, and always held forth new pieces; thus he has always remained in One Faith, although the matter and the quarrels have changed in many ways, for the sake of which he gives the word again, to strengthen the same faith, as I said, even more.

Now this was a great mighty faith, that Paul also praises it Rom. 4, 18-20: "Abraham praised and gave glory to God, when he believed against all reason and hope, not considering his dead body and his wife," since it was impossible and unavoidable according to nature that they should have children. He put all this out of his sight, not judging it by the way he felt it and poked it under his eyes, but by the mere word, and so said: "God is true, faithful and almighty, therefore I do not ask how impossible it is; since I have His word and promise, I cannot lack it, if all other things are faithful.

288 Erl. 33, 337-339. sermon on Genesis 17, 1-27. w. ill, 429-432. 289

For faith is a light that guides him and shines in the darkness where reason is blind and becomes a fool. It is impossible for nature, but it is possible for God. Therefore, where the word is: "God says," only listen to reason. Now in that you praise and honor God in this way, faith is counted to you as righteousness. For this, as said before Cap. 15, § 9, is the right honor of God, when one considers Him to be and to be able to do everything that belongs to God; thus I have served and worshipped Him. But what belongs to God? That he is almighty, kind, merciful, just, true and wise, and all that is good. To give all these things to him is the right service of God.

4 Abraham does this here, as Paul says Rom. 4:17, 21, in that he believed him who calls things that are not, that they are. For he knows well, Abraham, that if all creatures worked together with all their strength, they could not give him a son; all creatures must despair of this. But he thinks: Yes, God can do it, not only from an old woman, but also from a stone Matth. 3, 9. [It is "something great, 1) that he can believe such things, even though they seem easy. Because he believed this, he trusted God more than he should, that he would give him eternal life and all good things. If he proposed to us in this way, saying, "Here you have a handful or a grain, and I will feed you with it all the year," who would believe? Then we would see how impossible it would be for nature, for because you would see it, faith would have to fall.

5 This is how it will be when we die. There is God's word and the sacrament or sign that God wants to give you eternal life. There is the wretched being, sin, death and hell, and what one leaves in this life. This is certain, that is uncertain. Whoever could grasp God's word, which Peter calls a light in a dark place, and close his eyes and see through death into life, as Abraham does here, steps into the darkness, does not jump back alone, and is not frightened,

1. In the issues: Is but large.

Luther's Works. Vol. HI.

but is confident and joyful to it, that his heart laughs, that it must have been an exuberant faith, which conceived and said in the most complete way: Now it is certain. As if he should say: How great strange thing and miracle is this, how impossible it will be before the people! So that the laughter would not be understood as coming from doubt, but from great miracles of faith.

Now the example is also written for us, that we may learn everywhere the manner of righteous faith, that it has no light but the word of God, and that he who follows it does right worship. Therefore Paul says: "He was strong in faith, praised God, and knew with certainty that what God promises he can also do"; as if he should say: If God has spoken it, he will certainly not lie. So you see how Abraham gives God in one heap what he should give him, that he is almighty and can do it; in addition, he is wise, so that he knows how he should do it; item, truly, so that he certainly keeps what he says 2c. Thus he has served God to the highest degree; for where the heart does not keep such things and believe of God, there is no true worship, but all hypocrisy, which is invented for worship. Thus, faith is sufficiently explained that it is not necessary to say more about it. We will now see the pieces that the chapter deals with in particular.

(7) At the first God takes and changes his name, saying, "You shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham," that the name may be lengthened a little, and gives the reason why it should be called, "I have made you a father of many nations," that Abraham may be called a father from whom many nations come. The former name Abram, of two syllables, is made from the word Ab, which in German means a father, and soi] Ram means high. Thus Abram is called a high father. He changes the name to him, he shall no longer be called high father, but father of many peoples; but not so that this word Abraham would completely give the interpretation, which he sets here. For there is not more than one letter, namely a sr] h put in between, that the name of a syllable becomes longer. Now this must be a mMerium. The letter h means in the

10

290 Erl. 33, 33S-342. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 432-434. 294

Hebrew language especially before the others. Here, however, the word Hamon, that is, a heap, is decided in it; from it comes the word Mahamon, which we say Mammon, which Christ uses gladly in the Gospel; so that the one letter indicates a heap of nations. And has so strangely broken the name that it would be almost impossible to feel that it should be called so much, where God did not interpret it, because it is so broken and thrown among each other; will also remain so. It was undoubtedly made so that he would be a father to those who would believe righteously, as St. Paul indicates in Romans 4:11.

8 So he also changes the name of the woman. Before she was called Sarai, now, he says, she shall be called Sarah. There is one letter less, Sarai is called my wife; for the letter Jod at the end gives as much as the word my: as Eli, Eli, my God, Adonai, my Lord, Abi, my father, but Sarah is called äomina, a woman, not in general a woman's image, but who rules in the house; not like the man, but like a maid of one says: This is my wife. God wanted Abraham's wife, his legitimate wife, not to be his mistress, but his servant. He did not do this because it was important that she be called what she was called, without her having to be a figure, beginning and interpretation of the New Testament people. For this is what Paul says in Gal. 4:24: "Hagar was the mother of the saints called Ishmael, who were captives of good works, who were under the law, not merry and willing, but servants, not of the blessed seed, but of flesh and blood alone, without the word of God.

(9) But to this seed of the woman is added the word of God, which is the treasure, against which flesh and blood are nothing. It reads as badly to reason as if a cobbler had spoken it, but in the sight of God the treasure is so great that it is inconceivable. Therefore hath he called her Sarah, that she should be the right wife, that is, that we should be Sarah's children. Why? Sarah bore a son, not of flesh and blood, and yet is flesh and blood; ser] is her fruit, but not

Flesh and blood work. 1) The divine majesty pours out the power with the word, therefore he is a child of the divine word, but raised in flesh and blood. The miracle God wants to perform, that he lets a son be born of flesh and blood, but not through flesh and blood.

(10) Therefore, 2) God's children are not without being born through the Word. Isaac is also born bodily through the Word, it did not have to be through flesh and blood at all; otherwise Hagar would be sund]. Ishmael also mother and son. Thus everything that flesh and blood can do is laid down here, and a verdict is reached: What is not of God's word is lost, be it a spiritual life, as it may; if it goes by free will, even if it goes by God's law, it does not make it children of God. 3) But if you are to become an Isaac, you must be born differently and also have the promise that makes you an heir. It lies there so badly, like a dead word, nor is it so strong that it closes and judges the whole world. 4) Paul calls the children of Saree, the woman who is a wife in the house, who has power over the property, not a maid who takes the wages and goes away; but who cannot be put out of the house, and has the husband's property under her, rules the servants, and, 5) what is in the house, over it she is master. That is why Paul calls her the free woman, that is, no one's maid nor subject, but the house is her subject.

This is the Christian church, which is the right Sara, quite free, has no one above her, because her householder, Christ, that is her husband, has right to her. Thus she has what he has, word, spirit, baptism, sacrament; what she creates, that is done in heaven and earth; what she says, that he confirms; what she does, that God does; it is just as valid as if God himself baptized or absolved. The power is so great that no one can sufficiently measure and praise it. God has placed His power in her womb and given her the keys, as a woman, so that what she does and how she does it, she can do.

1. Jenaer: Work.
2. Erlanger: they are.
3. "GOttes" is missing in the Erlanger.
4. Erlanger: Da.
5. "and" is missing in the Erlanger.

292 Erl. 33, 34L-344. Sermon on Genesis 17, 1-27. W. Ill, 434-437. 293

She may do anything she wants, but only that she does not step over the line and follow another, that is, that she does not preach any further and that she drives with conscience, that she does not raise anything new, but keeps to what he does, then she is the dear bride. We are her children, we are born of her, we are also her heirs. Therefore it is fine here that we have what Christ and his bride have. But the gospel is her womb, with it she bears and gives birth; so we become God's children, Isaac's brothers, born after Isaac (that is, according to the promise) from the free one, who 1) we have God's word.

(12) Therefore we are not servants, saith Paul again, but only children and sons of a free woman; going forth of a free and willing spirit, doing all things in vain, not looking to the reward, as a servant. For they are born into the inheritance, that they may do no work to acquire it, are in the womb of their mother; therefore they do not look at their works, but do more than is required, have no other merit than that they are born. Birth means that the inheritance is their own; he is the father, who must think to make the inheritance and place them in his estate; they can do nothing about it.

(13) Behold, we see in all places in Scripture what a true Christian being should be, and how God has hidden and concealed such a thing in Scripture before; yet so strongly that everyone must say it is right, and can see that God had such in mind, that he once wanted such a sermon to go forth from faith. For here you see no work, no commandment, but only a promise, graciously given. 2) He sees no work, nor does he command it, but he freely says that she should bear him a child. These are words, not which command, but which give; therefore he is not born of his father's or his mother's merit, but comes from the word, so that Abraham could do nothing about it. As he therefore is born, so must we all be born; so shall we all come into the inheritance, and become Chri-

1. Erlanger: like.
2. Jenaer: "Geschenck".

We have never deserved nor sought to hear God's word, but he comes before every thought and says: Believe in Christ and you will be saved. From this we become other people, undeservedly and unawares.

(14) Now what does Isaac want to boast about? Whence shall he have an inheritance? Abraham gathered it, but did not make it nor think of it; it comes only from God's word making him a child and placing him in Abraham's bosom? Therefore he cannot take anything for himself, because God has placed him in the inheritance, not by his own doing, but by the word of God. So he cannot boast that he is God's child, because God preached the gospel to him and gave him faith. In the same way, we are not blessed anywhere except by the fact that God gave birth to us through the Word and made us children.

(15) Behold, these are the bad histories, when one considers it according to reason, that one should mock God; as some have done. But let them fool and jest; God has a way of dealing with human things, such as begetting children and the like, but is adorned and adorned with such gracious sayings and high interpretations for the sole purpose of making fools of the high-souled.

(16) So we conclude from history what is pleasing in the sight of God to make children; no human power, no commandment, no work. He must come first with His word, that we may become children with Isaac, that we may know that it is all grace, and that we may do it only by faith, which is so great that it makes us right heirs, and which alone is the right service of God.

(17) Since this is so, what then is done after the inheritance or new 4) birth? Answer: Therefore one must direct the works to other things, and say: You must not go idle, but do works, but with that you do not create the inheritance, because it is there before. How, then, shall one do nothing? No, but go and work so that the inheritance and goods may be increased and become great. So we have it by faith. But we do not do good works, for because of this

3. Erlanger: like.
4. "neuen" is missing in the Erlanger, but is in the text in the Wittenberger, and in brackets in the Jenaer.

294 Erl. 33, 344-346. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 437-440. 295

preach and bring other people to it with words and works, so that our lives are directed toward helping other people as well. This teaching is given to us here in the piece that we have now seen and heard so often, that we may be sure and prepared, and not be carried away.

18 Thus we have the mighty promise, and the great faith of Abraham, and how his name and his wife's name are changed: his is abolished, and theirs is shortened, and so God turns it back. When the word comes, the kingdom of faith begins, and our works cease, and what is in us is no more. Faith increases and works decrease; otherwise they are great, long and many, but faith small and short. Therefore it must be reversed, that here something may increase, that Abraham's name may lengthen, and there something may decrease.

Now there is another piece here, about circumcision, which is also to be regarded as a rather foolish and shameful commandment. I have preached about it several times, and anyone who wants to may read it further in the posts. It is the piece that St. Paul refers to everywhere, and has a lot to do with it. For the Jews relied heavily on it.

20. But look at 2) the order: Abraham is promised that God would be his protector; item, to give him a son by his right wife, and to multiply his seed very much 2c.; after the same promises to all he commands him to perform this sign on his flesh, so that he outwardly confesses that he is his God, and he, Abraham, is his servant. Then he must do an outward work; it is not yet his righteousness, but must do it freely for nothing. For faith has already made him righteous and blessed beforehand, just as Isaac is born through the grace of God; but as soon as he is born, he is already the heir. Therefore circumcision does not help; if he had never been circumcised, he would still have remained the Son.

Now Paul interprets this in a masterly way when he says Rom. 4, 11: "Circumcision is no more than a sign, so that he may be seen by the

• 1. "it" is missing in the Erlanger.

L) Erlanger: on it, on-

confessed to people. For before, because' he was justified by faith, he had to bear the sign to confess the God, all whom he believed. Therefore it is called Paul siZilluw ^ustitias üäsi, a seal of the righteousness of faith. For as with a seal is proved that which shall have power, so also by circumcision is it proved before the world, that every man said, By this Abraham confessed his God and faith. As also we, if we believe, are free from all sins, and are the children of God; which we prove before men by baptism, and by the foolish sign, as the heathen say, that we eat our God. For all these signs are such that reason must laugh and mock at them.

22 But God takes the sign to show the interpretation in it. He might have called Abraham circumcised in another place, but in the shameful place, because it is sin and shame in the sight of the world; therefore the Gentiles also mocked the Jews in the most shameful way and insulted them. It serves nothing to merit grace, but only as a sign of faith, required for confession and testimony before the world, that they may be offended and become fools, and yet no one may be saved except by the faith of Abraham, who was circumcised Rom. 4:16.

(23) Therefore you must cast down your wisdom and become a fool. Laugh as long as you can that we are put into the water; yet it is decreed before God: If you are to be rid of sins and become blessed, you must become like the fool who comes out of baptism, or you will lack the kingdom of heaven.

God gladly takes such foolish signs, shameful and disgraceful in the eyes of the world, so that they get angry at them) For if he did not, the proud courage would remain stuck in us, that we and our wisdom were also something; then everyone would run to us. But he wants us to break our mind and crawl into another skin. And because God wants this, we should be pleased with it and not consider it foolishness. This is the original

3. Wittenberg and Erlanger: deß.
4. Wittenberger and Erlanger: annoyed.

296 Erl. 33, 346-349. sermon on Genesis 17, 1-27. 18, 1-20. w. ill, 440-444. 297

f^It^ is recently nothing else than to take off the old Adam, to go through the cross, shame and disgrace in death and all misfortune, as God sends it] to us.

25 But besides this it is to be noted that we can argue with the Jews and lead the text rightly, namely, that we do not consider circumcision higher than an outward sign, so that Abraham proves his inward faith, as we do in baptism. For this is how Paul presents circumcision against the Jews, and finally concludes that they cannot boast of the work before all the Gentiles, of which Abraham himself cannot boast that he became something before God through it, but was already something before, through faith in God's word. So also we, before we take the sacrament of baptism or the altar, must have faith, but the sign is a proof before the people.

(26) Thou shalt also say of all good works. Why are they commanded, when the

Is Faith Sufficient? It is true that faith alone is sufficient 1) in the sight of God, that no works are needed for it; but works must be done to prove faith before the world, so that God may be praised and my neighbor may also be provoked to faith Matth. 5, 16. I should not do anything for myself, but must love for the sake of others, to praise God and to serve my neighbor, so that other leaders may also come to us. Now that is born of Abraham, of the flesh and blood only, and is also circumcised, this does nothing; for Ishmael is also of Abraham and also circumcised, yet he is not counted for Abraham's seed. What then is lacking? Because he had flesh and blood, which he brought from Abraham, but he had neither faith nor word. For he that shall be his seed, saith Paul, must have the faith that he hath. Thus he becomes a father to all those who believe in Christ, since he believed in him. We have now heard enough of this.

1. Erlanger: enough.

The eighteenth chapter.

V.1-20. And the Lord appeared unto him in the grove of Mamre, as he sat by the door of his tabernacle, when the day was hottest. And when he lifted up his eyes, and looked, there stood three men against him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tabernacle, and bowed himself to the ground before him, 2) saying, Lord, if I have found grace in thy sight, pass not over before thy servant. Let a little water be brought unto you, and wash your feet, and lean down under the tree. And I will bring you a morsel of bread to refresh your heart, and after that ye shall depart. For this is why you came to your servant. They said: Do as you have said. Abraham hastened into the tabernacle to

2. Marginal gloss: Falling down before him. He falls down before one, and also speaks as with one, and yet with three; there the Trinity in God is indicated.

And Sarah said, Make haste, and mix three measures of fine flour, and knead, and bake cakes. And he ran unto the oxen, and fetched a good tender calf, and gave it to the lad, and he made haste, and prepared it. And he took butter and milk, and of the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and stood before them under the tree, and they did eat. 3) And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he answered, Within the tabernacle. And he said, I will come again unto thee, if I live; behold, 4) Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it behind him, behind the door of the tabernacle. And they were both of them, Abraham and Sarah, old and well stricken in years, so that Sarah was no more able to go to the tabernacle.

3. The following text is missing from the Wittenberg.
4. Erlanger: "About a year, after the time the fruit can live, I will come to you again, so shall" 2c. - In addition, there are some variants in this text; we, as well as the Jenaers, have given the text of the Bible.

298 Erl. 33, 349-352. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 444-447. 299

the women's way. Therefore she laughed with herself, and said, Now that I am old, I shall yet cherish pleasure, and my lord also is old. Then said the LORD unto Abraham, Why laughed Sarah, saying, Thinkest thou that it is true that I shall yet bear, seeing I am old? Should anything be impossible for the Lord? At this time I will come again to thee, and if I live, Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, and said: I laughed not; for she was afraid. But he said, It is not so; thou hast laughed. Then the men arose from thence, and turned toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to lead them. Then said the LORD, How can I hide from Abraham what I do? For he shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the fires of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the LORD, and to do that which is right and good; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath promised him.

I. This chapter shows how the holy father Abraham was a great man and highly respected in the sight of God; that the Almighty God wants to show all the world by example how gracious and kind He is to those who believe. It is ever true that there is no greater thing on earth, indeed in all God's works, than faith; which is so powerful that it takes away everything that is sinful, makes us children of God, that it thus deals with us as one brother with another. As here, with Abraham; how kindly does he behave toward him? [He looks at nothing but high faith; with this he has caught God, pleases him so well that he jokes with him like with a best friend, yes, like with a child: comes the third, eats with him, jokes with Sarah; but that seriousness is there. At last he himself starts and says: "How can I hide from Abraham what I am doing? As if he should say: He is my friend, so good that I must tell him everything. At the end Abraham talks to him, and he listens to him so long, and grants him as often as he asks.

2- Behold, there is explained and interpreted what Paul sTit. 3, 4.] means by the words: JpparuitetDsi , that.

is the kindness and affability of God, that he is so affable that everyone likes to deal with him and be around him, and he again deals kindly with everyone. The virtue he gives to God is actually revealed in the New Testament, through the Gospel, which has also abundantly proven it; as you see here, that one man could not deal more kindly with another. Now this is the price of Abraham's faith, to make us an example, that we too, when we believe, take comfort in him, that he deals with us in the most friendly way; but the fact that we neither experience nor taste it, makes us not believe. If we felt it, we would see how lovely histories these are that model faith so that Abraham is called God's friend. Summa, it is a high miracle and not to be measured, over all words and thoughts, the conscience must experience it itself. We do not think highly of him when he speaks, but if we thought what kind of person he was, we would fall down before him. Because we think it is just as if a cobbler were speaking, we never learn anything about it.

Let this be great and high, that God Himself should do this to him, go into his house and be his guest, speak so many words to him; then also, repeat the promise that He made to him in the previous chapter v. 16, that his Sarah should bear a son, which she had not heard; but now it is so strongly urged that she must also hear it, although she does not believe so soon, but still doubts. What more is indicated in this, I do not know; so it looks to me as if Sarah did not believe Abraham, for he will no doubt have told her many times. Now, when she hears it from the three of them, it seems so strange to her that she speaks mockingly to it, as it were, and says: "Shall I still indulge in pleasure, like a young woman? She is still ashamed that she should deal with pleasure. There he also shows what a fine, chaste woman she has been, even in outward conduct; also how she is subject to her husband, and calls him master. Which St. Peter 1 Ep. 3, 6 considered good, that he put it on, and set her as an example to the women.

4 Now, we must stay on the one that Sarah herself must hear the word. She wants

300 Erl. 33, 352-354. Sermon on Genesis 18, I-20. W. Ill, 447-450. 301

no longer know pleasure in the world, stands in the sense that she now waits for death, and she was no pleasure to courage, as the text says: erant ei muliebriu, it went to her no longer after the woman kind. (It] was also not according to nature that she should have a child; therefore she throws it to the wind, does not believe Abraham yet, thus thinks: Who knows whether my husband has understood it right? Therefore God Himself comes and speaks to her so kindly. Which he would not suffer from another: She hears it from Abraham, and doubts; now, when she hears it from the angel himself, she starts to laugh. He would not have liked that from another.

5. further he goes on, and does not jest, saying, "Why does Sarah your wife laugh? should it be too hard for God?" Nevertheless it shall come to pass, "When I come again, Sarah shall have a son." These are vain words, that he speaks as to his daughter; which he would not do to others. That is what it does, where faith is righteous, God is there with all his goods and blessings, everything is bad, peace and tranquility, even though faith is still weak.

(6) For here we have a great, comforting example of what Paul says in Romans 14:1: "Take the weak in faith. There has ever been a righteous faith here, because she went out with Abraham before, in strong faith, in Egypt, in the king's house, as heard, which she would never have done if she had not stood in firm faith. Item, so strong was she, that she gave Abraham her handmaid to a wife, which she would not have done, if she had not been sure that she would have children by Abraham; still she stumbles and doubts here. This is called weak faith; nevertheless, God does not reject her for it, spares her for the sake of the former faith, credits her if she does not believe as strongly as Abraham; for he deals with her as Paul says Rom. 8, 26., that he helps her weakness, and speaks so much to her that she must believe. When she denies: No, I did not laugh; he says, You laughed. Then she saw that it was God's word, even though she did not know the person.

7 So now the summa about the price is

of faith, which is shown here; is also the example that God always leads His own from one faith into another, always proposes a new piece for training, improvement and increase of faith from day to day. That is why we live on earth, otherwise it would be better that we die soon. These are the pieces of faith in the example.

(8) Then these also are moral examples, that is, examples of love. For the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 13, 2. gives this example: "Do not forget to be hospitable, for by this some, without their knowledge, have sheltered angels." There he means Abraham and his cousin Lot, in the following chapter. With this work God has given us an example and praised the kindness that we should gladly shelter and do good to the strangers. To which virtue the Scriptures, especially the New Testament, often exhort, and such an example is not written in vain. Abraham was before in faith, which he now practices, and he also comes away in love; he has left his door open, whoever has come, he has received; yes, when he sees the three men from afar, he goes to meet them and compels them to stay with him. He sat there, the text says, in front of the door, and rested, since it was about dinner time (for otherwise he certainly did not walk much idly), and waited, where guests would come, whom he would receive. 1) There are no more examples among us of taking in poor pilgrims or strangers, or, if it is done, it is done for the sake of pleasure. But whoever did it out of love would undoubtedly have saints as guests, and even God Himself.

V.20-33. And the Lord said, There is a great cry in Sodom and Gomorrah, and their sins are grievous. Therefore will I go down, and see whether they have done all according to the cry that is come before me, or whether it be not so that I know. And the men turned their faces, and went to Sodom. But Abraham stood still before the LORD, and stood before him, and said, Wilt thou then slay the righteous with the wicked? There might be fifty righteous men in

1. Thus the Wittenberg. In the: other editions: "Das".

302 Erl. 33, 354-356, Interpretations on the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, 450-453. 305

Wouldst thou destroy them, and not forgive the place for fifty righteous men that were therein? Far be it from thee, that thou shouldest do this thing, and slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be as the wicked: far be it from thee, which art the judge of all the earth, that thou shouldest not do such judgment. And the LORD said, If I find fifty righteous men in the city of Sodom, then for their sakes will I forgive all the places. And Abraham answered and said, Behold, I have made myself to speak unto the LORD, though I be dust and ashes. There may be in it five less than fifty righteous: wilt thou then destroy the whole city for five? And he said, If I find in it five and forty, I will not destroy it. And he continued to speak unto him, saying, Peradventure forty shall be found therein. But he said: I will not hurt them for forty. And Abraham said, Be not angry, my lord, that I should speak any more, that there might be found thirty in them. And he said, If I find thirty in them, I will not hurt them. And he said, Behold, I have refrained from speaking unto my Lord; peradventure there shall be found twenty in them. He answered: I will not destroy them for the sake of twenty. And he said, Oh be not angry, my Lord, that I speak but once more, that there may be ten in them. And he said: I will not destroy them for the sake of the ten. And the LORD departed after he had talked with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

(9) Behold, there is another excellent example, wherein is seen the great earnestness of Abraham, how he was full of love toward his neighbor, when he heard that God was in earnest to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then he takes care that God will let his earnestness go, and punish the land, as before Gen. 7:17 the world with the flood of sin. Therefore he comes before him, practicing a noble work of love, that he takes upon himself all the sins they have done, and asks for them with all earnestness, not once, but six times. [These are nothing else than vain and right fiery words, and such a heartfelt and fervent prayer as I have never heard before.

knows in the Scriptures. Thus his courage stands, that he ever wanted to drive back the anger, holds on so firmly, and brings it so close to God, that ev must go away from him. This is ever a rather flush work of love. So we should also 1) do and pray where we see someone lying in sin, since it is certain that God's wrath and punishment are present, so that we may pray that He will not let the punishment go.

(10) So he first takes God's goodness before him in the harshest way; he does not say that they have not sinned, but calls upon his name, brings his honor upon him, thus saying: If you do this, you will bring dishonor and shame upon your name; spare yourself. What would the world say, but that you are an ungracious, horrible God? So he attacks him in the highest way, and wins him over with it, holds him up until he can no longer. That makes him think thus: In such a region there will ever be many pious people; ser] thought he wanted to stretch it close to him, and only count fifty; yes, there he asks the first, second, third, up to the sixth time; everything goes. He did not ask any more about that, so he thought: If there are only five of them, he will probably keep them, if the others go down.

11 Now notice that it is often said that there are still many righteous people in the world; yes, take comfort in this, Abraham also took comfort in this, that he would pray with confidence. If anyone had told him that there were not ten righteous people in the same country, he would not have believed it; nor does he find more than Lot, the third, the others all perish, without the stranger and sojourner; as above Cap. 7, 13. in the flood there are not more than eight people preserved in the great, wide world. Now boast, whoever wants to conclude that there are still many more pious people on earth. One relies on this, and then concludes further: "They cannot be mistaken, it is not to be believed that God is so angry. Thus God has snatched away our defiance, so that we do not rely on it. That it is not true that our papists pretend: so many people cannot err. Who should now resemble such cities to Sodom? as Christ resembles the city of

1. "also" is missing in the Erlanger.

304 Erl. 33, 356-358. Sermon on Genesis 18:20-33. W. Ill, 453-455. 305

Capernaum, on the other hand, holds and says (Matth. 11, 24.): "It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the last judgment than for you."

(12) So I also consider it certain that the wrath of God that has been is nowhere equal to the wrath that has gone before among your ministry, and still goes on, that I may well say that so many books have been written, and doctors of the Scriptures made, and neither book nor doctor has preached the gospel. Whoever had the courage to do so, soon had to burn. Meanwhile, we have always said: "God is not so angry that he lets so many people err. If some are pious, they do not have the appearance nor the reputation that no one cares about them.

(13) Therefore, let this frighten us, and not be surprised if God destroys a whole country, because we know that it is proclaimed by God that the deception would be so great that Christ would have to say (Luc. 18:8): "Do you also think that when the Son of Man comes, he will find faith on the earth? I worry that it is all too true and all too true that everything that is only under and in the papacy is of the devil. It is certainly terrible, nor is it God's judgment; after all, everything is wrong that has ever come under the papacy. It is not a mean thing about a pious man; Abraham, of course, was the noblest treasure on earth at the same time.

(14) This is what is written to frighten all who are presumptuous, not for the sake of those who are foolish and fearful. God will not be kind to anyone, nor will he be kind to those who humble themselves, despair of them, stoop down and seek mercy from him; to them all is kind, but to others all is terrible.

(15) This is the example of Abraham, where we see how full of the Spirit he was, and great strength of faith and fervent love, that we are commanded to follow him also, how he even cares for the poor people as if he himself were in distress, how he has heard that he uses exceedingly excellent words, whether he would save them and avert wrath, and also that his prayer is heard everywhere, how often he asks.

1. itself --- itself deß. Wittenberg and Jena: itself.

That is now said after the history. What other deep and subtle thing is, I leave aside. Especially in the beginning of the chapter, where Moses says that he worshipped one, and yet he saw three. For the words are thus: "The Lord appeared unto him in the grove of Mamre, and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw three men standing before him; and he ran and bowed himself down before him, and said, Lord, if I have found grace in thy sight, go not over before thy servant, and they shall bring you a little water. Therefore some say, as now said, that he saw three men, and talked with one; thus the trinity in GOD is signified. I leave that to the scholars to fight out. This is ever true that Abraham looked at One in God's stead, who it was. The text makes this clear when he says: "Lord, I have found grace in your sight", which is proven from the Hebrew language that it is the right name of God.

17. Whether he did this by accepting the person in God's name, or whether he himself was so enlightened that he recognized that he was 2) true God, I leave to the scholars. It is almost like him that afterwards he speaks so devoutly with God Himself, as if he had regarded the one person as the right God. For we have heard that he speaks to the Lord himself and that he answers him, which was done in a human person. Therefore, he must have had a high spirit that told him that among the three he sees One who is God and the other angels, and yet accepts all three as human beings, as they also give birth.

18 Summa, so much is it that Abraham has seen here an image and sight that God must be, and should become man; for he sees the human image before him, yet considers him true God, worships him also as a God. It is a great grace and a remarkable example, how the man is so pleasing to God, that he appears to him in such a way, and reveals his secret; so that it is written, that we should ever learn how great a good it is for a believing man. For what may it be written to Abraham? It is written for us, that we may see how GOD

2. "he" is missing in the Erlanger.

306 Erl. 33, 358-381. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 455-459. 307

He has air and love for those who believe in him, so that he makes himself so close to them and deals with them as one companion with another, so that we also make ourselves available to him in this way and talk to him; but that this may happen through the Lord Christ. He who has faith may speak freely to God, and he will speak to him again as a brother, or as a father to a child. Now this is what 1) the Scripture has modeled here, to provoke to faith through Christ. For Abraham had to see God not only in the image of a man, but also in the likeness of a man: so must we also see him in the image in which he has set himself, which is Christ. If he does not appear, then it is lost; as the works saints do, who without Christ want to appear before God with their deeds.

19 Lastly, here is the confidence we should have to ask, that whoever is a Christian and believes, may ask what he will, so] he is sure to be heard. See how Abraham speaks so powerfully, and what he says must be yes. Yes, if he had continued to ask, he would also have had to be granted. There is no no, but only yes, prescribed for us as an example, not that we only look at the saints in heaven, but those who are on earth, as Abraham once lived on earth. Therefore let us take such an example, and only ask confidently. If it is asked, it is heard; if you can only believe, it must be done. Yes, you say, if I had such strong faith as Abraham. Answer: Yes, but it is not written for his sake; therefore it is not valid for thee to say, If I were so holy. Believe as he does, and thou shalt be as holy. Whence is he so holy? Joshua says Cap. 24, 2 that he also worshipped idols and was also a sinner, but by believing he became righteous. Believe, then, and you too will be so pious. But we go in the sense that he acquired it with great works and holy life; but these are vain dreams. If he had not had faith, he would have acquired nothing everywhere. So we also must obtain these things by faith. It is an exceedingly great thing about the example that a Christian has such power that he can ask and God cannot refuse him anything.

1 > "nun" is missing in the Erlanger.

(20) Jacobus also referred to this in his epistle, and he uses it strongly; it is also the best piece in the same epistle: "The righteous prayer (he says Cap. 5, 16-18) is able to do much if it is active. Elijah was a man like us, and he prayed a prayer that it should not rain; and it rained not on the earth three years and six months. And he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit," actually adding the word, "He was a man like unto us." Thus we should also interpret all histories and examples to mean that they were men as well as we. For the larva only deceives us, that we make such a clamor with the saints. [We should say thus: If they are holy, then we are also holy; if we are sinners, then they were also sinners; after all, we are all born of flesh and blood, and God created us as well as them; one man is worth another, and nothing distinguishes us except faith. If you have faith and God's word, you are just as great; you must not worry that you are inferior to him, unless faith cannot be as strong.

21. And especially it is to be noted that such an example shows how powerful prayer is for the betterment of the good. One can find examples of how strong prayer has been to the detriment of the adversaries, as Moses, who was the most gentle man, did a short prayer, 2) so that Köre, Dathan and Abiram swallowed up the earth (4 Mos. 16, 32.). Likewise one reads also of David and others more. So the saints can also sometimes harm and punish. But this example is even more noble, that the prayer is so strong, if it is to serve the betterment of the neighbor, and God is more inclined to hear that which is useful and good, than that which is harmful.

022 Elijah the prophet did both these things. He asked that it would not rain for four and a half years 1 Kings 17:1, 7, and it did. [But he did it because the land was so full of false prophets and idolatry that his spirit was enraged and embittered, and brought punishment on the land, so that the king was so angry with him that he sent him to the kingdom.

3. Erlanger: that he.

Z08 Erl. 33, 361-363. sermon on Genesis 18, 20-33. 19, 1-38. W. Ill, 459-162. 309

in all lands sought to slay him [1 Kings 18:10,j. Thus you see that they can obtain what they ask, but more and more for good than for harm. Let us be comforted and strengthened, and be sure that what we ask will be done.

23 Thus John also says in his most serous epistle Cap. 5:14, 15: "This is the joy we have in God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us; and if we know that He hears us, what

we ask, we know that we have the request that we asked of Him." That is, when we believe, we are joyful and bold that GOD will not let us; as Abraham did not doubt until he came to the "ten." Had he continued to ask, he would have been heard. If I had a Christian who asked for me, I would be of good cheer and not be afraid of anyone. If I also had one who pleaded against me, I would rather have the Turkish emperor as my enemy.

The nineteenth chapter.

(vv. 1-38) The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. And when he saw them, he stood up to meet them, and bowed himself with his face to the ground, and said, Behold, my Lord, come in unto thy servant's house, and tarry overnight, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise early in the morning, and go your way. But they said: Nay, but we will tarry in the street overnight. So he almost compelled them, and they "returned" to him, and came into his house. And he made them a feast, and baked unleavened cakes, and they did eat. But before they lay down, the people of the city of Sodom came and surrounded the house, young and old, all the people from every quarter. And they demanded of Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men that are come unto thee this night? Let them come out to us, that we may know them. And Lot went out unto them at the door, and shut the door behind him, and said, Oh, brethren, do not be so wicked. Behold, I have two daughters, which have not yet known a man: I will put them out among you, and do unto them as ye please: but do nothing unto these men of God: for therefore are they entered under the shadow of my roof. But they said: Come hither. Then they said: Did you not come in as a stranger, and now you want to be a judge? Well, we will do thee more harm than they. And they pressed hard upon the man

Lot, and as they ran to break open the door, the men reached out and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. And the men that were at the door of the house were smitten with blindness, both small and great, that they could not find the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any more a husband, and sons, and daughters, and whosoever is thine in the city, bring him out of this place: for we will destroy this place, and their cry shall be great before the LORD, which hath sent us to destroy it. Then Lot went out, and spake unto his oaths, which should take his daughters: Arise, and get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But it was ridiculous to them. So when the dawn was breaking, the angels hurried Lot and said: Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters which thou hast found, lest thou also perish in the iniquity of this city. And when he was gone, the men took him, and his wife, and his two daughters, by the hand, because the LORD spared him; and they brought him out, and left him without the city. And when they had brought him out, they said, Save thy soul, and look not behind thee, neither stand thou in all this place; save thyself in the mount, that thou perish not. But Lot said unto them: Nay, my lord, behold, because thy servant hath found grace in thine eyes, thou wilt not perish.

** **310 Erl. 33, 363-366. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 462-46. 5. 311

May you make your mercy great, which you have done for me, to keep my soul alive; I cannot save myself on the mountain; an accident may befall me, and I may die. Behold, there is a city near, whither I may flee, and it is small; there will I save myself; yet it is small, that my soul may live. Then said he unto him, Behold, I have looked upon thee also in this thing, that I turn not back the city which thou hast spoken of. Make haste and be saved there, for I cannot do anything until you come in. Therefore the city is called Zoar. 1) And the sun was risen on the earth, when Lot entered into Zoar. And the LORD rained down brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and turned back the cities, and all the coasts thereof, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and all that grew upon the face of the earth. And his wife looked behind him, and was turned into a pillar of salt. And Abraham rose up early in the morning unto the place where he stood before the LORD, and turned his face toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the country of the region, and looked, and, behold, there arose a vapor from the land, as a vapor from the furnace. For when God had destroyed the cities of the region, he remembered Abraham, and brought Lot out of the cities which he had turned back, wherein Lot dwelt. And Lot departed from Zoar, and abode in the mountain with his two daughters: for he feared to abide in Zoar, and so abode in a cave with his two daughters. Then the eldest said to the youngest, "Our father is old, and there is no longer a man on earth to protect us in any way. So come, let us give our father wine to drink, and sleep with him, 2) that we may receive seed from our father. So they gave their father wine to drink that night. And the first went in, and lay with her father, and he knew it not when she lay, nor when she arose. And in the morning the eldest said unto the youngest, Behold, I lay with my father yesterday; let us give him wine this night also.

1. Marginal gloss: Zoar means small. - This marginal gloss is missing in the Jenaer. In the Wittenberg, there is only the text of the first three verses.
2. Erlanger: and become drunk with him.

Give wine to drink, that you may go in and lie with him, that we may receive seed from our father. So they also gave their father wine to drink that night. And the youngest also arose, and lay with him; and he knew it not when she lay, nor when she arose. So Lot's two daughters conceived by their father, and the eldest gave birth to a son, whom she named Moab; from him came the Moabites to this day. And the youngest also bare a son, and called his name the child Ammi: from him came the children of Ammon unto this day.

First, we hear here of the men or angels who went from Abraham to Sodom. As Abraham, his cousin, was, so also is Lot to Sodom. Abraham was a man who liked to give hospitality, so this one also does, so that he also urges and compels them to return to his house and be his guests.

2 This is an example of the custom of the people, that they were ready to do good to anyone. For it should not be thought that they alone were so willing to shelter poor strangers. They have been strangers themselves, and have tried how strangers are treated and how no one takes care of them; therefore they have gladly taken them in. However, it will undoubtedly have happened that they also had many ungrateful guests. [It is also fitting. For what is to be a Christian good work must be so skillful that the people to whom it is good will do all mischievousness against it. They have thought thus: done for God's sake, not left for man's sake. For one must always consider that God was pleased with the people. What he testifies to must be right and delicious.

(3) Thus both Lot and Abraham sat and dwelt among thorns and vipers and scorpions, as do all Christians and children of God. There nothing becomes different; it must go, as in the Song of Songs Cap. 2, 2. stands: "As a rose in the midst of thorns, so is my love among the daughters." Thus he has become a free man.

312 Erl. 33, 366-368. Sermon on Genesis 19, 1-38. W. Ill, 46S-468. 313

He was a man of good deeds, who did good to everyone and harmed everyone, so that his life became bitter and sour enough. For he had to lead a different life than the world; he had to live among those who were not quite pious, and punish the unbelievers and charge them with the neck; so that his life deserved no more than always hatred and envy. Therefore God comforted him all the more, even through the angels; thus he dealt with him as if he were carrying him on his hands; yet he left him so miserably stuck among the unbelievers that one can never praise these examples enough.

004 There dwelleth the pious Lot in the capital of Sodom of the five. And consider how he sits there with his wife, his children and his servants, and how he has been a part of the people who were there, and how he has given daughters, and how he has had two wives, and how he has gotten along with them. Again, they were so disgraceful in their behavior, eating and drinking, and practicing all kinds of immorality, that they considered him no different than a Cinderella; he had to suffer all this. How often he also had to punish the people. For, as I said before, it behooves a Christian man to preach and teach against the wicked and not to remain silent. So he had to have great faith to be able to 2) live and help himself among such poisonous and 3) desperate people.

The apostle Peter uses this as an example: "God has redeemed (he says s2. Ep. 2, 7. 8.]) justified Lot, who was deafened by the lewd conduct of the abominable. For while he dwelt justified among them, that he should see and hear it, they tormented the righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteous works." He saw that they led such an abominable vice, neither serving nor helping any man; but, as Christ says of them, "They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built," every man walking after his own pleasure and enjoyment, not looking after his neighbor. He was alone in the whole city, helping and serving the people as much as he could; had to

1. "Such" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. Erlanger: he him.
3. "and" is missing in the Erlanger.

yet be hated and oppressed by them. Thus he had to see what hurt him in his heart, even what might have broken his heart; yet he had to suffer it, could neither defend nor help.

(6) Therefore the prophet Ezekiel also said: "Behold, this was the vice of thy sister Sodom (he says Cap. 16, 49 to the synagogue), courtliness, idleness, and plenty, that they were full of eating and drinking, they and their daughters," that is, the villages and towns around, "and no one gave a hand to the poor," and they went out and did such vices that I had to turn them to ashes. So Christ also describes it (as said above [Luc. 17, 28-30.)): "As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man; they did eat, and drink, and buy, and sell, and plant, and build, until Lot went out of Sodom: and it rained fire and brimstone, and destroyed them all." If you look at it now, this was the trouble in Sodom, as it is still today, that everyone looks out for himself alone and strives for himself, rightly and wrongly; let someone else stay where he can. God has given it that one builds and plants; but that one alone scrapes to himself all that he can, and leaves his neighbor to suffer hardship, takes care of no other man, that is the complaint and guilt of all with one another.

7 Therefore the prophet says to the city of Jerusalem, "Behold, even so doest thou, yea, Sodom and Samaria have not yet done half that thou doest," that they are still righteous, to whom: they are held against thee [Ezek. 16, 51.), as also Christ punishes the Jews, and passes judgment on them, saying [Matth. 11, 23. 24.), "And thou Capernaum, thou art exalted unto heaven; thou shalt be cast down unto hell. For if the deeds that were done in Sodoma had been done in you, they would still be there today. But I say unto you, that it shall be worse for the land of Sodom at the last judgment than for thee," so that we may not boast. If God has sunk the city because of its sin, He will not spare ours either; as St. Peter also says: "He has turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, and condemned them, so that an example might be made.

914 Erl. 33, 368-370. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 468-471. 915

sets them that shall be ungodly in time to come." It is true that they have committed the sin called dumb sins, but the Scripture compares it especially to all those who hear the gospel, understand it, and do not follow it, and is set as an example for them to stumble against.

(8) Thus shall the examples be regarded, as the pious children of Abraham and Lot. When they were strangers among the wicked people, seeing nothing but what would have broken their hearts, shameful conduct, unfaithfulness and injustice, they still had to stay with them, could not leave the world; they did not act like our fools, the monks, who do not want to live in the world. God had led them to the land, they had to be in it; if they had lived elsewhere, they would have found it just the same. Wherever one goes, the devil is at home. Therefore these are great examples which God sets before us, that we hold fast to faith and love against the whole world. [It is a great cross, when we see that no one is a friend, must suffer vain envy and hatred; nor does God let the pious man fall, as we shall hear how and how warmly he does it.

(9) This is the great and terrible judgment of God upon the five cities. For although Abraham asked for it with great earnestness, but because he found no one who was good, he let it stand and let the wrath go on. Therefore, not to cast the example into the wind, but to form it in the eyes is the great earnestness of God, as it is said, that one should not take comfort in saying that there are still many righteous people among us, for whose sake God stops the wrath. As they were, so they are still, and much worse; but there have been more pious people. So that no one may take a cover and protection, that he may escape God's judgment.

10 It is finally decided that he wants people to be afraid of him and not be safe. That is why his anger has already begun, when he sees that it is thrown to the wind, and still wants to rely on other people's intercession. Therefore the scripture says: sPs. 147, 11: "He is well pleased with

1. Erlanger: "is. This is" 2c. - Wittenberger: the great seriousness.

To them that fear him, and trust in him"; as also in the Gospel of Matthew Cap. 18, 26. 27. of the servant who owed his master ten thousand pounds, that he obtained grace and mercy, and lamented the Lord of it, when he fell down and sum] begged mercy. Thus by and by the example is to be led that God is not gracious and merciful to anyone, except those who fear him, that will anger 2) and judge. Thus the prophets have set the example, and well blued and reproached, that they might keep the people in the fear of God. It is set to terror and trembling, as we have heard from Petro 2 Ep. 2, 6, for all the wicked, who will certainly also suffer as Sodoma and Gomorrah did, to be put off as long as they wish. God can watch their behavior for a while, but in the end he will come with terrible punishment, he will certainly not stay outside.

(11) Thus it is said what the sin was, because of which they were punished. Above it is said in the thirteenth chapter 4^, that the cities were situated in a fat, delicious land and right lard pit, where all things were abundant and sufficient, that Moses Cap. 13, 10.It was as beautiful with trees and all the noble fruits, grain, wine and oil, as if God Himself had built it and prepared a garden for it; therefore the people who were in the city had good courage, thought they had a gracious God, and put off all fear. Such certainty led them to commit such an abominable sin; so that God showed what good riches and abundance do to people. Everyone strives to have enough and abundance, and to live well; but Scripture teaches that nothing more dangerous can come our way sPred. 2:1. Therefore it would have been better if everything had been most precious, and if there had not been such a great abundance, then they would have remained pious; but because they all had abundance, and lived in misery, as Christ says Luc. 17:27, they were thus punished.

12 Therefore we should also think that nothing is better for a man than poverty, that we have not abundance, but only fullness, around and about, so that of it.

2. Erlanger: zürnet.
3. "overlong" - superfluous, more than enough.

316 Erl. 33, 370-373, Sermon on Genesis 19:1-38. W. Ill, 471-473. 317

For, as it is said and true, there must be strong legs to endure good days; and: A man can suffer all kinds of things without good days; if he has too much food, he just goes, like the donkey, on the ice, and breaks a leg before good days. If some have been rich and pious, it is a special grace; otherwise it is not useful in the common multitude for one to be rich; as Paul writes to Timothy, fl. Ep. 6, 8], "But if we have food and covering, let us be content." We see daily by 1) all experience that yet everyone dies, bringing nothing from it, but that we fill the belly, cover and cover. Therefore we should not scrape so. Those who come after us will also work well.

We have also heard how God leads the pious Lot out of the city with miraculous signs; not only redeemed from sin, but also from punishment. Which example St. Peter gives in his second epistle fCap. 2, 7] to the comfort of all who believe. God is pleased with him and takes special notice of him, especially for Abraham's sake, because he stood with him in the same faith. Therefore he shows how he respects those who trust in him. For if you look at it, you will find him with his wife and two daughters, that is, four people in the whole city and region; the others all lived as they pleased, sowing and spluttering. He must be the Cinderella of them all, as they say to him in the text.

14 Then he suffered two things: First, as Peter says, that his heart might have broken against the life which he saw. His faith and spirit could not endure that he should not speak against it; therefore he had to separate himself from them and also punish them. Thus he brought upon himself hatred and enmity. Not all that he suffered is written, but St. Peter touches it a little when he says, "He saw and heard the torment of his soul." If he had been a decent man, he might have gone away; but now he is burdened with wife and child, and for this reason he must watch and suffer. Dar-

1. Jenaer: in.
2. Erlanger: saust.
3. "they" is missing in the Erlanger.

It is a mighty prize that he can sit among the people and speak and do against them alone. What God praises must be high and delicious; he gives it well to think what he has had to suffer, more than is indicated, because we see before our eyes what those still have to suffer who do not live as the devil and the world wants.

(15) Besides such sufferings, he nevertheless has a consolation against them. Because he has to live against many people, God is with him, and keeps an eye on him, punishes them horribly, and saves him, makes him suffer misfortune enough; but he preserves him, both from sin and punishment, so that we learn from this that it is no miracle if he lets the whole world be an enemy to us. We must consider that one alone must stand against all the world.

(16) No man shall enter into heaven, but to think that he goeth alone, as Christ and the prophets did; as he saith in the Psalter Ps. 142:5, I looked about me, but there was none that knew me. If it does not happen before the world in life, then it must happen at death, that I stand there and condemn everything that is against me, as if I were wiser than the whole world; so it must go, otherwise it is not right. All this is written so that we may close our eyes and not be surprised if many blaspheme the gospel. It is still a wonder if you see only two who are Christians. We may praise them a lot and consider them so, but when it comes to the hit, just be prepared so that you can say: Here I must stand alone and forsaken, and no one will stand with me. That is why God gives these examples, so that we may take comfort in the fact that this has not only happened to us, but has also happened to other holy people, and rely on the fact that God has an eye on us and is watching over us, as He did with them.

(17) There is also a comforting example here, in that this Lot sleeps with his daughters afterward. The text says how the daughters made him drunk and lay with him, so that he was not aware of them when they lay down or got up. What is God interested in, that he lets such a fine patriarch, the great spiritual man, become such a shameful fool? It is ever strange, but for this very reason

318 Erl. 33, 373-37S. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 473-476. 319

that reason becomes a fool over such foolish histories. St. Paul said it well: His judgments are untellable to reason [Rom. 11, 33P So he does it with the saints, that he makes fools out of all wisdom 1 Cor. 1, 27.

(18) This man would not take all the world's goods to touch another woman, and sleeps with his own daughters; and they may with good sense and prudence deceive the father. What shall we answer to this? We want to leave it unanswered, but say that the two daughters have sinned horribly, even if they pretend and act out of fear, thinking that there are no more people on earth; they have done it in foolish devotion that they wanted to help the world. But good opinion is useless, one must first have God's word and be sure that it is well done. So I will not excuse Lot, even though he does not stumble so easily; but I will excuse them, the daughters, much less. But I believe that they also had a strong faith, otherwise they would not have been saved, because his own wife was not spared. He will also no doubt not have left it to teach his children how they should believe that there was no lack of understanding, that they fell.

19 Now this also is written for an example, that no one is so holy, nor stands so firm, who cannot fall again. 1) If the man can fall so high, what wonder is it if we stumble? But no one is given a cover or a help to find it, but a comfort is given to those who believe, so that they will not despair if they fall at times. It is a piece that belongs to the gospel of the kingdom of God, where there is forgiveness of sins. Fall down from time to time, only do not despair, and get up again.

20. So we will hear hereafter Cap. 37, 35 that Jacob, the patriarch, also stumbled when he was stupid and despondent, 2) and made himself miserable. For if God had not thus made us believe, the saints would have fooled,
21. Erlanger: künne; Jenaer: künde: Wittenberger: kündte.
22. "was" is missing in the Erlanger.

we would not be able to know His kingdom, which is nothing other than the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, it is written that the praise and glory are not based on man's works, but on God's grace. Lot and Abraham could become as wicked as I, and I in turn as pious as they. That is why we heard how he did not despise the Sodomites at all, but took care of them, admonished them, and wanted them to improve.

This is the way it must be in the kingdom of Christ, so that it is vain to build up, always to improve and to mend, 3) only that one does not become sure and insolent, and strike himself into the entrenchment, but creeps back to the cross. Let no one be ashamed of another. He that made me of flesh and blood made them also so; and as he made them holy, so can he make me also. Nature is equal in all, grace is also equal. Behold, this is what such examples of the fathers are to teach; therefore they are not to be exalted so high as our fools, who think that they have felt no sin at all.

22 Finally, to conclude, we want to briefly go over the secret interpretation of the chapter. There are two parts in this history, both of which indicate nothing but human doctrine, as the prophet Ezekiel Cap. 16, 51 himself interprets it when he compares Jerusalem and the Sodomites together, and says that it has become much worse than Sodom. This is what happens when the holy seed, the word of God, is misused and corrupted so that it cannot bear fruit. This is the first thing.

(23) The other thing, that as the two daughters whored after their father, and conceived by him, so do all those who come before God with works, and teach of free will, not needing the seed where it belongs. Now this is as much as if the daughter slept with her father and begat whorish children. Lot is lex, the law; the two daughters populus, the people of the law, make the father drunk; of which Isaiah Cap. 28, 1. says, of the drunken Ephraim. So it goes: If we have God's word, and give it another mind, we make it drunk. The wine is man's doctrine, so with us

3. "be" is missing in the Erlanger.

320 Erl. 33, 376-377. sermon on Genesis 19, 1-38. 20, 1-12. W. Ill, 476-481. 321

grows and is made, so one becomes pregnant by the drunken law, that is, misinterpreted and misunderstood. As they now understand it, so they bear fruit, Ammon and Moab, such children that must never come among Christendom and God's people. Just as they were bodily forbidden not to come among the children of Israel 2c. For there is none of them among Christ, who are thus taught according to the understanding which we ourselves have invented.

(24) If any man is to come unto Christ, he must understand the law and the gospel purely and correctly, and bear right fruit. Now the law is such that no one can do it by his own efforts: [Neither was it given for this purpose, but that it might bring us to our knowledge. Then, calling upon the grace of God, which is the gospel, keeps us righteous and sober, so that we become not Ammonites and Moabites, but true children of Israel.

25 The two names also indicate this: Moab, the oldest, is called in German from the father, as if it should say: the son.

I have from the Father; Ammon, Mus äoloris, son of pain, or BenAmmi, that is, a child of my people. These are the saints of works, who by their good works want to be children of God and neighbors with him, and yet have no faith. Therefore also Isaias Cap. 16, 6. says of the people: Moab is a proud donkey, I know his arrogance well, ser] is almost proud, and boasts more than he is able. So are they all who are of works, who have thought their thing alone to be right. The Ammonites are also like that. Before the world their thing seems delicious, there it is Moab; but inwardly in the conscience there is no peace nor confidence in God, no joy nor pleasure. Therefore it is a wretched being inwardly, as it is delicious outwardly. Before God they are Ammon, and before the world MoaM For by law and works the conscience can never be helped to have rest and peace. This is the interpretation of this history; that everything goes and is to be done so that one holds to the pure word of God and hears nothing else but the same, and condemns human doctrine in short.

The twentieth chapter.

(vv. 1-12) And Abraham departed thence into the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and was a stranger in Gerar. And he said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for her, and sent for her. But God came to Abimelech by night in a dream, and said unto him, Behold, thou art dead, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not yet touched her, and said, Lord, wilt thou slay even a righteous people? Did he not say to me, she is my sister? And she also said, He is my brother. Have I done this with a simple heart and innocent hands? And God said to him in a dream, "I also know that you have done this with a simple heart; therefore I have also put you on Luthrr's works. Vol. 111.

I have kept thee from sinning against me, and have not acknowledged thee that thou didst touch her. Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet, and let him pray for thee, and thou shalt live. But if you do not restore her, know that you will die, and all that is yours. Then Abimelech arose early in the morning, and called unto all his servants, and told them all these things in their ears: and the people were sore afraid. And Abimelech called Abraham also, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this thing? and what have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought such great sin upon me and upon my kingdom? Thou hast dealt with us, not as one ought to deal. And Abimelech said further unto Abraham, What hast thou looked upon, that thou hast done this thing? Abraham said: I thought, perhaps there is no fear of God in these places, and will ii

** **322 Erl. 33, 377-380. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. III. 481-483. 323

strangle me for the sake of my wife. She is also truly my sister, for she is my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter, and has become my wife.

(1) In this chapter there are a number of things that belong to the scholars, which we want to explore further. It is a bad history to see that God Almighty deals so strangely with Abraham, keeps his wife, and creates her again for him, yet lets her be taken from him before. When it comes before reason, it is a bad lesson; there it tastes nothing, has neither juice nor strength, that it must say: Has this been so necessary to describe? How many more miseries are there in the world, that someone should come to a shameful loss of husband, wife and child, that would be more pitiful to read than this story!

(2) I have also said before, and I still say, that these histories are therefore to be exalted and set above all the histories that have ever been written, not because they were done by men, Abraham or others, but because they were done by the word and work of God. Therefore we shall hear even more hereafter of such lowly works and foolish things, that it is almost vexatious to read, since he speaks so much of them as if they were the most delicious things; all because God is hostile to reason with its conceit, and it thinks that what it esteems great, God must also esteem great.

(3) Therefore let it be seen, and all the works that are described be divided into two ways. One is done without spirit, which are sometimes beautiful, sometimes horrible and shameful, like the Roman, Persian, Greek and other histories, so that they are almost fun to read. Reason then falls on this, and considers it delicious, measures it according to history, if it is only a great, beautiful, brave work, it asks no further who did it; again, if it is small, it despises it, whether the person is great.

4 The other time they are done by and in the spirit. The Scriptures alone guide us in these matters; they also speak of great works, but they judge and evaluate them solely according to the faith in which they are done. Therefore, the precious jewel, God's word, which is to be found in

of others is not found. For this reason, such works may seem small, but when viewed with spiritual eyes, they are excellent, simply because they have been done in the good faith of God's Word and the Holy Spirit, of which I have said often enough.

(5) But it is still necessary that it be well blued until it is grasped (for it is too deeply torn, and blued to men that they see no more than what is great), that one may know rightly to judge what is best in a work, namely, that it goeth in the Spirit of God, not considering how long, great, or heavy it is, or who hath done it. Just throw everything to the wind, and see here if God has commanded it, and if it is done in faith. For this is the treasure, measure, and weight by which God measures and weighs all works; again, if it does not walk in faith and God's word, let it immediately wake up its dead, live as chaste and pure as the mother of God, and it is no better before God than public sin and shame.

(6) Thus the man Abraham is greatly praised and exalted in the sight of Abimelech, that God so highly esteems him, and smites the whole land for the sake of one man. How strange it is that a poor man's wife and daughter should be taken away from him, since no one writes about it, nor is it smelled, and no one pays attention to it. If it happened to another, without faith and God's word, who did not go by God's commandment, but went by reason, if he still suffered as much as all the saints, he would not respect it.

Item 7: Abraham is wandering in the land, has no certain place, sets out from Hebron in the middle of the land, goes to the south, between Egypt; the wandering must also be described, Moses must be concerned about it. How many are they that go astray, and are sore displeased, that put their wives and children, and their bodies and goods, into the way! Therefore Abraham was driven to go astray, not of his own will, it did not seem so good to him, he did not follow his own mind, but God told him to. The GOt"

1. In the issues: none.

324 Erl. 33, 380-382. sermon on Genesis 20:1-12. W. Ill, 483-486. 325

t is the goodness and nobility of the work, which God cannot forget, he] has it written as far as the world is, precisely because he does not want to suffer anyone to do a work before him that he has not commanded.

008 Now therefore, behold not the work, which is little in itself, but the faith and heart of Abraham, and also of his wife, how he giveth Sarah, and let it be commanded of God, how he may keep her in honor, and bring her again to him, after that he had promise that he should have a son of her. For no reason can dare to make such a fresh journey to God and be satisfied with it. No one can see such a treasure, but the spirit sees it, therefore he also marks it out masterfully. If it were another who had such a pious wife, he would stake his life and limb, his property and honor, to save and protect her himself; if he could not bring it to that, he could not break himself that he would be satisfied and give it home to God.

(9) Now therefore judge of every work that seemeth great, that thou mayest say, Outwardly I let the work be greater than Abraham's work; but when it is weighed in the spirit, that is heavy, and outweigheth all the works of the earth. The devil with the damned must also suffer much; item, the wicked still here on earth must have two kinds of misfortune, that it is much more sour for them, that they deserve hell, than for the pious, that they deserve heaven. Look at the soldiers, what trouble they have, that they let themselves be strangled, how they kick against sword, spear and guns, and respect neither honor nor property nor life. Which saint dares so much for the sake of God, as those for the sake of a guilder? Nor do such works and sufferings all count for nothing, for they have no weight, that is, God's word and favor.

(10) So we conclude from this history that we should beware of all things, so that no one goes in some state or being unless he knows that it is God's will and can say that it pleases him. In the conjugal state it shall also be so. Whoever feels that he cannot be a virgin, he has

1. "his" is missing in the Erlanger.

his profession, that he may be married, and is sure that God wills it so, since he is so created. What these things are, then, are vain works, which are sure of God's word, and where they are not sure, they are good for nothing. This is often said often enough, without one seeing how the holy scripture showers us, as with a downpour, is always one example on another, which admonishes and strengthens us enough not to do anything without his word and command. This is a piece of history.

(11) Secondly, it is also written for the comfort of all who believe in God and should still believe. For if God did not show himself friendly, who would or could trust in him? If he always thundered and thundered, and let pestilence come, and did not also do good, everyone would become hostile to him. That is why he has written so many examples, both of those who believe and of those who do not believe, and all the examples are directed to show us how diligently he respects us, so that we may be sure and bold that he will not leave us. He does this, as if he wanted to pull off his hand and leave us in the lurch, but he only does it to test us to see if we hold fast to the faith.

(12) So he does here also. What harm would it have done if he had received Abraham's wife without the ride, as he could have done if she had not been taken from him? What would he have liked to put her in the car and make him grieve, as if he wanted to have his wife taken away from him? and the greatest thing is that he had promised him that he would give him a child by Sarah; after the consolation, only the accident would come that he would doubt whether he would keep his word? No doubt he would have liked to stay in Hebron, he would not have wandered out of pride, but he had to escape because of evil people; so God lets him take his wife in a foreign land, so that he may say: You promised me that my wife would bring me a son for more than a year, and now you let her be taken away: where is it then that you said?

(13) Thus all the works of God go. If the strongest promises are given to us, we think that it should go as we think; but this is what he says: I will make it unknowable over your thinking.

326 Erl. 33, 382-385. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 486-489. 327

I want to make sense of it, as if I wanted to lie and do just the opposite. This is how it will be when you die, or when you fight against God's word: then you will feel that you would like it to be otherwise. Why does he do this? So that we may learn to believe righteously; he wants to leave us in the lurch and pull off his hand, so that we will not doubt, but only become more certain that he will not leave us, and so comfort us: I know that he will keep what he has said.

14 So here. Although the king has sent for his wife and taken her to him, he could not think otherwise than that it is lost, the wife is gone; still he must believe that she will stay there or go away, yes, if she died right now before my eyes, I would still not doubt that he would give me a child; let it be as it may with Sarah, he cannot lie to me, even if she were already dead. He can make honor to all disgraces and all disgraces to honor, for he is almighty. Therefore he remains in faith, lets go of what is going on; thinks he is true; commands him the way he should do it, which no reason can ever do. She thinks no further than this: If I am to have a child by her, she must ever remain with me; now she is gone, and becomes a disgrace to me. So God says, "Not so, but so it shall be, as I have promised; but how it shall be, you shall not know; I will do it as I think best.

(15) Behold, this is our consolation, that we see how he sustains them that trust in him with simple hearts, under such appearance and appearance as if he were not there, and we know no counsel in our matters, and stand alone against the devil, death, and all things, and yet are sure that it must come true which he hath spoken. So now he does here, lets the king take the woman, but takes care of her and her husband in such a way that he seeks and punishes the sin that he did not do, as horribly as Abraham should not have wanted nor desired, so that he is not satisfied that he has given him back the woman.

(16) These are God's deeds and counsel, how we should conduct ourselves in such temptations. For with this he has indicated what his

And how he is minded toward the faithful, that he cannot bear what is done unto them: therefore saith he, He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye; but that we do nothing, we ask him. Despite that he had touched his wife; ser] had her with him in the house, nor could he go to her. Hence it is written in the Psalm Ps. 105:14, "He let no man offend her, and punished kings for her sake."

(17) So do thou also now. Let us go whithersoever we go; let come and go whatsoever cometh and goeth, and he is with us, and will prove that he is able to keep his own, as an almighty Lord. This is the example of this chapter, written for our comfort and instruction in faith.

18 Now there are also several questions to be dealt with here. The first is that this Abimelech boasts before God that he did this with a simple heart. And he goes on to say, "Will you also slay a righteous people?" What a simple heart is, I let go. That our Latin text is called before porkoetum, a perfect heart, is not to be understood according to the way of the sophists, as they dream of perfection. But what shall we say to this, that God Himself says: "I also know that with a simple heart (that is, with a righteous heart and good mind) you have done this, therefore I have exalted you, that you sin not."

19 This is a great praise and argument to strengthen the papacy against us, for free will. There they say: Abimelech was a pagan king, did sin, and yet was not sin, and is punished, and yet God gives him testimony that he has a righteous mind: so it follows from this text that besides grace, the pagans may also be righteous before God, as he says here, not only before men; so we must leave it that he is innocent in this matter, even before God.

020 Answer: We cannot be sure from the Scriptures that Abimelech was God's child and a true saint, but it almost resembles him. But answer thus: The reason, which we have often said, thou seest, as it runs through all Scripture, namely, that without

328 Erl. 33, Z8S-387. sermon on Genesis 20:1-12. W. Ill, 489-492. 329

Jesus Christ is neither a shell nor a mercy, he helped us for nothing; because we are all sinners, it cost his own blood and life. That is our reason. Now whatever pleas are made against it, if thou canst not answer them, be silent; for it is better that thou shouldest therefore deny such a clear and certain reason. Whoever then will, let him say that either he has been righteously holy, or that he alone is innocent in this matter.

(21) For it should not be denied that there have often been truly devout Christians among the Gentiles, as we also read Dan. 3:26 about the king Nabuchodonosor, item, Naaman of Syria 2 Kings 5:17, who were also devout people, and many more among the Gentiles. Therefore it is believable that he was also a believer. For let it not be a reproach where God does such grace as to this king, that he comes to him and reveals himself, speaks to him, warns him of harm. It must ever not be a small man. He lets the heathen go in their reason; but to whom he draws so near, it is a sign that he has an eye on him, and is respected before him. One does not have to condemn the Gentiles who lived around the Jews, that some were also pious, like the queen of Sheba [1 Kings 10:9,1 and Hiram, the king of Tyro 1 Kings 5:7.

(22) Therefore, I will answer that Abimelech was a very pious man and knew God well and served Him well. But just as God sometimes causes other saints to stumble, as we have heard of Lot, so it is with the king. Nevertheless, he is so honest that if he had known that she was a wife, he would not have taken her to himself. Which piece also credibly indicates that he was a pious king, but sinned like other saints, and God also mercifully punishes him like other saints. For he punishes the wicked into hell.

If anyone does not like this, let him say, as St. Augustine did, that God does not bear witness to anything but the work. For it may well be that he was evil in other things, but not in this. But the fact that God bears witness to this does not mean that he

He has a righteously pure heart before him, but only in this case and works; so that even though he is a knave, he can still boast that he has not done this, with a good conscience. This is how St. Augustine interprets it. But I wanted to stick to the first answer, so that God's grace may also be shown among the pagans, and I consider it a great blessing and grace that God warns him and appears Himself. But, as I said, I leave it up to each person to decide.

(24) The other question is, how Abraham says of his wife, "She is truly my sister, for she is my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter, and has become my wife"? This is what he means, that she is not his biological sister, but his stepsister. Moses speaks this with circumlocutory words, as if he should say: "My father has not begotten her, she is not of her mother's womb, be it stepmother or real mother; therefore he wants to say that she is not a sister by birth, but an adopted child, whom my father has taken to himself for his daughter, so that she also calls Abraham's father father, without him not having begotten her. Now we have heard above Cap. 11, § 32 that she was Abraham's brother's daughter.

(25) For the scripture hath not so stretched the members, as the pope, who suffereth not that any man take a wife in the fourth member, much less in the third, yet is so gracious, that if money were brought, he suffereth it to be done. But it is called knavery when one sells women's flesh for sale, and sells it for money. But according to the Scriptures I may well take my wife to be reckoned downward, not upward, that is, my brother's or sister's daughter, but not my father's or mother's brother nor sister, though they are both in the same member, mother or wife, young and old. This is what God has decreed, that he will have more honor toward the old than toward the young, so that the young people will be instructed and taught by the old. I say this so that one may know how far one may be free according to the Scriptures. It would not be necessary to confuse it; it confuses itself more than it can be judged. Now, if in that case a couple wanted to be together, or given

330 Erl. 33, 387-389. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 492-495. 331

If it were done with God and a good conscience, it would also be the best thing. I do not think too much of friendship that is so far away; it is better that the friendship and the good remain close to each other, as it happened among the Jews; but it is enough for us that we know from the Scriptures to instruct the consciences. Thus Abraham speaks further:

V. 13. And when God had sent me away from my father's house, I said to her, "Have mercy on me, so that wherever we go you will say of me that I am your brother.

26 This is spoken in Hebrew, which is a very divine, friendly language, gives the thing fine names, that it is pleasure, has the prettiest, most beautiful words of love and knowledge. So now a good work, which we call friendship, is called "mercy" in their language. So you will find it through and through; for this we say, Do to me friendship and love, or, Do to me so much benefit. Therefore, the grace that God pours into our hearts and makes us sincere is also called in their language Chesed, mercy; therefore, as one does a work freely for nothing, out of pure friendship, not that one is obligated to do it. So it is also with God, what He gives is nothing but mercy, gift, present, pure friendship, and comes from free, pure goodness, favor and love, without and against our merit. We must get used to such language in the Old Testament. There is one more thing that the text speaks:

V.14. 15. Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sam to him, saying, Behold, my land is open to thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.

27. there must ever have been a pious king and have recognized god wphl, without him, as said, having stumbled here. However, he does not remain on it, the good man, or his son, as we will see hereafter. Further follows:

v. 16-18. And said unto Sarah, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand silver pieces. Behold, the 1) shall be a lid of the eyes unto thee.

1. Wittenberg and Jena: der; Erlanger: er. Compare s 33.

be in the presence of all who are with you, and in the presence of all who are with you, and be an accountant. And Abraham prayed unto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his handmaids, that they should bring forth children. For the LORD had shut up all the mothers of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

28 Then he himself also calls him her brother. It should also be so among the married, and much friendlier than brothers and sisters, it is one body and two souls. The thousand pieces of silver, however, according to the Jewish Seckel to count (which was almost as much, as with us a place of a guilder), the same thousand make almost three and a half hundred guilders; is a royal gift. This he gave her over the sheep, cattle, servants and maids, which are also all serfs' goods, like other cattle, that they sold as they wished. It would be best if they were still there, since no one else can force or tame the livestock.

029 And here thou seest that this Abraham and Abimelech keep this, and let the servants remain in the service. It would have been great friendship and mercy for him to let them go. How could love suffer that they kept it this way? Just as it can suffer that people are hanged on gallows or otherwise judged; think that one must also keep the physical, worldly regiment in the swing, so that one tames and forces the people.

(30) So they also dealt with it. For their part they would have let it go; but it would not be good, they should soon have become too proud, if one gave them so much right, or held them as oneself or a child. One must keep every one in his station, as God ordains, son, daughter, servant, maid, husband, wife 2c. He will not have it broken; nor can anyone keep the people in check except by the constraint of outward rule.

(31) Therefore there is such a great complaint about servants and servants in the world. It is the devil's and the pope's fault, and the princes' fault, that there is no government; everyone does as he pleases. But if there were a fist and restraint, as the time has been, no one would be allowed to rebel.

932 Erl. 33, 389-392. sermon on Genesis 20:16-18. 21:1-5. w. ill, 495-198. 333

If they take women, they are naughty people, wild and savage, whom no one can use or handle. If they take wives, they are naughty people, wild and savage, whom no one can use or handle.

32 But it is in vain that we say it; only that we know that these have been pious, holy people, have had fine rule, even among the heathen; now it is nothing at all. In those days a servant was worth one guilder or eight, a maid one guilder or six, and had to do what the woman did with her. And if the world were to stand still for a long time, it would not be possible to keep it going again; it would have to be set up again. The Jews had the advantage that they sold themselves for six years, and in the seventh year they went free, as everything was finely arranged by God.

33 Lastly, that Abimelech says, "Behold, he shall be to thee a lid of thine eyes, and an answerer," is a dark text, siU do not know if we will meet it. That is, your husband and brother, or the 1) money that I give you there (for it is not certain whether it is said of Abraham, or of the gift), shall be a lid to you, that you may have your eyes

1. "that" is missing in the Erlanger.

and gloss over yourself. That this is the opinion: I have taken you, and meant that you were the man's sister, not his wife, and have now been in my house; so that you now bring a testimony that you are unaffected by your honor, then you keep the gift, and the man with it, that he sees it and listens, so that he thereby answers for your honor. So the king will say that he has done it, that he has atoned for the sin honestly, but he has done it unknowingly; and he will say that he cannot put anything on him, and she will cover her eyes, that is, she will adorn herself and make herself beautiful in front of everyone, so that her honor will remain intact. If this is not the opinion, then I know nothing else; however, there is not much power involved here.

(34) So God healed the strange punishment and plague of Abimelech's wives, who had been beaten before, as heard above, with a great and terrible terror, so that he felt death and hell. His wife and maidservants, or his own people with their children, who were also the Lord's, were all afflicted by God, so that they could not get rid of the fruit; so that the fruit and the time, when they were to lie down (but could not), were in motion, and death was before their eyes.

The twenty-first chapter.

V.1-5. And the LORD sought Sarah home, as he had spoken, and did unto her as he had spoken. And Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the time which God had spoken unto him. And Abraham called his son that was born unto him Isaac, whom Sarah bare unto him. And circumcised him on the eighth day, as GOD had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac his son was born to him.

Moses stands on the good father Abraham for a long time and will still say a lot about him. It is a history that God loves and especially pleases him for the sake of faith.

2. in this chapter there are two pieces; the

The first, how Abraham was born a son, and how it went with the stepbrother. The other is what he does again with the king Abimelech. St. Paul was also moved and attracted by this chapter Gal. 4, 23. Hebr. 11, 11., that there is also much in it. It looks as if it is an envious, hostile and hostile history, which is unkind; but we want to hear what it has in it.

With many words he starts and says how God had afflicted Sarah, that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son 2c. All these words mean that the son, as said above Cap. 16, § 9, although he was flesh and sight of Abraham and Sarah, yet not by the power of man, nor by the power of God.

334 Erl. 33, 392-394. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 498-501. 335

was born in the natural course. For they were both too old, and she was barren, so that it was very difficult, indeed impossible, that a fruit should come from it. Therefore, it is the miracle that God does with him, that he gives him the son of his right wife. He also prefers the son to the one from Hagar, even though the father's heart was also there, but here even more. This is the first thing Moses wants to show here.

4. but we have fCap. 17, § 19 ff] how God has commanded circumcision, and how the saints of works take offense at the Scriptures, thinking that it is a bad thing, that it is nothing else, except that the ancients have taken wives and begotten children, as is the common course; so they mock and laugh at God. [So it must go that he is thought to be a fool. Nevertheless, he always goes on; he could have done another miracle here, which would have been considered great, since the whole world would have opened its mouth and sung about it and said, so he takes that the whole world laughs and mocks, and she, Sarah herself, must laugh, and scolds, 1) that one should say, how the old woman slept with the man. As it was, that he called the old man to be circumcised; he might have been ashamed because of his age; why did he put him to shame? He takes pleasure in doing such a contemptible, mocking thing, letting the world laugh and mock, watching it as long as it can laugh. Therefore, we should not disrespect the hand of God that is in it.

5. It is a precious thing about life. 2) But where does it come from? But where does it come from? From flesh and guts, the muddy and noisy filth that one is ashamed to say. These are God's works and noble treasures, which He brings forth as the world expels its smiles. God has also joined husband and wife together, so that he may close the eyes of the world, so that it may see for itself how it cannot avoid it; it must have a home and children. What did it cost them, the parents, to give us life? Why should we then despise it, and not deal with children again as they do with us?
6. scolds --- jokes.
7. "that" is missing m the Erlanger.

Why is it laughed at, because God has attacked it so, especially in the Old Testament, since he lifts it up so high and honors it; he does not want it to be laughed at, but let it be taken seriously, and put a special commandment on it, that one should honor father and mother Exodus 20:12. But the world must thus fool, that it laughs at God's miracles with women and children. That is why it speaks now:

V. 6. God has prepared a laughter for me, for whoever will hear it will laugh at me.

6 The Scripture shows that she has been chaste and pious, as she said above Cap. 18, 12.: "Shall I only have to deal with pleasure, because I am now of ninety years?" This is the laughter. So also Lucas Cap. 1, 36. 57. wrote of Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother; she also hardly went about that she should eat shame. The holy women were so chaste and pious in the eyes of the world that they were ashamed of the rumor, since it was all honor and God's work.

7 God's work must be ridiculous and mocking in all places, so that it seems as if he is putting on a fool's cap, he lets it be laughed at, but he will put the bells on us again; therefore he wants everyone to close his eyes, just see where the word is. He thinks highly of it; although everyone thinks it is quite disgraceful, he keeps quiet, it must become honorable in the end.

(8) Neither shall it be seen that Sarah the old woman sleepeth with her husband, but that God saith, Sarah shall be put to shame; but I will make her to glory, that she shall be praised and preached before all women. How many queens and great women are there who have not come to be honored, so that their body and fruit may be preached and brought forth in all the world? It is an eternal honor, and an example to rule all the world. So God honors His own with His works, that they lie in disgrace for a time, which then becomes an eternal honor that no one can praise enough. If now the most powerful and richest queens would all do together, they would be glad that they should wash the swaddling clothes, since Isaac would have lain in them.

336 Erl. 33, 394-396. Sermon on Genesis 21:6-21. W. Ill, 501-504. 337

Such honor now comes from the previous disgrace. Behold, these are God's miraculous signs. If we could close our eyes, let the world laugh, and keep to God's words, we would see how it makes the faithful to glory, but the world to all shame with its honor. Further it speaks:

V. 7. Who could have told Abraham himself that Sarah had conceived children and given birth to a son in his old age?

9 Then she becomes joyful and overcomes the shame. Before that she says: "God has made me laugh. As if she should say, "Oh, how it grieves me that it should be said of me. 2c. This is another female disease, that they are always weaker in courage than the man; therefore God also gives her credit for it 1). Again she looks at the great grace and says: "Abraham himself should not believe that I am with child. This is always God's work; if one keeps still, the pleasure and joy that follow are all the greater. After that the text continues:

V. 8: And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast in the day that Isaac was weaned.

(10) This is a strange thing: Why does he not make a great supper when the son was born? or when the six weeks were over (though perhaps they did not keep six weeks then), or on the eighth day? What the 2) means, I cannot know. I think it happened as women are accustomed to do in our country, that they sometimes go together and hold children's beer, 3) feast and demmen. So it seems that it was a country custom and way, around the time when one weaned the child.

(11) Now this is what the Scripture says, that he has made himself suitable for the way they behave in the country; because he sits in the country, he must make himself even with them, and keep the customs of the country, where it is not harmful or sinful. Therefore he has kept himself just and rightly so, like others. 4)

1. "also" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. So the Jenaer. Wittenberger: "dis"; Erlanger: es deutet.
3. The words "und Kinderbier halten" are missing in the Erlanger; in the Jenaer and in the Wittenberger they are in the text.
4. Wittenberg and Erlanger: like another.

(12) It is an example of love, that one should be according to one's neighbor, and make even that those with whom we dwell may suffer. Otherwise, each man's way pleases him, and not otherwise; ser] thinks that a whole country should be guided by his head. Therefore we are to keep ourselves according to the customs of the country, and let them please us, so that we keep peace with everyone, as Paul teaches Rom. 12:18, not to set up and carry out our own way according to our own head. This, I think, is what he meant here. Now comes the other piece, that Sarah casts out the other son, Ishmael. [The text speaks thus:

V.9-21. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, that he was a mocker, and said unto Abraham, Cast out this maid with her son, that this maid's son should not inherit with my son Isaac. The word displeased Abraham for the sake of his son. But God said to him, "Do not be offended by the boy and the maid; obey all that Sarah has told you. For in Isaac shall thy seed be called, and I will make the son of the maid thy people, because he is thy seed. Then Abraham arose early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and put it upon Hagar's shoulder, and the lad with her, and let her out. Then she went and wandered in the wilderness near Beer-saba. And when the water was out of the bottle, she cast the lad under a bush, and went and sat down over against 6) it afar off, a crossbow-shot far off. For she said: I cannot watch the boy die. And she sat down over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. Then God heard the voice of the boy. And the angel of God called from heaven to Hagar, and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Fear not, for GOD has heard the voice of the lad as he lies. Arise, take the lad, and hold him with your hands, for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a fountain of water, and she went and filled the bottle with water, and watered her.

5. "one" is missing in the Erlanger.
6. "of" is missing in the Erlanger.

ZZ8 Erl. 33, 396-398. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, S04-SV6. ZZ9

the boy. And God was with the lad, and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became a rifleman, and dwelt in the wilderness monitor. And his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

13 Ishmael was now almost thirteen years old, as can be reckoned from the previous chapter; a boy who had come to his years. So it was a long time later that the two sons were able to talk to each other. For he says she had respect for him, and saw that he was a mocker. This made her angry, so she wants to drive him out with the maid. And there you can see how she is a chaste, fine housemother. At the end Cap. 16, 5 she also wanted to chastise the maid, because she was too proud. The text, however, does not express how this happened; here, too, many Jewish loose fables are invented.

14 But St. Paul touches it to the Galatians Cap. 4, 29. 30. and puts it to the mind: "As in those days he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit: so it is now also. But as the scripture saith, Thrust out the handmaid with her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the free." He himself interprets this as follows: "When one preaches about faith, that works are not valid to make godly, this is a spiritual sermon; those who grasp this and keep it, these are spiritual people, Abraham's children. But the others do not like those who preach works; that is, the great carnal crowd mocks and persecutes the others. So there remains a dispute, because the world stands between faith and works; both want to have their thing unpunished. If the latter take much, those who deal in works are stronger; therefore they are above in time, and persecute the latter. But at last the verdict comes that God rejects them and gives the inheritance to the others.

(15) This is how it will be, as we will see in the saints of works. The mother Sara will have drawn the child, as a mother draws a right heir. But the other son is now tall, relying on Abraham as his father, and ser] as the first son, and he is entitled to two things

1. In the editions: those that have the.

Right. So (he thought) the father will also prefer me, and has always insisted that he wanted to be on top. Such a thing was not to be suffered; she could not and should not suffer it any longer, for he had undoubtedly done it for a long time and had done too much. And what his mother had done to Sarah before, the son now also wants to do. Before, she wanted to be a wife and did not regard Sarah as anything. Now, because she has the son, he wants to take after his mother and also wants to suppress her son. That is why she thinks that if it continues like this, I will have to leave with my son at the end; therefore, nothing better will happen, because I will divide her, give him what he should have, and let him go.

(16) But this displeased Abraham; it was also blood and flesh and a fatherly heart that moved him, and he was angry with it until God said to him, "Do not take offense at what Sarah has said to you"; "I will pass sentence," he said, "The son of the maidservant must go out, for your seed shall be called by the name of Isaac. There the saying stands, which Paul highly praises. (He) wants to say in this way: You must not look at Ishmael, that he is the right seed, from whom Christ will come, and all who belong to heaven, but Isaac is it: what comes from him, that shall be the right seed. So Ishmael is excluded, and by God's word Isaac is appointed, and put into the word, that Abraham may be assured that he is not an heir of flesh and blood only, but of grace. But he says, "I will also make the son of the handmaid a great nation," without which he shall not have the glory of Christ coming from him.

(17) Thus we have the two sons of Abraham the arch-father, and how they interpret two kinds of people on earth, the righteous believers, 2) and hypocrites or false saints: and how Ishmael is cast out with his mother, but Isaac remains with his and inherits. That this was the interpretation, that the Jews, who dealt in works, were cast out, because they were without faith; but the others, in faith, were to remain God's people. This should and must always be the case. That is why the Scriptures reproach us with making us certain of it. It is not

2. Erlanger: believe.

340 Erl. Z3, 3S8-400. 34, 1-3. sermon on Genesis 21, 22-34. 22, 1. W. Ill, 506-511. 341

It is possible for all to be like Isaac; the greatest and best must be against the others. Follow on:

At that time Abimelech and Phichol, his captain, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in everything you do. Now therefore swear unto me by God, that thou wilt not forsake me, nor my children, nor my nephews, but wilt do unto me the mercy that I have done unto thee, and unto the land wherein thou art a stranger within. Then said Abraham, I will swear. And Abraham punished Abimelech because of the well of water, which Abimelech's servants had taken by force. And Abimelech said, I have not known who hath done this thing, neither hast thou told me; neither have I heard it but this day. So Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech, and they made a covenant with each other. And Abraham set apart seven lambs. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What are these seven lambs which thou hast set apart? And he said, Seven lambs shalt thou set forth.

thou shalt take them from my hand, that they may be a witness unto me that I have digged this well. Therefore the name of the place is called Bersaba, 1) because they both swore with each other there, and so they made the covenant at Bersaba. Then Abimelech and Phichol, his captain of the host, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted trees at Beer-saba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. And he was a stranger in the land of the Philistines a long time.

18 Lastly, there is this piece about Abraham making a covenant with Abimelech for the sake of water; it is also written so that it will always be shown how the children of God on earth must suffer many evil deeds, because he sits in a foreign land, where he must be a sojourner, as the prophet says Isa. 52:4, and must feed on sorrow. This is how it must be for us, too, if it is to be right. That is enough of this chapter.

1. Marginal gloss: Bersaba means Schwörbrunn or Eidbrunn in German; might also be called Siebenbrunn.

The twenty-second chapter.

V. 1. After these stories, God tempted Abraham and said to him, "Abraham, Abraham! ^And he answered, Here am I.

1. there we have once again a piece of the legend of the holy old archfather. It is quite a fine piece, who could get it with words. Now we have heard how the good Abraham has stood in many a challenge and temptation of God, and has never had a certain place. It is badly described, but so abundantly indicated that admittedly not many legends are written thus.

When God praises a saint, he praises him in such a way that it is worthy of praise. This is what he has done to this man. [He is quite an example of faith. His life is full of trials; everything must be done in faith; he must still have a wife, a child, a large household, and money and property, but always

so that God will accept it. He hath often put his wife Sarah to the sword, and God hath given him his maid Hagar with her son; the land also goeth forth, that he hath not a foot's breadth. So God plays with him as with an apple; and he keeps so quiet, letting him do with it and go wherever it goes. If he has it, he can use it right; again, he can spare it when it goes away.

But here he attacks him in the highest way, takes from him the highest good, because he has nothing dearer on earth, for which he also had cause. For he was an only child, and had from him God's word and promise that from him should come the seed by which all nations should be blessed. Then God leaves the natural desire, because he has not taken the father's heart from him, breaks the nature of the child.

342 Erl. 34, 3-s. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 511-514. 343

not, lets them remain as he created them, does not lift them up, even in the holy of holies; as you see that Abraham is such a great saint, nor does he let the natural affect and motion deep within him.

4 It is not, as some think, that we should so despise all things that we should have or feel no pain or sorrow. I should warmly accept my neighbor's harm and let him suffer as I do my own; yet be so skillful that I do not ask for it when everything is taken from me except a penny. True love takes care of the whole man and all his goods. But so it does: It keeps the greatest for the greatest; so it also helps for the temporal life. So a Christian respects nothing for his own sake, but what God puts into his hands he accepts, deals with it; if he takes it away again, he lets it go.

5 Thus God takes from the pious father the highest treasure of all; not wood nor stones, neither silver nor gold, but the only Son, whom He especially loves above the common love of the father, that he was born of the holy woman, so that God managed it so wonderfully in the days of old, and also the promise of the glorious seed is upon him, that he has great and much cause to love him. God Himself also loved him, and when He saw that He loved him so much and did right, He thought, "Wait, I must play with him," and said:

V. 2-8 Take Isaac, your only son, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, 1) and offer him there for a burnt offering on a mountain that I will tell you. Then Abraham arose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took with him the two lads, and Isaac his son, and cut wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off, and said unto his sons, "I will burn the burnt offering.

1. Marginal gloss: Moriah is called a presentation, and is the mountain where Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem afterwards, and is called the mountain of presentation, that Abraham was presented there with the ram, and after that the right ram, Christ, was to be presented and revealed by God the Lord.

Boys: Stay ye here with the ass; I and the lad will go thither, and when we have worshipped, we will come again to you. And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son. And he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and they went both of them together.

He just attacks him with right words, from which the laughter must have gone out of him. Then nature had to recoil and hurt him, and, what is much harder, that he should do it himself, and not another, but draw the sword himself, and slay for a burnt offering; so that everything should burn to powder, so that not a hair would remain.

Now, these are great, mighty temptations, that God so urges the father to strangle his only, dear son, and to take him again, whom he had given him before, that he would have rather died twice himself, and given all his goods, wife, and what he had. For he had to think: Now the son is already gone; he did not think that he should remain alive. Therefore, it must have hurt him beyond measure in his heart.

But what does the Lord do? He tells him to go to a mountain, which he will show him. That was three whole days' journey. It would be even easier if he were to get away soon, but he tortures him even further, taking time so that he is well roasted and has to eat his way through. That of course a piece or ten have made his heart throb, that he might have said: How does God act so foolishly? what have I done to deserve that he tortures me so? No doubt he had countless such thoughts. Above that, when they come to the mountain, Isaac has to carry his own cross. There the son also gives him a push. It also hurt him that he alone knew about it; he must not tell his son about it, neither his mother, nor anyone else. Thus Isaac speaks to his father:

V. 9-14. My father. And Abraham answered, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold, here is fire and wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt offering? Abraham answered, GOD

** **344 Erl. 3t, 5-7. Sermon on Genesis 22:9-14, W. Ill, 514-517. 345

will show me, my son, the sheep for the burnt offering. And they went both of them together. And when they came to the place which God had told him, Abraham built there an altar, and laid the wood thereon, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him upon the wood, and put forth his hand, and took hold of the knife, to slay his son. Then the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, saying, Abraham, Abraham. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither hurt him. For now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not kept thy only son from me. Then Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw a ram behind him caught in the hedge with his horns, and went and took the ram, and offered him for a burnt offering in his son's stead. And Abraham called the name of the place, The LORD seeth. 1) Wherefore it is said to this day, In the mount where the LORD looketh.

The word must have been a burning spit in his heart, as if he were to say, "Oh, dear son, be silent, I want my heart to break. He must eat that too, and his heart must boil. Then he continues, and writes how it went, simple, but gives each one to consider how the father's heart stood. Isaac is obedient to his father, gives himself to him, and is as much as if he were already dead. It is wonderfully great that he was able to overcome the heart in this way.

But the greatest thing is that God speaks against Himself here. This is a riddle that no one can guess except the Holy Spirit. For God has commanded that one shall not kill Ex 20:13. Now he says it here himself, although Isaac was not guilty of anything. Item, ser) promised him before to give the seed of Isaac. Abraham had to believe this word, so that his heart was like this: "The son must become a father of many children and be spread out into all the world. Now he is turning against the weather, and speaks the contradiction, and the son must now die; what will become of this? What can reason say? It is completely

1. Marginal gloss: Behold, that is, GOrt takes care of everything and watches.

beaten that she does not know where out, and must say it is now over.

Now both of these things had to be true: Abraham believed and knew nothing else, because the son would have to die; again also that he should become a father of many nations Rom. 4, 17. How do the two rhyme together? So, as St. Paul interprets it in Heb. 11, 17J, he had to think: God is almighty and true, the Son is already dead, I must let him go; but God still has so much, if I and all the world were dead, he can raise him up again, even over a hundred years, and make him a father. So God leaves him no more than the one consolation that he holds on to in the highest temptation, that God would make him alive again if it pleased Him, because God cannot lie. Now this is the very highest dispute, when God thus presents Himself as if He were lying, that His word is against one another.

(12) Let us learn these things well, whether we are also tempted in this way, especially when we are about to die. Because God gives us the gospel and comforts us, it is all sweet. But what if he says at death, "I do not want you? If you have almost thought that you stand firm and believe in Christ, that he is yours, then a spear comes into your heart, so that God says: I do not want to give you Christ, therefore give him to me, and you remain alone. What else can the heart say but: It is lost? And when it says, "You have given him to me," then it says again, "I am God, may I not do it as I please? Why do you ask, since you are mine? What shall I do now, when it is so contrary to one another? You shall have the saying in the 81st Psalm, v. 9. 10: Israel, sl auäisris nie, uon erit in te Deus alienus, "Hear, my people, I will testify to you, Israel, you shall hear me, that there is no foreign God among you, and you worship no unknown God" 2c. Therefore, if you obey him, you must not think that you have a GOd who changes. Lemel loguiturDons 6t6, "if GOd speaks once (says Job [Cap. 33, 14. 1), he does not repeat it." Jtem,Malachias Cap. 3, 6. speaks: HZo Dons et of mutor.

13Therefore God has the way that He will have over the first word that He has spoken.

346 Erl. 34, 7-9. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 517-820. 347

What then is contrary to this, he wants us not to assume, but to be sure that it is God's temptation. This is already commanded in the fifth book of Moses [Cap. 13:1-3): "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams stand up among you and give you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes, of which he has told you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods whom you do not know and serve them,' you shall not obey the words of such a prophet or dreamer, for the Lord your God is tempting you, that he may know whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul." These are excellent words: When a prophet comes and gives you a sign, God must ever do it: nor must you believe it; and give cause, for God is trying you, if he will repeat the word. Therefore, hold fast to the first word, and let the rest go, but do not let that go. God is so strict about this that he will not heed even all the signs that are contrary to it (even if they come from him).

14. St. Paul also admonished the Thessalonians: "I beseech you that ye be not soon moved of mind, nor troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letters, as sent by us, that the day of Christ should be at hand. 2) And soon after, v. 9, of the Antichrist: "Which is to come according to the working of the devil, with all manner of lying powers, and signs, and wonders"; as also Christ warns Matth. 24, 24. and says: "False Christs and prophets shall arise, and shall do great signs and wonders, that even the elect, if it were possible, should be deceived" 2c. Now everyone has gone there, and if anyone preaches against it, they say: There is the sign before your eyes. Thus the devil has hitherto wrought his will, and I believe that many righteous signs have also come to pass. Why should one not follow them? Here you hear it, he will not suffer you to make him a liar, but tempts you. Therefore you must not be driven by the first word, even if he sends an angel from heaven and turns you away.
15. "dawider" is missing in the Erlanger.
16. Erlanger: is.

You shall not believe nor follow it badly, but the first laid word shall come to pass against all miraculous signs and doctrines, full of God or the devil, whence they come.

(15) There is also an example in the first book of Kings Cap. 13:9 ff of a godly prophet sent by God to Bethel, who was commanded by God not to eat or drink in that place, Bethel, with the king, which he did. But when he returned home, another prophet came to him and told him to go home with him and eat. But when he refused, the other said to him v. 18, "I also am a prophet like you, and an angel has spoken to me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Lead him home again, that he may eat bread and drink water'"; so he goes with him, leaving aside the first commandment, thinking that because he said God had spoken it, he must do it. "But as they were eating, the word of the LORD (saith the text, vv. 20-24.) came to the prophet that had brought him again, and cried unto the other, saying, Because thou hast been disobedient to the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD commanded thee, thy body shall not enter into thy fathers' grave. And as he departed, a lion found him in the way, and slew him."

16 Behold, what was this prophet about to say? Can he not speak: Have you deceived me yourself? But what will God say? He will say: You should have taken me for the man who does not lie, and should have stayed on what I commanded you, if I had told you differently. Therefore the prophet Ezekiel says [Cap. 14:9): "I have deceived the prophet who comes in my name and preaches lies," that is, I have made him come and tempt the people.

(17) We should do likewise. If I have rightly received Christ in the sacrament, and have his word and sign, then faith and conscience stand in good courage. If death should come, and God should hear or feel that he would be ungracious and not have me, yet I should not waver or back away; even if Moses or an angel or Christ should come, I should hold fast to it, for the word of God cannot lie. But if thine heart say, Yea, is this also

348 Erl. 34, 9-11. Sermon on I Genesis 22, 9-14. W. Ill, 520-522. 349

God's word? You answer: He will probably do it and interpret it as he means it. So we must overcome him with his own word. This is almost the highest fight and dispute that the holy fathers have practiced.

18 Thus it went here with Abraham. The first word had to remain; but how the other should also be true, and agree with the other, he had to command God. Therefore, whoever wants to be instructed in temptation, let him take hold of the sayings, so that God does not deny or change what he once said; but what is contrary to this is to be interpreted as him trying the faith. Let him interpret it, but it is a difficult piece.

Nineteenth Thus we ought to have done, when Pabbacy and monasticism arose; and every one saw how greatly it increased, and said, Well, this is right and delicious. There was no one so wise as to say, "Although the papacy continues so blissfully, the first word must not fall, but still remain, that faith alone makes blessed, and all doctrine and being based on works are damnable. But this has been abandoned; so the devil broke in with false signs and won that everyone was afraid of it, and no one could resist until it took over with full force and completely wiped out the doctrine of faith.

This is the great story of the strong faith of Abraham, in which you see how God so abundantly restores his son to him and showers him with blessings. For while he holds fast to the first word, he turns the word back again, and shows him that he has only tempted him. There follow the contradictions that God does. Now, according to this example, we have much history in the histories, as also among the Jews many burned their own sons Deut. 12, 31.; that was their spiritual order, considered it the most delicious work, had an idol for it before the city Jerusalem, with name Moloch 2 Kings 23, lO., and many horrible things came out of it. 1)

21 For because this work that Abraham does is a good work, they imitated him, until

1. Cf. Tischreden Cap. 5, 8 5 and Cap. 24, z 2. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XXII, 243 f. and 704 f.

to the Babylonian prison. Some fine people thought that they also wanted to do God a great service; prophets were also there and strengthened them with this example; then the crowd plummeted afterwards Jer. 32, 35. Then the right prophets also came and said: You murderers and bloodhounds, you 2) strangle your children to the devil. Then they said again, "How can you speak against what God has so highly praised? Many a noble blood has been shed over the abomination, just because they insisted on this example.

22 Now, what is lacking? Why doesn't God also like it and like it here from Abraham? That is what I said, if God had not called Abraham, he would not have thanked him. It is a great work, but God does not respect it. It is to be done only for the sake that Abraham does it out of his word and command; if this were not so, he would have committed an abominable sin. Thus says the prophet Micheas Cap. 6, 7: What shall one do to God that is pleasing to Him, shall one sacrifice a son to Him? No, he says, God does not want it. Why not, did Abraham do it? He still does not want it. Why not? If he had commanded it to be done, it would have been done; if not, let it be done. For the fools have followed the example, and have not seen that here is God's word and faith; but with them is nothing but presumption and their own conceit, that they may do a work of their own, and a service that is pleasing to him, to blot out sin thereby, and to merit heaven; it is a righteous devotion of their own devising, which is an abomination in the sight of God; but what is done according to his word, that he is pleased with.

(23) Thus have we done hitherto, that we have taken the examples of the saints, and gone thither with multitudes, which God would not have. King Solomon built a temple for God and was praised for it 1 Kings 6:1 ff, so we also fell for it and thought that whoever founded a church would have great merit with God. Not so; but, if thou then be Solomon.

2. "their" is missing in the Erlanger.

350 Erl. 34, 11-14. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 522-527. 351

build one too. He had God's word for it, so you have nothing, and you want to master God, what he should please him. He also did it in vain and in faith, not that he thereby made God gracious to him; but you come and want to buy God with the work and make it your own. Therefore, it is wrong for you to seize the saints with examples.

(24) Therefore it is dangerous to preach the legends of the saints, except those found in Scripture, which are all directed to faith. In other legends, it is not so much the faith that is shown, but the works that are brought up, how much and long they fasted, watched and led a strict life. Therefore they are considered holy, and everyone wants to imitate them in this way; thus faith goes to the ground.

25 Now therefore let these things pass away. See what these examples teach. They do not say whether the fathers fasted much or not, but that they heard God's word, walked in it, and kept it. Where this did not happen, Abraham did not go either. So also the epistle to the Hebrews teaches f^Cap. 13, 7], we are to follow the faith of the saints, he says, not their works. Each one must have his work, but we must all have one faith.

(26) Let this be said, that one may know how to judge it, and that no one may do any worship that God has not commanded, or else one will go in blindness, and cover it up for good works. For if one does gross sin in other ways, everyone sees that it is not right; here one wants to boast about it. Therefore, God is not so hostile to any "thing as to one's own devotion; [it is also the most shameful plague on earth. Therefore, behold, if the example of the Holy Father has turned out so badly, yet it is described so purely, what will become of our works? What will our mad fools do, who are not half as wise or pious as those? They can still boast that God will not let them err.

27. so far 1) we have now had the noble and fine example of faith, how the pious father Abraham so firmly believed in the word

1. Erlanger: Up to here.

that he also fought against God Himself and won. Now he says here further in the history that God promises him again with an oath that he will bless his seed 2c., and reads thus:

V.15-17. And the angel of the Lord called Abraham again from heaven, saying: I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, because thou hast done these things, and hast not restrained thine only son, that I will bless thy seed, and multiply it as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies.

028 Here he saith, among other things, that his seed shall possess, that is, take the gates, that is, the cities, the land, and the people of his enemies, repeating the words and the promise which he had made unto him before Isaac was born. And thus saith he:

V. 18, 19: And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast hearkened unto my voice. So Abraham returned to the boys, and they arose, and went together to Babylon, and dwelt there.

(29) Let this saying stand according to history, as it sounds and reads. Bad, low words they are, as you see; but God has another way of speaking than men. When he opens his mouth and lets a word go, it is valid. One does not have to divide his sermon into pieces, like the teachings of men, here a piece, and there a piece; there be chaste, there obedient, there fast, there pray, that it may be divided. But when he speaks, he speaks even as he grasps it and has it; as he has it all in one heap in his hand, so he also gives it out in heaps.

(30) Thus, in these short words he has summarized the whole gospel and kingdom of Christ, so that no one can sufficiently delete it. Abraham understood it well, the prophets also, but few Jews, as they do not understand it even today. If we had no more, we would still have Scripture enough on it. I also think that the holy fathers had all the books on this saying. What the scripture wants to grasp, it grasps all in one heap,

352 Erl. 34, 14-16. Sermon on Genesis 22:18, 19, W. Ill, 527-529. 353

that one must not make many extractions, but more extractions. 1)

31 What then is it said, In thy seed shall all nations be blessed upon the earth? For blessing is not to be understood as the Jews interpret it, that it means that he will praise the Jewish people among the Gentiles; so that they only look at the tongue, as if it were well spoken, wishing something good; but God's works are righteous, go to the ground, are all serious and perfect things. Therefore the word sweepeth all his works together: which he will send forth, not only upon the Jews, but upon all the earth; and it shall be by the seed of Isaac.

How is this to be done? So: We all fell into curse and sin through and in Adam, and also condemned to eternal death through sin (Gal. 3:10). The curse is on our neck, in it we are born. Everything that comes from a woman is a child of curse and wrath Eph. 2:3, of death and eternal damnation, subject to the devil. This is a curse on the whole human nature. For as Adam is, so he begets children, all damned and cursed. He testifies to this here first of all with the word "bless". For, if they are to be blessed, they must not have been blessed before. If the blessing were before, what should we of this seed? but because he promises such blessing to Abraham, it is so much concluded: You are all cursed.

(33) So the word blessing alone overthrows all that man and nature is and is able to do. Now let a heathen man, or one of us who call ourselves Christians, and yet do not have Christ and faith, with all his wisdom, good works, virtues and free will, and all his life, come to nothing and be accursed before God. Cause, it does not come from the blessing; if it does not go from this, it is not right, yes, it is all of the devil. He does not say: The Gentiles will bless themselves, or obtain the blessing for them; the blessing must grow out of them. Because it does not grow out of them, they must be forgiven.

1. That is, one should not restrict it but stretch it wide. Compare A 34.

Luther's works, "d. HI.

be cursed. For what is not blessing must be cursed, there is no third.

(34) Therefore I say, when God speaks, he opens wide his mouth, and is not straitened, but strikes the whole world, and puts it entirely under a curse; as Paul says Rom. 11:32, and Gal. 3:22: "The scripture hath decreed it all under sin, that he should have mercy on all, and that the promise should come through faith in Jesus Christ. He does not curse, but shows us what we are, namely, that we are even in the curse: but he wants to bless, not two or three nations, but the whole world. From this we should have enough evidence that all men with all their works and worship are of the devil. Abraham was able to judge all things and doctrine from this, as it came to him, and thus said: If the blessing is there, it is good; but if it is without the blessing, it is lost, let it be what it will.

35 The blessing is now upon all the Gentiles, but that it may be done in Abraham's name. This is the gospel. But the saying does not mean that all the Gentiles will receive the blessing. St. Paul is a master in interpreting such sayings. It is promised herein (he says Rom. 10, 18Z) that God would let the gospel go forth. sHe does not say, all will accept it. How so? So: The gospel is such a word, which offers us God's grace and mercy, merited by Jesus Christ and purchased with His blood, who is the Lamb of God that bears sin John 1:29, and lets it be proclaimed to all the world: Believe and hold on to me, forsake works, and you will be blessed and free from death and all misfortune. The blessing has gone as far as the world, come both over Gentiles and Jews, and still continues.

(36) This is the meaning of this saying: I will send a blessing upon all nations under the sun. For one must allow the word: all Gentiles, Hebrew sosn Col Gojim, to be understood also by the Jews; as Moses says to them in the 5th book Cap. 4, 7.: "Where is such a Goi, to whom God is so near", but to you? Therefore, the addition "over all the Gentiles" should mean whatever people are under the sun, God grant, they are Jews or Gentiles.

12

354 Erl. 34, 16-18. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 529-S32. 355

(37) Behold, the saying is so far stretched that God would make the gospel known to all the earth. That is what he means by "blessed". The blessing is there, offered to everyone, but not everyone accepts it, and it is a serious blessing that goes over the whole person. If you believe in the seed, your sins are forgiven with one another, and death is abolished, hell is conquered, and heaven is yours. He wishes and brings all this to you at once, but there are few of them who accept the blessing. God greets all the world, but few thank him. It is still true that they are all blessed, that is, it is offered and presented to all of them; but the fact that not all of them become Christians makes them reject such a salutary blessing, yes, persecute it for the most part. It is not said that God wanted to convert everyone. St. Paul Eph. 1, 13 points to the gospel alone, that it is a shout that he lets go out over everyone, that it should be a blessing; whoever is struck by it is struck by it, whoever sows it has it.

38 Furthermore, a goal is also set for the Jews here, so that they cannot boast, says Paul Gal. 3:18, as if they had deserved it in any way. For at the time when God promised the blessing to Abraham, we were not there, neither were the Jews; there was neither people nor good works, neither Moses nor prophets nor anyone, so that no one could boast as if he had earned it. That the gospel is given to us is only God's goodness, which He poured out to us before anyone asked for it or thought of it. For he had it in mind to give before we were born. If he had let us be pious before, and had given laws to the Jews before he made the promise to Abraham, they would say, "We deserve this. If the law had not been given, and if we had not done good works, Christ would not have come. The glory he will lay up comes first; before the Gentiles are there, who are to be blessed, the promise and grace is there.

Therefore, whoever hears and recognizes God's word must say: I never deserved it, nor asked for it, nor took it into consideration. Therefore, the words are so profound that they are not to be falsified. Where blessing

is said, there is the gospel; where the gospel is, there is God with Christ and all goods. Thus, God can comprehend all things in one word. Thus all the Jews are exalted in glory and holiness, and the Gentiles in wisdom; all must say: Praise and thanks be to God, who has given us the gracious promise.

40 And this text shall be the gloss and light of all the laws that are written hereafter. When the Jews say, "We have received from God the Ten Commandments, which if we keep, we are righteous, and may not keep Christ's," this saying is there, and it concludes that God promises and promises out of pure grace. But where are the ten commandments? Answer: This is the first word before the ten commandments were given and written; it is not to be said that God lied. The seed and blessing over all the world is there; whoever does not have it is lost.

41 Why then are the commandments given? Not that by your works you might become righteous or fulfill the law, but that you might tame the body, live honorably, and enter the promised land; and especially that by it we might be known who we are, and where we lack, that we might thirst the more for this promise. It is for this very reason that this seed is promoted and the blessing is driven.

. Thus the prophets have done and written: O Lord God, who can keep it? The more you command, the less one does. We should trust God and keep His commandment; we do not, we find nothing more in the law, that is, that there is nothing good in us. That is why Moses gave it to reveal the curse, and when we see and feel it, we lift it up and say, "Now come, Lord, give us the blessing, deliver us from this curse. Therefore, the law does not help the conscience; the blessing alone must do it.

(43) So all the Scriptures are arranged to do this saying always. It is also in the whole of Moses the main saying, and everything goes on it, what stands before and after, so that all the world must say: It becomes nothing good out of it, here is vain death and GOtteL wrath: now this is your word, therefore hold what

356 Erl. 34, 18-21. Sermon on Genesis 22:18, 19, W. Ill, 532-535. 357

You said that you would bless us and send the seed to give us these things, and to save us from death by life, and from sin by righteousness.

44 Behold, this is the gospel, whereby all the world is brought low and condemned under sin and death and the devil, with all their glory and godliness and good works. For it is found that it is not the blessing. Again, before and without all works, pure grace is established through Christ, that no one should boast, but that everyone should give thanks to God for raising up the seed through which rich and eternal blessing comes. This is the whole theology in one heap, of which neither scholars nor high schools have understood a word.

45 Now we must also deal with the little word "seed. Here the Jews would still have an excuse, that they might say: Why should such things be drawn to Christ? Are Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets and saints Abraham's seed? Answer: We can do no more than defy not only the Jews, but all the world, angels, death, devils, to give us a seed confirmed with such miracles as our Christ. The work is there, of which the words are, and it is known that he is Abraham's seed; so all the world, without its thanksgiving, must confess that he is preached as far as the world reaches. This has never happened to anyone, nor will it ever happen to anyone; and also that the Gentiles have accepted him, as it was proclaimed before, and everyone believes him to be true, and the gospel to be true. All the world has dealings with him, and yet they are Gentiles, who should rightly be hostile to him; confessing that he is not only Abraham's seed, but also hearing and preaching that he has brought blessing, conquered death along with sin and hell. He also proved this with great miracles from heaven through the gospel and the apostles. There was a miracle for God to confirm the preaching. Now give us another who has done all these things, and is still going through the world, so that all power is against it, the Jews also; it has not yet helped, it has had to break through; if even such mighty kings on a house of God are still in power, it is not yet possible for them to break through.

If they did that together, they would not be able to go that far.

46 Further, in these words is also understood all that we believe about Christ, that he had to be born of a virgin, suffer and die, rise from death, ascend to heaven, and sit and reign at the right hand of God. For that his mother should be a virgin, it follows therefore: All Gentiles are cursed; that which is born of the flesh is already a child of wrath and death j^Eph. 2, 3.], so he must ever not come of flesh and blood, or be born of male and female, if he is not to be cursed, nor to be blessed, but to bring blessing, that all who are blessed may be blessed through him. Again, he must still be a natural man, having flesh and blood like Abraham. For the Scriptures commonly call the children seed. Now if he is to be a natural child and son, he must come from a woman, for no one is called a child unless he brings his being from his mother; but if he is not to be cursed, he must be conceived in a non-natural way. Therefore, it is necessary that the mother not be pregnant by a man, but still be pregnant, so that she is called a true natural mother, and the child is her blood and flesh. Therefore, there is no other means, except that he be conceived of the Holy Spirit without all corruption. Thus it entails that she be a virgin, and the child's mother, in right natural being.

47 The prophets have also led out of this saying, as Isaiah chap. 7, 14: "Behold, a maid or virgin shall conceive and bear a son. So the Scripture calls him Lruetuui veutris alone, a fruit of the womb, not a fruit of the loins; that is, a child by a female image alone, not by a male. Behold, the sayings all flowed from this, that they saw such things; so that the saying does not go to Christ, as in the 51st Pfalm, v. 7, it is written, "Behold, I am made in iniquity, and my mother conceived me in sins." Because he is without the curse, he is also without sin and death. So it is found that he is not conceived of man's seed.

958 Erl. 34, 21-23. Interpretations On the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, 53S-538. 959

(48) Further, all that are born of woman must be natural men, and die as the children of other women; so must this seed also die, as all other men. Again, if he should be the one who blessed all the world, he] cannot remain bodily on earth to be king in Jerusalem and rule the whole world; the kingdom is too great. If he himself is to reign presently, he must be in such a being that he is with everyone and in all places; therefore he must be born a bodily man, like others, through the Holy Spirit, that he may walk in mortal life, but through and out of the same being enter into another, immortal, spiritual being, that he may reign with everyone in the heart; otherwise he could not accomplish it, that he may be in everyone's heart and speak with him, and create over a thousand miles of way. Therefore, he had to rise from death, go to heaven, and sit in the place where he can see all creatures, fulfill them, and have them in his hand, having power over all things, angels and devils.

49. He must also be God. For if he is to promise such great good and give the blessing, he must also have the power; otherwise it would be ridiculous if he promised something and could not help. Since he now promises to deliver us from death and the kingdom of the prince of the world, and to give us eternal life, he must have power and be omnipotent, and also wisdom, so that he can and knows how to preserve us in life, against death and sin. Otherwise, if he only wished the same, and yet was not with me, he could not help me. Therefore, because he can save us when we are in the midst of death and hell, he must have the highest, divine power, and everything must be under his feet Ps. 110:1, which power no one has but God alone. Because it is given to the seed, he must irrefutably be a true God, and yet remain the seed, that is, be both true God and man. Thus we have all things with one another in Christ, birth, death, resurrection and his eternal reign. Who would want to summarize all this in such short words if the Holy Spirit himself did not speak?

(50) That is enough talk about the text, which would be worthy to be drawn with letters of gold. But it lies alone

so that the blessing may be properly recognized. It should be a blessing that God gives; but what God blesses is blessed in deed and work. For He does not bless as people do, with words alone, since 1) nothing follows, but is such a living blessing that brings all good. It is not a greeting alone, but a work and busy thing that soon takes place. The fruit that follows such a blessing is that no one can prevent or hinder it. When God blesses, speaking and doing are one thing, as it is written in the 33rd Psalm, v. 9: Oixit, ot kaetum est, "he says, so it stands." Therefore, the blessing must say what it says and be active. If it comes from God, it must affect sin, death, the devil, hell; that is how deep his word goes.

(51) Therefore you will find so many sayings in the prophets, drawn from this. It is a great, rich mine, from which they have dug and taken everything they have written about the future Christ and his kingdom. Now the Jews do not see this, they are blinded, they cling to Moses and stand on their works, they do not understand that he promises such great things before he has given the law.

This is the history in which we learn how powerfully God speaks. And even if the words do not give all this, the history should give it through the spiritual interpretation. Thus we shall also see in Isaac how Christ is portrayed in it. [It is such a broad word that it goes beyond all works, and even includes Christ and his kingdom. Let us now proceed with the interpretation.

(53) I have often said that he who wants to study the Bible well, especially the spiritual interpretation of the histories, should draw it all to the Lord Christ. For it is all to do with the interpretation of the preaching ministry, or gospel and faith, in which Christ's kingdom stands, as we shall also see here. Now our faith holds that we firmly believe that the seed of Abraham is truly God and man; and although it was impossible that the person, as God, should be born, suffer, die, rise again, and do other things which he did on earth, therefore that

1. Erlanger: that.

360 Erl. Z4, 23-26. Sermon on Genesis 22:18, 19. w. m, 538-S41. 361

the Godhead is even insufferable and immortal: nevertheless, it is true that it is said that the Son of God suffered and died.

(54) As it is said of a man, whose soul no one can wound with iron, for it is a spirit: nevertheless, when one is cut in the head, it is said, "The man is sore. Item, so one says also: The man is dead, if nevertheless the soul cannot die. Thus all works are attributed to the whole person, whether it be the body alone that does or suffers, because both are put together and become one. So also here; although the man Christ did and suffered everything, yet because he is one person with the Godhead, God is also said to have suffered, to have died, and to have risen. This is our faith, let us now see it here.

55. Isaac is laid on the altar and bound, the father takes him by the head and wants to cut him down and slaughter him, so that he is sacrificed in truth, if one looks at the father's heart. For there goes free, both will and hand, but death is completely in his father's and his eyes, so that no one knows or sees otherwise: he still remains alive, and the goat is sacrificed for him. Alfo he dies in appearance and prestige, and yet remains alive in death. This is the Lord Christ, who appears and poses in all ways as if the Son of God were dying; yet he does not die, but the man truly dies: this is the goat in the thorn hedge. So now the Scripture says that God truly gave His Son; yet He did not die, but man died. Thus Isaac is a figure of the Godhead, the goat of the humanity of Christ.
56. secondly, here is meant the resurrection from the dead. Because Isaac was promised to Abraham that he would become a father of many nations, and yet he is answered to death that the sayings must both be true, that he would become a father of many nations, and yet die under the hands of his father. There the kingdom of Christ is even pictured. So the saying is true that he should be a king and savior of all the world Tach. 9, 9. Joh. 4, 42. 1 Tim. 4, 10. But how does he stand up to this? s^He] lets himself be nailed to the cross and dies; just like Isaac, when he was supposed to become a father. Now this has the weak

The apostles are going to the king and redeem the people. The apostles go to, think that will become the king and redeem the people Luc. 24, 21., so he will be martyred and crucified in the most shameful way. Now where is the kingdom? They were too weak to think that Christ would be king and savior, and that even if he died now, the Father was powerful to make him alive again. So it had to happen. Christ falls and dies, but rises again, becomes a king, as it is written; is king on earth, but no longer sits as before, yet he reigns in our hearts, has only to do in them, preaches and enlightens them; and in sum, what happens in all of Christendom, that he does.

57 Therefore it is true that Christ is a king, and reigns as far as the world is Ps. 72:8, that all things must be subject to him; lives truly also in the flesh, but in immortal and spiritual life. Now what reason could conceive such a thing, it could see no further than that he should visibly reign with great splendor on earth. If this were so, there would be no faith in the world. So now the scripture insists: Isaac remains alive, fes] is only a form and appearance of death there. So also with Christ. He dies freely in his own eyes and in the eyes of all the world, but through death he comes to life, becomes a king and reigns forever. So here the whole kingdom is conceived. For where the resurrection stands, all things stand together.

58. Further, the goat in the hedge with the horns, as said, is Christ after mankind. Now we see how the gospel goes, and all the Scripture before says, that it causes tumult, does not hang among roses and lilies, purple nor wool; there is nothing soft, but vain thorns; therein the goat is confused, cannot come out. This all means the preaching office. Horn is called in the Scripture: Mysterium verbi ovanZolii, which is the power of God. For as the goat prods with his horns, so also the preaching of the gospel prods before the head, which is great; it cannot suffer any to be wise and pious, and to rely upon it. When the beast gets under the thorn hedge, it gets confused in it.
59. thorns are the ungodly, especially those who persecute the gospel, prickly and un-

362 Erl. 34, L6-L8. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 541-543. 363 l

Powerful kind. For the pious Christians like to be pushed. But the other is a quarrelsome, heretic people, as Paul says Rom. 2:8: 8is, M suut ox eontontiono, as they are preached to, so it is not right; ssie^ are vain hedges, which at last belong to the fire. Thus thou seest in the figure that it is so and must go. Therefore let no one be surprised if strife arises against the gospel, that Christians are driven out and persecuted; only say: It must be so, and not otherwise, the ram must hang in the hedges. What the devil esteems great on earth, all Christ must pursue; so it clashes with him, but does him no harm; he has hard horns in his head, but he gets tangled up in them, is seized and sacrificed.

But what does it mean that Abraham leaves the donkeys and boys far down from the mountain, and he goes up alone with the son? Our legalists 1) and preachers of works have interpreted it thus: When one goes to church, prays vespers, matins 2c. and sings, one should leave the carnal thoughts behind, and prepare oneself with good thoughts, so that it is a good work; and it remains so. But we have said that the outward service serves to teach and practice the Scriptures always, and to build up the faith with them, and that no one should pray and read in such a way as to do a good work, but to build up the conscience and strengthen the faith. Therefore the jugglery is of no use at all.

61 The donkey is the lazy rascal, the old Adam, blood and flesh, who must also be there if one is to serve God; for Christ's kingdom must reign on earth in our hearts. Therefore, the two parties must be separated from each other. The two go up to the mountain; the donkey with the servants stays far away. With the Gospel, one does not lead the mouth or feet to God, but the heart; it cannot be grasped in the ears, mouth, or tongue, but must live in the heart. The world does not see this, the servant and the donkey do not see it, no one sees it except Abraham. The donkey, however, must nevertheless have a regiment; the

1. That is: law teachers.

The body is subjected to the law in the external regime, as the donkey is kept by the servants. 2) That all who govern the people outwardly and keep the flesh under restraint are meant by this. The lazy old man cannot come before God, yet Isaac is there, that is, the soul is in the body, which comes before God.

This is how it should be divided. Through faith in the gospel we come to God, offer ourselves to God, as Isaac did here, and are given to him as his own. Thus the heart is sacrificed with faith, but the donkey remains behind the mountain, cannot come here, because it is still full of sin. The heart becomes pure through faith, is a new man and holy sacrifice, but the old Adam is still full of evil desire, he must be tamed, forced and compelled, so that he is swept from day to day, 3) and always has masters who chastise him.

• For this reason, the law must not be applied to the conscience, but nothing must be preached to it but faith, without all law, so that it may go freely to Christ. 4) The conscience must be kept in a state of restraint. According to this, one should also preach to the lazy ass, so that he is held in bondage and subdued. The law alone should serve this purpose. Soul and conscience shall have no servant to lead them, but shall remain free. Now here are two servants, that are Moses and the6) prophets, who taught the law and drove it into the people. This is the interpretation, this is the preaching ministry altogether, law and gospel, meets both, inward and outward people, and the whole world.

64 The last is from mount Moriah. Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines, near Gaza; from thence he went up three days' journey; and on the third day he saw the mountain afar off; about a crossbow-shot or two, he left the others behind him, and went up alone with Isaac. The mountain is called Moriah, and is the very mountain on which King Solomon built the temple 2 Chron. 3:1, not, as some say, where Christ was crucified. And therefore it is called Moria, because it says: The Lord looks upon it, because Moria is called in German so much, as, the

2. Wittenberger and Erlanger: vom Knechte.
3. Erlanger: will.
4. "demselbigen" is missing in the Erlanger.
5. "the" is missing in the Erlanger.

364 Erl. 34, 28-30. Sermon on Genesis 22, 18-24. W. Ill, pp43-S47. Z65

The Lord's face, so that the Lord sees into it. And the name of the mountain remained so because God looked so closely at Abraham, prevented him from strangling his son, and showed him the ram, so that it might also be called the Lord shows. This is interpreted to mean that Christ should come to the mountain where the temple was built, and preach the gospel, and then send it out into all the world; as in the stories of the apostles [Cap. I, 2) and in Isaiah Cap. 2, 2.

But we remain on the spiritual mona, because we make everything else spiritual, therefore we leave it to be the Christian church, which is the kingdom of Christ, or faith. Now in the Old Testament it was commanded that no sacrifice should be made in any place except that which God chose, but He pointed nowhere except to Jerusalem. This means that it does not matter what works we do, unless they are done in faith; the judgment has already been made, as Paul says: "Everything that is not of faith is sin"; even if you torture yourself to death, God does not inquire about anything, nor does He look at all your suffering, as Paul also says, where it is not in faith. Thus the Jews also did great works and sacrifices, but God did not inquire about them, because they were not done in the place that God chose for them. So the word is to strike down everything that is not of God's word and of faith, as now are the foundations, monasteries, and all kinds of spiritual beings.

This mountain Abraham still saw from afar. (It) was not yet quite Moria, belonged still far away, yes many hundred years, before "Christ should come, and his kingdom by the gospel should start, still he has seen it; as Christ says in John [Cap. 8, 56.): "Abraham, your father, was glad that

1. Jenaer: not.

he should see my day, and he saw it, and rejoiced." So now the sacrifice is all in faith, from which it becomes a holy, pure and pleasant sacrifice.

That is enough of the spiritual interpretation of this story, which preaches both faith and the cross, that the old man was killed. Summa, it is all about Christ. Scripture wants to know nothing but about Christ; nor has the devil deceived us, as if it were not enough, and in the meantime we have had to learn and preach vain dreams of man. Lastly there is a piece in the chapter, how Abraham was told that his brother also had children by his Milcah, namely eight sons, and by the Kebsweibe four; as follows.

(V.20-24) And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah also bare children unto Nahor thy brother, Uz the firstborn, and Bus his brother, and Kemuel, from whom the Syrians come, and Chesed, 3) and Hazo, and Pildah, and Jedlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel zmgete Rebekah 2c.

68] Therefore it is written, according to the history which we shall hereafter hear, in the fourth and twentieth chapter, how Abraham took a wife for his son, of the same generation, Rebekah his brother's son Bethuel's daughter, that it might be known whence his wife came. [But it is also indicated here for the sake of spiritual interpretation that this means how Christ, when he rose again from the dead, then took to himself a wife, that is, the Gentiles; he did not take her from his own country, but sent for her from a foreign country; he rejected the Jews and sent for the Gentiles through the apostles, as we shall hear later.

2. Jenaer: would have to.
3. Jenaer: Caded; Wittenberger and Erlanger: Ceded.

366 Erl. 34, 30-32. Interpretations On the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, S47-S4S. 367

The twenty-third chapter.

V. 1-20. Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old, as long as she lived, and died in the capital city, which is called Hebron, 1) in the land of Canaan. Then Abraham came to lament and weep over her. Afterward he stood up from his dead body, and spake unto the children of Heth, saying: I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me an inheritance burying place with you, that I may bury my dead man that is before me. Then the children of Heth answered Abraham, and said unto him, Hear us, 2) O Lord, thou art a prince of God among us, bury thy dead in our pleasant sepulchres; let no man among us hinder thee, that thou bury not in his sepulchre thy 3) dead. Then Abraham arose, and bowed himself before the people of the land, that is, before the children of Heth; and he spake unto them, saying: If it be your mind that I bury my dead before me, hear me, and pray for me against Ephron the son of Zoar, that he give me his twofold cave, which he hath at the end of his field. For the same money he will give it to me among you for an inheritance burial; for Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. Then Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham, that the children of Heth heard him before all that came in and out of the gates of his city, and said, Nay, my lord, but hear me. I give thee the field, and the cave that is therein, and give it thee in the sight of the children of my people, to bury thy dead. Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land, and spake unto Ephron, that the people of the land might hear, saying, If thou wilt obey me, I pray thee, 4) Take of me the money of the field, which I give thee, and I will bury my dead man there. Ephron answered Abraham, and said unto him, My lord,

1. Marginal gloss: Hebron. Hebron is Kiriath-Arba, says Moses, that is, the four city. For the high capitals of old were all Arba, that is, divided into four parts, like Rome, Jerusalem and Babylon. Gen. 10:10.
2. "us" is missing in the Wittenberg and the Erlanger.
3. Wittenberg and Erlangen: den.
4. "please I" is missing in the Erlanger.

5) Hear me, the field is worth four hundred shekels of silver; but what is that between me and you? Just bury your dead. Abraham obeyed Ephron, and weighed to him the money which he had said that the children of Heth heard, namely, four hundred shekels of silver, which was common in the purchase. So Ephron's field, wherein is the twofold cave over against Mamre, was confirmed unto Abraham for his own possession, with the cave therein, and with all the trees of the field round about, that the children of Heth looked on, and all that went in and out of the gates of his city. Then Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field, which is twofold, over against Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave therein were confirmed to Abraham for the inheritance burial of the children of Heth.

This is a foolish chapter to look at. What has he to make so many words about such a small thing, as Abraham buys a pit, because he puts in a dead man? Above [Cap. 22, § 30 ff/ we have heard that he sums up the whole kingdom of Christ in three or four words, since it would be necessary for him to make a hundred thousand words, and makes so little that he cannot make less, sums it all up in one word: blessing. Here he washes away a whole chapter of that, since nothing is needed. It is a foolish thing in the sight of reason, and useless talk. What shall we make of it? According to history, I know nothing to make of it, because it is written contrary to the superstitious and hopeful saints, who like to tighten their consciences, and think that he who serves God does not have to deal with such worldly things, so that one learns from it to be in the manner of the people with whom one deals.

5. "doch" is missing in the Erlanger.
6. Marginal gloss: Seckel. Seckel is a weight on the coin, a place of a guilder, because before times one weighed the money thus, as one does now with gold.
7. "man" taken by us from Walch's old edition; in the other editions: he.

368 Erl. 34, 32-34. Sermon on Genesis 23:1-20, W. Ill, 549-552. 369

That it may be an example of love. When one comes so far that the faith and the gospel remain, one should not turn to how people live, what laws they have, but should always be according to their nature; and that it is not a sin for a Christian to act and deal with people, to become a merchant, to keep the way as the others do, and especially to express the giving of money, 1) which is common and customary.

2. it is not a small virtue of love, as Paul says, to send oneself in every man's way, for we shall not bring it to pass that a whole world shall be after us. fIt] is enough if we receive this, that s^the^gospel and the faith remain. After that we must think, the world will not do what I want, therefore I will send myself into it and do what it wants. Therefore Paul says Rom. 12, III: "Send yourselves into the time", and make yourselves even with everyone. Item sPhil. 4, 5.: vestra nota sit oinnibus

üominibus, "Let your gentleness be known to all men," that is, that you keep it so in your nature that no one may complain about you; so also 1 Cor. 10:33: Do as I do; "I make myself pleasing to everyone," that is, I yield and give way to everyone, letting go of my right and mind, where I see that another is opposed to me ever coming to him, so that he may have pleasure in me.

(3) It is a fine rule: He that will please any man, let him please every man; and again, He that will please no man's way, shall please no man. So shall a Christian do. They do not. If one laughs a little too much, and runs over the string, they purr and purring; everyone says that his sense is the best, that everything else is good for nothing. So everyone who walks in his own way always makes himself believe that the other is not as pure as his, no one pleases him well; and yet he wants his way to please everyone. These are false gleaming works, which do not walk in love.

Therefore, the work of Abraham must be praised, even if it does not seem worth writing. Could he find no other love.

1. Jenaer: and.

according to the high example of faith? Yes, it is certainly the greatest, highest work that is indicated in this according to history. He who has love must not do much more.

5. that Abraham buys the field around four hundred Seckel, one must know that sielus is two kinds, gülden and silbern. The silver one is almost as much in coinage as a local florin, so four sovereigns make a florin. So the four hundred coins make a hundred florins; that is how much he bought the field with trees and everything on it; that was his treasure. Thereby the cross is indicated, as he was a sojourner, and did not have a foot wide in the land, which God had promised him, as Stephen says in Acts 7, 5J.

6th The grave in the cave was over against Mamre, which is Hebron (says the text); fdas] was its old name, perhaps from a great man who lived there, as is said above in the fourteenth chapter, v. 24, from the three men, Aner, Escol and Mamre. The text also calls this city KiriathArba, that is, a four-city, from Greek

that is, one of the great capitals that were commonly divided into four parts, like Jerusalem and Babylon, as stated above in the tenth 2) chapter.

(7) Now here, among other things, it is also indicated how one should behave Christianly toward the dead, that it is a good work. It is a good work to bury the dead, otherwise he would not have said so much about where and how Sarah was buried.

8 Item, that Abraham lamented and wept over them, is also written for this reason, that it is not evil to grieve, to mourn, and to suffer for the sake of the people who die to us. Although we must all die, yet we are so constituted by love that each one should grant life to the other, just as we are all united in being poor and living in sweat: nor should love have anything to do there, and be concerned about 3) the neighbor's poverty and other hardships. According to faith we may neither live nor die, but according to love we must take care of our neighbor; as this life bears,

2. In the editions: "eleventh". Luther Werst hiedurch auf, was in? 9 of the tenth chapter.
3. "um" is missing in the Erlanger.

370 Erl. 34, 34-37. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 582-854. 371

it is good that we rejoice with him, and again, as Paul teaches Rom. 12:15: "Rejoice with the glad, and weep with those who weep."

(9) Let every man therefore take care of his neighbor, even of the need of the body, as it may be; lest the trusting saints come, and think to cast it to the winds, that a Christian may be of good cheer, and live as he will. Let no one be such a great saint who does not let himself be struck by and accept the needs of his neighbor. Christ also had enough before him; and although among all the miracles he did, the greatest was that he preached the gospel, nevertheless he helped all the sick, as Matthew writes: "He took our infirmities upon himself, and our sicknesses he bore.

(10) You must not judge a Christian otherwise than according to faith and love. According to faith he takes care of no thing on earth; according to love he takes care of all things. God does not want to uproot nature through the gospel, but lets remain what is natural, but directs it to the right path. It is natural for a father to love his child, for a wife to love her husband, and to be happy when he is well, and again. A Christian does not accept this in the sight of God according to faith, even if everything goes to ruin, but according to love we should accept it as our own need and judge it according to love. Otherwise, he would not have written that the great patriarch wept for his wife when she was not supposed to serve him. So God sends us that such movements of the heart remain, and still wants us to overcome them with faith, and therefore not to despair, nor to fall from God. So you are a truly Christian person, who obeys God in all things, and yet 2) worries when adversity befalls another. Therefore you see that it is nothing that some spirits pretend that one should be so completely free of creatures that one does not care at all about how others are.

11 Now this is from the love of Abraham

1. Erlanger: with.
2. "itself" is missing in the Erlanger.

He said that he would take such great care that he would have a property for the dead. Before the world it is done that everyone thinks where he wants to stay and what he wants to have in life, before death. Here it is the other way around. Throughout his life he was a stranger, so that he did not have a foot wide for his and his wife's body; now, because she is dead and never enjoys it, he first wants to have his own property; so that one might think him a fool, that he now wants to provide, and did not do so before. Everything came from faith, as also this burial.

(12) Which I believe came from the holy Scriptures. For the heathen, especially the Romans, burned their dead; but the Scripture calls it burial, and flows, I think, from the third chapter of this book, where God Cap. 3, 19. says to Adam, "Until thou return to the ground from whence thou wast taken, for thou art dust, and shalt return to dust." There is the little word s^] Aphar, that is, such earth as is loose, as if it were crushed, as the moles throw up, or as one throws out of the grave, which is crushed. Now if one buries the man under the earth, earth becomes again from it; so it goes all from God's words, as he had heard from his fathers.

(13) Now he has a certain promise that the land he held would be given to his heirs. He relied on that word, not caring if he did not have it while he was alive, knowing that they would take it after his death. Thus he looked to the resurrection of the dead, thinking that it would be another life and land that God would give him, as the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 11:10 indicates. This is what he meant by despising this life, and he respects the dead as much as he looks to another life. God also indicates how he takes the dead into his care and guard, that is, that this Sarah is better provided for now than when she was alive. As if he should say: Because you live, you always care; so you must leave the care when you die, 3) and let me care for you. So Sarah is now lying on her own property and land, which is theirs.

3. In the old editions: gesterbet.

372 Erl. 34, 37-39. sermon on Gen. 23, 1-20. 24, 1-67. w. m, 554-359. z7z**.**

God had promised, which had nothing of its own before. God comforts us all with this, and secretly points to the resurrection of the flesh, because he cares more for the dead than for the living; he would never do this if he did not have in mind to raise the dead. This was the comfort of the holy fathers when they died, that they now lie and rest in the bosom of God.

