Genesis - part 2
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Genesis - part 2
Dr. Martin Luther's
Complete Writings,
published by
Dr. Joh. Georg Walch.
Second volume.
Interpretation of the first book of Moses.
Second part.
New revised stereotype edition.
St. Louis, Mo.
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE.
** Dr. Martin Luther's**
Interpretation of the first book of Moses.
Second part.
Published in German language
from
Dr. J. G. Walch.
Newly published on behalf of the Ministry of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and otherStates.
St. Louis, Mo.
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Foreword.
In the editing of this second part of Luther's interpretation of the first book of Moses, which is herewith presented to the public anew, exactly the same principles were followed as in the editing of the first part. It is therefore sufficient here to refer to the preface to the first volume of Walch's revised edition of Luther's works. The detailed index appended to this second volume was prepared by Mr. Christian Körner. It is divided into three parts. The first part, the "Hebrew Word Register", contains all Hebrew words that are explained in the two volumes of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften that have appeared so far. In those cases where Luther explains a derived form of the word, this is indicated next to the basic form in parenthesis. The second part, the "Spruch-Register," does contain
not all scriptural passages that Luther cites in his explanation of Genesis, but all those that he explains in more detail or more briefly in the first two volumes of his writings. In doing so, the words to which the explanation refers are not listed, as was customary in the past, because this seemed unnecessary and would have taken up too much space. The third part, the "Subject Index", also includes an "Author Index". It is intended to give as complete an account as possible of what Luther said about any subject or author. In the arrangement of the passages listed, care has been taken to group those of them that deal with related matters, without intending a strictly logical division. For the sake of clarity, longer articles have been divided into numbered subsections, whereas in other cases
VI Foreword . VII
In the case of a blocked sentence or alphabetical order, the clarity is promoted. When looking up a word, one should always look for the main word, not for a closer definition of it; thus, one should look for, for example, "Red Sea", or "Judgment Day", under "Sea", "Day", and so on. Now and then, well-known abbreviations are used for the sake of saving space.
has been used. Where the keyword recurs in a section, as it often does, it is indicated only with the initial letter, except where comprehensibility requires otherwise, which one will easily get used to. In all parts of the register, the Roman numeral indicates the volume, the Arabic numeral the column.
St. Louis, on the Feast of Pentecost, 1881.
The Editors.
The translator Johannes Gudenus' preface.
To the strict, respectable and honorable
Christoph von Steinberg,
my favorable dear squire and patron.
God's grace through Jesus Christ, our only Savior and Redeemer! Strict, honorable and honorable, favorable dear nobleman! How our Lord God, in the days of Joseph, the great, holy and excellent patriarch, when he was sold into Egypt, gave the Egyptian king, his princes, rulers and officials, together with many subjects in the same kingdom, a listening ear, as Solomon calls it Prov. 20:12. that they allowed themselves to be taught and reported to by Joseph (who came to them in Egypt by God's special sending) in the doctrine of the right knowledge of God, and were thus converted: thus the dear, gracious God has also shown such unspeakable grace in Germany in this last time, within several and thirty years, that He has not only given a seeing eye, that is, the holy man D. Martin Luther, of holy memory, as an excellent, spiritual teacher, through whom the old leaven of false, perverse human teachings, which had torn down and taken over by force everywhere in the papacy, has been swept out and the church has been properly reformed; but has also given listening ears, who have heard, considered and accepted the teachings of this excellent prophet; not only those who are common subjects in countries and cities, but also several great notable rulers, as sovereigns and princes, especially of the noble house of Saxony, as well as counts and counts of the Holy Roman Empire.
And many honorable men, and also notable of the nobility, besides also some honorable cities, all of which have so shown themselves and let themselves be heard, that they belong to the number of those, of whom Isaiah says in the 49th chapter, v. 23: "And the kings shall be thy keepers, and their princesses thy nurses." For although the devil (as has been his way from the beginning) has raged and raged exceedingly through his members, the other great multitude, and has tempted almost on all sides, how he has again put out this light of pure doctrine, revealed to us by the said D. Luther; nevertheless, God has given His small flock and the true Church, if He allows Himself to be gathered by the pure teaching of His Word, these nurses who have taken this seriously: and even now, after they have first opened their gates wide and made them wide, so that the King of honor, as the 24th Psalm v. 7. says, has moved in with them, how they now also can and may promote, handle and help spread the Christian teaching of this King. With such caretakers and nurses, I say, our Lord God wants to provide His church at all times by grace, and thus increase and maintain it, even if the devil and his scales should tear themselves apart over it. Among such faithful caretakers and church fathers, it is fair to include your honorary feasts and your like, several other honorary lovers of the nobility. For what you have done from the beginning, so that this pure
X Des Uebersetzers Johannes Gudenus Foreword. XI
He knows well from whom nothing is hidden, who will also reward it abundantly according to his promise. And because I have recognized the honest and Christian mind of your honorable friends, that you have not sought any special fame in the eyes of the world by doing great help and taxes for many poor church servants and students, so that the church and school service may continue to flourish, in view of the fact that the devil tempts the wicked and ungrateful world to make it run freely, that the devil tempts the wicked and ungrateful world to let the school and church servants starve, so that pure doctrine and right worship may fall away and all kinds of idolatry and false worship may be established (for which the world likes to give its money); as also happened among the people of Israel, as one may read in the book of Nehemiah Cap. 13, v. 4. I do not want to say anything about it now; Christ, our dear Lord, who says Match. 10, v. 42: "Even a drink of cold water given to the least of His servants in His name shall not go unrewarded; He will publicly proclaim on the day of His appearing such rich benefits as Your Honorable Excellence freely shows to me and to other servants of the Word, and judging it to have happened to Himself, He will not leave it unrewarded.
But so that I may nevertheless show myself a little grateful, I want to thank Your Honorable Excellence for this work of mine, which I, through your manifold encouragement, with the bestowal of divine grace, have now, within a year, turned to the end that this rich treasure, which the dear man D. Luther, the last prophet of the Germans, has written in this Commentary on the
I would like to have dedicated the first book of Moses, which I left behind, to be brought from Latin into German, and let it go out under your name and others of the nobility, because it pleased our dear teacher, Mr. Philippus, in such a way that it should be produced by printing. For if it were without the same man's permission, I would not have liked that I should have put this work of mine into print. But what an excellent treasure this is, those who will read this interpretation with diligence will find out for sure. In sum, one finds in it the right core of the teaching that our Lord God has revealed to us through D. Luther. Luther; as the Lord Philip, D. Jonas, and other spiritual men have rightly judged. That your honorable friends and others of the nobility have promoted this work so diligently and faithfully, out of Christian zeal, and have expended no small amount of money on it, will undoubtedly be to the honor of our Lord God and to the betterment of His dear Church. May the dear gracious God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, enlighten all of our hearts through the Holy Spirit, so that we may understand this teaching, which He has given us out of great grace in these last lines through the much-thought-of great man D. Martin Luther, of holy memory, and thus redeemed us from the great darkness and abomination of the pope, that we may earnestly accept this teaching, thereby be improved in many ways, and persevere and remain steadfast in it to our end, so that we may finally be raised to eternal blessedness through Christ, the one Mediator and Savior, to whom alone this teaching points us.
Date Brunswick, on the day of Christ's appearing, in the year after Christ our Lord's birth 1557.
Your honor festivals
willing
Johannes Gudenus.
Philipp Melanchthon's Foreword.
Philip Melanchthon
wish the devout reader his greetings.
We should often remember the counsel of God, namely, that he wants us to know at all times the beginning of the world, and also how the church first began, and then spread out and always increased, and that we should keep such great things in fresh memory, and do so according to the order of the years that were appointed and described for this purpose, so that we may always think back to the beginning. And we should thank God that under such great disruptions of the regiments and dominions and destructions of the cities, and also under such destruction of the human race, He nevertheless does not let this divine teaching of His be destroyed, and that He also lets us see beautiful clear testimonies, such as the raising of the dead and that the sun is stopped in its course, and many other things more; so that we may know for certain, both that there is one God and that he is gathering a church, and also that this doctrine, which he has given, is the right, certain, immutable truth.
Therefore, we should accept this divine voice as certain, and constantly flee and condemn the pagan and abominable errors, of which some have written that the creatures in the world are supposed to have been composed and made approximately of atoms, that is, of the small dust that flies in the sun, and that many countless worlds have been and will be, as well as the various natures of all things. But the others, although they must not praise these dreadful and frightening words, and some
If they seek a more ornate and better adorned church, they fall far short of the truth, just as those who are blind, and have devised abominable errors so that God may be blasphemed to the highest degree; just as the Stoics wrote that God could not cause any other movement than to be torn away by the gears of matter or mean things, and that he was as much a cause of abominable vices as of good works. Finally, there is a great mass of dreadful errors outside the church and congregation of God, namely, about the beginning of the world, about the nature of man, about divine providence, about the causes of evil, about the end of man: whether man alone was created for this mortal life. Item, whether one should also wait and hope for another life, in which there will be a difference between the righteous and the unrighteous; and whether there will also be an assembly or multitude of people in such a great disunity of so many different opinions and customs of men, of which one may certainly think and say that it is pleasing to God. Item, how this house must be assembled and distinguished from other people: which offices or works may please God, and whether the other crowd, in which there is such a great multitude, is even rejected by God.
Of these great things, only in the church of God is the right necessary teaching held out to us. And in the first book of Moses is the right reason and origin, which should and must be very well known to everyone, because in every doctrine much is said about it.
XIV Philipp Melanchthon's Foreword XV
It is to know and understand the beginning and right origin of a thing, as it is said: Principium dimidium est totius, et plus quam dimidium, that is, if you have the beginning or reason of a thing, you have half of it, yes, you have more than half of it.
God instituted the ministry of preaching, not that anyone should invent a new doctrine, but that the teachers should recount and present these very prophetic and apostolic books to the people, so that they may take from them the pure, unadulterated doctrine of God and the blessedness of the human race. After this, however, because the young people and the common man must be reminded of the form and manner of speaking, and how one piece follows another in order, where the Scriptures are read, it must be explained what manner of speaking is used in each place. Moreover, one must also indicate from where the various arguments that are used from time to time are taken, and must tell the unlearned how they should use the sayings and examples of Scripture in their prayers, when they call upon God, and otherwise in their lives. In this there is a great difference among those who interpret the Scriptures.
Since God has cleansed the church of many errors through Luther's ministry, and has given him great gifts for this purpose, the work itself shows that his interpretations far surpass the writings of other writers who have interpreted the Scriptures. And that we may have them, and that the descendants after us may have them, is useful and good, not only that the writings of the prophets and apostles may be rightly explained, but also that the testimonies and beautiful confessions of this great and excellent man (whose heart was ruled by the Holy Spirit) may be made known to everyone from all articles, so that afterwards the godly may be strengthened with them, where it happens that there is a dispute about the doctrine.
Therefore, one should thank the pious learned men, who so faithfully both, other interpretations of Luther and especially also this one about the first book of Moses, and the other one.
(which one should know primarily), have gone out in print, namely D. Caspar Creutziger, Georg Rörer, Veit Dietrich and Hieronymus Besold at Nuremberg. For after the death of Veit Dietrich, this work was inherited by Hieronymus Besold (that I call it thus), who faithfully followed that which D. Creutziger and M. Georg Rörer wrote with their hands. For he has seen that the same agrees with the copy, so he wrote with his hand, and also with another, so M. Johannes Stoltz wrote with his hand (which man is then also very diligent and faithful) and was the same.
Now the reader should consider the teachings one after the other, namely, of God the Creator; of the beginning of the world; of the creation of man; how God revealed Himself before the fall of man and how the Church began; then, of the fall and redemption of man, in which God revealed Himself again, and gave the promise of the redemption of man and how the old serpent was to be trampled underfoot; and again, out of great grace and mercy, established a Church and saved our first parents from the midst of death.
Then you shall also consider which and where the true church and congregation of God was, namely, in which the given promise of the future sacrifice was given. Moreover, you must also distinguish between the law and the promise, and recognize this grievous discord and disunity in the human race, namely, that there have always been two groups, and still are, and will remain so, since the Son of God Himself, of whom the promise speaks, is the one, gathers them by the preaching of the gospel, and is truly with them, reigning in them, covering the sin of those who recognize him, setting their hearts on fire with the Holy Spirit, so that they may call on God rightly and be obedient to him, and giving them eternal life and blessedness. The other group, however, does not know God, walks in darkness, is inflamed with ambition, fornication and other sinful desires, despises and hates the Gospel. The devils provoke and incite this nonsensical mob against the
XVI Philipp Melanchthon's Foreword. XVII
right church than that Cain strangled his brother and Esau also had the same will.
This great battle, at which all men are greatly astonished, has been proclaimed beforehand in the beginning of the first sermon with these words, since God says in Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. For the church must have been reminded of this beforehand, so that it would know that it would not be despised or rejected by God for this reason, because the others would have the rule, who despise the divine teaching, and will always persecute and suppress the little group that keeps the teaching of the gospel. Let us also consider the order in which those who have governed the church with the Word have lived one after another, and let us consider in each one in particular what doctrine he has led; then also the testimonies of the revelation of God and of the doctrine. Item, after that of each of Berti's, and what kind of struggle he had. How he overcame them, how God was seen to be present with them and to have saved them, how the church was gathered together, what sayings and examples they gave that might instruct us and strengthen our faith, and what virtues they had that we should follow.
These main parts have been described one after another in the histories of the previous books. As: of Adam and Eve, of Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Lot, Isaac. These all have the same doctrine of God the Creator, of the creation of all things, of the fall of our first parents, of sin in the human race, of the Law of God, of the promise and of the Mediator, of grace and forgiveness of sins, of faith, of right calling, of new obedience, of the Church, of the Cross, of the future judgment. But the calling and the works of all of them are almost unequal. Noah was called to preserve the church that remained in the Flood and then to restore it to his descendants. Since the descendants of Noah were dispersed and now the
When the Babylonian kingdom had begun, and the darkness among the Gentiles had grown, God raised up the church again with a new calling, repeating the promise and adding circumcision, so that people, when they think of the same member, will remember the future seed. Therefore Isaac and Jacob also practiced the teaching they took from Abraham and taught it to other people.
Now you shall see in this history how a great honor and how this has been such a great strengthening for the godly, that at one time or another, people who lived almost close to each other and at the same time lived with each other, often came together to teach the doctrine and to comfort each other, namely, Shem (of whom one thinks that he is called Melchizedek), Abraham, Isaac and the king Abimelech. And although the multitude of the church and congregation of God is always smaller than the multitude of the godless Gentiles, these great teachers nevertheless had an equally large congregation. For God always wants the church to be heard in the human race, so that the Son may be known and that a part of the human race may also become heirs of the heavenly glory; therefore He places it like a high castle, so that it may be seen and heard. And he gives her an even greater number of people, so that they may be witnesses of the teaching and receive the great benefits of the Son of God, whom the eternal Father did not send to earth in vain.
Therefore, in this history of Jacob, one should primarily consider the teaching that has been repeated several times. For God Himself, standing on the ladder at Bethel and speaking to Jacob, indicates that this is the right true God, who revealed Himself to Abraham and gave the promise, which is repeated in the same place with the same words.
Therefore he wants to have that one should recognize and call upon this true God, who has made the promise, and wants to have that one should look at the mediator. He wants one to have forgiveness of sins and reconciliation.
XVIII Philipp Melanchthon's Foreword. XIX
He wants it to be known that the same mediator also preserves and governs Jacob at the same time. He wants it to be known that the same mediator also preserves and governs Jacob at the same time. And he accepts the worship that Abraham learned from God Himself, when He spoke to him with His divine voice; of which it is written in Romans 4:3: "Abraham believed the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness. Therefore Jacob also knew that this faith was the noblest service of God, and considered it that by it he was pleasing to God for the sake of this mediator and not for his own worthiness; and that he would be ruled through this mediator, and that sin and death would be taken away and destroyed; so that for the sake of this mediator and through him righteousness and eternal life would be restored and given. For he added this word to the promise that his father and he had heard: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," Genesis 3:15.
He makes this confession himself, when he says, Gen. 48, 15. 16: "The God before whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked; the angel who redeemed me from all evil", from eternal death, and other accidents, "he blesses the boys" 2c. And there is no doubt about it, this angel, who is remembered here, is the Son of God, of whom Jacob knew that he would be sent to the church and congregation of God, that he should govern them, protect them, and also redeem them from sin and death. No power gives these benefits to any creature, but the Son of God shows them to the church.
And there is no doubt about it, Jacob also preached about this Lord, who restores righteousness and life, since he says afterwards in the 49th Cap. V. 10: "The scepter of Judah shall not be taken away," 2c., "until the hero come; and unto him shall the nations cleave." Although others have not interpreted the word shiloh in the same way, the piece that follows it in the text obviously indicates that the hero is understood by it, who will also reconcile the Gentiles to God and gather them to him, who will crush the head of the serpent,
will eradicate sin and death and deliver people from them. And I hold that this word, shiloh, be rightly interpreted to mean helper and savior.
And is the etymology or quality of the word merry and subtle; as the same is well known to the Hebrews, who interpret the word to mean in Latin, foetus ejus, videlicet matris, that is, the fruit of the mother; that it may rhyme with the saying, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head."
And is gloriously and very finely spoken: the fruit of the mother. For this Son of God takes upon Himself the weak human nature, which is burdened with great sorrow and suffering, and in addition has God's wrath and death upon Him; and this Son of God hangs on the cross, has become a misshapen bloody fruit, and yet nevertheless rises again from death and becomes alive. In us, however, the nature is completely impure, is a stained and impure fruit for the sake of sin. But when the Son of God takes this fruit of ours and disguises Himself in it, when He makes us alive through the word of the gospel and His Holy Spirit, this skin becomes a temple of God and is redeemed from sin and death.
But it is precisely in this interpretation of Luther that all these sermons of Jacob and the others are amply explained. And I have told this only to remind the young people right at the beginning that in these histories one should not only look for examples of the domestic and world government, but one should especially look at and consider the teaching and unanimity of the first teachers in the church, how they were united in faith and right invocation, so that we may also strengthen ourselves with their unanimity. For Adam, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were also hearers and witnesses of the very same Gospel, and also spread the same, which is now taught and heard by God's grace in the churches, so accept Luther's teaching, which he held out to us in this interpretation and in his other writings.
Therefore it is very useful and good that the invocation and sermons of these fathers are often and diligently considered; so that you may know
XX Philipp Melanchthon's Foreword. XXI
that thou mayest truly be a fellow servant of their salvation, faith, and calling, and also a fellow heir of the eternal glory. And when thou hast considered the doctrine, look upon the church and congregation of Jacob: behold how much misery and woe he suffered, and see therein the examples of faith and other virtues, and also the presence of the Son of God who redeemed him; that thereby the testimonies of revelation may be brought to light, and the church also be preserved.
Then see how the church is wounded, afflicted and afflicted. The devils rage and rage so much that even in this small group, as in the household of Jacob, they drive some noble men, that they have committed great abominable sins. One son slept with his father's wife through incest. After that, many of them dared to kill their own brother Joseph. Who would not be shocked when he sees these horrible examples in the household, which was truly the church and congregation of God, of which there was no doubt at that time? But God wants us to recognize our weakness and to always be valiant against the cunning attempts of the devil; moreover, He also wants those who have fallen to be raised up again with the examples of such great people; for even though they were severely wounded, they were healed again.
Above this, although Jacob had many enemies, his own brother Esau was also very hostile to him, who was by nature his closest relative, and whom his father also raised and instructed in the same religion, how to believe in God and call on Him, and how to practice all kinds of virtues and good works. Therefore, since it is customary and common in the church that those who are related to one another and are good friends tend to disagree about religion, we should prepare and strengthen our hearts so that we can wisely tolerate and bear this great pain caused by the enmity of those who were our good friends. Sophocles says: "No wound is more grievous than this, and it does a man no harm.
Nothing hurts him so much as when a good friend becomes disparaging and at odds with him. And in the prophets we also find such a lament. But because the examples teach us and tell us what the causes of such afflictions are, and at the same time also indicate comfort, the same examples soothe the reader's pain. And it is a pride and hope that we do not want to suffer what others have suffered, who have been more pious than we, such as Abel, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and others. We should know that obedience and quietness of heart to bear such afflictions with patience is pleasing to God, and that in the meantime the Son of God cares for us and is our faithful and constant friend. With this consolation, David has risen up, as he says in the 27th Psalm v. 10: "My father and my mother forsake me; but the LORD receiveth me."
At the present time, those who had been good friends are often at odds with each other, and in general, the true church is almost severely attacked by various enemies. The Turks, pope and bishops, kings and princes, who are faithful servants of the pope and his bishops, dare to destroy the poor church with sword and fire. And the monks and some others, who are considered learned at the courts of the princes and therefore also have the rule, provoke the princes to become more and more angry with us. And so that they may continue to rage and rage, because they are armed with great force and have a large number of those who support them, they have recently made decrees and statutes at the Tridentine Council, many of which are obviously wrong and unjust, but many more that are sophistical and can be interpreted on whichever side one wishes; and so that they may confirm them, the kings will issue special commandments written in blood.
They have now almost defied us for many, many years, and have boasted highly against us, namely, that they bear the name of the Church, item, refer to the Conciliar, and that the general Church is unanimous with them; with this, I say, they want to equal us with
XXII Philipp Melanchthon's Preface. XXIII
hard to frighten. Even though many people are moved by this, all those who call upon God should understand this deception and learn that they can refute such trickery, which the adversaries use to circumvent them. There is a clear and certain rule that overturns this deception and trickery, namely, St. Paul says Gal. 1:9: "If anyone preaches the gospel to you apart from what you have received, let him be accursed.
The matter itself proves that some of the statutes of the Tridentine Council are obviously contrary to the gospel, as well as these sermons of Abraham, in which the foundation of right doctrine is laid, as it is said in Rom. 4, 3: "Abraham believed your Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness. St. Paul uses the same saying to show that the church has unanimously taught the faith. Then he brings forth this sermon, which is the first to speak expressly of faith and righteousness, and clearly says that one should accept the promise with faith; And if a man keeps the mediator with this faith, it is truly counted to him as righteousness, namely, that forgiveness of sins is given to him and that man is reconciled to God because of the mediator, and that this same mediator is also powerful in such a man and lights a new light and obedience through the word of promise and with his Holy Spirit, and makes peace in the heart, which is the beginning of eternal life.
This whole doctrine, which is actually the right doctrine of the church and congregation of God, which is also the refuge and highest consolation of the godly, and which is expressly taught and explained in this very book and thereafter also in the writings of the prophets and apostles, the Tridentine Areopagites suppress quite defiantly and sacrilegiously with such a doctrine and statute, which is utterly contrary to this doctrine and is godless and cursed. For they teach and command that all men are to remain in doubt; and thus they even eradicate this whole main part of faith, since we say: "I believe in forgiveness of sins.
den"; yes, they say, I do not believe, but still doubt.
This public and harmful error shows that those who establish such statutes are enemies of the church and congregation of God, and that they misuse these names and titles, namely, since they boast of the church, of the conciliarities, and that they are unanimous with the general church; but they do not hold the right doctrine of the church against the people, but still confirm the opinion that the pagans or also the Pharisees had. For the hearts of men who know nothing of the gospel and look at the law to some extent are drowned in this doubt, which gives rise to a miserable and sorrowful raging against God and also to despair. I do not speak now of such statutes, which can be pointed to both ropes, of which they have made many, so that they may have recourse to them when they are punished by us, and yet in truth only confirm their abuses; but I speak now of the public and harmful errors. And where the reader sees such errors in their decrees and statutes, he should follow the rule of Gal. 1:9: "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
Help God, how many shameful falsifications are in your decrees and statutes of repentance! It has never been said or concluded in any council that by virtue of divine right it is necessary to tell all sins individually in confession, and the same for imposing a penance on the people for it (as they called it). Now, however, the legislators at Trent still unashamedly added this lie to the old decrees and thus revile the Son of God. For they do not consider how great the sin is, nor do they consider why the wrath and the atonement are turned upon and laid upon the Son of God, since men are showered with spectacles of atonement, some of which have been ridiculous, and some of which have been shameful. Finally, the foolish work they have done in this matter has been no small nonsense. And the masters of such Tridentine Statutes
XXIV Philipp Melanchthon's Foreword. XXV
They themselves know that the confused doctrine of atonement was full of lies and is still false and mendacious, and that the same way is now half dead and gone. And yet they show the people the vain shadow of the word of pardon, so that they may suffer no damage or loss to their great name if they confess their errors; after which they can sell with a sham the dispensation or pardon of the old canons and statutes, which they call indulgences.
From the sacrifice of the mass they renew the foolish work of the Pharisees, namely, that with the same sacrifice one should earn forgiveness of sins, guilt and chastisement for the one who makes the sacrifice and also for other people. For this reason they destroy the word of the gospel about the forgiveness of sins, which comes to us by grace because of the Son of God and must be accepted by faith; indeed, they wipe out the saying in the epistle to the Hebrews in Cap. 10, v. 14: "With the sacrifice we receive forgiveness of sins. V. 14: "With one sacrifice he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
But I do not want to say more about it now; For the same code has not yet fully come into being, and when it does, both now and hereafter in the descendants, there will be many pious learned men who will rightly call upon God, who will refute the errors of the Tridentine Council and show the whole world the secret cunning and sophistry in such of its statutes, and also the perverse wickedness of those who have treacherously placed among the statutes many uncertain things that could be interpreted on both sides, so that with such a pretense they may at the same time deceive the common people and escape the right punishment that they will hear and suffer against it.
But that devout hearts may be preserved and remain unconvinced from the ghastly errors of the Tridentine Council, and other such things still defended by the papists, let them diligently read the books of Luther; among which these are
The first book of Moses is the most beautiful and glorious, and as they say in Proverbs, Swan Song 2c. The same interpretations are to be done to other of his confessions, which are told in other of his books about all the main points of Christian doctrine, and such confessions' interpretations are also included in these longer sermons.
These testimonies are useful to teach and strengthen devout hearts. We should keep them faithfully as a good supplement (as Paul calls his testimonies in 2 Tim. 1, 12. 14.) and not allow them to be suppressed either with false and sophistical decrees of the pope, or to be perverted with cunning and changed by deceitful interpretation into foreign minds.
In this extreme age and end of the world, there will be more strange confused opinions than ever before, and people's recklessness and volatility will be even greater. Many people will be ambitious and rebellious by nature, and the raving of the devil will also be somewhat greater. For since he knows well that the day is not far off when the Son of God will again let himself be seen by the human race, lead a triumph and adorn his church with eternal glory, and when the great sin and shame of the devils will also be seen and their torment and torture will also be increased, they are now all the more senseless to pour out their wrath on the Son of God, and therefore rage and rage even more against the poor church, which is now somewhat weak in old age.
Therefore, this great danger should wake us up and make us more diligent to keep the pure doctrine and to preserve the unanimity of the general church, and to remain constant in it. For this purpose, it is necessary to read the Scriptures diligently and to always pray with fervent prayer to the gracious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Son of God says in Matthew 26:41: "Watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation. The fact that he says that Ulan should watch is understood to mean that one should diligently follow the teachings of the Lord.
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But with prayer one asks God for help; for there is no happiness in human endeavor where it is not governed by God and continued and promoted by His blessing.
Just as the Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest, who was crucified for us and rose again from the dead, asked in his agony that the eternal Father would preserve his Church and sanctify it in his truth, and make it all one in him, so he still makes this prayer for us in the secret counsel of the divine Majesty, and is certain that his prayer is not in vain or in vain.
To this prayer of our high priest we should also add our sighs, tears and prayers, that the eternal Father in this miserable and sorrowful time may gather a church and congregation to His Son for and in these lands also, and sanctify us in His truth, and make us all one in Him; and also protect and preserve the tabernacle of His church, and not allow heathen and abominable desolations to come to pass or to break down.
This I ask with heartfelt sighs, that the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may graciously grant us for the intercession of His dear Son.
Date, Nuremberg, on the day of Paul's conversion in the year following the birth of Christ our Lord, 1552.
Hieronymus Besold's Foreword.
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the last part of the first book of Moses, starting from the 37th chapter.
To the devout and faithful reader grace and peace through Christ.
Since I knew that many kind-hearted people had long ago fervently desired that this last part of the interpretation of Genesis should also go out in print, I not only considered it unnecessary to write a long preface, but also saw that it would cause delay and annoyance to the godly, who hasten that they may read the interpretation itself the sooner the better, which is very highly famous on account of its dignity and usefulness, and which, in addition, attracts those who are somewhat repugnant to this writer and his writings, because of the marvelous importance and sanctity of the things dealt with herein. Above all, however, I have been concerned that I might not, with this benevolence of mine, win the approval of those to whom my small intellect might have
The reader will find that I have either written these interpretations with a long preface, or that I have had such work imposed on me. For I well remember that Mr. Veit Dietrich, an excellent, godly and learned man, complained about this heavy work and wished that this interpretation could have been written by D. Luther, our dear preceptor, himself and put into print. Luther, our dear preceptor, himself, and put it into print, which he taught in the school at Wittenberg with great earnestness and well-dressed words, and in addition with rich matter and important things, which he dealt with; because it would be almost difficult to reach and write down all the words under the reading, however nimbly one can also write, or also to bring them into such a fine and equal order, as by him, Mr. D. Luther himself,
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might have been written and spoken. Now, however, all the blessed know well that Mr. Veit had special skill to work in this area of the good arts, and the writings of D. Luther, of blessed memory, which he had printed to serve the descendants, also testify to this. And I have seen that he has written with great skill many other things and also the first part of this interpretation of Genesis, not only from what he himself wrote, but also from what D. Creutziger and M. Georg Rörer had written out. That is why I have become so much more concerned because of the weakness of my forces, and such weakness and inability would also have moved me completely to leave this undertaken work where I could have done it with their will and permission, who with their godliness and great reputation have led me to take this burden and work upon myself.
Therefore, I thought I should recently tell the cause of this work, not only so that a godly and faithful reader would know it, but most of all so that the descendants would be assured that this interpretation has been faithfully described. For after Mr. Vitus Dietrich departed from this life, in the year after the birth of Christ our Lord in 1549, precisely in the night before the day on which the feast of the Annunciation of Mary or the Conception of Christ is celebrated in the Christian Church, on which day Isaac was also sacrificed and Christ suffered death, as the ancients considered it, not only our church but also this interpretation has been deprived of its teacher and faithful instrument, which he, as much as was always possible for him due to his illness, had in his hands daily, as his only consolation and relief from so many great pains he suffered; so that shortly before his departure from this life, since he could no longer hold the pen in his hand, he nevertheless promoted the work he had begun and read to another's pen, and hoped that he would complete the history of Abraham and finish it.
He had brought him to Mount Moriah, as he himself used to say, so that he would end his life with it and be buried with Abraham. And such his hope and desire that he would be redeemed from this life was not in vain. For before he brought the same part of Mount Moriah to an end, where he used to go in his heart, he was called and challenged to the eternal fellowship of Christ, and of the dear patriarchs and prophets, since he presented the doctrine drawn from their writings, both orally and in writing, to the church and congregation of God with great faithfulness and diligence. Which benefit I and all the blessed want to boast with the grace of Christ for all eternity with a grateful heart. And it occurs to me now that I remember, not without great pain, both the virtues and gifts with which he was gifted to serve and help the church in this fatherland of ours, and also to promote and continue the good arts and those studied therein, and in addition also the danger and miserable confusion that came over the church during his life, and after his death has generally increased and become greater.
At that time, the terrible power of darkness, which was aroused by the infernal Antichrist to extinguish the light of the Gospel, shown to us by God, and to suppress the churches from time to time, as well as the same hostel, in which the voice of the Son of God was taught by pious, godly teachers and church servants, raged and raged over all of Germany. And in the great terror, when pious hearts have been thus distressed, because all things have appeared so very strange and miserable, this fear has also come to pass, that the servants of the Antichrist might search for these writings, and take again the power and liberty to print such writings, which had been given to the churches before by godly rulers; which we have heard several times, that they have dealt with it, and threatened us with it. Therefore, since the friends and heirs of Mr. Vitus were in fear and therefore dismayed,
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they have sought a safe place and container for this interpretation, namely, with the distinguished man, Mr. Hieronymus Baumgärtner, where it might lie hidden; as the hundred prophets lay hidden with Obadiah. 1 Kings 18:4.
Although in such great terror and consternation there was little hope that we would again come to our former freedom, where God Himself would not defend the enemies of Christ, the sighing of the blessed, who in the same sorrowful time always had a great desire for the last and noblest work of their dear prophet and pastor D. Luther blessed, did not let this commentary or interpretation lie hidden any longer. And he, Jerome, himself took great pains so that at least what he, Veit, had written would go out in print, since the adversaries were still raging and subduing each other in many ways. And because he could easily assume that everyone would like to see the whole history go out in print, he asked me to complete the remaining part, as I also heard D. Luther in the school in Wittenberg, since he had read and taught the same. And this pleased Mr. Philippus and M. Rörer well, and M. Stolz also gave me what he had written out: which is then very well to be read. In addition, I had also written out much myself from D. Luther's mouth, which he had read; which was very helpful to me, since I was not yet accustomed to the foreign hand or writing, and I was very pleased that all copies were so finely harmonized and so similar to each other.
Because I was indebted to those who gave me this work for many great benefits and because they were dear to me, and also because of their and Mr. Vitus' recommendation and statements that I had become D. Luther's housemate, I did not want to deny this to such great respectable people. Luther's housemate, it did not seem proper to me to deny this to such great and respectable people. And was entirely of the hope that the pious faithful reader would interpret and accept it for the very best, if he understood that I neither from my own discretion or my own will, but rather from my own will.
I have taken on this burden out of a sense of duty and a simple good heart, only that this interpretation may be preserved and maintained.
But since the history of Abraham had gone out, I have also undertaken the others, precisely on the admonition and encouragement of the same men, and have felt in something a relief from the tedious work of copying, because of the greatness and usefulness of the good things, matter and examples, which especially D. Luther in his last words wanted to hold up to the church and command, so that the way would be opened for readers to understand the Bible all the better. Luther in his last words wanted to reproach and command the church, so that the way would be opened for the readers to understand the Bible all the more diligently and better. For these are truly the true wells of Israel, from which all prophets, apostles and godly teachers at all times have drawn all heavenly wisdom. What wells, since they have been covered with dirt and filth of past times, it is a great blessing that God has awakened the dear Luther to cleanse them again and to explain the oldest writings of the first fathers, to whom the promise of the seed of the woman and the Son of God, who was to become man, was given in the beginning and has always been repeated with them. But as the prophets and apostles diligently looked to the same promise, so under the pope, your Antichrist, it has been despised and obscured by various idolatries, superstitions, and the confused human statutes of monastic vows, of the celibacy or dishonorable life of monks and priests 2c.
And I still remember that D. Luther spoke many times in his house over the table, when I was his table companion, with sighs and pains of the blindness and darkness of his time, and said, among other things, how the celibate popes had greatly despised the Book of Creation, and had shied away from it as from such a book, which was full of filth and fornication, so that it taught nothing else, except only how the patriarchs had begotten children and waited for stewardship. But he added an excellent recommendation and beautiful praise of this book, namely, on account of the word and voice of God, of which one often-
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The first time you hear that it was spoken to the fathers.
This, he says, makes Genesin delicious: "The Lord has spoken"; "the Lord has said"; "the Lord has appeared". This the monks did not respect; for they did not have God's word. No pagan has it. The Jura did not have it, nor did Medicina. The whole Bible is therefore exalted: Dixit Dominus: "The Lord has said"; the New Testament also: "In the beginning was the Word", Joh. 1, 1. Whoever loses the Dixit is lost. They do not have the Dixit (He has said), that is, Pater (the Father), so they do not have the (Let there be), that is, Filius (the Son), they have the Facta sunt (It has become), as Paul says that the Creator is known through the creature a posteriori, as one says; but we theologians have it a priori, we have the Dixit and the Fiat.
And he has always diligently done the same in the interpretation of Genesis. However, I also wanted to tell this story in order to awaken others, so that they might gain a love for the stories in the holy scriptures and learn to marvel at them. These stories do not appear as glorious to the eyes of men as the stories of the pagans or the monks and hypocrites of superstitious worship do; it can also be seen that they are not adorned with any graceful speech. But the words and holy things that are spoken of are very important, as our interpreter has explained with great diligence, and they are also first properly rinsed and understood in the true and spiritual battle.
He often compared the writings of the prophets and apostles, which flowed from Moses as from a well, and showed not only how the things of which they wrote rhymed with each other, but also in some of them the difference of the speeches. Of Moses he said that he could have taught well and orderly; of Isaiah that he used great, splendid, and dainty words, as Cicero spoke daintily. David's speech, he says, would have been like Sallust's speech, that is, finely short and clean. But
Solomon's speech would have been adorned; although David's speech would also have been wonderful and very rich, especially in the 19th Psalm, as he used to praise it. Finally, he gave them from the New Testament to Paul and John as excellent, excellent interpreters of the Old Testament, because they had studied Moses and the prophets much more deeply and diligently. He exhorted us to study the Hebrew and Greek languages diligently, so that we might more easily compare and understand the sayings of the prophets and apostles. And because I believe that such an admonition would not only be pleasant and agreeable, but also necessary and useful to those who study the Holy Scriptures, I will tell it in the same words, so that he has spoken it in a very friendly and pleasant way. And I do not doubt that the Venerable D. Justus Jonas, who was also present at this speech and gave cause for it, has still kept it in his fresh memory. For he was about the same time from the Saxon salt mines (of Halle) walking to D. Luther, and also to visit the other preceptors; and as he heard them in the school discussing various things artificially and Christianly, he told about tables under the meal, as he had heard from Mr. Philippus, that the whole Scripture was nothing else than a dispute or fight between the serpent and the seed of the woman. Luther said: "Do you also believe that John is a commentary and interpretation of the whole Bible? Paul also? It is not a word that John wanted to make Christ God. The holy Scriptures press much more upon the Son than upon the Father; for all Scripture is written for the sake of the Son: therefore also in the Old Testament there are more sayings or testimonies of the Son than of the Father.
Among other things, the interpretation of the seventy interpreters was also remembered, of which he said at that time: Paul would have kept the same interpretation in many places. He did not despise it, for he spoke to the Greeks. In the 19th Psalm v. 5, according to the Hebrew text, it says: In omnem terram
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exivit regula eorum, that is: "Their cord goes out into all the earth", which Paul calls Rom. 10, 18: Sonum, "a sound", and also says the same. So he says 1 Car. 15, 55.: Absorpta est mors in victoriam, which is, "Death is swallowed up in victory"; there it reads from the Hebrew text from Latin, in finem, or in aeternum, etc. And Isa. 25, v. 8.: Praecipitabit mortem in aeternum: "Death shall be swallowed up altogether"; he shall not come again in victoriam, id est, vita vincet, life shall prevail. Paul is rich in words. One word of Paul has three speeches of Cicero. He speaks one word that sees through a whole Isaiah or Jeremiah. O, it is a fine preacher! He is not called in vain a chosen one. Our Lord God says: I will give the world a preacher who shall be excellent. There is no one who understands the Old Testament as well as he; I take John. (Matthew and the others write the histories, and they are highly necessary, but they do not express the power and words of the Old Testament. Paul translated many things from the Hebrew into Greek that no one else could do. He speaks in a chapter that often interprets four or five prophets. Oh, he loved Isaiah and Moses! They are also. The words and matter that Paul deals with are in the prophets and Moses. That is why the young theologians should study Hebrew, so that they can compare Greek and Hebrew. Moses says of Abraham: Et imputatum est ei ad justitiam: "And it was reckoned to him for righteousness" 2c. Paul made use of this, and yet in the Hebrew it only says: Et cogitatum est. If I were young and wanted to become a high theologian, I would compare Paul with the Old Testament. He was a dialectician and a delicious rhetor or orator.
This has pleased me well to tell all here, because I have had to say something; for it rhymes therefore not badly: and I have hoped that it would also bring air and please those who have ever heard D. Luther himself, it would also bring air and please them. For I can indeed nir
I am not content with so much in this present fierce anger of the devil, so that he now rages and rages so horribly against the church and free cities or regiments, which are well ordered and properly constituted, as that I think of what I have heard from D. Luther. Luther, both publicly and in particular; so that I may keep myself upright, as well as I can, tolerate and bear both common miseries and misfortunes so much the easier: and have hitherto also taken care to guard myself with so much care and greater diligence against falsifying the doctrine which dear Luther has taught and left behind him. For, among other things, he also gave notice that terrible outrages and punishments would come upon Germany, not only from the enemies of the gospel, but also from the fierceness of some horrible and whimsical people, who, with all kinds of pretense of a good appearance, would secretly pursue the freedom of the fatherland. And this is what happened. For we have heard that the name and doctrine of the gospel have been used as a pretense, since they have committed unjust cruelty, murder, burning and robbery. It is also well known what hard fights the church and godly people had with those of whom he said before that some would devise new arts and deceptions to bring in the old idolatry again. The others, however, would, out of arrogance and ambition, and that they would like to establish something new, confuse everything in the churches, which are rightly and well arranged and put in good order. And they would be surrounded with great prestige and the name of great art, and would thus boast and brag about themselves under such a name and fictitious help to the rash and unstable people.
And that I other damages, not to mention that now for some years the church and common regime have been almost severely challenged and weakened, has truly given birth to much trouble and strife the new way of speaking so introduced by Osiander in the doctrine of justification, both with falsification of many sayings in the Scriptures.
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of the prophets and apostles, and also some testimonies from D. Luther's writings, which he falsely drew from his error. For he takes the word full of essential righteousness from the book, which in the beginning of the gospel Luther let proceed from three kinds of righteousness: with which word he wanted to exalt and praise the worthiness of the righteousness of faith against the righteousness of human works. As the interpretation given in this context clearly shows, namely, that Luther did not understand the essential righteousness. Luther did not understand by essential righteousness the righteousness of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, or only the divine nature in Christ, as Osiander would have us believe, but all that which Christ did and suffered for us; as he refers, among other testimonies of Scripture, to the saying of Paul, Rom. 5:18, 19: "As by one man's sin came condemnation upon all men; so also by one man's righteousness came justification of life upon all men," and "by one man's obedience shall many be justified."
In the other scripture, however, about two kinds of righteousness, which is appended there (which, in my opinion, is especially sent by God to counteract error and so that the same word would not be so wrongly understood), he has clearly defined what the essential righteousness is, which he calls there. For thus the words of Luther read: "This righteousness is given to men in baptism, and at all times, if one does right repentance, so that man can boast with all confidence in Christ and say: That Christ lived, did and said, that he suffered and died, all this is mine, no different than if I myself had lived, done and said, suffered and died in this way. And soon after: Wherefore also Christ himself, who saith that he came to do this gracious will of his Father, was made obedient unto him; and all things whatsoever he did, he did unto us, willing that they should be ours, saying, Luc. 22:27, "I am in the midst of you, as one that ministereth." And
Again in the words of the Lord's Supper he says, v. 19: "This is my body, which is given for you." And Isaiah says Cap. 43, 24: "Yea, thou hast made me labor in thy sins, and hast given me trouble in thy iniquities. "2c.
Now I do not doubt at all that all intelligent and godly people know this well, and the sayings of the prophets and apostles also rhyme well with it; and in Luther's books all the same is repeated more than a thousand times and imagined by everyone. Nor can this be denied by those who adhere to the new Osiandrian doctrine (which few people really understand); and yet they are not ashamed to use the respectable name of Luther to gloss over their error. But wherever they come across such words in Luther's writings, which are so clear that they can easily be referred to them, there they make up that it is spoken by some figure or simile; they invent some figures and tropes (special ways of speaking), just as if D. Luther had wanted to play and joke with figures and fancy words in this most noble main piece of our salvation and blessedness. This man of God has well understood from so many difficult temptations and spiritual struggles, with what comfort the human heart, which is dismayed and frightened by fear of the judgment and wrath of God, can best be satisfied, namely, with the cross, death and blood of the Son of God, our mediator JEsu Christ; as the prophets, John the Baptist, Christ himself and the apostles point us to the exaltation and his sacrifice on the cross, and the blood of the covenant, by which the prisoners are let out of the pit, since there is no water inside, Zech. 9, 11. Yes, they show us his wounds and stripes, and say: This is our righteousness before God; as Paul clearly says Rom. 5, 9: "After we have been justified by his blood" 2c. There he interprets what Zechariah meant by letting the prisoners out of the pit, or as elsewhere the Scriptures speak, redeeming and saving from the power of Satan. This,
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I say," Paul says by the word "become righteous," so that he may show that there is no difference between the same words. And Rom. 3, 25. he says: "Whom God has presented to a mercy seat through faith in His blood." Item Joh. 16, 8. 10.: "The Holy Spirit will punish the world for righteousness, because I go to the Father." All of which should be diligently noted for the sake of the petty and childish mockery or deceit they perpetrate with the preposition per (through), with which Osiander transposes and destroys such sayings of Paul. Among many other testimonies of Luther, however, there are very beautiful and remarkable sayings in the last lection of this interpretation, namely, about the death of Christ, against the quarreling about words, by which redemption and reconciliation are separated from justification and Christian righteousness, as, with the difference of years or time. For although Christ suffered once and at a certain time and accomplished the work of redemption, nevertheless the power and effect of the suffering and redemption applies at all times, and serves for the righteousness and blessedness of those who bring the same to themselves at every moment through faith. And faith asks nothing of the arithmetical reckoning of years, or of any time, however long or short it may be; but says with D. Luther thus: I know that Christ did not die according to history alone, but that his death lasts from the beginning to the end of the world, and that he comes to the aid of all the saints throughout the whole time of the world, Adam, Eve, and others. So new is Christ to me now, as if he had shed his blood this hour. And how could he have spoken more clearly or more truly? And I have heard that he did not speak this without a special zeal and hot spirit. For at the very same time he raised himself up, comforted and strengthened himself with these words, when he desired with all his heart to depart from this life; which is indicated by the last clause with which he concluded this book of Genesis. For he often said that he desired to conclude his life with this book of Genesis, and God indeed fulfilled his desire and wish.
And since he did not come back to school from the day in which he completed Genesin, and was claimed to eternal life in the following year, 1546, the 18th day of February, he repeated several times, when he was in the last stages, the same consolation that is held up to us in the words of Christ, John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Of which giving of the Son of God he certainly considered that it fei salvation from eternal death, and thereby we are absolved and absolved from God's judgment; yes, he considered it his righteousness, so that God would have clothed and graced him. The enthusiasts draw on the saying of Solomon, where he says, Prov. 13, 2: "Righteousness redeems from death." But since the prophets and apostles so often ascribe the same power to the blood and obedience of Christ, how then are the enthusiasts so impudent as to allow them to take this honor and name of righteousness from the blood and obedience of Christ? But God wanted them to experience and learn this in spiritual trials by deed, which cannot be brought back on the right path by words.
But what they dispute at length, I have recently wanted to put on, so that I thereby indicate to pious and kind-hearted people that I have not been moved by chance or without cause, but by such a salutary admonition of D. Luther, my dear preceptor. Luther, my dear preceptor, that I should resign from those to whom I had been related by close friendship, and that I should thereby lament the miserable damage to our church, which is miserably poisoned with this pestilence and error; not so much for the sake of the adversaries, but also because of the perverse hypocrisy of some hypocrites, so that they also crept in at first and came among the number of right teachers, and with just such hypocrisy now also deceive the church and congregation of God, and falsify and corrupt what others have rightly said and taught. They present themselves as if they were subject to the error and the
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They are completely hostile to the enthusiasts, who nevertheless secretly harbor errors and falsehoods, which they also hold above them. But in order that they may beware of enmity on both sides, one often hears of them that they put on and always repeat the saying, "Christ is our righteousness." And if you look at the same words, you will say that such things are faithfully and Christianly spoken. But look at the deceit, and how they can blind the people, so that they get away with it, and hang the poor foolish multitude upon them, that they may put up with their thing. They keep the name and person of Christ, who is God and man, and hold the same against his works and sufferings. Christ, they say, is our righteousness, not the works, not the blood, not the death or resurrection, but the person. But what is this but that they take away from the hearts and eyes of the godly the benefits of the mediator Christ, that he was made for us by God for wisdom and righteousness, for sanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. 1, 30, and for whose sake God made Jesus a Lord and a Christ, as Peter says in Acts 2, 36. 2, 36.? And what is it but to be God and man, and to be humbled, and to become obedient to the Father unto the death of the cross, Phil. 2, 8? How then do they want to separate the two, unless they want to separate the two natures in Christ and fall to the conclusion (which they still diligently conceal and keep secret) that the divine nature alone is our righteousness? Paul, 1 Cor. 1, 30, speaks of Christ crucified; and Rom. 3, 25, he says that he was presented to us by God as a mercy seat in his blood. Christ, John 3:14, 15, says: "As Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." There he showed, as it were, with his fingers, what faith should hold on to and rely on. But if they would have thee look unto that person only, that thou shouldest not perish, but be justified, and have everlasting life.
If we do not receive the life and not the exaltation on the cross, then the heart is immediately pulled back and forth, and the comfort disappears, by which the heart, which is terrified of God's judgment, should be raised up and preserved. For this reason, these parts of the mediator Christ must not and cannot be divided or separated from one another, and one should be diligently on guard against such secret cunning, by which the devil subjects himself to diminish and reject the ministry and obedience of Christ.
St. Augustine makes a wonderful and beautiful admonition out of great understanding and prudence, when he says in his Enchiridion, or Manual, ad Laurentium: The certain and right foundation of the catholic and universal faith is Christ. For "other foundation," saith Paul 1 Cor. 3:11, "indeed no man can lay, save that which is laid, which is JESUS CHRIST." And it is not necessary to say that this is not the foundation of the Catholic and Christian faith, because it may be thought that some heretics hold this also to be the case with us. For if we diligently consider what belongs to Christ, Christ is found in all heretics by name, who also want to be called Christians; but in truth he is not with them. But to prove this would be too lengthy. For then one must relate all the heresies that either have been, or still are, or may have been under the Christian name. And how true this is, one would have to prove by any heresy in particular; to which disputation many books belong, so that it is also considered to be infinite.
And it is very useful to remember this exhortation, so that the simple hearts may be strengthened against the hypocrisy and pretense that is made of the name and person of Christ, since they throw away the pieces that belong to Christ. For though they say that they hold to the merit of Christ with both hands, as they are wont to speak, yet they take away from the obedience of Christ against the public word of God, and so many churches' be-
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This name of righteousness, by which sinners are justified in the sight of God, is not to be our righteousness. But they will see for themselves whether God wants to be with such people and dwell with them, which they so often say and boast about themselves with their mouths full, and yet they are sure that they are misusing the words of Christ and falsifying them. For Christ says in John 14:23 that He and His Father love those who keep His word, and He promises that they will dwell with them. But he does not say that he will be loved by those who do not keep the word that he brought forth from the bosom of the eternal Father. Therefore he does not demand of us with less seriousness than Moses does of the people of Israel, when he says Deut. 4:2: "Ye shall not do any thing that I command you, neither shall ye do any thing of it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you." For this reason we should always have the words of the apostle Paul before our ears and also keep them in mind, in which he admonishes Timothy to be careful to hold fast to the saving word, and to beware of the crafty deceit of false spirits, as he says
2 Tim. 1, 13. 14.: "Keep this good supplement through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us" 2c., "but abstain from unspiritual loose talk." Cap. 2, 16. and 1 Tim. 6, 20. 21.: "Avoid unspiritual loose talk, and the wrangling of false fame, which some pretend to, and lack faith." For this reason the Son of God, who sits at the right hand of the Father, has raised up in these last times the dear, dear man D. Luther, and other such spiritual men, who are faithful interpreters of the Scriptures in the house of the Lord. Their interpretation and confession of pure doctrine is to be kept, so that we may be strengthened by their earnest admonition, lest we be swayed and lulled by all kinds of wind of doctrine through the craftiness of men and deceitfulness, so that they deceive us into seduction, Eph. 4:14.
Therefore let us watch and pray always, and the same the more fervently, how much greater confusion and error there is to fear in this utter and childish age of the world, and fickleness of men's minds, that we may be counted worthy to escape all this, and to stand before the Son of man.
Hieronymus Besold.
** D. Martin Luther's**
thorough and edifying
Second part - 25.chapter
Interpretation of the first book of Moses.
The twenty-fifth chapter.
**Second part.
Preliminary report.
(1) Up to this point we have interpreted three parts of this first book of Moses, as we have divided it above. For in the first part the history of our first father Adam is given. The other part praises Noah, the preacher of righteousness, and tells of the terrible punishment of the Flood, by which the first world was destroyed, so that only the one Noah with his family was preserved. The third part is assigned to Abraham. This history is especially noteworthy because it repeats the promise of the seed that would bless all nations, and because of various examples of faith and other virtues.
(2) And truly, if anyone will read over and consider all this, he will understand that it is a great and unspeakable blessing of God that the histories of such excellent great men have been described in the books of the Holy Scriptures, and have been preserved and preserved to this day. For the books and writings of the pagans know nothing of this; only the church and congregation of God may enjoy this boon, and have a right knowledge and divine testimony of the right beginning and of miraculous
Propagation of the doctrine that the church still has and that God initially gave to the first parents by his voice and wanted that the same doctrine and testimony should remain and be practiced in the whole tribe and lineage of the fathers.
Therefore, the promise is often repeated and renewed by the divine voice, which was initially heard in Paradise, and then repeated and explained to Abraham. However, God did not speak to Isaac and Jacob as often as He did to Abraham, for they knew that they should have looked to the promise made to Abraham and to his faith. However, as often as these holy patriarchs were challenged and their faith became weak, God raised them up again and strengthened them, so that they would not fall and despair in the danger and hardship that they encountered and were affected by. For we will see in the lives of both patriarchs wonderful struggles, and quite severe sorrow and affliction, and in the same struggles the wonderful government of the saints will shine and be seen, through which they are governed and sustained by God without human help.
- worldly people do not understand about these things, and when they read that Isaac
2L . VI. ISO-132. Interpretation of Genesis 25:11. **W. II. 2-7. 3**
or Jacob wandered about like tramps, that they had no certain seat, and that they were common people who labored with domestic and servile common work, they find this most ridiculous and contemptible; for they see nothing there that would be particularly excellent and glorious according to the judgment, prudence and skill of reason; as they read much in the histories of the pagans of such excellent and glorious deeds with great amazement. But they despise these stories of the holy fathers because they do not see the proper ornament and decoration of these histories. They do not see the so excellent gift of the divine word; they do not see the faith, the invocation and prayer; they do not see the patience in adversity, by which the saints overcame the world and the reenactment of Satan: which struggles and victories, if they had, far surpass all the stories and triumphs of all other great heroes.
(5) Whoever does not want to read these histories in vain should certainly believe that the holy Scriptures are not human wisdom but divine wisdom, and then he will feel that his heart will have a wonderful love and desire for the things contained in the holy Scriptures. For it is such a well, which, the more it is exhausted and drunk, the more one thirsts for it. As wisdom says in the book of Sirach Cap. 24, 27, 28, 29: "He who eats of me always hungers for me. And he who drinks of me always thirsts for me. For my preaching is sweeter than honey." For in this book are spoken of such things, which "the angels also desire to behold," as is said in 1 Peter 1:12; but they are hidden from the eyes of those who are wise according to the flesh, and are manifest only to the spirit. But we will now begin the fourth book in this place. For although the Hebrews place this part of Ishmael and Isaac with the history of Abraham, it is easy to see that Moses himself wanted to begin a book about the patriarch Isaac after Ishmael and Isaac buried their father Abraham.
First piece.
Of Isaac's waiting for the promise; item, of Ishmael, his descendants and death.
I.
V. 11. And after the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And he dwelt Lei the fountain of the living and the seeing.
Genesis begins with a short story about Isaac, namely, that God blessed him after his father's death; but he soon breaks off, and recently completes what is still to be said about Ishmael, but he leaves the blessing until its place. For it took another twenty years, during which Isaac lived with Rebekah, his wife, without children, and was unable to become a father by natural means, but obtained children and heirs from God through supplication and humble prayer.
Now this is a wonderful thing when compared to what was said earlier in chapter 24, v. 60. V. 60. For Abraham's servant, with great pomp and glory, wooed a virgin for Isaac, whom he would take as his wife, and by divine providence that virgin was entrusted to him in marriage, with such great hope and expectation that she was considered to be the mother of countless children. For how could Isaac not have hoped for this, to whom the woman was given by divine providence, and that by such a pious, holy father, in addition also by a very faithful servant and finally by the service of the angel? Nevertheless, he had Rebekah twenty years barren. But his father was still alive, and no doubt both of them would have heartily wished, sighed and asked for children. And I cannot know whether this was the reason that Abraham took Keturah as his wife, since he saw that it took so long before Isaac had any seed. But I will not say this for certain. For these holy men, and those who were afflicted with so many temptations, by such
**4L . VI, IS2-I34.**Interpretation of Genesis 25:11. W.II. 7-ia. 5
long practice they have become accustomed to wait on the hand of the Lord: and God has presented them to us as an example of the right, true service of God, which consists primarily and truly not in outward sacrifices or works, but in faith, hope and the love of God.
(3) Reason makes one dream that one must serve God and make atonement for Him with bodily sacrifice or other practices devised by men. But the examples of the fathers indicate that this is the noblest and highest service of God, to wait upon God. And this is also the proper use and the proper exercise of faith. For faith first of all draws us to the invisible, when it holds out to us the things that are not seen before the eyes, and we can tolerate and bear this to some extent; but the heart is not only led to the invisible, but is often also held out for a long time, and help is prolonged. As Abraham waited five and twenty years before his son was born to him, and Isaac must be twenty years without children. But the third and most difficult thing is when the delay and the long time are followed by something else that seems to be quite absurd. Whoever can then wait and hope for that which is spoiled and love that which is so contrary, will finally experience that God is true and keeps His promise faithfully.
(4) These are not the works of the flesh or of human reason, or of monks and hypocrites, for whom all delay is too long and irksome; for what they ask, they want to have immediately, and they do not trust in God, but only in the things that are present, and not in that which is still delayed. But God wills that what He promises should be invisible and contrary, so that we may thus be tempted and exercised, and learn that this is the right true service of God, and that which is most pleasing to God, namely, where one waits for Him. Hence it comes that in the Psalms these exhortations are so common, as, in the 27th Psalm v. 14: "Wait for the Lord,
Be of good cheer and do not fear. And the prophets also always impress the same on us, as if they wanted to say: Harret and believe.
(5) But this doctrine of faith, and that one should wait on God, is ridiculed and mocked by the worldly men; as their mocking words are told Isa. 28:13: "Give here, give there; wait here, wait there; here a little, there a little"; for so they also at that time ridiculed the doctrine and comfort of faith and patience as a vain and uncertain thing. Now it is certain that what is asked for or promised is already present and true when we begin to pray and trust; as the saying is Isa. 65:24: "And it shall come to pass, before they call, that I will answer; while they speak, that I will hear." This is truly most certain and true.
(6) But when the heart of man is in trial and danger, it can hardly be satisfied with this consolation; for thus it is wont to fear and lament for and for: What then will come to pass? When will it happen? Where will it happen? Therefore I answer: Wait, wait. But if it drags on a little longer, and the heart asks again, "When will it finally happen?" then you should say, "I have no other advice to give you, but to be patient and wait a year or two or three longer. The Lord will surely come with his help and will not forgive.
(7) For this is true, and it is the manner of our Lord God, that he delayeth and delayeth the help, but that he cometh in time of trouble, and cometh quickly; as is seen in the miraculous deliverance of the people of Israel, when they were brought out of Egypt. The people had waited a long time, being burdened with heavy servitude, and the Lord had always delayed with help: but when they were led into the utmost danger of their bodies and lives, and saw death before their eyes on every side, the Lord said to Moses, "Why cryest thou unto me?" Exodus 14:15; and immediately there is salvation, and they are delivered.
6L . VI, IS4-13S. Interpretation of Genesis 25, II. W.H.I0-IS. 7
great deeds of God. But where the greatest need does not require it, and the burden is not so great that we cannot be helped from it by human counsel, then God forgives with His work and with His help.
(8) These beautiful and glorious examples are held up to us in the case of holy men, so that we may learn that the most noble and spiritual worship does not consist in building churches or performing many ceremonies, all of which is child's play, so that God may entice us and draw us to Himself, as He did the Jews in many such outward ways, just as with a child's discipline. But the service of the fathers is that they waited on God; as Job says, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." And Jacob afterwards Gen. 32, 24. ff., when he wrestled with the angel, held fast to the promise with a steady heart. But this same promise is almost long delayed, and his faith is contested in many ways; yet his heart is thus confessed: I believe that the promise is true; though it be not soon fulfilled, yet I hope for it always; for though he wrestle with me, yet will I love him. Such sacrifices give the sweetest and loveliest smell of themselves before God, and finally gladden the heart of man with eternal joy and bliss.
(9) But those who become timid in adversity and fall away from God deprive themselves of eternal bliss. As Sirach says Cap. 2, 16: "Woe to those who have lost patience." But he who perseveres and keeps faith and hope finally overcomes and brings victory, Sir. Cap. 16, 13. Thus Noah persevered a hundred and twenty years and in the meantime suffered mockery and scorn from the wicked, but finally the whole world was drowned by the flood, but he was miraculously preserved with his household and became a father of the righteous.
(10) Therefore, I say, one should serve God with faith, hope and love; the outward ceremonies are only exercises of the coarse simple-minded people, by which they are accustomed to the works of godliness, which are much higher.
Just as little children who are not children are first nurtured and brought up with milk and soft food. But we, who are appointed to govern and teach others, are to learn that the right and true service of God is not where unreasonable animals are sacrificed, but where one holds to his promise and believes that it is true and cannot fail. On such faith and trust then follows hope, which reminds me that I should wait and that I have a gracious God. But if I persevere in adversity, Pharaoh and his whole army will be drowned in the depths of the sea, and those who persevere in faith will have the outcome he hoped for.
(11) So Moses ended the account he had given of the blessing of Isaac. For since he says that God blessed Isaac, the same is to be understood in faith and hope, since the contradiction was still seen there, and Isaac waited a whole twenty years for children, and did not lack age, nature or strength. Moreover, Rebekah herself was young and beautiful, and because of her age she was able to have children and to give birth. Nevertheless, the promise was lost, and it remained invisible until they were almost sixty years old, and there was certainly a danger of barrenness. Then Isaac will no doubt have considered in his heart and remembered what his parents had to worry about in the same danger of barrenness, and will have thought about it like this: Behold, the same affliction has befallen me and my Rebekah, which before afflicted my parents, Abraham and Sarah, because all things seem to be contrary to the promise; and yet he determined to hold fast to the same, after the example of his father.
- but this is done so that God may call to him who is not that he should be, as Paul says Rom. 4, 17. as today the Turk and the Pope rage and rage against us with inhuman hatred and cruelty, but inwardly our consciences are on many things.
8 ". vi. iss-138. interpretation of I Genesis 25:II-16. W.ii,is-is. 9
We are tempted and struggle with fear, unbelief and the terror of sins. And against all this we have strong consolation, as the promise of the word, holy baptism, the Lord's supper, which one should take with firm faith and keep. But I do not see the forgiveness of sins, I do not see eternal blessedness, I do not see life; but I believe it, and so I always hold on with hope. And when faith is challenged and weak, whether through temptation or through sins and human frailty, I still hold on to the keys. I remain in the divine promise, and even if heaven should fall upon it. This means serving God and fulfilling the first commandment, because what it is good for is only seen in the challenge, where the promise is invisible; I am delayed for a long time and at last the matter becomes quite absurd.
The devil, however, acts and works according to a different and opposite rule, for he is quick to be with his priests and prophets when they want to be, and does not delay with what they ask and desire. Thus the magicians often suddenly awaken thunderstorms and thunderclaps. In this way the devil beguiles and captures people, so that they gladly serve him, because he so soon helps and hears them; and what is the worst, it is taken for granted that all this happens from God. Therefore, one should diligently pay attention to such disparity of God's and Satan's actions. God wants us to wait; as the 130th Psalm v. 5. says: "My soul waits, and I hope in His word."
(14) If thou wilt serve God, thou shalt believe that which is invisible; thou shalt hope in that which is deceitful; and thou shalt love God, though he show himself to be thine enemy, and be grievously displeasing unto thee; and so shalt thou persevere unto the end. This is what Moses means by calling it a blessing, namely, giving Isaac a wife and yet not giving him children. Isaac asked for a wife to spread and multiply the seed, and he obtained the same. But he tarried twenty years without children; as his father Abraham also tarried so many years.
until Ishmael was born, who was not the son God promised him, and he had to hope and wait for Sarah's son much longer.
015 Of the fountain of the living and the seeing it was said above. When Hagar fled from Sarah her wife, she went astray in the wilderness near Bersaba to Egypt, and there she gave a name to the well, so that Hagar would be praised by all her descendants as an excellent domina and matron, from whom the well had received its name. For she says: "Surely, here I have seen the one who looked at me afterwards", Gen. 16, 13. Isaac considered the same to be praiseworthy for him, although Hagar was his stepmother: and therefore he lived by the well of the living and seeing one. Now Moses will finish the story of Ishmael.
II.
V.12-16. This is the lineage of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar, Sarah's handmaid from Egypt, bore to him; and these are the names of the children of Ishmael, of whom their families are named: The firstborn son of Ishmael Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Misma, Duma, Masa, Hadar, Thema, Ietur, Naphis, and Kedma. These are the children of Ishmael with their names in their courts and cities, twelve princes over their people.
Now Moses describes this Ishmael in a different and opposite way, because he described Isaac, of whom he said that God had blessed him, and yet he did not express the blessing. But above (Cap. 21, v. 11 ff.) we heard a very sad verdict about Ishmael, namely, that he was cast out of the house with the pain and displeasure of his father, not only by his mother, but also by divine power, and was called a son of the flesh and not of the promise. This is very hard and burdensome. But in this place he is now praised not only for the carnal blessing but also for the spiritual blessing.
10 L. VI. ISS-IL0. Interpretation of I Genesis 25:12-16. W.n.ie-1". 11
17 And in the blessing of the flesh he is higher than his brother Isaac, which greatly increased Isaac's temptation and distress. For he had no children yet, and had to wait so many years for the blessing, until children were born to him, when he was eighty years old. In the meantime, twelve princes were given to Ishmael long before Isaac begat children, yet neither he nor Abraham begat so many princes. But Ishmael his brother, who was born of the maid, is blessed with great and rich blessings, because he soon begat twelve princes, all of whom Abraham and Isaac have seen live and be in great glory. For Ishmael died eight and forty years after Abraham, and the children of Ishmael soon became great men and princes before the blessing promised to Abraham and Isaac began.
(18) This was indeed a severe challenge to faith, hope and love. For should this not challenge a heart, however godly and pious it may be, but especially the heart of Isaac, who believed God and heard that he was preferred to all the nations and to his brother Ishmael. For thus it was said in Genesis 21:12: "In Isaac," and not in Ishmael, "shall the seed be called unto thee," in which seed the whole world shall be blessed. He also blessed Ishmael when he said in Gen 17:20, "I will make him a great nation, and he will beget twelve princes," but all of this is nothing compared to the promised seed.
019 Now here it is seen that all this is changed and reversed. For Isaac, who has the right promise, is placed behind Ishmael, and Ishmael, who has only a bodily promise, goes far ahead of the other and becomes a lord over other lords, having twelve princes, since Isaac lives alone and without children at Bersaba like a stick or block. Therefore he will have thought: O God! Is this your promise and your truth? Such thoughts have been very sharp thorns, so that they have led him to destruction.
and unbelief. As Job's wife also reproaches her husband, saying: "Do you still hold fast to your piety? Bless God and die," Job 2:9. The same might have been said to Isaac. For he who was despised and cast out of the house before, attains the divine blessing, which is much richer and greater than Isaac or Jacob ever attained.
20 Therefore, these are wonderful stories and give the carnal people cause for great distress. For all the works of God are directly contrary to the promise, which nevertheless remains quite true and constant. But this annoys people, that it is invisible, that it is thus distorted and always the opposite happens.
- Therefore, learn the wonderful counsel of God, so that He may govern His saints, and the hearts of the godly shall be accustomed to it. If you have a divine promise, the more you are loved by God, the more such promise will be hidden from you, will be distorted and turned into the opposite. For if he did not love you so much, he would not play with you in such a way, that is, he would not so distort his promise and help and turn it into the opposite.
(22) For these are the most sure signs of a fatherly heart, which is as it were inflamed with great love, which he bears toward thee. So does a natural father who loves his child: he plays with him and promises to give him a gift, but he is in delay and acts as if he does not want to keep his promise. He does the same because he loves the child very much and wants to give it to him abundantly, provided the child also perseveres and eats the delay in himself and overcomes it. God plays with us in the same way, but we soon become angry and impatient even for the sake of a small delay. For we either want to have that which is promised to us presently, or else we want to obtain it in some other way, whatever that way may be.
(23) Therefore the examples of the fathers teach us in this way what is the right worship, that is, a refined, pure faith,
12 L. VI, 140-142. interpretation of Genesis 25, 12-16. W. n, IS-2I. 13
perfect hope and constant love, through which we understand and feel that God is present and gracious, even if we let ourselves think that He is repugnant to us.
(24) By the way, it can be seen that Ishmael was a great theologian, who diligently considered the right power and dignity of the promises, which are truly great and glorious, and especially that his mother Hagar was worthy of hearing the angel who told her to return to her wife Sarah and to humble herself under her hand, Genesis 16:9. 16, 9. He will have praised all this and will have spoken gloriously about it; how every country or family wants to be more excellent than the others and wants to rule the world alone. But the Andorn despises it against itself. Therefore Ishmael diligently remembered the promises made to him, and was able to say: I see that the Lord is with me and has blessed me with spiritual blessings. And at the same time he will have kept and increased the outward worship which he saw in his father's house; and some of his children and household will have come to the knowledge of godliness through such ceremonies; just as many of them of the lineage and descendants of Cain have been gathered to the true church of Adam, and today also many people are gathered to our church and small group.
(25) In the same way many of the house of Ishmael joined the church and congregation that was in the house of Abraham, especially Ishmael himself, of whom I believe that he repented, and after that he was converted to the true church and became a part of it, not of the flesh but of the spirit, because he was rejected according to the flesh. But in the text he is also praised spiritually. Moses told in v. 9 how he buried his father Abraham with reverence, which is an indication that he was not separated from the church and congregation that had been in the house of Isaac.
(26) Therefore I consider that he was pious and godly, though he was a man of war. He also gave glorious names to his children. For kedar is the name of one who is sad, sour and black, like the monks, as one who will die of sorrow. And perhaps the pious man was also a little sad, because he gave the same name to the child. And at the same time it is as if this name meant a reverence with genuflection, or one before whom one would have bowed down. What the Jews introduced from this name for lies, I let stand.
27 It seems to me that one can conclude and assume from this that Ishmael diligently practiced the doctrine of the God of Abraham and accustomed his children and household to the right worship that he had seen before. But as it tends to happen that the right worship always gives birth to superstition, so also his descendants have abandoned the right worship, and have kept only an outward appearance and hypocrisy; for where the first commandment is gone, there remain only chaff and tears. So, when at first people saw that Abraham sacrificed in this or that way, praising and thanking God, they adopted the same outward worship, but forgot the first commandment. Thus the people become like the apes of the fathers, for they follow only the outward works, and leave faith altogether, and pay no attention to it.
028 Hence came all idolatry. The heathen saw that Abraham and the other fathers turned their faces toward the exit of the sun and worshipped the Creator of such beautiful light; they also wanted to do the same, but they only kept the empty shells and lost the right kernel. In the same way, the spirits of the wicked take the word from us, but not truly; for they misuse it for vain glory, and by it attach only the common rabble to themselves.
29 Thus the Ishmaelites called themselves the children of God, and today they do not want to be called Hagarenes, but Saracenes, only because they do not want to be called the outward children of God.
14 u. VI, I4L-I44. Interpretation of Genesis 25:12-17. W. II, 21-24. 15
For the sake of the blessing of the flesh, which the Arabs, who are Ishmaelites, still have; as was said of Ishmael in the promise above, Cap. 16, 12: "His hand against every man" 2c. For they have the rule over the world, and boast that the spoil and the plunder are theirs, and they also live by plunder. For even though the Turks, who are Scythians, have taken Arabia and rule there, they still retain the Arabic language, and the same is used most at the Turkish court. But they have never been overcome before, neither by the Romans nor by the Persians. The Turk has humiliated them, but at the same time they are also in the regiment. Thus, Ishmael was first blessed in the flesh, since twelve princes were born of him; now the spiritual blessing will follow.
V.17. And this is the age of Ishmael, an hundred and seven and thirty years; and he declined, and died, and was gathered unto his people.
(30) Ishmael lived an hundred and seven and thirty years, was born when Abraham was six and fourscore years old, fourteen years before Isaac was born, and died eight and forty years after Abraham. But Isaac lived long after Ishmael, and Ishmael nevertheless saw the children of Isaac, namely Jacob and Esau. This text shows clearly the spiritual blessing of Ishmael. For Moses uses the same words that he used above (v. 8) when describing the death of Abraham; not one word has been changed. Therefore he testifies that he was righteous and godly, because he says that he was gathered to his people, that is, to the holy people.
The Hebrew word gava means when one lies in bed and passes away gently and quietly; as it says above (v. 8) about Abraham, when the hour of death was approaching, he became weak and died in a quiet old age, without terror, but as the body is used to be dissolved, so that the soul might be redeemed from the body. Ishmael died in the same way: the Lord gave him a fine, blessed death.
He was given a quiet end to this life, namely, that he became weak, decided his life and died gently and was taken into the bosom of the holy fathers, where Abraham and the other fathers had also gone shortly before. This is the spiritual blessing.
But it is also a beautiful and lovely description of immortality when Moses says: "He has been gathered to his people. We now live among the coarse people of this world, who ask little of God; indeed, we live here in the realm of the devil. But when we come out of this miserable life, we will gently pass away and be gathered to our people, where there is no calamity, no distress, no tribulation, but peace and rest, and a fine gentle sleep in the Lord. But where there is another people than those with whom we live here, there must also be a resurrection of the dead, and this is a certain sign that there is a God, and that the world was not created in vain; for that one should live after death is not the work of man, but of God.
Pliny and the Epicureans mock and ridicule this doctrine, and do not give us approval that it should be such a course that one should go from this restless life to rest: therefore they always use these Epicurean words and say: Post mortem nulla voluptas: When one dies, joy has an end. Item: Pereat, qui crastina curat: God give this and that to him who cares where he will be tomorrow. Item, as Martial says, that a blessed life consists in this, where one does not desire the last day, nor is afraid of it: Summum nec metuas diem, nec optes etc. So they strengthen themselves against the contempt of death and simply abolish all fear, that is, they take away the hope of immortality altogether. What should I fear? they say; what should I hope for, since there is no God? Therefore let us eat, drink, play, be of good cheer 2c.
- but if reason could admit that it was a passage from the afflicted and afflicted people to another people of peace, it would of necessity
16 L. VI. 114-146. interpretation of I Moses 25:17, 18. W. II, 24-26. 17
confess that after this life there is another life. For "to go to the people" does not mean that one goes to nothing or is destroyed. And especially when it is said: "to go to one's people", namely, who have also had the same faith, hope and tribulation, and the same language, yes, to our fellow citizens and countrymen, who are truly something. We do not go to the enemies, nor to the evil spirits, yes, only depart from the same and are gathered to our fathers.
35 These are the testimonies of the fathers concerning the resurrection, immortality and eternal life, namely, because there are nations there; therefore it is necessary that we should live and rise again. Those who believe these words will never be moved by the folly of Epicurus, but reason neither understands nor accepts it; and, what is more, it sees that birth comes from nothing, and yet cannot conclude that it is a divine work. I see that Isaac is born of a barren mother, whose body has died and has been as hard as the bones are in the skull. I see no hair, no body, no soul, and yet a son comes from the loins of Abraham and from the womb of Sarah, the mother, who has all these things. Does not this come from nothing? Truly the seed is a dead thing, and the body also, and is more dead than the grain that falls into the earth. Therefore let reason think that this is not a natural effect, as it can be dreamed. But it is a blindness and wickedness of the devil that we do not look at or consider this, and so do not understand the future resurrection or the birth of man when we follow reason as it guides us. For he that believeth not the resurrection of the dead believeth not or seeth not the miracle of birth, that is, that a man is born of man, and an ox of oxen.
Now the whole world is full of the testimony of the resurrection. Out of a tree and hard wood grows a beautiful flower; leaves, branches and beautiful lovely fruit grow out. But because it is such a mean
The life of Lazarus is a daily thing, therefore it is held in low esteem, and the hearts of men are so hardened that even if Lazarus were raised from the dead every day, the unbelievers would not be moved to do so. But it does not follow from this that one should not hope for another life, which is better and more blessed than this temporal life. But the sensation and revelation of eternal joy will be delayed until this hostile people cease, and will remain our people who have believed with us in the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, for the sake of this testimony of the holy scripture about Ishmael, we make him a saint and a great patriarch, although his children and descendants fell away and were not like their father.
V.18. And they dwelt from Havilah even unto Sur, toward Egypt, when they go into Assyria. But he lay down against all his brethren.
(37) The children of Ishmael have also held these places to this day, or ever in the days of Jerome. The firstborn, Nebajoth, took a great part of Arabia, but not the whole Arabia: of which also the whole country was called Nebathea, which is praised in the books of the Greek and Latin writers, for the one cause, that among the inhabitants of the same country the ingratitude of the children against the parents and teachers was punished in the body. This was an excellent discipline and theology in the same country; and what today many are allowed to do with impunity, these pagans have punished so severely and seriously.
38 The other part of Arabia is Kedar, which is no less famous, and the whole rocky Arabia is called by that name. The Edomites have appropriated a part of it to themselves; as it is written in the 120th Psalm v. 5: "Woe is me, that I am a stranger among the Meshech; I must dwell among the tents of Kedar" 2c., that is, I am a stranger among the Muscovites and the Tartars. The same line from Havilah to Sur is in Arabia, or the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land. But from Sur
18 L. VI. 148. 147. interpretation of Genesis 25:18-20. W. II, 26-30. 19
said that it should lie against Egypt, therefore that it borders on the same. Thus the children of Ishmael dwelt in the strip from the Red Sea to the Phrath; they possessed almost all Arabia, except that part which the Idumeans took.
(39) Of the last phrase in the text: Coram cunctis fratribus suis corruit, which we have interpreted: "But he lay down against all his brothers" 2c., the commentators dispute in various ways. The common interpretation holds that Ishmael died in the presence of his brothers, that is, his children, who were called by their father and thus came together to hear and comfort their father, so that he passed away, that the brothers saw this and were present.
40 But this is my opinion, although I do not want to say it for certain: Moses does not speak of Ishmael according to the person, because he was already dead: item, he did not say before, habitavit, he lived, but, habitaverunt, they have lived, namely, the twelve sons, in the line from the Red Sea to Egypt. Or, if you wanted to say, since Ishmael was dead, he lived, 2c., this must be understood of his descendants. As the same way of speaking will follow, namely, Jacob went down to Egypt and came up again from Egypt; and in the 114th Psalm v. 2: "Then Judah became his sanctuary" 2c. There the proper names are changed into generic names and names of peoples, that is, into common words and which mean a particular people, which is common in the holy Scriptures. Therefore, I consider that the same meaning is to be found in the 16th chap. V. 12: In facie omnium fratrum suorum habitabit, that is, "He shall dwell toward all his brethren." The same is said in this place: Corruit, vel cecidit, vel fixit tabernaculum, he has fallen down or erected a tabernacle, that is, since the father died, and left a testament, in which he admonished his children and brothers that they would diligently serve God: then they went in, and like unreasoning beasts, with violence and with the sword, raged and fought.
have taken the land and become nephilim, that is, tyrants; as is said in another place.
Second piece.
Of Isaac's marriage and Rebekah's barrenness.
V. 19. 20. This is the lineage of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, Laban the Syrian's sister.
(41) I have often admonished, and it must always be impressed upon the people, that in the histories of the fathers the most delightful and charming thing is to see how they are described and portrayed as true men, who were weak or infirm and like us everywhere, and yet, under such human weakness, were holy angels and also children of God. For what is very strange is that in the state of domesticity one sees in them no unusual or special appearance of holiness; and where the flesh, that is, the worldly wise and monks see such weakness, they are very much annoyed by it and arrogantly despise the holy patriarchs, as Augustine confesses of himself that he had laughed at the history of Isaac and the other fathers when he was still a Manichaean. For he looked at nothing else, but only at the common state, as that one has a wife, begets children, has a few sheep and cattle, and deals and has fellowship with other citizens and neighbors. What can you learn from this that is good or special? Or why are such histories read and held up to the people, since they are to be regarded as if they contained almost insignificant and useless things?
(42) This is indeed a lamentation, that the flesh should be burdened, so that it should cling to the common weakness, so that the fathers should be like other men, and so that they should be displeased and despise the common life, and should learn another, special life.
20 L.VI, 147-1LS. Interpretation of Genesis 25:19, 20. W. 11, 30-33. 21
think and choose, as, the celibate state, monasticism and profanity 2c. For the wicked shall not see the glory and honor of God, but only the weakness and folly, and (that I may say) the vanity of God: but the glory and majesty, the power and wisdom of God shall he not see, though they be set before his eyes. As Moses here tells in the most simple way that Isaac, when he was forty years old, took a wife, even a weak woman, from Mesopotamia in Syria. What is this? Are not other people also married to each other, whose marital status is equal to this or even a little more glorious and has a greater appearance? Why is this read? Answer: The flesh can see in the saints that they were human and weak, but it cannot see the divinity and holiness of the angels in them, so that it may only be annoyed and think that it has now found good cause to devise new services in which it may place holiness.
1.
(43) It is not in vain or without cause that the Scripture says that Isaac, when he was forty years old, took Rebekah to wife. For it indicates that in the first heat of his youth he did not take a wife, but that for a time he was in battle and victory against the flesh and the devil. For the histories and experience of all men bear witness to how fornication tends to stir with such great impatience in the first youth, when the strength and sensation of the flesh is just beginning, and the male and female sexes are inflamed against each other.
- this is a common lamentation of the whole human race; and those who do not resist such first heat, and do not think that they must suffer something, fall into fornication, adultery and abominable fornication, or if they take wives recklessly and without counsel, they bring themselves into eternal torment and plague. For this reason Isaac endured this struggle and fought hard with such a flame and his flesh, for he was a true and pure man,
as we also are. For the nature of man is such that he feels the heat of the flesh about the twentieth year; but to endure and overcome it until the fortieth year is a heavy burden indeed.
In this last time of the world, our youth does not want to bear such a burden, nor does it want to be patient for a while. Therefore, when they take wives in the first heat, the devil, who has previously set them on fire with fornication and provoked them to it, comes and then makes them so cold with a vile breath that they become extremely hostile to the woman. This is a rather devilish thing. Therefore the heart should first be instructed with the examples of the fathers, so that it can accept and endure the first battle against the flesh. The more mature and masculine age then has its own struggles, which are somewhat greater. In youth, one first begins with love, as is described and depicted in the comedies for bachelors. The histories of the holy scriptures, however, give us such examples, in which the victory and struggle against the flesh are understood and presented to us at the same time. Thus Isaac will also have felt the flames of fornication like other young men, but he was taught by his father that one must fight against it, namely by diligently reading the holy scriptures and calling upon God, then working diligently, leading a finely temperate, disciplined life and fasting.
46 This should be the training of bachelors for at least a year or two, when some could no longer refrain from learning what it is to bear such flames of fornication with patience; for the same is also a patience and torture, as some do many kinds of torture and count this one among them, namely a rich, mild and chaste youth. And he is truly a martyr, for he is crucified and martyred daily with much suffering of his flesh.
47 Therefore let the bachelors beware of fornication and unseemly mingling, and that they may preserve and maintain their chastity, let them guard their hearts.
22 L. vi. i4s-isi. Interpretation of Gen. 25:19. 20. w. ii, 33-35. 23
strengthen yourself with the reading and meditation of the Psalms and the Word of God against the fierce temptations of the flesh. When you feel the flame, take a psalm or a chapter or two from the Bible and read; but when the flame is quenched, then pray diligently; but if it is not quenched so soon, suffer it with patience, and keep yourself manly for a year or two or more, and always persevere in prayer.
- but if you can no longer endure or overcome the fiery flames of the flesh, pray to God to give you a godly wife, with whom you may live kindly and in right love. I myself have seen many who have indulged their evil desires and left the bridle, and have fallen into shameful fornication; but at last they have also been punished miserably and the punishment has remained on them; or else, where they have burst in their blindness and gone to marriage, it has so happened to them that they have gotten wives so unsuitable and not at all obedient to them. And they were justified in this.
(49) For this they should all have known, that they were appointed to contend against the flesh, which is one contending or fighting. The other is against the devil; the third is against the world. Therefore, it is not necessary to give way so soon to the first temptations and be overcome by them, especially now, when the hope of marriage is always held out to young people. We did not have this hope in the papacy; for whoever wanted to become a priest there was forced to vow eternal chastity. This papal tyranny has now been exposed and revealed, and true freedom has been re-established. Therefore, learn to pray diligently and fight against the flesh, and then ask God to give you a Rebekah and not a Hagar or one who is worse. For a godly wife is not obtained by chance and without divine providence, but is a gift of God, not from our own counsel or will, as the heathen think.
(50) In this way Isaac was taught, who lived forty years before he was married. The same will undoubtedly not have happened without plague and flames, so he had from his flesh; because the flesh always fights against the spirit not less in the house rule, as also in the world and church rule. But he obeyed his father Abraham, who had instructed and taught him how to observe the commandments of God, and to prepare himself with the holy Scriptures for the battle that would first befall him. Therefore, God subsequently gave him Rebekah, with whom he lived in good peace. This is what the Scriptures want to show in a hidden way, and in such weakness they hold Isaac up to us as an excellent example of the chastity that young people should have. Which is a great thing, for it is a controversy that young people must have. And in such chastity, of which Isaac was conscious, it is also understood how he was brought up and taught; by which instruction he learned to abstain from evil company. And it is also shown that he was diligent, contemplated God's word, prayed and exercised himself with work. All this seems to have been hidden in the forty years he lived without a wife.
(51) It seems that in those days it was customary for bachelors not to take wives until they were forty years old. But the virgins took husbands when they were ten years younger; as we have seen above (Cap. 17, 17.) with Sarah. And I think that Rebekka was also thirty years old. After the flood all the fathers took wives around their thirtieth or fortieth year, but before the flood they took them a little slower. For there they waited until a hundred, eighty and ninety years; after the Flood God hastened that the human race might be multiplied: therefore there the time was shortened, so that the men were given in marriage in the fortieth year and the women in the thirtieth year. For this reason, that time was much better and more perfect than our time is now.
24 L. vi. I51-I53. Interpretation of I Genesis 25:19-21. W.n. 3s-38. 25
(52) We think that this plague will be alleviated if we satisfy our evil lust with fornication and adultery, but in this way men become unreasonable animals and become unskilled and unfit for all good works. If they fornicate carelessly and marry without a certain order prescribed by God, then it is found that they do not take wives, but thereby burden themselves with punishment and eternal torment, for they have not called upon God and there has been no fear of God in them. But God's commandment in Exodus 20:7 says: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain"; item Psalm 50:15: "Call upon me in trouble, and I will deliver you, and you shall praise me."
Yes, one would like to say, but such a delay is annoying and unpleasant. It is rightly said. Therefore I have said above that it is compared with other exercises of patience which the saints have had, such as famine, imprisonment, frost, sickness, and as they have had patience in suffering and torture, and whatever more vexation or trouble they have been able to bear. So the temptation of fornication is a heavy plague and burden, but one must resist it and fight against it. Afterwards, when you come to the secular government in the police force, you will be troubled and tempted with other troubles than thievery, robbery and all kinds of wickedness of men. In the church government you will have to fight with the heretics, with the devil, who opposes faith, hope and the love of God. But there you have the Word, you have the Holy Scriptures, you have your studies, your training and work in your profession; therefore faith will be increased and strengthened. So the temptation of fornication, if overcome with prayer, will also serve to increase faith and prayer. Therefore, I say, the Scriptures hold up to us in these words (which seem to be in vain) a great example of the chastity which Isaac had, and also of the beautiful discipline which was in the church and in the house of Abraham.
II.
V. 21: Isaac asked the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his request, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
54 Now this is another challenge, after the flame of fornication has ceased, and Isaac has now become legitimate and has had Rebekah as his wife for twenty years. (For so long has God delayed the promise, in which he promised his father Abraham and said Gen. 21, 12: "In Isaac shall the seed be called unto thee.") Now another cross follows, which is even more difficult than the previous challenge. For Isaac, the conqueror of fornication, overcame the devil with his chastity until he now entered the marriage state. In the state of marriage he now desires children according to the promise, and truly has not little hope for it, because he knows that the woman has been given and supplied to him by divine counsel and providence. But Rebekah did not give birth, nor did she have any special promise that she would become a mother, just as Sarah did not have one. This undoubtedly grieved him in his heart and he was saddened by it. And in addition to this temptation, he was afraid and worried that the barrenness would last forever and remain on Rebekah, which barrenness they considered a curse. For the fathers insisted very much on the word, since God had said Genesis 1:28: "Grow and multiply," 2c., and considered childbearing a special divine blessing; and those who were not fruitful they considered to be cursed people and under God's wrath.
55 Therefore it is easy to understand how grievously and severely Rebekah was afflicted because of it, and what a great sorrow it was to Isaac, when he saw that his wife was afraid to bear children, for she was then about fifty years old. Then she will have thought: Now I will become obsolete and unfit to bear children. Isaac may yet
26 ü. VI. IVS-ISS. Interpretation of Genesis 25:21. W. II SS-4I. 27
He had a hope that if Rebecca did not give birth, he would take another wife, as Abraham his father had done.
(56) This hope was taken away from Rebekah, and therefore she counted all the years and days with great sorrow, which had passed from the time when she had become married to Isaac, whether she might still have hope for the years and ages. Therefore, this affliction was much more vexatious than the previous one, because poor Rebekah thinks that she is also counted among the women who are deprived of God's blessings.
(57) But what shall she do now, seeing that it is in vain, that she has thus longed and desired children? She has been barren for twenty years and will now be a dead woman, because the year and the time existed when her womb would die and become incapable of giving birth. For this reason she will undoubtedly have asked her husband to pray for her. She has invented this one and utmost help. She does not want to give him another wife, nor does she want to be deprived of her mother's honor, as Sarah did in Genesis 16:3, who gave her husband the maid Hagar as a wife. Therefore Moses says: "And Isaac asked the Lord for his wife" 2c.
(58) Here again the flesh will be angry and despise all this as bad, mean and small things. For what great thing is it that a man should ask for a wife who is barren? There are many other women who conceive, and they do not ask; indeed, this sometimes happens against the desire and will of many who do not desire to have children. But behold the great and excellent constancy of faith, the patience and hope, all of which the flesh does not see; then you will find that you may be justly astonished; for she could not think of the promise that children should be born of Isaac without great pain and sorrow. And while the other women were all blessed, who neither prayed nor had promises, she alone without any hope that she would have children.
She has had to live the life of a witness, and thus has spent the time of her married life in great sadness and with many tears: yet she still keeps the faith, and admonishes her husband with great constancy that he should pray to the Lord for her.
(59) If one of us were burdened with such a cross, or were to be afflicted for so many years with other misfortunes, sickness, misery, or imprisonment, and did not grumble or become impatient, but persevered in faith and hope and remained steadfast, he would see what Rebekah has suffered. The flesh sees only what is external and what concerns housekeeping, namely, that she does domestic and daily work, that she sleeps with her husband: but it does not see that she has been so patient that she has sighed and wept all the twenty years.
For such excellent and great virtues are hidden from the eyes of this world as patience, faith, and waiting with patience for the divine promise. But the flesh looks at this and is most astonished when it sees a monk walking along in a gray robe with a rope around his waist, who does not eat meat, but has no right faith, no patience, no right cross, and, in sum, none of the virtues that Rebekah had. But why this? Because the world is blind.
(61) But we must become accustomed to such a struggle, since the godly must always expect one thing after another, and must learn to believe and to bear patience, and that we also persevere, that we do not waver or fall away from the promise, but that we may be strong and manly, and fight against the impatience and fiery darts of the devil, who drives our hearts to become impatient and angry with God, so that he may drive faith and patience out of our hearts in adversity. We are to hold up to ourselves the example of Isaac and Rebekah. They both endured twenty years, and in the meantime saw how the wicked had been so blissful and fruitful, whom they mocked and blasphemed; will have said: Why hath he these very
28 L.vi.rs5-is7. Interpretation of Genesis 25:21. W.II. 41-43. 29
Has he taken a stranger to be his wife? Why did he not take an honest virgin from our generations? Rebekah is lost and rejected by God. He will undoubtedly have heard such vicious and abusive words, not without great pain in his heart, and not without shedding many tears over them. Just as Sarah wept over her barrenness, and Hannah, 1 Sam. 1, 10, also wept and cried for the same reason; and yet she overcame this with patience and strong faith.
We should praise these virtues and diligently look at the histories of the fathers for such examples of patience. For the hardest of all is this struggle against the divine promise, which overcomes anger, grumbling and impatience over the forgiveness of God. For this is the attribute of our Lord God, and he is rightly called exspectatus, that is, to wait for; but we are called exspectantes, that is, to wait and wait. These names should always be before our eyes and minds, so that we may learn to break the first anger we are moved to, and so that we may not become impatient as soon as God keeps us waiting for one, or two, or more years; but should think that we must persevere, and overcome everything with strong courage, so that our patience may be challenged. As Rebekah learned to despise, because she was reviled by other wives and perhaps also by her own household, until she finally overcame the Lord with her and her husband's prayers.
The Hebrew word athar has a great emphasis, for it is a special word of prayer, and means as much as when one prays untimely and tremendously, so that one causes God displeasure with knocking and violent, hostile stopping. In Latin, we call it exorare, which means to ask. For first, one must ask; second, seek; and third, knock. When we will cry out: Lord God, help me in this distress, deliver us from this or other misfortune! and the deliverance
If it does not follow immediately, then all the examples of the fathers should be sought: "Behold, dear heavenly Father, how you have stood by your people at all times and helped them. If he then still tarries, thou shalt not cease from supplicating, but shalt say, I will not cease, I will not cease from knocking, but will cry and knock unto the end of my life. So Rebekah will have admonished her husband: My dear Isaac, do not grow weary, do not cease. And Isaac looked upon her weeping and groaning, and besought the Lord.
64 From this we should learn, when we pray, that we shall certainly be heard; as indeed until now the church has obtained peace with its prayer and has held back the Turk and the pope. But we must be careful not to tire soon after we have begun to pray; rather, we must seek and cast all sorrow, misfortune and crosses upon God and hold up to Him the examples of all kinds of salvation. And finally, we should knock on the door with heartfelt trust and with constant blows. There we will learn that St. James says in the 5th Cap. V. 16: "The prayer of the righteous is powerful if it is earnest"; for it penetrates heaven and earth. God can then no longer suffer our cries, as is said of the unjust judge and the widow in Luke 18:5. You must not only ask for one hour, but you must cry out and knock; then you will force him to come and help you. So I certainly have confidence that if we persevere with prayer earnestly and fervently, we would ask God that the last day would come.
(65) In the same way, Rebekah had recourse to earnest prayer, so that one would always stop, and she sighed anxiously day and night. Isaac also prayed for her, and did not reproach God with anything else, except this one need, namely, the barrenness of his wife. From this we are to learn that one should reproach God with all kinds of distress, including physical distress, but above all with spiritual distress. Isaac
30V . VI, IS-IS9.Interpretation of Genesis 25:21. W. H, 4L-4S. 31
will have prayed thus: Dear Lord God, if it serves the sanctification of your name, if it belongs to the preservation of your kingdom, then give Rebekka children. Where there is no special promise, as Rebekah had none, prayer must make up for it and come to help there.
(66) But it is a heavy thing, and a great labor, and much heavier than the preaching of the word, or any other church office. When we teach or preach, we suffer more than we should do: God speaks through us and is a divine work; but praying is the hardest work of all, which is why it is so rare. So it is a great thing that Isaac was allowed to lift up his eyes and hands to the divine majesty, to ask, to seek and to knock; for it is a very great thing to talk to God. It is also a great thing when he speaks to us, but this is somewhat more difficult, because our weakness and unworthiness stops us and pulls us back, so that we think, "Who am I who may lift up my eyes and my hands to the divine majesty, where the angels are, and at whose beckoning the whole world trembles? Shall I then, poor man, come to the same, and say: This I want, and pray that thou wilt give it me?
The common crowd of monks and priests know nothing of this, nor do they know what prayer is; although some godly ones overcome such thoughts somewhat more easily. But prayer, if it is quite strong and vigorous, and if it is to penetrate through the clouds, is indeed a very difficult thing; for I, who am ashes and dust and full of sins, should address the living, true and eternal God. Therefore it is no wonder that he who prays trembles and runs back. As I used to do when I was still a monk, and for the first time I had to read these words in the Canon of the Mass of the Soul: We humbly beseech thee, most gracious Father 2c.; item: We sacrifice to thee, the living, true and eternal God 2c.: then I was horrified and completely frightened by the same words; for I thought: How do I come to address the high Majesty, since it is
Otherwise, all men must be horrified when they look at or address any prince or king?
(68) Faith, however, which adheres to God's mercy and word, conquers and overcomes this terror, as it also conquered Isaac, who had to despair of all human help, for no one can help a barren woman. Therefore he takes courage and directs a hot and fierce prayer to God. Such excellent courage and great faith the flesh does not see. But this is written for our sake, that we also may be bold and confident, and learn to pray. For the prayer of the faithful cannot be in vain; as Isaac also prayed not in vain, but as Moses saith, "The LORD made supplication." So the Lord will not despise our sighing and crying either. Let us only awake to prayer.
69 The Jews here raise a question about the word nochach. Among the Hebrews, the word nochach actually means "straight ahead"; as it is written in 57th Cap. Isaiah v. 2: He that walketh, nechocho (as it is in Hebrew), that is, he that turned neither to the left nor to the right. Therefore the Jews say that Isaac prayed straight before his wife. And where this was a common way of praying, Rebekah must have stood straight before him, or fallen on her knees, on which he laid his hands, as she wept and groaned, and thus at the same time prayed with each other to the Lord. If such a use or way of praying had been, one could keep the proper meaning of the same word: but if it was not so in use, it must be interpreted spiritually, namely, that he prayed with all his heart, looking at his wife's misery; just as when I pray for someone, I imagine him in my heart, and see or think of nothing else, looking at him alone in my heart.
(70) Thus Isaac prayed and imagined his wife in his heart. So that Moses would indicate that it was a hot and earnest prayer, in which he did not doubt, and in his heart and mind
32 L. VI, ISS-I6I. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 21. W. II, 4S-SI. 33
not to have gone astray. Just as it is said of the prayer of one who bet with St. Bernard that he would pray out the Lord's Prayer without any thoughts, and that nothing strange should occur to him: but when they had mounted a good stallion, which it was to apply, and the prayer was now over, and the same good friend was to tell him freely the truth, as they had become one with each other about it, then he confessed that while he had prayed, it had occurred to him where he would win the horse, whether the saddle and bridle would also be due to him or not. This is not how the prayer of the godly should be; for such prayer is not made straight to God, but the heart walks around, now to the right, then to the left. But a really true and hot prayer presents its things to God, and looks with great eagerness and heartfelt desire only to it, and does not allow itself to be misled by any presumption or despair; but says: Dear Lord God, look at this poor afflicted woman and remember your promise. Do not think of anything else, do not worry about anything else. And this is the earnest, persistent prayer of the righteous, which is so diligently and earnestly directed to God; of which it is said in the epistle of Jacob in 5 Cap. V. 16.
Third piece.
About Rebekah's pregnancy, how she was challenged, asking the Lord for advice and what answer she received.
I.
V. 21 And Rebekah his wife conceived.
This is a very excellent and remarkable text, which St. Paul gloriously describes in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 9, vv. 10-13. when he says: "Not only is this so, but also when Rebekah conceived by the one Isaac our father, before the children were born, having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God might be according to election, it was said to her, not of the merit of works, but of the grace of the caller, that the greater should be made servant to the lesser.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Here, however, we will gladly stand up before St. Paul, do him honor, and ascribe to him the mastery that he alone was able to interpret and explain this text according to his dignity; for we can bring no other or better interpretation from it. And because something has to be said about this, we want to follow the most perfect master like imperfect disciples.
I could never have looked at these words in this way. Moses says: "Rebekka became pregnant. But how? Not only bodily or by the power of nature, but because the holy patriarch obtained it through his prayer. And this is not a bad or small honor of Isaac; for since so many patriarchs lived at that time and saw the children, as Abraham, Shem, Salah and Eber, all their prayers are concealed, and only Isaac is ascribed this honor as the heir of the promise, that he prayed, that is, administered the priestly office, when he laid his hands on Rebekah according to the way the priests used. Therefore, this conception is not carnal or merely natural, but God willed that it should take place through the prayer of the holy patriarch, out of faith, hope and love.
Therefore, this text teaches the same thing that Paul also teaches in the epistle to the Romans, since he makes a distinction between the birth from the flesh, that is, from creation, and the spiritual birth. For God still preserved the fleshly birth after the fall of Adam. Although nature was corrupted by sin and the devil, who called Adam to be like God, in the same way that Lucifer fell from heaven, God did not deprive nature of birth or childbearing, but allowed both the godly and the godless to beget children. But this alone He willed to show that it was not enough to be born into this world of the flesh; but that over such a birth as still remained in nature, it was necessary to have
34D . VI. 161. IS2. Interpretation of Genesis 25:21. W. II. SI-S4. 35
is a rebirth and renewal of the rebirth through the Holy Spirit. To prove the same, St. Paul used this text of Esau and Jacob, and also that of Isaac and Ishmael. For they were both born after the flesh and after the first birth. But none of them would have entered the kingdom of heaven from the human kingdom if Isaac had not been made an heir through the new birth, and likewise Jacob.
God used these excellent people so that He would present them as great and excellent examples to the most hopeful people, who would be Abraham's descendants. For he knew well how worthy they were, that no one could tame them, and that they had necks harder than any diamond could be, for the honor of being children and descendants of Abraham.
For this reason he wanted to put this in the text as a precaution, so that he would shut the Jews' hopeful mouths and destroy their argument about the fleshly birth. For this is by no means enough; but over and above such fleshly birth there is also regeneration. However holy the fathers are, Abraham, Isaac and others, they do not beget children of the kingdom through the first birth, which was created from the beginning of the world and corrupted by the devil. But over the creation also the calling must come. For so Paul says Rom. 9, 11. 12.: "Before the children were born, and had done neither good nor evil," 2c., "it was said to them, by grace of the Creator," and not by the Creator; for they were both conceived and created at the same time. But that the whole world, and especially the stubborn people, might know that above the creation there was also the calling, which is otherwise called the promise, it was said to her, "Not by merit of works, but by grace of the caller: the greater shall be made servant to the lesser."
This argument and matter is from the beginning of the world for and for driven and driven.
The war between the brothers Esau and Jacob began in their mother's womb. And the war is not yet ended. For it is the same strife that was between Cain and Abel, and between the offspring of the serpent and the seed of the woman. The first birth is hopeful and is very much exalted, especially when it is added that the parents also had a special reputation, that is, that they were born of the blood of the fathers. After that, wealth, power, the kingdom of this world, wisdom, righteousness, religion or worship also help a little. Hence the enmity between Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, between God our Lord and the church of the devil. And the church of the devil is always desirous to rule and reign: first, for the sake of the blood and the fathers, as of a lawful cause; then, for the sake of temporal blessings. We are, they say, children of the fathers; we have been great and multiplied by reason of the government that is upon us, and by reason of religion, money, and goods, and of many glorious victories and great wondrous works. And finally, we are so exalted that all nations are like the tail, but we are like the head. The argument seems insurmountable and irrefutable. But the Scripture says the opposite: Not those who are born of the flesh, not those who are the children of the fathers, are for this very reason also the children of God; for the children of God are not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of the man, but of God, John 1:13.
Therefore, this is a very strong argument that can be held against what has been heard above (Gen 17:21, Cap 21:12).), namely, that God made a distinction between Isaac and Ishmael, between Jacob and Esau, who were born of Abraham and Isaac at the same time: and yet Ishmael cannot be an heir, even if he would like to be, but the seed of promise, which has the calling, and over the first also the other birth and the rebirth, the same is preferred.
78 But this is where the dispute came from.
Z6 D. VI, 162-164. Interpretation of Genesis 25:21. W. N, 54-57. 37
The church of God, the people of God, the kingdom of heaven and eternal life, is not a dispute about such things, which are of little and no value, but about the great glorious title, namely, the church, the people of God, the kingdom of heaven and eternal life. Thus, we must now also argue with the pope's church, which wants to be God's people, and wants to have the regency and priesthood, boasting that they alone are the church, which rightly recognizes God as a father and also rightly serves him: but they even condemn us and persecute us as heretics and the church of the devil. And this is also the reason why these children, Jacob and Esau, clashed with each other before they were born. For there are in the world two churches from the beginning, even as there are two seeds, the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman, which contend and fight one with another for the title of the church.
But St. Paul has shown and taught us a very sharp and strong dialectic here, as he has shown the difference between birth and profession. Where birth alone is, there is condemnation; for that which is born of the flesh is flesh, Joh. 3, 6. Item those who are not born of blood 2c., Joh. 1, 13. It is another thing that St. Paul says Rom. 9, 11. 12.: "It is said to her by the grace of the caller", that is, God's word and the promise belong to it; one must hear about the creature who wants to rule and be God's son, not as a God who creates, but as one who calls. Now that the first birth is enough, why do we need God?
The Turks are very honest people, very wise, and very devoted to their worship. The empire or regiment, which they have brought about with great effort and labor, they also maintain with serious discipline and order. If the people of God were such a people as the Turkish people are, they would need nothing more. Above that, they are also adorned by God with wealth, wisdom, honor, reason and great glorious victory: but what else is the first birth among the Turks? For reason is born of woman, and to the understanding of man, it is born.
The Holy Scripture says that all of these are lost and condemned in the sight of God.
The Jews in their time had both the blood and the glory of the flesh: the Turk alone has the fleshly glory, but the Jews boasted of the blood, that is, that they were born of the fathers and prophets. After that the carnal glory was added, namely, the rule, the power, the religion or worship, and the outward appearance or hypocrisy. Therefore they were in all things glorious, not only for the cause whereof such glory arose, but also for that which followed therefrom. The cause was this, that they were born of very holy parents; but the success was that they had the rule, the honor, money and goods.
The Turk does not have the glory of the flower, for he is not born of the fathers, but has the rule, wisdom, honor: and with such great works he subjects himself to prove that his people shall be God's people. But here they ask: Where is the profession? Ei, they say, one does not need it. It is enough at the first birth: if a man does what is in him, he will be saved. But this is not so, but the profession, that is, the word, belongs to it. If it were enough at the first birth, why would we need the word? Why does God call us from the beginning to the end? Are we not righteous, pious, holy and fine rational people? But against all this God says: I will have it so that all flesh is hay, and all its glory or goodness is like a flower of the field, Isa. 40:6, that no one may boast because of the flesh and blood, but keep to the regeneration that happens when God calls us by grace; otherwise all glory will be in vain and nothing, as both came from the initial cause and from the works that resulted from it. And the people who rely on this glory alone and take comfort in it will be eternally lost and condemned.
83 But if this is taught, then the following is true
38 D. VI, 164-186. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 21. W. n, S7-SS**.** 39
the Jews are angry and rage, and become almost furious and mad over such teaching. For they are quite nonsensical about the first birth, and cannot come so far as to think of the other birth, and so are condemned by it. Similarly, the Turk is also hopeful and proud only half of the first birth and asks nothing about the profession. The pope is also completely drowned in this, as well as in drawing all godliness, religion and worship to the same first birth, when he taught that the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is such an external work, so that the godly or Christians prove their obedience to the church. There is nothing there but the nature of the first birth, which can understand the outward work in itself, that is, the obedience of the church. After that he made the world full of laws, which are the fruits of the evil tree, although they have a very good and beautiful appearance; but there I do not hear God calling and promising something, but I only hear a man doing such outward works from the first birth.
For this reason we clash with each other, as has happened in the whole world from the beginning to the end. We say that they are not the true church, because they only boast of the first birth: but on the other hand they condemn us who believe God, who called us by grace and gave us his promise, and therefore we wait and hope to be saved. Who then shall be judge and arbiter here? Answer: This is what this text is supposed to do: not those who are born of the flesh, but those who are of faith. To attain salvation belongs the calling and the promise.
If it be asked, shall the Turks also be saved? let it be answered, They shall not be saved. Do they have great wisdom, a very honorable life, various forms of worship, reverence and obedience to their authorities, an excellent discipline and order of war? Yes, all these things are to be found among them. But where does all this belong? Answer: It belongs to the first birth, therefore they must be condemned and cannot be children of the kingdom; for
They lack the calling and the rebirth, and they want to be saved by the first birth, which is corrupt unless it is raised up again by the new birth and made right. Therefore it is certain that the Turks are not the church, neither are the Jews; for they do not have the profession, although they lack neither the initial cause nor the things that follow from it, as was said above.
So also the church of the pope is not the right church; for they also go in the first birth, and are so presumptuous that they think to attain salvation by their works. But where God also makes the calling through the first birth, as Paul says Rom. 9, 12: "It was said to her by the grace of the caller" 2c.: there you will find the church. The Romans made very beautiful rights and laws, as the poet praises them, since he says: Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento: that is: You Romans, remember that in your dominion you rule over the peoples 2c. But all this is nothing else than vain reason, born of the flesh of woman and man; it is useless and dead before God. Therefore no pope, or Turk, or monk, or lawyer, or doctor (of himself) will be saved. For all that is in the whole world of the most beautiful things, and how profitable they are, all these things are condemned under the One Name, because they are flesh and glory or goodness of the flesh, Isa. 40:6.
Therefore, the true church teaches that we were not created and born of the flesh alone, but that God sent us His word and calls us through it, that is, He preaches to us the forgiveness of sins and that He has adopted us as children through Jesus Christ. If we believe this, we are the true church. As Isaac is a son of promise, and hath not the same filiation from Abraham and Sarah, for that is a carnal birth; but hath it from this word, "Isaac shall be the seed." It is the same with Jacob. That he is a part or member of the church is not because he is born of Isaac, but because the voice of the Father is his.
40 L. VI, I6K-I6S. Interpretation of I Genesis 25, 21. W. Ii,sg-o2. 41
The rufer says: Jacob is the smallest, and yet he shall be the lord. So Abraham at Babylon was the most wise and honest, had a wife, with whom he lived chastely and modestly; but he would have been lost and damned with all of this, if God had not called him from Ur in Chaldea.
(88) Therefore the true church is to be distinguished from the false. For the false church is presumptuous, either on account of its blood, that is, on account of the first cause of birth, or on account of the things that follow from it. Ishmael argues or proves his thing by the initial cause and thus says: I am born of Abraham and am also the firstborn son: I will be God's people. There is indeed the initial cause or the origin and the blood, but if he will not also have the calling, then his presumption of blood and birth is vain and in vain. Thus all the Papists and Turks boast that they are God's people; and though they cannot boast of the blood of the fathers as of the origin and initial cause, yet they boast of the things that follow therefrom, that is, they boast of their authority, righteousness, religion, or outward worship, which is all of the flesh. But if you ask them whether they have any other profession above these things of which they boast, that they are God's people, they cannot answer, but boast only of these great and divine benefits, which is a vain, useless boast, and the pious and the wicked are overwhelmed with it at the same time.
If you ask the pope: Why he is God's people with his group, he gives this answer and says: Because I sit on the chair of the apostles Peter and Paul and am their chair heir. According to this I also have cause in the Scriptures, namely, from the saying of Christ Matth. 16, 18: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" 2c. Now a dog or a sow could sit in Peter's place. But where, in addition to such discipleship, you have the calling, that is, the word, which you may believe, the same makes the right church and the right church the right church.
Children of God. But the pope does not have this, but pursues it in a hostile manner; therefore he is not a child, but an enemy of God and an adversary of Christ. But we do not doubt that we are the true church, for we have the gospel, baptism, the keys, and the Holy Scriptures, which teach that man is lost and condemned in original sin, and that it is necessary for him to be born again through Christ.
90 Therefore this is a necessary doctrine, showing the difference between the true and the false church, and is first of all held up by God to the Jews, that he might thereby disgrace their hope, since they boast of the blood, namely, with these excellent examples in both houses of Abraham and Isaac. For both Ishmael and Isaac are born of the same blood of Abraham, and yet Ishmael is not the heir, for he desires to be blessed by the first birth, and by that alone: But Isaac is the right heir, because he has the word and the promise. So Esau and Jacob were born not only of one father, but also of one mother; and this is a stronger argument or proof than the foregoing. For there is one father and one mother, and one blood of them both.
- But why is Jacob preferred to Esau? Answer: The calling came to Jacob, but Esau is presumptuous and thinks that the inheritance of the kingdom must come to him because of the first birth. God is hostile to such presumption, and wills that the renewal of nature should come to it; for outside of it one has no righteousness of kingdom or inheritance to comfort oneself. And from such places of Scripture we can also overcome our Jews mightily and powerfully, and refute their glory of blood, which they still dream of today. For two are born of the same blood, and the one is the heir, but the other is not, and are distinguished one from the other by profession. As far as fleshly glory is concerned, they are the same in all respects, but one has the word and obeys it, and the other despises it.
42 L. VI, 168-170. Interpretation of Genesis 25:21. W. II, "2-W. 43
92 We have a similar example in the papal church and in our church. For we both have the same baptism, the same sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the same keys, the same Scriptures and the same Word, and finally we both came from the same apostles and the same church as from one mother Rebekah. Why then do we disagree with each other about these things? Answer: We accept the word in the sacrament, follow the calling, act upon it, and handle it according to faith; but they according to outward appearance. We say: Where the holy sacrament is used, one should look at the word and receive it with right faith; they only make an outward work out of it. Therefore, this is the true church, which is attached to the word and faith, does not rely on any works, but listens to and follows God, who calls it by grace: but the calling is the word, by which the nature, corrupted by the devil and sin, is born again.
This is no small disagreement and dispute. Nor are the adversaries so unreasonably hostile to us; for we dispute about the highest things in the whole wide world, namely, not about government or worldly rule, not about money and goods, about great glory and power; but the dispute is about eternal damnation and eternal life. That is why the enmity is so bitter and fierce, and is never more bitter or greater than when people disagree about religion. For the matter itself is also very great and difficult, namely, whether we are the children of God or the children of the devil. They do not want to be the children of the devil, but seize by force the honor and the name of the true church, and therefore they also condemn and kill us. On the other hand, we also condemn them from the Word and are certain of our salvation from certain testimonies of Scripture, and hold fast to the difference that God made between Abraham and the Babylonians, Ishmael and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, namely the calling by which it was said to Abraham Gen. 12, 1: "Go out of your fatherland" 2c.; item Cap. 21, 12.: "In Isaac shall be called thy seed
will be"; item Cap. 25, 23: "The greater will serve the lesser."
(94) If this is not added, the first birth is not only useless to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but also to all men; indeed, it is a source and origin of all misfortune, which can be seen and learned from the example of the twelve patriarchs born of Jacob. For they become murderers of death, even murderers of fathers and brothers, betrayers and murderers of their own father, because they so grieve the pious old man that he desires to die, Gen. 37:18, 35. And such a sin of theirs, where one would magnify it and make it great, would rightly be called patricide. These, I mean, are the right fruits and works of the flesh and blood, which indicate that man is wholly Cainish and murderous by his nature and kind. And in the children of Jacob an example could have been presented, but God did not want to reject them and let it remain with these two testimonies, as Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob. And I think that they have been saved; as I also think of Ishmael and Esau, that they have repented and have entered the profession: and yet God has willed that this argument and sign should stand there, namely, that we should learn from it that the first birth is nothing in the sight of God, and that the flesh is condemned with all that it has and is able to do, no matter how great and excellent it may always be; as then is government and worldly rule, with laws and justice. As the Emperor Augustus' empire or regiment was very beautiful and glorious, since everything was in great flourish, wisdom, justice, peace, money and goods, and in addition many glorious victories. But all this belongs to the first birth or reason, to the creation and to the flesh, and for this reason it is also condemned.
95 Therefore, one must see if there is anything in man beyond such natural gifts, whether the pagans, or the Turk, or the pope possess them. Where the profession is not there, you should consider it that simply everything is lost and condemned. For thus has
44 D- vi, 170-172. interpretation of I Genesis 25:21, 22. w. n, es-68. 45
God Himself judged and showed it especially to this people in their most noble fathers, namely, that they must also be touched outside and beyond the first birth. And what the first birth was able to do without the profession, the same is shown by the horrible sins and vices of the highest patriarchs, who defiled themselves with patricide and fratricide, and also with incest. And the histories of the kings and judges also testify to the same, and finally the great, abominable sin, since they struck the Son of God, their Messiah, on the cross. This difference between the true and the false church is taught by the excellent and miraculous example of the conception of the two children Jacob and Esau, who clashed with each other in their mother's womb.
Now we want to put something of the lies of the Jews for the sake of those who will read the interpretations of the rabbis. For they raise a question in this place, namely: Why did Isaac not take another wife, after he had experienced the barrenness of his wife for almost twenty years? Since they conclude from the example of Sarah, that ten years should be added to it, in which one would inquire and learn whether a woman would be barren or fertile. But they answer this question thus: That it was different with Isaac than with Abraham; for Isaac had been offered to God, and had become a sacrifice and burnt offering by God's command; therefore it was not fitting for him to take another wife. As Paul says in 1 Tim. 3, 2, that a bishop should be the husband of one wife.
(97) Everybody can see how unrhymed and loose, useless gossip this is, but it must be mentioned from time to time to admonish those who study the Hebrew language to read the words and writings of the Jews with understanding and to learn to judge them correctly. We do recognize that it is a great blessing that we have received this language from them; but we must beware of the obscenities of the rabbis, who have made of the sacred Scriptures, as it were, a secret chamber where they can read the words and writings of the Jews.
They carried their shame and foolish opinions. I make this reminder because today there are many of our theologians who think too much of the rabbis as far as the understanding of Scripture is concerned.
- in grammar I can easily bear them and have patience with them; but they lack the right understanding of the Scriptures; according to the saying Isa. 29:14: "The wisdom of the wise of this people shall perish, and the understanding of their prudents shall be blinded." The saying indicates that there will be no right understanding of the Scriptures among the Jews, but the book of the Holy Scriptures is closed and sealed to them. God speaks to this people with a different tongue, Isa. 28, 11, and they can or know nothing else but to spit out vain blasphemy on the Christian religion.
99 Therefore these things do not rhyme with one another, saying, Isaac was sacrificed, therefore he could not take another wife. Abraham was as devoted to God as Isaac, and even more so; for he was called from Ur in Chaldea, and was slain not once, but often: and yet such sanctification did not hinder him, that he might not therefore have taken another wife. Isaac would have been very willing to take another wife if he had wanted to, but he preferred to endure everything and suffer the worst, so that he would be an example of patience and how to wait for God's help. For there was great and certain hope that Rebekah would become a mother, since she had been chosen by God to be his wife, and the angels had brought her to him and made the marriage, his father having appointed the servant and sent him out. He was therefore kept until the twentieth year, because God wanted to try this holy man and the holy matron as an example and instruction for all the churches of God.
II.
V. 22. And the children joined themselves to one another in their womb. Then she said: Since this is how it should be with me, why did I become pregnant?
** **46 V.. VI, 172-174. Interpretation of Genesis 25:22. **W. II, W-70.** 47
These histories of the holy fathers speak of the procreation of children, of intercourse, and how man and woman have kept themselves together in wedlock, about which nothing less, and which would be more ridiculous, is regarded or held in the world. And yet in such minor things we are held up to such excellent examples of faith and other Christian virtues. This good pious woman Rebekah, who was flesh and blood no different than we are, was hardly challenged for so many years. For first, she was certainly chosen by God to be a mother. She was sought by the angels, found and led to her bridegroom so that she should become a mother. But nothing came of it, and she was thus challenged by God with a long cross and suffering. Truly, after the joy and gladness she had before, sadness, bitterness, weeping and wailing followed. This, I think, is the true joy of the married state. Therefore she asks and desires fervently and ardently that she may become the mother of the seed. Now that she has been heard, and God has been compelled, as it were by force, to make the barren Rebekah fertile, another burden soon comes upon her. It was difficult for her before that she should lose the hope she had from her election and divine calling, and that she should be reviled and despised among the neighbors and her household.
Now she has obtained a fruit and has become pregnant, and has overcome infertility over and against nature, that she has become pregnant by a new miracle. But there is now something that she must suffer, which is even more burdensome. For now that she has the fruit in her womb, and is happy in herself that she is comforted and raised up with such rich hope after such great trepidation, since she becomes a mother of two children, while before she had been rejected and cast out, and now should soon have given way to another woman, and surrendered the honor of becoming a mother (as Sarah also did in Genesis 16:2), she is now only put into the most sorrowful and difficult situation.
She is thrown into extreme despair. For the children are bumping into each other in her womb, and she cannot really know whether they are children or not. That is why she says: "Since it should have happened to me, why did I become pregnant? According to the original text, she speaks in broken words, as if she had been frightened and had repented that she had previously wished and desired to become pregnant. Ah, she thinks, would to God I had never asked for children! Why have I not been patient and given the right of motherhood to another woman, since I now have to experience and suffer much greater misery than before?
This is a twofold, yes, probably a sevenfold challenge. For now she thinks it would have been better for her to remain barren than to be so miserably afflicted, and at the same time she doubts whether she should become a mother or not; for she has now had to face this for the second time, so that now she feels death and begins to despair of her life because of the great danger she has felt. For she does not know what kind of misfortune it may be, what kind of movement there is in her body: she only feels the bumping, and can find no other blame than that she must lay it only on herself and call herself a fool for having asked and begged God so vehemently for children. She sees that she will now have to die with greater shame than if she had remained barren. So once again the hope that she should become a mother is drowned, yes, the mother is killed with the fruit. For reason cannot have any other understanding or think otherwise, as often as God lets our hope and prayer become weak, because it says: The longer I pray, the harder I am afflicted and afflicted.
But should one not pray, not trust God and not hope in Him? as the Epicureans now say, they want to leave it all to God's will and providence; for what God has decreed must necessarily be done. No, one should by no means refrain from prayer; for God has told us to pray, to believe, to call upon Him, to sanctify His name and to hope in Him.
48D . VI. 174. 17S. Interpretation of I Genesis 25, 22. W. n, 70-7S. 49
fen. He could indeed gather a church without the word or the ministry of preaching, could well administer the political or secular government without authority, beget children without parents, and create fish without water: but he commands us and wills that we should preach and pray, and that each one should do in his appointed place and in his profession what is due to him. But if it is the case that things do not always go out and turn out the way we have thought about and determined beforehand, each one should nevertheless remain in his profession and office, and God should be commanded to prosper, to go out or to come to an end.
104 This was also such a challenge that Rebekah had. For she will have thought thus: Behold, you have asked God to give you children: it would have been better if you had not asked. For when she felt the pang in her womb, she again did not think that they were children, but thought that she was carrying in her womb some strange and hideous miracle. Therefore she says: "Since it should be so, why did I become pregnant? The pious, holy woman indicates with these words that she was sorry and had punished herself for the previous request she had made. As if she wanted to say: "If it should happen to me in this way, it would have been better if I had not asked anything; if it should happen in this way, oh, why did I pray? why did I desire to become a mother against God's will? These are the words of one who has repented of her former prayer and is now utterly despondent.
For when men are in great despair, they are wont to speak in broken words, having in their speech more exclamations than other words. And such short, broken speeches show the greatness of the sorrow that is in the hearts of the afflicted and of those who are downright despondent; as Rebekah had such an afflicted and despondent heart. For the chief care and sorrow of these saints, which she had, was of the promise of the seed. Therefore, I say, Rebekah is even despondent, and will have thought: I will not become a mother in this church, but another will be chosen for this purpose.
my death, who is more worthy of it than I am: and so it happens that she would become a mother; as Sarah did above (Gen. 16, 2.) and afterwards (Cap. 30, 3.) Rachel also does, who was indeed Jacob's wife, and yet must give the right of motherhood to another; for she said to Jacob: Go to the maid 2c.
But there are few people who consider this in the histories of the fathers. As the papists judge and think, the fathers have only atoned for their lust and committed fornication, as they themselves do, who live without temptation, and without toil and labor. But these holy people have always been burdened with temptation and sorrow, which could easily drive away their evil thoughts and evil desire. They had a large household to govern, and in the process had to suffer great affliction, as if they were deprived of all divine help and had been abandoned by God.
But this is held up to us as an example and a lesson, first of all, that the fleshly birth, however hideous and corrupt it is, is not inherent in nature, but a gift of God. This is to be learned from the fathers. God does indeed distribute this gift among the multitude of even the most wicked people, but the godly understand that it is actually a gift of God. As the 128th Psalm v. 3. 4. says: "Your children will be like the olive branches around your table. Behold, thus is blessed the man that feareth the LORD." Therefore every godly man should learn that it is a very great gift and a divine creation where one begets and bears children, sons or daughters. For therefore we call God our Creator and our Father, and we should not let the abominable sins and punishments with which birth is burdened challenge or distract us, lest we think it a blessing from God, and such a work as is pleasing and acceptable to God.
The wicked do not understand this, who also lead the other creatures like the Creator Himself in vain and use them uselessly, so that not only the creatures, but also the creature itself, are not used.
50 VI, I7S-177. interpretation of I Moses 25, 22. W. II, 73-76. 51
the Creator is subject to vanity. But the abominable deformity must be distinguished and set apart from the creature of which God wants it to be glorious and to be esteemed great; as the holy fathers learned from these temptations, namely, that birth or the procreation of children is a divine work and solely God's own work. And it is certainly true that if it were not poisoned with such abominable fornication and shame, we would be amazed at the worthiness and wonderfulness of such a great work. For what is more wonderful than that a man is born of another man? But it is darkened, oppressed with the hideous sin of evil desire. Therefore, it must be praised and emphasized with such examples, so that people may learn to recognize the greatness and majesty of this work and the divine blessing.
Secondly, these examples hold up to us faith, hope and love, that is, the way in which God deals with us. For this is how He also acts with the holy patriarchs; as St. Paul says in Romans 11:33: "His judgments are incomprehensible and His ways unsearchable," not only in His works, but also in His words and promises. And therefore it can also be seen in the world that there is nothing more uncertain than God's word and faith, and nothing so vain and futile as the hope in God's promise, and finally nothing that seems to be more nothing than God Himself. Therefore, this is the true science of the saints and believers, and the mystery that is hidden from the wise and revealed to the unlearned.
The pope and the Turk can easily believe, because there is so much happiness among them and because they are in such great flux with power, wisdom, with a great appearance of holiness, religion and outward worship, that nothing is above it. The Turk considers it so certain that he is God's people with his group that he would be allowed to pledge his life and limb. For he has his thing and his God in his hands; God adorns him with very beautiful and high
gifts. And he deals with the Christians in a way that is as if in defiance, giving them the opposite, throwing them under the cross, and giving them to be strangled by the adversaries like sheep for slaughter. That is why the Turk defies us with great pride and hope. As it is said to have happened in a battle or defeat of the Christians, when the Turks saw that now and then the dead bodies were lying and their noses had been cut off, they laughed at such lamentation of those who had been slain, and made bitter and venomous mockery of it, and often repeated these words, saying, Jesus Mary! As if they wanted to say: Where is now their God?
This is the reason for such sorrowful lamentations in the Psalms: Ps. 7, 7: "Arise, O Lord," do not sleep; Ps. 10, 1: "Why are you so distant" 2c., and similar words of the despondent hearts, who doubt whether we have a God, and who ask, Ps. 42, 11: "Where is your God? Shall we believe in Him who thus hides Himself and turns away from us? But the Turk does not know what he himself is doing or what is to become of us. He thinks and judges thus: The Christians are rejected and cast out by God; and is presumptuous, as if God is favorable to him and has chosen him; is therefore even more hardened and obdurate than the devil himself. But when we are given into his hands and lie down, then heaven will be full of martyrs, and the godly will be caused to groan and cry out that only the last day will come. But he, with his pride and arrogance, causes eternal damnation to come upon him all the sooner.
So God did not act differently with the people of Israel in the time of the Assyrians and Babylonians. There was no happiness or victory, and even then no God could be seen, and there He was a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 45, 15. 45:15. As it is with us this day, when heaven and earth, the prince and the Turk, and all things are against us, and God, in whom we believe, is nothing at all; the prince and God of this world, he is God. That is why many Christians fall away from us to the Turks, namely those who do not believe in God.
52 L. II, 177-17S. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 22. W. n, 76-7S. 53
are not properly informed and do not have the Word. They see that everything is prosperous there, and from this they assume that God must be present with the Turks, since God makes them alive, but kills us and delivers us into the hands of the cruel enemy.
We have nothing else from God, except the pure word that our Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and is a judge of the living and the dead, through whom we are kings and priests. But how can we see this? Of course, we do not see it presently before our eyes, but must wish, hope, wait and believe what God has said in His Word. For why he thus hid himself, we shall see in that day, when all enemies shall be cast under his feet. In the meantime, we must believe and hope; for if we could see it presently before our eyes, there would be no need for faith.
(114) However uncertain and false the faith, and however vain and futile the hope may seem, I know that it shall come to pass that we shall tread the Turk under our feet, and those who are now buried, whose blood he has shed, shall tread him down and thrust him into the abyss of hell. The same will be done by all the other martyrs who have been burned and killed by the pope, the emperor, the French and others. For this is the art and wisdom of the saints, that they believe in truth against falsehood, and in hidden truth against public truth; yea, they believe in hope, when there is nothing to hope for.
The same art is held up to us in this example of Rebekah. For she was heard and chosen to become a mother, but she is still nothing less than a mother, even though she has already achieved that she has become fertile, and since she has received great hope that she will become a mother. So soon all hope and waiting falls away and lies down. Is this the fulfillment of the divine word? Answer: One must simply hang on to the art or knowledge that the saints have,
and look at the wonderful government, how they are led by God. For this is how it happened with Christ himself. Since he wanted to go to the glory of the Father, he died and went down to hell; there all honor and glory disappear. He says to his disciples Joh. 14, 12: "I go to the Father", and yet he goes to the grave.
We should always keep such examples in mind and before our eyes, and diligently consider and ponder them. For when we are strangled by the Turk with great shame and blasphemy; when the little underage children, and old people and young maidens are slaughtered and cruelly killed, then we cry out and scream: Where is Christ, where is our God? Moreover they mock us shamefully and say: Go now and believe in your Jesus. But then we should confidently answer them with joy, even if they do not hear it, and say, "Behold, this little child, which you have hacked to pieces, or have set on a stake, will be adorned in the next and better life with such great clarity that you will wish that it would become so good for you that you would only see the wounds you have made it. For the Turk does nothing else with his tyranny, except that he makes heaven full of martyrs, because they are all killed for Christ's sake: and again, he fills hell with the bodies of himself and his people.
So also the pope (although he is worse than the Turk, because he does not believe anything) thinks of those whom he kills that they are now gone and are finished with them, and does not think otherwise than that he is free and allowed to rage and rage against everyone of his liking, therefore no one should have to punish him, and incites or incites the monarchs and secular lords that they should also practice such cruel tyranny. We lament that we are miserably strangled and crushed, and cry out Ps. 44:24: "Lord, why are you asleep?" For God hides Himself for a time, and as in the Song of Solomon Cap. 2, 9, "He stands behind our wall, and looks through the window, and peers through the lattice;
54 L. vi. I7S-181. interpretation of I Genesis 25:22. W. n, rs-si. 55
Therefore he is not far from us, but is present and looks at everything. And both Pope and Turk, just by killing us, must serve us, they will or will not, so that we may receive the unfading crown of righteousness, 1 Peter 5:4. Just as Herod could never have done such service to the little underage children with charitable deeds as he did to them by killing them.
- So it may be seen that he also hath left us, having ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father; and yet hath left us his word and the holy sacraments. But what is this? the flesh will reproach us and say, "I see nothing, it is only a word. Yes, it is indeed a word, but in the same word there is a special and divine power, which you will then understand and feel, if you cling to it with firm faith. If you have to put your life in danger because of this, it is of little use; for it is not far away that you will rise again from the dead and come to life. His ways are unsearchable, and His judgments are hidden from His saints, Romans 11:33, as evidenced by His only begotten Son, who is the most perfect example of all children.
(119) So Moses deals with the most important things when he speaks of the birth of man and the work of the flesh. Rebekah loses the honor that she should have become a mother, and loses God Himself, who heard her and made her pregnant: He withdraws His hand and hides His face, so that His work of making her pregnant is no longer regarded as a divine work, but is considered a mockery and deception of Satan, and she does not think otherwise than that she is rejected and cast out. But he does not go away forever, nor does he remain away from us all the time. He rules all things in such a way that the word is considered to be in vain and nothing. But out of the same, which is nothing at all, he makes all things by great and marvelous change, so that the things which are nothing at all are made nothing at all.
They were previously considered to be everything, but they must perish and be destroyed. Thus, the destruction of the pope has already begun and he will be trampled on more and more every day by the spirit of Christ's mouth, and in a short time, the Turk will also receive his deserved punishment.
III.
V.22. And she (Rebekah) went to ask the Lord.
120 Poor Rebekah now understands and believes that everything is corrupt and lost with her. But what shall she do now? She goes to ask the Lord. Until now she has been regarded as if she had been rejected and cast out from the presence of the Lord, and her hope and faith are now in the greatest trouble, so that she has had trouble and work. But this is the right day, the critical, decisive day, when she comes to life again and goes to ask the Lord, since it seemed as if she was in the greatest trouble and danger. For the string tends to break easily where it is stretched or pulled the hardest.
The Jews disputed this: Where did Rebekah go to ask the Lord? The rabbis are too monkish in saying that she went away to one place in particular. Therefore, let us keep the opinion of those who say that she went to the holy patriarch Shem, who was still alive, and with him Salah and Eber. These same fathers governed the church and congregation of God, and from time to time preserved the word and the right worship. However, they undoubtedly did not go to Shem by themselves in such great distress, but according to the advice and by the command of Isaac and Abraham, who were also affected by the same challenge, they were sent to him as to the common place and to the common person, where, as they knew, the noblest church and congregation of God was. For this Shem was a very holy man, who ruled the church and was so many hundred years after the Flood over the word and service of God.
56 VI. ISI-IW. Interpretation of I Genesis 25:22, 23. W. n, 81-84. 57
That is why his speeches and sermons were considered to be a divine answer.
(122) Now Rebekah asked not only about the fruit or children that she had conceived, but also about her blessedness, and whether that which she encountered was a sign of God's wrath or grace. For any accident or harm, even physical, brings with it despair, or that one begins to doubt God's will as He carries it to us. For this reason, we must guard and strengthen our hearts in all temptations, so that when we are afflicted and punished, we do not think that it is because of God's wrath that He wants to condemn us eternally. As when the Turk and the Pope rage against us in such a terrible way, we are justly afraid and terrified of it, all of us with one another. But where you have the word and the holy sacraments, close your eyes and only despise their cruel tyranny, so that you also say to them, "Rage and rage, and be only foolish, as much as you yourselves desire, and tear me also in pieces: yet I know that Christ, my Redeemer, still lives and sits at the right hand of the Father; therefore I also will live and will trample you underfoot again.
But this same confidence and spiritual hope comes not from the things of the present, but from the things of the future. Reason follows only that which is visible; but it must be killed here, so that the word and faith may have room. But reason cannot be killed except by despair, disbelief, hatred and grumbling against God, so that finally, when everything that can happen externally has been put aside, the heart may cling to the Word and the sacraments alone, hold on to them and be satisfied with them. For God is incomprehensible, and we consider Him to be nothing in all His deeds and miracles, so that He leaves us, according to our feelings, in suffering and tribulation, and gives us only the Word, so that He may bring us, as a fish is pulled by a rod, through this sea of danger and temptation to the shore or land.
V.23. And the Lord said to her, "Two peoples are in your body, and two kinds of people.
shall separate from thy affliction; and one people shall be superior to another, and the greater shall serve the lesser.
So far it has been said how God hid himself, even lost himself, from the holy woman Rebekah, even from Isaac himself and Abraham, and from all who were in the same congregation: so that she had to run and take refuge in the congregation and the patriarch Shem, and seek help and counsel there. Now Moses describes how this lost God is found again and lets himself be seen: for us as an example, so that we do not despair in our temptations, if the prayer keeps to the certain promise; but should be sure that God must certainly appear, let himself be seen and give an answer, even if heaven and all creatures should already threaten the fall and destruction.
(125) Although this waiting is almost burdensome, we should be so instructed and taught by the Holy Spirit that we know that God must surely hear our prayer, because it is impossible for Him to lie. He had promised Isaac the blessing. But with such a promise there were many difficulties and obstacles, so that a weak heart might doubt whether the promise was true. And even though Rebekah had no special promise, she still prayed. And if the prayer is right and true, as Rebekah's prayer undoubtedly was, it must of necessity keep the divine promise.
For who would be so bold of himself as to lift up his hands and eyes to God if he were not certain of God's will? Therefore, all prayer adheres to the commandment and promise of God. For in the other commandment is God's word, which teaches us to pray, namely, since God says in Exodus 20:7, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain"; item Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in time of need," and so on. But when the prayer has been made, you should know that you need not doubt that it will be answered, just as you cannot or should not doubt that it has been promised. For the foundation or reason of the prayer
58 2- VI. I83-IW. Interpretation of Genesis 25:23. W. n, 84-S7. 59
is the promise, not our will, not our worthiness or our merit. And we have a good example of this teaching in the prayer of Rebekah, who, after so many obstacles, is miraculously heard at last. For in the beginning, when she became pregnant, she did not doubt that she had now been heard and that she had been helped by God: but this faith and confidence was soon hindered because of a new danger, of which she had made no provision. For the children were bumping into each other in her womb, so that she was again brought to despair. Since she is now terrified, God raises her up again with the word and shows that she has truly been heard. So that he may testify that he loves those who pray in faith and wait for him in prayer, that is, where the prayer remains unanswered for a long time, and wait for his help.
The papists do not recognize or understand such examples, for their prayer is nothing else than mocking and ridiculing God. An earnest and fervent prayer, however, which does not cease and does not grow weary, but waits and waits until the last moment, finally breaks through heaven and earth, and it is impossible that it should not be heard. For then it is the most pleasing sacrifice to God when we pray in such a way that the prayer surpasses our sense and understanding. As St. Paul says in Eph. 3, 20: "God" is powerful and "can do exceedingly above all that we ask or understand" 2c. When the matter is lost and all counsel and diligence are in vain, be strong and take care that you do not fall away from God, for God calls all things from the dead and from nothing; where there is no more help or hope, only divine help begins. And this is a righteously perfect prayer.
(128) But we should not despise weak prayer and the prayer of weak men. But this prayer, which is so earnest and fervent, is held up to us in the highest degree and as a perfect example, so that we may make an effort to follow it. For as children in school first learn the ABC and the Donat, so we also first stammer at the
imperfect prayer, which should certainly not be despised. For as it is with the boy who does not first learn the alphabet or Donat, that he will never learn to speak Virgil or Latin, so it is also with prayer. He who does not first pray with weakness will never come to perfect prayer. Therefore, the teaching in this place should be diligently noted, which shows how prayer has its great power, and how it is such a pleasing sacrifice to God if one perseveres in it; just as Rebekah also perseveres to the end, since there is no more counsel available except to ask the church or congregation of God for advice.
IV.
129 But Moses describes very extensively how it was heard. "For we have said above that God also spoke through Adam. As Christ interprets it Matth. 19, 4. f.: "Have you not read, that he who made man in the beginning made man to be male and female, saying, 'For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother'" 2c. These words were spoken by God, and yet Moses writes in Genesis 2:24 that they were spoken by Adam. Therefore Adam was full of the Holy Spirit and of God, who spoke through Adam. Therefore Adam's words are God's words. Thus, even now the Church and congregation of God is full of God, and everything it says is not to be understood otherwise than as if it were spoken by God Himself. Thus, God commands that we be obedient to the parents and the authorities and hear His word from them. In the same way, God the Lord also spoke to this very holy old mother Rebekah through Shem, who, besides the common sense of faith, was also full of prophecy.
- But a very great and rich comfort is held out to us in these words, since the text says: "Two nations are in your womb" 2c. For Shem means to say, You have prayed, and your husband and Abraham also have prayed with you; but do you think that your prayer has not been heard, and that you will die? No, fear that at
60 L. VI, 188-187. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 23. W.H. 87-SV. 61
least of all! And Shem comes right into the middle of the matter and to the right consolation. For he saith, So far is it from thee that thou shouldest be in danger of thy life, that two nations should come out of thy womb. Thou hast been but a little challenged, and thy prayer hath been tried, whether thou wouldest persevere. Therefore know that more has been heard or obtained than has been asked, and that more has been given to you than has been desired or understood. For you have not been able to understand what or how much God will give you. He has understood your prayer better than you yourself.
This example is well to be remembered and we should also follow it. For we also pray against the Antichrist, the Turk and the mobs. And we certainly have very important and desperate matters, so much so that we cannot think or understand any comfort or help, except that we call upon God for mercy, that he may hasten with the future of the last day. Therefore, one should not stop praying, but the strong should cry out fiercely and the weak should call out to God even in their weakness; as Christ Himself says Luc. 18, 7. about the godly who call out to Him day and night.
132 Now our distress and cause is greater and more burdensome than it has ever been at any time in the church. For we have against us the host and the end of the world, the utter fierce wrath of the Pope and the Turks, who want to devour us and will devour us. Therefore pray, and so pray, that we may keep the commandment and promise of Christ. For though it may be seen that shortly all things shall fall upon one heap, what is the matter? Let it always fall. Your prayer will still obtain more than you ask. For he has promised it to us. And we ask in our prayer before all things, and before our calamity itself, that God's name may be hallowed and His kingdom preserved. Even though everything is lost and a desperate matter, and even if we should all be killed here, I still know that the adversaries shall perish. They shall perish, for the prayer has been heard.
133 Therefore comfort Shem Rebekah thus: O dear Rebekah, your prayer has been answered abundantly and beyond all your understanding! You have asked the Lord for a son, and now, in this danger, you only desire that you may give birth happily and keep your life; yes, you would gladly be content with that, if you would know that your prayer has been answered. But be of good cheer for the sake of the birth, for God has heard you and understands your prayer well. You have asked for a son or a daughter, and he will multiply and increase this request. But how is this to be done? Answer: "Two peoples are in your body" 2c. This means that the prayer has been answered. For there are not only two sons whom you will bear, but two very great patriarchs. Therefore your prayer is not only answered that a son will be born from you, but also that you will have descendants or heirs from two sons and that you will give birth to two great nations. Therefore do not dispute, do not despair, you do not bear a monster or a devil, as you feared because of this, that the children have bumped into each other in the womb: but now you are already a mother of two great nations.
So she alone has asked for her life and the life of a son, and thus obtains the life of two patriarchs and their descendants. She asked for a penny and obtained a golden mountain, which she had neither dared to hope for nor to believe. For she made her prayer humble, and was content with little; as we are wont to ask for small and little things, and think not that we speak with such great majesty when we pray. For if he would have given only small and little things, he would not have prescribed for us such a great and glorious form and manner of praying, since he has thus called us to say: "Our Father, who art in heaven, let thy name be hallowed; let thy kingdom come" 2c. God is not a meager Euclio, or a poor Irus, but puts before us and offers us great goods and the highest gifts in heaven and on earth, and wants you to ask the same from him and wait for it.
62 L. VI, 187-189. Interpretation of I Genesis 25, 23. W. rr, M-ss. 63
shall. For in every petition, when we say in the Lord's Prayer, Thy name be hallowed; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; Give us this day our daily bread 2c., heaven and earth, and all that is therein, are comprehended. For what is it that his name is hallowed, that his kingdom comes, and his will is done? Answer: It is as much as laying down innumerable devils and swallowing up the whole world in one prayer. But we have narrow hearts and are of weak faith: therefore let us diligently observe this example, and learn how God is not content to give us little, though we ask for a little; but He gives more than we can understand or ask, Eph. 3:20.
Now let us examine the words of the patriarch Shem. For they contain four parts, which we want to understand only according to the law. First, he says: "Two peoples are in your womb," and they are already as great before God as they will become. But when they are born and grow up, then they will be divided. This is the other part: a promise that Edom and Jacob will be two peoples, divided according to the flesh, namely, the Edomites and Israelites; as the holy Scriptures testify. They will not be under one head, but each will have his honor and glory as the ruler of his people. They will also have ordered and set up house and world regiments, and also churches: but there will be a difference in them. For they will be divided into various religions, police, worldly rights and laws. For it is well to be believed that Esau of the house of Abraham took with him circumcision and other ways of sacrifice. So his people will have a special police, ceremonies and church. But Jacob also received his special order in the police and church, the like of which was not in the world, and at the same time had the succession and inheritance of the promise. Therefore these nations will be divided from each other both according to the police and according to the church rule. And the same has also been fulfilled bodily.
For St. Paul in the epistle to the Romans Cap. 9, 10. f. has set the spiritual interpretation, of which has been said in other places. The last two pieces are where he says: "And one people will be superior to another, and the greater will serve the lesser."
(136) Edom, or Esau, was greatly increased and multiplied, as we shall see hereafter, when he met his brother Jacob with four hundred men, Jacob having none with him but four wives. And in the thirty-sixth chapter eleven princes are told, which had the country Edom. From this it can be assumed that Esau had very great power. But Jacob still wandered in the land of Canaan, and after that he came down to Egypt as a stranger, where eleven children and great princes were born from his brother. Therefore this prophecy was also fulfilled outwardly according to the letter. But in the time of David the lesser grew and multiplied, that is, Israel, and took kingdoms and subdued Edom also; as it is written in the 60th Psalm v. 10, "My shoe I stretch out over Edom." But afterwards Isaac, in the blessing of Esau, will interpret and mitigate this promise, that such servitude will last until a certain time. For he says thus, Gen. 27:40, "And it shall come to pass, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck." And the same thing happened in the days of Ahab, when Edom apostatized and chose its own king.
137 This is the sum of the promise and the abundant fulfillment. For thus she comforted Shem: Behold, my dear Rebekah, thou hast given for thyself, and hast desired only that thou and thy child might be preserved alive: but I promise thee far greater things. You will have not only one son, but two sons and princes of two nations. And about this God also shows you what kind of status and office they will both have, so that you may know what kind of descendants and heirs you will have even after your death. One will be stronger, the other somewhat weaker in police and religion; but the smallest nation will remain the rightful heir and lord. The stronger one will not even overthrow the weaker one.
64 L. vi, I8S-IA. Interpretation of Genesis 25:23. W.n, sr-ss. 65
The lesser will rule over the greater. Therefore, you have heard that not only your person and the children you will bear will remain healthy and alive, but also that the history of these two parts is described here until all descendants without end.
138 This then is described to us as a lesson and comfort, that we learn to pray confidently and with full trust, and that we do not despair or doubt that it will be answered. For even though prayer is against and above our understanding, it is not in vain. For God does not want the shame to lie upon Himself that we should think that He is not true. For this reason he commanded us to pray, and not only commanded it, but also promised that he would hear our prayer, so that we would certainly believe that he would give us what we ask for. Therefore, this is the highest worship and religion, to believe that God is true.
- over this also we have a fine, simple, and certain form, wherein he hath prescribed unto us what and how to pray. Therefore, when you pray, "Our Father, who art in heaven," 2c. think, "Lord, you have called me to pray, and you have promised that you will hear him who prays; and do not doubt the faithfulness and truth of God, nor his promises. For even if the devil were to turn the whole world upside down in a moment and even throw it over a heap, the name of God will still be sanctified. And even if we all have to die, we will undoubtedly be kept and preserved for the resurrection to come. Yes, in this life we also see the power and effect of our prayer. For surely through prayer the government of the world is preserved; our life and all the goods we use in this world are preserved by it.
140 Furthermore, St. Paul has handled this text Rom. 9, 10. ff. somewhat more gloriously, and draws it to the right spiritual and true history, since he cites from the prophet Malachi Cap. 1. v. 2. 3. where God speaks: "I love Jacob, and I love him.
hate Esau"; item Rom. 9, 12: "It was said to her, not from the merit of works, but from the grace of the caller, thus: The greater shall serve the lesser" 2c. There he touches and remembers not the temporal, but the right true promise. The Jews understand this only according to the flesh, as when they were brought out of Egypt and took the land of Canaan. But in these bodily promises the spiritual ones are also understood. For out of the same weak part the Son of God was to be born, so that salvation would not come from the Gentiles, nor from the Idumeans, but from the Jews, as John 4:22 says. It is all written for the sake of Christ, who came from the line of the lesser people.
Therefore St. Paul treats this text in such a way that he makes two births, namely, of the flesh and of the promise. Esau was also a son of promise, but then he was separated and divided into a great nation and a small nation. Then Paul interprets it according to his great and apostolic spirit, that the greater will not be the heir, but the lesser, namely Jacob. So all the others will be heirs who follow the promise and keep it, as has been widely said above. Therefore the bodily promise belongs to Esau, but according to the spirit it belongs to Jacob, who was the lesser son of Rebekah according to the flesh, but according to the spirit he was the lord and the greater.
- Now as I have said of the Cain and Ishmaelite churches, namely, that they were rejected, but that such rejection was intended to humble them, that they might renounce the inheritance which they had presumed to have by reason of the fleshly birth; but they are yet saved through repentance and faith in the promise: So also the text testifies that many who came from Edom were saved, not because they were children of Edom (for the same lineage is rejected), but because they obtained the promise by faith.
66 L. VI. 191. IS2. interpretation of Genesis 25, 23-26. W. n. W-1VI. 67
and kept to it, according to the saying of Paul, Rom. 9:8: "These are not the children of God, which are children after the flesh: but the children of promise are counted for seed. For this reason they joined the Ishmaelites and said, "Sarah is our grandmother and Abraham our father, but by this we will not be saved, for bodily birth is of no use; but we believe in the seed promised to the fathers, just as Isaac and Jacob believed and were saved. And all who have had this faith have obtained the inheritance of eternal life. But those of this generation or descendants who remained in such presumption that they were the greater by reason of bodily birth were all lost and condemned.
So we Gentiles cannot boast as the Turk boasts of his many kingdoms, or as the Pope boasts of the proper succession and supreme power in the church. But of this we boast that John 1:12, 13 is written: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, who believe on his name. Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." To this knowledge we all must come, as Paul Rom. 4, 12. calls Abraham a "father" "of the circumcision, not only of those who are of the circumcision, but also of those who walk in the footsteps of faith, which was in the foreskin of our father Abraham." So also Christ says John 8:39: "If you were Abraham's children, you would do Abraham's works." For he believed in God and obtained righteousness and salvation through the promised seed. Thus, those who believe in God also become Abraham's and God's children.
(144) Therefore it is to be learned from this text that all honor or glory of the flesh is rejected and condemned by God, and that we cannot be justified by it. Just as the fathers were not justified by such glory of the flesh or blood, which this example clearly shows.
teaches and proves, and is a very excellent example, which is also worthy of being written with golden letters.
But these brothers quarreled with each other in their mother's womb, and when they were born, they quarreled with each other all the days of their lives. So we also must always quarrel with the pope and the Turk, and can never have fellowship or peace with them. Ishmael and Edom, that is, the same greater and stronger, who far surpass us in money and goods, in power, in great quantity and also in wisdom, the same are against us, who are the younger and weaker. But this is our consolation, since we have to fight with each other and wage such a constant war with the Edomites, which cannot be tolerated or cancelled, namely, that we are certain of victory. For the word or the promise will have to win without any doubt.
- But if some of the adversaries are saved, let it be known that they are not saved because they are Papists, monks, or Turks, but because they go to us, that is, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And though they are not of our seed, yet they are grafted in. So not the whole dough is rejected, but only the pride and hope of the dough, which boasts of the fathers, the ceremonies and the law; and where it wants to be grafted in with us, it will be a holy dough with us and with the whole generation of godly people. But this is by grace, not by righteousness of the flesh or by merit of works, wherein the world seeks its salvation and righteousness.
Fourth piece.
From the birth of Esau and Jacob; from their way of life, and from the conduct of Isaac and
Rebekah against these her sons.
I.
V. 24-26 When the time came for her to give birth, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first one that came out was reddish.
68 L. VI, 192-134. interpretation of Genesis 25:24-26. w. n, 101-103. 69
He was all smoke like a skin, and they called him Esau. Then his brother came out, holding Esau's heel with his hand, and they called him Jacob.
The miraculous and dangerous birth is described here, by which the mother will undoubtedly be very frightened, since the children have thus bumped into each other in her womb. For such a birth is described here that if Rebekah had not received the promise, she would have died immediately in childbirth. And I truly do not understand it, nor have I ever read or heard an example that is like it. For thus reads the text: "When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb." For the women who were present had only hoped for one child, but soon, as they watched, they understood and realized that they were twins.
Now it is common for twins to be born, so that the mother is in no danger: but here there is great danger, since the first, namely Esau, was born, that there Jacob will also soon come out, and so that he has held his brother's heel with his hand. We know, however, that it is an unfortunate, difficult birth, where a child is not born properly, so that first the head comes out: but when the one hand or foot first comes out, there both, mother and child, come into danger of life and limb. In such distress, the fruit is often torn and pulled out in individual pieces. So this birth is also described as being miraculous and full of danger, as much as it affected the mother and Jacob. The first one comes out fresh and healthy, but the other one comes out in danger of his life. But the promise was given to Rebekah, in that she had heard that she would give birth to two peoples or two heads of peoples. Therefore she did not despair in such great distress and danger.
- Moses describes the two children: "The first one," he says, "who came out was reddish. There in the Hebrew admoni is written. From it Adam has his name;
for it was made of reddish earth, which Pliny and Josephus say is the best earth. After the same the black earth is praised; but the yellow and dun earth is somewhat inferior. Edom means reddish. There must have been a special redness in him. For otherwise all children are born red, and after birth they are also reddish, but Esau will have been very reddish, more than his brothers or other children.
150 Then he also has another mark, by which he was also distinguished from his brother. For he is rough as fur, not only on the head, as other children are, and especially as infants are wont to have much hair; but over and above the fact that Esau was reddish, he also has rough skin like fur. In sum, he is rough on his hands and feet and all over his body. For Moses adds this simile and says: like addereth, as the Hebrew word reads, that is, like a skin. It is truly a wonderful description of a child who was so reddish and rough, the like of which is hardly found in the histories of the pagans, in which unusual births are often reported.
151 The Hebrew word means a coat or a rough mantle; as in the other book of Kings in chapter 2 v. 8 the garment of Elijah is described, which was a rough mantle, so that it was beaten into the water of Jordan, so that it was divided on both sides 2c. And in the book Joshua in the 7th chapter V. 21: Vidi inter spolia addereth schinear, which is called here in Hebrew sear, that is: "I saw under the robbery a delicious Babylonian coat" 2c. But whether they made garments of wool at that time, I cannot know. This kind and shape, I think, was the leather garment, beautiful and long, like a coat or a long skirt, which was the clothing of the prophets. But this can also be well understood, that after the figure, called hyperbole, is spoken, as one makes a thing so even large; as we have in our German language of the parables also, as, as we of those, so
70 D. VI, 194-196. interpretation of Genesis 25:24-26. W. II, iaz-106. 71
have long, hideous, tangled hair, say that they are shaped like a hedgehog or an owl of hair. So the women of Esau may also speak, as one is wont to speak in the house, and to make a thing greater than it is in itself.
Since Esau was born, the birth of Jacob is also described. He was in danger both for his own life and for his mother's life. For he followed his brother so soon that he took hold of his heel and clung to it. And one might think that they were born in the blink of an eye. That is why these are wonderful things, the like of which is no longer found in any histories. For it is absolutely and truly a divine work, which God works here, and that is why Moses also wanted to describe these things so precisely and actually, so that every story would be diligently noted, and that the reader would be awakened and reminded to consider the greatness of these things.
For here the foundation and the basis of the whole Christian doctrine is confirmed, and God wants to pronounce the judgment of the whole world in advance by the birth of these twins, yes, to cut off and suppress all righteousness of the flesh with it. He wants to teach with this that all wisdom and glory and advantage of the flesh is lost and in vain; this, I say, He wants to have taught and indicated by this alone, that He said: "The greater will serve the lesser." Therefore this is not a disputation of kingdoms and dominions of the world, much less of other small and useless things, in which nothing is interested, or of old-Vettelian fables: but these words lay the right foundation of our Christian doctrine. And the same is also enormously confirmed by this, namely, that before God the flesh is dead and condemned, but the spirit is made alive. And thus the inherent sin and corrupt nature is shown, so that no one should rely on the flesh, but everyone should put his trust in the Lord and in His promise.
The same cannot be sufficiently said or impressed upon the people. For it is the highest courts and the most unsearchable
God's ways. I am not speaking now of the judgments of God a priori, as they are called, which He has with Himself in His inner and secret counsel, namely, why He counsels in this or another way, does this or that, governs, helps, destroys 2c.: but I am speaking of God as He calls people by grace, speaks with them and reveals Himself a posteriori; as He said to Moses, "You will see behind Me," Ex. 33, 23. 33, 23. For we see here such ways and such judgments that no man can understand or comprehend, as it is said in 1 Cor. 2, 14: "The natural man hears nothing of the Spirit of God; it is foolishness to him, and he cannot know it," so that even the saints cannot understand what they ask. So even these judgments and ways of God are inscrutable to us, a posteriori, as it is called, that is, of the God who calls us and reveals Himself to us in words and outward works. If we cannot understand these things, how can we understand them, since God is hidden from us in Himself and in His divinity? Therefore, you have enough to do by making an effort to understand how God works and calls us. It is not necessary for you to seek or investigate the great mysteries and such things that are too high for your understanding.
For is this not the greatest blindness of the flesh of man, that it so hardly resents this example of divine judgment, that Esau, the firstborn, is not to be the heir, but Jacob, who is the lesser and was born after him? You will never understand this with human reason, although you hear that God calls him and clarifies these words of his himself, since he says: "The greater will serve the lesser", yes, that he also destroys the kings and kingdoms of this world for the sake of the same words: nevertheless, this judgment of God will be condemned by reason, since he says: "The greater will serve the lesser". You will never persuade the Turk that he is condemned before God, nor the Pope that the throne of Rome is the devil's throne, nor the Emperor Charles the Fifth,
728 . VI, 196-198. interpretation of Genesis 26:24-26. W. n, 106-109. 73.
Ferdinand and the King of France. For the flesh, that is, the greater, prides, conquers, and is, as it were, everything in the world. On the other hand, the spirit is sad, dead and nothing. As Esau thinks: I am the firstborn, therefore I am also the church, I am the son and the people of God; but Jacob is rejected, is without honor and has no name at all. As we experience in our times, that our adversaries also take the title or name of the church by force, when they are nothing less than the true church.
Therefore, Esau is the firstborn, Jacob is the last. But God reverses this order and says: "The flesh is proud and hopeful; the spirit is sad and sorrowful. For all men are not only liars, but are also too fond of themselves, always persuading themselves of this, and are very presumptuous, as always wanting to know better, and also despise and hate this judgment of God and this teaching. Start from the beginning of the world and look at the examples of all times. Cain, the firstborn, is lord, Abel is servant. The kingdom of Egypt is like a beautiful flower in the world, yet it is the devil's dirt. After that the kingdom of the Assyrians, Babylonians and the Greeks, in addition also the Romans, rules: the Israelites however and the people of God also in the New Testament are pressed almost hard with heavy servitude.
Against this insurmountable hope of the flesh, this is written, that we may know how we are to hold ourselves in such great inequality of fortune, how we may have and keep a right certain judgment, and also a steady and strong courage to bear such odious things. As if I see the Turk or the Pope sitting in the greatest majesty and glory, I should say: You have no word of God, the word is not with you, therefore you may boast as much as you can, you may be mightier than all the angels, but you are still damned. For the flesh or the greater shall serve the lesser.
- but the turk and the papal
say against it thus: What word! What Elijah, Elisha! What Luther or Philip! I have a kingdom, money and goods, power, great fortune, a beautiful form, and also wisdom, of which the whole world boasts and rules over others. Therefore, they say, I am blessed and am God's people; but you are poor beggars and are afflicted, and for this reason you are also rejected by God.
We oppose this so great a vexation with this and say: We belong to God, who calls us by grace, who reveals himself and clearly says: "The greater shall be the least," that is, the flesh, which rules, shall become servant, and the spirit, which is servant, shall become lord. This is our glory, which is indeed laughed at by the world and mocked by the mighty of this world; as soon as Cain ruled in the beginning, but Abel was servant. But Cain was rejected, but Abel lives. The Assyrians and Babylonians also ruled and destroyed the Jewish land, Jerusalem and the temple. So the Persians also ruled, but the Jews were captives. But the Jews remained, but those were corrupted and perished. Also, the Romans ruled with great hope, but the apostles had to wander in misery and become fugitives, suffer hunger and thirst, were naked and condemned to death, as it is written in 2 Cor. 4:11. At present the Turk rules and reigns, but the Christians are servants; the pope is proud and hopeful, the church is miserable and sad. But at last the pope will fall and be killed with the spirit of the mouth of Christ. It is true, says God, that the world is greater, the church and my people are smaller, but I judge that the greater will become the smaller and the smaller the greater.
This is a doctrine of faith, hope, comfort and love toward God and man. There is no other difference, except that here in the church God is calling us through His word, but there in the world and with the wicked God is silent. The Turk also does not have one letter to prove that right is right.
742 . VI, 198-200. interpretation of Genesis 25, 24-26. W. II, 109-112. 7^
be what he does. There is no God who calls. So the pope and the emperor hear nothing, they are silent: but we have a God who calls us. For he has revealed himself to us, so that in him we have such a God whom we can see, feel and grasp. We have the Word, the baptism, the keys, and yet we must suffer persecution. Well, it is good, let us suffer what we should, after all, at last the servants will become masters and again the masters servants. We will remain, but they will perish. Our descendants, who are truly ours and belong to us, will also remain here on earth; just as some prophets have always remained from the beginning of the world, and have bequeathed and taught us, as it were as hereditary, the voice and word of God.
God wanted to hold this argument up to the whole world and prove and confirm it with this history. Therefore, we should not read it as drowsily or industriously as we would read a secular or pagan history. For if it is not read diligently, it is cold, bad and dead, just as if I were to read a story about the birth or the deeds of a Turkish emperor. God, out of special counsel, wanted to show his teaching with this example and reveal his work in these two brothers, so that we should see how the greater would have to serve the lesser. Esau is the firstborn, and for this reason he is very proud, he rides high: he is a Chaldean, Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman emperor, and in sum, he is the pope and a lord of all lords. But he has no God who calls him, but who condemns him with this word, saying, "The greater shall be servant," though he does not believe this voice. But Jacob has GOD calling him and giving him dominion over the greater: but he is not mighty, wise, or holy. However, because he is called, he will have the rule, as the prophets have diligently stated, and from this they have also taken manifold comfort; as in the 41st chapter, Isaiah v. 14. Isaiah v. 14: "Fear not therefore, O little worm of Jacob, ye poor multitude of Israel" 2c.
God wanted to show this immediately in this birth. Esau comes out first, is a right Edom, is reddish and quite rough like a fur. But the other has a smooth skin, and is not redder than other children are when they are born. There seems to be nothing about him that is particularly excellent. But Esau, who is the first, is said to be excellent in front of his brother because of two great signs, and not only his parents, but also his friends and neighbors who are with him, have called him Esau with one mouth, because they were moved by these two signs. For human wisdom cannot judge otherwise than that Esau shall be the heir, because he is the firstborn, and is marked with two excellent signs, namely, that he is so reddish and rough.
- But he has the name of working or doing. As if they wanted to say: This will be the man who will do everything gloriously, and as it is customary to say, he will be Factotum, who will do everything all by himself. Just as Cain got his name from the fact that his mother thought she had gotten the man, the Lord, Gen. 4:1, of whom God had promised that he would overcome sin and the serpent. This is what the world is like when it judges such high things. Therefore we should learn to judge better from the divine judgments, which are foolishness in the sight of the world. For she is the right Esau and Factotum as the Turk and Pabst is Esau. We are despised and rejected. But in the word and calling of God, all this can be finely distinguished.
They have three reasons why they praise Esau so highly. First, that he is the firstborn; second, that the parents hoped and waited for the child with great eagerness and desire for twenty years, and finally obtained him with great pleading; third, that he is reddish and rough. All this contributed to the fact that they all expected something special from this child, and the same against the divine judgment.
165 Thus we take care of the signs that are against us, and so that God may be the God of all things.
76 D. VI, 200-20S. Interpretation of Genesis 25:24-26. W. II, 112-llt. 77
We threaten to point to the opposite, as if they were for us. We caress ourselves and comfort ourselves, as if nothing bad could happen to us; as the Jews did before the destruction of Jerusalem, when the temple was opened in the night without the hands of men, which was a sign that the city would be destroyed with the temple, and that the Gentiles would enter the temple without any hindrance: this they took for the very best and for a good sign. The Lord, they said, will be with us now, he will enter us of his own accord. Our reason is so fond of itself, and everything that is said that is good draws it to itself. As when one is praised, he immediately thinks that it is true and that he is worthy of what is said about him: so man is the worst hypocrite who can flatter himself so finely. From evil signs we take something good, and what is evil we always draw on other people.
166 Thus these two signs, which they think are given to honor and praise the firstborn, are very evil signs, namely, to be reddish and rough. For redness in the holy scripture means bloodthirsty justice, but being rough means tyranny or cruelty; just as being white and light means something good. Thus it has been signified and indicated here in this birth that all who are of the blood find unforgiving, bloodthirsty and cruel, without all mercy. After that, the rough skin is deceitful and means hypocrisy. These are truly very evil signs and are contrary to reason, therefore it draws them to its benefit and interprets them for the very best.
But we are to know that the rough and vile hypocrites are in the body of Satan. For the rough skin is a false, lying skin; but the natural skin should not be rough. After that, the reddish color belongs to the death-slayers. These are two abominable marks on the church and on the body of the devil, namely, lying and murder. But they do not recognize these signs, but boast because of their justice and mercy; as Christ says
Joh. 16, 2: "Whoever kills you will think that he is doing God a service. Is he then who kills Christ and his own considered to be rough and reddish? Yes, he is considered to be as white as the sun and to shine brighter than all the stars. There is nothing outwardly rough about the hypocrites, but the highest righteousness, godliness and truth. Therefore, it should be diligently noted that Esau bears the right, true marks, which actually belong to the devil's church, since he is described as being the head of the same devil's church. The other one, Jacob, is not reddish, but smooth and white.
In this way God has painted this history not only with promises but also with signs to confirm this opinion and understanding, namely that the flesh is subject to death and the devil, however mighty, glorious and a thousand times greater it is than the Turk and all other kingdoms. But Jacob and the true godly people are nothing in the world, those are everything. But this is the difference: on our side is the voice and the word, on their side is the silence. But God calls that which is nothing to be, and breaks that which is something to be nothing. For God's word is greater than countless worlds. Therefore, it is not without special counsel that God has presented us with these two very clear signs, which should be before the eyes and ears of all people. Esau is the deed and work that God has done: we are not Esau, in sum, we are nothing. This history, however, teaches the opposite, and confirms and assures us of it, namely, that everything that is in the world and in Esau is nothing, and that only God's word is everything.
169 In this place it should also be noted that because Isaac does not understand the signs and birth of his children so soon according to the right understanding of the promise, the saints or believers cannot learn and understand everything at once; as we also heard above that Abraham and Sarah also had to increase and always progress, and that they did not understand the divine promise as soon as.
78 L. VI, 202-204. interpretation of Genesis 25, 24-26. W. II, 114-117. 79
Therefore the saints must always increase from clarity to clarity by common use or daily practice. Abraham thought that he would have children and heirs from Sarah, but when he saw that she was old and barren because of her age, he took Hagar as his wife and considered her to be the mother of the seed, until the promise was interpreted to him anew by the Holy Spirit, namely, that Sarah would be the mother of the seed that was promised to him. So the fathers were exercised more and more from day to day, so that they increased; as St. Peter admonishes 2 Epist. 3:18: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." They did not come to a perfect and complete knowledge as soon as they had it, but they were instructed and taught by various exercises, experiences, challenges and dangers.
(170) So Isaac and Rebecca heard here that there would be two peoples and that the greater would serve the lesser; so they thought, "He who is the firstborn will undoubtedly be the greater," and they thought that the conflict had now ended in the womb. That is why they call the firstborn Esau, that is, such a poet who will settle everything. As if they wanted to say: Jacob should have been the greater, but he was overcome in his mother's womb by his brother, who came out first and is adorned with these two signs. Therefore it is not said of Jacob, "They called him," 2c., as the firstborn is called Esau by the consent of all of them, but the father gave him the name.
And indeed, he has the name from the sole of the foot, as if one wanted to say, a transgressor. But this naming is more a wish, than a certain statement. Esau's name, on the other hand, is only a certain statement, not a wish. The same one will do such things. Because Jacob, who was the greater in his mother's womb, became the lesser in his birth and was overcome by the greater, the father thought, "God grant that you may become a true subordinate, as in the outward appearance.
It can be seen from your actions that you wanted to tread under the greater one, because you took his heel; but the divine voice has reversed it. Therefore he desires to be what he wanted to be, that is, a subordinate, not to his brother, the firstborn and the overcomer, but to be a subordinate of the Gentiles and other nations.
Thus, I think, Isaac initially understood the promise and birth of his two sons. For the fathers were not so holy and perfect as the monks dream of St. Augustine and other saints, of whom they write that they were completely perfect. And this is an example that proves that the holy fathers have always grown and increased in knowledge; just as all the godly must also grow for and for. For this reason God caused them to fall and err, so that we should know that knowledge, faith and love were imperfect in them, as a very grave case of Isaac is described hereafter.
By such examples we are taught that no man, however holy he may be, should be believed, but that we should look only to God, who calls us, and to His word. But that one studies and learns the word should not last only one or two years, for the word of God is an infinite thing.
The adversaries cry out: Ambrose, Augustine have taught thus or otherwise. But they do not concern us unless they bring the word of Christ. Whichever of them has the word and voice of God more clearly, I would rather follow him than Augustine or any other, whoever he may be. As Augustine teaches somewhat more clearly and more clearly and interprets the Scriptures better than Ambrose, and for this reason it is also more useful to read Augustine than Ambrose.
- but in general we should hold this of all, as the 119th Psalm v.
- says: "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path"; and 2 Peter 1:19: "We have a firm prophetic word, and you do well to take heed to it, as to a prophet.
80 L. VI, 204-206. interpretation of Genesis 25, 24-27. **W. II, 117-120.** 81
Light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. For it is impossible to learn everything so perfectly and completely, as it is perfect and pure in itself, because it still clings to us that we are carnally minded: but the same thing is being worked out in us through the challenges we have to suffer, so that the light in us may become clearer and clearer.
II.
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 godly man, and abode in the tents.
176 Therefore Moses tells how old Isaac was, so that his very pure chastity, in which he lived twenty years with Rebekah, might be shown and praised. After that it is also shown how they hoped and waited for the children for a long time, until they almost despaired of them. Because of this, these so holy married couples were tried and exercised with many temptations. They have not been so idle and sure that they should have gone so senselessly into fornication or carnal lust, as the lazy people of today are wont to do in these last days. Likewise they were strangers and had nothing of their own, but went to and fro with great patience and humility, as was said above about Abraham, which is the reason for all this.
Until now Abraham lived and lived for fifteen years with his children, but his life was much shorter than the other patriarchs. I do not doubt, however, that they will have been children of a good kind and well behaved. For they were both well brought up and instructed by Abraham himself in obedience, fear and due respect not only to their parents but also to the patriarchs. And perhaps Abraham also interpreted this promise, and considered it with the others, that Esau would have become the greater, because God would have given him in his mother's womb.
the victory, since he was the smaller one. He did not understand or see more of it. For he died before he had seen the customs and life of both, and also what they had been doing.
Now the holy scripture begins to describe the difference between these two brothers and to prove which of them is truly the greater and the lord, so that this promise may be rightly understood: "One people will become superior to the other"; item: "The greater will serve the lesser. But when they have grown up and become great, this difference begins to divide them from one another, and then each is recognized by the works in which he has excelled; as the old saying goes: Curvum se praebet, quod in uncum crescere debet, that is, What wants to become a hook, bends at times. For at that time there was no doubt that Esau should not be the firstborn, and that the promise should be made to him that he would be the greater and have the rule, but Jacob would have to serve as the lesser.
(179) But this is the description of the two brothers, as they say per antithesis, that is, comparing one with the other, in which Esau is described as having deprived himself of greatness and dominion through his own fault and merit, and that he will soon become the lesser. But Jacob shall have dominion and greatness; for Esau is a hunter and a husbandman. Yes, he is the lord, the right poet, the factotum, who is sure and puffed up because of the firstborn, and falls away from the promise and from the spirit to the outward and carnal honor; because he hears that he is the priest and the lord: from this arises with him soon contempt of his brother and spiritual gifts, and follows thereupon the hope of the flesh. Jacob, on the other hand, is refined, humble, quiet and simple, does not exalt himself beyond measure more than is proper, and does not seek his own honor; in sum, he is the sack-bearer and water-bearer.
180And is this the beginning of the abominable fall which Esau hath done, and is a right image?
82 L. VI, so". M7. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 26. 27. W. u, 120-123. 83
the whole world, which thus falls from the spirit to the flesh. For people despise that which is little, small, miserable and dangerous, and also subject to punishment and much trouble, and seek only great honor, seek peace and good days, wealth and friendship of great, powerful people.
But Esau did not feel his fall at first until he was deprived of the blessing; meanwhile he is proud and hopeful, does not ask anything about his father, does not honor him, takes a wife from the family of the Cananites, and is too defiant and relies on it, as if he could not be deprived of such great goods. Which way for and for all hypocrites, and those who are so very presumptuous, are wont to have; as it is written in the 10th Psalm v. 6-11. "The wicked saith in his heart, I will never lie down" 2c. "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it." But of the godly they say: They are heretics, they are cursed and damned; but we are the children of the kingdom, we are the church and God's people.
Thus all heretics, all opponents of the word, are at all times quite certain and certain that their thing shall please God. Yes, this affliction spreads so far that it cannot be sufficiently explained in words. Thus, in the beginning, the sacramentalists also cried out: "What we teach is the most certain truth. For all these are puffed up and proud of happiness according to the flesh, and of those things which the flesh seeks first of all, such as great honor and majesty, power, and that the mob acclaims them and praises them highly, but they are offended at the foolishness and weakness of the spirit.
For this reason Esau arrogated to himself the episcopate, and that he should have the chief rule in the church or congregation of Abraham; he did not much esteem obedience to his mother, as Jacob showed himself obedient. For it seemed almost a servant thing to be obedient to his mother in such small and domestic works, which are the duty of servants to perform, and also of Jacob. I, he thought, am the master of the house, Jacob must be the master.
I am the master in both states, Jacob is my servant. Therefore he is quite secure, and chooses such a station to live in, which is not arduous or difficult, but joyful and glorious. Esau, says Moses, is a hunter and a husbandman, not that he is really a husbandman in the field, although he undoubtedly had fields and other land, but it is a comparison of the work that the two brothers have done. Esau has practiced himself in the field with hunting, with riding and wars. But what did Jacob do? Answer: He was a simple, pious and upright man, and dwelt in the tabernacles, in sum, he was a man who kept himself quiet.
But it is impossible that Esau should not have fallen into many other vices. For a hunter, though he beware of other sins and vices, yet often sins with wrath and blasphemous cursing, if it be not according to his will in all things; and if we have great honor only outwardly according to the flesh, we are in certain danger. That is why the 62nd Psalm, v. 11, admonishes the rich and says: "If riches come to you, do not hang your heart on them"; and Job also says of himself in the 31st chapter, v. 24. V. 24: "Did I put gold for my confidence and say to the gold nugget, 'My comfort'?" That is, I was not proud and hopeful because of my abundance of money and goods, nor did I despise others. Item Job v. 17: "Have I eaten my morsel alone, and have not the orphan eaten of it also? 2c.
Therefore it is dangerous to have great money and goods, and in the gospel riches are called "thorns and unrighteous goods," and where the Holy Spirit is not present, the rich man is not in the number of those who suffer, but walks in his riches, and certainly falls into arrogance and contempt of God and man, Luc. 8, 7, and takes flesh for his arm, Jer. 17, 5, and takes good for his god and worships it, and thus wealth becomes a true idol. This is why Christ also says Matth. 6, 24: "You cannot
84 L. VI. 207-20S. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 26. 27. W. **II. 123-126. 85**
Serve God and Mammon." And it is an old saying among the Germans that they say: Good makes courage. This is not, however, as if the fault were in riches, but comes from our sinful flesh, which is so proud and hopeful, and always despises others.
- Secondly, the flesh also commits theft and robbery over and above this piety and idolatry, namely, when it does not follow Job's example of not giving its goods to the poor, not clothing the naked, and not performing other works of love. For the flesh is so very fond of money and goods and keeps them, that even the rich do not use or enjoy their wealth properly.
For this reason, first of all, the rich become idolatrous against the first table; secondly, they also become unjust and sin against their neighbor, becoming robbers and thieves. For they should give of their goods to the poor, and yet they give them nothing. There are indeed some who give something, but on condition that those who receive something from them should also be subject to them, that is, they give wickedly and only out of hope, not with simple eyes or hearts, but only that they want to be worshipped and highly praised.
Therefore it is very difficult for a rich man to be righteous and godly, because wealth is always associated with idolatry and contempt for one's neighbor. Yes, what can be said of the fact that they often do not abstain from public sin and vice, namely, that they steal other people's goods and food secretly, do violence and injustice to the poor orphans, and not only deprive the poor of the benefits they owe them, but also seize by force what they have left? Hence come the miser and usurer; which vices are also criminal in secular laws.
But I speak only of the rich, who outwardly abstain from stealing, so that they do not take from others what is theirs by force, and yet commit theft by giving nothing of their goods to the poor,
and do not realize that their wealth is a gift of God, are not grateful to God for it. The same is the nature and characteristic of all rich people, where the Holy Spirit is not present; as it was in Job, David and other pious, godly kings, who all had money and goods in full. But David says in Psalm 62, v. 11: "If riches come to you, do not set your heart on them."
- but there is a common danger in which the rich stand, namely, the sin of neglecting or neglecting to help the poor and needy with their goods, when God has earnestly commanded Isa. 58, 7: "Break bread for the hungry, and bring into the house those who are in misery" 2c. If you do not do this, you will hear the sad judgment Luc. 12, 48: "To whom much is commanded, of him much will be required." That is why it is very dangerous to be rich. And Isa. 53:9, the rich are put in the place of the wicked, so that there is no difference between the rich and the wicked, since they are without the Holy Spirit and are not godly and faithful. An ungodly person robs God of His glory, does not thank God for His gifts, and then refuses to help the poor. The same is done by a rich man who is without faith; therefore he is also ungodly.
191 So Esau always has a fierce desire and craving for carnal honor, for great power and wisdom for the sake of the firstborn. He does not want to be satisfied with the lowly servant status, as his brother Jacob does. He chooses the status of hunter and horseman, in which he could not live without sin, not even without committing sin, especially in hunting.
Not only do our princes sin by not doing enough in their office and by not taking care of their poor subjects, but they also sin quite seriously by burdening the poor with their much intemperate hunting, by spoiling the fruits of the poor peasants and farmers, and by making their fields completely desolate. And one may in no way drive the game away from the gardens or fields, but it may freely do harm, and spoil the field, which has been cultivated and sown with great effort and work.
86 L. VI, 209-211. interpretation of Genesis 25:26, 27. w. rr, 126-128. 87
and the fruits are cut off. There, not only is the protection down, so that they do not help their subjects, but they also do them great harm, which they should help. Because of this, the Turk or another hunter will finally come, who will take both their net and spear, which they use in hunting, from the hands of the German princes by force.
193 I say this so that we may know that hunting is not without great sin, and it has been disputed by many: Whether hunting is also a proper work? It is not in itself evil, and the fact that it is practiced can be Christian and good, as we have seen in the case of our most gracious lord, Duke Frederick of Saxony, of blessed memory. He hunted in such a way that he did no harm to anyone, and even benefited many. Whenever he heard that even a small damage had been done, he paid for it twice. He also often gave out several bushels of grain to the farmers, which they were supposed to have in exchange if the game ate something away from them. The same is fitting for a pious, praiseworthy prince. For we do not want to deprive the princes of their princely regalia and justice, which they have, as the peasants were subject to in the uprising in 1525.
194 Then this shall be the final cause, that the hunt shall be directed to drive away the horrible and harmful wild animals, such as wolves, bears and wild pigs, and that both, men and cattle, may be free and safe from them. The hunt should be done in such a way that the poor sheep and other innocent animals are protected. For a prince is officially obliged to do the same. The pagan poet also said: Parcere subjectis et debellare superbos, that is: He should spare the poor subjects, protect and shield them, and punish and exterminate the unruly and proud, by whom the subjects are damaged. According to this, the pleasure and enjoyment that one has in hunting is also honest in itself, which is permitted to those who
The hunter may use the same without harm or damage to his subjects. But where things are different, hunting is a very bad and harmful thing.
I am concerned because there is a suspicion that Esau was completely drowned in the flesh, that he often forgot about it and committed many sins, so that he did both harm and forgot to protect others. But because he is the firstborn and his father loves him especially, he does not sin and, in his opinion, does nothing evil or wrong, even in those things that are wrong in themselves. However, where he has sinned and done wrong, he will undoubtedly have concealed it from the Father. And he was able to do this because he was the highest ruler or regent in the house, so that he ruled over the household.
Now let us look at the other part of the comparison, where these two brothers are held against each other. "Jacob was a pious man, and abode in the tabernacles." They have all interpreted the Hebrew word tham in Latin, simplex, in German, silly: yet the text in Hebrew does not mean that. For the word tham does not mean one who is foolish of mind, that is, in whom there is no skill at all, but means one who is simple-minded, pious and sincere. And the same word is in the 119th Psalm, soon in the beginning: Beati immaculati etc., that is: "Blessed are those who live without change" 2c. For Jacob was not foolish or foolish of mind. As the same is to be seen afterwards, since he bought the firstborn from his brother. Lyra interprets it thus: sine plica dolositatis, that is, without all falsehood or deceit; and not foolish because there was no skill or understanding in him.
197 Esau was not such a pious, upright man, but was much more unstable and treacherous in will; for he took pagan wives in marriage and thus mingled with the Canaanites. The hunters are not sincere, they often do their thing so that they go around according to the time, things and persons; Jacob
88 D. VI. 211.212. Interpretation of I Moses 25, 26. 27. W. II. I28-IS1. 89
but is pious, sincere and constant, does not allow himself to be moved by any person, does not change his mind even when things happen differently, and yet is not foolish. This is a beautiful comparison of the two brothers.
Secondly, Jacob is not a man of war. He did not engage in any worldly or carnal dealings. However, the worldly government and all that belongs to it can be administered in a Christian and proper manner. Jacob, however, was very careful to stay in the huts, that is, he stayed at home with his father and mother and served them. And Lyra tells an opinion of the Jews about the tents, which pleases me very well, because it came from the fathers. For they say that the tabernacles are not only to be understood of those in which they dwelt, as in their houses, but that also the tabernacles are meant by it, in which they had their churches, as the tabernacle of Moses is called, by which also a holy tabernacle is understood. We call it churches and schools. At that time there was no difference between the holy tabernacles and the other ones in which they had their dwelling. Abraham had a house of God and a church in his tabernacle, just as every pious and godly householder nowadays teaches his children and servants the blessedness of God. Therefore such a house is a proper school and church, and a householder is a bishop, priest and pastor in his house. Thus the tabernacles in which Jacob dwelt were also holy, and in them he first sought the kingdom of God.
But Esau sought the kingdom of the world, and therefore he lost both the temporal and the spiritual kingdom. For this is a common rule that is true for all, namely, those who seek first the kingdom of God, to them the other will also fall. But again, those who first seek their own benefit and daily bread, before they seek the kingdom of God, will encounter the opposite, namely, that they will lose the kingdom of God with the external kingdom at the same time.
For this reason Jacob was for a time smaller and lesser than his brother. But
His heart and trust were completely devoted to God, and he was a good, pious, godly young man, went to church and school diligently and gladly, learned God's word and good customs, heard the sermon of the patriarch Shem and the others; as the Hebrews indicate and took from the fathers, namely, that this text should be understood from the tents of Shem and Eber, who lived eighty years with Jacob.
There have been very holy and pious men who have been inflamed with love for God's word, and have had much greater regard for religion and worship than we have. And we may rightly call our houses and churches huts, if someone has a church or congregation in his house, and teaches his children and servants in it, teaching them right godliness and good virtues. But the more fervent and joyful the spirit with which the word is acted, the more fruit it bears. Therefore, in this place of the Jews, I am pleased with the gloss and interpretation, and this is a good example of a pious and godly young man who does not get involved in worldly affairs first and foremost, who does not concern himself with things that the flesh is primarily concerned with.
(202) He did not forsake the worldly things; but he set his mind on the things that he might cleave unto the fathers, Shem, Salah, and Eber, and follow them in their doctrine. And from the annual account it is to be taken that Jacob lived with Eber eighty years, with Shem six and forty years, and with Salah three and thirty years. To the same fathers Jacob will have kept himself without doubt diligently and with due reverence, particularly to Eber. Because when Shem became old, he ordered the boy Jacob to the patriarch Eber. For Shem was the father of all the churches, as it is said above in Cap. 10, v. 21: "Shem, who is the father of all the children of Eber": therefore all the people and the whole church looked to him in his extreme old age. But Eber provided for and taught the church, for he bore the burden of government.
90 ". vi. 212-sit. Interpretation of I Genesis 25:26-28. W. n, i3i-ist. 91
can. Therefore I gladly applaud the words of the Jews or rather the fathers, since they say in this text that Jacob was not only at home in the hut, but also in foreign huts, and especially with Eber and Shem.
But Jacob abstained from the marriage state almost unto the seventy years. Esau, as the lord and even a man of the world, took Canaanites as wives when he was forty years old. These circumstances all indicate that Esau was exceedingly proud for the sake of the firstborn, that he despised his brother, that he did not respect the huts at all, and that he only devoted himself entirely to riding and hunting.
204 But this is not to be understood as if Esau had never been in the tabernacles, but that he had sometimes visited them with his brother and others. Just as the hypocrites diligently watch for it, and want to be thought holier and more pious than those who are truly holy, pious and godly. Therefore he was also a listener in his father's church, and sometimes of his own free will he also visited the other churches or common assembly, where Eber and Salah taught; but secretly and in silence he did not pay much attention to them: as with us the common crowd of Christians despises the ministry and the service. Why, they say, should I go to church? I can certainly read at home; and so they generally begin to despise the word, until they get into worldly affairs and become worldly and godless.
But pious and godly people should always diligently remember: He who seeks the kingdom of God shall find both; but he who despises the kingdom of God shall lose both. Therefore let them imagine this Jacob, that they may follow him, and that they may diligently hear and learn the word of God; in which place it is taught, there are the tabernacles of God. And each one shall certainly have it, if he has the word first of all, then all things will be given to him afterwards. For God was before the world was created, and He created all things through the Word.
For this reason, the Word also does and brings about everything.
This is the description of the two brothers. The holy scripture praises Jacob, and exalts him in religion and godliness, but Esau in worldly police; for he sought the kingdom of the world, which is justly punished in him. And there it may be seen how he fell and lost his firstborn, because he was so worldly and ungodly; and how Jacob received it, because he was devoted to religion and godly. From this we should learn that we should seek the kingdom of God first and foremost, and that we should not subordinate it to the efforts and desires of this world.
III.
V.28. And Isaac loved Esau, and did eat gladly of his woad; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
This part of the history is very dark, difficult and confused; because Moses sets here a strange difference between these two brothers: the father loves Esau and the mother Jacob. And the same comes from the fact that they both did not have the same nature, nor did they apply themselves to the same work. For all mothers have this in their nature, that they delight in children who are of a fine, quiet nature and of good manners; for the women who are pious and honorable are also by nature timid and gentle. As St. Peter 1 Ep. 3, 6. strengthens the women as weak instruments, and admonishes them that they should not be timid, and that they should not be afraid of anything. And by nature there is a difference between the nature of sons and daughters. The boys have a somewhat unruly nature about them; but the daughters are more sweet and are friendly to their parents.
(208) Therefore Rebekah loved Jacob by nature; for he had fine manners, kind and quiet; he was of a good, chaste, and shamefaced disposition, being also somewhat timid and fearful; for he feared his mother with all reverence, he heard the word and the sermons, kept the holy
92 L. VI, 214-216. Interpretation of Genesis 25, 28. W. n, 134-136. 93
Fathers in honor. All these things in young men are exceedingly pleasant and pleasing to their mothers, and they take special delight in them.
(209) But Rebekah was somewhat offended at the coarse manner and hard, unkind manners of Esau. But just as mothers love sons who are quiet and friendly more than those who are a little boisterous and bold, so fathers love sons who are a little quick and brave, and they are therefore considered to want to become clever and quick to accomplish something. And it is also fitting that the sons should be quicker than the daughters. Such was Esau also. And Isaac had the understanding that a brave and fresh courage belongs to the regiment, therefore he was favorable to Esau.
(210) But above that, which was the nature and manner of these brothers, they both had something in themselves, for which they were especially praised. Jacob was sincere and without falsehood, was holy and devoted to godliness, was even inflamed with great love and desire for the kingdom of God; this pleases his mother Rebekah well, for she is a pious, godly woman. Therefore she wishes and desires that Jacob should be the firstborn, and what was most noble was her desire that the promise should be fulfilled, that the greater should serve the lesser. In addition to the fact that Esau had a fine, sharp mind, he also had a special gift, that he was a good shot, as was said above (Cap. 21, v. 20) about Ishmael. This pleases the father, and he thinks that it is a beautiful ornament for the firstborn son, who should have and administer the reign: because the law of nature, which is known to all pagans, assigns the reign to the firstborn.
Now it is decreed differently in secular laws. But Esau, above the law of nature, also relied somewhat on the authority of the fathers and on the divine law, according to which the firstborn son was lord, but the other brothers were servants. This is the difference of the things, which this
two brothers, and also of the unequal love of the parents towards these twins. The fact that Jacob was godly brought him favor with his mother, but the father's reason is God's law that he is favorable and favorable to Esau for the sake of the firstborn. Although the mother is not so much interested in the firstborn as in him belonging to the line of pious fathers and being an heir to the promise, since Genesis 22:18 says, "Through your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed"; she desires to apply this inheritance primarily to Jacob.
At this point, however, a difficult question comes to mind, which I touched on a little above. The promise clearly says, "The greater shall serve the lesser." But now everyone knows that Esau is the greater, just as Jacob is the lesser; as everyone has to recognize and say. Whereas Isaac knew the promise according to which Jacob was to be the greater, he deliberately, knowingly and wickedly sinned against the manifest promise of God. What do we want to say here? For even though he has God's law for himself, which makes all the firstborn lords, God still has the power, as the founder of the law, to annul the law and to exempt from it those whom he wishes. Therefore Isaac is not excused because he has the law for himself and acts according to it, but he is to give the firstborn to Jacob and not to Esau, according to the promise; just as he is shocked afterwards, because Jacob has deprived Esau of the firstborn, as he knows himself guilty of sin.
(213) After this there is another question, whether Isaac knew or did not know this promise. For almost all of them interpret this text in such a way that it appears as if they are of the opinion that Rebekah kept this promise with her and concealed it from her husband. For that is why Isaac so constantly and wholeheartedly assigns the firstborn to his son Esau and not to Jacob.
- however, i cannot keep it well with these; for we have heard above (v. 21.) how Isaac asked for Rebekah and sent her to
94 2. vi. 2IS-L1S. Interpretation of Genesis 25:28. w. n. 13S-139. 95
to the patriarch Shem. Therefore, it is not true that Rebekah should have secretly kept the answer she heard from Shem, especially because she did not know at that time which one would come out first. Therefore I do not doubt that she talked with her husband about the answer she heard from the patriarch Shem, who said that the greater should serve the lesser. But when they are born, Isaac goes on, and applies the firstborn and the blessing due to his son Jacob to the godless Esau: the same is very poor and almost heavy, and there is still the question; and I do not know how we are to resolve the same. But I would like to follow this opinion, that Isaac, after he had heard the answer, how the two children would meet in the womb, thought that this was to be understood in such a way, that the one who would come out first, would have overcome the greater in the womb, because he was the lesser, and that therefore the dispute would now have its end and the promise would be fulfilled with it. Jacob was the greater in his mother's womb; but the divine promise has changed this order, so that Jacob, the tramp, has become the lesser and the last in birth.
This is what occurred to me to answer this question, although I am not allowed to say anything certain about it, nor do I want to. But it can be seen that it is very credible and almost in accordance with the truth. And I am moved by the example of Ishmael, of whom Abraham also thought that he would be the heir, since he still knew nothing of Isaac. V. 10: "I will multiply thy seed, and it shall not be numbered for multitude." There he understood the promise in no other way than that Ishmael would be the heir. For the promise is spoken in a very general way, and no clear and certain understanding can be taken from it until God Himself has interpreted His word. The promise, he says, is not to be understood by Ishmael, as you think, but by Sarah and her son.
216 It can therefore be seen as if Isaac was completely of the opinion that the
He did not object to or be moved by the fact that Esau was almost unruly and wild in nature and also in his manners, which unruliness and wild nature his mother used to punish in him, but thought that the same was fitting for the firstborn as the future lord and ruler. And if there was a fault in him, he hoped that when he grew older and made an effort to carry out his office diligently, such a fault in him would be corrected and fall away, and he would be able to get used to becoming a little more gentle.
217 I allow myself to think about this deed of Isaac's or to guess about it; but if his heart and opinion were different, and that he turned the blessing on Esau with knowledge and will, then he is not to be excused. Just as Rebekah cannot be excused for concealing from her husband the answer she heard from the patriarch Shem. Therefore one must remain on the middle road.
218 But because they both insist so firmly on their opinion (for the opinion that the man fasts is even directed to that he wants it so, but the mother's opinion is that she wishes and desires that it should go so as she would like it to go, and the same opinion is truer), therefore they dispute still further that Rebekah, by a strange and divine inspiration, had this understanding that the lesser would become the greater. Here I also admit that it is so. For so it was also given to Sarah by the Holy Spirit that the son Ishmael should be cast out. For it is not written or publicly commanded in any place that he should be cast out, but Sarah decided this on her own initiative and spirit, because she found many things in Ishmael that were contrary to the firstborn, and saw that he was persecuting the one who was born according to the promise. So Rebekah will also have had a special inspiration, which Isaac did not have.
- but one should not lightly and without
96 A. VI. 218-220. interpretation of Genesis 25:28-30. W. Q. I3S-I44. 97
It is dangerous to assume a certain cause for any giving, because it is dangerous with it. The pope says that the giving in of nature and the devil should sometimes be equal to the giving in of grace, and uses the history of the temptations of Christ as an example, Matth. 4, v. 1. ff. But this opinion is better, that the devil can disguise himself into an angel of light and change into the divine majesty, 2 Cor. 11, 14. Therefore God's word must come to such giving in; as Sarah's giving in arose from the fact that she knows that she has a promise, and that according to the same promise she is the mother of the right seed, which promise Ishmael did not have. Then she judges the tree from its fruit, because Ishmael pursues her son and the right heir, seeks only what is carnal, and teaches idolatry. This giving of Sarah is certain.
(220) In this way it may have been that Rebekah heard from the fathers: Your son Esau is a wild, untamed and cruel man, therefore he will not inherit the blessing; indeed, he goes to the temple or tabernacle, but he does not take godliness seriously to heart; but Jacob is pious and godly; therefore it will happen that he will become the greater. In addition, there is the example and experience of himself, because Esau becomes ungodly and increasingly angry; whereas Jacob strives for the kingdom of heaven, grows and increases in godliness and other virtues. The same giving in is also good and certain.
So we must always make sure that we have a certain word, or, since the commandment of God does not always precede it, we will see after the fact what the giving was. Just as David killed the lion, the bear, and Goliath, the Philistine, but the Spirit fell on him, this was the inspiration that was seen only after the fact. And what such inspirations are, they have God's word as their basis, or if they are without word at first, they are recognized afterwards and considered to have come from God. As it is also known to us
went. We attacked the pope without a word; but now we see that it was a divine statement, without our thoughts and advice. But more of that another time.
222 Now Rebekah continues to advise how Jacob can have the firstborn. Esau is quite sure and thinks that he has now escaped the danger altogether, since he is the firstborn and the lord; but now an opportunity follows by which he loses the firstborn altogether.
Fifth piece.
How Esau sold his firstborn and how Jacob took it.
V. 29, 30: 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 he is called Edom.
Moses has described up to now how the two brothers have been unequal in the works they have done, namely, that Esau was a farmer and a hunter, that is, that he asked little about godliness, about the preaching and teaching of the fathers, who were still alive at that time. But it happened to him, as it tends to happen to everyone when they despise the little things, that they also tend to lose the big things. For he considered it a small thing, that in matters concerning godliness he was somewhat more negligent and lazy than Jacob; that he was not so eager for divine things, for the knowledge of God and for the service of God. But because of this he has generally become colder and more careless, and has come to despise even the firstborn.
After that he fell into such security and pride that he thought he could cheat his brother with impunity, as if he had not been serious about selling him the firstborn. For he thought that it could not or would not happen that the firstborn should come to his brother, but the same was due to him, and also hoped that he would keep the blessing forever. So he mocks his brother, and
98 D. VI. 220-222. interpretation of Genesis 25:29, 30. w. n, 144-147. 99
thus becomes even a godless man against GOD, against the people and his own brother.
Such an ungodly nature and certainty tends to follow from it: where one despises God's word and does not practice it diligently, people become atheists, epicureans and even foolish, that they have neither sense nor reason anymore. The examples of even the greatest people testify to the same. David was a very holy man, was very fervent in worship, but see how easily and quickly he fell into adultery, death and blasphemy. For where one is drowsy and indolent in the word of God, and also secure, it is just as much as where one opens the devil's door and window. Therefore we are commanded to watch, as it is written in 1 Pet 5:8: "Be sober and watchful, for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour"; item Eph 5:15, 16: "Watch therefore how you walk carefully, not as the unwise but as the wise, and prepare yourselves for the time to come" 2c. Because of safety and being careless and diligent in godly matters, great grievous cases and abominable sins have often come to pass.
Yes, even in worldly matters it is important to be brave, and whether one takes the opportunity or misses it. As the Turks are eager to do, they always know how to take advantage of the opportunity. That is why they have won many a victory against us in a short time. In 1532 our emperor also had a good opportunity to attack the Turks splendidly, namely before Vienna in Austria. But since he missed it, we are now looking for another opportunity in vain.
For this reason we should accustom our hearts to love the first table with all our hearts. Wherever one is to go into the field, or take up any other office in the household or in the world, the first and foremost care should be to attend earnestly to the kingdom of God; but where this is neglected, we can see how miserably Esau falls away, so that he does not even have a heart for the kingdom of God.
mermehr again looks. On the other hand, Jacob grows and becomes the firstborn by very fine opportunity. Esau has the name and the glory of being the firstborn, but in the meantime he soon and grievously falls away and is robbed of all honor and glory. Therefore remember that thou be not drowsy, but that thou take heed to all occasions, lest by carelessness thou lose thy gifts and the kingdom of God. For this reason the Scriptures have set before us this example, not as a cold and dead history in vain, but to teach us and remind us how all things and persons are now and at all times.
The Holy Spirit wants us to have these two brothers always before our eyes and to make a daily saying of them. For at all times we are either Esauites or Jacobites. Esau is holy and spiritual before all others in outward appearance, and allows himself to be regarded as an heir of the kingdom of heaven, and as already possessing it, and yet is nothing more than a true Esau, that is, a saint of works and a hypocrite, who does not take religion seriously, is only outwardly pious for the sake of pleasure and belly, and cannot be deprived of the name or title of the church. Just as we do not have the name of the church in the eyes of the world, but are considered heretics and those who are born afterwards. But the Papists know how to boast that they are the firstborn. And even if we were to overcome the pope and his followers, and win with this doctrine of ours, which is actually the doctrine of the true church, there would still arise among us papists or Turks who would arrogate to themselves the title and name of the church, as the Anabaptists and sacramentalists have been until now; and it cannot be otherwise. Thus, since the pagans who persecuted the church were overcome, the Arians soon arose, who seized the name of the church by force, and the true church was even despised. Thus Cain or Abel, Esau or Jacob, always come from the same tribe and also from the same salvific gospel.
100 D. VI. 222-224. interpretation of Genesis 25:29, 30. w. II. I47-I". 101
229 So Esau is the bishop, the factotum, and is the church, and yet nothing of this is due him. For the whole blessing is turned by divine command upon Jacob, who is the rightful heir of all honors and of the kingdom of heaven; but hitherto he has been deprived of the name and glory due to him, until his brother Esau himself gives him a wonderful opportunity to attain this glory; which opportunity surpasses all the hopes and thoughts of Jacob. And in sum, it rises badly above the mush. Jacob does not think that he wanted to deceive his brother. But it all happens by divine order and counsel, since no one, neither Jacob nor Esau, thought of it or was willing to do so.
230 Jacob is doing common ordinary works, he is with his mother Rebekah in the hut cooking a porridge; God turns this simplicity into a wonderful opportunity. For Esau comes back from the field and is weary that he had been so diligent in the hunt. The same diligence pleased his father Isaac well; and he lets himself be seen as having brought nothing to eat, because he was not only tired, but also hungry and thirsty. And therefore he asked with such eagerness that Jacob would let him taste the red dish. For he repeated it twice: "Let me," he said, "taste the red dish, yes, the very red dish." This indicates how he had such a great desire and craving for the food. As if a hungry person would say, "Let me eat the carp with you, and the very carp that I crave. Moses wanted to show in him that he was not only hungry and tired, but also had a great desire to eat, because he looked at the red dish with special pleasure and desired it.
But I want to have ordered this text to the Hebrew grammarians that they interpret it a little more diligently. For it is impossible that one should interpret a language in such a way that one could retain the emphasis in all places, as well as the figures in all words and sentences.
232 The Hebrew word that Esau uses when he addresses Jacob, halitheni, is
nowhere else but in this place. But what it means, the Hebrews themselves do not know and I cannot know it either. The conjugation and construction, as it is called in grammar, indicates the meaning to some extent. He wants to say: I ask you, feed me, feed me, give me to eat. The holy scripture did not want to speak in this way without a reason; it could have used another word that means to feed or nourish or something like that, but it wanted to use a special word. Rabbi Solomon writes that Esau was so tired that he could not bring his hands to his mouth and put the food in himself. I do not know, however, whether this rhymes with what follows, since the text says: "He ate and drank, and got up and went away. But this is the opinion and the right understanding, that Esau wanted Jacob to give him the meal that he had cooked for himself, and said to him, "Feed me or refresh me with this red meal.
The fact that in the text is added: "Therefore he is called Edom", is not in vain or in vain added, although it can be seen that the cause of this name is ridiculous and inconsistent enough, namely, that he should have the name of the lentil mush or of the red dish. But there is no doubt that something greater is hidden under it. For above (v. 25), when he was born entirely reddish, he was not called Edom because of his reddish skin, which would be a more important and legitimate cause of the same surname; but there his name is Esau: now that he has become full of the red dish, he is called Edom.
234 And he hath three names. Esau is his right name, which he received when he was born or when he was circumcised. The surname is Edom of the red court. The third name is Seir. Above the two names are put together, Edom and Seir, and yet he is called Esau. He received the name Seir either from the mountain on which he lived, which was called Seir before,
102 L. VI, S24-WS. Interpretation of Genesis 25:29-34. W. n, IÜO-ISS. 103
or from the roughness, because he was reddish and rough, and perhaps also the country, so he had, was hard and rough. Therefore the Idumeans are called the people Seir just from Esau, who had the mountain Seir in possession, or that in the same country the seirim lived, that is, the hardly and pilosi, whom we call the wild rough men. But whether in the country such wild rough men have dwelt or not, I cannot know. Otherwise, in the Bible, the seirim are understood by the devils, who tend to appear in the form of wild men.
V.31-34. But Jacob said, Sell me this day thy firstborn. Esau answered, Behold, I must die; what then shall my firstborn be to me? And Jacob said, Swear unto me this day. And he sware unto him, and sold Jacob his firstborn. Then Jacob gave him bread and the lentil dish, and he ate and drank, and rose up and went away. So Esau despised his firstborn.
There is a great question here about the buying and selling of the firstborn, for it is a spiritual good that must neither be bought nor sold. Therefore it is asked whether both have sinned, the one with selling, the other with buying. Lyra says that Esau sinned by selling the firstborn; but of Jacob he says that he did not sin by buying it, therefore he was the firstborn according to the divine order; as the saying goes, "The greater shall serve the lesser."
236 Esau had the firstborn, which was not his; for though he took it by birth, yet by God's will he did not have it, but, as it is said, he that possesseth and hath possession of an estate hath it so much the better. Therefore Jacob could not disturb him in his possession, and Esau also protected himself with worldly and divine right, and in addition also with the birth; which pieces all assign the possession and the property to the firstborn twin with all peoples. Above this, the law also gives him two shares in the father's estate.
goods. Therefore, if God had not changed and revoked this right, Esau would have retained the firstborn. But because Jacob knows from the divine voice that it is due to him, he does not sin by claiming his right, but he has done well in this, that he has watched for every opportunity, so that he might obtain the firstborn, which is due to him by right.
237 But this could not have been done in any other or better way than that his brother sold it to him. For although the dish he had cooked, or the soup, is not worth so much as to pay for the firstborn with it, it nevertheless serves to prevent him from being accused or plagued before the court. For this often happens, that one is unfairly plagued by sycophants and slanderers, who accuse him in court, and try, either by false witnesses, which they bring in, or by other cunning tricks, which they have invented and devised, to take away his goods and chattels, under the pretense that he did not rightfully possess and hold them. Those who would like to have peace there, even though they could defend and preserve their rights, would much rather give money to such sycophants who have so falsely accused them than to quarrel and wrangle with them for a long time in court, so that they can be rid of their false accusation. There the common saying applies that one must put two candles on the devil. In this way Jacob gave the red judgment and saved himself, so that his brother, who boasts of being the firstborn, was not allowed to torment him in court, so that afterwards he might possess his property and his due right with good peace. This is about what Lyra said in this place, well and godly enough, considering the time in which he lived.
238] But I have said above in the history of Abraham of simony, who bought a field for burial, Gen. 23. v. 16, namely, whether Abraham should be called a simoniac for this reason, because the burial is also among the spiritual goods.
104 2. VI. 226. 227. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. W. n. IS2-IÜS. 105
and where one buys or sells such spiritual goods, such is called simony? But we have heard that the same purchased field was a worldly property, and that was subject to its physical lord. And where a field is sold, it is a civil transaction, as one citizen buys and sells with another. Therefore Abraham did not sin when he bought the field and made a burial there; for otherwise it would all be mere simony what the Christians buy for their daily needs, as bread, meat, wine, all of which the saints or believers use for their own use; which is a very unreasonable thing if one were to judge it in this way.
The laws and canons call it simony, where one buys spiritual goods for money. For example, when a churchyard or burial ground is sold, they say it is simony, because among Christians it is ecclesiastical property. Item, where one sells a part of a parish, for example, or property belonging to the ecclesiastical benefices or fiefs, which they also call ecclesiastical fiefs.
240 This was the great sin, for which the theologians and canonists unanimously scolded so vehemently before this time, and condemned the bishops and Roman curtisans (courtiers), who bought and sold the bishoprics. But they could not achieve anything with their great clamor and are now mocked by the whole papacy; which papacy with its substance and essence is full of simony, and if you take away the simony from the papacy, you have already taken out the sun. For the Curtisans have nothing else to do but buy and sell spiritual fiefdoms.
Therefore, if one wanted to reform the Roman Church from simony, it would be nothing else than to destroy it to the ground and even to exterminate it. Where will the glory and great splendor of the cardinals at the court of Rome remain if you take away the simony there? Yes, then the whole court of Rome will go down to the ground and fall away. For there are too many cardinals, all of whom are now spiritual.
The Cardinals have devoured and consumed the church property. The Cardinals have seized and consumed the monastery of St. Agnes in Rome, in which a hundred and sixty people have been nourished and maintained. Therefore, everything is full of simony according to the pope's spiritual right, and whoever wanted to take away simony from the papacy would do as much as if he wanted to put the devil in heaven.
242 Johann Huss and others who led the teaching office at that time almost punished this vice severely, but it was all in vain and in vain. For the court of Rome is a damned thing, from which everyone should beware and curse it; what good can it teach from faith and good works? The papacy is an assembly of devils and the most shameful people. They condemn simony and yet live from it themselves, and therefore have their livelihood. That is why St. John admonishes us in his Revelation at the 18th Cap. V. 4. 5, when he says of Babylon: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not any of her plagues: for her sins reach unto heaven, and God remembereth her iniquities" 2c. They are all the devil's pens or churches, therefore we should flee from them so that we do not share in their plagues.
But we could excuse this theft of theirs with a gloss, that it is not called simony; for it is a worldly robbery, and there is no difference between such simony and where one otherwise takes an estate in a worldly way with injustice: not differently, as we see now in our time, that those of the nobility quarrel with each other, and take the lying goods, fields, carriages and villages from each other; to that our fiefs and salaries, which we use, are also acquired by simony. They are collected from whores' wages, as it is written in the prophet Micah in 1 Cap. V. 7. But when they seize the church goods, they do not use them to maintain pious priests or church servants, but use them only for abundance, for their splendor, and that they may live on them in luxury. We who
106 D. VI, 227-229. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. W. n. ISS-ISS. 107
They are for the right use, namely, that the church servants are nourished, and the schools are appointed and maintained. For this reason we do not pay attention to simony, but because they complain about their spiritual right, we say to them: "Out of your mouth I judge you" 2c., Luc. 19, 22.
This is true simony, where spiritual things are bought and sold for money. As if one wanted to buy God's grace, faith, love, miracles, gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, so that the church and congregation of God would be adorned, and deal with it, as Simon undertook in the stories of the apostles in the 8th chapter. V. 19; not that such a spiritual thing in itself could be given to one who buys or sells such a sanctuary. For the Holy Spirit does not give His gifts for money, nor does God take gold or silver for the forgiveness of sins, for life, for the eyes, senses and reason, and for all the other benefits He has bestowed upon us: But according to his divine goodness he scatters and distributes his gifts to both the grateful and the ungrateful, demanding of us only thanksgiving, that we say, Praise be to God the Lord in his gifts; so that the Godhead may be ascribed to him, that is, that we may recognize him as our God, whom we should also confess with all our heart, mouth and works, that he is the Creator. Otherwise, we cannot give him anything else for such great gifts or pay him for them.
But one should see what is the intention and the will of those who buy or sell spiritual gifts. The intention of Simon in the stories of the apostles is simony. For he desires that it may happen to him, that he may receive the Holy Spirit for his money. This is also the meaning of the words when we ask that God be honored and praised, and that His kingdom be preserved. God cannot be dishonored or reviled, for He is essentially the glory, the power and the goodness Himself. But our purpose and will is so done that we desire that there be no God, and that His glory be only to be honored.
become disgraceful. And we prove the same against His word and sacraments. Thus, if we could insult or revile God as we revile His Word and Sacraments, we would not refrain from doing so.
This, then, is true simony, namely, such buying and selling as is practiced and practiced with God's Word and the sacraments, with the church and the saints. The pope did not understand this simony and still does not understand it today; although the whole papacy is drowned in it, and was afflicted with simony long before it got into it according to the spiritual laws. For they have sold heaven, forgiveness of sins, God's grace and the Holy Spirit for their works. That is why so many churches, monasteries, masses, indulgences and monastic orders came into being, with which works we wanted to earn God's grace.
In this way they have made of God a merchant, who does not want to give the kingdom of heaven for free and by grace, but for money and human merit. For even though he offers to give it out of grace, they throw away such gracious and undeserved benefits and spend a hundred or a thousand guilders to build monasteries and churches and such like things, so that they may redeem and take possession of the grace and benefits of God. Doesn't that mean buying grace and forgiveness of sins and dealing with them? And the pope has been such a companion, since he was also the best of all, and with such simony he has filled the whole world, so much so that the world is now nothing else but such an impure place, which is full of true simony. For what else do the monasteries and convents do but take money and deal with godliness.
248 But to speak of it in fact, it is impossible to buy God's grace; and if you were to subject yourself to it, it would be just as much as if you wanted to milk a goat, that is, you would do it in vain and only a lost labor. The pope milks the goat, the people
108 2. VI, 229-231. interpretation of Genesis 25, 31-34. W. n, 1S8-16I. 109
keeps the sieve under, as they say in Proverbs. Now if it were possible that the pope might be reformed and the very gross simony might be swept out, yet they cannot be cleansed from the right simony. For this is the heart and soul of the pope. As the soul is the substance and essence of the body, so the pope is a Simonist with body and soul. But if the simony were to be taken away and abolished, all the splendor, honor and glory of the pope would soon fall away, and he would remain only a bishop of Rome.
Therefore, one can see how much great danger and evil is in the papacy, what a maw it is, and how the whole world is so horribly devoured by the primacy of the pope, since he alone wanted to be the supreme bishop and head of the church. That is why we must fight this beast with complete seriousness. And yet they fight even more for the Pope to keep his primacy, which he has arrogated to himself, completely and perfectly. But what would that be but to give back to simony its soul and life? It is truly an abominable blasphemy and shameful abuse of the name of God, which will be punished with eternal damnation. For they have taken the word, the name of God and the church by force, and yet nothing has been bought. They only pretended that God was such a God who wanted to sell grace. Their intention and will was Simonian. But actually it is in itself all only the goat and the sieve, that is, vain lost and futile thing, with which they have gone around.
But this error is planted by nature in the hearts of all people, namely, if God wanted to sell His grace, we would accept it much sooner and more willingly, because He offers it to us for free and without our merit. Before, when simony reigned and was in full swing, all people were very eager and eager to build innumerable monasteries and churches. Because they wanted to buy and sell the kingdom of heaven with it. Now, since it is given to the people for free and without any
and since it is said: God sent his Son into the flesh and made him man, so that he might give eternal life to all who believe in him; you have earned nothing at all, these goods are given to you by grace, namely, salvation from death and sins, the Holy Spirit and the kingdom of heaven: the world despises this mercy and kindness of God. Before, when we were taught how we could earn the grace of God by our works, people often ran to it, and everyone spent everything he could on it. How this small town of Wittenberg gave a thousand guilders annually to the monks.
251 The saying of Ambrose, which is very harmful, was highly praised everywhere: Regnum coelorum est pauperum, that is: The kingdom of heaven is for the poor, namely, from the saying of Christ Luc. 16, 9: "That they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. The saying has gone through the hearts of all men like a sharp shear rattle. Then they cried out, "If the rich want to be saved, they must buy it from the poor; but the poor are the Franciscans or the barefoot friars (fratres minores) and the other spiritual brothers, who have the kingdom of heaven in their hands; from them you must buy it.
What then is this abomination and monster, that the world so shamefully despises the redemption from sin, death and hell, which is offered to us by grace through Christ? If simony were to reign again and become prevalent, people would generously turn all their goods over to it; but if we now teach from God's word and Christ's command and say: "Dear man, accept the benefits of God by grace, and also give the pastors, church and school servants again for free, so that you do not ask for anything in return: no one wants to hear that, people are even deaf, yes, they rob those whom they should help cheaply and whom they should hold in honor. Is not this a frightening madness of darkness? So all men are afflicted with the vice of simony, and yet one cannot sell such things. For God has never given
110 L. VI. 231-233. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. W. II. 1S1-1K3. 111
The monks were not given anything else for their monastic vows, except hellish fire and eternal torment and torture.
253 But now it may be seen what a miserable and dangerous thing it is, where one has fallen away from the right main doctrine, from the justification of faith and how one must be saved without works. For where this doctrine is darkened and extinguished, the whole world is afflicted with simony. Thus, the Turks also subject themselves to propitiate God with their works, and to buy the spiritual gifts for money and their own merit. Therefore, it is a simony by name, like the one described in the spiritual law of the pope. For they do not solve or obtain anything with money or their own merit, but the intention and the will is so deeply ingrained in the heart of man that all men are by nature afflicted with the vice of simony that they would like God to be such a God who could be reconciled with the works and merit of men, to whom they could rise up and reproach: I have done much good, I have fasted much, you must see that and sell me blessedness and eternal life for it. But God does not know or hear such evildoers, and holds His will before us in the apostolic teaching. As St. Paul says in Eph. 2, 8. 9: "By grace you have been justified" and "have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast." Where this grace is abolished, there is no longer any difference between Turks and the pope, between Gentiles and Jews, so they are all afflicted with simony, are real caprimulgi, Bockmelker.
254 Simony, of which the canonists write, is something lighter and only bodily, which is to be drawn on external and worldly robbery: but if the pope takes crowns, cities, and land from kings and other monarchs, that he may commemorate them in the mass; if he puts on the appearance of godliness, and wants to be regarded and held as the most pious and holy: there he is the most wicked, and is altogether a
Simonist. For there he only does harm with his example and confesses simony with outward or worldly robbery; but here he does not confess sin, but praises and extols his righteousness and religion.
For this reason, I wanted to remind you that you can understand what true simony is, and that we remain with the pure doctrine, which teaches us how God gave us His Son, and through Him all heavenly and spiritual goods, which the world wants to buy for money and the merit of works, and not receive and accept for free and by grace.
Now let us return to the history. It can be seen as if Jacob had insisted on the purchase, so that he cannot be excused and absolved from the vice of simony. For he clearly says, "Sell me your firstborn." But by what right does he demand the same, and commit such a great sin, that he may presume to buy the blessing, which is spiritual, and pertains to Christ and things to come, which are all holy and pertain to the life to come?