Now, to touch the spiritual interpretation of what the burial means, we have from St. Paul, Rom. 6, 3. f.: "Know ye not that all we which are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his death? So we are ever buried with him through baptism into death. "2c. Item, v. 5: "But if we have been planted together with him unto like death, we shall also be like unto the resurrection." When one baptizes a Christian, one baptizes

him to death, that he should die. Just as a grain is thrown into the ground when it is sown; it is buried, so that it must die in the ground, and again a new grain grows up. Thus we are planted with the Lord Christ in baptism, pass through and in baptism into his death and grave, and through death into a new and eternal life. This is the sum of it: He who is baptized has no more to do than to be buried. For even though I am in the body, I deal with it by always closing it up, creeping deeper and deeper into the grave, until I rot; so that I daily break off desire, dampen and strangle lust, and die to the world, until I decompose under the earth; so I must be buried to the world, if I am to live with God. This is the mystery.

The twenty-fourth chapter.

Abraham was old and well-born, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. And he said unto his eldest servant of his house, which had charge of all his goods, Put thine hand under my thigh, that I may make thee swear by the LORD God of heaven and earth, that thou shalt take unto my son a wife of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but that thou shalt go unto my fatherland, and to my friendship, and take unto my son Isaac a wife. And the servant said, If the woman will not follow me into this land, how shall I bring thy son again into the land whence thou camest? And Abraham said unto him, Take heed lest thou bring my son thither again. The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my friendship, which spake unto me, and sware unto me, saying, This land will I give unto thy seed; and he shall send his angel before thee, that thou mayest take a wife for my son there. But if the woman does not follow you

If you want to take my son, you are free from this oath; but do not take him there again. Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him. So the servant took ten camels from his master's camels, and went, having with him all his master's goods, and arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made the camels lie down without the city by a well of water in the evening about the time when the women went out to draw water, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, meet me this day, and have mercy on my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the people of this city shall come forth to draw water. If therefore a damsel come, to whom I say, Incline thy pitcher, and let me drink; and she shall say: Drink, and I will drink thy camellias also: that she may be she whom thou hast given to Isaac thy servant, and that I may know by her that thou hast shewed mercy on my lord. And before he went out

** **374 Erl. 34, 39-42. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 55S-562. 375

When he had spoken, behold, Rebekah came forth, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, who was the wife of Nahor Abraham's brother; and she bare a pitcher upon her shoulder; and she was a very fair damsel in appearance, and a virgin, and no man knew her: and she went down unto the well, and took the pitcher, and went up. Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me drink a little water out of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord. And she hasted, and let down the pitcher upon her hand, and watered him. And when she had made him drink, she said: I will drink unto thy camels also, until they all drink. 1) And she hasted, and poured out the pitcher into the trough, and ran to draw water, and drew water for all his camels. And the man marveled at them, and held his peace, until he perceived whether the Lord had well directed his journey or not. When the camels had all drunk, he took a gold forehead clasp weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets on their hands weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, "My daughter, to whom do you belong? Tell me. Have we room to dwell in thy father's house? And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bare unto Nahor. And she said unto him, There is plenty of straw and fodder with us, and room enough to lodge. Then the man bowed himself, and worshipped the LORD, saying, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, which hath not left his mercy and his faithfulness upon my master: for the LORD hath led me by the way to my master's brother's house. And the damsel ran and told all these things at her mother's house. And Rebekah had a brother, whose name was Laban. And Laban ran unto the man without by the well: and when he saw the browbands and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus said the man unto me, he came unto the man, and, behold, he stood by the camels by the well. And said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD, why standest thou without? I have the

1, Erlanger: to drink. In the Bible: drunk.

He cleared the house and made room for the 2) camels. So he led the man into the house, and unharnessed the camels, and gave them straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the men that were with him, and set food before him. But he said, I will not eat until I have first advertised my cause. They answered: Tell me. He said: I am Abraham's servant, and the LORD hath blessed my lord abundantly, and waxed great, and hath given him sheep, and oxen, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses: moreover Sarah my lord's wife bare a son to my lord in his all, to whom he hath given all that he hath. And my lord took an oath of me, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Cananites, in whose land I dwell; but go to my father's house, and to my family, there take a wife for my son. And I said unto my lord, What if the wife will not follow me? Then said he unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and make thy way, that thou mayest take a wife for my son of my friendship, and of my father's house. Then shalt thou be even with my oath, when thou comest to my friendship: if they give thee not, thou shalt be even with my oath. So I came to the well this day, and said, O LORD God of my lord Abraham, thou hast made my way, whence I journeyed: behold, I stand here by the well of water. Now when a virgin comes forth to draw, and I say unto her, Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher; and she shall say, Drink thou, and I will draw for thy camels also, that she may be the wife which the LORD my master's son hath given. Now before I had spoken these words in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with a pitcher upon her shoulder, and went down to the well, and drew. And I said unto her, Give me to drink: and she hasted, and took the pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thee thy camels.

2. "also" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. "they" is missing in the Erlanger.

376 Erl. 34, 42-44. Sermon on Genesis 24:1-67. W. Ill, 562-565. 377

also water them. So I drank, and she also watered the camels. And I asked her, and said, What daughter art thou? She answered: I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bare unto him. And I put a brace on her forehead, and bracelets on her hands, and bowed myself, and worshipped the LORD, and praised the LORD, 1) The God of my lord Abraham, which led me in the right way, to take my lord's brother's daughter unto his son. Now if you are those 2) who will do mercy and faithfulness to my lord, 3) tell me; if not, tell me, and I will turn to the right hand or to the left. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said: This came forth from the LORD; therefore we cannot speak against it, either evil or good. Now Rebekah is before thee; take her, and go, that she may be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken. When Abraham's servant heard these words, he bowed himself to the LORD to the ground, and drew out silver and gold jewels and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; but to her brother 4) and to her mother he gave spices. 5) Then he ate and drank, and the men that were with him dwelt there overnight. And in the morning he arose, and said, Let me go to my lord. But her brother and mediator said: Let the damsel stay with us a day or ten, and then go. Then he said to them: Do not stop me, for the LORD has prepared my way; let me go to my master. Then said they, Let us call the damsel, and ask what she saith. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she answered, Yea, I will go with him. So they sent Rebekah her sister away with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou a thousand times a thousand, and thy seed possess the gates of his enemies. So Rebekah set out with her

1. "den HErrn" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. "so" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. "wollt" is missing in the Erlanger.
4. Erlanger: to their brothers.
5. Jenaer: delicious fruit.

And she sat down on the camels, and went after the man. And the servant took Rebekah, and went. And Isaac came from the well of the living and seeing, because he dwelt in the land toward the south, and was gone out to seek b) in the field toward the evening. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw that there came camels. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac, and fell down from the camel, and said unto the servant: Who is this man that cometh to meet us in the field? And the servant said, This is my lord. Then she took the veil 7) and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things which he had set forth. And Isaac brought her into the tabernacle of Sarah his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and loved her. So Isaac was comforted concerning his mother.

In the next two chapters we have heard about the dead, dying and burying; 8) here we hear again about life. Because that woman died, we must have a new bride again. Therefore, the chapter is no more than a history of the wedding, as it has approached the time. [But someone would like to say what a useless talker Moses is, that he makes so many words for the sake of the bride, describes it so exactly that he also says about camels alone. Now, we want to deal with the history first. But after this you will see a consolation, which all believers have, how God takes care of their things so hard.

2 Isaac was promised to be a father of a great nation, so it was certain that he would be married and have a wife. God also takes care of him. His life, his death, his honor, his goods, and all that he has are in God's hands; so also the wife he is to have, and yet does not know where she will come from. We fools do all things before we ask God for them, and do foolish things with them; afterward, when we see that the reproach is over, and the earnestness is lifted up, we grumble and are impatient. If we were Christians, and looked at man and woman in such a way that

6. In the Bible: pray.
7. In the Bible: cloak.
8. "heard" is missing in the Erlanger.

378 Erl. 34, 44-47. Interpretations On the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, SS5-567. 379

it was God's creation, and that we had to take everything from His hand, that we would not draw even a drop of water if God gave it, we would not make a mockery of it. The holy fathers accepted it all as a good gift from God, but we go along as if we had done it and God did not know about it or accept it.

(3) Behold, God thus provides for His own before Abraham, Isaac, and the servant, to whom they give thought with their friendship. To show that everything should be done in faith, that everything we have should be commanded to Him, especially the marriage state, the fruits of which are common in all the world, and for which reason it is established that people should be governed in the knowledge of God, and that children should be taught to fear God, and that care should be given to God.

4 But Abraham does not let this go; even though he and Isaac both ask God where the woman comes from, he still does as much as he needs to do. He shall leave off worrying and trust in God; he shall not leave off crooked work. I shall do my part, but how, when and where it is done, I shall command him. Therefore he commands God what he should take for one; but he sends his servant out among friends, not knowing where. As if he should say, as he also says: You will probably find one, only do not worry about what and how, you will have a great vile man. God from heaven has sworn to me and said, "This land I will give to your seed, who will send his angel before you, that you may take a wife for my son there." As if he wanted to say: If he wants to give my son the land, he will also give my son a wife; so he defies and insists on the promise. But if God will not provide it, then come again, he says, he will surely find where it is to come from; yes, he defies and insists even more, that he says, "He will send his angel before you"; so firmly does he hold to the promise of God. This is a piece that he makes the servant to seek as far as he is able to seek.

005 And he went further, and took an oath of the servant that he would never take a wife of the daughters of the land where he dwelt. This Abraham knew, that the Amorites, and

who dwelt in the land of Canaan were all to be destroyed, as it is said above in the fifteenth chapter, v. 16. 21. They] must all depart, if his seed should take the land. From the word it followed that he should not mix with the people, nor make friends with them, because God had already pronounced the judgment that they must all be cast out. So Abraham, as much as he had in him, did not spare work and effort, but commanded God to take care of him. Now, the servant is a pious, holy man, in great devotion and trust. Abraham will have drawn his servants in such a way that many of them will have been devout, but also many will have been wicked.

6th But that he laid his hands on Abraham's thigh, I had, must have been a usage, as we swear by the gospel or the saints; so that especially the great lords had the manner of taking an oath thus. Some interpret it spiritually, because Christ was to come from Abraham's blood and flesh, he therefore put his hand under Abraham's waist, so that the oath pointed to Christ. I let that go in his dignities.

(7) History also has this in it, that a pious Christian may also leave the world its right. Otherwise, one might have said, "What is he doing with this gilded work, that he lays such great things on it, and gives the servant ten cameos, gold and precious stones, and makes great splendor and gifts, so that he might give them to poor people? For this very reason it is written, that no one should think it a sin to ride with the bride more gloriously than he does in common life, that he should not be so tightly bound. It is not a sin to adorn a bride more beautifully than a maidservant, and to make a greater show of it, because these fathers did it. God allows it to happen in honor of the wedding, so that it may be praised.

Therefore one must leave the world its right, except the abundance, that one decorates a bride fairly, goes, eats and drinks, also that one dances beautifully, one must make no conscience about it, only that one resists, where it is abundance 1). God can well

1. Erlanger: exceedingly.

380 Erl. 34, 47-49. Sermon on Genesis 24:1-67. W. m, ss7-s7o. 381

If one does a little too much at times, let no one's conscience be troubled.

9 But where one does not seek joy in it, but makes swine out of it, as we Germans do, 4>it is no good, one should resist. So it is also with the jewelry; now one must have so much pearls and silk, just as if the bride should not be adorned, but let it be seen how heavy she can carry. If that means adorned, then one could also adorn a cart, which could carry a lot of the thing; but there is a lack of regiment, which should see into it, and set measurements. It is also the fault of mad men who give women as much as they can hang around them; so it is a mad beast for a woman who cannot be satisfied with adornment. I say this because God is not angry if a man adorns himself well and lives well.

(10) So Abraham had the servant bring some gold jewels and ornaments for the bride, one of half a gold coin, the other two of ten gold coins. One gold coin is ten local florins, which is three and a half florins, so that it was all worth thirty florins.

(II) So now one would speak of dancing as we speak of adornment. That one says of it that it brings much stimulus to sins, is true, if it goes beyond the measures and discipline; but also one can well court with one who has neither jewelry nor beauty; for love is blind, falls so fchier on a cow dung, 1) than on a lily leaf. Therefore, because dancing is also the custom of the world, of the young people who take up marriage, if it is also done demurely, without shameful manner, words or gestures, only for joy, it is not to be condemned. This is what God has indicated herewith, that he lets it be written in such a way that the hopeful saints do not make sin out of it so soon; if only it is not brought into abuse.

The bride's side of the story is more delicate, so that one can see how the daughter is finely dressed. How kindly she receives the foreign servant, how willingly and servilely she 2) acquires herself,

1. Erlanger: Dirt.
2. Erlanger: beut.

that she serves him according to all need, runs and tells her father, and provides him shelter. This is how the children were raised in the past, so that they were able to serve, to be willing to accommodate everyone, especially guests and pilgrims, which virtue is often praised in the Scriptures. Item, afterwards, when he leads her home, and she sits on the camel, sees Isaac from afar, she falls from the camel, wraps the veil around her, and veils herself, has finely humble and chaste posed against the people, and led an honorable gesture, as the virgins look fine. It is also the best and loveliest adornment when they are chaste in their behavior, when they lower their eyes and do not throw themselves about; it is lovelier than all the gold that one may wear, as the wise man says: "Whoever has a chaste wife is not to be paid with money; but she is a strange animal. For it is a weak little flower around a woman, cannot keep itself nor govern itself.

(13) Now we should speak further of the marriage, how it should be done. The pope has forbidden in his rights the secret vows; but again, when it is done, he binds it, so that he has broken so many marriages, and tied them together again, that it is a pity. So now I have said, Let father and mother be mighty over the child. For there is no greater obedience on earth than father and mother obedience, nor greater authority. Where there is not father and mother, there shall be cousin, and whatsoever is next of kin, and guardians. Therefore I have said further: A maid or a boy shall not betroth himself; for hitherto the married life has been made a laughingstock and a disgrace, so that the young people have been ashamed to desire a married husband, and so they have been secretly driven into corners.

This is how it should be: If one is engaged behind the will of the parents, it shall stand with the parents, whether it is valid or not. You must not go to Rome for this; father and mother should do it, if it pleases them to confirm it; if not, they should only tear it up so that it does not bind. If this were to happen, much error and fornication would remain, since otherwise all misfortune and heartache would follow.

382 Erl. 34, 49-51. Interpretations On the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, 570-573. 383

(15) Again, the parents should be wise, whether the children should and must follow them, that they may advise them 1) of their will, as Abraham does here. For it is Isaac's will that the father do as he pleases. Item, when the servant comes, and woos the bride, they say: "There is Rebekka, take her"; so they were already given together; still the brother goes to, and lets them also ask. All this is written, that Christian beings should be free, yes, go with will, out of desire and love; as Paul says to Philemon, v. 8-10, "I would have authority to command you what is your due; but, for love's sake, I admonish you" 2c. And soon after, v. 14: "Without thy will I would do nothing, that thy good might not be compelled, but be self-willed." So that a seriousness may remain in the matter, and not a joke be made of it. It is a high, noble estate, and with others it is nothing compared to this; for it must provide for and govern all, therefore it should also be raised to God's name. But what more is to be said of the marital state, how often marriage is broken up or separated and permitted, you may read in the booklet written about it.

(16) Thus we have the marriage of the patriarch Isaac, prepared by the Father, and provided for him by God; as I have often said, that it behooves a right Christian man to wait for all the goods of God, and only to be idle with care. From this, no doubt, Solomon took the saying Proverbs 19:14: Domu8 6t äivitiuo llaoroäitas purontum; a Domino autom uxor pruäons; "House and goods inherit the parents; but a sensible wife comes from the Lord." Parents can do much to provide a house and goods, but that it will be well with a wife is in God's hands alone. That is why a wife is more valuable than a house and a farm. Man has power from God to rule animals and all that is on earth, so that he may be master Gen. 2:20; therefore he has in his power the house and what belongs in the house, but he does not have the power to rule the wife. For no one can govern the soul of man, but God alone, through

1. Wittenberg and Jena: themselves.

the word and gospel. Where this is not, it remains ungoverned; but if it is governed, it becomes hypocrisy, and does not come from the heart. Hence the cry about married life, that it is a strange thing for a woman; for they are evil to rule.

(17) Therefore it is written that whoever wishes to begin a married life, to begin it in faith and in God's name, pray to God that the estate may succeed according to his will, so that it may not be made a laughingstock and a juggler. It is an annual thing, and as great an earnestness as there may be on earth; therefore, it is not to be slipped into, as the world does, to follow frivolity and levity, and to seek pleasure therein, but to ask God beforehand that one may lead such a life in honor of God. If they do not do so, they may thank God; if they do not do so well, they should not be surprised, because they did not begin it in God's name and ask Him for His blessing, but are under their own authority to govern people who are not in their hands. But whoever lets God do it and master it, it goes happily. I do not know much more to say about the chapter according to history; the best part is the faith of Abraham, who sends his servant to the defiance of the promise, promised to him. fWe] now also want to see something of the secret interpretation.

(18) Now here we have to mention Christ, who must always be there; if he is not found, it is not right. Isaac is an image of the Lord Christ, and he also has the right name, namely, as a laughing man who laughs for joy, so that he also indicates Christ by his name. He is the joyful child who makes people laugh, so that all hearts that know him must overflow with joy.

19 Now Abraham is here, that is, God appoints him a wife and brings her from another country; that is, Paul says in Eph. 5:25, 32: His bride is called the Christian church. For the marriage state is a sacrament and spiritual interpretation of Christ and Christianity, that we are all one body with Christ, who believe, and his bride; as he also says to the Corinthians 2. Ep. 11, 2.

Z84 Erl. 34, 51-54. Sermon on Genesis 24, 1-67. W. Ill, S73-576. 585

a pure virgin to Christ". Christ has a bride, whom he wants to remain a virgin and pure, like him. But she would not be pure if he had not made her pure, as St. Paul says in Eph. 5:25-27: "He gave himself for her, that he might sanctify her, and cleanse her with the bath of water in the word, that he might present unto him a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, but that she should be holy and without blemish." He found them unclean, but added the word, preached the gospel, and thereby cleansed them when they believed. So Christianity is his bride, which has the name from him, that she is called as ^r is called, and what the bridegroom has is all hers.

(20) But where did the bride come from, who fetched her and brought her so that 1) they could come together? The father had to send a servant with camels to fetch her. The bride does not seek the bridegroom, nor is this the usage, but he must have the first word and woo her. This also means that it is not in us to seek a unified good work. Thus the heavenly Father sends his messengers, wooing them, so that we 2) may not boast that we were the first and started it; he wants to keep the glory that he did the first work by his word. But the servants and messengers are the holy prophets and apostles, sent by God into the world to guide His word and bring Christianity to Him. But how does he send them? So that they do not know where he is sending them. (He names the country, the city and the friendship, but he does not say which maidservant they are to be until they arrive, when she appears before his eyes unawares.

(21) With this, the essence of the gospel as it works in the world is all explained. They just go and let the word go, let God take care of it, who can find it and send it under eyes, so that it is there before one looks around. Before he enters the house, the bride goes out and meets him. So, if they just let the ministry go, preach the word, the Rebekah who is supposed to be there comes out and meets him.

1. Erlanger: da.
2. Erlanger: they.

and believes, thus becomes the bride. Now the servant of his master gives her goods. Paul interprets this from 1 Cor. 4:1: "For this reason, consider us servants of Christ and stewards of the mystery of God. First, the servant gives her special jewels, like those given to brides, inaures, or forehead bracelets, of half a shekel of gold, that is, almost one Hungarian florin; then also an armlet, which she puts on her hands and arms, ten shekels of gold, that is, four and twenty florins; the two he expresses specially. The first jewel on the forehead is not precious, the other is still twenty times as precious on the hands. Now the spiritual goods which he brings with him, and gifts which he gives to the bride, mother and friends, these are the mysteries of God, as Paul calls them, and in short, nothing but the gospel; which brings with it brow bands and bracelets, that is, it brings with it faith, and then the gifts of the Spirit.

22 Thus the two are put on in the Revelation of John Cap. 14, 9., the forehead and hands, which the end-Christ forbade, that no man should buy nor sell, except he had a mark, seal, and mark of the forehead and hands, as here. These are the two pieces, faith and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The hands signify the outward life that a Christian man leads; but the forehead is the face before God. Faith seems to be small, but it is much nobler and better; love seems to be much greater, as it is, therefore it spreads widely and serves everyone. For, faith alone acts against God, and goes to one person; but love goes to all people. Summa, this is how the jewels indicate the manifold gifts of God, as Paul calls them and tells us in 1 Cor. 12, 4 and also in Rom. 12, 6, which are given to Christianity when it believes. But faith must be first, after which God comes with all His beautiful gifts and adorns them with them, as. Prophesying, ruling, wisdom, understanding, discerning of spirits 2c. All these things have now passed away in the time of the apostles, who were sent into the Jewish land.

3. "also" is missing in the Jena.

13

386 Erl. 34, 54-56. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 576-580. 387

To offer and distribute the Gospel with its goods and gifts.

23 Further, Laban, the bride's brother, is called in German white, glistening, which shines brightly and glistens, with whom one finds the bride. This is the synagogue and Judaism, which was finely decorated and adorned, but all shiny and glistening. For the gospel does not strike the most wicked spirits, but those who have practiced, who would gladly be pious; there it commonly finds poor, wretched consciences, among whom it finds the bride, who is imprisoned under the law, whom it must set free and bring to Christ.

(24) This also means that she goes out with the jar from her father's house to fetch water. First of all, she is a maid, not a woman; this is the Jewish people, who carried themselves with the jar of the law, which is vain water that waters only the animals, the external people who know nothing of faith; carries it on his back, this is the burden that those carry who handle the law.

(25) But the law serves to keep the people finely in check, so that they may lead a fine, chaste life, like Rebekah here, who is now to become a woman. The ministry of preaching is nothing but a water jar, from which the camels are watered; but the camels are the great, hopeful saints, for which the apostles must also drink of the water. Thus we have two preaching ministries, law and gospel. The law is a gleaming, the gospel comes and brings us to the Lord, who makes us a woman.

26. the bride's name is also Rebekka, that is, a fattened woman, or a fat woman 1).

1. This is how this word is written in the Wittenberg and in the Jena. Erlanger: Plüntzsch.

and fat boasting, that is the synagogue, fattened and fat with great works, but must afterwards draw in and slenderize themselves by the gospel, is still fat and full of their own works, that they may throb heavenward, like the fat Eglon Judges 3:17.

27. This is the meaning by which the preaching ministry and the gospel is modeled, what it accomplishes in the world, how Christ reigns, and lets the apostles bring his bride, whom they do not know who she should be, whom he then takes to himself; their mother and friends he leaves in the country, and gives them gifts, but to the bride he gives it all, puts her in all the goods that he has. Christianity is made up of Jews and Gentiles, 2) has come to Christ even with one another; but the Synagogue has only a piece and a part, a small jewel of it.

028 And Abraham's commanding the servant that he should take no wife for his son, save of his own friendship, and not of the Canaanites, signifieth that Christ is not promised save unto the Jews. Then the bride had to be fetched; but we were added, like the harlot, so Rebekah led along. But the head and best of Christianity was the Jewish people, that is the blood. Christ is their cousin, coming from the fathers; the apostles were actually sent to the Jews. But since they did not want to listen, they turned to the Gentiles, like Rebecca takes her nurse and maids with her, and what she belongs to. That is the historia with the meaning; now we want to bury Abraham, and make out his legend.

2. "und Heiden" is missing in the Erlanger.

The twenty-fifth chapter.

V.1-10 Abraham took a wife again, whose name was Keturah, and she bore him Simeon and Jaksau, Medan and Midian, Jezbak and Shuah. And Jaksan begat Seba and Dedan. And the children of Dedan were: Assurim, Letusim and Leumim. The children of Midian were: Ephah,

Cpher, Hanoch, Abida and Cldaa. All these are children of Keturah. Abraham gave all his goods to Isaac, but to the children he had from the concubines he gave gifts, and let them go from his son Isaac, because he was still alive, toward the east.

** 388 Erl. 34, 56-58. Sermon on Genesis 25:1-10. W. Ill, S80-582. 389**

Now this is Abraham's old age, that he lived an hundred and five and seventy years, and was sick, and died in a quiet old age, being old and full of life, and was gathered unto his people. And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the twofold cave of the field of Ephron the son of Zoar the Hittite, which is toward Mamre, in the field which Abraham bought of the children of Heth. There Abraham is buried with Sarah his wife.

001 In this text we have what the Scripture calls eoneubinas, that is, concubines; not concubines or pimps, but wives in wedlock. [They are called concubines because they were not righteous women, for Sarah was the right matron. Hagar was also Abraham's wife, for the text says that she gave Sarah to her husband, but she was not the wife of the house. Such are now called eoneubinao, concubines, not the chief women, but those who go to the right wife's hand, like other maidservants, and yet are wives.

2 Thus the text says here, how Abraham took Keturah in marriage, and begat children with her, and yet counted her among the concubines, because it says: Abraham gave all his goods to Isaac; but to the children he had by concubines he gave gifts. Thus Sarah was the chief wife, the others did not have so much power. Therefore, since the Scripture says of King Solomon 1 Kings 11:3 that he had seven hundred queens and three hundred concubines, it is also said that the queens are the right wives, and the others are their subjects. This is the scriptural custom and way.

(3) But I will not dispute much here what Abraham longed for, that he should take a young maid, and beget so many children, when he could hardly have had a son before. What the cause was, I do not know, the text does not say it either. It is not to be believed that he did it out of sheer presumption; but because he had the promise that his seed should be spread out as far as the world, he thought, "Although Isaac is the right seed, from which the spiritual seed should come," he nevertheless gave the other seed to the father.

also want to spread out, so that God's word would be fulfilled. Let no one think that the holy old father was so carnal that he had a desire for pleasure; he has been tempted so much and so highly that he has lost the thrill and become full of life.

4 The histories of the dear fathers are so foolish to look at that flesh and blood must laugh at them and consider them foolishness. But it is only because of this that hopeful, intelligent spirits are offended by them and become fools; just as St. Augustine, before he became a Christian, considered these histories so foolish and mocking. Such spirits, falling into it as they are, also judge the words of God according to the flesh. Meanwhile God is there, making Abraham walk in the spirit and do such works that if another did them, they would be useless; because he does them, it is all good. So a fool enters into it, cannot judge himself in it, nor see into Abraham's heart.

5 Therefore he that will read the scriptures must go with fear, and always read the fathers' legends, that he may never judge by works. If he does not, he will be grievously lacking, and will count the highest works for sin, and again. As above [Cap. 4, 5/ of Cain's sacrifice of the best fruits; that was a beautiful work; nevertheless God will not look at it, but takes care of the other. Therefore, reason must close its eyes to this and consider itself a fool.

(6) Therefore, whether or not such examples are found of the fathers, care must be taken that their deeds are not regarded as carnal, killing, murdering, raging, and avenging, (1) though they sometimes fall, that no one condemn them so soon, but look first at the spirit, as they have been minded. Was it not foolish of Samson, since his wife was taken from him, he said Mcht. 15, 3/: "I have once a right cause against the Philistines, I will do you harm", that is, I will avenge it, and put all misfortune on you? Was this also evangelical of him? What should reason judge? After all, it is publicly forbidden Matth. 5, 39, one should not strike again: still he continues, and since his people punished him,

1. Thus the Jenaers. Wittenberg and Erlangen: zörne und räche.

390 Erl. 34, SS-si. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, [W-sss. 391

why he had done it, he said [Judg. 15, III: "As they have done to me, so have I done to them again." Therefore, if reason should judge, it concludes that it is an unchristian work. God has always done so, and still does so, and will probably do so forever. We should let it close, so we want to master it.

7 So also the good Abraham must take a wife in his last days, only to make fools of us, that the whore, the reason, may be silent and leave her judgment. So also that which Samson did by the Holy Spirit, another cannot do without the Holy Spirit. It is the same work, but the Spirit separates it, just as Cain's and Abel's are separated. For Samson's mind was like this: He did not care that his wife had been taken from him; but he was set up as a protector and judge over the people, for which God had ordained him; therefore he was guilty of his office, that he harmed the enemies, and sought only cause as he could, that he might oppress the Philistines, and protect and save his people. For this reason he accepted this cause, that they had taken his wife from him in sacrilege, so that they themselves had to say that they deserved it. So learn to look at such histories and examples properly.

8th What now the children Keturä are, from it large people became, almost all in Arabia, as one finds in the prophets, have both Arabia in, realm Arabia, and stone Arabia, I let go, it does not belong for the laymen. Now that the children have freiet, Abraham died when he had lived a hundred uyd five and seventy years. [He was a pilgrim and a stranger in the land for over a hundred years, for he had just departed in the fifth and seventieth year of his age; so long was he a stranger there, having no possession of his own. What misfortune will have come under his eyes in the hundred years that his heart will have had to endure many a hard struggle; he will never have been safe, always tossed to and fro like a leaf from a tree; at last, however, he will still have his own burial. It is briefly described and said, a hundred years; but it is a long time to live.

What more does he do? [He makes an order in life, that Isaac, the son of the

The first wife shall remain in the house and sit in the property and inheritance, the others he shall abandon and give them their share.

(10) So he died in a quiet old age; he was full and satisfied with life, says the text. And it is also a great praise of the dear fathers, and a noble gift from God, that they have been weary and full of life, and have longed for death; they have died gladly and finely in peace. God has martyred them so well that they have had enough of life, have longed for death, and have become happy.

(11) So the two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, buried him. From this it is to be noted that the son Ishmael is not expelled as if he should never come back, because he ever comes here again to the burial. Therefore it is not unbelievable, but not certain, how some say, Ketura was Hagar, whom he took again after Sarä death. But it is certain that he took Ishmael to himself again, but in such a way that he was not allowed to live in the house; of course, the mother was often with him, so that he remained in the confession of his father.

12 Because Abraham is dead, we will henceforth hear another legend from the other father, Isaac, about how he was blessed after his father's death. But Abraham's legend is almost the greatest and noblest in this book, in which we do not see a bit of the jugglery that we have done with our legends and works, praying, fasting, watching 2c. We find nothing about what he ate or drank, how he put himself in time. If something of it there stood, how should they boast of their works and spiritual life; but now nothing stands there but faith, that God always drives and practices his word with persecution, and his nature always goes in love and holy cross, so the world becomes a fool about God's words and God's saints. But look at it, and learn from it, that no life is valid, it also goes like this. We will see and hear more about this in the following stories of Isaac and Jacob.

End of the history of the archfather Abraham.

1. In the old editions: reprimandable.
2. "again" is missing in the Erlanger.

392 Erl. 34, 61-63. Sermon on Genesis 25:11-18, W. Ill, 588-588. 393

V. ii. And after the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son, and he dwelt by the well of the living and the seeing.

God has blessed Isaac (says Moses), so that it can be seen that the first birth of Ishmael, his brother, is not valid before God, yes, he is rejected, and his blessing is given to Isaac, which was due to the firstborn before the world, as a sign that the flesh or physical birth does not make Abraham's children before God, as St. Paul explains in his epistles [Rom. 9, 8. Gal. 4, 28. For if the reputation of the flesh should apply here, then it would be right and just that this bodily and firstborn son, Ishmael, should have retained the preference and blessing, and not have been withdrawn from him without cause and guilt, as reason considers it. Since this one is not accepted, how much less should the other Jews, who are not so close to Abraham's children, and yet boast of the flesh, be considered before God.

V.12-18. This is the lineage of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar bore him, Sarah the maid of Egypt, and these are the names of the children of Ishmael, of which their families are named. The firstborn son of Ishmael, Nevajoth, Keder, Adbeel, Mibsam, Misma, Duma, Masa, Hadar, Thema, Jetur, Naphis and Kedma. These are the children of Ishmael with their names in their courts and cities, twelve sovereigns. And this is the age of Ishmael, an hundred and seven and thirty years: and he was sick, and died, and was gathered unto his people. And he dwelt from Havilah even unto Sur over against Egypt, as one goeth into Assyria; and he overtook all his brethren.

(14) This order the Scriptures always keep, as we have seen, from the beginning, that they first describe those who are born of and after the flesh, and then put those who are born of the Spirit, so that all of us, as St. Paul says, must first be born naturally of the flesh, and then spiritually through the Word. (There) is also in this the secret interpretation that the law and the law's people must come first, then the gospel. Grace is not given unless wrath is first given through the knowledge of sin.

felt. The old man must be executed and die first, and then the new man comes and lives.

(15) Secondly, it is shown here, as we heard above Cap. 4, 17, that Cain with his children first possesses the land, and invents all kinds of handling, and continues to multiply and spread out; so also here: this Ishmael sits down, thinks to stay in the land and to rule, begetting twelve sons, all of whom he makes rulers of the land, becomes a mighty, powerful lord, it goes well with him according to his command, comes over twelve rulers sooner than Isaac has two sons. God thus increases him as abundantly as if he did not want to increase Isaac, whom he had blessed, and raises him up in the land to sit quietly and rule, and lets Isaac go astray in the land as a stranger, to whom he had promised through his father to give the land. So God does it with his own, arranges the game so strangely that it seems as if only the antagonism should happen; lets it go to the faith so that it is exercised, remains pure and free, and becomes strong. Now he lets Ishmael be in charge and rule; but after Isaac's death he made his children so great and strong that they brought everything under themselves.

(16) Thirdly, Moses wants to show what kind of character, rule and trade Ishmael had when he says: "And he overcame all his brothers, that is, as was said about him above Cap. 16:12, he became a wild man, who did not want to obey anyone or be a subject, and not only attacked Isaac, but also the other brothers; as was also written about the Nephilim or tyrants in the sixth chapter v. 8 and about Nimrod in the tenth. Thus he lived with the sword, overpowered the people with it, brought them under himself and won. Has also had tzin great land under him, almost all of Arabia; therefore the Jews even to this day a part of the country, so one callsI 'atraeam, that is, Steiu-Ara-.

bien, call Kedar, after the one son of Ishmael.

(17) Behold, all the children of the flesh, that is their nature and trade, have great happiness,

1. Wittenberg and Jena: eleventh.

994 Erl. 34, 63-65. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 588-592. 995

Wealth and power, especially the works saints, who have the name that they are called God's people. On the other hand, the right ones are children of God in spirit and faith, must be despised and regarded as nothing, and must also be overpowered and persecuted by them. Now the interpretation and figure is that this is actually the way of the saints of works, who live in the law and seek godliness in works, that they always fight against those and 1) persecute those who walk righteously in faith; as St. Paul points out Gal. 4, 29. This is Ishmael. Now follows the story of the other son:

V. 19-23. This is the lineage of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as his wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, Laban the Syrian's sister. Isaac asked the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD was entreated, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children joined themselves together in her womb. Then she said: Since it should be so with me, why did I conceive? So she went to ask the Lord. And the LORD said unto her, There are two rooks in thy womb, and two manner of men shall depart out of thy womb; and one people shall be superior unto another, and the greater shall serve the lesser.

This patriarch does not have a long legend, like Abraham and afterwards Jacob. But there are again two brothers starting from the hour. There is a great deal of trouble 2) with the wife of Isaac, so that in the sight of reason it seems as if God were fooling. Therefore beware that you do not fool with the Scriptures, for God has done more to make fools of all the world with one small work. The first thing that is written here is that Isaac is tempted, who had the promise that his seed would become like the sand on the seashore: so God foolishly sets about it, as if nothing would come of it. Isaac takes a wife in the fortieth year, goes there five, ten, fifteen, until the twentieth year. How

1. "and" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. A lot of festivities are raised - a great being is made. (Dietz 8. v. Fest. Vergl. Cap. 26, s 1.)

He has seen many marriages, that it had increased around him daily, to whom God had not promised anything; he also sees his brother Ishmael, that he has so many children. Why does he not take a wife, as Abraham did Cap. 16, 1. ff., because he saw that his Rebekah was barren?

(19) The first thing that strengthened him was God's word, to which he clung firmly, and God provided when and how He would fulfill His promise. On the other hand, he also had the example of his father, that Abraham still had a child by the barren Sarah in his old age, when he had her at thirty years or longer, and had now learned how God fulfilled His promise against and above human reason and understanding. He may also have seen that the other children of Abraham were wronged by the other wives, and that he was not well with them.

020 Now when Isaac had tarried a long time, and tarried so many years, he prayed unto God, doubtless not once, but often and much, that his wife might be fruitful: and it was heard, that he had two children for one. There you see what the prayer of the devout believer is capable of, that it must be heard, and abundantly obtain what one asks for. So we see in all this nothing but fine examples of faith, as before in the patriarch Abraham.

21 The text also gives us something to preach about pregnant women. When Rebekah became pregnant, she experienced a special hardship, so that she had to suffer the children in her womb to bump into each other. Of course, this was not good for her, because she had to consider her life and feared that she would have to stay with the children. That is why she laments and cries: "Since it should be so for me, why did I become pregnant? Such distress and strange nature lead her so hard that she goes to ask the Lord; otherwise, if she had not been in fear of death, she would not have gone to ask. Where then did she go to the Lord? She has not gone to heaven.

22. the Jews say that she went to the old father Shem, the son of Noah, and

Z96 . Erl. 34, "5-"8. Sermon on Genesis 25:19-23. W. Ill, S92-S95. 397

The same asked, who according to the account was still alive at that time, and after that at fifty years. [It is also well believable. For he was the oldest father, lived a long time, well experienced and practiced in spiritual matters, and full of the Holy Spirit, that he knew how to advise in such matters. Besides him, there were several others of the same sex, also holy fathers. She went to them, no doubt not without orders, but with the advice of her husband, and asked what would become of them, or what she should think of them.

23. Then she gets this answer: Do not be surprised that it is so for you, because "you have two peoples in your body" 2c. "and the greater will serve the lesser". This seems as if it were a magic word, when such things were common among the Gentiles; but this is a special work of God, that He says the greatest shall serve the least. This is what we have said so often, and will see much more hereafter, is also decreed in heaven, that it must always go thus, as with the two children, that one must lie on top, and the other must allow itself to be trampled underfoot. In spiritual things, I say, not in outward being and goods; so that in the people who boast of God, his word and law, they must thus divide into the two heaps, and those who are the least and the lowliest must be drawn out and lifted up, but the greatest and most powerful will be rejected. This is so much said: God's people win when they are at the bottom, and the other bunch, when they are at the highest and firmest, they fall and lose. How is it possible that he who lies below should win? In the sight of God it must be seen; so it is said: Lost in the sight of the world, won in the sight of God; and again.

24 Thus this saying and figure was fulfilled in the apostles' time, as long as the gospel was preached, when they were persecuted and driven out by the Jews and the Gentiles; then reason and the world cannot say otherwise: With the Jews won, with the apostles lost. But what happened? In that the Jews win, they are under, and those who lose retain the victory. How so? Because the Jews are just by the apostle's word, for the sake of Christ's blood.

The apostles and martyrs, however, are held in the highest honor before God and praised above all the earth, because no king or emperor has ever attained such eternal honor and glory on earth.

(25) It will be the same in our time, if we are worthy. The pope with his bishops and tyrants will boast hostilely and cry victory when they have persecuted, tortured, burned and killed us, who have the gospel right, enough. But when they think that it is over with us, God will reveal who has won, and they will be overthrown and go to ruin, but we will remain forever. Summa, this is God's way and work, which He is always doing: He who is defeated is above. In worldly matters, things are different, where it is said: God helps the strongest; here, however, God helps the weakest.

Allegoria or secret interpretation.

Rebekah, the mother of two children, means the Christian church or holy scripture. For thus God calls the Scriptures or His Word His 1) womb and His breasts, out of which His Christians are born, as a child is born of the womb and nourished therein; as Isaiah Cap. 46:3 says: "Hear Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of Israel, who are carried in My womb, and by My mother." This is where the quarrel arises, that the two are at odds with each other; this is what she must feel and suffer, that she thinks she must stay with the children, that is, that the two peoples set themselves against each other. And the rumor rises over the Scriptures, which the right Christians have for themselves; but the works saints want to take them by force to their thing, and persecute those about it, so that it seems, and reason must say, that they must go to ruins.

27 Therefore she concludes that it is not good that there should be such discord in the world; surely a common council should be held, so that all may be at one, and each may know what he ought to do. How then do the best and brightest in the world think? Yes, wait

1. In the issues: his.

398 Erl. 34, 63-70. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 595-898. 399

until that happens, and in the meantime go to the devil. The pope also did it, wanted to stop such discord and make a unified regiment, so that the quarrel would be quieted, so that the children would no longer fight in their mother's belly. But what did he accomplish? Nothing but the devil and death.

But God says thus: Nothing will come of it, nor would it be right nor good that it should be quiet; I will have it so, that of the children there shall come two peoples, which must be eternally against one another; therefore St. Paul says 1 Cor. 11:19, "There must be divisions." But the strongest and greatest multitude are the Esauites, who deal in works and are without faith; but God finally does not suffer them to be superior, but turns it around, and makes Jacob trample Esau under his feet.

(29) So it goes with our lines now. After the gospel has been revealed and is in the daylight, we must oppose the papacy and say that it is a vain doctrine of the devil, as Paul says 1 Tim. 4:1. We cannot be silent, or we must have God as our enemy; then they cannot stand it, have power and the sword, and want to have us dead. Therefore, to have peace in Christendom is just as much as to have no Christendom.

030 Conclude therefore, that where the gospel is concerned, strife ariseth, that they come into the scriptures, and must fight on every side with the brethren; and where it is not, it is a sure sign that there are no Christians. Because Rebekah has good days, she does not bear children.

(31) But God causes such discord only so that the small group may rise and prevail, that it may be seen how all power and strength must be won, and be unable to do anything against God's word and His own, how small and weak they are.

32 Now, this saying, "The greatest shall serve the least," St. Paul drew on and interpreted Rom. 9:10-13: "When Rebekah was with child by Isaac, before the children were born, and had done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God might be according to election, it was said to her, not for merit of works, but for the sake of the children.

by grace: The greatest shall serve the least; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated." He wants to conclude that Jacob can boast of nothing, except that: "What I have was given to me and bestowed upon me by God before I was young in my mother's womb. Thus, this text forcibly puts down free will and all merits. For what could they do, or by what should they deserve, that this one should be subject, or that one should be subject?

33 Thus we have the divine judgment of the two brothers, that what is high is nothing before God and must be thrown down; and what is low is high before Him and must be subjected, so that both may be resisted, all arrogance and despair, and the poor have comfort and defiance, but the great and mighty fear and humble themselves.

V.24-28. When the time came for her to give birth, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first one that came out was reddish, all rough, like fur, and they called him Esau. Next came out his brother, who held Esau's heel with his hand, and they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born. And when the boys were grown up, Esau became a hunter and a husbandman, and Jacob a simple man, and dwelt in the tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his pasture: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

The scripture wants to show the miraculous work that the children did in their mother's womb, and after that, how everyone would have liked to be the first one out. The first one, says Moses, was reddish, not that he was completely red, but finely tanned, hard and brave; as one also reads of David 1 Sam. 16, 12, that he was a tanned one, with pretty eyes 2c. XXX But Esau is called in German, thätig or schäftig and wacker, as we say in our way, Thätereich, 1) therefore that he should become a hero before the world.

1. Thus the Erlangeners. Wittenberger: Dittereich; Jenaer: Ditterich. We have given preference to the former reading because Luther (Walch, old edition, vol. XIV, 1292, § 8) gives the name "Dydrich" the interpretation: "rich in GOtt, holy, divine".

400 Erl. 34, 70-73. sermon on Genesis 25, 24-34. W. Ill, 5S8-6VI. 401

35 Jacob's name is derived from the heel or sole of the foot, as one who kicks with his heels or feet, because he holds his brother here by the heel, and afterwards in chapter 27, v. 36, Esau himself says, "His name is Jacob, because he has now kicked me twice. This one, says the text, was a simple man and lived in the huts.

(36) Simple, in Hebrew Tham, means as much as we say, an innocent, pious man, without evil, who does no harm or harm to anyone. This man dwelt in the tabernacles, that is, he stayed at home with his mother, and did not break forth. Esau, on the other hand, became a farmer and a hunter; he prepared himself for food as if he thought he would live forever; he became strong and active in his work.

37 Now behold God's judgment, so that Isaac also is deceived, and sets his date on the son of Esau, and has him for his favorite, because, says the text, he ate of his pasture. He has thus thought: Rebekah is a fool, thinks much of Jacob; but this son, he thinks, should do it; Jacob, however, had to be the Cinderella, without Rebekah loving him. Therefore, you can conclude that this Esau was a delicious man, who walked along in the highest appearance and fine, respectable character, that it pleased the father quite well that he thought badly that he was the right son, on whom the blessing and promise was. [It also deceived him that he was the firstborn, as the text says; but of Jacob he thinks nothing, because he goes about so badly and simple-mindedly.

(38) But God allows the good father to err for a while, but at last he turns it around and always does it differently than we suggest, because he wants it badly that people fear him. Whoever does not do this, but lets his mind and conceit please him, he will surely overthrow it. So Rebekah thought, "Oh that God would look upon my son, that he might be blessed!" for she had for herself the saying, "The greatest shall serve the least," although it seemed much different to her eyes. Jacob also half doubted, because he saw how the father thought so much of his brother. So they stood on this side in fear, but Isaac and Esau thought they were the

thing certain; therefore they also are absent. But how Isaac sent himself into the word, which was spoken of the two brethren, I know not, that he thus erred and lacked, when the words were bright and clear: The greatest shall serve, and the least shall be lord. [This shows how God sometimes causes His saints to err, so that no one relies on saints, nor on conciliarity, and everything that seems great, but does not want to see or hear anything except what God's word says.

V.29-34. And Jacob cooked a dish. And Esau came from the field, and was weary, and said unto Jacob, Let me taste the red dish, for I am weary. Therefore his name is Edom. But Jacob said, Sell me this day thy firstborn. And Esau said, Behold, I must die: for what shall my firstborn be to me? And Jacob said, Swear unto me this day: and he sware unto him, and so sold Jacob his firstborn 2c.

The word Edom means "red" in German, from which Esau gets the name here. Above, when he was born, the text says, he was reddish in the body, or a tan. But the scripture does not give him the name because of this, but because of the red soup; so that they wanted to indicate the secret interpretation, as we will hear.

40 This text now shows how Esau was a proud saint, that he respected the first birth so little, and gave for the red soup; thus he thought: Ha, I am the first, that all dominion and right of the first birth remain well with me. For it was at that time and always with the Jews a precious jewel about the first birth, so that it brought with it both the priesthood and regiment, plus two parts of the inheritance. The firstborn was to be seated in his father's estate, and the lineage was to remain on him, so that the line of the family would continue after him.

41 But this was much greater, that Christ was promised to Abraham and his seed, therefore the honor of the first birth was even greater. But because they often strutted and defied such right, God also turned it around and rejected them, that the youngest were chosen for it; as we have also seen in Adam's and Abraham's children, and afterward of Jacob's and Joseph's sons; for He wills

402 Eri. 34, 73-75. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 6oi-vo4. 403

neither look at anything nor suffer anything that does not go in fear.

(42) Jacob may be excused here for not giving the red dish to his brother without the first birth, that he did it out of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for no doubt his mother always told him the words: The greatest shall serve the least.

43 But that the sophists say that Esau sinned by selling spiritual goods, and call it Simoniam, I leave aside, it is their dreams. The Scriptures punish him for despising the first birth and for taking it to the wind, which was a fine gift from God, and for giving it to the red pulp. He should have left life and limb over it before he would have let such honor and freedom, given by God, come from him; but because he so arrogantly despises it, God despises him again, and deprives him of all right and also of blessing.

44 Therefore Jacob has not sinned in taking them to himself, as the children of Israel Ex. 12:35 did not sin when they took from Egypt silver and gold utensils and garments, as God had appointed them. For the Egyptians were God's, with all that they had. So also Esau's first birth was God's, that he might take it from him and give it to his brother. As it came to Jacob, whether stolen or bought, it belongs to him. So this example teaches how God punishes presumption and arrogance, and exalts humility. Now let us see what is meant by this.

... (45) We have heard how these two brethren are two peoples who boast of God, and are not separated outwardly from one another, for they both abide in one house, but inwardly according to the faith of the heart; these are the two, Jews and Christians. The Jews were Esau, active and quick, freshly practicing the works of the law. When the gospel went out, Esau was the first to come forth, and he was of a fine reddish color; that is, the saints of works shine beautifully in their fine works, so that they alone are thought to be children of God; and they must be reddish or brown, that is, a fierce, hot, angry people, as brown people commonly are. That is it

Also that they are hairy and rough, like a skin, that is, of a stiff-necked and rude kind, not clean nor kind. [There is no more unpleasant, unpleasant and bitter people than such saints of works; therefore Christ also calls them viper-bred; they can have neither patience nor mercy with those who stumble because of weakness; they judge everyone, purr and purge, as soon as one does not do right to them.

(46) But the true Christians are gentle and mild, able to bear and mend the weak. These, as I have said, must be the firstborn, that they may have greater honor, name and authority before the world. But Jacob also wanted to be the firstborn, because Christians like to see that everyone recognizes the gospel, but nothing comes of it. Esau must come first before the world; however, Jacob 1) holds Esau's heel with his hand, that is, the works saints push the pious Christians under, outside before the world; but before God it turns around again, that they tread those under the feet, as we will hear.

47] Further, I have said above 26] that Rebekah means the holy Scriptures, but Isaac, the father, means God. If we now compare the benefits that God has bestowed on the carnal Jews and also on the true believers, it seems that God preferred the Jews to the apostles; He sets Himself against them as a father, but these He calls to go, as everyone's servants, and sets Himself as if He did not know them. To the Jews he has promised much land and good, and to the apostles he allows sorrow and hardship; but Jacob has the best part for himself, that his mother is devoted to him. So this simple, pious little group has the Scriptures and God's word for itself, so that they can comfort themselves and be satisfied with it; they do not ask much about the world.

048 But what is the meaning of Esau's giving the firstborn for the red soup? What is written of eating and drinking is to be interpreted to the doctrine. This is the doctrine of temporal goods, which was practiced throughout the Old Testament, as they say in the 144th Psalm, v. 12: "That our sons may grow up like plants in their youth, and that they may have a good life.

1. Erlanger: er.

404 Erl. 34, 75-77. sermon on Gen. 25, 29-34. 26, 1-33. W. m, 604-6os. 405

our daughters, like the hewn-out oriels, like the palaces; that our corners be full, which give forth victuals, unto victuals again; that our flocks bear a thousand and an hundred thousand without"; such also have we just been taught, that is, the brown soup, after which he lusteth. If it happens that we have no shortage, but cellars and floors full, then they say: Here dwelleth God; as they there, v. 15, say, "Blessed are the people that thus prosper." Now the rough Esau means the same preachers who know nothing of faith, and preach what is gladly heard and serves for good days.

(49) Now that he comes from the field and has grown weary means that such preaching does not suffer persecution. So Paul says Gal. 5:11: "But I, if I still preach circumcision, why do I suffer persecution? So would the vexation of the cross have ceased." He who preaches of works is not persecuted. For what reason can grasp, it delights in; but what it cannot grasp, that

They do not want to suffer. Therefore they do not want to preach about faith, how it alone justifies, but preach that the belly also has enough; the red soup tastes too good to them, so they do not leave it. Jacob, however, abandoned the red dish and allowed Esau to have it, but he was given something higher and better, namely the firstborn.

50 Thus it was in the days of the apostles. The Jews kept the red mush, remained on works and temporal good; but they left outward things, and took the firstborn by faith, and became kings and lords of eternal goods. Therefore the Jews and saints of works are called Edom to this day, because they love to hear the doctrine of men and works. And as Esau despised the firstborn, saying, "What use is it to me, I must die?" so do these also, saying: Oh, if we were to give up our possessions and all temporal goods, it would be too hard for us; we have no more of them because we are alive, and yet we lose both temporal and eternal goods.

The twenty-sixth chapter.

(vv. 1-33) And there came a tempest into the land above that which was in the days of Abraham: and Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines to Gerar. Then the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt, but tarry in the land which I tell thee; be a stranger in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee: for unto thee and unto thy seed will I give all this land, and will confirm my oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father. And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all this land, and by thy seed shall all nations be blessed; because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my statutes, my judgments, and my judgments. So Isaac dwelt at Gerar. And when the people of the same place asked of his

He said, "She is my sister," because he was afraid to say, "She is my wife; they would kill me for Rebekah's sake, because she was beautiful to look at. When he had been there for some time, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked through the window and saw Isaac joking with Rebekah his wife. Then Abimelech called unto Isaac, and said, Behold, it is thy wife: how saidst thou then, she is my sister? Isaac answered him, I thought that I might die for her sake. Abimelech said, "Why have you done this to us? It would have been easy for one of the people to lie with your wife, and so you would have brought guilt upon us. Then Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, Whosoever toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. And Isaac sowed in the land, and found the same

** **406 Eri. 34, 77-so. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, 608-E. 407

year a hundredfold. 1) For the LORD blessed him, and he became a great man, and went and increased until he was almost great, that he had much substance of flocks and herds, and a great company. Therefore the Philistines envied him, and stopped up all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, and filled them with earth: and Abimelech said unto him, Depart from us; for thou art become too mighty for us. Then Isaac departed, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And when he had sat down, he digged the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines stopped up after Abraham's death, and called them by the name which his father had called them. Isaac's servants also dug in the valley, and found there a well of living water. But the shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's shepherds, saying: The water is ours; so he called the well Esek, 2) because they had mocked him there. Then they dug another well, and there also they quarreled: therefore' he called it Sitnah. 3) Then he departed, and digged another well, and they quarreled not against each other: therefore he called his name Rehoboth, 4) saying, Now hath the LORD made room for us, and caused us to grow in the land. And he departed thence unto Bersaba. And the LORD appeared unto him that night, and said: I am Abraham your father's God; fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham's sake. So he built an altar there, and called on the name of the LORD, and pitched his tents there, and his servants dug a well there. And Abimelech went unto him from Gerar, and Ahusath his friend, and Phichol his captain of the host. But Isaac said to them: Why come ye unto me?

1. In the editions: "hundred bushels". But afterwards, where this text is repeated: "hundertfältig"; only the Erlanger has also there: "Schäffel".
2. Marginal gloss: Esek means mockery, when one does violence and injustice to someone.
3. Marginal gloss: Sitna means resistance, hence the devil is called Satan, an obnoxious one.
4. Marginal gloss: Rehoboth means space or width that is not narrow.

yet ye hate me, and have driven me from you. They said: We see with eyes to see that the LORD is with thee, therefore said we: Let there be an oath between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee, that thou do us no hurt; even as we have not touched thee, and as we have done thee nothing but all good, and let thee go in peace. But thou art now the blessed of the LORD. Then he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. And they rose up early in the morning, and sware one to another. And Isaac let them go, and they departed from him in peace. And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came and told him of the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water. And he called it Sheba, 5) therefore the name of the city is Bersaba, unto this day.

(1) Thou hast shown how Moses is a useless launderer, that he makes so many tests of useless things. What business is it of ours that God Almighty should proclaim such things in the world, so that everyone must read about them? But all reason must say it is vain foolishness; have we nothing else to do nor to read, but how Isaac digs wells, and jests with the woman? Is this such a delicious story, since the power is on? Since he wanted to write about holy fathers, he could not write about good works and examples, such as praying, fasting, celibacy, etc., and leave such foolish things at home, which are especially annoying for spiritual people to read, because they should not study useless worldly things. He has indeed given cause enough for the Bible to be pushed under the bench, and has not considered it worthy that our high doctors should study in it. Why does he also write such foolish things?

(2) The first, which we have often heard, we also see here: Isaac had to become one of the greatest of the fathers, in whom much was due in the sight of God. Therefore, even if we do not understand what Moses means by this, we should not proceed with mad reason and conclude that it is foolishness. For (as often said) God has

5. Marginal gloss: Saba means an oath or vow, but Ber means a well.
6. Fests - fuss.

408 Eri. 34, 80-82. Sermon on Genesis 26, 1-33. W. in, sn-"i4. 409

He has a desire to make fools of us; he puts such foolish works before us, so that he may put down the great saints, that it may be seen how he is all in faith alone, and cannot suffer any work to be praised, but his mere grace. Now if it has its glory and price, it is not because it is a work, however small it may be. And the most foolish work is as worthy of praise as the very highest and most exquisite. [He has such small works praised and preached throughout the world, since he does not want to see or know any of the great saints of works.

Therefore, the highest part of this chapter is that God speaks to the man twice. Work now back and forth, live otherwise or so, when God's word sounds, open your eyes, ears and heart; when the majesty speaks, it has strength and power, because he now holds two strong sermons with Isaac.

4. the first is almost long, which are vain excellent, strong promises, as given before to Abraham, that they are also confirmed with great power, oath and oath. [But it passes before our ears, and because it does not strike us, we turn a deaf ear to it. But if we look rightly at what words they are, and what they have behind them, we would be astonished at them, and consider them great enough.

(5) Because we hear (I say) that God speaks twice here with so many words, you should certainly consider that He is much more interested in the little works, jokes, digging wells, eating and drinking, than all priests, monks and nuns, and much higher to praise than all their prayer, fasting and holy life. What is the cause? None other than that here is God's word, which Isaac kept, but our clergy go without word and faith.

(6) It was the same for me. Before I became a fool, and still wanted to be a learned doctor, I was hostile to the book only because Moses made so much talk, and told how God talks to the fathers, as one cobbler to another; therefore I thought no more of this example, than if one made a legend of me, and wrote how I wandered over the field, or sat at home and slept.

7 So it throws all reason to the wind and does not look at what wonders are there.

that happens that God Himself speaks; that she only sees: O this is a loose work. But again, he fasted for so long, ate dry bread and drank water, and wore a hair shirt for the rest of his life. St. Jerome lay so long in the desert, and had a stone under his head for a pillow, and beat his breast with stones. O these are great, holy works! Moses, however, knows nothing to write, but how Isaac drags himself with the woman and jokes and fools with her.

(8) Therefore, God is always busy resisting the foolish whore, reason, which wants to measure the goodness of works by their greatness and length, proposing to her against and in defiance of such works that she considers to be nothing. Therefore conclude that nothing depends on many, great, long works, but only on God's word. If this is attached to it, consider it neither a joke nor a jugglery; as soon as it sounds and is spoken, it is a delicious thing. So that God does not want to be judged according to works, but according to his will. Reason says, "The work is great, therefore God will regard it; for what is great should be exalted. For this reason it is useful and necessary to describe such examples, lest reason should master God and tell him what he should or should not do. We must often say this, because it is so often indicated that we see how the whole of Scripture insists on it, even though it has not helped.

9. Notice, then, that Isaac must be a chosen one, because he is honored that God Himself speaks to him; for it is the greatest 1) wrath that he shows when he is silent and does not speak; and again, the greatest 2) grace when he lets his commandment and will be heard. But this is an exuberant grace, when he speaks so kindly and fatherly. Therefore look on the words, and hold them against each other, "I will be with thee (saith he), and will bless thee." If God thus promised us, as he does through the gospel, even if we should go into fire, hell and death, what would we rather hear than that he should say, "Go in fresh,
10. Wittenberger and Erlanger: large.
11. Erlanger: large.

410 Erl. 34, 82-85. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 614-616. 411

I want to be with you? What defiance and consolation would we have, that our hearts might be filled with joy, and not be afraid of a thousand dreads? 1) For if God, who has all things in His hands, is with me and will not leave me, what harm can come to me? Therefore, if all devils were one devil, I still go fresh.

(10) No one has felt such comfort except Isaac, for he is in a foreign land and in the precious time. How can a stranger be afraid, to whom everyone is hostile, and who does not want the bread crust? Where shall he go? All lands are closed to him, he has wife, child and servants with cattle. Where is the house, and the corn, and the hay, and the straw, and the stall, and all manner of food? [Moreover he is among the enemies; where will he go out? All this must have hurt him. Then God comes and does not let him go, saying, "There is no need; the temptation shall not kill you. Do not go to Egypt, which is a full land, but stay here in the land, and I will feed you, so that you will have enough; when it happened that he got a hundred bushels, where another got hardly one; he must have enough, if the whole country should starve.

(11) Therefore he has always thought, 'Here is a wife, child and servants, but nothing to feed them. Well, God has said that he will be with me and bless me; I know that it will be true. [He might have said, "How long will it last? It will come to nothing! But he held fast to the word, believing not only the promise of temporal nourishment in the time of trouble, but also of the seed by which all the world should be saved; therefore his heart was glad, and thought, Before I should suffer trouble, an angel must come from heaven and feed me.

(12) Now this is the right core of the Scriptures, which no reason sees or perceives, that such power is written in God's words, and such faith. Because they preach in the name of the devil about works, so that one should go to heaven, they do not see how in this history there are thoroughly excellent examples of faith, which one should preach, and thus say: See Isaac's faith in God.

1. Wittenberg and Jena: Todte.

not the works. It is a bad work that he goes from one country to another; but he goes there at the word of God, he is sure of it; but you go and do so many works, and have no word of God.

Therefore his work is mighty and great, and yet only a household work, not fasting, praying, nor establishing churches and masses, and keeping orders, which our fools consider delicious, yet God does not consider any of them, even rejects and condemns them to hell, because everything is without faith. But all this is so important in his sight that he has it written and preached to the whole world. Now name me one work that is like it. It is a small thing, but if you were to do it with all the priests and monks, you would not know how to do it, but would despair of it and go to the devil. Ah! God have mercy, how we mad fools have taught and acted.

(14) This is the first part of how God's word is preached to Isaac, and how he so vehemently accepts it, written as an example for us; he proved it, preached it and practiced it, but also suffered many blows. For God would not have spoken such words to him in vain if there had not been great need to strengthen and comfort him. Therefore the office of bishop, to preach and to govern, rested on him, but he will sometimes have faltered here and there; there was also still flesh and blood, that he must have needed such comfort, so that he might also continue to comfort and strengthen others. There must also have been pious people who followed him and clung to him; it is written that some also ran away from him. So it went with him, and is written for an example to us, who have the promise, every man for himself. We shall have enough, we live or die.

(15) Yea, sayest thou, if God had promised me as he promised Isaac, it were well to believe. Answer: Who knows how he told it to him; it is probably written that he told it through one of the oldest patriarchs, as Shem or Eber. But if an angel spoke it from heaven, is it ever so certain, if 2) he told it to us through men in the scriptures,

2. In the editions: "as if". The "as" seems too much for us.

412 Erl. 3t, 85-87. Sermon on Genesis 26:1-33. w. m. 616-620. 413

or through priests. The tongue is not man's, but God's tongue; thus also the sermon. Therefore, if God Himself stood there and took a child in His hand and baptized it, it would be nothing 1) more certain than if He commanded the Christians and did and spoke through us men. It is his word and not ours; the only thing missing is that we do not have faith. Isaac will also have had many people who did not think much of him and even mocked him; therefore he must have always kept his word. 3) So he wants us also to look at the word alone, he speaks it how and where he wants. That is the main part of this chapter; let us now go through it according to the text.

V. 1: And there came a tempest into the land above that which was in Abraham's days. And Isaac went to Abimelech the Philistine king to Gerar 2c.

16 The first part, that in the time of the holy father Isaac there was a theurge in the land, gives us a question: how does it happen that God commonly sends theurge in the land, especially when His word goes out? as we also heard above Cap. 12, 10. in Abraham's histories, and afterwards under Jacob and Joseph Cap. 42, 1.ff. and often among the children of Israel. When, under the prophets Elijah 1 Kings 17, 1. 18, 2. and Elisha 2 Kings 6, 25. was a noticeable theure time, and so from then on. Also in Christ's time, and the apostles, one reads of great theurge under the emperor Claudio Apost. 11, 28.. Now it also happens now and then in countries, after the gospel has arisen again, that everyone starts to complain, more than ever before, that there is a lack of money and food everywhere, just as it happened in the time of the prophet Jeremiah, as he writes Cap. 44, 17. 18.: Then came together woman and man, and said, Is it not a plague that, while we served and sacrificed unto the queen of heaven, we had bread enough, and were well; but because we have ceased to serve her, we are in want, and are by the

1. Erlanger: not.
2. "him" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. "have" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.

Sword and hunger consumed? Therefore they also went and did it as before.

(17) Thus it is: as soon as one is to do God service, there is a lack everywhere, and everyone wants to starve. [I have said the cause, and it is quite possible, where the gospel remains in momentum, that everything will become too narrow for us. One cause is that where the gospel goes forth, sin also goes forth, that it is despised, condemned, persecuted, and blasphemed. Before, one could give two hundred guilders, but now one does not give one to poor people; then all cities were built and endowed with churches and monasteries; now we all cannot accomplish anything.

(18) This is one cause that God again afflicts the world, and makes the food short, because the gospel is despised. Nor will the plague remain, but will afflict us greatly when the gospel has run its course and there is room enough for repentance. God will not let the sin go unpunished, that one acts so shamefully and contemptuously with His word. The longer he bears with us, the worse we make it, and the more senseless they become, the more he must strike.

19 The other cause I give to the devil, but by God's will. For since he is a prince of the world, as he boasts against Christ in Matthew [Cap. 4, 8. 9. 1, it is also due to him to resist things that are not for his kingdom. Now that one does not give as much because of preaching the gospel as before is not a miracle. He would be a fool if he allowed it. Because we now fight against him, he must hold us so that we must die of hunger, as much as is in him.

020 Therefore it is not a bad sign, if he resists and resists, that now one cannot feed one good preacher, when before one filled two hundred monks. For before they served him; therefore he also had to provide for his servants; therefore he provided so well for all monasteries and convents, and gave enough to all; but now he sees that one wants to tear a hole in his regiment, he resists on all sides.

(21) I once heard an example, which, if it were not a lie, would probably rhyme with this: "As a householder once was,

414. Erl. 3t, 87-8". Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 620-623. 415

A ruthless, crude Christian who swore and cursed without ceasing in his house and taught his children to do the same; he had everything full, cellar, floor, house and yard, until once a pious man came to his house and asked him to stop such things, so long that he allowed himself to be persuaded and stopped. Soon it began to be missing in all corners. The devil was also right in not wanting to serve and reward him, because he no longer served him.

(22) One also reads of St. Ambrose, whether it is true I do not know, but it is not unlike the truth: that he once came into a rich man's house, where he saw that everything was abundant, and the man confessed that all his days had been according to his will. Then the pious man was afraid, and said to those who were with him: Here is high time that we go away, for there the devil reigns. And when he came out, the house fell down, and the earth swallowed up all that was there.

This is how it shall be: The devil is master of the world, therefore he will not give food to God's servants. But if you are to have it, God must give it and feed you. Therefore, God has decreed that those who are Christians must live in the time of trouble. When such cries and complaints arise because the gospel is being preached, you must be wise and know how to respond properly. Before, the devil gave everything enough, since we were his servants; but now the gospel has arisen, he withdraws his hand. So God also punishes the world, as is right; but stand firm, and believe in God, and you will have enough in the midst of the temptation. And methinks that the saying in the 37th Psalm, v. 25, goes here and sees: "I have been young and have grown old; but I have never seen a righteous man go hungry, or his children go after bread."

(24) God causes the pious to live in the present time, that He may prove His word to be true, and that He may feed His children by faith. And it is a sign that the gospel is true. That it bringeth forth fruit, and is not preached in vain. If it were not, I would think,

1. Erlanger: theurer.

The devil did not feel it. But because he feels it, you see that it has power in the people and pulls them back. But let him go, it will still remain Isaac. He who does not believe, let him die of hunger; but he who believes will have enough, for God does not lie, even if it rains grain from heaven. God only does it to punish the unbelievers and to try and strengthen those who believe. That is one part of this chapter. The other follows:

V. 6-8: So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. And when the people of the same place asked of his wife, he said, She is my sister. For he was afraid to say, She is my wife, lest they slay me for Rebekah's sake: for she was fair of face. When he had been there for some time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through the window and saw that Isaac was joking with Rebekah his wife.

(25) It is easy to see why the good father was so afraid. At that time, the gospel had not yet come forth, so that it could have been hoped that there would be some pious people in the land; it was only a regiment according to nature and reason. But where God's word and grace do not live among the people, nothing good can be provided for them; reason and nature cannot remain pious there; they are all liars and scoundrels; or, if they must be pious, they do it out of compulsion. Therefore you can think that this country and kingdom had to be a worldly being, that everyone did what he wanted, and especially the king may take his wife with good grace.

26. And it is but one, 2) that Moses suggests God's foolishness, that he writes such foolish work as Isaac said she was his sister, and the king looked out at the window, that he jested with her; not that he saw anything lewd, but that he perceived from outward gestures that she was not his sister, but must be his wife.

Did he have to write that just now? As I said before, I still say. When you see in the Scriptures such words of God as these

2. again - again.

416 Erl. 3t, 89-91. Sermon on Genesis 26:1-33. W. Ill, 623-N6. 417

Works, that thou mayest know that it is to scandalize the world. Therefore the lowly saint must stand with lowly works and be mocked before the world, but it does not see how such works have been done in faith, in God's word and good pleasure. So she goes on, and measures the works according to her own discretion, when all Scripture says that all works have their weight from God's good pleasure, and nothing depends on the quantity and greatness of the works. So this work must also be delicious and preached, no matter how much reason and hypocritical saints consider it foolishness. On the other hand, they must also see that God does not ask anything about their holiness, does not write a word about it, and deals with such foolish works against them.

028 Yet it was not great joy to Isaac that he had to be in the foreign land, and was all the days in danger with the woman of his life, and of her honor. Therefore God did not want him to be in danger for long; as even the king says here, "You might have brought a great sin upon us." That is why God sent it so that it would be revealed, so that no harm would come to him or to Rebekah. There you can see the care and diligence that God takes for those who trust in Him. He had to dare the woman and put her in the entrenchment and give her home to God to keep her where she would be taken from him. [This is a great example of faith, and at the same time a great comfort, that God preserves her and keeps her pure. Moses did not write this so often for nothing, as we have also heard it twice from Abraham. Isaac was also undoubtedly tempted, for it is very difficult to put everything in God's hands, so that he might think, "You are sending me into the land, and putting me in all kinds of danger with my body and my wife; but it is useful for him to strengthen his faith. For this is the way God always goes, so that he may prove how strong faith is, and always stand against shame, death and all misfortune.

029 Now here is the question, Whether Isaac lied, saying, She is my sister? I let that go. If it is a sin, then let it be a sin; we do not have the dear sisters in mind.

Saints to be excused for never having sinned. We want to praise God's grace in them highly, but we do not want to exalt their nature so highly. But it would be easy to excuse it, it was not a lie, because she was his sister according to the spirit.

(30) But it is no wonder if a Christian man stumbles. If we were in such a situation, we would not be able to say "yes" at times. Nevertheless, it remains God's grace that sustains and protects him, even if he falls. Now this is the grace that God sends through Abimelech the king to give him rest and peace even among the people, to sit him down and feed him in the land. Let this be the first challenge, described in this chapter. Follow on:

V. 12-16 And Isaac sowed in the land, and found an hundredfold in the same year: for the LORD blessed him. And he became a great man, and went and increased until he was almost great, that he had much substance of cattle, both small and great, and a great household. And the Philistines envied him, and stopped up all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, and filled them with earth: and Abimelech said unto him, Depart from us; for thou art become too mighty for us.

God tossed the patriarch back and forth like a ball, even caught him between the spurs, and made him so weak in his whole life that one could ever see how fine examples of faith are presented here. This is how happiness is shown here, how it is for the pious. And behold, how finely Moses describes it, as the Scripture should write: "Isaac has nothing that he has acquired, that all good, even temporal, must come from God's blessing; for there have always been many of them who have also worked, and yet have acquired nothing. Now God has given him a time of rest, but misfortune soon comes again.

So goes our life. We cannot have peace of mind, therefore it must be mixed that now the sun shines, now wind and rain come. So Isaac must now again suffer persecution and envy, they become fo enemy to him, that they do not grant him of the water, and block up all his wells. The land

418 Erl. 3t, 91-93. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 626-62p. 41A

has a special plague of water, that it is not to be found everywhere well. That is why they have kept the wells delicious and valuable, which is why there has been a lot of trouble; for it is a mountainous, hot and dry country, and does not have many streams and water flows.

Then Iak departed, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there, and digged the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines stopped up after the death of Abraham.

Then Moses describes four pilgrimages of the holy father one after the other. The first one to the king, as it is told. The other to Gerar. After that he was driven away until the fourth time, so that he always had to be a poor pilgrim. [It would not have been possible for him to exist without a high level of faith, to always leave with his wife, child and servants, and to go astray, and to have no certain place, house, stable, field or meadow, but to drag everything with him with great cost and effort, and to buy and rent everything in a foreign country. Faith had to strengthen, comfort and sustain him, otherwise he would soon have become unhappy; so that it may be seen how the dear fathers suffered more than we do.

(34) He took comfort in the fact that God had promised him, "I will be with you. There is no one with him but God; but he pretends that he is not with him either. Thus we have the greatest piece of the legend of this patriarch in this chapter, a precious and noble thing, so pleasing to God, that 1) he was sure, for he had God's word. Before the world it was a miserable, wretched life; but God looked upon it in mercy. So it must happen that the world makes the cross before it and shrinks from it; it wants to know where it should sit and stay; if it does not know, it does not lift anything. But this one hangs on the word alone. Wherever he goes, it is all against him; he must consider this beforehand. Behold, this is the simple legend, wherein is no glorious work, but cross, persecution, and poverty; but in great faith.

1. Wittenberg and Erlangen: that.

035 Now the first thing is, that he went to Gerar, and sat down there, and made there two wells to be his own, as they had been his father's; and he made another well, and called it Esek, that is, Hohnbrunn; and they let it go, though it be hard. For the shepherds of Gerar said: He is ours, we are masters, so you are a guest; take by force and rob, would have had enough with him, but drive him away with all that he has. He will suffer and give way; he will not rebuke or avenge him; he will do no more than call the well Esek.

036 And when he is come away, he buildeth one; but he must let him go, and depart. Therefore he calls him Sitna, that is, resistance, from which the word Satan comes Job 1, 6. 7., so that Christ and the Scriptures Matth. 4, 10. call the devil, that is, an adversary. As also Paul calls the pope zuck Thessalonians 2. Ep. 2, 4. άνταείμένος, adversarius, who only resists and vainly opposes, does not celebrate, and otherwise does nothing, but what is contrary to Christ. Christ does not give the devil this name in vain; he knows well how he does not rest, attacking us on all sides. So he also calls Peter in Matthew Cap. 16, 23: "Get thee behind me, Satan." So here Isaac calls the well, because they always sat down against him, and would not allow nor grant that he should dig up his father's well.

037 And he departed again, till he should have peace, and digged a well, which he called Rehoboth, that is, room and breadth; as if he should say, Praise God that we have room once. Which word sufficiently indicates how he was pressed before, that he was neither seen nor heard. But he did not stay long in that place, and went back to Bersaba, where he had lived with his father for a long time. What Moses now writes about how he unites with the king and makes a covenant is a consolation that God will not abandon the faithful if they only hold fast; He creates enough misfortune for them, but does not leave them without consolation. Let this be said of history. Now we should also deal with the mystery and secret interpretation.

38. we have heard that Isaac Christ's

420 Erl. 34, 93-96. sermon on I Moses 26, 1-33. w. m, "29-631. 421

figure, so he will remain in the chapter for a while. Now Christ's kingdom stands thus, that it is a kingdom of life, and p strong life, that it lives in the midst of death; and grace so strong, that it prevails in sin, and reigns in the devil's jaws. For it is a spiritual kingdom, therefore it does not appear, but the very contradiction appears. When one looks at Christians as holy martyrs, one sees nothing but vain death; as the 44th Psalm, v. 23, says: "We are slain daily for thy sake, and are esteemed as sheep for the slaughter." Where Christianity is, there must be blood, or they are not true Christians. They are not sheep for the pasture, but sheep for the slaughter, always one after the other. Thus the appearance of the Christian life is nothing but weakness, death and sin; nor does he rule it in life, spiritually, which no one sees, but faith alone grasps.

39 Isaac now bears this image, as he was Christ's figure before with his sacrifice, condemned and given over to death, and yet remained alive. So he is also here Christ's figure in his kingdom, as he drives here in the foreign, unknown country. If you look at his life, it is in danger of death every hour, and of his wife: he is still preserved, only as a sign that a Christian life should also go this way, and stand in all shame and danger. The Christians must use the title and be in danger, that it is heresy and called a whore; the others want to have right faith and be God's own.

40 But what is it that a theurge comes into the land first? This is it: If the gospel be rightly begun, there must first arise a hunger and sorrow in the conscience. The gospel comes to no one who has fullness and good days, but only to the troubled consciences, who are in greater hunger, and who have a soul that is alive and glad to hear such comforting preaching.

(41) That now afterward there standeth of the well of the pit, and that Isaac goeth blissfully for a while, is all the course of Christianity;

For a while it has rest, that it increases, and improves; as, in the apostles' time, it soon arose, and grew; but soon arises strife, contention, and heresy.

(42) But the well which they stopped up is nothing but the sacrilege which they do by the doctrine of men, against the holy scriptures, which for a time Christianity kept pure; but soon the devil came, and brought in the sand of men, that they could no more enjoy it, they put it out after their own head. That is to say, they put earth into the well, and stuffed it with it, so that it would ever show those who corrupt the Scriptures with an earthly mind, and guide them according to their carnal delusion; like the heretics Arius and Pelagius and others, and afterwards the pope, who boasts that he alone is the master of the Scriptures, and has power to interpret them; who has done nothing else in all spiritual law, and has introduced through all high schools but vile earth and dung, and has so corrupted and polluted the Scriptures that it is not possible to understand anything from the Scriptures from their books, but only prevents and studies back from them.

(43) So we shall go on, as we are going on, through some of the spirits of the wicked, and shall continue until the last day. We have also dug the well and opened it up; others are always coming to fill it up again with earth. Let us be bold in this: If we want to drink and strengthen ourselves from the Scriptures, they will refuse us. That is why it must have the name: Mockery and Resistance, that is, that we are mocked about it, and must suffer resistance; if not, then we do not have the Scriptures right, until God gives us room to remain in the right understanding of the Scriptures, and overcome heresy.

44 Thus we have the history with the secret interpretation, in which we see how everything must be done to preach the gospel and the kingdom of Christ alone. [But it must suffer opposition and be persecuted. Now follows another legend of the patriarch Jacob.

422 Erl. 34, 96-98. Interpretations On the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, 631-636. 423

The twenty-seventh chapter.

Cap. 26:34, 35 When Esau was forty years old, he took wives, Judith the daughter of Beri the Hittite and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, both of whom disobeyed Isaac and Rebekah.

Cap. 27:1-35 And it came to pass, when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, that he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son. And he answered him, Here am I. And he said, Behold, I am grown old, and know not when I shall die. Now therefore take thy stuff, quiver and bow, and go into the field, and sow me a venison, and make me a meal such as I like, and bring it in to me to eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die. And Rebekah heard such words as Isaac spake unto his son. And Esau went out into the field to hunt game, and to bring it home. Then said Rebekah unto Jacob her son, Behold, I have heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me a venison, and make me a meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD, before I die. Now therefore, my son, hear my voice, which I command thee. Go to the herd and get me two good flocks, and I will make your father a meal of them, as he likes it. And thou shalt carry them in unto thy father, that he may eat, and bless thee before his death. And Jacob said unto Rebekah his mother, Behold, my brother Esau is rough, and I am smooth: so it may be that my father will touch me, and be thought of before him, as if I had deceived him, 1) and brought upon me a curse, and not a blessing. Then said his mother unto him, The curse be upon me, my son, only obey my voice, go and fetch me. So he went and fetched it, and brought it to his mother. Then his mother made a meal, as his father liked. And she took Esau her elder son's goodly garments, which she had with her in the house.

1. To this the Jenaer has the marginal gloss: "betrigen wolt", which also our Bible offers.

And she put them on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins of the goats about his hands, and about his smooth neck, and gave the meat and the bread, as she had made it, into Jacob her son's hand. And he brought it in unto his father, and said, My father. And he answered, Here am I. Who art thou, my son? Jacob said: I am Esau, thy firstborn son; I have done as thou hast said unto me. Arise, sit down, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. Isaac said to his son, "My son, how did you find so soon? He answered, "The LORD your God gave it to me. Then said Isaac unto Jacob, Come near, my son, that I may test thee, whether thou be my son Esau, or not. So Jacob came to Isaac his father, and when he had touched him, he said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands. And he knew him not, because his hands were rough, as Esau's, his brother's hands: and he blessed him. And said unto him, Art thou my son Esau? And he answered, Yea, I am. Then said he, Bring me hither, my son, to eat of thy venison, that my soul may bless thee. So he brought it to him, and he did eat; and he brought him wine also, and he drank. And Isaac his father said unto him, Come hither, and kiss me, my son. And he came near and kissed him. Then he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, saying, Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of the field which the LORD hath blessed. God give thee of the thane of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and corn and wine the abundance. Nations must serve thee, and people must fall at thy feet. Be a lord over your brothers, and your mother's children must fall at your feet. Cursed be he who curses you; blessed be he who blesses you. Now when Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from Isaac his father, Esau his brother came from his hunting, and made a meal also, and carried it in unto his father, and said unto him, Arise, my son.

** **424 Erl. 34, 98-101. sermon on Gen. 26, 34. 35. 27, 1-35. w. ill, 636-639. 425

Father, and eat of thy son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. Then Isaac his father answered him, Who art thou? He said: I am Esau, thy firstborn son. And Isaac was sore amazed at the measure, and said, Who? Where then is the hunter that brought me, and I did eat of all before thou camest, and blessed him? He will also remain blessed. When Esau heard this saying of his father, he cried aloud, and was exceeding sorrowful, and said unto his father, Bless me also, my father. And he said, Thy brother is come with guile, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, His name is called Jacob, because he hath twice trampled me under foot. 1) My first birth hath he taken away, and, behold, now he taketh away my blessing also: and he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto him, I have made him lord over thee, and all his brethren have I made servants unto him; with corn and wine have I provided him: what shall I do now unto thee, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me also, my father. And he lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thou shalt have a fat habitation upon the earth, and from the dew of heaven from above. Thou shalt feed upon thy sword, and shalt serve thy brother. And it shall come to pass, that thou shalt put off his yoke, and shalt tear it from off thy neck. And Esau was grieved with Jacob for the blessing that his father had blessed him with, and said in his heart, The time will soon come for my father to suffer, for I will slay my brother Jacob. Then Rebekah heard the word of her elder son, and sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau drieth against thee, to slay thee. Now therefore, my son, hear my voice, arise, and flee unto Laban my brother in Haran, and tarry with him a while, until the fury of thine anger be turned away.

1. Marginal gloss: Eke b, means a sole of the foot, from which comes Jacob or Jacob, a tramp, or one who treads under foot, and means all believers who, through the gospel, tread under the world and the flesh, and the devil with sin and death.

Until his anger against you turns away from you and forgets what you have done to him, I will send for you and take you away from there. Why should I be deprived of you both for one day? And Rebekah said unto Isaac, It grieveth me to live before the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, which are like the daughters of this land, what shall my life be?

The most important thing in this chapter is the blessing that Isaac gave to his son Jacob. With this comes the third patriarch, from whom Christ was to come, of whom we will hear much as to how God led him. Above Cap. 25, 31. ff. we heard how the two brothers fought with each other 2) for the first birth; and Esau took the red vegetable, and gave for it his right which he had, so that he also lost the right first birth before the people, as God had taken it from him before, when he said to Rebekah, "The greater shall serve the lesser. Therefore Moses describes how it came about that the blessing of Esau fell on Jacob.

(2) Now nothing is described in the chapter according to history, but how God is true and wonderful, that he keeps what he speaks Ps. 33:4, and that this keeping is so strange and wonderful 3) that it far surpasses all reason. He said that the smallest should be lord and the greatest should serve. This had to come true, but it was delayed for a good while. For Esau was now already a married man of forty years, and soon begat children until Jacob was almost seventy years old, as we shall hear, before he took a wife, and had to let his brother be right and rule, and is a Cinderella; yet he always kept his word. Meanwhile Esau continues, is the dear son, has the right even in his possession, and although he had sold it above Cap. 25, 33., he thought thus: "Sell here, sell there, yet I remain lord of the house, and I keep the blessing. Therefore he takes two wives, and sits down, and keeps house.

3 Thus the Scriptures show us by God's miraculous work that the promise will last for so long.

2. kaufschlagen - - to make a deal.
3. Jenaer: wonderful.

426 Erl. 34, 101-103. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 639-641. 427

Before he receives the blessing that is due to him, he lets Esau grow up next to him and take over the reign, who had lost the blessing. He shows by Esau's great defiance that he is so sure of the matter, and takes two wives, against their father's and mother's will, who have both disobeyed them, two proud men, as they are wont to do when they get the keys. [So they said, We are the daughters of the land, and Esau shall be glad that we are come into his house and family: for he is a stranger, and a sojourner in the land.

004 Now Isaac and Rebekah were grieved at this. But what shall they do? They suffer it. Isaac lets it go, and nevertheless remains on the delusion, Esau should be the right son, to whom the blessing is due. What do you think, that Jacob also had to suffer the time, because the parents had to suffer it, and kept it, that it had an appearance, as if it should go everything contrary to what God has spoken. Such an image must Jacob bear, that one may learn to recognize God in his works. So he had to hear and feel: You should be the greatest, but you must be the smallest; father and mother must not be right, and the wives must suffer defiance and will of courage; should Jacob then be right? How often did he think: Is this to be the blessing? My parents must let the women rule, what should I do about it? Is it true what God says?

5 But this is how it is in all things that God does. He also did it to his own son. When he wanted to make him the highest king of heaven and earth, he went to him and had him hanged on the cross and thus executed as never before. So he also played along with the holy martyrs. That is why he proclaims his title to be miraculous, as the 4th Psalm, v. 4, says: "Know that God leads his saints in miracles"; that is why he says, v. 5: "If you are angry, do not sin"; item, v. 6: "Offer right sacrifices. 6: "Offer up right sacrifices, and hope in the Lord," that is, hold your peace, and let it go; even if he acts so strangely, it must still be done; it is his way. This is how it will be with us when we die; then he will act as if he were our enemy,

and be nothing but devils around us. He who does not know and know his way is in a bad way. Reason cannot do it, but faith must think: God has spoken it, it is true, let him now act as he wills.

6th Now this is the beginning, that Jacob had to believe that he should become the greatest, and yet remain servant in the house, 1) and see that they drove their arrogance to defy father and mother. Then Esau thought: Now I have it in my hand; it is sure and certain. So God lets him sit up and be resplendent; but before he looks around, he overthrows him; when he is most secure, he lies down, and Jacob brings the blessing away. That is played according to God's wisdom. They are simple, foolish stories, but one could not paint God with any color as he is painted there. He lets Isaac be deceived and raises it through the woman; but so foolishly that Jacob himself despairs of it.

007 But who shall give her defiance, that she should so come, and say, The curse be upon me, my son? Then the thing must be arranged that Jacob becomes lord by the faith of the woman, not by the holy man Isaac, and gains such a great spirit that she may dare, even if Isaac curses. The devil should dare that such a holy man cursed me. I would rather that all the popes and the world condemned and cursed me. She knew that he was the man to whom God had promised so much, and had an eye on him, and talked to him; nor could she defy him like that. This would not be possible for a small spirit to do; there must have been a peculiar, great faith in the woman that defiantly relied on the word: "The small shall be master, the greater shall serve." Therefore she concludes: "If this is true, God will not let my son curse; and even if he cursed, the curse would not be right. Which is just as much as if I said, "I believe in Christ," and if he himself came and cursed me, I would not turn to it. For she doubted as little that the man was pious and had God's word as I had about Christ. That is why she has-

1. Erlanger: stay.

428 Erl. 34, 103-106. sermon on I Moses 27, 1-35. W. III, 641-646. 429

thought: If it is a curse, it must either be a sham, or God will turn it around. As I would have to do on my deathbed, if he spoke, he would not want mine, that he either did not mean it seriously, or God would not suffer it.

Therefore God is a wonderful Lord in His works. All reason must sink to the ground, and faith must ask for nothing but God's words. He turns and makes it as he wills, so it must remain true. These are excellent examples of how God deals with His dear saints. Now let this be said of the two pieces, how God is true; but so that he leads it out whimsically, that we may be confident whether he consumes, and fes] go not forth, as we think. So Jacob must come to the blessing, even if the whole world should be against it, but gets it so strangely that it no one could measure. Rebekah is also led in such a strange way; she cannot take the blessing away from her father, does him no harm, lets him have his way, nor does God give a spirit that she finds it and steals away the blessing without his knowledge and will, so that it nevertheless remains on Jacob, so that it can actually be seen that it is God's work.

Now we shall also treat this chapter spiritually. There are many good sayings and pieces in it. [We will take before us that which also belongs to history, how two nations were to come from the two children, namely Israel and Edomaei, of which much is written in the prophets. There in the chapter is described and indicated almost the course, which had there the two peoples; as now would be between Germans and whales. [They fought against each other in a strange way; Edom resisted hostilely for a long time, but finally let himself be trampled down. Esau became a great ruler in time, and took the land of Edom in time. And because he so ruled, and grew in his land, Jacob went into Egypt, and remained a poor stranger, that his people afterwards had to bear great sorrow, and go more than three hundred years, before they came to bring Esau under them, since Jacob, Moses, Aaron 2c. were all dead, until David and Solomon, who first brought it under them. There you see -abermal, how God carries out his promise.

that it seems as if he has rejected his own and soon lifts up those he rejects.

(10) This must mean that the text first writes how Isaac sees darkly, that is, God closes his eyes and rules as if he did not know Jacob, that he lets the same people go so long, and while he lifts up Esau. For this is his mind: Esau is my son, to him I will give the blessing. That is why Isaac must be God's figure, who acts as if he did not see; that is, when God rules with his saints, he acts as if he did not want to know about the pious, but has the intention of blessing Esau and giving him everything; nor does Jacob finally get it. Therefore, even if God is not blind or does not see in the dark, his works are like this; but all this is for our comfort. Let him only see in the dark, and act as if he does not see us, and he will still be right.

011 So it came to pass at last, that by the people afterwards Edom was cast down, though they did it very unwillingly; they were at enmity one to another, especially when they saw that God blessed Israel. Then they began to cry out, as the text says here, as Esau howls and laments so miserably. But God says to this: I cannot do to him, "He has the blessing there, and will keep it." But he says, you shall also have a regiment, and feed on your sword, and a time will come when you will tear his yoke from your neck, that is, you will not be subject to him forever. Read the history of this in the second and fourth book of Kings 2 Sam. 8, 14. 2 Kings 8, 20., how Edom fell away and no longer wanted to be subject to the Jewish people, and became its own kingdom.

(12) Thus we shall see in the Bible all the histories of how God is true, and yet presents Himself as untruthful, that one may be wise, and know Him rightly, how He performs His acts above all sense and reason. Oh how much it would be necessary to understand the words rightly! What great spirits will still preach about the Gospel, but know nothing about how God's truth works! He is so clever, that he makes you so astray in the fulfillment, that you cannot know where you stand. Therefore you may well ask with fear and trembling, and not defy him. Ge-

430 Err. st, ios-168. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, sis-647. 431

He is certain, but he also wants to be feared, so that you will not be proud, but will ask to be able to stand firm. There are those who think they have caught God, but he is too wise and does not want to suffer arrogance; one should take comfort in his promise alone and let him do as he pleases. Summa: No one will learn it unless there is an experience. When we are in mortal distress or when we are driving, then we learn it well, otherwise it remains only with the words. When it comes to a meeting, it is forgotten, because then it is seen much differently. That is still spoken after the history. Now we should also point to Christ; if we do not have him, then we have not hit it right.

13 The right blessing, of which we have heard above Cap. 22, 18, meets the gospel, when we have so often said what the blessing is, promised to Abraham in his seed. For this blessing between the two brothers, that Jacob should become a great nation and rich, is also a blessing; but this is the true chief blessing, that we are blessed through Christ, against the curse that was upon Adam, to rid ourselves of it, so that thereby grace and life are proclaimed and brought.

(14) Now here the two brethren must tell us how it is that the blessing is so strange and strangely pleased, 1) that no man believeth it. But I leave Isaac the father, and the two brothers two peoples; these, who walk in a beautiful, seeming life; the others, the Cinderellas, who walk in faith. So Esau is the man who rules, like the Jews who preached the law, God's people, 2) who walked in a respectable life, and thought they were sitting in God's lap, and yet were nothing more than mere outward adornment and exquisite gift.

(15) Therefore the Scripture says that Rebekah had with her Esau's precious garments, which she put on Jacob. The Jews had the advantage of having the Scriptures of God, as Paul says in Romans 3:2. The noble ones,

1. fallen - where to come, fall.
2. So the Jenaer. Erlanger: "as the Jews preached the law, the people of God." Wittenberger: "these are the Jews, the people of the law."

They had them with them in the house, but they did not put them on, but Jacob put them on. This happened when Christ came. Before him went the synagogue, and the law in its course: but when he was come, there grew up another people, and they put on their garments. This was the Jacob, this is the real Christ, who is involved in the Scriptures.

16 So the right Rebekah, the Christianity, clothes her son with the garments, that is, with the sayings of the Scriptures, which speak of grace and Christ, not of works. From this the right blessing is given, and is taken away from him who deals with works; that is, just at the time when they were doing the law to the highest degree, Christ and the apostles go and win the Scriptures, take away the blessing from God, and yet he places himself in this way, as if he did not see it, so that it seems to us as if it were about to happen.

017 Whereby the scripture saith, as Isaac said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands." For because Esau was rough, the mother thought, "How do we make the son rough also, that his father may not know it? And "slaughtered two little goats, and put the skins about his hands," so that Isaac did not think otherwise that they were Esau's hands, and yet heard Jacob's voice. So God deprived him of his senses in that part, so that it had to happen.

(18) Now what is this? The voice means nothing else than the sermon; but the hands mean the life and work, so that one is deceived. One does not preach like another. Esau is the hunter, who drives the law, and wants to make people godly by force; Jacob, however, does not drive, but entices with grace. These are two different voices, so that one is heard before the 3) other, but they both do the same work. Jacob also keeps the law, and does that which Esau teaches, and yet teaches differently. According to the outward walk it is all the same; there it is said: If one is righteous, they all are. But the gospel does not ask how the works are.

111. Therefore it is not dangerous, 4) that the Christians keep everything that other people keep,
112. Erlanger: for the others.
113. Danger - fraud, deceit. (Dietz.)

432 Erl. St, 108-110. sermon on I Genesis 27:1-35. w. ill, 647-650. 433

Without only that the voice must be different; there one must separate the law and the gospel. No law is to be driven into the conscience, 1) no gospel is to be preached to the hands. To the conscience one must preach that one must become sane and saved through faith alone in Christ, and whatever works one does, that one does not do them to help the conscience, but outwardly to the old Adam one must put on everything that the law demands, so that the law remains outside, the gospel inside; so it is right, and the voice of Jacob remains the voice, but the hands of Esau remain the hands. The law does nothing, but always forces and drives, and keeps the people by force inside; but this is the error of it, if one wants to preach it to the conscience, that is Esau's voice, which God does not hear. Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 9:27, saying, "I tame my body and stupefy it, lest I preach to others and become reprobate myself"; that is, to do all the laws and yet say it does nothing for the heart and conscience.

020 Again, it would not be good to reverse it, and drive the law into the consciences, and leave out liberty. It must be Jacob's voice and Esau's hands, not Jacob's hands and Esau's voice. If it were Jacob's voice and Jacob's hands, it would not do: as they that say, If good works do not help, let us be good fellows, and do nothing. Behold, thus in the two brethren is pictured the difference between the two kinds of people. The former rely on their rights, think they are the dear child, and lose the blessing, and go to the devil; the latter take comfort in God's word alone, seize the blessing, and go to heaven.

21Then the persecution arises, so that Esau becomes so hostile and angry with Jacob that he thinks of slaying him; this is also the way of the saints of works and Esauites, who cannot suffer that their deeds and works should count for nothing; they begin to rage, and become deadly enemies to the true Christians. Therefore it is

1. Thus the Jena. Wittenberg: "One should not preach the law to the conscience. Erlanger: "No law should be preached into the conscience, no gospel should be preached into the hands.

A great knowledge, if one is to know the gospel rightly, and to proceed rightly with it. Therefore St. Paul 2 Tim. 2, 15 wants the word of God to be cut rightly, namely, into the two pieces, as I said, that the conscience should be kept free and the body loaded with laws; and not again, both weighed down, or both left free. The soul shall live in the spirit, but the body shall die because of sin, says St. Paul Rom. 8, 13. This is the spiritual interpretation of this chapter.

(22) That any man should move how Jacob hath dealt so unfaithfully with his brother, when Isaac himself saith, Thy brother came with guile, and hath delivered the blessing unto thee; item, that Isaac also might well have revoked the blessing, and be foolish enough to be thus deceived, when he knew the voice of Jacob; it is almost incredible. First, I have said before that we are not of the mind to make the holy fathers pure, and can suffer that they also stumbled at times, and then most of all when they went in special works. As here: Jacob has the right blessing for himself, and God willed that he should have it; so Jacob and Rebekah were sure of the matter, that they did well. But whether they did wrong in dealing deceitfully with their father, and Jacob lied to him, saying, "I am your son Esau," I will let pass. If the main work is good, God can see through the fingers if one does a little too much.

23 Thus we read an example of the king David in the other book of Samuel Cap. 16, 2. 3., when he fled from 2) his son Absalom, and was in the wilderness, pious and humble, there comes to him a knave, whose name was Siba, 3) washed and betrayed his lord Mephibosheth, the son of king Saul, that David leads unheard, and promises to put him in all the goods of his lord. This was also too much for the holy man, that he let himself be persuaded by a poisonous tongue, and went with unrighteousness and violence.

2. Thus the Jena. Wittenberg and Erlangen: from.
3. In the Bible: Ziba.

434 Erl. 34, 110-113. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 630-653. 435

(24) God allows this to happen, so that His excellent saints also remain with us here, and we see that they are also flesh and blood; otherwise it would follow that one would despair. Secondly, that the saints are not separated too far from us, as has been done. If they could have made that they had no sin, it should be a delicious thing. So that we have become desolate, and have had to despair.

(25) Therefore I would much rather, as much as I could, if it were not contrary to the Scriptures, defile the saints with sins. For it is a desecration of God's grace, and speaking too near to Christ, that they should be separated from us as far as heaven and earth. I should not esteem the nearest, least Christian less than St. Peter and all the saints in heaven. No one has more grace; they have more gifts and jewels; I am as dearly bought as they, so they are in the same flesh and blood in which I am. From this we can gain hope and comfort; otherwise we make idols of them and despise the grace of God.

(26) Yes, they say, one must honor the saints and hold us in low esteem, and stand against them with humility? Answer: In this, it is not humility that counts when it comes to God's grace, but arrogance. You should be humble about your own thing and nature, for you are nothing but a maggot's sack; but you cannot be proud enough of Christ's goodness, and must say: Even if I were ten times more wicked, I still have the blood that makes me pure and holy, and cost Christ as much to redeem me as St. Peter. They have been as low as we; so we are as high as they, so that no one has more than I, though they may have been stronger in faith; yet the food and main good is not greater. So learn to recognize what we have in God, for he alone lets us write such things for comfort, and we fools only make them a terror to ourselves. They, the holy fathers, may not, for they are long dead; but we may, that we may learn from it to know God; and for this very reason we must be sinners, that their life may be our consolation. If I am foolish, then God will prevail, but I stand like-

1. "not" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.

the one on. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Peter and many more have also been fooled. With this, we can resist sin and the devil.

(27) Here we also learn what is meant by blessing and cursing. For we have heard how the blessing is upon Jacob, that he shall have corn and wine in abundance, and be lord over his brethren, and have dominion over much land and people. You do not yet see spiritual goods, everything is still physical. Therefore to bless is actually to wish for something good, and to curse is to wish for something evil; as he then says: "God grant you" 2c. Now this is a wish that concerns only temporal good, wealth and glorious rule and great dominion, not only over the brethren but also over other people. But how long after that it has been lost! Yet he is sure that the blessing is true. Isaac felt it well that the Spirit spoke, that it must be true; therefore he also confirmed it, and did not revoke it. In such matters they did not act according to the will of man, as Peter says: "No prophecy has ever been produced by the will of man, but the holy men of God have spoken, impelled by the Holy Spirit"; otherwise they would not have spoken it, nor would God have had it described.

28 This has now been fulfilled for a long time, as the histories show; but nevertheless it is not forgotten that it would also encounter much resistance. For what comes from God cannot remain unchallenged; it must pass through the fire, as it is. If God called you to catch a mouse or to pick up a straw, which would be a foolish thing, and the world would know that he had called it, it would not let you do it in peace. As little as he calls a thing, so the devil attaches himself to it, does not want to suffer God's word and work, and causes all misfortune.

(29) So also here God promised to give the people the delicious land. Because God exists, the devil has rebelled against it, and has aroused so much persecution and cursing; as one reads in the books of the kings, that the Assyrians, Syrians, Edomites, Moabites, Egyptians, and other peoples more clung to it, so that there was no nation on earth to whom one could

436 Erl. St. 113-115. Sermon on Genesis 27:1-35. W. Ill, "53-655. 437

As David himself writes in the 83rd Psalm, vv. 3-9: "Behold, your enemies rage, and those who hate you lift up their heads. They plot cunningly against thy people, and counsel against thy hidden ones. They say, Come, and let us destroy them, that they be not a nation, that the name of Israel be no more remembered: for they have taken counsel in their heart, and have made a league with one another against thee, the tents of the Edomites, the Ishmaelites, the Moabites, and the Hagarites, the Gebalites, and the Ammonites, 1) and the Amalekites, and the Philistines, with them of Tyro. Assyria also joined them, and became an arm of the children of Lot."

(30) Then the prophet counted all the great multitude that rose up against them, but they had a protector who could handle them well; therefore they also smote them confidently, that he often with one man or angel smote away a whole host. That one sees in history through and through how the blessing is wonderfully fulfilled, that all the world had to deal with the people, and God often let them succumb, that the enemies thought to even destroy them; as in the mentioned 83rd Psalm, v. 5, it says: "They say: Come, let us destroy them, that they be no nation, that the name of Israel be no more remembered." Yes, says God to this, I have spoken a blessing over them, so that they will remain; as one reads in the fourth book of Moses Cap. 23, 20., how Balaam was supposed to curse the people of Israel; but since he opened his mouth, he could do nothing but bless.

(31) So everything that is God's people must be persecuted, defiled and blasphemed. Therefore Isaac also says: "Cursed be he who curses you", as if he wanted to say: Just prepare yourself, you will have to suffer that you will be persecuted as no people on earth. But thou shalt have the consolation, that he that curseth thee shall be cursed again, and it shall never be well 2) with him.

1. The bracketed words are missing in the editions, as we assume, by mistake.
2. "shall him" is missing in the Erlanger.

32. now this is the bodily blessing, but signifies the right spiritual blessing; therefore it is much another blessing than that spoken over Abraham Cap. 12, 3.: "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." For this blessing God speaks through a man, and on perishable things; but that He speaks Himself, not of wine or grain, but badly of the person on whom the blessing is to pass; therefore it must be spiritual. From which it further follows: If it is to go over all the nations and be equal, Abraham must be equal to all the nations; not as it is said to Jacob, that he should be lord over his brethren and many other people. Now because all these things are equal in this blessing, it must be such a thing as they can all understand; which indeed may not be bodily. For the world cannot exist in such a way that all become equal; one must rule, the other be subject; and yet the blessing wants everyone to be equal, and to go over all.

(33) This is the gospel, a good desire that much good may come to us. For thus saith the gospel concerning every man, Thy sins be forgiven thee, Christ with all his goods and everlasting life be thine. In the high blessing one has no more nor less than the other, they are all brothers and equal heirs.

(34) I do not know much more to say about this chapter, except that Esau complains about his brother and says: "He is called Jacob, because he has trampled me twice. The little word Ekeb, I have said, means in German the sole of a foot; from this he is called, because he held the sole of his brother's foot in his hand when they were born Gen. 25, 26. But here Esau interprets it a little differently, so he wants to say: Yes, he is called sole of foot, because he has trampled me twice under his feet. We have already heard what trampling under foot means, namely, that Christians trample under foot sin, death, the devil and everything that is born of the flesh.

438 Erl. 34, 115-117. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 655-660. 439

The twenty-eighth chapter.

Then Isaac called Jacob his son, and blessed him, and commanded him, saying unto him, Take not thee a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but arise, and go into Mesopotamia unto Bethuel thy mother's father's house, and take thee a wife there of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of nations, and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee, that thou mayest possess the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. So Isaac prepared Jacob to go into Mesopotamia to Laban, Bethuel's son, in 2) Syria, the brother of Rebekah, his mother and Esau's mother. Now when Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and was sent away into Mesopotamia to take a wife there, and that, blessing him, he commanded him, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and went into Mesopotamia; seeing also that Isaac his father did not like to see the daughters of Canaan: he went unto Ishmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebajoth, to wife over the wives which he had before.

1 This will be the last of Isaac and Rebekah, without him dying yet, in the fifth and thirtieth chapter, v. 28. 29. First, we must deal with Esau. There you see that the Scripture praises Jacob as he obeyed his father and mother.

002 And Esau had two wives, which were whimsical and unruly, which displeased them both: so that the mother also lamented, saying Cap. 27:46, "It grieveth me to live before the daughters of Heth." So now, when he sees that Jacob is now in favor, and has the blessing, he goes to his cousin, his mother's brother, to take a wife there; he also makes himself friendly, and also befriends his mother.

1. ready - to dispatch, to send.
2. In the editions: of.

close to his cousin Ishmael, and takes his cousin's daughter. This is now permitted in the other member among sibling children, which the Scriptures have not forbidden. He did this to reconcile the parents and to please them. Then follows a fine text about the ladder that Jacob saw in a dream, and then about the vow he made.

(v.10-15) And Jacob departed from Beer-saba, and journeyed to Haran, and came to a place, where he tarried for the night: for the sun was down. And he took a stone of the place, and laid it for his head, and lay down in the same place to sleep. And he dreamed, and, behold, a ladder stood upon the earth, and the top thereof touched heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending it, and the Lord was standing on it, saying: I am the LORD, Abraham's, thy father's, God, and Isaac's God: the land whereon thou liest I will give thee and thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt be spread abroad toward the even, and toward the morning, and toward the north, and toward the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all kindreds of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land: for I will not leave thee, till I have done all that I have spoken unto thee.

First of all, one should always look at history according to the word of God, for no legend will be found since God has spoken so much to people. Therefore, it surpasses all legends. [It is also written so that one may see what true, flamboyant histories are; not those that are full of great miracles and exquisite works, but only those where much of God's word is within. Reason alone looks at strange, wonderful stories and deeds; we have thought much of them, but we have not been so wise as to ask whether God's word is also in them. What is it, that one has done all the highest and greatest works, and has no word of God?

440 ^rl. S4, 117-11S. Sermon on I Genesis 28:10-05. W. Ill, 660-S63. 441

Therefore I think of these histories, which have strength, juice and marrow, always go in the word, lead no self-selected works, that all others do not hold a candle to them. Should not a heart rejoice above all things when God speaks thus: "I will be with you, and will keep you wherever you go" 2c.? These are heartfelt, living words, which indicate that what he has done is 1) pleasing to God, and that he has done righteous, worthy works. We should also strive to do these things, so that we do not do any work, because from God's word, in whatever state it may be, we are certain that God has commanded and wills it.

Now this is the main part of the legend, that God smites his word so abundantly over the whole life that the man must be holy from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Even if he stumbles at times, it should not harm him, nor should he be condemned for it, as little as the word can be condemned, which no one can praise enough.

006 Moses saith therefore, How Jacob departed from Beer-saba, which is in a corner near Egypt. [It is the farthest corner of the promised land, and 2) he journeyed to Haran between morning and midnight, and on the way he came to a place called Lus, which afterward became Bethel, where Solomon built his temple. For God especially honored that place, as we heard above Cap. 22:9 that Isaac was sacrificed on that mountain. Jacob stayed there overnight and slept. For when he was come, the sun was set, saith Moses, so that it was almost a day's journey from his going forth. There he lay down, and saw a dream and a vision, as the text tells, and is clearly written on himself. But what it means, we will hear later, want to stay now with the history.

7 The word that the Lord speaks and blesses him makes it clear what Jacob's situation was. For God is not a useless washer, that he should turn his word to the wind.

and speak where it is not necessary. Therefore it is evident that Jacob was in great distress and anguish and had to leave secretly because his brother had threatened him with death, so that he was in danger of dying. For his brother was also a friend in the country through which he had to go. How soon it would have happened that they would have strangled him! Because he now stands in such a journey, and does not know how to protect himself, God is there, and tells him: because no one helps him, he wants to help and protect him. [For this very reason he sends him to go there without help and assistance, so that he may do it himself without means. As if he were to say, "Be of good cheer, and let your brother be on your side with friendship; I will build a ladder down, and be with you when you lie there and sleep, and take no care; I have more angels in heaven than men on earth. If they are with us, who will do anything to us?

8 And here the saying will have flowed in the 91st Psalm, v. 11, 12: "He hath commanded his angels concerning thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, to bear thee up in their hands, that thou dash not thy foot against a stone. For the dear fathers learned much from history. Thus we also read 2 Kings 6:14-20 of the prophet Heliseus, how the Syrians surrounded a city where he was and wanted to take him. But when Helisee arose early with his child, and saw that the city was occupied, the child was afraid, and said, "Awe, how shall we do now?" [Helishaeus answered, "Fear not, for there are more of them that are with us than of them that are with them." Then the eyes of the lad were opened, and he saw that the mountain was full of fiery horses and chariots, about Helisaeus the prophet. Then he blinded the people, so that they let themselves be led away from the city into the midst of Samaria, the capital, and opened their eyes again; and they saw how they were in the midst of the city among the enemies.

(9) All these things are written for this reason, that we may know that God cannot leave His own, though all the world be against us.

1. Erlanger: has.
2. In the editions: has.
3. Wittenberger and Erlanger: such Fahr.

442 Erl. 34, 119-122. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 663-666. 443

He is there and helps. Therefore, when we are in faith, so many angels are looking at us; and yet he is so foolish about it that it seems to us that we are lost and must die with disgrace, so the angels are standing and watching us, who could probably help us out in a moment. God also watches for a while.

(10) Why then does he not let us be helped so soon? So that his grace, work and word may be known all the more, and prove that he is able to help in death, which otherwise we would not know, if we did not experience it. He who is a Christian, then, has died well; think, then, that when the soul executes, it is full, full of angels around, who carry it into the bosom of God. But such a comforting thing happens to no one before he sees how he is abandoned by all creatures, and no one can help but God alone.

It is certainly true, if only we could believe it. So, since this poor child is in the greatest distress, and is not sure of his life, he must see such great comfort and help. God did not give him such comfort, since he was with his father and mother, and was not allowed to worry about anything; but had to come before them, and sing the tenth verse from the 27th Psalm: "My father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up"; so that he could say: I would rather sit in the bosom of God than my father and mother. Therefore he must come from them among the enemies; where they sit and rule, God protects him in the highest through his angels.

V. 16-19 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! There is nothing here but a house of God, and a gate to heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had laid for his head, and set it up, and poured oil upon it, and called the place Bethel; for the name of the city before was Lus.

Here we must preach once about churches. For our papists have drawn this text for themselves to their churches, because Jacob calls the place a house of God. But it was not yet one, but he set up a stone to the

He also made a vow that it would become a house of God and that he would tithe everything he received. First of all, see that God's house is not called a great building, as we have. For so David also says Ps. 5:8, "I will enter into thy house upon thy great goodness, and will worship against thy holy temple"; and yet no temple was yet built, but they had only the tabernacle, or the tabernacle of Moses.

13 So Jacob says here, "Let the stone become a house of God. Why does he call it that? Not because it would be necessary to erect a large building for it, but only to put a sign and a mark that God dwells there; thus he wants to say: Here shall be God's dwelling place; therefore he calls it BethEl in Hebrew. Now God does not ask whether it is large or not, whether it is vaulted and consecrated; yes, he dwells there, and yet he does not build a house for it during his lifetime. What does it take for God to dwell there? Nothing more than that God is there with his word; where that is, he certainly dwells, and again, where the word is not, he does not dwell; one builds him a house, as large as one wants.

(14) Learn this and know how to answer those who boast of houses of worship and churches, and stretch out the saying. It is not called God's house for the sake of your service or endowment; for the sake of your work he will not dwell there. For your work shall be so free that it is not bound to any place, unless God has commanded you something special. But therefore it shall be called his house, when he cometh and ministereth unto us, and sendeth forth his word there.

15 Now this is clear from the text, when Jacob himself speaks, having heard God's word in the vision: "Here is nothing else but God's house, and a gate to heaven. If it is already there, why does he want to erect it there? Therefore it is there that God dwells with the angels and lets his word be heard. Take a likeness. This is called Master Hansen's house; is it because the servant works in it? No, but because he dwells in it and is the master, so that everything must go as he wills; not because the servant serves in it. So also here, where one comes, there

444 Erl. 3t, 122-I2t. Sermon on Genesis 28:16^-22. w. ill, 666-669. 445

God rules and creates through his word, there is his house, so that you may say: Here is actually God's dwelling, a ladder and gate to heaven. For there heaven is open to us, therefore we have the word which gives us life and heaven.

16 Therefore, you can judge and conclude that our monasteries and collegiate churches are not God's houses, for everything there has been established in such a way that there is no God's word in it. For where God dwells, He is not silent, and where He speaks, He dwells. Therefore no house of God shall be called, except it be sure that he speaketh there. For before Jacob had a will, or ever thought of doing anything there, he hears God speak and preach, and for the word's sake he says, "Here dwelleth God." Therefore, our churches and monasteries must be like devil's houses, because they are built without God's word, out of human discretion, and are called God's houses only because of the work and service that we have established.

(17) Oh how much error the text has given to the Jews, just as it has given to us, that they have concluded: Here Jacob lay and saw God, this is a holy place, therefore we will build a church there, and establish worship; as king Jeroboam did 1 Kings 12:31. But all the prophets cried out against it, saying, What do ye exalt? God does not speak there, and you set it up without and against His command. Then the false prophets opposed them, and condemned them, and did so much harm that they perished. Now what did they err? 1) Just this, that they did not look at the text rightly, and opened their mouths against the place, and thought that God must dwell there, because they served Him in it, and did not inquire after the word, whether He spoke there.

You must not think of magnificent buildings, roofs, vaults, altars, singing and sounding. Where God's word sounds, whether in the forest or in the water, or where it is, there is a BethEl, so that one may say: God dwells here. For, as we have heard, before a stone was ever laid in the place, Jacob called the open space a house of God. How did he know that? From the fact that

1. erred - made mad.

He has heard God speak in that place. Therefore, no house should be built for him, unless it is known beforehand that he dwells there. But then he dwells there, when he lets his word be preached, works in us, and is recognized through faith.

V.20-22. And Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, and give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, and bring me home to my father in peace, then the LORD shall be my God; 2) and this stone which I have set up shall be a house of God, and all that thou shalt give me I will tithe unto thee.

3. 19. So far I have preached and written enough about how all our papist monastic vows are contrary to God's word and are damnable. Now, if the papists were to stand up and take this text against us, urging that there is an example of the holy father, who has made a vow to God, which is vowed by God, and has also kept it, and you have been a monk, have vowed so much, and keep nothing: what will you answer to that? If thou wilt say, I have heard it or read it, it is of no account, and is not Christian; thou shalt not stand. You must know how to strike the devil, to take the sword, and to defend yourself. Therefore, let us see what this text concludes or not, how it penetrates and does not penetrate.

(20) First, the vows that now go to the point of obscenity (4) commonly have three errors, all of which are contrary to this text. The first is that vows made in spiritual matters should not be made to any saint, but to God alone. Understand this well. Thus Jacob says here, "The Lord shall be my God, and this stone shall become a house of God"; not that he vows to Abraham, Isaac, Noah, or any saint.

2. Marginal gloss: To be my God. Not that he was not his God before, but he vows to establish a service of preaching and praying, giving tithes to preachers, as Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek.
3. Here the Wittenberg and Jena editions have the superscription: "Of the vows."
4. Walch and the Erlanger: "to go to times". "To go to times" means: to adhere, to take root. Cf. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. VIII, 49, 8109.

446 Erl. 3t, 124-126. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 669-671. 447

For God alone is to be worshipped and served. Now the vow is also such a service; therefore it should happen to no one but him. For this reason it has already been answered that nothing is valid that is vowed to the saints. Your vow does not rhyme with that of the patriarch Jacob; therefore you mislead the Scriptures if you want to make use of it. Thus, many vows that have been made in all the world fall away, not to God, but to the saints.

21 The other defect is that there is a vow here, which is given earlier by God, that he will keep it. For he noticeably adds, "If God will bring me home to the Father again and keep me on the way, giving food and drink and clothing, this place shall be a house of God, and as much as you will give me, I will give you the tithe." All these things he vows he will have beforehand, that he may do them, and no sooner. Therefore it does not extend further than the goods are there, and if he is able. If he gives him little, he shall take little; if he gives him much, he shall have much; if he gives him nothing, he shall have nothing. So that his vow is not based on the goods that he already has tenfold in stock.

22 Now hold our vows against it. If you vow to keep chastity, what have you vowed but a thing that is not at all in your power? "God created them male and female, and said, Grow and multiply" Gen. 1:27, 28. What then may you vow not to be a man or a woman, because God created you so; and not created you so in vain, but that you should be fruitful? If thou hast not the store to keep it, when thou oughtest to have it tenfold in ability. Therefore it is the devil and death to vow what God does not give us and we cannot keep. You want to vow to be pious, and you are born a knave. What would it be if a sick person vowed on the bed to be healthy and get up? It is called mocking God to give him what we do not have. If he gave it before hut,

1. Wittenberg and Jena: a little.

and you vowed to do so, it would be an opinion.

For this you can vow much less eternal chastity. For if you are pious and chaste today, tomorrow you may be lying in the dirt. For everything is in God's hands through and through; therefore I cannot vow it any longer than he gives. But Jacob does it in temporal good, and will pledge nothing more than God wants to give him. Dear God, does this vow only apply so far in such good, which is more in our hands than spiritual good: what fools we are that we vow the high, great, strange goods without any means without 2) the Holy Spirit, who has all spiritual goods in his bosom? Therefore, you see how our monastic vows are all of the devil. So you can slap them on the mouth and show them how they lead the text wrongly, so that they learn to look at it rightly. So do thou now also. If you ever vow to remain a virgin, vow as long as God exists and no further. This is what we have taught, that all monastic vows should be free, so that each one may say: I have vowed this or that, but I owe it no more than I have to keep it. 3) Why? Because you were not created to be a virgin, but to be a man or a woman. But if it is given to thee, thou hast it; if it be taken from thee, thou canst no more vow it, nor keep it. Therefore this text does not conclude against us, but for us against them. These are the two infirmities of our vows.

(24) Now the third defect is the most serious, for those are still external, but this is internal, for here the person is lacking. Become Jacob first, and then vow also; as I have often said, one should not look at the works of the saints, but at the person and their faith. For it was through error that Bethel became not God's house, but the devil's house. For the devil also led these histories and examples strongly, and caused the prophets enough trouble that they laid down their false minds. How should it

2. "ohne" is missing in the editions, but the Jena one has the conjecture in the margin: ohne or wider.
3. namely as a gift from God.

448 Erl. 34, 126-129. sermon on Genesis 28, 20-22. W. Ill, 671-674. 449

the devil could have done finer than that he had such a pretense for himself, and so let preach: Here Jacob, the holy father, has lain, has heard God Himself preach, and has vowed that this should become a house of God; how could we now do better than to establish a delicious service, where one prays and sacrifices? 1) 2c.

25 I would not like the pope to have such a seeming reason for himself as these have had against the right prophets. I would not like the pope to have such a seeming reason for himself as these have had against the true prophets. For who could say against it? The text is clear that it says: "Here dwells God"; therefore they say: We want to follow our holy archfather Jacob, have God's word and example with us. Then the prophets said again: "Not so, you are going wrong. But if they opened their mouths, they would be put to death, and they would hear that they had spoken against the Scriptures.

26. What then was the fault that God rejected such work? Thus the prophets preached: "Beloved, you are far from being Jacob; it is not the opinion that one should imitate the mere works of the saints; 2) God has given and permitted the place to the person, and has been pleased with the person and the place, as he then needs many works, time and place through his saints, but therefore does not want anyone to go and imitate the same. -You are a married man or woman, and God needs you for that; if you were to leave that and follow another, God would not thank you for it. It is not a matter of looking at examples, but of faith and God's calling. Jacob was called to the place; therefore you must not follow him, unless you were also called, and God spoke to you. This is what the holy kings did. David had it in mind to build a house for God, but he was not allowed to do so because God had not commanded him 2 Sam. 7:5 ff. But Solomon, his son, was called to do it and built the temple in Jerusalem [1 Chron. 18, 11. 12. 1 Kings 6, II.

27 Therefore, this is the summa of it: where

1. In the editions: sacrificed.
2. In the old editions: "nachome"; Jenaer (wrong): "nachkome".

and as God calls you, follow; but if not, let it stand, even if you had the examples of all the saints before you. But it did not help. Our fools have had no word of God from the Scriptures for themselves, and yet have daily erected a church above the others, and according to their dream want to bind God 3) where he should dwell, namely, to the See of Rome. If they had been able to come up with such a text, as the Jews did, the whole world would not have been able to defend them.

(28) Thus the prophets fought with the people, saying: "In the place where I will make remembrance of my name, there will I come to thee, and bless thee. With this God has abolished all places and has not set a certain one, but wants to say: "Look at me, and do not mention a place to me; but where I will choose one, there come, there I will be and preach. With this, all the competition is met, that one does nothing for God's service, but he does and creates it beforehand. Now look at all the histories, and notice how we have been fools when it was said to us: There lies St. Peter, St. Jacob, the Holy Sepulchre, these or those saints; there God has been, and has sanctified the place; as soon as we have heard the cry, we have fallen down as blind and foolish people, and have founded churches with heaps. Yes, if we could get a finger or a skull from the sanctuary, we erected altars and chapels as soon as possible. Still they remain standing on it, and defy: Nevertheless, there lies St. Peter, St. Paul 2c., they are holy, therefore the place where they lie must also be holy.

29 But you answer thus: Is that enough for God to dwell there, of which He has never spoken nor commanded? If all the saints were lying there with each other, I would not kneel down before them, nor would I look at them, thinking that I wanted to serve God especially in that place. It is not a matter of where the saints lie, but of where God speaks: Who is bettered by the fact that so many saints in Rome are lying in the soup of hell, where there is no word of God but

3. In the issues: GOtte.
4. create - command. Cf. Walch, St. Louiser.Ausg. vol. IX, 1054, § 12.

450 Eri. Z4, iLs-131. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 674-676. 451

is vain devil's doctrine and his kingdom? One still runs there, and when one has seen many saints, it should be enough. If you want to wait for blessings and obtain true grace, run to the place where God's word is, and only beware of other places where it is not, even if all the angels were there. The saints do nothing, but the living Word does it, which is better than all the saints' earth and churches where they lie.

(1) (30) Now therefore, make the vows that they will keep. First, Jacob is a man of faith; become you also, and vow according to this. Secondly, he vows to the right God, saying, "God will be with me and protect me. No one speaks such words except the Holy Spirit. For if you say, "I vow to God, who created the heavens and the earth, that I will build a church," it is a lie. For thou hast no spirit to call thee, and proceedeth of thine own will and devotion; thou hast no sign nor testimony thereof; thou shalt not touch anything against God all thy life, unless thou be sure that he calls thee. If not, then speak freely; that is what the devil has done.

31 Therefore, look at the text carefully. Before Jacob vows, God shows him that he dwells there, so that he has an outward admonition by the sign he sees, as well as an inward activity of the Spirit. If God also calls you with such signs and gives you such a spirit, do the same. So you see how the example is for us, and everything that has been taught about vows falls to the ground.

(32) I have said more about this, that our vows have the shameful filth about them, that is, to rely on them, and to make a way to heaven with them, and to be in a higher state than the common man. When they are asked why they enter the monastery, they answer: That we may become Christ's brides. Yes, they become the devil's brides. Christ does not woo with flesh and blood, but wants to have the soul. Thus we all have souls as well as they, and is therefore

1. The Wittenberg and Jena editions have here the superscription: "Berlegung der Gelübde".
2. misplace - refute.

that we may become His bride in pure faith, in which we receive the word of God, which is the spiritual seed Luc. 8, 11. 1 Petr. 1, 23.. This is what ungodly, foolish preachers do, so that the people think they have a better, more blessed state than the common state of Christianity. This is the devil and death, that if there were nothing else in it but such unchristian opinion, it would still be horrible enough. Therefore their vows are not Jacob's vows, but the devil's. For they deny the faith, and would have their chastity esteemed better than the Holy Ghost, and esteem a poor Christian man, where Christ dwelleth with all his goods, less than their crowns or caps. They are not worthy to wash his feet here. That is enough of that. [Let us now pass over the text, and see how and whither Jacob's vow is.

33. First, he says, "The Lord shall be my God. There the faith is indicated, when he says "the HErr", which is the right name of GOtt. He had it before for his right GOt, in right faith, nor does he say, "The HErr," whom I already have, "shall be my GOt." [But this much is said: I will do the outward service to him, not that he should first be my Lord, but my God; that is, I have the Lord in my heart by faith, but now I will 3) also confess and preach outwardly before the world, that they may see that I also have a God. For a Christian must have God in his heart, so that he needs nothing more for himself. But he must also break out and confess that he has a God, with outward worship. Otherwise, what would be said here if he thought that the Lord should first become his God, as if he had not considered him to be his God before.
34. So this is the opinion that he now wants to take a special place, to which he has been called, and bring together there his servants and those who will be with him, to preach, pray, and what more is to be done to God. [It is so much in a nutshell.
35. Jenaer: "ich jn" ^d. i. ihnj.
36. "that" is missing m the Erlanger.

452 Erl. 34, 131-133. sermon on Genesis 28, 20-22. W. m, 676-679. 453.

as if he were saying, "I want to do an outward service. But he would not do it, for when he was exhorted to do it. So his vow remains in pure faith; not that he would become pious or do a meritorious work, but that he would perform such service, only that other people would be improved by it and God would be praised. So you should also do and vow that he should be your God in one place, preaching and calling, not as a work to earn heaven, but to confess your God and faith before the world, and to serve other people.

35 Secondly, Jacob vowed, "All that you give me, I will tithe to you," that is, to keep a priest who preached and taught. For those who taught God's word were required from the beginning to tithe, which is not now in the New Testament, but has been left and set aside for love, that one may not make laws, but give as much as is necessary to feed and keep a preacher. Thus St. Paul teaches Gal. 6:6: "He that is taught by the word, let him impart all good things to him that teacheth him"; and 1 Cor. 9:14: "They also that preach the gospel ought to feed on the gospel." Now where there are Christians, they do not leave it; but since there were not Christians, and the people had to be governed by coercion and laws, a certain summa had to be determined as to how much to give them. Those before us had to do the same, because they could not provide for the preachers in this way. Love is too weak among the common crowd, it does not do it.

36 In the Old Testament Numbers 18:24 it was commanded that the Levites should tithe, but in the end they had to feed themselves, for they would not give any more. Therefore they devised a false service, and everyone gave enough again, as it is and has been in our day. Because righteous preachers are not given enough to feed themselves, they must finally give up preaching and feed themselves with work; thus God will again let preachers appear who lead us to the devil as a plague and punishment.

Therefore, this is a noble work of the pious father, that he had in mind to preserve God's word. If you also vow in this way, and do it after him, I will praise it. But because the work is so good, no one follows it; but to monastic vows one gives more than is enough. That makes it the work of the devil. What God's word and example is, the world does not want to accept; it lets it go in one ear and out the other.

We have now seen clearly enough what the example contains, and how they have misused it, and how it teaches us that we are also obligated to give to the right service of God, namely, to preserve the word; but as far as God gives us that we are able, and not of the opinion of doing a good work in order to earn something, but for the benefit of other people, so that it is a vow of love, more than of faith. So you can also vow to give as much to your neighbor every year, as long as you are able, in honor of God, the one who teaches you God's word. This would also be a fine vow, freely made out of love. So that the three parts are together in a Christian vow: first, that it may be done to God alone; second, as long as we are able; third, for the benefit of our neighbor; and last, so far that faith may remain intact. What is written in the text, about the stone and the oil that Jacob poured on him, serves the spiritual interpretation of the story, which we also want to touch a little.

Spiritual Interpretation.

The stone that is poured with oil is Christ, our unique head and foundation stone, as the Scriptures also call him 1 Cor. 10:4, Eph. 2:20, I Pet. 2:6, to whom also the sleep of the patriarch pointed; for sleep is nothing else than faith. When the sun goes down, darkness falls and night falls, the body sleeps and neither sees nor feels, but the soul wakes up, so that the figure of Christian life is formed, which should thus stand that it neither sees nor feels anything of the world, but lives in faith: then it sees God and the angels on the ladder. Thus, that faith is nothing but a righteous dream, in which a man sees what no one else sees.

454 Erl. "4, 133-135. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, p7S-683. 455

sees. That he now has the stone under his head points to Jesus Christ, on whom our consciences rest. When he wakes up, he sets it upright and pours oil on it; that is, when we are asleep in the faith, we wake up afterwards and break out in outward confession; so we set up the stone so that we preach about Christ who comforts us; and we pour oil on it, that is, such preaching is of pure grace and mercy, which flows and springs from Christ alone.

39 And this shows what kind of church or place of worship he wanted to build, namely, only to preach in it about Christ's grace, which was promised to him by God in his sleep and dream;

as he did before his fathers, Abraham and Isaac; therefore he vows the same. But no one will do this unless he has 1) seen the ladder before, that is, he who does not know Christ before will not preach well of him. For the ladder also signifies Christ, on whom the prophets and all the Scriptures ascend and descend, that is, all things agree with him, and all things walk on the ladder. Whoever now 2) knows Christ in this way, and sees how all Scripture goes to him, becomes a mighty preacher. This is the shortest part of this figure, that everything goes to the preaching ministry of Christ.

1. In the old editions: "because he has".
2. Wittenberg and Erlangen: den.

The twenty-ninth chapter.

V.1-8. Then Jacob lifted up his feet, and went into the country that lieth toward the east. And he looked, and, behold, there was a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lay by it. For the flocks had to drink from the well, and there was a large stone in front of the hole of the well. And they gathered all the flocks there, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again before the well in his place. And Jacob said unto them: Brothers, where did you get him? They answered: We are from Haran. And he said unto them: Do ye know me Laban the son of Nahor? They answered: We know him well. And he said, Is he also well? They answered: And, behold, his daughter Rachel cometh with the sheep. And he said, It is yet high day, and it is not yet time to bring in the cattle: water the sheep, and go and feed them. They answered: We will not water until all the flocks are gathered together, and we roll the stone from the well, and so water the sheep.

1. Here Moses describes how the patriarch Jacob came to the land of Mesopotamia,

and there he got a wife and children. Now you see that God lets his dear saints describe legends in a strange way; that it is told how Jacob went and found nothing on the way but a well and three flocks of sheep, and how he talks to the shepherds. This could be seen as a useless, unnecessary thing to describe, when he could have found other things and larger pieces that would have been of some value. But this is what we have often heard, that it is all for this reason, that God may put out the eyes of reason and blind it, so that one does not see according to great, seeming nature and works, but, as all Scripture points out to us, according to the works that God does. If we could get there and let it go as God has done, it would be all right.

When Adam and Eve were in Paradise, there was no human work of their own devising, but everything went as God had planted it and nature had given it. These were also the very best works. But now that nature has fallen, we have fallen into our own works, and the world is foolish and foolish, wanting only to deal with other works, because the

456 Erl. 34, 135-138. sermon on Genesis 29, 1-30. w. m, 683-68k. 457

God has planted, so that in all words and works God acts to bring it into pregnancy, to walk as He created it. Now this is a great knowledge, which even great saints lack. We all confess in faith: I believe in God the Father, Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. So, whoever believes it, knows a lot.

3 Therefore this also is described, that Jacob comes to a place to the shepherds, and speaks of things, which one looks at, as if they do not concern God at all. If he wanted to describe a holy man, should he not rather write thus: He came to a place and taught the people to do good works, made them go to church. Hearing mass and praying; and so forth of great spiritual works: so he entereth in, and knoweth nothing to say, but how he washeth with the shepherds of sheep to water them. We have heard it enough how God has air to deal with such foolish works. What do we get from the fact that he calls them to water the sheep, and then rolls the stone from the well? [It is worth mentioning that he writes such things and lets the world read them, as if there were nothing else to read. Now these are the proper natural works which God has planted in nature, and ordained that man should govern the cattle, handle them, and thereby seek his food, eating, drinking, and forage; which are described by the great saints. If God would have us do the same, we would see what fools I am.

4 So the whole chapter is a fool's work before the world, and a sermon that serves no purpose at all. Christ himself and Paul preach in this way, as can be seen in almost all the epistles. St. Paul, when he wants to teach about Christian works, knows nothing to say, because how a man should wait for his wife and children Eph. 5, 25. Col. 3, 19. Eph. 6, 4., the wife should fear the husband and hold him in honor, and bring up children 1 Tim. 2, 12., the servant should be obedient to the Lord Eph. 6, 5. f., the children to their parents Eph. 6, 1-3., nor do we deal with other works. The great apostles knew nothing better to preach; but if they were to write now, they would have to study a while in the high schools, and give much money to become doctors. The

The people of the world, who are better acquainted with how to serve God, make great books of it and argue about which are the best works.