In this life all things are worldly, unholy, and defiled; but the sacraments and other holy things are not instituted and ordained for the sake of this present life, but that they may be a holy preparation for things to come. For by the gospel I am prepared, born again, and changed unto the life to come; it is not given unto me that I should be enriched thereby. But he that is a minister or preacher, and preacheth the gospel that he may get riches and honor of this world thereby, is afflicted with the vice of simony. So this is the use and benefit of baptism, that by it I am transferred out of my mother's womb and out of the grave and placed in paradise, and out of death into life. For this reason I do not seek the pleasure and joy of this world, but need spiritual gifts, so that when the bodily gifts cease, I may then be led out of this life into eternal life and immortality. Whoever is a priest for this reason, absolves or administers sacraments, so that
112 L.VI.WS-23S. Interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. **W. II, 1SS-16S.** 113
he who wants to gain honor and power from it, he is afflicted with simony according to the rough definition, as the Canonists have described simony; but he is not in the number of those who find something more subtle and bending, and want to earn eternal life with works.
258 But why does Jacob ask that the firstborn be sold to him? And because he wants to buy it, it follows that it is a bargain. To this I answer: Jacob has regard to the opportunity by which he would obtain the firstborn, and he has wanted to make use of this opportunity.
259 Then his brother Esau is counted among those who are grossly and outwardly burdened with simony, that is, he has sought nothing else in spiritual blessings but to fill his belly with them. For he did not go into the tabernacle, but despised the service. He first despised the small things, until he fell into contempt of the greater goods, as Cain, the firstborn, also did. Esau did not understand how great the blessing was, so he sold it for such goods and pleasures as pertain only to this present world, so that he was truly deprived of the firstborn and all goods before God. Therefore Jacob diligently took care of the present occasion, and became one with his brother, that he should give him certain payment, that hereafter his brother might not make a noise or other displeasure to him for the sake of the firstborn, and that for this cause he might not impose or reproach him.
So today the pope has the name of the church and we do not have it, but we know that we are truly the church. For we have the word, the holy sacraments, and the keys which Christ left and commanded to be used, not that they should serve our power and lusts of this life, but that they should prepare us for the future of the Son of God. Therefore we are the true church.
261 But the pope appropriates this title and name because he is in possession of it, and boasts that he is the successor and heir to the chair of Peter and Paul. If I now
would make such a contract with the pope and say to him: I will give you so many thousand florins annually that you will let me preach the gospel freely, purely and loudly, would that also be simony? Answer: No, because I do not buy what I already have, namely, the right use of the holy sacraments, the pure teaching of the gospel, of faith, of hope, since I am waiting for the life to come, all of which is already permitted to me even against the will of the pope and without his power or authority. But I seek only this, since I offer to give him a thousand florins to buy myself out of his torment. Therefore I do not buy anything from him, but only throw a soup and a red lentil dish to the adversary, so that I may deprive the pope of the name he bears, that he wants to be the church: otherwise I do not respect his bulls and letters of indulgence at all. For this reason, I would advise the princes of our part to give him several thousand crowns annually for the sake of the cause, so that the bloodshed and other troubles may cease more and the gospel may be spread in peace. This is not a simony, but a redemtio vexationis, that one buys it from him, that he should not plague us like this.
262 Therefore when Jacob says to Esau, "Sell me your firstborn," this is not a true purchase. For the firstborn had already belonged to Jacob, and Esau was deprived of it. With Jacob is the possession, but he does not have the name. With Esau is the name and not the right possession. But because Jacob sees that Esau has no other mind, or does not seek anything else in your blessing except to fill his belly, just as the priest seeks only his honor and power under the pretense that he bears the name of the church, he throws soup into the mouth of Cerberus, so that he will not trouble him with it later.
In this way I would wish that our princes would give twenty thousand florins annually to the emperor, so that the teaching of the gospel might be preached in peace and quiet. Yes, someone would like to say, so I hear, you want to give money for such spiritual gifts? Ant-
114 L. VI, 235. 236. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. w. n, 166-1SS. 115
Wart: By no means; for what we already have, we do not buy, nor can they take it from us, but we want to spend the money so that they will leave us unattended and that the pope and emperor will give us peace.
But, dear pope and cardinals, you should know that these spiritual goods are not yours, but ours. And even if the pope would never give them both in the sacrament, we still have them from God, and they cannot sell them; or, if they would, they will milk the goat and maintain the sieve. We have both forms against the will of the pope and with God's permission. But if they will not cease to persecute, choke and rob us, we will make such a treaty with them that they will eat the red judgment; but they shall not retain the honor of having given or bestowed upon us both forms of the sacrament and other such spiritual gifts. For that would be as much as if we would consent to their power, which they arrogate to themselves, and confirm it. And this is a divine and holy good, which I cannot buy for any money. That is why we do not want to have it given or given by the pope.
Thus Esau (as well as Ishmael in Genesis 21:9) will undoubtedly have done much to displease his brother Jacob and will have ruled over him defiantly, so that he would be the lord and firstborn; Jacob, however, must be considered a servant and a fool. From such persecution, and that his brother caused him such vexation, Jacob wanted to free himself and save himself, so that he could safely claim the spiritual blessing.
Thus, many devout Christians are found today who leave the cities for the sake of the confession of the gospel, so that they do not have to suffer the tyranny of the papists. And St. Paul also says Romans 12:18: "If it be possible, as much as is in you, be at peace with all men." If the adversaries will not keep the peace, give them a red judgment, that they may let thee have peace; that is, that they may let thee use with peace the goods which thou hast already.
Now follows Esau's answer to his brother's request. "Behold," he says, "I must die; what then shall the firstborn be to me?" Then the wicked man despairs, and has betrayed himself with his own testimony that he had a godless heart. Shall one then deal with religion, with godliness and the firstborn? Should we no longer think of it? For now he publicly confesses that he does not understand the firstborn, and that he does not consider it an inheritance of the future life and a holy thing.
But if the firstborn were of no use but for the great honor and riches of this life, where would faith be, where would hope and waiting for eternal goods remain? So let us now say with the ungodly and Epicureans, as they are wont to say. When they hear that heaven is called, they answer and say: What heaven! would we have flour here. As the pope also thinks nothing more of the church and keys: What sayest thou to me much about keys? I must use them, that with them I may gather money and goods, and conquer kings and princes. These are the Esauitic words of the wicked, who think that godliness consists only in having great profit and enjoyment from it; and would soon say good night to Christ and his gospel and let them go, if they could not have great happiness and much money and good from it in time.
269 Therefore this is a very brave testimony from the holy scripture, that Esau has already lost the firstborn. For he is judged out of his own mouth, though no doubt he will have thought thus: I am the LORD; I will sell the firstborn, but I will mock my brother with it. For though I will sell it to him, yet can I bring it again to myself. So he mocked his brother and despised him. Just as the pope with his larvae mocked the whole world and deceived it when he sold his good works and indulgences; and he thought that it should remain so for him and that everything would go out freely for him, and that no one would have to punish him for it, or else he would finally be able to repent again.
116 D. ^1. 237. 238. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. w. II, I6S-I72. 117
270 And today there are also many who disgracefully abuse the teaching of the gospel, and can nevertheless caress themselves and say: Although I now lie in sin and am ungodly, I will finally repent again and come to life. Just as some say of Duke George, "Well, he may well have been converted at his last end, when he was supposed to depart from this life. But all of them will finally hear this sad verdict from the saying that is written about Esau in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 12, 17: "But know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no room for repentance, even though he sought it with tears.
-So the antinomians also enjoy the goods of this world, that it may go well with them only in this life, and say that they want to convert and repent in his time; thus they despise their blessings, the church, baptism, the keys, forgiveness of sins, eternal life and God's grace; they receive them all in vain; they miss the pleasant time and the day of salvation, of which St. Paul says 2 Cor. 6, 2. Paul says 2 Cor. 6, 2. But afterwards they will seek in vain such an opportunity as they have now missed and despised, and will then have waited too long; as the bride in Solomon's Song of Songs laments in 5 Cap. V. 6: "When I had opened the door to my friend, he was gone and gone away."
272 Therefore, when Esau says, "Behold, I must die; what then shall the firstborn be to me?" he indicates that he had thought only of the belly, how he might fill it, and that he had rejected the promise as vain and of no use to the life to come; even as the Epicureans of this day also say, Why is it necessary that one should hear the gospel, use the keys, or the Lord's supper?
But Jacob is of a much different mind, and knows that such holy things serve as preparation for the life to come. That is why he holds them in high esteem, and he is completely filled with great love, which he bears for such divine things. But those who want to use them only for this life, the same as those who do not.
The people are deprived of them by divine right and power. For there it is their free will that they sell or reject such divine goods with good knowledge and will.
274 Now that Jacob sees that the right time is now, he stops with his request and wants the contract to be confirmed and executed. "So swear to me," he says, "today," or now, soon in this hour. For one should not miss such an opportunity. "Then Esau sware unto him, and so Jacob sold his firstborn." We should also deal with the papists in the same way, if they would swear and set up guarantors, and also give a letter and seal that they would not start a war against us, then we would immediately give them a red lentil dish.
Now there is still another question left, which is suggested by others here. We will deal with it so that it does not mislead the reader, namely, whether the red judgment was the price for which Jacob bought the firstborn from his brother? To this they answer, saying that it was not the actual purchase price Jacob gave for the firstborn, because the firstborn was a very great and precious thing. Therefore, they say, it is not according to the truth that Esau should have taken this bad judgment as payment for the firstborn. Therefore they say that this dish was only a pledge to confirm the purchase, which Esau received as a sign that he had sold Jacob the firstborn; just as in our country it is customary to place a jug of wine or two between the buyer and seller as a sign that one has bought something from the other. The Germans call it a Gleichkauf.
This opinion came from the books of the Jewish rabbis, and we reject it and do not accept it, as one must do with all their opinions, namely, that one should keep the good that is in it, but reject and beware of what is evil and wrong. For this opinion here is directly contrary to the clear text in the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 12, 16.
118 L.Vl, 23S-240. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. **W. II, 172-175.** 119
It is clearly stated that Esau sold his firstborn for the sake of food.
For the Holy Scriptures have intended to illustrate the nature and customs of the false and hypocritical church, which one must learn to recognize and understand by its customs, of which Esau was the model and figure. For this church is accustomed to boast of the name of God almost highly and wants to be the church and be held for the church by force, and it is also before the world, as Esau has the firstborn; but he despises it and through such contempt he has also lost it. For he is again despised, rejected and robbed. Therefore his boast is nothing, just as the boast of the papists is nothing, who may boast that they are the church and successors of the apostles. For he who wants to be the church must truly esteem the firstborn great, not only here in this life, but also after this one.
278 And this quarrel endures in the world for ever. As Esau quarreled with Jacob, so we also have such a quarrel with the papists, and before us the Jews also quarreled with the apostles. The Jews fiercely argued that they were God's people, and St. Paul Rom. 2, 17 and 9, 24 also confessed that they were the church. But because they only kept the mere name, but despised the true church in themselves, therefore they were rejected and the Gentiles were called and accepted; as in the prophet Hosea in 2 Cap. v. 23: "I will say to that which was not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God"; and Deut. 32:21: "With their idolatry they have provoked me to anger. And I will provoke them again in that which is not my people; in a foolish people will I provoke them to anger."
Therefore, this is the first sign, indeed, a very nasty evil color of the hypocritical church, namely, that it is very proud and hopeful, and fiercely defies the name of God, the church, the keys, the church office, the sacraments, and can do no more than boast only of God.
280 But the other sign is that in truth they despise things, and
The church does not ask much about its firstborn. As the pope and his bishops neither teach nor baptize, nor administer any church office. They have only the name, but the fruit and the work they do not prove. Therefore Christ says Matth. 7, 16: "By their fruits you shall know them." Because the pope despises the church, he also loses the church, and the vain boast that they say, "We are the true Christians, we are the church, we are bishops," is of no value. If the truth is not also there, then you will not keep the name for long, yes, you are already rejected, and what you have, you do not have. So the heretics who will come after us will also lose the church. For it is a pillar and foundation of the truth, 1 Tim. 3:15, which they will reject, and their boasting will not help them at all, and that they have the name without truth.
- When they cry out and say, "We are the church, we have power and authority to command and forbid, and we want to force ourselves to obey their statutes and bylaws," we will answer them thus: Dear sirs, you ought to know that there are two kinds of churches, namely, the one which is commonly thought to be, and the other to which the name rightly belongs; item, the one which has the appearance of the church, and the other which is in truth the church; or, the one by name, the other by essence, as they themselves teach. Esau is the church only in name and outward appearance, but has not the essence, as do all idolaters and heretics, who also arrogate to themselves the name of the church.
I can suffer and admit that one is only a Christian in name and yet outwardly administers the office of the church. Even if one is already secretly godless and a wicked man, where he only baptizes, visits the sick, and comforts and strengthens the poor afflicted consciences, this does not prevent him from being counted outwardly among the Christians and to the church, but only not by right. But the pope and his bishops do not do the same. Therefore, they cannot even be counted with the Christians.
120 "VI. 210-242. interpretation of Genesis 25:31-34. W. II. I7S-I77. 121
The pope and his bishops do what is contrary to the ministry of the church: they blaspheme the word, persecute the godly and pious Christians, that is, the true church.
There are many servants in our church, in name only, but not in law. But the pope is publicly a renounced enemy of the church, he suppresses the pure doctrine of faith, fills the world with vain idolatry, simony and many countless abominable things more. That means to be nonsensical and to rage against the visible and invisible church, as the Turks do. Therefore the argument of the papists is not valid when they say: We are the external church, therefore you should tolerate and suffer us. If they wanted to be such people as they want to be called and called the church, they would have to be one with us in doctrine: they would have to teach and administer the church office rightly, which is due to right and pious bishops. But they are the descendants of Esau, are adversaries and destroyers of the church, as heretics are.
But those who pretend to be godly and pious, and yet are hypocrites, as many of them are found among the assembly of the godly, we tolerate that they also be counted among the faithful, provided they teach nothing contrary to the confession of the true doctrine.
The third sign of the false hypocritical church was also depicted by Moses in this example. For because Esau was so sure, and with great defiance neglected the spiritual goods or gifts, namely, faith, love, patience, kindness, which are in the church, and even despised all these things, it now follows that he gains a lust and a fierce desire for the red judgment. This is said: Because he does not ask for the knowledge of Christ, does not care that the spiritual gifts may be increased in him, does not care for eternal life, he becomes a miser and such a man, who only strives for pleasure, honor and glory of this life.
286 Yes, that's it, that he's from the lentil
He thinks more of the judgments than of the firstborn. This much is said: He belongs to the outward church; but he follows flesh and blood, seeks only bodily gain and enjoyment in godliness. Thus the false church pretends to be godly only so that it may enjoy the pleasures and honors of this world. But the true church seeks eternal life through patience and true faith, but those are true servants of the belly and the belly is their god, Phil. 3, 19.
This is the secret with the red dish, which the holy scripture holds out to us in this place, so that the dispute between these brothers is decided by the firstborn. The lentils, however, are not red, but rather yellow. Therefore I think they must have been seasoned with saffron or some other spice, so that they might make a desire to eat. But this is how it is with the present goods of this world, for which men have a great desire, that they much rather go after gluttony, drinking and eating, than that they should eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Son of God, that is, believe and strive for the heavenly goods. They seek only their gain or pleasure and the honor of this world; which things are so utterly pleasant and merry that they make men not only hungry, but also lust and desire. That is why Esau repeated twice that he desired his brother, saying, "Dear, feed me, let me taste the red dish, yes, the red lentil dish.
Therefore the holy scripture wants to indicate that all men become more and more stingy, hopeful and carnal, where they lose the blessing, as they were before, because they all have flesh and blood. Therefore they seek nothing but what is carnal, and with abominable lust they desire the red lentil dish. But all this is done under the name of God and Christ, under the title of the church. Jacob also eats the red dish, but is not so eager; he does not repeat "the red" twice, as Esau does. This is said so much: The godly do not use the present goods as for salvation, but only for their need.
122 VI, 242-244. Interpretation of I Moses 25, 31-34. cap. 26, I. W. n, 177-IN. 123
- At last Moses adds, how Esau esteemed it so low, that he had sold the firstborn. There also the great defiance and hopefulness is shown and punished. For he thought that he would be well secured by human help, that he could easily maintain his right against his brother, regardless of the fact that he had made a contract and purchase with him.
Thus the hypocrites and false brethren do: they carry the tree on both armpits, and are treacherous and cunning; now they pretend to give way and yield a little, soon they again seize what is not rightfully theirs, and yet they have their glosses to cover their hypocrisy and excuse themselves that they may keep the lentil mush at the same time as the firstborn. For they want to serve God and the belly or mammon at the same time.
291 So Esau also thought, Though I have sold the firstborn, yet item, ge
If I have sworn and eaten the soup, and it looks as if my brother, who was despised, has taken away the firstborn, then I will keep it and not believe him. For he has not sold it in earnest, but has mocked his brother and wanted to deceive him, as if he had sold it to him, and yet wanted to receive his right.
But the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 12, 17 indicates that he was subsequently rejected. And though he undertook to restore the firstborn to himself, because he repented that he had sold it, yet he accomplished nothing by such repentance. I do not say that he should not be saved, but that he could not regain the blessing he once lost with any tears. So now I understand that he sold the firstborn for this soup, and I do not accept the Jewish rabbis' gloss. For they are carnal men, who have no understanding in the holy scriptures.
The twenty-sixth chapter.
First part.
Of Isaac's journey to Gerar, and how the Lord appeared to him and raised him up with a new promise.
V. 1: And there came a tempest into the land from the former tempest, which was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines to Gerar.
It has often been said that in this whole book the histories of the fathers are described as on a very bad bark or leaf, and that they are held up to us without any pretense or outward show of religion, righteousness and wisdom, yes, in a very despised form of housekeeping and this bodily life. For what else does Moses tell of Isaac?
For that he was born of his father Abraham, that he begat children, that he pastured the cattle, and that he wandered about in this country and in another? There is little or nothing taught about prayer and the adventurous religions of the monks. But what is it to me that he was a husband and slept with his wife? Should this be taught in the church? For so the flesh, looking at the life of the fathers, clings to this outward and very lowly despised figure, and is not at all improved by it, but only annoyed.
- But after that it thinks how it may learn to understand the life of Bernard, Anthony, and the like of other monks, in which wonderful and unbelievable works are found, how they abstain from some food and other things more, how they are used, and how they are used.
124 244-24". Interpretation of Genesis 26:1. W. II. I83-I8S. 125
fasting and watching; since no wives or servants, much less cattle, are found to have dealt with them. These mean and despised things in the household of Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, I say, the flesh despises, and therewith does its washing, and meanwhile follows other works, which have a great appearance and are glorious. Or when these histories are read in the church, no one is surprised at them, for no one looks at their proper dignity and the proper adornment, from which such histories have their honor.
(3) Therefore we teach, and this should also be diligently impressed upon the people, that in the examples of the holy fathers this should be regarded as the right principal and highest praise, that God spoke with them, that they had God's word. This is the right piece that adorns these histories, and gives the right understanding of what and how great these yeasts and seemingly contemptible figures of holy men are. For where God's word is, there is also right faith, and there are also right good works; for there all things are done in the word and under the word. The other things that happen outside of and without the Word, only according to our own will and discretion, are truly nothing but vapors and only vain filth before God.
Therefore, the life of all monks, however delicious it may seem to the eyes of the flesh, is nothing. There has been a great semblance of holiness in Antony, Hilarion, and many others, some of whom have spent their lives in fasting, some in miraculous vigilance, until the seventieth year; and the flesh, the heart, and the eye of man delight in such miraculous works. But see if the word of God is also present. Ask Antony if he also has a word that has called him to go into the wilderness and mortify his flesh? He will say no, but it has seemed good to me and pleasing to God. Yes, dear Antony, this is the main thing that should be seen in your works, without which the whole life you lead is death, and only a choice of the flesh, your own good will, and a
loud boasting and Bethörung of carnal people.
(5) Therefore the Scriptures, in the histories of the fathers, praise above all faith in the Word, because the Word of God sanctifies all things, since it is holy, indeed, it is holiness, truth and wisdom itself. And the life that is governed by the Word is a true, righteous, wise and eternal life. But if it does not have the Word, it has no truth, no light, no wisdom before God, and all its works are works of darkness.
- So, although the married state is an unclean state (because the union of a man and a woman cannot take place without carnal uncleanness), and also an unclean thing, herding cattle; and also the life of the rulers and subjects is almost unclean and full of infirmities, where many sins come together, and also special transgressions and infirmities that are in the persons, even above the common infirmities: God has gloriously adorned and ordained all these things in His Word, and if you adhere to the Word, you are already cleansed from all your uncleanness.
7 Finally, there is no man who lives without sin; but the word has such great power that it swallows up all this, that you may say, "I live in married life with my wife and children in good peace, in the fear of God and trust in Him, and so I know that all is right and well; for thus says St. Paul of the life of married couples, 1 Tim. 2:15: "The wife is saved through childbearing." But how? "If she continue in the faith," 2c. This is the first power of the word.
(8) Then the word does not give only that the state may be holy and pleasing to God, but it also awakens you to all kinds of virtues and lovely good works. For it does not celebrate where it is only in your heart according to the right mind, but it will remind you to remember how to call upon and praise God; it will make you a priest and prophet of God, whose sacrifices will be very pleasing to God, for His eyes look upon faith. And this fruit and power of the word the vile monks do not see either.
126 L. VI, 246-248. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 1. W. n, 186-188. 127
Third, when the devil feels and realizes that you have the word and trust that your life is pleasing and acceptable to God because of the word, he will not rest, but will cause all kinds of trials and crosses to occur even in the smallest things. In the household you will experience great unfaithfulness of the household, hatred and enmity of the neighbors, item, that your children or wife dies. You will encounter all this so that your faith will be exercised and tested. But where the word is not, impatience and wrath follow for the sake of this state, which is so vexatious and troublesome. As we hear many of them crying out that they were not led by God but by the devil when they entered the marriage state.
(10) The same is true of the rulers. When they see the untamed wickedness of their subjects, as well as usury, avarice and fornication, and would like to correct and punish them, they must incur the hatred and enmity of the people. Then they also rage and curse, no less than happens in the married state. And if such people are papists who know nothing of God's word, they will run away and leave the married state or the regiment, and perhaps go to a desert, so that they may serve God there in peace and quiet, but all without the grace and will of God. For God has held out His word to all men and commanded that each one should wait for his calling and serve Him in it.
(11) Therefore, so that you may overcome difficulties and hardships in marriage or in the office of the temporal government, you should first of all take care to remember the word of God, so that the authorities may be abundantly confirmed, Rom. 12:8 and Cap. 13:1-4. If you only accept the word and do righteous fruit of the word, you will see that the cross and temptation will soon follow. But after that comes prayer,
The prayer is followed by the redemption, the redemption is followed by the sacrifice of thanksgiving, so that one praises God. So you can carry the cross and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving at the same time, which the monks do not want to do and cannot do, who only seek external peace and good days, and that they may fill their belly and live in pleasure.
In this way Moses describes the legends of this holy father Isaac according to the one main part, namely, that he spent his life in many tribulations. He does not write of brooding, contemplative life and hypocrisy of self-chosen works, but he describes in him great excellent virtues of faith and right godliness, which the wicked and carnal men do not see.
013 And let this contrast of the life which hypocrites lead, and the life of these fathers, be well and diligently observed. The hypocrites choose outward works that have a great appearance, do not drink wine or eat meat, walk and hang their heads, have special clothes in front of other people, and are careful about the toil and work in the household and worldly affairs. On the other hand, the fathers of the households wait, deal with their wives and children, with the servants and cattle. There is no outward appearance of religion or spirituality, but only a rough sack of the life of the common household. The hypocrites put on gilded garments so that they may appear before the world when they are away from the common life and fellowship of other people. But under the coarse sackcloth of the common household, in which the fathers lived, shines the sun, moon and stars, that is, the most excellent virtues. On the other hand, under the very glorious garment of the hypocrites, which outwardly has such a great appearance, lie hidden the hideous abominations of unbelief, spiritual hopefulness, envy, impurity, and yet has the name and appearance of a spiritual life.
I.
14 But let us open our spiritual eyes, and judge of their spiritual wickedness according to the rule and example of this
128 L. VI, S4S-SS0. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 1. W. n, I88-ISI. 129
History. For Moses remembers no fasting or watchfulness or the like. Only this you hear, that Isaac goes from Hebron to Gerar, that he suffers hunger, seeks a place where he may dwell. But behold, what great faith there is, what invaluable patience! What incredible longsuffering, kindness and goodness have been seen and felt in him! What virtues all shine like the sun and moon. It would be impossible for me to render such great obedience. If I had two sons and a wife, and a household, and so many cattle and servants, and had not a foot of land to set a foot upon, what should I do? I would certainly run away and leave the regiment and the housekeeping. For if a man should go astray and sit in the unknown, and yet remain with his wife and children, and with his household and cattle, it requires a wonderfully great faith, which could make bread of stones. But the wicked do not see this.
(15) But it was indeed a grievous affliction that he had to go every day to another place, seeking always a new lodging. For this is to dwell in the world, and yet to be miserable and a stranger in the world. And Isaac might well have sung with Christ the little song, "The Son of Man hath not where to lay his head," Luc. 9:58. For this reason it is not easy for anyone to see, who only reads quickly about it, how such great faith is praised in the patriarch Isaac; and if one were to compare caps, orders and works with the faith of all papists, they must disappear before it. For there is none of them who would one day renounce his bed, his dwelling, or his food. But how beautiful a religion is this to me! But the patriarch Isaac's condition is so much harder, because he is not alone, but is bound to his wife, children and servants, whom he had to provide with food in a foreign country. Truly, his faith was almost severely challenged and tested.
(16) Therefore let us learn to magnify the histories of the patriarchs, and to
praise highly against the adventurous works of the hypocrites and monks, who say that it is a life of pleasure to have a wife and children, and therefore it cannot be a spiritual or holy life. For behold, is not all cause of joy and bodily pleasure cut off and taken away from Isaac, since he was uncertain all hours where he should set his foot? No monk will follow him; indeed, in this world they lead a good quiet life, full of pleasure, they have their exquisite houses, they are under the protection and umbrella of the pope, and they are lords over the whole world.
(17) Therefore, this pilgrimage puts to shame all the religion and supposed worship of the papists, and in it shines the highest worship, which is true faith in God. He goes about in foreign lands, and has no certain lodging, has no pasture, and not a drop of water. Yes, where shall I take it? another would say. Answer: "I believe in God the Father" 2c. For so Isaac thought: God will provide me with lodging, so that I may wander about; he will give pasture to my cattle, he will provide food and drink for my household. So Isaac lives by daily offering the supreme sacrifice of faith to God and lives in the world without the world and outside the world.
(18) This faith, which was very great in the fathers, the wicked regard not; they look only to the wife, and to the servants, and to the cattle; they see not the faith that sustaineth all these things. In our time, if one were to wander about in this way, he would have neither menservants nor maidservants to follow him, since he would go from one place to another. But faith does miraculous works, which makes the servants suffer such great misfortune, affliction and poverty with patience, and show themselves obedient in all things. I could not get such servants and those who would be so pious, because I do not have such great faith. And there is not a saint in the New Testament who can attain these great glorious virtues that were in the fathers; they are quite little and immature children, if you compare them with
130 Lvi.Lso.ssi. Interpretation of Genesis 26, I. W.n.isi-is". 131
these old fathers. They have no holiness anymore, but only their celibacy or celibate state. But even this Isaac surpasses with his pilgrimage, yes, his married state is even far better than all the celibate state of the monks; as the light of the sun is much brighter and clearer than all other lights.
19 Therefore, their whole life is full of miracles. For they live simply by the hand of God and almost by nothing; they cling only to the goodness and promise of God, and hold fast to this hope, so that they can say: If I have nothing today, or even if I do not see anything from which I can live, I will certainly get it tomorrow or the day after. Such virtues are to be diligently considered in the history of Isaac, but first of all that he was full of faith in God, who fed and sustained him.
(20) After this, he undoubtedly trained his heart to patience, longsuffering and kindness toward his neighbor. He has learned to suffer injustice, whether it be to himself or to his household. He did not hate again those who hated him, nor did he desire to take revenge on them. For the holy fathers were hospitable and merciful people, and kind to friends as well as to enemies. For there shone in them an excellent faith, which brought about such glorious virtues; of which the sophists clumsily and ungodly dispute, namely, whether they are precepts or counsels, and conclude or take it for granted that they are only counsels. The theologians of the Sorbonne in Paris say: People can be blessed, even though they have done nothing good to each other. And such a life is indeed the life of the monks, namely, only an outward hypocrisy, which despises these virtues as if they were mere counsels.
(21) But these examples teach that it is the highest service of God, and that it is most necessary, namely, that one clings to the promise and providence of God with right faith. For he has promised that he will be our Father, and that we hope in him and expect help from him. This does
not a monk, if he is a right monk. But after faith follows love toward the good and the bad, and being charitable toward the grateful and the ungrateful. These virtues, I say, follow from faith as the good fruits follow from a good tree.
(22) Now Moses tells of an excellent occasion by which the faith of this very holy man is tested and proved. For a flood comes into the land, which not only affects Isaac with his two sons, his wife and all the household, but also goes over the whole country near Hebron. In this great and common calamity, his faith is tested and praised so highly that we all marvel at it, but we cannot easily follow it.
(23) Here it should be especially noted that commonly, where the word is in flow and in pregnancy, when the Lord gives spiritual food in abundance, the bodily trouble falls in immediately; for the devil deprives the church of food and wants to kill it with hunger. And this must truly have been a great affliction, because Moses compares it with the previous affliction, which had been in Abraham's time, whose memory was almost gone at that time. For about a hundred years or more had passed since that theuration. Therefore Moses remembers this former trouble and compares it with this present trouble, so that he may show that there was great sorrow and lack of all things.
- But how is it that such holy men have not obtained from God needy food for themselves and also for other people? For not only Abraham and Isaac, but also other high patriarchs and prophets, such as Jacob, Joseph, Elijah and Elisha, and finally also St. Paul and other godly people had to bear more such common damage of theurge at the same time as other people. Answer: God sends torment, war, pestilence and other such plagues and misfortunes first of all so that the godly may be tried and tested by them, so that they may learn how to
132 D. VI. 2SI-2S3. Interpretation of Genesis 26:1. W. II. IS4-ISS. 133
They will certainly consider that they should be nourished even in the time of the drought; however, they will experience many hardships and will also have to seek unknown and uncertain accommodation.
- After this, God causes such plagues to come for the offense and punishment of the wicked. For where the word is abundantly revealed, people become ungrateful, yes, they persecute and hate the word. The others, with whom it can be seen that they accept it, nevertheless come to the point that they soon get tired of it and gain a disgust at this loose food, despise and plague the ministers of the word. With what contempt and hatred they provoke God to anger, so that he says: "If you will not be fed and satisfied with the food of my word and with spiritual life, then I will also take this bodily life from you and let you die of hunger. Therefore, if people despise the immense treasure of the word, they also lose the welfare and benefit of this present temporal life; and as the godly are preserved in theuration, so the ungodly are oppressed because of calamity and despair, and being without the word, they thus perish.
26 Therefore the devil has cause to blaspheme the word and to speak evil of it, who delights in this offense and can take advantage of it to turn men's hearts away from the word. For what can we think that the Canaanites thought otherwise, who, before Abraham came to them, had had all kinds of rich blessings, but now had to suffer hunger with him and bear the burden of the famine: what could they, I say? What else could they think but that this Chaldean must be the cause of all this misfortune and misery? This is the other cause, that the devil and the wicked have opportunity to blaspheme the gospel, so that they become more and more angry.
(27) As in our times we have to hear and suffer such a complaint from time to time, namely, that before this time everything was left enough and everything was well done, and that there was good fortune everywhere; but now
but the grain is so much more expensive and is very bad everywhere. Although I do not think that this is because there is less fruit or grain, but rather because of the avarice and malice of men, who make a fuss about everything according to their own liking. But it is not a small misfortune that the poor and also the servants of the word are hard pressed and burdened. The others, who are very rich, have less need. For this reason there are many who wish and desire that they may return to their former state, and that they may have the same happiness as they had before; and they add to this blasphemy, saying that nothing good has come from this teaching of the gospel, and that the people have become much worse than they were before.
Thus the doctrine of the gospel is blamed to be the cause of all misfortunes. At the time of Augustine, when the Goths devastated Italy, all the blame was laid on the apostles in Rome, namely on St. Peter and Paul. For ungodly men do out of sight and do not want to see the sin of the world, and so the Word of God, which is completely pure and holy, must unjustly bear the blame that all sins should come from it. For it does not teach that one should be usurious, stingy, indulgent, and practice other sins, shameful and deceitful, so that the world may go about: but contends and cries out against all these sins. Why, then, is the gospel weighed down with such abominable blasphemies? Answer: Because this is the wickedness of the devil, by which he delights to blaspheme the gospel, and to bring up against it all manner of invective, whence he may.
- Help God, how frightening it is, and how weeping, that while this light of the gospel shines, people should still be so exceedingly wicked and wanton! But you shall be taught from the word and be told that the gospel does not permit to do wilfulness with willfulness.
134 VI. 253-258. interpretation of Genesis 26, 1. W. n, ISS-1SS. 135
The same is the case with gambling, robbery, eating and drinking, and other such sins and disgraces. But if thou layest this blame on the gospel, thou shalt now be judged out of thine own mouth, and shalt be overcome, that thou must be possessed of the devil, which is a founder of such blasphemy. For you well see that the contradiction is taught, and that those who obey the teaching recognize and feel salvation and blessedness, yes, that they also begin to lead a godly and Christian life. And you cannot deny that it is the truth, and yet you want to ascribe all the sin and shame that you see in the Epicureans and the ungodly to the teaching of the gospel. You do this out of the devil's malice, so that you and all who are hostile to the truth may be judged.
30 Augustine recounts many horrible sins and vices of the Romans, such as murder, fornication, usury and others. Should not such sins be punished by God? Therefore, it is a devilish thing and cannot even be thought of without an abominable sin, that people can forget all this and want to place the cause of all misfortune and punishment only on the word.
(31) Now all this is written for our learning, that we should not be offended at such blasphemy. For so have all the godly at all times suffered and borne the blasphemy of the ungodly, and the more holy they have been, the more punishment and calamity has been in the world; not that they have caused such things and confused the world, but because the world has despised the light of the gospel and followed idolatry; as Elijah answered King Ahab 1 Kings 18:18. 18, 18: "I do not confound Israel, but you and your father's house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and walk after Baalim" 2c.
(32) In this way we also want to answer the blasphemous complaints in our time and say to the people: Since the gospel shines before you and shows you the way to salvation, you are ungrateful, despise and persecute this pure doctrine; that is why the punishments come upon the world, that is why the Turk comes and all kinds of misfortune.
(33) The godly are also punished, just as Isaac also suffered and endured hardship in his time; he was a stranger and miserable, and thought he would have to bear the present misfortune with patience. But let it be diligently noted what is the ultimate cause of such afflictions as the godly must suffer. The common misfortune also befalls the saints and prophets; but this does not happen to them as punishment or out of anger, as it happens to the wicked and ungrateful, but to them for their blessedness, and that they are thereby proven and tested in faith, love and patience, so that the godly learn to endure and bear the hand of God in stewardship. For God has promised them that He will feed them in theuration. As Ps. 37, 25. is written: "I have never seen the righteous forsaken"; item v. 19.: "In the theurung they will have enough." God confirms this promise with such examples of the saints, and with such domestic tribulations and hardships He instructs the godly in the Word, in faith, in spiritual humility, in love and other virtues.
(34) But the wicked are afflicted with punishment and vexation, so that they are hardened and become more and more angry; for by good they are not improved, but by evil they become worse. Therefore one does nothing with it and does not help them at all; one sings to them sweetly or sourly, one speaks kindly or harshly to them, as Christ also complains Match. 11, 17.
35 Now behold and consider this low and contemptible figure of Isaac's household, and hold it against all the works of the monks, of Anthony or Hilarion. For what is all the fasting and hard mortification of the monks against this few theurings? It seems like a small and minor challenge, if you consider it only externally and above; but suppose you were in Isaac's house, who has a wife and children, item, a large amount of servants and cattle, in such great lack, since he lacked food and fodder. Suppose you hear the lamentation of the servants, who desire and demand that they be fed.
136 L.VI.M-M. Interpretation of Genesis 26:1. W. N. 199-202. 137
bread or fodder for the cattle; and where you will answer there: I have neither bread nor fodder, I will run away and leave the servants, then God's commandment is in your way, who wants you to remain in your profession and in the place where he has appointed you.
(36) Yea, sayest thou, wherewith then shall I keep the servants, and feed the cattle? Answer: You should and must understand what kind of fast this is, since a poor householder must not only suffer hunger for himself, but must also see before his eyes that his wife and dear little children are dying of hunger. Yes, add to this the fact that Isaac was miserable and a stranger in that place and had no certain place to stay. No doubt he would have liked to stay in Hebron, but because the people of the place themselves were afflicted with the disease, they sent him away, because they could not feed him with such a large household, and because they themselves had hardly enough to support themselves and their livestock.
37 Because of this, he must leave, and his misfortune will be so great once again, because in addition to his misfortune, he must also go into misery. Isaac's heart must have been pounding and he must have cried out, because he could not give up the care of the house or let it go, because of God's commandment, 1 Tim. 5:8: "If anyone does not provide for his own, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than a pagan. And yet he has nothing to live and sustain himself with them.
(38) Now give me an example that would be like this patience. You will not find one among the Carthusian monks, or among the other hypocrites; they would say, in short, that it is an impossible thing. But why do they say that it is a contemptible and impious thing for a husband to lie with his wife and govern his household? Yea, behold ourselves also, how we keep ourselves in such distress and peril; how despondent we are in our hearts, if we have not grain or money full.
How easy it is for us to fall into despair or impatience. Now Isaac was in the greatest distress and extreme danger, yet he does not run away and does not abandon faith and hope.
39 And from this it can be seen what it means that one is a devout and godly husband. Isaac is not only struggling with poverty and theuration, but also with despair and impatience, but his strong and unconquerable faith shines out. For he remains a householder, does not abandon his wife, does not leave his household, but goes with them to another place, that there he may seek his sustenance. Although he has not been without danger and harm, he nevertheless straightens up and holds on to the comfort that he has thought: God has called me to be a husband and has given me two sons; I know that this is his work, therefore he will not abandon me.
(40) These domestic works do not teach us that there is only pleasure and carnal joy in them, but they give us examples of a holy battle and strife that these fathers waged against unbelief and mistrust, and against contempt and impatience, where people murmur against God. The monks know nothing of this difficult struggle and seek only a full belly with their holiness; they do not want to and cannot trust God in adversity.
Here is a good example of such a faith that is in battle and cries out to God, because where the word is, there also follows the call. And how great this struggle was is indicated by the journey he undertakes as he passes through Palestine to Egypt. Therefore, God took pity on him and strengthened him with a new word. But God's word does not come, especially to the new ones, only to those who are very distressed and in need of special comfort. It does not come to those who are full and weary, for it has no place with them.
- over which his two sons and Rebekah his wife will also give him some pain.
138 L. VI. W7-2SS. Interpretation of I Genesis 26:1-5. W. II. AS-AS. 139
have multiplied. Esau and Jacob were about eighteen years old at that time, who no doubt did not like the journey to the unknown land and the great hardship that lay upon them, and they would have said to their father: Dear father, where do you want to go? So also Rebekah will have said: My dear Isaac, behold what thou doest. How Job's wife reproached him for his misfortune and blasphemed him about it; for though they are holy women, they are not without temptation. So he strengthened their hearts to wait a little and bear this cross with patience. This temptation was one of the reasons for the many beautiful sermons Isaac preached to keep his household and his wife and children in the faith.
(43) But at the very moment when the children, the wife, and the household were almost despondent because of trouble and affliction, and had begun to murmur, or to think of running away, heaven was opened, and there came a new and glorious promise. Since he intends to go through Palestine to Egypt and wants to go into the misery in God's name, and God also allows this to happen so that he prepares himself for the journey; since the cord or rope is so tight that it now almost wants to break: then a necessary and excellent comfort comes down from heaven, that God says to him: "Do not go down to Egypt.
II.
V.2-5. Then the Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt, but stay in the land I tell you. Be a stranger in this land, and I will be with thee, and bless thee; to thee and to thy seed will I give all these countries; and I will confirm my oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father, and will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries. And by thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed: because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my statutes, and my commandments, and my ways, and my judgments.
44 This must have been a great distress and affliction, which is also evident from the fact that Isaac could not be satisfied with the previous promise he had from his father Abraham and the patriarch Shem: "The greater shall serve the lesser. 2c. For his heart still beats in his body and his faith is in fear that God must raise him up with a new comfort.
For this reason this example is held up not only to us, but also to the apostles and saints themselves, so that we may learn to strengthen our hearts for patience and not grumble against God in any temptation, no matter in what state we live. The state of the church, household or worldly regiment is truly almost miserable, especially if you want to be pious and godly; for "all who want to live godly in Christ must suffer persecution," 2 Tim. 3:12. In the household, one must always quarrel and fight with the servants. In worldly government honor and power shine forth, and therefore it can be seen that it is a pleasant life: but if you will be a pious judge, a godly ruler, you will feel what a great burden this outward appearance of honor, glory, and great good, which is outwardly seen in the rulers, has upon it. If you are a pious, godly preacher, even with a godly and grateful audience, you will have to suffer great ingratitude from the heretics, as well as hatred and endless deceit of the devil, so that he will secretly pursue you.
46 Therefore do not regret your position, knowing that it has been given to you by God and that it is as low and despised as it can be: but boast in God the Lord, who called you, who governs you, and that you also have the Word present. For "if GOD be for us," as Paul says Rom. 8:31, "who may be against us?" If there is any bitterness or distress, pour good wine on it and drive away the bitterness, which wine is the Word of God, so that your faith may be increased or strengthened, and that you may say: I
140 D. VI. 259-261. interpretation of Genesis 26:2-5. SS. n. 205-207. 141
I am certain that the state in which I now live is godly and Christian, and I will remain and persevere in it, that I may praise and glorify God and teach other people.
47 We see that all the promises that God had made to Abraham in various places are repeated and summarized here: all of them are brought together here in one summa. For God spoke to Abraham many times, but to Isaac hardly two or three times, and that is enough. For He confirms here in one summa all the promises, so that the holy patriarch may not begin to doubt God's will through the inducement of the devil. For Satan does not cease to attack even the most holy men and those who are completely perfect with his fiery and poisoned arrows, and thus to inflict hard upon them.
48 This promise has two parts: the first is temporal, namely, of the inheritance or possession of these lands. I will be with thee," says God, "fear not, thou shalt be driven into misery, and shalt be afflicted with tribulation, but there shall be no distress or danger; thou shalt not die of hunger, neither shall the enemy hurt thee in foreign lands. So God comforted him in the very hard trial to strengthen the hearts of his wife, the children and the servants in the crowd, to whom Isaac would have held up this comfort and said: God the Lord is with me, and has promised to deliver me from all distress and calamity; therefore I will have peace, and protection and shelter, and my daily bread in the midst of enemies and tribulation. For this promise he firmly believed, even though he had been challenged and provoked beforehand to doubt. But hereafter we shall hear how he feared death, and how he denied that he had a wife. For the holy men had flesh and blood as we have; therefore they also sometimes felt weakness of faith as we do.
- but he repeats what he said before, "I will give all these lands to you and your seed," and here he omits the little word "you," for he says only, "I will give all these lands to you.
give all these lands to your seed," and interprets the promise. For neither Abraham, nor Isaac, nor Jacob had or possessed any part of this land; as it is said above (Cap. 23, v. 16, 17) that Abraham bought a field for his money for the burial of Sarah. Otherwise God did not give him a foot wide in the land that was promised to him until his descendants were brought into it. And the first promise of this land was made to Abraham for the sake of the seed given, by which all nations were to be blessed, that there might be a certain and appointed land and place, whereunto to expect the Lord Christ, who would bless the whole world and all nations: That the gospel might not go forth into the world without a certain testimony, but that the whole world might be assured that this was the right Saviour, who would bring the right blessing, that is, who was born in this land according to the promise.
(50) And yet, because Abraham and the seed were first put together, the eternal life and resurrection of the dead are made known to the faithful, namely, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are heirs of this land, even though they did not have a foot wide in it. For though they are dead, yet they are alive, and therefore this inheritance is theirs also, because Abraham is not dead, but alive. After this also is signified, when he saith, To thee and to thy seed; that the seed could not possess the land, where the fathers had not received the promise; and in the faith of the fathers the seed obtained the possession of the land.
The other part of the promise is spiritual, for the sake of which the bodily promise was given, as just said. But these are the same words and the same meaning as in the 22nd chapter above. V. 18, and what can be said here to interpret and explain this promise has all been said above, just as the meaning of the word "blessing" is explained there. For this word belongs to the fourth order of tense words (as one speaks according to grammar), which meaning the Latins have with such a kind of
142 L vi. Mi-sss. Interpretation of Genesis 26:2-5. W. ii. 207-210. 143
and manner of speaking, that they say: gloriari in Domino, laudari in Domino, boast in the Lord, be praised in the Lord. When I bless myself in the Lord, I do not make you bless others, but I exalt and praise myself, not in myself, but in the seed of Abraham; for I am condemned and cursed in Adam, I have fallen under the power of the devil, who holds me captive under the yoke of sin, death and condemnation; there no one can bless or boast, but is vain groaning, crying and great unending sorrow with us.
52 But when the seed of Abraham shall come, then shall all nations become other people. They will have nothing to boast of in themselves, but will have to say of themselves that they are cursed and wretched people: nevertheless they shall reign, rejoice and be blessed, not in themselves, but in this seed. And so it comes to pass this day of all them that believe on Christ. So the scripture has been fulfilled. For thus all Christians hold and say, Though I am condemned in myself through Adam, yet am I righteous and holy in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is my life, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. So I bless myself for the sake of another thing and through another, not with my blessing, but with the blessing of the seed of Abraham. And if I take hold of the same through the word and believe in him, then I can boast, as it is written in the 34th Psalm v. 2. 3: "I will praise the Lord, and my soul shall boast in the Lord," namely, that against death I have life, against condemnation I have blessedness, and against the tyrant and my enemy the devil I have God for my Father.
These are great and glorious things, and they cannot be sufficiently repeated and impressed upon the people, for they are words of comfort and eternal life: just as Christ often and diligently impressed the same upon His disciples, as John 14:1: "Let not your heart be troubled. If you believe in God, you also believe in me"; item v. 19: "I live, and you also shall live";
item John 16:33: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" and the devil. But by what? Through my victory, which is yours. This is the highest and most noble teaching in all the Scriptures, namely, of the promise and faith of Abraham, as the same Christ also boasts Jn 8:56: "Abraham was glad that he should see my day; and he saw it, and rejoiced." For he well understood that this would be the blessing by which all peoples in the whole world would be blessed, that this glory would not only concern the descendants of the flesh, but all peoples throughout the whole world. This is a remarkable word, which the prophets and apostles have diligently taught.
(54) What is more understood in these words, all of which has been interpreted above, namely, the resurrection of the dead, the victory or overcoming of sin, death, the devil, and the eternal kingdom. Item, that this seed is the Son of God and man. For if he were not God, he could not bless us cursed people: and if he were not man, the blessing would not come to us.
55 The passage has also been explained, because the text says, "Because Abraham obeyed my voice," 2c. above in 22 Cap. For this blessing was not given to Abraham to make him righteous, but since he was already righteous by faith, he received this blessing as a very good reward. He is righteous, obedient and holy. And because he is so obedient, therefore he will be exalted so high that Christ has taken his humanity from his seed, as Rom. 9:5. says. This is truly a great honor, that he comes from Abraham's seed, who is the Son of God, who destroys hell, overcomes death, abolishes the law and brings eternal life again.
(56) There are four words in the text, which we will explain. For the Jews want to conclude from this that the Law of Moses was also before the time of Moses; and indeed almost everything that is written in Moses is taken from the fathers and their books. But there is a difference among them. The
144 A. VI SW-AL. Interpretation of Genesis 26:2-5. W. II, 210-213. 145
Word mischmar, in Latin observantia, which we have given, rights, is a common word, often used in the third book of Moses. For it is said of the Levites that they keep the Lord's ordinances, as we say in German, Wait, what I shall call thee: there I command one to be ready, and to wait for the ordinances. So the Levites sat in the tabernacle, waiting to see what the high priest would call them. In the same way it is said: Abraham waited for me and did what I told him to do. When he was commanded to slaughter his son, he was obedient. The Hebrew word mizva in Latin actually means praecepta, commandments, and that one should keep for and for, as the toes are commandments.
The word chok means the order of the way that belongs to worship, when God orders something to be worshiped. This is not a commandment, but an appointed service of God. As, in the 2nd Psalm v. 7.: Praedicabo statutum etc.: "I will preach of such a manner" 2c., that is, of such a service of God; he wants to say, GOD will establish and institute another service of God through His Son, Torah means what belongs to good
mores serves. To this also belongs mischmar, Latin jura, rights. So Abraham always waited for what the Lord would call him, also concerning good manners: he kept the Ten Commandments, the way of the Sabbath and the law of circumcision at the same time.
Now this is the difference between the law of Moses and the law of the fathers: Moses had a certain commandment to establish the Levitical priesthood, which also had a certain people, person, place and time until Christ; this is the most important part of the law of Moses. After this he also ordained the kingdom and the twelve princes in the temporal government. The Ten Commandments and other laws of the fathers are not really Moses' own laws. But what concerns the ceremonies, which were put on certain persons, that is Moses law. But when the time was fulfilled for all these things, the sacrifices and all the ordinances of Moses came to an end, so that they were no longer valid.
the priesthood with its sacrifices and the kingdom were no longer valid, because the end of Moses had come. But the kingdom and priesthood of Christ followed without place or time or person, without all outward appearances, as Christ says Luc. 17:20.
Finally, we must also say something about the divine appearance. There are two kinds of appearance in the holy scriptures, namely in a dream and in the face or visible form and manner. It is also said of God that he appeared when he spoke through Shem or Eber, who lived at that time and were high priests. But since nothing is added here, but only said: "The Lord appeared to him," it is understood here that the appearance did not happen in a dream, but in a visible form, that is, it was an angel who appeared to him in the form of a man; as to the Virgin Mary Luc. 1, 26, 27. 12, 7. and to Abraham the angels came, as in the 18th Cap. V. 1. about Abraham. And this appearance was indeed a great honor for Isaac. For though he heard his father's preaching of the promises, yet his heart trembled and was troubled in his distress and affliction. Therefore God comes with a new confirmation of the promises.
(60) And it is truly a great thing that God appears to a man and directs His promise to a man in particular. That is why it is considered by many that the holy fathers were much more blessed than we are, because they had such certain and special comfort and manifestation from God through the ministry of angels. For someone might now say: If God were to appear to me in a human form, how would that bring such great joy to my heart! Yes, then I would not refuse to suffer all kinds of danger and adversity for the sake of God. But it does not become so good for me. I only hear the sermons, read the Scriptures and use the sacraments; I have no apparition of angels.
146 L VI, 265-267. interpretation of Genesis 26:2-5. W. II, 2I3-SIS. 147
(61) To this I answer thus: You do not have to complain that you are less afflicted than Abraham or Isaac were. You also have apparitions, and they are stronger and clearer, and you have more of them than they had, if you could only open your eyes and heart and accept them. You have holy baptism, the Lord's Supper, where bread and wine are the form, figure and shapes in which and under which God presently speaks and works in your ears, eyes and heart. Then you have the ministry of preaching and such teachers through whom God speaks to you; you have the ministry and the use of the keys through which He absolves and comforts you. He also says to you, Isa. 41, 10: "Fear not, I am with you"; he appears to you in baptism, and it is he himself who baptizes you and addresses you; he not only says: "I am with you", but: I forgive thy sin, I bring thee salvation, that thou mayest be saved from death, and deliverance from all the terrors and powers of the devil and hell; and I am not alone with thee, but also all the angels that are with me. What more could you desire? It is all full of divine appearances and conversations, so he holds with you.
(62) Now we should lament and groan over our poisoned flesh, which is drowned in sins, which does not allow us to believe and accept such great benefits, and moreover causes us to argue and still doubt whether all this is true. I am now speaking of us who are true Christians, who teach and believe this ourselves. I not only believe in Christ, but I also know that he sits at the right hand of the Father, that he is our mediator and may represent us. I know that the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper is the true body and blood of Christ, that the word of the pastor when he preaches or absolves is the word of God; and yet the flesh is burdened with doubt that it does not believe this. This is a great sorrow and heavier than death itself; indeed, death is bitter and heavy because we do not believe because of the hindrance of our flesh. Otherwise, if we believed, tribulation would be joy and death would be sleep.
We should lament this misfortune, which was inflicted on us by the original sin through Adam, and pray that God will increase and strengthen the faith in us, and keep us under the heaven of forgiveness of sins, as Christ taught us to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses. For it is a great misfortune that we are overloaded and overwhelmed with so many and great glorious appearances, conversations, and various forms in which God reveals Himself, and yet we do not believe; and may we justly say with St. Paul, Rom. 7:22, 23: "I delight in God's law according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind"; item v. 19: "The good that I want I do not do, but the evil that I do not want I do." I would like to believe what is true, and so believe as it is in truth; I would like my faith to be as sure and strong as the thing itself is; but sin in the flesh is contrary to the spirit, so that I cannot believe so strongly. But whoever could marvel at holy baptism according to its dignity and elevate it high enough in his heart, would mock death and all devils; the Turk would be to him cammoz (as the Hebrew word reads), that is, as nothing but "chaff", as the 1st Psalm v. 4. says, "which the wind scatters".
(64) Therefore we should always read and consider these things, and pray that our faith may be increased day by day. That which we believe is certain and cannot fail us. Therefore, we should not be so surprised at the special appearances or visions that the fathers had, nor should we desire them for ourselves. Abraham will say at the last day: If I had been a Christian in the New Testament, I would have believed this with much stronger faith. I believed only the one promise; I was the example and the first, you have innumerable examples, you have your parents, your brothers who absolve you and present you these visible figures.
65 Therefore, it is a disgrace that we have
148 L VI, 2S7-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 26:2-5. w. rr. 216-218. 149
are even weaker in faith than the patriarchs were, who overcame kings and kingdoms on one promise. They believed in one word, but we, who are helped by so many examples of the previous and present saints, the longer we preach, the lazier we become, alas! And we are actually confronted with the same thing that Pythagoras wrote about the course of the heavens, that he had the same from himself, or from the fathers, namely, that the movement or course of the stars always gives off a lovely song; but the hearts and ears of men are said to be frozen by the fact that this happens for and for, so that they no longer hear such a song.
So we see God baptizing, absolving, comforting and administering the Lord's Supper, but who is there who listens or is surprised? We let his threats, promises, consolations and sacraments move us nothing or even little. For this reason, we are justly to be punished, who ask nothing of the so lovely and beautiful song of the kingdom of heaven. And even if we heard the angels preaching in their majesty, we would not respect it any more than we do now when we hear the priest or other church servants. But if we were sure that it was God's word that we were hearing, we would not snore like that and be so sure and lazy. But because we think that only men talk to us, and that it is a man's word that we hear, we become unreasonable animals.
67 Here we should sigh and lament that original sin, alas! is so strong and powerful even in those who are born again. Otherwise there are enough of them and enough left who blaspheme and persecute the Word. Even though we are not good, as Christ says Luc. 11, 13: "You who are evil," we should make an effort not to persecute the word, and we should recognize the wickedness of our flesh; as St. Paul cries out in Rom. 7, 24: "I wretched man, who will deliver me from the body of this death?" The body is mortal, poisoned, corrupt, and altogether hellish. If we are well, then we can easily boast and
bless us in the Lord; as it says in Psalm 30, v. 7: "But I said, when I was well: I shall never lie down": but v. 8: "But when thou hidest thy face, I was afraid." There the flesh comes again and drives away all joy.
68 Therefore, I say, all these things are written for our learning, that we may not only punish and refute the arguments of the adversaries, but also resist the flesh, which weighs us down with the heavy burden of sin and fear, that we may not say: In the seed of Abraham I am righteous, blessed, a master of death, the devil and the Turk. Therefore we should learn and love the word which teaches that one should believe in the promised seed. And after that we must also tame and compel the flesh, which opposeth the law in the mind, and taketh us captive. And when we are overcome, faith must soon be restored and strengthened, so that the flesh will not oppress the spirit.
(69) But since we cannot come to perfection so soon that we do not feel or sense sin, death, and hell, and that we cannot become perfect dialecticians and rhetoricians, let us be ABC disciples or donatists until we may come to dialectics and rhetoric. For this is a life of firstfruits and not of tithes. That is why St. Paul himself complains, as said before: "I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and it takes me captive"; I would gladly do good, I would gladly be such a man, who did not doubt, who did not worry because of any trouble or affliction. That which we are to believe is certain in itself, and the Scriptures are true, but the flesh is in our way, hindering us everywhere.
But what shall I do? If I cannot believe and grasp it so strongly in my heart, then I am angry with the flesh, and say with St. Paul Rom. 7:24: "Who will deliver me from the body of this death?" For this body and flesh makes death bitter and terrible, but the life that is in
150
150 L VI. 264-271. interpretation of Genesis 26:2-7. W.H,A8-Wt. 151
What is bitter through sins and many thorns becomes sweet through faith. And this is how the Holy Scriptures everywhere deal with teaching us how to recognize the seed of God and ourselves, that is, to recognize the old and inherent curse of Adam and the blessing begun through Christ.
Second part.
How Isaac disowns his wife, jokes with her, and Abimelech sees this joke.
V. 6, 7: So Isaac dwelt at Gerar. And to whom the people of the same place asked of his wife, he said, She is my sister. For he feared to say, She is my wife: they would slay me for Rebekah's sake, because she was fair of face.
At this point, one may ask: Why should the Holy Spirit write such useless things? For what is the purpose of holding up such an inconsistent and foolish thing to the congregation of God? Is it to teach the people of God that Rebekah was called Isaac's sister and not his wife? To this I answer thus: In this way God makes the world a fool with all its wisdom. If any Greek or Roman should read this, he would scoff at it as such a thing that was not worthy to be heard. But God wants to declare that the wisdom of men is pure foolishness and that it will be disgraced.
I.
Seventy-two years ago Moses described how Isaac had a divine conversation and a heavenly promise, and made him strong and quite invincible against the infernal gates and all calamities; here we see in him such great weakness and such shameful inability that nothing more shameful could be conceived. For is this not a shameful example, that he denies that Rebekah is his wife?
The theologians dispute about it: Whether
he has not sinned by denying his wife and lying that she is his sister? This is truly a shameful weakness. For he says, "I will say that she is my sister, or they will strangle me. As if he wanted to say, "Whoever wants to take the woman and rape her, if I only want to live; if I say that she is my wife, they will think that they cannot take her from me unless they first strangle me. But is this not a foolish, clumsy and unreasonable thing from such a great man? Should he not have said freely: She is my wife, you may strangle me or not? "Isaac was afraid," says the text. Egg, that such a man should fall into such shameful fear as to be afraid of death! So Elijah had slain eight hundred false prophets with great zeal and strong courage, and no one's power was so great that he was afraid of it; but when Jezebel threatened him, he was so terrified that he fled from it; before he was not afraid of the king, now he flees from a woman.
- Now all this, as it seems on the surface, is almost foolish, but nevertheless very fine and salutary. For it is written for the comfort of the church and congregation of God, so that we may know how gracious and merciful God is. We may be bad and weak, but not to be found among those who persecute, hate and blaspheme God; God is pleased to bear with our weakness.
(75) Though I cannot excuse the fathers, as others do, neither will I; yea, I gladly hear that the saints have fallen and become weak: not that I would commend them, as if it were well done, and as if they were virtues; neither do I excuse the apostles, that they have departed from Christ, and that St. Peter denied him, and other weaknesses, foolishness, and ineptitude of them. And this is not written for the sake of hard, trusting, and hardened men, but that it may show how the kingdom of Christ is, who is poor in his little host,
152 L. VI, 271-27S. Interpretation of Genesis 26:6, 7. W. II, 223-226. 153
He is a king of the strong and at the same time also of the weak and stupid; he is hostile to the hopeful, he denies the strong, he wants to fight against them. He punishes the Pharisees and the secure people, but he does not want to break or disgrace the frightened, fainthearted, afflicted and sorrowful hearts: he does not want to extinguish the smoldering wick, Isa. 42, 3. This is his way and use for and for.
He has done this from the beginning of the world to the end. He is strong and almighty, but he will not extinguish the smoldering wick, and also commands us to receive the weak in faith. For it is a great thing to believe that Christians enter into life through death. The flesh is frightened where death, judgment and eternal fire are thought of; otherwise it is strong and undaunted where it is without great tempests that are contrary to it.
Therefore, the kingdom of Christ is such a kingdom, which at the same time has people who are always or temporarily weak or strong; however, there are few of them who are always strong and courageous. But those who are somewhat weaker than such strong ones should not be dealt with too harshly. For this kingdom is a kingdom of comfort to the wretched and afflicted. It is not set to rule and to terrify in it, except the hopeful and hardened minds, which must be terrified every way; but to those who are terrified, let them be comforted, and say to them, Thou art a smoldering wick; God would not have me quench thee. For Christ is a King of poor, miserable, afflicted and weak hearts.
78 Here belong the examples of the holy Scriptures, which mention the very great and holy men, Abraham and Isaac, as having overcome death, the devil and hell, and which make them friends and prophets of God, as it is written in the 105th Psalm v. 6. 8. 9. And yet they describe the same, how they were also so very weak and feared shamefully. So David says of himself in the 30th Psalm
V. 7. 8: "But I said: I shall never lie down," death and the devil find nothing with me; "for, O Lord, by thy good pleasure thou hast made my mountain strong; but when thou didst harden thy face, I was afraid." When God strengthens us and gives us courage, it is good to be strong and undaunted; but lest we become proud and attribute such strength to our own strength, He causes us to fall. This is exactly what happened to the patriarch Isaac.
This is good and useful to teach the church and the congregation of God, namely, that such very great and holy men, who have had the divine promises and have triumphed and prevailed over sin and death, fall so miserably, and then become children and fugitives. Fear of death is in itself evil and a sin, but if it happens in such a way that your wife is endangered in her chastity, it becomes even more evil. And this teaching the Holy Spirit holds out to us in such a low and contemptible form.
80 For this reason we should bring all this upon ourselves. For this day we also strengthen the godly who are in danger because of the Turk, and we say to them: If the Turk strangles you and devours you, what will he do? What can he do more than strangle? "Do not be afraid of those," says Christ Match. 10, 28, "who kill the body" 2c. If he takes your body, your house and other things by force, what is the point? All this must be left, and I would think that it would do me good if the devil strangled me for the sake of God's Son. Yes, that is how we are when we are courageous and the Holy Spirit strengthens us. But in the other hour, the same thing can happen to me or to any other person that happened to Isaac.
81 Therefore, I say, this is written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may have hope, Romans 15:4, that we may not think: I am not so holy or strong in faith as Isaac or Jacob were. They are indeed strong and steadfast.
154 VI, 273. 274. interpretation of Genesis 26:6, 7. **w. n, 22^-228.** 155
They have been fearful when God held them and made their mountain strong; but when He hid His face, they were terrified, Ps. 30:8. And we may also say of them the same thing that St. Peter says to Cornelius in the stories of the apostles in 10 Cap. V. 26: "I am also a man." For neither Peter nor Paul, though they were holy, had better flesh than we: they also were Adam's children, as we are. St. Paul sometimes boasts and is so hopeful, as if he had already overcome all misfortune; sometimes he also complains quite pitifully about the terror he had inwardly, and about the strife or battle he had to fight by heart. Where was the great unconquerable hero who overcame the whole hell?
(82) Therefore, in the evil day, when there is calamity and adversity, we should not lose hope and despair; and in the good day, when we are happy and well, we should not become proud and hopeful. For those who were strongest in faith, as Abraham and Isaac, fell into such shameful weakness, for our hope and comfort, that we may learn what is the way and use in this kingdom and with this king. For there is seen an insurmountable strength, and again a most surmountable weakness, that I speak thus, which is all to the end that God alone should be honored and praised. For we do not boast of our own strength, but because our King sits at the right hand of God the Father, we boast in him and exalt ourselves; his strength is mighty in our weakness, 2 Cor. 12:9, as may be seen from time to time in all the examples of the fathers.
The world knows nothing of this wisdom; the Holy Spirit alone has it, and keeps it in the church under a very poor and small covering. And we are to read the histories of the fathers in such a way that the examples of faith strengthen us and make us courageous; but the examples of weakness are to comfort us, so that we do not despair nor become hopeful, and so that we may have faith.
comfort others as well. When thou art dismayed, do not add one calamity to another; do not flee from the Lord Christ, nor deny him. For though I am weak, thou shalt say, I would not that Christ my Lord should be blasphemed or reviled, but I would that his glory should be perfect, and his kingdom established and remain firm: though I am fallen, what shall I do? shall I therefore despair? Not at all, for the same thing happened to the great archfathers from whom Christ came.
- Moses diligently expressed that Isaac was afraid of death. "He said," he says, "she is my sister." But why does he say this? "They would strangle me for Rebekah's sake." Therefore, out of fear of death, he put his wife in danger, that she might lose her chastity, so that only he might remain fresh and healthy and alive.
(85) He that would magnify this sin of Isaac, and make it very great and grievous, would find many reasons for it. For in denying that Rebekah is your wife, you deny God, who caused her to be your wife and blessed you with two sons; then, through the sin you commit with the lie, you lead your wife into danger and betray her, so that she may lose her chastity. This is the devil's rhetoric. But let us remain in the rhetoric of the Holy Spirit.
However, this weakness of Isaac's would have brought about, if God had not prospered and prevented, that his wife would have been weakened and would have fallen into adultery, and that otherwise much more evil would have happened. But God lets His saints fall in such a way that He still preserves them.
I do not know what the customs of the inhabitants of Palestine were and what kind of life they led, and I do not understand the fact, of which Moses speaks, that Abimelech was pious and forbade adultery with a life sentence. Why is Isaac afraid of him? He must have seen above (Gen. 12, 11. ff. Cap. 20, 2.) the example of Abraham, how they forcibly took each other's wives.
156 VI. 274-273. interpretation of Genesis 26:6-8. W. n, 228-231. 157
If someone has had a woman who was a little beautiful in appearance, he must have kept her mean, as they say; and if he could not tolerate that, he was strangled by the adulterers, which happens in many places in Italy. Therefore, it is a strange description of this country.
(88) It is probable that he will have seen or heard from others several examples of this sin before; but if they had other customs and did not lead such a life, and Isaac feared that they would be such people, since he had no example anywhere, it can be assumed that there must have been a great incredible weakness in him. He may have thought or imagined: The inhabitants of this land are godless people and ask nothing of God; therefore they also despise people and treat them unjustly.
(89) Hence this sorrow and distress came, because Rebekah was beautiful in appearance. For this is what the text says, and it seems very ridiculous to worldly people. For Isaac was at least eighty or ninety years old. In the sixtieth year of his age two sons were born to him, and fifteen years later his father Abraham died, and she, Rebekah, was seventy years old. For the women were ten years younger than the men; as was said above (Cap. 17. V. 17.) of Sarah, who, though she was already ninety years old, was nevertheless still beautiful in appearance.
90 Because of this, men were not only more beautiful in those days, but also stronger in body than they are now, because at such an age they can beget children and women can become pregnant, at which age we no longer have any hope that they can be fertile. But Rebekah, an old woman of seventy years, is still so beautiful in appearance that she has preceded the others and that she has come into danger of her discipline and chastity for the sake of beauty. This praises the time that was then, namely, that the people
lived more moderately and have also been stronger of the body than today. Now follows a game or joke with Rebekka, so beyond measure clumsy and unrhymed.
II.
V. 8 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.
- Such a great man, who is almost eighty years old, still jokes with his wife, who is also almost seventy years old. Does the Holy Spirit then desire to write such foolish works, and thus lower himself to speak of such small jesting, which takes place in wedlock? Why does he not rather tell the fast of the forty days, as it is written of Elijah? 1 Kings 19:8 But first, let us reject the opinion of the Jews, which is gross and insolent, after the manner of the Cynic philosophers. For these rude and impudent Jews say that Isaac had a marital jest with Rebekah in public, that Abimelech had looked on; as if this so holy father had been a Cynic or Diogenes, who had lain in public on the gaff with his wife.
(92) The Holy Spirit used to cover and gloss over the intercourse of the spouses, and so did not bring it out in the open; and Isaac and his Rebekah were more shameful than that they should have committed such a great disgrace; for they were brought up in the fear of God, and that they honored God with due reverence, and also understood original sin well, so that the work of child rearing was disfigured. For this reason, God wanted it to be hidden and adorned it with clothing and nuptial cheerfulness. However, he is hostile to the unruly nature, as the unreasonable animals do with each other, and he cannot stand it.
But the text secretly indicates, if you consider the circumstances diligently, that this joke came more from sadness of heart and that they were somewhat frightened than from lust or fornication, before-
158 D VI, 27S-L78. Interpretation of I Genesis 26, 8. **W. II, 231-234.** 159
Namely, to Rebekah. Since she was almost despondent from so many misfortunes and miseries, she may have said to her husband: Oh, my dear Isaac, look where we have come to, how miserable and wretched we are wandering in the land. As Job's wife also advanced to her husband his grievous accident, saying to him Job 2:9, "Bless GOD and die" 2c. Behold, we have two sons, and also sheep and other cattle with our household; we are strangers and in misery; and about that we are now forbidden to go into Egypt, I must now also lose the name of a wife.
(94) This, I say, may truly have occurred to the poor woman that she would have thought and said this to her husband, because she was not very stouthearted and struggled with the anger and impatience she felt in such adversity. For who could endure and bear such things without groaning? Therefore, so that Isaac would strengthen her, he may have taken her around the neck and kissed her, and she would have been happy and comforted; he would have said to her: My dear Rebekah, bear this misfortune with patience; God has appeared to me and promised to save me and to protect and shield me. So we could defend Isaac, or excuse what he has done, that we do not make a Cynic or Diogenes out of him with the coarse unruly sows, the Jews.
95 But I will leave these thoughts undecided, I will not press them hard, and I will not even reject them. Nevertheless, it can be seen that they are almost similar to the truth, since no one else shows desire that he should kiss his wife in a foreign country, where he is among the enemies. But she needed to be comforted and told that God was present with them and promised to save and protect them, and the same was done with such coasts and jokes.
This is an honest joke, which is good for a pious, honest husband to play with his wife. If he jokes with his sister or servants in the house like this
It would not suit him well if he wanted to do so. For there it is proper to tell them what to do and what not to do, and to be serious about it, even if one comforts them. But with the one whom God has given me, I may joke, play and speak kindly, so that I may live with her with reason and modesty. As St. Peter 1 Ep. 3, 7 admonishes men, that they should give honor to the female, as the weakest instrument, as also joint heirs of the grace of life, and who are mothers and the other part of the human race, although the weakest part, as far as the body is concerned.
We men are somewhat stronger, therefore we are also commanded greater works in our ministry, in which a female heart is often flushed out in us. But there is a difference between the male and female mind. Women are burdened with housework, childbirth and the need to raise children, and they also have to take care of the house; we, however, have the world and church government upon us, because we are somewhat stronger. But we can see how we hold ourselves in the church and world government. In the government, which men have to administer, there is often no less weakness.
98 Therefore I will follow these thoughts, and will admit that she kissed Isaac kindly, not only for the sake of comfort, but that he might thereby indicate the gesture of a pious husband, so that he may show himself jokingly and kindly toward his honest wife; as one may often see such gestures in husbands who are somewhat kind.
The king was not so wise that he could have understood such important causes as I have told before, why Isaac would have kissed his wife; but he understood that he would have had the common causes of husbands, which may well be shown publicly.
And it is very fine when a husband shows kindness to his wife even in outward manners. On the other hand, it is disgraceful and annoying where there are some men who behave strangely, whimsically, harshly and unkindly.
160 L VI. 278-280. interpretation of Genesis 26:8. **W. II, 234-236.** 161
They do not show any sign, either in words or deeds, that they love their wives or are friendly toward them. One should be serious toward strangers or also toward the servants. So we often hear that the wives praise such things and that they rejoice when they see that the husband lives friendly and in good harmony with his wife. O a good marriage is that, there is right love, so one has to the other, and a happy unity; of it the men also use to boast. But how would they know this if they had not seen that such joking and conjugal friendliness is almost rare among many husbands and wives?
(101) And there is no harder and more abominable discord and strife than between husband and wife and brothers; but if they love one another, jest with one another, and live in friendship, such a marriage is loved and now and then praised by everyone. For it is a rare thing for the devil's sake, whom the married state has for and for an enemy, who presumes to confuse those whom God has joined together, as he only can and may. Although the world does not understand it, but lets itself dream that the marriage state is nothing else than only coitus, and that man and woman kiss each other and outwardly cultivate such love.
(102) The marriage state is not such that they should be joined together only in the body, but also in the heart, which can be seen in certain signs and emblems. And although such outward signs seem clumsy and ridiculous, they are nevertheless appropriate to a good marriage. I have often heard pious, honest matrons praise other husbands for their kindness and composure, and that they were so quiet and pious that they praised it as a special miracle if a woman had such a pious husband or a man had such a pious wife.
103 Therefore, I will interpret and interpret this joke of Isaac's according to this understanding, although I have not forgotten the previous thoughts.
and does not want to have her defended because only against the shameful Jews. These are certainly fine and godly thoughts, namely, that a husband should be kind to his wife not only in the bedchamber but also in other public places in praise of the married state; he should not be whimsical, angry and unthoughtful. For examples of discord, and where one party injures or enrages the other, are very easy to see, and they are also very annoying; especially where jealousy is added, there is hell itself.
(104) Therefore it is good and useful that such examples of kindness and love should exist among husbands and wives, so that others may also become accustomed to kindness, love and patience when any offense or misfortune occurs. For the marriage state is a divine order. And of the woman it is said in Genesis 2:18: "Let us make man a helpmeet, that she may be with him. Therefore, there must be an outward sign of kindness for the sake of others, especially since we have such excellent saints as Isaac in our company. For this life is full of innumerable impulses, so that one may easily anger the other, as may be seen especially in housekeeping. Therefore, pious husbands and wives should be prepared to forgive one another and soon forget where one has hurt or angered the other, no matter how hard or severe the hurt may be, and should again resort to their usual kindness, even outwardly.
For this reason the Holy Spirit does not disdain to describe and praise such a small thing, so that he may first meet with it the coarse, unfilial sows who seek only carnal pleasure, but show themselves almost rough and unthoughtful toward their wives. Then he also wanted to counter the enemies of the married state, as the papists, who have forbidden the married state as if it should be condemned by God, so that we have an example by which we can see that even a certain light sense in the married state does not displease God: which state is otherwise disfigured with the impurity of original sin, therefore the married state is not condemned by God.
162 L. VI, 280. 281. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 8 W. n, 23S-23S. 163
The man has a woman, or the woman has a man. But God uses them to join the man and the woman together, and calls the woman a helpmate for the man. Therefore God joins them together, as Christ says Matth. 19, 6: "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.
(106) And it is a great comfort that we know that God dislikes where husbands and wives divorce each other, and that He wants them to practice love and kindness among themselves, to kiss kindly and to joke with each other, contrary to the devil, who is a founder of all disunity.
But those who find themselves in the impure marital state will reproach us with what St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:1: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman"; and the marital state, they say, is an impure state. Item, the others say: Should I deal so kindly with woman and tolerate and endure all her strange, whimsical customs? In short, I want to be feared by her, I want to rule and reign over her by force, so that she sees that I am a man. How will you bring such great honor, if you break the poor weak instrument and weigh down the conscience with unreasonable bitterness, which you have practiced on your sister and co-heiress of the kingdom of God, as she is also in the same community of baptism, and of all the benefits of God and the whole Christian church? Consider what a woman is, who you are; or if you want to argue, why don't you argue against your own kind? What great honor do you think you will gain by dealing so tyrannically with the weak instrument? It is truly unjustly done by any man, and much more by a Christian, and is indeed a very small, indeed, no honor at all, to conquer such a weak race. That is why I am very hostile to those who are so stouthearted against poor women and, as they are wont to say: Domi leones, foris lepores, that is, who in the house are lions, and outside are as stupid and despondent as hares. I do not speak of the wicked and shameful women, who are
You can't make them better or more devout in any way.
(108) But we should thank God that we know that the married state is instituted by God, and that it pleases God, the angels and all creatures. It pleases God that I am kind to my wife, but it does not please Him at all if I am strange and whimsical, and if I show bitterness toward her; but God is much less pleased with those who forbid and condemn the married state. And such a commandment, so that they have forbidden the marriage state, has indeed been punished with it horribly, since the devil, instead of the divine order, has introduced the wild being with all kinds of fornication and unseemly mingling, and also with unspeakable sodomitic sins. And the same has happened by God's righteous judgment, because they have violated and reviled the holy estate, which God Himself has ordered and also blessed.
(109) Although this state has its own infirmities or impurities, God tolerates such infirmities in the marriage state and acts as if He did not see it. Where the right natural order is kept to beget children, then God acts as if he does not see it, and forgives pious spouses such infirmities and impurity; or as Lucas in the stories of the apostles uses his Greek word very much, since he says in 13 Cap. V. 18, how God tolerated the Jews' ways in the desert for forty years. So he will also put up with this way here in marriage and tolerate it, so that the human race may be preserved. I know well, says God to you, that you are conceived in sins, but I will forgive you and allow you to have your own wife as a helpmate; in her alone you shall have your pleasure, and you shall also tolerate it and bear it well in silence, if any sorrow or hardship occurs. I will, he says, also bear with it patience; either you touch your wife kindly at night while she is naked, or in the daytime when she is clothed.
- if god is not out of peculiar
164 D. 281-283. interpretation of Genesis 26:8. w. n, 239-242. 165
If the Lord had appointed that a man and a woman should be joined together in matrimony, how should the whole world have so great a desire for it, that by this means and help it might be delivered from unseemly mingling and impurity! But now we despise this lawful union, which he has confirmed with a constant and immovable commandment, by which he has forbidden fornication and other unseemly mingling. He commands that you should choose one who is pleasing to you, with whom you may spend your life. It is indeed a sin, but I will permit you, says God, to jest and laugh with your own wife and to abstain from strange women. As it is written in the Proverbs of Solomon, 5 Cap. V. 18, 19: "Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is as lovely as a hind, and as lovely as a deer. Let her love satisfy thee at all times, and delight thyself in her love continually."
So we are comforted by this text, in which it is written how Isaac joked with his dear Rebekah in his old age, not only because of need and comfort, but also with marital jesting, which is good for this state, so that he might indicate with such outward friendliness that they loved each other dearly. And this is written to the comfort of the spouses, and to the annoyance, contempt and refutation of the shameful unholy enthusiasts who condemn the marriage state.
I still remember how before that time, before the gospel came to light again, husbands often complained in confession about such marital jokes, as if about a grave sin. Yes, that is very unreasonable and thus the Creator is also reviled, if any honest matron or pious virgin had gone over the churchyard of the barefoot monks, the monks immediately swept the churchyard with brooms and cleansed the holy place with fire again. Dear Lord God, they are our mothers, and the flame or heat of fornication, which man has received through original sin, cannot be swept with a broom.
or sweep out the fire, but by such means they are inflamed and lured more and more; and if one cannot have a wife, the heat is still increased by this. But these hypocrites did not understand original sin, therefore they did not know about the help and remedy that God Himself has shown and given us against it.
(113) Christ would have us first be baptized, that the heart may be improved and made perfect; then, if thou canst not have the gift of virgin chastity, thou mayest choose the chastity that is in widowhood or matrimony; for there is flesh in both male and female: therefore they also have seed, and feel in themselves the heat and desire to beget children. What then is one to advise here? Answer: This is the advice to follow: If you have the gift of chastity, keep it; but if not, take a wife, lest you be defiled with unseemly mingling and cardinal fornication, and so be eternally lost and damned.
The Hebrew word zachak is no less general in its meaning than the word laugh is in the German language and the word ridere is in the Latin language. For the word ridere, to laugh, is sometimes used in its proper meaning, but at other times it is used by the figure called antiphrasis for a bitter laughter (that is called in the Latin proverb risus Sardonius) which is more bitter than all weeping can be. And still another time it is called cheerfulness or cheerful gesture and when one looks at one cheerfully; and this is also understood by creatures that have no life. As when we say: The field, the meadow, or the forest laughs, this is just as much said as that it is funny and lovely to look at; so in German we also say: He laughs that he shakes himself, that is, he is cheerful; and by the figure called antiphrasis one says: He laughs at my fist; item: How mockingly he laughs at me! This indicates a very bitter and sour laugh.
115 This is the meaning of the Hebrew word in Psalm 2, v. 4: "But...".
166 L. VI, 2W-28S. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 8. W. n, 242-244. 167
He who dwells in heaven laughs at them, and the Lord mocks them. Item, so Abner said to Joab 2 Sam. 2, 14: "Let the boys make themselves out, and play before us"; as if he wanted to say: Let them have a good courage (per antiphrasin); that is also called jesting, when the sword goes through your belly, that is especially a horrible playing or laughing. Therefore, in this place the word ridere, to laugh or joke, does not mean to sleep with the woman, but means just as much as what is said above in Genesis 18:12, where Sarah also laughed. Item, so Ishmael also laughed at Isaac Gen 21, 9, that is, he mocked him. Thus it is written in Exodus 32:6: "Then the people sat down to eat and to drink, and stopped to play," which does not mean to practice idolatry, as the Jews dream, but it means to laugh and be merry. In Hebrew, however, there is a subtle allusion, which is subtle and points to the name Isaac, which cannot be rendered in any language, but if one wanted to say in Latin, Isaac isaacabat, Isaac, that is, he who laughs, who is kind, did kindly toward his wife; he who is lovely and lovable, loved his wife; he presented himself like a true Isaac, and he did the same with such certainty and confidence as befits a husband.
Therefore, in this example, Christian spouses are given a good teaching and consolation, and after that, a refutation of the shameful and harmful papists and heretics, who have made mortal sins out of all the words and deeds of spouses. And I myself, when I was still a monk, was also of the same opinion, namely that the married state was a damned state. We used to discuss whether it was proper for a man to love a pious, honest virgin and desire her as his wife. Item: Whether it would also be a sin for a man to joke with his wife? And I wondered greatly at the saying of Bonaventure, who was the holiest among the monks, when he says: "It is not a sin for anyone to court a virgin and desire to have her as his wife; indeed, one may justly do so. For this reason, one should not discuss it.
The man who jokes with his wife should not doubt it. Item, he also says that a husband may joke with his wife. I would have had a different saying or opinion about him, which would have rhymed better with his monastic profession; for I did not understand this at that time in any other way than how the Jews interpret it.
117 Therefore consider, ye young men, who are now growing up, that ye shall come to the marriage state, and be drawn to common offices, that ye give thanks unto God for this divine light and blessing, that we know now that the marriage state is a holy thing, and that we may laugh with our wives, and shun them, and hold ourselves friendly unto them, whether they be naked or clothed; only that we abstain from strange wives. This is a great threat to us, and there is also the testimony of St. Paul. Although he would like us to abstain from marriage altogether, he nevertheless allows us to do so because God Himself permits it, 1 Cor. 7:2, 9.
But from this one can also take an admonition as to how married couples should keep themselves moderate and chaste. For some are such coarse, insolent sows that they think they have the power to do anything they want with their wives while they are married. They are very far wrong, and should know that they are only allowed the same wretched lust, and that they may be friendly with their wives; not as if such lust and sexual intercourse were pure in the flesh, for the spouses are poisoned by both parts with original sin, disease and lust pestilence, but because God has said: I will not impute this uncleanness to you, provided that you leave it with the helpmate who is around you.
For this reason we must live in this state with integrity and the fear of God. I have a wife by divine permission, but it is sin in both our flesh: shameful lust and fornication are not good. For though by nature a husband with a better conscience keeps to his wife, than if the seed were otherwise shed in vain, or if he were to engage in fornication and adultery, yet such is not done.
168 2 VI, 28P. 286. interpretation of Genesis 26, 8. 9. w. n, 244-249. 169
without impurity. For this reason, the men who practice shameful and unspeakable things with their wives in the bedchamber according to their will are to be punished. For God has granted and permitted them a security, but this is only a permission and one must not abuse it.
120 And so we must understand the saying of Augustine, when he says: He who loves his wife may freely expect the last day. But how? Answer: By special permission; if not, it would be adultery and impurity. But because God has ordained it and joined husband and wife together, God does not impute to them what is shameful or unclean there. Nevertheless, evil in marriage and in conjugal relations should not be defended as if it were something good. The pagans said that it was a natural thing and that it was not dishonest for a young man to love a virgin, as the old man says in the comedy. But God wants us to have a mind in marriage, and to be in our right mind, and to know that we shall not be condemned or accused at the last judgment: but we shall not excuse the evil desire and shame that is in marriage. We shall not say, It is well that I have slept with my wife; but we shall recognize our uncleanness, and yet take it for granted that in wedlock all things are pure, because God has joined husband and wife together, that we may possess our vessels in fear and due honor. And where something evil has been committed, that it may remain within the bounds of the marriage state.
121 Thus shall we rightly understand and consider the kingdom of Christ. For it is another to be justified by the law, and another to be justified by grace. I use the law and the ordinance of matrimony, not that I am worthy of it; yea, I am not worthy of the bread that I eat, nor of the money, nor of all the goods that I use. For the creature is subject to vanity, Rom. 8, 20. The woman serves me as one who is not worthy of it, in all praedica.
mentis, as one is wont to speak in the schools according to the dialectic, substantives, quantitatis, qualitatis, that is, it is equal according to the essence, according to the size, or also according to the skill: but in praedicamento relationis there I am worthy, that is, I am not worthy that I should have a wife or children, according to the essence and according to the thing in itself; for I am a poor sinner: But then I become worthy of it, when God says: I will allow it to you and let it happen this way, because I have decreed it this way; but you shall know yourself and live in this state in the fear of God and with due reverence.
So all of us are not worthy of either the marriage state or the world or church rule. I am not worthy to do a lection or sermon. But we have a gracious and merciful God, who forgives our sin and unworthiness, who has transferred us from the realm of wrath to the realm of grace, and has commanded us that, protected under this cover of grace, we should come to him, however unworthy we are, and should thus use and enjoy the divine goods by his grace.
Third part.
How Abimelech confronts Isaac, punishes him severely with words, and issues a command
Isaac's sake.
V. 9 Then Abimelech called unto Isaac, and said, Behold, it is thy wife. How then hast thou said, She is my sister? Isaac answered him, I thought that I might die for her sake.
All this is only such a thing as belongs to the house and world government, and nothing is taught here of great and right spiritual things, of which the gospel preaches and teaches, but of faith in Christ, of the Trinity, of the resurrection of the dead, of the overcoming of sins, death and the devil. Therefore, this is despised by the hypocrites who claim to have a great spirit and holiness.
170 D. VI, 288-288. interpretation of I Moses 26, 9. W. II, 24S-2S1. 171
think. What, they say, do these carnal things concern us? As if they lived without flesh; as if they did not drink, eat, or sleep, and had no male or female sex; as if they had no need of fleshly things at all, or as if they asked nothing at all about them. But they do not understand and do not know what is spirit or what is flesh.
For the sake of such enthusiastic opinions, the Holy Spirit writes such childish things and those that belong to the house government, indicating that he also governs the bodily things, without which this life cannot be governed or sustained. For although the enthusiasts or heavenly prophets themselves do not seem to ask anything about carnal things, they nevertheless need food, drink and clothing. Why then should we not discuss and talk about how to eat and live in right godliness and with a good conscience? For in the church and congregation of God we are not only to teach about the life to come, as the gospel teaches, without regard to this present life, although it does not despise this life at all: but we are to live it according to the law, and teach people from it how to live a godly and honest life to their last end. For we are born daily, and we die daily.
For this reason the people must be taught and told how the wife should behave toward the husband, and how the servant should behave toward his master, that one should not steal, not commit adultery 2c. Yes, will the enthusiasts and sour saints say, But this is a vain carnal thing. Answer: It is rightly said; if then it does not please thee to use such carnal things, leave off and abstain from eating, drinking, clothing, and such other things. These are all ordinances and creatures of God, which he has given us for this life, which we are to lead honestly and godly, and to endure until death. This must be said for the sake of the hostile people, who are afraid of another and
The people of the world let themselves dream of a supernatural life, as it were, high above the clouds, even though they cannot do without this present life.
016 Now therefore let us see what hath followed, that Isaac hath denied that Rebekah was his wife. Abimelech called him to him and said, "I saw that you were joking with Rebekah, so I can conclude that she is not your sister but your wife, because a brother is not in the habit of joking with a sister. Why then did you lie to me and say that she was your sister? Isaac answered him, "I thought that I might die.
In this place we must speak of the lie, as we have just heard (in chapter 12), of which Augustine sharply disputes with Jerome because of Paul's words to the Galatians in chapter 1, v. 20. V. 20, where he says: "But what I write to you, God knows, I do not lie." There he says that Paul did not punish Peter in earnest, but only posed outwardly as if he were punishing him. But he distinguishes three kinds of lies. A harmful lie is when one speaks lies with the intention of deceiving someone in order to harm his neighbor, either in his good or his life. And this is even the worst, when lies and false teachings are spread under the name of God, which God has forbidden in the eighth commandment, when He says: "You shall not bear false witness" 2c., 2 Mos. 20, 16.
The other kind of lie is called a mendacium officiosum, a lie in which someone is served, or a lie of love or mercy. For example, if the authorities are looking for a thief to punish him, and I know where he is, but I deny it and say that I do not know, I lie, not to harm my neighbor, but to help him. Or, if I saw that someone was going about with it and wanted to stalk some virgin or matron, and I pretended to know nothing about her, then I would also be lying to save the virgin and keep her in honor. So-
172 v. VI, 288-290. interpretation of Genesis 26, s. W. n, 2S1-254. 173
Michal also lies to her father in 1 Sam. 19:17 that David has left, but she does this for David's benefit to save him. Therefore, if it can be done without harming the authorities or the parents, those who seek or attack them may be hidden or protected. Rahab also tells a similar lie in the book of Joshua, in chapter 2, v. 5. Therefore, this is a white lie (mendacium officiosum) to help and serve others so that they are not harmed or damaged in their good name or reputation, or even in life and limb.
On the other hand, the harmful lie harms all this, just as the lie of necessity defends it, and is therefore not really called a lie, but a false and abusive lie; for it is a very beautiful protection against the danger of life and limb, and also of good. Therefore, it is an honest and good lie, and should rather be called a work of love; although Augustine calls it a lie, yet he alleviates it with the addition that he calls it mendacium officiosum, that is, a white lie. For the persecutor is thereby deceived, so that the devil and the malice of the persecutor may be hindered and the innocent defended. This means to keep the commandments of God and not to transgress them. Yes, someone would like to say, one should not conceal the truth. To this I answer that in such cases one should not tell the truth unless you are compelled and forced to do so by force.
The third kind of lie is called in Latin mendacium jocosum, a joke lie, when one jokes with the other, that nevertheless godliness and faith remain unharmed, and that such seriousness is still felt as befits a Christian. Like this joke Rebekah and Isaac had with each other, or when a husband jokes with his wife or son and deceives them, so that they laugh at it and become happy. When such deceit is uncovered and revealed, then the lie ceases, and is nothing but a jest and such a thing, at which one is merry and of good cheer. And this is also a useful
ly, mainly among acquaintances, and who are related to each other and good friends.
(131) Therefore it is asked of this deed of Isaac, Whether it be a sin that he hath done it? To this I answer thus: It is no sin, but is a white lie, that he might prevent himself from being slain by those with whom he was staying at that time, if he had said that Rebekah was his wife; although it is a weakness of faith that he did not freely and continually confess it and despise death. For this would have been a beautiful, glorious virtue and constancy, befitting a great, valiant hero.
But God wanted him to be a little weak, so that an example might be made of him, from which the church and congregation of God might be instructed and taught, namely, that God would not be angered by you confessing with great steadfastness, which is fitting for a brave hero, or else that you are a little weak. For God will be patient with you and bestow it upon you. And from this we clearly see that we have a gracious God who can forgive us our weakness, overlook it and forgive our sins, only that we do not lie harmfully.
133 Now Isaac had no small cause to be afraid. For even though he found a king in the land who was righteous, holy and pious enough, he thought, "Behold, I am compelled by reason of the evil that I must be a stranger among the nations, who have not this promise which I have, that the Lord will be my God, and that I shall believe, and continue and abide in the faith of him. These people have neither word nor faith. Therefore it is to be presumed, or at least it is to be feared, that they are godless people, and that they deal in murder, adultery and fornication, and must be afflicted with such things. And if they are not in fact adulterers and murderers, an opportunity could easily present itself by which they could be induced to fall into such sins. But now
174L VI, 290-292. interpretation of Genesis 26, 9. D. n, 2"-A7. 175
My wife is beautiful to look at, and might tempt some ungodly man to love her for her beauty; therefore I am in great danger.
This is a legitimate fear, and such a fear as may well befit an honest and steady man, as lawyers or jurists are wont to say. If a despondent and frightened man is afraid, it is a useless fear; but the fear of a brave hero or a bewitched man is legitimate and reasonable. Therefore such fear is praised by lawyers and also by theologians. For it is not the sign of a brave hero or a strong man of courage that he is not at all afraid or anxious about any danger and would foolhardily put himself in unnecessary danger. Those who do this are foolhardy and daring people and not brave or courageous. He who is quite strong and courageous knows how to keep boldness and fear in check and thus the right measure. In necessary danger he is not afraid, since necessity, respectability and common utility require that one should have a strong and undaunted courage: but outside of necessity he does not put himself in danger so easily or foolhardily. And so a pious honest man may well be justly afraid. For this does not befit a courageous man who is steadfast. In this way Isaac is also afraid and weak, and yet he is excused because he is fearful and a steadfast man.
But I allow myself that we take cause from this text to dispute about doubt, since one doubts God and His will. For I hear that from time to time, among the nobility and other great lords, evil words are said and spread about the predestination or providence of God. For so they shall speak: If I am endowed, I may do good or evil, and I shall be saved; but if I am not endowed, I shall be damned, regardless of my works.
136 I would gladly argue at length against such ungodly words, if it were up to me.
for the sake of his faltering health. For if the words are true, as they appear to be, then the incarnation of the Son of God, his suffering and resurrection, and all that he has done for the sake of the world's salvation and blessedness, are completely annulled and taken away. What use will the prophets and all the Scriptures be to us then? What will the holy sacraments serve us for then? Therefore, let us reject all this and trample it underfoot.
These are devilish and poisoned arrows, and is the very original sin itself, so that the devil deceived our first parents when he said: "You will be like God", Gen. 3, 5. For they were not satisfied with the divinity that was revealed to them, through which knowledge they were blessed, but they wanted to penetrate into the depth of the divinity. For they reasoned thus: There must be some hidden cause underneath, why God forbade them not to eat of the fruit of the tree that was in the midst of paradise; this cause they wanted to know.
As these people of the present time also speak of it: What God has ordained must come to pass; therefore it is all uncertain and vain that we should be much concerned about religion or the salvation of souls. But you are not commanded to judge, for the judgment of God is inscrutable. Why do you doubt or reject the faith that God has commanded you? For to what end did it serve that God sent His Son to suffer and be crucified for us? Of what use was it that he instituted the holy sacraments, if it is all uncertain and in vain for our salvation? Otherwise, if someone had been given salvation, he would have been saved without the Son and without the sacraments or the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, according to these people's blasphemy, God must have been an abominable fool to have sent His Son, to have given the Law and the Gospel, and to have sent the apostles, if He only wanted us to be uncertain and still doubt whether we would be saved or damned.
176 L. VI. 292. 293. Interpretation of I Genesis 26, s. W. n. 2S7-260. 177
But this is the devil's specter and deceit, by which he presumes to make us doubtful and unbelieving, when Christ came into this world to make us completely sure of our salvation. For such a blasphemous opinion must finally be followed either by despair or contempt for God, the Holy Bible, baptism and all divine benefits, so that he would strengthen us against doubt and that we should not be uncertain of our salvation. For the blasphemers will finally say with the Epicureans: "Let us live, eat and drink in ease, for we will have to die tomorrow. They will, as the Turks are wont to do, fall foolhardily on the sword and in the fire, since, as they think, the hour is already determined in which you will either be laid low and slain or else escape.
But against these thoughts one should hold the true and certain knowledge of Christ; as I often admonish that it is primarily useful and necessary that the knowledge of God be completely certain in us, that we grasp it firmly in our hearts and cling to it; otherwise our faith will be in vain and in vain. For where God does not keep His promises, our salvation is lost. On the other hand, this is our comfort: that even though we change, we have recourse to Him who does not change, but always remains constant. For thus he says of himself in the prophet Malachi in 3 Cap. V. 6: "I am the Lord who does not lie." And St. Paul says Rom. 11, 29: "God's gifts and calling may not make him sorry."
That is why, in my book De servo arbitrio (that free will is nothing), I have taught against Erasmus, and in other places, that one should distinguish when dealing with knowledge or rather with the essence of the Godhead. For one must either speak of the hidden God or of the revealed God. Of God, if he is not revealed, there is no faith and no knowledge, and one can know nothing of such God, and there one must adhere to the saying: Quae
supra nos, nihil ad nos: What is above us is none of our business. For such thoughts, which want to investigate something higher above or outside the revelation of God, are even devilish thoughts, so that nothing more can be done, except that we plunge ourselves into ruin; for they hold before us such an object, which is inscrutable, namely, God, who is not revealed. It is much better to let God keep His conclusions and secrets hidden. We must not make such an effort that the same should be revealed to us.
- Moses also desired in Ex. 33, 18. that God would let him see His face or glory; but the Lord answered him thus, v. 20: "You will look behind me, but my face cannot be seen. For this forwardness is original sin itself, by which we are driven and provoked to seek a way to God by natural speculation. But it is a great sin and a useless and futile thing that one wants to subject oneself to it. For thus says Christ John 6:65, Cap. 14:6: "No one comes to the Father except through Me." Therefore, when we come to God who has not revealed Himself, there is no faith, no word, and no knowledge. For it is an invisible God, whom you will not make visible.
According to this, God has also very seriously forbidden that one should not be so tempted to recognize His divinity. As Christ said to the apostles, Acts. 1, 7, when they asked: "Lord, is it not appointed that at this time the kingdom of Israel shall be established again?": "It behooves you not to know the time or the hour" 2c. Let me, saith GOD, be hidden, since I have not revealed myself unto thee, or thou shalt be unto thyself a cause of thine own destruction, as Adam fell horribly. "For he that searcheth hard things shall find it too hard," Prov. 25:27.
In the beginning, God wanted to prevent this joke. For thus He has held out His will and counsel to us, saying thus: Behold, man, I will give thee the provision and prede-.
178 D. VI. SS3-AS. Interpretation of Genesis 26:9. W. II, 260-2W. 179
stination gloriously; but not in the way of your reason and carnal wisdom, as you dream and think. I will do this: from a God who is not revealed, I will become a revealed God, and yet I will remain the same God. I will become man, or I will send my Son, who shall die for your sin and rise again from death; and so I will fulfill your desire, that you may know whether you are provided or not. "Behold, this is my Son, whom thou shalt hear," Matt. 17:5; behold him lying in the manger, and on the manger's lap, and also hanging on the cross; behold what he doeth, what he speaketh. There you will surely seize me. For "he that seeth me," saith Christ John 14:9, "seeth the Father." If you hear this, and are baptized in his name, and love his word, then you will surely be provided for and assured of your salvation. But if you blaspheme or despise the word, you are condemned: "For he who does not believe will be condemned," Marc. 16, 16.
The other thoughts and ways, which your reason or flesh puts before you, you shall kill. For God is hostile to them. Let this alone be your concern, that you accept my Son, that Christ may be pleasing to your heart in his birth, miracles and cross. For there is the book of life in which you are written.
And this is the only and most certain counsel against this dreadful plague, so that people will always want to continue their speculation and high thoughts of investigating God in His high majesty, and finally fall into despair or contempt of God. If you want to escape the despair, enmity and blasphemy of God, let go of speculation and high thoughts about the hidden God, and stop vainly desiring and striving to see the face or glory of God; otherwise you will forever remain in unbelief and condemnation and be lost. For he who doubts does not believe, and he who does not believe will be condemned.
Therefore we should be hostile to these shameful evil words and beware of them, which the Epicureans use when they say: If this must necessarily happen, then let it happen anyway. For God did not come down from heaven for the purpose of making you uncertain of the truth, and teaching you to despise the sacraments, absolution, and other divine ordinances more; indeed, he instituted all these things for the purpose of making you completely certain, and removing from your heart the great defect and error of doubt, so that you might not only believe in your heart, but also see with your bodily eyes and grasp it with your hands. Why then do you reject all this, and complain that you cannot know whether you are provided for salvation? You have the gospel, you have been baptized, you have absolution, you are a Christian, and yet you still doubt and say that you do not know whether you believe or do not believe, whether you believe what is said and preached to you in the Word and Sacraments of Christ to be true.
But you will perhaps say: I cannot believe; as there are many who are plagued with this challenge. And I remember that in Torgau a poor woman came to me and complained with bitter tears that she could not believe. When I recited the articles of faith one after the other, and asked her about each article: "Does she also believe that all this is true and therefore has happened, or not? she answered me and said: "I certainly believe that it is true, but I cannot believe it. This was a devilish deception. Therefore I said to her, "If you believe all this to be true, you have no reason to complain about your unbelief, for if you do not doubt that the Son of God died for you, then you certainly believe. For believing is nothing else than taking this for certain undoubted truth.
God says to you, "Behold, you have my Son, hear him and accept him; if you do this, you are already assured of your faith and your salvation. Yes, you say, but I do not know whether I am in faith or not.
180 L. VI. 2SS-2S7. Interpretation of Genesis 26:9. W. II, 262-2W. 181
can remain? Nevertheless, accept the present promise and provision, and beware that you do not search rashly or too closely for the secret counsels of God. If you believe in the revealed God and accept His word, the hidden God will also be revealed to you. For "he who sees me," says Christ John 14:9, "sees the Father." But he who rejects the Son loses with the revealed God also the hidden God, who has not revealed Himself. But if you cling to the revealed God with strong faith, so that your heart is set on not losing Christ, even if you are otherwise deprived of everything you have, then you will certainly be provided for and will understand the hidden God, yes, you already understand Him: If you recognize the Son and His will that He reveal Himself to you and be your Lord and Savior, then you are certain that God is also your Lord and your Father.
Behold, how God so kindly and graciously delivers you from this most terrible temptation, which Satan is now driving exceedingly hard, so that he may make people doubtful and uncertain, and finally even turn away from God's word. For why would you want to hear the gospel, say the Epicureans, since it is all in the providence? So Satan takes away by force the assurance of which we are assured by the Son of God and by the holy sacraments, and makes us uncertain, since we are quite certain beforehand: and when he attacks the poor frightened consciences with this challenge, they die in despair; as would almost have happened to me, if Staupitz had not saved me, since I had just the same challenge. But if they are despisers who are thus challenged, they become the very worst and most shameful epicureans.
151 Therefore we should rather engrave these sayings in our hearts than John 6:44, where Christ says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." By whom does he draw
him, though? Answer: Through me. "For he who sees me sees the Father." And to Moses God says: "You cannot see my face, for no man will live who sees me", Ex. 33, 20. Item, Acts. 1, 7. Christ says to the disciples: "It is not for you to know the time or hour which the Father has reserved for His power"; but go ye, and execute what I have commanded you. Item, Sirach speaks at the 3. Cap. V. 22. 23. 24.: "Do not stand on high, and do not think about your wealth; but what God has commanded you, always take care of it," 2c., "and what is not in your office, leave your arrogance." Listen to my Son, says God, who became man, and the provision will come from Himself.
D. Staupitz used to comfort me with these words and said to me: "Dear, why do you bother yourself with these speculations and high thoughts; look at the wounds of Christ, and his blood, which he shed for you, and from it the salvation will shine forth. Therefore hear the Son of God, who was sent into the flesh, became man, and for this reason appeared to destroy the works of the devil, 1 John 3:8, and to make you sure of salvation. And therefore he also says to you: You are my sheep, because you hear my voice; and no one will snatch you out of my hand, Joh. 10, 29.
There are many who have not resisted this temptation in this way and have been brought to ruin and eternal damnation. For this reason, the hearts of godly people must be diligently strengthened so that they may always be prepared against it. As a hermit or a hermit in the book "Lives of the Fathers" admonishes that they should abstain from such speculation and high thoughts, and thus says: "If you see that anyone has set his foot in heaven, withdraw it again. For thus the saints or Christians, who are still newcomers, are wont to think of God apart from Christ; and it is they who are wont to go up to heaven and set both feet there; but they are soon cast into hell and sunk.
182 L VI. 2S7-2SS. Interpretation of I Genesis 26:9, W.H, AS-AS. 183
Therefore, the godly must beware of this, and be careful only to learn to cling to the infant and to the Son of God, Jesus, who is your God and who became man for your sake: you must know and hear him, have your delight in him, and also give thanks to him. If you have him, you also have the hidden God together with the revealed one. And this is the only way, the truth and the life: outside of the same way, truth and life, you will find nothing but vain destruction, damnation and death.
For this reason He has revealed Himself in the flesh, so that He might snatch us out of death, out of the flesh and out of the devil's power, and deliver us. From such knowledge must surely come great joy and delight that God is unchanging and that He works according to unchanging necessity, and cannot deny Himself, but faithfully keeps His promise.
Therefore we are not at liberty to entertain such lofty thoughts, and to doubt the providence thereof; but these same thoughts are ungodly, wicked, and devilish. Therefore, when the devil challenges you, say only, "I believe in Jesus Christ our Lord," in whom I have no doubt that he became man, suffered and died for me, into whose death I was baptized. With this answer, the temptation will disappear and Satan will turn his back on you. As I have often told a remarkable example of a nun in other places, who also had the same temptation. For under the papacy there have also been many godly people who have felt these spiritual temptations, which are true infernal thoughts and those of damned men; for there is no difference between one who doubts and one who is damned. Therefore, as often as the same nun felt that she was attacked with the fiery arrows of Satan, she said nothing else but: I am a Christian.
157 We must do the same. We must stop disputing and say: I am a Christian, that is, the Son of God.
God became man and was born into this world, he redeemed me and sits at the right hand of the Father and is my Savior. So drive the devil away from you with as few words as you can, and say: "Get thee away from me, Satan", Matth. 4, 10. Do not make me doubt; the Son of God has come into this world, that he may destroy your work and doubts; then the temptation ceases, and the heart comes again to peace, rest and love of God.
But if one doubts the will of any man, it is no sin; as Isaac doubted whether he would live, or whether he would have a good and pious host. I may and should doubt a man, for he is not my Savior. And in the 146th Psalm v. 3. it is written, "Rely not on princes." "For all men are liars," and cannot help. But with GOD one cannot act so in doubt. For he will not, nor can he, be changeable or a liar; but the highest service of God, which he requires and will have, is that you should hold him to be true. For this is why he has given such strong arguments and signs of his truth, and that all things are certain with him. He has given his Son in the flesh and in death, and has instituted the sacraments for this purpose, so that you may know that he is not a liar but true.
159 And this he proves and confirms, not with spiritual, but with tangible arguments and signs. For I see the water in baptism; I see the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper; I see the minister of the word: which is all bodily; in which bodily figures or images he manifests himself. When dealing with men, one may doubt what or how far you may believe one, and how others may be disposed against you; but of God you shall hold this certain and undoubted, that he is gracious to you for Christ's sake, and that you are redeemed and sanctified by the precious blood of the Son of God; and so you shall be sure of your provision; you shall leave off all forward and dangerous questions of the secret counsels of God, to which the devil has submitted himself.
184 L. VI, 2S"-3V1. interpretation of Genesis 26:9-11. W. II, 268-271. 185
is to drive us, as he drove and brought our first father Adam to do.
(160) How blessed he would have been if he had diligently kept God's word in mind and had eaten from all the other trees, except the one from which he was forbidden to eat! But he wanted to find out what God meant by forbidding him not to use the only tree and not to eat from it. In addition, the mischievous master, Satan, came to him, who increased the pride and helped him to do so. Thus he was plunged into sin and death.
God reveals His will to us through Christ and the gospel. But we despise this, and let ourselves lust after the example of Adam above all other trees of the forbidden tree. We all have this affliction by nature: if paradise and heaven are shut up, and the angel is set there to keep them, we undertake in vain to come thither. For Christ rightly said John 1:18: "No one has ever seen God." And yet God has revealed Himself to us out of immeasurable grace, so that He might fulfill our desire and do enough for it. He has presented a visible image to us, saying, "Behold, you have my Son; whoever hears him and is baptized is written in the book of life; I reveal this to you through my Son, whom you can touch with your hands and see with your eyes.
I have therefore gladly and diligently wanted to remind you of this. For after my death, many will bring forth my books and cite them, and will want to prove and confirm all kinds of errors and their own imagination. Now I have written, among other things, that everything is necessary and must happen; but at the same time I have also added that one should regard the God who has revealed Himself, as we sing in the 46th Psalm: "He is called Jesus Christ, the LORD of hosts, and is no other God," and in many other places. But they will pass by all the places, and accept only those where the hidden God is spoken of.
For this reason you should remember, who are also now hearing, that I have taught this, namely, that one should not search for the provision of the hidden God, but that one should be satisfied with the same provision, which is revealed through the calling and through the ministry; for there you can be sure of your faith and salvation, and say, "I believe in the Son of God, who said, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life," John 3:36. 3, 36. Therefore there is no condemnation or wrath in him, but the pleasure of God the Father. And I have also publicly taught the same in my other books and still teach it with a loud voice. Therefore I will be excused.
V. 10, 11 Abimelech said, "Why did you do 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.
The king is shown here as a particularly pious man who loves righteousness and godliness. Therefore Peter says Ap. 10, 34, 35: "God does not look at the person, but in all the people, whoever fears him and does right, he is pleasing to him." For although this king is not Abraham's son, yet he is holy and hopes in the righteousness of God, as Cornelius also did. Therefore Isaac came to him, as Abraham came to the previous Abimelech, and he was instructed by Isaac in right godliness and knowledge of God; for he will undoubtedly have preached God's word there. But it can be seen that the name Abimelech was the king's name and not the name of his person; as the name Pharaoh was also a common name of all kings in Egypt.
Now behold how fiercely hostile the king is to adultery. For this reason this is an excellent text, when he says, "Why have you done this to us? As if to say, Would you have me and the whole kingdom so
186 r vi. 301-393; interpretation of Genesis 26:10; **II. W. n. 271-273.** 187
that we should ignorantly anger God with such a grievous sin? For not only I, but also the whole of my kingdom was in danger, if any of the subjects had laid with her. He would have said this with great anger; and I believe that he is speaking of such sexual intercourse, which is honest, and of male and female companionship, and not of unseemly intermingling, of which Isaac was especially afraid. But I believe that this was the king's opinion, that he meant to say: If any man had taken away thy wife, as though she were free, and had brought her home, and laid with her, as a husband is wont to lay with his wife, there would have been a secret sin of adultery: and though he dwelt honestly with her, as a husband, yet would he have been found out, and might justly have been accounted an adulterer.
These are the words of a man who fears God and is godly. And this is fitting for a prince and king who is also hostile to secret adultery, and it is probable that he would have punished public adultery and unseemly mixing even more. And if it had been inflicted on another without the king's knowledge, he would not have been guilty of it.
You will not find anything in our kings and princes at this time that would be like this example. They should say: She may be his sister or his wife, one may deal with her honestly or dishonestly, what is it to me? But in this Abimelech one feels that he had the fear of God; therefore he feared that in his kingdom also no secret adultery would be committed. No doubt the other princes and rulers in the land would have felt the same way.
Therefore, it was a great grace and blessing that at that time God gave such pious and godly lords to host the church and congregation of God, as Abraham had Escol, Aner and Abimelech (Cap. 14, v. 13). For the church and apostles must have had
have some corner where they can live and sustain themselves. Such a king was this Abimelech, who took in and cared for the holy apostle and prophet of God, Isaac. Therefore, I believe that he was one of the pious holy kings. For even though he was not a child of the promise, he nevertheless received it, just as many Gentiles were saved at that time.
The Hebrew word ascham was interpreted by Jerome in Latin: peccatum grande, a great guilt. This indicates that at that time adultery was not considered a joke or child's play; as today among Christians the marriage state is considered a joke, especially among the great lords. And the papists consider adultery and fornication to be nothing but a joke and make a mockery of it. Now, if we take it to mean adultery or fornication, we can truly conclude that the king's heart must have been full of godliness and fear of God, who could not let any of these sins go unpunished; for he is very angry about it: he truly does not consider it to be a joke, but considers it to be a sin, since our Lord God has a promise to (in Hebrew ascham, in Latin reatus); as we ask in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses", and in the 34th Psalm v. 22: "Forgive us our trespasses". Psalm v. 22: "They that hate the righteous shall be in debt." Hence it comes that hostia means so much as delictum, guilt-offering; and in the 5th Psalm v. 11.: Judica illos, Deus: "Blame them, GOD"; there Jerome has interpreted it in Latin: Condemna eos, non justifica eos: Condemn them, do not justify them, but consider them reprobates, guilty and lost. It is almost the same as the word that St. Paul uses in 1 Cor. 4, 13, in Greek katharma, in German Fegopfer.
170 Therefore the king says: "It would have been easy for you to have brought such guilt upon us. He not only fears and dreads God, but is also frightened by the danger that has come upon him and the entire kingdom.
188 2. VI, 303. 304. interpretation of I Moses 26, 10-14. **W. II, 273-278.** 189
would have been, if another had taken her away or taken her as a wife.
After that, he does not leave it at that, that he punished or scolded Isaac severely, but also testifies with a special edict or command, that he was displeased with it, and that he wants to punish those seriously, who will do violence to these foreign guests. For the sake of these strangers he makes a law of his own, and also adds a corporal punishment, which is to be inflicted on those who violate the commandment; he also increases the commandment by saying, "Whoever shall touch not only the woman but also the man"; whoever shall injure or harm him in his body, household goods, property and good name, "he shall die"; for I want him to be free and safe from all danger in my kingdom.
Now you see how kind and gracious the Lord is toward His saints: He tempts them, sends them into misery, puts them in danger for their good name and life, and causes them to suffer all kinds of calamities; but He provides them with a peaceful and safe place to stay, and gives them peace even in the midst of their enemies.
All this is written to strengthen our faith, when all kinds of danger and misfortune occur, as Isaac is in the greatest danger: that God is nevertheless the one who wants to govern and preserve us. For the church must have a place and a nest here on earth where it can sustain itself. If this prince or another does not want to protect us, God will provide another who will kindly and gladly shelter us; and he is in the habit of choosing a host without our advice or thought, yes, without and against all our hope and expectation, where his own may have their lodging.
In this way Isaac obtained security, peace and tranquility in the same land, and afterwards he became very rich, so that even the inhabitants of the land begrudged him such great fortune and envied him for it, and he had to move from there to another place. This
is taught that we should believe in God, who governs and sustains us. For if we have the Word, we are indeed tempted with many dangers, but in such a way that we do not perish or despair in the temptation, but that we may rejoice in peace and give thanks to God.
Fourth Part.
How God blesses Isaac in Gerar; how Isaac is envied by the Philistines, leaves Gerar, digs three wells and goes to Bersaba.
I.
V. 12-14 And Isaac sowed in the land, and in the same year he multiplied an hundredfold; 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.
(175) All this that Moses says about Isaac seems to have been hyperbolic and could not have been possible, since it is said about a poor, miserable man who was a stranger and did not have a foot of his own in the land, neither a field nor a barn, nor a poor shepherd's hut.
We have often said that these so holy fathers are described in such a way that we should have an example in them of a Christian and godly life, how we should lead it soberly, chastely, justly and godly for the sake of the life to come. For thus we see how this patriarch Isaac, so holy, tried many ways, and yet lived only finely simple in the word of God, which was abundantly given to him in the promises, namely, when God said to him, "I will be with you, I will give you all these lands, and through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed"; these same words he well considered and held fast in his heart. We hear it drowsily and with deaf ears; we esteem the word so highly and
190 VI, 364-306. interpretation of Genesis 26, 12-14. **W. n, 278-280.** 191
not great, as the fathers did. Therefore, God wanted to show us how these holy men lived, "not only from bread, but from every word that goes through the mouth of God", Matth. 4, 4. For it was impossible that flesh and blood could have tolerated and endured such great hardships and burdens of this life, as are described here.
Whoever has not tried this thing at the present time and reads it or judges it according to the flesh, to him it seems to be all bad, small and temporal things, such as food, wives, servants, pasture and cattle. What is that? There is nothing glorious or delicious that has a special appearance. But who considers it rightly and considers, how large these things are, to him they will seem to be in truth quite heavy, important and large. For after the promise so rich, temptation followed, and he and his wife, she for her discipline and he for his life, came into danger. Nevertheless, he holds fast to the word of promise that was given to him above (vv. 3, 4), and is a stranger in the land that was promised to him by God and was his own, like an exile and a stranger, and suffers with patience that strangers rule and reign in it. But now consider the circumstances, and suppose that the same thing were to happen to you. For what would you do if you were to suffer a foreign master in your house, and if you were to be cast out of all your possessions and other goods? You would certainly never suffer such a thing.
Now Isaac must have been miserable and a stranger in the land given to him by God, and so he had to worry that his wife would be in danger because of her discipline and chastity, that is, that his whole house would be destroyed and he himself would perish. For if he had been strangled, his household would have been in great danger and distress. We are tender martyrs, we sit idle and have good peace and rest, we use our goods, we eat and drink in peace: but this is a great temptation, namely
It is a great pity for a man to live in a foreign land with his wife and two sons, with such a large household, and with so many cattle, large and small, when he has to buy food and all the necessities of life for money. There is no greater misery than to move about in the whole world and have nowhere a certain dwelling or a house of one's own; as the sayings of all peoples testify, and especially this saying, which the Saxons are accustomed to use: Eigen Wat (garment), gut is dat. But where one is to live at the mercy or favor of friends and enemies, which is almost uncertain, that is a very heavy challenge.
The life of the holy fathers was like this, full of temptations, which also happened to them externally and in bodily things, so that their faith in the divine promise might be exercised and tested. For Isaac remains attached to heavenly things while he is still here on earth; but without faith he could not have led such a hard life. I wonder where he could have gotten servants and servants from, unless he got them from Arabia, which had many servants. But there will undoubtedly have been much quarreling and strife, much toil in the housekeeping, likewise much thievery, and that the shepherds and the servants will always have followed each other secretly. Isaac, however, is patient and always waits for help, for he has a God who has promised him help and who, although he is invisible and tends to leave his own for a while, will certainly help in due time.
180 But this temptation is now followed by consolation. Consolation, so that it will not be considered as if Isaac had waited and hoped in the Lord in vain; afterwards he will be tempted again, but will also receive consolation once more. For these things are always mixed together in such a way that one always follows the other, namely, temptation and comfort, just as night and day always follow one another; for in this way the word of promise and faith are exercised and tested. For this reason Isaac sowed in
192 L VI, 304-808. interpretation of Genesis 26:12-14. **W. II, 280-2S3.** 193
the foreign country, which is nevertheless his own, and gets the same year a hundredfold.
181 There is a special piety in King Abimelech, for he not only takes Isaac under his protection and protection, and forbids anyone to do violence to him or his wife under corporal punishment, but he also gives him a portion of the land, fields and meadows for his cattle and servants. And though he lent him this for a certain sum of money, yet it is honest and well done; for this might not have been allowed Isaac in other places. Therefore Moses praises this king that he was pious and godly, and I do not doubt that he will be blessed like his father, if it is not the same Abimelech who lived in the time of Abraham, but I do not consider him to be, because Isaac is now almost a hundred years old.
This is so that we may learn from it the goodness and grace of God, who comforts His own: when He has afflicted them and tested their faith and steadfastness, He again causes the light and sun of His grace and mercy to shine upon them; He gives them a good lodging place, that they may not only live in peace, but that they may also receive great good.
The Jews say that this year the whole land was very barren, and only Isaac's field, which he had cultivated for the interest, brought forth such abundant fruit. But there is no need for the Jewish addition to make this great; otherwise it is great enough in itself that one bushel yielded a hundred bushels, and it will undoubtedly have been a great miracle and unusual in the land that the field yielded such abundant fruit. A hundred bushels give a thousand, and so on and on, without end and without number. I will not mention the other goods that come from agriculture and animal husbandry, such as butter, milk, eggs and the like. In our country it is an incredible and incomprehensible thing. It is considered a rich crop if a bushel yields five or six bushels, but that is not yet a thirty-fold or sixty-fold harvest.
Fruit that is reported in the Gospel in the parable of the sower, Luc. 8, 8.
184 Let us learn from this that we persevere in faith and remain steadfast, that we do not doubt or waver when any challenge arises. For behold, how graciously God repaid and restored the former temptation to Isaac, that we might know that He would not be angry for ever; and if we have His promise, let us persevere in the temptation, and stand fast, and so conclude, saying, The Lord that said unto me: Believe thou me, he will surely keep his promise; I will wait for him, and wait for him. As it is written in the 27th Psalm, v. 14: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted"; item in the 31st Psalm, v. 25: "Be confident and undaunted, all you who wait for the Lord." The godly should persevere and remain steadfast even in the greatest danger and distress, for he has promised to take care of us, as St. Peter says in 1 Epist 5:7: "Cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you." 2c.
This exercise and testing of faith is necessary for the godly, for if they were without it, their faith would become dull and cold, and finally it would even be extinguished. But when they are thus tested by trials, they learn what faith is; and when they are tempted, they grow in the knowledge of the Son of God, and become so strong and vigorous that they cannot rejoice and boast less in adversity than in happiness and when they are well; indeed, they consider every trial to be but a cloud or mist, which will soon vanish and pass away.
How many bushels Isaac sowed, Moses does not tell; he only says that one bushel yielded a hundred; if he sowed a hundred, he received ten times a thousand bushels. This is a special blessing, according to the promise made to him above (v. 3), and Moses still insists on making this miracle great, saying that Isaac received a lot of goods. And where this abundant fruit and income lasted two or three years
194 D. VI. 308-310. interpretation of I Moses 26, 12-16. W. **II, 283-286.** 195
he would have become exceedingly great and rich from it. He would have been satisfied if one bushel had yielded ten or even less; but God does not only satisfy him, but showers him with rich blessings, Psalm 21:4, and gives him much more than he needs for his house and servants, however much he had, for he hardly needed the twentieth part. Therefore, God can easily make His own rich by giving the husbandman ten times a thousand bushels for a thousand bushels, which he had plenty of before; and Isaac still has nothing of his own in the land, he lives in his own land as if it were not his own.
Therefore, this is a great comfort, if only we understand and accept it correctly. For God gives all this so that we may learn to believe and wait for the help of the Lord in adversity and hardship, but in happiness and when we are well, thank God for His good deeds; for this is the life of the saints. The 104th Psalm v. 8. says: "The mountains go up, and the broad places come down" 2c. Now it is day, soon it will be night. Today we have honor, tomorrow shame, 2 Cor. 6, 8. But at all times we should fix our eyes and heart on the promise and keep it, which will surely come and not be forgiven. Now another challenge follows so that Isaac's faith is challenged and tested anew.
II.
V.14-16 The Philistines envied him, and stopped up all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and filled them with earth; so that Abimelech also said unto him, Depart from us, for thou art become too mighty for us.
After the divine consolation, the so holy patriarch is again thrown into various and severe hardships and tribulations. For this is how godly men must live their lives, so that, although they make use of this world, marriage, eating, drinking and all the other necessities of this life, they still
Nevertheless, they are attached to the heavenly goods with their hearts. Those who do not do so remain belly servants and servants of Mammon. But the devil leaves us no peace in this life, it is impossible that we can have peace with him, because he is God's rejected enemy and because enmity is also set between the children of the serpent and the seed of the woman.
The first challenge is that the Philistines, out of hatred and envy, stop up all the wells and fill them with earth, so that they move him and cause him to go away on his own. But Isaac endured all this with patience, using the water he bought from others for his money.
(190) Because they cannot drive him out in this way, they go and persuade the king to tell and command him by a special commandment to go out of the country; then he must depart and go away, and leave not a foreign country but his own. Therefore, this challenge is harder and more distressing than it appears outwardly, if one only looks at it from above. Origen brings up in this place, I do not know what kind of wisdom, about the clogged wells, of which wisdom Erasmus is highly astonished; but in the meantime, the doctrine of how to live a Christian life is lost, and history is not dealt with, in which we have fine Christian doctrines.
Isaac is rich and has much grain; he teaches his servants patience and godliness; but what happens to this holy man and priest of God? Since it can be seen that he had gotten everything he needed superfluously, the Philistines were moved by hatred and envy and took the water from him by force, so that they could not enjoy it themselves. If they had only forbidden him the water, he could have taken it secretly and used it; but they close and block up the wells and fill them with earth, so that they all cannot use the water at the same time, without which one nevertheless cannot survive, especially with the
196 ü. vi. zio-312. interpretation of Genesis 26:14-16. W. ii. Ws-sss. 197
Cattle. Depriving one of water is as much as depriving him of life, for both men and cattle must die from it.
Therefore this was a very bad and heavy challenge with such a large number of servants and cattle, and it is an extremely great wickedness to forbid one to drink water in such great distress. What else could Isaac have thought but that he would have to die of thirst with his cattle and his household? He had only this one consolation, that he could send his servants to Gerar, and therefore had them fetch water in jars and bottles, which he bought for his money, as we buy wine: and yet it added to his grief, that he had to buy his own water; for he was really the rightful master of the water, of the well, and of all the land, and his father Abraham had dug the same well.
Therefore let us learn from this that our trials are much less and easier than the hardships and tribulations of the holy patriarchs. We are, after all, tender martyrs, who have all things to the full. Therefore, these histories have no equal example, and there is no one today, even among the most holy people, who would be able to suffer and endure this. These good people had to go astray from time to time from one village to another as far as Hebron, perhaps even as far as the desert to the well of the Living and Seeing One (for Moses does not write where they got the water from), and from there fetch drink for themselves and for the cattle. What man should not be moved by such a great injustice? It is probably believable that sometimes Rebekka will have said out of impatience: If we are masters of this land, where is the divine promise? Will it be fulfilled, then, that strangers shall enjoy our goods and we shall be driven out? or else that everything we should have and enjoy for our need shall be taken from us?
194 For this reason, the water and the well that are mentioned here are not such ridiculous things as the flesh thinks of them; rather, they are not ridiculous.
but it all served to test faith. For Isaac had a divine promise, since God had said to him: I will be with you; but now the opposite is happening to him, as if he had been abandoned by God, who had made the promise to him.
- Therefore, we should also learn to wait on the Lord when we have His promise, that whatever happens, persecution will come upon us instead, since we thought that God would be with us according to His promise, or that instead of grace we feel and experience His wrath; that we nevertheless say: I believe, I am baptized, I am absolved, I have the divine promise of his grace and mercy; I have had enough of it; whether it be day or night, tribulation or gladness, I will not forsake his grace and mercy, neither will I despair in my heart.
The other challenge is this. After they have taken away his water and deprived him of it, the harassers come and tempt the king to turn his heart away from him and revoke the agreement he made with Isaac to rent him the meadows and fields at interest. And now these scoundrels are taking all the fields and meadows for themselves; they do not understand that it is a special miracle and blessing of God, but think that the field would otherwise be so fertile by itself that it would bear so much rich fruit: Therefore, they would rather use the same field for themselves than let a stranger use it, who would soon after, if he became rich, be able to take over all the fields and meadows of the inhabitants by force or money, and after that the whole country. But by doing so, they brought the curse upon themselves. For it does not rhyme that the same fertility, which Isaac had before by divine blessing, was also given to them.
197 Perhaps the Philistines may have learned and understood something from the words of one of his servants,
198 D. vr, 31L-S14. Interpretation of I Genesis 26, 14-18. W. n, 2ss-2si. 199
199
That this stranger should boast that the dominion of the same land was promised to him. They thought that this was very unfair, and they thought that they would be justly hostile to him and drive him into misery. For this reason he is expelled, first by private power, but now by royal power and by a public edict. For this was their plan when they stopped up the wells, that because he would lack water, he should leave the country of his own accord, even though no one would force him to do so.
198 But the challenge is even more severe, that he is expelled by the command of the king, of whom he had hitherto thought that he was favorable and well-disposed, by which protection and shield he would be safe against all kinds of violence, and must now hear from him that he says to him, "Depart from us, for you are too powerful for us," too strong and too rich, you have more servants and more cattle than we. So Isaac is driven out, because they begrudge him the rich blessing and therefore envy him, and cannot bear that he should become rich there, so they forbid him first the water and then the land.
This is the other temptation, which is directly contrary to the promise; but Isaac nevertheless clings to it and holds fast to it, thinking thus: God has delivered me from death, he has preserved my wife in her discipline and chastity, he has also given me an hundredfold fruit of what I had sown: therefore I will not complain to leave this dwelling, and yet I will remain near; for the Lord has called me to be a pilgrim or a stranger in this land.
III.
Then Isaac departed, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there, and digged up 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, and called them by the same name that his father had called them.
200 Isaac left and moved to another place, which was not far from the previous one, no doubt not without great pain and temptation of the flesh. What kind of field he had, however, the scripture does not indicate, the text only says: "He pitched his tent at the bottom of Gerar", in the same corner. In these three places, namely in Hebron, Bersaba and Gerar, three patriarchs lived, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: from this it is clear that God must have had special pleasure in these places. And these places were situated in the tribe of Judah toward the south; they were four or five miles wide. There the holy patriarchs wandered about, sometimes dwelling in Gerar, sometimes also in Bersaba, and Moses calls it a ground; for the field there was not cultivated or fertile in the valley of Gerar; for in the grounds near the water brooks the land tends to be dry and arid.
For this reason it was a great trial in which Isaac learned to live not only on bread, but on every word that comes through the mouth of God, Matth. 4, 4. But the Philistines did not envy him because of the place, since he did not have a good field in which to sow and reap. For the waters make the fields desolate with their overflowing. How then did he support himself and his servants? If he had money, he could have bought provisions for his food. Then they dig other wells, which the Philistines will fill with earth again and block up, as they did before, and Isaac will still overcome such enmity and envy, and will remain unconquerable and steadfast.
(202) Although one temptation followed another after the consolation he had; as Moses describes with an emphatic and emphatic word, how he had such a strong and constant courage on this journey: Isaac goes from thence, is driven and driven out of his land, and yet pitcheth a tent. This is also a warlike word, which is also used in the 34th Psalm v. 8:
200 L-vi.ziL.sis. Interpretation of I Genesis 26:17, 18 W.H, 2SI-NL. 201
"The angel of the LORD encamps" 2c. The Hebrew word ohel in Latin means tabernaculum, hut; but chanah means, castra figere, to pitch camp. According to this it is also used to mean a dwelling; but it is actually understood of such a hut or tent as one has in war.
For this reason Moses wanted to show that the patriarch Isaac had an undaunted heart in so many great tribulations, and that he was quite sure of it, in which place he now dwelt, there was a castle or strong fortress, in which he would be preserved by God. So strong and powerful are the divine promises that it is as if Isaac had mocked the devil and his members who had driven him out of his very beautiful seat. For he thus concluded: If I cannot have a hundredfold fruit in this place, but must leave what I have a right to have here, yet I shall have my living and my need, yea, I shall live securely and dwell in my tent; if I cannot dwell in the fruitful fields of Gerar, I will dwell in the ground, which shall be my tent or my camp, not kept or fortified with wood or stones, but with the host of the holy angels.
204 Thus Moses describes Isaac as having been almost frightened and almost in the greatest affliction and fear, and yet describes him in such a way that he still had strong courage like a hero, and that he despised the world and held fast to the hope of God, thereby being so minded that he said, "I will not only have my food for my need, but also shelter and a safe dwelling place.
This is held up to us as an example and comfort. For where we have a divine promise, it must certainly follow and cannot be lacking that the holy angels are also with and around us. And this is the reason for the verse in the 34th Psalm v. 8: "The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who fear him" 2c., and in the 91st Psalm v. II: "He has commanded his angels over you" 2c. The fathers believed this firmly and without any doubt. Therefore, where we godly
If we are people, we should also believe in the promise of Him who cannot lie, and then we will surely be under His protection and protection, and it is also certain that the holy angels will be with us.
- But where we encounter any accident over or against such trust and protection, it happens out of God's special counsel, which is hidden from us and of which especially the adversaries know nothing. So the godly should comfort themselves and say: I know that I have the holy angels as guardians; but that I still have to suffer adversity, I command the will of God; for I am in the camp of the holy angels: God is no liar, therefore He will not leave me.
For this reason Moses admonished us with this example, that we should be hopeful for the sake of the divine promise, which we also have in abundance in the gospel. For since I know that I am absolved from my sins by the ministry of preaching, and that I have been baptized, I should also have a strong and undaunted courage in all kinds of trouble and danger, no matter whether my body or soul suffers extreme hardship.
208 Yes, you say, but I cannot believe this, I cannot be so strong. Answer: I admit that, because the flesh is contrary to the promise; as St. Paul also says of himself Rom. 7:23: "I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind. There he speaks of the general sin and the corruption of the whole nature, from which it comes that we do not so strongly and constantly resist the law in our members and cling to the law in our minds. And this is what all the godly complain about while they are still living in this flesh. Although we have this wisdom and understanding that we grasp the divine promises to some extent and timidly, and we groan daily that our flesh, which hinders faith, may become ashes, we must make every effort to grow and increase in this strong knowledge until we finally become perfect.
- But if we are without contestation,
202 D- VI. SIS-SI7. Interpretation of Genesis 26:17-21. W. n. 2S4-LS7. 203
we learn nothing, nor do we increase at all. For this is the knighthood and training of Christians, by which we recognize that we are under the protection of the holy angels, and although we are exercised and tempted with hard and severe temptations, that they nevertheless do not harm us. This is our theology, which cannot be learned so easily and so soon, but we must remember the law of the Lord, speak of it day and night, always be in the field, and fight against the devil who tries to draw us away from the Word and how he may weaken our faith. Isaac, having been violently afflicted by the Philistines in such a way, rises up again and concludes with himself thus: I will dwell in this land, though they all be sorry that cast me out: for the land is mine according to promise: it shall be a royal seat unto me at the bottom of this brook. But I believe that it was a valley like the one in Saxony between Düben and Eilenburg near the water called Mulde. Even though he will not have a seat or dwelling there yet, he still said so in faith in the promise and believed that he lived in the camp of the angels. For God does not lie, therefore we will not perish, he thought, because he promised me this land. Therefore, even if we should perish, we shall not perish. Isaac learned this from his father Abraham, who also encountered the same thing and overcame everything with equally strong faith.
210 Now here the water wells are remembered, which the servants of his father Abraham dug and which the Philistines had blocked after Abraham's death. This still belongs to the 21st Cap. V. 25, where it should be taken; for here it is interpreted and explained, what is said there only about one well, which the servants of king Abimelech took by force, since Abimelech excuses himself before Abraham that he did not know anything about it, and then makes a covenant with him. Then it may have occurred to Isaac that he had
He thought that he would be plagued by the inhabitants of the land in the same way as Abraham was plagued before. But it is harder and more burdensome that the king himself calls him out of the country. Not only do the servants do violence to him, but the king himself, having allowed himself to be seduced by the false accusation of the courtiers, drives him out of the country. For although we consider him to have been pious, he had to follow the advice of the princes in his kingdom.
IV.
V. 19-21 Isaac's servants also dug in the ground 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, because they had wronged him there. Then they dug another well, and there also they quarreled: therefore he called it Sitnah.
211 Now this is a new blessing, so that God, out of special grace, has showered Isaac with water after the previous affliction he had; for He not only gives him such wells of water as were again cleared up, but also a new well of living water, which had not been seen before in the valley. Isaac loves this well very much and praises it, calling it "a well of living water. For it is a very good comfort to have a well flowing for and for; and it may have flowed out of mountains.
Augustine makes a distinction between the two Latin words puteus and fons (we call it both a fountain), and says that puteus means such a fountain, which we use to draw with buckets, in which the water is as it were dead and does not flow; but fontes, he says, are the fountains that flow, and by flowing indicate that they are alive, and are like the animals that live there.
So God gave this living water to Isaac as a consolation, but it was just as it is said in Proverbs: Some work, but others enjoy the work: Some sow, but others reap. For since the Phi-
204 L. vi, si7-3ig. Interpretation of Genesis 26:19-21. **W.n, 297-sm.** 205
When the Philistines see that Isaac has found the fountain of living water and the beautiful, beautiful vein of water, they soon understand how much it can be used, because it not only gives water to the people and keeps water in the fountain, but it also flows out and moistens the whole land. That is why the Philistines like it so much, even though they have not found it or dug it; indeed, they have not even seen it in their country, and yet they want to appropriate it for themselves.
214 Moses is silent about the king and the princes and says only about the shepherds of the village, as if they had started the quarrel about the well. But it was a serious quarrel, because they rightly presume to do so, and they use the text to say, "The land is ours; therefore all that it has made, and all that the land contains, is ours.
What shall Isaac do now? He is a good, pious and upright man and is not quarrelsome; therefore he bears and suffers this violence with patience. Although it is a grievous affliction that the wickedness of these people is so great that they also begrudge him the drink he had of the water given him by God and take it by force. For it was not given to them, neither had they found it, but it was given by special blessing to this holy man. The lawyers would have had cause to quarrel in this place for a whole hundred years; but Isaac gives way to time and person, and also leaves the matter and leaves the well. I would have asked God to let the vein and the well, which was invented without their work, pass away together.
- but Isaac does not avenge this violence in any other way, except by giving the well a name and calling it Esek as an eternal memorial of the great wickedness, so that he may show that the wrong came from them, but that in him innocent patience was flushed out, which is a very holy virtue, and upholds himself with a good conscience, which knows itself to be innocent and has done nothing wrong, does not injure or harm its neighbor, much less God in His
Saints. Therefore Isaac does not revile the Philistines; it is enough that he leaves behind the shameful name of Ezek as a testimony to the great wickedness of this people.
217 For such unjust robbery is commonly followed by vengeance and punishment; as Augustine's saying testifies, when he says: Lucrum in arca, damnum in conscientia: Profit in the box, damage in the conscience. No unjust gain goes without very unjust harm. For he who takes away another's good has already lost faith; with the good one gets the devil and loses God with faith and with righteousness. If you take away my good and leave me faith and a good conscience, you have the chaff, but I have the good grain. Whatever you steal, rightly or wrongly, you have already lost your faith and have God as your enemy, and after that you will be thrown into eternal damnation with the chaff.
218 This is often said and inculcated in people, but it is not heard or believed. It is a common saying among all peoples: Male parta male dilabuntur; item: Male partum male disperit; item: De male quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres. These German sayings are: Wie gewonnen, so zerronnen; or: Uebel gewonnen, böslich zerronnen; item: Unrecht Gut wudelt nicht (that is, gedeihet nicht) und kommt nicht auf den dritten Erben. And yet we do not cease from robbing and stealing with false measures, false weights and all kinds of cunning and deceit.
I myself, after I had completed my twentieth year (for before that time man does not see or understand anything in common dealings), have thereafter within forty years seen many robbers of chairs, misers and usurers, who, having gathered together great money and goods, have nevertheless hardly been able to keep them for thirty years.
In this way, I think that this king and his great followers will have had little benefit or pleasure from this unjust gain. Therefore one should well keep the saying in the 37th Psalm v. 16: "The little that a righteous man can gain.
206 L VI, S1S-84I. Interpretation of Genesis 26:19-21. W. n, 300-302. . 207
is better than the great good of many wicked men." For unrighteousness does not make the conscience happy or peaceful. He who gathers great goods cannot rejoice over them, and he who inherits such unrighteous goods becomes poor and corrupt over them. For in the house of the wicked all things melt away. Mau gathers great wealth there, but it must melt away and perish; for God blows into it, and he who gathers it gathers it into a bag with holes in it, as the poets have a fable about the sieve of the Danaids.
Therefore let him who is godly and pious be content with a little, according to the saying in the 37th Psalm, v. 16, and use it with his wife and children and abstain from unjust gain. The same is taught in the histories and books of all nations, namely, that it is much better for you to live on one or two florins, which you have earned with honor, than on many thousands of florins, which have been earned shamefully with other people's harm.
And I have heard a story, which is very strange, of a pious and honest citizen, who, when he had betrothed his daughter and wanted to give her her dowry, said to his son-in-law: See, there you have thirty florins, which I have acquired with God and with honor without any harm or damage to any man. This dowry I wanted to have taken for thirty thousand florins. For God blesses the well-earned property in such a way that one heller brings more than a whole florin of a robber or usurer.
Therefore, this is a grave sin of the people of Gerar, so that they bring upon themselves the curse of God, because they do violence and injustice to such a pious guest. He does not take revenge on them because of such violence, nor does he curse them; indeed, he would much rather bless them. And he would almost like to thank them for the well they have taken from him, but this thanksgiving is almost unfortunate and there is no happiness in it; it is an unfortunate valet when such people, who are full of the Holy Spirit, go away and say to the country from which they go, Esek and Sitna. There follows shortly the curse. For
This is what Isaac wants to say: There is nothing here but Esek and Sitna. He would have liked to say something else, but he could not approve or justify the violence they had done to him in Gerar. Therefore, he takes leave of them, reproaching them for the sin and violence he had suffered at their hands. He wishes them no evil, but prophesies evil that will come upon them, namely, that the wells there are Ezek and Sitna.
The Holy Spirit has written this as a lesson for us, so that we may know that we should not take revenge on ourselves because of violence. One may complain about it, but one may not take revenge. That is why Isaac does not take revenge; he only shows his pain and leaves the names behind as a testimony to the violence, namely that they are men Ezek and Sitna, that is, that they are unjust and quarrelsome people. In Hebrew it does not read well. Esek, Zank, quarrelsome people, who are not at peace, are not children of love, but of quarrels and strife, to their neighbor's harm and damage. It means doing violence and injustice to another, but with a semblance of justice. "The land," they say, "is ours": that is the appearance of right. "Therefore the well is ours also": that is the violence and injustice. And this is a common and very wicked way in the world, that he who cannot harm another by force sees how he may harm him secretly by cunning and deceit. The Germans call it and say of it thus: Violence and doing wrong, that is vinegar. And this is an evil valet and brings no happiness to those in Gerar. God protect me and keep me from hearing such a blessing or valet from a pious and godly person.
(225) From the word sitna Satan comes, and will say this much to Isaac: Not only do they drive me out and take the well from me by force under the appearance of justice, but they also persecute me in a hostile manner and are my enemies: not only do they want to have the well and the new well vein, which I found before and which I have now also granted to them, but they also take this well from me by force. But what is the cause? Answer:
208 ü. vi. 821-32Z. Interpretation of Genesis 26:19-23. W. n. 302-302. 209
They are angry with me, they hate me. Now they do not need this well; they can be content with the beautiful flow of water from the new well's vein; why then do they take this well from me? They do not begrudge me that, that they do not need nor have desire for it. I have given them no cause for enmity, and they themselves do not use this well, but it is only violence; it is a stubborn will and the utmost malice. Therefore he says to them: Farewell to good night, and only be Esek and Sitna; take the well under the fine appearance that you yourselves have no need of it, nor do you have any desire for it, nor do you use it for that purpose.
226 These are the very worst of men, to whom neither pleasure nor profit gives occasion to robbery and sin. For they would never have desired this well or asked for it if someone had offered it to them for free; but when someone else uses it, especially Isaac, they are inflamed with hatred and envy. Isaac, however, suffers this with patience and says, "Keep the ezek because you are so angry with me.
227 And this has happened to us as an example, so that we may also learn to be patient when others do us violence and injustice. For he now gives them the valet and says, "Keep Ezek and Sitna anyway, I cannot stay in this valley;" and so he goes away and is well satisfied in his heart. This is, first of all, a great patience that has no equal, and in addition an insurmountable faith, of which neither the law, nor the arts, nor even medicine or medicine teach anything. Only the holy scriptures have these examples and teachings for us.
V.22. 23. Then he departed, and digged another well, and they quarreled not: therefore he called it Rehoboth, saying, Now hath the LORD made room for us, and caused us to grow in the land. Then he departed from there to Bersaba.
028 Then Isaac went to another place, and digged another well, over which they had not quarreled. There the
Now the Lord again gives him a new well, which he calls Rehoboth, and says: "Now the Lord has made room for us. These words came from faith in the promise. For he thought thus: I must have left very good wells, Ezek and Sitna; but I will not drop faith because of this, but one must persevere, and hold firmly to the promise of God, who does not lie. Now at last we want to become rich, he says, because we have our own well.
- But behold, how God leads and tests His saints; sometimes He makes them sweet, sometimes sour. Whoever is truly a Christian will experience just such a change as is described in the fourth Psalm: Fear, consolation, tribulation, and consolation again upon it. But he gives this well a name of consolation, as if he wanted to say: It should be called a well of consolation, a well of pleasure, as the other wells of sorrow, hatred and envy have been. So we have found at this well not only bodily but also spiritual comfort, so that we may praise God who does not forsake us. Now we will grow, become great and rich in this land.
230 But this joy did not last long; for another journey followed, that he went to Babylon. Although Moses does not think that he changed this dwelling place because the Philistines persecuted him, he may have left of his own accord, and may have been moved to do so either by others or by other reasons, so that he sought a better place. No doubt his servants complained about the great wickedness of the people of Gerar, because they had driven away such a pious and holy man. But God praises the great patience of Isaac, which He held up as an example to all of us, for He again provides him with other hosts who receive and accommodate him kindly and gladly.
231 And so far we have heard about the three wells and external temptations of the holy patriarch Isaac, so that the Lord tried and tested him. It shines
210 L. VI, 323-325. interpretation of Genesis 26, 22-25. W. II, 305-309. 211
But in him a fervent and unconquerable faith, by which he persevered and overcame the hardest temptations, is an example to us that we should not despair in any trouble or danger. For as long as the Lord lives, who has given us his promise, we shall not be forsaken; but if he dies, the promise and all things shall perish with him. As long as he lives, we must not despair, and we must take care that our faith does not faint and our hope does not cease. This pleases him and is useful and salutary for us, and no adversity or challenge, no matter how severe, can last so long that it could kill God.
In such trust all the saints have had their hope and have thus remained steadfast. So shall we do this day also. If the Turk or any other calamity comes, whatever it may be, we should think: He who has set us apart and placed us in his church, that we should believe in him and hope in him, will keep what he has promised us, and will preserve us until that day. Thus Isaac and all the patriarchs believed, and were also preserved through faith unto salvation.
233 Now the outward temptation has come to an end, and it can be seen as if Isaac had conquered the world with his patience and overcome the outward enemies; but soon after he will be plagued with domestic temptation by his son Esau, because he will lead his two wives home. But before this temptation there is another great and glorious promise.
Fifth part.
How the Lord appeared to Isaac, and how Isaac builds an altar, and the Lord's
Name preaches.
V. 24. 25. And the LORD appeared to him that night, saying: I am your father Abraham's God. Fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you and your seed.
for the sake of my servant Abraham. Then he built an altar there, and preached of the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there; and his servants digged a well there.
I have often admonished that in the histories and legends of the holy patriarchs, attention should be paid primarily to the word, and that we should diligently distinguish the works of the patriarchs and the word of God as the most distinguished part of the lives of the fathers, namely, that we should pay attention and see primarily what and how often God speaks to them; for God's word is greater and more than the works of all men, and moreover of the most holy, even of angels.
This is the one and most beautiful gem in the histories of the fathers, namely, that God speaks to them and to us. The world does not see this gem, nor does it understand how precious and valuable this treasure is, nor do we ourselves pay enough attention to it, namely, that in the whole of life the word is the right measure and the most precious thing that governs our life, that you can say: This I do in the word of God; this the Lord has called me to do; this is pleasing to God; as we can be sure of it from the highest state to the very lowest: God has commanded it, God has said it.
But where the word is not, let him who can flee flee. Even if the life is to be seen outwardly as if it were an angelic life. Even if that which one undertakes is already to be regarded as pleasing to God and as a very spiritual and holy thing, always throw away the outward appearance or good judgment when you are not sure of the word. For why would you want to toil in vain and spend your time in such a miserable and evil way, as the monks in the papacy, item, the Turks and Jews go along in the human delusion that they think they please God when they torture themselves to death with fasting and mortification of the flesh?
212 2. VI, 328-327. interpretation of Genesis 36:24, 25. w. n, 80S-312. 213
Chore could not have suffered with him for the sake of his stinking breath. So he wanted to keep the evil desire for fornication in check and extinguish it. And so are all the works in this life of men, which are done without the word of God.
237 Therefore I do this admonition so diligently and often, and it must always be inculcated in people that we do not let our own delusions or thoughts lead us and govern us, even if they were already divine, angelic and heavenly; as St. Paul Col. 2, 18 also admonishes when he says: "Let no man shift his aim according to his own choice, in humility and spirituality of angels. Paul Col. 2, 18. also admonishes, when he says: "Let no man shift his aim, who walketh after his own choice in the humility and spirituality of angels, which he hath never seen, and is puffed up without matter" 2c. For such thoughts are without word. For this is why God speaks to us and acts with us through the ministers of the Word, through our parents and through the authorities, so that we may not be weighed and swayed by all kinds of winds of doctrine. Children should listen to their parents, citizens and subjects to their authorities, a Christian to his pastor and the ministers of the Word, a student to his schoolmaster. Outside the Word, all life is condemned, and is lost with all sects and orders: but where the Word is, then I have a certain comfort, whether I be father or mother, or a child in the house, there I hear the Word, and know what I should believe and do. For God speaks to me even in the state in which I live.
- But where one falsifies and perverts the word, this is a terrible wrath of God, and is a severe retribution and punishment on those who have despised the word. For if you do not want to hear God when he tells you the certain truth, you may hear the lie under the appearance of truth; as St. Paul 2 Thess. 2, 10. 11. also speaks of this punishment of despising the word, and the miserable and sorrowful examples of it also prove this. Greece must hear Mahomet this day; those who live toward the evening or the setting of the sun must hear the pope.
- although the works and examples in the legends of the patriarchs should also be
praise and wonder at them, for they walk in the words of God: but more attention must be paid to the word that guides and governs the lives of the patriarchs. This is the right rule and guideline from which I can conclude: I am a preacher, a husband, a wife, a servant, a maid, or a child in the house: this God has commanded me to do, and therefore it is pleasing to Him, not for works in themselves, for we are flesh, but for the sake of Him who guides and governs us, which is the Word under which I walk. When I die, I do not die in the Rule or the Order of Franciscus, but in the Rule and the Word of the Holy Spirit.
I.
240 Now let us also look at the words as they are. Ego, dii Abraham: I,
the gods of Abraham. For in Hebrew the word elohim is written, which means gods in the plural; as it is written above in the 1st Cap. V. 1: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth" 2c. There Moses also uses the word elohim. We Christians should and must not doubt the unity of God, that there is only One God; but what kind of unity this is, is beyond our reason and human wisdom; for it is a revelation of the Holy Spirit and of faith.
The Jews and Turks mock us and tell a shameful and impudent lie about us, as if we should accept many gods and believe that there are three gods. Therefore they boast that they are God's people, that they are blessed and graced with many glorious victories and riches of the whole world, because they believe in One God; but we, they say, have suffered so many defeats and have been defeated so often, therefore we lie that we should be many gods; and therefore they call us idolatrous people, and blaspheme the Son of God atrociously, as all their histories testify.
242 Therefore, we must arm ourselves in our hearts against such blasphemous words and against the glory that (as it is in the sight of reason) is the only thing that can be said to be true.
214 L. VI, 327-32. Interpretation of Genesis 26:24, 25. **w. II, 312-314.** 215
seems) is all too true and tangible. For it is certain that we believe that there is only one God, who is pure and clean from all composition and mixture; but that the Turk does not understand our faith or doctrine correctly, and does not hear who this one God, this pure, clean and unmixed divine being is, that is his own fault and not ours.
For we teach and believe not only that there is One God, but that He is absolutely pure and clean from all composition and mixture, and so perfectly united that apart from Him there can be no God; we do not divide or separate these Three from each other, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; we do not make different gods: but believe that in right unity there is one God, one pure, pure, and unmixed divine Being.
Yes, someone wants to say, I don't understand this thing. Answer: That is right, you should not understand it either. We believe that there is One God, who is wont to speak of himself and to count himself as if he were many; as it is often said above, "through thy seed," 2c., there the seed is of necessity and truly true God, because he is without sin, and has power and authority to destroy and abolish sin. Just in this way, in this place, God is also called "Gods of Abraham". And we ask nothing of the rude oxen and asses, the Turks and Jews, who say that they cannot understand it with human reason; nor shall they understand it with it, since such great things are known only from divine revelation.
After this, if we look at these words a little diligently, we will see that it can also be concluded and assumed that there is a resurrection of the dead. For as it is said in the common proverb, One must read the letters of princes three times: so much more must one read the holy scriptures a thousand times and repeat them again and again. For we know that Abraham died and that his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. But now God says here: "I am Abraham's God", and
Christ says Matth. 22, 32: "God is not a God of the dead"; therefore he makes Abraham alive and raises him from the dead. This is the conclusion and proof that Christ gives in Matth. 22, 32, when He says: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: but God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." GOtt is not of that GOtt which is not in itself. None and none do not worship GOtt and GOtt does not rule over them. Abraham died and God is Abraham's God: so it follows that Abraham must live. Though he died and was buried, yet unto me, saith GOD, who am GOD, Abraham liveth, and hath known the Trinity of persons, and Christ his seed. For God is not a God that is nothing.
This argument was gloriously seen and well understood by the prophets through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. The Turk does not see this, and the pope and his great doctors have never understood it; for they go into the Scriptures according to the mind of a horse and a mule, as the 32nd Psalm v. 9 says. When they read Matth. 1, 2: "Abraham begat Isaac" 2c., they thought that these were good, simple, pious men and husbands, and that there was nothing to be surprised about. But when the Holy Spirit comes to enlighten the hearts, then the light of immortality and eternal life will shine forth. For where Abraham has a God, and God in turn has an Abraham, it necessarily follows that God and Abraham must live at the same time; for these two stand and fall together, since God has nothing to do with the dead.
This doctrine, that there is more than One Person in the Godhead, and of the resurrection of the dead, Isaac understood, and no doubt also taught and preached. For it is the word that belongs to the church and is the preaching of the gospel. He first prayed, and then preached, and will have said: It has been revealed to me by God that my father Abraham lives in God's grace and mercy; the-
216 L VI, 329-SSI. Interpretation of I Moses 26, 24. 25. **W. II, 3IS-3I7.** 217
hal so we will not die either. For though we die before the world, yet shall we be separated from the ungodly, who in this world have the appearance of living, and of having a God favorable and gracious unto them: but they have a wrathful God; but we have here, and shall have there, a gracious God also.
- Therefore also belongs that he adds: "For the sake of my servant" 2c. For how is Abraham a servant of God after death? Will God not finally be able to forget Abraham? He truly still serves God today, as Adam, Abel and Noah serve God. And this should be diligently noted, for it is the divine truth that Abraham lives with God, serves Him and also reigns with Him. But what kind of life it is, whether he is asleep or awake, that is another question.
How the soul rests, we shall not know, but it is certain that it lives. Look at men who are raptured or asleep. Of them no one can say what they are, even if they are asleep in the flesh; for they are without sensation and as if they were dead, and yet it cannot be said: This one is dead, but he lives in sleep or in a dream, as the whole world must testify. But I do not feel that I am alive when I am asleep; for then all the senses and reason itself are quite still, and do not judge the things that are their office: there no one knows where he is. If we lived in sleep, we could also think in sleep: I am in this house, in this chamber. But it often happens that in my sleep or dream I let myself think that I am in hell, in heaven, in Venice or in other places. Therefore, this is a great sign that I am alive and yet not alive.
How can we think that it is about the soul, how it may rest or live? It will undoubtedly have its own way of sleeping, which I do not know, just as I cannot understand bodily sleep. For I have often wanted to pay attention with diligence to the moment when I fell asleep, and to the moment when I was asleep.
I, in turn, would turn it off; but before I paid attention to it, I already woke up. Such examples of our sleep, which is also a kind of death, prove that the souls of the saints rest. Such examples of our sleep, which is also a kind of death, prove that the souls of the saints rest, as is said in Isa. 26:20 and 57:2, and much more quietly and peacefully than those who sleep. These also rest, and for the sake of rest men never live more than when they sleep. For the life of those who are awake is full of worry, sorrow, distress, toil and labor: but bodily sleep changes and overcomes sickness; as the disciples say of Lazarus, John 11:12, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will be better." Therefore we rightly say that we live most when we sleep and die, for the living breath is then most powerful. But the souls also sleep in this way, but how this happens we do not understand.
251 And this is no wonder, because we do not understand other things either, which should be known to us, in which we were born and brought up. For look at your childhood, and consider whether you also know how to remember that you were in your mother's womb, that you lay in the cradle, that you sucked your mother's breasts, cried, and ate porridge, and how you grew 2c. Now we live truly also in the first year, since the fruit is carried in the mother's womb; but how we have lived, of that we know nothing at all. So also after birth a year-old child knows nothing of life, it does not know that it lives, it cannot consider life, we see in such children life without life. So I have lived sixty years and have also lived in my mother's womb, but afterwards I have never known anything about this life. And that the fruit in the womb must nevertheless certainly and vigorously live, is indicated by the fact that it often moves, moreover, that also the child cries when it comes out of the womb.
But since we cannot achieve this with our thoughts, we will understand much less how life is after death, and yet it is certain that we live. Therefore one should
218 L. VI. WI. S32. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 24. 25. W. n. SI7-ÄA. 219
Let the investigation be interrupted and command it to God; just as one should not investigate the previous article about the Trinity, namely, how God may be at the same time one and threefold according to the persons. But do thus: hear the word, let it guide and rule you, but close your eyes and always follow the word, and then you will find how God is one and threefold.
In this way I also hear here that in death and after death there is life and that there is a resurrection of the dead; but how this will happen, you do not worry, because you do not know that you live when you are asleep, and yet you still live; so you also lived in your mother's womb, and when you were a little child, that you yourself knew nothing about it. For should not our Lord God have more ways to live than these two alone, that a life is without life and understanding? So the soul can also have its own way of living, which is above our understanding.
- we should hold on to this comfort and wait for it with firm trust, which God's word from heaven holds out to us, saying: I am your God, I am the God of Abraham, you are my servants 2c. Thus it is written in Isa. 26:19: "Awake, and glorify, ye that lie under the earth: for thy dew is the dew of the green field." There God speaks to the dead no differently than if they were alive.
And the same word is a very strong testimony that we are not mortal, but immortal even in death. And this is the cause, because God speaks to us also in our language and how we use to speak. God knows that this life is transient, but why would he speak to us, and in the same way, also use our language, if we did not live forever? because otherwise he would speak his word in vain, only for the sake of a short time and moment. But now he does not speak in vain, and does not take the voice of the ox or the ass to speak with it: he does not roar with them; he speaks only with man. Wherever and to whom God speaks, let him be whoever he will, and let him speak in wrath or in grace with
him, the same is certainly immortal. The person of God who speaks and the word indicate that we are such creatures with whom God wants to speak for eternity and immortally. Abraham had such a God or gods (as it says here according to the Hebrew text), and whoever adheres to the promise of Abraham also has the same God and is a servant of God, and will finally, when he has died, also live in sleep.
God repeats the blessing because this holy man Isaac has been afflicted in many ways, and no doubt he will have thought in the affliction: Alas, I poor wretched man, what shall I do, where shall I turn? For the past temptations make us anxious and distressed, so that we think: How long will I have this peace? Perhaps it will last a month or two at the longest? For he also had to leave the well of Rehoboth. And perhaps Rebekah may have begun to complain and to be angry because of the misfortune, and that it changed with them so often and in so many ways. She will have said: Who will be able to endure and suffer this at length, to wander so long in error, and to have no certain seat or dwelling? For though this is a carnal thing, yet faith is greatly challenged by it.
257 Therefore I think that Isaac will be tired of so much misfortune, and that Rebekah will also have grumbled because of impatience, as Tobiah's wife gave him his alms. 2:15, 22, 23, where she says, "Then it is seen that your trust is nothing, and your alms are lost. With these and other words she reproached him for his misery. So I think that Rebekah and Isaac will have become tired and weary, and this will have been increased by the lamentations and cries of the servants. Therefore the Lord comforted him and all his servants, saying, "Do not be afraid. From this it follows that Isaac was fearful and terrified and his faith was challenged. For the
220 2- VI. 3S2-L34. Interpretation of Genesis 26:24, 25. w. n. 320-322. 221.
The devil not only wearies the godly with the greatness and severity of the temptations, but that he also keeps on with them and afflicts them forever does not give them any rest. Therefore God says to him, "My dear Isaac, be strong, do not be afraid," and so He raises him up and restores him, because he was almost tired in spirit. He does this with a very beautiful consolation, namely, with the revelation of immortality, and says: "You will live and live forever; for I am your father Abraham's God who lives, therefore you will also live.
- These words should be diligently remembered; for God does not speak in vain. He says to the first: I am with you, but secretly and hiddenly. Yes, Isaac would like to say: "I do not feel it; you stand far away from me. As Jeremiah also laments in 12 Cap. V. 2. of the wicked: "You let them boast much about you and do not discipline them", as if he wanted to say: The others are happy, jumping and rejoicing, you are almost close to them.
How the Turk now boasts that God is on his side and is with him; how he has been blessed by God with so many victories and such great wealth. For he has a great rich blessing from God. In the meantime, it can be seen that the devil is close to the Christians who are captured and miserably strangled by the Turks, and that God is very far from them. With the wicked, the devil has died and, as they make believe, God reigns among them alone. But he is actually very far from them, and they are, as it says in the prophet Jeremiah in 46 Cap. V. 20. 21, they are "fattened calves" for the day when they are to be slaughtered and sacrificed. The same will be the case with the Turk and the Pope, whether they interpret their happy events as signs of grace and not of God's wrath.
But you, when God tempts you and afflicts you, believe and be satisfied with the word that you have, for God says in Psalm 91:15, "I am with you in trouble; I will deliver you," not only from trouble, but also from death,
Sickness, shame and disgrace 2c., I will take care of you. The eyes do not see the same, nor do the hands grasp it, but all things are possible for the faithful.
261 And what was said to the patriarch Isaac in this place, the same is also said to us, namely, that God says: I am with you, and I will keep what I have promised; you shall expect from me not only bodily goods, but also eternal goods. Yes, Isaac would say, "But I see the opposite; it seems as if you are cursing me; I am dying of thirst with my wife, my children and all the household: is this a divine blessing? Then God answers and says, "Fear not," you shall not die of thirst. And says still further, "I will multiply thy seed, for my servant Abraham's sake." I will not only multiply you now, but also your seed and your descendants.
This is a repetition of the blessing with a multiplication of the same, thereby strengthening him and making him certain of eternal life and immortality. But why does he say "for the sake of my servant Abraham" and not for the sake of Isaac? Answer: He wants to praise the example of his father Abraham and hold it up to him that he should follow the same. As if he wanted to say: Even though you do not deserve that I should speak to you, I still want to speak to you for the sake of your father, whom I love so much. This is a very sweet consolation, and is much more pleasant, than if he had not taken the example of Abraham, and said, For thy sake, Isaac, I will multiply thy seed 2c. And this is the last promise, that Isaac might be upheld and comforted unto the end of his life.
II.
For this reason, he built an altar there and remained at Bersaba until his death, and was buried in the cave mentioned in Chapter 23, vv. 17, 19. V. 17. 19. and was buried in the cave. He built an altar there, not for the sake of the sacrifice, but for the sake of the preaching of the Lord.
222 VI- 334-336. interpretation of Genesis 26:24, 25. w. II, 32S-326. 223
For the word's sake. For in all places where they are thought to have erected altars and made tabernacles, there it is shown that they have erected a little church in such places, where people have come together to teach, to hear God's word, to pray, to praise and to sacrifice to God. So our churches are also such places, where people come together for prayer and to praise and glorify God. For an altar is not a place or site in the home, but in the church, and the works to be done in the church are to teach and hear God's word, and to praise and thank God 2c.
There Isaac preached many beautiful sermons for almost seventy or eighty years. There he preached about the mystery of the Trinity, item, about the incarnation of Christ, about immortality, and about all the things that are now read and taught in the gospel. It must have been a small church, erected under a tree, under which he, his servants and neighbors gathered. I would certainly have liked to look at it, for it was not adorned with gold, silver or precious stones, but God spoke there with a living voice. Neither was the tabernacle precious, that it had a great appearance, but was built up of trees and set upright. But it was glorious and splendidly large, because a great prophet and a prophetess, Rebekah, lived there, and many holy people from his household came to Isaac when he was teaching and preaching, and listened to him with great reverence, thanking God for these teachers and preachers.
Thus Moses, having set forth the bodily and outward things that pertain to the body, in which are many beautiful examples of faith, love, hope, humility, and patience, sets forth in history the things and works pertaining to religion and faith, such as the promises, the sermons, and how they praised God and sang spiritual psalms.
with which the saints strengthened themselves in their faith and comforted one another in adversity. For this is the end to which all preaching and all heavenly teaching is to be directed, namely, that faith may be increased, the promise of God's grace glorified, extended, and planted in the hearts of men; moreover, that patience and other fruits of faith may also be increased.
266 But we keep in this place the common distinction between these two pieces, as, "to call upon the name of the Lord" and "to call upon in the name of the Lord"; for the first is to call or pray, as, in the 50th Psalm, v. 15, "Call upon me in trouble." But "to call in the name of the Lord" is as much as to preach in the name of the Lord; as, above in the 4th Cap. V. 26. of this first book of Moses: "In the days of Eno they began to preach the name of the Lord" 2c. The Hebrew word kara actually means to call, to name, to read from the book, to preach. Sometimes it also means to meet. I believe, however, that Mahomet gave his book its title and name, that he called it the Alkoran, namely, that it is a textbook, in which his teachings are compiled, and, as it were, his Bible, as the pope calls his Decretals. Therefore, we understand the word in this place to mean teaching or reading something publicly in the common sermon; where they had other books.
But at the same time it is also described here what kind of preaching it was, namely, that he preached in the name of the Lord, that one preached about our Lord God; it was a teaching from God. It was not a loose, useless preaching of the doctrines of men, as is the teaching of the priest, but it was a right, true and pure teaching, which taught purely and unadulteratedly of the Lord and his name out of the promise, so that faith might be exercised, which is a work of the first table.
268 After this, in the other tablet, was the teaching of good works. For we have two kinds of teaching: one is about the divine promises, which are in the first tablet.
2242- VI. SSS-SS8. Interpretation of Genesis 26:24-26. W. II, 325-329. 225
The other part of the doctrine is about good works and the fruits of faith, because God speaks to us and promises to be our God, so that we may have faith, love and hope in God; and this doctrine extends very far and goes through all works. The other part of the teaching is about good works and fruits of faith. These are the most important parts of the Christian doctrine, namely, the promise and the law.
Thirdly, there are also the ceremonies, such as circumcision, which Isaac had from God; he also presented them to his listeners. And he will undoubtedly have been a very pure teacher, who diligently taught and instructed the church and congregation of God in the word of faith and truth.
270 And he was able to do this rightly and well in the time of peace. For where there is no peace and quiet, there is no time and no place to build huts or erect altars, nor can people be taught, nor can the world or domestic government be properly administered. For this requires a quiet place and a peaceful time. But in times of trouble we should use what we have learned in peace. As Isaac did, when he saw that he had peace and rest by the grace of God, he was not slothful and idle, nor did he let idleness spoil his life, nor did he make any effort to accumulate much money and goods, but rather he used the time so that he would have the most work to do in his rest, for he understood that the rest was given to him so that the church might be taught and instructed in it for the sake of the descendants.
271 We should do the same, since the monks and tamer monkeys are lazy rogues, and only eat and drink, and enjoy peace and good days, the rehoboth and abundance of all things. But they abuse all these things shamefully, namely, that they only live in pleasure and indulge in all kinds of devilish sins and disgraces; although the treasures of emperors and kings are not given to the churches and monasteries for this purpose, but that the works belonging to godliness should be done and preserved with them. As if you
If you have peace and tranquility, you should use it, as Isaac did, to improve and expand the worship of God. In the same way, the bullwhistles should read and learn the Scriptures, so that they themselves could teach others about religion by praying, serving the altar and preaching in the name of the Lord.
Sixth part.
Of the covenant of Abimelech with Isaac; of the new well of Isaac, and of Esau's marriage.
I.
V. 26. And Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahusath his friend, and Phichol his captain of the field.
This history is the same as the one in the 21st chapter above. V. 25. 26. that it almost seems as if it is one and the same story. For there Abimelech and Abraham also quarrel about the well, and Abimelech excuses himself that he knew nothing about it and that the well was taken from Abraham without his knowledge. But this history is still a little clearer and explains the previous one; for the gloss is added that the well was many.
Now this also serves for the comfort of Isaac. For God had already raised him up with the promise and given him peace and rest, so that he would be safe and quiet to set up the altar and the tabernacle. He now uses this rest in such a way that he does not want to have rest and good days and live in idleness, but that he may do what is proper for a prophet and priest of God to do: he works in the word and in teaching, is doctrinal, is skillful and ready to administer the teaching office; therefore now follows an increase of comfort, namely that Abimelech himself, who had driven him out before, now makes peace and a covenant with him of his own accord and voluntarily. However, I believe that this Abimelech is his son, whose name was mentioned above (Cap. 20). But he is
226 L. VI. 338-340. interpretation of Genesis 26:26. w. II. 3W-332. 227
more cunning than his father; for he expels Isaac, and pretends not to know that his servants have taken Isaac's well.
Therefore it must first be recognized that it is a blessing and grace of God that Isaac is reconciled to the king. For thus Solomon says Prov. 16:7: "If a man's ways please the LORD, he also makes his enemies content with him.
(275) Then this example clearly proves the great power of patience to soften the hearts of men, for it is an almighty power that can turn an enemy into the best of friends. This Abimelech, who before had been an extreme enemy to Isaac, who could not stand him even in his kingdom, comes of his own accord, uninvited, with his princes and other great lords to Isaac again, not with the common rabble, but with his friend Ahusath and Phichol, his field captain, offering him peace and desiring to have friendship with Isaac, and promising him security and all kinds of benefits, so that they will serve him. This is a great boon and honor, so that God may favor Isaac, so that he may have abundant comfort, peace, protection and protection not only from the king, who now no longer listens to the slanderers and the evil mischievous shepherds, but he also has the princes and nobles in the kingdom as friends, so that this protection is now certain and strong enough, without all fear and danger.
276 All this is because Isaac remained patient and did not cease to do good to the ungrateful, and he himself did not become worse because of the ingratitude and wickedness of others. As a vineyard or fig tree, though it be torn up and evil dealt with, yet becometh no thorn hedge, but remaineth a good tree: so Isaac also is like a good tree planted by the rivers of water, which bringeth forth his fruit abundantly and blessedly, Psalm 1:3. 1:3; for because he is so patient, and hath borne the iniquity that is done him, he openeth the eyes of his neighbors, and stirreth up and softeneth their hearts, that they acknowledge and confess their sin which they have committed against him, and consider how they have sinned against him.
how much and how unfairly he had to suffer from them until now, through no fault of his own or his pious, honest wife and all the servants, in all of whom they felt at all times a special kindness, weariness and hospitality, and also saw in his servants and maids that they had good manners, and were rightly and well taught and instructed; therefore they recognize that with such honest and godly servants God is present with his blessing. Thus Isaac's patience and kindness brought his enemies to repentance and to the realization of themselves, so that they now punish themselves and blame themselves for having driven away the pious holy man with his servants.
- and does this agree with the saying of Paul Rom. 12, 20. which he took from the proverbs of Solomon Cap. 25, v. 21. 22. where he says: "If therefore thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: and thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." For however much the heart of man is embittered, yet it can be softened and reconciled, where it is not at all hardened and hardened in malice, as Pharaoh's heart was. But if it is provoked and moved to anger by human weakness, or by some ignorance, or by the false accusations of other people, or by other right causes, it can be softened by charity and patience that it is heated and inflamed within itself, and recognizes the goodness and kindness of the one it considers its enemy, and punishes itself, thinking: "Why have you hurt and harmed this righteous man? Why did you persecute him who is so innocent? These are the coals that heat up and begin to burn from such patience, kindness and benevolence.
278 In this way Isaac also moves and overcomes the king, since he persists in faith, hope and love, and that he is hospitable, that he has not only reconciled himself to him, but is also thereby converted to the right worship and true knowledge of God. For he has undoubtedly heard the sermons and has entered the tabernacle of Isaac.
228 D. VI, P40. 341. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 26. W. II, 33L-3M. 229
that he might learn God's word from him. Thus, God won the king and other people through the word that Isaac taught and brought them to the right knowledge. For he has given us his word not only for our sake, but also for the sake of others, namely, that we should communicate it to other people.
In this way the good smell of both, the pure healthy teaching of Isaac and also of his innocent life, has been spread among the king and the princes, so that they will have said: Ah, why have we driven out this pious holy man, who teaches rightly and gloriously, and also leads a holy life; whose wife is a very pious matron, in addition charitable, mild and adorned with all kinds of virtues! And so the hearts of the people throughout the kingdom and in the neighborhood have been converted. Therefore be patient, whoever you want, who suffer violence and injustice from other people, and wait for the Lord. For all this is sent and governed by God, since Isaac himself sits quietly and does nothing against the king, nor does he make a treaty with him; for he suffers only with patience and in silence, which he was commanded to do, preaching, setting up a tabernacle, and carrying on the word diligently.
280 So now we are also quiet and do not fight, but many of them have come to us, even from the enemies, and have been converted, which I neither forced them to do nor ever thought of doing. Therefore, this is a very sweet consolation, which rhymes nicely with the saying of Solomon in his Ecclesiastes in chapter 7. V. 9: "A patient spirit is better than a high spirit." Therefore let us also accustom our hearts to be patient, and always persevere in this, that we may carry out our office, punish the vices, and always diligently practice the word. Then the neighbors and enemies will hear, and the good smell of Christ will come to them, catching and drawing them in. Just as Abimelech comes to Isaac of his own accord and becomes a holy king, just as his father was, even though he is not circumcised.
- for circumcision goes to the Gentiles
It belongs only to the house of Abraham, to the descendants and to his household: it is only commanded for those who are Abraham's people. But that the Jews also circumcised their fellow Jews (proselytes), they did not do right; for they had no commandment or commandment concerning it. For even at the time of circumcision many Gentiles were saved through the house of Abraham alone, in which was the word, the true religion and altar of God, where the word was heard in the name of the Lord, and where the word of promise, "through your seed," rang out. For this reason God gave circumcision to the house of Abraham, so that there would be certain descendants and a certain place where God's word and Christ the Lord would also be found by the Gentiles. He did not say in Genesis 22:18, "Through your seed all nations will be circumcised," but "will be blessed"; therefore they were able to receive the blessing without circumcision.
Therefore, this whole history is a confirmation of the comfort that the church and congregation of God must have. For it must have protection and shelter in this life. Therefore, Abimelech is again brought by the Word to assume the most noble and highest office of a king, which is to administer the law, to keep the peace, and also to administer and uphold justice and judgment; above all, however, he is to keep the service of God, to protect the prophets and teachers, to nourish and maintain Isaac, so that the knowledge of God may remain in his land.
This is the highest and most glorious work of man, which fills the hearts with true joy, and also with favor with God and man; as David is also joyful about it in the 60th Psalm, v. 8, when he says: "I am glad, and will divide the Savor, and measure the valley of Shushoth. But why? Answer: Because "God speaks in His sanctuary, I am glad," he says. That is to say: We hear God's word in my kingdom; the church and congregation of God has its
230 L. VI, 341-343. interpretation of Genesis 26, 26-31. **W. n. S35-3S8.** 231
Tabernacle, worship, priest 2c. Therefore, the most noble and right royal office of a king is to handle the word and see to it that it is also inherited by the descendants and spread among them.
But such kings and princes are almost few. For the majority of kings and princes in the world hate and persecute the Word at all times, destroy the churches and afflict the godly. Therefore, this is held up to us as an example and as a consolation, that we should know that God chooses one or the other from such a large number of princes who are enemies of the Word, who take care of the church, love the Word of God and learn it. So Abimelech is baptized in the Holy Spirit and circumcised with spiritual circumcision, and believes in the God of whom is preached and who is honored in the house of Isaac; becomes a disciple, a friend and patron of Isaac. For this is the blessing of the godly, which God has promised; as it is written in the 1st Book of Samuel in the 2nd Cap. V. 30: "Whoever honors me, I will also honor" 2c.
The Hebrews dispute about the name achusath, whether it is a proper name of a man or a generic word? Jerome holds that it is a generic word, a collectivum, as it is called in grammar, and that it means not only one man, but a whole crowd of good friends who stood around the king and came with him. The Hebrew word achas means to grasp; as good friends are wont to shake hands with one another, to hold one another's hands, and to lend one another a hand and help one another; that this is the meaning and the opinion: Abimelech has come, and a whole company of his friends, who held one another by the hands, like a company of people or a whole multitude, that is, Abimelech has come to Isaac with the whole company of his good friends, who were either in the country or outside the country. For no doubt many of the neighbors around, who had not sat under Abimelech in his land, but had been their relatives or other good friends, came to Isaac's house.
have come. To all of them the good sweet odor of Christ came, that they exhorted one another, saying, Dear, let us go to the holy man, let us hear his preaching 2c.
- Then it may be seen what a useful person a prophet is in the world; as the words of Christ John 15:16 indicate, when he says to his disciples, "I have chosen you, and ordained that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. For here the great lords and princes in the same kingdom come to Isaac with their blood relatives, brothers-in-law and friends. He is held in such high esteem by them, and thus the patience of the holy man is crowned and rewarded, because he overcame evil with good, according to the teaching of Paul, Rom. 12:21.
V. 27-31 But Isaac said to them: Why come ye to me? ye hate me, and HM me driven from you. They said: We see with eyes that 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, 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 early in the morning they arose, and sware one to another; and Isaac let them go, and they departed from him in peace.
Isaac punished them and reproached them for their sin, so that they had severely injured and angered him and his servants. From this punishment we may take a lesson that serves good manners, namely, that we should live in faith, godliness and patience, so that we do not flatter the great Hansa and do not cover up and conceal their sin. For if we do, we burden ourselves with the sins of others. The old, however, should not be punished with bitter words, but they should be admonished, so that the younger may not be proud against the old, as Isa. 3:5 says. And in our times such things are creeping up on us.
232 L. vi, S4S-S4S. Interpretation of I Moses 26, 27-31. W. ii, ss8-su. 233
Evil corrupt manners will enter in general. There should be a difference between the highest and the lowest, between parents and children. The father is more and greater than the son because of power and need; therefore the son shall not stand against the father as the father stands against the son; and God's word says Deut. 19:32: "Before a gray head shalt thou rise, and the old men shalt thou hide."
So Isaac does not hide the sin of the king and his friends, he does not pretend to them, but punishes them with due reverence, saying: "Why do you come to me, if you hate me? Do you not know that you have sinned? For why have ye driven me from you? I will not refuse to talk with you, but I know that you are full of hatred and envy.
In this way one should not justify sin, nor should one praise the one who has sinned; but if it is some old man who has committed a sin, one should admonish him kindly. As when a son punishes his parents for some sin, he should say: "My dear father, my dear mother, this may be regarded as not befitting pious and honest people. It is evil for an old man to commit fornication, adultery, or other such sins and disgraces. But it behooves a prophet or preacher to punish a little more harshly and severely at times, as can be seen here in the example of Isaac.
But because the king and his friends see that the punishment is just and right, they confess their sin and call him blessed of the Lord. As if to say, "We recognize that we have done wrong because we have hated you unreasonably, for we did not know that you were a blessed one of the Lord. We have indeed seen that you have grown and become rich, but we did not think that this should be attributed to the divine blessing: but now our eyes are opened, and also our hearts and ears, and we gladly recognize that we have unjustly offended and driven you away.
- although they excuse and deny
They do not confess their sin, but alleviate it somewhat; but they confess sufficiently that they are guilty, because they say: "We see with our eyes that the Lord is with you. So they understand together and summarize the confession of their sin and the recognition of the divine goodness and grace in Isaac; for he was still of the opinion that they were not yet reconciled with him, but were still enemies. Therefore Abimelech says: "We are not displeased with you now, because we see with our eyes that God is with you. And we also want to be with you in the fellowship of One Church and One Faith, to know and honor your God: therefore let there be an oath between you and us. For even though we are not circumcised, we still want to learn the right faith from you and want to be partakers of temporal peace and fellowship; only be our friend and do us no harm, we never want to offend you; as we have done nothing but good to you until now.
So Abimelech excuses himself as much as he can. He did not take Isaac's property, did not steal anything from him by force, so that this reduction of his debt seems fair and just; but his heart was so embittered by the servants that he commanded Isaac to leave the country. Otherwise, says Abimelech, while you were a stranger in our land, we let you go with kindness and good peace, we did you no harm at all, and though the shepherds took away your wells of water, yet such wrong and harm was amply repaid to you by the divine blessing. Therefore, we ask that you forgive us for what has happened.
This is the humility and conversion of Abimelech the king: neither does Isaac quarrel, nor argue with him, nor dispute about any matter, but rejoices because of the good will of the king and his friends, and prepares a banquet, that the oath, peace and protection between them may be constant and sure. And so Isaac, having been tested, is now exalted above those who hated and persecuted him before.
234 2- VI. 345-347. interpretation of Genesis 26:32-35. W. II, S4I-S43. 235
II.
On the same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well they had dug and said to him, "We have found water. And he called it Sheba; therefore the name of the city is Bersaba, unto this day.
Here comes another blessing. After making peace with Abimelech, God gives him a new well. By which example we are admonished to wait for the consolation that will come after the tribulation. For this change lasts in the lives of the saints for and for, namely, that after the tribulation follows consolation, and again after the consolation another tribulation; but as long as God lives, it is certain that we will also live: "For ours is not living to Himself, nor is anyone dying to Himself. If we live," says St. Paul, Rom. 14, 7. 8: If we die, we die to the Lord." Whether day or night, cross or joy, all is God's: no one is sick to himself, but to the Lord; he who sleeps, sleeps to the Lord; he who eats, eats to the Lord; all is well if you hear God's word.
295 The Hebrew word schibea was mentioned above in chapter 21, namely, that it has two meanings, namely, of the number, which means seven, and of the oath; and the Latin word septem can be regarded as having come from the Hebrew; as we Germans also pronounce the same word, seven. Jerome wants it to be interpreted in this place, that it means as much as saturitas, fullness, because the same is also called schibea; that it should mean here as much as when one says, puteus saturitatis, a well of fullness or a full well. But the rabbis of the Hebrews hold hard about it, that it should be interpreted according to its right proper meaning, that it should be called, puteus juramenti (fountain of oath). And the same I like better, that it be called a fountain of oaths, and not of abundance. As it has been called above a Schwörborn; which name one has also given to a well in Erfurt.
Finally, one should also look for the secret interpretations of the wells in this place. But I do not have as much desire for this as Origen and Jerome. I do not ask anything about it, because only if they adorn the mind of history, which one can take from the simple history. And there the allegories or secret interpretations are like flowers, which are scattered among the simple understanding of the histories; but one can prove nothing with them, which Augustine also said about the figures.
297 But if any man would have a secret interpretation, let him draw the three wells to the three principal pieces of holy scripture, namely, to the law, to the prophets, and to the gospel. For the law is esek, that is, as they say in the German language, it is vinegar: yea, in the soul or conscience it is vinegar; for "the law worketh only wrath," Rom. 4:15. The prophets are sitna; for where they press upon the law, there is the wrath and enmity of God; not that such should come from the law, but for the Philistines' sake; out of good cometh evil. But the gospel is righteous: when it is spread throughout the whole world, it enlarges consciences and brings them comfort. This may be the secret interpretation of this text. Whoever wants to, may use it.
III.
V. 34, 35: When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. Both of them made Isaac and Rebekah miserable.
These are examples of the holy patriarchs, in whom we see not only how they had such a good faith, but also how they took such great care to practice the works of love, patience and all kinds of virtues. So far we have seen how much severe affliction Isaac suffered, being afflicted with temptation from the strangers; how he wandered among the Gentiles as a stranger, which Gentiles, though they were not openly his enemies, yet they gave him with.
236 D. VI, 347-349. interpretation of I Genesis 26, 34. 35. w. n, 343-346. 237
The people of the country have made a lot of trouble and work out of their secret enmity and bitter hatred, and that they have secretly pursued him. And these were still external temptations.
But here follows the beginning of a much more terrible misfortune, after he has overcome all temptations, so that he, together with his wife, children and servants, has been very severely afflicted, from which he has already learned perfect patience. And the heathen among whom he lived are now reconciled to him, and the church or congregation of God has grown in good peace and tranquility and has increased, so that more and more listeners have come from all around, over which he is also pardoned with bodily blessings. For God gives him the fruits of the earth in abundance, along with fine fountains and all kinds of necessities. In sum, he has peace and rest and everything in full measure.
But now the temptations in his house begin, and they are much more severe than the previous ones. In sum, now comes ginger, pepper, cellar neck, sorrow and heartache, since he is now old, and hopes that the temptations will end, because he is tired and exhausted from so much sorrow and misery that he has suffered. For he is now almost a hundred years old; which may be inferred from the fact that Esau and Jacob were born when Isaac was in the sixtieth year of his age, and Esau, when he was forty years old, takes a wife: therefore, I say, Isaac is a hundred years old. The same old man is now again afflicted and chastened with heavy trials in his own house; since it seems that all misfortune is now over and conquered, a new cross and anguish arise.
- but because the same thing tends to happen to us, we should think that this is written for us as an example, so that we may see how God tries His saints, to whom He has given the Word and promised eternal life, in so many ways and so hard in this miserable life, that the saying of St. Paul in the book of the apostles' stories in chapter 14, v. 22, is true. V. 22. is true, when he says, "that we must go through much tribulation into the kingdom of God.
302 For Isaac suffered many grievous miseries in his house from the hundredth year of his age unto the fiftieth year of his age. He had to suffer all this and eat it up until the time when Joseph, his son Jacob's child, was driven away to Egypt. For in that year or about that time he died, and saw and suffered all the same miseries that were to follow in Jacob his son, in Joseph Jacob's son, in Esau who went astray, in Dinah who was put to sleep, in Reuben who went up to Jacob his father's bed. These many, great and severe afflictions, with which he has been afflicted these eighty years, have finally worn him out.
For this reason these patriarchs are true saints, and if we should be compared with them, we are nothing at all; indeed, all the bishops, martyrs, and apostles have marveled at them, and thought, We are indeed in the first degree, and must suffer much, but all this is nothing compared with the trials of the patriarchs; and therefore they have so honored them, that they have been ashamed of themselves, compared with the patriarchs. For a martyr can do with one or half an evil hour, but here there is no end to the temptation, the toil and the daily miseries. For, dear God, how great a lamentation and misery it is that he has had to watch and suffer such misfortune in his house with the greatest pain for the whole eighty years. And this was not a common misery and misfortune, but a special and the highest misery and misery.
There is no one so eloquent who could sufficiently explain the patience of Isaac, just as the patience of Abraham and Jacob is highly praised. From this it can be sufficiently seen that these three patriarchs were especially dear to God, and therefore they are well worthy of the name of the patriarchs and the most holy martyrs. And we would like to call them, among all the other saints, a trinity of saints (if one wants to speak in this way); for they have neither the greatness, nor the quantity of the temptations, nor that they are granted for and for themselves,
238 D. vi, sts-svi. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 34. 35. W. n,s4k-s49. 239
but with great strong courage have overcome all these challenges manfully and chivalrously and triumphed over them; and we shall finally see the glory of such overcoming at the last day, and marvel at it; now we may signify and behold it to some extent.
But all this is hidden from the papists for the sake of the certain astonishment that they have been husbands, have had wives and children, and have not led an unmarried life. For this alone has been holiness in the papacy, where one has lived in celibacy; therefore they cannot see these beautiful lights, yes, the sun and moon of the most beautiful virtues in the holy patriarchs.
Therefore, we are taught and instructed not only that we should follow such examples of the patriarchs, but also that we become ashamed and learn to be ashamed of ourselves that we are nothing compared to these patriarchs. For we must be ashamed here and say: Augustine and Ambrose are nothing, who have had their gifts, but cannot even be compared to these holy fathers, who have been obedient to God everywhere with such great patience and humility. Therefore, God does not say in vain that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Ex 3:6.
307 Let us now pass over the affliction which Isaac had in his house. "When Esau was forty years old," says the text, "he took two wives, both of whom were very bitter against Isaac and Rebekah." This very heavy cross Moses has described in brief words. It indicates the age of Esau; because at that time they took wives a little earlier than before the flood: after the flood it was customary and also commanded that they took wives when they came to their forty years.
308] After this Moses also writes that Esau took two wives who were foreigners or pagans; from this we can assume that he did not want to go to Syria and take one of his blood relatives, which his father Isaac did before him and Jacob will do after him.
- it can be seen as if Moses had
want to indicate that Esau made a covenant with the men and young men, the Hittites, and that the same might be stronger, so he took their daughters or sisters in marriage, when the Gentiles had long been condemned by God; as he lists these seven nations above and condemned them, since he says in the 15th chapter of this first book v. 16: "The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet over", which no doubt Esau knew. Not that God rejected them completely; for Judah, one of the twelve patriarchs, is a father of Christ, from whose seed Christ came; he took a Cananite woman to wife, the daughter of Shuah. And Thamar begat Perez and Zerah by fornication and incest. For this reason God condemned these Gentiles, but nevertheless chose some mothers from the lineage and blood of such condemned peoples.
310 And it is possible that Isaac was not so displeased at first that Esau took Hittite wives and two of them at the same time. He may have seen that this was a common practice among the same peoples. As Abimelech also had many wives and in the whole east country the same use was also. Therefore, I believe that neither of these causes made the hearts of Isaac and Rebekah bitter and grieved them. But the cross and the affliction of these very holy parents arose because they had to bring these two wives of their son into their house, from which all the noise and all kinds of hurt and resentment arose.
The monks in the celibate state do not know anything about the cross and toil in the house regiment. It was indeed a very hard and heavy cross for both parents, but especially for the mother, who until her ninetieth year had ruled the house with great toil and labor. Now, however, since she is almost exhausted due to age and many worries she had about the housekeeping, she must take the young women into her own house, feed and maintain them from her own, so that they only torment and plague the old mother-in-law,
240 D. VI, W1-L53. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 34. 35. W. II, L4S-322. 241
And according to their own will they confounded all things in the house, and put the lowest things first. For thus Moses says, "They were both very bitter, and grieved Isaac and Rebekah."
(312) But the nature of the afflictions is not expressly mentioned in the Scriptures, and I believe that the parents were not immediately enraged and embittered because of some small fault, as many small injuries tend to occur in the household. For both Isaac and Rebekah were almost well trained to suffer misfortune and affliction, and had with them the overcoming and victory of the spirit. Such people are not easily angered.
Therefore, there must have been some grave and special cause. But we can learn to know and understand this if we look diligently at the Ten Commandments; they will show what the causes of these temptations were. After this, let us take the example of Hagar, which was told above, Gen 16:4. For since she dared to rebel against her wife and grieve her, what do you think these women did not do? For they will no doubt have boasted and said: We are the firstborn son's wives, the firstborn is ours. For Jacob was utterly despised and rejected, but Esau behaved like a priest and like a prince and a rightful heir in the church and in the house. Therefore the strange wives also did not want to be maidservants, but housemothers themselves, and to have and receive such honor in the house as wives of the firstborn son.
314 This honor and glory made them very proud and hopeful, which is why Isaac and Rebekah suffered all kinds of indignities. And how should they have behaved differently, since it is said above that Esau himself was also of this kind, that he boasted so and had such wild manners? How, thinkest thou, will he have boasted with so great pride among his wives, saying: I am the firstborn; the inheritance belongs to me; I have the divine
The promises made to my father are all mine by divine right; I will be the father of the future seed; I will possess the land. And as often as Isaac preached to his household about the spiritual and physical promises, so often did Esau ascribe them to himself: I am the firstborn and the rightful heir of this promise, and you are wives of the firstborn; you are the rightful housemothers and wives over all the land; our children will inherit and possess it; Jacob is much inferior to me, is despised and rejected.
(315) This was the one sin and the one bitterness, that is, the great affliction of the two wives, Judith and Basmath, which affliction these two holy spouses had to suffer. For this presumption of Esau and his wives is compared with the previous example of Ishmael in Abraham's house, when Ishmael also boasted that he was the firstborn, as his father himself had testified. Then Sarah was angry that he wanted to be the heir and to reject her son Isaac. No, she said, so God did not say, but, "In Isaac shall be called thy seed." Now although Ishmael is the firstborn according to the flesh, he is not the firstborn according to the spirit.
The same thing happened in this house. Esau and his wives had boasted of the priesthood and rule, and that Jacob should not hope or wait for anything more, but only that a small portion of the inheritance or some small gift would be given to him, and that he would be content with it, and would therefore have to leave his father's house and go into misery; but Esau would remain in the house, would be the factotum, and would also be the prince and priest, and father of Christ. Just as Sarah was impatient and angry at the boasting of Ishmael, Rebekah was also very angry and thought of ways and means for Jacob to keep the firstborn. And she finally achieved the same.
317 But it was still almost thirty years. For when they were over, Jacob first came in his father's place and became heir to both in the flesh.
242 2 VI, 353-3S5. Interpretation of Genesis 26, 34. 35. W. II, 3S2-SS4. 243
He remains in his father's house, but Esau has left it with his wife and children. This is the judgment of our Lord God and his special government, who, as the Virgin Mary sings in Luc. 1, 52, pushes the mighty from their seats and lifts up the wretched. For he does not want to and cannot tolerate the proud; indeed, for the sake of the proud, he rejects and overthrows those whom he has just placed on the throne and raised high; for he does both, he raises up the wretched and places them on the throne, and then pushes them off the throne again.
But why does God do this, and why is He against Himself? Answer: He exalts them because they are wretched, and then overthrows them again when they become worthy of hope. And there is no emperor so mighty and powerful that he could not humble him and push him from his throne; indeed, it is much easier for him to overthrow any great monarch than it is for me to kill a fly. For thus he says to Saul 1 Sam. 15, 17: "Is it not so, when thou wast small in thine own sight, that thou becameest chief among the tribes of Israel?" But now you are proud and hopeful, and will not obey my voice; therefore I cast you off your seat.
Therefore, I say, this is God's work, that He exalts the miserable and overthrows the hopeful. The same is testified by the histories of all nations. "He deposes kings, and sets up kings," says Daniel in 2 Cap. V. 21. Because the kings are humble, he protects them and keeps them in their kingdom; but when they become proud and persecute his saints or believers, he deposes them.
The example of Ishmael in Genesis 21:9 ff. is almost frightening, when he is expelled and deprived of the firstborn because of his pride, especially in regard to the spiritual promise. So Esau also becomes proud and hopeful, therefore he is rejected and is not worthy to be an heir of the land of Canaan and a father of the Messiah who should reign in the land. Because of this, Isaac's and Rebekah's bitterness came out of the first and the second table. From the first to the priest
And of the other, for the sake of the worldly government. For the two wives of Esau have spoken, saying, Our husband shall have the service and the church of God, and Christ shall be born of our husband. In the first table he shall have the teaching office, and in the other he shall also have the government. This is the right of the firstborn, of which he has boasted with great pride.
- But above (Cap. 25. V. 23.) the opposite has been set and decided in the promise, since it is said: "The greater will serve the lesser. For when God promises grace and blessing, He sets His promise in such a way that He remains God. If the promise is to be firm and remain, it is necessary that God Himself also remain and be recognized as the One who gives and promises the blessing. But if I become proud and hopeful, I lose the promise. For the promise excludes hopefulness, and comprehends in itself the humility and knowledge of God who makes the promise.
322 Now Rebekah and Isaac had to bear and endure this bitterness until the thirtieth year. For so long did Jacob live without a wife, and was also despised and rejected by the household against Esau, which caused his mother great and just pain. For that which is commonly said, that all the mothers-in-law of their sons are wives, is not to be said of this holy matron Rebekah. It is much different here; for she cares for the firstborn of Jacob, as Sarah also did. There one does not have to conceal anything, there one does not have to suffer injustice, and one does not have to deviate from one's right there, because it is a divine promise. But where one despises or rejects the word, and wants to deny the divine promise, this is not patience, but is laziness, yes, a contempt of God. For I could suffer all things that I ought, except that my Lord Christ should not be taken from me.
323 Yes, you say, a Christian should be quiet and have patience with all humility, and should also forgive and pardon those who have hurt him.
244 VI- 355-357. interpretation of I Moses 26:34, 35. w. II, 354-357. 245
offend. Answer: But then patience, humility and all other works of love cease, if I am to lose him for whose sake I suffer: where one is to lose God, deny his word and the right service of God, there one must have no patience; there we must be sure of the divine promise which concerns us, that we do not allow ourselves to be deprived of it in any way.
324 So when Rebekah sees that Esau rises high with his wives, as if he were the king and they the queens, even that they are the right heirs both to the bodily and spiritual blessing, then patience ceases, and Rebekah thinks thus: I will have to work so that my son Jacob's blessing is not taken away and withdrawn, but that he may be the heir according to the promise. And the Holy Spirit gives counsel to Rebekah, whereof we shall hereafter hear, that Isaac the father, not being able well to see, did unwittingly turn the firstborn of Esau unto Jacob. And as Abraham had to listen to the voice of Sarah, so Isaac must also obey Rebekah against his will. And Rebekah shall do the same by a wholesome and godly deceit, that the inheritance may be taken from the false, unrighteous firstborn, and be restored to Jacob, the true firstborn.
This is the one cause of bitterness; and this has been truly greater than we can think, who read this thing drowsily and industriously, and also do not understand this struggle. To this sorrow and misfortune has come the other also, namely, idolatry. For these two wives of their son, who were not instructed in the divine doctrine, have contradicted the right worship and the true religion. Perhaps they may have brought the statutes of their fathers, the Hittites, into the house of their father-in-law, and with the same leaven poisoned the church and congregation of God, which Isaac had. Yes, this has only embittered the hearts of these holy spouses, since the wives have held fast to the superstition of their fathers and defended the same, so that heresy and sects have arisen from it.
For this is the most grievous and distressing thing: when the church is well arranged and ordered, and the teachers and believers are of one mind, speak from one mouth, have one heart, one pen, when we all teach one doctrine and write with one accord: that then one comes who confuses all this and makes the people astray, who wants to be doctor and master, and to draw the whole church to his side; as Arius arose and destroyed the whole church at Alexandria. For these are as it were two sisters and twins, namely, the quarrel and strife about the firstborn and heresy.
The heretics see that they cannot become great and famous if they remain in the communion and unity of the church. What shall I do? they say, my name is quite obscured, is not highly praised in other dominions and countries; therefore I must find a way by which I may elevate myself a little and distinguish myself, so that people may see what I can do. Then a dispute arises about the firstborn and about the title or name of the church.
The right church, however, is despised and trampled underfoot by such ambitious spirits; just as Isaac and Jacob were not considered the right church by Esau and his wives here. They are fools, they will have said, they have a small spirit; one must go higher. For such words have been heard in our time from Muenzer: "Oh, Luther and others may have begun the gospel, but they have not carried it out. 2c.
In this way, these two proud women also incited Esau to reform the church, saying to him: "You are the Lord, you may arrange and govern everything according to your pleasure, you will not be able to err or fail; well then, let us also introduce our fathers' religion here and bring it into pregnancy. What! Your father Isaac is a rude man, he always sticks to his simplicity, teaches us only to pray. This is all a simple thing, has no appearance or prestige, does not move or awaken the hearts of the people. You have to bring something into the church that has a semblance and that is
246 L. VI. 3S7. 358. vii, 3. interpretation of Gen. 26, 34. 35. cap. 27, 1-1. W. N, 3S7-SS2. 247
The sun and the moon shine deliciously in the eyes of the people. Our fathers, the Hittites, worship the sun and the moon; therefore let us also keep the religion and ceremonies of the Hittites.
This has been the great pernicious harm of the same church. For the statutes of men and ceremonies have a great appearance and catch the eyes of the people, move the common rabble, so that they are highly astonished at the outward splendor and the great appearance. In this way, these two pagan women have attracted many of their servants, as well as some of their neighbors, and they will have said: Isaac is a childish old man, he can do nothing; Rebekah milks the goats and cows; therefore let us make another and much greater service.
Thus the false church began to reign because of the outward splendor, but the promise and the pure divine teaching were despised. Isaac and Rebekah had to see and endure the same misery. Esau was brought forward with his wives and despised his parents; thus they neither served God rightly nor honored their parents, but
with her followers bitterly and harshly angered the good pious parents.
332 And so it is with us even now, who see that so many divisions and sects are arising, for which cause the church is in fear and almost very distressed. But this misfortune cannot be prevented. But when the firstborn is taken away, idolatry will certainly follow. Therefore, the church that Isaac had was in great danger, which danger started from the firstborn, and also from his wives, both of whom grieved the heart and soul of Isaac and Rebecca and made them bitter. And Isaac was not able to hide his grief, or to conceal it, or to hide it; for it was a great affliction, and it endured for ever and ever. For they had not only angered and offended Isaac and Rebekah, as it says in the common Latin translation, but they still hurt and embittered them without ceasing; they did not cease to embitter the two, Isaac and Rebekah. This has happened not only once, twice or three times, but the bitterness has lasted a long time until the hard battle that now follows.
The twenty-seventh chapter.
First part.
How Isaac resolves to bless Esau, but Rebekah endeavors to bring the blessing from Esau to Zakob.
I.
V.1-4. And it came to pass, when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim to see, that he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son. And he answered and said unto him, Here am I. And he said, Behold, I am grown old, and know not when I shall die. Now therefore take thy stuff, thy quiver, and thy bow,
And I will go into the field, and prepare me a venison, and make me a meal, as I like, and bring it in to me to eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die.
In this chapter we will learn how the blessing of the firstborn was so miraculously transferred from Esau to Jacob, and the judgment and sentence of God is described here, which has been hidden until now, but will finally be revealed. Above all, however, one should notice and pay attention to the chronology, so that we know in which year this history took place. For Esau and Jacob were seven and a half years old at that time.
248 D. vn. s-s. Interpretation of I Genesis 27:1-4. W. n, ses-sW. 249
seventy years old. For Jacob went to Mesopotamia when he was seven and seventy years old. There is no doubt about it, the chronology proves it clearly. If we add the previous sixty years of Isaac's age, before his sons were born, to the seven and seventy years, we get a hundred and seven and thirty years. Esau took two wives when Isaac was a hundred years old; and after these hundred years he lived six or seven and thirty years; therefore this that now follows came to pass in the hundred and seven and thirtieth years of Isaac's age.
002 And Jacob having served in Mesopotamia seven years, he became a bridegroom only in the four and eightieth year of his age. Esau had taken his two wives before him for four and forty years, and had already fathered many children, and would undoubtedly have had children by them, for he had been a husband for seven and thirty years, during which time many children could be fathered, especially by two wives. Therefore he has a large household and his own cottage with his wife and children, as we will see later. He is the prince and lord of Isaac's house, has two wives who are women in the house, has many children and children's children, and hopes to take his father's place without any hindrance and be the sole heir. Jacob, however, is miserable and despised, has no particular hope, and is only waiting for a gift: when he receives it, he will be sent away from his father's house and leave everything else to his brother Esau. So they both waited, and it lasted seven and thirty years.
(3) And at last Isaac thought, Behold, thou art an hundred years old, and seven, and thirty years old; now must thou also think of thy departure out of this life, and how thou shalt order and arrange it with thy children and thy seed. For after the Flood the fathers did not reach two hundred years. And at that time they were almost all dead, except for Eber, who died two years later. All the majesty and glory of the patriarchs were buried, so
that Isaac and Eber were still left, which Eber died two years later. Therefore Isaac alone with his sons is the patriarch and pope in the whole world. Therefore he thought, "The other fathers did not live two hundred years, except for one or two; so I will not hope for a longer life. "And it came to pass," says Moses, "when Isaac was old," that is, in the hundred and seven and thirtieth year, "that his eyes grew dim," perhaps not so much from old age as from any other accident.
(4) Otherwise, in old age, not only the face, but also the sense of taste and touch, as well as all the senses and limbs, tend to decline, for old age is a prelude to death. Just as little children who are not children are as if they were dead, seeing and yet not seeing, tasting and yet not tasting: so the old also become children again and become childish from old age; their eyes become dark, their hearing also diminishes, so that they hear with difficulty. Therefore, as soon as a man is born, his senses begin to diminish, and when death comes, all the powers and senses of man become dull and weak. When Isaac's eyes became dim, either from old age or from some accidental disease, so that he could no longer see, he called Esau, his older son, to bless him before he died.
(5) But here a grave and high question arises, namely, why Isaac, after the divine answer given to Rebekah above (Gen 25:23), still continues and wants to bless the greater son. For it is certain that he has heard that it was said to Rebekah by a divine answer: "The greater shall serve the lesser. Item: "Two kinds of people will be separated from your body; and one people will be superior to the other." And therefore Rebekah always holds on to the lesser, namely, to Jacob; but Isaac holds on to Esau.
(6) The Jews here bring forth useless babblings, saying, Isaac knew nothing of the divine answer; for Re-.
250 D. VII, 5-7. interpretation of Genesis 27, 1-4. W. n, 365-367. 251
bekka had hidden such things from him. But this does not rhyme, and is contrary to the manner and usage of spouses, who are wont to say such things to each other. And Rebekah could not hide the pain she felt and experienced when the children in her womb bumped into each other. No doubt she complained that she was in danger of her life and limb and went to Eber or Shem at her husband's command, so that she might hear his advice or opinion. Then the same patriarch gave her the answer, "Thou shalt not die; but two nations are in thy womb," and thou shalt become a mother of two twins, yea, of two nations; neither shall the children die in their infancy, but they shall grow and become great, and have the promise of life, that they may know that they shall become patriarchs of very great nations. And when she heard this, she came again to her husband and told him the answer with joy, will have said: Shem has told me to give birth to twins who will live and beget two nations.
Now what does Isaac think after the divine answer that the greater should become the lesser? It is indeed a difficult question and this whole chapter is almost strange. The interpretation of the others, who have explained this first book of Moses, is quite cold and vain. I will therefore think that there was a friendly quarrel between these spouses and that they talked amicably with each other about the meaning of the divine answer. Rebekah may have said to her father, "It is indeed to be expected that Jacob will be the firstborn. Isaac, on the other hand, would have said: Thou understandest not the answer aright; methinks this prophecy or prophecy is already fulfilled, that Esau hath overcome Jacob, who was the greater in his mother's womb, because he wished to oppress the lesser; but Esau hath become the greater, and now shall he also remain the greater. Rebekah held the opposite view and remained firm in her opinion until what happened afterwards, that the blessing was miraculously turned to Jacob.
008 And in the meantime there was a friendly strife between the husband and wife. Isaac will have tried to make Rebekah change her mind, will have said: My dear Rebekah, you are lacking, you do not understand the answer well. But Rebekah will have answered him: Esau will not be the firstborn. And she had a very important argument and a good reason. For Esau was a hunter, made an alliance with the Hittites, and led two very wicked wives into his father's house; he did not teach his children how to obey their parents: from this she concluded that Esau would be rejected. And this was given her by the Holy Spirit, who reminded her that Esau, who was born first, was the greater and the other the lesser.
9 Thus both parents call each his son, whom he loves, the greater and the lesser. Such friendly or sweet errors can occur between spouses on a daily basis. The same thing happened here about a not insignificant matter, and this dispute between them lasted until it was reversed here. Rebekah considered Esau to be the greater, and concluded that because of this he could not become the firstborn according to the divine answer; then he had also despised and sold the firstborn. She diligently remembered and kept all this, as women also have their thoughts.
(10) Isaac, however, has formed an opinion that is contrary to this, and has for himself the rule or law, namely, Esau is the firstborn, and therefore the right of the firstborn belongs to him. Just as if one says in grammar: The nouns that end in the letter a are of the feminine gender; however, some are excluded. So Rebekka also makes an exception; the father sticks straight to the rule without any exception. And this is added to the fact that Esau is in possession: he rules the house and is lord of the house; but Jacob always remains a servant, lives without a wife and is a servant in the house as usual, has no rule at all these seven and thirty years.
- this description of the persons and if one holds them thus against each other, helps
252 L. vn, 7-s. Interpretation of Genesis 27:1-4. W. II, 367-370. 253
much and also explains the history. Esau not only leads the house and world regiment, but also paints the church regiment with religion and worship everywhere; in the absence of his father he preached, prayed, sacrificed, slaughtered cattle for sacrifice; he is king and pope in the same church and community. His wives are proud, hopeful mistresses and queens, who will no doubt have boasted that they are in possession and that Esau, their husband, holds the priesthood and regiment. Jacob, on the other hand, has been rejected, is as it were dead and buried, is like a rotten log and "a root of dry ground," as Isaiah chap. 53:2 says of Christ. But this is a work of God, who can make a fine green tree out of a dry block.
012 But because the matter was thus established, and every man had his own opinion, Esau was reckoned the chosen, and Jacob the rejected, according to the rule and judgment of all that were in the house, and also according to the reputation and power of Isaac the father. But Rebekah, the mother, is against it, who will have had these seven and thirty years of patience, and has had to suffer much, which the son and his wives have done and caused unreasonably and with great pride. She saw Esau sitting in the possession, that he had the rule, preached and administered the priestly office, and that Jacob was taken for a poor servant, who had to carry water and fire for the sacrifice, and had to do other domestic work, as servants are wont to do.
(13) This can be seen that it does not rhyme badly that it is said in this place. For in this life there is often such a dispute about things that are uncertain and about which one doubts. Just as Augustine and his mother Monica had a quarrel almost like this one: the mother prayed day and night for her son that he might be saved from the sect and heresy of the Manichaeans, to which sect he had belonged and been attached for nine years, and had been caught up in it so that no one could save him or resist him.
The mother called in many people to talk to him about it and to bring him out of this error, but no one was able to either overcome him or bring him out of it, so that his mother became terribly frightened about it and no longer had any comfort. Then it happened that in the night she had a dream in which a young man appeared to her, standing in a circle and speaking kindly to her: "Dear woman, why are you crying? She said, "I am grieved that my son should be lost. Then the youth answered her, "Where you are, there he is also. Then the mother awakes from sleep, is joyful, and tells her son the dream, saying, "Dear son, I have at last found comfort, and have the promise that thou shalt be converted to my rule or faith;" and told him the words of the youth. Then Augustine reverses the saying and says to his mother: "Dear mother, you have not heard correctly, but the young man has said: Where I am (and has drawn the little word "I" to himself and his teaching), there you will also be. The mother did not allow herself to be challenged, but remained steadfast in her understanding, and Augustine confesses that such steadfastness of his mother moved him very much, so that he all the more easily agreed with the mind and opinion of his mother.
14 Such friendly quarrels are common between husbands and wives, and also between good friends, as between Pomponius and Cicero, and here between Isaac and Rebecca. And they have not only disputed about the meaning of the answer, but also held both Esau's and Jacob's ways and customs diligently against each other. My dear Rebekah," Isaac will have said, "you see that Jacob is a simple, simple-minded man, and that he does not ask anything about the regiment or the priesthood; but Esau wields a bow, arrow and sword, and he will be quicker and more skillful for the regiment. As we are wont to do good to those in whom we see that they are a little more ready and skillful than others to conduct their business.
- after that, isaac hangs on the outer-
254 D. vn. s-ii. Interpretation of I Genesis 27, 1-4. W. n, 370-373. 255
The Holy Matron Rebekah, however, is not a woman of the Holy Spirit, but a woman of the Holy Spirit, who has been wounded by the bitterness of Esau's wives and the great hope of her son, says to Jacob by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, when the holy matron Rebekah was hurt and grieved by the bitterness of Esau's wives and the great hope of her son, by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit she holds up Jacob and says to her husband: Esau will by no means become the lord, his manners and his life are not at all pleasing to me, whether he is regarded as being sent to rule; Jacob humbles himself, is obedient, and is even trampled underfoot by his brother; therefore the promise is not yet fulfilled; for the humble are exalted, and the hopeful are humbled and overthrown. For this is a certain rule in Scripture, which is not wanting, as St. Peter says 1 Epist. 5:5: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
16 Because the government of our Lord God is in accordance with this, Rebecca insists on this rule. Because Esau realizes that he is held in high esteem and preferred by his father, and because of the favor he has had among the servants and the common people, he is proud and puffed up; therefore he will be humbled. And God also sets the opposite afterwards, so that the other, namely Jacob, who is now rejected and lies in the dust, will be exalted.
These are the judgments of God. And I say this so that it may be understood all the more easily why Isaac was deceived in such a wonderful way, so that it is almost as if this story were a lie or a fiction. For it must be taken for certain that he knew the divine answer well, and that he held very hard above reason that Esau was the greater, who had been trodden underfoot and overcome by Jacob before in his mother's womb, and who would now again trod underfoot and overcome Jacob, his greater. Because otherwise, if one does not understand it thus, one will not be able to balance the text, that it may rhyme with each other.
(18) The father was attached to the letter, as was Abraham, who also took Ishmael for the firstborn; but Rebekah had stronger arguments and better causes of her understanding. Therefore she tolerates Esau's hope and violence, and yet in her heart she takes care of every opportunity, so that she may turn the firstborn from Esau to Jacob. And she did not deal with this advice only in that year or day, but for a long time she pondered it in her heart in many ways and thought about it this way: I will see how I may regain the blessing for my son.
(19) And it is well to be believed that she did not invent this of herself or of her own understanding, but that the Holy Spirit reminded her of it through the patriarch Eber, that is, that she remembered the exception to the common rule: who will have admonished and reminded her that the blessing by divine command, as with a special exception to the common rule, belongs to Jacob and not to Esau. Although Esau relied on the letter of the law and the rule to protect himself. But, as St. Paul says Gal. 3, 18, the children of the law are not the right heirs, but the children of the promises, who are exempt from the law. Therefore Rebekah does not deviate from her opinion and relies on Jacob to be the heir and lord. Isaac, on the other hand, will not deviate from the rule and the law until the time when the mother and the son begin to deceive and deceive the father with lies.
020 And Isaac called unto Esau his greater son, and desired him to make him a supper, knowing that his father would be pleased. From this it can be clearly assumed that he certainly thought in his heart that Esau was the greater. For he speaks this freely with full confidence; as pious holy men are wont to do, they are not double-minded, neither have they a double heart, but where they are inclined, there they are inclined with all their heart: they are either nothing or even find it. On the other hand, the be-
256 L. vn. 11. 12. Interpretation of Genesis 27, 1-4. W. II, 373-376. 257
The people who are deceptive are not at one with themselves, they are unstable and have two tongues in their mouths. But here the heart of Isaac, the father, is undivided; he is firmly convinced that Esau is to be the firstborn; that is why he is so confused and bitterly angry afterwards, when he realizes that he has been deceived in such simplicity and certain confidence. This comes from the simplicity that does not divide the heart in various opinions. Just as he who believes in one God cannot have two gods, for God wants the heart, since He says in Deut. 6:5: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. Therefore, the fact that he is deceived is due to the fact that he relied too much on the opinion he had formed.
21 Now Esau is described here as being very obedient and pious; therefore Isaac also puts all his trust in him, that he will be the heir who will follow him; and he speaks to him no differently than to one who will possess the inheritance in his place. As if to say, "My dear son, it is almost time for the promise to be fulfilled. You are the greater and the firstborn, so let us see to it that you may succeed me most closely in the regiment and priesthood, for I am concerned that a quarrel may arise between you and your brother, of which I have seen the beginnings for more than thirty years. Therefore, so that such a disagreement between you brothers may be prevented, I have resolved and decided with myself that I want to leave a certain heir behind me and decree that he should preside over both the regiment and the church. For this purpose he now chooses Esau, because he is very obedient to him. And Isaac is still of the opinion that Rebekah, the mother, is wrong, who loved Jacob and hoped that he should become the firstborn. Therefore, these words of Isaac come from such a heart that stood firm and wanted to be sure that Esau would have to be declared the right heir. "Go," he says, "to the field," take your quiver and bow, 2c., "sow me a venison, and make me a meal," 2c., "that I may be the firstborn.
my soul bless thee before I die." There is no suspicion at all that it could go differently; and will nevertheless be deceived.
22 Now it seems from this speech of Isaac's that Esau knew how to ingratiate himself with his father. The scripture does not say that he honored his father, but that he pretended and flattered him. Flattery is part of the trade. He was able, I say, to ingratiate himself and to make himself look good where he saw that his father was inclined; then he was able to make himself look as if he cared for his father more than his brother. That is why Isaac despairs of Jacob, who is always around his mother and is also very modest and quiet. It is as if he were born to be a servant. But Esau is the master of the house, who is used to hunt and to bring his father good food from the hunt: not common food, such as a hen, milk or cheese, as Rebekah and Jacob used to give him, but game. And so he shows much greater care and zeal for his father than Jacob or his mother. And with such service and diligence he makes that the father has become more and more favorable to him, who was otherwise very favorable to him without that. Yes, so we must deal with those whom we want to deceive and cheat.
- And his wives also helped him diligently, who were able to smear the old man finely with their flattering words, and by the way greatly grieved and embittered the poor mother, because they knew that she was not satisfied that Esau should have the honor, and that Jacob should thus be despised. But Rebekah thought, O Esau, you honor your father not for his sake, as if you were so pious, but for your own benefit: non propter te, sed propter tuum te, as is commonly said in Latin. You do not mean your father, but yourself. For he does not go about honoring his father out of a pure heart, but seeks thereby for himself, his wives and children, the rule and
258 D- vn. 12-14. interpretation of Genesis 27, I-10. W. Il, S76-S78. 259
priesthood. Rebekah noticed that.
- For thus are all hypocrites minded. They are wolves in sheep's clothing, so that they deceive their parents, masters and brothers 2c. Isaac did not pay attention to this, but Rebekah was able to see it and will disgrace this deceitfulness by a whimsical counsel. Therefore Esau was an obedient son, but God did not know anything about it. On the other hand, Jacob can be seen as having honored his father with nothing at all, but according to God's judgment he honors his father alone. For God sees into the heart. Esau brings rabbits and venison and flatters his old father with it, therefore he is loved all the more; but it is all hypocrisy. Therefore Isaac is strengthened more and more in his delusion, because he lets himself be deceived with such hypocrisy.