(5) But we may well thank God, if we could, that the Scripture comes to our door, and shows us rightly what is pleasing to God, what he himself may praise in his highest saints, what the apostles may praise and preach. [It is right for us to keep our mouths shut and say: We do not know any better; if there were something better, he would have let us write and preach it. [It is all to do that with this book God has wanted to ward off all the misery that has followed 1) (as can be seen in the following books), and to preserve what he has created and made; so that each one may wait for his thing, position and office. If thou shalt seek to be called something else, thou shalt fail. Both experience and the Scriptures give this; nor are we foolish and foolish, that we should throw such things to the winds, and fall upon other things. Let this be said of it; I know no more to make of it. Follow further in the text:

V.9-30. While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending the sheep. When Jacob saw Rachel his mother's brother Laban's daughter and his mother's brother Laban's sheep, he came and rolled the stone from the well's hole, and watered his mother's brother's sheep, and kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept, and told her that he was her father's brother and Rebekah's son. Then she ran and told her father. And when Laban heard of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and hugged him, and meted him, and brought him into his house. Then he told him all this story. And Laban said unto him, Well, thou art my bone and my flesh; tarry with me a month. And afterward he said unto Jacob, Though thou be my brother, shouldest thou serve me for nought? Tell me, what shall be thy reward? Laban had two daughters, the eldest named Leah and the youngest Rachel. But Leah had a wicked face, and Rachel was fair of form and beautiful of countenance. The same Jacob loved and said: I will give thee seven

1. In the editions: has.

458 Erl. 3t, 138-140. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 686-689. 459

years to serve Rachel, your youngest daughter. Laban answered, "It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to someone else; stay with me. So Jacob served Rachel seven years, and it seemed to him as if they were days, for he loved her so much. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for the time has come for me to join her. So Laban invited all the people of the place, and made a marriage. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her in, and put her to sleep. And Laban gave Zilpah to Leah his daughter to be his handmaid. And in the morning, behold, it was Leah. And he said unto Laban, Why hast thou done this unto me? Have I not served thee for Rachel? Why then hast thou deceived me? Laban answered, "It is not done in our land to give out the youngest before the oldest. If thou endure this week, I will give thee this week also, for the service which thou shalt serve me another seven years. So Jacob did, and endured the week. Then he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife, and Laban gave Rachel his daughter Bilhah to be his handmaid. So he lay with Rachel, and loved Rachel better than Leah, and served him the other seven years.

6th Then he describes how Jacob came to Laban, who called him his brother, when they were brother and sister, children of one another. But here we are to answer Mrs. Hulda, the mad fool, the reasoner. How the scholars were offended by the fact that the patriarch thus becomes a fool and takes two wives, yes, two sisters at once! And what is much more foolish is that he serves Rachel for seven years and loves her so much that he makes himself believe that it is only for one week, so that our clergymen have to say that it is pure foolishness. I would have to say it myself, if I were a monk, who is not taught to think what the world does, but only what the angels in heaven do; and shall read here how the fool courts the mead seven whole 1) years, and keeps it for seven days. Rhyme, so long with Metzen courting, and yet be holy. But here is the scripture; whoever can do better, let him do it, we will watch in the meantime.

1. Walch and the Erlangers: whole.

(7) What shall we make of this? Let us leave him in the mire and confess that he is a fool, that he has so far dared to live his life in this way, and now he comes and hangs himself on a maid; and when he is betrayed, he takes the other sister and serves her for seven more years. But that Jacob did not do this out of malice is evident from the fact that he was at least seventy years old, so that he should have lost the thrill. For Esau, his brother, took a wife when he was forty years old, but he waited thirty years. And though the text does not tell how old he was, yet if one should reckon it back from Joseph, one finds that it runs almost to seventy years, yes, even further, almost to eighty years.

8 Now imitate Jacob, and let them make a mockery of it, saying, He hath done nothing, but revelled and lain with women. But give us also such men, even of those who so highly praise virginity, who have kept chastity so long. As many as there are among the priesthood, if you were to forge them together, you would not find one who has kept chastity until the fortieth year: nor do they want to say much about virginity, and reproach all the world; they themselves are in the dirt up to their ears, and it should be nothing that this pious Jacob has persevered seventy years. That he should not also have had flesh and blood is not to be believed. For he loved Rachel as soon as he thought she should be his; nor did he abstain so long that I might set Jacob above all virgins. For to abstain so long must be a grace and spirit that is great. Therefore, it is not acceptable for a man to go overboard like this, thinking it is frivolity and not considering the seriousness he has had. If I were to set an example of chastity, I would set this very Jacob; set me one in the Old and New Testaments whose chastity is thus praised. Therefore God is wonderful with His own, making fools of the world, so that it does not know what it is like.

9 Again, in such great grace that he has lived so long purely, now is the other

460 Erl. 34, i4v-i42. Sermon on Genesis 29, 9-30. W. m, 689-691. 461

Work, that God nevertheless lets the nature remain in him. Whether he was deceived in that he loved Rachel so much and served her for seven, yes, fourteen years, I let go. I also like that the saints are in the mud like us. But this is true, that besides the spirit and grace, God lets nature remain as He created it, in order to shut the mouths of the great saints, who lift the saints as high as if they had felt no natural movement. Indeed, if it were written of me, it would probably annoy me that one should read of me how I had courted with metzen; and Moses writes it of the holy man who lived so long without a 1) wife, and was now an old man.

Now, what shall we make of this? Even though it was an overlong 2) from him, it is still indicated to us that grace allows nature to remain; so that if you are a Christian, you must not even take off what is flesh and blood. God allows you to remain a man or a woman; how He now further ordains that the marital state should be to beget fruit, this does not cancel the grace, but confirms it, and makes it all blessed. Now if a man is given grace, as Jacob was, to remain so long without a wife, it is good for him; if not, he knows well where he belongs.

11 God gave Jacob special grace to live purely for seventy years; then, when he heard the saying that through his seed the world should be spread out and filled, and now sees that the time has come, he stands up to it. Therefore he vowed in such a spirit that he had certainly not been deceived, and had done so without God's word.

This is what I have often preached, to make consciences free. For we are now so taught by the grace of God that we know why woman is created. That is understood enough, one may say no more of it; only that the consciences are saved, are so caught with false doctrine that one has almost thought it would be a disgrace to take a woman or a man. It must ever happen that lust and love are put together.

1. "a" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.
2. overlong - more than necessary, superfluous.

I have had love. Without love it is vain misery and misery; otherwise there will be misfortune enough. Therefore the Holy Spirit will not be angry if a maiden loves a boy, and again, so that they may have a desire to live in wedlock. He gave it to Jacob, and not only that, but also let it be written; not for his sake, but for the sake of the great preachers who have strained it so tight, and to comfort us. These are the two things that God graces with chastity, and yet lets remain with nature as it was created.

(13) But how shall we excuse this, that he feedeth, and taketh two sisters? We cannot deny it. It is a sin with the priest, which must be atoned for with fire; so hard, if it happens in such a case, that a man sleeps with his wife's sister, he must never sleep with his wife. Here now see, this text applies more than a hundred thousand covenants; and because the scripture does not punish Jacob, you must let this be done to me without sin. The text also says, "When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he made her fruitful, and Rachel barren." There he confirms the error, and wants it that he has the two sisters and keeps, and makes the scholars, who torment themselves so hostilely about it, fools. It is true that the example is not to be followed because God does something special with the man that he has not done with others; but that is why I say it, so that one may see God's work in this, and if such a case should arise, that one would know how to judge it. For I know well how consciences have been driven and acted under the law of the priest.

014 Now the first thing to be said here is, If it had not been customary in the land to do this, there is no doubt that Jacob would never have done it. For his heart was set on having Rachel for a wife, and not both sisters. That Laban deceived him and first put Leah with him in Rachel's place was not his fault; he did not know how to do what a pious man must do, he does not know how to do otherwise. If he had not wanted to be evangelical and stick to his rights, he would have said, "You have your

462 Erl. S4. E-14S. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, SSI-6S4. 463

Daughter again; if thou wilt deceive me, deceive me to thy hurt. But he did not want to take revenge; although the father acted like a mischievous man, nevertheless he does not want to let her pay for it, and does her the friendship that he keeps her. Therefore it is a sign that it was also the custom of the country, and not so strange that no one but he alone should have done such a thing. God also confirms that he allows it to happen. Therefore, he did not do wrong nor was he criminal.

15 However, because it is no longer the custom of the land, and God does not command or give cause to do such things, it should not be done. He also abolished it afterwards, as Deut. 18:18 states: Thou shalt not take a woman with her sister to bare her shame, because she is yet alive. But it was among the Gentiles, and Mosi's law was not yet the time. Even if it had been forbidden, he did it without his will and knowledge, so that the commandment had no place here. For God did not want this maiden to become a disgrace. Thus the commandment does not extend further than when a man would take his wife's sister out of his own will, but he has kept her for the sole purpose of preserving her in honor. Those who are Christians know well what they should do, but if such a case arose, I would not know how to advise otherwise than as Jacob did, so that one might not be a prisoner of the priest and not use his wife. Let this be the sum of it, that Jacob is a strange man, full of spirit, and yet also flesh and blood like others.

016 But how is it that it follows, that Leah was hated, and Rachel was loved? Answer: He must not have been hostile to her at all, since he has six sons with her and nothing with Rachel; nevertheless, the text says: "He preferred Rachel to Leah. God allows flesh and blood to be involved. There were also two pious children, the wives, still flesh and blood remains in all three, as we will hear more. The reason for this is given in the text when it says: "Rachel was beautifully formed and beautiful in face; but Leah had

1. Erlanger: dienn.

a stupid face." I do not know whether he is talking about stupid eyes, or about the whole face; as we say, lean, scrawny and pale of face, decayed and not full; which I like best. Rachel, however, is a pretty, smooth matzo, and has been perfect.

(17) Behold, is not this a strange saint? He should be so spiritual that he would not look at her more than if she were a woman; yet he has such a great difference, and soon looks at the most beautiful one; he has a desire for her, but not for the other. God still has him so deeply stuck in the flesh that his heart is more attached to this one than to the other. Leah was the first bride, she was to be borne, nor did she have to leave afterward; the household, including Jacob himself, held on to Rachel and let her be the wife of the house; no one gave much to Leah. She was also annoyed by this; she thought, "My father did not do too well with me, and could have advised me better. God lets such infirmities remain and write of the great holy children, that one must say and preach of them how they have been divided and envious.

(18) What then does God do to them? [He makes all three of them stumble, and always flesh and blood run with them. He still has such pure eyes, does not see which is the prettiest or not, and does not give a child to the pretty woman; but the poor maiden must soon have five or six of them. He is quite fond of women, sees nothing but that they are women, does not ask how they are shaped. He also does this: When he sees that someone wants to make a Cinderella, he goes to her and gives her fruit, and none to the others, and prefers the one who is the ugliest and most despised, who must be the right mother. For Christ came from Leah, from the tribe of Judah. No matter how pretty Rachel is, she is of no use; that which is to be Christ's must come down from the first and become humble. Leah must have suffered many a proud word, even from the servants in the house, and will have sat at the bottom that the other ruled. But God is so skillful that He looks down even on His saints, all of whom are His children, and He is more careful with those who are weakest than with those who are more proud. This is why the text speaks:

464 Erl. S4, 145-147. sermon on Genesis 29:31-35. W. Ill, SS4-SS7. 465

31-35 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he made her fruitful, and Rachel barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, saying, The LORD hath looked upon my affliction, and my husband loveth me. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, The LORD hath heard that I am hated, and hath given me this also, and called his name Simeon. And again she conceived, and bare a son, and said, Now shall my husband return unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore she called his name Levi. The fourth time she conceived, and bare a son, and said, Now will I give thanks unto the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah, and ceased from childbearing.

019 The first son she called Reuben, that is, a son of sight, or son of vision; as if to say, I wretched maid, because God looks upon me as a poor, forsaken child, I will call the son thereof, that God hath looked upon me. And behold, how flesh and blood rule. For this is quite a carnal thought, since 1) she says: "Now my Lord will love me", because I am the first mother, bring the first son. She thinks she also wants to be a wife, but she is not. She calls the other son Simeon and says, "The Lord has heard that I am hostile or hated. Now this is fine, that she can say: God has also given me the son. These are words of great faith, as if she were saying, "Though I am a Cinderella, yet He looks down and hears my need.

020 And when she had the third son, she called his name Levi, which is. A companion, or a keeper. As if to say, Jacob is with Rachel, and dwells with her, but now he will be

1. Erlanger: Fleisches Gedanken, that.

hold to me also. She would have liked to tear him away from Rachel, so that she would be the beloved. This will also have annoyed her, that she should not also have children. After that she had another son, whose name was Judah, a thankful one, because she said, "Now I will give thanks to the Lord," or confess, and say what he has done.

21 Now behold how the Scripture acts. What is it to me how many children the fathers bore, and what names they gave them? Must we hear and see all this, as the whole book speaks of childbearing and childbearing? Or, what should I hear about how the women were also arrogant, and each one wanted to be the best? It is all that I have said: God likes nothing but his own work. So you see what He thinks of childbearing, that He allows so much to be written about it, so that both His work and His word are revealed to us; which the world does not see, indeed, considers to be nothing but shame and laughter, and is ashamed to write about it. But God is pleased to let Himself down like this and make something delicious out of the dirt, and what the world considers delicious is left lying in the dirt.

(22) Let it now be foolishness to beget children, and let us remain fools with the holy fathers, and wait for God's work, for which He created us, to abide in it, and to consider it His work, and to regard it as great, whether it is shameful and unworthy of consideration before the world. [It is enough for us that it pleases him; we will not do better than he has done. So now we have four sons of the holy patriarch, let us hear about the others as well. We will save the spiritual interpretation until we get deep into it and have this history.

3. Walch and the Erlangers: es.

466 Erl. 34, 147-I4S. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 8S7-701. 467

The thirtieth chapter.

(vv. 1-13) And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob nothing, she envied her sister, and said unto Jacob, Bring me forth children also, or else I die. And Jacob was very wroth with Rachel, and said, Am I then in God's stead, which withholdest the fruit of thy womb? And she said, Behold, Bilhah my maid, and lie with her, that she may bear upon my womb, and that I may be built up by her: and she gave him Bilhah her maid to wife. And Jacob lay with her. So Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged my cause, and hearkened unto my voice, and given me a son: therefore she called his name Dau. 1) Then Bilhah Rachel's handmaid conceived, and bare Jacob the second son. And Rachel said, God hath wrought it with me and with my sister, and I am overbearing: and she called his name Naphtali. 2) When Leah saw that she had ceased from childbearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her to Jacob to wife. So Zilpah Leah's maid bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, Prepared, and called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bare Jacob another son. Then said Leah, Blessed be I; for my daughters shall call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

In the previous chapter we heard enough about how poor Leah had to be the Cinderella, but Rachel the right woman, and how God showed in this how He exalts what we hold in low esteem, so much so that He holds the judgment firmly, even among the saints. For Jacob was a pious man, full of the spirit; nor was Leah anything special with him, but Rachel was the right wife, of whom he thought much. In such a carnal sense, God still lets him go; but also lets him confidently lack, and judges much differently than Jacob.

2 Therefore, even if we are holy, we must take care that God does not make us all holy.

1. Marginal gloss: Dan means judge.
2. Marginal gloss: Naphtali means confused, turned around, reversed, when one does the antithesis, Ps. 18:27: "With the perverse thou dost consort."

Ways that we lift up that we lift up, and despise that we despise. He will not lift it up for us, because he did not lift it up for his mother, nor for all the apostles, who also often had good thoughts, and thought it was right, and should go out that way; but he does it differently. He still does this, so that the right may remain, that he may break our spirit. This is why he took Leam and made her fertile, but not the other, even though Jacob thought she should be the right mother, until she humbled herself.

(3) Here again we see a long and strange chapter, which, if reason considers it most profoundly, is nevertheless a fool's work, and sheer annoyance, that one should deal with your book, and think so much of it, which nevertheless speaks nothing but of goats and sheep and of the begetting of children; how could he present it more foolishly than that? especially if it is supposed to be written by holy people, as these are supposed to be.

4 But I cannot go against it, that is where it lies; whoever can do it better, let him do it, we will watch. If St. Jerome were to write about this, he would say that one should not stay with the bad history, but only seek the spiritual understanding in it; we will leave that alone. So I said that one should read and hear that in all God's works one should not look at anything more than His 'will, eyes, ears, and all the senses, and not ask any further. If it is God's work and will, worship it and carry it on your hands. He would have known how to describe other things if it had pleased him.

005 And yet what shall we say, that Jacob taketh four wives by heaps, two sisters, and two maids? Is it not a Hurian adventurer that two are not enough for him, but that he must have two more? I said in the previous chapter § 8 that his chastity is well proven by the fact that he lived seventy years and had no wives.

3. Erlanger: bite.

468 Erl. 34, 14S-1SI. Sermon on Genesis 30:1-13. W. Ill, 701-70S. 469

But now, when he is an old fool, and of course not much more fit to beget fruit, he takes four wives. The first answer is this: Because the Scripture does not reprove it, but describes it so diligently, and shows how God blessed him, and gives twelve patriarchs from the four wives, it behooves us to shut up, and to say: It pleases me well, because it pleased him.

But I think that if many holy people (as Jerome, Augustine, Hilarius, and probably also St. Peter) had seen such works in their times 1) from such a man, it would have been too high for them not to have been appalled by it, unless God's Spirit had specially inspired them and said it was right. For it is a high work, above all reason, that it might have been annoying even to the dear saints. It is now brought into the world, so that no one may say it is wrong. But if it were placed before our eyes, I and all the others would be fools about it.

Thus God makes fools of the world (and also at times of the highly knowledgeable spiritual people) with such works that one does not know what he has in mind. That is why his rule is strange, as St. Paul says out of the spirit. When he had looked at it from side to side for a long time, he let it fall, and he started to say Rom. 11, 33: "O what a depth of riches, both of wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and inscrutable His ways! Summa, it is even directed that he would like to be God, and we would think that what he did was right. But we do not do this, but take laws before us and conclude: He who does not do this is wrong. But how if he says, "How then, if you do not rightly understand the law, and I would do it differently from what you want or understand?

This is the first reason that Moses describes such a thing, so that he could not describe it more ugly. He did it, therefore it is right. How then, if we also did it, would it not also be right? Or

1. So Walch and the Erlanger, "have" is missing in the Jenaer. In the original and in the Wittenberg: gesche. hen would have.
2. "the" is missing in the Jena.

Is it written for us as an example that we should do the same? No, for I have said often enough that we should not look at the works but at the person of Jacob. If you are also a Jew, 3) do it also. God does not want us to take works into our hands; that is why He is so foolish with the holy works to resist us, so that we do not fall into them. Look ahead to the faith, spirit and word given to Him. If then you are such a person, do in God's name what comes before you.

009 For see how he doeth. Yet he does not seek it, and there is no malice; but Rachel saith unto him, Give me children also, or I must die. The good Metze would have liked to have children, especially because she saw that her sister was so fertile, and it would have been a great shame and heartache to her that she should remain without children. She understood from the sermon she had often heard from Jacob how through his seed all people should be blessed; she knew and believed this; therefore she would rather have desired to die than to remain without fruit. She must therefore have thought: I am the right woman; what mischievousness does God do to me that I am not worthy to be the mother? How a Christian heart would be troubled this very day, if it were so, that it would be frightened and think, "Alas! I see that God has not spoken the word about me, and that it is none of my business; he holds himself to my sister, and despises me. So the word will have humiliated her in the ashes, and it will have hurt her so much that she will have to say, "If I do not have children, I will die of sorrow. Then her joy is purely taken away.

10 The text speaks about it, which is even harder, how she envied her sister and was angry with her. There is still strong flesh and blood underneath, as in all Christians. She was afraid that God would not ask for her; she also worried (as women do) that she would not remain her beloved for long. Such foolish, carnal theidings God still leaves in them, that one sees how they have all been frail,

3. Jekel - Jacob.

470 Erl. 34, 1"-IS4. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 7W-7W. 471

like all of us. Again, Jacob also becomes moody, even, as the text says, very angry with them, and says: "Do you think that I am in God's place, and should give you children, when he does not give you any? Here you can see that he often preached to them, and how they recognized God and his word. But I will say this much:

(11) You know well what God is, that there is no man's strength to bear children, but God's hand and power. What can I do if he will not give you one? This is a small comfort that he gives her, but it upsets him, as a holy man, that she comes here so unreasonably out of impatience, and speaks as if she has forgotten God, that it is Jacob's fault that she has no children.

012 And what did she do, when she saw that she was not fruitful? There is my maidservant," she says, "lie with her, that she may bear upon my womb, and that I may be edified by her. This was the custom among the Gentiles at that time, that servants and maids were their own people, so that they bought the masters for money for their own property, like horses and cows. So also Moses wrote in the law, when servants and maidservants, which were given together, begat children, that they were all the lord's own. As is still the custom in the lands of the Turk. Therefore Rachel says here: The maidservant is mine, let her bear to me in my womb. Because she gives the maidservant to her husband and gives her children, everything she gives birth to is her own according to the law; but she does not want to give her a strange husband or a husband of her own, but to have children by her Jacob; let her remain a maidservant, and she remains a wife. It is a strange right, not of the pope, but of God. But is she also right to give away her husband? Without her will Jacob would not have done it; because he now supplies and keeps the maid, it must be right; otherwise he would not have granted it. These are serious matters, not done out of any malice.

013 Now the same maidservant begetteth unto the woman two sons; the first she calleth Dan, that is, a judge. [She does not let the maid give him a name or take care of the child, but wants to be a mother herself, so that she may be built up by the maid and have a house,

so that one could say, "This is Rachel's child. Therefore she calls him Dan and says, "God has judged my cause. As if she were to say, "I have been in disgrace, but now I am blessed that I may also be called a mother; though by another wife, yet by her who is mine. So exactly she seeks it, that she may also be fruitful. For in the Old Testament it was the greatest shame where a woman was not fertile; it was as if God was not gracious to her, that he did not make her a partaker of the blessing. She also calls the other son of the maid herself, and calls him Naphtali, which means reversed or changed. [So she wants to say: Praise be to God! My sister has stopped, she stands still, and I continue and stand with great honor, now I want to remain the supreme woman; but this is once again a human and feminine thought.

014 Again, Leah also hath a woman's temptation, and will give nothing before to her sister; and because she hath ceased to bear, she taketh her maid also, and giveth her to Jacob. And she begat a son, and called his name Gad, and said, Full of vigor: as if she should say, It is yet full of vigor and freshness. For Gad is called valiant, or valiant for battle; from it comes Gedud, a warrior-servant. Then another, whose name is Asser, blessed; for "now the women will call me blessed," she says, "that I have so many children by Jacob.

(15) This is the story of the two maidservants who had to bear children to the two wives, and yet remained maidservants, even though they were Jacob's wives. I have said before 12) how it is right that the great holy man nevertheless keeps the wives so hard, and according to strict law, does not let them enjoy that they are his wives, that he would release them and make them free, which would ever be fair and kind to look upon. Oh how God has kept the people under restraint, so that they would not become too insolent and wanton. It would be good if such constraint were now, too, for we all want to be noblemen; therefore the servants also drive the arrogance and courageous will, so that no one can perish with them; there will never be a proper regiment. It is certainly unkind to see people being made one's own, like cattle. But it is also

472 Erl. S4, 1S4-I5S. Sermon on Genesis 30:I-24. W. Ill, 70S-7OS. 473

It is an abomination to hang thieves on gallows; but one must force and tame people, yet one has enough to do that one may have peace. For it is impossible that those who are not God's children, and who are unbelievers, should do anything good, especially if they are given room and will. For this reason, there is now no more rule, discipline, or honor, and everything runs from one country to another, causing all kinds of trouble.

(16) Therefore the holy people have held that it is not good to give such people room and rein; otherwise they would become too proud and unruly. Even if Jacob had wanted to set them free, it would not have been right, because it was the custom of the land; therefore he did not want to establish a new right. It is necessary to keep order among the people, so that not everyone does as he pleases; as is the case now, that lords and wives must yield to the servants more than to their children, and often leave more right than they themselves have. Therefore, it has been a well-ordered, delicious regiment. It is not good that one should be the prisoner of another, but it is necessary to maintain an outward, worldly regiment. So the fathers would have let it go; but because the servants could not be governed in any other way and kept under constraint, they kept them according to the customs of the country and let them stay that way. There is also no doubt in my mind that these two maids were pious and holy women. [It is a great honor that they have helped to carry the twelve patriarchs. It now follows further in the history.

Reuben went out at the time of the wheat harvest and found Allrun in the field and brought her home to his mother Leah. And Rachel said unto Leah, Give me a portion of thy son's allunto. And she said, Hast thou not enough that thou hast taken my husband from me, and wilt thou also take my son's runt? And Rachel said, Well, let him sleep with thee this night for thy son's land. And it came to pass, when Jacob was come out of the field at even, that Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou shalt lie with me; for I have bought thee for my son's land. And he slept with her that night. And God heard

And Leah conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son, and said, God hath rewarded me for giving my handmaid unto my husband, and called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son, and said, God hath well counseled me; now shall my husband dwell with me again, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. Then she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and hearkened unto her, and made her fruitful. And she conceived, and bare a son, and said, God hath taken away my reproach from me, and called his name Joseph, and said, God will add another son unto me.

(47) Here again there is an outrage that the two holy sisters, Rachel and Leah, envy and hate each other for the sake of Jacob's husband, so that it may be seen how they were also frail and human, for the comfort of us who are sinners. But besides this it is shown how the conjugal love is the greatest and highest love on earth, that it leaves, despises, yes, also hates and envies sister, brother, father and mother for the sake of the conjugal husband. Now Leah complains that Rachel takes her husband; she does not want to forgive her right, but also wants to be a wife; yes, she would like to be alone and the most noble, because she says: "You take my husband from me", just as if she were the right wife. But it did not help, she had to be a concubine, and let Jacob live with Rachel daily and most of all. But Rachel made her a friend, and let Jacob lie with Leah at night. Such bickering, envying, complaining and reconciling will have happened often, that Jacob has had enough to deal with them. But it is indicated here once to interpret how the housekeeping was 1) done, as with all other godly children; as also Peter 1 Ep. 3, 7 confesses that a woman is weak, and St. Paul 1 Cor. 7, 10 teaches the married to reconcile themselves. For they know that without infirmity, anger, impatience, and the like, there is no marital life, much more at the time when many women have had a husband.

1. In the editions: have.

474 Erl. S4, iss-iö". Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 708-712 475

(18) Some people think that the allrun, which in Hebrew are called dudaim, were violas. But they may not be the blue or yellow violas, for here the text says that Reuben had them healthy in the wheat harvest, as also Solomon says in his Song of Songs Cap. 7, 13.: "Dudaim, they give their smell." From this it seems that there are wafted fine flowers, which smell well around the time of harvest, as with us the carnations, 4) lilies and roses. But what kind of flowers they are, we do not know for sure. But that all interpreters have made Allrun out of it, which I have followed, because otherwise no certain flower was to be named, I consider nothing. What should smell Allrun, and so well please the women? I take carnations, 2) or white lilies for it. It seems, because no one has known for sure what Dudaim means, that a Jew has mocked ours, and said, it is called Allrun; as St. Hilarius in the word Hosanna, and many others are also deceived and mocked.

What is the need to write such a story about how women fight over flowers? No other need, but that God, as often said, does not ask much about our works, but the works of his dear saints please him, however small and trivial they always are before reason. For here you see, besides the small works, how full of faith Leah is, that God hears her prayer, and makes her pregnant; and she praises and thanks and recognizes God's grace, as if God were playing with these flowers with His children; and yet thereby accomplishes such great things that two arch-fathers and the daughter Dinah come away with great praise and honor to God. What this story and these flowers mean, however, I will now leave until another time; it is also easy to think out of the previous interpretations, whoever feels like it.

(vv. 26-43) Now when Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said unto Laban, Let me go, I pray thee, unto my place and to my land. Give me my wives and my children, because I have served thee, that I may go: for thou knowest the service that I have done thee.

1. "than with us the carnations" is missing in the Wittenberger.

. 2) Jenaer: "Nelichen"; Wittenberger: "neglichen"; Erlanger: "Neilichen".

have. Laban said to him, "Can I not find mercy in your sight? I feel that God has blessed me for your sake. Voice the reward which I shall give thee. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and what cattle thou hast among me. Thou hadst little before I came hither, but now it is spread abroad, and the LORD hath blessed thee for my sake: and now, when shall I also provide for my house? And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing at all: but if thou wilt do unto me as I say, I will feed again, and feed thy flock. I will pass through all thy flock this day, and thou shalt separate from thence all the spotted and spotted sheep, and all the black sheep among the lambs. That which is colored and spotted among the goats shall be my reward. So my righteousness will testify to me today or tomorrow, when it comes to my reward before you; so that what is not spotted and colored among the goats, and what is black among the lambs, that is a theft from me. Then said Laban, Behold, it is as thou hast said, and he separated out by day the goats that were speckled and of many colors, and all the goats that were speckled and of many colors, and that were white, and all that were black among the lambs, and put them in the hand of his children, and made room three days' journey between him and Jacob. So Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock. Jacob took sticks of green willow, hazel and chestnut, and peeled white strips from them, and put the sticks he had peeled in the watering troughs in front of the flocks,

3. Marginal gloss: goats. You must not be mistaken here that Moses calls the small cattle now goats, now lambs, now rams, as this language kind is. For he means that Jacob kept all the white, single-headed cattle, and Laban gave all the colored and black ones. Now whatever was colored from the single-colored cattle was to be his reward. Laban was glad of this and had nature to himself that not much colored cattle would naturally come from the single-colored ones. But Jacob helped nature with art, so that the single-colored ones bore a lot of colored ones. By this story it is meant that through the gospel the souls are led away from the law and works saints, where they are colorful, bright and spotted, that is, adorned with various gifts of the spirit; Rom. 12, 6. 1 Cor. 12, 4. that under the law and works only the unrighteous remain. For Laban means white or glittering, and means the glittering heap in the beautiful works, also divine law,

476 Erl. S4, 158-181. sermon on Genesis 30:25-43. w. ill, 7I2-7IS. 477

who had to come to drink, that they should receive when they came to drink. So the flocks received over the staves, and brought mottled, spotted, and colored. Then Jacob separated the lambs that were not spotted and all that were black, and put them in clusters among Laban's flock, and made him his own flock, which he did not put with Laban's flock. And it came to pass, when the course of the spring yeast was, that he put the staves in the trenches before the eyes of the yeast, that they received above the staves. But in the lateling course he did not put them in. So the latelings of Laban, but the earlylings of Jacob. Therefore the man became exceedingly rich, that he had much flock, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

(20) Moses describes how Jacob dealt with his brother-in-law and deceived him about the sheep. Here, however, we must once again answer those who consider it according to the flesh, as if Jacob had acted treacherously with his master. But the text is somewhat obscure in its language, so let us give our opinion in our own German as to how it happened. First, Jacob served Rachel seven years, as we have heard. And when they were ended, Laban betrayed him, and gave him Leah. After that he served seven more years for Rachel, and he gave her to him for his wages. And when the fourteen years were expired, and he had earned no reward, save abundance, and food, and covering, and yet his lord's goods were greatly improved, as he himself confessed, they became one for the reward: and Jacob said, Let us tame 1) God and nature, what shall be mine and thine. Thou hast a flock of sheep, and thou shalt bring out the multicolored ones, and give me the plain ones. This is what Moses writes in a roundabout way; he calls the multicolored sheep half white and black spotted or speckled, which have white or black marks and spots, but otherwise one color. We call all of this colorful. According to this, our business shall proceed: The white, single-colored sheep, and what they bring for single-colored, shall also be yours; but what is born colored, shall be my reward.

021 So he made two armies, and took

1. to let tame - to let switch and rule.

to himself the plain ones, and what was colored, he did to the children. And gives it thus: Now I have the single-colored sheep alone; what now comes of these multicolored 2) shall be mine. Laban was happy to hear this and thought Jacob had done well, wanting to deceive himself; for it was not according to the common, natural course that much color should come from single-colored livestock. But Jacob used a trick and had Laban take all the colored ones and put them under his children's hands, three days' journey from there; but he stayed with the single-colored ones, but took sticks or rods and peeled them half with stripes. When the sheep were breeding and running, he put the sticks in front of them, and when they started to use the colored sticks, they also received colored and speckled sheep. With this art he brought about that from the monochrome ones so many colored and few monochrome ones came.

022 And it came to pass, when six months were expired, that Laban saw that Jacob's flock was great, and his less: "Well," said he, "it is not so, let us change; I will take the colored ones this time, and thou shalt keep the plain ones. Jacob was satisfied, and let it remain according to nature, put no colored sticks before them. After the year Laban saw that Jacob had the most sheep, so he changed it again with the reward, so that Jacob would keep the colored ones again. The change happened ten times in succession. For Laban was stingy and always wanted to have the most sheep, but Jacob needed the art so that he always had more than Laban. This is the opinion of the whole text, clearly stated.

023 Now the question is, Whether Jacob hath done right, that he hath dealt so craftily? so bring most of the sheep of it, that he knoweth not; for otherwise he would not have permitted him. [It is also to be thought that Jacob had pious servants, so that they did not betray him. For there is no doubt that Jacob ruled his house in such a way that he preached God's commandment and word, and suffered nothing wrong in the house. Now what shall we say to this, since the text is so clear in how it seeks its advantage, and to Laban

2. Wittenberg and Jena: colorful.

478 Erl. S4, IS1-IS1. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 7IS-71." 479

breaks off? If ours did, it would count for nothing; or, if it should count now, we would confidently steal. So the histories in the Old Testament are almost all so that reason would have to conclude that it was not done right. Why then does he write it down as if it were right and well done, blessing and praising him for it?

24. Answer: That he did the play out of the Holy Spirit's inspiration and activity is clear and irrefutable from the following text, where God confirms it, and tells him to take the wives, servants and cattle and go away. Wherever God's word goes, one should not ask whether it is right, but go confidently; what he says is right. Therefore, because it is confirmed here by God and driven, one should hear no other cause than that it is rightly done, he also had right to the good in many ways. He had served seven years for the daughter; but he deceived him, and kept him yet seven years, that he should get no more than both daughters; giving him nothing, that he might feed himself. Was it not a sin and a shame that he gave him the matzos so dearly, and gives him nothing in addition, as is due to the daughters, for what they deserve, as the strangers and maids, as they complain in the following chapter v. 15?

025 Now this was two great wrongs: That Jacob should serve him so long in vain, and that he should have laid both his daughters upon him, and should have given him nothing. If it had been right, he should have been forced to provide for his daughters and give them what was due. Jacob was pious, did not want to quarrel, but suffered with patience for fourteen years. Do as he did, and we will let you take and steal. This is also a reason that he owed him for the time he served with his wives and children. This is how he accounts for it. If it had been right, he would have had to give him a certain number of sheep every year, which would have carried a large pile all the time and would have increased every year. But what does he do? Although he has such a right before God, he still does not do it; but waits until God gives him cause to do it, and gives it to him himself.

26. they also had, the daughters, together with their

Children well right to bring such to themselves, because any had now served beside him seven years; as they say afterwards Cap. 31, 15., "He hath kept us as strangers, for he hath sold us, and eaten up our wages." They were legitimate, had children and servants; therefore it was time to think of their house also, because yet he would give them nothing. Thus Moses shows how the pious Jacob had to suffer so much injustice, and always lived in the cross, and yet kept silent, consoled himself that God had promised him that he would not leave him. Doesn't that mean that he had to serve so long with sour work, and in addition suffer overload and injustice? How could we suffer so badly! But he learned from it what a wonderful God it would be.

27 Laban continued to deal treacherously with him, mistaking his wages ten times over and refusing to give him what God had given him, since he had become rich through him; he did it so long and so much that God would no longer suffer it. So one must look at the work of the saints, so that one does not take offense at it. It would not yet be a great sin if a man were to serve so long and with such difficulty, and were to receive no reward, if he were to bring something of the Lord's good to himself in such a way and with such an opinion. It is due to him and is his in the sight of God. If he is able to bring it to himself in a proper way, then he has taken what is his. This is what the children of Israel did when they came out of Egypt, as it is written in the other book of Moses Cap. 11, 2, 12, 35. When they had been weakened by long and hard labor, and had built two cities and made them strong, and the Egyptians had dealt with them most ruthlessly, God commanded them to go away with all that they had, and to take and carry off from the Egyptians all manner of silver and gold utensils. Summa: Earned reward is not the lord's but the servant's; if he can take it away that the lord does not know, he will always take it. To those who are Christians, 4) we must not prescribe many rules, nor must we master their works; but the others are none of our business. This is the end of this chapter; now we will continue with the history.

1. Wittenberg and Jena: For.

480 Erl. St, IS4-IM. Sermon on I Genesis 31:1-10. W. Ill, 718-722. 481

*The thirty-first chapter. )

V.1-10. And the words of the children of Laban came before him, saying: Jacob has brought all our father's goods to himself, and from our father's goods he has brought such riches. And Jacob looked upon the face of Laban, and, behold, it was not against him as before. And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto thy fathers' land, and to thy friendship; and I will be with thee. So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field by his flock, and said unto them: I see your father's face, that it is not against me as before. But the God of my father has been with me. And ye know that I have served your father out of all my strength. And he has deceived me, and now he has changed my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to harm me. When he said, "The colored ones shall be your reward," the whole herd wore colored ones. But when he said, "The mottled ones shall be your reward," then the whole host bore the mottled ones. So God took your father's goods from him and gave them to me. For when the time of the run came, I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the goats leaped upon the mottled, spotted, and multicolored sheep.

(1) Thus we have heard how Jacob served for twenty years, which was a long service for such a man, who had a wife and children, and received no wages of his own without what God gave him in the end. The two children also suffered much, even though they were his own daughters. Rachel, even though she was Jacob's favorite, had to be a Cinderella compared to her sons' wives. For seven years they had to be maidservants and had no right in the house. What many a wicked trick and trick they have had to suffer, and keep silent! For the other wives were heathens, proud butchers, and lived according to the law.

Flesh and blood, so that they all lived a hard, miserable life with Jacob.

(2) But he did not escape, nor did he hurry away, but waited until God told him that He had called him to go into the country and promised to bring him home in peace. He waited for this every day, but it took a long time.

(3) Whoever reads this chapter must pay attention to the fact that the word of God that follows was spoken earlier. The text begins as if he had called the two wives to him before God spoke to him; but it happened a good while before, at the time when the affair with Laban began, in the fourteenth or fifteenth year; as he then vv. 11. 12. when he says: "The angel of God came to me in a dream, and said, Lift up thine eyes, and behold, the goats leap upon the speckled and spotted and colored sheep" 2c. The dear saints, what they have done, they have done in the word of God; what they have not done, they have not done. Therefore, when the word comes here and tells him to go away, he follows it and sets out, always following the word, but full of suffering and cross.

004 The words of the children of Laban came before him, saith Moses, saying, Jacob hath taken all our father's substance unto himself. What an envious, stingy people they were; he has taken everything to himself, they think; they are sorry that Jacob should have a penny of his own. He had to hear that, and if he had not had God's word, he would have thought they would take his wives and all his goods. But he does not look at the property, but speaks afterwards v. 31. to Laban: "I feared that you would snatch your daughters from me."

5 They go on to say, "And of our Father's

*) In Buchwald's "Andreas Poach's Handwritten Collection" 2c. we meet p. XXXIII the note that from the postscripts of Stephan Roth m Zwickau Hervorgehe, "that Luther stood on Sunday Judica <13. March) 1524 at chapter 31".

482 Erl. 34, IVÜ-1W. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 722-724. 483

Good he has brought about such wealth." What fine thoughts are these! Jacob had made Laban rich, as he himself confesses that God had blessed him for his sake; nor may they say: If his father's goods were not, he would not have a penny. So he still has to suffer the humiliation of all the injustice and violence they had done to him. What he now says further, when he speaks to the women, is easily explained.

V. 11-16. And the angel of God said unto me in a dream, Jacob. And I answered, Here am I. And he said, Lift up thine eyes, and, behold, the goats leap upon the speckled, spotted, and multicolored sheep: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the stone and made a vow to me there. Now arise, and go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy friendship. And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, We have neither part nor inheritance in our father's house: for he hath kept us as strangers, because he sold us, and consumed our wages. Therefore God hath delivered unto our Father his riches unto us, and unto our children. Do therefore all things whatsoever God hath said unto thee.

(6) These things are told one after another, so that we may know that the good father Jacob did right, and had God's command; for "God took the goods of Laban (he says) and gave them to me. And here you see that God does indeed try His dear saints, leaving Jacob in anguish and distress for twenty years; but at last He comes and comforts him.

007 Therefore we also shall learn to hold fast the word with patience, and not forsake it, though it endure an hundred years. For that he consumeth, he doeth by grace for our good, that faith may be strong and great, and that he may the more abundantly give that which he hath promised. For this is his way, that he comes slowly; but he comes well; as he also punishes slowly, but punishes grievously, giving time and space enough to be known and to amend. Therefore the elect must wait and be patient for the sake of the wicked, so that he may stand with his glory, that he is long-suffering and does not punish soon. So endures

The patience of the pious, and the shrewdness of the wicked for a long time, but God comes in due time and repays both sides abundantly.

(8) Then he said, "I have seen all that Laban does to you. In one word God condemns all that Jacob has done, and condemns all that Laban has done. Now let anyone say that Jacob deceived Laban. For it is ever so much as to say, Thou hast done him right, and he thee wrong. The two sisters, Rachel and Leah, hear this and also complain, "We no longer have any part or inheritance in our father's house. Should the daughters speak of their father in this way? But they have tried so much that they were allowed to say freely, "He has kept us as strangers"; we also have no part in the good anywhere; he tears it all away from us and gives it to others. Which will often have hurt them, and they 1) will sometimes have grumbled and been impatient. But Jacob admonished and comforted them, so that they let it go.

9. for this, they say, he has not kept us as children, but has sold us, that is, taken us for handmaids to be bought and sold, keeping them like cattle, that all they wear and work is not theirs but the Lord's, giving them nothing but food and clothing. "Therefore (they say) GOD has taken it from our Father" 2c. The word also indicates that they were pious children who recognized GOD and His work. This is how far this history goes. Now follows another piece, how they fared on the journey.

(v.17-35) So Jacob arose, and loaded his children and his wives upon camels, and carried away all his cattle, and all his substance, which he had purchased in Mesopotamia, to come unto Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan (Laban having gone to shear his flock); and Rachel stole her father's images. So Jacob stole Laban's heart in Syria, 2)

1. "they" is missing in the Erlanger.
2. Marginal gloss: steel the heart. Stealing the heart is Hebrew for doing something behind another's knowledge, but it means that the faithful grasp the right core of God's word, which the works saints never realize.

484 Erl. S4, IS8-I7I. sermon on Genesis 31:17-35. W. Ill, 724-727. 485

so that he did not tell him that he was fleeing. So he fled, and all that were his arose, and passed over the waters, and went toward mount Gilead. On the third day Laban was told that Jacob was fleeing. And he took his brethren, and pursued after him seven days' journey, and caught him in mount Gilead. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not unto Jacob otherwise than good. And Laban came near to Jacob. Jacob had pitched his tents on the mountain. And Laban and his brethren pitched their tents in mount Gilead. And Laban said unto Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen my heart, and hast taken away my daughters, when they were fallen by the sword? Why hast thou hid this, that thou hast cried, and hast stolen away from me, and hast not told me, that I might have led thee with joy, with singing, with timbrels, and with harps? And didst not let me kiss my children and my daughters. Thou hast done well. And I had so much power, praise God, that I could do you evil; but your father God said to me yesterday, Beware that you speak no other words to Jacob than good. And because thou wouldest go, and hast so nearly desired thy father's Hans, why hast thou stolen my gods from me? Jacob answered and said unto Laban, I feared lest thou shouldest take thy daughters from me. But with whom thou shalt find thy gods, let him die here before our brethren. Seek thine with me, and take it. But he did not know that she had stolen Rachel. So Laban went into Jacob's tent, and Leah's tent, and the two maidservants, and found nothing. And he went out of Leah's tent into Rachel's tent. Then Rachel took the images and put them under the litter of the camels, and sat on them. And Laban searched the whole tabernacle, and found nothing. Then she said to her father, "My lord, do not be angry with me, for I cannot stand up to you, for I am after the manner of women. So he searched, and found the images nothing, 1) as almost he searched.

1. The following words, which are in the Bible and in the Jena, are missing in the Erlanger.

(10) To steal the heart is a Hebrew way of speaking, when one does a thing behind one's back, so that another knows nothing about it. But there is guilt in Jacob's stealing away secretly with his wife and child, and in Rachel's cheating and stealing his father's silver idols. But is it ever asked whether it was done right? The father did not give her anything as he owed, so she thought: I am also a child in the house; she had to bring some of it, could not come to the other. But whether it was done, I do not know. It is said that she did it so that she made less idolatry in her father's house, but I do not know. It may well have been a female mistake, but there is no power in it; even if she had stolen more, it would not have done any harm. If she has done wrong, we do not want to excuse her.

11 Now this is to be seen, that Laban hurried after them; in which however a piece of Jacob's 2) faith is indicated. For it must have been bold courage and defiant faith for him to set out with so many, wife, child, servants and all the cattle, to go so far through the land, especially because he does it behind Laban's back. [He must have thought: He will make up his mind and follow us, so that he will take everything that is here and catch it, and he will go with us in the most horrible way. But nothing but God's word contains and protects him, even though everything can be seen differently. That was a bold, strong faith, which will become weak afterwards. So now he commands God so strongly that he leads his wife, child and servants across the foreign land, because he knew for certain that Laban would hurry after him. Because he trusts in God, he does not let him go, since Laban is angry with him and wants to attack him and cool his temper with him. For if he had not meant it that way, God should not have warned him in his sleep and commanded that he harm him; so he comes himself and accomplishes so much that Laban must leave him in peace.

(12) Thus, behold, how God makes His saints stand alone in wonder; but when it comes to the

2. Erlanger: his.

488 Erl. St, 17I-I7S. Readings on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 727-731. 487

When the need comes, he is there so soon. Before, he left Jacob twenty years and acted as if he did not ask anything about him; now he comes unexpectedly and helps. When we think that he has forgotten us, he comes so soon that we could not wish it better. Therefore he said unto Jacob, I have seen all that Laban hath done unto thee. How is it that you have seen, and yet have kept silent? Yes, now I come and will protect you. So also Christ in Matthew Cap. 10, 30., "All the hairs of your head are numbered." In spite of him who bends a hair of our head, he still poses as if he wanted to tear us away. Now this is the art of knowing God's work.

(vv. 36-55) And Jacob was wroth, and quarreled with Laban, and answered and said unto him, What have I wronged, or sinned, that thou art so hot against me? Thou hast touched all my household goods: what hast thou found of thy household goods? Lay it before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge between us. Twenty years have I been with thee; thy sheep and thy goats have not been barren. I have never eaten the rams of thy flock. What the animals tore, I did not bring you, I had to pay it, you demanded it from my hand, it would be stolen from me by day or by night. By day I pined away with heat, and by night with frost, and my sleep departed from my eyes. So I served twenty years in thy house, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy host; and thou hast changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had not been on my side, you would have let me go empty-handed. But God looked at my misery and work, and punished me yesterday. Laban answered and said unto Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the herds are my herds, and all that thou seest is mine. What can I do to my daughters today, or to their children whom they have borne? So come now, and let us make a covenant," I

1. Marginal gloss: fear. Jacob calls the God of Isaac "fear", because Isaac was God-fearing and God's servant.

And thou that art a witness between me and thee. Then Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a mark, and said unto his brethren: Read stones to them. And they took the stones, and made a heap," and ate upon the same heap. And Laban called his name Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called his name Gilead. 2) And Laban said, Let the heap be a witness this day between me and thee (therefore it is called Gilead), and let it be a waiting place. For he said, The LORD look between me and thee, when we come from one another, where thou hast offended my daughters, or taken other wives. There is no man here with us: but, behold, God is a witness between me and thee. And Laban said further unto Jacob, Behold, this is the heap, and this is the mark, which I have set up between me and thee; the same heap be witness, and the mark also be witness, where I pass over unto thee, or thou passest over unto me this heap and mark to hurt. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and the God of their fathers, be judge between us. And Jacob sware unto him by the fear of Isaac his father. And Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mount, and invited his brethren to eat the bread. When they had eaten, they stayed on the mountain overnight. And Laban rose up early in the morning, and kissed his children and his daughters, and blessed them, and departed, and returned unto his place.

Cap. 32:1, 2. And Jacob went his way. And the angels of God met him, and when he saw them, he said, They are the armies of God: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

13 Then Jacob recounts his life, which he led for twenty years, in which we see once again what the life of the dear saints is: nothing but misery and heartache, as he says, that he had no rest day and night, was famished from heat and frost. This is his legend; there is still nothing of great, holy being, since we say of. [They are the vain works of a poor, afflicted shepherd, who has had to oppress and oppress, and suffer much from his lord and servants, and otherwise all kinds of accidental things. For though he had certain

2. Marginal gloss: Gilead means a cluster of witnesses, and means the Scriptures, since many testimonies of God are often inside.

488 Eri. gt, I7S-I7S. Sermon on Genesis 31:36-55. 32, 1. L. W. Ill, 7Sl-7gs. 489

God had promised to protect him and be with him, yet he let him go like another man, so that even the wolves devoured his sheep, and he suffered all kinds of hardships. 1) Although it all seems to be man's doing, as God leads His saints, so that it is not seen. That has been his shortcoming, that he has not had many happy days in his lifetime.

14 So he tells his misfortune, and comes to the promise of his God, and calls him a God Abraham, and the fear Isaac; this is spoken in Hebrew language way, which fear of God is actually called worship. We have interpreted it too sharply and pointedly when Scripture speaks of the fear of God, that we have always made a great distinction de timore filiali et servili; but in the simplest way it is nothing, but to serve God with the heart inwardly, and with a hearty nature, which is to hold him in honor, and to shrink from him, to do and leave nothing, without which one knows that it pleases him. Therefore he must have the name here, that he is called Isaac Fear, that is, Isaac held before his eyes, and shunned him, did and left what pleased him; though he did not always do so. For they must also be allowed to remain human beings, but in such a way that they have served God in part by pure faith. So the fear in Scripture must be understood, that it does not indicate fear or terror that lasts for a moment, but that it is the whole life and being that goes before God in honor and fear; for no one will serve God except he who fears Him. This is the most understandable thing to be seen in this chapter, after which there is nothing more special, except how they make a covenant and give the last 2) to one another.

(15) Now we must also seek the spiritual or secret interpretation of history, if we can find it otherwise. So I said before: Whoever wants to interpret the Scriptures spiritually, or in a hidden sense, should first of all make sure that he does it in such a way that it rhymes with faith, or, as St. Paul teaches Rom. 12:7, that it rhymes with faith.

1. Walch and the Erlangeners: suffer.
2. Last Letze, Valete, Farewell.

If it is not, it is no good. What then does it mean to be similar to the faith? This is what it means when people are not led away from faith and are taught nothing else but that faith remains. For it is with faith, just as Paul (1 Cor. 3:10-13) says: "I laid the foundation as a wise master builder. But let every man see how he builds upon it. No one can lay any other foundation except the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if any man build thereon gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest."

16 All this is said of the office of preaching, that he who wants to go through the Scriptures and interpret them well should do so in such a way that he teaches nothing else, except that which is the doctrine of faith, which alone is based on Christ. Now if someone approaches and preaches a human dream, as any of St. Barbara, as she has acquired from God, who fasts and celebrates her, who shall not die without the sacrament, (that) is also preached and built on faith, as on Christ, because one cries her out as a martyr of Christ, and wants to teach the Christians with it, how one should live; but there see how it rhymes with faith.

(17) Now how does it rhyme? So that my fasting should be my consolation; so faith wants to know no consolation but the one Christ. Now such a doctrine may also be preached by holy men, for St. Paul does not deny that they leave the foundation; indeed, he says of those who have the foundation, whether they build hay or stubble upon it; as St. Bernard, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and many others, who still stood on the fool's work that monasticism was something, and went around with it (though they otherwise preached rightly about Christ). That was straw and stubble built on faith. But God could finely burn it away with fire, as happened to St. Bernard. When the fire came upon him, that is, the temptation and death, he said, "Alas, I have lived shamefully, and spent my life sinfully; but I know one consolation, that God will destroy a broken and bruised heart.

3. Wittenberg and Jena: similar.

490 Erl. St, 17S-17S. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 7SS-7S8. 491

will not despise Ps. 51:19. Item: You have won the kingdom of heaven by two rights: firstly, you are entitled to it because you are the Son of God; secondly, you have also earned it through your suffering and death, since you did not need it, and you gave it to me. This man had long been living a hard and severe life and working; but now, when the hour came, everything withered away and fell free, as that which was lost; but he remained on the ground, and was saved, but by the fire; so that it must come to pass, that is, he must be terrified before death, so that all that fell to the ground and became powder, but he alone remained on the ground.

18 Thus St. Augustine also led a fine life, rule and law, of which the monks still boast; but at the end of his life he felt that nothing helped, and had to sing the seven penitential psalms; then he forgot his life, as if he had never done nothing good. We do not see this as the good works of the saints in temptation, just as 1) the straw and stubble is consumed by fire, so that they finally crawled to the cross and had to remain on the bare ground. What should St. Barbara or other saints help us in times of death? What would help me if it were true that this virgin had obtained that I would not die without the sacrament? Just as much as the monstrance in which it is kept.

(19) I have said this in order to see how all preaching should be similar to faith, as it rhymes; that it is always the way of teaching that it drives faith. Thus, from the beginning of this book we have found nothing but that everything is directed to faith and word; even though other things and new histories are always presented, it still always follows them, so that faith remains the main part through and through. Thus both histories and figures are nothing but gold and silver, built on the same foundation, that always one thing is taught, although person, history, 2) time and manner are different and different. So we must now also deal with the history of Jacob, and first of all the two main characters

1. The words: "The saints ... gleichwie" and immediately following: "durch das Feuer" are missing in the Erlanger.
2. Erlanger: "obs wohl persönlich geschicht".

look at what it all refers to, namely Jacob and Laban.

20. Jacob (as is heard) is called a transgressor because Christ (which figure and image is Jacob) runs such a regiment that he tramples underfoot everything that is not God's word, all the world's wisdom, prudence, godliness, authority and power.

21 In contrast, Junker Laban is called bright or white in German, glistening, as the light looks, or shines in a pool. Thus, the name itself indicates what he is and means, namely a beautiful glittering hypocrite, like the armor shines when the sun shines on it.

22 Therefore he interprets the perverse kingdom as having been the Jews, who had the law of Moses, and high priests, who were to teach and govern the people according to that which Moses wrote; which, because it could give no more than to control and ward off outward sins alone, and they fell upon it with works, had to become vain gleamers of it. Even though there are so many spiritual people who force themselves and lead an outwardly beautiful, honorable life that shines brightly and shines before the eyes, they are still desperate boys inwardly in their hearts, for the heart can never become pious by works and commandments. Thus Laban is an image of the shining people, has the name and figure of the people of the law, especially of the Jewish people.

23 You can see this in the man's behavior, where you will find two things. The first is that he has gods, which his daughter steals from him. The other, that he so dishonors his son-in-law and his daughters. For all glittering and hypocritical saints must be like this, and do so. First, they want to serve the right God in the most diligent way, and only have the appearance that they are God's servants. For the good Jacob has no idols, his worship is not in any outward gesture or manner; he is nothing but a shepherd tending sheep. But this man has his own chapel and special idols, and yet he worships the right God, as he says in the text itself: "The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and the God of

3. The words: "glistening" and (immediately following) "of the law" are missing in the Erlanger.

492 Erl. St, 178-iso, sermon on Genesis 31:36-55. 32, 1. 2. W. Ill, 7S8-74I. 49Z

of their fathers be judge between us." This is how all idolatry among the Jewish people should be interpreted. For the people were not so foolish as to think that the images, wood and stones, were the right God; especially the Jews, who did much idolatry; but that is what they meant, to serve the right, natural God with them. But this is the error of it, that they had no command to do it, but did it out of their own, false delusion; they dare to do such a service to God, that it should please Him; and because it pleases them, and everyone considers it delicious, they stand on it, and think that they have earned something, and are almost happy about it.

024 And he saith thus: I will not worship which I have not commanded; I will not have thy work, nor be unbaptized of thee, nor sell unto thee. If thou shalt have my grace, and spirit, and goods, thou shalt have them freely, and have nothing else to trust in. Nor are they so foolish as to buy, not only for themselves, but also for other people, as our ministers have done; which is not serving God, but is most shamefully blasphemed and profaned. This is Laban's rot, who want to serve God alone, but have only the appearance of it, that everything must go under the name of the right God.

(25) Therefore, you must be accustomed to such a way of writing, which interprets all idolatry as meaning that the images are nothing but an outward way of serving God. And even though we do not have such images and idols now, it is still the same. For I am also idolatrous when I go to a monastery and prescribe such rules for myself, binding myself to my own way of living and serving God, which God has not commanded nor ever spoken about. I do not serve God, but the rule that I have invented, and yet I admit it to God. The world is full of such idolatry, so full that each man portrays God according to his own fancies and desires, and wants to honor Him with self-invented service.

026 So Laban remains an idolater, and maketh his own idols. [It is also to be thought that he will not have drawn his daughters well. If Jacob had not come, then

they would have remained in idolatry, but he pulled them out and taught them to know God. For that Rachel understood that it was fool's work, proves that she put the idols under the litter, and sat upon them. [It is also a great thing that she can thus despise the glittering worship of God. For we see how sour it still becomes us to trample underfoot the pope's clergy. This is spoken of the first part, which the man practices against God in the glittering nature, for the sake of the fictitious worship. Thus he acts first against the faith.

Secondly, such saints cannot refrain from acting against love. For as they blaspheme God through false worship, so they also offend their neighbor. So you have two examples against each other: Jacob goes in pure faith, Christian love, and carries the cross; Laban goes in a fine glittering nature, without faith and love, and does not want to carry a cross, so that he also breaks off his own children and withholds theirs. 1) With this, the Scripture has just shown what kind of people they are, the false saints. He has so completely forgotten love that he not only deceives Jacob ten times for his wages, but also takes from his daughters what they have and makes them serve him with their sweat and labor. This is why the false saints do nothing but seek their own belly and enjoyment, and oppress the true saints.

Let us see an example of this. Give me a monastery, yes. A monk, where one lives Christian and brotherly toward one another, or one means the other faithfully. One sees before one's eyes how one has given so much to the devil up to now; yes, that we could only give much to the mad people, we have snatched and scraped everything to ourselves, not helping our neighbor with a penny; after that we have made so many wills, if we should die, only to fill our bellies. So did the priests, who had to be full and have enough so that they never lacked anything, ate poor people's sweat and blood, and served no one in vain.

1. In the old editions: "fürhelt".
2. Erlanger: "these" instead of: the wrong ones.

494 Erl. St, IM-ISS. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 741-743. 495

29 And notice especially that Laban not only takes everything to himself and gives nothing to the daughters, but also forces them to serve him and makes maids out of them, as he bought them for money. This is the tyranny of the laws of men, as the Jews also did when they brought the Gentiles under them, and urged them to keep their laws as were convenient for them. When that was, of which Christ Matt. 23:16 says: "Woe unto you, blinded leaders, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is guilty." Item, v. 18: "Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the sacrifice that is above, he is guilty." The sacrifice, they say, is a great, delicious service, much better than the altar; for for the sake of the sacrifice it was made. So also the gold is much more delicious than the temple, for it adorns the temple. They did this for their own benefit, and made the people think: Now I would much rather give gold and sacrifice than to the altar or temple.

30 So also to our lines: How we have had to suffer and be tortured, because nothing was preached but what served them to give here and there. This they have thus laid down and ordered with laws, so that whoever did otherwise would be in God's disgrace. So we were their prisoners and had to do what they forced us to do. But the Holy Spirit has preserved some, and the others have had to suffer. None but Laban enjoyed this; he became rich with our loss.

031 But when Rachel and Leah saw it, they said: Go ahead, and take us with you, for we are no more here than captive maids. This is what we are preaching now, that we should run away and escape from the teaching, so that they have forced us and made us useful to them. The prophets have also lamented from time to time how the false prophets have sucked the people dry and corrupted their bodies, goods and souls, and how they have become fat wests.

32. behold, this is what God has indicated in this Laban, that it rhymes, as I § 27 have said.

I have said, on faith, how both faith and unbelief act, especially how unbelief always wants to have its fill, serve no one, and suffer nothing; but faith acts according to God's words, serves everyone through love, and goes through suffering and the cross.

33 Further. The two daughters and maids must also be interpreted as the Jewish people, so that they are, as we have heard above Cap. 17, § 11. Cap. 25, § 26 of Sarah and Rebecca, a figure, and also members of the Christian church. For Jacob must bear a figure of the king who rules without laws, therefore he is also a poor king on earth in his kingdom, although he has all things in his hand, but leads his people into poverty, weakness, death and all misery. Power and riches hinder his kingdom; therefore he saves it in that life, practices and drives us here with sorrow and misfortune, as he lets Jacob serve twenty years and suffer much adversity.

034 So then the four wives, the people, are taken from among the Jews. For I would gladly make of the four but one; for Christ shall have but one bride, as we profess in the faith: I believe one common Christian church. And Paul Eph. 4, 5. 6. says that all is One Faith, One Baptism, One Lord, and One God, and the one faith is virginity and purity, and the treasure with one another of this Bride, has also no other food, seed, milk 2c., than the same one Word of God, that it may nourish all Christians. Therefore, we must include the four together in one.

35 First, Rachel is the most beloved and the most beautiful; she was promised to him, and for her sake alone he served: but Leah is not the most beloved, yet she is the first. We want to interpret this as best we can; I don't know if we can be so precise; it is enough if we keep the reason. Rachel means in German a sheep; Leah means tired, sorrowful, miserable, which was pale, lean, scrawny and pointed in the face, but Rachel fat and complete. This is what Christianity is supposed to be, according to two natures, inward and outward. Therefore we are called old men and new men, but not that man is two things; as much as we have faith, we are two things.

496 Erl. 34, 183-lss. Sermon on Genesis 31, 36-55. 32, 1. 2. W. Ill, 743-746. 497

new, as much as we do not believe, we are old. Therefore, I cannot interpret the old man as if he were flesh and blood alone, because he, like the new man, is the whole man. Outwardly I am different if I am Leah, inwardly I am different if I am Rachel. But both are one person, because I feel both, faith and unbelief, in the bottom of my heart, and it breaks out in the whole person. Therefore it is only so much spoken: As much as you believe, you are a new man through and through; and again.

36 Therefore let Rachel be the inward being through faith, who had the promise of God, is the promised bride, wherein Christ reigns; as Paul says Eph. 3:17, that he dwells in our hearts through faith. He loves this bride, and is kind to her, and serves for her sake, that is, lays down his life for her; as Paul says Eph. **5:**25, 26: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify her" 2c. But he does not love Leah in this way; that is, Christianity according to the outward appearance, as one looks at it, is weary, sorrowful and miserable, lies in poverty and misery. There goes the lamentation, as it leads: "I am hated," and must bear the cross, and be Cinderella. For although he loves us through and through, it does not seem so. Inwardly we have peace, pleasure and joy, we are in his arms, and he is kind to us, but outwardly he acts as if he did not know us, and causes us much unhappiness and heartache.

(37) Nevertheless Leah must have the first children with him, and bring forth fruit; that is, though it seemeth that he is not kind to her, yet he forsaketh her not, but comforteth her; lest we think that he hath forgotten ours; giving that the more works and good fruits may be obtained. For the suffering life, which is thus tempted and driven, brings forth many more good works than the inward life, and can do much, advise, and be of use to others; which an inexperienced man cannot do. Therefore Leah must be the most abundant and fruitful, because of her misery; as the text says, "God saw that she was hated, and made her fruitful."

(38) Rachel also brings forth fruit at times, but not so much, and it becomes sour and heavy to her, it goes slowly, she must finally leave life over it. [It is all spoken for this reason: because God sees that we are so stupid as to lead the unkind and laborious life, he comforts us thus: You shall do much good and be fruitful, you must be Leah; therefore suffer yourself, and be confident; if I always comforted you and played with you, you would become lazy and remain unfruitful. Therefore he tempts her, and makes her sore, lest she seek vain pleasure and joy in him. So he has done many works for the weak, suffering Leah, in the outward nature of the cross; but for the other, as Rachel, in the inward nature, little. 1) For the inward being must not break out much, but both must go as it is ordered, inwardly in conscience toward God, outwardly before the world, so that others may also come here, and Christianity may be increased. She probably thinks she wants to remain the first and have the best days with him, but she must be lacking.

(39) All this is based on experience, and rhymes well with faith. For we are all so minded that we would gladly have peace and joy in our conscience, and reach for Rachel; but God turns it around, that we must first remain with Leah, as Jacob first sleeps with Leah, when he had only served Rachel. [But it is done secretly, so that he knows nothing about it; for God also needs bad boys for this; as Laban puts Leah to him with cunning and deceit. Now when we have this, he also gives Rachel to us; that is, when we are thus tempted, thereafter comes comfort and rest of conscience, which then remains constant and firm. So we must have both in succession; otherwise, if Jacob had had Rachel alone, he would not have looked at Leah. So the two wives become one Christianity, which is right, both inwardly and outwardly.

(40) What then shall we make of the two maidservants? We have heard how the father gave each daughter a maid, both of whom they gave to their husband. Now this indicates

1. Erlanger: "of the weak, suffering beings, of the others little".

498 Erl. 34,I8S-188. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 74K-748. 499

The outward man, of which Paul says (Rom. 8, 14. Gal. 5, 18.]: The flesh must be subject and obedient to the spirit; the body must serve and walk under compulsion. For though life is spiritual in faith, yet it is not directed except through the members. Now the maids also bring forth children, that is, every man has works, both of which come from comfort and from sorrow of heart (for fruit or children we must always point to works). To Leah and her maidservant he gives many children, that is, the limbs of the body must also do many works; but Rachel and her maidservant do not have many of them, that is, when we suffer much outwardly and are tempted, we do more works than when we rest and stand inwardly in faith. So all four wives become one church, as it is formed outwardly and inwardly.

41 This is the summary: Christ, the King, reigns in such a way that he allows us to be afflicted and again comforts us. From this comes good works, makes us bear much misfortune and sorrow, that he may try us and make us strong. But he is not such a fool as to be deceived, and to know nothing of it, as Jacob is deceived in the text; but it is nothing more than that he so sets himself, and is not known by us otherwise.

42 This is the interpretation of Jacob and his wives. Then follows the description of how he brought the sheep to himself by the art of putting the sticks into the watering troughs, so that the sheep received over them, and got the colored or plain ones as he wanted them; so that Laban got the latelings, but Jacob got the springs and best sheep. Therein is signified the ministry of preaching, what this accomplishes in the world. We have heard how Laban is a gleaner, who also boasts of God's word, pretending that it is true that he preaches God's commandment; but he does not preach the right faith and gospel, but leads the people to works and self-chosen worship. So the two kinds of preachers quarrel with each other in the world of works and of faith; no resistance, no fire, no force will help; one must let it go, as these and all other figures show. For, if one could bring it about that only

If there were one kind of preaching (as is often attempted), then various sects would arise from it, as we have seen under the pope. They may have preached the same sermon, leading us all from faith to works, but so many sects have broken out, among which every one has wanted to be the best, and has preferred its own thing, that it has been broken up.

(43) Therefore the best way is to let it go, and preach against one another, false and right preaching, as Paul says 1 Cor. 11:19, "There must be sects or divisions, that they which are righteous may be known and made manifest." So it goes here also: Jacob creates so much that he puts colored sticks in front of his sheep in the watering trough, from it he gets colored sheep; but because Laban sees that the colored ones are so much, he wants to have the colored ones, and thus changes ten times for his wages. This much is said: When the Spirit preaches, the flesh always wants to imitate and imitate, and yet does not meet it. When the gospel preaches colorful things, the flesh also wants to make it colorful; and again. So the devil always wants to be God's monkey, and yet never meets it.

44 We see this through and through in the world. The apostles preached only faith in Christ and love for one's neighbor. This is the right preaching, and the staffs of which souls are colored, that is, adorned and decorated by various ways and works that go on in Christendom. For the Christian church has through and through only one word, faith, love and hope, and one good; yet it remains variegated in outward walk, that they have various offices and gifts from God; one has grace to preach, the other to govern 2c. Rom. 12, 6. f. 1 Cor. 12, 5. f. For we cannot all be alike in outward appearance, though we are all alike and one in faith. According to this God distributes His gifts, otherwise or so, according to this we are multicolored and speckled, and yet remain all sheep in unity. So then, to water sheep in the troughs above the staves is to present such sayings, whereof one faith is apprehended, but diverse gifts and works.

45 Now the other group wants to follow this, and when they see that many gifts have been given, they will be given to them.

500 Eri. S4, lS8-iso. Sermon on Genesis 31, 36-55. 32, 1. 2. W. Ill, 749-7S2. 501

If there are no Christians in the outward walk, he also wants to do it that way, and sets up various classes and sects; one becomes a priest, the other a monk, and so on. But it does not turn out that way, nothing comes of it but separation from the unity of faith; for their thing is not God's word and gift, but man's handiwork, made from their own heads. Now Jacob lifts up the colored sticks, that is, when people are led to works and sects, they throw away the sticks and preach the contradiction that works without faith are not valid.

46 Thus our saints have interpreted to us the 45th Psalm, v. 10: Astitit regina a dextris tuis in vestimento deaurato, circumamicta varietate, the queen stands at your right hand, in precious gold, clothed with multicolored work. They interpreted this as follows: The Christian church has a golden skirt, that is, faith, or love, as they wish; but the colorful skirt should be that in one diocese so many masses are said, in the other so many lections are read at mass; these have the choir caps above, the others below; in the convent or order it is held otherwise, in the other so. If one pulls such antics in the church, what they desire, that is called Buntwerk here. This is Laban's multicolored work. It is not valid that you create it according to your dream, but it must come from God, as Jacob had it from the Holy Spirit. Now this is the right coat of gold, when we all have one faith; next to it is the coat of many colors, that in one faith we may have many graces, that all works and gifts may be in faith and love. [It is not that it be of a variegated color; but that it be variegated in the sight of God, that is, that it thus please God. That is the best thing about it.

(47) Therefore Laban's confusion here, and Jacob's deception ten times, is that the false teachers always want to master it and make it better, colored or plain. Since it is supposed to be variegated, it is the devil's variegated work, because they should have a simple faith. If then we reject such things, and preach of simple faith, they also want to have it plain, and do no work. But this is not true. For so we say:

Faith is of such a kind that it does multicolored work. So we must always change, and preach differently, resist on all sides; yet they never want to go up right, only deceive the world and themselves with their preaching.

(48) This is why Laban keeps the latelings, that is, the last sheep that come in the fall, but Jacob keeps the springlings. The latelings are the weakest sheep; these are the people who are raised by the teachings of men in these and those works; they are poor, wretched souls. But those who walk by faith are the right, strong consciences, where Christ is preached so that the people increase and Christianity is multiplied.

(49) So all this is to be interpreted of the ministry of preaching, so that the staves are nothing else than the sayings of the holy scriptures, especially those that comfort, as of the holy gospel. For it is not in vain that the sheep, when they came together to drink in the heat, began to receive it. For so we have it in the Scriptures, that to nourishment belong two things, eating and drinking. Both must be together; where one is without the other, life cannot be sustained. As we see an example of what happened to Mary, the virgin, who conceived that her son should be a king, that was the food; but if it had remained vain, it would have been harmful to her; therefore he must also give her to drink, which happened when he was hanging on the cross, then she acquired a different taste.

(50) Drinking is no different than when we are in great pain of heart and he comforts us. As when he tells us that we shall be free from sin, and death shall not hurt us; that is food, which is good for us. But we must also have something to drink; this happens when he comes and wants to choke me, then I need comfort, that I hold fast to the word, and make the food useful to me; this is the drink in addition, so that one cools and refreshes oneself.

(51) Behold, this is what the text signifies, in that the sheep run together in the heat, and drink over it. For there the word first gives a right taste; as it is said: A good morsel is followed by a good drink, then body and soul come together.

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men. Therefore the cross must also be there, and make such food tasty and sweet for us. This also means to drink Christ's flesh and blood, as it is written in John Cap. 6, 54, 56. So understand it through and through in the Scriptures and figures, in which much is said about eating and drinking. Thus we have the figure of Laban, that is, of hypocritical saints, and the sheep, and of the whole kingdom of Christ.

52 Lastly, Laban hastened after Jacob and seized him on Mount Gilead, seeking his idols, which his daughter had stolen from him, but she had sat on them, pretending to be sick and unable to get up. This is that the holy Christian church confesses that she is a poor sinner, but nevertheless steals the false doctrine on which the hypocrites rely, and so hides it, that she may put aside the offense that the false teachers come for it. For this is seen: when one preaches God's word, that deceitfulness perishes, that no one knows how; and yet the Christians seem weak and sick, confessing also that they are poor sinners; but through the weakness that one sees, and we feel, nevertheless, because we cling to the word, the false doctrine perishes with its confidence.

(53) Therefore, false doctrine is not to be greatly advised, for it is only to be despised, and nothing is to be held to it; though we are weak in the faith, yet that must perish if we do not hold to it. Thus it happened in the first Christianity, in the time of the holy martyrs, that the Christians increased daily more and more, and the devil's service fell away and went to the ground, just as it still happens today with those who have no true faith. For how many there are who do not believe the gospel, and yet think nothing of the papacy, so that it is despised by all the world.

54 Then he speaks of the mountain on which they made a covenant. The same is to be noted here, because the prophets have spoken much of it, especially Jeremiah, who refers to it in chapter 22, v. 6: Gilead, tu mihi caput Libani. [It was a small mountain when he sacrificed there, but afterward it became a great land, so that everything was called Gilead from the mountain, and from the story that the two became one with each other; and he gives it the name because he told his brothers to read stones and make a heap to be a witness to the covenant, and a sign that no part should pass over it, and an arbiter that no one should harm the other. For the word Gilead is called a heap of witnesses, made of two little words: Gal, that is, a heap, and Ed, a witness. The heap of witnesses means the holy scripture.

(55) Hitherto, all matters that arise concerning the faith, between right and wrong doctrine, have been referred to a council, or to the pope at Rome, or to the high schools, which are to be arbiters. But they are not Gilead, they have deceived and deceived us, but the holy scriptures, wherein sayings lie one upon another with heaps, as there are stones; therein shall we get the judgment, who teacheth right or wrong. For although the Holy Spirit himself teaches everyone in the heart that he knows what is right, yet the Scriptures must be used to prove that it is so as we believe in the heart. So then it judges and separates what is rightly and wrongly believed. Therefore one must not seek further testimony, neither from fathers nor from concilia, but should remain only with the clear and plain Scriptures. These are the three chapters, as Jacob went with his cousin Laban for twenty years, with their interpretation.

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The Thirty-Second Chapter.

And Jacob sent messengers before him unto Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir in the field of Edom, and commanded them, saying, Thus say ye unto Esau my lord, Thy servant Jacob saith unto thee, I have been with Laban without, and have been hitherto among the strangers, and have oxen, and asses, and sheep, and menservants, and maidservants, and have sent to declare unto thee my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. The messengers came again to Jacob, saying: We came to thy brother Esau, and he also cometh to meet thee with four hundred men. And Jacob was sore afraid, and was troubled: and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two armies, and said, If Esau come upon the one army, and smite it, the remnant shall escape. And Jacob said, O God of Abraham my father, O God of Isaac my father, O Lord, thou hast said unto me: Return to thy land, and to thy friendship, and I will do thee good; I am too lowly of all the mercies and of all the faithfulness which thou hast done to thy servant. For I had no more than this staff when I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two armies. Deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esan; for I am afraid of him, lest he come, and smite my mothers with my children. Thou hast said, I will do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered before the multitude. And he tarried there that night, and took of the things that were present gifts unto his brother Esau, two hundred he goats, twenty rams, two hundred sheep, twenty rams, and thirty suckling camels with their fillings, forty kine, and ten bullocks, and twenty asses with ten fillings. And he put them under the hand of his servants, one herd at a time, and said unto them: Go before me, and leave space between one herd and another. And he commanded the first, saying, When Esau my brother shall meet thee, and shall ask thee, To whom belongest thou? and whither wilt thou go? and know it, that

Thou shalt say, It belongeth unto Jacob thy servant, which sendeth gifts unto Esau his lord, and goeth after. So he commanded the second and the third, and all that went after the herds, saying, As I have said unto you, so say unto Esau, when ye come upon him. And say ye also, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he thought: I will propitiate him with the gift that passeth before me, after that I will see him; peradventure he will accept me." So the gift went before him. But he stayed the same night in the camp. And he rose up in the night, and took his two wives, and his two maids, and his eleven children, and went to the fords of Jabok, and took them, and led them over the water, that they might pass over that which he had: and he abode alone on this side.

1 Until now Jacob was still a pilgrim, as his fathers had been; he had neither a house nor a dwelling of his own when he sat down; he lived under heaven with all his servants, at God's mercy. But Esau, his brother, had long since sat down and taken his own land, had already become a mighty lord with his children, so that Jacob had to fear and humble himself before him as a wretched stranger, even though God's promise was that Jacob should be lord and Esau serve him. Now this is also a strange chapter, in which we again have a miraculous work of God, but to be seen as if it were only the work of a child, so that Jacob would walk around. At the end of the previous chapter, Moses wrote how he went on his way from Laban, and among the ways he met the angels of God, and when he saw them, he gave the place a name in remembrance of it, and called it Mahanaim, that is, Camp or Army.

2 Then God had strengthened and refreshed him so that he should not be afraid of Laban. Was it not a bold deed and a firm faith that he was allowed to set out into a foreign land with his wife, child, large household and all good things, to escape from his brother-in-law, who was extremely bitter against him, and to go through the people, where he was unknown?

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was? An army of the angels of God was with him over this, only so that he would be stronger and bolder; so that he stood in a high, insurmountable faith. But now it is the other way round for a Hui to become so weak; he who was not afraid of Laban at all, yes, was sure that the angels of God were standing by him, now almost despaired of his brother whom he does not see.

(3) This is what I said, how God rules so strangely in his saints, makes them so strong that they are not afraid of the devil or death. And again, when one thinks that they should be the strongest, he makes them so weak that they are almost terrified of a tree leaf; as Christ Matth. 14, 29. 30. did with Petro. When he stepped out of the ship to go to him on the water, he was bold and sure, fearing no one, but as soon as he saw a wind coming, he trembled and sank.

(4) There is a precious thing about faith, and great power. Yes, if it were in our power to overcome it, or, if we have it right away, to keep it. There is no doubt that faith does everything that the devil and death must give way to it; but where is the art of staying with it and keeping it? God has reserved it for Himself to give and take away faith when He wants, and to make it strong or weak as He pleases. Therefore, it must happen to Jacob as well as to us, for the sole purpose of learning to know what God has in mind. We must not raise Jacob too high. He is a great saint, but it can soon happen that he becomes weaker in faith than I am. So God can give me a high, strong faith at this hour, but again, before you look around, let me sink and give the faith to some great sinner.

(5) Why then does he let his saints go thus, and not always remain in strong faith? So that they do not become proud again, or think that they have it from themselves, and make themselves God. That is why he has to map and mix it in such a way that they know that he is God, recognize himself, and remain in humility; which he wants to have, not only from us, but from the highest saints, even from his own mother;

[They must all let themselves be brought low and say: I am nothing and can do nothing; so that we are all equal before God; although there is a difference according to the gifts, which are not ours, but also all his. This is one of the main parts of this chapter, how the faith of the holy patriarch almost disappears, and yet he seizes it again, as we shall hear.

006 The land of Seir, or Edom, where Esau dwelt, and which was named after him, is not far from the way. For Edom and Judah meet together. Because Jacob has to travel hard along this road, he sends messengers ahead of him to find out what his brother's attitude is toward him. For he is still afraid of him, because he had taken away his firstborn and his blessing, and therefore he had to leave his father and mother twenty years ago, so that he would not strangle him. For this Esau had now become mighty, and lord in the land, so that it let itself look at everything, as if the word was nothing, which God had said: "The greater shall serve the lesser", and must become before the reason a liar. For this, Jacob must call Esau a lord, and fall at his heels, and beg for mercy, with wife and child, as a sovereign; yes, he even holds him like an angel. How does this rhyme with the promise? Or, is that kept which is promised? It is all written to us. For we also are lords over the world through Christ, and yet must fall under its feet. So that it all goes contrary to what God does. We are to say that we are masters of all things, and let them rule and have the upper hand. But it is according to the spirit; but the body must let itself be thrown down, and be subject.

(7) But that Jacob says in the text, "That I may find grace in your sight," is spoken in Hebrew; German and Latin do not speak so; for we give grace only to princes; but it is as much said, "Let me find grace in your sight," as we say, "Be favorable and gracious to me; do not be angry with me; or be my friend, and I will be your friend also. Thus Luc. 1, 28. the angel Mariam greeted the Virgin: "Hail, thou that art gracious" or "Blessed art thou"; for what is grace to-

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What could be more pleasant than that? As we say of a maid, Thou fine, kind maid. Which our lumpen preachers interpret to mean full of grace, as full as a bubble full of wind; just as if grace were a thing that God pours into the heart, as one pours wine into the candelabra, so that (it) overflows above. We can call it no better than holdselig, to whom an everyone is hold and favorable; from it our German name Huldreich is made. In Hebrew it is called John and Hannah.

8 Then follows how Esau marches against his brother with four hundred men, which he does not do in bad faith, as the following chapter shows. Jacob is still horrified and thinks it is murder and death, since there is peace. What a miserable, weak faith has become there! Esau is in the sense and thought: I am richer and mightier than my brother (as it is said that he ruled in the land and was a mighty prince), and have been angry with him now twenty years. I have grown so much that I am a lord; he is still a beggar, has neither house nor farm, roams the streets with his cattle so bare that they could be taken from him every hour. What shall I now avenge myself on him? I will give it to him and let it be. So he shows him with his splendor, so that one should see how powerful he is, that it is to be seen as a defiance. As if he should say: Yes, how finely you have taken my firstborn from me! You have robbed me of the blessing secretly from the father, so God has blessed me for it. So he forgets his anger and goes to meet his brother to receive him. But Jacob is so stupid and despondent that he cannot help but think that he will pour out his anger on him and his servants.

In such anguish and distress he knows no help nor refuge but in his dear God, and pours out all his heart before him. This is also the best part of this chapter. When faith becomes weak and begins to falter, there is no other counsel or refuge than to Him who makes it falter; just as St. Peter cried out on the water when he was about to sink: "O Lord, help me! Now this is a great art, to whom grace is given in trouble, that he may flee all human help and comfort, and take hold alone.

and keep the word and promise. Then the sheep was thirsty from the heat and also drank. Now we have heard Cap. 28, 15. how God had promised him that he would be with him and protect him wherever he went and bring him home again; but now he has let him sink so low and be stuck in fear that he knows no help to seek but from him.

(10) So he comes and presents his need to God, and does no more than to impress upon him his promise, and makes a strong, fiery prayer. For this is not called praying, standing in church, babbling and chattering; but fear teaches to pray rightly; as one says, Hunger is a good cook. The same drives him to fear that he will perish with his wife and child, for he did not care so much for him alone. He had a promise that had to come true. Yes, even if he were slain, Jacob's children would also be born from stones. But God leaves him in fear, so that he may show the power of his word in our weakness.

(11) He does not tear out his natural heart, but leaves the fear in him, more for his own than for himself; but he keeps the word and prays. It is not much words or much hours, as the work saints measure their prayers by length; but behold how mightily he asks. If you want to pray, do not come with a full belly, but first get a fear and distress that presses you to pray, or leave it, and put such distress before him, and take hold of him when you can hold him, that is, by his word, like Jacob, and say: "Lord, there is the misery and calamity that presses and presses me, I would gladly be rid of it. 7, 7. Luc. 11, 9.]: Ask, and you will receive, these are your words, I come and ask, so you have prayed right, and are certainly heard, because God has promised it, and necessity compels.

12. It is only a pity that we do not feel our heartache and do not let it go to our hearts, otherwise we would have reason and need enough to pray every moment, especially if we were true children of God and saw that His holy, noble name, in which we were baptized and
13. "one" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Jena.

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so that he may adorn us and bless us when we are blasphemed in an abominable and shameful way. Where are the Christians who lament and cry out? So also we have daily cause and high time to pray that his kingdom come to us, because we see that it goes so weakly in us, and is hindered by the devil and flesh and blood; and so henceforth in all other things. This will not go to anyone's heart, which is a sign that we are not in fear. Therefore I have said more: We do not find in the dear fathers such mad, foolish works as we do, but vain earnest, righteous works, though they seem small.

(13) So this prayer must be answered, for it has all the characteristics of a right prayer, that it goes in right faith to God's goodness and trust, and appeals to God's word and urges him on, and then presents his need with earnestness. [It has been so powerful that even if Esau were still his mortal enemy, and had set out with all his might to strike him with all his servants, he would still have had to become his best friend, or else go to ruin himself. What now follows in the text of the gift, as he has arranged it, is not much to speak of, without it indicating that Jacob had an even 1) good, that he sends fivefold gifts before, which alone would now be a poor man's good. [We want to deal with the last piece of the chapter.

V. 24-28 A man wrestled with him until the dawn. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the joint of his thigh; and the joint of his thigh was dislocated from wrestling with him. And he said, Let me go, for the dawn is breaking. But he answered: I will not let thee go, for thou blessest me. And he said, What is thy name? And he answered, Jacob. And he said, Thou shalt no more be called Jacob, but Israel: 2) For thou hast fought with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

1. even - respectable, significant.
2. Marginal gloss: Israel. Israel comes from Sarah, which means to fight or overcome; hence also Sar means a prince or lord, fund Sarahl means a princess or woman, and Israel means a prince or warrior of God, that is, one who wrestles with God and "wins"; which is done through

(14) That the previous prayer was answered is evident from the struggle and fight he is engaged in here. But see how God acts when He hears someone, that this proverb is true: God often meets us who could greet Him. Jacob is stupid and despondent before his brother, so God comes and wants to strengthen him, and makes him even sicker. That would be a good comfort to me, when I work in the mud, and he puts me in it completely. God frightens him and makes him afraid, but he starts to call and pray, so he comes and wants to strangle him.

(15) But how the battle was fought, we shall not know in words. It will remain only with those who have experienced and tasted it, otherwise no one will understand it. But we cannot know what it was. So let us learn how he behaves when he hears, namely, as if he wanted to destroy us. This is what he did to the children of Israel Ex 5:9; when he wanted to bring them out of Egypt, he let Pharaoh attack and torment them more than ever before. When he brought them out to the Red Sea and they thought they had passed through, Pharaoh came up behind them so that they could not get out anywhere, so that death was in front of them all, and the Egyptians were sure they had them as surely as a thief on a rope or a chain.

16 So also with Christ: When he wanted to make him a king, he did it with great wonder and power; but when he should be best, he lets him die on the cross, as a desperate wicked man; but he manages it in such a way that he comes forth in the same moment, when all reason had despaired of him, and becomes king forever. Like the children of Israel, when they were in the midst of death, without all help and counsel, he tears the sea from one another, so that they pass through dry, that if the sea had not given room, a cloud would have had to descend and make room. So he also goes with us: if we call on him to be saved from death, he first leads us into it. This is what he does now 3)

the Glanbe" who holds so firmly to God's words until he overcomes God's wrath, and attains God's own to the gracious Father.

3. Jenaer: only.

512 Erl. s", L "2-L0t. Sermon on Genesis 32:24-28. W. Ill, 7S7-77O. 513

so that he may disgrace reason, which does not believe, but wants to know how, where and when; so that faith may have room, and let God make it.

(17) So Jacob also hopes here that he will be saved from his brother; then he first comes into trouble that he fights with him, and wants to take his life and limb; he also did not know at first who the fighter was. Now think for yourself, if a stupid, frightened man is to fight with a spirit, how he feels; if he hears a little noise of a devil, he pales and bids 1) that the world becomes too narrow for him. How horrible would it be if one were to fight with the devil alone and defend himself? Then he imagines such thoughts, of which no man can say. Nature teaches us what fear and hardship is a death struggle.

(18) It was the same with him. He saw that the one who could strangle him with one finger and could not get rid of him lay against him and wrestled with him. So he also did not know whether it was a good or evil spirit, because otherwise it would not have been a fight, if he had known that it was God or a good angel, but more a comfort, and would not have become angry with him. But he does not think otherwise, because it is a spirit that thinks to strangle him. Before, he had cared for his wife and child so that they would not perish; now he must let it all go and forget it, and think where he will stay. It will not have meant life to him alone, but both body and soul, that he had to wrestle with him for temporal and eternal life. He stood there and pretended to him as if God did not want to be, and had to be of the devil. But it was a clear image that he accepted and fought with him, so that not only the body was tired and weary, but also the courage and soul lay in terror and trembling.

(19) What then is the power to protect and resist, and finally to win? It is ever2) a poor, powerless strength of our body against a spirit; however, if the courage remains and is not broken, the body also remains strong. As long as the heart does not

1. bidmen - quake.
2. "je" is missing in the Wittenberger.

If a man despairs, he thrusts his power and strength into his body; but when his courage is gone, all is finished, so that the body cannot stand on its feet.

020 So the heart remained firm in him at the word of God, saying, Thou hast said, I will do thee good, and make thee a great seed. The word is the life, strength and power of the man, which he grasped in his heart and held so firmly that it had to remain true, and thought: He wants to strangle you on the spot, deals with me as if he were ordered by God; now let him do it, God has said that he wants to bring me back home to the land; this must happen, should Himinel and earth tear; come devil or angel, or he himself, and suggest it to me differently, I do not believe it.

(21) He had to take off his old skin and break it, and felt nothing in body and life, except that he had trusted in the truth, which could not be deceived. If we had also been tempted in temptation, how God's word strengtheneth and maketh strong, we could understand it; but because it is not tempted, it is cold, and savoureth not. But when it comes that one must let go hands and feet, and can only receive the word, then one sees what power it is, that no devil is so strong as to overthrow it, even if he bites it and wants to devour it; but it is to him a burning, fiery spear. It is a small word that has neither appearance nor prestige; yet when it is grasped by the mouth or speech in the heart and tried, it is perceived for what it can do.

(22) So Jacob stood and fought valiantly, saving and winning body and soul through the one strength, as the text says, that the man saw that he could not overcome him, namely, that he had such courage and mind, and was not despondent. So he came to the highest strength through and in weakness, when fidgeting drove him in the last need to hold on to the word alone. This is, as often said, God's art, that he makes something out of nothing, piety out of sin, life and blessedness out of death. Thus the good Jacob must use all his strength to

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The new power and strength that he who could not overcome men before, now wins over angels.

23 For it must be left alone that it was a true battle, that the angel attacked him with all his might, not scolding him; so he also fought with all his might, and overcame; not that he struck him down, but so that he stood so firm that the angel could not restrain him. For the power of God's word is over all the world, devil and angel.

(24) But the battle did not last long, for the text says that he arose in the night and brought over the women and children with all the army; it may have been an hour or half an hour before day. Now the night is terrible in itself; so God leaves him alone, that he can seek no comfort or help; he must stand and fight bare and naked. Such examples are not found much more in Scripture; it is high and strange, but therefore done and written, that one may learn how ineffable power the word of God has.

025 Thus saith the angel, when the battle was ended, Thou shalt no more be called Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast fought with God and with men, and hast prevailed." The name Israel comes from the word Sarah and El. For the Jews, when they want to make nomina propria, they commonly put the letter Jod, that is J, in front. As if they say Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Josaphat, Jezekias, Jehezkiel. But Sarah means in German to fight and to overcome, and El means God, so it becomes Israel, that is, a God-fighter, qui luctans cum Deo vincit, that it understands both in itself, fighting and winning. How is it possible that one can fight against God? Is he not omnipotent? First of all, the text indicates what kind of battle it was, that the infernal fire was aimed at him, and he also felt hell, and it can be seen as if the angel was God himself. The prophet Hosea also stated it Cap. 12, 4. almost in this way, and Christ is everywhere depicted in such figures that he let himself be seen as an angel. When in the 18th chapter, v. 20. above, about the angel who was with

Abraham spoke. Item in the other book Cap. 3, 4. follows, how the angel Mosi appeared in the bush, and says, how God spoke with him. But be it as it may, it was done in God's stead.

26. wrestling with God is nothing else than wrestling with the wrathful God, who sets himself against man as an enemy Luc. 22, 44.; he does not only want to be judge, but, what is even more horrible, he also wants to be the master of the rod and to kill life. When he is after life, he does not reach for the skin, but into it, so that the marrow pines away, and the legs become as friable as the flesh, as also happened to Christ in the garden of oil Matth. 26, 37. 38.. Therefore it must be made great. When he attacks a man, it is so hard and heavy that no one understands it except the one who tries it; because he himself wants to fight with the man, there is vain strife and the fear of hell; in addition, all creatures are death to him, because they all hold it with God. Thus he takes away man's heart, so that he sees nowhere that is on his side. How can he win in such fear?

(27) The sophists cannot say anything about it, because it does not sound to their ears as against the article, that he is omnipotent; therefore also the Latin text has shied away from saying: You have fought with God, and have been defeated. But it goes thus, as I have otherwise said: God has given the world two kinds of word, the law, which wraths and chokes, and the gospel, so that he comforts and makes alive. Now when the word falls, by which he promises us grace, never let it go, let the law turn it before or behind; though after it fall all unkindness, hell, and sin, let it not be taken away from you in any way, and only speak freely: After the gospel there is no wrath. For as soon as this has come to pass, God has made Himself rightly known; for He is by nature goodness, therefore you must adhere to it without ceasing. But if any other word falls upon it, think that it must either be false, or that God wants to tempt you. This is what God does, for he wants to make his own completely strong: [he sets himself against the kind, comforting word, and wants to see how firmly they cling to it; he sets himself up as if he never wanted to give them the word.

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Doing good, man feels that God is doing it; this is also the most painful. If one thought that the devil or a man was doing it, there would not be so much distress, but if the conscience says that God is doing it, there is fear and distress.

(28) Now "overcoming God" does not mean overcoming his power, but overcoming that which he is and is felt in our conscience; as the Scripture says that God changes when we are changed. He is without change in Himself, nor does He change Himself so strangely to us; this makes our conscience change; as the 18th Psalm, v. 26, 27, says: "With the holy you are holy, and with those without change you are without change, and with the perverse you are perverse"; He always remains kind, nor is there anything else in my conscience but that He is angry. So he is nothing to the damned but vain wrath, punishes them only with their own conscience.

(29) Jacob would have done the same if he had let the word go, but because he does not want to conclude according to his feelings, but holds fast and lets himself be torn apart, he has won. So if I overcome him in me, I have overcome God by taking hold of the word of his goodness and keeping it, and by overthrowing that which would make him angry. Thus we overcome, not His majesty, but His work that He does for us. Therefore let us learn that these things are written to instruct us, whether we also meet with such things, that we may know how to keep God, that we also may become Israel.

(v.29-32) And Jacob asked him, saying, Tell me, what is thy name? And he said, Why askest thou what is my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Pniel, 1) because I have seen God face to face, and my soul is recovered. And when he came over before Pnuel, the sun went down upon him, and he limped on his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel do not eat a high vein on the joint of the hip until this day, because the high vein was touched on the joint of Jacob's hip.

1. Marginal gloss: Pniel or Pnuel means God's face or knowledge; for through faith in the strife of the cross one learns to know and experience God rightly, so there is no more need, so the sun rises.

030 Now the battle is over, and when the angel comes from him, he calls the place Pniel, that is, the face of God. But what does God's face mean? The Scriptures have this word in great use now and then. The prophets use it and praise it mightily, and say that one must see God's face in this life; as David says in the 4th Psalm, v. 7: "Lift up over us the light of your face." Item, Psalm 67, 2. "God be gracious to us and bless us, and let His face shine upon us." So then, to see God's face is to recognize Him without all veneer, just as he who sees a man's face knows Him rightly. For when one sees a man's back, he cannot know whether he is an enemy or a friend. For he who is angry with me turns away his face from me; again, he who is favorable and pleasing to me lets me see him under the eyes. Therefore the face of God is called nothing else than the revelation and the clear knowledge of his nature, how he is minded, that is, his goodness. From this also comes knowledge of ourselves, so that we think nothing of all our nature.

(31) Therefore, all who believe see God's face without ceasing, that is, they recognize how God is goodness itself and looks upon them with eyes of mercy. Now Jacob thinks that since God has ceased and is no longer angry, it should be pure mercy; he now sees and recognizes him well, as it is true that he had said that he should be his beloved child; from this he becomes so full of joy and pleasure, so great before the affliction, that he says: This place must be called the face of God, because I have seen God rightly there, and my soul is healed, that now I fear no one; for afterward he feared Esau no more, though he humbled himself before him.

32 Lastly, the text says how the angel, when he fought with him, touched the joint of his hip, that it was dislocated above the wrestling, and he became limp in the hip; therefore the children of Israel do not eat a high vein on the joint of the hip. What high vein he means, I do not know; I think he means the vein that goes over the joint. In the struggle he brings this about that he becomes limp or lame in the hip, so that it is nevertheless a bodily

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lich wrestling has been. Therefore, the hip vein is sanctified or banished that one has not eaten.

(33) In the figure God has indicated so long before that God's children are not to be counted or reckoned according to flesh and blood, but according to the spirit and rebirth. That is why the arch-father of all God's people had to become lame at the hip after he had seen God and had become a spiritual man; for the part of the body, namely the loins or hips, is used by Scripture to give birth to all men.

34. but to eat is nothing, but to preach and to teach, that so much is said: it must be preached and said to the Jewish people that no one is God's child because he was born or came from the patriarchs. The glory is even laid down, that each one for himself, without all glory, may rely solely on God.

grace, and thereby go before God; so that the Jews confess that they want to come to God, that they do not have it because they are of Abraham's seed, but because Abraham has it, that is, because they have the same faith. Thus everything that is preached about our works and free will falls away. God had foretold this before, because it was foreseen that the people of the fathers would take their fathers in high esteem and defy them, so that the birth would no longer be valid before Him, but would remain for a time until the promised Christ came, and then cease. So we have this noble chapter, in which you see the wonderful counsel that God uses with his saints, for our comfort and as an example that we may keep this in mind daily, whether he also plays with us so that we are prepared for it.

The Thirty-Third Chapter.

1-20 Jacob lifted up his eyes, and saw Esau his brother coming with four hundred men. And he divided his children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two maidservants, and set the maidservants with their children in the front, and Leah with her children after, and Rachel with Joseph last. And he went before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they said. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women with the children, and said, Who are these with thee? And he answered, They are the children which God hath given unto thy servant. And the handmaids came near with their children, and bowed themselves to him. And Leah came near with her children, and bowed herself to him. Then Joseph and Rachel came near, and bowed themselves to him. And he said, What wilt thou do with all this host that I have met? And he said, That I may find grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau said: I have enough, my brother; keep what thou hast. Jacob answered:

Oh not, if I have found grace in your sight, take my gift from my hand. For I see thy face as I see God's face, and let it please thee from me. Accept from me the blessing that I have bestowed on you, for God has bestowed it on me, and I have enough. So he urged him to accept it. And he said, Let us depart and travel; I will go with thee. And he said unto him, My lord, thou knowest that I have tender children with me, and sheep and oxen young. If they were to overdo it by one day, the whole herd would die for me. Let my lord go before his servant, and I will go forth maelishly, 1) after which the cattle and the children may go, until I come to my lord in Seir. And Esau said, I will leave with thee some of the people,

1. Marginal gloss: Mälig. Notice that the orthodox and the works saints cannot walk with each other; for the orthodox walk neatly, with a quiet spirit, but the works saints walk with presumption of their works in God's laws.

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that is with me. And he said, What is the use? let me find grace in the sight of my lord. So Esau went his way again that day to Seir. And Jacob went to Sukhoth, and built him a house, and made tents for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is Sukhoth. Then Jacob went toward Salem, to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, after he was come out of Mesopotamia; and he pitched before the city. And he bought a piece of land of the children of Hemor, the father of Shechem, for an hundred pence; and there he pitched his tents. He built an altar there and called on the name of the mighty God of Israel.

(1) Now this is a bad history, which seems little, as the others commonly are; for which are high, as the next written before, are scarcely to be remembered. Now I have said enough, why Moses makes so many useless words, and describes the holy fathers with so little stories, so the world would not look at. Summa: It goes that we become fools with our cleverness and learn to recognize God, that he deals with such things, which are nothing before the world.

2. So here he also writes how the two brothers bump into each other. A bad story; but nevertheless it shows how God lets the worldly people ride high, but his own low and unnoticed. For what is God's must first be nothing and have no appearance. Esau comes along mightily with many armies; Jacob alone with wife and child, who should be the greatest according to the promise; but God always lets it go on like this until his time. He brought Esau forth and raised him up, so that he soared at two hundred years; while Jacob always had to remain weak and lowly; but when the time came, he raised him and his people far above Esau, so that they had to serve him. This is a figure and model of Christ, who lay three days in the grave, and made the world and the devils cry, "Won! as if it were over with him;" but in the same he burst forth, and became a Lord of the world and of all creatures. So also, his first Christianity, the martyrs, he left a year or two or three hundred to succumb and die.

But soon afterward God sets them over all the powers of the world, so that even kings and princes must fall at their feet.

3 When Jacob saw his brother Esau, the text says, he divided his children and made an order. For although he is no longer so afraid of his brother, he does not trust him very much, but because he was uncertain how God would deal with him, he placed himself in God's power and dared to do so with only what he has, for he knows that Esau is in God's hands and cannot harm him if he wants to. In addition, he is certain that he has a gracious God who wants to protect and save him; but how, and in what way, he does not know. Yet he does what he can, does not tempt GO'tt, and yet remains in the right faith. For if he had despaired, he would have run and gone aside; but he stands still, and dares to go up to the first, whether he would, by God's decree, be in the forefront, whether he would save the others; he lays down his life for his wife and children.

4 Is this not tempting God? No, because faith is right in that it commands God, it does not seek how to help it, thinking: Even if it beats us, God's word must still remain true; nevertheless, it worries about the brother's unfaithfulness, and needs the wisdom and reason that God has given. For nature teaches that what one holds dear, one should save first.

005 So he put Rachel and Joseph, the right child, in the rear, and Leah after them, and the maids in the front; but he put himself in the entrenchment. This is the right brotherly love, with which he does as much as reason teaches; not as those who tempt God, and want to go about it among the multitude without order, and think: If we are beaten, then we are beaten.

(6) But this is not true, for faith and temptation do not go together. Those who tempt God pretend to believe, but they go without God's word and command. As if one would step on a high tower and spire and fly down. As when a lazy ass would not work, and wait for God to feed him from heaven.

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7 Therefore the two must be separated, so that you put faith in the things that are above you, but avoid temptation in those that are beneath you. God has given you the body, five senses and reason; item, wife and child; all of which is in your hand, you shall use as much as you can; but if you cannot, you may leave it and wait for what God gives you. For this reason we were created, to rule over the animals of the earth, the woman, the child and the house, and to seek food with labor from the earth and from other things; with this we are to deal. But what is above us we are always to let go, as Jacob does here. For that he made order was not above him, 1) but under him, namely, vain reasonable thing; but faith dealeth only with those things which are above reason. As it was not in his hand to save himself and his own from Esau, but only God's work; therefore he needs faith alone in this, and lets God rule. Therefore I say again: Temptation of God cannot happen in the things that are above me and concern faith; where I cannot help, I must believe. But where I can help myself, and have God's goods at hand, I shall not tempt him; for there I must not believe, because I have it before my eyes and in my hand.

(8) One reads an example in vitis patrum of two brothers who wandered for a time with each other over a field, and although they had no food, they decided not to take food from the pagan, evil people, but to wait until God gave them bread from heaven. And when they had long hungered, the one said, It is too long for us, and went and took that which was given him, and remained alive: but the other continued in his resolution, and died also of it. Now conclude: Where did this one go? God gave him that he might well counsel hunger, therefore he was not allowed to wait for another, and leave the bread; but if there had been no one to give him a piece of bread, it would have been right to wait for it from God.

1. Jenaer: him.
2. Baarschaft --- the available money or goods.

9 So understand the difference between trying and believing. Faith should not come sooner than God's commandment and word, which applies when one is in trouble and cannot help oneself, except in death and other trials; but when God gives such good, one should thank Him and take it to oneself. So Jacob alone used his art to the best of his ability, as he knew, but in faith he did not know how it should go out, who would remain alive or dead; God only commands him to protect and save. So he goes through properly, neither to the left nor to the right, neither in unbelief nor temptation.

(10) Let these be simple and bad histories, which have no appearance of the fathers walking in such loose works; but when the heart is seen, and the faith according to which the work is directed, it is perceived that they are excellent examples. Therefore such histories are not to be regarded according to works, as the world does; otherwise they are cold and unworthy; but according to faith they are precious treasures.

11. The text continues: "And he went before them, and stooped down to the ground seven times, until he came to his brother. In this, I have said, he shows true brotherly love, that he lays down his life with good, firm faith, for wife and child. This does not mean seeking what is his, nor living and dying for his sake. This is how the work goes in strong faith and perfect love.

(12) How is it not great honor that he bows down seven times before his brother? How bad are the works in which he walks, nor do they show such great virtue. For is this not great humility, because he has the promise of God that his seed shall be blessed? that he might have boasted and said, Brother, you must fall at my feet. Did he also pretend or lie? No; for St. Paul also commanded Rom. 12:10, that one should precede another in reverence; though Esau does not do it again, yet he is moved by it.

(13) Therefore, though we have great good in Christ, and are lords even of the devil, yet it is God's will that we humble ourselves before those who are things in the world,

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The authority and dominion, if you were as holy as Jacob.

14 Neither was there ever a priest so holy as Jacob, nor does he not let his feet be kissed, but falls at the feet of the tyrant, gives him more honor than is due him, and does it from a right cause and a good heart; so think, as he himself says, "I have seen your face, as if I saw the face of God. How do you lie like this, Jacob? Shall you say thus to the unholy man? It is all directed to this, because Esau was a great lord, far above Jacob, therefore he looketh upon him, as his lord, and lieth not, but it is his earnestness; to us for an example. If a man is in the government, he is to be honored, not for his own sake, but because it is God's order Rom. 13:1, 7. Why does Jacob ask whether Esau abuses his authority? [He nevertheless leaves him the honor that the authority has, and speaks out arrogantly that he has seen his face as the face of God.

(15) For the authorities, be they what they may, are not of men, or they would not be safe for one hour; if God did not maintain it by force, Lord Omnes would strike them all dead. Therefore, because it is God's force and order, one must look at it as if one were looking at God. Where he throws them, there his honor shall follow. He deals with his goods as one who throws money into the rapuse: wherever it falls, there is GOD, one needs it willy-nilly, he will find it. You go ahead, humble yourself, and give her the honor.

(16) More are the fruits of faith in this chapter. Thus Solomon says in Proverbs Cap. 16, 7.: "If a man's ways please the Lord, he also makes his enemies content with him." This is God's nature and work, that He can make the highest enemies friends, when here Esau was actually Jacob's mortal enemy, also had in mind to harm him. There you see how God has this man's heart and thoughts in His hand, that they must go as He wills, and break his mind, that he himself does not know how to go, and falls around his neck. What a change and a change it is, that he is consumed in defiance with so many men, and when he comes, he begins to weep; is he not a man?

Is it not a strange bargain that such a mortal enemy should so soon be turned back?

(17) Therefore the Scripture teaches that we should walk in righteousness and humility, 1) not for our own sake, but for the sake of our enemies. For where such humility is, God gives grace that even the enemies may be broken and turned back. Hence the proverb comes: A good word finds a good place; but when pride and hardness are against hardness, nothing good comes of it. Although there are also many hard heads that cannot be softened by words or works. God wants Christians to humble themselves and be respectful, even toward their enemies, so that he will bless them and make such works strong and convert their hearts.

018 So both wife and child go out to meet him, and all bow down before him. He lets this happen, even though he is now a friend; but they even win his heart away with it, so that he leads the way and says, "Keep what you have, my brother, I have enough"; he begs to accompany him, and when Jacob apologizes, he wants to give him a portion of his people. This is written for us, if we would also do it once; but the devil is in pride, that no one wants to yield to the other. Therefore let us keep such examples as fruits of faith, as the holy father believes and is tempted, and humbles himself against the authorities.

019 And Moses wrote how Jacob came to Shuhoth, and built there a house, and tents for his cattle. The place is therefore described, that the Jews, when they came into the land afterward, might know where Jacob had dwelt. That is why this place must keep its name, and why it became a city afterward, because St. Jacob lived there and lay there.

020 Then he went to Salem, to the city of Shechem. Salem must not be Jerusalem, as some think; for Shechem is still a good journey away, where he also lived for a while as a pilgrim and stranger, but buys a piece of land and sets up his tents. Why he moved from Sukhoth, the text does not indicate, but it is

1. Erlanger: "humble".

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from the foregoing. For we have heard above of Abraham and Isaac, how they always had to be strangers, and had no certain place, and moved from one place to another, which was almost difficult for them, constantly hovering with wife, child and all good things between heaven and earth, and nowhere being safe, that they sometimes also became impatient, always suffering violence and injustice among strangers. Which is always held up to us, so that one can see what the right life is, even if it seems to be a bad, foolish thing.

21. item that he sets up an altar here and calls on God's name, we have also heard how the dear fathers set up a place.

to come together, teach and preach how to trust God and call upon the promise of the seed, through which the world would be blessed. For such preaching and exhortation was necessary against weakness of faith and impatience. And the text adds: "He called on the name of the strong God Israel", to indicate what and how he preached, namely about the God who is strong and mighty, so that he could protect them and help them in suffering and the cross, even if it did not seem so. Thus you see the simple life of the fathers, and yet so full of examples of faith, love and patience in the smallest works.

The Thirty-Fourth Chapter.

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she bare unto Jacob, went forth to see the daughters of the land 1). And when she saw Shechem the son of Hemor the Hivite, who was lord of the land, he took her, and slept with her, and weakened her; and his heart was set on her, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto her, and said unto Hemor his father, Take me the damsel to wife. And Jacob heard that Dinah his daughter was defiled, and his sons were with the cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they came. Then Hemor, Shechem's father, went out to Jacob to speak to him; but Jacob's sons came out of the field, and when they heard it, the men were troubled, and were very wroth, because he had hasted to commit folly in Israel, and had put Jacob's daughter to sleep; for such a thing was not wont to be done. Then Hemor spoke to them, saying, "My son Shechem's heart desires your daughter; give her to him as a wife. Make friends with us, give us your daughters, and take you our daughters, and dwell with us; the land shall be yours.

1. Marginal gloss: Daughters of the land. What one seeks apart from God's word in reason and human wisdom certainly corrupts the spirit and faith; therefore no addition of human doctrine and works should be made to God's word.

Be open; dwell, and advertise, and work therein. And Shechem said unto her father and brethren: Let me find favor with you; what you say to me I will give; only ask of me confidently the morning gift and the present; I will give it as you ask; only give me the harlot to wife. Then Jacob's sons answered Shechem and Hemor his father, and spake deceitfully because Dinah their sister was defiled, and said unto them: We cannot do this, that we should give our sister to an uncircumcised man, for that would be a disgrace to us. But then we will obey you, if ye become like us, and all that is male among you be circumcised; and we will give our daughters unto you, and take your daughters unto us, and dwell with you, and be one people. But if ye will not obey us to circumcise you, we will take our daughter, and depart. The speech pleased Hemor and his son well. And the young man did not delay in doing so, for he had a desire for Jacob's daughter. And he was magnified above all in his father's house. Then Hemor and Shechem his son came to the city of Thor, and talked with the people of the city, saying: These people are peaceable with us, and will dwell in the land.

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and become; so now the land is encompassed, we will take their daughters as wives and give them our daughters. But then will they be willing to dwell with us, and become one people with us, where we shall circumcise all that is male among us, even as they are circumcised. Their cattle and goods, and all that they have, shall be ours, if only we will them to dwell with us. And they obeyed Hemor, and Shechem his son, all that went in and out of the gates of his city, and circumcised every male that went in and out of his city. And on the third day, when it pained them, the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took every man his sword, and went thirstily into the city, and slew all the males, and slew Hemor also, and Shechem his son, with the edge of the sword. And they took Dinah their sister of the house of Shechem, and went away. Then the sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and "spoiled" the city because they had defiled their sister. And they took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and all that was in the city, and in the field. And all their goods, and all their children, and their wives, they took captive, and spoiled all that was in the houses. And Jacob said unto Simeon and Levi, Ye have made it to stink before the inhabitants of this land, the Cananites and the Perizzites; and I am a small company. Now when they come together against me, they will strike me, and I will be destroyed with my house. But they answered, Should they deal with our sister as with a harlot?

1 Then you see that the Scriptures write nothing good about the good and pious Jacob that he encountered, and his legend always holds up to us how he was thrown out of one misfortune and misery into another; when we saw how sour it had become for him with the wives and sheep when he served twenty years. Item, how he was afraid of Esau. Now, when he thinks that his misfortune is over, he is heartbroken that his daughter is violated and his sons also cause misfortune.

that he no longer has it good with anyone in the country. So his legend goes out to the last, that God always puts one cross over the other on his neck; as we will hear further.

So this is not the least of his sufferings, that he must suffer the disgrace and dishonor that befalls him with such courage, as if he had to let it go and could not take revenge, because the squire in the country does it, and thinks it does not matter much whether he takes his daughter from him and disgraces her. But that is still the greatest thing, that he must bear the shame with his children, that the whole country says of him, and everyone laughs at his accident, and must have the mockery to the detriment.

3 Here think how his faith is tempted, that he might have said, "Now where is the great promise that God will do me good and protect me? Does that mean benevolent, that he lets me pass over such a disgrace? The text does not speak of how he was afraid, but gives it to each one to think for himself how it hurt him in his heart, and yet he had to suffer in silence. Now this is written for our consolation and example of patience, when we have His word and promise; but He leaves us otherwise, that we may not fall into doubt, but know that God will not forsake us; as He kept His word, that it was finally fulfilled.

4 Now behold the story whence it cometh: "She went out (saith the text) to see the daughters or maidens of the land." It befits a virgin to run now and then; it is not a good sign if they cannot stay at home. Jacob would not have admitted it to her either, so her. to run. But it goes thus, if God does not guard, then no one guards, as the 127th Psalm, v. 1, says: "Where the LORD does not guard the city, the guards watch in vain." There is no doubt that he brought up his daughter in the best possible way, but it does not help. So it happens to many parents, when they have brought up their children well, that they still turn out badly. He does not want them to be allowed to run around and have their way, but to pull and teach them with all diligence.

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God, if it does not work out, we have done our part. For it is not in our power, but in God's power, that children do well; where he is not in the ship, one never sails well.

5. Further, behold, the evil of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, falling upon the city of Shechem, and slaying all that is male, contrary to their father's will, so that they all sin, Simeon and Levi, Shechem, Hemor, and Dinah, and all the brethren; [They are all wickedness that they do; and the two sons also are perjured, that they keep not the peace, though they had vowed it, when the citizens were circumcised; so that the whole city must pay for the one wickedness.

But how is it that Jacob, at the end of the 48th chapter, v. 22, boasts that he took the land and the property justly, when it looks much different here? For his sons fall upon the city with violence and injustice, and take it all. But this is how God uses to make right out of wrong. The children do wrong against their father and their promise, but Jacob gets it right; so Shechem and Hemor are punished justly and rightly, even though they do wrong. Just as God commonly punishes boys by boys, sometimes also pious people by boys, and again; as the holy Job was punished by wicked boys from Arabia Job 1, 15., whereas the pious Abraham struck the four kings, as is heard above Gen. 14, 15.. Summa: Everything is in God's hand, it comes from where and how He wills, to whom He gives it, he has it. Now that the Shechemites are defeated and lose what is theirs is also right, although Jacob's sons fall into it unjustly; but God takes it because they are defeated, and gives it to Jacob so that he may keep it with good right.

(7) These are his works, when he gives or takes away a land and steals it wherever he wants; as he let the Hebrews steal their gold and silver utensils from the Egyptians, as it says in the other book of Moses Cap. 12, 36. This was wrong in the eyes of the people, but not in the eyes of God, for he wanted to punish them as they deserved. So it goes now in

The world is a place where one prince robs another, one country beats another, as one knave beats another.

(8) But we must consider that the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob were also pious and holy, because the Scriptures often exalt and praise them. However, they often stumbled and committed many a gross misdeed, as we shall see more hereafter, which is much the case with the great patriarchs. Now it would be a knavery to act so wrongly and with disloyalty as they do here, and to fall with deceit upon the defenseless Shechemites, and to strike and take away everything, when they had no debt to the citizens. It was not proper for them to rebel against Hemor and Shechem, even though they were already using injustice and violence, because they were masters of the land, while Jacob and his family were living there as aliens. Thus, God allows His own to become great sinners before He makes them righteous. Thus St. Paul had to persecute the Christians in the worst way before he became the most noble apostle Apost. 8, 3. 9, 1. 2. 1 Tim. 1, 13. 14.

(9) All this is written for us as an example, so that even if a man stumbles in gross works, he is not to be condemned for it. If works were to make one pious in the sight of God, then these patriarchs would have to be rejected; for there is almost nothing of them in the legend but such coarse pieces. Therefore, nothing must be valid before God but grace and mercy. Therefore it is much better to preach about the saints, because how they fasted, did these or those works. For these are the secret and marvelous works of God, that he would have sinners to be saints, that all our glory of godliness and good works might be brought low. For this is the sum of it: As long as he keeps us, so long are we pious; but when he removes his hand, and lets us go ourselves, we are desperate wretches. But let no man despair if we fall, but that we will not forsake the word; for his word and his grace are greater and more than all men's sins. This chapter is based on the history; we also want to see a little of the secret interpretation.

532 Erl. 34, ss6-zss. Sermon on Genesis 34:1-31. 35:1-8. W. Ill, 798-4MI. 533

(10) That Dinah, Jacob's daughter, goes out among the strange women means the frivolous souls that do not remain at home in the word of God, but go out and mix with the doctrines of men, and fall upon that which pleases reason. If Dina had stayed at home with her father, she would have remained unchanged; thus, the conscience also remains pure, because it hangs on the word of God alone; but as soon as it seeks something more, and goes after the teachings of men, it will certainly be corrupted. For God wants us to be His bride alone, and to cling to Him; so it is not possible for the conscience to remain unchanged when the laws of men enter it. But I speak only of the doctrines and laws of men, which are beaten and driven into the conscience, and not of outward statutes, which alone are put into the hand.

(11) Now when she has gone out, Shechem, the ruler of the land, becomes aware of her and courts her; that is, as Habakkuk says Cap. 1:16, Cibus ejus electus, the devil, the prince of the world, seeks only cute little bits; that is, that by teachers of men he brings to himself and deceives not his multitude, but only those who have heard God's word and are God's people. So now he puts them to sleep and weakens them; for the devil does not seek to corrupt the souls he has under him, but only those who are still pure, as he has done through the papacy.

012 But that Shechem and Hemor should make terms with Jacob and his sons, and make an alliance, that he may retain them, and

The reason for this is the deceitfulness and hypocrisy of the teachers of men, which they use to deceive people and win them over. As the papists do, pretending that they will keep the gospel, and preach all that is written therein; as the Shechemites allow themselves to be circumcised, and say: We will not teach anything that brings harm, but that which is for salvation. So they have the Scripture and the gospel that we have, but they mean it wrongly, only painting it with such a color that they bring us to themselves and lead us away from the righteous faith.

(13) Their brothers let this happen at first, but soon they come in by force, take the sister again, beat and destroy everything; that is, the right preachers are there, and winning souls and consciences, they bring them home to God again. But that they deceive the citizens of the city, and pretend to dwell with them and keep company with them, means that we are also immersed in the doctrines of men; but after that we have taken up the right sword, that is, God's word, so that we put down and destroy everything that is human, so that they corrupt the consciences, do not stop until we have completely subdued it and made it all. And that the two brothers alone go and strangle everything is because there are few who preach God's word, but the other false saints are the greatest number; yet God's word is so powerful that it does them harm and destroys their thing.

The Thirty-Fifth Chapter.

V.1-8. And God said unto Jacob, Arise, and go to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God, which appeared unto thee, when thou fledst from thy brother Esau. Then said Jacob unto his Hanse, and to all that were with him: Put away from among you the strange gods that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments, and let us arise, and go to Bethel, that I may build there an altar to God.

Make unto the God that heard me in the time of my affliction, and was with me in the way that I went. So they gave him all the foreign gods that were under their hands, and their earrings; and he buried them under an oak that stood by Shechem, and they went to her. And the fear of God came upon the cities that were round about them, that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. So came Ja-

** **534 Erl. 34, W8-SSI. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 801-804. 535

He went to Kob in Lus, in the land of Canaan, which is called Bethel, and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the name of the place Bethel, because there God was revealed unto him, when he fled from his brother. Then Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and was buried under Bethel, under the oak tree, and was called the Lamentation Oak.

In this legend we hear nothing but lamentation and heartache, without sometimes being told how he builds an altar and prays. But, as I have said more, the main thing in it is that he has often heard God's word. Where this is, the works also apply, however small they are. So here he tells how God called him to build an altar for the sake of God's redeeming him, so that his children would not be slain. For they had made it so that the whole land was hostile to them, as he also complains in the previous chapter, v. 30: "You have made it so that I stink in the sight of the inhabitants of this land; now when they gather against me, they will strike me, and I will be destroyed with my house." Therefore he is no longer safe in the land, so that God must call him away.

(2) Thus God always throws His own into trouble and all kinds of dangers, but does not let them perish therein. He had the promise that his seed should become great and overtake the land; and here it is not far off that they would all be slain; and it would also have happened, if God had not caused a fear to come, as the text says, upon the cities that lay about, that they should not pursue after the sons of Jacob; so that he saves them in a moment and helps them from it. These are Jacob's fortresses to protect him, and the iron wall that God builds around him. For he helped very soon; it cost but a wink of the eye, and he slew the whole world. When he wants to strike, he lifts up the inside and strikes the heart first; when that is taken, there is no strength left.

003 Now at this word, that God would call him to go and build an altar, Jacob set out in joyful faith, and was not afraid to go through the midst of the enemies. For

It is shown that Jacob was once again in great fear, that he did not know where to go out, because he was in the midst of the enemies, and yet he was not allowed to stay in the place of Shechem, that God Himself must come and strengthen and comfort him through His word, so that he is no longer afraid.

4 Then he preached a sermon and said what God had commanded him, which is the proper office of a priest. And here you see that he preached not only to his household, but also to others who followed him because of the word; just as afterwards some Gentiles joined the Jews and learned God's word from them. For this is what the text says: "Then Jacob spoke to his household, and to all who were with him"; that is, that Jacob was at the same time the supreme pope or bishop, and almost alone received the word of God and led the spiritual regiment.

But what did he preach? That, as it says in the text: "Put away the foreign gods" 2c., we want to build an altar, praise and thank God, who has helped and redeemed us. To build an altar to God is not to find or seize God with our works, but it was only a place where one could come together to preach and praise God; just as God's house does not mean that we build a house for Him, but because, as said above Cap. 28, § 12 f., He dwells there before, and we come to Him there. How then does he dwell there? So that he speaks there. For where his word is preached, there he will surely be found; but where it is not, there is not his house, if they build churches one upon another.

6 So Jacob did not build an altar out of his own devotion, but out of God's command. So do you also. For it is not in our power to honor his name or to set up a service for him, but he must say it beforehand and say, here or there one should preach and serve me; as he says in Exodus 20:24, "In the place where I make remembrance of my name, there will I come to thee, and bless thee," that is, where I let my gospel of my grace and goodness be preached to glorify my name, not where you build or dedicate churches. For who are

536 Erl. 4t, SSI-SSS. Sermon on Genesis 35:1-8. W. Ill, 804-807. 537

Do you dare to bind God to a place? He wants to come first, out of pure grace and goodness, and set up holy places. Therefore the mere altar is much more precious than if we built churches of pure gold and brought all the saints there; for here is God's word, which is more valid than all the world.

(7) But what is it that Jacob is called to put away the strange gods, and to cleanse himself, and to put on other garments? What the foreign gods are, I have said enough above Cap. 31, § 23 ff. But Jacob, though he was holy and full of the Spirit, yet he could not bring himself to have no idols among his company, however few they were. This was nothing else than that some wanted to serve God with false worship, as we do with our own works. For he will have no worship but that which he himself hath commanded and ordained. Therefore he commanded them to leave off and put away all such false ways of serving God; for this would have been nothing, if they had put away idols from themselves, and the heart had nevertheless remained idolatrous.

(8) The other two pieces belong to the outward manner and deeds. But would you say, "Do you not see that we are commanded here to cleanse and wash externally, and to put on other garments? It is not valid to say that one must understand it spiritually and look at the interpretation, because no necessity forces it, but must let it remain outwardly and bodily. Answer: We also want to let it stand, but we say thus: Although salvation and faith or Christianity do not stand in such outward things, it cannot happen without them, just as Paul says in 1 Cor. 8:8: "Food does not promote us in the sight of God; if we eat, we are not better for it; if we do not eat, we are not less for it." We must eat and drink to sustain life, so that we can preach and serve our neighbor.

(9) So we may also say, No outward thing promotes or helps us before God; yet we must keep outward things and things that serve to keep people to the word of God; as, to keep a place, a place, a place, and a place.

Choosing to preach the Word of God and to perform the sacraments 2c. Therefore, all this should be left free. So this church is no better than any other house; but it is not fitting that one should eat, drink, or dance here, and the like; for there must be order and distinction among the people, where one does this or that, which neither promotes nor hinders in the sight of God.

010 Therefore it is as much for Jacob to say, Purify yourselves, and change your garments, as for me to say, If ye will hear preaching, leave your levity, your eating and drinking at home, and stand up bravely. He also says: "The main thing we do is to go and build an altar, preach and call on God; for this purpose it is good that you throw away idols and practice fine, honest deeds.

(11) After this he says how they have put away the idols, and remembers no more the other two things. [It is also to be known that the garments which the Scripture calls to be taken off were those which they adorned themselves with in honor of the idols, as the earrings which they give away here, and Jacob buries with the idols under a tree. For it has been a common way and ornament in the lands to wear earrings and bracelets, and to put on such ornaments in honor of their idols. What it meant, we will hear later. According to history, it was because they had no sign on them to indicate that they were attached to any idol, as now the priests, monks and nuns are attached to their clothes, caps and plates.

(12) So he comes with all that he has with him to the land of Canaan, to Bethel, not far from Jerusalem, where God had also appeared to him before, and builds an altar there, so that the place afterwards, as said above Cap. 28, § 17, became a cause of the greatest idolatry among the Jews. For the false worship never ceased until Israel was taken away. This alone caused them to fall upon this example, saying, "God dwelt in that place in particular, because He had appeared there twice to Jacob, and had commanded him to build an altar. If the pope now has such strong examples and scripture

538 Eri. st, sss-sss. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, m-su. 539

Who would stay before him? When he now comes there, Rebekka's nurse died; then mourning and lamentation arise. He is now delivered from the hands of the child, but now his own misfortune follows, as we shall see.

V. 9-29. And God appeared unto Jacob again after he was come out of Mesopotamia, and blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art called Jacob, but thou shalt no more be called Jacob, but Israel shalt thou be called; and so he is called Israel. And GOD said unto him, I am the Almighty GOD, be fruitful and multiply; nations and peoples' houses shall come from thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give it to your seed after you. So God departed from him from the place where He had spoken to him. And Jacob set up a stone mark in the place where he had spoken with him, and poured drink offerings 1) thereon, and sprinkled oil upon it. And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken unto him Bethel. And they departed from Bethel, and there was a way of the fields from Ephrath, and Rachel bare the child, and the birth was grievous to her. And when she was sore in childbirth, the wailing mother said unto her, Fear not: for thou shalt have this son also. But when her soul went out, and she died, she called his name Benoni 2). But his father called him Benjamin 3). So Rachel died, and was buried by the way of Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem: and Jacob set up a mark over her grave, which is Rachel's sepulchre unto this day. And Israel went out, and pitched a tent on the other side of the tower of Eber. And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in the land, that Reuben went and slept with Bilhah his father's concubine. And this came before Israel. Now Jacob had twelve sons. The sons of Leah were these: Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel were: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel

1. Marginal gloss: libation. This was wine, as will be seen sufficiently in the following books.
2. Side note: Ben Oni is called the son of my pain.
3. Marginal gloss: Ben Jamin is called the son of the right.

Maid: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant: Gad and Esser. These are the sons of Jacob, which were born unto him in Mesopotamia. And Jacob came to Isaac his father to Mamre, to the capital which is called Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac were strangers. And Isaac was an hundred and fourscore years old, and was sick, and died, and was gathered unto his people old and full of life. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

(13) Now there is another sermon that God speaks to him, as he spoke to him before in the same place when he went out. But why does he say, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but you shall be called Israel"? Because he had just given him the name long before, when he fought with the angel. The name had not yet come out, but here it is shouted out and made clear that he and all his family were called Israel. But he was always called not only Israel, but also Jacob, as we see in the prophets. Now he made him a new rich promise, that from Jacob, who was so lowly and wretched before the world, mighty kings should yet come. It was fulfilled slowly afterwards, because his seed had to be the least servants in the land of Egypt for a long time.

014 And it came to pass, as he departed, that his heart was troubled, because Rachel died in childbirth, his dearest wife, for whom he had served so many years, that he could not bring her home, but died in the way. This has also been a hard cross for him. He saw great sorrow in her, as the text indicates, that she was very angry about the child, that it came from her alive; therefore she gives the child a name of sorrow before she dies, and calls him Ben Oni, a son of my sorrow. As if she should say: He shall bear the sign that I gave birth to him with sorrow and pain, that it cost me my life. The father also gives him a name and calls him Ben-Jamin, a son of the right hand, that is, his most beloved son, because he is now born in his old age and takes his mother's place.

4. Walch and the Erlangeners: will.

540 Eri. St, SSS-2S8. Sermon on I Genesis 35:9-29. W. Ill, 8N-8I4. 541

(15) But before he forgets this sorrow, another misfortune befalls him, that his first son Reuben sleeps with his stepmother. I think this is a piece of the holy man's son; how could he cause greater sin and shame, and do more harm to the father? St. Paul has put on great vice 1 Cor. 5, 1: "Such fornication, as even the Gentiles know not of to say that one hath his father's wife," 1) but has tempered himself, that he might not say of the Jews. It did not work out well for this Reuben either, that he had to hear a hard word from his father at the end, and both, the priesthood and regiment, which was due to the first son, had to be deprived.

(16) God makes us see what pious children we are, if he does not keep us in his hand without ceasing, so that no evil or virtue is too much for us. But the pious Jacob has to eat it all up and suffer that his own children do him more harm than the strangers and his enemies. Think for yourself how it hurt him that neither his daughter nor his own wife remained unchanged. From this we shall see what a true Christian being is, that God always sends one cross over another to his own, so that they may be able and willing to suffer, so that the old Adam may well be subdued and grow weary of life.

17. In the last place the twelve sons of Jacob are told again for Benjamin's sake, who was born last; after that he writes how Jacob came again to his father Isaac, that he still sees him before his death, and buries him himself with his! Brother. But of Rebekah he writes nothing more; she may have died before, for he had now been three and twenty years without, and nearly a hundred years old. Thus we have the Isaac there; is still a little left of Jacob's legend.

Now let us also go through the secret interpretation of this chapter. First, Jacob goes to Beth El, that is, God's house, or God's dwelling place; before they get there, he preaches to them how they should put away their idols, which he takes along with the earrings and bracelets and buries them.

1. Erlanger: has.

under an oak tree. In this story is sweetly signified the preaching of the gospel, which happens nowhere but where God dwells. The same gospel always rejects the silver idols, that is, the doctrine of men, or such worship as God has not ordained, which is nothing but a pure idolatry, as we have heard. For he will not suffer any other service to be accepted before him than that which he himself teaches us and calls us, that our hearts may be sure that it pleases him. Those who do not have his word cannot do such service, but what they do, they do out of their own conceit and dream. These are actually images made with hands, that is, their own works and invented human doctrine, all of which the gospel condemns and does not want to suffer.

(19) Those then who hear and accept the gospel cast away such idols and their earrings; that is, when they hear that their works and worship are worthless, they themselves help to condemn idolatry. The earrings, which were commonly worn in the countries, mean nothing, but the sermons, which they had previously worn in their ears and boasted about, they now tear away and bury them under the earth, so that they can no longer do any good or harm.

020 When Jacob came to Beth El, he set up a stone mark where God had spoken to him, and poured drink offerings and oil on it. It was a goodly building, having neither roof, nor vault, nor house, but a bad stone, where Jacob had lain: neither was it more acceptable unto God than our most glorious temples and churches, because he had commanded Jacob. The stone now, as is also said above in chapter 28 § 38, means Christ, on whom we lie down, and safely rest and sleep on it. It is now erected at BethEl, that is, where one preaches God's word, there one erects the Lord Christ as the foundation stone. Therefore the raising up is nothing else than preaching the gospel, which alone points to Christ; therefore nothing else is to be preached. From this, where Christ is preached correctly, conclude that there is certainly a house of God.

542 Erl. St, 2gs-°ti. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, "14-817. 543

(21) What does the drink offering mean? In the following books of Moses, namely in the third, it is often said about drink offerings or pouring sacrifices, because the priests took breadcrumbs or cakes and poured wine on them, and usually also added oil Ex 29:40, Deut 23:13, 18, 37. How does this work in the Gospel? What the Scriptures say about sacrifices, we cannot interpret much, but to the preaching ministry in Christianity, and take the reason from St. Paul, Rom. 15, 15. f.: "I have written to you (says he) a little thirstily, to remind you, for the grace that is given me of God, that I should be a minister of Christ among the Gentiles, to offer the gospel of God, that the Gentiles might become a sacrifice acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." Now when I teach that the old Adam is to be killed in Christ, and perish with all that comes from him, I pour wine on the stone, that is, I confess that our thing is of no account, but must all be killed according to the flesh; that as wine makes men drunk, so the gospel, if it be rightly understood and apprehended, makes men esteem not goods, honor, and life, and causes all things to be taken from them, and their thing to be condemned; whom then the world takes for fools.

(22) Now this is a preaching of the gospel, that all that we are is damnable, as Christ says in John Cap. 16:8, "The Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin, righteousness, and judgment"; who then believe this, they are poured out with the pungent wine. After this follows the other, that they also pour oil on it. This is the other preaching of the mercy and grace of God, that we may be comforted. Where this happens, there is a real BethEl, where God truly dwells. This is the summa of the whole preaching ministry that leads the two pieces. For no man can have a good conscience that God dwelleth in his heart, except he first let the old Adam die, that he ask not after that which greatly esteemeth flesh and blood. Such watering, that is, this preaching shall now last forever, as long as we live and the world stands. Behold, this is set before us here in the fathers with lovely figures, and afterwards by the prophets, most of all

but in the New Testament driven by the apostles.