(25) This is a bad example, and the godly should learn to be hostile to such hypocrisy and to fear the Lord. For God does not care if one does great things or much; as Esau fulfills the fourth commandment to the highest degree, as it appears outwardly, but in truth he does nothing less; for his heart is not righteous and pure, which God wants above all things. Therefore Esau does not respect his father, but is concerned about his firstborn, which will be seen more afterward, since he has lost the blessing. For if he had loved his father rightly and dearly, he would have been able to bear the curse with patience, saying, "Dear father, though it seemed otherwise to you and to me, yet I will obey my mother, and will bear with it and be content that the blessing has been so turned away from me. But his heart is much different, for he says, "The time will soon come for my father to suffer, for I will slay my brother Jacob." But shall one honor one's parents? Therefore God has seen the devilish and murderous heart, as the one who tests hearts. Esau was able to hide it for a while, so that his father would not notice it, but after that he came out with force.
026 Now this is the honor which children owe to their parents, that if they decree anything contrary to thy will, thou shalt nevertheless be and remain obedient unto them. This is why Moses describes Esau as a great hypocrite who earned his father's favor with special services and yet shamefully deceived him with such hypocrisy.
(27) Although Isaac, who is blind and old, was betrayed by the son who, according to outward appearances, was the most obedient, God judges rightly and turns the blessing from the wicked hypocrite Esau to the pious and simple Jacob. And this is held up to us as a lesson and example, so that we may learn to fear God, whom we cannot deceive with our hypocrisy, but whom He sees into the heart. Therefore, the best thing is to do what one has to do with simplicity and to live with a sincere heart. And one should not joke with God, neither in religion, nor in worldly rule, nor in domestic rule, so that such joking and hypocrisy will never go unpunished.
028 Now that the hypocrite hath joined himself to his two wives and children, and agreed that they would deceive their father of old, and that he, Esau, should be made heir, there follows the counsel of Rebekah, which is utterly contrary to that design. For Rebekah was very bold, and turned back and prevented all the plots that Isaac her husband and Esau her son had made.
V. 5-10: And Rebekah heard these words, which Isaac spake unto Esau 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 cattle, that I may make a meal of them for thy father.
** **260 L vn. 14-16. interpretation Of Genesis 27:5-10. W. n. sis-ssi. 261
Do as he pleases. You shall carry this in to your father to eat, that he may bless you before his death.
29 Here belongs the description of the way the fathers used when they blessed others or received the blessing. But Moses only tells according to history what the firstborn had to do, how he had to be dressed to receive the fiefs of the blessing. He does not add anything more about that, although they had to use some certain and special ceremonies for that. As at present the princes, when they receive the fiefs from the emperor, are not dressed as they usually wear their usual clothes; but put on royal robes with fine helmets, shields and weapons. These are outward ceremonies, and the world uses them to make known and adorn that which is intended. Thus Moses laid his hands on Joshua, Numbers 27:20, 23, and the Scripture says: Pones super eum laudes tuas, that is, You shall praise him before the people with a short speech, that they may know, when he is thus praised by you, that he is worthy of it, that they should hear him and follow him. As we also do when the students come together and the doctors or masters are publicly announced. The same thing happens with weddings: the young married couple go to church, have adorned themselves with new clothes, the neighbors are invited to go along and help with such wedding pomp and customary ceremonies; a meal is prepared in honor of the bridegroom and the bride, so that the people who are invited eat and drink with each other and be merry.
(30) In the same way, they used some special ceremonies when they received the blessing of the firstborn. First, they had to prepare a meal for the father. The same was not done without sacrifice: they both made a sacrifice to God and thus began it with the sacrifice. Just as we, when we come together in public, are accustomed to begin with prayer or thanksgiving. And as we
We pray when we lay hands on those who are ordained and confirmed to the church or preaching ministry: so Esau also initially offered a sacrifice, after which he also presented something of it to his father to eat.
The other ceremony was this: the one who was to receive the blessing had to put on a priestly garment, which rhymed with the priestly garb and with the blessing of the firstborn. And there Moses indicates that Rebekah was in possession of the priestly garments. Jacob did not take care of it and almost lost it with the firstborn, he despaired of it for his own sake, but she kept the clothes with great care. At that time both Esau and Jacob were seven and seventy years old, and yet these clothes still remained in the custody of their father and mother, from whom they had to be claimed if they were to be used. And I think that Rebekka had a special intention, that she would have the clothes in her power, as the crown, the scepter, the royal robe, and what else belonged to the honor and glory of the firstborn. This we can take from Moses and conclude from the same ceremonies.
II.
(32) Now there is a very hard question, and such a knot as is not easy to untie: whether it was fitting that Rebekah and Jacob her son should lie, and deceive the holy patriarch, when he was blind and old, in such a great and important matter, and so deprive Esau his brother of the blessing and the firstborn? For, first, they sin against the law and the common rule; then, against the divine answer, which Isaac understood differently from what Rebekah wanted to understand; third, against the will and authority of the Father. And Rebekah takes the royal and priestly garments to herself to adorn Jacob and thus bring him to the father, whom the father had never thought to make his heir.
- this is indeed a great sacrilege and bold-
262 L- vn, is-18. interpretation of Genesis 27:5-10. w. n, 381-384. 263
heit, in addition a very large fraud and heavy damage. For this is no joke or service lie, but is very harmful. For the firstborn is such a thing, of which one is wont to argue in religious and church matters, and which has eternal life attached to it at the same time as temporal life. Therefore it is a great sin that one should not think that any man should commit it, even if he should be the most godless, let alone such holy men as Rebekah and Jacob. And it can be seen that no greater sin could be conceived or said of any greater wickedness, even according to the judgment of the world. It is a very wicked deception in such important matters, contrary to the answer and divine law. After that Esau has the possession and the rule both in the house and also in worldly and church affairs; and nevertheless against all this and against the will of the father he is pushed away by his brother Jacob.
I know of nothing in the writings of the Fathers, Augustine and others, that would help me to interpret this question. For they all pass by this text and say nothing about this piece. Therefore, we will have to guess. And it is truly a marvelous thing that this woman is so bold that she was allowed to do such a great thing and to present her son with such great danger in the absence of his brother, and in addition against the will of his father, who also almost notices the deception and is frightened when he hears Jacob's voice and attacks his hands. For he says in v. 22, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands"; item v. 20, "How did you find so soon?" Jacob himself is frightened when he hears his mother's voice, and says to his mother in v. 12, "I fear that I will bring a curse upon myself, and not a blessing." But Rebekah follows the spirit that has led and driven her: and therefore she has put all these dangers and aversions out of her sight with great spirit and strong courage.
35 And it can be seen that they did not decide this matter from their own counsel.
It was not a question of a blessing, but rather that she had long ago conceived it in her heart through the memory of other people. But she could not persuade her husband to turn the blessing against the rule to Jacob. Therefore, she often came to Eber and complained that Isaac did not want to depart from the rule and bless Jacob. Then she heard from Eber that he said to her: Do whatever you can to deceive Isaac and take away the right of the firstborn: try everything you can. For faith is not without words. Therefore, she will undoubtedly have heard the verbal word and considered it in her heart, otherwise she would not have been allowed to begin this.
For the Holy Spirit does not come without a word, but he wants to come through the harp, that is, through the word, where one talks about it and contemplates it, or through the verbal voice of the father, the mother or others. Otherwise, the devil comes. But as David, Isaiah and all the Scriptures testify, the Holy Spirit comes with the Word and through the Word, according to the saying in the first Psalm, v. 2: "Blessed is he that delightth in the law of the Lord, and speaketh of his law day and night" 2c.
37 After this, God sometimes transgresses the rule, so that those who are children according to the rule and according to the law also tend to abuse their rule. And in this respect the law is of no use to them. For where you begin to abuse it, God abrogates it so that it no longer applies. Esau was proud and hopeful against the divine answer, and thought of himself thus: Jacob is rejected, has died and is buried; and has thus oppressed his poor brother. In addition, he tolerated the bitterness and bitterness of his wives against his parents.
38 Therefore, when hope comes, the rule ceases. For God has not instituted kingdoms and dominions, nor does He give other gifts to men to make them proud and proud, and to rage and rage against the poor and miserable; but all that He gives to men, whether it be riches, or
264 2. vn, 18-20. interpretation of Genesis 27:5-10. W. n. 384-387. 265
Strength, or beauty, that he gives for his glory and for the benefit of his neighbor.
39 Therefore, the ultimate purpose of God's gifts is not that those who have the gifts should use them for pleasure, tyranny, or willfulness; rather, the proper use of the gifts should be directed to God's glory, benefit, and the welfare of the neighbor. But men receive the blessings of God, kingdoms, priesthood, strength, power, wisdom, and have the gifts from God, but ask nothing about the purpose for which they should use the gifts. But why are you a king? Why are you a prince, priest, father or mother? For this reason, you will say, that I should have it good in this life, that I should have my pleasure, that I should live in pleasure, that I should fulfill all my desires: for this reason I am learned and rich, that I may thereby obtain a great name and great honor among men. Yes, there the rule of which you boast so highly is even abolished and no longer has to apply.
40 For God does not want His blessings to be poured out and given for any other end than His glory, for the praise of Him from whom the gifts come, and for the welfare and betterment of the church. Therefore, the authorities have their honor, so that they may be useful to the community and the subjects. Husband and wife are joined in matrimony to beget children and raise them for the benefit of the household and the commonwealth. But the world cuts off the final purpose in all the gifts of God.
41 Rebekah noticed this and looked at the divine answer a little more diligently than Isaac, her husband, who only stuck to the rule, namely: Esau was born first and Jacob last; therefore Esau is also the firstborn. But Rebekah, on the other hand, has kept the promise: she has not both the thing and the purpose of the thing for herself. For the life and customs of Esau do not rhyme with the answer. Therefore she thought, "My son Esau is keeping himself so that I can see that he will not be the firstborn. Then he also sold his firstborn, and did not fulfill the purpose of the firstborn, for which it was intended.
He despised the rule, which was judged, and said: I will only accept the red judgment now; that is so much to say: If I may only be the lord and prince and priest, then I do not ask anything about the final purpose, which concerns the benefit of the church; I only think that I may live according to my own desire and have great honor. So now Isaac holds above the rule, but Rebekah insists on the exception. For Esau thus holds himself that he is not and cannot be the firstborn. Accordingly, the answer agrees with what God gave her against the rule.
(42) This is what the whole dispute is about: Rebekah and Jacob always continue and insist on the exception and the spirit, because Esau had sold the firstborn, and because of the abuse of the firstborn he is not considered worthy to have it. Therefore, the question can be answered as follows, namely for Rebecca and Jacob: "What has been given to me by God, and I know that it belongs to me, I may appropriate it to myself and take possession of it, no matter by what trickery or deceit this may be done; for I am guilty of a mortal sin of thinking, writing, pretending, or even concealing my intentions, as much as I can and may, so that what is commanded to me by God may be done.
Lyra says that Jacob and Rebekah are by no means excusable. And we cannot absolve them of sin, for they were people who had carnal movements, just as we do. But it is not necessary to accuse them of lying, or to impute any deceit to them. For since God says, "I will have Jacob to be the firstborn," there the law is abolished: "But where the law is not, there is no transgression," Rom. 4:15.
44 Because Jacob and Rebekah were sure that the firstborn belonged to Jacob, that is, from the divine answer, and because they saw in Esau such wicked fruits and customs, they should have despised the law and the rule, and the law and the rule should not have been changed.
266 L.vn, 20-22. interpretation of I Moses 27, 5-10. W. n. S87-MV-267
God turned the firstborn from Esau to Jacob. Therefore Rebekah thought how she would deceive Isaac, her husband, and Esau, her son, and all who were in the house. For now she obeyed not the rule or the law, but God, who so used the firstborn, and so dispensed against the rule: therefore she sinned not.
(45) And this, I hold, is a plain and right answer to the question of the deceit, falsehood, and harm that befell Esau, and all that followed him, that is, the whole church of the house of Isaac. For they were all obedient to him, and took him for the firstborn, because he had held the same right and dominion more than seven and thirty years. Therefore they did not doubt that he would remain the firstborn. But now that the blessing of the firstborn was to be confirmed, it was all suddenly and unawares reversed against the whole church and the patriarch Isaac's counsel and will. For Rebekah follows closely that God turned the firstborn away from Esau, because he was rejected according to the divine answer and because of the contempt of the firstborn, moreover because of the fruit and the life, which was not worthy of this glory. And here the cause and the effect agree with each other, and the confirmation of the Holy Spirit is also added: "But Isaac is deceived. This in itself is a grave and grievous sin against the man, against his father and neighbor, even against his brother and against the rule. But as it pleased the Lord, so it was done.
(46) For the obedience of parents, brotherhood and love are subject to the first table: the other table must give way and counts for nothing if it clashes with the first. Where one loves the brother or father with contempt of GOD, that is enmity against GOD. "If anyone comes to me," says Christ Luc. 14, 26, "and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Then God abolishes the law, so that I am not guilty of
To be obedient to the same in the other table. But in case the first and the other table are not against each other, the law and the obedience remain.
(47) If the authorities can tolerate me teaching the word of God, I honor them and hold such authorities in high esteem as my ruler. But if it says to me, "You shall deny God and abandon the word," then I no longer recognize it as my authority. In the same way, one should also obey one's parents. But if they would say: I will have thee become a monk or a ruler according to papist idolatry, they shall not be obeyed. For thus says Deut. 5, 33, 9: "He that saith to his father and to his mother, I see him not; and to his brother, I know him not; and to his son, I know not; they keep thy speech, and keep thy covenant." God wants us to deny ourselves and our lives in the other table, where it is against the first. But if they can stand together, then the honor of honoring the parents is God's honor: but if they are against each other, then it is necessary to make an exception.
(48) Yes, you say, it is right to say that, and it is also necessary to teach that one should be obedient to the authorities, to parents and to all proper authority. That is rightly said, I admit the rule. But why do you not keep the rule, you say, when either the parents or the authorities command that you should follow their religion? Answer: There is one exception: the first table should be preferred to the other. As if the parents order or command something that is against God, then the fourth commandment, which before was certain and strong, is annulled. For in the first commandment it is said that one should love and honor GOD above all things; and in the stories of the apostles in 5 Cap. V. 29. St. Peter thus speaks, "One must obey GOD more than men."
49 In this way we also conclude and recognize in the cause of the gospel against the rule or authority of the emperor and pope, yes, against the whole godless nature of the pope without any preceding right. We
268 vrr, 22-24. interpretation of Genesis 27:3-14. W. ii, 390-393. 269
did not accuse the pope, nor could we do so; for there was no judge: we honored the pope, our parents, and the emperor. But because Christ says John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, but they do not follow a stranger, but flee from him," 2c. we did not have to wait until it was known in a human way whether we would do well or badly if we separated ourselves from the pope. For when one has recognized God's will, one should not argue long about right, or about custom, usage, or other such things; but one should obey the commandment and command of God without any hesitation. For neither pope, nor parents, nor even the emperor use this title: "I am the Lord, your God" 2c., 2 Mos. 20, 2.
(50) So it is easy to answer this question, which is difficult enough, from what Rebekah and Jacob did. The law and the rule determined that Esau should be the firstborn. But because God, in His first tablet, has averted this, even changed this law, and thus concluded and commanded: I did not want Esau, but I wanted Jacob; therefore Rebekah and Jacob did not sin, but acted holy and godly, and by all rights deprived Esau and took from him the fief of the firstborn.
(51) They could not have obtained it by force, for it could not have been done without rebellion. For as far as the promise and the government were concerned, the church and the temporal government, as well as the whole house of Isaac, would have stood against Jacob. For Esau had preceded him in authority and righteousness. Jacob was much inferior, even despised and oppressed; therefore Rebekah attacked the matter artfully and nimbly, and with a very subtle deception; and this according to God's will, who also in such an important matter, which was full of great danger, gave a blessed outcome, so that everything turned out well.
The Hebrew word mathamim means to taste, and rhymes with the way of speaking that Lucas describes in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 10, v. 10. V. 10.
He says of Petro: "And when he was hungry, he wanted to bite" (voluit gustare cibum), that is, he wanted to eat lunch. This indicates the moderation they kept in eating and drinking, that it was more a bite than that they should have eaten and drunk, so that the body would be nourished and preserved and not weighed down or burdened. But it was a very fine way to receive the fief and the blessing of the firstborn, namely, that the one who was to be blessed had to bring a good meal to the father who was to give the blessing.
The mother therefore gave the command, "Hear, my son, my voice," for the son's comfort and to give him courage to carry out this difficult and important matter. She has the divine answer before her, so she continues in faith. Moses especially used the word that the mother had commanded the son to do this, so that he might indicate that the mother had tried to persuade the son to do it. For he refuses to do it, and disputes with the mother about the command.
Second part.
How Jacob initially refuses to consent to Rebekah's counsel, but how Rebekah finally gets him to follow her.
(v.11-14) And Jacob said unto Rebekah his mother, Behold, my brother Esau is smoky, and I am smooth: so peradventure my father would understand me, and be thought of before him, as if I would deceive him, and bring upon me a curse, and not a blessing. Then his mother said to him, "The curse is on me, my son; only obey my voice, go and fetch me. So he went and fetched, and brought to his mother. Then his mother made a meal, as his father liked.
- The Hebrew word chalak means smooth in German, which has no hair. But this is an important excuse for him to try to overturn his mother's commandment. He
270 VII, 24-A. Interpretation of Genesis 27, 11-14. W. n, 393-3S6. 271
reminded her how the matter she was dealing with was so great and difficult in itself. As if he wanted to say: See to it, dear mother, that you do not bring me into great distress and danger, that I may bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing. He is truly a good dialectician; he holds up to his mother an argument strong enough for him to try to turn her heart away from her presumption. How? if my father were to say: You have made me err with the blessing, I will have the blessing revoked; then I will bring upon myself the curse. You and my father will easily find an excuse, but I will be in great trouble and danger because of my obedience and because I have obeyed you.
55 Here comes another question from this pious holy woman, who is indeed driven by the Holy Spirit and always continues in her faith, but nevertheless does many things that seem somewhat sacrilegious, and puts herself and her son in many dangers. It is a very fine advice that she so cunningly preempts the greater son: she cooks the little goats, deceives the father with a great deception, which is almost beyond the understanding of a woman; she covers the hands of the son, covers his smooth skin with the goat skins. But this is especially a foolish thought, that she does not realize that the father should be able to recognize his son in another way than with the eyes that were now dark to him. She does not see the great window, namely the voice, which most of all makes a man recognizable, although the other senses cannot judge from it. And it cannot be concealed or changed in any way. Even more, the judgment of the voice is even more certain than when you look at the face itself.
(56) Therefore, Rebekah would have brought her son into the greatest distress and danger, if God had not miraculously governed all this. For hear what the father answers. When Jacob says, "I am Esau, your firstborn son," he immediately recognizes Jacob's voice and says, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands." Then he is frightened without a doubt
and thought that he had not considered and pondered it all properly. I would have run away soon, if I had heard the answer of the father: "The voice is Jacob's voice" 2c.; because this trade was full of danger.
57 Now all these things belong to the consolation of the saints or believers, whose counsel and nobles must be blessed, because they begin by faith. For he that believeth all things must be for his good, Romans 8:28. Faith resteth not, and all things are possible unto it, even to afflict a holy man, and to some extent even the Holy Ghost. So Rebekah goes on and on, not thinking how she might put herself and her son Jacob in great danger. For Isaac might have said, Why wilt thou deceive thy father, and rob thy brother? Do you think that I do not hear and recognize the voice? There it stood truly in the balance. Jacob might have been frightened by such words and thought, "O mother, what have you done? The father is attentive to the voice, although it did not occur to us to think of it and beware of the sign.
058 So Jacob was in the greatest fear: but yet he learned, and obeyed his mother, who had said unto him, "Let the curse be upon me, my son. Therefore, it was a great faith that she had laid herself against Jacob, because he refused and complained to do what she had commanded him. Dear son, she says, do not dispute long; I command and command you to do what I have said. If anything evil comes out of it, I will let it pass over me; whether it be a curse or a blessing, only always continue in my name, at my command and order. Where you will be cursed, I will bear the curse.
59 No one can speak like this unless he is full of faith and the Holy Spirit. For one to let his son go and be in certain danger of being cursed, and yet to believe that he would bear all the harm and let the curse come upon him, if it were evil, is not something that anyone can do soon, but is a work of faith.
272 L VII, 26-28. interpretation of Genesis 27, 11-14. W. n, 396-399. 273
of a very fervent faith. After that she will also have prayed: O my dear heavenly Father, grant that my Son may accomplish all things blissfully and well!
60 But she did not think that the father would know the voice. Therefore, whoever wants to lie must be careful, must have a very good memory, must be clever and cunning. I would not be able to do anything in such a matter, I would soon ruin and overthrow everything. And Rebekah was not careful enough either: she should have prevented the most, but she thought of it the least, so that the matter almost got to the point that it looked as if it was spoiled and as if they would have to despair.
(61) But faith always retains the victory, and overcomes all errors and dangers that the saints encounter. As Rebekah believed and prayed, and as Jacob obeyed, so at last the answer was: so the matter also came to an end. For faith makes the hearing deaf and the seeing blind, and again also the deaf to hear and the blind to see. In short, it misses and corrupts nothing, or if it sometimes falls short or fails out of foolishness or imprudence, God sees this beforehand and corrects it, so that the errors may be covered up and finally gain a blessedly good outcome.
I know that I have often done many foolish and almost careless things, even to the point of thinking: Why has God called me to the office of preaching, since there is not so much art in me, so much counsel and understanding or wisdom, as belongs to the great office? For although I have done everything out of a good and simple heart, and also with diligence and good zeal, nevertheless many inconsistent things and some mistakes have often occurred and been made, so that it seemed as if heaven and the whole world were about to fall in. Then I had to fall on my knees and seek help and counsel from God, who is mighty and can make even a hard, terrible offense or accident have a happy outcome.
nen when we are asleep. As he created Eve while Adam slept. For there he takes Adam in the sleep of his ribs one and closes the place with flesh, and builds a woman from the rib, Gen. 2, 21. 22. There someone would like to say that God has silken fingers, since he can do such a great work so easily and without effort.
63 In the same way he governs his saints. Even though they have hardly erred or failed, and have carelessly committed a great folly, from which innumerable misfortunes might come, he can nevertheless put a happy and blissful end to all of them. That is how powerful faith and prayer are; indeed, faith is all-powerful.
64 Therefore Isaac is deceived, as it were, knowingly, cautiously and gradually; for he himself says, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands," and yet he allows himself to be deceived. As seen in the books of the Gentiles, that the masters are deceived by the servants; as He says in the comedy, If I were not so utterly unintelligent or coarse as a stone or block, I could perceive the deceit. So, I say, God deals with His saints or believers that they cannot even notice or understand where any foolish or careless deed has happened.
(65) Therefore let us diligently remember this example, that we may be exhorted, that faith may have such great power as to blind and deafen them that can most clearly see and hear, that they may be deceived hearing and seeing.
66 And so it may be answered to the question, that Rebekah did act imprudently; but divine prudence governed her because of her excellent great faith, so that though Isaac the father heard Jacob's voice, yet because he had so great confidence and was so very sure, he was deceived.
- an unbelieving man is not easily deceived, but he who easily trusts anyone is also easily deceived; as Solomon says in his Proverbs Cap. 14, 15: "A foolish man believes everything, but a witty man watches his walk." Therefore
274 2 VII, 28. 29. interpretation of Genesis 27, 11-14. W. II, 399-402. 275
Those whom we wish to deceive must not be attacked at the time when we know that they are watching and minding their own business; but we must first turn away all distrust from them, and seek to make them trust us. We must always keep their hearts with hope, and persuade them that they have nothing evil to do to us: as the servants of Davus or Syrus in the comedies know how to deceive their masters so cunningly that they close their eyes, sleep and trust them. For Isaac does not doubt the faithfulness of his wife Rebekah and his son Jacob, and does not betray them: he thinks they are so pious and faithful that they cannot act cunningly or deceitfully against him. Therefore, when he was reminded of Jacob's voice, he could not have had any evil suspicion of him, but thought that Esau had changed his voice by some joke, so as not to deceive his father.
68 And this is the common way of all life, not only in the saints, but also in the common life of all men, as the examples in the comedies testify. He that believeth easily is deceived; but again, he that believeth not easily, it is vain for thee to attempt to deceive him. Therefore, many things happen in the lives of the saints, so that we may see how God governs His saints and can make the greatest wisdom out of their foolishness and audacity; in addition, He gives happiness to their counsel and plans, which at first seem very foolish, so that they must win a beautiful outcome. It often happens that saintly people act carelessly enough, as Rebekah does here, but she still breaks through because she is faithful.
- Therefore, this should be diligently noted in the beginning of this chapter, namely, first, that the first table should be preferred to the other; then, that God forgives His saints their foolishness and audacity, yes, He also allows them to be well advised and gives them good fortune. Therefore, if you do something that is not good in itself, do not do it.
Therefore, do not despair, but recognize your error or mistake with all humility, and think: God is almighty, who was able to lead and save Rebekah and Jacob from such great distress and danger, therefore I will not despair, but will trust in Him, He will also deliver me from this accident. Rebekah's advice and counsel was almost audacious, but it was well advised; for God nullifies the counsel of the wicked, but He honors and helps His saints.
70 Therefore, beware of both, lest you become hopeful and proud because of your wisdom and prudent counsel, and then, if any counsel or advice does not turn out well, do not despair. For God excuses and favors the errors of the pious. I have often committed the greatest follies and audacities, but I have done so out of a good heart, not that I would have harmed anyone with it; I have also not done it knowingly, but unknowingly and out of foolishness. To faithfully advise and help others. I have truly had to pray that God would cover up and correct my error and mistake. And in great actions, which are somewhat confused, it cannot be otherwise. For it often happens that great and very pious men do great harm in the common regiment with their foolish and audacious counsel and suggestions. And if God did not have mercy on them, the lowest would be turned upward and the highest downward, and everything would fall in a heap.
71 Thus it is with our life, which is truly a miserable life. Since we presume to be very wise and want to advise and help things very well, we often do the greatest harm, so that such our mistakes would not be corrected by divine grace and providence. Everything would be thoroughly spoiled. For the same thing happens to us that happened to that farmer who could hardly move his wagon forward because (as he made himself believe) the wheels on the wagon were a little too wide: the same farmer, in order to make the
276 L.vn.M-si. Interpretation of Genesis 27, II-14. W. ii, 4v2-40t. 277
In order to make it easier for the horses to pull the wagon, he sharpened the tires of the wheels; but with this stop he did so little that the wagon with the wheels only sank deeper into the muck and could not be moved at all.
So it is with our wisdom, of which we presume, according to which we make ourselves believe that there is no easier thing on earth than to administer the common rule. As that fool in the comedy says: Me regem esse oportuit: I ought to be a king, and as the poets have finely depicted such presumption of men in the fable of Phaethon; for you hear many such people nowadays, who can cry out: If I were in D. Martin's or Philip's place, I would give them better counsel; yes, indeed, you would be right 2c. So we see that often great princes start and fail, and that the very best and most pious bishops are often the most foolish.
How now? Should one do nothing at all and completely flee from all regiments? Answer: Not at all; rather, each one should carry out his office diligently and faithfully, which is commanded him by God; but he should be careful not to rely on his strength or wisdom, and not to think that he is such a great man, by whose counsel everything should be governed. For such sacrilege and presumption cannot be helped, and it is damned if I ascribe to myself that I am such a man and such an excellent man that I can wisely, rightly and well administer the common government everywhere, and also well govern a house and the church. But if you are a judge, a bishop, or a prince, do not be ashamed to fall on your knees and say: Dear Lord God, you have made me a prince, judge, father of a house, pastor, or church servant, therefore govern and teach me, give me counsel, wisdom, strength, and power, that I may carry out my commanded office diligently and well.
74 So also Solomon, when he had heard of the Lord in a dream at night, said to him, 1 Kings 3:5, "Ask what you want.
I shall give thee." So he prays v. 7 ff.: "O Lord, my God, you have given me a great and mighty people; now give me wisdom also, that your servant may judge your people, and understand what is good and what is evil." And the Scriptures indicate that such a prayer was very pleasing to the Lord, for it is a very beautiful confession. He was a very wise and godly king, and yet he calls himself a little boy; for he thus says v. 7: "I am a little boy, knowing neither my going out nor my coming in." Therefore the text adds vv. 10, 11, 12: "It pleased the Lord that Solomon asked for such a thing. And God said unto him, Because thou askest these things, and askest not for long life, nor for riches, nor for the soul of thine enemies, but for understanding to hear judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words. Behold, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart, such as was not before thee, neither shall it arise after thee" 2c.
For this reason, everyone should learn in particular to recognize his weakness and inability with all humility and to ask God for wisdom and counsel. For people are not called to the government to administer it, so that they may presume to have perfect knowledge of all things, but so that they may be instructed and learn what God is, what He accomplishes through the authorities and rulers, which are the instruments of God's works, through which God governs people. Then they become quite understanding and have happiness in their government; but where they follow their own counsel and thoughts, they can no longer accomplish anything, but confuse and mix everything up among themselves.
For this reason, I say, one should flee to prayer, and in it present to God how great and difficult the office is that is commanded to us, and should say: "Our Father, who art in heaven" 2c., "give me the wisdom that is always around your throne" 2c., as is written in the Book of Wisdom Cap. 9, 4. Primarily, however, every pastor or church servant should pray thus: O Lord God, you have made me a bishop and pastor in the church;
278 D. VII, 31-33. interpretation of I Moses 27, II-14. w. n, 404-407. 279
You see how I am so clumsy to carry out such a great and difficult office properly, and if it had been without your advice, I would have ruined everything together long ago. That is why I call upon you. I will gladly lend and incline my mouth and my heart to it; I will teach the people; I will also always learn myself, and handle and diligently ponder your word; use me as your instrument. Dear Lord, do not forsake me, for where I shall be alone, I shall easily destroy all things together.
77 But the sects and the spirits of the sects do quite the opposite. For they ascribe to themselves great wisdom and that they can rule and teach very well; therefore they boldly break into the church. They do not pray, nor do they believe that it is a gift of God to administer the church or world government; but they push themselves in as great and excellent masters and rulers. That is why they end up confusing and hindering everything that is useful and well-built by others.
The same thing happens in the world's regiment to those who rely on their own counsel and wisdom, and then take up the regiment. Therefore, where you are in the regiment, remember and beware that you do not rely on your wisdom; beware, I say, of yourself, and with fallen hands pray secretly thus: You, my dear heavenly Father, stand by me, help me, govern and guide me. As Moses puts the whole matter of leading the people out of Egypt on God, and refuses to carry out the divine command unless God Himself will be there to lead and govern them. For he says thus, Ex. 33, 15: "Where your face does not go, do not lead us up from there" 2c. If you have prayed in this way, then continue in your ministry, have a strong and undaunted courage, and do not doubt that your cause will go well, that everything will turn out well and have a happy outcome.
79 So I have also often, as the German saying goes, thrown the keys before the feet of the Lord, that is, I have
I placed my commanded office on him, therefore it turned out much differently than I myself had seen or thought before. And where I had made a mistake, he corrected it according to his goodness and wisdom.
(80) In the same way, father and mother are tools in the house government, by which the house and the household are governed. But they should also realize that with their strength and through their diligence or work, they can never manage the children properly and well. Therefore, they should cry out to God and pray thus: O Lord God, Heavenly Father, help us that the children may prosper! Grant that the woman may live in discipline and respectability and that she may persevere in the knowledge and fear of God.
You will find many of them, however, who do not recognize this supreme power and wisdom in the government, but where there are some obstacles, they think that they will best direct and correct it if they are all the more serious about punishment, so that the subjects are forced by fear of punishment and also driven to obedience against their will. Now it is true that discipline, and indeed strict discipline, is very necessary in these times; but it is quite certain that without prayer you will never accomplish anything. For the government is a divine power, and that is why God calls all authorities gods, not for the sake of creation, but for the sake of the government, which belongs to God alone. Therefore, whoever is in authority is, as it were, a god in the flesh.
- But where people, out of sacrilege and, as it were, with unwashed hands, as they say, that is, fall clumsily and unprepared into government, whether in the church or in the world, or even in housekeeping, and exclude God, do not pray and do not ask God for counsel, but want to rule and direct everything by their own counsel and powers: Then it will finally come about in the household that an honorable and chaste woman will become the worst whore, that the children will turn out badly and come into the hands of the executioner. In the world reign the church will be confused by riots, war, murder and many other things.
280 D. vn, 3S-SV. Interpretation of Genesis 27:11-18. W. II, 407-tii. 281
innumerable danger. But in the church heresies arise, there becomes an epicuric contempt of the word; item, that the holy sacraments are blasphemed and shamefully abused 2c. Dear one, why? Answer: Because such a householder, prince, or pastor does not want to recognize that God alone is the one from whom comes counsel and rule; but with his presumption and that he thinks so much of himself, he corrupts himself and others over whom he presides.
- This, I thought, I had to say in this text as an example and a lesson, namely, first, that we know that the first table should govern the other according to the saying in the first commandment: "I am the LORD your God"; after that, that we learn to recognize God's grace and mercy, who leads His saints wonderfully even in their temerity and foolishness, so that we may trust God with all our heart, and learn that faith swallows up everything, not only sin, but also the temerity and foolishness of the saints, and where they have done something carelessly. This is the matter with which this chapter is concerned. Now let us read the text one after the other and watch this wonderful history.
Third part.
How Rebekah prepares Jacob, and Jacob thus goes to Isaac to receive the blessing, and is not recognized by him.
V. 15 And Rebekah took the precious garments of Esau her great son, which she had in her house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.
- Moses now adds the other ceremony, namely the one with the beautiful and delicious clothing. For so much is the Hebrew word chamudoth, in Latin desiderabilis, pretiosus, which is delicious, and this word is often used in the Scriptures. As when the angel says to Daniel: Es vir chamudoth, in Latin, vir desideriorum, that is, a dear and precious man, Dan. 9, 23. And in the Gospel of Luke Cap. 7, 4. it is said
says of the centurion of Capernaum: Erat ei servus chamudoth, in Latin: carus et pretiosus, that is: He had a servant whom he held dear and valuable. So Rebekka also brought forth the dear, beautiful, glorious garments, the priestly garments, which without doubt were very beautiful, as they are described in Moses. For they used special garments for sacrifice and worship, as we do in our churches, which we call the vestments; and Rebekah has the same garments with her in the house.
85 From this it is clear that Esau has not yet been confirmed, although he has had the possession and ruled the church or community: he has been a licentiate to the priesthood and has cultivated the priesthood, but has not been confirmed or confirmed, and has not yet received the fiefs. Therefore he does not have the clothes in his power; which no doubt Rebekah prevented by special advice and preceded him. For she took the clothes and kept them, even though it was Isaac's father's right to have them. For she waited for the opportunity to give the clothes to the one who would receive the inheritance from his father and be confirmed as the heir.
V.16-18. But she put the skins of the goats on his hands, and on his neck where it was smooth. And she gave the meal with the bread, as she had made it, into Jacob her son's hand. And he went in unto his father, and said, My father. And he answered, Here am I. Who art thou, my son?
It is a miracle that the mother covers Jacob only at the neck with the skins and not also over the whole face. She only thought that he would have to reach out his hands to his father, and if he had to give his father a kiss, then his father would take him around the neck and embrace him. That is why she wanted to have these two parts covered in particular. But she thinks that one could not easily notice the smooth face, because Isaac had a beard and took the kiss on the beard.
282 L VII, 35-37. interpretation of Genesis 27, 16-22. W. n, 4II-4I4. 283
- Perhaps she also may have reminded him of this, while she adorned him with the garment, that he should imitate, as well as he could, the voice of Esau, that the father might make no distinction between the voice of Esau and that of Jacob; as he soon asks him, "Who art thou, my son?" Art thou Esau, whom I sent out to hunt? Methinks I hear the voice of Jacob 2c.
V. 19, 20 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau, your firstborn son; I have done as you told me; get up, sit down, and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, Son, how hast thou found so soon? He answered, "The LORD your God gave it to me.
(88) Jacob makes a long speech to answer his father, and the father hears it diligently, and will finally conclude what follows, saying, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands. But this is an obvious lie, that Jacob says that he is the firstborn. After that he has also hastened a little carelessly; for the mother did not foresee or consider that such hastening would be suspicious with the father. For he says, "How did you find so soon?" This is an offense that is very hard, and he is reminded by it of the deceit with which they have gone about. How did you come so soon from the hunt, he says, did you hunt so soon and catch game? If you had come back toward evening or morning, you would have come back soon enough. Jacob answered, "GOD provided it for me." It is true, God must take it upon Himself. He lies enormously: he says that he caught a wild goat, when he had taken two little goats in the stable. But Isaac denies it and acts as if he knew nothing about it, for he is sure and full of confidence, namely, that he cannot be deceived by his son or by his mother.
Then Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, my son, that I may know thee, whether thou be my son Esau, or not. So came
Jacob to Isaac his father; and when he had understood him, he said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands.
This is another and much harder offense; it wants to become evil. The father tells him to come here, so that he may understand him. He will have sweated hotly and silently punished the mother's advice and suggestion. O my dear mother, he will have said secretly, what have you done? What have you brought me to? Now that he has come, he hears the father say, "The voice is Jacob's voice." Oh the voice, the voice! I would have dropped the bowl and run as if my head had been on fire. For Isaac is on the right track to realize the deception, since he distinguishes the voice of Esau and Jacob, and it should have woken him up.
90 But he fell asleep again, thinking that Esau was imitating his brother's voice. Jacob confidently comes forward and hears his father speak the words. Because of this, Rebekah's and Jacob's counsel ceases, indeed, it begins. But God makes Isaac eager for his ministry, that he should bless him, and that he lets go of this offense from his heart.
(91) Now all these things must be applied to our doctrine, that we may be taught and instructed how powerful faith is, and that all things are possible to the believer. For faith makes things that are nothing to be; and out of things that are impossible it makes all things possible. You have seen the foolishness and boldness of Rebekah, how she adorned and prepared her son Jacob to deceive his father: she put the skins of little goats around his hands and around his neck, so that his father would think he was really quite rough.
This is a dangerous thing; Jacob also trembles and is frightened by it, does not want to follow his mother's advice at first, and says: Perhaps my father would understand me and notice the deception, then I would bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing. But the faith of this very
284vn . 37-". Interpretation of Genesis 27:21, 22. **W. II, 414^-417.** 285
The love of a pious woman is so great that it breaks through all this. Jacob went to his father in the form of his son Esau, and he has rough hands, which were thus prepared with cunning and with special deceit, but he nevertheless cannot deceive the father in all things, for he nevertheless knows the voice of Jacob. Now you see that God turns this audacity to the best through the faith of the woman, for whose sake the counsel and plot, which is almost foolish, must go very well and happily.
The Scriptures describe the histories of the saints in such a way that they praise and extol the great power of faith. Therefore, whoever has the word of God should consider himself blessed, and should turn his eyes away from these present and temporal things and direct them to the future invisible goods. For the word of God, and especially the promise, speaks not of things present, but of things to come, which no one has experienced. Faith clings tightly to the thing that is still nothing and waits for it to become everything. It is an art and wisdom of darkness and nothingness, that is, of things that have not been experienced, that are not seen, and that are almost impossible. And whoever wants to be a Christian must consider this in his heart and hold fast to it. For the other arts are all taught from conclusions, from proven reasons, and from experience: but they have not their ground or beginning in that which is nothing, and especially that which is not seen, which is impossible, incongruous, and foolish. But the faith that grasps the promise and clings to it, clings with the heart to that which is even inconsistent and impossible, and is satisfied with the word and the divine promise.
94 For so does Jacob. His mother tells him to receive the blessing from his father, and he is hindered by what is nothing, because the blessing belongs to Esau and not to Jacob. I say, it was in his way that things were impossible. For he thought, How can I be blessed? It is due to the
Bless my brother. About that, my brother is rough, but I am smooth: there is the danger that I would bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing. Therefore it is impossible, as far as the matter itself is concerned; for the blessing is not mine. The father intends to bless Esau, but in that case he does not care about me at all. Then it is possible that the curse will come upon me and remain upon me, who am smooth and soft in the skin, if the father would recognize and notice the deceit. Therefore, my dear mother, we will certainly start.
- But against all this the mother saith thus, Where a curse shall come, it shall hurt me, and rest upon me. This is a woman, and not a bad woman. She is a person of female spirit, but there is such great zeal in her that she overcomes even the strongest of men. For she thinks she can break through, that the blessing is bestowed and given to him to whom it is not due according to the law and the rule. She believes what is simply impossible and what is inconsistent, foolish and dangerous. She did not doubt that Jacob would be blessed, even though everything was against it and was very much opposed to it.
So faith and its power is a thought of the heart or (that I call it so) such an opinion, so that it hangs on and holds on to that which is nothing, which is impossible and even inconsistent. He has only the divine word that says: "The greater will serve the lesser." But she, as the mother, understood which of the two would be the greater. And has the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit also come to this, that she has rightly understood the same word. Isaac, on the other hand, still stands firm like an immovable rock, clinging only to the law and the rule that Esau is the firstborn, but the mother does not allow herself to be challenged.
(97) In this way we should also learn to be wise in the matter. When we have the word, then we should let go of all disputation against the word and reject it, and this should not concern us at all.
286 N.VH.LS-4I. Interpretation of I Genesis 27:21, 22. w. u, 417^19. 287
We must not allow ourselves to be fooled or misled, for it is either foolish or impossible, or even contrary to the law of nature and Moses, but we must follow what God has said. But where reason comes in and disputes the word, it is lost. And this is where the battle comes from, of which St. Paul says in Gal. 5:17 that the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. For there Paul speaks of those high affections, such as that you should believe what you do not understand and which is impossible according to reason.
So it is necessary to do in profession and finally also in death: If God sets me as Lord against the infernal gates, against the raging and fierce anger of the whole world, against the weakness of my flesh, that I should break through, how should we be afraid? For who am I that should fight, first against so many hosts of all devils and men; then also against the weakness of my flesh? Answer: One must look to God's command and order.
- The LORD says, Go, you shall prevail and be victorious; I will be with you. As he called Moses to attack the Egyptian king and lead the people of Israel out of the tyranny and the iron furnace. But is it not a foolish and impossible thing to bring so great a people out of Egypt, and to bring them out so that not a claw shall remain behind? as Moses saith unto Pharaoh, Ex. 10:26: But I would have said according to reason, Thou shalt not bring out a claw, neither shalt thou bring out so great a people: for the king is mighty, and an abominable tyrant. But Moses does not speak differently to Pharaoh than if he had already led out the great people; although it seems to be a fable on the outside, a foolish thought and even an impossible thing, if one looks at reason. For everything that faith declares and the word promises must surely come to pass; for God is the Word and the Word is God: he who has the Word has divine power, Rom. 1:16.
- although it seems outwardly nothing other than a human voice, and a
Thority of the man who speaks; as St. Peter says to Cornelius in the stories of the apostles in chapter 10, v. 26: "I am also a man", as you are 2c. Peter has the word and in the ears of Cornelius sounds the voice of a man, but it does all kinds of great miracles.
(101) Therefore we must be courageous and comforted against all dangers that may come from the Turk and other enemies, even against death itself. For where we are absolved by the mouth of any brother or minister, let us not look upon the man that speaketh, neither let us fix our eyes upon danger or death; let us not look upon the grave, or upon decay, or upon worms and rottenness, which are laid before us; for reason without faith thinketh thus: Is it possible that a dead body should live, buried, eaten by worms, or burned and reduced to ashes? But to this it simply says no, and says, It is not true. But the spirit that opposes says, "It is true; I who am now condemned to death, let me surely think that I live, and shall rise again gloriously from the grave with a glorified body.
For this reason, I say, faith is an almighty battle, which, against the strife of the flesh, clings to the word and the promise in one and the same face; for we are not speaking here of historical faith, which is mere knowledge, as when I know that David overcame Goliath and the Philistines, 1 Sam. 17:49. Although this is an example of faith, it is only a history to me. If I were to slay Goliath and strike him down and tear the lion to pieces, the story would serve me nothing but as a reminder that would awaken me to equal strength. But if I were to think that David and Samson won beautiful, glorious victories, then I would also have to think that I could do such a thing; that would be impossible for me. For David also did not do such glorious deeds without a great struggle, for he was also in the flesh as we are, he had such flesh that he was not able to
288 L.VH. 4I-4S. Interpretation of Genesis 27:21, 22. w. n, 4IS-422. 289
always contradicted him, fought against him, and even held him captive, just as we do; he felt much more unbelief than faith. For faith seems to be weak, because the flesh not only contradicts, but also takes captive, as St. Paul says Rom. 7, 14.
(103) I did not know anything else before, because Paul did not think about the fight against the flesh, but he himself says in 2 Cor. 12:7: "I have been given a stake in the flesh, that is, Satan's angel, who strikes me with his fists. Yes, he teaches me what faith is. I see the great glorious victories of the martyrs and the saints, but my faith cannot accomplish such things; and they also have let it become sour of blood, and have not overcome death without a great struggle. So we also have the same baptism, the same God who comforts us, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who holds out to us much rich consolation in the Word. And I love to hear the story of the struggle and victory of the saints, but I cannot do and accomplish what they did. Therefore one must always take hold of the word and keep to it; as Ps. 27:14 says: "Harvest thou the Lord, be of good courage, and fear not, and wait for the Lord."
God does not reject even the weak in faith; indeed, the apostles themselves and the prophets were not strong in faith, especially when they were to do great things by faith. Moses trembled and cried out at the Red Sea; for the flesh not only fought against him, but also took him captive. For you see, his flesh will have told him that there are mountains on both sides; over there is Egypt, and in front of us is the sea, through which we will not be able to go with our children and poor women, nor with our cattle. So he almost despaired. For the law in his flesh and in his limbs has given him this, so that he will have thought: Behold, we are without all help; what have I done that I have brought forth the people? We will all have to die. Then the inexpressible groaning begins,
This cry cannot be described nor told in words, for this word, the groaning of the heart, is very great, filling the heavens and penetrating through the clouds and reaching the ears of the divine majesty, so that God must finally answer, "Why are you crying? Ex. 14, 15. He did not cry out, but was terrified, so that his hair stood on end and he could not speak a word. But he who examines the heart understands what the spirit that sighs wants.
This is why I repeat it to you and impress it upon you so diligently, because before reason, faith seems like a small thing and a vain delusion that anyone could grasp in his heart. People think it is only a historical thing that is quite easy. But when one comes before the Red Sea, yes, when death comes, and the overcoming of sin, death and hell, which is to take place through us, then the power of God is combined with human weakness, and omnipotence is combined with nothingness and extreme weakness, and finally brings the weak to do things that are impossible and unbelievable; as Christ says John 14:12: "He who believes in me will do greater works than these" 2c. For thus the church also does all things, though she be weak: she prays, she bears and swallows up all violence and fierce wrath of the devil and of men; she also draws and takes away weakness, sin and death 2c.
Rebekah proves this strength and power of faith with the most dangerous deed, which was an eternal curse or an eternal blessing. For the blessing is eternal life, the curse is death. They argued about it with words: Whether Jacob, the son of Isaac, should be eternally cursed or not, and with him also even the mother? In such a great and hard dispute Rebekah holds up to herself how the kingdom of heaven is open, and sets herself as a mother of blessing.
(107) Dear, where does it get that from? Answer: From the word. For no one can
290 L VH, 43-4S. Interpretation of Genesis 27:21-23. W. n. 422-^W. 291
Do something good and blessed or believe right without the word. The text Gen. 25:23: "The greater will serve the lesser" gave her courage; from it she concluded that the blessing was due to the lesser and not to the greater. Isaac did not understand it, but the mother considered it diligently and the Holy Spirit also cooperated; who gives no one faith by mere speculation or thought, but only by the Word. For the flesh always contends against the Spirit, and nothing follows from the thoughts or speculation of the flesh. For since none of those things are seen which are due to the Holy Spirit, it may also be seen that all things are vile and dead things. But when the heart takes hold of the word, there follows the enlightenment of the spirit, and power and authority to do wonderful things.
V. 23 And he knew him not, for his hands were warm with smoke, as Esau's brother's hands.
(108) This may have been natural and common, that Isaac did not know his son, though he hears his voice, because he was so very diligent and eager to give the blessing. For a man who is devoted to only one thing and has given himself completely to it does not pay attention to other things, even if he already sees them and understands them with all his senses. And this not only happens spiritually, but also tends to happen physically. As can be seen in melancholic people, even if other people talk, drink, go in or out, they hear or see nothing, because the thoughts of the heart are completely withdrawn from the senses. Therefore, where the heart of a melancholic person has thoughts of other things, it pays no attention at all to the things that come publicly before his senses. Such a man may be with other people who talk to each other, tell stories and fables, and yet he hears none of them; for the heart is as if it were not at home, but even in foreign lands. It often happens that a melancholic person eats and drinks, and yet does not know what he is eating or drinking.
whether it is beer or wine. It is said of Bernard that he drank oil for wine, because he was sitting in deep thought.
109 And this happens much more when a spiritual overshadowing is added and when a spiritual heart is completely intent on spiritual things. So we are to think that the same thing happened to Isaac, who hears and knows the voice of Jacob, and does not conceal it, for he says, "The voice is Jacob's voice," and yet allows himself to be led elsewhere. For this thought is in his mind, how he would bless his firstborn son, and at the same time he considers how great a thing this blessing is, and has summed up all the promises made to Abraham.
Therefore, Isaac was not only troubled with natural thoughts, as the brooders and melancholics are wont to do, but also with spiritual thoughts. Rebekah also noticed such melancholy in him before; for she often served her husband food, so that he was not aware of it. Finally Isaac is quite sure that his mother could not and would not deceive him with her son; therefore he says, "The voice is Jacob's voice," and yet he forgets this sensual impression and is swallowed up in spiritual thoughts. The Jews have no right thought or opinion in this place that Isaac knew and noticed the deception, yet he is said to have pretended and acted as if he had not noticed it; for they do not know the power of the spirit, which is stronger than melancholy thoughts. When a man's heart is distressed by this, they make it stiffen and rapture it.
And blessed him.
The blessing does not begin here, because it follows soon after in the text that he says to him: "Are you my son Esau? But this is what Moses means by these words: "When Isaac touched Jacob's hands and understood them, he was completely enraptured and stiffened, almost went out of his mind, and in
292 2- vn, 45-17. Interpretation of Genesis 27:23-27. W. II, 425-429. 293
confirmed this blessing in his heart and decided that it should be constant and certain. As if to say, The blessing is already done, and is sure; as he will afterwards say to Esau, "He also shall remain blessed." For it is the Holy Spirit who gives the blessing through Isaac; therefore it is not fitting to want to revoke or change anything in it. This was a special impulse and movement of the Holy Spirit, by which he decided for himself, when he understood Jacob's hands and neck, that he wanted to bless his son; and he did not change this, but remained straight with the opinion, although many weighty reasons were opposed to him.
112 This is what Moses means by this preface: "And blessed him. As if he wanted to say: The blessing so assigned to Jacob is already certain and confirmed; whoever will seek or desire the same afterward will lack it. For the Holy Spirit does not revoke its imposition; as Malachi Cap. 3 V. 6. it says: "I am the Lord who does not lie"; and
Genesis 23:19: "God is not a man to lie, nor a child of man to repent. When God has made a judgment, He does not change or revoke it, as men are wont to do. So in this place the Holy Spirit touched Isaac's heart and said in his heart: Now I bless this one. Now God's gifts and calling cannot be changed, as St. Paul says Rom. 11, 29. Therefore Moses says: "And blessed him", that is: It was done.
Fourth Part.
How Isaac blesses Jacob.
V. 24-27. And he said unto him, Art thou my son Esau? And he answered, Yea, I Hins. 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 ate; 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 odor of his
clothes, and blessed him, saying, Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of the field which the LORD hath blessed.
The soul is the spirit or the life of men in the outward senses: the soul sees, hears, speaks, weeps and laughs. This is what Isaac wants to say: "It is decided in my heart that I will bless you, now my soul will bless you, that is, I will bless you with the outer senses: you are already blessed inwardly according to the spirit in the heart, now I will bless you with the soul as well.
For this reason ceremonies are also added, for even spiritual things, which are external, cannot be administered without external ceremonies. The five senses and the whole body have their own manner, under which the body must live as if under some outward larvae; therefore he has blessed it not only in the heart, but also with the senses and outward ceremonies. The sons who were to be blessed had to present their father with a nice meal and wine, after which they came up and kissed their father. These are proper secular ceremonies, and are still held today among kings and princes, where fiefdoms are given. And we also hold them in the schools when we make doctors of theology.
- Now that the ceremonies are done, Moses says again, "And blessed him," that is, outwardly, when he had smelled the odor of his garments. For there is always an outward sense that moves the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit also stirs and moves the hearts by outward things, as by the word, by ceremonies, and by such objects as by any outward sense move the heart. After such stimulation and movement of the Holy Spirit, Isaac is moved with courage and, as if he were enraptured, he is certain that this is the firstborn son, because the smell of the clothes strengthens his opinion.
(116) Now these were the priestly garments of Abraham and Isaac, which they kept with great diligence, Casiah and others.
294 vn, 47-19. interpretation of Genesis 27:24-29. w. n, 4LS-L32. 295
put fragrant things with them, that they should not be eaten by moths; as we now put nard, or other such fragrant herbs, with the garments. Therefore he thought, This is Esau, my firstborn son; for he hath put on the priestly garments. So he is inwardly deceived in the spirit and is now deceived with the outward sense also.
(117) He also uses a fine simile, saying, "The smell of my Son is like the smell of the field which the Lord has blessed. But what and how sweet the smell of the field is, when the time of harvest will soon come, the husbandmen know very well; likewise also the smell of the vineyards, when the harvest is near: that is an exceedingly sweet and even a life-giving smell. Therefore Isaac rejoices in himself and gladdens his soul, because he should bless his son. Now I have an heir, he thinks, and one who will rule in my stead; I am so well satisfied with this and take such pleasure in it, as if I were walking in the field or in a fragrant vineyard, whose smell would refresh my body and soul. Now I will die gladly and with good peace; for I now leave behind me a lord and teacher in my house, a father of future descendants and a priest.
So Moses describes Isaac that he was joyful and as it were drunk with good happy thoughts about the son who should be his heir. He drinks wine and is joyful; but he was more drunk with the Holy Spirit and spiritual thoughts (so that I may say). For this is his sole and chief consolation, that he knows that he now has an heir of the blessing, for whom he was then to wait, that he might come through Christ. And no doubt he will have added to this, that the promise made to Abraham is now coming to pass, and will come to the third heir.
This is a much different and higher blessing than the holy water, of which the papists invent many lies. These have been blessings from eternal life against the eternal life.
Death, have been priestly and royal blessings that extend into the life to come; however, these cannot be administered or given without this life, and it is necessary that we also have bodily blessings. For we cannot enjoy the eternal blessing without this temporal blessing; God must bless the field, give bread, meat and all that is necessary for nourishment: but man does not live on bread alone, and the blessing of such bodily goods is given for the sake of the eternal blessing. Therefore, the spiritual promises always include the temporal ones.
120 Christ says to his disciples Luc. 10, 7, when he sends them out to preach the gospel: "But stay in the same house, eat and drink what they have"; item v. 8: "Eat what is set before you. For the Lord gives the bodily blessing of bread and wine, since this life cannot do without the blessing of bodily goods. The gospel is the chief blessing, but all the rest are for those who seek the kingdom of God. The first blessing belongs to eternal life; the other is bodily, of which Christ says Matth. 6, 31. 32. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things." Therefore we shall see here how Isaac put the outward blessing to the blessing of eternal life, which eternal blessing cannot be had without the bodily.
V. 28. 29. May God give you the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, and the abundance of grain and wine. Nations must serve thee, and people must fall at thy feet. Be a lord over thy brethren, and thy mother's children shall fall at thy feet. Cursed be he who curses you; blessed be he who blesses you.
This is the form and manner of blessing, and the first part of this blessing belongs to bodily nourishment, because we cannot live without it, even in the kingdom of God, as far as this life is concerned; for the body must be nourished if they are to teach and govern the church. The-
296 D. vn, 49-SI. Interpretation of Genesis 27:28, 29. w. II, 432-434. 297
Now the first part belongs to the housekeeping, and to the goods that one must have in the house, so that wife and child and also the servants may have what is necessary to them daily for this life, which in the Lord's Prayer is called the daily bread, that is, everything that is required for the maintenance of the body in the house. "God grant you," he says, "of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness, of the earth, and corn and wine the abundance." These are the temporal goods.
Here on earth we need dew from heaven, that is, for God to give rain from heaven, and we also need the fatness of the earth, that is, for God to give a fertile soil. For it is a vain thing to sow on a rock, in the water, or in a forest; one must sow on a good fertile land. After that, you also need a good rain. And this part of the blessing he makes very rich and glorious; for he says, "He shall have corn and wine in abundance." He shall not live by water alone, so that it would be hard and difficult for him; but he shall have an abundance and fullness. You will have so much, he says, that you will be able to maintain your body; not that your body's nourishment will be limited, but you will have fat enough and an abundance of all things; as Moses says of the people of Israel Deut. 32:15: "He has become fat and thick and strong" 2c. So Jacob is sure for himself and his descendants that he shall have food for his house, and the same shall not be lean and small, but rich and dainty. And the same may be seen in the books of the kings, how this promise was fulfilled.
Therefore let the godly know that they have the bodily goods through God's gift and blessing; and let them not dream, as the heathen and unbelievers do, that in this life both good and evil happen to us by chance; but let them know that such great gifts come from God, so that they may also be grateful to God for such benefits, as the apostles preach in the stories of the apostles Cap. 14, 17: "God has done us many good things, and has sent down from heaven rain and fruitful seasons.
given to us, filling our hearts with food and joy."
Before that time, the monks and other unlearned men taught that temporal goods, vineyards and fields should be despised, and yet they themselves sought them most of all, and ate and drank the very best and most delicious things. Against such dreams of the monks we should learn that also the bodily benefits and gifts are blessings from God.
The other part of the blessing is temporal and belongs to the reign. For he shall be set over nations and over many people, and his descendants shall be princes and kings, and not merely heads of households. For the nations will serve him when they are subject to him not as fathers of the house but as princes and kings. And not only one nation, but many nations and many people will serve him. All these things were fulfilled in the days of the judges and kings, when the children of Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, not only subduing the Idumeans, but also destroying all the peoples and kings of that land.
The third part of the blessing is spiritual and belongs to the priesthood. "Your brothers and your mother's children must fall at your feet," who may have the same honor and glory in the world and in the home that you have. The priestly honor you alone shall have. And this is the noblest part of the blessing. Earlier he said, "Nations must serve you, and people must fall at your feet." The falling under foot belongs to the worldly regiment; this is another and goes to the brothers and his mother's children. Although it may be referred to the worldly regiment, it is better that it be understood of the third part of the blessing, since he has previously thought of the regiment.
These, then, are the three holy regiments or estates of which we often speak and which we inculcate in the people, namely, the domestic regiment, the secular regiment, and the priesthood, or the house, the city, and the church. The house has daily bread and is like a daily kingdom. The
298 D. vn. SI-SS. Interpretation of Genesis 27:28, 29. w. n. 434-437. 299
Police or world regiment also has temporal goods and is more than a daily regiment; for it lasts the whole time for and for, eternity excepted. But the priesthood is over the house and city, belongs to the church, is heavenly and eternal. In this way Jacob, Isaac's son, is well provided for; for he is made heir, that with his descendants he may have his house, the government, and the church; and it is a rich and glorious blessing that he has been confirmed to the future inheritance, for which he may surely wait and hope without all contradiction.
This blessing is not an empty sound of words or a congratulation, so that one may wish something good for another. As when I say, God give thee fine and obedient children; these are only such words, that one may wish one well, that I may give nothing to another, but only wish something; and is such a blessing, which is uncertain and still depends on success. But this blessing of the patriarch Isaac also shows a present good and is certain forever. It is not a wish, but he gives him the good with it, and says to him with it thus: Behold, receive the gifts which I promise you with words. For it is another thing when I say, I would wish thee to have a strong and sound body, that thou mightest have a good understanding; for the word "have" does not follow. But it is another thing when I offer thee a sack of money, and say, Behold, take, thou hast a thousand florins, and I will give them thee; or when Christ saith unto the sick of the palsy, Matt. 9:6, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go home 2c. After a common blessing, so that one might wish the other well, he would have said, "Oh, God would that you might be healthy and strong; but this would not abolish the illness, and it would not be followed by the sick person regaining his strength. Therefore, this is only a word blessing.
But in the Holy Scriptures there are real blessings: not only blessings, but real blessings, which really give and bring with them what the words say. Just as in the New Testament we also find such
We are blessed by the priesthood of Christ, which is our blessing, when I say: Receive the absolution of your sin. But if I said, "Would to God that your sins were forgiven you; oh, that you were pious and in the grace of God;" or, "I wish you grace and mercy from God, the eternal kingdom and salvation from your sins," this would be called a blessing of love. But the blessing of promise and faith and present gifts is thus: I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that is: I reconcile your soul to GOD, take away from you the wrath and disfavor of GOD and place you in GOD's grace, I give you the inheritance of eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven.
(130) All these things have power and authority to be given to you presently and truly, if you believe. For they are not our works, but are God's works through our ministry and service. For this reason, they are not blessings that only desire something, but also communicate it. If I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, it is just as much as if I said, "I snatch you out of the devil's hands and bring you to God," and this truly and with deed.
In the same way the patriarchs had power and authority to bless in their hands, that is, that they could give a certain promise to those whom they blessed, that the descendants would have food, rule and priesthood. Not differently, as if Isaac said: I give you grain, I give you the kingdom and priesthood. The Jews treat these blessings too coldly, for they understand them only in a human way, and that only good is desired thereby, and not that those who are blessed are certainly granted the goods and are presently given them. The blessing, however, is such a final sentence or judgment, which certainly determines and concludes that the goods promised in the blessing must also follow with the deed. And such a power is truly a great thing, for it truly brings and gives physical goods.
3002 . vn. 83-88. interpretation of I Genesis 27:28, 29. w. n. 437-^40, 301.
for the house, temporal goods for the regiment, eternal goods for the priesthood. For such power and authority they praised God, who gave them to the people, through whom he blessed, and gave and showed all kinds of gifts and benefits.
But it is a great and pitiful pity that we see how the holy patriarchs give these goods to others with such certain faith and also receive them ourselves, but that we treat our blessings in the New Testament so coldly and sleepily and pay so little attention to them. I am truly ashamed of myself, and am displeased with myself as often as I compare myself with them. For, beloved, look at this woman, Rebekah, who also lives in the flesh and blood, as we do, and likewise Isaac and Jacob, how they have such a certain, living and strong faith in the future goods that they pay no attention to the flesh that is present with them. Indeed, it is as if they were asleep in this temporal life and, as it were, snoring in view of the future goods that are promised to them.
We have a much richer gift, or at least we have it in no small measure; but we do not have such faith, we are almost sleepy, we are half dead, our eyes are dim, our ears are hard of hearing, our hearts also waver and are very unsteady. They have great gifts, and yet they do not take into account what they have. For to absolve one, to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, to proclaim forgiveness of sins from the gospel, is a much greater thing than Isaac blessing Jacob. For it is as much as if I said, I give thee the kingdom of heaven, and the power over the devil; and though thou must die, yet will I save thee, and keep thee, that thou shalt not perish. We do not do this out of our own strength, but because of God and by divine command, who has given men this power, so that one may bring the other to eternal life with the priesthood of Christ.
134 So, I say, though we have much richer promises than they have had, yet we are more sleepy and despise these
Treasure of the riches and goodness of God. Unfortunately, we are not grateful to God, we are not happy because of this blessedness, we do not rejoice in it with all our heart. We have the gifts in great abundance; but we do not respect them, indeed, we despise them altogether, since they are all as certain as these blessings of the patriarchs were; indeed, the more abundant we have it, the more the world rages against it and persecutes such treasure.
135 Therefore let this awaken our hearts and make us lively, let us drive away the pestilence of sleep, that we may see that the dear fathers were so diligent and valiant, who received the promise and blessing with greater spirit and faith than we do. After that we should make our gifts great, which are equal to their gifts, or even a little greater, even though they were also very great and excellent. We do not have the fathers to speak to us, but we have the Son of God himself, who now speaks to us, as it says in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 1, 2. We hear him say: "I absolve you, I give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, the power to baptize, to save, to trample under foot devils and hell; this divine power I give you, that you may do the same works that I do, and do greater works than these.
But we yawn and sleep, and thus think: Christ is true God and man, therefore it is no wonder that he gives such gifts to men. But that men, one to another, should give gifts of this life and of the life to come, that is especially inconsistent. But the holy fathers were not of this mind, but held the divine blessings in high esteem, were happy about them and thanked God for them. Therefore, compared to them, we should be ashamed of ourselves and learn to punish our sluggishness and our sleepiness and improve ourselves.
Now follows in the last part the dear holy cross, but at the same time also the victory through the cross and in the cross.
302 2 VII, LS-S7. Interpretation of I Moses 27, 28. 2S. W. n. 440-443. 303
For so Isaac says, "Cursed be he who curses you." These words are taken from Cap. 12, 3. and 22, 17. above, where the Lord says to Abraham: "You will be cursed, but I will turn the curse into a blessing. This is a great power, that Isaac may speak such a sentence and judgment, before which hell with all its devils and the whole world with all its power and authority must be terrified and tremble. For he will say this much: I know that the devil, the world and the flesh will be hostile to this blessing; this I know that it will surely come to pass. Dear Jacob, I am indeed showering you with great gifts, I am exalting and honoring you; for you will be a father without poverty, a king without hindrance, a priest and savior of souls even against the gates of hell. But you must remember that all this is in the promise, and that it is not yet fulfilled with full victory, for which one must still wait in hope.
For this reason you will have your possessions in such a way that it will nevertheless be seen with you as if you had nothing at all. For you will be challenged in your household, in the government of the world and in the church: because of all this, the wicked will envy you and you will be cursed by them, so that the curse is already prepared with the blessing. Though I bless thee abundantly, yet the devil and the world shall come, thy brethren shall come, and curse thee, and persecute thee, and seek to confound and overthrow thy blessing.
And at last it came to pass, as this prophecy saith. For how much did Jacob suffer from the beginning of this blessing! His brother Esau threatened him that he would strangle him, and immediately the cross was laid upon him in the household regiment. He is a father of the offspring that shall be born of him; but he must stand day and night in danger of life and limb, must expect that his own brother will strangle him, and is taken away secretly by his parents with great sorrow and trouble, that he may beware of such danger. He must be in Syria almost to twenty years in misery. Ei, what a beautiful
This is a blessing to me! He might have thought, "Dear Father, how does what you said about the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth rhyme with such a great burden? For he has not even a crumb of bread, since he is going to Syria. He is wretched and poor, he must serve fourteen years, and in that service he has suffered much injustice and wrong: therefore the Father reminds him that it will come to pass that he will feel the curse instead of the blessing.
(140) But after this, when the trouble shall come in the land of Canaan, he also shall be in great distress and peril with all his company, even unto the peril of his life and limb. And finally, how horribly and badly the children of Israel were treated in Egypt! Where then is the blessing? Answer: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes through the mouth of God", Matth. 4, 4. 5 Mos. 8, 3. With the word man is raised up and is also sustained by it. Even though he does not have bread for his household, he does not die and is not abandoned; but faith in God's word feeds him in the midst of poverty, both in body and soul, and finally changes his hunger into abundance, so that he must have enough. "For those who seek the Lord," as it says in the 34th Psalm, v. 10, 11, "have no lack of any good." On the other hand, the same Psalm says of the rich: "The rich, however, must starve and hunger." Item in the 37th Psalm, v. 2: "Like the green herb, they will wither away.
But one must understand this in faith and wait for it, as Jacob also in faith thought it certain that he would never lack anything in his house. And the outcome corresponded to this very well. For since the blessing follows, he has become richer than Laban, his father-in-law. But this was not without temptation; for he was tempted, but not forsaken. For the blessing is indeed challenged, but not overthrown; it is attacked, but not overthrown; as it is written in the 118th Psalm v. 13. 14.
Z04 L.vn,s7-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 27, 28. 29. w.n, ^3-^42. Z05
The Lord helps me. The LORD is my power, and my psalm, and is my salvation."
The Lord gives such a blessing, mixed with patience and adorned with the sanctuary of the holy cross, that we may be instructed in temptation and learn that our life is not in bread alone, but in every word of God. Finally, the Lord certainly gives the bread and does not fail to do so when we are tested and tempted in faith, whether we also want to believe God in His promises. For he certainly gives the promise, but he nevertheless tries us and withdraws the blessing from us, as if we were not allowed to wait for any blessing. But just then he thinks and thinks of the blessing when we feel the curse. Therefore, I say, the blessing can be challenged, but it cannot be suppressed and overthrown; as is also said of the truth.
- and this was the curse or the cross in the house, which plagued the patriarch Jacob hard enough. But look now also at the worldly rule of his descendants. Look at David, who was the first king after the blessing. Rather, how often has his kingdom and regiment been challenged and put in danger, than should it now fall away! First in the days of King Saul; then by his own son Absalom and Ahithophel, the mischievous unfaithful counselor; and still in the days of Absalom the evil conscience was added. However, he still stood up and maintained himself with the divine promise; as in the 21st Psalm v. 2: "Lord, the king rejoices in your strength"; item, in the 63rd Psalm v. 12: "The king rejoices in God. He who swears by him will be glorified." And 2 Sam. 15, 25. 26. he says: "If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, he will take me again; but he says thus: I have no desire for you; behold, here I am, and he will do with me as he pleases." For the kingdom was promised and confirmed to him, but not without very great trouble and temptation, which he suffered over it.
In the same way, the church is seen to be more of a curse than a blessing. For the same teaches us also the experience, which we have
are in the same office, to whom baptism, the power of the keys and the sacrament of the altar have been given. But how many are there, even of very pious people, whom Satan so severely attacks and interrogates, when he takes away the heavenly blessing from before their eyes, that it is as if they retained nothing at all of this blessing; indeed, they rather feel and sense the curse and fear of hell than divine and heavenly blessing? The others fall into obvious sin and vice, and get to the point where they obviously despise and even reject the blessing. But those who still keep it and love it are so weak that they need to be admonished much and always and the blessing repeated, so that they may be awakened and the word of God may be sharpened in them, as Moses says Deut. 6, 7.
145 Nevertheless, the blessing does not go away, but remains constant, strong and very rich, and greater than we can understand. St. Paul also complains about this, that he was given a stake in the flesh, 2 Cor. 12, 7, and that we must go through much tribulation into the kingdom of God, Acts 14, 22. 14, 22. Therefore there will be no lack of cursing. But you must oppose it, only be strong, and cling to the blessing, if it can already be seen that everything is full of curses. For thus shall we conclude, It is certain that I am baptized; I have heard the word from the mouth of the minister; I have used the sacrament of the altar: this is the divine truth, which cannot be changed. Though I am weak, yet the same truth is certain and constant; the goods are very mighty and rich, but the heart is almost slippery and staggers when it should take hold of and accept the goods.
- But we alone shall beware of this, lest we deny; and though we cannot confess with a great shout, yet we murmur softly to God. If we cannot sing when we praise God, let us at least sigh that we may persevere in the blessing in which the Son of God has placed us, which can be obtained without great struggle and many challenges.
306 D. vii. ös-su interpretation of Genesis 27:28-31. w. n, 44s-^vo. 307
cannot keep the promise. For so the fathers also had the promise assuredly and strongly, but not without temptation. And it is for this reason that Christ so diligently exhorts us to persevere and persevere. "Take hold of your souls with patience", he says Luc. 21, 19. You are children of the kingdom, your sins are forgiven, the devil is overcome and put under your feet, sin and death will not harm you, but you are now innocent; therefore also suffer with a patient heart the disgusting curse that will come upon you.
(147) Now that he has put the curse, that is, the cross and the temptation, which follow the blessing, so excellent and rich, he adds something more and says: "Blessed is he who blesses you. As if he wanted to say: They will not all curse or challenge you, but many will come to bless you and also want to share your blessing; this will be the fruit of the challenges, if you persevere in faith. As Christ says John 12:24: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
One Christian who has been tempted and challenged is more useful than a hundred who have not been tempted. For in temptation the blessing increases, so that he can teach and comfort many people and help them with good counsel in physical and spiritual matters. So Christ says, if you are cursed in the world, you are also filled with heavenly blessings.
Now let us also look at the interpretation of some words according to grammar. Adorare means to bow one's body and pay homage to another. The same word is also used in a broader sense; for one bows down before kings, brothers, and one's neighbor. Above (Gen. 23:7) Abraham bowed down before the children of Heth. After this it is also drawn to spiritual bowing, which is where one bows or stoops before the Creator. For one bows differently before the Creator and again differently before the creature.
(150) Why does he say, "Be lord over your brothers," when he has only one brother, Esau? Answer: This is a peculiar way of speaking in the Scriptures, since all children's children are called "children", and brothers' children are called "brothers"; those born of Rebecca and her daughters were called his children. So Esau is a father to his children and also to his children's children. But "brothers" are called in the holy scripture not only those born of one mother, but also the descendants and children's children.
Fifth part.
How Esau demands Isaac's blessing; how Isaac refuses, and Esau complains about Jacob, constantly stopping at Isaac to get the
Blessing and finally receives a piece of the blessing.
V. 30, 31: 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 also a cubit, and trespassed in unto his father, and said unto him, Arise, my father, and eat of thy son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.
151 Since the blessing was completed, it is followed by a lamentation and the opposite blessing of Esau. And this is the other part of this history. But the words of Esau's speech should be carefully considered. For Jacob did not speak in the third person: Surgat pater: My father wants to get up; but he said: Surge quaeso: Dear father, get up. But this hypocrite needs a special rhetoric. As such saints are wont to do, namely, that they need such words, which serve only for adornment, and are directed so that they have a great appearance. Jacob presented his request in a subtle and simple manner, as dialecticians are wont to do; but this one makes his speech grand in the manner of rhetoric, which Jacob could never have thought of.
308 L vn, si-"3. interpretation of Genesis 27:30-35. w. n, 450-4W. 309
can. "My father," he says, "wanted to get up and eat from his son's hunt."
With such hopefulness he knows how to adorn his speech, as if he were an only begotten son and Jacob were not a son. For this is what hypocrites are wont to do: they call themselves the church and also have a greater outward appearance, and such an adornment, which has a more exquisite appearance than those who are truly godly. But in the godly there is not so much boldness, nor such a great appearance; as Jacob dare not address his father with such pride. Moses does not even think of the clothes, which he undoubtedly also used. Rebekah may have secretly put them back in their place, not worrying anymore about how she would keep them; she may have thought: He may always go, dress and adorn himself as beautifully as he wants, my son has already obtained the blessing.
V. 32. 33. Then Isaac his father answered him, Who art thou? He said: I am Esau, thy firstborn son. Then Isaac was exceedingly amazed, and said, Who? where is he that brought me the hunter, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? He will also remain blessed.
Here he begins to lie bravely, and uses splendid words that have a great appearance: "I am," he says, "your firstborn son," makes his speech splendid and great; as befits such a speaker. Jacob is only a simple dialectician, he is despised in the eyes of Esau, he counts for nothing in his eyes, yes, he is even cursed, he is not worthy to be called Isaac's son, much less the firstborn of Isaac. But the Holy Spirit has already decided the opposite. For Jacob has now lost the blessing, and you Esau are by no means the firstborn.
Have you forgotten what you did the other day when you said, Gen 25:32, "Behold, I must die; what then shall the firstborn be to me?" Give me the lentil dish? So Esau sold the firstborn, and when he had eaten and drunk, he stood there.
he arose and departed, thus despising his firstborn. The Holy Spirit has not yet forgotten all this, as you have dreamed. If thou hast sold thy brother's firstborn, thou art justly condemned to be deprived of the firstborn. Therefore it is a lie that thou sayest thou art my firstborn son; for thou hast spoiled the firstborn with the lentil dish, and hast rejected it in great contempt. God wants to be honored for his good deeds, and whoever honors him, he also honors him in turn; but whoever despises him will be spurned, as 1 Sam. 2:30 says. This is a horrible example of this saying.
Isaac, however, was terrified and appalled at the extent to which he heard Esau's words and worried that perhaps, through God's decree, some stranger would have taken away the blessing and that his descendants would be deprived of it. This was not a minor fear; for he was worried that this honor and glory of the blessing, the regiment and the priesthood would be stolen from his house by God's counsel. Just as the same danger occurred when Esau threatened to kill his brother Jacob: there was the danger that Jacob would perish, that the blessing would be given to strangers.
- However, he does not allow himself to be challenged that he should have been moved by this to change the blessing that he had once given; rather, he says, whoever he is, if he has accepted the blessing, he shall be blessed and remain blessed. For the gifts of God cannot be revoked. But afterward, when he remembered the matter more exactly, he thought, Behold, I have heard the voice of Jacob, he hath deceived me, having covered his hands and neck with goatskins; yea, he it is whom I have blessed.
(v. 34, 35) When Esau heard his father's words, he cried with a loud voice, and was exceedingly grieved: and he said unto his father, Bless me also, my father. And he said, Thy brother is come with guile, and hath taken away thy blessing.
** **310 L. vn, 63-os. Interpretation of 1 Mpse 27, 34. 35. w. ii. 4üL-"s. 311
157 Here it is asked: Why Isaac did not revoke the blessing, because Jacob took it away with cunning? Lyra tells what the Jews think, namely, that Isaac, when he heard Esau's complaint, wanted to revoke the blessing; but there, according to God's will, he saw hell open and that it was prepared for him, where he would revoke the blessing. Therefore he is said to have been appalled, and did not revoke the blessing, but rather confirmed it. This is what Lyra indicates according to the understanding of the Jews; but they do not interpret the words of Scripture, but rather obscure them. Therefore, it should not be considered that Isaac, even though he was greatly appalled at the measure, should have thought to revoke the blessing; for he knew well that this blessing is a work and gift of God that must remain completely immovable and unchanged. As when I give baptism to anyone, my heart and will are quite certain that I truly want to baptize him; but if the one who is baptized uses cunning, I have nevertheless given him the right baptism, which is not mine, but is truly a divine work.
In this way Isaac also said: "I have blessed him, he will also remain blessed. And the same thing he had decided earnestly with himself beforehand, and he did not delay with it without special counsel and misgivings until the end of his life: therefore he was sure, when he blessed Jacob, that he had thereby pronounced a final sentence or judgment, which was spoken and confirmed by divine command. And this was the same blessing that he had received hereditarily from the fathers Adam, Noah, Abraham and the others. Such sayings cannot and should not be changed; for God does not change His gifts. He does not revoke baptism, nor absolution, nor other gifts that he communicates to us through his word: if he forgives my sins, they are truly forgiven.
159 They also dispute here about cunning: whether the holy fathers also acted cunningly, and whether they also sinned when they thus dealt with cunning? For we have often heard that they lied bravely,
not only out of necessity, in appearance, but also in reality. But in this deed there is no sin. In the work, and in the sight of men, it is indeed deceit and trickery; for Jacob deceived his father by covering his hands and neck with skins; but in the sight of God it is no deceit. For the firstborn and the blessing were due to him, both of which he bought from his brother, and had them before, that they were assigned to him by God according to the divine answer, "The greater shall serve the lesser."
160 Therefore, if you secretly pursue one, and by stealth take from another that which God has given you, it is not a sin. Just as the robbery that the Israelites took from the Egyptians is a true robbery according to the judgment of men, but the Israelites did not sin by robbing the Egyptians. For God commanded them in Exodus 11:2 to say to the Egyptians, "Lend me silver utensils and garments to adorn the feast of the Lord, since they intended to flee from it. They had a public express commandment of God, that he said, I will have it so, that thou shalt so defraud and rob the Egyptians. For the Egyptians owed the Israelites their wages for their service and heavy tyranny, which they had had to suffer from them; although it was a bad and small recompense for the fact that they had oppressed and burdened the people of Israel so long, and had killed their children.
This is how this trickery of Jacob's should be judged. For where the saints use any cunning and are commanded to do so by God, it may be a deception or cunning in the eyes of men, but it is a holy, cheap and spiritual cunning. Therefore, it is not necessary to argue about it and ask a lot of questions about how or whether Jacob sinned, but rather to see that he was previously allowed by God's command to do what he tricked his brother into doing. Thus the saints in war have often deceived and deceived the enemies; but these are such lies that one can
312 L vn. ss-67. interpretation of Genesis 27:34-36. W. II. 4SS-4S8. 313
may well use in the divine office against the devil and the enemies of God.
162 Thus the fisherman also deceives the fish with such trickery when he ties food to the rod; which likeness the fathers did not draw evil upon Christ. For he came into the world and clothed himself in our flesh, and was cast into the water like a fishing rod: but when the devil bit him, he was immediately pulled out of the water again by God, and was cast on dry land and crushed, that is, Christ held up to the devil his weak humanity, which covered the eternal and invincible majesty. Then the devil ran up against the rod of the Godhead and pushed himself against it, by which Godhead all his power, and also the power of death and hell, was overcome; as St. Paul Col. 2:15 says: "He hath stripped off principalities and powers, and hath made a public display of them, and hath made a triumph of them by himself." But the devil could not have complained unreasonably that he had also been deceived and deceived in an unreasonable way, because he would have thought that he was strangling a man, and now he himself had been strangled by him with cunning. But by God's miraculous counsel, the same thing happened that is commonly said: Ars ut artem falleret: That one cunning may deceive another.
V.36. Then said he (Esau), His name is Jacob; for now he hath twice trampled me under foot. My firstborn he hath taken away; and, behold, he taketh away my blessing also. And said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
Here the enmity rises against his brother: "His name is probably Jacob," he says, "because he has now trampled on me twice. But both are lies. You Esau lie; do you not know what you did before? You yourself willingly sold the firstborn when you said Gen 25:32, "I must die, then what good is the firstborn to me?"; you despised the blessing, which is strong even after death. Then you also disregarded the command of God, which says: "The greater shall be given to the greater.
Serve the lesser": therefore you are no longer the firstborn, but the buyer is the firstborn, and has the blessing by all right, which may not be reclaimed from him, because it is a gift of God that is not changed: but you lie and falsely accuse your brother of having taken or stolen both, namely, the firstborn and the blessing.
164 And from this we can see how the text in the epistle to the Hebrews in Cap. 12 is to be understood. V. 16, 17, which reads: "Lest anyone be a fornicator, or an ungodly man, like Esau, who sold his firstborn for the sake of food. But know that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no room for repentance, though he sought it with tears." For the reason that he could not do anything with his repentance or tears is this: because it was not a true repentance. This is true and certain, that God, who cannot fail or lie, has held out His grace and mercy to all men who truly repent, and where one truly repents of sin, such repentance always takes place with God. One should hold fast to this and defend it; as God has testified to this with many examples and in the books of the Holy Scriptures.
But there is another repentance, which is not true, but false and fictitious, which the Germans call a gallows repentance, namely, when I thus repent, that I am not ashamed that I have angered God, but that I have done myself harm. Such repentance is very mean, and I myself have often repented in this way, and have been sorry that I had done something foolishly, unwise, and with harm. I was more ashamed of foolishness and harm than of sin and guilt, and that I had angered God. But where one is sorry only for the harm he has done, this is a repentance of which God knows nothing; indeed, our own hearts know nothing of it either, as can well be seen in Esau. For he does not say, "Now I understand that I have sinned, why have I angered God, since I am the firstborn?
314 i!. vii. "7-m. Interpretation of I Moses 27, 36. W. n. iss-M. 315
I will gladly renounce the blessing now, only that God may forgive me the sin. That would have been a real true repentance, through which he would have grieved how he would be reconciled with God because of the sin he had committed.
For true repentance looks upon the wrath of God for the sake of sin, with which it would gladly be reconciled, flees from the wrath of God: it does not give birth to pain for the sake of harm alone, nor does it give birth to anger and hatred against the brother or neighbor; but says thus: If only God would be merciful to me, I would gladly suffer all kinds of harm and misfortune and make do with it.
(167) You will not hear any of these from Esau. He has repented of the punishment and not of the sin he committed, therefore he has not found repentance of the punishment; for he does not seek repentance of sins, but is still stiff-necked in sin. As Saul did in 1 Sam. 15:3 ff. when he transgressed the command of God, so that God had commanded him to slay Amalek with man and woman, and with all the cattle, great and small; but he spared the king and the great cattle, and when he was punished by Samuel, he answered him thus: "The people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, because of the sacrifice of the LORD thy God." This did not mean to recognize the sin correctly, but to excuse and defend it under the appearance of holiness. Therefore the prophet became very angry and pronounced a very sad judgment on him, saying: "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you, that you should not be king" 2c., 1 Sam. 15, 23.
So Adam also took the responsibility to excuse his sin and put the blame not only on the woman, but also on God: "The woman," he says Gen. 3:12, "which you gave me, gave me of the tree, and I ate" 2c. So Eve also apologizes and blames the serpent, who would have deceived her. This should by no means be called repentance. For where there is true repentance, man feels that he is thus minded in his heart, and complains to himself:
Ah, why have I angered God? Why did I arouse His anger and severe judgment against me? He may punish me as an example to others, as he wills, only that he forgive and pardon my sin. As the children of Israel ask in the Book of Judges, 10th Cap. V. 15: "We have sinned; do thou only with us as thou wilt; only save us at this time. Such a prayer is proper for those who truly and earnestly repent, saying, "The Lord may do with me as he pleases, but that he may be gracious to me. And then God is also quite willing to show mercy and forgive sin, and immediately offers such penitent sinners that he will forgive their sin.
But how far Esau is from such true humility and recognition of sins is shown by his words, in which he still lies quite brazenly that he is the firstborn, when he is not, and says that the firstborn is his, whom he had previously rejected of his own free will. Finally, much more seriously, he blames and condemns his innocent brother, excuses and praises himself, since he was guilty: "His name," he says, "is Jacob, for he has trampled me underfoot." But neither does he commemorate his sin with a word. He does not say, "I have sinned, I have not felt or understood until now that I have sinned; now I learn it by the punishment and judgment of God; now it is time that I recognize my sin; for I feel that God is grievously angry because I sold the firstborn and despised it; but I will not begrudge it to my brother, but will gladly grant it to him from my heart, and I rejoice that he has obtained the blessing. I have sinned and am heartily sorry, not so much because I have lost the blessing, 'as because of the wrath of God which I have incurred against me.
(170) Yes, he says or thinks nothing less than this; yes, he still boasts of his wickedness. I am righteous; my brother is wicked, he has taken what is mine with cunning and owns other people's property. That it may go badly with him! So he condemns the righteous
316 L. vn. sg-71. interpretation of I Moses 27, 36. 37. w. ii. 461-464. 317
He still defends the sin of another and his own sin. At last, he has a terrible hatred for his brother, does not grant him the grace that God gave him and that he rightly lost through his own fault; because of this, he threatens to strangle him. Well, that is a fine penance for me.
For this reason it is nothing else than that he suffers because he has lost the good and has received damage. So also thieves and malefactors grieve over their sin, not that they should repent in earnest or be hostile to sin, but because they are tormented by fear and the sense of punishment. Just as we in the papacy have repented of sin, since we have been forced to confession every year. For at that time people would have preferred to hang on to their sins when they could have done so; and soon after Easter they did so again, as was their way, and rejoiced that they were only free from the torture they had with confession.
Therefore, I say, to repent is to feel the wrath of God for sin; so that the sinner may be afraid in his heart, and be troubled, and have a desire for the help and grace of God. But let such a penitent sinner be lifted up and comforted by anyone who can, so that he may not despair and be lost, as Judas despaired. For such a heart is of no other mind than that it would gladly suffer harm to all its good, only that it might find comfort, that it might have help even from the very smallest child, who proclaims to it the promise of salvation. For he thinks: If I only want to be delivered from the wrath of God, so that I am miserably martyred, then I do not want to worry at all about how I will get back the goods that I have lost. If I have acted foolishly, I may take my reward or suffer punishment for my foolishness, but only God may have mercy on me.
Now Esau thinks, "If I had my firstborn, I would not be very concerned about whether God would be gracious or ungracious to me. For this reason, the
This is how the text in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 12, v. 17, is to be understood: "He found no room for repentance"; because it was not a true repentance, but he was only sorry for the damage he had received and his foolishness, by which he had lost the firstborn and his glory. Therefore he fell into abominable hatred against his brother and God, who blessed Jacob through his father Isaac.
174 And this is a true image and example of such a man who falsely repents. This should be noted so that we learn to distinguish true repentance from the false imaginary repentance, which we call a gallows repentance. For a thief, when he sees that he is to be punished with the gallows, also bears sorrow for the sin and would gladly live longer: but when God gives him grace and such light that he truly recognizes his sin and the wrath of God, he no longer worries about this life; only that he may be helped, so that he does not come into danger of his soul's salvation. And then he should be taught and raised up with God's grace and mercy, which He has shown us in Christ, and should not be comforted with auricular confession or papist pardon, for otherwise he would be lost.
V. 37 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?
The blessing of Jacob comprehends the three holy estates, namely, the house regiment, the world regiment and the priesthood. These three states or offices to administer, he gives him also the goods of this world. In the police he has the kingdom and regiment over the people. In the church he has the office of proclaiming and dispensing the forgiveness of sins and eternal life; therefore Jacob is a bishop, he has the prophecy, he has the word, the forgiveness of sins and the service of God. After that he adds: "I have made all his brothers" in the world regime "servants to him", and he will also make the nations subject to himself.
318 L.vn, >n-73. interpretation of I Moses 27, 37. 38. w. n, 464-466. 319
Make. This was done under David, who first fulfilled the blessing by bringing the Syrians, Philistines, Arabs and Edomites under him. But what shall I do now, says Isaac, what shall I give thee above these three blessings? He has taken away everything. And this was undoubtedly done by the special counsel and will of God, whose blessing it was, so I cannot change it. Esau, however, does not stop yet, yes, he still persists with the father with pleading and begging that he would also bless him.
V. 38. Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me also, my father; and he lifted up his voice, and wept.
176 Hence it is said in the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 12, 17: "Though he sought them with tears. For this is the anxious and hot pleading with tears, so that he seeks many times and with great fear; but he has persevered too long and it is all in vain. For where God has once departed, and where the Word and the grace of God have once been taken away, they cannot easily be found again. In Rome there used to be a very beautiful church and congregation of God; there were more devout Christians and martyrs who confessed the truth there than anywhere else in the whole world: but since that church and congregation has departed, help God, what terrible darkness and abominations have followed! And even if they were to cry or howl themselves to death, or even die with Esau, they would do nothing to regain the former light and grace of God.
Before this time, we cried out in the ministry for eternal salvation and the kingdom of God; we almost suffered, yes, we almost tortured our bodies to death, not with the sword or other external weapons, but with fasting and mortification of the body: we sought, we knocked day and night. And I myself, if I had not been saved by the consolation of the gospel of Christ, would have been saved by the consolation of the gospel of Christ.
I would not have been able to live two years; so I toiled and fled from the wrath of God, and did not lack tears and sighs: but we did nothing with them. For this reason, St. Paul exhorts so diligently in 2 Cor. 6:1, 2, not without reason, when he says: "Lest you receive the grace of God in vain. Behold, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation." Therefore let us make use of the grace that is given to us, while we are able; let us open our mouths and our hearts, that the blessing may be poured out; for where it should be taken away, it is quite lost with us.
The Germans use a curse in a proverb that is not evil, namely, when they say: God gives the gland (bump, plague bump) to lazy hands. For they admonish us not to be lazy, but to make good use of the opportunity that presents itself. So, when the gospel is taught, we should hear and learn it with a thankful heart. As Christ says John 12:35, 36: "The light is yet a little while with you. Walk while you have the light, so that the darknesses do not overtake you. While the light is yet a little while with you, believe in the light while ye have it, that ye may be the children of light."
And the example of the Jews certainly testifies sufficiently how terrible darkness has overtaken them, after they have not believed in him who performed such great signs before them. For they only gloriously fulfill this figure or example of Esau, crying out day and night, mortifying the body with fasting and praying now into the thousand and a half years, praying quite fervently and saying: Lord God, send the Messiah for your name's sake, for your word's sake, for your kingdom's sake. By which prayers and lamentations even stones and hard rocks might be moved; but they find no room for repentance. Not that repentance can find no room or place, but because they want to enter heaven in a wrong way and obtain blessing with their service, which is impossible. They do not recognize their sin, but justify themselves,
320 D- VII. ir-iv- interpretation of Genesis 27:38-40. W. n. 466-469.321
make themselves pious, as Esau also did. We, they say, are the right Israel; as Esau says, I am your firstborn son. O dear God, the heathen have taken away the firstborn and the blessing by force 2c. Though they well feel the wrath of GOD, they will not acknowledge the sin.
- But where one feels sin and the wrath of God for sin's sake, this is a very great grace, and blessedness is near to such sinners that they can easily be brought to repentance. But if one defends and excuses sin, that is judging God, that is, condemning in His words, as it says in the 51st Psalm v. 6. Therefore Esau is an example of all Jews.
181 And because we were monks, we did not do anything with our mortification. For we did not want to recognize our sin and ungodly nature; indeed, we knew nothing of original sin and did not understand that unbelief was sin. Yes, we also held and taught that one must doubt God's grace and mercy. Therefore, the more I ran and desired to come to Christ, the farther he went away from me. After confession and when I had said mass, I could never be satisfied in my heart; for the conscience cannot have a right certain consolation from works.
Therefore let us make use of the blessing that is now present, and of the grace that has been given to us, now that the light of the gospel has come to light again, and let us not be indolent or ungrateful. For once the blessing has been taken away, it is not up to us to bring it back again, but it is up to God's gift and grace alone, and also so that He will not be moved by any man's weeping, crying, toil or work.
At first I understood that the free grace of God was absolutely necessary in order to attain light and eternal life, and I worked diligently and anxiously to understand the saying of Paul, Rom. 1:17, where he says: "The righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel. I searched for a long time and always knocked on the door, because the word "justitia" means "righteousness.
Dei, "the righteousness of God," was in my way, which was commonly interpreted as follows: The righteousness of God is such a virtue that He is righteous in Himself and condemns sinners. Thus all the doctors had interpreted this saying, Augustine excepted, that they said: The righteousness of God, that is, the wrath of God. But as often as I read the saying, I always wished that God would never have revealed the gospel, for who could love the God who is angry, judges and condemns? until finally, through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, I considered the saying of the prophet Habakkuk a little more diligently, since he says in 2 Cap. V. 4: "The righteous lives by his faith". From this I deduced that life must come from faith, and thus I changed the abstractum into the concretum, as it is called in the schools, that is, I changed the word "righteousness" to the word "just," namely, that man would be justified before God through faith 2c. Then all the holy scriptures and heaven itself were opened to me.
But now, at this time, we see this great light quite clearly, and we may use it abundantly. But, alas, we despise this precious stone and such a heavenly treasure and grow weary of it. But if one day this treasure is taken from us again, then we will cry out and knock again, as Christ says in the parable of the foolish virgins, Matth. 25, 11. But all this will be in vain and for nothing. Therefore, let us fear God and be thankful. But you should especially be moved by my and others' examples, who lived in death and hell and did not have the blessings as abundantly as you now have. Therefore see that you diligently practice the doctrine of blessing and give it proper thought, so that you may keep it for yourselves and also spread it to other people. We have done what we should have done.
V.39. 40. Then Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thou shalt have a fat habitation upon the earth, and of the dew of the
322 L. vn, 7S-77. interpretation of I Moses 27, 39. 40. W. n, 4SS-472. 323
Heaven from above. You will feed on your sword and serve your brother. And it shall come to pass that thou shalt also be a lord, and shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
He gives him a share in the blessings of the home, for everything concerning the government of the world and the church belongs to his brother Jacob. But this is not a blessing. For he only says, "You will have a fat dwelling," that is, you will have your food and clothing; so that the carnal people of the Jews may also have something, that they may not say they have nothing at all, so he gives him the bodily promises. Then he adds: "You will feed on your sword", that is, you will have to protect and defend yourself with your sword; but you will not win or have the reign. This is all to be understood without blessing. God will not make you lord over other nations, much less over your brother, whom He has previously exempted, and has made Jacob lord over his brothers. You will have to be content with your dwelling in the fat land, and you will have to feed on your sword, so that you will be safe from the enemy, but so that you will be subservient to your brother and serve him.
Now hold these two against each other: Jacob is the doctor in the church and is also the lord in the world regiment over his brother Esau, and his blessing is rightly called a blessing. But the blessing of this Esau is not called a blessing; for the text does not say, This shall be thy blessing, but thus says, "Thou shalt have a fat habitation on the earth." And is in Hebrew the very same word, so also in the 1st Psalm v. 1. stands: In sede derisorum: "Where the scoffers sit." The holy Scriptures have diligently prevented this, that Esau should not have been called blessed; for the blessing extends to the breadth, to the length, to the fat and to all goods; nor is it said in the text, The LORD GOD will give it thee. For where the word "LORD" is added, it becomes a blessing. Therefore Isaac means this much: God will not bless you by virtue of this blessing; but you will happen to have something that God will give you, as he gave to those in Arabia and the
Egyptern also there who happened to have their food and shelter, but have recognized it for no divine blessing. This should be noted diligently. These two words "God" and "blessing" are not put in the text; therefore it is not a blessing.
But he adds still more, saying, "And it shall come to pass, that thou also shalt be a lord, and shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. 2c. This is also a special piece. For Isaac would gladly give him more, and he also diligently seeks what he would like to give him more. But this belongs to Herod and his family. The Jews interpret it from the time of King Joram, 2 Kings 8:20, under the prophet Elisha, from whom the Idumeans fell away, because the king was ungodly. And is not an evil mind: for Edom hath broken the yoke, and hath loosed himself from the dominion of Israel. However, I think that it would be better to understand Herod, who was the son of Antipater, the Idumean, who had great prestige and honor under Julius Caesar, and who plagued the kingdom of Israel. Because of this, he threw off the yoke from his neck and also ruled.
- From this a question arises, How the prophecy or promise was fulfilled, that Jacob would be blessed, and the greater would serve the lesser, and the lesser would reign: and afterward it shall follow, that Jacob shall bow down himself before Esau, both he and his household, and his children and his wives. There he will appoint four bands, all of whom will fall at Esau's feet and bow down before him. After that the Idumeans rule in Israel for a long time, and Herod and his descendants rule over Israel until the destruction of Jerusalem; and Jacob took the blessing from this text, which will follow in chapter 49, v. 10, 11. How can these two things be balanced so that they do not contradict each other?
Answer: Where one rules only for an hour or a day, that is not rightly called a dominion or a regiment. So when the people of Israel were taken captive to Babylon
324 L vn, 77-79. Interpretation of Genesis 27, 39-41. W. n, 47L-476. 325
had been led, one might also have said that they had lost the reign: but in truth they have not lost it. For they were only chastised. Therefore, the regiment was not lost, but was delayed and postponed. In this way Jacob also bows before Esau. He wrestles with the angel, so that he might almost have despaired of the regiment and the blessing; for he felt nothing else in the battle than that he would have to be subject to his brother and that his brother would kill his servants and his wife: but after the battle he is called Israel by the angel, and at that very moment in the battle he is made king and regent most of all, because he loses. For "you have fought," says the angel Gen. 32:28, "with God and with men, and have prevailed."
- This does not mean losing the blessing or the regiment, if someone is challenged in faith about the regiment and blessing. As Abraham was tempted one hour to slay his son, when God said to him Gen 22:2, "Sacrifice your son to me." But because of this he did not lose his son, but received him again abundantly and with fruit and benefit; as, moreover, the angel confirms Jacob's blessing at his request, saying, "I will not leave you, for you bless me." Therefore the blessing did not fall away or cease, but was tried and contested with it, that the blessing might be the stronger and more sure.
191 But what shall we say of Herod, who truly ruled over Jerusalem and Judah with great pride and cruelty? Answer: There the prophecy or prophecy of Jacob was fulfilled: "The scepter of Judah shall not be taken away" 2c. For Mary, the mother of Christ, was already born then, and also the parents of John the Baptist already lived, when Herod had had the regency six or at the highest ten years; although it was not confirmed before the birth of Christ. As Philo writes that he is said to have ruled six years properly and one and thirty years tyrannically, which is by no means worthy to be called a regiment;
But his father, Antipater, was before him only a chief or captain in the Jewish country. After that he did not have a quiet or calm regiment, because the Jews always resisted him because of the promise, about which they held very hard, and it was considered unreasonable that they, the Jews, should serve their servant Herod, when it was said to Esau: "You shall serve your brother Jacob. Therefore Herod ruled over the Jews, but not with a proper regime.
- Finally, it can be answered thus: That he had obtained the reign, not by divine command, by which the kings had previously been installed and appointed in Israel and Judah; but by the violence and tyranny of the Romans, out of God's wrath, that he should also tear apart the same kingdom, with which it was already almost at an end, and which was without a doubt generally divided and destroyed. Therefore his reign or rule is not contrary to the promise, for the same time was the end of the kingdom in which Christ was to be born.
193 And these are the two opposite promises of the two brothers. Jacob has obtained the blessing in the house, and also in the world and church government. Esau has none of these, but has only had such a promise as the other nations; as the Syrians, whose rule the Jews have had to endure and tolerate from time to time, but the kingdom or rule they have not lost, because only when it was at the end, so that the prophecy of Jacob would be fulfilled, in which he had said before, Gen. 49, v. 10: When the Shiloh or hero would come, the kingdom with the priesthood and law would have its end.
Sixth part.
How Esau becomes angry with Zacob for the sake of the blessing and resolves to kill him.
V.41. And Esau was grieved with Jacob for the blessing, that his father had blessed him; and said in his heart, IT shall be the
** **330 D. VII, 82-84. interpretation of Genesis 27, 41. w. n. 4SI-4S4. 331
he does not say: You shall obey your parents, shall hear them, but: You shall honor them. He wants the name of the parents to be kept glorious and honest. For God knows well in us the wickedness of original sin, which is so exceedingly powerful that it drives men to kill their parents and to practice atrocious tyranny over their own blood. David has been severely afflicted with this misfortune, and has learned what great pain and fear parents have from the wickedness of their children. For he felt and experienced that his son Absalom was his enemy, who was after his life and limb, as well as eternal prosperity and bliss. But he fell into a terrible curse because he died such a death as he caused with his evil deed.
(206) Therefore I exhort and entreat all the young men to beware of this sin and to be enemies of it, and to accustom their hearts to honor their parents, and to call upon God daily and diligently in their prayers for help. Has this happened in Adam's house and in Abraham's house, between Ishmael and Isaac, in Isaac's house between Jacob and Esau (I will not speak now of many examples of the Gentiles): what do we parents not have to expect and what do you children not have to worry about? For you see that the devil is in our midst. You also see the most grievous examples of the punishments at all times, which go upon the disobedient wilful children, who revile their parents, and torment and afflict them with their disobedience. How miserably and suddenly did Esau fall before he became aware of such an afflictive accident or thought of it beforehand! And how could he think of it, since he alone in his father's house had both the world and church rule, yes, since he alone is the lord and prince in the house?
For this is the image of the house and servants of Isaac. The old father has given up all the responsibilities of the head of the household and all the rule of the house, as well as the secular and ecclesiastical government. For he is now blind, and the same,
In my opinion, not because of old age, but because of some other accident or temptation, so that this would also come to his tribulation and cross. For he was a holy man whom God loved, and for this reason he was also tested and tempted with so many temptations. Because he could no longer see, he had to refrain from all rule, unless there was something to be admonished or commanded by words. Rebekah is the matron of the house, but has no power or authority in the house; likewise Jacob was also spurned and despised. Esau alone is the master, who has two wives and many children. For Jacob is not blessed until the thirty-seventh year after Esau's marriage, which he kept in the fortieth year of his age, and they are both now seventy-seven years old; but in the mean time Esau hath begotten many children.
Although Rebekah also ruled in part as a housemother, she did so with great difficulty and with great hardship. For the two wives of her son Esau were heathen and godless, who despised their mother-in-law as an old childish woman: and otherwise it is customary that all sons' wives cannot well suffer their mothers-in-law to rule over them. Now these two wives were not strangers, but were at home there in the land, who had taken a strange man in marriage, that is, Esau, who was poor and despised; therefore they set themselves against Rebekah with hope and great contempt.
Thus Rebekah had to live in great fear and highest contempt. As it is said above in 26 Cap. V. 35: "They made both Isaac and Rebekah vain of heart," they grieved and afflicted the good and pious woman. For they were the queens of the house; Esau was a squire, related to those of nobility and other great lords of the land by affinity: Jacob was miserable and like a stranger, expecting every day that he would be cast out and driven away. For Esau intended to make his children his heirs, and to this end his brothers-in-law and his sons would undoubtedly make him their heir.
332 L.VH.S4-". Interpretation of I Moses 27, 41. w. n, 484-486. 333
two wives have also incited. That is why he is quite sure of the regiment and priesthood. For he rules the house instead of the father, as the father's deputy. But the holy mother Rebekah walks in the mud of great waters, and suffers much unrighteousness from her son's wives; for the father was old and bereft of countenance, that he gave up the whole reign.
Dear God, how much did Rebekah suffer in the meantime! How much violence and shame did she endure and eat into herself! That is why she did not keep Jacob without a cause, and also protected him, so that he should obtain the blessing, since Esau ruled in the house with such pride and courtliness, and that the brothers-in-law also rejoiced with such great pride and praised themselves highly, that they, the Hittites, themselves also wanted to rule through this prince Esau. Then, without a doubt, Rebekah anxiously and fervently made her prayer with tears before God, seeing that the honor and glory of the promise was to come to the Gentiles, namely the Hittites. O dear God! she will have cried out that you would prevent and prevent her from taking action.
211 Since the reign was in such a state, and Esau was such a promising prince, but Jacob with his pious holy mother was despised and rejected, Esau did not know and think otherwise than that he would be king according to all divine and human right. And in addition to this, there is the diligence, the favor and the good deed of his father Isaac, which is a confirmation and a sure argument on which he relies, and no longer worries about the fact that he had sold and rejected the firstborn, he is completely sure of everything, just as if he had his seat in heaven and paradise.
But behold, how very soon and unawares the wrath and judgment of God comes upon him. For his father tells him to go out hunting and to bring him a nice meal, since he is to be blessed. Esau will no doubt have had his brothers-in-law and other good friends as companions, who will go with him on the hunt.
Hunting are drawn, and so go out with hounds, and with the hunters who rejoiced with him and wished him happiness, and the servants in the house will also have praised: Tomorrow Isaac will bless our prince and priest Esau. All is joy and gladness.
But what happens? Esau comes home again with great pomp, with great waiting and hope, and brings his father the food he had prepared and prepared for him. Soon the whole thing and all hope, and all joy, fall away, and he himself falls down suddenly, as if thunder and lightning had struck him from heaven. Therefore he had great cause to be angry. For should such great joy be changed so soon and suddenly? Help God, how did he curse his brother so horribly and blaspheme him? How will there have been weeping, terror and lamentation? How distraught will all the servants, his wives and brothers-in-law have become? For he who at six o'clock in the morning was a lord, king and priest, became a servant in the evening. So all of a sudden this great hope fell away from them, which they had never hoped and thought for.
In such a case the flesh cannot be patient. What shall I do now? Esau thought; the shame and disgrace is so great that I can neither tolerate it nor suffer it, because such great dishonor has happened to me, who am king and priest in my father's house; and my brother, who until now has been despised and rejected, is now to be my lord? Then Esau cursed horribly at such an accident; he will have said: Well, the devil strikes in hell and the infernal fire. For the fact that he was suddenly thrown off such a great hope, and that it fell away from him so completely, must have enraged him very much by reason of necessity.
Now you see how this is such a great and horrible misfortune, where one surely sins and does not repent. For the same has given cause to this accident of Esau, who was deprived of all heavenly blessings by the wrath of God: as
330 D. VII, 82-84. interpretation of Genesis 27, 41. w. n. 4SI-4S4. 331
he does not say: You shall obey your parents, shall hear them, but: You shall honor them. He wants the name of the parents to be kept glorious and honest. For God knows well in us the wickedness of original sin, which is so exceedingly powerful that it drives men to kill their parents and to practice atrocious tyranny over their own blood. David has been severely afflicted with this misfortune, and has learned what great pain and fear parents have from the wickedness of their children. For he felt and experienced that his son Absalom was his enemy, who was after his life and limb, as well as eternal prosperity and bliss. But he fell into a terrible curse because he died such a death as he caused with his evil deed.
(206) Therefore I exhort and entreat all the young men to beware of this sin and to be enemies of it, and to accustom their hearts to honor their parents, and to call upon God daily and diligently in their prayers for help. Has this happened in Adam's house and in Abraham's house, between Ishmael and Isaac, in Isaac's house between Jacob and Esau (I will not speak now of many examples of the Gentiles): what do we parents not have to expect and what do you children not have to worry about? For you see that the devil is in our midst. You also see the most grievous examples of the punishments at all times, which go upon the disobedient wilful children, who revile their parents, and torment and afflict them with their disobedience. How miserably and suddenly did Esau fall before he became aware of such an afflictive accident or thought of it beforehand! And how could he think of it, because he alone in his father's house had both the world's and the church's rule, yes, because he alone is the lord and prince in the house?
For this is the image of the house and servants of Isaac. The old father has given up all the duties of the head of the household and all the rule of the house, as well as the secular and ecclesiastical government. For he is now blind, and the same.
In my opinion, not because of old age, but because of some other accident or temptation, so that this would also come to his tribulation and cross. For he was a holy man whom God loved, and because of this he was also tested and tempted with so many temptations. Because he could no longer see, he had to refrain from all rule, unless there was something to be admonished or commanded by words. Rebekah is the matron of the house, but has no power or authority in the house; likewise Jacob was also spurned and despised. Esau alone is the master, who has two wives and many children. For Jacob is not blessed until the thirty-seventh year after Esau's marriage, which he kept in the fortieth year of his age, and they are both now seventy-seven years old; but in the mean time Esau hath begotten many children.
Although Rebekah also ruled in part as a housemother, she did so with great difficulty and with great hardship. For the two wives of her son Esau were heathen and godless, who despised their mother-in-law as an old childish woman: and otherwise it is customary that all sons' wives cannot well suffer their mothers-in-law to rule over them. Now these two wives were not strangers, but were at home there in the land, who had taken a strange man in marriage, that is, Esau, who was poor and despised; therefore they set themselves against Rebekah with hope and great contempt.
Thus Rebekah had to live in great fear and highest contempt. As it is said above in 26 Cap. V. 35, "They made both Isaac and Rebekah vain of heart," they afflicted and afflicted for and for the good pious woman. For they were the queens of the house; Esau was a squire, related to those of nobility and other great lords of the land by affinity: Jacob was miserable and like a stranger, expecting every day that he would be cast out and driven away. For Esau intended to make his children his heirs, and to this end his brothers-in-law and his sons would undoubtedly make him heir.
332 L VH.S4-". Interpretation of I Genesis 27, 41. W. n, 484-486. 333
two wives have also incited. That is why he is quite sure of the regiment and priesthood. For he rules the house instead of the father, as the father's deputy. But the holy mother Rebekah walks in the mud of great waters, and suffers much unrighteousness from her son's wives; for the father was old and bereft of countenance, so that he has given up the whole reign.
Dear God, how much did Rebekah suffer! How much violence and shame did she endure and eat into herself! That is why she did not keep Jacob without a cause, and also protected him, so that he should obtain the blessing, since Esau ruled in the house with such pride and courtliness, and that the brothers-in-law also rejoiced with such great pride and praised themselves highly, that they, the Hittites, themselves also wanted to rule through this prince Esau. Then, without a doubt, Rebekah anxiously and fervently made her prayer with tears before God, seeing that the honor and glory of the promise was to come to the Gentiles, namely the Hittites. O dear God! she will have cried out that you would prevent and prevent her from taking action.
211 Since the regency was in such a state, and Esau was such a promising prince, but Jacob with his pious holy mother was despised and rejected, Esau did not know and think otherwise than that he would be king according to all divine and human right. And in addition to this, there is the diligence, the favor and the good deed of his father Isaac, which is a confirmation and a sure argument on which he relies, and no longer worries about the fact that he had sold and rejected the firstborn, he is completely sure of everything, just as if he had his seat in heaven and paradise.
But behold, how very soon and unawares the wrath and judgment of God comes upon him. For his father tells him to go out hunting and to bring him a nice meal, since he is to be blessed. Esau will no doubt have had his brothers-in-law and other good friends as companions, who will go with him on the hunt.
Hunting are drawn, and so go out with hounds, and with the hunters who rejoiced with him and wished him happiness, and the servants in the house will also have praised: Tomorrow Isaac will bless our prince and priest Esau. All is joy and gladness.
But what happens? Esau comes home again with great pomp, with great waiting and hope, and brings his father the food he had prepared and prepared for him. Soon the whole thing and all hope, and also all joy, falls away, and he himself suddenly falls down, as if thunder and lightning had struck him from heaven. Therefore he had great cause to be angry. For should such great joy be changed so soon and suddenly? Help God, how did he curse his brother so horribly and blaspheme him? How will there have been weeping, terror and lamentation? How distraught will all the servants, his wives and brothers-in-law have become? For he who at six o'clock in the morning was a lord, king and priest, became a servant in the evening. So all of a sudden this great hope fell away from them, which they had never hoped and thought for.
In such a case the flesh cannot be patient. What shall I do now? Esau thought; the shame and disgrace is so great that I can neither tolerate it nor suffer it, because such great dishonor has happened to me, who am king and priest in my father's house; and my brother, who until now has been despised and rejected, is now to be my lord? Then Esau cursed horribly at such an accident; he will have said: Well, the devil strikes in hell and the infernal fire. For the fact that he was suddenly thrown off such a great hope, and that it fell away from him so completely, must have enraged him very much by reason of necessity.
Now you see how this is such a great and horrible misfortune, where one thus surely sins and does not repent properly. For the same has given cause to this accident of Esau, who was deprived of all heavenly blessings by the wrath of God: as
334 L. vn, 8S-88. interpretation of Genesis 27, 41. 42. w. n, 486-491. 335
Lucifer fell from heaven before he had thought about it. For Esau, having lost the blessing as he was then, has also lost his father and mother, as well as his entire inheritance, including the regency and priesthood. That is why he becomes so completely senseless, angry, raging and furious, saying, "The time will soon come when my father will have to suffer. For this is what he said to his brothers-in-law, with whom he had quarreled, and to the servants in the house, who saw that he was quite angry and furious.
In addition, his children have wept and cried out, seeing that they are now deprived of the great hope of which they were all so proud. These have provoked him to such fierce anger, will have said: Will you suffer this, that so many great glorious goods should be taken from you so suddenly? Then he said, "I will certainly not suffer this, but I will destroy their joy. He will no doubt have boasted of these words to his brothers-in-law and two wives, who hurt Rebekah in their eyes because she did not want to see them, which made Esau, who was already mad with great anger, even more heated and provoked him to anger.
217 And so it was in the house of Isaac the holy patriarch at that time; this house was completely confused by the counsel of the Holy Spirit, which Rebekah carried out, namely, that the blessing should be turned from the greater son to the lesser. For a great confusion and noise had to ensue, since the great hope and all the plan that Esau had fallen in a heap and was destroyed; for he already had the priesthood and the dominion in his possession, and did not need to fear that he would be cast out of it.
218 But this is an excellent example of the divine punishment, by which the great prince and regent, who was so extremely hopeful, fell, so that he almost had to despair in a moment, who had promised himself shortly before that he would reign forever.
would. We should diligently imagine the same. For so wicked and evil is the way of all men: while we sin, we are quite safe; but when we feel the wrath and punishment of God, we are poor, miserable and vexed people, as there was great weeping and crying in the house of Esau. There the wives, the children and all the servants wept and cried miserably, but he became despondent and foolish, for the wrath of God is a great and terrible thing, so that he was so heated by it that he would gladly kill his parents and destroy the church.
Seventh Part.
How Rebekah learns about Esau's Norfatz and tries to prevent it, and therefore sends Jacob from his home to Mesopotamia for their friendship.
V.42. Then these words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah; and she sent and told Jacob, her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau doth threaten thee, that he will slay thee.
219 Esau did not keep this threat secretly, but because his children and wives were weeping and his brothers in law were mad with great anger and wrath, he said publicly, "Let us only watch a little; the joy of Jacob and my parents will not last long: I will make them also mourn and suffer with us. When one of the servants, who was a little more pious and faithful than the others, heard these words, he soon ran to Rebekah and told her.
220 And she herself could not think otherwise, but that he would be greatly angered, and that he would also have very good cause to be angry, since he had lived all seventy-seven years in certain hope that he would possess the blessing, and because the father had also assigned and granted it to him with great diligence and special favor; which he has now lost everything. About this it also occurred to Rebekah that she thought that she would have to think about all the-
336 L. vn, 88-s". Interpretation of Genesis 27, 42. w. n, 4si-iss. 337
his misfortune and the dreadful noise in her house was her fault and came from her; although in truth she was not to blame for it, but Esau caused it with his sin, and it all came primarily from the divine answer, in which it was said: "The greater will serve the lesser. Therefore Esau brought this misfortune on himself through his own fault, because he was angry with God and despised Him, and also because he disregarded the glory and honor of the firstborn and sold it for a small amount, namely, for a lentil dish.
(221) Now behold, how much calamity came from this one sin; for according to the divine answer, the sin of Esau is a cause of all this noise. And with these two pieces Rebekah also comforted herself: First, with the divine answer, and then, with the sin of Esau; who, having also come to the knowledge that he had felt the wrath of God, began to be senseless, but not to repent.
If one sins and feels the punishment, and yet does not want to recognize that the punishment comes from God's just judgment, but only wants to be impatient and angry because of the good that one has lost, this does not mean repenting, but raging against God and being angry with Him. As we are doing at present, when we are punished with the Turkish war, with pestilence, with the devil's fury, or otherwise plagued by the devil, we all complain about the great misery and misfortune. But you will not hear anyone who says, "We have sinned, we have done evil, Lord God, have mercy on us, remember your mercy, which endures forever. We do not turn to God, who punishes us; as the prophet Isaiah complains about this in the 9th Cap. V. 13: "The people turn not to him that smiteth them; neither ask they anything of the LORD of hosts."
For this reason, we all cry out and lament the punishment, the cruelty and tyranny of the barbarian enemy, and other misfortunes, so that we are attacked; but we do not let ourselves be sorry for the sin. Therefore our repentance is just one
such repentance as Esau had. Finally we will also have to hear that it is written in the Proverbs of Solomon Cap. 1, 24-28: "Because I call and you refuse; I stretch out my hand, and no one heeds it; and you forsake all my counsel, and do not want my punishment: I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock you when it comes, like a storm that you fear, and your calamity as a weather, when fear and distress come upon you. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer" 2c.
For what is more unjust than that we ask and desire help and salvation from God, and also blessings in bodily and spiritual things, and that we nevertheless still practice idolatry, kill our brothers and parents, and in addition let all kinds of evil lusts take hold and indulge in them? This will certainly not happen without certain and terrible punishment. For such a threat is also written in the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 65, v. 12, 13: "Therefore I called, and ye answered not; but ye did that which was evil in my sight, and ye chose that which was not in my sight. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall hunger; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall thirst. "2c.
But even the godly and innocent people have their tribulations, misfortunes and miseries, and often fall into the common misfortune. For there must always remain some godly ones among so many thousands of people or in such a large crowd. But when they pray, they are not rejected or abandoned, as happens to the wicked, but this happens to them, as St. Peter says in 1 Epist. 4, 17, that judgment begins at the house of God. For it is a certain sign when those who pray and serve God with all their heart suffer, that the destruction of the godless and secure is imminent: and the godly taste only a little of the cup of wrath; but what end will it come to those who do not believe the gospel?
226: Just as in our times, we are also in the
338 D- vn, so-ss. Interpretation of I Genesis 27, 42-15. W. n, lss-tss. 339
The congregation are those who have deserved punishment and destruction, and are now experiencing the judgment of the house of God. For I also bear the common miseries with other men, which are grievous enough; as Daniel, and the rest of the godly, who were in the misery at Babylon, also bore the common punishments: but to tyrants and enemies a far greater and more abominable punishment is pronounced; as God's word in the prophet Jeremiah, in the 49th chapter, v. 12. v. 12. testifies against the Amorites, Judeans and others: "For thus says the Lord: Behold, those who were not guilty of drinking the cup must drink, and you shall go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you also must drink" 2c.
227 But in such affliction and misfortune we must be patient in heart, that we may well receive the judgment and punishment of God; for nothing will harm us who repent, and do not partake of the sins of the wicked, and pray earnestly. But woe to those who have to drink the yeast, for they become more and more angry because of the punishment they have to bear, and they do not recognize the sin they have committed: they cry out and are angry because of the misfortune they suffer, but they are not sorry for the sin. If you cried out because of your sin, God would hear you; but because you hide the sin, excuse it and defend it, I, says the Lord, will not hear your cry when you complain about the punishment. Let this be remembered of the cause of Esau's very sorrowful and sudden fall, that we may understand the causes of punishment, and learn to beware of them; and that in common distress and danger we may always keep hope, and call upon God, that we may not be despondent because of punishment and calamity, and fall unto the wicked.
228Then Rebekah, having received word that Esau was exceedingly wroth, and that he was snuffing out murders against his brother, addressed her son Jacob, saying, "Thy brother doth threaten thee to slay thee," seeking how he may avenge himself on thee; which indeed is a very evil consolation.
Therefore arise and flee to my brother, so that we may not tempt the Lord; retreat for a time from the fierce Esau, so that he may not be given room to pour out his anger. So she mediates between them, and does not yet despair that Esau may again be reconciled; as love is wont to believe and hope all things.
229 After that she also asked that his heart might be satisfied, and will no doubt also have pleaded with the brothers-in-law and wives with kind words and gifts, and sought that they would again reconcile and satisfy Esau, who was so exceedingly angry. In addition, Esau's heart was also approached with kind words and tried to soften, so that he would not rage so much; will have said: Dear son, be content with what your father has given you; you have enough of it, God will give you something else and greater. She used such suggestions and kind words to settle this din; for she was a very cunning and understanding woman, but nevertheless everything was done with godliness and the fear of God.
V.43-45. And now, my son, hear my voice: Arise, and flee to Laban my brother in Haran, and tarry with him a while, until thy brother's anger turn, and until his wrath against thee turn from thee, and forget what thou hast done to him; and I will send for thee, and fetch thee from thence. Why should I be deprived of both of you for one day?
The Hebrew word chemah means a fierce anger, which is like a great heat, Jacham means to heat, to heat up; as the poets use to describe anger: Ignescunt irae, et duris dolor ossibus ardet etc., that is: the anger burns like a fire and the pain burns even in the hard bones. So Esau also became hot from anger. Therefore Rebekah thinks that her son Jacob must flee from him, so that she would not be seen as wanting to put him in danger so lightly, when she would have kept him with her.
- for a heart that is so full of wrath
340 2. vn. SL-St. Interpretation of Genesis 27:43-45. w. n, 496-499. 341
When a man is heated, he is bold to start and commit all kinds of evil deeds; as it is customary to say: Ira furor brevis est etc.: Anger is like a nonsense that occurs and can be committed in a hui. Therefore, one must avoid such nonsense, so that he does not rage against you in anger and cause such damage that could never be healed afterwards. Rebekah has wisely considered and spoken this. We will not tempt God, she says, and say: He who has blessed you will also keep you well; God does what He has planned, but He does it by means. So Rebekah also believes that the church and the blessing will be protected, but she uses the means God has allowed to prevent the danger.
This example should be diligently remembered for the sake of those who want to draw everything to the providence, and thus annul all the works and means that God has ordained. For they say: If this is to happen, it will necessarily have to happen even without my help. Or even if they put themselves in unnecessary danger, they promise themselves protection and protection in such danger; for God will have to protect and preserve them from necessity according to His promise. These are evil and ungodly thoughts. For God wants you to use the means that you can use. He wants you to accept the opportunity that presents itself and use it, because he wants to accomplish through you what he has decreed. For so he would have it that thy father should beget thee, and thy mother nourish thee, when he might well have made thee and nourished thee without parents. So in this common life you should do the necessary work: you should sow, you should plant, you should look for food 2c., after that God will also do what he wants. But if you say: I will not give the child milk to suck; for where it is to live, it will live well without it 2c., then you will be deceived by this and will hardly sin by it. For this is why God gave the breasts to the mother, that she should suckle the child with them. He could indeed feed the child without milk
but he does not want to do so. Therefore, one should use the means prescribed by him.
233 Thus Rebekah has certainly concluded and could take it for that: My son Jacob will not be strangled, nor will the blessing be revoked; yet she does not fail to do what is her duty, but says to Jacob: "Flee to my brother Laban, until the wrath of your brother turns. God could protect you and defend you from him, but you must not give the devil the opportunity or space, but you must cut off his opportunity. You see how now your brother walks about in the house like a senseless man, and if he seized you, he would undoubtedly strangle you; or even if the father would soften his heart, you must not worry less about such danger from his brothers-in-law, wives and children, whom you will not be able to reconcile so easily; and even if Esau would be satisfied, they will still try to harm you, because they know that they are doing a pleasant service to their father Esau. Now that you can flee to my brother and avoid this danger, use this opportunity and this advice; in the meantime we will see to it that we reconcile and satisfy both the brothers-in-law and our son's wives. We want to teach them the divine will and report that God has thus provided and decreed. Go away for a little while. I will do all possible diligence so that their hearts may be softened. I will go to them, talk to them and ask God for mercy.
This is a great wisdom in the very pious holy woman, by which she was able to advise and help herself and her son so finely in the great noise she had caused, and in such great distress and danger; for both the house and the church of Isaac were very violently afflicted and confused, and the hearts, which had been embittered by legitimate pain, could not be softened and reconciled so soon. Rebekah sees this well, and yet does not tempt God, nor does she despair. For
342 L.vn,s^-9". Interpretation of I Genesis 27:43-45. W. II, 4W-SV2. 343
One must do both, namely, not to tempt God in adversity and danger, nor to forsake His help.
This belongs to and serves the teaching and comfort of the church, whose image is held up to us here. For she is always in great danger, and must always expect such misfortune, from which she cannot come according to human reason. And this is her common word and right title, that she says: "Lord, help us, we are perishing", Matth. 6, 25. But she does not perish. She is always driven to and fro by the waves and the impetuousness of the sea, so that before her eyes she sees nothing else but vain destruction, and so that we cry out, "We are perishing," and yet she still has help from God. How Rebekah and Jacob, in such great affliction, also cling to the promise of God and finally bring themselves out and retain the victory.
236 Then we should also learn from this example that we do not immediately fail the people who have sinned, but that we always remember the words of Christ Jn 11:6, 9, so that he would answer his disciples when they wanted to contradict him, that he should not go back to Judea, because shortly before the Jews had wanted to stone him: "Are not the day twelve hours?"That is, the Gentiles can always be pacified and softened by time, so that they drop their wickedness and send themselves to correction: by and by the great wrath and fiery anger pass away.
237 And it is indeed credible that Esau became much lighter in the twelve or more years while Jacob remained in Mesopotamia. And it also happened that he had good luck in time, so that nothing broke off for him; indeed, his ungodly presumption was always increased, that he would no less keep the blessing, since even the opposite happened of that which Jacob's blessing brought. For he was set up to inherit the regiment and the priesthood, but he has little luck in it, for he is driven into misery, and his happiness and his whole life can be seen to be more like a curse than a blessing. Esau, however, remains in possession of the
because Isaac, being deprived of his face, had given himself up the regiment over the servants in the house and over the church. Therefore, Esau remains the master of the house in the absence of his brother Jacob, and still does his usual work, as he has done until now.
238 When the two daughters-in-law and brothers-in-law saw this, they were easily satisfied and thought, "Let the blessed one always go; we will stay in the house, but he must become a fugitive. And this confidence has been greatly increased since Jacob has been absent for so many years. Perhaps, they will have said, the old Isaac has become childish, that he did not know what he had done, will have been deceived by the fool, the Rebekka, thus with trickery. This blessing will not have pleased God. And it is a great sign that he must not be blessed, because he must wander about in misery. We are the wives of the prince and the priest, Isaac's son's wives, to whom the promise was made; therefore we ask nothing of him who has run away. So no doubt they will all have thought what Esau's family was. For where there is good fortune and a false delusion of blessing, people immediately say, "God is gracious to me;" but good fortune and an ungodly delusion make people hopeful and secure. So it may well have happened that Esau, even with his wives and children, was somewhat softened and soothed, since he thought, indeed was quite sure in himself, that Jacob's blessing would be in vain; for Jacob was not protected by a special miracle of God, but God forsook him, had him cast out of the house even by his own mother and father. Therefore, I say, Esau could not have concluded otherwise than that God had cancelled and nullified this blessing.
But we should not think that this happened without severe challenge and very great pain of the parents. Indeed, Rebekah's faith was once again challenged. For it grieved her greatly that Esau in the absence of her son Jacob
344 D. vn, S6-S8. Interpretation of Genesis 27:43-45. W. n. 502-504. 345
The fact is that the former rule has remained in place, although the actions or movements of such devout parents in their hearts cannot be sufficiently interpreted or considered. My faith would truly not be able to bear so much. Rebekah is now a mother of seven and seventy years; for so many years have passed that the divine answer was opened when she still had the twins in her womb: "The greater shall serve the lesser." For these years she waited with great sorrow for the blessing, and Jacob with her, who therefore lived in celibacy without wife and child, as one who was utterly rejected and outcast. Esau also took two wives in the fortieth year of his age, and now has children and children's children; he is lord and prince, and priest in the house. Rebekah has had to suffer and watch all this every day for such a long time, and yet she remains constant, since the two daughters-in-law have also had the reign, both of whom have made her bitter and have plagued the old Isaac and the right housemother. For Rebekah had to hand over to them the keys and the whole regiment. Therefore, see if this is not a good faith and hope of Rebecca, who waited for the blessing with such long-suffering.
240 But how is Isaac? In addition to other trials and plagues, such a misery and cross was imposed on him that was almost unbearable, namely, that he was deprived of his face in old age. At such a ripe old age, the old man has not been able to see the sun and other things, both of which would have been necessary and fun for him to look at. He sometimes hears complaints from Rebekah, his wife, from Jacob, his son, or from the other servants about the hopeful rule and power of the Esauites: he may grieve and complain about it, but he cannot improve it. And from the foregoing may be inferred what must follow hereafter, namely, that Esau his son had become naughty altogether, and that he had more desire for the religion and life of the heathen than for the godliness and doctrine of his father, and that the daughters-in-law, because they were heathen, were also averse to the right doctrine.
and in addition have been very proud and impudent of because of the rule of her husband.
Because of this, the faith of these pious holy parents has been so challenged and exercised that our hearts can neither comprehend it nor reach it with our thoughts; and this has lasted not ten or twenty, but more than a hundred years. Dear God, how great a pity it is that such a great man, whom God so loved that He blessed him and promised him the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven and eternal life, should sit in darkness for so many years, bearing sorrow and suffering all kinds of afflictions: that, I say, God should allow this man to be deprived of his face, and that he should also be martyred and afflicted with so many and great troubles. Why then do we want to grumble and be impatient? Why do we want to be angry with God when some misfortune, harm or accident befalls us?
242 The suffering of the patriarchs is nothing if we compare it to the suffering of Christ, but it moves our hearts more than the suffering of Christ does. For we do not fully recognize and understand the suffering of Christ; nor can we believe that he was such a poor, miserable and despised man, as he was in truth. According to this, everyone thinks that because Christ is true God, he could easily have suffered and overcome everything. But there is no man who could compare himself with Isaac and who could have such patience and constancy in adversity and adversity. Truly the faith of these parents has been well tested and proven, and has been found more precious and pure than gold; and in such faith and hope they have finally obtained what they desired.
- which in the Latin text is: Diebus paucis, and we have translated: "a while" 2c., that reads according to the Hebrew, as if one wanted to say in Latin: diebus unis, in German: one or two days. At the end, Rebekah also adds the reason why she called him away, saying: "Why should I be deprived of both of you?
346 L.VII. SS.SS. Interpretation of I Genesis 27, 43-45. W. n, 504-E. 347
in one day?" For because she was a very wise woman, she saw that if Esau slew his brother, he would be punished in the flesh according to the law, which was given in general from the beginning, as a slayer: that he would be put to death like Cain, or else be put to death by a man, that is, by the authorities.
In this place it can be seen that Rebecca doubted the truth and promise of the divine blessing, because she sends her son away out of fear of his angry brother. For why does she not keep him with her, knowing that he must surely expect God to preserve him?
I answer this as above: Rebekah might well have said: You shall stay with me, you shall not be afraid of your angry brother Esau; for the LORD will take care of you, he will keep you, as the blessing says. But this she does not do. For she wants to teach us with her example that one should believe and hope in God in everything; but one should not tempt God. Faith is very sure and firm because of the word and promise it has, and she could have concluded thus: My son has the blessing away, it may now happen what shall happen; he will not be able to perish, I will let him stay at home. As was said before about the godless and pagan people, who want to put all things on a necessary order and sending of God. But the pious, godly and understanding woman uses the means and help that are available and that God has ordained.
246 As one should not say: I will not eat, I will not drink; if I live, I shall live: but if I do not live, it will not help me, though I eat and drink. Item: I am a man, therefore I will also have to become a father, if I do not take a wife. Who is so minded, who would not think him a foolish man? For thou shalt use the gifts of God that are present, and shalt not put it upon the provision or promise. We shall
Do not argue without a word about how things will turn out or how they will end, but do not doubt the promise. Where there is no promise, one should not start anything, but follow the example of Rebekah, who kept this promise and relied on it: Jacob, my son, shall live; for he shall become a father of descendants. But she does not despise the means at hand; indeed, she uses them so that her son may escape the danger. Yes, this means to believe rightly and yet not to tempt God.
- But where one does not believe the promise of God and tempts God, one thing is like another, and one sins against both with equal difficulty. For God wants us to use the creature that he has given us, and he has given it to us to use it. For this reason, one should not tempt God, as the Jews tempted God in the wilderness and were horribly punished for it; which example is also used by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 10:9. And one should condemn the nonsense of the enthusiasts, which is very harmful, but which is rampant today, as was said before. For such enthusiasts pervert and corrupt the whole of godliness, because they want to put all their eggs in one basket.
248 Rebekah sent Jacob not only to escape the fierce wrath of his brother, but also because she intended to provide the son with a pious wife, as will follow. For she does not think in this way, as the enthusiasts do: "He has the blessing away, whether he stays in the country or not is the same; whether he takes a wife or not, he will still be a father of the seed and will have descendants for and for. Or even if he takes a Canaanite woman as his wife, whom I do not consider worthy of this honor, the Lord will see to it that she becomes a mother worthy of the child. So, I say, she does not think, but she bypasses the Canaanites, whom she has always detested, and deals with them as much as she can and is able before Isaac,
348 " vn. ss-ior. Interpretation of Genesis 27:43-46. W. ii, sv7-sio. 349
that Jacob should take a wife from their lineage.
Therefore, this example of Rebekah should admonish us to do what is right for us in all our affairs and works, that is, to use the proper means in the promise, and then to command God the outcome and the provision. For you have God's word and commandment, and you should know that it is your duty to live according to it, so that you do not stumble. But those who go about outside the promise and create a special outcome for themselves out of the divine promise lose both the commandment and the promise of God. That is to despise God, who gives the commandment and the promise.
(250) So that Rebekah might avoid this great sin and beware of it (for she was a well-trained woman), even though she was already sure of the promise, she still used the means that should have been used, because she was concerned about the outcome. She goes to her husband and tells him where her son should get a wife. Isaac sent his son away, so that he would have the opportunity to beware of the Canaanites and take another wife born of his tribe. But the fact that she promises him that she will send for him and bring Jacob back from there, is not remembered by Moses afterwards, and it seems as if she died within the twenty years that Jacob served Laban; for here Rebekah is remembered for the last time in this entire history.
V.46. And Rebekah said unto Isaac, I am afraid to live before the daughters of Heth. Where Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, who are like the daughters of this land, what shall my life be?
Here you can see how clever and cunning this pious, godly woman has been, for she does not show the father the reason why she wants to send her son away; she does not show him how there is such great unhappiness and grief in the house, namely, that one brother has killed the other.
But with godly cunning she conceals this noise from her husband. But from this we are to take a lesson that outwardly serves the good life, which is truly very good and beautiful, namely, that we learn to be peaceful, and that we interpret what other people have said and done badly with subtlety, faithfulness and sincerity, glossing over it, covering it up, speaking the best of things, not making a thing that is also very bad worse, but excusing and alleviating it; as this thing is, since one brother is after the other's life and limb. Rebekah takes the matter upon herself alone, puts it on her neck, and helps it in such a way that both the attack and the ungodly conduct are prevented, and the good, pious, old Isaac is not distressed in his old age. For if Isaac had known this, he would have been consumed with sadness of heart and would have been killed; for it is plausible, as we have shown above from history, that in so many years he suffered great injustice from his son Esau, who ruled with such great pride. If this great misfortune had occurred, he would have been consumed by the grief and sorrow of his heart.
252 Therefore Rebekah showed him another reason why Jacob should go away, namely, because of the marriage, that she would like that he should not marry in the country with the daughters of Heth, but with another, who would be born of her family. For a godly and faithful man shall have a wholesome tongue, as it is written in the Proverbs of Solomon, 12 Cap. V. 18: "He who goes forth carelessly stabs like a sword, but the tongue of the wise is wholesome." Therefore we should get used to being good mediators in evil matters, following the example of Rebekah, and not do too much harm to the one who has sinned and is guilty, as Rebekah diligently spares her son Esau. She does not want to accuse him before the father, and she also spares her pious husband, who was old and blind, so that she does not mislead him. She would much rather bear this misfortune herself and eat it up.
350vn , loi-ios. Interpretation of Genesis 27, 46. w. ii. sio-sis. 351
If she had been a wicked woman, she would have blown into the fire and poured oil and pitch into it. For this is what people do who are so wicked in nature and so inclined to blaspheme and curse. But the tongue of the righteous is a tongue of life; for he speaks good of God, and uses his tongue to settle disputes and dissensions, to soothe and calm wrath, to lift up and strengthen sorrowful hearts. A beautiful example is given of Monica, the mother of St. Augustine. If there was a quarrel or quarrel among the women in the neighborhood, and she heard that many bad and bitter words were spoken on both sides, she did not spread them out, nor did she bring them from one part to the other, but she concealed them with diligence, and in the meantime invented them and let herself be heard, where she came to the same women of one who hated each other, as the other would have thought of her in honor and in all good. So the one became a little more gentle and meek, of which the other knew nothing at all, that she let all anger and hatred fall from her heart.
254 So also the tongues of godly people should be healing: they should be healing, soothing and merciful tongues, as the preacher says in Latin: Linguae curationis, mitigationis et misericordiae etc.. But a bitter and blasphemous tongue often awakens a great sea and a great fire from a drop and from a spark. Therefore let us flee this vice, and let us follow the example of Rebekah and Monica, that though we hear the worst, we may speak the best and interpret it for the best. Unless it should happen that one should be in danger of life and limb because of the enmity of another against him who does not want to be reconciled, he who is in danger should be warned to beware of the violence or secret cunning of his adversary. As he well did who told Esau to his mother Rebekah, because of this quarrel, that he had undertaken to kill his brother.
strangle: and has been just with it a salutary tongue, because he has drawn out of the way and given way to the hot one, whom danger was imminent.
255 For this reason one should not conceal where one is being secretly pursued so that one wants to strangle him, but one should reveal such a thing. This messenger, who told Rebekah that Jacob would have to go before his brother, should not have said: Esau is well pleased, has no evil in mind, loves his brother, etc.; but he should justly accuse and expose the devil, who at the other court incited and drove his prince to commit the murder. For if he had not reported it, he would have helped the murderer; but because he said it, he prevented and prevented the murder.
This is a doctrine for the outward life, which is usefully spoken of in this place, and which is well to be remembered. For we see both of these things in this example, namely, that the secret revenge and death intended for Jacob are prevented, and that all this is also covered up and kept secret by wonderful wisdom, so that it did not come before the old father that Esau threatened to strangle his brother. And this is indeed a very good reason that Rebekah gives. For Jacob was already set heir, the blessing was bestowed upon him, and the whole church was commanded him. Now it remains, she said to Isaac, to put a stick in his hand so that he can hold on to it, that is, so that he can have a wife around him who will be his helpmate. This is honest and well said, not only that it will be useful and honest for Jacob, but also that it will be necessary. For if he is to use the blessing, he must have a wife. He lived without a wife before, because he was rejected and not in the number, but now Esau is rejected; therefore a wife must be given to Jacob, who has obtained the blessing and will have the whole reign afterward.
With such rhetoric she persuades Isaac to let the son go. For it is an argument, so that she proves that it is necessary to
352 L. vn, 103-108. interpretation of Genesis 27, 46. w. II, 812-818. 353
that her son must go away; which surpasses all other arguments, which are taken from utili et honesto, or from the useful and the decent. As Gellius Metellus very aptly said: Where we want to have citizens, we must also have wives 2c. For the sake of offspring, the married state must be preserved and not abandoned.
258 Yes, one would have said to Rebekah, why don't you trust him with one of the Canaanite virgins? To this she answers and says: I do not like them. And now she uses another rhetoric ab utili et honesto, namely, that she says: She must also pay attention to what is useful and proper for him. I will not have him take such a one as these are our daughters-in-law, the two wives of Esau. My dear Isaac, you have seen how much we have suffered these thirty years from the wives of Esau, how they have trampled me under their feet and despised you, and have kept themselves in the most hopeful, even tyrannical, manner. Therefore, if thou wilt keep me alive, forbid him to take a heathen wife of the daughters of this land, or of other Cananitish women: for they are hostile to us, because they hear that we have the promise of this land: they cannot bear it, and therefore desire to drive us out by force and all manner of wrong.
The Scripture does not mention Laban, her brother, by name, to whom she wanted to send her son Jacob, but Isaac may have asked: Where then shall we take a virgin for our son? Then she answered: Let him go to my brother Laban. Old Isaac followed the same advice, and made everything completely homely for her, so that she did it according to her will. For Rebekah now ruled the house, but with great difficulty and danger, since everything was so confused and bad.
260 Thus, according to this counsel, Jacob is driven into misery. He, who is already blessed and set up as heir, is pushed out of the house and flees from his angry brother. How this is such a beautiful blessing for me and how did the great
promises such a beautiful beginning! For Jacob may have thought: I am made heir, and yet am cast out; and he that is cast out abideth, and hath rule over all in the house: how doth this rhyme with the promise, and with such rich blessing?
Therefore, this is one of the wonderful examples of divine government, so that God may indicate that he demands and desires that one trust in his word and promise, when the opposite of what is understood in the promise occurs, so that we may become accustomed to trusting God in things that are not present and are still far hidden from our eyes. For thus Jacob has the promised blessing, but according to faith, which is a certain confidence of that which one hopes for, and not doubting of that which one does not see. So I believe God, who promises me that he loves me and respects me, that he cares for me and listens to me: and I have this at present, and it is all there, even though it is not seen. Therefore Jacob lives alone in faith, is miserably rejected, must be lonely and poor, and has nothing in his hand or power, but only a stick or staff and a piece of bread in his bag.
This is the beginning of blessing, because what is begun in faith is not yet obtained, but is hoped for. As God has promised us eternal life, He has given us absolution and baptism. I have this grace at present through Christ, but I am waiting for eternal life, which is promised to me in the Word. Those who live by the word are holy and blessed, but the wicked live only by bread and not by the word; therefore they do not believe in eternal life, nor do they wait or hope for it. Jacob has waited for seven and seventy years for the future blessing; now that he has obtained it, he must go into misery, and so he raises his regiment and priesthood with a very great cross, with the greatest misery and extreme poverty. He must leave his kind parents, and the poor parents must also leave their dearest son for such a long time and not have him with them.
354vn . 108-107. interpretation of Genesis 27:46. w. ii, sis-sis. 355
When one only looks at and hears this, he thinks it is an easy and small thing; but in experience one learns how it is such a difficult thing and so full of temptation, where one must leave father and mother, blessing and inheritance, and flee into misery, where there is misery and poverty. For this is the wonderful government of God, which the flesh can by no means endure; for it consists in faith.
This is written for us as an example, that we learn to cling to the invisible God and to be content with the fact that we alone have the comprehensible word of this invisible and incomprehensible God, and that we arrange our lives in such a way that we have nothing from our invisible Creator except His word and the sacraments, as well as our parents and authorities, through whom this life is governed according to the word; and we should wait in hope and long-suffering for the promise. For God will not lie and will not deceive us. It is true that the flesh believes with difficulty, for it has become accustomed to the things that are present, and allows itself to be moved by such things as it feels and sees before its eyes. But the flesh must be crucified and put to death, and must be withdrawn from the things that are felt with the external senses, and must learn that it can live and lead its life according to the things that are not seen and that cannot be comprehended with the external senses. This is the true death of the flesh, which is always carnally minded, and simply wants to be completely and utterly secure, wants to hold only to things that are present and visible: therefore, where it feels the opposite, it is afraid and anxious.
Therefore let this example be set before the people, how Jacob is made king and priest, and how he is ordained to the regiment and priesthood; for this is, first of all, a wretched pomp and manner of anointing and inaugurating a king. No ceremonial robe is put on him, he is not adorned with a royal hat or crown, he is not given a scepter in his hand, but he is equipped with a bag and a staff and is thus driven into misery;
But the blessing remains with his brother Esau, to whom it was by no means due. Finally, however, since Jacob is thus killed by faith in the invisible God, the invisible good also follows and the seed of Jacob possesses the land, and Christ is born from the seed, the eternal king and priest, whose kingdom and priesthood are comprehended in this blessing.
Thus David was also anointed king over Israel, since Saul was deposed and rejected by God, 1 Sam. 16, 1. 13. ff. But contrary to all this, Saul still remains in power as before: he happily settles his affairs at home in peace and outside against the enemies; yes, he still persecutes David quite horribly as a rebel and who secretly seeks the kingdom with cunning, and David must go astray as one who is fugitive and even miserable in the land where he was set and declared king by God. As history testifies, he went astray for ten years, because Saul pursued him daily and secretly pursued him. Do you think this is a kingdom, where one must be a stranger and miserable in his own country for ten years? What could be more strange and unjust than that one should be declared and appointed king without a kingdom, without a scepter, without a certain dwelling place; yes, that he should be deprived not only of the land and kingdom, but also of his own house, wife and children?
But the example of Christ surpasses all this. Has he not become the most despised and unworthy? as the prophet Isaiah Cap. 53, 3 says. Since he wants to go to heaven and enter into his glory, since he wants to overcome death, sin and the devil, he is struck on the cross; he dies and is buried as the most despised of all men and devils. Does this mean going to glory, or overcoming death and triumphing over it? Yes, it means to go into glory. For these are the secret and hidden ways of our Lord God, which must be understood not according to the flesh and the understanding of man, but according to the Scriptures, and how they are written in Christ.
356 vn, 107-109. interpretation of I Moses 27, 46. w. n. 51S-S21. 357
himself understands and interprets, as he says to his disciples Luc. 24, 26.: "Did not Christ have to suffer these things and enter into his glory?"
In the same way Jacob had to spend twenty years in misery and only then become a king and priest. David had to be driven to and fro for ten years, searching for various nooks and crannies where he could lie safely for a night or sometimes even just an hour: is this a king set up and confirmed by God as a kingdom? Yes, so you hear him singing and praising his kingdom in the 63rd Psalm, v. 12: "But the king rejoices in God. He who swears by him will be praised, for the mouths of falsehood will be stopped up," that is, those will rejoice who understand that he is set up and anointed as king by God. But where were they? For all the rule and authority was with Saul, since David did not have a foot of his own in the land.
So we also, who believe the word of God, are the church, have the most certain promise, to which we are called and baptized, by which we are nourished and preserved; we have the sacrament of the altar and the office of the keys; but we are not Christians, and therefore are not baptized to possess this earth, nor are we baptized and born again to this life, but to eternal life. But what also happens to us? Answer: It happens to us in this way, that when the church and congregation of God is to be raised to glory and to the eternal joy for which it waits in word and hope, then it is subjected to much innumerable persecution of tyrants and devils; it is plagued and blasphemed by the false brethren, and the same in many ways that are to be pitied. But does this mean to lead to eternal life? Yes, it really means to lead to eternal misery.
270 But the hearts must be established and strengthened against this way of the cross. For since we have the word and the promise, the glory promised to us will surely follow, and the church lives and is preserved under it.
by faith, which certainly believes that God cannot lie, and learns this wonderful wisdom, which is hidden from the flesh and reason, namely, that God leads His saints miraculously, Psalm 4:4, that He is miraculous in His sanctuary, as the 68th Psalm v. 36. says, and that His counsel is miraculous; therefore also our Lord and King Jesus Christ has the name that He is called "Wonderful", Isa. 9:6.
This belongs to and serves to teach us, if we want to live godly, that we should then live our lives in a different way than the world and the flesh are wont to do. For we must simply cling to the invisible God, and thank God with joy that we have God's word, in which He gives us His promise, of which St. Peter says 2 Epist. 1, 19: "We have a firm prophetic word, and you do well to heed it as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." For the word is the light of our life, otherwise we have nothing of glory. I know that I have been baptized, I know that I have eaten the body of Christ and drunk his blood, that I have been absolved, called and taught the word of the gospel, otherwise I have nothing more of eternal life; I do not yet have a glorified body, which is clearer than the sun and stars, but I have such a heart, which at present is still very much burdened with many great accidents and terrors; I still carry around such a body, which is subject to many weaknesses and death. For this reason, both our bodies and souls see nothing less than eternal life; but we will not lack the promise. Therefore we should cling to faith and hope and remain steadfast, and be satisfied with the word in which we have the promise. After this we have this outward life and fellowship; we have our parents, authorities, preaching ministry, and other outward things necessary to this life, all of which are a preparation and preliminary to the life to come.
272 This is the doctrine, so actually and
358 2. vn. 1W-1U. Interpretation of Gen. 27, 46. cap. 28, 1. 2. w. n, v21-SA. 359
belongs chiefly to the church which the Holy Spirit teaches, unknown to the world and to the flesh, wherein we are taught that we are lords and heirs of eternal life in no other way or form than as Jacob was an heir of the blessing, who, when he had obtained the blessing, went out of the land and out of the house of his father.
Father was sent into misery. For this is the trial which the divine majesty holds with its saints, and this is the faith of the saints, of which we have spoken so far. Now follow such teachings that serve the outward life or good morals and deal with the fruits of faith.
The twenty-eighth chapter.
First part.
How Isaac commands Jacob not to take a wife from the Canaanites; how he blesses him and sends him to Mesopotamia, and how Esau takes advantage of this sending.
I.
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.
The first part of this chapter is not theological: The first chapter is not theological, for it does not contain any examples or spiritual teachings about faith and other spiritual services, although what is dealt with here wants to have and understands both faith and godliness. But there is a doctrine of good morals, namely, of the marriage state; which doctrine should be kept and diligently practiced in the church because of the necessity and dignity of the marriage state. For according to the doctrine of the gospel and of faith, which is actually the right doctrine of the church, the marriage state is to be honored and praised first of all; and this also for the reason that the world and the flesh do not understand what the marriage state is, or how much one should think of it.
(2) It is true that the marriage state is described in common usage in such a way that they say, "The marriage state is where man and woman are joined together and live with each other, so that they may not separate from each other in this life. But this definition or description of the marriage state is not perfect or enough; for it does not yet include the final cause, nor the cause that makes the marriage state. Only the causa materialis, as it is called in the schools, is mentioned in it; for that man and woman are joined together, that is the material. This definition, however, is better and more perfect if one says: "The marriage state is where a man and a woman are joined together in an orderly and divine manner, which is ordained that one should call upon God in the state, and receive and raise children, to administer the church and world government.
(3) Therefore, in the Christian doctrine, in which we teach according to the teaching of the gospel and the faith how to be godly and honest in this life, the marriage state is the first and foremost thing. For it is the beginning and origin of the whole life, and the devil attaches no less importance to it than to the church: The devil does not attribute less importance to this state than to the church, which can be seen because it is such a strange thing about a good and wholesome marriage state, and about the love that husband and wife should have for each other, and also as far as the children and neighbors are concerned. For this estate is covered with thorns and thistles.
360 L. vn, 1U-US. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 1. 2. W. n, 826-528. 361
give. Young people cannot see this at first, when they are driven by blind love and lust to enter into marriage recklessly; but afterwards, when they feel and experience the hardships and all kinds of difficulties, they repent too late and in vain.
(4) Therefore, Christians should be prepared for the matter and live their lives in such a way that they consider that the marriage state is not a frivolous or accidental thing that depends on our discretion and its outcome on chance, but that in the state man and woman are joined together in an orderly and divine way, which is clearly proven by the fact that God created man and woman, and the man is not born alone, nor the woman alone, but both man and woman. Therefore, this joining together has its origin soon in the first birth, and is therefore quite proper and divine.
5 Therefore God did not establish the marriage state for the sake of pleasure and carnal lust, which is not the final cause; but the marriage state has two final causes, for which it is established. The first is that it should be a medicine, that fornication may be increased. The other and most noble cause is that it should be a beginning and origin of the human race, so that children may be born and the human race may spread, or, as the lawyers say, so that the city may become full of citizens. But from the Holy Scriptures, this final cause should also be added, that in the marriage state the children are brought up in the discipline and fear of the Lord, so that they may be sent to the church and world government.
(6) Let the godly diligently remember and retain the main point, namely, that both husband and wife were created by God to be joined together and to live together in wedlock and not to separate. This is to say that it is God's will that man and wife be joined together properly, so that we may have children who will serve the Church and God. If we will keep this firmly in mind, we will also be able to do so much more.
It is easier to bear and overcome all the hardships and troubles that can happen to a husband and wife in this miserable life.
(7) For since man is subject to death and the power of the devil through original sin, the devil does not celebrate by this that he grievously afflicts and deceives the married couple in body and soul. And it is precisely this that disfigures this state so much, and makes it so troublesome, annoying and detestable, that nature is frightened by the state of marriage and flees, not unlike the cross. As the examples and shameful words of the heathen testify. And today you will also hear many of them who diligently seek out all kinds of inconveniences by which they are seduced, so that they cannot decide to marry.
(8) Nor is it our opinion that anyone should be forced into marriage by force and against his own will. For if it is given to you to live chastely and to abstain from marriage without sin, you may well abstain from it if you can do so without sin; but if you cannot abstain from uniting yourself to a woman without sin, consider and use the medicine which God has shown you; and if you do not seek how to beget children, nevertheless seek the remedy for sin, namely, to avoid fornication and adultery, to avoid defilement and shameful lusts. For it is more than enough that we are burdened with all kinds of accidents, sins and death, lest you add one sin to another and increase your own evil conscience with other sins.
(9) Yes, they say, but it is especially a miserable and vexatious state. Answer: There are two kinds of life, one is a life of sin, the other is a life of punishment. But now consider for thyself which is best: that one should live in punishment without sin, or else live in sins without punishment. Reason is so utterly depraved that it cannot bear the punishments of sin with patience; therefore it takes pleasure in things that are lovely, cheerful, and merry, but before the cross and travail of sin, it cannot bear them.
362 2. vn. ur-iis. Interpretation of Genesis 28:1. 2. w. ii, 528-531. 363
It always flees from time. As Socrates was said to have been asked, "Which would be better, to take a wife or not? Whichever of the two you choose, you will regret it. If you take one who is misshapen, you will have a punishment; but if you take a beautiful wife, they will also want to love others 2c. He only looked at the punishment and the abuse.
(10) But let a Christian think in his heart, Despising punishment, and putting away all toil from his eyes, and dare to do it in the name of the Lord. For one must think of the life that is without sin, without impurity, without stain and blemish, so that you may have a good conscience before God; for one should not hope in this life of the kingdom of heaven, of blessedness, or of eternal life; original sin, the weakness of the flesh, and the devil do not permit such things. But if we have to suffer misery and suffering, we should rather suffer it with God than with the devil. For those who flee from the burdens of the married state live a gentle and merry life, they have their harlots, who sometimes let them go and drive them away, and sometimes take them to themselves again, as they please: but what conscience do you think such people have? They must truly have a very bad conscience, and that is the most difficult thing of all, they must also bear the same, yes, even more hardships and burdens, so that they are plagued by the whores in a more unworthy way than by the wives. So they have to bear two kinds of punishment, namely, the common punishment, and they themselves also do the eternal punishment.
(11) Therefore, according to the doctrine that must be practiced primarily in the church, this of the married state should also be taught in the church and always diligently inculcated, so that people may know how to live in this life without sin. According to this, the saints of God should be instructed and admonished to learn to despise the toil and trouble of the married state.
For a husband must keep himself manly not only at night, but also to tolerate the punishments and the will of God, that he may bear and eat into himself the wickedness of the servants, the unkindness of the neighbors, and what other misfortunes may befall him.
(12) Therefore choose for marriage godly men and godly women; as Abraham and the other holy fathers were strong in body, and also had manly courage: others, who fear the burden and burden of marriage, and therefore abstain therefrom, do even as it is said in Proverbs, They go out of the smoke into the fire. For they seek another life than that which is born in sin: but there they find the devil and hell; for they cannot escape the evil desire, the original sin, the sin and death that is in the flesh and in the heart.
Therefore take courage and think that this life is nothing but misery itself. You will overcome this misery, toil and trouble when you look to God, your Creator and Father, to whose will and order you should submit with humility and patience, and thus conclude with yourself and say: I will believe in GOD who created me a man; I will give thanks to Him that I have His word, that it is thus pleasing to Him that I should be a husband, a wife, that I should bring up children and govern the household, that through the Gospel I have the promise of eternal life and comfort in this present life. As Paul says 1 Tim. 4:8: "Godliness is profitable unto all things, and hath promise of this life, and of that which is to come"; and Rom. 15:4: "That which is written aforetime is written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
(14) In this way we should learn to think more highly of marriage and to judge it better than the flesh and the world are wont to do; and we should exhort the young people to suffer and endure with patience when any misfortune or affliction befalls them.
364 L.VH.US-U7. Interpretation of Genesis 28:1. 2. W. n, 531-^34. 365
The people are to become accustomed to prayer. They should become accustomed to prayer and say: "Dear Lord God, I am your creature, created by you as a man, and ordained to this state in which I now find myself, and have fallen into much misfortune and difficulty; but give me grace that I may truly recognize that I am your creature, that you are my Father and Creator, and that I may expect help and protection from you. Such a prayer is necessary for all spouses. For we all experience that in this state the cross and hardship are imposed on us.
15 And if God wished that one day the celibacy or celibate status in the monasteries of the priests and bishops would be abolished, and that they would be allowed or commanded to accept the married status; as our church servants live godly and honestly in the married state: then they would not run after the bishoprics and canonries or prebendaries in such a way and have such a great desire for them. For then the monasteries would not be so powerful and rich. But it is in vain that we wish and desire such things: they are as dumb as oxen and as filthy as dregs.
16 This is what was said in the beginning of this chapter about the marriage state, because Moses tells how Isaac called his son Jacob and spoke to him about how he should start to rule his house and take a wife. And the beginning of this marriage state went according to God's power, order and calling. But what miseries and troubles he will have in the marriage state, we will see in the following chapters. For he has nothing of his own in the whole marriage state, no pleasure or joy, except for the children; otherwise he is a very miserable man, lives in misery, and serves his father-in-law Laban, who deals with him quite unfairly.
(17) Now this is the ordinance and the ordinance of marriage, that God commandeth Jacob by the mouth of his father to take a wife. But the father adds another commandment, saying, He shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but shall take one of the daughters of Laban to wife. The
In addition, this text belongs to the teaching that where one wants to enter into marriage, one should know that the authority and consent of the parents is necessary for this. For we have rejected and condemned secret betrothals and marriages, because now that the bright light of the gospel has come forth again, we know that the marriage state is a holy thing and permitted to everyone, and that it is also a divine order.
(18) It is not a disgrace or dishonor to marry, as we considered dishonest before this time, when the monks led us into error; but it is an honest and holy thing. We know well that this state is horribly distorted by evil desire, for which reason many people have considered it dishonest to desire and marry a virgin. This, I say, they have thought to be a shamefully unclean thing. For the work of childbearing has not been distinguished from other sins, such as fornication and adultery. But now we have learned, and are assured by God's grace, that marriage is honest. As it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 13 Cap. V. 4. it says: "Marriage shall be kept honest among all, and the marriage bed undefiled," 2c., and that it is God's will and appointment that each one have his own spouse, who has been duly joined to him.
(19) Therefore, we have no reason to shy away from this state, or to let shame and discipline frighten us into entering into it secretly and thievishly, and to begin it in the corner against the respectability and the will of our parents. A virgin should not be afraid to go before her parents and ask them to give her a pious, honest young man in marriage; and the parents, praise God, have now also been properly instructed and are willing and inclined to advise and help their children. So now there are also pious, godly priests and regents who, by virtue of the power they have, can persuade the parents not to be harsh and difficult in such a case, but are willing to help their children to honor them.
366 L vn. I17-1IS. Interpretation of Genesis 28:1, 2. w. II. SS4-V3S. 367
20 Therefore, one should beware of secret betrothals and begin this very holy covenant of matrimony for the glory of God and with due reverence for one's parents. The same doctrine is held up to us in this place as a beautiful example. For here the authority and command of the father Isaac precedes, commanding his son not to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, and Jacob is quite willing to obey his father in this. But Esau did the opposite, taking two wives, both daughters of the Hittites, against his parents' will, so that he also angered them severely, so that both Isaac and Rebekah lamented with pain how they were vexed and miserably tormented by the same wives of their son. This was a grave sin and vice.
Now it is because we have more than enough hardships and burdens to bear in marriage, why do we want to burden ourselves with other and more severe misfortunes and the wrath of God because of the sin and contempt of our parents? Let us rather enter into marriage in the name of the Lord, as Jacob did. There will be no lack of troubles and all kinds of miseries. But you will be able to bear the same hardships so much easier if you bring such a conscience into the marriage state that you can say: It has pleased my parents, friends, and guardians or caretakers, as well as God. For you have not entered into the state of relying on your reason or wisdom, putting aside the authority and consent of those whom God would have you honor. Therefore, you are now assured of God's good gracious will and protection. But if you do not do the same, then, in addition to the other common misfortunes, there will also be an evil conscience, which will increase and aggravate all hardships. What is this but to heap up one misfortune on another and make it greater, and thereby to increase the devil's terrible rage against you?
- but we have from this piece dro
In other places, too, they have acted more widely, and it should be diligently inculcated in the people, namely, that secret betrothals and marriages are forbidden not only in imperial laws, but also in the examples and sayings of sacred Scripture, for the sake of the shysters who prefer the pope's decrees to sacred Scripture and imperial laws; and they are ashamed to confess and acknowledge that they once taught an unrighteous thing. Now the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures is a much higher doctrine; and we must recognize that the scholastics have introduced innumerable gross errors into this doctrine of the Holy Scriptures. But the wrong-headed jurists still knowingly and deliberately presume to maintain and defend the obvious error, which is beyond measure an unreasonable thing. For the imperial laws are obviously against it and clearly testify that sons, if they want to take up marriage, must have the consent of their parents. So also the examples of the holy scripture are strictly against it. What does the foolish and shameful pope concern us with his decrees?
023 Isaac forbideth his son that he take no heathen woman to wife, and commandeth him to go to his mother's brother Laban, and there take a wife. He does not force Jacob to take the one who pleases his father, but he does want him to choose an honest virgin whom he himself will love and take as his wife. For the father's command shall go before, but the son shall obey and follow the same. And the father shall not force his son to take one whom he is hostile to; but the love of the bride shall be free, and the father shall not hinder or forbid it, but shall encourage and help it. This is the right order and way to establish marriages. This order is not to be reversed or changed, for "it is enough for every day to have its own trouble," Matt. 6:34, that is, it is enough for the misery and sorrow of the marriage state, which you will have enough of when you come to that state.
368 L. VII. US-I2I. Interpretation of Genesis 28:1-5. W. n. SS7-S3S. 369
- Therefore, be careful, as much as you can and may, not to offend your parents and God, and rather begin this life with the good favor and will of God and your parents, so that you may live and end your whole life, as long as it lasts, if not without punishment and hardship, nevertheless without guilt; if not with joy, nevertheless with innocence of heart, and with a good conscience and God's gracious pleasure. There is enough of the plague and temptation of the flesh, and may God graciously protect and preserve us from the plague and temptation of the spirit.
(25) On the other hand, those who flee from the married state, either under the pretense of sanctity or because they have the power to lead such a free life, are to be admonished to this holy state, so that they do not defile themselves with shameful pleasures, as the tamer monkeys and cardinals are wont to do in their monasteries. If you do not have the gift of living chastely, take a wife in God's name; if you cannot soon become rich, be content with daily food; if you cannot be a king and lord, be a servant and commoner; believe in God and wait for eternal life in this poor and miserable life, which is not eternal but very short. Or even if you were to reach your hundredth year, what is such a short time if you were to compare it with eternity? We Christians know that after this life another and better life will follow, for which we are waiting, for which we should always look. And because in the meantime this body cannot live chastely and chastely, we must tolerate the thorns and thistles in the marriage state according to the occasion of the same state and thus make do with it^ and should rejoice that God has regard for us with grace, protects us and shields us. For it is pleasing to God that you work, that you make yourself sour among the thorns in your married state. Be content with His grace and do not let the burden deter you. Moreover, know how to remember and seek out the great toil, sorrow, and misery that the
holy patriarchs; then you will see how much great tribulation even Jacob alone suffered in the married state.
II.
V.3-5. But God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply, that you may become a multitude of nations; and give you the seed of Abraham, to you and your seed with you, that you may possess the land where you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham. So Isaac made Jacob to go into Mesopotamia to Laban son of Bethuel in Syria, the brother of Rebekah, his mother and Esau's mother.
(26) Isaac gave his son several blessings above (chap. 27, 28, 29); he repeats them in this place, wishing him happiness and salvation. But it is such a blessing (as we also admonished above) that the good in itself is presently delivered and given; as baptism is presently given to me. Forgiveness of sins is given to me; for I do not first hope or wait for the forgiveness of sins, but I have the same presently in faith. I do not believe that Christ will yet suffer for me, but I am certain of this through faith, that he has already suffered for my sin and has been raised for my righteousness. For this reason it is not a mere request or wish; but that I may give you presently, by the power of the keys, forgiveness of sin, God's grace and favor, so that you may consider it certain that you have such a God who is well pleased with you. This I give you as a certain good or inheritance. Thus, the Church has the divine majesty, which is favorable and favorable to her, namely, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; she has Christ and the holy angels, who rejoice with her; she has all creatures that have pleasure and wait for her redemption, as St. Paul says Rom. 8:19.
(27) Therefore, blessing is much different from wishing someone happiness with words, which is nevertheless a wish in this place.
370 L. VII, 121-123. interpretation of I Moses 28, 3-9. W.H, SW-V4S. 371
also is added: "God", he says, "bless you", that is, he wants to multiply you and make you fruitful 2c. Above, the blessing is spoken; here, the prayer is also added.
For it has often been said that there are two kinds of priestly offices, and that they have always been from the beginning of the world. One is to teach, which is done in the pulpit or chair, or also in absolution, in which I give you God's grace, confirmed with the blood of Christ. The other priestly office is to pray for oneself and others, which is usually done after the sermon; for every good sermon should also be followed by a good Our Father. For we must pray for the increase of faith, that we may always grow and increase in blessing, that the devil may not take it from us. Therefore, one must do both, one must teach and one must pray; for these are the two priestly offices, namely, to hear God speak, and to speak with God, who hears us, that one may descend and ascend. Through the blessing, through the preaching and administering of the holy sacraments, God descends to us and speaks to me; then I listen to Him. And again I go up and speak into the ears of God, who hears my prayer.
In this place, one should also note the special name of God, in Hebrew schadai, from the word schad, which is breast. With this name God wants to be called, and rhymes finely with the Greek name polymastos, in Latin mammosus, which has many breasts. He therefore wants to be praised that he feeds and sustains all creatures: he is not only a creator, but also feeds and sustains everything that he has created. Moses also used the same name when God said to Abraham, Gen. 17, 1: "I am the Almighty God" 2c., I make all things fruitful and multiply, that all things live and are nourished.
(30) Therefore Isaac cries out to God, who is not only a Creator but also nourishes and sustains all things, to give his son the promised land. The land is yours, he will say, but you are a sojourner and stranger in it; another has possession of it, even though you claim it as your own.
and is also due to you according to divine right. Therefore Jacob does not possess the land that is his due, which is indeed hard and meager enough. For us it would be a very unpleasant thing if I had my own house and another man lived in it, but I, as a guest, had to buy bread, wine and all other necessities for my money, so that I could feed and clothe the stranger.
(31) Therefore the patriarchs had great faith, as these words of Isaac, which are full of faith, indicate and testify; and they understood without a doubt that the eternal and spiritual promises were included in the physical promises of the land of Canaan. Therefore they hoped for another fatherland, since the temporal goods were promised and yet given to others. Until now, enough has been said about faith and the promise of blessings, as well as about marriage.
V. 6-9. Now when Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him 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 Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and went into Mesopotamia: and when Isaac his father saw that he loved not the daughters of Canaan, he went to Ishmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael the son of Abraham, the sister of Nevajoth, to wife over the wives which he had before.
032 It may be seen that Esau, who before was fierce and wicked, is now somewhat softened, seeing that Jacob his brother is departed from his father's house, and is departed. For he has thus thought: I now have enough, provided I only remain in the house and inheritance; this my blessed brother has departed and left the blessing behind him. And he is of the opinion that it was only an accidental blessing, so that the father blessed him, so that he might have a portion from which he could preserve himself in misery and pilgrimage. And it was very dear and pleasant to him that Jacob did not oppose his parents, but gave them
372 vn, 123. 124. interpretation of I Genesis 28:6-9. W. n. S42-S4S. 373
He had obeyed so easily and had been satisfied with a little and had gone away into misery. Esau thought that he should have urged his father to give him a greater blessing than I have obtained by urging and urging him to stay in the house. But they are good, plain and simple people, both father and mother and also my brother Jacob. The parents send the son into misery: the son obeys them with good will; for he trembles and is afraid of my threatening and of my wrath; therefore he does wisely that he flees from it. For I am the lord and ruler, but Jacob is a servant, as he has always been.
This is truly a fine example of the wicked, who flatter themselves and comfort themselves even with the holy Scriptures, which are highly against them. How again godly and God-fearing men turn back the sayings and words of the Scriptures, which are spoken for their own life and comfort, and understand them as if they were spoken for their destruction. A godly man fears God's wrath, since he should hope for God's grace and mercy; but the godless, on the other hand, draw upon themselves the sayings of God's grace and mercy. As the Papists and Turks also let themselves dream that they alone are God's dear and pleasant children: they let themselves dream that they are sitting in the lap of God the Father. But the examples of punishment and the threats they want to have turned away from themselves, as if they were not concerned with them at all. But we are afraid of them, and think that they are upon us and belong to our destruction, when God does not want to frighten us with them, but to comfort, strengthen and rejoice us.
034 So Esau has seen, and has seen with special delight and favor, that the parents, fearing their angry son, dismiss Jacob and send him away; and nothing better has happened to him. For this reason, he now wants to do good to his father again and to make himself deserving of him, so that he will not be regarded as ungrateful or disobedient to his parents.
sam. For when he hears that his father is not pleased with the heathen wives, the daughters of the Hittites, he thinks, Behold, I will now take one to please my father; and he goes to his uncle Ishmael and takes his father's daughter to wife.
35 But whether the father was pleased with such hypocrisy and trickery, or not, the scripture doth not show. But I do not believe it, for Isaac did not think that the blessing should rest on Esau, but he knew very well that it belonged to Jacob, and he also saw very well that Esau did everything he did only outwardly in pretense and deceitfully or with cunning. This is an excellent and very beautiful example of godless people and hypocrites, who have great fortune in this life and stand in prosperity, have all things to the full: they are gloriously and with great pomp placed and confirmed in their kingdoms and estates of this world, like our papist bishops; but in the end it becomes apparent after what tune.
So far Moses has recently written and described the history of Isaac and Rebekah, in which he recounted very difficult trials and struggles, which they both endured and endured at home and outside with great strong courage in word and faith. For when Isaac received the promise that his seed would be multiplied, he had to live and spend a whole twenty years with the barren woman: and when Rebecca was heard by God, she became pregnant and gave birth to twins not without challenge and danger to her body and life. Afterwards, when they have obtained children, they have to look for a new place or dwelling for the sake of theuration. Then the good Isaac with his children and servants must be a stranger among the Philistines, since Rebekah comes into danger because of her discipline or chastity; and afterwards he must also tolerate and suffer the quarrels and enmity of the shepherds, yes, even of the king himself. But in all this, the holy people are raised up and sustained by the word and the promise. Moreover, the hearts of the king and of the adversaries are again satisfied, so that they are reconciled to him in every way.
374 D. vn. 125-128. interpretation of 1 Most 28, 6-10. w. n, 54S-S4S. 375
37 Finally, when they were rid of the outward affliction, the cross of the house came upon them, because of the wickedness and disobedience of their son Esau and his two wives, of whom we have heard that they grievously vexed and afflicted the aged parents. And Rebekah was especially grieved because of the worry that the firstborn and the blessing on Esau would be turned against the mind of the divine answer, which the father himself had dealt with and which Esau had also presumed with great hope. But there shines forth a wonderful and divine power of the word in the promise; which word had to stand firm and steadfast, since even Isaac himself opposed it out of error. Because of this, he was deceived and deceived by the cunning and trickery of Rebecca, who held fast to the right understanding of the promise, so that he unthinkingly and ignorantly gave the blessing to Jacob, to whom it was due; but Esau lost the blessing and was punished according to his merit, because of his ungodly nature and because he had previously despised the firstborn.
(38) That these examples of the wonderful struggles and sorrows and miseries, of which the whole life of this patriarch is full, may be had in the church is useful and good, so that the hearts of godly people may be awakened by them, that they may also have such patience and such hope and faith, and learn to call upon God in their temptation and distress.
39 Now follows the history of the patriarch Jacob. To him we want to assign the fifth part of this first book of Moses. For after he has received the blessing from his father and heard his advice and admonition about what kind of wife he should take, Isaac and Rebecca will no longer be remembered until the thirty-fifth chapter, when Moses will tell how Isaac was old and tired of life, and so died and was gathered to his people. But although Esau now has the reign in the church and in the house of Isaac, and his brother, who had to become a fugitive, is hostile to him, he will not be remembered until the thirty-fifth chapter.
Nevertheless, for the sake of the promise and the blessing, Jacob alone is the right patriarch or archfather, and that I may thus call it, he is the light of the world, since the others all died and his father was no longer fit to rule the church because of his age. Therefore, let us see how God also wonderfully led and tempted this patriarch through great danger and hardship, in which he will experience that God is present with him and protects him, no differently than Abraham and Isaac also experienced such, and overcame all misfortune, sorrow and tribulation with strong faith in the promise of God and retained the victory.
Second part.
How Jacob starts his pilgrimage and wandering to Mesopotamia and has to spend the night in the open country.
V. 10. Jacob went out from Beer-saba and traveled to Haran.
(40) In this text, the first part is very good, and is worthy of diligent study. For it contains a manifold and rich teaching, which is richer than we could reach with our interpretation. For Jacob goes into misery, and must flee from the fierce anger of his brother, and leave the brother's murderer the blessing that is due him. Although he is satisfied with it, because the owner of the blessing flees and lets him remain in full possession of the inheritance for so many years.
This is a foolish and inconsistent thing in the divine government before our eyes, that the heir, who is to become the right cornerstone, is rejected by the builders. He was ordained to be lord of the house, and is commanded by God to have the rule in the house and in the church. But this does not mean to own a house or to rule the servants and the church, where one flees from these! all and must leave the same everything. Therefore reason concludes that there are
376 D. vn, 128. IN. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 10. W. **II. 549-552.** 377
mere and vain words in the divine promise, because the good that is promised does not follow soon with the deed, but is even led to the opposite.
42 Now this belongs to our doctrine. For the Scriptures are not like philosophy, which looks on things as they are, and is puffed up and proud by happiness; but when happiness ceases, it becomes despondent. And this is the argument of reason and all epicureans, namely, that GOD is regarded as a liar because He pretends such gracious promises and good words, yet gives such evil things. He gives Jacob the blessing and lets it be taken away from him again: on the other hand, the cursed Esau remains in the house with his children, wives and the whole friendship and rules everything; as he is also the father of the house and priest in the church before. Jacob goes into misery and leaves his blessing. Yes, this is the government of divine things.
The cornerstone must be rejected, so that we may learn to distinguish between divine and human government, and that Jacob's blessing is not lost, but that it is only a temptation, whether he will hold fast to it with faith and wait for it. For Abraham was also commanded to sacrifice his son, Gen 22:2, as if he would lose him, but soon he would receive him again with great glory and fruit, Gen 22:12. It was the same with David: when he was anointed king, 1 Sam 16:13.He is a servant of other servants, a king only by name and by the empty words he heard from Samuel, but he still perseveres and remains steadfast in faith, waiting until he has such a rich outcome as promised.
44 This, then, is the constant course in the church at all times, namely, that God makes promises and then deals with those who believe the promise in such a way that they wait for the invisible, and what they do not see, they believe, and must also hope for what is not seen. Whoever does not do this is not a Christian. For Christ himself is thus in
His glory is gone, that he first descended into hell; since he will reign, he is first crucified; since he is to be exalted to glory, he is first bespeaked: for one must first suffer, and after that come to glory.
45 But God does this so that He may try or test our hearts as to whether we will also forfeit the promised goods for a time. We will not be deprived of them forever, that is certain; and if God did not try us and forgive us for what He has promised, we would not be able to love Him with all our hearts. For if he would immediately give us all that he has promised us, we would not believe, but would even be drowned in the present goods and forget about God. For this reason he allows the church to be challenged and afflicted, to suffer sorrow and poverty, so that it learns that it must live not only on bread but also on the word, Deut. 8:3, and that faith and hope are increased in the godly and that they always wait for divine help, for the word is our life and blessedness. And if it can be said and believed in this life of the children of Adam that it is commonly said: Quod differtur, non aufertur: Postponed is not canceled, why should we Christians not also keep and believe the same?
(46) It is indeed very difficult and distressing to hold on to this help and comfort; as Solomon says in his Proverbs, chapter 13, v. 12: "Hope is consuming the heart. V. 12: "The hope that is consumed anguishes the heart," but the good that is promised comforts and sustains the heart. Therefore one must diligently prepare and strengthen oneself against the impatience of the flesh, which in such waiting contends against faith and the Spirit; as the same murmuring of the flesh is described in the examples of the two wives, Tobias and Job. For thus says the wife of Tobias in 2 Cap. V. 22: "Then it is seen that your trust is nothing, and your alms are lost." And the wife of Job also said to him Cap. 2, 9: "Do you still hold fast to your piety? Yes, bless GOD and die" 2c. And his friends also told him the same thing.
378 L vn. Interpretation of Genesis 28:10. W. n, ssL-sss. 379
and reproached: Where is now your faith? Job 4, 6. If God were pleased with you, He would not let you be afflicted like this 2c. These are the fiery darts of the devil, Eph. 6, 16, that he may tempt us to despair and fall away from God.
47 But against this we must hold the consolation which we have now often repeated, namely, that we can say: It is a delay and not a loss; so we are killed, yet not spoiled, but edified and improved. The blessing is delayed, but wait and remain steadfast in faith, and do not sing what is written in the 115th Psalm, v. 2: "Why should the heathen say, 'Where is their God now? Wait upon GOD; for I shall yet give thanks unto Him" 2c. It will yet be well. For David argues against himself, saying, "My soul, thou art troubled within me," because that which thou wouldest have is not present; yet wait and be content, for God and His word is present with us.
(48) Now if carnal men can comfort and uphold themselves with this common saying, Quod differtur, non aufertur: Postponed is not canceled, why should we not do the same? And the government is full of such examples even in secular matters. For it often happens that some prince promises by letter and seal that he will give a field, castle or the like to someone: such things are not given as soon as, but one must wait for the opportunity, for the place, person and time. How much more should we wait for the goods that God has promised, who is not vain, nor able to lie, but surely keeps and does what he has promised, as Jacob firmly believed his promise, and yet has patience, since it is thus delayed. He knows that he has become a lord over the church and over the whole earth; for the blessing has come from the house of Abraham to the house of Jacob: and yet he still moves into the
Misery, and dwells with those who are idolatrous.
(49) With such examples we are surrounded as with a cloud; for the whole church and every Christian, yes, Christ our Lord Himself, bears and tolerates this will and government of God: which government is that He tempts His own, yet does not condemn them; that He forgives with His promises, yet does not annul them. This is therefore the Christian's own doctrine, which hangs on the word, and certainly concludes that God will truly give what He has promised. But this miraculous government cannot be tolerated by the devil and the flesh. It is much easier for us to tolerate and endure that which is promised to us is delayed by man than that which is promised to us by God, because original sin is in our way and prevents us from suffering in divine matters what is not so difficult to suffer in human matters.
(50) Is it not a great shame that, since we have such a certain and strong promise of eternal life and blessing, we still doubt God's will, or have a very weak faith? I have been baptized and have the hope of eternal life, and yet I cannot believe as firmly as if some prince promised me a manor and confirmed his promise with a letter and seal.
(51) All the more praise is due to the strong and chivalrous faith of this patriarch of ours, Jacob. For since he wants to accept the rule in the house, which he has by divine appointment and blessing, he flees from it and leaves Esau, his adversary and enemy, sitting in the regiment and inheritance: he uses and enjoys everything that belongs to Jacob. His faith, however, will not allow itself to be challenged, so that he will waver or fall away, even though it may seem that the blessing is in vain and nothing.
52 Although I do not doubt it, indeed, I like to think that these holy patriarchs were human beings and had flesh and blood, just as we do. For where Peter, Paul and the other apostles had flesh and blood
380 L. VII, 131-133. interpretation of I Genesis 28, 10. W. n, 55S-SS7. 381
These saints will also have felt and suffered something human, because flesh and blood fight against the spirit. Therefore there is no doubt that Jacob also felt at times that he doubted and was challenged as to whether the blessing would be in vain or lasting and certain, for his flesh was truly flesh and the devil was his enemy. Therefore he not only felt outward temptation, because he had to go into misery and was driven out of his own house and inheritance, but also inward temptation, which was much heavier and higher, because he thought: How if your mother had betrayed you? For you see that your brother remains in possession, keeps the inheritance and uses the blessing. What if God had taken other counsel? For Esau has the property, I have nothing but mere and vain words. And for the sake of these two challenges, God will comfort him with a new word.
(53) Let us therefore learn patience from the examples of the fathers, which fathers were tempted in all places, but not without sin; of which Christ alone was free. Jacob was not tempted without sin; he was not Christ himself, nor did he have such a flesh as was without sin; and he was challenged and tempted as an example to us, that we might learn what faith is, and what a Christian life is. For this is such a life, which has a certain promise, which is not only distorted, but even turns into the opposite. Jacob is supposed to be king and priest according to divine order, but something far different happens from what he was promised. He must have thought: Nothing will ever come of it; it will not turn out as promised.
(54) But faith contended against the flesh, saying, Thou flesh and Satan lie: for God hath said and promised, He will not lie; let the contrary be done, or I perish in the midst of it. So faith has said, and out of darkness the light shall shine forth.
(55) Therefore faith is not a ridiculous and cold quality or skill that is lazy, drowsy, and idle in the heart, but is driven about and afflicted with grievous temptations, namely, that the divine promises are nothing and vain. For I believe in Christ, whom I do not see; but I have his baptism, the sacrament of the altar, the consolation of words, and absolution. Yes, but I do not see any of the things that he promises me, and I still feel the opposite in my flesh? Therefore, there we must fight against unbelief and doubt.
But faith, which the scholastics call fides informis (the dead faith of the head and mouth), is no good at all, and cannot bear and suffer the hard blows and severe temptations. But true and living faith, which overcomes doubt, is a really living quality, if it can still be called such, and is such a good in our hearts that cannot rest, which the devil challenges and fights against every moment. How one learns and feels this especially in the last moments, when death comes, whether it is fides informis, as they called it, or a true and living faith. For a Christian dies, is buried, is eaten by worms, in short, he becomes nothing; which is truly contrary to all divine promises. But what should he do now? He first learns that faith is not a mere quality, since it overcomes the terror of death, and says: "Even if you should carry not only death, but also a thousand devils and hell itself on your neck, I will not make God a liar. For this is how godly people are in their hearts when the last days come, that they have to fight with death: And even if hell pours out all its flames of fire and spews out all misfortune upon me, yet I remain in faith, saying, I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God; dear Lord God, help me through Christ, that this blasphemy may not spring up in me, that I should say to you, you
382 vn, I33-13S. Interpretation of Genesis 38, 10. W. n, S57-IM. 383
I feel and sense the opposite, but I have your word, which I cannot lack, yes, that is everything to me in everything.
(57) In this way the Scriptures praise the fathers, and set before us examples of their faith, which are bright and clear, and there is no other doctrine in the world, except the Scriptures, which teach that faith alone overcomes the world; which faith is to have the word in the heart, and not to doubt the word, but to suffer the contrary, that we lose not, and not be weary, until the end, that is, until the promise come. Job stood firm when his wife blasphemed him; for he answered her thus Cap. 2:10: "Thou speakest as foolish women speak: have we received good from GOD; and shall we not receive evil also?" If we have had life, if we have eaten and drunk, if God has fed and sustained us, why should we not also bear some misfortune and adversity? Tobias' wife also fell, Tob. 2:22 But David held fast and remained steadfast for a whole ten years, when he was a king without a crown, without a land, and without a people, even when he was declared and proclaimed by the Saulites to be the king's enemy and a rebel. But after that, when Absalom chased him out of the country, he said only this, 2 Sam. 15:25, 26: "If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, he will take me again. "2c. "But if he say thus: I have no desire for thee: behold, here am I, and he will do with me as it shall please him." Yes, this means to hold firmly to the promise: "Man does not live on bread alone" 2c. Deut. 8:3. This is what is said about faith and promises, both of which must often be repeated in this place and in other places and diligently impressed upon the people, since the flesh always resists.
(58) Here also arises a question: Why the pious holy parents, Isaac and Rebekah, sent their son to the idolatrous people? For we will hear later that Laban had silver idols 2c. Because of this, they are obviously sending their son to the idols.
in danger, and it can be seen that they are thus tempting God. For if I put myself in certain obvious danger, then it may be said of me that I am tempting God. But how can faith exist, since they are tempting God? By which temptation they put their son in danger of idolatry and other very evil examples; since Laban not only served silver idols, but was also stingy, shamefully meager, and otherwise full of other vices, as we shall see hereafter. Because of this, Jacob was corrupted and deceived in his dealings with him: he was, I say, tainted with many sins and infirmities contrary to faith and good morals.
59 Answer: Where should he go? He had to take a wife, he had to send himself to rule in the house and in the church. The Canaanite women were idolatrous and had no word of God; but there, in the house of Nahor, there was still some knowledge of godliness left. For the line or tribe of the fathers from Noah to Abraham, in which Nahor, the brother of Abraham, is also counted, had the Word. For though the church came to the house of Abraham, yet in the lineage of Nahor also the word remained, and that they were zealous for true godliness. The Scriptures do not remember the patriarch Lot anymore; but Nahor had a lineage or descendants, in which lineage Job was born, who was from the land of Uz, Job 1:1. Some say that he came from Edom; but Jerome and the others reckon that he originated from Nahor, Abraham's brother. Therefore Job is Isaac's cousin, because he was born of the family of Nahor. They say that Balaam was also born of the same lineage, who at first was a pious holy man and a godly priest, but afterward was corrupted and deceived by the gift of the king of Moab, so that he fell. And they want Balaam to be the one who is called Elihu in the history of Job. But we leave all this in doubt and consider it uncertain.
384 L. vn, IW-IL7. Interpretation of I Genesis 28, 10. W. n. seo-5K3. 385
Things. But this does not rhyme with evil, that this line and lineage of the patriarchs kept the knowledge of God also outside the church of Abraham and thus remained with the pure and right religion. Thus, the first answer to this question may be,
(60) After this, although the confession of pure sound doctrine is kept, hypocrites are always among them, and true godly men must suffer in their congregation those who serve mammon or are otherwise inclined to other sins, and yet are one with the godly in doctrine and in the use of the holy sacraments. They are Christians according to your name; for they do not dispute against the doctrine, nor do they persecute it, but have their carnal wisdom, and are commonly vassals. If we were to avoid them all and live only with godly people who are not hypocrites, we would have to leave the world, as Paul says.
(61) The church cannot prevent or ward off that there should not be hypocrites, that is, false brethren, in her assembly, provided they do not dispute against the doctrine and do not condemn us, as the Babylonians were in the time of Abraham: if only they let us live with them and teach the truth. Let them be mammon servants after all, let them have their own opinion, provided they only remain quiet and keep the faith and common peace. If they are real enemies, they will come out that they either will not want to suffer us anymore or that we will not be able to live with them anymore. We cannot prevent such hypocrites, and there is still hope that one day they will mend their ways. Whoever is stingy or otherwise inclined to other sins, and feels his sin and does not defend it, we want to have hope for him that he can still become pious. It is therefore a foolishness or weakness of this life and of human nature, and we cannot be perfect in all things; for according to the flesh we do not do that which the Spirit would have us do. And for this very reason we pray in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our debts", Matth. 6, 12. We do not defend sin, we teach it.
no error or false opinions instead of the right doctrine. But every Christian is plagued by the devil and his own flesh and recognizes his wickedness and corrupt nature; as St. Paul himself also complains about this to the Romans Cap. 7, 19, where he says: "The evil that I do not want, that I do" 2c.
62 Thus Nahor kept the promise made to the fathers, though not so pure as Abraham, who was set apart from the rest to be a father of the church. But he still had a light. Therefore Jacob could not find a better place to go, and had to follow the common saying, "Where there are no horses, you must plow with oxen. For we are human beings; so we must also suffer other people around us, who, even if they sin, can also be admonished and punished. Therefore it is not called tempting God, where one deals with such people, as Laban was one, with whom Jacob lived. For there will undoubtedly have been saved many from the family of Nahor, who were like a light among the other Gentiles with their teachings and that they spread the right knowledge of God; as Job was an excellent man, and so were his friends; and Balaam was a very excellent prophet and first of all quite godly, and had special gifts of the spirit. He truly and rightly blessed the people of Israel in the beginning, but afterward the devil deceived and corrupted him. For it may well happen that the pure and sound doctrine remains, when those are deceived who were pure before.
(63) Therefore, in the world we cannot avoid the fellowship of even those who are obviously ungodly, according to their outward conduct. The church could not avoid the tyranny of the Romans; Abraham could not avoid Ur in Chaldea. But if I know of any miser, and he seemeth to wrong other men, let so much be done that he be not admitted into the church, nor to communion: from this he may and shall be excluded.
386 L. vn, 137-IW. Interpretation of Genesis 38, 10. 11. W.H,SKL-VSS. Z87
64 So then, to the question, Why did Isaac and Rebekah send their son Jacob to Haran? answer, Because the people of the place agreed with them in part concerning doctrine, though they had their infirmities. And there has been for ever a constant friendship between Nahor and Abraham and their descendants. They were at that time as lights in the same world, with whom also was the promise and the word, and not with the Chaldeans. But where the word and the ministry is, there is also the church; and again, where the true church is, there is also the word.
65 Now let us consider the words and the grammar. For this has been said with great emotion and indication of great sadness, that Jacob, who was set up as lord and heir, departs from Beer-saba and travels far to Haran. But every man may judge for himself how greatly this pious and holy patriarch was afflicted. For he will undoubtedly have made this long journey with many tears and frequent heartfelt sighs. For he is secretly going away to hide himself from the fierce anger of his brother Esau, so that he will not follow him and attack him on the way and do him violence. Therefore he travels alone, has no servant or companion with him, nor anyone to guide him. It was truly a great pity that he had to go into misery and darkness, to leave his father and mother, to leave the friendly community of his parents, and to allow his angry brother and his wives to rule his house in his absence while he was in foreign lands. And Jacob was a man and had human affections and inclinations no differently than we do. Yes, the more spiritual he was, the more the wickedness of wicked men moved him and tormented his heart, as well as his own sin and sorrow. For holy men are very tender, and are moved more and more violently than the coarse blocks and sticks, the monks and saints of works.
Therefore, this is such a journey,
It was not a merry walk, nor did he rest, nor did he walk slowly, as those who are carefree and sure that no one will secretly stalk them. It was not a pleasant walk, nor did he rest, nor did he go slowly, as those who are carefree and sure that no one will secretly pursue them are wont to do; but he hurried, ran, and his parents did not give him a companion, so that he might the more easily conceal his departure from his brother. For he might have lost Jacob's way, and as he had intended, have strangled him. But Moses here used the figure called hysteron pro- teron; for Jacob fled sooner than Esau learned that he had fled.
67 Finally, to this great distress he had in his heart, the devil came with his fiery arrows to stir him up, so that he thought, "Behold, what have I done? I have taken away my brother's blessing, I have made the house troubled, I have angered my brother and his family and sisters-in-law. There is no doubt that Jacob did not lack this challenge. And though he overcame such temptations, yet they greatly distressed and anguished his heart. In such sadness, terror, sorrow and tears the holy patriarch always went away. For all circumstances are such that they have not without reason pressed tears from his eyes.
68 Haran is the city to which Tarah, Abraham's father, went from Ur in Chaldea and where he lived, and therefore Abraham was called to the land of Canaan. But Nahor, Abraham's brother, and his descendants remained there. Jerome says that this city was called Charran, and was situated in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and the Euphrates, in which place the Romans suffered a great defeat under Craffus, who was their captain against the Parthians, who took the eagles and their ensigns from the Romans and miserably strangled Crassus himself.
V. 11. and came to a place where he stayed overnight, for the sun had gone down. And
388 2. vn. I3S-14I. Interpretation of Genesis 28, II. w. II, S6S-86S. 389
He took a stone from the place and put it at his head and lay down to sleep in the same place.
69 Moses used a special word in Hebrew, namely paga, which cannot be interpreted into German. For it reads as if we say: he just met, encountered. The Hebrew word also means as much as. To represent or plead for one; as above Cap. 23, v. 8, 9, where Abraham says to the children of Heth, "Ask for me against Ephron, that he may sell me the field" 2c. Therefore, it does not actually mean to come, but means he meets a place, he meets a place. Hence it is applied to intercession, so that he who asks for one is wont to meet the one whom he is to propitiate. We say in German: He came approximately to the place. Therefore it is just as much as if Moses wanted to say: Jacob was distressed and even lost, and had not thought of resting in that place; but it came about that way. But he thought much less that he would have a vision appear to him in the night; but because he was fleeing, he either wanted to go farther, or to stay near that place; he did not intend to stay there the night, but it came to pass, because he thought nothing less than that he would stay there the night and see the vision; but because the sun had set before he had taken heed, he must stay there.
(Seventy) Now Moses is saying that Jacob was frightened and distressed because of his danger, and how his parents, whom he had to leave, were doing, whether they were still healthy and alive; and that he hastened in such distress that he might soon come to the place he was longing for, and that he remained in that place, because the night overtook him. But those who are tired from sadness, from flight, from distress, because the body is also tired, easily become drowsy and gently fall asleep; as Christ found his disciples sleeping in the garden from great sadness. Others can sometimes fall asleep from sadness.
not sleep at all: but this our patriarch has fallen asleep, having been tired with worries and also with the journey.
(71) What kind of bed or bedding did he have there? Answer: He lies on the ground, and puts a stone under his head, which he found in that place, that is his main poison. It can be seen that he could not have trusted in any town or village where he could have been safe, for he was suspicious of all men. Therefore he stayed the night in the field, in a desolate and dark place, since the sun had set. He had neither hay nor straw to put under him; as the disciples in the garden had neither feathers nor potatoes: but as each one fell from the earth, so he rested, lying or sitting, and slept no less sweetly and gently than if he had had a pillow of feathers or hay to lie under him. In the same way the patriarch Jacob also rested in the wilderness, because he was in great danger and had great pain, so that he had to become a fugitive and thus let himself be torn away from his dear parents. For the temptations are very great and heavy; and when the heart is distressed and weighed down by such temptations, it needs rest, that it may recover a little, and that the pain may be relieved.
The Hebrew word meraashah means to put under the head and is a word that takes its name from the head. The Jews say (as Lyra tells) that Jacob put three stones under the head, and when he awoke, the three stones were said to have become One. Because at this: Moses puts the word in the plural, as if the stones were more than one; but afterwards he puts it in the singular, as if it were only one stone. Whether the Jews have the same from the fathers or not, I cannot know. It would be a fine thought if it had come from the fathers. For it would appear as if he had wanted to leave behind some signs of the future faith in Christ. But the Jews do not understand Jacob's dream that follows.
390 L. vn, 141-143. interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. W. n, "s-572. 391
Third part.
About the dream Jacob had and the sermon that was preached to him in this dream.
V. 12-14. And he dreamed, and, behold, a ladder stood upon the earth, and the top thereof touched heaven; and, behold, the angels of God ascended and descended thereon; and the LORD stood upon the top thereof, and said: I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and of Isaac: the land where thou liest I will give thee and thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth.
This is a very beautiful sermon and a fine gem in this whole history, which should be looked at carefully and diligently, as we have often said that in the legends or histories of the fathers and saints, one should look primarily at the fact that God speaks to them; for which reason they are also holy and are called holy.
For there are two kinds of holiness: the first is that we are sanctified in the word. The other is that we are sanctified by works and life. But these two kinds of holiness must be distinguished with great diligence. For the first and purest holiness is the Word, in which there is no blemish, no spot, no sin, but it is so completely holy that no one needs forgiveness of sins from it; for it is the truth of God, as Christ says John 17:17: "Sanctify them in thy truth: thy word is truth." The same holiness we boast of, who are called by the word, and the same is outside of us and is not our work. It is not an essential righteousness, but a heavenly holiness, which has been communicated to us through the word, and the same through the oral word. This righteousness we now extol, and set it against all the righteousness and holiness of the pope, and of all hypocrites or worksaints; for it is an undefiled holiness. I have the word, I am holy, pious and pure, without all sin and accusation, provided I have the word; as Christ himself says John 15:3:
"You are now clean because of the word that I have spoken to you."
But the pope knows nothing of this holiness, and all works saints despise it and cling only to the righteousness of the law. They do not want to ascend to the heavenly holiness, through which we are pleasing to God and righteous before Him for the sake of His word. Therefore, the legends of the holy patriarchs should be noticed especially in the part when God speaks to them. For from the Word you can see how great the saints are, even though they would never perform miraculous signs, although this is impossible. But before the flesh does anything, we are already holy through the Word. Therefore I conclude: The word is not my work, therefore if I boast of my work, I lose the word; but again, if I boast of the word, my work perishes.
No one can persuade the papists, who always come along with the old fiddle and say: Ratio deprecatur ad optima: Reason always strives for the best. But we should know that there are two kinds of holiness: one is the word, which is holiness itself. But those who have the word have this holiness imputed to them, and the person is simply counted holy; not for our sake, or because of our works, but for the word's sake; and so the whole person is justified. Therefore the church is called holy, and we also are called holy; for we have an unblameable holiness, not of ourselves, but from heaven. And this holiness is not to be despised, and we should not be ashamed of being called holy. For if we do not boast of this holiness, we do violence and injustice to the right true God, who sanctifies us with his word. Yes, you say, but I am a poor sinner. Answer: I know well, says God, that you are a sinner, and if you were not, I would not sanctify you; neither do you need the word. But because you are a sinner, I sanctify you.
The other holiness is a holiness of works, which is love that does what is pleasing to God. God does not speak alone, but
392L- vn. 14L-14S. Interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. W. n, S72-S7S. 393
I also take care that I may follow and obey God who speaks to me. But because weakness still clings to us, this righteousness is not pure, but the Lord's Prayer must rule and do the best, and one must pray: "May your name be sanctified", Matth. 6, 9. The same belongs to our and the works holiness, which is essential holiness and belongs to the holiness of the Ten Commandments and to the Lord's Prayer. But the first holiness belongs in the Creed, in the articles of faith. For with the Ten Commandments I do not lay hold of the promise of the Word, nor with the Lord's Prayer; but with it I lay hold of my love and my works: but with faith I lay hold of the Word, that is, of purity itself.
(78) Of these things it is impossible to say enough; it is impossible to impress them upon men enough; and yet there is a slight difference, namely, between the commandment and the promise. It is another word that without love and without my righteousness makes the believer righteous; and is another when I take hold of the commandments of God, that I steal not, neither commit adultery 2c. But the papists are so drowned in their darkness and so covered with it that they do not hear this teaching, even if they do hear it. And we ourselves do not hold to it as firmly as we ought to. Therefore learn from these histories, when you read them, that in our lives we have always stayed a little longer over this part, namely, where God speaks with the patriarchs. For there the legend is at its best and most delicious.
Now let us look at the sermon itself. And from it it is easy to see how Jacob had such great sadness and fear in his heart. For he is, so to speak, in utter darkness, has been driven out of his home and fatherland, is forsaken and lonely, does not know where he can lie safely hidden. And the devil, too, has come to torment the afflicted heart in a thousand ways. So that one can truly say, as the saying goes, that misfortune seldom comes alone. For "the devil goes about like a roar
the lion", 1 Peter 5:8, and seeks where he can most easily climb over the fence and with what cunning devices he can completely overturn the chariot, which already hangs on one side. Where the fence is lowest, he climbs over; and if the wagon wobbles, he knocks it over. So he makes the afflicted hearts more and more afflicted, and heaps up the temptation, that he may lead them into despair, into blasphemy, or into impatience, and overthrow them.
These are the works of the devil, so he is wont to pursue secretly for and on behalf of the godly. Therefore, besides the cross, which he had outwardly, and besides the exile, Jacob will undoubtedly have been struck with the fiery darts of the devil, and perhaps he thought how he had stolen the firstborn and deceived his father. For thus the devil is wont to make of the very best work a shameful and great sin. And that God speaks to him is a sign that he has had this severe challenge.
For God does not speak his words in vain; he speaks only when there is a great and necessary cause that moves him to speak. And he also does not address or comfort those who mock him, who rejoice and defy him in pleasure or carnal wisdom, who live in all security, without fear of God and reverence. "Wisdom," says Job in 28 Cap. V. 13, "is not found in the land of the living," 2c. but under the cross of those who are oppressed and who struggle with spiritual temptations. There is both cause and place for comfort; there God is present and comforts the afflicted, "lest the righteous stretch forth their hand unto iniquity," as the 125th Psalm v. 3. says. Item: "He will speak kindly to his servants, he will wish peace to his friends," as 122 Psalm v. 8 says. For if he were to be absent for too long, no one would be able to endure and endure such a severe challenge and diabolical plague. Therefore this is a great consolation in the so great miserable terror that Jacob had, from which he fell asleep more, as it seems, than otherwise, that he had
394 L. VN. I4S-U7. Interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. W. n, S7S-S78. 395.
outwardly been tired from the journey. For the devil also came to his flight and misery And frightened him inwardly in his heart.
Now this is the dream that Jacob had. There was a ladder standing on the Aden, the top of which touched heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it: and the Lord Himself stood on top of it and spoke the promise to this third patriarch. He spoke by no man, but by Himself; which is diligently to be noted in the histories of the fathers, as we have said.
The ladder is a painting or image that must necessarily mean something. For the angels are spirits and fire, as it is written in the 104th Psalm, v. 4: "Thou makest thy angels winds, and thy servants flames of fire. Therefore, they do not need a ladder to climb up and down; much less does God need to stand on the ladder, since he wants to speak to Jacob, the heir of the promise. But what this ladder represents and depicts has been interpreted in many ways, and it would not be worth the effort to compile and list all these interpretations.
84 Lyra says: By the steps or stairs the patriarchs are to be understood, who are enumerated in the beginning of the gospel Matthäi in the genealogy of Christ. For both sides mean that Christ came from sinners as well as from the righteous or the pious. The angels, he says, signify the revelation of Christ's incarnation, which came through the fathers, prophets and apostles. The ascension he interprets to mean the devotion of the saints or believers when they pray. These are not evil thoughts that Lyra had of this ladder: but it can be seen that it is not the right interpretation or allegory.
The Glossa ordinaria, as it is called, interprets that the ascending angels are the blessed spirits who serve God in heaven, then the descending ones that they serve men, as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 1. V. 14: "Are they not all ministering spirits, made of
sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit blessedness?" And Daniel on the 7th cap. V. 10: "A thousand times a thousand ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand hours before him."
Gregory calls the angels the preachers, who ascend and contemplate Christ, and then descend to the church and congregation, that they may minister to the members of the church. But who would enumerate all the speculations? They are godly and good in themselves, but they were not spoken in due time or place, as this thing is much with the fathers. It is true that a preacher must first rise up through prayer, so that he may receive from God the word and the right doctrine; likewise he must also study, learn, read and diligently meditate on the Scriptures. After that, he should also go down and teach others. This is the twofold office of the priests, namely, that they turn to God with prayer, and to the people with good teaching. But this is to be left in the place where it belongs.
Because this ladder is mentioned in the Gospel of John, Chapter 1, we would rather look at the same text. For it can be seen that in the same place the Lord himself interpreted this image. As Philip leads Nathanael to Christ, Christ says to him. Christ says of him: "Behold, a true Israelite, in whom is no falsehood," John 1:47. There, as Augustine says, he wants to remind us of this leader of Jacob, who is also called Israel. Christ says in the same place, v. 50: "You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree; you will see greater things than this." And saith further unto him, v. 51. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, from henceforth ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of GOD ascending and descending upon the Son of man." We must believe this interpretation of our Savior JEsu Christ and be satisfied with it. For he understands it better than all the other interpreters, who all agree very well that this dream should have meant the infinite, inexpressible and wonderful mystery of the incarnation of Christ, who came from the patriarch Jacob.
396 D. vn, 147-149. interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. w. II, 578-S8I. 397
should, as GOD says: "Through your seed" 2c.
For this reason He Himself revealed to Jacob that he would be a father of Christ and that the Son of Man would be born of his seed. God did not speak this in vain; indeed, He painted this image of the ladder to strengthen and comfort Jacob in the faith of the future blessing. Just as He gave the same promise to Abraham (Cap. 22, v. 18) and Isaac (Cap. 26, v. 4), that they should teach the same and extend it to their descendants, as it was certain and would not be lacking, and that they should therefore expect the Savior from their flesh. Thus God strengthens the wretched and afflicted Jacob, who was like a useless lump in a foreign land, and with this new image turns all blessings upon him to make him certain that he is the patriarch from whom the seed promised to Adam will come.
Therefore, we must understand the angels in their true meaning, as Christ calls them John 1:51, "the angels of God," that is, the blessed angels who ascend and descend in Christ or above Christ. The ladder means the ascending and descending, which happens on the ladder or steps. If you take away the ladder, it means nothing else but the ascending and descending. The angels, however, do not need an external ladder, nor even an imaginary one, but it is nevertheless an ascending and descending, that is, it is an angelic ladder. This is the best explanation; as Christ himself, without thinking of the ladder, expresses the descent and ascent of the angels, how they go up and down on the Son of Man.
But what is this ascending and descending? Answer: It is the very mystery that in one and the same person there is true God and man. Therefore, the unity of the person fulfills this mystery, and we who believe fulfill the word of Christ when he says John 1:51: "You will see the angels of God ascending and descending" 2c. For we believe in the One Lord, the only begotten Son of God, born of Mary the Virgin, who is true God and man. This mystery is so great, so high, and so
unspeakable, that even the angels themselves cannot sufficiently marvel at it, much less comprehend it; but, as St. Peter 1 Epistle 1:12 says: "Which also the angels for and for desire to behold." For the angels cannot rejoice and wonder enough at this ineffable union and unity of natures, yet very unlike one another, which they do not comprehend and understand either with their ascending or descending. When they look up, they see the incomprehensible majesty of God above them, but when they look down, they see how God and the divine majesty are subject to the devils and all creatures.
- These are, I say, wonderful things: to see a man and the very least creature, who has humbled himself among all others, and to see the same also sitting at the right hand of God the Father, exalted above all angels: to see the Son of God in the bosom of the Father, and to see him soon subjected to the devil; as it is written in the 8th Psalm v. 6: "You will let him be forsaken by God for a little while". Item Eph. 4,
- "He is gone down into the lowest places of the earth." This is a wonderful ascending and descending of the angels, namely, to see in one and the same person the highest and the lowest united with each other, that the highest God lies in the manger. Therefore the angels worship Him there, rejoice and sing, Luc. 2, 14: "Glory to God in the highest" 2c. And again, when they contemplate the lowliness of human nature, they descend and sing, "And peace on earth."
- And when we see the same thing in the next life, we will be of a much different mind and speak much differently than we do now; Because even now there are such great things, which even the angels cannot comprehend and of which they cannot be satisfied, yes, they always desire to behold this unspeakable goodness, wisdom, grace and mercy, which has been poured out upon us, because the Person, who is the highest of all, and who is glorious and terrifying in His majesty above all creatures, becomes the lowest and most contemptible Person. This marvelous spectacle we shall behold in that life, and the
398 L.VH.ILS-IS1. Interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. W. n, S81-S83. Z99
will be an everlasting joy to the blessed; as this is the joy and delight of angels, that they should see the Lord above all things, who also in the same person is nothing, that is, even the lowest.
We carnal and coarse men do not understand these things, nor do we esteem these great things highly; we have hardly tasted the milk or the hard food of this ineffable union and communion of divine and human natures, which was thus effected, that not only was humanity accepted, but that same humanity was also subjected to death and hell, and yet in such lowliness swallowed up in itself the devil, hell, and all things. This is the communio idiomatum, the communion of attributes in Christ. GOD, who created all things and who is above all, is the highest and the lowest, that we must say: The man who is scourged, who is under death, under the wrath of GOD, under sin and all kinds of misfortune, yes, finally also in the lowest hell, he is the highest GOD. Why is that? Answer: Because it is one person. It is indeed of two natures, but the person is not separated. Therefore, both are true when I say: The highest Godhead is the lowest creature, and has become the servant of all men, yes, it has become subject to the devil himself; and again: The lowest creature, mankind or man sits at the right hand of the Father, has become the highest and makes the angels subject to itself; not for the sake of human nature, but because of the wonderful union and unity that is made out of the two natures, which are so directly opposed to each other and otherwise cannot be joined together in one person.
Now this is the article that angers the whole world, reason and devil. For there are in one person such things as are highly opposed to each other. He who is the most high, so that even the angels cannot comprehend him, is not only comprehended, but is also thus encompassed, is thus finite, that there is no thing more limited and more limited. And likewise vice versa. But he is not comprehended because only in the
Words, as in the breasts, in which the milk is poured and presented; which word the faith takes hold of, namely, when we say: "I believe in the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of Mary the Virgin (these are the breasts), suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, descended into hell, rose again from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty," and all angels are subject to Him. There is God and man, the highest and the lowest, the infinite and the finite in one person, who empties himself of everything and fulfills everything.
This is the ascending and descending of the angels of God and of the blessed, who behold it, are eager for it, and also praise it: as can be seen on the day of the birth of Christ, when they descend as if there were no God up in heaven. They come to Bethlehem, say to the shepherds Luc. 2, 10. 11.: "Behold, I proclaim great joy to you, for unto you is born this day the Lord." And in the epistle to the Hebrews in 1 Cap. V. 6. it is thus written, "When he bringeth in the firstborn into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him," namely, as he now lies in the manger, at his mother's breasts, they worship him; yea, they worship him, and submit themselves for and to this lowliest, at the cross, and as he descends into hell, as he lies under sin and hell, and as he bears all the sin of the whole world. So then the angels ascend and see the Son of God, born from eternity; and on the other hand they also descend, seeing him as he was born in time of the Virgin Mary, and they ascend or descend, yet they always worship him.
This is how Christ interprets these ladders. And I consider that this is the most noble and proper interpretation of this text. And this is the great and inexpressible glory of the human race, which no one can explain away, namely, that God has united human nature to Himself through this wonderful union.
400 ".VN.IS1-M. Interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. **W. II, 583-586.** 401
97 Ambrose and especially Bernard take great delight in this text, which is exceedingly lovely, and in the great work of the Incarnation of Christ. And they do right and well in it; for this joy will be a joy above all joy and eternal bliss, when we shall truly behold our flesh, which is like unto us in every way, and at the same time in the highest and lowest place. For he did all these things for us, descending to hell and ascending to heaven. This is what the angels in heaven behold for and for. And this is what Christ says Matth. 18, 10: "Their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven", they always look at the Godhead. And now that God has become man, they descend from heaven and look at Christ, marveling at the great work of the Incarnation; they see that He has become man, humbled, placed in the womb of His mother, and thus worship the man who was crucified and rejected, and recognize Him as the Son of God.
Bernard was very fond of the Incarnation of Christ, as was Bonaventure; and I praise these two teachers very much for the sake of the same article, which they remember so gladly and so gloriously, and they also practice it with great joy and godliness. Bernard thinks and has these thoughts, which are godly enough, namely, that the devil has fallen because of envy, that he has denied men this great glory, that God would become man. For Satan, when he was still a good angel, is said to have seen in the face of God that it would happen that the Godhead would descend and take this miserable and mortal flesh to itself, and would not take the angels to itself. By such inequity and envy Satan is said to have been moved to rage against God, therefore he was cast out of heaven. These are Bernard's thoughts, which are not clumsy; for they flow and come from amazement at the great love, grace and mercy of God.
The devil has been a very beautiful angel and a very delicious noble creature;
But when he saw that it had been decided that God did not want to take on an angelic but a human nature, he became envious, angry and unwilling against God that he did not want to take him, who was a very beautiful spirit, and that he could not become a partaker of the divinity and such high majesty; It grieved him that the poor, miserable, human flesh should have been preferred to him, since the divinity would have been better with him than with this sinful flesh, which is subject to death and all misfortune. And it is most astonishing that this opinion has also secretly come into the Alcoran, whoever has brought it in or by whatever occasion it has come. It can truly be seen that the devil himself must have given such an idea to the master who wrote the Alcoran, namely, that therefore the good angels had become devils because they did not want to worship Adam. Satan could not conceal or keep secret this sin of his own, so he gave it to his instrument in such a way that he would make God hated by it, and falsified the real cause of the fall: as if the angels had been forced to worship Adam, that is, a creature, and since they refused to do so, they were cast out of heaven and became devils.
This almost rhymes with the thoughts Bernhard had; and the devil thus betrays himself finely, with which he has sinned. He wanted to be like God. Since he saw that God would one day lower and humble himself in such a way that he would take on human nature, he thought that this honor should be due to him by right. As the old teachers understand the text of the prophet Isaiah in the 14th chapter and relate it to this fall and sin of the devil, since the prophet says in v. 13: "If you had thought in your heart, 'I will ascend into heaven, and exalt my throne above the stars of God'"; for with this he would have truly become like God, if God had taken him upon Himself in unity of person, as He had taken the
402 vn. iLs-iLS. Interpretation of Genesis 28:12-14. w. ii. sse-vs". 403
mankind to himself. For the fact that he has now taken mankind upon himself, the same makes this man the Son of God, because he is One Person. This man, born of Mary the Virgin, is God Himself, who created heaven and earth. The angels would also have had such honor and glory if the Son of God had become an angel and taken this very beautiful spirit upon himself; for then it would have been said: This Lucifer is the true God, Creator of heaven and earth.
This he will have desired, says Bernard; but when this was denied him, he was inflamed with great hatred, anger and envy against God, that he so highly honored human nature with divine nature, and that he now had to worship human nature in divinity. Hence comes the bitter hatred and fierce anger of the devil and the world, so that he secretly pursues our nature, and deals with destroying it with whatever arrows or projectiles he can and may. For it is the greatest hatred and enmity that he has conceived against the seed of the woman, the Son of God; for him it is to do. And this is an ancient hatred, which he conceived in heaven, and which took root and began with him there, so that it can never be eradicated. Therefore this ladder is the wonderful union of the Godhead with our flesh, where the angels ascend and descend and of which they cannot sufficiently marvel in eternity. Now this is the simple mind according to history and according to the letter.
- After this there is another union, since we are united with Christ; as St. John very finely puts it together, since Christ says John 14:10: "I am in the Father, and the Father is in me"; this is the first. The other is that he says, "Ye in me, and I in you." This is the ladder according to the allegory or secret interpretation. But the allegory is to serve that it may strengthen faith; is not to teach of our thing or of our works. So then we are carried away by faith and become one flesh with Christ, as he says John 17:21:
"That they all may be one, even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." So we ascend in him, and are carried away by the Word and the Holy Spirit, and cling to him, that through faith we may be one body with him, and he with us: he is the head, we are the members. Again, he comes down to us through the Word and the Holy Sacraments, teaching us and training us in his knowledge. Therefore, the first union is when the Father and the Son are united in the Godhead; the second is when the Godhead and humanity are united in Christ; and the third is when the Church and Christ are united.
This is the right mind, to which the devil is hostile; and he may have seen it before in heaven, therefore he does not cease to contend against the ladder and this ascending and descending, that he may draw us away from it. This he tries to do through all sects and heresies, namely, that he may lead people away from the knowledge of Christ, from his divinity and humanity, and tear the whole church and its members away from Christ.
For this reason God wanted to reveal this great mystery of the incarnation of His Son to this very holy man in the dark, not only to comfort him, so that in such great misery and affliction he would have refreshment in his faith, but also so that it would be a prophecy or prophecy of things to come for all descendants. For what Moses wrote of the patriarchs, he wrote not chiefly for their sakes; for they had no need of this writing, and are now dead and gathered unto their fathers: but that the church and congregation of God might be instructed and strengthened thereby unto the end of the world.
For we cannot diligently pursue and teach this great grace of God, and the honor and glory that has come to us because God the heavenly Father sent His Son into our flesh, nor can we grasp it through some research. Yes, that is even more, the angels cannot be satisfied with it, as it is said that they have to go on
404 LVH,U"-UN. Interpretation of Genesis 28:12-15. W. ll.sso^sW. 405
and look upon the Son of God in heaven, and that they will descend again when they see him lying in the manger, crucified, dead, and gone down to the lowest hell, but raised again from hell and seated at the right hand of the Father.
In short, one should learn that God and man are One Person. Whoever believes this article now knows that everything is understood and hidden in this person. As Paul says Col. 2, 3. 9.: "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." That Satan begrudges us this knowledge and our honor and glory, envies us for it, and is always angry, is no wonder; for it is a very hopeful spirit, which cannot look upon this lowliness, as the good angels do, but always looks up to heaven and wants to be like the Most High; for which reason it has also fallen so horribly.