23. Further, when the gospel is raised up by Christ and the apostles, Rachel lies down and dies, that is, the synagogue, or Judaism. The child comes forth, but the mother must remain above it. From the son now a new nation is born, because the old nation has perished. This is also shown by the name she gives him, BenOni, Son of Sorrow, which means that we must be children of the cross and preach only about it. But the Father gives him another name, and calls him BenJamin, that is, the Son of the Right. For according to Adam we are children of sorrows, poor, miserable people, but according to the Spirit we are BenJamin, that is, children of eternal life, and of all the goods of God. Thus, the Spirit played with the fathers to indicate how it should go in the time of the Gospel.

024 Now because the gospel is going forth, and Judaism is perishing, Reuben goeth forth, and committeth adultery with his stepmother. He was the first son, who was to be lord of all, as the liberty 1) of the first birth was; he corrupted it, and slept with his mother; that is, the best of the Jewish people, the wisest and holiest, have corrupted the synagogue, and put it to shame with the doctrines of men, and defiled the Father's bed, which is the conscience wherein Christ resteth, and lieth with his bride, and will not suffer any other to reign therein. Now if it be preached that our faith should cleave unto Christ alone, the conscience is clean and undefiled: but he that would lead the conscience by works, and build it upon the doctrine of men, putteth himself out of the Father's bed, and corrupteth souls. Just as the hypocrites and scribes in Christ's day led the people on their works, and after that the papacy washed the world full of humanity, and after them others arose who lead us away from Christ and pure faith. So this interpretation is actually based on false teaching, which alone does harm to the conscience.

25 For this reason I have often admonished that life and death should be kept far apart.

. 1) Freedom --- privilege, privilegium.

544 Erl. S4, 241-S4S. Sermon On Genesis 35:9-29. 36:1-43. W. Ill, 8, 7-820. 545

Doctrine. The doctrine is that I believe in Christ, consider my work, suffering and death as nothing, and serve my neighbor, and above this I leave what I should. Life, however, is whether I walk this way or that and act accordingly. So there is not so much in the life as in the teaching, so that even if the life is not so pure, the teaching can still remain pure, and patience can be borne with the life. Our nobles do not teach such things, but those who are the best among them, and come to the highest, preach only of a strict life, and set before us great examples of the saints who have done great, wonderful works, have gone to their deaths with laughter, and lead the people so that they do not perceive the doctrine. For a man is not better to be deceived than by such a seeming life; where there are not valiant preachers, it is a great mercy who can separate life from doctrine.

(26) It is true that we should live in this way, but I live as I live, so the doctrine does not become false. Therefore we must look and judge not by life, but by doctrine. But the multitude always think more of life than of doctrine; they all say

So: Well, what is it, if one teaches the same long time from the faith, it must come higher. I cannot preach higher than this, except to kill the old Adam and become a new man. They say, "Yes, don't you? Answer: I ought to do it, yes, even if God gives it to me; but no one will bring it that high, there will still be a great lack of it.

Therefore let life remain on earth, and the teaching be lifted up to heaven. The teaching always remains like itself, that it wants to be completely pure and perfect; but the life can come higher. I also wanted my life to be higher, but nothing comes of it; life will not reach the teaching as long as we live here. So we see in all examples how far the holy people still lacked life; as, how Jacob was afraid; item, how weak his wives were and sometimes also stumbled, who nevertheless were the mothers of the patriarchs. See in the Gospel how the apostles sometimes stumbled and stumbled, so that one does not read many examples in the Scriptures, since there was not much weakness and error in life.

The Thirty-Sixth Chapter.

V. 1-43. This is the family of Esau, who is called Edom. Esau took wives of the daughters of Canaan, Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Ahalibamah the daughter of Ana, the nephew of Zibeon the Hivite; and Basmath the daughter of Ishmael, Nebajoth's sister. And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau. But Basmath bore Reguel. And Ahalibamah bare Jeus, and Jaelam, and Korah. These are Esaiah's children, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan. And Esau took his wives, sons and daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his substance, and all his cattle, with all the goods which he had gotten in the land of Canaan, and went into a land of Jacob his brother. For their possessions were too 1) great that they might

1. Jenaer: so.

They could not dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not bear them from their goods. So Esau dwelt in mount Seir. And Esau is the Edom. This is the family of Esau, from whom the Edomites descended in Mount Seir, and this is the name of the children of Esau: Eliphaz the son of Adah, Esau's wife. Reguel the son of Basmath, Esau's wife. Now Eliphaz's sons were these: Theman, Omar, Zepho, Gaetham and Kenaz. And Timnah was a concubine of Eliphaz the son of Esau, which bare him Amalek. These are the children of Adah Esau's wife. But the children of Reguel are these: Nahath, Serah, Samma, Misa. These are the children of Basmath, Esau's wife. And the sons of Ahalibamah Esau's wife, the daughter of Ana, the nephew of Zibeon, are these,

** **546 Erl. St, Sts-2tk. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 8L0-8A. 547

whom she bore to Esau: Jeus, Jaelam and Korah. These are the princes among the children of Esau: the children of Eliphaz, the first son of Esau, were these: Theman the prince, Omar the prince, Zepho the prince, Kenaz the prince, Korah the prince, Gaetham the prince, Amalek the prince. These are the princes of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, and are children of Adah. And these are the sons of Reguel the son of Esau: the prince Nahath, the prince Zerah, the prince Samma, the prince Mishah. These are the princes of Reguel in the land of the Edomites, and are the children of Basmath Esau's wife. These are the sons of Ahalibamah, Esau's wife: the prince Jeus, the prince Jaelam, the prince Korah. These are the princes of Ahalibamah, the daughter of Ana, Esau's wife. These are Esau's children and their princes. He is the Edom. But the children of Seir the Horite, who dwelt in the land, are these: Lothan, Shobal, Zibeon, Ana, Dison, Ezer and Disan. These are the princes of the Horites, children of Seir in the land of Edom. But the children of Lothan were these: Hori and Heman. And Lothan's sister's name was Thimnah. The children of Shobal were these: Alwan, Manahath, Ebal, Sepho and Onam. The children of Zibeon were: Aja and Ana. This is the Ana who invented mule horses in the desert as he tended his father Zibeon's donkeys. The children of Ana were: Dison and Ahalibama; this is the daughter Ana. The children of Dison were: Hemdan, Esban, Jethran and Charan. The children of Ezer were: Bilhan, Saaban and Man. The children of Disan were: Uz and Aran. These are

the princes of the Horites: The prince Lothan, the prince Sobal, the prince Zibeon, the prince Ana, the prince Dison, the prince Ezer, the prince Disan. These are the princes of the Horites who ruled in the land of Seir. Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before the children of Israel had kings: Bela was king in Edom, a son of Beor, and his city was called Dinhabah. And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bazrah reigned in his stead. And when Jobab was dead, Husham king of the Themanites reigned in his stead. And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad reigned in his stead, who smote the Midianites in the field of Moab: and the name of his city was Avith. When Hadad died, Samla of Masrek reigned. And when Samla was dead, Saul reigned in Rehoboth by the water. And when Saul was dead, Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. And when Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pagu; and the name of his wife was Mehetabeel, a daughter of Matred, and a daughter of Mesahab. So the princes of Esau are called by their families, their families and their names: The prince Thimna, the prince Alwa, the prince Jetheth, the prince Ahalibama, the prince Ela, the prince Pinon, the prince Kenas, the prince Theman, the prince Mibzar, the prince Magdiel, the prince Iram. These are the princes of Edom, as they were accustomed in their inheritance. And Esau is the father of the Edomites.

Every man may look at and study this chapter for himself, for there are many names in it; therefore we will go on.

The Thirty-Seventh Chapter.

V.1-36: Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. And these are the generations of Jacob: Joseph was seventeen years old, when he became a shepherd of cattle with his brethren. And the lad was with Bilhah and Zilpah his father's wives, and brought before their father, where there was an evil cry against them. But Israel loved Joseph better than all his

Children, because he had begotten him in his old age. And made him a coat of many colors. 1) When his brothers saw that their father loved him better than all his brothers, they were hostile to him and could not speak a kind word to him.

1. Marginal gloss: Joseph's colorful skirt was woven of many colors of thread, and signifies the "many grace and gifts" of the one Spirit in Christ and His Christians.

548 Erl. St, S4S-2t8. Sermon on Genesis 37:1-36. W. Ill, 824-828. 549

Joseph once had a dream about this and told his brothers about it. Then they became still more hostile to him. For he said to them: Listen, my dear, to what I have dreamed. It seemed to me that we were tending sheaves in the field, and my sheaf was straightening up and standing, and your sheaves around were bending over against my sheaf. Then said his brethren unto him, Shall thou be our king, and reign over us? And they became even more hostile to him because of his dream and his speech. And he had another dream, which he told to his brethren, saying, Behold, I have dreamed another dream; The sun and the moon smote me, and eleven stars bowed down before me. And when this was told his father and his brethren, his father rebuked him, saying unto him, What dream is this that thou hast dreamed? Shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren, come and fall to the earth before thee? And his brethren envied him, but his father kept these words. And when his brethren went to feed their father's cattle in Sichern, Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the cattle in Sichern? Come, I will send thee unto them. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Go, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and with the cattle, and tell me again how it is. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron to go to Sichern. And when a man found him going astray in the field, he asked him, saying, Whom seekest thou? He answered: I am looking for my brothers, dear man; tell me where they are. And the man said, They are departed thence: for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph followed his brothers, and found them at Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, before he came nigh unto them, they struck to kill him, saying one to another, Behold, the dreamer cometh; now therefore come, and let us slay him, and cast him into a pit, and say that an evil beast hath devoured him; and it shall be seen what his dreams are. And when Reuben heard it, he would have delivered him out of their hands, saying, Let us not smite a soul. And again Reuben said to them: Let us not shed blood, but let nns cast him into the pit, which is

in the wilderness and not lay a hand on him. But he would deliver him out of their hand, that he might bring him again unto his father. When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his coat and the coat of many colors he was wearing, took it and threw it into a pit, but the pit was empty and there was no water in it. And they lifted up their eyes, and saw a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, and balm, and myrrh, and going down into Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers: What profit is it to us to slay our brother, and to hide his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, so that our hands may not touch him, for he is our brother, our flesh and blood. And they obeyed him. And when the Midianites, the merchants, were passing by, they drew him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver, and they brought him into Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and found Joseph not there, he tore his clothes and returned to his brothers, saying, "The boy is not there; where shall I go? And they took Joseph's skirt, and slew a kid, and dipped the skirt in the blood, and sent the colored skirt, and brought it to their father, saying, This we have found; behold, whether it be thy son's skirt, or not? And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat: a beast of evil hath eaten it, and a beast of prey hath torn Joseph. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and bare grief for his son a long time. And all his sons and daughters came up to comfort him, but he would not be comforted, and said: I will go down with sorrow into the pit to my son. And his father 1) wept over him. But the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's courtier.

(1) Here now follows a beautiful, amusing history of the fourth patriarch Joseph. Here, for the first time, you can see how finely the Holy Spirit writes about the badness of the holy patriarchs,

1. Marginal gloss: Father, this was Isaac.
2. Jenaer: "sihestu".

550 Eri. st, [48-s". Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. in, 828-83". 551

that he should keep silent in the face of reason, if he knew nothing better to write about them. Before, they murdered a whole city, after which Reuben slept with his father's wife; here, they did it all, and robbed the father of his favorite son, their own brother, for the sole reason that they saw that the father loved him better than all of them. For Benjamin was yet a child, so Joseph was of the right wife, Rachel, and was to be the right heir; moreover he was a pious child, as the text says, that he could not suffer the brothers to do wrong, but brought it before the father; so they cannot suffer the father to love him, and make him a coat of many colors, and are so hostile to him that they cannot speak a kind word to him.

(2) This is too much for the patriarch's children, that Christian and brotherly love is so completely extinguished. But God also gives them sin as a consolation to all who believe, so that we may see how He does not judge according to works, that no sin can condemn, if only one does not lose faith. Therefore, these are fine, sweet and comforting histories. The other is a vain, unkind, hostile thing, that our teachers have preached about saints as if they had never had flesh and blood.

This is now the last and greatest puff that the father had to suffer in his old age; for what follows, from the theurung, was not so great. Thus the Holy Spirit describes this holy father's legend from his youth. As soon as he left his father, he always had to suffer one misfortune after another. Esau, his brother, was the squire and the dear child, he had to be Cinderella, then serve for twenty years, and suffer much every day, then fight with the angel, and finally, when he thinks he is now at peace, the greatest heartache he sees in his children arises. He was still the only man in the whole world on whom God had a special eye and had made him the richest and greatest promises.

4 But there was nothing to see, because the contradiction, as if God had forgotten his even, and everything should go back. For he had

Now he took away his wife Rachel, whom he loved most of all; now he also took away his dearest child, Joseph, who was the first from the right wife. He had now no more comfort, because on the son, that he should be the one, on which the promise was, of which Christ should come; the comfort must now also go away, that he knows no more hope. Then his heart was troubled, thinking, "How can God leave me like this and take away all the comfort I have? Perhaps I have angered him that he wants to take the promise away from me again.

(5) Behold, these are the true golden legends, wherein God teacheth us how he cooketh and roasteth his saints, and playeth with them as though all that he promised them were a lie. He had vowed to give him a great seed, and to bless him; and takes away from him all that he holds dearest, and snatches from him the comfort and hope of the chase, so that he does not know whether he is angry with him or a friend: nor must he keep his word, and merely give home to God how he will fulfill his promise. We should also learn this, whether God would let us take what is dear to us, so that we could hope and comfort ourselves that he would not let us go, but would give us much more and better. How painful this was for him, I will let everyone think for himself, especially since the nature of such holy people is righteous and not so corrupt. Therefore the heart felt it well, and did not take to wind as some loose fathers do; therefore the text says, "And all his sons and daughters came up to comfort him, but he would not be comforted."

With this, God indicates that he does not reject nature altogether, but allows it to remain in the saints, so that he improves and justifies it. Sometimes he lets one become so drunk in the Holy Spirit that he does not pay attention to anything on earth; but otherwise he usually lets nature feel and be moved as he created it. For unless sin also reigns, no natural motion is evil; as we see in Christ, who felt and sensed all things after nature, as another man. So it is a natural inclination that the parents love the children, and grieve when they are unwell; as one

552 "rl. St, "U-W. Sermon on Genesis 37:1-36. W. Ill, WO-SN. 553

In unreasonable and wild animals they see that they also add their life to them. Again, it is also natural that the children love the parents and do everything good to them. Thus it was a natural father's heart that Jacob loved the child best, because he was of the right wife, and begotten at his age.

(7) Such a nature is not evil in itself, if it is not used evilly; that is, if God had not implanted such a nature in us, the children would be corrupted in their stance; again, if the nature did not keep loving the parents, no child would obey the parents.

(8) I say this so that it will not be thought that the saints were wood or stones, as we have been told. Mary, the mother of Christ, was also strong, but when she saw him hanging on the cross, a cutting sword went through her heart Luc. 2, 35. Joh. 19, 25. f.. So it is not possible that a martyr is not afraid of death, because Christ himself was afraid of it, and yet he did not do anything against God. God wants to train His own with good and evil, both when He gives and takes away, so that the heart will always be right toward Him.

(9) But there have been many foolish saints, especially among the ancients in the wilderness, who would break and restrain all natural inclination. As one reads of two brothers who would not allow their mother 1) to see them, and said: She should wait until they saw each other in eternal life. We do not read such things in these right saints' legends, to which those are not worthy to take off their shoes, and perhaps many, who are considered saints, have gone to the devil. God does not want us to despise and throw away creatures, but to use what he gives us, yet to put everything into his will. Thus a Christian does not respect any thing in spirit and conscience, but in body he accepts all kinds of things, so that there is no difference in outward appearance between Christians and other people. This is briefly said about history. Now we must also deal with the secret interpretation.

1. Walch and the Erlangers: Mothers.

This history is rich and lovely with figures and interpretation until the end of this book. For in Joseph's person, God has spiritually portrayed Christ and his entire kingdom in the very finest way. So the summa of this figure is: As Joseph is with his brothers, so is Christ with his brothers, that is, with the Jews. First, the text says that Jacob loved Joseph more than his brothers, so he made him a coat of many colors, which was a long coat, woven with various threads, each of a special color, and says the reason why he loved him was that he had begotten him in his old age. For we have heard that he was above seventy years old before he took a wife; so Joseph was born about the ninetieth year of his age. Now this is Jesus Christ, the true dear child of God Eph. 1:6 and firstborn Son Col. 1:15, through whom all others come to the grace and favor of the Father, so that He will look upon no one except through this Son.

(11) The coat of many colors is the Christian church, which is the adornment and garment of Christ. It is called a coat of many colors because it is endowed with various gifts and virtues of the Holy Spirit. It is one garment, yet not of one thread or color; finely distinguished, yet woven together. This is what Paul explains to the Corinthians (1 Ep. 12:4 ff.) and Ephesians (Cap. 4:4 ff.), that one Christian has such grace, another another; some are prophets, some teachers, some can do miracles. The gifts, offices and powers are various, says St. Paul; but they are one Spirit, one faith, and one mind. For whatsoever one believeth and is minded of Christ, that believeth they all. This skirt reaches to his heels, that is, Christianity with its gifts endures through and through, to the end of the world.

12 But that he beget the Son in his old age signifies that Christ is sent and publicly preached at the end of the world. For the gospel is the Lord's Supper and the last sermon preached to the world, after which no more may be expected.

013 But that his brethren were enemies unto him, especially because of the dreams which were before-

554 Erl. St, SSS-W. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, W-8SS. 555

The reason for this is that Christ was in the people before he was born, because the prophets preached about him long before that he would come and become king and lord over all brothers Matth. 22, 43. 44.. Therefore the quarrel arose that the prophets were always persecuted until Christ came; but when Christ himself came, they were first deadly enemies to him, and sought to kill him.

(14) Now the two dreams, of the sheaves, and of the sokme, and of the moons, point to nothing else, but the scriptures and histories of the Old Testament, which everywhere point to Christ, that he should be the one before whom they should bow down, and all the patriarchs and prophets should bow the knee.

(15) The fact that Joseph brought the iniquity of his brothers before his father was also a reason why they were hostile to him. The Scriptures also show that the patriarchs nevertheless committed much iniquity, that they had not many good tidings. But here is a difference between the afterredeers and the pious. For the pious Joseph did not bear them out, nor did he make an evil report of them, but when he heard an evil report from others, he told his father secretly, and did not carry it out further. In the same way, if you know something evil about your neighbor, keep silent and do not rebuke it, but let it remain between you and him; but if it has already been rebuke, there is no other way but to report it to the authorities, who have the power to punish. So Christ also did through the prophets and his preaching. When the people practiced idolatry and believed in false prophets, he punished them and warned them to stop and wait for Christ.

016 Now that the father sends him to the brethren to Shechem, and finds them not; for they abode not there, but departed unto Dothan; is that the Jews were ordained to bear the statutes and commandments of God: but they departed from them, and made them their own statutes.

017 And when they saw Joseph afar off, they said one to another, Behold, here cometh the

That is, when they heard the Scripture that he was present, they could not bear it, and soon thought to oppress him and kill him; after which they seized him and stripped him of his skirt, made all the disciples and all the people fall from Christ, that he should stand alone and naked, and threw him into a pit, that is, they put him to death.

018 But when the Ishmaelites came, they dragged him out, and sold him: that is, when the Jews saw that the Gentiles were come unto Christ, they sent him away, and lost him with all his goods, for their pleasure and for their belly's sake. So he went into a far country, that is, among the Gentiles, to the end of the world, who had never been God's people before.

019 And the fact that Reuben cometh again, and seeketh him, but findeth him not, signifieth that the Jews, when they had rejected him, would have been glad to have him again: but they tarried too long.

When he was gone, they took his skirt and dipped it in goat's blood and sent it home to the father, and he did not mean anything else than that a wild animal had torn it, which means nothing else than the shame and suffering that happened to Christ, which we still have to suffer today. For his coat of many colors must still be taken off, and he must be rinsed in the blood of a goat, and he must be presented to the Father of the world as if a wild animal had torn him apart. For what we preach about Christ, together with his spirit, grace and all goods, so that the Father has adorned him and us, they strip us of, our brothers, who want to be our neighbors and the best in Christianity, and say it is nothing, and defile it in blood, that is, desecrate it and blaspheme it in the worst way; as he was defiled and reviled by the Jews, as if his thing were of the devil. We must consider this. For the Scripture hath declared it both before, and pictured it with figures. It is a noticeable point that his own brothers thus go along with him. This is also most grievous, that they who should govern, handle, and honor the gospel, must thus defile, profane, and execute it, 1) that it is of no value.

21. in addition they are still so presumptuous, and

1. to direct -- to cast aspersions.

556 Erl. St, SSS-2S7. Sermon on Genesis 37:1-36. 38:1-30. W. Ill, 8S8-840. 557

They send the defiled skirt home to the father and tell him that a beast did it, and they do not want to have any guilt or word. So the Jews have murdered and sold Christ, forgiven and thrown away all his words, thrown away his grace, and still do not stop: they still want to be innocent, and have done nothing, pretend they know nothing about it, still pretend they are the dear children; do not want to hear that they have murdered God's Son, but say they have done it to one who was a murderer and a mischief-maker.

22. so God's word and truth must be reviled, after which they go and wipe their mouths, like the harlot, of which Solomon says in Proverbs Cap. 30, 20. These are two abominable sins, that they blaspheme and profane the word of God, and then say that they do it good; as Christ says in John Cap. 16:2, "The time will come when he who kills you will think that he is doing God service."

023 Now this hath Jacob suffered, being deceived of his sons, that he thinketh it is as they say. It is said this much: God sets Himself against them, as if He did not know it, lets them 1= always go and remain hypocrites, the

1. In the old editions: "lässets", that is, lets them.

skirt and cover it, so that they think that he does not know what they have done. For as it is in our mind, so it is also before God; as I hold it, so I have it. Therefore the Jews do not go otherwise than they have no blame, laying it on the wild beast, that is, the heathen, or otherwise wicked people. In the meantime God is silent, but it hurts him and he suffers for a long time. This happens through his own who feel it, but at last the time comes for it to be revealed.

(24) Thus the figure is delicately painted, how it is with Christ and his Christians, that they must be defiled by those who are next to them, and afterward come before God as if they had done well; as now they make heresy of the gospel. Over the plague we must have the shame of it, as if it were deserved reward, and therefore crown it.

025 But that the two brothers did not like to see Joseph perish, especially Reuben, who would gladly have brought him back to his father, there are some sensible people who would gladly make amends and spare him; but it is of no avail. This is the chapter that teaches how Christians must suffer the cross, and the gospel must be reviled and persecuted.

The thirty-eighth chapter.

V.1-30. About the same time Judah went down from his brothers and stayed with a man in Odollam whose name was Hira. And Judah saw there the daughter of a Cananite man, whose name was Shuah, and took her. And when he had made love to her, she conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Ger. And she conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Onan. And she continued, and bare a son, and called his name Shelah. And he 2) was at Cheshib when she bare him. And Judah gave unto Ger his first son a wife, whose name was Tamar. But he was

2. Jenaer: they.

evil in the sight of the LORD, therefore the LORD slew him. Then said Judah unto Onan, Lie with thy brother's wife, and take her in marriage, that thou mayest raise up seed unto thy brother. But Onan, knowing that if he lay with his brother's wife the seed should not be his, let it fall to the ground, and spoiled it, lest he should give seed to his brother. And it displeased the LORD that he did this, and he slew him also. Then Judah said to Tamar his wife, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up, for he thought that he might die like his brothers. So Tamar went and stayed in her father's house.

** **558 Erl. 34. LS7-2M, Interpretations on the First Book of Moses. W, m, 848-843. 559

Home. After many days had passed, the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, died. After Judah had mourned, he went up to shear his sheep at Timnath with Hira of Odollam, his shepherd. And it was told Tamar, Behold, thy brother in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. So she put off the widow's garments which she had on, and veiled herself, and covered herself, and sat down at the door of the way to Timnath: for she saw that Shelah was grown, and that she was not given to him to wife. And when Judah saw her, he thought that she was a harlot, because she had hid her face: and he came to her by the way, and said, Let me lie with thee, my beloved; for he knew not that she was his cord. And she answered, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest lie with me? He said: I will send thee a kid of the herd. And she said, Give me a pledge, till thou send it me. And he said, What pledge wilt thou that I give thee? And she answered, Thy seal, and thy signet, 1) And thy staff which thou hast in thy hands. And he gave it her, and lay with her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went, and put off her veil, and put on her widow's garments again. But Judah sent the goat by his shepherd from Odollam to fetch the pledge again from the woman, and he found her not. Then he asked the people of the same place, saying, Where is the harlot that sat by the way side? They answered: There was no harlot there. And he came again to Judah, and said: I have not found her; neither say the men of that place, There was no harlot there. And Judah said, She hath it unto her, lest peradventure we be put to shame: for I have sent the goat, and thou hast not found her. And it came to pass about three months, that Judah was told, saying, Thamar thy string hath whored; and, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned. And when she was brought forth, she sent to her brother-in-law, saying, I am with child by the man whose name this is. And said, Knowest thou the seal?

1. Fan --- tie, string (around hats, boots, clothes).

and the fan, and the staff is? Judah knew it, and said, She is more righteous than I: for I gave her not to Shelah my son: yet he slept with her no more. And when she was about to give birth, twins were conceived in her womb. And when she gave birth, one hand came out. The womb took it and tied a red thread around it, saying, "This will be the first to come out. And when he drew in his hand again, his brother came out; and she said, Why is a locker torn 2) for thy sake? And they called him Perez. 3) Then came out his brother, which had the red thread about his hand; and they called his name Serah.

I have said before that we must make a preface and embellishment of our own before every chapter, for we are so tender that we do not suffer to speak, nor to hear of human birth, and yet we have done wrong, which is horrible to say. It is true that this is an even 4) coarse chapter; yet it is written in the holy Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit wrote it, who ever has so pure a mouth and pen as we, that I do not know how to put it more highly than this. If anyone has a purer mouth and ears than he, let it stand; if he was not afraid nor ashamed to write it, neither shall we be ashamed to read and hear it.

2'. If God would have us keep discipline and shame where we should keep them, and avoid fornication where we should, we have turned it into a sham. Where we should have spoken of it out of necessity, we kept silent, but did much worse; and again. The Holy Spirit knows well what he has done, so he also speaks of his creature as it goes. Turning it back and forth, we are created to beget and bear fruit; for this he has given us members, veins, rivers, blood, and

2. compartment - hole, crack.
3. Marginal gloss: Perez. Perez, a torn; Serah means exit. Here it is meant that the saints of works put themselves outwardly as if they wanted to come forth and be the first, and become the last, about which a great tearing arises among the people of God. But the red thread around the hand is that they work carnal holiness and persecute the right saints.
4. even - significant, tremendous, very much. Cf. Col. 51V.

560 Erl. St, 2SU-SSL. Sermon on Genesis 38:1-30, W. Ill, 843-846. 561

Flesh; we make of it what we will, so we must remain man and wife, and let nature go as it is planted. There we are so chaste and modest, we do not want to hear anything about it; what one otherwise does, one jokes about and laughs at. This is the worldly wisdom that perverts all God's order. I am also not inclined to fornication and whoredom, but to the conjugal state; therefore I have had to speak and write about it, to counsel and help the poor consciences, and to put down the false chastity of the clergy. If we are to be conjugal, then fruit must follow; but if fruit is to follow, then flesh and blood must have its natural place and course, or it becomes much worse.

Now this history Moses has described brightly and roughly; therefore open your eyes and think that it is written, for our teaching, by the Holy Spirit. For he should not have written it, if he did not know how it would be for man. We are not all the same, for one has these gifts from God, the other those; but if God does not keep, one is as pious as the other; if He keeps, we stand, and again. That is why he has such histories written, so that we can see who we are. We may not boast better than this Judah; would God that we were all so pious. But must he write this of the patriarch who was of the tribe of our Lord Christ? Could the Scripture put none to shame but the Most High? Even if the others had all been fooled, he should still have spared them. What is the Holy Spirit's pleasure that he does not prefer to write about good works? Our preachers of legends would be ashamed if they were to preach of a saint who had not done vain delectable works; but of this saint he writes none at all, so that when flesh and blood fall into it, it must become a fool about it.

But this is the opinion: The man is indeed one of the highest patriarchs, together with his brothers; but God lets them all sink, that they are stuck in the dirt, betray and sell their blood and flesh, grieve the old, miserable father so hard. Moses is not ashamed to revile his grandfathers,

1. "so" is missing in the Jena.

that it would be enough if he aligned his enemies and pagans like this. [He makes nothing but husks and whoremongers out of them, and they are to be God's people and Christ's grandfathers, and the two, his sons, are desperate boys. One of them, when he should beget children for his brother, pours it out on the ground, of which it is not lawful to preach, and yet, alas, all too much is done with maidens and boys; but he says it scantily, that he has the wife in bed, but before she should be fruitful, rather he deprives her of seed, that she could not have children. It may be preached crudely, but we must also speak of the other crude things; for God created the natural course as well as eating and drinking. Man and woman belong together in marriage, but whoever abuses it will surely find his punishment.

(5) All this, I say, is written for our admonition, that we may take hold of such rude things, how pious nature is, when God removes His hand from His great, dear saints, that they are even boys like us; so that God will not suffer us to boast of our powers and fortunes, but praise His unspeakable mercy. So that Judah leads a life like another heathen; nor will he be exalted in God's kingdom, not by the mere grace and goodness of God, who gives him sin, even though he deserves the contradiction; that nothing counts before God but the knowledge of His grace; whoever sees this sees God's kingdom; whether he does not fall, that it is God's mercy, not his ability; but if he falls, he will not perish because of it. So the saints must be put to shame for our sake, so that their nature is of no value, but only His work and grace. There is nothing inherent in us but wicked sin and shame; not one thing alone, but all things. Flesh and blood are good for nothing but stealing, murdering, robbing, cursing and blaspheming. Therefore this is a gross, carnal example, but as comforting as one in Scripture, even though flesh and blood turns up its nose at it and considers it shameful to hear.

006 But what shall we say to Thamar, his cord? She knew that he was her brother-in-law, so how does she insist before God that she is doing this on purpose, and gives him

562 Erl. 34, 262-265. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. III. 846-848. 563

Cause to sin, is not afraid of the friendship, that she had his sons? For it was forbidden that the cord and the brother-in-law should not touch each other; therefore he did not want to recognize her or have her as his wife after that. Summa, she also acted like a whore, although she put on an appearance and wanted to adorn it. Her first husband, Ger, was so mischievous that God did not let him live long. Then she took the other, who was also an arch-rogue, robbing her of the fruit. The third son Sela is now young, and the father was afraid that he would die too if he took her. But she knew that the son was also due to her. So far she was right and had a good conscience; but when she saw that he had given him another wife, she used deceit and made herself believe that he did not know her. That was deceit, and a. Harlotry.

(7) So they must be allowed to remain flesh and blood, and their works must be held in low esteem, even if they have done evil, (1) but God's grace must be seen in them. They are both in great sins. He does it in the opinion that she is a whore; but she, that he is her sister. That was even harder; still God gifted them with two sons, and Perez remains in the line of Christ. This must be read gloriously in the Gospel in all the world, and sing and say of fornication. Therefore, we also want to honestly confess that they have both been grossly deceived, even though God gave it to them; in addition, so that one sees how Christ came for the sake of sinners to help them, and is not at all ashamed that he has harlots and knaves in his family, and does not want to extinguish the rhyme; so we also have to let it stand.

(8) But this does not give room to those who say, "Now I will do what I desire. God can indeed see through the fingers of those who fall from the infirmity of flesh and blood, but He will not suffer willfulness and defiance.

(9) Further, we see that the law of Moses is very old, but it was changed again by Moses; when a brother died without an heir, the next brother or friend was guilty.

1. Erlanger: are.

to take the wife, and to raise him: seed Deut. 25, 5. It has been an old custom, perhaps arisen from Adam. Thus one reads of the Ruth, which took the Boaz; because he was her after-husband 2) Ruth 4, 10..

But it was a strange, difficult law, and must have been pious people who could have passed it. Therefore we read that the kings and lords have had many wives, the more part because they died to them. [It was also difficult and hard for the wives, that they had to go to their closest friends, and often had to be Cinderellas.

There is nothing else special in this chapter, except the main part, that God allows such shameful histories to be written, and yet in them he presents such a noble, comforting doctrine of his grace and goodness, to prove his miracles even in sins. For he is the God who makes life out of death, pious people out of sinners, and wins the best out of that which is 3) lost.

012 Now if the years should be reckoned, Judah was yet a young man when he did commit adultery, that is, soon after Joseph was sold, who was but seventeen years old; he also might have been at variance with the brethren for the same iniquity, and have smitten himself from them among the strange Canaanites; will not have been much above eighteen years old when he took the wife. For he had three sons who are manly; so the wife must also have been eighteen or twenty years old when he slept with her. This can be taken off if one reckons back according to what Moses writes afterwards Cap. 41, 46 that Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh. I say this so that one may see how fine the government was at that time, that the young people were soon given in marriage, so that the more fornication remained; although it still helped as much as it could. Finally, there are two children, as they are born, which belongs to the secret interpretation, which we will seek.

13. the woman's name is Thamar, and she is called

2. Nachmann = the second man after the first died.
3. "so" is missing in the Erlanger.

564 Erl. 34, 265-2K7. Sermon on Genesis 38:1-30. W. Ill, 848-851. 565

in German, a palm tree. Now under other kind of the tree is that it carries sweet fruits, which one calls dates; so the wood has before other trees the kind, if one makes beams from it, and weights them, then it bends upward against the load; the more one presses it, the more it wants over itself. Now in this history is meant the whole mystery and essence, which is called the Gospel and Law of God. For I have said that God especially chose the Jewish people, which is called the synagogue, the ancient church and Christianity, which was the bride of His Son and His own people; to whom He gave the law and the priesthood, to teach and instruct the people daily, that they might be godly. For thus we have heard above Cap. 25, § 26. Cap. 31, § 33 ff. Cap. 19, § 23 that the women Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, item the two daughters of Lot, were all figures and models of the people of God, who were governed by his word; thus, that the seed, by which they became pregnant, is nothing else than God's word, which the soul receives through faith, and brings forth fruits of love.

014 Now therefore it is written here, that she taketh two brethren to wife, but the third she taketh not. Then she comes to Judah her brother-in-law in the guise of a harlot. So it goes among the people until this day. The first man was wicked in the sight of the Lord, therefore he slew him; these are the preachers and teachers, who are desperate wretches, together with the people, who sin openly against the law, and keep it not.

(15) But the other, which lieth with it, and yet corrupteth it, that it be not fruitful, nor able to conceive; these are they which also have the ministry of preaching among the Jews with appearance, but it is not rightly conducted, but is corrupted, that no fruit cometh of it. These are the hypocrites, who have the right text of God's word and the law, but do not conduct it in such a way that it is better, but let it fall, and mix it under the ground, forcing it on our work. For if one wants to preach the law rightly, one must do it in such a way that it does not teach works, but recognizes what we lack; as Paul says Rom. 3:20, "Through the law comes knowledge of sin," and that one leads the consciences away from it to the

Knowledge of grace. That would be the right way to lead the seed, from which the souls become fruitful. Those who do not lead in this way, but in the way and work of men, never come to grace, nor to fruit. Therefore this is called Onan, that is, a laborious sermon, so that only the consciences are weighed down and tortured, and no one can enjoy.

16 These two kinds of people are always found among the people, either those who take the law to the wind and even give themselves into the entrenchment, or those who only lead it for the sake of appearances. The former are the nefarious, public scoundrels, the latter are hypocrites and works saints; both are put to death, that is, condemned and rejected by God.

017 And it came to pass, that the third son should take the wife; but she could not have him. Then she went and disguised herself as a harlot, and received from the brother-in-law without his knowledge and will. God has written this so that it may be seen. If it were a secular, pagan history, it would be called shameful and whorish, but because it is God's, it should be held in all honor. We have heard above [Cap. 27, 1. 23.We also heard how Isaac, being old and blind, was deceived, that he lacked the blessing of his first son, and struck Jacob through ignorance; which means that when God let the gospel go out, it happened in such a strange way that those who got the gospel did not miss it, and again they thought that the great men and priesthoods, the wise and holy ones, should get hold of it, so they fell away, and the fishermen, bad, lowly people, came and preached it to the world. It is not that God did not know or provide that it should happen this way, but that it seems to our eyes as if it were happening accidentally, because He poses Himself so strangely that one thinks He wants to do this, but He does something else and lets it happen as if He did not know.

18. because she 1) meets Judah here as roughly as he thinks she is a harlot, means that the gospel among the people hits only those who think they are sinners; when Peter spoke in the ships Luc. 5, 8.: "Lord, go out from me, because I am a sinful

1. "sie" is missing in the original edition, in the Wittenberg and in the Jena.

566 Erl. St, Soe7-2 "g Interpretations on the First Book of Moses. W. Ill, 8SI-8SS. 567

Man." And, as Christ says Matth. 21, 31., "Harlots and knaves will precede you in the kingdom of heaven." Then God comes, and gives the gospel, and makes the people fruitful, who before had no fruit, that they now bear twins. So the Jews are deceived; because those who should have it did not want to grasp and accept it, the others come, who know nothing about it, and think that it is another woman. So then it seems in all God's works, so that it seems to us and is in everyone's eyes, as if God had erred and given the gospel to those to whom it does not belong.

19. further the text speaks: He no longer took them to himself, nor recognized them; that is, Christ gave leave to the synagogue, that they should no longer keep their law and customs, and is now free. He has now brought out two sons, so he leaves it at that. And she proves it by the sign which he gave her, that she had conceived by him; that is, if you look at the Scriptures, you will see that it is so, and find the signs that it should be so. Thus she remains in honor, and proves that God is such a Lord, who gives his grace to poor wretches and sinners, and rejects the great saints.

(20) But that a rift arises in the body above the birth, and he who was last comes out first, and again the first comes out last, is again the same figure. The Jews, who were to be the first, put forth their hand at the first, as if they would do it and leave those behind; but when it comes to the meeting, the works remain behind, and faith comes forward; so that the other son does not come forth with the hand alone, but with his whole being. Therefore the summa is: The faithful must appear to be the last, and yet they are truly the first; as we have also seen enough above Cap. 25, § 37 ff. in Esau's and Jacob's history.

(21) The fact that each one had a red thread around his hand is the figure that all the saints of works are bloodthirsty and desolate, and enemies of those who have the right faith. Thus, in this figure we have pictured what God works through the gospel in His people, how He makes the first from the last and lets the others go, and that He does not want to suffer the preachers who lead God's word to works and corrupt it, but who let it remain pure in faith, so that it can produce fruit.

The Thirty-Ninth Chapter.

Joseph was brought down into Egypt, and Potiphar, an Egyptian man, Pharaoh's chamberlain, bought him of the Ishmaelites, which brought him down. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he became a happy man, and was in the house of his lord the Egyptian. And his lord saw that the LORD was with him: for all that he did the LORD prospered through him, so that he found favor in the sight of his lord, and became his servant; who set him over his house, and all that he had he put under his hands. And from the time that he set him over his house, and over all his goods, the LORD blessed the house of Egypt for Joseph's sake, and was the blessing of the LORD in all that he had, both at home, and in the field. Therefore he left it all under Joseph's

hands what he had; and receive nothing of it, but only the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was beautiful and comely in countenance. And it came to pass after this, that his lord's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, saying, Sleep with me. But he refused, and said unto her, Behold, my lord knoweth not what is in the house, and all that he hath he hath put under my hand, and hath nothing so great in the house, which he hath hid from me, without thee, because thou art his wife. How then should I do so great an evil, and sin against God? But she spoke such words against Joseph daily; but he did not obey her, that he should sleep near her, nor be about her. It

1. "near" is missing in the Erlanger.

568 Erl S4 S6g-S7]. Sermon on I Genesis 39:1-23. W. Ill, 855-858. 569

And it came to pass one day, that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the servants of the house with him. And she caught him by his garment, and said, Sleep with me. But he left the garment in her hand, and fled, and ran out of the house. And when she saw that he left his garment in her hand, and fled out, she called unto the servants of the house, and said unto them, Behold, he hath brought in the Hebrew man to put us to shame; and he came in unto me, and would have slept with me: but I cried with a loud voice; and when he heard that I made a noise, and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled, and ran out. And she laid his garment beside him until his master came home, and said unto him the same words, saying, The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought in unto us, came in unto me, and would have put me to shame. But when I made a noise and cried out, he left his garment with me, and fled out. And when his lord heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, Thus hath thy Hebrew servant done unto me, he was very wroth. Then his lord took him, and put him in the prison, where the king's prisoners lay within; and he lay there in the prison. But the LORD was with him, and showed him favor, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison, that he should put all the prisoners in the prison under his hand, that all things which were done should be done by him. For the governor of the prison saw that the Lord was with him in all that was under his hand, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper.

. In the seventh and thirtieth chapter, v. 4 ff., we heard how Joseph was envied and hated by his brothers, and was sold to the stranger and brought to Egypt. Here Moses returns to the story of how he fared in Egypt. There are one or three chapters attached to each other, which we will discuss according to the story before we show the interpretation in it. Thus it is told how he was innocently hated by his brothers and sold like cattle under the hands of strangers, abandoned by all friends and acquaintances. What misery he had suffered there,

not everything is described, but only a piece or two is shown, to teach us and comfort us, how God drives with his saints so miraculously.

We have heard how God promised the pious Jacob to multiply his seed like the sand on the seashore, but the longer he does so, the stranger he acts, as if he had never thought or spoken of it, taking his dearest son from his right mother, who was now also dead, and now Joseph, and then Benjamin, whom he considers to be the right heirs, and it is not possible that they should not be dear to him. Therefore he is ever a strange God, attacking it so beyond all way and reason that no one could believe it. If he had said beforehand how it should come about, it would still have been believable; now he does not let him believe or know otherwise, because he is strangled and torn, let alone that he should believe how he should become the supreme ruler in Egypt.

How then must he do to him? He must keep God's word, and thus think: Even if all my sons were dead, God remains true that my seed should become like the stars in the sky and the sand on the sea. So he had to go straight against the stream and dampen all reason, even though it did not go sweetly for him, but rather became heavy and bitter, as the text also reports.

4 Thus God lets His saints pass over nature, and yet nature remains in them, namely, the great love and inclination for the Son; but He attacks them, and tries whether He wants to follow the inclination (which He Himself gave and does not reject) more than His word. It is all a good thing and God's business, nor does he want to do it with us in such a way that he sees and we become aware whether we prefer him to his goods; and thus strengthens his own, so that they can hold on to the word alone, should they immediately let go of all his goods.

(5) For this reason I say again, that we should not make sticks of the saints, but let man and nature remain as they are; as it hurts our nature when one loses a good friend; item, when we hunger and thirst, or when we are to die. How-

570 Erl. 34, S7S-S74. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, ss8-8 "i. 571

That is why it is good for us when we are healthy, have rest and enough. What can we do against it, because it is planted in us and is all of God? But it is important not to abandon God's word for the sake of it, and to be more attached to creatures than to Himself.

(6) Now then, behold how he willed to make Joseph a good man, by whom the land and the people, and especially his people, father and brethren, should be helped, that he might become a paragon among all the brethren; but before he comes to this, none is so well tried as he, that is, all thirteen years, from the seventeenth year even unto the thirtieth. In this way God wants to teach us how he is the right father, and our suggestions and thoughts are of no value. For then he tears the father and son from each other with great heartache and pain. The father is deprived of the son, the son comes to a country where he does not know the language, not to mention that he should know a friend to whom he would feel good. Above this, when God nevertheless provides him with a gracious master, since he has hardly enough food, he comes into another misery and distress for the sake of his wife, and lies innocently imprisoned for more than two years, when he had served his master most faithfully and had brought him much piety and benefit.

(7) There you see both God's wisdom and guidance, and His noble and tender gifts shining in Joseph. God's wisdom and care in that he is such a stranger to the father and son, and yet provides for him in such a way that the father could not provide for him with all his wealth, and puts him back before the father in such glory that he could never have wished for it. Is it not strange that he is sold so shamefully in his seventeenth year, that he is put into captivity, and that for thirteen years he is supposed to become the neighbor of the greatest king in Egypt, when he is now forgotten by all his brothers and almost also by his father? If we had no more history, should we ever learn from it what kind of a regiment God leads in the world, so strange that where one thinks it is the devil and death, there he is the closest.

8. he thinks he is abandoned by god and by the world, so his god is waiting, and has a

Eye on him. [He lets him be sold and captured, as if there were no God with him, but when the time comes, he sets him in the highest honor; so that the wise man in the Book of Wisdom says of him [Cap. 10, 13. 14.The wisdom, that is, the word of God, did not leave the pious Joseph when he was sold, and rescued him from sin, and was with him in the pit and in the bands, until it brought him the royal scepter, and went with him into the hands of the enemy, even into the dungeon, until he came out, and his wisdom broke forth, and he became ruler over Egypt.

(9) So the fathers looked highly upon this history, and marveled at the wisdom of God, when David also said in the 105th Psalm, vv. 16-21: "He caused a flood to come into the land, and took away all the supply of bread. He sent a man before them, and Joseph was sold as a servant. They forced his feet into a stick, iron went through his soul, until the time that 1) his word came, and the speech of the LORD ran through him. Then the king sent, and let him go, and the 2) lord over nations let him go out. He set him lord over his house, ruler over all his goods." It was hidden what God wanted to do with him; but that he should have in mind to save so much land and people through his misery, no one thought. But God gave him wisdom in his heart, so that he became a mighty ruler who could be useful to many people. If he had stayed at home, he would have remained nothing more than a shepherd.

(10) If, then, he is miserable and alone in a foreign land, and the eleven brothers are at home and think they are well off, and he must remain a miserable, captive servant all his days, God will turn him around and make him such a lord, as he had dreamed, that not only his brothers will be subject to him and fall at his feet, but all the land and all the people, except the king. Behold, this is what he who trusts in God and endures Him does. It is not with father and mother that they have given us

1. Jenaer: da.
2. "the" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. Erlanger: es.

572 Erl. St, S74-L76. Sermon On Genesis 39, 1-23. W. 111, 861-884. 573

(although one should be obedient to them); but the true Father is God alone, who helps out of all hardships and miseries to the highest honor. So that this example is quite an example and great stimulus to faith. Wherever I go, into the Father's house or into misery and foreign lands, that I may know that God is also at home there, especially where I can have no comfort and confidence in people, and am completely abandoned.

(11) I would also like, if it were granted to me, to be and remain with such a father as Jacob was, so that I could say, "I am ever with a godly father who has God's word, where the Holy Spirit dwells with God's fullness and blessing; but God casts out the son and leads him away into the land where only the devil dwells and reigns, and there is nothing of God that he must risk life and limb. This must have hurt him mightily, especially because he came from his father so young. But he learned from him and grasped the word he preached, as God had promised him that Christ would come from him; nevertheless, he had to think of him: Nevertheless I will not lose the God who is here, he will also be with me elsewhere; although it has hurt him. For flesh and blood will also have stirred, that sometimes his eyes have gone over with misery.

(12) Surely we should learn this once, if unbelief did not have the heartache and all the misfortune. What did the good Joseph have when he was taken away? They stripped him of his garment and left him not a penny, selling him into such a far country, where he, with hard work and for a long time, earned no more than plenty and abundance, and pious to the Lord. So God let him go and suffer grief for a long time, but not die of hunger. But when the time is over, he gives the whole land into his hand, so that they all have to be fed by him, and he gets so much power that everything he does is done. He has obtained all this by persevering 1) in faith and patience with God. 2) So God did

1. "Stop" is missing in the Wittenberg and Jena.
2. The words: "that he... has endured" are missing in the Erlanger.

still with us, if we could so persevere in faith. There is no other God now than the one who reigned there, we have the same almighty Father, and the same word that he would not leave us. Now this is a piece of the challenge that he overcame.

(13) The second time, when he had come into favor, and was a little well, and was set over his lord's house (though he got not much more than the bread), a new temptation came on the right side. Then behold, what an excellent spirit he has, and a strange, high virtue of virginity, that the woman in the house, the king's chamberlain, wins him over and urges him to sleep with her. What could he not have achieved and acquired from her, that she would have secretly given him and made wonderful good days? The text says: She did not offer it to him once, but every day.

This is a great virtue, that he, who has so much space, time, place, person, and in addition stimulation, and could win good and grace, nevertheless abstains; in addition, he is a young journeyman, and fresh-blooded, that nature would not be able to stand against such daily stimuli and lust, because youth itself is hot.

015 But he answered her nothing else, but this: "My lord knoweth not what is in the house, and all that he hath he hath put under my hand, and hath nothing so great in the house that he hath hid from me without thee. This must have been a faithful servant, who takes care of all his master's goods, so faithfully that the master lets him do everything, and does not ask what he has in the house, even if he wants to disgrace his wife, so that he does not know anything about it; nor does he say, "You are a wife, I am a servant, and I owe allegiance to my master, which I will keep; and he continues: "How should I do such a great evil, and sin against God? Behold, what a great spirit, how high he sets God's commandment above all that is on earth, and leaves nothing so dear to him as to do against it, even though he is young and so incited.

3. Horny - persistently ask.

574 Erl. St, S77-Ü7g. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 864-88." 575

(16) Now where are our monks and nuns who boast of their chastity? See if they will not all be put to shame, because he has so much room and favor, the woman in the house, who lies and drives him daily, which is a heavy and annual challenge to a young man: he still remains chaste until his thirtieth year, that he touches no woman, has only God before his eyes, and the faithfulness of his Lord. [There is a pious, upright, honest spirit in him, which nevertheless has such great cause for fornication, and is driven without ceasing; which also would melt iron, as St. Jerome says, and would soon be provided that one would fall, even if he had no evil will, and had kept chastity for a long time. But he is nevertheless careful not to be around her, nor to lie next to her in the house, chamber, or closet. For this also belongs to the keeping of chastity, as St. Paul teaches when he says: "Flee fornication.

(17) It is not easy to overcome, so flee far from it; though you almost chasten yourself and hold fast, it is still dangerous when husband and wife are with each other; for flesh and blood remain flesh and blood. Therefore nothing is safer than to be far from each other, or to remain with each other forever, otherwise it will hardly come off pure. Therefore he would not be with her, nor deal with her, that he should neither see nor hear of her. But what happened? She was lying in wait and caught him once when no one was around. For it is a miserable plague, the more one wants to resist it, the more heated it becomes. This was too close to the boy and was a hard blow; but the spirit became brave and strong in him, so that he overcame it, and when he could not get away any other way, he left his coat behind. The Holy Spirit does not need so many words about it for nothing, knowing well that it is a strange, great example; for flesh and blood are furious and senseless in this challenge, especially when they are with each other.

(18) So when he jumped away and fled from her, and she sees that he does not want to do badly, she becomes furious and rages, and thinks to deprive him of life. So it goes, the whore's evil cannot be atoned for, unless another evil comes into it, as the poet says:

Cedit^1^ ) amor furiis [Fury takes the place of love. Because it sees that it is despised and cannot gain its courage, the mind turns around and becomes mad and foolish. These are the fruits of flesh and blood, if God does not control and prevent them. Earlier she wanted to devour him for love, now she wants to strangle him for anger; so think: He wants to despise you, so now you have attacked him, he will reproach you and put you to shame that you lust after him, 2) and will reward you like a whore. Therefore she attacks him on the other side, becomes hostile to him, and brings this complaint before the Lord: "This is how you love me, this is what you mean to me, you have brought in the Hebrew servant to disgrace me.

This is a rather devilish little piece. She does not believe that God is also with him, thinks she wants to adorn and protect him, and deprive him of honor, life and limb. God is silent, however, and lets the boy be led to prison without guilt, most abominably, as an adulterer; but she passes with honor, no one excuses or helps him. Should it not have hurt him that he was so shamefully wronged that his heart might have wept? But he kept silent and commanded God. But the lamentation often struck him that it was not enough that he had come from the Father, but had to go further into misery and perish innocently for the sake of the wicked whore. This is how low God lets His saints get when He wants to lift them up.

20 O! who could grasp the examples that he is so gracious and good, when he attacks us so horribly. Joseph does not feel it yet either, but hopes that God will not let him. But as one looks at it, it is an unkind game, but basically such a great grace that he comes to honor afterwards. Who also knows how the harlot fared; the Holy Spirit does not write it, for he does not delight in misfortune. But this is what he indicates, that God means it in the best possible way, when he destroys us in the most disgraceful way. The world cannot believe this, for it is contrary to all.

1. Erlanger: dlnsvit.
2. to lust after someone ---- in a lewd way. (This meaning is missing in Dietz.)

576 Erl. 34, 279-281. sermon on Genesis 39, 1-23. 40, I-23. W. Ill, 8SN-870. 577

Sense. But he alone binds the faith, if he can hold on, after that he helps in the future so strongly that it would be impossible to think of a man.

(21) For if Joseph had been given to wish, he would have wished that he might come out of the prison in which he was innocently laid, and return home to his father. Oh! what a small, narrow and weak prayer this was in the sight of God, that he should have to serve two more years even for this; for he wanted to give him much greater things. But that he should become such a lord in Egypt, and in addition get his father and mother again, he could never have thought. This is what Paul says Rom. 8:26: "We know not what we ought to ask, as it is fitting, but the Spirit himself represents us mightily with groanings unspeakable." If God would give us what we ask, only His abundant goodness would prevent it, so that He would not have given Joseph more than he had asked, would have been much too little, that He could not have proved His miracle. Therefore, in misery, we are to give GOD space, time and place, and not bestmmen as we would like. For we are fools, and know not what to ask. But if we keep still, and give him home according to his pleasure, we shall know how abundantly he is able to reward. But nature can

If he does not love you, he will not do so; but if he does not love you, he will give to you, but it is not good for you.

(22) This he preacheth and writeth unto us, that we may know his way. As the fourth Psalm, v. 4, says: "Know ye that the Lord leadeth his saints in a strange way. As if to say, "It is true that when we cry out to him, he hears us as often as we cry out and ask; but he does it so strangely that no one can understand it; just as Joseph would like to be free from his misery, he cries out and begs for help, and is heard so soon. But how strange it is: he hopes to get out soon, but it takes about two years. Is that answered? Yes, it is called miraculously answered. But it is not to be suggested to him, but he wants to be a master, and so make it that one blesses himself with miracles, and says: "If I had never believed that it would happen like this, so that you would jump for joy and have to confess that you were not only heard, but miraculously heard. It would be necessary for us to grasp this once, because the time is present every day when we need not doubt that we have certainly been heard; but how it is to happen, and how he will bring it forth, is to be known to him alone, so that he can do it in such a way that we must say, Praise God that it has not gone according to our will.

The fortieth chapter.

vv. 1-23 And it came to pass afterward, that the steward of the king's taverns in Egypt, and the steward of the bakers, sinned against their lord the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with them and sent them to the chamberlain's house, to the prison where Joseph was imprisoned. And the chamberlain set Joseph over them to minister unto them: and they sat in the prison some days. And in one night they dreamed, the baker and the innkeeper, each of them a dream of his own, and each dream had its meaning. In the morning Joseph went to

And when he came in unto them, and saw that they were sore, he asked them, saying, Why are ye so evil this day? They answered: We have dreamed it, and have no one to interpret it to us. Joseph said, "Interpretation belongs to God, but tell me. Then the chief of the taverns told Joseph his dream, and said unto him, I dreamed that there was a vine before me, which had three branches, and it budded, and grew, and blossomed, and the grapes thereof were ripe: and I had Pharaoh's cup in mine hand, and took the berries, and crushed them in the cup, and gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. Joseph

** **578 Eri. St, SSI-sst. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 870-873. 579

said unto him, This is the meaning thereof: Three vines are three days. For three days Pharaoh shall lift up thy head, and restore thee to thy office, and thou shalt put the cup into his hand after the former manner, when thou wast his minister. But remember me, if it be well with thee, and do mercy unto me, that thou remember Pharaoh, that he bring me out of this house. For I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews by stealth, and I have done nothing here, that they have set me up. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also dreamed 1) that I was carrying three woven baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating from the basket on my head. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation: Three baskets are three days, and after three days Pharaoh shall lift up thy head, and shall hang thee on the gallows, and the birds shall eat of thy flesh. And it came to pass on the third day, that Pharaoh celebrated his jubilee, and he made a feast to all his servants, and lifted up the head of the chief paster, and the head of the chief baker among his servants, and set the chief paster again by his pottage, to pass the cup into Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had told them. But the chief baker remembered not Joseph, but forgot him.

Now Moses wants to write how it happened that Joseph was set free again, but so that God let him remain captive for two more years. Now here something is to be said of dreams, because Joseph interpreted two dreams, and thereby enjoyed that he became free.

(2) But first, it can be seen here that there was not so much blindness in the land that they did not know about God. As also in the previous chapter, v. 3, it is indicated that Potiphar, Joseph's master, also knew God, because he clearly says: "He saw that the Lord was with him, and blessed him for his sake" 2c. This must have been a great, high knowledge, because

1. "also" is missing in the Erlanger.

it is not a small mind. He who knows that God makes his goods grow and increase, and gives blessings, knows also that God is a creator of heaven and earth, and governs all things. Especially it must have been something, because the Scriptures do not report that they had and practiced idolatry; however, it may have been among them. As we have so far retained so much knowledge that there is a God who created heaven and earth and gives everything that grows there; although this same knowledge has been blinded by various idolatries and false trust and sects, by which this has been darkened, so that we have not remained on the right path.

(3) For although we have believed that it is the true God who creates all things, yet we have failed to hit the mark when we say, "Here is God. For if one wants to attach and bind him to time, person and place, and paint him with a color that he is so and so minded, as we think, then one has failed; as if one wants to serve him otherwise or in such a way, to do this or that work that should please him; as the whole ulcer has been under the pabstacy of orders, rules and doctrines of men. There the devil comes instead of God; otherwise the common knowledge of the right God remains.

For this is also true, which St. Paul says Rom. 1, 19, that God has revealed to all the world that they must know that there is a God, has been hidden from the beginning of the world until the end. Which one also notices that if the pagans had not had knowledge of God, they would not have called their idols God. That there must be a God, they knew, and it was right; but if they said, "This is God," they were lacking as soon as they said it. But they could not lack if they did not know that God was. Now a higher knowledge is necessary, so that one may meet him rightly and not miss him. For where he is to be rightly met, there must be his word to teach us; our reason and wisdom will slowly find it.

Now we have to see the dreams here. Just now Cap. 37, 7. 9. we also heard about Joseph's dreams, which he told his brothers.

580 Erl.-4, Wt-sss. Sermon on Genesis 40:1-23. w. m, 873-876. 581

in which he foreshadowed the history that would follow, how his brothers would fall under his feet and become his subjects. Thus I have otherwise said how one should believe dreams; but here you see a masterpiece, as the Holy Spirit indicates, how it is not certain to rely on dreams, because here two identical dreams are described, so that reason would have to say that they must also have the same interpretation, when Joseph interprets them contrary to each other. For just as in the dream of the gift-giver three bunches of grapes indicate three days, and he puts the cup into Pharaoh's hand, indicating that he should return to the gift-giving office, so also the baker's dream, that he presents three baskets of baked bread to Pharaoh, should indicate so much that he would be placed in his office after three days. Now the spirit comes in and immediately indicates the contradiction.

Now why is this written? Precisely because one should not rely on dreams. For I have said: It may happen that God gives a man a dream that is true, and so it happens as the dream sounds. As one reads of many saints, and He Himself says in the fourth book of Moses Cap. 12, 6., "If any man be a prophet of the LORD, I will make Myself known unto him in a vision, or in a dream will I speak unto thee." And in Joel Cap. 3, 1., "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams."

7 But here the gloss is in the text, how it should be, namely, when Joseph speaks: "Interpretation belongs to God. Dreams or not, interpretation does not belong to you; to whom he gives a dream, and to whom he talks, he also gives a certain understanding to interpret, as he should. But with it the presumption is cancelled, that nobody interprets also right, divine dreams himself. Let one dream what one wants; if it is a right dream that God wants, he will interpret it well, either through himself or through a man, so that you feel it in your heart that it is a right dream; if he does it without means, he will make your conscience catch it, so that it is right.

8 So it is written of a pagan king, Attila, when the bishop Paulinus ge

When he was a prisoner and his gardener, he had a dream at night that he was standing in court and three men were judging him. Then he had Paulinum come before him, and when he looked at him, he was frightened and said, "At night I had a dream that three of them were judging me, and behold, this was the one. Then he became so stupid and despondent that he fell back and died soon after. Behold, this was a true dream, though he himself knew it not; for it passed through his heart, that he felt it as a ray.

9 One reads the same about Monica, St. Augustine's mother, and others. Thus, if they are right, they are such that God Himself interprets them, without means, or by means that the conscience feels good. Therefore, there is a great difference between dreams and interpretation. Do not interpret any of them yourself, for if you doubt and doubt that it is due to your conscience, do not do it. Either the dream is not right, or God has not interpreted it. If he interprets it, you will soon feel whether it is right. So Joseph here interprets it to the prisoners with certainty and without wavering, so that they feel it and accept it.

(10) Therefore they have erred far, who have taken from this text to write books and to interpret dreams: as the fool that made a book de somniis Danielis; have given some rules upon it, what this or that interprete. But it is in vain. It cannot be grasped, it is all false, also forbidden in the Law of Moses Deut. 13, 3: "You shall not pay attention to dreams", that is, you shall not subject yourself 2) to interpret dreams with certainty, but what true dreams are, God Himself shall interpret them. False dreams are like false doctrine, they get a semblance that one thinks it is something, but it is uncertain and deceitful. But God's word makes the heart sure. So it is also with faith and false conceit, or one's own worship. The former makes certain, the latter 3) remains uncertain. Therefore, let dreams remain dreams if God does not interpret them.

11 Now notice, because Joseph has the two

1. "not" is missing in the editions, but the Jena one has it as a conjecture in the margin.
2. "you" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. In the issues: this.

582 Erl. S4, 280-288. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 878-879. 583

The same dreams are interpreted so differently (although the baker thought, because he interpreted the gift's dream so well, that his interpretation should also sound like this), when one acts in divine matters, that it is not valid to imitate. For this is what the devil has always done from the beginning of the world, that he wants to be God's monkey and imitate what he sees of him. When God commanded Ex. 25:3-9 to build a tabernacle, and to sacrifice and burn incense there, he went there, and where he saw a beautiful green forest, garden or mountain, he also offered sacrifices and burned incense Jer. 3:6, so that his worship had to be more valid than what God had commanded. So, in our times, because Christ commanded Luc. 18, 1. 21, 36. to pray without ceasing, the devil is there, and founds all the corners full of churches, where people whistle and howl day and night; and of monkey play innumerable many more. Item, one finds some who imitate the holy cross; because Christ commanded Matth. 16, 24. that one should renounce him himself and carry his cross, they go to and seek suffering for themselves, and put them through much torture themselves, and want to perform great miracles, thereby corrupting body and soul.

The world is full of such imitations everywhere, so that no greater deception and blasphemy can be found. In opposition to this, God here lets the one start with his hope that he thinks it should mean just as much, and leaves the interpretation to him alone.

Dream as you like, no one will interpret it correctly, but you. Before they come to pass, you may well think, 1) but think besides, that it is nothing. God does reveal things to some through dreams, but it is not up to us to understand them; if we interpret them ourselves, they will certainly be lacking. Therefore, beware of omens and imitations.

(13) So now we have a piece of Joseph's history, how he, for the sake of chastity, was brought into fear and distress by the woman, and was thrown into prison, and yet God was there with him, and gave him a little comfort, that he obtained favor and favor with the chief master, that he did not put him in stocks, but let the prisoner serve and care for him.

(14) Then we have seen how rich he was in faith and the words of God, that he remained so steadfast in chastity, when he might have had a goodly cover of chastity to do as he pleased, and had many gifts for it. Which was a noble virtue and high spirit, who was not only powerful in his flesh, but also in woman and the devil himself. In addition, God enlightened him and gave him a prophetic spirit to interpret dreams, which also caused him to be lifted up by Pharaoh, so that it is shown everywhere how God does not leave His saints, even if He withdraws His hand a little and lets them be rejected and oppressed.

1. ohmen == to make assumptions.

The Forty-First Chapter.

After two years Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the water and saw seven of his oxen coming up out of the water, all of them skinny, walking by the pasture in the meadow. After these he saw other seven oxen coming up out of the water, which were shapeless and lean in body, and they stood beside the oxen on the bank by the water, and the shapeless and lean oxen ate the beautiful and fat oxen. Then Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep again, and dreamed again, and saw,

Seven ears of corn grew from one stalk, full and good; then he saw seven thin and scorched ears spring up, and the seven lean ears swallowed up the seven large and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and saw that it was a dream. And when morning came, his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all the diviners of Egypt, and all the wise men, and told them his dream. But there was none who could interpret it to Pharaoh. Then the chief innkeeper spoke to Pharaoh, saying:

** **584 "rl. S4, 288-291. sermon on Genesis 41:1-57. w. ill, 879-882. 585

Today I remember my sin; when Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in prison with the chief baker in the court master's house, we both had a dream in one night, each of us according to his own dream. There was with us a Hebrew youth, the court master's servant, to whom we told it, and he interpreted our dreams to each of us according to his dream. And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; for I am restored to my office, and he is hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and let him out of the hole in haste. And he was clothed, and changed his garments, and came in unto Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh said to him, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. But I have heard thee say, when thou hearest a dream, interpret it. Joseph answered Pharaoh and said, "God will make Pharaoh happy, even without me. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I dreamed that I was standing on the shore by the water, and I saw seven oxen come up out of the water, fat and thin, and going to pasture in the meadow. And after them I saw other seven oxen come out, thin and almost shapeless, lean in body. I have not seen such rough ones in all the land of Egypt. And the seven lean and shapeless oxen ate up the seven first fat oxen. And when they had eaten them, it was not known in them that they had eaten them, and they were without form, as before. Then I awoke. And again in my dream I saw seven ears of corn growing on one stalk, full and good. After that, seven thin, scorched ears of corn came up. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I have told my diviners, but they tell me nothing of it. Joseph answered Pharaoh: Both dreams of Pharaoh are the same, God tells Pharaoh what he is doing. The seven good oxen are seven years, and the seven good ears are also the seven years. It is one dream. The seven lean oxen and unshaped, which came up after those, these are seven years, and the seven lean ears and scorched, these will be seven years of theurung. Now this is what I said to Pharaoh,

God will show Pharaoh what he is doing. Behold, seven years shall come with great abundance throughout all the land of Egypt. And after them shall come seven years of trouble; and all such abundance shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt. And the flood will consume the land, so that no one will know about the abundance in the land before the time of trouble that comes afterward, because it will be almost heavy. But that Pharaoh dreamed another time means that such a thing is made by God, 1) and God will do it in haste. Now Pharaoh shall look for a wise and understanding man, whom he shall set over the land of Egypt, and shall appoint officers in the land, and take the fifth in the land of Egypt, in the seven years of plenty, and gather all the food of the good years that shall come, And they shall pour out corn under Pharaoh's power for food in the cities, and keep it, that food may be found ordained for the land in the seven precious years that shall come upon the land of Egypt, that the land perish not for hunger. The speech pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants: How can we find such a man in whom is the Spirit of God? And he said unto Joseph, Because God hath made all these things known unto thee, there is none so understanding and wise as thou. Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people feed. But of the royal throne I will be more than thou. And said, Behold, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in white silk, and put a chain of gold upon his neck, and made him ride in the other chariot, and proclaimed before him that they should bow the knee to him, whom he had set over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh: without thy will shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt. And called his name Zaphnath Paneah. 2) And he gave him a wife, Asnath the daughter of Poti-

1. to make ready, to prepare, to promote. In the Bible, that God will certainly and speedily do this.
2. Marginal gloss: Zaphnath Panea is Egyptian spoken, and still unaware what it is, without that, as much as one can feel, it is called, as one speaks in German: Der heimliche nächste Rath.

586 Erl. 34, 291-294. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 882-88p. 587

Phera, the priest of On. So Joseph went out to see the land of Egypt. And he was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he departed from Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt. And the land did so the seven rich years, and gathered all the meat of the seven years that was in the land of Egypt, and put it into the cities. Whatever food was growing in the fields of each city, they put into it. So Joseph piled up the grain in abundance, like sand on the seashore, so that he stopped counting it, for it could not be counted. And unto Joseph were born two sons, before the time of the theurung, which bare him Asnath the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. And he called the name of the first Manasseh: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my work, and all my father's house. The other he called Ephraim: for God, said he, hath made me to grow in the land of my affliction. And it came to pass, when the seven years of plenty were past in the land of Egypt, that the seven years of trouble began to come, which Joseph had spoken of. And there was a famine in all the land, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt. And when the land of Egypt was also famished, the people cried unto Pharaoh for bread. But Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you. And when the famine was over all the land, Joseph took up all that was with him, and sold it to the Egyptians. So the rioting took over in the land. And all the countries of Egypt came to buy of Joseph: for the spoilage prevailed in all the countries.

(1) What I have said about the two dreams, the gift-giver's and the baker's, should also be understood here in Pharaoh's dream. When the time came for Joseph to come forth again, God sent him, without a second thought and unawares, to come up suddenly, not knowing how, so that it might ever be seen that all our things are in the hands of God alone, who creates and works as he wills, always coming before we think that it is all his goodness and grace. Joseph, the holy child of God, comes so shamefully from his father, but God is with him; I never thought that he would come to have a good, gracious master.

who gives him everything he has in the house and court. But when the wicked whore brings him into prison without his oversight, and he now has to go up again, he again knows nothing about it: that God's counsel always comes before us; but we are fools, we cannot judge ourselves in it, and yet we have to give it back to him. As this Joseph does, so he does again like a pious God and father, whose works and counsels are all salvation, happiness and grace, although it seems much different. Here, too, when he is in the deepest misfortune, he soon comes to the highest happiness. For he did not think otherwise, because now he would be forgotten, because the chief innkeeper had forgotten him, and now he had sat two whole years after him.

2 People often ask how far happiness and unhappiness are from each other. Then all reason must say that it does not know; it is also true that one cannot know, it must be believed. For there lies Joseph, as the 1) now should remain eternally imprisoned as an adulterer, but before God it is already decided that all knees must bow before him. So faith sees how close they are to each other. Just as life and death are closed in on each other, that life is in death, that it could not be closer, yes, is already one thing: so again there is unhappiness in the greatest happiness, in poverty and misery riches, pleasure and joy. Again, in the safest life, death is in a moment. Thus, when we are to die, we go to death as if we were to lie dead forever: the last day comes to us in a flash, that we say: Now I will live forever. This is what faith can grasp, that good and evil, life and death, are all intertwined.

God shows us this by many examples, how he is the Lord, who throws behind and lifts up, and everything must go according to his counsel, so that we do nothing of ourselves, but give everything to him to rule, of which almost all the Psalms of David sing, as Ps. 94:11: "The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are nothing"; as also everyone experiences in his life.

1. Erlanger: er.
2. "we" is missing in the Erlanger.
3. enhinter (enhinder) - back.

588 Erl. 44, SS4-SS6. Sermon on Genesis 41:1-57. W. Ill, 88S-888. 589

and must confess that nothing goes out according to our advice and suggestion. Now then, how God exalted Joseph and made him like the king by the interpretation of his dreams.

V. 37. ff. The speech pleased Pharaoh and all his servants well. And Pharaoh said to his servants: How can we find such a man in whom is the Spirit of God? And he said unto Joseph, Because God hath made all these things known unto thee. 2c.

4 But there you see a piece of God's works. The Jews thought that God alone was with them; but there He shows that He rules and provides for the whole world, as Joseph himself confesses from the Spirit: "God shows Pharaoh what He will do." Therefore, this Pharaoh must not be a bad man in the sight of God, but must have had right understanding and faith from God, because He Himself revealed this to him, and to no one else. For the text clearly says that he knew God, because he honors Him in Joseph and confesses that he has God's spirit, which no unbeliever would have done.

5 So we have also heard above Cap. 20, § 21 in Abraham's history, from the king Abimelech, that there were many people who had right faith and understanding, even if they were not from the line and line of Abraham, who although it is promised, other people are not excluded, as Paul Rom. 3, 29. says: "Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, indeed, he is also the God of the Gentiles." For if you look at the histories of the Gentiles as well, as of the Romans, you will see clearly how God has acted and ruled, even though they have not understood it.

(6) So Pharaoh honors Joseph, that he may be seen to be a great man; therefore God also gives him such a man. For if God wants to help and advise a country, He must give people to it. So now this whole country must enjoy Joseph, so that it has become a paragon before all countries, which could also feed other countries that were corrupt. So God had a special eye on this land, and greatly favored it above all others, for Joseph's sake and for the sake of his father Jacob, because

He wanted to send them there so that many people would also be helped spiritually to learn God's word. I say this so that one may know how God rules in a whimsical way, assuming the whole world to find those who belong to Him in every corner.

(7) Moses, therefore, as Pharaoh set him over all the land, and commanded that they should bow the knee to him in all the land, calls him in Egyptian XXX XXX, 1) for which in our Latin Bible it is written, Salvatorem mundi, as if it were to say, a Savior of the world. But I think that some Jew, who instructed St. Jerome, joked with him as he pleased. I think he will have called him his chancellor and highest, most secret councilor, so that he gives him the ring from his hand.

For this he gives him a wife, the daughter of the highest priest. But someone might be annoyed that he does not take a wife from his blossom, but frees himself 2) with the pagans. But the priest Potiphera will have been a great, brave man. For the kingdoms that have been so graced by God have been provided with fine people. They have also held priests and teachers in honor; as we shall hear Cap. 47, 22. 26. that Joseph, when he burdened the land with interest to give the fifth, let the priests go free. Therefore they must not have been bad people; even though they were pagans, they had some right sense. So the king took the best of the mead, that he might set Joseph in greater honor.

(9) Neither was it forbidden to be free from the Gentiles; for David, Solomon, and others did it also: only that they did it not too much, and were not deceived by them: otherwise Joseph would not have gone in. He was acquainted with them, and talked and counseled with them, and corrected the fault, as the 105th Psalm, v. 22, says, "that he might discipline his princes according to his will, and make his elders wise"; that is, that he might make both, worldly and temporal, wise.

1. In the Erlanger: Zaphnat Pacaenea; in the Wittenberger and the Jenaer: Paenea.
2. liberate-marry. - Erlanger: befreidet.

590 Eri. St, S9ö-2S8. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 888-891. 591

and spiritual regiment, in right pregnancy. Therefore it was by the special order of God that he had the wife, that he instructed her and his children, and the whole royal court. He was appointed as the master, who punished what was wrong and corrected all things, as is necessary when the word is preached.

(10) Further, Moses writes how he begat two sons, 1) of whom the Scriptures speak much. Above he told the twelve patriarchs one after the other, so that Joseph was the eleventh, and Benjamin the twelfth; but now afterwards he takes the two and makes them the chief sons, so that from one father, Joseph, came two tribes.

(11) He calls the first son Manasseh because God had made him forget 2) his father's house and all the misery, for the word Manasseh means forget. How is that Christian, that he boasts that he has forgotten his father?

1. Erlanger: gets.
2. Erlanger: has.

and mother? [He wants to say: I see that God wants to take away the confidence that I have in my Father; for God is a zealot, does not want the heart to have a ground on which it relies and sounds, but on Him alone; therefore I must consider this, even if I never come to the Father, and am always alone; I have a God, if I have Him, I have everything.

(12) He called the other son Ephraim, that is, grown, as if to say, I am cut off from my father's house, I have no inheritance, I am dried up and dried up; but God has made me grow here in misery, more than all my friends.

(13) It is also necessary to know how the two countries, Egypt and Canaan, abut each other and meet at an angle. Canaan lies in the north, Egypt in the evening, so that they border on each other and meet like two corners. Therefore it was not a distant journey when they went in and bought grain, as follows.

The Forty-Second Chapter.

(vv. 1-38) When Jacob saw that grain was on sale in Egypt, he said to his sons: Why do you watch? Behold, I hear that there is corn for sale in Egypt; go down and buy us corn, that we may live and not die. So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt, for Benjamin, Joseph's brother, would not let Jacob go with his brothers, saying, "He may meet with an accident. So the children of Israel came to buy grain, along with others who came with them, because there was also trouble in the land of Canaan. But Joseph was the ruler of the land, and sold corn to all the people of the land. When his brothers came to him, they fell to the ground on their faces. And he looked upon them, and knew them, and stood strange against them, and spake hard unto them, and said unto them: Whence come ye? They said: From the land of Canaan, to buy food. But

Though he knew them, yet they knew him not. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of them, and said unto them: Ye are spies, and are come to see where the land is open. They answered him, "No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. We are all one man's sons, we are honest, and your servants have never been spies. He said to them: Nay, but ye are come to see where the land is open. And they said unto him, We thy servants are twelve brethren, sons of one man, in the land of Canaan, and the youngest is yet with our father: but the one is no more. Joseph said to them: This is it that I have told you, spies ye are; by this will I try you; by the life of Pharaoh, ye shall not come hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you to fetch your brother; you will be tested.

** **592 Erl. S4, 298-soi. Sermon on Genesis 42, 1-38. 43, 1-34. W. Ill, 8SI-884. 595

But you shall be imprisoned. So I will test your speech, whether you deal in truth or not. For if not, then by the life of Pharaoh, ye are spies. And he put them in custody together for three days. On the third day he said to them: If you want to live, do so, for I fear God. If you are honest, let one of your brothers lie bound in your prison, but you go and bring your necessities home, and bring your youngest brother to me, and I will believe your words, so that you will not die. And they did so. And they said one to another, This is the fault of our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him: therefore is this affliction come upon us. And Reuben answered them, and said, Did I not tell you, saying, Sin not against the lad, and ye would not hear? now is his blood required. But they knew not that Joseph understood, for he spake unto them through an interpreter. And he turned away from them, and wept. And when he turned again unto them, and spake unto them, he took of them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes, and commanded that their sacks should be filled with corn, and that their money should be restored every man to his sack, and every man's meat for the journey. And they did so. And they loaded their goods on their asses, and departed. But when one of them had opened his sack to feed his ass in the inn, he saw his money lying in the top of the sack, and said to his brothers: My money has been returned to me; behold, it is in my sack.

Then their hearts fell from them, and they were afraid one of another, and said: Why hath God done this unto us? So they came home to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, and told him all that they had met with, and said: The man who is master of the land spoke harshly to us, and took us for spies of the land. And when we answered him: We are honest, and have never been spies, but twelve brethren, our father's sons; one is no more, and the youngest is yet this day with our father in the land of Canaan, he said, By this I will know that ye are honest: Leave one of your brethren with me, and take the necessities of your house, and go, and bring your youngest brother unto me: and I will know that ye are not spies, but that ye are upright: and I will give you your brother also, and ye shall go to the land to advertise. And when they had heaped up the sacks, they sent every man his bundle of money into his sack. And when they saw that they were bundles of their money, they and their father were afraid. Then Jacob their father said to them: Ye rob me of my children; Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, Benjamin will ye take away; it is all upon me. Reuben answered his father and said, If I do not bring him back to you, strangle my two sons. Only give him into my hand, and I will bring him again unto thee. And he said, My son shall not go down with you: for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If an accident were to befall him on the way you are traveling, you would drive my gray hairs down to hell with pain.

The Forty-Third Chapter.

V.1-34: The land was oppressed by the famine. And when all the goods had been brought out of Egypt, Jacob their father said unto them: Go again, and buy us a little food. And Judah answered him, and said, The man bound us hard, and said: Ye shall see my face

unless your brother is with you. If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. Israel said:

** **594 Erl. S4, S01-S04. Ausleaunaen on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 894-897. 595

Why have you done so evil to me, that you have told the man how you have another brother? They answered: The man inquired so closely about us and our friendship, and said, Is your father still alive? do you also have another brother? Then we said to him, as he asked us. How could we know that he would say: Bring your brother down with you? Then said Judah unto Israel his father, Let the lad go with me, that we may make up and journey, and live, and not die, both we, and thou, and our little ones. I will be guarantor for him; from my hands you shall claim him again. If I do not bring him back to you and place him before your eyes, I will bear the guilt all my life. For if we had not gone away, we would have come back twice. Then said Israel their father unto them: If it must be so, then do it. And take of the best fruits of the land into your sacks, and bring down gifts unto the man, a little balm, and honey, and spices, and myrrh, and dates, and almonds. 1) Take also other money with you, and the money that was returned to you in your sacks above, bring also again with you; peradventure there hath been some mistake. For this purpose, take your brother, get up and come back to the man. But may the Almighty God have mercy on you in the sight of the man, so that he will let you have your other brother and Benjamin. But I must be like one who is deprived of his children. So they took these gifts and other money with them, and Benjamin, and arose, and went into Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And Joseph saw them with Benjamin, and said unto him that was over his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and prepare, for they shall dine with me. And the man did as Joseph had told him, and brought the men into Joseph's house. But they were afraid to be led into Joseph's house, and said: We are brought in here for the money which we found in our sacks before, that he may bring it upon us, and pronounce judgment upon us, that he may take us for his own servants with ours.

1. Marginal gloss: These names of the fruits are still uncertain, even among the Jews themselves.

Donkeys. Therefore they came to the man that was over Joseph's house, and talked with him at the door of the house, saying: My lord, we went down to buy food, and when we came to the inn and opened our sacks, behold, every man's money was on top of his sack, in full weight; therefore we brought it back with us, and brought down other money with us to buy food. But we know not who put our money into our sacks. And he said, Be at ease, fear not: your God, and your father's God, hath given you treasure in your sacks. Your money has become mine. And he brought out Simeon unto them, and brought them into Joseph's house, and gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender. And they prepared the present until Joseph came to the south: for they had heard that they should eat the bread there. And when Joseph was come into the house, they brought him home the present in their hands, and fell down to the ground before him. But he was kind to them, and said, "Is your father well, the old man, of whom you told me? Is he still alive? They answered: It is well with your servant our father, and he is still alive; and they bowed down and fell before him. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said: Is this your youngest brother?since you told me about him? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste, for his heart burned against his brother, and sought where he wept, and went into his closet, and wept there. And when he had washed his face, he went forth, and held himself fast, and said, Lay up bread. And they laid bread specially for him, and specially for them, and specially for the Egyptians. For the Egyptians must not eat bread with the Hebrews, because it is an abomination in their sight. And they set them against him, the firstborn according to his firstborn, and the youngest according to his youth. They wondered among themselves. They were given food from his table, but Benjamin had five times as much as the others. And they drank, and were drunken with him.

** **596 Eri. S4, M4-S0S. Sermon on Genesis 44:1-34. W. Ill, 8S8-S0I. 597

The Forty-Fourth Chapter.

(vv. 1-34) And Joseph commanded him that was over his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with meat, as much as they may carry, and put every man's money in the top of his sack. And put my silver cup in the top of the young man's sack, with the money for the goods. He did as Joseph had told him. In the morning, when it was light, they sent the men away with their donkeys. And when they were gone out of the city, and were not far off, Joseph said unto him that was over his house, Go and pursue after the men; and when thou seest them, speak unto them: Why have ye repaid good with evil? Is not this that my lord drinketh of, and that he prophesieth of? It is evil that ye have done. And when he had taken hold of them, he spoke such words to them. They answered him, "Why does my lord speak such words? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. Behold, the money which we found in our sacks above, we have brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan. And how shall we have stolen silver or gold out of thy lord's house? If it is found among your servants, let him be put to death. And we also will be my lord's servants. And he said, Yea, as ye have said; in whomsoever it be found, he shall be my servant; but ye shall be free. And they hasted, and laid every man his sackcloth upon the earth, and opened every man his sackcloth. And he searched, and lifted up the greatest unto the youngest. Then the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man upon his ass, and departed again into the city. And Judah went with his brethren into Joseph's house: for he was yet there: and they fell down to the ground before him. And Joseph said unto them: What is this deed which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I am can guess? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord, or how shall we speak? And what shall we plead? GOD has not

iniquity of thy servants found. Behold, we and he with whom the cup is found are my lord's servants. And he said, Far be it from me to do this thing. The man with whom the cup was found shall be my servant, but you go up in peace to your father. Then Judah came to him, and said, My lord, let thy servant speak a word in thine ears, my lord; and let not thine anger be kindled against thy servant, because thou art like Pharaoh. And my lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye also a father or a brother? Then we answered: We have a father that is old, and a young lad begotten in his old age, and his brother is dead, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father loveth him. Then saidst thou to thy servants, Bring him down unto me, and I will cast mine eyes upon him. But we answered my lord, The lad cannot come from his father: if he came from him, he would die. Then saidst thou unto thy servants: Where your youngest brother cometh not with you, ye shall see my face no more. So we went up to thy servant my father, and told him of my lord's speech. Then said our father, Go again, and buy us a little meat. But we said: We cannot go down, except our youngest brother be with us, and we will go down: for we cannot see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. Then thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife hath borne me two sons: one went out from me, and they say he is torn, and have not seen him hitherto. If you take this one also from me, and an accident befalls him, you will have my granen. You will lead my hair down to hell with lamentation. Now, if I come home to your servant, my father, and the boy is not with me, because his soul is attached to this soul, it will happen when he sees that the boy is not there, that he dies; so would we, your servants,

** **598 Erl. St, S0S-M9. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 90I-90S. 599

The gray hairs of thy servant, our father, with sorrow bring down to hell. For I, your servant, became surety for the boy against my father, saying, If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the guilt all my life. Let your servant

stay here in the boy's place, to the servant of my lord, and drag the boy up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? I would have to see the misery that would befall my father.

The Forty-Fifth Chapter.

(vv. 1-28) Then Joseph could not refrain himself from all that stood round about, and he cried unto every man, Depart from me: and there stood no man with him, when Joseph confessed himself with his brethren. And he cried with a loud voice, so that the Egyptians and Pharaoh's servants heard him, and said to his brothers: I am Joseph, is my father still alive? And his brethren could not answer him; so they were afraid before his face. And he said unto his brethren: Come near me. 1) And they came near. And he said: I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold in Egypt. And now be not grieved, neither think that there is wrath, 2) because ye have sold me hither: for for your life's sake God hath sent me before you. For these are two years that it is dear in the land, and there are yet five years that there shall be no plowing nor reaping. But God sent me before you, that he might leave you on earth, and preserve your life, by a great salvation. And now, you did not send me here, but God, he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord over all his house, and a ruler in all the land of Egypt. Now therefore make haste, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Joseph thy son saith unto thee, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near me, you and your children and your children's children,

1. Marginal gloss: To me. These are the few words of the Gospel; thus Christ speaks to the soul in faith, after it has been humbled and troubled by the conscience of sin.
2. In the Bible: that I may be angry.

Your flocks and your herds, and all that is yours, I will provide for you there. For there are yet five years of theuration, lest thou perish with thy house, and with all that is thine. Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that I speak unto you verbally. Declare unto my father all my glory in Egypt, and all that ye have seen; make haste, and come down hither with my father. And he fell on the neck of Benjamin his brother, and wept; and Benjamin also wept on his neck. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept over them. After that his brothers talked with him. And when the cry came to Pharaoh's ears, that Joseph's brethren were come, it pleased Pharaoh well, and all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Tell thy brethren: Do so to him, load your animals, go, and when you come to the land of Canaan, take your father and your servants and come to me, and I will give you goods in the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the marrow of the land. And give unto them: Do to him thus, take unto you out of the land of Egypt chariots for your children and your wives, and bring your father, and come. And spare not your household goods: for the goods of all the land of Egypt shall be yours. So the children of Israel did. And Joseph gave them chariots, according to Pharaoh's commandment, and victuals for the way, and gave them all, every one a garment of feasting: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver, and five garments of feasting. But to his father he sent ten asses laden with goods from Egypt, and ten asses laden with grain, and bread and food to his father on the way. So he sent his brothers [and they

** **600 Eri. S4, sos-sil. Sermon on Genesis 45:1-28, W. Ill, sos-sos. 601

He said to them: Do not quarrel on the way. So they went up from Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. And they told him, saying: Thy son Joseph is yet alive, and is a ruler in all the land of Egypt. But his heart cast it to the winds, because he believed them not. Then they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had spoken unto them. And when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to drive him, his spirit was quickened. And Israel said: I am satisfied that my son Joseph is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.

These four chapters are all related to each other, so we will go over them together. So far we have heard how Joseph came to great honor through the word of God, that he became a sovereign, and Egypt was saved through him; and not only Egypt, but also many other people; so that God testifies and proves how he is the right Father and Lord, who takes care of the whole world. Thus the history is more lovely in itself than anyone can say and emphasize; therefore everyone may grasp and consider it for himself.

2. In sum, we see here once again how God leads His saints so strangely. First of all, in that he leaves the old father Jacob sitting so long, that is, thirteen whole years, in great gloom and sorrow, and Joseph also, that they do not think otherwise, that it is over with them; and then suddenly brings about such great joy that even those who hear it must rejoice that the two are so heartily well.

This is the point that the Scripture holds up to us everywhere: What God wants to make honorable, he puts to shame beforehand; whom he wants to please to the highest degree, he makes full of sorrow and heartache beforehand. So that he would like to bring us with so many examples, so that he would shower us, that we would also once learn to know his way, how he acts in all creatures, especially with the elect. The deeper he humbles them, presses them down and lets them sink, the higher he wants to raise them and set them on high.

4. so from this history are a lot of sayings

The fathers therefore took it and learned it. Therefore we should also learn it once; but nature is too weak, it cannot judge differently than it feels. If Joseph should have followed this, as he lay in prison, and his honor and reputation were taken from him, that he had to suffer two kinds of misfortune at once, punishment and shame, and both innocently; for it is still gentle when one suffers in such a way that people know how to mourn him, and have compassion that he is wronged; but when one stands innocent with all disgraces, that is only bitter: if 1) he should now (I say) have judged according to this, he would have had to despair a hundred times. Again, if he had intended that he should come to such great honors, he would gladly have suffered ten times as much. Who wants to praise and exalt that it happens to him that God honors him temporally and eternally, spiritually and physically, that he becomes a lord over all the goods of Egypt, and lasts not ten or twenty, but seventy, yes, almost eighty years!

5 Now count them against each other: Thirteen years he suffers shame, disgrace and guilt; the time has become very long for him, flesh and blood could not sustain it so long; after that he becomes a lord, not only over the woman who must fall at his feet and beg mercy, but over the whole land.

Therefore, God cannot refrain from humiliating us and throwing us down, so He will lift us up all the more joyfully. This is what he wants us to think, if only we can persevere and have patience. This is also what Paul means in 2 Cor. 4:17; that we suffer here is a short moment, but it creates so much the richer glory that is to be revealed in us, if we do not look at the visible, but at the invisible.

7 Thus God wants to comfort us, as if he wanted to say: "Behold, how I am minded, take Joseph before you; as I have dealt with him, 3) so will I deal with you. Thirteen years have I made him suffer, but much more abundantly have I recompensed him with bodily honor, and much more with spiritual honor and goods; that he might

1. Erlanger: shall. Wittenberger and Jenaer: "shall". 2) > Wittenberger: "nu" instead of: es. > > 3) "with him" is missing in the Erlanger.

602 Erl. 44, gii-gi4. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, svs-srv. 603

the Savior and angel sent by God would be of all who are there to enlighten the people and convert them to God.

This is the first and best part, the sum of the whole history, how he becomes at the same time a temporal lord and a spiritual governor of souls, and a right bishop over everything that strikes the land; for without a doubt, his doctrine has spread very far. So he did not celebrate, because he had everything in his hand and ruled, that the right doctrine went strong. Then you can think what fruit he has produced by teaching people to know God, as the Psalter says Psalm 32:8. But it did not come to that, it must have been broken before.

(9) Above this there is another great thing, as I have said, the third, that he became an everlasting lord, that is, that he became the chief of the people of Israel. For Israel had twelve sons, of whom God set apart one, Levi, for the priesthood, and he remained there. Then God took the two sons of Joseph and made the number full again, giving him two tribes before the other brothers, and also the kingdom of Israel, as long as it had stood; so that the man was not only blessed temporally and spiritually, but also his family and the people remained after his life so long that they did excellent deeds, and often brought honor against their enemies, and had great prophets, so that no people was so blessed with his blood and flesh as this one. If he had seen all this before, he would gladly have suffered a hundred years of death, and would still have been too small compared to the abundant good, so that he would be praised with his people. For there was no nation on earth that had such men, prophets, kings and princes as the nation of Israel, especially Ephraim, except the tribe of Judah.

10 God has done all this for the sake of our future comfort when we suffer, when we could only stand still and hold our ground, and gladly suffer more. But we are too soft, only want to see it beforehand, thus preventing his counsel. Who then is not moved by the example, what should move him? How are we so flesh

1. Wittenberger: the.

and blood against them! Therefore, because we cannot wait and wait, we will never see how he comforts and blesses his own. It hurt him that he had to suffer the shame; but if he had seen what God had in mind, he would have gladly let a thousand adulteries pass over him; but because he perseveres, he experiences how abundantly God can repay.

This is what Paul says 2 Cor. 4, 17: "Suffering is small and easy compared to the glory that God wants to give us" when we believe. But when the suffering is there, it seems so great that no one thinks that there is any consolation, so that it also pleased the saints here; as also St. Job, as he says Cap. 6, 2. 3.: "If my wrath were weighed, and my suffering put together in a balance, it would be heavier than sand on the sea." But he who is able to repay God sees that where he can suffer one thing, all heaven is full of consolation; as Christ says in the Gospel Matth. 19, 29.: "Every one that shall save houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or child, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive it an hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life."

12 Then you see how it is true; he leaves Jacob with eleven brothers, and wins the whole land of Egypt, and after that eternal life. We cannot do that. That is why we only want to have our fist full beforehand and not believe; however, we will never come to that. So now understand this story, so that you know what God means by it, and learn how we should conduct ourselves when he deals with us in this way: so that we can draw comfort from it when things go badly for us. This is the first, most noble part.

(13) After this is also how God governs His saints so strangely that He does not take away the nature and inclination that is innate in us. This I do not preach so often for nothing, for it will certainly come again; as one already finds some such saints as those who have run into the deserts of people, and as the monks and nuns have made people to be wood and stones, thinking to come so high in virtue and holiness, that they have

604 EU. gt, sit-sis. Sermon on I Genesis 45, 1-28. W. m, sio-sis. 605

would be like the angels. This is not seen of any saint in all the Scriptures; for the same natural inclinations are God's creatures, which they have denied and want to make for holiness, that we are neither blood nor flesh. I think Jacob is as holy as any pope, even St. Peter and Paul, and all the apostles, should do him honor and call him dear father, for he is exceedingly highly and richly graced by God: yet behold how God makes him weep and wail, and lament over the son, as if he were 1) all flesh. Joseph, now that he has suffered so much, is full of the Holy Spirit and of all goods; but behold how he softens, and the heart in him warms over his brother Benjamin in the flesh, that he must depart from him and weep. This is a natural inclination, implanted by God, which He does not want to condemn. So the brothers also become happy when they recognize him, and he, the father, then becomes completely alive again, as if he had awakened from a deep sleep.

(14) I say all this so that the rich work of God may be known, for it is not in his opinion to break nature. He created the eyes to see, the hands to work, the stomach to digest; every creature as he has made it, so he leaves his work; so he has given women a mother's heart to care for children, which no one can hinder or prevent.

(15) Therefore, let his kingdom remain so that it does not break nature, that it does not again make such mad saints who want to take away their very heart. This is what God does well, that he tempts the natural movement, and tugs with it, and resists it or stops it. So it was natural that Jacob would have liked to keep his son; but God snatches him away, yet does not take away the father's inclination; does not do what he would like, but does not take away his will. So he does not forbid to love this or that, but he often prevents that what we would like to happen does not happen; as that one is rightly scolded and promised, 2) whom I would like to hear praised; or a good friend dies, whom I would not like to lose, and the like.

1. Jenaer and Erlanger: es.
2. promise - to speak ill of someone.

(16) But the clever think that everything must be removed, that one must be free of the thing, and have such an opinion, they want to drive it away with works. He created it that it should be and must be; so we want to make it better, to fight it with commandments and to tear it away. [It is as much as if I said, The eye shall not be the eye, the belly shall not be the belly; yet hungers my belly when it is time, and bids it and forbids it as one pleases. So do all the natural works that are implanted; he leaves them, but he tortures them to try us. Therefore, beware of the same great saints who arose soon after the time of the apostles; as one reads of some of them in vitis patrum. If God did not take away the nature of the saints, whom he had shouted and described in the world as the best that he could find, and if he had had them better, had also had them written, and had preferred them as a paragon and his dearest children, then let us also leave it at that, and not become more holy.

But this we must expect and consider, that he tries and armors them, 3) to test how we want to hold in such a being, whether we can forgive ourselves all things for his sake. For this reason he gives us life, which is the most precious thing we have on earth, but often throws us into danger of death; at last he even takes it from us, so that it may be seen whether we can let it go for the sake of him who gave it. Should it therefore be wrong to love life? His gifts are not rejected, but only tried to see if they could be left; as he tried Jacob to see if he could leave his son for his own sake. He did so, but it hurt him. For it is impossible that nature should not be hurt when the implanted movement is broken.

18 These are the most noble pieces in history. For the fact that Joseph acts and disputes with the brothers in this way, and tortures and stretches them, 4) all this serves so that God's works may always be seen. He wants to make them happy,

3. armor sweep - clean, policies, rub, martyr. - to pardon oneself to renounce a thing.
4. stretch - torture. The term is taken from torture.

606 Erl. S4, sis-sis. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. m, sis-sis. 607

and prepare a good meal, therefore he tributes them well. So that one can feel and be sure when God starts to torture us, that he then has it well in mind; there he is before the door, as he also speaks in the Revelation of John Cap. 3, 20: "I stand before the door"; but the knocking hurts us. But behold how Joseph holds his peace, and opens to him, and lets him go in. Thus he prepares the wedding feast. That is enough of the story. We cannot cover all the points so that it does not become too long; if we want to save some points for the mystery, we will cut them out.

(19) This Joseph, as we have heard above Cap. 37, § 10, is a figure of our Lord Christ; therefore he also has the name. For Joseph is called an increaser, that he always grows and increases, and becomes more and more, accumulates and piles up. God also fulfilled the name to him temporally, as we have heard, that he heaped and showered him with temporal, 1) worldly goods.

Now Joseph had a colorful coat, and was the right, dear child of the father, to whom also the regiment belonged, as also his dreams show; but his brothers become hostile to him, take him away, and sell him in Egypt, so that he comes to a strange place, and must serve the strangers there, and a strange woman disgraces him, seizes him once by his coat, which he leaves in her hand, and flees away 2c. The Holy Spirit has played with the figure before of the passion and resurrection of Christ. For that he comes in Egypt, is that he became man on earth; there he becomes a servant and serves, has no more than body need of it.

021 Then his wife cast her eyes upon him, and would have wooed him: but he would not, and she took him by the cloak, and accused him before her lord. This is what happened to him on earth. The synagogue, or Jewish people, is this harlot, the wife of Moses his master, who is the master of this people, and rules them as a man rules a woman; under whom Christ served, as Paul says, Galatians 3:13, 4:4, and gave and kept himself under the law.

1. Erlanger: Temporal.

Even though he did not need it. For he came in a stranger, and listened to him nothing, but serves him so that he puts all things under his hands, and himself knows not what he hath. This is that Christ has done enough for the law and fulfilled everything, so that no more can be required.

22 And the woman, seeing that he was handsome and fair of face, took pleasure in him, and loved him, and daily tempted him with words, that he should sleep with her; but he would not, so much so that he fled to be with her, until she caught him unawares in secret. This is the figure, when the Pharisees and scribes saw his examples and miracles, how the people clung to him and had great clamor, they could not punish his conduct and behavior. Therefore they would have gladly courted him, that is, they would have drawn him to them, and preached as they wished, and let their thing be right; as is finely indicated in the Gospel of John, how they would have gladly drawn him to them. But nothing came of it, he saw their deception well. No matter how often they tried, it did not help; so he remained innocent of them.

023 And at the last they caught him, and laid hold on him by the cloak. This happened when they captured him and accused him of being a seducer, of stirring up the people and hanging on them, and of preaching against the law. Then they condemned him as an adulterer with all shame. That he should be cast into the dungeon, that is, put away, dead, and buried; then he left the mantle in their hand, which they kept, that is, they have the writing still, which he left behind him; but he is of it, that they catch him not. And as the harlot put and kept the cloak for a witness against him, so they put the writing, which was against themselves, for a witness against him, as when they said in John Cap. 19:7, "We have a law, and by the law he shall die." So he must die most infamously, and lies in the grave.

(24) Then come the prophets, that is, the dreamers, the tavern keepers, and the bakers; that is, that all the sayings of the prophets rhyme here, how his kingdom is, to judge the whole world, to condemn the unbelievers, and to save the faithful. But there comes Pha-

608 Erl. s", sis-ssu Sermon On t Genesis 45, 1-28. 46, 1-34. W. m, mv-ms. 609

rao with his dream; then Christ comes forth and becomes a Lord of his enemies and of all the world, who has in his hands and rules all that God has created in heaven and on earth, so that all the world must bow the knee 1) before him.

(25) There the resurrection and the kingdom of Christ are most delicately portrayed. For as Joseph reigns in the temporal, so he reigns in the spiritual, that he feedeth all souls with his word, and divideth out the gifts of the Spirit, and maketh the whole land full and full, and increaseth his name and family, that kings and prophets arise among his people; so that his humility and affliction are abundantly paid for above all measure, as Paul saith in Phil.

2, 8-11. says: "He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God gave him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Christ every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father." He acquired all these things through his suffering, but all of them for our service, just as Joseph alone was sent by God for this purpose in Egypt, so that many people were helped through him.

26 I will leave the secret or spiritual interpretation of the other chapters for the sake of brevity, because they are easy to find from the previous interpretations, so that others may also have something to do.

The Forty-Sixth Chapter.

Israel went with all that was his. And when he was come to Beer-saba, he offered sacrifices unto the God of Isaac his father. And God said unto him by night in a vision, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said: I am the LORD God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt: for there will I make thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt, and will bring thee up also: and Joseph shall lay his hands upon thine eyes. Then Jacob departed from Babylon, and the children of Israel brought Jacob their father, with their little children and their wives, in the chariots which Pharaoh had sent to bring him. And they took their cattle and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan. And they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his seed with him, his children and his children's children with him, his daughters, and his children's daughters, and all his seed , whom he brought with him into Egypt. These are the names of the children of Israel who came in Egypt: Jacob and his sons. The firstborn son of Jacob, Reuben. The children of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Charmi. The children of Si

meon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar and Saul, the son of the Cananaean 2) wife. The children of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The children of Judah: Ger, Onan, Selah, Perez and Zerah. But Ger and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. The children of Jesashar: Thola, Phuva, Job and Semron. The children of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel. These are the children of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Mesopotamia, with his daughter Dinah, making all together, with sons and daughters, three and thirty souls. The children Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Suni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli. The children of Asher: Jemna, Jesna, Jesui, Bria, and Serah their sister. But the children of Bria: Heber and Malchiel. These are the children of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and bare Jacob these sixteen souls. The children of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. And unto Joseph were born in the land of Egypt Manasseh and Ephraim, which bare him Asnath the daughter of Potipherah the priest of On.

2. Jenaer and Erlanger: canan.

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The children of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Asbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Ros, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. These are the children of Rachel, born to Jacob, all fourteen souls. The children of Dan: Husim. The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Sillem. These are the children Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and Jacob bore these seven souls. All the souls that came with Jacob in Egypt, which went out from his loins (except the wives of his children), are all together six and threescore souls. And the children of Joseph that were born in Egypt were two souls. So that all the souls of the house of Jacob that came into Egypt were seventy. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to shew him the way to Goshen: and they came into the land of Goshen. Then Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up to his father Israel.

toward Gosen. And when he saw him, he fell upon his neck, and wept upon his neck very sore. And Israel said unto Joseph, I will gladly die, when I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and to his father's house, I will go up, and tell Pharaoh, and say unto him: My brethren, and my father's house, are come unto me out of the land of Canaan, and are herdsmen: for they are men that handle cattle; their flocks and their herds, and all that they have, have they brought with them. Now when Pharaoh shall call you, and say, What is your trade? then ye shall say, Thy servants are cattlemen, from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers, that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen. For the shepherding of cattle is an abomination to the Egyptians.

The Forty-Seventh Chapter.

V. 1-3i. Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, saying, My father and my brethren, their flocks and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took five of his younger brethren, and set them before Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh said to his brothers: What is your trade? They answered: Your servants are cattle herders, we and our bitters. And they said unto Pharaoh, We are come to dwell with you in the land: for thy servants have no pasture for their cattle, so hard doth the Theurung oppress the land of Canaan. Now therefore let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you; the land of Egypt is open to you; let them live in the best part of the land; let them live in the land of Goshen. And if thou knowest that there are men of valor among them, set them over my cattle. Joseph also brought in his father Jacob, and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh asked Jacob, How old art thou? Jacob said to Pharaoh, The time

The time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty years; the time of my pilgrimage is few and evil; it does not equal the time of my fathers in their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from him. And Joseph made his father and his brethren dwell, and gave them a place in the land of Egypt, in the best place of the land, even in the land of Raemses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And he fed his father and his brethren, and all his father's house, as the young children, with bread. But there was no bread in all the land, for the famine was so severe that the land of Egypt and Canaan fainted from the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in Egypt and Canaan for the corn which they bought, and he put all the money into Pharaoh's house. And when there was a lack of money in the land of Egypt and Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, Provide us bread; why sufferest thou us to die before thee, because we are without money? And Joseph said, Bring forth your cattle, and I will give you cattle, because ye are without money. Then broke

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They gave Joseph their livestock. And he gave them bread for their horses, and for their sheep, and for their oxen, and for their asses. So he fed them with bread for the year for all their cattle. When the year was over, they came to him the next year and said, "We will not hide from our master that not only the money but also all the livestock has gone to our master, and there is nothing left before our master but our bodies and our fields. Why hast thou caused both us and our land to die before thee? Take us and our land for bread, that we and our land may be a servant to Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the field be not desolate. So Joseph took all Egypt from Pharaoh. For the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was too great for them. And the land was Pharaoh's, and the people that went in and out of the cities thereof, from one place of Egypt to another. Except the field of the priests, which he took not: for Pharaoh commanded the priests that they should eat the things which he gave them. Therefore they were not allowed to sell their field. Then said Joseph unto the people, Behold, I have taken you this day, and have given your field unto Pharaoh: behold, ye have seed, and sow the field; and of the corn ye shall eat the fivefold.

Give four parts to Pharaoh, for sowing the field, for your food, and for your house and children. They said: Let us only live, and find grace in the sight of thee our Lord; we will gladly be Pharaoh's servants. So Joseph made them a law unto this day, over the field of Egypt, to give the fifth to Pharaoh, except the priests' field, which was not Pharaoh's own. So Israel dwelt in Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and possessed it, and grew and multiplied greatly. And Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt: and all his days were an hundred and seven and forty years. And it came to pass, when the time was come for Israel to die, that he called Joseph his son, and said unto him, If I have found grace in thy sight, put thine hand under my thigh, that thou mayest do mercy and faithfulness unto me, and bury me not in Egypt: but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt bring me forth out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. He said: I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. Then Israel knelt down 1) against the bed at his head.

1. Marginal gloss: knelt. The all books in Greek and Latin have here thus: And he worshipped at the head of his scepter, as the epistle to the Hebrews reports at the 11th v. 21., as if Jacob had worshipped the scepter of Joseph; but in Hebrew it is as it is here.

The forty-eighth chapter.

V.i-22. And Joseph was told, Behold, thy father is sick. And he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And it was told Jacob, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee. And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed, and said unto Joseph, The Almighty God appeared unto me in Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me, Behold, I will cause thee to grow and multiply, and will make thee a Han people, and will give this land unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. Now therefore thy two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in Egypt, before I came in unto thee, shall be my sons.

They shall be like Reuben and Simeon. And they that thou begettest after them shall be thine; but these shall be called by their brethren's names in their inheritance. And it came to pass, when I was come out of Mesopotamia, that Rachel died with me in the land of Canaan, by the way of a highway to Ephrath; and I buried her by the way of Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem. And Israel saw the sons of Joseph, and said, Who are they? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me here. And he said, Bring them hither unto me, that I may bless them. For the eyes of Israel were heavy with age, and could not well see.

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And he brought her unto him. And he kissed them, and hugged them, and said unto Joseph, Behold, I have seen thy face, which I thought not of; and, lo, God hath made me to see thy seed also: and Joseph took them from his bosom, and they fell down upon the earth upon their faces. Then Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand, against Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand, against Israel's right hand, and brought them to him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim the youngest, and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh: and he did so knowingly with his hands, because Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, saying, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has nourished me all my life to this day, the angel who has delivered me from all evil, bless these sons, that they may be called by my name and by the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, that they may grow and become many on the earth. But when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon Ephraim's head, it displeased him, and he fasted his father's hand, and turned it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And said unto him, Not so, my father, this is the firstborn; lay thy right hand upon his head. But his father refused, saying: I know it well, my son, I know it well, this also shall become a full one, and shall be great; but his youngest brother shall become greater than he, and his seed shall become full of people. So he blessed them that day, saying, After thy manner shall Israel be blessed, that it may be said, God set thee as Ephraim and Manasseh. And so he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die, and God shall be with you, and shall bring you again into the land of your fathers. I have given you a piece of land apart from your brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow. 1)

What follows is, in sum, an interpretation of the 46. 47. 48. chapter.

1. In the Erlangen edition, the text of the 49th chapter follows here.

(1) Then we have heard how the heavy plague lasted two years in Egypt before Jacob came in, and how it lasted five years. But all that was in Egypt was consumed, and the money that was in the land and round about came in heaps into the king's house. After that, in the sixth year, all the livestock went up. In the seventh year the king's land and people became his own, like the servants, so that he had power over them as over the cattle. For this reason Joseph gave him an abundance of riches.

2 Thus, when God wants to make a country rich and great, He does so that it must become great even if all the others perish. Now we have heard that he was a fine king, pious and sensible, who knew God and learned God's word from Joseph. How is it then that Joseph, the holy man, and Pharaoh, the pious king, rule so horribly, burdening and subduing the land, leaving them nothing of their own, making them poor, serfs, even to the point of beating the fifth man over the land forever; is this also Christian or just?

3 Everyone knows that there is a common, regular interest in the countries, although it is not here with us, because it is called the tithe, that one gives annually the tenth part of all kinds of goods in the country to the authorities; one also considers it a beneficial, fine right. However, I would like to see tithing in this country as well, and I might even suggest that a fifth be given, so that everything would be bad; it would not be possible to act and act in the same way. For where one does not tithe, but strikes a named sum on a city, so that one gives as much, the other as much, the sum must fall one year as the other, God grant, it may be, as it may, whether it hardly comes to twenty or forty florins. If the income and the stock last once in seven or eight years, it will spoil five or six years after that; so that half of it will be gone in that way, and the people will have to give the greater part of their goods as interest. What have they gained?

4. i have overlapped what has been given to the spiritual beggars so far, and ge-

616 EU. st, gg2-gg". Sermon on Genesis [48:I-22. W. m, A-sse. . 617

The people found that half of the poor people's goods had fallen there, and they had to feed themselves on the other half. For a poor man's goods, land, cattle, and the like, whether they bear anything or nothing, they must give as much one year as the next. But if a man had to give a tenth cow and calf every year, and so on, he would have the advantage, if it bore him much, he would give much, if it bore him little, he would give little; then the 1) people should not be pressed with the said sum, but would have to wait for happiness with them. But now a poor man of misfortune must wait alone, the overlords sit free and secure; God give, one spoils or prosper, so the interest must fall.

Now say, whether these were not more reasonable people than we? have naturally put interest on the land, that it may have suffered and come to. It would be more painful to keep the ninth, or even the eighth part of the property, because one often gives away half of it, sometimes more than one takes in. That is why the cities have to pay interest on themselves, and why they are ruined by it. That is why people complain that there is no more money and property in the world, and soon everyone is ruined.

(6) Therefore they were wise men, and it was not unjust for Joseph to bring the land and goods under the king. The grain and the land were his; so it was a friendship that he sold them for an equal penny, and gave goods for goods; which is equal and fair in all the world, for he was not guilty of feeding them all; nor would it have been advisable. For one must keep the people in check and constrained; otherwise, if one fed him 2) Omnes for nothing, he would become too wanton and go dancing on the ice.

(7) If there were vain pious people, they should not be compelled nor tamed; but the rabble is too wicked, and as soon as too much will is left to it, no one can deal with it. Therefore, it is not worthwhile to let the common man go without coercion and insistence. It must be set in a regiment and order, which must therefore be left alone.

1. Erlanger: the.
2. He = Lord.

They do not give them enough for nothing, but goods for goods or money. Who else would work and sit still? You can see how it is about the heap; if you allow him a hand's breadth, he takes four and twenty cubits.

8 Therefore, though it may seem a hard and grievous thing for Joseph to make such complaints of the people, yet it has been gracious and profitable that both the common man and the authorities may prosper thereby. But there is no doubt that Joseph was so pious that he did not let poor people who did not have to pay for it suffer hardship, but gave it for free; but from others, who had to pay for it, he also took it. Further, we have heard above that the holy fathers, both Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob also, had many of their own people or servants, who were sold like cattle; item, also more things done that are worldly than received and shed blood; all of which can be considered as not having been done in a brotherly or Christian way. But to act in a Christian and brotherly manner does not belong to the worldly regiment; God Himself has determined how one should act with servants, maidservants and their children, and the like.

(9) Christianity and evangelicalism are to rule the consciences alone; but to rule the world are sharp and strict laws, to restrain the wickedness of which they are all full; but that it may be restrained, the other pious men, who have no need of it, must keep up, for the sake of common peace. So now he has brought the land to himself with God and honor. Whoever wants to count it further, let him do so, even if it is difficult to give the fifth. Let it come to pass that they give the sixth, or the seventh, or the eighth. [All this would be advisable if other burdens, customs duties, purchase of interest, and the like, which now daily abound, were abolished, so that both the authorities and we would have enough. And indeed in the Old Testament, with the Jews, one also had to give much, the tithe and all first fruits, and firstlings of cattle and men, to the priests, otherwise also the tithe of the first year, without other things 3 Mos. 27, 30. ff. Cap. 23, 10., that it has probably become equal to the fifth, which Joseph put on.

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(10) But besides this, Moses here writes how the priests are exempt, that they keep their field and goods all as it was ordained for them, that they should eat what was appointed them. This is also one of the texts on which the pope's spiritual law wants to be based, and says that his priests should have their goods free, not subject to interest or tithes. To this the Gospel says: Go and preach, take and eat what is given you, for "a laborer is worthy of his food" Matth. 10, 10.. And Paul 1 Cor. 9:14, "The Lord hath commanded that they which preach the gospel should feed on the gospel." So it was ordered in the Old Testament, and here also among the Gentiles. I have often wondered at St. Paul's writing so much about how to feed the belly, and Christ himself is so careful about it; although he did not determine how much to give to the preachers, yet he commanded it so far that they could feed and sustain themselves on it.

So it was, because Paul lived, that they would give him nothing, which is why he speaks so much about it 1 Cor. 9, 14, and Gal. 6, 6. 7. he tells them harshly: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; what a man sows, that he will also reap. Christ himself would have had to go for bread and suffer hunger, had he not been able to make bread out of stones Matth. 4, 3, if it had been necessary, and if the women had not hung on him, who had given him need. We cannot do it any other way, it will remain that the right, pious preachers must go for bread for the sake of the world. We cannot feed one or two right preachers, but we can fill a hundred and a thousand monks and priests who lead us to the devil.

(12) In the Old Testament, all twelve tribes could not feed the one tribe of Levi, so that in the end they had to leave God's word to teach and feed themselves with their hands. Besides, there was almost no spot in the land, there were altars and chapels, where one could give abundantly to the deceivers: When Isabel alone fed four hundred false prophets from her table, and beside them were four hundred prophets of Baal.

There were a hundred prophets who suffered hunger and hardship. Therefore it is true: Those who serve in the word, to them it is fair to give their food. For this reason I respect that Joseph and Pharaoh have set up proper people, and have considered it the noblest work to provide for them, since they are more important than the whole country.

I have also preached and written that the most important thing should be to take good care of the parishes and schools. But there is no one who wants to. Others, priests and fattened bellies, who do nothing but cause all kinds of misfortune, are given enough. What God will say about this, we will also become aware of one day. I have often said that God regards His gifts as precious and valuable; He has also confessed much to Him, He has turned His Son's blood to it, so that the Word would be preached and His apostles would be sent out. Therefore he thinks: The treasure is too noble and good, they are not worth to have it; therefore I will feed my worthy preachers myself. Therefore he does not give it to the mad world to do it, because to his Christians, one, or two, or three; the others let all preachers die of hunger in one day. It is too noble and too great, they are not worthy to do honor to the gospel and its preachers, otherwise they would say they deserved it.

14 So it will soon come to pass that the right preachers will have to leave their ministry and learn a trade just for the sake of food; then they will lose the word through God's wrath and punishment, and again, they will carry heaps to those who preach lies and deception to them. Because the treasure is there, no one turns to it; when it is gone, only then does one look back. Therefore it must go, as Christ John 5:43 says: "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his name, him will ye receive." We may thank God that we know how it must go, and let the world go to the devil, and console ourselves that we have a Father in heaven who will feed us; if we cannot do more, we work with our hands, and we are excused. It is not possible for us

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and have no nourishment from it, although St. Paul did it; it is also not necessary. But if it were necessary and I wanted to make an effort, with God's help I could also preach and do a trade at the same time.

(15) Therefore this example is not to be drawn, since the pope points it out, that they sit securely and firmly in their goods, and may give nothing to anyone, which they have not acquired, but are given by princes, not for the sake of preaching, but for the sake of masses, and endowed as a good work, but for the service of the devil; wherefore they also must have enough, and the true preachers are in want.

16 But this Pharaoh has been a righteous man and has acted in a royal way in taking care of the people who are to preach and teach. You will not find many pagan princes who do the same. So he has provided for both the secular and the ecclesiastical regiment in the best possible way, so that they do not suffer any hardship in body and soul.

17 There is nothing more special in the history, except in the 48th chapter, about the two brothers, Ephraim and Manasseh, whom he blesses and chooses as his sons. This he tells so that afterwards it may be understood how he often tells of the twelve tribes of the people of Israel; for out of Joseph came two tribes, so that he has twice as many as the others. For one generation was to be taken out for the priesthood, so that the place was to be filled again, and the two sons were to be added.

18 Now God performed a miracle: Joseph brought the two children to their father, placed the eldest on his father's right side and the other on his left, and Jacob laid his hands on them as they stood before him; but he turned them back and acted out of courage, so that Joseph was displeased.

19 Now it is evident how in the Old Testament much preference and freedom was given to the first son, that he always took two pieces of inheritance before others, and in addition won the regiment and priesthood; the others had to be his subjects in spiritual and temporal government. This is also due to the first son of Manasseh, but he takes it from him and gives it to the youngest son.

He said, "This one also shall be great, but the youngest shall be greater than he. And from the text also afterward the tribe of Ephraim was proud and haughty, that there was no proud people among the Jews, which boasted so of the blessing; they were but nephews, and the youngest; neither were they the greatest. For the kingdom and government of Israel consisted of them. Who now reads the prophets, he can understand from this, why they attract the name Ephraim so, just as we call with us the Roman empire. The patriarch Joseph deserved the honor with his misery, which he had suffered in Egypt; so that we should see how God rewards again and sets to great honors those who can wait and endure his hand.

20. But the fact that he shows the youngest son is done according to the Gospel, that God thus does: what is great before the world, he lets down; and again, what is least, he lifts up. He who should be called the first becomes the last, so that he never leaves his way; all this to comfort Christians, so that they learn more and more to recognize God as his way, work and manner is, to see only down what is small; whereas the world sees only above itself what is great and high, and thinks that the poor people are completely abandoned. We must hear and see this through all examples, yet we always remain in the old sense and thought.

(21) This is also the purpose of what we heard above chap. 43, 3, how Joseph commanded his brothers not to see his face, because they would bring the least brother with them. This is also what we are commanded to do, that we always take care of the least of these; must not come before God, bringing with us the least and weakest of Christians. As Christ teaches in Matthew Cap. 25, 40., and thus concludes: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." But no one wants to look down and submit to the service of those who are nothing. Therefore we would like to make this a proverb among ourselves and admonish ourselves daily, because Christ is always pointing us to it.

22 So we have heard this history of Joseph to the end, that now is fulfilled the dream which he had dreamed before, how

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This is also indicated by the text, where it says: "Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them," which is why they were also angry with him and pushed him away, but were so wonderfully fulfilled that he came to such honor and power precisely because of this, so that they thought to destroy him, and considered nothing so certain, because Joseph, where he lived, would have to be a miserable man all his days. So God goes with the 1) his own, gives them interpretation, what should happen, but so that no one is wondering how it will happen, but seems, how it should go back, and yet is so richly fulfilled. It was a sign that his brothers should call him merciful Lord, and fall at his feet. The dream was from God; therefore it had to happen in such a way that no one could believe it; it had to turn around, so that they made him a servant and sold him, and were sure that the dream was all lies. But since his all things are forgotten, they come and fall at his feet unknowing.

(23) These are all the works of God that He does and impels. He has promised us eternal life, that we may escape from the power of the devil.

1. "den" is missing in the Erlanger.

into eternal divine power. This is promised to us in baptism; but when it is to begin, it turns; we then go into the midst of death, like the dear martyrs who had to go through sword, fire and all misfortune. So when he wants to make rich, high, pious, he makes poor, despised, sinners and evil consciences, so that he drives it everywhere according to the outward appearance, as if it should come to nothing and exist with lies. Blessed is he who understands and does not err or resent it! Joseph shall become a mighty prince, he shall be a poor captive, with great dishonor, as an adulterer; but the greater misery and dishonor have been, the greater welfare and honor shall be given him. So it would be with us, if we could only trust and wait once, we shall have no want nor need of body and soul, and God will be with us in all temptation and affliction, as He says in the 91st Psalm, v. 15.But when He attacks us, we cannot stand; we forget His way of fulfilling His word, namely, that He takes away what He wants to give; but He plays kindly with us, like a father with his dear children, until the time comes that He will shower us with joy.

The Forty-Ninth Chapter.

(vv. 1-33) And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the latter days. Come in multitudes, and hear, ye children of Jacob, hear your father Israel. Reuben, 2) my first son, you are my strength, and the beginning of my might, the chief in sacrifice, and the chief in power. He passed away lightly, like water. Thou shalt not be chief, for thou hast gone up to thy father's camp, and there thou shalt be chief.

2. Marginal gloss: Reuben should have the dignity of the first birth, namely the priesthood and kingdom. But both are taken away from him, and Levi is given the priesthood, and Judah the kingdom. Here means the synagogue, which defiled the bed of Jacob, that is, the Scriptures, with false doctrine, because of which it lost priesthood and kingdom.

you have defiled my bed with the rising. The brothers Simeon and Levi, their deadly defences are harmful witnesses. Let not my soul enter into their secret, neither let my glory be one with their gathering. For in their wrath they have slain the man, and in their strength they have maimed the ox. Cursed be their anger for its fierceness, and their wrath for its stubbornness. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. Judah, it is you; your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the necks of your enemies. Your father's children will bow down to you. Judah is a young lion, thou art come up, my son, sint the spoiler; he hath bowed down, and lain down like a lion,

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And like a lioness, who will rise up against him? The scepter 1) of Judah shall not be taken away, nor a champion from his feet, until the hero come, and unto him shall the nations fall. He shall bind his fill to the vine, and his ass's son to the noble branches. He shall wash his robe in wine, and his mantle in the blood of the vine. His eyes shall be redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. Zebulun shall dwell at the fords of the sea, and at the fords of the ships, and shall come upon Sidon. Issachar shall be a legged ass, and shall lie down between the borders. And he shall see the rest that it is good, and the land that it is pleasant, and shall incline his shoulders to bear, and shall become an interest-bearing servant. Dan shall be a judge among his people, as another generation in Israel. Dan shall become a serpent in the way, and an adder in the stairs, and shall bite the horse in the heel, that his rider may fall back. O LORD, I wait for thy salvation. Gad, armed, shall lead the army, and lead it round again. Bon Asser comes his fat bread, and he will give cute food to the kings. Naphtali is a swift deer, and gives pretty speech. The blissful child Joseph, the blissful child to look at. The daughters walk in the regiment. And although the shooters make him bitter, with him

1. Marginal gloss: Scepter. Here the blessing of Christ, who was to be born of Judah, is mentioned, and he is called Shiloh, that is, he who should be blessed, and freshly infused with spirit and faith, which before was sour and wretched by works. Therefore we call Shiloh a hero. For the former part of the blessing concerns King David, and there is nothing more of Christ in all the blessings, but everything else is of temporal salvation, which is given to the children of Israel. As that Zebulun should dwell by the sea unto Sidon, and Jeshachar should dwell in the midst of the land of the sea, and yet have been interestable unto the kings of Assyria. The blessing of Dan was fulfilled by Samson, Judges. 13, 24. 25. Gad has directed his blessing, when they reigned before Israel, Jos. 1, 14. Aeser has held good grain land. Naphtali blessing is fulfilled through Deborah and Barak, Judg. 4, 6. 5, 1. The blessing of Joseph is upon the kingdom of Israel, and is entirely said of the fleshly regime, that the daughters that is, the cities in the land were well governed in time, and had many prophets and great men for cornerstones. And though they were often contested, yet they prevailed; and this kingdom was in the family of Ephraim. So the spiritual blessing and kingdom remained on Judah, and the physical kingdom on Ephraim. Benjamin's blessing was fulfilled by St. Paul, Phil. 3, 5. or the king Saul, and the citizens of Gab", Richt. 20, 25.

Though they quarrelled and hated him, yet his bow remained firm, and the arms of his hands were strengthened by the hands of the mighty one in Jacob. From them have come shepherds and stones in Israel. From thy father's God thou art helped, and from the Almighty thou art blessed, with blessings above from heaven, with blessings from the deep that lieth beneath, with blessings in breasts and in bellies. The blessing, promised to your father and my forefathers, goes strong, according to the desire of the high ones in the world. Joseph shall become heads, and chief Nazirites among his brethren. Benjamin is a ravening wolf; in the morning he will devour the prey, but in the evening he will divide the spoil. These are the twelve families of Israel all, and this is what their father spoke to them when he blessed them, each with a special blessing. And he commanded them, and said unto them: I am gathered unto my people, bury me with my fathers in the cave of the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the twofold cave that is toward Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for an inheritance burying. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac also, and Rebekah his wife. And there I buried Leah in the possession of the field, and in the cave that was therein. And when Jacob had finished his commandments unto his children, he put his feet together upon the bed, and departed, and was gathered unto his people.

Cap. 50, 1. Then Joseph fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him.

V. 1-4. And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may declare unto you the things that shall befall you in the latter days. Come in multitudes, and hear, ye children of Jacob, hear your father Israel 2c.

001 Now this is the last thing that Jacob giveth unto his sons, to every one his prophecy, how he shall fare; and he taketh them one by one, as he begat them, according to their age.

2. the first one is Reuben. "My power (says he) and beginning of my strength", or fortune; that is, the first child, as the first good that I overcame. Hence the

626 Erl. 34, 341-343. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 94V-94S. 627

Scripture also calls the fruits of the field strength, as above Cap. 4, 12.: "The field shall not give thee its strength or fortune." And beginning of my fortune, that is, I had nothing for the first but thee. The chief in sacrifice and power, that is, 1) you should well be the chief, as the first child, to whom by right the priesthood is due, that is, the spiritual regiment, to preach and govern the consciences, in addition to the temporal regiment, which he calls the power. To this you were born; but you go too lightly, that is, you pay too little attention to it, you have relied on it too surely, and think that you are a nobleman, that everything you do should be good, you have taken it lightly and not taken it to heart: for the sake of lightness you shall not be supreme.

So here he must pay for what he had done to his father and slept with his stepmother. For God leaves nothing unspotted, however slowly he punishes; just as he leaves nothing unrewarded for his own. Jacob had to let it go and was not punished, even though it made him very angry and hurt him; but here it is paid for in the bestowal of paternal goods and blessings. That is why this tribe and lineage has never been something special, but almost the least and the last. So God punishes slowly but severely, does not ask about the person and the blood, that he has the first birth and is Jacob's son. Thus the honor that is otherwise rightfully his is taken away from him, and the priesthood is turned over to Levi, the kingdom to Judah and Ephraim.

V. 5-7. The brothers Simeon and Levi, their mortal defenses are harmful testimonies. My soul shall not enter into mystery, neither shall my glory be one with their assembly 2c.

(4) He took the two brothers by the handful, and gave them no good thing, but always paid them according to what each had earned. We have just heard what they did in chapter 34, v. 25 ff., how they killed all the Shechemites, even though they had promised them safety. This was also unpunished until now

1. "that is" is missing in the Erlanger.

But not forgotten; so that their children must pay for it, that they are divided and scattered in Jacob or Israel, that is, that they have no dwelling place of their own in the land. For Levi never had any special dwelling place of his own, but was tossed about and divided among the others. Simeon also had to make his own home in the tribe of Judah and remain in a corner.

(5) Now some say spiritually that Judas, the betrayer of Christ, came from Simeon; but the priests who gathered together against Christ, and were slain in anger, were of the family of Levi, wherefore they are now scattered abroad. But I leave it in the bad, physical sense, according to history; because for the sake of Christ all thirteen 2) families were scattered; but these two had to be divided in the people of Israel.

V. 8. 9. Judah, it is you, you will be praised by your brothers 2c.

6th This is a piece of blessing upon Judah, where Christ shall come in, for whose sake it is all written. Now here Judah is given the honor, and is preferred to all the brethren, that they should bow down before him, and it happened to him as the other histories give, that he became the royal tribe, which had under it all Israel, under David and Solomon, for almost a hundred years. After that, it was divided and divided so that only two tribes remained with each other, Judah and Benjamin; the others were taken by Ephraim or Joseph. Nevertheless, the kingdom remained with Judah, as it was promised, until Christ. But Ephraim did not remain, so that it did not stand with each other much over two hundred years. Therefore Jacob says here before that Judah should become great and keep the scepter until the right king, Christ, would come. Thus, the text strongly imposes that Christ had to come from Judah, as we will hear.

(7) So this prophecy has two parts in it; first, the physical kingdom, which David and Solomon and their descendants had until Christ, in which the spiritual kingdom began and continues without end.

2. Jenaer: twelve.

628 Erl. St, Sts-Sts. Sermon on Genesis 49:8-11. W. Ill, "ts-ssu 629

008 So then he saith, Judah, thou art the man," the right child of Leah the poor woman, "thy brethren," all the twelve generations, "shall have thee in honor; and thine hand shall be upon the neck of the enemies," that is, God shall give thee grace, that whithersoever thou turnest thou shalt smite thine enemies; which all is fulfilled in David. For though he had many calamities at home in his Hanse, yet when he went forth he smote all to the ground, that he never lost a battle. Thus the Holy Spirit describes beforehand how he would do it, for it is especially upon him that all the Jews should call him gracious Lord.

9th Therefore he saith, Thou art a young lion, fearless and valiant, and so strong that no man can overpower thee, as the whole history of David showeth. Item: "Thou hast come up against robbery," that is, thou hast committed robbery, which has lifted thee up, that is, against all the kings round about; for he has brought under himself all that opposed him. Item: "He knelt down like a lion," that is, because he so robbed and broke everything under him, he sat down and sat quietly in the regiment, was a king like a lion, who lay and sat so mightily that no one was allowed to stir against him. Thus far he speaks of the kingdom of Judah, in which he especially means David. Now follows the spiritual kingdom.

V. 10, 11: The scepter shall not be taken from Judah, nor a champion from his feet, until the hero come, and the nations shall fall unto him. He shall bind his fill to the vine, and his ass's son to the noble branches. He will tie his garment 2c.

(10) All this is now due to Christ. He calls the "scepter" the kingdom and regiment, which is to remain with Judah. As if to say, the whole nation of Israel shall not remain, but shall fall away; but the family of Judah must retain the rule. Even if it does not have kings forever, it will least of all have princes, so that the rule will remain, not only temporal but also spiritual.

11 For when he says, "Another master from his feet," he means the priesthood, prophets and teachers, to be listened to until

on the hero, Christ, of which they should be sure. In Hebrew, however, he calls Christ Shilo, which the Jews do not yet know what it actually means; it is not used anywhere else in Scripture, except here. We have rendered it "a hero". Otherwise it means such a man who is fortunate, who goes out freely, and who succeeds in everything he undertakes. For it comes from the word which means happiness and prosperity, as in the 30th Psalm, v. 7: "I said in my prosperity, or when it was well with me: I will abide forever." So he points it to Christ with hidden words, and determines the kingdom of Judah.

(12) From this we can now deal with the Jews and transfer their matter. For since they have neither kingdom nor government, neither spiritual nor temporal, they are also 1) cast out of the land, and scattered through the world: in short, there is neither scepter nor master: so the hero or Messiah must surely have come. They can also raise nothing against it, because it is such a mighty saying, as none in the New Testament. So it is undeniable that when Christ came, their reign was over, and the people perished, until now they are even driven away, that they have no certain place anywhere, and now a thousand and a half years have passed, that they must confess without their thanksgiving that he must have come long ago. So that also our gospel and New Testament is founded on this text, that it must be righteous.

13 Further Jacob wants to indicate what kind of king he should be. There the Jewish kingdom ends and goes to the spiritual kingdom. [First of all, he says: "The nations will fall to him," that is, he will be such a king and such a kingdom that will not force the people with the sword and bring them under him, as all other kingdoms do, but to whom not only the Jews but also the nations will flock and give themselves under him. There has never been a kingdom to which a people has fallen wantonly, without this king: this must be so delicious that all kinds of people run to it with desire and love. But if the Jews say that he is talking about a bad lord, to whom many people

1. "also" is missing in the Erlanger.

630 Erl. 34, 34S-S48. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 9SI-954. 631

Let them interpret it as they like, we have it irrefutably that he shall be of the tribe of Judah, of royal blood, that is, of the king David, and shall only come when the scepter, that is, their kingdom ceases, and shall be such a Lord, to whom not only Judaism but also the Gentiles shall fall. What else would it be if he should think that the Jews alone would fall to him and stick to him, since the kingdom of Judah is not to remain, and all the Jews have already fallen to him, and yet did not remain with him? What miracle would it be that the Jews, his own people, would fall to him?