(107) What is further comprehended in this sermon has often been said and treated above, and is also repeated and confirmed more and more in what follows. The first is that God is here called in the plural; for he is called elohim, which is as if one spoke of many; then that God is not a God of the dead, but of the living. These three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are still alive, even though they are dead. Therefore, even though we are dead, we will live, because we have the same God. This is always repeated and confirmed.
Finally, the land of Canaan is promised to the third patriarch, even though they did not have a foot wide in it, as Stephen says in the book of the apostles' stories in chapter 7, v. 5. But with the promise they received another land and hoped for it, and understood that God, since He spoke to Abraham and the other fathers in these bodily promises, also made a promise to the dead, who would not only have this land, but also the future fatherland in faith. Of the seed he says, "Thy seed shall become as the dust of the earth." Above
(Cap. 26. V. 4.) When speaking to Isaac, he compared him to the stars of heaven, item, to the sand of the sea; but here he called him the dust of the earth. This has been said above 2c.
Fourth Part.
From the promise given to Jacob in his dream.
V. 14. 15. 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.
Here Moses uses a new word, which was not used before in this promise, namely, parazta, and Moses also uses it afterwards in chapter 38, v. 29. When Perez, the son of Judah, is born, the wailing mother says, "Why did you tear such a rift for your own sake? And in the 2nd book of Samuel on the 5th cap. v. 20, when David had defeated the Philistines, he said, "The LORD has torn my enemies from before me as the waters tear. Therefore the same place was called Baal Prazim." Hence comes the word pariz?, in Latin latro, grassator, a murderer who tears about him, in the 17th Psalm v. 4. And hence also came the name of the bird, which in Latin is called parix, a titmouse; for it is a murderous bird. Therefore this word has a wonderful meaning, since Moses says: "You shall be spread out", you shall break out, you shall go forth mightily and rage into all four corners of the earth. Now this is spoken differently and more fully, for he said above (v. 13), "I will give thee this land"; and thou shalt not, he says, be spread abroad alone, but thou and thy seed shall be spread abroad, and break forth out of this corner into all four quarters of heaven. But he does not name the regions of heaven in the right order, but first names the evening, because that is the time of the end.
406 L. vn, IS7-IS9. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 14. 15. W.n.sss-E 407
means the sea, then the morning, and finally the noon. By this is signified and understood not only the inheritance of the land of Canaan and the future blessing of the promise, but that Jacob would also reign in the four heavens. And he will interpret the same hereafter.
(110) But he adds a good piece, saying, "By thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And wants to say: You will not only possess the land on which you lie, but you will break forth in such a way that the blessed seed will proceed without any resistance and will be spread with force over the whole world. Thus God speaks to Jacob confidentially. As if he wanted to say: The serpent will undertake to set himself against this blessing and to resist it. And will not only occupy a place in the land of Canaan, which will have the rule and the bodily blessing, but will also set itself against this part and resist it, which will be spread over the whole world, into all four regions of heaven. There it will fight against the spiritual blessing with the highest power. It will not let up or cease, for its hostility has no end: it was said above in the first promise. But the poor wretched multitude that has the spiritual blessing is weak and afflicted; it is a little host, as Christ says Luc. 12:32, it is rejected and despised; it is not worthy to be thought of as the church, or even as a people, much less as God's people. What can this poor little group do, the devil will think, I want to wear them all out and devour them in a moment. But let him always be carried away, strangled, persecuted, resisted and prevented (says the Lord and again holds the word of the spreading before him), I will again also tear out, I will be, as it says in Hebrew, pariz against pariz.
In this way God comforts Jacob, and with him the church, that he may be sure of his descendants. For even though Esau has the reign, since Jacob is rejected and cast out into misery, and even though he
King and priest, so that it seems to be lost everywhere, and nothing is less credible than that Jacob should be able to become an heir and regent in the house or in the church: but there is little need of this, the Lord says, only be strong and steadfast. For not only shalt thou become an heir in the house, and not only shalt the blessing of Abraham and the inheritance of this land be given unto thee, but I promise thee also that thou shalt become a patriarch over all the earth, and a father of the seed which shall be given, by whom all nations shall be blessed. And the same will I do then, when I shall break forth by force against him that breaketh in by force.
(112) God wants to give this much to be understood, that by the strength and power of God and the Holy Spirit He will break through against all the wisdom and power of the ruler of this world. And we know that this has been fulfilled, and we know that it is still being fulfilled. The devil has always raged with terrible fierce anger against the people of God from the time of the judges, kings and apostles to the end of the world, so much so that nothing more horrible or terrifying can be imagined than the prince and God of this world. But I, says God, also want to be a true pariz: I want to tear through and break out, so that he shall feel that in this pariz there is an insurmountable power and force. And the same God executes by His power, and not by our wisdom and might; for all that is in us is weak and is nothing. Yet in such weakness and nothingness God demonstrates His power; as it says in the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 12, v. 9: "My power is mighty in the weak." If you think that you are swallowed up and ruined, I will tear you apart and make you stand up and reign. Just as Christ, when he died and became weakest of all, was strongest of all; for in such weakness he condemned the world and the ruler of this world with all their power and wisdom.
For this reason, this word should be used diligently.
408 L- vn. 129-iei. Interpretation of I Genesis 28:14, 15. w. n, vW-sss. 409
Moses, too, no doubt understood it well and was very eager to do so. Likewise, the patriarchs also diligently observed these excellent, glorious and emphatic words. He could have used a more simple word, as he had said before, dilataberis: You shall be spread out; but he preferred to use a stronger and warlike word. And St. Paul also looked at this word, since he says 2 Cor. 10, 4: "The weapons of our knighthood are not carnal, but mighty in the sight of God, to destroy the fortifications" 2c. And all the ministers of the Word are also called men of war and captains of armies; and GOD is also called in Scripture a GOD of hosts, of men of war, and of them that fight (in Hebrew parizim): and yet without violence of the flesh, without human strength and wisdom; but by the power of the Holy Ghost, in supreme weakness, lowliness, and humility.
But what will be the outcome and the end of this dispute? Answer, as follows in the text: "And through you and your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." It will not be a fleshly tyranny; I will not break out in such a way that I would harm someone and destroy the people (which the mighty in the world are wont to do, who break out with their tyranny by the sword and fierce anger, only because they rule over others and exercise cruel tyranny against those who are under them): But my raging, says God, my power and my victory shall be wholesome, blessed, kind, gracious, and make alive that which does no harm or damage to men, but blesses everyone, helps all men, and delivers from sins, from death and the devil. And by such raging I will destroy the tyranny and raging of the devil; which victory shall be profitable to the whole world through thy seed. So now God explains this plucking out by these words: "Through you shall be blessed" 2c.
- But above (Cap. 26. V. 4.) he said: "all nations", here he says: "all generations"; which word does not extend so far as to be "all peoples".
stretches, as the name, "all nations". For every nation has many generations. Therefore this blessing is not only to be extended to all peoples in general, but also to the families among the peoples in particular. Not that they shall all receive the blessing out of all generations, but that some shall receive it out of all generations. Therefore, in this place the blessing is somewhat clearer and more explicit; it is expressed with stronger and more emphatic words. It is not said here, "They shall bless themselves," but passively, "They shall be blessed." The word he used above is somewhat stronger and more forceful. And yet, because he says here that they shall be blessed, he has thereby sufficiently expressed that he will break forth into the four quarters of heaven. For that he says, "They shall be blessed," means just as much as if he wanted to say, "They will hear the sermon. But there is a difference between the two, hearing the sermon, and believing and accepting the same sermon that one has heard. As the word above means not only the sermon heard, but also those who accept the sermon heard, as Ps. 34 v. 3 says: "My soul shall boast in the Lord," that is, I am not only praised in the Lord, but I, soul, who am praised, am encouraged; or, my soul boasts when it hears the sermon of blessing, it admits and accepts the blessing.
(116) This is how he wants it to be understood that this blessing, which comes from Jacob, is to be spread. For the gospel of the Savior Christ cannot be preached unless it be added that he was born of Abraham and of Jacob. For we must have some proof that he was truly a son of man, a real natural man, and not a ghost, not a fictitious man, as the heretic Manichaeus has contended. Therefore we have his forefathers, who were real true men. And he cannot be called without these fathers, without Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Adam; that he may have a sure genealogy, a true man.
410 L. vn, I81-IW. Interpretation of Genesis 28:14, 15. w. n, sss-soi. 411
He has a true father and a true mother, and that it is certain that he came from human seed; that he did not take on angels or any other creature, but human nature.
(117) Therefore a certain place was appointed to the fathers and prophets where Christ was to be born; certain persons were appointed from whom he was to come, so that we cannot doubt that he is truly our flesh and blood, bones of our legs. Therefore, where he is preached and praised, the parents from whom he took the flesh are also named. And we are also understood at the same time, for whose sake he became the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and not the seed of angels. That is why he impresses this on us so diligently and repeats it so often: "through your seed" 2c.; as if he wanted to say: You shall know for certain that you will have descendants. You are now lonely, without a wife, without children, driven into misery; but hereafter you shall have children, yes, you shall have the Son who will make children of God.
(118) Therefore this is a great and glorious promise, not only of this present life, though it understands it, but also of the life to come. For if he is to fill the four regions of heaven, he must certainly not have died, or if he does die, he will have to be raised again. Therefore it is a great promise and is very high and much greater than Jacob should have been able to comprehend; just as we cannot comprehend its greatness in our hearts. For the human heart is too narrow to understand or grasp such great things. And I think that the patriarch Jacob, when he woke up from sleep and thought about this promise, was so happy and joyful that he was, as it were, delighted and even dismayed by it.
119 Now this is to be drawn to the end that we may also be improved by it, that we may know the great grace of God revealed and given to us through the gospel. For we are made better by
The word is absolved, and from the command of the Lord Christ it is said to us: I baptize you; I give you the body and blood of Christ, and I violently snatch your soul out of the devil's jaws; I deliver you from eternal death and damnation, and make you a child of God and heir of eternal life. These words that God speaks to us are so great, eternal and infinite that we cannot comprehend them. For my nature is too weak to be able to bear such words. And the same weakness draws us back and prevents us from feeling as much joy and delight as in truth these words and divine promises bring. For if I could thus accept and grasp them as I wish and desire, it would be no wonder if I suddenly died of joy. For beloved, consider how great a thing it is that through the word of a man, through the laying on of hands, the kingdom of God is proclaimed and given to us; in addition, conquest and victory over the devil, sin and death; that we are placed among the assembly of angels and into the inheritance of heavenly and eternal goods.
But who is there among us all who believes this as he ought to do? Much less can we comprehend it, but we grasp it only as best we can. And yet all this is quite certain and true. And we must surely die in this faith, or we shall lose our blessedness, nor can we for a moment remain unharmed and steadfast against the devil; for he rages horribly, is fierce and wicked, when he hears that this is thus taught, and persecutes those who preach it, or even those who hear and accept this doctrine.
(121) But we should hear this with a thankful heart and joy, and yet believe in the least weakly. Only that we do not dispute and blaspheme against it, do not persecute, reject or deny it. That we do not grasp it so firmly and completely is caused by our poor, miserable flesh; moreover, our hearts are so narrow that they cannot grasp the great, incomprehensible glory. As St. Paul says
412 D. VII, 163-165. interpretation of Genesis 28:14, 15. w. n, 601-601. 413
2 Cor. 9, 15: "But thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift." But we strive and strive so that we may finally grasp it as we are grasped, Phil. 3, 12, and with our weak faith we grasp it as much as we can; and we must hold to the comfort that God commands, one should receive the weak in faith, Rom. 14, 1. For the law in our members resists, disputes and takes me captive, does not allow me to grasp and grasp the many and great goods more strongly. For God promises and gives us an unspeakable treasure, namely, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, His grace, the inheritance of heavenly goods, plus the victory and power to tread the devil underfoot.
So I, poor wretched man and worm, should fight against so many devils and with princes and mighty men, with the lords who rule in darkness, Eph. 6:12, and this without external defense, without power, without wisdom and without strength? But how? Answer: I believe in the seed of Abraham, the Son of God. This faith is our victory, which conquers the world, overcomes the devil and destroys the gates of hell. But we are still almost weak to grasp and take hold of such things, and we have only a little bit of faith; therefore, since we are still so weak to grasp such things, we do not yet see what a great thing it is that we believe. May the Lord grant us grace to persevere in faith and remain steadfast until the end.
123 Now this is a twofold promise of the seed of Jacob, by whom all nations shall be blessed, that is, of Christ, whom he comprehends in the temporal promise, which is somewhat less; as a little child is wrapped in cloth, and as a precious stone is set in gold, or as a precious treasure is kept and preserved in an earthen vessel. The temporal blessing is great and rich enough; but this one is greater, that it should break forth and be spread over the whole world. But he repeats the temporal blessing, and binds it in a bundle with this temporal promise.
sion from the descendants. For he thus says, "Behold, I am with thee," 2c. As if to say: You now have the eternal and temporal promise of the descendants; now I will also add this third part, namely, that I will be with you on this journey and in your misery: as far as your person is concerned, I will also protect and defend you myself. For that these things which I have promised thee may be fulfilled, thou must live and be protected. Your brother Esau pursues you secretly; the devil is an enemy to you, you sleep or wake: but I will walk with you and be your companion on the journey. O how is that such a desired and strong companion. I will not walk with thee alone, to guide thee; but I will be thy wall and thy defence, I will fight for thee, who shall become thy son of thy seed, by whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed. I will be with you, I will protect you and shield you.
This is truly a great comfort that Jacob takes and believes, but with such faith, which is weak enough, as we will hear later, because he will be afflicted with very severe trials and that it will turn out quite differently than God has promised him. For he will have to suffer and endure that Laban will do him wrong and only plague him for twenty years. Does that mean keeping one day and night? Nevertheless, God kept his promise, and it finally came to pass as the promise had said, even though the flesh made it seem as if the opposite were happening.
For this reason it is an excellent promise, and, as I said before, it should be diligently considered. For this piece is to be noted especially in the legends of the fathers, as they hear God speak. For our life consists in the inward holiness which is the word, or the blessing which is committed to us; it is not in our works; even as those who are the very best among the adversaries contend. Although we do not deny that one should do good, that one should mortify the body and resist the lusts of the flesh. The world, however, has given way to such hypocrisy and great pretense.
414 2- vn, 1M-167. interpretation of I Moses 28:14, 15. w. II, s04-e. 415
of works, that it may only do away with the word of God from the eyes. For the foolishness of men can make no distinction between the word of God and our work, which is an easy distinction and also very necessary; but to the hypocrites it is difficult and impossible, not to understand, but that they should accept it.
Our adversaries cry out vehemently that it is indeed necessary to have an outward righteousness of works. The world marvels at this and praises it highly. But is it enough for you to praise a man as well, that he is the most holy? Truly the saints have done great and praiseworthy works; and we also confess that love is necessary, and that one should abstain from fleshly lusts and kill the flesh 2c. Yes, say the adversaries, but you do not do these things. Answer: If then we did all these things, would we be justified thereby? And why dost thou exalt these things so highly, and marvel so much at them, that they should be so delicious things? You do this so that you may suppress the other divine holiness.
(127) We readily admit that righteousness of works must be had, but that it should not be preferred to the former righteousness, and that a distinction should be made between that which is precious and that which is small, between the great and the small; which distinction is necessary, both in the whole of life, and especially in this doctrine; yea, the unreasoning animals understand that there is a distinction between food; a dog understands that meat is better than bread.
For this reason, let holiness of works be something, and let it also be necessary: but we want to have it exalted and preferred to holiness of the Word, that is, the promise that we live before God not through essential and inner holiness, but through the holiness of the Word and of faith.
(129) Therefore, a proper distinction should be made, namely, that another holiness is that of works and another is that of word or faith. The latter overcomes the
Devil and makes me a child of God, which is not through the holiness of the flesh or of works, nor of the Ten Commandments, in which we do not even understand this holiness; for we only have a beginning of it to some extent. Therefore let this be the first and foremost preaching of the holiness of the word and faith, and let not the same be slight or diminished; as the adversaries cunningly practice the holiness of works, that they may thereby obscure the holiness of the word or faith. We praise the virtues that the patriarchs had, as their modesty, patience, humility, chastity, love, and that they accepted the pilgrimages with right godly obedience and always exercised themselves in other works of godliness: the same we teach and also follow. But to all this we must nevertheless prefer this, when God speaks to them. Hearing the word of God, who gives the promise and the blessing, is much different than hearing a commandment commanding you to do or suffer something.
(130) It is clear and obvious enough that there is a difference between the word in which God promises something and the commandment in which He commands something to be done. Therefore, the legends of the saints and the whole life should be divided into these two parts, namely, into God's word and into our works. This is God's alone, but this is ours, namely, love, patience, and that we mortify and crucify the flesh. This is a life, but a life of works, which does not grasp the holiness of the Word, which is the life of the soul. Therefore, it is necessary to go first, because it is the Word and the promise of God who gives the blessing and the promise, who takes us to grace and forgives our sins. Yes, this should and must go before: "My son, your sins are forgiven you", Matth. 9, 2.; I am your GOD; do not fear the devil; I am with you; I will keep you; I will not leave you. After the forgiveness of sins follows: "Get up, get thee out of bed and go home" 2c., Matth. 9, 6. This precedes: "My son, be forgiven!
416 L. vn, 167-169. interpretation of Genesis 28:14, 15. w. n. 606-S09. 417
Comfort" means that you should first recognize that I am gracious to you and reconciled with you, that I am favorable and kind to you, that I absolve you from your sins and absolve you. You shall first accept my benefits and gifts, so that you may be redeemed from sin and death. Then, when thou art healed, lift up thy bed, and go, teach, and do good works. So Jacob, being first strengthened in the faith by reason of grace and blessing, went also afterward, and did good, and suffered that which was laid upon him; as follows in the text: "When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said" 2c.
So far we have heard the great glorious promise made to the patriarch Jacob, not only of the blessing of his descendants and of Christ, but also that God would guide him and protect him in his misery, that he would be assured of life and sustenance, and that he would come out of his misery and overcome all the suffering and affliction he would encounter in the future. For we shall see hereafter how he had to struggle with such great misfortune before this promise was fulfilled. And yet, through these many dangers of death and so many unending misfortunes, he shall be brought again to the inheritance, shall remain the blessed one, and shall be the rightful heir of the descendants and of the future inheritance.
. 132 Therefore these are very strange examples, for they not only show that God spoke with the fathers, but also testify that God does not lie in His word, even if everything seems to be going out and happening in an absurd way, that the world is absurd, the flesh, the adversaries and the devil also rage and rage with all the gates of hell. For he commands, so it will be created. But it is very difficult for us believers to break through; for the devil directs his fierce anger entirely at this one thing, that he may tear us away from the word, that we may become weary and despondent, either because of the many tribulations, or because it has lasted so long, and so that we may forsake the word.
and reject. Therefore, these two things are put together, namely the omnipotence of God and the weakness or, if one wants to say so, the omnipotence of the human heart, which should endure, suffer and persevere until the word is fulfilled. Thus St. Bernard speaks of the faith of the Virgin Mary, since the angel had announced to her that she was to become the mother of Christ, that the power of the faith of the Virgin, who was able to believe the words of the angel, was not a lesser miracle than the Incarnation of the Word or the Son of God Himself. Therefore, in the histories of the saints, the greatest things are the words that God speaks to the saints. Their virtues and deeds are to be praised, and God also wants them, but they are to be placed in the lowest place, like the feet. But the head of the life of the saints is the word of God Himself.
But that everything, as it seems, comes to the opposite of what God promises in the Word, happens through the power of the devil and the weakness of our flesh, which still doubts the promised Word, that it should be eternal and true. As we will hear later, these mighty and rich promises, when God says to Jacob: "I will be with you, I will protect you and keep you" 2c., are contested with great violence.
We, who are not in such danger and hardship that Jacob struggled with, read this thing drowsily and only above. We think it is easy and a small thing; but if we were in his place, we would be much differently minded. For we who believe God in His promises and are redeemed by the blood of Christ, see that with Christians everything is done as if it were vainly lost and impossible, so that man must only be killed with the flesh, and with all wisdom and reason, and must cling to the word alone; as this can also be seen in the holy patriarchs. And he who does not prefer the word, and thinks more of it than of his own counsel and wisdom, yea, even of his own life, may always
418 L. vn, 1KS-171. interpretation of Genesis 28:14-16. W. II. sos-E. 419
And he may become a pagan and an epicurean, for he will never bear fruit or be of use, neither to himself nor to other people. For he will rule things impossible and incomprehensible with his wisdom and counsel; therefore it is lost with him. For this reason, not everything will turn out according to our will and how we have thought it out. This must be learned and considered certain.
So, when we are absolved from sins, we have the Word, which is established and stands firm in the promises of God. But do we not have to suffer much that is contrary to it, and wage great warfare against the devil, death, hell, and our reason or understanding? And this hurts the flesh very much. Nevertheless, God faithfully fulfills His promise to those who believe and wait for Him in patience; as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews in the 11th chapter, v. 33. V. 33: "The saints by faith have conquered kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promise." Thus the patriarch Jacob was in particular need of comfort, both in this misery, and also afterwards, when Laban grieved him severely. But he could not keep the same comfort without a great struggle, even though God gave him clear and certain promises, saying: "I will not leave you until I have done what I have said to you. How the disciples at the time of the Passion forgot the words of Christ and all comfort: He had preached a long sermon to them, as this sermon was described by St. John in three chapters, where he says, Joh. 16, 1: "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be angry"; when the hour will come 2c. But what use such excellent comfort and admonition had on them was well seen when he was crucified. Then they remembered none of the things which they had heard and seen before, which Christ had spoken and done. But this is held against us, that we may learn what a great thing faith is, that it is not a cold and idle quality or skill, as the papists dream.
Fifth part.
What the apparition, which happened to Jacob, wrought.
V. 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.
This appearance or vision did not happen to Jacob while he was awake, as the appearances of the saints usually happen, as the Lord appeared to Abraham in Mamre through the angels (Gen. 18, v. 1). These are apparitions of those who are awake, and are more certain than those that happen in dreams. And yet, unless they also have their right relationship, or movement of heart, and faith, they are not right or true.
(137) But of dreams I cannot so easily dispute; for both the godly and the godless have dreams; just as in the pagan histories dreams are described, as of Julius Caesar, Galba, Brutus, Cassius, and others more, who had such dreams that the truth and the deed itself followed afterward, and not only did it come out as the dreams said, but they also understood the dreams when they awoke from sleep. And the same dreams are like those that Pharaoh had in Gen. 41:1 ff. and Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 2, 1. ff. which are written in the holy scriptures.
For this reason we want to make such a distinction between dreams. Some are worldly or special dreams, that is, those that concern special or public matters. These dreams have their own kind and their own form; therefore they are to be drawn where they belong and where they have their order and place. And we will not speak of these dreams in this place. But some dreams are spoken of in the Scriptures, which belong to the church and to salvation. These are the right dreams to be spoken of in this place.
420 vn, 171-173. Interpretation of Genesis 28:16. W. n.eir-"". 421
- Pharaoh's dream was related to the barren and fertile years; therefore it is a worldly and peculiar dream. So Nebuchadnezzar's dream was also a physical dream and referred to that kingdom. Such dreams are many that God distributes among the nations, as he also gives many other gifts, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles in chapter 14, v. 17: "He does us good, gives us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, fills our hearts with food and joy. Thus he divided the kingdoms and crowns among the godly as well as the ungodly.
In general, however, one should notice that worldly dreams are also related to the present situation and must also make such a great impression on the heart that the one who has the dream is completely moved and disturbed. They must not be melancholic dreams that do not rhyme with the matter, of which it is said in the book of Jesus Sirach, chapter 34, v. 4: "What is unclean, how can it be clean? And what is false, how can it be true?" There all dreams are called impure, and whoever believes the same is deceived. And Cato also says: Somnia ne cures etc.: Thou shalt not pay attention to dreams.
But there has always been a dispute about dreams: whether to believe them or not? The false prophets praise their dreams highly; therefore God often forbids that we should not believe them. For if the dream does not correspond to reality, he who believes it is defiled, and the dream is vain and false. Nevertheless, it is known for certain that even wicked ungodly people are given dreams that are true and have a relationship that rhymes with them. They have made some special rules about such dreams. First of all, they should not be uncertain images or thoughts that soon pass away or disappear, but should have their relation to the thing that is present: after that, they should move the heart in such a way that the one who has the dream is frightened and terrified by it; as Daniel says to King Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2, 29: "You king
thought on your bed, how it would go after this" 2c. This indicates that the king was anxious and distressed in the dream about the kingdom and how it would fare after him. Therefore, there must be a distress, and after that a very great movement or impression, by which the one who has the dream is moved and awakened.
142 But I do not dispute this, for we must look at the dreams Moses speaks of and pay attention to them, even though he condemns dreams in other places. For thus saith the Lord unto Aaron in the fourth book of Moses, 12 Cap. V. 6, 7, 8: "If there is a prophet of the Lord among you, I will make myself known to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream. But not so my servant Moses, who is faithful in all my house. Orally I speak with him", that is, where someone has to administer the church government, with him I will speak by my word, or by a face, or by a dream. But he says he will speak to Moses in a much different and higher way, not through any preacher or disciple of the prophets, nor in a vision or likeness, nor in a dream: but, I speak, he says, "orally with him." There, nevertheless, God praises His revelation; as, first, He reveals Himself with His word. Secondly, in a vision as in the prophet Isaiah in the 6th Cap. V. 1. ff. a face is described. And thirdly, through a dream.
God praises these three types, but in the prophets, that is, in those who are in the church office, and especially when the dreams refer to the word and rhyme with the word. Care must be taken whether they move the one who has the dream, and whether they are related to it, and whether they are not contrary to the word. And this is as true when the word itself is spoken either in the face or by the voice of those who are watching. As Jacob also certainly has the word and the good; for he has received the blessing, and is called of God to be a patriarch: has been set up bishop and lord, the church and ge-
422 D- vn. 17S-17S. Interpretation of I Genesis 28:16. w. n, eie-eis. 423
God's household, and also to rule his father's house; and this was done by God's word and by the blessing of his father Isaac. Where therefore the foundation is, let the dream also be seen, whether it rhyme with the same foundation or not; let it be seen whether it be stubble or gold that is built upon the foundation, as Paul saith 1 Cor. 3:12.
The foundation of the office of temporal government is laid in the same way. Although the pagans do not have the word, they nevertheless have the cause and the profession by which they are ordained and set to rule and reign in war as well as in peace. If a dream is given to a pagan king or captain, which has its right relationship, that is, which is in harmony with the deed itself and with his thoughts, the same dream should not be considered futile and useless.
145 And for this reason Jacob's dream should be considered true, and that it must have a meaning; for a public appointment of God has gone before, that he is ordained and set for the priesthood and the firstborn, and the right foundation is the promise. But he is troubled about how the whole building is to be set on the foundation and completed in the future, because he encounters so much adversity that it seems as if the whole building is about to fall. Then his heart begins to waver and to doubt the happy progress and the fulfillment of the promise. Therefore God is there, and gives him a very clear dream, which also rhymes with the things that were promised to him, and which has such a meaning, which also agrees with the foundation. Above this, the movement also came, as the text says: "He was afraid", that is, he was moved to reverence, because he saw that the dream rhymed so finely with the foundation.
- these are right and important dreams, which never go away without effect, as also the word itself does not go away without fruit; and they bring with them the right reason and movement of the heart, which is connected with the reason of the heart.
and at the same time faith is also added, which rhymes with both of them.
(147) But if they are vain and useless dreams, as the false prophets boast of such dreams, let the right rule be observed, whether thy heart also be troubled and moved; though Satan also can work and accomplish such things, yet compare the dream with the word. If your dream is different from the word, know that the dream is false and vain. But this dream, which Jacob had, corresponds very finely with the divine word, which he hears coming down from heaven: "I am the Lord" 2c.
Therefore the wicked err in the interpretation and understanding of dreams, as they also greatly err in interpreting signs and wonders; for they have not heeded the word, yea, they have no word. As it happened to the Anabaptists in Münster, who saw a bow in the clouds and a bloody hand, they took it upon themselves as if it were a sign of the victory they would have, when it threatened them that they would be destroyed, as the end also showed. But they erred in the interpretation, because they had no regard for the reason and calling; for they had no word or authority to wield the sword, since they were not regents according to divine order and calling. If something like this had happened with signs, miracles or dreams when Alexander or Julius Caesar ruled, it would have been easier to interpret that they had God's word and order. Therefore the worldly dreams are also false and futile, which are uncertain and without reason, that is, if it is not a public person or the one in the regiment, and if no movement and no right relationship according to the rule comes to it.
But the dreams concerning the church or religion, which have the word, the right reason and rule, are more certain; as a Christian relies chiefly on his being baptized. Now if the dream agrees with the reason that he is baptized to the star-
424 L- VII. 175-1^. Interpretation of I Genesis 28:16, W. II. SIS-WI. 425
The dream, which serves to strengthen the godly and frighten the wicked, can be accepted without danger. For thus Jacob is also strengthened by this dream, which is related to his blessing. He knows that he is blessed and that God will be his father and his protection and shield, as the word of promise says; but because his heart is troubled and frightened for fear of his brother, who is secretly pursuing him and has threatened to strangle him, the Lord appears to him in such great sadness and speaks to him in a dream. This dream corresponds with the things promised to him, and has the right relationship according to the rule: for the same Lord speaks to him, and speaks the same things that he had heard before in the blessing. It is the same Lord, the same word that he heard in his father's house.
But the conversation Jacob had with God is much more glorious than the one he had with his father. Therefore, when he awoke from his sleep, he marveled and said, "I had thought that the Lord was alone in my father's house; that is why I have heard God's word in my father's church until now, but I also find God in this place. For the same Lord, whom I have praised in my father's house, and of whom I have heard preaching, is here also speaking to me. Yes, this conversation is much more excellent, so that it can be seen that rather in this place is the house of God than in my father's house; and yet this place is situated in the midst of the enemies.
Therefore Jacob learns that the church and congregation of God is also in the midst of the enemies; as it is written in the 110th Psalm v. 2: "Rule among your enemies. This is truly excellent. For that is where the church of God is supposed to be - since we think that there are countless devils. As the place where Jacob sleeps is near Jerusalem, where the Cananites and the power of the devil reigned, that nothing less should have been thought than that there should be the house of GOD. And Jacob thought only thus: If I could remain safe and unharmed here only one night, then I will
I will be satisfied with it; tomorrow morning I will get up and run away. He could not think otherwise than that he slept there in the midst of the enemies, where the prince and god of this world reigned. But behold, "surely the Lord is in this place," he says, "and I knew it not." For I thought there was no God outside the house of my father Isaac, since he is the priest, since the blessing has been given to me: but I now see in truth, and also learn it, that God wonderfully fulfills his promise, in which he said, "This land I will give you." And I now understand that I am to become a master of this land in which I now lie; I could not have thought or hoped in such great terror and sorrow that this would happen. In this way, God comforts Jacob abundantly through this dream, and Jacob is thus miraculously strengthened, since he was previously frightened and moved by the dream, which has had its right relationship according to the rule and has come into agreement with the deed itself. Therefore, it is a real true dream.
152 They also speak about the place Bethel, where he might have been, because it is often mentioned in the prophets and in the whole holy scripture, especially in Hosea; as, Hos. 12, 5: "There he found him at Bethel" 2c. After that the people of Israel always praised and honored him, so that Jeroboam, who was a very wise and prudent man, chose this place to set up the golden calf near Jerusalem, just as he had the other one set up in Dan at midnight, 1 Kings 12:28, 29. 12:28, 29; for these two gods or idols the king, in his wisdom and according to his own understanding, devised and set up, and placed them in the two uttermost parts of the land: and afterward the calves came into Samaria. Now Bethel is in the uttermost parts of the kingdom of Israel, in Ephraim: and the temple of Jerusalem, which Solomon built, was twelve cubits from Bethel, that is, three little miles. Therefore Jeroboam cunningly thought thus: I will set up idolatry in two places, so that
426 L vn, 177-17". Interpretation of I Genesis 28:16. W. n, S21-6Lt. 427
the people in my kingdom may have a certain worship and place in both places; so that they must remain within the land.
He caused such great trouble in a place near Jerusalem, to which place the multitude of the people often ran, and both abandoned the word and the temple of God, even though many of the Israelites despised it. But the prophets had a quarrel with the same idolaters for and for, until the land was utterly destroyed and ruined. The prophets cried out, "Do not go to Gilgal, to Bethel," Hos. 4, 15, Amos 5, 5, "to Beth Aven" (for that is what they called Bethel); for there they sought special services, sacrifices, incense, invocation or prayer, only so that the temple and service at Jerusalem would be despised, of which God had said, "Here I will dwell," 2c., 2 Chron. 7, 16.
They defended their idolatry with a wonderful appearance of holiness. For they knew how to boast that in this place such a glorious appearance had happened to the patriarch Jacob; here the ladder had been seen; in this place God had spoken to Jacob and not to Jerusalem. Therefore the prophets, especially Hosea, spoke strongly against it and condemned this idolatry. But they did nothing with it; just as we cannot do much with the adversaries. When we so often and so clearly impress upon the people the doctrine of faith, that it alone makes them righteous, then the adversaries also cast before us their Bethaven, their church, the reputation of the fathers; which is truly no small challenge, by which many people are led away from the right knowledge and love of the gospel.
But Bethel means just as much as when one says, the house of God, God dwells here, God's house, God. The great glorious title and the excellent name moved the people exceedingly, that they said: You see that this was done in truth, which Moses himself testified; this place is the right Bethel and GOD's
Jerusalem is not the right place for worship, for here God appeared and spoke to Jacob. Therefore he is to be worshipped here, as Jacob worshipped him and made a vow that he would worship there and give tithes to God. This was a great trouble, and the prophets, especially Hosea, complain about it very much. We have no such thing in the papacy, which would have such a great appearance.
But almost all they that have interpreted this book are contrary to this understanding, and say that this place Bethel is Jerusalem, and the temple itself. Just as they say of Mount Moriah, mentioned in chapter 22, that this place is Bethel, where Shem and the other fathers worshipped and sacrificed, and where the temple was built. So that before the patriarch Jacob there was Bethel and the house of God, where the fathers worshipped and sacrificed, when Abraham wanted to sacrifice his son Isaac: and there is no doubt about it, that this place was appointed for the congregation to come together there for the service. But that this place should be the city of Jerusalem itself, they will not easily persuade me; and as the histories and prophets indicate, this place was situated outside Jerusalem, and is distant from the city about twelve milestones. Lyra cites two verses containing eight names of the city of Jerusalem, which read thus:
Solyma, Luza, Bethel, Hierosolyma, Hie- bus, Helia,
Urbs sacra Jerusalem dicitur atque Salem.
157 But I still doubt the two names Luza and Bethel, and this is my opinion of this disputation. The changes of the cities are wonderful and various. And if the opinion of those is true, who assign this name to the city Jerusalem, then I will admit that this city was called Bethel for a time; but nevertheless that it did not keep this name, but that it was put on the city Jerusalem, or else,
428 vn, 179-181. interpretation of Genesis 28:16, 17. **w. ii, 624-027. 429**
that it was not called by its proper name, but by the common name. For the description of the places in Joshua contradicts this, which Cap. 8. v. 1. 9. indicates that Ai and Bethel were cities, located near Jerusalem, where this city Bethel remained until the time of Joshua; and it can be seen that it was a small spot near the city of Ai; as it is said above (Gen. 13, 3.) that Abraham was located between Bethel and Ai.
(158) Where Jacob called the city of Jerusalem Bethel, I say that he did it so that it would be a common name and not a proper name. As if he wanted to say: God dwells here. Otherwise, I cannot reconcile or rhyme the opinion of others with the prophets. The histories in the book of Judges and Joshua also agree that Mount Moriah was a place of Bethel, so that it also rhymes with Jacob's words when he says: "Surely God dwells here. Otherwise it is certain that the names of the cities are changed in various ways and often.
But I let that drive. I would like to think that this place should be Mount Calvary. And even if these thoughts are not so certain and constant, they are still godly, as in which place the Lord himself slept. And it is said that in the same place there was also the tree of whose fruit Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat. Therefore God willed that there Christ should be crucified and die; and the place where Jacob saw the ladder should be the very place where Christ, the right-hand Jacob, slept in the grave and rose again, and where the angels descended and ascended. So this place should rightly and truly be called Bethel. But this is only an imagination; and while such thoughts are not true, yet it is without all danger to have them, and is no danger at all, if we have not certain names of places. Jerusalem and Bethel were three miles apart in the time of Abraham and Joshua: whether the proper names are
Whether they have been changed into common names or not is of little importance. The eight names that Lyra lists mean the same thing, because there the Lord was seen in such a vision that one could feel his peace.
But we will leave this to the grammarians. It is enough for us to know that Jacob is strengthened here in the faith of the divine promise, that he has seen the same Lord and God here, has heard the same word, and has seen the same church and congregation in sleep that he saw at home, even though he alone is here and no one else; so that we may learn that the church and congregation of God is there, where the word is taught and heard, whether in the midst of Turkey, or in the papacy, or even in hell. For it is the word of God that makes the church; it is the Lord over all places: in whichever place the same is heard, where baptism, the sacrament of the altar, and absolution are administered, you should certainly take it for that, conclude, and say: Here is surely the house of God, here is heaven open. But as the Word is not bound to any place, so the Church is not bound to any place. One should not say: The pope is in Rome, therefore the church is also there; but where God speaks, where the ladder of Jacob is, where the angels ascend and descend, there is the church, there the kingdom of heaven is opened.
V.17. And he was afraid, saying, How holy is this place! Here is nothing else but the house of God, and here is the gate of heaven.
This is a very wonderful speech, the like of which is not found in all the Scriptures, neither in the Old nor in the New Testament. For this place is called God's house and the gate of heaven, which is said in this place alone and in no other place. And this is nothing else, but to call the kingdom of heaven and heaven itself. For God's house is such a place where God dwells. But where does God dwell? Is it not true that he dwells in heaven? For this reason he sets the earth in the heavens and the heavens in the earth, and binds the two together as follows
430 L.VH, IA-183. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 17. W. II. 627-sso. 431
together. He puts the heavenly dwelling and the kingdom of God in the place of the land, and says: Here is the kingdom of heaven, here is the gate of heaven, where the way goes to heaven and where one goes out of the house of God. For he makes a distinction between heaven and earth, that is, between the present life and the life to come; for he promises himself, after this life, eternal life and the kingdom of heaven, which is begun in this present life. Yes, Jacob feels that he is already in the kingdom of heaven and lives in it. Therefore, the prophets have undoubtedly taken many excellent revelations from this speech. The promises in the prophet Daniel and in other places, where Jerusalem is compared with the kingdom of heaven, came out of this. For thus it is written in Dan. 8, 10: "And it grew up unto the host of heaven, and cast down some of them, and from the stars to the earth, and trod them down." There nothing else is meant than the church and the teachers and listeners in it.
- After this, the true church is described here, what it is and where it is. For where God dwells, there is the church, and nowhere else. For the church is God's house and the gate of heaven, where the entrance is to eternal life, and where one moves from this temporal life to the heavenly life; but where God has not spoken or dwelt, there has never been a church.
Today we have a great dispute with the very damned people, the papists, about the church, which name and title they ascribe to themselves with great defiance, and boast that the church is with them, and the same in their doctrine and ceremonies. But although we confess that they have a church, for they have baptism, absolution, the text of the gospel, and there are also many godly people among them, yet if they want the pope and their great church ceremonies to be the church, we will by no means admit this to them, and hold this text against them. The House of God and the Church of God is One Thing, as Christ John 14:23.
says: "He who loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him." There must be God's word and that must be loved; for God does not make a dwelling with us unless we have His word. If the Church is to be God's house, it must also have God's Word, and that in this house God alone is the Father of the house.
But we do not accept this addition of the papists who cry out: You have from us the keys, the sacrament of the altar, the profession and the office, which are the right signs to recognize the true church. But there is still one thing lacking, they say, namely, that you do not want to consider and recognize the pope and his cardinals as the church. This is now the dispute between us and the papists. We do not want to admit the enemy next to the father of the house; for Christ and Satan cannot rule One House at the same time. For "how does Christ agree with Belial?" 2 Cor. 6, 15. If then we are to honor the pope, we must deny Christ; for he suffers not that Satan should reign in his house. If we want to have a church, it must not be tainted and mixed with any doctrine of the devil. The papist doctrines of men, however, are ungodly and contrary to the Word of God; for the sake of which Word God alone wants to make a dwelling among us. Therefore, one should flee from such human doctrines and beware of them, for Belial and Christ cannot be masters and fathers in one house at the same time.
Therefore, this text and others like it should be diligently remembered, so that we may learn from it that the pope and his followers are not the church. But if they reproach us: If they have baptism and the Lord's Supper, 2c., I answer thus: Those who have the pure Word and baptism belong to us and to the true church; but those who have the church trappings of human statutes with them are not the church. Though they have baptism and the text of the gospel, they have it in vain. For Christ does not agree with Belial. For the bed is too narrow,
432 D. vn, 1W-1N. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 17. W. n. sso-esL 433
so that the one falls out; and the coat is too short, it cannot cover them both, as Isa. 28, 20. says: "The bed is so narrow that nothing is left; and the cover so short that one must nestle in it" 2c.
Now they deal only with the fact that they want to introduce and defend their abominations. Therefore one should always reproach them again, as it is written in the first book of the kings at the 18th Cap. V. 21, where Elijah says: "How long do you linger on both sides? If the LORD is God, walk after him; but if Baal, walk after him." The Lord and Baal do not agree, but Ahab was eager to unite them: he wanted to serve God with the pure word, and yet he also wanted to mix in the statutes of men. Now, the things that are directly opposed to each other cannot exist at the same time, but one always cancels out the other.
Therefore Jacob says, "This place where I sleep is the house and church of God. Here God Himself has set up a pulpit, and he is the first to preach about the descendants, and that the church should last and endure forever; but Jacob, with the descendants in his loins, is the hearer and the angels in heaven. For where there is only one person who hears the word, together with the angels who are also present, that is enough. He now describes the glory of this church very magnificently, namely, that there is the gate and the entrance to the kingdom of heaven. For this is how God leads and governs us, so that everywhere here on earth, where He speaks to us, the door to the kingdom of heaven is open. This is truly a great comfort; where we only hear the word and are baptized, we enter into eternal life.
- Where is this place found? Answer: Here on earth, where the ladder stands that touches heaven, where the angels descend and ascend again while Jacob sleeps. It is a bodily place; but one ascends there into heaven without an earthly ladder, without wings and feathers. So faith says: I go to the place where the word is taught, where the sacrament and baptism are administered; and everything that is there
Happens before my eyes, in the fleshly place, are vain heavenly, divine words and works; the place is not earth or land alone, but is something greater and more glorious, namely, the kingdom of God and the gate of heaven. Hic itur ad astra: Here you go to the stars, as the poet says. You must not run to St. Jacob, or crawl into a corner, or otherwise move into a monastery. Beware and do not seek a new and foolish entrance to heaven, but look with faith to the place where the Word and the Sacraments are; there direct your walk, where the Word resounds and the Sacraments are administered, and there inscribe the title: The Gate of God or of Heaven. Let this be done either in the church, where the congregation comes together, or in the chamber, when we comfort and raise up the sick; or when we absolve him who sits with us at table: there is the gate of heaven. As Christ says Matth. 18, 20: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." There is the house of God and the gate of heaven through the whole world, where only the word together with the sacraments is taught purely and cleanly.
- But we should not look at the outward place with bodily eyes alone, as unreasoning animals do; nor should we think that the word is only a vain sound, ringing only outwardly in the ears. It is indeed a human voice, and he who speaks the word is also a man; the church is built of stone and wood, and our church, if one does not meet in it, is not a temple or church of God; unless it is called so (relatively). But if one preaches in it, administers the sacraments, ordains and confirms the ministers to the teaching office, then you should say: There is God's house and the gate of heaven; for God speaks there, as St. Peter says 1 Ep. 4, 11: "If anyone speaks, he speaks as God's word. If anyone has an office, that he may do it as of the ability which God gives."
170 But the blindness and lack of understanding of our hearts is like a dark cloud before our eyes, so that we cannot see the great glory of the world.
434 D. vn. I8S-IS7. Interpretation of Genesis 28:17. w. n, "SL-SSS. 435
cannot see. It is truly a great glory and majesty to say: This is God's word. I hear the voice of a man; I see human gestures; bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are bodily things; in the ordination of the ministers, men, being flesh and blood, lay hands on the ministers; in baptism the water is water: for thus and not otherwise does the flesh judge of all these things. But if you look at this addition with spiritual eyes, namely, what word it is that is spoken and heard there; not a man's word (for if it is a man's word, the devil speaks it), but God's word: then you will understand that it is God's house and the gate of heaven. The wooden house or the land itself does not deserve this name; but the land or place where one hears God's word sounding is God's land, not of the Creator, but of Him who governs His Church, who leads His saints in such a way that they may enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So, the water that is drawn in baptism and poured over the child is also water, not of the Creator, but of God the Savior.
(171) "But I see another law in my members, which is contrary to faith," Rom. 7:23. For I know well that these things are true, and yet I cannot agree with them so surely and with full confidence: I cannot believe as much and as strongly as I would like. So it is truly about me. Yes, even the angels themselves cannot comprehend and sufficiently see through what a great thing this is that is spoken of and said here, so that they cannot get tired of looking at it and contemplating it. But I wish that I could grasp it as much as I would like to now. But the same cannot happen; for flesh and blood, together with the heavy burden, and sin, which has taken hold of us, always contends against it; of which sin it is written in the epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 12, v. 1, that it always clings to us and makes us sluggish. It oppresses the spirit, which would like to grasp this and draw fully from it, that it might become drunk with it: but it must be satisfied with a little.
only that the tongue may be refreshed and cooled.
- But we must get used to the fact that we can make this addition, which in this place Jacob and the angels in heaven make; for the flesh directs its eyes only to the water, bread and wine, and to the land where Jacob slept. But the spirit shall see the water, the hand, and the word of God, and God in the water. The flesh sees so sharply that it can judge that water is water, and that it excludes God, as the Sacramentists and Anabaptists do. Therefore one should learn, against the sight of the flesh, that it is not a bad word and only a vain sound that only rings in the ears, but that it is a word of the Creator of heaven and earth. So the laying on of hands is not a human ordinance, but God makes and ordains the servants; and it is not the priest who absolves you, but the mouth and hand of the servant is the mouth and hand of God.
Therefore, we should recognize and esteem this immeasurable honor and glory of God, through which He reveals Himself to us in His Church. For the church is not such a house in which he creates, as he created everything from nothing in the beginning; but in it he speaks to us, dwells with us, feeds us and provides for us, we sleep or we watch. But how many are there who believe this? It is a true thing, and a very great word, in which the angels in heaven delight, and when they hear it, they become joyful and glad about it, for the sake of this knowledge of the church, and yet they cannot get tired of looking at it, contemplating it, and marveling at it. For the church understands God in itself, who walks with us and dwells with us, so that He makes us alive, preserves us and heals us, and through such attendance He works that in this life is the house of God and the gate of heaven.
These are truly immeasurable and wonderful things; therefore we should learn to magnify the honor and glory of the church according to its dignity and think much of it.
436 L. vn, 187-18S. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 17. W.n. ess-sss. 437
We are not to disparage them, nor are we to put the right worthiness of the church in such shameful foolish things, which are of no value; as the church robbers, the papists, are wont to do, who make themselves believe that the church is a bodily assembly, consisting in drink, food and clothing 2c. But there is a great difference between the things that the papists boast of and the bodily things that we have. For those were accepted and used against God, and not in honor of God or according to God's word. Therefore, their church is only a vain hypocrisy, and that they dream something of it. It is a false pretense. On the other hand, it is a very great thing that Jacob so actually indicates that there is God's house, where God dwells with us, since we are the household, yes, the sons and daughters, and he is our Father, who speaks with us, deals with us, and works the same in the most intimate way', and that the church is the gate of heaven. For this reason he dwells with us, that we may enter into the kingdom of heaven, and, what is most delightful, he came first and appeared to us on the ladder, descending and having fellowship with us, speaking and working in us.
So the church is made and established among the people, when God dwells among men, to the end that there may be a gate of heaven and that we may pass from this earthly life into the eternal and heavenly life. Who can be sufficiently astonished or understand that God dwells with men? Yes, this is the New Jerusalem, which descends from God out of heaven and has the clarity of God, 2c. as it is written in the Revelation of John in the 21st Cap. V. 2.
176 And this is the true description of the church, what it is according to its nature, namely, that one says: The church is such a place or people, where God dwells, because he wants to make that we may enter the kingdom of heaven; for it is a gate of heaven. And from this it follows very finely that for this reason nothing should be done in the church.
Only what God does can be heard or seen, as St. Peter says in 1 Epist. 4, v. 11: "If anyone speaks, he speaks as the word of God. But if I am uncertain of the word or of the divine power, I should keep silent. But as often as I administer my ministry, that is, baptize or absolve, I should be certain that my work is not mine, but God's, who works through me. Baptism is an effect of God, for it is not mine, even though I lend my hands and mouth as instruments. So, when I absolve you, or call you to the church office and lay hands on you, you shall not doubt that it is done from the ability that God gives; as the saying of Peter goes. And so this is the correct description of the church, that it is a dwelling place of God on earth; not that we should remain on earth, but for this reason the sacraments are administered, for this reason the word is preached, that we are led into the kingdom of heaven and go to heaven through the church.
177 Jacob saw it, and his descendants saw it, and we also see it, and all who are now the Church, or shall become the Church after us, namely, that it is God's house, which leads us from earth to heaven. And the Church has its place in the temple, in the school, in the home, in the bedchamber. Where two or three come together in the name of Christ, God dwells, Matth. 18, 20. yes, when someone talks to himself and contemplates God's word, God is there with the angels, and works and speaks in such a way that the door to the kingdom of heaven is open there.
But God does not dwell in the statutes of men, for He does not speak there. For one must always see to it that Jacob hears God speak and work. These are the right works that belong to the church and that lead us into the kingdom of heaven. But the papal church is not the kingdom of heaven, for it seeks only to have gold, silver, kingdoms, and the crowns of this world. These are her keys: what you will bind on earth, that is where you will depose the kings and crowns of this world.
438 L vn, iss-isi. Interpretation of Genesis 28:17-19. W.n,Ws-st2. 439
You will take kingdoms by force 2c. There is the right way to hell. Therefore, with the patriarch Jacob, let us not hear the voice of the pope or the statutes of men, but the word of God. For when he speaks, then the way and the gate of heaven are open.
Sixth part.
How Jacob aligns a stone, anoints it and makes a vow.
I.
V. 18, 19: And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had laid for his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon it, and called the name of the place Bethel: for the name of the city was Lus.
The Hebrew word mazebah, in Latin in statuam, sive erectionem, that is: He set up the stone, is just the same word, so in the 2nd Psalm V. 2. also stands, since one reads in the Latin text: Adstiterunt reges terrae: "The kings of the land rebel." He set up the stone that it should stand and not lie down, as an altar or pillar is wont to stand. But whether Jacob slept in the city of Lus or outside the city in the field, I cannot say for sure. Some want to have, he should have slept in the field, the others want, he should have lain in the city of Lus; as it can be seen that almost the text reads thus.
180 But Bethel is the name of the place that was called Moriah above, and has had this name from the beginning, that it was called the house of God. Therefore, it is quite plausible that it was often destroyed by the devil and also often rebuilt. For there is always a constant war between God and the devil: now God overthrows the devil and drives him away, then the devil comes again, and if the doctrine is falsified, he sets a murderer's pit in the place of the church, and defiles the place where the temple of God is. In the time of David, Arafna the Jebusite had this place, and had built a barn or threshing floor there, where he milled the wheat; which is why the devil has made it a place of worship.
The devil's activity was done out of hatred and contempt for this place, as he had defiled it many times before. But David bought the same place after the great death that had taken place among the people, and there he built a temple or altar and sacrificed to the Lord, because he had been heard; as it is written in the 2nd book of Samuel, chapter 24, v. 21. V. 21. For I consider that it was the place where Jacob slept; and God especially loved that place for the fathers' sake, for Shem's sake, who preached and did miraculous signs there, and for the sake of others before and after Shem, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and for Christ's sake.
But the devil is a proud and hopeful spirit, therefore he likes to take the holy and pure places, as this place was. As the words of Jacob also testify, when he says: This must be a holy place. As if to say, Moriah is a holy place for the sake of God, who is glorious and holy, who has had and still has his worship in this place. And for this reason he called this place Bethel, which was called Moriah before, because God revealed himself there.
In the middle ages, while Jacob dwelt in Egypt with his household, and also afterward all the time of the judges, the heathen and the devil had this place, until David set it up again, and Solomon built the temple there. Although it may have happened that this very place, where Jacob lay and slept, was utterly desolate and destroyed; for Hosea and the book of Judges publicly state that the city of Bethel of Jerusalem was twelve stones high. Now where Moriah was the place where Jacob slept, it lost that name, and afterward there was another place called Bethel. Although I understand the word Bethel to be a generic word, in German. God dwells here.
Where did he get the oil that he poured on the stone? Answer: Where there had been a place like this.
440 L. vn, isi-i88. interpretation of Genesis 28:18-22. W. n. "42-"4s. 441
the text indicates, he could easily find people from whom he bought it. By pouring the oil on it, he did not mean to indicate anything else than that he had made this place suitable and consecrated it to be a house and dwelling place of God, so that the Lord spoke there and the angels were his listeners. Since there were no people there to hear and recognize it, he thought that when he returned from Mesopotamia he would erect a church or altar there and praise and glorify this glorious and glorious manifestation of God. The oil means the anointing and consecration, so that the kings and priests were anointed, likewise also the vessels and clothes, so that they would be separated from the worldly use and consecrated to the holy use. Hence it came about that our apes in the papacy also used oil, but without God's word. Jacob, however, did not choose this place for himself, but came there by chance and heard God's word there.
184 Therefore the place was consecrated by God Himself, Who was pleased to dwell there. Therefore Jacob proclaims that this place is holy. And so that he might leave his testimony to his descendants, he pours oil on top of it and promises that he will consecrate the place to the house of God when he has happily completed his pilgrimage. He was not induced to do this by his own initiative, nor by the advice of men, but because he was afraid there, that is, because he served God in the holy place for the sake of the word of the Lord, which he had heard there. I will leave aside the allegory or secret interpretation of the spiritual consecration.
II.
V. 20-22. And Jacob made a vow, saying, If God 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 in peace unto my father; then shall the LORD be my God; and the
this stone, which I have set up for a mark, shall become a house of God; and all that thou shalt give me I will tithe unto thee.
The last part of this chapter is about the vow Jacob made, which Lyra disputes at length. First of all, it is asked why the very holy patriarch doubts, or at least speaks, as one who doubts is wont to speak: "If God will give me bread to eat, where he will bring me home to my father in peace" 2c. For should he not have considered it completely certain and true, since he had received the promise that he would have all these things and that he would never lack anything? for God, who promised him children and descendants, cannot lie. If he is to become a father of many nations, he must live, for those who have died cannot be or become parents. If he is to live, he must also have food and other necessities of life. But why does he now speak thus, as if he doubted all this? After all, he was strengthened and confirmed by the glorious appearance, since God repeated the promise and said: "I will not leave you until I do all that I have spoken to you. Where then does this great doubt come from after such certain promises of God?
I will leave aside that which is too high and could be cited here, and will remain with that which is low. For I have often said above and in other places that I am well pleased and that it is also useful and beneficial for us to hear the weakness of the saints; for such examples of the weakness of the saints are more necessary to us and bring more comfort than the examples of the great and excellent strength and other virtues that the saints have had; just as I cannot be much improved by David slaying Goliath the bear and the lion 2c.
For in such chivalrous deeds I cannot follow him, since such surpasses all my powers and thoughts. For by such examples of great deeds I am praised by the saints for their
442 D. VII, 1S3-1N. Interpretation of Genesis 28:20-22. w. n. 645-448. 443
The saints' strength and great power, which they had as valiant heroes, do not concern us, for they are too high for us to reach and follow them in. But when the examples of the weakness, the sins, the terror and temptation that the saints had are held up to us, as when I read the lamentations, the sighing, the terror and trembling that David had, it straightens me beyond measure and gives me great comfort. For there I see how they did not perish or perish in their sorrow and terror, but how they were lifted up and comforted with the promises they had received: from this I conclude that I also should not despair. For when they are in the battle with hell, and are also terrified in conscience, and have to struggle with it, they are thus minded, and also speak thus, as if they had no promise at all; and yet at last they are preserved by the word, so that they do not fall away altogether.
For look at Paul, who says of himself in 1 Cor. 2:3, "I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in great trembling." Item 2 Cor. 7:5: "Outward strife, inward fear." So how do you speak, Paul? Is this fitting for such a chosen armor-bearer, who has the promise that he shall bear the name of Christ before the Gentiles? Where are you going now, dear Paul, to the dungeon of hell, terror and despair? Where shall we stay, if you doubt and almost despair of your certain calling? But this is how it must be with even the greatest saints. For the divine promises are not given in such a way as to make us secure, but as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 12:7: "I have been given a stake in the flesh, even the angel of Satan, which smiteth me with fists." Why is that? Answer: "So that I do not exaggerate" the great gifts, grace and mercy of God.
For this reason, God sends His own such struggles, challenges, and disputes, so that we may understand and keep the promises of God more and more clearly and surely from day to day; which could not happen if the saints were always so valiant.
They would be sure and lose the promises and all hope. Therefore they must be tempted, that they may keep faith and hope, and wait for the promise. And from this we are corrected and comforted, when we see that the patriarchs and prophets were like us, that they were tempted with weakness and doubt, and came to the point that they should have despaired and lost faith.
What can be more useful and comforting to us than the example of Peter, who walked on the water to come to Jesus, Matth. 14, 29. And at first, when he stepped out of the ship, he walked on the water, that he might come to Jesus, as the evangelist says; he walked with a great tempest, with a strong courage and a certain spirit, because he knew that Christ was there, and had the word and the promise in his mouth at his request, when he had said to the Lord, "If it is you, let me come to you on the water," Matth. 14, 28. 14:28 But soon, when a little wind arose, his courage failed him, and he began to sink. How now? Where has the great courage and spirit gone? Why do you doubt, dear Peter? But it pleased the Lord Christ that Peter should be tempted in this way; for if he had not been tempted, he would have become proud and puffed up. Now it is better to be tempted than to become proud and puffed up; for thus one keeps the promise and thus we learn to understand the groaning of the saints. As, in the 6th Psalm v. 1: "Oh, Lord, do not punish me in your wrath" 2c. For David was also such a great man that God gave him the testimony and said 1 Sam. 13, 14: "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall do all my will"; and yet he prays like this and struggles with the heavy temptations of unbelief and despair.
So we also are called, and have such promises, which are much clearer and more glorious than the fathers had. As St. Peter praises this saving grace when he says, 2 Epist. 1, v. 19: "We have a firm prophetic word, and you do well to
444 " vli. 195-197. interpretation of i Genesis 28:20-22. w. ii. sis-osi. 445
as a light that shines in a dark place". Grace and eternal life are promised and offered to us much more gloriously than to them. For the Son has come and all promises have been fulfilled. We hear the Son Himself, we have the Sacraments, absolution, and the Gospel proclaims to us day and night, saying: You are holy, your sins are forgiven, you are blessed 2c. But what do we do? We still tremble and lie in our weakness while this life lasts. But why are we not awakened by the example of the patriarchs, who fully believed? Answer: They were also weak, as we are; though we have richer promises than they. But so it goes, as the word of God says, so it was said to Paul, 2 Cor. 12, 9: "My power is mighty in the weak." For otherwise God could not keep and fulfill His promise in us, where He did not kill in us the coarse, hopeful and sure flesh.
- Just to this end, the example of Isaac and Rebecca was held up to us above (Gen. 27, 45. Cap. 28, 1. 2.), who were also afraid and had to send their son into misery because of fear, which was against the promise and the blessing that was given to them: but they were not allowed to tempt God and put the son in danger without cause, although the promises were firm and certain. For so I also have been absolved by the word, have used the sacrament of the altar. Shall I then say, I will not work, I will sit idle; if I live, I shall live? 2c. That would be tempting God; yes, you should use the means and goods that God has given you by His grace. You shall govern, work, and seek to have your food, so that you may not tempt God. Thou shalt not put thyself in danger, thou shalt not go into the Elbe, and leave the bridge and despise it, because thou hast the promise that God will not leave thee. For so Isaac and Rebekah also would not tempt the LORD, but because they had a certain promise
If they have no hope, they nevertheless follow the advice that God has given them, for God fulfills His promise through certain means. One should not say with the loose enthusiasts (who think that everything is provided beforehand): If I am provided, I will be saved; if not, I must be damned. If I am to die, it will not help me if I wait for my body and take good care of my life; if I am to be taught, I may well be without books 2c. But God did not give His promise in such an order. For it is said in Romans 8: "But whom He has ordained, them He has also called; and whom He has called, them He has also justified" 2c. He does not want to fulfill the end of his promise without means, but he wants to do it by means; he has given us the creatures, of which the Christians are to use until we come to the end of the divine promise; like Jacob, who has many promises, but nevertheless uses the place, time and person.
I say this, then, as an example, so that one might excuse the very holy patriarch for not wanting to tempt God. But I do not want to excuse him, nor other saints, as if they had never doubted or sinned; for it is a salutary and very comforting example for us, and much more pleasant than if the great chivalrous deeds of Samson or David were held up to us, of which they had no promise, but for which they had a certain chivalrous spirit of faith.
194 Now we must also speak of the vows Jacob made. For the papists cite this text and use it against us, who punish and reject their monastic vows. Jacob, they say, made a vow and kept it; therefore it follows that whoever makes a vow is also obliged to keep it. They also cite Deut. 30:3, where Moses says: "If any man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind up his soul, he shall not weaken his word, but shall do according to all that proceeded out of his mouth. Item Deut. 5
446 vn, 197-199. .interpretation of I Genesis 28:20-22. W. II. 651-653. 447
23:21, 22: "If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not forsake keeping it, for the LORD your God will require it of you, and it will be sin for you. If you let the vow go, it will not be a sin to you" 2c. The monks cite these and many other sayings and examples against us, so that they may confirm the abomination of their vows.
But that we may refute their abominations and their errors, let this rule first be diligently remembered, namely, that justification, forgiveness of sin, grace, or mercy, is the first and, as it were, the right cornerstone; and this comes simply from pure grace, and can by no means be acquired by works. We should always keep this rule in mind, that we are justified neither by works nor by the law, but without merit, so that God's grace precedes all our works and merit. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 65, 1: "I am found of them that sought me not." This shall be the cornerstone, and God shall be the beginning of our blessedness, who reveals Himself to us, that we may learn to know Him. This is the main point and the reason that is held out to us in all of Scripture.
The very first thing is God's word itself, just as the creatures themselves are the oral word, through which all Gentiles should know God, as St. Paul says Rom. 1:19 ff. There must be something, either the Word or some other action, that precedes and moves us, and this first movement must come from God. That is certain: The person becomes pleasant at first. Yes, I say, it becomes pleasing through the grace that justifies, and through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through which man recognizes God that he is such a Savior. This is the first grace, since we do nothing, but only suffer: we hear that God speaks his word, and feel that he works in us through the oral word and the sacraments, so that he awakens in us the knowledge that we learn to know him.
197 If then this is certain and first, the other proposition follows, namely, that good works are of necessity.
for other things are nothing but thanksgiving, and that by it God is to be praised; no matter what works they may be, alms, or vows, or sufferings, or finally even death itself: all of these are to be counted among the sacrifice of thanksgiving. For we cannot give anything to God, nor can we earn or bring about that our persons become righteous. Now the monastic vows are only external works; for I and all monks vow to God chastity, poverty 2c. But why do we do this? Answer: Because we want to earn forgiveness of sin and thereby become blessed. Therefore, such vows are contrary to the article of justification as the most shameful abominations and blasphemies; and all monastic vows are ungodly, so that God's glory is robbed.
- for the monks are among the number of those who seek God, whom God rejects and condemns, and on the other hand says through the prophet Isaiah Cap. 65, 1. thus: "I am found of those who did not seek me. Item: Take away your sacrifices and eat them, I will not have your sacrifices, I ask nothing of your vows: "Do you mean that I will eat ox meat?" 2c., as it is written in the 50th Psalm v. 13. and in the prophet Isaiah at the 66th chapter v. 1.: "What house then is this that ye will build me?" 2c. Where did I dwell before I made heaven and earth? But this I have said unto you, Hear my voice; let all the people of Judah hear the word of the Lord: let my word be with you, that I may be the beginning of your salvation. For I am found of them that sought me not: that thou mayest know what is justification without merit, or remission of sins, that the person may be acceptable unto God, not for any work whatsoever. How the Jews of today strive and mortify themselves exceedingly, that they may find favor with God and appease the wrath of God; but they accomplish nothing thereby. That is now certain and constant enough.
Therefore, there is a great difference between Jacob's vow and the monastic vows. The vow that Jacob made
448 VII, 1SS-201. interpretation of I Moses 28, 20-22. W. II, SS3-6Z6. 449
than is not a vow of justification or forgiveness of sins; indeed, unless the person were first made pleasant and a child of God by the forgiveness of sins, he would not be justified by the vow, and what is more, he would not make a vow. The vow does not make a tree, just as the fruit of the tree is not the tree; but the vow is a fruit of faith.
- So now we reject and condemn everywhere the monastic vows and all sacrifices, even those prescribed in the Law and Moses. For of the same God also says: I will not have your sacrifices. Ei, why that? Answer: You want to make the figure of hysteron proteron out of me; you want to turn the hindmost to me first; you want to seek and reconcile me with your sacrifice. In short, I do not want to suffer that you should do something to reconcile me with it; but recognize me for the justifier and the one who gives you everything out of grace. Then your work will please me, if it is done either for my thanksgiving or for the benefit and good example of your neighbor. But if you want to feed me with ox or goat meat, or otherwise with your sacrifice, it will be in vain and in vain; for I will not eat your flesh, I will not accept your sacrifice and worship, so that you may seek and deserve that I should bestow my grace on you. For grace shall be without merit and in vain, else it is not called (gratia) grace.
- Then I will accept your worship, your burnt offerings and other sacrifices, because you do not sacrifice to me for the sake of making atonement for me, but because you recognize me as the one who shows you mercy and makes you righteous, and who has given you everything by grace, without merit and for free. So I will accept your sacrifices as thanksgiving, and that I may be praised thereby; as St. Paul Rom. 1, 21. says of the Gentiles: "Because they knew that there is a God, yet they did not praise Him as a God." God revealed it to them and gave it to them, but when they should have thanked and praised Him, they did another thing, namely, that "they are in their thou-".
The people have become vain, and their incomprehensible hearts have been darkened" 2c.
The first gift is to know God, which is to be followed by thanksgiving and praise; but they have become fools in their counsel, and have made for themselves other idolatrous gods, to whom they give and sacrifice, and from whom they will neither take nor receive anything. That is, to make an idol and forsake the right true God, and to praise themselves and not God. For they think thus: God will give me eternal life because of my merit, because of my cap and other works. This is an abominable blasphemy against God.
203 This text shows that Jacob did not make such a foolish and ungodly vow, but it was a vow of thanksgiving; for he says: "If God will bring me home in peace" 2c. As if he wanted to say: I want to commit myself to this now, which I owe, and I also want to keep and pay the same when I come home again. What should it be? Answer: I want to build a school and a church there, and to cultivate and maintain them I will give a tithe of oxen, goats, apples, and a tenth of milk and butter. God has no need of all this, for he does not eat bread or drink wine, as the 50th Psalm v. 13 says: "Do you think that I will eat ox meat?" 2c. What then doest thou? Answer: Jacob is already righteous, so he does not vow to make atonement for God, but to thank and praise God for leading him away and bringing him back according to the promise. But who will take the tithe? Answer: The angels, the sun and the moon will not take it, but he will do the glorious and excellent work of preserving the ministry of preaching with it, so that schools and churches may be founded from it, where the prophets and the prophets' children may be preserved and fed, who otherwise must suffer hunger and thirst, who are naked, poor and miserable.
204 As one can see today, how there are so few of them who take such poverty and misery to heart, and how they are so few in number.
450 2- vii, 201-203. interpretation of Genesis 28:2V-22. W. ii. sss-sss. 451
Evilly and unfaithfully, those who are rich and have money and good things in abundance give or contribute to the education and teaching of the youth who are to take the place of those who now administer the teaching ministry.
Therefore, it pleased me very much that the Serene Lord and Prince, Duke Henry of Saxony, who took the place of his brother, Duke George, after his death, said and ordered in particular that honest salaries should be paid to the schools and churches; for these were his words: I must nevertheless give my priests food and drink. But there are almost few of them, be they princes or other common people, who speak such praiseworthy words or follow such an example. Therefore, the schools and churches are in great danger, since there will soon be a lack of such people to nourish and maintain the schools and churches.
206 Therefore this vow, which Jacob made, is not only highly praiseworthy, but also very necessary. And so Moses is to be understood when he says Deut. 23, 21: "If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not forsake to keep it. What does GOD mean by vowing, or whom does he call when he says, "To the LORD your GOD"? Answer: It is called tithing to the disciples, children and wives of the prophets, who are wretched, poor and needy; they are to be fed and maintained from the tithes given to GOD; by this GOD is fed. For what you will give, says GOD, to the children of the priests and prophets, through whom the teaching is spread, you shall think it is given to me; not that I will make you righteous for the sake of the work, but I will accept it as a thanksgiving and thank-offering for having made you righteous and also blessed you in the temporal, and also will bless you more henceforth, where you will help the poor children of the prophets, feed them and sustain them.
It is a great thing that the Scriptures in Moses, in the Books of Solomon and in the Psalms repeat so often: If thou shalt give
If you make a vow to the Lord, you shall not forsake keeping it. And the same commandment applies most of all to priests, so that the ministry of preaching may be preserved. If you vow or promise to protect and preserve the schools, see that you also keep it. And Christ also says Matth. 26, 11: "You always have arms with you" 2c., especially at the time when the gospel is revealed.
For the word of God and those who teach and preach it are like all the other arts, as it is said in the German proverb: "Die Kunst geht nach Brod. Therefore the divine promise in the 41st Psalm v. 1 reads: "Blessed is he who takes care of the needy. For you have passed over the first grace and have already been justified by grace and in vain; you shall recognize this and thank God for it; then, says he, I will bless you in this way, make you rich in this way and shower you with benefits, so that you shall feel that enough has been done for you. And this should primarily admonish us that we should gladly help both students and teachers; for such alms are called tithes in this place, which are not given to them, but to God. And Christ himself also says Matth. 25, 40: "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
The Levites and priests in the law of Moses had no part and inheritance with the people of Israel in the land, and received nothing of the inheritance of their brethren: "For I," saith the Lord, Numbers 18:20, "am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. But what did the Lord have, or how could he be their portion? Answer: The vows, sacrifices and tithes, these he says I will give you, that with them you may preserve and nourish yourselves and your household, that you may attend to my office and service, that you may teach and learn, and so keep my word. Therefore the priests had no inheritance of their own, neither had they any portion in the land among the children of Israel; they had nothing to eat of their fields or inheritance, but they did eat with our Lord.
452 D. vn. 20L-20S. Interpretation of Genesis 28:20-22. W. n. 689-662. 453
God from his tithes. And these are called divine sacrifices and vows of God, as if our Lord God himself should eat them and would otherwise die of hunger.
When you give something to poor disciples, you have given it to God Himself, and you should know that you have done God a very pleasant service and sacrifice, which has this glorious and high title, that it is called a vow of God. But whoever believes and does this, let him know that it is a special gift of God. For the world does not respect it, and that is why the Turk comes and takes away by force all that we have gathered together and refused to give to those to whom we ought to have given it. For God does not want to eat with us, or to leave us any of the goods that we have. But is this not a glorious honor, after which we should all justly desire that I feed and nourish God myself, if I feed any teacher or disciple? For in this way you tithe to the house of God, which cannot be maintained without the schools and students.
- As Jacob saw on this journey the children of Shem dwelling by mount Moriah, who also had sons, daughters, sons' and daughters' children, and also blood friends, all of whom were almost miserable and poor. Forasmuch as the same mountain was before laid waste by the tyrants, perhaps Eber will have raised it up again; and after Eber, when Abraham and Isaac saw that it was laid waste, they also raised it up again, and built it. Now Jacob sees that the children, both sons and daughters, of the patriarchs are suffering hunger and hardship in the same desolate place; therefore he makes a vow that when the Lord brings him home again in health, he will give him a tithe, that is, he will rebuild the school of the patriarchs and give what is needed to keep it going.
The vows in the law, such as that of the Nazarenes, were established outside the common order and were superfluous. But this is a right vow that follows justification, and may be a vow that is not
The vow of love is called the vow of love, as this vow of the patriarch Jacob was. For the highest and noblest vow is in the first commandment, when we make a covenant with God to be our God and to believe in God the Father: this is the covenant in the first tablet signified by the Levitical vows and sacrifices, and is a vow of grace and righteousness. But these are vows of love and are naturally used for and for; of which it is said in the 5th Book of Moses at 23 Cap. V. 22. 23. it is said, "If thou forbear to make a vow, it is no sin unto thee"; but if thou hast made a vow, remember it, and keep it. We are not obligated or compelled to vow in a certain way or rule.
But where the church servants are not sewn or preserved, then this vow becomes a natural and moral commandment, which is necessary for this life, namely, that each one among us helps to preserve the preaching and church office in his place. As the Serene Prince, Duke Hans Friedrich, Elector of Saxony, gives three thousand florins annually to maintain the high school in Wittenberg here. This is truly the right vow of Jacob. For although he does not say in explicit special words that he is giving it to God or making a vow to Him, it is in truth a divine vow, so that he will make it cost so much that the priests, the masters and the professors of the arts may be fed and maintained; and His Electoral Grace is obligated to keep such a vow. Although it is not a vow in fact, it is nevertheless a vow in rights; for we are all obliged, by virtue of our Christian religion, to vow and give to the schools in this way, if we do not vow in fact.
Lyra says that what belongs to necessity should not be subject to the vow, but that a vow is voluntary. As the monks vow obedience, chastity and poverty; these things are not necessary before the vow, but after the vow they become very necessary. One such vow is the vow of love, so that I may help some one.
454 vn, 205-M7. Interpretation of Genesis 28, 2V-22. W. n. 6K2-6S4. 455
I promise to give ten guilders to the poor, of which he has need; there I am obliged to keep what I have promised. Yes, I am also obligated, if I see that my neighbor is in need, to come to his aid in his poverty; for I am not to suffer Christ to be hungry, naked or poor.
In this way Jacob vows to establish a school in Moriah and to provide the necessary sustenance for the students and children of the prophets. When I return home, he says, I will tithe to you children of Eber for the sake of the house of God, who has blessed me and shown me this face and the gate of heaven.
Hence it is that in the Psalms vows are sometimes called thanksgivings, which are otherwise necessary and commanded to all men; and they are not only works of words, but they also include right action. As in the Proverbs of Solomon, 3 Cap. V. 9: "Honor the Lord out of thy goods, and out of the firstfruits of all thy substance" 2c. This is to be understood not only from words and verbal honor, or from bending the knee, but from the deed itself; just as the honor that we owe to our parents does not demand and want only that we take off our hats to them, address them kindly and be obedient, but that we should also feed them and thus honor them in deed. And St. Paul also says 1 Tim. 5, 17: "The elders, who preside well, are counted worthy of twofold honor"; item Gal. 6, 6: "But he that is instructed in the word, he divideth all manner of good things to him that instructeth him" 2c.
217 Therefore, when God demands that we honor Him, He means that we should not only offer Him a verbal sacrifice, but also reverence with our hearts; indeed, He also wants the deed itself. He wants everyone among us to help promote the ministry of preaching, and to give and direct that the scholars may be preserved in their studies and that the doctrine may thus be spread. Then God will be praised and praised rightly and truly.
then you shall make a vow and say: I promise and pledge that I will give and contribute something so that the church may be helped. This is the vow of the holy patriarch Jacob.
218 Thus two kinds of vows have been signified by the vows in the law. One is that which belongs to faith in God, who makes a covenant with us that he will be our God; as we said above about the vow of the first commandment. The other is a vow of love, which, for the sake of the commandment and the word, is free, namely, when I do not know that my neighbor is in need, or when he does not need my help; but it becomes necessary when he needs my help and others do not want to help him. Even though I have not promised the Lord, I should still help my neighbor in such a case. For Christ teaches and commands us this, as he says Luc. 6, 30: "Whoever asks you, give to him.
The world not only despises such works and vows, but also deprives the churches and schools of the tithes that other pious people have given, and deals only with the fact that we should hunger and live in want.
- Therefore this example should be diligently impressed upon the minds of the people, that Jacob vows to tithe; not that God himself should eat of it or become rich, but that he should give it to the poor church servants, and to those who are always the least brethren or disciples of Christ on earth. For all other arts have their profit and one can earn something with them; only this profession of those who have to administer the church office needs to be helped and taxed. We must live from the altar, as St. Paul says. He who is godly and loves God's word gives something; but he who is hostile to the doctrine and to the teachers and disciples steals and snatches as he can and may, even that which is given by others.
For the rest, God has ordained and commanded that we should live and have our sustenance from the vows, sacrifices, and alms that are due to us by divine right; and when godly people have the poverty and hardship of the church and the people of the world, they should be able to live by them.
456 vn, M7. 268. interpretation of I Moses 28, 20-22. cap. 29, 1-3. W. n, 664-669. 457
When they see the servants of the church, they take an oath and are also obliged to tithe, as Jacob did, who understood the greatness and glory of this office very well. For he saw that the church at that time was afflicted and forsaken, and had gone astray, and had often been very severely persecuted and torn apart by the tyrants, since Shem and the other patriarchs there had preached the promise of the future seed.
After that Jacob well knew that this was the line and order from which Christ was to come, as above, Cap. 10. v. 21, Shem was called a father of all the children of Eber, therefore that from the descendants of Eber Christ should be born. For Eber had two sons, Peleg and Jaketan; but of Jaketan thirteen sons were born, and Shem was called the father of them all. Of these children of Eber, many became priests.
The churches and schools that taught the doctrine of the future seed were often destroyed, as can be seen in the example of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who often had to move and seek other dwellings, and were strangers in Gerar, Egypt and the land of Canaan. As churches and schools in the world must always go astray and move from one place to another, as the peoples called nomads have done. That is why they needed sacrifices, tithes, alms, and other practical help. And when Jacob saw that there was a lack of these things in the same assembly, he made a vow and promised that he would give tithes there when he came home again. V. 1, God commanded him to return to that place and erect an altar there.
The twenty-ninth chapter.
First part.
From Jacob's Journey to Haran.
Then Jacob lifted up his feet, and went into the east country, and looked, and, behold, there was a well in the field, and, behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for from the well they used to water the flocks, and there was a great stone before the well's hole. So they gathered all the flocks there and rolled the stone from the well's hole and watered the sheep, and then put the stone back in front of the hole in its place.
- so far, Moses has described how the holy patriarch Jacob practiced the high and right spiritual works of faith and the divine word; which piece in all the histories of the saints is worthy of being
They are to notice it diligently, namely, where they hear God's word, believe it and are tempted in faith through various tribulations and sufferings. For even though they are somewhat weak in faith, they are still completely divine and heavenly people, completely pure and holy; and finally they do not live and walk before men, but before God.
This is the true dignity and majesty of the holy fathers. Just as in our lives, when we practice the Word of God in the church, when we use the holy sacraments, we are tempted with many temptations and our faith is tested like gold in the furnace of fire. This is the true holiness, from which we are also called holy and are holy. For the Holy Spirit makes us holy through the Word, where we take hold of it and accept it by faith, and the flesh through suffering and
458 D. VlI, 208-21". Interpretation of Genesis 29, 1-3. W. n.ssg-672. 459
So that the saints may be made alive and give their bodies for sacrifice, which is alive, holy and pleasing to God 2c., as St. Paul says Rom. 12, 1. This is the highest degree of life of the saints.
But lest we should despair in our hearts, when we hear of the holy fathers, that they are not held up to us otherwise than in such high degree and holy life, God again brings them down from heaven to earth, and thus describes them as the very least of men, who are utterly despised, that nothing less or more despicable should be called, except that nevertheless their sins are not commended.
4 They are otherwise described as lowly, like those who always crawl along in the dust and toil of housekeeping and worldly rule, and are lowly enough. For they are engaged in such works, which seem to be of no value at all and to be without all sanctity; while the papists, on the other hand, seek only such a life, and are also highly astonished at it, which is utterly separated from worldly business, and is without any care at all both of household and worldly government. They call such a life, which is so separated from all worldly and corporal affairs and offices, holiness and righteousness, but they err and fall far short. For so shall we seek faith and righteousness, that we may eat the mint, and the dill, and the caraway; this ought to be done, and that ought not to be left, as Christ saith Matt. 23:23; that is, because we dwell and live in the flesh, we must therefore also wait for the body and the flesh; but yet sin is excluded.
(5) It is necessary to govern the world and the home, since we are not yet in paradise, nor are we like the angels, but we are still living in the flesh, in this natural life, which requires food, drink, clothing, house, children, and work in the fields; there is also a need for worldly government, and that we may have protection against the evil men who offend us. Therefore
It is necessary to keep the two offices that must go in this life, namely, nurture and defend: in the home, one nurtures the children and servants; but the secular regiment protects and guards all this.
(6) Thus, I say, the holy fathers are described as lowly and carnal, in the lowly state of this life, since there is nothing more impure or contemptible in the eyes of the papists. As they say, nothing else is reproached here, except that they took wives, begat children, milked the cows and goats 2c., which are quite worldly and pagan works. But the Lord has now given us the right mind, for which we should be grateful to Him. For we can see all this more truly and accurately than the papists, who see nothing but the works of the flesh, which are not so fleshly as their works, which are ruled by the devil and done without the Holy Spirit. For though they fast, abstain from marriage, and make a murmur in their churches, yet in their prayers there is no spirit, no heartfelt devotion, and no right worship, that they may avoid: it is all full of avarice, idolatry, vain honor, and contempt of God.
(7) We teach, then, that the first thing to be considered is whether the person is righteous and godly, which is done through the word he believes. According to this, however, the person in the church or congregation carries out his ministry, that is, he teaches, admonishes, prays, learns, and hears the word; he bears the cross for the sake of the word; he is killed according to the flesh. This is a holy living person and pleasing to God, who goes on and does other works as well, if she has heard the word and believed it, prayed to it and carried out her church office.
- like David, when he has cultivated the service of God, takes on the regiment and administers it, administering justice, waging war, arming his warband for battle, attacking the enemies, strangling them and shedding their blood. These are not really spiritual, but worldly works, which belong to the world regiment. If now one wanted to say: David is not holy because he is a warrior.
460 L. vn, 210-212. interpretation of I Moses 29, 1-3. W. N, 672-675. 461
If a man is a swordsman and wields a sword, he judges the matter too roughly, as the papists do. For who is this David who sheds blood and wages war? Answer: He is such a person, who is justified in the church by the word and faith; but after that he has an office in the temporal government, therefore he judges, condemns and justifies, administers the government, punishes those who are guilty, wages war, and nevertheless remains a pious believer and a good tree. Such bloodshed is pleasing to God, although the world and the monks, along with all other hypocrites, are very annoyed by it, because they only see the shell or the appearance of outward works. They do not see the Word and the faith, nor the Spirit of God, and how God has driven him to such works, which governs the person not only in the high works, but also in the common works, concerning the house and world government. For this is what David was called to do by God, as the Scripture says of him, to do all my will, which will God also commanded him, that he should humble and smite the Philistines, Damascenes, Amalekites and Ammonites 2c.
9 But what is this? say the papists, he should have prayed, sacrificed and served God in the temple in the meantime. It is rightly said, and he also does at the proper time and in the proper order what is proper to do in church and religious matters. In the morning he prayed, spoke of God's word, believed it, sang psalms, and diligently attended to what belonged to the church and religion. After that, he took care of the world and the house, fathered children, took care of his household, ate and drank. Thus David leads a godly and holy life in all three divine states or regiments, as in the church regiment and also in the world and house regiment.
(10) This is how we should live our lives, so that we may be found in such a state that is pleasing to God according to His word. Above all, remember that you believe the word and confess it publicly, and that you are ready to
be to suffer and die for the word's sake. Then, if you are a ruler or a householder, wait for your profession in the place to which you have been appointed. Such a life pleases God well, and he gives much great reward for it and makes everything turn out well by his blessing.
(11) Therefore, one should look at the examples of the fathers and act upon them in a high degree, so that one does not despise the lowly carnal and impure examples of the household and worldly government, as they are considered to be by the papists. For then they do not stink, nor are they low or contemptible, if they are done by such a person, who is believing, pleasing to God, holy and godly, who knows that everything he does is pleasing to God, but in such a way that the right order is not reversed, but that he remains and lives in faith: according to this, the works that such a person does in his profession are also pleasing to God.
(12) In this way Moses describes the patriarch Jacob, how he came to Haran, and there found his cousin's daughter, and loved the virgin, and took her to wife, and begat children, and tended the sheep; which are all foolish and carnal works, that they could not be found more carnal even among the heathen. For no one sees the real essential difference, which is very great, between a Gentile and this patriarch Jacob. For Esau and Ishmael also cultivate the field, tend the sheep, milk the cows, have their servants, feed their cattle; all these works are like the works of the saints, and yet they are not holy. Why is that? Answer: Because there is a great and incomprehensible difference between the two kinds of works. Here with Jacob is faith and the word, but there is no word, only unbelief. Therefore the works of Jacob are as far different from the works of Ishmael or Esau as heaven and earth, though outwardly they are the same.
13 Thus Erasmus extols the virtues of the pagans very highly, as, of Socrates, Cicero, Atticus 2c., and makes a comparison and says: You will hardly find such people among the Christians.
462 L vn, 212-214. interpretation of I Moses 29, I-3. W. II, 67S-677. 463
who would have done what Pomponius Atticus or other pagans did; indeed, among Christians many are found who are obviously wicked and shameful people, against whom these pagans would have been much better. But one should answer to this thus: According to philosophy and in the matter it is the same, that is, as far as the state or the external life is concerned; but if one looks at the species and the difference, not. For even if Cicero and Socrates had sweated blood, they would still not be able to please God for that reason. And is this not the question of what and how great works Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Scipio did, of whom it is known that they performed greater deeds than any Christian ever did; for you will not easily find such strength in war, item, such patience, and how they endured all kinds of misfortune and hardship, in any kings among the Christians; nor even among the kings of the people of Israel, as in David and the Ancients. Why then will you not exalt them, or prefer them to all the kings among the Christians, to David and the others?
Answer: If I were given the choice, I would rather have the work of a peasant or a maid who is a Christian, no matter how unruly and rustic it may be, than all the great victories and triumphs of the great Alexander, Julius Caesar and other pagans. Why is that? Answer: Because here is God, but there is the devil, which is the right essential difference (differentia essentialis). The works have the same matter, but if you look at the species and the difference, help God! how are they so different! For God says: The works of this woman or maid, and the housework that she does, that she sweeps the house and obeys the matron, are pleasing to me. For he sees the lowliness of his maidservant, where there are also no great glorious works, but only that she does maidservant work at home, whether in the kitchen or with the cattle. These two were such maids, Leah and Rachel, who fed their father's sheep and drove them to the water where they drank,
They also milked the cows and goats. These works pleased God well. But Hannibal, Alexander, Scipio and Cicero do not please Him. But why is that? Answer: Because in general, as they are said in the schools, that is, as far as the works themselves are concerned, they are equal to each other, or rather they surpass those works; but if one looks at the species and the real difference, those works surpass them by far.
(15) Not all men can see this, and Erasmus himself did not see it; only believers see how precious and important the works of Christians are. But faith and the Word make the works important, delicious, precious and great, because God Himself and the Holy Spirit are in the one who does the work.
(16) But the people, who find themselves like horses and mouths, are very moved by the outward appearance. And I, when I was still a monk in the monastery, was much holier than I am now, as far as the outward appearance is concerned. I prayed more, I watched, fasted, chastised my flesh, in short, my whole life had a great appearance before other people's eyes, although it did not have such an appearance before my eyes, for I had almost a broken spirit and was always sad. But now I eat and dress in a common way, and there is nothing distinguished or special about my life in the sight of others. At that time, when I was still a monk, I did nothing else, but that I spent the time badly, corrupted my health; yes, that is even more, I have also wounded and burdened my conscience with the righteousness of works, so that it still wants to be healed poorly. For over the kind and nature, which is innate and implanted, that it always wants to boast of works, I have also made a habitus, as it is called in the schools, and a habit out of it, that I always want to look at my works and worthiness. But I know for sure that one lesson and one Our Father are now more valid and more pleasing to God than all the prayers I murmured in the monastery for fifteen years, because
464 VII. 214-216. Interpretation of I Genesis 29, I-3. W. II, 677-680. 465
I know now that I will surely be heard; and I need no watchfulness, or special fasting and mortification; for God has given me an angel of Satan with many other burdens and crosses in this world, which trouble me more than all these together.
(17) And so far we have dealt with the fact that the holy patriarch is described in such a lowly and insignificant way that there is no difference between him and the lowest and most contemptible pagan. But therefore the reader shall learn the difference between a Christian and a pagan, and their two works. For if a man be a Christian, see if he hold the word in honor, and hear it, and love it, and be earnest of it; and if he be burdened and afflicted with the cross and tribulation. And if this is the case, he will come to church, he will hear the word gladly, he will take pleasure in it, he will believe it with all his heart, he will pray, he will thank God, he will have a good conscience. When you see this, you shall certainly conclude and take it for granted that he is a holy man, pleasing to God; and you shall praise him as a holy man and marvel at him, and of everything that he will do afterwards, whether in the world or in the home, you shall say that it is pleasing and pleasing to God. And God will reward it not only in this life, but also in the life to come; as it says in the Revelation of John, chapter 14, v. 13: "Their works follow them," not only the works that concern the church and religion, but also those that belong to the worldly and domestic government. But the works of the wicked and the heathen are not pleasing to God, so they do not follow them; but they die without honor, without remembrance, without wonder. But our works have the honor of pleasing God and the angels, and they follow us into that life.
But now let us look at the text. "He lifted up his feet." It is a peculiar way of speaking in the Hebrew language. In the common Latin translation it says: Profectus est: He went. But see.
How unequal the armor was for this journey of that delegation, of which Moses said above (Cap. 24. V. 2. ff.), when Abraham sent his servant to take and bring a wife for Isaac, his son and heir of the promise. For the servant was sent, taking with him gold, silver, and other ornaments, and some camels, and honest company. Why then is not his son Jacob also equipped in this way, since he was also appointed heir according to the promise and blessing he received? He must go on foot without companions, without camels, without all expenses; he has hardly any provisions for the way. Therefore, this way of speaking in the Hebrew language should be well remembered for the sake of comparison. He picked up his feet, he went on foot, and did not hem himself in on the way, but went on in haste, "endlessly," as is said of the Virgin Mary Luc. 1, 39, when she went over the mountain 2c.
(19) Thus Moses paints the holy patriarch Jacob and the heir of the blessing quite contemptuously and lowly, who is now, as it were, the only pope in the world. For Eber, who lived the year before, has grown old; Isaac is blind and unfit to rule; his son Jacob alone is the bishop and prince of the house; but they let him go away with the greatest contempt, with danger and great misery, so that he runs away on foot and without companions. There is no lack of servants, camels, gold and silver, but he must be so miserable and poor that he has nothing in his bag, only a meager supply of food for the journey.
But what is the cause? Answer: This is the cause we heard above Cap. 27. v. 43. ff. Rebekah his mother said to him, "Hear my voice, my son: arise, and flee." There you see the cause, namely, that he had to flee, and that his brother Esau was angry and had threatened to strangle him. Therefore Rebekah wisely prepared him secretly and provided him with food, so that he might go away secretly without the knowledge of his brother and all the servants.
466 L- vii, 216-218. interpretation of Genesis 29:1-3. W. n, 6so-eW. 467
would like to pull. He had to steal away secretly. Silence, she will have said, and go away secretly, flee as fast as you always can. He did not want to suffer such a flight and danger that he would have prepared himself for the journey publicly and would have taken many companions with him, so that he would not be stopped and hindered, because one must move slowly with the cattle and camels, and thus would have been caught by his angry brother.
021 The Jews, without cause, bring their lies and vain babblings into this place, pretending that it is not to be believed that Isaac should have delivered his son Jacob with less honor and glory than Abraham delivered his servant above, Cap. 24, v. 10, his servant: therefore they say that Eliphaz, the elder son of Esau, followed Jacob with a band of armed men, and when he seized him, robbed him of all his goods and possessions.
22 Lyra puts up with this. But they are all Jewish fables and lies. For Jacob was not so deprived by his parents that he would have had companions with him, like Abraham's servant, who was safe and without any danger, and did not have to flee. But Jacob fled away secretly, since all his brothers-in-law knew nothing about it; moreover, without the foreknowledge of his brother, from whom he took no leave, who was an enemy to him and pursued him. Therefore the text says: "He lifted up his feet" and fled away 2c.
(23) And it was indeed a very wise counsel of his mother, who was more concerned and anxious that his son should live and be unharmed, than that she should have prepared and dispatched him with great pomp and companions, lest she should thereby put him in danger without need. And Jacob obeyed his mother well, did not resist her, and did not tarry long, but always went away and hurried on his journey.
- this, as we have said above, is to be enforced hard against the reckless and unrighteous heads, which say, If I have the promise, then have I also that which is promised.
that which is promised to me, if I do nothing at all. These thoughts are to be rejected and condemned with this example of Jacob, who obeys his mother and flees, even though he has the promise. He does not say: I have the promise, therefore I will be safe and remain unharmed, if I do not follow the advice of my mother.
025 For the promises are not made that we should snore, slumber, and sleep, or that we should do anything contrary to the promise; but that we should work, be faithful, watchful, and bring forth fruit. So I am not baptized, nor do I partake of the Lord's Supper, nor am I absolved to snore and sloth at home; but if you have the promise, baptism, and absolution, remember that you are called to watch, and to do diligently and with great care that which pertains to the faith and your profession. "How shall we live in sin," says St. Paul Rom. 6:2, "to which we are dead?" We are not absolved and absolved from our sins that we should live in them and serve them henceforth; but that we should resist them and persevere in the promise that I should mortify and kill my flesh, and suffer with patience when God lays out the cross for me, that we may be made perfect and bear more abundant fruit. "In this," says Christ John 15:8, "my heavenly Father is honored if you become my disciples," that is, if you also suffer as I have suffered, if you are conformed to me. For he that is not a crucianus (that I may speak thus) is not a Christianus, that is, he that does not bear his cross is not a Christian; for he is not conformed to his Master Christo.
This is the first thing, that this very great patriarch, who at that time was the only bishop and a burning light in the whole world, who has the blessing, the promise and the word, lives and walks as if he had nothing at all. Why is that? Answer: Because there is not even a spiritual man there, but a householder, and a father.
468 L. vn, 218-220. interpretation of Genesis 29:1-3. W. n, 083-685. 469
who is quite miserable, who does common housework, of which God has not said or determined anything special in his promises; just as he has not said in what way or measure he will help him and govern him, nor what the outcome will be: just as he has not given us a promise that this very year will be peace and the grain will be well.
27 Therefore I should not say, I do not know what I want to do, therefore I will do nothing. Rather, God says, "You do what is proper for you to do in your office, and let me do the rest. He did not say, "All things will be done;" but you should do what is proper for you to do in your office; you should not know how it will be done or what will happen. Thou art justified; therefore now go and exercise thy faith with the works of the house and of the world. And for this knowledge of God's will, and for the calling to which each one is called, one should thank God that a spiritual man, that is, one who has the Word and faith, knows that he pleases God even in the low degree, in the worldly and domestic regiment, whether he is a servant or a maidservant, a ruler or a subject: Even if he is only a member of the world and of the household, he should thank God and know that he has a gracious God who is favorable and well-disposed toward him.
- Then this also serves to comfort us, when the examples of the very holy patriarchs are held up to us, not only in the high and heroic virtues, but also in the bad and lowly works, even in the impolite and contemptible works of housekeeping; so that we may not despair or think, when we are burdened with these domestic works, that we are then despised and reviled by God; but we should know that all things are sanctified by the word and faith.
- Although the world does not see this holiness, but when it hears that such bad common works are said to have been done even by the most holy of men, it thinks that it is a vain labor of loss, and that the good time is thereby made evil.
if one runs such legends. For it is not worthy to see the honor and glory of God; as it is written: Away with the wicked, that he see not the glory of God. Only the faithful see and understand the works of God; therefore, in our eyes, yes, in the eyes of God, these are glorious works.
(30) And thou shalt not think or wonder why the Holy Spirit has pleasure in describing such evil and contemptible works; but hear what St. Paul saith, Rom. 15:4: "Now those things which were written aforetime are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." If we firmly believed, as I do, although I believe weakly, that the Holy Spirit Himself, and God, the Creator of all things, is the right master of this book, and of such evil contemptible things as seem to the flesh to be bad and lowly: then we would have the greatest consolation from it, as St. Paul says; yes, our heart would be filled with hope. Indeed, our hearts would be able to boast and hope that God would condescend to remember these patriarchs, and that He has not forgotten them, and would not only want their chivalrous virtues to be praised, but also the wicked, lowly works, which were to be adorned with this description, as with gold and precious stones, and held up to the whole world, so that they would be spread out, read, and recognized. For this reason, all things serve the believers for the best; indeed, even what was previously small, insignificant and despised must serve them for glory, because they see that God delights in such small things, that He does not only want to sing and praise the great and excellent virtues of the saints, but also the smallest works. For they are God's works; therefore God delights in His works, whether they be great or small: and the same to our great comfort, as the saying is in the 147th Psalm v. 11: "The Lord delights in them that fear Him" 2c.; item, as David says in the 56th Psalm v. 9: "Count my fleeing, put my tears in thy sack. Without doubt, you count them."
How now? Doesn't God have anything to-
470 L VII, 220-222. interpretation of I Moses 29, I-3. W. II, 685-688. 471
What else can he do but count the tears and the flight of David? Does he not otherwise have enough to do to rule the world? item, to listen to the choirs of angels who praise and extol him without ceasing? What more wonderful thing can be said? And yet it is the truth, and God also makes sure that He counts the tears and the flight of David; as in the 9th Psalm v. 13: "For He remembers and inquires after their blood; He does not forget the cry of the poor"; item, in the 116th Psalm v. 15: "The death of His saints is kept precious in the sight of the Lord." Moses said to Pharaoh in Exodus 10:26: "Our cattle shall go with us, and not a hoof shall remain behind." Not only shall the men, women, children and cattle go out of Egypt, but all that we have, even the least of our claws, we will not leave behind.
32 For this reason, I say, not only are the great chivalrous virtues precious and worthy in the sight of the Lord, along with the great glorious works that he works through us, as well as the blood, death, and great difficult struggles of the saints, but even the smallest claws are worthy in his sight. Yes, listen to Christ, he does it even better, Matth. 10, 30: "But now all the hairs of your head are numbered," as if he wanted to say that you should not lose one hair. Dear, what is less and more contemptible in the whole body of man than a hair or a nail? And these are also counted, and the Father in heaven takes care of them.
(33) In this way, the examples of the lowly and wicked works of the saints should be treated, so that we may be taught and comforted by them. For we do not deny that they are small and contemptible, if we only look at the instrument by which they are done: but one must look to God, who Himself is the right doer. For though you see the impurity or the precious stones in the saints and their works, they are pleasing to God, who works both the small and the beautiful works through them, for they are God's works and God works with them. Therefore, this is a great, immeasurable comfort to them,
who believe. And all this is described so that we may see how sincerely God loves us and how well He is pleased with us, how much anxious care He has for us. He looks so closely at me that he is worried that I will lose a hair. While he counts the hairs and cares for them, he cares much more for my body, soul, blood and all suffering that may come my way.
(34) But these things are too high, therefore we do not believe, and the lower and more impure the works are, the less we believe. The impurity of the works and the fact that they are so bad and small prevent us from believing; otherwise we would exalt and magnify the grace and mercy of God in these very bad and small works, and our faith would be greatly strengthened. For God has such great care and sorrow for us that He cannot forget even a little hardship, not even a tear or a little sorrow. And this is what the Holy Spirit means when He walks so lowly in describing His saints, that even the smallest works of the saints are pleasing to God. It is a delicious thing about a Christian man: there is nothing so small about him that pleases God. Shedding blood, dying, sweating, fighting and struggling against the devil is in truth a great thing and pleases God very much. But you must conclude: If you are a believer, then the natural, carnal and bodily works are also pleasing to God; you eat or drink, you wake or sleep; which are all bodily and natural works. Such a great thing and cause is faith.
- Therefore, first of all, see to it that you become a Christian, and that the person becomes pleasing and acceptable to God through the Word, baptism and sacraments. If the person believes and adheres to the word, does not persecute it, but thanks God for it, then you should do nothing else, for Solomon says in his Ecclesiastes, chapter 9, v. 7, 8, 9, 10: "Go, then, and eat your bread with gladness, and drink your wine with good courage; for your work is pleasing to God. Let thy garments always be white, and let not thy head lack ointment.
4722 . vn, 222-2S4. Interpretation of Genesis 29:1-3. w. n, 688-691. 473
Use life with your wife whom you love, as long as you have the vain life that God has given you under the sun, as long as your vain life lasts, because that is your part in life and in your work that you do under the sun. Everything that comes to you, do it fresh" 2c. What more do you want? And what could be said more sweetly, more kindly and more clearly?
(36) It is true that God is pleased even with the wicked, that they are diligent and skillful in their work; but unbelief and vain honor stand in their way, so that they cannot direct their works to God's honor: the lack and sin is in the person, which does not please God. Therefore, even the wicked deserve reward in this life with their good works, but their works are not counted, our Lord God does not put them in linen sackcloth, as the 56th Psalm v. 9 says about the tears of the godly. But the tears, the flight, the anguish, both small and great works of the saints, are counted, and shall be praised and glorified forever.
37 Therefore this is a very sweet consolation which St. Paul indicates when he says in Romans 15:4 that nothing is written in vain in the holy Scriptures. For it is certain that the very low and very small works are held up to us for this reason, so that it may be shown that God is pleased with His saints; for there always remains the forgiveness of sin and that God accepts them with grace; and as long as they are in such grace, they always live under the cloud and shadow of His wings, and God protects and shields them.
38 And this we also ought to appropriate. For if we are Christians and truly godly people, we know that we are like the great saints, if not in the highest degree of great virtues, yet we are like them in the lowly and unpleasant works of this life, and know, as far as God's care and protection is concerned, that we are loved by Him no less than they were loved. And to the same tender and ardent love of God we have a certain pledge, namely, His dear
Son, for whose sake the Father loves us and has placed us together with Christ in the heavenly realm, as St. Paul says Eph. 2:4, 6. Moreover, we should know that this also concerns us, as it is written in the 37th Psalm, v. 23, 24: "By the Lord such a man's walk is encouraged, and he delights in his way. If he falls, he is not cast away; for the Lord upholds him by the hand" 2c. But let us believe and accept this promise. For as parents keep their little children very diligently and carefully, that they fall not, neither be bruised or hurt; and when they see that they have a spot or dirt on their face, they are quick to come and wipe it off, and make them clean, which an enemy and stranger doth not do; if there be any feather in their hair, they comb and adorn the little children, and keep them clean and beautiful: such great care, and such love and right fatherhood, doth God bear unto all them that believe on him.
39 Let this be said in a summary of the teaching in this chapter. What now follows belongs absolutely to the house rule: we will also pass over that, and explain what belongs to the grammar. "He went," says the text, "into the land of the children of the morning," in German: in. the land of the morning-landers, or: "that lies toward the morning." This is a common way of speaking in the Hebrew language. For thus it is also said, a child of death, that is, one to be killed; item, a child of the quiver, that is, an arrow; a child of hope, that is, a hopeful man. Be children of strength, is said as much as, be strong and undaunted. A child of Belial is called a wicked rogue.
40 Therefore the very holy patriarch Jacob went into the land that is toward the east: by which common name of the whole land the Scripture secretly indicates that though this journey may be considered easy and small, yet it was a high and heavy work, which came by word and faith. For he had to go about in an unknown country, whose name is also not expressed. For he does not call it Haran, but
474 L. VII, 22L-SA. Interpretation of Genesis 29:1-8, W. II:6S1-S9S. 475
the land towards the east, which the Arabs and Syrians did not know or inhabit at that time, there was nothing, except Babel. Therefore Moses simply says that he went to the land toward the east, that is, to an unknown desert. As above (Cap. 11, v. 31) Abraham went out of Chaldea, not knowing himself where he was going or where he should set his foot: he ventured upon our Lord God.
(41) For this reason the journey may have seemed easy and small, but in truth it is a work of great fervent faith. For he does not know the desolate place of the people or the place where he will come; he does not know the people, the place or the way where he will go; he does not know where he will have a lodging place every night. So it has been a dangerous and arduous journey beyond measure, and meanwhile he has been struggling in faith with death and the devil all the way, not knowing where he was going or how he would fare on the journey before he got to the place where he was to go.
42 But about this time he sees a well in the field, to which he has gone. Now this is also a bad and small thing; only that it arises here, that the comfort is shown to him, because he comes to the place, in which he is now somewhat safer than before, and hears about this also say from his cousin Laban.
I know nothing more to say here, so I will add nothing. For I have no desire for allegories or secret interpretations; for the text itself, according to the letter, gives us a better report than allegory can do. It is enough for us to know that these evil and insignificant works of the saints are pleasing to God; therefore, we do not doubt, where we are in our calling, what we will do or suffer, that such things are pleasing to God, so also that he has had them written in this book and has wanted all these works of the saints to be praised in this way. He certainly did not want such works to be forgotten. The text is written according to the letter
themselves clearly enough. According to the allegory, they want to understand the Trinity through the three flocks of sheep at the One Well, and through the large and heavy stone they understand Moses. But this does not concern me, I will leave the same to others.
Second part.
Of Jacob's arrival in Haran, how he is kindly received by Laban and accepted into his service, and what reward Jacob demands.
I.
V. 4-8. And Jacob said to them: Dear brothers, where are you from? They answered: We find of Haran. And he said unto them: Do ye also know Laban the son of Nahor? They answered: We know him well. And he said, Is he also well? They answered: He is well: 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 cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and we roll the stone from the well's hole, and so water the sheep.
44 Haran is a city in Mesopotamia, where afterwards Crassus suffered a great defeat and was overcome by the Parthians. But Laban was Nahor's son's child, and not his son: and he was now dead. Bethuel, the son of Nahor, was Laban's and Rebekah's father. But Nahor is called for this reason, because he is the father and the head of the same family. But Jacob asks, hath he peace? This is spoken after the manner of the Hebrew language, as when we say, Is he also sound and strong?
(45) About the stone in front of the well's hole, the grammarians raise a question: whether it was a law that one alone should not have rolled down the stone and watered his herd before they all came together? or else: whether the stone was so large and
476 L- vn, 2SS-SM. Interpretation of Genesis 29:4-12. W. ii. "W-sss. 477
was heavy, that it was necessary that two or three of them had to help each other to roll the stone? I do not think that there was a special commandment in which it would have been forbidden, but that the stone was so big and heavy that one or two could not have rolled it.
46 In Mesopotamia the wells were diligently kept and covered with great stones, because there was not much water in the land. The shepherds who tended the flocks were not all strong men, but boys and young girls like Rebekah, who were ordered to tend and keep the flocks. They came together at the well and waited for stronger men to come and roll the stone away; Jacob came and rolled the stone away by himself. I consider this to be the reason why so many of them had to come together and help each other. But what others think, I leave free to them.
V. 9-t2. While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them. 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 Laban's sheep; and he kissed Rachel and wept with a loud voice and told her that he was her father's brother and Rebekah's son. Then she ran and told her father.
47 In the commentaries of Hebrews it has been indicated, and it can be seen that the text also brings the same thing, namely, that the Holy Spirit fell on the patriarch Jacob, and he was thus strengthened by it, so that he was able to roll down the stone alone through such an impulse and stimulation of the Holy Spirit. After that, because he found there in his misery Rachel, his blood friend, he took courage and got great hope that he would finally obtain what he had in mind and which his father had commanded him, to take a wife there.
take. Therefore, as soon as he sees Rachel, he is inflamed with love, and the natural inclination toward his blood friend comes out, so that two impulses, faith and love, make his body and heart a little stronger. For he wanted to show himself manly with strength and that he would be quick, so that he would capture the heart of the virgin and incite her to love him.
(48) These are also only natural things; but the Holy Spirit has written them for this reason, so that no one may think that they are shameful or unseemly things. For it is a Christian and godly thing that you love a virgin, whom you may take to wife with honor. For this is a natural inclination that the two sexes have toward each other; and although this inclination is not without sin, God does not want it to be despised, as if it were dishonest in itself. For it is a work of God, which He created in the nature of man, which not only should not be despised or blasphemed, but it should also be cherished. For God wants to be honored in all works, both small and great. He does not want to be despised, even in the very least work; as Christ says Matth. 25, 40.: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." So we are not to reject or trample underfoot even the very least of God's commandments and ordinances. If you want to drink water, it is good, so drink it and thank God for it: but if you do not want to drink it, you should not despise it.
- So then, I say, these carnal, childish and feminine things are all contemptible and impure, and yet they are told by the Holy Spirit, not to incite people to fornication, not to kindle shameful and unseemly love in the hearts of young men; but to preserve the hope and dignity of the married state, and that the Holy Spirit may show and testify that the married state is not displeasing to God, nor the love of the bridegroom and the bride, since God created this state.
478 L. vn, W8-Wv. Interpretation of I Moses 29, 9-13. - W. n, sss-roi. 479
and has instituted. Therefore, do not revile or blaspheme it as if it were a dishonest and unseemly state, as the monks have said that the married state is a dangerous and impure state.
50 Therefore, I think that Jacob, in the hour when he looked at his blood friend, was so enraptured and so strong in spirit that he was able to roll the stone alone, otherwise it would have taken four or five strong boys. And he wanted to do this friendship and service to the virgin, so that she could water her herd in time. But she does not yet know that he is related to her.
51 When he had rolled away the stone, he came and kissed the virgin as a stranger and a stranger, before he greeted her. Which is also considered dishonest and is not in use nowadays, nor does it stand: but he heard beforehand from the other shepherds who said, "Behold, his daughter Rachel is coming" 2c. Therefore he knew that she was his blood relative. And the same people had the custom that when they came together and greeted each other, they also kissed each other; as the same is still common today in Belgium and also in other countries. Our people only shake hands with each other and take the virgins and honest matrons in their arms in a finely chaste manner. So many countries, so many customs. Therefore, this is a sign of love for his intended girlfriend and his future wife, which love he wants to prove with this kiss, as if he had given her his hand or some other gift.
52 And from this came the strength to roll away the stone, namely, from the natural inclination he had for his blood girlfriend. Then also from the love he had for his bride, who, as he saw, was sent and given to him by God. Thirdly, he also became especially happy about it, because he saw how he had now reached the harbor after such a difficult and dangerous journey. But all this the Holy Spirit increased and confirmed in him. Finally, Jacob is called a brother of Rachel's father after
Hebrew way; for the Hebrews call the sister's son a brother, as Moses himself will explain when he will say: that Laban heard of Jacob, his sister's son 2c.
When Laban heard about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and kissed him and welcomed him into his house. Then he told Laban all these things.
(53) Here you see that these things are described entirely as one would write of shepherds talking with one another. And yet the Holy Spirit makes so many words of it that the reader, who is a worldly man, is disgusted and fed up with it. Other histories of great important things, such as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, item, when Abraham sacrificed Isaac, he has summarized with few words in barely five or six verses; but when he comes to these foul, carnal, and foolish things, he makes an exceedingly great number of words about them, namely, that we should know that the Lord is pleased with those who fear him. For if we believe and are sure of the grace of God, which He has shown us in vain, we must not doubt that everything we do should not be very pleasing to God, and that He has also counted the hairs of our head, and that it is pleasing to Him to kiss, and to cut the heart, and that Jacob should roll away the stone; all of which are told in this place as very high and delicious works in the sight of God and the holy angels. God could not forget them, but wanted them to be described to us for teaching and comfort.
(54) Even though we are very severely afflicted in this life, and are subject to many miseries and misfortunes, and finally to death itself, we should know that it is all a precious thing; as it says in Psalm 116, v. 15: "The death of his saints is precious in the sight of the Lord. The same we should understand of other works, we eat or drink, sleep or watch; as St. Paul Col. 3, 17. says: "All things whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do them.
480 2- vn, WV-W2. Interpretation of Genesis 29:13, 14, W. n, 701-703. 481
all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father through him. And in such little works we are to exercise ourselves, that we may advance generally, and be accustomed to higher things. But faith, which works great and chivalrous things, condescends also to domestic and small works; it feeds the flock of sheep, it waters them, it milks the goats. For God created both the foolish and the wise, the small and the great, and what is good and what is bad. Therefore the works of the servant or the maid please him as well as the master, the woman as well as the man. Only be faithful and hold God in honor above all things in matters of church and religion; so make it so that you abide by His word. "If ye abide in me," saith Christ, John 15:7, 8, 10, "and my words abide in you, ye shall bring forth much fruit, and your fruit shall remain. "2c.
- For this reason, one should look to faith and to the person who is in favor with God. For God has poured out such great goodness upon us that He counts and respects even the smallest of our works. No matter what works they may be, they are all praiseworthy and pleasing to God, because the person pleases Him.
(56) And is it not true here what reason judges of it, which says: It behooves a heathen scribe to describe such things as are not worthy to be written in the books of holy scripture; indeed, Greek or Latin scribes should not even write such minor works of their great and valiant heroes, whose history they have described. For they do not understand what is a truly godly life, what is pleasing or not pleasing to God; as the saying goes: Away with the wicked, that he may not see the honor and glory of God.
(57) Therefore, we should read this with due reverence, and thank God that we know that we please God, even when we sleep, eat, drink, free; when man, wife, and child dwell with one another; when we govern the household; when we draw, and when we have a house; and when we have a house; when we have a house; when we have a house; when we have a house; when we have a house; when we have a house; when we have a house; when we have a house.
milking 2c. In such works we should practice; for they are as great and wonderful as the high works, because they are done by a great person who believes and is an heir of the kingdom of heaven. If it pleases God, there will also come a day or hour when we will also do great works of chivalry.
(58) And this good will and good pleasure of God is also reflected in the affection that parents have for their children. For we see in the house rule that father and mother are more pleased when the son or daughter brings a little flower or some other small thing, than when the servant or maid carries a large sack or beam: the small works are pleasing to the children and pleasant to the parents, who would otherwise despise the servants and maids.
(59) Therefore, it is much different to describe the legends of the hypocrites and monks than of the right saints. Those hypocrites ridicule and mock the works and the whole life of those right saints as an impure life, and meanwhile they dream that they can propitiate God with their self-chosen and monstrous works. But such their works are condemned by God, because they are not done by such a person who is pleasing and acceptable to God. Therefore, let us now consider the other, which is no less foolish and carnal, as the hypocrites judge it. And now follows a new piece, namely, how Jacob became a bridegroom.
II.
V.14. Then Laban said to him, "Well, you are my bone and my flesh. And he (Jacob) abode with him one moon.
(60) The matter is at first well begun, as the hypocrites are wont to be at first. For Laban is described throughout history as being miserly and selfish. And the name Laban rhymes well with it, for it means as much as white (albus). For the hypocrites have a great appearance of godliness, discipline and good manners, so that it is as if no one were more holy, more honest and more spiritual,
482 D. vn, 2SL-Wt. Interpretation of Genesis 29:14, 15. **W.H, 7(8-7".** 483
because they are. But he should have been called Nabal more cheaply, that one would have reversed the word. So he presents himself outwardly very godly toward his cousin and as if he loved him very much. But in the meantime he thinks: "Behold, now I have got a very good and useful servant, who will have to do and suffer everything according to my will and favor, because he is fugitive and miserable, who could not find anywhere where he could have stayed safely. He is poor, hungry and naked: in such a prison and bonds strong enough, he shall be imprisoned in my house. For if he were without me, he would die of hunger.
But at first he gives him good words, caresses him, as hypocrites are wont to do. You are, he says, my leg and my flesh, runs to meet him, hugs and kisses him, as if he loved him sincerely and from the heart. But he will soon reveal and show his hidden and unfaithful heart. Just as it is customary to say: Post tres saepe dies vilescit piscis et hospes, that is: As one no longer respects fish when he has enjoyed them for three days, so one no longer respects a guest much when he has had him for three days. One soon gets tired and weary of guests.
62 Therefore Laban is described and portrayed as such a hypocrite, who had a great appearance as far as outward works and words were concerned, but inwardly was full of idolatry, pride, avarice and contempt for his neighbor and only looked after his own benefit. The pious holy man Jacob had to deal with such a hypocrite. But see how the great honor and glory of this so great patriarch has had so little beginning; from which patriarch so many kings, so many prophets, Christ himself and the apostles have come; with whom is all the majesty of eternal life; who is a king and priest, and who has obtained all the blessings from his father: he is so utterly poor and despised that he has not so much room as he would like to step out with one foot. Yes, that is creating a man from nothing.
V.14. 15. And when he had been with him a moon, Laban said unto Jacob, Though thou be my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought?
(63) Jacob stayed with Laban for a month, but he did not feed him for nothing during that time. There is no doubt that he was not idle, but did what a godly and faithful man should do. And it was not only poverty and lack that drove him to do this, but he did it because the Holy Spirit was in him, through whom holy people are stimulated and driven to do all kinds of honest and godly works: which people God also blesses so that they can be useful to many people. Like Joseph, who had nothing from his master but bread and clothing, yet he made him rich and could not expect any reward from him; yes, such people are those of whom St. Paul says Col. 3:23: "All things whatsoever ye do, do them heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men" 2c. Such servants are almost rare, who thus serve faithfully, not that they may please men, but God. But Jacob was such a servant during the month, and all the while he served Laban; he was not idle, but willingly and with great diligence took upon himself the domestic work and performed it, he fed and watered the cattle: and all other such household work he also did, as faithfully and diligently as he ever could. And this pleased Laban the miser very much, seeing that he was so industrious and merry to do such little servant work. Soon he made a contract with him for wages, praising Jacob's diligence and skill and his great faithfulness.
(64) And this is truly an excellent virtue, which is very rare and scarce, especially among blood friends, since you will find very few of them who think how they may faithfully serve their native friends. For they make themselves believe that they have a special right to do so, that they only devour, seize and squander what is theirs.
484 D. VII, 2S4-236. interpretation of I Moses 29, 14-20. w. II. 70S-70S. 485
bornen friends is. The brothers-in-law or blood friends are almost rare, who are like Jacob and Joseph, or like Naaman was with the king in Syria, to whom you may command and trust the care and management of your house.
65 Therefore Laban saw that he had gotten a servant according to his pleasure, who was industrious and diligent, who was able to take care of the cattle, who put the servants in good order, and who made a very fine breeding in the house, and everything that was in the house was greatly increased and improved. The words that follow testify to this, when Jacob says: "You had little before I came here" 2c. And at the same time the blessing of God also came for the sake of the faithful servant, who in truth was the salvation and like a pillar on which the household held on. Therefore Laban says, "I do not want you to serve me for nothing. For he sees that he is not lazy cattle, as we have servants and maids today, but that he does more than he was commanded to do, all for the benefit of his cousin. Therefore, the reward for such faithful service follows.
III.
V.15-20. Tell me, what shall be the reward? Laban had two daughters; the eldest was named Leah, and the youngest was named Rachel. But Leah had a wicked face, and Rachel was fair and beautiful. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy youngest daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her unto thee, than to another: tarry with me. So Jacob served Rachel seven years, and it seemed to him as if they were single days, so loved he her.
This is only a childish and carnal thing. For what is it that the very holy man, who has such great promise from God, to whom God Himself appeared in a very beautiful face, still becomes young at such an age and almost becomes a child again? He sees two virgins, and that the one is more beautiful than the other; of them he loves the one who is the most beautiful of all
He has no love for the other. Does this seem fitting for Jacob, who was a man of eighty? For it is certain that at that time he had reached his eightieth year, or at least his seventy-eighth. Now, at such an age, he begins to joke childishly and to love the virgin. Dear, why does the Holy Spirit write such a thing and hold it up for us to read, as if we could be corrected from such a shameful deed? For this is more, after this it will be said in the text that Jacob loved his son Joseph, because he was born to him in his old age; the same time was not more than fourteen years after this happened, and yet it is called the age of Jacob.
67 Therefore it is not fitting that such a holy man should be so foolish and lecherous that he would look at the beauty of a virgin and prefer a beautiful virgin to one who is ugly and not beautiful. For it cannot be said that he did it because he would have liked to have children with her, since women who are not beautiful are generally the most fertile, as can be seen in Leah, and she could not have given birth to Jacob and loved her as much as he loved Rachel. Therefore he cannot be excused by pretending that he did it for the sake of childbearing, but this is a shameful and ridiculous thing, namely, to love a virgin because she is beautiful, and not primarily for the sake of childbearing.
(68) This should be done, that we should love the female sex in itself, only for the sake of childbearing, for which this sex was created by God, and not misuse it only for lust and fornication. For the fact that women were created to bear children is indicated by the form of their whole body, which has its own instrument and members, since it can conceive, nourish and bear fruit. But there are few of them who can do this.
486 L VN.WS-LSS. Interpretation of Genesis 29:15-20, W. n. 70S-7I2. 487
And Jacob also lacked in the end. For he loved Rachel because she was beautiful, but he did not love Leah because she was not beautiful, which is less fitting for old men than for young men, that they should look at beauty.
69 But this is to be taught and practiced in the church, so that we may not shy away from the marriage state, as the papists have defiled and condemned it with their foolish work. For this is why the Holy Spirit writes this, so that He may indicate that God does not want to reject and condemn those who look at the beauty of their wives, and that such a choice may be made without sin. Therefore, no one should think that he is sinning if he prefers a beautiful wife to one who is ugly. So we can also be taught and improved from this.
(70) After this Jacob hoped that he would beget children with the virgin, who was beautiful and strong in body. For where marriage is instituted, care should be taken to ensure that the strong are chosen and joined together with the strong, and the skillful with the skillful. As such a distinction is made with the unreasonable animals, as with oxen, horses, sheep, roosters, and all other animals. But it is not so among men because of the corrupt nature that comes from original sin. For this is why some are born strong, some weak, and sometimes some leprous. Some blind, some foolish, which is the fault of the parents. For the sake of original sin, it must be tolerated that strong and weak persons are joined together in marriage, because the damage of original sin must be controlled and increased with the help that God has shown us in marriage, whatever the people may be or whatever people are joined together in it.
So also all animals have their certain time for procreation; only man has such an erroneous and uncertain movement or stimulation because of the poison of original sin. Such stimulation could not be counseled in any other way, except that they are thus together.
be joined together. And whoever can have a beautiful and strong wife, let him have her; but whoever cannot have the choice, let him take the one that can become him, be she equally beautiful or not beautiful.
(72) According to this, marriage after original sin is very grievous and burdensome to the flesh, so that the spouses cannot or may not be divorced. For though the desire and love remain when husband and wife have one for another, yet the bond of which Moses says that the wife shall be to the husband as a helpmate in his life, not to be separated from him, is almost hard and heavy. For whatever accident may befall her body, or her goods, or her children, yet the covenant remains firm, and cannot or may not be severed; and if all choice be removed, no change shall be made to them, and in short, one shall not forsake or leave the other while they live.
- In addition to this, there is also the devil, who is hostile to all God's order, who troubles and afflicts the spouses in many ways. And for the sake of so much and so great toil and trouble that are inherent in the marriage state, it is not evil for one to choose a beautiful and strong wife, so that he may tolerate and bear this bond of the marriage state, along with all the troubles, so much longer and more easily. For it is not to be advised that one should choose and take such a wife, who would not please him at first, and would be disgusting and annoying; for the devil is wont to disunite and tear apart even those who are almost beautiful and very fond of one another.
- And the Holy Spirit teaches in this place that God has not forbidden or condemned such a choice. For he commends the same, or rather allows this holy patriarch to have, as young people do, the beautiful one rather than the one that is not beautiful. He lets it happen. For the married state is such a state, which needs the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God, so that he translates it, not only as far as such carnal lust is concerned, provided it is done properly in the married state, but also as far as the
488LVH .A8-S40. Interpretation of Genesis 29:15-20. **W.II, 712-714. 489**
The same is true for the sin of the husband and wife, when they are angry with the servants and children, and when husband and wife are angry with each other, as is customary in the household. For as the government of the world and the church must always be under the forgiveness of sin, so the life of the married couple is also under God's grace and forgiveness of sin.
God does not want to condemn marital affairs unless a man chooses a beautiful wife and loves her. This is not difficult in the beginning, when the love is still somewhat heated, so that the bridegroom and the bride are inflamed against each other; but it generally grows cold. Yes, it sometimes turns into bitter hatred and enmity for more than a month because of the devil's incitement, and when he bewitches the hearts of the spouses, as he is wont to do in many wonderful ways.
This is not an excuse for this sin, which the hypocrites make very great against the holy patriarch Jacob, but it is a glory and praise of divine grace, namely that God does not condemn Jacob for rejecting Leah, who is not so beautiful, and choosing the other, who was more beautiful. The papists interpret it as lust, but they do not see what cause drove him to marriage. Because Jacob had the promise, he was worried that he would like to have children and descendants; therefore he took care how he might get such a wife, who would be pleasing and pleasant to him. For this, I say, he has more concern than where he would like to get a certain dwelling and a house, which is contrary to the way and teaching of the philosophers and worldly wise men. For thus says Hesiod: First of all you shall provide yourself with a house and a wife, and also an ox, so that you can plow the field 2c. This patriarch of ours, Jacob, has no regard for any of these things, neither house, nor ox, nor any other necessity; but first of all he chooses for himself a wife that is pleasing to him.
After that the papists also do not see that under the childish love of the old
Patriarchs is a perfect chastity hidden. For since the Holy Spirit does not reject love in itself, when the bridegroom and bride have one for another, he wants to indicate at the same time how chaste Jacob was. For is this not excellent chastity, where a man lives chastely until his eightieth or eighty-fourth year? For in the eighty-fourth year Jacob became a husband; so long did he live chastely outside of marriage after the first bloom of his youth, until the years of old age came; for fourteen years after that he will be called old.
If the papists can see that he chose a beautiful virgin whom he loved, why can they not also see that he lived chastely until his eighty-fourth year? And at that time nature was still a little stronger and more perfect, so that a man was capable of begetting children at the age of fifteen or sixteen. Now it is truly a great miracle to bear and overcome from that same year and right in the blooming youth the wickedness of the flesh and the law in the limbs, which is called the lust pestilence, and a very hard fight against the flesh, which few of them have endured.
79 For this reason, the papists err and fall far short of thinking that the fathers lived a carnal life, as they consider them to have done. For they are of the opinion that no one lives chastely except those who are in the celibate state, as monks or nuns. And they are very angry at the fact that the patriarchs were married, and they do not understand anything about this excellent chastity. But it would have been no wonder if Jacob, in so long a time as he lived chastely, had even killed his flesh and extinguished the innate power to beget children. For the years of his blossoming youth and, since he was an adult, of his male age have already passed, and he now already has four and eighty years on his neck, has struggled with his flesh for eight and sixty years, and yet a natural inclination to the female sex, to a virgin, has remained in him.
490 vn, 240-242. interpretation of Genesis 29:15-20. W. n, 714^-717. 491
He preferred the most beautiful one to the one that was not so beautiful, since he was already an old and gray man.
80 Therefore these examples of chastity surpass all our chastity, and especially the very shameful impure celibacy and the celibate life in the monasteries, which are now nothing but whorehouses. Or even if they have ever kept chastity, it cannot be compared with the chastity of the fathers, in whom the flesh was thus killed with great faith and spirit, so that the natural inclination and love for the female sex was not extinguished. Just as Jacob loved his bride very dearly, so that the seven years hardly seemed to him to be three or seven days long. After that, which is even more, since he became a bridegroom, he waited another seven years until the bride was given to him. If at this time one were to wait so many years for the wedding, and were to serve in the meantime, were to be poor and a beggar, he would certainly let both bride and father-in-law go.
But this the rude sows, the papists, do not consider, nor do they see the great excellent example of chastity, in which he also had great patience, that he bore the heavy service for whole seven years, and endured the long delay, which otherwise would be unbearable to another, whoever he might be, in truth: and still with such service he is completely poor and meager, has nothing of his own, not even a lace or thread. And he does all this out of love, which he had for the virgin, so that he was so completely taken in that the seven years seemed to him as if they were single days, that is, as if they were only seven days.
Augustine also marvels at this patience and this waiting, and asks: "What could have been the cause that he could have such patience and wait so long, since this is against and above the nature of man? For all descriptions of love, and of those who are afflicted with great love, testify that it is true, as He says: Impatient amo:
I become almost impatient over love: and especially where love is long delayed, it grieves men very much and makes them impatient. In the boo songs, people complain that day and night are too long; as he also says in the poet: Si mihi non haec lux toto jam longior anno est etc.: This day lasts longer to me than otherwise a whole year. But Augustine answers thus: That this time and years seemed so short to him, had come from the fact that the work had not been difficult or annoying for him. For love is all-powerful. Just as he who hates cannot bear anything. Love does for free what otherwise one would do for the sake of no money or request. So it often happens that whores or adulterers suffer more than a married woman or husband would suffer. And so much is the shameful, senseless love of whores able to do; therefore pure conjugal love does and suffers much more.
But this answer is not enough. For one must also add what is indicated here, namely, how this bridal love was governed by the spirit of faith in Jacob: but where this regent is, there all is good and easy. For where God is with us and deals with us in all that we do, this is our noblest and highest comfort. "I am able to do all things," says St. Paul Phil. 4:13, "through Him who makes me mighty, Christ." Though these things be carnal and childish, yet all things are commended in this very holy man, for our example and consolation. For he had the promise that he would have children and descendants. That is what he was looking for, and that is why he had to take a wife.
Now we will also look at and explain the grammatical parts. The text says that Leah had a stupid face; in Hebrew it says rakkoth; and I think we have interpreted it quite well. For that the others say, that she should have had longish eyes, is a fable. It seems to me that she was an honest, pious maiden, of good manners, also strong in body; but not beautiful, especially in
492 VII, 242-244. Interpretation of Genesis 29:15-22. W. n. 717-721. 493
the eyes, which are very much a part of a man's body. As Pliny calls the eyes the king among the members that man has in his body; and they are truly the best part of the body. Therefore, it is a strange gift in man to have beautiful and lovely eyes.
The eyes that are commonly called hawk's eyes are especially praised, as it is said of girls that they see like a hawk, because such eyes are very sharp and lively, and shine like lightning. They are pure and bright, and both vice and virtue, which are hidden in the heart, can be seen in the eyes. Therefore, the beautiful bright eyes are like a miracle in the human race, for they signify an excellent mind and a peculiar good nature. Then it is said of the Messiah in the 49th chapter of this book, v. 12: "His eyes are redder than wine"; they are like the black red wine. Such eyes adorn the face very much and give it, as it were, life and peculiar cheerfulness.
86 But small and stupid eyes, which are not sharp and lively, darken and disfigure the whole face. Leah had such eyes, so that she did not see sharply; therefore she did not have favor because of the tender or stupid eyes. For the Hebrew word rakkoth means tender or petty; as it says of Abraham in the 18th chapter, v. 7: "He took a good calf" 2c. I will leave out the mystery of which the others speak in this place, and follow the understanding that history brings with it; for this cause is in itself simple and clear, why Jacob did not love Leah so much, namely, because she did not have sharp and beautiful eyes.
Now Rachel was beautiful, and the meaning of the Hebrew word thoar actually refers to the form, shape and proportion. The eyes of Rachel had their proper shape, likewise the forehead and the cheeks, and the whole body had its proper shape and the limbs had their dexterity also fine. This is the true beauty and adornment, when in the
In the face, the proportion of the eyes, the forehead, the cheeks and the other parts is skilful and appropriate.
So far, Moses has described this bridegroom and lover Jacob childishly enough, who for the sake of love for such a beautiful and pretty virgin has borne such a long and hard service. From this one can well assume how great the love was. And it is to be noted that the holy scripture does not condemn this love for the bridegroom, but praises it. Now follows a beautiful example of the patience Jacob had in this service and in his love for the virgin.
Third part.
How Jacob demands his wife as the reward for his labor, and how he is shamefully deceived by Laban.
I.
V. 21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me now my wife: for the time is here that I should be joined.
(89) Jacob calls Rachel his wife, though she is a virgin. For the Scriptures make no distinction between a woman and a bride who is trusted to a man, as is seen in Moses and Matthew, where virgins who are trusted are called wives. For this reason Jacob considers Rachel to be his wife and loves her dearly, as a man should love his wife, and as young men and bridegrooms love their brides.
- But the love of the bridegroom is most fierce when the time comes for him to be joined. But the pure, chaste and hot love, which this our patriarch had for his wife Rachel, is prevented in him in a very unjust way, and he is misled and badly deceived about it, as follows in the text.
V.22. Then Laban invited all the people of the place and made a wedding feast.
- The rogue would be worthy to be cursed into the abyss of hell. Moses says
494 L. VII, 214-246. interpretation of Genesis 39, 22-25. W. n, 721-724. 495
Not that he had invited them to the wedding, which is done in a proper and honest manner; but that he had gathered them together, not to honor the bridegroom and the bride, but to deceive and cheat the good, pious and holy man, so that if he tricked him into his rope, he would have to keep the one he had recognized during the night, even though he had deceived and cheated him. Therefore, he soon gathered several witnesses in a hurry. And it seems as if the scripture wants to make it clear that Laban had no good reputation among pious and honest neighbors, who undoubtedly understood his evil deeds, violence and injustice, which he had done to the pious and faithful servant Jacob during the seven years. That is why he gathered loose reckless people, who would not punish this deceit. Thus it is indicated that he was a bad rogue and drowned in avarice.
92 Jacob was joyful, and because he loved Rachel so fiercely, he had no evil suspicion that he would be wronged, but had good hope, was joyful, and thus waited for his most beloved bride, that he might be gladdened with the joy for which he had long hoped and waited.
II.
V.23-25. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her in unto him; and he lay with her. And Laban gave Zilpah to his daughter Leah 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 hast thou deceived me?
Now this is the example of patience to Jacob; therefore whoever can, let him learn patience. I cannot; for this patience is unbearable and inimitable. The pious holy man is so fiercely in love with the virgin that he does and suffers everything he can and may for the whole seven years; yes, that he may make the miser and the old rogue Laban rich on the condition,
that he should give him his daughter Rachel. But for such faithful service he thanked him by secretly taking his wife, namely the virgin whom he loved and for whom he had longed and waited so many years. And he does this at the very hour when he is to have the bridal joy for which he had greatly longed; and he not only takes her from him, which in itself is very annoying, but also forces another on him against his will, whom he does not love, and thus lays such a burden on his neck that he must bear it forever.
This is truly an abominable and very unjust deception. Jacob knows nothing else, except that he has his most beloved bride in his arms, and behold, he has the one who was given to him instead of his beloved bride. If someone steals another's money, gold, silver or cattle, or takes them by force, that is a small loss; but if someone takes from you a virgin, a beautiful beloved wife, with whom you hope with all your heart to beget children, from whom you hope to have seed of the offspring promised to you, that is truly such violence and dishonor, which is greater than any other violence can be. For all Jacob's hope and all his waiting suddenly fell away, and he could not think otherwise than that he should always be deprived of the love of Rachel his bride, and that she should not become his wife.
Thus he is deceived in his good hope, since he waited a long time for the kind love he wanted to have for his bride; this hope lasted a whole seven years, and they both had great joy over it. But that she suffered this violence did not pass without tears and great pain. For the misfortune is all too terrible and great, and the patience is also unbelievably great. I would not have suffered it, but would have accused him of it, and dealt with him in court, so that he would have been justly forced to give me my bride, and would have rejected the other and sent her back to Hanse to her father. For it was not Leah to him,
496 K. vn. 24". S47. Interpretation of Genesis 29:23-25. **w. n. 724-726. 497**
but Rachel was trusted; and this was no doubt publicly announced and known to everyone throughout the city.
(96) But I think that the people Laban invited were worthless and frivolous people, "loose faggots," who had to praise Laban for this evil deed and excuse him for it. But that Jacob and his dear bride should have been divorced in such a way was almost a heavy and unpleasant thing. I truly could not bear it, even if I were older in years than Methuselah was. For such divorce is against nature and all human reason. How great a noise has been made in all history by those who have taken other people's virgins and wives by force! How often have many kingdoms, which were under great power, come into conflict with each other in terrible warfare, and have been turned back and destroyed because of such violence!
The Greeks almost stirred up the whole world for the sake of Helen, who was also taken away by force. The Sabines started a war against the Romans because their daughters had been taken from them. And afterwards, in 34 Cap. V. 25, 26 of this book, how the Shechemites were beaten and slain by the sons of Jacob, because Dinah was stolen. For the heartfelt love of a bridegroom is too tender and cannot suffer much, especially when he is now to hold a wedding and lie with the bride, since the joy of the wedding is just beginning. Therefore, he cannot tolerate or suffer anything less than that the bride he loves so dearly should be taken away from him, that he does not have gold or silver, even his eyes and his own life so dear.
After that Jacob had sought this bride and chosen her by the command and will of his father for the sake of the heirs and descendants he was promised, which he hoped to receive from the bride, who was beautiful and young; but this hope and joy, for which he had waited so long, fell away in an instant. Therefore, whoever can, may make this great and outrageous wickedness great.
and curse them into the abyss of hell, for it is greater than can be sufficiently explained in words. Yes, it can be seen that in the text it is also indicated that such wickedness is secretly punished in it. For it is not said of Laban that he brought Leah to Jacob as his wife, as it is said of Rachel that Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife. Moses does not want to call Leah a wife, but says only thus: "He took his daughter Leah and brought her in to him."
(99) The miser Laban was driven to such a great sin by his shameful and disgraceful miserliness, and he did not care so much that he wanted to force his eldest daughter on Jacob against his will as that he would keep him in his service for another seven years. For he has felt and experienced that his thing has gone very happily for him and his property has been increased. Therefore it is very unreasonable and horrible that such a pious man should be held back by such a great sin, so that only the avarice of this old scoundrel may be enough. But he must suffer the scorn, which is too hard.
100 The text does not tell us what Rachel's attitude was, but it is likely that she was no less displeased. For she will undoubtedly have known that she was the bride, and the whole neighborhood will have known that Jacob had served Rachel for seven years: therefore Rachel will have been just as angry about this injustice as the bridegroom himself; indeed, she was much less able to bear and overcome it. For the female sex and nature in women is somewhat weaker than in men; she was certain that she was the bride and now was to be joined to the bridegroom: but immediately in the same hour, when she thought that she now wanted to enjoy love and her desired bridegroom, she was unjustly betrayed, not without great pain and many bitter tears, which she will have shed over it: she will have wept and cried miserably.
101 Therefore, this is a sorrowful and
498 vn, 247-24S. Interpretation of Genesis 29:23-25. W. n. 72S-7W. 499
sad wedding. For the bridegroom is miserably betrayed; but Rachel, the bride, is cast out, who no doubt could not conceal her grief and anger, if she had been justified in it, but showed and testified to it with weeping and crying. Moreover, she will have spoken to her father and publicly accused him. Why, she will have said, are you taking my dear bridegroom away from me, whom you trusted yourself? But the cruel father was not moved by this at all; perhaps he also threatened her severely, so that she had to keep silent.
Leah knew well that she was not the bride, but the bride's sister, and may have been somewhat reluctant to her father, but she finally gave in out of human affection, so that she was carried away and forced to do such an injustice. Yes, she will have enjoyed this violence, so that she would become a mother of the heirs and descendants that were promised to Jacob; for she had heard that Jacob was waiting for the heirs. After this, in chapter 30, v. 15, it can be seen that Rachel revealed that she was displeased with her sister Leah for this very reason and hated her for it.
(103) Therefore, I say, this was an unhappy marriage for Jacob and Rachel, because of the deceit of which they had little thought on either side. And here we have an example of great chastity in the holy patriarch Jacob, and also of a heavy cross and very great patience. For I do not know whether any saint, let alone a pagan, could have carried this cross with such great patience. It is too high and too terrible.
104 And it is asked, What use these people may have had in their weddings, because Jacob sleeps with Leah alone in the bedchamber and in one bed, and yet does not perceive that Leah was joined to him instead of Rachel; for he has dwelt in the same house all seven years, when he will doubtless have seen the bride several times, and at times also talked with her; and he would have known this in the bed.
If not by the voice, he could have recognized and distinguished it. According to our custom, we are much more careful in such matters; for we do not lead the bride in the dark, but with drums and torches both into the church and also to the bridal bed, and also take people as witnesses, so that no deception can happen there. But that there was no such use among the people can be assumed from this history; otherwise Jacob would not have been so shamefully deceived.
According to this, it was common in those days for men and women to have separate dwellings, and for each to have his own room in the house; they did not live among themselves as we do. The boys lived with their fathers, and the virgins with their mothers, especially alone; but in the bedchamber, where Jacob had his bride with him, he was able to talk to her freely and without shyness, and he could well have known by touching her that it was not Rachel.
- One can conclude from it that at that time very large shame must have been with the people; or that ever the patriarch Jakob was very shameful and chaste; or however that Lea will have been thus instructed by the father that she should be silent or ever speak quietly: But Jacob must have been very modest, that he did not speak to her and did not touch her particularly, but only held himself to her with such love, as befits a husband, with great joy, that he now finally wants to cultivate love with his dearest bride.
The scripture praises this great shame and excellent chastity, that he entered the bridal bed without all suspicion, without lust, without lewd desire, but with simple and conjugal desire. For that Lyra says that he should have abstained from her for three nights, I leave that aside. Rather, one should consider the great simplicity that he did not sense at all in any sign that it was a strange virgin with whom he lay. For one must not look at the fathers in the same way as the papists of
500 2. VII, S1V-SS1. Interpretation of Genesis 29:23-25, W. II, 729-732. 501
But in Jacob there was a very simple chastity and a very pure chaste love for his dear bride, and he had no cause for suspicion that another should have been attached to him instead of his bride. For both parents and the bride herself are all very well known, and one has always sensed in all of them great outward loyalty and true piety; and yet they are deceived.
(108) But I think and excuse Jacob as I said above about Lot, when he slept with his daughters. For it may well happen that a man is sometimes so engulfed by some strong imagination, on which he is quite anxious and upset in his heart, that he neither hears nor sees, and feels or senses nothing at all, even though he sees with open eyes and hears with open ears. For a violent and deep thought, on which a man is quite intent, withdraws the heart from all the senses, so that the man outwardly sees or feels nothing at all.
So it also happens completely when man is taken over by violent emotions and movements, either in anger, or in sadness, or also in love. For such affects and movements cause a person to become quite distraught and, as it were, to lose his senses. Hence it is that often in war, when one is to meet the enemy, you may see in the warriors how they are terrified, how they are even frightened and dismayed by great fear. So Lot was drunk with sadness rather than with wine, and was even swallowed up in the sadness he felt because Sodom was so horribly burned with hellish fire, and because of that he did not feel or sense anything; but what he did, he did all ignorantly and with a foreign heart, so that he was not with himself, as we are accustomed to call it.
This is a strange thing, but it is not uncommon, and it happens naturally to melancholy people when they are in a bad mood.
If they are completely intent on one thing or another and think seriously about it, you could often deprive such a melancholic person of all his possessions if he were already so intent that he did not take care of them.
In the same way, Jacob's heart was taken up and devoured with love and joy, and he thanked God that he had the bride from whom he hoped to get heirs: he was drunk, not with wine, but with the love he had for Rachel, for whom he had waited so long and for whom he had longed. Such drunkenness of love is truly a great terror, by which he has been horrified and, as it were, delighted that he could not notice or understand the deception. For he has no suspicion at all that something bad could have happened to him, but he is completely absorbed in his thoughts and is so drowned in love that he is sure that his bride cannot be taken away from him. Therefore, he could not think of anything less than that the old mischievous man should take away his bride and give him Leah in her place.
(112) In the same way I said above about Isaac, when he blessed Jacob for Esau. Although he knew Jacob's voice, and his heart told him beforehand that a lift and deceit must be hidden under it, yet, because he was so anxious about the blessing he was about to give his son, he paid no attention to the things he felt and heard.
Such examples often occur in this life, when the hearts of men fall back from the external senses to the thoughts, so that they were previously afflicted and distressed, and think that it is not possible that they could be deceived or otherwise suffer any harm, because they believe their hearts more than their eyes and ears. Therefore, we must think that Jacob was also so drunk with love, and so distraught, yes, as it were enraptured, that he thought of nothing less than that he could be deceived. This great heat of love made him blind.
114 So these are my thoughts that
502 vii, WI-2S3. Interpretation of Genesis 29:23-25. W. n, 732-732. 503
I remembered about the deception of this old rogue Laban, how Jacob had been deceived with it. At the same time, however, one should also note the excellent example of shame and discipline in Jacob, which is otherwise rare. And one should magnify the chastity of the patriarchs and exalt it above all chastity and celibacy of the monks. For here the most ardent movements of love and fornication are overcome, or at least something is stopped in all of them, in Jacob and Rachel, who, although she was the right bride, is nevertheless excluded from the bridal bed, for which she hoped and which was also due to her, and must act as if she were not the bride; she must console herself, and with hot tears somewhat alleviate the miserable love and desire, which she had for her bridegroom, as much as she can and may.
(115) In this place it is seen how great the paternal authority was with these people. For Leah was only forced by her father Laban with a word and a hint that she must take Rachel's place, and that she must become the bride even against the given faith and loyalty. For Jacob had not spoken a word to Leah concerning marriage before that time. No love, no wedding ring, no alliance had gone before between them; but the father takes the daughter and lays her in Jacob's bridal bed without prior consent, without any contract or consultation. The father does not ask the daughter whether it is also her will; he does not hear her answer.
(116) Where this has been the use of the people, it has indeed been a very wicked use. For it is certain that no betrothal was kept with Leah and Jacob, and that no witnesses were called, but everything was arranged in haste and unawares by the tyranny and power of the father, who took the daughter and led her to Jacob. Therefore this is a very bad example, in which we see that Leah had to become a bride out of pure tyranny and cruel boldness of her father. It can be assumed that she would have easily consented to become a bride because of her father's tyranny and cruel boldness.
The father's tyranny, however, is to be cursed and condemned by all means. And even though Jacob, the holy man, suffers this violence, it is still an accursed example that should not be followed.
(117) And Lyra and the rest asked in that place, Whether there had been a true marriage that night also between Leah and Jacob? I answer that there was no true marriage. Was it adultery? Answer: Not at all. But what was it? Answer: It was a monster, a monstrosity. For if you look at the deed itself, Jacob is not Leah's husband, but he weakens and puts to sleep the one who did not trust him in marriage, and yet he is not to blame for this, but the fault is that of the unfaithful man Laban, who deceives the bridegroom and the bride, and separates the marriage by inflicting and attaching another on Jacob than he had trusted him with. Therefore, Jacob cannot be called an adulterer, nor can he be considered one.
118 And if it be asked, Whether Jacob also hath sinned in that he hath known a stranger, it shall be answered, Though the deed itself be a manifest fornication, and not a marriage, yet he hath not sinned; for he hath been deceived by another's unfaithfulness, which he could not even think of. For who would fear that a father should deprive his daughter, born of him, of such joy as she had so long hoped for? The daughter did not think otherwise, because she would become a bride during the night, and should now be added to her most beloved bridegroom; and Jacob also went into the sleeping chamber with true conjugal love, did not doubt that he would love Rachel as his dear wife. For that is what the unfaithful boy Laban promised him, and for the whole seven years he did not let himself be heard otherwise. But in a moment he separates the marriage, which he had hypocritically promised for so long. These are called gross knavery.
119 Therefore, we should refer to these
504 L- VII, 253. 284. interpretation of Genesis 29, 23-25. w. n, 735-737. 505
The answer to this question is that there was no marriage between Jacob and Leah, because there was a lack of will on both sides and neither of them consented. She had not been given in marriage to Jacob, so Jacob was not Leah's bridegroom either; but there was an error and an insurmountable ignorance, and in a matter that is worldly, of which the lawyers say that it should excuse a man altogether.
120 For they make a distinction between gross, careless ignorance and insurmountable, unavoidable ignorance. If one knows nothing about the deed, the person, the circumstances, and all other things, one does not sin with such ignorance; but as far as the world order is concerned, it is innocence. But in theology such ignorance is no good, although some have been drawn to it; but it applies only outside theology, in worldly government, where it has its place: but it is not to be drawn before God's judgment, otherwise all men would be saved. As an example: it is an insurmountable or unavoidable error and ignorance that the Jews have crucified the Son of God, as St. Paul testifies in 1 Cor. 2:8, because reason does not understand it. For this reason, insurmountable ignorance is to be placed outside the realm of theology and allowed to stand. In the worldly regime, however, it is a complete excuse.
(121) As this mingling of Jacob and Leah is not a marriage, and the deed itself is fornication; but it is excused by the insurmountable ignorance: and Leah is also excused, that she should not be thought a harlot, namely, by the authority of the Father, who said: I command thee, and compel thee; in short, I will have it of thee as thy father; thou, Leah, art the bride according to my power and will. Therefore she goes in her simplicity and pure childlike obedience: and even though it is not credible that she should have refused harshly to be brought to Jacob, yet she is excused by the fatherly authority and childlike obedience.
(122) It is a very grievous and unjust thing that the father should have forced her by such tyranny, and that she should not have set herself against him. Therefore all blame is to be laid on the miser Laban, who should more appropriately be called Nabal, who has gone about trying to force both daughters on the pious man Jacob. But there is no sin or guilt in Jacob, but only ignorance in him. For he is unknowingly and against his will deprived of the love of his kind, dear bride, whom he hopes to love the same night.
(123) As the Roman historians also excuse their Lucretia; although there was no insurmountable ignorance, but violence happened to Lucretia. For it is true that adultery has been committed there, because two persons have come together who are both spouses, and both have also sinned against marital duty: but Tarquinius alone is an adulterer, but Lucretia has not broken the marriage; for she has been forced by force of the sword, that she has had to commit the shame with her body; she has had to suffer from the adulterer that he has done her violence, which violence the poor weak woman has not been able to resist.
124 An example is also told about the holy virgin Lucia. When the judge threatened her harshly that he would lead her to the altar of idols and by force into the common house, and some young men were already gathered to defile her, she answered: If you force my hand to offer incense to the idol or to burn incense, I am not an idolater, but you are; and if I am led by force into the common house, I will not become a harlot because of it, but I will receive a twofold crown of chastity.
(125) In the same way, let us excuse the patriarch Jacob, who, out of simple and conjugal love, went to the bridal chamber, thinking he would find his Rachel there; but without his will and never having thought of it, he mixed himself with Leah, who was not betrothed or trusted to him.
506 D- vn, SA. M. Interpretation of Genesis 29:23-27. **W. II, 737-741.** 507
(126) But since he complained severely about it and accused Laban of it, it will still be a true marriage if God dispenses with it and overlooks it, and confirms this mixture by giving him children from it, namely, Simeon, Levi, Reuben and others. Then it must be called well done, so that everything the saints do may serve them for the best, otherwise it is neither a marriage nor an adultery, but as said, a monster, a monstrosity.
(127) And we should not follow the example: children should not be forced to love or marry those whom they shy away from or do not like; otherwise there is more than enough danger and trouble in marriage, when even those who love each other very much are joined together, as the daily examples show.
(128) Nor is this patience held against us, that we should follow it; for it is too high and too chivalrous, namely, where one is to suffer and bear with patience that his bride is taken from him at the very hour and moment when the wedding is to be held and the wedding feast is to take place. Therefore, one may praise and admire this patience more than follow it.
Now Moses describes further, when Jacob noticed the deception and how he was afraid. For no doubt he was greatly distressed when he saw in the morning, as the sun was rising, that a stranger had been added to him; and he was not only terrified at seeing that he had been deceived and that his most beloved bride had been taken from him, but the terror in his conscience also came because of the fornication or incest. For he was a devout man who was more concerned about sin than about the violence that had happened to him. And he could not immediately understand how this change could have happened. But he laid the blame on Laban and showed his innocence: "Why have you done this to me?" he said, "Have I not served you for Rachel? why then have you deceived me?"
V. 26 Laban answered, "It is not the custom in our country to give out the youngest before the oldest.
130 The rogue, the faithless Nabal, mocks him even more, because he had grieved him so much and so unreasonably and had prevented him from his wedding joy. "It is not custom in our country," he says. But why did you not say this before, when Jacob said to you, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel"? Has this speech now arisen? as he says in the comedy. Why did you not mention this use of your people before? The old rogue has only now come up with the custom, and it is not enough that he has deceived his pious son-in-law; he must also deceive him with words and mock him; yes, he also imposes on him by deceit and trickery the service of the other seven years, only so that his possessions in the house may be increased and improved by other people's work, even through lies and deceit. For this reason, he would have been worthy of being cursed by God, since he wants to become rich through other people's sweat and hard work. But the common saying also applied to him and became true in him, since one says: The worse rogue, the better luck.
In this place one should also notice the way of speaking in the Hebrew language, because in Latin it is written: Non facit; in German: Man thut nicht so. In the Hebrew language, an active or plural is often used for an impersonal tense. "They do not do so," that is, "it is not done so, one does not do so." And Luc. 6, 38. is also written thus: Mensuram bonam dabunt in sinum vestrum: "A full and superfluous measure shall be given into your bosom."
Fourth Part.
How Laban demands that Jacob keep Leah and serve Rachel, and how Jacob agrees.
I.
V. 27. If the week was finished with this one, I will give you this one also, for the service which you shall serve with me another seven years.
** **508 vn. 256-253. interpretation of Genesis 29:27, 28. w. n. 741-744. 509
132 By the word "with this one" he means Leah. There it is. Laban has seen that his possessions in the house have been increased by Jacob's service, so now he is thinking how he can deceive him and keep him in service for the other seven years. For he has made his calculation thus: When I shall give him my daughter Rachel, then he will immediately depart and leave my house, which has increased greatly through his presence and faithfulness; therefore I shall have to keep him a little longer, whether rightly or wrongly. Not that I should not do him good, for I would give him more daughters if I had them, but that I might keep him longer and grow rich through his faithful service.
133 What a mischievous man this is! Jacob had now done enough for his father's command that he had called him to take a wife from this family, and he had now served seven years, as he had made a contract with his father-in-law about it; therefore he thought that he now wanted to go home again with his wife. Then the devil caused this trouble for him, so that he not only caused him trouble with the wedding and prevented it, but also put another seven years on his neck.
So Jacob had to serve fourteen years, for he had not served Leah, which was truly difficult and burdensome for him. He now has two wives and yet nothing of his own; he serves with empty hands, which is very burdensome and annoying. For the miser Laban, who should be called Nabal, seizes everything for himself, and only deals with the fact that he may become rich through this pious man's diligence and good deeds; but now he should also have done him good and paid him the dowry, but he mocks him even more, gives him two maids against his will, and the one daughter, whom he did not love. See what cursed avarice does. Therefore he is a robber, a thief and a murderer, who becomes rich by the sweat and blood of the pious man and his daughters, as will follow. He has taken it all for himself. The
The cursed mammon servant is described and depicted in such a way that it would be no wonder if the whole world cursed him into the abyss of hell: he is a greater robber than all thieves and robbers might otherwise be; and this avarice cannot be emphasized and made great enough by any rhetoric.
II.
V. 28 Jacob did so, and endured the week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter to wife.
(135) Jacob accepts the condition proposed to him by his father-in-law, who was a miser and a prankster, and thus the whole matter is settled. But it is asked: Why did Jacob agree to all this? For although Laban cites the custom in the country, and perhaps in the same country it was also customary to give out the eldest daughters first, it is still a loose argument, and it is a wonder that Jacob should not have known about this custom, and that he should not have seen an example of any marriage that either conforms to such a custom or would have been contrary to it. For within seven years one can easily learn the customs of a country. But when he hears this custom, he immediately agrees to it. He could have justifiably rejected Leah and said to Laban: "Let custom be what it will, you trusted me with Rachel, and I served you seven years for her according to our agreement; I will keep her and no other.
But what shall the pious holy man do? He lets it go; he suffers this violence with patience, so that he may still get Rachel, who was the only and right bride; and he sees well that he cannot get her, because only under this unreasonable condition, namely, that he keeps Leah, whom he did not love. For he thought, What shall I do? Leah was moved by her father's power, just as I was tricked by him; now that I have left her, she will always be left. For I have be-
510 D. vn, WS-AV. Interpretation of Genesis **29:28. w. n. 744-747.** 511
and deprived of her best dowry, namely her virginity, or she will be considered suspicious by everyone, as if she had lost her chastity, even if I had already abstained from her and had not recognized her. So Jacob is moved by mercy, love and patience not to leave Leah. And it is a fine example of a special mercy and virtue, by which he keeps her with him, of whom he knows that she was given to him instead of his bride.
- But it is asked about the rights: whether it is also proper, and whether such mercy is not condemned in the law of Moses, which says: One shall not take two sisters in marriage? The person is excused by mercy and love, but the deed is still in doubt; indeed, the law wants him to leave the one. Therefore, this example should not be taken as an example to follow. Jacob kept Leah and considered her his lawful wife, even though he would have liked to leave her; but the law and the use of his father's land stood in his way, and after that he slept with her. But because he consents to it, he begins to be guilty, and with his consent Jacob now confirms the sin. But what shall we say to this?
138 Answer: There are some examples of great brave heroes who are high and chivalrous; but some are of common manners. The laws and good customs must be kept simple, and these must not be transgressed in any way, lest there be disorder. The great chivalrous examples, however, are those that do not conform to the laws or to justice. For it often happens that some brave man, a great hero, to whom God has given special courage and strength, breaks through and transgresses the rule, but his example is not to be followed. What the common customs, laws and rights bring, one should follow and follow such examples. But as far as the high chivalrous deeds of the great brave heroes are concerned, they are not to be followed: no example applies there, unless allent
half equal. If you are like Jacob when such a case arises, when such an occasion and need arises, then it will behoove you to do what Jacob did; but if you are not like Jacob in every way, then you must keep to the common laws and customs.
One does not have to break through with outrage, and does not have to make an example, which one wanted to follow immediately, for the sake of some case, which might have happened with a brave hero and chivalrous man. A grammarian says: "Words in which the last letter is an a are feminine, but those that end in an um are neuter. But if you want to draw examples or words such as auriga or ciborium, these will not rhyme with the rule, even though they have the same ending. For they are special words that do not belong to them and are not subject to the rules, but the rules are subject to them. A poet asks for no rule. The same must be remembered in medicine and in law. If a doctor always wants to proceed strictly according to the rule, he kills many people. One must indeed follow the rules, but not so foolhardily and sacrilegiously. For some such case may arise that does not want to be subject to the rule. Then one must look at the geometrical proportion, that is, one must look at the person and not at the deed.
The monks have followed arithmetic proportion in their rules, that is, they have done to one as to the other: as much as one works, eats, drinks and sleeps, so much should the other also work, eat and sleep. But this arithmetical equality belongs to the market, where one buys and sells, and not to the regiment. Thus, many monks who could not bear the same burden of the order as the rules bring, have been killed. One can be satisfied by sleeping seven hours; another can be satisfied by three hours; another can hardly be satisfied by ten hours.
This is why Augustine spoke wisely when he said this beautiful, glorious saying
512 L. vn, 280-262. interpretation of Genesis 39:28. w. n. 747-743. 513
sets: Non aequaliter omnes, quia non aequaliter valetis omnes, that is: Dear brothers, you do not all have to bear the same burden, because you are not all equally strong. And this saying was also praised by the bishop of Worms. For it rhymes finely with the geometrical proportion, which does not equate one thing with another, as it is wont to do in the marketplace; but compares the persons with one another, and according to these it arranges and sends the matter. The arithmetical proportion in the marketplace judges everything without regard to persons, that is, whether it be a woman, or a man, or a child, it sells a loaf of bread for one, two, or three pennies. But with the meal the proportion or comparison of the persons is kept. In a monastery, for example, one can find someone who is satisfied with a roll; one can also find another who cannot be satisfied with it.
This then I say by way of example. But in theology and in the Scriptures one must be much more careful that one does not argue or conclude: Jacob breaks through and does against the common customs and the law of Moses, therefore it behooves me to do the same. No, dear brother, it is said: Nego consequentiam: This will not follow for a long time. And this is the cause: because Jacob is not such a person as is bound by the customs; but he is a peculiar valiant hero, who is not led and governed according to the customs or manner of the law, but is governed according to a peculiar chivalrous manner of a valiant hero: therefore he is not to be followed, but he is to be looked upon in such a way that he is wondered at.
Thou shalt not follow Achilles in slaying Hector, or if thou begin the same, Hector shall slay thee. Thou shalt not presume to carry the heavens or the pillars of Hercules, because thou hast scarcely strength enough to carry a stick. These are the fools in the worldly regiment, who want to follow the brave heroes, whom they see walking above and outside the rule and performing strange deeds. The great man, they say, has thus done, has
so thought, that's why I also want to follow it.
(144) But thou hast another mirror in which thou shalt look, that is, the common customs, and likewise the common law and justice, which thou shalt not transgress. And do not break out before God calls you and calls you to be a brave hero or Jacob; otherwise such people will become vain monkeys, leading both themselves and others into harm. As that murderer was pusillanimous by nature, and since he became a monkey and wanted to follow other great heroes' brave deeds, he thereby revealed his foolishness and corrupted himself. For such foolish people do nothing but harm the common good and mislead and even pervert the world.
145 For this reason, these examples should be acted upon in such a way that the common morals remain unharmed, which alone should be followed. And we should look at the examples or deeds of the great heroes and marvel at them, but we should not follow them. St. Paul swung the adder into the fire, which had gone to his hand and stuck to it, as it says in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 28, v. 5. Do thou after him.
A fable is told about a doctor who held a baby over baptism and became a godfather, and there he heard the words of baptism spoken with prayer and sayings from the Scriptures, in which it is shown that we are redeemed from the kingdom of the devil and transferred to the kingdom of the Son of God. Then he marveled at the great promise and benefits that are given and presented to us in baptism, and said, "If I knew that I had also been baptized in this way, and that the same words had been spoken over me, I would never be afraid of the devil. And when others reminded him and persuaded him that he was also baptized with these words, he had such great faith that he decided with himself that he would never be afraid of the devil. Finally, however, a ghost appeared to him, and the devil was
514 L. VII, 262-264. interpretation of Genesis 29, 28-30. **' W. II. 74S-7S2.** 515
appeared to him in the form of a goat; but he was not at all frightened by it, so that he also took the one horn and broke it, and brought it to his companions, from whom he had left. When one of his companions saw it, even though he did not have the same faith, he was moved by the great miracle and began to boast that he had been baptized and would not be afraid of any ghost, no matter how horrible it might be. Therefore he goes to the same place and the ghost of the goat with the horns comes again. But since he wanted to attack the goat by the horns, the devil takes him by the neck and strangles him. Why did the one escape the danger and the other not? Answer: This happened because he was very presumptuous and had no true faith; he thought he could overcome the devil with his strength and power. He did not have the right faith.
(147) Therefore let each one examine himself as to what gifts he has. For just as we are unequal to one another in body, mind and good, so we are not equal to one another in spiritual gifts. In his profession, each one should remain in accordance with the moral law and the common law until God calls or compels him to do something special. Jacob did not do this out of his own counsel or will, but he was moved and forced to do it by God's will, so that he had to do it without his will, which he had never thought of. Therefore, God confirmed this deed afterwards by blessing him with children and by making Leah a mother of the patriarchs.
So now the fathers are to be excused, but their example is not to be followed, lest a disorder and separation of laws and common customs result from it; but we are to remain fine with the common laws and not transgress them, unless we are drawn away from them by a special profession, or if we feel such a strong courage, as the great brave heroes felt a special impulse.
149 But now where any enthusiast is
wanted to conclude from the example of Jacob: Jacob has taken two sisters in marriage, therefore I may also do the same: to this I answer thus: Nego consequentiam: The
will not follow for a long time yet. For a distinction must be made between persons, some of whom are common persons, and others who are great and valiant heroes, who have special movements that drive them to do special deeds. For God is the Father of the house and the supreme ruler over all of us: if He should instruct anyone to do anything that is contrary to the common rule, the rule is not to be broken or abrogated; but one is always to remain with the common laws, and let it be commanded by God that the Lord draw out whom He will. For it is he alone who can rightly say: Sic volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas: Thus I will have it, thus I command it, this and no other. It is he alone who can change the laws. If he takes one from the rule, he is taken off, otherwise not.
So the fool, the coiner, read the histories of the kings and judges; in the pulpit he inculcated the peasants with the stories of Joshua, Samson, and David, and held up the same examples to them. You are God's people, he cried, therefore you should follow the example of the great saints, such as Samson and Joshua; you should put to death the princes, and change the worldly regime and bring it into a different state. But the conclusion is false and not valid. For such men, who are such valiant heroes, are exempted from the rule, and we, who are subject to the rule, cannot and should not follow them.
V.29. 30. And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be his handmaid. So he lay with Rachel, and loved Rachel better than Leah, and served with him the next seven years.
151 Now that the brave and strange deeds and wonderful things have been described, the Holy Spirit turns to the weak and to describe the things that concern common morals. For even though a great hero of the rule
516 vn, 264. 26S. Interpretation of Genesis 29, 29. 30. w. n, 782-755. 517
is excepted, one must nevertheless always follow the rule. As in grammar, although the word poeta is not feminine, as one should assume from its ending, because the last letter is an a, it is nevertheless declinatured, as it is said in grammar, according to the rule of words ending in an a. Thus a great hero must also keep himself so that he does not break the common customs, yes, that he rather preserves them, defends them and helps to keep them alive. Although he is exempt in a special way for his own person, he should nevertheless follow the first declination, as it is spoken of in grammar, and the rule. The poets say of Hercules that he broke the oars in the ship of the Argonauts, and yet everything went on happily according to his advice: thus the great brave heroes break through the laws, but they do not break this common regiment.
152 Now this good, pious man Jacob is described as a fool, because the love he bears for Rachel causes him to commit himself to serving Laban for the other seven years. A great brave hero would not have done this, but would have said, "I have served you for Rachel, and I will have her to be given to me as my bride," and would have threatened to strike him, or would have taken away by force the virgin who was betrothed to him. Which he could have done with all justification. But the great man let himself down and went into extreme servitude, serving Laban for a whole fourteen years for the sake of one Rachel. For he had not made a contract with him for half of Leah. Before, he had ascended to heaven and was allowed to do before God what otherwise would not have been proper for anyone else; now he humbles himself again by going into servitude.
We are to read these examples with pleasure, in which the Holy Spirit has praised and extolled the Scriptures to us, so that we may be commanded to follow them, and has also shown us in the great heroes the carnal and weak works. For it
It is a greater consolation to see such carnal things in the saints than to see the high and excellent deeds in them, which we cannot follow.
- Therefore the Holy Spirit does not want it to be despised, but he praises these domestic and common works of this life so much that he also sometimes tells of some imperfect works, and where defects and faults are involved, that he thereby shows that he is patient and can tolerate the ways of the weak: That he will not reject the little children because they have the pox, are unkind and unfunny, if they only persevere in faith and love and remain steadfast, as Paul tells them, "He is patient with our many weaknesses. As it is also written in the epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 4, v. 15: "We do not have a high priest who cannot have compassion on our weakness" 2c. This serves to comfort the church, in which there are not always chivalrous men and great heroes, or there are not many of them. But these can also be declined in genere feminino, as one says in grammar, whether they are generis masculini.
Thus God causes Jacob to be cast out and to undergo such servitude, which is shameful and does not look good to a free man; and this is done out of carnal love, which he has for the bride, on which the old man is quite upset, and so lightly places himself that even though he now already has his Rachel away with all rights, he nevertheless, in order to please the virgin, places himself in servitude for the other seven years. Just now (v. 20) he said that the seven years had seemed to him as if they had been single days of great love: now that he has been granted that he has received her as a wife, whom he loved so fiercely, he still enters into the heavy bondage of another seven years. Is this not a childish, carnal and even foolish thing, that he voluntarily puts himself into such bondage for the sake of the virgin, who was entrusted to him and given to him according to all law, and still postpones and leaves his own housekeeping? For that is reasonable and necessary,
518 vn, 2SS-M7. Interpretation of Genesis 29:29-31. **W. II, 7A-758.** 519
When you have taken a wife, think how you will have and arrange your own roof and house. Then Jacob, in order to please the virgin, leaves the worry, does not take care of it, and in the meantime serves the shameful monster, the nasty, stingy and ungrateful man Laban.
Such people are now the great heroes, and so they are described to us as an example, so that we know that they were also people like us, namely, sometimes strong and steady, sometimes low and weak. In high and chivalrous works they are unconquerable lions, having no equal; in domestic works they are fools and weak men. God, however, looks at both, and is just as pleased with those who do low works as with those who do high and great works.
Fifth part.
Of Leah and her fruitfulness; item, of Rachel and her barrenness.
V. 31 But when the Lord saw that Leah was worthless, he made her fruitful, and Rachel barren.
This is a very carnal thing: the Lord must look into the game. Does God have nothing else to do but to look at this lowliness in the household? If he has so much time left over, he will probably find something to do to rebel against the devil, who is a god of this world, or against the great monarchs and princes of this world. Behold, what is he doing to the girl Leah? Answer: Let each one know that God cares for him in his profession. For GOD cares for that which is small, mediocre and great: he is a creator and governor over all. But who would believe that GOD should care for Leah? Truly, all people should take it for granted that God has respect for them and cares for them, however small, despised and lowly they may be. For this is why Moses so diligently depicts and presents to us the state of Jacob's household.
Jacob received his wife, for whom he had such a great desire, and Leah, whom he did not love and did not ask for. Rachel understands this well, and has the keys and the rule over the whole household, and is always with Jacob. She is the dear Mätzichen. But the whole house and the neighborhood look to the woman who rules, and everything follows her, and they know that Leah is despised and that Jacob does not respect her either. For the reason he loves her is that he has mercy on her; he does not love her out of conjugal love, as a bridegroom loves his bride; it is only charity. Therefore poor Leah sits with her maid in her hut, is miserable and sad, spends her time spinning and weeping. For the other servants, especially Rachel, have despised her, because she was despised by her husband, who preferred Rachel and loved her very much. She is not beautiful, she is not pleasant, she is even hated and detested, in Hebrew snuah; the poor girl sits there and no one respects her. Rachel is hopeful, looked at her unwillingly once. I am the woman of the house, she thought, Leah is a maid. These are quite carnal things about the holy fathers and mothers, as such things also tend to happen in our homes.
But we must not think that Leah could have tolerated and endured such contempt without great pain, without many tears, weeping and crying. For the female sex is a weak instrument that wants to be loved fiercely by the man, or at least does not want to be despised, especially by the man or the servants in the house. That is why it hurt Leah so much that she was so rejected and despised in the house, and that Rachel alone ruled with the servants and defied her, as it were. For there is no one who respects her and asks anything about her, not even Jacob himself. But only the Lord, who must see into the game, must break Jacob's affection and crucify him, and also break Rachel's courage, because he lifts up and prefers Leah, who was otherwise hated and even despised.
520 2- VII. S67-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 29:31, 32. w. ii. 7S8-7SI. 521
160 Thus it is to be learned that God sees and governs all things, but yet sees unitedly and especially that which is despised and rejected; even as Christ himself was despised on the cross. For what the world and also all holy people, as Jacob, Rachel, throw away, he took up and is holy to him. This is a wonderful and great consolation for the poor, afflicted and miserable hearts, which are to awaken themselves to faith and hope, because they hear that God is thus depicted and described, as Judith says in chapter 9, v. 13: "The prayer of the miserable and humble has always been pleasing to You." The groaning, even the death of those who are rejected and despised, is worthy in the sight of God. Whoever can believe this is without a doubt dear and pleasing to God. For it is certain that he does not want the contempt of his creatures, nor can he suffer it, be they small or great creatures. He does not want the great and mighty to boast or be proud because they can protect and defend themselves, but neither does he want those who are rejected and despised to despair because they have such a God in him who cares for them and receives them. Therefore, praise God, who "looks upon the lowly in heaven and on earth," as the 113th Psalm v. 6 says.
God Himself is also a very great hero and is not subject to any rule; yet He directs Himself and condescends in such a way that He nowhere sees so sharply as when He looks at that which is low and small. For thus Leah was greatly despised, and displeased and abhorred by all: if she had commanded any thing of the servants, they would have said: What have you to command me? ask Jacob and Rachel nothing after you. And perhaps Rachel, too, with her hopefulness, may have encouraged such disobedience among the servants; so that Leah was despised both by the master and by the wife, and also by the household. This made her very sad and grieved in her heart.
For it grieves a pious and godly woman greatly when she sees that she is to be despised by her husband.
Where she is insulted by others, she can bear and overcome it all the more easily if only the man takes kindly care of her; for that is the life of the woman when the man loves her dearly. Which I nevertheless want to be understood by pious honest women. When a man is angry, strange, whimsical and wrathful, the same thing hurts a godly woman more than death itself. She wants to be pleased by her husband and is more afraid of contempt than of darkness and the greatest and most extreme misfortune.
Now poor Leah had to bear and suffer these pains and sorrows, and was grieved and distressed that she should be despised by her Lord. But listen to what Moses says: "The Lord saw" 2c., otherwise no one sees it. God sees and blesses the despised Leah, who was weeping, hated and grieved; but she who was hopeful He humbles. Another light is now shining on her who sits in darkness; for Jacob is crucified with his love, and Rachel in her great honor and glory. The Lord closes Rachel's womb and leaves her barren, which was not a small cross for Rachel, even death itself, as she will complain about it afterwards. But he honors her who was rejected and despised by making her fruitful and a mother; for this means to close or open the womb, that is, to give children and fruits of the womb, as the earth is opened when it blossoms.
The Hebrew word snuah means the contempt of those who are despised and rejected. And you should diligently note that GOD is called an overseer of snuim, that is, of those who are despised and rejected, only that they may not despair. This is what the Holy Spirit writes for the comfort of the afflicted, namely, that God blesses and exalts Leah so that she becomes pregnant and bears children.
V.32. And Leah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Reuben, saying, The LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now shall my husband love me.
The poor miserable woman, who had stupid eyes and whom they also called by reason of
522 L. vn, 2SS-271. interpretation of Genesis 29:32. w. II, 7SI-7S4. 523
The woman, who has spoiled her sorrow with weeping, nevertheless believes that she is respected by God. The Lord, she says, has seen that I am hated. She cites no merit, but only that God has regarded the snuah, that is, the despised one. For this is the proper title and definition and description of our Lord God, namely, that He is such a God who looks upon the despised and wretched. He also looks upon the worthy and great men of the world, but they have no need of His grace and mercy, they despise His reputation; therefore He must look upon them, as the 138th Psalm v. 6. says: "The Lord knows the proud from afar." The verse in the hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary, where she says Luc. 1, 48: "He looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid," seems to have been taken from this text here; for it is the same words that are found in this place.
The Hebrew word ani cannot be interpreted enough. Moses is called vir ani in the 12th chapter of the 4th book, v. 3: vir ani, a afflicted man, that is, the most miserable man on earth; as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 15, 19: "If we hope in Christ alone in this life, we are the most miserable of all people. In Latin it is called miseria, in German misery. So the Virgin Mary sings: "He has looked upon my great misery, for she was deprived of her parents, was a poor orphan and abandoned, had to serve other people; then God comes and looks upon such a poor miserable maid.
167 And Leah also says in this place, "Jacob did not look upon me, for what he did by grace alone, that he had mercy on me; Rachel despised me altogether; therefore I am poor, wretched and rejected, in Hebrew snuah; but the LORD looked upon me and gave me a son. Therefore she thanks and praises God, and says: "Now my husband will love me", now the hatred and contempt will be changed into love and honor; for I have become a mother through God's blessing, which did not happen to my sister. And therefore I am
I am much happier than they are, not because I deserve it, but because the Lord has looked upon me.
It has always been considered a great blessing of God that women are fertile and bear children, even among the pagans, and women have therefore been held in honor. In Rome, men were forbidden to wear gold, but women were allowed to do so.
So Leah is a great mistress, because she is fertile and bears children before her sister, whom everyone wished for and hoped she would bear first. But when Rachel heard this, she was undoubtedly moved to envy and hate her sister, and all the household also wondered at this strange change, but God, who looks on the lowly and the despised, did it.
(170) Although all this is a mere carnal thing, and belongs to the house government, and it may be seen that there is nothing spiritual about it, yet in truth it is all a spiritual thing; as can be seen from the words of Leah, which contain a peculiarly great comfort. For God is not such a God who only cares for the angels and governs them; but he also cares for and governs the house government, and all things that belong to the house government, who can so change the hearts and judgments of men that those who had been completely despised and rejected a short time before become the most loving and pleasant.
(171) Therefore Leah honored her son with that name, calling him Reuben, as a public testimony against those who had despised and hated her. As if to say: Now you see for yourselves that I am not rejected by God; God has not despised me as you have despised me. Repent, see; rough: you have seen the Son. Behold, they will say, there ye have my son, behold him; for God hath looked upon me, which I have been snuah, that is, despised, before you: therefore I will call his name Reuben, that ye may cease to hate and despise me; he is a son of the face. God sees, I see, you also see, that I am not cast out and despised.
524 L- VII. 271-273. interpretation of I Moses 29, 32-35. W. n. 764-7S7. 525
I am esteemed as you esteemed me before. Thus the Lord comforted poor, wretched Leah, who was utterly hated, and she confessed it and thanked God for it, and now defied all her despisers. This will undoubtedly have greatly annoyed Rachel, who was very much loved by Jacob and always considered to be the right housemother, and yet remains barren; indeed, three more sons are given to Leah, as follows in the text.
V.33. And Leah conceived again, and bare a son, and said, The LORD hath heard that I am worthless, and hath given me this also. And called his name Simeon.
The Lord has seen before, now he hears. For I think that Rachel will still be dealt with according to her pride, regardless of the fact that she has now given birth to a son and that God Himself has looked upon her. What is this? Rachel and the servants will have said; who knows whether she will also bear more sons? It may well happen that this son will soon die, and that Rachel, as the right housemother, will also bear children.
Thus, Leah had not yet completely overcome the contempt and was not yet completely overtaken by it, but they still violently and against all wit and reason despise the blessing and the reputation of God. Therefore Leah repeats her prayer to God and says: "Dear Lord God, I have now given birth to a son, but they do not ask anything about this birth; I am again not pleasant enough for the sake of the only son: give me another one, so that I may finally also be considered the housemother. Jacob did not despise her at all, but loved her; but the hatred of the household and of Rachel is not yet overcome. The firstborn son, she says, should have brought me favor and reputation, but I am still despised.
Therefore God heard her prayer and gave her the other son, Simeon. Now Rachel's courage fails her and she begins to become humble and to die, as will be seen hereafter, when she says: "Create children for me; where can I have children?
not, then I die." For she is still barren and Leah is already pregnant with her third son.
V.34. Again she conceived and bore a son, saying, "Now my husband will return to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore she named him Levi.
(175) So Leah says, Now that my husband has loved me, he will leave Rachel's tabernacle; for he has lived with her as with his beloved wife, and has not come to me, except to have mercy on me. But now he will also go to me and leave the barren Rachel. I know that he loves me better now than before, but he has not joined me in bed or at table; Rachel has had the grace and honor until now, but now he will join me and live with me. That is why she calls the son Levi, that is, union or companionship. As if to say, I will bring this about, that he shall now join me in bed and at table. But this grieved Rachel very much, and she thought: Now I shall be snuah, that is, despised; and my husband shall be wroth with me, saying, Thou hast been my dear bride, but the LORD blesseth thee not, but Leah; and he would have me to love Leah. The situation in Jacob's house was indeed very strange; indeed, it was even reversed.
V.35. 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 she ceased to bear children.
It is as if she wanted to say: I was satisfied with one, with two and especially with three sons, but above that I will also have the fourth son: now I praise and thank the Lord, yes, now I will also be praised, preferred and become the dear housemother. I have been raised from my lowliness and misery, and my sister has been deprived of her honor and glory. Because of this, Rachel will now desire to die from anger and impatience, and will become a mother.
526 L. vn, 273-27S. Interpretation of Genesis 29:35, W. II, 7S7-7SS. 527
say to her husband, "Create children for me; if not, I will die" 2c.
177 So far we have heard how Jacob, after the marriage he had with Leah and Rachel, fathered four sons by Leah, who was despised and rejected. By which example God shows that He is gracious and favorable to the miserable, and to those who are afflicted and despised, so that all who are troubled and burdened have nothing to complain about, especially if they believe in God and do not let impatience and anger overcome them. For it is much better to be afflicted and afflicted where God laughs and is gracious in it, than to have great happiness and for God to be angry and ungracious in it.
For what is the world, with its favor, joy, and all its pleasures, against the gracious and kindly appearance that God looks upon the wretched and lowly? But the flesh does not allow us to understand or believe such things; indeed, it often grumbles because of the misfortune that is present, and takes upon itself to forcibly drive away the frightened, afflicted hearts from faith and comfort, and to bring them to grumble against God and to be angry with Him. For so many and so diverse adversities cause us to become very despondent and sorrowful in our weakness.
And, would God that we could learn and become accustomed to the struggle against the flesh that St. Paul teaches. For even though we cannot grasp and do everything that the spirit wants, we would nevertheless understand and feel that God does not want to leave us and not allow us to be overcome by the flesh. I would truly like to rejoice, boast and triumph with St. Paul in death, cross and suffering; but "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," Matth. 26, 41.
180 Therefore we should be satisfied and comforted by the fact that God is patient with us and the Holy Spirit helps our weakness, so that the Spirit may prevail against the unruly flesh and not turn to one side or the other, that is, not be sure, but also not become despondent and impatient. This is our glory, namely,
God's gracious forgiveness, who otherwise could impute to us the wickedness of our flesh; but for the sake of the spirit, which is contrary to the flesh, he does not impute it to us, but graciously forgives and pardons it. And so the Holy Spirit lifted up Leah and comforted her, looked upon her affliction, and heard her prayer; and after that he strengthened her, and she said, Now will I give thanks unto the Lord. 2c. These are all the words and sayings of the Spirit, who resists and contends against the flesh; though he does not yet conquer and triumph, yet he does not depart, neither does he consent to the weakness and wickedness of the flesh.
Lyra distinguishes the temptations, so Lea had, Christian enough in fourfold way, according to the four persons, from whom the same happened to her; he had taken it immediately from the Jews, or however from himself after his understanding invented. She was despised by Rachel, rejected by her husband, considered a stranger by her neighbors and servants, and finally rejected by God. This division or difference pleases me well, and rhymes finely with the experience of those who are grieved and challenged. For where there is a reason for sadness, the challenged person immediately deduces one thing from another. For because Leah is despised by Rachel, she inevitably concludes that her husband must not be very well disposed toward her, and therefore Rachel, not she, is the proper matron. Thirdly, she has also reviled the neighbors and the servants, from whom she has heard that she was given to Jacob against his will by trickery and deceit, and for this reason she is despised by Rachel, who was properly betrothed to Jacob and trusted in marriage. The devil must have inculcated and strengthened her with all this, and thus made the challenge very great, and made her believe that God Himself would not be pleased with her either.
- But against these four reasons for sadness and despair, God gives Leah four other reasons of comfort, namely, four sons. First, against the contempt
528 L.VH. S7S-277. interpretation of I Moses 29, 35. cap. 30, 1. W. II, 769-774. 529
He sees the misery of Rachel. Second, while she was still despised by her husband, he hears her prayer. Third, so that she will not be considered a stranger, and as one who has been rejected and excluded, God gives her husband to be devoted to her and to stand by her. Fourth, she triumphs and wins against all temptation, is no longer so despised and scorned, but praises God and thanks Him.
- we should also follow the example and learn that after the temptation, god will not
Redemption and consolation are usually given in abundance, overcoming all sadness and terror. But it is difficult for the flesh and becomes very sour for it to wait for the comfort that God wants to give. Therefore, such examples of faith are held up to us, so that we may see how Leah cried out, believed, endured, and suffered all violence and affliction from her sister in faith and hope, and how God finally, because she hoped in Him, looked upon her and abundantly comforted her.
The thirtieth chapter.
First part.
About the envy of Rachel against her sister, and about her impatience, and how she punishes Jacob about it.
When Rachel saw that she had not given birth to Jacob, she envied her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children; if not, I will die.
This chapter is one of the most difficult in this book, both as far as the words and also the mind and history are concerned. Therefore, many questions arise, both concerning grammar and history, which historical questions are even more difficult than the questions in grammar. But lest we be thought to pass over them, we will do as much as we can.
(2) And first of all, the carnal and Epicurean people raise this question, because such people regard this history as an example of outward dishonor and impurity. For Jacob takes two sisters, and above them their two maids, and so becomes a husband to four wives: wherefore they judge Jacob according to the manner of them, and invent that he should have been unchaste, who only wholly and completely
He said that he had made a point of loving women because he had not been satisfied with one wife, but had had to take four. They are very annoyed by this and therefore take cause to blaspheme and on the other hand to praise and extol their celibacy and celibate status against the lust and unchastity, which they consider to be that of the very holy patriarchs and especially of Jacob.
3 But their judgment of these things is as valid as if a sow or a donkey were to judge a good harpist or lute-player. They are such a people, completely drowned in fornication, whoredom and adultery, who day and night only dream of their fornication and think what they would do, if they were allowed such freedom or courage, that they would change all nights with the women and joke with them according to the heat of their flesh, as they play with their whores: so they make no distinction between the holy life of married couples and their shameful fornication, which they do.
(4) Lyra makes it very sour to defend Jacob here. But one should answer the coarse and lewd sows thus: That Jacob's chastity is greater, who has four, five, or a hundred wives, than is found in all their celibates and celibate state, if they already have their whores.
530 L. vn. S77-S7S. Interpretation of Genesis 30, 1. W. II, 774-776. 531
abstain. For let us suppose that there is one who truly lives without a wife, who abstains completely; it is certain that Jacob is a hundred times more chaste. For he that liveth without a wife out of wedlock burneth day and night with fornication: when he sleepeth, he hath his defilement; when he awaketh, he feeleth the heat again. But what kind of chastity is this, where one lives and burns in the midst of the fire of fornication? Wherever he looks at a beautiful woman, he is completely inflamed; and even though he restrains himself and abstains from the work, such lust brings its defilement and impurity with it, not only when he sleeps, but also when he wakes, as Gerson testifies.
For this reason, chastity is not voluntary, but forced. For he would rather fall by force over women than be senseless: he cannot subdue or restrain the heat. I say of those who are chaste and resist fornication, as St. Bernard and St. Bonaventure were; who, being otherwise holy and pious men, could not be without heat. Yes, Jerome also complains about the dreams in which he dreamt how he danced with the girls in Rome. Similarly, Ambrose and Augustine secretly indicate, although they both abstained from women, that they nevertheless did not lack the heat and defilement that they had at night. Since this happened to the best and holiest of men, what is the pretended celibacy and celibate life to us, and also the judgment of these impious swine, who think that the fathers behaved toward their wives as they would if they were allowed to live with so many wives?
(6) What follows, and what has been said above about Jacob's chastity, shows that he was completely chaste. For is this not chastity, where one lives without a wife until the eightieth year of his age, and that he abstains not from compulsion, but voluntarily, and that he is inclined to it in the spirit? The same do you think of your first
From youth to old age, let us praise your celibacy and chastity. Therefore, the celibacy of the papists has no glory at all if one wanted to compare it with the chastity of the patriarchs.
- After this, however, we will hear Jacob complain about the toilsome and vexatious life, as he speaks harshly to Laban and accuses him, saying: "He describes his whole life, which he did not spend in idleness, without worry, toil and work, and did not sit idle at home by the fire or the tiled stove and joke with Leah, but how he was out day and night, tending the cattle and doing all the work with the cattle, had to suffer frost and heat under the sky, and rarely came into the hut under the roof. That should probably drive away the tickle when he is already young.
8 For this reason, I say, Jacob lived with so many wives, and much more chastely than any other man with one wife. For to suffer heat by day and frost by night, to be burdened with much labor in strange and heavy service under such a lord, who is a rogue and a miser, is truly a great and unbearable burden.
(9) Therefore Lyra justly excuses Jacob, that he lived chastely and used his wives and maids moderately. For he kept himself to them only because he desired to beget children with them; which also can be seen in the great and miserable desire of the wives, that they always desired to have children. For behold, how they so miserably longed for the man, that they might only have children by him. Therefore he was seldom in the tents where the women dwelt, and dwelt with his wives in the purest love, desiring to beget children with them. And we see that he loves Leah for the sake of the children, who before was hated and despised, and has more fellowship with her than with Rachel, after he sees and learns that she is a woman.
532 L. vn, 279-ssi. Interpretation of Genesis 3V, I. W. n, 77S-77S. 533
is fruitful. Therefore, we want to answer the first question in this text in such a way that the mouths of the impolite people who want to judge the married state of the patriarchs according to their fornication and impure celibacy are shut.
(10) The other question was mentioned earlier, namely, that Jacob took two maidservants in addition to the two wives. I cannot say anything certain about this, but it can be assumed that at that time it was customary in the same country for barren women to give their husbands maidservants and to keep them with them; just as Laban gave each daughter a maid, perhaps to the end that the daughter would not give birth, so that then the maid would take her place, so that the house would be built and fed by her. Thus, in Genesis 16:2, Sarah gave Abraham a maid, not a stranger, but from her own house and household. Isaac did not follow this way, nor would Jacob have used it if he had not been deceived by Laban and the wives had not desired it so much.
For this must also be considered, that fertility was considered a great blessing and special gift of God at that time. As can be seen in Deut. 28, 4, where Moses counts the fertility of the body among the blessings; and in Ex. 23, 26, he says: "There shall be nothing barren or unfruitful in your land" 2c.
(12) We do not regard it so highly this day. We like cattle and desire them very much to be fertile, but among men there are few who consider it a blessing when women are fertile; indeed, there are many who do not like the blessing and consider it a special happiness when women are barren. Which is truly also against nature, and much less divine and holy. For such a tendency is planted in human nature by God, that it desires and covets to be fruitful and multiply.
Therefore, it is inhumane and ungodly to despise children. How new
One man called his wife a sow, because she often gave birth. The worthless and impure man! The holy fathers were not of this mind, for they recognized that it was a special blessing from God if a woman was fertile, and on the other hand they considered the barrenness of women to be a curse. And such knowledge and judgment flowed from God's word, Genesis 1:28: "Be fruitful and multiply" 2c. Therefore, they understood that children were a gift from God.
014 But the example, or the act of giving the maids to the men instead of the women, which were barren, is not to be taken to mean that they should follow it. Let no one say, This is what Jacob did, therefore it behooves me to do it; as was said above by Muenzer, who exhorted the peasants to slay the princes after the example of Joshua and Samson: but think that it behooves you to abide by this rule: Every man shall have his own wife.
(15) If you want to be like Joshua and Samson, make sure that all circumstances drive you to change the government and to kill the authorities, as these great heroes were moved to do by their special profession; otherwise the example will not be valid. For you have more and greater examples that prove that the authorities should not be killed and the common regiments should not be changed. Therefore you must obey the authorities as other subjects, for you are not exempt from the rule. Therefore, remember and remain obedient; do not become a great hero, as Muenzer and others have been subject to 2c.
016 Therefore these things are not taught for an example, but that we abstain from examples and from following them: that we may marvel at them, but not follow them. For there are some things which we ought to follow, and some things which we ought to wonder at. Hope, believe and call upon God, as Leah did; but take not four wives, as Jacob did. For this is due to Jacob alone, and to those whom God has exempted from the common rule.
534 L vn. 281-288. Interpretation of Genesis 30, I. W. II. 77S-7S2. 535
want. We should practice faith, patience and hope, which is held up to us in the fathers, and should abstain from the high examples, where they did special deeds as great heroes.
I.
These are the questions that have to be considered in the beginning of this chapter and something has to be said about them. Now let us also look at the text, which is also somewhat obscure. The text says: "She envied her sister", or was jealous against her. For in Hebrew the word kana, to envy, is iron; kanno, zealot 2c.
(18) But it is also asked whether the holy women who called upon God in right faith were also envious and spiteful, as the text clearly indicates. Lyra makes two kinds of envy: one is so that I envy another when he is well; the other is when I become displeased and angry because of my sorrow and misery. But this is not really envy. So we excuse it, as we usually do: The holy fathers and mothers were still captives under the flesh, as we also have the flesh, which contends against us and takes us captive in the law of sins.
Nineteen: But all temptations, especially great temptations, are such as to take away from a man almost all sense of godliness. So he who is burdened with crosses and misfortunes feels no patience: he who is challenged on account of faith and hope feels no faith and no hope; he does not let himself think that he believes or hopes, but it seems to him as if he were completely godless. He who is afflicted with despair and impatience against God, when God sends and governs something in a different way than we had prescribed and considered for ourselves, feels in his heart very great anger and displeasure against God, and makes it seem that he does not have a shred of faith or hope.
(20) Such are the thoughts of afflicted people when the challenge comes by force. Otherwise, when no challenge
If there is a lack of faith and hope, then nothing seems easier to me than faith and hope; but in the struggle everything soon disappears together. So it is with other temptations also, as with impatience, anger and unchastity: there one sees and feels the fervor and vengeance. And it is true that such affections and desires are not faith, hope and love, but are the flesh itself. So Rachel had the temptation with envy, so that she wished that it would happen that her sister would not bear children, although she did not remain lying under the temptation; but it happened to her that St. Paul Rom. 7:19 says: "That which I do not want, I do, and that which I want, I do not."
(21) He who is afflicted with despair feels inexpressible groaning, so that he may wish not to be so afflicted with such doubt; and yet he feels that the doubt is still somewhat stronger and takes him captive to sin and the law of unbelief. But against this a secret groaning is awakened in the heart by the Holy Spirit, which again grumbles and contradicts, and is also angry with unbelief, saying: Fie you, you wretched unbelief, do not say thus: Who knows? it is a lie 2c. And the same happens with a little groaning and with unspeakable sighing, as St. Paul calls it Rom. 8, 26; which soaks the heart that is challenged, so that it does not become godless and despise God, as the Epicureans are wont to do, who in every little challenge let faith and hope go.
(22) But this controversy is grievous and vexatious to the flesh, which would rather have such faith as would not be challenged, or so expect shocks, but which might slay lions and bears, as David, Samson, and others have done. But my faith is so small and weak that it could very easily be consumed and carried away by a lion or a bear. But there is still the crushed reed and the small glowing
536 L. vn, 283-2W. Interpretation of Genesis 30:1. 2 W. II, 782-785. 537
Is 42:3, and God is also present, who understands the groaning, who recognizes what the Holy Spirit asks for us. Therefore it is a great fire before God, yes, it is hotter and greater than heaven and earth can be.
Therefore the saints are to be excused according to the saying of Paul, Rom. 7:23: "I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and it takes me captive. Item, when he says v. 25, "With the flesh I serve the law of sin." For thus the holy mothers were men who lived in the flesh but did not walk according to the flesh, as an example to us that we should not despair nor give way to the flesh. Rachel envies her sister and has a zeal against her, but the Spirit contends and fights against the zeal of the flesh. She would have liked to have had the blessing so that her sister would be blessed, and yet she forces herself not to wish that she should become barren.
24 By this it may be seen that the very holy women were not unchaste, but desired children and the blessing. For this is the cause of the envy of Rachel, who, if she had been like other wives, such as there were many in our time, would have said: What do I care? I will give birth or not give birth; if I only remain a housemother and have enough of everything else, that is enough for me. But Rachel has such a great desire for children that she would rather die than remain barren. And I don't know whether I have read more such words in any history.
II.
25 Therefore, it is an example of a very pious and chaste woman, who has only one zeal and desire, even unto death, that she may have children; as above in Genesis 16:2 Sarai also let herself be heard that she had such a great desire for children. And in both of them, this emotion and desire is very praiseworthy. If I am not to have children, says Rachel,
I must die; I would rather not live than have no children; and since my flesh is unfit for childbirth and barren, let my husband beget children with the maidservant; but if he is also denied with the maidservant, I desire that God will claim me from this life.
026 And she had no small cause of this great desire. For Jacob undoubtedly praised and proclaimed to both of them how he had the promise that the promised seed would be born from him. Now that they heard this preaching, the desire and eagerness to have children was kindled in them. And especially the desire in Rachel was great, so that the less hope she had, the greater her desire was, also so that she plans either to give birth or to die; as she also dies afterwards over the birth. This desire and longing of the pious, godly woman is good and holy, but it is so fierce that she gets into a hard fight over it and is challenged with envy and zeal against her sister. And this should not be taken as a shameful example, as the papists accuse these holy people of having been unchaste. For they did not look to the shameful and wretched lust of the flesh in marriage, but to the blessing of having children for the sake of the promised seed.
And Jacob was very wroth with Rachel, and said, Am I not God, which will not give thee the fruit of thy womb?
027 Jacob is angry because Rachel presses him so hard for the sake of the children, and answers her thus, The fault is not mine, for thou art my most beloved wife, with whom I have dwelt more than with thy sister; for I am not God, who could give thee the fruitfulness to bear children.
- but this is all very small and impious, and however highly it may be praised, it is still human, carnal and feminine; and it is a wonder that the Holy Spirit should be troubled to describe such a thing.
538 L. vn, 2N-SS7. Interpretation of Genesis 30, 2. W. H. 7M-7S7. 539
namely, how Rachel had envied her sister Leah, and how the one had given birth and the other had been barren; item, that Rachel had blasphemed and insisted too vehemently on the husband that she would have children by him, so that Jacob also became very angry with her after the flesh, and thus a real quarrel arose between the same husband and wife. Is this not a childish thing?
(29) This is the question we have just discussed, and it should always be raised and urged upon the people, namely, why the Holy Spirit, who has a very pure mouth, should speak with such great diligence of these things, which the most holy father, the pope, with his chaste monks and nuns, would not like to think of once, as things that are very impure and carnal in their eyes. For they walk in great things of their celibacy and celibate life. But they do not consider it worth reading about this filth, how the wives became pregnant, gave birth to children, and how the spouses were angry with each other. They say that the Holy Spirit, according to his holiness, could have spoken of heavenly and other higher things and not of such lowly and carnal things; he should have become a monk or nun, but now he only tells how things were with the household and how things were with Jacob's marriage. This annoys us holy and angelic men, who walk above the clouds in the wisdom and spirituality of the angels.
(30) But because they despise these little things and are disgusted with them, the Holy Spirit is now hostile to the saints who are so trustworthy and glorious, and does not recognize them as his own; he always lets them be led away in their glory, hope and vanity, and goes down to his creatures; he takes care of them and adorns them. For he created the earth, he created man and woman, and blessed them to be fruitful; he subjected the world to them, and it is he who still sustains everything; he nourishes and gives milk to the mother, to nourish and sustain the child with it. He does not despise this creature. He does not despise his work, but nevertheless to the celibacy.
and celibate state not to dishonor. For the same is also a gift of God, and we praise both kinds of status, each according to its order and measure.
(31) We do not praise the married state in such a way that we should reproach or reject celibacy, which the papists do not do; for they praise their celibacy in such a way that they blaspheme and revile the married state, and they praise chastity not as a gift of God, but as their own work. This is a true doctrine of the devil, as can be seen from the fruits that have come from it. For because they have wanted to boast of the works of the flesh, that is why they live so shamefully today, and are more lewd than all harlots and whoremongers. But why is this? Answer: Because they have not praised chastity as a work of God, but as their own work, and have despised and blasphemed the marriage state, which is a work and order of God.
32 For this reason God has taken the liberty of describing such small things, so that he may show and testify that he is not disdainful, that he has no abhorrence, or that he does not want to be far from the household, from a pious husband, and from wife and children. But why does he do this? Answer: Because he created it, for which reason he governs and sustains it as his creature; although the flesh is corrupt because of sins, and the flesh of those who live in celibacy is also not pure, and they also came from such an origin. Why then do they condemn him and think more of their impure chastity than of holy matrimony? Therefore the Holy Spirit wants to teach us and testify to us, since he deals with these small, human and common things, that we should know that he wants to be with us, take care of us, and prove that he is our creator and governor. The papists do not see this, but despise it; therefore they must also bear the punishment for such contempt.
(33) Nor do they see how these women ask for children with such a pure and motherly heart; which desire and words of Rachel's indicate that their heart is
540L . vn. 287-289. Interpretation of Genesis 30:2. **W. II, 787-790. 541**
has been far and away from fornication. But they do not see that. Why is that? Answer: Because it is written: Away with the wicked, lest he see or hear what God speaks, what He does, or what He works. They are not worthy to see the glory of God. So today, as we shout, they hear us teaching and singing the word of God; they see the works of God and yet they do not see them. Why? because they are not worthy. So they also do not see that Rachel is held up to us as an example of a very fine, pure and motherly heart and chastity, which desires children only from the flesh, as Leah also did. You hear that these women speak of nothing else but: The Lord gave it, the Lord blessed it; and afterwards, as they quarrel, "The Lord will be judge between me and thee." All their words and speeches are about God, about His benefits, gifts and works, and yet the shameful papists consider all this to be sin, and do not consider these holy matrons worthy of having their examples held up to the people in the church and congregation of God.
(34) What can be taught in the church of God that is better and more useful than the example of a godly housemother, who prays, sighs, cries out, thanks God, rules the house, does what the office of a godly woman entails, desires to have children, with great chastity, gratitude and godliness? What more could she do? But the pope, cardinals and bishops should not see this; for they are not worthy. The Holy Spirit always makes them walk in strange, great and supernatural things, and that they only marvel at their chastity and praise it highly, which would be worthy of being pointed out to the common house; but these things they shall not see at all. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit leads and governs the holy women in such a way that he testifies that they are his creatures, whom he wants to govern not only according to the spirit, but also according to the flesh; that they should call upon God, pray, thank him for the children and be obedient to their husbands. That is, to give these filthy things to the congregation to read, that they may
God's great and wonderful works in the church and community show how He can work heavenly and spiritual things in the carnal and earthly things. But the wicked see the carnal things, and what is spiritual and divine they do not see.
35 Thirdly, they do not see the misfortune, misery and misery with which these poor women have struggled, but imagine that they have lived in opulence, idleness and pleasure, as they live a life. They think that Jacob was a great lord and lived in great estate with his wives in vain pleasure; Rachel was adorned like a queen with delicious jewelry and gifted with great money and goods. For such a life and such wives they desire to have, and a large part of them also lives in such pleasure and a good chamber. But look at history and you will find that Jacob was a poor, miserable man who did not have a penny of his own. So the wives were also very poor; as Rachel and Leah both complain afterwards Gen 31:14, 15: "We have neither part nor inheritance left in our father's house. He has treated us as strangers, for he has sold us and eaten up our wages. If the daughters were poor and beggars, it is much more likely that the maids will have been poor and needy.
Because of this there was great poverty, and always much hard labor, which they bore day and night, and above that they suffered hunger, thirst and frost. Follow this, you who accuse these very holy people of being unchaste. Take four wives, and after that serve a whole fourteen years to such a lord, who is stingy and ungrateful. But there is no one who will see or consider this. And there is no one today who would take more than one wife, let alone four, on condition that he would serve and always be a servant, making another rich with his sweat and labor, and then not see how he would feed himself and his wife.
- therefore this is an exceedingly great
542 L. vn, 28S-29I. Interpretation of Genesis 30, 2. W. II, 7S0-7S3. 543
Believe that Jacob takes so many wives in the hope that God will help him in his poverty and feed him and all his household. It is easy to take a wife, but it takes effort and work to feed her with the children and the household. Now there is no one who would pay attention to this belief of Jacob's; indeed, there are many who think their wives are fertile and bear many children, only for the reason that the children must be nourished and brought up. For thus they commonly speak: Why should I take a wife, because I am poor and a beggar; I would rather bear my poverty alone and not increase my misery and poverty. But you do not put this blame on the marriage state and the fruit of the womb. Why do you not rather complain about your unbelief, that you do not trust in the goodness of God, and thus bring greater misery upon yourself by punishing the blessing of God? For if you could trust in the grace of God and His promises, you would undoubtedly be well fed; but because you do not put your hope and trust in the Lord, you will never be able to have happiness.
(38) Thus we see that in these impure things the greatest virtues shine forth, namely, an excellent faith, certain hope, and an unconquerable patience toward God and man; which neither the papists nor others will easily see, unless they diligently consider the circumstances. But those who do not respect these things at all, who believe nothing at all, may go away and remain the most impure whore-hunters.
(39) We are to learn that not only to the church or religion and to the worldly government, but also to the household belongs a believing husband and a believing wife. For an unbelieving man never does anything right and that happiness can be there. I still remember that Staupitz told me a story about a prior in a monastery. Since he always complained that the interest and income of the monastery were too small to maintain the monks according to necessity, Staupitz at last took over the registers of his
He demanded income and expenditure from him, seeing that the monastery's property had increased considerably every year; therefore he had him summoned before him and deprived him of his office, saying to him: "You are not a believer, therefore it is impossible that you can preside over the monastery.
40 Therefore all government and all life is in faith; but to awaken and strengthen it, the example of Jacob serves exceedingly well. For he has not a penny to his name, and yet he must feed four wives in his hard labor, having nothing more than his meager food and clothing, on which he has been content for fourteen years. Not one of us will easily do this to him, not even with one wife, let alone with two or four. For there is no one who would live and live without a certain salary for even a week; how then should one serve for fourteen years just for daily bread? So we are not to be compared with these people, but we are even unbelievers.
(41) When the Holy Spirit speaks of bad, low and despised things, he nevertheless includes the most precious gems of very great and beautiful virtues, which the rude and impolite sows, the papists, do not see. For they look only at carnal things, and instead of honey they suck from the rose vain poison. For in these examples of the fathers they punish that they have committed fornication, that they have had many wives; and when Rachel and Leah desire children, they punish this as lewd coitus. They do not remember how they called upon God and praised Him, how they had great faith and patience.
(42) But how should such people judge differently, who are drowned in idleness and the pleasures of this life, like the cardinals and the tamer monkeys, who live their lives without toil and labor, and also without any challenge? Therefore, we should read the Holy Scriptures in a different and better way. And for this very reason I repeat this so often and inculcate it in you, that we should not look at these lowly and altogether carnal things with carnal eyes, but with spiritual eyes; then we will-
544 L VN. 2S1-W3. Interpretation of Genesis 30:2-6. W. n, 79L-7S7. 545
we see the miraculous counsel of the Holy Spirit in such descriptions, much more than otherwise in high and very spiritual things.
Second part.
As Rachel gave her maid to Jacob, who bore him two sons; item, as Leah gave her maid to Jacob, who also bore him two sons.
I.
And she said, Behold, Bilhah my handmaid; lie with her, that she may bear upon my womb, and that I may be built up by her.
43 "To bear in thy womb" is a peculiar way of speaking in the Hebrew language, so that Rachel indicates that she wants to become a mother, and with these words she accepts the child born of the maid as her child. For these words mean the office of a mother, because the mother carries the child in her womb; as in the prophet Isaiah at the 66th chapter v. 12. is written: "On the knees you will be held kindly" 2c. The mother has the child on her lap. Therefore she thought, "Since I cannot have a son of my own, I will become the mother of the seed given by my handmaid.
44 From this you can see how great and ardent their desire was for the promised seed; item, how godly they were, and how they had such excellent faith, so that they kept the promises of Christ, which had happened to Jacob. Therefore, these women must certainly have been very pious, since they could have been wives of such a poor man and served in their father's house like maids. This has been such a holiness, the like of which cannot be found elsewhere. It has been a great wonderful faith, patience, hope and love. Our bourgeois or peasant daughters are so delicate that they would never do such a thing.
V.4 So she gave him Bilhah her maid to wife, and Jacob lay with her.
(45) Neither would a woman do this, for she would rather be without children than concede and allow the honor of motherhood and the marriage bed to the maidservant. And this is a strange emotion and desire, of which an example was described above, Genesis 16:2, in Sarah, that they gave and granted the honor and glory of marriage to the maidservants. No woman will do this according to the flesh, but it is a work of the Spirit, by which she was awakened and moved to think: I also want to be a mother, even if I should give up all the honor of my marriage bed and motherhood for a while.
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.
- These are not the words of a lewd harlot. For she thanks GOD that she has been heard, and draws GOD to judge and ascribes to Him the gift of fertility. I have, she says, cried and prayed, but praise be to GOD who has judged my cause and heard my voice.
It is a very beautiful thanksgiving, but she is still attached to the flesh, therefore she says: "God has judged my cause", as if she wanted to say: Although my sister is not the right wife, she has nevertheless proudly acted against me, as above, Gen. 16, 4, Hagar also did against Sarah, because she was more fruitful than I: but the Lord has also judged my cause. But, my dear Rachel, why do you rejoice so much? If it is not your son, he is not born of your flesh; your womb and your breasts know nothing of this son. But what is the matter? She is nevertheless happy in herself that she has a son from the maidservant, whom she wants to accept and keep for her son. So great was her love for the fruit of the womb.
48 Dan means as much as judgment. For "GOD," she says, "hath judged my cause," and looked upon my reproach; as she afterwards (v. 23.) says, "GOD hath taken away my reproach from me." For the barren
546 vii, 2SS-M5. Interpretation of Genesis 30:5-8. W. n, 797-wo. 547
The fact that I was born of a maid has been considered a disgrace, because of the word Gen. 1, 22: "Be fruitful and multiply. But God has judged, that is, he has contended for me and carried out my cause; for I will now also count for something, even though this son was born to me from the handmaid. For she prayed thus: Dear Lord God, since you will not let me become a mother, even though I am the mother of the house and the most noble of women, give me children by the handmaid, if I am not worthy of them; for why will you reject me, cast me out, disgrace me and spurn me? This has been her prayer, which she made with many sighs and tears; and she indicates that the same prayer has been heard. Although this is considered a carnal and lewd thing, it is all done with a great spirit, in faith and with wonderful patience, then with praise to God and thanksgiving that God had delivered her from the shame of barrenness.
(v. 7, 8) Again Bilhah Rachel's handmaid conceived, and bare Jacob the second son. And Rachel said, God hath wrought it for me and for my sister, and I will do it unto her first. And she called his name Naphtali.
49 Now the joy of Rachel is great, because the other son is born. But there is a question among the Hebrews, what Naphthali means? Therefore the grammarians quarrel and have not yet become one of the matter. So Sanctes Pagninus and Münster interpret it: I have had a violent quarrel with my sister. But that it is called a battle of God, they indicate this cause, that in the Hebrew language everything that is great and glorious is called divine. Therefore, Nineveh is called a city of God, that is, a great, glorious city. Item, ceder of God, that is, a high and great cedar tree. Although I do not consider myself to have a great understanding of the Hebrew language, I am hostile to anyone who is so foolhardy as to falsify what is plainly spoken. As if Nineveh were not also a city of God in the foreskin, and
that those who are circumcised are God's people alone. This all comes from the great hope and glory of the Jews, who cannot stand that anything should be called great or glorious, because only what concerns and affects them. But who gave the grammarians the authority to interpret "the battle of God" as if it meant something like a great fierce battle? Therefore, I will follow the simple understanding that grammar gives.
50 The Hebrew word bahal means to change, to turn back; as Ps. 18, 26. 27. says: "With the holy you are holy, and with the wrong you are wrong. Where one turns away from God and does or teaches differently than God teaches and does, wants to do something better and more excellent, and yet turns it all wrong: then God also becomes wrong and changes, so that He does not follow what such a wrong person intends, but lets him go in his thoughts. This is where the word "naphthali" comes from, which in Latin means permutatus, as we say: it has turned. So Rachel also says: Praise be to God, for a change has taken place between me and my sister. And it seems that she spoke the words when Leah ceased to give birth: when the fourth son was born, Rachel had children by the handmaid, namely, Dan and Naphtali. Therefore she said, It is now come to pass, that my sister hath ceased to bear, but I begin and continue to bear children, not by my will, but by the grace and gift of God, who hath heard my prayer.
51 But now a question comes to mind: How could Jacob have begotten twelve children in seven years? For the first seven years he served in vain without wife or child; in the other seven years he took two sisters, and it can be seen that Joseph was born in the last year of Jacob's servitude, after all the other sons, that is, in the fourteenth year. For thus the order of history is written in the text. But how could this have happened? Because Leah alone gave birth to four sons in the first four years, the other eight sons had to be born in three years.
548 D- vn, 298-297. interpretation of Genesis 30:7, 8. w. II, soo-sos. 549
which is impossible. To this I answer: Moses used here the figure, which one calls anticipatio (anticipating), which is hysteron proteron with the speakers; as we want to explain it later. But it is such a figure when one puts the first last and thus reverses the order. And from this it will be understood what this change fei, from which Rachel gives the name to this son. For from this it comes that this is so difficult and dark, because it seems that these patriarchs were all born in the other seven years. Now when this will be explained, the name Naphtali will also become a little clearer.
52 But in order that this might be done, six years must be added to the other seven years, during which Jacob served the cattle. For this is the right order of history. In the first four years the four sons of Leah were born, Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; after that Leah ceased to give birth, and Rachel was born to Dan the maid, who was the fifth son of Jacob, and the fifth year in which Leah did not give birth. And Bilhah Rachel's handmaid filled that year, when she bare her son Dan. Then Rachel rejoiced because of the same fruitfulness, and another son was born to her, Naphtali, in the sixth year, in which Leah also did not give birth; therefore the son was called Naphtali. As if Rachel wanted to say: My sister has ceased to give birth in these two years, as, in the fifth and in the sixth year: But now my thing turns and becomes better with it, as before of this word, what it actually means, from the 18th Psalm was said, and is called in the Proverbs of Solomon Cap. 8, 8. just as much. In the words of wisdom there is "nothing wrong", that is, God's word does not change, nor does it turn, but is bad and right. But here, says Rachel, there is a change, which is a change of God. For since my sister has ceased to give birth, I have now had children, because I have had the advantage, and now I am always increasing, growing, and standing in the pile, since she is now
withered. So the godly woman gives thanks to God that he has heard her prayer and given her children, the least of the maidservant's flesh.
053 And let not the great desire which these women had for the children be thought a shameful lust or lechery; but there was in them both a very chaste lust and desire for the children, so that they also delivered unto the handmaids the right of motherhood and blessing, that the seed of Jacob should possess the land of Canaan; which promise Jacob shall have diligently impressed upon them. Therefore, each one has desired to be the mother of the seed and the descendants.
54 And until then Moses kept the line or order of history in the description of the six years. But the same order is now changed and becomes a hysteron proteron; which figure, if it is not diligently noted in the reading of the holy scriptures, yes, also otherwise in the reading of all histories, often brings about that the mind becomes very dark. For now, according to the order of this history, the birth of Joseph after Naphtali should follow: but with this, Moses delays until the third paragraph, and comes back to Leah, who did not give birth in two years, and also in the year when Joseph will be born. And this happens through the figure hysteron proteron, that is, since the hindmost is put before, through it often in the histories the most difficult passages are explained. Augustine in the 16th book De civitate Dei calls it anticipatio (anticipating) and recapitulatio (repeating), and is one of the rules that are necessary to understand the holy scripture.
(55) Joseph was to be first, and to be placed after Naphtali, but he is placed after: Leah with her maid Zilpah were to be after, but they are placed before. For in the histories many things happened at one time, but not at one place, some in Rome, some in Greece: there such things are not described according to a certain order, but one must bring a history to an end, after which the same time must be repeated, and the beginning and end of the history must be set before the end.
550 Ü.VH, W7-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 30:7, 8, W. 11, 803-806, 551.
The same history, as it is told, is also to be carried out. For it is one time, but the things are various, which happened at one time at the same time.
56 For this reason it is to be put in a tablet: The first four years are Leah's, the fifth and sixth years are Rachel's handmaid's, in the seventh year Joseph was born; for below (Cap. 41. V. 46.) he says to Pharaoh that he is thirty years old, which agrees finely with the chronology. In the seventh year after the wedding of Jacob and Rachel, Joseph was born, which is quite obvious. But Moses is silent about this, and before he speaks of the birth of Joseph, he lets go the other two sons of Leah and her maidservant, who were born in the six years of Jacob's service, when he served the cattle; for afterwards the text says that Jacob wanted to go back to his country when Joseph was born, but he made a new agreement with Laban for six more years. So it is now clearly proven from the circumstances that Joseph was born before these latter six years, namely in the seventh year, and that he was nourished and raised in Mesopotamia for six years. Benjamin was born seven years after Joseph in the land of Canaan, since his mother died in childbirth. So it is clear and evident that Jacob served his father-in-law Laban twenty years, fourteen years for the daughters and six years for the cattle. These years must be put all together in this calculation.
57 While Leah was three years in childbirth, she wanted to follow Rachel's example, thinking, "Behold, my sister has given birth to a son, Joseph, and because of this is loved by her husband as the most noble wife, from whom he hopes to get the right heirs, and now considers his son Joseph to be the firstborn: he is the light and the prince, because he is the son of the queen and the right housemother. For this reason Leah was anxious to change her husband's mind and turn him away from her sister, and so she devised this plan to give him the maidservant.
wanted to give. With the same Jacob begat the eighth son, Gad. In the ninth year the ninth son, Aeser, was born, and Reuben, the firstborn son of Leah, a boy of eight or nine years old, went into the field, and found about Dudahim, and brought them home; and when Rachel had conceived them, she made a covenant with Leah, that she should sleep the night with Jacob. For such strife and wrath arose among the women for an honest cause. Therefore Leah conceived in the tenth year and gave birth to Issachar, and in the eleventh year to Zebulun. In the twelfth year Dinah was born. Thus Jacob begat eleven sons and one daughter, Dinah, within twelve years.
(58) But the reader is misled that after the birth of the eleven patriarchs the birth of Joseph is described last, when he was born six years before Moses tells this. But this is now clear from the rule of which I have spoken; which is indeed much used in the books of the Kings and the Prophets, yea, also in the heathen histories, for the sake that one history is brought to a close, while other histories, distinct from it, have taken place at the same time.
A tablet from the Chronicon of D. Luther, which explains the order of history:
Leah gave birth to: Reuben. Simeon. Levi.
Judah.
From / Gad.
Silpal / Asser. Isashar. Zebulun. Dina.