14 Now let them say where they had any lord, after the scepter and fleshly kingdom have ceased, to whom the nations, both they and the Gentiles, have fallen. But we have Christ from the tribe of Judah, to whom not only many Jews but all the Gentiles have submitted themselves, and have willingly accepted him as their Lord. For Jacob's words indicate that the Shiloh will be much greater than the previous scepter and kingdom of Judah. Now it could not become greater if only the Jews fell to it; nor has there been a greater one among them without this Christ; so that he indicates it as a special prize of this king, just as it is a great wonder that all the world should fall to a Jewish man, when the Gentiles have never been more hostile to any people than to the Jewish.

15. But with what will he do this, or what regiment will the king lead? "He will bind (says Jacob) his 1) fillings to the vine, and his" 2c. There his kingdom is described, and seems indeed a foolish describing to be. What delicious thing is this, that the king, who is to rule without a sword and be greater than David and Solomon, should be the highest prize, that he should tie his donkey to vines or grapevines, and wash his clothes in wine, and have red eyes and white teeth? Who ever heard a king more praised and described? Should he not praise him cheaply like this: He will devour land and people, cities and castles enveloped with army power.
16. Jenaer: "his fullness"; Wittenberger and Erlanger: a filling.

and bloodshed, that one might bathe in it, and ride in it in great, glorious splendor, and surrounded with pure gold, like King Solomon, who is probably described differently.

(16) If I were to praise a bad citizen, and should praise him as he tied the ass to the vine, and washed his garment in wine; item, of red eyes and white teeth, everyone would laugh at me and mock; yes, if someone spoke of a fool, as he could not do more than tie the ass to the vine, and let it eat, and spoil both garment and wine with washing, it would go. But to speak thus of such a mighty king, to whom all the world is given, is nothing at all, especially if it be spoken of so great a thing as God speaks. When he speaks of a kingdom, he means it seriously, that it is something great.

Therefore faith must rule here, and the understanding must be seen, which God means, which reason cannot attain. The Jews make a nose at him and say that he means such a rich, superfluous kingdom that the wine should be so good that the donkeys will eat grapes and wash clothes in the wine, so that everyone will want to bathe in it. But how 2) does the donkey rhyme with the grapes, or the garment with the wine? and where are the red eyes and white teeth? or when is this ever physically fulfilled? Therefore, this cannot be understood in any other way than spiritually, just as he is not a physical but a spiritual king. So that it is spoken of the preaching office through and through; as we have often said, that Christ's kingdom is not ruled otherwise than by the Holy Spirit with the gospel. All his sword, armor, strength and power is the word of God, as St. Paul says to Romans Cap. 1, 16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God which saves all who believe in it.

18. This is all the glory and splendor of this king, that he has a powerless, despised word, which is condemned before all the world and trampled underfoot; but no one shall be saved, unless he believes 3) in it and holds it to be true.
19. Erlanger: what.
20. "denn" is missing in the Erlanger.

632 Erl. 34, 348-350. sermon on Genesis 49, 10. II. W. Ill, p54-957. 633

mightier than all the power of the world. It is indeed a mockery and foolishness before it, especially before the holy people; but nevertheless it does this so that the hearts that grasp it, stirred by the Holy Spirit, fall away from all other things that the world considers delicious, from all 1) idolatry and our works, and rely solely on God's grace. Thus everything on earth is destroyed, it tears us away from all things that are not God, which no human power is able to do. For there has never been a worldly power so great that it could rule the hearts, so that they would willingly let themselves be moved and led.

19 So he rules by the word and with the word in the hearts, that his royal rule is nothing else than the ministry of preaching, which was meant here so long before and had to be proclaimed by Jacob. That is why St. Paul praises it to the Romans at the beginning v. 2, that it is proclaimed in the holy scriptures. Nothing more is known about Christ's kingdom than the gospel; it does not rule by sword or force, the word alone causes 2) the rumor that mother and daughter, father and son are separated, as Christ says Matth. 10, 35.

(20) Now this is what Jacob says, "He will bind the ass to the vine"; namely, nothing else, but to bind his Christians to the holy word of God, so that they will drink from it. What GOD has spoken and written is the noble vine and branches, but we are the ass or fill. Thus He does not speak of great men, but of lowly, poor asses, to indicate that His kingdom is a kingdom of grace, as He also indicated on Palm Day, when He rode in, and took the dumb animal, the ass, to it Matt. 21:7. We, who live in the flesh, are called donkeys by the Scriptures, just as we are also coarse donkeys, because the donkey is equipped to carry, but goes slowly, so that he must always be driven. These are just his dear Christians on earth, arranged that we carry the holy cross, have on the neck the lazy rogue, the old Adam, who is not inclined to good, and only resists; he must be resisted, and

1. So from us herirbergenonmien from the old edition of Walch. In the other editions: all idolatry.
2. Erlanger: all.

He is afflicted by the cross until he dies. But he must stand on the staff and drink wine, that is, bound to the word that strengthens us, makes us drunk, joyful and bold, to suffer and die, that one may pass through without all fear.

(21) The same is also that which follows: "He shall wash his garment in wine, and his mantle in the blood of the vine," that is, in red grapes; as red wine is commonly found in the country, as red as blood. This is a strange kind of washing: if someone wanted to wash clothes and added blood to it, he would be considered nonsensical, as he would want to defile the clothes more than make them clean. Which, because it does not rhyme, as has been said, the text forces it to be understood of spiritual things, and is not spoken of otherwise than of the kingdom of Christ, which is its nature. The garment or mantle is us. Thus his kingdom stands in that it is but a bath; for we are not clean, but are made clean; it is not done, but is to be done; it is not of those who are perfect, but of those who must daily increase and continue. Therefore one must always preach and let the word go forth, so that one must always sweep, otherwise one would not be allowed to preach. For this washing and bathing cannot be done except through the word; this is the beautiful red wine, by which our consciences are cleansed without ceasing, as the apostles write, one should always increase in faith and love, we nevertheless remain no different than half men, flesh and blood is too deep within us.

22. Therefore the king has no other office than his robe and cloak, that is, his dear Christianity, which he adorns and adorns himself in; as he boasts in the prophet Isa. 61:10: I will adorn you as a bride puts on her robe and 4) ribbon. These are vain and strong sayings against the laws of men. For we cannot wash ourselves with the doctrines of men, but they must be washed in words; that is, they will be preached to, and by preaching they will believe, thereby they will be cleansed, and always more and more swept. Further:
23. Erlanger: not one.
24. "that" is missing in the Erlanger.

654 Erl. 34, SS0-SS2. Interpretations of the first book of Moses. W. Ill, 8S7-9S0. 635

V. 12: His eyes are redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

(23) It is more fitting for a woman to be praised than for a king; it is fitting for her to be beautiful. A man's ornament would be better sword and armor. But because he thus comes into foolishness by speaking, he forces us to come from foolishness into his wisdom. "His eyes are reddish," he says, like strong red wine, and sets "red eyes" and "white teeth" against each other.

24. the eyes are those who preside over the word of God; for he still describes the preaching ministry and word, so that he may nourish and guide Christianity, and wants it to deal with it alone, and not know any other doctrine or rule. But the preachers who drive it, lead it, and have it in their hands are the eyes and teeth, that is, that a preacher should have two parts, preaching law and grace. Red or brown eyes are angry and serious; these are Christ's eyes, who is a bishop and overseer who allows no other preaching nor governing.

25 This is especially said about doctrine, for there is not so much in life. If one kept the doctrine pure, one could advise all things. God only gives grace that one preaches rightly; whether we do not all live rightly, one must bear patience. For it goes like this: where one preaches rightly, life goes on weakly, lazily and slowly; again, where one deceives people with false doctrine, it does not go on at all. For where the teaching is not right, the life that follows the teaching cannot be right either.

26 Therefore "the eyes" are preachers and apostles; they are red like strong wine, that is, sharp, so that they punish everything that is not pure doctrine, that is, that does not teach faith and love. But "the teeth" are they which bite, and yet are white as milk, which is sweet. Thus whimsical speech he performs before great delight in the kingdom of Christ. Now these are the same preachers who bite and punish when one is already in the faith, that one may receive the pure doctrine, rebuking by the law all men's doings, and then letting come up the pure faith. After that, when Christians have become believers, they do nothing, but always punish.

Yet they are sweet, pure and pure as milk; they are not poisonous or false, they do not seek their own, they desire nothing but the benefit and improvement of others; they are sharp, but they mean well; they do not pretend, but act sincerely, right and wrong. Teeth like milk are called candidi dentes, whereas they are called lividos dentes, rotten and poisonous teeth that are not pure. The pure also punish and rebuke, but mean it warmly and brotherly; as St. Paul also punishes the Corinthians, item, the Galatians.

(27) Behold, by such whimsical speech, so flowered and adorned, he so masterfully shows the whole kingdom of Christ, how it is not at all in bodily things, but only that the doctrine alone is right, and leads to the true faith, to this also the preachers who hold about it. If only this is done correctly, God can have patience with life. It is not so much a matter of the hearers as of the teachers; for the hearers are soon judged whether they live rightly or not.

Therefore, no greater mercy and greater gift can come, than that God sends right preachers who are faithful, and who fight the false teachers. Again, no greater plague nor heartache than when He takes away the right ones, lets false teachers arise with blue, poisonous teeth. Let us watch and beware of them. They are already there, and are tearing in; yes, even among us there are those who already are, or will become so. We have the gospel, we know what to do, how to believe and how to love; but we are soon choked and dead; so it is very soon that everything becomes full of false preachers again. Therefore, let us give thanks to God, and pray that it may remain pure, and ward off the false, seducing spirits.

(29) This is the noble text of the kingdom of Christ, how it should be done in the right understanding of the holy gospel, which is never to be praised enough; it is so great that a Christian heart must marvel at it; it does and accomplishes so much that no one can measure it enough, of which we have always preached, nor have anything else to preach. Therefore also the holy patriarch

636 Eri. 34, M-3°s. Sermon on Genesis 49, 12. 13. W. Ill, gko-gW. 837

so funny talked about it, to the very best he could and knew.

(30) Conclude therefore from this text that Christ has come; for the preaching has long since begun, which makes men so bold and joyful that they fear neither death nor the devil, and are able to bear the holy cross, having for this purpose fine, pure, and sharp preachers; as it was first fulfilled by the apostles and martyrs. Now that the preaching has begun, we can finely prove that we have the King, because so many nations have fallen to him, who happily shed blood for his sake and proved such righteous doctrine.

(31) Behold, these things God made known to Judah beforehand, and promised. This is also the main part of the whole chapter. For though he gives his blessing to the whole family, to all twelve tribes, to each of them, yet they were all done and written for the sake of the chief blessing, that Christ should come from the tribe of Judah. Therefore what follows is a temporal thing, which is proclaimed to the others, as it was to the first two, Simeon and Levi.

32 But it is long since God gives all things out of pure grace, and no one is overcome by his labor, toil, and prudence, for He tells them beforehand how they should fare before they are born, so that one may learn what happens to everyone is decreed by God from eternity, both how each one should live and how each one should die.

It is not man's reason or action, but God's will and order, whether it be good or evil. We let ourselves think that it is according to our dreams when something happens, think that we have done wisely, or that we have been deceived. [We should be ashamed of ourselves, if we look at this text rightly, that we think it is how we do it, not how he does it. If then I know that everything goes as he orders it, and nothing is encountered, it is so provided by him, and skillfully: what then shall we make of it? [We must say, you want it that way. Because we do not do this, we grumble about it and want to master God. So now we want to pass over the other blessings completely, even though they are not difficult.

But the Christians have fallen into it and have darkened it with their interpretation.

V. 13: Zebulun shall dwell at the fords of the sea, and at the fords of the ships, and shall come upon Sidon.

034 What may Jacob make of it useless words? The word "fords the sea and borders Sidon" is no more than a promise to Zebulun, that he should keep the border that is on the sea and go as far as Sidon. This is what the landers know, how and where the great sea, on which one ships from Venice to Jerusalem, comes up against the land where one starts. How and when they took the land, one reads in the book of Joshua now and then.

Now this is a temporal thing, but it is a spiritual thing, as it is said that God not only gives what belongs to the soul, but also orders and sends good government and all things in the flesh, so that nothing can happen without His order. That the princes of Saxony have this land is not their power, but God's order and will, who says: So far be Lord, and no further. So, as Paul says in the Histories Apost. 17:26, that he measures out the extent of every ruler's rule, but despite the fact that it could take up more than a hair's breadth, 2) that what everyone has he has and must take from the hand of God, who has the power of all things, though the world does not recognize it; just as the Jews did not recognize it, thinking that they did it by their sword. Thus he says above: Yes, if I did not do it, you would not have a hair's breadth.

We Christians must know this if we believe that he is the Creator of heaven and earth, that without his knowledge and will no hair falls from anyone's head Luc. 21:18 and that he cannot have a morsel of bread unless he gives it. It is never enough to learn, although it is easy to say. If we believed it and held it to be true, we would not care for anything, nor would we be afraid, but

1. Jenaer and Erlanger: one.
2. In the old editions: "trotz ober das sie mehr ein harbreit künd einnemen". - "ober" seems to us to be a misprint instead of: "aber", which we have set.

638 Erl. St, SSS-SS7. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. Ill, S62-96S. 639

Let him do it, and wait for everything from his hand. But because we do not believe, we think he is far from us, wants us to take care of ourselves and think how we get what we need. Let this be given to Zebulun, and let him not reach nor reach further.

V. 14, 15: Issachar shall be a legged ass, and shall lie down between the borders. And he saw the rest that it is good, and the land that it is pleasant, and hath straitened his shoulders to bear, and is become an interest-bearing servant.

(37) This is not preached for the common man, but for the profound who study the Scriptures. To this tribe he gives a blessing: He shall have fine land, but he shall be a servant, and he shall be able to pay interest. The land is in the midst of Canaan, of a fertile soil, as Zebulun and Naphtali also; but it is in the border, where the heathen abut; therefore it should be contested for ever, and give the Assyrian king womb and interest. [So he will say, Thou seest it, and knowest it, that it is a goodly land; but thou shalt not be master therein. As if he should say: You will eat and drink and have all abundance, but you will not be grateful to God; therefore you will have to give it to other people and let them eat it. Now this is seen in history, how they are beaten by kings, have never saved the race, it has always remained under the kings of Syria and Assyria. So it has become true that he would be a legged ass, that is, who would have to bear great burdens and be oppressed, bear more burdens than he would be able to.

V. 16-18. Dan shall be a judge among his people, as a generation in Israel. Dan shall become a serpent in the way, and an adder in the stairs, and shall bite the horse in the heels, that his rider may fall back. Lord, I wait for your salvation.

(38) This is the reason why we must act, so that we may avoid loose talk and fables. For they carry about a book of the Antichrist, wherein it is said that he shall be born of the tribe of Dan, because it is written, "He shall be a serpent and an adder in the way." But it is all foolishness. The Antichrist shall not come from the Jews;

We already have the right one, of which Paul says 2 Thess. 2, 3., the pope of Rome. But it is well said that the twelve families should be scattered abroad, and never arise, nor be gathered together, and become so strong that they should be called a principality. The Scripture is scanty, that they should come to naught, and have no regiment; as the 110th Psalm, v. 6, prophesies, "God shall bruise the head of the enemies."

But the kingdom of the Antichrist, because it is such a power that overcomes all the world, cannot come from it, but must have another origin, as St. Paul says. When the Roman Empire is gone, it will arise.

040 Thus he saith, Dan also shall become a judge like the rest. This is fulfilled in the strong hero Samson, in the book of the judges; he is just the one he is talking about here: The serpent in the way, and the adder in the path, that biteth the horse in his heels, and the rider falleth back: that is, he goeth forth, and putteth rider and horse to shame: as he did to the Philistines. He was a few men, without any stuff, he sneaked and attacked them, and drove them all back. So this is the allegory of this history, so Samson did, how often he broke in with his own person, and struck the Philistines, so that no one could resist him. See the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of the book of Judges.

41. When Jacob intervenes and says, "Lord, I am waiting for your salvation," he is referring to Christ, as if to say, "This is how it will be among the people, so long will the serpent reign, if God would have your Christ here soon!

V. 19. Gab, equipped, will lead the army, and lead it around again.

(42) Of this read the history of the book of Joshua, how they went before Israel, and were at the head.

V. 20. From Asher comes his fat bread, and he will give cute food to the kings.

43. eaters shall have the blessing of sitting in a delicious land of grain, and shall be rich.

640 Erl. 34 3S7-SSS, Sermon on Genesis 49:20-26. W. m, "W-W." 641

V. 21. Naphtali is a quick deer, and gives pretty speech.

44. The story in the book of Judges Cap. 4, 4. ff. reads about the prophetess Deborah and Barak from this family, how they defeated the great royal captain 1) Sissera with a small army, came shortly after him, as nimble and fast as a deer. Of this they make a pretty spiritual song, there Cap. 5. described. These are the ten sons of Leah and the two maidens.

V. 22-26: To look at the blessed child Joseph, the blessed child, the daughters come along in the regiment. And even though the archers have embittered him, quarreled with him, and hated him 2c.

(45) That it may be understood, I have said before, that God divided the land and the people into twelve parts according to the twelve brethren, and to every one was given his portion. But the family of Levi he withdrew. So he made the royal family come to Judah until Christ, who made a spiritual kingdom out of it; but the kingdom was divided into two parts, one of them led by Judah, the other by Joseph or Ephraim. Judah retained only two families, the other ten all fell there; the latter was the least, yet the best; the latter was the most powerful, yet not so good. For Judah had many pious kings, but Ephraim never had a pious one; therefore God punished them and cut them off, so that at last the ten families were scattered and never came together again.

46 Now Jacob speaks here of the great kingdom of Ephraim, but nothing but of the temporal regime, that it was a fine people and rich, and that it should prosper because there were many among the people who belonged to God's kingdom. For it also had many excellent prophets, so it had to be lucky that the kings were pious or not; but the text is a little dark.

47. "Joseph (says he) is the dear child," binds the two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to each other to One Person; "and is a blessed child," that is, the people of Joseph will be a fine people, according to the temporal regi-

1. Thus the Jena. Wittenberg and Erlangen: König.

not because of his person, that he was a beautiful boy, but because of his tribe, blood and flesh. For it was such a beautiful kingdom that other kings marveled, of skillful, wise men and fine prophets. But the daughters are called in the Scriptures, Cities and spots of the land; as it is written in Matthew Cap. 21, 5., "Tell the daughter Zion," that is, Jerusalem. So now he wants to say: The cities in the kingdom are well ordered in the regiment, it has gone fine in the swing and good peace, and prospered well, which is a great treasure and grace in a country. For what God praises as a fine regiment does not have to be something small.

48 The kingdom shall have this grace above others, that it may have a good, well-ordered regiment. And not only that, but also, if other kings set upon it than those of Syria and Assyria, to contend with it and bring it under themselves, it shall have no need; its bow and arm shall remain firm and strong, and always prevail; as the histories of the kings show. Although they are often contested, they have nevertheless won and preserved the regiment, but they have remained firm and emancipated; not by their forces (for they were often scarcely a tenth as strong and much as the enemies), but "by the hands (he says) of the Mighty One in Jacob." Thus we read of King Ahab, who was a wicked man in the sight of God, but a fine man in the sight of the world, how he slew in one day a hundred thousand men with a small company 1 Kings 20:27-29.

49] Further, "out of them shall come shepherds and stones in Israel. These are the great, fine prophets, Elijah, Elisha, Micah, and others; these were the cornerstones on which they were to rely.

50. further, he wants to say, this blessing does not happen to you because of your merit, or because of your fathers; it is a pure blessing of God, what you have. "With blessings from heaven, and from the deep"; that is, the sun shall shine upon thee, rain, 2) thunder, cold, and hot, as it is profitable for the earth: it shall all serve thee, even the deep or waters shall be

2. In the old editions: rain.

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Moisten the land, and give steam, that the rain may come down from heaven. In addition also "with blessing in breasts and bellies", thus, that everything should be pregnant, bring fruit, and suckle, which has only bellies and breasts. Thus everything is written in colorful words; what can be fruitful of men and cattle, all shall multiply and have enough. [So much is said: The bearing of children, the bringing forth of cattle, and the prospering, and the grain in the field, are not all ours, but are God's grace and blessing.

51 Item: "The blessing promised to your father (says he) and to my forefathers is great. To me and to my fathers the blessing is promised, that we should possess the land with all the fullness of blessing, that it should be a goodly kingdom, all things sufficient and prosperous, and orderly, with strife and peace. "According to the desire of the high ones in the world," that is, as all kings and princes, and what is high, desire. So this blessing did not extend further than the kingdom of the flesh. And all things are thus written, that we may know how it is ordered of God beforehand, that he should give it, and we should not, and that no man should boast that it is his work, skill, and prudence. Everything must be His blessing. If it is not a blessing, it gives and creates nothing; but if it is given, it is purely God's blessing. Thus, God draws to Himself all the goods that we have in body and soul.

52. to the last he says, "out of Joseph shall be chiefs, and chief Nazirites among his brethren." That was Elijah and Elisha, these have ruled like the chiefs; in addition Nazirite, of which Moses writes 4th book, Cap. 6, 2. ff.; that were fleshly saints, holy prophets, ordered to rule and teach the people, as also the prophet Samuel was. Thus the lineage is blessed, that it shall be well endowed with rulers, fine men, and all manner of abundance. Although they lacked in not serving God properly, yet they received the blessing of the flesh because of this patriarch.

V. 27. Benjamin a ravening wolf; in the morning he will devour prey, but in the evening he will divide the spoil.

What the text wants, I do not know too certainly. It would like to be understood of the king Saul, or also St. Paulo, because they both were of this tribe. But because the blessing is bodily, I mean in the simplest way that it speaks of King Saul, who was the first king, and fought against Amalek, and laid him low, and distributed the spoil 1 Sam. 14:47, 48. Whoever wants to make it spiritual, and draw on St. Paul, may do so, so that he was a ravening wolf; first, when he persecuted Christianity, Apost. 8, 3. 9, 1. ff., but after that he was converted, ate up the plunder and distributed it, that is, he stole souls from the devil and the world and brought them to Christ, and accomplished much good in Christianity, yes, he preached to almost the largest part of the world alone 1) and made them Christians. That is why I do not mind understanding the text from him. For God has generally given a tribe one man, or two or three, by whom the whole lineage would be blessed. Therefore, these blessings are not to be drawn on all kinds of persons, but on one or two. So we read of no one from the tribe of Benjamin who was or did anything special, except for King Saul and the apostle Paul. Item, of the citizens of Gibeah, as it is written in the book of Judges Cap. 20, 15.

54. Let this then be the summary of this chapter: How everything that happens is done by God's decree, that it must go this way and no other way, suggest it as you will, and no one can obtain it by his reason or work, nor can anyone hinder it, but all the world shut up, and boast nothing of its good. If you have anything, know that it is his blessing alone; if anything is taken from you, it is all, by a farthing, ordered and provided by him, that it must go thus.

1. Thus the Jena. In the other editions: preached.

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The fiftieth chapter.

(vv. 2-14) And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to anoint his father. And the physicians anointed Israel until forty days were expired: for so long were the days of anointing: and the Egyptians wept over him seventy days. And it came to pass, when the days of mourning were expired, that Joseph spake unto Pharaoh's servants, saying, If I have found grace in your sight, speak unto Pharaoh, saying, My father hath taken an oath of me, saying, Behold, I die; bury me in my grave, which I have digged me in the land of Canaan. So I will go up, and bury my father, and come again. Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your father, as you swore to him. So Joseph went up to bury his father. And with him went all Pharaoh's servants, and the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. And all Joseph's household, and his brethren, and his father's household: only their children, and their flocks, and their herds, left they in the land of Goshen. And they went up with him also chariots and horsemen; and there was almost a great host. And when they were come to the place Atad, which is on the other side Jordan, they mourned very sore and bitter: and he bare grief for his father seven days. And when the people of the land, the Cananites, saw the mourning in the place Atad, they said: The EgyPter carry there great suffering. Therefore the place is called the Egypter Sorrow, which is on the other side Jordan. And his children did as he commanded them, and brought him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the twofold cave of the field, which Abraham bought with the field, for an inheritance, from Ephron the Hittite toward Mamre. So Joseph went up again into Egypt with his brethren, and with all that went up with him to bury his father, when they had buried him.

1. this was an honest burial of the holy six patriarchs, abraham, isaac, jacob with their wives, who never had any of them.

They had a foot wide in the land that was promised to them by God, as St. Stephen says Apost 7:16. Why then did they want to be buried in the very place that Jacob also so nobly commands that his body be taken up and buried in his fathers' tomb? It was only to confirm the promise, so that the Jews would be all the more glad to exterminate the Gentiles and take possession of the land where their fathers lay.

For we are so skillful that what God promises and pledges cannot be imagined and blasphemed to us enough that we firmly believe it. That is why God rules so strangely. For they were now in Egypt, in a foreign land, and soon after Joseph's death they were so oppressed that it was not possible before the world that they should take the land. There were more than thirty kings in the land of Canaan, great and mighty men, so oppressed that it was not possible to drive them out, especially from such a small and weak people; as it is said, "The cock cannot be driven from its dunghill, and one man can do more in his house than four outside. For this reason the fathers wanted to be buried there, to testify their faith and to strengthen the children. Otherwise they would have said, "Yes, how can we believe it, since they themselves did not believe? But to prevent this, Jacob allowed himself to be led into the land with such splendor, as he certainly believed that he would be led into the land by God.

3 Thus God's work and word is always directed, so that reason cannot believe or comprehend it. For how should reason be able to judge this? This man dies in a foreign land, that he must also buy his burial; how fine a lord is he of the land? It seems so utterly untrue that reason must scoff and laugh. But if it is God's word, it must be done; heaven and earth would rather perish.

4. that is why Moses needs so many useless words, as it seems to us, that he should have their faith.

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This shows how they had nothing of their own in the land to possess, and died on the same word of God, even after death they remained so firm that they had to be buried in it; so that there is nothing more than the word, and they occupy the land in the mere word. The body can be led into the land and buried, but the soul holds on to the word and remains in it in eternal life; which the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 11, 20. ff. has delicately emphasized.

(5) Thus we have also seen Jacob, in whose legend we have seen nothing, but only the exercise of faith in the cross and suffering from the beginning, that he was well cooked and weakened by so much sorrow and heartache, that he had to grow weary of life, and was extinguished at the last, like a light. For those who are tempted and broken on earth, death is not bitter for them, but those who have many good days, and go without temptation, die with great difficulty and reluctantly. For it is very hard to wait so long, until it comes to the trains, and then only gain desire to die, if one is not well accustomed to suffer all kinds of things before.

6th Now therefore the Scripture saith, He is gathered unto his people, as he also spake of Abraham above Cap. 25:8. It is a Hebrew way of speaking, and so much said, not where he went, but he came to the dead, where they are buried, as we say in our way, He came to the churchyard. But there is secretly signified the resurrection of the dead, that God would raise them again; wherefore the Scripture also calls death a sleep Joh. II, II. Marc. 5, 39.. For those who sleep have the hope that they will rise again. So also the fathers are gathered to their people, as God has his eye upon them, and will raise them up in his time.

007 Now Moses writing how Jacob was anointed, and how he was buried, seemeth as if they were vain things: but therefore it is written, that it might be profitable for their children, and for their seed, to strengthen their faith. In this Joseph kept the way of the land, anointing him forty days, as Christians should always do according to other people's customs and traditions.

not to live according to their own sense. Now the Egyptians had the way of anointing their dead with noble, delicious ointments, or spices and spices, which the country carries, which the Jews also took from them afterwards; as also Christ was anointed with myrrh and aloes Joh. 19, 39. 40., that also some used to keep their parents in a crystal, like the emperor Titum at Rome. Otherwise the dead body could not have been granted, especially in the hot country; for they had to lead it a day or a hundred before they came to the burial.

(8) For Joseph to take leave of King Pharaoh to bury his father, and not to depart from his office without his will, is therefore written, that every man should obey the authorities, and do nothing without their will, especially they that sit in the office. For here he lets himself down as a servant, and asks the king's servants, all who were under him, to pray for him. God wants to honor the temporal authorities so highly. Against this, the pope and his troops stood up, taught and did, and withdrew from all worldly authority.

(vv. 15-21) Now Joseph's brothers were afraid because their father had died, and they said: Joseph would be angry with us and repay us for all the evil we did to him. Therefore they said unto him, Thy father commanded before his death, saying, Thus shall ye say unto Joseph, Dearly beloved, forgive thy brethren their iniquity and their sin, that they have done so evil unto thee. Dearly beloved, forgive us now this iniquity, the servants of the God of thy father. But Joseph wept when they spake these things unto him. And his brethren went and fell down before him, and said, Behold, here are we thy servants. Joseph said to them: Fear not, for I am under GOD. Ye thought evil of me; but God hath turned it for good, to do as it is now in the day, to preserve much people. Fear not therefore, I will provide for you and your children. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

(9) Now this is a fine, sweet text, and a great example to comfort us. There the brothers stand, confess and confess their sin,

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and they draw on God for a father, as do the true Christians. Joseph, however, is so full of love that his heart warms, and he cannot refrain from weeping; he has even forgotten the iniquity that the brothers have done to him. Whoever could form the mirror in himself would easily forgive his enemies.

10. Yes, even more he says: "God has turned it for the best, for you and for me, and has benefited many people. 1)" He does not praise their deed, but confesses that they meant evil to destroy him; but he teaches us how God has the hearts and minds of all our enemies in his hand, which, though they be evil, yet he can so turn them that it is just contrary to their opinion. Whoever believes this can easily overcome his enemies, must not be afraid of anyone, because he knows that God governs and masters all things, and that he has such a God who wants to turn all misfortune into happiness for him.

Therefore, if you are a Christian, let the world be angry with you and take everything away from you if it can, but take comfort in the fact that the worse they mean and think, the closer God is to you and means it for the best. Thus, the suffering and persecution of Christians is only for us to brave, and to know that God will turn it for the best. This is what Christ says in John Cap. 12, 24.: "Unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit"; that is, if your thing is condemned and brought to nothing, it will all be better. Therefore the Scripture Ps. 33, 10 says: "The Lord makes void the counsel of the Gentiles, and hinders the thoughts of the nations," as it was with Christ; for they, by crucifying him, brought it about that he became an everlasting king.

(12) So Joseph will also say: You wanted to kill me and destroy my dreams, but they have been fulfilled just by this; if you had not thought and acted such evil against me, I would not have come to these honors. This should ever be a great comfort to us; but to those who have not

1. Above in the text and in the Bible: to receive much people.

Christians, it is said in vain, they do not believe it. Reason cannot grasp such things, it only wants to take revenge and suffer nothing; but faith says: I will gladly suffer what I should, my God, you will probably turn it for the best.

Thus Joseph dwelt in Egypt with his father's household, and lived an hundred and ten years, and saw the children of Ephraim unto the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were like them, and begat children in Joseph's bosom.

(13) It is richly rewarded to come out of such misery to such honors; that this Joseph must have been a man of excellent faith, because he is rewarded so superfluously. He reigned in the land eighty years, and was chief after Pharaoh from the thirtieth year even unto the hundred and tenth, and saw the fifth generation of his seed in his life.

V. 24-26. And Joseph said to his brothers: I die, and GOD will visit you, and bring you out of this land into the land which He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore he took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "When God visits you, carry my bones away. So Joseph died when he was an hundred and ten years old, and they anointed him, and laid him in an ark in Egypt.

14 Again, this is faith in the promise of the land of Canaan; for a sign and assurance that their children's faith would be strengthened, he also commands his body to be taken with them when they go out. [It is kept in an ark almost two hundred years after his death.

15 Thus we have the first and almost the noblest book of the Old Testament, which is in all places thoroughly full of striking examples of faith, and of love, and especially of the holy cross, and so rich in figures of our Lord Christ and his kingdom as no book of Scripture, so that both words and examples show and teach nothing else than the one Christ.

To God be eternal praise!

651

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C. Sermon on the text Genesis 3:15:

Ipsum semen conteret caput serpentis**, the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.*)**

Held in Wittenberg, Monday in the Easter holidays, in the morning, April 2, 1526.

Gen. 3, 15. The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent.

Dear friends, while we are still celebrating and keeping the Easter feast, and celebrating the article of our Christian faith, where we say: Risen from the dead on the third day, through whom Christ, the Son of God, has brought us righteousness, that is, forgiveness of sins, conquest of death, the devil and hell, eternal life and blessedness; as you heard enough yesterday, praise and thanksgiving to God. So let us take before us today the first promise of God, or the first gospel, preached on earth in Paradise to Adam and Eve, when God says to the serpent who deceives Eve: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. The same shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

(2) These are the comforting words which restored and gladdened Adam and Evam; otherwise, in the fear of death, into which they were brought by the serpent the devil, they would have despaired and despaired, dying and perishing forever. And this is their gospel

lium, which they preached to their children. That is why it was called Adam's bosom in the first place, so that all believers were gathered together as in one bosom and were saved and saved by the word. The sermon lasted until Abraham, 2080 years ago, when Abraham wanted to sacrifice Isaac, and God denied Abraham this promise, Gen. 22:18, and said that in his seed all the Gentiles should be redeemed; then it was called Abraham's Bosom, as Christ says Luc. 16:22. But now it is called Christ's Bosom, because he has now come, whom God promised to Adam and Abraham.

(3) Therefore we do not want to discuss the serpent much, as only the words and the punishment go to the physical serpent alone, as the godless Jews fool; but go mainly to the devil, who possesses the serpent and speaks through it, because no creature on earth from the beginning of the world is given the gift of speech, but only man. But because here the serpent speaks to Eve, as with a bodily voice and human language, which Adam and Eve can understand: to this she does not speak only bad words, but speaks of God's word.

*) Luther held this and the following sermon on Easter Monday, April 2, 1526 (not 1525, which the editions offer, misled by the Eisleben edition). Herr v. Enders has already shown in the 17th volume of the Erlangen edition, p. 153 ff-, that the sermon could not have been held in 1525, because Luther was not present in Wittenberg at that time; however, he was not able to determine the correct year. From Poach's index to Luther's sermons, which is in the Zwickau Nathsschulbibliothek, we see that Luther gave this sermon on the day we have indicated. (Buchwald, Andr. Poachs handwritten collection 2c., vol. I, first half, p. XXIV.] These sermons were first published in 1564 by Georg Buchholzer, provost in Berlin, under the title: "Three beautiful glorious sermons of the venerable Lord and Father v. Martini Lutheri, of blessed and holy memory, preached at Wittenberg in the parish church during the Easter holidays. The 1st sermon on the text Gen. 3: Ipsuru ssruuu eontsrot vuput 8srpsntis. The 2nd sermon on the text Gen. 22nd: In ssinins tun ksns(liesntur niunn" Mntss. The 3rd sermon on the text Exod. 3.: Lubuiu, czusiu viäsrut Lloisss them. At the end of the last sermon, that Joseph had also been a figure of Christ in Egypt 2c. In honor of the Roman royal majesty 2c. Now new and never before issued such, and by Georgium Buchholzer, provost of Berlin, in print verfertiget, Anno 1564." Printed this writing was "by Johan Eichorn" at Frankfurt an der Oder. In the collections: Eislebensche, vol.I, p. 198d; Altenburg"", vol.II, p. 878; Leipziger, vol.XII, p.I40; Erlanger (1st), vol. 19, p. 1, and (2nd), vol. 17, p. 153. We give the text according to the Erlanger edition (2nd ed.). The sermon, which is marked as the third in Buchholzer's edition mentioned above, is found in the "Predigten über etliche Capitel des andern Buches Mosis" in this volume after the interpretation of the third chapter.

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and commandment, of which the serpent knows nothing; yes, the serpent has not understood what the devil has spoken through his tongue and mouth, as Augustine also says, and falsifies God's word with lies, since he speaks: "You will not die of death"; this cannot be a bad serpent, but must be a high spirit. Just as the devil was a high spirit in the beginning, and a good angel created by God, who possessed the serpent and speaks through it. The objection of the Jews does not help either: If Balaam's donkey has spoken, why should not the serpent also speak here? Answer: But there the angel of the Lord speaks through the donkey, as it is written in the 4th book of Moses at the 22nd, v. 28. ff; but here through the serpent the devil does it.

4 Therefore these words of God to Adam and Eve against the devil and his kingdom, sin, death, the wrath of God, and hell, are spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, how man shall be, and after that how the devil shall lay hold on him, and kill him, and murder him. But the Lord Christ shall arise again, overcome the devil, take away his power*, redeem Adam and Eve and all believers, bring them righteousness, life and salvation again; as we then want to hear through the grace of God.

5. First of all, it has been an abominable idolatry in the church that this beautiful, glorious text of Christ has been interpreted and drawn to the tender, chaste, pure Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, as if she were the one who is to crush the head of the serpent, that is, to take away the power of the devil, to destroy sin, to overcome death, to bring back life and blessedness, and have perverted the word Ipsum, that is, the one, and made it Ipsa, that is, the one, as Mary; as she is sung of in all churches, which is not her office. Nor has she been honored by this, as was meant, but has been profaned to the highest degree, that what is due and belongs to her Son should be attributed to her. Therefore let us leave the devilish error, and remain with our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses and all the prophets wrote; as Christ said to his disciples yesterday on Easter Day, as Luke read in the last v. 44.

Therefore this seed of the woman Christ is our Lord, and the Hebrew language calls the children born of women, woman's seed, that is, as we say in German, a quite natural child of the woman, or of a woman. And here is the first part, that our Lord Christ should become a true, natural, pure human being, born of woman, or not of man; as if God said: "Now, you devil, who through woman, Evam (who was created and came from man while he was asleep, but without man's doing and work), brought sin, death and eternal damnation into the world: So I will bring you happiness again through a child, which shall come and be born from a woman and not from a man; this same child or woman's seed shall avenge everything on you; what you have brought about only through her shall come and go over your head. But if this child is to come and be born from a woman and not from a man, the woman or mother must be a virgin.

(7) Adam and Eve did not yet understand that the mother should be a virgin and give birth without the help of a man. As Moses writes in Chapter 4, v. 1, when Eve gave birth to her first son Cain, she does not think otherwise, that he is the man whom God promised and promised to her, who would avenge her on the serpent. Therefore she also says: "I have gotten the man, the Lord", the God Jehovah, the seed of the woman. So also, since Noah is born, after 1057 years, the patriarch or old father Lamech also does not mean differently, his Noah would be the seed of the woman, or the child. Therefore he says: "He will comfort us in our toil and labor on earth, which the Lord has cursed," as written in Genesis 5:29.

8. but the man or the child must not be begotten by Adam or Lamech, but only come from a woman, that is, from a virgin. As God had the prophet Isaiah Cap. 7, 14. say publicly in 1244: "Behold, a virgin is with child, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Then it became quite obvious and loud that this

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The son's mother must be a virgin, and must not be the son of a man, but of a virgin. For all that is born of man and woman is conceived and born in iniquity and sin, as the 51st Psalm, v. 7, says. Now if this son is to be born without sin, he must not come from man and woman, but from a woman alone, that is, from a virgin.

(9) For if his conception and birth had been impure, as all men are, he could not have saved us from sins and death. For one sinner or thief cannot save another from the gallows; it must be done by a pious, innocent man. Now if Christ is to help us, His conception and birth must be pure and holy, the Holy Spirit must accomplish this through a virgin: as we confess in our faith that this is how it happened, and is described in the New Testament by St. Matthew Cap. 1, 18 and St. Lincoln Cap. 1, 35, the evangelists. Therefore, Adam and Eve believed that Christ, the Son of God, would come and become man, redeeming and saving them from sin, death, the devil and hell. But whether he should be born of a virgin, they did not know, because it was also not so publicly and so clearly indicated to them. Therefore, they did not worry so much about it, but remained simple-minded about the promise of God that the seed of the woman, our Lord Christ, God and Son of God, would come and be born, bringing them righteousness, forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

The other piece here is: How will the woman's seed, the Lord Christ, fare? Thus God says to the serpent, "And you will prick him in the heel," that is, you devil will kill and murder him. For to prick the heel means that the devil will murder and kill this child. But pay attention to the words, as God says; does not say: You serpent, or devil, will crush or crush the head of the woman's seed: No, no, he shall leave him whole, but badly "prick the heel". If a man is pricked in the heel, he is hurt and wounded, but his head, heart and body remain completely unharmed, so there is no need.

So also here with the seed of the woman, the devil shall bring about so much that Christ shall be murdered and strangled, and stab him in the heel, but he shall not accomplish anything with it, but Christ shall keep the head completely, lift it up and come forth, that is, rise again from death, as one whom the devil's stab in the heel has not harmed, but who triumphs, and keeps the victory, and rises from death. This is what is said of the other part, how the seed of the woman, the Lord Christ, should fare.

11. now follows the third part, what now the seed of the woman, that is, Christ, when he shall arise again from the devil's sting, that is, from death, shall accomplish, when namely thus says God: "And the same seed of the woman shall bruise thy head." This is the right consolation that restored Adam and Eve, pleased and refreshed them, that in such great fear and anguish of their conscience they hear how the seed of the woman, Christ, the devil or the serpent, shall not take off a piece of the tail, but shall crush the very head. For it is said that if a large piece of a snake's tail is cut off, or if it is severely wounded in the body, and only the head remains whole, it has no trouble with it, heals itself again, and remains alive. Therefore, if one wants to strike a snake, it coils itself into one another, and does all diligence to preserve only the head; if it brings the head away unhewn, then it is healed. If one cuts or smashes its head, it is finished and has lost its power; and even if the body and tail are still cruel and horrible to look at, it has no more power, because the head is gone. Therefore God also says here: Christ, the seed of the woman, shall turn it back, shall not tear the tail of the devil, the old serpent, or wound the body, but shall trample and crush his head.

(12) Now what is the devil's head? First of all, it is sin, which Adam and Eve, by their fall, inherited and brought upon all men, who are descended and born of their flesh and blood, so that they are all conceived and born in sins. Through sin, God's wrath and death come upon them, devouring all people, as holy as they are.

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After that comes hell and the devil, who condemn eternally. Therefore Christ, as John the Baptist says, as the true paschal lamb of God, shall bear the sin of the whole world by his death and suffering Joh. 1, 29. and graciously deliver from God's wrath, death, hell and the devil, and by his resurrection bring again righteousness, forgiveness of sins, life and blessedness, and all that Adam and Eve lost in paradise, and shall the Christ say, Behold, sin, death, hell and the devil, ye have stabbed me in the heel, killed and murdered me, but have wronged me, for I am not the man that is under your kingdom; therefore ye shall be my prisoners. And cast them under him, and trampled them under foot, and caused to be cried out and proclaimed in all the world by his gospel, that all who are under the enemies and under the burden of the devil should cleave unto him, and believe in him, that they should be justified, that is, delivered and set free from sin, the wrath of God, death, hell, and the devil, as St. Paul says Rom. 4:25: "Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our righteousness."

This is what God says here: The seed of the woman shall crush the head of the devil, the old, evil, poisonous serpent. For thus David speaks of Christ in the 68th Psalm, v. 21: "We have a God, 1) who helps, and the LORD HERN, who saves from death." So also St. Paul says 2 Tim. 1, 10: "Christ hath taken away the power of death, and life, and hath brought to light an incorruptible being through the gospel." How finely sweet, clear and brightly David and Paul speak from one mouth, and yet they have lived from one another for 1100 years. This is what Adam and Eve believed, as God promised them, and this is how they were saved and became blessed. So we must also be saved. This is now the third thing that Christ is to do to the devil, as his enemy and the enemy of all Christianity. Ah! Who would now fear the enemy, the devil, and would not cheerfully desire to die with old Simeon?

1. "GOtt" added by us.

the Luc. 2, 29. ff.? "But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Cor. 15:57.

The fourth part: If Christ is to rise again from death, crush the devil's head, redeem from sin, God's wrath, death, hell, and bring back righteousness, life and salvation, then he must and cannot be the seed of the woman alone, that is, a bad, natural man. For then he would have been far too weak for the devil and death. For sin, God's wrath, death, hell and the devil are such a heavy burden that they oppress all people to death, no matter how holy they are. Yes, if all angels, all creatures, sun, moon and stars, as written in Job Cap. 31, 23, were to bear this burden before God, they could not stand. Therefore, if the seed of the woman is to bear this burden, it must also be eternal, almighty God. For to bear such burdens is only God's work, as Isaiah, Cap. 43, 24. 25. clearly says. Therefore this woman's seed, Christ, is eternal, almighty God and Creator, through whom, as John says Cap. 1, 3, all creatures are made and created, what is made and created.

(15) Adam and Eve looked at this and saw with the eyes of the heart in faith that this seed of the woman would also be a true natural God, like the father, but a different person. That is why Eve, when she gives birth to Cain, says in Genesis 4:1: "I have gotten the man, the LORD," the God Jehovah; does not mean the seed of the woman, but "the man, the God," who will now show himself to be a right man against the evil serpent of the devil that brought us into trouble, who is the right God.

16 Thus David also says Ps. 68, 21: "We have a God who helps, and Jehovah, the LORD, who redeems from death." Yes, dear David, who then is the GOtt? Thus he answers in the 68th Psalm, v. 8. 9. "GOD, thou that wentest before thy people, when thou walkedest in the wilderness, the earth shook, and the heavens trembled before this GOD in Sinai, before the GOD who is Israel's GOD." This is clear and bright enough that the God who descended from heaven to earth, as Paul says Eph. 4, 8. 9, died, rose from the dead, and returned to the earth.

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ascended on high, capturing the prison and saving from death, is the eternal, almighty God who gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai to the children of Israel. This is a powerful testimony that this Christ is eternal God. Thus also Jeremiah speaks on 23, v. 6, and Cap. 33, 15, 16: "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise up unto David a plant of righteousness, and he shall be a king that shall reign, and do judgment and justice in the earth. In that day Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. And this shall be his name, that they shall call him: LORD, who makes us righteous."

It is also clearly stated that David's offspring united in one person should have two natures: one human, from David's flesh and blood, the other divine, which he had from eternity from the Father. And here stands the great name of God Jehovah, which all Jews must confess that it belongs to the divine majesty alone. I have also often held this text up to the Jews, that David's son, Christ, would be the almighty, eternal God; for here it says Jehovah; they could not answer me. Therefore, this Son of David or Mary is not a bad man, but at the same time true, almighty God, who has eternal power to create and maintain heaven and earth and everything; therefore, humanity and divinity are One Person, and is also true God. Is also the God who makes us righteous, who therefore became "David's offspring", that is, a righteous man, that through his suffering, death, bloodshed and resurrection he wants to restore and acquire righteousness, which Adam and Eve lost, to give and give us forgiveness of sin, God's grace, life and blessedness; for this is called "making righteous".

This is what Adam and Eve believed. For all our blessedness lies in the fact that we do not separate these two natures from each other, but let them remain united in one person. As St. Paul also says in 1 Cor. 2:8: "They have crucified the Lord of glory"; not the bad man Christ, but the righteous God; not according to the Godhead, but according to the human nature. As the church sang on the good

Fridays: Dum fabricator mundi mortis supplicium pateretur in cruce etc. And on the holy feast of Easter: Crucifixum in cruce laudate etc. As also Peter speaks, 1. Ep. 4, 1. f.

19 But God hid this from the devil. For if he had known that this Christ, the son of the Virgin Mary, the seed of the woman, had been the eternal, almighty God, he would not have laid his hands on him and burned him. For he has well seen in heaven how he was God the Father's one heart, into whom God the Father poured all his divine essence and substance. That is why he experienced his divine power when he was pushed out of heaven into the abyss of hell because of the Son, Is. 14, 12. Luc. 10, 18. because Satan was after the Son's honor and wanted to be like him. God could not stand that. Therefore God hid it from the devil, that he wanted to see him in the Son who had become man, and did like a fisherman who wants to catch fish: he tied a line to a pole, and at the bottom of the line a sharp rod; he hung a little worm on it and threw it into the water. Then the fish comes, sees the poor little worm, but does not see the sharp rod hidden in the little worm, and bites into it, thinking that he will get a good cute little bite: but the rod gets stuck in his mouth or throat, and is thus caught and seized. God the Father does the same: He takes His only begotten, beloved Son, hangs Him on the line of the patriarchs and prophets, must take on Adam's, Abraham's, David's flesh and blood, and lets Him come into the world from high heaven; because the devil sees Christ as a poor, miserable worm, as he is described in the 22nd Psalm, v. 7. Psalm, v. 7, that is, as a poor, afflicted man, suffering hunger, thirst, cold, frost and heat, crying and having misery and sorrow in this world, dressed like another man.

20 But Satan does not know that this is hidden in this Christ, that he is the eternal, almighty God, like the Father, but a different person. Therefore he thinks, "Although Christ performs miraculous signs, the prophets also performed miraculous signs; but I have eaten them all up, how high and holy they were.

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and thinks that he wants to have a cute little bite of the man; he lifts up, eats the Christ and devours him. But it gets him like the grass gets the dog. For the Christ gets stuck in his throat and has to spit him out again, like the whale spat out the prophet Jonah, Jonah 2:11, and just with the eating the devil murders and strangles himself and is caught by Christ. For this man, Christ, is real, true God, who cannot remain in death, but must come forth again, resurrect and live, and thus catch the devil. And here the word of the prophet Hosea, who lived 760 years before Christ, becomes true, who speaks of Christ in the 13th chapter, v. 14: "I will redeem them from hell and save them from death. Death, I will be a poison to you; hell, I will be a pestilence to you." Therefore also the prophet Hosea says before, Cap. 6, 1-3. that the Christians at the time of Christ will say: "Come, let us go again to the Lord; for he has torn us in pieces, he will heal us; he has smitten us, he will also bind us up; he will make us alive after two days, he will refresh us on the third day, that we may live before him. Then shall we take heed, and be diligent to know the Lord." All this was fulfilled and accomplished yesterday through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose from the dead on the third day; we were redeemed from our sins, justified, healed, restored and made whole; we were refreshed and made alive from eternal death; and we lack nothing, except to believe these things in our hearts, to know the Lord Jesus Christ, and to sing with joy: "Let us all be glad, Christ will be our comfort, Kyrieleis."

This is the great wisdom of God, which must come from the Holy Spirit alone. For no human being can understand by human reason that this woman's seed, our Lord Christ, is not only man, but almighty God, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, in One Person, not in two Persons, as the two heretics, Nestorius and Eutyches, have deceived, but is only One Person, as a man with body and soul is only One Person.

22. but nevertheless this some person is,

Christ, right, true, almighty God and man, is not the Father or the Holy Spirit, but the Son, the other person in the Godhead; and yet the same God with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the divine essence or substance. The Jews of Christ's time did not understand this, nor do they understand it yet; neither do the Gentiles and the Turks, nor the Pope and his comrades; they must become mad and foolish about it, because they want to speculate and investigate it with their reason. But nothing will come of it, it must come from heaven alone, as Christ Matth. 16, 17. says to Petro: "Blessed are you, Simon, Jonah's son, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven has." Therefore it must be grasped by faith through the word, as Adam and Eve had to do; otherwise it is lost.

23. Therefore, between Adam and Eve's faith and ours, 1) there is no difference; only this, 2) that they believed that Christ, the Son of God, as true, almighty God, should become the seed of the woman, that is, a right man, and come into the world: the devil would stab him in the heel, that is, kill and murder him; but he would rise from death, and crush the devil's head, redeem from sins, God's wrath, death and hell, bring back righteousness, life, blessedness. But we now believe that it is not yet future, and that it shall come to pass, but that it has already come to pass, and that everything has been accomplished and fulfilled, as God promised and promised to Adam and Eve, and lacks nowhere, except that we wait for the resurrection of the body or of our flesh. Therefore, let us faithfully pray to God that we may remain in firm faith in this article, that Christ, as the true God, became man, died, and rose from the dead on the third day, bringing righteousness, forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation again, as Adam and Eve did. If we do this, it will be well with us; if not, woe to us all! But that we may remain steadfast therein unto the end of our days, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit help us, Amen.

1. Erlanger: Adam and Eve, their faith and ours 2c.
2. Erlanger: this.

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v. Sermon on the text Genesis 22:18:

In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes, in your seed all nations on earth shall be blessed.

Held at Wittenberg in the parish church, on Mondays during the Easter holidays at Beiher, April 2, 1528.*)

i Mos. 22, 18. In your seed all generations on earth will be blessed.

Dear friends, today before noon you heard from Moses the first gospel, which God Himself preached to Adam and Even in Paradise, by which they were comforted, justified, preserved and saved; otherwise they would have had to die and perish in God's wrath and their sins. But now let us take before us the other promise, or the other gospel of God, made to Abraham when he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac, after the beginning of the world 2080 years ago, when God promised Abraham with an oath, saying: "In your seed shall Col Goym", that is, "all the nations of the earth be blessed", as written in the first book of Moses, chapter 22, v. 18.

(2) Now we will not dispute much here whether this text is said by our Lord Jesus Christ or not, for we have our Doctor and Teacher of the Gentiles, who has received his doctorate from God Himself and from our Lord Jesus Christ, and has been made a Doctor of Theology, and the testimony of his doctorate is given in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 9, 3. ff, is abundantly and gloriously described by Saint Paul, who clearly tells the Galatians in the third, v. 8, that these words of Moses alone were spoken by Christ, and that he alone is the seed, and no one else.

3 About this our Lord Jesus Christ himself speaks to the Jews, Joh. 8, 56: "Abraham, your father, was glad that he should see my day, and he saw it and rejoiced. Yes, where did he see it? In this saying, when he heard how his seed shall be God and man, who shall bless all nations, that is, redeem them from sin, death and the devil, make them eternally righteous, alive, holy and blessed.

4 Therefore let us now turn to the text, and hear first of all what a "curse" is, of which this Christ, Abraham's seed, should redeem all the Gentiles, and what "blessing" is. Second, how the seed of Abraham must be a right man and die. Thirdly, as the seed of Abraham must rise again from death, so he must bless all the Gentiles. Fourth, as he also must be a true God, but a different person, because God the Father and the Holy Spirit. This is what we intend to do this time, as much as God will grant and give His grace.

(5) Now we hear clearly in the text that God says to Abraham: "In your seed shall all the Gentiles of the earth be blessed. If all the Gentiles, that is, all men, are to be blessed in this Christ, then all the Gentiles must have been under the curse before; otherwise the seed could not bless them.

Now what is this curse? This is what our doctor, Saint Paul, says to the Romans in the fifth chapter, v. 12: "Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death came to all men, because they all sinned. This is a true master, who can fairly illustrate Adam's fall in paradise, what he accomplished with the bite of the apple, namely, that he brought and inherited such a terrible curse upon all men, no one excepted, without our Lord Jesus Christ, that they are conceived and born in sins, and thereby are eternally damned and lost to death, the devil.

7. this curse is called peccatum originale, original sin, or natural sin, which we received by nature from our parents in

*) Because of the time determination 2c. compare the first note to the previous sermon.

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Mother's womb; as the one and fiftieth Psalm, v. 7, says, "Behold, I am begotten of sinful seed, and my mother conceived me in sins." And to Ephesians on the other, v. 3. "We were by nature children of wrath"; that is, by nature, as we are conceived and born, we bring sin with us into the world, and through sin comes God's wrath and death, that we are all lost and condemned. And this original sin is the real wellspring from which other real sins of men spring and originate.

8. no Jew or Turk knows about this piece, not even the pope; but Adam, Abraham preached it orally to their children, likewise the prophets, until it was clearly described by King David. But we Christians now know from the New Testament about this curse, how terrible and great it is, that it also tears away all people and takes them to death; no matter how holy they are, it is of no help; no one can pull the neck out of the noose Ps. 89, 49, so heavy is the sin, God's wrath, death, hell and damnation, which we have inherited from our parents, Adam and Eve. This is what has been said about the curse that has come upon all the Gentiles; now let us hear about the blessing that this seed, Jesus Christ, is to bring.

(9) Now this blessing is not a bad man's blessing, as one man greets another, offering or wishing a good morning or day, as men cannot otherwise bless one another; but this blessing is God's blessing, which he alone can and will give, through the gospel he promised and promised. Such a blessing is not a bad, empty word that wishes us much good, and nothing comes of it, but gives and brings all that the word promises and pledges. Therefore, this divine blessing, promised and pledged in Abraham's seed, is a mighty, powerful and living blessing that brings and accomplishes what it promises or blesses.

(10) For he is promised and given of God against the curse, wherein the devilish old serpent hath brought us through Adam's disobedience and sin. And hereby God has denied the promise of the woman's seed.

He is now called Abraham's seed, and after that, David's seed 2 Sam. 7:12, 13, and finally became the son of the pure virgin Mary.

(11) Therefore, "to bless in Abraham's seed," as you heard this day before noon, means "the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," that is, it shall take away sin and hell, and restore righteousness, innocence, life and blessedness. For sin and eternal death is the curse, as it is said, under which we would have to be eternally damned (unless we were blessed again through this seed, that is, made free from sins and righteous, made alive from death, holy and blessed, and this was preached and presented in all the world through the gospel to all peoples and Gentiles).

12. the dear patriarch or archfather Abraham understood this well; therefore he also rejoiced, as Christ says. And I think that will also have been a piece of this joy, when God promises him Isaac, he falls down on his face and laughs with joy in his heart, Gen. 17, 17.

(13) This also shall be our joy, which we shall have, that we shall be blessed in this seed of Abraham, David, and Mary the virgin; yea, we Goym all Gentiles, will embrace it, and boast of the faith, as Abraham did. And with the blessing will defy sin, God's wrath, death, devil and hell, singing and saying: Through Christ, the seed of Abraham, we have righteousness, that is, forgiveness, the washing away of sins, redemption from death, the devil and all evil, and praise and glory be to God the Father, that he has given us his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and that he has become our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Paul 1 Cor. 1:31 says, "He that will boast, let him boast of the Lord" Jer. 9:23 and of no other. Now this is said of Abraham's blessing, which is to be our comfort, joy, life and blessedness forever. Let us now hear what kind of person Abraham's seed must be to bless all the nations.

14 Now it is clear and bright, Christ is to be Abraham's seed, that is, a true

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naturally child and pure man, who has Abraham's flesh and blood in him.

(15) Now if he is to be a true man, he must die; for whatsoever is a man must die Heb. 9:27. The judgment was passed on Adam and Even, who ate of the tree, and on all their descendants who are born of them, that they, as men, must die. But because Christ is to be Abraham's seed, that is, a true man, he must also die, for he has taken upon himself all the attributes of human nature, except sin. Now this is the other part, that this Christ, as a right, true, pure man, must die.

(16) Thirdly, if this Christ is to bless, that is, to justify, to bring forgiveness of sins, redemption from death, the devil and hell, life and blessedness, he must not remain in death; otherwise he could not bless, or, as Jeremiah says, Cap. 33, 15. 16., but must rise again from death, and in his name preach and proclaim such blessings, righteousness, repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the Gentiles and nations; as the Lord Christ himself says to his disciples on the day of Easter, and Luke is written at the last, v. 47. As we Christians also sing with believing hearts, "If he had not risen, the world would have passed away; but that he is risen, we praise the Father JEsu Christ, Kyrieleis." That is rightly sung. Abraham saw this in the word that the man, his Son Christ, must die and rise again from death, bringing righteousness, forgiveness of sin, life and blessedness to all the Gentiles.

(17) Fourthly, if this seed of Abraham is to give such a powerful and mighty blessing and bring it about among the Gentiles, he must not only be Abraham's seed, that is, a mere, pure man, who can do no more than say good day or good evening to us, which all men can do well, but must be the right, natural, true, almighty, one God, who has such a powerful, mighty blessing in his hand.

(18) For the abolition and overcoming of sin, death, hell and the devil, and the restoration of righteousness, life and salvation, are not the work of men or angels, but of some alone.

eternal, divine majesty, creator of heaven and earth, Is. 63, 3. ff. Therefore this Abraham's seed must be real, true, eternal, almighty God, like the Father from eternity, but another person.

(19) And we Christians must be careful, as we said before noon today, and will say even more now, not to separate the person of Christ, nor to mix the two natures, as the divine and human natures, into one nature or essence, but to distinguish the natures or essence here, and to keep the person united.

(20) For here the devil, through his companions, has made himself strangely twisted and curled, so that they either want to make the Godhead and humanity one nature and being, or else two persons, as some heretics have done.

21 Nestor, a patriarch or bishop in the imperial city of Constantinople, at the time of the emperor Theodosii the Disciple (against whom the Concilium at Ephesus, the very year Augustine died, after Christ's birth in 431^1^ ) year, was held), publicly taught that God, or Jesus Christ, Son of God, was not born of Mary the Virgin, died, and rose again. For God is a spirit John 4:24, who cannot be born, suffer or die, but only man, the Son of Mary.

22. That is, Christ is made two persons, and here the one person of Christ is separated, that there is another person who was born, died, and rose again, another person who was not born, died, and rose again. And so every nature becomes one person by itself, and two distinct sons, or Christ's, one God's, the other Mary's son; which is just as much as that God did not become man, die and rise again.

23 And is openly contrary to the Scripture, which saith John in the first, v. 14: "The Word is made flesh." The angel Gabriel speaks Lucä on the first, v. 35.: "The holy thing that is born of you will be called the Son of God." St. Paul Galatians on the fourth.

1. Eisleben edition 435 - Augustine died August 28, 430.

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V. 4: "God sent His Son, born of a woman's image." Jtem, 1 Cor. 2, 8.: "The princes of this world have crucified the LORD of majesty." And Apost. 20, 28, St. Paul says: "God purchased the Church with His blood," when, according to reason, God does not have blood. Just as we also speak in infant faith: I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born, died and rose again; do not say that the Son of God is other than the one born of Mary, died and rose again. Therefore it is one Son, and not two sons. Let this be said of Nestorio the heretic.

The other heretic, Eutyches (who was an abbot of Constantinople, against whom the fourth main council was held at Chalcedon in Ponto or Asm, in the fourth year of the emperor Marciani, after the birth of Christ in 451), 1) also publicly taught that the man, Jesus Christ, born of Mary, is not the creator of heaven and earth, whom one should worship. This heretic once again separates the person of Christ, and makes two persons out of one person.

(25) Nestorius the heretic separates the person by tearing mankind from the Godhead, and makes of every nature a special person, that man alone was born Christ, died and rose again. But Eutyches, the heretic, separates and tears the Godhead from humanity by making a special person out of every nature: one who created heaven and earth, and who is to be worshipped as the divine nature alone; separates and sets apart the divine nature from the human nature, as that Mary's Son is not the Creator of heaven and earth, whom one is to worship.

(26) But this is also contrary to the Scriptures and to our Christian faith. For when we say: Christ, the man, is Creator of heaven and earth, in whom one should believe and trust, or whom one should worship, we do not speak of the mere and separate man, of, apart from and without God, but speak of the man, or of the person, who is at the same time God and man in

1. Eisleben edition: 455.

One person, unspoken and undivided, namely de Deo incarnato, of whom I must say not in abstracto or absolute, as the ancients called it, but in concreto thus: Christ, the Son of God and of Mary, is the Creator of heaven and earth, to be honored and worshipped; who overcame death, destroyed sin, broke hell, and by his suffering, death, and resurrection restored righteousness, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and blessedness; who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit is one God, and with his Godhead and humanity is one and indivisible person. This is what we must learn. I have told it to you at greater length, so that you may the better comprehend, understand and retain it. For I see and note that the devil, through the new sect of the Sacramentarians, wants to bring forth this old heresy again, and to separate and divide this person of Christ.

Therefore I warn you and ask you to learn this article well, and do not let the enthusiasts mislead and seduce you. For in this article, Jews, Turks, even the pope, and our new sect, the Sacramentarians, are at odds with each other. But let this be our Christian glory and joy, that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is the true one God, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, who became man for our sake.

Therefore we say rightly: God suffered, God died and rose again, but according to the flesh, as St. Peter says 1 Petr. 3, 18. For God and man are One Person. For what the man Christ does, speaks and suffers, that God does, speaks and suffers; and what God does, speaks and suffers, the man Christ does. For he is both the Son of God and the Son of Mary, and yet has two different natures, divine and human. The dear Abraham recognized all this in this promise of God, and certainly believed and saw it in his heart.

29 But one thing we must also report and indicate. For since our Lord Jesus Christ is not the person who said to Abraham, "In your seed shall all the Gentiles be blessed," he must be another, different person; for the God who says to Abraham, "In your seed,

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who is not Abraham's seed, but speaks as of another, who is to become Abraham's seed. From this follows the difference of the two persons; and still remains the one, eternal, undivided God in his one divine being. Now where these two persons are, there is also the third, as, the Holy Spirit, who now said these things verbally through the angel to Abraham, but had them written through Moses, as St. Peter 2 Ep. 1, 21. speaks: "The holy men of God have spoken, driven by the Holy Spirit."

(30) There we have our article of faith that there are three distinct persons in the Godhead, as God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and yet is only One, Eternal, Almighty God.

31. As Moses, Gen. 18, 1. ff., writes that God appeared to Abraham in the grove of Mamre, when he was sitting in his door, and "when he opened his eyes, three men stood against him, and he ran to meet them, and fell down before them, and said, Lord, if I have found grace in your sight, do not pass by before your servant. You shall be given a little water". Here Abraham speaks to God in singulari, as to one, saying, "Lord, have I found grace in thy sight." Then in plurali, as with many, as he says, "You shall be given a little water." And the text clearly says that this vision or appearance was God Himself who appeared to him at his door.

32 Although the Jews say against it that this text is to be understood of the angels of God that appeared to Abraham, and they want to prove it from the 19th chapter afterwards, with the two angels that go against Sodom. But it is quite different with these three, who talk and eat with Abraham, as one God, as the whole chapter testifies. For there the text is clear and bright: it is the Lord who appeared to him in three persons, and he also worshipped them all three as one. That is why Abraham rightly recognized and believed in the Holy Trinity.

And we Christians must also learn to recognize and believe this, for all our blessedness lies in it. This article sets us apart

of Jews, Turks, and Gentiles, that in the eternal, unified, divine being there are three distinct persons, and we must be careful not to mix the persons nor separate the being, as many heretics have done.

(34) Therefore we must judge by the Scriptures alone, for our reason is of no value here, and remain with the word creed.

The difference of the three persons in the divine being is this. First, the Father, as the first person, who is the fountain or source of the Godhead, that the eternal, omnipotent God is of Himself, and from eternity gave birth in His fatherly heart to the Son, and through the eternal birth gave Him His Godhead.

But the other person, as the Son, is eternally born of the Father, who has his divinity not from himself, but from the Father alone.

The third person, as the Holy Spirit, is not born like the Son, but proceeds at the same time from the Father and the Son, from whom he also has his divinity from eternity.

So, in short, the Father who gives birth, the Son who is born, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds from both the Father and the Son. With this faith we can resist the devil, Jews and all heretics.

Therefore let us not mix the three persons into one person, but remain simple that there are three different persons in the one, eternal, divine being, who is nevertheless all three one God, creator, sustainer and agent of all things, towards us and all creatures.

(40) Abraham, as Moses wrote, and as you have now heard, knew and saw this by the three men who appeared to him. And therefore Abraham and Moses were two good Christians. For Moses proclaims to us with his writing that GOD promised Abraham such a rich blessing, which agrees with the whole New Testament, that GOD should send his son (who is the same GOD with him) to take Abraham's flesh and blood. Yes, if he were here now, his own present Jews (where they are otherwise of his blood, as I do not believe) would call him an arch-heretic, as is sometimes almost in the

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Desert Ex 17:4, Deut 14:10, kill and stone them.

41. This we want to have said for this time; for I have made it almost long, how our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, true Abraham's seed and became man; and by his suffering and death saved us from the curse, and as an eternal, almighty God rose from death; but another person, as God the Father and the Holy Spirit; and again, blessed all Gentiles abundantly, that is, restored righteousness, forgiveness of sin, life and blessedness, redemption from eternal death, devil and hell.

(42) Abraham believed all these things, and by faith he was justified and saved with all believers, as St. Paul says (Rom. 4:3). Therefore is called

Also the blessed word Abraham's bosom, as Luc. 16, 22. is written. Now it is called Christ's bosom, for he has come and fulfilled all that was promised and promised to Abraham.

(43) And now we lack nothing, except that we believe (as Abraham did) with our hearts, and confess with our mouths, and we shall be justified and saved, as St. Paul said to the Romans in the 10th verse, 10. May God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, as three Persons, and yet only one, eternal, almighty God, in One Divine Being, help us to this right, true and living faith, so that we may also persevere and remain in it until our end, both in life and death, in good and evil; to Him be glory, praise and thanksgiving for these benefits forever, amen.

II. interpretations on the second book of Moses.

A. D. Martin Luther's Interpretation of Several Chapters

*of the second book of Moses. )

From the 1st to the 18th chapters.

Preached at Wittenberg from October 2, 1524 to 1526.

Preface.

So far we have interpreted the first book of Moses and have heard of many beautiful, comforting sayings, in which the main articles of our Christian faith are contained. In addition, we have been presented with all kinds of wonderful examples and models of a godly and Christian life in the Old Fathers and Patriarchs, and have learned from the

The same book also teaches how God is the almighty Creator of heaven, earth, and all creatures, whom alone we should honor, love, fear, and trust above all things; likewise, how all things are in God's power and hand, and He must govern, protect, and preserve all things; item, how the human race may multiply and grow.

*) After Luther had finished the sermons on the first book of Moses, he began to preach on the second book of Moses in the vesper services on the 19th Sunday after Trinity, October 2, 1524. Only in the year 1526 he came to an end with it. This time determination, which Aurifaber gives in the first part of the Eisleben collection, is confirmed by a note in an index volume to Poach's sermons in the Zwickau Rathsschulbibliothek (Buchwald, Ungedruckte Predigten, Vol. I, p. XX, Note 3.): "Anno 1524 Sonntag nach Michaelis hatt er angefangen

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Adam and Eve fell into sin, death, and the power of the devil and the devil's shells, but through the promised Seed they attained righteousness, eternal life, and blessedness.

(2) We have also heard how the two generations of men, the godly and the ungodly, that is, the right, true church of God, and the false church, the bride of the devil, have lived, grown and prospered in the world. And in this book we are also presented with comforting examples of divine graces and benefits, how God blessed the pious and did good to them, and on the other hand, examples of wrath, how he punished the wicked. This book is therefore worthy of our knowledge and learning, so that we may draw from it to the kingdom of Christ and to a Christian, penitent life.

3 Now we turn to the interpretation of the other book of Moses, in which the following is said

of the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, when they were delivered and redeemed from the house of bondage and the hard prison of Pharaoh. This also presents us with beautiful, glorious examples of how God truly keeps His promises; item, examples of divine grace and kindness toward afflicted, troubled and frightened Christians; and, on the other hand, examples of His wrath, punishment and disgrace toward the stubborn and impenitent. And after Abraham's, Isaac's and Jacob's descendants were to become a nation and kingdom of their own, God also gives them laws and rights in this book, orders worship and religion, and sets up authorities, as Moses, who is a commander and captain of this people, who is to lead them out of Egypt; and divides the people into twelve principalities or tribes, over which he sets twelve princes. [So he set up this people with laws and rights, so that (because this people was very many) every man might know what he should do.

The first chapter.

(1) In this chapter we hear of various things, especially how God began to help His people out of the bondage of Pharaoh, where they were in Egypt, and how He appointed Moses as duke over the children of Israel, and brought him to the office in a strange way, who sought all kinds of excuses, so that he might avoid such a profession. First of all, the text says:

V.1-7. These are the names of the children of Israel that came with Jacob into Egypt: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher. And all

The souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy. But Joseph was in Egypt before. And when Joseph was dead, and all his brethren, and all that were alive at that time, the children of Israel grew, and begat children, and multiplied, and became very many, so that the land was full of them.

2. in the first book of Moses we have heard how God drew a line or cord and led it from Adam, also all the other old fathers and patriarchs up to Jacob, and God did not place Himself otherwise than as if He alone looked at the cord, so from Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham and Isaac, up to the Pa-.

to preach and explain the other book of Moses." These sermons did not flow from Luther's pen, but were intercepted. A manuscript of them was in the possession of the provost Georg Buchholzer in Berlin; however, as he wrote to Count Vollrath von Mansfeld, it was stolen from him in l564 during his illness. Another, incomplete copy (which contained only the sermons on the first eighteen chapters) was found among the books of Philipp Fabricius, former pastor at Ringleben; this was purchased by Wolf von Schönburg, Lord of Glauchau and Waldenburg, and given to Joh. Aurifaber for publication. Aurifaber published these sermons in 1564 in the first part of the Eisleben Collection, where they are found on pages 279 to 392b. After that, they are reprinted in the Altenburg edition, vol. Ill, p. 523; in the Leipzig edition, vol. Ill, p. 471, and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 35, p. I. We give the text according to the Eisleben collection.

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Jacob, and acts as if he does not know the other generations in the world, nor does he know anything about them; as he then honestly touches all the others who have lived next to this line and cord 1). Although this line of the human race was very small (for he did not get any further with it than Jacob and his twelve sons, and those born of them, namely seventy souls, who had gone to Egypt, Gen. 46, 27.), yet in the beginning of this first chapter it is described how this people of Israel grew in Egypt, begot other children, multiplied and increased so that the land became full of them, and afterwards they got their own regiments and kingdoms, spiritual and temporal.

From this we see our Lord God's masterpieces, how wonderfully he rules, fulfills and keeps his promises and pledges. God is thin and narrow when he wants to put his promise, made to Abraham and his seed, into practice. For He had promised him Gen. 15:5 that his seed would become a great and innumerable people, as the sand on the sea and the stars in the sky; also Gen. 17:6 that kings and princes would come from his loins; but the promise can be seen as if it were to become water. For Abraham and Sarah, like Isaac and Rebecca, are single men, and die, having few children. Where is the promise? God sees it as thin and small; only with the patriarch Jacob does it start a little, to whom God gives twelve sons, of whom seventy souls will soon be begotten, and now the promise wants to see something and lets itself be seen.

These are the great people that the patriarch Abraham is to have. He dies and goes on believing that God will keep His promise to him, even though he no longer sees his Sarah but only Isaac. For God is true in His words and promises. But nevertheless he acts strangely and strangely, as if he did not want to keep the promise, and yet he does. By this we are to be caused to believe God's promises, to build firmly upon them.

1. "honest - hardly.

and to rely on it in all afflictions and temptations, and also to wait with patience for His help, so that God will come at last and comfort us and save us from our troubles. Continue:

V. 8 There arose a new king in Egypt, who knew nothing of Joseph.

(5) How this happened, whether perhaps the land of Egypt fell in a heap with the previous king, I cannot know. But it can be seen that the pious Pharaoh, who lived and ruled at the time of Joseph, died and a new king was chosen in his place, who did not know anything about Joseph. For Joseph lived to be a hundred and ten years old Gen. 50:22 and was nine and thirty years old when his father, the patriarch Jacob, came to him in Egypt. After that he lived another seventy years, and reigned at least fifty years after his father's death. Then in fifty years there was a great change, that one or two new kings followed in Egypt after Jacob's and Joseph's death.

Egypt was a fine land and kingdom, and was then in its prime. When Joseph, full of the Holy Spirit, reigned in it, it was the most beautiful and fruitful kingdom under the sun; but when Joseph dies, and the right head and nucleus are gone, things are much different; as regiments and kingdoms are wont to rise and fall.

Thus God does with all kingdoms and regiments. He gives each country its time to grow and rise, so that it may increase and expand in wealth, power, honor and authority, and so that it may flourish and soar in honor and dignity. But even if it seems to be the time of our Lord God that such a country should fall again and go to the ground, it also suddenly falls again, so that no one can endure it. Therefore the prophet Daniel Cap. 2, 21 rightly says: Deus constituit et transfert regna, it is God who establishes and changes kingdoms.

8 Thus he helped the Roman empire to its feet, so that it forced many other kingdoms under it and suppressed them, and became a mighty empire; but it has again gone to ruin. Item, the Jewish Empire has God

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The Babylonian empire was also made glorious and great, but now it lies in ashes again. Similarly, the Babylonian empire was a mighty regiment on earth; but it did not stand long, after which it fell again over a heap. In the same way, God gives to every city its time, when it is growing and flourishing; when the time of its growth is over, then suddenly the regiment is over, and comes again into decline and fall.

(9) Thus acts our Lord God: He can make everything out of nothing; a small kingdom he can make large, and again, a great empire he can easily overthrow, so that all the world has enough to cool down Isa. 13:19. And if it is then in the change or in the turning, that he pushes a kingdom to the ground, then no defense still helps to hold out; yes, if it hung on iron chains, or stood on iron stakes, then it must go to ruins and to the ground.

10 Thus Egypt was a blessed, Christian, glorious kingdom and principality, which had God's word abundantly preached through the high patriarchs, Jacob and Joseph, and also through the twelve sons of Jacob, who even planted a fine church there for our Lord God. God also gave this kingdom praiseworthy kings and rulers, who gave shelter, protection and protection to the church, and were its nurturers, suckers and protectors Isa. 49:23, who heaped up and sheltered the patriarchs.

The worldly government is also glorious and excellent, that in this kingdom judgment and justice were found. God also gives it great wealth and nourishment. It has had high people in the spiritual and temporal regiments, and this kingdom has stood on strong and solid legs. But when the time comes that this kingdom should also take a blow and fall, it lies in a heap, so that religion and worship perish, and justice, judgment, discipline and restraint cease and come to an end.

12 But when does this happen? This is what the text says: "When Joseph had died, and all his brothers, and all who had lived in his time, there arose a new king in Egypt, who knew nothing of Joseph" 2c.

The downfall of the church and religion, and the destruction of the worldly government, occurs when the godly patriarchs, preachers, bishops and pastors, as well as the Christian, pious kings, princes and capable rulers are taken away. It is also written in the book of Judges, chapter 2, v. 8 ff: "When Joshua the son of Nun died, the servant of the Lord, when he was an hundred and ten years old, and all that were alive at that time were gathered unto their fathers, there arose after them another generation, which knew not the Lord, neither the works that he had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and forsook the LORD their fathers' God, which had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and went after other gods." So it goes, when the pillars and support are gone, so the church and worldly regiment have carried, it falls over a heap. When the kernel is eaten out of the nut, one keeps only the empty shells in one's hand, only the husks or the foam remain. The greater the blessing of God was before, the greater is his curse, malediction and disgrace afterwards Matth. 11, 23. And if in the same land the saints of God were honored before, afterwards they are thought to be put to death, as happened to the children of Israel in Egypt. Thus the land is turned back, and the people become ungrateful to God, depart from His word, and lose the true worship of God.

V.9-11. And Pharaoh said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are many, and more than we. Let us therefore subdue them with stratagems, that there be not so many of them. For if there be a war against us, they will join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and go out to the land. 1) And he set over them servants of valor, who should press them with service. For they built for Pharaoh the cities of Pithon and Raemses for treasuries."

Here let the ingratitude of the world be known. Even if you do everything good for it and serve it for a long time, it will still hit you on the head as a reward. The world is

1. The bracketed words are missing in the Eisleben edition.

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applies good deeds with evil deeds. Until now, the Egyptians have received many good things from Joseph and the children of Israel, such as the true knowledge of God, that they were rid of the abominable, pagan idolatry and now knew the true, right service of God and could find the way to eternal bliss. Thus they also had a Christian, well-ordered, worldly government that was pleasing to God. Item, they had had pious authorities, fruitful years, and many years ago good peace and other bodily benefits more; so that God, for the sake of the Israelites, had blessed the whole kingdom of Egypt. The host had to enjoy the guest. The Egyptians had from the people of Israel salvation and blessedness of their souls, good government, a common peace of the land, food and abundance, since the theurungs began, and all spiritual and bodily welfare. How then the godless world of the Christians still enjoys much; and for the sake of the pious it must often go well with the wicked. But this is all forgotten among the Egyptians; Pharaoh and the Egyptians now think how they would destroy and oppress all the children of Israel with cunning.

14 Such is the world's drink money and reward for faithful service. It gives such evil drink money. We must also get used to it, it does not work differently in the world. For, as the pagans have said: Nihil citius senescit, quam gratia, one forgets nothing so soon as good deeds; item: Beneficium in pulvere scribitur, in marmore noxa, good deeds are soon thrown to the wind, but if one has done something to another's annoyance, that can be remembered for a long time.

(15) Now Pharaoh wisely proposes, first, to destroy the children of Israel by sour, heavy, hard labor, that they may be cut off by the laying of bricks, and other glad tidings of the fortresses. He wants to hang the food too high for them, if he could deceive them 1). But what happens? The text speaks:

V. 12. The more they pressed the people, the more they multiplied and spread out. sAnd they held the children of Israel as an abomination. 2)

1. deaf - to muffle, to suppress.
2. The bracketed words are not in the Eisleben edition.

Here again, behold the wondrous work of our Lord God, how he will perform his word and promise and bring it to pass. He handles it in such a way that it cannot be said that men have carried it out in this way. God had also promised Abraham that he would make a great nation out of his seed. Now he deals with the children of Israel in such a way that they have to be servants and slaves in Egypt, and lets the opposite happen, as if they would even be exterminated. Nevertheless, in the end they become a great nation, for God brings them out of Egypt in great numbers Ps. 136:11, 12. So, even though Pharaoh is also very tyrannical, raging and furious against the children of Israel here, he plagues them hard with joyful services and other burdens, nevertheless it does not help at all, he has to let this people stay.

God mocks the tyrants even more, when they thus lay against the Christians with their ravings and persecutions, and does it to their scorn and vexation, yes, in spite of them, that he protects and preserves his own. As if he should say: Dear, go to and forbid me! Nevertheless I will let my people grow and become great, so that all of you will have to confess yourselves that it is not done by any human power. For God has the children of Israel in Egypt forced, pressed, pressed and weakened, and yet makes them so fruitful. It happens with them. Childbearing came more easily to the wives of the Jews than otherwise; it did not become so sour for them in childbirth as it did for the Egyptian wives. For God had it in mind to bring this people away. The more one has resisted here, the more the people have increased; the less one wants them to suffer in the world, the more God receives them Proverbs 19:21. And after God had promised that they should become a great nation, they were sure in their conscience that it pleased God that every man should take a wife. Therefore, the more Pharaoh resists, the more it goes.

18 It is the same with the dear gospel. Where it flourishes, all the attempts of the tyrants, who otherwise want to control and prevent the gospel from progressing, must recede. But against God's word

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No wisdom, power or force helps, but it penetrates and sweeps away everything in its way. For just as water in a pond may be stopped for a time, so that it cannot flow out, if it is dammed up and buried with rice wood and earth, and its course is blocked; But it swells in the pond, and the water in it grows, increases and accumulates, until it finds some hole in the dam where it can break out and flow out; or, when the pond becomes full of water, it runs over the dam, because it wants to be unrestrained, and to have its stream, river and course: So the devil and the world also oppose the dear gospel, want to hold it up and stop it, hinder preachers and listeners, oppose it with all kinds of tyranny and persecution; but it does not help. The divine word wants to have its course, and should the devil and the world become furious and nonsensical about it.

(19) But what is God's pleasure in this? He does it so that we do not think that we do it, but that it comes from God, who alone does it. For so it goes on, even if the world becomes mad and foolish about it. Here we have an example. The more Pharaoh intends to weaken the people of Israel, the more it spreads and grows. Pharaoh is being foolish here. He builds two strong cities, or two fortresses, two treasuries, and the children of Israel have to work like donkeys. This is the first plot of the king in Egypt and his advisors, so that they think they are making this people less. But God remembers in the meantime: O, my hand is not too weak that I should not feed, protect and defend this people, Isa. 50, 2. 59, 1., and mocks Pharaoh in addition.

20. For thus God does against the world and the devil's wrath and raging. They must not only do no harm to the gospel with their tyranny, raging and fury, but only promote and spread it further and tear the head in two against the gospel. As the other Psalm, vv. 1-5, also teaches us, when David says: "The nations rage, and the peoples speak in vain; the kings of the land rebel against the Lord.

Lord and his anointed and say: Let us break their bands, and cast away their cords from us. But he that dwelleth in heaven laugheth at them, and the LORD mocketh at them. One day he will speak to them in anger, and with his wrath he will "terrify" them, so that they will fall to the ground for a little while.

21 All this is done so that we may learn to trust God and believe in Him. For He will not and cannot abandon us. Our enemies do no more with their anger than to promote God's work the longer the more, and only hinder themselves. God allows the enemies to rage, so that they may offend him, and God will pay them again and give them their deserved reward. But in the meantime, God has the other part pressed hard, and sees through his fingers that they are hard-pressed, so that he may soon help them out and save them.

(22) It is the same for us today. Our doctrine is violently persecuted, Christians are drowned, hanged and burned from time to time, I and you are badly plagued; and we can see what the pope, cardinals, bishops and princes have in mind. If they could drown us all in a spoon, they would not take a rivet 1) to it. But God is sitting up in heaven, watching them, and says: "You boys, you have long since deserved that I should strike you with a sharp rod; therefore, make haste with your persecution, be very angry and wicked, so that I may come upon you the sooner and destroy you.

(23) For the enemies of the gospel must burn their fists against our Lord GOD, that they may perish in their persecution and lie in ashes. For God is too strong and mighty for them that they may not push Him from His throne and chair; therefore the game is over their heads. As also the Lord Christ says to Paul in the stories of the apostles Cap. 9, 4. 5., when he was still snorting against Christianity with persecution: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It will be hard for you to lick against a thorn." For

1. Zober Zuber.

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Whoever does such things makes himself blood disgraceful, paralyzes and corrupts his feet. Just as St. Paul did not accomplish much more with his persecution, but finally had to stop with his raving.

24 This is very comforting to all Christians, that they know that if they cry out to God in their anguish and distress, He will hear them and deliver them from persecution, and will also give their enemies and persecutors their reward Ps. 142:2, 74.

V.15-17. And the king of Egypt said unto the wombs of the Hebrew women, the name of the one was Siphra, and the name of the other Puah, If ye help the Hebrew women, and see out of the throne that it is a son, slay him. But if it is a daughter, let her live. But the wives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them, but let the children live.

(25) Since the first attack did not help, the king used another practice, which our Lord God also beat to the ground. For God's power is strong. It may at times appear weak and impotent, but in the end it shows itself again and prevails. In the same way, God sometimes acts foolishly and foolishly, but His wisdom finally persists. For human and divine wisdom run counter to each other, and human wisdom must lie below.

026 Pharaoh will cause the sons of the children of Israel to be strangled here, and not the daughters, that the people of Judah may not increase, and that the Egyptians may be driven out of the land: remember, we can compel the wives of the Israelites, but they must be our handmaids, and in time we will kill them also. Let the women go, but not the men; otherwise the women must die in time.

27 Thus Pharaoh thinks that he has blocked up the hole for our Lord God, so that he cannot get a hair through it, and so that he cannot help the children of Israel; therefore he takes the Egyptian mothers of sorrow for his attack, and not the Hebrew mothers of sorrow. But God disgraces the king's counsel with his mothers of sorrow; as Solomon says in the book of Proverbs

in the 21st chapter, v. 30, says: "No wisdom, no understanding, no art helps against the Lord" Job 5, 13. And the prophet Isaiah Cap. 8, 10. says: "Decide on a council, and nothing will come of it; talk it over, and it will not stand; for here is Immanuel." It does not have to go out to Pharaoh in such a way as he has in mind. There are many things that go wrong with his own ideas and his own cloth. The tyrants are often lacking in their attacks.

Why does God need the Egyptian mother of sorrow for this, when He could have used others to help the Israelites? But God does it because the enemies of the Christian church must themselves do good to the Christians, often against their will and thanks. For the Egyptian women were otherwise by nature hostile and opposed to the Hebrew women; that still, against the king's earnest command and strict order, they should let the Hebrews' babies live. Someone here might have said, "How wise is our Lord God! Should the Egyptian wombs help the children of Israel, since they are their mortal enemies? But what does our Lord God do? Where men have no counsel, salvation, help or comfort, he will help; as he is called in the 9th Psalm, v. 10, a helper in trouble. Therefore he comes and takes away the heart of the mothers of sorrow, and turns their mind and courage, and inclines their heart to the children of Israel. This is a small art to our Lord God, for he rules in the midst of his enemies, says the 110th Psalm, v. 2. Therefore he often makes the Christians' adversaries and enemies their friends. As Solomon in the 16th chapter of the book of Proverbs, v. 7, also speaks of this in a glorious and comforting way, saying: "If a man's ways please the Lord, he also makes his enemies happy with him.

(29) So this attack must also be lacking in Pharaoh the king. For God puts fear and terror into the hearts of the mothers of sorrow, so that they do not kill the children; as God in the fifth commandment seriously forbids that one should not kill; therefore, they do not want to act against this commandment of God, they are afraid of God's wrath and punishment. Thus, God can control the iron eaters, angry squires and scoundrels, and bring them to justice.

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Make them cowards. Therefore the 72nd Psalm, v. 9, says: "Before him those in the wilderness will bow down, and his enemies will lick the dust", that is, the enemies of Christ must not be so hopeful, but let their throbbing, defying, pawing and persecuting. To lick the dust means to be in fear and trembling, and not to know what to do in fear and trembling, that one may also let his feet go over him. Kissing stones, licking earth means to be frightened by God's wrath, to desist from persecution; like Paul, the persecutor, when he was struck down with lightning before Damasco, he also became frightened, licked dust, stuck his nose in the ashes, said with trembling, "Lord, what shall I do?", Apost. 9, 6, becomes an apostle and preacher. Before, he strangled the Christians with thirst, now he makes them alive with the teaching of the gospel and does all good to the Christians.

(30) But these pious, honest matrons, these two mothers of sorrow, have dared to transgress this mighty king's mandate, not wanting to strangle the innocent little children, but having God more in mind than their king. And it is right and well done. Saul's followers 1 Sam. 22, 17 did not want to kill the five and eighty priests of Nobe 1) who betrayed Doeg that they had fed David in flight, and the king commanded them to kill the priests with the edge of the sword. So 1 Kings 18:4 when Ahab king of Israel, with his wicked Jezebel, chased Eliam and the other prophets out of the kingdom because of Baal's false worship, and wanted them all dead, Obadiah, king Ahab's chamberlain, was against the king's lord's ban, and hid a hundred prophets in caves, and fed and nourished them.

These all feared God more than their kings. Just as the Lord Christ also confesses, when he says Matth. 10, 28: "Fear not those who can kill the body, but him who can cast both body and soul into the infernal fire. If the king had known this, he would have punished the Egyptian mothers of woe much more severely than all the Egyptians.

1. Erlanger: Niobe.

Hebrew women. But God with His wisdom disgraces the great king so that two old cripples have to mimic and fool such a mighty king. They are not afraid of his great power, but of God's displeasure and wrath. Only God does this.

32 Now the king finally realizes it, and is very angry with the mothers of sorrow. Then they devise a lie, as follows in the text:

V.18. 19. Then the king of Egypt called unto the women of sorrow, and said, Why do ye this, that ye suffer the children to live? And the women answered Pharaoh, The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women: for they are hard women. Before the mother of sorrow comes to them, they have given birth.

They apologize and say: Before we come to them, we have failed. Here is the question: Have the mothers of sorrow also sinned, that they turn their nose to their king and authority, and speak a lie? Abraham also told such a lie when he called his wife Sarai his sister in the presence of King Abimelech Gen. 12:13. To this it should be answered, that though Christians have the Holy Ghost, yet have they flesh and blood in them: so also much sin and infirmity doth hang and cleave unto them, wherefore they must always pray: Lord, forgive us our trespasses Matth. 6, 12. And whether the saints of God do too little or too much at times, it nevertheless goes away with the heap and multitude of the forgiveness of sins Ps. 32:6 and belongs under the heaven of graces, that is, under the forgiveness of sins.

34 But lying is when one wants to harm his neighbor. If a lie is of this kind, that one wants to harm or deceive someone's property, honor, life and limb, then it is a sin, because I am seeking my own benefit and the harm of others. This is mendacium perniciosum. But if I lie in such a way that I do not harm but serve and benefit someone, that I promote his good and best, then it is called a friendly lie, mendacium officiosum, if someone presents himself in such a way and fabricates something for the benefit of others. When Lucä on

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In chapter 24, v. 28, the Lord Christ stood against the two disciples who were going to Emmaus, as if he wanted to pass by, and yet he did not; he did not have it in mind, and yet he allowed himself to be asked. This lie is the same here. The mothers of sorrow want to serve the children of Israel and save them from Pharaoh's fierce rage; they do not want to harm the Israelites with this, but prevent and spoil them, 1) so that Pharaoh does not shed innocent blood with the little children; they want to ward off the murdering devil, who would have gladly caused a bloodbath with the babies of the Hebrews. So they, the mothers of sorrow, want to break the devil's entrenchment with this prudence of theirs and keep the Hebrew babies alive.

V. 20. 21. Therefore God did good to the mothers of sorrow, and the people multiplied and became very many. And because the wombs feared GOD, he built them houses.

(35) Behold, how God rewarded abundantly the mothers of sorrow in Egypt for not strangling the children of the Hebrews in childbirth, that God might do them good again; their godliness must be rewarded abundantly. Just as godliness has the promise that it will be rewarded and paid for by God with spiritual and physical goods. For thus also the Lord Christ says Matth. 6, 33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all the rest shall be added to you." And St. Paul to Timothy 1 Ep. 4, 8. says: "Godliness is profitable for all things; it hath promise of the present life and of that which is to come." And 1 Sam. 2, 30. God says: "Those who honor me, I will honor again." That is, those who live godly lives must again be blessed by God, so that it may go well with them here in this life and there in the Kingdom of Heaven.

(36) A house in Scripture is not called a beam, a rafter, or a roof, but a tabernacle, a dwelling, or a dwelling, a garrison, where man and woman, parents and children, masters, wives, and servants dwell together, having food and drink, food and covering. So also a church is called a house of God, where people come together to worship God.

1. degenerate - to forestall, resist.

They act according to the word, use the sacraments, and perform the true service of God, even though there is no house or roof there. Thus a house, a regiment or a household is called, that God has blessed the mother of sorrow, that she has received men, children, wealth, money and goods, and that her family has increased and spread. For house also often means a family; as we Germans say, the House of Saxony, the House of Brandenburg, that is, the tribe, the princes of Saxony and the margraves of Brandenburg. This reward was given to the mothers of sorrow for their service and office, that they let the Hebrew babies live in the birth, and not for the lie, that they deceived the king Pharaoh and destroyed his evil plan, tyranny and murderous plots.

V.22. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, All sons that are born cast into the water, and all daughters let live.

(37) When the first two acts of Pharaoh, his persecution and tyranny, and the glad tidings, and the murder of the children in childbirth, had fallen, Pharaoh the king nevertheless continued in his bloodthirsty murderous purpose, desiring to destroy the people of Israel root and branch; therefore he sent forth a public edict or mandate in the kingdom, that all the children should be cast into the water, and drowned.

(38) This was an earnest commandment, that the devil, the murderer of the flesh, should be grievous to the children of Israel, and that many children should be slain; and this commandment might have stood twenty years. Moses is also born immediately in this edict. His brother Aaron is three years older than he, and has not been in this danger of death, but Moses is put into the water to be drowned.

39 But what does our Lord God do about it? This third attack of Pharaoh must also be nullified. For persecution and murder must not harm the Church of God and the Christians, the Christians must not become less by it, as Pharaoh would have liked to wipe out the people by his bloodthirsty attacks, but the Church takes its place under the cross, of the

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As the old teacher of the church, Tertullianus, said so well: Sanguine martyrum rigatur ecclesia, that is, the church is sprinkled, moistened and watered by the blood of Christians. From the blood of Christians there always grow other Christians, who reflect and marvel at their faith, confession of Christ, patience in the cross and constancy, and who are also converted to the Christian faith and become blessed.

(40) In our time, the pope and his followers have also raged against the gospel and its followers, and have driven many Christians into the misery of their wives and children, their possessions and goods, and have burned them, hanged them, watered them, beheaded them and strangled them, thus wanting to hinder the preaching of the gospel and reduce the number of Christians. But the longer the gospel has been spread under this raging of the devil, the more Christians have become, just as the children of Israel have increased under this persecution.

The devil, along with the world, means ill and would gladly devour the Christians, but God sends it for the good of His own. Such persecution, hardship and temptation must be a cause for them to cry out to God in earnest, to trust in Him, to patiently await His help. He can certainly send it differently, namely, that the Christians will finally be delivered from their distress, and the wicked will be overthrown with their rage. As he does here, Pharaoh throws the sons of the Israelites into the water and drowns them, but in the end he must stop. For God also finally takes Pharaoh the king, together with all the people of Egypt, and drives them through Moses to the baths in the Red Sea, where they must all drown. This shall be the end of the tyrants.

(42) Thus far we have heard in the first chapter of the second book of Moses how the children of Israel were afflicted and oppressed by Pharaoh the king in Egypt with three kinds of plagues. First, how he weighed them down with burdens and labor so that they would not multiply. But it did not help. Second, as the king commanded the mothers of woe,

to kill the young children at birth. This did not happen either. Third, he ordered that the male children be thrown into the water and drowned, but that the female children be left alive. But nothing happened.

(43) So it must be with the people who have the true word of God, through which word they escape the devil body and soul. The devil slaughters them as sheep for the slaughter Ps. 44, 23, he tortures and torments them, otherwise he lets false teachers and other godless people remain safe and in peace and quiet; only those who have God's word must let him have their hair and suffer persecution from him. As St. Paul also prophesied 2 Tim. 3:12, "that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. The Lord Christ also said Matth. 10, 38. 16, 24.: "Whoever wants to be my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me. The Lord Christ himself had to suffer persecution from the devil and the world; why should we want to be better off than he was?

(44) But we have also heard of the great wonders God does for His own who trust in Him and believe His word and promise. For though at first he may well set himself against them, as if he would forsake them altogether, that they should perish and perish: yet he comforts them again, and helps them out of persecution; he takes hold of the game of the tyrants, throws away their dice, bites their cards, and puts them to shame with all their attempts and persecutions.

Allegoria or spiritual interpretation of the first chapter.

(45) We have often told your dear ones, and especially those who want to study the Scriptures and become preachers, to beware of spiritual interpretations or allegories (as they are called). For I have also hitherto proceeded by leading the histories to a secret understanding; there have 1) well to beware, who there-

1. Taken by us from the old edition. Eislebensche: has one.

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with, and they must be properly instructed.

46. It cannot be prevented that one should not take histories before oneself and draw secret meanings from them, which Paul 1 Cor. 13:2, 14:2 calls mysteria. Than that I give a gross example: Isaac is sacrificed on the altar and yet remains alive, that it means Christ must die and rise again and come to life. This must be allowed to happen. For St. Paul says: The Holy Spirit speaks mysteries, that is his office, he can also meet and interpret the mysteries. As St. Paul also does to the Galatians Cap. 4, 23 with the two wives, Sarah and Hagar, which are the two testaments. Item, with the two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, which mean two different nations. If he did not lead and interpret it this way himself, then sows should have fallen in, wildly and desolately interpreting it.

47 For this reason, it does not suffer that anyone should fall with his head into the Scriptures, and therein ponder and mow, 1) as he pleases. No one should refrain from doing so, unless he has the Holy Spirit. And St. Paul said to the Romans in chapter 12, v. 7: "If anyone prophesies, let it be similar to faith", analoga fidei. Whoever wants to interpret secretly, let him see to it that he interprets them on faith, that they rhyme with faith.

I say this because I myself have wasted and lost much time in Gregorio, Hieronymo, Cypriano, Augustino, Origene. For the fathers, in their time, had a special lust and love for allegories, walked around with them and clicked all the books. Origen is almost a prince and king over allegories, and has made the whole Bible quite full of such secret interpretations, which are not worth a damn. The cause is this, that they all followed their conceit, head and opinion, as they considered it right, and not St. Paul, who wants to let the Holy Spirit act in it, or that the allegories would be similar to faith.

49. And I did not want to preach about it either,

1. mähren - to stir around.

If I did not do this, I would make you accustomed to use the allegories correctly, and I would be able to take away the power of the interpreters and teachers who thus err with the allegories, and I would be able to contradict them and keep the right mind. Origen did Christ much harm with this. For the Jews mocked the same teachers who "interpreted" the Scriptures by allegory, and knew how to interpret Christ's word in such a way that everything written by Isaac should be understood by Christ. For frivolous spirits, who were full and satisfied with the divine word, only gave themselves to searching for many allegories; and there one could not quite grasp God's word before the same interpretations.

50 That was a delicious thing, and people's mouths were opened; when one hears something new and brings something strange, one wants to know everything, writes and clicks everything; but nothing good comes of it. For when one is weary of history, one seeks what the world looks at, and one seeks his honor, the other something else in the Scriptures, and preach for the sole purpose of opening people's eyes, ears, mouths and noses, and one says: O, a learned man is this! But they lose the right reason and understanding of the Scriptures, and lead the people astray.

Look at the books of St. Jerome, I have also read them. But he thinks he has got it right, uses splendid words, but it is a bad thing, and is only the shells of the nut, the husks of the pea. You have to bite the nut open and break it out, and that's where you'll find the kernel; if you don't do that, you'll get dirt in your mouth. A young teacher might fall for it, and think that it is right and good, yes, that there is a secret mystery hidden inside, just as there is a kernel in the nut; he regards the histories as shells, in which there is nothing, and considers it a dead thing. I have also treated the histories as the best way to live a Christian life in faith, love, and patience, and to pray and keep oneself in the cross.

52 Therefore I have asked that whoever wants to study the holy Scriptures should not forfeit his pride and desire in the holy Scriptures.

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Take before you Homerum, Ovidium, Virgilium, or any other poet, and try your art there, and do not plump here into the holy Scriptures, for you have washed your feet beforehand, so that you may get the kernel out of the nut and not the shells; therefore turn it over and seek the best. The main part and the reason, or the best in the Scriptures, they also call the shells without the nut, as, the histories read above and know. But let it also be your best study, that we may know how the histories go, how Abraham lived in the word of God and faith, and how he fared.

This corrects people, straightens and comforts consciences that are in great anguish and distress, and gives an example of how to live rightly, so that they may also remain in the simple mind. And history brings the fine examples of faith and love, yes, it brings forth their life. If you seek and ponder anything else from it, it is not good; for you are on the wrong track and go astray, and have already opened the door to the devil behind and in front, and have a reckless spirit that despises the holy Scriptures. Then the devil's head is made so full of allegories that you pour out sacks full of them, and you even become a fool about it, since you think you are very clever.

54 Now, I do not want to deny it, but I ask that you keep the core, the right treasure, and the most important part of the holy scriptures, namely, that you learn the holy scriptures well according to the historical way. For I warn you that you will find it much different in the old teachers, who are full of allegories. Origen has entangled himself and his disciples and the whole world with them, yet St. Jerome of Origen boasted that he, after the apostles, would place his doctrine on none but Origen. But I did not want to cough up St. Hieronymi and St. Origen's art. For any pointed head could do the same. Since they are supposed to teach me the history of how one should live in the Word of God, and also how one should believe and practice love, they are quite mute and stiffly go over it.

55. these masters of christianity have not

A history properly executed. It is fitting to show how life goes on in faith, and how a man holds fast to faith and leaves his wife and child above it. This should be the most noble thing, and one should be full of it. Therefore keep the rule: that whoever wants to act the prophets should act them according to faith and restrain himself from allegories. For they have made great thoughts out of them, and let him who studies them beware; for these Doctores are to be read as yearly as any poets, nay, Virgilius is much more harmless than they. Then we know that Virgilius and other poets are fools and have erred, but these let themselves be seen with their doctrine, that it is all good what they pretend, and yet they put dirt in their mouths.

(56) Take heed, ye that study, that ye learn not backward, and forget more than ye have learned. For it was the same with me. When I was still in school, I lacked a proper master who could have taught me such things. But now it is told to you, watch and keep it. One must take from the Scriptures the right treasure, the core, strength, power, juice and taste, which is the example of faith and love; one should look at it; where God has written it out, you must not dig deeply for it. After that, when you have this most noble piece, you can introduce secret interpretation along with the public text, decorate it, and attach it as beautiful clasps.

(57) As St. Paul also does, since he preached for a long time in the epistle to the Galatians that faith makes righteous and not the works of the law, he then finally Cap. 4, 22. ff also comes to the allegoriam or interpretation, and leaves it at that. So that he shows that allegories may well be used, but in such a way that they rhyme and serve as a basis. For I also know well that the secret interpretations do not hold the sting, nor should they be the reason on which we rely. For this alone the clear, explicit and public word of God should and must do, as believing in Christ and loving one's neighbor; thus one is blessed. Other doctrines and allegories you leave aside, as that also is St. Paul Gal. 4, 22. ff. with Abraham, that his two sons mean the

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two wills. 1) Otherwise, 2) if there were no reason for it here, my heart would waver and always think how I would be sure of it. For one would say: Who knows whether it means this, whether it is also thus? The heart must fidget there, and cannot be sure, must also not base itself on the allegories, or rely on them. I must have the public text and leaf of the holy scripture.

58. Therefore, be prepared to consider the spiritual meanings as your least study, and take hold of the faith, love, and word of God that the patriarchs had and were preserved by. Let this be your highest study, and then come after it that which the doctors have otherwise considered the greatest; then you will preach and study usefully. You must turn it around, and throw back the allegories, and not interpret them, as Origen did; for I interpret and lead them all to serve the preaching ministry and faith. So do you also. As you will hear here in a rough example of the third chapter v. 2 ff that Moses saw the fiery bush burning. This green bush, in which was the flame of fire and God Himself, was drawn to the Virgin Mary and sung throughout the world during Advent. This pleased the world that it meant this; plump in so soon and must be delicious thing, that it should hit the Virgin Mary.

(59) Now if one had asked him who had given and interpreted these things: How does it rhyme that the bush should be the Virgin Mary standing there with her virginity and pregnant womb? Give me the reasons: then he would stand as a piper. For you say: Where does it rhyme? Does it also lead to Christ? Does it also lead to faith and Christianity? Then one must say, No, for it goes only to the Virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord Christ, and to her virginity; there it rhymes.

1. Here the relation seems to us to be unclear and deficient. It would be to be read approximately: Other teachings and allegories you leave, but accept only those that are founded in the holy scripture, as which is also 2c.
2. In the Eisleben edition, "sonst" precedes "allhier".

like a fist on an eye. Therefore it is an annual thing to lead and interpret the holy scripture as we want, as seems right to us. For how does it rhyme to be a mother, or to conceive, and to burn? How can the fiery bush be the mother Mary? The fact that the bush is not consumed should mean that Mary remains a virgin.

(60) If anyone is interested in this fool's work, he may read the history of the feast of the conception of Mary, in Advent, and see what the same fool there has fooled with the Scriptures, since he attributes the ark of Noah, the high mountains that look out of the water, the tree of paradise, and other things, all to Mary, and shows all the letters with the secret interpretation of the Virgin Mary. And we have also done it in the Papacy, that we have drawn everything to the Virgin Mary, as that she is the one where one should put all comfort and confidence; item, that she can save us from troubles. Take the feast of the body of Christ before you, and see what patchwork there is, so that it looks as if the swine had spit it. The notes and the chant are good, but otherwise there is a piece here and a patch there, and the bread of heaven must be the Lord's Supper, so that it looks like an embroidered and patched cloak. 3) The highest theologians have said this about the feast of Christ. The highest theologians have done this, and have been fools in the skin.

61 Look at Gregory, how the same man is a juggler. When he opens his mouth in his sermons, he forgets the text of the Scriptures and says nothing about faith, love or the cross, but only about spiritual interpretations; these teachers must still be called the pillars of Christianity, which should preserve the church. They last a good year.

62 Let this be said as a preface and instruction, so that one may beware and not be reckless and presumptuous in handling the holy Scriptures in this way, and in playing tricks with them. One should not and cannot prevent it, but be gentle with the allegories. If you have taken the histories as a basis, then do

3. Eislebensche: er.
4. Added by us.

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a neat allegoriam to it. If the spirit does it, then it will be found whether the allegory goes to faith or not 2c. Therefore I conclude, and say that few allegories belong to Mariam.

Now let us take the first chapter before us, and take the secrets, or hidden, secret interpretations from it and act upon them. For I will not let it be called a spiritual interpretation, for the whole of Holy Scripture is spiritual, and without it no other books.

The first part is that the people of Israel, who had God's word, were oppressed and afflicted by Pharaoh the king with brickmaking and other hard labor, so that they could not multiply. This is the main point in this history, that those who want to be God's people must suffer persecution. For Christ Matth. 16, 24. says: "Whoever wants to become my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me." So St. Paul 2 Tim. 3, 12.: "Whoever wants to live godly in Christ JEsu must suffer persecution." Item, in the 44th Psalm, v. 23, the Christians are called sheep for slaughter, who are tormented daily for Christ's sake 2c. We have a clear, bright example of this here; and now show it to the preaching ministry, so this story can rightly and well suffer a secret interpretation and a hidden understanding, namely, how the right preachers and false teachers deal and do with the people. The people of Israel have God's word and righteous preachers, then Pharaoh comes with his drivers and his tyranny, oppresses the people, and the oppression of the body must also be drawn on the conscience. The holy scriptures are full of how the statutes of men weigh down the consciences and corrupt the faith, and cause it to perish; as the prophet Jeremiah and other prophets are full of complaints against the statutes of men, which weigh down the consciences and oppress them with false doctrines of good works.

So this interpretation of the office of preaching, as of the right and wrong preachers, is without a doubt, and rhymes with the Holy Scriptures and with faith. And I am sure that if this history rhymes with preaching

The first is that the interpretation is certain, and that the Holy Spirit interprets it Himself. For the heart of man can never rest unless he has the right doctrine or the divine word, so that he believes in God and holds fast to him; and he who has this can also lead a right life. The devil cannot stand this teaching, so he sets up false teachings and sends false preachers, forcing the people with laws to do good works, so that they will go to heaven, as we monks have done with our vows and other works. These false teachers are the devil's servants, who beat one burden over another on our consciences, torturing us with the stroke of a brick. For the works have not served us, nor have they benefited us; we have had no more than trouble from them, and have thus been weighed down and martyred with the striking of bricks; it has not benefited us, but the pope, bishops, monks and priests, who have become rich from it.

66 Thus the history can be rightly interpreted, that Pharaoh builds two cities from the sour labor of the children of Israel. For so it is with all those who live under the laws of men and under the priesthood; they are not improved by them, and their consciences are only oppressed, tormented and afflicted by them.

67. For whose benefit is it that these bricks are painted? We are the pabst's brickmakers, he has fattened his belly and filled it with our goods; but we have been weighed down hard, lest we should conceive and bring forth children; that is, the word of God has not been preached to us, lest we should believe in God and be saved. For where the Word of God is not preached, believed, prayed for, and taught about, we know nothing of God, and we are not God's children, begotten for the Kingdom of God. Just as the children of Israel were troubled and wearied here, so that they could not multiply and beget children in the flesh.
68. this could be drawn rightly against good works, and would this secret mind and understanding also be right, so that our good works might be put down, and God's word and

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our faith would be established. As Saint Paul also did when he said: Sarah is the right housewife and the free one, who has God's word and faith; but Hagar, the other woman, is the law, who deals with works. So the prophecy rhymes and is similar to faith, if one leads the allegories to the word and faith against the works.

69 Two cities are built for Pharaoh, and his kingdom comes to power, honor and wealth, so that he becomes a great, strong and powerful king. In this way, we too have been greatly burdened by the pope's kingdom, but his errors, his decrees and canons have been confirmed. Which the devil does for this reason, so that he may hinder God's word and prevent us from multiplying or being made a great nation and begotten for the kingdom of God.

70 Therefore Pharaoh also has a proper name. For Pharaoh means to stand idle, or to walk idly; as when a woman has no veil on her head, or a man has not put on his hat, and has no clothes on his body, or walks idly with his jewels and coverings. As then in the fifth book of Moses Cap. 32, 42. in the song it is said of uncovering the head; that is, when a man is torn from God, that God does not hover over us, for otherwise he is our head; as St. Paul 1 Cor. 11, 3. says that the man is the head of the woman; thus God is the head of the man, but the man rules the woman, and God rules through the man; God is the regent of the man. And this is also said of the authorities, that God rules through them Rom. 13:1 ff. Ps. 82:1 ff. Therefore one should humble oneself before it, for it is the lid, the head and regent, since we must go as God governs us through it.

(71) He who has such a ruler is not called bare, nor is he bareheaded, for he goes under God and has a cover to govern him, to protect him, and to wait on him; just as a woman goes under a man and has a ruler by her husband. But he who is without a ruler, the Scripture calls bare and bareheaded. So Pharaoh is called such a ruler or king, who makes us bareheaded, that we are without a ruler and without a kingdom; that is, these false teachers tear us from

God, that Christ and God is not our head, Lord and King, that we have no faith in Christ, but have lost Him, go bareheaded, are under Pharaoh, just as Pharaoh is also called bareheaded.

This rhymes well together. For this is the manner of all those who bluff themselves with good works, that when they do many works they want to be saved by them, and yet they do not attain to salvation, nothing comes of it. So we are bareheaded, and go without the head, Christ, if we want to be saved by works; just as Paul also says to the Galatians Cap. 5:4, "You have fallen from grace, and have lost Christ, because you want to be saved by works," that is, you have fallen from the kingdom of Christ, and go without the head, Christ; just as a lewd woman runs away from her husband and goes to another. The head is there, but the harlot wants to be without a head and walk bareheaded.

73] In this other book of Moses Cap. 32, 25 it is also said that Moses saw that populus esset nudatus, that the people went bareheaded and naked. For Aaron had made them naked, because he pretended a special service, that they should sacrifice to the golden calf, that he might tear them from God and make them bareheaded, because they trusted in the same good work.

(74) This is what this king means; therefore he must have this name, that he may show who he is, and what kind of fellows they are who teach laws and good works, and keep silence from the faith, that they are Pharaoh's oppressors, who trouble the consciences with good works, and help no man to rest and peace. Therefore it is not right to preach in Christendom that one should preach by faith alone against good works and the law of men. But I say of those who are Christians. For with the wicked it is already finished, they belong under the executioner, who is called to paint bricks and to weigh down the consciences; but we speak of those who are Christians and remain in Christianity, these are not under the law.

(75) To paint bricks, to work with clay in Egypt, is to be well blued and martyred with good works, that one may become pious, and to be a good man.

702 Erl. SS, SS-S7. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, 1044-1049. 703

complaining to themselves with statutes, from which one gets a stupid conscience, because no one becomes rich or happy from it.

(76) The other allegory is also to be drawn to the ministry of preaching, if it will not help that the labor and burden of the people may be less, that the king commanded the mothers of sorrow in Egypt that they should kill the children of the Hebrews in childbirth as soon as they were young. For the false prophets, when they hear that a man preacheth of the faith, straightway they will have one dead, and put the people under ban. [But they let the maidens live, that is, those who depart from the preaching of the faith and fall into good works, and want to live a better life before God than other people. Those who are strong in the faith, and hold themselves as men, and do not want to rely on good works, the same

strike them dead, says the devil; but let the others live who continue in good works. But these are righteous Christians, who abide in the doctrine of faith and keep it, are also improved by such doctrine.

(77) Pharaoh's throwing all the little ones into the water and drowning them is the power and authority of taking hold of doctrine by force and thirst, and drowning people with water, that is, with the doctrines of men. For water is superfluous, false doctrine, when one falls into good works and lives without faith; in it one must drown and perish. So you have heard the first chapter, in which faith and the ministry of preaching were explained, and this doctrine is thus confirmed, that faith alone is valid before God, and works do nothing but serve the neighbor.

The second chapter.

V. 1-4: And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. And when she could hide him no longer, she made a little box of reed, and glued it with clay and pitch, and put the child in it, and laid him in the reeds by the riverside. But his sister stood afar off, desiring to know how he would fare.

1. The summary of this chapter is how Moses was born and secretly hidden, but finally placed in a small box and set on the water, when the king's daughter found him and raised him for her son in the royal court; And how Moses, after forty years, went out to the brethren of his people, slew an Egyptian, and fled out of the land, after which he became duke, captain, and commander of the children of Israel, who brought them out of Egypt, and established of them a kingdom of their own, prescribing and regulating religion, worship, and secular police, laws, discipline, and discipline.

From this we learn the great miracle of God, how he cares for his believers so fatherly and abundantly, and helps them miraculously out of all hardships, that even their own enemies and worst adversaries often have to help and serve his Christians for their honor, benefit and welfare. For King Pharaoh must raise Moses in his daughter's womb, who wanted to drown and kill Moses and all the children of the Hebrews. No one notices this. For God does not reveal His counsel and purpose soon or to everyone, but keeps it secret and hidden for a time. And since no one knows it, it is done in such a way that no one pays attention to it. And God arranges His things so wonderfully that no one realizes, feels or understands them until God has accomplished them.

3 But see if God does not mock the angry Pharaoh in his fist. For in this persecution of the children of Israel, when the oxen (as they say) are standing on the mountain, and the death and destruction of this people is in sight, Moses is born.

4. there will be special doubt to the children of

704 Eri. SS, s?-to. Sermon on Exodus 2:1-4, W. Ill, IE-WS2. 705

Israel must have fared badly in Egypt. For the Egyptian women kept a diligent eye on the Hebrew women when they were with child, and they revealed and betrayed it. But in the midst of this tyranny, and when the edict is most strictly and severely enforced and kept, God causes the king's enemy, and the captain of the children of Israel, to be born. Since Pharaoh is so angry and wicked, Moses must be born to throw Pharaoh into the sea. Yes, that is even more, God sends it so that this enemy, Moses, must feed Pharaoh's daughter himself and raise her in the royal court. It is a strange thing that this king, who is the enemy of the children of Israel, should raise up the Savior, helper and protector of the people of God himself, who will later destroy him and his land and people. Pharaoh raises a serpent in his own bosom, which shall bite him afterwards; he raises a wolf, which shall tear him and devour him.

So wonderful are the judgments of our Lord Is. 40, 14. Rom. 11, 33. But if they had known it in Pharaoh's court, they would have put Mosi to death a hundred thousand times over. But God says: I will tell you, Pharaoh shall raise his own enemy with his own bread and with his own goods, and feed a serpent in his bosom; his own daughter must be Mosi's mother. That is, Pharaoh's mouth and nose grabbed, and all his plots and tyranny put to shame.

(6) With this glorious example of divine grace and goodness toward the faithful we should also comfort ourselves, and in cross and tribulation prepare and send ourselves to faith, invocation and hope of divine help. For help must finally come, for God does not abandon His own. He himself speaks in the one and ninetieth Psalm, v. 15: "I am with him in trouble, I will snatch him out" or save him, "and he shall praise me" Psalm 50:15. So the fourth and thirtieth Psalm also says, v. 19: "The Lord is near to all those who call upon him," and those who call upon him in truth, he looks upon our distress and misery, and will deliver us out of it Ps. 145:18.

(7) Who were the parents of Moses, it is also said here that he was born of the tribe of Levi. For a man of the tribe or house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi, whose father's name was Amram, and whose mother's name was Jochebed, as it is written in chapter six, v. 20.

8 These parents would have liked to hide the child, Mosen, and protect it with life, keep it secretly with them for three months, but finally, for fear of the royal edict, have to let it be put into the water in a small box, covered with clay and pitch, so that the child would not drown so soon. These parents were undoubtedly Christians, looked to God's promise, and waited for redemption from the house of Egypt, which had to squeeze under Pharaoh's tyranny, like a mouse in a trap, and looked and hoped for God's help.

9 The epistle to the Hebrews in the eleventh chapter, v. 23, also speaks of this, that through faith Moses was hidden from his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king's commandment. They see that the child is beautiful, and they hope that God will give them a man according to His promises, who will bring them out of Egypt, as He promised the patriarch Abraham, when it is said: "You shall know that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and there they will be forced to serve and tormented four hundred years. But I will be judge of the people whom they must serve, and after that they shall go forth with great good. And they shall come again after four men's lives." And Gen 48:21 the patriarch Jacob said to his children, "I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you again to the land of your fathers"; and in chapter 49, v. 29, he commanded his children to bury him in the land of Canaan, where Abraham and Isaac were also buried, to indicate that the children of Israel should not remain in Egypt, but be brought out again to their fatherland, the land of Canaan.

706 Erl. S5, to-42. interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, WS2-IVS4. 707

10. and in the 50th chapter, v. 24. 25, Joseph says to his brothers: "I die, and God will visit you and bring you out of Egypt into the land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore he took an oath from them, that in going out of Egypt they should carry his bones with them to the land of Canaan." With these promises they comforted themselves, and hoped that there would soon be an end to Pharaoh's servitude and tyranny. For when the string is stretched to the utmost, it is apt to break, and when the weather is hardest and coldest, it breaks. So they hoped in the midst of the extreme distress that the time of redemption was now at the door, that God would now help and perhaps help the people of Israel through their son (who was a beautiful child); therefore they hid the child with them for three moons.

V. 5, 6 Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe in the water, and her maidens were walking by the water's edge. When she saw the box in the reeds, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and, behold, the babe wept. Then she wept and said, "There is one of the Hebrew children.

11. See here how God has such a merciful eye on the poor child, Moses, that the devil does not have to drown him, but he must be pulled out of the water and remain alive, and since otherwise his father Amram's maidservants would have waited for him, Amram's daughter must carry the child Moses herself in a box to the water and let it flow, but still looks from afar where the child remains. He would have perished in the water and been eaten by the fish, but God still has such great regard for Moses that the king's daughter takes him out of the water and orders him to be raised.

12 Thus it is God's strange providence that even his own mother must become Moses' nurse; he is brought back into his father's house, nourished and raised there. And before Moses should suffer hardship, the devil himself would have to serve him, and the daughter of the raging tyrant would have to raise him,

and take her for her son. The daughter of this great king must still be the handmaid of our Lord God, and raise Moses, although ignorantly. Moses is a Hebrew foundling, and Pharaoh's daughter will often have played with him, danced with him, and also loved him very much.

(13) Such is the art of our Lord God, so he cares for his own and helps them wonderfully. "He kills and brings back to life, He leads into hell and brings back to heaven", as Hannah, Samuel's mother, sings in her song of praise 1 Sam. 2, 6. The child, Moses, must first come into danger of life, and be thrown into the jaws of death, before he shall be made the leader of the people of Israel. Again, God lifts him up first. So that Moses would become great, he was brought to the court of the king's daughter and became her son, since he was to overthrow the persecution in Egypt. But we also see here how God makes fools and fools of the world. For who will resist his wisdom? It does not realize this divine counsel with Moses. For it also does not seem that this child should become such a man, for God does it secretly until he has made it happen. For he rules in such a way that he can make something out of what is nothing at all, and place it before our eyes so that we can see it.

V. 11, 12: In those days, when Moses was grown up, he went out unto his brethren, and saw their burden, and perceived that an Egyptian smote one of his brethren the Hebrew. And he turned to and fro, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and buried him in the sand 2c.

014 The Jews have made up many lies here, saying that Pharaoh the king was angry with Moses, and that he presented to him his royal crown, an apple, and coals of fire, and wished to know by them whether he was his son or not. But Moses pushed the crown away and bit into the coals, so Moses lisped afterwards. But these are Jewish tales. St. Stephen speaks much differently in the stories of the apostles in the 7th chapter, v. 17-22, and says: "Now the time of the promise was approaching,

708 Eri. ss, in-"". Sermon on Exodus 2, 11. 12. W. m, ivsi-E. 709

The people grew and multiplied in Egypt until another king arose who did not know about Joseph. This one deceived our family and wronged our fathers, and caused the young children to be thrown down so that they would not live. At that time Moses was born, and was a fine child in the sight of God, and was nourished three months in his father's house. And when he was cast down, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and brought him up to be a son. And Moses was taught all the wisdom of Egypt, and became mighty in deeds and words.

(15) Moses was a man who was well educated in Egypt, and Pharaoh's daughter knew well that he was a Hebrew man; therefore he had to learn all kinds of languages, arts and other things, and was a respectable man in Pharaoh's sight with his advice and deeds. He was brought up as a noble boy to be used as a counselor in the regiment, who would be competent in the worldly regiment.

16 This has been granted until the fortieth year. In the meantime (as I believe it to be) the horrible, terrible edict and commandment to drown the Hebrew children will be abolished. Now the redemption starts, and wants to make the game; however, it still consumes a while, until Moses becomes a great 1) man, then he runs away from the court, and wants to see and visit his brothers, the children of Israel; because there his heart was. At the court he was the queen's son, a splendid court jailer and a great man; there was power, honor, wealth and splendor in abundance, and he had the expectation 2) that after Pharaoh's death he would become king. But he had to suffer much, and at court, because of the pagan religion and the sinful, annoying life, he had to see a lot of drunkenness, ambition, hopefulness, 3) and infidelity that hurt him. If he remained silent about this, he had neither peace nor quiet in his heart; but if he spoke, the wild, desolate life of the court

1. Eisleben: larger. - For our reading compare Hebr. 11, 24.
2. Awaiting -- Awaiting.
3. Finance --- intrigue, fraud.

If he had to rebuke and punish, he also had to expect disfavor, enmity, resistance and danger from the courtiers, that he was despised by them and considered a priest and a fool; therefore his heart was full of pain.

17 The epistle to the Hebrews in the 11th chapter praises this little piece, that Moses withdrew from the royal court of Egypt and left the life of the court, and says, v. 24, 25, 26.By faith Moses, when he grew up, denied to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, and preferred to suffer adversity with God's people rather than to have the temporal pleasure of sins, and regarded the reproach of Christ as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he looked forward to the reward" 2c. And it is also a beautiful example of faith that one can, for the honor and obedience of God, take and leave a kingdom, country and people, so great money and goods, honor and power, and on the other hand stand by the poor, oppressed, burdened, persecuted and afflicted children of Israel, with whom they suffer poverty, danger, mockery, contempt, hunger and sorrow. A man of the world would not have done this, but would have said, Let one hold himself to the head as much as to the buttocks or back, or spoken: In large waters one sows large fish. Such a man would remain at court all his life. Just as some people like court life very much, so that they run and run to get to the court and sit high up on the board. For he who is not at court wants to freeze to death. Everyone wants to come close to the fire, so that he may become rich, powerful and great.

(18) And the same fellows are like chickens walking in a courtyard, and see that other chickens, which are shut up in a basket, have plenty to eat and drink, so the same chickens walk around the basket, and would also like to go in with the others, which are fattened, and are soon to be slaughtered and eaten. So such fellows also see that at court, soups are eaten, there is a lot of eating and drinking, beautiful clothes, court life, splendor is felt, even money and property is obtained there; about this some

710 Erl. SS, 4S-47. interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, lW7-loso. 711

Even in danger of life, limb, honor, goods, and loss of happiness, and this fire burns him badly, or the smoke of the court even suffocates him. As in many a court, a godless sow's life is led, and one loses both body and soul. Hence the common saying: Long at court, long in hell.

19 And because the Egyptian court had also been beaten over this bar, that idolatry had broken down there, unbelief, tyranny, violence, injustice, oppression of the subjects had taken over, Moses gave leave to the court life, because he could not have stayed any longer with such a godless, sinful and annoying life with a good conscience. Because faith and an angry, sinful life cannot get along with each other. Thus the time was also present when God wanted to redeem the children of Israel from the service of King Pharaoh, and this was to be done through Moses. Therefore, God takes Moses away from his life, and Moses follows our Lord God, putting aside all worldly, transient pleasures, joy and glory, which are an occasion and incentive for many sins, evil and wickedness, and knowing that God will not allow this loss of earthly life to continue, He knows that God can abundantly repay him for this loss of earthly joy and temporal goods, and he also firmly believes that God will turn around the hardship and persecution that he and the children of Israel have to suffer from the Egyptians, and will redeem and save them from it.

020 And Moses went out of Pharaoh's court, and saw one of his brethren slain by an Egyptian: and Moses went and avenged the Hebrew man, and slew the Egyptian again. For his mind has always been that he would gladly have helped all.

21 Now a question arises: whether Moses was right in killing the Egyptian? But I let such a question remain in its value and dignity, and hold that he was right in doing so. And Moses himself does not know otherwise, and considers himself not to have sinned in it. For he has watched these thirty years, how this people had to suffer under the Egyptians, and there was no salvation at all. So

he heard from his brothers that God had promised their grandfather, Abraham, that He would visit the Jewish people, save them, and bring them out of the house of Egypt, but punish the Egyptians. He did not doubt this redemption, but hoped for it, because it is said in Proverbs: When a string is stretched to the utmost, it is ready to burst; therefore the cruel tyranny of the Egyptians against the children of Israel would break and gain its 1) end, because it had come to the utmost and was driven.

22 The Holy Spirit gave him the heart and the courage to lead the way and slay the Egyptian. For he does not do it out of vengeance of flesh and blood, but out of the impulse of the Holy Spirit; there is a divine, heroic impulse in him. For God wanted to use the man, Moses, to be the captain of the children of Israel and to deliver them from Pharaoh. In this act, the children of Israel were to have a prelude or example of what God wanted to do through the man Moses to Pharaoh and all the Egyptians, namely, that he would also strangle and kill them; as they all drowned in the Red Sea afterwards.

23 Therefore this death of Moses is a special deed, just as 1 Kings 18:40 Elijah the prophet came and killed all the Baalspawn in the time of King Ahab in Israel; item Numbers 25:7, 8 Phinehas the high priest took a knife and stabbed the Israelite man who was publicly fornicating with a Midianite woman. But these special deeds of the great miracle-workers, which happen by special inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are not to be imitated, and we cannot follow such examples either. One must leave the miracle-workers of God alone with their heroic miracles, and not make a consequence or example out of them, which everyone would also want to imitate, but one should leave such deeds alone, unless one also had the Holy Spirit, as they had, and received such a high calling from God, and one also had such causes as they had.

24 Otherwise, everyone abstains from the death-slaughter.

1. Eislebensche: to be.

712 Erl. SS, 47-4S. Sermon on Exodus 2:11-20. W. Ill, Ivso-IÜW. 713

for murder is a sin against the fifth commandment, since God says: "You shall not kill. Moses had God's word for him that the Jewish people should be saved from the Egyptians, and that God wanted to do this through him, as St. Stephen testifies in the stories of the apostles in chapter 7, V. 23-25, where he says: "When Moses was forty years old, it came into his heart to look at his brothers, the children of Israel, and saw one of them suffering injustice, he overreached and avenged the one who had suffered, and slew the Egyptian. And he thought that his brethren should hear that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they heard it not." And the Hebrews, his brothers, should ever have reflected and comforted themselves in this, how God would also save them all from the tyranny of Egypt.

V.13-15. On another day he also went out and saw two Hebrew men quarreling with each other, and he said to the unjust man: Why do you strike your neighbor? And he said, Who made thee ruler or judge over us? Wilt thou slay me also," as thou slewest the Egyptian? And Moses was afraid, and said, How is this thing spoken? And it came to pass before Pharaoh, that he sought after Moses to slay him. But Moses fled before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian, and dwelt by a well.

025 When the slain Egyptian was buried in the sand, and Moses saw that two Hebrew men were quarreling with one another, he would also make them reconcile, and execute his office as a ruler and lord of the children of Israel, who should preside over his people with judgment and justice, protecting and guarding them, that a common peace of the land might be preserved, that the pious might be honored, and the wicked punished; for he is a ruler, and will not wrong the innocent. [Moses therefore saw his office in time, that he wanted to be a commander of the Jewish people, but he soon lost his office and his power. For, as they say, it soon bends, what there wants a hook 1)

1. Cisleben's: "a hoe." The word "one" will be wrong, because in Luther "hoe" or "Hacken" (that is, hook) is masculine.

become. Item: Urit mature, quod vult urtica manere. He lets himself be seen to be their lord and helper, whom God would have sent to the children of Israel.

26 How is it now with Most that he wants to help the innocent Hebrew? He wants to be a slayer, and might well get Scheidemann's share; as one is wont to say in the proverb: The slayer generally gets the best of it, they are gladly slain: so also this Hebrew, Mosi's brother, becomes the slayer of good Mosi. He says to him, "Will you also slay me like the Egyptian?" and brings it before Pharaoh the king, who is after Mosi to slay him. Pharaoh would have cut off Mosi's neck, as a death-striker, if he had gotten him. So Moses must flee from Pharaoh, which is Mosi's reward and drink money, because he has left the royal court and joined his brothers, and wants to lead them out of Egypt. Then they called him a murderer, and he was put in danger of life and limb by them. He did not want to remain in the royal court with the idolatrous Egyptians in great wealth and glory, and falls among the ungrateful, wicked Israelites, to whom no thanks is due.

(27) Thus it is in the world that many a one wants to escape from the rain and falls into the water. But this ingratitude of the world should not deter us from doing good to others. It is no different for Christians in the world; good deeds are repaid with evil deeds. Thus, danger, persecution, misery and hardship, poverty and contempt, banishment and all kinds of misery follow all those who want to serve God and faithfully wait for their profession, status and office 2 Tim. 3, 12. For since Moses carries out his ministry here and helps the oppressed, he cannot be sure of life and limb before King Pharaoh. But God is with him in this exile, and he abstains in the land of Midian, dwells among the unknown, and gets a wife and child there.

V.16-20. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water, and filled the gutters to water their father's sheep. Then the shepherds came and pushed them away. But Moses got up and helped

** **714 Eri. ss, 49-ss. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. m, loss-ioss. 715

and watered their sheep. And when they were come to Reguel their father, he said, How came ye so soon this day? They said: An Egyptian man delivered us from the shepherds, and drew us, and watered the sheep. He said to his daughters: Where is he? Why have you left the man, that you did not invite him to eat with us?

028 And the Midianites came up against Egypt toward the east, and Moses fled thither. For when he had first visited his brethren, he returned to the king's court, and kept it, until the stroke of his death broke out, and the king slew him: then he fled into Midian, and there God appointed him an inn and a host. For the seven daughters of the priest (who drew water at the well, but were rejected by the shepherds, and Moses helped them and rescued them from the shepherds) brought the cry of Moses to their father Reguel, and made him take him in as an inn, and gave him a daughter in marriage. This lasted almost until the fortieth year.

Thus, God is whimsical. Moses had hoped that the redemption of the Jewish people would soon begin, for they were burdened with unbearable work. But when Moses begins the work of redemption and smites an Egyptian to death, God immediately breaks the beginning for him, so that he has to become a fugitive in Midian, and postpones the redemption until the fortieth year; in the meantime, He lets Moses become a stranger in another and unknown land, so that it would have neither appearance nor reputation that he should be the man who should redeem the people of Israel, and drown Pharaoh with the Egyptians in the Red Sea.

(30) No one has seen this counsel of God, not even Moses himself, but God alone knows it. But we should learn to send ourselves with right faith and trust into this way and delay of God, that he always leads out his counsels so wonderfully. For the unfortunate unbelief has the misfortune, and spoils everything, that we cannot look God in the fist, keep still, and await His help with patience. Therefore Sirach also says Cap. 2, 16: Vae illis, qui per

diderunt sustinentiam Woe to those who do not persevere, and the 106th Psalm, v. 13. speaks, "They did not endure the counsel of GOD."

31 Thus God gives Ziporam to Moshi as a wife, and she bears him children. The first son he calls Gershom, that is, a sojourner; the other Eliezer, that is, God my help, so that God would help him out of Pharaoh's hands and deliver him. For the Jews called their children by the name of the case that occurred. Isaac was also called so, that the mother Sara had laughed Gen. 21, 6. Jacob is called therefore that he had seized his brother Esau with the heel Gen. 25, 26.. So Moses also calls his first son Gershom, a stranger or sojourner, then the other Eliezer, God my helper; for God had preserved him and helped him in Egypt.

32 We should also learn from this that if we trust God and believe in Him, we shall find house and home, wife and child, shelter, food and all the necessities of life, wherever we may go in the world, whether we are in exile or not. For here is proof how God blessed Moses abundantly in his exile in Midian. As the 34th Psalm, v. 11, also says: "Those who fear the Lord shall not lack any good." And the seventh and thirtieth Psalm, v. 25, says: "I have been young and have grown old, and have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed go after bread." And another Psalm Ps. 112:1, 3 says: "Blessed is he that feareth the Lord: riches and plenty shall be in his house" 2c.

Allegoria or spiritual interpretation of this other chapter.

(33) We have hitherto heard how the Scriptures are to be acted upon, if one wishes to seek a secret interpretation, that one may first see how to keep to the main sense and written understanding, which is the foundation and core of the Scriptures. Then, if one desires to seek even such a secret, and, as it is called, spiritual interpretation, let it be applied to faith and the ministry of preaching; otherwise one goes to and fro, and is uncertain what one is doing.

716 Erl. SS, S2-S4. Sermon on Exodus 2:1-25. W. Ill, 1066-1069. 717

34 In the first chapter we heard how the children of Israel were afflicted with much labor and burden in Egypt, and how the king drowned the little children in water. These are examples of those who rule the consciences with the ordinances of men, and fall from the grace of God, and are ruled not by God but by men, which is a damnable doctrine, and turns people from God to the devil, and gives them much trouble and labor.

(35) In this second chapter we hear how Moses was born and secretly hidden and concealed alive by his parents for three months, and laid on the water in a pipe box covered with pitch. Also, how the king's daughter found him and broke out the box and raised Moses as her son at court until he was 51 years old, when he went out to visit his brothers the Israelites, slew an Egyptian, and had to flee, took a wife and begat two sons. This is what is said in the other chapter.

In this history, as you have heard, we are taught faith, namely, that God also feeds and protects us through our enemies and adversaries, who otherwise would even want to kill us. For He gives life through death, and righteousness through sin, and does good to His own, even through their enemies, which art He alone is able to do; as also the Scripture Proverbs 16:7 says: "To whom the Lord is well pleased, even all his enemies must be favorable."

The secret interpretation is: The box is the divine word, Moses lies in the box. For in this book Moses is a preacher and teacher, who guides God's word, and especially preaches the law of God; therefore the little tube means the mind of the divine word, and the holy scripture, which lies in it, disguised and pledged. For by the holy scripture it is described, and the divine understanding of the scripture is written therein. Now this box is not beautifully decorated, as if it were covered with gold and silver, or made of precious wood 1).

1. Hesek. 27, 5. Fladdernholz (Fladdern wood) ----- Burl wood, from maple trees.

but is woven from cane and coated with pitch or covered with clay. There is nothing but cane, reeds and rushes 2) to see. For in Egypt there was a large reed that looked like paper, and ships could be made of it.

38. but the simplicity of the holy Scripture and of the divine word, which goes along with bad, simple, and not adorned nor splendid words, means that many are offended by it; as St. Paul 1 Cor. 2:1, Gal. 4:13 also says, "I did not come to you with splendid words of human wisdom." For it seems to be a bad pipe-box, smeared with clay and pitch 2c.; nevertheless Moses, the boy, lies in it finely alive, and has the true understanding of the divine word, and the king's daughter has mercy on him, and accepts him for her son.

(39) The holy scripture is a thing that is worn out, undecorated and unadorned, so that no one would think that men should believe the divine word, because it does not seem anything, nor is it adorned Is 53:1. But faith comes from the divine word, and is given to the divine power alone, and not to the outward adornment, but to the inward inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that one may trust the unformed word of God. After this, it is even more dreadful and abominable when you see that everything seems unformal that the holy Scriptures command and require, than when they teach that one should not be stingy, that one should kill the flesh and the old Adam; whereas reason, the beautiful metze, teaches how one should get money and goods, wisdom, favor and honor.

(40) Now the reed box and Moses lie in the water and float, that is, God's word goes about among the doctrines of men; as was also said above in the first chapter § 77 about the water. For God's word goes forth without ceasing among the doctrines of men. Every heretic wants to be considered as if he had God's word for himself.

41 But last of all, the child Moses is found on the edge or shore of the waters, that is, the

2. Binze-----Binse; a wattle plant.
3. to be mixed in with notes.

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Human wisdom or reason, the beautiful maiden walking with her virgins, find the book, the holy scripture, and the beautiful child, Moses, pleases them well, open the book, and because Moses is small and young, reason takes him up. As the children of Israel let themselves be led by Moses to Mount Sinai and say Ex. 19:8: "What God speaks to us, that we will do."

(42) But when Moses is forty years old, and comes out to his brethren, and begins to judge, to condemn, and to put to death, then Moses is finished, and there is an end of him; then they will put him to death. That is, when God's word is small and young, it is accepted; but when it grows and is rightly recognized that it punishes us, and reproves our evil and angry life, also shows us our sin, then they become hostile to it. That is, killing Moses. For the word of God kills and reveals sin. The law was given so that sinners would

They should recognize where they are lacking, as St. Paul says: Per legem cognitio peccati est through the law comes knowledge of sin. So also one sings: "Laws are a mirror delicate, which shows us the sinful kind, hidden in our flesh." People become aware from the law that they are quite dead before God with their good works. Therefore Moses did no harm, unless he had first grown great and old.

43 Therefore it should always be considered that the law's office and nature is to denounce and kill sin; as St. Paul also says: Virtus peccati lex (the power of sin is the law). For no one wants to be recognized that he is unjust and criminal, which the law cannot tolerate. This is the reason for the strife, resentment, anger and disagreement between people and the law or the preachers of the law.

The third chapter.

Moses was tending the sheep of Jethro his brother-in-law, the priest of Midian.

The third chapter teaches how Moses wandered in the desert when he left Egypt, where he saw a bush with fire, from which God spoke to him and commanded him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So the main part of this third and also the following fourth chapter of Moses' calling is that he should be the duke and commander of the children of Israel and free them from Pharaoh's tyranny. So that we may see what it does when God calls one or when he does not call one.

(2) On the other hand, we also hear how Moses struggles and resists for a long time, and does not want to have the appointment. For Moses quarreled and quarreled with God at the same time, and would not accept this office; God demanded and called him almost a sixth time, but he still resisted and resisted.

3. Moses makes himself too small and low; on the other hand, he sees the matter, namely the execution of the children of Israel from the house of Egypt, so great that it will be impossible for him, and that he is nothing to be counted here, because there was no human help to be seen. And although the tyrannical and wicked king dies in Egypt, who had burdened the children of Israel with joyful services and drowned their children, and who was so hostile to Mosiah; since one had hoped that it would now become better, or, as they say, warmer by one coat, it becomes much worse. For a worse king comes into the regiment than the previous one had been. Moses was no longer at the royal court, but fled from Egypt and lived in Midian for forty years in exile. Therefore Moses does not want to go to his profession; he does not want to leave, whether God promised him that he would give him word and mouth for it. [He drives and tempts God.

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He is angry with Moses and says, "Do not upset me; be afraid of my wrath.

(4) This, of the calling of Moses, keep well; for no one shall intrude into a public office without God's calling. And know this for the sake of the new spirits that infiltrate and creep in, since God has not called them nor sent them to do so; they want to be preachers and teach the people without requirement and calling Jer. 23:21. Moses had long ago wished in his spirit for the salvation of his brothers from the house of Egypt, as he had enough spirit and effort when he killed the Egyptian. As if he should say: Methinks I should help you. And God does not punish it; as Stephen praises such murder in the stories of the apostles Cap. 7, 25. and says: "They did not hear it." Nor does he want to attack such execution from Egypt; God calls him first and sends him to the children of Israel.

(5) For it is not enough to boast of the Spirit; neither will God have it that men believe those who pretend and say, Believe my Spirit. Item, who say: The spirit drives me, the spirit calls me. Otherwise we would all be standing in the same heap, and no one would hear the other.

(6) But where God calls and drives to the ministry of preaching, the work goes on and tears through. How God is doing a great work here, which Moses himself despaired of, that he should lead such a great people out of such a mighty kingdom, and said: What am I against such a king? I am truly a fine, handsome, adorned fellow. But there is no harm. Moses, says God, be bold, pray and be confident, I will make Pharaoh stubborn, and he will shut himself up; but I will do the more signs with you, so that you may be sure that I have called you to the work.

007 For whosoever shall begin a new thing, let him not bring with him this glory: the Spirit hath put it into his heart. If he brings this defiance and glory with him, then only beat it out. For so shall one do first, saying, If the Holy Spirit will use me for an arnte (be it what it may),

and if God wants me to start it, and I have it in mind, He will give it so that the signs will follow, that He will confirm the sending and lifting by heavenly signs.

8 For this is decreed, that the Spirit shall not blow out or provoke any man's heart, except he confirm it first with signs; outward evidence he must bring with him. This is the inward calling.

The other calling is also divine, but it happens through men. The first is by God alone, without any means; and this calling must have outward signs and testimonies. The other calling must not have any signs; as, I would never preach here in Wittenberg if I were not forced to do so by God and required to do so by the Elector of Saxony. It is the same with another. For if people want to force me and press me, and I can do it, or I cannot do it at all, that is desired of me, then I do as much as I can. There it drives through people, and so also God's commandment stands there, that the Holy Spirit also touches me and says [3 Mos. 19, 18.): You shall love your neighbor as yourself. No man shall live to himself alone, but shall also serve his neighbor. This commandment is laid upon all, upon me and upon you. If the same commandment takes hold of me and is held against me, no defense will help unless I want to defend myself until I fall from God's grace.

(10) This calling is now confirmed by men, and yet also by God; therefore remember, and serve your neighbor therein, lest others come plodding across the field, and intrude into offices into which they have not been called, nor asked nor solicited. As if I wanted to go to Leipzig and preach there in the castle, and say, "The spirit drives me, I must preach; that is wrong.

(11) If he does not give you a seal and a sign, refrain from doing so, 1) and remain in the common way, that one asks the other from time to time. As, in this place here,

1. Eislebensche: dichs ---- dich deß.

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This is the preaching stand of all of us, and we all come together; but whoever is not chosen to preach here stands aside and does not preach. Who, then, is calling the spirits of the mob to break this order?

(12) Now these two professions are thus done. One who is badly done by God, and who claims this, do not believe that he is doing signs for you; or do not believe that he is bringing you signs first, that he is called by the Holy Spirit. For there are many such sneaks and preachers today who say that they are called by God, but they point to God or to the people who have called them. Yes, they can creep up behind people and wash so long that they are chosen and called afterwards; people can soon be persuaded with words. But they are thieves, murderers and wolves John 10:1. Now therefore they lack that it should be asked, If ye be of the Holy Ghost, shew signs. Or, if ye boast that ye are called of men, present it, and prove it, as is right and according to the scriptures. For God did not want to send the apostles into the world, unless they had been confirmed with signs beforehand.

(13) The other profession, which is done by man, is confirmed beforehand by the command of God on Mount Sinai Deut. 19:18, Deut. 6:5: "Love God and your neighbor as yourself. If this commandment drives you, you need no sign, for God has commanded it beforehand, and I must do it. Now people take this commandment and hold it up to me; this saying has been confirmed to me by Moses and by God in heaven, if I follow it. So I preach without any signs, and yet it is the calling of God; for it comes from the commandment of love, and is compelled by God. So also many prophets and Levites were called, whose natural office was to preach, just as our Doctores Theologiä are made and ordained for this purpose. Well, these were not allowed to be called, because they were prophets and preached without signs, because they did it from their natural office.

14 But this is my glory and my defiance, that I know that I do right, and by the gift of God I have done right.

I am called to do this by love. That is my glory. I do not boast of my spirit, for there I could not do a part of my ministry, even if I knew that I should convert the whole world, but there lies God's word and command. And if it goes according to God's word, then it is right; but if it goes according to my spirit, then it soon lies in the ashes of all that I began with. So they force me into it and make me preach, even though I would have liked to stay outside the preaching ministry. I have also boasted of this, since a long time ago the pope wanted to know the reasons for my profession.

(15) This is the profession of a public office among Christians. But if one were to come among the multitude, where there were no Christians, he would do as the apostles did, and not wait for the profession. If one said, "There are no Christians here; I will preach and teach them about Christianity," and a crowd gathered and chose me as their bishop, then I would have a profession.

(16) Moses here is eighty years old, and at forty years of age has a great spirit, and is an excellent man; yet he refuses to hold public office, and will not go up until he hears his God's displeasure, though he had excellent, glorious promise that God would be with him. For where God's word is confirmed, there is His commandment, and there the signs are also confirmed. God does no sign where it is not highly necessary. Christ did not want to do a sign for the Jews according to their head and favor Matth. 12, 39, but where it was necessary, he could do miracles and wonders. Otherwise it would be a miracle, as Herod also wanted signs from Christ Luc. 23, 8. 9.. We could also perform signs, but there is no need, for our teaching has been confirmed beforehand and is no longer a new teaching.

17 This is the first part of this third chapter, about the calling of Moses to lead the great people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt against the will of the mighty king Pharaoh. And have heard of two kinds of calling; one that happens without means from God, when the Holy Spirit calls and gives into the heart. Do not believe him, they

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then give you a sign that God has commanded them such a ministry, since no one knows about it but He alone. And whom God has called, to him he also gives a sign, as he does Mosi here. After that, there is the other profession, where one is called by the common commandment, namely, that one should serve people. In this calling one also has God's word, and there is no need for a sign that the gospel and the law are right. For both teachings were confirmed by signs many years ago and have also been accepted by the world, so that one can shut the world's mouth; for everyone knows that such teaching is right, and one must be satisfied with it.

V. 1 Moses was tending the sheep of Jethro his brother-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he drove the sheep into the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.

18 Horeb and Sina is a mountain in Arabia; and Egypt is toward the west, but the promised land 1) is toward the east, and Arabia Petraea abutted thereon. The Edomites or Ishmaelites lived there, although the Scriptures call them by other names. Moses was a servant there and was forty years old. He came from a royal court camp, where he was held in high esteem, but he would rather be poor with his brothers with his high spirit than live in great honor in the king's court. Before, he was the king's son; here he is a servant for forty years, tending sheep. That is a great leap, coming from a great king's hall and court to a shepherd's house.

019 Midian was a priest, and a righteous man. For those countries were better Christians than we are; they did not fool themselves with the statutes of men, as we do. Midian was Abraham's son, born of Keturah, Abraham's third wife Gen. 25:2, and there it was not lacking, they learned much from Abraham, how he walked in his house. They all knew God rightly, and the right way of God.

1. In the Eisleben edition: "the promised land". Thus the points of the compass are indicated straight opposite. The error will undoubtedly be found with the scribe.

The people learned to serve, as well as the Ishmaelites. But this, on the other hand, is the defect that faith does not follow all who know and have God's word. "For faith is not of all" 2 Thess. 3:2. Where faith has fallen, hypocrisy certainly remains, since reason and the divine word are baked together, so that a cake may be made of it; just as in the papacy they have mixed the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, baptism and the divine word with the statutes of men.

020 Now Midian was not such a heathen as worshipped idols, but he taught the right God, though he invented a peculiar way, which we now call idolatry; as reason always does. So Laban was also righteous, and yet after that he was torn away to idolatry Gen. 31, 30. So Moses stayed with the Gentiles and preached to them as Joseph preached in Egypt Gen. 39:9.

V. 2. 3. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a fiery flame out of the bush, and he saw that the bush was burning with fire, and yet was not consumed, and said: I will go and see this great vision, why the bush is not burned.

Here is a question: whether God or an angel spoke to Moses? For Apost. 7, 30. Stephen also says that for more than forty years the angel of the Lord appeared in the wilderness on Mount Sinai in a flame of fire of the bush. For some say that Moses saw the divine being himself here. Now it is written that the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses and spoke to him from the bush. Moses did not see God here. Therefore also Lucas and Stephanus say that the law was given by the angels 2c. God makes these princes of heaven preachers, so that it comes to us through the hand of angels; but we Christians have heard the Lord Himself. Christ, the Son of God, who is above all angels, preached to us with his mouth, and began to spread the gospel in the world, and then commanded his apostles to preach it. He has reserved the gospel in his humanity for him to preach, and the law through his apostles.

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the angels Gal. 3, 19. Therefore one should always understand that God speaks through angels.

(22) There is an angel in this bush, which bringeth unto Moses the word of God, and speaketh as God: and Moses also heareth the word of God, whether it proceedeth out of a bush, or through a stone. The word is to be looked at, and not at the person. For God now takes an angel, soon Peter or Magdalene, or even a donkey, as happened with Balaam Num. 22, 28, 30, through whom He speaks His word. Therefore it is rightly said: "God spoke with Moses", although it is not always reported that he spoke through the angels. For when God speaks His word for Himself, He speaks it so that we may all be blessed in a moment. If he spoke verbally, we would immediately melt and perish before the great glory; but if he does not speak bodily, he uses creatures for this purpose, whoever these creatures may be.

So God spoke here through an angel. In the 19th chapter of Matthew, v. 5, it is written that God said: "Man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife", since Adam said it Gen. 2, 24. But God's speaking and Adam's speaking are the same. For it is spoken from God and in God, therefore God has spoken it.

When the Lord saw that he was going to see, God called to him from the bush and said, "Moses, Moses! He answered, Here I go. And he said, Come not near, put off thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place where thou art standing is a holy land.

(24) So God does here with Moses, as He always does with His saints, that He first destroys one before He raises him up. God breaks and tears down everything before he builds it; he throws it to the ground before he raises it up again; he kills before he brings it to life. The devil even reverses such things. But Moses is frightened, becomes stupid, and all his presumption falls away. But these things must be done for the sake of his outward profession, in honor of the place that was holy.

(25) Whence is it holy? It is called holy not because it is anointed with oil and greased, but because God reveals Himself there to the must and speaks with him. God's word is there, so the people who live there must also be holy. Even though there are ungodly wretches there, the place is blessed. And therefore the people will be blessed, and the ears and eyes blessed, who hear and see the divine word; as the Lord Christ says Luc. 10:23, 24. For where the word of God comes, holy things are heard and seen; for the word is holy and makes holy people. Therefore, where the word resounds, there is a holy place.

(26) Therefore do not miss, as if you should not humble yourself, but go with complete fear. For there is not a bush or a fire, like other bushes and fires, but there is something new, namely God's word, which God wants to honor. And with trembling and fear one must go to it, and not respect it as a human word. Then he strikes Moses down, because God is present here with His angels and with His word. Then man must say: Lord, I am nothing; and soon his courage falls. When God touches a man's heart, his feathers soon fall out so that he does not fly high; just as Moses here no longer wants to look into the bush, for he is struck with fear.

27 Then God came and comforted Moses again. For he will begin the redemption of the children of Israel at Mount Horeb, and will make Moses captain of that work; speak of it to Moses. He will then give his law in this place and make his own kingdom and people out of the children of Israel. Therefore, because God's word and law is here, the place must be holy.

The patriarch Jacob also calls Bethel a holy place, because he saw there in a dream the ladder that reached from heaven to earth, and God was standing on top of the ladder, and the angels were ascending from heaven to earth Gen. 28:12. God was talking to him, heaven was open. In the same way Jerusalem is called a holy city Matth. 27, 53.

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The temple, the law, the prophets' teachings and the promise of Christ. Just as all our churches are holy because the Word of God is preached and the sacraments are administered in them.

29 Here it should also be noted that God is very rich and superfluous with words in this text, and that He speaks a great deal to Moses. For I have said it many times before, and still say it, that it is a precious and delicious thing when one hears God's word. And one should go through all the lands to be worthy to hear one letter of God's word: rather, one should lift up one's hands, open house and yard, so that God may speak to us as much as he does here to Moses.

(30) But that the bush is full of fire and does not burn, and that Moses must take off his shoes, (2c) what that is, we will save for another time. But it is so that Moses would come humbled before God, knowing his worthlessness, and become a man other than the instrument through which God would accomplish great things. That is why he saw the bush burning and was frightened, and crawled into a different skin.

V. 6. And he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses covered his face, for he feared to look upon GOD.

God boasts here that this is his name forever, so he should be called, and whoever does not want to have this God, lacks the right God. The Lord Christ introduces this text against the Sadducees, Matthew chapter 22, v. 32, Marc. 12, 26, Luc. 20, 37] and interprets this text finely about the resurrection of the dead. For they thought that there was a God, but 1) no other life after this life, nor an angel nor a spirit, and understood the law of Moses only according to its outward essence, as the Jews did not see it differently. But the Lord Christ says Matth. 22, 29 to the Sadducees: "You are mistaken and do not understand the Scriptures, nor the power of God"; you do not know what the resurrection of the dead is.

1. Eisleben's: or.

But here it is shown that God says: "I am a God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From this Christ concludes that there is another life after this life. And that the resurrection of the dead is understood in this text, he thus proves that God is a God of the living and not of the dead; for that which is nothing, item, dissolved and dissolved, has no God. If a God is to be, he must be someone's God, from whom flows all goodness toward those in whom he is.

(33) And all the heathen have also done good to God; therefore one has devised this god, and another that god, for no other cause than that, when misfortune befalls them, they may find counsel and help here. Thus the pagans have made many idols, for it is naturally implanted in us that God is such a thing, so help all those who call upon him. The pagans did not lack that God is something that helps; this light is still in nature, otherwise people would not say: Help me. They must have a knowledge of God. But there is a lack of it, and here reason is blind, and causes idolatry, that it attributes the divinity to other things, which are not God, and does not recognize the right God.

Nature knows that God is the one who helps, but she does not know who that God is. Therefore, it dreams that this one will be God, and so it will be with the divine being. The Lord Christ was on earth, doing God's work and speaking God's word; yet the Jews themselves could not recognize with their reason that he was God, whom they saw before their eyes with his miraculous works John 10:33, but said: God is He who created all things, helps all, and does all good things 2c.; but that this God should be, He is not. For when it comes to interpretation, God is soon absent. It is well known that there is a God, but who this God is, the whole world is blind.

Now, that I make it clear: We monks have preached highly of GOD and how one should serve GOD, namely, that this is GOD who sits high in heaven and created everything, and sent his son into the world 2c. Then

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One said: I will serve this God, do this and that, and vow poverty, chastity and obedience. This work will please him. So they interpret God and say what His will is. So when I suggest to God how I want to serve Him, it is done, and I have lacked the right of God. For God is not so minded as I think, but what God gives and means, that shall be done. So he wants to be struck, and not by my discretion. For this reason, he lets all of these who have interpreted God altogether remain absent, mistaken and blind.

There is a common knowledge of God (as Rom. 1, 19. ff. and Cap. 2, 1. ff. are said) that has remained in the world. But when it comes to the meeting, they all lack God. Therefore, no one has the right to interpret or to name God, except as He names Himself, interprets Himself and proposes His work. Since his interpreting lasts, there it is, otherwise we all lack. So now it is better to refrain from all services where one is not certain that God's word is there, and where God does not interpret Himself. For the fact that a nun says that she is Christ's bride is nothing, for she is the devil's bride, because she takes things before her out of her own devotion and conceit, and points her thing to God's work. But therefore it is rightly said: God, who created heaven and earth, says: He who believes in Christ shall have eternal life, and his sins shall be forgiven and he shall be saved. That is where we meet GOD. For I did not make the interpretation (as, believe in Christ). For I would have said of myself: I will pray, fast, torture myself and call upon the saints until I am saved. Such interpretation is to call our Lord God as I wish, which means nothing.

(37) God is always known to be such a thing as helps all, but no one can name him unless he signs himself and puts a mark on himself, saying, "By name, sign, or work, you shall meet me and know me. But if I give God a name, and put a mark upon him, I have missed his mark; for God hath put his name and mark upon us in Christ. Christ shall be his name. Whoever attaches himself to Christ through faith, and is baptized, has

God is found. But if you do anything else, you are lacking God. As if you wanted to say: Dear Lord God, who sits in heaven among the angels, I will come to you and serve you and build a monastery, put on a monk's cap, go on pilgrimage, do this and that 2c. Hereby I interpret him, and call him without his command and word. There I have missed.

(38) Thus the article of the resurrection of the dead is also indicated here, for God says: "I am a God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. If then he is a God of Abraham, Abraham must live. If he is also the God of Isaac, then Isaac must live. Therefore, everything that is called Abraham must remain, not only the soul, but also the whole man with body and soul, who had Saram, the old Rachel, 1) as his wife; the same physical man who fathered a son with Sarah. Accordingly, the man Isaac must also live. These are strong, excellent words, that Isaac, Abraham, Jacob should live again and rise again, not only with the body, but the whole man with body and soul.

(39) How then can this be? for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, are dead, rotten, and decayed, and there seemeth nothing in them? To this Christ answers, saying, that his word is true; and the text of the holy scriptures lieth not, that they which are dead must live. For though they are dead, yet are they alive: for in death they also live. For to our Lord God they are all alive, but to us men they are only withdrawn from sight. Nevertheless they are still alive, and that is still behind them, so that on the last day they will be brought forth again and shown to us. But they live in God, and what lives before Him is a prepared life; if it is a matter of a moment, we too will live again. Therefore St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15, 54. from the prophet Hosea 2) Cap. 13, 14.: let death be swallowed up in victory 2c. [Is. 25, 8. 1 Cor. 15, 55.)

40 The patriarchs died because of it,

1. This is probably the name given to Sarah because she, like Rachel (XXX) Gen. 29:31, was barren.
2. Instead of "Hosea" should probably be read "Isaiah", because the words as they are written here are 1 Cor. 15, 55. drawn from Isaiah.

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that their mortal body is only changed. There is only one change. God is now working on the mortal body in death so that it will become as bright and beautiful again as the sun is in the sky. There is no death in the sight of our Lord God, and in the sight of our fleshly eyes dying is only a moving away. For as it is with our birth, so it is also with our death. What were you and I a hundred years ago? Nor did God create and make us later. So he can bring forth again the body, flesh and blood of those who died a hundred years ago. For all things live before him, as those who are yet to be born, and as those who have been.

41 So he decides that there is a resurrection of the dead. For Abraham, Isaac, Jacob have not died, but are alive. Are they buried? Yes, they are gone; but it is only to be a change, since the dead are taken away from our sight, and God now makes them different, for they shall live before Him.

V. 7-10 And the Lord said: I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry against them which they do wrong; and I have known their sorrow, and am come down to deliver them out of the hand of Egypt, and to bring them out of that land unto a good and far country, unto a land flowing with milk and honey, unto the place of the Cananites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, because the cry of the children of Israel is come before me, and I have seen their fear also, how they feared the Egyptians; now therefore go, I will send thee unto Pharaoh, and thou shalt bring my people the children of Israel unto Egypt.

This is the calling of Moses, when God fetches him in the desert and behind the sheep in Midian, and sets him as lord or duke over his people, just as He takes Saul from the donkeys and sets him as king over Israel 1 Sam. 9, 2. ff, even as He finds David behind the lambs and anoints and confirms him as king in Saul's place 1 Sam. 16, 11. ff. For God knows well how to find His own, whom He wants to use for great offices; they must not run and run for it, or practice much.

and attacks, God sees them Himself and expels them into His divine calling.

(43) Learn also from this text how God has an eye on the misery, distress, affliction, affliction or cross of His saints, looks upon it, hears their cries, sighs and prayers, and wants to save them. For he mourns over the affliction, anguish and heartache of his own, when they are in distress; he has a fatherly compassion and mercy on them, and will help them out of it, as the 103rd Psalm, v. 13, also says: "As a father has mercy on children, so the Lord will have mercy on those who fear him." So another Psalm Ps. 56, 9. says: "God count all the fleeing of His own, and gather their tears into His sack" 2c. For here He finally helps His people out of the tyranny of Pharaoh, and brings them into the promised land, which He had promised to their grandfathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God is true in His promises; He has promised help to the children of Israel, and He is now putting it into practice. Now, how does Moses stand against this divine calling?

V. 11. 12. And Moses said unto GOD, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? He said: I will be with thee; and this shall be a sign unto thee, that I have sent thee: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will sacrifice to God on this mountain.

44 God has done a strange miracle and wonder here, that he appears to Moshe in a fiery bush, and yet the bush is not scorched nor burned, so that he assures Moshe that he wants to be with him, and that his profession is a divine profession. Therefore he gives him a promise and says: he will be with him. For where there is a divine, proper profession, there is also God's promise that happiness and blessing shall be with the same profession. God also wants to be there with His help, so that those who have to endure all kinds of dangers and obstacles in their profession may be comforted and rejoice in the divine grace and help.

45. when God sent Jeremiah the prophet Jer. 1:6-10 to the city of Jerusalem, and he apologized for being young and not being able to preach, God also gave him the like.

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Promise and said, "You shall not say I am too young, but you shall go wherever I send you and preach what I command you. Fear them not, for I am with thee, and will save thee. I put my words in your mouth. I set thee this day over nations and kingdoms, to pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant."

(46) How then doth Moses stand against this calling? He is reluctant to go up; first he looks at himself and says, "Who am I that I should be the captain and duke of the children of Israel? He confesses his weakness and inability, saying that he is a shepherd or a shepherd who can hardly defend sheep before the wolf; how then can he protect the children of Israel from the angry tyrant Pharaoh? He has no armor, no spear, no sword, no horsemen, no chariots to deliver them from Egypt.

Therefore Moses resists. As we shall hear more later, he says to God, "What shall I say about you? Who are you? After this he reproves even more, saying, "They will not believe me," and complains greatly about the hardness or stubbornness of the people; item, he says, "He does not have a good language; therefore is the fault of his person, of our Lord God, of the king, and of the Jewish people. At last, when he sees that God will be ungracious to him, he says 4:13, "Send whom thou wilt," and leave me unsworn. He does not want to leave.

(48) All this is written for our teaching and comfort, that no one should enter into a matter concerning God unless he is called to do so. For he who intrudes himself, and has no sign or word from God that God wants him, will do little good.

V. 13. 14. Moses said to GOD: Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and speak to them: The GOD of your fathers has sent me to you, and they will say to me: What is his name? What shall I say to them? And God said unto Moses, I will be who I will be. And said, Thus shalt thou saw unto the children of Israel: I will be he that sent me unto you.

49 Finally Moses said, "Lord, how can I tell the children of Israel that you have sent me to them? He is supposed to tell God what his name is, and he cannot do it; even if he dared, he would be foolish. Therefore God comes forth and interprets His name Himself, and is a strange name of God. He interprets himself and says: "I will be who I will be". So my name is called. This is a blind thing, that he says: I am who I am, or will be. Why does he have this name? I have said before that no one could give him this name if one is to interpret God; for there we lack God. He advances with the word above all creatures who are not God, nor can give eternal life; for there is none else who works eternally but God alone; who says here: "I am." No one else can say this, for everything passes away.

(50) All our life is a travelling, loose possession. I can say, I am passing away; but I cannot say, I am living, I am not passing away or wavering, I am and remain forever. With what title does God tear our hearts and eyes from all creatures, and show it to Himself alone. For God wants to say here: Nothing remains on earth but I alone. I alone have the essence; whoever clings to other things goes away. Today man is strong, tomorrow he is sick; today I am honored, tomorrow I am disgraced; today young, tomorrow old; today rich, tomorrow poor. Therefore here says God: I am the God in whom you should cling, and trust no other creature. This is the first commandment; whoever thus leads and interprets it, interprets it rightly.

But reason speaks thus: I am attached to this work, because I have read so many masses, lived so long in the monastery, fasted, prayed and led such a hard order, so I take something temporal and transitory, so that we should comfort ourselves, and that we become deathly pale through poverty and are painted. Usually, however, we think that God looks upon us when we are well. And herewith the noble, precious name of God must be put to my work; I cling to perishable things, and forsake Him who is imperishable and eternal. For this reason, God wants me to be merely

736 Erl. SS, 7S-78. Sermon on Exodus 3:13, 14. w. m, I0S7-I "SS. 757

That I may not trust in my merits, honor, good works, princes, or authorities, or any other name, but hold only to him who is eternal, and who says here, If thou holdest to me, thou shalt not want.

Who could have interpreted him in this way if he had not declared himself to be so, saying, "One must cling to me through faith. If one is stuck in reason, one does not come to God, unless I bring him a heap of good works, crown him, and say: Lord, this and that I have done. This means, then, to give God another name, and to appropriate God's name to creatures, and to defy creatures, since we should defy Him. This is how one should interpret God's name.

53. further he says to Moses: I will give you an outward sign, so that you may meet me: "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" 2c., to be thought of, spoken of and preached 2c. How then has he been Abraham's GOOD? He gave him the sign, the circumcision, and so Abraham believed GOD; he gave him an outward instruction how to find him. And this is told only to the Jews, and not to the Gentiles. Abraham has the testimony in the holy Scriptures Gen. 15, 6. Rom. 4, 3. Gal. 3, 6. Jac. 2, 23. that he believed God and was justified by faith; therefore God is the God of Abraham. Isaac followed this faith and also wore the circumcision on his body as a sign. So Isaac also had GOD for his GOD, and so GOD became GOD through the faith of Abraham. For he believed that in his seed all generations on earth should be blessed 1 Mof. 22, 18.. Therefore Abraham became the son of GOD by faith [Jn. 1, 12. 1, and GOD became his father. Therefore he speaks here: If thou wilt interpret, teach, and preach me aright, propose no work, but as I became Abraham's GOOD, so am I still called, and will be thy GOOD also. If then thou shalt make another bridge unto me, thou shalt fail. For if he be Abraham's God, then shall I also have Abraham's word, preaching, doctrine, religion, faith, and signs, or come not to God.
54. the Jews say: We believe in God, who created heaven and earth, 2c., and believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But this is done by name alone, and we paint God with letters, and go about with Mosiah's laws and good works. This is far from the truth. For this is my name, says God here, even before Moses was born; but you want to mend your ways to me with Moses' good works and earn heaven.

55] Now he does not say here, "I am the God of Moses or of the Levites, but I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob"; thus, with this name he cancels all the laws and works of Moses, and remains alone in saying that no one can attain to God, nor can anyone come to him, nor recognize him, but he considers him to be the God in whom Abraham also believed. God was Abraham's God without the law, and before the law was given; but so he became Abraham's God, believing that God would help the world through his seed. You must also come to believe, and then have the outward sign attached to it. Thus God will be preached and called in the world, and this shall be said of Him forever Rom. 1:16. Whoever seeks God otherwise is lacking. So his name shall remain and be preached forever.

Now, here a game will be played. The word of God and faith have remained, and through the word and faith alone one comes to God; but where now? We do not call God a God of Abraham, nor are we circumcised, nor do we keep what Abraham kept, but we come to Christ and keep to baptism; and yet it is said here, "This shall be my name forever? So we Gentiles must become Jews, and be circumcised, and forsake our baptism. The Jews know well that eternity here is not a time that never ends; as it is also said: Children and children's children, which is also not a time that never ends, but is spoken of a temporal course, of the time that passes here on earth.

1. Eislebensche: them.

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There is a difference between the gospel preached in the world and the gospel promised before Rom. 1:2 ff. A thing that has been promised and a thing that has been put into practice are two different things. Faith and eternal life are also two different things. I have eternal life in promise, and not in essence; now I have it in darkness, and see it not, but believe it; hereafter I shall feel it 1 Cor. 13:12, 1 John 3:2. The gospel has now rung out into the world, and has been proclaimed everywhere; but in this word, "In thy seed shall be blessed," 2c., there alone has it been promised. He saith, In this hour shall the gospel go; and it goeth. Again also: It shall come, it shall come, that one shall preach of the blessing and benediction as far as the world is; the blessed seed shall come from you, Abraham, so that it is called Christ Gal. 3, 29.. But Christ had not yet come at that time, but was promised alone, just as the gospel was promised.

(58) Now the Jews, of Abraham's seed, are bound by this text, that they believe in the God of Abraha, who made the promise to Abraha. But they lack that they do not want to believe that God made the promise to Abraha, that He performed it, and that He accomplished it. But God says, "I am to be taken and kept in the promise made to Abraha. Now this is not valid any longer, because the promise lasts; after that, when the promise is fulfilled, then it must be over. Therefore, one must not believe now that the gospel and Christ are promised, but that everything has now happened and been fulfilled, and that God is truly Abraham's God, and that this promise, which was made to Abraham, has now been fulfilled. I wanted to jump back and say that Christ had not come.

59. So it is played on Christ, when he comes, he shall bring forth the name, as Abraham was promised 2 Cor. 5:19. So it is on Christ alone; as if he should say: I am a God who promised Abraham the future Christ with his gospel. Whoever wants to have me must now recognize me as such a God,

as he who promised Abraham Christ and his gospel. If he has promised Christ and the gospel, then it must come; and when it comes, then God is called the one who gives and keeps what he promises, and who joins himself to us so that he will be God and give what he promises. Therefore, all His promises must be fulfilled, and when the promise is fulfilled, then it is finished 2 Cor. 1:20. Therefore, after Christ's birth no more time runs; one does not say there: Child, child child, so one shall grasp me 2c. It cannot last longer than until the promise comes and is fulfilled.

60 Thus God points us to Himself and to His word, indicating that no one can meet God except by His word, and that the word cannot be grasped except by faith. Therefore, no word, way, or work should be put before God, except how He tells me how to believe; thus all the works of Moses and our good works are extinguished. And then we know who GOD is, and can interpret him. For here he says: I am called, who it is that I am, and who I shall be. By what? You have my word, and you have the sign of Abraha; hang on to it. When the promise is fulfilled, you will have another word and another sign.

So this text contains many beautiful, glorious teachings, such as faith in God, item, about the kingdom of Christ, and about the resurrection of the dead. After that, some miraculous signs will come in the fourth chapter, of the rod becoming a serpent, and of the hands that he puts into his bosom and becomes leprous 2c. And if we look at these miraculous signs according to history, then by them God wants to accustom Moses to become bold and daring, to approach the matter of the execution of the children of Israel from Egypt with confidence. As if God should say: Moses, you have a terrible work before you, but take hold of it. It seems impossible now that you should attack and overthrow the mighty king Pharaoh, but dare it briefly and confidently. The serpent has a terrible face and is poisonous; but seize it by the tail. The hand is leprous; but only dare at my word, and it shall be established.

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Allegoria or spiritual interpretation of the third chapter.

In the third chapter we heard how Moses was tending the sheep and he saw a fiery bush from which God appeared to him and commanded that he should lead the people of Israel out of Egypt; also how Moses resisted and pretended that he had a difficult language and tongue, that he could not speak well 2c. This is the third chapter.

63. But that the bush burns and yet is not consumed by fire, this is what has been attributed to the Virgin Mary throughout the world, that her virginity has been kept and preserved. Thus, when one plunders into the holy scripture, one draws the holy scripture elsewhere by human reason. If one puts secret interpretation on works or persons, it is wrong and unjust. Otherwise, one can praise Mary, but it is not necessary to take off Christ's feathers and put them on Mary, or to take off Christ's garment and put it on the Virgin Mary.

64 But the Lord Christ is the same bush. For he is the right angel, sent by God from heaven, as it is written to the Romans in the fifteenth chapter, v. 8: "Christ is the apostle of the Jews, that he might fulfill the promises made to the patriarchs. He is an apostle, that is, the right arch and supreme messenger sent into the world. This Lord Christ is shown to the must, that is, to all those who were under the law. For Moses bears the image and figure of the law, and signifies the law's office; and the people who are under the law are Moses, for he was to give the law, and the people to execute it. But that Christ burns, and is not corrupted, is pointed to the Godhead; and not unjustly.

But I do not want to go too high, but this time I want to make a point that is even closer, namely, that this means Christ, the true man, who appears in the same form as other men; just as the bronze serpent Deut. 21:9, erected in the desert by Moses, had the form and likeness of other serpents, but there was no poison. As also told to the Romans in chapter 8, v. 3.

Christ has the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin"; and to Philippians, chapter 2, vv. 6-8. Christ preached on earth in the flesh, as I and you, that his flesh and mine cannot be separated. However, since all our flesh is poisoned, and he also has our flesh, therefore it is such a likeness, and has the flesh, sin and poison, yet there is no sin and poison in his person, so he is born in a flesh that is sinful, yet in him there is no sin; that is, Christ is truly born of the flesh. So the bush here is full of fire, that it burns, and yet is not consumed. Neither does it move Moses, as if to say, If there is fire, it must consume, for that is its nature. Moses looks at the burning and consuming; there is the flesh that burns, and seems like other sinful flesh, and yet there is no sin. Christ is the green bush without all sin, and yet he came in our likeness like the flesh, and feels the very flesh in his body that we have, yet without sin.

(66) This is the first sight 1) and the first comfort, that we have such an angel or messenger, who is without all sin, and yet like our flesh and blood. We are the fiery bush, so should burn, are vain fire and poison; but he remains unburned. Therefore he has taken our fire to himself, but he is not consumed or burned up because of it, but we are consumed because of it. So he got Christ in view, who is like other men, and sin does not harm him, but he helps us.

67 Thus the allegory should be drawn to the true man Christ, and not to the Godhead, unless the Scriptures make it necessary. For the sacred Scriptures most of all and primarily urge that Christ alone be known to be God and man. For that he is God, he has for himself, and does not help me, and therefore he is not my Christ or Savior; but that he is also truly man, that is valid for me.

1. Look - sight, appearance. - This meaning is missing in Dietz.

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He has worked so much on it, that I suck it and get it. He gives it to us and makes it a treasure and food, which is turned to us; there he presents himself as a savior, mediator and helper, gives us help and medicine. And to speak recently, he wants us to use him for our benefit.

So he shall appear to Moses as a savior, that our sin may be put out of him, and that he may be roasted on the cross as if he were full of sin, and yet is without all sin. Moses and Christ must meet and appear to each other, but Moses marvels at this. For this is the joyful message and the comforting knowledge that Christ takes our sin out of Himself, and yet the sins do not harm Him.

This spiritual interpretation strengthens our faith, so that we may know Christ rightly and well. For if I interpret it in the same way as Mariam and her virginity, I am not improved at all; for her virginity is a gift, bestowed upon her and her property. But this allegory should remain in common use, and everyone should gain understanding and improvement from it, namely, that Moses sees Christ, the Savior, for the first time, who takes sin upon himself; and yet they do not harm him. This is to show that Christ is nowhere depicted and described as suffering and dying for us, but only in the law and in Moses. As the Lord Christ himself testifies in the Evangelist Luke Cap. 24, 44 that Moses, the Psalms and the prophets prophesied of his suffering, death and resurrection. Moses gloriously described Christ as becoming man and taking away sin, and by his death and resurrection entering his eternal kingdom and saving us from sins, death, the devil and hell. This is Moses' prophecy and prophecy as found in the first book of Moses and Levitico.

The first book and word of God, in which we recognize Christ, is Mosi's book. Thus, Christ appears to Mosi only in the fiery bush; as if to say: With this image or figure, I show that whoever recognizes Christ-

1. Eislebensche: one.

If anyone wants to know who he is, he will first find it in Moses that he will come from Abraham's seed and redeem the world, take sin upon himself and kill it, and yet this green bush will remain unconsumed and unscorched; sins cannot suppress and destroy it. Thus, in this figure, the persecution, cross, suffering and death of the Lord Christ are included, as well as his entire kingdom, and the good things and benefits we receive from him, all of which are written in the Law of Moses.

(72) But this preaching is so strange and strange that even the saints do not soon believe it: Moses himself must marvel at the glorious, great goods and riches that have been given to us through Christ. Therefore he wants to go to the fiery bush and see how he will not be burned. But God tells him, "Take off your shoes, for the place is holy." From the bush it is made holy. One must first confess and put away sin and make oneself clean before coming to GOD Isa. 1:16, 17. Our Lord God does not deal with sinners Ps. 5, 5, we are to come to Him pure and holy, so that we may be set free. Our good works, which we have in us, that is, those who keep the law and want to come to where Christ is, do not make any difference. For God's law and man's law (where they are understood to mean that one wants to establish it with good works and come to God) do one as well as the other, that is, nothing is established with it unless one sees that the law is spiritual. For it is said here: Moses, do not come near, because you are holy and pure; you people of Israel come out of presumption, as if you were holy, and you think that Christ comes to you out of your merit and good works.

73 Therefore shoes are not called sin or good works here, but the doctrine of works, as is also said to the Ephesians in chapter 6, v. 15, and in the Song of Solomon, chap. 7, 1, it is written that the bride walks in blue shoes; that is, the gospel or God's Word is a shoe in which consciences are to walk, and this because of the causes, that one may have a supply and preparation from it, that one may walk securely with the

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Conscience. But these shoes of Moses are made of skins and hides or leather, that is, they are doctrines taken and drawn from God's Word, and yet make people carnal. So I also became a cobbler in the ministry, and made my life a pair of shoes, and put on the doctrine, thinking that if I did this or that work, I would be blessed.

74. But God says, "Take off your shoes, for this place is holy," that is, you will make a sinner rather than a saint. St. Paul and others also wanted to take off the shoes of this people, but those who were converted had their shoes taken off. We are not justified by the law Gal. 2:16. We must take off these shoes and go barefoot, so that it may be known that your good works are of no use to you if you want to go to this fiery bush, but you

You must learn that everything is over and lost with you. Just as Moses did not deserve to have the bush appear to him, but rather unawares; and Moses did not put on his shoes for this reason. Grace and the Lord Christ come to us before we think of them or ask for them. Therefore we must cast off all presumption of the law, of the doctrine of men, and of good works, and venture freshly upon Christ, as upon our Saviour.

The fire is his torture and suffering, since he is roasted on the cross, and yet not completely consumed. It seems as if he is no more, and as if he is finished and has become powder. But he rises from the dead and comes as a mighty king. Whoever is to come to this must take off his shoes. For the apostles themselves did not deserve to hear the gospel preached from this bush.

Another sermon by D. M. Luther on the text Ex. 3, 1-6,

when Moses saw the fiery bush 2c.

Gethan at Wittenberg in the parish church, on Easter Tuesday, afternoon, April 3, 1526.*)

1. since you, dear friends, have heard enough of the two days from the New and Old Testaments, how our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and what he accomplished with his resurrection, namely, that he crushed the head of the serpent, the devil, redeemed from the curse, and as a righteous God and man brought rich blessings upon all men, that they might have righteousness, forgiveness of sin, life and blessedness, conquest of death, hell and the devil, that they might have

We may say with a believing heart: Christ's death and resurrection is my righteousness, by which I am made righteous, as St. Paul says to the Romans in chapter 4, v. 25: "Christ was given for our sins and raised for our righteousness," but since we are still celebrating the joyful Easter feast today, let us take before us from St. Moses, as written in his other book in chapter 3, this text, which reads thus:

*This time determination results with certainty from the affiliation of this sermon with the two sermons on Genesis 3 and 22, which we have included in this volume Col. 650 and 662, because the first paragraph of this sermon gives a short recapitulation of what Luther had spoken about on Easter Monday. In addition, in Poach's index in the Zwickau Rathsschulbibliothek, the date we set for this sermon is given, the content of which is labeled thus: ,Lauras ^uidus rosurrsotio "i^rukio🇮🇹0. Finally, the date is also confirmed by ji 14 of this sermon. The proof where this sermon was first printed is found in this volume Eol. 650.

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Moses was tending the sheep of Iethro his brother-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he drove the sheep into the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a fiery flame out of the bush, and he saw that the bush burned with fire, and yet was not consumed. And he said: I will go and see this vision, why the bush does not burn. And when the LORD saw that he went to see, God called unto him out of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, Come not near, put off thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place where thou art standing is a holy land. And he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses covered his face, because he feared to look upon God.

This is the text from Moses. Now, dear friends, these words of St. Moses were drawn by the Fathers of the Church to the tender, pure, chaste, immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. As they also sang in the Church: Rubum, quem viderat Moses, that it should mean the virginity of Mary. Just as the bush burns and is not consumed, so also the Mother of Christ gave birth to her dear Son, without the spoiling of her virginity.

Although it is a good opinion or interpretation (for we must let this article be true and remain true, that Mary was a pure virgin before the birth, in the birth, and after the birth, and remains a pure virgin forever), this opinion or interpretation is too weak here, and does not hold the sting, because the Holy Spirit wants to model something higher. For there are the clear and bright words: I am the God of your father, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which words cannot be applied to Mary. For Mary is not God, therefore she cannot be the bush, but God Himself is the bush, which burns and is not consumed, remains wholly and delicately green in the midst of the fire.

(4) Therefore we cannot do better than this, because we abide by the words of Christ, that Moses wrote of him; as he then said

Joh. 5, 46. says: "If you believed Mosi, then 1) you also believed me, because he wrote about me." For it is Christ alone to whom Moses and all prophets point Matth. 11, 13. Apost. 10, 43.. Therefore this fiery and burning bush is a figure of Christ, what kind of person he will be, and how he shall have two natures in one person, and how he shall suffer, die and rise again from death. This is what we should look for here, what Moses teaches, and what we should also believe and learn if we want to be saved otherwise.

Now, the first piece. What kind of person should Christ be, and what kind of two natures should he have in one person? There we hear it in the text: "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is one nature, that he is eternal, almighty God, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, of the same nature, substance and essence, but a different person than the Father and the Holy Spirit. As the prophet Micah (who lived 760 years before the birth of Christ) also teaches, when he says Cap. 5, 1: "And you Bethlehem Ephrata, who are small compared to the thousands in Judah, out of you shall come the one who is Lord in Israel." Yes, what kind of a HErr is it? Thus saith the prophet, "Which goeth forth from the beginning and from everlasting."

(6) Then the prophet clearly describes that Christ has another exit than at Bethlehem, namely, from the fatherly heart of God, before all creatures were and had their beginning. For before all creatures were and were created, nothing was but God. This Son, who is to come forth in Bethlehem, that is, to be born, says Micah, was from eternity before all creatures had their beginning; so the Son in Bethlehem must be the eternal, almighty God. Now this is the first, divine nature that Christ has, that he is true, eternal and almighty God, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, who spoke with Moses out of the burning bush; as was said yesterday 2) enough.

7. the other nature is human nature, that he is a fine, green, lovely bush,

1. Erlanger: gläubet.
2. In the second sermon on Easter Monday, Col. 662 ff.

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as Isaiah also calls it Cap. 11, 1, a fine, lovely, green rod or fresh branch from the old trunk or root of Jesse. As the Lord Christ himself is called, when he was led to death, when he says Luc. 23, 31. to the women who weep over him, "If this be done in green wood, what shall be done in dry?" For Christ alone is the green wood or the green bush, that is, a right, pure, holy man. But all men, no man excepted, are conceived in sins, are born, and are unto death, and are eternally damned: therefore are they dry wood, or sticks, which serve for fire only, and nowhere else.

But the conception of Christ is pure and holy. For there the Holy Spirit comes and works from the pure drops of blood of the pure Virgin Mary, so that God or God's Son becomes a true, right man; therefore his birth is also pure and holy. For where the conception is pure and holy, the birth is also pure and holy. For this reason he alone is the green bush, for in him no sin has been found, as all men otherwise have. Now this is the other nature that man has, that he is truly man, as I am, but without all sin.

(9) These are the two natures that are in this one person of Christ, that he is true God and man at the same time, and the two natures are so united with each other that none can be separated from the other, but they must remain together. Just as body and soul are united in one person, and there is only one person and one human being, so also here, in the person of Christ, the divine and human natures, that is, God and man, must remain together in one person, undivided. This is a high doctrine, of which no Jew, Turk or the Pope knows nothing, only Moses and the prophets, and the Christians. And now this is said of the person and both natures, that Christ is more real, true, eternal, almighty God and man, than the dear green bush or little tree, pure, lovely, without all blemishes and sin.

10 But now we will hear how the Lord Christ is to fare. Moses tells us how the bush burns and is not consumed.

however much and mightily the flames burn around. There now means Christ's suffering and resurrection; for "to burn" in the Scripture means to suffer. So now this God, who is a green bush, that is, a right, pure, true man, born of the virgin, shall suffer and die.

This is also the cause of his incarnation. For if God had not become man, He could not suffer or die. For "God is a spirit" John 4:24 that cannot suffer or die. But if God is to suffer and die, He must become man. But because God becomes man, he suffers and dies in this person of Christ, who is both God and man, and God does not remain apart from this person of Christ, as some heretics and enthusiasts separate and separate the Godhead from humanity, and say that the humanity of Christ alone suffered and redeemed us; this is false. For mankind alone has suffered, since the divine nature cannot suffer or die, but has not only redeemed us, but also the Godhead, that is, the Son of God, as St. Paul says to the Romans in the eighth chapter, v. 32, "that God also did not spare His only Son, but gave Him up for us all.

(12) Therefore not only Mary's Son, according to mankind, as the papists and some enthusiasts deceive, redeemed us, died for us and was crucified, but the whole Christ, who is God and man, redeemed us, and was crucified, died and rose again according to the flesh; in the first epistle of Peter in the third chapter, v. 18. For the wounds which they inflicted on Christ's hands and feet, they did not inflict on Mary's Son alone, but on the Son of God, or God Himself; neither did they crucify and martyre the flesh of the Son of Man alone, but the Son of God and God Himself were murdered and strangled, for God and Man are One Person. Therefore, the GOt crucified and died became man; not the separated GOt, but the united GOt with humanity; not according to the Godhead, but according to the human nature He assumed. As St. Paul also says 1 Cor. 2, 8: Dominum gloriae crucifixerunt.

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For of the separate God, it is both false that Christ is God and that God died. Both, I say, are false. For God is not man; therefore he cannot die. Therefore, we say and speak it of God, who is both God and man in One Person, as of Jesus Christ; just as the dear Fathers, as MaxentiuS and Fulgentius, say: Nos dicimus Deum natum, passum, crucifixum, mortuum, propter unitatem et conjunctionem duarum naturarum in Christo. But this cannot be understood or heard by our papists and enthusiasts.

14 Therefore they divide and separate the person of Christ. But this need not be. For we honor and worship not only the bad, mere humanity in Christ, as the heretics blame us, but the Godhead and humanity, that is, God and man at the same time, as the right Creator of heaven and earth, united in one person. As the Concilium of Ephesus, 1095 years ago against the heretic Nestorium, also concludes and states: Propter assumentem veneror assumptum, et propter invisibilem adoro visibilem. This is quite learned and said.

15 The ancient teacher of the Church, John Damascenus, says: "Caro secundum sui naturam non est adorabilis; adoratur autem in incarnato Dei verbo, non propter se ipsam, sed propter conjunctum ipsi secundum hypostasin Deum verbum. Et non dicimus, quod carnem adoramus nudam, sed carnem Dei, id est, incarnatum Deum. This is truly a beautiful, mighty saying, which we should well keep and remember at this perilous time. For the two natures in Christ want to be unseparated and undivided. However, our nerien Sacramentirer can not direct themselves into this, but we Christians must teach and learn it. For that would have been a bad redemption, indeed, no redemption at all, which would have saved us against sin, death, the devil and

1. "1095" put by us instead of "1115" in the editions. 1) The Concil at Ephesus took place in the year 431. Since this sermon was preached on Easter Tuesday 1526, "1095" must be read. The copyist has made the number LIOXV out of MXOV. Exactly the same oversight (110 OX instead of 90 sXO]) is found twice in the old edition of Walch on the last page of the 9th volume, where we had to make the same change.

Hell would not have protected much, if only the man Christ, and not at the same time God, or God's Son, had been united in this person, crucified and died. We will say more about this another time, with God's help, and these days are not very busy.

(16) What is this, that the bush is not consumed or burned up, but grows green in the midst of the fire and remains whole? This is it: though Christ die and suffer, he shall not abide in death, but shall rise again, and be green, and come to life. Why is this? Because he is not a bad man, but truly God. If he had been a bad man, as we are, he would have been much too weak for death and the devil; but because he is God, and God is life John 1:4, life 2) cannot die according to its eternal divine nature. For even though it dies in the flesh, it cannot remain in death. For life must remain life; as also the church sings: Vita in ligno moritur. Therefore this God, who is man, must rise again from death, become green and alive, so that he may bring forgiveness of sin, righteousness, life and blessedness to all who believe in him. This means then: Infernus ex morsu despoliatur, hell has bared its teeth at this Christ, who is life, and has lost its power over it.

17 For the Christ is most beautifully restored in the midst of suffering, and enters into his glory, as he himself says Luc. 24:26, that is, he rises from death, becomes Lord of heaven, earth and hell, so that all creatures in heaven, hell and earth must lie under his feet and be subject to him, and be recognized as one Lord Phil. 2:9, 10.

18. Now this is the right figure or meaning of this burning bush that Moses sees, that the God who is Abraham's, Isaac's and Jacob's God shall become man, suffer, die and rise from death, and bring righteousness, forgiveness of sins, life and blessedness to all believers, as Christianity sang: "So holy is the day that no man can fill it with praise, alone...".
19. Thus taken over by us from the old edition of Walch. Erlanger: and life can.

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the holy Son of God, who broke hell and bound the wicked devil in it, so that the Lord redeemed Christendom, which was God Himself, Kyrieleis". There is the whole fruit of Christ's resurrection, as that he broke hell, bound the devil, and took away his power, and redeemed his dear Christianity. But who was it? God, God Himself, or God's Son. This is delicious, lovely, comforting and well-sung, if only we would consider it.

(19) But how is Moshe now? As he wants to go and see how this bush burns and is not consumed, God says to Moses, "Do not come near, remove your shoes, for the place where you are standing is a holy land. What will become of it? Is God so great in the land, and in the shoes? Is not one place as holy as another? What do the shoes do to it? Yes, the bad place of the land or the shoes do not do it; but this is what God wants, that where the teaching goes and is preached that God became man, died and rose again, there is the holy land, and the Christian church, and the true chosen people, where God is and dwells, as Christ says John 14:23. Moses must close the eyes that Adam opened too wide in paradise, take off the old Adam and the old shoes and take them off, close the eyes of reason and open the eyes of the heart.

This doctrine of Jesus Christ must be grasped by faith through the Word alone, for it is too high for the old Adam and human reason, and God has placed it in the Word alone, where it can be grasped, and not otherwise. Therefore the Jews, the Turks and the Pope, because they let go of the word of Christ and look elsewhere, and speculate and speak of Christ according to human reason, they go further and further from Christ, and become fools about it, blaspheming and mocking the dear Lord Christ. This is what happens when one lets go of the word of this man.

21 Therefore we must look to the word alone and say, "Here is my simple article of faith: I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord, who was born, suffered, died, was buried, and is like unto God.

who is risen from the dead. I did not invent this, but God wrote and preached it to me through the Holy Spirit. I want to dwell on it, because I hear how God, or God's Son, became man, died and rose again. If I cannot understand or comprehend it, I will not believe it.

22. But how it happened that God died, and yet is not God the Father, or God the Holy Spirit, but God the Son, the other Person in the Godhead, who died and rose again, and yet are not three Gods, but One Almighty God, but three distinct Persons in the eternal, omnipotent Divine Being, let us save this until that life, when we shall see it face to face in the mirror of the holy Trinity or Godhead. Here, however, we want to believe and trust in the word in a bad, right and simple way; we cannot take it any further.

(23) Moses had to take off his shoes, the old Adam or man, and cover his eyes or face, and through the Word alone, with firm faith and trust, look at and grasp this Christ, His suffering, death and resurrection, with the eyes of the heart. If we do this, as Moses did, we will also come to God. For without this God, who died and rose again, no man, no matter how holy, how pious, or how full of good works he may be, will fear, shun, or dare to come to God.

(24) For God the Father cannot suffer anyone to go or come to Him, unless He brings with Him His beloved Son Christ. Just as the Son himself, John speaks in the fourteenth chapter, v. 6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me, Me, Me." Here all saints and all their merits are completely excluded, that nothing is valid before the Father, except Christ.

(25) Therefore the Jews, the Turks and the Pope are damned, who despise this Son of God with His suffering, death and resurrection, and intend to come to God by another way than through the dead saints, damned indulgences, masses of souls, lousy monk's caps and plates, and other fictitious humanities.

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works that God has not commanded or commanded. For through this Son and His word alone shall one seek and find Him. But blessed are they all for ever, who in the beloved Son of God, who justified us by his death and resurrection (as Moses and the prophets did), with steadfast faith in his word, persevere and abide in the heart.

26 Joseph in Egypt, as it is written in the first book of Moses at the one and fortieth chapter, was also a figure of Christ. For Joseph was sold by his own brothers, then lied to by the harlot, Potiphar's wife, when he would not follow her, so that he was thrown into prison. After that, when Joseph has been in prison for a long time, God comes and brings him to such honors that he must become lord and prince over all Egypt.

(27) So it was with Christ our Lord, who was also sold by his brethren, that is, by the flesh and blood of Abraham, the Jews. After that, since he does not want to fornicate with the Jewish synagogue and help to confirm and praise their ungodly, devilish teachings in Jerusalem, they become angry, capture and kill him, and think that it is now all over with him. But before three days are up, God brings him to such honors that he is rewarded by the

The one who enters into his glory after death, rises from death, becomes a Lord over heaven, earth, hell, and all creatures; all of which must be under his feet, and recognize and consider him a Lord.

(28) With this we will have concluded the joyful, lovely Easter feast. But pray with all your heart that God, the Father of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Spirit, will keep us all in such faith and knowledge. If he does not, then it is lost with us. Even if we cry out daily with our mouths: I believe, believe, it is still only a whisper. For St. Paul says in the other epistle to the Thessalonians in the third chapter, v. 2: "Faith is not for everyone. Therefore let us cry out with the father of the possessed man Marc. 9, 24: "O dear Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief"; and let us say with the dear apostles from the bottom of our hearts Luc. 17, 5: "O Lord, strengthen our faith." If we do this, God will strengthen, increase and give it to us; otherwise not.

(29) Then we, as the dear children of God, must and should obediently live by the ten commandments of God, so that people may see our good works and praise our Father in heaven, as Christ says in Matthew, chapter 5, v. 16, amen.

The fourth chapter.

v. 1-9. Moses answered and said, Behold, they will not believe me, nor hear my voice, but will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is it that thou hast in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it from thee unto the earth. And he cast it from him, and it became a serpent: and Moses fled before it. But the LORD said unto him, Stretch forth thine hand, and catch it by the tail. So he stretched out his hand and held it, and it became a rod in his hand. Therefore they shall believe that the LORD hath appeared unto thee, the

The God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. And the LORD said unto him, Put thine hand into thy bosom: and he put it into his bosom, and drew it out; and, behold, it was leprous as snow. And he said, Put it again into thy bosom: and he put it again into thy bosom, and drew it out: behold, it was again as other flesh. Now if they will not believe thee, nor hear the things which thou sayest by one sign, yet will they believe when thou sayest of the other sign. But if they will not believe these two signs, nor hear thy voice, they shall believe thee.

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Take the water from the river and pour it on the dry land, and the same water that you took from the river will become blood on the dry land.

We have heard so far in the three chapters of the other book of Moses how God called Moses to a great, glorious work in which he was to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and to overthrow the mighty, powerful king in Egypt. We have also heard of God's promise and promise that He would be with Moses, help him, so that he could carry out this great work. But Moses refused to accept and carry out such a ministry and work.

Now God goes on in this fourth chapter and gives Most three different signs or miracles, by which he and also the children of Israel may notice his divine presence. First, a rod or staff that he throws out of his hand to the earth, which becomes a serpent. Second, that he put his hand into his bosom, and it became leprous, like snow; but when he put it back into his bosom, and drew it out again, it became like other flesh. Thirdly, "If they will not believe these two signs, nor hear your voice," says God, "take the water out of the river and pour it on the dry land, and the same water that you took out of the river will become blood on the dry land.

(3) Moses did these signs to confirm his profession, so that he might confidently continue in his office and calling, and not doubt that God was with him, teaching and speaking with his mouth what Moses should do and say, item, so that the children of Israel would also be assured and assured by these miracles that Moses should be the man specially appointed by God to deliver them from Egypt. Otherwise, Moses had for himself the fiery bush and God's promise, so that he could be comforted in his profession. But these three miraculous signs were to happen for the sake of the children of Israel, so that they would believe that the time of their salvation was also at hand. But what the staff or shillelagh, the leprous hand and the water are, we will hear in the allegory.

(v. 10-12) And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I have not been well discoursed since the time that thou spakest unto thy servant: for I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who made man's mouth? or who made him dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Have I not done it, the Lord? Now therefore go. I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Now we are in history and want to see how much effort it takes before a man trusts God and accepts His word, especially if it is something high and great, as here, in this chapter, since God humbles and humiliates Himself so much, and so kindly entices and drives people until they believe. Moses nevertheless sticks to his last excuse, because he cannot do otherwise, and has looked for another excuse or hole, since he wants to go out, so that he will not obey God. For he says: "Even though I do everything, I cannot speak. He freely confesses that he is not a talker. The Jews interpret it as a lisp; but I believe that Moses had a difficult speech and tongue, that he stammered and stuttered, and spoke a word two or three times, and yet did not get it out right. He had this infirmity, and that he did not lisp.

5 So the Jews say that he put fiery coals in his mouth to burn his tongue, and that is why he lisped. But the text says that he stuttered. These are Jewish tales. It is the last exodus or evasion, by which Moses wants to leave this office. But God answers him rightly, is not yet angry, and says: "Who made man's mouth? or who made the mute or the deaf, the seeing or the blind? Have I not done it?" If God were as wise as we are, He would have begun all things better than they have happened otherwise.

(6) For here He takes for this great and heavy work one who cannot speak well, as Moses himself confesses; nor does God say to him, "Go and execute it well.

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Which is just as if I said to a blind man that he should see, and to a lame man that he should walk, and to a dumb man that he should speak. Could not God find another to use for this work? But it is written that we should learn how God is minded. He does not respect what is valid in the eyes of the world; He rejects and rejects what others take to Himself; what others love and cherish, He throws away; and what the devil does not like, He accepts. He gives a right answer to Mosi and says: You are clever and a fine fellow; they are stingers, 1) as if he should say: Do you think that I do not know that you stammer, and as if I do not hear it? So it seems to us. For we are always mastering God in His works, just as if we were the very first to see the flaws, shortcomings and infirmities, but God did not see them. What does it matter, God wants to say, if you are deaf, blind or dumb? How then, if I call you and command you, can I not make you see, hear and speak? Who is the one who talks to you? It is not Kunz the cobbler, but he who gives eyes and face to the blind, ears and hearing to the deaf, and can make the unreasonable eloquent; in turn, he makes the great talkers mute. And thou wouldest set a goal and a measure before me, thou that canst not speak, seeing I have chosen thee because thou canst not speak? If thou couldst speak, then thou shouldest exalt thyself. So that they may see that I am the man who does this and not you, I am using you, the stammerer, for this work. For if one were so skilled as Gabriel and all the angels, and God did not call him, he would accomplish nothing. God makes the eloquent and the mute. Again, if one is unspeaking, and God calls him, he brings it forth as he pleases, so that the world may see that it is not we who do it, but God who does it.

(7) For this reason he has shown his supreme wisdom here, so that this stammerer, Moses, will become such an excellent man who persuades all kings. One might say: "Attack it wisely, dear Lord!

1. Sticherlinge is probably as much as pointed speeches.

GOd. Yes, he answers, I am the Master; have I not done it? Is not Moses caught with his tongue, that he stammers and stutters? But what he should speak, that he has from me. If I do not want him to, he becomes dumb; if I want him to, he must speak again. We do not look at this, and do not think that God is so close, and should doubt that God has made me a mouth; but think that speech is innate to us. But there is no one on earth who could speak a word if it were not for God. We throw it to the wind, and think that we have it purely plump.

8 Now Moses is captivated by God and decided on all sides. For God says to him: Do you fear the king? Are you so afraid? If the impossibility of believing frightens you, you have the miraculous signs; if you cannot speak, I will speak in you. So Moses can go no further, for he sees that God does not accept his apology; therefore he says, "You have determined that I should be hanged; for you will give me strength, powers and all ability yourself. Nor does he say: I do not want to do it; and he says nothing more than: "My Lord, send whom you want to send"; as if he should say: Send another whom you want, I am satisfied; only do not send me.

(9) And when Moses, of his own mind and will, would cast away this profession, the LORD was very wroth with Moses, and said:

V.14-17. Do I not know that Aaron your brother, of the tribe of Levi, is eloquent? And, behold, he shall go out to meet thee, and when he seeth thee, he shall rejoice with his heart. You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and his mouth, and teach you what you shall do. And he shall speak to the people for you; he shall be your mouth, and you shall be his God. And take this rod in thine hand, that thou mayest do signs.

10 Then Moses had to leave. Before, God was kind to him, but here he is angry. And when God is angry, one must stay. So Moses has a noble profession, so that we may see how God so whimsically leads out his work with

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The people, since no one sees to it, must not even think of it themselves. For here this stammerer and poor beggar must perform what otherwise four kings would not be able to do. And so Moses is caught, that he says to God: I will yield to you. God has dealt with Moses in so many words that it is sheer sin and shame.

11. God says to him, "You shall be his God, and he shall be your mouth." How does Moses come to these honors? GOD says to him, "You have the words, you shall tell Aaron how to preach, and Aaron shall conform to your speeches, that he speak no longer, further, nor shorter, than you prescribe for him, and as you have received it from GOD.

Here the question arises: why is Moses called Aaron's God? In the Holy Scriptures Christians, and especially authorities, princes, judges, are often called gods, as in the 82nd Psalm, v. 6: "I have said that you are gods and children of the Most High"; and in the 21st chapter of the other book of Moses, v. 5. 6, it is said: "If a thing come to pass, that a purchased servant have taken a wife, and begotten children, and will not be freed, let his lord bring him before the gods. A man who has the word of God is called God, and those who hear it and accept it from him are Aaron; and the mouth that gives it to them is their god.

(13) This is written for the sake of all those who speak and speak the word of God. For Moses is not God alone, but they also are gods who have the word of God. For we are God's children John 1:12, Romans 8:15, and those who have God's word and believe God have God's spirit and power, divine truth, wisdom, heart, mind and courage, and all that God is. If he has all these things that are God's, he must also have God's name. For this reason, such a man has been made a partaker of all the goods of God, and also of the divine name, as St. Peter also says in his second epistle Cap. 1, 4. For as God is Lord of all things, so they also who are Christians are called wise, righteous, and living 2c. Just as a father communicates to his son and bequeaths to him Na

As the father is called, so the son also has a name. The son receives and inherits the father's name and property; so are all the gods called who have God's word.

The Latin text has wanted to be wise, and thus given these words: Tu eris ei in his, quae ad Deum pertinent. But it means thus: You, Moses, shall be Aaron's God, I set you as God over Aaronem. For Moses guides God's word. He who despises Moses despises God, for he guides God's word. As the Lord Christ Luc. 10, 16. also says, "He who hears you hears me." God cannot speak otherwise, for He wants to speak through people, through me and you. And even if he speaks through a stone or wooden pillar, it is still God's word. If it is despised, then God Himself is despised, and whoever despises Moses in God's place, who guides God's word and is God's witness, despises God Himself. Thus, God rules His Christians, thus He praises and honors them. Now this is the calling of Moshi. And he goes there. He was not led on hung chariots, because he was not rich. You have heard what he commanded and what he said to the king.

(vv. 18-26) And Moses went, and returned unto Jethro his brother in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, that I may return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see if they be yet alive. Jethro said unto him, Go in peace. The LORD also said to him in Midian, "Go and return to Egypt, for the people who sought your life are dead. So Moses took his wife and his sons, and carried them on an ass, and returned into the land of Egypt, and took the rod of God in his hand. And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, when thou comest again into Egypt, that thou do all the wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put under thine hand. But I will harden his heart, and he shall not leave the people. And thou shalt say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son: and I command thee to let my son go, that he may serve me. If you refuse, 1) I will send your firstborn son to Israel.

1. In the original: the.

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Strangle his son. And when he was come to the inn, the LORD met him, and would have killed him. Then Zipora took a stone, and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched his feet, saying, Thou art a bridegroom of blood unto me. Then he departed from him. And she said, Blood bridegroom, for the circumcision's sake.

015 Now there is a little piece of it: When Moses departed from his brother Jethro the priest in Midian, he went into Egypt, having the staff to make signs, and to say to the king, Let my people go; I command thee, that thou let my firstborn son Israel go. How is your poor man on the way? A new history falls into place. For while Moses was going to Egypt, he met with an accident or death, so that he was taken ill quickly and suddenly, and his wife, Ziporah, thought he would die, as the text says, though not explicitly. And this was the cause that Moses, of the tribe of Abraha, had not circumcised his son.

016 And when his wife perceived that this was the cause of her husband's death, that the son was not circumcised, she took a sharp stone for a knife, and circumcised the son, and being wroth and angry, as women are wont to be, said, Thou art a bridegroom of blood unto me; as if she should say, It cost blood that thou wast my husband, and I am thy wife, therefore blood must be shed. Therefore she calls him a blood bridegroom, because of the circumcision of her child, which was a disgrace among the Gentiles.

Why does Moses describe this jiggery-pokery? Why does the Holy Spirit mix this foolish, mad thing with such great, important and high trades? Was Moses drunk in any way? You have heard that Abraham is the first patriarch who was ordered to circumcise the infants. This was a shameful, disgraceful, foolish and nonsensical commandment before reason, that they should circumcise themselves, and in the place that one may not like to name and hear. But Abraham is obedient to God, and allows himself to be circumcised, whether it be

is a shameful and disgraceful thing. But it happened because God wanted to break our mind and turn human wisdom into foolishness. Because of this, the Jews have heard much scorn and ridicule from the Gentiles. They mocked and scoffed at them and considered circumcision a foolish thing. Therefore, many did not want to tolerate or suffer the evil gossip and did not allow themselves to be circumcised.

(18) Just as among us Christians there are many who cannot bear the blasphemy of the world, since we are called sects and heretics, and would rather abandon Christianity over it. Moses' wife did the same; since he was a guest with her in a foreign country, he would have liked to have his son circumcised, but he could not; his wife did not want her son to be circumcised, but rather she wanted him to live as a Gentile; she did not want this click and stain. For circumcision was a disgrace among the Gentiles. There Moses must suffer what is to be suffered, and take the child uncircumcised with him. But on the way God attacked Moses and wanted to kill him, because he followed the stubbornness of the woman and did not have his son circumcised. And the woman was wroth, and would rather that her son were put to death than that her husband were put to death, saying, It cost me nothing but blood that thou shouldest be my husband. [So she was ashamed that she would not go away, but returned home with the children; as it is written in chapter 18, v. 1 ff., that Jethro, Moses' brother-in-law, heard what God had done through Moses; therefore he took Ziporam, Moses' wife, who had gone back, and his two sons, and came to Moses in the wilderness. But that she circumcises the child here, she does it only to save Moses.

(19) Now why is this written? When our Lord God wants to lead his cause out, he does it in such a way that the world becomes fools about it, and that it cannot be believed, and neither I nor you can think that it should go out. For we are always thinking that God will make it as we want it, and if it does not go out, then it will go out.

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So let it be wrong and unjust; we cannot break ourselves in it. I also often think that I know much, but it is not true. And many spirits still boast of this today, but it is in vain. God has called Moses with mighty signs and excellent words so far, that he could not do more, will also be in his mouth; nevertheless, when he wants to start things, God wants to kill him. This is just as if God would have me kill the emperor, and before I came to Prata, 1) to the village, God would kill me. Isn't that a foolish start?

20 Thus he calls Moses to do a good work, and yet he wants to kill him first. God did the same with Abraham Gen. 22:1. He gave him the promise that his seed would multiply like the sand on the seashore; then Abraham was quite sure that his son Isaac would live long and have many children. But not long after, God told Abraham to sacrifice and slay this son Isaac. How can you put these two things together? When reason looks at this, it says, "Let God be mad; the devil speaks thus, and not God; for let God be true and keep His promises. And what is commanded in this way is not a small, bad thing, that is, to have property, honor, and friends taken away, and sometimes the body as well. This could still be done, but when God gives us his word and promise and takes it away again, this is a great thing.

Twenty-one: It is not a small trial, but one that affects even the highest and most learned spirits, who think that all is well with them and walk safely through it, as they think. But God soon makes them fools and they have to flee. God makes them bold, that He may be feared by them, and that they may know that one should not depart from His word; and yet He tempts His own so high that they must often depart. Mosi's senses were as if he had to die, and he thought, "Where are the words that God spoke to me before? Item: Where are the miraculous signs, which I have

1. Prata or Pratau, also Brate, is the next village near Wittenberg, beyond the Elbe.

to have received? Still it must remain firm that he would be the man who should deliver such, and would have to rise again from the dead before this Moses. Therefore he must conclude: God promised me that I should lead His people out of Egypt: if I now die, then I must come out of the grave again, and yet come to life again. For before God would lie, a hundred Moses would have to come forth instead of this one.

(22) This torment comes to Moshe in the time of death, so that he thinks, "I am to die, yet I have God's word and His sacraments that I may live. God puts Moshe in this predicament, that he must die and live again in a moment. Who can grasp this? But one should always stand on the first promise, and look to the first command of God, even if a thousand deaths come after that, one should still say: death to me, death to me, God does not deny me, I will live.

23 And this was done so that Moses would become a paragon of a Christian man, who would actually know that God could not lie, and that the first words of God would become effective in him, and he would be made a hero and a strong man in faith and full of the spirit.

24 Thus God deals with us when he wants to bring his word to power in us, which nevertheless hurts us. So whoever can trust and rely on the first promise and word of our Lord God, good for him! For what follows, he can let go as it goes. He has promised us eternal life and His grace. If now such thoughts occurred to us and came into our minds: Do you hear that you are to die and be damned? Then shall I go to his first promise, and by his word and work penetrate and fight against God's word and work. For the word and work that follows is to try our faith, whether we will hold fast to it.

25 For to Abraham God promised Isaac, and so many offspring and children,

2)' Eislebensche: to the first.

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than sand on the sea; nor does he say to him Gen. 22:2, Kill my son and slaughter him 2c. This is contrary to the first promise. But it is a tentation, since God wants to test whether Abraham will also hold fast to his word in faith. So Moses is also sure that he should overthrow the king in Egypt and lead the people of Israel out; this should and must certainly happen. Now God is trying Moses whether he will keep his word or not. His wife could not resist, therefore she gladly went back. For she remembers: "Oh, I hoped to have become a great wife, to have experienced joy, honor and glory in my husband's married state; now it is vain death and misery, I go with him out of my fatherland into misery. O roll yourself back to your father in Midian.

So Moses is tested and tried with this little piece, so that he would become firm in the faith. And this is also the reason that this text was described by the Holy Spirit. It is indeed inconsistent and strange enough that God should deal with us in this way, but we must be accustomed to it. For God does it so that we alone may look into His hand.

27 So Moses went with Aaron, and did all the signs before the people which God commanded him. And the children of Israel believed, though they were weak, and were glad, and thanked God that their salvation should now begin.

Allegoria or spiritual interpretation of the fourth chapter.

In the fourth chapter, Mosi is commanded to lead the people out, and he is assured of this beforehand with the vision of the fiery bush, which we have said signifies the Lord Christ. Now, when he has the bush, that is, this Lord Christ with him, the law is fulfilled. The law and the Lord Christ must come together.

29 There follow further other figures. Moses is said to have miraculous signs so that people will believe him; he has a staff in his hand, which he throws away and it becomes a snake. Item, his hand becomes leprous, and the water becomes blood. These are three miraculous signs,

by which he is to persuade the people and assure them that they believe him.

30 I do not know whether I will hit it or not with these allegories. For I have said before that it is not a noble art to lead everything on secret interpretation; therefore I would like to have resisted with it the shameful interpretations of Origen, Hieronymi and others, which are put into the heart and conscience by the good works, so that on the other hand all sermons would be confirmed by the divine, certain word. If this cannot be done, it is much better to leave the allegories in place. For Origen and other allegories are unrhymed and pagan.

The fact that he throws away the staff is to be understood from the preaching office, if one does not have God's word in the fist, so that it does not go in the swing; then such teaching is not different, but like a horrible poison, which has a snake with it. Moses himself must flee from it. So it is between the law and the human heart when people do not have God's grace and the Holy Spirit to keep the law. Then the law is a death and a snake. I then have no heart, desire nor lust for the law, it does not please me, and the harder it is insisted on and the more it is preached, the more hostile I become to it Rom. 7, 23. For my heart is much differently minded; the more one drives the law, the less one creates. The heart says, Oh, that the law were not given, Thou shalt not commit adultery, then would I be free, and go to and fro, and commit my adultery. If the law were gone, Thou shalt not steal, how I would be covetous, how I would be usurious.

32 But when the law comes, as the rod from the fist, it terrifies, for it says: Stipendium peccati mors Rom. 6:23. Now Moses also comes into the gospel, that one may hear not only the law according to the Scriptures, but also the gospel; and when the gospel also meets, one is made merry again. The heart must at first be afraid and flee away; but if the gospel also meets rightly, it becomes pleasant to him. For it comforts the sinner and proclaims forgiveness of sin, as Christ said to the gout-broken man Matt. 9:2:

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"My son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven."

The leprous hand means the hypocritical life one leads in the world. For leprosy is false doctrine and humanity. When men do not believe rightly, and are either led to eternal life by their powers and abilities, or are directed to their own good works by the laws of God and man, the hand is leprous; and with men Moses should deal. But when the leprosy is healed, and the hand is put back into the bosom, it becomes clean again; that is, when the law is first misunderstood, that the Holy Spirit comes and preaches it rightly, namely, that we are not able to do anything and sin.

and that we must be helped through Christ alone, then we will become pure and holy.

(34) That water also becomes blood is the doctrine of men and the law, for they kill and bleed. Since the law does nothing but strangle and murder. This has been well proven by our teaching of human statutes in the monasteries, which has been no different than the water of Egypt, which has become blood, since the innocent consciences are murdered by it. For the more one is caught in it, the more one dies. With this, Moses wants to indicate that pure, righteous doctrine is necessary among the people of God, so that the conscience does not build or trust in any other doctrine or work, but only in Christ. These are the four chapters.

The fifth chapter.

Then Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may prosper in the wilderness. Pharaoh answered, Who is the LORD, whose voice I must hear, and let Israel go? I know nothing of the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

So far we have heard how God ordained Moses to be the captain and ruler to lead His people out of Egypt, and confirmed him with words, promises and miraculous signs, that he was equipped and armed as a duke. Now we will hear how he will go to Pharaoh the king, and how he will take up his office of salvation, and what he will do therein, and how it will go on with him.

V. 3-9. They said: The Hebrew God has called us, let us now go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest pestilence or the sword befall us. Then the king of Egypt said to them: Why do you (Moses and Aaron) cause this people to leave their work in order? Go to your service. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people are already too many in the land, and ye will yet call them to be celebrated from their

Services. That day Pharaoh gave orders to the people's governors and their officials, saying: You shall no longer gather straw from the people and give it to them to make bricks as before; let them go themselves and gather straw together. And the number of bricks which they have made hitherto ye shall lay up for them, and not diminish. For they go idle, therefore they cry out, saying: We will go and sacrifice to our God. Press the people with work, that they may labor, and not turn back to such words.

Now the redemption begins. But you have heard above Cap. 1, § 52 ff. that in the holy Scriptures, or in these histories, one should pay special attention to God's word and pay diligent attention to it, as to the most important main thing, to which one must pay much more attention than to good works. Although the good works done by men have a much greater appearance and open people's mouths more than the divine word, which is simple, bad and right Ezek 1:12.

This is the nature of the divine word, and this is how it works. When it wants to begin to show its power and authority, it will

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weakened before. For the power of our Lord God must first become weakness before the world, and His wisdom must be foolishness, as St. Paul laments in the first epistle to the Corinthians, v. 21, 25. Although God's foolishness is the greatest wisdom above all the wisdom of the earth, and God's weakness in making Himself weak is stronger than all men, and God's poverty is far more precious than all the riches of the world. But it takes faith and a special man who understands that the divine word is so.

The apostle St. Paul is very bold in ascribing to our Lord God that He is weak, sick and poor, and that His word is also so in the world. God speaks of great things, as, save, redeem, make blessed, and help from all sins 2c. They are great, mighty words; but when it is to come to pass and to meet, it is as if it were the ripening that should fall over a year.

(5) So it is here also, when Moses saith unto Pharaoh, Let this people go; and soon shall this word fall into ashes and dung. For Pharaoh saith, Who is the LORD? I do not know of any Lord, I will not let the people of Israel go"; and he sets more oppressors over them, is very angry, and orders other officials, who press them harder than before, are now much more severely afflicted.

After that the tyrant Pharaoh continues, lays himself at Moses' neck, scolds Moses and considers him a rebel and a mutineer. 1) So Moses comes into great danger, gets a rough felt 2) and a dry chapter, because he says: You are idle, have nothing to do, the people is much, burden them still with more glad services. And the people are in great distress and labor; but Pharaoh only makes a mockery of it. He thinks to suppress the divine word, and makes it weak, and considers it foolishness; this must be his posturing 3) and laughter. So, Moses, who has God's word for him with his own, must go over it for a fool of Pharaoh and his own,

1. Mutineer - instigator of mutiny.
2. Felt - Reference.
3. Buffoonery - farce.

yes, also probably be respected elsewhere in the world, and does nothing.

007 About this they themselves are divided, the people and Moses, because the people say, If ye had made us work as before; now we stink before the Egyptians. You have put the sword into their hands so that they may strike us. Is this saving and redeeming? You make us suffer more, that we may be the more afflicted; you set the light on fire, and put it out. And he, Moses, also says: Dear Lord God, why do you call me to do something, and then pull off your hand and leave me in it? As then follows in this chapter further in the text:

V.22. 23. And Moses came again to the Lord, and said, Lord, why doest thou so evil to this people? Why hast thou sent me hither? Because, since I went in to Pharaoh to speak to him in thy name, he hath afflicted the people more severely, and thou hast not delivered thy people.

(8) The prophet Jeremiah also laments and says to God Cap. 20:7, "You have deceived and seduced me. How should God deceive you? He says Jer. 1:18, "I will be a brazen forehead and an iron wall to you," and yet he has the prophet Jeremiah thrown into prison.

9 But this is God's way, that He guides His word wonderfully, and even if He attacks His work, it can be seen as if nothing would come of it, yes, the counterplay happens. But why does God do this? Because he wants to accomplish his work all the more wonderfully, and the divine word should show and prove its power and might all the more in weakness.

(10) For through foolishness he makes wisdom, through sickness he makes strength and health, through nothing he makes everything, Isa. 63:1. Then the opponents of the divine word are much stronger and wiser and become hopeful. But God remembers thus: "Wait, I will set you right, that you may begin. And when they are at their strongest, God breaks in and strikes down the world and all his enemies' strength, wisdom, art and everything.

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(11) This is written for our comfort, so that we may learn to hold fast to God's word in our professions and offices, and renounce ourselves, but place our hope and trust in God. For our sake, God allows His word to become foolishness and weak, and yet still breaks through; just as this redemption had to follow with the children of Israel, even though it could not be seen as such, and even though it is difficult and impossible. For thus God says in the end of this fifth chapter:

Cap. 6, i. Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand he must let them go, by a strong hand he must drive them from his land.

(12) Thus all Christians are also God's weakness and foolishness, but God makes them strong and wise again; as is also said in the prophet Joel in the third chapter, v. 15: "The weak esteem himself strong. St. Peter, the layman and poor fisherman, attaches himself to all the holy, learned and wise people in the world, yes, even to the whole Roman Empire; although it is of little account that St. Peter should master the Roman Empire with the preaching of the Gospel. And one might have said, "Oh, if God were wise, He would not foolishly attack it. But St. Peter was (just as Moses is here) God's weakness and foolishness, and had to stretch out his head and his life. Nevertheless, he drowned the Roman Empire with the Gospel.

(13) For this is the nature of the divine word, so that we may well learn that when Pharaoh is proud, thundering, raging and angry, God and his word turn out to be weak, feeble and sick, as if it were lying on the ground. But it becomes strong again, pulls through and overcomes everything; just as it will follow that the children of Israel will be led through the Red Sea and Pharaoh will be drowned in it.

14 The other part of this chapter is about the devil's nature and character, of which Christ also says in the Gospel of Matthew in the twelfth chapter, v. 29: "If the strong-armed man keeps his palace, it is his own.

satisfied" 2c. [The devil can well suffer that one lets his kingdom go and stay, and he may keep the consciences and souls captive. But when God's word comes, and his kingdom is stormed and attacked, he becomes mad and unreasonable, and cannot bear it; and if he were patient about it, he would gain, accomplish and create much more than thus. But he does not do this; as soon as one touches him a little, it hurts him and he does not want to suffer it. We see this in the Gospel histories Matth. 8, 32. Marc. 9, 26., when the Lord Christ casts out the devil, he foams, sprays around and makes strange gestures, he trembles and tears around as if he were senseless and foolish; thus he does not like to leave. And as he does in men, so he does in his kingdom and in his whole body.

The pope is also attacked, his indulgences, pilgrimages, masses, invocations of saints and other lies are revealed and disgraced. See how his kingdom rages and rages here (for the devil must go forth); see how the pope blasphemes, defiles, maligns and condemns us, and how he spouts and curses.

(16) So it is here also in this chapter, when God's word and promise comes to help the people of Israel, that this people is kept harder than ever before. For Pharaoh also takes the straw from the people of Israel. Nevertheless, the harder he holds the people, the less he wins. For God's word is God's power and authority against the devil's power and authority [Rom. 1, 16. 2 Cor. 12, 9P Therefore it is in vain that the devil thus bars, pulls and resists, and thus keeps hostile. For in this way the devil himself helps the people of Israel to be loosed, as happened to Pharaoh, who, over his tyranny and raging, lost his life and possessions and was drowned in the Red Sea. Who could believe this alone, that the harder the devil compels us in deathly troubles, and the like in other matters, the more surely God is there with us, and the more stiffly He holds over us.

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The sixth chapter.

V. 2-5. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD, and appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, to be their Almighty God: but my name, O LORD, have I not made known unto them. I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, where they were strangers. And I have heard the lamentation of the children of Israel, which have afflicted the Egyptians with their groaning; and I have remembered my covenant.

In this chapter God repeats His promise that He would bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and give them the Promised Land, wanting to strengthen the faith of Moses and the children of Israel with this new promise, so that they would not doubt their redemption. But these words were preached to them in vain 2c.

2. the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit take great care when they speak of the benefits God wants to show us, that they first take away all glory and merit, and point out to us that everything God does and works in us, He does because He has had His pleasure and joy in it, and He has ordained it from eternity.

(3) So that Moses here, and God's word, may also be weakened and made foolish, it is foolish and lowly. God preaches here that he appeared to Abraha, Isaac and Jacob, and remembers the covenant that he promised them, as giving the promised land, and says: "For the sake of this covenant this shall happen to you, and not for the sake of your sighing, crying and complaining, so that they have nothing to defend themselves against.

(4) For no lamentation shall not be full and sufficient, and good works and suffering shall not be counted, but go beforehand in the word of God. Therefore God says here: Because I have promised you this land, and you are the seed to whom this land is promised.

is for the sake of this promise, I see this lamentation. For this time, wherein ye are thus martyred and afflicted, giveth me cause to remember your lamentations; so compose them, that they may not boast a hair's breadth of any merit. For the children of Israel also had few good works and righteousness and godliness of their own: the people were full of unbelief, impatience, murmuring, and Moses full of weakness and disobedience. But what was given to them, that it might be done by His eternal goodness, for the sake of His truth and promise, that they might give thanks to God for His grace and mercy, and that they might not say that they were the people whom God had to look upon for the sake of some work. Therefore, God says here: Behold, I will save you, not because of your yellow hair, but because I promised it four hundred years before to your fathers, and so determined that I would do it; that you may know that it was given to you by grace, and delivered and promised to your fathers by grace.

V. 3. But my name, O Lord, I have not made known to them.

Now let us look at the words. The Jews speak that the name of God is called Tetragrammaton ADONAI, that one must

let remain. He says: I have appeared to them so that I am their God. Therefore they recognized God and knew how to speak of God, that He was almighty, true, merciful and gracious. God often appeared to them, spoke to them and performed great miracles for them. And in this way they knew him better than we do. Why then does he say that they did not know him? We must interpret the name of God in this way, that it was not preached and proclaimed so brightly and clearly as it was in the time of the Lord Christ, the beloved apostles, and for a while afterward, because at that time the name of God had no great cry in the world, so that it was known everywhere. I, says

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I have appeared to them, but I have had no name among them, that is, the patriarchs have not been the ones to lead the preaching and the crying of me, as now you, Moses, and the children of Israel should do, so that my name would be known in the whole world. But now the redemption of the children of Israel is to be set in motion, and the promises are to be fulfilled, and the whole nation of Israel is to be helped, since before he only helped individual persons, as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

(6) So we interpret it and get through it; whoever knows better, we grant him. Moses had a ministry; the ministry is spoken of here. Otherwise Abraham also preached the name of God in his house Gen. 12:8, 13:4, but he did not have such a command to preach the name of God as Moses did, or as we do, or as St. Paul, the dear apostles, and the Lord Christ did. Isa. 41:25 says, "He shall preach my name"; thus br makes his name known and known to the patriarchs.

(7) But there is much lame talk here from the Jews about the miracles of this name Adonai, which we will now let pass. But Moses wants to say: Now you should take up and preach this name of God, and do excellent, beautiful, lovely sermons about it. But this is also weak, it is not valid before the people; they do not believe because of the hard work and great hardship. However, God has compassion on them and gives them credit for it, perseveres, continues to preach, does not let up.

V. 9 Moses told the children of Israel this, but they did not hear him because of groaning and fear and hard work.

8. Moses, having been strengthened by God's word and promise, is obedient to God, preaching again to the children of Israel about salvation, exhorting them to faith, patience in the cross, and that they should follow God's calling.

(9) But here we see the disobedience and unbelief of the children of Israel. For, since they do not want to proceed with salvation soon, they throw the sackcloth at God's door, no longer want to believe His words, nor do they want to believe any of His words.

Allow consolation. For when things go badly for us, flesh and blood do not think that it should once again become good, but thinks that now we must perish, so that a downpour and thunderstorm is soon followed by sunshine and bright, beautiful weather Tob. 3, 23. Thus, after a long cross and tribulation, God also helps again, and helps much more gloriously, the more severe the suffering has been.

V. 14-20. These are the heads of the house of their fathers. The children of Reuben, the first son of Israel, are these: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Charmi. These are the families of Reuben. The children of Simeon are these: Jemuel, Jamim, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Saul the son of the Cananean woman. These are Simeon's families. These are the names of the children of Levi in their families: Gershon, Kohath, Merari. But Levi was an hundred and seven and thirty years old. The children of Gershon are these: Libui and Shimei, in their families. The children of Kohath are these: Amram, Jezear, Hebron, and Uzziel. And Kahath was an hundred and three and thirty years old. The children of Merari are these: Maheli and Musi. These are these families of Levi, in their friendships. And Amram took Jochebed his wife, and she bare him Aaron and Moses. But Amram was an hundred and seven and thirty years old 2c.

(10) Now the following is described in two leaves, which another would have understood in two words, and Moses' and Aaron's genealogies and genealogies are told. For if Moses is to become a teacher and a duke to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, it is necessary to know who he is and from what tribe he was born, so that his arrival may be known; and for the sake of the third tribe, as Levi, from which Moses and Aaron come, the two tribes, as Reuben and Simeon, must also be named beforehand. For these two, Reuben and Simeon, were older than Levi. Moses is also the son of Leah, the poor little ash, for Levi is of Jacob, and the son of Leah. Now Levi has again a son, as Kahath Gen. 46, 11., then Kahath's son is Amram, who was Mosi's father. This is Mosi's lineage. All three of these, Levi, Kohath and Amram, are

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died in Egypt, and have all lived in Egypt. Thus Jochebed was Mosi's mother. And above Cap. 2, 1 it is said that a man of the tribe of Levi took a wife as his wife; there Jochebed is called Levi's daughter. But I rather believe that she was Gershon's or Merari's sister, and Amram's wife, that she belonged to him in the other member and was of his blood. Jezear is Amram's brother; as Elizabeth is Zachariah's wife, who is also Aaron's daughter Luc. 1, 5. But Aaron's wife is also called Eliseba, of the tribe of Judah; for these two families intermarried. If the daughters had goods, they did not have to intermarry; but if they did not have goods, they could intermarry out of the family and into another family.

V. 26, 27: This is Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said, "Bring the children of Israel out of Egypt with their army. They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, namely Moses and Aaron.

(11) Out of the tribe of Levi great men are born, as Moses and Aaron also came out of it. And Moses is described here as a commander and captain of the people of Israel, that he came from this tribe, and that God spoke to him in this way and that.

V. 28-30. And the LORD spake that day unto Moses in the land of Egypt, saying: I am the LORD, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak unto thee. And he answered before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips: how then will Pharaoh hear me?

12 God again repeats His command and commandment to Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt; He wants to make him confident and courageous by His word in this work and calling. But Moses again shows his disobedience and weakness, excuses himself, does not want to leave, fears the skin. In this we see an example of the frailty and weakness of the saints, how they also let the dog limp, how sin is always stirring in them, and because of this they have to ask for forgiveness daily.

The seventh chapter.

I. We have heard in the fifth and sixth chapters of this book how God the Lord strengthens and comforts these two, Moses and Aaron, so that they accept the office of speaking to Pharaoh and leading the people of Israel out of Egypt, and gives them miraculous signs, such as that the rod becomes a serpent, and the water in Egypt becomes blood, and the leprous hand becomes clean again. All this happened so that they would be brave and bold to attack this mighty, great work and not think that it was done by their power, but that it was God's own work, since he wanted to be present with them. Also, through these miracles that Moses performed in Egypt, it became known to everyone that Moses was sent by God, and that the execution of the people of Israel from Egypt was done by God's command and assistance, and not out of recklessness or recklessness.

in a cheeky and rebellious way. These miracles led and pointed everyone to God, as the founder, originator and beginner of this execution, that he wanted to redeem his people from the house of Egypt.

For this reason God often has His saints and instruments perform miracles or wonders in the church, so that He may receive honor, praise and glory from them. As God says in this chapter v. 5: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt and lead the children of Israel away from them. The miracles are to serve that we recognize the true God. Just as the miracles that the Lord Christ performed revealed His glory, so that people believed in Him John 2:11. For they were divine miracles, as Nicodemus confesses Joh. 3, 2.

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he says, "Master, we know that you have come a teacher from GOD, for no one can do the signs that you do unless GOD is with him."

Item 3: Through the miracles of the saints of God, the true Christian doctrine is confirmed. The apostles perform great miracles in the New Testament, as Peter did in Acts 3:8. 3, 8. heals the lame in the name and power of the Lord Christ. This convinces us that the doctrine of Christ is true, for it is not only taught in words by the apostles, but Christ also confirms it with miracles Marc. 16, 17, which are not done by human strength.

Finally, through miracles the true worship of God Himself is established, assured and confirmed. As, through Eliä and other prophets' miracles, the people are assured and confirmed in the right worship, and led away from the idolatrous, Baalite worship.

Now, in the seventh chapter, we hear how Pharaoh becomes more stiff-necked and obstinate, answering them that he will not let the people go, but he weighs them down even more with labor and brick-laying, so that the people of Israel also begin to cry out against Moses.

The LORD said unto Moses, Behold, I have set thee a god over Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: but Aaron thy brother shall speak before Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel out of his land.

With these words it is shown how wonderfully God leads His things, when He wants to put them into work and carry them out, so that our faith is fed and nourished to trust Him and to believe firmly that He can lead it out Matth. 4, 4. 5 Mos. 8, 3. For God speaks to Moses here that he should be a god over Pharaoh, and Aaron should be Moses' prophet. The Latin text has shied away from speaking this way; but it is written there. And so that you will not be offended by it, when such a way of speaking falls into disuse, we want to deal with it a little bit. For there are more such sharp pieces to come.

7. your love has often heard that among all the works of God, so God with us and all

The most glorious and greatest work is his word, by which all things are sanctified and named after God. Just as the church is usually called a place of worship, not that God is there, but that God's word is heard and preached there. And even if it were preached under a green lime tree or a willow tree, the same place would still be called God's dwelling and place, for God's Word reigns there 1 Tim. 4:5. Not that we have consecrated the place, or adorned it, or beautifully painted it, as our bishops do their idolatrous churches, and smear them with their oil and other belongings, but from the divine word, which I do not bring there, but it comes there from divine order. Where this is, there is also his house, and there God wants to be honored. For God's word not only makes the place holy and God's place and house; it also makes gods out of people.

(8) And this is also the reason (as indicated before Cap. 3, § 25 ff.) that the Lord says to Moses, when he wanted to go to the fiery bush: "Take off your shoes, because this place is holy", because God's word has been there, God has spoken there. Therefore those who have the word of God, and it is given to them to do the word of God, are called gods. Therefore, the Lord Christ Himself introduces a saying from the 82nd Psalm, v. 6, John 10:34-36, and concludes against the Jews: "You say that I blaspheme God, because I said that I am the Son of God; yet the Scriptures call gods those who hear the Word of God and to whom the Word of God is spoken"; how much more am I the Son of God, who am sent to you by the Father? Therefore, he who speaks the word of God must also be God and belong to God.

9. God is our Father; therefore, as He is Father, so are we sons. Thus the Holy Scripture gives a name to the saints who have God's word, so that they also inherit God's name. Therefore also in the first epistle of John Cap. 3, 1. 2. we are called sons of God; and just as we are heirs of all the goods of God, so also we have the divine name, that we reign over

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Death, the devil, and all calamities, and be partakers of his goods; but by faith. From this we have the comforting, excellent title that we are called gods.

(10) Such is the power and authority of the divine Word, and thus the Scriptures highly esteem the Christians. Notice that it is such a great thing to have God's word pure and righteous, that God himself calls one "God"; as in this place Moses Pharaonis should be God, for he had God's word over Pharaonem. So are and shall also be called all Christians who truly believe in Christ. For this is being God's son, if we have God's word and stick to it. Therefore, Christians cannot be praised enough for this honor we have, nor can we understand it enough Ps. 139:6. But by faith it is tasted a little Ps. 34:9, and in the next life we shall see it. Therefore we should love and honor the divine word, and not despise it as if it were a word of man, on which nothing would be done Ezek. 12:22. For all good things come from God. So let us open our eyes and see what we receive and have when we have God's word.

(11) If the word of God is not with us, we are in the kingdom of the devil, and are young devils and children of the devil. Thus says the Lord Christ Matth. 16, 23. also to Petro, when he recanted that he should not go into Judea: Do not hinder me, devil. But he who has the word of God is a young god. He who does not have the word of God, but has the devil's mind and word, that is, false doctrine and error, these are all young devils.

(12) Thus the Scripture speaks powerfully, praising, honoring and glorifying the divine Word, for from it we boast that we are sons of God. And down in the 21st chapter of this book, v. 6, Moses calls the judges "gods," that is, those who sit in God's stead, having Moshi's law in their hand, and judge according to the divine word, ruling not according to reason but according to God's word; as God has ordered such people for this purpose.

(13) Therefore it is unusual speech and language that it is said here: I will set you as God over other people.

But one must get used to such a way of the holy scripture, so that we learn who is called God. It is said: Above Pharaoh I will set you as God. This is a consolation. For before God made Moses to fall, and Pharaoh to be a scorn and a mockery, and the children of Israel to be made worse, and Moses to stand naked and despondent. He told Moses that the people of Israel should go out of Egypt, and he, Moses, should carry it out. But the more Moses says this, and says that he will carry it out, the more bitter and furious Pharaoh becomes, and the more despondent Moses becomes. But when Moses thus becomes weak, God comes and comforts him, saying, "You shall be Pharaoh's God," and do with him as you will. But this shall be done by my word which I give thee. By this word you shall have dominion over him, and he shall fight and resist as much as he pleases; yet you shall do with him as you please.

14 Thus it is with him who has the word of God and is the Son of God, who has authority over all things. For a Christian is such a mighty man that all creatures must be obedient to him; though this does not appear, yet in truth it is so. What on earth is more powerful than death, more terrifying than sin, and more bitter than an evil conscience? [Nevertheless a Christian says that he is master over them all. But we turn a deaf ear, gape and open our mouths to the miracles of the apostles, when the Lord Christ says: "The signs that I do, a Christian who believes in me will also do, and will do even greater works than I do. As if to say, It is a great work that I should make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak; but he will do them also, and much more than these.

(15) Tell me, is it not a great thing that I, a poor sack of maggots, should strike a cliff against death, and defy the devil, and put to flight the tyranny of all princes, and rule over consciences, and over all things? If I make a man straight and healthy, it is a miraculous sign, even if I make him see; but he must die, and leave all this. But God

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Word shows, and says: I will give you such power, which is not to be found elsewhere.

(16) Therefore, if a man is clothed with the word of God, and has the word of God, he, as a Christian, can make the blind see and the lame walk; for the word of God is in him, and he is the Son of God, and we do by God's gifts and grace what God does by Himself; that is another thing. So it is a great thing that a Christian should eat death and the devil; item, when his head is torn off, that he should think that death is nothing but a sleep, and that he will soon get his head back.

17. above all this, we are also called kings in the holy scriptures Ps. 68, 13. 3O.; not that we have a sword and a high crown full of emeralds and other precious stones as big as this church pillar, but because we can defy death, the devil and hell, so that they do not have to harm us Rom. 8, 1. 1 Cor. 15, 55.. This crown should be very fitting for one.

018 Thus saith God unto Moses, Go, and despair not; I will not forsake my word which I have spoken: Lead out my people, and I will stand by thee. Though it be a little delayed, yet thou hast the word of God; thou shalt smite them, and deal with them as any god.

So Moses is not a lord over Pharaoh, over death and the devil according to his person, but according to his office, as he also proves with his signs. God has given us this treasure and power that we Christians should be such lords. But we reject it and despise it. Our deeds and good deeds do not bring us there, so the devil always leads us into deeds, so we do not get them, because only through God's word do we become gods.

20 Moses did not become a god by his deeds; indeed, the Lord says to him, "Moses, you are fallen and despondent, but I will make you a god. It comes freely from God's command, and he will have it without works, which shall stand before God. Works are against men, and shall serve men, who are satisfied therewith; but God is not satisfied therewith, he wills faith and its

Have word. God wants to have something higher, and says: Preach my word to me, which is worth as much as I am; what shall I do with your grindy, scabby, shabby and stinking works?

And Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

(21) A prophet is called one who has his understanding from God without means, to whom the Holy Spirit puts the word in his mouth. For he is the source, and they have no other master than GOD 1 Cor. 14:1, 2. No one can make a prophet by human preaching and teaching 2 Pet. 1, 21., and even though it is God's word, and I preach the word in the purest way, I do not make a prophet; I can make a wise man and a man of understanding. In the third and twentieth chapters of Matthew, v. 34, wise men are called who draw doctrine from the prophets, for God speaks through men and not without means. But prophets are those who have the teaching of God without any means. So it is said here, "Aaron shall be your prophet." Just as I, God, also make prophets without any means when I speak to them; so you are God, and Aaron is the prophet, for he shall learn from you without means, as you have learned from me.

22 Therefore Moses is God's prophet, and Aaron is Moses' prophet. But I would rather be God's prophet than Moses', for where God is not, there is evil. And this emblazonment, or this power and authority, we have from God's word against good works, that one should condemn and reject them, if one wants to act with them before God. People cannot do without good works, or they would even have to perish. For God has arranged it so that these are sick, and that often an eye in the human body, or the hand, or the mouth is infirm, and needs help and counsel. So the mad whore, reason, plunders here and wants to bring it up before God, cut off the hands and tongue, gouge out the eyes, and thereby earn something; but it counts for nothing before God, only faith.

23. This is the prophecy that God says, "I will indicate to you what you shall say to Pharaoh. You shall be his god." GOD is

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nor about him, he also speaks through us, but we do not see him. Therefore, St. Paul also says 2 Cor. 5, 20, we carry Christ's message, we are His mouth messengers, whom we entreat the world to reconcile with God; this is our advertisement, 1) that we say: "Let yourselves be reconciled to God." GOD, who sits in heaven, has commanded us to conduct the word thus, just as Aaron conducted Mosiah's word.

V. 3. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart.

24. Mosi is given the command or instruction, namely, "Aaron shall be your mouth, and you shall be his God." But what finally follows this? How does Pharaoh stand and hold himself against this divine message and advertisement? Not otherwise, because as it is also said here, he will neither see nor hear, neither yield nor 2) obey. Therefore, out of righteous judgment, God decrees that Pharaoh's heart is hardened and remains hardened. He will not listen to Moses nor grant this request and miraculous sign.

(25) There is a deep hole here, where one should preach much; but I do it unwillingly, for the sake of the shameful, forward nature, which always has a desire to know something strange and new, which I then gladly avoid where I can. To this vice God is very hostile, and He can ill suffer it if one wants to boast, defy and be seen apart from the holy Scriptures, if we create the thought that we know the holy Scriptures very well, and give glory to man, and not to God; go into the thought that we have God's word, are God's children and gods. But if we make a strut out of it, God will let the devil enter, take away his word, and make a devil out of God.

(26) I have seen many of them, and those who are still alive today, when they see something that we did not teach before, they taste it as sugar and pretend: O this was not taught before. Our Lord God is also hostile to this, and such a one falls from one thought into another thought, until his head is torn off, and he falls to the ground and perishes. One gapes at it, like

1. Advertising - Message.
2. Eisleben's: or.

that one may always know something strange and new; for the old is the manna, or the daily bread. But is it not strange and unheard of that we have, yet 3) it is meat that one is weary of eating. Then God will also give only questions, as He gave in the high schools, when the world was overwhelmed with books, and the consciences were well tormented and troubled therein. This time will come again. This is the reason why I do not like to do such things; for the forward devil and our flesh do not cease in this piece.

(27) I will let anyone play with allegories and act as he pleases, but you must take care not to abandon the main theme, but to practice and exercise it. For we have the devil for an enemy, who does not rest; he soon snatches away the main thing, and gives you strange questions, so that you ponder and rummage. Therefore, cut it down and draw the Bible to Christ, and do not follow the questions. For the Bible and God draw near to Christ, how he alone makes us blessed. Others have strange thoughts, and lead themselves away from Christ, wanting something new. But the holy Scripture does not want to know about anything else, nor does it want to present us with anything but Christ. And whoever thus leads the Scriptures, or is thus led to Christ by the Scriptures, remains well and walks on the right path.

V.3-5. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will do many signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh will not hear you. That I may prove my hand in Egypt, and bring my army, my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, through great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out mine hand upon Egypt, and bring the children of Israel away from them.

(28) Here it is asked: How is it that God will harden the heart of Pharaoh, why did he send the signs? Moses will later always write thus: Pharaoh did not hear him 2c., as then

3. "is" is taken by us from the old edition of Walch. The meaning is: Although what we teach is not something strange, it is a wholesome food of which one is tired.

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God had thus spoken. And on this saying it follows, as God tells him beforehand. It came to pass just as he had said and promised, says Moses. But St. Paul interpreted this point to the Romans in the 9th, v. 17, 18th, and 11th chapters, v. 7-10, and the following chapter in the Exodus, and reason is very surprised about it, and wants to ponder inside, and seek God, which is what it has to deal with. Then one question comes after another, and when it enters, it thinks: Is God hardened, and is the guilt different from his? But these are frivolous spirits.

(29) Thus shall one begin, that he may speak: I will begin from the lowest, and know the grace of God and His word. And when we come into God's word, that same word shall be comforting and sweet to us. As this has been the highest comfort and defiance for Mosi, and he can take and draw no greater courage than that God has hardened Pharaoh. Another would not have drawn comfort. Moses stood in the trap, that he led God's word, that cost him life and limb, and that he carried out the people, that cost him his honor. Now it is a great work that a man should not take into his mind. But this backstop does the best, it will lead God out.

(30) Just as we now have many foolish princes against the gospel, who murmur and grumble, as Pharaoh did here. So we are weak against them, and our defiance, courage, and throbbing is that it will go as God wills; their necks and ours are in his hands, and we have the advantage that it is God's word that we have; then, when they purr and murmur, we stand the firmer.

Just as St. Paul complains to Timothy that he did not have a good day, he says 2 Ep 2:9, 10: "I must suffer and bear all pain for the sake of the faithful, so that they may attain faith. And this arrogant title, that he suffers for the faith of the elect, is also used by St. Paul to Colossians Cap. 1, 24, which he wrote before his end. He had to recognize many a fool and a knave. This one used him and was his adversary;

That one has accepted his preaching, yet he has remained a false brother; that he says Gal. 2:4 ff that he was not allowed to trust anyone, but now he rejoices and boasts about the faith of the elect. As if to say, "Let us take comfort in these things, though some fall and fall away Matt. 12:14, Luc. 6:11, Phil. 3:18, 19, yet some will stand firm. For those who are to have faith have it, as he says to Timothy. Demas and the Galatians fell away 2 Tim. 4, 10, so they were angry, and it made St. Paul afraid that he would rather have died. He also laments 2 Tim. 3:1-8 that in the last days there will be terrible disruptions, because there will be people who think highly of themselves, who are stingy, proud, hopeful, blasphemers and abusers; who have a veneer of godly conduct, but deny its power: they learn forever and never come to the knowledge of the truth. And naming Mosi's adversaries, says, "In like manner as Jannes and Jambres resisted Mosi, so do these also resist the truth."

But let it go, God's reason stands firm, and He has a seal, which means: "God knows His own" 2 Tim. 2:19. Now it will still go as God wills. New prophets will come, I and others will then have died, so the lamentation will be made. There is gone; let run what runs there. God is thus playing his game; what remains is what shall remain. A man could not give comfort to this multitude; but God wants to say here: My Moses, be content, it will go as I want it to go, hold fast, I want to harden Pharaoh's heart; you know that I want to do it, you have God's word, item, the children of Israel also; what will not go, that will stay behind.

This does not belong to the idle spirits who fall with questions. God did not speak this way with Adam, Eve and Abraham; therefore, it should be considered where the Scriptures require it. In Moses there are no more proud or arrogant speeches than here. For since the people of Israel are in the greatest distress, and Pharaoh is with

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If Moses is driven by cruel force and tyranny, he shall have no other comfort than to let it go as God wills. We must also sing this little song: Mitte vadere, sicut vadit, quia vult vadere, ut vadit. The wrathful princes, the false prophets and the rotten spirits are hardened, God has thus willed it. Why does God do so? If we want to place our will in his will, then there is no other God, nor does he have any other will; he also has no other kingdom above him, his will is supreme, and if the same will goes, I also want it to go, so let it go.

(34) Now another question is: Why did God call Moses to preach, since God Himself said, "Pharaoh will not hear you? Is it not a foolish thing for one to say to another, Preach to Pharaoh, and know that he will not hear you; I will harden him? I would throw the keys at someone's feet and say, "Preach yourself. But this is the answer: We are commanded to preach, but not commanded to make people justified and devout. Let all preachers and Christians be confident, and let each one follow his calling and do it faithfully. Most is commanded the word of God alone, and is not commanded to preach Pharaoh softly or hard. The word is commanded to him, that is God's will, and that is what he is to lead, even if no one wants to hear him. It is for his comfort, so that he will not be frightened if no one wants to follow him and be obedient. If I should think that my word and my preaching are despised, I should stop preaching. But you go on, Moses, you preach; if you are despised, let me be commanded to do so. One should only see that God wills it so, and will have it preached so.

(35) I say this, therefore, that you may beware, and not go too high in questions, but let yourself go down, and come to know Christ, and see every man to his profession and to his thing, which God hath commanded him, and be not troubled with questions. You are not commanded to inquire such things; you have not yet taken off your shoes, you come too early, you let this happen to you.

You stand by what you should know, and do not pay attention to what you should know and ask. Moses does not ask God here, nor is he concerned why God has hardened Pharaoh's heart; he does not dispute with God here because of this.

(36) Nevertheless, the fact that God wants to harden him is not without cause. For God will perform many miraculous signs when Moses is to lead the children of Israel. In the ninth chapter v. 16 it is said: "I will harden you, that I may prove my power in you, and that my honor and glory may be known to the world. There they serve that death, the devil and the angry princes make God's honor high. - If the mad princes did not rage in this way, and death and sins did not weigh down the conscience in this way, but went along peacefully, then the power of faith and the divine word would not be recognized by anyone. But while the devil and the princes rage, faith shines and shines, and the divine word comforts me and makes me courageous, and the conscience experiences that there is an emphasis and power in your divine word. That a poor heart, flesh and blood should have the courage and joy to defy and despise the raging princes, the devil and death; as can be seen in the holy martyrs, also in the virgins, St. Agnes and Agatha: such would never happen if the world and the devil did not so powerfully lay down against the Christians.

(37) "Obstinate" does not only mean to despair, as we say, but also to be princes who rely on their power, on the land and on the people, and who gain courage as if they wanted to eat God. This courage, this certainty and boldness is called hardening or obduracy. God lets a poor little group of Christians go along, which they soon intend to "subdue". For what are Moses and Aaron to be counted against us? We want to eat it all in one gruel, the Egyptians think, it is a small group. So they boast as if all power were theirs Ps. 73, 6-9, their courage grows, that they are as puffed up as the hop sacks. This great courage is called obduracy. Although it is not only the goods and riches that make them so, but also their inner courage, so that they think, "We want to eat them," or even "We want to eat them.

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sink. They will have a great following, and nothing will be between you and the adversaries but God's word. On your side will be poverty, on theirs wealth; on your side weakness, on theirs power and strength; and shall fall upon you with all splendor, and yet lack. With this I will show the power of my divine word in the midst of persecution, in the midst of death, in the midst of sin, and in the midst of the devil's wrath.

V. 10-12 Then Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and did as the LORD commanded them. And Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh called for the wise men and the black kiin tigers. And the Egyptian magicians did likewise with their conjuration, and cast every man his staff from him, and became serpents.

(38) Here we see that the devil, through his servants and instruments, or false prophets, can also perform miracles. For the sorcerers also make serpents out of their staffs; item, that the rivers of water in Egypt become blood; that they bring frogs out of the water. The Scriptures also remind and warn of this. As Deut. 13, 1. ff. it is reported that false prophets can also perform miracles. And the Lord Christ Matth. 24, 24. says: "Many false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders. Item, Paul 2 Thess. 2, 9. 10. says: The future of the Antichrist will happen according to the work of Satan, with all kinds of lying powers, signs and wonders, and with all kinds of seduction to unrighteousness.

These are the devil's miracles; for the sorcerers perform such miracles out of God's decree by the devil's power and effect, so that they hinder Moses' miracles, which were divine miracles, and blind and harden Pharaoh, so that he does not accept the divine truth, but remains stuck in error, and lies down against God and His people with his raging and fury. The two sorcerers in the stories of the apostles, Elymas and Simon Apost. 8, 9-11. 13, 8., also perform miracles. Item Cap. 16, 16., the maiden who has a spirit of divination. But they do it by the power of the devil, by God's decree. Thus

1 Sam. 28, 11-14. The soothsayer brings out of the grave a ghost that was similar to the prophet Samuel in shape and clothes by the devil's blinding and deception. Therefore St. Paul 2 Thess. 2, 10. calls the devil's signs and wonders also lying powers and seduction. For the king Saul was quite deceived by the devil's deceit, so that he did not know otherwise that it was the deceased Samuel, when it was not Samuel who rested in the Lord, but a ghost of the devil, which Saul was punished by God for having otherwise despised Samuel's teachings in his life and having thrown them to the wind.

And Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.

40. The devil is put to shame with his miracles by God's miracles. For when God's fingers or miracles and the devil's deceitfulness collide, the devil is driven in with his miracles by God's miracles. For when God's miracles and the devil's deceitfulness collide, the devil with his miracles is put to shame by the word of God.

19-21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch forth thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon her brooks, and upon her rivers, and upon her lakes, and upon all her marshes, that they may become blood, and be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, and took up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river before Pharaoh and his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood. And the fishes of the river died, and the river stank, that the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 2c.

(41) So the first sign was that God made the land of Egypt full of blood, so that all the waters that were there, when the pools of the rivers were, flowed with blood. This was a terrible sign by which God wanted to drive them to His obedience, to provoke and entice them to repentance. How then God

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He has his plagues and punishments come upon the wicked, not to destroy and destroy them, but to help them, just as a father beats his child, not to put it to death as an executioner or baton twirler, but by the shilling 1) of its wickedness, naughtiness and mischievousness, and the child becomes righteous. For the rod takes away the foolishness from the heart of the child Proverbs 22:15. Nevertheless, it is taken in the wind; for Pharaoh saw that his sorcerers did such signs.

Forty-two: This plague lasted seven days, so that it would not be thought to be an accident, but would be considered a miracle. And Pharaoh had to look for other waters; for they looked for waters beside the rivers, because there were no rivers before. Is not this a hardness, that men should be so hard and obdurate, that such a sign is visibly and tangibly presented, and the human heart should still say: No, it is nothing? But it so happens that God's plagues and blows do little for the wicked; the longer they remain, the worse they become, and they are like the stubborn horses, the more you beat them, the less you can drive them away, but only give way behind them. As Isaiah also says about this and says Cap. 1, 5. Jer. 5, 3. (which we may let be said to us as a warning): This people has not turned to the one who struck them.

1. Shilling - Ruthe, penalty.

Here Moses and everyone had to learn that it does not help how much one preaches or how glorious one has God's word, if God does not cooperate and turn the heart, so that it lets the word enter and grasps it. For He must give the flourishing to that which is planted, set and watered 1 Cor. 3:6, 7. God is the one who hardens, and if he hardens, no one can soften. Again, if he softens something, no one can harden it 2c.

Heaven is too high and hell is too low. When God shines with His word, the sun, moon and stars rise brightly in the sky, and shine above all measures, above all teachings of the law, above all good works, and bring us such light that we may not remain in darkness, as we have now. Again, if God sinks his word, he puts us so deep into hell that there is no end to it. Just as we have also become fools in the temple, because we have been involved in foolish works; what we have touched has been darkness and gloom, and we have always sunk into it. So it is either too highly enlightened, or too deeply sunk; therefore it has no measure. So that he indicates that it could not otherwise be that such miraculous signs should not move the human heart, but it is God's work and miracle that thus hardens and hardens a heart.

(45) Now we have the first sign, that all the waters of Egypt are turned to blood, and yet there is none that turneth back.

The eighth chapter.

1-7 The LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, `This is what the LORD says: Let my people serve me. If thou refuse, behold, I will plague all thy border with frogs, and the river shall swarm with frogs. They shall crawl up and come into thy house, and into thy chamber, and into thy bed, and into the houses of thy servants, and into thy people, and into thy ovens, and into thy pools. And the frogs shall

Upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants, creep. And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the rivers, and over the streams, and over the lakes, and let frogs come up upon the land of Egypt. So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered Egypt. Then the magicians also did so with their conjuration, and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.

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(1) Here we have the other miraculous sign, namely, that all the rivers and lakes in Egypt become full of frogs. For now three or four plagues follow one after the other, by which God wanted to provoke the Egyptians to repentance and correction of their sinful life, also to His fear, because all these should have been punishments of sins. First we had blood, followed by frogs, then lice, and finally evil worms. And in this chapter three plagues are described, but it is always indicated next to them why these plagues were not strong enough.

2. Moses leads God's word and the miraculous signs that follow the word. This should move you. If I had a preacher who spoke God's word, and in addition to that he gave signs so that people would see them and not want to turn away from them, would that not be evil? This happens here both: The word and the miraculous signs are there; and yet Moses creates nothing, he must have patience, and both goes back, he must not be heard, even despised.

3 But God comforted Moses by saying, "Do not be troubled by this, for it is I who hardened Pharaoh. So if God would command me his word, and give me power to do miraculous signs, and yet say that I should not do anything with them, should it not make me vain to be a preacher? And yet it must come to pass in this way. And let us still wonder how it comes about that people act and rage against the gospel in this way! It is a great sign and miracle of God that some still accept the gospel. But the fact that the world is full of sects and sectarian spirits is not to be wondered at; the world should even be hardened. For it is flesh and blood. If the gospel goes to your heart, thank God, for it is a great grace when God's word goes to your heart.

V. 8-14 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Ask the LORD for me to take the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people sacrifice to the LORD. And Moses said, Have thou the honor, and tell me when I shall pray for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, that the frogs may be taken from me.

Frogs will be driven away from you and from your house, and will remain alone in the stream. He said, To morrow. And he said, As thou hast said, that thou mayest know that there is none like the LORD our God, so shall the frogs be taken from thee, and from thy house, and from thy servants, and from thy people, and shall be left alone in the river. So Moses and Aaron went from Pharaoh, and Moses cried unto the LORD for the frogs, as he had promised Pharaoh. And the LORD did as Moses had said, and the frogs died in the houses, in the courts, and in the fields. And they heaped them together, here a heap, and there a heap; and the land stank of them.

Pharaoh was not a bad man, he had his princes, councillors and nobles, who caused a lot of trouble; item his magicians or philosophers and wise people. Egypt was a beautiful, glorious kingdom. Moses, on the other hand, was a poor beggar who came from the desert. And what are Moses and Aaron compared to the wise and mighty men of Egypt? Pharaoh still humbles himself against them, which is astonishing; in addition, he humbles himself so much that he wants to pray to God for him; he pretends to be very pious.

5 Mofes accepts it as if Pharaoh were converted. For he oppresses and poses as if he fears the God that Moses preaches; he shows himself as if he recognizes the miraculous signs and accepts the word of God. And yet he is a bad boy, has in mind that he would like to kill all the children of Israel, even though he speaks kindly to Moses and Aaron, seeks their intercession, as if he were afraid of God, and as if he wanted to become pious. But he is not serious, he is a deadly enemy to them: if he could drown Moses and Aaron in a spoon, he would not take a rick to it. The eighth and twentieth Psalm, v. 3, also says: "The wicked and evil-doers speak kindly to their neighbor, but have evil in their hearts." This is the kind and nature of all hypocrites, which we must come to know. But our Lord God also knows it strangely, which is why the world errs. His purpose is to bind us to his word.

6. i have said above many times, and i say it

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nor that one must separate from one another the lives of the saints and the word of God that they lead; as one otherwise separates heaven from earth. One cannot preach enough of this. I am speaking now of the good works of the holy people, as St. Peter's and Mary's, not of the work of the Lord Christ and the angels. For the devil can do nothing else but teach good works. And when we are dead, you will see how he will rage and rage against the gospel. Which neither you nor the preachers will see, even if they are wise. He always brings in works. Separate then works, or life, from words, lest ye be deceived from the word of God unto good works: for there is one lost. Therefore you say: I will not have works, except such works as are in the word of God. So shalt thou do unto him. For we are bound by the words that God speaks, which are to lead us to God. Work and profession must be, but the word of God must be more certain for us.

7 Christ hath done many works, such as I do not do. He walked on the sea Matth. 14, 25, and made the blind see Matth. 9, 29. Joh. 9, 6. 7; but he did not command me to do the same. So he also left many things that he did not call me, as he did not take a wife. John the Baptist did not eat flesh, but honey Marc. 1, 6. Christ did not plow, nor did he ever do any trade. If any man said, What he hath left, we shall leave also: how shall that be? I would not give a farthing for it, even for the works of Christ. I will not follow, except the word be there. For I will sing with the 119th Psalm, v. 105: Eloquia tua lucerna mea "your word is the lamp of my foot". Our Lord God is to speak and teach, but I am to do; that is, I am to do and keep good works, but he is the Master, he is to do through me.

(8) Moses has works here that are like what others do. If I raised a dead man to confirm the divine word, and another came and did the same, what would it be? Beaten to the ground. We do not want to do signs or anything else.

But here he has it both ways, and does it; and yet it is beaten down. For they have said, He cometh, and hath the word, and will do signs: but ours also have, and can do them. Thus it came to pass that Pharaoh was hardened, though he pretended to be righteous; but it is that no man should trust another, whether he be righteous or seem righteous.

(9) For the wicked are put to shame, and the desperate wicked often weep, and want to be pious, but it is only a pretense and not a seriousness; as Pharaoh often pretends, but the heart is far from it. For when the punishment is present, he is pious; when it is past, he goes on as before; he does not mend his ways because of his heart, but it is a forced devotion; just as we become pious in time of pestilence and theurge. But God wants the heart.

(10) I exhort you to keep the word of God pure, that I may lead you up without work. I know well what will be necessary. That you should do it for God, for this he will not let you bring it into your fist and preach it: 1) For by this I become the Son of God, not that I do this and leave that, but that Christ is my Lord.

(11) The devil is alfo hostile to the divine word, that he tries in all sorts of ways to find another hole. He does not mean the outward works and the fruits of the flesh, as fornication, theft, usury, though they are; but which the Holy Spirit recognizes and judges as fruits, as if his doing and preaching were directed upward to Christ. Without your work and deeds you become a Christian man. There you will be directed to Christ. There you will find figs and grapes. But they say, If thou shalt not do this or that, thou shalt be damned; and then they set before thee the holy scriptures. Then thou canst not save thyself from it,

1. Here the relation, as it seems to us, is completely senseless, therefore we have changed it. The Eisleben offers: "I know well what you want to do for God. Let (sic) him not bring it into your fist and preach it: These and these things shall you do? For" 2c. The meaning is: God does not let you preach that you should do works, so that you make a god out of them. For 2c.

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You are trapped, because God's name is in your way, and you hear that Christ did it. How do you feel when you hear Christ called God? Then you are frightened.

12 Here know that Christ is presented to you in two ways. First, that he makes you the son of God, as he made Blosen God over Pharaoh. Now this is by his word, in that he proposes no work for thee to do, but he will be thine, and thou shalt be his; by his death and bloodshed he will make thee blessed.

No false apostle will preach this: No one can call Jesus Christ Lord except by the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12:3. That Christ is our treasure, that is our seal. Know thou therefore first of all, that by Christ, without thy works, thou shalt come by his goodness. Oh how the devil is so hostile to preaching, and looks so askance at it, and will overthrow many of them who now think they have the gospel, the main preaching. He, Satan, wants to steal this sermon.

(14) It is not enough to say, Christ does it, therefore do it; but Christ is thine, and thou art his. This knot breaks the neck of Satan, so that the angels say in the cradle nights: "To you Christ the Savior is born", to you he is given Luc. 2, 11.. These words destroy and take away the devil's kingdom. Other works than iconoclasm, and others, do not harm the devil. Therefore you must first have Christ as your treasure and as the main sermon. Then you must follow his works, if you have his word. Then the highest and new commandment, namely, love, which he will not have you do before you have a new spirit, that is, you have his word and believe it. Then thou shalt not hear of him, how thou shalt break in twain an arm or a leg of a graven image, as the devil-may-care spirits preach.

V. 16-19 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth, that there may be lice throughout all the land of Egypt. So they did. And Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and smote the dust of the earth; and there were lice upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the land of Egypt.

Dust of the land became lice all over Egypt. The magicians also did so with their conjurations, that they might bring out lice; but they could not; and the lice were both on men and beasts. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and hearkened not unto them: as the LORD had said.

(15) This is the third plague that comes upon the kingdom of Egypt, to punish it with lice, if the Egyptians will become more devout and turn to God.

Moses must suffer for the sake of these signs, so that his appointment does not take place; for these magicians can also do works and imitate some of the signs, except for the third sign, where they are to make lice. There the lice are such delicious animals that the devil cannot imitate them with his tools, these Egyptian magicians or black artists; there he carries and raises the tail and the head in vain. Otherwise the magicians can imitate everything, but they cannot imitate lice. What a mockery it is to this proud spirit!

Whether they were mosquitoes or bugs is not known; the Hebrews call them lice, which stuck to people and cattle, as lice are wont to do. These little creatures, as I have said, cannot imitate them, most to their comfort, lest they be put to shame. As St. Paul 2 Tim. 3, 8. 9. also says: Jambres and others resisted Mosi; just as the false heretics are now rebelling against the truth; but they will not lead it out, but their foolishness will be revealed. They confess here that it is God's finger and power, and are disgraced by it.

(18) But why did he not do it in the first sign, but he puts them to shame in the third sign? Know, then, that God is giving the sects and the mobs a little time, so that they may have a continuance. For if we succeeded soon and subdued them, we would not have cause to call upon God. Therefore, the wicked must increase and deceive others with their false teachings, as St. Paul 1 Cor. 11:19 also says: "Error must come, so that the elect may be proven right.

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would." God causes their poison to fall among some, and to be assumed to have an appearance of wanting to suppress our thing all; but in its time they fall, and many have fallen to error in their time; but later they will not lead it out. For a time they increase, green and flourish; but after that they fall to the ground. Above the lice they must become ashamed. God gives them one or two signs, but they cannot perform the third sign.

19 Therefore, notice diligently and well that Satan cannot perform all kinds of miracles and wonders; just as here, out of the devil's deceit, the devil's artists Mosi perform some miracles, but not all, since they do not bring out lice with their conjuring. For although his power is great, it is not infinite, immeasurable, as God's power and might, but it has a goal and measure. Many things are impossible for the devil. He cannot bring the dead back to life, as Christ raised Lazarum from death Joh. 11, 43. f.. Nor can he make old, dead, barren women fertile 2c. The devil cannot do righteous miracles and wonders, but they are deceitful miracles.

20 But why does God forbid the devil and his scales to perform miracles? He wants to test and prove the godly by the miracles of false prophets, as it is written in the fifth book of Moses on the thirteenth, v. 1 ff: "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a miracle, and the sign or miracle comes, of which he has told you, saying, 'Let us follow other gods whom you do not know and serve them,' you shall not obey the words of such a prophet or dreamer. For the Lord your God is trying you, that he may know whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul." That is why such miracles happen to Christians as a warning.

21. secondly, God inflicts this punishment on the world because of the contempt and disrespect of the divine word, as St. Paul testifies in 2 Thess. 2, 9-12, when he says: "The future of the Antichrist will be according to the work of Satan, with all sorts of

with lying powers, signs and wonders, with all kinds of seduction to unrighteousness, among those who will be lost, because they have not accepted the love of the truth, so that they would be saved. Therefore God will send them strong errors, that they may believe the lie, that all may be judged 1) who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness."