Rachel gave birth: 1. o.
- Dan. / From
- Naphthali / Bilha.
- Joseph.
Benjamin.
59 But these people have kept house in a strange way. For we see that the women had power to give the men their maids and to take them away from the men. For when Rachel gave her firstborn
552 L. vn. NV-M1. Interpretation of Genesis 30:7, 8. W. II. 806-809. 553
When Joseph gave birth to his son, the maid did not let him go to his husband, nor did Leah, since Gad and Aeser were born of the maid. This shows how chaste they were. For Jacob, if he had a desire, was not allowed to lie with his maidservants, unless it was by his wives' will and they allowed him to do so; which adulterers and fornicators are not in the habit of doing. The lust of the flesh was slain in Jacob, and had its own measure and purpose. He did not go out where he himself wanted to go and where his lust drew him. These two things, namely the figure called anticipatio, and the fact that the chastity of these holy men is praised here, are industrious and well to be remembered. Otherwise, no one will easily understand this story.
(60) After this, it should also be recognized that God wants to be present even in this lowly state, which, like the others, is full of temptation, sorrow and affliction. For God governs, protects and sustains the saints even in lowly things, so that they may prosper, lest those who are in lowly estate despair, and those who are in high estate become hopeful and proud.
- For God rules the world in such a way that He brings down what is high, and raises up what is low and small. He brings to naught the wisdom of the wise, and rejects the understanding of the prudent. This change is kept by our Lord God. The church is subject to bondage in the world; indeed, it is, as Paul says, subject to death: and yet, if the world were without the church, kings and princes, with all their power and authority, would have to go down. For she, who after all must be subject to everyone, rules and carries the whole earth. For the godly preserve the world, and yet are everyone's servants; as it is written in a Greek verse, which we have thus translated:
The master himself must be the servant, if he wants to find justice in the house;
The woman must be the maid herself, if she wants to stay at home Rath 2c.
62 In the city, too, the authorities alone are everyone's servant and subject:
The others, who are considered as servants, have good quarters, enjoy peace and tranquility in the city, in the country, and in all the dominions; but he who has the rule is servus servorum, a servant of all servants.
For God rules the earth in this way, that everything that is high, mediocre and low must serve Him; the highest are the lowest and the lowest are the highest. Therefore Duke Frederick, Elector of Saxony, wisely and magnificently said to D. Staupitz that in his opinion, since he had overlooked and considered the whole world and all classes of people in his heart, the peasants seemed to be the very best of all, who are otherwise the very least in this common life, which is subject to the worldly regiment: and indicates this cause, that they alone enjoy peace and good rest. They are not plagued and tormented with worries and dangers because of the common regime. In the summer they wait for agriculture, in the winter they may sit by the fire or tiled stove, and live on that which they have acquired through God's blessing. Although they do not live as splendidly with food and drink as kings and princes, they still enjoy the very best goods, such as peace and tranquility, and live within their fence much safer and happier than kings and princes live in their castles or fortresses.
This is a wonderful government or change that our Lord God keeps. For what is considered the least and the most miserable is the most supreme and the most blessed. There is no more wretched thing in the world than the church. For this is where the lamentations of the saints and the church come from, that they cry out to God, saying: "Why do you turn your face away from me? Why do you forget me? I preach, confess my faith, do and suffer all that God commands me; but there is no man so afflicted and forsaken as I am. But God answered and said, I will not forget thee: as it is sweetly written in the prophet Isaiah, chapter 49, v. 14, 15: "But Zion saith, The LORD hath forsaken me, the LORD hath forgotten me. Can a woman also forget her
554 L. VII. AL-sos. Interpretation of Genesis 30:7-11. W. II. sos-812. 555
Interpretation of Genesis 30:7-11.
Will she forget the son of her womb, so that she will not have mercy on him? Even if she forgets him, I will not forget you" 2c.
However, it is not outwardly apparent that God has such great concern for us and takes care of us so diligently. Therefore, one must learn and become accustomed to such change and transformation of things and people in this world. The pagans learned this to some extent from experience, that the servant in the house is master and the master must be servant; indeed, the monks also complained of the same thing about their servants. For they had some brethren, whom they called converse, to whom the kitchen and other housework was ordered; but the same ruled also over the others, that also a proverb became with them, that they said: Conversus Dominus, from the words, which stand in the gospel Luc. 22, 61: Conversus Dominus, respexit etc.: "The Lord turned and looked at him" 2c. With this they wanted to say so much: The conversus is our Lord, who rules over us. So it is with our housekeeping: the maids rule the wives; the children rule the whole house and servants who serve them.
With such examples God teaches us that He is present with us and cares for us, and that He will not forget us, we live no matter in what state we may live. The Church is the rightful queen in the whole world, but nothing less is seen in her; for the world rules and reigns everywhere: but if the Church did not uphold the world with her prayer and teaching, then in a moment everything would perish and come to ruin. But the world does not see and believe this; indeed, the Turk and the Frenchman think that it is they who rule and preserve the world, until one day they fall and become disgraced in their counsel and authority; then they will first learn and realize that they are nothing; but then it will be too long delayed.
II.
V.9-11. When Leah saw that she had stopped giving birth, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Thus
Zilpah Leah's maid bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, "Ruffian. And called his name Gad.
Now in this place the birth of Joseph should have been told; but here, after the figure hysteron proteron, the sons of Leah are enumerated. But one should put aside all suspicion and let go, as if these holy people should have dealt with unseemly mingling and fornication. For Jacob does not desire the maid, nor does he secretly desire her honor, that he might deprive her of it, as fornicators are wont to do; but he would gladly have been satisfied with the love of the only Rachel; but he goes to the maid by command and out of obedience to his wife, who had permitted and granted the marriage bed to the maid; for she is now almost despondent that children should be born of her womb. For she was barren for three whole years and does not like to give the maidservant to the husband as a wife, but if she had had hope that she would become pregnant again, she would never have done so. The same will be seen in what follows: when she herself gives birth again, she gets rid of the maid again and does not want her to bear more children by her husband. In the same way, when Joseph was born, Rachel did not want the maid to be with her husband again.
(68) And indeed the holy mothers had a very ardent and strong desire that they might have children only. Therefore, since Leah has not given birth in three years, she is grieved that because of this her husband should become a stranger to her or an enemy; and since there is no hope that more children will be born from her womb, she gives him the maid as a wife. Since Rachel had only given birth to one Joseph, she was more proud than Leah, since four sons had been born to her: father and mother alone, as well as all the servants, saw this son; they marveled at him and praised him highly, because he had been born to Rachel, who was the dearest and most noble of wives, and from whom the rightful lord of the house and the heir to the kingdom and priesthood were expected. Therefore Leah is grieved, and thinks, Alas, I
556 L. vn, 303-308. interpretation of Genesis 30:9-I I. W. II, 812-818. 557
poor wretched woman, now I am humiliated again, my children are despised and my husband has also become more averse to me. As she then (v. 15) accuses and scolds Rachel, saying, "You have taken my husband away from me. 2c. And it can truly be seen that this was a carnal anger and zeal; but God graciously tolerated it, and regardless of such anger and zeal, He blesses both Leah and Rachel.
(69) Therefore Leah thought to herself: I will indeed have to bring the man back into my tent; I can see that the father is concerned about Joseph alone; he takes pleasure in him because he was born of my sister, who has always been preferred to me; but I will give him Zilpah as a wife, so that I can take him away from Rachel and reconcile him to myself. Therefore it may be seen in these holy wives, not that they were unchaste, but that they had great desire and love for children. They had great desire and love for children.
(70) When the Manichaeans and Papists come upon such a text in the holy Scriptures, they stop up both ears and eyes; and in their judgment these carnal things so stink that they can hardly read or know them. Augustine writes in his Confessions that the Manichaeans poisonously reviled and blasphemed the holy patriarchs, because they had many wives and children. When I, says Augustine, was still a Manichaean, I scoffed at the patriarchs and ridiculed them as the most lecherous of men; but you Manichaeans also scoffed at me in turn, since I followed your adventurous lies, that when I broke an apple or pear from the tree, I believed that the tree wept because of it 2c.
The same is the case with the papists: while they highly despise parents for having love, so that they may beget children with each other, in the meantime they wallow in all kinds of shameful fornication; yes, Gerson, Bonaventure, Hugh, Origen and Jerome were no less offended by these examples. Therefore, they pass by them and may not look at them with diligence, preferring only allegories or secret interpretations.
They do not see that the text clearly states how the holy women cry out to God, pray, thank Him and trust Him. Item, that the text says: The LORD has heard, the LORD has looked, the LORD has turned. God, who is called upon, who hears prayer, who is praised and blessed, is in the midst of history. By this they should accept and learn to judge that these histories are pure, chaste and chaste, and that evil lust and fornication are not found in them, as they dream of, and whore-hunters are wont to deal with. It is truly a strange thing that none of the fathers ever saw this. And that is still more, in the text is said: Lea gave Jacob her maid to the wife; therefore they were no whores, but married wives, so Jacob was given to beget children with them.
I have often said that I have a great abhorrence of allegories and that I condemn the use of them. For the examples and footsteps of the fathers frighten me and make me shy, who darken the doctrine with their allegories, by which the love, patience and hope in God should be edified, when they lead us away from the doctrine and right understanding of the words with their speculation and own thoughts of allegories.
And Jerome and Origen in particular make use of this; indeed, Augustine would also soon have been brought there, if the dispute and disputation that he had to hold with the heretics had not pulled him away from it. But because I considered these same men to be the highest theologians and teachers of the Holy Scriptures, I initially followed them. When I used to read the Bible, I did not follow the understanding that the words and letters bring with them, but according to their example I made everything into vain allegories.
For this reason, I have admonished students of theology to beware of such interpretations of sacred Scripture. For allegory or secret interpretation is harmful when it does not rhyme with history; but especially when it is used in place of history, from which one can derive the
558 L. vn. MS-M7. Interpretation of Genesis 30:9-11. w. ii. 8is-sis. 559
The church can better teach and instruct about the wonderful government of God, how He governs all states in this life, than the house and world regiment and also the church.
But because the same interpreters do not pay attention to such things in the histories, they must, of necessity, draw everything on allegories and strange understanding. As in this example: because they do not see the counsel and government of God, which is covered under the small figure of the household and the marriage state, they go to and make up an alien mind from the contemplative and real life; for these are their propositions, to which they are wont to draw the rest of everything. Rachel, they say, is supposed to mean the contemplative life, but Leah the real one. Yes, this is the excellent great wisdom, so that they have covered up and even obscured the doctrine that is necessary for the church and congregation of God, as of the marriage state, of housekeeping and what belongs to it.
They say that Jacob loves Rachel because she has beautiful eyes. They attribute the contemplative life to her, but the real life to Leah, who is not loved by Jacob, but despised. They did this so that they would rise above all classes. For the real life belongs to the people who deal with domestic and worldly works, who work in the field and in the house: this is a very glum life, and it has no beautiful form, as Leah had blind eyes. The contemplative life, however, is found in the monasteries and in the monastery churches of the priests, who have no trouble with the regiment of the house and the world, who sit there idly and have their speculation and high thoughts of God: they pray, fast, have their visions, revelations and illuminations. And finally, the nonsense and devil's deception with the allegory of the contemplative life has come so far that no one has been considered a true monk, unless he had special revelation. And this was especially common among the Minorites, who did not let themselves dream of anything else, but only of the talks so Christ, the angels, the deceased saints, and the
Virgin Mary with the souls. And one still has a book of the revelations of Brigitta, in which is written a conversation of Christ, so he should have held with the souls. But it is pure devil's fraud, so that I myself almost would have been caught, since I was still a monk, if D. Staupitz had not pulled me away, who brought me to the public teaching of theology, since I had become Doctor of Theology according to his advice and order.
For this reason, the life of the monks has been called the beautiful and dear Rachel, but the house and world regiment has been compared to the ugly Leah. Yes, in the monasteries a distinction was also made between the priests and the conventuals, and the latter were assigned the real life, while the latter were assigned the contemplative life. But in this way we will not become like Leah or Rachel, but like the Turks and the Tartars. For among the Turks there are also many religious people, who make the sole effort to interpret Mahomet's Alkoran according to the allegory, so that one may think so much the more of them. For allegory is like some beautiful whore who caresses man in such a way that one must have pleasure and love for her. And especially what are idle people, who have no challenge, these think that they are in the middle of paradise and sit in the lap of God, if they deal with such speculation and high thoughts.
First of all, the allegories came from the foolish and idle monks, and at last they became so widespread that even some made vain allegories out of the book of Ovid called Metamorphoses. From a laurel tree they have made the Virgin Mary and Apollo should be Christ. Although this is an inconsistent thing, it nevertheless happens, if one holds it against young people who are still inexperienced, but nevertheless have a desire and love for study and good arts, that they initially put up with such things very well and go completely for such secret interpretations.
That is why I am hostile to allegories.
560 L. vn, 307-309. interpretation of I Genesis 30, 9-11. W. II, 8IS-L20. 561
But if someone wants to use it, let him see to it that he does so with the right understanding. For first of all one should seek the understanding that history brings, which teaches and instructs us rightly and surely, which argues, defends, wins and builds. If this is right and pure, then one may seek allegories and secret interpretations. But not as the monks have done, nor of the contemplative life; but that the allegory may rhyme with history, and that therein may be comprehended the sanctity of the holy cross, that is, the right doctrine of the cross, of faith, hope, love, and patience. It should not comprehend in itself a monk who sits and dreams that he is talking with Christ, and boasts of his revelation, and how he has heard the voice of the angels or of the Virgin Mary; for he sits idle and is without cross and temptation. Such a contemplative life is cursed and damned.
For this reason, allegory should be consistent with history, and it should be built upon as upon the right foundation of precious stones, gold, and silver; otherwise allegory is harmful and only leads to error, or even if it is the best, it is still nothing but stubble and vain folly. And one should diligently distinguish between the foundation or the doctrine itself and the building that is built upon it. The allegory should not be the foundation, but should be the edge by heart; it may be gold, precious stones, or even stubble, if it only stands on the right foundation; otherwise it is pure devil's fraud, where the allegories do not rhyme with the foundation.
- for God will not give special revelation to anyone, He will not give new toe commandments; but He has bound us to this commandment which is heard from heaven, since God the Father says of His Son Christ, "Him you shall hear." Item Luc. 16, 29: "They have Moses and the prophets." He wants us to hear his word and believe it; there you have enough left to speculate, being withdrawn not only from external affairs, but also from the thoughts of your own mind and reason, so that you may keep the Sabbath right.
and that your delusion and reason cease and count for nothing.
The real life, however, is love, or faith, which is active through love; likewise, to have patience where the cross is present. This is the practice of both life, the contemplative and the real life, not only in the monasteries with the monks and conventuals, but also in the home and in the world with all people who live in faith and deal with outward works, no matter how sham they may be and how impious they may be. But human nature does not want to be satisfied with the common teaching and word of the gospel, nor does it want to be satisfied with the sacraments that were given by the Son of God and the apostles and spread by their successors; it always wants something special. Then the devil comes and talks to you. Where you will not be able to answer him: Thus says God's word, you speak contrary to the word, get thee away Satan: so shalt thou soon be deceived.
This I speak and teach with special zeal, and that I am displeased and angry at the unrhymed allegories, because I have seen how the Manichaeans have so shamefully defiled this text with their imagination and foolish works. But the monks and papists have become like the Manichaeans everywhere, and have filled the church with vain Brigittines and other such books, so that they have despised and punished the domestic and worldly rule, although they could never have done without such rule.
But if you look at this history a little more diligently, you will see in it beautiful examples of very great chastity in marriage, such chastity has never been found among those who have so highly praised the state of virginity and chastity, some peculiar and strange examples excepted, as, St. John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary and the like others. The others still retain the rut and desire for fornication. Therefore, no chastity can be compared to the examples of these women. For they are described and adorned with very beautiful words,
562 L. vn, S0S-SII. Interpretation of Genesis 30:9-11.. W. u, 820-823. 563
namely, how they pray, sigh, cry out, believe, and hope in God in the marriage state that he will give them children. But unchastity does not think of God, does not call upon Him, does not thank Him, but is blind, mad and foolish. But these women pray, weep and say: O God! give us children 2c. These are not the words of a lewd woman, but of a very chaste and honest matron.
For this reason, their examples are very useful and necessary in the Church, because by them it is testified that God wants to be with the state of domestic government, and to govern and protect it; before which your celibate state, your monastic and contemplative life stinks before God, yes, even in your own conscience. And it is just and right that the monks are punished in such a way because of such contempt for the married state. For since they ridicule these and such examples, and the works of God stink before them, they in turn are also rejected and despised by God, until they have fallen into abominable fornication and unchastity.
But what the word gad actually means according to its proper derivation, the rabbis of the Jews quarrel about and are not unanimous in their interpretation. However, I believe that it is interpreted correctly, that it means as much as girded, armed, prepared for war: from there comes gedud, soldier, war servant. Jerome interprets the same word in Latin: Excursores in exercitu, that is, war-servants armed for battle. However, we have interpreted it with good care and knowledge as "armed" or "prepared"; although I know that it sometimes means as much as cutting up, and sometimes also luck. As Münster and the others have interpreted it. And we gladly admit the same to them; for Augustine also interpreted it in the same way: and we do not punish their opinion, but nevertheless do not follow it, as we have done it also Isa. 20. and 65. differently than they: since in the common and the other Latin interpretation thus stands: Qui ponitis fortunae mensam (You set a table for happiness), that we have given in Latin: Qui ponitis Marti mensam: You set a table for Mars 2c. For the Jews
have also honored the idol Mars according to the example of the Greeks. We stayed with the root of the word, which means to be prepared. And this interpretation of ours is confirmed by Moses in the 49th Cap. V. 19. where in the blessing of the children of Gad it is said: "Gad armed, will lead the army." Since we now have such a respectable testimony from Moses, let us be satisfied with it against the quarreling of the Jewish rabbis. Gad is to go before, is to be in process; that is why we have interpreted it as "swiftly", it wants to go. But he who wants to follow the others may do it very well. Rachel had said, when Naphtali was born: "I will do it before my sister", I have started for her. And Leah says here also: "I will now do it again before my sister; I now have the overcomer. She wants to say: It is a good thing that I also have a servant who will win and spread my lineage.
(88) So the holy women fought and struggled with one another, both of them forsaking their maternal glory with great zeal, and each of them gave it to her handmaid; for this was a great honor and glory, that a woman of Jacob should conceive and bear children, who had the promise of the seed that was given. Which promise Jacob will no doubt have diligently and always impressed upon them: Thus Abraham, Isaac and God Himself told me that from my heirs would come the Savior of the whole world. For such a holy, godly husband did not conceal from his wives the things that belonged to the house government and also what concerned the heirs and descendants.
From such preaching the holy women became fervent in faith, that they were not concerned with carnal pleasure, but with children, for the sake of the glory of their future heirs and descendants. For if they had sought only to have sex, they would not have cared so much for the children, nor would they have given their handmaids to the man as wives. Rachel would have said: What do I care if I do not give birth?
564 L. Vll. 3u-3ir. Interpretation of Genesis 30:9-16. ' W. II, 82S-828. 565
I nevertheless say to my husband, "I have had enough of this. But it is clearly shown how they despised pleasure and sexual intercourse, and were even inflamed with this desire that they might become mothers of the promised seed; over this they quarreled among themselves, even to the point of envy. But the papists pay no attention to this, for the wicked shall not see the glory of God.
Then Zilpah Leah's handmaid gave birth to Jacob's other son. Then said Leah, Blessed be I; for my daughters shall call me blessed. And called his name Asher.
90 Silpah, Leah's handmaid, gave birth to her other son, for which she was once again very happy, because they had only desired to have children. Therefore, one should not look for examples of carnal immorality in this story, but of chastity. Leah desires that her husband may be pleased with her because of fertility, which is a praiseworthy virtue in a woman who desires to live with her husband and not to follow anyone else, and who is concerned that she may please him alone, that she may have favor with him alone, and especially with such a great man, to whom the Savior of the wager has been promised. Therefore, such was a true married love, full of godliness, chastity, obedience, and not of carnal fornication, as the Roman sow and many of the fathers and monks interpreted it.
91 Asser means blessed. Now I will have it good, she says, and all the wives and daughters will call me blessed; I will be a dear housemother to Jacob, so that it will also be said that Jacob loved Leah and no longer respects the other as the barren one.
Third part.
How Leah becomes pregnant again and bears children to Jacob; and how finally also
Rachel becomes pregnant and gives birth.
I.
V.14-16 Reuben went out at the time of the wheat harvest, and found Dudahim in the field, and brought her home to his mother Leah. Then said
Rachel said unto Leah, Give me a portion of thy son's dudah. And she said, Hast thou not enough taken my husband from me, and wilt thou take my son's dudahim also? And Rachel said, Well, let him sleep with thee this night for thy son's dudahim. 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 dudahim. And he slept with her that night.
Reuben was a boy of eight or nine years old when this happened; he was not a husband and could not have been older than nine years. He went out to his father to feed Laban's sheep or to work in the field, as children go to their fathers; perhaps his mother sent him there. Because it was the time of the wheat harvest, he found about Dudahim, and the boy himself did not understand what he had found and brought to his mother. It seems, however, that it was some beautiful fruit, since he liked the color. What kind of fruit or flower it was, one cannot know. In the common Latin translation it is written that he found mandragorae, and this is how the other interpreters have given it. This is supposed to be such a fruit that grows from the water that thieves leave when they are hanged on the gallows; as the scribes, when describing these mandragorae, bring up many other unrhymed things. But they are all fables and lies, and may have come from the Jews. But the boy did not go to the gallows, but to the field.
By the way, it must have been such a fruit, which tends to ripen around the wheat harvest, which comes a little slower; as in our countries the fruits are called nightshade, Jewish cherries, blackberries, raspberries. From the nightshade (solanus) it also understands the other many, whose fruit has a very beautiful color and in addition also a good taste, and one uses it much in the
566 L VII, SIS-SIS. Interpretation of Genesis 30:14-16. W. n, 8SS-SSI. 567
Medicinal. Or it must have been blackberries, which also have a sweet lovely taste. But I will leave this to the grammarians and physicians, for every country has its own special fruits and herbs. The boy liked the color, and when he came home, the women had a quarrel about the dudaim, and Rachel had such a great desire for the dudaim that she gave the man to Leah and forgave her right, only that she might receive the dudaim from the boy.
But this is a ridiculous and childish thing beyond measure, so that nothing worse or lesser could be said or written. Why is it then nevertheless described? Answer: Let us always bear in mind what I have often said, namely, that the Holy Spirit is the Master of this book, who Himself delights to play and joke in describing such petty childish things, which are of no value, and He holds them up to us to be taught in the church, as if for great correction. But did not greater and more glorious things happen under the kings of Egypt, Babylon, Persia and Palestine, which would be more worth reading than this little thing? What is the use of telling such things as how a boy brought Dudahim there, and two sisters quarreled with each other about how they wanted to exchange with the man and the bed?
There are no doubt that more and greater things happened at that time than those described here. But these minor things are full of comfort and good teaching, more than those. And one should not pass them over superficially, but much less should one despise them, as if they were unkind things and worth nothing, which the papists do. Let them be small things, and let their things be great, and have a glorious appearance; let them be kings, bishops, and cardinals. 2c. But the Holy Spirit, and God the Creator, condescends thus, and delights that he may jest with his saints, and play children's games in such small things; not with superstitions.
The Lord did not say anything about raising the dead or other great miracles, but about Rachel and Leah arguing with each other about the dudahim, and he wanted such things to be held up to the church and congregation of God.
Now what are the histories of the pagans described by Virgil, Homer, Livius and others, however gloriously they are adorned with words? They are histories of the Greeks, of Alexander and Hannibal; but they lack the glory, the crown, which is God's word and promise. Yes, they lack the crown; therefore it is more of a pity that they should be righteous histories. For what is a history without the word of God? When the Lord says: This is my will, my honor, this pleases me well, I have a desire for it, I want to live here; however childish and insolent this thing is, it all has an immeasurable and infinite emphasis, namely, God's word. The histories of the great Alexander, Julius Caesar 2c. are indeed excellent and very splendid: but they lack the right adornment, therefore they are scattered like chaff by the wind and do not have the right weight or emphasis, it is only a glory of the belly and flesh.
- Therefore, we should esteem these stories great and comfort ourselves with them, even though we are poor, miserable, rejected and despised people, as we are in truth. For there is nothing on earth more wretched and despised than a true Christian man who believes the word of God. The others are all princes, great lords, well to do, arranging all their things according to their own pleasure; only the people who have the word and believe in God are children of the cross and the plague. And where the world is not there to crucify and plague the same people, the devil with his angels is there. But this is our consolation, that Christians dwell together with wives, children, and servants, and keep house without any pretense; which outwardly appears to be mere child's play; nevertheless, these are the true and divine histories, which are also adorned with the honor and glory of the divine Word.
568 n vii, 3IS-3i7. Interpretation of Genesis 30:14-16. W. n, 831-833. 569
We are to accept the word and hold fast to it, and we are to think that we have been laughed at, absolved, and taught the word of God. We should give thanks to God and be joyful; even if heaven and the whole world fall down and hit us on the head, we are certain that our child's play and poor misery is adorned and crowned with divine honor and glory, namely, with God's word. And for this reason these histories are called holy, and are common to all people who have God's word, in whom God works, and does so with pleasure, with His grace and mercy. What kind of people he does not deal with Alexander the Great, Scipio, Cicero and Hannibal 2c. Therefore we should rejoice, and be satisfied with such divine good pleasure, be thankful and joyful. Moreover, we should also suffer with patience whatever hardships and troubles may come our way. And however bad, lowly, womanish and full of misery our works may be, we are to write this title with them: God's word, by which all that we do will be glorious and everlasting; whereas worldly histories are eternally wretched and miserable.
So we will understand that this has not been held up to us in vain by the Holy Spirit, that we should read it, teach it and believe it. The pope with his followers despises this with great hope, and meanwhile lets himself dream that he has already elevated his seat in heaven with St. Peter, and like Tetzel, who proclaimed the indulgence now and then, he boasted that he did not want to change with St. Peter because of the many innumerable souls that he had made blessed through the indulgence. But this is a vain and devilish boast. For God looks at the lowly things on earth, and thus says: I have created this woman, and have given her to the man, and now they beget children with one another, and endure the mourning and the misery which the married state brings with it: therefore they please me in this, that they keep themselves together in matrimony according to my order. And the married couples are also much more agreeable among the heathen than all the philosophers, who speculate about celibacy and
celibate life. How much more shall they be pleasant with us, who are baptized, taught, crowned and adorned with the glory of the Word of God, and who have the angels for guardians?
(100) Therefore we should boast and rejoice in these childish and domestic works, since the Holy Spirit is humble to describe them, so that He may show that He is with us who believe and have the Word, and that even the childish play of dudaim and foolish quarreling that women have about it is pleasing to God; only that we do not despair, but remain steadfast in the faith.
Let the devil come and do what he cannot do, we are in a spiritual profession, we have the Word, baptism, absolution, and we are sure that God is with us and for us. But I would rather be with God in hell than without God in heaven. "For though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," says David in the 23rd Psalm, v. 4, "I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." "If I go begging into hell, behold, thou art there also," as it says in the 139th Psalm v. 8. If I have thy word, I will not ask for the hellish fire. Again, I would not desire to be in heaven if you were not with me. For where God is, there is also the kingdom of God: where the Word is, there is paradise and everything. Therefore we should give thanks to God for the Word, for we are already in paradise and under God's gracious pleasure, who is pleased with all things; we eat dudaim, or herbs, or milk, for we are in His Word.
This teaching is to be taken from this text, which is truly excellent and necessary for the church. Now we must also say something about the quarrel. For one must not regard these histories in the way that the papists regard them as a joke, as the lewd women are wont to do. These holy women desire nothing but the natural fruits of their wombs. For woman was created by nature to bear children; therefore she has breasts, she has arms to nourish children, to rear them, and she has a wife.
570 VII> 317-319. interpretation of I Genesis 30:14-21. w. n, 833-83p. 571
to bear. This was the Creator's intention when He created man, that women should bear children and men should beget children, except for those whom God Himself exempted, of whom it is said in Matthew 19. Otherwise, the creature was created by God to be fruitful. For this reason it can be seen in these women how they fight with each other, not out of fornication, but out of love and desire, so that they may only have children; for they know well that they were created for this purpose. Therefore, they desire that their bodies, breasts, hands and all members may serve God.
- And even though they had children before, they thought that they were mortal and that they would be deprived of them again. Therefore, even if a woman had a hundred children, she would still have desired more of them. For they looked to the heirs and offspring promised to the fathers, to whom the sermon had gone, which they had heard from their husband. So we must praise these holy women and shut up the shameful papists, who want to judge the chastity and married state of the patriarchs according to their own fornication; just as Augustine was led by the error of the Manichaeans to believe that the patriarchs' life was an unchaste life. Here, however, we hear how Leah prayed, cried out and sighed for children, that she was also heard by God; which is not due to a fornicating woman, but rather due to a pious, chaste and holy matron, who is hostile to fornication, and only desires that she may bear children.
V. 17, 18: And God heard Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son, and said, God hath rewarded me, because I have given my handmaid unto my husband. And he called his name Issachar.
The fifth son of Leah was born in the tenth year. But Leah gives thanks to God. And as she prayed and wept before, so now she praises the Lord.
with a merry heart. The grammarians among the Hebrews dispute about the name Isaschar, how it should be read. But there is nothing in it, you read Isaschar or Issachar immediately.
(v. 19, 20) Again Leah conceived, and bare Jacob the sixth son, and said, God hath well counseled me; now shall my husband dwell with me again, for whom I have borne him six sons. And he called his name Zebulun.
These are all the words and works of the very holy matrons, namely, praying, weeping, thanking God. They are not words or works of shameful, lewd women, but of honest matrons. And what can we do before God more or greater than these two works, praying and giving thanks? The first is to listen to the word that is given to us by God, to which we do nothing, but only accept it as it is presented to us. The other is, after hearing and accepting the word, to pray and call upon God for help, and when we have obtained it, to thank and praise God for it. We pray not only with our mouths or outward words, but also with heartfelt groaning, with all our strength and limbs, which is prayer without ceasing.
The Hebrew word zebadani is not found anywhere else in the Scriptures; we have interpreted it according to the example of the others in Latin: dotavit: God has counseled me. But whether it is interpreted correctly, I cannot really know, because it cannot be explained by any other example. So she wanted to say: God has given me something good. By this you immediately understand the dowry that her father might have given her, or any other gift. But we see nothing else here, except great godliness and the proper use of the female sex and the marriage state, as these people have used it. The virgins do not have such honor and glory, neither in the Old nor in the New Testament.
V. 21. After this she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
** **572L . VII, 319-Z2I. Interpretation of Genesis 30:21-24. **W. II, SS6-S3S.** 573
(107) Moses told the children of Leah, six sons and one daughter, and two sons by the maidservant; now how Joseph was born of Rachel.
II.
V.22-24: And the LORD 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 she called his name Joseph, and said, The LORD give me another son.
- It has been said above that one must pay attention to the order of history, and that Moses used the figure called recapitulatio or anticipatio; because Joseph was born in the seventh year, therefore his birth should have been described long before. But because Moses has delayed with it until here last, so he now comes again to that, which first happened, which has become the last in the description. For it is clear by day that Joseph was born in the seventh year of his father's service, since Jacob served six years after Joseph was born. Therefore the four sons and the daughter Dinah were born after him in the same six years, although they were listed first in the history. This figure, called anticipation, often makes the narrative somewhat dark; therefore, one must pay careful attention to it when reading the history, so that the reader, who does not pay attention to it, will not be deceived or hindered.
(109) Again, the Holy Spirit gives us not only an apology, but also great praise and glory for these so holy women, who are not lustful because of unchastity, but have great desire and lust for children. And thus the marriage state of Jacob is also praised to us, how it was so chaste that one felt almost nothing carnal in it; although it is impossible that there should be nothing carnal in the marriage state. But Jacob is adorned by God in such a way that his marriage state is to be regarded as if it had not been poisoned by original sin, but rather as if it had been a
be a true angelic marriage state. For, beloved, behold, what beautiful exercises there are of godliness and of the most high divine service. Rachel prays, sighs, weeps until the sixth year; during this time she has been afflicted and tempted with great patience. For it was a great burden and a very heavy cross that she had to bear the shame of barrenness for so long. How she has seen so many women who have given birth to children! Yes, she has seen that her sister Leah was also graced with the honor of being a mother and having children, namely four sons. But I believe that she was so weary from such sadness that she easily forgot and gave up not only unchastity, but also all other joy in her heart: she had no time to laugh or joke, but spent day and night in constant groaning, weeping, wailing and praying.
For this reason, I say, the marriage of Jacob and Rachel is described as completely chaste and chaste: and if Rachel wanted to live with the man and be attached to him, she did so only to become a mother and increase the house of Jacob, which had the promise. And is an example of a very holy matron, who in faith and patience appealed to God for mercy, waited for consolation, and suffered very severe trials and pains.
For this reason Moses used a very emphatic word when he said: "The Lord remembered Rachel," 2c. as if to say: She had almost despaired of herself, and had thus thought and decided in her heart that God would never remember her, and that He would have forgotten her forever. I will not become a mother, she thought, but I am the most miserable of all women: I should be the right housemother in the house, but God has forgotten me. So now she has been led into hell. Since it can be seen that there is no longer any hope of help, she seizes the maid almost out of desperation and gives her to the man as a wife, which she otherwise would not have done if she did not have all hope.
574 L. vn, 321-223. interpretation of Genesis 30:22-24. W. II, sss-842. 575
let go. But she despairs in such a way that she nevertheless still retains a shred of faith: In despair, it still retains the groaning that St. Paul calls Rom. 8:26 "the inexpressible groaning. But this is so deeply buried and overwhelmed with the impossibility and other disgusting movements she has felt in her heart that she has hardly felt such deep sighing.
- Just as Hannah, the mother of Samuel, also despaired of having children and could not feel her groaning and the great desire she had in her heart to have children, 1 Sam. 1:10. But God, who searches the heart, understands the inexpressible groaning, which otherwise cannot be comprehended by any sense and cannot be expressed in words.
Thus Augustine tells of his mother Monica, who cried and wept for nine years over the loss of her son, because he had fallen into the sect and error of the Manichaeans. She only asked from God that her son be converted and become a Christian, and for the sake of the cause wanted to marry a Christian woman to him, so that he would be brought back on the right path through attendance and fellowship with such a godly woman and through her admonition. And she would have been content with this, if only he had been converted from the same heresy of the Manichaeans to the pure healthy doctrine. But, as Augustine says, it seemed as if the Lord had refused and refused to give her such things: but he had heard what was needed and her deep desire, namely, the inexpressible groaning.
But as prayer and groaning are inexpressible, so is the answer and joy immeasurable and inexpressible; as St. Paul says Eph. 3:20: "But to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or understand" 2c. He does not give what his saints ask and desire above in their hearts and with the foam of words, but he is an almighty giver.
and he who is very rich, who gives according to your deep groaning. And therefore he makes the prayer increase and be multiplied, and he hears it not so soon. For if he were to answer the first cry or petition, the prayer would not be increased, but would grow cold. Therefore, he draws out with help, and from this the prayer grows daily and becomes strong and great; in the same way, the groaning of the heart becomes deeper and more fervent, until it comes, as it were, to despair: then the prayer becomes very fervent and strong, when it can be seen that now the groaning almost wants to stop.
If he would hear us so soon, the prayer would not be so strong, so lively and fervent, but it would only be an outward sighing, which still learns to pray, sigh and desire, but is not yet a master of prayer: but when it has come to despair, and the heart, so challenged, thinks: Oh, nothing will come of it, all is lost! and yet there is still a spark and a smoldering wick, then remember and be strong and hold fast. For this is the battle that the saints must fight, who think that the rope will soon break, and yet still retain their heartfelt groaning. Therefore, prayer is perfect and strong.
Thus it is also said of Rachel: "The Lord remembered Rachel" 2c. As if Moses wanted to say: Rachel felt nothing else, but that all her prayer and weeping had been in vain and in vain, and that God had laid her out in His heart and would think of her no more. But, my dear Rachel, you should not think it so, for you are far from it: this feeling of yours is carnal, it is not yet the spirit that sighs and the inexpressible groaning, but it is the flesh that feels such and is weak. God had never forgotten you, but immediately in the beginning, when you began to ask for children, He heard and honored all the words of your groaning; but the prayer was not yet fervent and strong enough at that time, so it had to grow and become great, and therefore God also delayed the answer until the
576 D. vn> S2S-S2S. Interpretation of Genesis 30:22-24. W. n. 842-844. 577
The second, third, fourth and fifth year, he first gave you comfort through the maidservant. But the groaning did not stop: it still seemed as if God had turned away from you. Therefore God has remembered you, says Moses, even though he has not forgotten you for a moment. But this was finally the right time for God to hear your groaning, when you let yourself think that your groaning was buried, covered up and forgotten.
(117) In the same way we should learn to pray and wait for help from God when there is adversity and faith begins to decline. For we have the promise of the gospel; we have baptism and absolution, by which we are instructed and strengthened; we have the commandment, in which we are commanded to pray; we have the spirit of grace and prayer: but when we have first begun to pray, our heart is in anguish, and complains that prayer is of no avail.
Therefore, if prayer does not help you, you must learn to inquire, that is, to seek; and if you think that such seeking is still in vain, and that God is hiding Himself more and more, begin and knock, and do not stop until you open the door in which He is shut. For there is no doubt that our prayer should not be heard immediately when the first syllable is uttered; as the angel says to Daniel, Dan. 9, 23: "When you began to pray, this command went out, and I come to tell you" 2c.
(119) But that God does not immediately give us what we ask is because he wants to be sought, and wants one to always stop and knock him out; as the similitude teaches Luc. 18:2 ff. of the unjust judge. Then he comes and saves his elect, and gives more abundantly and more than we have asked, sought, and knocked. For this reason he delays the answer, so that the prayer may be increased and the groaning strengthened, which seems to us to be still very small, because we groan: but in truth it is very hot, as St. Peter says.
Paul calls a crying or shouting. For we not only utter the words, making a sound by the tongue and lips; neither do we make our prayers resound with a loud voice: but we virtually cry out. It is not a sound or voice of the mouth, but a shouting in the heathen and an inexpressible groaning: under the left teats it is when the heart throbs and groans, and almost grows dull with great anguish; and then the prayer is quite perfect and strong.
120 Let this be said often, and let it be repeated always, lest we lose all hope and confidence in our prayer. Even though prayer is cold at first and does not immediately receive help, we should know that help will be delayed, so that prayer will become all the more perfect and powerful. For prayer has a wonderful power and omnipotence. When Rachel was considered to be despised and abandoned by God, and yet she remained a smoldering wick, God, when called upon, sought and called forth, had to put out. But in the same way He helps all who call upon Him, and helps them so abundantly and mildly that they must confess that they should never have hoped for such things. As Monica, St. Augustine's mother, might have said: "I did not ask for this, nor should I have hoped that my son would ever become such a great teacher in the Church. 2c. Therefore, we should not grow weary or despondent, but continue and persevere in prayer and petition and seeking until the hope and salvation for which we have been waiting is seen.
(121) Rachel herself shows sufficiently what her cross and challenge had been, for she says: "God has taken my shame from me. In the Latin text it says: Collegit opprobrium meum: He has taken it together. She has borne the shame and disgrace for five or six years in a row, because she was barren, and she herself and other people also have let themselves think that she was the most miserable woman among all women. For she saw that her sister was fertile; she saw,
19
578 vn. 32S-327. interpretation of I Genesis 30:22-24**.** **W. II, 844-847.** 579
that her maidservant and her sister's maidservant, and all the other wives, had also given birth, and that for this reason they were praised, loved and held in honor: but I alone, she thought, am considered a rejected, despised and cursed woman; but the Lord has seen all this shame and disgrace, which I have borne manifold and grievously, and has gathered them together and taken them from me; now I have become a proper wife and housemother.
Thus her desire and longing was fulfilled and her sighing was heard, since it had previously been proven and increased through the long delay of so many years. It is also clear from this text, because Rachel says that the Lord has taken her disgrace from her, that at that time it was commonly considered by everyone that infertility in a woman was a disgrace, especially in the line or family from which one expected the heirs that were promised. In the New Testament it was not considered a disgrace; for there virginity is highly praised, especially in the church office. But with the fathers in the Old Testament it was a very heavy cross and a great disgrace. And such judgment came from God's word, Genesis 1:27, 28: "God created man male and female, and blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" 2c. Adam spread these words among his descendants and diligently inculcated them with the same: therefore it has always come upon their children and their children's children from one to another, that they have taken it for granted that any barren woman would be rejected and cursed by God. This was the most serious thing, that the same text at the same time also understands the curse of God in itself. Although barrenness in itself is a heavy burden and a great sorrow, it becomes even heavier when it is added that a barren woman is cursed and cannot please God, or even if she does please Him, that she must nevertheless be despised and scorned among the other women of God's people.
123 Therefore Elisabeth, the mother
John the Baptist, thanked God almost with the same words, when she said Luc. 1, 25: "Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days that he looked upon me, to take away my reproach from among men"; and the angel said to Mary Luc. 1, 36: "Elizabeth, which is in a cry, that she is barren". As if he wanted to say: "Because of this, she has an evil cry and is greatly reviled, because she is not fruitful. Therefore, at that time barrenness was not only a special plague and cross among the people, but also had God's curse upon it.
- Today there are many of them who have enough good things and are of great lineage, who become impatient with being deprived of these blessings, and who have a great desire for children, because they have enough good things to be able to feed them: but this cross is more bearable for them, because in the New Testament it does not happen that they should be rejected and cursed by God because of it.
The other common people are also more godless than the pagans were. For the greater part of married couples do not desire to have children; indeed, what is more, they are hostile to children, and think it better to live without children, because they are poor, and have not, that they may maintain their servants; but especially those who are inclined to idleness and are lazy rogues, who flee from the toil and labor of matrimony. Now, nevertheless, the married state is not meant to be a time of pleasure and idleness, but to beget and bring up children and to feed the household, which is indeed an immense burden, full of great care, toil and labor. Therefore you were created by God to be a husband or wife, and to learn to endure and bear such toil. Those who have no desire for children are swine, sticks and rough blocks, not worthy to be called men or women, because they despise the blessing of God, who created and instituted the married state.
580 D. vn, 327-329. interpretation of Genesis 30:25, 26. w. n, 847-851. 581
Fourth Part.
How Jacob asks Laban for his wages and for permission to leave; how Laban tries to keep him with him; and how Jacob behaves.
I.
(v. 25, 26) When Rachel had born 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 hast known my service, as I have served thee.
(126) Behold, how humbly the patriarch asks for his release, and asks for nothing more than his wives and his children, and yet shows that he has served Laban faithfully and well, and that he is worthy to give him something as a reward. For this is why he says, "You know my service, as I have served you." As if he wanted to say: It is fair that you should think that I have not only served you for wife and child, but you should also think of the dowry, or of the wages, or of some gift, so that you may adorn me, or rather your daughters and children, for my faithful and willing service. With these words Jacob wanted to give him to understand the same in a fine chaste and secret way.
But why does he do this? Answer: Because Laban was a scoundrel and a miser; he was a dog 2c., he was, as it were, a monster of the same blessed time. For he should have lived more cheaply because of his great wickedness in this last evil time, when all things are corrupted by avarice and all other sin and shame. Therefore, this is to be diligently noted for the sake of Jacob's deed that follows, which we will excuse for the cause. For the good, pious man served a whole fourteen years in extreme poverty; such service, which is connected with such poverty, no one today would tolerate or could endure. For he served the first seven years for Rachel; he is
But he was robbed of his hope quite unreasonably, and took no reward at all from Laban. For Laban thought, "He is a stranger and wretched, so I will let him serve me as long as I can, because he serves me faithfully and increases and improves my possessions. Therefore, we may think how much sorrow and misery the good, pious Jacob must have suffered.
For Laban (who should be called Nabal, so that the word is reversed) did not recognize the faithfulness and diligence of the pious man, and now intends to let him go without reward. For before he had acquired no goods of his own, or even little of his own; he had nothing but food and clothing, and with these he was still meager and meager enough. The pious man has served a real dog. And afterwards the daughters themselves will also complain about their father's avarice and robbery, by which Rachel was induced and caused to steal her father's idols; for he did not keep them as his daughters, but as maids, whose work, and what she earned with woolen work and other work, he used for his enjoyment and benefit. But since he now wants to make a contract with him for the wages, he tries to deceive him again, so that he may not give anything to his son-in-law and daughters for their faithful service, by which he had become rich.
This injustice and violence greatly distressed Jacob himself and his wives, and they must often have secretly complained about the poverty and hardship to which they had been brought by their father's deceit and robbery. For this is clear enough from the circumstances when they are properly considered. And there is an accursed wickedness in Laban, which is contrary to all the senses and nature of man. For otherwise fathers tend to prefer their daughters, because the female sex is also weaker. But this unkind and cruel Nabal deprives his daughters even above this, and afflicts them with hard and heavy service; but when the reward is spoken of and acted upon, he again thinks how he may again deceive and cheat Jacob. Jacob does
582 L.vn,Ws.Wo. Interpretation of Genesis 30:25-27. W. N.wi-"4. 583
all his things faithfully and sincerely: but the deceiver deals only in robbery and intrigue; as Jacob afterwards complains of it, saying, "He hath now changed my wages ten times" 2c.
(130) Therefore the unkindness, cruelty and stinginess of Laban cannot be made great enough; and therefore it should be brought to light and made great in every way, because thereby the cause of Jacob's deed is shown, which will be told afterwards, when he also deceives Laban again; so that this is not considered unjust and mischievous, as it can be seen, if one only looks at it above. But it was a necessary deception because of the unjust robbery of his father-in-law.
Now he asks for permission to return to his place. I have served you, he says, fourteen years: the first seven years for nothing; and since you have tricked me into serving you, I have served you another seven years, and those are now over; so now it is time that I must also provide for myself, my servants and my house. But you should consider how faithfully I and my wives have served you, which you do not respect at all now; for you have given me no reward at all for serving you these fourteen years. Therefore it is right and just that I take my leave and look after my own things and take care of them. "Give me my wives and my children." As if he wanted to say: Since you will not give me anything but money or my due wages, it will come one day that God will judge and punish you for such ingratitude.
II.
V. 27 Laban said to him, "Let me find grace in your sight. I feel that the LORD is blessing me for your sake.
You holy pope, you pious bishop of Mainz, can you also speak of God? Laban cites the name and blessing of God. But if you speak the truth and feel that through God's blessing for Jacob's sake you have increased in your possessions and become rich, why do you not thank Him?
But do you still intend to rob him, to overcharge him, so that he may serve you longer and longer? Yes, this is what hypocrites and all miserly and ungodly people do: they use the name of the Lord, but uselessly. Therefore Moses uses a strange word, in Hebrew nihaschti, which has the name of a snake, on which meaning he also wanted to see, as it can be seen. For it also means divination and sorcery; as Deut. 24:1 says, "He went not after the sorcerers."
133 But it has been used that they have prophesied with serpents and practiced sorcery; therefore Moses has wanted to indicate that Laban was a soothsayer, for he says: Auguratus sum, that is: I have made it seem good to me; I have been foreknown; my heart has told me; I have taken it for granted, as by a special sign, that God has blessed me for your sake. But he does not want to give Jacob the honor, does not want to thank him for it, and does not give God the honor either. So it has pleased me, he says, that the LORD has blessed me through you. He wants to be regarded as a man who is worthy to be blessed and made rich by God, even though he was almost poor before Jacob came to him.
This is what Moses meant by the strange and emphatic words. But this is the mind of men who are false, two-faced and deceitful, who speak otherwise than they have in their hearts; as the form is the tongue of an unfaithful, crafty serpent. He does not say in a subtle way, "I know and understand, and I certainly believe, that I have been blessed and made rich for your sake. For if he had known this, he would have opened his purse and given a sum of money to his son-in-law, his daughters and his children's children. But he does not think it is certain, but still doubts it and disputes about it, where Jacob wanted to demand payment from him, that he might have cause to refuse with some pretense. Therefore he says: I am well pleased; it may well be that the Lord has blessed me for your sake. This is the art
584 L VII, 330-332. interpretation of Genesis 30:27-30. W. n. W4-SS7. 585
one, so the lawyers know, namely, that they use such words which have no certain sense, which can be bent and interpreted on both sides according to their liking, and as they desire it.
(135) After this we will hear that Laban was also an idolater. For this reason, he may have practiced divination or asked the idols for advice, and considered himself to be so fortunate because he had served the idols. But I will not argue about that. But it is certain that he uses the name of the Lord uselessly. He seeks to outwardly conform to the spirit and manner of Jacob: he sees that he is godly and pious, so he uses the same words that Jacob used.
V. 28. (And Laban said,) Voice the reward which I shall give thee.
The Hebrew word nakab means to pierce; as it is written in the prophet Haggai in chapter 1, v. 6: "Whoever earns money puts it into a bag with holes, nakub" 2c. It also means to appoint, to determine: in which meaning it is put 3 Mos. 24, 16: "Whoever names the Lord's name shall die", that is, whoever curses in God's name 2c. So we have also interpreted it in this place: "Curses or name me a reward. Moses could have used a different word, but he wants to make it clear that Laban wanted to use a special and spiritual word to prevent him from demanding too much reward, as if he would anger God by demanding an unreasonable reward. For all the words Laban speaks come from such a heart, which is completely corrupted by avarice, and go only so that he may overcharge Jacob and rob him. But he adds, "I will give it to you. This is not true; he does not intend to give him even a penny, just as he will then make a new deception so that he will not have to keep the covenant and the contract that he was to give him as a reward. Then we will see that he was not only stingy and ungodly, but stingy himself.
III.
And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and what manner of cattle thou hast had under me. Thou hadst little before I came; but now is it spread abroad, and the LORD hath blessed thee by my foot.
137 Jacob repeats his previous words with a severe punishment of avarice, ungodliness and fortune-telling, so that Laban went around. As if to say, "You must not think or doubt whether you should attribute this blessing to me or to yourself; for it proves sufficiently in itself that the Lord has blessed you for my sake, for you also dealt in divination before; but if you had obtained anything by it, it would have been well, since I was not with you. But it proves by itself that your goods and chattels were not increased until I took charge of your house and administered my service in it.
Therefore, Jacob refutes Laban's impious and clumsy answer about his divination or discretion and praises the work he has done in his office. You know, he says, how diligently and faithfully I have served you, which also proves the work itself sufficiently, if you would deny it and I would keep quiet about it. For what kind of livestock was it that I was first ordered to bring? Perhaps it was about a thousand sheep that Rachel, your daughter, was feeding alone, so that you needed neither a servant nor a shepherd; there were so few of them. What are you allowed to augur, you stingy wretch? For Jacob could have punished this miser more cheaply and more severely. The flock of sheep that a young girl feeds cannot be large, but the same few are now fed or broken out, for this is what the Hebrew word means. As if Jacob wanted to say, "Since I have had your livestock under me, and have pastured them and kept them, they have increased as it were by force and have become many, so that they have also broken out of the sheds before a great crowd; therefore God has blessed you for my sake, since I have come to you.
586 L- VII, 332-334. interpretation of Genesis 30:29, 30. w. II, 8S7-8SS. 587
come, and not when you have waited for your soothsaying and served idols.
(139) This rebuttal and punishment is severe enough to punish this very stingy man who complains about giving his deserved wages to his faithful and well-deserved servant, who served him not for one year but for fourteen whole years, during which he spent nothing, but took everything for himself, robbed his son-in-law and his daughters, and did not let them keep anything for their very hard work. Soon after, however, an example of divine judgment will follow against such horrible robbery. For "he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly," 2 Cor. 9:6.
140 And such an example rhymes very well with our life as we now lead it. For we see how the princes, the nobility, peasants and citizens all act together against poor Jacob, as Laban did. But it will happen to them all just as it has happened here. For no matter how fiercely they seize, scrape and gather, God blesses Jacob who is robbed, and to him who has robbed and taken everything, He takes everything again, as it says in Psalm 39:7: "They gather, and know not who shall have it."
And it is truly a great pity that the world does not want to be persuaded of this, but wants to feel and experience God's judgments. When people only strive for great things, gather them up and take them for themselves, rightly and wrongly, as they can and may, then they consider themselves blessed people and think that they have now gotten rid of what they have coveted with such great desire. But the psalm answers them, saying, "They know not who shall have it."
So the cities and princes, who collect a great deal of money, are foolish in their usury and avarice. But to whom do they collect it? Answer: Brother Vitus, the godless warriors, who soon after will sweep everything away and trample it under their feet; as we recently encountered in the year 42 around Easter, in
The noise that had arisen between the dukes of Saxony in the city of Wurzen. If God had not fed and averted it, how soon would Brother Vitus have come and torn everything apart in a single day!
Pope Clement plundered the temple at Toledo and took from it an exceedingly large sum of money, which was worth almost three kingdoms. He did this under the pretense that he wanted to give the same money to St. Peter's Church, for he was a great master at robbing and grabbing, and he made it appear that he could not be satisfied with the whole world. But he also collected it from brother St. Vitus, the godless warlords, who then tore it all apart and plundered it.
The same will happen to all the others, who are now getting rich with usury and unrighteous goods and do not let their greed and avarice have any measure or end. And if they are admonished that they should also leave something for the poor, or that they should collect something with God's blessing, they do not hear it, but think as the poet says: Quaerenda pecunia primum, virtus post nummos etc.: I must first strive for money and goods, to become pious comes afterwards; when I have collected a good sum of money, then I want to use it, and still want to keep it, I gather it together immediately and collect it rightly or wrongly. But this will be done by no means; for thus says the Psalm, "They gather, and know not who shall have it."
How much better and more blessed would it be to fear God and be rich in divine blessings, as the 37th Psalm says, v. 16: "The little that a righteous man has is better than the great possessions of many wicked men. But people are deaf to this. For they must therefore gather and gather together, that they may have a pariz, as it is in Hebrew, who will tear it down again. Therefore we may follow the common saying: Mitte vadere, sicut vadit etc.: Let it go as it goes, the world does not want to be told, it wants to know. While Laban gathers everything and takes it to himself
588 D. VII, 334-336. interpretation of Genesis 30:29, 30. w. II, w9-862. 589
and deprives his son-in-law and daughters of their deserved wages, he loses everything; as the saying goes, "He who wants too much will get nothing.
I myself, who am already sixty years old, have seen many examples of such Laban brothers, whose large estate was soon scattered in a hui and perished. I could also name examples that have happened in the small town of Mansfeld, which is my hometown. In other cities, too, as in Leipzig, Freiberg, and in many other places where mines are located, there are strange examples of such people who, from our memory on, have plundered and collected for themselves; but now not a penny would be left of all their great money and goods. Yes, that means to gather into a bag full of holes, as the prophet Haggai says in chapter 1, v. 6. But why does this happen? Because I have blown into it, says the Lord. Yes, when he blows into it, the goods must be dispersed, even if the whole world were full of gold and silver.
(147) Although we do not do anything with hypocrites and godless people, it must nevertheless be made clear to the people, if perhaps there are some who would be moved by it. Laban did not ask anything about it, but Jacob nevertheless taught his wives and servants, and even reminded Laban himself of the wrath of God against ungodliness and avarice. Behold, he will have said to his servants, how my father-in-law is so exceedingly stingy, who neither fears God nor even thinks of our so faithful service; for he not only gives us no wages, but robs and plunders his own daughters and children's children. What shall I do? If I will name and determine the wages, he will find another trick so that he can overcharge us and deceive us. For such people have only their pleasure in robbing and cheating others; they think of nothing but vain cunning and always go about with deceit, and if they can cheat someone out of a penny, they think they have a florin.
won. It is a cursed kind of people to whom both God and man are enemies.
The last part in the text they all interpret in Latin: ad ingressum sive introitum meum, that is: Since I first came to your house. But the work itself indicates that Laban did not become rich immediately, since Jacob came to him in his house. Therefore it is better interpreted thus: ad pedem vel ad cursum meum; so that at the same time the great diligence and the hard work is indicated, so Jacob had. As if to say, "I have walked day and night, I have not ridden a horse nor ridden in a chariot, but I have grown weary and tired, walking in the fields and pastures with the cattle and home to the house, that I might serve you well and faithfully. During the day I was faint from the heat and at night from the cold. And because of my running and my work, the Lord has blessed you.
And now, when should I also take care of my house?
- This is a very severe punishment, for Jacob wants to say: You are my father-in-law, therefore by natural right you should have admonished me as soon as my four sons were born, that I also provide for my house; and if you had a godly or honest mind, you should speak to me in this way: My dear Jacob, I see that our family is now multiplying, because four children have been born to me; I will give you some one thousand sheep, from which you may get your own property for yourself and your household. For who would not help his daughter and his son-in-law, who is honest and pious, and who primarily does not benefit himself, but serves his father-in-law faithfully? But Laban does not, therefore Jacob's complaint about his poverty is most just, since he says, "When shall I also provide for my house?" I have two wives and as many maids, and seven children: what all these can earn and acquire, this you enjoy, and the benefit we should have from it, you take away.
590 s. vn. sss-Ms. Interpretation of Genesis 30:30, 31. w.n. sss-Ws. 591
Do you not think that I will have to take care of my house according to divine and natural rights? He will say to Laban: "If God had not been on my side, you would have left me empty-handed" 2c. Is it not unreasonable and tyrannical to snatch bread from the mouths and throats of your daughters, your children's children and your son-in-law by force?
150 For this is the emphasis of these words, and although Jacob held them out to him in a gentle and humble way, they nevertheless contain a severe punishment. I am, he says, a husband to four wives, a father to so many children; but I do not work for them, I am of no use to them, but I feed you and your house: you devour and tear away what we have earned with our work. If there were even a little sense or common wit in you, or even if there were any shame or kindness in you, you would not let us go about naked and bare, so that we have to live in want and be so poor. That is, to steal the holy cross and the gold from the saints' feet; it is to let poor hungry Lazarus pine away completely, so that he must die of hunger.
151 Therefore it is an unbelievable example of an outrageous avarice to Laban, which we should make great, that we learn to condemn and curse the world with its monster, avarice, and that we proclaim the future punishment, which will follow it, and how the goods, which were acquired with injustice, will disappear and vanish. As the proverbs, so common among all peoples, sufficiently testify. One says in a Latin proverb: De male quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres, that is: Badly won property does not come to the third heir to good 2c. And you young fellows will one day see that the children of the miser will live in want and beggary, and that on the other hand also the promise of the Holy Spirit must be fulfilled in the 37th Psalm v. 25: "I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed going after bread." Again it is also said thus:
I have never seen an ungodly man preserved; as it is written in the same Psalm, v. 35, 36: "I have seen an ungodly man defiant, spreading himself out, and green as a laurel tree. When one passed by, behold, he was gone; I asked for him, and he was nowhere to be found." And the experience finely agrees with the holy scripture. So Laban will also be cursed as a robber and murderer of his daughters and children's children, and his goods will be scattered.
This is a very beautiful speech, and a just cause for Jacob to ask for his relief: For I am commanded, he saith, that I also shall provide for my household, and be well to my householders, according to divine and natural right. For "if anyone does not provide for his own, especially for his household," says St. Paul 1 Tim. 5:8, "he has denied the faith and is worse than a pagan." Laban, however, hears nothing at all and is not moved by his son-in-law's respectability and hardship; as the Latin saying goes: Venter caret auribus: The belly has no ears.
Fifth part.
How Laban persuades Jacob to stay; how Jacob determines a "certain" reward and by art makes his reward very great.
I.
V.31. And he (Laban) said, What shall I give thee then?
He asks him fearfully enough, as if to say, "If you need a hundred guilders, I beg you to ask only four from me. But should he not have met him immediately with such words: I know your faithfulness and diligence well and do not need many words? I will willingly offer you all friendship of my own accord, and in everything that I think is to your benefit and piety, I will gladly serve you as my son-in-law and son. But see what the
592 V. vn. S3S-640. interpretation of I Genesis 30:31-33. W. n. Ws-sso. 593
He asks for a long time, "What shall I give you?" See that you do not demand too much from me. O thou wicked dog! Jacob is your son-in-law, they are your daughters and your children's children, and you still ask long how you are to create their benefit? Moses describes such a magnificent Euclio, much better and more real than any Apelles could have painted him with his colors.
But what should Jacob do now? He sees that his father-in-law is an unkind and godless man, so he thinks that he must command God to judge him. As indeed no miser will escape the judgment and punishment of God. Yes, precisely because they thus increase in their goods, they must perish; for they increase only to curse and ruin, and not to blessing or prosperity. Now as often as you see a miser, you see such a man, who must soon perish and perish.
But Jacob knows Laban's deceitful and mischievous heart, so he thinks, "If I ask you for money and you promise to give it to me, you will not give me anything; you will find some trick or deceit so that you can overturn the contract I made with you with cunning; now you will do some damage to your good, but soon you will have other burdens so that you can always delay me; for those who do not like to pay can find countless excuses. Therefore he offers him another condition, as follows in the text.
And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing in any place: but if thou wilt do unto me as I say, I will feed and keep thy flock again.
I do not want you to lose anything of your possessions or goods; you may well keep all that I have earned for you with my work and diligence, and I will stay with you and will feed your herd with the same faithfulness as before, and will not demand a certain reward for it, but will wait for the blessing of the Lord, and will take for good what I have earned for you.
who will give to me. This was a very pleasant speech for the miser Laban, because he heard that he did not have to spend any money now and that he could use the servant who was so faithful to him a little longer. Therefore the covenant between Laban and Jacob follows.
I will go through all your flock today and separate all the spotted and colored sheep, and all the black sheep among the lambs, and the colored and spotted goats. That which will fall colorful and spotless shall be my reward. So my righteousness will testify to me today or tomorrow, when it comes, that I am to take my reward from you, so that whatever is not spotted or variegated, or is not black among the lambs and goats, that is a theft from me.
157 Laban's possessions were sheep, goats, lambs, rams and other livestock. But because the text is somewhat dark, one must first of all take out a certain understanding. For Jerome complains that this text has been interpreted by the seventy interpreters quite untidily, and says that he has seen none, either among the Hebrew or Latin interpreters, who would have explained it clearly enough. About the same Burgensis also complains. I am well satisfied with Lyra, as he has interpreted it, although he still doubts in some parts, namely, since the grammar is obscure and since the words are not spoken out at all, and almost six verses or lines are somewhat difficult to understand.
But this is the sum of it: We will, says Jacob, make a covenant; I ask nothing of you, but what will fall to me by God's blessing, with that I will be content. Now then, let us go through your flocks and take out everything that is spotted and variegated, so that the sheep that are only one color and not variegated remain on one side, and the variegated ones are put on the other side. There are four kinds of flocks: rams, sheep, goats and rams, but sometimes only one is named synecdochically, sometimes more, and they are not always all listed with each other.
594 L. vn. 340-S12. Interpretation of Genesis 30, 32. 33. W. II, 86S-872. 595
That is why the text is difficult to understand. Since the flocks are divided, Jacob takes those that are not colored, but those that are spotted and colored are given to Laban; and Jacob offers his father-in-law this condition, that everything that is born colored and spotted from the sheep that are only black or white should go to Jacob instead of his wages: but the other lambs of the same color, whether white or black, should go to Laban, his father-in-law.
Laban gladly accepts this condition and has no suspicion that any deceit or trickery might be hidden under it, since he had found Jacob faithful and honest in so many years. Therefore his neck is open for a new gain, and he silently laughs and marvels at the simplicity of Jacob, who had chosen the small number of sheep, and left him lambs of a color, of which there would undoubtedly be many more. For it is natural that white sheep beget white lambs, and black sheep black lambs. But it rarely happens that sheep of the same color produce lambs of different colors, unless people help nature artificially and with special diligence, as will be said later. Therefore Laban rejoiced that not only would he not lose any of his goods and possessions, but that they would also be increased for him, because nature was on his side.
160 But in this way he again shows his cursed stinginess, for he should rather have admonished his son-in-law that he did not want to overprovide himself, because he should have accepted such an unreasonable condition. For he selected and chose for himself the sheep that were only white or black, from which naturally not colored lambs, but the same as the old sheep, must have been begotten. Therefore he should have said: What do you want to do, my dear son-in-law? You want to deprive yourself of your deserved reward, if you want to take the colored lambs for yourself instead of your reward; it is an unfair contract and against nature.
But he has thought of none. And what is more, he rejoices that he has cause to deceive the poor fool again and to mock him, and hopes that if he has ever increased in his wealth before, he will now increase greatly and become rich, and that in the way that Jacob himself suggested. It is such an abominable thing about avarice that it turns people away from all godliness and kindness, and makes them even abominable and afflicted with devilish wickedness. For this is how Laban is described and portrayed here, whom avarice has made so savage, cruel and unkind that he would not give his son-in-law and daughters even a claw of all his flock with good will. This is the opinion of this covenant between Laban and Jacob, in which at the same time the cruel avarice of Laban is to be emphasized and made great.
162 Now let us also look at the text, which, as I have said, is somewhat obscure because the words are broken off so briefly. First, he says that he wants to separate all livestock that is spotted from the others, if it has even one spot. As if a black sheep had a white spot on its forehead or on its body, or a white sheep had only a black spot, wherever it might be on its body. And it can be seen as if he wants to have understood by the same name in general or synecdochically all cattle, which would have not only one spot, but also many smaller spots; because this is called with the Hebrews, cattle, which is nakod. After that he calls the sheep thalu in Hebrew, which we have actually translated, colored sheep. For thus these two names are distinguished: these have larger, broader spots of two colors, white or black; but those have smaller spots. Thirdly, he says that he wants to separate all the black sheep among the lambs; by this he means the black lambs. But there is a difference between the two Hebrew words, seh and keseb; the latter is commonly said of all sheep, but this is called a yearling lamb, or that which is still younger: when it is past the year, it is no longer called keseb: we call it a paschal lamb. To
596 D- vn. str-3tt. Interpretation of Genesis 30:32-34. w. ii, 87L-874. 597
Fourth, among the flock of goats, he also separates out the spotted and colored ones, as with the sheep; but from the lambs he takes only the black ones.
But this is followed in the text: "This shall be my reward. Here is an ellipsis, and one must add here: All that is begotten of it, which is like unto them, and which shall be multitude of the white sheep. For methinks that only the flock of the white sheep remained unto Jacob; though others would have it that the black sheep also were added unto them. And this is the opinion that Jacob wants to say: Everything that the white sheep will carry of lambs, which is colored and spotted, that shall be mine; but what they will carry of white lambs, that shall be yours.
164 Therefore, it is a very unfair condition, since it is against nature that white goats or sheep should carry black or colored lambs or goats. However, Jacob offered this condition to the miser thus. "So my righteousness," he says, "will testify to me," that is, I will be righteous. For with this contract it lies even on the luck and how it will fall. Wherefore it may come to pass, that the white sheep shall bear me multicolored lambs, that thou shalt not entertain suspicion, as if I had dealt deceitfully or fraudulently therewith, though I never did thee any wrong. But whatever is not spotted, but is found with me plain and white, you shall say it was stolen from you, and you shall freely accuse me of theft.
This is especially a hard obligation that the pious holy man has committed himself against the bad boy in such a way. And it seems from this that Laban will often have reproached Jacob if something was not done to satisfy his lust or avarice, as if something had been stolen from him, or as if Jacob's servants had slaughtered and eaten some sheep or goats from the flock. Or, at least, he threatened Jacob with such punishment and words of abuse, and prevented him from using anything for his own benefit, even though he could not doubt his faithfulness and diligence.
V. 34. Then said Laban, Behold, it is as thou hast said.
It looks as if Laban still doubted and did not trust Jacob. Oh," he says, "let it happen now, as you have said. Well, we will try it until I see whether this sheep breeding will also turn out as I hope it will be beneficial for me. Although he sees that everything corresponds to his avarice, he does not yet accept it as certain, but with a condition, that he may change and cancel the contract, if or how often he himself wants; as we will hear afterwards (Cap. 31. V. 41.) that Jacob says to him: "You have changed my wages ten times". Therefore the abomination of Laban's avarice increases more and more; for he still refuses, since his son-in-law also offers him a very cheap contract, which is almost unreasonable for himself. He does not approve of it clearly; not because he should consider that such a contract would not be useful to him and would be well accepted, but because he wants to retain the power to revoke it and to refuse to keep it, no matter how it turns out. Do you see what avarice does?
For this reason, the poet has gloriously and well said: Auri sacra fames, quid non mortalia pectora cogis? Thou cursed avarice, to what canst thou not bring the hearts of men? For men are so changed by avarice that they retain nothing human about them, but become even blocks and idols that they retain no human feeling at all. And one can finely draw from it, that in the 115th Psalm v. 4-8. is written: "The idols of the heathen are silver and gold. Those who make them are like them, and all who hope in them." The usurers, robbers, and covetous are not men; "they have eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not." And Sirach says, "There is nothing more evil, more shameful, than a miserly man. For the miser is an unkind, cruel and tyrannical man; if they could keep all men alive with a penny, they would not give the penny. That is why they are murderers and killers, for they steal and devour what is theirs.
598 L. vn. 344-346. interpretation of I Genesis 30, 34-36. W. n, 874-877. 599
other people enjoy and from which they should receive.
Now, even if there had been a small spark of human kindness in Laban, he should have been moved to kindness and good deeds by the virtue and magnanimity of his son-in-law, and should have reasonably thought so: I see that my son-in-law is pious and honest, and that he would like to see it so well on my side and with my things, that he offers me such a contract, that it would not only be convenient for me, but also very useful and beneficial; but God be for it, that I should accept it. He has my daughters as wives, with whom he lives honestly and kindly, and has served me faithfully for fourteen years: truly, I must be more cruel than any unreasonable animal can be, if I wanted to do my benefit and good with his harm. But he thinks of none; indeed, he does not even dream of it. For avarice wipes out all kindness, shame, and even the very nature of man, and makes of men vain idols of silver and gold 2c.
For this reason I like very much the fable of the poets about the king Midas, of whom they write that everything he had touched had become gold, as he had wished it to happen. Yes, such fellows are also the miserly, namely, like silver and golden idols, which have no human feeling at all. And in another place a pagan writer has spoken gloriously and delicately that a miser never does anything good, except when he dies. For the stingy are a useless, even a harmful burden of the earth, and where one would have done good in cities and countries, one should always chase them away. For where they are, there is a common ruin of the fellowship which men have among themselves; and they are a pestilence of human society.
V. 35, 36: And that day he separated the goats that were white, and all the goats that were spotted, and all the goats that were white, and all that were black among the lambs;
And he put it under the hand of his children, and put three days' journey between him and Jacob. So Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock.
170 Moses now uses different names than before. Previously (v. 32 ff.) he spoke of the black lambs, item, of the spotted sheep and goats; here he now names the goats: so that he thereby indicates the great stinginess of Laban, who could not be satisfied, who also separated the cattle that were not expressly named in the contract. For although we have said above that this is done by the figure, it can be seen in the
But see that he has not in vain changed the previous names now with other names.
The Hebrew word akudim means the large goats that go before the herd; as tejaschim means the small goats that are fed and taken out to be eaten and not for breeding. What actually is the origin of the word akudim, I do not know. The word akad means to bind; therefore they interpret it to mean goats that have a white ring around their black feet or, on the other hand, a black ring on white feet, so that it looks as if the feet are bound with it; or, which I like best, he wants to understand by it those that have a long welt over the back, as almost all goats are wont to have; that this also rhymes to make Laban's avarice great with it, who also singled out from the very most accurate the goats whose spots could hardly be noticed.
For this is why he says, "Where there was only white, and all that was black among the lambs." As if to say: After he had already sorted out the colored sheep, he also took great care to look carefully at the individual hairs on the feet or beard of each sheep or goat that was solid colored, to see whether some were spotted or colored. He used such an exact and diligent examination against his daughters and his son-in-law, so that he could prove how such a great man was.
600 L- vn. sts-AS. Interpretation of Genesis 30:35-39. W. n. 877-sso. 601
He said that there was a great miser and a scanty felt in his heart, to whom God and all men were enemies. And so far we have spoken of the covenant or agreement between Laban and Jacob.
II.
And Jacob took staves of green poplar trees, and of hazel trees, and of chestnut trees, and peeled white stripes thereon, that the whiteness of the staves should be bare: and he put the staves which he had peeled in the watering troughs before the herds that were to come to drink, that they should receive when they came to drink. So the herds received above the staves, and brought spattered, spotted, and multicolored.
(173) We have heard how Laban had such a great desire and was anxious for a new robbery and gain. But what happens? God shows Jacob a special art so that he can help nature and change it. For he takes sticks from three different trees and peels them, not that he has completely peeled off the skin, but that he has colored them so that they were white and black, so that on one side one saw the white, because the bark had been peeled off, but on the other side the black, because the bark had remained. He puts these same sticks in the watering troughs, so that the sheep have such sticks in front of their eyes, and when they look at them, they may receive them. It was an artificial philosophy or a magic, so that he brought about that the sheep in the heat, when they looked at the colored sticks, brought colored lambs. And so, from the white or black flock, colorful and spotless lambs have come.
174 The word "they received" in Hebrew is jechemu, which comes from
jacham; the sheep have warmed themselves by the sticks; that is so much to say: they have run with each other, as the shepherds are wont to call it. And this word is also in the 51st Psalm v. 7: "My mother, jechematni, conceived me in sins", that is, I was conceived in the heat and shameful lust of the flesh. By this is understood the heat of childbearing, which before the: Fall of Adam pure and
But now it is poisoned and corrupted by original sin: it is not a harmless oestrus as it was in the beginning, but is corrupted by lust and evil desire.
So Jacob, by art and skill or by natural magic, deceived the art or rather the wickedness of Laban, which he had practiced on Jacob; which art the fathers had learned either by long use or by instruction of the ancestors. For Jacob will undoubtedly have been instructed in it by some patriarch, or God will have given it to him through the Holy Spirit. And it is a certain art, which rhymes with the teachings of physicians, who say that in the conception of all animals, not only of irrational animals, but also of humans, the fruit is to be given a special shape or stain, both from the thoughts and also from various objects that occur to the heart or the eyes, not only in the heat of conception, but also after impregnation.
Jerome and the physicists also tell an example of a queen who gave birth to a child that had a shape and face like a Moor; and this is said to have happened, they say, because she was strongly imprinted with a Moor that was painted on a tablet by the bed. They also say of another woman who was accused of adultery, namely, because she was ugly in appearance and yet gave birth to a beautiful child, which was unequal to father and mother and the whole sex; and she would have been condemned if Hippocrates had not saved her, since he gave an admonition that she should be asked whether she had had any painted tablet in the bedchamber, which she had looked at with pleasure. And since the tablet was found, she was found innocent by the judges.
177 Thus we sometimes see that the children have colored spots of blood or other colors on their faces, eyes, cheeks, or necks,
602 D. vn, 348. 34S. Interpretation of Genesis 3V, 37-39. W. n, 880-S8S. 603
when the pregnant women suddenly saw something unusual or were frightened by it and grabbed such limbs with their hands. Here in Wittenberg we have seen a citizen who had a face like a dead human being; he said that while she was pregnant, a human corpse suddenly appeared before his mother's eyes, and she was so frightened by it that the face of the fruit in her womb took on the appearance of a dead human being.
The same is to be done with diligence when the cattle and the unreasonable animals run with each other. As Jerome says, in Spain the beautiful horses are placed in front of the mother horses when they run, so that young ponies may be born from them, which may be like such beautiful horses.
Therefore, pregnant women are not to be joked with, but one should diligently take care of them for the sake of the fruit. For there is much untold danger of premature birth and many other dreadful miscarriages. For this reason, a husband should most sensibly live with his wife, as St. Peter says in 1 Epist. 3, v. 7. I remember well, when I was a little boy, that in Eisenach a beautiful and chaste matron gave birth to a rat; which had come because one of the neighbors had attached a bell to a rat, so that the others should flee from it. The same rat with the bell met the pregnant woman, and because she did not know anything about the matter, she was so frightened by the fact that the rat appeared to her so suddenly and she saw it, that the fruit in her womb took on the shape of the same animal. Such examples are very mean, when pregnant women are often suddenly moved and frightened, even with danger to their life and limb.
180 Therefore, be careful not to move them violently, either externally in the body or internally in the mind. For those who have no regard for pregnant women and do not spare the tender fruit are death-rowers and children.
murderer. How you can find some men who are so cruel and tyrannical that they are not even afraid to beat the poor pregnant women. These are brave heroes, who truly have great courage against the weak female sex, but otherwise they are despondent men. For we heard the other day that a prince, who had otherwise committed many other sins and disgraces, was said to have drawn a sword on his wife because she had been ill and was lying in bed. Oh, what a brave hero and mighty man of war this is to me! Indeed, this is not at all befitting a brave hero, but is a great sin and disgrace. For where thou art a righteous man, thou shalt well find thy equal to fight with. The great valiant heroes are strong against other strong ones and weak against the weak. What is this, that you start a fight against a child and a pregnant woman? This poor female sex has enough left on it without danger, even with pious husbands who know how to keep themselves safe, namely, from evil neighbors, from the devil, from various ghosts and images of unreasonable animals. Now it is a great sin that such danger should be increased by your cruelty.
Yes, the pagans also praised this virtue in their great heroes, that they kept themselves peaceful, quiet and friendly towards their wives. For Homer testifies to this when he describes the great brave heroes as Achilles, Hector and others. When Hector had put on his armor and armor, he kissed his son. So they were also wives with the wives, so also that one has seen nothing more feminine than these great heroes have been with their wives; but in the war, when it is a matter of quarreling, Achilles has held himself differently against Hector, because he jokes with his Briseis.
That is why one is a cheap enemy of those who are strong and warlike against the poor, defenseless, weak, female sex and always want to fight. We men were not born to hurt the weak female sex, but to protect and defend it.
604 vn, 34S-351. Interpretation of Genesis 30:37-13. **W. II, 883-88."** 605
For the woman has a womb that is made to be with child, and to beget and nourish children, and is subject to many dangers; therefore one should deal with her wisely and kindly. And so far a part of this text has been interpreted, and an art, so Jacob practiced, has been described.
Then Jacob separated the lambs, and put the separate flock with the spotted and black ones in Laban's flock, and made him his own flock, which he did not put with Laban's flock. And when the course was of the springling's field, he put these staves in the gutters before the eyes of the field, that they might receive above the staves; but in the lateling's course he put them not in. Thus became the latelings of Laban, but the earlylings of Jacob. Therefore the man was rich beyond measure, that he had much flock, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
183] The other art that Jacob used is of the course of the flock, which is in the spring and in the fall. For Jacob used his art in the first course, that is, in the spring, when the sheep are strongest; then he put the staves in the troughs, that the strongest lambs might be colored, which belonged to him: but in the autumn and in the late spring course the sheep are weaker, therefore they have not the heat of the sun, as in the spring. That is why he did not lay any rods at that time, so that lambs of one color would be naturally born, which belonged to Laban. But it is better to run in the spring, because it happens while the sun is still rising, when the heat comes again, and the strength of all herbs and animals is increased. Therefore Jacob procured that he would have the best and strongest sheep, namely the springs; just as the lambs that fall in the fall are called late lambs and winter sheep. By the way, it was an almost artificial skill, yes, it was a cunning and almost a mischievousness; and Jacob also kept himself there according to fairness and such a measure that he did not arouse his miserly father-in-law's suspicion, so that he would be deceived by art. In the autumn run of the late
He did not change anything so that Laban would also keep a part and that he would not be robbed.
For this reason, he was finely prejudiced and could not understand how it could come about that the spring lambs were born in color and the late lambs followed nature. He thought it had happened by chance or by divine blessing; that is why he changed the contract ten times, as will follow, and where he had ever before shown that he was stingy, he had given an excellent and obvious example of his cursed stinginess. Because he saw that the spring lambs were better and stronger, he cancelled the covenant and chose the colored ones for himself. Since Jacob did not help nature with his art, the sheep bore lambs of one color, and again the best fell to Jacob. Therefore Laban was deceived again, and he changed the contract and Jacob's wages for the third, fourth and tenth time. O of the shameful avarice, which everyone should spit upon!
But our rabbis reproach and torment me that I have not interpreted this text correctly in German. For they add the third art or skill, that the text says that Jacob separated the lambs and put them in heaps among Laban's flock 2c. They interpret this to mean that he herded the spotted lambs into a bunch and let them go before Laban's flock, so that the sheep that followed would bring other colored lambs by looking at the colored ones that had gone before.
But this came from the very shameful and stingy rabbis, who judge the holy patriarchs as they themselves are, as if he had not been satisfied with the art he had practiced, but had also brought the lambs before the multicolored flock to look at them, so that the lambs might become multicolored not only from the multicolored rods, but also from looking at the multicolored flock.
606 VII, SS1-SS3. Interpretation of Genesis 30, 40-43. W. II, 886-888. 607
and even wants to understand the opposite, namely, that Jacob has separated the multicolored flock and put it in another place. For he speaks of the lambs that he has set apart; just as they are accustomed today to set the lambs apart when they drive the old sheep to pasture. And the two flocks, Laban's and Jacob's, were three days' journey apart; therefore the two flocks, Jacob's and Laban's, could not have been in one place at one time.
But by such art and skill, Moses writes, Jacob became very rich, or, as it is written in Hebrew: The man has broken forth, that is, he has become exceedingly great and rich. And this seems to me to be the right actual understanding of this text, which is very obscure; which understanding coincides with what all Catholic teachers think of it, and is taken from the comparison of what will follow, which will also explain and confirm this understanding even more; moreover, this understanding is also found, if one will diligently consider and ponder all circumstances.
(188) But it is asked, Whether this deed of Jacob's may be excused, that he deceives his father-in-law with manifest deceit? Because it has to some extent the appearance of avarice, or still more of theft or a robbery. For why does he not keep the order and course of nature at both times, in spring and in autumn? Answer: From what has been said above and what will follow, one can take many and honest excuses. First, he is excused according to human law, which allows and permits those who serve stingy and unjust masters, where the masters give them no wages, but only rob and plunder them and take what is theirs, that they, the servants, may in turn also take and rob what is due to them as wages; but in a proper way, so that this does not happen to the master's detriment.
(189) So the children of Israel robbed the Egyptians and took such robbery as their reward, that they served the Egyptians unreasonably, with great difficulty.
The Egyptians had not yet paid them for this, Exodus 12:35, 36. Jacob had also served in this way for fourteen years, and had been afflicted with many miseries, troubles and hardships, and yet he was still deprived of his due reward. Therefore, what he stole and took even without his master's will and knowledge was due to him by right. This is one answer.
- Secondly, even though it is a trick and a deception, Jacob did it by divine command, for an angel appeared to him and showed him this magic, which is natural and quite proper. Therefore, Jacob learned it either from the angel or from the holy fathers, who had great experience and understanding of things. But when God calls holy and faithful men to do something, it is undoubtedly holy and well done.
Third, he will also say afterwards Genesis 31:42 (for this chapter cannot be understood without the next one): "God has looked upon my misery and toil"; there we will hear what fear and need drove him to commit this deception. "What was stolen," he will say, "I had to pay for. 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." The good, pious and faithful Jacob had no hope at all that he could have saved or collected a little of his own property from the insatiable rapacity of his father-in-law. This was certainly not a small misfortune, by which he was caused to commit this robbery, especially since the divine command came to him, in which he was commanded that he should do this. For Laban has had more benefit for your sake, the angel will have said, than you can take from him; therefore you can justly use art and cunning, so that you may still bring something from him; not that is stolen, but that is permitted and given to you by God Himself. Therefore, according to human and divine law, Jacob is a man.
608 353. 354. vm, 4. interpretation of Gen. 30, 40-13. cap. 31, 1. W. II, 888-SS3. 609
Right, and in addition also excused because of the extreme necessity.
But not everyone should follow this example, unless in the same case. Otherwise, the eyes of the wicked will look only at the deed and disregard the circumstances, and they will want to use it as an example for other robberies. But you shall not follow this example, unless you are like Jacob in all respects, and all circumstances in the same case will drive you to it. For he has given his father-in-law his goods and chattels, and has served the miserly and rapacious Laban so exceedingly grievously, who has not given him his fill of bread: he has watched, he has suffered hunger, thirst, heat, frost, day and night; he has had no recompense or reward of it; yea, Laban has thought above it still, to give him
He is also deprived of the wages that they had become one with each other, since he retains the power to change the contract as often as he wants. These circumstances should be diligently observed and considered, then Jacob will not be accused of avarice and no one will easily want to follow this example. For it is such an example and such a deed that befits a great hero, as many more are found in the patriarchs. But we have just spoken of such special deeds of the great heroes. Sometimes the chivalrous great heroes follow the common rules, sometimes not. Jacob, however, does not sin against the rule, because natural and worldly law comes to his aid; and Christ Matth. 10, 10. says: "A laborer is worthy of his food" and his wages.
The Thirty-First Chapter.
First part.
As Jacob prepares to go home, and is commanded by God to accomplish his purpose.
I.
V. 1 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.
(1) So far Moses has told what happened during the six years after Joseph was born. From that time on, Jacob had been thinking about how he would govern and feed his own household, which he had not been able to provide for the previous fourteen years. But after he had become the father of so many children, he was almost too slow to think about his own housekeeping. However, as he had spent the previous fourteen years with great patience under such a stingy master, he had to endure a lot of hard work.
In these six years, through the miraculous art and blessing of the Lord, he has acquired a not insignificant good. And this cannot be done without envy. For he could not keep his property secret from his father-in-law and his sons. Therefore, now that the six years are up, he wants to go back to his homeland, although he is in no hurry to do so; and perhaps he would have wanted to stay even longer, had it not been for the divine calling.
(2) But in addition to the great misery and wretchedness he suffered in Laban's house for so many years, there is now also the misfortune that Laban's children hate and envy him, and may publicly reproach him as if he had stolen all their father's goods and taken them for himself. For thus Moses says, "The speeches of the children of Laban came before him, and they said," 2c. He also well saw that the face of Laban changed and that he looked all sour and unkind. Which all he saw as a sign of such a ge-
610 L. VM. 4-6. Interpretation of Genesis 31, 1. W. n, 8SS-S96. 611
The first thing is to understand that the human being has understood the need to be alienated from him and also to be hostile to him.
(3) Hear now the great blasphemy of the children of Laban, who are allowed to move up and reproach Jacob for the goods which were his reward for the long and hard service he had rendered Laban: then you will have to say that the whole godless world is drowned in avarice in one heap. Therefore Sirach says that on earth there is nothing more evil than a stingy man. And a pagan writer, Mimus Publianus, also spoke gloriously and well: Avarus nihil recte facit, nisi cum moritur: A stingy man never does anything good, except when he dies. For thus the whole nature and all peoples unanimously agree that they have cursed and condemned the miser.
(4) For idolatry and all ungodliness is planted in their hearts, not only against strangers and those who are not related to them, but also against their own household and native friends; as is seen here in Laban, who is exceedingly wicked toward his daughters, his children's children and his son-in-law. What could be devised that is more wicked and abominable, and more worthy of cursing, than such a man who does not allow his daughters born of his womb or his wife a piece of bread? Therefore, a miser can do nothing better or more useful than when he dies. For in life he is of no use to God or to other people, or even to himself; he cannot do anything but sin against God, against people and against himself. For he never does his own body any good.
005 Therefore the children of Laban use such words, which are very great and weighty, to show their envy. "Jacob," they say, "has taken to himself all our father's goods." Do not lie to death! It is a false accusation which they magnify beyond all measure. O we poor children, they say, we are now utterly corrupt, whereupon shall we henceforth live and maintain ourselves? This one has all our father's goods
brought to himself. Now it is up to him that he will suck us dry and take and consume everything. In this way, Moses depicts Laban and his children, namely, that the children were almost like their father. He has everything, they say. And yet Jacob served fourteen years, and received no wages at all, except bread and clothing, and with that it was still very meager; the rest all fell to Laban, yes, Laban would never have come to such great goods, if Jacob had not come to him in his house, as Jacob said above (Cap. 30, 30.). After that, he never took anything from him, but with special diligence he separated the large flock of single-colored lambs from his flock of multicolored lambs, which was much smaller, and he hardly brought them together with skill and divine inspiration. Nevertheless, Laban's other flock, which was otherwise large enough, was also increased. Jacob only separated the fruit of his labor, and from it he saved up this property, which was indeed small, if one wanted to compare it with the large property of Laban.
(6) From these words of Laban's children we may know the mind and nature of the covetous. For they do not look at what they have in their hands and under their control; they do not look at the large herd, at their great rich earnings, but at the fact that Jacob has also received a little sheep from their herd; which herd he had previously tended with such great diligence for so many years, and only demanded a part of the herd as a reward for his work. They look at this with great pain and envy. How could Laban give him anything more than that, since he begrudged him and did not like to give him what was rightfully due to the servant by virtue of the contract they had faithfully made with each other? Yes, it is such a shameful, poisonous thing about avarice, which does not let itself be satisfied with it, even if it could devour everything alone; but also wants to have the others all starve, hunger, and be so poor.
612 n. vm.". 7. interpretation of Genesis 31, 1. w. n, ssr-sss. 613
and disgrace: he cannot be satisfied if he has all his income and treasures freely, without any hindrance, unless he sees that others have nothing at all.
(7) Now envy is a very just punishment for avarice. For since the miser desires that other people should live in want, he has no need of his own goods; as the saying of Jerome testifies, when he says in the preface to the Bible: Avaro tam deest, quod habet, quam quod non habet, that is, A miser lacks both what he has and what he does not have. So that some poor man lives better from his daily bread than the miser from all his income. I myself saw a master at the University of Erfurt who had a great deal of good, but who was such an exceedingly meager person that he would not have drunk a goblet of wine for the health of his body even in a whole year. What is more miserable in a man than that one in such great wealth should still thirst, hunger and starve, and after that still be plagued with such evil desire that he wishes that the others should all be poor, and he must always grieve and sigh over it when he sees that another has even one florin that is his own. See then whether avarice is not the most abominable of all abominations?
006 And this avarice and envy of the children of Laban surpasseth all other examples. For Jacob, the good and pious man, has served so long with great labor, misery and suffering, and has fed his wife and child with his sour sweat, and has not increased his own goods, but the house and the herd of Laban, and has made them rich; and yet he still has to suffer and hear that he is blasphemed and falsely accused, that they say of him, "He has taken all our father's goods to himself. Truly this example and the name of Laban are worthy to be made into a proverb, as the name of Euclio has become a proverb to indicate great inordinate avarice. For how much did Jacob spend during those six years with
of his art now? He would certainly have been worthy of much more. But what do we think Laban would have given his son-in-law for such faithful and long service if this contract had not been made between them? He would have given him the very thing that Jacob will later say: "You would have left me empty and poor"; or he would have had to remain a servant forever, from whose work and misery Laban might have benefited and enjoyed as before.
(9) For we see how their necks are open for this possession of Jacob's, and how they magnify it in a hostile manner. As if to say, What would Jacob have if he were without our father's goods? He would be a poor beggar and a stranger. But why do they not rather say, "What would our father have had if Jacob had not come here to us? For what Laban's property had been, Jacob indicated above (Cap. 30, 30.), when he said, "You had little before I came here." His daughter Rachel tended the cattle and the small flock; he had no need of a shepherd or any servant, because the flock was so small. But they turn this around and ask, "What did Jacob bring with him when he came to us? He came in empty, naked and bare, so he may go away again. Yes, where shall he then wait for the reward for his faithful service, which he has now rendered to this house for twenty years? He has earned nothing at all, they will have said, for he is a servant in bondage: but we are born free, and are children in the house. Therefore let us make use of the goods which Jacob has acquired, and cast him out, poor and needy, or else he may serve us for nothing. For they thought that they would demand this service from him by right, and that he would owe them the same, and that there was no right to think of any reward. Yes, they thought that it was not due to a servant that he should have such a great and glorious good.
- for this reason they use a son-
614 L. vm, 7-9. interpretation of I Moses 31, 1. 2. W. II. 898-901. 615
derful name, in Hebrew kabad, which actually means heavy. But metaphorically it means honor. So it says above Cap. 13, 1. 2.: "Abraham went up out of Egypt, and was very rich in cattle, silver and gold" 2c. Thus it is said: The land is weighed down with theury, pestilence 2c., item: Pharaoh's heart has become heavy. And by this is meant that the things are there, and that it is not empty and vain things. Hence it is transferred that it is also called honor; for money and goods and where one has everything in full, that brings honor and great splendor. For this reason the children of Laban are envious and say, "He has brought about all this weight out of our possessions, that is, these great and glorious possessions. They do not mean to say, He has received a fruit, an inheritance, possessions or goods of his own; but they say enviously and blasphemously, as it is written in Hebrew. As if to say, "He came here to us as a poor beggar, but he has accumulated very great goods in our house.
(11) This, therefore, should be read a little more diligently (for it seems as if the Scriptures intended to give a true description of avarice in this example), namely, that avarice is a world and the epitome of all shame and vice, and that an avaricious man is one who does not grant anything good either to God or to himself; for what does not serve him for his benefit he can make great in a hostile way, and he is sorry that he cannot enjoy it. Therefore that which is said of ungrateful men, Omnia convicia dixeris, si ingratum dixeris: If you reproach an ungrateful man, you have reproached him with being guilty of all sins: this may be said much more cheaply of a stingy man. For ingratitude is such a sin, as one neglects to do that which he ought to do (sin of omission), but avarice is a sin, as one does what he ought not to do (sin of commission). It is such a sin that one practices abominable tyranny. For this reason, this sin far surpasses the others, so that it does great harm to the whole community and to the people in particular.
V. 2 And Jacob looked upon the face of Laban; and, behold, it was not against him, as it was yesterday and yesterday.
(12) The first reason Jacob went out of Laban's house is that Laban's children complained about him and accused him falsely. The other cause is that he sees that the face of Laban has changed against him. For the father had just such envy and avarice in him as the children hold: he cannot look upon the goods of his son-in-law without great envy and pain. For he has desired that Jacob should only ever be poor and a servant, that he should enjoy his misery and wretchedness. He does not see that he had already grown and become rich through Jacob's good deeds, and that he now needed many shepherds for such a large flock instead of one daughter; but that his son-in-law and his daughters have one or two sheep, lambs or goats, he sees this well and is sorry for him; he is not happy about it, as he was before, since he alone grew and increased, and since Jacob did not provide for his own property at all.
013 And it came to pass, when the LORD was displeased and angry, that the children and the rest of the company turned their faces toward him, and looked sore upon Jacob. And the same have envied and grudged their sisters Leah and Rachel, where they would touch with the little finger any thing that belonged to Laban's estate. They often invented false accusations and abusive words and laid them on poor Jacob, who was hated by the father of the house; therefore everything in the house was disgusting, annoying and dangerous to him. And this envy and hatred did not last only one or two months, but it is true that it began soon in the second or third year, as soon as Jacob began to grow and increase in goodness.
014 Now what can be more grievous and miserable to a man, than that he should deal with such servants, when the father of the house, and the children, and the menservants, and the maidservants, look sore, and rage, and are always angry? And yet Jacob has lived out the six years.
616 L. VHI, s-II. interpretation of Genesis 31, 2. 3. W. II, SOI-SOI. 617
held. Finally, however, he thought, "It is time for me to leave this house, now that the six years are over in which I have been burdened with great hatred and many bitter false accusations; although he is not in a hurry, he would not have left even then; but he has been commanded by divine order to return to his homeland.
II.
V. 3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto thy fathers' country, and to thy friendship; and I will be with thee.
(15) From this passage it may be seen how much toil and affliction Jacob suffered, since necessity required that the Lord look upon him and deliver him from this anguish and distress. For God does not speak in vain, and does not speak His word to those who are secure in heart and without temptation, but to those who need it, who are in need, who are weary and afflicted, who are in a hard struggle against the flesh, and against all that is seen, that is, against all that is contrary to faith according to human sense and reason, Heb. 11, that the afflicted hearts may hold to the one consolation of the divine word and be sustained thereby. "Wisdom is not found in the land of the living," says Job in 28 Cap. 13. V.13. For it is a word of the cross, and since one is even despondent and gives up everything. Therefore it belongs only to those who have been afflicted, killed and despised, who are despondent and even afflicted, as Jacob was in his misery with his unjust and stingy father-in-law, who would give him nothing and tried to take everything from him, and even to oppress and rob him, His children also vexed and tormented him fiercely, and all of them were concerned that they would keep him in bondage forever, that he would have to be indebted to them, and that they would only become rich through his sweat, toil and labor.
(16) In such anguish the Lord speaks to him, knowing nothing else to hold on to but faith and prayer; and since he is of all men, he is of all men.
is hindered and hated, the Lord takes care of him and strengthens him in his intention to leave and commands him to leave the servants and the house that was so hostile to him and his wives and to take care of his own house. With these words God indicates and testifies that the whole life and all the works of the patriarch Jacob are pleasing to Him.
For this reason, this text should be diligently remembered. For the holy Scriptures not only preach great and high miracles, but also testify that God takes care of the little things and things concerning the house government, which is, as it were, one of the greatest miracles and a sign of God's special grace and favor. And this comfort has been repeated many times above and also in all the holy Scriptures, and shall be repeated many times more; for he who believes as Jacob does shall be sure that God will take care of all his thoughts and all his footsteps, not otherwise than as if God had nothing more to do than to protect and govern him. For Moses preaches nothing here about the kingdom of Egypt or Babylon, nor about the whole world: he only tells how Jacob was afflicted and challenged, and how he prepared himself to return to his homeland. Therefore, we must not be anxious and distressed about the way in which the kingdoms and dominions of the world are governed; rather, we should thank God that we know that He cares for us so carefully that He also knows everything that we do, suffer and think.
But all people must be especially certain that they are God's people or members of the church. This faith is necessary above all else, which must firmly grasp this syllogism, so that it can conclude: All God's people are blessed, holy, pleasant and pleasing to God, so that they cannot be torn out of God's hand: but we are God's people: therefore it certainly follows that God also cares for us. The upper sentence is quite certain and true. For even the death and blood of the saints is held worthy in the sight of God, and all that they do and suffer is pleasing to God. Yes, the
618vm , u-i". Interpretation of I Genesis 31, 3. W. n, so^-sos. 619
Even more, their faults and sins are covered and forgiven, as Psalm 32:1 testifies.
(19) But of the base there is still the question. For the Turk, the pope and the Jews also boast that they are God's people, and that they are pleasing and pleasant to Him. Therefore, we must take care that we may be certain of the same thing, namely, that we are God's people, that we belong to the herd and people of God, under the one Shepherd Christ. If you can conclude this firmly and with certainty, then you are already blessed. Therefore be of good cheer, fear not, nor be dismayed, though the whole world break and fall in a heap; for thou art assured that thou art under the Shepherd, who is one Lord of heaven and earth.
(20) But it is very difficult, even for the sheep of Christ and for the godly themselves, that they should applaud this sentence. For one must always be in battle against doubt and unbelief: such a great and difficult thing is faith. But the Turk, the Jews and the Papists do not feel this struggle, nor do they argue, but want to be certain of it and boast with all certainty that they are God's people without any doubt. Therefore, the godly need to be constantly comforted so that they can believe this subordinate sentence, namely, that they are certainly God's people. For so you will not lack the supersentence. For the Holy Spirit testifies with this and many other examples that God's people are pleasing to God even in the least and worst things and works. For He will work all things through you; He will milk the cows through you and perform the smallest servant works through you, and all that you do will be equally pleasing and acceptable to Him, both the greatest and the smallest.
(21) But with what arguments shall one prove the subordinate clause? How can I know for sure that I belong to God's people? Before the birth of Christ, the fathers had the promise, the word and the voice of God; they also had the sign of circumcision. Now we have the keys, baptism, the Lord's Supper and the promise of the Lord.
From this you shall take arguments and proof, so that you may be sure that you are a Christian and baptized, and that you live in a holy and godly profession: see that you do not blaspheme the word, but love it, and serve God in some honest office. If this is engraved in your heart and is firmly fixed in it, even though you have to fight against doubt, you should nevertheless assume and conclude that you are the one whose works are all pleasing to God, and that he also takes care of them. You should therefore think: I will follow my calling, I will do servants' works, masters' works and children's works with Jacob; for I know that all this will be held honest and worthy before God our Lord.
22 This must always be repeated for the sake of the constant struggle against doubt. For our senses and reason are often confronted with the opposite, different from the word and the divine consolation. The flesh feels many other things, so that the godly are led to believe that everything is quite contrary, since the godless have great happiness, but they are sorrowful and miserable. Therefore faith belongs to the things which are not seen, until the truth of the promise is proved in the end. And for this cause the Lord speaks again to Jacob, not only to comfort him, but also to strengthen and help him in the battle in which he has undoubtedly been hard.
023 But mark diligently what the LORD saith unto Jacob, Return, saith he, unto thy fathers' land. As if to say, "You have suffered long enough and much with that miserly boy who has robbed and maltreated you greatly. Therefore go and become a householder in your father's land. This is the voice of God, that he may comfort and direct Jacob. But since he has received the comfort, he gets courage and may now do what he otherwise would never have dared to do. He is now so bold that he is allowed to leave the house secretly, without the knowledge of his father-in-law and his father's children, with his wife and children and everything he has.
6202- vm. 13-15. interpretation of I Genesis 31:3-9. W. II, sos-sio. 621
024 But because the word commanded him to do so, he feared not, but went in the name of the LORD. For these are the words of God, which deliver Jacob from fear, and promise him that he will protect him henceforth. Go, says the LORD, and take all that you have and go to your own country. Yes, but Laban will follow me, Jacob might have said, and drag me again into slavery; for he is strong and mighty, has many friends and relatives, I will not be able to get away secretly or unharmed. As it happened afterward, when Laban hastened after him as one that had escaped, and as a thief, and threatened to slay him. Therefore the Lord says, "I will be with you"; even if all the devils are with Laban against you, I will still be with you; let him come here.
(25) It is indeed a great thing that Jacob was able to believe this word. But he was a well-trained man in the faith and was tested by many trials, and yet he also had his weakness. Just as the other fathers sometimes grew weary through so much trial and struggle, they always regained their courage and grew stronger, and this change was always with them, so that they were now challenged and then again comforted.
Second part.
How Jacob talks about his plans with his wives and how the wives behave.
I.
(vv. 4-9) Then 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 yesterday and yesterday: but the God of my father is with me. And ye know that I have served your father out of all my strength. And he hath deceived me, and now ten times changed my reward; but God hath not forgiven him.
that he might do me harm. When he said, "The colored ones will be your reward," the whole herd wore colored ones. And when he said, The blasted shall be thy reward, then the whole host bare blasted. So God took your father's goods from him and gave them to me.
026 I wonder what was the cause of Jacob's not conversing with his wives in the house and in the tabernacles; for he was the son in law and the husband of his daughters. Therefore he was able to talk to the servants and his wives in the house from time to time and tell them his intention. Perhaps Laban and his children forbade him to enter the house, so that he could not go into his wives' houses; therefore he called them to come out to him into the field, where he was feeding his and his father-in-law's flocks. No doubt Laban was suspicious, so he did not like Jacob talking to his wives, lest he lead them away from the house. Whatever the case, it can be seen that Moses wanted to indicate that Laban had an evil, suspicious heart.
(27) How was this so great wickedness, that he should so soon annul the covenant, seeing that Jacob had increased a little in the estate? What can we think, that he has stolen and usurped the previous fourteen years, because he is now so wickedly and violently changing the contract and covenant? The Holy Spirit tells this with diligence so as to magnify Laban's wickedness and avarice. For he changed the covenant they made with each other when and as often as he pleased. When he saw that the flocks were carrying multicolored lambs, he said when the lambs were young, "I will have the multicolored ones fall to me from now on. But again, when he saw that the lambs were of one color, since Jacob had not laid any staffs, he chose the white or the black sheep. So he deceived Jacob's art, and deceived him every year; yea, even every half year that-
622 Lvm,iL-i7. Interpretation of Genesis 31:4-13. W. n. "o-sis. 623
because in six years he changed Jacob's wages ten times. In the first year he kept the contract, but in the other five years he changed it ten times.
028 This was very unreasonable. Therefore Jacob thought, "What shall you do with this man? I will not be able to do any good here; therefore I will go away and let this most wicked man go. And this is an example of excellent faith and great patience in Jacob, who was able to suffer and endure this. It would have been of no use to him at all, neither the contract with his father-in-law, nor even the art he had used, since Laban changed the contract so often and according to his liking, if the divine blessing had not come to it; as he says: "God has not allowed him to harm me," God has saved me and increased my host; yes, "he has taken your father's goods from him and given them to me.
29 And the word: "He took it from him" has a special emphasis. He does not simply say: God has taken it from him; but says: "snatched it from him". As in the 142nd Psalm v. 7. it says, "Deliver me from my persecutors." So Jacob also says: God has saved me and helped me. And the Holy Spirit wants to make it understood that these goods rightfully belonged to Jacob and his wives, given to them by God's blessing and acquired with their labor. For he had served him fourteen years and had been deceived ten times in those six years. Therefore the Scriptures say that the things which were due to Jacob and his servants were stolen and taken by force. God had to do this with power: my art and cunning, which God showed me and granted me, would not have helped anything if God had not, with special power and force, saved your father's property and set it free, as one sets a prisoner free; which property he had previously taken from our throats by force. All this that he had was ours; and that we now have, I did not acquire with my art or skill, but we have it by divine power and might.
get. For God has taken it from the fist of this murderer and knave with a mighty hand. This is what Moses meant by the word jazzel, namely, that the Lord blessed Jacob by taking away Laban's goods and giving them to him. For so is the hand of the LORD with his saints, that he may protect and deliver them from the deceit and wickedness of the wicked.
V. 10-13. For when the time of the race came, I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the goats leaped upon the multicolored and spotted herd. 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 multicolored, speckled, and variegated field: 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, depart from this land, and return to the land of thy friendship.
These words are spoken synecdochically. And because Moses speaks so briefly, it can be seen that they read as if Jacob had seen nothing in the dream, but only the single-colored goats jumping. Therefore, the text must be understood not collectively, but distributively, that is, in one run he saw the goats jumping on the single-colored ones, in the other run on the multi-colored ones. And one must take the part for the whole. For he meant all the rams among the sheep and goats: when he said, this time you shall have the akuddim, that is, the spotted ones, the sheep bore akuddim, spotted lambs, and so also of the other kinds. For it is like that which he said above (v. 8), "When he said, 'The colored ones shall be your reward,' the whole flock bore colored ones"; but when he gave me the black or white lambs, the flock also bore black or white ones. Thus he wants to indicate that God was with him, helped him and miraculously prevented Laban's deceit and trickery.
31 But it can be seen that Moses wanted to bring another proof with this,
624 D. vm. 17-is. Interpretation of Genesis 31:10-16. W. n, sis-sis. 625
to prove the miserliness of Laban, namely, that the miser Nabal, as if he had a special privilege, and not by contract, took all the lambs and goats of one color, in which course they were born, and then left Jacob only one kind of the colored lambs. If many colored ones fell in this run, which he had previously given to his son-in-law, he kept the colored ones for himself in the other run, when he saw that the flocks had borne many of them. So he always made a change and change, and in each run, when the herds had carried, he did not give him more than one kind of the colored ones, the others all he kept. Therefore, it took a special power of God to somewhat prevent Laban's great avarice, which was so great that it surpassed even all treacherous robbery.
032 But God hath comforted me, saith Jacob, in that he hath sent his angel to strengthen me in my hard fight, and in that I was grieved because of the great wickedness of my father in law, and to say thus unto me: Laban deceives you and does you wrong, because he leaves you nothing but the lambs that are sprinkled; but the LORD has blessed you, so that all the lambs in the whole flock have become sprinkled. The next year, he said, the multicolored lambs would fall to me; but the angel comforted me again, saying, "The whole flock will now bear multicolored lambs, so that the one kind that Laban leaves for you alone will surpass the others in number and quantity. And more than that, the flock shall bear such lambs as he hath given thee of the one kind of multicolored lambs.
(33) And if God had not helped Jacob in this way and restored his poverty, Laban would not have left him anything. For it is a great tyranny and against all fairness that he allowed him to take only one kind of the whole herd, contrary to the agreement they had made with each other. For this reason, Laban is portrayed here once again as an atrocious, evil man.
cursed robber and tyrant against his daughters, children and son-in-law.
34 The Hebrew word beruddim we did not have above, but it comes from the word barock, which means to hail. From which derivation it can easily be understood what the meaning of this word is. For as the word nekuddim means having one or two spots; so beruddim means the sheep sprinkled with many small spots, as it were hailing with spots, that I speak thus, in German, scheckicht. As Virgil describes the he-goats, which have small white spots, since he says: Capreoli sparsis etiam nunc pellibus albi; that is, the he-goats are still white even now with speckled skins. The same word is also in the prophet Zechariah in the 6th chapter v. 2. 3. in the vision of the four chariots; there were red horses, foxes, in the first chariot; black in the second chariot; white horses, in Hebrew lebanim, in the third chariot; and strong horses, in Hebrew beruddim, in the fourth chariot. In 1 Cap. V. 8. is another name, in Hebrew serukkim, from the word sorek, which means the very best vine, a brown vine. Serukkim are the roses, which are not red or black, but chestnut-brown, in Latin spadices, as the grapes are on the vines. Beruddim, however, means in German, apfelgrau, mold; for on their loins one sees such spots, as apples or mirrors are shaped.
II.
14-16 Then answered Rachel and Leah, and said unto him, We have neither part nor inheritance left us in our father's house. For he hath kept us as strangers, because he hath sold us, and eaten up our wages: therefore God hath taken away his riches from our father unto us, and unto our children. Do therefore all that God has said to you.
35 After Jacob's lamentation now follows also that which Rachel and Leah lamented. For it is godly and right for a mother to take care of her children and provide for them. For according to God's commandment, this is the duty of a housewife or wife, to help her husband feed and bring up his children, that is, to take care of them.
6262 . vm. is-2i. Interpretation of Genesis 31:14-16. W. u. sis-9is. 627
They have to govern and provide for the house. However, these two women complain pitifully about the cruelty of their father, who is now already the mother of twelve children, and yet their miserly and unjust father deprives them of everything they needed to feed and maintain such a large family. Perhaps he will also have given them the bread and milk unwillingly and miserably, because he has taken everything they had acquired with their work, and yet they have had no convenient time to complain about their misery and wretchedness. For they were not allowed to do or say anything without the knowledge and will of the father.
036 Therefore they say, "We have neither part nor inheritance left in our father's house. As if to say, "What shall we do here? We have a large family, two maids and twelve children, but our father does not provide anything for them. He does not give us a penny; he treats us as if we were strangers who have nothing left of our father's goods and inheritance.
This seems to be contrary to the reverence that the daughters should show to their father. For it is a too harsh and bitter speech. To this, then, one must answer: "Dear, to whom is the property and inheritance in the house due? Is it not true that it belongs to the daughters? And even if they do not have the whole inheritance, they should still have the hope that they will get some part of it. But now the father, say these women, holds himself against us in such a way that we have nothing at all to hope for and expect from him: the longer we stay here, the harder and more cruelly we are driven around and plagued with such servitude, which lasts for ever and ever; which is therefore also so much more unmistakable, because he gives us no wages at all, but also appropriates and consumes the money and goods that we have acquired with our work. And not only does he deprive us of the portion and inheritance that is rightfully ours, but he has also sold us as if we were in bondage, has not given us any dowry at all; but he requires that we be paid for our work.
And he taketh away from us that which we have spared, which is not done to maidens and servants.
(38) These are truly wretched complaints, and yet it seems as if the words are somewhat harsher than is fitting for daughters. They do not seem to hold their parents in honor, because they speak of their father in such an ungodly and abominable way, and that is almost as if he should be a child murderer; for it is commanded by God in the fourth commandment that we should honor our parents and adorn them with words and deeds. But what more abominable thing could be said than this, that these women complain: The father does not hold us like his daughters; he does not love the children born of his flesh and body, nor does he want to know them; he has no natural inclination, as parents have inclination and natural love for their children; which inclination is implanted in all men by nature. There are many examples of this in this life and in the histories of all nations: indeed, it is said in the first book of Kings in chapter 3, v. 16 ff. of a harlot who quarreled with another woman before King Solomon over a child: "Her maternal heart was inflamed over her son," for she would rather miss the fruit of her womb than see her child killed. Yes, such inclination is very natural in man; and that is still more, it is also implanted in the unreasonable animals; which animals, the wilder and more ferocious they are, the more they rage and rage because of such inclination and love for their young. The wolves, bears, lions and pigs fight fiercely and quite furiously for their young. Nature is so exceedingly powerful.
(39) Is it not an abominable thing that avarice should change, not an unreasonable animal, but a man who has a very delicious nature, so that he should forget all natural inclination and love for his children? And this hideous monster, the avarice to Laban, could not have been scourged more fiercely, for since the good pious matrons, his own daughters, complain that they are born of this father, and yet he does not treat them like his daughters, they are not born of him.
6282 vin, Li-23. interpretation of I Genesis 31, 14-16. **W. ii. sis-sss. 629**
must be kept. For this shows that avarice completely overcomes and destroys the natural inclination and love of parents toward their children. And they clearly prove the same when they say: "He has sold us and eaten up our wages.
40 This is truly against nature. For it is natural for a father to provide his daughters, who are a weak female sex, with food and clothing; and not only with this, but also with the dowry, with the inheritance and other necessities. Yes, even the little birds and other unreasonable animals follow nature in this finely, make nests, protect and nourish their young. Laban does not do this, but keeps his daughters like strange maids, so that they must complain that the maids are better off than they are. For it is fitting, according to all rights, both divine and human, that a maidservant should also receive her wages and food for her work.
(41) They say that nothing is given to us, but we are not kept as maidservants, but as if we were strangers, as if he were not our father and we were not his daughters. This is the end of the fourth commandment. For what is there in Laban that is fatherly and worthy of honor? He is a beast, an unreasonable animal and a hideous monster. How could you honor him as a father who does not want to be a father, nor does he dignify you to consider you his son, but has abandoned all reason and natural paternal inclination and even becomes a tyrant?
The good, pious matrons had to endure and suffer this tyranny for a whole twenty years. I would never have thought that a man by his nature could have fallen into such horrible nonsense, if the holy scriptures did not testify to it. He has sold us," they say, "that is, he has given us to you for your work and all the goods you have acquired for him, and it has been well with us by the grace of God that we have found such a buyer who provides for us, nourishes us and protects us. But cursed be he who sold us. Dear Jacob, you have had to serve for our sake, and everything that you have acquired in fourteen years with your very sour labor, you have
must give for us. If we had not met such a godly and benevolent buyer, we would have died of hunger, or else he would have grown tired of service and poverty and would have run away, abandoning us and his father-in-law.
This is truly a very harsh and outrageous complaint, the like of which you will hardly find. For it is an unbelievable thing that a man should thus change his nature and become not only an unreasonable animal, but even a hideous monster and wonder of nature. This is what is commonly said: When an angel becomes a devil, he becomes evil; and that the devil, precisely because he has fallen away from such a noble and angelic nature, has become so corrupt and evil. So also a chaste virgin, when she has once forfeited her virginal chastity, is afraid of nothing, but becomes quite insolent to do all kinds of shame. So, if a Christian becomes an apostate, no greater enemy of the church and true religion will be than he is.
44 The same happened to Laban. Since he surrendered to avarice and mammon service, he lost the common sense that not only humans but also all unreasonable animals have, and that is planted in nature. From a father he has become a tyrant and murderer of his own daughters. For they say, He hath given us nothing at all, not a hair, not a morsel of bread; and the reward which he promised thee he hath changed tenfold. All that we have, what we are with our body and life, we may thank all of it completely to our buyer, who feeds and sustains us with his work. Yes, that is even more and more gruesome, "he has consumed our goods." Our husband has given for us his very hard service, which he rendered for fourteen years; but he has not been satisfied with that, he has had to take and consume above that also the fruit and the reward for our labor. What we have received for our and our husband's work, he enjoys and uses for his benefit.
630 D- vm. W-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 31:14-16. W. n. 631
(45) Now thou mayest ask, Whether these daughters of Laban have sinned also in that they thus speak evil of their father, and say so much evil of him. I will not praise it, but will gladly admit that there is a weakness and impatience in them, yes, that it is a sin of the saints, but which is nevertheless forgiven and tolerated. For what good can be said of a dog? I myself would truly also say: How dog-like my father keeps me, how wolf-like! 2c.; he treats me no differently than a dog. Nothing human can be said of such canine ferocity.
46 Nevertheless, they did not tell this to strangers, but only secretly reported it to their husbands, to whom they complained without sin because of the hardship they had suffered. It is truly to be pitied that our father has so completely abandoned all kind and fatherly love toward us, they say, that he not only asks nothing of us, but also takes away and consumes what we have earned with our work. No one will be able to excuse, praise or defend these vices, but he will have to punish and rebuke them much more cheaply, so that others will learn to recognize and flee this shameful example.
47 Although we must confess that this story, in which the daughters of Laban complain so vehemently about the vices of their father, is a weakness of the flesh and of the weak female sex, nevertheless, if the truth is to be told, Laban is a real dog and an example that everyone should curse and flee.
(48) Again, these daughters of Laban, in their sadness, wretchedness and misery, comfort themselves with God's grace and goodness, to whom they attribute that He has given them all the possessions and goods that they now have. If the Lord, they say, had not been with us and helped us, there would be no more wretched women on earth than we. They recognize and praise this benefit of God with grateful hearts, namely, that God has not abandoned them in such great misery and poverty, but has abundantly restored everything that the father had stolen from them. Praise be to God,
they say, who has heard our groans and counted our tears. All the goods that God took from our father are now ours and our children's.
049 Therefore they speak their mind concerning the complaint which Jacob made concerning the violence of his father-in-law, and concerning the journey which he made, saying, All things whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. As if to say: You must not be afraid of this, as if you had these possessions wrongfully and were taking them with you. It is just as you said, "God took your father's goods from him and gave them to me." So they repeat the same word that Jacob used above (v. 9). As if they wanted to say: "These goods, which God has given you by a special miracle, have been caught under the hand and power of mammon and the avarice of our father; he owed them to us according to divine and human law: but through his wickedness it has happened that neither you nor we have had them until now, although you had acquired them with your work for these twenty years, until God finally came and released these goods or snatched them from the miserly, unjust master and gave them to us.
(50) Now this example rhymes very well with the deed which the children of Israel did when they robbed the Egyptians. For the LORD commanded them, as it is written in Exodus 11:2, 3: "Speak now before the people, and let every man demand of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, vessels of silver and of gold: for the LORD will give the people favor in the sight of Egypt," that they should lend them the vessels. And so they robbed the Egyptians, namely, since the LORD had loosed the goods that were as it were captives, the silver and the gold from Egypt, and had stolen them from the Egyptians. They robbed them not out of their own lust and desire, but according to the divine will and command, who wrested the goods from the Egyptians and robbed them of them, when he commanded through Moses that they should demand such goods from the Egyptians and go away with them. For they owe you your wages, he says, for the work you have done for so many years. You have served them in vain and
632 L. vm, 2S-27. interpretation of Genesis 31:14-16. W. II, S24-927. 633
They have not given you anything in return; therefore I will now repay you, and what they have taken from you and reserved for you I will take from them and give back to you as your deserved reward.
(51) And this is an image of all the benefits that God shows to His church and community to nourish and sustain them. Poor Lazarus lies at the rich man's door and suffers hunger. In the same way, the poor church in the world is also afflicted and afflicted, and must starve. The pious, godly priests and church servants must suffer hunger with their wives and children, or if they have something, the envy and malice of men is so great that they desire to take it from them and to steal it, rightly and wrongly, as they can and may. And often, if they can do so with any semblance of success, they also rob the church servants and take away the spiritual goods that belong to the parishes, so that it can be said with truth that everything the church has, it has against the will of the devil and the world, and that the devil and the world oppose it in this, and hinder it with force, with cunning and deceit, wherever they can and may. What she has is like a robbery that God takes from the world by force. For the citizens and peasants are not worthy to have lenient hands to nourish and maintain the church and school ministry; but all the goods that they give to it are like a plunder that God has snatched and taken from the jaws of wolves and from the claws of lions.
52 We see how the authorities and their servants, as tax officials and bureaucrats, deal with the parish priests in an inequitable and shameful manner: when they complain about their need and poverty, they immediately reproach them and say: The priests are stingy. And where some at courts and in cities discover and find new arts of robbing the parishes and of oppressing the poor priests or ecclesiastics, they are praised because they are so thrifty and can keep everything well in hand. And such fellows come to great honors only because they can scold and press the ecclesiastics.
If any of the rich are admonished that they want to help poor students to their studies, help God, how it has so much trouble and work with it! One should need to be as eloquent as Pericles was, that you may obtain just a little, which is still given reluctantly enough, and with reluctance and great pride. Therefore we may fairly say that we live by robbery, so that God may rob the world against its will and since it is hard against Him. For people are not worthy that they should help and steer to nourish and maintain the poor, miserable, afflicted church with it.
54 At present, we learn that some princes are mild and benevolent, who gladly give what they can; as the most noble, highborn prince, Duke Johannes Friederich, Elector of Saxony, does. And yet, in this and other countries, there are many birds of prey, namely, the officials and tax collectors, who are so envious and evil that you can barely obtain from their hands, with great effort and work, what the prince has given with his lenient hand to maintain the church servants with it. So we live simply from robbery, not according to our lust and desire, but according to divine grace and fatigue, which miraculously snatches such robbery from the hands of the birds of prey, so that the churches and schools may be preserved, and that the servants of the same may not even pine away and die of hunger. Now this is a divine robbery, as in this place these matrons say of their goods.
(55) But he who desires to get rich from the church or preaching ministry must not punish or reproach the vices and sins, neither of the common people, nor of the great merchants, tax collectors, and officials; but he must be able to pretend and flatter their avarice, and must say what is gladly heard. But those who are pious, pure teachers, who serve the church or school with good and Christian zeal, are hated and despised by everyone, and will never become rich. For the Laban brothers give neither of their own nor of other people's property.
- it often happens that some abi-
634 L.vm, 27-29. interpretation of I Moses 31, 14-16. **W. n. 927-930.** 635
melech fed Abraham or Isaac, as we have just heard (Cap. 20, 14. ff.), but the others are all enemies of the church. It also often happens that a country has one or two pious and godly tax officials, but the others are Labanites who think that the priests and church servants are not worthy to live an hour or two or to eat a morsel of bread. And they do not conceal their judgments, but say publicly: In villages and towns one cannot do without a shepherd or a sheepherder, or even a guard or a city servant; but one does not need a parish priest or a schoolmaster at all. For this reason, many pious men are currently plagued by birds of prey. For they often cannot obtain their salary without great effort and work from those who are appointed to collect the church goods, because the same ones also give them unwillingly what they have not given for it.
Therefore let us learn to suffer and endure such violence, injustice and envy with patience, and let us recognize the wonderful government of God, who feeds and nourishes us as he fed Jacob when he served Laban. From time to time he gives us some pious, godly tax official or magistrate who does something good, because otherwise all the others envy and resist us.
(58) Now Moses tells how these two wives put up with Jacob's opinion and that Jacob had stolen the goods from his miserly father-in-law. Such a deed, I say, they vowed, and admonished their husband that he should only continue: "All that God has told you," they say, "do. This also happened out of the special kindness of God, for Jacob's comfort, namely, that he had the consent of his dear wives, who otherwise had no other help or comfort except their husband. And their father had dealt with them in such a way that they wanted and desired nothing more than to leave their father's house. All their wills and feelings were in agreement against the cruel, tyrannical father, and they were glad that they had the opportunity to leave their father's house.
that they may depart. My dear Jacob, they said, we have long since seen your miserable hard service, and have desired that you should have led us away much sooner; for we are certain that God is with you, and what you have said is God's word and command. Therefore, as soon as you always can, see that you follow the command of God.
(59) As I said before, it is a dangerous thing for a man to leave his father-in-law's house and take his wives, children, and flock with him against the will of such a tyrant. And Jacob would certainly never have submitted to such a thing if he had not had the word; even though he may have discussed with his wives beforehand how they could be delivered from such a prison and dungeon. For when he saw that Laban had so often changed the covenant, it occurred to him that he feared lest soon afterward he should find some occasion or pretext to deprive him of all his goods; as Jacob will afterwards signify, saying, "Thou wouldest have let me go empty."
(60) For as envious and covetous men are wont to do, so Laban will doubtless have often thought to himself: Behold, I see that this man is becoming rich and increasing in his goods against my will; and this is going on secretly and wonderfully: I will have to invent something, so that I may bring him into the former service and take possession of this army. And because Laban had such great desire and lust to deprive Jacob of his goods, Jacob does not venture to leave this prison without great danger, especially with so large a family and so many obstacles to take with him. But he dares to go in the name of the Lord, and his wives also go with him for the word's sake: for the Lord hath said, I have seen how Laban hath done thee violence and wrong; but I have gathered all thy tears into one sack: go thou therefore always, for I have commanded thee, and will also preserve thee.
- he certainly held on to this comfort
636 L.vm. 2S-31. interpretation of I Genesis 31:14-19. W. II, 93Y-S34. 637
He was able to rely on it, which was otherwise difficult and dangerous in itself according to human advice or discretion. For since Laban was in pursuit of him, he could not only have taken away all his goods, but also punished him for secretly taking away his daughters. But the command of God breaks through all this and makes his wives follow him with good will despite all obstacles. Afterwards Laban rages and chases after him for seven days, but all in vain. Jacob takes with him the plunder that God had given him, so the retreat and all the tit is good and holy.
Third part.
How Jacob sets out on his journey and goes away; and how Rachel steals Laban's idols, but Jacob steals his heart.
V.17, 18: So Jacob arose, and loaded his children and his wives upon camels. And he carried away all his cattle, and all his substance, which he had gotten in Mesopotamia, to come unto Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan.
62 Thus the text confirms again that the goods of Jacob were a right divine robbery and a deserved reward for the work, so Jacob had done. For he does not call it robbery or theft, but he calls it his goods or possessions, clothes, gold, silver, earth. This is all yours, the women have said; it is such a robbery, so given and bestowed upon you by God, that you take it out of the mouth of the stingy hound of hell (Cerberus), as if it were stolen and robbed, even though it is your own possessions and goods.
I.
63 But the text adds, "That he might come to Isaac his father. As if Moses wanted to say: He did not want to flee as one who wanted to kidnap his daughters, or otherwise as a thief or murderer; but he undertook such a journey, for which he had good reason and right, namely, that he wanted to go to his father, because he wanted to live more safely and peacefully, and to give all those who
accuse him in court and sue him for theft, whether Laban or others, whoever they might be, could answer and tell about his journey and also about all his goods; since it could be seen that it would be unjust to leave secretly and to take away all his cattle and goods against Laban's will.
So we can also use the spoils of this world with a good conscience, although we must take the food from the claws of the birds of prey, the world and the devil. For they are hostile to us, and say that they have no need of pastors or church servants; but God, on the contrary, says thus: I have need of the church and you are my servants, therefore suffer such injustice and violence for my sake, I will provide to distribute among you some plunder; I will give you some pious prince who shall receive and shelter you; I will not give you the earth or the world, as I gave it to the Turk, nor to the Epicureans and usurers, to whom I must throw the goods of this world and consign them to eternal hell fire; but to you I will give a small portion, which shall be as robbery. And if this will cost you great trouble and labor, remember that I have taken it from the world by force, like the goods of Jacob and the plunder of the Egyptians.
But Laban had gone to shear his flock.
This is to be diligently noted, that Jacob does not tempt God, but seeks opportunity, that he may avoid the impulses from which he can escape. For no one should burden himself with danger, but one should beware of danger. And even though we have God's word, on which we can and should certainly rely, the same in itself places us in much greater danger. Therefore, we should not take any other unnecessary danger upon ourselves, nor should we be lazy, safe and idle, but should use natural wisdom, skill, good counsel and human help, so that we do not appear to be tempting God.
- Jacob might have said, I have
638 L. VIII, 31-33. interpretation of Genesis 31, 19. W. II, SSt-937. 639
God's word and command, therefore I will depart from this house, and will not inquire after the raging and fierce anger of Laban, but will let him watch and rage, and so leave his house and lead away his daughters with all my goods: that would be presumption, and unnecessary boldness and temptation of God. Now if you have the word, you will do right if you obey and follow it. But thou shalt put thyself into the thing, that thou mayest use the things that are with and beside the word. For so Jacob has a commandment to depart out of that land, and to go again to his fatherland. He also has a promise that God will protect him, that he should not be afraid, no matter how great danger and all kinds of hardship, of which we will hereafter hear, may befall him. However, he waits for a good time when Laban is not at home, namely, when he has traveled three days to shear his flock. He thought to himself, "He will not be able to chase after me during these three days, nor will he easily know that I have left; but I will travel so far that he will not be able to reach us on the first day or the next and cause trouble.
Thus Jacob waited for a very fine opportunity with special prudence and deliberation. For this reason God has given us reason and all creatures, as well as all temporal goods, so that they may serve us for our benefit. He who wants to travel must have provisions for the way, from which he can get food and lodging; but he would be very foolish if he thought that he did not need money or food, and that everything would meet and fall to him everywhere by divine providence. For this reason God has created everything that is necessary for this life, not that you should expect it from Him without means, but that you should use the things that are available, and this according to the order that He Himself has prescribed for you. Therefore, the use and service of creatures should not be despised, since God created them to serve us.
II.
And Rachel stole her father's idols.
- Now comes a second crime: Rachel steals her father's idols; in Hebrew, teraphim. But behold, how understanding the woman is. For she has thought, "Everything we have was taken from us by our father and reserved for us, but now it has been taken from him again by God like a robbery and has been given to us. Therefore we may take with us everything that he still owes us. But to me, as I have become a bride in the proper way, he should have given a gold or silver jewel; but since he did not give it to me, I will now accept that he should have given it to me of his own accord and according to all law.
(69) First of all, these holy women and Jacob sinned very grievously against the fourth commandment, in that they blamed and accused their father and father-in-law, as if he had not behaved toward his daughters as a righteous father should and ought to do, which is very hard and severe. And it seems as if Moses is not at one with himself, since he says in the fourth commandment that one should honor father and mother and bear their infirmities and weaknesses. But in this place he tells an example of the patriarch Jacob and the daughters of Laban, which is contrary to the commandment. For these daughters seem to have forgotten all the honor they should show their father, because they show themselves so harsh and unkind to him with the fierce and harsh complaint.
The other sin is that Rachel steals her father's idols. For the Holy Spirit does not shy away from using the word "steal", but clearly says that Rachel, the very holy matron and wife of a very holy man, who believes the word of God and according to it admonishes her husband to go away, stole her father's idols (teraphim). He not only says that she took or stole them from him, but freely says that she stole them from him, against the seventh commandment,
640 D. vm, ss-ss. Interpretation of I Genesis 31, 19. W. n. S37-9SS. 641
since God says in Exodus 20:15, "You shall not steal." But if one should not steal from his neighbor or a stranger, how much less should one steal from his father! And she steals that which the father considers most precious and dear in his house, namely, his idols, which he has served.
(71) Although it has been said before that there is still much weakness in all the saints, which I do not like to excuse, it must nevertheless be added that Rachel's father had ceased to be a father because he had practiced all kinds of cruelty and tyranny. For he kept his daughters as if they were strangers, and so often deceived his son-in-law; yea, he thought how he might keep both son-in-law and daughters, that they should serve him only for and for. Therefore Rachel had a very just cause, according to the worldly and natural right, to steal the idols, as was also said above about Jacob.
Now the first tablet is added, which makes a distinction between the commandments of God and obedience, according to the saying of Christ, Matt. 10:37: "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Therefore Jacob and Rachel are not only righteous according to the other table, but also according to the first. For where one is to be obedient to God in the other table, then obedience to one's parents ceases, and in such a case one is not bound by any commandment. Much more, however, where one follows the right of the first tablet, that is when God commands something to be done with a new word; as these very holy people had the word of God when He had spoken through the angel, and both Rachel and Leah abide by it when they say: God has taken his riches from our father to us and to our children; item: "What God has told you, do," namely, when he showed you through the angel how he had seen everything that Laban had done to you.
- but Moses will say in the blessing of Levi, Deut. 33, 9: "Whoever says to his father and to his mother, I see him
not" 2c.; "they keep your speech and keep your covenant." This is said so much: Whoever wants to serve God shall not be obedient to the fourth commandment, in which it is commanded to honor the parents. One might say, what is this? Why then did Moses give this commandment, when in the other place he commands the opposite? For this is contrary to one another, and these are very wicked sayings, contrary to one another. To this I answer thus: If the first tablet commands that one should serve God and be obedient, then the other tablet should give way to the first, and one should say to father and mother: I do not know you, I do not have to be obedient to you in this 2c.
74 Therefore they cry out so vehemently that in this way obedience in the worldly and domestic government will be torn apart and abolished, and because of this the gospel must be blasphemed in such a way that it is called a rebellious doctrine; as the inscription on the cross of Christ shows, John 19:19: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews," that is, a rebellious king. And in the same way the teaching of this king is called rebellious against the other tablet, because it says that one should not be obedient to the authorities and parents; yes, it commands that one should speak evil of them; as Rachel says of her father, "He is our enemy and adversary. How then could one speak more seditiously? Shall I then not be obedient to the authorities and to my parents? 2c. What a division and disorder will there be with all things!
(75) To this I reply: One must indeed obey what God commanded in the other tablet. But there are different levels of obedience, and one must diligently observe such a difference; for where the first and other tablets are contrary to each other, then this is the simple and right order, since it is commanded that the other tablet give way to the first. For God is the Creator, the Head and the Lord over father and mother, over the world and home rule. All this is to be subject to the Creator, and if one asks because-
642 L.vm,W-L7. Interpretation of Genesis 31, 19. W. n. ssg-sis. 643
Which of these two should you abandon, the Creator or the creature? My answer is that you should abandon the creature. For the first table goes first, and when one has done enough of the first table and kept it, then the other table also has its place; then you shall be obedient to your parents, endure and suffer where they do you wrong; but for my sake, says God, and not against me and against the first table.
76 Thus the answer to the theft of Rachel can be given in a simple and clear way: That the first tablet annul the other. In the other tablet it is rightly commanded, "Thou shalt not kill"; but if the first tablet commands that one should kill, then the commandment of the other tablet must give way. So also the seventh commandment, that one shall not steal, is abrogated, namely, when God commands that you take what is your father's. So in the eighth commandment it is commanded that you speak no evil of your neighbor, and especially of your parents, and that you not speak evil to them; but this is not contrary to the first commandment; for where the first commandment says, you shall hate and punish your parents, as Rachel does.
This distinction is very necessary and useful. However, it often happens that the heretics and the mobs misuse this, and boast that they also have the first table, and with such a pretense cancel out the other; then one must have the right understanding of the matter. For the pope also boasts that he has the first table for himself, and thus wants to conclude that no one is obliged to obey the authorities, but everyone is to be obedient to the See of Rome, to which even emperors and kings must be subject by necessity. But see if he teaches rightly from the first table, and why he abolishes the other table. For they also said of the monastic orders that one should run to Christ, and neglect and despise father and mother; one should listen to the spiritual fathers. As the saying of Jerome goes, "If your father and mother were to meet you where you wanted to go in a monastery, and showed you their breasts, and wanted to fill you with their tears, they would have told you to go to the monastery.
then you shall despise their tears, and in such a case trample your parents underfoot, and flee naked and bare to the cross of Christ.
This is ungodly and devilish talk, for they have misused the wholesome sound doctrine to confirm the monastic orders and devilish teachings. The matter and the doctrine itself are right and true, but see to it that you are a good dialectician and can distinguish between the first and the second table. Likewise, see whether the monastic orders are truly a divine thing, or divine cause, for the sake of which the other tablet may be removed. If it is a divine thing or cause, then it is rightly said, Thou shalt trample thy mother's breasts under foot, thou shalt despise her tears; but if it is not, remember that thou owest to be obedient to thy parents with all reverence, and that one should bear with their infirmities and weaknesses, if only they do not dispute against the first table.
79] So Rachel has the first tablet on her side, because she was called by the word of God to go out of her father's house. And the father sinned not only against the other tablet, but also against the first; for he is an idolater. All that he has done up to now, he has done not only out of immense avarice and coveting other people's goods, but he has also sinned with idolatry, which are the two greatest and most grievous sins. For though avarice is idolatry in itself, yet idolatry is added to it.
80 Therefore Rachel wisely thought and concluded (for she was a woman about five years old), "I was called by the first and the second table to go out of my father's house; therefore I have God's word, and the father sins greatly against both tables, for he is an idolater and a covetous man, for he has not yet given me a penny of all that he ought to have given me according to all law, both human and divine. Therefore he owes me my wages, and in addition.
644 D. vm, 37-39. interpretation of Genesis 31:19. w. II, 942-945. 645
nor gift according to the right of the other table and not only the first, for I am his daughter. Therefore, I will steal something from him, and it will be something that will hinder his idolatry. I will steal his idols from him; for he is all too meager and so very felt that he will not easily cast other idols. And so I will do right after the first table, when I take away his idols and overthrow the false worship; and after the other table I will provide myself, that I may take away that which is rightly mine. And yet the Scriptures call it theft; as Christ calls hating father and mother, saying Luc. 14:26, "If a man come to me, and hate not his father, or his mother, or his own life," 2c. which is forbidden in the law; yet the same is not hatred.
(81) In the second tablet it is said, Thou shalt not hate another, nor kill thyself; but in the first tablet God commands, saying, I will have thee hate thy life against the commandment of the second tablet, because I have commanded thee to love thyself. So in the fifth commandment the killing is forbidden: but God commands the authorities to wield the sword, in the first tablet, saying Rom. 12:19: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." Therefore the authorities do not kill by the power of the other, but of the first table; and this is not an unjust death stroke, although it is in truth a death stroke. So in this place it is called a theft or robbery, as far as Laban and the other table are concerned: but in the first table it is a right work, which is fitting to do, and is a reward due to it; and yet it is called a theft. For Laban considers it a theft, and we cannot change the name; for the Scriptures speak thus. Likewise also the robbery, which the Israelites robbed from the Egyptians, in the other table, and as far as the Egyptians are concerned, is a robbery; but in the first table it is a debt, which the Egyptians owed to the Israelites. So Rachel did not steal, but secretly took her due reward.
(82) By the way, we need a careful distinction and a sharp dialectic, so that we do not mix these things together, or misuse this distinction, as the pope and the enthusiasts do. For the latter arrogate to themselves the first table to great danger of the church and also of the world government, although they despise it and in truth trample it underfoot. But they want to use it, so that they have to use it, and under such appearance they can cancel all commandments and rights, which belong to obedience, both against the authorities and parents. The pope cries out: I am the right teacher and head of the church, therefore I am to be obeyed; I stand in the first table; I have power to cancel everything that is in the other table.
(83) But there is need of a right understanding, that the difference may be rightly applied, and that the commandments and doctrines of the pope may be weighed, and held against the right understanding of the first table. For I also teach that our prince shall not be obedient to Caesar, and absolve him from obedience not only to the pope, but also to the whole Roman Empire and to Caesar: but by what right? For then I must see to it that I describe obedience rightly, what it is, and know how to distinguish it. But I absolve the prince according to these rights: because the emperor and pope let out commands and orders against the first table. Therefore, neither the prince nor the common people are obliged to obey such commands against the obedience of God. The pope also absolves the people that they must not be obedient to the emperor, and has often deposed emperors from the empire and imperial office. But why is that? Because, he says, they are not obedient to me; I sit in the first table. But he is a hypocrite who does not understand rightly and falsifies the doctrine of the first table, and falsely presumes that he does not have. But we absolve the people rightly, namely, because the emperor and the pope do not accept God's word, but command such a thing, which is strictly against the word. Therefore we teach that such obedience should be cursed.
- however, we must learn that we can
646 D- vm, ss-ti. Interpretation of Genesis 31:19. w. ii, sur-^s. 647
The right distinction must be made between the word of God, so that God is served directly, and obedience to men, as there is obedience to parents, teachers, masters, and authorities. For these are creatures; but the church and congregation of God has no other teacher than God alone; therefore it has no other obedience. If then the Creator says directly, "This is what I want you to do; you are to be obedient to me alone, you are to consider me your God, you are to believe in Jesus Christ, and you are to listen to him. When thou hast heard this, descend also into obedience to creatures, and be obedient to thy parents and authorities, which must cease and give way where the Creator is to be served. But they remain firm when one has done to the Creator what is due to him.
(85) Thus the robbery or theft of Rachel retains the name of theft in the other table, but in the first table it is a just reward due her for her work; yet it is one and the same thing. The vengeance or punishment that the authorities inflict is a death blow in the other table: but in the first table it is justice and a good work. In the other table it is disobedience, where one is not obedient to parents, and curses them or speaks evil after them: in the first table it is honor and worship. This difference is taught by the dialectic of the Holy Spirit. But now we must diligently take care that we have God's word right and not man's statutes under the appearance and name of the word; as the pope has deceived the whole world and subjected the regime of this world to his tyranny.
So everything depends on us having preachers or teachers and students who learn this, and God must be asked to give us such pastors and shepherds of souls, as He has done until now, who teach such distinctions in a fine and clear way and who are guided by the light of the Word. For what is the world if it does not have this heavenly and spiritual light, which we have from theology. The teaching of the
Lawyers and doctors also have their place and honor, and are very good and necessary, and also give a lot of money; but if everyone were to throw themselves into these studies, where would this heavenly light remain if there were no students and listeners of theology?
(87) What good is it to have gold, silver and health of the body; indeed, what good is all this life if this light of the Word is lost? But now there are almost few who keep it, for it would be necessary that there should be many who would work diligently for it, and it is difficult to keep such light, for the devil and the world are enemies to it. As Jacob is a beautiful star, who shone in the house of Laban with right knowledge and teaching of the word; but we see well how Laban dealt with him. And yet the whole world lies in darkness and horrible blindness, where it is without this light. What is the pope, what is the Turk without this light? Let them be rich, wise and very powerful; but because they lack the light of life, they are the most miserable people.
(88) Therefore we should study the Scriptures and practice theology well, so that we may keep schools and parishes, which is the highest service of God in the whole world. Whether it be evil, whether we must steal, we may steal in the name of the Lord. And if by robbing we must rob the ungrateful world of our due reward, even of our food and what is necessary for this life, it is still a robbery and salvation of such things that are due to us. Let the other eat Laban and Nabal, let him have a good year, we live from robbery; which is not robbery in the first table, although the citizens and farmers have it in mind that they give us such things as thieves and robbers. But what they think of it is not to challenge us. We should rather be guided by what St. Paul says in Phil. 2:15, 16: "Be blameless and pure, children of God, blameless in the midst of the wicked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world;
648vin , 4i. 42. interpretation of Genesis 31, 19. w. ii, sis-sso. 649
so that you may keep the word of life". And let every man in his station endeavor to promote and perpetuate the doctrine and the word for his own salvation and the glory of God; and let him interpret for the best this robbery, which is small enough for God to entertain us in this life. For where the light of the Word is extinguished, everything will again become full of horrible darkness, Turkish and papist, or other heretics of false doctrine.
(89) This is to be said of the theft of the idols which the pious Rachel stole as a reward for her service or instead of her due inheritance. For there was no hope at all that she could have received even a small portion of her father's goods with her father's good will. So that she might not leave her father's house empty and cut off from her entire inheritance, she took the golden idols with her. For Laban no longer had anything human about him, but had become an unreasonable, ravenous beast who had robbed his son-in-law and his daughters quite unreasonably. Therefore it was not unreasonable that he was robbed again by those who were his rightful heirs and owners.
90 And Rachel did this thing, that Jacob her husband knew nothing of it; as we shall see hereafter. For he would hardly have let it happen if he had known. But she may dare, and relies on the word, and that she had also well deserved it from her father, whom she, since she was already legitimate, had served fourteen years. Therefore it would have been fair that she should have been given generously.
91 Further we must also now say something of the question belonging to the grammar which is suggested in this place. For this is the first text in which the Hebrew word teraphim is placed; and it is certain that it means idols. For Laban was an idolater. Now it is a strange thing that Jacob, the pious holy man, dwelt in the idolatrous house with his pious holy wives and with all his congregation. Therefore, God and the devil were in the house at the same time, God's children and the devil's children. Which is often said
so to come. And the whole world is still composed of the children of God and the devil. As in Adam's house Cain and Abel were also with each other; in Abraham's house Ishmael and Isaac; in Isaac's house Esau and Jacob. And so, until the end of the world, the false church will be with the true church, the false brethren with the godly brethren. Today we teach the gospel purely and faithfully, but we still have among us us usurers, papists, heretics and enthusiasts; for the tares always remain among the pure wheat: it cannot or may not be otherwise in the world. Jacob at the same time taught the heavenly doctrine and the promise of the Messiah purely and cleanly; his wives and servants accepted the same doctrine; and it is well to be believed that some also were converted from idolatry to the right true worship: but the church or congregation of Jacob was in a godless idolatrous house.
(92) But of the Hebrew word teraphim the Jews speak many lies. We want to touch on them with a few words, so that it does not seem as if we did not know anything about their foolish work. Lyra describes the teraphim thus, that it was a head of a firstborn boy, which was killed and sacrificed to the devil and sprinkled with salt and spice or specerei, so that it should not become rotten; which is said to have had a golden clasp under the tongue, on which the name of the devil or idol was written, with which devil one sought divine answer: and just such an interpretation he also uses of Micah in the book of Judges in 17 Cap. V. 3.
(93) But I believe none of them. For teraphim is a common word in Scripture, and one should take the interpretation of the same word from other places in Scripture. For example, 1 Sam. 19:13 speaks of Michal, who put an image (teraphim) in David's place in his bed, and a goatskin at his head, so that she made an image of a sick man lying in bed.
650 D- vm. 42-tt. Interpretation of Genesis 31, 19. W. n, "o-sss. 651
It was not the head of a child, but the image of a man, which was placed in the bed in David's place. Item, in the prophet Hosea Cap. 3, v. 4, it says: "The children of Israel will remain for a long time without a king, without princes, without sacrifices, without an altar, without an ephod and without a sanctuary (teraphim). It would not rhyme if you interpreted the word teraphim to mean idols, as if the people of God had idols.
(94) But whatever it may be, it seems to me, according to my understanding and according to grammar, that teraphim generally means a likeness or image of worship, whether right or wrong. Laban had idols. Hosea, however, as it seems, wanted to summarize all pieces or figures of the service, as, the tabernacle, the table, the curtain, the lampstand, the shewbread 2c., which they all had to do without, since they were caught in the misery and in foreign countries. Just as the Gentiles called their idols by this name, so Hosea applies the same name to all the utensils of the tabernacle. For it is not intended that the prophet should understand this punishment to mean that they had no idols; but that he should understand it to mean the sacred vessels, as we have said before; that is, that he should understand it to mean in general an image of the outward service of God, with signs and figures.
95 But the image that Michal put in David's place in the bed, I believe was some image or idol that remained in some place from the former superstition and idolatry. Just as there are still many images in our country that are preserved in some places as a reminder of the old idolatry, so that people can look at them and let the children play with them, and not for worship. In David's time, such idols were sometimes hidden in corners of houses; Michal hurriedly went there, since nothing else was available, and took the image and put it to bed in David's place.
96 For at that time, without a doubt, many traces of superstition and idolatry remained from the land and the people.
Religion of the Jebusites, and some cries that could not well be abolished; as is testified by the anxious lamentations in many psalms, in which David prays and contends with great sorrow against idolatry. And the prophet Micah says of the city of Lachish that it was the beginning of the sin of the daughters of Zion, and that the transgression of Israel was found there, so also that idolatry could not be completely eradicated among the people of God. Yes, look also at the time of Moses in the desert. For of it the prophet Amos says in the 5th Cap. V. 25. 26. and St. Stephen in the stories of the apostles in the 7th Cap. V. 42, 43: "Did you of the house of Israel offer me sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years? Yes, indeed. You carry the tents of your Moloch, and the idols of your images, and the star of your gods" 2c. That this could be said of the people under Moses is truly a strange thing. But Balaam speaks against it 4 Mos. 23, 23: "There is no magician in Jacob, and no soothsayer in Israel." But this is spoken synecdochically, as it is common in the Scriptures.
97 For the good seed was always mingled with the tares in the church. It is enough that in the time of David the kingdom or government and the church office were pure, and both were ordered and appointed so that nothing ungodly or idolatrous was taught or commanded in them. Thus under Moses in the wilderness the teaching was pure, and the authorities pious, and they ordained nothing but what was holy and right, without all ungodliness or idolatry; so that Balaam also rightly said in Numbers 23:23, "There is no soothsayer in Israel"; item Numbers 24:5, "How fine are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy dwellings, O Israel." But there is no doubt that traces of idolatry will remain with some.
In the same way, if a pastor in our church teaches rightly and fights against idolatry, and also punishes the vices and sins of men, I can say with truth: In Wittenberg there is no idol or godless being. Therefore
652 D. vm, 44-46. Interpretation of Genesis 31:19-21. W. n. WS-SS6. 653
The church is holy, because the ministry of preaching is pure, and the secular authorities do not enjoin or protect idolatry. As Duke George used to command in his country that the papist religion should be kept, and the parish lords were obedient to him in this; there was now no right or pure church.
- But where there is a church in which the heavenly doctrine is taught purely and cleanly, and the authorities do not contend against the pure sound doctrine, there are the tabernacles of Jacob clean and beautiful. The body itself is healthy and strong, but it is not without filth, pus, festering, saliva, or any other kind of filth and mess, and yet it is synecdochically called a healthy body. Just in such a way also teraphim remain in the world, yes, also probably in the church and in the house of Jacob, until the end. This is said of the meaning of the word teraphim.
100, But they also dispute its derivation. For some say it comes from the word rapha, spelled with the letter s. But some say it comes from raphah, written with the letter h. The latter means to heal or make well. From it comes re- phaim, that is, great giants and physicians, as when one says helpers or healers, that is, gods. But this one means to stop, to keep still. And it seems to me more correct that teraphim comes from being silent; and is drawn or interpreted to the Sabbath or otherwise to the service of God, that they must be silent, serve God and keep the Sabbath; as in the 46th Psalm v. 11. it says: "Be silent and know that I am God" 2c., that is, obey me, stop your own preoccupation, desist, let me do it. Thus the idols have had their Sabbath and worship, of which service they have been called teraphim, that they should be celebrated.
III.
V. 20 So Jacob stole the heart of Laban of Syria, so that he would not tell him to flee.
101 Now this is another sin, and is a much greater theft than Rachel's was. For Jacob does not steal Laban's idols or goods, but his heart. This
but a peculiar way of speaking in the Hebrew language is "to steal one's heart. And it means when one's hope, which he had conceived, is lost, and all his counsel and counsel is destroyed, so that he can no longer have any hope of enjoying what he had in his heart.
(102) For Laban thought thus in himself, and concluded, Behold, I have my son in law, and my daughters, and my children's children, and my maidservants, by whose diligence and labor I will be rich; for they are subject unto me according to all law, that they may increase and improve my goods and chattels. I have now also learned that they are faithful; for Jacob is a pious and upright man, who will not do me wrong, nor will he easily change his present service or status without my knowledge and will; nor will he be able to do so without danger. But where he will take something from me or do me harm, then I will first have cause to endure them, so that they will have to be obliged to serve me for and for.
This is the great hope and the thoughts of Laban. They are very clever and cunning suggestions; and as he has made himself believe, they are quite certain and he could not have missed them. But in a moment they will be destroyed and disappear. This is what the holy scripture calls "stealing a man's heart," that is, making a man's hope come to nothing, however certain and undoubted he had it, and this without his knowledge. For Laban was not afraid of anything, but certainly comforted himself that Jacob would stay with him, and that he could do nothing less than go away. Nevertheless, Jacob secretly leaves, not without great harm and displeasure to Laban. But Laban will make a long record of many great sins that Jacob is said to have committed with it, as we will hear hereafter.
V. 21 So he flew, and all that was his arose, and passed over the waters, and went toward mount Gilead.
654 L.VHI. 4S-18. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:21-24. **W.n, W6-S59.** 655
104 Let it be diligently noted that the Scriptures give names of vices and greatest crimes to all Jacob's works. Moses said before that Jacob had stolen Laban's heart in Syria; here he says that he fled without the knowledge and will of his father-in-law and took his goods from him, and that he destroyed all his hopes that Jacob would have served him forever. All these things are called sins, as Laban will magnify them soon after with fine words. As Christ Luc. 14, 26 also calls it a hatred, so that one hates his father, mother, or even himself; which is a name of a sin, although it is the highest virtue.
(105) So in truth this deed is not theft; but the Scriptures speak as men speak, who commonly judge of such deeds. In Laban's ears it is a theft and a flight; but according to divine right and justice it is considered a deserved reward, which Jacob rightly deserved, as he who hates his father and mother for Christ's sake does not hate them rightly, but loves them: and he who denies himself and loses his life finds the same, Matth. 10, 39.
The water that is reported here is the Euphrates, which separates Mesopotamia and the promised land. Jacob has now come so far that he is already crossing the Euphrates, and he now has great hope that Laban will not be able to catch up with him and his family. But avarice is such a monster, which cannot celebrate, which does not get tired, is fast and hurried, does not let Laban rest either. But Jacob, having crossed the water, goes on to the mountain of Gilead.
Fourth Part.
How Laban persecuted Jacob, and how the Lord appeared to him during this persecution.
I.
V. 22-24 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob was fleeing. And he took his
And he pursued after him seven days' journey, and overtook 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 to Jacob otherwise than kindly.
- Moses describes in this place only above, how Laban is said to Jacob; because he will speak about it more extensively afterwards. For Laban rages and is heated with anger, and thinks up in his heart a multitude of the greatest sins and vices that Jacob is said to have committed. Now you see, he thought, what kind of man Jacob is; now I have caught him in his own sin and have tricked him; for this is now the most righteous cause, so that I may bring him back to me with all the goods and with all the servants, and trick him in such a way that he must promise and commit himself to me by an oath that he will serve me for and for all his life. For he is a robber, a thief, who takes away my daughters and cattle, is a church robber and patricide, and among these sins, each one is worthy of being punished with eternal imprisonment.
Thus Laban is heated by anger and devises the most righteous causes for himself, how he may punish this most wicked boy. And he would truly have treated this pious man abominably if he had been allowed to follow his fierce anger. But I have said above that Jacob departed by inspiration of God and by divine command, which he received from the angel; otherwise it is a dangerous thing in itself that he should have fled and said nothing of it to anyone in the whole family and country, even against the will of his father-in-law; and in addition lead away his daughters, his children's children and the whole host, after which host Laban confessed violently with his children. If God had not forbidden Laban's evil ways, he would have dealt with Jacob in an unjust manner.
This should therefore be considered much more diligently, so that we may think in our hearts how Laban had conceived such fierce anger and how fiercely he had desired,
656 L. vm, 48-Zo. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:22-24. W. II. SSS-S62. 657
to avenge this wrong. For many sins come together, of which we will hear hereafter how Laban will increase them so much. Perhaps he would have spared his life, but only for the sake of his own benefit, that he should have been committed to him all his life.
This is a very good example from which we learn how God can prevent and control the raging and fierce anger of the devil and his members, so that they may not rage and rage for their own pleasure. For God thus breaks and restrains Laban's wrathful anger, so that he was not even allowed to open his mouth against Jacob. And the same is held out to us for comfort, so that we may have certain hope in God's grace and mercy, who, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:13, is faithful, who does not let us be tempted beyond our ability, but makes the temptation come to an end so that we can bear it. God sets a measure for temptation, so that we are not tempted beyond our ability or against His will and counsel.
II.
The devil and Laban had certainly decided that Jacob deserved to die, but they would have somewhat lightened the punishment, but on condition that he had given himself and all his servants into eternal servitude, which servitude would have been more severe than death itself. But while they were thinking about how they would suppress him, God came and nullified their advice and their horrible intentions. Thou Laban, saith God, shalt not do that which thou hast purposed to do; neither shalt thou give him a harsh or unkind word. Thus he sets a goal for his anger; as God says to Job in the 38th chapter v. 10. 11. of the waves of the sea: "When I broke the course of the sea with my dam, and set a bar and a door for it, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further; hither shall thy proud waves lie down." For where the sea is driven by the wind and impetuosity, it swells up and threatens, as it were, the dam that has gone over it with its waves, as though it were
now wants to break out and run over all the lands. But I, says God, have set a bar and a door for him; therefore the dam is not afraid of the threat and the waves of the sea.
Thus the devil rises up against the church and threatens it very horribly, trying to overpower the godly and even destroy them. But he who has set a bar and a door against the sea also calms the proud waves, so that the devil of his liking cannot rage. In this way God also stops all the raging and fierce anger of Laban with a dream and makes him as quiet as a little lamb, however unwilling and angry he was. For God does not allow those who believe and have His word to be distressed or entangled beyond their ability; He is a faithful guardian of those who keep and keep His word. Jacob had God's word when He said to him, "Return to your fathers' land"; item: "I have seen all that Laban does to you" 2c. He obeyed the word and took everything with him, even though it was obvious that he was committing the gravest sins; and God moved the hearts of his wives to follow and obey their husbands and the word, even to plead with him to go away.
Such obedience is followed by persecution. The devil entangles him to pull him back with all his servants and to oppress him. And it is to be believed that Jacob was in great fear with his wives. For it must no doubt have occurred to him that he thought, Behold, Laban pursues after thee, and will slay thee, and destroy all things, and run away: How have I acted so unadvisedly, that I fled, and hid my counsel from him! What cause shall I show him that I have gone away so secretly? I have put myself and my family in this danger, and have done it unwisely. 2c.
This was an inward affliction that troubled his heart. And so he was persecuted by Laban outwardly, but inwardly the heavy thoughts of despair tormented him. And his wives and maids and the whole family also felt the same temptation;
658 2- vm. so-W. Interpretation of Genesis 31:22-24. W. n, SSS-S6S. 659
they will have said: How much better it would have been if we had remained in Mesopotamia, than to perish miserably here in misery, or to be led back again into the former service, which will now be much more difficult! We might have been content with the former service: though we could not have had much good in it, yet we would have had peace and would have remained without danger. It is to be pitied that in a moment we should lose either our lives or these few goods and all hope of freedom.
There is no doubt that such thoughts occurred to them. Moses did not express in the text what their hearts were like, but he indicated it sufficiently when he says that God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream 2c. Furthermore, Jacob kept the promise that God had given him, namely, that he had departed at God's command, and he will have raised up and comforted his wives and family that God had appeared to him at Bethel; item, that He had said to him, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your friendship" 2c. Hold fast, dear wives and children, he said, God will not leave us nor forsake us.
Thus Jacob fought and overcame the temptation by faith. For this is the battle of faith: in time of peace and out of temptation he does good works; in time of temptation he cries out, yes, he cries out fiercely, so that all the angels hear. For he is led into hell and must experience the danger and distress of death; then he begins to fight and to cry out, with which both heaven and earth are moved.
117Therefore God comes to Laban in a dream by night, because he has had terrible thoughts in his heart, and sets the goal and measure of the persecution: then the proud waves and the fierce billows of water in Laban's heart are stilled. For God said to him in a dream, "I see that you are fierce and hot with anger, and that you are directing all your intentions and thoughts to do violence to Jacob. You make yourself think that you have the most righteous reason to
to persecute and oppress; for you think there is no more wicked man on earth than Jacob. Thou hast considered in thine heart a great heap of sin and blasphemy, which thou wilt spew out against him. But I command thee, not only to hold thy hands still, and not to offend him thereby, but also not to provoke him to anger with a word.
In this way, God does not abandon His faithful, especially when they call upon Him in the right faith; as we have often experienced how wonderfully God has preserved us according to His goodness. For how many and how horrible plots of kings, popes and cardinals have been miraculously prevented so far, not by our powers or counsel, but by divine power! For God has either frightened them into doing nothing, or, if they have undertaken something, he has nullified and hindered their counsel and nobility.
Nine imperial diets have been held since the time when the gospel came forth again in Germany and began to shine, about which the adversaries raged horribly and threatened us very fiercely. Yes, they publicly said at Augsburg that they wanted to put together good and blood. And they would have devoured us alive, as it says in the 124th Psalm v. 3, where God would not have preserved us and destroyed their plots. How often have we seen how the murderer raged and did all kinds of evil until he was finally driven out of his country! So they will try more and more, and will not be able to rest until the Turk scatters them.
120 Therefore we should remember this example, how Jacob was saved from Laban, his angry and cruel enemy, through the word he believed. For where the word is, there is also faith; and where faith is, there is also crying out because of the temptation; but the crying out must surely be heard. And when the cry is heard, it breaks all the power of heaven and earth, and of all the gates of hell. Therefore, the long register dev
660 vm, S2-S4. Interpretation of Genesis 31:22-24. W. n, s65-ses. 661
The many sins that Laban had gathered to accuse Jacob with, were soon dispersed in a hui. Yes, Laban will have rejoiced that he was admonished by God only with words and not with any special scourge or cross for the sake of his envy and avarice against his son-in-law, of which he knew himself guilty.
So he was frightened and struck with the danger of death, that now he does not desire how to put his son-in-law in danger, but how to escape the punishment and misfortune he was afraid of, even though he has not become more pious through the admonition. He may have been frightened by God's judgment, but he soon did again as was his way, as we shall hear. He has indeed kept his hands still, so that they have done no evil; but he does not refrain from cursing and abusive words. This is a loyalty to the gallows and Judas; as the popes, bishops and their satellites, kings and princes, are held and prevented in their counsels, which they hold against us: their courage is taken from them, as the 76th Psalm v. 13. says; but nevertheless they do not mend their ways. This is the repentance of hypocrites and unbelievers: they repent like Laban or Esau. It is not a list or voluntary repentance; they do not amend, but are only deterred from doing that which they had undertaken to do.
I have said elsewhere about dreams, how they are to be distinguished. The right dreams bring with them that they are so deeply impressed on the dreamers and move the hearts that they are as it were frightened and dismayed by them, that such dreams cannot be despised; as the dreams of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar were. But the other dreams are only vain hopes and thoughts to be despised.
We are to use this example for our teaching and benefit, for it is held up to us for the sake of seeing that God wants to be with His own and help them, however miserable and weak they are. Laban is much heavier
He is stronger and more powerful than Jacob, who is in great danger, defenseless and poor, but he has the Word; therefore God and the host of holy angels are with Jacob, who believes and calls upon God in faith. Just as God led this patriarch out of his father's house, so He leads him in again through the protection of the holy angels. In the same way, if we believe and cling to the Word with strong faith, He will also save us in pestilence, in death and in war. For it is impossible that the person who believes in the Word of God should be abandoned and not protected.
- The following history of the angels will also testify to this. For they have greater strength than all enemies, as the example of the siege of Jerusalem under Sanherib shows. And Christ says to Petro, Matth. 26, 53: "Do you think that I could not ask my Father to send me more than twelve legions of angels? Since we are now under the protection of God, there is no doubt that we are also under the protection of the holy angels who watch over us, who are with those in distress and danger in life, and who bring peace and rest to the dying. For David says in the 91st Psalm v. 11: "He has commanded his angels over you" 2c.; item in the 34th Psalm v. 8: "The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who fear him, and helps them out." And this should be a good admonition and wake us up, that we should hear and love the word gladly, but believe it even more gladly with this confidence that we are under the protection of the holy angels.
(125) Let this be said of the divine command by which Laban was forbidden to offend Jacob either by word or by deed. For this divine decree nullifies Laban's register, in which he had collected the sins to accuse Jacob with, and all his calculations and plans. The words are in the manner of the Hebrew language: "You shall not begin to speak kindly to Jacob, and then end the speech with words of reproach. But Laban is not a friend of the be-
662 2. vm, 84-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 31:22-25. W. ii, sss-sro. 663
The register is not obedient in all respects, although he had to refrain from doing so. But the register is rejected altogether. The divine voice has said that your terrible plans and thoughts are nothing but a pure dream, vanity, error and lie; therefore you should not follow your fierce anger. Nevertheless, he will not be able to refrain from reproaching Jacob and harshly attacking him with abusive words, because a harsh complaint follows that he makes against Jacob.
V. 25 And Laban drew nigh unto Jacob. Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban and his brothers pitched their tent in Mount Gilead.
(126) After the punishment and admonition Laban heard in a dream that he should not speak harshly or unkindly to Jacob, he goes on his way, even though all his plans for revenge are destroyed. And though he cannot harm him, he nevertheless pretends that he would like to harm him and that he is angry with him by threatening to do him evil. For he does not want to have the name that his plans should have failed, or that he should have to go away again and not have accomplished what he had planned to accomplish. He thought it was a great shame for him that he should have boasted so before and snorted with threats and murders, and that such should be in vain. Therefore, he pretended to be very angry, as if he wanted to continue with his plan, regardless of what God had told him in a dream.
Therefore this is a fine picture of false repentance, as the hypocrites have. For such repentance and sorrow are sometimes found in wicked, ungodly men; not that they truly repent and sorrow or sincerely repent, as I formerly thought, but they only outwardly pretend to repent and sorrow for their sin. Therefore, David's words, 2 Sam. 12, 13, which he says to Nathan, "I have sinned," must be understood much differently than Saul's words, who said the same to Samuel, 1 Sam. 15, 24: "I have sinned.
have sinned." They are one word, one voice, and may be seen to be one repentance; but the hearts are very different.
(128) The wicked and ungodly repent, and are more grieved that their wicked lusts and sins are forbidden them, than that they should be troubled how to kill their wicked lusts and sins. This is a penance that we use to call a gallows penance. For if the thief did not have to fear the gallows and punishment, he would much rather steal than abstain from other people's goods; therefore he is sorry that he must abstain from stealing for fear of punishment.
(129) Laban is also shown that he has not repented properly, nor has he changed his heart; but he is sorry that his evil desire and fierce anger have been broken and prevented by divine power. Therefore it is only an outward repentance in appearance. As Saul also says: "I have sinned, but now honor me before the elders of my people," 2c., 1 Sam. 15, 30. He is afraid that he will be mocked or reviled before the elders, and not that he has angered God.
- but a truly penitent heart is so minded that it fears nothing but God's wrath and displeasure, and respects nothing of shame or disgrace before men, if only it may know that God will be gracious to it; as David expressed in the 51st Psalm v. 6. 19. that he felt that he had been so minded because of sins.
(131) But it is to be noted that the hypocrites remain as they are; and though they may not rage and rage as they would, yet they make themselves heard that they are fiercely wicked, and that they also have peculiar power; lest they be thought less than they that hate and persecute them.
The mountain Gilead was not called so at that time, but it is called here before with the name, so that it was designated only afterwards. It seems
664 vm. 56-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 31:25-30. w. ii, sio-sis. 665
But as if Moses wanted to indicate that Laban had taken the mountain above, but Jacob had knocked out his tents below the mountain; so that the latter indicated that he was the higher and more powerful. Now follows in the text, how Laban magnifies the sin of Jacob with so many words and has to tell one after the other.
Fifth part.
How Laban behaves against Jacob after the appearance, and how Jacob shows himself at this behavior of Laban.
I.
Then Laban said unto Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen my heart, and carried away my daughters, as if they had been taken by the sword? Why hast thou fled secretly, and stolen away, and not told me, that I might have led thee with joy, with singing, with timbrels and harps? And did you not let me kiss my children and daughters? Well, you have done so. And I would have so much power, with the help of God, that I could do you evil; but your father's God said to me yesterday, Beware that you speak no other way to Jacob than kindly. And because thou wouldest go, and didst so long for thy father's house, why didst thou steal my gods from me?
If Laban had repented correctly, he would have believed and applauded the word of God, which says of Jacob that he was pious and innocent and that he did not deserve to be violated. For he hears that he is absolved by God, declared free and absolved from all the sins for which he persecuted him. But so that he may keep himself in honor and defend his righteousness, he reckons with him, so that he will not be taken for such a man who could not give vent to his anger, and so that Jacob will be frightened and confess his sin. This is what the proud hypocrite and very cunning works saint wanted.
(134) Therefore he saith first thus, What hast thou done? As if to say, All that thou hast done are the most grievous sins: thou art guilty of the most grievous sins, for which I would justly punish thee according to my righteousness and justice. But he has not done him wrong, but has a manly attitude and presumes a vain righteousness. Thus it was said before that he had been stingy; but now we see that he is described and portrayed in such a way that he had also been a proud hypocrite and a saint of works: and yet he was admonished in a dream by God's word that Jacob was pious and righteous. But he does not recognize his sin, nor Jacob's virtue and piety; yes, he even magnifies Jacob's sin: "You have stolen my heart," he says. This is a very horrible vice.
The first sin he invents is the crime of insulting your majesty; for I, he says, was your father and father-in-law, you were my servant: but you forgot all honor and all filial obedience, even all love, which you should have borne me. You dared to leave me without reverence, and not to say a word to me as your father, father-in-law and master; you dared to kidnap my daughters as a thief, murderer and robber. Murderer and robber. But Laban lies most impudently. For even though he stole his heart, he had good reason to flee secretly; otherwise he could not have obtained permission from the stingy lord to go home.
136 And the other lie is, that he saith, Thou hast taken away my daughters, as if they had been taken by the sword. For are they not his wives, whom you, Laban, have given in marriage to him? And this marriage cost him a great deal. Does that mean by force or by the sword, when a man takes his wife with him, who is to follow him according to all law, and she has also consented of her own accord and admonished the man to go away? Now you see how Laban has such a poisonous and devilish tongue, so that he makes his sins glorious.
666 L. vm, vs-"o. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:26-30. W. ii. "s-ms. 667
and adorns, and what is well done blasphemes. For the shameful hypocrite makes up and lies about all these things, that he may mock and disgrace Jacob and his family with them, but adorn his righteousness and honor. But when were the daughters kidnapped or captured by the sword? When did Jacob steal them as a thief or a murderer? Are they not his wives, whom he did not steal or kidnap, but who followed their husbands of their own free will and good will, as they should have done?
137 Therefore it was fitting that Laban should have said: Forasmuch as thou wouldest have left my house, thou hast done right and well in that thou hast not left thy wives, but hast led them away with thee. And though it grieves me that thou hast stolen my heart, yet I praise thee that thou hast caused my daughters to flee with thee. It would have been better for him to speak like this, and it would have been fitting for a pious and honest man. But he is a godless hypocrite, so he reversed everything, and what was praiseworthy and praiseworthy about his son-in-law, he censured and punished in the most hostile way.
- But see if he has kept that which God commanded him, that he should not speak harshly or unkindly to Jacob? He has used choice and venomous words of abuse, and what is most shameful, which are false and untruthful. For he knows very well that they are his wives, and since he leads them away, he has not sinned against them, especially since they followed him willingly: indeed, Laban should have forced them against their will to follow their husband.
Therefore it is a cursed hypocrite who is allowed to blaspheme and complain about such a fine man, who has so many great virtues in him, with such poisonous invectives. And indeed he repeats again what he had said before, "Thou hast stolen my heart." Why hast thou thus secretly fled without my knowledge? Because he cannot forget the injustice, it bites him in his heart. For he grieves over the
But Laban is angry because he did not notice by any sign that Jacob had made this attack with his departure. Then," he says, "you have stolen not only my heart, but also all my possessions. For Jacob had increased his possessions and goods so that they had become very large. Now that the good morsel is taken from his jaws, he is grieved and thinks, "If I had known, I would have tried all sorts of things to keep you, because now all my salvation and the prosperity of all my goods are gone.
- But now that he has almost poured out all his anger and displeasure by accusing Jacob atrociously and justifying himself, he boasts of his love and kindness both toward his son-in-law and also toward his daughters, that by doing so he makes the thing for which he accuses Jacob so much more difficult, and pretends to have great love, kindness and warm affection for his children; and thus he wants to say: I have so loved you and my daughters, and have served you as I could serve you, that you could miss nothing in me, but have always found me a very good friend. Therefore would I now also call all good friends and inhabitants of this land, and have led thee honestly and gloriously, with gladness, with singing, with kettling 2c. Yea verily, this would he have done. But what would it have been for joy and timbrels? Answer: That he would have cast him into iron and prison, and that he would have been burdened with eternal servitude.
If Jacob had told Laban that he wanted to leave with his wives, he would never have let him go. For he has to show such friendship and service to his friends, as it was said before: he would have dragged him again into eternal servitude and misery, where God would not have refused him; as he proved such tyranny sufficiently by changing Jacob's wages ten times and forcing him,
668 D. vm, 60-S2. Interpretation of Genesis 31:26-30. W. ii, s7s-sso. 669
that he had to serve him for fourteen years for his daughters and six years for the herd of cattle, without any due reward. Therefore, if God had not resisted his avarice, he would have deprived his son-in-law of all his goods. Yes, these are his kettledrums, harps and joy, so that he would have wanted to escort Jacob.
But he says all these things only in order to make Jacob, a pious and holy man, hateful and to adorn and cover his tyranny or cruelty and avarice, and they are all empty lies. Yes, the kinder the words he speaks, the more bitterness he has hidden in his heart, and all the words are directed with special diligence to blaspheme and reproach the highest virtues in Jacob. For how could he have let him go, of whom he desired that he might have kept him in his house a thousand years? And he was especially sorry that he should lose such a faithful servant, who was so exceedingly useful and suitable for him. This is the theft of the heart.
(143) But he adds still more, and with this he wants to give an answer to a secret objection: "You have not let me kiss my children and daughters. As if he wanted to say: "Even if you say that my daughters are your wives, you are still to be punished because you have deprived me of all the kindly deeds that a father should practice, which I would have shown to my children and my children's children according to the love and natural inclination that I bear toward them. For this is a common custom among all peoples, when daughters leave their father's house, that they greet their parents first and bid them farewell, and desire that their father may kiss, embrace and bless them; the same I have heartily desired to do. It is true that they are your wives, whom you had every right to lead away: but it would have been proper for you to let my heartfelt desire move you, and to have admitted to me that I might have kissed my very dear daughters and children beforehand, and that you should not have so cruelly, and also secretly, left them for their dear father's sake.
He would have torn her from his arms so that he could have embraced her and kissed her.
Yes, is that where the bitter tears come from? O how must it be such an iron heart that does not sigh because of such tears! The desperate rogue should be the pope or bishop of Mainz, who can cover his cruel and tyrannical heart with such divine and beautiful words. For how would you, Laban, kiss your daughters? Certainly not other than with Judah's kiss? Or if you wanted to kiss them and prove your fatherly love to your daughters, why did you not feed them, clothe them and otherwise do what you owed them while they were still serving you? Yes, he took everything for himself, kept them as if they were strangers, and sold them as if they were prisoners; and if they had not fled, they would have died of hunger. Yes, this was the great love of the godly, I should say, the abominable and accursed father Laban. But now that he sees that he is accused of having behaved badly and quite improperly toward his daughters, and that his son-in-law has been forced by his cruelty to flee with his daughters: He now wants to cover up his cruelty by accusing his son-in-law as if he had taken his daughters away from him against his will and without parting; not that he asks anything about the daughters or loves them, but that he may only cover up his avarice with it. For he is still grieved by what he said at first, how Jacob stole his heart from him, so that he thought that the benefit and prosperity of his goods, which he had from Jacob's service, had been taken away from him.
For what would the abominable tyrant have done just now, at the moment when they had left him, when he had not shown them any friendship or fatherly love, as befits a father, within twenty years? But if there had been any drop of fatherly love or kindness left in him, he would have had to show himself in a different way: he would have forgotten all anger and unkindness, or else he would have been so sa-
670 L.vm, 82. 83. interpretation of Genesis 31:26-30. W. n, S8Y-S8S. 671
I will have to do it: Well, I see now that I have dealt somewhat harshly and unkindly with you and that you have nevertheless received no gift or reward from me. Therefore I will now give you, as my children, this from my herd, or from that which is dearest to me of all, namely, some rings and golden jewels. You shall have this as a token of our love and friendship, which shall endure among us forever.
But what should the very stingy hypocrite give? Yes, we will hear later how he investigates and questions all things so carefully, and would also like to have taken away what they had received from the plunder that God had given them. Meanwhile, he knows how to adorn himself finely, as if he were completely pious and loved his children very much; Jacob, however, must have the name that he behaved unkindly and tyrannically toward his father-in-law. This is an incredible and outrageous wickedness, hypocrisy and cruelty. Godless people and the heathen, who follow nature and reason, shrink from such atrocious sins: and it can be seen as if it were not possible that such great cruelty should come into a man's heart, by which one not only does not respect his own daughters and children's children at all, but is also allowed to deprive them of all due duty and deserved reward. But this must be a cursed hypocrisy and dissimulation, which can still cover such a great sin with a beautiful appearance and pretense of kiss, embrace and great fatherly love. For Laban wanted to kiss his daughters and embrace them, so that he would bring them into the bonds of eternal servitude and keep them.
Now these are the virtues of the excellent holy man Laban, and in contrast also the sins and vices of Jacob, which he charges and reproaches him with. For this is how it is done in the world: pious people are taken for sinners, and again, sinners for pious. There is no sinner in the whole world, except the one who has God's word and believes in Jesus Christ. But those who persecute the word and are hostile to it, they are
righteous and pious, and as Christ says Joh. 16, 2. think they are doing God a service. But it also often happens that those who know nothing of the Word and do not understand it, attack and persecute the saints or believers. But Laban is not so pious that he should have sinned out of ignorance, but he knowingly persecutes the pious man Jacob. Just as the cardinals, bishops and others do now, who knowingly rage and rage against the pious, and yet want to be taken for pious holy people.
The last and most heinous sin that Laban accuses his son-in-law of is that he stole his gods from him. Then see how exceedingly great and heinous he can make the sin. The pieces, he says, which I have told so far, are hard enough and not befitting a pious man; but I let them go and will forgive you. For you may have let the great desire for your fatherland or some other lust or desire overcome you, that you have thus secretly stolen away; but this is the greatest sin you have committed, that you have stolen my gods from me. Now what will you answer to this? I will admit that you have been driven to run away from me, either out of recklessness or impatience, or because you were presumptuous; although you could not have lived better in other places or in your own country than with me, why did you steal my gods, that is, my worship? For this is an exceedingly great sin. Is it not enough that you have shown yourself mischievous toward me? You have had to stain yourself and your own with sin, so that you have become a church robber.
Now he has found another and much holier pretense that he can use, namely, religion and worship, although he has not given himself over to godliness, but only avarice and mammon service have taken over his heart. Our adversaries are also such fellows. D. Eck and the bishop of Mainz, who ask for the honor of Christ and
672 L. vm, ss-85. interpretation of Genesis 31:26-30. w.n.sW-g8s. 673
They do not care about the truth of the gospel, but only seek the great prebends and spiritual fiefdoms, or other great dignities and glories. So Laban is not concerned with the worship of God, but is concerned with the gold and silver of which the idols were made.
(150) Nevertheless, he acts as if he is very serious about godliness and worship. As if he wanted to say: I do not ask for gold and silver, because I could easily make other idols again. But for this reason I am sorry that you have violated my devotion, worship and prayer. Therefore you may see how grievously you have sinned by stealing from God his service and religion, and all the works of godliness in my whole family and house. This is church robbery and sin against the first tablet. As much as it concerns you, he says, you rob me and my house of religion, and thereby open the door to ungodliness and the devil; for the devil desires that we may only be sure despisers of God and the service of God.
151 Thus Laban interpreted this theft of the church, not that it was only a theft of idols, but that he had violated the worship of God and destroyed it completely. For there never was a people so foolish as to worship wood, stone, gold or silver, of which the images were made; but they took the first tablet also, and made up poems, and dreamed that God above in heaven would look upon this worship, and hear the prayer that was made before this image. Just as Jeroboam, when he erected the two golden calves, also preached such a sermon: "These are your gods who brought you out of Egypt," 1 Kings 12:28, 30. He knew well, as did the people, that the calves thus made were not the God who had brought the Israelites out of Egypt, Ex 32:4, but that they believed that the worship of such idols should be pleasing and acceptable to God.
- and the king was pleased with it, so that he invented this image and
Therefore, the ox or the calf was the most noble sacrifice. He could not have had an image that would have been better suited for worship than this very image: therefore he does not say that the ox or the calf is God, but he ties worship to the calf-images, in which one should call upon God, serve Him and sacrifice. Therefore, the vessel there is to be taken synecdochically for the content, namely, that one should serve GOD in and with the calves. As God had promised that He would answer the prayer of those who would call upon Him in the tabernacle by the ark and the mercy seat. Thus all the nations of their fathers have kept their worship and adorned it, or rather adulterated it with their idolatry. At Ephesus, there was an image of Diana, the idol, of which they made a poem that it had divine power, that it heard and accepted prayer, Acts 19:35. 19, 35.
So Laban accused Jacob that he had not stolen gold or silver, but that he had robbed him and his congregation of all worship or religion, and as much as was in him, he had also robbed him and his people of the kingdom of heaven. For what is it but to deprive one of religion and worship, and thereby deprive him of God Himself, of eternal life and blessedness, and cast him straight before the devil and into hell? This sin is so horrible and evil that it can never be excused nor atoned for with any words or sacrifices.
- But Laban does this in such an exceedingly horrible and great way, not that he thinks so much of religion or worship, as if thereby the blessedness of the people or the grace of God were harmed; But only that he might cause Jacob to be hated, and that his relatives and brothers should become so hostile to him that he could never be reconciled with them; who perhaps knew that Laban had dealt somewhat harshly and unkindly with Jacob, and that Laban had been much interested in such a faithful servant to increase his possessions and goods. Therefore, to cover the merits of Jacob and his own avarice and evil desire
674 L.vm, a"-s7. Interpretation of Genesis 31:26-30. W. ii, sss-oss. 675
and would like to conceal, then he summarizes finely all virtues or good works in the first and other table and adorns himself finely with it, that nothing might have been regarded or kept more holy according to all commandments of God than just the most holy Nabal. On the other hand, he turns all his sins to Jacob and lays them in a heap on him, when in truth he seeks or means nothing but gold and silver.
How today the papists know how to praise the name of the church, and that they are concerned that they want to preserve the true religion of the dear fathers, that one wants to remain with Christ and the true, unadulterated faith, and that one wants to show proper honor and obedience to the laws, to the church and the authorities (all this, I say, they know well how to defend), and yet they serve no one and ask for nothing, except that they provide only for the belly.
Therefore, this is an excellent description of such a hypocrite, who boasts of himself as the greatest of saints, and accuses the pious holy man Jacob with all kinds of shame, with great sins and deceit, as being worthy to be punished not with human punishment, but with hellish torture and torment. He calls him a thief and murderer, who kidnapped his daughters and plundered his house, calls him unfaithful, ungrateful, a church robber, and who destroyed religion and worship. He could not have been more horribly scolded and blasphemed.
157 And from this it can be seen what Laban thought of Jacob; how badly and shamefully he had treated him; yes, that he had abused him like a poor bond-servant, or rather like a donkey or some other poor unreasonable animal, only for his own pleasure and that his possessions might be increased by him. And now he reviles him most shamefully, but all with lies and falsehood, for his supreme diligence, toil and labor. Does this mean to be obedient to God, who forbade him not to speak unkindly to Jacob? Yes, of course, this is the most unkind thing, that is, that he should not speak unkindly to him.
Accused of sins and vices that can only be imagined or said.
Now this is written for our learning and example. For this is the rule of the wicked, that they obey God only in appearance; they confess Him in word, but deny Him in deed, Titus 1:16, and despise His commandments. Laban abstains from violence publicly and does not lay hands on him: but if he could have done so, he would not have spared his. For he is all heated with desire, that he would gladly hurt him. But the wicked are somewhat humbled and compelled by fear of punishment: therefore they do repent, but only in pretense and with feigned and false humility. As Laban does everything with pure hypocrisy, and secretly he gnashed his teeth that he was not allowed to avenge himself according to his lust and desire.
The other rule of the wicked is this: All the sins that they think of in their hearts and desire to commit, they impute to the saints; but all that the saints do, and all their right virtues, they impute to themselves. This is a common rule of all hypocrites and the wicked. Laban himself is an idolater, a thief, a murderer, a thief of men, a miser, and a monster of his time; and yet he lets himself think that he is the most honest and pious man, and accuses Jacob, who is quite innocent, simple and pious, and in addition full of very beautiful virtues and great fruits, which he brings forth and proves to the church, the world and house government for the benefit and improvement. But there is no one who sins and does wrong except Jacob alone; and no one is holy and pious except this Nabal.
160 This is very grievous and unreasonable. But it is written, "that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope," Rom. 15:4. No one sins in this world except the only begotten Son of God; but no one is righteous and pious except the devil: whatever he says or does is right and well done. That is why the heretics and pa-
676 D. VM. 67-os. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:26-30. W. u, sss-ssi. 677
The right church, however, must bear this highest disgrace that it is heretical, erroneous and rebellious. The right church, however, must bear this highest disgrace, that it is heretical, erroneous, vexatious and rebellious, and, as St. Paul says 1 Cor. 4, 13: "We are always as a curse of the world, and a sweep-offering of all men."
Since it is pleasing to God and cannot be otherwise than that such a people should be a curse for God's sake, "a mockery of men and a contempt of the people," Ps. 22:7, we should not be grieved that we are counted as such people in the world. For we have a very rich consolation from Him who said Matt. 5:11, 12: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, because they lie against you. Be glad and of good cheer; you will be well rewarded in heaven." This is a short time: this life is short and miserable, but the joy and glory for which we hope and wait is eternal. Therefore, since it is pleasing to God that we should be the little host, lowly and despised, let us with patient and cheerful hearts bear and suffer such miseries in this life; as Jacob suffered the reproach, shame and contempt of the Labanites, who were proud and hypocrites.
We may be held up as church robbers and destroyers of religion, or even of the common regime, even as the greatest sinners on earth: but we shall suffer this reproach without complaining; and we shall also overcome it for the sake of the Son of God, who is our forerunner and Lord, who himself also suffered such reproach and overcame it in all the saints. Let us be only of the number of the Jacobites and not of the Labanites. And let us not dispute that the devil is considered and honored by the godless hypocrites as a god who must be holy and righteous, as the whole world judges.
Now there is still a question of the Hebrew word el, since Laban says: "And I would, with God's help, have so much power that I could do evil to you. I can
But I cannot say anything certain here to explain the meaning of this word; therefore I will leave it to the Hebrew rabbis and grammarians. Although I am of the opinion that they themselves do not fully understand Hebrew grammar, especially with this word; so strangely do they mix the interpretation with one another and it is thus a confused thing. And they put together almost twenty words in order to explain the one word, among which none is the same as the other.
But there is no doubt that when the Hebrew language was still a living language, many words in the everyday language were quite different from what they are now, since we only have to pick them out of the books. There is a difference between speaking according to grammar and speaking in Latin. Therefore, we do not have to pay attention to the grammatical rules as well as to the usage of the language. However, I am concerned that the Jews' grammar is not perfect, which is why the rabbis are often lacking, especially in some words.
The word el sometimes means God, and in this place it says in Latin: secundum Deum manus mea: "With God's help I would have so much power. The grammarians and those who strictly follow the rules say that in Latin it should be: secundum facultatem: It is in the faculty. And this I will easily admit; for the text in the prophet Micah at 2. Cap. V. 1. also rhymes with it, since it says: Faciunt malum, quia Deus in manibus eorum: "They have the power," they are mighty, and as we have rendered it, "They are the lords." Item, so it is also written Deut. 28, 32: Non erit, leel, fortitudo in manu tua: "There will be no strength in your hands." Therefore it must be understood that this is a peculiar way of speaking.
- As in the Latin language, many words have come to have a different meaning than the rules of grammar give them; such as amabo, obsecro, quaeso (oh dear), age (well), apage sis, Edepol, Hercle, with which words you would get into a great error if you wanted to interpret them straight according to grammar. For the word amabo is not understood by the common
678 L.VM.W-71. interpretation of Genesis 31, 26-30. W. II.VSI-0S4. 679
Usage has become an exclamation. Such changes occur in all languages. The Germans say: Gelt, ich will dir es bezahlen: there the word "money" is used as an adverb. Item: Gott, du sollst es lassen; there the word "Gott" has become an exclamation.
Therefore I must not presume to make a special judgment in Hebrew grammar, only that I see how the grammarians make it so sour, and have not yet brought it out, so that the way of speaking is not the same, which the Hebrews use daily in their common language and how the grammarians have interpreted it. Those who are inexperienced in the language pick apart the meanings of words and thus make a mess of things; as they do with the word shebeth, Gen. 49:10, of which they have had many opinions beyond measure. Some interpret it as a staff, others as a scepter, and others interpret it differently. Therefore, the Hebrew language has been lost for the most part and has not yet been completely recovered; and if we did not have the New Testament, our rabbis would never be able to pick the right understanding out of the Old. The New Testament has helped a great deal in the recovery and explanation of the Hebrew language and the Old Testament.
168 I do not want to argue, by the way, where someone wanted to understand the word el so that it should mean power or God. It is certain that by the figure called syncope, el comes from the word ajal, which means strength; and from the abstractum, as it is called in grammar, they make the denominative or proper word el, that is, strong. As we have rendered it Isa. 9:6: Deus fortis, strength. Where it stands alone, without the lamed, it means strength, in Latin fortitudo vel Deus. So that God is called el by the strength.
There is no doubt that this word is rightly used by God, as one can see in the 22nd Psalm v. 2: Eli, eli etc.: "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? This is where elohim comes from. This is about what the Hebrews say of this text. Where they now have the right mind
If they have not, it is the most certain sign that they still do not have a right and certain understanding of the Hebrew language. From the Old Testament they cannot confirm this interpretation; but from the New Testament it is proved that this word el means so much as God.
170 But in this place the lamed is placed before the word el, le el, which reads in Latin: Adest, vel in promtu est manus mea; in German: Da ist meine Hand oder Macht. Whether it is called God here, or only strength, that it is an abstractum, as it is called in grammar, and that the name of God has become an exclamation, and that it means so much as power or ability, I do not want to argue hard about this, but will leave the matter undecided. We have rendered it in German as follows: "And I would, with God's help, have so much power that I could do you evil. Now let this be said of the grammar. He says, as it is in Latin: Adest mea facultas; vel a Deo manus me: I have so much power from God 2c.
(171) But all that the hypocrite speaks, or all that he takes from the name of God, is a thing invented and false together; for the hypocrites have no God. I would have so much power, he says, that I would have taken revenge on you, because you took my daughters from me and stole my gods. But your father's God forbade me and threatened me harshly that I should not do you any harm.
But what sin is this that I have committed, Jacob would say, that you would avenge on me? Answer: Because you did not want to be my bond-servant and my donkey forever, and did not want to endure bondage any longer, because you had to sweat day and night, because you had to walk and work all the time, and because you had to be mocked and reviled by my sons and by me: that is the great sin you have committed. You should not have deprived me of this service, in which I would have liked to keep you and my daughters always. This is truly a great and grievous sin, that one does not want to place himself in the most contemptible bondage of the cruelest tyrant.
680 2. vm, N-7S. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:26-33. W. ii, ssL-297. 681
(173) But this is the true characteristic of hypocrites, that they are wont to accuse other men, because they are in their way, and hinder them, that they may not cool their labors after their pleasure, or atone for their lust. So far we have had the description of Nabal, who is a true image of a priest and a hypocrite. He was a true pope and a false hypocrite. Now we want to hear a pious man as well.
II.
Jacob answered and said unto Laban, I was afraid, and thought that thou wouldest take thy daughters from me: but with whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him die here before our brethren. Seek thine own with me, and receive it. But Jacob did not know that she had stolen Rachel. So Laban went into Jacob's tent, and Leah's tent, and the two maidservants' tent, and found nothing.
This is a short apology for all the blasphemies Laban had spoken and spewed against the holy man. What should I do? he says, "I was afraid. He confesses humbly, and does not apologize in detail for the robbery; but he eats up all the shame and injustice and keeps quiet about it, saying only that he was afraid. If he had been a little vehement, as many people are impatient about being wronged, he would have laid all these reproaches on him again, and would have hit him with them. He would have said: Stop, and do not curse such a man, who has done well for you. For you yourself, as God and all men consider you, are a robber of the church, a murderer, a tyrant, and a paragon of avarice, who have sold your daughters and kept them like the most contemptible bondmaids and unreasonable animals. Yes, that is even more, you have not thought to give them their due reward for their sour sweat and labor, but have wanted to repay and reward them with eternal imprisonment. This would have been an endless source of quarrel and strife.
For this reason we are admonished here,
that we should also suffer and endure with patience the disgrace, item, contempt and pride of the adversaries; nevertheless, the truth should not be concealed. And the evil that the adversaries have done to us by cursing and blaspheming will not remain unpunished in them, even though we do not curse them again. For there is One who will seek and judge them.
176 Therefore Jacob says, "What I have done in this matter, I have done out of fear and fright. Thus he does not accuse Laban, and yet he gives so much to understand that he is to be justly punished and sued, because Jacob had to fear that his father-in-law would take away his daughters by force, whom he had given to him as wives. This is truly very horrible. Therefore he accuses him of the greatest sins secretly and with a beautiful phrase, so that he accuses him much more severely by excusing himself than he could otherwise have done with an open rebuke.
For the excuses of the godly are used to be the most serious accusations of the wicked. Just as now the pope and his followers accuse us of being heretics, blasphemers, disobedient and rebellious. But if I answer: I am not a heretic, nor am I a rebel, as Christ answers the Jews clearly and with explicit words, John 8:49: "I have no devil" (which must indeed be done, for we are not to applaud and remain silent where doctrine or divine truth is reviled and blasphemed): then I accuse the pope with a brief refutation of all the sin and dishonor with which he has accused us.
178 Therefore this is an excellent excuse; for he secretly appeals to the conscience of the hypocrite himself, and accuses him from all his deeds that he is an abominable tyrant. Your own conscience, says Jacob, bears witness that you have dealt very unkindly with us, that for this reason I also had good cause to think how I might escape from it. For I thought to myself, "If Laban learns that I want to flee, I will not be able to escape.
682 D. VHI, 73-75. interpretation of Genesis 31:31-33. W. n, 997-1000. 683
he will take my wives and everything I have and throw me into prison. But is it fitting for a pious man to deal with a faithful man, who is holy, pious, diligent and brave, to provide everything in the crowd that is to be done in it, in such a way that he has to fear the violence and inequity of his father-in-law? Namely, that he would forget the close friendship so that they are related to each other, and also the duty and natural inclination that he should have toward his son-in-law and daughters, and take the wives from their husband by force? Is this to be praised or excused in him? Yes, it is a great shame and against all reason and respectability. For daughters who have been entrusted and given in marriage to a man are no longer under the power of their father: the father has no power to reclaim the daughters or to take them from the husband. Therefore this has been an abominable tyranny, that the good pious man has been in danger of losing his dear wives and children again.
179 And it can be seen that the tyrant has threatened him several times. If I knew," he would have said, "that you were going to go away, or that you were not going to carry out my cause faithfully, I would immediately take my daughters away from you. Moses did not express this in words, but it is nevertheless very credible and can be seen as if the Holy Spirit wanted to indicate that Jacob did not use the excuse of his flight or departure in vain, because he was afraid.
180 O holy man Laban, how shall we praise and glorify you? Is it right then that a father or father-in-law should be so minded toward his son-in-law and daughters who follow their husband and who have been taken for serfs among their father's household, by whose diligence and labor his property and possessions have greatly increased, that you intend to snatch them by force from their husband? Verily, this hypocrite is the
The most horrible monster that may live, which with its cruelty far surpasses all unreasonable animals and all tyrants; yes, it is more cruel than cruelty itself can be.
181 If there had been even a little bit of kindness or goodness in him, he should have been moved and softened by the great piety, obedience, faithfulness and patience of the pious faithful Jacob. But he was not moved in the least by all this. For that is why he is pursuing his son-in-law, so that he may bring him back to the prison of servitude or take his daughters from him by force. Jacob was afraid of this and wants to say this much: It is your own fault that we had to flee, that you oppressed us so miserably, and that you threatened if I left that you would then take everything from me; that is why I was afraid.
- On the other hand, if you accuse me of being a robber of the church, I will do this, he says: "With whom you find your gods, let him die here before our brethren. Now the Holy Spirit describes how it is humanly about the saints. For though they are high and strong in faith and spirit, they not only err and fall short in many things, but also fall according to the flesh. Jacob thinks that he has no guilt at all, that he cannot be deceived and that there is no danger with him, and that Laban has had enough in this respect; therefore he asks that he be killed with whom he finds the idols. But in this way his dear wife is handed over to death by her own husband. For if our Lord God had not forestalled and prevented this, Jacob would have carelessly delivered his dear Rachel to the flesh bank. This has gone too far. Jacob gives in too much; but he does it unknowingly. Such is the sin of the faithful, who sometimes fall according to the flesh through ignorance or through error; just as Rachel will lie willfully afterward to save her life.
By the way, the holy man Laban should have been satisfied with this answer.
684 L. vm**. 75-77.** Interpretation of Genesis 31:31-33. **W. n. 1000-1002.** 685
and said: What shall I seek or search much? I hear how highly you believe in your innocence, and I also accept this. After all, they are my daughters and my children's children, against whom I was somewhat harsh and unkind before; now I will no longer complain or grieve you, nor will I accuse you of any theft. A father-in-law and a pious man would have admitted this; but he cannot rest, for he is full of devils. Otherwise everyone would have been satisfied with this excuse if he had heard that someone said, "I have nothing to do with your idols. But now Jacob adds something more, so that he may not be mistaken as if he were using trickery: I admit it, he says, that you seek and turn back everything. Another would not easily have given him this power. I would have said, "I do not have your idols," and I would have left it at that, and would not have given him the power to search among all my possessions; or else I would have searched alone. Therefore it was very unreasonable that this hideous monster should have been allowed such great courage. For was it not enough for him to hear that Jacob did not have his idols, and that he so highly exalted himself that he should kill the one who stole them?
But behold, how the wicked man is not ashamed at all; for he goes on and searches in all the huts. That's why I can't leave it alone, I get very excited about it, and I'm sorry that I can't achieve all this with words and that I can't emphasize it enough with its right color. I would not have admitted anything more to him if he had not wanted to be satisfied with my confession, which was so sincere and consistent. Jacob actually gives him more than he should have done.
(185) Therefore he went into Jacob's tent first; and it would have been enough if he had found nothing there. He also went to Leah's tent and beyond that to the two maidservants' tents. Last of all there was one more, Rachel's, whom he must also cuddle. And Rachel was in great danger for her life and limb.
Therefore the Holy Spirit is now present, and soon finds a council against the permission of Jacob, who had said: "With whom you find your gods, let him die" 2c. Too much was given, but a remedy will follow; for where Jacob slumbers, God and the dear angels watch.
And this is God's work and art, to change and make better that which Jacob had corrupted through error. He can make evil things good when we have corrupted and neglected them. How in such great weakness as is in men, the saints cannot be without much and great sin, into which they fall. I have indeed often done many things unwise and foolishly, whereupon I was greatly frightened, and I could not see how I could be freed again from such things, which were confused and corrupted by my foolishness, and escape from them: but the Lord has made such a way and manner, that what I had done and corrupted has been corrected.
Thus a great and certain danger was prepared for Rachel, because her husband had so unwisely admitted that Laban would seek his idols wherever he wanted. For as cruel and tyrannical as this very mischievous hypocrite was, he would either have raged against the daughter, or insisted that the son-in-law should have given himself to him in servitude, thus saving her and keeping her alive. But God rules and guides His saints in such a way that they may err and fail, but that they must nevertheless come to a good end, or else they must go without great harm. For all things must be for the good of the elect, and of them that believe, even their faults and sins. That is certain. For God is wont to make everything out of nothing; therefore he can also bring good out of that which is evil. As Augustine has especially in such thoughts air that he says: So great is the goodness of God that he would not let anything evil happen, if he could not make it good again. Jacob had indeed erred very unwisely, and as much as there was in him, he had put his dear wife in danger of the
686 vm. 77-7". Interpretation of Genesis 31:31-35. W. rr. 687
He is shown a counsel and plot by God that is so cunning that both Laban and the devil himself are deceived with it.
Sixth part.
How Laban searches Jacob's tents for the sake of his idols and is seriously punished by Jacob after this search.
I.
V.33-35. And he went out of the tabernacle of Leah into the tabernacle of Rachel. Then Rachel took the idols 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 doing as women do. So he found not the idols, as he sought.
Here Satan grabs Rachel by the throat. Laban went into her hut and searched every single thing in it very carefully. Now she could not hide the idols in the clothes or the sleeves or in the straw; there was nothing left but her own body to cover the idols. Therefore she put the teraphim under the litter of the camels, not that they could have lain there safely enough, for Laban could easily have examined the litter: but she covered them with the nastiest part of the body, for she sat down on the litter. Although this is not without danger. For Laban might have suspected (as avarice and hypocrisy are wont to suspect) that there was some deceit hidden underneath; he might have said: This must not have happened without cause, that I find you sitting here in an unusual place. How if my idols were hidden here? And if he had been able to find them, to search in the litter, the theft would have come to light and been discovered.
But she thinks up a very fine lie: she pretends that she is now going after the
Women's way. But now it is proper and necessary for the sake of health that at such times a woman should not sit on the ground, but much rather on the bed or on the straw, if she cannot have a bed. So Rachel soon found help and advice in the extreme distress and danger; as experience shows that women are very quick to invent good advice. Therefore, nature or understanding and skill, which women are wont to have, also helps Rachel somewhat. Although such skill is found in women, the female sex is not ordained by God to rule, either in the church or in other secular offices, for which a particularly great intellect and good counsel are required; but they are appointed to take care of the house and to watch over it diligently, for the longer they advise on great and high things, the more they confuse and hinder things. But the first impulse of their nature is wont to be very good and happy in sudden danger.
So Rachel's father is deceived by such a female lie and by honest cause and is deceived under such pretense. For he is not allowed to search in the places that nature has hidden, and can also not raise anything against it, but is deterred by natural shame. But God was involved there, for He has perverted his senses and struck him with blindness, so that he did not search more carefully. He believes that it is true what his daughter tells him, namely that she wanted to sit alone in a special place for the sake of her illness. After that, it was not very plausible that she should sit on the idols. For he had thought that this could not be done because of her illness. But he could not believe anything less than that his daughter, who had been brought up in his house, should steal her father's gods and worship, and hold them in such contempt that she would put them under the litter of the camels and sit on them. My daughter, he thought, would not hold my worship, in which she was brought up from childhood, in such low esteem. So
688 L.vm. 7"-8i. Interpretation of Genesis 31:33-37. W. n, 1007-1010. 689
he deceives himself quite finely. The daughter told a lie, which was not a joking lie or a harmful lie, but a very useful and necessary lie, so that she would give the father cause to deceive himself.
Now this is God's work and rule in the dangerous situations and deeds of the saints. For if he himself did not strike the adversaries with avarice and blindness and confuse their senses, so that they would not think of it, which they should think of most of all, then often even the most cunning plots, which one could have thought up, would not help at all.
It is a strange thing, however, that Rachel was so stubborn and constant that she was able to despise the idols she had previously considered very sacred, regardless of the danger she encountered from her angry father. For we deal more honestly with our church images and altars than Rachel dealt with her father's idols, which she hides in the litter and puts under her body. And it is a strange speech, so that she apologizes before her father that she could not stand up before him. She addresses her father, and yet does not call him father, but Lord: "My Lord, do not be angry" 2c. This is truly a grave sin, that she does not fear and honor her father, as she ought to do according to the fourth commandment. And when women have their sickness, they are not so weak that they should not be able to stand up or walk.
- Moses does not tell this in vain, and lets himself look as if it almost sounds so that she had mocked her father as an idolater who sought his idols so exactly and senselessly. But I cannot say anything certain about it. She may well have done it so that the appearance would be so much the greater that she would have acted as if she were not only completely ready and inclined to stand up to her father as an obedient daughter, but that she would also show herself as a servant to her master with fear and anxious care, so that she would be prevented from showing her father his due honor because of her illness. For
In the holy scriptures women are used to call their husbands lords, but children are not. Elisha says to Elijah, 2 Kings 2:12, "My father," but whatever the cause was for her to call him lord, this name was intended to adorn and embellish the lie. But since Laban has threatened in vain and sought his idols in all the huts, he is becoming quite foolish and angry: therefore Jacob now refutes his words of reproach a little more sharply and with more words, for he will now again recount his good deeds and Laban's ingratitude.
II.
And Jacob was wroth, and rebuked Laban, 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 have you found of your household goods? Lay it before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge between us.
Finally Jacob also becomes angry and relies on the divine admonition that had been given to Laban, and that God would have punished Laban himself; for he is hurt by the great injustice, and nevertheless relies more on God's judgment than on his own innocence. From this he takes courage and comfort, and thus wants to say: God has seen my misery and affliction, and has punished you because of your tyranny, which you have practiced on me; for if I had been guilty of any sin before God, I would have had to suffer the punishment and you would not. But now I am sure of my innocence, and I know that the work I have done with my service has pleased God, and that your ingratitude and all your doings have displeased Him. This is Jacob's comfort and glory, that he has God's judgment on his side, who considers him righteous and his adversary unrighteous. In addition, there is also the very certain testimony of Laban's experience and conscience. For he describes the whole life, both of himself and of his father-in-law, and proves it so that Laban will also be convinced and convicted that he is an unjust man and a terrible tyrant.
690 L. vm, 8i-W. Interpretation of Genesis 31:36. 37. W. n. 1010-1012. 691
195 Therefore he answered the fool according to his foolishness; but yet so that he also keepeth that which Solomon saith in addition, Prov. 26:4, 5, "That thou be not like him also; but that the fool be not presumed to be wise." For Solomon tells us that we should instruct, punish and rebuke sinners and fools in season and out of season, so that they do not think they are wise, that is, that they do not remain in the opinion that they have done right, that they have sinned; but the punishment of God should be held up to them, and their lives and evil deeds should be exposed to them, so that they may feel and understand that they have sinned, and that they repent. But he that punisheth the fool so as to be like him, as if I would lie to him again, and blaspheme him, I should be like him. But he shall be punished so as to make him ashamed of his foolishness; and this is a divine punishment. Your own conscience and your whole past life punish you; therefore see that you recognize your sin 2c.
- Jacob uses such a punishment against Laban, saying: "What have I done? what have I transgressed? what is my sin? Thou hast spoken exceedingly many reproaches and accusations against me; thou hast pronounced me a thief, a cattle thief, a robber of the church, and that I have destroyed thy religion and worship: let the pieces prove me but one thing, and convict me of it, and I will suffer my due punishment for it; but if thou canst not do this, then now thou showest thy levity and thy courage with lies. For by your silence you confess that you have lied; indeed, you are overcome by God's and your own conscience's testimony. You cannot say that I have sinned or that I have failed to do something that I should have done. All your reproach is a loud blasphemy, it is a vain lie and only nonsense. For you are disgraced and condemned by your own judgment and conscience.
have God as a witness to my innocence and your own conscience as well. So one should louse the fool with pistons.
Where are now the great glittering words and the invented vices: You have stolen my heart, you have become fugitive, as he said above, v. 26, such words uttered with great anger and reluctance? They all disappeared like smoke. But the foolish Laban did not want to understand this, since the Lord admonished him in a dream that he should not speak harshly or unkindly to Jacob. Therefore Jacob adds the gloss here and lays out the words of the Lord for him, saying: "You have accused me unreasonably and falsely of such great sin and vice, and all the things for which you accuse me belong to you more cheaply; for God has said this, and your own conscience also convinces you of it.
198 So Laban the fool, or Nabal, had to be combed and cured, so that he could see that he had erred and sinned. And that means to answer the fool according to his foolishness, so that he does not let himself be thought wise, as Solomon teaches in Proverbs, chapter 26, v. 5. For one should not be averse to the devilish evil words that are spoken against the true religion and against God Himself. Religion and against God Himself, one should not remain silent, but one should punish and refute them. And such refutation is not a sin: it is not an anger that is unreasonable or punitive; but it is a holy and righteous anger and a Christian zeal that is angry at the ungodly being and at sin.
Such punishment is useful so that people do not remain in error and in their sins, and thus remain in bondage to the devil who drove and possessed them; but they are to be punished so that they may be converted and delivered from the power and tyranny of the devil. As we punish the pope as the antichrist and deceiver of the whole world; yes, we punish and condemn all kinds of ungodly beings and idolatry. We are angry about it, not out of our own vengefulness, but out of right zeal, and that we are heated in our conscience to save and preserve the glory of God.
- but Jacob presses hard on his
692 vm> ss-W. Interpretation of Genesis 31:36, 37. W. n, 1012-iois. 693
Father-in-law and now stuffs his mouth with questions, so that he says to him: What have I sinned? What have I done wrong? What sin have I committed? Here I will recommend to those who have an understanding of the Hebrew language that they examine the difference between the two words, pesha and cheth; for the rabbis bring together thirteen words, all of which mean sin and transgression that do not belong here. But these two words, which Moses uses, are to be distinguished thus: the word pesha means guilt, when one does not do what one is obliged to do (culpa omissionis); but cheth means sin, when one does what one should not do (peccatum commissionis): and these words comprehend in themselves original sin, pescha, as said, is when one does not do what one ought to do (omittere facienda); but cheth, when one does what one ought not to do (facere omittenda,).
201 Thus it is written in 2 Kings 3:5, Praevaricatus est Moab in Israel, that is, "The Moabites fell away from Israel." For the Moabites were subject to the people of Israel, that they should pay tribute unto them; but they fell away from them, that is, they would no more obey them, nor pay tribute unto them. Item, so it is written in the prophet Isaiah at the 1st chapter v. 2: Praevaricati sunt in me: "They have fallen away from me", that is, they should fear and honor me, should be obedient to me as their father; but the obedience, which they owe me, they let go. I have adopted them as my children to serve me, but they fall away from me and choose strange gods. What they ought not to do, they do; and what they ought to do, they leave undone. Item, also Jer. 2, 13: Duo mala fecit populus meus etc.: "My people commit a twofold sin: they leave me, the living spring, and make them wells" re. They should honor me and serve me as the living spring, but they leave me: after that they seek other wells; they should not do that.
202 So Jacob also says here, "There are two things for which you could have punished me, namely, where I had done something.
which I ought not to have done; or else, where I have omitted to do something which ought to have been done by me: prove me only one of the two. You say that I have disobeyed you, that I have stolen your idols, that I have kidnapped your daughters; all these are obvious lies, and you yourself must prove and testify to my innocence by words and deeds. In addition, there is the divine testimony and your own conscience: yes, you yourself are guilty of both sins; for you have sinned in that you have not done what you ought to have done to me and your daughters for their honor and restitution; you have not given them a dowry or a portion of the inheritance. Then you also sinned by chasing after us and thinking to do evil. These are great and grave sins, which you should truly recognize and ask for forgiveness.
Thus the great honor of Laban was changed into the highest shame and dishonor. And Jacob now recounts his sins in particular, one by one. You are angry with me," he says, "you have not only reproached me or persecuted me, but you are also inflamed and furious with great anger toward me. For this is the meaning of the Hebrew word dalak in other places; as in the 7th Psalm v. 14: Sagittas suas ardentes effecit ignitas etc.: "He has prepared his arrows to destroy", he wants to shoot fire, to set fire to a city. So he scourges the great guilt of Laban not only by describing it in detail, but also by giving it strong names. You have persecuted me," he says, "with your friends, both your own and others; you have been fierce and furious; you would have gladly attacked me with sword and fiery arrows, as one possessed by the devil.
(204) He scolded him harshly enough, as if to say, "Because you found no sin in me, either that I had not done what I was supposed to do or that I had committed what I was not supposed to commit, you should not have persecuted me so fiercely and so hotly, but should have thought of our relationship, that I was your son-in-law and that your daughters were my wives and daughters.
694 L.VW.W.R. Interpretation of Genesis 31:36, 37. W.n.I0IL-1M8. 695
We are your children. But regardless of such kinship and love, you have raged against us with such great nonsense that you have even forgotten that you are the father of your daughters. But even if I am not your son-in-law, I am still your sister's son, for you are my cousin and not only my father-in-law. Therefore we could not be nearer related to each other, but I would be your son, born of your womb. And if Jacob had died, Laban would have been his father according to the law. So now we are related to each other both by blood and by blood; but you not only do not honor us with any gift, but you also presume to deprive us of the goods given to us by God, which is contrary to all love and friendship.
Therefore he says rightly, "You are not angry with me in a human way, but you rage in a completely devilish way and are full of hellish fire; you are even heated against those who are innocent and very close to you. If I had a pious and honest son-in-law and at the same time an unrighteous son, I would certainly want to steal all my possessions from the unrighteous son and give them to my son-in-law. But Laban turns it around and reverses the order of all works of love and the whole nature: he robs his honest daughters and the very pious man, his son-in-law. Now this has been the first thing.
Now Jacob says further, and makes it still greater, what Laban has done: "You have touched all my household goods," that is, all my possessions: but the same is not due to a wise or honest man to deal in this way especially with the goods of his son or daughters. For it is a disgrace to look at everything in particular in this way, to touch it, and to examine it so closely as if it were one's worst enemies: indeed, no one would behave rightly toward his enemy in this way. But what have you done with it, says Jacob, or what have you found with such diligent searching? Only that you have shown that you are so senseless and hot-tempered for no reason at all.
Anger. And if you do not ask anything about my judgment, nor can you conclude with certainty whether you or I are wrong, then let us let the matter go to some arbiters and let our brothers judge between the two of us. He offers him justice. But Laban is overcome by his own judgment and disgraced, so that he may not open his mouth.
(207) Thus shall the wicked and hypocrites be dealt with: but the righteous shall be found blameless and free, and the wicked shall be put in his place: for the evil that he hath threatened to inflict upon another shall come upon his own head. As it is written in the 7th Psalm v. 17: "His calamity shall come upon his head, and his iniquity shall fall upon the top of his head."
(208) But for the brethren there is a question: What does Jacob mean by saying, "Present this to my brethren and to thy brethren? How did Jacob have brothers in this pilgrimage, since he served alone for twenty years? And afterwards (v. 46.) it also says: "He said to his brothers: Pick up stones" 2c. This is my opinion. For where we do not have a certain clear text, we must guess, and get thoughts and opinions out of the text as best we can. It can be seen that the whole of Mesopotamia was almost pastureland, and the people lived there, as they still do, tending their cattle in the pastures: therefore there were shepherds in all the villages and towns. And it is well to be believed that Jacob had among his servants many blood friends of the house of Laban, who served him as well as his father-in-law. And the service was divided; some served Jacob, and some Laban. Those who went with Jacob were undoubtedly devout and godly. As was said of Abraham's household, of Hagar and Abraham's servant, who joined him because of the religion that was pure with him.
- so now he understands by this the brothers who were of the friendship of Nahor and Tharah, who went again with Jacob to his fatherland, and he has taken them.
696 L. vm. ss-ss. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:36-41. W. n, iois-iv2i. 697
He was allowed to have them tend his herd, because his two wives were busy raising and caring for the children, who were still young and weak. But he alone could not feed such a large herd, he had to have servants and maids. He calls them brothers in this place. Well, he says, let us both choose some of our relatives and blood friends who may decide this quarrel. This is very fair that Jacob offers him such a condition. And so Laban is overcome by the divine judgment, by his own conscience, by his former life, and by the common testimony of all men and of his own brothers or relatives; so that now he cannot find anything to answer, since he is so overcome and disgraced.
These twenty years I have been with you; your sheep and goats have not been barren; the rams of your flock I have never eaten; what the animals tore I did not bring you, I had to pay for it; you demanded it from my hand, it would be stolen from me by day or by night. During the day I paled from heat, and at night from frost, and no sleep came into my eyes. So I have served in your house these twenty years, fourteen for your daughters, and six for your flock; and you have changed my wages tenfold.
Jacob not only scolds his father-in-law, but also reproaches him for his terrible ingratitude by emphasizing all the circumstances and how he had such a difficult service with him. For he recounts his work and good deeds and emphasizes them, so that Laban's wickedness and ingratitude would be increased. But Moses presents us with a perfect example and image of a pious and faithful servant, the like of which is not found elsewhere in any history. But in our time, God help us, how mean it is that almost all the fathers of the house lament the unfaithfulness and wickedness of their servants.
I have served you, says Jacob, with such diligence that your sheep and goats have never been barren.
- But can the shepherds bring this about, so that the cattle do not become barren? Answer: A faithful and diligent shepherd is indeed very important. For it is well known how wicked our shepherds are now, who, either by wicked arts or by their carelessness and negligence, cause the sheep of their masters, the fathers of the house, to die, become barren and lean; but that which is their own must give much milk and cheese, and also bear much wool and many lambs. Therefore it is very important for a shepherd's piety and faithfulness that he does not miss the time when the sheep are running, and that he also takes good care of them; for where the sheep are well cared for, it happens naturally that they also tend to be fruitful.
Therefore Jacob says, "Your sheep have not been barren": I have brought this about with my faithfulness and diligence, that the flocks have borne many lambs; in twenty years they have never been barren. For in these lands, as in some places in Italy, sheep are wont to bear twice a year. This requires diligent maintenance, so that the flocks are not missed when the time comes for them to run. Therefore, I say, this is an example of a faithful servant, which has no equal. How could Laban not have become rich because of this, even though he himself was already sleepy and idle, since the faithful servant did nothing but add to his master's goods and only ever provided his benefit?
Secondly, he says, "I have never eaten the rams of your flock. For shepherds have the right sometimes to slaughter a sheep, or at least to eat the milk or cheese from it, and to clothe and cover themselves with the sheepskin or wool. Jacob, however, did not want to make use of this, but rather let it all be used to his master's advantage to his detriment; therefore Rachel also said above (v. 15) not in vain that her father had eaten her wages.
698 L- vm, ss. so. Interpretation of I Genesis 31:38-41. W. n, 1021-1024. 699
Thirdly, Jacob says: "What the animals tore, I did not bring you. It was not proper to do so, although by all rights he should not have included in his account that which was torn by wolves or other animals. And I have not, he says, been able to keep the flock so diligently that the wolf should not have taken one or the other sheep at times; therefore I should not pay for the damage. But because you accused me that this had happened through my negligence, that I had let the wolf fall into the sheepfold, I had to compensate and pay for the damage.
215 So Laban suffered no harm, neither that the flocks should have been lost in the running, nor that his flesh should have been eaten up, nor that the beasts should have torn him to pieces. I alone had to bear the guilt, says Jacob, I had to have done it, I had to pay and reimburse everything that was lost. That was truly a very hard service and great tyranny, that one must also pay for that which cannot or may not be preserved with the greatest diligence. It is often impossible to prevent a dog from taking or eating something in the house or doing any other damage. But it is a wonder where Jacob took it from, so that he paid for it and made restitution for what was lost from the pile. We cannot deduce this from history, but we can guess it, because either Isaac, his father, sent him money, or Laban may have given him some small reward, which he spent almost entirely on ensuring that his master, the miser, would not be harmed.
- fourth, Jacob says, "It would be stolen from me by day or by night." For so it reads according to the Hebrew. Although the rabbis say that the letter is superfluous in this place. But I do not hold it everywhere with the Rabbins. But this is the meaning of these words: All that the people stole by day and by night, that must have been stolen by my fault and neglect; I had to complete the number again and fulfill it, it would be
I had to replace everything that was lost, not even a handful of wool. Nothing was lost to you, not even a handful of wool; I had to replace everything that was lost. So Laban has become rich through someone else's care, great toil and sweat, even to the detriment and disadvantage of this faithful shepherd. But this is cursed property, which is acquired with other people's sour sweat, and in addition with tyranny, so that others are burdened.
217 So Jacob uses beautiful words and preaches the law to him, so that he may bring him to the knowledge of his sin. But the hypocrite wants to be righteous alone, and makes himself believe that he cannot sin in any way. Therefore, it is impossible to bring such people to the knowledge of sin and to right repentance.
Fifthly, he says: "During the day I pined away because of heat and at night because of frost" 2c. This was more bearable for him during the first fourteen years than during the last six years, when he had to serve himself and his wives and children to increase his property and to provide for his house. For this reason, it has been very difficult for him to suffer heat and frost at the same time, and he has not been able to sleep or rest. For the body needs to have its rest and sleep, so that it does not become tired and weakened when it is too tired. But why did he suffer so much? Answer: Because thieves and wolves do not pay attention to heat or frost and do not ask about day or night. Therefore," he says, "I had to keep watch over the herd night and day, I could not excuse myself because of the heat or the "too great" frost: I had to leave; and all this happened for your benefit and profit, because I had to do hard work and sweat, so that only your herd would grow and increase when you slept.
- But where will you find an example today like this wonderful faithfulness that was in Jacob? For both the nobles and the peasants who handle livestock complain about the great unfaithfulness of the shepherds, saying thus.
700 k- vm, so-92. interpretation of Genesis 31:38-42. W. ii. 1024-1026. 701
that the sheep of the lords become barky and barren and suffer other damage, and are torn apart by the animals; but the sheepherds' sheep are not so, so that they take less care of those sheep and do their own good and good to the detriment of their lords. And they commonly tell, whether it be a fable or a story, that one of the nobility had a shepherd imprisoned for his wickedness and theft; but now that he was to be hanged on the gallows, the nobleman is said to have asked him: Does he not know of another shepherd, pious and faithful, whom he may put over his sheep? The thief is said to have said: He knew none at all, and they were all just as pious as he, indeed, some were even a little worse. They say that the nobleman was moved by this answer to give this shepherd his life and keep him, because he could not find a better one.
220 Therefore, the manners of the servants of this time explain very well the virtue and faithfulness of this pious shepherd Jacob. For it is a very special example, and it is easy to see and accept how great the trouble is today with housekeeping, since people are so exceedingly unfaithful. But one must bear with such damage and be silent until God demands and brings us out of this life into a better one, and punishes the sin in the wicked unfaithful people. For such faithfulness as Jacob showed to an unjust and unfaithful master, no one will be able to show to another, unless he truly believes in God and completely clings to the Word with faith.
- Jacob says still more. "So I have served these twenty years in thy house, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy host; and have changed my wages tenfold." Laban was not satisfied with the fact that he had become rich during the fourteen years through Jacob's work and faithfulness; he also wanted to deprive him of his due wages. Therefore Jacob scolded him as much as he could, so that he could bring him to this.
would like him to recognize his sin. But Laban has such a heart, which is harder than a diamond or an anvil.
And from this it may be seen how great patience and also great faith the patriarchs had. It is true that the martyrs suffered much and horrible torture and torment: but all this cannot be compared with the very hard work and great danger of the patriarchs. For that is great patience, to suffer whole twenty years such great tyranny and violence. But how it happened with the change of the wages, has been said above.
V. 42. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had not been on my side, you would have left me empty-handed. But God has looked upon my misery and trouble, and has punished you yesterday.
- "God has seen my misery," says Jacob, "and has punished you." In Hebrew it is written in such a way that there is no accusative, and in German it reads: GOtt hat es gesehen und deshalb scholte. For Laban was such an abominable tyrant that he would not only have let Jacob go empty and naked, but he would also have brought him by force back into hard service, where God had not threatened and hindered him; as was said before. This, by the way, is a very apt text, the like of which we have not yet had, for the sake of the name "the fear of Isaac." The word pachad, among the Hebrews, means to be afraid or terrified. As in the 14th Psalm v. 5. it is written, "There they fear," 2c., the hypocrites fear, because there is no fear; or as in another place, Prov. 28, v. 1. it is written, "The wicked fleeth, and no man chaseth him." So it is commonly interpreted. But it must be understood in terms of worship.
But what does the Holy Spirit mean by calling it the "fear of Isaac"? There is no doubt about it, he wants to understand God by it; because he adds: "The God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac. The word "fear" is connected with the word "God", therefore it must mean as much as God. Therefore the fear of
702 L vm.".". Interpretation of I Genesis 31, 42. W. n, UM-u>ss. 703
in this place simply GOtt. But where this word should mean something other than God, Jacob would not have connected it with the word "God". For one may not turn the honor, or the service of God to another. But there are innumerable questions and interpretations, why he called it the fear or honor of Isaac, and why he did not give this name also to Abraham, but only to Isaac. But I will follow the simple and common understanding that he called it that way because of the excellent and special service of his father Isaac, who feared and honored God with special godliness. This is the common sense and I am pleased with it.
- But above this one must also notice these words, which Moses has set in such a way that they have a special emphasis, as I have often reminded of this in other places. As it is written in the 2nd chapter of this first book of Moses, v. 21: "God, the Lord, made a woman out of the rib that he took from man. There he could have used another and perhaps a better word, as it seems. But by this fuller expression he meant to indicate that a woman is a divine building, not only for the sake of the mystery of the church, but also as far as housekeeping is concerned. For all Scripture uses this way of speaking of women, as Exodus 1:21 says of the blessing that God blessed and rewarded the mothers of women: "God built them houses" 2c. And Rachel has written above, Cap. 30, v. 3, said to Jacob also thus: "Lie with her, that I may be built up by her." This means that I may have children and heirs in the house or in our family. For for this purpose the woman was created, that by her the house might be built up, and that children and heirs might be born.
226 Likewise Jacob says in this place that Laban was punished, and the same is also spoken very emphatically; as shortly before, v. 16, Rachel also said how God had stolen her father's wealth 2c. For the tenfel with the evil angels and also with evil men is only
He is eager to prevent and destroy all good works. Wherever anything good happens, it tends to happen in such a way that God punishes the devil and evil men, fights against them and has to snatch the good out of their mouths, as it were. These and similar ways of speaking, which are so emphatically and with special diligence, should be well noted in the Scriptures.
227 Therefore I consider it that in this place the understanding according to the letter is the best, namely, that God is called the "fear of Isaac" because of the excellent service which Isaac performed. The others interpret it thus, that Isaac was afraid, because he was to be sacrificed. But the reason does not rhyme at all and is ungodly. For Isaac was not afraid, nor was he frightened, but willingly obeyed his father and God. For it is not to be ascribed to the saints that they should fear, but it. is to them a voluntary obedience and bravery. For fear is called the sin that reigns, which sin Isaac did not have, but the Spirit was obedient in him; and though the flesh was opposed, yet the Spirit retained the victory and reigned, which subdued the flesh to him.
But moreover, I believe that Christ is also implied here. For the fathers expressly distinguished this blessing from the bodily one: "In Isaac shall the seed be called unto thee," says St. Paul Rom. 9:7, who also lays special emphasis on the first word. For the blessing of Ishmael with the twelve princes that were to come from him was bodily. But "in Isaac shall be called thy seed"; which is no other seed but Christ alone, who is the right seed. For the fathers, above the bodily blessing which Ishmael and Esau had, looked chiefly to the spiritual blessing, which is Christ Himself. That is why I understand the Holy Trinity here, and the same in other places, where I can only take this mystery from the words of the Old Testament.
704 vm. st-96. interpretation of I Moses 31, 42. W. n. 1029-E. 705
229 So the "fear" here is called the Son of God, who became man, to whom the patriarchs and prophets looked in the promises and about whom they taught and reported to the people. As he was initially promised in this first book of Moses Cap. 3, v. 15: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent." Item Cap. 12, 3. and Cap. 26, 4. "By thy seed shall all nations be blessed." This seed the fathers feared and served, which is, as it were, the right gem and kernel in the bodily promises, which were like husks or chaff given to them to strengthen their faith, that they might have heirs for Christ's sake.
230 Therefore the Holy Spirit wants to indicate that Isaac waited for this seed with great desire and served him. And Jacob boasts here of the future Lord Christ, whom his father served. So we should diligently remember that such noble passages and sayings must be drawn to Christ, as we have had several of them in the promises above. And hereafter in chapter 49, v. 10, it will be said of the future Shiloh, who is born a son of his mother's womb. And let us not follow the interpretation of the Jewish rabbis, who hideously obscure Christ the Lord. For the fathers took diligent care of this precious stone, which was included in the bodily blessings, and held it in honor; otherwise Jacob would not have said here, the "fear of Isaac. For this is the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who became man in the other person. And he does not say that there is another God than the God of Abraham, but to indicate the mystery of the Trinity.
In this way these emphatic words, which Moses now and then mixes into his writings like precious stones, become very sweet and pleasant to us, provided they are only drawn to Christ; for the other interpretations are cold and lazy, like that of the sacrifice of Isaac.
232 And this is also the right and beautiful ornamentation of these histories, in which the holy
The Holy Spirit describes such low and contemptible works of the holy patriarchs that the hypocrites and papists make themselves believe that they are despised and ungodly: but they understand in themselves the highest wisdom and right faith. Therefore all that the saints do, however small and insignificant it may seem, is great and glorious. For they do all things in faith and in the Word, that is, in innocence and holiness. For thus saith Christ, Luc. 8:50, Only believe, and thou shalt be saved, and shalt be clean and holy; and whatsoever thou doest shall be clean, holy, and profitable. Just as there is nothing useless in a sheep, for even the dung and the legs have their use, and not only the milk or the wool: so where the saints still murmur out of impatience, that is the dung; but it does no harm to the saints, but must all serve them for the best; for they live, do, and suffer by faith in the word. "Thy word," saith Christ John 17:17, "is truth." Whoever takes hold of the word and believes it is truly holy and righteous. On the other hand, all opponents of the word, no matter how holy they may appear to be, are rejected and condemned.
Let this be diligently remembered for our comfort and for the teaching of the whole church, that we may know that our lives are pleasing and acceptable to God, even in the little works of the home. For reason and the world do not know about this, which only relies on strange visions, enlightenments and strange speculations, and also deals with hard and abominable works, such as fasting and vigilance. Hence the monks, and among the pagans the philosophers, came who wanted to precede others in such strange works, and thus wanted to make the common people esteem them highly and hold them in great honor; but the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God.
So Jacob lives in marriage and servitude without any appearance of special works, and seems to be despised before God, as he is poor and miserable in the world. For the world does not see what faith is and what it is able to do: so much as a
706 D. vm, 96-W. Interpretation of Genesis 31:42, 43. w. n. 1032-103." 707
He is hidden and unknown to reason, according to Christ's saying John 14:17: "The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit," does not see or hear Him, nor does it understand anything about Him with any sense. But we should make it our concern that the godly may be taught and awakened to faith in the Word, so that they may always be found in the love and practice of the Word. For then all their works, so that they may manage both the world and the home, are very good: you walk, you sleep, or you watch, it is all pleasing to God; for the word, the faith, and the spirit that dwells in you are good.
Finally, it is also a comfort to us that Jacob says that his father's God was on his side 2c. and looked upon his misery and work. But what is his work but small, weak, and unworthy works, which have been described so far in him as a poor shepherd? Of these works the Holy Spirit wanted them to be held up as an example and strengthening to the church and the faithful, so that they might know for certain that God looks at all the works of the saints and the godly, even that He has counted all their hairs, as has been said many times. He has such great sorrow and concern for those who hear the word and believe.
This comfort is especially necessary for the church and congregation of God, because the devil with the whole world and our own flesh miserably afflicts those who have the word. Therefore, we must not hope for comfort or protection from the world and the rulers of this world, and we must not seek carnal counsel from ourselves, for all this is in vain. But those who nevertheless seek such counsel or hope for it, must learn that in the 116th Psalm v. 11. it says: "All men are liars"; item in the 146th Psalm v. 3.: "Do not rely on princes, they are men, they cannot help." But the whole world goes along as if it were blind, and corrupts in its vain counsel and presumption; for it will not suffer the devil, the wicked, and its own flesh to persecute it.
Therefore God must look upon His own and provide for them, who otherwise are forsaken and know neither help nor counsel, but look only to His word; for they bear the cross and have sorrow and affliction; as Jacob is afflicted not only by the devil, but also by his father-in-law and blood relative himself. Therefore let us learn this and realize that God counts all our works and thoughts, however small and despised they may be, if only we believe in Him. For if we take heed to His word, He in turn takes heed to us, and cares for us in all adversity and distress that the world and Satan put in our way.
Seventh Part.
Laban's response to Jacob's punishment, and how he makes a covenant with Jacob.
I.
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 far Moses has given us an example and a picture of a holy man and a pious and faithful servant, namely of Jacob, what he had done and how much he had suffered, how he had endeavored according to love to win over his adversary and to bring him to the knowledge of his sin or to repentance, and thus had done what a holy and pious man should do; but what he had done with it, we will now hear further.
239 For Moses describes to us an example that is quite contrary to this, namely, a very wicked hypocrite. Although he has described him clearly enough, how he behaved against his son-in-law, daughters and children, let us now see, after he has been admonished and punished by God and also by Jacob, how much he has improved in his life. He says first: "The daughters find my daughters....
708 "vm, d8-ivv. Interpretation of Genesis 31, 43. w. n, ivss-ioss. 709
-ter, and the children are my children, what can I do to them now?" O holy man, St. Laban! You don't hear a word of repentance or confession of his sin. He does not say, "My dear Jacob, I recognize and confess my sin, for I have treated you too cruelly and not fatherly enough, and have not behaved toward you and my daughters as I should have. You will never be able to wrest such words from a hypocrite, or even rarely. For a hypocrite is such a monster that cannot sin at all, nor can he be converted. A hypocrite does not allow himself to think that he can sin or err, when he is already so admonished for his sin and error that he can grasp it with his hands.
240 For such an image is also held up to us in some others, as in Pharaoh and Saul; or, though they sometimes confess their sin in words, they seldom do so, or do it hypocritically and falsely. He alone who is holy and righteous must be a sinner. Yes, that is even more, the unrighteous and godless want to have the name that they do not sin or do evil, especially when they have power and authority. As, Heinz Mordbrenner, the bishop of Mainz, Doctor Jeckel and Grickel do not do wrong, they are righteous and holy before men.
241 This is now a great temptation and injustice, which greatly vexes and afflicts the flesh. But these examples are written to comfort and strengthen us, that we may know that it cannot be otherwise, that we must live with such hypocrites, and that we may bear and endure with so much greater courage when we must hear such perverse judgments of carnal men. Jacob alone must be a sinner; but Laban is pious and righteous. So now we Wittenbergers must also be sinners alone, even though we give an account of our doctrine to anyone who demands it of us. We prove and defend our doctrine, we refute the opponents' doctrine and overcome them according to their own judgment and conscience. Nevertheless, we do not do anything with it. They are pious and just; we
must be ungodly and unjust. Now, anyone who cannot suffer and endure this cannot be a Christian. They must be right, Christ and Christians are wrong.
242 Now let us consider the words of Laban, which we will not interpret falsely, but sincerely, not according to the opinion of his heart, according to which everything seems to be spoken with great pride and scorn. For that he saith, The daughters are my daughters, is well true; but he had now given them to Jacob, that they were his wives. Likewise also the herd was his deserved reward, which he had acquired with great labor and sweat. Therefore Laban lies and I would like to interpret his words better in this way, but I do not want to follow such a hard mind. We want to understand the words as if he had spoken them from a fatherly heart. As if he wanted to say: My dear son, you have everything you have from me; I am the father, why should I harm my own? I have given you my daughters, sheep and oxen; you have received everything from me; the Lord bless you, that you may grow and become great, and that you may use your possessions godly and blessedly, so that it may go well with you. For thus a sincere pious father is wont to speak to his daughters and son-in-law and children's children. This hypocrite also uses such words. But it is all false and a vain invented thing. And let us prove it with two arguments.
243 First, he does not yet recognize his sin and robbery, which Jacob accused him of. For he accused him of theft and many other grave sins, and that he had behaved abominably and unkindly toward him and his daughters; but he does not recognize or confess any of these things, but wants to be righteous and pious. Therefore, although such hypocrites use the words of pious sincere people, as Laban can also finely repeat the words of a pious faithful father, yet they do not speak from the heart what they speak, they are not sincere.
244 Secondly, it would also have been proper for the father to have given any gift to his daughters and his children's children. My dear Rachel, he should have said, see,
710 2- VM. 100-102. interpretation of Genesis 31, 43. 44. w. II. loss-ioti. 711
You have ten guilders 2c. for the dress of honor. Reuben, take this, I will give it to you, so that you may remember your grandfather. But he does not confess his sin, nor does he give them any gift as a testimony to his fatherly love and benevolence. Everything is aimed at deceiving and deceiving the good, pious man, so that the wives and brothers may change their judgment of Jacob, forget all injustice, and praise the kindness of the father-in-law; but the fruit clearly shows what kind of tree it is.
For God wants above all things that he should confess what he has taken from him and that he should also give it back; then that he should also give a sign of righteousness and uncontaminated love. But he does not do so; the pious hypocrite persists in his righteousness and yet gives no sign of righteousness, neither yes nor no. So it is all in vain and for nothing that Jacob punished him. Now this is the first thing, that we interpret it sincerely and let go of the hard and hostile mind. But now he continues and becomes spiritual and holy. He is not satisfied by defending his righteousness against Jacob, who must be unrighteous, as if Laban had not sinned against him: now he will have to be lifted up to heaven among the choirs of holy angels.
V. 44. Come NOW, then, and let us make a covenant, I and thou, which shall be a testimony between me and thee.
246 The hypocrite often repeats and introduces this piece, saying, It is a testimony between me and thee, as the whole narrative will show. For this is what hypocrites do: although they bear no fruit, they have many leaves, like the fig tree that Christ curses. He repeats this often to the point of great exasperation, saying, "May God be a witness between me and you. Item: The mountain, the pile of stones and the mark are witnesses between us. But there is no real reason or truth behind it. To this art of
Hypocrisy must get used to those who want to live in the world.
And now he begins to make the pious man hateful and to weigh him down with suspicion. For he poses as if he fears God, and that he also wants to provoke Jacob, as one who is not very God-fearing, to fear God with his admonition. He wants to make a covenant before God, wants to set up a stone, and makes a very precise agreement with him concerning the borders, so that Jacob will not go over them and cause him any harm. But what is the use of being so concerned about such a man, whose faithfulness and diligence he had known and experienced very well for twenty years? What does it matter that he wants his faithful son-in-law to take an oath against him and that he makes such a big fuss about the bond? He had previously entrusted him with his daughters in marriage and had also entrusted him with his possessions: why is he now afraid of him, since he lives in a foreign country?
It is nothing else but an outward pretense and useless show, so that he tries to disparage the pious holy man and to bring him into suspicion, as if danger threatened him from Jacob. He arrogates to himself great innocence and righteousness, and pretends that he must be very afraid of your wicked rascal Jacob, as if he intended to do him violence and injustice. If he were a pious and faithful man, he would rather have said thus: Go, my dear Jacob, the Lord bless you and yours; where I can serve you in your affairs, I will do so gladly, and where there is any danger or trouble, let me know, and you will know that I love you fatherly and dearly. I will never leave you, nor my dear daughters and children. But he does not promise them anything; indeed, he still complains about Jacob by making him hateful, because he acts as if he should be afraid of him. For he goes about it wanting to have the appearance and name as if he were holy and God-fearing, but Jacob is to be considered suspicious by everyone.
712 L. vm, I02-I0L. Interpretation of Genesis 31:44-47. W. II, 1041-1044. 713
as if he wanted to harm Laban. So, since he cannot justly overcome and punish him for any sin, he nevertheless tries to falsely put a sting on him, that he should go with such suspicion, as if he would like to do him wrong and is such a man who does not ask anything about God.
But it also occurs to me that I think Laban must have been somewhat upset, as the wicked are wont to be, who know themselves guilty, and are also wont to be frightened by a rustling leaf. As Solomon says Prov. 28, 1: "The wicked fleeeth, and no man chaseth him." And the poets write of Orestes, how he had become senseless. And Juvenal has very well described and depicted the people who are tortured by their own conscience, as he says: "Cur tamen hos tu evasisse".
putes, quos diri conscia facti mens habet at-
tonitos? etc., that is: You should not think that those have gotten away unpunished, whom their own conscience accuses and makes frightened. Hi sunt, he says further, qui trepidant
et ad omnia fulgura pallent: These are the fellows who are thus terrified, and are even discolored and turn pale at every flash of lightning. For this is the punishment that follows sin.
250 Therefore it could well have happened that (although Laban knew that no danger threatened him from his son-in-law, whom he knew by experience to be faithful and pious) he was nevertheless afraid of others, namely of Jacob's parents, relatives and friends. But the most noble thing was that he wanted to adorn himself with such pretense and hypocrisy and to weigh Jacob down and make him suspicious.
Now the godly must deal with such people in this world, whom they deceive both physically and spiritually, and this under the appearance of holiness, righteousness, godliness and spirituality; and only then do they tend to triumph and be happy, when they can deceive us with the false delusion, as if they mean the right religion and serve God rightly, but we sin against the same. Therefore
Now Laban alone is righteous and holy, in the first and second table. This is the right conterfei and image of the world.
II.
V. 45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a mark.
252 Jacob is willing to make a covenant with him, only for the sake that he may come easily and soon from the very mischievous hypocrite. For it is very burdensome for all the godly to deal with hypocrites; and indeed it is easier for anyone to deal with an open enemy than with such a hypocrite, who outwardly presents himself as if he were a friend and would gladly do good, and yet inwardly bears enmity and disfavor in his heart. There is nothing more burdensome or annoying than to deal with such a man, to live with him, to eat with him, who at the same time sees every opportunity to blaspheme and rob only one, and yet cannot be publicly convicted of dealing in violence or deceit, but whose hypocrisy and secret deceitfulness, if he has it behind him, must be tolerated and endured; Yes, such a hypocrite still swears nobly and highly that he is the best of friends, and completely inclined and inclined to true godliness; or even if you will punish him with lies and reproach him with his hidden and deceitful heart, he can still pretend and deny everything so that he remains unconquered. Therefore Jacob simply enters into the agreement and hurries so that the covenant is established, and he himself takes a stone with his hand and sets it up as a mark and a memorial of the covenant, thinking: "If only God would let me get rid of this boy soon! Yes, he exhorts his brothers to pick up stones and make a heap. We must do the same, we must flee the community of hypocrites, in whatever way it can or may happen.
V. 46. 47. And he said to his brothers: Pick up stones. And they took stones, and made a heap, and did eat thereon.
714 L vm, is-ios. Interpretation of Genesis 31:46-49. W. n. i "4-i "7. 715"
heap. And Laban called his name Jegar Sahadutha: but Jacob called his name Gilead.
253 And Jacob called the shepherds and his kinsmen brethren, according to the custom of the scripture, even they that came from Nahor. And they might well have been satisfied on both sides, since they had made the covenant; but the most holy Laban wants to be assured still more. It is not enough that they have erected a stone as a sign and memorial of the covenant, but he is the first to give the cairn a name in the Syriac or Chaldean language, only so that it may strike the conscience of his son-in-law. For he will say, Behold, we have made a covenant, we have gathered up stones, we have made a heap, and we have given a name to the heap; now it behooves thee to remember this covenant also. Now behold, how great and strange spirituality he can pretend, how this covenant should and must be kept: for he has changed the reward ten times, because he had become one with Jacob; indeed, if he had not been punished by God, he would not have made a covenant with him at all, but he would have brought Jacob again by force into the previous bondage.
The Hebrew word gal means heap. Ed means witness. Jacob is looking at the eighth commandment, that one should not bear false witness. But the Syriac word means as much as the Hebrew, a mound of stones or earth.
255 He does not call it a heap of testimony in vain; for he means this much: Remember this heap that is set up; let it be to thee an everlasting memorial in thine ears and in thine heart, that thou forget not this covenant; for if thou wilt not keep it, this heap shall stand against thee for a glorious testimony in heaven and in earth. It would not have been necessary for me to make and raise up this multitude, for I am pious and righteous: but we have danger to fear from thee. So he is only pretending to be spiritual and righteous, and secretly wants to make Jacob suspicious and to make him fear the danger.
He is a man who is unfaithful and does not keep the faith. This cannot be read without great and cheap anger. But it is not enough that he has given a name to the bunch, he must repeat the same thing many times.
V.48. Then Laban said, Let the multitude be a witness this day between me and thee (therefore it is called Gilead).
He is still continuing to impress the memorial on Jacob, and orders everything very diligently, determines not only the place, but also the time, and then he will also indicate the person to him. He is a very good notary, he can keep the instrument well.
- But Moses added this piece, "Therefore it is called Gilead." For it is a very famous name in the holy scriptures, as, in the prophet Jeremiah and in other places more. And is also metaphorically applied to the city of Jerusalem, which is therefore called a heap of testimony, because it is a holy city and a city of God, in which one has had the worship, the word and the promise of God. It is a hill that is elevated and a divine house in which many witnesses of God have dwelt, who have heard God speak and testified of Him with their confessions, sermons, and thanksgivings. In this way, the prophets applied this word as a generic word to the city of Jerusalem and the whole Church, when the people came together and heard God's word and testimony.
But it is not enough for Laban that he has repeated this; he cannot sufficiently strengthen the covenant they made, as the hypocrites and heretics do, for it is only useless talk. As can be seen in the case of the sacramentalists, who are very rich in words and cannot make their thing great enough and decorate it; but they make our doctrine very small and cruel. Therefore he adds still more and says:
V. 49. And be a absorbent cotton, for he said, The LORD look between me and thee, when we come one from another.
** **716 L. vm. 106-108. interpretation of I Moses 31, 49. 50. w. II, 1647-1650. 717
Mizpah is also a famous place in the holy scriptures (because after that it became the proper name of a city), not far from Gilead, as can be seen in the book of Joshua. But as a generic word it denotes a place where one can stand and see the enemies coming, likewise when a fire comes up and where something else can be seen. Therefore it is not enough in the heap of testimony, but because he once dared to depart from me, Laban thought, and to snatch away my daughters from me, so perhaps he would come again some day and take my life, therefore a lookout is needed. Yes, that is even more, he also indicates the name and the presence of God. "The Lord," he says, "look into it between me and you." Not only do I take as my witness the multitude here on earth and among men, but I also call upon God Almighty, who is to be our witness and see into it. Help God, how there is so much spirituality and holiness in this man! How he is so constant and sincere in the worship and invocation of God!
(260) Yes, so those who do not repent, but are hardened and stubborn in their sins, are to boast of God and godliness. For this hypocrite is quite unrepentant and quite sure against the pious holy man Jacob, and showers him with heavenly and earthly testimonies, so that he wants to weigh down his conscience. But what should Jacob say or do about this? Laban is all too holy, and may call God as a witness and that he should look into it. When we come from each other," he says, "that is, when you will go to your fatherland and I will go home again to my house, and you would start something without my knowledge, when I cannot see your secret cunning beforehand, so that you might stalk me; therefore, instead of a certain protection and fortress, I will let this heap remain here between me and you, and after that also the waiting place between us and God. So he calls both God and man to witness.
These memorials of the covenant are certainly enough. Who now wanted to say,
that Laban should not be a holy man, because he can so confidently call upon God and rely on His help and protection? But he only does this so that he can frighten Jacob and conjure him up; he conjures him up as high and as dear as he can, since he had previously experienced that he was very pious and faithful. But this is how hypocrisy is wont to adorn itself, and to despise and disgrace all other people beside itself. Then all hypocrites are liars, too, so Laban does not stop yet, but adds an incantation to testify to him.
V. 50. Where you insult my daughters, or take other wives over my daughters. There is no man here with us; but behold, God is the witness between me and thee.
Behold, what an artful poet it is to me to invent all sorts of causes. That you do not offend my daughters, he says; this he has only pretended and is a vain poem. For the reason he gave above, v. 44, is more like the truth, namely, that either Jacob himself or his relatives would do him harm. And now he complains again to the very pious man and accuses him secretly of adultery, as if he had suspected him of the same before and that he must now fear that he would abandon his daughters and go away.
What should the very pious holy man do, who loved his wives and children so much that he served both wives for fourteen years and endured such hard service for so long; who also took the other, whom he did not love, nor desired as a wife, and who rendered much service to his father-in-law, more than was due to a son-in-law or servant? Who would accuse or suspect such a pious man of treating his wives unkindly?
Now Laban pretends to be so fatherly-minded and to have a right inclination and love for his children. Alas! he says, how will my daughters fare now that they are being led away so far from me!
718 L. vm. los-iio. interpretation of Genesis 31:50'-52. W. ii, iaso-ioW. 719
See that you remember this covenant and do not offend them with words or deeds. So he is still accusing the pious Jacob with poisonous blasphemies, and yet he is inventing and lying in everything he says. And you do not hear a word from him to show that he recognizes his sin or wants to make amends to his son-in-law and his children's children for the violence and injustice he has done to them. He pretends to care for his daughters in a fatherly way. But he does not show any more kindness or charity towards them than he did before.
And he adds to this that he says: "There is no man here with us," we two are alone with this heap. But one may well ask: Did they talk alone with each other, that no arbitrators were present, or did they talk with each other, that all their relatives were present and the strangers alone were excluded? It can be understood in both ways. Howbeit I let the understanding be best, that he excluded the strangers. Even though we are alone, he says, and there are no people here for you to be afraid of, God is still with us, looking in and being a witness between me and you. It all comes to this, that the pious innocent man, Jacob, shall be afflicted, if not with public shame and disgrace, which he would gladly inflict upon him, then at least that he shall be resented and envied. This is the hypocrite's way; as the poet says: Crimine ab uno disce omnes etc.: By one sin thou mayest know them all.
V. 5i. 52 And Laban said unto Jacob, Behold, this is the heap, and this is the mark, which I have set up between me and thee. Let this same heap be a witness, and let the mark also be a witness, where I pass over unto thee, or thou passest over unto me this heap and mark to hurt.
He repeats the same thing that he said before and makes it great and decorates it with fine words. But at last he reveals the real reason why he made the covenant so precisely and carefully.
after he had thundered so horribly against Jacob with his words. Now he does not remember his daughters, but indicates that he is afraid that Jacob will do something evil against him, or that his relatives will one day want to avenge such violence and injustice. Where I pass over unto thee," as if to say, "I will not pass over unto thee; though thou be in need of a drink of cold water in time of trouble, I will not be with thee to give it thee: but where thou passest over to hurt me, this company and this time shall punish thee. For because he knows himself guilty, he is afraid, since it is certain everywhere; he trusts no one, and yet knows how to adorn himself finely with the name and title of religion or worship and the covenant.
But in truth, such terror and fear is the greatest punishment of the hypocrites and the wicked. For an evil conscience cannot rest or be quiet. It is a little dog, which is called in German Reuel; if it already roars in life, it comes in death and barks. So Jacob had a very good and certain testimony of his conscience, as Laban himself secretly believed. Laban, however, knows himself guilty of much inequity and unfaithfulness, which he showed his son-in-law for his very great good deeds, so that he had increased his possessions and goods. For Jacob was satisfied with a small reward and made do with the fact that Laban had let him go empty-handed. Therefore Laban thinks, "What if he remembers this injustice and wants to bother me with his friends one day, and perhaps wants to claim from me what is left over from his inheritance or his earned wages? Therefore, he wants to keep himself safe, so that he does not cross over and make any noise or do any harm. But if he should return to his former bondage and misery, he would rather be satisfied. But I will not pass over to thee, says Laban: I will not come to make thee rich, or to do thee good, as thou camest to me.
720 L vm, 110-112. interpretation of Genesis 31, 53-55. W. II, 10S2-10SS. 721
V. 53: Let the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and the God of their fathers be judge between us.
268 How can the drip make it so hot! With such words, which are like thunderclaps, he tries to frighten the pious holy man and to slander him as an unrighteous and godless boy, but on the other hand to praise his holiness, which is quite angelic. But he uses the name of the Lord uselessly, and with all his gossip he betrays to himself that he is a hypocrite and a loose beggar at heart. v. 23: "Where words are used, there is lack," and as it is said: "Many words, nothing behind them. 2c. Laban, however, understands the "God of their fathers" whom Tarah and Abraham served while he was still idolatrous in Ur in Chaldea; the same idolatry of their fathers he mentions here, of which it is said in the book of Joshua in 24 Cap. V. 2: "Your fathers dwelt in time past beyond the waters, Tharah, Abraham's and Nahor's father, and served other gods" 2c.
So far we have had the image of a hypocrite and idolater, who makes up everything so that he can get around, and uses the name of God uselessly. As we have heard in the hypocrite only vain words, so Jacob makes his speech short and is full of godliness and the best fruits. That is why he does everything well recently, because he has punished Laban severely enough before. But because he persists in his security, hope and godlessness, he lets him go, for the hypocrite speaks nothing but vain blasphemies against God and abusive words against the pious and holy man Jacob.
V.54. 55. And Jacob sware unto him by the fear of Isaac his father. And Jacob sacrificed in the mountain, and invited his brethren to eat. And when they had eaten, they tarried in the mount overnight. And Laban rose early in the morning, and kissed his children and his daughters, and blessed them; and he departed, and returned unto his place.
270 Jacob does not swear by the "God of Nahor" or Tarah, but swears by a closer God, that is, by the God whom his father Isaac fears and serves, namely, by Christ, according to the commands and promises of God. For the hypocrites also serve GOD; but with commandments and statutes of men, as the prophet Isaiah in 29 Cap. V. 13. and Christ Matth. 15, 8. say: "This people draws near to me with their mouth, but their heart is far from me." No one approaches God more with his mouth, no one uses the name of God more and more often than the hypocrites do.
But God says their worship is idolatrous and false. I hear my name well, he says; I am called by them a creator of heaven and earth; but all against the other commandment. For they call me not so from the heart; yea, that is more, they pervert the service of God with the commandments of men. They challenge me to be right, and want to be right with God, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah in chapter 58, v. 2. V. 2. But I will not have them serve me with such service and doctrine as men have chosen: but in the fear of me I will be served, that is, that thou mayest receive my word with faith, as it is written in the last chapter of Isaiah, v. 2: "I look upon the wretched, and the broken in spirit, and fear my word"; such people shall serve me. Item Isaiah on 8. cap. V. 13: "Sanctify the LORD of hosts. Let him be your fear and dread, and he shall be sanctification."
If Christ is to be our fear, that is, if we are to serve Him, we must have the word and promise of God. And such fear or terror is the right service of God, which brings about and works in us to despise all other terror and fear, as Isaiah Cap. 8, 12. 13. says: "Do not be afraid, but sanctify the LORD of hosts," who will protect you; remember that the only one to be feared, honored and served is the one who speaks to you; if you do this, I, the LORD, am your fear, for you have a sure and strong word.
722 L.VM, 112-H4, Interpretation of Genesis 31, 54. 55. cap. 32, 1. 2. W. n, ivss-ioso. 723
you keep to it, you will not err in worship.
This is how Isaiah understood this text, since he calls God our terror or fear because of the service rendered to God according to His commandments and promises, not with the mouth alone, as the hypocrites fear God and serve Him without word with the commandments of men.
In such faith and confession Jacob sacrifices, which the hypocrite does not do; for he makes himself believe that he is more pious and holy, than that he should need the sacrifice or the invocation; for he still wants to have done right with his sins. But Jacob gives thanks to God, sacrifices and prepares a meal that was required for the sacrifice: he calls his friends to come together, and there he will no doubt have preached a sermon. Laban does not pay attention to the sacrifice, although he may have also eaten; but Jacob praises GOd and the
The fear of his father, that is, Christ, that he got rid of this boy. Now that the meal is over, Laban leaves. Now we are also rid of the loose drip.
Before he leaves, the hypocrite still kisses his children and daughters, not out of paternal affection or heart, but only outwardly as if he were so affable and friendly, as is proper according to the way and custom of all peoples. For he lets them go without any gifts. He blesses them with words, but in his heart he carries such envy and bitter enmity that he does not grant them even what they had obtained through God's blessing without his gifts. Now these are two opposite images, namely, of a very abominable hypocrite who sins without ceasing, and is an example of all sin, idolatry, hypocrisy, avarice and final impenitence; then of a very pious and holy man who had to fight with such a monster.
The Thirty-Second Chapter.
First part.
How Jacob goes back to his land, and sends messengers to his brother Esau, greeting him.
I.
V. 1. 2. But 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.
After Laban has gone, and the holy patriarch Jacob has been delivered from the heavy and tedious toil and service of his father-in-law, he becomes glad that he has finally, since the tribulation has come to an end, again received peace and comfort, and now always goes his way, so that he may again come to his most beloved father Isaac, who had long since become feeble through old age.
- Moses says that when he went there, the angels of God met him, and when he saw them, he knew with great joy that they were the armies and hosts of God, and he called the same place machanaim, for he said, "This host is God's host," although in German we cannot render the Hebrew word with the singular, for it is a word that is used only in the plural, or rather in the dual, which also occurs frequently in Greek. Machanaim means two armies, and are such words to make the patriarch understand that he is joyful and triumphant, yes, that he is now comforted and without worry, because God has given him peace. As if he wanted to say: Now the angels appear to me, the sky smiles at me, the storm and the winter are over, now a very beautiful bright light shines.
724 mi, 114-116. interpretation of Genesis 32:1. 2. w. n, ic>6o-io<>2. 725
(3) In addition to this quiet joy, because he is free of all toil and trouble, the angels and hosts of God meet him. Moses also indicated earlier that the angels often appeared to the patriarchs; as he said above about Abraham Gen. 18, 1, about Hagar Cap. 16, 7, about the leader of Jacob Cap. 28, 12. ff., when the angels ascended and descended; item, Cap. 31, 3, when Jacob was admonished by the angel that he should return to his homeland. Therefore they often saw angels, and the pious and holy fathers especially needed to see them. But Jacob does not see one angel here, but whole hosts of angels; as the evangelist Lucas says in 2 Cap. v. 13, when he describes the birth of Christ: "And immediately there was with the angel the multitude of the heavenly host."
4 So the angels are called hosts, item, warriors, guards, leaders and rulers among the creatures of God. For this is their office on earth. Above, their office is to sing Gloria in excelsis: "Glory to God in the highest" 2c.; on earth, their office towards us and the creatures is to watch, rule and fight not only for the godly, but also for the ungodly. As can be seen in the prophet Daniel, where the angel says that he came to fight against the prince in Persia, Dan. 10, 13. Now a good angel does not fight against another good angel; therefore the prince in Persia was an evil angel, and belonged to the number of angels, of which Christ Joh. 12, 31. says: "The prince of this world will be cast out." Satan, who is a god of this world, has great hosts of devils, and also among the evil angels is a kind of monarchy.
(5) For this is evident from itself, and the Scriptures also clearly show it, since we see that everything in the world is horribly mixed together, confused and disorderly mixed; moreover, it is everywhere running against each other with many terrible sins and disgraces. This is because evil angels rule everywhere, in the courts of the Pope, the Emperor, the
Kings and princes, yes, even in the houses of the common subjects. These are and are also called the works of the devil, which we see and experience; but the world does not see that death and other innumerable sins and disgraces occur through the devil's power and incitement. They all see the work, but they do not see the cause from which it comes.
(6) Therefore it is certain that the princes of the good angels fight against the princes of the evil angels. For this is brought about by experience, just as the pagans have to some extent retained a shadow of this knowledge, since they have claimed that lares are household gods or good and evil spirits. God is a creator and governor of all things, who also administers the dominions of the godless, as the Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians, through the angels; as Daniel thus testifies, and one sees just such a thing in our "courts and regiments". This is why even the best things in the courts of princes are often hindered, confused and distorted in various ways, and yet finally gain a happy outcome through the guidance and counsel of the good angels. And this is the wonderful counsel of our Lord God, of which one should not dispute why he governs the world in this or that way.
(7) Now this is great and marvelous wisdom, that Jacob can know and call the angels that met him God's armies, or our Lord's people of war. Does God have armies and warriors here on earth? Jacob truly calls all angels so. And this understanding he did not have from Laban, his father-in-law, who was a godless idolater and had not taught such high and heavenly things; but such knowledge has always come from the fathers from one to another. For Abraham saw Noah more than fifty years, and Shem lived after Abraham; and Isaac and Jacob saw and heard him, who was a very great teacher, a prophet and priest of the Most High, who took this teaching from Enos, who was Adam's grandson.
- these are the teachers and listeners ge-
726 L. IHI, IIS-IIS. Interpretation of Genesis 32, I. 2. W. n, lOW-ioss. 727
The people who sneeze are those who have preserved this teaching and spread it to their descendants, and at the same time experience and tribulation have come along with it. But he who has such guides and teachers will easily learn much. And Jacob not only learned it from his fathers, but experience also taught him: he saw the angels ascending and descending; item, in Mesopotamia with his father-in-law he saw and heard an angel in a dream, and in this place he now sees the armies and hosts of the angels. Therefore, both the deed or the work in itself and the words, or the knowledge and the work and the experience come together.
(9) Otherwise, this doctrine and wisdom is somewhat higher than can be grasped or understood by human reason. For reason knows nothing of the fact that the angels take care of the rulers and regiments, of the household, of men and cattle, and finally also of all creatures. For this is how the epistle to the Hebrews describes them in 1 Cap. V. 14: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for the sake of those who are to inherit blessedness?" They are not gods or goddesses, but are servants who rule the whole world, and the same for the sake of those who shall inherit eternal blessedness. For all that happens in this life happens for the sake of godly men and those who shall be saved. For their sake the sun shines, the sovereignties and regimes are preserved and maintained, the land becomes fertile, and for their sake marriages and weddings are arranged. In short, all that is in heaven and on earth has been decreed and directed to the end that the righteous may be gathered together and the number of those who are to be saved may be fulfilled. Now this is a true heavenly doctrine, and human reason and wisdom teach nothing of it, namely, that in this life, through the ministry of the holy angels, the sovereignties, in addition to the world and household government, and finally all that this world has, will be governed.
(10) Now a question arises: If this is true and certain, how can it be true and certain?
it is actually true, then it follows that the opinion of Erasmus and all Epicureans must be most wrong. For they are moved by the fact that all things are so very unequal and confused in this life, and that they see that evil men have more luck than the pious and godly, that they fall away and deny this protection and service of the angels, yes, the providence of God Himself. And the common experience and also the lamentation of the saints also testify to this: The more mischievous one is, the better luck he has. Thus also Cicero says: Optime cogitata pessime cadunt: What one has thought about and deliberated the best, turns out the worst. Thus one finds that Julius Caesar, Demosthenes and others, who were very wise, learned, virtuous and understanding men, have complained that their counsels had no happy progress and end. Yes, even their end was very sad in relation to their high merits for the state. So the godly are also oppressed, the church is persecuted and severely plagued, the godless excel, prosper, are rich and powerful. What kind of a regiment is this that the holy angels administer? Who should not see that all things are done without God's counsel and government, and are thrown about one another? indeed, that this is rather the devil's rule? As Christ calls him John 16:11, a prince of this world, and St. Paul 2 Corinthians 4:4, a god of this world. But how can the regiment of the angels exist?
(11) Answer: This is, as I said before, a wonderful and incomprehensible wisdom of God, which human reason cannot understand. However, if we open our eyes, we can see and judge that the devil is bound and imprisoned, as if he were bound in iron and chains, so that he cannot touch a hair on our head, unless God wants it and charges it to him. But if any misfortune befalls us, we should by no means interpret it as if it should come from the fact that the angels should not be diligent enough in their office.
728 ü. vm, 118-iM. Interpretation of Genesis 32, 1. 2. w. n, loes-iose. 729
but we should rather put it to the test, so that in this life every godly person and the whole church may be afflicted. For the devil does not have such great power as outwardly appears. For if he had perfect power to rage and to rage as he pleased, you would not live one hour, you would not keep one piece of cattle, not the fruit of the field, not the grain in the barn, and finally none of the things that serve this life unharmed and undecayed.
(12) Now consider in your heart the whole order of nature and of all this life, and consider all kinds of men, cattle, birds, and fish; and you will find that there is more good than evil; you will also see that the least part is subject to the power of the devil. For he must leave the fish in the water, the birds in the air, the men and the cattle in villages and cities, which he would not do if they were without the protection of the holy angels. Yes," you say, "he sometimes makes a great noise: he sets one kingdom against another, one prince against another; he confounds the countries, the cities, and the whole families. Answer: It is true that he makes such a noise and likes to confuse wherever he can, but he still cannot accomplish what he most desires, namely, to turn everything upside down and to throw everything into a heap. So strong are the ramparts, fortresses and fences that the holy angels have made around us and around all things.
(13) Now if one should hold the evil against the good that is done in this life, there will be much more of the good than of the evil, except what belongs to the contestation, or to the punishment and chastisement of sinners, where sins get the upper hand, and the kingdoms, countries, cities, and princes are given to be punished and laid waste; as God destroyed Sodom and the surrounding cities: then the ramparts and camps of the angels cease. For the rest he judges in the
He drives people to adultery, to theft, to death, and that they swear falsely; however, he does not seduce or corrupt them all. For he is compelled that he cannot kill even among the wicked men whom he would gladly kill. For if he had everything in his hand and power, he would also kill the wicked, even though he first holds them captive in his ropes. Therefore, God also tolerates wicked people and sinners to prove His immeasurable goodness and patience with them; but until the time appointed for punishment. Now, when their sins are fulfilled, He withdraws His hand.
(14) In this way, one may answer the question: If the angels are God's hosts and ministering spirits, why is there still so much evil that displeases God? The wicked are well off, they are given life, honor and glory, they have great money and goods; all this is truly given to the most wicked people by the good angels. But I answer thus: That one should not dispute about the divine counsel, namely, why he also gives something good to the wicked, and scatters his gifts among the good as well as among the wicked, among the grateful and the ungrateful; as Christ speaks Matth. 5:45. For this happens because he thereby shows that he not only has human goodness in himself, which has its goal and measure, but rather that his goodness is immeasurable, infinite and incomprehensible.
(15) Therefore, we should leave him his rule and praise his very great grace and mercy, since it is obvious that more good than evil is done even to evil people, and those who blaspheme God also have their physical goods. For if God did not rule the world through the angels even on one day, the whole human race would soon perish in one fell swoop, the devil would carry away and drive away everything, he would destroy everything with plague, pestilence, war and fire. And not only the wicked but also the pious would have to bear such damage.
730 L. VIII, 120-122. interpretation of I Genesis 32, I. 2. w. n, 1068-1071. 731
But that we can be free and safe from such great danger, we should certainly take it for granted that this will happen through the protection of the heavenly hosts.
(16) The angels sometimes allow evil to happen, but this is so that we may be tried and our faith may be tested and exercised, so that we may learn to recognize God in His marvelous counsel and works, and so that we may thank Him for His marvelous government. As this example of the patriarch Jacob teaches us; for he always goes away, is joyful and confident, because the sun has risen for him and the heavenly hosts have met him. But soon after that the sun will set again. Now he reigns and triumphs, is full of faith and spiritual joy; but soon he will be thrown into the greatest sorrow, misery and consternation.
God guides and governs both the godly and the godless in the same way. If it now appears that everything is about to fall in a heap, you should not abandon all hope and trust; but you should always wait, endure and await the matter. God is still alive, the angels still rule and protect. And even though it may be seen that they have forgotten their office and the guard they were commanded to keep over us, in truth they do not cease to do so, but it is a temptation and a test, so that God may exercise not only the godly but also the godless, even though the godless do not understand it. How it happens when suddenly great thunderstorms of winds and torrential rains come, and the violent thunderclaps threaten the heavens and the earth that everything will be burned up, or that the whole earth will fall and perish: but when the thunderstorm is quieted, the land turns green, indicating that the storm, however terrible it may have been, was very useful for fertility.
18 This is the doctrine which is held out to us in this place, namely, that the angels are ministering spirits and servants of creatures, who fight for the welfare and salvation of the world and of the godly.
human beings. And the same is their office on earth. But up in heaven their office is to sing: Gloria in excelsis Deo: "Glory to God in the highest", and: Te Deum laudamus etc.: "Lord God, we praise you"; item, as Christ says Matth. 18, 10: "The angels in heaven always see the face of my Father" 2c. And they do the same for the glory of God, for their own joy and that of all believers.
- but the wonderful government of this life they understand very well, namely, how the happiness of the ungodly rhymes with the unhappiness of the godly; which we cannot see or understand in this life, while we still have the flesh on our necks; but at the end of the world and after this life we shall see the most beautiful unanimity and how this government harmonizes so finely.
(20) As a coarse rustic man does not understand the wonderful harmony of so many voices on the organ or harp, because he does not know anything about the whole harmony, so we also think that everything happens by chance. We let ourselves think that God is asleep and the devil is awake and reigning. And at the same time there is the judgment of reason, which concludes that neither God nor men rule the world, but that everything that happens to us men here on earth happens by chance. This is the wisdom of the flesh; not the heavenly and incomparable knowledge of the government of God, which indicates that there are many more things in the world that are preserved than are corrupted; likewise, that the goodness of God is greater than the wickedness of the devil can be. But reason and the flesh doubt and waver, even in the saints, when it sees such great disorder and inequality of fortune. This is because we are not yet in the same light that the angels rejoice in and see how sin and righteousness, death and life, darkness and light agree with each other.
21 Let us therefore learn that the government of angels is certain, and that the immeasurable goodness and mercy of God far surpasses the wickedness of the devil; and
732 L. VM. I2S-12L. Interpretation of I Genesis 32:1, 2nd W. n, 1071-1073. 733
that God will miraculously preserve all these things on earth against all fierce anger, rage and attacks of the devil. For thus we see that it happens with all things in this life. Sometimes a householder loses a sheep, a chicken, or money, but he still keeps the house and his fields, and the largest and best part of his possessions.
- So it is a great ornament and honor to this city that the high school is here, and so many fine learned people who deal with heavenly doctrine and good arts; but among them are some boys who do not realize that in this assembly, as where the muses have their dwelling, indeed, as where the right temple of God and the holy angels is, they should live soberly and demurely; but always make noise and tumult, as if they dwelt among the rude and tyrannical people who have been called Cyclopes or Centaurs, and defile this glorious assembly with evil manners and much vexation. But how this inequality rhymes, God and the holy angels see well. Perhaps, since the time of punishment has not yet arrived and the school is to be destroyed, it is a temptation that will soon cease, and God will then give other fruits and blessings to those who live godly and chaste lives and are obedient to their teachers.
So far we have said about the holy angels, how they protect and guard us. Such knowledge, and that one may rely on it, is especially useful and necessary for the godly. As Jacob looked upon these heavenly hosts with great joy, and is now joyful and triumphant, because he has now overcome all toil and all devils under his unjust father-in-law Laban. He is, I say, joyful and without sorrow in the Lord, and has the holy angels who are his fellow companions and witnesses of this joy.
(24) But it must be diligently observed that in the life of the saints it is usual that it always changes with them. For sometimes they are so that they are cheerful and confident, but sometimes it is with
They have sorrow and trouble. As such change is also found in the whole of nature in all things, as the change of day and night; item, of light and darkness, of mountains and valleys, as it is written in the 104th Psalm v. 8: "The mountains go up, and the broad places come down to the place which thou hast founded for them. At times we hear something that rejoices us, if not in the world, it is in heaven through God's word: at times also the temptation and sadness of spirit comes again. To such change the godly must become accustomed; for a wonderful change will soon follow.
(25) I understand the word machanaim to mean, not a common word, but the proper name of a place or place in the Scriptures. And this name is to be remembered, because David in the 34th Psalm, v. 8, took the saying from it, where he says, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and helps them out," which is one of the noblest and most notable consolations in the Psalms, which we are to draw upon ourselves, that we may use it.
026 Yea, saith thou, I see not that I have the ministry of angels about me; and that is more, I perceive the contrary, and am made to think that I am given into the devil's power, and am led, as it were, into hell. Answer: You should certainly not think that. For if thou wert delivered into the hands of the devil, he would not let thee live an hour, but would plunge thee into all shame and vice; yea, he would not leave thee so much time and space as to lead thee into vice and sin, but would soon kill thee. But that thou art still alive, thou shalt ascribe to the protection and shield of the holy angels. Or, if you have to depart from this life and succumb to the fierce wrath of Satan, if God so decrees, it is a great grace and blessing that you have such a God who comforts and strengthens you through his word.
27That thou therefore art delivered into the hands and power of Satan, as thou hast imagined before thine eyes and in thine heart.
734 L. VIII, 124-126. interpretation of Genesis 32, 1-5. W. n. 1V7L-IV76. 735
This is a temptation that lasts only for an hour and a moment, not to destruction or perdition, but to testing, to blessedness, to immeasurable blessing. As Christ says John 12:24: "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." For so Christ also was given into the hands of the murderers; but only for one hour, and for salvation. Therefore, if you feel that you are plagued and challenged by the devil, pray diligently and thank God that you are not ruined, but only tempted and tried; as it says in the 3rd chapter of Jeremiah's Lamentations, v. 22: "The goodness of the Lord is that we are not finished; his mercy has no end" 2c. Item St. Paul says 2 Cor. 4, 9: "We suffer persecution, but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed, but we do not perish" 2c.
28 The same is taught by the example of Job, whom the devil first takes away all his possessions with his children, and leaves him with a troublesome, vexatious, abusive wife; moreover, the devil also plagues him in his body with very evil sores. And yet the devil says to God: "Have you kept him and his house and all that he has all around?" 2c., Job 1:10. Then the devil complains that the godly and the godless are kept all around, and threatens him harshly with secret anger that he wants to destroy his body and his goods. As if to say, "If Job were in my power, I would prove my authority over him, and how he should praise you, I would soon bring it about that he should curse you openly under his eyes. But the LORD decrees that he may afflict him in the flesh and take his goods, but he may not take his life.
(29) Such examples teach that all the wickedness and plague that the devil inflicts on us is only a chastisement and punishment, by which we are awakened and made lively, so that we do not snore and become lazy, and thus, among others who are safe and lazy, are also oppressed and corrupted. But at the same time it is also confirmed and
This teaching that the angels are God's hosts remains firm and certain, regardless of the fact that much evil still happens in this life because of the evil angels.
II.
V.3-5. And Jacob sent messengers before him unto Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir, in the region of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus say ye unto my lord Esau, Thy servant Jacob saith unto thee, I have been with Laban a long time without, and have oxen, and asses, and sheep, and menservants, and maidservants: and I have sent to declare unto thee, my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
(30) Malach is the same word that he called the angels above. For it is a name of office, and not of nature. For according to the office they are messengers, they are warrior servants, who stand at post and shield guard for the whole world; but according to their nature they are spirits.
(31) But Jacob is still joyful, and always goes forth with gladness, not fearing, nor being afraid; for he goes forth from Mesopotamia by the command of God, who strengthened him in a dream by the angel, and who punished Laban and stopped him. Moreover, he has seen the hosts of God. Therefore, he wanted to deal with his brother Esau amicably and in a friendly manner, and it is well believed that he had an earnest and heartfelt desire to see his brother; for he thinks that he will now have become his friend again in these twenty years. Therefore he sends messengers before him and sends him greetings, so that he may hear from them that he wants to love him as his brother and hold him in honor. Then he will send him gifts when he hears that Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred men. This will be somewhat heavy, and Jacob would not have been able to provide for it.
(32) The loose talk of the Jews, which Lyra seems to follow in this place, is a useless thing; for they say that Jacob was afraid because he had dwelt too long with Laban the idolater, and had been somewhat defiled by him; item, that Jacob should have thought that the promises of the Lord had been made to him.
736 L. vm, I2S-I28. Interpretation of Genesis 32:3-5. W. n, IV76-IV79. 737
The fathers were not to have such a condition that they demanded a guilty obedience to God. But one should not think of the fathers in this way. Although the difference is right, that there are two kinds of promises, namely, some that are called conditional, that have a special condition, and some that are simply without condition, as, the promise of the law has a condition, but the promise of grace is simply without condition. When a wage is promised to a worker, there is such a condition that requires work and duty, as the contract entails; where the work and duty owed do not follow, the wage is not spent and paid.
(33) But such promises we ought to forsake, if we are to deal with God in conscience; for we shall soon be put to shame, since we shall not for a moment do our duty. Therefore the gloss of Lyra is false and very wrong, which he took from the Jews, who lie that Jacob could not have believed that the promise of grace was simple and without condition, and that his conscience was terrified because he had defiled himself with the idolatry of his father-in-law. But this is not properly said of the holy patriarch Jacob; for he will undoubtedly have fled from idolatry, and will have abhorred it as much as was ever possible.
(34) And the saints, though they are not without the flesh, constrain the lusts of the flesh, that they should not go forth and do the work; as St. Paul saith, Gal 5:24, "They that are Christ's crucify their flesh with the lusts and desires;" for they are killed by the Spirit that ruleth over them. There is indeed lust and desire of the flesh, which does not cease to murmur; but it does not go out into the work. The saints do not strive according to the flesh.
35 This is a promise of grace, when God says: "You have done nothing, you deserve nothing; but I will do this to you and give it to you only out of grace and mercy. Such promises are without
all merit. And the promises of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were like them, as they were told above, Cap. 27. v. 28. ff. were told: Your mother's children will bow down to you; item: I have strengthened you with wine and oil. There is no condition to this: If thou shalt do this, thou shalt be blessed; but: Thou hast this promise and blessing freely. Moses is full of such promises, as in the law there are promises that have a special condition; but the patriarchs have simple promises that are without merit. Therefore Jacob is confident and joyful because of this promise; he rejoices because of the very great rich comfort and because he has the strongest protection from the holy angels. Just as David was of the same mind when he says in Psalm 30, v. 7: "But I said when I was well: I will never again lie down." God laughs, the angels leap, rejoice and are glad, the spirit rejoices in the Lord. Therefore Jacob is not afraid, but believes that in so long a time his brother's anger has been somewhat quenched, especially since in the meantime nothing of his power and wealth had been lost to him and he had remained at home in his fatherland, but Jacob had a miserable ministry outside the country in misery and was waiting out the same, and in addition was still wandering astray and had no certain dwelling place. For Esau had all his father's goods and all his father's land. Therefore Jacob is not troubled, and is sure that his brother will be reconciled to him. Therefore he sends him a kind and friendly greeting by messengers; he is not afraid and has no evil suspicion of him.
The form and manner of the greeting is according to the manner and custom of the Hebrew language, since one calls himself another's servant, who is higher or greater than he, thereby indicating his reverence; just as the Italians greet very politely. In Jacob's greeting, however, these are not words of one who is afraid, but words of reverence and friendliness.
37And though Esau remembered that the blessing was taken away from him, yet at the same time it must have occurred to him that he had
738 L viii, 128-iso. Interpretation of Genesis 33, 3-8. W. n, lors-iost. 739
thought: What is it then that he hath taken? I use all the goods and all that is in my father's house; but he is a stranger and in misery; he has had to serve a godless and idolatrous man for two wives; I am a gentleman in this land, I have neighbors, relatives and other friends who are very powerful. Jacob is a poor and miserable man; he may have the blessing, but it does not give him anything else, nor does it benefit him, except that he must suffer poverty in misery and administer a heavy and despised service; I am rich and powerful, I lack nothing.
(38) So the flesh rejoices when its neighbor suffers harm and misery. Well then, what has my brother taken from me? God has indeed gloriously repaid me when he has taken something from me. Yes, it seems as if the order has been reversed, so that my brother is not respected and divine grace has been withdrawn from him; but God asks much of me, makes me greater and more glorious, and increases my goods for me. And the same thing may have occurred to Jacob, that he also thought of it, when he knew very well how proud, ambitious and sure his brother was; and therefore he also sends him his greetings with such reverence and quite humbly.
Second part.
What message the messengers brought to Jacob, and how Jacob behaved.
V. 6, 7, 8: 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.
- so far Moses has told how the patriarch Jacob, when he came out of Mesopotamia again, was very happy and joyful, and
that he had been delivered from the severe affliction he had had with Laban, since at the same time the armies of God had met him to increase his happiness, and that he might be without worry and have a certain confidence that God would protect him. But now, before the beautiful clear sun, a dark cloud and thunderstorm comes, and Jacob falls, as it were, from heaven back into hell.
40 But Moses makes it almost long, and needs many words, because he describes this temptation. For it is a strange example, of which many are held up to us in the Holy Scriptures, namely, how God used to tempt His saints and test their faith with various trials and consolations. As it is written in the 94th Psalm v. 19: "I had many sorrows in my heart" 2c. So this life on earth is full of sorrow and affliction, and therefore the life to come is promised, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope, Rom. 15:4. Underneath these two things are mixed together, namely, patience or comfort and affliction. For when there is comfort, there is happiness and joy everywhere. But again, when darkness and tribulation fall in, the devil reigns and Christ is crucified.
(41) Therefore we are instructed by such examples that we should not fail, but provide ourselves with the very best, and wait for certain and abundant salvation, hoping that the calamity will surely come to an end, although in the calamity and tribulation itself one sees no end, nor that God should be present there; but the presence of God is hidden from the flesh, so that it cannot understand it.
Therefore, one must learn the word and practice it, and we should know that this change in the life of the saints and all believers who want to please God always lasts forever. As St. Paul 2 Tim. 3, 12. says: "All who want to live godly in Christ JEsu must suffer persecution." And in the Acts of the Apostles on 14 Cap. V. 22. "We must go through much tribulation into the kingdom of GOD." "But GOD is faithful, who will not let us perish.
740 D. vm, I30-1S2. Interpretation of Genesis 32:6-8. W. II, last-1087. 741
We seek beyond our ability," 1 Cor. 10:13, even though reason shows the opposite, and we think that all trials are too much, great and unpleasant. As St. Paul says of himself in 2 Cor. 1:8, 9: "We were weighed down with greatness and with power, so that we also departed from life, having decided that we must die. But you must not fear that God should weigh you down beyond measure; for the saying stands firm, "God is faithful," 2c., 1 Cor. 10, 13.
This is often repeated in these histories, therefore it must be repeated often, and it is a true seriousness and a high thing: they are not vain words, but they deal here with death or eternal life. And there is no one who has so completely exhausted this wisdom that he needs no more exercises or teaching. For one must always learn, and grow and increase in doctrine; and this wisdom must actually be learned from God's Word, it cannot be comprehended with the eyes or carnal mind.
(44) Now that we have seen the great triumph and glory of Jacob, together with the host of God and the heavenly hosts, let us also go with him to hell and see his sorrow and terror. The messengers come again and tell Jacob what they have seen. We bring, they say, sad news: "Your brother is coming to meet you with four hundred men."
(45) Jacob was greatly frightened, even though there was no danger, as we will hear later how he escaped from this fear and distress. It is true that the danger would have been great if God had decreed that the four hundred men would have attacked Jacob by force with his host and companions who were around him; and this alone was before Jacob's eyes at that moment, and was in his heart, that the armed men might harm him, and that they might come along to slay him with his wife and children. But God thinks of many other things, and will bring Jacob to a different end, which he did not see before.
The flesh cannot help but tremble and be terrified. For Jacob was well aware that there was ill will between him and his brother; therefore he did not doubt that his doom would surely come. For he will have thought: What does it mean that my brother goes with so many armed men? Why does he not greet me with a word or welcome me with the messengers? So he interprets it in the worst way, as the flesh is always wont to do, which soon abandons all hope, and is frightened and cannot be otherwise minded. For St. Paul says of himself Rom. 7, 23: "I see another law in my members, which contradicts the law in my mind. The law in the mind says: Hope and trust, do not doubt, do not fear, God lives and rules, the angels watch over you. But I hear another law in my members, which says: "All is lost, the matter is spoiled, it is over with you. This is the law in the members; the flesh is faithless and always despairs, and cannot promise itself or believe that it will be saved. The same thing happened to the patriarch Jacob: he trembled and was terrified when he heard that his brother was coming with such a great multitude of people and would fight against him and against his poor, miserable, defenseless little band of wives, shepherds and little children, and that he should not only fight but also kill and strangle them; as he then said, "Lest he come and strike me, the mothers and the children.
- But how does it rhyme that such a holy patriarch should thus tremble, that he should fall from such great triumph and gladness, after which he had so highly rejoiced, into such deep despair? Is this right, that one should thus waver and doubt? Yes, had we been there, we might have done worse. These are examples that teach us and instruct us; like Peter, when the Lord called him to come to him on the water, Matth. 14,
- ff, he soon hurries to Christ, triumphs and is very bold as a lord of the sea and the waves, yes, the Lord.
742 D- vm. 132-134. interpretation of I Genesis 32:6-8. W. n, 1087-108p. 743
and the whole world; but soon, having seen a strong wind, he begins to doubt. Therefore Christ also rebuked him, saying, "O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?" I have called thee to come unto me, and thou comest; but because thou perceivest that the wind is contrary to the word and to experience, thy faith wavereth and sinketh.
(48) In the same way, when a man is without temptation, he makes himself believe that he is fine, healthy and strong enough; he may despise the devil and trample him underfoot, and may also strengthen other men; as it is written in Psalm 30:7, "But I said, when I was well: I will never again lie down," I will not give a single stone for all devils and for death. But when a storm and a strong wind come along, or when some unusual ghost appears, we cry out: Alas, it is all over, death wants to devour me! and, as follows in Psalm 30, v. 8: "When thou didst disguise thy face, I was afraid."
(49) It was the same with Moses at the Red Sea. The children of Israel had gone out with great joy. Egypt was humiliated and punished; they had taken the plunder and carried it away; they all cried out, "The LORD our God is with us," 2c. It is a delightful thing. But when they see Pharaoh pursuing them with army force, and that they were surrounded on both sides by mountains, they say, "Were there not tombs in Egypt?" Ex. 14, 11. After such great triumph and rejoicing comes the terror of death and hell. Yes, look at Moses himself, to whom the Lord says in Ex 14:15, "Why are you crying out to me?" His heart also wanted to fall and burst into a thousand pieces, because he had led the people of Israel out of Egypt, and since they have hardly come out, he sees that they must be sacrificed horribly on the flesh bench. Then he thought: Now I am a cause that so many people must be slain. What have I done now? I have angered the Egyptian king and set him on the people. That is why he cries out so violently and his heart is terrified. But God answers his cry,
and says, "Why are you crying out to me?" I want to restrain the tyrant and force him. Yes, but we see the sea before us, on both sides we are surrounded by mountains, how can we escape? Lift up thy rod," says the Lord, Exodus 14:16, "and stretch forth thine hand over the sea, and divide it from one another, that the children of Israel may go in through the midst of it upon dry land." Yes, our Lord God can do that.
50 And this is to teach and strengthen the church and congregation of God in all distress and adversity. For this is why it is held up to us that we should believe and trust God when it appears that everything is impossible and lost, and that neither counsel nor help is available. As it is written in the 107th Psalm, v. 27: "They knew no more counsel. Then you should learn to conclude: Although everything happens with great weakness, and it now seems as if everything is lost, yet nothing is impossible to God. For thus the angel says to the Virgin Mary Luc. 1, 37: "With God no thing is impossible." For He once created all things from nothing: He still has power and authority, and in the same way He still sustains and governs all things. For what is nothing with us is everything with God; what is impossible for us is very easy for Him. He will also raise the dead on the last day with just such power, who have lain in the dust of the earth from the beginning of the world.
51 Let this be said of the terror of Jacob in the very great distress and danger; which terror is a sign that even in the saints the flesh is still strong and alive. Because of this cause, this very holy man almost fell into despair after such great promises and strong consolation.
52 Now behold also the condition of all the servants, and of the church, or congregation, which Jacob had in his house. For when they see that the head and the father of the house himself is wavering and trembling, what should they not do? The bishop, the teacher and comforter of the church and congregation, staggers and fears: what hope then shall they have who believe in such their teacher and comforter?
744 D VW. 1S4-1SS. Interpretation of Genesis 32:6-8. w. n. 1089-1092. 745
How can they hang on the head of the man? Because of this, there will have been miserable mourning among Jacob's wives and his shepherds or relatives. For he had a great multitude of people with him on this journey: for the sake of the great herd to drive them, he had to have a hundred or two hundred shepherds; they also became frightened and impatient, and will perhaps have said: What is it that He has brought us out of Mesopotamia? If God wanted us to be with Laban, we would live safely and securely, we would not have to be afraid of these armed men. Such lamentations tend to afflict and torment a frightened and sorrowful heart more than hardship and danger per se. Although Jacob was not afraid on account of himself, his heart was softened and made despondent by the crying, weeping and wailing of the women, and the terror of the flesh was always increased, as will be seen hereafter.
53 And this is what Moses says, that Jacob was not only very afraid, but that he was also frightened, because he describes a very weak faith. The Hebrew word zar in Latin is angustia, fear, and Moses wants to say: He was afraid, his heart knew no counsel, and no way or way could be seen how he might have escaped, or how he might have been helped; which the Scriptures elsewhere in Latin use to call latitudo, as, in the 4th Psalm v. 2: In tribulatione dilatasti mihi: "Thou comfortest me in fear." For the Scripture sets the two words against each other, latitudo and angustia, that is, the terror of the heart and the consolation. Just as Jacob, when he was in the greatest fear, was terrified, so that he knew no more counsel, as the 107th Psalm v. 27. says. Therefore this is a very pitiful story, because this victor and conqueror is portrayed as having fallen into hell, as it were, and as forgetting so many glorious promises and consolations that had gone before.
54 But this is held against us because we do not put our trust in ourselves.
For Paul had also experienced many dangers and hardships and had been saved from them in many ways; but sometimes he shows that he has such a strong courage and is not afraid of anything that it can be seen with him that he can also despise all danger and fear without all fear; as he says 2 Cor. 6, 11. 12: "O Corinthians, our mouth has opened to you; our heart is confident. For our sake you must not be afraid. But that ye fear, ye do so out of a hearty mind." 2c. His heart is full of joy, and he wants them all to rejoice and be glad with him. Everything that is in heaven and on earth laughs at him. Again he says in 2 Cor. 1:8, 9: "We were weighed down above measure, and above might, so that we also departed from life;" item: "We had resolved among ourselves that we should die. But this happened," he says, "because we put our trust not in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead." What is this, dear Paul? Why are you not joyful and confident? Why don't you make the others cheerful too? Should Paul, such a great apostle, be so humiliated that he would rather die than live? He who was full of the Holy Spirit is now considered to be without the Spirit.
(55) Yes, we have presented the first and foremost image of the same struggle in Christ, who sweated blood in the garden. And the life of all saints is such that the examples are held up to us, so that we may be taught and learn from them that we should not place our trust in ourselves, but in God. For this is the art of the godly, that they distrust themselves and trust in God, and in such a one. GOD who raises the dead, and "calls to that which is not, that it may be," Rom. 4:17. For these are GOD's works. Now if you want to be godly and recognize and honor God as your Father, remember that you will have to contend with the devils, with the world, with the flesh, with sin and the law. And among all these, the world is the least of enemies; even so
746 D. vm. IL6-1L8. Interpretation of I Moses 32:6-8. W. n. 10S2-10S5. 747
The persecution of the world is always accompanied by the fierce anger and rage of the devil, who helps the world and terrifies the godly. For we do not suffer the slightest persecution, unless the devil is also with us.
(56) Therefore we must remember that this is our main concern and that we must learn to trust in God in all distress and temptation, whose own work it is to raise the dead, to comfort and satisfy those who are greatly distressed, to turn the most miserable people into the most blessed, and to turn those who are in despair into joyful people. Therefore Moses does not use so many words in vain and does not describe this challenge so precisely for nothing. For he wants us to engrave this example diligently in our hearts.
(57) But what does Jacob do when his faith is thus challenged and weak, when the flesh rules in his law, doubting, desponding, and blaspheming? Answer: First, he does what is in him, as the papists commonly speak, but in a different sense. For they do not understand this way of speaking properly, nor do they know how to use it properly. For we have said above that although we have the promise and commandments of God, nevertheless one should not tempt God, that is, one should not neglect or despise the means, but one should use those that one can use; since God has not given reason, nor the counsel and help of reason, for the reason that you should despise them. This is what those do who are presumptuous, or who despair, when they say: I will do whatever I want, but I cannot prevent what must and must happen by necessity and by fate. These are the words of those who despair. But those who are presumptuous use such words: If I do not eat, I will live, if I am to live; God has promised me life, therefore nothing is in it, I eat or do not eat. But we should be careful, if we have a divine promise, not to tempt God by presumption, and not to
Do not sin even with despair. If you have a ladder, there is no need to throw yourself out of the window; you must not go through the middle of the Elbe because you have a bridge; but each one should do what reason teaches or instructs him, and should command the other to God, who will see to it that it comes to a good end.
(58) This is a very good example of it. For Jacob does not omit any of the things he can do. He divided the people who were with him and sent gifts to his brother; he went ahead himself and did everything he could. Another, despondent, would have said: You do not want to do anything; if it is therefore foreseen that you will be slain, then you will not be able to avoid it. Just as others draw such a conclusion from the mistake, that they say, "If I am in danger, I will not be lost; I will do whatever I want. These are devilish words, and one should beware of them. This is true: what is done before will be done; but it must be added that this is unknown to you. As thou canst not know whether thou shalt die or live tomorrow; and God hath not willed that thou shouldest know.
(59) Therefore it is a foolish thing that you should seek that which God has hidden from you by special counsel. But since you do not know how long you will live, you should use the means necessary for life. If it is decreed that you will die after the end of a month, you must not tempt God, since you are not yet sure, but you must use the means necessary to preserve this life.
(60) Therefore, the foolishness, or rather the impiety, of those who want to draw all things to the providence that contains the secret counsel and government of God, which is unknown to us, should be punished. If you were God, then you would have to suffer to be guided by it. But since God does not want you to know about it, make sure that you do not
748 L vm, 138-i4o. Interpretation of Genesis 32:6-8. W ll, ivss-E. 749
Remain in your profession, and go no further than the word instructs you, and use the means and counsel that God has ordained. I cannot see beforehand what fruit will result from my teaching, which people will be converted and which will not. Now if I were to say: Those who are to be converted will be converted without me; but if some are not to be converted, what need is there for me to labor in vain? If I were to say this, it would be an unrighteous and ungodly thing. For who are you to inquire into such a thing? Do what it behooves thee to do in thy office: but how it shall go forth and be done, that thou shalt command God. It does not behoove thee to say, If this be done, it shall be done. God has commanded in His Word through St. Paul: Go and execute your ministry to which you have been called: "Preach the word, stop, whether in season or out of season; chastise, rebuke, exhort with all patience and doctrine," 2 Tim. 4:2. This command is to be obeyed on account of necessity and useless presumption is to be abandoned.
61 This is to be taught diligently, to refute the godless and Turkish wisdom, which many today want to refute with it. For the Turks are so minded when they go to war. Where I am to die, they say, I shall die; but where I am not to die, no bullet can harm me. Therefore they attack the enemy as if they were senseless, with great danger, even if they could well beware of such danger. But God wants us to use the opportunity and means given to us to avoid danger.
(62) As Jacob does everything he can find for advice with the greatest diligence, even though he is not helped by what he thinks and does, he is not saved by it. For if God had not changed Esau's heart, Jacob's diligence would have accomplished nothing. But in such great fear and distress he tries everything he can and may. He does not stop diligently caring for his family, as he would like to protect them; he is not able, tooth and nail, to save them.
But what is at hand he does, lest he tempt God. He divides the people into two armies, likewise also the herd, as, sheep, cattle and camels. The Hebrew word machanoth means here in the feminine "heap, crowd".
(63) What kind of counsel is this that he says, "If Esau comes upon one army and smites it, the rest will escape"? This is only human advice, invented by reason and not by the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit had something else to do at that time, namely, that Esau's heart might be soothed and softened. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit also governed this, so that Jacob did not tempt God. For he thought, When my brother shall come upon the armies, he shall slay them all with the shepherds and with the whole family in the first tempest and fierce anger: therefore will I divide them into two armies, that, when he shall smite the one army, he may be satisfied with such vengeance, and spare the other army, and cease to rage and to rage.
For it may well happen that a human heart is satiated when so many of one part are slain. How often even the cruelest victors have commanded the warriors after the victory not to practice cruelty with strangling and murder. When the battle of Cannae was fought and Hannibal saw that the Romans were defeated, he commanded the warriors to stop strangling. Now this is a human thing, that Jacob concludes in his heart that the enemy, however cruel he may be, can nevertheless be satisfied when he sees that half the people have been put down and defeated. So he is careful not to tempt God, and yet he exposes half the people to defeat and robbery; but the other half he hopes to preserve.
But that he imagines such an abominable thing from the fierce anger of his brother comes from the flesh and from the devil. God lets Jacob get such a suspicion from Esau, but he himself thinks of something else. This, then, is the first and most beautiful counsel, for as much human wisdom as the devil knows.
750 L. vm, I4O-I42. Interpretation of Genesis 32:6-12. W. H, 1097-1190. 751
The first part of the book is about the relationship between Jacob and his brother and how reason judges it, so that Jacob tries to soothe his brother's anger and wrath.
The other thing is that he turns to prayer, and with it he is also careful not to tempt God. For even though his faith is weak, it shines forth there, since it is almost oppressed by fear and terror, since Jacob is afraid that he will be slain with all the people who were with him and also with the host. And this is the right work, which is especially necessary in distress and persecution. He does not presume to do anything miraculous with his sword, nor does he tempt God to make him despondent and reject all the counsel of reason; but he begins to rise up with faith and to hold himself to prayer, and yet he is still in the battle.
We have often said that faith is strongest when it is weakest. The works of God are so strange. Isaiah Cap. 60, 22. says: "From the smallest shall be a thousand, and from the least a mighty nation." Item, Paul speaks 2 Cor. 12, 9. 10.: "I will most gladly boast of my weakness; for when I am weak, then am I strong." So Jacob here is also very weak in his terror and fear, is exceedingly dismayed and fainthearted, and yet his faith has never been stronger. For the faith that contends against unbelief groans most deeply.
But this same groaning no one understands, neither Jacob nor anyone else. And this is the inexpressible groaning, of which St. Paul says Rom. 8:26: "The Spirit Himself represents us best with inexpressible groaning. It is not the voice of one who is joyful and triumphant, but is in truth such a sighing as makes a sorrowful heart think that it is only very faint and can hardly catch its breath. The prophet Isaiah calls it Cap. 42, 3. a smoldering wick and a crushed reed. But since nothing is weaker than such groaning (for it is, as it were, the last breath), it is nevertheless an inexpressible groaning.
- this is straight against each other, or, opposita in adjecto, and yet it is nevertheless true, and there is no man who could reach or express in words how powerful this groaning is. "For my power," says God's word 2 Cor. 12, 9, "is mighty in the weak." The flesh contradicts this and says that it does not understand it, and even feels and experiences the opposite. But it is nevertheless certain that when power is weak, it is perfect, and again, perfect power is all weakness. Who has ever spoken in this way? Yes, beware of that: I cannot. If the devil brings you to the point that you cannot, you have already lost. But see to it that you do not let despair come to such weakness, for it is an inexpressible groaning. This is what the Scripture says. When despair does not come, but is a groaning, it is the most perfect power in the very weakest weakness.
70 Thus says the Lord to Moses in the other book, chapter 14, v. 15. V. 15: "Why are you crying out to me? Now Moses did not cry out at all, but was dumb with fear; no sound of any voice was heard there; he was as if he were dead. But the Holy Spirit, who understands the same groaning, says that it is a great cry. How then does he cry out? Answer: Abba Father: Oh, dear God! There the despair is not yet complete, but there is still a little trust there, even a little breath, a little sighing, which is indeed very small in your eyes, but in the ears of God it is very great, and is a cry above all the crying which fills heaven and earth, that God cannot refrain from it, He must hear such crying, and answer it, "What cryest thou?" So now Jacob also prays with inexpressible groaning, as follows in the text.
(vv. 9-12) And Jacob said, O God of Abraham my father, and O God of Isaac my father, O Lord, who hast said unto me: Return to thy land, and to thy friendship, and I will do thee good: for 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, neither this staff, when I passed over this Jordan, nor any more.
** **752 L. vm, 142-114. interpretation of Genesis 32:9-12. W. II. Iioo-naz. 753
and now I have become two armies. Deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I am afraid of him, lest he come and smite me, the mothers with the children. Thou hast said, I will do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
The weak and almost despairing faith of Jacob does not yet despair: the wick glows, but does not yet go out; the reed is broken, but not rejected; as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 4:8, 9: "We have tribulation in all places, but we are not afraid. We are afraid, but we do not despair. We suffer persecution; but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed, but we do not perish" 2c. Because of this, Jacob recovers a little, but still with great terror.
This is a good example of a glorious prayer, which has all the qualities of a good prayer. Oh who could do it! In the New Testament, the teachings and promises of prayer are presented to us in great abundance, but who can keep them? Jacob himself could not do it. But he is so frightened that he first orders and decrees everything before he comes to prayer, even though prayer should precede it: Have mercy on me, O Lord God 2c. But the flesh, which takes us captive in the law of sin, makes us turn back the order. Therefore it is an infirmity in him that he waited longer in prayer than he ought to have done. But it is a weakness of the flesh that first brought him to the counsel of reason.
But he has put the prayer in such a way that he says: "God of my father Abraham" 2c. In Hebrew it means "gods". It is a fervent prayer for the little spark of faith that has fought so fiercely. It is just the cry of Moses at the Red Sea. First of all, Jacob takes hold of the God of Abraham and Isaac by faith, and then calls Him his Lord. Thus he reminds God of the promises made to Abraham and Isaac, and especially of those made to him by God Himself, which is the
Prayer makes very strong and fervent. Moreover, it also awakens and sustains the faith that contends, and the smoldering wick. Thou hast said it unto Abraham, saith he, and unto Isaac, and unto me also, thou wilt not lie unto us; yet struggling after. And indeed it is a strange thing to have such great and strong consolation, and such rich promise, that thou mayest trust, and yet tremble.
In the prayer he continues: "You said to me, 'Go back to your country,' and so on. As if he wanted to say: "You have brought me into this trouble, into this challenge and danger of my life. But that is a great comfort, when one can say thus: Lord God, I did not get into this trouble out of my own sin or foolishness, nor by the counsel of any wise man or fool, but you said it, you told me to do it; therefore I have done right in leaving Laban. And now this is your affair; your promise and faithfulness are now challenged; you will have to save your faithfulness and faith, and not my faith.
This is the weak faith and groaning that has been spoken of. The groaning moves heaven and earth and is a very pleasant prayer. Thou hast said it; I go in thy obedience; I shall go to my fatherland at thy command, and as thou hast said unto me, dear Lord. But behold, how so many great hindrances come before. I have come into such fear and trouble that I cannot save myself with my strength and counsel; therefore I need your help. The others may not have prayed, but reproached him: If we had stayed with Laban, we might have been safe. But Jacob asks nothing of this, and this is a very strong prayer.
But what more did he say? "I will do thee good." As if to say, "This is your word, that you will not destroy me or harm me, but will do me good in my homeland, to which you have sent me. And from this it can be seen that he was not only challenged and afflicted by the devil because of the
754 vm. 144-146. interpretation of I Genesis 32:9-12. W. II, 1103-1106. 755
For the news that his brother was going to meet him, but that his wives and children and all the servants were also afflicting him. They will have cried out: Oh, dear father, where now? dear father, dear husband, dear lord, what have you done? why have you brought us into such great danger? The lamentations forced the powerful words out of him, so that he said: "Dear Lord God, listen to how these people tremble and torture my heart, even though I know that you have promised me help and comfort.
(77) So faith shines forth and is heard, though it is weak. For he will undoubtedly have addressed them thus: How are you so terrified? will you despair? we truly must not give up hope that we shall not be saved. I will not despair, if ye despair. In this way he has lifted himself up, and has given satisfaction to the weeping and impatience of his own. God has not called me to return to my land, so that he would harm me with it. It must yet turn out well: God will help us, let us only use the help that is available and cry out to God.
- But such a prayer is very pleasing to God, which is done in extreme distress and when the danger is greatest, when almost everything is lost. This is the inexpressible and very powerful groaning, so that the godly awaken themselves against despair, so that they take courage and say: Now it does not have to be like this, we will not perish: "I will not die, but live" 2c., as it says in the 118th Psalm v. 17. I have the promise, the Lord has said that he will do me good; weep and howl, and do not tremble; God has sent us out of Mesopotamia and back to my homeland.
This is the Godly struggle, in which they awaken their faith powerfully with the remembrance and trust in the promise, and that they have a command from God. I must and shall preach, but the devil refuses; so preach, and the world shall be torn asunder. These are the ones who do violence and snatch the kingdom of heaven,
Matth. 11, 12. Carnal people read such things drowsily and do not understand anything about them, because they are coarse people and have not experienced such trials. They do not know how he who is in extreme distress is to be afflicted. Then the devil blows, and says to him who is afflicted and distressed, "It is lost, why do you cry out so much? But the spirit says again: "It is not lost, but hard; I know that God has other things in mind for me and has promised me many other things.
This is a great power and strength of the spirit in weakness, and is a very pleasing sacrifice to God, as it says in Psalm 51, v. 19, for it is a sacrifice of death: "The sacrifices that please God are a troubled spirit, a troubled and broken heart you, God, will not despise. Yes, indeed, you will not despise it; for it is a very pleasant sacrifice, which smells well, which smell fills heaven and earth; as it is written in the Song of Solomon, chapter 3, v. 6: "Who is she that comes up out of the wilderness like a straight smoke?" It is indeed a small smoke, but it smells up to heaven, and makes our Lord God so full of nostrils that he says: "Stop it, I can hear no more. It is, I say, a little sighing; but it both smells with odor and cries up to heaven before God, so that God is awakened by it to help.
Let us therefore learn to be strong and have undaunted courage, however much and great adversity and danger we may encounter and however often despair may stir in our hearts. And let us keep what the pagan poet says: Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito, that is: Do not retreat from misfortune, but on the contrary go forward all the more boldly. For he who does not flinch and does not let go of his hands is blessed, and is an excellent priest who has offered the most delicious and best sacrifice. Jacob was never a holier priest than here in this place, even though he was killed by much temptation before. That is why Moses uses so many words in describing this story, and will then recount the battle he had with the angel, and
756 D. vm, 146-14S. Interpretation of I Genesis 32:9-12. W. II, 11V6-1108. 757
greater things will happen than Jacob was allowed to ask or hope for. In this way, God wants our faith to be exercised and awakened, so that we will grow stronger and stronger from day to day.
So far we have had the promise, which belongs to prayer, as taught in the New Testament, and also the commandment. For it is not necessary to pray in this way, as the monks made a useless murmur and many words in their prayer, not thinking at all of the promise, or the commandment, or even of the need that should drive us to prayer. That is not praying; as I myself prayed before that time. Since I was a monk, I did call upon God in times of need, but I knew nothing of the promise and the commandment: we simply murmured the words. But a right prayer should come from a believing heart, and that both the need and the commandment of God are held before it, so that the heart is awakened to pray in faith, since all the words are considered in particular; not as the monks or nuns use to murmur their prayer, so that the heart is distant from it, knows nothing about it, or understands it.
(83) And a right prayer does not ask for many words, but only makes many sighs, which are not followed by words, because they are very small; as can be seen in this prayer. For Jacob did not pray with these words alone, which Moses tells, but he sighed all night and all day. It was a long prayer, as far as sighing is concerned, although the words are very few. After that, gratitude also belongs to prayer and that one should remember the previous benefits in it. When the examples are read together, they awaken faith wonderfully; and this is also very pleasing to God.
(84) So Jacob says, "I am too lowly for all the mercy and faithfulness you have shown your servant," that is, "You have shown me the greatest mercy and faithfulness. This is the gratitude or thank-offering; as the first was a sacrifice of death, with which groaning he is killed and forfeits his strength and that of all creatures. Among other benefits, however, he counts these
and says, "For I had no more, neither this staff, when I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two armies." This is how great and rich I became with Laban, since I had nothing more than a staff at first, when I left my father's house, that is, I was all alone. I had food and a little money (for he was not so poor that his parents should not have given him food), but I was alone and had no companion. It is a way of speaking in the Hebrew language, which Moses also uses 2 Mos. 21, 3.: "If the servant has come without a wife, he shall also go out without a wife." It means only loneliness and not poverty of money.
(85) Therefore I know, saith he, that this is not my work, because I have gone over this Jordan with my staff alone, that I have obtained such great goods; but that it is of thy mercy and faithfulness. I served Laban fourteen years in vain, being poor and needy, and having scarcely the bread to eat; and thou, my dear God, hast made me so rich in six years, that in that short time I have become two armies. This is a manifest and tangible blessing, O God! For it is a great thing that a shepherd of milk, wool, cheese and butter should grow and increase without avarice. And Jacob had four wives, eleven children, and a great multitude of servants.
This thank offering he has now emphasized and magnified with beautiful words, which is otherwise described here recently, as he has also briefly described it above. For the prayer lasted day and night and is told only once in this place. But Jacob did not pray once or speak these words, but he prayed without ceasing.
87 But it is well known what manner of speaking it is, where these two words are written, "mercy and faithfulness." For they are always put together in the Scriptures, as in the prophet Micah in 7 Cap. V. 18. and elsewhere in the Psalms. "Mercy" means benevolence itself or benevolence, as Matth.
758 ". vm. 14S-IS1. interpretation of Genesis 32:9-12. w. n. nos-nu. 759
9, 13. Christ speaks from the prophet Hosea 6, 6.: "I am well pleased with mercy, and not with sacrifice." The Hebrew word chasid means both, namely, he who loves his neighbor and does good to him, and to whom good is done, to whom God shows great mercy and kindness. Therefore Jacob says: "Dear Lord God, your mercy and good deeds, which you have shown me, are not in number, and now this is added to it, that you have made me, a poor man, so rich within six years that I have now become two armies.
88 "Faithfulness" is the promise; as St. Paul speaks Rom. 15, 8. 9.: "But I say that Jesus Christ was a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promise made to the fathers, that the Gentiles should praise God for mercy. Christ was promised to the Jews, therefore such promise has been faithfully kept to them. He was not promised to the Gentiles, but was given to them by grace. None of our fathers had the promise. God promised to be the God of all people, which knowledge is planted in the hearts of men, as St. Paul indicates in Romans 1:19 ff. And the works and services of all nations also testify to the fact that "God" is nothing other than to do good to men. For that is why one invokes Jupiter, another Mars, 2c., for no other reason than that they want help. Thus all men by nature understand and believe that God is such a divine power that is benevolent, from whom one should ask and expect all good. God is the one who promises and is true, that is, he promises all people in the law of nature, which says: You shall call upon God and serve him, Deut. 6, 13.
- Even though they err in the person of God because of idolatry, there is still the service that is due to the right God, that is, the invocation, and that they expect all good and help from Him. To this people, however, the promises of God have been given, so that the truth of the promises is not only true.
The first thing that is expressed is salvation and the right knowledge of who is the right God, without idolatry and error. This is a great and immeasurable blessing of God. Therefore Jacob praises the mercy and faithfulness of God and wants to say: "You promised me and kept this faithfulness, especially during these six years; likewise you also promised me that you would be kind to me when I returned to my homeland. For the sake of such mercy and faithfulness, which you have shown me and will continue to show me, I pray that you will save me.
90 This gratitude also comprehends the third virtue of prayer, which also belongs to death, namely, that he may be heard without his merit. For one does not have to pray thus: Dear Lord God, look at me; for I am a holy monk, I am a chaste virgin, I am an excellent bishop. As the Pharisee Luc. 18, 12. says: "I fast twice a week, and tithe" 2c., or give so much alms. Such abominations should be kept far away from prayer and swept out, otherwise the prayer will be spoiled, and both sacrifices, namely, of death and gratitude, will be disgraced with such stink and filth.
- Therefore we should not say this, but we should follow the example of Jacob, who says: "I am too little of all your mercy," as if he wanted to say: "I am also not worthy of any good deed or faithfulness that you have ever shown me, or are still showing me and will show me hereafter without my merit; for it is impossible that I should be able to earn anything: therefore I do not rely on my worthiness, but on your promise and mercy.
This is a righteous heart and true prayer, for this is truly our Lord God's judgment of us, which St. Paul expressed in 1 Cor. 4:7: "What do you have that you have not received? But if thou hast received it, why dost thou boast?" Therefore one should pray thus: Dear Lord God, what you have given me so far is your promise and mercy, in me there is no worthiness at all.
760 2 vni, ISI-ISS. Interpretation of Genesis 32:9-12. W. n, 1111-1114. 761
Therefore, as you have done until now and have given me everything, even though I am not worthy of it, so will you hear me, the unworthy, and help me graciously. Otherwise, if you pray otherwise, God will punish you and say: "What are you proud of, you who are ashes and dust? you are earth and you will become earth again, Gen. 3, 19. Who has preserved your life for you? All that you have is simply mine.
(93) Now these are three qualities of a good prayer, which make it very pleasing to God and the sweetest savor before Him, and such a prayer must be heard. The first quality is that you take hold of the promise. Next, that you be killed in your fear. Third, that you give thanks to God and realize that you are not worthy of any benefit, but that you ask and hope that you may be helped by grace and mercy alone. These virtues are indeed to be praised and also commanded by God, namely, chastity, sobriety, and that one be generous in helping the poor. But we should not rely on them. Our trust should not be in the law and its works, although the works should be there; but the trust should be in God's mercy and faithfulness. Then prayer and groaning is a golden sacrifice.
- Now comes the request. What then do you ask, Jacob? You acknowledge yourself unworthy of my mercy; you acknowledge that I am the one who made the promise to you; you acknowledge that you received everything from me out of pure grace: what then do you ask? what do you lack? The child must have a name if it is to be baptized. As if God does not know what we need. He truly knows it well. For thus says Christ Matt. 6:8: "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Why then does he want me to groan, cry out and knock, and in addition recognize myself unworthy of his help?
95 Answer: He wants you to consider what you lack and what you are lacking, otherwise we will be safe and snoring,
and let ourselves dream that we are the most blessed people, when we are the most miserable. But we do not know this, nor do we learn it, except in the time of temptation. Jacob had life by the grace of God, he had two armies, but at that moment he loses both and is destroyed. He did not know this before, when he was boasting and triumphing; but now he is being led to school, and is being taught what and how much he is able, so that we may learn not to put our trust in ourselves, but in God, so that we may rejoice in the gifts, but not boast about them. For this is very difficult to do because of the depraved nature, which is so corrupted by original sin that we can easily fall into despair when we are challenged and afflicted. When things are blissful and prosperous everywhere, we are secure and proud. Therefore the saints are sometimes cast down and humbled, and sometimes they are raised up again, so that they may learn to keep the saying: Medio tutissimus ibis: If one remains fine in the middle, that is the very best thing; this does not happen, but only through challenge. Therefore, we should not be presumptuous, but place our trust solely in God's mercy and faithfulness. For these things are steadfast and everlasting, they do not fade away, and our hope and trust in them cannot fail.
But what does Jacob lack? Answer: He lacks everything. My brother, he wants to say, will strangle me, my wives and my armies; he is afraid of that. But where is the promise of God that he has taken by faith? Do you not know that GOD can change your brother's heart? GOD has promised and ei^ealed mercy and faithfulness to Jacob, yet the flesh trembles and seu^es and flees from being killed: this is because of original sin. He only looks at the danger. I have two armies, he wants to say, but I also see that it can soon happen that I lose everything and that I myself can hardly escape the danger of death. For he thus says: "I am afraid that he will
762 L. vm. ISA. IS4. Interpretation of I Genesis 32, 9-15. W. n. IU4-III7. 763
Come and beat me, the mothers with the children. Faith is again challenged and becomes weak, but does not despair.
For this is the way it is when temptations are present: faith fights with the flesh, and thoughts buy together, some of which despair and some of which have good hope: they are disgusting winds of faith and unbelief, of hope and fear. He wants to beat me, the mothers together with the children, he says. From this you can see what his fear and anxiety were. He soon lost everything in one fell swoop: when the news came that his brother was coming to meet him, all his possessions and hopes fell away; but he still clung to the promise: "Lord, you have said, 'I will do you good,' and 'I will make your seed'" 2c. This he holds against doubt, and since he lets himself think that he must even sink, because he says: "That he will not come" 2c. For these have been words of the flesh that contends, and of a very weak faith. But he takes the floor: "Your faithfulness," he says, "will keep me, raise me up and comfort me, because you promised that you would do me good, bless me and my seed. But this shall not come to pass; thou shalt not bless me and my seed, when Esau shall wear me out and destroy me.
Now God could have raised the seed and spread the blessing even if Jacob had already been destroyed; just as the promise of the seed and the heirs also hung on Isaac, and yet it is commanded by God that he should be sacrificed, and Abraham should nevertheless keep the faith that God could also bring forth seed from the ashes of Isaac, as is said above. This was truly a very heavy challenge. But Jacob would have forgotten in this fear that God had said: He wanted to be his God, and how he started the prayer above, v. 9: "Lord, you have said to me" 2c.
He not only prayed in this way, but also preached and exhorted his family in the same way. He will often have
Rachel said: My dear Rachel, be of good cheer, hope in God and His word. Yes, she will have said again, but he will strangle us? Jacob answered: He will not do it. I have asked the Lord to protect and save us. Remember that God has spoken to me and that He has promised me help. With such exhortation, sermons and prayer, he raised himself and his family up and comforted them.
And these are very good passages and also very strange examples in the history of the fathers, which teach us that we should take hold of God's word above all things and hold fast to it, so that we do not lose it or throw it away, even if we have already lost everything else, even if Esau kills the sheep. No matter how cruelly the enemies threaten us, we should not let them take away our faith in the promise, but should cling to the word and live in it, just as the holy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, lived in it. For even though you are weak, you should not throw away the word because of this; the matter will be well taken care of; but if you throw away the word, or if you let it be taken away from your eyes and from your heart, the devil will triumph and drive you to despair.
101 With this challenge and prayer Jacob stayed the night in Mahanaim, which is a city above the brook Jabbok, where David fled when Absalom drove him out of the land. It is a famous city in the Scriptures, situated not far from the Jordan, for the Jabbok flows into the Jordan. Gilead, Mizpah, Mahanaim are cities that are very close to it.
Third part.
How Jacob is intent on various counsels to reconcile Esau, and at last sends gifts to him; and how he sets his family over the water.
V.13-15. And he stayed there that night, and took of that which he had present, gift to his brother Esau: two hundred he goats,
** **764 L. VIII, I54-H Interpretation of I Moses 32, 13-15. W. II, IIIS-I1M. 765
twenty rams, two hundred sheep, twenty rams, and thirty captive camels with their fillings, forty cows, and ten bullocks, twenty female donkeys with ten fillings.
I have said above, and it must be said often, that one should not tempt God, but that one should use the counsel, means and help that are available, so that we do not become like the Turks. For it is a very wicked temptation for one to keep his hands and feet still and go into danger, not to beware of danger or to avoid it if he could, and then to blame God as if it were His will. Therefore, the godly should be reminded that we humans cannot know what the outcome of the events that occur may be and what the future may be. God alone knows what is future and what is to happen. But since we do not know this, we should nevertheless do what we can. And hence the sayings that a man should do what is in him, not in matters concerning God's grace, but in outward things, and where there is need and danger, let reason be followed, lest we tempt God, 1 Cor. 10, 9. 10, 9. And Augustine says of this text: "We are to be admonished by these examples that although we believe in God, we should nevertheless do what is to be done; so that if we fail to do so, it will not appear as if we were tempting God.
I.
(103) For Jacob made use of several ways out. First, when he came to the border of the land where Esau lived, he sent messengers ahead of him to inquire about his brother's attitude and to seek friendship and reconciliation with him. But the way out is unsuccessful. For his brother comes to meet him with four hundred men, is much more powerful and Jacob much more hostile, as it seems, than before. But he was right to send the messengers. And if he had not used this means, he would have sinned.
The other way out is that he divides the people and likewise the army into two armies (because he now despairs of the peace and friendship of his brother), so that he would save only the one part. And that did not help him either; for God calmed his brother's heart. He could not have found a better way to save some of his people from the tyranny of his brother. For Esau was all-powerful, and will no doubt have been a confederate of the princes of Seir and the other surrounding nations. He had children, children's children and sons-in-law; for they were both a hundred years old at the time they came together, or at least eight and ninety years each. Esau had a wife sixty years; in such a long time his family grew very large, and he increased in goodness and power because of his fathers-in-law and good friends who were related to him. Jacob took two wives in the eighty-fourth year of his age, so he has children of twelve or fourteen with him; Joseph was six years old. What is this poor, miserable little group compared to such a large army, or to the children and grandchildren of Esau, who hated Jacob in the same way and were enemies to him? Therefore Jacob did wisely by dividing his people and his army, though it would have been in vain if Esau had been able to follow his fierce anger.
(105) In this way we should remember that even when there is need and danger, we should try and do what reason and human skill tell us or show us, although sometimes even the best counsel we might have devised comes to nothing. And we should do this also for the sake of the cause, so that we may not afterwards punish our negligence and foolishness on ourselves too late, as such complaints are often heard that some say: If I had first tried this or that, this misfortune would never have come. Such people are all too slow to counsel when a thing has already happened, and thereby also weigh down their consciences, that in times of
766 L VIII, 2LS-IÜ8. Interpretation of Genesis 32, 13-16. W. II, II20-II2S. 767
have needed no help or advice. Therefore, you should take advice and do everything you can think of with all diligence, so that you may be satisfied in your heart and say that you have looked around beforehand, considered, and done everything that was possible to do.
The third way out is that he sends him gifts. Even though this was not well done, it was nevertheless very well thought out. And Moses describes it all quite diligently, as he uses a little more words in this whole story than he usually does; for it is a fierce and strong challenge and a very heavy killing. After the two ways out had failed and Esau's anger could not be reconciled by the words that Jacob had sent to his brother, he now intends to send him a gift and to decorate it with words and outward splendor, so that Esau, who was angry, might be softened a little, so that he would be soothed. And Moses tells these things with special diligence. For he does not send him one kind of cattle, as is the custom today when a hundred oxen or two hundred sheep are given to a prince, 2c., which is a very precious gift, but he takes a certain number of each kind and sends him a gift of various herds of cattle.
But the gifts themselves are of such a kind and nature that others can be reconciled with them; just as the pagan poet says: Munera, crede mihi, placant hominesque deosque, that is: With gifts one can reconcile both gods and men. Therefore, no better way or way could be invented than offering gifts. For these two things, namely, that one humbles oneself personally, or that one apologizes to an adder where he is angry, and at the same time also gives gifts, are very powerful, and may well serve to reconcile hearts that are bitter. So he first sends him several goats and he goats, and then successively a certain number of all kinds of herds in particular, as is told in the text.
But Moses says: "He took from that which he had"; this is what Jerome has given: He separated. And this is the understanding, that he did not select the very best of the herd, but went through the whole herd, in which all cattle were well kept and fattened, and from it he read it, as each one appeared to him.
The Hebrew word minchah means gift. Above, Cap. 4, v. 3, 4, it is used of the two brothers, Abel and Cain. But it means a sacrifice and a gift that is offered. It means not only a sacrifice offered to God, but also a gift given to men. The two Hebrew words izim and parim rhyme with the German names, Geis and Farren. We took it from the Jews. Therefore it is now a glorious gift, and is neatly distinguished according to each kind of livestock that belongs to the household.
V.16. And he put them under the hand of his servants, one herd at a time, and said unto them: Go before me, leaving space between one herd and another.
(110) Behold, how diligently he ordains all things, that he may the more easily soften his brother's heart, which was very wroth, when he shall see such a goodly sight before him. He separates the herds and gives each herd a special shepherd, and arranges it so that there is space between one herd after the other, so that Esau, when he goes to meet them, does not see the herds mixed together, but that first the goats, then the rams, then the sheep, and so on, so that there is space between each herd, the herds may meet him. The Hebrew word revah does not actually mean a space, as they interpret it, but rest. As 2 Mos. 8, 15. says about the other plague, when Pharaoh and the Egyptians were plagued with the frogs: "When Pharaoh saw that he had caught his breath." But I think that Moses wanted to use this word because these animals like to gather in a heap, so that they turn their heads toward each other, so that they can hardly breathe. How
768 vm, iss-160. interpretation of Genesis 32:16-20. W. ii. 11S3-11M. 769
In the 49th Psalm v. 15. it says: "They lie in hell like sheep" 2c. For this reason he wants his gift to be adorned not only with fine distinctions, but also to spare the flocks, so that they will not be injured or perish when they are crowded together in a heap. But now he also adds fine decorated words to it.
V.17-20. And he commanded the first, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, To whom belongest thou? and whither goest thou? and what is it that thou drivest before thee? then shalt thou say, It belongeth unto Jacob thy servant, which sendeth a present unto Esau his master, and goeth after us. So he commanded the second, and the third, and all that went after the hosts, saying, As I have said unto you, so say unto Esau, when ye meet him; and say ye also, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he thought, I will make an atonement for him with the present that goeth before me: after that I will see him, peradventure he will accept me.
These are short words, but they are very artificial. He commands them to adorn the gift with words and also to address him honestly. You shall not say," he says, "this herd, divided into five heaps, belongs to your brother Jacob. So you shall not say, lest it occur to him to remember how he was deprived of the blessing; but you shall say, The field belongs to your servant, whose master you are. This is great humility, that Jacob thus throws himself down: thereby indeed the angry heart should be moved and softened.
(112) And these words he commanded not one shepherd only, but all of them, that they should speak modestly and humbly, and call Jacob a servant, and Esau a lord. And so was the armor of them both. For Esau went forth with a great multitude like a lord, with horse and chariot; but Jacob cometh on foot like a shepherd, and sendeth not a royal gift unto his brother, but a shepherd's gift. With this he hoped to soften his brother so that he would
should think: What do you want to do with him who is defenseless, miserable and poor, who leads such a small group that is not at all useful for warfare, as children, wives, maids and servants? This is truly a great humility, that such a great patriarch throws himself down like this, who has had such great promises and also visions of the angels. But the killing humiliates him, and at the same time reminds him that in the distress and danger that is present, he should provide counsel as he can and may.
He has diligently prevented Esau from being angered by a single word: therefore he tells them to refrain from calling Esau Jacob's brother or friend, and not to give him a name from which any hope can be taken. Now Jacob was by no means inferior to his brother Esau; for he had been blessed by his father, and in the blessing it is expressly said: "Your mother's children must fall under your feet", Gen. 27, 29. Here one truly sees the opposite of what was promised to him. Yes, he will be humbled even more. But I have said before that this is the time of death, and that Jacob therefore throws himself down so that he may give counsel to his things in the distress and danger that now exists, so that it should not seem as if he had carelessly brought himself into harm and ruin.
He adds still more and says: "He himself is coming after us": he does not flee, but follows us and intends to do good to you, and hopes to find grace and peace with you. These are also very kind and sweet words, which could satisfy and soften a heart, however hard it may be wounded. And he diligently admonishes them that they will speak to his brother as he had said to them. Beware that you do not say that his brother succeeds you, or that I have become rich with Laban and that I have a large household. Do not be proud and hopeful, and do not make me hateful, but humble.
770 L. viii, iso-162. interpretation of Genesis 32:17-24. W. n, uss-uss. 771
thighs and says, "Your servant is behind us."
For "I will reconcile him," he says, "with the gift, and after that I will see him, and perhaps he will accept me. This is Jacob's plan: "I will reconcile him with the gift," from which I can easily see whether he is somewhat appeased. If he will not answer the first shepherd, he will answer the second, the third, or those who follow; and when the gift is presented, I myself will also come and humble myself before him: "Perhaps he will accept me," that is, he will accept me graciously, he will reconcile himself to me. For this is a peculiar way of speaking in Scripture: suscipere faciem, that is. To accept one in mercy. Facies peccatorum sumere, means to praise the sin of sinners and not to punish them.
Now we see how a man should do what is in him. For Jacob sends gifts to his brother and arranges such a gift in the most artificial way, and finally he also decorates it with words as much as he can. That is to do what is in him and not to tempt God. If he had not done that and a death stroke had happened, these thoughts would have always tormented him in his conscience: Why did you not humble yourself before your brother and address him with due reverence? If he had seen that you had fallen at his feet, he would undoubtedly have spared you: but because you have been negligent in finding counsel and help, it now serves you right that you must suffer this.
II.
V.21-24 So the gift went before him, but he stayed the same night with the army, and arose in the night, and took his two wives, and his two maids, and his eleven children, and went to the ford of Jabbok, and took them, and led them over the water, that what he had might pass over; and he abode alone.
(117) Jacob, having sent the messengers ahead with the gift, did not follow immediately, but stayed the same night in the camp,
that there was a day's journey between Jacob and the gift that preceded him, and that he might learn of his brother's mind from such a space as was between them. He is not yet satisfied, however, but is killed even more. Dean got up in the night and crossed the ford Jabbok with his wife and children. And let it be seen, as if the text wanted to indicate that Jacob secretly, because other people were asleep, wanted to cross the brook at midnight, and it seems as if he was afraid that if his brother would come in the morning, he would prevent him from crossing. Therefore, he tried to transfer his wives and children and everything he had, and he was barely able to do so within two hours.
But with emphasis Moses says: "He led them across the water"; and this reads as if he had first led his family to the brook and had crossed over alone, and had tried in which place one could cross over most easily, and had only then led over the wives and children. But when he had brought them over, he went from the whole family to a special place and prayed there with great distress, for he was still full of fear and weakness. Therefore he chooses such a place, which is lonely, because such a lonely place is very convenient for those who pray there, even during the day. For when prayer is earnest and fervent, we do not like that the words which we pour out before God in a clumsy manner should be heard.
Therefore he arose in the night, and had an hour or two to do, that he might bring over his wives, and whatsoever else he had: and the battle which he waged lasted so many hours. But the time of night is especially suitable for temptations; as was said in chapter 15, v. 12, where Moses says: "When the sun had set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness overtook him" 2c. Darkness in itself grieves the hearts of men and also of unreasonable animals.
772 ü vm, 162-164. interpretation of I Genesis 32, 21-24. W. n, irss-iisi. 773
and despairs; but again, when the day and the light dawn, all animals rejoice. That is why the German proverb says: The night is nobody's friend. It is a time that is well suited for temptation and prayer, for which temptation and affliction drive man. Therefore Jacob became more fervent in prayer, but still in great weakness.
We see how Moses, indeed, the Holy Spirit himself, describes with such great diligence even the smallest works and sufferings of the patriarchs, in whom no miraculous works are seen, and who have a great appearance; how the monks and saints of works know how to boast of such glittering works. But therefore this suffering of the saints is very excellent and golden, because it has the promise that in the sight of the Lord not only their death or blood is worthy, but also the hairs on their head are worthy and counted. Therefore, the Holy Spirit does not consider it indecent that he dwells so long on these domestic and pastoral works and sufferings, for in them faith is properly tested and becomes a sacrifice that is very pleasing to God.
(121) Therefore, let these examples of the patriarchs always be before our eyes, so that we may learn that even our works done in faith, and our afflictions suffered in faith, are all pleasing and acceptable to God as a continual sacrifice. This is a great comfort to believers. The life of the godly seems to be a useless life and to have no fruits or glory at all. But this is a great honor and glory, that we know that God also counts our tears, and every drop that falls from our eyes, and that it is all written before God's eyes and gathered, as it were, into a little golden vessel.
But there is no monastic fasting of seven days or more, there is no vigilance or celibate life, none of which comes from faith. And therefore the devil does not persecute such monastic works, but cherishes them so that they may be without danger: But they are very displeasing to God, for they are all performed and happen.
all against the word. But such saints of works are certainly poor and miserable people, for while they are caught in the devil's snares, they are much more severely afflicted than all the godly, for what is more miserable and wretched than to be obedient and subject to the devil?
It is also to be marveled that the patriarch had such an obedient family and servants, who endured so much hardship and danger with so much patience, and especially these messengers, who let themselves be used with patience to be thrown against the angry brother. They could have gone back to Mesopotamia and there be safe and without danger, but they bear the common danger with their master, who was most anxious to keep them in the faith and knowledge of God, who himself had given the promise for which they waited with their master. Therefore Jacob is an excellent and very useful high priest, who saves so many people from Mesopotamia and makes them blessed through pure teaching and right worship. And his household members were true martyrs who fought with such great hardships for the sake of their Lord.
You will find few in this almost corrupt class of people who follow such patience and constancy. But where the word is taught, there is faith, and where faith is, there are also such neighbors, servants, wives and children. That is why there must be some of them in our time. For just as the rain does not fall for the sake of one stalk, but for the sake of many fields, that they may be fruitful and bear much abundant fruit: so also the word is not given for the sake that only one or two may be converted by it, but for the sake of many people in all classes. And you should not think, if I and D. Pommer will not be there, that all godly and pious men will have died: our Lord God has more pious people. But the godly in the world are all miraculous works and gifts of God; for the greatest part is godless.
774 D. vm, is-16". Interpretation of Genesis 32, 24. W. II, 1131-113". 775
Fourth Part.
From the Battle of Jacob.
V. 24, Then a man wrestled with him until the dawn broke.
It is considered by everyone that this text is one of the darkest in the Old Testament. And that is no wonder, because it deals with the great and severe challenge, when the patriarch Jacob has to fight not with flesh and blood, nor with the devil, but against God Himself. But this is a terrible battle, when God Himself fights and fights against man in a hostile way, as if He wanted to take his life. Whoever wants to survive and win in such a battle must truly be a holy man and a true Christian. For this reason, this history is dark, because the matter it deals with is so great. And because the text is so obscure, all interpreters have passed by. For this reason we would like to skip it, but we want to say as much as we can about it.
Lyra depicted this battle as well as he could, but he could not explain everything properly. Augustine wrote an allegory or secret interpretation; but one should not look for mere allegories in the holy scriptures. For if they are not based on history and a certain thing, they are other things, nothing but Aesopian fables. After all, if we have history, it is not given to everyone to make allegories out of it. Origen has no good luck with it, Jerome even less; for they do not have a perfect understanding of the histories, without which understanding no one will deal with the allegories properly. Therefore, first of all, one must extract the historical sense, which teaches, comforts, and strengthens; then comes the allegory, which adorns and explains such understanding like a witness; but the history is like the master, or main piece and foundation of the whole thing.
127 Let us now try to find out if we have the right understanding of this text and the
We will be able to find out the teaching of the same. And although we will not reach the same understanding completely, we do not want to miss far. First, however, we must remove the obstacles of so many different opinions.
The prophet Hosea Cap. 12. v. 4. 5. cites this text when he says: "He fought with God with all his strength. He fought with the angel and won, for he wept and besought him; for there he found him at Bethel" 2c. From this all interpreters conclude that this man wrestling with Jacob was an angel.
But we hold this rule for and for, namely, as often as the holy scripture remembers the visions or appearances (like above Cap. 18. V. 1. ff. of this book, where three men stood before Abraham) and the name "angel" is not explicitly put, then we do not interpret it as angel. For it is clearly stated in the text: "And the Lord appeared to him" 2c., and not an angel. But afterwards Cap. 19, v. 1, when two angels came to Sodom, we admit that they were angels.
- as cap. 28. V. 12. 13.When Jacob saw the angels ascending and descending, and the Lord standing on the top of the ladder, we do not understand the Lord as an angel, as those who ascend and descend are expressly called angels; but we understand it of the Son of God, who was to become man, namely, of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is truly God and truly man, and we say per communicationem idiomatum (by virtue of the communication of attributes): Man is above and beyond all creatures, and God is the lowest. Which is the mystery "which the angels also desire to behold", 1 Pet. 1, 12. For it is because of the unity of the person in Christ that they see God here and man above. And therefore we also say of Christ: Man sits at the right hand of God the Father; item, God has descended to hell and ascended to heaven. This is called communicationem idiomatum (the communication of attributes), of which we have said above.
131: Where now the name "angel" is not
776 2- vm, 166-168. interpretation of Genesis 32:24. w. n. IISS-IISS. 777
is used emphatically, we do not understand it from the angels either. And in this place it is clearly said: "You have fought with God and are secluded. Item, afterwards v. 30. will follow that Jacob says: "I have seen God face to face."
We interpret the text of the prophet Hosea in this way, that the words the prophet tells are such words as he repeats to others: not that he wants to indicate his teaching and opinion of this example, but that he wants to warn and punish the false prophets who spoke such words and defended their idolatry against the temple at Jerusalem and the divine order of worship with the example of the patriarch Jacob. For they will have said: It is not necessary for us to sacrifice at Jerusalem, as the priests demand and want for the sake of their avarice, and condemn our sacrifices as unjust and ungodly, because we lead the people away from their worship and thus deprive them of much of their income. Thus they have slandered the true teachers and godly priests, who kept the true worship, and have taken the testimony of this history on their side and interpreted it to mean that God spoke to Jacob in the same place at Bethel or Pniel, and showed him the ladder and the angels, and that he fought with God, and that the angel wept and begged him; for this last they themselves have added.
The false prophets preached such sermons, and the prophets took great pains to refute them, especially Hosea; for all his sermons were to the effect that he was punishing the idolatry that was in the kingdom of Israel, so that they had chosen for themselves their own worship and special place, where God had spoken to the fathers before, where the angels had appeared, or where the places were famous for other reasons. Now God had strictly forbidden through Moses that no one should presume to invent new services. When he said Deut. 12, 4, 5, 6: "You shall not do so to the LORD your God, but in the place,
Whom the LORD your GOD shall choose out of all your tribes, to cause his name to dwell there, ye shall search, and come thither; and your burnt offerings and your other sacrifices" 2c. "bring thither." And at that time the temple at Jerusalem was appointed for the service of God; there was the ark of the covenant, and God had promised that he would speak from the mercy seat, that he might lead the people away from the various idols and bring them to the one right service of God, for which he would gather them all together, if not bodily and with outward works, yet with the heart and with right invocation, where some would have their dwelling from that same place.
(134) But against this understanding the false prophets argued, saying, "God is everywhere, therefore He can be served and worshipped in every place, both at Bethel and on every other mountain. Therefore they did not pay attention to God's commandment. For if God ordains a certain way and a certain place for His worship, it is not necessary to say, "In the place where I serve God alone, it will be pleasing to Him if I do this alone in devotion;" or, "In the place where I desire, I will sacrifice. As the prophet Isaiah says in 57 Cap. V. 5. severely punishes such nonsense: "You run in heat to the idols under all green trees" 2c.
And this is the way Turks and Jews talk today, namely, that they can serve God well outside the unity of faith and the Christian church. Mahomet says that anyone can be saved in his religion if he only prays, gives alms and does other good works, so that it is not necessary for him to be a Christian or to be found in the unity of Christ and his church. The same thing happened in the papacy, where all corners were full of chapels, monasteries and all kinds of idolatry.
136 Therefore Hosea cries out against it, saying, "This example of Jacob does not confirm your idolatry: he fought with the angel, but you should not fight with him.
778 D- vm, 168-170. interpretation of Genesis 32:24. w. ii, uss-im. 779
remember that the Lord, the God of hosts, had led the people of Israel out of Egypt through a prophet. But where is the Lord to be found? Answer: Since he had established the memory of his name. Where is this memory? Answer: It is there, where the ark of the covenant is.
(137) It is true that God is not bound to Jerusalem or to any other place, and that He can help in other places, no one will deny: but try, and see what you get. But where you will devise services according to your own will and discretion, you will not do so without danger and God's wrath. God, through His omnipotence, could have saved the human race without Christ, without baptism, without the word of the Gospel; He could have enlightened the He^en inwardly through the Holy Spirit and forgiven sin without the preaching ministry and without church ministers: but He did not want to do it. And God, with great seriousness, forbade all self-conceived worship services.
If the hypocrites say that everything that is done out of good opinion is pleasing to God, then such self-chosen devotions should be condemned, and people should be admonished to look where God has revealed Himself. One should not say: Paul preached in Rome, therefore Christ is there; St. James is buried in Compostel in Spain, therefore one should serve God in the same place by invoking St. James. So one should say by no means. But do they say that many miracles happened there? Answer: God has an abomination and condemns all such wild dissolute thoughts of men outside of the one revelation that took place in the Word and Sacraments, into which He wanted to gather and include us. For this reason Christ sent out his disciples with this command Matth. 28, 19. 20.: "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be saved.
He wants us to adhere to the word and to baptism as a certain and infallible sign that he wants to help us and make us blessed. As he had promised the people of Israel that he would hear them at the mercy seat.
139 Therefore, if you want to be absolved from your sins, go to the priest, or to your brother and neighbor, if you cannot have or hear the priest: he has orders to absolve and comfort you. You shall not make up a special absolution for yourself. If you want to use the Lord's Supper, go to the common assembly of the church and use it there, and do not invent a special administration of the sacraments. For God does not want us to go astray with our own and self-chosen works or thoughts. And for this reason he has determined and gathered us into the boundaries of his word, so that we will not be swayed and swayed by all kinds of wind of doctrine, Eph. 4, 14.
For this is what happened to us in the papacy, when we despised baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the forgiveness of sins, and meanwhile went on pilgrimages to St. James, Rome, and Jerusalem, as if God were not in all the churches and common assemblies that have His Word and Sacrament. Finally, there have been many sects and orders, since each order has had its own special way, different from the common way and order of God. And such innumerable forms and ways of fornication, as the Scriptures speak of them, cannot be prevented unless we drop and reject our works. Therefore God wills that they should all be done away with, and holds up His word to us, saying, In this place thou shalt worship, and serve Me, and sacrifice. Behold, thou hast remission of sins in the word, in the Lord's Supper, and in baptism: thou shalt keep the same, and be satisfied, if thou wilt be saved.
In this way the prophets have impressed upon the Jews with the utmost diligence and held before them the place which God Himself has chosen for them.
780 L. vm. 170-172. interpretation of Genesis 32:24. w. n. 1141-1144. 781
They had chosen them against the self-invented pilgrimages to the various idols and sacrifices. But their listeners treated them badly, drove them out and strangled them. Just as today the pope also condemns, banishes and strangles those who punish the shameful lusts and whoredoms of the great idolatry. But nevertheless, those who are truly godly accept the light of the Word with a grateful heart, and like little chicks they go under the wings of our hen, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and there they find rest and protection under the same wings, against all the attacks and cunning plots of Satan, Eph. 6, 11. 6, 11. Let this be said of the text of the prophet Hosea, which is not to be understood as if the prophet spoke this way out of his own opinion, but that he repeated it to others.
(142) Reject also the glosses of the Jews, which say that the man that fought with Jacob was a good angel, which waited for Esau, and preserved him; and that he lay himself against Jacob, and fought with him, as he was bound by his office to fight for Esau. But when the angel was overcome, he is said to have wept and begged that he would leave him. But this loose poem has many unrhymed things in it. They let themselves dream that the angel did not know that the blessing belonged to Jacob. Item, that God had strengthened Jacob to such an extent that he would have overcome the angel, and on the other hand that the angel had been weakened and therefore wept. This is a foolish and frivolous conceit, namely, that one writes as if the angel should not have known about the promised blessing, or that he should have been so evil that he would have wanted to resist the divine order. Lyra has hit it a little better: he makes of this angel a man, but in the person of God, and that he had wanted to flee, but he had been stopped by Jacob until he had blessed him.
This is our opinion that this fighter is the Lord of glory, namely our Lord God Himself or the Son of God, who was to become man, who appeared to the fathers and spoke to them.
For God deals with his chosen patriarch Jacob according to his great kindness and tries him as if he plays with him in the most friendly way. But this game is an immense pain for him and a very great fear in his heart, and is nevertheless in truth a game, as the end of such finely shows, when he will come to Pniel. For there it will be revealed that they were only signs of a very intimate love. And he plays with him so that he wants to test and strengthen his faith with it. Just as a pious father takes an apple from his child, the child has had air to it, not that he should flee from his father and become an enemy to him, but that he should be more tempted by it to love his father, to beg and plead: Oh my father, give me back what you have taken from me. Then the father takes pleasure in such temptation, and the little child, when it receives the apple again, always wins over the father all the more gladly when it sees that the father takes pleasure in such love and child's play.
This game is very mean in housekeeping, but in matters and in the battle of the saints it is very difficult and annoying. For Jacob does not know who he is that fights with him; he does not know that it is God. For he asks him afterwards what his name is. But when he receives the blessing, he says, "I have seen GOD face to face." There is a new joy and life from death itself.
It seems to me that this is the lesson of this story, if only I could explain it properly according to its dignity, that God sometimes plays with His saints, according to the example of Jacob, as much as concerns Him, even with a child's game; but to us, who are tempted in such a way, it seems much different. But it is a very good and wholesome exercise, and in addition the most perfect instruction, which gains the most blessed end, namely, that one may recognize which is the good, the pleasing and the perfect will of God. For flesh cannot think otherwise than that it is an evil, fretful and sorrowful will: but then God laughs kindly when we weep, and He "hath
782 D. vm, 172-174. Interpretation of Genesis 32, 24. W. n, 1144-1147. 783
Pleasure to those who fear him and hope in his goodness," Ps. 147:11.
But the temptation of despair, which tends to come along with it, makes the pain and terror of the flesh greater and greater, namely, when such a sorrowful heart laments that it has been abandoned and rejected by God. This is the last and also the most severe temptation of unbelief and despair, with which the greatest saints tend to be tempted. And whoever is able to stand and persevere, comes to a perfect knowledge of God's will, so that he can say with Jacob: "I have seen God face to face" 2c. I did not believe that our Lord God meant it so well with me; but before we get there, it becomes sour. Therefore, the teaching in this history is evident and clear, namely, of the temptations of the greatest saints, who taste with great sweetness how kind the Lord is, Ps. 34:9. Although everyone cannot grasp or understand this difficult struggle, such people are not to be rejected because of it.
But it has been said of the apparitions in general. And we are to know that one should not believe all appearances, unless they are similar to faith. I will keep the word of God and be satisfied with it, with it I will die, with it I will live. There is help and comfort enough in the promise of God not only against the devil, the flesh and the world, but also against this great temptation. For if God were to send an angel who said, "You shall not believe this promise," I would push him away from me and say, "Get thee away from me, Satan," Matt. 4:10. Or if God Himself appeared to me in His majesty and said, "Thou art not worthy of My grace, I will change my counsel and will not keep the promise to thee," I should not turn away, but should fight against God Himself to the utmost. As Job Cap. 13, 15. says, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." Even if he were to cast me into the depths of hell and place me in the midst of the devils, I still believe that I will be saved. For I
I have been baptized, I have been absolved; I have received the pledge of my salvation, namely, the true body and blood of the Lord Christ, the Lord's Supper. For this reason I do not want to see or hear anything else, but I want to live and die in faith, no matter whether God or an angel or the devil tells me that it is contrary to this.
This, I think, is the right explanation of this text. For so Jacob will interpret it himself at the end, since he will say v. 3V.: "And my soul is recovered." So now this picture of strife and battle in the saints is very full of comfort. As in another place an example is told of a nun called Mechtilde. She was plagued by the devil, so that she did not know or feel anything about the faith. This was a challenge to unbelief, which is a very hard pain and torment of the conscience. For hearts are consumed by terror and doubt. And only experience shows what kind of pain it is, words cannot explain it. However, this same trial was not yet equal to the battle that Jacob fought, for God did not yet fight against it, as has happened here, but the devil, who can drive people to disbelief, despair and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. As I myself have seen some, especially women, who complained that they were condemned and rejected. For they were tormented by Satan with the spirit of blasphemy.
So the nun did not defend herself against this challenge with anything else, but with these words, that she said: Christiana sum: I am a Christian, that is, I am baptized with the blood of the Son of God, I am fed with the body and blood of Christ, I hold on to that, I am satisfied with the comfort, if God Himself would say otherwise. As Abraham was commanded to kill the son in whom the promise was made to him, and yet he believed most firmly that God would keep His promise.
This must be done diligently for the sake of those who are to become pastors. For there will always be quite a few,
784 D- vm, 174-i7s. Interpretation of Genesis 32, 24. W. n, 1147-iits. 785
who will have this challenge, that they may be raised up and strengthened by the priest's word. For in this way they say to them: "Be of good cheer, my son, believe that you have been baptized, that you have been fed and nourished with the Lord's Supper, and that you have also been absolved, with the imposition not of my hands but of God's, who said to you: I forgive your sin and promise you eternal life. If they grasp and accept this with firm faith, the temptations and blasphemies of the spirit will disappear.
151 For Abraham no doubt also felt great terror and anguish with all his heart when he was commanded to kill his son. Nevertheless, he kept this faith, by which he surely concluded that even if his son were to become ashes, he would nevertheless become a father of many heirs and descendants according to the divine promise. How, then, has God become a liar, will he not keep his promise? Such thoughts have occurred to him. And yet he obeys the command and thinks thus: As the Lord has caused this son of mine to come from the womb of an obsolete and barren mother and from my loins, so he will be able to raise him up again, when he has already been burned and turned into ashes. In this way, I say, Abraham also fought with God, which is one of the greatest and most difficult battles. But God shows in it His most perfect and best will.
Although this battle cannot be understood or endured by the saints alone, we must have this teaching and comfort to strengthen us so that we will not be devoured by the devil; although God is faithful, who will not let us be tempted beyond our ability, 1 Cor. 10:13. For this is what this example of Jacob teaches us, who was very weak in this battle, and yet is not overcome. But God is against him in such a way that he cannot recognize that God is the fighter; he thinks that it is an angel. But it is God who lets Himself be heard that He is his
He said that he was the adversary, as if he wanted to kill him, deprive him of the promise and the blessing and give it to his brother Esau. And nobody can reach with words, what kind of thoughts he would have had. But such thoughts will no doubt have occurred to him: What kind of poor wretched man am I? Am I only made to be always unhappy? Must I always have one misfortune over the other, and be so plagued with it that I can never come to rest? There is no more wretched man on earth than I am. I see that my brother Esau reigns, triumphs, increases and becomes great with great glory, with great goods, with children, children's children and with great income. How if our Lord God had changed his mind and rejected me, but had accepted my brother?
These were Jacob's thoughts, but they remained only thoughts. For nature and weak faith cannot refrain from them, just as they cannot easily refrain from other emotions and movements of impatience, anger and evil desire. But let it remain only a thought, so that it does not become certain sayings that are finally confirmed by our judgment and conscience. I cannot help thinking that my heart should not be troubled and plagued with strange thoughts and temptations.
Therefore, one must follow the advice of that hermit or hermit to whom a young man complained that evil thoughts of fornication and other sins often occurred to him. Then the old man answered him: You cannot forbid the birds to fly over your head, but let them fly and do not let them nest in the hair of your head. Let them be thoughts and remain thoughts, but do not let them become firm convictions. For this is the way of those who despair, as Saul, Judas and others, who draw conclusions from thoughts: they say, "My sin is greater than to be forgiven," Gen. 4:13; "I have betrayed innocent blood," Matt. 27:4. These reject the word, the faith, and the truth.
786 L- vm. 178-178. interpretation of Genesis 32:24. w. n, 1149-11-2. 787
and prayer. That means to make such judgments out of the challenge as are spoken in the court. Jacob, however, does not abandon faith, even though he has had very severe trials and many innumerable thoughts, which those who have not experienced such things for themselves cannot understand.
So the most noble mind and opinion of this history is the example of the perfect saints, and the high temptations, not against flesh and blood, against the devil, or even against any good angel, but against God Himself, who appears in hostile form. For even though Jacob does not know who this man is, he feels that he has been abandoned by God, or that God is displeased with him and is angry with him.
So we keep the understanding, as the grammar or history gives, and where one has the same, the allegories are found fine by themselves. We remain simply with the words in the text, namely, that it was a figure of a man and no angel. For as Jacob told it, so Moses also described the history, namely that Jacob says: There suddenly a man attacked me and attacked me. That was therefore a figure or appearance. But he does not dispute who the man was, because he knows nothing about it. But later, when he looks behind him, he understands and says: "I have seen God face to face. Therefore this was no other attack, as if some great strong man had attacked him, but he did not know who this man might be.
157 And Jacob was also of proper strength and perfect powers, such as tend to be in a healthy strong body. Because he was fighting without a sword or other bodily weapons, he withstood him hard, and he still had some faith in the promise. Although he was frightened and trembled, his thoughts had not yet become firm and certain conviction. His faith has been severely challenged and tempted, but he has held fast to this conclusion: I have the promise. Therefore, he consoled himself and refused to fight against our Lord God.
he offers him, but dares not, thinking: If he strangles me, he strangles me.
What the anguish of his heart was in the midst of the battle is not described, but we can assume that the challenge was a battle of faith against unbelief. For the man wanted to storm and overcome his heart under the name of God, so that he should abandon all hope of God's mercy and grace. As Satan also attacks Christ Matt. 4:9, saying to him, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." There the devil disguises himself in the form and majesty of God. And is the highest challenge that one can only feel, but with words one cannot talk it out. And it is no wonder that in such a difficult battle man cannot conclude or advise anything with his reason. For the spirit itself fights, and the Holy Spirit is there to help our weakness; and if he were not there, the challenge would go out in a different way than man has decided for himself.
- but it is well to be believed that the man may have said to Jacob thus: Jacob, you will have to die; for you are not the one to whom God made the promise, or to whom He also wanted to keep it 2c. These were fiery arrows. And this holy patriarch was actually the one to whom the promise and the blessing belonged. But here he is challenged to the smallest spark, to the smoldering wick, Isa. 42, 3. but it still smolders and is not yet extinguished, and there is not yet a broken reed.
(160) Now these are higher things in the saints than we can understand, though they should be read and heard. Moses did not actually express the words they exchanged while the battle was going on, but it does not seem to follow that they were silent, but no doubt the man made himself heard with a frightened voice: Jacob, you have to hold out. Thereupon Jacob will have said: No, God does not want that; I will not perish like that. Yes and no have met each other in the sharpest and most violent way. That can
788 vm, 17S-I80. Interpretation of Genesis 32:24, 25, W. II:1IS2-IISS. 789
One cannot express this sufficiently with the mouth and with words, especially when God Himself says: You will have to die; and the spirit cries out against it: "I will not die, but live" 2c., Ps. 118. v. 17, and v. 13: "I am pushed to fall, but the Lord helps me" 2c. I may be driven, thrust, and assaulted to fall, yet I shall not die. So they fought with each other with arms and at the same time with words, as it happens when two fight with each other. In the meantime, faith also fought with prayers and cries, as Moses cried out at the Red Sea.
This was the climax of the battle, in which faith tried harder than the arms, that it always stopped and repeated this and said: No, no, I will not have to die like this, God has told me, called me and sent me to go back to my homeland; I will not believe you and I will not join you. And even if God will kill me, He may kill me, but I will still live. In this way they will have used other and other words for the two hours; and these will undoubtedly have been sharp and vehement speeches. Jacob did not know who the man was, and reason could not conclude or advise. For in such a battle all the senses are lost, and reason is not with itself either. As it says in the 107th Psalm v. 27, "They knew no more counsel." Jacob did not know what had happened to him, only that faith could hear him say, "The blessing is not yours, but Esau's; you are nothing.
Therefore he lives by the word alone, and his faith is both very weak and very strong. For when the wick smolders, it is near to being lit. And he has been in very great anguish; for he will say afterwards, v. 30, "My soul is recovered," as if to say, "My soul has been in the greatest anguish, but now I have caught my breath a little. For God is not trying to kill the man with this, but rather
that he wants to refresh, confirm and strengthen him. This can be taken from the text itself. And this is now the fight of Jacob recently described. We will command those who are experienced in it to explain it further and in more words.
The Hebrew word given by the seventy interpreters, fight or struggle, comes from abak, which means dust that is agitated so that it divides from one another in the air. It does not mean the dust that lies still, but the dust that is stirred up by those who work or fight. As the prophet Isaiah says in 5 Cap. V. 24: "Their shoots rise up like dust." So this word means as much as to stir up the dust with struggles, so that it rises. Although I consider it to be one of those words that are not too well understood. For the Hebrew language is not yet perfectly restored, and the Jews falsify many things with their "aequivocationes", that is, with the words that are supposed to mean more than one thing, and otherwise with their interpretation, especially in the obscure texts of the Messiah.
V. 25 And when he saw that he would not overpower him, he touched the joint of his thigh; and the joint of his thigh was dislocated above the struggling with him.
Jacob is stronger than the man who wrestled with him; not that he is stronger in truth than the Lord, but that the comparison is made with the man. For the Lord did not exercise greater strength than a man can exercise or is wont to exercise: he only wants to try a man's strength and ability, because he, as the Lord, is actually stronger. And I would certainly not like to wrestle with a believing man who has divine promise, even if I were a strong giant, because nature works beyond its capacity.
For this reason God does not show His power, but only such art and understanding as befits a strong man, and at the same time brings with it a terrible challenge of the spirit; this strengthens Jacob all the more, so that he struggles beyond his ability.
790 2- vm. IS0-182. interpretation of I Moses 32, 25. w. **II. I1W-IIS8.** 791
For no man, when he is healthy and in his right mind, can do what nature does when it suffers hardship and is weighed down. When nature is weakened and works until death, it can overcome all the troubles that it would otherwise not be able to bear. That is why they tend to say, when the struggle is over and the hard knocks are over, when they come back to themselves: Oh, how weak and feeble I am! For it follows that man becomes weak and feeble in all his powers, because nature has worked beyond her capacity.
- A story or a fable is told that five fingers were imprinted on a stone altar so that the sign of it could be seen; the same is said to have been done by one who desired to be given such a large host in the Lord's Supper as the priest received; and when this was denied him, he is said to have been either frightened or enraged and struck the altar with his right hand, and from this the sign of his hand is said to have remained imprinted in the stone for and for on the altar. For a man who is disturbed by heavy temptations, or by great terror, does well that which is otherwise impossible for him to do outside the temptation.
So this man, who was Christ our Lord, wrestled with Jacob in the same way that one man wrestles with another. But since the Lord saw that Jacob was stronger, especially in faith, which God does not like to resist, he used a special art, as fighters do, and touched the joint of Jacob's hip.
The Hebrew word kaph in Latin is vola, that is, a hand bent like a spoon. Hence Moses calls it kapoth, in Latin coclearia, in German Koten (joint knuckle); and for the sake of comparison it is called the joint or leg that is hollowed out, which the Greeks call ischion, in which the upper leg is inserted and in which it moves. But there are some muscles for this reason, so that the two kinds of
Bones are held together and do not jump from each other. And through the same joint the foot moves. So he wants to say that the man has dislocated his hip, that his leg has come out of its joint. But where the joint is thus dislocated, the muscles are also dislocated and pulled together, and because so many nerves come together, very severe pain arises, and it follows that the same limb becomes lame.
The man could not overcome Jacob, so he struck his hand on his hip, and the hip was dislocated with its muscles. He gave him a hard pressure and wanted to make the leg lame. These are the fighter's tricks. And a credible man in Eisenach told me a similar example when I was in Patmos, namely that he had known a strong giant with a rough chest and a long braided beard, who always had long pins hanging from his hair and always walked with his head bare, who also used iron to bend and break. And he said that at that time many such were found in Turkey. At the same time there was at the court of Emperor Frederick an excellent Jew and famous fighter, who had overcome and slain all the young noblemen at the court in battle with just such an art as is described in this history. And perhaps he may have learned the same art from this, that he touched the joint of the hip, so that he might weaken and overcome his adversary with the pain, which tends to be very violent in that place. When the same giant or fighter came to the emperor's court, the court servants encouraged him to wrestle with the Jew; although he let himself be heard that he did not want to deal with such people, he finally let himself be persuaded by their pleas and dared to do it with the Jew. The Jew asked that he be kept out of harm's way, since he might have attacked the foreign fighter, who was a guest there, somewhat harshly. The giant, however, also encouraged him to use all his skill and strength.
792 L. vm, I82-I8L. Interpretation of Genesis 32:25-28. **W. II, 11Ü8-IIS2.** 793
He wanted to prove what he could do and how strong and skillful he was. Immediately, however, when they met, the giant seized the Jew and broke the joint in his neck, thus killing him. I say this as an example to explain this story, because we know that fighters have many such tricks, namely, when they touch the hip, the joint and other limbs of the body, so that often those who are not particularly strong. Others, who are much stronger than them, can overcome.
In other respects, Jacob, in such great terror, did not feel that his joint had been touched. For the senses and reason of a person who is afflicted are confused and disturbed, so that he cannot pay attention to anything, nor can he hear or see anything. And this tends to happen especially when spiritual temptations arise, as Jacob felt such temptations at that time. That is why he does not stop wrestling, since the joint of his hip is already dislocated.
Fifth part.
What followed Jacob's struggle.
V. 26. And he said, Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.
If this man who wrestles with Jacob is Christ, what does it matter to him that the dawn is breaking? Answer: He has taken on the person of a man, which he will retain until he reveals himself. Therefore, in such a person, the dawn has also dawned on him and he must take up his usual work in the manner of all nations.
But he answered: I will not leave you, for you bless me.
If the joint of your hip is dislocated, why won't you let him? You have become lame, what will you do now? I feel no weakness, says Jacob. Dear, who then strengthens you
so? Answer: Faith, the promise; yes, the very weakness of faith:
And in this way God is overcome, namely, when faith does not cease, does not grow weary, but always perseveres and presses God. As can be seen in the Canaanite woman, with whom Christ fought a battle, when he said to her: "You are a dog, the children's bread is not yours to eat; nevertheless, she did not retreat, but opposed him and said: "Dogs eat the little bread that falls from their masters' tables", Matth. 15, 27. Therefore she also wins and hears a beautiful, glorious praise, which the Lord tells her in v. 28: "O woman, your faith is great. Such examples teach us that faith does not waver, and that it should not cease to persevere even when it feels the wrath of God, and not only death and sin. And this is the power and strength of the spirit.
Because Christ is still struggling with Jacob, hiding his omnipotence, and wants him to leave him, Jacob answers, "I will not leave you, because you bless me. Why is that, dear Jacob? Answer: Because thou hast said that I am cursed and accursed; because my soul hath been grieved: therefore revoke the same sentence, and bless me. You must contradict me, or I will not let you. I have overcome thee in the strength of the body; I will also overcome the words of thy mouth. For my soul hath labored somewhat more fiercely (of which thou saidst it was lost and damned) than my body or my arms. Therefore I will not leave thee, except thou revoke me, and give me a testimony that I am blessed in the sight of God.
V. 27. 28. He said, "What is your name? He answered, Jacob. And he said, Thou shalt no more be called Jacob, but Israel. For thou hast fought with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
175 What is your name? Are you not Jacob? Where did you get such great power and strength? For the temptation is now somewhat lessened, and Christ lifts up
794 vm. isi-iss. Interpretation of I Moses 32, 27. 23. W. n. uss-ii". 795
to take off the robe and speak comforting and life-giving words. He now explains himself as he does in the Gospel against the Canaanite woman, when he says Matth. 15, 28: "O woman, your faith is great. Her faith was very severely challenged because he called her a bitch. But she says, "Because you call me a dog, give me also the crumbs from the master's table that are due to dogs. This was truly a very beautiful and glorious faith, and also an excellent example of the way and art of fighting with God. For we should not immediately drop our courage and all hope at the first blow, but we must stop, pray, search and knock; and if he wants to go away, you do not stop, but always follow him diligently; as the Canaanite woman did, from whom Christ could not hide, but she came into the house where he was, says Marcus Cap. 7, v. 25, and fell down at his feet.
Even if he hides himself in the chamber of the house and does not want anyone to come to him, do not retreat, but always follow him; if he does not hear you, knock on the chamber door and make a noise. For this is the supreme sacrifice, that we do not cease praying, and that we always persevere and seek until we overcome and surrender to him. And he has already surrendered to us, so that we can be sure of victory. For he has bound himself to the promise and has confirmed his faithfulness and belief with an oath, as he says John 16:23: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father in my name, it shall be given you." Item, Marc. 16, 16.: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." These promises will never fail you, unless you do not want to follow and seek. Then you lose the most certain promises and Christ the Lord Himself through your own fault with your snoring and laziness, because you refuse to step into the square and take up a fight with God,
as the benefits of this promise are seen and practiced.
177 How this man practices and tries Jacob until the right strength and power of faith emerges. Therefore he changes his name and says, "You shall no longer be called Jacob. You were called a trespasser before because of your brother, but they have not yet given you the right name: "You shall be called Israel"; for you have earned this with your strength and unconquerable strong courage, so that you have overcome God and man.
This is how this fighter explains himself, because he says that Jacob fought with God and men, and gives him a new name from the fight. For the Hebrew word el means God. And with all the fathers it has been asked: What should this word "Israel" mean? Jerome modestly complains how he is intimidated by the great prestige and learning of some very eloquent men who interpret this word, that in Latin it means: Vir videns Deum: A man who sees God. He adds, however, that he would rather accept the interpretation of the angel or God than of the others, even if they may be the most eloquent men.
The Hebrew word sarah means to rule, to be subject to, to be a ruler or prince; as Isa. 9:6 says: sar shalom, prince of peace. But if the letter is put in front of it, that one says jescharael, then the first a passes, and then becomes a proper name, Israel; as also happens in other words, where the letter j is put in front of it, as, Josaphat, Jesus, Isaiah, Jisrael means fighter, prince, lord or mistress of God. They have also all made it sour to interpret this word, for it has seemed to them to be an inconsistent thing that we should be called lords and conquerors of God. And it is indeed true, if we want to judge it according to philosophy or reason; but in spirit and according to theology it is rightly said of God that he is overcome by us.
- yet he is not overcome so that he must be subject to us, but his judgment or wrath and anger, and all,
796 2. vm. iw-iss. Interpretation of I Moses 32:27-31. w. n, uss-uss. 797
What hinders us and lies in our way is overcome by us with pleading, seeking and knocking, so that he becomes a very kind and friendly father from an angry judge, as he was regarded and held before, and says: "O woman, your faith is great"; item: "Your faith has helped you"; "As you believe, so be it done to you. Oh, how you hurt me with your cries! Now this is full of comfort, that God thus exercises and admonishes us to fight, and lets it be heard that it is a very pleasant sacrifice to Him that He may be overcome by us.
181 But this must not be judged by reason, which is also subject to overcoming God with its own powers and works; but He is overcome when He has first surrendered and revealed Himself to us in word, in promise, in baptism. Then it is left for you to overcome that which wants to take this God from you, namely, through the truth of the promises and of faith. Or if he acts as if he is displeased with you and is angry with you, and that he does not want to hear you or help you, then you should say: Dear Lord God, you have promised this in your words; therefore you will not change your promise, I have been baptized, I am absolved. If you persevere in this way, and if you are always thus persevering with him, he will be overcome and say, "Be it done to you as you will"; for you have the promise and the blessing, I must surrender to you. For where one remains steadfast, and always seeks and diligently asks, that is a sweet pleasant sacrifice unto him.
This is very fine and lovely in theology, that the Christians are called overcomers of God, in Hebrew sar or sarah of God. For sarah is otherwise also called a matron, or such a mistress who rules in the house. Thus, believers are princes and lords of GOD, for they contend with GOD and are victorious. But we do not ask about the other interpretation. For there is no sense in your interpreting this word thus: the LORD with GOD; but it is here expressly said thus: "Thou hast fought with GOD and with men." The
Fighter calls himself not only God, but also a man, as if to say: because you have overcome me, you have overcome God and man. He puts it both together: Before you overcame a man, namely, your brother, by undercutting him, hence you got the name Jacob; but now you have succumbed to God and man at the same time.
(v.29-31) 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 Pmel: for I have seen God face to face, and my soul is recovered. And when he overcame before Pniel, the sun rose for him.
The Latin interpreter adds the phrase quod est mirabile to the text. But it is not in the Hebrew, therefore we have also omitted it. Because Jacob was so frightened and dismayed, he does not yet understand the words. For he has not yet completely overcome the temptation of the man, which he has suffered so far, and which was so heavy that he felt no other way than that he would have to be lost and die. For such phenomena happen in exactly the same way as the one who is challenged feels courage, or as the poor weak flesh thinks and feels. For both must happen and be felt, namely, the killing of the flesh and the quickening of the spirit. As is often said in the Scriptures, Ps. 118:21: "I thank thee that thou hast humbled me, and helped me"; item 1 Sam. 2:6: "The Lord killeth, and quickeneth; he leadeth into hell, and out again." These are the works of our Lord God.
When Jacob feels the weakness of his faith and does not cling firmly enough to the promise, but still wavers after the flesh and doubts God's will, as the flesh is wont to do, then the face of God appears to him very unkind and sour, and he fights and stands as if it wants to kill him. The same thing happens to all who are challenged, when they do not rejoice in the goodness of God that they see before their eyes, but are terrified.
798 L. viii, 188-isv. Interpretation of Genesis 32, 29-31. W. u, iisr-nn. 799
and are afraid of the wrathful God; they think that everything threatens them with certain death; everything is black, dark, sad, miserable and pitiful to them in heaven and on earth, neither the sun nor the moon shines; for the heart that is oppressed in the flesh dies, and when it is dead, everything falls. So Jacob, still having a little spirit living in him, fights and contends in great weakness; which weakness is yet very strong, as is said above.
These are secret and marvelous things, known only to those who have the promises, in which they are thus tried and humbled; and yet in such humiliation they become conquerors, even over God Himself. For I, says this man, am God and man, to whom you have succumbed. But while the battle lasts, Jacob does not understand it, nor does he see his strength because of his weakness; but he begins to ask: Who are you? Tell me your name, because you say that I have succumbed to God and man. For then the fighter declared that he was God and man. But Jacob does not yet understand, and is still in darkness, because the sun has not yet risen. He still has the thought that the adversary intends to kill him; and yet, because he hears that he has succumbed, he says: I would nevertheless like to know who you are, since you wrestled with me to such an extent that you wanted to take my life, and yet now you confess that you have been overcome.
The warrior still hides from him who he is and leaves him uncertain and in doubt; and the image of this man is shown to him in Jacob's mind. Jacob does not understand it, so the man does not answer his question about the name. As if he wanted to say: I have already told you before that you have fought with God and men and have been defeated; from this you should be able to conclude and assume who I am. He does not want to tell him the name, but still continues to try him, to practice and to chastise him. But if Jacob were with himself, and the clouds did not obscure the sun's rays
he would have understood all the more easily that he had been called a conqueror of God and man. He understands the words, but he does not understand the thing itself, because he does not know that this is the Lord. He thinks: Who are you then, that I have overcome God and men? But finally the appearance of the Lord follows, when he blesses him. For there he takes off the outward larva, and reveals himself that this man, who has wrestled with him, is God and man, who would manifest himself in our flesh in the future time, and whom the Jews would crucify.
But what kind of blessing it was Moses did not describe. But it was without doubt the blessing, so that the fathers were blessed, namely: "Through your seed all nations will be blessed" 2c. As if he wanted to say: Dear Jacob, I am the one who has blessed you and wants to bless you. Now that Jacob before, when he was still a man, could not see, but was disputing and asking out of doubt and because he was not yet sure, he now understands the same from the word and blessing and sees it with great joy. Are you him? he thinks, O heavenly Father and Lord! I thought it was some ghost or other man. So you are the same Blesser who blessed me and my father Isaac, and also my grandfather Abraham?
This is a very happy end and conclusion of this battle. For now Jacob comes out of hell into heaven, out of death into life. And it has truly been a very hard and difficult battle that he has fought so far. Therefore he gives thanks to God and confesses his anguish and distress, and does not want this place to keep its old name any longer, but calls it Pniel. As if he wanted to say: This place shall not be called a battle or the face of hell, but the face of God. And therefore he says: "I have seen God face to face": now I see clearly that the fighter who tempted me was God Himself. Why, then, am I dismayed? Why, then, did I tremble? I did not know that this was the Lord, my God.
800 Lvm,isv-iss. Interpretation of Genesis 32:29-32. W. n, iin-H7". 801
And now let us say without any contradiction that this man was not an angel, but our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the eternal God and should have become a man whom the Jews would crucify. He was very familiar with the holy fathers, often appeared to them, often talked to them. That is why he showed himself to the fathers in such a form, so that he would indicate that he would one day dwell with us on earth in the flesh and in human form.
This is the correct interpretation, which we have not invented or taken from others, but this man has revealed himself in this way, when he gives Jacob the name, that he should be called Israel. And Jacob himself says in this place, "I have seen God face to face." The same our Lord Jesus Christ thus tempted Jacob, not to destroy him, but to strengthen him and give him power, and that he might learn the power of the promise a little better in this battle; yes, he gave Jacob this power and strength, so that he might be victorious and boast of these visions of the Lord with joy.
In distress and in battle he did not speak in this way; just as others never use to speak such joyful words even under the cross. But the godly and the spiritual must finally overcome in the struggle and come to see God face to face. As was said before about the Canaanite woman who had seen and heard Christ the Lord; and when he went into a house where he wanted to be hidden, she followed him and stopped until she took Christ's heart from him, which she seemed to reject too stubbornly.
192 And when such a battle is overcome, we can also rejoice with the patriarch Jacob, and boast that we have seen Pniel, that is, the face of the Lord. For so also Jacob testifies to the very hard struggle he had experienced, and also to his joy. And I want to say this much: Dear Lord God, how I have been in such great fear and distress, and also in great consternation! But praise and thanks be to God, I have now come out and recovered, my soul is redeemed and saved.
out of all this fear, now I give thanks to the Lord my God.
V. 31, 32: And he limped on his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel do not eat a vein on the joint of the hip until this day, because the vein was touched on the joint of Jacob's hip.
Since the struggle has come to an end, the patriarch feels that his hip hurts. But he also gets comfort, the heavenly sun or the face of God, and the light of the sun, which is daily and natural: heaven and earth is vain light to him. By the way, in this place he speaks of the ligament, of which he said nothing above, v. 25, because he only thought of the joint. Now here he adds the vein of tension; for the joints have very strong veins around them. We have given it in German, the Spannader. The Jews do not eat it, but the Germans do not shy away from it at all, yes, there are many who make a delicacy out of it.
I do not know exactly what the Hebrew word nascheh actually means. The name Manasseh came from it, which means in Latin, obliviscens, forgetting. The Jews themselves do not really know what this word means. Some interpret it that it should be called in Latin, nervus oblivionis; as if one wanted to say: that has forgotten its place for the sake of dislocation. But it is Jewish, that is, clumsy and lazy thing. For the Jews have hard and sharp interpretations. The others have interpreted it in Latin, nervus contractionis, which we call a tension vein, and the same interpretation is better. For one is accustomed to pull the foot together and then apart again, and thus to agitate it. I think it comes from the word nasah, which means to raise, that it means the vein that is raised above the hip; but I do not say it as certain. Jerome did not give it correctly in Latin: Nervus emarcuit in femore: The vein is withered in his hip. For Moses wants to say that it is dislocated; and after such dislocation a very great pain tends to follow. This is what Moses says, that the tendon in Jacob's hip has been touched.
- this is history and the simple-minded
802 vm, 193-193. interpretation of I Genesis 32:31, 32. w. n. 1174-117." 803
I hope that it will be clear enough for others, too. Now one should also say something about the allegory or secret interpretation. But I have often said that allegories are dangerous where the Scriptures are interpreted. For one follows this, the other follows another: One lays this foundation, the other another; and sometimes they build gold, sometimes stubble upon it. And St. Augustine says finely: Figura nihil probat, that is: With figures or parables one can prove nothing.
Therefore, if one is to prove and confirm the doctrine of our faith, allegories or other parables do not apply; rather, one must have such proof and testimony as one has taken from the sources of sacred Scripture. For everyone can either interpret figures and allegories to his liking, or write his own. Therefore there is nothing certain about it, so that one could stand.
197 However, they must be presented and used like beautiful lights and ornaments, so that the doctrine or the right understanding is decorated and explained according to the letter. As St. Paul cites Gal. 4, 22. ff. the example of Abraham, Hagar and Sarah, so that he may decorate and explain the doctrine of the righteousness of faith and of the two testaments. And if the allegory rhymes with the doctrine, it is a very beautiful decoration, so that the doctrine is spiced up, as it were.
But before we deal with allegory, we want to stay a little longer with the example that is held up to us in this history, to explain it further. For the literal sense must always precede as the basis of allegories. And this is an excellent and very salutary example, which should be held up to the church and congregation of God with special diligence. For in it we are admonished that we should also be so in our lives and learn to recognize the church of God by the image of Jacob's struggle. For God hides the church or congregation, and also our blessedness, under a dark and darkened
We must become accustomed to this, so that we do not despair or mistrust even in the greatest hardship and adversity, which the devil, the world, or even God Himself may inflict upon us. For so says St. Paul Col. 3, 3: "Your life is hidden with Christ in God."
This is the sum of this example. We do not live in the flesh, or if we do live in it, we do not live according to the flesh, and we do not serve the wisdom and righteousness of the flesh, much less avarice, anger or usury; these are not our weapons: but we live in the flesh and live by the faith of the Son of God. For I know of no other life, but that I believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ His Son our Lord, who suffered for me 2c.
Yes, someone would like to say, but this cannot be seen. Answer: It is indeed hidden in God, but it is such that the devil cannot take away or snatch away this life from us, however much it is darkened. For we are not glorified, not honored in the flesh, neither do we rejoice in the flesh; but we are killed, die, suffer; we are profaned and blasphemed; we are mocked, scoffed at, and thought to be the very worst of men, whom they persecute with sword and fire as heretics and evildoers, and slay if they can. Is not this a very heavy blanket of this life? But hidden under it lies a very beautiful and delicious gem, which is thus called: I believe in the Son of God.
For as Christ, our head, is hidden in God, so the church and congregation of God is covered and lies hidden under such a covering, and it must suffer in the world to be called rebellious, erroneous, heretical, and a multitude of the most wicked men that ever lived on earth. This disgrace, I say, she must bear. These are her beautiful gems that she wears on earth, her jewels and golden chains, so that God may adorn her in this life. For so it is pictured in this example, how God tries us in particular and also in general the whole church after the example of Jacob, namely,
804 2. vm, ISS-IS7. Interpretation of Genesis 32:31, W. II, 1I76-II79. 805
that he fights with her and shows himself as an adversary and enemy who wanted to leave her, to reject her, even to destroy her.
For when you look at the state of our church, we seem to have nothing but the Word and the sacraments; and we have many countless adversaries, such as princes, nobles, citizens, householders, disciples, and finally our own flesh to drag us along. For this is our glory, that we are afflicted and mocked even by our own household. This is our cover, so that we let ourselves think that God will by no means recognize and consider us as His own. For nothing rhymes less with the church than such a figure.
I myself have often thought, when I have seen such great contempt, disgust and hatred of the word among the people, after the light of the gospel has come forth again: Dear, why did I begin to teach and preach? or, why do I continue to do so? because people rage against us more and more, as if they were nonsensical, and become more and more angry every day.
But this one must suffer and thus conclude: This is the true God who is hidden, this is his nature and characteristic, he is in truth hidden and yet not hidden. For the flesh is in our way and hinders us from looking at Him; it grumbles, is grieved, is angry and impatient, and cries out: I am the most wretched of men, the most despised and the most depraved. And it is also true that the priests and church servants, together with other godly people, have no protection from princes or kings; indeed, they do not have the protection from the citizens and peasants that is due to them by right. And what is more, what they already have is often taken from them, and so they must be subjected to all kinds of robbery and violence. Therefore, it seems as if God has abandoned and rejected us, for he is hidden from us and we are hidden with him at the same time: but in faith, in words and in the sacraments, he reveals himself and lets himself be seen.
God considers reason, wisdom, righteousness of the flesh and the light of the sun to be a dark and gloomy place, but then the Word comes, shining like a flame in the midst of darkness and spreading its radiance through doctrine and sacraments, which God calls us to take hold of. If we accept them, then God is no longer hidden from us in spirit, but only in the flesh.
For this reason we should also learn, when we are overtaken with misfortune and sorrow and covered with darkness (which makes it unbelievable to us that we should be the church, or that we should please God), that we then take the word, and let fall and let fall what falls, and that we do not allow ourselves to be challenged when others already fall away and deny the doctrine; but think that we are in a dark place, 2 Petr. 1, 19. 1:19, where the light of the Word shines before us: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved," Marc. 16:16. This is the only light, which the sun does not see and human reason does not see, but it shines in the heart. Without the word we shall know nothing and see nothing; for where this only shines there is no danger, and an hour will come when we shall break forth and say with joy, "I have seen the Lord face to face, and my soul is recovered."
Now Jacob has given the church and congregation of God a very useful and beautiful example, namely, of such a faith that fights in weakness, so that we do not think, as the monks thought, that the fathers and prophets were stones or blocks in which there should have been no weakness at all. Otherwise we would have to despair, because we still feel great weakness in our flesh; for the flesh grumbles and does not want to suffer or be trampled underfoot. Therefore we complain and cry out that we are being treated unjustly. Therefore let us look at the holy patriarchs and comfort ourselves with their example, even though they did not always stand firm and strong in faith.
- Jacob was with very rich consolations
806 L. vm. I97-IN. Interpretation of I Genesis 32, 31. 32. W. n. I17S-II8S. 807
showered, not only with those which he himself received, but also with those which were given to his father and grandfather, Abraham and Isaac: and yet struggles with great weakness. Wherefore think thou thus: I am not alone, who am being contested with the wrath of God, with providence and misbelief; it is not I alone: all the saints, as many as there are of them, who have ever believed or now still believe in the Son of God, they also experience such a struggle of contestation, so that they or the whole church may be tempted. For what is this whole assembly called the church? It is a small group of very poor and miserable people, who are the most despised and despondent people in the eyes of the world. What is this little group to be counted against the whole world? What is it against the Turkish Empire and France? yes, even against our adversaries, the papists?
209 If you ask where the church is, it is nowhere to be seen. But one must not look at the outward appearance, but at the word, at baptism, and there one must look for the church, where the holy sacraments are rightly and perfectly administered, where there are hearers, teachers and confessors of the word. If you cannot see it yet, remember that our goods are hidden goods, and that in this life you cannot see how great they are. The man is still struggling, but it is without danger, indeed this struggle wins a very happy outcome.
For so shall we make a proverb out of this history: If one thinks that our Lord God has rejected one, then one should think that our Lord God has him in his arms and caresses him. So Jacob does not feel or think otherwise than that he will be lost; but when he looks around, he is in the arms of our Lord GOD. The example of Job, who was also humbled and greatly afflicted, teaches us the same. For this is how God leads His saints miraculously, Ps. 4:4. When we think that we are finished and that all is lost, God embraces and kisses us as His beloved children. This is what St. Paul says: "When I am weak, then I am strong"; when I die, then I live, 2 Cor. 12, 10. 2 Tim. 2, 11.
But we do not understand it, and this is the cause, because the flesh is in our way, which cannot suffer to be killed, and hinders the spirit from seeing the immeasurable love and good will of God toward us until it comes out of this struggle and the hindrance of the flesh is removed. But the same thing is abundantly taught from time to time in all the holy Scriptures. For thus it is written in the Revelation of John in the 3rd Cap. V. 19: "Whom I love, I punish and chasten." And in the Proverbs of Solomon, 3rd Cap. V. 11, 12: "My child, do not reject the chastening of the Lord, and do not be impatient with his punishment. For whom the Lord loveth he punisheth, and is well pleased with him, as a father with his son." These and similar sayings are very good and worthy of note.
- But is it pleasing to the son to strike him with rods and to beat him? The Scriptures truly teach this, and experience also testifies to it. For what pious and faithful fathers are, they chasten their children with all earnestness; they will not suffer them to be disobedient, and to bring about their own evil 2c. And they do this out of no evil heart, but mean it so that the children may be instructed by it, and what is bad in their lives may be corrected, so that they may finally become pious men. But the boy or child who is punished and chastised does not understand the father's good will and heartfelt affection, but thinks that the father is a tyrant and has dropped all care and love for him. So does a pious, faithful schoolmaster. He hates in the pupil that he is lazy and sleepy; therefore he takes care that he chastises the boy in a childlike way, not that he is hostile to him or has a desire to beat or bludgeon the boys (as I, when I was a boy, saw many of them in the schools a long time ago), but he loves the boy very much, and such love moves him to chastise him.
This, then, is the truth in itself, and the experience which teaches that chastisement is necessary. And the heavenly Father
808 D vm, idg-A>i. Interpretation of Genesis 32, 31. 32. W. n. nss-iisi. 809
The same way also holds to chastise the godly. Whoever is able to endure and persevere in this chastening will finally experience what is written in the epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 12, v. 11. V. 11: "All chastening, however, when it comes, seems to us to be not joy but sorrow; but afterward it will give a peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it."
- we see the same thing happening in this story: when the curse is gone and the temptation is over, blessing and joy follow, that Jacob says: "I have seen God face to face, and my soul is healed. For thus a godly man thinks, when he has escaped the temptation: "How I have such a gracious God! I was already despondent and went down to hell, but now I see that this struggle has been useful to my life. I would never have thought that God would be so close to me. Therefore, it is very sweet that one may experience the fruit of chastisement in such a way. O heavenly Father, you are so close to me and I did not know it? how I feel so good now! Now let Esau come, and all the devils, and I will not fear; for I have the Lord my God. Before I looked upon his back in the likeness and person of a man, in which person I fancied that he threatened me with death, and my heart was in great fear lest he should cast me into hell: but now I see his face.
For the outward appearance is to be seen just as a godly man inwardly thinks or is minded in his heart. As it happened to the disciples, when Christ was walking on the sea, they were terrified and afraid, because they did not know the Lord, and therefore Christ seemed to them to be a ghost or the devil. But when they heard that he said, "I am he," their form was changed, and their eyes were opened, so that they recognized Christ and let go of all fear; that is, they saw the Lord face to face, that is, they were again led out of hell and set in heaven, so that the heart concluded, "Now I do not have such a God as this, who curses me, or who has put a curse on me.
I am not angry with him, but he blesses me and is gracious to me. But such knowledge of God requires practice and experience, which must always be diligently taught and practiced. Knowledge should always be diligently taught and pursued. But there must be experience and one must get used to it in this life, otherwise one cannot understand it; since the things that seem to us to be signs of divine wrath and that he should be hostile to us are the most certain signs of God's greatest love and inclined will toward us.
I have often seen that the best of men have been terribly afflicted with terror, affliction and very severe persecutions, and that they have become almost despondent in their hearts. But this must be learned, so that we can comfort such people, and interpret the temptations in such a way that it is, as it were, a special way, since God uses to fight with us in the form of a destroyer, and that we exhort them to hold firmly to the promise, or to the light and sparkle of the Word, with such hope that salvation will surely follow. For God "leads into hell and out again," 1 Sam. 2:6. Now you look at his back, and it appears as if God is hostile to you and has turned away from you; but soon after you will also see him under your eyes and his face. Yes, this means to love those whom he chastises, and this love must be learned by experience.
And one must not flee from chastisement, nor refuse to endure it. As it is said of a peasant who, when he heard this consolation from his pastor, that tribulations and miseries, so that God punishes us, are signs of love, replied: Oh, how I would like him to love others so much and not me!
That was a foolish and ungodly answer. For one should not think or speak in this way. One should not interpret and understand the works of God in us in this way, but one should know that it is a very salutary death, by which we are chastened to life and salvation and not to destruction. As St. Paul testifies in Rom. 12, 2, when he says: "That you may test", not only that you should
810 L. vm, 201.-203. interpretation of I Genesis 32, 31. 32. w. n, nst-ii87. 811
with words, but that you may also learn by experience, "which is the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God." For this is God's will, our mortification and sanctification. But we cannot be sanctified unless the flesh and the sinful body be put to death, which sinful body in this life gives itself up with all violence to all kinds of sin, such as adultery, fornication, theft, 2c.
Therefore God judges, chastises and punishes us until we learn which is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God, so that we may sing with David, as it says in Psalm 119, v. 71: "It is dear to me that you have humbled me, that I may learn your rights. I would gladly be exalted, my flesh shrinks from the challenge; but I know that this is the good, pleasing will of God. Item, as he says in the 118th Psalm, v. 18: "The Lord chasteneth me, but he giveth me not to die"; v. 13: "They push me to fall, but the Lord helpeth me," that my soul may see the face of God and recover; v. 21: "I thank thee that thou hast humbled me, and helpest me."
So far we have spoken of the example of the holy patriarch, which greatly comforts the saints who are weak in faith. But as they received comfort, and the temptation was for their salvation, so we also ought to make an effort to be like them in the battle and in salvation. For in this way we will learn what is said in the 34th Psalm, v. 9: "Taste and see how kind the Lord is. Blessed is he that trusteth in him." So we understand and feel how kind and lovely the Lord is when we come out of darkness and the shadow of death; for then the light is lovely and very pleasant. So then the little child kisses the rod. O dear rod, how do you make such pious little children! Let this be said of the example and of history.
I am not particularly interested in allegories, but I will say a little about them. Augustine sets this reason of his allegory, that Jacob is the body of his descendants; and so far he is right. For it
must be a person who is the figure of a whole assembly. But that he says about the fight that Jacob had with the man and about the victory after which Jacob is blessed, that is very harsh and too far-fetched. For he thinks that the crucifixion of Christ is to be understood in this way, that Jacob was subject to the angel or God; which crucifixion was to take place through the wicked descendants: they overthrew Christ, that is, they crucified him, and the crucified Christ nevertheless blessed Jacob, namely, the better part of the descendants.
But this is a too harsh and forced allegory. He makes two kinds of descendants, namely, good and evil: the evil have prevailed and conquered, the good have been blessed, since Christ had overcome death and the evil conquerors. We do not accept this part of the allegory, and it can be seen that the fathers who followed this allegory were deceived by the wrong translation with the Latin word latitudo (for thus they translated the Hebrew word kaph, which word, as said above, means the joint of the hip), and from the word latitudo they invented two different descendants. Jerome and Origen have invented such allegories a lot, but they did not succeed with it. Therefore, it requires a very good mind to distinguish the allegories that were found in the fathers or invented by others.
But methinks it is no evil to make Jacob a person or body of good seed, and not of evil seed, as the Scripture makes a distinction. "For they are not all Israelites who are of Israel. Not are they the children of God according to the flesh; but the children of promise," 2c., Rom. 9:6, 8. Otherwise the evil descendants also would have received the blessing of God; but Jacob is a figure and pattern of the right descendants of Israel, that is, of all the saints, and of us also who believe in Christ. Therefore Israel is in this challenge with Jacob, when either the members in particular are challenged, or the whole church in general.
812 L. VIII, 203-205. interpretation of Genesis 32, 31. 32. w. II, 1I87-11SI. 813
In such a struggle we overcome God, as said before, because we have the promise. If we cling to it with faith, we also become stronger in weakness, so that we overcome our heavenly Father and the Son of God according to the example of the Cananaean woman, to whom Christ says Matth. 15, 28: "O woman, your faith is great"; item, as he says Marc. 9, 23: "All things are possible to him who believes.
This allegory is useful and good, which instructs and strengthens the conscience. It should be practiced and kept in mind at all times, so that we can be sure that a believer overcomes God with his faith and prayer. For God has promised to protect the faithful, to help them and to give them all good things. Therefore, He will not and cannot deny Himself. But if he appears in another form, or if you feel differently, and if it seems to you that he opposes you, you should not be afraid of him in your heart, and you should not retreat, but fight against him in faith, so that you may succumb and become Israel. But how? Not by the strength or weapons of your flesh and nature, but by trusting in the thing that you have with God, namely, that He has promised and sworn to you that He will be your God. With such confidence you will be able to obey, which does not come from nature, but from the promise. Now when he meets you like a fighter and wants to destroy you or hide his name and promise, be strong and hold fast to the word, even though you feel great weakness: then you will succumb.
After that, in this battle, you will also feel that the tension vein or the joint of the hip is dislocated and withered. This allegory is correct, and rhymes with the way of speaking that the Scriptures have, which often understands the offspring through the hip. Therefore Augustin did not draw the tension vein of the hip on the descendants badly. For thus Moses speaks in the other book in 1 Cap. V. 5: "And of all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob, there were seventy."
But the sinew, which has become corrupt and lame, teaches those who fight and believe that the fleshly birth is not at all suitable for this victory, because the hip, which is the fleshly birth, is dislocated and withered. Therefore, Christians know that they do not become God's people or children of God through the birth or righteousness of the flesh, nor that it is inherited from the flesh, as it is written in John 1:13: "Who are not born of the blood, nor of the will of man"; it is all dead. Therefore the hypocrites and the Jews boast of such things in vain, and yet even now the Jews are quite foolish because of the fleshly honor and righteousness of the law. For this man touched the thigh of Jacob with his hand, and thereby the sinew was killed. But the children of God are born of God. So the godly and the descendants of Jacob should learn that they should not boast of the flesh, nor seek life in the benefits and glory of the flesh, but in the blessing of God, who makes us children of God according to the promise in Genesis 22:18: "Through your seed shall all nations be blessed"; item, John 1:13: "Those who are born of God find" 2c. This is a fine example to look for allegories; for it teaches and comforts at the same time.
227 And this also rhymes with the fact that the children of Israel do not eat tense veins, that is, they do not believe. For "to eat" means to believe in other places than John 6:53: "If ye eat not the flesh of the Son of man," 2c., "ye have no life in you." We do not eat, nor do we believe that the tension vein is raised above the waist. We do not preach the wisdom, honor, righteousness, and violence of the flesh, but abstain from all confidence and boasting of carnal righteousness. Only the good descendants of Jacob understand and have this wisdom. For theirs alone is the hip dislocated; the rest all honor and eat the sinew of the hip, which is very tough and hard; for it is not yet dead to them. Only the Christians abstain from the dislocated hip and tendons. For so teaches this.
814 D vm, s"-L07. interpretation of I Moses 32, 31. 32. cap. 33, 1. W. n, nsi-uv4. 815
New Testament Joh. 1, 13.: "Which are born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of GOD." This allegory is better and closer, which also rhymes with the teaching of the Gospel. For the people of GOtteS fights with GOt, and conquers and
receives the blessing after the victory, and rejects the righteousness and wisdom of the flesh, yes, it crucifies the flesh with its lusts and desires, Gal. 5:24. Whoever is godly and has the gift of writing allegories will easily find others.
The Thirty-Third Chapter.
First part.
How Esau comes to meet Jacob with a reconciled and changed heart; and how Jacob behaves in this.
I.
V. 1 Jacob lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Esau coming with four hundred men.
What is told in this chapter is in itself clear and easy, because it is such things that concern this life, civil and external customs. Therefore, we will pass over it recently, since neither the words nor the history are in themselves obscure or difficult. For Moses describes, as an example and strengthening of our faith, how God hears the groaning of the faith that struggles, even though it is already weak; which is indeed an inexpressible groaning, but not without great fruit.
2 Therefore Jacob belongs to the number of those of whom Christ says Marc. 9, 23: "All things are possible to him who believes. For he overcame God and man through faith, so that neither God nor man would or could harm him. God has blessed him, but his brother Esau has been so changed that he not only does not want to harm him, but also wants to help him, love him and do him good; his anger has been changed into a friendly brotherhood.
- yes, this is the hand of the Most High, since
by which one who is angry is prevented from doing what he had set out to do. For God has all men's hearts in his hand, so that they cannot go beyond the goal that is set for them. As it is written in the book of Job, 38 Cap. v. 10, 11, it is written that God has set a bar and a door for the sea with His dam, saying, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further: here shall thy proud waves be stayed. Those who look at the sea when it is boisterous with waves and gale-force winds think that it will break the dam that has been built around it and overflow everywhere. And yet such waves and billows are subdued and kept within their bar and their door. Thus the hearts of men also rage terribly when they are angry; but God has set them a goal of their anger and wrath, beyond which they must not go. The same is seen in this example of Esau. And there are others from time to time in the histories of the Gentiles, which show that the wisdom and power of men could never have exceeded the goal set for them by God.
Hannibal had almost come to the walls of the city of Rome, and both the city and all of Italy had been so frightened and dismayed that he had had some hope and power to conquer both, if only he had had such courage as he had shown in the battle before. But he withdrew again, namely, because God had broken and hindered his fierce enterprise.
816 VIII, 207-209. interpretation of I Genesis 33, 1. w. n, IISL-IIS7. 817
Therefore his friends cried out and said: Vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria nescis uti; O Hannibal, you can conquer, but you do not know how to use the victory. But they did not know that underneath there was a secret and divine power that defeated him. Thus, the Pope has reached his goal; likewise, the Turks will not get any further than the goal set for them by God. Yes, the devil's fury and raging will last as long as it pleases God to serve him for his glory and our death and salvation.
5 In the same way the Lord speaks of the king of the Assyrians, Isa. 37:24: "You say, 'I have come up with the multitude of my chariots to the height of the mountains on the sides of Lebanon, and I have cut down its tall cedars. But the Lord answers him in v. 29: "Because thou hast raged against me, and because thy pride is come up into mine ears, I will put a ring upon thy nose, and a bit in thy mouth, and will bring thee home by the way that thou camest." He lacked neither the will nor the power, but the power and authority of God increased him. Thus says the Lord Isa. 10:15: "May an axe boast against him who cuts with it? or a saw defy him who cuts with it?" You must not exalt yourself beyond measure for the sake of your fortune and violence. For it is just as much as if the saw or axe were to boast that it hewed the wood or sawed it from one another. For if I did not guide the saw and cut the wood, the ax or saw would never accomplish anything.
6 Therefore this victory of Jacob was also promised by God in vain and only by pure grace, namely that he would overcome his brother. Therefore, Esau is not overcome by human strength, skill, counsel, wickedness, or that Jacob showed himself courteous to him as if he were his friend, but only by God's grace and goodness; for his will is changed.
7 And this is the most glorious victory of all, where men are brought to have their hearts and wills changed. And
has never been a better victory than when unwilling and unruly people have become good-willed people. But this alone is a work of divine power and majesty, namely, to change a heart and mind that is angry and fierce in such a way that it becomes friendly and kind. For otherwise the human heart is so utterly unruly that it cannot be changed by any force: not by the devil's power, or death, or any other calamity, however strong it may be, unless it is forced by force. For man's will is unconquerable and hardened, and cannot be softened by any wisdom, nor by any power, unless it is overcome with goodness. Only God can do this, as can be seen in this example.
(8) For Jacob was rightly called Israel, because he overcame God, and felt that he laughed and rejoiced with him, whom before he had as an enemy, and who had longed for his life. Moreover, he also overcame the wrath of his brother Esau, and all who came with him, with nothing else but faith and prayer, so that God Himself and men might be overcome. Hence it comes that Solomon says in Proverbs 16 Cap. V. 7: "When a man's ways please the Lord, he also makes his enemies pleased with him."
9 And we have also experienced the same up to now. For by the grace of God many have been made content with us, who before were fiercely hostile to the gospel and persecuted it; and this has happened by no force, but with a very pleasant and beautiful victory, by which the will of man is changed of its own accord. Prayer has such great power: with it Jacob overcame both God and his brother Esau; he won heaven and earth. His brother Esau now does not even think of hurting him, nor can he. For all his mind and will has been changed; as we shall hear.
10 Therefore Jacob is happy with himself and of good cheer about the victory he has from God Himself and not from the angel; as he said before, "I have the LORD
818 L. vm. 2VS-211. interpretation of I Moses 33, 1. w. n, US7-USS. 819
seen face to face" 2c. And this reconciliation of his brother shows both, namely that this was a true face and not some vain ghost, and then that also the prayer and the inexpressible groaning obtained more than Jacob was allowed to ask or hope for. For he never promised himself so much comfort, neither from God nor from his brother. He only asked that his brother would depart and leave him and his household unharmed. He was not allowed to expect the great friendship that his brother Esau would run to meet him, embrace him and fall around his neck, and also kiss him and weep.
(11) Therefore believe and hope, and persevere in prayer and knock; the Lord will surely come and not forgive. For it is impossible that such a prayer, that one may always persevere and persevere in it, should not be heard. But because we do not believe, we do not experience this perseverance, nor do we feel the great goodness and help of God. Therefore, let us awaken our hearts to faith and prayer; and we should know that God is pleased to persevere in this way, and that He has commanded perseverance, saying Matt. 7:7: "Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." And prayer is never answered more abundantly than in such a struggle and groaning of faith, which thus fights with God.
(12) The church and congregation of God have hitherto obtained relief from many great calamities, which were caused by the Turk and other adversaries; therefore our prayers have been heard much more abundantly and differently than we have asked or even understood. As St. Paul says in Eph. 3, 20. and Rom. 8, 26. 27.: "We do not know what we should pray for, but the spirit itself represents us in the best way with inexpressible groaning. But he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit." For we always ask less than we should ask; and we do not hope for that which God gives us out of a good inclined will. Therefore we do not ask as we ought, nor do we understand; for these are greater things than we can understand in our own hearts.
We are not able to understand this in our hearts, because we only think of small and minor things. The Lord is great and high, therefore he wants us to ask great things of him, and he will gladly give them, so that his omnipotence will be proven. This is the first part of the victory of Jacob.
II.
(13) Secondly, that Jacob may beware lest he tempt God, and become proud of the great joy and of the glorious victory, and thus provoke his brother's heart, which was scarcely yet satisfied and reconciled: so he does not pride or defy his brother, as fools are wont to do. He does not say thus: I have the promise of victory, I ask nothing of your anger and threats; for from such contempt and pride the wound, which was first healed with hard toil and labor, would again be broken out:' but he uses all the kindness he can and may to increase and maintain his brother's friendship; he arranges another very beautiful procession and pageantry, so that he goes to meet him with his servants. This means to do what is in one (facere, quod in se est), so that we do not lose the blessing of God.
(14) When we have abundant comfort and joy through God's grace and goodness, we are not to defy or exalt ourselves beyond measure, but to use God's blessings with fear, humility and thanksgiving, as Psalm 2:11 teaches: "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling," lest we fall into security and hope and tempt God.
(15) Jacob honors his brother and uses the means he can to keep his friendship, and he does not lose anything in the victory, although he is humble and kind to his brother. But he divides his servants into the order in which he will meet his brother, since the gift was sent first; and he does this with all diligence, so that he may adorn the gift, soften Esau with it and soothe his anger, even though he is already certain of victory.
820 L. VHI, 211-213. interpretation of Genesis 33:1-3. W. n, 11SS-1202. 821
(vv. 1-3) And he divided his children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto both the handmaids, and set the handmaids with their children before, 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 unto his brother.
Here he divides his people with a completely different heart and in a completely different way than he did above. For then he was still uncertain what his brother's will and mind were toward him. Therefore he was frightened and despondent, and took counsel with himself that he should divide his people into two bands, thinking: Where Esau will strike one army, the other will escape. He remained alone on the shore and struggled with despair. Then the flesh was weak and wavering and was inclined to despair because of the weakness of faith. But now he comes to his brother with a joyful heart, he divides his household into an order not with a despondent but with a joyful and sure heart, but in such a way that he does not tempt God nor enrage his brother again, whom he had overcome with weak and struggling faith.
(17) Therefore he made this division of the people only to make a show of it, and that it should be a sign of friendship. And now he no longer remains behind, but goes ahead of all the others to meet his brother. For the challenge is now overcome and the sun of comfort and joy rises for him. And is a very beautiful splendor. For the kind, loving wives, the dear little children and maids follow the father of the house, and when they have come before his brother, he bows down to the earth seven times until he comes to him.
The Hebrew word for "worship," which is very common in the Scriptures, comes from the word shachach, which means to bow down; as it is written in Psalm 38, v. 7: "I walk crookedly and very stooped: all the day long I walk sorrowfully. From such a gesture of stooping has the worship, that is, reverence, so shown to those who are greater than oneself.
and are higher than we, or also' that one shows to God, their name; and happens either that one stands and bows, or else that one bows the knees. For this gesture is a sign of the reverence and humility shown to those whom we recognize as worthy of honor. We are accustomed to uncover our heads and take off our hats, which the Jews do not do, even if they are already in the temple or in the church. So we call "worship" all outward obeisance shown to those who are greater than we are, or who are our equals, whether by bending one knee, as in the case of princes, or by bending both knees, as in prayer. In this way Jacob bows seven times to his brother as the elder and lord, whose goodness and kindness he recognizes, that he is reconciled to him, and now lets himself be heard in a right brotherly and friendly way.
19 There is a question that comes to mind here: How does this rhyme with the blessing promised above in Gen. 25, 23. that the greater should serve the lesser? and Cap. 27, 29, that Jacob would be lord over his brothers? For it seems as if with this humility, since Jacob is thus bowed down before his brother, the blessing is reversed and changed altogether. And this argument can be made great and strengthened in many ways. For in no place is it read that Esau bowed down before Jacob and recognized him as his lord or master. But the opposite happens in this place of Jacob leaning before Esau. Over this Esau had a much greater power. Jacob had his children with him, among whom Reuben was the oldest, twelve years old, or thirteen years old at the most; the others were younger.
020 But Esau hath children, and they that may have had children, and among whom were princes and lords, whom he begat. For he took wives in the fortieth year of his age. From that time he begat many children until Jacob was seven and seventy years old, in which year he first received the blessing. Yes, Esau has
822 L. vm. 2IS-2IS. Interpretation of I Genesis 33:1-3. W. ii, 1202-12." 823
He had already had many children when he was still in Jacob's father's house before he took away his blessing. Therefore he was a lord and prince who was related to the Gentiles in the land of Canaan by affinity and was in league with the Ishmaelites and other princes. To such a great prince Jacob, with his children and a poor defenseless band, coming out of servitude and misery, is much less than Esau, who goes with four hundred armed men.
021 And afterward Jacob shall be a stranger again in Egypt. In the meantime Edom has received many excellent rulers and kings, and its power has increased daily; indeed, as they are going out of Egypt, the children of Israel have been forbidden to touch the land of Edom, and the LORD says he will not give them a foot wide of it. Now is this the ruling that Jacob is to do? David was the first to conquer the Edomites, 2 Sam. 8:14; but before his time they had been free six hundred and four and twenty years, and yet remained under the power of the people of Israel no longer than an hundred and twenty years. For under King Joram they threw off the yoke and made their own king, and they no longer paid tribute to the kings of Israel, 2 Kings 8:20. Therefore it seems as if the blessing was revoked and reversed.
22 Some answer this question thus: That this blessing goes to Christ, in whom it was finally fulfilled. But one must answer this history. For this submission of Jacob, and that he thus humbled himself, which granted the whole time of his misery and pilgrimage, is only a temptation, as has been said. As we are the most miserable of men and subject to everyone, it is not a rejection, but only a struggle, for in truth we are and remain lords of heaven and earth. The temptation is not a change, or that thereby the promised goods should be overturned. As the prison of the people of Israel under the king of the Assyrians was also a temptation.
but not a change of the people. So in the terror of sin and death I do not exchange death for life, Christ for the devil; although in the temptation it does not seem otherwise. Abraham was also tempted in Genesis 22:2, when God commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac, but he did not lose his son.
(23) And so are all temptations in general: because at first they seem very sad, frightening, and not at all like the promises: but the outcome rhymes at last with God's word, which remains firm and immovable. As it is wont to happen when a thunderstorm suddenly arises, it can also be seen that the terrible thunder and lightning threaten heaven and earth, men and cattle, that everything should fall in a heap and perish; but it brings no hindrance or change at all, that it also dampens the land and makes it fertile.
24 As far as history itself is concerned, Israel has never been under the power of Edom: Esau has never been able to rule over the people of Israel; indeed, from the time of David until the time of King Joram, Edom has been subject to the children of Israel. Therefore the blessing has remained firm and certain, and the reign has lasted with the descendants of Jacob until Herod and the future of the right true Israel, namely, the Messiah. As the prophecy reads Gen. 49, 10. where Jacob says: "The scepter of Judah will not be taken away until the hero comes." Now that the future of the same was present, the carnal rule of Israel also ceased and only then Herod took the reign. By the way, the blessing remained unchanged until the future of the Savior, who wrestled with Jacob. There a new and better kingdom has been started and established, in which the right Israel rules over heaven and earth, over angels and devils. For in the name of Jesus all the knees of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth bow, Phil. 2, 10. The blessing of Jacob has been fulfilled, and is still under the figure before the future of Christ.
824 L.vm,sw-2i7. Interpretation of Genesis 33:1-4. W. n. iA"-i2os. 825
Israel has also remained unchanged, so that it has never been subjected to the Edomites, even though it has often been challenged and plagued by them.
(25) Now the fact that in this place Jacob humbles himself and bows down before his brother and calls him lord is not to be understood as if his blessing and honor were broken off; but, as it is commonly said, they are words of honor that do not bind. And this reverence or obedience does not mean that the inheritance and the dominion have been handed over to him. Although Jacob calls himself a servant and Esau a lord, Esau does not yet have the reign and has never received it.
26 Therefore this reverence comes from special humility, so that it does not seem as if Jacob had exalted himself because of this peace and happiness and was proud of it; and does not come from it, as if the blessing should be taken away from him, and is only a gift of honor. After this, it is also customary in this life for those who are higher and greater than others, not only to address their equals, but also those who are lower than them, in a friendly and honest manner, and to offer them their service.
(27) For love is therefore wont to show all kinds of service and reverence to those who are inferior to us, and also to help and support them. Thus does a priest or church servant: when he sees any one who is afflicted and afflicted with terror of conscience, and who in such distress desires comfort from him, he also offers to that afflicted person all kinds of low and servile service, that he may raise and strengthen the poor, weak and despondent heart. But in this way he does not hand over the church government to him, but he himself keeps the office, as he is commanded.
- These are works of godliness and kindness, so that one can often prevent great displeasure. And such works and service are not forbidden by God; indeed, we are commanded to submit ourselves to others who are like us, or even to those who are like us.
are inferior to us, for the benefit and betterment of our neighbor. And with such humility, nothing at all is lost to us in our honor; even though we are somewhat guided and inclined toward another for benefit and welfare, yes, even to God's honor. So Jacob's blessing remains unwavering and firm. And all this, by which he seems to be subjected to his brother, shall not be called a change, but only a temptation.
Second part.
Of the reconciliation of Esau and Jacob; of their conversation, and of the gift that Jacob gave to Esau.
I.
And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.
29 Moses uses full and emphatic words to describe the reconciliation of the two brothers, so that no one may doubt that Esau should not do and speak everything from the heart, and that he should not be changed in truth; for he runs to his brother, hugs him and falls around his neck, kisses him, and both cannot refrain from weeping for joy. For the brotherly heart is opened, and both their hearts are inflamed with true love and friendship, so that they forget all anger and injustice. Even the four hundred men are no longer remembered, and no sign of anger or displeasure is seen, but everything is full of right and brotherly love and friendship. For Moses uses such words to indicate that all this was done and said sincerely and faithfully.
30 For though hypocrites may pretend to love one, yet here the gestures and all the words in particular show that they both had a burning love, and that Esau was well appeased and reconciled in his heart. For he thinks, "What shall you do with this man? He is my real brother in the flesh. Now that God
826 L. vm, 217. 218. interpretation of I Moses 33, 4. w. n. 1209-1212. 827
I do not want to begrudge him, I do not want to envy him or be angry with him, but he may have it and keep it for himself.
The others will have thought: Alas, poor wretched Jacob, who twenty years ago boasted that he had received the blessing and deprived Esau of it, must now bow down before our prince and lord Esau in the most humble manner. Where then is the great glory and the glorious hope of Jacob? We have the right blessing; for the rule is with Esau according to the promise Genesis 27:39, 40: "Thou shalt feed upon thy sword. And it shall come to pass, that thou shalt also be a lord, and shalt break the yoke from off thy neck. Thou shalt have a fat habitation on the earth, and from the dew of heaven from above." The fat dwelling on earth, like gold and silver we have, they will have said; Esau feeds on his sword, is an excellent warrior, who has subdued his brother, and will bring other nations also under his yoke; he has torn off his brother's yoke from his neck.
32 And it is well to be believed that Esau taught the same opinion of the promise that was made to him; he will no doubt have made it great, as diligently and earnestly as he always could. "For the children of this world are wiser than the children of light," Luc. 16:8, and they can twist and turn proverbs beyond measure, where there are some who think that they serve them on their side; yea, they can make of a little branch a whole forest, of a little flower a whole green meadow, and of one word the whole Bible.
(33) We, who have the right and much richer promises and blessings, do not marvel and rejoice in them so much; we do not press so hard for them; we do not spread the great glorious things as the wicked know how to make their goods and gifts great and glorious. For behold the Papists, how they press so vehemently for the one sentence, and the same
To make it known: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church," 2c., Matth. 16, 18., to defend the primacy of the pope with it: there are whole cargos of books in which this single saying is interpreted. But on the other hand, how coldly and carelessly do we treat the teaching of the gospel? How sleepily we read or hear that Christ suffered for us and died for our sins, 1 Pet. 3:18; item, that it is written Gal. 3:11: "The righteous shall live by faith." Teachers of the other arts are somewhat more diligent to practice the doctrine of their profession, and it is also useful and necessary in this life that the good arts be practiced and that those who have a good mind be diligent in them. Thus we find in the merchants and traders how they can calculate so diligently and accurately. But we, I say, are very lazy and sleepy to praise our goods and gifts and to make them great, which laziness and carelessness come from our flesh. According to this, we also deal in hidden and heavenly things, which are not seen or felt: but they deal in present, visible, and tangible things; wherefore they are so much more valiant and diligent in them.
(34) In this way Esau diligently considered and pondered the promise. For experience rhymed with the promise. I am promised the sword, he will have said, therefore I am rightly a man of war and a ruler, but my brother is a shepherd, is poor and miserable; the fat and fertile land is mine, and I am subject to no man, and have now also torn off my brother's yoke from his neck. Such glory and defiance comes from the fleshly blessing; for it is before everyone's eyes and has great appearance and splendor in the world. Jacob also had a fleshly blessing, but it did not have such a great appearance. For Edom had kings and princes before his brother Israel, and the spiritual blessing is always covered under a very small and miserable figure.
35 And this glory of Esau has been very useful for reconciliation. For he hath ge-
828 D. vm, 21S-221. interpretation of Genesis 33:4. 5. w. II. I2I2-I212. 829
thought: I am the Lord, and since I have nothing to worry about before my brother, why should I deal unkindly with him? Not only do I have the words of blessing, as Jacob has, but I also have the deed at the same time as the words. For I have much money and goods, great power, many possessions, friends; I am born of the flesh and blood of the holy fathers. Therefore God has not rejected me, even though Jacob has taken away and withdrawn the blessing from me.
(36) And it is well believed that Esau was finally saved. This is why God made this distinction between Jacob and Esau, item, between Isaac and Ishmael, so that He would indicate that His kingdom is spiritual. And there is no doubt that many of the family and descendants of Esau will be saved. For many of the Edomites were joined to the people of Israel, and were circumcised; and many of them went up yearly to Jerusalem unto the feasts that were kept there, and worshipped there.
(37) Therefore Esau hoped that he might also be made a partaker of the grace of God and of spiritual blessings, and felt and experienced that he had been blessed and multiplied in body; after which he saw his brother's humility. All this served to soften and soothe his heart, so that he might be truly and heartily reconciled to his brother, and so conclude with himself: Why should I strangle my brother? Why should I practice tyranny against his dear children and wives? God protect me that I do not become a fratricide. And Esau is just as pleased that Jacob has received good and happiness as if it had happened to him.
(38) Last of all, earnest and fervent prayer was also added to Jacob's relief. The riches themselves and the material goods he has could not have satisfied the bitter heart, although they sometimes tend to soothe the anger somewhat; but prayer had greater power. For where we earnestly and constantly
If we pray, the enemy will certainly become a friend. If we only cry out to God, and hope not for our worthiness, but like the smoldering wick only for God's grace and mercy, then God will surely hear us. Now this is a true and uncolored reconciliation of these brothers, as Moses tells certain signs of good inclined will and brotherly love in them both. Now the interpretation of this chapter is easy.
II.
B. 5 And Esau 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.
This is a very beautiful and friendly conversation between these two brothers and is full of godliness. Jacob still remains in humility and that he may engage his brother with kindness. For God wants that one should also honor the worldly glory or, as they commonly called it, the sanctum saeculare, that is, the worldly sanctuary, in its order and due manner. It has its honor and its majesty. Those who surpass others in it are not to be despised, but are to be given their due honor according to God's order.
The Hebrew word chanan and chen actually means. To pardon one. Thus Jacob says here: "So that God has graced me. So at the same time he recognizes God's grace and good deed and thanks Him for it; but he adorns his cause with words, as he can and as he might, in order to gain his brother's friendship. And he teaches us by his example that we should also show due reverence to our superiors. We are not to be hard, rough, or stiff-necked and disobedient toward them, but we are to make an effort to gain their favor with humility and reverence. This belongs to the moral teaching.
41 But why does Esau ask what the children are, as if he should not know? After all, the messengers who brought him the gift were sent ahead of him, from whom he undoubtedly found out what Jacob wanted for the children.
830 L. vm. 221-223. interpretation of Genesis 33:5-8. W. n. I2IS-I218. 831
and of other things more? Answer: He asks about the children, so that he may have the opportunity to deal and talk with his brother in a friendly and brotherly manner. For there all suspicion must be put away, as if there should still be deceit or falsehood hidden under it. He has not acted falsely like a hypocrite, and I believe that he will finally be saved, just as I believe about Ishmael.
Forty-two: So the will of Esau was truly overcome and changed. But where the will is changed, the other things depart of themselves, and all things follow finely afterward, and the house and all the goods of Esau are open unto Jacob: for the will is the queen that ruleth over goods. If I know that one loves me, I do not doubt it; everything must be ready and willing for me that can come from a kind and good-willing heart. Because Esau's heart is reconciled to Jacob, in that day and time, as they say, soothes sorrow and anger, and then the humiliation of his brother, nothing in this reconciliation should be considered false or hypocritical, but that all his words and actions were sincere and faithful, coming from true love and good will, and not colored. For that is why he ran to meet his brother, embraced him, kissed him and wept, and now seeks, in whatever way he can, opportunity to prove his brotherly heart and love toward Jacob. This is the very glorious and right Israelite victory, since through prayer and the struggle of faith, God's will and man's will have been overcome.
V. 6-8: And the maids came near with their children, and bowed themselves to him. Leah also came near with her children, and bowed themselves 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 met?
(43) Jacob also makes this show of reconciling his brother with it. Although he was previously reconciled by divine power,
Through the victory and struggle of prayer and faith, he did not neglect the outward sign of friendship, lest he appear to tempt God, or to disturb the peace and unity that had begun, and to grieve his brother's heart anew with hope. Therefore Jacob, with his wives, maidservants and children, bowed down before Esau, since he was the son and heir of the better blessing. For he had the spiritual blessing for the sake of the promised Christ, which depended on the physical one; but Esau did not have the promise of Christ, that he should be born of his flesh. And yet he that is greater humbles himself, and so holds himself as if he were the lesser.
- In this way we should also be subject to all divine order for the sake of God, for it is God's creation. Therefore we should honor the authorities with whatever reverence we can, but in such a way that for their sake we do not reject or deny the word of Christ and the promise of grace, so that we do not lose the spiritual blessing. For one should show all reverence to the authorities, as well as all kinds of service, with a good conscience and a cheerful heart, if they stick to the goal set for them, that is, that divine obedience and the confession of the word remain unharmed. But if they want to be like God, they should be punished, and they should be reminded of the saying of the apostles in their stories in the 5th chapter. V. 29: "One must obey God more than men.
So the greater, who has been graced by God with spiritual blessings, humbles himself against his brother, who is the lesser before God. Just as we pay their due honor to kings, princes, nobles, mayors, city councils, they are called "gracious", "noble", "wise", "lords", as Christ says in Luc. 22, 25. 2c. For it is a worldly order and glory, ordered and appointed by God, which God wants us to honor. But if they want to exalt their chair above the stars of God and be equal to the Most High, as Isa. 14, 13. 14. says, they shall by no means
832 D. vm. 223-225. interpretation of Genesis 33:6-9. w. n. 1218-1220. 833
be obedient. But in their order, place and measure, we show them due reverence and love them dearly.
(46) We do not flatter them when we call them Most Gracious Lords and Most Serene, but we heartily honor the state and person ordained by God to this office. In such a way Jacob does not pretend to Esau as the chief, but calls him a lord, but himself a servant out of right humility and reverence towards his brother. This is a beautiful example of a peculiar courtesy that is very common in this language and among this people; the same courtesy was used by those who were like one another when they spoke to one another. It is not common among us that one should call himself another's servant. This is the simple and common form that we use, that we say: My friend, my lord 2c.
And Esau asked again, What does Jacob want with all this army? so that he may have cause to speak kindly to his brother, and to exchange words with him out of love and friendship, which one had for another. And it can be seen that he has not yet received the gift that Jacob sent him. But what the cause was cannot be known; whether he was still inflamed with hatred and did not want to hear the messengers sent to him before he saw his brother humble himself; or whether, now that he has become somewhat calmer and has seen the armies sent to him by his brother, he was moved out of special kindness and mercy and therefore did not want to take the gift, I do not know for sure. However, it can be seen that he refused to accept the gift more out of friendship than out of hatred. Why should I accept such a gift from him? he will have said. Why does he send me such a gift, since I am much richer by God's grace than he is? And therefore he will not have heard the messengers who were sent to him for the sake of the cause, namely, that they did not yet understand how he had felt toward his brother.
- so I will interpret it, so that this
that this victory had worked such a miracle that Esau's heart had to be changed and reconciled. Therefore it may well have happened that, while his anger was still hot, he went away with the four hundred men to frighten or slay his brother. But when he saw that he was humble and that he was sending him gifts, the hand of God came and changed his heart: Why should I do violence to my brother, or what should I take from the pious and faithful man who is wretched and poor? The Lord has blessed me more abundantly than my brother; it would be right for me to help him in his poverty with my wealth: why should I take gifts from him?
He answered, "That I may find grace in the sight of my Lord.
49 Jacob still insists that he may have and keep his brother's friendship. And their hearts are now completely reconciled with each other, so that all hatred and dislike is extinguished. God works this inwardly through His Spirit, but outwardly through means, namely, through the show of reverence and that He has let gifts be offered to him; although it can be seen as if Esau had not accepted the gift out of great heartfelt love, so that he might embrace his brother, now that he was reconciled with him.
V. 9. Esau said: I have enough, my brother, keep what you have.
(50) There is nothing in these words that is colored or false, but it is all to be understood as sincere and spoken from the heart. For the Scripture does not make up anything, but when it says that Jacob was subject to both God and man, it wants us to think that Esau was completely reconciled and changed. For Jacob felt and experienced both, namely, God and man, as an adversary and enemy; but the fighter says he overcame and changed God's heart and man's heart. Therefore we understand that all the words and works of Esau are without falsehood and hypocrisy.
51 I therefore do this a bit more diligently
834 D. vm, 225. 226. interpretation of I Moses 33, 9-II. W. II. I220-I2W. 835
To remind you of the Jews' gloss, who are wont to belittle and despise the works of the Gentiles and the uncircumcised, and to magnify their infirmities, but they know how to praise themselves highly and to exalt themselves exceedingly. Therefore they think that Esau's kindness was only outward and not heartfelt, and that all such words were suspicious to Jacob, so that he loved him so much, and that he did not want to give faith to his brother.
052 But I hold that Esau was truly changed from the heart, though he had the most righteous cause, that he was at enmity with Jacob, and was wroth with him. For to him, as the firstborn, was due the blessing. But he was a great, fine, brave man, who undoubtedly had been instructed by the teaching and preaching of Isaac and the other fathers, with whom he had been brought up, and had learned to restrain and restrain his lust and evil desire. After that, there was also the pomp that was prepared for him to be reconciled by it; item, the fight and the prayer of Jacob, and finally the divine government: all of which drove Esau's heart to forget such unrighteousness. Therefore he did and spoke all these things out of a good pure heart; as Jacob will soon afterward boast, saying, "I saw thy face as I saw the face of God." For since it is a divine work, it cannot be false or colored, since God does nothing but what is right and true.
(53) Putting aside the delusion that Esau acted deceitfully and did not show such kindness from his heart, we praise Esau for honestly and kindly refusing to accept the gift. I have, he says, all things enough, therefore I will not accept your gift; "keep what you have"; I will leave it to your children and servants, that they may enjoy it. All this has come from a kind and brotherly heart.
V. 10. 11. Jacob answered, "Oh no, if I have found favor in your sight, take my gift.
from my hand; for I looked upon the face as beholding the face of God; and let it please thee to look upon me. Accept from me the blessing I have bestowed on you, for God has bestowed it on me, and I have enough. So he urged him to take it.
(54) Jacob is adamant that his brother accept the gift he has given him. For I," he says, "give it to you out of the blessings and good things that God has bestowed upon me; and you shall not let my poverty and need move you to refuse to accept this worship from me. For I have all I need from God's grace, and I do not offer you this as if necessity or fear should move me to it, but I do it out of good inclined will and right heartfelt love, which I bear for you. Therefore I beg you not to spurn it, but to let it please you. For I give it to you for no other reason than that you should understand from it that I love you as a brother and that you would be angry in your heart if you wanted to forgive me. The gift is indeed small in itself, and according to your glory it should be somewhat greater: but you must look at my heart and how I am disposed toward you. The Hebrew word minchah is given above, Cap. 4, v. 3, 4, where it speaks of the sacrifice of Cain and Abel. It actually means a gift.
55 But Jacob adds a cause to try to persuade his brother to accept the gift that is given to him, saying, "I have enough in this alone, and it is as dear to me as any other good, that I have found favor in your sight: for I see your face as I see the face of God. This is a wonderful and very sweet rhetoric. And let it not be thought that Jacob is lying, or that he is inventing anything, but let it be thought that he is speaking earnestly and from the heart. Not that I think it should be taken for pretending or caressing him in his sins; but that virtue and infirmity may be rightly discerned.
(56) For it has been said many times that we do not have the saints everywhere.
836 vm, 226-228. interpretation of Genesis 33, 10. 11. w. n, 1223-1226. 837
guilty. And we have heard above that Jacob proved his weakness enough, since unbelief and the flesh resisted the spirit, which weakness we do not excuse. For a holy or believing man, knowing that his sins are forgiven him, and that he is an heir of eternal life, ought not to tremble or be dismayed or despondent, but to fight with firm faith in the promise, and to overcome doubt.
- but because we are still in the flesh, which is unclean and stained with sins, we are prevented from trusting, hoping and praying with such fervor as we should, but there is still much weakness and infirmity in us. And yet God tolerates with longsuffering the smoldering wick and the weak faith, as long as he does not fight against the word, or does not reject the confession and faith of the word. Weakness does us no harm, but the power of God is mighty in the weak, 2 Cor. 12, 9. But we must beware of both, namely, that we neither excuse the infirmities and sins of the saints, nor interpret evil that they have done well and spoken right.
(58) Augustine asks in this place whether Jacob was an idolater, and whether he flattered his brother, saying that he saw his face as if he saw the face of God, and makes it very angry that he excuses Jacob. Now there is a peculiar way of speaking in the Scriptures, which is to be rightly understood. For above, Cap. 32, v. 28, the warrior said: "You have overcome God and man, that is, two have turned their backs on you, namely God and your brother, which is a sign of anger or of an averse heart. And this way of speaking is common in all languages. If I am an enemy to one, I turn my face and eyes away from him and turn my back on him, which is a sign of anger and disfavor. In this way, when it is said of God that He turns His face away from one and turns His back on him, it is indicated that one has the grace or the knowledge of grace, the
I have lost the favor and mercy of God, as well as joy and thanksgiving, and that instead of all this comes terror, sadness, and doubting God's will; that a sorrowful conscience says: I do not know how I am with God.
59 Therefore, the face is not called the appearance of the divine being, but is just that, as it is written in Psalm 67, v. 2: "Let his face shine upon us, and be gracious to us," that is, he speaks kindly to us; item in Psalm 4, v. 7, 8: "O Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. You make my heart glad." As when I say to the one who is challenged: "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you" Matth. 9, 2; item: "O woman, your faith is great" 2c., Matth. 15, 28. Then the face of God shines upon us when he addresses us so kindly, and shows by words and works that he is favorable to us from the heart. There, I say, he shows us his face, and the same happens in this life only in the Word and in the Sacraments.
- but when he says: you have committed adultery, you have stolen, you shall be put to death; "fornicators, adulterers" 2c. "will not inherit the kingdom of God," 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; item 1 Thess. 4:6: "No one will betray his brother in commerce, for the Lord is the avenger of all these things"; item Matth. 25:46: "These will go into eternal torment": at such sayings and words alone the heart trembles. Therefore the face of God is turned away from us.
(61) Now as Jacob says above, chap. 32, v. 30, Jacob says of the face of God, how it has turned to him: "My soul has recovered," because the Lord has spoken kindly to him and given him a very rich comfort in promise and blessing: so also with his brother the sun, the light and life arise from the word and testimony of his good inclined will. And this is the opinion and understanding of his words, that he wants to say: "My dear brother, I have seen that your face has turned to me, no differently than I saw God's face before, when it also turned to me. And since I
838 L. VIII, 228-LS1. Interpretation of I Moses 33, 10. 11. W. n, I22S-I229. 839
Now when I look at your face, I feel that I truly see God's face. This is not flattery, but it is sincere and spoken from the heart; for he wants to say: I have so rejoiced in your face, as if I had seen that God had met me.
(62) But one must recognize the kindly face of God in His promises, in the sacraments, and also in outward benefits and gifts, as in a gracious prince, and when the neighbor, item, father and mother, are reconciled to us. When I see that my parents' face is friendly, I see at the same time that God's face is friendly to me and that he smiles at me; as Jacob said before, he saw the Lord face to face. The same face of God he now sees in the face of his brother Esau also; for he sees the good pleasure of the divine will in the kindness and favor of his brother. In the same way, the face of God shines in all creatures, for they are God's works and testimonies of the divine will and presence. In this way He shows Himself as friendly to us as with the outward appearance, as inwardly He shows His friendly and gracious face to us in the heart through the word and promise.
This is the right explanation of this way of speaking, so that no one interprets it as flattery or idolatry. And Jacob adds another explanation, so that he praises the love and friendship in his brother, since he says: "And you have willed me well." The Hebrew word razon means good will or good pleasure; as in the 51st Psalm v. 20. it says: "Do good to Zion according to your grace", or according to your good will; item Matth. 17, 5.: "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased"; item Luc. 2, 14.: "Pleasing men." And Jacob wants to say this much in this place: I see that you are pleased with me and accept me with grace; you embrace me, kiss me and weep with me; moreover, you refuse to accept my gifts, are more inclined to give than to receive. So you show your good will and good pleasure towards me. Thus
Now take this small gift as a sign of love in return, which indicates that I recognize your good will. But he calls the gift a blessing, saying, "Accept from me the blessing I have bestowed on you, for God has bestowed it on me," for God has given me everything enough.
These are truly the words of a heart that is exceedingly glad and rejoices greatly. He rejoices with all his heart that he may enjoy brotherly love. Therefore, this is a very beautiful clear weather that has followed the storm and darkness of the struggle he had before with his brother and with the man. I see, he says, that God and my brother are reconciled to me out of great kindness. Therefore great joy is indicated by the fact that he said above, Cap. 32, v. 30, "And my soul is healed." As if he wanted to say, "Now methinks I shall truly live again out of death and hell, because I have seen the kind and loving face of God. And a great wonderful humility shines in these words. For he wants to say: I have not brought a great and glorious gift, of which one would be astonished, but it is God's blessing: and I ask you to accept it as a sign and memorial of my gratitude and of God's blessing, of whose gift and grace I offer you all that it is. Therefore, take in God's name what God has given me, no differently than if it were given to you by God, so that it may also be a blessing to you and may be immeasurably increased, and that this friendship and brotherly love, which one has for the other, may last between us forever.
(65) But before Esau said, I have enough, in Hebrew rab; but Jacob says, I have all, in Hebrew kol: who makes his blessing great. I have not only much, but I have everything. These are the words of one who rejoices and leaps for joy because God's face and his brother's face were shown to him in grace, mercy and good will. If only I have God's grace and your favor, he wants to say, then I have
840 L. vm. 231. SSL interpretation of I Moses 33:10-13. W. n. 1L2S-1S3S. 841
enough and left enough. And it should not be a pity for me at all, if I give you already everything: I do not lack anything from it, I will never lack anything, because you are reconciled with me. I am a rich man, because I have God and you for my friend.
(66) All this shows how faith has been revived and awakened in Jacob, and now reigns and triumphs again. For Jacob now considers his blessings to be incomparable with all the goods of the whole world. Before he had nothing, saying, "I am afraid of my brother, lest he come and smite me, the mothers with the children," and all the servants. There, I say, he has nothing at all. For all was vainly lost and despondent. But here again heaven and earth are filled to him with all the goods and riches of the whole world. For unbelief deprives us of the grace and mercy of God, the brother and all goods.
67 Moses adds how Jacob forced his brother to take the gift. For he will have said: Do not despise the blessing of God and my gift, lest you be regarded as not heartily reconciled to me. For although I do not doubt it, both of our families will think that it is still uncertain about your grace and favor. Therefore, for the sake of love and brotherly friendship, I beg you not to spurn this small gift.
Third part.
About the offer Esau made to Jacob; how Jacob rejected it and went to Shukhtoth.
I.
V. 12. 13. And he said, Let us go away and travel; I will go with thee. And he said unto him, My lord, thou knowest that I have tender children with me, and cattle, and suckling cows: if they should overtake one day, all the herd would die unto me.
(68) Esau will be thankful and will again show kindness to his brother. For he offers to go with him and accompany him to the Jordan. And this is not done deceitfully, although it is probable that there may have been all kinds of suspicion in the family of both parts.
69 But Jacob, certain from the promise that his brother was reconciled to him, and understanding that all this comes from a kind and faithful heart, begs his brother not to humble himself in this way and not to render him this service. As if to say: "It is not necessary for you to humble yourself in this way, and it would be too difficult for you; for my lord knows that I have tender children with me, as well as pregnant cattle and sheep, sucking lambs and calves, so that we cannot follow without danger if we go away in such haste. Reuben was thirteen years old and not much over; Levi was twelve years old; Judah, ten years old; and so on and on until Dinah, who had not yet reached her fourth year on this journey. Therefore he brought with him a multitude of little children with great trouble; but the children, being so tender, could not follow the multitude that Esau had of the travelers and of the armed people. So, dear brother, says Jacob, we will hinder you and be burdensome to you.
70 Jacob's refusal to accept the service his brother offered him is honest and well done. For it is much more burdensome to lead a band of defenseless and delicate children than several armies of traveling people, since many things can happen that prevent one from going on one's way, and sometimes one has to lie still for several days or hours. It is an endless worry to travel with one's family, and it was especially difficult in those days, when there were no wagons, as there are now, but they put their luggage on camels and donkeys and put their children on them.
71 Therefore it is not a fiction or a lie that Jacob says, We will afflict you and hinder you, we will endure you on the journey, we will carry you with us.
842 vm, 2S2-2ZS. Interpretation of Genesis 33:12-16. w. n, 1232-123." 843
He does not complain about this troublesome crowd, but earnestly begs him not to take this trouble upon himself, so that Esau will not bring any other excuse, that he will drag something slowly or something else like that. With this, he secretly wants to give the armed people, who had Esau with them, to understand that this will be annoying. Yes, he also tells the danger, namely, when he says, "If they were to overdo it by one day, the whole host would die to me." The Hebrew word means to beat, as we use to knock on a door. For the cattle are driven with a rod or stick. If I were to drive them by force," he says, "so that the herds would have to go as fast as the traveling people, then the whole herd and children would die in one day. In German it means to exaggerate. Therefore it is better that you go ahead with your people, so I will follow you.
V. 14-16: My lord goes before his servant. I will go by and by, and the cattle and the children shall go, until I come to my lord in Seir. And Esau said, I will leave with thee some of the people that are with me. And he said, What need is there? Let me only find favor in the sight of my lord. So Esau went on his way again that day to Seir.
(72) The Hebrew word nahal actually means to lead, as it says in Psalm 31:4, "For thy name's sake thou wilt lead me and guide me"; and in Psalm 23:2, "The LORD leadeth me beside the still waters. And in this place Jacob says, "I will lead them merrily, as sheep are led to pasture or to water, that the cattle and the children perish not. For this is the office of a shepherd. And so David says of Absalom, 2 Sam. 18:5, "Drive Absalom cleanly for me."
- And he says, "After that the cattle and the children may go," which is, according to the Hebrew, in Latin, juxta pedem operis et parvulorum: that is, after the foot of the work and of the little ones. And he calls all his possessions opus in Latin; in Hebrew, melachah, in
German, Werk. And the same word is also in the third commandment. From this comes the Hebrew word melecheth, the power of heaven that works on earth to make the land fertile so that it bears fruit abundantly. And Christ also speaks in this way, Luc. 21, 26: "The powers of heaven shall move." But here Jacob calls all his household, and all his possessions, a work, in Latin opus, except the children and wives. As it is said in the third commandment, Exodus 20:9, 10: "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy works," that is, thou shalt do therein what thou hast to do: "but on the seventh day is the Sabbath," there shalt thou rest, and hear the word of the LORD thy God.
(74) A question is also raised here by others, whether Jacob lied when he says that he will come to Esau in Seir, and yet it is not written anywhere that he came there. But I have often said that I cannot excuse the saints from all sin. For we know that the greatest and holiest of men have often been grievously fallen and defiled, not only by common error and weakness, but also with great sins against faith, hope, love and patience, namely, with disbelief, doubt, anger and impatience against God. Let us have them as companions and examples to comfort us. And we shall not think that they were sticks, stones or blocks, but like us. Elijah obtained from God that no rain had fallen in three years, but afterwards he felt that his flesh was trembling and desired that he would only die soon, 1 Kings 19:4. But where they did right and spoke well, and what is not to be blamed, that is not to be interpreted deceitfully or falsely. Therefore we are not to suspect Jacob as if he had acted deceitfully or fraudulently with his brother, but there is in him a very faithful heart, which is very glad because of the reconciliation that was established between him and his brother. He is now cheerful and no longer worries about any danger, so he has no cause to flatter his brother or to lie.
844 2- vm, 23S-237. interpretation of Genesis 33:14-17. w. II. IWS-IL3S. 845
(75) But why did he not go to Seir, when he promised his brother? Answer: He does not promise him that he would go straight to Seir on this journey, but he tells Esau to go ahead of him until he will follow him and come to Seir. But he first went home to his old father and visited him before he came to his brother in Seir. But it does not rhyme badly that he will have gone to his brother in Seir or to some other place. And there is no doubt about it, they both came together when their father was buried.