22. But they say that it is the finger of God in the third sign. They were truly learned men, that they thus speak of the finger of God. The prophets have also seen it. But what kind of speech is this, does God have fingers? The 19th Psalm, v. 2, says: "You have made the heavens, the work of your fingers." So, by the finger of God, the Lord Christ cast out devils. The finger of God is the Holy Spirit, so God Himself interprets it. For Matthew 2) Cap. 12, 28. says: "By the Spirit of GOD." Lucas Cap. 11, 20. calls it, "By the finger of GOD." Now if they themselves call it thus, it is right, and I have not interpreted it thus. But just as a man does everything with his fingers, and when they are cut off, nothing can be grasped, done, or made, so also the Holy Spirit is God's finger, which gives gifts and presents to men's hearts and directs everything, and God does everything through the Holy Spirit, that he may be the one who directs it.
23. So they should say: Until now we have also done signs; but there we can do nothing, all here is God's finger, Moses makes lice, with our great shame. They must confess that their signs are not from God's finger Wis. 1:8. They say: O! the man has the spirit, is full of the spirit, has God's finger; our spirit has only a semblance, it cannot penetrate, like Moses' spirit. That is, the Holy Spirit is the one who does everything.

(24) So also, if God preaches as much as He preaches and preaches through the law, or promises through the gospel, it does not work, it is nothing; it is like an arm without hand and finger. But if the Hei-

1. Eisleben's: thus.
2. In the Eisleben one it says here (erroneously) "Lucas" and in the following place "Matthäus".

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The Holy Spirit comes and gives it into the heart, that is, when not only the mouth preaches but also the Holy Spirit gives into the heart, then man does everything.

025 Of this also we see here, that though Pharaoh see his masters become ashamed, yet he turneth not away, but waxeth more and more obstinate and vexed; as Solomon saith also Proverbs, chapter eighteen, v. 3: "When the wicked reigneth, there cometh contempt and reproach with scorn." They turn their backs on it all. So do ours; they think it is a transition, that it will be different 2c.

V.20. 21. And the LORD said unto Moses, Arise in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, behold, he shall go unto the waters, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people, that they may serve me. If not, behold, I will bring all kinds of vermin upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and upon thy house; and all the houses of Egypt, and the field, and all that is therein, shall be filled with vermin. 2c.

(26) This is the fourth plague, all kinds of evil worms and harmful animals, that is, all kinds of flies; so some have translated it. But our German is better, Ungeziefer. This plague is also to drive the Egyptians to repentance and correction, and to let the children of Israel go out of Egypt.

(27) Now such plagues came over Egypt alone, and not over the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt, which is a special miracle, and God wanted to prove His omnipotence and glory, that He was the God of Israel and spared His people, but could punish the Egyptians, as His people's enemies and adversaries, so that they alone honored, praised and glorified Him as the true, truthful God. Just as he would have brought all miracles and plagues upon Egypt so that the power of his strength and glory would be seen in the Egyptians and his name would be praised throughout the world. The Egyptians were to see by these plagues that he alone was God.

The ninth chapter.

(1) In the eighth and last chapter we have seven plagues that came upon the land of Egypt. First, that the rivers of water became full of blood; then, how God sent over the land frogs, lice, worms, pestilence, glands or sores on the people, and hail; and have said that Moses almost added to all the plagues that Pharaoh's heart was hardened and hardened the longer. If he only gained a little air, then he began again to tyrannize. It happened to him as it is said in a common proverb: "When the sick man recovered, he never got worse. But when he was afflicted again, he pretended to be pious and deceived Moses ten times with words, and he did not take it seriously.

V. 1-5. The LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD GOD of the Hebrews, "Let Pharaoh go in.

my people, that they may serve me. If you refuse and continue to endure them, behold, the hand of the LORD will be upon your cattle in the field, upon horses, upon donkeys, upon camels, upon oxen, upon sheep, with an almost severe pestilence. And the LORD will do a special thing between the cattle of the children of Israel and the cattle of the Egyptians, that nothing shall die of all that the children of Israel have. And the LORD appointed a time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the earth. 2c.

This is the fifth plague, when the pestilence comes among the cattle. God has ordained this punishment to be inflicted on the wicked, Deut. 28:21, and the pestilence was to be a sermon of repentance to them, so that they would be deterred from sinning by this punishment. As David's kingdom, land and people were also afflicted with pestilence for three days, when David had counted and mustered his people.

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2 Sam. 24, 15, and God punishes David's tyranny with pestilence; as He punishes Pharaoh's tyranny with pestilence here.

V. 6, 7: And the LORD did so in the morning, and all the cattle of Egypt died; but not one of the cattle of the children of Israel died. Pharaoh sent for them, and behold, not one of the cattle of Israel died. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not let the people go.

This is also a miracle that God makes a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites, and this plague does not come upon the children of Israel, which otherwise goes upon the Egyptians, but as the holy scripture Ps. 34, 22. ff. says: The misfortune befalls the wicked alone. Therefore God protects and saves his faithful. Just as the children of Israel were free from other plagues with which God afflicted the Egyptians; in their land of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt within, there was no hail, there was no darkness, but light, and no firstborn was strangled. So God takes care of His Christians, so that even if land dies or other accidents happen in general, they do not have to harm them.

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take your fists full of soot from the furnace. And Moses sprinkled it toward heaven before Pharaoh, and it dusted all the land of Egypt; and there arose swarms and glands, both of men and of cattle, throughout all the land of Egypt.

This is now the sixth plague and punishment of God, that men and cattle get sores and glands in their bodies; which plague God also inflicts on all the wicked, Deut. 28:21, 27; so one plague and punishment after another goes on forever, as one bulge and wave of water drives another, until the end comes and Pharaoh is drowned with all Egypt in the Red Sea. And so God gives the wicked time and space for repentance and correction, and for his conversion, as St. Paul says in Rom. 2, 4: "The longsuffering of God admonishes us to repentance" 2c.

V. 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift up your hand to heaven, and let it rain on all Egypt. 2c.

5. the seventh plague follows on the Egyptians, as hail, with which plague God is also after Pharaoh and his Egyptians, wants to teach them morals, and to make the bad boys saintly. As in the prophet Haggai, Cap. 2, 18, the hail is called a rod and plague of God over the wicked, since God says: "I afflicted you with drought, burnt grain and hail in all your work, yet you did not turn to me, says the LORD" 2c. Further, the text says:

V. 16 I have raised you up so that my power may appear in you and my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

We have often heard that God acts with us in such a way that one must grasp it, that it is a divine work, so that one does not remain proud against Him and think that free will can also do something. For this reason he leads his own down, so that all their wisdom, power, authority and wit may become too short and fall apart, and we must feel it in our work, when the oxen are standing on the hill, that we cannot help ourselves, but must despair and seek help from God alone. Again, God also elevates and exalts our adversaries so much that they become proud and think they have won the game and are standing in their fist. God gives them riches enough; item, wit, attachment, favor, wisdom, understanding and strength, against which they only beat our Lord God by a stone.

7 But God wants to say here: You have pressed my people under you, so that they are even gasping under you, and it seems that I could not help them; yet you shall let my people go, even though you do not intend to do it. Well, I have done it, and given thee this courage and defiance, which thou hast of thy kingdom and of thy wisdom, that thou art puffed up against me. But you do not know what I do. You have in mind that you will have great honor and a glorious name by oppressing my people, but I will be praised by bringing you down and reducing you to ashes.

8 For this reason our God is called a wonderful God, who rescues from sin and death, and from that which was lost, and brings to the ground all that was lost.

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something before him, so that it may be said: This God knows how to help everyone. For he comforts and raises up those who despair, and he cannot suffer the hopeful. As St. Peter also says in his first epistle [Cap. 5, 5.j: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

(9) Such things are not seen at first, why and how God does them, until they are accomplished. Pharaoh and his like, who are puffed up and hopeful, must be awakened, so that God may have something great by which to prove his wisdom and power, and to destroy them. As God still does; when He wanted to preach the Gospel through Christ His Son, John the Baptist and His dear apostles and reveal it to the world, He first pointed to the mighty and powerful empire as the Roman Empire and sent for the wisest and holiest people in Judaism.

(10) There was wit, art, strength, power, riches, and pleasure at the highest, and this could masterfully make the world proud, and when they looked at themselves according to their reason, how mighty they were, and how far their arm reached in the world, they went up in their mind and strutted in such a way that they did not even mention their own name to the city of Rome, because they first grabbed the beret and pulled it off. So they held this name as an idolum; therefore they also decided in the Roman council that it was a god, and they drew all the world's goods to themselves, were magnificent, mighty and rich, and in spite of this they despised God's word, accepted no sermon of repentance, punishment, admonition and warning, and were even obdurate, so that they saw nothing with their seeing eyes and heard nothing with their hearing ears, as Isaiah says, Cap. 6, 10. Now God made Rome like this, she did not exalt herself like this. But afterwards God says, as He did to Pharaoh, "I have given you this defiance, that the whole world may sing and say of it.

Against this mighty monarchy, God had St. Peter, the Fisherman, St. Paul and other apostles preach, and hung them on this power of the Romans, just as He hangs Moses on King Egypt. There one would like to say: How is God so foolish? Why does he attack this great regiment with ar

men, miserable people? Reason says: What can a fisherman do? But God leads it through, even if it costs a lot of blood; there were many thousand martyrs who died freshly there, who were cut off as the heads of the cabbage.

(12) But this Roman empire is destroyed, that it is not known where it is now, only that the pope has persuaded us that the Roman emperor has it. But let him go and sit down there; the nest is destroyed, and the birds have flown away. In the same way, the Egyptian kingdom has also gone to the ground and has been swept aside.

13 Thus God honors His word by letting this kingdom perish; just as here He says to Pharaoh, "I will overthrow you, that it may be known that I am the LORD. Then Moses, in great weakness, goes against the great power of Pharaoh, and nevertheless overthrows him in the Red Sea. So foolishly our Lord God attacks him.

(14) Now this is said to us first of all for comfort, light and understanding in God's works, that you should know when you are in distress and anguish that God is the one who awakens it when the devil and death come against you. For thus says God: This devil, who wants to devour you, I have in my fist; his evil will and high courage is in my power and authority. I have thus sent it: You are my poor little worm [Isa. 41, 14.f and have my word in your heart, in which you believe; but I call to the devil to devour you. Then he gloats, and is angry, as if he would swallow you up in one bite; but you, on the other hand, are fainthearted, fearful and terrified; nor, if you gorge yourself on your faith, is God above death, the devil, the world, sin and hell, and above everything, so that the devil could not bend a hair on your head. But as a great fish snatcheth at a little worm that is hooked, and swalloweth it, and is put to shame; so shall the devil and the world, with their tyranny against Christians, be put to shame also.

15. God aroused the devil against Job and incited him 1) provoking the devil himself with

1. "them" in Eisleben's.

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He said to Job, "Do you see my servant Job, how righteous and innocent he lives?" He said, "Here you have him; go and take him; you have everything, his body and his goods, in your hand; have control over the goods and the body; only spare his life. Now the devil goes and takes away all his goods and health, so that Job does not mean anything else but: Now I am dead, and thought that he would devour and eat him. But God has set a goal for him, and says: I am also here, you devil, you shall not devour him. Therefore Job became healthy again, rich and powerful, had children and goods again, and against the will of God the devil could not harm your Job and could not create anything.

16 Thus, even if we are overcome by the wrathful princes for the sake of the gospel, and are afflicted with sickness and death, the world quickly says, "The devil has done this; God is pious, he does not do it. Then God speaks against it: Dear one, do not take this honor away from me, I have truly done it, dear child, so that you may know me, otherwise you would not know me and would not call upon me Eccl. 3:14. For need teaches to pray and to call upon God.

(17) Therefore, you shall see, says God, how I can save you from sin, death, the power of the devil and hell, and also from all misfortune; for it is only for this purpose that my name, my honor, power and wisdom may be known. For if I did not send you more than you could overcome with your strength and power, and if I only let you go hungry until you buy food and drink for money and help yourself, then you would never remember me, you would not know my power.

18 If I let you live so that you overcome your enemies yourself, and no more hardship should come under your eyes than you could lead out with your reason and with your strength, then you would recognize yourself and not me, you would forget me, and you would exalt yourself above your wisdom. Therefore I will do so, that I alone may be known and honored, and will send you distress and calamity, in which no angel nor any creature shall help you,

than I alone. And then you will see how I am greater than you and can help more than men.

19 St. Paul to the Romans in the ninth chapter, v. 17, quotes this, that God boasts (and one should let him have this glory) that he sends us sickness and all misfortune and temptation. Although the devil and wicked men do it, yet he boasts that he has their courage and heart in his hand, and uses Satan and ungodly men to oppress and afflict his own; they must be his rods, so that he may prod his children. As is also the case here. Pharaoh is against God and God's enemy, so God is also his enemy, and he also oppresses and tortures the people of Israel. But God boasts here and says: "You would not have this power and courage if I did not give it to you. Pharaoh must be the ruthlessness of the children of Israel.

(20) Now this question is raised again: Whether God is the one who hardens men and forces them to evil and sin? Why does he condemn people? Reason concludes here: If God wanted to condemn sin, he would not be called to sin, or would not have created the unrighteous and godless. Now, reason always wants to court God, whether he is just and right, wants to measure God according to its laws and thoughts. God should act more carefully and not be so frightened, but do it in such and such a way, and thus present God with a law. But you must leave that out of your head if you want to speak of God, that you do not put a law or measure on God; for he is not a creature, he is immeasurable.

(21) A measure is set for man, I should do so and so; my life is finite, it can be grasped, and has a rule, measure, way and law Wis. 11:22. Since you also wanted to act with God in this way, 1) you were lacking God. For what is done with God according to law, measure and purpose does not apply. Reason cannot go higher than to think: God should do it this way and no other way, and soon judges thus,

1. Eislebensche: wollest.

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Says: Is it not good that one should be obdurate? And so she makes a measure for him; she thinks that God is like a man, that one judges of God as of men. So reason does not understand, and yet wants to be wise and judge from God Matth. 11, 25. Ps. 51, 6.. But God gives you laws, and takes none from you; he sets a goal for you, and you do not set it for him. Therefore it is not right for you to will it this way and to consider it right and good, but know that He wills it this way and gives it this way; His will is set above all laws. When he says, "I will have it so," it is above all laws, for he is an infinite God, and has power and authority.

22 But if you say, "Yes, I do not understand that it is good that he should be hardened. Yes, dear one, it is evil in your sight; do you think that you are God? God has no measure, law or goal (as I said), so he cannot do against it, he cannot sin against the law, because none is presented to him. Therefore everything he does is good Gen. 1**,** 31.

(23) There is another question that flows from this: Does God cause sin? This is what makes me put God in a ring and circle, or in a jar, in which I want to keep him. He has prescribed for me how I should live and serve Him, so I think He should live in the same way. He gives out the law, but he does not take it up again. It belongs to no one but God alone to give law and teaching on how to live and be righteous. But God shall not ordain a law, how he may govern the world or men. You may do as you please, but what God does is right, for His will is not unjust or evil; He has no measure or law for enlightening the one or hardening the other. If I should measure God in this and judge according to my reason, then he is unjust and has much more sin than the devil, yes, he is more terrible and horrible than the devil. For he acts and deals with us violently, torments and tortures us, and has no regard for us.

(24) A man might become foolish about this if he did not take his reason captive and drive out of his head all such thoughts, relying only on the fact that God does not measure anyone or prescribe laws for him.

because God is even exlex,^1^ ) as they say. But one cannot persuade reason, much less can one persuade it, or tear from its eyes the hopeless, cursed brooding and researching in such high, incomprehensible things, since it always says: Quare? Cur? Why? Then the law is there. If God did this or that according to it, then it would be right. But with this measuring one deprives oneself of life, limb and our Lord God, and it is said: "Do it in the name of the devil. But every heart that can say: Dear God, do it as it pleases you, I am satisfied; it cannot go down, but the others must go down.

Therefore, St. Paul says to the Romans in chapter 9, v. 20: "Who are you that is right with God? You are a man, and you want to be right with God; where will you get it? You must have the law if you want to be right with God, namely, you must do so; and because it is not done, you have not complied with the law. How, do you also want to act with God in this way? That is not proper. You may deal with your neighbor in this way, he has the law, he and you should do this, not rob, steal, commit adultery 2c., but God wants to do as he pleases, and must do so, because his will is the law, it cannot be otherwise.

A man is called pious when he acts and lives according to the law. With God it is even reversed; a work is called good because God does it. My work is not good because I do it, but because it is done according to the law of God, in which it is prescribed to me what I should do. I must step out of my mind into something higher, namely into the law of God. God is not pious because He does this work, but because the work is right, good, holy and well-done, for He Himself does it; and thus goodness comes from God, and not from the work. God is the doer, and does not take goodness from works or laws. But we do not take goodness from doing good, 2) and from being respected by men, but that the law may be done right, it must be fulfilled by the Holy Spirit.

1. that is, exempt from the law.
2. spend - accomplish.

814 Erl. SS, IS8-I7I. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, I2I7-I22U. 815

Then we also get the name that we are pious.

Our reason sees through a colored, red or blue glass, which it cannot do from the eyes; therefore everything it looks at must also be red, blue or green; it cannot interpret this Pharaoh well, that God drives to evil, and hardens or incites either to good or evil. God does well in this, and not wrong. But he who is driven does wrong, for he has God's commandment before him that he should not do so, and yet the devil drives him so that he acts and does so, and does not live as God would have him. God wants you to have His law for yourself; so the devil tempts you to act against the law. Would you say, 1) Is God's will contrary to itself? That is too high. God's will is there, but how it is done I am not to know.

I am to look down at what God wants me to do. Now He has revealed His will to me through the Law and the Gospel, and taught me what I should do; I should deal with this and not climb up and ask why God is doing this or that? Let such things stand. But when you have come to faith and true understanding, and have experienced the cross, you will understand.

Reason always begins to build on the top of the roof and not on the bottom. As many are found who have never heard Christ preached, they are rough and wild people, torturing 2) and cursing as if they were full of devils, seeking only first why God does this or that, coming up to the light with their shitty feet and blind reason, and measuring God by reason. But we should take before us the way that God gave to St. Paul 1 Tim. 6, 19, and lift up a foundation; the roof will then be found, let God with His secret counsel in peace, and do not climb up to the roof with your reason. He will not have thee so ascend, but cometh unto thee, and hath made thee a ladder, and a way, and a bridge, saying, I descend from heaven unto thee, and am made man.

1. Eislebensche: Wollest.
2. martern curse. "Marter" was a common curse word in those days, especially among the lansquenets.

in the body of the Virgin Mary, lie in the manger in Bethlehem, suffer and die for you; believe in me,- and dare on me, who was crucified for you. Matth. 9, 21. 22,

So I climb up to heaven, and there I will not climb up into the Godhead and ponder. One should preach about the Godhead only once in a year, so that one would know that in matters of blessedness one should start from below, that is, how Christ would come to us, that one would preach how this child, Christ, eats milk and butter, lies at his mother's breasts, and is to be found in Bethlehem, and there learn why Christ would come, what one has in him Is. 7, 15. 1 Petr. 2, 2.. If I wanted to say to God: Why do you do this? he answers: I know what is behind it. If we could leave off the hair, the devil would not come in with such and such questions, whether we are provided for salvation or not? Item, how Christ can be God and man? 2c.

Should one not rather preach about faith and love? Yes, they say, I have known this for a long time. But, dear one, do not go into such questions, you deal with the humanity of Christ, there you are sure that God has sent his Son into the flesh; let him be in it, look for him everywhere, he has lowered himself into the body of the Virgin Mary, and presented his humanity to us, there he wants you to know it, to look at it, and to practice it. "He is the way, the truth and the life" 2c. John 14:6. Nevertheless let us climb higher, and know how he hath provided this or that, this hardened, that not another. He who is prudent and wise, let him remain on this set course. He comes to us first, and we do not go up to heaven to meet him, but he casts the Son down into the flesh, and causes him to be born; then he leads him, and causes him to be slaughtered and crucified. This is the purpose to which we should look and aim.

32. how the Lord Christ gives a slap to the apostle Philippo, who also had strange thoughts of God, asked where God the heavenly Father was, what he was doing, if he was swallowing swallows in heaven? said Joh. 14, 8. to Christ: "Show us the Father, and it will be enough for us." Then the Lord Christ answered

816 Erl. SS, I71-I7S. Sermon on Exodus 9:16. W. Ill, 1220-1222. 817

stus and said, "Here is the Father, pointing to himself, saying, "He who sees me sees the Father also. Do you want to climb to God by another way to heaven? He says: Here, brother, "the Father is in me, and I in the Father" John 14:10. Keep your eyes fixed on me, through my humanity one comes to the Father, the Father closes himself into one humanity, and through my humanity the Father has presented himself to the whole world. So he attaches him to his humanity, and pulls him around from the erroneous thoughts.

For if I say, Christ, who was sent by the Father, died and redeemed me, a poor, condemned sinner, then I will soon come to the Father. But if I ask, Who told him to do it, know this: He did it gladly, and did it for himself out of pure love, grace, goodness and mercy. Then I find God the Father right, and He is all goodness and love, for we see His goodness in the Son John 3:16, 16:15. Therefore let this question go, and do not clamber up why he has done this or that in this way. So I must meet my thoughts that they fall to the ground. For I have another way which I must go and let these thoughts go. As the Lord Christ said to St. Philip, who also looked up there, "Here, Philip, he who sees me sees the Father also" John 14:9.

(34) Thus the Lord Christ always sets his disciples' minds, hearts and eyes on himself, saying, "If you see me as the heavenly Father has sent me to preach to you, and die for your sake, then you have the heavenly Father's will and good pleasure. If then thou believest this, thou shalt be saved, and shalt not be troubled, but shalt live for ever in this faith. In this faith and with this heart you go, and if a man thus attaches himself and binds himself to the humanity of Christ, in which are all treasures and riches Col. 2, 3., then a sweet sermon is found, why God hardened Pharaoh, and how he dealt with the transgression. When I come to the Gospel, I thank God. For I have Christ, who died for me, who is Lord over all, and Father over all.

has given and bestowed him upon me from heaven. Therefore he also has the hearts of all enemies in his hand, I know this, and this also comforts me, that I can strengthen my faith and say: There is no need, Christ and the Father, whom I have, have everything in their fist and power Rom. 8, 33. 34..

35 We shall therefore save these sayings until the time of trouble, when we are in prison, and are threatened with the sword; saying, The sword shall not cut, except my heavenly Father have it. So I can use these words for the benefit of my blessedness when I am in suffering and temptation. For otherwise I will be angry with God, I will be blasphemous toward him 2c. I am too green to want to rise above. It is just as if I wanted to give a little child malmsey to drink, which belongs to big, strong people to drink. When I am old and tired of work, and drink malmsey, then it tastes good to me, and strengthens my life, otherwise a child should drink death from it. So God would never have said this saying if Moses had not been in distress, and in such distresses that seem as if they would never have an end. God wants to say: Moses, and you, the people of Israel, hold fast, there is no need, I have made it so.

(36) Therefore reason does not consider the time or the person, but in the time of distress and anguish these sayings were spoken. Thou wilt speak of them when thou sittest at the tavern and in the alehouse; when thou waitest there for thy wine and beer, and let the question of the provision be passed over. You are not yet the person, nor I, who should speak of it; it is too early for that. Say to them: Do you know what Christ is, how he was born, what he has done with his life and death? Ask them again, "Have you ever been in danger of death for the sake of the gospel? He says: No; then answer thou, What then dost thou inquire about that is not profitable to thee, neither is it commanded that thou shouldest know it? And why wilt thou know these great things, who hast never known any cross, affliction, or temptation, nor understood Christ?

818 Erl. SS, 17S-I7S. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, 1222-1226. 819

(37) Thus I turn away them that ask and want to know much of the dispensation, saying, Lift not up yourselves too high, lest ye break your necks, and leap by leaps; but go ye first to Bethlehem, and seek the young child Christ in the manger, and see how the mother Mary hath dealt with the young child Christ, and how Christ died for you, and when he suffered for you, and what he hath done for you. Let me tell you about these things, and report, whoever you are, and I will answer you about the question of the provision.

38 Therefore, this is the summary of this chapter, that God is not to be measured, judged, or judged in His works, but He is not to be measured, judged, or judged in His works.

He shall measure and judge everything, and his will is his will. Let him do as he pleases. Where there is no law, there is neither sin nor injustice; but where sin and injustice are to be, there must be law first. Reason judges itself and all men according to the law, and also wants to respect God in this way; therefore it is lacking. He who cannot understand this, let him be silent and let others judge. God does not have a law; but as he wills, so it is willed, his will is his guide, measure and weight. I command you to use this saying when trouble comes, so that you may learn to recognize God and defy him, just as Moses did here.

The tenth chapter.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, whom I have hardened the heart of, and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of mine among them, and that thou mayest shew in the ears of thy children, and of thy children's children, what I have wrought in Egypt, and how I have shewed my signs among them; that ye may know that I am the LORD.

We have heard at the end of the ninth chapter how this saying is to be understood: "I will harden the heart of Pharaoh," 2c., namely, if we want to speak of God, that we should first of all begin at the bottom, and learn to recognize the way that is presented to us by God, not seek our own way, or make our own way by our own reason; otherwise the hindmost will come first, and the foremost at the back, and gain an unfortunate course Ex. 33:23. It did not happen in vain, nor is it a fool's game or a trick, that God let Christ, His Son, come into the flesh to appear to us men and enlighten us Is. 43, 11. Joh. 12, 47.. If it had not been highly necessary, he would have remained up in heaven 2c. We are so foolish and foolish that we leave the light, which he lit for us in his flesh.

If we are looking for something else, we become fools about it.

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD God the Hebrew: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me, to let my people serve me? If thou refuse to leave my people, behold, tomorrow I will send locusts in every place, and they shall cover the land, and the land shall not be seen; and they shall eat up all that is left you, and be delivered from the hail; and they shall eat up all your green trees of the field; and they shall fill thy house, and all thy servants' houses, and all the houses of Egypt, which thy fathers saw not, nor thy fathers' fathers, when they were in the earth, unto this day. And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh. And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall we be afflicted with this? Let the people go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you want to know first that Egypt has perished? Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, who said to them: Go to him, and serve the LORD your God. But what are they that

** **820 Erl. ss, ns-178. sermon on Exodus 10:3-11. W. in, 1228-1229. 821

shall we go? And Moses said, We will go with young and old, with sons and daughters, with flocks and herds: for we have a feast of the LORD. And he said unto them: Awe yea, the LORD be with you. Shall I let you go, and your children with you? See if ye mean no evil? Not so, but go ye men, and serve the LORD: for this also have ye sought. And they were thrust out of Pharaoh 2c.

In this tenth chapter we see how damish 1) the devil is and how reluctant he is to leave. Pharaoh the king has hitherto rejected all signs, and the more they come, the less he respects them. Although he humbles himself, asks for mercy, and desires that his sin be forgiven him, and is so pious that Moses must ask for him, and confesses that he is a sinner: still, when it comes to the work and the meeting, and it is to be as Moses said, that he lets the children of Israel go out of Egypt, then he says to Moses: Troll you 2c. For God let the devil rule over his heart, and made him do as only the devil pleased.

What God does not govern, the devil governs. When God reigns, He does it so that man becomes joyful and willing to do what pleases God, that is, He gives him the Holy Spirit in the heart. But if he does not pour out or give the Holy Spirit into the heart, the devil reigns, and gives man according to all his will. As St. Paul also says to Timothy 2 Ep. 2, 26 that the wicked are captives of the devil to do according to all his will. He has captured them in such a way that whatever these people do, they do for the service of their god, the devil. For he has captured them and ensnared them to do his will. They go about with desire, love and great earnestness to do what he tells them to do. Therefore God has hardened them and removed his hand and given them to the devil.

4 This is how it is with this king, he pretends to improve himself, but it is hypocrisy and a sham; if the Holy One does it, he will not be able to do it.

1. daemic - stupid, foolish, sleepy, slow, clumsy. - Erlanger: "Danish".

If the Holy Spirit does not do and drive, this hypocrisy will not last long. First he allowed the Jews to go out of Egypt, but he did not keep it for them. Now when the locusts came, he would let only the men go. But Moses saith, They shall go forth all, both men and women, young and old, great and small. Then Pharaoh says: Awe yes, God honor you. What a proud answer the donkey's head gives, says: The Lord be with you. As if he wanted to say: God honor you, God honor you, dear companions, do you want to go out there? Now I see what you have in mind; you could well do it and leave your wife and children here; I would like you to deprive me of it; yes, I would order it for you and give it to you.

5. that is put in the text for the eighth plague, one must call meanwhile thus. Our people call them caterpillars, and they may be somewhat like our locusts, having long feet and hopping, but they may be somewhat larger. They are also called grasshoppers, a little animal that one used to eat, clean and healthy; just as John the Baptist ate grasshoppers Matth. 3, 4. It used to eat away everything that grows on the trees and in the field that was green, as our caterpillars still do in our country. But we do not have such locusts now.

(6) Now, just as some countries have their own advantages, so they also have their own plagues. Here they have beer and no wine, for wine is found elsewhere. So they also had this plague with the arphephagi 2) in Egypt, that the locusts ate up everything, and came in heaps, and swung themselves out of the air, as if a cloud were falling. Not one, two, or three flew along, but fell in with a great swarm, and immediately covered the sun, and made the air dark; fell along like a snow that covers everything. So this bird is not unknown to Egyptians, just as caterpillars are not unknown to us;

2. This word: "Arphephagel" is perhaps a composite of "Arbe" and "Hargol" 3 Mos. 11, 22.

822 Erl. SS, I78-IS0. Interpretations of the second book of Moses. W. Ill, I22S-I232. 823

We know them well, only that often one year more caterpillars come than the other. So this bird was also well known to the Egyptians. But the fact that they come here with such a large number of caterpillars was strange to them and a particular nuisance; nor did they ignore it.

007 These locusts they call death: for Pharaoh saith, Ask the LORD your God, that he take away this death from me. For these locusts did such damage in the land to the fruits, devouring all herbs and plants, that there followed a great famine and hunger; they spoiled and devoured all the fruits of the land, so that the people died of hunger.

This eighth sign or plague with the locusts also goes away, and nothing comes of it, since they should have recognized God's wrath, disgrace and punishment against the disobedient man and refrained from sins. Just as God punishes man's sins with locusts, Deut. 28:38: "You will carry out much seed into the field and gather little, for the locusts will eat it up.

The Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that the land of Egypt may become dark enough to be grasped. And Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven. And there was darkness throughout all the land of Egypt three days, so that no man saw another, nor arose from the place where he was within three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Now the ninth plague follows. There come such thick darknesses that one would like to grasp them, as we Germans use to speak. God has ordained such a plague of darkness for the punishment of all the wicked who disobey God's word, Deut. 28, 29. And all wicked tyrants and heretics are also spiritually blind. Then Pharaoh no longer asks that the plagues cease, but he says straightway, "Let them go away. But when the light comes again into the land, Pharaoh thinks, Alas, ye knaves, it shall be jesting, and saith unto Moses, Troll thee from mine eyes. Moses saith, Yea, I will do as thou hast said, I will no more appear before thine eyes.

Eyes come. I have prayed for you and performed signs before you, but it is of no avail. So we have heard of nine signs or plagues.

010 Now this is a marvelous miracle and wonder of God, that there is light in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwell. As otherwise the other plagues that came upon the Egyptians did not come upon the Israelites. For God is present with His people, so they also have God's word, which is the true light. In whichever place it is preached, there is true light; but if the word of God is lost or despised, there is palpable darkness. That is why the 119th Psalm, v. 105, says: "Let your word be a lamp to my feet. And St. Peter in his second epistle Cap. 1, 19 also calls the divine word a light that shines in the darkness.

Now the last plague is still behind. But we have heard so far how God has set up a mirror fencing, and has ordered Pharaoh through Moses that his people should travel for three days, 1) and serve their God. He does not say that they are to leave the land altogether and that he will lead them to another land, as Pharaoh smells this roast. But why does God not say explicitly: "We will leave for a short time and go to another land"? Moses alone says: "We want to go into the desert, God has called us to a feast; and yet the matter is final, that they want to go to another land, and so Moses may soon lie with them. Is it now going to make a monkey play in front of the noses? Or did he not trust in our Lord God? How if he had said that they would go to another country, and had kept silent about the service? How then all these things vexed Pharaoh greatly.

(12) Know that it is not necessary to tell the devil what God has in mind and what He intends to do. It is true that God wanted the people to go into the wilderness for three days, but he did not say why. Nor is it necessary for him to say, "Go into the wilderness for three days, and then go on," or what God wants to do next. Therefore

1. Eisleben's: to be pure.

824 Erl. SS, IM-I82. Sermon on Exodus 10:21-29. W. Ill, 1232-1233. 825

Moses did not lie here, and even if he had lied, Pharaoh would have been justified. Just as David 1 Sam. 21:2 lied before Abimelech the priest when he demanded the shewblood from him, pretending that he was traveling on the business of King Saul. For Pharaoh rather deceives and lies to Mosiah; and if Moses had lied, it would have been without danger, for he does Pharaoh no harm.

(13) It is not a lie if one pretends otherwise than it is in himself; but if one pretends otherwise than it is, and deceit is there, that is lying. God has often imagined differently, and yet does not lie. Just as parents often act differently towards their children; or if I am angry with my brothers in the monastery because of their sin, and yet I have love in my heart 2c. Thus, the saints of God have often acted differently from what they had in mind, but they have done no harm, but only wanted to promote their own. So Mosi is not concerned with the service of God, but that he should come out of the country, and Pharaoh is not harmed by this.

V.27-29. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he would not let them. And Pharaoh said unto him, Depart from me, and take heed that thou come no more before mine eyes. For in the day that thou comest before mine eyes thou shalt surely die. And Moses said, As thou hast said, I will come no more before thine eyes.

(14) This is the end, and Moses has preached and fulfilled his word; the command given to him by God to preach to Pharaoh the king is over. Now it is necessary for God to work there and help when men can no longer help. The power of Pharaoh is too great and strong, Moses must now say that he can no longer, but: Dear GOtt, you do it. This has been an ugly, annoying, unfunny sermon, with which de^^ should not be done; but it should be done because of

that God would have cause to overthrow Pharaoh and reveal His divine glory in the world.

(15) So let all preachers also do their part, and command the eventum to our Lord GOD. Moses gives it and also commands our Lord GOD into his hand, that Pharaoh bequeaths to him, that he should no longer come before him, pushes him away, yes, he pushes GOD himself and his word away. Now God and Pharaoh run into each other. Moses, he is weak, but GOtt will now become strong.

(16) When the world has been preached to long enough with all diligence and faithfulness, and the word of God ceases, then it is not far to the point that the world will be visited with punishment by God and that the devil will have the upper hand and everything will be destroyed. For when Noah stopped preaching and went into the ark, the flood came Gen. 7, 10. Item, when Lot no longer preached to Sodom and Gomorrah, but was carried out by the angels to Zoar, then came fire, brimstone and pitch, and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19, 24. And so it is here in this kingdom of Egypt; when Moses' preaching is ended, and Pharaoh is visited, God will have mercy on him whom he shall have mercy on. For soon after all the first births in Egypt are slain, and Pharaoh must be drowned in the Red Sea with all the crew of the Egyptians.

(17) The same thing happened to the Jewish people. When the prophets, and after them John the Baptist, Christ the Son of God, and the dear apostles no longer preached and visited, the Assyrians, Babylonians, and later the Romans came and threw everything into a heap. For thus saith the Lord Christ Matt. 10:14, 15, Whosoever receiveth you not, and heareth not your word, depart out of your house, and out of the same city, and beat the dust from off your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the 1) land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that same city."

1. Eislebensche: dem.

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The eleventh chapter.

V.1-3. And the LORD said unto Moses, I will bring another plague upon Pharaoh and Egypt, and after that he shall send you away, and shall not only send all things away, but shall also send you away. Now therefore say before the people, that every man require of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, vessels of silver and of gold: for the LORD will give grace unto the people in the sight of Egypt. And Moses was a very great man in the land of Egypt before the servants of Pharaoh, and before the people.

(1) In this chapter God is threatening to inflict another punishment on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, which is to be the tenth and last punishment, namely, that all the firstborn shall be slain. And thus says God: He will make it so that Pharaoh will be glad to send you out and let the people go, yes, he will drive them by force himself, so that they will go out. Now Moses can do no more. For until now Pharaoh has despised Moses' word, preaching and urging, and has not wanted to follow, so God says: "I will do it myself, what you cannot do to Moses; I can do it well Ps. 12:6. And now Pharaoh has preached enough, and this chapter belongs to the previous one, since Moses says: "Let it be, I will no longer come before your eyes; but I will leave this for you to do last: If I cease to preach, another shall come after me, and he shall do better, and shall smite all the firstborn; and then shalt thou give me leave.

2 Here one would like to ask whether the saints are also angry? Moses herewith gives the country and the king Pharaoni the valete and the leave that he does not want to ask for the king anymore, but considered him a hardened and hardened man. As St. Paul Titus 3:10, 11 also commanded, that after one or two admonitions, one should let such a one go, and avoid him, as one who is given over to the devil. Moses also lives according to this here, and speaks thus:

I will also let it go and preach to you no more; soon the tenth plague will come, and all the firstborn will be struck down, and you will be glad that you let me and the people go. So he has renounced all friendship, prayer and support for him, his whole kingdom and his people.

3 And God commanded Moshi and the people of Israel that they should not go forth empty, but that they should borrow every man of his neighbor's vessels of gold and silver, because they had served the Egyptians with great toil and labor many and long years, and had been slain without reward or recompense, and many of their children had been slain; they had been oppressed and constrained.

4 Now God also makes them find favor with the Egyptians. Otherwise someone would say: How is it possible, because the Egyptians are so hostile to the Hebrews, that they should borrow and lend them their silverware? Yes, says God, I will bring it about; I will give the Egyptians favor against the Hebrews, and they will do it gladly.

005 The children of Israel were sojourners in the land; and when they asked of the citizens for silver vessels, and said: Tomorrow we have feast, lend us your silver chains, or silver bowls and cups, they did so, and believed them. Some took pity on them, and perhaps the common man was also favorable to them, saw their misery and need. They will not all have been more wicked than the king and the sovereign with his servants. For it is a synecdoche to say that the people are either wicked or pious, that is, half of them. For this is the custom and manner of the holy scriptures, to speak thus.

(6) So God gave grace to the people to bring the cups and silverware of the Egyptians to themselves for the Paschal feast, and in the evening, when they have taken away the ornaments, they go out and take them all with them. What will they say here? Did they not steal these things and take them unjustly?

828 Eri. SS, I8S-IS7. Sermon on Exodus 11:1-5, 12:1-5. W. Ill, 1238-1243. 829

that they borrow the silverware from the Egyptians in good faith and trust, and yet they steal it? The text says: God told them to borrow the silverware. For God could have made it possible for the Israelites to take the silverware from the Egyptians by force, but He did not do it, for He wants to lead His people in humility and under the cross. It can be seen and seems as if they did it secretly, but it was still God's command.

Therefore, it is not a sin. For what God calls is right. If I or you had done it, it would be wrong, but because he names it and gives it, it is right and just. For the goods of Egypt are God's. He says, "I have given it to them; if I am commanded to take it from them, it is right; who will judge me to do wrong? But if it were done without my command, it would be wrong. But I do it publicly, and can evidently take it all away; for it is all mine, I do with it as I will [Ps. 50:10.

Ps. 24, 1. ff. 1 Cor. 4, 7.] Therefore, the word of God and the commandment of God are here and have been done.

And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, I will go out at midnight into the land of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne unto the firstborn of the maid that is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle 2c.

8th The last and tenth plague is this, that God smites all the firstborn, from the chief to the maidservant or the least maidservant's son. For in Egypt all served, man and woman were called servants and maidservants; they were poor people who all served. Moses said, "There shall not be a dead man in any house, nor shall there be a dead man in any house.

(9) But before this plague, that the firstborn was slain, Moses describes in the following twelfth chapter the paschal feast which God has appointed for the Israelites.

The twelfth chapter.

And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, This moon shall be the first moon with you, and from it ye shall take the moons of the year. Tell all the congregation of Israel, saying, On the tenth day of this moon take every man a sheep, where there is a father of a house, one sheep for each house. And if there be not enough of them in one house for one sheep, then he shall take it, and his neighbor that is next unto his house, until there be so many of them that they may eat up the sheep. But you shall take one such sheep, if there be no defect in it, a male, and a year old; of the lambs and goats you shall take it.

1. we have acted through the eleven chapters so far, how Moses aligns his ministry before

1. Eislebensche: yes.

the king Pharaoh, and have come with the interpretation up to the last plague. Now, in the 12th and 13th chapters, there will follow some laws that God gives before He executes the tenth plague. For for the tenth punishment God is threatening to put to death all the firstborn, from the king's son to the least maid's son. But before this is done, he gives a commandment how the children of Israel are to eat the paschal lamb, as they did the night before, before they go out in the morning. They were to borrow the silverware from their neighbors and wait in Egypt until the firstborn were killed, and then they were to go out and feast. Therefore they knew how they should go out that night, and gives them the commandment of the passover lamb. Because they ate the paschal lamb, God gave them the commandment of the paschal lamb.

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All the firstborn were put to death. So God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt in the month of Abib, that is, in April. 1)

(2) So far we have heard of nine signs that Moses did against Pharaoh, and finally, how God would slay the firstborn. And here Moses teaches two things: first, how to keep the paschal feast; then, how to sacrifice the firstborn. They were to keep the paschal feast because they had gone out of the kingdom of Egypt at that time; but they were to sacrifice the firstborn because God had slain the firstborn of the Egyptians. We will hear more about this in his time.

(3) But lest it be thought as if Moses had given such a law to all men here, we must know that this history is not given to us as an example of discipleship; we must not slay the paschal lamb, nor sacrifice the firstborn. For Moses was not given to us, but only to the Jewish people as a teacher. It is very important that we know this, because if we were to keep Moses in all the commandments, we would also have to be circumcised, and would not be allowed to accept baptism, and would also have to eat the paschal lamb. But you have seen and heard that Moses was not given to the whole world as a teacher, as the Lord Christ was sent to be, but Moses was appointed as a prophet, leader and commander of the people, who were called Abraham's seed, or Abraham's flesh and blood.

For above Gen. 12:7, 26, 3, 28, 13 ye have heard how God spake unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and promised them that he would give unto their seed the promised land. This story and these words did not go over the whole world, but remained and were only recorded in the cord and tribe of Abraham. Therefore Moses did not allow himself to be driven further, nor to be ordered, but only to this people, as the children of Israel, to whom he told how they should behave toward God and also live on earth toward man, and did all of this by God's command and decree, not by God's command and decree.

1. Here is in the Eislebenscken edition the remark: Allhie has v. Mart. Luther read through the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th chapters in the pulpit.

longer than until the time promised to Abraha Gen. 22:18, that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed, that is, until the coming of the Lord Christ.

005 This I say, because I would that ye had a sincere, sure, subtle, discerning understanding between Moses and the Lord Christ. Item, even for the sake of the Jews, who want Moses to rule over the whole world, and his laws to be kept by everyone, who do not look at the text correctly, nor consider that Moses was not given to us as a savior, but he has his church, and he is abbot and prior in his monastery.

(6) But the seed that was promised to Abraham (when it was said, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed") was another man than Moses. Of him it is said, And there shall be a seed, that not only thy seed, thy flesh and thy blood, but all that is upon the earth, shall be blessed. As if to say: Your flesh and blood, and this seed, I will rule and keep for my people. But when the right people come, the true seed, there shall go forth such a preaching, that all the Gentiles under thy heaven shall be blessed, that he may be a father to all the believing Gentiles under the sun.

7 Moses concerns us so much that we only look at his prophecies and examples, as how Abraham believed and how he received the promise of Christ, your blessed Seed. He cannot serve me more, nor Moses more, than to set before us examples of faith, and to describe the prophecies of Christ, and to instruct how man should live inwardly and outwardly, spiritually and worldly. Therefore it does not follow that one should pretend: Moses said to be circumcised; item, Abraham was circumcised; item, Noah made a box in which he went before the flood; therefore we should do the same. This is also God's word. Let us look to the promise made by Moses, that in Abraham's seed all the families of the earth would be blessed.

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God gave to every age its teacher, but at the same time that this preaching went forth, that all the Gentiles should be blessed by the preaching of the Blessed Seed, he would send and give a doctor, not Moses, but Christ the Lord himself, who was to be Abraham's son and his seed. Then Isaiah, Jeremiah, Moses and other prophets are cut off; they are no longer valid, and Christ alone is to preach; not just in one corner, but in the whole world; for he is to be the Lord of all, and is not to preach for himself alone, but also through his appointed servants.

(9) Therefore Moses alone was given in the tribe of Abraha; as far as Abraham's flesh and blood go, Mosiah must be obeyed and listened to until the promise made to the patriarch Abraham comes. For this reason he was born long after Abraham, because God promised Abraham the Messiah long before Gal. 3, 16. Abraham knew nothing of Moses, the promise was made long before, so that no one would boast that he was such, and Moses himself had to confess that he was not, as he says in the fifth book, chapter 18, v. 18: "God will raise up another prophet for you from among your brethren, and he will put his word in his mouth, and you shall hear him.

(10) After Moses died, there was no one like Moses Deut. 34:10, because the one who would come from Abraham's seed would be much higher and greater than Moses. Therefore Mosi's seed is not promised to Abraha; this cannot be denied. For Moses' teaching has not gone over the whole world, but has remained and gone in its circle. Another seed of Abraha should come, which should go over the whole world, and bless all generations. That is not you, Moses. After that, his sermon should sound different from yours, dear Moses. This is what God prophesied and proclaimed many years before, that the Messiah would preach blessing and grace to all the earth, namely, that through Christ we would be saved; item, that through Christ all things would be accomplished,

and that God's mercy and grace be preached to us through Christ alone.

(11) The first book of Moses is a main saying of Christ, and one sermon from him is more valid than a hundred sermons or sayings in Moses. But God's word is not considered and respected as wonderful as it is. It is one short word, which is said of Christ: "In your seed all generations on earth shall be blessed"; that is, all that will preach of grace will come from the Lord Christ, and will testify to the seed of Abraha. Moses preached differently, and God spoke to Moses with many words; but there was another Lord than Moses, whom the Jews alone drew to themselves, but this teacher, promised to Abraha, we Gentiles should also draw to ourselves John 10:16, 17. For he preaches blessing, and not the law; for he was to take away the law, death, the devil, and all things. This is given to the Christians.

(12) We have many prophecies of Christ in Moses, which we should draw and take from them, so that we may know how to base our faith on them. The teacher, Moses, gives testimony of Christ, and he is therefore sent by God, and should also be read diligently for this reason. After that, Moses' books contain fine examples of how God led His people through the Word and in faith, and how He still wants to govern and lead us in the same way. Moses is therefore a useful and good teacher.

013 But if any man shall call upon Moses, and say, He giveth circumcision, therefore thou must be circumcised, then thou shalt answer, O thou, John Grobianus, Moses is not my master and teacher, he shall not teach me to be saved by the law; I have much better teacher, even the Lord Christ, which saith Matt. 11:29, Take grace and mercy from me.

(14) Moses, as a preacher of the law, saith, Do this, do that. For this is the preaching of the law, which shall now come to an end; and if they would hang Moses and his law upon our necks, then we shall surely become enemies to Moses. Therefore let us take Moses as a lawgiver, or else let us keep the law.

834 Erl SS, ISI-IS4. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, I218-I2SI. 835

to our dear Lord Christ Jesus. Moses is finished, he has done enough with his ministry.

(15) Then I can use Moses' ministry to write beautiful, glorious examples and legends of God's beloved saints, how they heard God's word, had and practiced faith and love and all virtue; all of which is finely found in Moses. But this is much more comforting and lovely, that he sets beautiful sayings of the Lord Christ, how he is our Savior.

(16) These are two reasons why one should read Moses diligently; first, that one finds therein glorious examples of the ancient fathers and patriarchs, who had God's word, and also let their faith and love shine and be seen. Item, one also sees how God punished the wicked and ungodly, as Sodoma and Gomorrah. Secondly, that he also prophesies and prophecies about Christ. In these two pieces Moses shall be my teacher and preacher.

(17) But how he rules the Jews, that they should eat this and drink that, item, what clothes they should wear, how they should dress, that is none of my business. I want to have two parts of Moses, as prophecies of Christ and examples of a godly life, and not laws or commandments. As for the prophecies and examples Moses describes, he still stands; but what he commands and commands to do according to the manner and custom of the law, it is over with Moses and no longer applies, just as it is over with the Jewish people, and also had an end with the priesthood at the time of the Lord Christ.

18 For all this should not last longer than until the other teacher would come, who would bring another teaching; as the other Psalm, v. 7, says: "he should preach of such a way: You are my son, today I have begotten you" 2c. The same teacher is to cross out and lead in the mouth, which otherwise Moses had in the pen. Let us therefore accept Moses as a witness of Christ, and let us follow his examples, so that we may take from them an example and mirror of Christian faith and conduct, and Moses as a lawgiver is of no concern to us.

19 Let us now hear how to do this.

The first thing we hear is how the children of Israel were to eat the paschal lamb, and what examples we have of this. We hear how at this time God instituted the Paschal feast for the children of Israel and commanded them to eat the Paschal lamb in the flesh, and that night He led them out of Egypt into the wilderness and redeemed them from the house of Egypt.

(20) But I have said how Moses should be read and understood, that we should take from it in these things examples of the divine works, how he dealt with his people, and that we should not make a law of it, as if we had now to eat the paschal lamb. For here Mosi's office is seen, that he should govern this people of the children of Israel. But much further goes the word, so Abraha was promised, that in his seed all generations on earth should be blessed; in which word also we are understood. And what is said of Christ in Moses also concerns us; we must accept the blessing, that is, the preaching of the gospel. But we are not to accept the law of Moses any further than that it may set before us examples of life and strengthen our faith, so that just as God dealt with them, so may he also do to us.

V. 2. This moon shall be the first moon with you.

The Jews had this fine custom of counting the year by the moons; we do the opposite. They call the new moon when the light comes on, as the peasants and the common man speak of it in the calendar, when the moon comes on, is new, or when it is half, or even full. And the Jews have considered the first moon of the year to be Abib, which with us is April, when all things begin to be new; as, in Lent, when the grass and the trees put forth; and this they call in Hebrew the New Year's Moon. Although there is nothing in it where you start. But they were so connected in the law that they had to begin the year with the moon. So now their first moon and yearday was with March, or when our April begins, after which the new moon begins, at the time when it becomes green, at Lent.

836 Erl. SS, Ut-is". Sermon on Exodus 12:1-5. W. Ill, lWl-lWt. 837

V. 3. Tell all the congregation of Israel, saying, On the tenth day of this month take every man a sheep, where there is a father of the house, every man a sheep in one house.

22. they shall count ten days from the new moon, that is, when the first quarter of the moon was gone; in the same month every householder was to take a sheep to a house 2c. The Jews had a house fuller than ours; the men took many wives, and the wives used many maids, and the maids were also married, and the maids' children were with the women's children, so that a house was like a little kingdom of its own, or like a city, in which it teemed and swarmed with children and people; as they still do where they live.

(23) The sheep or lamb should have no change, not that it is only white, but that it is not wounded, not shabby and otherwise defective, nor has a leg broken, but is whole and healthy; which is well translated. So it should also be a little man. The Latin text has erred so much here that they have also made a responsory of it.

024 Neither was the whole congregation to offer one lamb, but every householder, as far as Israel dwelt, was to have his lamb; and when he could not kill it alone, beside his household, he was to take his neighbor to it, that this little paschal lamb might be eaten that night.

25 And should take it from the herd. Where else would they take it? They were hard-pressed to raise any sheep for the paschal lamb in the house, but they had to go to the herd and take the lamb out at the proper time. So on the tenth day they separated it and put it in the house and kept it there for four days. Thus says God: Every man shall kill and sacrifice his sheep, which is one thing. For all that they sacrificed they slaughtered. Therefore in the Hebrew language these words are always used one for the other. As Paul says to the Romans in the twelfth chapter, v. 1: "Sacrifice your bodies, that is, slaughter them.

kill. So Isaac was sacrificed, that is, his life was to be taken, his neck was to be held out, he was to be killed, slaughtered and sacrificed.

Thus God ordained the feast to begin on the evening of the fourteenth day, so that on the fifteenth day of the first moon it would be the right Easter Day. This is the law, therefore it happened without a doubt that the true, righteous, lovely and gracious little paschal lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, rode into Jerusalem on Palm Day, preached in the temple for four days, then ate the little paschal lamb with his dear disciples; was soon after caught in the Garden of Olives, mocked, scourged, scourged, crowned with thorns, condemned to death, crucified, and killed, and thus was truly sacrificed. This was not done by laying him on an altar and slaughtering him on it, but he was sacrificed on the cross and died on it.

027 So every man in his house was to slay a lamb, (as the neck of a lamb is usually cut off,) and to roast it, as ye shall hear.

28 This eating of the paschal lamb is now due to the Lord Christ, with whom it all coincides so amusingly that it is a miracle. Otherwise it does not concern us much, how the Jews have eaten the paschal lamb. They had to sprinkle the posts with the blood of the lamb, using a little mop, as the prophet David mentions in the 51st Psalm, v. 9, where he says: Sprinkle me, Lord, with mop; and every house had to be thus smeared on the fourteenth day of the same month. After that they had to eat wafers with the roasted lamb and have salts or bitter lactuces with the meat. Item, they had to stand girded, as those who were ready to leave, who wanted to troll and go away for the night, as those who were ready to go out of the country at any hour, or who wanted to be out and travel away.

29. He did not want to prepare such a meal, so that people would eat and drink to their fill, but so that they would be strong and fresh (Rom. 13:13). He did not want to prepare a delicious meal, but it should be a sign and meaning, so that God would practice and keep them in true worship,

838 Erl. SS, I9S-199 Interpretations on the Second Book of Moses. W. Ill, I2S4-I2S7. 839

so that they would not serve the pagan idols. For it is called the Passover, the paschal lamb, or the paschal day, as it is found in the Evangelist Luke Cap. 22, 1. f., the day on which the paschal lamb was sacrificed, that is, the lamb was eaten, which had to be eaten on Easter. The fourteenth day was called the first day of sweet bread.

(30) But why is the paschal lamb called a passage, or a transition, and the feast also called a passage? The name came from the fact that on that night God went through all of Egypt and slew all the firstborn. The murder was done by God in the same night.

(31) Now these are the ceremonies, manners, 1) customs, and practices that were kept about the paschal lamb, that they had to stay at home that night and shut the doors, and not let it be known that they were at home; they had to eat in one house, and not leave anything over, eat it all out or burn it. Item, do not break a leg on him. No stranger, or bought, nor housemate, nor hireling, was not to eat of it. That was the way of the Jews, so they had to eat the Easter lamb. If a guest lay in the inn, or a foreign countryman, who was not a native, he was not allowed to eat, but only the host, his wife, sons, daughters, servants and maids, because God had given it to his people. But whoever was a purchased servant had to be circumcised, and then he could also eat from the paschal lamb.

(32) Thus it was written and ordained, that they should eat the little paschal lamb at home, and that nothing should be left over, and that nothing should be broken. Only the Jews were burdened with this law of theirs, which is none of our business; nor was it to remain forever, but only until Christ came.

(33) This shall be an everlasting way. Eternal the Jews do not call everything that has no end, but eternal they call that lasts for and for.

34. On the fourteenth day at evening they began to eat sweet bread, and to eat until the one and twentieth day of the same moon. So we see that the Easter feast is eight days long.
35. "Weise" is missing in the Erlanger.

Days granted, and a whole week stood. But it did not always begin on the Sabbath, but sometimes on Monday, sometimes also on Wednesday, after the moon had risen and run; just as our Christmas Day often falls in this way. Also, when we keep Easter Day, we do not count it from the fourteenth day, because it is often kept over eight days later, as are the Pentecosts. But it is not commanded us, and therefore we are not heathens, though we do not keep it so. For Christians always have Easter Day, and their paschal lamb lasts forever.

(35) Nevertheless it has been kept in the Christian church, as the Jews have left it, even as other customs have been kept more than that women have six weeks after childbirth. However, it is kept so far away that we are not allowed to make a commandment out of it, or that it binds our conscience, or that we have to do it. For we do not keep time as the Jews do, counting by the moon; but when it comes, Easter Day, we celebrate it. However, we always keep it on a Sunday, be it on the moon, be it in the beginning, middle or end, because of which the Jews reproach us. But there is nothing in it. The Jews' feast always begins in the evening, as it is written in Genesis 1:5: "Then the evening and the morning became the first day," and so on. If the day had an end with them, then the following day began. As also with us the following night is the beginning of the following day. The night with the complete day was counted for one day, and the astronomers or (as they are commonly called) stargazers still call this diem naturalem. This has been the festival of the Jews and their custom.

(36) We should understand this history, so that we may see what God had in mind at that time. This law is commanded to them by God, just as the command about unleavened bread, which was also given by our Lord God. After that, Moses went and presented it to them.

37. Now after they began the feast and ate the paschal lamb, God came in the middle of the night, when the sleep was gone.

840 Erl. ss, iss-roi. Sermon on Exodus 12:1-5. W. in, iM-iseo. 841

The most sweetest and best, and slew all the firstborn in Egypt.

(38) This has been a terrible battle, so miserable in appearance, that God has suddenly delivered in the middle of the night and killed the firstborn, so that there is a great cry and lamentation that one is found dead here and the other dead there. And in one house many firstborn sons will have been found dead, when many members of the household were sitting inside, and they will have thought that the land was full of devils. Well, God did so at that time, he used like a good angel or an evil devil. Just as when a fire rises in our country, everyone is frightened; but what kind of fright should there be when such a plague comes over a whole country, as all the firstborn are slain here?

039 But God hath so afflicted Pharaoh that he cometh out by night, and driveth the children of Israel out of the land. Three days ago he would not let them go out; now he would have given money and goods to be rid of them. Before he kept them, now he himself drives them out of the land; he will not let them stay with him; they must go by night.

40 This was the last plague by which God wanted to redeem the people of Israel, and it was also the cruelest plague; it still did not help that Pharaoh or his people recognized themselves. So now comes the fourteenth chapter, the last one with Pharaoh, and the end, that he remains stubborn, and persecutes the children of Israel, and is overthrown into the Red Sea.

(41) But how does the wicked humble himself? Beware of such, for it often happens that the wicked make themselves so spiritual, and boast as if they were more pious than no saints. Now Pharaoh asks that they be merciful to him and leave his kingdom, whom he could not see before, nor would he suffer. For the Egyptians say: We are all of death; death is in all the land. This plague is not darkness, nor blackness, nor pox, nor glands, but so fierce and severe that they say, "We must all die. This punishment is not good to think about, they do not know where they have been at home, so they have to die.

they say: The sooner the better, the better they get out of the country.

042 So the children of Israel were driven out with haste, and they carried away out of Egypt with them the dough of which they were going to bake bread, wrapped in cloths. They had only begun to eat unleavened bread, and had kneaded dough for half a night, but could not finish it; so the Egyptians drove them out, so that they had to take water and flour and knead a dough, and put the unleavened, raw dough into clothes, coats and skirts. And if the Egyptians are so upset by this that they do not demand the borrowed jewelry from the Jews again, they are brought in.

43. for, as I said, God gave the Jews this favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they gladly borrowed and lent them drinking vessels of gold and silver and jewels, and thus stole their goods from their hosts. This was done justly, for they would have strangled the sons of Israel before, and burdened them with heavy glad tidings, and given no money for them; now God gives them the reward and the beautiful treasure.

44 So six times an hundred thousand men went out of Egypt, without any of the people; item, the women and children. Egypt was rich and large, so the Jews borrowed a lot of goods from them and went to the fields. Where did they have their kitchens? So we have the feast as it was instituted and kept.

This exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt is highly praised in the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, we should learn and know this history well, for the sake of the following texts. For God attributes this deed of mercy to the Jewish people for and for, that they did not recognize and honor Him in it. Therefore, we should also call upon, honor and serve God, who sent his Son to die for us on the cross and to be born, who also commanded us to pray. He also raised up the priesthood, so that he presented this benefit to the Jewish people and preached about it daily. He gave them this same outward work, so that he might be grasped, recognized and apprehended.

46. for God knew well that the spirits of the wicked would come, and that they would be able to resist.

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There would be so much devotion that no one would look at another, and that one would want to have this God, who would like a gray cap; another would seek another God, in a black cap, yet God would not be sought by any devotion of his own, but he sets before us a work by which we should come to know him. Therefore, when you say, "I will serve God, to whom I have vowed to fast so many days," you hear that God does not want it, because it is a work that you choose and determine for yourself. But GOD says: I will appoint you a work, by the work you shall know me, namely, you shall honor the GOD who brought the people of Israel shat) out of Egypt.

(47) Although the false prophets used to set up altars under this title, knowing that these signs and works should be done, they deceived the people. Just as we also, who have Christ, preach that he was crucified and is our Savior. But the false teachers, priests and monks say afterwards: "Behold, here in the monastery, in the cap, plates and ropes, there is also Christ. So they take this title and work, and bring it upon themselves. But if they had been true prophets, they should have preached and practiced that the people should honor God, who is not at BethEl nor BethAven, but who led the children of Israel out of Egypt. So also at this time, if I wanted to say that I am doing the work of serving the God who looks upon my virginity, chastity, poverty and obedience, it is wrong and unjust.

(48) They were not in Egypt four hundred and thirty years at all, but from the time Abraham hears the voice of God, Gen 42:1, from the promise, when Abraham was five and seventy years old, until the time Moses is eighty years old. So, if you add these years together, it is true; otherwise they have been only half of these years or a little over in Egypt. Under Pharaoh's tyranny they have not been over a hundred years. So the scripture stands with honor everywhere. On this opinion also St. Stephen speaks in the stories of the

Apostle, when he speaks Cap. 7, 6. that they had been four hundred and thirty years in Egypt.

(49) And St. Paul also insinuates this in the epistle to the Galatians Cap. 3, 11, when he teaches that Moses' law does not make anyone righteous. He proves it thus: "For Abraham promised much earlier than Moses came, that through his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed, and all the nations and the world should receive blessing and all goods from him. Therefore the law cannot do it, the law has no help in itself to make one righteous 2c., but from the gospel we get such.

50 Therefore we are to gather it together and compare it, that it is not spoken of the dwelling which they had in Egypt, but from the whole time that the promised seed was promised to Abraham, and after that it was spoken to him that he should go into another country. It is a synecdoche, just as Christ lay in the grave three days and three nights, when he had been in it only one day and two nights; but he took hold of and grasped three days. The first, on which he was crucified, that part and the following night are counted for one day; after that the Saturday (as we call it); starting 1) the following night, in the morning of the third day, he rose; then it is one whole day, and two nights with one part of the day. So here he also takes totum prototum pro parte, and partem pro toto, because they have taken such a time, and so many years.

Allegoria or spiritual interpretation of this twelfth chapter.

(51) In the twelfth chapter we heard how the children of Israel ate the paschal lamb, and how God instituted the same feast of Easter to preserve the memory of the miraculous redemption of the children of Israel from Egypt; but how it should also be eaten among Christians is also indicated. We are taught, however, that we believe in God.

1. Eisleben and Erlanger: Angangs.

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and that our faith should be such that we know that God is near us in the highest and greatest needs.

Now we still have to deal with the spiritual interpretation and secret interpretation of this chapter and the story told. But I have said before, and still say, that he who seeks and searches for the secret understanding or secret interpretation hidden under a story, must lead it in such a way that it rhymes with faith; for the holy Scriptures are otherwise bright and clear, and no one may carry his dreams here. In the Old Testament, this meant something in the reign of the Lord Christ, as it is testified with clear, explicit words and deeds that it goes to Christ, because it is all about the man. But let us deal with it as much as we can.

First, every householder was to take a lamb for his house and gather as many people as were able to eat it all, or else they were to call their neighbors to do the same. This paschal lamb was clearly described and pictured by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 5:7, 8, and he beautifully emphasizes what it means when he says: "We also have a paschal lamb, which is Christ, sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep Easter, not in the old leaven" 2c. As if St. Paul should say, It is not the Jews' paschal lamb, who have eaten an outward and bodily lamb, but a spiritual one, and it is not seen. For though he was seen of old by the apostles, which did eat and drink with Christ, and walked with him, yet is he not seen now; but is ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of his heavenly Father John 20:1. Therefore we now eat the Lord Christ, our true paschal lamb, in the new testament. As St. John the Baptist also says (Joh. 1, 29.): "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world."

This is a certain interpretation, that one makes a paschal lamb out of Christ, and leads the secret interpretation to him. Such a thing cannot be lacking, as little as Christ can be lacking, especially if this saying of John the Baptist is added to it;.

as there is also St. Paul's testimony here that he interprets the paschal lamb as referring to the Lord Christ and from him.

55 The first thing, then, is to take the sheep from the flock. But if there have been many paschal lambs, someone might say, "Do we have as many Christos as there are Christians, just as there must have been as many paschal lambs here as there were houses? Know that there is a physical, external being there, since they could not all dwell in one house; but the same great multitude at that time has now moved into one being, so that even though they are not all in one place now, we must all have at least one paschal lamb. This is the first thing, that Christ should not remain among the Jews alone, but should also be accepted among the Gentiles.

The other is that one should also draw and take the nearest neighbors to eat the paschal lamb 2c. With this he wants (as St. Paul also teaches to the Romans) that Christ may be spread the more. For it is not enough that these or those know Christ, but we are to spread it out and proclaim it to everyone, so that many people may come to this one house, yes, the whole world may be brought to the kingdom of Christ. Perhaps in those days there were many houses in which as many people were found as there had to be at the paschal lamb, so that it could be completely eaten. But here, in the New Testament, it is always lacking, there are never enough Christians Ps. 12:2 that we should stop inviting guests to this paschal lamb, but we should always go on and preach, and also find ourselves to those to whom Christ has not been preached before, and teach them, who have not known Christ, that they may also be brought to the spiritual kingdom of Christ. Their paschal lamb intake was physical, but ours is spiritual. And God took the same paschal lamb, we did not choose it; this paschal lamb taking is spiritual.

57 Third, take such a sheep that has no defect in it, except that it is limping, one-eyed, skewed, or mangy. That is, Christ is to be recognized and eaten,

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to have him alone and to hold him as the one who is without blemish and healthy. For the paschal lamb had to be brought up pure, that is, to have pure doctrine of Christ as it is before God. A little lamb that has no blemish in the sight of men is not inquired about by God, but for this reason it is necessary that we recognize Christ as completely pure, as the innocent, undefiled little lamb that has not committed any sin, as St. Peter speaks of it in his first epistle Cap. 1, 19. and also as the one to the Hebrews Cap. 7, 26., that we have such a bishop who is innocent and holy. For there is no other man on earth who can have this glory and title, that he has no sin Proverbs 2O:6, except the Lord Christ, who has no blemish.

(58) This then is our Christian faith, that we know and confess that all men have faults, are defiled, guilty, and infirm, even Christians; they all have sin: but the Lord Christ is perfect, pure, holy, and righteous. Therefore this also is the cause that we must eat him always. For they that know not Christ, nor cleave unto him, are utterly dead, and are nothing. But those who know and accept him are true, living people John 6:53, 54. And these are something, but still they are not entirely pure; they are Christians, but not the Lord Christ Himself. They are something, but still they are not pure in this life. Therefore let no one ascribe or attribute this title to himself, that he may be without blemish, that he may have cause to eat Christ always, while he liveth.

59. fourthly, they shall take a male. This can be taken to mean that Christ was a man. But it is not enough, because it is not based on faith. For a woman is a man as well as a man. But in the holy scripture Gen. 3, 17. 1 Cor. 11, 3. it is written that the man is made the head of the woman, and that the woman enjoys all the goods and honor of the man. For husband and wife are one body, that one should take care of the other, and what happens to one should also happen to the other, for they are one thing. So Christ is not to be a person or a man by himself.

without spot or blemish, full of wisdom and righteousness, innocent and holy, which would not save me; for he, and not I, would have enough of it.

(60) Thus the sophists have painted him to be both man and God, counting his legs and arms, and mixing his two natures together in a strange way, which is only a sophistical knowledge of the Lord Christ. For Christ is not called Christ because he has two natures. What is that to me? But he bears this glorious and consoling name from the office and work which he has taken upon himself; the same gives him the name. That he is man and God by nature is his own; but that he has turned his ministry to this end and poured out his love and become my Savior and Redeemer, this is for my comfort and benefit; it is for my sake that he will make his people sinless. In the first chapter of Matthew, v. 21, the angel Gabriel tells us that he is to be called Jesus, not because he is God and man, but because he is to lead the ministry and enter into the work of helping people from sins and death. This makes him a man. We should also consider him to be the head and ruler of Christianity and all godliness. The Lord Christ is the husband of Christianity, and it is his wife; as St. Paul also masterfully emphasizes to the Ephesians in the fifth chapter, vv. 25-27, saying: "Christ loved his church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, and cleanse it with the bath of water in the word, that he might present to him a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and blameless.

61 Thus, if a man loves his wife, she is the most beautiful and dearest to him, if she alone is pious and honest. For love shares all honor with her, and gives her body, goods and everything, the name and title, so that she has what the man has. She sits with him in common goods and honor. And as a woman may speak to her husband, so also a Christian speaks to the Lord Christ. For the woman has all authority in the house, except that the man is the head and lord, or ruler; yet the woman takes all things for herself, and

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grasps the good as if it were his own. So a Christian also sets himself against the Lord Christ, only that he, the Lord Christ, is the head, the man and Lord, from whom one has all good and honor, which alone is the difference. For Christ's innocence, life and righteousness are mine, so is the kingdom of heaven and the Holy Spirit also mine, even all things that he has, is able to do and has obtained, these are mine, mine. For the church is his flesh and blood, two shall be one body, they sit in common possession. Thus Christ is to be known, that he is the husband and head of Christendom, and that the church is his housewife and bride.

62. fifth, the lamb shall be one year old. So that it is not too young, it must not be less than one year old, but of a perfect age. So the Lord Christ is also a perfect man, he has perfect authority in heaven and on earth Matth. 28, 18., he can rule well, he lacks and is not lacking in anything that belongs to the government.

He is a man who accepts the impossible. Item, he is one year old, which is that he can and will do what he desires. He who eats Christ in this way is worthy of God's attention. He is old enough, that is, strong enough and able. He shall be young, that is, God has pleasure and love for him; he is pleasant and respected, strong and mighty, and he can and will help with pleasure and love. Thus God depicted the Lord Christ with the little paschal lamb.

64. sixthly, from the lambs and goats it shall be taken. The Lord Christ is to be taken from men, for he is also like them, and is to serve and shepherd us. Therefore God says: From the herd or from the flock you shall take the paschal lamb. You shall let it go in the herd, and not raise a special one in the corner. God orders it diligently, so that He may well mix and bake Christ in us, and not separate Him out, so that He may be of the flesh and blood of which we are. Which the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 2, 16 praises exceedingly: that God does not take the angelic nature, but our flesh.

and blood, Abraham's seed. That is, God did not become an angel, but a man, and such a man, who walked among other men Apost. 10, 38, like another man, as St. Paul in the epistle to the Philippians in the other chapter, v. 6. 7.He said: "When he was like God, he did not think that he was robbery, but expressed himself as if he were not God, and stood down, humiliated as another man, and was found equal to us in all things. 2c.

This is the right description of Christ. He suffered all the bodily hardships that we suffer; he spoke and laughed as we do; he presented himself as if he were not God, but expressed himself according to divine power and nature; that is, he was as much a man as we are Heb. 2:14. Now here we have strength and comfort in Christ, that we may know him to be such a man as we are, and not flee from him, or be afraid of him, for there is no creature more lovely than man. As he who is alone feels. For when he wanders at night, it is not so pleasant to hear a dog or a horse as to hear a man. For one thinks better of a man than of an angel, of whom one would be frightened and horrified, as the examples of Scripture often testify. And although men are sometimes evil and wicked among themselves, yet the right nature and character of man in Christ is that we should have recourse to him in temptations and all troubles, as to him who is able to help. And so Christ is also pictured here, that he is not otherwise compared to a wild animal, but is like a little lamb, which is lovely, has no defect, is so pleasing to God that he does not reject it, which is a male, and takes care of us. Item, which is a year old, which has power and strength.

The seventh was to keep the lamb until the fourteenth day of the month, that is, until the time of the coming of Christ. For thus it is written and ordained of Moses, that Christ should keep the paschal lamb.

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was to become a little lamb for us. This has passed away, and the little lamb was kept until the fourteenth day, that is, until the time came for him to appear Gal. 4:4. Or the fourteen days may be taken to indicate the desire; the little hour when the soul is in anguish and distress Isa. 54:8, Ps. 30:6, and desires comfort; that the law goes before, that it presses the conscience to the knowledge of sin; that it thirsts and hungers after the grace of God Isa. 66:2. For the Lord Christ tastes no one but a hungry and thirsty soul.

67 For this reason it is postponed for fourteen days, that is, for a short time, so that souls may be led to the knowledge of their sin, misery and infirmity, and lie in the hunger and thirst of grace, so that these fourteen days may be the time of the law, in which we must all be stuck and lie, that is, hunger and thirst. For with desire, lust and love the Lord wants this food to be accepted. This food does not belong to a full soul.

Here also, in and through Christ, all the good works that can be done to merit God's grace are excluded. The fortnight is the time of the law, the knowledge of sin, since the law makes us sinners. Therefore, we should not build on our good works or undertake anything that will stand before God, but we should have this little lamb alone. It reads as if one should take a sheep; but he speaks in the Hebrew way, that whoever does not eat this little paschal lamb is lost.

69. to the eighth: And every company in all Israel should slay it between evenings. That is, in every house one should eat such a little paschal lamb. Whoever does not do this and does not eat Christ, the true paschal lamb, is not helped. But how is Christ slain by us? This happens when we recognize that Christ died for us, and when, according to St. Paul, we confess and preach Christ, as he says: "I sanctify the gospel, that is, I sacrifice the gospel. There he interprets the ministry of preaching that it should be a ministry of slaughter. The sacrificing he draws all

time to the ministry of preaching. For I make a great sacrifice to God when I preach about Christ Ps. 116, 17. With the preaching of Christ I offer the highest and most beloved sacrifice to God, and fulfill all the sacrifices, what they mean, and kill the old man, and convert them, so that they become new men.

70. The ninth is to be slaughtered between evening and evening. One shall preach and confess when it is half night and evening; this time is called the evening or the last hour, as the Lord Christ indicates in the parables; and John in the fifth chapter, v. 28, is said: "The time is coming" 2c. For the last day shall follow this sermon, and after this sermon no other shall arise from GOD. The devil may raise others, as he raises heresies for and against; but God first gave the Law; now, at the end of the world, Christ comes, bringing the preaching of the Gospel, which teaching the Holy Spirit has brought. For this is the last sermon in the world, and is called a sermon that comes at evening Matt. 20:8, that is, at the end of the world. This little lamb is to be slain, that is, of this Christ alone is to be preached.

71. tenth, "And thou shalt take his blood, and put it upon the two posts of the door, and upon the topmost threshold of the houses, where they eat it within. This can be applied to the ministry of preaching. For the sprinkling or the coating is done with the mouth or with the tongue. Others draw it on human thoughts, on memory and understanding, or on reason; but God speaks of the things that belong in the church. For in all Christendom, in the assembly, they shall eat the paschal lamb, which hath not my thoughts, nor thine, but another. Therefore do according to the teaching of St. Peter, who also says: "We are sprinkled with the blood of Christ" 1 John 1:7, Acts 1:5. 1, 5.j. For if we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, let us preach everywhere about the paschal lamb, so that the whole world may know how the little lamb died for us and shed his blood for us. So when I preach about Christ that he died for us

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blood, then I sprinkle and sprinkle the uppermost threshold. When I preach that he has reconciled me to God, that wherever I turn, I see the blood everywhere in the doorway, 1) and especially at the door where one goes in and out; for this is why the door was made by the carpenter.

In the Holy Scriptures, the door is called a man's walk and life, which he leads. Therefore, in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, v. 3, it is said of St. Luca that the Lord Christ went out and came in among them, that is, had his walk and life among them. As is also said in the 121st Psalm, v. 8: God has his entrance and exit with us, just as it otherwise happens in this life. So then life should be fasted in such a way that through the preaching the blood is sprinkled over itself, and the swellings are covered with it, namely, when I speak of my nature and life as it is before God, that nothing else helps me but the blood of Christ.

73. This then is a right covering, and there then is the blood of Christ between God and me. What I do then pleases God, for the blood is between me and God. Therefore, my work is pleasing to God. For so shall all the works of a Christian be put and put into the blood of Christ, that they may be acceptable and pleasing to God.

For the blood of Christ protects me on the right hand against the temptation of goods, when one is well; item, on the left hand, when Satan tempts me with persecution of body, good and honor. On the right hand, when he attacks us with pretense and cunning, as happens with the spirits of the wicked. On the left hand, when he bursts in and strikes with persecution, fear, gloom, and other things, so that he attacks us on the left, as the one and ninetieth Psalm, v. 7, says: "Though ten thousand fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, it shall not fall upon thee.

75 Therefore let the preachers watch, defend, and preach. When you are challenged

1. In this sentence the "Constructiv" is broken. It should probably read: When I preach that he has reconciled me against God, then I see, where I turn, the blood everywhere in the exit 2c.

that they admonish you to remember the blood of Christ and to take comfort in it, so that you may know that it pleases God. This must be preached diligently, whether any false prophets arise, that we always keep the blood of Christ, and go between, that our walk may be in the blood of Christ, whether a man live or die, or whether he be sweet or sour. This is what the preaching ministry should do Is. 30, 8. 21. Ezek. 33, 2.ff..

Now he comes to how one should eat the paschal lamb. So far, he has said of the blood of the paschal lamb how to take it and sprinkle and coat the top of the threshold with it, which is nothing other than how to preach, proclaim, mark, and make known who Christ is. Faith is the food that contains and strengthens us. Just as the belly, when it eats and drinks, takes food, swallows it up, and returns it to the place where it is turned into blood, so that the food of the body becomes nourishment: so also a man eats spiritually when he swallows and drinks Christ, brings Christ into himself, and Christ nourishes him.

77. Therefore this eating is nothing else but the true, right faith of the heart, if you accept Christ with right faith, and know 2) that he has shed his blood for you, and that this comforts and strengthens you in cross and hardship, because you believe it without any wavering of the heart, So you eat Christ and digest him 3) in you, and he comes into you, that you may become one thing spiritually, having one mind and one thought, and one will, and one wisdom, and one prudence, and one strength, and one gain, that you may become a new man, daily increasing, growing, becoming great, fat, and strong in the knowledge of the Lord Christ Col. 3, 10.. As the Lord Christ John also says of this in the 6th chapter, v. 35: "He that eateth me shall not hunger." There you also have the spiritual food of the heart. For what a Christian eats with his mouth does not help him in his Christianity 1 Cor. 8:8, but if the heart eats something by faith, it helps, and through it the heart eats.

2. Eislebensche: wissest.
3. In the original: "bauest".

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one becomes a rich, complete Christian before God, so that everything he does pleases God.

(78) In the twelfth Moses says, "Ye shall therefore eat flesh that night. He calls "flesh" the Lord Christ, although he does not yet clearly express Christ's flesh; but he wants to say, "You are inclined to eat that which is good for the body and is pleasant: Well then, I will give you once a right flesh to eat, from which you will be glad to eat, and which is fleshly food.

79 Moses has presented the little paschal lamb to us until now, by which the Holy Spirit has signified and shown us our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in two ways; first, how I should preach about him, and also what I should think of him. That the little lamb should be a male and not a female. First, that the lamb should be a male and not a female. Also, that it be slaughtered and sacrificed in the evening, so that the two pillars at the door may be covered 2c. In this, the preaching of the divine word is actually described to us, that we should preach about Christ, how he reconciles God and us with each other, and leads us in the world, both on the right and on the left.

80 Then the other part was how to eat the paschal lamb. Namely, one should take this little lamb, sacrifice it, slaughter it and roast it to eat it. This is now to lead the ministry and to present Christ or the oral word, and is "to eat" in and to take in, so that the man digests it and transforms it into himself, from which he becomes fat and healthy, increases and grows Ps. 107, 9. For therefore it is slaughtered, that it should be eaten. So it is also preached that we are saved, made fat and strong by Christ, which is nothing else but faith. Faith is the spiritual eating and digesting, by which all things are strengthened, and Christ is better known, which things we have in him, and which we ought to have in him. Therefore, in the sixth chapter of John, v. 54, 51, it is also said: "He who eats my flesh", item: "He who eats of your bread never dies. After this, eating also gives strength and power, which makes alive Christ in us, and again us in Christ.

receives. Moses interprets it in one another, that we are changed into Christ, and Christ into us; that is, eat, as he says, "This night then eat the flesh."

Otherwise eating flesh is an evil sign in the holy scriptures, as God also forbade to eat blood in Moses Gen. 9:4, 3:7, 26, 5:12, 16. And so elsewhere "eating flesh" means believing, and there one thinks something of flesh and blood. But when one preaches of the sensible life, as the hypocrites have done, there is flesh and blood as it was born of Adam. Then there are the real carnivores, who believe that they can still do something by their powers and abilities, so that they will be converted to God. This is forbidden, and such carnivores will not remain unpunished.

82 But there is much other meat prepared to be eaten, and it is commanded to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter salts. For it is a different food. As if to say, "Hitherto they have taught and preached how to be godly, but it is man's way, and only as reason thinks good. If ye will be well fed and taught, then will I also once give you meat to eat, but such meat as Christ dwelleth in. So Christ is our food, that he gives us his body and blood, as he naturally received it from his mother; this is our spiritual food and drink, not for the flesh alone, but that God dwells in it. He does not say, The flesh is the food, and the blood is the drink, but: My flesh and my blood; mine, for I am GOD.

If I believe that Christ hung on the cross for me, and truly became flesh and blood, and yet is God, and this person, being God, dares to give his flesh and blood for me (for God could not otherwise suffer or die; but therefore he took the flesh to himself, that he might suffer, and gave his flesh and blood for me, thus helping me) - if I now believe that this flesh was given and sacrificed for me on the cross, that is, to eat and drink, that is,

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Believe Christ's blood and body was given for me.

This could not have been done by all the flesh of the saints; no one could have said: If you believe that this body was given for you, you will be saved. No, they cannot say that; only this Son of God, this divine person, applies this piece, his body and blood, to me. Therefore his flesh and blood is as valid as he is valid. For the person is God, therefore this flesh and blood has no end, but means something eternal, and also remains eternal. Otherwise all flesh is vain and nothing Is. 40, 8. Ps. 62, 10., except when this man comes and says: "My flesh is your food" 2c. Jn. 6, 55., for I am GOD. This person is too high.

This eating is believing in Christ, and drinking his blood is believing with all your heart that he was given to death for us. This is what God wanted to indicate to the Jews through this outward Easter feast. They were bodily, and had to eat bodily of the little lamb, but we eat spiritually of it, that is, we believe that the flesh and blood of the Lord Christ was given for us. But the same eating is done by the Holy Spirit.

86. To the thirteenth he saith, In that night. When the evening came, they slaughtered the lamb, and until the paschal lamb was prepared, it was night, and they had to eat it in the dark. So we should also eat the paschal lamb at night. If I really believe in Christ, my heart and soul are nourished by the fact that he gave his body for me, and I do not doubt it, then it is night; I then have nothing more in the wide world Phil. 1, 21. Gal. 2, 20., my life is hidden in Christ, and we have died to the world, as St. Paul says to Colossians Cap. 3, 3..

Otherwise the world with its reason has a light 2 Cor. 4, 3, and shines beautifully, saying: This you shall eat on this day, and so you shall clothe yourself on that day, live so and so, do this and that. This order does this today, tomorrow that order does something else, it prays, fasts, and does this and that; thus bind and grasp the "certain" with laws, that it should all be valid before God.

and look after these things. But a Christian closes his eyes, and does not ask anything about it, lives in the day, and says: Before God I am no better, I eat meat or fish, or whatever is put before me Rom. 14, 2. f.. A Christian's conscience does not turn to it, but says: God has set before me a paschal lamb, of which I shall eat, and I will remain so. For one should cling to his word alone. If outward things come, let them go to him. Therefore the world to a Christian is a noisy night and darkness, which faith makes, which hangs only on the blood of Jesus Christ, and looks at nothing else, nor respects anything else.

88. On the fourteenth, Moses often instructed that the paschal lamb should be eaten with unleavened bread, or sweet bread should be used, since no leaven had come, and that such sweet bread should be eaten for eight days. What this means is explained by the Lord Christ Himself in the Gospel of Matthew the sixteenth, v. 11, where He says: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. For they held their human doctrines higher than God's commandment; they abrogated God's commandment, so that only their doctrines remained. This hypocritical teaching of theirs is called "leaven" by the Lord, so that the peelers, the Pharisees, deceived the people. So now with the sweet bread it is indicated that one should keep the faith pure, because it cannot suffer any addition. Do not mix in the doctrine of men, for faith does not suffer it.

89. The same thing is said by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 5:7: "Get rid of the old leaven"; for all leaven is that which does not live Christianly; and commands that one who had taken his stepmother in marriage should be cast out of the church and not suffer. So leaven is false doctrine and a wickedly vexatious life and example. For one mangy sheep is apt to infect a whole flock, and the spreading 1) pestilence makes other people sick also. Therefore, the word "leaven" is used here for teaching, although it is also often used for life. So then we are to take the faith that
90. "braiding" probably as much as lichen-like. (This meaning is missing in Dietz.)

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We must take Christ, the little lamb, so that our conscience may be and remain pure, clean, and bad, clinging to Christ alone. But this is very difficult, and becomes sour for those who are held captive by laws. Therefore one must live by faith alone. Faith brings us to the suffering and death of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise our nature wants to perform ceremonies and all kinds of meritorious works for the conscience to control and rely on, but this is leaven. So Moses wants to encourage us to keep the faith pure and unadulterated, and to beware of all additions and little human feelings, because leaven is like an addition.

For the fifteenth, it should be eaten with bitter salsify. For it tastes good if there is a little vinegar with it; this is given by nature, that bitter salts and sour herbs taste good next to good roasting2). But it means that one should crucify the old Adam, to whom it should become sour. Faith restores the heart, makes it strong and confident in Christ, who died for us and was given into death. To this belongs and should follow that the old Adam must be armored according to the outward man Gal. 5, 13. 16. 17.; sour grapes must be there, the conscience must be attacked and struck. For the gospel is not a sermon for coarse, crude, desolate sinners who live without some devotion, but is a comfort for afflicted souls Matt. 11:28. For it is a tender food that a hungry soul wants to have. Therefore the dear Virgin Mary also sings in her Magnificat Luc. 1, 53., "He hath satisfied the hungry with good things."

Otherwise, the mad mob falls in, and all want to be evangelical and Christian brothers, and then they create mobs and all kinds of misfortune. The devil on their head they are. A Christian is not insolent, wild and crude, but his conscience is stupid, fainthearted and despondent, sin bites them, and they are afraid of God's wrath and of the devil and death. The Lord Christ is good to such a downcast and troubled heart. Item,

1. control--support.
2. Roasted or Gebratnis - roast.

Redemption from sin, death, the devil and hell is also good for those who are in death and feel such distress and would like to have rest; they get it when the heart has faith, but they also feel how frail the old Adam is.

92. sixteenth, the paschal lamb shall not be eaten raw, nor boiled with water, but only roasted by the fire. There are two kinds of faith: one is when one hears the gospel and the Holy Spirit enlightens, stirs and kindles the heart to accept and believe. This faith makes one free from sins and blessed, but the other faith grows out of our head. As when one hears the gospel of Christ preached, how he died for us, and wants to understand and grasp this with reason; as one finds all too many people who think they know it and have faith; this is a faith that comes from our powers, and is a dream, an image that occurs to one at night, but not true faith. It is the same as when a man finds money in his sleep or wins a city; in a dream it seems serious, but when he wakes up, there is nothing behind it. So it is with them also; they think they have it, and are good Christians, have faith and understand Christ very well. But this faith soon comes to an end; when persecution comes, that one should suffer danger to property, honor and body, then the eyes are opened, and the dream is gone. The Lord Christ is forgotten, for it was only a pretense and a delusion of faith. Just as one sees a man's image and face in water or in a mirror, it looks quite like it, and seems to him as if he saw the same man, but it is really nothing. So when it comes to the meeting, this faith also flees away and lets itself be seen that it is nothing. This is what is preached here, that the little lamb should be roasted with fire.

To cook with water is to kindle with reason, since the fire does not come to the lamb, nor may the cold of the water warm it; rather, the heat is driven in by the water. Water is called such a conceit and opinion, since one thinks that one knows Chri-

860 Eri. ss, Ms-225. Sermon on Exodus 12. W. m, 1L87-12M. 861

stum, and yet is wrong. But so it shall be: I hear the gospel well, and it seems to me that I understand it; but I do not trust in it, but I ask God to give me faith in his word Luc. 17:5, which is true faith and not imaginary faith. I did not invent it in a dream, but the Holy Spirit made it righteous in my heart, without my strength, through the word that is preached. He himself kindles such a fire Luc. 12, 49, and lights up my heart with a new light and fervor, so that in the midst of death I do not forget the Lord Christ.

The watery or false faith disappears. Just as an image disappears from a mirror, so this faith does not hold the puff and sting, but the fiery faith that the Holy Spirit kindles, that same faith endures, even though it is sometimes frightened and distressed. For there is still the old Adam wriggling, yet so he endures. The fire is the Holy Spirit, who roasts the paschal lamb in us, and establishes a right faith, so that we accept Christ and remain with him, and we also are roasted and not boiled, just as he was roasted by fire. Now to this faith belongs temptation and affliction, that it may burn quickly and not be quenched. And he that believeth aright hath a fire, that is, he regardeth not his reason. For faith is not a human but a divine power, as St. Paul says to the Romans Cap. 1, 16.

95 This power does not rust, nor is it idle, but is overwhelmed with tribulation, so that man may see that he is not walking in his own power, but in divine power. And faith is never stronger and more glorious than when affliction and temptation are greatest; for this reason faith is called fiery. And I fear very much that our much faith also is watery, that we speak of it much only with the mouth; but when the blows come, that we are persecuted, then this fire comes, and the little lamb is roasted in our heart. So the former is false faith, but the latter is true faith; the former is watery faith, but the latter is fiery faith.

96. to the seventeenth, one shall celebrate the Easter

Eat the lamb, its head with its thighs and entrails. The head they have made the deity, but the thighs the humanity of Christ. I will take it in one heap. For this is what he means by saying that the paschal lamb is to be eaten whole and nothing is to be left of it. To eat it whole I mean to eat Christ whole, to cling to him alone, and to seek nothing else but him. This will serve against the faith of the Jews, who do not consider Christ to be the true Savior, and pretend that the Messiah has not yet come, and wait for another Messiah, for another faith, and for another teaching. But know that he who has Christ has everything in one heap.

So, if I believe in Christ, I have forgiveness of sin, dominion over death and the devil, and eternal life. Here nothing is lacking, not a claw nor a hair is missing. God always wants to keep us in pure faith, so there should be no addition that one wants to improve it, or doubt as if something is lacking in it; as St. Paul to Colossians Cap. 1, 12 calls faith the whole inheritance. As if he should say: Faith has it all in itself, be it above, in the middle or at the end: take it where you will, and you will have it. So we are sure and certain that we have everything and eat everything.

98. To the eighteenth, 1) That nothing of it be left over until tomorrow. The Jews wait as if another little paschal lamb were to come, and want to have their little paschal lamb extended until another one comes, and another teaching is brought to them, or the day dawns; which teaching that little paschal lamb burned up and annulled still goes on, although the day has passed and the little paschal lamb has come. 2) That is, the Old Testament is finished, it is no longer valid; therefore he commanded that they should keep to the same, and if anything else existed and remained, it should be done with fire, that is, with the
99. The Erlanger has here and at the following section: "To the 19th".
100. The meaning of this sentence will be: although the right paschal lamb, Christ, has raised the doctrine of a future paschal lamb, this doctrine is still held by the Jews, although 2c.

862 Erl. SS, 2SS-SS7. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, 1289-1292. 863

Holy Spirit be burned. As if to say: We have everything in Christ, and it is not necessary for us to keep all kinds of customs, manners and ceremonies, or to do the works of the Old Testament, but we have everything in Christ. So faith abides in Christ, and has its joy, pleasure and play in him. This is what the little paschal lamb of the Jews was to remind them of, until Christ, the right, true little lamb, came and took it away. As we see then that all things are done for his sake, and all things go to him, that we may be made perfect and rich in the preaching and knowledge of the Lord Christ Col. 3:16.

(99) So we have heard how one should eat the paschal lamb, that is, preach about Christ. One should preach and teach that one should eat it whole, that is, one should preach nothing but the whole faith alone, which does everything for God. Now he will prepare in a wonderful way the people who are to eat the paschal lamb, since we should teach the people beforehand how they should wash their hands and put on new clothes before they eat the paschal lamb. But God reverses the order here. For the Holy Scriptures would gladly prevent our works, so that we might first believe and trust in Christ through the Word of God, humble ourselves, and place everything in God.

100 Passover means entrance or transition, and is therefore called that the angel by God's command went through all the land of Egypt in one night and killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians. This means the suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord Christ, by which he left this world and came to his heavenly Father. In the same passage he defeated sin, death, the devil and hell, and redeemed all his Christians and believers from this Egyptian prison, and leads them to his heavenly Father. This is ours, the Christians, and the right, comforting, joyful Passover or Easter. So the evangelist John, in the 16th chapter, v. 28. says that Christ said to his disciples: "Again I leave the world and go to the Father." This is the right course.

101. to the nineteenth: "To your loins

you shall be girded." The Holy Scripture speaks moderately and chastely and not insolently. St. Peter makes it spiritual, and wants us not to have various sects in faith, but to remain in one faith. But here God wants to establish the outward discipline that one should keep chastity, and commands that one should gird up the loins. For the Holy Scriptures attribute chastity to the loins. So also in the first book of Moses it is said that from the loins Abraha shall be born zc. Therefore it means not only the discipline or chastity, but the whole body. Just as the whole man is born of one woman, so it also means here the whole discipline of the outward whole conduct, that one leads an honorable and chaste life, not wild, raw or evil Rom. 12, 2.. For if one believes in God, he eats the paschal lamb. But after that I gird up my loins, that is, I keep the body in discipline and restraint, so that I myself do not fall into sin, nor do I present others with an evil life 1 Cor. 9:27.

102. to the twentieth: "And have your shoes on your feet." God gives to each one his modest portion: to this woman the man, and again to the man also that woman, and that one so, the other otherwise lives, does and behaves among the people. Therefore they cannot and should not all walk in the same way. This is what putting on shoes means. For he that putteth on shoes prepareth himself to go, and is directed to walk.

One cannot imitate all the cases and examples of the patriarchs or their works. That is an evil allegory. One should not imitate the examples of the saints everywhere, but look at their faith and the fruits of faith, and learn to follow them. God leads each one his own way. But take care that you may believe as they believed. Therefore, this piece means the armor or readiness of the gospel, that our feet are booted and clothed with the gospel of peace. For therefore put on nian shoes, that one may be equipped and skillful to walk; that is, to be exercised to understand the gospel, to read it, to preach it, to do it, to sing it, to handle it always.

864 Erl. SS, W7-SS0. Sermon on Exodus 12. W. Ill, I292-I2SS. 865

That here the whole way is prepared, and that we do everything with the gospel, in the gospel, and through the gospel that we have to do, as St. Paul Eph. 6:15 also interprets it.

104. for the first and twentieth: "And you shall have staffs in your hands. The purpose of the staff is to help a man to walk and to lean on it when he is tired; item, that he may rely on it and take courage. Such a staff is now also the dear gospel Ps. 23, 4. When we live in this world and are troubled and weary, there should always be comfort, strength, admonition and stimulation from the gospel. The preaching of the gospel should always teach, admonish and comfort, stimulate, urge and entice, so that one continues and does not become lazy or idle. Therefore, it is necessary that one should be for and with the word, and wake up the old, rotten maggot sack, so that it does not become sleepy and lazy. This is called having the rod in one's hands and shoes on one's feet, that is, teaching and admonishing from God's Word.
105. second and twentieth, "And they shall eat it as they hasten away." They shall not so eat it hastily, and chew the cud nimbly, and cackle, as geese eat oats; but they shall eat it hastily, as they that would be glad of it; that this "eating hastily" is more of the heart than of the mouth, as they that are in fear. Therefore it is a frightened haste, and not a bad haste. The meal does not want to last long, any two, three or four hours. It should only be a backbite 1) or morning bread, that one stands and eats, since one does not give much food, and quickly goes on his way. For God says: You shall go out of Egypt with haste. For they were chased as if the Egyptians were after them with clubs. Because of this, they ate the paschal lamb with haste, trembling and trembling, so that they did not dine or sit down long, as if they had been invited to a wedding, but they wanted to get up and leave.

This is the hope of Christians. For they that believe in Christ know that

1. Backbite - a small snack.

this life must be over, and we have no lasting place here, as the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 13, 14 says. It is not a matter of settling here, but of standing for a short time Eph. 6:14, that is, those who hear the gospel and know Christ have no reason to stay here, but they think on and want to go away to another country. There it is also true. As the children of Israel hastened out of Egypt unto the promised land, so shall the faithful go out of this life unto another and eternal life. Therefore this life is not pleasing to a Christian, he thinks more of this than of this; he also has more desire for this than for this worldly life Col. 3, 1. ff. But the old Adam resists hard, and this bitter salve does not want to taste to him; however, the faith must go. For in this life there is nothing else but sin, plague, misfortune; so the flesh and the devil still clings to our necks; so God also punishes sin in this world Ps. 90, 5. ff.. But how do I get out of this life? For he who bites at the pleasures of this world does not like to do without it, but he who believes in Christ and has the Holy Spirit despises this life 2c.

107. "For it is the Lord's Passover," that is, passage, so he punished Egypt in his passage.

This is the interpretation of the paschal lamb, which God commanded Mosiah that the children of Israel should eat. Such lovely paschal lamb, which was ordered so long ago, is now set with us, who have the gospel and Christ, and eat, drink and are nourished by the true paschal lamb, which is Christ. In this faith the children of Israel also ate the paschal lamb, and in this faith they were saved, except that they had a covering over their eyes, and it was somewhat dark and hidden from them, and they saw only the outward, bodily lamb. But because they had God's word, they also recognized Christ, and remembered and were comforted by the paschal lamb, and stood in this faith of ours and were saved Rom. 1:2, Eph. 4:5.

866 He,. SS, 2S0-2S2. Interpretations of the second book of Moses. W. Ill, l2S5-l2S8. 867

109 Now follow at the end still some pieces: as, to the third and twentieth, that no stranger nor hireling, or housemate, should eat from the paschal lamb. This is the difference between the figures and the fulfillment or interpretation. The figures commonly call it a work or deed put in measure of a law, that it signifies a work which men do; and this signification of the figure remains with God, that he should do it, or Christ by the Holy Spirit. The latter is done by men; but this is done without the work of men. For believing in Christ is not done by our works. A Christian is not made by being called so; a Christian is not made by laws, commandments or works, but it happens from above, as a divine and not human work Joh. 3, 3. Jac. 1, 17.. Thus the figures are fulfilled; that was done by men, this is fulfilled by God.

(110) Here it is commanded that a foreign man or woman, a stranger, and an uncircumcised man shall not eat of the passover, but only the children of Israel. This is a work and commandment not done by men; it is not a human but a divine work, and means that no one can eat the paschal lamb properly unless he is a member of Christ and a citizen of the Christian church Eph. 2:19, because it is done by the Holy Spirit and not by good works. Therefore no foreigner or unbeliever can use this lamb without the Holy Spirit. Even though the Israelites often had two or more of them living together in one house, the master and the housemate, the stranger, housemate, hireling or servant could not eat of it; it did not help him that he was and lived with the master in one house, he was not allowed to use and enjoy the paschal lamb. It is the same when many in the Christianity gather to the church and are all called Christians, are among the Christians, have the appearance and work, receive the sacrament of the altar, are baptized, and yet are stuck in unbelief and godless, sinful nature, they are false Christians and hirelings [Matth.

1. In the original: none.

7, 21. ff], unless they come further; otherwise they remain our housemates and do not enjoy the paschal lamb. For they are Christians only in name, appearance, and outward behavior, but inwardly and fundamentally there is nothing behind them. Therefore, everyone must form Christ in himself and become Christian, renew himself completely, otherwise he will not be able to eat this paschal lamb in the new testament.

(111) A servant, that is, a purchased servant from among the foreign people, and not an Israelite servant, who after all would be circumcised, this one should be counted among the Jews. But it is this meaning, that unbelief and the old sackcloth or Adam should be cut off from the heart. For circumcision is through the gospel and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, even though he is a Gentile, he comes among the Jews. This means the Gentiles, who are foreigners, but bought by the blood of Christ, and brought here to be with the Jews, that is, with the apostles and righteous members of Christ, have also believed, and have become one kitchen with them. Therefore they have been spiritually circumcised. This is not by our work, but by the work of the Holy Spirit.

In the old days, a bought servant was not efficient according to the jure civili, but now one has servants for hire; one no longer buys them, but hires them and gives them a wage. This law, that in former times men were bought as his] ox or sheep, God does not abolish here, but he confirms it. A poor man had to sell his daughters or sons, as in the Evangelist Matthew Cap. 18, 25. the Lord, who reckoned with his servant, said, sell and pay him, his wife and children 2c. Such has been the way and custom of old, and does not hinder Christian life.

Therefore it is an inconsistent pretense that some do in our time, who say, If we are Christians, all things must be common to us, and make of faith a human thing. People do not make and order a Christian faith; neither will it be done by their association; but it comes down from above.

868 Erl. zg, ssr-2S4. Sermon on Exodus 12. W. Ill, I2S8-I300. 869

From the collection of the mobs, we do not become Christians. If it were true to inscribe the name, we would want to be the best Christians. And so the Turks could also gather. Do not mix the Christian essence, because it does not come from the earth, but from above.

Thus the murderer of souls, the pope, also did that he commanded that one should go on pilgrimage, call upon the saints, buy letters of indulgence, and wanted to make Christians with these laws. But not yet, dear journeyman, no one should be forced to believe or be called a Christian, but wait until God makes him a Christian. Close your mouth and your eyes. God has the gospel preached in multitudes, after which he gives one another courage and the Holy Spirit, and he lives a Christian life. Now they want to make all Christians in the world and force them to become Christians, saying: "Dear brother, if you do not want to be a Christian, we will burn down your house.

Serfdom is not contrary to the Christian nature, and he who says so is a liar, but Christian freedom redeems souls, and Christ is a founder of the same spiritual freedom that is not seen. What is external, God lets go, and does not ask so much about it.

For the fourth and twentieth, every house shall have only one little paschal lamb. This commandment applied to the physical paschal lamb, so that each house slaughtered only one paschal lamb. But God says: I will make it so with my spiritual Paschal lamb, that all the world shall have only one Paschal lamb. For before all the world did not eat one little paschal lamb alone, but every householder had for himself one paschal lamb. Therefore by the one paschal lamb in each house it is meant that in Christianity only the one Christ is to rule, otherwise everything else is to be eliminated Apost. 4:12, that is, only the one mind and understanding of Christ is valid here, so that no divisions and sects are made among us, and divisions are caused, as happened with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1:12, where some said, "I am Apollonian," others were Petrine, and others were Roman.

third Pauline, but Christians, who would all have One Mouth, Sense and Understanding.

This unity among Christians is not enforced by the law, but infused by the Holy Spirit. This means that in one house no more than one paschal lamb is eaten. Nothing helps our salvation, except the Lord Christ alone. External things may help to bring about order, but this sense and unity in Christianity is maintained only by the Lord Christ through the Holy Spirit, so that all walk in one mind, heart and faith, as we confess in our Spmbolo with these words: The Holy Spirit keeps in one mind even 2c.

(118) Therefore these are foolish preachers, who by good works seek to make Christians, because they destroy the one mind and work which was made by Christ, and seek to change it into Moses; thus they destroy and corrupt the simple mind and faith; which the foolish prophets do now, and the foolish people follow after, who without this are very apt to do. Does this piece therefore signify the unity of mind, spirit and faith among Christians, that they may have one mind and understanding?

(119) The fifth and twentieth, that they should not eat the passover outside their house; that is, this passover should not be eaten among the unclean. And this goes against the heretics and false prophets who drag out Christ; there it is commanded, here it is offered. Eating within the house means this preaching ministry, which is done within the church of God. However, even though I preach, it does not go into the heart, except to those who are members of Christ, and who have a simple mind. Therefore, if I were to go forth and say, I will make this man a Christian by this and that work, as by iconoclasm or by making goods common, it is not possible.

120. sixth and twentieth, that the little lamb be not divided. To divide the lamb among those who are not Christians, or to divide it, is wrong. This was also commanded before; but now it is kept without commandment, by the Holy One.

870 Erl. ss, ss4-gs7. Interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. m, isoo-isos. 871

The one spirit cannot be divided and cut into classes, orders, works and sects, but only remains in one faith. St. John the Evangelist Cap. 19, 35. f. drew this to Christ when he was hanging on the cross. He did this out of the rest of the wealth of his understanding, and wove together the spiritual lamb Christ and the bodily lamb. Before the bones were bodily, and the blood of the lamb was also bodily, just as the flesh and blood of the Lord Christ is also bodily, but now the use and custom must be spiritual. That branch was bodily, but this custom is spiritual, of which in the same evangelist Cap. 6, 54-56. the Lord Christ says: "He who eats my flesh" 2c.

(121) Do not make a spiritual blood of Christ, for he did not give a spiritual body and blood for us, but a natural flesh, which he took from the Virgin Mary. Therefore this spiritual food is in the word "eat and drink". Although the Jews understood both as carnal, the Lord Christ says: "My words are spirit and life", indicating that such eating and drinking must be done spiritually. This is what is written and said here: Let the bodily legs remain.

But now we want to stay with the breaking, which is spiritual breaking. Bones signify the strength that sustains Christianity. For flesh and blood does not otherwise sustain Christianity, but the Holy Spirit gives it, that one may have strength, courage and fortitude, and not be oppressed. So death also devours the Lord Christ, but one must leave him the bones. He died by the power and strength of the flesh, but rose again by the strength of the Spirit. These are the bones, which are meant here in the spiritual sense, as that the Lord Christ could not be suppressed, even though he was very weak and died like another man, Isa. 63:5. Thus the bodily and spiritual legs are put together here; that is, the paschal lamb Christ, whom that paschal lamb meant, will die so that he nevertheless remains eternally. And here, the death and resurrection of the

Christ's Lord, because his bones have not been broken.

That was a work and a commandment that could be done to the executed or hanged men, but to break their bones on the gallows or on the cross; but this man, Christ, the Jews were not to break the bones, that is, in his highest weakness and in death he could still be kept whole. This must be a bodily sign that, just as the bones of the little lamb were not broken, so Christ also remained whole and rose again from death.

124 So now we have done the same with the paschal lamb of the Old Testament, and this means the preaching of the gospel, that one may know Christ and believe in him, in whom all things are fulfilled. Whoever knows this, then, sees how the Holy Spirit has pictured what the ministry of the gospel should be, what one should teach, what Christ is; namely, that one should preach how he shed his blood for us and gave his body for us, and that one cannot have or receive these things except through faith alone.

This is the first part of the spiritual interpretation of the paschal lamb. Now follows the other part, about the firstborn, what happened to them after they ate the paschal lamb and did everything that the Lord had commanded Most and Aaron.

V. 29. And at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in Egypt 2c.

This is the last sign and a terrible, great miracle that God did in Egypt, when He killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians; but the firstborn of Israel remained alive. With which miraculous work God proves His omnipotence, that in one night He kills the firstborn of men and cattle, which should justly arouse us to the fear of God; in addition, it shows His earnestness against the impenitent sinners, that He is not far from them with the punishment. In this way, he wants to give everyone cause for correction, and then also to show his grace and mercy, so that in this cruel plague that is coming upon the Egyptians, he will still be able to protect the people.

872 Erl. SS, rsi-rss. Sermon on Exodus 12:29, W. Ill, ILVL-ILVL. 873

Israel's firstborn is spared, 1) and in anger is still mindful of grace and mercy Hab. 3:2. Therefore we have to provide ourselves with everything good to God.

Finally this miraculous sign also confirms God's truth Ps. 111, 7. ff. For he had promised to kill the firstborn of Egypt and to lead the children of Israel out of the house of Egypt. This is happening now, that in the king's house, and in the house of the least shepherd, dead men and cattle are being recovered, and the Egyptians are forcibly driving the children of Israel out of their own land.

We have heard this history, now let us come to the allegory or secret interpretation. But if you want to follow the interpretations, and play the conscience of the redemption of the children of Israel, take first the Jews, then the Christians, in whom this redemption is finely and gloriously seen. Accordingly, it may also be applied to those who have it in common. When many Christians were made in the New Testament, the Jews wanted to be right, so the apostles also wanted to be right. The Jews wanted to keep the prize alone and by force, that they were God's people; but they had provided for it, and had deprived themselves of it and forfeited it. The Lord Christ also speaks of this and says: "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first" Matth. 20, 16. 19, 30. Marc. 10, 31. Luc. 13, 30.. There are two kinds of people here: The Jews, as the first, had God's word and the testimony of the prophets that no nation on earth should be preferred to them; they pride themselves on their firstborn, but are struck dead. But after them is a portion of the people who follow the apostles who preach Christ, and these are the ones who are baptized into Christ and are saved; these Christians and apostles are silent about their firstborn and are preserved. There is a battle and a fight over the firstborn.

129 Thus the pope also boasts against us of his firstborn, that he comes from the apostles, and has his doctrine from the ancient fathers and from so many conciliarities; but

1. Eislebensche: will.

We stand on it and say: Our teaching is right, yours is wrong, because it is man-made and cannot be proven from God's word. That is why the works saints always want to have a head start, they want to be the first and best in the world, the most distinguished, they go up. And when they want to be sure of this, the Holy Spirit seethes a new being, and this upsets them; just as is happening now. They want to be the first, and to be considered the highest saints; but it does not remain long after that (as now before our eyes) that they are found to be the greatest sinners and the worst hypocrites, and those whom they consider heretics are then considered saints. These are God's works, which are seen in the apostles and Jews, and also in ourselves, even to this day and present hour.

130 By Pharaoh and the Egyptians understand the Jews who lived at the time of the apostles, when the gospel began and came forth. And the names agree finely with it. For Pharaoh is called bareheaded, since one head is bare and not covered, that is, he who stands loose, since idleness is, he who has nothing to do. To which opinion the apostle looks to the Galatians at the 5th chapter, v. 2-4, without doubt with these words: If you want to be saved by works, you have fallen from grace, and Christ is of no use to you. As if he were to say, He goeth your way idle, and ye his way idle. For he is to be our head, and we his members, and he is to be suspended in us; it is not to be a body or a lump that has no head. Christianity shall not be a Pharaoh, that is, one who walks alone and bare, and is subject to no one.

This name rhymes well with the Jews. They wanted to be a free people and an oddity, led an apparent life by heart, and even withdrew from the obedience of the Gospel, thinking that they pleased God just as much when they sacrificed much by heart, and let faith stand by inwardly, thereby honoring God alone. Therefore, God is idle with them, and they with Him, and one has fallen away from the other. They are free from God,

874 Erl. SS, 239-241. interpretations on the second book of Moses. W. Ill, IZ0S-I3I0. 875

and bare, in whom he reigneth not by faith, who yet were the firstborn, the beloved nobles, a holy nation, and should be the inheritance. This is what happened to the Jews in the time of the apostles.

Now Christ takes a walk, he goes from this life to the Father, of which walk he says much in John the Evangelist Cap. 16, as indicated. By this passage he has put to death all the firstborn, that is, he has taken away this honor from them, so that they should not be first, but be damned, and know that they are not God's people; this firstborn should now be dead. So it was until Christ; but when that night comes, the Pharaohs are all dead; when Christ rises from the dead, with him all the glory and splendor of the Jews goes down. Now it is all dead and shall not stand. Mosi's work and all outward holiness lies down, he does not want them. Nothing can help but to believe in Christ alone.

This is the meaning of God's passage in Egypt, when He slew all the firstborn; that is, Christ rose from the dead, and by this passage He killed everything that is Jewish, so that it would not count for anything in the future. Everything that is Jewish, that is, everything that has an outward manner, and leads such customs, to which one is attached, must be spiritually put to death. This happens through the Holy Spirit, who gives the power that these outward things are not valid.

So we also say that the pope did not know otherwise, nor does he allow himself to be persuaded otherwise, than that he is the firstborn next to his own. He considers himself the firstborn, whereas other poor Christians and laymen, or the common man,

are 1) nothing at all, but they must come to heaven through the help of the clergy. Therefore the pope is a nobleman, just as Pharaoh was. Now the gospel comes like a thunderclap and strikes everything to the ground and kills it, saying that it is all nothing Ps. 144:6, item that it is also dead, and whoever trusts in it is also slain and dead. This is the battle and the passage that Christ has wrought with his resurrection. And this battle he still does with his dear gospel. For, praise God and thanks be to God, there are now many everywhere who recognize the error of the Pope.

But there are also those who want to suppress everything. This is because the devil raises up some foolish people who want to slay everything, make Jews out of us, murder everything; so that one should only kill spiritually, as preaching with the mouth, so that the conscience is enlightened. When the word of God is preached, one has killed rightly. For the hearts do not know it otherwise; just as one does not know now why one wants to make monastics into Christians. The devil felt that the pope should be slain and die; he wanted to prevent this with this uproar, and thus makes an evil noise to the Gospel, so that one says: "Behold, are these the good evangelicals who are now storming the monasteries and burning the castles 2c? But we say that one should preach until God kills them, so that it may be a divine work that God enters the heart through the gospel and slays all holiness, piety and righteousness of such people.

1. Eislebensche: be.

The thirteenth chapter.

V.1-4. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, which all the mothers of the children of Israel bring forth, both of men and of cattle: for they are mine. Then Moses said unto the people, Remember this

The day ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, that the LORD had brought you forth with a mighty hand: therefore shalt thou not eat leaven. Today you went out in the month of Abib.

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(1) Next we have heard, in part, what the firstborn are, namely, that they are the Jews, who with their outward holiness sat on high, and were the chiefest on the earth; even as they must be spiritually slain by the sword of the gospel, they must otherwise go up to heaven with the Lord Christ, that all their nature and law may be done, and become the last, yea, the most despised on the earth; whereas the Gentiles became the first. The other part of this text is about the firstborn, whom God called to sanctify and not to kill. Which means those who would come to the Christian faith from the Jews and Gentiles. So the firstborn was killed, but the other firstborn remains alive and is kept. And in this is the gospel fulfilled, when the Lord Christ saith Matt. 20:16, The first shall be last, and the last first.

(2) Moses sings the same in his song Deut. 32:21: 'I will provoke them again against that which is not a people, against a foolish people will I provoke them to anger;' for they have provoked me to anger and to zeal." As if to say, "As you have forsaken me, the true God, that I should not be your God, and have chosen other gods, so will I forsake you, if you have been my people, and will accept and choose for my own those who were not my people before," (Hos. 2:23) which will make you angry. Just as the Jews are still angry about this to this day; they are gone with all their glory. God has caused the strife. They are not favorable to any people of God, but only to themselves; but it is over, it is no longer valid to be Jews, but to be Christians Eph. 2, 13. 19. Col. 3, 11..

So it may also be interpreted to all who are of their kind. For the papists still want to be God's people today. It is about the name that everyone ascribes this name to him, and they want to have this boasted of them: Invocatum est nomen tuum super nos we are indeed called by your name. Then the true Christians and people of God, or the firstfruits and firstborns, must be despised and succumbed, also be called heretics, but

The others must be true, and be called the Christian Church, and have the Holy Spirit. No one can separate them, but God alone, with the revelation of his gospel, strikes among them and judges which are the true or false Christians.

4 This will remain until the end of the world. For the world wants to be beautiful and holy, and to be praised for being worthy of heaven and eternal bliss, and persecutes other people for wanting to be the church; therefore the true Christians must be called the last. But our dear Lord God considers those who are so despised in the world to be the first. And this is prescribed for us as an example, so that we may know that it must be so for all those who want to be first and foremost, and that those who are tormented and persecuted for a while for the sake of the divine word and the Christian name may also be comforted. But how did the saints come to be? The text speaks:

V.11-13. When the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and has given it to you, then you shall separate to the LORD everything that breaks its mother, and the firstborn among the cattle that is male. The firstborn of the ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep; but if thou redeem it not, break his neck. But all the firstborn among your children you shall redeem.

In the 12th chapter above, we heard how God gave and established a law and commandment to eat the paschal lamb annually, so that the glorious deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt would not be forgotten.

6th Now follows the other law, of the offering or sanctification of the first birth, in remembrance that the first birth of the children of Israel was obtained in Egypt. The sanctified thing was given to the priest, it was from cattle or other fruits; this our Lord God took to Himself, and it was delivered to the priests. For teaching the Law and doing the word of God, the firstborn was to be their food; otherwise, the tribe of Levi had not received any land in the distribution of the Canaanite land, such as

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other tribes. When a child was born, it also belonged to the Lord, but he allowed it to be redeemed with a place of the guilder. 1) And this was to do for the preachers of the divine word, that they might supply the people with the divine word. But as they omitted many other laws and ordinances of God, so they did not keep this commandment of God, and the priests were despised; they were given nothing, so that they had to suffer hunger. Therefore the priests also sought false worship, and were also attached to idolatry Mal. 1, 7. 8., so the people gave money and goods enough.

(7) Just as in the past in the priesthood much alms was given, and the priests were made rich, and the money for indulgences was thrown away. For when there were false prophets in the world, who led people by the nose, and deprived us of body and soul, and also of goods, they were given money enough. The queen Isabel was able to feed 800 prophets from her table, because Elijah had to be in flight and exile, and other hundred prophets were fed with water and bread by Abdia Obadiah, the king's chamberlain, hidden in a cave 1 Kings 18:4. This can be seen as annoying and foolish in the eyes of reason, but I judge for myself that God would be foolish to hurl his gospel in this way, and that his preachers in the world would have to suffer the greatest poverty.

8 Spiritual sanctification or sacrifice means that one should be in the office of preaching. For whoever wants to interpret, let him draw the greater part of it to the ministry of preaching, for that is what it is all about. For God wills to establish all things by the gospel, and so all things shall be established and drawn to it. When I preach, I should preach nothing but faith in Christ, for this alone is valid before God. For in this way I put to death the old firstborn, and the other firstborn I sanctify to God; that is, this firstborn is pleasing to Him, He accepts it, it is assigned to God, and teaches people about God. After that [shall

1. Place of the guilder = a quarter guilder.

I] say that those are God's children who believe in Christ from the heart, who is also the firstborn before all creatures, 2) as St. Paul says Col. 1:15, and also makes us firstborn and children of God. And even if these are the last in the world, and others are considered the highest and most distinguished, God's judgment is still there, and considers them blessed, but the others as condemned.

(9) Therefore, whoever accepts the gospel and follows it, the same sacrifices with it, that they may confess with their heart and with their mouth that these are God's children who believe in Christ. So all sacrifices should be directed to praise and honor God. Everything should be a sacrifice of praise. For in the 50th Psalm, v. 23, it is said: "He who brings me sacrifices of thanksgiving praises me." This is the very best sacrifice that may happen to GOD. That is why God now and then tells us in the Psalms to bring Him sacrifices of praise. This appeals to Him very much. When we preach and confess that our works are nothing, but we must have our Lord God's works of grace, His favor, goodness and mercy, that is sacrifice. When I confess this with my mouth, I am sacrificing with it. This is not done with money, but by believing with the heart that our works are nothing, but God's mercy and grace, given to us in Christ, do it. If I praise God in the world and confess Him before the people, I am a priest and offer the most beautiful sacrifice.

(10) Now this is the firstborn sacrifice and sanctification. Those who trust in their works and rely on their good, holy lives, praise and extol themselves, and set up an idol, as if God wanted to be praised by their works, and ascribe to their works as if they could help them, which honor belongs to the Lord Christ alone. Now they honor the Lord Christ with their mouths, but in their hearts they blaspheme and disgrace Him Is. 29, 13. Matth. 15, 8. Marc. 7, 6.f.. This means to appropriate, sanctify or sacrifice the firstborn to God.

(11) What is the right of the firstborn? Otherwise, two parts of the father's inheritance, twice as much, would belong to the firstborn son,

2. Eisleben: of all creatures.

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than to any other child. After that he was also entitled to the rule, the dominion and the priesthood, that he was priest and preacher in the house; the most property, the greatest power and the greatest honor; he was king and priest, emperor and pope.

(12) We Christians have such goods, all of them spiritual. We also have two parts. First, we are priests, that we may have sufficiency of soul, inwardly, that we may obtain salvation and blessedness of soul through Christ, preaching and confessing him, praising, glorifying, and calling upon him in all our afflictions. After this we have the promise that we shall not die of hunger; and though at times there is no food or supply, yet before the ravens came flying and brought food, as happened to Elijah 1 Kings 17:6, or bread rained down from heaven, as manna fell in the wilderness Exodus 16:4, if we believed alone.

A Christian heart has much to do and much to suffer Ps. 34, 20, but it is without worry, so certain and secure, as if it had the whole world full of goods Ps. 73, 25. 26. For it remembers: My God can always create more than there is in the world. Even if one takes away his goods, one cannot take away God from him. If he needs something later, God can give him more than the goods of the world are his. But we Christians are so troubled and tormented by this worry of the belly, or temporal nourishment, that we do not grasp this comfort firmly enough. Therefore a Christian is also a king, that is, a Christian is a lord over everything, and all creatures must be obedient to him, but spiritually.

14 His life and goods can be taken from him by heart, but he works and does what he is commanded. And even though everything is taken from him, he always improves, and his faith always grows and increases, and so rules in his heart that neither riches nor poverty grieve him, nor make him sadder or happier. If he is rich, having money and goods, he is nothing more cheerful; neither is he anything more sorrowful if he is poor Phil. 4:12. If he is scolded or praised, it is of equal value to him. This is the courage he has; this is the joyful, sure faith, so that he clings to God.

15. now tell me what rule

Is it better for a man to fence and fight with the sword, or to have such courage? Whether you overcome one with the sword, he will do what you want; but a Christian heart is such a lord, whom no one can change or grieve; he always remains for himself. He makes such lords out of us (as St. Paul Rom. 8, 35-39. also says: "Who wants to separate us from the love of God? Neither high nor low, principality nor mighty" 2c.), so that nothing can trouble us. But where are these firstborn found, and where are such Christians? St. Paul was one of them.

16. Thirdly, he is also a priest; he has the authority to preach God's word, and to pray before God, to teach the unintelligent people, go up to God through prayer. For we are certain, if we are baptized, that our prayer is acceptable; and if we all pray, we are all priests, we can all teach God's word, which is proclaimed to us from heaven. This is God's work, that each one preach when it is necessary. Now this is the figure and meaning of the same glory. Christians are firstborn in the spirit; those have had the bodily glory of the firstborn.

17 Now the question arises, of which we also said something before: Since neither here in the text nor elsewhere nothing is reported about the restitution of the stolen goods from the Egyptians, whether the Israelites also did right in carrying away their silverware from the Egyptians? Did they not commit theft with it? They borrowed it for their feast, and since it was lent to them, they go in the night and take it away. Do they have the right to do so, or is it theft, or have they stolen it? Has not God commanded in the Ten Commandments that one should not steal? Above Cap. 11, § 4 f. is also answered: Such things are not called stolen, but given to them by God, for this cause: Our Lord God's is all. Now he commanded them from heaven to borrow it from the Egyptians and take it with them. Stealing is when I take from another what is his, when I take from another something that he does not give to me, but I steal or alienate it.

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secretly. God gave the Egyptians the silverware; now he goes and takes it back from them and gives it to the Israelites; he borrows it from them and deceives them, saying, "So I will have it. Perhaps because they had done hard labor in Egypt, and received no reward for it. But God cut it on a piece of wood and wanted to pay for their work.

So this is what happened according to history. But what does it mean in the New Testament? It is supposed to be an indication of the world's prosperity and wisdom, that wise people with sayings take and draw the Christians to themselves 2c. Now, God does not give us much worldly wisdom. We should leave the beautiful sayings and teachings of the pagan scribes in the external world kingdom, and separate the kingdom of God, where Christians are, from the external world kingdom, and say: To the kingdom of God belongs nothing of worldly wisdom. Nothing else rules and reigns here, but only the pure, pure word of God.

(19) If there are other wise and prudent sayings in reason, let them come out into this outward life, so that one may have more reason and understanding than another. Therefore we have many beautiful sayings in all tongues and languages, for this outward life and being. So one is also better and more skillful than the other to lead a government, because he has a higher reason and understanding, which is the worldly wisdom, which God also gives and gives. Another may also take an example of this, borrowing doctrine and sayings from him; after which example his country and people may also remain in peace, and improve themselves from it; as the pagans have done for the improvement of the police or the world regime, to which the histories bear witness.

The histories rhyme well with such reason or understanding, for they have everything to do with experience; just as the Germans also say in the proverb: Good courage is half the body. This is a fine saying, drawn from reason, and is used when one is distressed, so that one says to him: "Take good courage, and you will get through it. But it is an outward consolation, because out of reason

one comforts the other; which then is also a gift and present of God, and it should be recognized that such comes from God; just as He otherwise also gives wealth. So it is also a special art to wage war; item, to prepare horses; they are all gifts of God, which he has cast into the Rapuse, so that we should govern ourselves. But in the things that are over us, where conscience is to be governed, these sayings apply nothing at all; but there only the clear, bright and pure word of God must govern.

21 Therefore, this meaning is not valid, because the Christian church has been polluted with pagan sayings, even destroyed by them, as the papists have done. But the devil thanks them for this, for this means that Christianity has been pushed to the ground by human wisdom. For worldly wisdom cannot and does not know more than how to have peace on earth; but God wants you to be a Christian and know how to have a gracious God and eternal life, which you will not learn from reason, but God's Word teaches such.

(22) I have often spoken of this, and would very much like us to separate these two kingdoms. For reason, no matter how beautiful and glorious it is, belongs to the world kingdom alone, where it has its dominion and territory. But in the kingdom of Christ, only God's word has the upper hand. Nevertheless, the devil always wants to rule in the church with reason, to have a hand in the sod, and to reign with beautiful pagan sayings and proposals. But the gold and silver, the beautiful jewels, which were stolen in Egypt, are the holy scriptures. For as soon as the apostles separated themselves from the Jews, and they became new people and God's people, the Jews had lost the holy Scriptures; the letter and the parchment they have kept, but the right understanding and opinion or sense they have not 2 Cor. 3:3.

23 Therefore the holy scripture abideth with the true Israelites, and they owed it unto them. There we have fine sayings, beautiful histories and examples, which we use for eternal life.

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We are finely instructed by Proverbs; item, see how God has worked faith in Christians. For everything depends on faith; the whole Christian life is based on it. This is the gold and the precious jewels that were stolen from the Egyptians, just as we have stolen the Holy Scriptures from the high schools. Although they carry many books, we have the pure understanding of the Scriptures and adorn ourselves with them, that is, strengthen and improve ourselves in the faith by such sayings. In the prophet Ezekiel Cap. 16, 10. 13. God also says: "I have given you my gold and silk", that is, my holy scripture, and the right understanding, which I gave through the prophets, you have perverted, and made a waxen nose on it, according to all your will.

V.18. And the children of Israel went armed out of the land of Egypt.

24 They also wore armor. What was the point, since they were much weaker and inferior in strength and power than the king of Egypt, and God wanted to execute them by his power, so that he alone would have the glory of it? He still calls them to arm themselves and to prepare their army, as if they wanted to fight with the heathen; but it is because of this that we do not tempt God. The means are God's larvae and mummery, in which he runs from the earth. He wants to help me in all things, in body and soul, and that I trust in his word alone; yet he also wants me to do my part, to have horse, spear, sword and chariot, and to make spearheads, as if one wanted to overcome by the sword, when it was not God's opinion. David in the 20th Psalm, v. 8, says: I do not rely on my horse, sword or bow 2c.

(25) What is the purpose of all this? Under this armor and warfare, God wants to be with you and hide under it, so that other people will think that you are doing it with your armor and your own power, when God alone is doing it Psalm 60:14, Psalm 144:1 ff. God does the same with other things. He tells us to pray, to work 2c., which is all just a mirror

is to be respected. For where God did not bless, not a hair would grow, nor a few straws, but all things would be finished. Nevertheless, he wants me to stand like this: if I did not plow or sow, I would have nothing at all. 1)

For without my work he will not let it be done, and yet it shall not be done by my work. He does not want me to sit at home and be lazy and command God, and wait until a roasted chicken flies into my mouth. That is God's temptation, that he should let something grow for me, since nothing else grows; he does not want that. Therefore it is well said that the ancients said: Dat Deus omne bonum, sed non per cornua taurum**.** And so we must keep ourselves in heart, knowing that nothing will come of it unless he does it, that God may have room, and that he may get a tabernacle with thee, wherein he may hide himself. So they used their armor of war, as if they were skilled in battle and warlike. As if God wanted to say: I will use you for a pretense in this matter alone.

V.20-22. So they departed from Sukhoth, and pitched tents in Etham, which is before the wilderness. And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them in the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light to walk by day and by night. The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire never departed from the people.

(27) This is also a marvelous miracle, that God has placed a pillar of white cloud in the sky by day and a pillar of fire in the sky by night, according to which the children of Israel should travel. This miracle is often remembered in the Holy Scriptures, as in the fourteenth chapter of Exodus, v. 14, and also in Nehemiah, v. 12. For God wanted to indicate that He wanted to be present with His people, to protect them from their adversaries, and not to abandon them with counsel and action in all kinds of dangers, but to provide for their survival in the darkness.

1. The meaning of the last sentence will be: God wants me to stand as if I would have nothing at all if I did not plow or sow.

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sal that it may be endured 1 Cor. 10:13.

028 We Christians also walk out of Egypt, out of the kingdom of the devil and of sins, toward the promised land, that is, toward eternal life; and come into the wilderness, that is, into all kinds of tribulation, distress, and trouble; not knowing the way, that we might

and overcome them. But God gives us guides, as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, that is, the preaching of the divine word and the custom of the reverend sacraments; which shine and shine before us, that we may meet the way in the desert and find it to eternal life.

The fourteenth chapter.

V.1-4. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say that they turn about, and pitch their tent toward the valley of Hiroth, between Migdol and the sea, toward Baalzephon, and there over against the sea pitch their tent. For Pharaoh shall say of the children of Israel, They know not where out of the land; the wilderness hath determined them. And I will harden his heart, and he shall pursue after them; and I will bring glory upon Pharaoh, and upon all his might; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. And they did so 2c.

(1) Hitherto there have been told several plagues which God inflicted upon Egypt for the children of Israel's sake. Then followed, in the 12th chapter, the tenth plague, which struck the firstborn, and is the last plague, after which the children of Israel immediately came out of Egypt. But so that this, along with the other plagues, and also the redemption from Egypt, would not be forgotten in the world, but would be preached and known to everyone forever, God instituted the feast of Easter, and commanded all kinds of outward ways and customs or ceremonies to be kept at this feast. But if we look at these by heart, it seems to be vain foolishness. For it is strange that they had to eat the paschal lamb with unleavened bread, and stand dressed up, as if they were wanderers. One cannot calculate the reason why God commanded it in this way. However, God undoubtedly wanted to bind the eyes and minds of the descendants by this special way.

Ears to this exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt.

(2) Just as we Christians are commanded to preach, praise, sing and speak of the memorial of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to preach, speak, write and write about His glorious work forever and ever, that He was the Son of God, born of Mary, crucified and died, and rose again from death on the third day, so that He might deliver us from death, sin, hell and the power of the devil. 1, 23. ff], and that this remembrance might remain in the world, the Lord Christ instituted the reverend sacrament of the altar, an outward ceremony and manner of receiving in bread and wine the body and blood of the Lord Christ, which we should practice, preach, sing, and say, commemorating his passion, death, and resurrection. In the sacraments he wants to be taken hold of and found, and to be with us.

(3) Baptism is also a sure sign of taking hold of the true God, who created heaven and earth, and whose Son died for us, and who gives us the Holy Spirit in our hearts. In the same way, the paschal lamb was to be a reminder to the same people of Israel that God was present with them, and that they served Him and called upon Him, because He had brought them out of Egypt through so many miracles. And to strengthen this memory, this outward sign of the paschal lamb is used. For God has

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He has always revealed himself to the world through his word and outward signs, and he has done this because he cannot bear us building our own bridge to heaven and seeking him there.

(4) Just as those who wanted to climb to heaven with their works did before that time, when we were monks. We preached: If I am shaven, and have a plate, wear a black cap, then I please God. Yes, you please the devil on your head. Such things are all set up and invented by them. I will get him with my sign. 1) Such a sign and signifiers invented by me are not valid; it is the devil. I shall have a sign, and that is an outward sign; but not that which I have instituted, created and devised, but which God has instituted. I shall have such a sign, of which God Himself says: "This is what I have instituted, that it may be such an outward sign, so that you may feel that I am such a God, and that I am present with you.

5 According to history, this is so that it may be said with certainty: God truly dwells here. So he also gave the sacraments as a sign, so that one could say: God truly dwells there. I have not instituted it, nor has any man devised it, but it has come from heaven; lest I should add by myself, and not make a consecration to please God.

006 As Jeroboam prepared two calves, one in Dan, and the other in Bethel, and preached, Behold, Israel, here is thy God, which brought thee up out of Egypt: and the people went and sacrificed there, thinking that there was the right worship, and that God was there: and that they called upon the true God, they suffered them not. The prophets have broken up with the false teachers and have preached to each other, and they have also recently perished, so that they have all been slain because of this punitive preaching.

7 So we have also done, and with the

1. Here the relation is again very unclear. With this last sentence, perhaps it should be said: I will seek to attain Him God with the outward signs raised by myself. Cf. f.

The monks and popes who pretend that their indulgences, masses, vigils, pilgrimages, monastic life, fasting, praying and almsgiving should make them a gracious God, and that their life would be the right service of God.