76 Esau, however, so that he may again prove his friendship and good will, says that he wants some of his people to stay with Jacob and protect him. But Jacob refuses to accept this, because the long delay on the journey would be annoying to them because of so many obstacles. I have enough, he says, that I now know that you are my friend. So they both go, having taken leave of each other, Esau to Seir, and Jacob to Sukhoth 2c.
II.
V. 17: And Jacob went to Shukoth, and built him a house, and made tents for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is Shukoth.
(77) The city of Shukhtoth was then called by that name. For Jacob made there a tent for his cattle, and built a house for his family. And the text reads as if Jacob had stayed in the place for a time, and that it had not been merely a little way station or lodging for a night or a day, but that he remembered the building that Jacob had done. Therefore he says that he lived there for a while. Lyra says, according to the opinion of the Hebrews, that he lived there a year and a half; from which opinion came the previous question: Did Jacob lie, because he promised to come to Seir and yet stayed a year and a half at Sukhoth?
It is uncertain how long he stayed there and whether he came to his brother or not. And has probably
It is therefore proper and customary among men to show their love by the service and friendship they show one another, who are reconciled to one another. In this way, it is quite plausible that these brothers have also often come together and kept friendship with each other, and have also established the same among their children's children and brothers-in-law. This, methinks, follows better from the fact that the text says: Jacob dwelt at Sukhoth, made a tabernacle there and built a house, than that he should have lied and not come to his brother.
79 But that I say this by the way: I was of the opinion that Benjamin was born in this year, when Jacob came again from Mesopotamia: but I have found that the opinion is wrong and that he was born only eight years later. For this is a useful and necessary diligence, that one investigates in the histories of the holy scriptures and remembers the order of time, how one thing came to pass and happened after another. St. Paul forbids the genealogy of persons and not the account of time. For such an account is very useful to understand the Scriptures correctly. The genealogical registers, however, are uncertain because of the infinite disorder and almost impossible in the case of such great changes, since they have married for the second and third time, likewise also in the case of the difference of the sexes, which are mixed among themselves in various ways. It also often happens, as Lyra indicates, that a man has two or three names, so that he is called, or that many of them have one name, so that they are called. That is why the genealogical registers are a confused matter and are forbidden, and whoever would search for them with presumption will do vain work. But the account of time is necessary, especially for the reason that the Jews may be referred to it for the sake of Christ's future, of which one can have very clear evidence from the order of time. Even though it is not possible to be so precise about it, there is little point in it if it is not possible to be so precise.
846 L. vm, 237-239. interpretation of Genesis 33:17. w. II, 1238-12." 847
Hereafter, however, we will say more about the chronology of Jacob.
80 Suchoth, Pnuel and Mahanaim are cities above the Jordan in the tribe of Gab. The same country was taken over by the Arabs up to the Jordan, therefore it got the name Arabia. In the book of Judges, chapter 8, vv. 15-17, it is said that Suchoth and Pnuel were destroyed by Gideon because they did not want to give bread to the people, who were tired.
(81) So God finally gave the patriarch Jacob peace and rest after the bondage, misery and so much toil and trial that he was able to dwell safely and peacefully with his family and livestock and maintain his household for himself, as befits a householder. For this reason he now builds a house, teaches and governs.
And the Holy Spirit is not ashamed to describe all this so diligently. First of all, to indicate the change in the lives of the saints, since affliction and comfort tend to alternate with one another, and one follows the other. As God has ordained in nature that day and night, winter and summer also alternate with each other. For this reason, God, out of great goodness and mercy, tempts His saints so that they may not become secure and lazy in peace and tranquility, but may not despair in adversity and distress. For the cross is necessary to humble the flesh, that it resist not the Spirit, nor rule over him. But tribulation without end or change would make the spirit and the heart despondent and drive them to despair. Therefore God moderates it and alternates affliction and comfort with each other out of great kindness, according to the rule of Paul 1 Cor. 10:13: "God is faithful, who does not let us be tempted beyond our ability." He often lets the temptation come to the highest and to unspeakable groaning; but "he makes" it "so that the temptation may gain an end," that we do not even sink, but "that we may endure it"; as St. Paul says 2 Cor. 4, 9: "We are oppressed, but do not perish." 2c.
This is the doctrine of the whole sacred world.
This is the scripture that is held up to us in this place in the example of Jacob, namely, that it always alternates between affliction and comfort, for the sake of the sinful body being killed, so that it does not exalt itself and become hopeful; then, so that the spirit is not swallowed up by sorrow and is not even weakened by terror. For God wants us to beware of both, that we do not become proud and hopeful according to the flesh, and that we do not despair according to the spirit, but that we remain on the middle road between sorrow and joy, between honor and shame. For thus the patriarch Jacob had many trials; but after them all he received consolation again, when he saw the reconciled face of God and of his brother. For then his soul recovered, the night passed away, and the sun now shines on him again, since he passed by Pniel. Soon after, another challenge will follow.
The other reason why the Holy Spirit holds this up to us is to indicate that all the works of the saints or believers, however small and childish they may be, are pleasing and acceptable to Him as glorious fruit in the sight of God. Not only are the high and theological virtues of the saints described, as having struggled with death, sins, and other temptations, and having overcome them with great danger, but also these bad, domestic, and minor works, so that we may learn to live our lives in such a way that we may be sure that we please God in all our service and works. I do not always pray, I do not always talk about the law of the Lord, nor do I always fight with sin, death and the devil; but I put on my clothes, I sleep, I play with my children, I eat and drink 2c. But all this, if it is done in faith, is considered by God to be right and well done and good works in His sight.
This should be diligently impressed upon the people against the abominable hypocrisy of the monks, which hypocrisy, with its adventurous form, is a disgrace to people's eyes and senses.
848 V. VIII, 239. 240. interpretation of Genesis 33, 17. 18. w. n, I24I-I246. 849
that people are taken in and marvel at the hypocrisy, but despise the daily and domestic works and are disgusted by them, as if they were worldly and despised by God: yet the monks and hypocrites have many unskillful things and unrighteous works in their lives. But let it be known that every vain word of the wicked also displeases our Lord God; indeed, even their sacrifice and the most beautiful service of God before God is vain sin and abomination. But for the believers everything is for the best, Rom.
8:28, including their weakness, error and sin. The reason and wisdom of the flesh knows nothing of this; therefore it does not judge rightly and cannot distinguish the works of the hypocrites and saints.
Jacob went from Sukhoth to Salem and bought a piece of land there, and erected an altar there to call on the name of God and to preach the heavenly doctrine. I consider the same piece to be appropriate for the following chapter, and that the thirty-fourth chapter should begin with it.
The Thirty-Fourth Chapter.
First part.
Of Jacob's stay and activities in Sichern, and how his daughter Dina was weakened.
Cap. 33 v.18. Then Jacob went to Salem, the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan (after he came from Mesopotamia), and camped in front of the city.
The first question in this chapter belongs to grammar, namely, the meaning of these words, "Salem" and "Shechem. And the Hebrew grammarians and the other interpreters are not all at one with each other as to the special meaning of these names. For I have said above that there are many words whose meaning the Hebrews themselves do not know. The use and understanding of this language has fallen to such an extent that it can never be fully restored. And not only the words, but also the manner of speaking and how the words are to be put together, are manifold and obscured in many ways; hence it is that we cannot know the meaning and purpose of many sayings and proverbs.
Or if the understanding of this language could be restored in some way, it must be done by the Christians who have the understanding of the Holy Scriptures from the New Testament.
The Jews obscure the right natural understanding with their equivocations, dragging the words back and forth so that they have various meanings; and they do the same with diligence, so that they may arouse all kinds of questions and errors.
(3) But a diligent and good grammarian should use diligence, so that he may draw the various meanings to one that is certain; for a word must have a right and proper meaning. Therefore, he should indicate each origin of the words, their properties, and then also the figures, metaphors, allusions, and idioms. The Jewish rabbis do not do this. For where things fall, there also fall the words and their meaning. Just as no one could understand the speech of lawyers, physicians and theologians if the things they speak of were lost. And of this we have an example in the theology of the scholastics. For now there is no one among our audience who could understand Scotus, Thomas, or such teachers. For the things of which they speak, and the use they make of them
850 L. VIH, 240-242. interpretation of Genesis 33,'18. W. II, 1240-1248. 851
of their words is quite outdated and now unusual. The same would happen to other sciences if they were not always used and practiced. For where the things spoken of pass away, the understanding of the words also becomes more and more obscured.
4 So now it is asked: Whether the word "Salem" in this place is put fei to other words in such a way that it should be a generic word or else a proper name? Where it is understood as a generic word, it means peace or peaceful, item, perfect, sometimes also retribution. If it is to be understood adjectivally in this sense, then this will be the understanding: Jacob is unharmed, with good peace and fine quiet, that is, without contestation, in addition fresh and healthy crossed the Jordan and came to the city of Shechem. This interpretation is not bad. For he has now overcome the temptation and the battle, which he fought with the man who fought: he has now received comfort, and all is well and good with him. Therefore he is well satisfied in his heart, and builds a house and sets up a tabernacle.
(5) Others relate it to the story of Jacob's hip, which was dislocated, and put it this way: Jacob was uninjured, that is, he came fresh and healthy, so that he no longer had a limp. And I do not punish this interpretation. For it may well have happened that his hip was repaired and healed by the art of medicine, an art that the fathers undoubtedly knew very well. For they had not only the art, but also many of the best medicines: they had balsam and many other things like it, which we do not have now. Therefore, I do not dispute the matter as such, and gladly believe that Jacob's hip is healed and has become healthy again. But this is not the special meaning of the word. And because the Hebrews have other words, so that this understanding could have been expressed more properly, they would undoubtedly also have used another word, which would have been more suitable. For it seems that this proper
be better if you were to give it that way: Jacob came quietly and peacefully.
The third opinion, that it is the name of a city, cannot be easily proved or accepted. Jerusalem was also called Salem, as we have just heard in chapter 24, and it cannot be said with certainty that Shechem was called Salem by the ancients. As in another place it is said of the city of Lus, which afterwards was called Bethel. Because one does not find all names of the cities with the Jews. But I will not argue with anyone about this; for it is without danger to our faith or religion to understand this word as a generic word or as a proper name.
7 But the name of the city of Shechem has remained with all descendants and is very famous, especially in the histories of the kings. Sirach calls it a foolish people that dwells in Shechem. As the Germans say of the Swabians and Bavarians. It has been a proudly hopeful people, which has gone only to pleasure. And they want to say that this city was situated near the two mountains Garizim and Ebal. The others say that it was situated near Jericho.
(8) Now it is well known that Shiloh, where the tabernacle was, was very near Shechem, and it is very probable that Shiloh was the same place where Jacob dwelt, and where Christ talked with the Samaritan woman, John 4:7 and following; and there the tabernacle was under Joshua and Eleazar for a long time, until Samuel. And so the descendants have also taken cause for various idolatries, to which they were moved by the reputation and example of the fathers, whom they followed, and in the same place wanted to sacrifice against God's word and serve God. How Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem and turned the worship there from the temple in Jerusalem, 1 Kings 12:25 ff.
(9) Although I do not know how to answer or say anything certain, because the rabbis of the Jews themselves do not agree on the matter, since there are so many different opinions, I like the fact that the rabbis of the Jews do not agree.
852 vm, 242-244. interpretation of I Moses 33:18-20. w. n, 1248-1281. 853
But this interpretation is the best, that Jacob was delivered from many plagues, and full of faith and comfort, and also healthy and strong, came to the city, which is called Shechem from the prince, or from the one who built it; as many other cities have received the name from those who built or founded them. And this place has been very famous among the people at all times, as it is said.
I.
Cap. 33 v.19. He bought a piece of land from the children of Hemor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred pennies, and there he built his tabernacle.
- Until now the patriarch Jacob had nothing of his own in this land, but now he finally buys a piece of land; although the promise is certain that God would give him the whole land, he nevertheless buys this piece; as above, Cap. 23, 17, his grandfather Abraham also bought a field over against Mamre and a twofold cave for Sarah's burial. Therefore Stephen rightly says in the stories of the apostles in the 7th Cap. V. 5: "He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot wide," that is, during their lives; but they bought both what they had in it, Abraham for a burial, and Jacob for a dwelling, now that he had come to rest and had escaped the great trials.
(11) But he gives a hundred pennies for the piece of land, which shows that it was not very large. The others say that he gave a hundred lambs for it. But you may understand that he gave money or lambs for it, but the field he bought for such a small amount of money could not have been very large, or they would have been finer than they are now with us. So now he has his own dwelling at the city of Shechem, which is highly praised in the Scriptures because of the inheritance Jacob had there and because of Shiloh, which was near where the tabernacle was and where the people gathered.
Cap. 33, v. 20. And there he prepared an altar, and called upon the name of the strong God of Israel.
(12) Jacob intends to stay in that place, so he builds an altar there. But he has not yet returned to his father Isaac; but afterward, I think, he will have visited both his father and his brother often, having left his servants and cattle in that place. And Hebron was not very far from Shechem, namely, at ten miles; Hebron was five miles from Jerusalem, but Shechem three or four miles. Therefore he could easily visit his old father and brother; although the Scripture does not explicitly say this, it follows very well, since the brothers were reconciled to each other. And I think that Jacob would have lived at least eight years in this place.
But Genesis 13 also describes the purpose for which Jacob erected the altar, saying, "And called upon the name of the strong GOOD Israel." This reads in Hebrew: And called upon the GOt of the gods of Israel. And this is an apt text; for it is revealed to us almost in all places in the Old Testament under the name of GOD Christ. And Moses understands the three persons at the same time in this place, as he often does in other places. The man who wrestled with Jacob above was Christ Jesus, the Son of God, our Lord, Himself, who thus wanted to be revealed that He was a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Spirit and that He was nevertheless one God. So I interpret here the first word el, that it is the Son of God, who should have become man. But the word elohe I interpret to the Father and Holy Spirit. And these three persons are the One God of Israel.
14 But the Jews read and the text also reads that he called the altar itself, as they read the text in the prophet Jeremiah on 23 Cap. V. 5. 6. and 33. cap. V. 15. 16. where it says: "Behold, the time cometh, saith the LORD, that I will raise up a righteous increase unto David; and he shall be a king that shall be well pleased with him.
854 2- VIII, 244-24". Interpretation of Genesis 33, 20. Cap. 34, 1. 2. W. n, I2S1-IS84. 855
and establish justice and righteousness on 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 is our righteousness." There stands the Tetragrammaton, as they call it, jehovah, that is, the right -true GOD, who makes us righteous. But this excellent testimony of the divinity of the Son of God they refute with such sayings that this altar is called deus deorum, the God of gods, the strong God of Israel; item, Jerusalem, as Jeremiah says in 33 Cap. V. 16: "In that day shall Judah be helped, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. And he shall be called the LORD, which is our righteousness"; item, Exodus 17:15: "And Moses built an altar, and called it the LORD Nissi," that is, my exaltation, my strength; item, Genesis 22:2, Mount Moriah is called the glory of GOD.
(15) With such sayings the Jews seek to diminish and refute the mighty testimonies of the true deity of Christ. But Jerusalem or the altar is not the Lord, neither is our exaltation or righteousness: and yet the Jews press hard upon us with this argument, and will not let it be taken from them. But we can easily interpret it from the teaching we have in the New Testament, as it is taught in other places.
(16) When Jacob had received comfort, and when he had recovered, and had become fresh and healthy, and had been delivered from the terrors of death, and the pains of his dislocated hip had subsided, he set up an altar, that he might give thanks to God that he had recovered and recovered. For this reason he prepared the altar, that there the word should be taught, that there one should pray, give thanks to God, and otherwise perform divine service.
(17) For where the Scripture says that altars were erected, it is just as much said as when it says that schools or churches were erected for the worship of God and all that pertains to it. The altars were not erected for the sake of spectacle or useless pageantry.
There he was not to perform the sacrifice of the mass, but to preach the word there. Thus Jacob is described as having been joyful and confident in his heart after the redemption; and yet in such happiness he does not forget God who redeemed him, but prepares an altar, teaches his children, governs his servants and congregation, and exhorts them to call upon God and give thanks to Him. But this peace and rest did not last long for him, for now the day turned to evening and the dark night came.
II.
Cap. 34 v. 1, 2: And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. When she saw Shechem, the son of Hemor the Hivite, who was lord of the land, he took her and put her to sleep and weakened her.
(18) Now this is another and much more grievous trial than that which was above, Cap. 32, v. 6 ff., when he was terrified because his brother went out to meet him with four hundred men; and this challenge is full of great danger, sorrow and lamentation. For he now sits at home, the good pious patriarch, has his wives, children and the congregation in his house around him, is well satisfied, since he has received comfort after the heavy fight the other day; and does not sit idle, but fulfills the office of a householder and teacher with great diligence, namely, with governing, teaching and praying: and is immediately led again into a very sorrowful challenge, which he had never expected. For this reason, this example is written for our instruction, so that we may learn patience in tribulation and adversity. For where such a great man is so terribly afflicted and challenged, it must not seem miraculous or unreasonable to us if such a thing also happens to us one day.
Nineteen But the age of Dinah, in which she is weakened, is first inquired of here. For it is not well to believe that she was already manly when Jacob first came to Shechem, since he had her no longer than three or four years at the highest.
856 L. vm**. S4S-24S. Interpretation of** Genesis 34:1. 2. W. II. 1254-1286-. 857
but she must have been eighteen or twelve years old when she was put to sleep. And it follows from this that Jacob will have lived at Sukhoth or Shechem at least eight years before Benjamin was born, whose birth will be described in the next chapter. Now that I had indicated in the first edition of my chronicle that Jacob went straight to his father Isaac in the first year that he came back, I have changed the same thereafter. And I hold that he had been almost ten years in this country, since he had come from Mesopotamia, and that he had dwelt eight years in Sichern, where he had a field of his own, since he had left his cattle and his servants; and that he had gone from time to time to visit his old father and his brother.
20 That we now make this number of years is forced upon us by Dina, whom we must at least have let be twelve years old, so that she could have been able to bear a child. Although this is almost rare and almost impossible, especially in our time, that a maiden of twelve years should become pregnant, because she has a lot of trouble and work with the birth and there is usually the danger of life and limb, therefore more strength and a perfect age belongs to it. However, it may well be that at that time the nature and forces of the people were somewhat stronger, so that they had better air, and also better and more convenient cities, where they lived, and where they knew how to keep themselves moderate with food and drink. And the civil laws hold that boys of fourteen years of age, and maidens of twelve years of age, shall be fit and old enough for marriage. But at that age they scarcely understand that they are alive or that they are maidens; therefore we cannot today be guided by this measure of time.
(21) And though Dinah was then considered old enough to be married, yet in the text she is called in Hebrew, that is, maiden. For it was not the custom that maidens should be given in marriage so soon. For thus we have above, chap. 29, about Rebekah
hears that she was almost thirty years old when she was given in marriage to Isaac. According to this, the nature of mankind has not only become weaker and weaker in this last age of the world, but has also been greatly weakened because "now people do not live so moderately and there is not such healthy air; moreover, the cities where we live are not so convenient and healthy either. This is the reason why we grow old before time, and why we are afflicted with various diseases in our bodies.
(22) But there are many who dispute whether the age of men has decreased, and whether the strength and years of men have decreased in their bodies. And some think that nothing special has gone away, because today many people are still found who have reached their hundredth year, or who have reached their ninetieth year; as I have seen such people myself. Because Moses says in the 90th Psalm v. 10: "Our life lasts seventy years, and when the time comes, it will be eighty years"; and that at that time those who had become many years old were considered to have come to the extreme limit of old age: so it seems that the years and powers of the people in their bodies have not decreased at all in the present time, since one sees many of them who have reached seventy and eighty years of age.
- The others draw the saying from the 102nd Psalm, v. 26, 27: "Lord, you founded the earth before, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will pass away, but you remain. They shall all wax old as a garment; they shall be changed as a garment, when thou shalt change them." The Scriptures testify that heaven and earth perish like a garment; therefore it is certain that the powers of heaven and earth, and of all creatures that are in heaven and earth, decrease, as well as the animals, men, branches that are planted there, and herbs, in all of which there is no longer as much strength and power as there was before. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and all the fathers in general lived longer before the Flood; after the Flood, they lived longer.
858vm , 248-280. interpretation of Genesis 34:1. 2. w.n, I2S6-ILSS. 859
But the age of men has decreased, and all creatures, in addition to heaven and earth, have also decreased. The sun has no such power, the earth is no longer as fertile as before. For from the Flood the whole nature was indeed very much defiled and corrupted. Yes, that is still more, the Flood has also devastated and destroyed the paradise. The four waters, of it message happens in this first book Mose at the 2. Cap. V. 10. ff., no longer flowed out of paradise after the Flood, the land gained a different shape, it had to be built in a different way after such horrible destruction and desolation, and the age and the strength of all creatures always decrease more and more.
(24) Therefore, it is not until the twenty-fourth year that a man becomes strong enough in the body to be able to perform marital and other duties. A maiden does not become fit to bear the hard toil and labor of childbirth until the seventeenth or eighteenth year. In the time of David, the common age of a man was seventy years, and such people are found now, but very few, and it is almost a miracle now that men live to be seventy or eighty years old. The common course is that they live to be fifty or sixty years old. Those who live longer than that exceed the common goal. In his prayer in Psalm 90, v. 10, Moses speaks of the common goal, because life beyond seventy or eighty years is not at all suitable for a man to accomplish anything in it, item, for the rearing of children and also for the rule of the house. David also died when he was seventy years old. Today, almost the sixty-year-olds are unfit for any kind of government. The strength of the body of the people and of all other things has decreased so much: and on top of that, people now live so excessively, that they eat and drink so excessively, so that we destroy our bodies ourselves, as if with great hurricanes.
25 Now we will come to the history, in which a very sad misfortune of the patriarch Jacob is comprehended, which was not
It was not only burdensome and distressing for him, but also disgraceful for the whole family, children and servants. For it is the greatest shame and disgrace that a maiden, who is still almost a child, should be put to sleep. As Moses does not call her bethulah or almah, but in Hebrew, that is, a little child; and Shechem was also still a boy.
26 Moses says that Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land, that is, the women of the land. By this he means that she was safe and had no fear of violence, much less of being put to sleep, since she was not yet manly; and she was trapped by this. Therefore, the disgrace is greater that Shechem took and slept with such a maiden, who was so young and still unfit for marriage at that time. And this was also the cause that her brothers were so moved and angered by it. But, as we shall hear, they will be too cruel in their revenge against Shechem.
(27) The father, no doubt, will have had the greatest and most miserable grief over this. For he dwelt in the land of Canaan eight years after he came from Mesopotamia, and in those years he built a house and pitched a tent for his cattle; He is no longer a stranger or a sojourner, but dwells in the land, establishes a church or congregation there, sets up an altar to the Lord, preaches the promise and the commandments of God that they may be spread among all descendants, and has peace and tranquility at least in the common way, as in this life there is peace in the world and in the household, although there is much trouble and harm in both the world and the household. He also does domestic works, increases his herd, gathers goods, provides food for his servants, tolerates the troubles that tend to occur, such as the enmity of neighbors, theft, robbery and other secret persecutions. This is the common misfortune that occurs daily, which cannot be corrected or prevented, but one must
860 vm. 2S0-ML. Interpretation of Genesis 34:1. 2. W. N. IWS-I2SL 861
We must bear this with other people, and thank God that in the meantime there is still peace and tranquility. By the way, such peace and quiet cannot be without sweat of the brow, without thorns and thistles. And Jacob had such peace and tranquility for these eight years.
Now comes an unusual and terrible trial, which cannot be counted among the daily thorns and thistles. For each one may consider for himself how great a pain and heavy a cross it is for a father to have a daughter of his own, and to see in her the greatest dishonor and that she is so violated. There is no spiritual trial of faith, hope and patience like the ones above: But among the temptations that can occur in the home, it is the most terrible and unpleasant, namely, where a father's little daughter, who is not yet manly, is to be forcibly weakened, and that this should happen in one place, not by the enemies, but by a neighbor, by a friend, yes, by one who is a prince and protector and father of the fatherland, in whose shelter and faithfulness he had been well satisfied up to now. Now, against all expectations, he has to suffer such great dishonor. Therefore, this is a very evil and unreasonable challenge.
- but the greatest and holiest men are described and depicted in such a way that they must not only be subjected to the sweat of their brow, thistles and thorns, which occur daily in the household regiment, but that they must also be plagued in the hardest and most evil way by pagans and godless men.
(30) It is truly unjust and deplorable that such a great patriarch should be so reviled, who had so many excellent promises that he would be in God's protection, that the angels should protect him and keep him. Where are now the hosts of the angels and Mahanaim? Where is now the great glorious victory, so that he overcame GOD and men? Where is now the Lord
What is the joy of rejoicing when it is said to him, "You have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed"? Who is guarding him here? Who is watching over him? God and the angels see through the fingers, they disguise themselves; God knows nothing about it, and does not hold himself otherwise, as if he does not know and also does not see that Jacob's daughter is carried away and put to sleep. For he allows this to happen, since the angels are silent and do not carry out their ministry. It is indeed a great and wretched misfortune that should not happen to pious, godly people, but to God's enemies, pagans and godless people.
(31) Therefore, we must learn patience, if such affliction and unusual misfortune should befall us, so that it may be seen that we could not bear it in any way and with any patience; as indeed this trial was, which surpasses all human patience; as the horrible deed of the brothers of Dinah will hereafter testify, so that they may have avenged the sin committed against their sister.
For the most holy men must be subjected to such terrible misfortune, and reason would have it that the kingdom of God is administered in such a way that the godly and the godless are considered equal, even that the godless have much better fortune than the godly.
(33) Why does God allow this so holy patriarch to be burdened with such a cross, as if he were not holy and pleasing to God? Answer: This was done for our sake, so that we might learn patience and be comforted in our adversity, and put our finger on our mouths if such misfortune should also befall us. For we are no better than these great men, therefore we should not desire any special happiness, but should become accustomed to such trials and tests of faith, comfort, and patience; since it has pleased God that, in addition to the sweat of the face and the ordinary spiritual tribulations, he should also inflict such unusual and unheard-of terrible misfortunes upon us.
34 But no doubt it would have occurred to the pious patriarch at that time that
862 D- VIII, 2S2-SS4. Interpretation of Genesis 34:1, 2. W. II, IW2-IM5. 863
he thought: Alas, I poor wretched man, what have I sinned? I have perhaps been safe, have not prayed earnestly and fervently, or something has been committed among my servants and congregation without my knowledge. O dear Lord God, have mercy on me and forgive my hidden sins, Ps. 19, 13. With such thoughts the godly are tormented, that they are frightened and tremble, as if they were thrown into such great misery and misfortune because of some special sin. And this grief and sorrow that Jacob had was increased by the fact that he loved Dinah, his only daughter, who was not yet manly, so fiercely, and also that he was a stranger and could not avenge this violence, and perhaps thought that he would have to worry about even greater misfortune.
35 But it is also disputed, What kind of going out was it, since the text says that Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land? For the Scripture does not explain it, and one says this, the other says another. The Jews say that she went out out of presumption to look at the customs and glory of the people or the city. And it is quite probable that some games, dances or weddings were held there. There Dina wanted to see the daughters of the country, how they were adorned and decorated, and how beautiful they were. And the text also indicates the same, as it seems, namely, that she had been rash, since she had gone out without the permission of her father and her mother and also alone without companions. She is too sure and defiant, because she was still a young maiden and was not afraid of such danger that she might lose her chastity. Therefore, it seems that she sinned out of presumption, because she went out to the daughters and their company and did not ask her parents for advice beforehand. As maidens by nature desire to have fellowship with other maidens who are like them and are their neighbors. Meanwhile, her brothers were not at home, but in the field; Leah is at home with her little daughter Dina, who goes out without her mother's knowledge.
Therefore, let the maidens remember this example, and let it be diligently impressed upon them that they are not wild, that they are not peepers, and that they do not like to stand under the door, but that they learn to stay at home and go nowhere without the permission of their parents and without companions. For the devil secretly pursues the chastity of this female sex, which is weak, careless, and foolish by nature and nature, and for this reason is especially subject to the devil's cunning temptations.
(37) Dinah wanted to make acquaintance with the other maidens, her neighbors, and to learn their manners and ornaments. For her father lived outside the city, but they had gone out to the pageantry of some wedding: so Dina also ran to see such pageantry, and was thus seen by Shechem, who had also been in the same pageantry or dance with the daughters of the country. Now that he has seen them, he steals and humiliates them. For thus the Hebrews speak of the weakening. Now this is very unreasonable and evil done. When he saw her, he might have loved her and desired her as a wife, but he followed his evil lust and fornication: seeing that she was very beautiful in appearance before the daughters of the land, he was inflamed with love and took her by force, neither asking nor desiring the will of her parents or the maiden, but weakening her by force.
(38) Murder and lamentation tend to follow, as all history testifies, that it has never been without murder and bloodshed that virgins have been taken away and violated. And one has an example of this in this deed. For God does not overlook such wantonness and nonsense of fornication, and does not leave it unavenged when someone indulges in hot desires and the lust pestilence. For he would have us resist the flesh that contends against us, lest it throw us into all manner of vices, if it be left in the bridle.
- Moses clearly says here: He robbed her; "he took her." That is too harsh, to take someone else's daughter who lives in the same city or town.
864 **VW, 254-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 34, I-3. W. n. ISSS-I269.** 865
was a guest who lived under the shadow and protection of Lord Hemor in good peace and quiet: that now such disgrace and violence should befall him is truly quite unreasonable. But the disobedience and forwardness of the maiden will be punished severely enough; for she will be violently assaulted and weakened.
Second part.
How Shechem speaks kindly to Dinah; how he asks his father to take her to him in marriage; how Hemor speaks to Jacob and his sons about it; and how Jacob's sons behave about it and what they think of
Hemor and Sichem require.
I.
V. 3: And his heart was attached to her, and he loved the damsel, and spoke kindly to her.
(40) Shechem sees that he has sinned, for he feels and understands that the maiden suffers such great dishonor against her will; he sees that she weeps and laments piteously; yet because he loves her so fiercely, his heart is attached to her and he speaks kindly to her, that he may thereby provoke her to love him in turn.
41 The young delicious Shechem will be brought up wantonly and badly, without rod and discipline. Such young men are corrupted by their parents being too soft and overlooking too much, and they grow up in all kinds of sins and evil desires, which they pursue without any fear or shyness. That is why Solomon says in Proverbs, chapter 29, v. 15: "Rod and punishment give wisdom; but a boy, left to himself, defiles his mother." If you let the child have his way: It is good what our little daughter does: that is a certain hurdle. But after that the father has to bear the shame and the mother the disgrace. This is then the punishment for not having brought up their child well. God wants the youth to be governed and forced with good discipline, because the same age is very weak and inexperienced, and thinks only foolishly,
childish and harmful things. Therefore, it cannot govern itself, nor can it see what is useful and good for it. For this reason, God has ordained parents and schoolmasters to watch over the youth and to govern them in their lives and manners, so that they do what is proper for them in their offices: They should do what is proper for them in their office, and not exceed it.
Therefore Shechem is attached to the maiden with youthful love. He is not yet sorry for what he has done, but thinks that he is free to sin as he pleases, as the lord of the land, and that no one has to punish him for it; as there are such sayings that say: Sanctitas, pietas, fides privata bona sunt; reges quo libet eant; that is, holiness, godliness, fidelity and faith are special goods or virtues for the subjects, the kings and princes may go wherever they please. Item: It is peasant that a prince should be governed by the laws of godliness and righteousness. Lords should have a preference, they do not belong under the laws: therefore they may do whatever they desire. Yes, thunder and lightning! Such things are even less fitting for the authorities than for the subjects, and their courage and freedom should be punished with greater seriousness, for they are the ones who are above discipline and good order and should be an example of all virtues to others. But there they cry out: I am a prince and lord in the land, why should I not be able to do something for myself? Yes, I will tell you something else, namely: The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself, so that you may set an example to others with virtue and good examples, according to the common saying: Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis; that is: The whole world is judged by the example of the king. The evil examples of the great lords and princes are the most harmful and extend very far, for they corrupt many people with them and cause them to sin wantonly. The examples of the common subjects do not do so much harm and can be corrected more easily: the sins of the princes are quite diabolical, therefore they are also cruelly punished; as Shechem was cruelly punished, because he thought that he was a prince or a ruler.
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Lord may do everything he desires. It costs him his neck; he and his parents, and also the whole town, perish miserably. Now this is a lesson of good manners.
- The text continues, "He spoke to the heart of the maiden," that is, he gave the maiden fine, kind, sweet and comforting words that would gladden a sorrowful heart. These were words of wooing, in which he made great promises and several gifts, so that he could comfort the girl, who was sad and weak. But all this was in vain, for the maiden remained sad and sorrowful.
II.
V. 4, 5: And Shechem said unto Hemor his father, Mmm 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.
44 The Hebrew word jaldah means little daughter, little maid; it means children who are still young. So Shechem says to his father, "Take me this little maid to wife," who is still almost a child and who is still with the children. Now he asks his father too late to provide him with this maiden, so that he may take her as his wife. Why did you not want to have the maiden's will before, and also her parents' and your father's will? It is said: Sero sapiunt Phryges: When the harm is done, then one becomes funny.
(45) Yet he is not yet sorry, but makes the sin greater, which otherwise by repentance disappears and is blotted out. For repentance takes away sin; but impenitence makes sin greater, spreads it out, so that it becomes heavier and heavier. He does not say, "I have sinned; I recognize that I have done great evil in this, that I have weakened the very pious man's daughter. No, one hears of no confession of sin, of no repentance; indeed, he thinks he has done right, or that this is a minor sin, kidnapping a maiden and sleeping with her; he thus implicates his father.
Hemor also in the same sin, who loves his son and is gentle with him, as he is to be the lord and future heir; as it is said of Shechem in v. 19: "He was glorified above all in his father's house. Therefore he does not punish or chastise him, but makes himself partaker of the sin of others, and also consents to it. This is the most serious thing.
46 Finally this evil deed came before the old father Jacob, and before his sons Simeon, Levi, and the rest. For this cry could not long remain secret, because these persons were famous on both sides. No doubt the house of Jacob was filled with lamentation and sadness, and the parents and all the servants wept miserably. The two wives are still alive and will be greatly saddened when they hear this news, and especially Leah will have suffered greatly. The servants, maids and shepherds all became very impatient about it. The others testified with weeping and wailing that they were exceedingly grieved.
(47) Jacob himself is frightened with great sadness that he is silent. For he finds no counsel or consolation, and he cannot avenge this violence done to his daughter by the mighty Lord, nor does he think that he would avenge it on him. Therefore he does nothing about it: he does not talk to the perpetrator about it and does not put up with the deed, but keeps quiet about it and suffers it with patience, hoping to get advice and help from the Lord. For what could he do, since he was a stranger and sojourner in the land, and also much inferior in people and power to the perpetrator? No doubt Hemor would have despised him and considered him much inferior to himself. And Shechem thought, What is this great thing, that I have weakened his little daughter? I will take her as my wife.
Then Hemor, Shechem's father, went out to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob came out of the field. And when they heard it, the men were displeased, and became
** **868 vm, 2LS-260. interpretation of I Genesis 34:6-10. **W. II, 1271-1274.** 869
He was very angry with him because he had committed folly against Israel and had put Jacob's daughter to sleep; for this is not the way it should be.
048 The cry came before Dinah's brethren in the very hour that the deed was done, and that it was known in the house of Jacob. One of the servants ran to the sons and said: Alas! how great a misfortune has happened in your father's house: Shechem has taken away his daughter Dinah and put her to sleep 2c. Therefore the text says: When they heard what had happened, they left the herd and came, and were very grieved and angry. And here the word is written in Hebrew, which Moses also used in Cap. 6, v. 6. V. 6, since in Latin it says: Et tactus dolore intrinsecus: "And it grieved him in his heart"; item in 3 Cap. V. 16, where God says to the woman: In dolore paries filios: "You shall bear children with pain"; for he indicates that the heart is fearful and anxious, that it knows no counsel or thought. It means to be sorrowful, to be anxious and fearful, that you cannot think of anything in your heart. In this way, Jacob's sons were so distraught that they could not find anything to think, to counsel, or to do.
(49) To such consternation and fear was added anger, which was so much more fierce the less they saw counsel or help. For it was most grievous to them that an uncircumcised man had done this violence to their sister, who did not recognize the sin and gave no sign of repentance. The great lord, Shechem, keeps her sister at home in his house, where he holds her captive, and they cannot claim her from him by force; and because they have no judge, they know no one before whom they can complain of this violence done to their sister. Hemor comes to settle with Jacob and his sons, but the damage will not be healed, and the brothers will not be ameliorated or reconciled until they have avenged this violence against Shechem.
- operari stultitiam, a foolishness be
To go is a proverb among the Hebrews, and they understand by it a great shame, disgrace and scorn, of which one sings and says. It is as if someone wanted to say, "Oh, how great scorn and shame have befallen this man in his family! Therefore it is added in the text, "For it shall not be so." The Jews lack this interpretation, for they do not understand the Bible. But this is the right understanding of these words, as it is said in Latin, Non decebat fieri hoc, that is, So it should not be done, that is too much and hard. But I believe that fornication was forbidden under corporal punishment, not only in the house of Jacob, but also in the whole country.
(51) Therefore, by these words it is said that, besides Jacob's household, the other neighbors and inhabitants of the same land were upset and very angry that such a holy man, who was their guest, had been the object of such great scorn. Thus the inequity of sin moved other people to have compassion on Jacob's family; and the strangers also became their friends through it, who loved justice, equity and discipline. As we read above, Cap. 26, v. 11, we heard from King Abimelech how fiercely he opposed adultery and issued a special commandment forbidding anyone to touch Rebekah. For we are not to think that the people were so rude and savage that they could not have suffered any discipline, honest customs and good laws. And it is impossible that outward peace should be maintained in the world without righteousness and mediocre discipline. That is why this deed displeases the inhabitants of the same country, and all their hearts and wills incline toward the house of Jacob to have compassion on him. The pious have become hostile to Shechem because of this and have detested this sin against him. For they all think that it should not have been done so, that is, they think that he sinned against the good customs and laws.
III.
V. 8-10 Then Hemor spoke to them, saying, "My son Shechem's heart yearns
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for your daughter; rather, give her to him in marriage. Make friends with us; give us your daughters, and take you our daughters, and dwell with us. The land shall be open to you; dwell and woo, and win within.
Hemor addresses them without any preamble, forgetting that he should first win them over with kind words, so that they would weigh him over, and does not recognize the guilt, nor does he confess the sin and much less ask for forgiveness. He is too proud and hopeful, and that is why the sin becomes so much more serious. And the sons of Jacob, who were enraged by this great disgrace and shame, are not reconciled, but become more and more bitter. For he keeps Dinah in his house, saying only: "Give her to my son as a wife," when he should have asked forgiveness for his son in the first place: Dear friends and brothers, forgive us this grievous sin, so that my son has angered you. I will chastise my son Shechem, I will imprison him and strike him in the irons, so that he may learn to deal honestly and peacefully with our guests from now on. Hemor does not do any of these things, but it seems as if he still wants to defend the deed, as it were, and thus makes himself a party to the whole sin and thus brings a terrible punishment upon himself.
Therefore let it be learned that parents should not be too soft with their children, but should compel them, as they have been kept in discipline and compulsion by their fathers and forefathers. For this Hemor completely forgets all respectability and his duty, and as if the matter were well arranged, he asks for the maiden that they may give her to his son in marriage, and thinks that the great sin of having robbed and slept with her will be paid for if the slept with maiden is given to his son in marriage. "Make friends with us," he says. In the Hebrew hithchatenu is written as if he wanted to say in Latin: affinescite, that is, become our brothers-in-law, let your sons become bridegrooms with us and your daughters brides. The word chathan actually means bridegroom or brother-in-law: hence
the Hithpael, as it is called in the Hebrew grammar, comes, as if one wanted to say in Latin: sponsificate, befriend and conspire with us; we want to befriend each other and become one people. But where is the knowledge of sin? He thinks: My son has done nothing wrong. Is it a sin to desire a virgin as a wife? Yes, it is rather a beautiful and praiseworthy virtue.
- and he goes on to say, "And dwell with us. The land shall be open to you; advertise and win within" 2c. If this is his earnestness, which he says, he gives them promises enough. And I will gladly believe that it was his earnestness that he spoke thus; for he well understands that his son has committed a great sin. But out of a special hopefulness he does not want to be sorry, does not want to humble himself.
55 Thus the proud hypocrites are wont to do: they can rather suffer damage to all their goods than that they should recognize their sin. For they think that no greater disgrace can befall them than when they confess their error and fault. But in truth it is honest to recognize sin; but where one wants to defend it, deny it and adorn it, that is a frightening and ungodly thing. This Hemor offers these people all authority in the country, the marriage of his son with Dina and all goods; but in the meantime he is silent about sin and conceals it.
V. 11, 12: 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 with confidence the morning gift and the present, and I will give it as you ask; only give me the harlot for a wife.
(56) Shechem the son of Hemor also offers to give them the morning gift and other gifts, only that they give him the daughter in marriage. But he does not confess the sin, nor does he remember it. As Sirach says in 17 Cap. V. 26: "The dead, as they are no more, cannot praise" 2c. Now they should first of all have reconciled themselves with God and then with the father and his sons; otherwise
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hearts cannot be firmly united, neither in covenants nor in marriage, unless one is first reconciled with God through humble recognition of sin, and is also reconciled with men by asking their forgiveness. For where sin is still denied, or at least concealed, the hearts are not united, but are torn apart and embittered more and more, and before God a sin becomes more and more serious through impenitence, even though it would otherwise be very easy and small.
57 Therefore Hemor and his son Shechem are not really serious about reconciling with these people, but only a loud hypocrisy and dissimulation; and thereby Shechem's sin becomes greater and greater. For impenitence is death and the devil himself, which makes even a small sin very great and heavy. On the other hand, great sins are forgiven and taken away when true repentance is added. Just as everyone has compassion where any murder has happened by chance, and gladly forgives such a sin to the one who committed it by chance and not willingly, if he confesses it and lets himself be sorry for such a sin when he complains how he was deceived and overcome by the devil's cunning. But where one still wants to excuse and defend the deed, like the centaurs and nobles, who think that they can only rage and rage with the poor peasants as they please, exercise violence on them and only beat them to death: both God and man are hostile to such cruel tyranny, and they find nowhere where such tyranny would be forgiven them. Thus the proud and godless man Hemor continues with his son, who is a despiser of God and man. Therefore, the great words and promises are vainly invented things, which he might not have kept if the virgin had been given to him as a wife.
V. 13-17 Then Jacob's sons answered Shechem and Hemor his father deceitfully, because their sister Dinah was defiled; and they said unto them: We cannot
We will not give our sister to an uncircumcised man, for that would be a disgrace to us. But then we will be at your will, if you become like us, and all that is male among you be circumcised. Then will we give our daughters unto you, and take your daughters unto us, and dwell with you, and be one people. But if ye will not circumcise yourselves, we will take our daughter, and depart.
So far we have heard how Shechem and his father Hemor falsely humbled themselves and not from the heart; what humility the love he had for the virgin brought about, that he promised to give what they would only ask for, so that they would trust the virgin to him as a wife. But it is love that promises this, and it is nonsense, because he does not recognize sin, and so the Son and Father do nothing so that sin may be atoned for or grace may be obtained. Therefore, the sin, which in itself is abominable, becomes greater and greater through impenitence, since he does not confess it and does not do enough for it; for he keeps nothing less than the virgin whom he had taken and slept with by force against justice and equity, and who is the daughter of such a great man, who was a patriarch, a prophet and priest of God. These circumstances make the sin very great, and if the matter were brought before the secular court, then one would see all the more how horrible this deed would be. But we want to deal with it according to the Scriptures, we do not want to make many confused questions about it, so that today the jurists confuse all rights, so that one cannot judge properly according to it. Where a virgin is taken away by force, this is in itself in all rights, both divine and secular, such a sin that one deserves corporal punishment; as Troy was destroyed because Helen was taken away. And at all times this sin has been punished horribly.
IV.
(59) Now there is a more important and more difficult question, namely, whether the sons of Jacob were right in this, that
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they have answered so deceitfully, without the knowledge of their father Jacob, who is silent about it. There is no doubt about Sichern and Hemor that they should not be unjust, because they do not recognize their sin, do not repent, do not say that they have sinned, and do not make amends for their sin. Therefore one sin is held against another, violence against violence, dishonor against dishonor, and one cause against another, and neither part does what is just and right.
60 Regarding the murder of the Shechemites, the opinion of the jurists and the holy scriptures agree: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay", says God's word Hebr. 10, 30. Item: What is right, that you shall also execute in the right way. For no one should arrogate to himself the authority to be a judge or to avenge himself where he has been wronged by others. The Germans say: He who strikes again is in the wrong. But many of them have tried very hard to explain this question. And Lyra and Burgensis argue hard with each other, which part may be just. But afterwards Jacob himself will punish this deed of his sons, because he says: "You have caused me misfortune, that I stink before the inhabitants of this country, the Cananites and Pheresites" 2c. There it can be seen that he punishes the murder which his sons had committed. And in the 49th chapter, when he wanted to bless Simeon and Levi, he does not forget this deed, nor does he excuse it, but says v. 5. 6. thus: "The brothers Simeon and Levi; their swords are murderous weapons. Let not my soul enter into their counsel: for in their wrath they have slain the man, and in their boldness they have destroyed the ox." There he meant this murder, which was committed in Shechem, as all teachers interpret it, and therefore he curses and condemns them before he dies, since they have a very just cause for such murder.
61 Again, coming out of the blessings of Joseph, he says Gen 48:22: "I have given you a piece of land apart from your brothers, which I have taken from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow.
He says, "I took it with the sword. He says that he acquired it with the sword, and gives it to Joseph as a blessing, as a well-acquired possession; as it is also remembered in John 4:5, where it says, "At the village which Jacob gave to his son Joseph." But now in this place Moses says that the sons of Jacob spoke deceitfully, and afterwards they receive the curse because of this deed, and Joseph nevertheless receives the possession of the same land, as having been acquired with good right. How shall we compare these things, that they may comprehend one another?
- We will take the answer from the text and from the words of Moses, as much as it is possible to explain this question. Moses says: They have answered deceitfully to the request of Hemor, which was cheap enough, as it seemed. That is to say, they have dissembled, they have lied in word and in deed; and this has not been a jest or a white lie, but a harmful lie, which has brought harm and destruction to the Shechemites. This is truly a mortal sin and cannot be understood otherwise. Therefore Moses does not say in vain, "They answered deceitfully," that is, they did not mean from the heart what they spoke with words, but they meant the opposite. They posed as if they wanted to stand by them and leave them unharmed and undamaged, and yet they had in mind to slay them; as the deed itself will show.
63 And the text continues: "And they talked about the fact that her sister Dinah had been defiled," that is, they argued and quarreled about it, saying: "You have kidnapped and slept with the daughter of a priest and holy prophet, whom God has made a teacher and church father in this country. They have magnified this violence, which was committed against their sister, according to all the circumstances, as they could. For it is a different and much more grievous sin to weaken a king's daughter than any farmer's daughter. And Simeon and Levi were sons of a prophet, who had the promise of the same land; therefore they had certain hope.
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from the sermons of their fathers, that they would become lords and priests in your promised land. For Jacob will undoubtedly have taught this promise with great diligence and spread it among his descendants, and at the same time he also taught the commandments of God, how the people should conduct their lives and customs in a godly manner. The sons drew such teaching and hope from the father's teaching and preaching and concluded from it: We are masters of this land; though we are now strangers, yet according to divine right the promise of the land is due to us. Shall we then suffer such great violence and injustice from you, of which everyone knows to say, who now have a foreign land in your possession? This they will have boasted with great defiance and pride from the promise of the Father. It is us, they will have said. As we will hear afterwards, how defiantly they answer their father, when he punishes them for having committed this murder: "Should they then deal with our sister as with a whore?" And such hopefulness has always been with the Jewish people, that they say: We are God's people; we are the royal priesthood 2c.
(64) So these brothers proudly spoke of their sister, who had fallen asleep and been defiled, who was the daughter of such a great man, who surpassed all other virgins in the same country in sex, beauty and godliness. For so great and grievous have they made this sin, which is variously distinguished from such a common deed in that it concerns a peculiar person, and is a distinction of that and other persons. For this virgin is not the daughter of a commoner or a peasant, but of the highest prophet in your land; and not a single person in particular has been weakened, but the public office has been despised. Now whoever is allowed to kidnap the daughter of such a great patriarch and to disgrace her by force, and to keep her against his will, what should the other not be allowed to do?
And what else can we expect from them but that they will soon take our lives and all our possessions by force? Since we have the promise that we shall be lords in this land, let us do another deed. But why do they attack the Shechemites so deceitfully and not publicly? For although it seems that they may be excused for the reason that one may well deceive the enemy, according to the common saying, Dolus, Dolus, an virtus, quis in hoste requirat? Who wants to find out from the enemy whether he has used guile or strength? But it is not right that they should use such guile in the friendly conversation they had with the Shechemites, since they had not yet declared against them that they were their enemies. Therefore I do not consider them innocent, as the father himself will condemn them. And yet it is a great wonder that Jacob keeps the land. For he took it when the citizens were slain, and there he had his pasture for the flock, dwelling with Isaac his father in Hebron. And he himself will say afterwards that he did not buy it for his money, but acquired it with his sword and bow. Now this gives the jurists great cause for many questions and that they dispute about it extensively.
(65) Moses himself says that the sons of Jacob have not done right, that they have spoken deceitfully to Hemor and Shechem, and have deceived them, which has brought harm and destruction to the Shechemites. For although it seems that sin is almost equal to punishment, there is a difference between rights and the execution of justice, item, between sin and the punishment inflicted on one because of sin. For it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," Deut. 32:35 and Rom. 12:19; item: What is right, that you shall execute in a right way. It is not unjust that Shechem should be punished; just as the Trojans were not unjustly devastated and destroyed.
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But it is not yet known whether they execute their justice in a right and proper order. For there is a lack of judges, and they simply repay evil with evil and avenge one violence with another, as they say, piece by piece.
(66) But first they speak sincerely and plainly enough, saying, We cannot do this, that we give our sister to an uncircumcised man. From this it can be seen that they are only willing to give their daughters in marriage to those who have been circumcised. But with this simplicity they set up nets for them, and thus use this pretext, that they may have occasion to attack and assault them. Therefore they say further: "But then we will be at your will, if you become like us" 2c. This is the beginning of deceit, so that they sin, and it is this that the Father punishes and condemns in them. This would have been right and honest if they had said, "Give us our sister again, or we will take her from you by force, for we must not give her to an uncircumcised man. But this is deceit, because they say, "Where all that is male among you is circumcised, we will give our daughters to you. "2c.
- and is it a wonder that the sons of Jacob were so bold that they could have demanded such things, or that they could have undertaken such an abominable vengeance in their hearts. For, behold their age: Jacob is a hundred and eight years old; Reuben is nineteen years old, and he is the oldest; Simeon is a year younger, and so one after another: they are young lickspittles. The young lickspittles take it upon themselves to exercise such great power against a whole city, who have been quite inexperienced in war and other things. That seems to me a strange audacity. However, at that time the nature of men was even stronger, since a youth of fourteen years was suitable for marriage. In our times, a boy of eighteen years is still not fit anywhere, let alone that he should be able to endure the toil and labor of war.
(68) Why then are they so proud? Answer: The violence done to their sister was very great; and in addition they relied heavily on it, knowing that they had such a father, to whom the promise was made that he should inherit the land. And they did not undertake this atrocious deed alone, but they had the servants and shepherds, and perhaps also some of the neighbors, to help them. And it is probable that Jacob would have had a hundred men among his household; for so many herds must have many shepherds: these were their friends and companions. Now a hundred armed and courageous men (as it is said of them that they went boldly into the city and suddenly attacked the people) can easily beat another six hundred men, especially when God allows such games for the sake of sins, which sin he wants to punish in this way.
(69) But since they think that they are not strong enough to oppress the Shechemites, they use deceit and demand of the Shechemites that they prune everything that is male among them, so that they will be weakened, so that they will not be able to resist them. That is to say, deceitfully and fraudulently. For although the pretense they put on is honest enough in appearance, it is vain and unnecessary. After all, they had to give their daughters to uncircumcised men.
Third part.
How Hemor and Shechem consent to the desire of Jacob's sons and persuade their people to do so; how they are all miserably strangled over it and their city is plundered; how Jacob therefore speaks to his sons and what answer he receives.
I.
V. 18, 19: The speech pleased Hemor and his son. And the young man did not delay
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For he had delight in the daughter of Jacob. And he was glorified above all in his father's house.
70 Because the young man has such great desire and love for the virgin, he accepts the condition with great eagerness, and is thus tricked and deceived into accepting circumcision; indeed, the father and son also involve the whole people in such sin and danger. For if Shechem and Hemor had been wise at that time, they would have refused to accept such a hard and difficult thing, also for the reason that it would not be to the benefit of the common people that the religion and customs of their ancestors and their fatherland should be changed in such a way. They should have said: We would rather give you your sister, confess the sin and ask for forgiveness. So they would not have put themselves and the whole nation in such great danger.
(71) But it is so, when any city or country is punished for sin, that first both the rulers and subjects become fools, that they sin together, and are all punished for it; as the histories of all nations bear witness. So when the kingdom of Israel and Judah was to be destroyed by the king of Babylon, in Jerusalem and other places the prophets were slain, innocent blood was shed, and the whole land was full of avarice, murder, sin, and all kinds of desolation. Item, since the last destruction of Jerusalem and the whole Jewish people was present, first the son of God had to be crucified. So also in our times, when the Turkish armies are to destroy Germany, everything must first be filled with usury, unfaithfulness, wickedness, treacherousness and persecution, so that the sins of the Amorites are fulfilled, as the Scripture says, Genesis 15:16. In sum: We have to do it so that our sins become ripe.
In this example, too, the citizens were threatened with punishment because of various shameful deeds; therefore, the whole nation is also involved with the Lord in the same foolishness, sin and horrible punishment. Like the pagan
Poet says: Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi: That the princes are fools, that the land must bear. So also the people of Israel were smitten for David's sin, because he numbered the people. And the foolishness of the princes also causes us to be punished, as we deserved long ago, because the princes are foolish and foolish and let the Turk come into the land. And that both parts are punished, subjects and authorities, so they have to heap up the sin with a final folly and make it more and more; as in this history Shechem is the first who accepts the foolish advice and starts it; for he himself lets himself be circumcised and persuades the whole people to do the same.
V.20-22. Then Hemor and Shechem his son came to the city of Thor and spoke to the people of the city, saying: These men are peaceable with us, and will dwell in the land, and will court, so now the land is fair enough for them; and we will take their daughters to us wives, and give them our daughters. But then they shall 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.
(73) How beautiful a speaker this is to me! But he says nothing about wanting to give the virgin back, that he wanted to reconcile with the father and relieve his pain: he still persists in his contempt for God and man; that is why the wrath has come upon them. But at the same time the foolish people are led into the error that they consent and approve of the robbery and desecration of Dinah. A mad and foolish prince accomplishes this for the sake of the sins of the people, who are punished with the foolishness of kings; as all histories and all writings of the poets show. For this is the course of the world from the beginning to the end.
74 So also this day, when so many sins are running rampant among the people and going unpunished, as, security and contempt of God and man: so shall it be.
882 L. VIII, 271-273. interpretation of Genesis 34, 20-23. W. II, I29L-I2SS. 883
It will finally come about that through some prince's foolishness punishment and misfortune will come upon us, under which we will have to perish. Because the people are in such a bad way, a prince will do a foolishness, will cause a misfortune, and we will all have to go along with it. And because we do not want to listen, do not want to improve ourselves even by God's word and threat, therefore the punishment will finally have to come.
It has been an abominable sin that Hemor and Shechem conceal the sin and do not recognize it, even despising the pious holy man Jacob with great certainty. What Jacob? What Jacob's daughter? And indeed, whoever is not frightened by such a great sin, and is not moved by God's judgment nor by the judgment of men, should indeed be after the father's life, just as he secretly pursued the daughter before and deprived her of her honor.
(76) Such certainty is followed by blindness and foolishness, so that they do not pay attention to the secret cunning and danger that exists, nor do they understand it. Shechem is so senseless because of the great lust and love he has for the virgin; his father and all the people see through his fingers, and there is no one who thinks of how the sin might be atoned for. They are mad and foolish; no one opens his eyes or ears to hear anyone say, "Let us do it, let us give them back the virgin, let us appease the wrath of the father and the brothers. As there were some among the Trojans who advised that Helen should be returned and the welfare of the fatherland spared, which should certainly not be put in danger for the sake of a man's lust. The others, however, disobeyed this advice and pursued their lust and nonsense; therefore, ruin and destruction followed. As in this example the people also follow their lord, and therefore they must also bear the punishment with one another and perish in a heap; and it serves them just right.
V.23. Their livestock and goods and everything they have will be ours, if only we will them to dwell with us.
That is too much. And Lyra and Burgensis dispute about it: Whether Shechem and Hemor have also acted deceitfully? For it would seem that they are acting deceitfully, or that they are at least deceiving their citizens. For this was not in the contract, that all things which the sons of Jacob had, they should have with them also, that they should have them in common with one another. Now if this was their earnestness in saying it, it is a manifest deceit and wickedness, that they should not only fail to acknowledge the sin of taking Jacob's daughter by force and violating her, but also intend to rob Jacob and take away his goods and chattels. Truly sin will increase and become greater and greater.
(78) But if they jest with such fine words, and speak not from the heart, they have wished to deceive the people, that they may so much more easily persuade them with the hope that they shall have the cattle and the goods of Jacob. However, it seems that this is aimed at tyranny and oppression of the neighbors. For what is the use of their saying, "Their cattle and all that they have shall be ours," when they have sought only that they might hold fellowship with them and be one people with one another, and have not thought to take their goods? Therefore they act deceitfully, either by deceiving the sons of Jacob, or by telling lies to their citizens.
79 And perhaps this was the calculation and suspicion of Jacob's sons, that they thought: If they were allowed to rob and weaken the daughter, who was not yet manly, what will they not do to us or to the father? For thus reason concludes, He that doeth great things shall do well also that which is small. It is a lesser thing to take a man's goods and make him subservient than to take away a virgin by force. And it seems that they have spoken and argued a bit harshly with them on such an opinion. But all this the asses, Hemor and Shechem (for Hemor is called an ass), conceal, and preach to the people, and promise them that they shall be lords not only of this virgin, but also of all the other virgins.
884 VNI, 273-278. interpretation of I Moses 34, 23-26. w. II. I2SS-I298. 885
wife, but also of her brothers and of all her goods.
80 So then the sin becomes greater and greater, and soon brings another sin after it, if it be not blotted out by repentance. So it is with a fornicator or an adulterer: if he remains in the heat of evil lust and fornication, and he encounters one whom he fears will hinder or betray him, he will not be able to keep his hands still, but will be afraid to strangle him, so that he may freely atone for his lust. And there is a wonderful saying of Gregory, which reads thus: Ubicunque serpens caput inseruerit, eodem et caudam et totum corpus facile inseret; that is: If the devil has brought the head into the hole, the serpent soon after wipes with the tail.
V.24. And they obeyed Hemor, and Shechem his son, all that came in and out of Thor his city, and circumcised every male that came in and out of his city.
- The people must bear the foolishness of the king here, as they say in Proverbs. For they should rather have said thus: The wrong is too terrible; one should rather give the virgin back to her father and keep the religion and old custom of the fathers; one could probably make another better way to atone for this sin. We do not want to covet their goods, for there will never be true unity among us if we secretly want their goods. But they are all deaf, dumb and blind, and fall into the devil's net, and into death's snares: for all that go out and come in unto the city of Thor are circumcised, that is, all that dwell in the city. For it is a peculiar way of speaking among the Hebrews, when they say, to go out and come in to the city of Thor, which is said as much as to be a citizen in the city, who goes out and comes in to his field.
And so the poor citizens obey the foolish lord, who involves the whole people in his impenitence, so that they all become guilty of this sin. For the perpetrator and the one who consents to the deed become
As St. Paul says Rom. 1, 32: "Those who know the righteousness of God (that those who do these things are worthy of death) do not only do it, but also have pleasure in those who do it": Stealers and receivers, perpetrators and traitors belong under one punishment. The kings do foolishness and sin against God and man, and do not care about sin, are even sure that they have done well, do not think that they have been deceived, but rather that they have overcharged the strangers and guests; therefore now follows a terrible punishment.
II.
V.25. 26. 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 entered into the city fiercely, and slew all the males. And they slew Hemor also, and Shechem his son, with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah their sister out of the house of Shechem, and departed.
It is a great wonder where these young men got such great courage, or where they might have learned to use sword and bow against the enemy, since they were shepherds and farmers. The Jews make a lot of useless talk about the third day, but experience in all kinds of diseases teaches that the pain is most severe on the third day. So it is also with women, who feel the greatest weakness and pain on the third day after childbirth and after the work that nature has done in childbirth.
(84) In the same way, when man's nature works and strives to remove the stone from him, the weakness of the work is not felt; but when nature has removed the stone, all the limbs and the whole body are weary and tired. The Jews may be asked whether the same thing happens in circumcision. But since the Scriptures also testify to the same thing, we must not doubt that experience will also bring it about in this way.
886 vm, 275-277. interpretation of Genesis 34:25, 26. w. il, 129S-1S01. 887
85 Simeon and Levi took advantage of this opportunity: when the Shechemites were lying in bed, and none of them was ready for battle, but all needed care and rest, they attacked the poor, defenseless and weak people. And the two young men, Simeon and Levi, were not alone, but had with them the shepherds, the servants, and also some neighbors. And Moses says that they went into the city boldly and defiantly, not only for such a cause and opportunity to attack and slay the defenseless people, but also because they trusted in their honor and glory, that they were sons of a patriarch and lords over the whole world. And they did not fight only to have their sister out again, but they attacked these people as enemies of the promise and of the people of God.
86 And they slew all that were male. Not only Hemor, the lord, or his son was strangled, but all male persons, the little underage children, who still lay in the cradle and cried, were also strangled. That is all too horrible and tyrannical. But this is what happens among people when one enemy rages against another. As we also see in the tyranny of the Turk, who miserably strangles or carries off both man and woman whom he has captured. And it is a secret judgment and wrath of God that he decrees that these citizens of Shechem shall all be slain. Perhaps the sons of Jacob learned this from their ancestors, who used to strangle all the citizens of the cities they conquered. And in Numbers 31:17, 18, Joshua is commanded to slay all the men and women of Midian and to spare only the virgins. In the same way Saul was commanded to slay and cut off all the people of Amalek, great and small, young and old. And it is said that this is the custom of the Persians to this day.
So now the poor citizens are miserably punished because of the foolishness and sin of their king: princes have fooled,
populus (the people) must suffer. Nevertheless, the people deserved this punishment because they had participated in the sin of others and had brought this punishment and destruction upon themselves with their own security and wickedness.
(88) As we teach and chastise our citizens today, that they should hear and accept God's word with a grateful heart, and stop provoking God's wrath with their fraud, robbery and usury. But there is neither moderation nor cessation in the avarice, robbery and deceit that is practiced through and through in buying and selling, and in the whole life of men. Therefore, our teaching and punishments are of no avail, but the sins always increase and take over by force without any punishment. If now some prince comes and occupies the city with warriors, and these warriors rage and fury against those whom they should protect and defend, then we cry out that injustice is being done to us, that we are being oppressed in this way, and we complain vehemently about the tyranny of the princes. But this should have been considered long before, and one should have heard God the Lord, who had such things proclaimed to the people beforehand and admonished them to repentance with his word. So at that time the sins of the Shechemites were also fulfilled, therefore the punishment came upon them through the foolishness of their princes, in which they were also mixed, that they were made partakers of their sins, the robbery and ravishment of the harlot, and that they therefore also had to perish with them.
- And because we have no measure now in our usury, stealing and all other sins, we do not hear God's word, nor do we ask for the testimony of our own conscience, which is contrary to our evil desire and lust, we will not remain unpunished, but will have to bear the punishment according to God's right judgment, and then we will have waited too long, and complain in vain that we are unfairly burdened and oppressed.
90 But Simeon and Levi also sin on the other side. For even though the Sichs
888 VIII, 277-279. interpretation of Genesis 34, 25-29. W. II, 1301-1304. 889
Although these brothers suffer such punishment justly, and these brothers have the most just cause, and they are also justly sorry that Dinah, their sister, was led away and defiled in such a way, they still do wrong, because their father did not want it and did not put up with this murder, but they do this out of their own sacrilegious intentions, without their father's command.
V.27-29. 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 they took captive all their goods, and all the other women, and spoiled all that was in the houses.
- After the citizens have been strangled, the city is also plundered, and women and children are taken captive, and all property is plundered: and all this is done without the father's knowledge and against his will. For if he had known, he would undoubtedly have forbidden them. But I believe that the other sons of Jacob were also involved in the plundering, especially those born of Leah, except Joseph and Judah, although some of them were still young boys. But the oldest ones took the servants and the shepherds in the vicinity and plundered the city. Simeon and Levi were the ringleaders; therefore the father calls them vasa iniquitatis in his last blessing Gen 49:5, that is, he says, "They have done wrong with their murderous weapons," 2c., and condemns them as murderers, and also threatens them that he will scatter them in Israel, which also happened afterwards. Levi was deprived of his inheritance, but was given the priesthood, the mendicant's staff; for the Levites did not live on their own income, but on sacrifices and tithes. Simeon was also afflicted with constant poverty. So this sin was punished hard enough in all their descendants.
The Jews make this act as small as they can, and do not know how to measure up to the praise of their people, but are very lenient about it; they attribute this to themselves.
Praise of righteousness, but the Gentiles they take all the glory, and flatter themselves also so much that they interpret the text from the 49th Cap. V. 5, where Jacob says, "Simeon and Levi did wrong with their murderous weapons," 2c., of Joseph, that he cursed these two brothers because they sold him into Egypt. They do this so that they can cover the shame and disgrace of their people and praise them as holy and righteous. Yes, Burgensis also indicates that the Jews have made such a law that it is permitted, yes, also right and pleasing to God, to kill and slay a Gentile, in whatever way or form such a thing may be done by a Jew. So full of ambition and hatred are they against us, as if they were nonsensical. Josephus, who was otherwise an excellent man, often lies disgracefully against the holy scriptures in the histories, namely, that he was so well disposed toward his people as to make Saul such a great lord and holy man.
It seems, however, that the sons of Jacob may still be excused to some extent, as if they had done right, because God is silent about it, and has frightened the cities of the Gentiles with this example, so that they would not persecute Jacob. Item, Jacob will only say that they have caused him to stink before the inhabitants of the land; but afterwards, when he should have died, he curses them: therefore he obviously indicates that they have done wrong.
94 And since the deed was done, only the disputation follows, whether they have also done right? As one is accustomed to say in the German proverb: Leave came afterward, and as has been the custom among some peoples, they first hanged the thief on the gallows and only then asked for justice. Item, the jurists say that many things are done in fact that are not done according to law; and if this were to be abolished, the office of the jurists would be in vain. For before the deed one does not need their office or their art, but after the deed one first asks whether what has been done is right or wrong. It is the office of the lawyers to give advice, so that one may assert his right.
890 vm, 27S-2SI. Interpretation of Genesis 34:27-30. W. n, 1304-ISOS. 891
could be pardoned. Therefore it is asked here, whether the sons of Jacob may be excused, who have not acted according to the law, but with deceit, with lies and violence? We simply consider that they sinned, for they did not bring this action to judgment, which might have been sought from the nearest cities around. As they also condemned Jacob, and God inflicted such punishment on all their descendants, which was severe enough.
95 But out of this question grows another and much more grievous question, namely, Why did not Jacob command his sons to give back all that they had plundered, especially that which could be given back, as, wives, virgins, servants, cattle, and other goods of the city? And that is more, Jacob afterwards gave this piece of land of the Shechemites to Joseph; and it is said of Joseph that he was buried in the land, that he might yet take the same inheritance, since he was already dead. Now that they have done wrong, why do they not give back what they have taken by force? To this we may rightly answer, That the saints may do many things, wherefore they are not to be punished, which yet others ought not to do. After this, the divine judgment is here mixed with the unrighteousness of men. The inheritance and the goods of the Shechemites are left alone, having no lord, since those who possessed them were strangled for sin; therefore God gives them justly to those who have suffered injustice and violence before. And the cause is that of the sons of Jacob, because of which, by God's decree, they take the goods of the Shechemites, and since they have taken them, they keep them. Just as the children of Israel could not have robbed the Egyptians of their own accord, but the Egyptians were robbed because they had earned the punishment and still owed the people of Israel their reward for having served them for so many years. Finally, the commandment of God was added, who wanted to punish the Egyptians and repay the Hebrews for their service.
- in such a way were also the sons
Jacob and their father had been greatly mocked, and had suffered great injustice and violence, because the virgin had been violently slept with and taken away from them; which was the fulfillment of the sins of the Amorites, of which it was said in the 15th chapter above. V. 16. it was said: "The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet finished" 2c. But what shall Jacob have for such great dishonor? God answered and said to him, "Take this plunder as restitution for the disgrace you and your children have borne. So Jacob becomes a lord over these goods by divine command, and is not disputing here about the right to possess them.
(97) For thus God holds Himself against us, as we hold ourselves against Him. We first do what pleases us, and after the deed we first ask for the right, and desire that he should accept what we have done. So he punishes us before he asks what is right, as the 18th Psalm v. 27 says: "With the perverse you are perverse. But after that he makes us cry out and complain about violence and injustice, which we suffer from those who torment us according to the righteous judgment of God. Why are we strangled? Why are our goods taken from us? Answer: God has the power to do it and to reverse the order, because we also let the deed go before the right.
98 Although the sons of Jacob do wrong, God does not punish the Shechemites with wrong, whom He had previously admonished not to do wrong against the law and its commandments, not to commit fornication, and not to take and keep another man's daughter by force. But because they did not follow this admonition, they were punished. And Jacob, who well understands God's judgment and vengeance upon the adversaries who had offended him, keeps the spoil because of God, though not without sighing and weeping; as is evident from his words in which he accuses his sons and speaks harshly to them.
III.
V. 30 And Jacob said unto Simeon and Levi, Ye have brought me evil, that I should not
892 L vm, 281-283. interpretation of Genesis 34:30. w. II, I306-IS09. 893
I am before the inhabitants of this land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and I am a few. Now when they gather against me, they shall smite me. So shall I be destroyed with my house.
From these words it may be seen how Jacob put up with the deed of his sons. The Jews try to cover up these words and invent glosses on them, that they should be words that Jacob was afraid and did not punish them. And therefore they also argue hard that Jacob should not have condemned his sons. But afterwards, Gen 49:5, he will call them vessels of violence and injustice, saying, "The brothers Simeon and Levi, they did wrong with their murderous weapons 2c. when they did violence and injustice to the Shechemites, and will curse them and all their descendants. Therefore it is certain that he did not speak it out of fear, since he says: "You have caused me misfortune, so that I stink before the inhabitants of this country" 2c., but that this violence and tyranny displeased him; for therefore he calls them murderers, robbers, and those who have done violence, and makes this deed very great, that it is such foolishness, which will lead to great danger and disgrace. It is, he says, a twofold folly, which, first, is committed against the Shechemites in an unjust manner, and, second, is also very dangerous to myself.
100 And this is now a new challenge. First, after he had lived in the country for eight years, his daughter was violated, which caused him great pain. Now that he has overcome this pain and sorrow to some extent, and now thinks how he would like to heal this evil, his sons make him a greater and much greater noise, and as much as it is in them, they are to blame for the fact that their parents must perish along with all the servants. For so the good pious patriarch will have lamented: I have lost my daughter before, now you have brought it about that I also have come into danger of my life and that all of you will be destroyed with me.
Therefore it is a very sharp punishment and accusation, and are not such words that he would have spoken out of fear or fright. You have, he says, done violence not only to others, but also to me and my wives, to the whole household, and to our goods and chattels; indeed, this violence will also cause you great harm. What shall I do now? I have my dear wives, of whom you were born, namely Rachel and Leah; I have my household and the congregation in my house: if the cities, which lie all around, should attack us with all their forces, as we have caused this noise and atrocious murder, how shall we withstand such a great multitude, we being a small company? You should not have avenged yourselves in this way, which will cause us and our goods great harm and damage: they will kill me, he says, and I will be destroyed together with my whole house.
For this reason he does not minimize the sin of his sons, but makes it great and very horrible, and since he was to die, he still brings it upon them and has not forgotten it, and calls them vessels of violence and injustice, that is, who have acted unjustly with their murderous weapons. For certainly a great danger could have arisen from it. But that God has averted such danger from the house of Jacob out of special kindness is a special and even a divine blessing. So often the citizens of a city can make a noise that can cause great harm and damage to the whole city; but when the danger is averted, even with a profit and benefit, there is another master who is a helper in time of need; as God also shows Himself here against Jacob. It often happens that one is led into danger by another's foolishness and iniquity, as Jacob comes into danger of his body and his whole house through the foolishness of his sons: but it is God's work and His good deed that makes something good out of that which is evil, and turns evil into something good.
894 2 VIII, 28S-28S. Interpretation of Genesis 34:30, W. II, I309-I3I2. 895
The good turns and makes a happy end out of an evil beginning.
This does not happen out of Jacob's, Levi's and Simeon's counsel, but only out of God's goodness; for whom God loves, he will find a good and blissful end even in the greatest danger. And for the sake of a godly man, counsel is often given to a whole country; as the history of the three kings of Judah, Israel and Edom testifies, 2 Kings 3:9 ff., who led their army through the wilderness of Edom against the king of Moab, and as they traveled seven days, the army and the cattle that were among them had no water, and therefore came into the greatest danger and distress. And the king of Israel already despaired, and lamented, and said, v. 10: "O woe! The LORD hath charged these three kings to deliver them into the hands of Moab." And they all would have died miserably of thirst; but Jehoshaphat was a good guarantor, as Elisha said to the king of Israel, v. 13, 14: "What hast thou to do with me? Go thy way to thy father's prophets. "2c. "As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, if I looked not upon Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look upon thee, neither respect thee." The presence of King Jehoshaphat was beneficial to three armies, because for his sake God gave them help and victory and so much water that not only were men and cattle refreshed, but they were also victorious against the enemy. But for what reason was it done? Did it happen for the sake of the king of Israel or Edom? Not at all, but because the pious and godly king Jehoshaphat allowed himself to be led by the iniquity of the two kings to go with them against the enemy, God gave help and victory for his sake. Thus Egypt was preserved for Joseph's sake; Syria for Naaman's sake. In the same way, everything was lost here, so that Jacob despaired of himself and his whole family. But he has the promise, therefore the help necessarily follows, and he and his family must be torn from the teeth of the peoples and cities that lay around there.
- But one should not have relied on this help and promise in such a way that one wanted to tempt God with it; as the sons of Jacob boasted with great pride that they had a patriarch for a father who had the promise, and thought that because of this they could do anything and avenge the violence that had happened to them against their sister. For this is to tempt God by sacrilege and presumption. And even though Jacob was sure of divine help, he would still have forbidden them to do this. But that the danger, which could have befallen Jacob and his family from the surrounding peoples, is averted, this is certainly not done for the sake of the sons, but only for the father's sake.
(105) And this is a good example, which reminds us that sometimes pious holy men get into great trouble and danger not through their own fault, but through the fault of others. The others, who are also in such danger, do not see how they can be helped or how they can be saved, but in their opinion all is lost. But because there are some godly people, or even only one godly person, in the same ship, the ship must reach the shore and land unharmed and whole, even though it has been driven to and fro by great storms; even if a thousand devils were striving against it or rumbling in the ship. Thus it is written in the apostles' history in 27 Cap. V. 37, that for the sake of the one Paul, the ship in which he sailed with two hundred and six and seventy souls was preserved.
In the same way, the world still exists for the sake of the church, otherwise heaven and earth would be consumed by fire in an instant; for the world is not worth a grain of wheat, since it is full of blasphemy and vain ungodliness everywhere. But because the church is in the midst of the ungodly, God allows it to happen for the sake of the church that the ungodly also enjoy the common goods and gifts of this life, and everything the world has, it has for the sake of the church. As the angel says to Paulo in the stories
896 L. vm, sss-287. interpretation of Genesis 34:30. w. II, I3IS-IZ14. 897
The apostles said in the 27th Cap. V. 24: "God has given you all who ship with you," which were truly idolatrous and godless people.
So that the land is fruitful and that all kinds of fruit grow out of the earth every year, the pope or the Turk does not deserve this, for they are godless people: but it happens because God has in the world a small flock that is dear to him, for the sake of which he gives abundantly all the benefits and goods of this life. If the multitude were gone, the world would be destroyed, and would become like Sodom, and like Gomorrah, as Isa. 1:9 says.
(108) Therefore, let us learn from this example that God helps even the wicked for the sake of the saints or believers, and that He often corrects and turns to good account the iniquities of the most foolish men, so that they arouse noise and danger, by His goodness; for thus He honors His saints. As all Syria is preserved for the sake of Naaman, Egypt for Joseph's sake, and Israel for Jehoshaphat's sake. And yet the wicked shall suffer their punishment; as the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, were punished, because the father cursed them, and all their seed.
- Then these words also indicate that Jacob, the pious holy man, is again struggling with a very great challenge of the spirit and faith, which is almost extinguished: the wick is smoldering, the reed is crushed and almost broken. For the words he speaks are not words of faith, but only of grumbling flesh and struggling and very weak faith. The great glorious promises have almost slipped his mind, since the Lord said to him, "I will bless thee," 2c., and "Thou shalt be spread abroad." The sun and stars of the word and promises are darkened and covered with black clouds of such trembling, doubt, and that he is almost despondent. For he says: "I, together with my house, will be strangled. He is full of fear and disbelief, and yet he is not in despair.
But this is the nature and manner of faith: when the sun shines and the sky is finely clear, we rest in the consolation held out to us and sing: Te Deum laudamus etc. (Lord God, we praise you 2c.), and as in the 34th Psalm v. 2: "I will praise the Lord always" 2c. Again, "When thou didst hide thy face, I was afraid," says the 30th Psalm v. 8, 9, 10. "I will call unto thee, O LORD; unto the LORD will I cry. What profit is there in my blood, if I am dead?" The words can be seen as if they were the words of those who despair. As David says in the same Psalm, v. 4: "Lord, you have brought my soul out of hell; you have kept me alive while they were going to hell," as if to say: I was already finished.
In this way, when the devil and the flesh reign, faith struggles with weakness and appears before the one who struggles in this way that there is no longer faith. As Jacob laments here: I stink and have become an abomination in the sight of all the neighbors around: I have come into the utmost danger, and feel nothing else but that I must perish and perish. Where is the faith and that he would have thought of the promises? Why does he not rather think in his heart: "You have fought with God and have been defeated, how much more will you be defeated by the surrounding nations? This has all slipped his mind, the temptation devours the glorious promises and the beautiful victories of faith. And yet he does not yet despair, even though he is not at all unlike one who despairs. He does not yet mistrust God, and is not faithless, although it seems so, but it is a challenge. As St. Paul says of himself in 2 Cor. 1, 8, 9: "We were exceedingly sorrowful, that we also departed from life, having resolved in ourselves that we should die," 2c, "lest we should put our trust in ourselves. So the saints must be tempted, must go to hell and to the depths, and from there be led again to heaven.
- For Jacob still keeps the smoldering wick in his heart. Since him
898 L. vm, 287. 283. interpretation of I Moses 34, 30. 31. w. ii. 1314-1317. 899
When it was announced that Simeon and Levi had smitten and plundered the whole city, he could not refrain from it; he had to be deeply moved and grieved because so many people had been slain. Because of this, it was undoubtedly a very great weakness; there was lamenting, weeping and crying out to God, and when he was alone in his chamber, he prayed with tears like this: Dear Lord God, help me who have given me the promise, for I am now in great distress and danger. The prayer was answered according to the promise, because he had the spirit of faith, or grace and prayer. Therefore, the morning star and the dawn rise again for him, his faith is established and overcomes all danger. For the sin of his sons is covered, and the good, pious father is protected from his neighbors, and there is no one who might oppose him, as we will hear in the following chapter. The two brothers, Simeon and Levi, did not deserve this protection. But the old father Jacob is forgiven all the sins of his sons with the robbery of the Shechemites, but in this way they are both punished: the Shechemites are destroyed, but the sons of Jacob are cursed by their father.
IV.
V.31. But they answered, Should they then deal with our sister as with a harlot?
Hear how the sons answer the father. The hopeful drops do not recognize their sin, nor are they sorry for the murder and unjust violence they have committed, but they defend it. As if they wanted to say: We have done right in this, that we have strangled the Shechemites; for atrocious sins should also be punished atrociously. And therefore they make it also very abominable and great,
that Shechem had kidnapped Dinah, when he did not want her as a whore but as his wife; and they do not even console the pious old man, nor do they let themselves be heard to say that they were sorry that they had committed the murder, nor do they alleviate such a deed by saying that they had recognized the sin and had forgiven their father. They do not repent and do not ask to be forgiven for having angered their neighbors with murder and robbery and for having grieved their father in his heart.
The good old man had to bear such a proud answer and that they still wanted to defend their sin, which made his heart, which was already sad and weak because of the previous terror, even more distressed and saddened. Jacob has to bear the sin of his sons and for his sake the punishment is delayed and the proud and wilful sons are tolerated until his time.
In this example there shines a wonderful great goodness and grace of God, who helps the godly and saves them, even when everything seems to be lost; where only the wick remains smoldering, and that one does not turn to foolishness and blasphemy, but groans, sighs and cries. Such cries fill heaven and earth. All the things of this patriarch of ours have been so bad that it seemed as if they could not be set right again, but God does not abandon him to whom He has often promised help and salvation. It was indeed pitiful that he should have fallen into such danger and anguish, and in his distress and danger be mocked and despised, as it were, by his sons, and that one pain always followed another: but he endures all this with wonderful patience, and God thus saves him. Our Lord God intervenes, and all will be well; as follows.
900 L. VM. 28S. sso. Interpretation of Genesis 35:1. **W. II, 1317-ISA.** 901
The Thirty-Fifth Chapter.
First part.
How God speaks to Jacob and commands him to erect an altar; how Jacob then preaches a sermon to his congregation.
I.
V. 1. 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 fleddest from thy brother Esau.
(1) Hitherto the patriarch Jacob has had great pain and has been in great anguish, since one challenge has always come upon another. His only daughter was weakened; the Shechemites were strangled; and from the same murder a great danger arose, by which he and his whole house would have been destroyed and perished, if God had not protected and saved him in such danger. For there was no one to advise and help him, and there was no one to comfort the poor, miserable, sorrowful father. His sons responded to his punishment with great pride and still justified their very wicked cause. So he is now troubled by sorrows and terrible pains, that he hangs, as it were, between heaven and earth; and the weakness of faith is added to this, so that he struggles so hard that he forgets all the promises, which were truly very glorious, forgets also the previous redemption, in which he had experienced the hand and gracious help of God.
2 These examples of the fathers are held up for us to read and learn in the church of God, so that the godly may see that they were wonderfully tempted by weakness and by strength, that they were sometimes victorious and sometimes rejected by fortune and misfortune, that at last, through mankind, they were able to overcome their weaknesses.
The Lord said that he would make martyrs out of all heavy trials, a sweet savor, and "straight smoke," as it says in the Song of Solomon, Cap. 3, v. 6. V. 6, and that therefore the carnal in them would be killed completely. These examples also teach us that our sufferings are childish and small compared to such heavy tribulations of the fathers; therefore we should take comfort from them and prepare our hearts for patience. For we have not yet struggled with such great afflictions, miseries and hardships as this One Patriarch has borne in his life.
But now God comes and helps his patriarch in the greatest need and when all was lost with him; as he is called and in truth is a true helper in trouble, as the 9th Psalm v. 10. 11. says: "The Lord is the poor man's refuge, a refuge in trouble" 2c. For he does not abandon his saints who hope in him, even though they seem to be abandoned and forsaken; for this does not mean abandoned, namely, when they are almost abandoned. But God turns our no into a yes. As when the godly say, "There is no help for me in God, I am utterly lost," God answers thus: "You are not lost, nor shall you perish as you judge; but I will give you a mouth and wisdom even in the greatest and most extreme calamity, so that you will not be forsaken. It may seem as if this is an abandonment, but in truth it is not. Therefore, God lets Himself be heard again with His word and comforts the sorrowful and distressed old man.
4 And we have often said that in the legends of the holy fathers one should pay special attention when God speaks to them. That is why the histories in the Holy Bible surpass the histories of all other nations. For they are holy and useful for the reason that God speaks there. And one should not pass over them only as cursorily as
902 L. VIII, 290-292. interpretation of I Moses 35, 1. W. II, 18W-1S2S. 903
of the silent holy legends, since God does not speak; but one should recognize and consider the value and treasure that makes these histories precious, namely God's word, which He speaks with the holy fathers. Yes, that is what makes these legends golden. And if one wanted to compare the examples of the hermits or hermits with this, such examples would even be obscured. These hermits may well have lived according to the commandments of God and in faith, and for this reason they are considered great men, but they are by no means equal to these fathers, whom God meets in adversity and makes a new sun rise. The other legends have a great splendor because of the great and unusual miraculous works; but the histories of the fathers must not be judged by such works, but rather by the holiness that is God's word.
5 Now when God sees that Jacob is abandoned and despised and mocked by his sons, and that they do not grieve much because they have put their father in great danger and grieved him greatly, He comes in due time and comforts him. For groaning has filled heaven and earth. Dear Jacob, he wants to say, your prayer and tears force me to help you. Whatever you think will be your undoing will not harm you. I am the LORD your God; by my doom the Shechemites have been strangled, and this whole game has been arranged for this purpose, so that I may test you, try you, and make you chosen and proven. But be of good cheer; I will restrain and stop all the fierce wrath, raging and fury of the people, and will change your sadness and howling into joy, and you shall be a ruler in Shechem; for so I have decreed. Like Rehoboam, when he wanted to bring the ten tribes back to himself, he is forbidden to do so. For the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 2 Chron. 11:3, 4: "Tell Rehoboam the son of Solomon, Thus saith the LORD; Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren. Let every man go home again, for this is done of me," 2c., namely, that with this I will send Solomon,
the father, and his son, Rehoboam. So God sometimes lets the Turk and the Pope rage; and again, when he wills, he restrains them both. For he who has set a goal for the sea has also set a goal for the wrath and raging of the devil and the world. As Christ says in the garden, Luc. 22, 51: "Let them be made so far away" 2c.
(6) God allows all this to happen so that He may teach us to call upon Him, to cry out to Him and to groan. For this is the "straight smoke that comes up out of the wilderness," as it says in the Song of Solomon, Chapter 3, v. 6. In this way, the very great storm is calmed here, and Jacob receives a very pleasant comfort and peace in his heart, since God says to him: "The citizens of the surrounding cities shall not attack you; only despise such storms and the fierce anger of the nations; go, preach, read and practice the worship of God, pray; let me take care of this storm, and the waves that come up may be calmed.
7 Bethel is not far from Shechem, and we have discussed the name above. Jerusalem has ten names, and many think that Bethel is Jerusalem, or that it is Mount Moriah, on which the temple was built; and it still retains the old name among the Turks. David bought the same hill from Arafna the Jebusite and built an altar there, 2 Sam. 24, 24. 25. For there Abraham sacrificed Isaac, and got the name of reverence and worship, because on the same mountain Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel sacrificed; and after that the following patriarchs considered it holy and ordained it for the practice and use of worship. After that the Jebusites took it, but David took it again and destroyed it.
008 But that Moriah is not Bethel may be known: Bethel was a place near Ai and Shechem, was not in the tribe of Judah, nor in the tribe of Benjamin. And from there came the idolaters, with whom Hosea and the other prophets fought for and against.
904 D. VM, 292-294. interpretation of Genesis 35, 1. w. II, IS2S-I32p. 905
have. For they have boasted that God spoke with the fathers in this place; therefore the place should be better and held in greater honor than the temple at Jerusalem. Lyra thinks that Bethel is Moriah. This seems to me not to be true, or if it is one and the same place, then the name must have been changed afterwards. According to the geographers, Bethel is not Moriah, nor is Jerusalem, or it was called so with reference to the meaning of the name, namely that it was God's house.
(9) And the Lord commanded the patriarch Jacob to build an altar at Bethel, and reminded him of the former tribulation and distress, and comforted him with the examples of the former temptations and deliverances. As if to say, Remember the promises made to you before time, and remember what happened to you before when you fled from your brother Esau, and how much you suffered, and how graciously I delivered you and protected you. From the time Jacob fled from his brother until this time, almost thirty years have passed. For twenty years he was in Mesopotamia, eight years he dwelt in Shechem, two years he was on the way, and almost all that time he was afflicted with the enmity of his brother. Therefore remember, says the Lord to Jacob, that you also had a promise before in Bethel that I would protect you, and how fatherly I saved you from so many and great trials and faithfully kept my promise. When Jacob hears these words, he comes to himself again and takes courage, and the wound that was inflicted on him by his sons is immediately healed. For the word of God revives and comforts those who are troubled.
(10) But the text does not say how God spoke to Jacob, whether it was in a dream, or by a clear vision, or by some prophet. For God is in the habit of using these three ways. But at that time there was no prophet or patriarch, for they had all died. Unless perhaps Isaac, the father,
Jacob's son, or sent letters to him, commanding him to turn back and go to Bethel. But in whatever way it happened, it is enough that we have heard that God spoke to him. He may speak in whatever way he pleases, but it is certain that this is the word of God.
(11) But human nature is so perverse and depraved that, alas, we do not believe that we hear God's word when he speaks to us through a man. For we judge the word by the appearance and greatness of him who speaks: we hear the man who speaks as a mere man, and think that it is the word of a man. And therefore we also despise it and become weary of it, when we should thank God for putting his divine word into the mouth of the man or servant who is like us everywhere, who can speak to us and comfort and uplift us with the word.
We do not recognize the greatness of this blessing, nor do we thank God for it. That is why the legends of the holy fathers are so excellent in the play, not only for the sake of the word, but also for the faith of the patriarchs, so that they may have firmly and surely kept the word. Unfortunately, when we hear a minister of the gospel preach and absolve, we cannot be so sure that we have been taught and absolved by the divine majesty itself and have received comfort. We say that it is a word that we hear in the church, but it is the word of the pastor or the preacher. But it is not the word of the priest, nor of St. Peter, nor of any other minister, but of the Divine Majesty Himself.
13 Therefore our histories are colder because of our faith, which is colder. But in the fathers faith was much more fervent; as in their whole life a great wonderful faith shines. That is why the histories of the fathers are called sacred and are sacred. Now if we could believe that God speaks to us through our parents, through the pastors and ministers of the Word, then we would-
906 D. vm. 2S4-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 35:1. 2. W. n, IL2S-ISS1. 907
we would feel and experience that our hearts would be kindled with great joy. For we would thus boast and say: I am baptized. By whom, by the priest? Answer: Not at all, but by the Holy Spirit; I am absolved by the Holy Spirit and by God Himself. Why should I be afraid? Of whom shall I be afraid? Why should I grieve because of my sins? Therefore, compared to the fathers, we are hardly little children and infants. For they have seen many abominations of idolatry among the pagans who lived around them, and yet they have so firmly accepted the word of God and kept it. We have before our eyes many innumerable examples of faith from our times and also from previous times, and yet we do not believe.
(14) Therefore, first of all, take heed diligently to the words of God who speaks, and then to the faith of those who have believed; then you will see the true miracles in the histories of the saints who, through faith in the word, have overcome all the calamities of the world and of the devils. And such victory they obtained not by their wisdom, for they knew no counsel, as the 107th Psalm v. 27. says, but because of the word that came to them and comforted them, and by faith, so that they clung to the word. For "our faith is the victory that overcame the world," 1 John 5:4. God makes us victors and overcomers through His word, so that He may establish and strengthen us. Therefore, this is a great glorious comfort that God gives to Jacob here; for it is as much as if he wanted to say: I have death and life, and all tempests, storms, and afflictions in my hand: only believe, and thou shalt be helped.
But he also gives him a commandment to set up an altar, that is, to worship. One must remember this rule: Without the Holy Spirit, one should not make any way or manner of serving God. How Jacob did not invent from his own will that in this place the house should be built
But he learned it from the revelation, when he slept in the same place and saw the angels ascending and descending, Genesis 28:11, 12; then he says in v. 16: "Surely the Lord is in this place," and surely God dwells here. Therefore, one should not erect altars or special services out of his own pride, but should look to God's command.
16 Jeroboam erected a calf at Bethel in later times, so that the people could sacrifice and worship there, 1 Kings 12:28 ff. And that he might obscure the commandment of God to build the temple at Jerusalem, which Solomon had, he extolled this commandment, which had been given to the patriarch Jacob, to set up an altar and worship at Bethel. For the same, he says, is much older, and therefore it should be more precious and glorious than the new commandment to build the temple at Jerusalem.
(17) As before this time, when God was to be sought and known in His Word and Sacraments, the pope rejected both Word and Sacraments, and invented the sanctuary and memorial of the saints, so that he deceived the poor people into believing that worship was bound to such things: and people fell into such foolishness about it that in some places they praised Joseph's pants, the milk of the Virgin Mary, and St. Francis' underclothes as sanctuary. Franciscus' undergarment as a sanctuary and proclaimed. In addition, there were the fictitious and strange works of the saints, such as St. Francis, St. Dominic, and others, whose holiness they judged according to their works and outward life. For in this way people who had turned away from the truth were deceived and fooled. But if you read the Scriptures diligently, you will see that without the Word nothing pleases God.
II.
Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him: Put away from among you the strange gods that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments.
** **908 L. vm. 296-298. interpretation of Genesis 35:2. W. n. 1331-1333. 900
18 Jacob clings to the comfort he has heard in the word of God: because of this, the storm ceases and the sea is completely calm, winter has passed, the beautiful flowers are seen, the nightingale sings. Therefore he is now happy and thanks God: "Praise be to God the Lord, sadness and fear have ceased, for the light of the sun has risen and dispelled the darkness of affliction. And now he repeats the words himself, which he has heard God speak, and tells of the trials that have befallen him in about thirty years. But he is not yet past all sorrow and misery; for there is still the terrible storm and misfortune with his son Joseph. But he thanks God that he has overcome the previous misfortune and prepares to go to Bethel, where the Lord first comforted him.
019 Thus saith Moses, How Jacob spake unto his household, and to all that were with him. There he makes a distinction between the members of the house and the strangers. The members of his household were his wives, children, servants and maidservants, but by the others who were with him he understands those whose hearts God had stirred to join the house of Jacob, either because they had hoped to marry them or because they had come from the robbery and barking of the Shechemites. For I have often said that it is very plausible that the patriarchs taught and preached there. Many of the Gentiles came to them, who saw that the patriarchs were pious, godly and holy men and that God was with them, and therefore heard and accepted their teaching.
20 For since they were sent by God into the world as messengers and preachers of the word, we should not think that their ministry and service went without fruit. And not only those who were of the blood of the patriarchs joined them, but also strangers; as above, Cap. 14, v. 13, were the covenanters of Abraham, Escol and Aner, all of whom undoubtedly heard the word, as did Abimelech. And afterwards Joseph in
Egypt, Daniel at Babylon, Jonah at Nineveh, taught the doctrine of the right true God. For this reason, God has gathered the Church into the world, not only from the one lineage of the patriarchs, but from all peoples to whom the Word has come.
(21) In this way many of the Canaanites joined Jacob and believed his word, whom God saved from the calamity that was present and from idolatry. As the harlot Rahab in the book of Joshua at 2. Cap. V. 1 ff, when she saw that the whole city was in danger and distress, she went to the spies and asked them to protect and preserve her and her friendship. For the hearts of some are always stirred, to whom those who are godly come in the world. And such people, I believe, were those whom Jacob carried with him. For the word is not taught without fruit, but gathers a multitude in the world, not only of those who hear the oral word, and who are in the church and congregation of the patriarchs, but also brings in those who are strangers, that is, those who are provided for it.
22 After this it came to pass that they made friends with the Canaanites for the sake of the marriage of the twelve patriarchs, who took pagan wives in marriage. Judah took the Cananite woman Thamar, Joseph the daughter of an Egyptian priest. Thus the blood of the Gentiles and the Israelites came together, so that also the Moabitess Ruth became a mother of Christ. For God is not only the God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, Rom. 3, 29, even though He spread His grace and His word into the world through the Jews as His servants. Finally, the patriarchs also had fellowship with the Gentiles. Therefore, they often took the opportunity to talk to each other about God and religious matters. For they were not dumb blocks and stones; but they conducted such a conversation with the people that they drew those who were strangers to them with special kindness, so that they might become their "comrades" in doctrine and religion.
910 L. VIH, 298-300. interpretation of Genesis 35, 3. w. n, I33S-I336. 911
(23) Now there is a fine sermon which the patriarch Jacob preacheth unto his house and congregation, which was gathered together of his household, and also of strangers; in which sermon he exhorteth them to amend themselves, and to depart from the sins which were yet in that church and congregation. And the first sin he punishes is against the first commandment, namely, idolatry; so he wants them to amend themselves in it and abolish such sin. "Put away," saith he, "the strange gods that are among you."
(24) For this is the main thing and the origin of all other sins. And all reformation or correction that may be undertaken is in vain, unless the doctrine is first purified. For behold the folly of the pope and all succeeding conciliar authorities, who first of all decree certain external ceremonies, such as commanding the priests to wear long robes, to read their seven times and mass diligently, and forbid them to gamble and commit fornication. They call this a reformation of the church. And if a council is held one day, such a thing will be dealt with and decreed in it. For the bishops and cardinals are crude, clumsy people who have no thought for the word and the doctrine, nor do they understand it or ask anything about it.
(25) Therefore, "the axe must be laid to the root of the trees," Luc. 3:9, and the head of the serpent must be attacked. For no matter how hard you strike it on the body, it can endure all this without danger; but if you hit it on the head with even a small rod, it will soon die. Now the noblest power of Satan is to fight against the word and doctrine, to destroy them, which doctrine is contained in the first commandment. He attacks it very hard. For this reason, we should make every effort to have the right and certain doctrine of God. Then a right reformation and church order can be established.
When King Ferdinand prepares to march against the Turks, he shall let the Turks have their way.
that one should fast, keep item, processions and saint's journey. But what is the use of such a thing but that it is a mockery of the devil? This should rather be done so that the right faith and the pure doctrine of the right worship may be taught. But they turn this around, defend the obvious errors in doctrine and still confirm idolatry: then they want to appease the wrath of God with external ceremonies and supplications. In this way, God is enraged and mocked in a twofold way.
(27) Therefore let us remember this commandment of Jacob, which saith, Put away strange gods from among you; that is, put away the abominations of doctrine and ungodliness, that the people may learn to fear God aright, and trust in him; and then the long robes, plates, and other such outward things, shall have their place.
But the two words "foreign gods" are not in the same numerus in Hebrew. The word "gods" is plural, but the other word "foreign" is singular and genitive, and thus reads, "the gods of the foreign" or "of a foreign thing." But the Hebrew word, nekar, has a double meaning, one of which expresses the opposite of the other; for it denotes both: unknown or strange, and: known. As subsequently in One Verse, Cap. 42, v. 8, both meanings are given, Joseph recognized his brothers, and he alienated himself from his brothers, that is, he made himself unrecognizable. This is the figure of speech antiphrasis, which is found in all languages. Thus the Latins call bellum, war, because it is not a good thing; and lucus means a forest, because it is dark and does not shine. The Germans have many such words, as when they say: Halt, ich will dir rathen, will dir helfen; this is also spoken by the figure antiphrasis, and this is the opinion that I want to punish or destroy another. Item, when one says: The executioner can well advise the thief 2c.
The same is true of the meaning of this word: the gods of an unknown or known thing. The
912 L. viu, soo-302. interpretation of Genesis 35, 2. w. n, iWs-iWs. 913
But right understanding must be taken from the way of speaking. And in this place the Hebrew word nekar must necessarily mean unknown and strange. For as the Latin word bellum takes its name from the beautiful, and war, bellum, seems to the inexperienced to be very beautiful, potassium, and pleasant, just as revenge is sweet (but experience makes it necessary for us to feel and sense that it is a very sad and miserable thing about war; for it is called potassium by the figure antiphrasis, it means honey sown and mustard sprung up): So also at first the new service pleases the people very well, and lets itself be seen as if it were the right loud truth; it seems to be a lovely sweet drink. For so the spirits of the pagans are wont to promise and boast much of their doctrine, that there is nothing more certain, better, or more delicious; but in the end we only learn that it is only darkness, error, and lack of understanding. Therefore, in Hebrew it is called nekar, that is, known and yet not known at all. Such phrases remind the students of theology that it is very necessary that they learn to understand the Hebrew language well. For this reason, I want to exhort them to make an effort to learn the same language.
(30) But if a man has once lacked in his heart the right, true and one God, then a great innumerable multitude and disorder with many gods must follow. Whoever once abandons God, it is impossible that he should remain with a certain deity, that is, with a religion or a certain worship. As from unbelief, or where one has lost faith, innumerable sins must follow. The same can be seen in all histories. Since Israel fell away from God, they served Baal, Camos, Astharoth and other gods. Since we in the papacy have fallen away from Christ, the Son of God, our Savior, Dominic, Franciscus, Vincentius, Christophorus, Clara and other supposed saints have come in Christ's place, and in addition many other innumerable new services, which daily the priests and
Monks have invented without end and without measure. For the lust and the arrogance of the people could not be satisfied in any way.
(31) Therefore, to depart from the one God is as much as to be drowned in the multitude of many unknown gods. And for this reason Jacob called the strange gods gods of a strange, unknown and foolish worship, which seemed to be well known and holy. Therefore we should set our. Therefore, we should turn our hearts and all diligence to the one God, who is God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and remain with the one mediator Christ Jesus. This is the first part of the reformation that Jacob held up to his house.
The Jews understand here by the foreign gods the images of the idols, of which they have had many for and for; and they have had as many gods as there are devils in hell. As we have also seen in the papacy. But Jacob understands not only the images of gold and silver, but also that which is attached to them, or the inclination that men have toward them: which inclination is like the head in the image of silver or gold, namely, worship. For otherwise there is no sin in the image, but I may use it; as above Rachel, Cap. 31, v. 34, used the idols of Laban her father, which she put under the litter of the camels and sat on them. But this is a damnable sin, that is, the confidence of the heart turned to the image, though the image itself gives cause for such sin; but the desire for such an image and the idol is first in the heart.
(33) As the people before that time, and even now some kings, run to the dumb idols, and serve the same, as to Mary at Regensburg, or where there are images of other saints. That is, in truth, worshipping wood and stones. For the faith that is due to the one God as the Creator is there turned to the silver image and not to the Creator. But what could or would be more foolishly called or done? For why do you not in the same way also worship the thalers and the
914 L. VIII, 302-304. interpretation of Genesis 35, 2. W. II, 1339-1342. 915
Money that you have in your purse? Therefore Jacob does not look at the outward images alone, but wants to have God honored above all things, and the doctrine to be pure; and so he wants to begin the reformation from the first commandment.
34 The other part, when he says, "And purify me," understands in himself the sin against the other table, and wants that one should improve in it also. For first, saith he, the gods which ye think well known are very unknown: therefore put them away from you. Then also repent, and forsake the sins that are done against your neighbor. Let there be no thieves, fornicators, or adulterers among you, that the body and heart may be righteous, chaste, pure, and innocent of such sins, that the neighbor may be hurt. This is the outward righteousness.
35 The third part, the change of clothes, is an external thing and concerns the ceremonies: Take off the unclean garments, adorn yourselves also with an outward adornment. For such ceremonies, though they make no one righteous, are nevertheless necessary. For in outward ceremonies, gestures and customs, reverence should also be held, so that one may come together in a fine, honest and modest manner in the place where the word is taught, where one prays and calls on God, and where other worship takes place. First of all, the heart should be so skilled that it has right faith in God and is reconciled to Him, and then have love for one's neighbor, which should be perfect and without all offense or offense. Thirdly, where people come together, they are to observe outward discipline, so that everything may be done honestly and properly, 1 Cor. 14:40. But those who despise and neglect these things show that they believe nothing and that they despise God and His Church. For we are not to conduct ourselves in the church, where we come together for worship, as we do in the tavern; rather, this requires seriousness and proper decorum.
This is a beautiful reformation, because first the doctrine is reformed and purified; then the sins are also swept out,
than, usury, theft, robbery and fornication. Lastly, there is also an admonition that the people and the priests in the temple should dress in fine honest clothing. Our reformers reverse the order; for they begin their reformation from shoes and garments, and what is noblest and best they leave undone. It should rather be done in such a way that the heart may be purified inwardly by faith, and the body and members may be purified outwardly by love and outward ceremonies, also in clothing and manners.
Finally, in the commandment given to Jacob by God, the manner of speaking should be noted. For we should take care, when we read the Bible, to defend and prove our doctrine of the three persons in the Godhead from the Hebrew text. For thus read the words from the Hebrew: The gods said: Make GOOD an altar. This way of speaking is to be noted diligently when God speaks of God. For although the Jews despise and destroy this way of speaking, and say that there is a change of persons here, which is usual in the holy Scriptures; of which we ourselves also confess that it is true: yet we do not dwell on the Jewish trifles. For we cannot convert them, as we will not convert other stiff-necked men. And because such a way of speaking agrees with the New Testament, we keep in this place the words as they are.
(38) Now where God or the gods speak of God, the three persons are expressed and one God. By the God to whom Jacob is to make an altar, we understand the Son of God, who is the one and true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as we said above about the man who wrestled with Jacob. This instructs and strengthens us wonderfully. For when Moses wrote this, he was not drunk, neither was the Holy Spirit who spoke through him. And even if an angel or Moses speaks to us, it is the word of God. Therefore the LORD will say this much: If you will honor the God who gave you the gift of God at Bethel, then you will honor the God who gave you the gift of God at Bethel.
916 vm, sot-306. interpretation of Genesis 35:2. z. W. n, 134S-IS44. 917
you will honor the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. For where it is said: Elohim, gods, said, there
is understood to mean that there is more than One Person in the Godhead.
V. 3 And let us arise, and go to Bethel, that there I may make an altar unto God, which heard me in the time of my affliction, and was with me in the way which I went.
(39) It is worthy of note that in the history of so many patriarchs it is not described or praised that they slaughtered any animal for sacrifice, although the holy Scriptures often say of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob how they built altars. Of Noah, Adam, Hain and Abel we read that they used sacrifices, namely burnt offerings; which the fathers undoubtedly did after the manner described by Moses, that is, they slaughtered and boiled sheep, oxen and goats, and burned a part of them as a burnt offering to the Lord, but a part of them they ate. For what else could they have used the altars for? Therefore, where the Scripture remembers them, there is no doubt that they were burnt offerings and sacrifices, when they offered cakes, bread flour, incense and other things, which sacrifices are described in Leviticus 1. 2. 3. ff. This is to be noticed however particularly well that these patriarchs also set up altars, and Mose remembers nevertheless no sacrifices at all. But he leaves it to the reader that he may conclude that there were sacrifices, burnt offerings and heave offerings where altars were erected.
40 Again, when Moses speaks of the sacrifice and burnt offering of the Levites, he describes such sacrifices of the animals they slaughtered so diligently that he does not pass over or conceal even the hair and skin and the dung that comes from the animals; there you will find nothing but vain incense and slaughter. He does not say what God said, what those who sacrificed suffered or did; just as in the histories of the fathers nothing is said about the slaughter of oxen or sheep,
The part they kept and the part they burned, but the most important part is added, namely, the sermon the fathers preached at the altars. Moses cooks, roasts, boils. In these legends, however, nothing is set apart except from the altar, and neither incense, wine, nor any other sacrifice is remembered.
041 So Jacob will build an altar. What for? Answer: He will build it for God, "who has heard me," he says, "in the time of my tribulation" 2c. Yes, these are the right altars, against which the sacrifices of oxen and goats are only shadows and outward signs. But preaching, hearing the word, giving thanks to God and praying, these are the right sacrifices; Moses describes these to the fathers: but the outward sacrifices he hardly touches with a word. I will boast there, says Jacob, how God has been with me in the way I have gone, how he has heard me. Therefore, sacrifice in truth is nothing else but giving thanks and praise to God that He is our God, who will hear us according to His promise, and be with us in all tribulation and save us from death. For this means that he is our God, and that we thank him for having provided for us and preserved us until now, and for wanting to provide for us from now on, even though he leaves us tempted beyond our ability.
(42) Churches are built in this way and to this end. But if these sacrifices are not there, they may more cheaply be called cowsheds or stalls than altars or churches. For it is ordained that we should meet together in the church, that we should teach and tell the people about God, that he is our God, who lets us be tempted to goodness. This is the preaching of faith, of our patience, of God's grace, and how He leads and governs His own. Where this doctrine is not heard, do not think that there is a church or an altar. As in the papacy the churches were only the theaters of the devil, who mocked and miserably strangled the souls.
- but the slaughter and the sacrifices of the Levites God has appointed for an appointed time for an outward sign, that the
918 D. vm. 306-303. interpretation of I Moses 35, 3. w. n, 1344-1347. 919
The people of the world are to be drawn to the right worship and knowledge of God through a certain semblance of God. As he has given us baptism, the keys, absolution and the Lord's Supper not for the sake of the outward work itself, as the papists dream: but that we should remember the benefits of Christ, who says Luc. 22:19: "Do this in remembrance of me," that the heavenly doctrine may be heard among you; that ye may call upon me, giving thanks unto me; that ye may hope in me, and be patient to bear the cross, until I come and deliver you from all evil. This we do and teach diligently, publicly in the church and especially to the sick. We do not slaughter oxen or sheep, but praise God.
44 For Jacob says here that he does not want to erect an altar in order to sacrifice on it, although the same is also understood by this: but that he may praise and glorify God, who heard him in the time of tribulation, namely, when he had to flee from his brother Esau. He recognizes that God has heard him; that is why he has always stopped praying, seeking, knocking, that he has called upon God. Esau and Satan were his masters, who drove and forced him to cry out to God and to call upon Him for help. For God wants us to call upon Him, and He wants to hear us and be our God.
(45) So we have heard that Jacob was often in great distress and anguish, and that in his terror he lost God to some extent. How he was a very miserable man, since he had to flee to Mesopotamia. After that he was unjustly afflicted with infinite misfortune by Laban, so that he had to fight. Finally, when he left Mesopotamia again, he had to fight with the son of God. Because of this, his whole life was miserable and poor; and this is what he means when he says: "in the time of my tribulation". For he has had to bear one misfortune over another for almost thirty years.
- however, it now also seems there as if
God be gracious and merciful? Yes, he is truly such a God. For Jacob adds here in the text that he hears the prayer. As in the 66th Psalm David praises God, when he says v. 16, 17, 19, 20: "Come, listen, all you who fear God; I will tell you what he has done for my soul. To him I cried with my mouth, and praised him with my tongue. Therefore God hears me, and heeds my supplication. Praise be to GOD, who does not reject my prayer, nor turn away his kindness from me." He is quite inclined to hear us, if only we were also inclined to cry out to Him. The answer is certain, for he himself has said, he himself has commanded us to ask, as he says John 16:23, 24: "Ask, and ye shall receive. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it you." Item John 15:7, Christ says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." For this reason we are justly to be punished, that we do not ask, do not cry out, do not stop. But the example of Jacob should entice and admonish us, who praises and glorifies God not because of his works or sacrifices, which nevertheless also happened, that he thereby shows his gratitude that God had saved him; but he praises first of all that he has such a God, who gave him his promise, heard him, protected him and delivered him from all misfortune, in which it sometimes seemed as if it were even lost.
We should learn and remember this diligently. And the example of our first parents teaches us the same. For when God called to them after the fall, when He said Genesis 3:9: "Adam, where are you? But after that, when God says in Genesis 15: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent," indicating that their lineage shall remain and that He wants to preserve the human lineage, and that such a seed shall be born that shall bruise the head of the serpent, they are again raised up and rejoice, and are not frightened when they hear the words in Genesis 19: "In the sweat of the blood".
920 D vm, sos-sio. Interpretation of I Genesis 35, 3. W. n, 1347-iLvo. 921
in thy sight shalt thou eat thy bread" 2c.; item, v. 16.: "Thou shalt bear children with heaviness" 2c. For Eve will have said: I will gladly bear the pains of birth and death, if only the severe judgment and wrath of God may cease; which wrath we have brought upon ourselves, since we bit into the apple and transgressed God's commandment: if instead of eternal punishment comes a bodily one, then I will bear it with all patience.
So our whole life is truly a miserable life, and a real sour apple we have to bite into. But there is still the right life in it. The other apple of Eve was very sweet, and was very funny and lovely to look at in appearance, but it brought eternal death with it. Therefore, it is better to suffer misery and suffering with the hope of eternal salvation than to flee from such misery and affliction and run into eternal damnation.
(49) We see that the prophets and patriarchs also suffered the same, and that they boasted of suffering; as the Psalms and many sayings of the apostles testify, as Rom. 5:11 and elsewhere. Therefore we must remember this in our hearts, so that we will not be so afraid of any calamity that we will forsake worship and prayer. For since I am safe from eternal death and damnation, and am delivered from them, let the Turks and the Tartars and the pope and all kinds of calamities come to me; I will not despair of them, since I have the restitution and the very blessed change, knowing that death has been changed into life, damnation into eternal blessedness, and sin into righteousness; for I know that everything must be for the good of the godly.
It is lamentable that we are so ungrateful that we do not recognize nor thank God that the Son of God has changed eternal death into a temporal punishment. For we always want to have our pleasure in this life and live in joy, and we are afraid and flee from any cross, no matter how small it may be. But now it is necessary for the flesh to be put to death, and for such obedience to be made.
we should bear with patience in the cross, so that we may be grateful to God, knowing that Christ died for our sin. And He Himself says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, Matth. 11, 30. And finally, because Jacob boasts with such great joy that God has saved him from bodily affliction, how much more are we due to praise God and thank Him for the eternal and temporal benefits!
51 But he also adds to the answer that he says, "He who was with me in the way I went. Yes, he has been with him in truth and has testified to this with the work and redemption; but very secretly and that it has not been seen. As Jeremiah says in his Lamentations on the 3rd Cap. V. 22: "The goodness of the Lord is not yet ended." For as far as outward appearance is concerned, the devil, Laban and despair were with Jacob. But he says, "All these thirty years the Lord has been with me.
52 Thus it was with the sacrifice which was customary among the fathers, and it was also customary at the time when they made a show of the Levitical sacrifice. For Moses did not look primarily at the temple and altar, nor at the sheep and oxen that David and Solomon sacrificed. For these are only the chaff and the bark or the bowl of the right worship, which God requires for a time and which He uses as an outward sign for our sake, so that He may awaken our senses from sleep.
But the right service is expressed in the New Testament, where the Lord Christ says Luc. 22, 19: "Do this in remembrance of me"; item, Matth. 28, 19: "Baptize them in my name" 2c. But it is frightening that the pope makes a sacrifice and an external work out of the mass, and rejects the right core, which is that one should give thanks to God, call upon Him, hope, and also praise Him in the cross and tribulation. He has kept the bark, namely, the work of our hands and the sacrifice; yet we do not eat or drink our flesh and blood here.
922 L. vm. 310-312. interpretation of I Moses 35:3, 4. W. II, 1ZÜ"-IM4. 923
The right worship is described in Psalm 50, v. 14, and reads: "Offer thanks to God and pay your vows to the Most High. The outward ceremonies are to serve this purpose and are to awaken you to praise God, who hears you, redeems you, governs you and helps you, so that you may trust in him, tolerate his hand, learn to be killed and die, and be patient in all these things, as befits godly people. This is the sacrifice of our body, and that which is alive, of which St. Paul says Romans 12:1.
Second part.
How Jacob's congregation puts away the foreign gods that Jacob buries; how Jacob then goes out safely; how he goes to
Bethel comes and aligns an altar.
I.
V.4 Then they gave him all the strange gods that were warm under their hands, and their earrings; and he buried them under an oak that stood beside Shechem.
(55) You see that the patriarch had an obedient church or congregation that believed God's word. For they immediately put away the strange gods and accept the reformation of their teacher. That is why the whole church was well reformed and finely arranged everywhere. And Moses, in his books, gathered together many things from the ways and ceremonies of the fathers, as one who goes through all the books from time to time and gathers them together. Among other images were also the teraphim, idols, which Rachel stole from her father in Genesis 31:19. And the idols or images they called gods; not that they were so foolish or senseless as to take wood, gold or silver for God or to worship them, but they bound the silver or gold images to the God who should hear the prayer and look upon the worship, which was invented in that place out of human fancy.
- how the pabstium of such silver
We have been full of idols of gold, wood, and stone. For even though we knew that such idols were all carved and cast with human hands, we fell down before the images and worshipped them, thinking that God would look at this or that image. And we let ourselves believe that St. Barbara, St. Anne and St. Christopher were looking at their images and were listening to our prayers. This has been the darkness in Egypt, and completely the same nonsense and frenzy, which has also been before times with the pagans, since they have invented so many countless gods; for so they have honored Juno, Bacchus, Ceres, Priapus and others more.
(57) I do not think that in any house there were golden images, but wooden ones, such as our people had in their houses before that time. It must have been some wooden idol, decorated with silver and gold jewels. As one reads of Dionysius, who plundered the image of Jupiter, because he took the gold and silver jewelry from it; as one uses with us golden bordure, clasps, corals, paternosters 2c. And I think that the earrings were also such jewelry, so that they were put on the images, and not on those who honored the images. Although Lyra is inclined to think that Moses meant the ornaments or hats and priestly garments that they used when they prayed or sacrificed, either the priests or other people. For such things were used in all manner of divine services, both of which were wrong and right. However, this understanding seems to me to be truer, namely, that the earrings of the idols were jewelry.
- The Hebrew word nesem means a small crown, or a golden half-circle, like the moon when it is curved, so that they have adorned the forehead from one side to the other as with a crown. Nowadays, we call it a bead or a golden braid and hair ribbon.
59 Aaron also had an earring, nesem, among other priestly ornaments. According to this the kings also used them
924 L. VIII, 812-314. interpretation of I Genesis 35, 4. W. II, 1354-I3S7. 925
and made crowns out of them. Therefore it was common at that time that they adorned the idols or images on the heads with such little crowns for the sake of divine honor, so that they had a form and appearance of holiness; although it may also be, according to Lyra's opinion, that the priests may also have used such jewelry.
And Jacob took and buried all these things in one heap. And truly there was great piety and obedience in these people, who so willingly and gladly gave away what they held so dear and valuable. The greater part was looted because they plundered the Shechemites, who were idolaters. But he persuaded his household and strangers who were with him, because of the glorious preaching he did, that they should do such things of themselves, and that he would go to Bethel with his congregation when it was cleansed from idolatry.
(61) Why did he bury the idols under the oak tree, which were gold and silver, or wooden and adorned with gold, and why did he not rather melt them down and distribute the money to the poor, or use it for something else? For what good is gold and silver if it is buried in the ground? Answer: He did this for the sake of abuse, because he knew that God was very hostile to it: and he himself wanted to completely despise the goods that had been badly won, because through God's blessing he otherwise had enough that he could distribute among the poor.
- Moses commanded Deut. 7:5 to burn all the images of the pagan gods, and would not have the people of Israel covet the silver or gold that was in them, or bring it into their house, lest they also become an abomination to God, as these images were. From this it is clear that some of the images were wooden, which they adorned with bracelets, hats and cloaks made of gold and silver, because gold is not burned. But the kings may have had idols of gold and silver. And Moses had such a commandment from the fathers, that one should not burn the
The saints were not to use the gold and silver of which the idols were made, even though it was good in itself. God wanted the first tablet to be so pure at that time that he did not want the saints to use the gold and silver of which the idols were made, even though they are in themselves good creatures of God. But he did not want to have this because such creatures were tainted with idolatrous false worship, with which false worship God is greatly angered. In this way Jacob buries the foreign gods in the ground, so that he can testify that he is clean from the sin called idolatry. In the Law of Moses, the same thing was kept as a terror to the rude and ignorant people, so that they would learn to flee and curse such abominations.
We in the New Testament know that an idol is nothing in the world, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 8:4. Therefore, the holy martyrs and bishops melted down the idols and put them to the right godly use, to preserve the church servants or other godly people and the poor. And in this they have done right. For such laws of outward ceremonies have now ceased, which laws the rude people had, to whom such outward compulsion was necessary, because they had not the spirit, but were governed only by the law and compelled by outward discipline, lest they should fall into idolatry. For in this way we also use to frighten the children outwardly, so that they abstain from sins or what is otherwise unseemly, namely, when we show them painted dragons or other misshapen, hideous monsters, and compare the things that are shameful with them, so that they learn to be frightened when they even think of, hear about, or look at such things. This people also had such an outward child discipline. For Moses did not want them to desire idols or images, or to carry them into their homes, so that they would learn that God does not want such things.
926 L. vm. 314-316. interpretation of Genesis 35:4, 5. w. n. 1357-1360. 927
He said that he was very hostile to idols and that he abhorred them.
But those who are grown up and have understanding have no need of it; therefore we do not keep the same law and have no need of it. For what do we have now in our churches that has not been acquired by the most abominable idolatry of the popes? And nowhere is there a prince, city or municipality that supports or maintains its church or school servants with their own or new salaries. Although some of the church properties are honestly acquired and given to the church to maintain the good arts and schools. But what is given for masses, vigils and the service of the saints is nothing else but whores' wages and very shameful idolatry. Such silver and gold is all nesem, as the Hebrew word reads, that is, they are earrings, little spangles of idols, given to preserve superstition and godlessness or idolatry. But in this we make use of the evangelical freedom, that we do not expel such gold or bury it in the earth, but we handle it so that it may be turned to divine and right use, and that what has been given to the idolatrous missals may henceforth be distributed among the pious godly teachers and ministers of the gospel. And would God that we could obtain and preserve such things from the birds of prey, who seize the church goods by force and unjustly, and leave the poor parish priests and school servants barely enough to keep them from starving.
In the Electorate of Saxony, the parishes and schools are preserved, and we have allowed that what is left there may either be kept by the prince or distributed among the poor students. If one now asks: Why do we not also throw away the evil gained goods of the Babylonian whore? we answer thus: that they are now invested Christianly and well, and that we have brought it about that the money, which before served the devil, must henceforth serve God. In the Law of Moses it was necessary that the people had to be disciplined with harder discipline in
They were held in check because of the danger they might have been in because of the pagans who lived around them soon after, since there was no such great light of the Word then as there is now, and since they did not have that time of grace which by God's grace has appeared to us this day. Therefore, the laws of external ceremonies do not bind us.
II.
V. 5. and they went on their way. And the fear of God came upon the cities that were round about them, that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob.
This was a blissful and safe journey under such a forerunner and captain as Jacob had. And it is an excellent and noteworthy example, which shows that the faithful and those who cling to God's word have protection and protection from the Creator of all things, against the gates of hell, Matth. 16, 18. For the prophet Eliphaz rightly said 2 Kings 6, 16: "There are more of them that are with us than of them that are with the adversaries. For such weakness of faith and misbelief makes the hearts of the godly very faint and despondent. Yet there are always some who retain this comfort to the extent that they can and may. Jacob himself was somewhat weaker in faith during the danger and hardship, as we have heard several times, than any other of his household could have been; and the inexpressible groaning in his heart nevertheless filled heaven and earth, and awakened God to show him comfort and help.
(67) Now this is a lesson and a comfort to us, that we may certainly believe that we cannot be abandoned, whether we believe firmly or not. For the weak are also protected; as St. Paul teaches Rom. 14:1, that one should receive the weak in faith; although the same weakness is in the neophytes or young Christians who have only begun to grasp the Christian doctrine. But the weakness of the great men, as, Jacob and the
928 L. vm. SIS. 317. interpretation of Gen. 35, 5. **w. II, 1360-1363.** 929
other saints, is not in word or doctrine, but in temptation, when it seems that they have almost lost the faith. This is a faith that struggles and is not a weakness of young Christians who have only just begun; and God also accepts and protects them, as this example and many others show and testify.
(68) Now God keeps the life of the saints in measure and restraint, so that we do not become proud, and so that we do not put our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, as St. Paul says 2 Cor. 1:9. For this is the work of the Creator, that He makes the poor rich, raises the dead, raises and comforts the afflicted, and overthrows those who hope.
69 He first strengthened Jacob with the word that he had commanded him to go to Bethel and had given him the sign of protection and divine help, namely, the commandment to build an altar. Because he had to build an altar and sacrifice, he had to live. As if the Lord wanted to say: The surrounding nations shall not destroy you, but you shall go to Bethel and sacrifice there. Third, there is also the deed and the experience. For the Lord makes the neighbors fear, who before were fierce and angry because of the murder which the strangers had done in the neighborhood and before their eyes. These neighbors, I say, the LORD has made so fearful that they could not pursue the sons of Jacob and the old father with his poor and defenseless little band. For the Lord is the forerunner and chief captain of this army that Jacob leads. Jacob is leading it, and he strengthens it with his word, saying to them: "Be of good courage and be of good cheer; I will fight for you without defense and without outward force; I will only make their hearts afraid, so that they may not attack you or chase after you.
(70) Dear one, who should be allowed to fight with such a prince or commander who first overcomes the great strong courage and puts it down? But when he is laid low, all the forces and limbs of the whole
The body will become soft and dull. For those who are experienced in warfare are accustomed to pay attention to this and to guess from it what the outcome of the battle will be: when the order of battle is set and arranged by both sides against each other, they can soon see which group will win; for in the same group, they say, one senses a special cheerfulness, both in men and in rust. On the other hand, they say, everything seems dull and as if dead in the crowd that is to be conquered. This is what the men of war say, who are well versed in warfare; and this also rhymes with the sayings in the holy scriptures. For victory comes from heaven, as it is written in the 144th Psalm, v. 10: "Thou givest victory to kings"; item in the 33rd Psalm, v. 17: "Grates do not help, and their great strength does not save. When God wants to give victory, He also gives a cheerful and strong spirit. If God gives, it is given. But if he takes away or breaks the courage of the enemy, then the defense falls out of his hands immediately, as it is written in the 76th Psalm v. 6. 7: "From your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both horse and chariot sink into sleep. The proud must be robbed and fall asleep, and all warriors must let their hands go down."
In this way God comforted Jacob with words and works in his greatest trial and distress, because when he went away with his people, the neighbors were so terrified that no one among them could open his mouth, let alone draw a sword. For the LORD had broken the power of the bow, shield, sword, and battle, so that they could not be ready and brave to fight, since they were otherwise very powerful and able to fight. And these things were not done for Simeon's and Levi's sake, as if they had done them by their own deeds or guile; but by the power of the promise, and by the faith of the patriarch and his own, though they were weak.
(72) Therefore the Holy Spirit admonishes us with this example, that we should learn the article of creation rightly and well, namely, that all things are in God's hand and God's will.
930 L. vm, 317-31S. Interpretation of Genesis 35, 5. W. II, 1363-13W. 931
and that we become accustomed and awakened to trust in our Creator, which trust in us is still quite weak and small. For if we firmly believed that God is the Creator, then we would certainly also have to believe that he has heaven and earth in his hands and power, and all that is in them. Yes, that is even more, if we saw that the world was about to break with all the elements and fall over a heap, and was already lying on our necks, we would still say: You will not fall, if you are already falling, unless God wants it. And if it were on our head, we would say, "You will do me no harm, nor will you oppress me;" or if it pleases God that I should be overtaken and oppressed with such a burden of yours, then let it be done in the name of God what pleases the Lord. "My time is in his hands," Ps. 31:16; but if it please him otherwise, I will defy thee, heaven and earth, with all the violence of the Turk and the Pope, and other fierce wrath of the whole world.
73 For the house of Jacob was in such a state that it would certainly and completely have been destroyed. For the Canaanites were not lacking in strength and good will, nor in counsel, nor in armor, nor in fists. But what was in their way? Answer: The Lord says: I will not have it. "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further; here shall thy proud waves be laid up," as Job says in 38 Cap. V. 11. and as in the 65th Psalm V. 8. 9. it says: "Thou stillest the roaring of the sea, the roaring of the waves thereof, and the raging of the nations, that they which dwell at the same ends may be astonished at thy signs." We live in the midst of the sea; and as the waters of the flood went up fifteen cubits above the highest mountains, so that they were covered, so now the great sea is still three cubits higher than the earth. But why does it not overtake us? Answer: Because God has set his goal for the sea. Its proud waves are puffed up and push very hard against the shore, as if they were about to break out and overtake the earth.
Land run: but such great violence of proud waves is compelled and restrained by GOD.
The same may be seen in all the fierce anger of the world that rages against the church. The Turk is like an impetuous sea, puffed up by waves, and if we were to force it with our strength and hold it back, it would be over with us long ago. For we Germans lie and snore, are sleepy and drunk, and have no such princes or commanders who could properly carry out such great important things with wisdom, good counsel and courage. And if the Turk were to continue, he would have taken all of Germany long ago. For there is no one who could protect us, neither emperors, nor kings, nor princes. God alone fights for us: and the Turk will not invade Germany, for only if God has decided and wants it. Otherwise he would have oppressed us long ago without effort and work, because we are so lazy and sleepy; for both the princes and the nobility are quite mad and corrupt in carnal lasciviousness, greed and avarice. But that we are protected and preserved, that happens through the power and goodness of God, and the church attains the same protection with prayer and faith. Thus, the emperor will not be able to come any further in the Netherlands, will not rage and rage any further than God has provided. This is now held up to us for consolation and to awaken our faith, so that we may call upon God so much more fervently and trust in Him.
And one sees the providence and government of God shining also in the histories of the pagans. Hannibal could have conquered Rome without any effort or difficulty, since he had defeated the most defiant captains and armies of the Romans: but he was held back by God. And because the others did not understand this, they cried out and said: Vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria nescis uti: You can win, Hannibal, but you do not know how to use the victory. But he should not bring it higher.
932 L. vm, sis-ssi. Interpretation of I Moses 35, 5. W. n. isss-rsss. 933
The Emperor Charles captured the King of France, having defeated him in a great battle before Pavia, in 1525. The next year he conquered Rome by force and the warriors plundered the city. Thus he had two of the most powerful monarchs in his power. And he did not lack a good opportunity and army power to wage a glorious war against the Turks, since in 1532 they had gathered a select army from all places of the Roman Empire: but he did not use such an opportunity and will henceforth seek such a good opportunity in vain in future times. For it is God "who takes away the courage of princes, and is terrible among the kings of the earth," as it says in Psalm 76, v. 13. He breaks the courage of the great warrior princes, such as Pyrrhus, Hannibal and others, with a word or a hint.
This is the right knowledge and the right faith of creation. Which teaching is to be diligently considered and practiced, so that we may awaken ourselves to call upon God and trust in Him. For where one wants to rely on fortresses and ramparts and tins, that is an ungodly and futile thing. And if God should one day decree that the Turk should invade Germany, the ramparts built at such great cost and labor will not protect us: and I would certainly not then desire to dwell in this city, I would rather crawl out. But if we bend our knees and cry out to our Creator, he can make fiery walls around us, as the 125th Psalm v. 2. says: "Around Jerusalem are mountains; and the LORD is around his people from now until forever"; item Ps. 34. v. 8.: "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and helps them out." I am hostile to great ramparts and fortresses, for they are nothing but a waste of money, and a glory of great folly. We should much rather let this be our concern, that we hold it firmly and surely that we are in the hand and power of our Creator: and not we
but also our enemies and the devils with all the gates of hell. For where the devil would have free power to rage and rage, our none would remain alive for a moment.
Therefore, let us learn to put our trust in God, who is our Creator and protector, and not in fortresses, guns, wisdom or force; it is all foolishness. The Turk and the devils break through without any effort or work, tear it apart and ruin it. For God does not want His own to rely on anything other than Him alone, so that they bear the name of having such confidence in God, the Creator, through His Son, through whom He received us into grace and made a covenant with us; which covenant is that we have such confidence that our life hangs on God alone against all cunning plots and violence of the devil and the world. And if God wills that I should be destroyed, it is not necessary for Him to send warriors for this purpose; but where He will not. In spite of all the Turks, death and devils in hell!
79 Therefore let those who have divine promise remember that they can rely on God to take care of us, to be our protector, shepherd and father for the sake of His Son; as Christ Himself says, Jn 16:27: "The Father loves you because you love Me" 2c.V. 33: "In the world you are afraid, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"; Cap. 15, 18: "If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you", and yet your life of this sinful body is also in my hand and power. Why then are we frightened and afraid of the threat of the violence of our enemies? We should rather rejoice in the Lord, who has called us by his holy calling, and has taught us to trust in him, and to overcome and conquer in him.
80This is the lesson of this text, in which Moses showed with special diligence that fear had come upon the nations that were so mighty; among whom, no doubt, many were angry and said: Shall we then suffer this great reproach
934D . vm. S2I-EInterpretation of Genesis 35:5-7. w. II. ISSS-IL7I. 935
of our neighbors go unpunished and unavenged? Shall this mob of loose people and beggars thus rage and rage freely in our neighborhood, and remain unpunished? But the commander of Jacob's army is the LORD of hosts and of the whole heavenly host; as the son of Elisha the prophet saw in 2 Kings 6:17 that the mountain was full of fiery chariots and chariots around Elisha. And the saying in the 91st Psalm v. 11. is very sweet, where David says: "He has commanded his angels over you, to keep you in all your ways." And we know that this is true, and is so often repeated in the holy Scriptures, and yet we do not believe it. Such is the great and pitiful lamentation of unbelief. The thing itself is quite certain, the words are true: and yet the heart believes not.
III.
So Jacob came to Luz in the land of Canaan, which is called Bethel, with all the people that were with him, and built there an altar, and called the place El Bethel, because there God was revealed unto him, when he fled from his brother.
Jacob arrived in Lus fresh and healthy "together with all the people who were with him. For the protection of God and the armies of angels around protect them, so that they do not lose a claw. The neighbors are very harshly enraged, the robbery of wives and children is led away: but the strong and contending heroes may not even open their mouths. But why? Answer: Because it pleases God the Lord.
82 And when they were departed, no doubt the widows of the Sichemiteu, which were strangled, bewailed with weeping and wailing their affliction and pain, and that they were lonely. Then Jacob soothed their sorrow and lamentation with words as best he could, and some of them were subsequently married to the patriarchs. Jacob did not take a Cananite as a wife, but his sons and household members will have taken some of them as wives. But Simeon,
Levi, Judah and Reuben were already husbands at that time. And with such hope Jacob comforted the poor widows kindly, namely, that he would give them in marriage to his household and others; just as the kings of Israel, who came from Jacob, also showed themselves gracious and kind to the strangers. For Salma took Rahab and Boaz Ruth as wives, Matt. 1:5, and so these widows also came to the inheritance and fellowship of the church. This was a very beautiful compensation for the accident that they had been deprived of their previous husbands and had otherwise suffered much physical misfortune.
83 This kindness is to be praised in Jacob and in the fathers, that they dealt so honestly and kindly with the female sex, so that they might have comfort in their misery and imprisonment. For Jacob will have comforted them thus: Dear daughters, suffer this harm with patience and be content; for it has pleased God thus. And what you have suffered in bodily harm, that shall be finely repaid you with other, spiritual and much greater benefits. For Jacob was not such a rude and inhuman enemy as the Turks and Spaniards are; but he advised and showed them all how they might be helped. He was full of faith, patience and kindness; and these same virtues shone forth in his wives, Leah and Rachel, who kindly received the widows, and took care how they might soothe their sorrows with all kindness and godliness, and bring them into the fellowship of all good deeds and eternal blessedness.
Lus is a city that has been called this from ancient times, as we saw in 28 Cap. V. 19. Jacob is the first to change the name and calls it Bethel. Just now, Cap. 28, v. 17, he prophesied that God certainly dwelt there; but now this name is nullified by God. As the angel also called Jacob Israel; but the same name did not remain on it: therefore it is repeated by God, that
936 2. vm, zrr-sss. Interpretation of Genesis 35:6, 7. w. n. 1371-1373. 937
May he remain on him forever and ever and be constant. In the books of Judges and Joshua, there is a history of how the children of Israel drove out the citizens and inhabitants of the city of Lus, after which it retained the name Bethel.
The question of whether Lus and Jerusalem were one city has been discussed above in Chapter 28. 28 above. All the histories of the kings indicate that they were different cities. Under Abraham and Joshua, Bethel, Ai and Hai were cities close to each other; but Lus is Bethel and is placed throughout the Scriptures close to Ai. It was twelve miles from Jericho, as Jerome indicates, and was on the way down to Jericho. Now Jacob came there fresh and healthy, loaded with gold and silver and the plunder of the Shechemites, and he kept the inheritance of the same land. Then Joseph was sent to his brothers, who were feeding their father's herd in Shechem.
Here we should repeat what was said above about the building of the altar. For Moses omits other ceremonies and sacrifices, which he otherwise describes at length in the third book, and tells only this few piece, which is to praise God, to comfort the weak, to punish the erring, to teach the ignorant, and simply to drive out the word. For there sin and death are destroyed and righteousness and eternal life are restored; the devil is trodden underfoot and GOD is exalted. This service is very pleasing to God. After this comes the invocation and prayer of the Church, so that we may pray that we may be strengthened and preserved in this doctrine and faith, and also be protected by God in all tribulations. These two parts are the right, true and highest service of God, namely, the teaching and the prayer. After this follows the killing of the flesh and that the old leaven in our flesh may be swept out. And Moses looks primarily to the word and to the salvation of the soul. It does not rhyme badly with this, however, that not only the members of Jacob's household, but also the neighbors are to be
had come when the altar was built. For God is not only the God of the Jews, but also the God of the Gentiles.
The name of the place el bethel is a new and peculiar name. For the word el is placed before it, which is also placed in the name bethel. However, we have not retained the Hebrew proper names everywhere, but have made generic words out of them in our German translation: as in this place the Latin interpreter has given this in Latin, domus Dei, God's house. But this name we keep; for it is strange, because el is added. Since the place was called Bethel before, he calls it here "GOtt Bethel", and it is very common in the Hebrew language that the proper names are put to the name of GOtt in one word; as, Isaiah, Gabriel, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, in Latin, exaltatio Dei, the exaltation of GOtt. In the German language we have few of these. In the Greek language, however, such names are many, as, Theodosius, Theodorus 2c.
Now this place cannot be God, and yet it is called el bethel. Therefore we dispute with the Jews about such a name, for the sake of the text in the prophet Jeremiah, 23 Cap. V. 6. and Cap. 33, v. 16, where it says: "And they shall call him: The LORD, who is our righteousness." From this we want to prove and maintain that David's seed or the Messiah, of whom, as they all admit, this text is to be understood, must be true God, because Jeremiah says that he will be called Lord, and there the noun tetragrammaton, as they call it from the four letters, namely, Jehovah, is placed, which alone belongs to God. Therefore we hold fast that Christ is true God, who justifies us, because he has the name that belongs to God alone.
This text is firm and strong enough on our side. But we cannot counter the inconstant blasphemy of the Jews so precisely that they do not always seek their evasion, how they may escape us. For they reproach us with such testimonies, in which the name of God is also attributed to other things.
938 D- vm, S2S-SS7. Interpretation of Genesis 35, 6. 7. W. n. 187S-1S7S. 939
as this place is called el bethel, since el is a proper name of God. And above in 33 Cap. V. 20, Jacob built an altar and called it the strong God of Israel. But now, they say, it does not follow from this that one wants to conclude: The thing has the name of God, therefore it is God. For it is another thing to have the name of God and another thing to be God. Moses calls 2 Mos. 17, 15. the altar: Dominus vexillum meum etc.: The LORD my banner, triumph, victory and exaltation; yet the altar is not the LORD, neither is the victory and triumph. Such examples they present to us and argue with it against the text of Jeremiah.
90 Lyra is very angry and answers thus: Christ is called our righteousness and our Lord in his person; but other things or places are not persons, nor can they have this name, but only signify some divine effect which is introduced by such a name. But the Jews are not moved by this, that they should not say that Christ is a mere man. And I have not yet decided with myself how one should seize and hold these slippery eels, the Jews. We have enough that this testimony or saying agrees with the New Testament, in which it is evidently said that Christ is our righteousness and also true God, until we may convince them from other places of Scripture. But it is impossible that all ways should be barred to the sects or mobs, that they should not be able to escape us; as Christ himself could not overcome the Pharisees and Sadducees, since they also had already been overcome.
91 But we will answer that this name of Christ should be praised and spread, if he is not called Jehovah by his proper name, as the Jews blaspheme. For his name was Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary. But we Christians interpret the words of Jeremiah thus: "They will call him", that is, they will praise Christ, they will extol him and spread him, that he is the
Lord be he that justifieth us. The Jews are only stuck on the syllables, namely, that he was not called by that name. But this name has a different meaning than other names, such as Bethel and the altar, that it is our God. For this is not the common name, so that the altar is called, but it is only an external designation and historical memory. For this was never said or praised of the altar, that it should be our Lord. So also the other names, which the prophet Isaiah assigns to Christ, are such names, which are said of Christ. As when he says in the 9th cap. V. 6. he says: "And he is called Wonderful, Counsel, Everlasting Father" 2c. If the Jews do not accept this, they may always go on with their mockery. This is nevertheless certain, that there is a difference between a real proper name, as it is given to Christians in baptism, and between a distinguishing epithet.
(92) Why does Jacob set up the altar? Answer: Because God reveals Himself there. He wants to thank God for giving him the word, and he wants to praise the God who revealed Himself to him, to remember Him, and to confess Him. This means el bethel: Here dwells God; it is like a house of wood or stone. If the word is confessed and preached there, or if God is praised and invoked there, then it is a temple or church, even if it is already under heaven or under a tree, as under the oak tree under which Jacob buried the foreign gods. And the idolaters and godless priests have followed this way. For they have chosen the most delightful places on the mountains, in the valleys, or by the waters and trees, whither they have drawn the people to sacrifice under heaven after the manner of the fathers.
But in Hebrew it is expressly said: Quoniam ibi revelati Dii: Because there the gods were revealed to him. And such passages in the Scriptures are to be diligently noted when the Scriptures speak of God as of many gods. As it says above in 1. V. 26: "Let us be men.
940 D. vm, S27-S2S. Interpretation of Genesis 35:6, 7. W. n. 1376-IS7S. 941
to make an image that is like us"; item, in Cap. 3, v. 22. V. 22: "Behold, Adam is become as one of us"; item, in 11 Cap. V. 7: "Come, let us go down, and confound their language there"; item, in 18 Cap. V. 2. 3: Abraham saw three men against him, and said unto them, "Lord, if I have found grace in thy sight, pass not over before thy servant. "2c. These are very important and noteworthy passages. For they show that the fathers had the same knowledge and faith in the Godhead that we teach today. And it is a clumsy thing to reproach us with the fact that the doctrine of the Trinity is nowhere proclaimed in the Old Testament, when it is evident from so many sayings that the godly at that time also held that there was more than One Person in the Godhead. But that this mystery has not been expressed in all letters, we should know that this has to be reserved for the New Testament, in which the clearest revelations are.
But it was not uncommon among the fathers to teach that there were more persons than one in the one divine being. Although the majority did not believe this doctrine, as even today the Turks and Jews do not agree with us. And what is more, among those who hear our sermon there are also many who do not respect or believe in this doctrine. For the same thing happens to them that Isaiah says of his listeners in chapter 6, v. 10. V. 10, that their hearts are hardened, and their ears are thick, and their eyes blinded, that they see not with their eyes 2c. For men who are deceived by their affections and desires, or by their own delusions, do not see with their eyes or hear with their ears; they live with other living men like blocks and sticks.
(95) Now many people hear our sermons and read the books we write, but their hearts are in the kitchen or other places. Therefore, when they stand and hear our sermon, they do not understand it at all; which is not natural, but voluntary.
This is a great lack of understanding, by which one turns his heart away from the things that are present and speculates, or thinks and desires other high things in the meantime. The prophet Isaiah calls such hearts thick or hardened hearts, which are covered as it were with mud, and eyes that are weighed down, as the eyes of the disciples were in the garden,' who pay no attention to what Christ speaks. And this is the condition of the greater part of men, both among the Jews and also among the Christians: of these there are almost few who pay attention to the teaching of the fathers or follow their faith.
96 But we are to understand that in this place it is clearly said that the gods are revealed to Jacob; for in the Hebrew it is in the plural. And also the tense is significant: Dii detecti, the gods uncovered; for the same word means revealed or to be uncovered, and to be seen by heart, as one is formed; to uncover that which has been covered. Thus it is written in 3 Mos. 18, 7: "Thou shalt not uncover thy father's shame" 2c. Thus God was revealed and uncovered to Jacob, appeared to him as He is, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the Son, who was to become man. As Jacob saw three persons on the ladder, and that God would become man from His seed, who would bless all generations on earth. Thus it is said that gods have revealed themselves, and yet is One God. For why was it necessary for Moses to write all this, since he could have used other words if he had not wanted to describe that this great mystery had been revealed to the fathers?
97 Jacob praised this revelation in many beautiful sermons. For this reason the altar was erected to commemorate such an excellent gift, namely, that the Trinity was revealed to him and the incarnation of Christ, and that spiritual and physical promises were given to him at the same time. And there must have been some who heard this sleepily and with thick ears. But the patriarch received great light and comfort from it, and because he escaped the danger into which his sons had led him, he now lives.
942 2 vm, 329-331. interpretation of Genesis 35:6-8. w. n, 1378-1381. 943
without worry and in good peace, keeping the promises and revelations of GOD. But another accident will soon follow. Nothing in the lives of the saints is long-lasting, and everything is full of many disputes, even though salvation will come again.
Third part.
Of the death of Deborah; how GOD appears anew to Jacob and Jacob sanctifies the place of appearance.
I.
V. 8 Then Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under Bethel, under the oak tree, and was called the Lamenting Oak.
This affliction is somewhat easier and more bearable than the one that follows, which he had from the death of Rachel. But what is the purpose of writing and knowing the death of this old woman? Answer: It was so that we might know that the life and all the works of the saints are like our works. They may have been people of faith, but they sometimes showed themselves to be very weak in temptation, so that we may not despair in our weakness, because they were clothed with the same flesh, so that today we also are dragging ourselves along. They may have had more excellent gifts than we: but in the fellowship of grace and help, and likewise of the protection of God, we are one like another. Deborah, the nurse, is introduced and described here as a holy woman who was very dear to the patriarch Jacob, because of her age and her special godliness, she was able to strengthen and comfort him in his most difficult trials. Therefore Jacob mourns her death and calls the oak tree under which she is buried the Lamentation Oak.
- And this also was a cause why Deborah's death was told, namely, that the holy Scripture might show that the patriarchs were not lumps and sticks, or even unkind men, which
had no natural inclination, as the monks had been. For they considered it a great honor that they could despise their parents, brothers and sisters, and they shamefully abused Christ's saying, since he says Luc. 14, 26: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, he cannot be my disciple. From this they made up a peculiar and evangelical holiness, if they would hate and despise their parents. But what was that but to hate his own flesh and the whole human race? As it is told in one place of one who could not bear to look at a man.
The same monks have taught: Whoever has desire and love to deal with men will not be able to have communion with the holy angels. For they have called the solitary life an angelic life; but in truth it has been a quite devilish life. For they have taken away from man the inclination that God created and planted in human nature. God does not want you to despise or leave your father and mother (as Jerome admonishes those who want to go to the monasteries) out of your own counsel and nobility, if your profession does not drive you to do so; for such is a work of your own choosing. But if any tyrant would force you to deny the pure sound doctrine, or if your parents would force you to do so: then God tells you to put your life and property in danger and that you should rather leave your parents in such a case than the confession of the Word. Here the saying of Christ Lnc. 14, 26. is applicable, if one should either deny God or leave his father; then one should say to father and mother: "I do not know you", Deut. 33, 9. I have no father or mother. And you should do the same not of your own choice, but if your divine calling drives you to it.
101 I say this for the sake of the histories, or, as they called it, for the legends, in which the lives of the fathers who lived before us are described, in which such un-.
944 vm. W1-S3L interpretation of Genesis 35:8. W. n. iss^-isss. 945
and heresy are found a lot. The Holy Scriptures describe the saints as people who are ready to suffer all kinds of danger and to leave all their possessions. But when necessity does not demand it, they are full of the inclination and love that God has planted in nature, such as loving their spouse, children and blood friends, and having compassion on those who have fallen into misfortune and are afflicted 2c. For thus Moses portrayed the patriarch Jacob, that he loved his wives and children very much, when nothing could be more carnal than such a thing. He writes that he wept and mourned for the death of this holy woman, Deborah. But in such affection and love his heart was nevertheless subjected to the divine will and ready to obey in his profession.
(102) In the same way, other people are moved and grieved when their friends and relatives die, and even more when their wives or children die. And such things are not sins, but good natural inclinations: when a father weeps for his son who has died, when he grieves that he has lost his wife, he is not to be punished. Yes, the vice that is contrary to this inclination, namely, unkindness, is condemned by St. Paul, who wants us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice, that is, we should be moved by other people's misfortune or welfare.
When I hear that the Turk rages horribly and sheds the blood of the poor Christians, that he puts the little children on the fences or stakes and commits atrocious acts of shame with the women, it is truly fitting that I should sigh. And a human heart cannot refrain from it, it must be moved violently when it hears such a horrible thing. But here some stoic would like to reproach me: Well, you are a tender martyr, crying and weeping like a woman: it behooves a man who has a manly heart to despise such a thing. What is it to us that virgins and women are taken away, and that they are violated and strangled? To this I answer that such things are rather
is nonsense and frenzy, and not strength. For what can be said or thought that is more repugnant to all human kindness than not to be moved by other people's miseries and misfortunes, which are so grievous and horrible? It is not godly or Christian to laugh when other people are in distress and danger, as when we see that some have gone astray; or that the emperor and the Turk are raging horribly against the poor Christians; item, that the pope is plunging so many thousands of souls into eternal damnation: then it is due to me that I am a human being, and that I consider it due that I should also have human feelings and sentiments, as he says in the comedy. But it is much more fitting for me to be a Christian, and to let such misfortunes of other people, and that so many should perish in body and soul, go to my heart. And Christ himself teaches such kindness when he says Luc. 6, 36: "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful." And St. Paul says Rom. 12, 13: "Take care of the saints' needs."
For this reason the unkind people of the monks are to be cursed, who live without all godliness and fellowship of the human race. For if all people wanted to follow them and crawl into the corners so that they would not see any people, who would want to preside over the church soon afterward and administer the world and domestic government? God has called and placed us in this world, and not outside of it. And John the Baptist and Christ the Lord Himself were called out of the wilderness to teach and preach in the world. The description of the holy fathers also belongs to this, in which it is shown that they were friendly people who loved the community of people and had a very friendly disposition towards their own and also towards strangers. For it is an ungodly and inhuman thing not to have compassion for other people, and not to weep with them when they are miserable and sorrowful; or not to have a desire for those who have departed from this life, because they were very dear to us in life.
946 vm, SS3-33S. Interpretation of Genesis 35:8. w. n, 1386-1389. 947
We see how the death of this pious matron Deborah so grieved the patriarch Jacob and how he was saddened by it; which Deborah, I believe, will have refreshed him at times with words and comfort in his greatest anguish and distress. For women have their gifts, and God has often used the female sex to perform great miracles through them, as Agatha, Anastasia, Agnes, Lucia, with their faith and constancy in confession and suffering, have darkened even great men's legends. The Holy Spirit lit their hearts and strengthened them, so that they laughed at the torture and very gruesome torment.
(106) So I believe that this Deborah was a wise and godly matron, who served Jacob and advised him to govern the servants in the house; and in great danger and hardship he often allowed himself to be persuaded and comforted by her. For the women who love godliness are also wont to have special grace. They have the grace to comfort others and to ease their pain; and the conversation of women moves people more than that of men. That is why God gave Eve to Adam in Paradise, so that she would be around him, not only to do the housework, but also to comfort him in his common misery and pain.
107 Deborah was very old, and the servants thought of her as the grandmother of the house. For she was Rebekah's wet nurse and was therefore very dear to Jacob and his children, for she brought them up and looked after them with kindness. And grandmothers tend to have greater affection for their children than the mothers themselves, so that in such affection love always descends and in such descent against the usual rule becomes more and more ardent. Her age can easily be taken from the chronology, since she was Rebekah's wet nurse. For in this year Jacob was at least a hundred and six years old: his mother, Rebekah, was given in marriage to Isaac in the thirtieth year of her age, when he was forty years old. The same has in the sixtieth
In the fiftieth year of his age he begat Esau and Jacob, and in the fiftieth year of Rebekah. If one adds a hundred and six years from her birth to this time, there are a hundred and six and fifty years of Rebekah: above this the nurse was still older at forty years; therefore she was at that time a hundred and six and fourscore or a hundred and ninety years old. But now she was held in honor by all the congregation and all the servants because of her age and other gifts. For she had seen and heard the very great patriarchs for a long time, Shem more than a hundred years, with whom Jacob lived fifty years, and Rebekah a hundred years, and the nurse a hundred and thirty years. Such a matron had a great treasure of knowledge and experience. That is why they took her for their grandmother.
(108) And it is probable that Rebekah also died at the time or shortly before, when she may have been weary with sorrow of heart and grief, though her death is not remembered. It seems, however, that since Jacob's years of service had passed, Deborah was sent to call Jacob again from Mesopotamia; as Rebekah had promised him in the 27th chapter above. V. 45. where she says: "I will send for you, and bring you from thence" 2c. For she had come from Syria and had been given to Rebekah by her brother and mother as a companion, since she was to be given in marriage to Isaac, as it says in Cap. 24, 59. For this reason she stayed with Jacob for some time, so that she might comfort and refresh him and his household.
- But now, as they were going home again, she died on the way: and the burial under the oak, which was called the Lamentation Oak, shows that Jacob and all the servants were greatly grieved over it, and that they bore witness to their grief with tears. Which the Holy Spirit tells us, so that we may know that they were kind people, and that it is an ungodly thing not to take other people's grief and misery to heart, and not to mourn and weep over them; for one also finds such a tendency.
948 **L. VIII, 33S-337. interpretation of I Moses 35, 8-10. W. II, I3SS-I392.** 949
in the unreasonable animals. Therefore he calls the place of burial the "Lamentation Oaks", as a sign that they held the pious nurse dear and that they longed for her; and that he thereby showed that he, together with all the household, had mourned the very dear nurse and had grieved over her death. They would have preferred to take her home again to her old father Isaac, but God wanted it differently.
Let us learn, then, to rejoice with the joyful and weep with the weeping, so that we do not become sticks and blocks; as there are many examples in your book called "Lives of the Fathers," who, outside their profession, went into the wilderness from the fellowship of men, and there did not concern themselves with the things that other men deal with.
II.
V. 9, 10: And God appeared unto Jacob again after he was come out of Mesopotamia, and blessed him, and said unto him, Thou shalt be called Jacob; but thou shalt no more be called Jacob, but thou shalt be called Israel. And so he is called Israel.
It has been said many times that God often delivers and comforts the saints and does not allow them to be tempted beyond their ability. Therefore, He now repeats and confirms the promise given to Jacob above, Cap. 28, v. 13 ff., when he appeared to him in a dream on the ladder. And he does this so that he may relieve his pain and sadness, which sadness he had from the death of Deborah. For the life of the saints is nothing else than that they go down to hell and come up again, since light and darkness, temptation and comfort always follow one another. But the patriarch is not yet past all misfortune, but there is still much greater sorrow and misery that he will have to suffer. Therefore, he is now strengthened by God, so that he may bear this present misfortune and also the future accident with so much greater courage.
- Here it is also said in clear words that God appeared to Jacob, but in the beginning of this chapter only that He said, "Arise, and go to Bethel. And it seems that there is a difference between these two. For God could have spoken through Isaac, Jacob's father, or through the nurse Deborah, of whom Deborah the holy Scripture boasts not in vain that the patriarch Jacob wept for her; and it is very well believed that she was a very wise matron and prophetess, full of the Holy Spirit, who will have reproached Jacob about many things. But what the saints speak is to be understood as if God Himself had spoken it. As when we preach the gospel, when we baptize, or when we call and ordain ministers to the ministry of preaching, we do not preach, baptize or ordain, but God speaks through us. Therefore it is also called God's Word, God's Sacrament, and God's Ministry; and it is rightly said: God speaks, God baptizes, when He does the same through the ministers; since all that is attributed to God is what holy men have said. As an example, these are Adam's words, as he says above Cap. 2, v. 23: "This is the bone of my legs"; item v. 24: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife": and yet Christ says in Matt. 19:5 that God has spoken such things. Therefore, when we speak the word of God, it should not be taken as the word of man.
And it is well believed that Jacob was commanded to go to Bethel in this way, without appearance, only by a prophetic spirit, either through Isaac, his father, or through Deborah, who, full of the Holy Spirit, would have advised him to flee from Shechem. In this place the holy scripture says: "God appeared to Jacob", namely, Christ the Lord Himself in the form of an angel. Now this was a manifest appearance, and much different than when he speaks through a man.
114 Therefore, now that Deborah has died, who could very well have admonished and comforted Jacob, since the equipment of the prophecy
950 D. VIII, S37-S3S. Interpretation of Genesis 35:9, 10. W. II, 1332-1394. 951
or prophecy has gone out, God takes the place and does not leave Jacob, but when Deborah has disappeared, He appears Himself, so that a new appearance may come to those whom He has had above, especially on the ladder, because He sees Jacob suffering and weeping because he had lost the pious prophetess, and speaks very kindly to him.
But the blessing is to be understood of the spiritual blessing, that is, of the future seed. For the bodily blessing was given only for the sake of the spiritual. How we live in this whole life to the end that we are baptized, that we believe, that we are sanctified and saved: this is God's order in parents, teachers and church servants. For God created the ministry of all creatures, including angels, so that His kingdom might come, His name might be sanctified, and we might be saved and obtain the inheritance of eternal life.
For this reason the spiritual blessing is understood in it, and God wants him to wait for it and keep it. As if to say, "Be of good cheer, for though they all die, yet I live; and now I repeat my promise to you who mourn and weep, that you may know for certain that from your flesh shall come heirs and the seed that is given, as I promised Abraham and Isaac. And that Jacob might have a sure pledge and testimony of the gracious divine will, he changed his name, and called him Israel. This change of name indicates that God is not dealing with him in small, common things, but in very great and special things. This is a common name, which he received in the bodily birth through his parents; but this is very excellent and full of comfort, that he now gives him a new name.
- as we are born in this life sons and daughters of our physical parents, and as St. Paul Eph. 2, 3. says: "children of wrath"; since we bring with us the name of the sinful and corrupt nature because of original sin; if
But if we are baptized, then we receive a new name, and now he who is baptized is no longer called a son of John or Peter (although we need such names among men in the fellowship of this life), but before God the name is changed and cancelled, and the man with a new name is called a Christian because of baptism and faith. The name reminds us of baptism, which baptism is practiced in daily tribulations and temptations and must produce its fruit and effect, so that we grow and become a new perfect man, and so that the Christian name is perfected until our name and old Adam is even taken away and abolished.
Therefore it is to be noted here that God Himself gives this name to the patriarch Jacob, with which new name a distinction is made between the flesh and the spirit. For Israel is a divine name, and God has a different way of giving names than is customary among parents, relatives, neighbors, and likewise in each one's fatherland and according to each one's status; but the name with which God calls and recognizes us is a special name. As He said to Moses in Exodus 33:12: "I know you by name." And this is what St. Paul saw when he says Rom. 9, 6: "Not all Israelites are of Israel." Not all Israelites are of the flesh and have the name Israel, but the true Israelites are spiritual and God has given them a spiritual name; as this is explained in detail and gloriously in Rom. 9.
- but God will say this: I have not yet revealed your name to you, that you might be called by me, but I have caused you to be called by your father's name and according to the flesh: but now I give you a name according to the way I have dealt with you, how I have led you wonderfully, not as a son in the flesh, but as I have led you, governed you, afflicted you, swept you and sanctified you through many plagues, that I might make of you a new man and a new woman.
952 L. vm, 33S-S41. Interpretation of Genesis 35:9, 10. w. n, 4394-1397. 953
new creature, and now wants to give you a new name, not of the flesh, but of the spirit.
The derivation of the word has been explained above. The Hebrew word sarah means to fight, or rather to overcome. The name Jacob is not very dissimilar to the same word and meaning; for Jacob is also called a subverter, that is, an overcomer. But here he says that he overcomes God: "You will be an overcomer of God. And this is a common name for all Christians; for we are not only conquerors of the devil, of sin, of death, of men and of this life, but also of God; for he has promised that he will help us, yes, he has even surrendered himself to us. If it were not for this, we would not be conquerors of God; but because he is our God through the promise, and has said to us, "I will be your God," you can only be confident 2c.: therefore it comes about that we become God's conquerors.
(121) For when he hath made his promise unto us, he feigneth afterward as though he were at enmity with us, and suffereth us to be bound, and hideth his face from us, as though he had forgotten all his promise. Then we must ask, seek and knock; and if we let ourselves think that we are not respected and that we must even sink, we must nevertheless remain steadfast, persevere and always continue in faith with prayer and patience. In this way we overcome God, if we do not leave the promise, or God, who has given us the promise; and if we thus persevere in prayer and faith, God becomes to us from a hidden God an appearing God, who comforts us and does what we want, as written in the 145th Psalm v. 19. Psalm v. 19: "The Lord does what the godly desire", item Joh. 15, 7: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you". These are right Israelite pieces and so that God is overcome. But it belongs to it that Christ says: "If you remain in me, and my words remain in you"; item Joh. 14, 23: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and we will come to him,
and make our abode with him. For thus God is overcome, and then He sets us and calls us Israelites, when He hears and sustains us for the sake of faith in His promise.
But the Israelites are not such people according to the flesh. For they would not be able to do what belongs to Israel, who is therefore an overcomer, because he remains in the word, and perseveres in asking, seeking, knocking and stopping. God gives such constancy and victory to Jacob, and says to him: "You have been tried long enough and very much and have been well exercised; I have often hidden my face from you. But because thou hast kept the promise so firmly, I have yielded unto thee, and have heard thee, and have helped thee, and now proclaim and declare that thou art a righteous Israel and an overcomer of God. Not that he was not also such an Israel long before; but he now reveals this honor of Jacob to him for comfort. For above, Gen. 32, 28, it was prophetically said to him: "You shall no longer be called Jacob" 2c., but here this is now fulfilled and revealed, since God Himself appears to him. You, he says, have been such an Israel until now; but now you shall also be called so.
But here a question arises: Why does the Lord say that he shall no longer be called Jacob, since Moses, as in this chapter, and all the prophets call him Jacob and Israel without distinction? Lyra disputes without cause and in vain about the real and contemplative life and says: He is called Jacob for the sake of the real life, that he may subjugate the affections and lust of the flesh; but Israel he is called for the sake of the contemplative life, because he now sees God. Of course, he does not use the derivation of the word that Eusebius and the grammarians have, namely, that they say that "Israel" means as much as a man who sees God; but he interprets it as if "Israel" means as much as being directed toward God, that is, that he deals with God with fine amusing thoughts and speculation and contemplates the future life, for which he cites Gregory.
- but I will let that go; because I
954 2- vm, 841-S43. Interpretation of Genesis 35:9, 10, W. II, 1397-1400. 955
that the fathers themselves did not understand what they taught about two kinds of life. For the monks called it real life, which consists in the fact that man keeps evil lusts and desires in check and forces them, and outwardly leads the life with good morals right through fasting and mortification of the flesh, through unclean clothing and such other things more; which the Rottengeist Münzer calls "entgroben", that is, that one should improve oneself concerning the gross sins. The pagans called it an outward discipline, which is useful and necessary in this life, especially for the youth, who need instruction and teaching, so that they do not become rude and impolite, and unskilled in all the works of this common life.
But according to the holy scriptures, the real and contemplative life must be described in another way. For it is especially such a life now, when one's eyes glaze over. It is not such amusing thoughts, speculation and consolation as the monks' speculation used to be; but he who wants to be a true Israel and overcome God must handle it with such practice as we have said before, namely, with supplication, seeking, knocking, and that he holds fast to the word and promise. This is the right contemplative life of the godly, since reason and our imagination or thoughts are useless, since the sense and understanding of man is killed with all his strength, and man lives by the word of God alone, as Deut. 8, 3. It is written: "He humbled you, and made you hungry, and fed you with man, which you and your fathers never knew; that he might make known to you that man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
The other speculation that the monks do is cold, dead and dangerous thoughts. For they come from their own will and reason, without word and promise. Therefore, one should beware of them, and whoever wants to speculate and have thoughts about God in a godly and right way should not do so without the Word, but should take hold of the Son of God, who became man, and should believe in the Word.
the manger and the swaddling clothes, in which the Son is wrapped, until he comes to the Ascension. So he will receive it in faith, and will abide in the word and promise given to us. I know of some who boasted of their speculations, that they had so much pleasure in them that they made themselves believe that they had been raptured and lifted up to heaven. I do not love such speculations, nor do I ever wish for them, for they are without word. And those who follow them are people who know nothing of the law and the gospel.
The right speculation, however, which makes an Israelite, is a killing of all the powers that are in our senses and reason, and that one remains only in faith and hope in the promise. When man is in the last stages and wrestling with death, one can see what use such speculation is, for then we feel no counsel or help at all. That is why such speculation is necessary, that is, that we only take hold of the clear word and do not let our senses and feelings err, according to the saying of Christ John 8:51: "If anyone will keep my word, he will not see death forever.
But the law or the commandments of God set and order the real life: not the statutes of the monks, but the works that belong to our profession in the outer life. Then each one should consider what his profession is, which he leads, and therein he should wait for his profession, and diligently practice the works which God has commanded in the Ten Commandments. After that, when the trials come, you will become an Israelite if you hold fast to the faith of the promise and practice it. As you were a Jacob in the Ten Commandments, so you will become a true Israel in the promises that will drive you to prayer, to call on God. We have a good example of this in the Canaanite woman, Matth. 15, 25-27, who is very finely trained in the contemplative life, and continues in this way, so that she does not allow herself to be driven back and rejected even with harsh words: she knocks on the door, as it were with force, until Christ must give way and hear her, and
956 D- vm. S4Ä-AS. Interpretation of Genesis 35:9-12. W. n. noo-nos. 957
her faith and constancy, that she had so finely persevered, praises and exclaims before all the people.
In this way one teaches correctly about the real and contemplative life, namely, if one distinguishes it according to the Ten Commandments and according to the promise, which the monks have not understood. For the Ten Commandments show every man the works of his profession; but the temptations do not teach us to understand the Ten Commandments, but that we take hold of God with faith and boast of no merit or promise of the Law, as the Pharisee does Luc. 18:11, and as they say Isa. 58:3, "Why do we fast, and you do not see it?" For such glory is condemned by God. Outside the promises I may remember what I have done or suffered in persecution and tribulation: but not according to the example of the monks, who invent in works a merit of eternal life.
130 And this it hath pleased me to repeat from the fathers, lest we should be accounted as having rejected their writings altogether. For one should not despise such writings, but read them with a right mind: Read with right understanding. It seems that Lyra and Gregory have not understood what the real or contemplative life is; for they place both kinds of life in the ceremonies and statutes of the monks: but the effect is to remain in the Ten Commandments, the contemplation in the promise. Jacob becomes a transgressor in the law and a right Israel in the promises.
But now I want to come back to the question: Why Moses or the following histories did not keep the name Israel everywhere? And answer thus: God speaks of the most distinguished name, namely, of the promises in which Jacob was trained and shall be trained still further. For the sake of these promises, he is to be called Israel first and foremost, and so he is to be called. But he was called Jacob according to the common custom of men, and for works. And this is not the noblest name: as the works which the godly do according to the
Law, nor are the noblest works, though they belong to this life, but they are Jacob's works. God wants us to have both, that we should believe and also do good works, and that we should therefore be Israelites and Jacobites. But of faith and promise we are called Israelites first of all, and of works, that we are obedient to the authorities and parents, that we lead an honest and chaste life, 2c. we are called Jacobites. And because such obedience is not perfect, it does not make one righteous, but is nevertheless necessary as a fruit of faith: but faith takes hold of the unblemished and blameless righteousness of the Son of God, which makes right Israelites. Let this be said of the spiritual blessing, which gives Jacob the name of faith, so that he may take hold of this blessing. What follows belongs to the physical blessing.
V. 11. 12. And God said to him, "I am the Almighty God, be fruitful and multiply; nations and clusters of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your loins; and the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give it to your seed after you.
The previous promises are repeated here to Jacob's comfort, and almost all of them rhyme in particular and in every word with the previous history, above, chapter 17, when Abraham is given circumcision, since both he and Sarah had their names changed; and there God also uses the same name Shaddai that he has used here; and you may also look for the interpretation of the same name above. But why he said that kings should come from his loins, and yet afterwards, when the people desired that a king should be given to them, he was severely punished by God for it: this is not the place to discuss it.
133 And he adds, "And I will give it to your seed after you," so that no one may doubt the promise, as if it were not certain, since it is known that Abraham and Jacob were strangers in the same land, and not by one foot.
958 VIII, S4S-S47. Interpretation of Genesis 35, I I-15. W. n. I4W-I40S. 959
except the land of Shechem, which Jacob took with his sword and bow, as he himself will say later. 48, v. 22. Therefore he interpreted the promise to give the same land to the seed and descendants of Jacob. For what is given to the son, the father also rightfully claims. But in the meantime he keeps the promise of the name of Israel, which is much better. For God was his land and his inheritance. And so Jacob's grief, which he had over Dinah, because she had fallen asleep to him, and because Deborah had died to him, was eased. But there are still more grievous things behind.
V. 13. So God departed from him, from the place where He had spoken with him.
The holy patriarchs were diligent and continued to teach and pray, and they used the morning hours daily for such exercises. First of all, the people came together on the Sabbath to preach and to pray together in the congregation and to call upon God. But when they let the congregation go, Jacob alone prayed and lifted up his eyes to heaven, occupied himself with the word and spoke of it: God appeared to him, and did not speak to him through his father Isaac or through Deborah, but was present with him, as above in Cap. 32, v. 30, when he said, "I have seen God face to face." It was such a face as before, when the man wrestled with him, only that he understood it to be God Himself speaking, which he had not seen so soon in the previous struggle. And that it was a divine revelation, Moses himself testifies, since he says: "God ascended from him."
B. 14. 15. And Jacob set up a stone mark in the place where he had talked with him, and poured drink offerings upon it, and sprinkled oil upon it. And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken unto him Bethel.
- it is to be noted that this place is especially praised above other places; for
now he is called Bethel for the third time. But shall not this make false prophets and idolatry? Jeroboam indeed greatly abused it, since this place was so praised, and turned the whole worship and religion to it: therefore Hosea and the other prophets who lived in his time had such great strife and hard work to punish, condemn and abolish the idolatry of Bethel. And they took away the glorious name of that place, and called it Bethaven, that is, a house of sorrow and affliction; and yet they do little with it.
- For the false prophets reproached the godly priests and prophets, saying, "What is it that you boast so much about the temple at Jerusalem? Read the first book of Moses, and you will find that God appeared to Jacob in that place, and that it was therefore called Bethel and El Bethel. What could be more certain or stronger? And it seems that this argument cannot be resolved. What is it, they said, that you hold up to us Moses or Solomon's new commandment? Do you think that they can or will turn the worship from such a holy place to Jerusalem? For in this place the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sacrificed, and the king Jeroboam is to be praised for such godliness, they said, who was a pious king and led the people to the same place that the patriarchs praised, to which God Himself came, whom He pleased and spoke to the fathers.
This was the occasion and cause that they used to persecute and slay the godly teachers and prophets; as Amaziah scolded Amos fiercely, "You seer," he said, "go away and flee to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there. And prophesy no more at Bethel, for it is the king's foundation and the kingdom's house," 2c., Amos 7:12, 13, that is, it is a house of God that King Jeroboam founded and established.
But the right answer to that, so
960 D. vm, S47-S4S. Interpretation of Genesis 35:14-17. W. II, 1405-1409. 961
the false prophets, which has had a great appearance, has been this: God spoke to the fathers in his time and in his place; but after that he said clearly through Moses, Exodus 20:24: "In the place where I will establish the remembrance of my name, there will I come to thee, and bless thee"; not in any place, mountain, green pasture, or water, but thou shalt look to the place which the Lord shall choose. And therefore he gave them the tabernacle, the altar, and the Levitical priesthood, that he might bind the hearts of men unto them. And the prophets also diligently urged this upon the people; but it was in vain and in vain, because of the very great appearance which the idolaters had of the worship of the fathers, and that this place was so very famous. Yes, they concluded even further and said: "If Bethel is a holy place, then Gilgal, Mizpah, Shiloh and Thabor are also holy for this very reason, since the fathers performed great glorious things. Therefore an innumerable multitude of idols came, as it happened with us with the pilgrimages. For they would not heed the commandment of Moses, who ordered the tabernacle and other ceremonies by God's command, and also for this reason called the tabernacle in Hebrew moed, Ex 29:10, that is, certainly decreed and ordained, that he might lead the erring hearts to serve God in a certain way.
139 Now Jacob, having set up the stone mark, keeps it in the same way that he used it above, chap. 28, v. 18. 28, v. 18, for he watered it with oil, and perhaps he also took the same stone. But the watering is done with that which flows, as primarily with wine and oil. And this was the way they used to consecrate and anoint, which Moses also took afterward; for he anointed the priests and garments 2c. As Jacob watered and anointed the stone, that it might be such a place consecrated and dedicated to God, that there the congregation might come together to hear God's word, to call upon God, and to give thanks to God. The
I pass over the secret or the secret interpretation. This is the bodily blessing and how the church or congregation is to be arranged. And I like to believe that the patriarch Jacob did more in this place than Moses wrote. For above, Cap. 28, v. 20 ff., he made a vow that he would give a tithe of his goods when he returned healthy and unharmed: therefore I believe that he would have given a tithe to the children of Eber to maintain the church.
Fourth Part.
How Rachel dies over childbirth and Jacob sets a tomb for her.
V. 16, 17: And they departed from Bethel. And when there was yet a way from Ephrath, Rachel gave birth. And it came hard upon her concerning the birth. And when she was sore in childbirth, the wailing mother said unto her, Fear not: for thou shalt have this son also.
The Hebrew word kibrath is one of the words that neither the Jews nor we understand. And the whole Hebrew language would be much darker if we Christians had not explained it with the Latin and German translations of the Bible. For where the Jews doubt any word, they give it many meanings and obscure it much more with their glosses. That is why the grammarians argue about this word and are not yet at one. Jerome makes words enough of it, although he interprets it badly. He says that there were seventy interpreters, hippodromus, that is such a place where one races with horses; but the derivation of the word does not entail such a thing. And I cannot understand what they meant by it, for perhaps that alone, that it was so far from the place where Rachel gave birth, to Bethel, as a horse race is far.
Among the rabbis one brings this, the other another. One makes a word out of it, which is composed of several words; the other wants to
962 L. vm, S4S-WI. Interpretation of Genesis 35:16, 17. w. n, I4os-i4is. 963
have that it is a simple word. Those who want it to be a compound of other words say that it comes from k, which means similarity, and from the word barath, quasi barath terrae, id est, spatium terrae ad veniendum in Ephratha, for example.
a field path from Ephratha. But how far or much of the same is, is not yet expressed. Others say it comes from the word birjah, which is 2 Sam. 13, 8.
is derived from Thamar and Ammon, and means food or soup; as if he wanted to say in Latin: spatium terrae, unius jentaculi etc., that is, as much way as one can walk until morning bread, which is about a quarter of a mile of way. This derivation of the word pleases me very much, where one should assume any other derivation. Others generally interpret it as a stretch of road, but they do not say how far it is. Jerome says it comes from the word bahur, which in Latin means electus, select, and wants it to mean a select time of the year, namely, Lenz or the time of May, when the merriest time of the year is, formosissimus annus, as the poet says, and when men go over the field, and flowers break in the country, so allernächst is located around. But this does not rhyme with the measure or breadth that Moses intended to indicate. Therefore I will follow those who interpret it thus, that it should be called so much way to Bethlehem, as far as one can go to the morning bread: a little way, that one might become merry to the soup.
Now let us look at the challenge that follows the peace and security of conscience that Jacob received from the divine manifestation and promise. But we cannot fully explain this text until we come to the 48th chapter, since Jacob indicates that at that time he did not understand the words of the promise, even though they were full of comfort. The causes of this darkness are the following temptations. For he is promised a blessing and that he will have seed, since God says, "Be fruitful and multiply"; and yet, outwardly, the opposite happens,
so promised to him. Therefore, we will delay until the 48th chapter with the interpretation. For there Jacob will first learn through experience how the promise should be understood. Now he is satisfied that God comes down to him and promises him comfort and help; but how he is to understand it, he will learn later.
After the apparition, he prepared to return to his father with a peaceful heart and had already come close to Hebron. For Bethel is situated between Jerusalem and Hebron, which are six German miles apart. Jacob is three or four miles from Hebron, and it is probable that he went before the army and all the servants, having left them behind, and hastened to his father, having taken only a few companions with him. As they were going from midnight and from Bethel to Hebron, this accident happened unexpectedly, which was contrary to the promise, since he was almost on the threshold of his father's house. He brought joy and comfort with him from the promise, and was glad that he should bring his very dear wife, who was with child, to his father and please him with it when he would see her. In the same way it came to Rachel to give birth, and when she was overcome by the pain of childbirth, her soul went out.
Is this a consolation, a blessing or an increase, that his most noble and beloved wife is taken from him, who was well educated and had very good manners, and was also very experienced in managing the household? For she was used to housework and to take care of the cattle at home with her father Laban. Moreover, she had nourished herself with her husband with her sour work and had lived almost miserably. Therefore Jacob was deprived of his wife as a faithful companion, whom he had hoped to introduce into his father's house, to the old father Isaac on his lap, especially since she was pregnant, so that he might please his father in his old age with the dear little child. She herself also told of
964 L. vm. M. 382. interpretation of Genesis 35:16. 17. w. II, I4I2-I4IS. 965
He had wished with all his heart to see his father-in-law. But soon all hope and joy falls away. And so Jacob, Isaac and Rachel are deprived of the sweetest wishes and hopes they had.
But does that mean to be fruitful and to be blessed by God? Yes, this is a very evil curse. But our Lord God has a Hebrew language, the hindmost first, the suffering before and the glory after. The cross and suffering must go before, as St. Peter says 1 Petr. 1, 11, that the Spirit of Christ in the prophets testified beforehand of the sufferings that are in Christ, and the glory afterward. And unto Moses saith the Lord, At last ye shall understand my counsel. Just as Jacob understood the last thing in Egypt, when Joseph, who he thought was lost and dead, came to life again.
In the meantime, he was deprived of all comfort, and the whole house was filled with lamentation and sadness, and after the sun had set, the most sorrowful darkness fell upon him, because his most beloved wife died, who had been barren for the first six years and had given birth ten years after Joseph; which wife the man still preferred, because he waited daily and longed for her to bear him more children while she was pregnant. After that she was a very dear mistress to all the servants, a hope and comfort in the house. But she was suddenly taken from this life, which they had not hoped for, and died in an inconvenient and unfortunate place. For if she had died in Syria before that time, it would have been somewhat more painful. Now the pain is so much greater because she dies, as it were, on the threshold of Jacob's father's house.
(147) I will now be silent about the sadness and lamentation he had over the fact that his godly wife had been taken from him; which sadness in itself is very heavy. For in this life nothing is better or more pleasant than where husband and wife live together in friendliness and unity. V. 1. 2.:
"Three beautiful things are both pleasing to God and to man: when brothers are one, and neighbors love one another, and husband and wife are at ease with one another."
There is not much pain when a stubborn, uncouth, wicked wife dies: but among these spouses there was great brotherly love and a very kindly inclination, which one bore to the other. She was chaste, holy, diligent in her office, and also kind to her neighbors and servants, loving her husband and obedient to him in all things. Therefore, Jacob the patriarch's grief and sadness were great because of her, and he now lost all hope and his greatest joy, and thought, "What is it that God says that my family should multiply and become great, when he takes away from me the mother through whom I should become fruitful and multiply?
He did not understand the promise, nor could he make sense of these two things, which are actually contrary to each other, namely, that God promises him a seed and an heir, and yet takes away the matron, from whom he and the whole house with Isaac, the grandfather, expected children and heirs. And Jacob, especially because of the comfort that had been given to him the other day, had no fear of danger with his wife; indeed, they all praised Rachel with one accord, how blessed she would be, because she would become the mother of many children, since God had said that Jacob would be multiplied. No one thought that it would happen in any other way than through Rachel. And Jacob will often have said to her: My dear Rachel, let us give thanks to God, who has now again promised me new heirs. Only now will you become fruitful. And for this reason, if he had ever loved her before, now he loved her even more. But this beautiful, sweet hope, which the husband and wife and the servants had, has failed them. Just as it happened to Eve when Cain was born, for she said in Genesis 4:1: "I have not given the
966 2- vm, sss-sst. Interpretation of Genesis 35:16, 17. W. ii. I4is-i4i7. 967
Man, the Lord." As if she wanted to say: The Lord himself has come, who will crush the head of the serpent. But not only did she miss her hope, but she also had to expect another great misfortune from the Son.
150 Thus says God here to Jacob: You will be fruitful and multiply, but I will take your wife from you. These things are strictly contrary to each other. Rachel was the mother of the firstborn son Joseph and was the proper matron, and they hoped that Benjamin would soon come from her, and after that other children. So she gave birth on the way to Isaac, the grandfather. But she became sour in childbirth and was endangered in life and limb, and was unable to place the child in her grandfather's womb, as she had fervently desired; instead, she died from the great pain of childbirth, and at the same time her joy and very beautiful hope were completely extinguished. The wistful mother sees that she is troubled and frightened by the fear of death, therefore she comforts her and says: "You will also have this son. But the comfort is in vain. For Rachel feels that she is weak and faint, and that death has overtaken her. Therefore she calls the son Benoni, that is, from pain.
This is the end that Rachel has come to, and it is truly a miserable and sorrowful end, both for the man himself and for the rest of the household. She falls asleep in childbirth, in her profession and state, in which she was placed by God, and succumbs under the cross, which God has imposed on women, saying: "I will cause you much pain when you are with child" 2c. She is not free from the danger and sorrow that ungodly women have to bear. And the same is to be pitied, that such a holy woman, who has been an honor and beautiful adornment of the same house and of the whole congregation, should also bear the same affliction that befalls the ungodly.
152 Let this example be diligently considered, and let the lamentation and pain of the pious patriarch be well thought of, which
The pain of all the circumstances in this history is great and difficult, and there is still no end to the misery. For having lost his mother, he soon loses Joseph, the firstborn son of his mother, almost in the same year. Thirdly, Bilhah, Rachel's maid, was given to him by Reuben, his firstborn son by his other wife. Does this mean blessing? Yes, Jacob might have thought, "It is not God who has spoken to me, but the devil; as any impatient man might easily have gone out and spoken such words. Jacob did not come to his father until these two great accidents had happened to him, the death of Rachel and the incest that Reuben committed with Bilhah, whom Bilhah had come in Rachel's place. It was truly too much that he should be assailed with three such terrible accidents in such a short time, one of which alone could kill an impatient and carnal man.
But we are delicate people, to suffer something (delicati martyres). For we do not understand this great misfortune and we would be able to bear it much less. The suffering of Christ is higher than all sufferings can be, and it does not move us even so much because he is God. But the fathers were like us and had all human affections and inclinations. Jacob loved his Rachel because of the excellent virtues she had. She, Rachel herself, had good hope that many children would be born of her; but immediately in that hope and in childbirth she died.
154 Therefore let other people know to be all the more moderate in their grief when some are deprived of their spouse or children, because we see that the fathers also suffered the same. For we are much less than they, and have not the promise of the kingdom, or of the seed, or of the seedlings, or of the priesthood, as they had; which at that time Jacob lost all.
But such temptations become harder and harder when the terror in the conscience is added to them, when Satan pours oil on the fire. For where the
968 L. vm, 3S4-35S. Interpretation of Genesis 35:16-18. w. n, 1417-1420. 969
When the devil sees that the hearts are challenged and frightened, he soon shoots them with his fiery and poisoned arrows, so that they think that God is angry with them and has become an enemy to them.
Therefore, it is a great comfort in all kinds of temptations that we can believe that God is with us and favorable to us. But the human heart can hardly accept such comfort when our Lord God loves one so much that his soul wants to go out. But this is truly such love as He has shown in His own Son; as Christ says John 15:9: "As My Father loves Me, even so do I love you"; namely, to speak according to the Hebrew way of which we have just said, that is, that suffering precedes glory; which way of speaking the world does not understand. For God fills the belly of the wicked, whom he does not love, with bodily goods, Ps. 17, 14; but he adds to this and says Luc. 6, 24. 25: "Woe to you who laugh here and are full" 2c.
In this way, the tribulations of the holy fathers are held up to us as an example, so that we may see their practice and excellent faith in such misery and calamity, and that we may learn that we do not lose the face of God, so that He may smile upon us, bless us and promise us grace, when He takes away from us what is good and dear to us, and which He has confirmed with His promise. Yes, faith should thus conclude: Although this misfortune is very hard for me, I still believe that God is true. But in such severe cases, which come so unexpectedly, faith is pressed very hard and can hardly be seen, like the smoldering wick. Therefore, it must be awakened with such examples.
V. 18 But when her soul went out to die, she called his name Benoni; but his father called his name Benjamin.
- Moses overflows it all recently. Without a doubt, many words were spoken and there was also groaning and weeping before the child was named Benjamin. Rachel herself commanded her soul to God, and in the last moments and because she was having such a hard time with the birth, she
She held on to the comfort she had heard from Jacob. For she was full of faith, and before that she had been hard enough afflicted with the common misfortunes and miseries of her husband in the house of Laban, which she had suffered and borne with him. Just as Sarah and Abraham also bore common misery and danger with each other. For pious, godly women take to heart the trials and tribulations of their husbands, and have compassion on them, weeping with them. Such a natural inclination was also very good in Rachel. Therefore, her death greatly saddened her husband, her household and her neighbors, who knew of her virtues and godliness.
We are to learn the consolation, so that we may keep ourselves upright when our spouse, children and good friends pass away with death. For although both our death and that of our relatives is a very sad thing, it is certain that we will live forever. It was better that Rachel died in right invocation and faith in God, than if she had still had all kinds of joy in this life, and also the joy that God had promised. For after death we shall be much more blessed and lords over more goods than we have left in this life. For these are temporal and perishable goods, for which we receive eternal goods.
(160) But the flesh cannot refrain from it, it must weep and bear sorrow; as this example shows, when they give this son a name of sorrow. And I believe that he was called this for a while, until the pain was somewhat relieved, and Jacob changed it and said: I will no longer have a mourning memorial in my house to remind me forever of the last words and sorrows of my wife, whom I have lost, and so to renew my sorrow always; but he called him Benjamin, that is, the son of his right hand.
But they dispute about the cause of this name. I think that it can be understood according to the house rule: Leah was the wife of the left and Rachel the wife of the right, that is, the
970 D- vm. W6-SVS. Interpretation of Genesis 3S, 18-20. W. n, I420-I4LS. 971
first and most distinguished. So Benjamin is the son of the right, as if he wanted to say, his most beloved wife. And Jacob wanted that with this name rather the love, so he carried to his most dear wife, should be remembered, than the pain and wailing. So he changed the sad name into a happy name.
The other cause of this name belongs to the world or church regiment. As if to say: This son, born of my most beloved wife, will receive the promised inheritance, which is due to the son of the most noble wife. He will be the heir of the kingdom and the priesthood. For Jacob believes that the promise and the blessing are due to Joseph, just as he had obtained the blessing before his brother Esau. And if Joseph were to die, he thinks that Benjamin would take Joseph's place. He does not yet understand that Judah will be the father of Christ until he first learns it in Egypt, when the Holy Spirit will impart it to him. But he is so much more strengthened in this opinion of his, because he does not hope to have a son anymore. That is why he is especially fond of him, and that is also the reason for his brothers' hatred of Joseph. And since this hatred and envy broke out and came to light, and Joseph was sold by his brothers, his father Jacob was exceedingly grieved about it.
V. 19 So Rachel died, and was buried by the way of Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem.
Rachel died in right invocation and faith in God, and was taken up into heaven, into the bosom of Abraham her father. She was buried not far from Bethlehem, almost a quarter of a German mile away. She died and was buried in the field near by or on the road, as if some shepherd's wife had died in the field or among the cattle: there was no house or inn there, except Jacob's tabernacle. This is the right way of the saints to heaven.
Ephratha and Bethlehem are two different words, but they have almost the same meaning. Ephratha means fertile. Bethlehem also means a house of bread, where there is a good pasture for beaks.
V.20. And Jacob set up a mark over her sepulcher; the same is the sepulcher of Rachel unto this day.
The fathers adorned the tombs gloriously and kept them in honor: they did not throw away the dead like the carrion of unreasonable animals, but erected tombs for their eternal and immortal memory, that they might be witnesses of the resurrection to come, which they believed and hoped for.
For this reason, we should keep the ceremonies and the funeral pomp, and we should also weep and have compassion for those who have lost their dear friends. Not that we should pray for the dead, as Lyra would have us do, or that we should fear death; but rather that in death we should learn to exercise the faith that struggles with the terror of death. And so let us think that though we die and are contemptuously buried, we shall rise again with great glory. How Jacob kept this comfort, as if to say to his wife, My dear Rachel, the hope of thy joy in this life hath failed thee: but this is a blessed error. For thou hast exchanged the corruptible and perishable goods for the eternal.
For this end, and for this cause, the marks of burial have been set up, so that we may learn, according to the example of the fathers, to esteem and despise this present life for the sake of the better life that is yet to come. After that, that we also keep the promise and learn to bear the will of God with patience. For what more can the devil or the Turk do, if they already take our life? "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, God will also lead with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus," as St. Paul says in 1 Thess. 4:14.
972 2- vm. svs-sso. Interpretation of I Moses 35:21, 22. **w. n, 1123-1427.** 973
V. 21: And Israel went out, and pitched a tent on the other side of the tower of Eder.
The Latin interpreter has made a generic name out of the word "Eder", but it is a proper name of a castle or tower, which has been a shelter on the Bethlehemite field. For it is certain that on the Bethlehemitic field there has always been pasture. Jerome writes that afterwards Eder was changed into a temple or church, which in his time was called in Latin Angelus ad Pastores, therefore that there the angels appeared to the shepherds on the night when Christ was born. For there have always been many shepherds and flocks there, because there was good pasture for the sheep. Therefore, this tower was named because the flock was pastured there. The castle or tower was located on the other side of Bethlehem, toward the south. Lyra also says the same thing and follows Jerome.
The others say that the word "Eder" has different meanings, and interpret it to the city Jerusalem, therefore that in the prophet Micah at the 4th Cap. V. 8. it says: "And thou tower Eder, a stronghold of the daughter of Zion" 2c. Which error came from the fact that the text in Latin is dark and badly interpreted, and that they did not pay attention to the grammar. For the prophet Micah speaks of the tower of the host as a generic name through the figure, called metonymia, as can be seen from the following words: "Thou tower of the host Ophel", that is, the fortress or castle of the city. Therefore, it is a proper name of a place in the field, near Bethlehem, where today is supposed to be a temple or church, which in Latin is called Angelus ad Pastores.
Fifth part.
Of the evil deed of Reuben; of the twelve sons of Jacob; and of Isaac's death and burial.
I.
V.22. And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in the land, that Reuben went and slept with Bilhah,
of his father Kebsweibe; and this came before Israel.
- After the death of Deborah and Rachel, there follows another and horrible accident of the holy patriarch: and how horrible it is, I cannot reach or speak out with words. I will command the speakers to make it great; for it is an abominable sin. The firstborn son Reuben, who was ordained to kingship and priesthood, corrupts himself with all his descendants. It is an abominable act, but it is most harmful to the perpetrator.
But we want to alleviate it a little and say that he sinned out of foolishness or evil desire. And I think that Bilha would have been beautiful and not very steady; for she soon let the foolish youth persuade her. But if she had punished him a little harshly and threatened to tell his father, she might have turned him away and driven him back. But it is very bad. Therefore Bilha is to be punished as well as Reuben.
172 Moses calls her a concubine. She was Jacob's wife and the mother of two sons, Dan and Naphtali, who were two great tribes from which Samson and Barak came. Her brother Reuben reviled and mocked her so much that they had to bear the disgrace forever. Deborah and Rachel were only dead and buried, and both their legs were still warm, as it were, when this sin was committed. For the two women had been the disciplinarians in the house. When they died, Bilhah, Rachel's maid, remained there, and immediately there was a change and disorder of the discipline that had been kept in Rachel's tent; which disorder she could easily have prevented, and would not have suffered the maid to become so lecherous.
The devil has done the great disgrace of afflicting the pious holy man Jacob, who had the promise that nations and kings would be born from him. But what is the beginning of this blessing? His wife dies, on whom all hope of inheritance or of a kingdom rests.
974 L. vm. sso. ssi. Interpretation of Genesis 35:22. w. n, 1127-1430. 975
Children has confessed. And now the tabernacle of his most noble wife is shamefully defiled. For Jacob has no longer kept to the Kebsweibe. And it would not have been a miracle if he had been oppressed by the great pain. Truly I would not be able to bear or overcome such things. Because it is too hard or heavy and even unpleasant.
174 And the wound and sorrow, which he had from the death of Rachel and Deborah, was new at that time. Now his firstborn son Reuben has given him a new wound and pain, since the tears were still flowing down his cheeks. Bilha, however, willingly committed this disgrace and was not forced or coerced into it. And this is not fornication or adultery, or mere fornication, but an exceedingly shameful incest, that the boy sleeps with his father's wife while the father is still alive.
Now this is written for our comfort, that we may know that our sorrow and affliction is not the uttermost or most grievous, and that it is not at all to be compared with the sorrow and affliction of the patriarchs. After this we shall also know that sins are forgiven, but not without punishment. For this tribe was afterwards weak and greatly despised, and was the least of all the people of Israel; and the firstborn, that is, the kingdom and priesthood, was taken from it, so that it would have been much better for Reuben also to die seven times. For this history is read and proclaimed forever until the end of the world: in all churches and schools one has to hear about this great shame, of which the child and all descendants had to be ashamed. And no history is found in which it is reported that God has done something good in this tribe. So now Reuben remains alive, and the tribe that came from him also: but they have had to live in eternal shame. And this punishment is truly severe enough that all their descendants have heard that their father's disgrace has been spoken of in all the pulpits.
But where are the sons of Jacob?
the strong heroes to avenge and punish injustice and sin? Why then do they not slay their brother, who has committed an abominable incest? Shechem was strangled because he had slept with Dinah, Jacob's daughter: but that was still such a sin, which could have been glossed over, covered up and healed with an honest marriage. It was not incest or any forbidden degree. Here, a special punishment would have been needed to punish this boy for the incest he had committed. And Dan and Naphtali would have had enough good reason. For they were always accused that their mother had committed incest; though they were not born of incest, yet their mother committed incest afterward. And Reuben put the scarf on them. Therefore it was the beginning and origin of a very great hatred and secret enmity that existed between them forever.
The Jews try to excuse this sin in Reuben; just as they are very fond of praising their own, just as the Greeks of old and the Italians of today despise all other peoples and call them barbari, that is, crude and clumsy people. The Jews also do the same: wherever obvious vices are found among their people, they try to belittle them, cover them up and adorn them. Therefore they say that Reuben did not commit incest, but that he did violence and wrong to his father. For when Rachel died, Jacob is said to have put Bilhah's bed in Leah's bedchamber; and therefore Reuben was angry, and took away Bilhah's bed, and slept not with her 2c. So they falsify the holy scripture with their very clumsy lying gossip. But in Hebrew the text obviously says: He slept with Bilhah: as Potiphar's wife says to Joseph, as it is written in the 39th Cap. V. 7: "Sleep with me"; item, as it says in 49. V. 4: "He went lightly, like water. Thou shalt not be chief, for thou hast gone up to thy father's bed, and there thou hast defiled my bed,
976 D vm, 361-M3. Interpretation of Genesis 35:22-26. w ii, 1430-1432. 977
1 Chron. 6:1: "Reuben was the first son, but because he defiled his father's bed, his firstborn was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; and he was not counted among the firstborn."
Therefore, such a great sin cannot be covered up or glossed over; and how great a grief the pious patriarch had from this disgrace of his son and wife, we can think more easily than we can say in words. And it is truly to be wondered at that such horrible cases should also occur to the holy people, where the Holy Spirit dwells, speaks and governs them, where the true church is, which is pure and holy: and yet the devil is also able to do so much there that he makes such horrible noise. There was no other woman in Jacob's house at that time, who had died in Rachel's place. There was no other woman in the house of Jacob who could have taken the place of Rachel, who had died, from whom one could have expected the heirs promised by God, but this Bilhah alone; and she is now asleep and defiled by his son. What could happen to a man in this life that is sadder and more dreadful?
179 Thus he was called Jacob until now: here he is called Israel in the history, since Moses says: "And Israel went out, and set up a tabernacle" 2c.; item: "When Israel dwelt in the land" 2c. The Scripture impresses this name on us with special diligence to make the shameful incest great and difficult. For it wants to make it clear that Reuben committed this sin when his father was gloriously glorified, when his name was changed and the promise was made that he would be fruitful and multiply, and that he would beget kings. After such great glory, Reuben went and slept with Bilhah, and defiled the noblest tabernacle of Rachel. Therefore Jacob is not called Israel in vain in this place. For it grieveth the Holy Ghost that the father, whom God hath thus exalted, should be so shamefully defiled by his son in his wife, which came in the stead of Rachel dead.
It is truly a miracle that he was able to live so long. But he has in the word
Jacob lived according to the promise, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to endure and overcome so much and so difficult misfortune and sorrow; now he learns what it means to grow and be multiplied, namely, that it means so much that he can no longer beget a child; for Rachel died, from whom he had hoped to have many children, but Bilhah fell asleep and was defiled. Therefore Jacob lived alone without a wife after that, and no longer kept himself to Bilhah, who was defiled, nor to any other wife. Soon afterward the Holy Spirit put Jacob's children one by one in a register, as it were, to show that there were no more of them than twelve, and that is how it should remain. So David also lived without a wife to the end of his life because of the incest committed by Absalom. And Jacob abstained from wives not so much because of his age as because of his grief, and because the shameful deed of his son and wife grieved him so exceedingly.
II.
V. 22-26. 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's handmaid: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Mesopotamia.
- the Hebrew says: The sons of Jacob, who is born. There the singular is put for the plural. He was called Israel before because of the abominable vice; now he is called Jacob again. And Moses wants to say so much: Thus ends the begetting of children of the patriarch Jacob, the incomparable man, who has the promise that he shall be fruitful and multiply and that kings shall come from his loins. Now how is the scripture fulfilled? Since Benjamin was born, and the mother died over childbirth, Jacob ceased to beget children and has only twelve sons: how then is he multiplied? Here
978 D vm, 3KA-SKS. Interpretation of Genesis 35:22-29. W. II, 1432-1435. 979
you see how Jacob took the right understanding of the promise out of such sorrow and affliction. For when Rachel died, and her tabernacle was defiled, he understood that they of whom the kings were born, Joseph and Judah, of whom the one is the father of the kings of Judah, and the other the father of the kings of Israel. These came from the loins of Jacob, and those born of them are also considered descendants of Jacob. Thus Jacob was taught by his tribulation that he should henceforth abstain from marrying; therefore he did not keep himself to Leah. So far we have had in Jacob an excellent example of the greatest misfortune and affliction and of an abominable sin in Reuben.
Now these are the twelve patriarchs, whose holiness is praised in the Scriptures, who were the fathers of the holy people of Israel. But behold, in what great abominable vice and sin the devil hath wrapped them. For he makes of Reuben such a son as is not easily found in the histories of the Gentiles. For the Gentiles also have an abhorrence of this sin; as St. Paul 1 Cor. 5:1 says: "There is a common cry that fornication is among you, and such fornication as even the Gentiles know not how to speak of, that one hath his father's wife." Now the same thing happened in the congregation of the very holy patriarch Jacob; after which murder and abominable lying followed. For all the other sons, except Joseph and Benjamin, especially the sons of Leah, are murderers of mothers and fathers. For as much as there is in them, they kill their old father Jacob with their abominable sins, by which he was more distressed and grieved than by any other affliction. They also strangled their brother Joseph, and sent his skirt to his father as if he were truly strangled, and not only did they not comfort him at all, but they also mocked his pious old father.
But this is held up to us so that the infinite longsuffering and inestimable grace and mercy of the Lord may be revealed to us.
God be praised and glorified, so that no one be frightened and despondent on account of his great and many sins, or lose faith and trust in God. For these patriarchs were also shameful bad boys and great sinners. And they did not lack the word; neither did they lack the teacher, the discipline or discipline and good examples of their father. They had a disciplinarian in Deborah; they saw how God showed them all kinds of help and miracles; they heard that so many promises had been made to the fathers. But what did Reuben and the others learn, since they heard so many beautiful sermons? They were bad boys, and they were punished hard enough and had to pay for it.
184 Therefore, all this is part of our teaching and punishment, that we learn to fear the wrath and punishment of God. Therefore it is a comfort to those who have wickedly disobedient children to bear such calamities and tribulations with patience, since we are no better than the patriarchs. For every one of them was stained with abominable sins: Aster, Dan, the Benjaminites (as the two last chapters in the book of Judges testify) and much more the Ephraimites. For the devil is much harder on the church and congregation of God than on the strangers.
III.
V.27-29. 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 waxed old, and died, and was gathered unto his people, old and full of life. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Here again the name Jacob is put. But above, v. 22, he has set the name Israel against the sin of Reuben: and it seems as if the patriarch had moved away somewhat slowly with his cattle, and what else he had of the servants and equipment; or else that he himself either went to.
980 D. vm, 368. 866. Interpretation of I Genesis 35:27-29. **W. II, 1435-1439.** 981
He said that he had gone on foot or on a camele beforehand and had visited his father several times before bringing the whole household to him.
Mamre is the proper name of a man, one of the three brothers who were in league with Abraham, as it says in chapter 14, v. 13. V. 13. From this Mamre, the firstborn, the city got its name, because either he or his descendants ruled in Hebron.
Now Isaac, who was old and blind, did not see Jacob or his children; he only heard him tell him of the trials, mourning and tribulations he had suffered in succession, and that Deborah and Rachel had died. 2c. Then he lamented such great affliction, and comforted his son, saying that such was the calamity of hell and of the devil; but that God was mightier than the devil, and would not suffer us to be tempted above our ability, 1 Cor. 10:13. For he that is in us is greater than he that is in the world 2c. And His Father Himself always had to struggle with such trials and tribulations in His entire life, and was therefore able to comfort His Son with special earnestness and fruitfulness.
Now that he had lived at home with his father in peace for several years, Isaac the father died and Jacob alone was still alive; all the other fathers from the Flood to this time had died. Therefore the whole burden of the reign lies on Jacob alone, who is still alive in the face of such great wickedness of his sons, and perseveres in prayer with teaching, exhorting and threatening against the devil, who has raged and raged greatly. In his old age he had to bear great hardships, and now he no longer has a companion in Isaac or in another of the patriarchs.
Thus Isaac died in a quiet and peaceful old age, having had enough of life; not like men, who always live in pleasure, but tired of this life, and worn out by great toil and much affliction. I am, he will have said, tired of life, I don't like it anymore; therefore he asked that God would redeem him and finally lead him to the harbor and a better life.
This way of saying, "He was gathered to his people," indicates and testifies to the future resurrection of the dead, since there is a people to whom we are gathered. For when we die, we do not disappear into thin air. Therefore the Holy Spirit does not say that he has disappeared, since he has no longer lived, but "he has been gathered," not scattered, tossed to and fro, or afflicted, as in this wretched and miserable afflicted life, but he has been delivered from all evil, has been gathered to his people; like the other fathers who sleep in peace, whom God has gathered into his bosom, where they lie quietly and rest. This is the right understanding of these words, which are put very emphatically. There is a people of the dead, among whom are Adam, Seth, Abraham, Deborah, and so on. The people are gathered in the bosom and arms of God, there they are in good quiet rest and will rise again in his time.
Therefore, by this figure and manner of speaking, the Holy Scriptures indicate that the fathers died, not as the Gentiles die, but that they are gathered and preserved in the hand of God. As the prophet Isaiah says in 57. cap. V. 2. says: The righteous "come to peace, and rest in their chambers," for they have walked rightly before Him. And an hour will come when they will reappear and go out of the graves more beautiful than the sun and stars, namely, "who have walked rightly before them." Reuben did not come to the hope of the future resurrection, unless he was cleansed by repentance: as Paul was a persecutor and enemy of Christ, shedding much innocent blood; but he wiped away the same sin with the blood of the Son of God.
- Therefore, such passages in Scripture should be diligently noted, in the words used by the Holy Spirit, that God does not reject or scatter the saints, but gathers them together in such a way that not even one leg or hair of theirs must perish.
193 Now the brothers, Esau and Jacob, come together to the burial, and Esau is placed before Jacob in the text. And is
982 D. vm. S66. IX, L. 1. interpretation of Genesis 35, 27-29. cap. 36. w. n, 1439-1442. 983
There is no doubt that he had visited his father before and that his father had often punished him lovingly and admonished him to give up hatred and revenge. That is why he comes to the funeral, so that he may prove his obedience and reverence to the father, and is a sure sign that he is with his brother from
and that he kept himself to the right church and congregation, so that he might also be made a partaker of the spiritual promise, if not by promise, nevertheless by grace; just as we Gentiles are accepted by grace, not that such is promised to us, but by pure grace and mercy.
The sixth and third chapter.
First part.
Of Esau and his family in general, and of Esau's wives and his children in particular.
- in this chapter one must look at the order of the history; because Moses used the figure, which is called hysteron proteron. For what follows after this chapter, until the 40th chapter, should have been set before, before the words, "And Isaac was an hundred and fourscore years old." For all that is described in the next three chapters took place before the death of Isaac, who saw that Dinah was put to sleep, that the Shechemites were strangled, and that the sons of Jacob thus obtained a bloody victory; item, that Deborah and Rachel died, and over which also Joseph was sold into Egypt, and to this also the incest which Judah committed with Tamar.
2 All this can be taken from the chronology. Otherwise it seems that Isaac died immediately after Jacob came to him, which is wrong. For he lived at least thirteen years after Jacob returned from Mesopotamia to Hebron. After that it is certain that Isaac was one hundred and eighty years old when he died. Esau and Jacob were born in the sixtieth year of Isaac's age. If these are subtracted from the hundred and eighty years, the following remain
A hundred and twenty years; that is the age of Esau and Jacob when Isaac died. Joseph was thirty years old, and Isaac died thirteen years after Joseph was sold into Egypt, in the last year before Joseph was delivered from prison.
(3) And the life of this old man was a miserable one, deprived of sight and light from the time he blessed Jacob, from the seventh and seventieth year of his age. For at that time his eyes had already grown dark, as we have heard. Therefore we are to notice that the three following chapters are to be placed between these words, since Moses says, "Jacob came to his father Isaac," and, "Isaac was an hundred and eighty years old." For the reckoning of time reminds us of many things with benefit and explains the histories, often gives cause for many beautiful thoughts. For the pious patriarchs and prophets were true holy martyrs, who suffered many miseries and miseries, for which we are not strong enough to suffer and endure. This I had to say first of all about the Hysterologia, that is, about the fact that the foremost is put last. For since Moses said in the previous chapter that Esau and Jacob came together to bury their father, he thought it would be very fitting in this place that he spoke of Esau, to whom he gives his final farewell in this chapter and of whom he will remember no more hereafter.
984 L.ix, 4-s. Interpretation of Genesis 36, 1. W. ii. 1442-i44s. 985
I.
V. 1. This is the family of Esau, who is called Edom.
- the name Edom has always remained in this country. The Latins and Greeks call it Idumaea, as Virgil calls palms from Idumaea. The poisonous and pestilential Jews, however, in all their interpretations call the Roman Empire and Christianity Edom, although they are truly the damned and condemned people. In their prayers they pray against Edom and ask that their Messiah would strangle and kill us, and have foolish opinions beyond measure about the origin of the Roman Empire. Moses did not forget Esau because he is Abraham's offspring, and Esau and Jacob are alike in birth and blood. Esau was born of the very noble blood of Sarah and Rebecca, Abraham and Isaac. Therefore Moses did not want to reject him, but tells his children and his children's children one after the other, and remembers the bodily blessing, of which it was said above Gen. 27, 40: "You will feed on your sword, and it will happen that you will tear your brother's yoke from your neck" 2c.
In the beginning of this first book of Moses it was also said about the lineage of Cain. Although he was rejected, banished and cursed on earth, God gave him room to repent, so that he and his descendants might receive the benefits of the spiritual promise. So the example of divine patience is also praised in Esau, even in those who are rejected. For there is no doubt that Esau and Ishmael took with them the teachings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as the order and manner of sacrifices, especially circumcision. Therefore, many excellent and glorious men were born from the blood of Esau. But the difference is that they did not have the promise of the Messiah. The grace and the blessed seed, the Son of the virgin and Savior of the world, was not promised to them, but they were not rejected because of it, neither they nor their descendants, as others were.
Gentiles. Many Moors, Ammonites and Edomites have turned to the right confession and religion of God Israel according to the calling of God. Many of the Ninevites and Babylonians have been saved by God's grace and mercy, which happened to them by chance, even though Christ was not promised to the Gentiles as he was to the seed of Abraham. Nor has God's word been entrusted to them; for this glory we must give to the seed of Abraham, of which the 147th Psalm v. 20. says: "He does not do this to a Gentile" 2c. Therefore the people of Israel have patriarchs, prophets, God's word; and St. Paul says Rom. 15, 8. 9.: "But I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promise made to the fathers. But that the Gentiles should praise God for mercy, as it is written, Therefore will I praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name" 2c. But from the seed of the Gentiles Christ did not come.
(6) Therefore a distinction must be made between the promise and the truth, and between the grace and mercy that comes by chance. We have mercy without the promise, the Jews have it with the promise; "for salvation comes from the Jews," John 4:22, the overcomer of death and the devil comes from the tribe of Judah. Esau and Ishmael lacked this promise, but they are not excluded from mercy, for the histories testify to the opposite. Just as not all of those who had this promise joined the congregation of God; for the children according to the flesh are not God's children, but the children of the promise. Yes, there were many gross vices and abominable sins among the people, such as are not read of in the histories of the Gentiles, such as David being driven out of the land by his own son, and the whole house being defiled with many murders and more wretched than Tantalus or the Pelopides in Greece.
7 Therefore it does not follow that one would say: We have the promise, therefore we are all heirs of it. Just as it does not follow: We do not have the promise, therefore we are not heirs of it.
986 LIX. 6-S. Interpretation of Genesis 36:1-3. w. n,I44S-I44S. 987
we are rejected. God has taken some from all nations, so that we should not boast; but "he who boasts, let him boast of the Lord," 1 Cor. 1:31, both he who has the promise and he who does not, "so that God alone may be just and justify him who is of faith in Jesus," Rom. 3:26.
8 Thus Moses describes the lineage of Esau not only for the honor of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose child and son he is, but rather for the reason that we should know that he was made a partaker of the blessing that Jacob had. For he always had free access to the right church and congregation of God, if only he humbled himself and said with earnestness: God will only have mercy on me and let me share in the crumbs that fall from the table of the church, which is in the house of God. Such humility and obedience is pleasing to God, even though you do not have the promise.
9 But if the children of the promise become proud, they lose the blessing. For God wants that St. Peter says 1 Petr. 5, 6: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in his time" 2c. And for the sake of the cause he humbles and tries his saints so that they do not become proud and hopeful. So I believe that among the descendants of Edom there were many excellent men and they were also full of the Holy Spirit. However, there were also some who were very and bitterly hostile to the people of Israel. As today the papists are also hostile to us, have an abomination against us, consider us cursed and exiled people: however, there are also many of them who are favorable to us and love us, and accept our teachings. And this, I believe, was the cause why Moses included the family of Esau among the number of the saints, and united and joined both him and some of his descendants to the congregation of the saints; for they were made partakers, not of the promise, but of the mercy which the promise gives.
- in the latin translation this is
The first chapter is very dark and confused. First of all, Moses describes the descendants of Esau who lived during his life; then he describes the family of the wives. Third, the princes and kings. Among them, he indicates, there were some pious people who were converted by hearing the word for a long time. For Seir was not far from Hebron, so they could easily go to their father Isaac and his church. And when the word is revealed in any place, it spreads its brightness and comes to the neighbors now and then. Therefore Moses said that not all who came from Edom were condemned, even though he had been rejected from the promise and had lost the firstborn.
(11) And it is indeed a marvelous thing that in almost all the histories of the holy Scriptures the firstborn are wretched. In Egypt all the firstborn were strangled. But it seems that this is the cause, because the law has a condition with it, and those who have the law generally become angry; for they become proud because of the law, as if it were given for the purpose of helping the firstborn to hope, when it is given for the purpose of keeping humble in the firstborn. Therefore, God has suppressed the pride and pride of the firstborn when they have abused such honor and glory. For everything that is done and said goes to the only firstborn Son of God, Jesus Christ, to whom alone all honor, power and authority are due. Now we will come to the lineage of Esau.
II.
V. 2. 3. Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan, Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Ahalibamah daughter of Ana, nephew of Zibeon the Hivite; and Basmath daughter of Ishmael, Nebajoth's sister.
12 Just what is said here was also said above in chapter 26, v. 34, but in different words. V. 34, but with different and changed words. For Esau's first wife is there called Judith, and her father Beeri, a Hittite, is here called Elon. For the change
988 " ix, "-iv. Interpretation of Genesis 36, 2. 3. W. ii, itt8-itso. 989
of names is very common in all languages, therefore some useful rules have been given by others, by which many obscure texts are interpreted and explained. The first rule is: All men have commonly two names, as, Martinus Luther, Philippus Melanchthon. The other rule is: The fathers and mothers, sons and daughters are such by nature or by law. The third rule: It often happens that names are given and changed accidentally, as, Jacob is called Israel from the history that happened with him. The others have received names from their offices, as, pastor, parson; Judex, judge; Consul, mayor. It also often happens that changes occur according to age: we call virgins differently in their childhood than when they are adults. Sometimes people get names from their clothes, color and shape, sometimes also from their company. As, Eusebius was called Eusebius Pamphili for the sake of his companion in torture.
(13) So we are to think that the same thing often happened among this people. Judith is called Ada here, and it may well be that she came from her natural father to a stepfather or foster father and that therefore the name was changed. Yes, look at our examples in the papacy, how there has been such a great folly to change the names of those who had sworn an oath to the pope to keep his statutes. I was called Martinus in baptism, then Augustine in the monastery. What could be more shameful or ungodly than to reject the baptismal name and let it go for the sake of the cap that one has put on? So the popes are ashamed to be called by their proper names, which they received in baptism; for they are not worthy to keep the baptismal name either, therefore they receive other names, which they give to themselves. Julius the Second was previously called Julianus. With such a change of names they indicated that they had fallen away from Christ and baptism and had become apostates, and this was very common in all monasteries.
14 So the first wife of Esau was called Judith, which is Judaea. Jewess, in Latin Laudatrix, praise singer. As Leah calls her son Judah, because she recognized the blessing of God and wanted to show her gratitude. It was a beautiful name. It seems, however, that Judith had become naughty, and that therefore the change of the name had come, but not for the better. For Ada means, necklace, ornament. She has had a desire for beautiful clothing and feminine jewelry; since she has become a housewife, she has wanted to be Ada: the cleaned woman, sammetfrau, Kettenfrau 2c. So she lost her beautiful name, that she was no longer called Judith, but Ada, when she sat for and for in front of the mirror and always wanted to clean and adorn herself.
15 The other wife of Esau is Ahalibamah. The Hebrew word ohel means hut; as Moses had said shortly before that Jacob had erected a hut beyond the tower of Eder. In the prophet Ezekiel on 23 Cap. V. 4. it says ohlah, that is, her tabernacle, namely, the woman's; for God speaks there with great wrath against the harlot, who has her own church or congregation and has rejected the law and the priesthood. Moses further indicates that this woman was the right woman, domina, and queen. In the text above, Cap. 26, v. 34, she was called Basmath; as if you wanted to say in Latin, aromatica, suave olens, a fragrant woman of delicious spice or speciation; for she had a good smell and a good name; a fine virgin, a spice wreath, a clove flower. Now she is called Ahalibama, the castle woman, a tabernaculo excelso, the one from the Hohenburg, gracious lady.
16 The third woman is called Basmath, who is called Mahalath in Cap. 28, v. 9, was called Mahalath. It seems that Moses diligently changed the names of the three wives of Esau. This is Ishmael's daughter, of the blood of Abraham, whose granddaughter she was, and is a sibling in the third degree with Jacob and Esau. The word itself means as much as, sick, weak; and Moses gives with it to understand that it is a harlot.
990 IL, 10-12. interpretation of Genesis 36:2-8. W. II, 1450-1453. 991
She was a creature that was weak. Therefore they said that she would not live long, and gave her the name of a weakling, aegrotula. This woman alone changed her name for the better; for now she is called Basmath, which is a fragrant balsamic rose and flower. As the two previous women became naughty and lost their good names, so this third woman improved and led her life godly, but not without cross and sorrow.
(17) In the 26th chapter above, v. 35. V. 35, it was said that Esau's two wives were very bitter toward Isaac and Rebecca, that is, they tormented the holy people and the whole household. Judith could easily have changed and become Ada, because the servants would have said: She is not Judith, her manners and life do not rhyme with the name; she is Ada, a dancing woman. Item, the other has a bad smell and is tyrannical. The third came to the house later, and was more praised and loved by everyone. Now follow the children of these wives of Esau.
V. 4. 5. And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, but Basmath bore Reguel. And Ahalibamah bare Jehus, and Jaelam, and Korah. These are Esau's children, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.
- Ada is the mother of the famous man Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, who is a great-grandson of Abraham and a grandson of Isaac and a son of Esau. Many think that he is one of the three friends of Job. But if this is true, then Job must have lived long before the children of Israel came out of Egypt. For the chronology shows that Eliphaz was seventy or eighty years old when Isaac died. When Esau went to meet his brother Jacob, Eliphaz was at least sixty or five and fifty years old. For Esau took a wife in the fortieth year of his age: from that time until the death of Isaac were eighty years. But the opinion with Job I leave undecided; because one has no testimony of it in the Scriptures. It does not rhyme badly, that it is
any of the great-grandchildren or grandchildren who will have kept the father's name. Ada bore only one son, Basmath also one. From these two wives Esau has two sons. But the wife, domina, and queen Ahalibama bore him three sons: she did it before the others, because she was a mother of three sons. And it is well believed that she was morath, that is, very bitter, especially in the house and among the servants of Isaac.