8. but God says: Here you will find me, in the preaching chair, in baptism, in the Lord's Supper, for this is my outward order. But we, in the papacy, have pretended and said: If you want to go to heaven, you must go out of the world into a monastery, crawl into a cloister; there, you will find our Lord God; so we have fallen into it, like swine into the gate.

9 Now, although this seems foolish and foolish, it should apply in the Christian church alone. For God wanted to give His people outward signs, outward pieces and order, so that they would meet Him and find Him, and thus He wanted to control and prevent them, so that they would not invent their own worship services.

They did not have to wear shoes; item, carry sticks in their hands, and use other ceremonies. Nothing seems glorious there, but everything has a foolish appearance. But at the same time, before baptism and the sacrament of the altar were ordained, it was a great thing that God wanted to draw and bind the people to Himself with these outward things, and also to bind their eyes and ears to this ordinance, so that they would be right and true.

Our fictitious devotion and works are not like this, even if we use the cap and monastic life in the same way. For the human condition is not valid, and even if one uses it well, my cap is of no use to me. Circumcision does not help either, as St. Paul 1 Cor. 7:19 teaches; but the divine ordinances are all based on faith. Alfo the sacrament of the altar urges me on faith, because the words: "Take, eat and drink" 2c., they demand faith. The same faith is not lacking. Even though I am a prankster, God's word and order is nevertheless in its power and remains with the faithful. So they also sang, and remembered when they ate the paschal lamb: "I am the

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O Lord, your God, who brought you out of Egypt." You must now believe this.

(12) Those who have misused it have done so to their detriment; the order is in itself delicious, and the word has remained right, true, good, and wholesome. But if I say, I will go to a monastery, and so I will be saved, the same word is not right, for I do it without faith. Therefore, what God ordains, however foolish it seems, because it has God's word for it, that is valid for your faith. As far as this story is concerned, in our time all this has ceased, and now something else applies than the sacrament of baptism and the altar.

013 Let this be said of the history. Afterward the children of Israel went out of Egypt, taking with them all the goods they had borrowed and borrowed, and leaving all the firstborn dead behind them, and so they must go out by night, being driven out in haste, so that they cannot make dough for bread.

V.9-12 And the Egyptians pursued after them, and overtook them, when they were encamped by the Red sea, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and all Pharaoh's host, in the valley of Hiroth against Baalzephon. And when Pharaoh was come nigh unto them, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians went after them; and they were sore afraid, and cried unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Were there not graves in Egypt, that thou hadst to lead us away to die in the wilderness? Why hast thou done this unto us, to bring us out of Egypt? Is it not that we said unto thee in Egypt, Cease, and let us serve the Egyptians. For would it ever be better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness?

(14) We will soon hear how they were delivered from King Pharaoh, and they have a beautiful example of faith. They went to the Red Sea at God's command, at His direction and instruction, and pitched their tents there, having God's command and calling for themselves, but came into great danger and distress because of it. For when they come into the wilderness,

They were situated so that they had the Red Sea in front of their noses, and six times a hundred thousand fighting men were with them, without any other women, children, servants and maids, who could not jump over the sea. After that there were high mountains on both sides, so that they were like a gulf between two great mountains, and in front they had the sea. Behind comes the enemy Pharaoh, and presses on them with all power, and the enemy thinks: Ei, it is good, there they will not escape me over the sea, so they will not be able to climb me over the high mountain. Falls therefore into delusion, that he thinks, he has them now, as he himself wants. And indeed he had them, just as one might have a mouse in a trap, and partridges in a yarn. But he did not think that God would help them. But God announced this danger to the children of Israel beforehand, and also promised them help and salvation, because he wanted to put honor on him and prove that he alone was God.

(15) From this we may learn how it is with those who walk in the divine profession, that temptation, hardship and danger come under their eyes. For the devil does not celebrate, but sends all kinds of impulses to them, if they want to get tired and weary of the profession. But God knows well about such danger and wants to help them out of it. For He does not send such distress to His own to destroy them, but to show His grace and mercy toward them, and to show His earnestness, wrath and displeasure on His enemies. For this reason he also says in this place that he wants to give honor to Pharaoh and all his power, and that the Egyptians should realize that he is the Lord.

16. but they, the children of Israel, can neither see nor know this; indeed, the fear and distress of death comes into their faces, as they testify with their own words, when they say to Moses, Yes, "were there not graves enough in Egypt, that we should have died there?" 2c. If we fall over the mountains, we break our necks in two; if we jump into the sea, we drown; if we run back, we fall on the enemy's sword. And so there is a great clamor and a great cry.

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The people complained because they did not all believe and trust in God. Many of them also left Egypt for the sake of carnal freedom, because they wanted to be noblemen after the great work, hardship and joyful service. But when the cross and the danger of death came, their unbelief became apparent, their mouths were full of blasphemy against Moses, and their gestures showed great impatience and despair against God.

(17) Moses' heart also trembled and wavered here. For he was their duke and commander, their chief and captain, that he thought: You have carried them out, and now you bring so many people around your neck. See how they are cheering for you. Such inward melancholy and crying of the heart of Moses is heard by God quietly and soon, although Moses does not cry out much. For this is the reason that he was much too afraid and anxious to do so.

This is a right, beautiful kind and piece of faith. There one feels the power of the divine word, and what the Christian's faith is. The Christian trusts God, and is well pleased with what God does with him. He could have led the children of Israel through the sea soon, but he wants to try them even better and lets them lie all night so that they can see the tents of Egypt behind them. But the angel of the Lord goes before the children of Israel in a cloud, and now that the Egyptians are following them, the cloud descends and sits between the Egyptians and the Israelites. Now the Egyptians do not think otherwise, because it is only a weather, and cloudy, dark clouds; but God says to Moses, "Strike the sea with your rod; immediately a wind comes and tears the sea apart, so that it stands on both sides like two walls.

19. before that they were very sad, lamenting, they are of death, and these are their words, "were there not tombs in Egypt?" 2c. They want to say: Fie on you, Moses, you desperate villain, you would be worth to be torn with teeth or tongs. Now we think, when such a story is told to us, that they have done too much to the things; but if we had been there, we would have lamented the same. If still

If some warring nation were to come today and attack us without warning, we would all despair. But here we must look at their faith and see into their hearts. Their faith closes its eyes, and does not see the sea, nor the mountains, nor the enemy, but hangs only on the word of God, that God had said: I will do it, and out of Pharaoh's house of service I will bring forth the children of Israel.

20 Nevertheless, look at how strangely he attacks it. Since he wants to set them free, he leads them all the more into death. God says: I will do it. But one would say, "How will you do it? For here is Pharaoh's sword; item, the high mountains and the deep sea, and the great power and might of the enemy. Where shall we go? To bring a man to life when his head is cut off is slow. But God says: Let me take care. Do you then say: It is impossible, reason cannot believe it! Yes, answers GOD, I will have that too; see on my word. I must believe that God can blow away the sea like a stick, and that He can move the mountains, and drive away the sword of Pharaoh, and remove the earth. For he has made heaven and earth.

(21) This many have believed. For God is able to make the sea dry as if a bridge were crossing it, and the soft water must become hard as a wall; but the mountains must become soft as water or a river, and the sea must be a fine, dry path. When one has stepped into it a little before, it has squeaked. 1) Therefore, whoever has seen these walls of the sea and has seen that this sea has become a wall, may think: Who would be so bold as to go in? And if a man were so bold, he should be afraid lest the waters fall upon him and drown him. For the sea stood upright on both sides, as if it were cut in the middle. There one had to fear that

1. Quacking is probably as much as: quacking, making a splashing noise.

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not the water wants to fall on your head. Because no one holds it, there is no wall drawn under it.

But faith that keeps it, that knows that God keeps it. The sea will have opened wider than this city of Wittenberg is long or wide; six, seven or eight miles long. This is a great separation and a glorious redemption, and the miracle is so great that one cannot marvel enough at it. So long shall the sea stand for the children of Israel, until they are all over with their goods and chattels. Think how much time they must have taken to get through with such a large warring nation. For this people must have leisure and space to pass through; they must have passed a day, two or three, eating and drinking as they went, for otherwise they would not have had much food or drink in the midst of the sea.

(23) It has been an excellent thing, though it is described here in brief words; but if you think about it and calculate it, it is a great, wonderful thing, and the bottom or ground in the sea has been as deep, and the water as high, as two high, great mountains. That has granted six or seven miles, that in the sea has been a dry way and fort, as otherwise a road on a land.

24 Now, in truth, it was bold people who dared to enter and go in. Is it not a miracle? But it is the right kind of faith, which is seen here in the children of Israel. Faith closes the eyes, though not completely, because the heart is trembling. But they trust in the word, and believe God can either pave the sea, or make the mountains level and even, or blow away the Egyptians, or strike them all to death at once.

(25) If we also believed that when we were in distress and danger of life and limb, when death crept up on us or we fell into the hands of our enemies, we would say: I have a God who has promised me that he will not forsake me; there is his word that he will save me and keep me alive. When I believe this, I do not look at the enemies, at death, sword, pestilence,

I will not go through hunger, prison or any other hardship that comes my way, but I will go through it. And so at last the enemies must be turned to powder and ashes, and the spears to straw; as Pharaoh with all his armor drowns and disappears before their eyes.

(26) But if anyone does not believe, God cannot perform miracles or wonders on him, but he must perish and cannot escape death. But they that trust in God shall be saved, if heaven and earth should perish. For he has thus promised, saying, If thou shalt believe, thou shalt be saved Ps. 125:1 ff. His word is more to him than heaven and earth. For with his word he created all things; therefore he also wills that his word and promises should be believed more. Even if all the world, the heavens, the earth and all the stars were against you and proved to be your enemies, you should still trust my word. For is not his voice so mighty that it could sweep away the heavens and the mountains? It is not seen, but he who believes has it.

(27) Faith is quite a miracle; it makes a man, who is otherwise a weak, poor creature, have such great courage that he becomes so proud that he can say: If all devils fell upon me, even if all kings, emperors, heaven and earth were against me, yet I believe and know that I shall be preserved. Faith is a great thing; one can never understand its power, strength and might enough.

For this reason, this example of faith is glorious. The divine word and faith have great power; therefore nothing is impossible for faith, nor too difficult, nor too bitter Marc. 9, 23. Faith is a great and glorious work. He that believeth is a lord, and though he die, yet must he live again. If one is poor, he must be rich; if one is sick, he must be healed. So when one has greased the cart 1) by faith, the cart goes on. But we do not practice faith,

1. Eislebensche: Karn.

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and do not yet realize that God can help us in all our needs; item, that faith is stronger than heaven and earth, or all creatures. For God Himself says [Luc. 21, 33. 1: "Heaven and earth must pass away; but His word, that passeth not away."

29 Thus it is seen here expressly and actually that the children of Israel did not help themselves by their armor of war, although they also had sword and other armor. For the fist or human reason cannot help here; the water in the Red Sea cannot be poured out, nor can the high mountains be crushed or shattered, even if they had fasted forever. But there is no other help here than God's word and promise, that God says: I am with you; I will be your God. This word is not our work. Item, that he says to Moses v. 26., "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may fall upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and upon their horsemen." This word alone they shall follow and cleave unto; and we also to him, as to the right Asylum, have refuge and comfort.

(30) It is a joke and a mockery to reason that Moses strikes the sea with his staff, and the sea is afraid and runs away from each other, and stands on both sides as a wall, as if Moses took a spoon or a gun, 1) and wanted to scoop out the water, when the whole world could not scoop it out. But this is it that God says: I will save you. Thus saith Moses and the children of Israel, We believe it, O Lord. And Moses says, "Go on, open up the sea. So faith pervades and divides the waters and the sea from one another. Therefore we should also learn to believe, and not despise these beautiful, comforting examples.

031 Now that the children of Israel are passed through, Pharaoh, who is senseless, foolish and foolish, thinks, I also will pass through. For he sees not the miracle and wonder of God, but is blinded and hardened, saying in his heart, We also are pious, we will pass through like the children of Israel; and yet we are desperate and wicked.

1. "Grinded" is probably as much as: Scale, scoop.

The children of Israel, who persecute God's people, think that now they will deal with them and afflict them. But when Pharaoh and the Egyptians come a day's journey into the sea, and the children of Israel are through, God says to Mosiah, "Strike into the sea, and the waters (that stood as walls on both sides) will fall into each other again.

(32) Why did not the mighty king of Pharaoh defend himself? The wheels flow away from the chariots, and all his power swims in the Red Sea. For God has caused a weather, a wind, roaring, terror and flight to come among them, so that they cry out, O let us flee, now is the time to flee. But they had come too far into the hole, and were all stuck together in the water, some hundred thousand men. Then the water was all over and they were all drowned, because not one of them had escaped.

So God can save His people and help them. If Pharaoh had had faith, the walls of water would have remained standing; but since he does not have faith, the stones turn back into water. Faith turns water into stones, it also turns fire into water, and it can turn water into fire, and God does it as he wills who believes, as the 145th Psalm, v. 19, also says: Deus facit voluntatem timentium se, he does the will of those who fear him. This is what God wants us to know from Him, and this is what we should do to Him, that He wants to help the faithful. That is why he has done these miraculous works, so that we may also learn to believe and expect God's help. As in the prophet Isaiah, chapter 30, v. 15, God exhorts us to faith and hope in divine help, saying: "In silence and hope you will be strong. As Moses also says: "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see what salvation the Lord will do for you today.

(34) Thus far we have heard of the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, as before of the paschal lamb and the firstborn, which the Holy Spirit signified and signified by these two things to come to pass in the new testament. Now the third and last one is still to be dealt with behind the scenes, as how the children of Israel through

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went through the Red Sea. God did a great miracle in leading the people of Israel through the Red Sea with dry feet, because otherwise they were trapped on both sides. For they had the Red Sea before their eyes; on their backs the enemy pursued them, the king of Egypt; on either side was a great mountain range and high cliffs over which they could not climb; they were therefore in great distress and trouble, and death was before their eyes. Therefore they said also unto Moses, Were there not graves in Egypt?" In spite of all these obstacles, God nevertheless directed this march or passage through the Red Sea. So that he wanted to indicate that he could and would help us in all our needs and concerns, that he also knew how to find ways and space where there was no way or space at all, and in sum could make everything out of nothing.

Interpretation of this story.

(35) Now let us also consider what the Red Sea is. In Greek it is called the Red Sea, not because the water is red, for it is one sea, but because it had a red shore; the mountains on the shore or edge had red earth. In Hebrew it is called the Reed Sea, because many reeds and canes have grown on the shore from time to time.

(36) Now we have done three things before it comes to pass. First, the Israelites are terrified, and it is as if they were dead. Then God promised that he would harden the Egyptians to follow the Israelites to the sea, and said to Moses, "Strike the sea with your staff and the water will be divided. Third, he sends an angel before the people in the air, and the angel must lie down behind the people and retreat, and sit down between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Our Lord God does not take care of His people in any other way than as a father or mother takes care of her children, cares for them and helps them Ps. 103:13. For God takes care of them with such concern and diligence that He does not abandon them in times of need, but helps them out and rescues them.

His. But he will not come sooner, unless all is gone, and utterly desolate, that the trouble is greatest Ps. 9:10. Before that, everything must fall to pieces, and the oxen must stand on the mountain, and the string must be pulled to its highest point, so that it now wants to burst; the water must go over mountains and valleys, before they will be delivered from the Egyptians.

37 For this reason, the help has been delayed so long that they are in despair over it, thinking, "Oh, who would have died and been buried already? They grumble and are impatient. This shows our weakness and sin. When the conscience is frightened, it fears God's wrath, which makes one despondent and stupid.

038 Then Pharaoh also is after one, that is, the lawgivers, who make heaven too narrow, and hell too wide, and make one despair, and fear that he shall be eternally lost. So the children of Israel feared that they would lose their hair and be lost in this misery of death. Now this is a miserable torment, which is often lamented in the Psalms, where the saints say, "O Lord, you have cast me out of your sight" Ps. 51:13. Item, in the 6th Psalm, v. 1. f.: "Oh Lord, do not punish me in your anger, and do not chastise me in your wrath. O Lord, be merciful to me, for I am weak; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled, and my soul is greatly distressed. O Lord, how long!" Wherever I look, I die among my enemies. I am frightened everywhere, heaven and earth have become too narrow for me, I could stay nowhere, everywhere were my enemies.

(39) We are taught that we should not fall into despair, nor despair, and how we should get out of trouble in sorrow. For if it does not come to such a hard state and move, then God's grace and help does not taste good to us.

40 Then Mosi was told to strike the sea with his staff, and the water would be divided, become dry, and stand like two walls. The water that would otherwise drown others must become the protection and keep them alive. The one that should choke and cause damage to the

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That must do to the pious and bring them to life. That should also lead to hell, that must help to heaven.

(41) Many prophets and psalms have been concerned about the Red Sea, that it served the people of Israel for life, and yet it was the death of Egypt. So wonderful is God that he helps me to bliss with that which is otherwise my hell, and that he brings me to honor through disgrace. The Red Sea would have been the right bitter death for the children of Israel; they would all have been drowned in it, as it happened to the Egyptians; nevertheless, this death is a life for the Israelites. And it is said here that the sea stood as two walls, as if there were no water at all.

42 But how does this happen? Because Moses struck it with a rod, stick or staff by God's command. It is the blow that does it. It is a foolish thing that he should strike the water with a rod, and this blow should have such power that it should divide the sea, that it should stand as two walls, and become the Israelites' shelter and shield. If it were not written in the Scriptures, it would be considered the greatest folly and foolishness for a piece of wood or a stick to do such great things. But it is that God could have done it just as well without the staff of Moses, and the staff would not have been necessary. For God did it, and not the staff, if one wants to look at it right. For the text says: When the sea was smitten with the rod, there came a wind that lifted up the sea, and it was dry. The wind took it away, and not the staff.

The rod is the holy gospel; as everywhere in the holy Scriptures God's word is called a rod, as in the third and twentieth Psalm, v. 4: "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me," 2c., and in Iesaiä in the eleventh chapter, v. 15, it is said: "He will make his hand pass over the waters with his strong wind, and will beat the seven rivers, that one may go through with shoes. This is done with the rod or staff, so that it must go and be beaten, and be driven with joy between the seven rivers.

to sinners; this then makes consciences confident. When the blow is struck, sin, the devil, death and all misfortune depart. After the blow, the wind blows away the sea, so that it becomes space; that is, when God's word is driven, then the rod is struck into the water, and after the word follows the Holy Spirit, who blows away the water and makes a courage, renews the hearts; then death, sin and all misfortune is gone, disappears, atomizes and flies away.

Now this is a wonderful art of God, that he acts with us through the oral word when it is preached, gives and bestows the Holy Spirit, who creates that nothing must harm a Christian man, but the counterplay must take place so that what would be harmful and corrupt in himself and in his nature may also be helpful and useful to him Proverbs 8:34 ff. The casting of the rod into the sea is to freely thrust out the gospel, to preach and drive it, in temptations bodily and spiritually. Then the Holy Spirit comes and makes room. So it is when sins weigh me down, my evil conscience weighs me down and drives me to despair; the more these offend and weigh me down, the more I am driven to hope in God.

45 This is a merry and subtle warfare, that I have the word of God, and hear Christ preached, that he is my Lord, and stand for me Eph. 6:13, Pf. 144:1. Then my former life and being, also my sin is there, which is like the Red Sea, where Pharaoh says, This and that thou hast not kept: but the more the law, sin and devil torment me, the more I hope, and space is made for me, if I cleave to the word of God. So also the sins must help a Christian; and if he had not sin, he would not come through so well. For if I did not feel sin, the evil life and conscience, the power of the divine word would never taste good to me. But because they torment me and make hell hot and terrible, I am all the more aware of the power of the divine word, which I cling to and brings me through.

46 Thus God has decreed in this matter; and what I speak of sin, that

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is also said by others. You will not get out of it but by the word of God alone, when you strike the sea with the rod; that is, if you accept God's word, then no misfortune need harm you. The word of God divides it tremendously, so that this same sin may benefit you and help you to get through it much better than otherwise. So the sea makes alive that which otherwise kills. This is done by the rod, and that the wind comes, which makes everything dry and dries it. The rod did not do it, but the staff only struck; but the wind did it. For God wants to give the Holy Spirit through the word; without the word He will not do it Joh. 3, 8. Gal. 3, 2.. He could have divided the water without the rod, but he did not want to do it. So the wind will not divide and drive away your temptation and calamity without the rod or without the word of God. Hold fast to the word alone, take it in your fist, and strike freshly into the midst of sin and death; here is God's word, and it will make all things pass away, and make room.

Otherwise, the devil has filled the world with spirits preaching from the wind and the Spirit, but without the staff of Moses, and has abandoned the holy Scriptures. I warn you to beware, for I greatly fear we will lose God's word again because of our ingratitude. The wind does not divide the sea unless one has struck it with a rod. God does not enlighten you without His divine word.

48 The rod is nothing compared to the sea, if one wants to calculate it with reason. For the staff is about two cubits long, so the sea is about eight or ten miles wide; nor does Moses strike it with his staff, because God told him to strike it; and the wind soon followed, dividing it and drying it. So also the word of God is a bad letter, black ink, a word like another word. Then they say: Well, what will that redeem from sins, death, the devil and hell? But see thou, and handle diligently the divine word, and the Holy Ghost shall come, and follow with the word, and smite out all thy calamities, and help thee through.

The other Pharaohs, Pharaoh himself, were drowned in the Red Sea; that is, where the word of God is not, but the doctrines of men and the statutes of men are, or the law of God, and trust in good works, all are drowned.

(49) Pharaoh is a teacher without God and without the Holy Spirit, an idle preacher who makes one fall from the grace of God and walks in his own holiness and trust in good works. He who follows this teacher must fall to the ground, he cannot resist it. But whoever has God's word, sin, the law and death do not harm him. But he who does not have the rod, but hoards other spirits, whom he follows, he will drown in his conscience.

V. 19, 20: Then the angel of God, who reigned before the tents, rose up and came behind them, and the pillar of cloud also departed from behind them, and came between the tents of Egypt and Israel. And there was a dark cloud, and it lighted up the night, so that they could not come together all that night, both they and they.

50 It is also a miracle that God calls an angel to interpose between the children of Israel and Egypt. This is a glorious comfort, that God cares for his own in a fatherly way. For He makes His help appear here, and gives us the angels as guards and escorts. It is as if God wants to say here: I will make it so that Pharaoh will chase after you; then he will guide you. Thus, in His word, God has announced to us beforehand what is to come and what would pass over us. That is to say, fatherly and faithfully warned and admonished, and also promised that He would not forsake us. For there is God's word, which says: Those who persecute you shall serve and benefit you. Just as even today the pope and tyrants have promoted the gospel against their will, even though they have raged and raged against it and wanted to suppress it completely.

Therefore, God acts fatherly enough with the Israelites, proclaiming to them that He will not forsake them. Therefore, the saints have taken much comfort that God is so close to His saints that even the angels have given them

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The fourth and thirtieth Psalm, v. 8, also says: "The angel of the Lord is encamped round about them that fear the Lord, and helps them out"; and the 91st Psalm, v. 11, 12, says: "He hath commanded his angels concerning thee, that they should keep thee in all thy ways, that they should bear thee up in their hands, and that thou shouldest not strike thy foot against a stone." If we believe this, we should be the more joyful. For the dear angels are our guards and escorts, yes, our servants and attendants, who must wait on the Christians so that no harm befalls them, as the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 1, 14. testifies that the angels are ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who are to be saved. So we also see here that the children of Israel do not have any wall or rampart around them, but like a great host, by which they are protected from Pharaoh, so that they are now safe and certain of God's help.

(52) But faith is needed to know that the angels of God are around us, just as an army of war encamps and settles in the field with its armor, spear, rifles, horse and chariot. This is undoubtedly true, whoever could believe it alone, and trust in God, would be sure that the dear angels are standing with him. Therefore, we should take comfort in the protection of the angels and be sure that we will not have or gain any trouble in dangerous situations. I myself would rather have one angel around me than four and twenty Turkish emperors with all their power and authority; even if they had a hundred times a thousand guns with them, it is still nothing compared to one angel 2 Kings 19:35.

And if we had no other consolation than this one, it would be enough. Tell me, is it not a great thing that God is so careful for us, and looks so closely upon us? What more can he do? Yes, you say, I would like to see an angel. Dear, there would be no need for faith; but one must believe it. We have a fine, glorious example of this in the history of the prophet Elisha 2 Kings 6:14-16. His servant saw that a great army of Syrians was coming around the city of Dothan, where Elisha was, and was besieging it. This knew

When the servant told him, he said, "Do not be afraid, there are more of them with us than with them," and asked God to open the servant's eyes, and he saw that the mountains around Dothan were all full of fiery horses and chariots. Yes, if one opens his eyes in this way, he will see. Therefore, if you trust in God alone, you will see not only a hundred thousand angels, but all the mountains full of angels; indeed, you will see God Himself around you.

(54) So it is also shown here that the angel had to take care of the people of Israel against the Egyptians, so that we may know that we have such a Lord who protects and guards us, so that no harm may befall us (Ps. 121:4). Truly, it is a sin and a shame that we have so many beautiful histories and sayings of the holy Scriptures, and yet we cannot trust the dear God, who has given us such strong, mighty and comforting promises in this case; nor do we go there and respect it. This is all due to our sorrowful unbelief.

V. 21, 22: When Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, the LORD caused it to pass away with a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry, and the waters were divided from one another. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon dry land, and the waters were for walls unto them on the right hand and on the left.

55] This is the other miracle that happens here, that God leaves the waters as walls, and the depths of the sea must be dried up, so that the children of Israel may pass through; so that God's right hand, power and omnipotence may be felt, that He may well help His own in times of need, as a gracious God. So let us learn to believe in God. For this example shows us what faith is capable of, what help it achieves, and what emphasis it has. Of this the epistle to the Hebrews in the eleventh chapter, v. 29, boasts and preaches with these words: "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through a dry land; and when the Egyptians wanted to follow them, they all sank and were drowned. [Now follows the third miracle:

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V. 24-26 When the morning awakening came, the LORD shouted at the tents of Egypt from a pillar of fire and a cloud, and made terror in their tents. And thrusting the wheels from their chariots, he overthrew them with impetuosity. Then said the Egyptians, Let us flee from Israel: the LORD fight for them against the Egyptians. And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand over the sea, that the waters may fall again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen 2r.

056 And when the Egyptians pursued after the children of Israel, and overtook them, God by an angel terrified them, that they should flee: but the sea smote them again, and kept them, and drowned them all.

(57) This miracle should awaken the fear of God in us, so that we may reflect on it and see how God can punish and overthrow the wicked and impenitent, as He is doing here to Pharaoh and Egypt. Therefore Joshua says in chapter 4, v. 23, 24: "God dried up the Red Sea for this reason, and let them pass through, so that all the peoples of the earth would know the hand of the Lord, how mighty it was, and that they would always fear God the Lord" 2c.

(58) Now we must also treat the last part as the saying of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10:1, 2, where he says: "Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized under Moses, with the cloud and with the sea," which in the same place is not a mystery or allegory, but a history. But if anyone desires to make secret interpretations, to interpret a history, and to draw it into an allegoriam, let him draw it on the divine word, and see how one deals with faith and conscience. St. Paul uses it as an example and history for himself, as if to say: "Our fathers were baptized in the sea, just as we are; that is, they also had God's word at that time, that they were told to die and enter eternal life through Christ; that they were therefore redeemed through the word and faith in Christ. Therefore, through faith in the word they have attained the same righteousness.

1. Eisleben's: the clouds.

which we also have. Abraham also entered eternal life and was baptized through the word of God to Christ.

(59) Being baptized in this place and several other times in the Scriptures (as when Christ told the two sons of Zebedee in Matthew 20:22, "Can you be baptized with baptism, that I may be baptized?") means and understands in itself every man's peril, challenge or work, commanded and imposed by God. This is his baptism. For he has God's word, and is led into many adversities, from which God helps him through the word, and all his suffering and temptation becomes like baptism to him.

60] But that St. Paul 1 Cor. 10:6 says, "All these things happened to them as an example," has been interpreted by some as if the example were an allegory or spiritual interpretation, but it is wrong; rather, it says, "All these things happened to the Jews, and this deed, as the passage through the Red Sea, happened as a figure, an example, and an example, to show that it will happen to us also. For just as they had their adversity and peril, from which God saved them, so we also have our adversity and baptism, from which we are saved. As if he should say: Whoever wants to be a true Christian and be saved must be baptized, that is, rolled, armored and afflicted, Apost. 14:22, of which we have many examples in the Scriptures. And it costs more to learn the Scriptures correctly than to learn them, as the idiots and false spirits themselves dream, so they soon get tired of the Scriptures.

61 The example here is not called a mystery, it was not a figure, but a great earnestness; God's word, which gives life Ebr. 4:12, and the right faith were there; therefore it was not done to them in appearance, but the deed itself was there. The figure or example must not be drawn and interpreted on the spiritual interpretation alone; it was an example, that as they have done, so must we also do.

62. Although all histories have their interpretation, so that they signify Christ, they are also serious in themselves, and are

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not only the shells, but also the core. St. Paul 1 Cor. 10:4 says: "They had the same drink with us," that is, the same faith in Christ as we have. How could they have led a meaning alone, and not have caught Christ Himself? Yes, indeed. So learn that it is not a meaning or figure, but an example.

Every man must walk in his sea of red if he is to bathe in it. Then learn how to divide the red sea, and

make a safe road for you. Do not look around at your good works, but take the staff, that is, the divine word. When you do this, the wind comes, that is, the Holy Spirit comes with the word and makes way, so that you can say: If it had not been for this calamity, I would have been there, and I would not have passed through as I have now. The water must help the children of Israel and be their wall; thus, what otherwise wants to hinder us and be harmful, that must prosper us to benefit and all good.

The fifteenth chapter.

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying: I will sing to the LORD, for he has done a glorious thing; he has cast horse and chariot into the sea.

We have just heard of a great miracle and wonder that God performed for the people of Israel, when He led them through the Red Sea and drowned King Pharaoh and his warriors in it. This was an extraordinary miraculous and terrifying work of God, and was done so that the people of Israel would believe in God, trust in Him, and give thanks and serve Him for such an unspeakable great good deed. For he snatched them out of the jaws and teeth like death. But such a story is also described so that we should recognize from this wonderful deed who God is, namely, who can help even in the midst of death. As the 68th Psalm, v. 21, also says: "We have a God who helps, and the Lord GOD who saves from death. Therefore one should trust in him that he will do all things well.

(2) For this purpose we are to make good use of this history. For as the children of Israel received help from the Lord, so he will be our helper in time of need Rom. 15:12. The children of Israel see the Egyptians on the shore of the sea all dead and drowned; therefore the people fear the Lord, and believe in him, and

From that time on, they recognize what kind of God they have and learn to fear and obey Him. Such devotion was great among the children of Israel if it had lasted long; but it does not last longer than a dance and high mass.

3. now follows Mosiah's and the children of Israel's song of joy or praise, as they thank God for these great benefits; which psalm was sung in Israel afterwards for years and years. For it has been the way and usage to sing of God's miraculous work, or, as they used to say, to set up a play to sing and say about. For God acts with us in such a way that we have both ears full, and everywhere cause and incentive enough to praise, extol and honor Him. We have an example of this here in Moses, whom David also followed and made many wonderful psalms and songs. After that, other fathers did the same when God performed a special miracle on them, as when some honest battle took place and God gave victory, they sang about it afterwards. And it is right to do God's work by preaching and singing, so that the ears of the whole world will be filled with it.

I will sing to the Lord.

This is the summa of this psalm, that Moses and the people will sing and praise God. It shall be a psalm of praise, when they sing

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and want to say about God's omnipotence, seriousness, power, and also about his grace and goodness, that he has done a miraculous work on them. They have no song to sing on account of themselves, for there is nothing in this deed of which they could boast; but they were terrified and also half-dead because of the cruel danger to life and limb in which they were when they were to be laid in the grave. But that something good has happened, they have to thank our Lord God; to Him they also sing praise and praise for it, and thank Him.

(5) Therefore, these are joyful words that burst forth from the heart that has recognized God and now wants to praise and glorify Him. For it has been a great, praiseworthy work, and this deed may well be seen and come to light. God has shown a masterpiece here; it has been a delicious, excellent and great victory; the fact that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea is a sign of God's power and might against His enemies.

V. 2. The Lord is my strength and praise 2c.

6. we could not do it; the six times hundred thousand men would not have been so strong to wipe out Pharaonem with his war power 2c. Now whoever can say to God: You are my strength, he is differently equipped than we are lazy drops. But how does God become our strength? In the things that God encounters, and not only in these, but in all things, we must despair of ourselves, that we are unable to do anything. So they give Him glory and confess that they had no strength nor powers, and that what had happened was arranged by His power and might, it was not their work, but God's grace and blessing, He was the right man of war who had overthrown their enemies.

7 This is a haughty defiance, that one can say, "The Lord is my strength. And have sung the words of them much, but understood them little. But they want to say: This is God's work; defiance is commanded to anyone who harms us or bends a hair Rom. 8, 31. ff. Therefore, if God is my strength and power, what is my strength and power?

ow will God's strength be able to break anything off from me? For I can say: Even though I am a poor little worm, I have God's strength with me Ps. 22:7, Is. 41:10 f.. Item, even though I am nothing, and on earth weak and sick, and so weak that I could not even ward off the flies that sting me, yet I am strong, for God is my strength. This is what the children of Israel have had to learn from experience, that they despair of them, and say: We know nowhere to beat the Egyptians but with faith and trust in God. And in this trust I take hold of God's strength in me, and God's strength then takes hold of me, since God does not abandon those who trust in Him.

My hymn of praise.

This is my glory. As if to say: I know nothing to praise, extol and sing but of this.

And is my salvation.

(9) My victory, my salvation in this matter, with Pharaoh the king; my salvation, which overcometh the enemy, which maketh me bold by trusting in him, and destroyeth the enemy. This is said of the power that fights against adversity and death. Would to God that we could also meet this verse when we are defeated, that we could say against sin, death and the devil, and everything else that tries to harm us, "I have a victory, strength and salvation greater than thou art; despite which I grieve. This is how one overcomes death and the devil and everything unpleasant. This is a great thing, that a poor, weak man should feel that he has such strength with him that he may overcome even death and the devil. The Israelites did not fall into the sea with the sword of Pharaoh and drown, but because they clung to God through the faith and trust of their hearts. Therefore, faith is a divine strength, a divine work and thing 2c.

This is my God, I will praise Him, He is my Father's God.

(10) For the great joy of the Spirit, which the Christians have from the works of God, they speak of the same thing in many ways; since

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The mouth overflows with special words. When the heart is full of joy and has well considered a thing, then it follows that the mouth speaks much about it Matth. 12, 34. For the heart teaches the mouth to say, "Here is God, in whom I hold fast my faith, and with him I will abide.

I want to raise it.

11 That is, I want to adorn him. Some have interpreted it as if he wanted to build him a delicious temple. Thus the Jews interpret it as if he wanted to build God a tabernacle, that is, a dwelling place, since God would be close to them. But the little word "raise" here means to adorn, to decorate. For the Jews did not build the tabernacle or the tabernacle before God, but God wanted it from them and told them to build it, as he later told David to tell his son Solomon to build the temple 2 Sam. 7:12, 13.

He is my father's God.

012 As if he should say, He is my God, and the God of my fathers; yea, we mean this God only, who spake unto our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and revealed himself unto them, and promised their seed and seedlings that he would not leave them, but multiply them as the sand of the sea, and as the stars of heaven. But we thought that we were poor, that we were in the throat of death and the devil, that we had no God, but now, because we have passed through the Red Sea, we have experienced His strength. Then Moses will say, "This is the God who spoke to my fathers and promised them that He would bring their children out of the house of bondage in Egypt; and this He has now proven in truth, therefore I will praise and exalt Him. Of this exaltation, how Mary also sings in her hymn of praise Luc. 1, 46.: "My soul exalts the Lord"! Moses does it wonderfully; he gives God many names, so that he will praise him, praise him highly, which the Hebrews call "exalt".

13. these are the right works that please god, that we may honor, adorn, adorn, and make god beautiful, that he may be more beautiful than the sun, and that nothing else may be beautiful against him.

is Ps. 104, 1. He may not be exalted, for he sits above all heavens in the throne of his glory Isa. 6:1. But if I shout Him out with my sermon and with my praise and preach about Him, how mighty and fine God He is, then He will be exalted and made known Ps. 145:1, 2. Otherwise God is unknown to men, he is of no use to them, and stinks to them. Therefore, when he is lifted up and adorned, so that through my mouth, my preaching and confession his praise comes to the people, so that God, who before stank, is now preached and held holy, then it is the most beautiful wreath that one can put on him, and the prettiest skirt that one can put on him, yes, the prettiest house that one can build for God. This mouth does much when I adorn God in such a way that people think much of Him, that He comes into people's hearts, and do not get any other evil thought from God, or hold Him suspiciously out of giving in to the evil spirit Jac. 3, 9. Ps. 34, 2. 9..

14 Here Moses is a master of speech, and there he does not stammer, as we have heard above Cap. 4, 10. Other fools may always go and build temples for him, erect images for him and give him beautiful clothes; but this is the right adornment, when he is recognized in his wisdom, that one thinks much of him; as that God is faithful, true, almighty, just and wise, that is a beautiful adornment. As one otherwise says of a man: This is an honorable man, because he leads a pious, honest life. And in Proverbs it is said that discipline adorns a woman's image more than all her clothes. Solomon also says in the book of Proverbs Cap. 11, 22: "A lewd woman who is beautifully dressed is no different than a sow with a gold ring in her nose"; but whichever woman is virtuous and honest has the highest adornment. For though a harlot be adorned with pearls and precious stones from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, yet is she a harlot; whereas another woman in a garment, pious and chaste, outweighs and disguises all her harlotry. 1)

1. disguise - to put in the shade.

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(15) Of this, says Moses, I will preach; this shall be my work. You cannot do a more pleasing work to God than to preach about Him and praise Him. You must not fast to him, build churches, or torture yourself to death; with these I can be adorned and made beautiful; but God's adornment is when I give the sacrifice of praise, that I preach of him and bring him among the people, and make known his power and strength. That is what I am to do; that is to exalt rightly.

V. 3. The LORD is the right man of war, LORD is his name.

I mean, he could get it. How foolish is he who relies on armor, spears, swords and guns for comfort, and on fortresses for honor and glory? [If you want to wage war, seek the right, cheap war that is done with a good conscience. Other people war, like swine with dogs. God alone is the mighty Lord who gives happiness and victory in wars, as is said in the 144th Psalm, v. 10: Qui dat salutem regibus [who gives victory to kings). He has commanded the children of Israel to come out of Egypt with armored hands, as they have six times a hundred thousand fighting men. Now the power and might of the Egyptians is also great, all of whom are arrayed against the warband of the children of Israel. But what happens? The armor of the Egyptians is destroyed in one fell swoop.

(17) The Israelites could not have slaughtered and killed so many calves in eight days, even if they had been bound, as the Egyptian men of war who were armed here were killed; for there was a mighty king who set himself against this people here. But God agitates and brings him into the field, but let it be proved that he is a true man of war; he knows well where he should meet the armored man. When the hour comes, he throws everything into a heap, so that not one remains of those who have sat down and rebelled against him or his church. This is powerfully proven by this deed to Pharaoh and many, many other stories testify to it.

(18) This LORD is to be trusted, who has such power; and who would doubt him? Moses describes this battle in many long words, and tells how it happened. It was not child's play to see that Pharaoh had so many beautiful, glorious men with him, so many princes, lords, and wise, active, pugnacious men and heroes, that he might devour the whole world; but when it comes to the battle, they all go down and sink like lead in the water, and are drowned, so that it may be seen that God is the right man of war.

(19) God would still do this today if we had the right faith. If a king stood up, as is said in the 7th Psalm, v. 2, I would say: God, in you I will trust. If they want to surround my flesh and kill it, they do not have to harm me. For I will trust in God more than in my strength and ability; for glorious and mighty is his hand. Moses says here: You are my salvation and strength, you, you have done it Acts 9:5. How the children of Israel boast here! They blame the Egyptians for doing against God, for fighting and contending against God.

(20) So we should also learn and become accustomed to entrusting the matter to God, saying, "They have not fought against me, but against you, O God. I am your weakness, you are my strength; I am vain sin, you are pure righteousness; I am your filth, you are my adornment and adornment, so it will be better for us. The devil sees us as weak, powerless and feeble, but when it comes to the meeting, God says: I am all here. Then it is the same as with a poor little worm that sticks to a fishing rod, which the fish wants to eat and devour, but it is caught. So God also lets us be weak, and yet is with us with His strength, and sustains us. Then the enemies troll along and want to destroy and devour us, but soon they lie on the ground; even if they think they want to devour us in one bite, they are still lacking. For God's strength is hidden in our weakness and overcomes all danger.

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021 I shall say unto GOD, I am thy servant; thy faith and thy word have been in me; and because I have had thy word, they will oppress me: but behold, how fine they shall run, that will oppress GOD; it shall be unto them as it is unto the Egyptians here. They are here and want to eat me, but they do not know that they want to eat you, God; they will not lead them out. May God grant that we may also boast of this one day.

V. 7 For when you let out your anger, it consumed them like stubble.

(22) In these words Moses relates the great earnestness of God against His enemies, how the persecutors of His church and Christians shall perish immediately. For just as straw or stubble cannot withstand or resist a great fire and blaze, so it is when men fight and fence against our Lord God Isa. 40, 24. 41, 1. 2.. There could not be more arrogant and defiant words that Moses and the children of Israel used here, since they were saved from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, to say that God's wrath is a consuming fire, and God's enemies are straw or stubble.

023 Here they have a much different spirit, and mind, and tongue, and speech, than they had before. At first the children of Israel thought they were like water bladders against Pharaoh and the Egyptians. But now they see that if anyone trusts in our Lord God, his enemies must be as straw and stubble against a fire, since stubble does not harm a fire, but makes the fire greater the longer it lasts, and finally is consumed by the fire and turned into dust and ashes.

(24) One could not speak of the great power of Pharaoh and the Egyptians more contemptuously or more disgracefully than Moses and the children of Israel do here, that they call this mighty, powerful, splendid king, so many princes, the core and the highest fortune of his whole empire, stubble and straw. If someone were to call the Roman emperor, the princes and rulers, the whole empire stubble, would he not be said to be mad and foolish? But Mosi's heart is full of

divine help and power, of which he rejoices here and thanks God for it.

(25) Let this be a comfort to us, so that all that troubles us and weighs us down, even though it appears to be great and wants to devour and swallow us up, will not frighten us. For if we look at such things with faith, and feel our weakness, and also look at the great power of our adversaries, we can still take comfort in God's strength, and despise the power and authority of the adversaries. For they are equal to nothing against God. Yes, the world, heaven and earth and all creatures are against God like a drop of water against a bucket of water Is. 40, 15.

26 This can be seen from the history given, where Moses explains how after their passage the sea fell through one another again, as if heaven and earth were about to sink. For the water stood as far apart as a great city is long or wide. Now that it has suddenly come together again, what do you think must have been the roar and clatter? It will not have done otherwise than as if everything wanted to fall over a lump. If one is frightened by the roaring and rushing of a water, what should not have happened here? Before that, God made the water stand still, as Moses says here v. 8: "By your blowing the waters were opened, and the floods came up. The waters were opened, and the floods were heaped up." Spirit and wind are called one thing by the Hebrews. He let a fury come, or he snorted once, then I saw your power and might, so all the strength and power of the Egyptians (as fire consumes the stubble) has destroyed.

27 Moses describes not only how they were minded, and how they felt, that they were fainthearted and despondent; for there are high mountains, they thought, whither shall we go? there is nothing but death before our eyes; but he also reports the safety and glory of the enemies, because they have determined the children of Israel, as when swine are brought together into a stall. Therefore they cry, Won, won; and with them is strength and might, and a certain hope of victory. But the Israelite

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The multitude must groan and say: O we are of death, and all are lost 2c. God is not seen with his strength and power, but he is in great weakness with the children of Israel; yet he sustains them, and overthrows Pharaoh, and inspires the children of Israel with courage.

These are excellent examples and words of sincere faith, that when an enemy rages, rages and struts, and makes himself believe that heaven is full of violins, but you are powerless and powerless against it, that you can then conclude and say: Dear Lord God, you are mine and I am yours. And this is God's work, this is what He delights in, as also the 73rd Psalm, v. 18, sings, that God raises some high, so that He may bring them low again and overthrow them, and the Virgin Mary also sings it in her hymn of praise Luc. 1, 52.: Deus deposuit potentes de sede etc. Deus deposuit potentes de sede etc.. , he pushes the mighty from the chair, and raises the miserable. For even if I want to bring a thing down hard, I lift it up high; on hard blows one saves high. Therefore God lifts up the enemies, that they may fall hard. So he lifted up Pharaoh and the Egyptians, as if they had the children of Israel in their hands; but when they were too sure, the waters closed their gorge and ate them up; so Pharaoh lay in the Red Sea, and Sennacherib lost his people before Jerusalem 2 Kings 19:35. Antiochus, the tyrannical king, also perishes miserably in Persia 1 Marc. 6, 8. ff.

29. From this we are to learn that God is such a man: whom He lifts up, it is dangerous with him; but what He lets fall, that means something good Ps. 113, 7. Sir. 3, 19.. The lifting up is terrible, because he also breaks it gladly, and makes that out of it, which it was not. Such things belong to the Creator alone. That is what he does; namely, what is high and great he brings down, and what is nothing he exalts. Just as the Lord Christ himself says to the Pharisees that what is high and great in the sight of God is an abomination in the sight of men. Therefore, when they think they are all things, and stand on firm feet, they lie down. Again, what is despised and rejected, God takes care of Ps. 10:12. This is the way of our Lord God.

V. 10. and sank like lead in the mighty waters.

(30) Just as when one throws a piece of lead or a block into the water, which soon sinks to the bottom, so also the Egyptians were drowned in a hui, so that in a moment there is neither man, horse nor chariot, and they can no longer swim or move a finger 1 Thess. 5:3.

V. 11. Lord, who is like you among the gods?

(31) The Holy Spirit is full of words; he overflows with praise, as a cask in which a must pours, (1) so Moses foams with other joy and thoughts. There have been many gods on earth, but no god has done such a glorious deed as the right God. God imposes and allows other gods to be raised up as well; as St. Paul 1 Cor. 8, 4. 5. says about the devils pretending to be God and wanting to be worshipped, but there is only one God over the wicked and over the godly. But this is the difference, that the service and office are unequal. For this one wants to serve God in one way, that one in another way, and all lack God. But just as there is only one God, so there is only one way to serve God. For the others also want to serve our Lord God, but they serve the devil.

For this reason, because of many idolatries, cruel sins and abuses, for which the devil is very quick, undaunted and willing, God decrees that one people shall subdue and destroy another. For Satan is the god of the world; he has many angels who serve him. So, in this chapter, King Pharaoh and his princes are slain, but God does it through the devil. Although the wicked often force the pious among themselves and win a battle, Satan also helps and sometimes protects his servants and people. He has this power, but it is nothing compared to the strength of him who has built one heaven above the other; therefore he is a god above all gods, he has one heaven above all gods.

1. yaw --- yaw,

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mel built over all the heavens. We call this one heaven as far as we can see it; above these visible heavens it has other heavens.

So there is only one Lord and God, although people dream and invent other gods for themselves. In Hispania they have St. James as their patron, there they honor and serve the devil under the name of St. James. In Rome they have St. Peter; elsewhere St. Catherine, St. Barbara and St. Nicholas have been invoked as emergency helpers. The devil is a god and prince of the world; therefore he is powerful and mighty. He can sometimes help, and God thus decrees it; for God's counsels are wonderful. That is why Moses wants to say: It is nothing with the straw men 1) and gods, against you. He confesses that they are called gods, but he says, "Who is like you among the gods, who is so noble and holy, terrible and praiseworthy and wonderful?

34 This is the conclusion of the first part, since in this psalm of praise Moses praised God's power and earnestness against the persecutors and enemies of his word, because he wants to say: There is none. There are many gods on earth, but there is none so excellent in holiness as you. For all other gods, which are invented and pretended, profane themselves; but he that honors this God becomes holy, and he also sanctifies God. The monks have honored St. Bernardum, Benedictum and Franciscum; but served the devil under the name of the saints, and under these saints' names only disgraced themselves; but this people has the right GOt and the right spirit; and as GOt is holy, so they also walk in holiness. Other gods are inwardly foul and unclean; there is none so terrible, praiseworthy and miraculous as you.

V. 12. When you stretched out your right hand, it swallowed up the earth.

35 That is, they were under heaven; but when the sea and the water fell together, they were submerged, and fell into the earth; both parts smote together, and the Egyptians are in the midst of the water, therefore they are sunk into the abyss of the earth.

1. Straw pots - popanz of straw.

V. 13. You have guided by mercy your people whom you redeemed, and have led them by your strength to your glorious dwelling place.

Here he gives thanks and praise to God for his glorious blessing, grace and mercy, that he not only led and redeemed his people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt, but was also their escort, and governed them on the way out of Egypt to the Red Sea, and also brought them through the Red Sea. The angel of the Lord went before them by night in a fiery pillar, and by day in a white cloud 2c. Which cloud was set before the Egyptian highway 2) between the Egyptians and the children of Israel, that they might not come together.

(37) This is what he means here, that the Egyptians did not do as they pleased, but God stood with the Israelites, so that they would be sure not to go out or move away, unless it pleased God to be with them. Moses says: "It was due to your goodness, not to our merit or good works. For if you had acted according to our merit, you would have left us unguided and unguided.

(38) You may think that from the great and terrible deed there was a great cry in the surrounding countries, who heard of the miracle, that all the power of the kingdom of Egypt was drowned in the Red Sea, and that the children of Israel were the people who went through the sea dry, and all the countries thought: Help God, who will remain before this people? For if the Turk were to enter these lands and pass through the Elbe with dry feet, what a great cry would go up through all the lands? How would everyone's heart fall out? Much more has happened here than this glorious miracle has taken place. But the same countries were still not converted to God, but thought it had happened by magic. For there was much black magic and sorcery in use at that time, and idolatry was used extensively. Whether Israel

2. Thus taken over by us from the old edition of Walch. Eislebensche: Straf.

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served the right God, the pagans thought: One God is stronger than the other. Although the God of Israel succeeded in one thing, the God of Egypt must not be wrong.

V.14. When the nations heard this, they trembled; fear came upon the Philistines.

39 That is, the surrounding countries, as, the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Cananites and others were afraid, they staggered, ran together, there was a rumor, because this happened. The Philistines were the nearest neighbors, therefore he remembers them, and the Philistines were a strong, mighty people, dwelling toward the evening of the land, where they were to go. The children of Israel went in from Egypt as from the evening toward the morning, as if they were going to the land toward the north; which was the right way and road to the land where the Philistines dwelt, which land had many great cities, and princes, and giants; but God led them astray for a long time, guiding them around the mountains because of their sin. These Philistines were also afraid of the cry. The people of Israel have never been able to completely dominate the Philistines, so that they would have been subservient to them; they have been interest-bearing to the children of Israel, which is as far as David was able to go 2 Sam. 5, 17. ff. 1 Chron. 15, 8. ff..

V. 1s. Then the princes of Edom were terrified, the mighty men of Moab cried out, and all the inhabitants of Canaan became cowards.

040 The Edomites dwelt on the left hand, and came from Esau Jacob's brother: and the children of Israel went about their land almost forty years. Moab was a little farther toward the east. Edom was better situated toward here. Above these nations lay Canaan. These countries all at once, which they had before them, were astonished at this marvel, though they were mighty, great, powerful, and strong nations. Nevertheless they thought how they would smite and subdue the children of Israel. This is what happened to the children of Israel and how they were redeemed. Now he closes the hymn with a prayer, saying:

V. 16. Let terror and fear fall upon them by your great arm, that they may be frozen like stones.

41 As if to say, From the cry of this great miracle let them be cowardly; press on, dear Lord God, press on, they are troubled, afraid and terrified, and we must pass through and shall pass through. We have overcome the Red Sea, ei, so let us also smite and overcome this multitude of Philistines, Edomites, Moabites and Cananites. O help us to do it soon, and you do it; for you alone are mighty. You recently drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea, so we hope you will destroy other nations before us and bring us into the Promised Land.

But how shall he do it? Take away their heart! For God has this art: He does not cut off a fist or a leg, but takes away the manhood and the courage, so that the heart falls away, so that there is no courage or manhood. As the 76th Psalm, v. 12, 13, also says: "Bring gifts to the terrible one, who takes away the courage of princes, and is terrible among the kings of the earth." When the courage is gone, one stands like a fool, yes, one can hardly stand on his feet, arms and legs become trembling and powerless, that one lies there like a block, lets himself be cut and stabbed, as on a block or wood. A boy can strangle a man. So our Lord God leaves a man's fists whole, his harness and spear and knife undrawn. But he gives a despondent heart when one is to strike with the enemy. Therefore it is not in the fist, nor in the sword, but in the courage that does it. When a man takes a thing into his mind that he may do it, it is already half done. For beware of him who means you in earnest; for when it is thus resolved in the mind, the fist goes soon after.

43. This is our Lord God's agility, his art of war, his advantage and best armor, namely, that he takes away the courage of the harassers and the devourers of men; then one becomes less than a child and more stupid than a woman. Therefore Moses says here: Take away their heart and their courage, and give it to us; let terror and fear fall upon them, so that

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they will freeze like the stones. Then we will overcome them; if manhood escapes them, they will be dull and half dead, so that they will not be able to lift a finger.

Until the people come through whom you have purchased.

44 As if to say, "It is your people, you care for them, so that you may be honored and praised; therefore take away their courage and give us a heart. So our Lord God fights against his enemies; so let whoever wants to fight, I will be satisfied with this warrior Ps. 108:12, 13.

Bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance.

45 That is, bring them into the land of Canaan, drive out the heathen. "Your inheritance." For the land is yours, so we are your inheritance; therefore you, God, will set up a dwelling place, temple and seat there, where you will be found.

46. for God has always done this, that He has given on earth a bodily sign, a person, a place, and a place where He will surely be found. For if we are not bound and caught by a bodily, outward sign, each one will seek God where he desires. That is why the holy prophets wrote many things about the tabernacle, about the dwelling place and the tabernacle where He wanted to be present. God has always done this. In the same way, he has built a temple for us Christians, where he wants to dwell, namely, the oral word, baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are bodily things. But our false prophets, the spirits of the wicked, and the enthusiasts despise them, and cast them away as if they were worthless, saying, "Yes, I will sit and wait until a flying spirit and a revelation come to me from heaven.

(47) But beware of this. We also know that water, bread and wine do not make us blessed; but how do you like it that in the Lord's Supper there is not bad bread and wine, or even in baptism pure water; but God says that he wants to be in baptism, that it should cleanse and wash us from sins? And in the Lord's Supper, under the bread

and Mine, the body and blood of the Lord Christ is given. Will you then despise God and His sign here, and look upon and hold the water in baptism as the water flowing in the Elbe, or as the water you boil? Or, wilt thou esteem the word of the gospel as the words or speeches of the peasants of the Kretzschmar or the Tabern? For God has said: When the word of Christ is preached, then I am in your mouth, and I go with the word through your ears into the heart.

(48) Therefore we have a sure sign, and know that when the gospel is preached, God is present and wants to be found there; there I have a bodily sign, so that I may recognize God and find him. He is also present at baptism and the Lord's Supper, for he has joined himself to be there. But if I go to St. Jacob's, or to the Grimmethal, 1) go to a monastery and seek God elsewhere, I will lack Him. And if now the red spirits preach: Just as monastic life, invocation of the saints, mass and pilgrimage are nothing, so baptism and the Lord's Supper are nothing; that does not work by a long shot. For there is a great difference when God orders and establishes something, or when people establish something. Yes, you are to believe God's ordinances and endowments, worship them and hold them in great honor; so He also commanded Mosi.

49. "Bring them into the land," that is, arrange and name a certain place, so that whoever cannot worship you there in person may turn his body here, and turn his face there and pray. So I also have God in a certain place, namely, here in the Word and Sacraments, so that even if someone is in Rome, or wherever else he may be, if he only turns his face to the Word and Sacraments and worships, he will find our Lord God there, and even if he wants to be found in a straw, he should be sought and honored there. Therefore the prophets said, "We will come to his footstool, for he is holy; there we will worship him.

1. "in Grymthal zu Franken," Jäger, Carlstadt, p. 188, note.

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(50) But our prophets (who are so much wiser than those in whom the Spirit of God is manifest) say: Do you think that this wood, water, bread and wine is holy? I myself know that without the word and its nature it does not have holiness. But if God wills to give holiness and power to these things by His word, they will not lack it, but God, who sits on it and sanctifies these things, is in His word. If he only says, All here I am, and there is my word, there is found GOD; by him it is sanctified. Therefore, if he will be here, I will not despise him or the outward sign.

051 Moses therefore saith, Let them be established, and take root in the land, and dwell therein continually, and not sojourn there as sojourners, eating and drinking, and having only a lodging place there, and departing thence; but let them increase and grow, that they may be planted therein, and be established or remain.

On the mountain.

(52) He called the whole land mountains, and Moses spoke of it as if it had already happened, when it had not yet happened, but God intended to build His tabernacle and tent there. The land was otherwise not so delicious because of its fruits, but because God wanted to dwell there. And God's dwelling place and tabernacle are not to be counted according to wood and stone, but that God speaks there, as the 60th Psalm, v. 8, also says: "God speaks in His sanctuary; I am glad." And so it is also where God speaks in His word and in His sermon, which Moses praises highly, that it is a delicious land, and says: Plant it in the place where You have made Your dwelling.

Therefore also another Psalm Ps. 122, 1. says: "I rejoice that it has been said to me, 'We will go into the house of the Lord'; not where there are organs and pipes, but where the Lord our God speaks; there we go to life, blessedness and mercy. Thus the prophets had God, that they were sure by a bodily sign that God was there; otherwise we run here.

and there, and know nothing certain of God. Therefore this one has run into a barefoot monastery, that one has become a Carthusian; one gropes here, the other there. For God does not sit there, does not speak in the same place, does not entice to Himself, as He otherwise does where His word is preached.

O! the great spirits do not want to suffer this. But let all the nations rage and rage; he will establish a kingdom that will last forever, as he concludes this hymn of praise, saying v. 18: "The Lord will be king forever and ever." For he also alone is a true, eternal, almighty, earnest and merciful, gracious King and Lord; Pharaoh in the Red Sea taught Mores and drowned, but let us Israelites go through the sea with dry feet and redeemed. Now follows a new chapter, which should be distinguished from the others.

V. 20, 21: And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her out with timbrels and dances. And Miriam sang to them: Let us sing to the LORD, for he has done a glorious thing, having cast both man and horse into the sea.

55 Miriam was Mosi's and Aaron's sister, and according to the languages the names are changed, as, Hans in German, is called otherwise graece John, Claus is called graece Nicolaus. So we have to reckon them; the new spirits do not pay much attention to that. Mary, the mother of the Lord Christ, is also called Miriam 2c. This Miriam, Moses' sister, takes an example from her brother Moses and from the other men, and also sings a song of thanksgiving to the Lord with timbrels and round dances, in gratitude that she and the other women also praise and glorify God because of His good deeds and miracles that He performed on them, thereby wanting to lead and entice others to God's knowledge and service.

vv. 22-25 Moses sent the children of Israel out from the Red Sea to the wilderness of Sur, and they wandered three days in the wilderness, finding no water. Then they came to Marah, but

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They could not drink the water of Mara, for it was almost bitter; therefore the place was called Mara. Then the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? He cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree, which he put into the water, and it became sweet.

So far we have heard the mystery of great, glorious deeds, demonstrated in the children of Israel when they were brought out of Egypt, and how they praised and thanked God for these great miracles. Now let us return to the story and hear how they fared; and this text is the end of the fifteenth chapter. God brought them out of Egypt by a great miracle; therefore he still continues with miracles, and does not cease to perform miracles, the whole journey, for forty years, while they are in the desert, until they come to the promised land, and performs one miracle and wonder after another for this long time.

(57) But here we are also given an example of those who see God's miracles, think them great, praise and glorify them, and yet soon fall back and forget all God's benefits, in that they murmur against God and become impatient that they have not had water to drink in three days. Shortly before, they had seen and experienced the unspeakable miracle of how they were led out of Egypt and brought through the Red Sea. This should have been a great thing in their eyes, for the Red Sea was not as narrow as the Elbe or the Rhine, but eight or ten miles wide. They were miraculously rescued from it, and Pharaoh's enemy was sunk and drowned in it with all his people.

But what happens? For more than three days they forget everything, they despise the previous divine help and assistance, they wag it in the wind, they have set themselves against God, as if He were no longer with them, and they know Him no more. Is this not sin and shame? When they come out to the wilderness, to a heath and grove, where no people dwell, nor lands, nor cities, where there is not a flat field, and yet this wilderness goes straight to the promised land, there they find no water. But when they came to Mara, there they found

found water, but could not drink of the same water, for it was almost bitter; therefore the place was called Mara, that is, bitter or bitterness; so the people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"

(59) They can never stop here; their patience is too short. They have lacked water for a day or so, for otherwise they would have carried water with them from the Red Sea; but when they are thirsty for a day or two and do not have water soon, they grumble and are not devout for more than three days. But God has tried and tested their faith by sending a new trial, trouble and tribulation among them, like thirst. They did not think, "Behold, if God has brought us out of death and out of the Red Sea, then He will also give us drink," because they believed and trusted that He would control this thirst. After that, they saw the pillar of cloud and the fire going before them day and night, which they followed as a banner, which was a public sign that God was visibly reigning before them as a duke and supreme commander, both by day and by night. Which is a glorious example of the presence of God with His people. Nevertheless, it does not move them.

They ask nothing about the previous miracle and salvation, which should have strengthened and comforted them, that the God, who had helped them before, was still alive and would still help them, as 1 Sam. 17, 37. David also says: "The God, who helped me from the lion and the bear, will also save me from the uncircumcised Philistine. And 2 Cor. 1, 8-10, St. Paul says that God helped him in Asia out of his weakness and death through their intercession, and will continue to help him, and thus says: "We do not want to keep you, dear brethren, from our affliction, which 1) happened to us in Asia, when we were overburdened beyond measure and overpowered, so that we were considering losing our lives and had decided that we would have to die. But this was because we did not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead, who

1. Eisleben's: our tribulation, the.

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has delivered us from such death, and is still delivering us daily, and we hope that he will also deliver us hereafter, through the help of your intercession for us."

61. So the children of Israel only look at the belly, how the gorret 1) wants to have and to drink. They are gluttons who pay more attention to the belly and the lack of water than to God's miracle, word and promise. So they fall down and care only for the body. Just as if they do not have water, they no longer have God. They want to have the belly taken care of, let God remain in heaven, or be where He wants. Let this be a warning to us, and do not put our eyes into the present distress and danger, but look to God's word, to His previous miracles and examples of how He has helped others; for thereby faith is strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

Now God is somewhat silent about this, and lets them be as they are. And notice here that they did not all murmur at the same time, as follows in the text. For some of them still stood and waited for God to perform miraculous signs among them, and also used the previous miracles correctly, and hoped that God would not abandon His own. For when God performs miracles, he sends some first, or one at the least, who has faith. For He does not perform miracles unless there is faith first, for which He performs miracles. That is why there were still some here who believed, like Moses, Aaron and others. For Moses cried unto the Lord for water: as there were also found later two other godly men, Joshua and Caleb, which came into the promised land, when all the rest were dead. So there are still a few pious men here, for whose sake he gives water, and the wicked peelers enjoy the good deeds of the pious; and the pious must pay for it all here, because the wicked peelers and the boys have murmured because they are among them, just as the wicked often enjoy the good deeds of the pious.

63. god could have made a spring-

1. gvrren - growl.

But he will not do it. For he acts miraculously; just as here, that water stands unnaturally in the rock, and it still goes on daily, that all water sources go out of the mountains and stones. Moreover, it is no less a miracle that the clouds give water. Where does it take it? There can be nothing thinner and softer than a cloud, for it is nothing else than air; how then can it make water and rain out of air; or, how can it make stones out of clouds, but when it rains and hails? Is it not to be wondered at that in half an hour the whole sky is covered with rain? But nobody thinks about it, everything is despised because it is mean.

(64) But all things come to pass, and so they come to pass, that God may gladly stir up and build up faith in us, that we may put our trust in him. For he will not let us lack. And even if we were to sit in the clefts of stone, he could still make water and all necessities out of it. Item, what is bitter, he can make sweet, and again, soon sweet also sour and bitter. So, what is soft, he can also make hard, the creatures must be obedient to him alone Ps. 135, 6.

(65) So the water here was bitter by nature, and so created; but now that they are to drink it, the Lord calls for a tree or wood to be thrown into it, and it becomes sweet. Not that this wood had such great power, but it was a miracle that God willed to do by His word, without any action on Moses' part, and soon the water was not bitter as before; indeed, He can make it remain bitter and taste sweet 2c.

(66) All this is written and done so that we may learn faith, its challenges and trials, and know that we have such a God who makes all things from nothing Rom. 4:17. Nothing is too small for Him, nor is any thing too great; and they that believe shall have all things.

V. 26. There he set before them a law, and a statute, and tried them, saying, Wilt thou obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do that which is right in his sight, and come unto him?

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If you keep his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will not put upon you any of the diseases that I put upon Egypt; for I am the LORD your physician.

God often gave them laws, as in the 12th chapter above, when they were to eat the paschal lamb; item, how they were to borrow gold and silver utensils from the Egyptians. So now he gives laws, orders and rights through the man Moses, and not through himself; as he will give the ten commandments again through himself by great miracles on Mount Sinai.

68. At the hour when the bitter water was made sweet by the tree, he preached a sermon on the miracle, and Moses took this miracle as a reason to preach a strong, good sermon on it, as if to say: You have seen God's miracle as before; therefore I say to you, stop your grumbling, do not be so impatient after this miracle, which you saw the other day; submit yourselves, obey the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right. The land is promised to you; he will not let you go. If thou wilt obey his voice, he will be thy physician, thy helper; it shall be well with thee, he shall preserve thee yet: as thou hast now known by the miracle of the bitter water, which was made sweet.

69 This was the cause and opinion of the sermon and other speeches of Moses to this people. For he exhorted them and raised them up to believe that they would obey God and let him be right, that he would not leave them, even if they had to suffer a little. For God tempted them and made them weak and sick, so that He would be with them and heal them again: He wants to be their helper and physician. This is the part where they wandered in the desert for three days.

Allegory of this story.

70 Now follows the mystery or allegory of this text, for many have interpreted it wonderfully. But what you want to interpret spiritually, you should always draw on faith in Christ and the gospel. Some have interpreted it in this way,

that Mara, the bitter water, means all kinds of crosses, sufferings and misfortunes that may befall a man. But that Moses throws a wood into it and makes it sweet, is that one throws the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the body and blood of Christ into it, and one remembers the suffering and death; then all cross and suffering taste good; then no suffering is so bitter and bitter that it does not become sweet and sweet. Let these be Christian and good thoughts; though they are childish enough, yet they are drawn to the suffering of Christ; but to point rightly is to the spirit, to the conscience, and to faith.

Mara" is the law of God, and "walking in the wilderness" is the heaviness of life, which is led under the burden of the law and good works, since there is never rest nor peace, but the spirit is even killed, and through the laws everything becomes the longer the worse. For the law makes an evil conscience, and only causes wrath, and increases sin, Rom. 4:15. Therefore, the more the law is preached for the conscience, the more man must be frightened by the bitter water; this makes everyone sad, it judges people to be melancholy; as then those experience who are under your law.

Now, there arises a grumbling and impatience against God, which naturally happens Matth. 20, 11. For the heart cannot do otherwise than to become hostile to God. I am now speaking spiritually of the law. For outward, coarse people must be forced with the outward law 1 Tim. 1, 9, but the tender souls (that is what I am talking about now), who belong to the Gospel, God leads them on a three-day journey and tortures them, and brings them into great thirst, fear and distress, to the bitter water, which they must drink, that is, that they have a bitter conscience. The grumbling that follows is of the conscience that is secretly angry with God; with the mouth it says it loves God, but the heart denies. For it does not want to be so severely tempted, and is hostile to all punishments that go beyond sin.

73. Punishments make a bad conscience, hurt it and are quite annoying for the old Adam; but if there were no punishments, then a sinful life would be nothing but a sin.

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fine thing. Because they are hostile to the laws and wrath of God, they are also hostile to God, and this for the following reason, that it follows irrefutably: He who does not approve of the punishments does not want God's justice, and invents for himself alone such a God who is merciful (as the world is now in the habit of doing, and knows how to make masterly use of it), therefore he does not want to have God Himself either. Therefore, within the conscience there is a secret resentment, blasphemy and grumbling against God, since the heart would like there to be no God or punishment. Therefore, the conscience must always tremble and quake, even fearing and being terrified of a rustling leaf.

Now this is a secret sin, that one covers up such things, of which not many people know Jer. 17:9. Should they love God and be favorable to Him? They would gladly flee and disown God, and would that there were no God; as is seen in those who are to die, or suffer something for their iniquity. And in the last day they will prove it much more clearly, when God will drive away from Himself the hearts laden with the sin of impatience and wrath, precisely because they were impatient and grumbled against God; which God hears very well, so everyone who can judge and judge spiritually also sees it; but those who do it do not recognize it in this way. But all who are frightened by the knowledge of hell and the law do so before they receive the Holy Spirit and their hearts are softened. Therefore, that we may become favorable to the law and be held, this is what the tree does, which is shown by God to Mosiah; whatever kind of tree it must have been, for here it is not expressed by name.

(75) Now two things are signified here: first, that the water, which is the law, is not made sweet without the help of Moses, who by the terrors of the law makes a man hard and weary, and so afflicts him with bitterness that he longs for help; and secondly, when the Holy Spirit comes, it soon becomes sweet. But our red spirits want to have the Holy Spirit without the divine word. So this tree is the dear gospel; the bitter water is the law, or the erudition.

knowledge of sin. The tree of life Gen. 2, 9 is the dear gospel, the word of God's grace, mercy and goodness; when the gospel is immersed in the law and knowledge of sin and touches the heart, where the law causes sadness, fear, terror and grief, it tastes. Moses does his outward service; so here also. It does nothing without the outward gospel, for through it follows sweetness and desire for the law. One recognizes from it that Christ died for us, and receives the Holy Spirit, and gets pleasure and love for God, to whom one was otherwise hostile before. If God pleases him, and this desire has begun, then there is peace, and what God means and commands, and also the law wants, comes to pass. It is pleasant and fun for him, and he likes to hear about it, because the law has been fulfilled by someone else; he has even become a different person.

Thus it should be applied to the ministry of preaching; and therefore I am practicing the young theologians who are studying the holy Scriptures, guiding them freshly and driving them to the Word of God, and founding their faith on the Word of God. The other, previous interpretation § 70 is too weak and too childish, does not attain the reason and spirit.

When the bitterness is taken away and the heart is cleansed, it does not grieve. Then it is recognized that God has given them the law to obey the voice of the Lord. He did not want to put a disease on them, as he had put on Egypt, but he wanted to be their physician, since they would immediately be attacked with disease; this is when the gospel is given, which makes even death sweet, yes, a gentle sleep. Then the foundation is laid, and this is the right doctrine, where one must persist, urge and exhort that man turn to Christ and learn how he helps us from sins, law, death and the devil. Stay with it and learn to trust in God. Whenever you are tempted with bitterness, always keep the word, and God will be your physician and protect you from all sorrow.

78 For in these two things is the ministry of preaching: first, to teach that which is not known;

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To admonish and urge them to keep in mind what they have learned and known, and not to leave it or forget it 2 Tim. 4:2. We are flesh and blood, so it cannot be preached enough. This is also seen in the Holy Scriptures,

who preaches the same doctrine in different words all the time. God knows that the old rogue, the old Adam, is lazy and indolent; he soon lets him take away the pure and righteous doctrine, and after that he is persuaded by erroneous, seductive little human beings.

The sixteenth chapter.

Cap. 15:27 And they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees; and they pitched there by the waters 2c.

Cap. 16:2, 3 And all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and said unto them: Would to God that we had died in the land of Egypt by the hand of the LORD, when we sat by the fleshpots, and had abundance of bread to eat. For this cause ye carried us out into this wilderness, that ye should cause all this congregation to die of hunger.

(1) We have heard the text of the sixteenth chapter of the second book of Moses, how the children of Israel went from the Red Sea to the wilderness of Sin, and how they came first to Elim, but abode not long there, when they found twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees. From the same place they came into the wilderness of Sin, when this great deed was done, which follows. After that they came to Raphidiin, where the people again had nothing to drink; from there they came to Mount Sinai.

Now it is reported here that they found twelve wells, that they had no need of the water that God had given them through a miracle; after that they also found seventy palm trees. And it may well be that by God's special providence this well water was thus divided into twelve different springs, so that the people of Israel would have water enough, as God had done before.

3 So God provides them with food and drink, that they must have bodily sustenance, to drink in exile and in the wilderness, and to

He brings them here to a fun place where they can refresh themselves and enjoy themselves again. Palm trees have a sweet fruit, the date; they have eaten it and drunk the water of the well; perhaps they will have kept some of the raw dough. Because they traveled only fifteen days from Egypt to the desert of Sin, no doubt everyone would have taken a bushel or two of flour for bread with him on the way for his house, and would have had some provisions. From this we have also recently learned that God is our shepherd and keeper, who feeds us and gives us enough; as the 23rd Psalm, v. 1, also teaches.

(4) But when the flour is out of the sack and there is no more dough, then the idol, Squire Belly, stirs up and says that he cannot wait for our Lord God's delay. For this people murmurs against God that they have no bread to eat, just as they murmured above because there was a lack of water to drink. In truth, the children of Israel were a wicked people, who soon forgot God's miracles and good deeds and grew weary of their profession, despairing of God's grace and mercy. They blaspheme Moses and Aaron, as if they wanted to let the people die of hunger; yes, they blaspheme God Himself, as if He had not let Moses lead them out of Egypt. Therefore judge what a herb this people is, how they doubt God's command that Moses should lead them out of Egypt into the land of Canaan, item, despair of God's help.

(5) And we are of the same kind; such ungodly beings also look out of our eyes. If

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If there is no longer any supply, our faith will also cease. They have not gone more than fifteen days' journey, and they say: Moses has well directed it, we cannot go back, for we would die of hunger; nor can we go further, nor break out to the side, because of the desolation and wilderness; 1) the devil has led us into the wilderness.

(6) According to reason they have cause enough against Moses, because they have nothing to eat or drink. Think ye yourselves, if thou wert in the wilderness fifteen days and fifteen nights, and couldst not come out, think ye yourselves also that thou shouldest die of hunger. This cause have they had, that all the people murmur against Moses, saying, Give us meat; why didst thou send us forth out of Egypt, that thou shouldest cause us, our children, and our cattle to die of hunger?

(7) What mocking, scornful and blasphemous words are these? It is a deep unbelief that they thus fall back, abandon God's word and promise, no longer remember the previous miracles and help of God; and yet the boys want to be pious people, to be unpunished by God, and yet they want all the devils to take Aaron and Moses away. For they say here: The Lord knows nothing about it. They say: There, in Egypt, we would have been blessed people, but here in the desert we must die of hunger. A hundred devils have brought us here. Is this why you brought us out, so that all the people would die of hunger?

008 And after they have all murmured and spoken one to another against Moses and Aaron, the pants of both of them should have fairly stunk; but they stand like heroes, their heart full of God, and they beat out this blasphemy, which they must hear, saying, Ye are companions that have carried us out, and have acted as the wicked; should God have commanded you such things? There the miracles are all gone, which they have seen and felt before, yes, praised and extolled in the previous hymn of praise, since they have been completely convinced and convicted that this execution from Egypt is no man's work.

1. Cislebensche: Gewildniß.

work or fraud. Well, it does not go differently; where the Abgott belly comes, and the stomach begins to burst, there it is all gone. A noble, tender fruit is the man, if he is left to himself.

(9) But we had better strike it out, that we may see who we are against God. For we curse, blaspheme, even persecute his messengers and servants, and bring his miracles to shame. Here a whole congregation falls, with six times an hundred thousand men, many excellent, great people. Joshua, Caleb and others are now all going away with the multitude and rulers of the people, and 2) only these two remain steadfast; they still keep their color and do not retreat. Why should we be surprised that some are now staggering and tumbling away from the gospel, because so many people are falling away here, all of whom are being devoured by the devil? And this alone is the cause of the belly's concern and brings them to this horrible apostasy Matth. 6, 25.

(10) It is a wonderful thing about a Christian who stands by when there is need. Nevertheless, such people are not held in high esteem in the world and are not much in demand. But our nature is such, as Solomon says of it: "When one has a thing, it is evil, and is not esteemed, and is good for nothing; but when it is gone, it is esteemed. So it also goes: If God gives enough, we still do not have enough, and nowhere is good enough, gawking at the lack, and we leave the abundance and provision of God, which is available, until we come to it. O! then it has been very good.

(11) I will interpret it still better, that it may be heard. Take before you a husband and one who lives outside of marriage, or a poor man and a rich man, of whom the saying goes, "Good makes you strong, but poverty hurts. He who suffers poverty in marriage does not see what will become of him, and tolerates poverty with unwillingness; all his eyes, thoughts and senses look at the lack; but that he does not die in hunger, and has a secure, cheerful courage to it, even lives without worries, that is what gives him the right to live.

2. Eislebensche: remained.

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God, and is the poor man's special advantage and benefit. 1) He does not worry because he knows that nothing is stolen from him, he can sleep in peace; on the other hand, that he has a house full of children is nothing in his eyes, he does not count any goods Ps. 128, 3. ff. Ps. 127, 3. 4.. If you were to weigh this on a scale, you would see how far such goods surpass all poverty. [So he goes and needs of heaven and earth.

(12) On the other hand, a rich man, if he has many goods, must also feed many mouths. He must take care that his goods and wealth are not stolen from him, and he is always thinking how he will grow and increase in goods; he does not have enough, but is always thinking: If only I had this in addition. So he never has a secure and cheerful mind, the property makes him uneasy; moreover, he has neither peace nor rest. Again, the poor man only looks at the rich man's goods; but he does not consider that he has any advantage over him, as indicated just before, which the rich man completely lacks. Cause, it is said, as Augustine says: Divitias invenisti, requiem perdidisti [Riches you have found, peace you have lost^.

(13) So now the evangelical peasants also lack nothing, only that they see how they should give interest and bullets, also tithes and other righteousness to the authorities, who do not do wrong by demanding their tribute (Rom. 13:1 ff.); there alone they turn their eyes. But they do not see that their fields and meadows, their houses and farms are in good peace; the authorities give them this security, otherwise they could not sleep safely for an hour in their houses. This security and such great good is not seen. A drink of well tastes better to such a one than boiled and roasted food 2): nor does he gape and look around at the great Hansen, who trot along on beautiful stallions and are resplendent in golden chains. Ah! this fool thinks, God would that I should sit there in his place! and everything that is in his house must stink to him; but he sees and does not know what burden, danger and displeasure clings to and follows this position.

1. Previously -- Preference.
2. Cislebensche: boiled and fried.

(14) So does one who lives outside the married state; he considers his being a vain misery, and makes himself believe that the married state is only a rose garden, and does not see the advantage that he has only a belly or a mouth to feed. Again, he who is in the conjugal state does not see the goods that are given to him, namely, that the man and the woman are created and ordained together by God; item, that they have children and goods are given to them; this makes him dream that the single state is a paradise.

(15) The goods and gifts of God in every state are ten times greater than the harm and lack that one feels in them. If you were to count your neighbor's goods as your lack, and his lack as your goods, you would also do as the sages have written: If it were possible for a man to take his goods and his misfortune in one heap and distribute them at the same time, each would say, "Dear man, give me your goods," and would not want to have the misfortune in addition.

Thus the pagan poet Horatius said to indicate this very thing, that no one is sufficient for him in his status: Optat ephippia bos piger, optat arare caballus, the ox would like to be a horse, and the horse would like to plow like the ox 2c., so that no one should make it better nor order it differently than God has made it.

The peasants will also be like this. If it were not against God, I would wish out of anger for the rebellious peasants to be princes for only one year, to read letters. If I were angry with the rebellious peasants, I would wish for them to be princes for a year, to read letters, to hear complaints, to carry out and decide on disputes, to write letters, and to do other things that are necessary in this state; then one of them would so soon tire of them that he would say: "Keep your precious spurs, silver sword, golden chains, coats of mail, spear and armor, beautiful horses and hung chariots; I want to remain the same as I was before.

018 So are we all one with another: and our brethren the children of Israel in the wilderness do not long remember the manna, or the bread of heaven. Just as in Egypt they did not remember the meat and the bread they had in excess, but they howl and

942 Erl. SS, SIS-SS2. Interpretations of the second book of Moses. W. Ill, I40S-14I2. 943

cry out only because they were burdened and oppressed with joyful services and other things. They did not consider their good, which God had given them, but only saw the misfortune and the evil. But in this place, having come out of want, and having obtained the good, they run back. So our eye is a mischievous one, and God Himself cannot do it justice.

(19) Shall we suffer nothing at all? shall we suffer nothing here? In heaven we shall not lack nor be afflicted; but in this life we must (willingly or unwillingly) have affliction and want among us. If you are poor, if you have no house or other goods, you also have infirmities: but why do you not think that you have a healthy body, healthy eyes and other senses, you have your strength, children and other things? 2c. But your infirmity, which you have beside, is very little and small.

020 But they must begin to blaspheme and desecrate because of a small and little affliction. Just as the dear sons, the children of Israel, do here; when they are full and filled with meat and bread, they go away and despise the bread of heaven, because they cried out to God before. Many say that God is angry and displeases us and sends us sickness, but we keep quiet about it, so that we deserve it. Let him attack it as he wills, but it is no good to us anywhere; should he not strike us? If we were God, we would not hold on to ourselves for so long that we would not quickly strike at it with clubs; but he is much too patient. Since what he gives us is present, we despise it; when it comes away, we praise it, and will by no means "first consider" how good it is. Because a man's wife is still alive, he does not see what use she is to him; but when she dies, he thinks, "O God, if I still had my wife!

21 Thus, if the sun were to stay out one day and not shine, we would all be saddened; but because it shines daily, we are accustomed to God's goods and do not think otherwise than that it should shine for us; but because it always shines, we do not thank our Lord God for it. When the children of Israel were captives in Egypt

and servile, they longed for freedom; and now that they have freedom, they despise freedom. So it goes: As God makes and cooks it with us, so we will not bite it; nor does he bear it. Therefore St. Paul speaks in the stories of the apostles Cap. 13, 18: God tolerated and bore their ways and customs in the desert; and that is truly so, he can well suffer and bear 2 Mos. 34, 6. Ps. 103, 8.

(22) It is such a shameful evil in us that we are ungrateful for the present gifts and goods, and consider only a small infirmity. And each one may go home and count the goods he has, and he will find many more goods than lack, and thank God for them. What do you want more than a healthy body? Item, your possessions and goods, and that you have beautiful children?

23. But how shall we help him? Solomon says Ecclesiastes 7:15: In die malorum memor esto bonorum, et econtra: In die bonorum, memor sis malorum on the good day be of good cheer, and the evil day also take for good. If you feel evil, turn your eyes to the good, and remember, as godly hearts do, to turn your eyes away from misfortune and turn them toward greater happiness. So let them comfort themselves, or else they will make their lives miserable and do nothing with their sorrow.

(24) We read of St. Martino, a citizen of Rome, when all his goods were taken from him and he was driven into exile for the sake of the Christian faith, that he said: 1) Even though they have taken everything from me, they have not taken Christ from me. If my wife and child, my property, house and farm, my good friends, my honor, dignity and glory are gone, I still have the Lord Christ. So a Christian looks with his eyes even more at the present happiness and good than at the misfortune and evil that befalls him.

(25) But our nature cannot do it; it does as these wretched people do here. Nevertheless, our Lord God presents Himself as a God who has great patience, and who can keep it for them, and says: "Well, I will

1. Eislebensche: had.

944 Erl. SS, SS2-SL4. Sermon on Exodus 16:2-9. W. Ill, 1112-1416. 945

atone for your lust; although it is wrong that God should bow down to the will of this people. God gave them a promise above Cap. 15, 26 that they should obey His voice, so He would be their physician; therefore He gives them bread from heaven, so that they should not die of hunger; but they do not remember the promise here. Now he tries the very last thing, whether they would obey him, that they should bring in manna for six days, but on the Sabbath day they should stay in their tents and not go out, so God gave them manna twice, for the sixth day and also for the seventh day. God is a good steward, he gives the daily bread and does not give more to each person than he can eat.

26 Then they began to believe again, and to think, Is not this a fine floor of grain, or granary, that every morning the air and the clouds give as much bread, or manna, as much as we can eat? [When the first evening came, when the manna fell in the morning, there was nothing left; then many of them thought, What will we have in the morning? So they thought, "Lord, give us our bread today, and we will not provide for the morrow," just as he proved at that time.

Thus God provides for us, that He may take away the miracles of the belly. For the belly always smites our Lord God's word and miracle; but once, according to the teaching of St. Paul, one must dig the belly and food under the earth. Therefore, live in such a way, and rely 1) on the fatherly faithfulness of God, that one may be uncertain what one may bring in tomorrow. And if even this great Lord with his words should not be valid, oh! then one may believe the devil. As experience shows, unfortunately, all too many are unfaithful to God and become addicted to the wretched devil only because of his nasty stomach.

Then the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven upon you, and the people shall go forth, and gather daily the things which they have need of, that I may try them, whether they walk in my law, or not: and on the sixth day they shall send themselves to bring in twofold the things which they gather daily.

1. control - support.

Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "In the evening you will know that the LORD has brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD. For he has heard your murmurings. What are we, that ye murmur against us? And Moses said, The LORD will give you meat to eat at even, and in the morning he will give you bread in abundance: because the LORD hath heard your murmurings, because ye have murmured against him. For what are we? Your murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord.

028 Here Moses and Aaron answer the blasphemy of the children of Israel, saying: Alas, that we had died in Egypt by the hand of God; that they might so much as give to understand: There we had a gracious God, the devil has brought you to us; and they say, Now you blaspheme God and murmur against Him; tomorrow you shall see a miracle, that ever God may be praised and glorified. We want you to feel it and grasp it, and also to experience that God will do it, and you will realize that it is not we, but he who has brought you out of Egypt; otherwise there will be no miracle or miraculous work tomorrow, but God will save and prove his glory with it.

29. With the mad mob one should act according to such grace and mercy. It is indeed insidious, 2) and they would rather have something better than this, namely, if they said and pretended to them: Do you think that we are the people who were able to bring you out of Egypt, and ask that you will not take revenge on us? But they apologized so well and so rightly. Moses said this and told Aaron to speak to them to their faces and to tell others, so that they would spread the word among the people. Aaron also took it from Moses' mouth, that he might speak it fearlessly, and tell them the very opinion against whom they had murmured and grunted.

V. 9 And Moses said unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come ye before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.

2. certainly - spoken in a pointed way.

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To come to the Lord is to gather together and hear the Word of God, for where His Word is, there the Lord is also. It was not yet the temple at that time. This is Aaron's ministry. He first punishes them and brings them to the realization of their sin, that they have murmured against God and have thrown all his previous miracles to the wind. Now the sermon begins, and in the middle of the sermon they turn away to the desert, because he did not preach this sermon in one day. And this happened under the sermon of Aaron, that God makes Himself specially seen in a cloud, He seems to be seen in a cloud, from which Moses alone heard this voice, and not other people. That is, people can carry. And as he preached, so it is done: but he let the word go before, as he was wont to do, and after that the work followed. Through this preaching they were converted again, and Moses and Aaron had great trouble and work with them to establish and strengthen their faith. Therefore, God also performs this miracle.

(31) What quails are called is still disputed among the teachers: some think that they are partridges, others that they are curlews; but it is certain that they were meat. More than a year later, God performed almost similar miracles, as we read in Numbers 11:31, 34, where it is indicated how high they flew in the air, namely, that they could be grasped with the hands, and no net was needed. But that the same place in the desert was called the grave of lust was because the lecherous people were buried there. Now one must not think that they are one story or history, but they are two histories. For here they have also manna or bread of heaven with the flesh; there they have flesh only. But this food came in a fine heap, so that everything lay full; so that it was not long before it was gathered together and taken up, so that it all lay fine together.

32. manna was almost like coriander; although coriander is still a small grain, like rice or millet with us; but manna was whiter and rounder, and tasted like honey mixed with bread, and

The bread or food is called manna, fine, sweet and clear like white-grained flour. The same bread or food is called manna, fine, beautiful and clear, like a white-grained flour.

V.13-15. And in the morning the dew lay round about the tents; and when the dew was fallen, behold, there was something in the wilderness thin and small, as the hoarfrost is in the land. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, This is Man; for they knew not what it was.

33. they say: It is something; for it has been a new miracle work, therefore it has no name, because it has still been a new food. It is called in Hebrew, cash, gift or offering. As if to say: It is God's gift, which God distributes among us. As if we were given a strange, unknown thing, which was good and apparent, and we called it manna. We Germans call it Himmelsbrod from the 6th chapter of John, v. 31, but they called it God's gift.

And Moses said unto them: This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

(34) As if to say, Here you have it: God keeps His promise; now eat and be satisfied with it.

V. 19. thus. And Moses said to them: Let no one leave any of it until tomorrow. But they did not obey Moses. And some of them left it until tomorrow. Then worms grew in it, and it stank. And Moses was angry with them. 1)

(35) This is trying very hard and setting a goal for God, because they have tapped, grasped and felt God at once, and he has let himself be seen in a cloud. This is indeed God's temptation, which He has harshly forbidden, that one should not say, "Give it to me this way, or this hour; that I should present to God a person, place, way and space, by which, where, when and how He should help me; but I should present it to Him, and only ask for the need; which they have not done here.

1. These text words are missing in the editions, although the following is completely incomprehensible without them.

948 Eri. SS, SS6-SL8. Sermon on Exodus 16:19, 20. W. m, I4IS-I4LI. 949

(36) So we have heard of a great miracle that God did with the manna, so that He fed the children of Israel forty years, and gave them manna every day, and gave them no more than they could eat. This seems to us to be a bad deed, but it was a great work. As such a blessing of God, with the manna, is praised everywhere in the holy scriptures.

(37) And God did it first of all to make His glory seen against the unbelievers and blasphemers, that He alone was the true God. As Moses says: "In the evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD," 2c., thus proving that by God's command Moses and Aaron brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. After that, God also wanted to indicate that He would feed and nourish His faithful who walk in their profession; as it is said in the 8th chapter of the 5th book of Moses, v. 3, 16: "God gave you manna, when you and your fathers did not know what kind of food it was, so that He might show you that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. For God can also feed His own where there is no bread, as here in the wilderness, where there was neither field, grain, mill, bread, baker, nor any other supply; nevertheless, before they die of hunger, manna must be given them from heaven. Just as Elijah, at the time of the Theurung in Israel, was also miraculously fed and nourished at the brook Crith 1 Kings 17:5, 6. And this promise is also given by the Lord Christ Matth. 6, 33, if one "first seeks the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all the rest shall be added to us". The 37th Psalm, v. 25, also says: "I have been young, and I have been old; but I have never seen the righteous forsaken, neither have I seen his seed going after bread.

(38) But this miracle of the manna did little for them; because the manna fell daily, it was very common among them, and they did not regard it. Just as the sun rises daily for us, which is also a great miracle, that it does not rise for one day or two days, but for one day or two days.

It seems to be like this for many months, even every year; but it has now become a habit that we think it cannot be otherwise. It is no wonder to us that wine and grain grow every year. God should, as with these, so also with other daily miracles, encourage our faith; for that a grain of wheat or other growth should come out of the earth is as great a miracle as if God were still giving manna from heaven on this day; but it does not have the prestige, so it makes the ordinary contemptible.

39 So they have collected for each person or head of the day a Gomor 1). How much it was, one does not really know; for the pound, the cubits and the measure change; where one comes only over two or three miles, soon they do not agree any more. Just as the bushel, the language, the customs, and external ceremonies are not the same in the world. For many a country, many a custom, and many a measure is. The Gomor was so large that it was as much as they could eat in one day. Now it was a special miracle that the little one did not eat more than the big one, and the big one not more than the little one; one received as much as the other, the third or fourth just as much.

(40) It may also be understood that each one brought in a heap; one a handful, the other a bowl, the other a hatful, and afterward they divided it out at home by this common measure. After that one came, who brought little, he also got out of the Gomor, as much as another, that he had enough; as the text also reads thus. It may be of one mind that they have measured it out by this common measure. Item, it can also be that everyone has collected much or little, and when he has come home, he has received neither more nor less, it has been true with the measuring.

1. Ex. 16, 36: "A gomor is the tenth part of an ephah. One ephah is counted as 15 Berlin matzos. Therefore the Gomor would be 11 Berliner Metzen. (Karl von Räumer, "Der Zug der Israeliten aus Aegypten nach Canaan", p. 27).

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(41) One also senses besides this, as is now said of sharing out, that they have been stingy and not to fulfill, and have not trusted God to give them bread, in that they have, contrary to God's prohibition, brought with them above the appointed measure. From which excess worms were made, so that God's word would be fulfilled. And because of this, that it did not continue with them, the noble food had to perish. There was a great army and a great multitude of people, so they ate up everything purely in the evening. In the morning God again had so much food for them. It did not melt from the heat of the day; they baked it, boiled it, and roasted it, and were not satisfied that it tasted like breadcrumbs, and as each one wanted, but they were allowed to make and seek other things out of it.

042 And this was a miracle unto them, that on the sixth day they found two Gomor: therefore they went in, and asked Moses, saying: How meanest thou that we should gather but one Gomor by day, or worms would grow out of it; yet have we two Gomors this day? What did he answer?

V. 22-24 All the rulers of the congregation came in and told Moses. And he said to them: This is it that the LORD hath said: Tomorrow is the Sabbath of the LORD's holy rest: bake that which ye will bake, and boil that which ye will boil: but let that which is left over remain, that it may be kept until the morning. And they left it till the morning, as Moses commanded; and it stank not, neither was there any worm in it.

43. Who kept it then, that it should not spoil? God commanded it, and gave his word concerning it, and kept it, that it should not become corrupt, nor stink. From this you see that the Sabbath was before the Law of Moses came, and has been from the beginning of the world Genesis 2:2, especially that the pagans who had the true worship of God came together on that day and called upon God; from that time the same day was called the Sabbath,

And it was a holy day set apart from other days, that men and cattle might rest there. But afterward this commandment was given publicly from heaven by Moses, that they should rest on the seventh day, and cease from labor and other unholy things.

44 Finally they wanted to make it too much, so he also fell among them, as you will hear; therefore they also had to keep Gomor until their descendants v. 33. The Jews use this act of John in the sixth chapter, v. 31, to embarrass the Lord Christ's word, boasting: "Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness, which came down from heaven." To this Christ answers masterfully, saying, v. 32, "Moses did not give it to you, but my Father gives you the right bread from heaven." And says further, v. 49, 50: "They are all dead which have eaten it: but whoso eateth this, dieth not."

45 Otherwise, you will hear several times: All God's gifts and miracles, if they are not gathered together with or in the word of God, they are of no use. The water in baptism, if not accompanied by the word of God, is nothing. So, if the manna did not have God's word in it, it would not have the power. This is what the Lord Christ means in the preceding words: "Many have eaten it, and yet have died, because they have not eaten this appendix of the Word, therefore they have not been preserved. All creatures of God are like this; if they are received without the word of God, there is no life, power or strength in them, but it is a bodily thing.

Allegory of the manna.

46. by the manna God intended to signify the true manna, which is Christ Himself; as in the text of John Cap. 6, 50. 58. He thus interprets it, saying, "This is the bread," and points to the great manna, to Himself, as if to say, "There you will find the manna your fathers ate.

(47) But you know how and in what form Christ is the bread. It is not necessary to eat it in the way the Jews understood it, because they

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said John 6:52, "How can this man give us his flesh?" For they thought they must tear it with their teeth, and drink it with their mouth. But as it is spiritual food, so it is eaten spiritually. Eating here is believing; with faith one must receive the food that Christ's flesh was killed for us and his blood was shed for us. Christ says, "He who believes that I was sent by the Father to give my flesh and blood for you who are to be saved has the right manna and will not die. For this is our faith, that he who believes in Christ, who died for our sins, shall be saved; for one must believe in Christ, who died and rose from the dead. He who eats and drinks Christ's blood has eternal life. These are different words, but they are the same opinion. So it remains true, whoever eats the spiritual manna does not die. Your fathers did not eat this spiritual manna, that is, they did not believe in Christ, therefore they died.

(48) This text has been used by our adversaries, the sacramentalists, as an auxiliary and has been wrongly interpreted as referring to the sacrament. Although it is true that Christ's blood and flesh are present there, it is also received with the mouth; it is eaten and drunk bodily. But this food is not credited with bringing life. For many go to it, eat and drink, and yet die; they go to it for punishment and judgment, which is severely punished by St. Paul; therefore they have not life. And the sequence that is sung on the day corporis Christi: Manna datur patribus, is not right, it is sung falsely, and is a foolish sequence, but you should draw it on faith and on the divine word. The word is not received and eaten with the mouth, as the sacrament of the altar, but the word is taken with the heart; if one believes, and if one breathes it into the heart and faith, it is right. Thus the Lord Christ says in John: "The manna of the Jews has meant me, Christ.

(49) If it be said, How canst thou be bread, when men eat and drink? This is what happens when I am distributed. With what

Knife? To preach of Christ by mouth and tongue, and to declare that he shed his blood and died for us; then I set Christ before you, not on plates, but in the heart I put his flesh and blood, which was given for you. That is, put into the heart. If you receive it, eat it and drink it, that is, if you believe it, you are blessed Revelation 19:9. This is what the Lord Christ says, "He that eateth my flesh shall never die." Otherwise, it all goes away. In short, you are all lost unless you eat my flesh, that is, eat me with your heart and believe in me, and I am presented to you through the Word.

50 So you have the right manna, which God has signified through that. And recently to speak: Manna is for us at this time the sacrament and the gospel, that is, this sermon, wherein it is spoken that the body and blood of Christ is given for us for the remission of sins. Therefore, when you hear the gospel, it rains manna, and there you gather manna, which is then given to you from heaven. If then thou takest it, that is, believest, thou also eatest, and abidest for ever, even as the word of God also abideth for ever.

(51) So also the manna was white, like a dew, like a snow or a hoarfrost; that is, the gospel is not only a clean, fine, pure sermon, but also a sweet, sweet sermon. Moses is a bloody, red preacher, he carries red in his shield, he is a sharp, angry preacher, he kills a man; but the gospel is white, pure, and has no stain, it has the most beautiful color, and is closest to the light. For light is the most comforting color; but darkness is terrible. Just as in Oriental countries kings, princes and great lords are wont to put on white garments, and to wear white fans 1) around their hats. White is a cheerful color, lovely and comforting. And is the white color the best color, separated from all blackness, inclines closest to the light.

52Therefore she goeth nowhere, but unto Christ, not willing that any thing should be appropriated unto her: that is, He that preacheth thee

1. Fan (Fechel) -- tie, string around hats, boots and clothes. Cf. Col. 588.

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Christ alone makes blessed, who lets the manna remain white and with its righteous color. The gospel is sweet and lovely, proclaiming the comfort, peace and forgiveness of sin that came to us through the death of Christ. As the Lord Christ says to the gout-broken man Matth. 9, 2: "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you"; item Matth. 11, 28: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" 2c.

(53) After that, it was like coriander, small, like millet or rice; that is, the gospel is a small, bad sermon. Just as the Lord Christ himself Matth. 13, 31 compares the gospel to a small grain of mustard seed. Thus the gospel is to be regarded as crushed and small; it is despised, blasphemed and desecrated by the world. Nevertheless, the gospel word that we preach has such great power that it saves; it has a divine power with it. Such a word of God, which is spoken and resounds from the mouth of man, is not received by reason, it has no outward adornment nor prestige; nor does it bring with it victory over death and the devil, hell and damnation, even forgiveness of sins, and makes us children of God, lords over heaven and earth Rom. 1, 16. 2 Tim. 1, 8. 10.. Such power we have in the word of God, which word is a bad thing; for it is to be done in a moment, then it is over Ps. 147, 15. Therefore it is not a beautiful or splendid thing, it has no appearance, and yet it is so powerful.

After that, it tastes like honey and bread, that is, it comforts and refreshes the soul. Others have fantasized here that honey and bread tastes so good is the divinity and humanity; the divinity must first come into the word, if it is to flourish and taste to our benefit. But they fall in with the vita contemplativa [with the contemplative life; Satan thus brings them down. No one will taste the divinity, for as it wants to be tasted, that is, that it be contemplated in the humanity of Christ; and if you do not find the divinity in this way, you will never have peace. Therefore, let them always speculate and speak of contemplation,

how everything is courting with God, giving a foretaste of eternal life, and how spiritual souls begin a tranquil life.

55. But if you do not know God in this way, let him be how great and mighty he is; but lift up all this and touch him, and say first of all: I know of no God but he who is given for me. So his majesty will be sweet to you, when you know that 1) you have such a God who is given for you, who has heaven and earth in his hand; then no creature will frighten you, nor this his majesty. For the fact that he is given for you is due to his mercy and love; here take hold of him, and there he is also soft and sweet Gen. 32, 30. Deut. 5, 33, 2. 3. Jn. 20, 20.

Otherwise God is two things; as God in himself, since he is a Lord, and God in his incomprehensible essence. Then a God given for you, that God may be Lord over you and over all men. Moses preaches this, and he also wants everyone to believe that he is the Lord. But here everyone is afraid of this God, because he is too harsh and terrible. But it is a different thing when the gospel preaches the same God to you, and models him to you, and makes you delight and rejoice in him; namely, when it testifies and shows how he died for you and was given to you; then he is sweet and like honey.

(57) Sixthly, the manna was not made by the hands of men, nor did it grow out of the earth, but came down from heaven, as the dew falls. This is what the prophets saw when they prophesied or preached about the holy gospel. For the gospel is such a sermon, which is not invented by any man, as St. Peter also says in his second epistle Cap. 1, 21.: "No prophecy comes from human choice or devotion, but the saints of God have spoken, impelled by the Holy Spirit." Item, the Lord Christ says Matth. 10, 20.: "It is not you who speak, but the Spirit of my Father who is in you" 2c. The gospel is also given because it comes from heaven.

1. Eislebensche: wissest.

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because reason does not understand it, it does not know that God gave His Son for me, that the Son was sent into the world and became man for me and died. No one can preach this, no one can invent such a doctrine, because it comes from above, from a miraculous consecration, without human intervention John 3:27. This much is said: The gospel is a heavenly sermon, not a human word, it cannot be found on earth. Therefore, all other teachings are fictitious, false and doctrines of the devil, for they do not come from heaven.

(58) Manna also cometh in the morning, when the sun riseth: that is, the gospel is risen, and cometh in the time of grace, when Christendom began, and the Sun of righteousness, that is, the Lord Christ, is risen or ascended. For after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Christ, the Holy Spirit comes, and this dew falls on the whole world. Therefore the gospel is food prepared by God without our doing. So we also have manna, the food of heaven, prepared and presented to us. So he gave us the gospel, it is our gift; we did not ask for it, nor did we seek it, but it comes by grace and is revealed to us.

59. but that the manna is gathered up in such a way that each gets as much as the other, and that it is measured according to the measure of Gomor, has this meaning, that one Christian is equal to another, and no one has more or less than the other, they all have One God, One Christ, One baptism, Spirit and faith 2c. [This may well be that the Gomors were unequal, one stone, the other wood, the third copper or glass. So also among us some have a weak faith, others a strong faith, more or less teaching of the faith, yet such is all Christ. St. Peter has not a better Christ than I have, and as much as St. Peter has, so much have I also.

(60) After the name of Christ, let no man be ashamed of another, nor let him think himself better than another; for the one Christ is given for me and for thee. I have given him so

I have confessed more than Mary, the prophets and all the saints have tasted; and because I believe in him, I have as much in him as another. We are equal, my measure has as much in it as the other; it is equal and as great as the other; although those who are weak in adversity and in temptation have a lesser measure, and the confessors 1) have a more apparent measure, yet, according to Christ, they are all quite equal, and have one good of faith, that is, they have the whole of Christ. This is a very comforting thing, that, reckoned by Christ, all saints and believers are equal.

(61) This we should know against the lumpen preachers, who have made a distinction between us and the saints, and have made idols of us out of the saints. But I am speaking here of the Christians, where one of them, though he submits to all and humbles himself toward everyone, is as great in the sight of God as Peter; though he does not have as great gifts and has gathered as much as others, yet he has gathered in the same measure, and also has the same measure as St. Peter, that is, the same Christ; therefore he may boast of nothing. But he does not make an outward likeness of it, he does not draw it into outward things. For that is not why they are called Christians.

62 The Lord Christ has one seed in the gospel, which is scattered in four different places. So all are called Christians, and all have the gospel; but the fourth part of the seed remains only good, and brings forth its fruit. Such a people of Christians I have never seen on earth, nor known; if they are divided among themselves and hold themselves high, it is false. A city should not call itself a Christian city unless it has the right proof of Christianity. Therefore give the fourth part, or the other part, and count as much as you like; I cannot count the persons, but this I can say: Where the gospel is, there are Christians. Item, I can say: Inwardly they are all equal, but outwardly very unequal, there one has collected more, and the other less.

1. "Confessors" here will probably be as much as martyrs (confessores). This meaning is missing in Dietz.

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63 But what shall we say to the saying of St. Paul, 2 Cor. 8:13-15, when he refers to alms and charity, and begs and exhorts with strange words that one should help the poor and needy? However, he says that one should not give, so that they have enough, and others have to live in poverty and lack. As then lazy drops are wont to take out, and let others give in; the latter let it cost themselves much, the latter want to waste it with idleness and sloth. Now these are his words 2 Cor. 8:13-15: "It is not that others should have rest, nor that ye should have affliction; but that it should be alike. So let your abundance minister to their lack for this dear season, that their abundance also may minister to your lack hereafter, and let it be done that is equal. As it is written, "He who gathered much did not have abundance, and he who gathered little did not have scarcity. How does this rhyme with almsgiving?

64 Answer: It is another to lead examples, and another to make spiritual interpretation. The example is drawn to the work, and the interpretation goes to faith. As: Christ died for us, and gave us an example, that we should die also hereafter; if I die, I do as Christ did. This is not a meaning, but an example and following. For this reason it should be called an example and not an allegory. So now St. Paul wants to say this much and teach them: I would like to make it so that it would be like the example that was there in the wilderness during the time of the Israelites, so that he who gathers little manna receives his portion just as much as he who has gathered much.

(65) It should be the same with temporal goods. You have spiritual goods in abundance, and not less than those; you have the gospel of God, the rich treasure that is distributed among you. Therefore, by God's will, you are now obliged to share the temporal with others. And now it is the same that he who has little has as much as he who has gathered much; he who has the spiritual treasure is equal to the others. Now you have not less than I, or the other apostles, though we have first had it, and you have

receive it from us. Therefore, whoever among you is rich and able in bodily food, share out of those who are needy, or those who have shared spiritual things with you, those who preach and are in battle, and increase your spiritual wealth, that you may be rich and receive the treasure; so give to them again, and feed them, that they may enjoy your temporal wealth, as you enjoy and share in their spiritual wealth.

66 Therefore he also says in the first epistle to the Corinthians, Cap. 9, 11: "If they sow spiritual things to you, is it a great thing if they reap temporal things again? They feed your souls, but you feed only our bodies; we serve you with the treasure of preaching the gospel to you, therefore you also should give entertainment and feed us. So one supports the other. Therefore this is not an allegory, but an example.

67 Now the text continues: What was left over became worms. For it was commanded by God that nothing should be left over for the morning, just as nothing had to be left over on the paschal lamb. According to history, it is because God does not want unbelief, that people do not trust Him or believe Him; therefore He punishes them, so that everything that is left over does not benefit them. That is, unbelief makes it rotten and stinking, and that it becomes an abomination; just as they were inside, even though outside the manna in front of their eyes they made themselves seem pious and holy in the eyes of God; therefore he will not let them remain because of unbelief.

68. but the spiritual meaning is that the Jews understood the law through the old manna, and that is how they interpreted it and wanted to draw it, which does not last beyond one day. They have yesterday's day, we have today's day; their law is finished, the gospel has now risen; therefore now the law becomes stinking and maggoty, it becomes abominable and reprehensible. Moses is angry with the Jews, that is, the law condemns them, but they do not ask anything about it. So you have the story of the manna.

1. "remain" put by us instead of: "suffer" in the editions.

960 Erl SS, S40-S4S. Sermon on Exodus 17, 1. W. Ill, I4SS-I440. 961

The seventeenth chapter

V.1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel went out of the wilderness of Sin their days' journey, as the LORD commanded them, and pitched in Raphidim. There the people had no water to drink.

(1) The previous chapter speaks of the great miracle that God performed for the children of Israel, feeding them with the bread of heaven in the wilderness for forty years, even though they continued to disbelieve and murmur against God and rejected this miracle (as well as all other miracles), just as we continue to do to this day. But God wanted to prove His power on earth among men with the same miraculous sign; but we do not let ourselves be moved to faith by it.

Now Moses continues and describes other miraculous deeds that God had done for them. For we have here two signs, which he gave to this people: One, that he gives them water to drink in the desert. Then that he miraculously saves and preserves them by Moses' hand in the war against the Amalekites.

Let us look at one of them first. These histories go one after the other, like the mountains in the desert, as one mountain follows the other; as the scholars know how these mountains are situated one after the other. Mara and Ethan is a large mountain range in Arabia; so here the mountains Horeb and Raphidim are close to each other, and yet have different names; for afterwards Mount Horeb is also called Sinai, and Raphidim lies close to it. They traveled a long and crooked way in the desert through the mountains.

4 Now a miracle follows after God tempts the people of Israel and makes them thirst. In Elim they had water enough; now they are in the desert, there is no water at all, and again it seems as if there were no God to ask after them. And the lack makes them forget all the former miracles, as if there were no God to ask them.

The bitter water became sweet; item, he also gave them the bread of heaven, and that the angel preceded them by day in the pillar of cloud and by night in the pillar of fire. Now this is a shameful plague, that the belly should rule us and prevent us from seeing the present miracles. Now it seems to us: If we had been present at that time and had seen the miracles, we would have liked to believe. Yes well!

5 The Lord Christ Matthew says in chapter 6, v. 28, 29: "Look at the flowers or lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not work, neither do they sew, nor was Solomon in all his glory clothed as the same one. Item, v. 26: "Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow, they do not reap, they do not gather into sheds, yet your heavenly Father feeds them." This is a daily miracle, when we see and experience how God feeds countless birds, and gives all flowers their lovely, beautiful colors and ornaments, as a testimony to a great miracle: yet no one in the common crowd takes it to heart.

6th And the Lord Christ speaks of it still more roughly and plainly, saying Matt. 6:27, "What man is there among you that would add a cubit to his length?" As if to say, Ye are not those whom ye would have created or made yourselves, ye have given yourselves nothing: neither have ye so much faith as to trust in our Lord GOD. And we must all say that we are not for a moment sure of our life, and must confess that it is another's power and authority that we are fed, that is, our dear God. We all have this miracle in our house every day, wear it on our own necks, nor should we ask anything about it. The Lord Christ also says Matth. 6, 25.: "Is not the body more than the garments?" As if to say, "You take care of the clothes, if God preserves your body and life, and also provides the same clothes for you.

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(7) Now let the Jews be mocked and laughed at, and say, Fie on their skin, that they have not considered these things, and believed God. But listen, reach into your own bosom, and you will also find such an unbelieving Jew in it; and fie on you too, should you not also be ashamed that one should find such a coarse ass in you, who does not consider it a miracle that God still provides you with your bread, clothing, body and life daily, and gives you food and nourishment? But no one thinks of it and thanks Him for sustaining life. It is a common thing to be old; no one thanks God when he looks in the morning that God has graciously kept him through the night. So also the bread of heaven was a daily thing. But when God takes it away again, so that they do not have water here, then one would like to have it again; otherwise it would not have been a miraculous work. So, if He gave us everything every day, we would consider it nothing at all (for look at the rich, who have everything enough, they ask for nothing), so that one would never come to God.

Therefore we must be tempted, have need and want, and lack food and drink, clothing, money and goods, honor, favor and promotion, so that we may gain cause to seek God, lest we forget God when we are full and full. Otherwise, this is our nature and way; we are lacking enough; we are not yet to be tamed and made mad. St. Moses in the 5th book Cap. 32, 15 also complains about this: "Dilectus meus incrassatus, dilatatus et impinguatus, oblitus est Dei Creatoris sui he has become fat and thick and strong, and has let go the God who made him. So it remains well. The people are like the donkey, which licks 2) behind itself, the food stings it, becomes horny, goes dancing on the ice, and breaks a leg. For, if God gives everything enough, we become wanton and sure, and forget our Lord God. But if God wants a little praise, glory, honor, invocation, or thanksgiving from us, He must leave us in want and need.

1. Eislebensche: sollst.
2. löcken - to hop, to jump; here: to strike out behind.

Suffering, depriving oneself of food to a certain extent, and letting the physical be beaten into the entrenchment: otherwise one asks nothing for the eternal goods of our Lord God.

(9) Carelessness and ingratitude have gotten the upper hand so that no one is satisfied with his wife and child, house and yard, hand, mouth, nose, strength and health. These things are not respected. And what another has in these things is much more dear to us than what is ours, but God casts it into the dustbin. But when a little poverty comes, or God sends a disease, or some other danger, immediately one cries out: O help God, help God. Yes, do you come trolled now? Therefore, because our dear God and Father is so merciful, and we are so blind that we do not see His goods and benefits, nor thank Him for them, He often keeps a little encouragement for us, so that we may have cause to call upon Him.

(10) So you see what kind of people we are, and who God is; item, what the world, flesh and blood do against God. The world is blind, stiff-necked and completely evil: God, on the other hand, is kind and gracious, benevolent and of great goodness, as the Holy Scriptures and His own Word commend Him.

V. 2. 3. And they quarreled with Moses, saying: Give us water, that we may drink. Moses said to them: Why do ye quarrel with me? Why tempt ye the LORD? And when the people thirsted there for water, they murmured against Moses, saying: Why did you let us go out of Egypt, so that we and our children and our cattle died of thirst?

The belly wriggles again. Dear Moses had a burdensome, annoying office, that he had to govern such an unwilling, stubborn, stiff-necked people; it also made him weary enough, he was in great danger all hours of his life and body, because he always had to wait, when they came and strangled him.

(12) Now they say again, "We do not know whether we were brought out of Egypt by God, but you did. This is an abominable unbelief and a terrible temptation. There Moses must hear ingratitude and blasphemy, they disgrace God and all his

964 Erl. SS, S1S-S17. Sermon On Exodus 17:2, 3. W. Ill, 144S-I44S. 965

Miracles, and also his messengers and prophets; Moses must listen to and suffer all this here.

It is such a cheerful thing to govern the common rabble. Whoever does not know this, just start to govern and try a little, he will soon learn it. I would that all strange, whimsical, and rebellious heads should reign but two years, they would soon cast off their horns. The pagans have said: Magistratus ostendit virum, that is, one does not know a man, he has ruled other people before, and has presided over them. For in that place it usually happens that if he does something, it pleases one, but not another; and if it pleases hundreds, there are thousands who do not like it. If God wants to make a martyr of someone, he puts him in a place where he has to rule; if he wants to lead his regiment with a good conscience and keep his soul safe, he should not have the devil painted over his door, nor should he be asked to be a godfather; but the common rabble will do it, so that he will become so flexible that one would like to wrap him around a finger.

(14) If Moses had been an impatient and ill-tempered man, he would have said, "In the name of the devil, what do I get from you? I have nothing for all my toil, labor and good deeds, but grumbling, quarreling, item, ingratitude. This is truly a nice, sweet reward that is given to him. He shared their heart in his body, and for them he devoured life and limb, honor and goods; but in return he has this pittance, so that they consider him a villain.

(15) But this is how it is with Christians: they must take shame, damage, harm, and ingratitude for good and good deeds. It is no different in the world. He who pulls another out of the fire pushes him back into it, and he who delivers another from the gallows ties him up again for gratitude.

(16) It was the same with the Lord of lords himself. For when Christ made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, and healed people of all kinds of diseases, and helped everyone, at last they crucified him. It is the same here, Mosi.

He will meet with danger in the wilderness for his sour toil and labor. Whoever then does not want to consider that he is taking ingratitude in the world, only think that he will soon lie down and die. For if he wants to go through and rule honestly, he will soon displease the devil and the world.

(17) But this is the right school, which teaches us to grow weary and tired of this life. For if one is to take nothing in the world for charity and love but ingratitude, heartache and hatred, then one soon grows weary of life, so that one says: Oh, who would be dead! Come, dear God, and only let me die, come death and take me! As Moses will say afterwards in this book Cap. 32, 32: Oh Lord, take me away. Yes, that's how you have to make the regiment hot. It may seem fine to rule over others, but try it and you will say, "Oh, who would be a peasant in a village and sit under a green tree in peace!

18 Therefore Moses also says here, "Why do you quarrel with me? I did not do it. Look back! Are you then mad and senseless? It is impossible that a man should do such a glorious work as giving bread from heaven and making water flow from a rock. And Moses rejects them away from the Lord God. Mr. Omnes is a mad devil, he does not obey until he is struck in the mouth. They are spoiled with good deeds, but they have to be beaten. Moses is in danger of death all days, hours and moments. That is the merit. Well, you friendly, blissful world, you fine herb, one should love you; you pay well for faithful services; you recognize fine a blood-sucking work. It gives such a shameful reward that one would like to strike it with fists, or that one would cover this beautiful fruit with may and bring it to the devil for the new year.

(19) But one must bite this ingratitude and overcome it with patience and persevere, so that only the service of God remains pure. If Moses had not listened to the command of God, he would have had to abandon the preaching ministry and regiment long ago. And if I had

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If I had been offended by people's hatred, enmity, persecution and ingratitude, I would have gotten rid of my part long ago and would not have read, written and preached much more. But I did not want to do it. For we are to serve the world and do it good, whether it, on the other hand, repays good with evil. God will accept and repay abundantly what the world does not pay and repay; He will look upon our faithful service. God is kind, merciful, long-suffering and of great patience, as is also said in the prophet Hosea: "What shall I make of you, Ephraim? Shall I make thee like Adaina and Zeboim? But my love is too fervent that I do not do according to my wrath. "2c. He sees through his fingers that he can tolerate such ingratitude for a time; but he will not let it go unscented in his time Ex. 32, 34.. But men can not do it, the ingratitude distresses them too hard, therefore a divine patience belongs to it.

v. 4-6 Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, How shall I deal with the people? it lacketh not far, they shall stone me yet. And the LORD said unto him, Go before the people, and take with thee some of the elders of Israel, and take thy rod in thine hand to smite the waters, and go. Behold, I will stand there before thee upon a rock, Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and water shall run out, and the people shall drink. Moses did this before the elders of Israel.

20. Horeb has been a barren, rough, high mountain, a bare mountain, where nothing has grown at all.

21 Now here are two things: one is that God gives a command and tells Moses to go with some of the elders of Israel to Mount Horeb and strike the rock with his staff, and water will come out and the people will drink. Otherwise Moses might have struck all the trees in the forest, but he would not have brought water from them. After that, he also wanted the outward work.

22. but it is a praiseworthy miracle, as we pass by with staring eyes, and not

We have ears so thick that we do not hear it, so that we can see how powerful the creatures are in God's hand. What can be more unnatural than a rock, a hard stone, that water should be in it? If snow or clouds were to become water and rain, that would be more plausible, for clouds are soft and watery; but a rock, a barren, hard, dry thing, a bare mountain, that it should give off water, that is just as if one said that water should come from fire, and again that fire should come from water. Above Cap. 16, 4. we also heard the same, because in the desert there was no field, no plow nor harrow, neither seed, grain, wheat, rye nor barley, from which the children of Israel could have eaten and had their food: nevertheless bread grew in the air, manna, heavenly bread, fell daily into the camp.

How does this rhyme? The air gives food and nourishment, and here, the stones or rocks flow with water. It is a wonderful gift. Just as it is strange and wonderful that grains grow from the earth. Who can do this art, and who has this power? God has it, who can do such unnatural things, so that we may imagine from them what kind of God he is and what kind of power he has, so that we may not despair or despair in him, but rather firmly believe and trust in him that he can also turn the leather on the bag into gold, and make the dust into vain grain on the ground, and make the air a cellar full of wine for me. This is to be trusted, that he has such great power, and we may know that we have such a God, who is able to do this art, and that all things rain and snow around him with wondrous works.

24. But it does not help. Oh God! What a terrible, terrible judgment will come upon the world, that it does not turn to these miracles! Learn here what the world means, what a devilish thing it is about the world: it is stubborn and blinded, and does not see God's miracles, nor what God is, who pours Himself out so abundantly with benefits, and proves Himself with miracles, and mildly helps everyone.

968 Erl. z°, sso-sss. Sermon on Exodus 17:4-14. W. Ill, I44S-I4SI. 969

V. 7 Then the place was called Massa Meribah, because of the quarreling of the children of Israel, and because they had tempted the Lord, saying: Is the Lord among us or not?

25. They want to say: Do we have a God or not? Fie on you, you blasphemers, that you so brazenly tempt God, and despair of God. In the name of the executioner, have you not had manna? Or have ye not journeyed out of Egypt, and passed through the sea with dry feet? Fie on us, too, if we say such things, if God does not give us soon how we want to have a thing! They are in doubt whether God is among them or not. It has been such a sin that they have tempted God, even though the Scriptures here conceal it; and it is a wonder that God suffered so long that they kept tempting Him.

26. It is a cruel, great sin to disbelieve 2) and mistrust God. And the unbelieving mob makes their way and treachery seen honestly here; therefore they also give a name to the place, so that one does not forget this sin of the people; they call it Massa, that is, tentatio; and Meriba, that is, jurgium, a quarrel. For they tempted God, they quarreled with Moses or with God, and they quarreled in this place. Indeed, God was very angry with this sin, as can be seen from the fifth and ninetieth Psalm, vv. 7-11, where it is said: "Today, when you hear his words, do not harden your hearts, as happened in Meribah, as in Massa in the desert, when your fathers tempted me, felt and saw my work, that I had forty years of trouble with this people 2c.; and said, There are men whose hearts are always willing to go astray, and who will not learn my ways, that I sware in my wrath, They shall not come into my rest." There, the prophet cites this sin, that this quarrel, strife, or temptation has particularly displeased God. And this is also pointed out to them by Moses in the 5th book at the 6th chapter, v. 16: "Do not tempt God your Lord, as you tempted Him in Massa Meriba. Item, the 78th Psalm, v. 41, 56, and 106th Psalm,
27. In the Eisleben: Hängers.
28. to misuse -- to be dishonorable.

V. 21 ff. also remember them, although it is not reported in Scripture that they suffered any punishment for this.

27 This is the glorious miracle that God delivered the children of Israel from thirst, and by a great miracle provided water from a stone or rock, as He had previously given them manna from heaven. This truly sets a comforting example before our eyes that God wants to preserve and refresh us, even though the highest and most extreme need should overtake us. Therefore, we should also trust in Him for all our physical needs. For before it should fail, stones must become water, and bread must fall from heaven, which never before was known, and which is above all nature. But enough of this for now. Let us go on to the text.

V.8-14 Amalek came and fought against Israel in Raphidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us men, go forth, and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in my hand. And Joshua did as Moses told him, to fight against Amalek. And Moses, and Aaron, and Hur, went up to the top of the hill. And when Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed: but when he put down his hands, Amalek prevailed. But the hands of Moses were heavy; therefore they took a stone, and put it 3) under him, that he might sit upon it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained stiff until the sun went down. And Joshua subdued Amalek and his people by the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this in a book for a memorial, and command it in the ears of Joshua: for I will cut off Amalek from under heaven.

28 Now follows the other miracle, which is truly strange in my eyes, that God slays the Amalekites and saves the Israelites. Just now Cap. 12, 37 you heard that the children of Israel, six times a hundred thousand fighting men, well armed and equipped, went out from the kingdom of Egypt, even a mighty and great army.

3. "him" is missing in the Eisleben one.

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People of war. Here, however, these iron eaters and Scharrhansen, 1) this mighty people, become such a loose people that they cannot protect themselves against the small people of the Amalekites. I would have thought, such a war people should have traveled in the cross through the whole world. But their great power and might put God to shame so shamefully, and such a great people is badly beaten by a few Amalekites, which Amalekites had only a piece of land around the mountain Horeb.

29 There is a new temptation and tribulation here, because the Amalekites want to go to the field and strike the people of Israel, the foreign guests. Now the Israelites were rid of the cruel tyrant and enemy, Pharaoh and the Egyptians, only a few days ago, who were drowned and killed before their eyes in the Red Sea, so that they thought they were now over the mountain, that there would be no trouble or danger with them. For God also gave them bread from heaven and water from the rocks in the desert. But it will not let up and be over; indeed, a new calamity bursts forth, namely this, that Amalek, the enemy, sees his advantage, and thinks that the people of Israel are tired from the great journey, since they had gone out of Egypt, had also suffered hunger and thirst in the desert, are still stuck in the desert and in the mountains, since nothing can come to them, and they are not well prepared for battle; therefore he intends to attack, strike and destroy them.

(30) This is a true picture and mirror of the Christian life in this world, where persecution, crosses and hardships always follow one another: Nulla calamitas sola; and, as it is said in the proverb, "A downpour follows a sunshine. This temporal life of a Christian is like the weather in April. For in April the weather is not constant, and the sun does not shine for and for, but now the sky is bright and clear, and soon it rains, snows, closes, and hails again; quickly such cloudy and wet weather passes away.

1. Scharrhansen - defiant, high-minded people.
2. In the editions: a cross, "un cross" - crosswise.

Weather again, and comes on it a sunshine. Thus God also changes with the Christians; now they have happiness, soon misfortune; now joy, soon sorrow; now life, soon death. But God always helps in such afflictions, and gives a livelihood in them, so that one can endure the temptation Ps. 68:20.

(31) There arose a question from these places, when they were come in: How could Amalek have fought against all Israel (for the people of Israel were much more numerous than that one, and that Moses beat them with your prayers alone, and they did not do it with his fist), since they could not afterwards dispute the two much more powerful kings, as Og and Sihon? Item: Why Moses did not pray there also? Well, if it were not written in the Scriptures, I would not believe it myself; I would say it was a lie. But this is how it happened: Joshua chose some. It was not a war against the whole people; for this great people also took up a great space with their camp, they were far from each other, and went wide; so Amalek attacked a thousand or two of the great multitude, and so cooled his mettle.

32 It is also the common custom to speak in this way when a people is defeated in a place; even though the least part takes the defeat, the whole people is said to be defeated. In the same way, when a city is stormed or a nation is defeated, the cry goes out that the prince is defeated and overcome. So in these words the synecdoche is also that Moses speaks of the whole multitude, although only a part has received good flaps. Just as inan also says: He has beaten a dog, when he has hardly hit it on one leg; for no one can beat a dog in all places. In the same way it is said: He has wounded a man, 3) whether he has wounded only his leg, arm, or other part of his body. Item, one says: He has knocked down a house, 4) whether he has only thrown in the stove in the parlor, or broken the windows, or only knocked in the door. Well, this is the common way to speak of a piece of work, where

3. In the Eisleben: gewundet.
4. throb --- smash.

972 Erl. SS, SS4-SS7. Sermon on Exodus 17:8-14, W. Ill, I4S4-I4S8. 973

one understands the whole thing. So here Amalek attacked only one place of the camp, or a part of the people; that is, as if he had attacked the whole people of Israel.

The little piece has lamented Moses. Now he will command Joshua to go out against Amalek. God Himself commands them to prepare for battle and to stand as if they were going to slay Amalek with the sword, but they will not slay him with the sword. What is their sword and armor for, if it does nothing, and yet God calls them to it? For Moses shall say, I will be on the mountain, and will smite Amalek." Joshua, though he warred, smote him not, but Moses on the mount, with his prayer. Joshua is crying from leather; so Moses lifts up his hands to God, with fervent crying. So both go next to each other.

(34) From this we are also to learn how God will protect and defend us, and this in two ways: by means, and, when necessity requires it, in other ways; just as Joshua used the sword against Amalek. But Moses, who lifted up his hands toward heaven and prayed, did more against the Amalekites than Joshua with the edge of the sword. Therefore, one should not despair, even though there is a lack; nor should one become proud, confident and puffed up, nor defy if there is any advantage, but trust in God. There is an abundance and great supply of armor here; but they do not do it from their own strength, and it does not have to come to their use, but Moses with his prayer, or raising his hands, defeats Amalek.

35 Thus the holy scripture everywhere warns that one should not deviate too far to the right or to the left hand, that is, that one should not be hopeful and presumptuous when something good is due to us; nor should one despair when there is nothing, or when lack and need appear; but one should remain on the middle course. For if it is there, God can well withdraw it and take it away; again, if it is not there, He can and does well to provide it from heaven.

36 In this text we have a splendid example of an earnest prayer, and what power and effect it has. For when Moses lifted up his hands and prayed beside Aaron and Hur, the Israelites were victorious and prevailed against the Amalekites. Therefore it is true, as the holy scripture says Sir. 35, 21.: "The prayer of the wretched pierces the clouds, and does not cease from the Most High, until it obtains what it desires." Item, which is said in the 50th Psalm, v. 15: "Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt praise me." And that God in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 65, 24. speaks: "It will be, before they will cry, I will hear them" 2c. For when a Christian heart earnestly prays to God, cries out, and says: Help, dear God, now help God, have mercy in heaven! sighs, pleads, and perseveres, it is impossible that such a prayer should not be heard by God. Everything must and should be yes; therefore, such a prayer also defeats that angry and fierce enemy, Amalek.

Now we will deal with the allegories of this 17th chapter and say what God wanted to indicate. But that the water springs from a rock of stone, we put this in its place, because this allegory is almost common, and St. Paul in the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians in the 10th chapter, v. 4, also touches it to some extent, and says: "Our fathers drank there a spiritual drink from the rock in the wilderness, which followed them, 1) which was Christ. And there St. Paul points the rock to Christ, and wants them to have drunk both, the spiritual and the bodily drink. The bodily from the natural rock, so that the body was refreshed and the thirst quenched. But this benefit would not have happened to them, and the water would not have been given to them, if they had not had faith. For this reason they also drank spiritually, that is, they believed; just as we also still believe in the same Christ. But this is the difference between us and the children of Israel, that they believed in Christ, who had not yet come.

1. Eislebensche: be.

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But we believe in the Christ who has come.

(38) Thus by the rock the Lord Christ was spiritually signified, so that he is the right foundation on which we should build and trust, and on which we should also groan and rely. Therefore the Lord Christ also says to Peter Matth. 16, 16. 18., when he confessed that Christ was the Son of the living God: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." And St. Peter is called by this, that he is called a rock. But the church is founded on Christ, that is, it believes in Christ, that he is our righteousness, strength, wisdom, holiness and life 1 Cor. 1:30. Whoever trusts in him is founded on the rock through this faith and trust, and remains unconquered.

39. that the water now runs out of the rock is an incredible thing, and is not understood by reason. But God said to Moses: "Strike the rock, and water will flow out" 2c. Now if Moses had not had faith, no water would have gushed out of the rock. If Moses had followed his reason in this, he would have had to say: God would be a fool, or the devil would have called such a thing. Yes, if it were a snowball, it would give water; but this was too high for water to flow from the rock. Therefore, the faith of Moses and the others brought forth the water, that they might trust the word of God.

40 The meaning is that from the crucified and despised Christ water of the grace of the Holy Spirit springs and flows; and this is also unbelievable, that there should be water of life and the Holy Spirit. How this water is interpreted Joh. 4, 13. 14. when the Lord Christ says to the Samaritan woman that whoever drinks the water that he gives, he will 1) not thirst forever, but the water that he gives will become in him a well of water that flows into eternal life. Here one sees also how this rhymes, or how one can grasp this. A crucified

1. Eislebensche: will.

Man, having flesh and blood, and being put to death (for he is flesh and dies), out of his death, out of his flesh and blood, shall come forth a spirit that quickeneth? Flesh and spirit, death and life, how do they rhyme with each other? Who wants to suck out the Holy Spirit here? It would have to be a skilled master who could do this art.

(41) Therefore the world thinks it exceedingly foolish that the Holy Spirit should come out of the condemned and dead man Christ, and that living water should spring up to refresh and save both body and soul. This is supernatural and not comprehensible to any human mind on earth, whoever he may be. Whoever does not believe it, does not have it; it takes faith for you to believe that Christ is the living fountain and heavenly rock, who died for us and laid down his life for us, and thus dug through and opened it; as St. John also sees in the story of his passion, Cap. 19, 34; all so that I might receive the Holy Spirit through him.

42. but Moses beating on the rock with the rod means that even if Christ were crucified a hundred times and a hundred times, the Holy Spirit would not come if it were not fasted into the ministry of preaching. One must throb and knock on the rock, that is, one must preach from it, one must have the rod of the mouth Is. 11, 4.. The ministry of preaching is Mosiah's rod and staff; he that throbs and smites men's consciences out of reproach of the law, and preaches thereon that Christ died for us, smites upon the rock; and out of the same preaching, or out of this smiting and smiting, there cometh the Holy Ghost. Behold, such a low, contemptible thing it is, it is not to be regarded for it. A rock and a staff is an insubstantial thing; so also for the oral and bodily word it is a small thing, and yet from it the Holy Spirit shall flow into the hearts of the hearers, that they may drink of it, that is, receive a living spirit.

But reason says: How can the Holy Spirit be received from the oral word, since He is immeasurable? Yes, he cleanses us from sins, saves us from death, and brings us into life, making us eternal.

976 Eri. SS, SSS-SSI. Sermon on Exodus 17:8-14. W. Ill, ll "ü-l "z. , 977

Blessed, bless us with goods for time and eternity. This seems to be a foolish thing, that such a thing should happen by the word of a man. Just as it had a strange and foolish appearance that Moses struck the rock. But Moses meant to indicate spiritually that one must strike this rock with the bodily office of preaching and not otherwise strike the earth, that is, one must not preach anything, nor strike or hit anything, except Christ alone. I should strike and thrash with my tongue on this rock all the time, and soon water will flow out, that is, then the Holy Spirit will be given to me and to others, yes, he will come to you also, so that we may be renewed and made alive again.