019 All these children shall be born in the land of Canaan, in the house of Isaac his father. For when Esau was forty years old, he took his first two wives, who were Hittites. Therefore these five children were born while he was still with his father. Jacob went to Mesopotamia in his seventieth and seventieth year; therefore seven and thirty years elapsed between Esau's marriage and the taking of his blessing. For so long did Isaac tarry with it, and Eliphaz and the rest of the children of Esau were also so many years with their grandfather, and heard him preach. They did not see Shem, but Eber and Deborah. So also the wives of Esau have heard old Isaac and Rebekah, and have come to their hundredth year, where they have lived since their father-in-law died; and it is well to be believed that they have forgotten in so long a time of hatred and bitterness. And I believe that Moses wrote this to show that their hearts had finally been soothed, since the brothers were reconciled to each other, and that Eliphaz had been a good, righteous man, since nothing evil about him is found anywhere in Scripture.
V.6-8: And Esau took his wives, his sons, and his 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 removed unto a land of Jacob his brother. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them for the multitude of their cattle. So Esau dwelt in mount Seir. And Esau is Edom.
** **992 D- ix. ir-i4. interpretation of I Genesis 36:6-10. w. n. i4sr-i4ss. 99z
020 Then there arose dissension among the brethren, and hatred of Esau against Jacob and his parents, after he had lost the blessing. Therefore he departed in such anger, moved also by the multitude of cattle, seeing that therefore the land could not bear them, and went to Seir, whence he had taken Ahalibamah to wife. He followed her to her fatherland. But I think that he went to Seir two or three years after Jacob went to Mesopotamia, because that is how long he stayed with his father. The house of Isaac was in great turmoil at that time, because Esau was talking about slaying his brother and grieved his parents by hating his brother so much. And he divided the paternal inheritance with Jacob, though Jacob was not present; but the parents gave Jacob two portions for the right of the firstborn.
21 Then Moses tells of the blessing in the flesh that happened to Esau, that is, when he remembers the multitude of cattle. For he is of the blood of a very great patriarch, and hath lost nothing, save the promise of the seed. Therefore it is certain that he was very plentiful and rich. Yes, I have no doubt that many of the lineage of Esau were converted to the God of Abraham and Isaac, as the history of the kings indicates. He also kept the circumcision and the teaching of the fathers about the promise.
V. 9, 10: This is the family of Esau, of Edomite descent, in Mount Seir. And these are the names of the sons of Esau: Eliphaz the son of Adah, Esau's wife; Regeuel the son of Basmath, Esau's wife.
(22) Moses repeats the beginning of this chapter, as he usually does; if he wants to add something, he repeats what has been said before. When, in the other book at the 6th Cap. v. 16, he then adds what he said at the beginning: "These are the names of the children of Levi in their families," 2c. so that it would not appear that he was born of a different tribe than Levi.
He does the same here, because he wants to add something more to the previous and explain it more extensively.
023 Five sons were born to Esau in the land of Canaan, among whom Reguel seems to have been a little child, and to have been born after Jacob went into Mesopotamia. His firstborn son Eliphaz was six and thirty years old at that time, so that he was now old enough to marry. This is how long the Hittite wives reigned in the house of Isaac and Rebekah and lived on their goods. And Moses tells this so that he may remind us of the cross and the hardship that the pious holy parents bore because of the keeping and rule of their son's wives, of which he said above, Cap. 26, v. 35; although it is probable that they will finally be somewhat alleviated in time.
024 And the mothers in law are wont by nature to take wives of their sons. But Rebekah is not to be accused of this; for she loved her son Esau, and for his sake his wives and children, as her grandchildren. And she did not deserve to be afflicted by the Hittite women, every one of whom was a proud woman, domina, which women kept according to the customs and habits of their fatherland; for the Hittites were a very mighty people and the very worst among the Cananites. In the prophet Ezekiel at 16. cap. V. 3. it says: "Your mother is of the Hittites" 2c. They had their name from the terror; because they were tyrants and everyone hated: therefore they plagued the holy mother Rebekka at forty years very much. Basmath was despised and reviled by the two, and was kept as a handmaid to follow at their heels; yet she is set before Ahalibamah, that Moses might show that he and the Holy Spirit were hostile to the Hittites. Edom is the name of a country whose father is called Esau, and not of any person. From Esau, who is called Edom, this country Seir got the name.
994 D. IX, 14-ig. Interpretation of Genesis 36:11-14. W. II, I42S-I4SS. 995
V. 11-13. Now Eliphaz's sons were these: Theman, Omar, Zepho, Gaetham and Kenaz. And Thimnah was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau's son, who bore him Amalek. These are the children of Adah, Esau's wife. But the children of Reguel are these: Nahath, Serah, Samma, Missa. These are the sons of Basmath, Esau's wife.
025 When Jacob returned, Eliphaz was six and fifty years old. And these sons were born unto him at that time, and I hold that they were great lords and rulers, with whom Esau went out to meet his brother Jacob, and to affright him: and though they were reconciled to him, yet in that course they shewed their great glory and power. Theman is famous in the Holy Scriptures, and I believe that the land of Theman got its name from him, which is commemorated in the prophet Jeremiah in the 49th chapter. V. 7: "Is there no more wisdom in Theman?" that is, in Idumea; for it is a part of it.
26 Thimna was the sister of one of the princes of Seir, the Horites. And Ada and Thimna are both Hittites, therefore they got along so much easier. And Amalek, the son of Thimnah, was adopted as a son by Ada, the first wife of Esau. For the sake of the cause Amalek is counted among the sons of Ada. From Amalek came the people famous in the histories of the holy scriptures, of whom it is said in Numbers 24, 20: "Amalek, the first among the nations; but at last thou shalt perish." It has a very distinguished origin. Esau, Isaac, Abraham are his ancestors. That was an excellent nobility, as far as the paternal blood is concerned; and therefore the Amalekites were also very proud and hopeful. But from the mother they were Hittites. .
V.14. Now the children of Ahalibamah, Esau's wife, the daughter of Ana, the nephew of Zibeon, are these whom she bore to Esau: Jehus, Jaelam and Korah.
27 Moses tells the children and grandchildren of Esau, so that he may show what kind of warrior people Esau had when he killed Jacob.
has been drawn towards. But here comes a question: why Ahalibama is called a daughter of Ana and a daughter of Zibeon? For how can she be the daughter of two men? The Jews play a strange game with it and have two shameful opinions, namely, first, that Zibeon was a godless man and a despiser of the marriage state, and therefore he slept with his father Seir's wife and begot Ana, so that Ana was Zibeon's natural son and was taken for his brother in consideration of Seir. The other opinion of the Jews is that Zibeon slept with his son's wife Ana, and thus committed incest with both his mother and his son's wife. Therefore, they consider Ahalibama to be a very incestuous woman, whose father is said to have been born of his father through incest.
- but I am totally hostile to the Jews and the interpretations of their rabbis. For this is their way, yea, so it is a manifest nonsense in them, that whencesoever they can and may, they gather together the praise of their own, and the shame of the Gentiles. They are the most accursed people, and are held captive and possessed by the devil: and the painting or likeness of the Lord Christ of the splinter and the beam, Luc. 6, 41, rhymes well with them; item, which he also says Matth. 23, 24. of those who are seized by gnats and swallow cameos. For that one Pharisee says of himself Luc. 18, 11: "I am not like other people," all the Jews also unashamedly boast of themselves, saying: "We are God's people, adorned by God with great gifts. And one of their rabbis said: "It is a wonder where one would find a wise man among all the Gentiles. But among the people of Israel there are all excellent wise men.
029 Yea, they are a very vile and hurtful people, and were so in the days of the fathers, under Jacob and David. For, beloved, behold, what glorious deeds they have done. Reuben went up to the bed of Bilhah his father's wife; Judah committed incest with his son's wife. The same bells hang up the
996 L. IL. I"-1S. Interpretation of I Genesis 36:14. w. n. 1459-1462. 997
Hypocrites to the Ana, the Ahalibama father, also. But why do they not first see the beam in their eyes? For what is more shameful than Absalom's rebellion against his father David, in that he drives him out of the land, and as much as is in him, strangles him, and defiles his concubines? Now let the rabbis go and boast of the wisdom of the Jews. After that they have always been a rebellious people against the prophets and kings, and have murmured against the Lord, but have most abominably slain the prophets. Therefore I am very hostile to the interpretations of the rabbis, in which they maliciously falsify the holy scriptures with their lies.
30 From this text, because here Ahalibama is called a daughter of Ana and a daughter of Zibeon, they want to conclude that she had two fathers and that Ana should have slept with his mother 2c. This is a right Jewish, that is, an ass-like conclusion, which is also rejected by Lyra and Pagninus. Now that such vices existed among the Gentiles, no one doubts; but of Ana we have no clear text nor testimony of Scripture, from which he would be convicted and overcome, as we have clear histories of Reuben and Judah, item, also of the other brothers who sold Joseph and strangled their old father through sadness and heartache. For thus he wept for his son, whom he had lost, and said Gen. 37:35, "I will go down with sorrow into the pit, to my son," that is, I will die of great heartache; item Gen. 42:38, "Ye shall bring my gray hairs into the pit with sorrow of heart."
31 Therefore the forefathers and patriarchs of the Jews are patricides. For thus the best of all always becomes the worst and the most wicked. The angels become devils, the people of God become those who crucify the Son of God, the prophets become false prophets, our listeners and disciples become fanatics, red spirits and heretics. And is it not in vain that Christ says to the Jews Joh. 8, 44: "You are of the father, the devil." Therefore, it is well known that they are a foolish people and that they even go there.
are given in a wrong sense; as they were also exceedingly wicked people in David's and the prophets' times. That is why I use to refute and condemn their glosses as much as I can and may.
It should not be difficult for us to invent many opinions, if it would be proper. We would like to say that Ana also slept with his mother, from which incest Ahalibama was born, or such many other opinions. But in the holy scripture one should not invent anything, where one does not have obvious testimonies of the word. We will hear hereafter that Ana was a very bad boy and an author of a shameful mixture, namely, of donkeys and horses. He was not afraid of God's order and the order of nature, but allowed animals of different kinds to run together, which is contrary to nature, and also contrary to God's order in creation, of which the Holy Scripture says in the first book of Moses, Chapter 1. V. 25: "And God made the beasts of the earth, every one after his kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that is upon the earth after his kind": so it could well have happened that he slept with his mother.
33 And I do not say that the Gentiles were free from such vices and sins, because St. Paul also says Rom. 1, 26. 27. about their unseemly mingling and incest. But because this way of speaking, which Moses uses of Ahalibama, is also used of honest daughters, as afterwards, Gen. 36, 39, of Mehetabeel, who was a daughter of Matred and a daughter of Mesahab: therefore I do not want to draw the words maliciously or falsely on another and strange mind, but will interpret them honestly. For it is common in the holy scriptures that the daughters of their fathers and grandfathers are called daughters. Moses says 2 Mos. 6, 20: "Amram took his wife Jochebed," which is a mother of Moses and a daughter of Levi, his grandfather, that is, his child's daughter; he took her, because she was an orphan, as his wife. Therefore, we do not have any original
998 L IX. LS-A. Interpretation of I Genesis 36:14-19. W. n, 1462-1467. 999
We should not try to write about shame and vice, because the Scriptures or history do not force us to do so, as was said before in the examples of the patriarchs of the Jewish people.
34 Then this also serves for the honor of Esau, that we take it for granted that he did not suffer such shame, and that he would not have taken Ahalibama as his wife, if he had known that she was born of blood shame. Therefore, I believe that the Hittite women were both honest women, although they started to become proud and hopeful and to exalt themselves of their gender. And perhaps they also brought idols into Isaac's house, and incited the others to honor them, by which the pious holy parents were greatly angered, and in the first table were very well plagued by idolatry, but in the other by disobedience and courtliness. However, their origin and descent were honest, and Ahalibama was a daughter of Anas as her natural father and Zibeon's daughter as her grandfather.
Second part.
Of the glory and dominion of Esau and his descendants; of their weakness;
and of their kings and princes.
I.
V. 15-19. 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 Missa. 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 Jehu, 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.
- Moses first named the family of Esau, now he describes their dignity and power or dominion. Just above in 14 Cap. V. 6, we heard that the Horites dwelt in Seir; they drove out and destroyed the children of Esau. Therefore the whole land of Seir became the inheritance of the Edomites; which can be seen from Deut. 2:4, 5, where it says, "And give unto the people, saying, Ye shall pass through the border of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you," 2c.; item: "The mountain Seir have I given to the children of Esau to possess."
This was the bodily blessing, which God also preferred to give, because Eliphaz and the others kept the circumcision and the divine teaching they had received from their fathers. For Isaac preached beautiful glorious sermons to his children's children; yes, Esau also cultivated the priesthood in place of his father in the absence of Jacob. Therefore, they should not all be considered reprobates. For though they have lost the promise of the future seed, yet have they obtained accidental mercy.
037 Thus Moses tells of the princes whom the Horites drove out; for they took wives of the Horites. After that there was dissension among the sons and daughters, and the sons of Esau prevailed against the inhabitants of the land of Seir; they came not by succession or inheritance to rule. And they chose a king from among these twelve princes, and with united forces they drove the Horites out of the land and from their possession. The Lord gave them the victory, as it was said in the blessing above, "Upon thy sword shalt thou feed." I think they had the land of Seir in the beginning: when Jacob went to Egypt, they began to rule, thinking that Jacob would forget the blessing and let it go. Let him go, they will have said, always away with him, we have become princes and lords in this land:
1000 L.IL. 20-22. interpretation of Genesis 36:15-30. **W. II, 1467-1470.** 1001
Now it will be seen which generation is blessed. Thus, the physical blessing always precedes the spiritual one.
038 And from Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau came six princes: but he himself was no prince. And Amalek is also in this number. Why Korah is counted, I can not really know. Because only the children's children and not the sons of Esau are told under this title of the princes. Perhaps it happened that other names were given to them, or that they were adopted as children by others, which is very common in the holy scriptures; as Joseph adopted Ephraim as his right brother.
39 But among the Hebrews aluph means prince, from eleph, that is, a thousand. Therefore the evangelist Matthew Cap. 2, 6. cites the text from the prophet Micah on Cap. 5. V. 1. thus: "And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art by no means the least of the princes of Judah"; while the prophet says: "among the thousands in Judah"; these are the same words. If one has had several villages and a thousand men under his control, he has been a prince.
V. 20-30. Now 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 Ziheon were: Aja and Ana. This is the Aenah who invented mule horses in the desert as he tended his father Zibeon's donkeys. The children of Ana were: Dison and Ahalibama, that is the daughter Ana. The children of Dison were: Hemdan, Esban, Jethran and Charan. The children of Ezer were: Bilhan, Sawan 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.
The Hebrew word seir means field devil. In the prophet Isaiah, 13 Cap. V. 21, we have it interpreted as field spirits, who are wont to appear in the woods and in the fields and are quite rough and hairy. The pagans called them lares and genii in Latin, household gods; but they are devils, even though they pretend to want to do good to men. And because Edom was born rough, he was called Seir. Therefore the word Seir remains either from the present or from the former inhabitants of the land. And Esau had taken a wife of the daughters of Seir, or of the Horites.
41 For this reason the brotherhood is also remembered in honor of Isaac and Abraham, whose grandson and son he is. For though he was deprived of the blessing, yet the natural inclination remained in the parents, which they had toward their son, that they might not altogether reject him. Just as Cain was not so rejected by his parents, because he had murdered Abel, his brother, that they should not nevertheless have loved him and cared for him as their son. For the natural inclinations are not prevented or overruled, except in those things that are contrary to God's commandments. Therefore, God also honors the kinship of Esau on the part of his wife for Isaac's sake. For what is the use of remembering the Seir and the Horites, who were oppressed and driven out by the new Seirites who came in their place? But they are enumerated and described for the sake of worldly honor and prosperity, propter sanctum saeculare, as they call it, or for the honor of the worldly regiment.
(42) The other cause is that there might be a testimony of the origin or descent of the Edomites, lest they should be accounted illegitimate and bastards. And this is as it were the fourth section of this chapter, wherein the fatherhood of Esau is enumerated.
43 The Horites have their name because they are white. For the word chur means white, and that which shines and is great. The great lords used white silk in the Orient, as today the
1002 8. IL. 22-24. interpretation of I Genesis 36, 20-30. W. n, 1470-1472. 1003
Turks use white silk hats. The Roman costume was purple, and the toga. The Orientals had white silk clothes. So in the Gospel it is said of the rich glutton: "He clothed himself with purple and fine linen", Luc. 16, 19. Therefore the Horites were called so by the clothing; as the Romans were called torquati (necklaces).
44 Eliphaz took Thimnah, the sister of Lothan the prince, to wife, and begat Amalek with her. These people are not to be condemned at all, for they have been able to amend and repent from the preaching of Esau. It has been said of Ana before, and the lies of the Jews have also been refuted, that they might delight to defile and revile the Edomites and the Gentiles with them. But such lies are also rejected by others.
(45) For it is another thing to have a manifest testimony of history, as there is none of Ana, that he should have committed incest with his son's wife. And there is also another with some secret deed that should not be brought to light or revealed; as one is wont to say: De occultis non judicat ecclesia: The church does not judge things that are secret; but such deeds should remain secret in confession and be kept secret. And for the sake of the cause, secret confession is to be kept in the church. For the afflicted consciences, weighed down by the horror of sin, reveal their afflictions in such confession, and receive consolation, which they thus cannot grasp in the common sermon. To the same afflicted people, we want confession to be a refuge, namely, to those whose consciences the devil holds captive in his ropes, and whom he charms and makes so weak that they cannot break free and unwind, and feel or see nothing else but that they must be lost and damned. For in this life there is no greater sorrow and misery than the pain and anguish of such a heart that is forsaken and knows no counsel or comfort.
- such sorrowful hearts shall now have a
The people of the church shall have access to confession, so that they may seek and find counsel with the ecclesiastics. Or if the matter is so gross that they are ashamed to say it before the ecclesiastics, they should otherwise disclose it to another Christian and godly person, whoever he may be, whom they know to be faithful and pious. Before him they shall complain of the things that oppress, afflict, and trouble their conscience, and shall seek counsel from him, saying thus: O counsel, dear brother, my frightened and afflicted conscience, I will hang myself, drown myself, or do any other harm, and die in my sins 2c. Where such a sorrowful man will hear God's word of forgiveness of sins, either from the minister of the word, or else from another Christian, whoever he may be, he will be raised up and receive comfort, by which the poor heart, which the devil has wounded with his arrows, will be healed again.
- We do not seek or ask what sin or what kind of sin one should confess, but therein lies the most noble power and use of confession, that the poor hearts that groan and struggle with despair may be shown good salutary counsel from God's word, so that they do not even lie under the heavy burden of sins and the terror of the devil, which he tends to make infinitely greater and greater: But especially in peculiar and unusual cases, such as occur from time to time, when the devil drives and disfigures human nature through horrible sin. As happened in Erfurt a long time ago, when I was a confessor there, a horrible case was heard by one of my confreres in secret confession. However, I will now relate the same case here for the sake of those who would like to become pastors or teachers in the church one day.
In Erfurt, a maid of honest friendship, who was demure and pious, served a rich widow. The same widow's son, a young man, took a liking to the maid because she was beautiful, and loved her, and also desired her.
1004 L.IL. 24. 2S. Interpretation of Genesis 36:20-30. W. II, I472-I47S. 1005
to sleep with her. The maid, however, refused the evil deed (as befits a pious, chaste maid) and several times rejected and drove back the foolish youth. Finally, as he continued to persist in his unseemly behavior, the maid, moved by the shamefulness of the affair to save her good reputation, discipline and piety and to avoid such great shame, told his mother about the whole affair and admonished her to forbid her son, who was secretly stalking her and trying to deprive her of her honor, from doing so. Now that the mother has considered the matter, she does the same with the maid and tells her to consent to her son's love, and that she should appoint a certain hour for them to come together and safely settle the matter of their liking. For she, the mother, wanted to lie down in the maid's bed at just such an appointed time, and by such an opportunity to restrain her son from such wicked undertakings. The maid accepted the advice and made such a covenant with the mother. Then the son came at night at the appointed hour and asked to sleep with the maid, as they had agreed. The mother, however, who had previously resolved to prevent her son's oestrus with such cunning, was overcome by her own evil air and the devil's intervention, so that she let the son sleep with her. From such unseemly coitus and incest a maiden is born. The same, since it was secretly taken away and brought up by others, has finally taken the mother again to herself, for which she was moved by maternal inclination and love.
49 But the same son, knowing nothing about all these things, also loves this maiden and desires that she be given to him as a wife. Then the mother was in great fear, and she advised the son against this and resisted his unseemly lust and desire as much as she could and would have liked. But he goes to and betroths himself to the virgin, and also takes her thus.
The mother was married against her mother's will, because at that time the secret engagements were common and had not been broken. But when the marriage was consummated and the wedding was held, the mother did not know what to do and fell into despair, so that she wanted to kill herself. For she was distressed by the incest that had been committed by the married couple every night, and yet she could not divorce the marriage. Since she knew this alone and could no longer bear the great pain and anguish of her heart alone, she went to her confessor, told him about the deal and asked him for advice and consolation. He does not know what to do about it, and is so frightened by such a horrible deal that he does not know what to advise. Therefore the same case is brought before the jurists; they themselves doubt what might be right in it, as in an unusual case, and think it must be ordered by divine goodness and mercy. But that was not enough, and the poor conscience was not yet rid of its doubts and hesitations. Finally, the matter came before the theologians, who gave a very good verdict. First of all, they asked whether the son knew that his wife was his mother's daughter, conceived by his blood. The mother said that he knew nothing about it. Only God and I know, she said, and the virgin, my son's wife, does not know that she is her husband's sister. Then they asked whether it was a good marriage and how they could get along with each other. The mother said that they lived together in peace and harmony. Therefore they decided: The afflicted conscience of the mother must be counseled with absolution; but the son must also be allowed to marry, since the marriage had long been confirmed by betrothal and the usual church service or wedding day of honor and cohabitation. For the mother would be a single person who alone could not prove or testify to this matter; moreover, great misfortune would result if the spouses were to be divorced from each other.
1006 L. IX, 28-27. interpretation of I Moses 36, 20-30. w. n, 1478-1478. 1007
50 This statement and judgment of the theologians, among whom the matter was heard in secret, is to be greatly commended. For the law must prevail and take its place where one acts publicly in court, and not in conscience. And the gate of absolution, that I call it so, shall never be shut before the poor sinner. Let him fall as low as he always wants. And I have told the story for the sake of the young theologians, who either now administer the ministry of preaching, or who would like to come to the ministry some day, that they act carefully with the frightened consciences; that they do not put ropes on those who confess their sin, or do not grieve the sorrowful and grieved hearts any more or further. In secret matters, it is very difficult to judge; therefore, learned and prudent pastors are needed, who do not weigh down or confuse the poor consciences, but save them, raise them up, and heal them again, which consciences the devil has heard and caught in his snares.
51 Another case is said to have happened with an adulteress who became pregnant by an adulterer and gave birth to a bastard, and then brought him to her husband and the other children as if he had been born in wedlock. But since she was grieved in her heart because of the adultery she had committed and that the legitimate children should be unfairly deprived of the inheritance, which part would fall to the bastard, it was asked: How should she be advised? Whether she should confess the sin to her husband and children, and ask them to let the bastard also be a co-heir to the property? because some have advised the same. But because it seemed that this would not be done without danger, the others advised otherwise. Finally, the Holy Spirit gave the woman very good advice. For when she had been seriously ill and was lying in bed, and there was no longer any hope of life, she gathered her seven children together before her and said to them, "My dear children, I am your mother.
I pray that you will forgive me. For I confess that through human weakness I fell into the great grave sin of adultery, from which an illegitimate son was born among you; but who he is I will not say. But I pray that you will consider him legitimate and not exclude him from the inheritance. They were all heartily willing and inclined to do so, and it was very dear to every child that the bastard had not been named. For no one among them wanted to bear this disgrace, and after that the brothers were able to get along well. The mother, however, having heard the comfort of forgiveness of sin, kept to it in her last moments and in the agony of death and became blessed through right faith and knowledge of the grace and mercy of God in Christ.
(52) Therefore, what is secret should not be so easily said, as the Jews do with the ana, and even more falsely and untruthfully. Then in such cases one must help the afflicted consciences, so that they may be delivered and snatched out of the devil's jaws, so that the precious blood of Christ may not be lost on them.
053 And it is ascribed unto Ana, that he invented the mule horses. For when he was grazing his father's herd in the desert, he let the donkeys run with the mother horses, and that is where the mule horses came from. Pliny in the 8th book and 44th chapter describes extensively and with many words, how in many ways such mixtures happened among the pagans, which is against the nature and creation of things. Therefore it is a shameful and unseemly invention. And he further says that the third kind, coming from different kinds of animals, is barren. For God did not want that such kind should be spread further.
(54) Although I doubt the Hebrew word Domini and cannot say anything certain about its meaning, for the Jews, because of the hatred they bear against the Gentiles, are very bold to invent vices, to defile and revile them with them. And the usual points have been invented only later in the Hebrew language, on it we
1008 D- n. 27-29- Ausleguyg of Genesis 36:20-39. W. n, I47s-i48i. 1009
We cannot rely on it everywhere with certainty. So it may well be that he invented the shem and the pools, which are often mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. And Jerome is also of the opinion and the text itself is not against it; although it is added that he had tended the donkeys. However, I do not want to say anything certain about it, although I have followed the rabbis in the German translation. It seems, however, as if it wanted to rhyme very well, therefore that in the desert little water is, that either this or however another tribe would be attributed that they invented the lakes. And the Hebrew letters and punctuation, if they be rightly written, rhyme well with it; for jamim means lakes: and is a very great gift and benefit with the lakes, especially in places where it is very dry, and in the desert. But where he would have understood the mouth horses, then also the mother horses should have been thought thereby, which Moses did not do.
II.
V.31-39: Now the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before the children of Israel had kings are these: 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 the king of the Themanites reigned in his stead. And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote the Midianites in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. When Hadad died, Samla of Masrek reigned. And when Samla was dead, Saul reigned over 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 his wife's name was Mehetabeel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mesahab.
055 Moses hath hitherto described the princes of the family of Esau, or Edom; and after them the princes of Seir, and of the Horites, which were kinsmen to Esau and his children by affinity. And these valiant mighty men destroyed the children of Edom, and their land
which was then called Edomaea or Idumaea. Today it has lost the name, and from the time of Jerome it was called Gabalena. For as the kingdoms are changed, so also the names change. Now he also calls the kings of Edom. For we have said before that God honored in them the patriarch Isaac and Rebekah; as He honors Abraham and Sarah also above, that for their sake He blesses Ishmael and promises him many heirs. For thus he speaks to Abraham in 17 Cap. V. 20: "For Ishmael's sake I have also heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and will make him a great nation." These gifts God gave to the Ishmaelites for Abraham's sake. And no doubt the Ishmaelites also kept the circumcision and other ceremonies, perhaps also the doctrine and faith of the promised Seed, and thus came to the church and congregation of Abraham; whereas many fell away from the house and lineage of Abraham and became Gentiles.
(56) In this way God gave Mount Seir, or the land of the Horites, to the Edomites, from whom they were exterminated, and it seems that they remained steadfast in the faith and religion of the fathers, Abraham and Isaac. But since the Horites did not want to improve and change and abolish the idolatrous false worship, they were destroyed. So now the bodily blessing of Esau is described here by Moses, from which he also came to the spiritual blessing. Although the Lord Christ could not be expected from the seed of Esau, it was not denied to him or his children that they could not also use the common benefits of the promise with the people of Israel. As we see in the books of the kings, that the Edomites were at times friends and subjects of the kings of Judah, as in the days of David, who brought Idumea under him and conquered it, but at times also fell away again, as under the king Joram.
1010 L.IL, W-Ä1. interpretation of Genesis 36:31-39. **W. II, 1481-1483.** 1011
57 Therefore all these things are described for the sake of the fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in honor of them, and that no one may think that the way is closed to the Edomites for the grace and blessing of the promised seed.
(58) But it is asked, Whether these princes and kings were before Moses, or after Moses? If they were after Moses, he could not have written this, but this addition was made by another, as the last part is in the fifth book of Moses. For he did not say of himself Deut. 34:10: "And there arose no prophet in Israel after Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. There are other things that are told there about the grave of Moses. Unless you want to say that he saw and prophesied these things beforehand through a prophetic spirit. But because the Holy Spirit describes and praises these kings and princes, we should also keep their memory.
(59) The princes listed above, v. 15 and following, were before the kings, and did not rule one after the other, but they ruled at the same time, so that each ruled over his cities, servants and subjects in his appointed place, and that the land was divided into twelve or more principalities. Among them were many glorious men, as Isaac's and Rebekah's grandsons, though their mothers came from the godless family of the Horites.
The kings who are listed in this place came in the place of the princes. For they have seen that it would be necessary to have only one supreme ruler, so that the whole country would be united under one head in one community, so that they could protect themselves much better against their neighbors, the Philistines, Arabs and Egyptians, who were their enemies. This is now the monarchy and regiment of the kings of Edom.
61 Now this list, where the kings and princes of Esau are listed one after another, reminds us that the spiritual promises are fulfilled very slowly. For St. Paul says 1 Cor. 15, 46: "The spiritual body is not the first, but the second.
the natural, then the spiritual." God adorned the lineage of Esau with many great bodily gifts. He gave him children and children's children, and all kings and princes. Jacob has the spiritual blessing and promise, namely, when it is said to him, "Be a lord over your brothers," 2c. of which we have heard above, chap. 27: But he is a poor, miserable shepherd, and must wander about with his children in the wilderness, strangeness and misery. How then is God true, because He does not fulfill the promise made to Jacob, but blesses and increases Esau and makes him very great, from whom the blessing has been taken? Yes, the physical descendants and heirs of Esau have boasted that, since they were princes in the land, the firstborn would also be with them, but Jacob was rejected. The flesh thinks that it does not rhyme with divine truth, and is greatly angered by the hope of those who are great and rich because of the gifts of the flesh.
- but one must answer this from the 2nd Psalm v. 4: "He who dwells in heaven laughs at them, and the LORD mocks at them." And as the pagan poet said: Tolluntur in altum, ut lapsu graviore ruant, that is: They are lifted up high, that they may fall so much harder. Which rhymes very nicely with the saying in Psalm 73 v. 18: "But you put them on the slippery slope and bring them down" 2c. Yes, this is the happiness of the wicked: they rise up and become proud when it is well with them, because of the glory of the flesh; as the Edomites boasted and said: We have the kingdom, we hold the land of Seir and the Horites; Jacob is a beggar and a vagrant, always afflicted with all kinds of miseries and calamities, with frost and heat; he is a poor wretched man in all places, he has disobedient children and they are bad boys; Reuben has gone up to his mother's bed, Dinah has been made asleep by Shechem; for this reason he has no blessing.
63 For this reason God allows this to happen, so that faith may be exercised and tested, and so that we may learn to cling to the word alone and not look at what is visible and tangible, but rather keep to it, that it may be seen.
101Z L. iL. 3i-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 36:31-39. W. ii. i4 "s-i4ss. 1013
and that against all feeling and judgment of reason we keep the comfort of which St. Paul says 2 Cor. 4:9: "We suffer persecution, but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed; but we do not perish. "2c. For that which is outwardly seen with the eyes faileth and perisheth: but that which is promised, and which is not seen, is sure and constant. But one must wait for it in faith, and bear with patience the delay and postponement before the promise is fulfilled. For in its time it will be seen.
(64) But what honor and glory the kings and princes of Edom had, the glory of the promise of the seed is far greater and more excellent, as is the glory of the prophets, of the miraculous deliverance from Egypt and salvation from other enemies, and of the glorious and beautiful victories that the people of Israel had, so that even the blessing of Edom cannot be compared with these gifts. Yet Jacob is still like a rotten and withered log, buried in the ground; but in his time he will grow green. What soon blossoms and is lovely to look at is not permanent and does not last long. And here the verse of the poet also has place, since he says: O formose puer, nimium ne crede colori: Beware of what goes high. But look at those and marvel at those who have the promise. For the divine majesty is wont to exalt the hopeful, that they may be seen standing in great flourish, and ever increasing. But this is added, which is said before from the 73rd Psalm v. 18. "You set them on the slippery slope, and bring them down to the ground." So God deceives the devil and the world and mocks them.
(65) With whom then is the promise and the faith, they must suffer frost and hunger, and are despised and rejected. As one is said to have said: He does not ask anything special about the doctrine of religion, nor does he understand it; but this he knows very well, that those who serve God and the emperor are the most miserable people. The wicked, however, boast of the rule and the regiment. And this they do justly; for God fills them with
the belly with goods; he gives them kingdoms and goods of this world, as it is written in the 17th Psalm v. 14: "They that have children's substance, and leave the rest to their young. He also gives physical goods to the saints or believers, but slowly and through much tribulation, so that their faith may be exercised and they may come to understand the gifts of God and use them rightly and well.
(66) Therefore let us abide in the multitude that hath the word, though they be despised and rejected. The wicked, the hopeful, and the covetous grow up fine and become great in this world; they grow up so that everyone thinks, "They will do it," so that the godly begin to be angry and impatient, as the 73rd Psalm v. 13 says: "Shall it be in vain that my heart lives blamelessly, and I wash my hands in innocence? But he answers this, saying v. 18, 19: "I see that they are set on the slippery; they are suddenly brought to nought; they perish, and come to an end with terror." Therefore this serves as a lesson for us, so that we do not get angry with the common troubles that last forever in the world. After that, those who among the Edomites and the Ishmaelites have recognized this honor and these benefits, which were shown to them by God for the sake of the blood of the patriarchs, to honor the same with it, and have been grateful to God for it, these have also had access to God's grace and to eternal blessedness. The greater part, however, have been godless, hopeful and proud; therefore they have also been lost.
But the kings, I say, were in the days of Moses. For the princes were born to Esau before the death of Isaac, and reigned in the land of Seir, while Jacob yet dwelt in Mesopotamia. For when he came again out of Mesopotamia, they went out to meet him armed with their father, and kept their reign twenty or thirty years, until the death of Isaac. Then it began that the flesh and the bodily blessing were in flux; but the kings reigned longer than two hundred years. After that other princes came. Therefore you can see how the glory of the flesh was so great.
1014 n. S3-S8. Interpretation of Genesis 36:31-39. W. n. itM-uss. 1015
has become with those who have not had the promise of the seed.
68 Meanwhile Jacob is miserable in the foreign land, with whom was the flower of blessing; but there is seen in him only drought and barrenness. And when the Edomites saw this, they defied him and mocked him, saying, "Is this the blessing that Jacob has cunningly taken from our father Esau? How just is God's judgment, who has not left such violence unavenged! Behold, we have princes and kings; the Israelites are poor servants and captives, subject to all kinds of misfortunes, miseries and hardships. And the priests and lawyers have also praised the same; just as today the Turkish and Papal priests also know how to praise the great fortune on their part. There have been few of the godly who have known how to arm themselves against such great trouble, who have also seen the promise and thus concluded: God cannot forget his promise, and one day a beautiful branch will come out of the barren clump, which will finally grow and bear fruit.
(69) But I hold that these kings were worldly pious men, and that some of them were saints, since the Holy Ghost deigns to enumerate and praise them. Their histories and history, as well as the description of their regiment and their cities, are unknown to us, although there is no doubt that among the Jews there were still some remembrances of them. The children of Esau will have described the glorious deeds and the state of the whole regiment.
The first king was Behor. Since he died, Jobab of Bazra reigned in his place. This succession, that one ruled after the other, was not kept with the princes above. Bazra is a famous city in Idumea, and is remembered in Isaiah Cap. 63, 1. and Jeremiah; although Isaiah uses the same word, called catachresis by the figure, and thereby understands Jerusalem. There is also another Bazra, located in stony Arabia. Augustine and Ambrose hold
that this Jobab is of the family of Esau, and think that it is Job: and such an opinion has many signs, from which it can be taken away. For therefore the letters and names of the friends rhyme, of whom Eliphaz the Themanite, as it appears, came from Theman in the land of Edom; item, Baldad and Sophar. If this is true, it rhymes well with history. For Job was a very wise and understanding man in the law and words of the Lord, and accepted the doctrine and circumcision of his father Esau.
(71) Lyra disputes this, because there is a difference between the letters used to begin the names. For Jobab is written with the letter, but Job with the a. But I answer that it is not unusual in the Scriptures for the letter a to be written and the letter j to be omitted, and vice versa, both at the beginning and at the end, and also in the middle of the word. Therefore it is a weak proof. With our nobility this name has also remained, Jos, that is, Job, Jobst 2c.
Seventy-two: But be it as it may, the Hebrews say that Job came from Nahor, Abraham's brother, of the family of Bethuel and Laban in Syria. The same origin, they say, is also supposed to have Balaam, and is very credible and rhymes well with Scripture. Therefore, if one may make assumptions, it seems that the city of Haran was a church and a good school in Mesopotamia, where Job and his like came together, item, Balaam. For the word was spread in the same family.
(73) Therefore, as Abraham and Isaac appointed and governed their church, so did Nahor, and the teaching came from these patriarchs and rulers of the church to their heirs. From these churches and schools came the prophets, teachers and patriarchs, among whom Job was also. But I cannot conclude with certainty whether he came from Esau or from Nahor: this is known for certain, that he belongs to that family of Shem, which is, as it were, the collateral line of Christ. For the teaching remained with Shem, and from him it went to Idumea,
1016 ix, ss-s7. Interpretation of Genesis 36, 31-39. W. n, 1439-1492. 1017
Mesopotamia, Arabia and Syria, then through Joseph also to Egypt.
Thus God has gathered and preserved the church and congregation from the beginning. As in the papacy, baptism, the keys, the Lord's Supper and other pure articles of faith have remained, while the pope has made other articles, such as the relics and invocation of the saints, of purgatory; so that he has falsified and mixed up the sound doctrine. Thus Jerusalem was full of altars and idols; and yet God always maintains the Church in the world among the hypocrites and idolaters.
Therefore, let us leave the disputation of Job's origin undecided. The friends mentioned in his history were undoubtedly wise and learned men. Balaam was also a good prophet, but except for the gold: since that comes, he lets himself be bribed and seduced with it. For the sake of the Themanites, however, I am more of the opinion that Job came from Esau. For Arabia is nearer to Judah and is better known there, although Mesopotamia is also near. The Arabs stretch out over almost the entire Orient. And Job complains in Cap. 1, v. 17 that he received his loss from Sheba, that is, from the Chaldeans. But we cannot say anything certain about this. For it is a very confused thing and a great disorder with the proper names in the Hebrew language for the sake of changing the letters, even those that are called literae substantiales, the consonants that actually make up the word, as Hadad and Hadar are such proper names. Item Moses, 2 Mos. 2, 22., calls his son Gersom, as if one wanted to say in Latin advena ibi, Here guest; and yet the whole scripture is called Gerson through and through.
Hadad defeated the Midianites: the victory was given to him by God in honor of Isaac, although Midian was also Abraham's son. However, I believe that the former was pious, and the latter proud and hopeful, and that he used idolatrous worship along with the teachings of Abraham. That is why he was overcome and defeated in the field of Moab, when they were with
They met each other when they had gone through another country from their own lands, so that they wanted to fight with each other. These are the stories that happened around the time they went down to Egypt.
(77) Saul of Rehoboth, that is, of the broad water, by the water, that is, of the water that was near it, Nahar or Phrath; as we say, by the Elbe, or by the Rhine. But there was a union and confederacy among the blood friends, the Jdumeans; and they also made friends with the inhabitants of Mesopotamia.
- if one reverses Baal Hanan, it is called Hannibal, in Latin, vir gratiosus, a favorable man, John. Among the eight kings, however, there are only three who have cities, namely, Bela, Hadad and Hadar. They seem to have been good stewards who made their land and cities bigger and bigger in good peace, built cities and established good order with laws, judgment and justice.
79 Mehetabeel was a noble and excellent woman, because Moses praised her above all others. The word means. One who has done good in the sight of God, or who has been beneficent because of God, as if to say, Theodosia. It is also called her lineage, that she was born of a famous lineage and of honest parents. And is as it were such a description as that of Ahalibama was, since we have said that one should reject the poisonous lies of the Jews. For she may well be called a daughter of her father, and also a daughter of her grandfather, who took her father's place and brought her up when her father died; which is still thus decreed and held in imperial law.
80 I also believe that this Hadar was the last king of the Edomites, and that Jephthah speaks of him in the book of Judges in chapter 11, v. 13. v. 13, that when Israel came out of Egypt, the king of the Edomites asked that they might pass through his land, but they could not obtain it from him. Therefore, I believe that God punished such hopefulness in him, and that the monarchy and the royal regiment
1018 2-27- SS- Interpretation of I Genesis 36, 31-13. **W.", 1192-iiss.** 1019
Edom was again divided into several principalities. Two years after they came out of Egypt, the people of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, but because they sinned against the Lord, they had to go back again and travel around the land of Edom. This journey they accomplished in eight and thirty years, so long did they wander about the mountains of Edom. So, in my opinion, this Hadar was the last king. Since he died, the princes who are listed last succeeded him.
V.40-43: So the princes of Esau are called in their families, Oertern and Namm: The prince Thimna, the prince Aiwa, 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 Jram. These are the princes of Edom, as they were accustomed in their inheritance. And Esau is the father of the Edomites.
- After the kings, and since the monarchy and the royal regiment was disturbed because of the sin of King Hadar, who would not allow the children of Israel to pass through Idumea, now these princes follow, each in his place, and in his lineage and name, as Moses says. And he shows that there was no such succession, since one ruled after the other, as there was among the kings.
82 But the order of history rhymes well. For the kingdom of Edom lasted two hundred years, during which time Jacob and his descendants were in Egypt. After they returned from Egypt, Idumea was again divided into principalities and ruled by princes until the time of David, who conquered Idumea and brought it under his rule. Even though the outer descendants were of the royal tribe, they are not counted. Later, under Joram, the king of Edom will be remembered again, since the Idumeans fell away from the kings of Judah.
(83) Therefore the lineage of Esau is quite appropriate to the history of the two patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob. For therein see
we see the great honor and glory of the flesh and of godless people in this life, who have glory, wealth and happiness in full. They are lords and rulers in the world, and either despise the godly or oppress them, as the Edomites despised Jacob with his descendants with great pride. On the other hand, Jacob, who has the promise and is a great high patriarch in the whole world, as well as a ruler of the true church and congregation of God, is miserably oppressed and afflicted because of many misfortunes in his house and many other miseries, so that it seems as if he is even deprived of the spiritual blessings and grace of God. But finally, at the end follows what is written in the hymn of praise of the Virgin Mary Luc. 1, 52: "He pushes the mighty from their seats, and lifts up the lowly." This is the conclusion and the end with the ungodly and the godly; as Christ says Luc. 6, 24. 25: "Woe to you who are rich, for you have lost your comfort. Woe to you who are full, for you will hunger" 2c. On the other hand, Matth. 5, 4: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."
(84) Wherefore we ought to take heed that we rather cleave unto the poor, and to them that mourn, which have the promise, than unto the ungodly. For even though the wicked have great happiness for a time, they will finally be overthrown and destroyed: but the godly, who are oppressed for a time, have certain refuge, help and comfort in God, who is with the afflicted and sustains them, soothes their sorrow, and the little host, which again comes out of its sorrow and misery, will finally be graced with eternal glory and life. And we should not become fainthearted, nor should we despair, even if we have to bear great toil and labor, as well as much misery and misfortune; but we should certainly take it for granted that the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is present with us, who protects, guides and governs all those who are troubled and weighed down in this world, as He promised in Matthew 28:20: "I am with you always, even to the end of the world. To whom be praise and glory with the eternal Father and Holy Spirit forever and ever, amen.
1020 D- ix. ti. 42. interpretation of Genesis 37, 1. W. ii. i49s-isoi. 1021
The Thirty-Seventh Chapter.
First part.
About Joseph and his discipline and piety, how his father especially loved him and had a colorful skirt made for him.
V. 1. Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father had been a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
Now this is the last history of the last patriarch Joseph, so that Moses concluded his first book, the Genesis, with a very beautiful and happy ending or end of all things, so Jacob acted, and especially of his whole life and all his tribulations. For after his house and household had been all confounded, and full of great toil, anxiety and sorrow, with which the very holy patriarch, as we have heard, had to struggle (not both because of the enmity of his brother Esau and the unkindness of his father-in-law Laban, all of which he endured and overcame with great courage, quite undaunted, with firm unconquerable faith, and also with great wonderful patience; but rather because of the tribulations and afflictions that happened in his own house and that he encountered there, such as that his daughter was weakened, that Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died to him and also his dear wife Rachel, that his son Reuben committed such great unspeakable incest by touching and defiling his father's marriage bed); and since in such great and high afflictions he still had some hope and consolation left in his old age, namely in his dear son Joseph, who was the firstborn of his deceased wife Rachel, who with his godly conduct and holy life still somewhat gladdened, comforted and lifted up his old father's heart, which had been afflicted and distressed for all that.
The poor, miserable old father, having first lost his beloved wife, must now also be deprived of his beloved son.
002 For Joseph was sold, and carried away into Egypt, so that he was out of his father's sight. And this was not done by strangers, or by those who might have been enemies, but by the bitterness, hatred and malice of his own brothers. And since these brothers fraudulently concealed their great sin and showed their old father the bloody robe, as if Joseph had been eaten by a wild animal, he, the father, did not mean or know otherwise than that the same would have perished and his son Joseph would have perished in such a miserable way; therefore he was so grieved and saddened in his heart over such a case that he did not want to be comforted by his other sons or daughters.
3 Thus the old aged Jacob is thrown into this fear and distress, even into hell itself, and that through the wickedness and sin of his own children. Therefore, his faith was undoubtedly so severely and seriously challenged and shattered that he could not have kept the promise God had made to him without a great struggle. For his heart was not only troubled and challenged with a fatherly inclination towards his dear son, but also with doubts and unbelief, namely, whether God would keep his promise, or whether he would have rejected him completely for the sake of some special sins; since he must now be deprived of the son of whom he hoped that he would be the rightful heir of the blessing that God had promised him, and of all his goods.
4 So this history and last misery of this holy man Jacob is the most troublesome one.
1022 L n. 42-44. interpretation of Genesis 37, 1. W. n. isvi-isos. 1023
It has been the most difficult and very frightening, and soon has a very heavy and fierce struggle in the beginning. For it is full of grievous and miserable sorrow or lamentation, by which the holy All-Father, previously almost exhausted by so much sorrow, suffering and affliction, is almost completely killed; and on top of all this, the grievous sin of his son Judah, who committed incest with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, has also occurred: which will have greatly increased the old father's sorrow and pain.
(5) However, he still retained good hope and firm confidence with wonderful constancy, and he lifted himself up and comforted himself with so many examples of the manifold and apparent help and salvation he had felt and experienced throughout his life, until at last a new light and comfort appeared and met him again.
(6) For at last a very wonderful and sweet end followed, that his great misery and pain, which had happened unexpectedly, was turned into a very great and unexpected joy. For Joseph, whose death his old father had mourned, was again led out of darkness into the light, out of death into life, and was miraculously preserved by God, and in addition was raised and seated by the king in Egypt to great honor and glory, after Jacob himself was also delivered from many and great tribulations.
(7) Now this is the end of the first book of Moses, and is the sixth and last book after the division of this explanation of ours, as we made it above. Just as there is nothing more beautiful in the whole of Scripture than the whole of Genesis, so among the other histories of the other patriarchs this example is very excellent and noteworthy, and is actually of such a nature that I cannot sufficiently grasp or understand it either in words or in thought. For this reason, I would like it to be interpreted and explained by others who are far more learned and eloquent than I am.
- however, the order of the
Because the explanation we have begun requires and entails that we say the least, we want to pass over the history, which is truly very wonderful and high, because we cannot act and explain it sufficiently according to its dignity. But first, the order of this story must be repeated from what has been said above. For at the end of the 35th chapter Moses told how the patriarch Isaac, having become old and full of life, died and was gathered to his people, and how his two sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him in the land of Canaan. From then on, he goes on to describe Esau's family, and therefore takes as his reason that Esau was at his father's burial, and undoubtedly with him all his sons and brothers-in-law, who were reconciled to Jacob at that time, since the two brothers were also reunited with each other. Therefore, what now follows up to the 40th chapter, everything happened while the patriarch Isaac was still alive. Therefore, we have also remembered that these stories, according to the proper order of history, must be included in the 35th chapter, namely just before the last part, where v. 28 is said: "And Isaac lived to be a hundred and eighty years old" 2c.
9 And this reminder is very necessary, so that the reader can find his way more easily into this description, which is somewhat confused, and understand it. For all the others who have interpreted this book, and especially Lyra and Augustine, have been very troubled by this passage, so that even Augustine, when he was thus troubled by it, had reason to doubt the holy scripture and its credibility somewhat.
(10) It is the same with the antediluvians, who read the sayings of Scripture together, as if they were against each other, and who try to weaken and overthrow the certainty of Scripture with diligence: when they come to such passages, they get stuck in them, are so confused that they can neither get behind nor in front of them, and then cry out fiercely that the sermons and stories in Scripture do not adhere well to each other, unless
1024 D. n. 44-16. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 1. 3. W. II. 1503-1506. 1025
Everything is confused and vainly uncertain. And this is also the cause that such antilogists may never come to the right true light and understanding of divine things.
(11) There is also a rule among the Kabbalists, In lege non esse prius aut posterius**,** that is, that nothing is written in the law that is described according to the proper order of the time in which it occurred. But this rule is not everywhere and generally true, should and must be drawn also with nothing to that, so all here is told and described. For Isaac was certainly still alive when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and twelve years after that, when he was again delivered from prison and raised to rule and reign over all Egypt.
12 Therefore, the following history, when Tamar was weakened, must also be drawn to the same time. For the sin was committed by Judah, since his grandfather Isaac was still alive. Nevertheless, we will tell the account of the years and persons according to their order. For if any man shall reckon the number of years from the time that Jacob was given in marriage, until he went down into Egypt, he shall find that many great and marvelous things were done in the space of six and forty years. And although the history seems to be quite confused to those who are not very experienced, and who take care that they pick up the vile sayings in the Scriptures too accurately, nevertheless Christian readers, who remember this order, will easily find their way into it and will also understand the right order correctly.
013 And Moses continued in the history of the patriarch Jacob, and wrote how he dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger. For he came to Isaac, dwelling at Hebron in the land of Canaan, and there he appointed his family and household to dwell with him. The land is called foreign because, although it was promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they still had nothing of their own or certain in it, except the right of burial, which Abraham bought, as we have seen above, Cap. 23,
V. 17. Therefore Jacob, like his fathers, went as a stranger from one place to another, as shepherds are wont to go about from one place to another according to the opportunity of the cattle and the pasture. Nevertheless, Jacob did not leave his old father Isaac in such a pilgrimage, because he brought his daughter Dinah to him, who was weak, and his dearest son Joseph, whom Isaac will undoubtedly have seen and cherished with great heartfelt pleasure and joy even in his old age.
I.
V.2 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 the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah his father's wives, and brought before their father, where there was an evil cry against them.
- the holy scripture has this usage, that it is used to describe the "families", if it also only mentions one son; as in this place only Joseph is mentioned, and the other sons of Jacob are left out, as if they all did not also belong to the number and as if this Joseph alone was the son, because he is listed before the others in this family register. And this Joseph is also the only one who may be preferred to all the others, justly and with every right. For he was born of the most noble wife of Jacob, and his parents had a great desire for him for a very long time; moreover, by virtue of the marriage between his father and mother, all the dignity and glory of the firstborn is due to him, even though he did not have it at that time, as we shall hear.
(15) What then is the family of Jacob? He has a son named Joseph. What is the fate of this son? What fate has befallen him? Listen to what Moses says: "Joseph was seventeen years old when he became a shepherd of cattle with his brothers. So it was with Joseph, that he was a youth of seventeen years, of such age and strength, that he might well have been a husband as
1026 L. ix. ""-48. interpretation of Genesis 37, 2. w. ii. isos-isos. 1027
His other brothers were also. For Judah, Reuben and the others already had wives and children. But this one still lived alone in his youth, without a wife and without his own household, and he alone was dear to the old father, that he had air and joy in him, because he was born of his most beloved wife, who had died; and his whole life, also everything he did, with all his customs, which were pure and innocent, made him wonderfully dear and pleasant to the father.
016 To whom then did this Joseph cleave? He did not have fellowship with the noblest sons his father had begotten with Leah, namely, Judah, Simeon, Reuben and Levi, because they despised Joseph, the son of Rachel, for the sake of their court: moreover, the good, pious young man sees that the children of the maids were completely despised and mocked, and that they were considered by the four sons of Leah to be the lowest servants. For this reason, he has joined such despised ones in particular. For the others were very proud and defiant; though Reuben was somewhat humbled because of the sin and incest of defiling his father's bed; and I think Judah will also have been somewhat humbler than the others. But Levi and Simeon were very proud warriors and slayers, who also slew Shechem and Hemor his father, with all that were in the city, with the edge of the sword: they were very rude, proud farmers and felts.
(17) And it is indeed a marvelous thing that they have been the hearers of the holy fathers, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, and Deborah, their nurse, for so long a time, and yet have not become more pious, nor have they reformed. For Moses has described and pictured them in this way, so that the sin and shame they committed may be considered almost equal to the most shameful deeds and examples of the Gentiles.
18 Therefore we should not be surprised to see that in these last evil times there are so many, alas! so many, who fall away from the right true godliness, who
We have heard so many beautiful and glorious sermons without any fruit and improvement, but we may be content with this and be satisfied that a few are found who still keep the word with pleasure and are improved by it. For we see that the same thing happened to the very holy patriarch Jacob, in whose house and lineage those who were the most distinguished among his sons caused him, the old father, the greatest sorrow, grief and pain.
19 Now in the young man Joseph there was seen a peculiar discipline and piety, that he was able to bear so patiently such unrighteous boorish hopefulness and contempt for himself and the other brothers, born of the maidens, when it would have been more fitting for him, as the firstborn son, than for Simeon and Levi, to have exalted and distinguished himself a little.
20 Therefore, we want to act this history in such a way that we spitefully magnify the pride and pride of these two sons of Jacob, so that God's grace and mercy may be seen and recognized the more, that He can nevertheless make and bring forth the best from the greatest wickedness. We do not want to cover up their shame and misdeed, but make it as great as we can; for it is in all ways unjust and pitiful that the good, pious father should have been treated in such an unjust manner, and should have been mocked and mourned by his own sons; for they have grieved the pious Jacob, their father, too heartily, and have played with the poor old man to such an extent that it is pitiful.
(21) And Joseph also had the same cause, that he would not join them, but dealt principally with the other despised sons of the maidens, and held them in honor; though he was born of a nobler mother, he let the murderers be satisfied with him. From this, then, the excellent good nature and the special understanding of this young man actually emerges; which Moses also wanted to praise in him in particular here. For it is certain
1028 L. IX. 48. 49. interpretation of I Moses 37, 2. W. II. I5Ü9-ISI2. 1029
There was a good nature about him, and a fine, gentle, humble mind. In addition, he was God-fearing and chaste, and had fine, honest and quiet manners, so that he would not only have won the heart of his old father, but also of the neighbors, so that they were especially fond of him. It is therefore no wonder that his father loved him dearly, not only because he was his son, but also because of the good nature and beautiful virtue with which he was gifted.
22 So Joseph is like a beautiful bright star and like the morning star in the house of Jacob, with whom the rude peasants could hardly be compared. For this reason he abandons them and joins the despised brothers, tending the cattle with them, as was his father's will and good pleasure, since he was the most noble son and was to become king over all Egypt: the great king in Egypt must tend the sheep in his youth.
23 Joseph is also praised because he brought before his father and reported to him where his brothers had done something that was not right, and were condemned because of it. For he loved justice and respectability, and was full of love and obedience to his father, so that he could not conceal from him anything that his brothers had done that might have injured others, or that might have caused his father's family to cry foul or be reviled. Therefore, when he heard that something evil or shameful had been said about his brothers, he immediately brought it before Jacob, his father, as a judge, and it was his duty to prevent or prevent it in every way, so that the house and the church, which had been so great and glorious, might be protected, which had been adorned and graced with such great and glorious promises, should not be disfigured or tainted by such evil examples or deeds, and that the name of God should not be blasphemed by the strangers or unbelievers, and that at the same time the service of God which Jacob and his household had practiced and of which they had boasted should not be reviled. This
Joseph wanted to have the care of the right worship completely unbroken and unharmed, and also not stained with any kind of anger.
(24) And it grieved him greatly, without a doubt, to see the wantonness and iniquity of his brethren, that they all, together with the whole house of Jacob, were so much reproached among the heathen for it. For this reason he complained several times to his father about the disobedience and unrighteous deeds of his brothers, so that they grieved and offended each other or their neighbors: Behold, dear father, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, my brethren, are at all times turbulent and unruly men, often making a noise, displeasure, and strife, and thus vexing the nations that dwell near about us, who then also lie in wait quite diligently and exactly for our life and what we have for customs. Now, this nuisance should be eliminated from our house and community, so that we will not be blasphemed by those who are not of our faith.
(25) As in our day we are also surrounded with papists, who have very sharp eyes, look very closely upon us, and have also such sharp noses, that they may easily smell; for they lie in wait for us in a hostile manner, whether they may smell or perceive anything that would be disgraceful from us, yea, whether they may blaspheme or reproach our words or works, which are also honorable and good in themselves. For this reason St. Paul also diligently exhorts and says Eph. 5:15: "Take heed, brethren, how ye walk carefully," and that ye give no cause to blaspheme against the adversary. Item Col. 4, 5: "Walk wisely toward them that are without." For the adversaries are diligent to take hold of even a small and slight cry that may come from us. But what is good in us, they do not see, do not respect, even completely despise, and have only pleasure in what is not good in itself, and if they may only hear an evil cry from us.
26 Therefore the patriarch Jacob had to pay special attention to this as a
1030 D. n. 4S-S1. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 2. W. n. ISI2-1S1L. 1031
Bishop or teacher of the parish, so that a good reputation and a good name may remain in his whole lineage. For it is not proper for a priest or pastor to lead a dishonest life and to govern his servants or household members in a shameful and evil manner. And it is much better to bear or tolerate the contempt and bitter hatred of the adversaries than to fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil, as St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 3:7.
27 Joseph, this young man, had the same concern and took such care, namely, how he would help prevent all kinds of trouble, by which the house of Jacob, the church and also the promise of God would be despised or blasphemed. And there is no doubt about it, he will have been greatly hated by his brothers because of this, because they could not bear their father's admonition and punishment and became impatient about it. Therefore, when they learned that Joseph had revealed their wrongdoing, they were furiously enraged; they would have said: That all misfortune should befall the traitor, who immediately brings before his father what he hears that we have spoken or done! For they took upon themselves to exercise great courage and to do all kinds of evil deeds without the knowledge of their father, and they interpreted the good and friendly admonition or punishment of other pious people in their generation in this way and considered it treachery; indeed, out of their bitter hatred of them they became more and more angry, piled up their wickedness and sin daily, and did not care whether they would make a good or a bad name for themselves among the heathen around.
In this place Lyra and Burgensis have diligently and very precisely investigated what might have been the great sin and misdeed for which Joseph accused his brothers before his father. For thus it is written in the old translation. But it is nevertheless an unnecessary question, because from the Hebrew text one can take it, what the right simple mind is. The Hebrew word dibbath in itself means clamor, rumor or opinion, which is among the people from
was spread out. When, 4 Mos. 13, 33, Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan, and when all of them come back, they say that an evil cry has gone out from the land, that is, they have made an evil report to the land, for they said: "The land eats its inhabitants" 2c. The same word was also used by Moses in this place, when he says how Joseph brought before their father Jacob, "where there was an evil cry against them."
- And he kept the four sons of the maidens, Gad, Naphtali, Asher, and Dan, because they were more humble than the other four, who were exceedingly proud of the firstborn, because they were born of Leah their mother, They both made a nasty noise to themselves because of life and evil customs, and did not shy away from their father at all, but thought that they were free to do whatever they wanted according to their own will, because they were the children of a renowned and highly famous patriarch and had such a glorious and great promise.
(30) But Joseph, because he loved discipline, peace, and honor, was grieved at the wickedness of these his brethren, and often brought them before his father, where they had transgressed and sinned, exhorting him, and always entreating him, that he would have a more earnest understanding in the house, and in all the congregation, that discipline and honor, as it is fitting, should be kept.
(31) And this was the only reason that he was so violently hated by them, namely, that Joseph always had such a diligent concern, so that things would go right in his father's house, and that he desired that especially the doctrine would keep its good name unharmed among everyone. He is pious, and for this reason he has also gladly promoted piety and everything that belongs to it; but he also wanted to have aggravation abolished and abolished. He was sorry about this, as the pious are wont to be, and thus incurred the hatred of his brothers and had to let them persecute him for it. But further on in the text there is another reason.
1032 **D. n. S1. 82. interpretation of Genesis 37, 3. w. n. 1S14-1Ü17.** 1033
II.
V. 3 Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he begat him in the inner room, and made him a coat of many colors.
(32) At first the great proud nobles found it hard and unpleasant, because they could not bear that Jacob preferred Joseph to the other children, since he was still almost a little boy and the youngest among them. They will have said: We are the rightful masters, as we were born of the mother Leah, who was the first wife of our father Jacob, before Joseph was conceived. I Reuben was born in the first year after the wedding, Simeon in the second, Levi in the third, and so on; but Joseph was born in the very last. Therefore we are the ones on whom the whole being, or the noblest power and also the glory of this house hangs. But Rachel with her children is like an addition or something accidental. Therefore, we deserve the honor, love and favor of the Father, and also of this whole house and lineage.
(33) Because of these causes, a bitter, hostile and terrible hatred arose in them like a fire against their brother Joseph, for they were not in their right mind, but were full of malice and possessed by the devil.
Reason itself, and the common wit or understanding of all men, has it that Joseph was rightly and justly loved by his father Jacob, and also naturally before the others, because Rachel was Jacob's most noble wife, and Joseph was born of her almost in his father's old age, since the parents hoped and waited for him with desire all seven years, moreover, because he was of such a good nature and adorned with all kinds of virtues. I myself would rather have such a son than the others, who was so pious, chaste and obedient in all things, even if he were not the firstborn son.
35 Therefore, I say, this love which Jacob bore to his son Joseph was also by nature wholly just and right, which yet the brothers of Joseph, who were of wicked bitterness, did not love.
They were of such a mind that they themselves wanted to be adored and honored by Joseph; they wanted to hear from him that he should greet and address them in this way: You are lords, the most distinguished nobles and rulers in your father's house; everything that pleases and pleases you shall please me also.
They sought such piety and humility in their brother and wanted it from him. But because Joseph always shied away from his father and showed him due honor, and finally also had a diligent concern that everything in his father's house should be chaste and godly, for this reason they miserably plagued and tortured the pious old father, and they closed the door, and also fraudulently and forcibly pushed the pious boy Joseph out of the house into misery. For they could not suffer that they were persuaded, that they were restrained, and that they would not permit their willfulness; yea, they would have been praised rather than punished for their wickedness.
(37) Just such wickedness and perverse behavior is also now being violently practiced by all classes in the church, in the secular and domestic regimes. For every man rages against him who speaks to him and reminds him of his office. One is vehemently angry with those who punish sin and vice, even with those who are mean and rude. Let no one be persuaded, but let each one do as he pleases; and they may use their iniquity and their wantonness in a glorious way. One may plead his high rank, another his wealth, or another his fatherland, or even his parents, that for the sake of such supposed causes they should be looked through the fingers, and on account of their sins and disgraces they should not be punished or scolded. I, they say, am in the regiment, therefore one should also spare the status and not revile it so. I am a citizen of Wittemberg, of Nuremberg, and therefore I do not unreasonably entitle myself to more justice and freedom than a stranger or a native of Nuremberg.
1034 D IL. S2-S4. Interpretation of I Genesis 37, 3. W. n. IS17-IÜM. 1035
ling. And again, those who are honorable and modest and remain within the bounds of their office and the laws, these are hated by almost everyone; as it also happened to the pious Joseph in his generation.
038 After this, the dislike which Joseph's brethren bore him was increased by the fact that his father loved him above all others. For though Jacob loved the other sons also, when they were born of him, yet the father's affection for Joseph was much more ardent, for good lawful causes; and because they could not bear it, they ought to be justly hostile to them.
(39) And I marvel that they have been tolerated so long in the very holy congregation of Jacob. I would have killed them all or pushed them out of the house. For, dear God, what great nonsense and wickedness is it to be angry with such a father who loves his son, who is pious and godly, and who was born of his most beloved wife? For this reason we have also said that this wickedness must be made great and heavy as much as possible, because they make it too rough.
40 Incidentally, a dispute arose here among the grammarians: Why did Moses explicitly state the cause of the love that Jacob bore Joseph? namely, because Joseph was begotten and born when Jacob, his father, was now old. For one can prove and demonstrate the opposite from many arguments. And furthermore, history itself indicates the opposite. Burgensis has indicated that in the Chaldean text it says: Dilexit eum, quia fuit ei filius sapientiae senum, that is: Joseph was such a son, and in him was such great wisdom and understanding, that he could have done it before any old man in wisdom. V. 20, "The boys of a hundred years old shall die," that is, they shall all become wise beyond their years; the boys shall become as wise as if they were a hundred years old.
Against this Lyra argues and wants to have.
that Joseph is called a son of old age because his father begot him in his old age. But I cannot understand how this understanding rhymes with that which is said of Benjamin, who was born almost thirteen years after Joseph, and is called in like manner a son of old age by Judah his brother before Joseph.
(42) Although I am in the habit of commanding and giving such a disputation to the Hebraists, yet the cause which Lyra follows seems too weak, because Benjamin is thirteen years younger; but Joseph is the seventh son, after Dan and Naphtali, and Gad and Aster were born either after Joseph, or with him at one time. Finally Gad, Aster, Isaschar, Sebulon and Dina were born, and all of them are younger than Joseph. But how does this text stand that Joseph should have been born when his father Jacob was old? Yes, the order of history still indicates that the same may also be said of all of Jacob's sons, since Jacob first began to beget children when he was four and seventy years old. For this reason, I will leave this question to the Hebraists to resolve; for I know that the Hebrew language has many ways of speaking that are almost unknown to us now, and whose original meaning we will hardly be able to establish completely again.
The opinion of the Burgensis is allegorical and very beautiful, that Joseph was a son of the age, that is, he was wise and understanding. But I would like to say this, and the words and the whole history almost sound as if this should be the right understanding, that the patriarch Jacob meant that he was not the father of these two sons alone, namely Joseph and Benjamin, who were born of Rachel: as he himself will say afterwards, Gen. 42, 36: "You rob me of my children. Joseph is no longer there, Simeon is no longer there, Benjamin you want to take away; it all goes over me" 2c. For thus the words which are written in the text must be read, moved, and considered, that they may point to the
1036 **D. IX. V4-S6. Interpretation of I Genesis 37, 3rd w. n, IS20-IS2S.** 1037
The old father Jacob thought: Rachel was promised and given to me by God, therefore she is also the right mother, and these two sons born of her I will also consider as my right and dearest children: but now she has given birth to Joseph and Benjamin in my old age, therefore I am also particularly fond of the same. This is actually the mind of Jacob, that if he had been given the choice of the children of Rachel and Leah, which he could or would have preferred, he would have undoubtedly preferred these two sons of his own age to all the others.
(44) This is how I have interpreted this text, that is, the affection and love of the father's heart, that Jacob, after so much and so many anguish, crosses and adversities, kept only this son, who was born of the right and most noble mother, who also perished in childbirth and died to his great sorrow. Therefore, he also had his only comfort, pleasure and joy in the same son. For he alone was able to comfort the old father in so many fears and worries, since the other sons troubled and tormented him very much, and even caused him new troubles every day, piling them up as it were.
(45) The father's favor, good will and love increased even more because he saw in the young man peculiar godliness and all kinds of virtue. For Joseph, too, was in truth wise, chaste, pious, godly, and in addition adorned and gifted with high and excellent gifts of special understanding. Therefore he is also Jacob's, his father's, heart, joy and delight. For so parents are wont to do, if one were a father of twenty children, and had but one among all who was pious and obedient, I say, the father would not be otherwise inclined toward the pious child, than if he had none left: he would disinherit the ungodly and disobedient, or at least dispense with all care and trouble for them.
III.
46 But now there is another grammatical impulse, namely, from the colorful dress. But what kind of dress that was, I freely and publicly confess not to know. We have given it in our German translation thus: "a colorful skirt"; as it has otherwise also been commonly interpreted. Lyra says that it was vestis serica, that is, a silk dress. Burgensis passes by this place silently, says nothing about it. The others think that it was a dress woven of more than one yarn, that is, of various colors, since the warp is red and the weft is sky-blue; a shimmer, since two colors appear mixed with each other. But such an opinion does not seem likely to me, although I know nothing to speak against it.
47 The Hebrew word, passim, means a linen skirt or made of linen, which is given in the Greek text, πολυμίτον*,* that is, having many threads. But whether it was a variegated or a divided garment cannot really be understood from the text, and this word is found in no other place in Scripture, except in the 2nd book of Samuel in the 13th chapter of Tamar, who was weakened by her brother Ammon. For so it is written in the text at the same place v. 18. 19.: "Thamar threw ashes on her head and tore the colorful skirt"; there, I say, is also the word passim in Hebrew, and the text there also says that such skirts (in Hebrew meilim) were worn by the king's daughters because they were virgins. I would have liked to translate it: a beautiful white gown, a white dress, as such clothing was common in the Orient; for in the same countries such white dresses, made of fine linen or white silk, were the most beautiful and honored costume: as also the peoples, who live toward the evening or the setting of the sun, liked to wear purple dresses.
48 Therefore, let me be allowed to think about this, to guess here and interpret it thus: that Jacob will give his dearest son Joseph, as the future heir and priest in his house,
1038 L. IX." 87. Interpretation of I Genesis 37, 3. W. n. 18S3-I525. 1039
made such a robe so that he would adorn himself in front of his other brothers and thus distinguish himself from them. For it was a priestly garment, as Hannah also brought such a garment to Samuel, 1 Sam. 2, 19, a small skirt (in Hebrew meil), like the one with which Tamar was clothed.
(49) Such a meil, as the Hebrew word reads, I would gladly say, would have been Joseph's garment also. For this is how the garment of angels is painted, snow-white, and made or knitted of many linen yarns or threads; and I will believe that our Lord Christ's garment was also like this, of which the evangelists say it was unstitched, knitted from the top through and through, John 19:23, which his mother Mary would have knitted: a knitted, knitted garment. And there is an almost common word in all of Scripture where the angels appeared; likewise also in the transfiguration of Christ, where Matth. 17, 2. Marc. 9, 2. thus stands: "And his face shone like the sun, and his garments became bright and very white, like the snow." Likewise also the garment of the angel that appeared at the tomb of Christ, of which the evangelist, Matth. 28, 3, also says that it was white like snow. And Solomon also says in his Ecclesiastes, 9 Cap. V. 8: "Let your garments always be white." But Moses also called the authorities by a Hebrew word horim, that is, clothed in white, namely, because they wore white garments. As those of the nobility are called nobilitas torquata, because they wear golden chains around their necks, so that they are adorned.
50 Jacob seems to have adorned Joseph in the same way and shape with a special garment that was white and priestly, so that he indicated how he had a special love for his son, and that the future glory that Joseph would have because of the priesthood would be signified by it. But whoever prefers to keep the previous interpretation, that it was a colorful dress, I do not want to argue hard with him.
- nevertheless, it appears that
the Thamar dress was white. Because in the same history alone this Hebrew word Passiva stands: she will have worn a beautiful white gown. According to this, I am also moved by the description of the priestly garment 2 Mos. 28, 39, since Moses first assigns the priests an undergarment after the linen shirt, χπων*,* frock. But the linen skirt was narrow, a petticoat, which covered all the limbs in the whole body up to the thighs, which had not wide but narrow melts, without folds, so that the priests would be so much more ready and skillful to sacrifice and slaughter the cattle, as our butchers.
Third, Moses added the priestly garment or the high priest's robe. Therefore the high priest also had such a garment, which is called in Hebrew because, which was entirely of yellow silk: the beautiful quite yellow silk skirt. And the high priest's skirt alone was yellow or gold-colored, to which also Samuel's skirt was like, which Hannah, his mother, brought to him; although it had a different color: a choir shirt. For that which in Hebrew was called meil was white or silver, which others, not being priests, might have used; but with the garment of yellow silk or gold only the high priests were adorned.
53 Thus it is read of Job that he tore his garment, Job 1:20; item, how David cut a corner of Saul's skirt in the cave, 1 Sam. 24:5; in which places also the same Hebrew word meil is found, from which we can conclude that it was a royal and great lord's adornment. For in the Orient the kings and great lords did not wear gold chains or purple but a white silk robe. The Jews also did not wear silk garments, but furs, following the example of Adam and Eve. Just as in our time children are first clothed in furs; soon adults will also use them. But the kind of clothing that has recently come into use, which is thus shamefully chopped or cut, is not worthy to be called clothes, but are vain strange, un-
1040 H' 27-SS. Interpretation of Genesis 37:3, 4. W. II. IS2S-1S28. 1041
natural, terrifying monsters of this last unfortunate evil time.
(54) Last of all, Moses also commanded that the people should not wear garments made of any kind of yarn, or of wool and linen yarn; neither did he command that the seed and the beasts should be mixed together. Therefore, this is simply my thought and simple opinion, that it was a skirt made of one kind of yarn, white and unused, knitted or crocheted.
055 This is said of Joseph's robe, that Jacob might shew the love which he bore to this son, whom he brought up with such hope that he should be a priest in his house. Therefore he set him apart and distinguished him from the rest of his brethren with a special ornament, that they might know that this Joseph was to be the chief ruler and heir of his house.
(56) Hence the great and terrible hatred in the hearts of those whom the devil himself has driven and incited, so that they have been so terribly envious and fiercely angry with their brother in the flesh, without any cause, and have often been admonished by their father and other godly people who were also in Jacob's congregation, and have been reminded to refrain from it. Yes, they did not even consider the manifold benefits with which their most loving father, as his children, showered them every day, and that they had their sustenance with him, both with wife and child, together with all their household in large numbers, in that he nourished them so fatherly: for all these benefits they intend to thank the father and to pay him the same when they push their brother Joseph out of the house, or else kill him together with their old father.
57 But this example is held up to us for our comfort, so that we do not become melancholy or despondent when we also have to experience such things; but that each one of us diligently directs his ministry, each according to his calling, with teaching, punishing, threatening both in the church, and also
in the worldly and domestic regiments. Our work will not be in vain in the Lord. But if some will refuse to follow and obey our Christian admonition, they may finally learn to be wise to their great danger and harm.
V. 4 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.
(58) What a very beautiful and brotherly love is this, which was flushed out in the church, which Jacob had in his house, since without doubt such a fine discipline and order was kept by the patriarchs, and since at the same time with Jacob also the older patriarch Isaac was still alive! For the brothers of Joseph hated him, who was quite innocent, so much that they could not even speak a kind word to him; yes, they snubbed him, knew how to rebuke all his words and deeds. And as he was the most beloved of all to his father, so again his brothers held no one in more contempt than he. They hated him very much and out of pure malice, especially Simeon and Levi. For I consider, nevertheless, that they were all originally and at first not of the same mind. For Reuben was somewhat humbled because he knew himself guilty of the sin he had committed, and the others, I believe, were also more gentle and not so rough. Therefore, this hatred of Joseph's brothers should be understood in the same way as the grumbling of the apostles when they were unwilling that Mary Magdalene anointed the Lord, Matth. 26, 8; because the other disciples were also persuaded and incited by Judah. And that I also add in passing that Jerome thinks that Judas Iscarioth comes from the tribe of Simeon.
59 We do not mean to minimize this sin or to excuse any of these brothers, but have said that their wickedness should be made great in every way, not only out of hatred for sin and the devil, but also for our own comfort, since God in the Lord is the Lord of all things.
1042 D- n. SS-"!. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 4. W. n, 1228-1831. 1043
The Holy Spirit of the Church and in the lineage of the most holy patriarchs was able to endure such poisonous evil people, whom he graciously forgave of their sin afterwards. For even though they finally repented, it is impossible to conceal the fact that at that time they were inflamed with such malice and bitter hatred against the most innocent people.
(60) Nevertheless, God allows it to happen, and looks through the fingers, as it were, at such unjust and malicious hatred; indeed, He gives them great cause to envy their brother, but to their own destruction. For they do as the Jews did, who also persecuted Christ our Savior out of great hatred, always seeking cause in all his words and works to blaspheme him and to speak evil of him, when he has for all intents and purposes showered and as it were lavished on the whole people great goodness and kindness, and also all kinds of miracles and benefits. For they did not put up with any of it until God finally decreed that they should completely pour out this bitter hatred of theirs and thereby cool their anger by giving His only begotten Son into their hands to be crucified on the cross, thus fulfilling the unjust cruelty and bitter hatred they had against Christ the Lord, and thereby satisfying themselves altogether.
(61) But how wretched and miserable they are, whom God thus gives over to Himself, and whose fury and evil desires He does not resist! Although we are all, alas, of such a nature that we cannot well suffer to be kept in check, woe to those to whom our Lord God is so pleased that they commit sin of their own liking. For it finally follows, as it is commonly said: Qui, quae vult, dicit, quae non vult, audiet, that is: He who says everything that is revealed to him, must in the end also hear what he does not like to hear. So also: He who does everything that he desires must one day also suffer for it, which he would probably have preferred to be overridden. For we do not like to keep ourselves in check, and we also want to keep our lust in check.
and evil desire, as others dictate, forbid, and advise us.
(62) Where God overlooks us, we fall into such foolishness, misery and distress that we, like the Jews, are surrounded with terrible vices and punishments to such an extent that we cannot easily come out again, and that we finally become displeased with ourselves and have to be ashamed of ourselves. It was the same with the Sedomites: they could not be restrained or forced in any way, so that they did not rage against the pious and holy man Lot; but it was not long before they were horribly punished, and suddenly killed and put to death. It had to go as they wanted; in the morning the infernal fire came from heaven and did what they did not want.
(63) So also before the flood no one wanted to hear Noah, but took to wives whom they only wanted: therefore the flood came, and also did what they did not like. So they want to have it. And our people, to whom we now preach and whom we exhort daily to repentance, will certainly feel and experience the same, because they want to have all discipline and respectability completely abolished, and will not allow themselves to be talked into it.
- So this is certainly a holy, blessed and most secure life, when God does not see through our fingers where we sin and intend to do what is not proper; But if He immediately punishes and chastises us with His rod, with affliction and all other kinds of crosses, or if He sets them right through men who, with diligent admonition, bring us back onto the right path, so that our evil, foolish desires are so overcome that we no longer follow or indulge in them.
But again, this is a very bad sign for a bad boy who always has evil in mind. Everything goes out happily, and as he himself desires. For so also Jeremiah says in 12 Cap. V. 2. of the false prophets: "You let them
1044 L. n. 61. 62. interpretation of Genesis 37:4-7. W. n, IS31-IS36. 1045
You do not chastise them," that is, everything they plan, teach and do is so praised by everyone, is accepted with such eagerness, as if it were decided by God Himself. You do not chastise them," says the prophet, "that is, what they intend to do that is unrighteous and ungodly according to their evil airs, you do not resist it, you do not keep them in check. But what is the final outcome? This follows there in the prophet v. 3: "But you let them go free, like sheep, to be slaughtered; and you spare them to be strangled."
(66) In this way the sons of Jacob also raged, always pursuing their hatred and envy: but at last they also experienced that which they did not like.
67 Therefore I say that nothing can be so pleasing to God, so sweet and pleasing, as to bear with patience when we are chastised and fatherly punished by the Lord; but if we do not want to bear this, to be kept in check, we will finally fall into much more horrible punishment, in which we must then also remain stuck. For it is said: If you escape from me, you will escape, but not from the executioner or the devil. Sometimes some come back to the right path and are converted, but this does not happen without great and terrible punishment, so that they are drawn to repentance.
68 It now appears that Simeon, who was the father of Judah Iscariot, and Levi were the ringleaders and chief instigators of this grave sin, which the sons of Jacob committed against Joseph their brother, and that they also led the others, born of the maidens, along with them, who otherwise, if they had not so led, should never have been subject to it. And this evil counsel and nobleman was not hindered by any means, but happily, as they themselves only desired, they were approached, because God had decreed and permitted that they had captured and sold their brother. Yes, Joseph himself also helped to start this fire and now adds the third cause of his brothers' capture.
Second part.
From the traumas of Joseph.
I.
V. 5-7 Joseph once had a dream and told his brothers about it, and they became even 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 rose up and stood still, and your sheaves bent over against my sheaf.
(69) This was the real cause of the enmity, and it seems that Joseph, with deliberate courage, discovered and revealed this cause to his brothers, so that he could immediately oppose their pride and envy. For Simeon and Levi had arrogated to themselves the rule and dominion, because they were still innocent at that time, when Reuben was already somewhat humiliated; therefore each of them would have thought: I am lord over my brethren, therefore will I also arrogate to myself the righteousness and glory of the firstborn, and shall my brethren bow down before me, and bow down before me my mother's sons; as we have said above, Cap. 27. v. 29, in the blessing of Jacob, and afterwards also of Judah, Cap. 49, v. 8, it will be said, "Judah, thou art, thy brethren shall praise thee. Thy hand shall be upon the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall thy father's children bow down."
I say that Simeon has arrogated to himself such dominion and has a strong confidence and good hope that he will certainly get it. That is why Joseph opposed this dream to Simeon's mad arrogance and pride. As if he wanted to say: "I cannot bear that you should go about and drag yourselves with uncertain and vain hope of future rule, as if it would come to you; for I, who am despised and rejected by you, shall at last become your lord: not that I ascribe to myself such rule over you and arrogate it to myself, but I tell you the dream I have had.
1046 D- n. "2-64. interpretation of Genesis 37:5-9. W. n, iZ3s-153g. 1047
He speaks to his brothers in such a friendly manner, as if he were half a fool or, as it were, a child: "Listen, dear, to what I have dreamed" 2c. "I think we were tying sheaves" 2c. The boy told such a strange dream, which no one could have imagined, and he told it quite childlike, out of no envy or evil desire, but out of pure simplicity and innocence. But God has burdened their hearts and increased the cause of hatred so that they have become more and more embittered and inflamed, but to their own great harm. Now the fire is really coming on.
V. 8 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.
(71) That Joseph thus told his dream grieved these great nobles greatly. He was supposed to have kept silent, and to have courted and pretended to his brothers, and to have said: Simeon and Levi shall be lords and have dominion; that he had thus confirmed their good and holy desires. But this is the mighty hand of our Lord God, which laid a snare for Simeon and Levi. For while they are thus secretly pursuing the innocent Joseph, God also becomes hostile to them again, and decrees that they run hard, to which their own will drove them, and that they have become their own brother's murderers.
V. 9 And he had another dream, and told it to his brethren, saying, Behold, I have dreamed another dream: the sun and the moon and the eleven stars inclined before me.
The word "worship" actually means the gesture of adoration or reverence and that one moves to another place. For "to worship" is and means to go down to earth or to fall at one's feet, and to show honor to another with such an outward gesture. We have the use of bowing the knee, whether to princes or to God.
We must now say something in general about dreams in this place as well.
And because I know very well that this matter is very rich and extensive, I will therefore help myself recently. For I am not skilled in having dreams or even interpreting them, nor do I desire such skill or art, and I have made a covenant with God my Lord that He will send me no visions or dreams and no angels either. For I am well content with this gift and gladly let myself be satisfied with it, because I have the holy scriptures, which teach me abundantly and report everything that both are necessary to know for this life and also for the life to come. I believe this holy scripture and am satisfied with it, and I am also certain that I cannot be deceived in this; nevertheless, I do not want to deprive others of their gifts, since God might reveal something to someone outside of the scriptures through dreams, visions, or through the angels. I admit that they are gifts, but I do not respect or desire them. For I am moved by the fact that there have been so many countless ghosts, lies, delusions of the face and other deceptions, so that the world has been frighteningly deceived by the devil in the papacy for a long time. Moreover, I also have this reason, that the holy scripture alone is sufficient; and if I would not believe it, then I would certainly not easily believe neither angels, nor visions, nor a dream. But as I said, this is my own cause, but I do not want to prescribe any goal or measure to others, nor do I want to take anything away from anyone with it. For I have enough revelation left, because I know what I should believe, hope, or even advise others, how one should also send oneself, so that one may live this life Christianly and honestly. And I will gladly communicate the same to others according to my small fortune, so that they may also know this for themselves and learn to understand the Ten Commandments, faith and Our Father.
74 Nevertheless, we also want to say something about the teaching and opinion of the holy scriptures about dreams, because in some places they praise dreams, but in other places they also rebuke and reject them. Sirach speaks at the 34th Cap.
1048 n. vt-aa. Interpretation of Genesis 37:9. w. n. isss-is4i. 1049
V. 7: "Dreams deceive many people, and are lacking in those who rely on them." Item, Solomon in his Ecclesiastes Cap. 5, v. 6. also says: "Where there are many dreams, there is vanity and many words; but fear God."
75 Again, the histories in the Holy Scriptures testify that some patriarchs and prophets also had dreams, such as Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Pharaoh and other wicked men, which were shown to them by God. And Deut. 12:6, 7, 8 God says to Aaron: "If there is a prophet of the LORD among you, I will make myself known to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream. But not so my servant Moses, who is faithful in all my house; verbally I speak with him." There God confirms the dreams and visions, and is a beautiful and excellent passage, which needs a more diligent and extensive interpretation. Moses, says God, has seen something greater, has other and greater revelations without those, if you have heard of him, who are his disciples, and also have visions and dreams yourselves: I know well what Moses and I are accustomed to do with each other and in what we converse. Moses also saw the suffering of Christ.
- From this place came the wise men to speak in the prophets of dreams and visions. Thus Joel proclaimed the sending of the Holy Spirit Joel 3:1: "Your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams." Therefore, we cannot deny that God used such revelations from the beginning in the Church of the ancient fathers and prophets. And the first consecration of the revelation was the highest and most distinguished, namely, the prophecy or inspiration, like David's and the other prophets', who, through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, presented the teachings and divine promises in bright, clear words and with a clear understanding. Then there are the visions, or some images and outward appearances. Third, the dreams. So the first thing in the New Testament is the teaching or preaching. Then come the holy sacraments as external ceremonies, which
I would also like to call them visions, such as our baptism, the Lord's supper, absolution; I say that these are also some visions, because they are external ceremonies.
Since the Holy Scriptures both praise and reject these three ways, it seems to me that the same rule and judgment must be followed when speaking of dreams, which we use to guide us in visions and prophecies, namely, to see that they are primarily similar to faith.
For it is the same with visions and prophecies as with dreams, that they are sometimes true, and sometimes false and lying. For they do not always or only come from God, but also from the devil, who is, as it were, our Lord God's monkey; and just as he is wont to awaken prophets, so he also arouses and gives visions and dreams, where God thus decrees it for him out of his miraculous counsel. However, the devil looks elsewhere and means something other than God, even though he speaks the truth through dreams. For God gives His word and the signs of it for the salvation and redemption of men: but the devil certainly seeks nothing else than vain harm and destruction of souls, and also that the divine truth may be obscured; therefore he lies, even when he already speaks the truth. Hence it comes that also in the pagan histories some dreams are told; as then the dreams of Brutus, Caesar, Sulla and Hannibal were.
79 Livius writes that Hannibal saw in a dream a young man in divine form, who said: He was sent by Jupiter to Italy to Hannibal, that he should be his commander, whom he should follow straight and whom he should never let out of his sight; and when Hannibal looked around, he is said to have seen behind him a wonderful great serpent, which moved to and fro and thereby caused a mighty and great defeat among the trees and bushes. This is actually and certainly a prophesying dream and which also made an impression on himself. For
1050 L- n, es-s8. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 9. rv. ii. 1051
The devil knew very well how it was at that time in the whole world, and was easy to conclude and assume from what had gone before and had happened, how it would also go afterwards, and to indicate such to Hannibal in a dream. Lichtenberger's prophecy and Arnold's De villa Dei are of the same kind, which had the spirit of prophecy, which is otherwise called the spirit of divination, and sometimes it is true that it comes as they said before, sometimes not: If it comes, it comes; if it does not, it does not.
80 Further, in the dream of Hannibal, Livius himself and all Italians consider that the serpent should have meant Hannibal, who would devastate Italy. However, this interpretation is closer to the truth, that the devil, or God through the devil, wanted to indicate that Hannibal had a beautiful young man before him, that is, that he would have good luck. As if he should say: Hannibal, you have been happy until now and have done great things; but this happiness will not last forever. For a terrible beast will finally follow you, namely, the Roman Empire, which will wrap itself up and devastate the whole earth. So this dream, which came from Satan as a liar, nevertheless proclaimed the truth before; but he did not understand it, and the Italians, who are very ambitious, do not like to hear that the Roman Empire is to be understood through such a shameful and horrible beast.
But we will look at the pictures in the stories of Daniel, where the kingdoms of this world are not compared to men or angels, but to great horrible animals. Therefore, this serpent does not mean Hannibal, but certainly the future destruction that was to take place through the beast, that is, the Roman Empire. And so the devil wanted to say to Hannibal: "Your happiness and prosperity will not last: you will not complete what you have begun; you will not carry it out.
And for such a revelation the Holy Spirit was not needed. For the devil has well seen the power to destroy the
The will and counsel of the Romans and the Carthaginians was known, and it was revealed to Hannibal in a dream, but it was not interpreted.
There are many such dreams in the histories of the pagans, both certain and uncertain. For as God rules the world through good and evil princes or rulers, so he also needs the service of both good and evil angels. For this reason he sometimes gives the evil godless people true dreams and sometimes false dreams; and the devil also has his prophets, whose prophecies are nevertheless uncertain.
The other kind of dreams is natural, from which doctors sometimes deduce and guess some certain humors, movements of the mind; likewise, how people's bodies are constituted. These dreams are common and anyone can have them. And with such dreams one should keep to the teaching of Cato, who says: Somnia ne cures etc., that is: You should not pay attention to dreams and give nothing to them; although some of them also have their meaning from time to time. But of these I will not dispute, but will have directed the reader to read of them in Macrobius, who wrote of them at length.
The third kind of dreams are the prophetic and true dreams, which are praised in the holy scriptures, and also belong to the salutary government in the church, or to the revelations, both necessary for this and the future life, and are, as it were, prophecies, or divinations, which are not to be despised.
But now it is asked: How can these be distinguished and judged? As far as I am concerned, I am not a dreamer, and I cannot well guess what the dreams mean, as I have said before; therefore I will not judge them, but only according to how the dreams are fulfilled and carried out, and according to other circumstances that concern the church and the souls' salvation, according to the rule and instruction of the divine word. For all dreams, so
1052 L ix.as.es. Interpretation of Genesis 37:9. w. ii. IS44-E. 1053
They are also certainly fulfilled, so that they must also be useful and beneficial to the world and the human race: for this reason, they are also valued or judged fairly and justly ab effectu, that is, after they gain an outcome or are fulfilled.
(87) And this I say not only of the dreams given to the saints, as Daniel and Joseph, but also of those shown to the wicked, as Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar and others. For the same dreams also gain their outcome and have also had their attached interpretation; which are two true signs that the dreams are also certain, namely, that where God gives the dreams, he also gives the interpretation and fulfillment at the same time.
Thirdly, these dreams are also such that they almost frighten and distress the dreamer, impressing on him the things of which he has had dreams, fierce and hard, as Pharaoh's dream was. For such a terror and trembling has come to his heart that he has been, as it were, enraptured by it, that he has felt and understood that it must certainly be an admonition that has come from God. God did not want an ungodly false prophet to interpret the dream, which was shown to an ungodly man, but gave a righteous true prophet, Joseph or Daniel, who had to give an account through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, what the meaning of the dream actually was.
- But where the Holy Spirit himself interprets and interprets what he has given, then one must not doubt at all that this will not also gain its certain outcome. But you will find nothing of this kind in the dreams of the heathen, except that they are nevertheless somewhat moved and disturbed by them. But because their dreams come from the devil, who can and does remember future things, they are also generally uncertain and false, and no interpretation is shown, as happens in divine dreams, which the prophets reliably and faithfully tell and explain, as they do the
taught by the Holy Spirit. For so Daniel, Jacob and Joseph, from the dreams shown them, concluded and understood the right doctrine and the holy scripture, since it speaks of great things, not only of the regiments, of which they teach that they are ordered and preserved by God Himself, but also of the kingdom of Christ and the most noble articles of the Christian doctrine. Therefore, it is up to a good interpreter what the German saying is.
90 So this, I say, is the use of the Holy Spirit, that he first gives the dreams, then also indicates the interpretation, and thirdly, then also fulfills them. And this can also be finely applied to the Holy Trinity, namely, that God the Father gives the dreams, God the Son interprets and explains them, but the Holy Spirit fulfills them.
91 And these I call true and prophetic dreams, which are not lacking. But of these, I say, I will not venture to judge, for only after they gain an outcome and are fulfilled. The other dreams, however, of which there are many, I despise completely. I also have some dreams from time to time that move me a little, but I still despise them and have made this agreement with the Lord, my God, that I will believe Moses and the prophets. For I do not desire dreams for this life, nor do I need them for the life to come.
(92) Nevertheless, I will gladly leave their gifts to others, for I know that God has often shown kings and princes many a revelation through dreams. But those who want to interpret such dreams should see what kind of spirit inspired them and where they came from.
The Turks also have both dreams and prophecies about the future and the end of the Turkish empire, but I cannot believe that they come from the Holy Spirit. For neither the Turk nor the pope have true prophets, otherwise they would have to be revealed through the confession of true prophets.
1054. D. IX. ss-71. interpretation of I Moses 37, 9. w. II. IS47-ISS0. 1055
doctrine and faith. But be it as it may, we do not pay attention to such dreams, nor do we pay attention to whom they come from, because they have no attached interpretation, even though they sometimes come to pass and are fulfilled. For the devil is well practiced and equipped with many innumerable examples of divine government; likewise he also knows what the will of men is and what they do; he also knows their counsel and suggestions well and he also governs them: therefore he can also easily see what the counsels and regiments will gain for happiness and for an outcome. He sees that what the people have considered and decided has so far gone out and worked out one way or the other, and that there are no signs at present that God would allow any obstacle to occur that would change or hinder the council that has been made. Therefore, it is easy for him to prophesy about future things.
Thus, the Lichtenberger announced the Bavarian war beforehand. For the devil has well seen what the Emperor Maximilian, the Count Palatine and other princes have advised. He does the same at other times, too, and if God does not oppose it out of special counsel, then what has been proclaimed before is done and fulfilled. But the devil does not care whether such a dream is useful and beneficial for the people or not; even if everything fails, he does not inquire.
By the way, this whole life in which we live is only a vain dream and like a dark night. For otherwise there is no light shining in the whole world, except this earthly and physical light. The light of the sun is, as it were, a cause of error to us, that we think we are in the light; but in truth we go astray as in a dark night. Therefore, I say, this life is truly a sleep, and spiritually nothing but a night: as in Joseph's dream his parents are likened to the sun and moon, but his brethren to the stars, which shine in the darkness of this life. And Moses testifies to the same thing
Also, when he says Ps. 90:5: "You let them pass like a stream, and they are like a sleep," that is, our life is short, flees, and soon passes away, as the Elbe or any other great water always flows, like a water rushing by. So, says Moses, you also made them like a flowing or rushing water. So also Job Cap. 14. v. 1. 2. says: "Man born of woman lives a short time, and is full of restlessness, rises like a flower, and falls off, flits like a shadow, and does not remain" 2c. And what is even worse, Moses adds: "Men are like a sleep", that is, our life here on earth is nothing else than "like a sleep" compared to eternal life.
Therefore we hang and are stuck in this life as in the middle of the night and the thickest darkness, where the true morning star does not rise and shine for us, of which the 119th Psalm v. 105 says: Lord, "Your word is my foot. Shine, and be a light unto my path." For if we do not have the holy Scriptures to enlighten us and to govern all our works, then all this life and all the light of reason, and all wisdom and counsel of men, is nothing but darkness and chaos.
Augustus, Alexander and Julius Caesar are stuck in a thick fog and do not know what they are doing. So also Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh and all other kings and monarchs; only that they nevertheless let themselves think that they accomplish a great deal and that they are also exceedingly wise. But they are vain dreams, as it is written in Isaiah Cap. 29, v. 7: "As a night vision in a dream, so shall be the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel." So also the stories of all great heroes, which are praised by the poets and otherwise also in the histories of the pagans, as, of Hector and Achilles, are like dreams. "For as a hungry man dreams that he eats, but when he awakens his soul is still empty; and as a thirsty man dreams that he drinks, but when he awakens he is faint and thirsty: so shall be the multitude of all the nations that fight against mount Zion," Isa. 29:8. For this often happens, that one in a dream makes himself believe that he has an
1056L n. 71-73. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 9. W. n, 1550-1552. 1057
He may find a sack full of money or play with a beautiful virgin, but when he wakes up, he sees and finds that he has been deceived. In the same way, this whole life is nothing but a night and sleep.
This is a blessed dream, when God gives His word and the holy scriptures in such a night, as He gives a special revelation in this natural life or in sleep, as this is what Joseph had in the dream. But for this, as I admonished before, it is necessary that the interpretation of the Holy Spirit is also added and the fulfillment also follows. For this much understanding I have of dreams, namely, that after or if the outcome follows; more and further nothing at all. Therefore, I cannot judge when dreams are to be believed, unless God Himself interprets them.
- After that it is also to be noted that the unclean spirit also showed dreams, for from manifold knowledge and many an experience he is much better equipped and much better skilled than we are. We do not know what advice princes and other people have, what they deal with and what their intentions are; indeed, I hardly know my own advice. But the devil is very cunning, knows and understands very well all the advice of kings, wise men, lawyers and also theologians, except that he cannot know how my faith and hope stand with God, how I am with God. For faith and God's word are like darkness and a cloud to him, to which he cannot come with his light. As he himself shows this by means of crystals and mirrors called specula mercurialia, in which he shows some city or special person, but which is nevertheless somewhat dark and covered as if with a dark mist or rain; hence it also comes about that what happens there cannot be recognized or seen so clearly. So he scoffs at men, and yet he confesses that he cannot see into the heart of man; he burns his mouth and nose.
100 In the same way the angel says to Mary Luc. 1, 31. 35.
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. You will conceive in the womb and bear a son. But in such a way, which will be a hidden thing and such overshadowing, that neither angels nor devils can see or understand anything about it. For this reason I say that the devil with the sharpness of his light can see into the word and a believing heart by no means; and for the same reason I have more desire for the word and faith than for dreams, and have also asked the Lord not to give me dreams, for they are commonly lacking. But the word is a certain screen, and is such darkness, wherein the evil spirits cannot see, though they be high.
101 Therefore, although the prophets and dreamers are not to be despised, if their prophecy and dreams are similar to the word of God and faith, it should be insisted upon that we first study Moses and the prophets well and also learn to understand them, that is, that we first and foremost have the word pure and may also understand it correctly. From this we will then easily be able to judge all visions, all dreams and prophecies, and even both good and evil angels.
Now let us return to Joseph's dreams. The dreams he had were two in number, the first of which was about life on the land and farming. For there he dreamed only of his sheaf and of his brothers' sheaves. His sheaf rose up and stood; the others leaned against it. Jacob was not particularly disturbed by this dream, so he did not speak against it, but was silent about it. For it also rhymed with what he himself had intended for Joseph, namely, that he had decided that Joseph should be the most noble heir in his house, because he was also born of his most noble wife, to whom the firstborn was therefore due, along with the regiment and the priesthood, and two parts of the inheritance. Therefore this dream of Joseph again agrees finely with the thoughts of Jacob, his father, and confirms
1058 L.IL, 73-78. interpretation of Genesis 37, 9-II. W. n, ISS2-ISSZ. 1059
It is also the beginning and, as it were, a precursor to the right dream. For here the parents are not yet thought of, that they should bow down before him, but only the brothers are thought of. Now it was ordered and commanded by nature and also in the law that the firstborn son should be lord over his brothers; as the other earlier examples also testify.
(103) Now Simeon and Levi had long ago acquired the right of the firstborn; therefore they were inflamed with envy and hatred against Joseph, although they had no right to do so other than the time that they were born into this world earlier than Joseph from their mother Leah, who first mated with their father Jacob, so that poor Jacob was also unjustly deceived by his father-in-law Laban. For the firstborn is not to be counted or estimated according to time. And nevertheless these two have appropriated the glory of the firstborn to themselves and arrogated it to themselves. So Levi hoped that he would be next to it, where Simeon would depart with death. And so they took the other members of the household on their side, and they also had to look to them and follow them. Therefore the other brothers also agree with them and unanimously oppose Joseph; just as the apostles Matt. 36:8 were persuaded by the united Judah, so that they also grumbled against Magdalene and became impatient with her. But these two, Simeon and Levi, were especially more enraged than the others.
Moreover, this dream also caused an almost strong reflection in their hearts, and cannot be counted or counted among common dreams, which are not worth anything special. According to this, the father was not impatient or angry about it, but rather confirmed it in his heart with his judgment and allowed it to be accepted out of paternal authority. And so there is also the father's interpretation itself, which is divine, and a certain sign that the dream will also have to be fulfilled.
II.
The other dream of Joseph is not so mean or low, but is somewhat high and as it were heavenly. For he has his images or parables of the sun, the moon and the stars; he says of no sheaves, which signify the hard work of those who deal with agriculture, and other hard and laborious works of men. And now in the same dream also father and mother are understood together with the brothers, since in the previous dream they were not thought of. Therefore, the father himself is also somewhat moved or angered by this dream and also punishes him for it, as follows in the text.
V.10. 11. 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 worship thee? And his brothers envied him. But his father kept these words.
In v. 4 above, it was told how Joseph's brothers hated and envied him. Here, however, they become quite nonsensical. For neither the nature, nor the use or manner of some peoples, whoever they may be, nor even God Himself, can tolerate that parents should bow down before their children. That is why this dream is quite abominable to hear and is against all reason and common sense of all people. Nevertheless, it makes a powerful impression, because the sun, the moon and eleven stars are clearly named, which is exactly the number of the father, the mother and brothers, and no other number occurs in it.
Lyra says that Jacob despised this dream and even rejected it, as it was obviously inconsistent; and that he punished the foolishness of this young man out of paternal authority, who dreamt out of childish recklessness that both parents and brothers should bow down before him. But in the text the opposite is indicated, namely that the father not only does not despise this dream, but diligently keeps these words.
1060 D.IX. 7S. 7S. Interpretation of Genesis 37:10. II. W. II, ISSS-1SS8. 1061
which way of speaking is also used by the evangelist Lucas when he says Luc. 2, 51: Mary kept all the words that were spoken by the shepherds and moved them in her heart.
(108) Jacob did indeed punish his son, for it can indeed be seen at first that it was almost an inconsistent and clumsy thing; but the impression made by the dream was so strong that he could not entirely despise it, even though he contradicted it at first. For he is of the opinion that Joseph is the firstborn of Rachel, who was also first entrusted to him, whom he also loved fiercely, and for whose sake he also did very hard and heavy work for a whole seven years, and bore such servitude, which was quite burdensome for him. This son, however, for whom he had waited a long time, was finally born to him late and in extreme old age. Who would not be moved by these and such important causes, unless something else were revealed to him by God?
Lastly, Jacob also had the promise of the future seed in which all nations would be blessed, Gen. 28:14. All the patriarchs held this in high esteem, and Jacob undoubtedly hoped that the seed would come from Joseph, thinking that he would become such a lord before whom all his brothers would bow down, as well as all the fathers and mothers in his entire family.
Therefore he considered the whole matter most diligently with himself, and thought: Who knows, nevertheless, what the somnium (the dream) would mean? Who knows what this will be for a leaning or worshipping, be it now and present or still in the future? Where the blessed seed is born of Joseph, not only I and the mother, but also all our descendants will bow down and worship; as it was also fulfilled in Christ afterwards. And David, who is also a father, also worshipped this son when he was not yet born, Ps. 110. In the same way did Adam and Eve, and all the dear fathers from the beginning of the world, which
worship this Son even now and for all eternity.
There is no doubt that this also occurred to the patriarch Jacob. Therefore it is a wonderful dream, since father and mother are understood under the sun and moon, but the brothers and subsequent princes and fathers under the stars. After that he will have concluded something more and higher from it, namely, that the most distinguished and highest creatures are signs of us, and not the thing itself, which is indicated by it. We ourselves are the thing, and are so much more excellent, as each thing is more and greater than its sign, by which such thing is signified. Now, if God holds father and mother and brothers in such high esteem that the most beautiful creatures must be their signs, it necessarily follows that human nature must also be held in high esteem by God. The sun is a sign that signifies the Father. Therefore it follows that the household and the worldly government, and much more the church, must be held in the greatest honor and dignity before God. I say that Jacob drew this and much more from the dream of Joseph, his son.
Therefore, this was a very beautiful declaration, so that Jacob first remembered the future seed because of the promise made to him and to the other fathers. My seed, he will have thought, will worship the future Christ: Sun, moon and stars, that is, what is of princes, kings, fathers and mothers in the kingdom and of every government, all these with one another will be subject to his kingdom. Therefore, he did not reject his son as a false prophet or a loose, useless dreamer, but remembered the promise of the future seed and considered how great the majesty and glory of that seed would be. He was a father of the seed, as Abraham was, but necessity required that he should bow down before him and worship that seed. And this is a right thought, even though he was mistaken about the person, the-
1062 n. 76-78. Interpretation of Genesis 37:10. II. **W. II, 1SSS-ISS1.** 1063
because he thinks that the seed should be born from Joseph. But God subsequently changed the person, yet left the name and the interpretation unchanged, and assigned this honor to the kingdom of Judah; as Jacob will also learn afterwards.
According to this, the interpretation of this dream is also very good according to history. For this is the greatest adornment of the police or worldly government and also of the household, that God honors father and mother, brothers and household more highly than sun, moon and stars. This interpretation praises the household and pleases me very much. And could not the fourth commandment be declared and adorned with greater honor or glory. Lastly, in the church there are also true and high stars, namely, the servants and teachers, who are nevertheless under Christ, that he is supreme and alone king over the whole world.
Up to this point we have explained what belongs to the history. Now, however, the grammarians also give us some trouble. For it is asked here: How or in what way this might be fulfilled, which is said in the dream; as it is given by the Holy Spirit himself, that father, mother and also the brothers should bow down before Joseph, although the mother has died? In this place they all labored, as Rachel bowed down before her son, who had been dead almost two years, or, in my opinion, not yet two years, before Joseph dreamed anything. Therefore, before we give an answer to this, we will first tell you one by one how many years Jacob lived, and especially from the wedding until he went down to Egypt. For all this time he was tossed about by wonderful coincidences, which were so great that they cannot well be expressed in words.
115 Joseph is now seventeen years old, for he was born seven years after the marriage. When he was born, Jacob stayed in Mesopotamia for six years, and after that he lived in Shechem for eight years, as can be seen from our chronicle. After that time he went to Bethel and married Benaiah.
min, since Deborah had already died and Joseph's mother had died in childbirth. Since Joseph was sixteen years old, the sorrow and melancholy were still fresh because of the death of Rachel. For I consider that there was not more than a year and a half between them; and yet God again comforted this man with the hope of the firstborn of this son, since shortly before Deborah, the pious holy matron, the headmistress and advisor of the house, had died, likewise, since also about the same time Dinah weakened, who was a maiden of eleven or twelve years. For at that time the nature of men was stronger and more vigorous; as we shall hear later that Judah took a wife in his twelfth year.
- Therefore, after so many and so great tribulations, as that those of Shechem were slain and cut off, Dinah weakened, Rachel his wife, and also Deborah the nurse, who had been a pillar and adornment of the whole family, died; likewise, after his son Reuben committed incest: God now gives the patriarch Jacob a new consolation through this son Joseph, whom he certainly thought to be the firstborn; for Benjamin was then still a child of one or two years. And in these dreams Joseph is apparently promised dominion, and also the seed that would bless all nations, as he himself interpreted through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, Jacob was awakened from death and hell and came back to life, and is now in heaven again. Behold, he will have thought, God wants this your most beloved son to be the firstborn and the rightful heir of the blessing. That is why he is now so happy, and has rejoiced greatly and thanked God with all his heart. Soon he falls again into the abyss of hell because of such an immense fall, which happened quite unawares.
- after the high and great consolation wherein it was declared that Joseph should become greater and higher than the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the heavens, and the earth.
1064 D. IL, 7S-80. interpretation of Genesis 37:10, 11. W. II, ISSI-UM. 1065
Earth; because from him would come the one whom the sun and moon, all patriarchs and kings, yes, even the angels themselves would worship; thinking, now I will also have peace one day: then this beautiful sweet hope along with all these thoughts falls miserably and soon in a moment again, namely, because Joseph was snatched away by the sin and wickedness of his own brothers. For they interpreted this dream in a different way and drew conclusions from it: Rachel, who died, will not be able to bow down to her son: therefore this dream is vain and a deception of the devil. For this reason they laughed out loud at their brother Joseph's foolishness when he made up his own dreams about his dead mother. And so their pride, hopefulness and presumption grew greater and greater because of the regiment, so that it would certainly remain with them.
For such thoughts commonly occur to people when God wants to punish sin in them, namely, that they consider God's word and the right certain truth to be such a thing, which is also detestable to hear. So it shall be.
(119) These brothers, according to the example of their father, should have considered Joseph's dream a little more diligently and kept their forbidden lusts in check. But they fall, as if they were senseless, into great horrible sin, that they become shameful murderers even of their own father, brother and mother. For as much as there is in them, they have in truth killed their old father, who had become quite merry and had special delight and joy in Joseph, his dear son. They could not have hurt him more if they had put a sword or a spear through him: they could not have caused him greater pain.
120 They are sufficiently admonished by the dream, as it has been told by Joseph, your brother, and they have not lacked other important arguments, such as nature, law or justice, the matter itself, the innocence of the pious young man, and finally also the punishment of the father, who
often exhorts them to brotherly love. Through all these things they should have been moved and softened, if they did not have iron hearts. But when God sees that Pharaoh wants to be hardened and obdurate, He lets the devil loose and causes him to become more and more hardened and obdurate.
(121) So these brothers of Joseph have freely despised all admonition, thinking that Joseph is a fool, that the father himself is a feeble-minded old man, that they are rude and clumsy people who lack counsel and good thoughts. But we are the rulers who should rule in our father's house and church. Therefore, let us not pay any attention to this loose dreamer and give nothing to him.
But what answer do we give to the fact that this can be seen as if it would rhyme with nothing, namely that Rachel had already died? Lyra says that the father at first despised this dream. But I am not satisfied with this. For although he initially acted as if he did not pay much attention to the dream, even that he punished it, he kept it afterwards and considered it in his heart, so that he always had it in fresh memory. Augustin lets it get very sour, and also brings in a theological understanding, namely, that all this should be understood by the future Christ and also be fulfilled in him, whom Adam, Eve, and all that is living and dead, even hell itself, worship; as Paul Phil. 2, 10. says: "That at the name of JEsu all their knees should bow, who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth." This is theologically and according to the understanding of the holy scripture rightly spoken and is all therefore also true.
(123) But what shall we answer as it relates to Jacob's household? How can the deceased Rachel bow down to someone? There I follow the answer, so in the holy scripture usual to solve such questions, namely by the figure, synecdoche called. For although Rachel did not live that she could bow for her person, nevertheless she bowed in her sons, in the man
1066 L. ix, so-82. interpretation of I Moses 37, 10. II. W. n, i-M-isss. 1067
and inclined before him in the whole generation; as we also say after the manner of the same figure synecdoche, that all the brethren hated Joseph, though Judah, as I hold, did not hate him, and the others also only consented to hate, yet were not ringleaders like Simeon and Levi.
This is the meaning of the dream: The sun and the moon will bow down to me, and also the stars, that is, the whole family, parents, brothers, all ancestors and descendants together. But afterwards, at the end, we will hear Jacob bowing down before his son Joseph, as he says Cap. 47, v. 29: "If I have found grace in thy sight, put thy hand under my thigh, that thou mayest love me and be faithful unto me, and bury me not in Egypt" 2c. For there he speaks to his son as to a ruler, after the manner of one who pleads with another and asks for something as a subject. For although he speaks such things from a fatherly heart, he has not commanded him, but has asked him as his superior. And in the epistle to the Hebrews in 11 Cap. V. 21. it says: "By faith Jacob blessed both the sons of Joseph, and bowed himself to the head of his scepter." For although this passage could be interpreted in a different way, it can nevertheless be seen that Jacob worshiped his son Joseph, that is, that he bowed down before him. For thus the text says: When Joseph came, Israel bowed down on the bed to the heads, not otherwise than as if a great prince had come to him. And this he did not only for the sake of the rule which Joseph then had over all Egypt, but also for the sake of the blessed seed, which he hoped would come from Joseph, and of which he had also received a revelation beforehand. This is a fine simple and correct answer to resolve this question, namely, by this figure which is common in the holy scriptures.
The other knot that Augustine has to deal with here is in the story that speaks of the death of Isaac, which we have just mentioned in chapter 35, v. 29. V. 29.
But the explanation is also easy, namely, by the figure or manner of speaking called hysteron proteron, which is commonly called in Latin anticipatio or recapitulatio, that is, when one reverses the speech and puts afterwards that which should stand before. This figure is often used in sacred Scripture, as those who describe the histories of the pagans also make much use of it. As when Livius describes the history of a month or year, he cannot at the same time tell everything that happened in other places at the same time. Thus Moses first brought Isaac's life to an end, then Joseph's; and yet several things happened at the same time that could not have been described at the same time. Just as two people sing together, but cannot speak at the same time. Yes, a whole choir sings at the same time as one another, but they cannot all preach at the same time as one another.
For this reason, Lyra and Augustine have correctly calculated that Joseph was sold twelve years before Isaac died; however, they forget the figure that is commonly used in histories, namely, when the first thing is placed after it. For above, Cap. 35, v. 29, his death is also included and described in the order and line of the story of Isaac, in which narrative, however, the things that happened at the same time could not have been told. Therefore Augustin could have easily helped himself out, where he would have understood the death of Isaac, which was told before Joseph was sold, through this above-mentioned figure, hysteron proteron.
For this reason one must not doubt the reputation and credibility of the holy Scriptures, but the reader must know to remember that the Scriptures, according to the manner of the historians, are also used to tell their story; as I have often reminded elsewhere.
(128) Moses has thus far narrated Joseph's two dreams, in which the Holy Spirit has made a prelude, as it were, to the excellent story of the future Revelation.
1068 IX. 82. 83. interpretation of I Moses 37, 10-14. W. n. IS6S-IS7I. 1069
This is the name of the regiment or dominion that Joseph had in Egypt, or as the Scriptures interpret it in another place, Psalm 105:17, from the man who was sent to Egypt before Israel, so that he might be preserved alive at the time of judgment. From this we should learn to recognize the fatherly care that God has for us, who announces long beforehand and what is to come, and can also wonderfully moderate, send and govern it according to His goodness, so that it must nevertheless come to such an end that we can bear it; as Joseph himself will later interpret it, when he says in Cap. 50, v. 20: "You intended to do evil to me, but God intended to do it well. Likewise in 45. cap. V. 7: "God sent me before you to preserve you on earth, and to save your lives by a great salvation." So it is certain that God will provide for us faithfully and diligently before we can think for ourselves how our affairs will turn out.
- above this is also punished with such examples of man's foolishness, which we are all so foolish, yes, even so wicked, that we often hinder our own benefit and are our own greatest enemies, unless the gracious God, according to his immeasurable goodness, reverses our counsels and governs them differently than we ourselves thought. For these brothers of Joseph are so foolish as to destroy and completely exterminate their brother, who was to become their savior, as well as the savior of the whole land of Canaan; and if he had perished, they would have died of hunger. But God miraculously turned all the evil that they thought against and before their thoughts to good, and the same was to some extent meant and prepared beforehand by these dreams.
Now let us continue and move on to what follows, and first of all, let us see in Jacob a wonderful example of divine government, and consider the same, namely, how God used to lead His own into hell and out of it again, how He comforted and deceived them, so that we might become accustomed to trusting and adhering to the word of God alone. It must
The godly will come to feel nothing, understand nothing else, see nothing, especially in death, to which they can adhere, but only the word. Therefore we must learn to die according to the flesh and hold fast to the Word, so that even if the whole world should break or fall over, we can still say with firm confidence: "I believe in God the Father, Creator Almighty" 2c. "And in JEsum Christum, His only Son" 2c. Now Jacob has lived in Hebron, has a son of seventeen years, on whom he put his hope and comfort in his old age, and thinks that now the misery is over: so he only starts worse than he has had it all his life.
Third part.
How Jacob's sons go to Shechem to pasture; how Joseph is sent to them by his father; and how this sending was full of danger.
I.
(vv. 12-14) And when his brethren were gone to feed their father's cattle in Shechem, Israel said unto Joseph, Dost not thy brethren feed the cattle in Shechem? 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. And he sent him out of the valley of Hebron to go to Shechem.
(131) From this text it is clear that the pasture was near Hebron until then, where Isaac and Jacob lived with their household. And there is no doubt that these were good, pious people who leased their fields to Jacob and his sons, since they themselves, Jacob and his sons, had nothing of their own in the land; and the sheaves or fields that they cultivated are nevertheless remembered here. It seems, however, that the inhabitants of the land were descendants of the three brothers Aner, Escol and Mamre, who were godly and pious, heard God's word diligently, and also kept to the church or assembly that Abraham and Isaac had.
1070 8- ix. sr-R. Interpretation of Genesis 37:12-14. w. n, nm-i-TZ. 1071
It seems that the pasture in the fields and meadows of Hebron was almost completely grazed, which was also the reason that they went to Shechem, or they went to another place because they could no longer bear the presence and fellowship of Joseph, against whom they were so inflamed with hatred and envy that they could no longer speak to him in a friendly and peaceful manner, or even see him in front of their eyes. For this can well happen that one flees from another because he is an enemy and envies him; as it is said of Cain, Gen. 4:5: "Then Cain was very angry, and his countenance changed"; he could not look kindly and graciously at his brother Abel, but as soon as he saw him, he was enraged, and showed his face with such sour, unkind countenances that his heart burned with bitter anger. The same cause could have driven these brothers to seek pasture in another place, but Joseph remained at home with his father, since the others had thus departed from him and avoided his company.
133 After this we see that his family was still in Shechem, since they went there to pasture. For when the citizens of Shechem were slain, Jacob and his sons took their place, and the widows of the Shechemites, and some more of the people who remained, undoubtedly stayed there with Jacob in their homeland. And I believe that the neighbors in the land of Canaan were also reconciled with them, namely, through the affinity they had with Judah, as will follow in Cap. 38, v. 2. V. 2. Therefore they also loved the others, who were chaste and pious. But the most wicked boys, Simeon and Levi, the murderers of Shechem, will undoubtedly have detested them.
(134) And Joseph and his descendants took the same place afterward, where he was almost slain by his brothers. For afterwards this land was given to him by his father to possess, which Jacob could not have done if he had not possessed it.
as his own land. Therefore they moved from the field that had been rented to them to Shechem to their own pasture. But again, when they found no more pasture in the same fields, they turned again to Hebron. For they could not and would not stay any longer with the wicked betrayer, who wanted all the others to bow down to him.
(135) Moreover of this land Shechem is called the kingdom of Israel, and Ephraim also the kingdom of Joseph; and the first king Jeroboam was born of this family. For they looked to the prophecy in which the rule of this place would be given to Joseph; which place Jacob, though taken by great tyranny of his sons, nevertheless kept, since God assigned it to him, and thus turned the evil deed of his sons to good. For such civil and temporal goods, of which God has not decreed or commanded anything special, are only incidental, which God distributes to whom He wills. He who has, has. Jacob had no promise or command that those of Shechem should be slain; but since Hemor and his son were slain, he kept the land with the consent of the peoples who lived nearby. Thus it still happens approximately and coincidentally to many that much good happens to them, where God thus decrees it, of which they nevertheless had no special commandment nor promise of God.
II.
The rest of the text is not particularly difficult to understand, neither in terms of history nor grammar. Genesis describes the care of the old father Jacob, concerning the house regiment; who, because he was very old and decrepit, could not be personally with his cattle, but nevertheless cared for his sons and the cattle. This is held up to us by the Holy Spirit, so that we may be guided by it, so that we do not give up all care for this temporal life, as the monks did, who lived only from other people's work and care. For
1072 n. W-S7. Interpretation of I Genesis 37:12-14. W. N. IS7S-IL76. 1073
This is an example of the house rule, and it describes very well the fatherly care by which Jacob was moved to take care of his children and livestock, so that everything would be managed and arranged properly. Therefore he sends Joseph to them, saying, "Go, and see whether it be well." For it is said above, v. 2, that Joseph was brought before his father, where there had been an evil cry against them from his brothers. Not only did he report to his father what his brothers had done wrong, but he also reported where servants and maids had done wrong, and where there had been damage to livestock or the household.
137 And this care is certainly not to be despised by those who are called and appointed to preside over others in the church, in the world, and also in the household; that they also be bishops and overseers at home in their own houses, and take diligent care of their fields, cattle, and other things; as Jacob did here.
The pope has made a distinction between worldly or carnal things and spiritual things, and has taught that one should beware of stewardship, which God has not particularly respected, even rejected; thus he has wanted his clergy to be entirely above such stewardship. For they have said: We serve God in heavenly and spiritual things; therefore we will leave the pagan and worldly things 2c. But what shall we do now, said the spiritual lords? Well, meanwhile we will read our septence, matins and vespers, and eat and devour the world's goods, and rule and reign over kings and princes 2c.
For this reason, pious, godly fathers of the house should know that their works are all pleasing to God; they care for the livestock, cultivate the field, or work in the manure or the dung pit; but the housemother milks the goats and cows. 2c. These works are all to be considered spiritual or proper if they are done by people who believe in Christ. For otherwise where are we all from
The papists despise this, as if they were born of blocks and stones. If mothers did not bear children, nurse them, wipe them and feed them, the entire human race would inevitably perish.
Because God Himself established and ordained these positions and works, one should not think that worship is hindered by them, but rather that they are very good and pleasing practices of godliness toward God and man. For God wants the fruit to be borne, nursed and nourished in the womb, and for it to be nourished and raised by the diligence and care of the mothers, and to always increase. And that is why he also gave milk into the breasts.
If, however, the gift of chastity has been bestowed upon someone and given to him, so that he can live without household cares and burdens, he may make use of these gifts. But it is another thing to be free from some such burdens of this estate, and another thing to condemn and reject the estate or life itself, as if it were ungodly and heathen.
But if we will consider this matter aright, we shall truly find that nothing is more ungodly or worldly, as the papists are wont to speak, than the whole estate of the papal bishops; though they can deceive simple unlearned men by the title or name of calling themselves ecclesiastical persons; yea, they themselves are rather to be condemned for the perverse and ungodly judgment, that they may condemn the order of God, which they hold to be full of peril and trouble.
- and one should and must always diligently look at the one who established this domestic status, namely, that God Himself established such domestic works, praises, rewards and adorns them. For thus the Holy Scriptures in the histories of the Fathers have always compared these seemingly minor, foolish, despised and worldly works with the great works of faith and the cross, and other spiritual works.
1074 L.IX. 87-8S. Interpretation of I Genesis 37:12-14. W. II, IS7S-IS7S. 1075
It is a mixture of the two, so that it indicates and testifies that God cares for both the greatest and the least things. For there is One Lord both of the great and the lowly, of kings and servants, of men and women 2c. We all have the same one God, and we are also one, in unity and in one way, to serve this one God; although our works and occupations are unequal.
But let every man do in his profession what he ought to do there. Just as Jacob is a holy and spiritual man, speaking the law of the Lord, praying, ruling and teaching the church, but in the meantime he has not despised other small domestic works concerning the fields and cattle, or even left them alone. This is held up to us as an example, so that we should know that all our works in the household are pleasing to God, and that they are necessary for this life, in which it is incumbent on everyone to serve the one God, who is the Lord of us all, according to his ability and in his profession.
This should often be done diligently and should be impressed upon the tender age right away, so that it may learn to judge these things better than some shysters and papists, who cannot stop preferring the orders and rules of the monks and nuns to the works that belong to housekeeping and worldly government, however highly they are praised and adorned by God. The youth should know that God is just as pleased with a woman who nurses her child, or with a maid who sweeps the house, as with a lazy nun or a Carthusian monk who has good lazy days. This, I still say, is to be known against the abomination of the pope, so introduced into the church before this time, when they called all other estates worldly and useless, and praised and extolled their plates and caps alone. We, they said, are the clergy, we pray for the others: you citizens, peasants, princes, nobility and all worldly people cannot serve God. Therefore, give us gold, silver, your castles, cities and lands, and we will pray for you day and night, while you are cultivating the land.
You build, govern your household and your subjects. For this is what I myself taught when I was still a monk. But God, according to His great grace and mercy, has forgiven my sin.
However, it should often be remembered how frightfully the whole world has been deceived and deceived by the shameful papists, canonists and sophists, who bound the invocation and other divine services to the monasteries alone, as if God could not also be invoked in common life. For they do not cease, the unholy people, lawyers and monks, to strive and still use all diligence, so that once again this terrible abomination may be set up in monasteries, so that the works that God Himself commanded may be thus obscured and destroyed, as there are: domestic works that women perform in the home; or also those that belong to the worldly regiment; which are in truth God's works, since the woman, a citizen, prince, nobleman are God's creatures and everyone among us is created for a special work or office, so that those who perform such works diligently in their office should know that they are pleasing God with them, as long as they only guard against sins and refrain from them.
This light has been completely taken away from the Christian church; and this has been done by the popes, so that no knowledge, neither of the Creator nor of the creatures, has remained among the people. And the bishops and monks will still try to extinguish such light again, unless their ungodly counsels and presidencies are prevented by God at the imperial diet that is now being held. For they will pursue this with all their might, so that the papacy and the monasteries with all papal decrees may again be erected; even though they themselves despise and mock such decrees. For they do not fast and pray, but feast and dim, live day and night in a frenzy; but they will nevertheless try to deceive the emperor, because they know how to praise their great divine services so highly that they must again be erected in monasteries.
10762 . IX, 8S-SI. Interpretation of Genesis 37:12-17, W. II, IS7S-1S8I. 1077.
As if the most impure boys, the monks, were the only ones who could do God a good turn with their howling and roaring in the church.
Against such strange and monstrous abominations of the Pabst, this and other similar passages should be well remembered, namely, of the life and works of the dear patriarchs, whom God sometimes led very high. When Jacob wrestled with the angel, that was one of the highest works; for there was not room or time to milk the goats, but to wrestle and conquer against sin and death, and this by faith and hope. Sometimes, however, God leads them outside of such high works; just as the same Jacob was also worldly and domestic, waiting on the cattle, the servants and the servants. For godly people are not only appointed to one kind of work, as the monks have bound and committed themselves to special works of their own choosing; but they sometimes wait for spiritual exercise, sometimes they also have to deal with civil or domestic matters.
149 In addition to this, Joseph's obedience is also praised in this place, in that he is immediately there when his father calls him. For this obedience the Holy Spirit has told in many words, not only for the sake of the following histories, but that he might praise such childlike virtue in this young man Joseph; which, however, in the eyes of the papists are only bodily and foolish works, as if there were no human weakness at all in their lives. Nevertheless, these works, which are despised by them, are the most delicious and best in the sight of God.
III.
V. 15-17 Then a man found him going astray in the field; and he asked him, saying, Whom seekest thou? He answered: I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed. 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 in Dothan.
150 Joseph departs and hurries to his brothers with a very inclined and willing heart.
And when he had gone astray in the field for some time, a man whom he met in the field showed him the way; but he did not know how great danger he would encounter and how near his doom was. For no one has warned him of it, and God Himself has decreed that he should fall into the hands of his brothers, who were cruel beyond measure. So God, as it seems, does not pay much attention to either of them, namely, the father, Jacob, and Joseph, his son, and pretends not to see what Joseph's brothers had in mind long ago, that they also let themselves be heard publicly; and thus allows the boy to be sent there by the father and thus to be pushed into destruction. Where then are the holy angels, the Mahanaim, from whom above, Cap. 32, v. 1. 2. are praised that they fought for Jacob against Esau? No one appears here to warn Jacob and say: Beware, do not send your son Joseph to your other sons, for they will kill him and then you will be deprived of your heart's desire. All the angels and God Himself are silent. All this is truly very wonderful and quite unheard of, which I can neither reach nor express with thoughts or words. For God decrees here that both Jacob, the father, and Joseph, his son, have fallen into the present ruin.
This is a great comfort to us, that we see that God does not lead and govern the most holy patriarchs differently than He does us. For He did not only lead this patriarch Jacob through vain miracles and high spiritual exercises, which would surpass the common sense of pious godly people; but He also throws him into common dangers and accidents, as they can happen to any of us. Joseph was a good, pious, innocent youth of seventeen years, has the Holy Spirit, God is gracious to him and is pleased with him; he also led a very holy life in the congregation of Jacob, his father: and yet he is weighed down with this miserable case, which, although it may not seem unpleasant to us, is so very hard for him.
1078 W. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 15-17. W. n, iosi-iWt. 1079
to be ordinary, although this holy man did not deserve at all.
For this reason, this example is written here for our comfort, reminding us that we should remember that we are poor people, and that we should therefore take it for granted that everything that is human can also happen to us. For if this affliction befell the holy patriarch, who was full of the Holy Ghost, what wonder shall we be, and be angry or impatient at it, if we also have to experience the like? Why do we not rather rejoice in it and thank God for it, when we feel that we are also thus exercised and driven about with equal danger, so that God has also tempted the most holy people from the beginning?
In this great distress and danger, however, we see that God and the angels are completely silent about it, allowing Joseph to be plunged into the most sorrowful misery, even into death itself. They see that the father will be very miserable and saddened by the death of his dear son, and yet they have not prevented these brothers from taking action.
Therefore, let us exhort one another to patience with the examples of these people, who were like us in the cross they carried. And if these examples are closer and more comprehensible to us, they also move us more than the example of the Son of God Himself, because the latter is higher and has no comparison at all; although He also says of Himself Matth. 26, 24."The Son of Man is passing away as it is written of Him," as if neither the heavenly Father nor the angels were watching over Him, since He was handed over to the very cruel Jews and accused that they tore Him apart, wounded Him and crucified Him.
In the same way, these two also enter into death, and God is silent about it, the angels are also silent, yes, they still rejoiced about it. For it was not done to destroy Joseph or Jacob, but for the salvation of many. But this counsel of God is still secret and hidden, even though it is very good.
and useful. For by this temptation and punishment God will prevent Jacob and his children from dying of hunger, and will also ensure that Egypt will be converted and come to the true knowledge of God, and that many people will be won and saved.
This is indeed a very salutary counsel, but it has been completely hidden from their eyes. For thus God has thought: I will first kill them both; for I will not only do them good, but I will also counsel and help the whole land of Egypt through them. This was the opinion of our Lord God at that time, and it pleased Him, as a miserable and disgraceful figure or reputation, to be so despised and abandoned by God.
157 Therefore, as often as we are afflicted and challenged, we should look at this example and think that we will manfully resist our flesh when it is angry and impatient in temptation, and thus say: "Why God has so forsaken me now, I do not know; but I do not doubt it at all, the dear merciful Father will do it out of good wise counsel, so that it will also finally be useful and good for me. Although my sinful flesh does not see it, but grumbles and strives against the spirit, this cross must nevertheless be borne and overcome with faith and patience; for I also see in the holy fathers such wonderful counsel of God, so that he led and governed them. For thus all these three died at the same time, Isaac the grandfather, Jacob the father, and Joseph the son. But see and notice how much good our Lord God has wrought out of this; how gloriously he handles this grave case and wickedness of the devil, that he makes this poor and, as it were, dead shepherd, Joseph, king in Egypt and lord of many other nations, and what is still most noble, that thus the right doctrine of God is spread through the same whole kingdom; all this comes out of the little temptation. Therefore, I say, we ourselves should also conclude thus: Well then, God has now also provided me with this or another
1080 n. S2-S4. Interpretation of Genesis 37:15-17. W. n, r-84-is87. 1081
What is the reason for this? I will suffer this with patience. The flesh is weak, sighs, howls and laments, but God says: "You know nothing of this, you are a fool; my counsel and will is to bring forth great good from this cross of yours.
So also Christ says in the New Testament about His saints and believers Luc. 18, 7. 8.: "But should God not also save His elect who call to Him day and night?" 2c. "I say unto you, He will save them in a little while." O! if we could believe it, and hold fast to these words of Christ, the Son of GOD, and have such a spirit as to say with joy: Well, my life and limb, and my goods may be taken from me, and all may perish; I am sure that God Himself is doing this, and has decreed this upon me, and means it very well with me. If we could say that we are good Christians and overcomers of the whole world. And that would also mean to surrender to God in His obedience and good pleasure; as St. Paul exhorts Rom. 12, 2: "Change your mind by renovation. But the renovamini (renew your minds) hurts. But why this? Follows: "That ye may prove which is the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God." There you will learn with suffering, lamentation, groaning, what God intends for you and has decided for you.
So there is no doubt in my mind that the heartfelt sighing in our hearts and in the hearts of many godly people against the pope, the Turks, and the terrible blasphemies of the adversaries, which we have to hear with great pain in our hearts, when we sigh and cry: Come, dear Lord! that such sighing and crying, I say, should not bring about so much that the redemption of the godly children should soon approach and hasten. What matters, the gemitus (sigh) shall tear the world apart. God will no longer be able to bear patience, says Christ Luc. 18, 7. 8. but will soon save his elect. He will come, he will not stay away; and when he will begin
He will find and make such a way that the adversaries and blasphemers will be destroyed and his church will still be preserved. Thus he destroyed the whole human race by the Flood, since the people were most certain and certainly thought that now there would be no punishment or misfortune at all, so that nevertheless there were still some pious, holy and wise people among them, as it seemed. So also the kingdom of Babylon perished; item, Sodom, Jerusalem and Rome were also devastated and destroyed. Who destroyed and destroyed them? This is what the groaning and the tears in the hearts of the saints did. Moses also cried out to the Lord at the Red Sea, but what happened there? The sea was divided from one another, and when Pharaoh went into it, he was drowned; but the people of Israel were miraculously delivered, Exodus 14:15 ff.
160 Therefore it would be very useful and good if we could learn and become accustomed to comforting ourselves with such examples even in our misery and affliction, and that we could certainly conclude from this that out of our misery and calamity God the Lord wants to gather and bring a great heap of goods upon us, and that he can also do this well. Let us only bear His hand and follow His counsel for a time; let us not grumble and be angry with God, as the Jews did in the wilderness, of which the 106th Psalm v. 13 says: "But they soon forgot His works, they did not wait for His counsel." He intended to help them, but they could not wait, they wanted it without delay. Therefore they remained in the wilderness, did not come into the land of Canaan; for they despised the dear land, did not believe the word of the Lord, and murmured in their tents.
In this way, the holy patriarch Jacob was also in great distress and anxiety, and could not have wriggled out of it if he had not heard comfort from his old father Isaac and the other members of his household, who reminded him of the divine promise and gave him the opportunity to be with God.
1082 L. IL, S4-9S. Interpretation of Genesis 37:15-17. W. n, 1587-1589. 1083
until he received his son Joseph again, who was then raised to great honor and glory. For this is a very high and great thing, that Joseph is thus raised to rule over all Egypt; and where the same God had previously revealed to Jacob and said: I will provide that the loss of your son shall be a cause of much great benefit and piety to you: then he would certainly have let the son go with good will and joy. But God hid this from him and concealed everything from him, so that he could first kill the old man and then please the new man again and make him drunk and fill him with countless new benefits.
In the meantime, it has become necessary to awaken the heart to faith, to hope, to wait for divine help, according to the teaching found in Psalm 27, v. 14: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord. God knows well what end and outcome the temptation is to gain, which you yourself cannot see. Hold fast; I will mix it with sugar in such a way that even if you have to die immediately, you will be crowned again with eternal joy in the resurrection of the dead.
The purpose of these exercises is to help us understand God's grace and mercy, the mystery of faith and right hope, and to help us understand God's inscrutable counsel over us; as it says in Psalm 4:4, "The Lord leads His saints astray"; Psalm 16:3, "I am well pleased with the saints. Psalm v. 4: "The Lord leads His saints in a strange way"; item Ps. 16, 3: "I am well pleased with the saints"; likewise in Psalm 17, v. 7: "Prove Your strange goodness, You Savior of those who trust in You." God's grace and mercy, and His promise is certainly present; but it is wonderfully fulfilled above all our thoughts, wills and desires.
164 Therefore one should say with the dear Job Cap. 13, V. 15: "Even if he kills me, I will still hope in him"; and with St. Paul 2 Cor. 4, 8. 9. since he speaks quite gloriously of this matter as a skillful speaker: "We have everywhere
Affliction, but we do not fear. We are afraid; but we do not despair. We suffer persecution; but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed; but we do not perish." Our life is all miserable and wretched, full of great misfortune and affliction; yet we are not forsaken. And so a Christian heart also thinks and concludes in adversity: "I know that I shall not be put to shame; my hope and my faith and trust in God shall not fail me. For I cannot lack God Himself, His promise, Sacrament and absolution; for they are also God Himself. Therefore, even if I die, I will live again; even if I perish, I will be preserved and saved.
For Jacob is also rejected, as it seems, but is still not abandoned; he is challenged, but nevertheless does not despair; and finally he still remains God's child and God remains in him, but in a completely hidden and wonderful way. And finally, when this game comes to an end, when Jacob sees that his son is still alive and has become such a great ruler, he is very happy about it and rejoices that he had been so troubled before and had suffered so much misfortune; he thinks: "Behold, such great joy would never have happened to me if my house and community had been ruled according to my counsel and will; Joseph would have remained a shepherd like my other sons: but now he will be raised to royal glory and through him many other people will also receive help in body and soul.
166 When we are afflicted, challenged, and thus driven about, we should awaken our hearts against the leading of misfortune, and thus say, "I will not die, but live," Ps. 118:17, even though the opposite may already be seen. And even though I must completely despair of myself, I will still hope in him who makes everything out of nothing; and if I have even come to ruin, he can certainly help me up again and do the same for me and others for the very best.
167 Therefore, the more cruel suffering is, the greater and more wonderful thing it works in the saints and believers; and is a ge-
1084 D- rx. ss-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 37:15-17. W. n, issg-E. 1085
This is a sure sign of divine grace and goodness when the faithful are challenged and burdened with crosses and adversity. For if they persevere in faith in the divine promises and remain steadfast, great unbelievable goods soon follow; as the saying of St. James Cap. 1, v. 12 reads: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for after he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him." And John 12:24 says Christ: "Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Therefore, if the grain rots and dies, it soon grows and produces a beautiful stalk, which afterward bears fruit thirtyfold here and sixtyfold there.
This is such a doctrine, which is taught for and for in the Holy Scriptures; and it is also the will of God, that we should be put to death according to the flesh, and made alive again according to the spirit. For St. Paul means the same thing when he says in 2 Cor. 4:11: "For we which are alive are for ever given unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also might be manifested in our mortal flesh." There, soon after v. 16, 17, 18, he says: "For this reason we do not grow weary; but though our outward man decays, yet the inward man is renewed from day to day. For our affliction, which is temporal and light, creates an eternal and exceeding glory, for us who do not look at the visible but at the invisible" 2c.
This, then, is the true and proper art of Christians, for which they are called and chosen by Christ; as he said to his disciples John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. Therefore he also trains them and kills them, so that their fruit may be the more abundant and greater.
- in this way he also dealt with these very holy patriarchs, as if he did not know them; and yet he showed his grace and mercy over the
grandfather Isaac, poured out so abundantly on Jacob the father and Joseph his son; for they were, without a doubt, very pleasing and dear to God. But such love and mercy of God is kept so hidden and secret that God never punished any of His enemies more cruelly and severely, not even the patricides themselves here, who sold Joseph, nor the Ishmaelites or Midianites, who bought him.
Thus he awakens and accustoms his saints and believers to his marvelous counsel; but the rest of the multitude he allows to grow and become great, to live in their lusts, to practice all kinds of usury and robbery in all security, leaving them all their will to do whatever they desire, not chastising them, not hindering them, not forbidding them what they undertake ungodly things in utmost security. But what a sorrowful and unfortunate indulgence is this, when God allows them to do whatever they want!
On the other hand, those are much more blessed whom God throws into affliction, misery and death, and yet to whom He gives His promise, saying: "You have My promise, be content with it. If I had rejected you or cast you out, I would not give you my promise and would not call you to trust me; if I wanted you to be eternally damned, I would not absolve you and absolve you of your sins, I would not baptize you and would not call you to the fellowship of my dear Son Jesus Christ. But because you hold the holy sacrament and gospel, remember my words Matth. 5, 4: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted"; item V. 11. 12: "Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you because of me, and speak all kinds of evil against you, when they lie about it. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be well rewarded in heaven" 2c.
Now Joseph received not only heavenly and eternal reward, but also temporal reward, which far surpassed all hope and thought. For he became a father of the king in Egypt through this short and easy challenge, and
1086 n. W-ioo. Interpretation of Genesis 37:15-20. W. n. iss2-isss. 1087
who was also a bishop and teacher of many nations. This is also a fleshly and excellent great reward of patience and constancy in tribulation and adversity. And so God is wont to hide His face and to withdraw His hand from His saints and beloved children, letting them suffer, be sold and thrown into prison and die; not differently than if they were God's enemies, to whom He pays more attention than to these His beloved ones; not that He is in truth so minded, as it outwardly appears, but that He is, as it were, pleased to play this game in the works of His hands. For thus he himself says in Revelation 3:19, "Those I love, I also chasten."
174 Let us diligently observe and consider this, that now that we have begun to believe and hope in eternal life, which has already been given to us through the Word and Holy Baptism, we will also learn to bear with patience all the misfortunes that will befall us thereafter; and that we will certainly believe that all this does not happen by chance or in vain, but out of God's fatherly counsel and will for our salvation and happiness, which we will only understand when the temptation comes to an end. In the midst of adversity, when the struggle with temptation is at its fiercest, it is not understood, because the feelings of our flesh tear us away from the promise. And does this not occur to a man who is in anguish and distress, that he should think: I am nevertheless baptized, having the promise of God: but the heart is completely overloaded with lamentations, weeping and weeping according to the flesh.
But now the flesh must be crucified and put to death, for it hinders us from rightly understanding the promise and truth of God's word, which is rinsed out in temptation, when we hold fast to it with firm faith, and then follows also what is written in Psalm 34, v. 9: "Taste and see how kind the Lord is. God thus allows us to be challenged, so that He may have room to satisfy us again afterwards, to comfort us and to make us drunk, when we are completely powerless and exhausted, and
There is no help or comfort to be found in ourselves. For otherwise we are very sleepy. And so, when we hear God's word with overindulgence, we become quite lazy and secure about it. Sour makes you eat, they say. Hunger is a good cook.
Fourth Part.
From the bloody attacks of the sons of Jacob on their brother Joseph.
V.18-20. When they saw him from afar, before he came near 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.
God is silent about the ungodly and bloody plots, the evil counsel and the scheming of these brothers of Joseph, does not destroy or hinder them, is blind and deaf, as it seems, does not see or hear, does not understand what they are doing, and yet has said to Jacob: I will be your protection 2c.
- Now it is truly a great pity that one should see such shameful and adventurous fruit in the house and the congregation, which at that time alone was the holiest in the whole world, in which congregation the great patriarch Isaac was pastor and teacher, God's word and promise of Christ has been especially active, the Holy Spirit reigns, moreover, many beautiful examples of godliness, discipline and a fine domestic conduct have shone, that nevertheless out of it such frightening monsters have come. For Jacob, with his whole church and congregation, is subject to the devil and all his angels, to the extent that not strangers, not enemies or heretics, but his own children, born of his womb, whom he diligently raised and instructed in God's Word, killed their poor innocent brother.
178 This is truly a wonderful
1088 ir. 100. wi. Interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. W. n, isss-ieoo. 1089
A thing so high and heavy that no one, no matter how eloquent he may be, can talk it out, indeed, no man can think it out. Methinks it is worse than Cain and his brother, and that these brothers were far more cruel than Cain the fratricide. For so many brothers have envied and hated the young man Joseph, who has not yet reached the years of his right youth, in such an unjust and inhuman way, and that without any cause or even without any fault on his part. For, dear God, what sin can it be that he had two dreams, that he was especially dear to his father and brought him before him, where there was an evil cry against his brothers? There was nothing wrong with him, because he was innocent and godly, bad and right, and without all falsehood, which are all right causes that they themselves should have loved him. What can he do for having had dreams? 2c. Nevertheless these brothers, born and brought up in such a holy house of the patriarch Jacob, whom he kept in serious discipline, were so bewitched that they killed their brother, who was so pious and godly, and at the same time also their old father. These are actually patricides, matricides and fratricides, of which Paul says 1 Tim. 1:9.
The good old father Jacob sits in Hebron, is well content in his heart, and does not think otherwise than that all things are well. As he sits in such peace and good hope, his dear son Joseph is killed by the hatred of his brothers, and he himself, the father, is also killed. What should we poor, miserable people not have to expect in this life, since more harm and misfortune can befall us from members of the household, from children and from our own flesh than from neighbors or strangers? Zacharias, Luc. 1, 71, sings in his hymn of praise: "That he saved us from our enemies"; but Jacob would rather wish and ask for salvation from his dearest friends and children. For our life is described and portrayed in such a way that it is subjected to vanity, the devil and everything else.
We must also fear that our dear friends, children, and household members will be a cause of death or constant lamentation, which is even more burdensome than death itself.
For the children of Jacob have had the most excellent teachers of the church and prophets, from whom they have daily heard God's word, promise, law and other things, in whom they have always seen good morals and many examples of all respectability; and yet these poisonous spiders have sucked nothing but poison from such beautiful little flowers and fine roses. And since they would not have wanted to mend their ways by admonition or example and be deterred from such horrible sin, they should have spared their pious father and holy grandfather. But the god of this world has blinded them so that they can neither hear nor see.
181] In addition to this, there was also the great and serious trouble that arose from this vice of theirs among their neighbors, the Ishmaelites, Midianites and others, to whom this cry must have come. For to these people Joseph was sold by his brethren, therefore they will doubtless have thought: Behold, these are the children of blessing, but we are utterly cast out of the church or congregation of Abraham, are as the rejected, and are aliens from the promise and church of God; but these are the fair heirs thereto, who have committed this great sin.
This was indeed a very great trouble in their hearts, from which they could conclude nothing else, but that the glory of the blessing promised to Abraham must be in vain, and that they would rather be the right church with their own, since in it such cruel examples of such shameful sin would not be found. For the tree is to be recognized by its fruit, and the trouble that had previously resulted from Dina's weakening was not much less. For this reason, such distress undoubtedly grieved Jacob himself more than the misfortune itself; just as in our time we are also more distressed by the
1090 IL. 101-103. interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. W. n, 1S00-1S0S. 1091
and we also lament more over the fact that in our churches, unfortunately, so many aversions are aroused as over the persecution of the papists and tyrants. For the papists do not harm the church as much as the false brethren, who also boast of the same faith, doctrine, hope and invocation with us, also use the same sacraments with us and are almost equal to us in all these things. Therefore the papists are also moved and caused by such astonishments that they mock us and say: There are boys in the skin, they bite each other, and will certainly be consumed among themselves.
- Jacob, then, is an example of the patience and thought that one should have of the wonderful counsel of God over us; and God willed that this should be written and read and taught in the church, so that we might learn from it how he leads his saints so wonderfully, and governs them in such a way that even the saints themselves cannot understand or comprehend such counsel of God by which they are led; And this for no other reason than that our flesh, sense and understanding, and also our wisdom, are thus killed, and that we become accustomed to simply closing our eyes and trusting in God's promises, even though he presents himself as if he did not respect us, even though the opposite can be seen. As the bride in the Song of Solomon Cap. 2, 9: "He is behind the wall," he hides himself behind the cloth; and as the child Jesus, when he was twelve years old, also withdrew from his parents, Luc. 2, 43. He behaves in the same way toward the godly and pious, so that it seems as if he did not know us at all, even though he had made us a great promise before; and after he has certainly established his covenant with us, he lets us perish as if he had forgotten his promise, and as if he did not respect us and had rejected us.
184 This then is the wisdom of Christians, to hold fast to such divine counsel, and in faith to the promise which he hath given us.
persevere. For such a promise is sure and constant enough, and the covenant of the Lord is also firm, as the 121st Psalm v. 4. says: "The guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers."
But to this human reason answers thus: All this is well said, but I experience and feel the opposite. For he not only sleeps, but also snores; indeed, there is no God at all who would care for us or take care of us. So Jacob is certain of the divine promise, and also knows that the covenant of God will stand firm; and yet God deals with him in such a way that it seems as if neither he himself, nor his son Joseph, have the holy angels as guardians who would resist the fierce anger of his brothers: they all keep silent, and let the devil storm the holy church and congregation, raging and raging against it. Where then is God?
For this reason, we are often reminded that we are taught from such an example that one must grasp the divine promise with firm faith, and that one should not doubt God at all where he promises something. For just as God cannot lie, so he cannot refrain from lying; he must take care of us, especially when we hold fast to his promise. For where this is firmly held, it is impossible that we should be forsaken, because God is true. For this reason, when he decrees that we are to be challenged, led into hell and killed, as we see in this example of Jacob, we should always take refuge in his promise, and put far from our eyes the terrible distress, so that we may be crucified and afflicted in this way.
187 Jacob and his son Joseph were very severely tempted and afflicted, which was completely contrary to the divine promise, and seems nothing less than that God should take care of them and provide for them. For he does not send them an angel, nor even a leaf from the tree, so that the devil may be stopped and driven back; but he still does good to him.
1092 L n, los-ir". Interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. W. n. i603-isos. 1093
and windows, that he may rage and rage against father and son in the most horrible way.
Jacob has a very great and rich promise, and the fulfillment and living experience of it, namely, in the blessing shown to him by the fact that he has twelve sons. But he still has to struggle with many troubles that occur to him, as if he had no God or no promise. However, we must conclude and still consider it that he has nevertheless not been abandoned by God. For the promise still stands, Isa. 49, 15. 16.: "Can a woman forget her child, and not have mercy on the son of her womb? Though she forget him, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, in the hands I have marked you" 2c.
Why do we nevertheless encounter so many frightening things from our own flesh, children and generations? Answer: This is the way of divine government, and this is also the way of the life of the saints and believers in this world. Therefore, there is such wisdom and doctrine that surpasses all reason and human understanding, that by such wisdom I can say: I have been baptized, absolved from my sins and declared free; I have eaten my Lord Christ's body and drunk his blood; I have the most certain word of God, who will not lie to me or deceive me, even though it might seem as if everything were going out contrary to one another.
190 For so Jacob also thought, Though it seem as if I were forsaken, because my son was taken from me, of whom I understood especially the promise which is now in doubt, yet it is only a temptation. But how many do you think could be found who could do the same?
Therefore, I say, it is necessary that our flesh be killed and the understanding of the flesh and reason with all human wisdom be destroyed. It must come to this. Everything is made by the word, must also be made again by it.
We are created by the word and must also turn back to the word. So the Sophists also spoke, but did not understand it themselves: Ad principium, a quo processimus, est redeundum, bas ift: that is: We must return to the beginning from whence we came. This is easily said, so that one can speculate about it; but where one is to practice it in deed, and thus come to ruin, die, and even perish, so that it seems as if there is nothing left of life or feeling in the flesh but only the word, this has trouble and work. When I die, I go down to hell and perish. What shall I do then? There is no help left but the word: "I believe in God" 2c. I hold fast to this, no matter how fiercely he is angry, leaves me, kills me, even leads me into hell. But why do I hold on to the word? Because I have been baptized and absolved, and have used Holy Communion. I believe in the word. God grant that heaven and earth may be broken, but I do not have to reject or deny the word, the promise and the sacraments, even if I should be thrown into hell.
These are not things to be speculated about in vain, but are taken from life and experience, and should not be heard or considered only once while we are alive, but should be repeated and practiced often. I am baptized once, I am accepted into the divine promise, I am absolved daily, and I hear that forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to me, I am raised up and comforted with God's word, I am in the kingdom of grace and blessedness. But what happens? Every day I encounter so many and such great misfortunes and miracles that if I had no other help or advice than my own reason and flesh, I would soon kill myself with a rope or other means of defense. So full of innumerable cunning is the devil, and all corners are full of various kinds of death, of stalking, of the sword 2c. But no matter how much clouds and darkness lie in the way, one must nevertheless enter into the light of the word and divine power.
1094 2. n. 1W-I07. interpretation of I Genesis 37:18-2V. W. II, 1606-1608. 1095
The Lord's promise is to break into the faith and say: "Now, in the name of God, I have sinned, I confess it; but I believe that I am baptized and that my Lord Christ is seated at the right hand of God 2c.
This is the groaning that God wants to awaken in the hearts of believers, so that they do not become secure and sluggish, and perish and perish from weariness and spiritual laziness. For thus the spirit is awakened, the faith is sharpened; the knowledge of God grows and the new man is always renewed from day to day, and one learns about the good and perfect will of God.
This is what happened to the man. For this holy man will now die, and this has been the last and most extreme challenge, which will undoubtedly have killed him. For otherwise he spent his previous life in the greatest sorrow, in darkness, misfortune and the shadow of death. How then such a life, spent in constant and sorrowful lamentation, is not life but death, since the sun becomes black, since neither sleep, nor food, nor drink tastes good, since one has no desire for the things that otherwise usually make a man happy. This is truly the right and constant death; that is why Jacob perishes here. Here the last temptation hit and entered him, and it also killed him, because he lost his most beloved son, who was the firstborn of his first wife. At the same time, the heavy grief he had before that the Shechemites were slain and his daughter Dinah was weakened will be renewed for him. And the grief he received over the miserable death of Joseph's mother, and finally that Reuben had weakened Bilhah and thus caused the horrible incest, was also renewed in him. These four severe afflictions soon followed each other, one after the other within three years, without stopping. This is a poor man, in whose house he had been completely holy, and since God's word and the Holy Spirit reign, nevertheless such great power of the devil should still have the upper hand, that not easily
even a shameful pagan could have suffered greater heartache. I do not know how it should be worse for someone who is a pagan; and if such a thing were to happen to Julius Caesar, Octavius, or Alexander the Great, it would be truly frightening and cruel enough.
These are indeed great and frightening things, which I cannot deal with even according to their dignity: it is too high for me. Therefore, we should not be afraid; come what may, it cannot be as bad for us as it was for the holy man. No, I say, it cannot be harder and more difficult for us. We have not yet come to such heavy sufferings and crucifixions as this patriarch's sufferings were. If the Turk came, robbed and devastated everything, and strangled us to boot, such misery would still be nowhere comparable to the misery and affliction that Jacob suffered. Yes, even the great agony or torment that the dear martyrs suffered cannot be compared to this. For they suffered when they were full of the Holy Spirit and full of joy, without lamentation and sadness, and were able to defy even the tyrants and mock them. Their suffering lasted a little while, but here it was a continuous death that lasted for two and twenty years, until he went down to Egypt.
So God's counsel is very wonderful, by which the saints or believers are governed, since Satan is raging and raging, and yet the Holy Spirit is also present there at the same time, who preserves, teaches, admonishes and keeps the holy Christian church against the devil. For although here both Father and Son are forsaken, nevertheless, as said before, they have kept the Word for a whole twenty years, in which they have both lived even in the midst of death, that is, only in the promise and in the Word.
This is a very miserable life according to the flesh. For the poor father dies in truth, seeing nothing before his eyes but the death of his son and of himself. That is why he says afterwards in v. 35: "I will go down with suffering into the
1096 L. IX, 107. los. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 18-20. W. n, 1808-1611. 1097
Pit." Joseph was thrown into prison and accused of adultery, as if it had not been misfortune enough that he had to live in misery and servitude, and thus had to be torn away from his dearest father and his whole family and separated from them. So death fell upon death, hell upon hell upon him; and yet Joseph is still alive. Why or how did he live? Because he heard the promise of God and the sermons of his father: God promised Abraham, Isaac, my father, that He would be their seed and children of God forever. These promises have preserved and established Jacob the father, and in addition his son, Joseph. For Joseph was like a good tinder that catches fire easily, and never departed from his father's words: he diligently kept his teaching. I, he will have thought, am Jacob's son, to whom God promised that he would take care of me; I firmly believe this, even though everything goes against the grain.
But the wretched papists do not understand such a life and example of the dear fathers. They hear that Jacob had a wife and cows and other livestock, and they despise this as a vain carnal thing. Well, gentlemen, let us look at this example a little more closely, namely, what a poor, miserable man Jacob was according to the flesh, and also look at the beautiful lamp that shines before the eyes of Joseph and Jacob in the dark place. For this they hold: hence it is that they lived so long a time, all of twenty years, in misery and even in hell. Although Joseph had been delivered from hell ten years before, he had been deprived of the sweet fellowship of his dear father in the meantime. For this reason, the promises of God and the faith in them should be seen in the dear fathers, so that they were able to bear and endure such great sorrow and misery through no other help, but only because they had this word: I, the Lord, am your God, your protection; do not be afraid; only put your trust in me, I am with you, I will protect and save you.
- like us also in the holy baptism,
Absolution and Communion: I am the Lord, your God; do not be troubled, I will provide counsel; only cast your cares and concerns upon me; for you have in me such a God, who promised you that he would take care of you in a fatherly way. Yes, says a poor sorrowful heart, I nevertheless see the opposite. God then answers again: "It is true, dear child, you do see the opposite; but this is only a temptation, which is useful and good for you, so that you may learn from it and experience how kind the Lord is. For if this temptation had not come, you would remain quite coarse and without understanding in your flesh, and would never be able to understand what it is that I have said: I am the Lord, your God. So you, dear child, must be chastened and taught, so that through such training and experience you may learn to recognize, through so many temptations, that I am the Lord your God, as it is written in Deut. 8:3: "He fed you with man, that he might make known to you that man does not live on bread alone, but on everything that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
There is no opinion that you should be lost or condemned. For the baptism is sure enough, the promise and absolution you can also not lack. What now? This opinion has it, and God deals with it, that you should learn how powerful life is in the Word, and that you should certainly conclude with yourself: "Although I am hard-pressed and frightened, so that I even perish, it is only because I should remember my dear baptism and divine promise. For I have such a gracious God who cares for me, of which I have no doubt. Although it may seem as if everything is repugnant to me, these are only temptations that test and prove my faith, whether I also firmly believe that God is my protection and shield.
These are the examples of the dear fathers, of which I said that in them one should pay attention to the promise and their faith, so that they kept such promises, and then also to the cross that they carried, because these are the most distinguished pieces in the legends of the saints. After that
1098 2- n. ivs-uo. Interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. W. ii, ikii-isi4. 1099
God can also suffer them to deal with housekeeping and other small things, which the world and the papists despise. For they were also men like other men, and do such works as are like other men's works, which may well be done by ungodly men; so that there was no special difference at all between Jacob and any other shepherd. But this alone is the difference, which every carnal man cannot soon see, namely, that Jacob has the promise, is God's child, is under His protection and shield, and can trust in God; therefore everything he does, that he begets children, milks the goats, has been pleasing and pleasant to God. Why is that? Because the promise reigns here: he is under the heaven of divine promise and believes it.
But when the temptations come in heaps, then one sees what true virtue the saints have had in themselves: how here no goat is milked, but both father and son are killed, the whole house is broken up, and the church or congregation of God is even distressed. What happens there? There is a great crying and wailing: Oh, how we are nothing at all, we are lost people! But against this faith says: You are not lost; remember that you still have divine promise, which is spread over you as far as heaven is. God still cares for you, even though you neither see nor feel it. Only a small cloud has passed over you, which God seems to have swallowed up the Lord.
These things should be said and often repeated in the histories of the fathers, so that we may learn to stand bravely in the faith, and also greatly esteem the promise that we receive from God. You should not regard yourself lightly; if you have been baptized, have God's word, have been absolved, have been called: then consider that the kingdom of heaven is spread out over you, and not only God Himself, but also all the angels have their eyes fixed on you. If now already everything is destroyed, heaven and earth over one
When the people of the world are in a heap, and all the infernal gates are stirring, and the pope, emperor, and Turk are raging and raging in the most dreadful way, then you say: I am baptized; then you will have it. With such faith and trust you will be victorious. For since God cares for you, He will not abandon you, nor will any harm befall you that may hinder your salvation.
204 The Hebrew word, nachal, I will let the Hebrews be commanded to explain and investigate what it actually means. As much as I can understand it, it means, where one wants to accomplish something with cunning, which we commonly call practiciren, to make strange practices; as in our times the court practices are, indeed, with which now almost all farmers and citizens know how to deal. These brothers made their plots with cunning counsel, deceitfully and deceitfully, so that they would kill Joseph with cunning and treacherous ways, so that the father would not be aware of such counsel and that they would not have to bear the guilt. Malachi at the 1. Cap. V. 14, it is written: "Cursed be the good man that hath a male in his host, and when he voweth, he offereth a vile one unto the Lord. The Hebrew word nochel means in German cunning, treacherous, deceitful, as the bishop of Mainz and such other wicked old peelers, who deal in cunning, and know how to ensnare everything with such their deceit, can also cover it cunningly and treacherously. We use to say in German: Sie wischen das Maul 2c. Who did it? The nobody, the mischievous one. It is no one who confuses and destroys everything in the domestic and world regiment.
These fellows do the same here, kill the very pious young man, and yet do it in such a way that they may nevertheless be taken for the innocent, who have no guilt at all. Above this, they can also pretend that their father's suffering goes very much to their hearts and is quite painful. They could not have killed him with obvious violence, because the father would have found out, from whom they wanted to conceal this deed with diligence. For this reason they now conclude this
1100 LIX, IIV-II2. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 18-20. m. **II, I6IL-1S17.** 1101.
They want to kill him, and yet they are not considered or thought to be the ones who caused this death. They will have thought that we want to strangle him and say that a wild animal, a lion, bear or wolf tore him apart. We do not know anything about his death, but we will say that we found the bloody garment on the way; we will send it to our father so that he can see whether it is Joseph's garment or not. But we really do not know where or when he may have perished.
This is a very beautiful mystery and image of the Israelite people. For the Jews are actually such nochlim, as can be seen in King Saul and the Jews who stood before Pilate, who said John 18:31: "We must not kill anyone. These are, I say, the true norlims and the shalks-nobodies who do harm, and yet seek nothing else but to be highly praised for their innocence and piety. This seems to me to be the meaning and emphasis of the word.
But see if these brothers have not been possessed by the evil devil, because they have dealt so treacherously with it, as they would kill their brother Joseph and so wickedly deceive their old father. Although I may believe without sin that they have not all been so wicked at the same time, but that the chief ringleaders of this sin will have been Simeon and Levi. For it seems as if Judah and Reuben would not willingly consent to this horrible sin. As then in the narration, where Moses tells, how it all happened, Reuben is excused, and that Juda advised, one should rather sell him 2c. But these two, Simeon and Levi, have decided in their hearts that they will kill and destroy their brother Joseph; but the others, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Issachar, have their excuse because they were still young. For this was done when Joseph was seventeen years old, and Judah was twenty years old, Levi one and twenty, Simeon two and twenty, Reuben three and twenty: and the rest of Joseph were yet a little younger.
were the first. But these were two great men and lords, Simeon and Levi, who are the nobles of the court, yes, the most wicked boys in the house of Jacob. The others have not resisted them and are therefore also involved in the same sin through these evil desperate boys. Yes, dear Lord God, it often happens that one boy can make a whole town go astray.
(208) Reuben did object that they should not do this unjust thing, but his brothers despised him. For he had now lost his reputation among them because of the incest he had committed; and the others were all the more defiant and presumptuous because they boasted that they were pious and holy, and that therefore the rule of the house and church belonged to them.
- But it is useful and good that this sin of Joseph's brothers be made great enough that the Christian church may be improved and comforted by it; Because the children of this excellent, great holy man thought of and committed such a terrible evil deed with such certainty, and at the same time brought their other brothers into line with them and mixed them in the same sin, that they had to join them in killing Joseph only for the reason that he told his two dreams that he had and that he was especially dear to the father. All the good deeds they had done in the first and second table, which were of no value to them, were completely undone and lost. There was nothing left in them but the utmost barbarity and vain unkindness, which even the most shameful pagans might have had in themselves. God is not feared, he is even mocked and crucified.
After that, such fellows can be called mother murderers, father murderers, grandfather murderers and great-grandfather murderers with all rights. For I believe that Isaac could have lived much longer, where he would have been without this tribulation. So also the pious honest matrons, Rachel, Rebecca and Deborah, where they were
1102 D. n, 112. 113. interpretation of I Genesis 37, 18-20. W. n, 1617-1619. 1103
If they had still been alive at that time, they would have had to die of great heartache; and it was very well for them that they took their leave of this life before such sorrow. For if they had lived that year, it would not have been possible for them to endure such great pain and sadness; they would have torn the hairs from their heads with their hot tears and would soon have died of sorrow and sadness. Thus, with this one sin they committed against their brother, the disobedient children wrapped themselves in many other great and grave sins at the same time, making themselves guilty of them.
211 Therefore learn here, you bachelors, to be obedient to your parents, schoolmasters and other elders. For this is a great and grievous sin, and a cause of much and innumerable misfortune, where children are disobedient; for this same sin kills parents, brothers, grandfathers, and the whole generation, and crucifies the Son of God. Beware!
How Simeon and Levi repented is not clear from the Scriptures, but I will believe that the greater part of their repentance and punishment was that the infants in Egypt were drowned. And God was able to punish and afflict each one of them in his own time, so that they also cried and wept, and had to pull out their hair, and perhaps suffered more severe punishment than we can imagine, which is not described. However, it seems likely that God inflicted a punishment on them that was equal or similar to their sin, namely, that the king in Egypt issued a commandment that all the infants of the people of Israel, when they were born, were to be thrown into the water and drowned. As if God wanted to say, "You threw your brother Joseph into a pit in which there was no water; now I will let it happen again that your children will be thrown into the water and perish in it.
For in the end, after the sin, payment usually follows; not, I say, a Papist satisfaction,
but the punishment of God. For God forgives and pardons sin, but lest the sinner fall asleep over it and become secure, and boast of his sins as if he had done it well and everything had been done well, God comes with a rod of iron, searches out and punishes the sin of the fathers against the children in the third and fourth generation.
But why does he do this? He does not do it as if one could do enough with such punishment for sin; for he is not satisfied with our punishment, does not consider such our satisfaction: But he punishes so that the sinner may not snore and become secure, or boast of his wickedness and sins; but that the sin committed may bite us, kill us, and force us to realize how great and grave the sin is; that we may therefore weep over it, groan, and call upon God for mercy, so that it may be forgiven us without merit, by grace, for Christ's sake, since such mercy is promised by God to those who weep over their sins, confess them, feel sorry for them, and thus truly repent.
And if God did not punish sin in this way, we would not only snore and despise sin, but we would also accumulate it daily and make it more and greater than the previous ones. Sin may lie at the door and sleep, as is said of Cain in Genesis 4:7; but it does not remain safely hidden, but will one day suddenly awaken and torment you and crucify you; yet not to destruction or damnation, but that you may come to repentance and amend yourself by confessing your sin, sighing and crying out to God, and calling on him for mercy. So they will have paid well. So, I say, the Israelites will undoubtedly have suffered punishments for their sins, which were severe enough, as is indicated in the history 2 Mos. 1, 11. ff. For as they killed their brother, father and mother, so again they suffered many countless misfortunes and plagues in Egypt under Pharaoh's tyranny. Pharaoh
1104 L- ix, iis-iis. Interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. W. ii, isi9-is22. 1105
He judged them rightly in Egypt, so that they would remember what a great sin they had committed, and that they would not consider sin such a small thing.
For if we do not diligently consider the greatness of sin, God Himself will consider it great. If we do not judge ourselves, the Lord will judge us. And it is still a great blessing that God judges and punishes us for our own salvation, and not for condemnation, as Judas and Saul are judged. But will you be sure and think: What is the matter, if I have already angered my parents? I tell you, your sin is asleep and still hidden. But it will surely come out, and drive thee to say at last: Alas for me poor sinner, what have I done? Why have I so despised God in my father and mother and schoolmaster? Why have I not been obedient to them in what they have commanded me? This will come at last, it cannot fail.
217 Thus we have often earnestly admonished against secret betrothals, that they should be avoided on both sides, and that virgins and bachelors should beware of them. But there are many who, as if blinded by love, go against their own conscience, so that bachelors do not marry properly and in obedience to their parents, nor do virgins allow themselves to marry freely, but one part steals from the other, as it were by force, whether their parents like it or not. What else do they do, then, but stain themselves with terrible mortal sin, which may lie dormant and hidden for a time? For the maiden pleases the bachelor well, and his heart is completely inflamed with love for the maiden, so that he thinks of nothing else day or night, nor does he dream of anything else. But if only a month or two pass, then at last a miserable groaning and lamenting follows; as Abigail says to David, 1 Sam. 25, 29. 31: "The soul of my Lord will be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God" 2c. "So shall not the heart of my Lord be troubled.
It should not be an offense, nor an annoyance, that you have not shed blood without a cause. Such offences and annoyances tend to grieve the conscience for and for, since one thinks: I have taken this maiden against the will of her parents. After that comes the crawling in the neck, the black evil dog, the newcomer, that bites your whole life, does not stop, even if the sin is already forgiven.
But with those, the pain or sadness of conscience will be somewhat greater and heavier, who now know the will of God, that one should not marry or enter into marriage without the consent of one's parents. For before, not knowing God's commandment, such ignorance might have its excuse; but how much better it would be now, with the knowledge and will of the parents, to become married, so that when you sleep with the maiden, you may also touch her with joy and a good conscience, without all offense and annoyance, so that both God and the parents may well grant you the same, and laugh and rejoice over it. This, I say, would be much better than that you should mix with her in such a thievish and secret way, since your own heart, which accuses you of this, will grumble against you with constant sadness: If only I could have had this maiden and kept myself to her, that her parents would also have given their will to it, and would have been happy and in good spirits with us about it. Why then have I so grieved and angered my dear God and also the people with it? For the little black dog, the newcomer, who at last comes, does not stop barking and biting your conscience, even though you know that your sins are forgiven.
219 And we preachers, who are to administer the church government, often have much to do with such confused consciences, which are burdened with such sins, until we again straighten and comfort them. For this reason we may be justly angry with the jurists and their canons, who have actually caused and created this confusion. They set fire to the houses so that they burn, and then let us see to it that we put them out again. We, however, do what we can, absolve and comfort them.
1106 L.IX, IIS-II7. Interpretation of I Genesis 37, 18-20. W.II, 1622-ISA. 1107
The black dog does not stay away: the pain comes again and is renewed as often as there is a misfortune or damage in the household, for example, when a child falls ill, when the woman is unwell in childbirth, or when she dies. 2c. This is the cause of all misfortune, namely, the contempt of the parents; with which contempt the black little dog soon barks under your eyes and presses the same upon you; and if this were not present, we could more patiently suffer and endure all kinds of troubles and accidents. For there the heart is quiet and well satisfied, knows that this state pleases God, plays or jokes in good peace with his dear spouse, and is certain that all his works are pleasing and pleasant to God. And even if something unpleasant were to happen, the heart would not be easily moved or frightened.
220 I say this as an example, but it should also be applied to all other sins, which will undoubtedly be followed by such pain of conscience, even in the people who are the most wicked and also very cruel and inhuman. For it is such a mood that it is difficult to separate from the person who is so tuned. Therefore, dear children, beware, it is coming, beware. You are still young, you do not yet know what a horrible beast an evil conscience is. Accustom your hearts to be obedient to your parents and schoolmasters. It is a fine thing, as Juvenal says, that one may not become pale or ashen because of any sin. There is nothing better and for which one should have more desire than that one may lead such a life that is pleasant and pleasing to God, and in which even pious parents may have pleasure and joy. I could well cite many examples here, both of which I have experienced myself and have also seen in others what a great misfortune an evil conscience is; but I will pass over them for the sake of brevity.
221 For it is to be considered certain that sin is certainly death and condemnation to death. But there are two things
Condemnation: one of wrath and the other of grace. Where there is a condemnation of wrath, one feels such great power and force of sin that it overtakes the conscience without all help and comfort and even destroys it to the core, as happened to Judah, Saul and all other despairing people. May God graciously deliver us from such damnation and protect us from it. The other condemnation is a condemnation of grace; Paul says 1 Cor. II, 31: "If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged by the Lord. God preserves those who are thus judged through the word and promise, through the comfort of the word and ministry.
When the priest, or any other minister of the Word, comes and delivers such a frightened conscience, it usually comes, even though it is raised up and comforted, that the sighing always comes again, even against the will and all feeling of such comfort. I know well what I will encounter when I consider how I led my entire previous life. For even though I know that my sins are forgiven, the pukah, that is, the offense, still comes back: without the offense I cannot be, I must become ashamed and say: Fie on you, what have I done! I do not know myself guilty, as if I had committed fornication with another's wife, or had beaten someone to death, or such other gross sins, I do not know myself guilty; the little black dog cannot bite me; but for other sins it bites me, since my conscience is now also already satisfied, and the scar is covered and healed.
(223) So sin awakens some to condemnation, but in others it awakens to chastening and repentance, that they may be chastened and converted, that they may cry out to God and finally be saved: just as Manasseh the king had his sin awakened and revealed to him, but to his mercy and salvation. Likewise also to Peter, Paul and Magdalene.
- but they have it still a little better and are the more blessed, who live there without offence and sighing because of heavy sin, so they
1108 L. ix, in. iis. Interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. w. n, issv-isss. 1109
They have committed more crimes than pious and godly husbands and wives, who are sure that they have been married with the consent of their parents. They say that they can bear and overcome all kinds of misfortune much more easily and with a clear conscience than others who have despised the authority of their parents.
(225) But this sin, which is still so small, is now still hidden, because they are dealing with it, so that they may carry out this horrible sin. And this example is thus held up to us, both to comfort us and also to frighten the wicked and the secure with it. For these brothers of Joseph did indeed obtain mercy, since they finally groaned, suffered and atoned, not according to papist but divine repentance, which is indeed a condemnation to death, but nevertheless in such a way that the sinner is awakened by crying out to God and calling for the mercy that He shows in Christ, His dear Son. Thus the Ninivites were converted and fasted; but such fasting was not their true repentance and satisfaction, but the groaning, when they said, "Lest we perish," Ion. 3:9, was a salvation to them, that it was not a condemnation to death.
226 But they do not leave it at that, but also let themselves be heard with bitter and unkind words: "Behold," they say, "the dreamer comes along" 2c. That they say "the dreamer" even means a bitter contempt. For both their hearts and tongues have been full of devilish malice and bitterness. And the bishop in our neighborhood, who himself entertained and heard preach at his court the pious, godly preacher M. Georg, whom he then had murderously and miserably killed, can well be compared with these people. And now that he had been strangled and killed, the bishop posed as if he knew nothing about the death blow, and let himself be heard outwardly as if he were heartily sorry that the pious man had perished in such an unjust manner.
227 As soon as they saw their brother, whom they should ever have loved, received kindly and protected, especially because
he was still young and also quite innocent, they immediately began to speak of him in a hostile and poisonous manner, saying: Ecce iste Baal somniorum; for so it is written in the Hebrew text: This is the lord and master of dreams; the shameful poet, the dreamer is coming. They blame him for having thought up or composed the dreams.
Baal means a master, a husband, or actually a householder: Isa. 1, 3: "An ox knows its master"; and in the 5th book of Moses: "When you see your brother's donkey going astray, you shall lead him back to his master. Hence the Baal service, which idolatry found the widest spread, has its name. For the idolatrous Jews themselves chose such a worship, which should be excellent, and much more delicious and better than the common way of worship. For they also wanted to have such a householder to be their baalah. Baalah means a paramour. We cannot be satisfied with that, they will have said, that God is our Lord, as he is also the Lord of other nations; but they want him to be our Baal, that is, our Buhle, because we want to be better than others. That is why they have established feast days and certain sacrifices. As the monks did in our country, who were not satisfied with the proper spiritual worship of faith, love and hope, but thought up new special ways of dress, differences of food, time and place: they called this perfection, as if they were no longer common Christians, but like angels, far above the common crowd of Christians.
229 So we see here in these brothers of Joseph, how very sourly and unkindly they have interpreted or interpreted the dreams of the simple pious youth; as if he had invented them with cunning, that he would thus take away and deprive the others of the regency and priesthood. Thus the hatred which they unjustly cast upon him was kindled in them and always increased. For Simeon and Levi could not bear it; but Reuben, because of the sin which he had committed, was utterly destroyed.
1110 LIX. 118-120. interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. W. II, 1628-1630. 1111
respected, and Judah was the youngest among them. Therefore they will have said: The reign will ever belong to no one else but to us two, and when I, Simeon, die, the reign will come to Levi. These are the real mischievous masters who have acted out this tragedy. And for this reason they will be cut off by the patriarch Jacob with their right colors and painted with due punishment, Cap. 49, 5. 6. 7.: "The brothers Simeon and Levi; their swords are murderous weapons. Let not my soul enter into their council, neither let my honor be in their church. "2c. "I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." The whole tribe of Levi had nothing of its own, and in the tribe of Simeon there were only poor scribes and schoolmasters; as now the Jews still say that there is no scribe in the whole nation except in the tribe of Simeon. Therefore this punishment of poverty and mendicancy fell on both tribes, even though their sin was forgiven when they repented.
(230) And so, desiring to be on top and to have the royal rule over the others alone, they were miserably cast down and brought into perpetual poverty. For the quarrel has been over the firstborn or over the royal and priestly dignity. This was the cause of the great quarrel and bitter hatred that drove these brothers to commit such an inhuman sin, far surpassing the murder that Cain also committed against his brother. For the same Cain, for the same reason, also strangled his brother Abel: because God accepted Abel's sacrifice, but rejected Cain's, therefore he must die. So Joseph dreamed that he should be the prince and priest of the house, and the interpretation of the dreams is manifest in itself; wherefore they were so fiercely enraged and enraged, that they said unto him, "Shall thou be our king, and reign over us?"
In the same way, it is customary among brothers to divide the inheritance with each other. For brothers are seldom at one with each other, and strangers can unite with each other much more easily than brothers.
Joseph had to die for the sake of this privilege, which was rightfully his by all rights, because he was the firstborn of the most noble wife of Jacob, whom he had first desired and loved. For Leah was fraudulently, as it were by force, thrust upon him and given to him, when he never desired or loved her. Yet, all this notwithstanding, these two boys seek to usurp and arrogate to themselves such glory, when, according to their father's will and by reason of their birth, it belonged to Joseph. For this reason they were truly worse than Cain, and the sins they committed are far more heinous than Cain's murder. For they think not that they shall grieve their poor old father, who for their sakes hath suffered so much misfortune from the beginning of his married state. There must have been no mind and no thoughts in them. They want to go through it badly with their heads: he must die. That is the devil. Their descendants, the Jews, did the same. For regardless of the many miracles that Christ the Lord performed, they always repeated the word and said, Luc. 19:14: "We do not want this man to rule over us. He wants to teach us, wants to be our high priest and king, says he is the Son of God. "Away with him, crucify him." The same hardening is always with those who resist divine truth and order. For the same thing is heard from the papists in our time: In short, we do not want to be governed or taught by anyone 2c.
The other brothers of Joseph, however, did not first instigate or conceive this diabolical plot, but nevertheless got involved in the game, as it is wont to happen in the world. And since they decided with each other in their hearts to strangle their brother, they also decided on a very cunning plan, namely, how they would conceal their evil deed and the body of their slain brother. And, dear, see how frighteningly deluded they must have been and how they must have been possessed by the devil. For they have added to this that they have committed the murder of their brother.
1112 L. n. 120-122. interpretation of I Moses 37:18-20. w. ii. 183V-1W3. 1113
They have not committed any sin, especially against the other and first tablets, with the exception of the sixth commandment concerning adultery.
233 Therefore, whoever would magnify their sins would have ample material here. For they transgressed all the Ten Commandments, robbing the father of all his descendants of his inheritance and good, and of his honor; and if they could, they would have robbed him of the promise. They did not sin against the sixth commandment, but in all the other sins forbidden by God in the Ten Commandments they were completely drowned, up to their ears in them. In the same way they grieved the whole family and led them into miserable sorrow and lamentation, and especially their father and grandfather, who saw the misery in which his son's children had fallen, and yet did not know who had caused such misery. The Ishmaelites and Midianites knew it well, but to the great sorrow of the whole church.
234 Therefore these brothers knew how to decorate themselves in a subtle way, saying, "Let us throw him into a pit and say that an evil animal ate him. They did not pay any attention to the fact that he was their brother. It would have occurred to the most cruel enemy that he would have thought that he was his brother, and in that case one brother would have to spare the other and not attack him. But these fellows strangle their brother and then throw him into a pit, invent a supposed excuse for this evil deed against his father and others, saying: "We did not kill him, but a wild animal ate him.
Here again is such a place to remember how wonderful is the counsel of our Lord God, which we cannot see and understand at all, or only a little and in the dark. For where it seems that God is angry, He is not angry from the heart, but still keeps His mercy and faithfulness over us, as the Scriptures testify of Him everywhere. Such promises
The light of the sun always shines in this darkness of gloom.
236] Then here is another counsel of God, that he allows these brothers to secretly pursue Joseph, and with great wisdom conceal the murder they committed against him; just as Cain thought that it was hidden that he strangled his brother Abel, and that neither God nor men knew anything about it. So these fellows do not doubt that it can be prevented that their father does not find out about what they have done to Joseph. But in their advice and cunning tricks, which they take great pleasure in themselves, they are completely deceived and blinded.
As in our time, God also allows the Turks and the Popes to be wise and to use cunning, giving them marvelous good fortune. But in this way he makes them mad and foolish, when they make themselves believe that they are the wisest. But who is he that understandeth these things? For we are rather weak, we are fools and even despised in the world. We are always suffering and mourning, but they are joyful and confident because of the glory they have, namely, that they alone are wise and powerful, even that they have the rule over the whole world. But they that have the Holy Ghost, and know the mind of the Lord, judge it, as it is written in the 73rd Psalm, v. 18, 19: "O Lord, thou puttest them in the slippery place, and bringest them down. How do they come to nothing so suddenly" 2c. Therefore, all those who rely on such wisdom and cunning are mistaken in heart. The bishops and cardinals have become vain fools with all their secret practices; but there is no one who can see it. We can see that they are foolish and nonsensical in all their counsels and nobles, but we will not persuade them that this is so for a long time yet.
238 Therefore, when the wicked fiercely threaten us with death, the gallows, fire and the sword, so that they may think to kill us and even bury us, we should know for certain that God, who has said: I will be your protection, will laugh at their foolishness and do the opposite. For this is what these brothers of Joseph thought: "Come, let us
1114 LIX, 122-124. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 18-22. W.H, ISW-ISSS. 1115
strangle him"; but God says thus: "Let him live for me, and keep him unharmed. They said, "We will bury him in the pit," but God says, "You shall raise him to me from the dead. They hope to gain the praise of righteousness and innocence; but God says, "Accuse yourselves and plunge into eternal damnation. For this is how God changes and perverts the advice of men. And this is understood only by those who have the Holy Spirit and have felt and experienced divine help and salvation from adversity.
239 And this is also the teaching of the 2nd Psalm, v. 2, 3, 4, which illustrates the counsel and nobility of both. The kings and princes of the land rage and cry, "Let us break their bands, and cast away their cords from us"; we will not look upon their Christ. "But he that dwelleth in heaven laugheth at them, and the LORD mocketh at them." Dear lords, he says, your casting away and tearing asunder is my exalting, raising up, crowning, and setting as king. That is their gain from it. Your burying or burying is my raising out of hell, and the excuse of your sin is your eternal damnation.
240 Because of this, that these brothers say with great defiance, "So it will be seen what his dreams are," they have seen this to their great detriment, since they had already long ago fulfilled such bitter hatred against their brother with the horrible murder. For God saw their raging and fierce anger, even though they thought they could conceal it from Him. Therefore, let us learn to despise the threats and cruel counsels of our enemies, and take it for granted that God has already decided the opposite in heaven, and that He is already laughing at them; but that He is playing a friendly game with us, that He may test and prove our faith and hope; even though it is not very pleasant for us, but a sourly unfriendly game. But whom God thus laughs at, and who laugh even now, to them such will be a sour and sorrowful laughter.
Fifth part.
How Joseph is thrown into a pit, and how he is finally knotted don his brothers.
I.
V. 21, 22: And when Reuben heard it, he would have delivered him out of their hand, saying, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said to them: Shed not blood, but cast him into the pit that is in the wilderness, and lay not your hand upon him. But he would deliver him out of their hand, that he might bring him again unto his father.
241 Moses excused Reuben, saying that he had not conspired with the other brothers to kill Joseph, but that he had resisted their fierce anger to the best of his ability, and though he had not been able to save him completely, he had managed so much that he had not been killed. For he did not seek or mean that Joseph should be thrown into the pit, though it seems that he did so; but he took pains to keep his brother alive. For this reason, God also counted this to him for the deed and perfect salvation that was in him, since he had a good inclination and perfect will for this, and would have gladly prevented both, namely, that Joseph would not be killed, nor thrown into the pit. For on this opinion also Augustin says: Deus coronat intus voluntatem, ubi foris non invenit facultatem, that is: God crowns the good will within, where he does not find the ability by heart. And Christ himself also interprets the fifth commandment thus Matth. 5, 22: "Whoever is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment." "He who hates his brother is a murderer," 1 John 3:15, for there is a perfect will that desires nothing else but that the brother may be worn down and killed. For then a work is already complete when the will to accomplish it is complete, whether for good or for evil.
242 Therefore, Reuben is innocent of his brother's blood, even though these
1116 L. IX. 124. 128. interpretation of Genesis 37: 21. 22. w. n. IS3S-1S4I. 1117
He was not freed from the incest he had committed before, and it seems as if he had wanted to escape or alleviate the punishment he had forfeited with this deed, whether he could perhaps ingratiate himself with his father again. But the father did not pay attention to such diligence and humility in Reuben, and even though he forgave him the sin, the punishment still remained on him; as the German saying goes: Old guilt does not rust.
The other brothers also suffered their well-deserved punishment for the sin of murdering their brother, and this was the punishment that their descendants and children had to bear the heavy servitude in Egypt, and that their young children, who were babies, had to be drowned in the water and killed; but especially the two tribes Simeon and Levi were especially cursed by the Father. For sin is not so completely forgiven and remitted that the punishment of the transgression committed and of an evil, troubled conscience should not still remain. So, even though David's sin was forgiven, for he heard Nathan say in 2 Sam. 12, 13: "The Lord has taken away your sin," nevertheless, the same sin was followed by a severe punishment from God, namely, the rebellion of his son Absalom, who robbed his father of his kingdom and all his goods and also slept with all his concubines.
244 Therefore, we should be on guard against sins with all diligence and vigilance, for they will never go unpunished unless the punishment is lifted by great sincere repentance and the mercy of God; otherwise it is said: Old guilt does not rust. And where there is great need and danger, we pray: O God, do not avenge old guilt! Remember not, O Lord, our iniquity! So Simeon and Levi sinned freely and without any shame, and their sin was kept secret for a while; but it sleeps at the door, so that it will be awakened again one day after the punishment. Then it soon finds itself and bites in such a way that the sinner begins to cry out: Alas woe
to me poor man! I have, alas, well deserved the punishment with this or that sin! Oh, I have deserved it! Therefore I still say that it is a very frightening, distressing and miserable thing about sin, which is certainly always followed by divine vengeance, especially where we do not judge ourselves: just as again the good deeds or good works never remain unrewarded.
So Rubens' blood shame was still asleep at that time, and now he desires to be reconciled with his father because of it; but it is not yet time to reconcile the father. That is why he has not been able to obtain anything from him. Before, when he might well have abstained from the abominable sin, he did not do so: now that he wants to earn merit with the Father, he will not accept it from him. It was nevertheless a good deed in the sight of God that he took care to save his brother and thus be excused, as Judah also does; but the two very wicked boys, Simeon and Levi, were the real initiators and ringleaders of this great misdeed; and for this reason Simeon also had to atone most severely. For he will be thrown into prison afterwards, because he was the foremost one who started this sin. And I hold that Christ was killed by none other than these two tribes, the chief rulers and scribes. The chief priests were of the tribe of Levi, but the scribes were of the tribe of Simeon. Therefore, as they afflicted and martyred their brother Joseph, so their descendants also crucified Christ, and these two with all their descendants were the most wicked.
Jerome says in one place that in the story of the twelve families Simeon is omitted because of Judas the betrayer. Of the chief priests it is certain that they came from the tribe of Levi; but Hannah and Caiaphas came from Simeon, and also Judas, their predecessor, as Peter calls him. 1, 16. Now this is the excuse of Reuben, who asked for Joseph, that they would not kill him. Do not take his life, he said.
1118 LIX. ISS-I27. interpretation of Genesis 37:21-24. w. II, IS41-I643. 1119
So Isaschar, Sebulon, Gad, Ässer are also innocent; but since they are seduced by the reputation and violence of their oldest brothers, they have also consented. As in the time of Christ, the chief priests also hanged the common people of the Jews, and brought them to their opinion, that they cried out that he should be crucified after all. But now the real hard fight follows, so they held with Joseph.
V. 23, 24: Now when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic with the coat of many colors that he had on, and took it and threw it into a pit; but that pit was empty, and there was no water in it.
The brothers follow Reuben's advice and throw Joseph into the empty pit, in which there was no water, which is recently described in this place by Moses. Afterwards, however, when they have come out of Egypt, Reuben himself will repeat it a little more extensively with the attached serious punishment of his brothers, which reads thus Gen. 42:22: "Did I not tell you when I said, 'Do not sin against the boy,' and you would not listen?" Joseph was undoubtedly a very beautiful youth of seventeen years, which is the true bloom of youth and the most beautiful time of life. But suddenly, not caring, his brothers carried him away and rushed upon him. You traitor, they will have said, you villain, you must die. And even though he fell at their feet, bowed down before them, sighed and wept piteously with folded hands, pleaded with them, begged them for God's sake and, as they say, from heaven to earth, and also for the love and respect that children owe their parents, he still saw that neither his pleading nor his bitter tears found a place with them; as they themselves confessed afterwards, when they spoke among themselves, Genesis 42:21. 42:21: "This we did unto our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him: therefore is this tribulation come upon us." V. 22: "Now his blood is required."
248 Consider what a wretched figure that was, when the boy put his hands
He lifted up his eyes to heaven and pleaded with his brothers with bitter tears and heartfelt sighs when he saw that he was surrounded by them and was about to be slain. For what a great pity it is to fall and be slain, not at the hands of strangers or enemies, but at the hands of his own brothers! But these brothers are even harder than a pebble or a diamond: they do not let themselves be softened by the fear or the sighing or howling of the boy, since it is known that often enemies have been moved and softened by this.
For this reason, the cruelty of these two brothers, who raged and raged against their own flesh and blood, cannot be magnified enough. It is true that the suffering and cross of our Lord Christ was sad and cruel enough, although we know that such suffering was inflicted on him according to the good will of his heavenly Father, but the cruelty of these brothers is much greater. For it would have been fitting for them to have allowed their natural affection for their brother to move them. Reuben nevertheless tried to rekindle this affection and love, which had been extinguished among them, by pleading for his brother that they would let him live and not kill him, but he was unable to do anything with them. For although they did not immediately strangle the boy, as they had decided, they nevertheless threw him into the pit, which is much more grievous and horrible. For they intend to kill him in the desert with hunger and thirst. How much more tolerable would it have been for him to be killed immediately than to be thrown into so much prolonged torment and torture? except that their intentions and plots were prevented by God. For we otherwise see that those who are too severely tormented also desire that they only be killed soon, so that the sooner the better they may be freed from the torment they suffer.
For this reason Satan exercised the utmost cruelty in these brothers, who were to become high priests in the future. For
1120 D- n. 127-129. interpretation of Genesis 37:23, 24. **w. II, 1643-1646.** 1121
Joseph was a figure of Christ, and here in this place the descent to hell was signified, or as Zechariah Cap. 9, 11. says, to the "pit where there is no water in it," that by the blood of his covenant he might deliver and redeem the captives in the pit.
251 First of all, they took off his colored or unsewn skirt, not that they had any great desire for such robbery, but to deceive and mock their father, the pious old man. For this skirt, which before was a sign of the love his father bore him, must now also become a hard and evil sign to grieve and torture the poor father with it, who had great joy in the skirt and adorned his son Joseph with it with special diligence; in the same skirt he was now also to be killed. For so he will say afterwards, "It is my son's coat, a wicked beast has eaten it" 2c.
252 And when they had stripped him of his skirt, they cast him into the pit, and left him there, thinking, Now is he dead. For this was their intention, that he should die in the pit from hunger and thirst, and from stink and filth. And it was indeed by God's providence that there was no water in the pit, that he was not immediately covered with water: otherwise he would have suffocated and died at the same moment. But they accept the advice of Reuben, that they may torture him for several days, and that they may only fulfill their conceived malice and hatred.
In this way the devil rules in the house of the very holy patriarch Jacob among the children of God, as Job says. In the meantime Benjamin was a small child and still lay in the cradle. For within two years all these things happened, namely, that Dinah was weakened, Rachel and Deborah died, Reuben committed incest, and Joseph was sold. Thus one misfortune has always come upon another. Reuben can well be excused, as was said above, and the others also, as Naphtali, Issachar 2c. And I believe that they were also innocent. But Annas, Caiphas, Judas, these are the right masters and founders of this
Sin, who also rejoiced in themselves and thanked their Lord, Satan, that their advice went so well, are happy and confident about such very bad things, meanwhile they do not even think about their old father and Joseph, their brother, who is miserably sighing and crying, yes, is martyred in death and hell without any comfort or hope of salvation. For there is no one to comfort the afflicted boy and exhort him to rely on God's goodness, help and assistance, who would certainly be his protection and shield in the greatest fear and distress; but he has had to remain stuck in the extreme misery of loneliness and hell. But they took the skirt with them, so that it would still be the poison and fatal destruction of the pious father, who had so often and so sweetly delighted him before.
254 But nothing is said here in the text about whether or not they cut or tore the garment before they dipped it in the blood. For if they have not torn it, then they have truly acted very foolishly, and it has happened to them, as it commonly happens and as it is said in the common proverb, that always sin or godless beings are attached to foolishness. And Hilarius says: Where the godless being could advise itself as wisely as it is boldly, it would be difficult to accept the truth and protect it. That is why it is said in the proverb: Mendacem oportet esse memorem et intelligentem, that is: He who wants to lie must have a good memory and must be intelligent. But if they have left the skirt they wanted to dip in the blood completely, it was a great folly, so that they betrayed themselves. For the father could have concluded thus: Behold, they say that an evil wild beast has devoured Joseph; how is it that it has not torn his skirt also? or if the skirt had been torn, he might have thought that one should have searched or investigated fairly whether the beast had not left some of its bones or flesh.
- So, I say, the godless being must be
1122 L- ix. 12S-131. interpretation of Genesis 37:23-25. **W. n, ^64s-^s.** 1123
and the lie always betrays itself. And if Jacob had been content and confident in his heart, this would undoubtedly have occurred to him. But the good man was so frightened and, as it were, out of his mind, as if he were about to die; just as people, when they are suddenly delighted or saddened, are not at all themselves, so that all their senses and understanding disappear, and they are so frightened and frozen that they can neither see nor think. This is exactly what happened to Jacob when he first heard the news of the death of his son Joseph, and he was overcome with lamentation and great sadness, as if he had been swallowed up. He was not with himself, that he would have said also out of melancholy: O Lord God! he is dead! Otherwise he might have asked when the skirt was brought to him: If there was nothing left of Joseph's corpse, and how it could have happened that the garment remained whole, since the evil wild beasts are wont to tear the body with the garment. Yes, he would also have asked to be led to the place where some traces of such a horrible death would be found. But a heart that is frightened does not consider such things and cannot pay attention to them.
For this reason, this is a good example of the great foolishness of liars, who are never at one with themselves, and therefore can easily be seized and punished by those who diligently take care of their affairs. These brothers think they have invented a very fine and wise council here; but if you think about it, it is a very foolish council and it was connected with much danger. They should have lost life and limb over it, if the good old father had not been too gullible.
II.
V. 25 And they sat down to eat. 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.
They sat down to eat," says Moses, as if they had arranged it well. Their conscience is quite sure, the sin is asleep and still hidden: God, however, has wonderfully arranged and ordered it all. The poor wretched father sits at home, not knowing how things stand with his son: so Joseph himself cannot see what outcome or end his misfortune will gain. But God sees everything, and thus plays with the father and also with his son in the most friendly way; for it is actually such a game, which is full of divine mercy and goodness; but for us it is a very difficult and sorrowful game, even though it creates in us an eternal and exceedingly important glory, 2 Cor. 4, 17.
While they were sitting there, God Himself offered an opportunity to rescue Joseph from the pit and, as it were, to call him back from hell and death. Although the misfortune remains on him that he is still imprisoned and has died worldly or civilly; because he is separated and torn from his most beloved father, as the father himself almost dies because of such misfortune, namely, because he must be deprived of his son, whom he loved especially. For if only his son had remained healthy and alive, he would have been able to bear the accident or damage to the other sons and all his possessions and welfare all the more easily. For he was the firstborn, in whom the father had every hope and welfare, and of whom it was hoped that many heirs and descendants would be born, so that both the church and the external government would grow and increase greatly. For this reason, the entire family of Jacob was burdened and afflicted with miserable lamentation and great sadness, more bitter and harder than death itself.
259 Further, the Ishmaelites who bought Joseph were blood friends of Joseph and his brothers, for Ishmael and Isaac were brothers. Therefore these also are brothers and cousins in the third and fourth generation; they are cousins and near friends. So also the Midianites were their cousins in the same degree, and seems to be
1124 ix. isi. iss. Interpretation of Genesis 37:25. w. n. ins-iess. 1125
It was as if the old hatred still prevailed among these blood relatives. For they bought Joseph soon and with great eagerness, and were merchants who handled and traded in spices, balsam and myrrh.
But what these three words actually mean in the Hebrew language, we would not be able to understand, if we could not conclude it from 2 Mos. 30, 23. ff. to some extent. They made a trade in spices, and the land was especially blessed by God at that time, that it had much balsam, myrrh and cinnamon, 2c., as can be seen in Ex 30:23 ff, where the delicious or holy anointing oil is described, which was made from balsam, cinnamon, calamus and casia. But how these words are to be distinguished, and which actually mean the genus and which the species, is not known to me.
261 Some have interpreted the word nechot to mean spice, some to mean a desired delicious thing, and some others to mean wax.
The word zeri means resin and is a common word for everything that shoots or drips from the trees, as can be seen on our cherry trees. But this is wild resin, while frankincense and myrrh are the most delicious. Pitch is the coarsest of all, for watering the barrels. Our agtstein or amber is also resin; for it also oozes from a tree and becomes hard. How many kinds they have had, we do not know.
The balsam is the king of all resins or gums, whatever they may be. Scripture calls it cut balsam, that is, balsam that has not flowed from the tree by opening or cutting. Physicians and historians also make a distinction, and say of this balsam that it flows out by itself because of the very great fertility of the tree.
The balsamic sap, or the first balsam that flows out of the tree by itself and without opening, is the most delicious and noble balsam. Thus, in the Song of Solomon, the chosen myrrh is called,
This is the ointment that first comes out, that is not pressed out, but flows out through the bark of the tree and is not forced out by force. And the same word is also in the prophet Jeremiah Cap. 8, v. 22: "Is there no ointment in Gilead? Or is there no physician? Why then is not the daughter of my people healed?" The others gave: Drops of incense or balm. But the prophet understands there the spice or medicine that came from the trees, so that Jerusalem could have been healed, as in 51 Cap. V. 8, where he mocks the Babylonians and says, "Take also ointments for her wounds, whether she may be healed."
The word loth also has more than one meaning. For sometimes they interpret it to mean a string, in which sense it is often used in the Psalms; sometimes it is also interpreted to mean an acorn or chestnut 2c. Be it so, what it may, we understand it from a noble sap, which flows from the trees, and let us be content with the common knowledge or understanding of these things, namely, that these people were herbalists, who brought to Egypt delicious ointments and other fragrant things, which are used for medicine; as our agtstein or amber has great power when the women are to give birth, and against the stone and blow. If such juice, which is somewhat coarser, has such great power in our country, how much more has the spice and juice of these lands been useful and good for people's health. And afterwards Jacob commanded his sons to take some of the fruits of the land and bring them to the chief ruler in Egypt, Gen 43:11, which fruits either did not grow at all in Egypt or grew less, and were therefore all the more pleasant there. In the same way, the three wise men, Matth. 2, 11, gave gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Jesus. We have none of these things in Germany, or what we have of them is all adulterated and corrupted.
- now follows also further in the text the excuse of Judas, which the Gelegen-
1126 "ix, i3r-i34. Interpretation of I Moses S7, 25-27. W. ii, iW2-iW. 1127
The Lord used the power or the means that was offered and truly saved his brother from death.
V. 26, 37 Judah said to his brothers: What good is it for us to slay our brother and hide his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, that our hands may not touch him; for he is our brother, our flesh and blood. And they obeyed him.
Judah has to some extent soothed the fierce anger of his brothers. He may have repented somewhat that he consented to Joseph's death beforehand, though it is a bad piety that he pretended to. He freely confesses that Joseph is their brother, and their flesh and blood; and yet with such rhetoric he has persuaded them that they have dealt with him somewhat more leniently. "He is," he says, "our brother, our flesh and blood," and is the Son who is especially dear to our Father. These are truly very great and strong arguments, so that it would be hard to find other stronger ones in the whole world among reasonable people who still have common sense and understanding. For they understand in themselves all the natural affection or love implanted in human nature.
268 And therefore these brothers should have been moved and softened by this rhetoric and dialectic, so that they would have renounced their evil intentions. But this moved them more, that he said: "Let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, that our hands do not tamper with him" 2c. He was not able to calm them down or to persuade them to change their minds and to renounce their nobility. They have admitted so much that they want to change something about it, but only insofar as bodily death may be changed into civil death. For they still stick to this plan, that he who is born free should be led away, brought to servitude and sold and thus torn away from his parents. Now often one would like to bear bodily death much easier than such a civil death, because it is still uncertain what misfortune would befall him in such a civil death.
It is a constant cross, an endless misery and servitude that such a person must finally be torn away from his dear parents, brothers and whole family. It would be much more painful for me to be punished in life and limb than to live in eternal servitude and misery.
In this anguish and distress these holy patriarchs, Jacob and his son Joseph, are thrown; such a heavy cross is made for them by the secret deceit and cunning of these brothers. It sinks shameful carpenters, who carve and forge this heavy cross for their own father and brother Joseph. No one shall suffer this but such pious holy parents.
God is still silent about this, as if he does not see it, as if he himself helps the authors of this advice, and yet he sees that they intend such evil. But why does he suffer this? Why does he not strike them with thunder and lightning, and trample such ungodly intentions underfoot along with those who instigated and started them? Or rather, why does he not let murderers, adulterers and tyrants be tormented and martyred in this way, and yet spare such holy people? Answer: God wants us to consider and learn how great the love is that parents bear to their children, so that we may also learn from it and understand how great the love of God is, so that He loved us, that He also allowed His only begotten Son to suffer and be crucified for us. For Joseph is an image of the Son of God.
271 However, one must not conceal the hypocrisy that is still found in Judah. For he does indeed present a theological and divine argument, which is nevertheless clumsy, indeed, hypocritical and devilish. "That," he says, "our hands should not meddle with him. "2c. This hypocritical Pharisaic theology has granted and governed from the beginning of the world. For so Cain also did not want to be taken for the one who had strangled his brother Abel, since he says Gen. 4, 9. "Shall I be my brother's keeper?" Who would want to do this to his brother? In the same way Saul also says
1128 L. n, 134-13". Interpretation of Genesis 37, 36. 27. W- rr. isss-ik87. 1129
of David, 1 Sam. 18, 17: "My hand shall not be on him, but the hand of the Philistines." It is also written in the history of the passion of Christ, John 18:28, that the Jews did not want to go into the judgment house, so that they would not become unclean; or that they would not want to be considered as people who would kill a man against justice and equity.
That is why these Talmudic and Pharisaic opinions remained from the beginning in this holy house and congregation of Jacob. For there were such theologians who held that he who abstained from the deathblow with his hand was not a deathblower. Yes, these brothers nevertheless threw Joseph into the pit with their hands; why do they still give themselves such comfort and great pretense of holiness? Because they did not lay hands on their brother, but only sold him. What a beautiful justice is this to me, when you kill one not with your hand, but nevertheless with your will and desire, with counsel, help and consent! Let us sell him, they say, and we shall be innocent. O Judah, you are not yet pure. That is only in good Talmudic or Jewish terms.
But this is what happens in the world. There must still be hypocrites in the holy church and congregation. It is therefore no wonder that even in our time there are still so many of them; and yet Christ our Lord, as can be seen in the history of the Gospels, did not punish any people more severely than the hypocrites. "Woe to you hypocrites" 2c., he says Matth. 23, 13. ff. But with the poor sinners he ate and drank, spoke and dealt kindly with them, did miraculous works among them; but with the hypocrites he has no fellowship at all. "Behold," says David in the 51st Psalm, v. 8, "thou delightest in truth," thou art an enemy to hypocrisy. Christ himself was killed by the hypocrites.
Yes, so finely they repent, these holy fathers: they change the bodily death stroke into a civil one, and draw a Mosaic blanket before the eyes with this
His appearance, that they did not lay their hands on him, because they sinned much more grievously, and added to Joseph's sorrow and grief. So it is with the wicked, when they want to adorn themselves, that they make it seven times worse. For according to their own pleasure they are those who alone want to be wise. God does not understand their hypocrisy, he cannot see so clearly, their father Jacob does not see it either, he will never realize it. So they flatter themselves; and the more they adorn themselves and try to cover their cruel sin, the more they show their own cruelty.
But Moses does not say at all how Joseph was in such great danger and what he spoke: he does not speak of him differently than of a mute, or of a stone or block, who did not speak, did not ask, did not cry out, who did nothing at all, so that he could have quieted and reconciled his brothers; but Moses wanted to command the reader to understand all this, so that even with words not everything could be sufficiently expressed or described. But what the sorrowful, miserable gestures, the miserable weeping, the sad words of lamentation, and the sighing and sobbing of Joseph, so that he pleaded with them, may have been, each one may think and consider for himself. For he was by nature almost tender, and had especially a great affection and love for his father, from whom he must therefore suddenly and unawares be carried away; is robbed of the garment which his father gave him; is thrown into the pit; is again pulled out and sold, and has been taken far from the eyes and arms of his very dear parents, so that he no longer had any hope at all that he might come to them again. Dear God, what groaning and weeping must have been there? Oh my dear father, how do I feel! Oh how you will cry and lament!
These pieces are very sad in the history of Joseph and should have been given to the day. But Moses passes by, indicating that God Himself was silent about it. Afterwards
1130 L. ix. I3K-IS8. Interpretation of Genesis 37:26, 27. w. ii. issv-isso. 1131
but such pieces will be told by Joseph's brothers themselves with great pain, because they say, Gen. 42, 21. 22.: "We saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him; therefore now this tribulation cometh upon us" 2c. "Now his blood is required" 2c. He truly posed miserably, did not laugh at it or keep quiet.
And this was truly a very frightening tragedy without all help and hope of redemption. Jacob, the father, is not present and knows nothing of the things that have happened there, even though all this misery finally wanted to come upon him alone. So the misfortune becomes greater and greater and Joseph has had to die in many ways. Behold," he will have said, "I will be carried away, and must leave Hebron, and my poor wretched father, who will now also be deprived of me! For Joseph will have already foreseen what sorrow Jacob, his father, would bear for him and what grief he would have. Thus God covers and burdens the saints and believers, and those whom He loves most of all, with great sorrow and grief. And this is to be drawn to Christ, that we may know what it is that God gave His Son for us, that He was thrown into the pit where there is no water, Zech. 9:11. The prophets did not praise these things in vain, and marveled that the Son was thus given into the hands of Egypt.
278 After this, one must also deal with a question in this place that belongs to grammar, namely: Whether the Ishmaelites are the same as those who are also called Midianites? This question has been dealt with here by Augustin and others without need. I would rather that other questions be raised that are more important and useful, namely, about God's will and His wonderful works, about the cross and faith of the dear fathers, and what God means by the fact that He always practices the saints and believers with such great sorrow, namely, that He wants to comfort us and that He also wants to portray the suffering of Christ with it. But let us also look at the same thing.
Lyra says, according to the Jews, Joseph was sold three times. First, his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites, second, he was sold by the Ishmaelites to the Midianites, and third, he was sold to Potiphar in Egypt. And I take it that the devilish wickedness is only made great enough for the contempt of the hypocrites, and to make the envy of these brothers abominable with it. But I believe that he was sold only twice, as it is easy to understand from the history that Potiphar bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites. But I do not want to reject the other opinion, that he should have been sold three times. For it will also be said of the Midianites that they sold him to Potiphar. But the question of Keturah and Hagar, whether it was a woman, has been explained above.
279 Moses has mixed it under each other, that he calls the Midianites soon, but soon the Ishmaelites. I think that it was one company, yet it was called by two names; as it is usual with merchants. And I am especially moved by this reason that Moses said before that they did not see Ishmaelites, but a bunch of Ishmaelites. For the Hebrew word, orchah, actually means those who travel overland, or rather a bunch of wanderers or companions, as Luc. 2, 44. says of Christ: "But they thought that he was among the companions. And it often happens that people from various classes and nations come together and travel with each other over land. Such a company was that of the Ishmaelites and Midianites, who traded, bought and sold with each other, as happens among various peoples who live far from each other. Now the same or others have sold Joseph, it is of little consequence; but it is known and evident that he was actually sold.
280 And is not so much concerned with this grammatical question as with that which is otherwise to be considered in this place, namely, How did the Ishmaelites or Midianites Jo-.
1132 D- IL. 136-140. interpretation of Genesis 37:26, 27. w. II, 1660-1663. 1133
seph from his brothers? Did they also inquire of Judas, that is, of Simeon the traitor, and of Levi, that is, of Caiphas and Annas, who this boy was that they were about to sell, or whence he had come into their hands, whether he had been stolen, or whether someone had kidnapped him? For there is no doubt that, according to the common practice of merchants, they will not only have inquired about the purchase price, but also about the condition of the goods and how large they were. And if so, Judas, Annas, and Caiphas will doubtless have come out and accused Joseph, their brother, fiercely and severely. And if the merchants asked, Is this your brother, why then will ye sell him? they will have given this answer: If this one were not an evildoer, we would not have given him to you. So they charged him with all kinds of sin and iniquity, just as the Jews did to the Lord Christ before Caiphas. In the same way, these fellows would have cried out that this Joseph was a wicked, desperate boy who had always opposed his brothers, had disobeyed his parents, had confused, thrown together and corrupted everything at home, and finally had secretly stalked the pious, had stood after his father for the reign and his brothers also for their succession or inheritance; and if he had suppressed them, then he wanted to have the reign alone. So if the Ishmaelites or Midianites have heard this, and have put up with such unlawful and false accusations, they have truly conspired against the flesh and blood of Jacob.
281 Now the brethren, no doubt, would have rejoiced greatly over such purchasers as were the enemies of the house and congregation of Jacob. For the Canaanites and Amorites were also in the neighborhood; they could have sold Joseph to them, but they preferred to give him to those who would take him away from his parents and treat him more harshly and unkindly than the neighbors. In this way I wanted to
like to make the works of Satan and the outrageous wickedness of these brothers only big enough. If we were to sell him to the neighbors, they thought, even though they are also enemies of our family and would have been just as eager to buy him, there is still the danger that the father would soon find out and then take him home again. Therefore, this is a very fine opportunity to sell this restless, rebellious man far away to distant lands, so that he will not cause any more noise and will no longer stand in his father's house according to the regiment.
This is the alliance of Pilate and Caiphas against Joseph: and it is right in my eyes that the Holy Spirit, through David, has made this passage into the second Psalm, when he says in v. 2: "The kings of the land rise up, and the lords contend with one another against the Lord and his anointed. Jews and Gentiles, the Midianites and the Ishmaelites, Herod, Pilate, Caiphas, Annas, who were at enmity with each other before, have contended with each other at the same time. For we have heard above, Gen. 21, 14. 25, 1. ff., how Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's house, and that also the Midianites together with the children of Keturah were cut off with their gifts and had no part in the paternal inheritance: therefore such hatred arose among these peoples, so for and for granted, although they were all born and came from one blood.
Thus the nations and all peoples have always been heated with constant hatred and anger against the glorious holy house and lineage of Abraham, which house still retains the divine promise; as witnessed by the miserable lamentation and fervent prayer in the 83rd Psalm vv. 6-9.For they have joined themselves together, and made a league against thee, the tents of the Edomites, and the Ishmaelites, and the Moabites, and the Hagarites, and the Gebalites, and the Ammonites, and the Amalekites, and the Philistines, with them that are at Tyre; Assyria also is joined unto them, and helpeth the children of Lot." And here also the brethren of Joseph united themselves in like manner, and made a covenant with one another with their enemies, and with their father's enemies, and
1134 L n, 140. 141. interpretation of Genesis 37, 26. 27. w. ir. 1KS3-1SM. 1135
have also rejoiced among themselves for the sake of this covenant.
If it is because such words were not spoken between them and they did not make a covenant with each other, the Ishmaelites and Midianites may be excused to some extent. But I hold that they also consented and joined with the brethren of Joseph against him. Otherwise they would have punished such an atrocious deed of these brothers and turned away from them, as they were displeased and disgusted with it. For this reason Joseph was sold to his own blood friends and cousins, against whom he also undoubtedly folded his hands, and whom he implored, begged and pleaded for mercy and help, so that they would spare him and lead him back to his father, because they were so closely related to him by blood. Oh dear ones, I am your cousin, help save me. I am the brother of those who sold me to you! But he does not find them less than his brothers. So the Ishmaelites and Midianites join Israel and kill the Son of God, as described in the 2nd Psalm.
Moses did not relate the miserable crying and weeping of Joseph in this place, but there is no doubt that he wept piteously and pleaded with humility and supplication that he might be saved and that his brothers' anger and hatred toward him might be somewhat relieved. Oh no, he will have said, oh hurt my brothers! Then these Ishmaelites and Midianites should have resisted his brothers and fed them, so that they would not rage so cruelly against this so pious young man, should not have bought such badly won goods, or at least have brought the bought boy back to his father. They should have said: "Dear, what are you doing now? Simeon and Levi, why do you want to rage and rage against your own flesh and blood? This is an unrighteous deed, contrary to all human kindness and love, which you are justified in practicing and demonstrating toward your brother by virtue of your name and faith.
should. That would have suited the Ishmaelites.
But the world does not have to do this. For it is not worthy to do anything good, but rather to do harm to others, or, when it sees others doing evil, to see through its fingers and to help such sins and continue them, so that it may fully serve its Lord and the God of this world. So, I say, neither the brothers nor the friends, the Ishmaelites and Midianites, wanted to hear Joseph, since he cried so miserably, begged and pleaded. Yes, God Himself does not hear him either.
This example, as has often been said before, serves and belongs to our consolation, so that we are strengthened in our distress and affliction and do not lose heart so soon when harm or danger occurs. For we do not have to fear more terrible misfortunes from the Turks or other enemies, whoever they may be; and those who suffer an attack from the Turks in our time do not yet experience or feel anything that would be equal to the misery and grief of these dear fathers, and our suffering is still much less than that of the same poor people who have to expect an attack from the Turks every day. For this is one of the most serious of all misfortunes, when children are torn from their dear parents, or parents are torn from their dear children. This is death itself, and it is much harder than the most terrible plagues suffered by the dear martyrs, which may have lasted only one hour or two at the most. But God wanted His saints and His church to suffer such terrible tribulations, so that their hearts would be awakened to the meaning of how great a thing it was that the Son of God Himself, for our sake, was also carried away for a time, that I call it, sent into misery and thrown into hell, so that He might redeem us from the misery of very grave sin and eternal damnation.
Therefore Moses does not call the Midianites and the Ishmaelites by name in vain. Because he does not say the merchants, the Amorites 2c., is silent from
1136 D. ix. i4i-i4s. Interpretation of Genesis 37:26-30. w. n. isss-isio. 1137
He does not mention the names of his closest neighbors, but he diligently names relatives, so that he may show how they all consented to the destruction of their cousin, and that everyone may learn from this example how great the wickedness of the world is. For this is what the Jews did afterward, even though they were friends and cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ, they raved and raged against him and were not moved by any plea or mercy. And these were not Ishmaelites, but Israelites, so that it would be fulfilled what was said by the prophet Micah, 7, 6, Matth. 10, 36: "A man's enemies will be his own household. For since Pilate and the Gentiles had mercy on the Lord Jesus and had compassion on him, considering him innocent, we see that his cousins, the Jews, are more horrible than serpents and the cruelest wild animals.
This is now the true image of the Christian Church at all times, which God has thus modeled in His Son Christ and His saints. If you want to be Christians, send yourselves into it. Therefore, let us learn to be obedient to God in such tribulation and adversity and turn our eyes toward heaven. For God does not delight in our destruction, misery and other misfortunes; but this is a strong consolation that endures forever, as it says in Psalm 36, v. 6: "O Lord, your goodness reaches as far as the heavens, and your truth as far as the clouds go," 2c.; and v. 9: "They become drunk with the riches of your house; and you water them with gladness, as with a river." And in the 37th Psalm v. 18: "The LORD knoweth the days of the upright, and their goods shall endure for ever" 2c.
And this was also the opinion of our Lord God at that time with Joseph and Jacob. My dear Jacob, my dear Joseph, I see well what misfortune you have on your necks that weighs you down. I do not sleep, but I do not want to take away such misfortune and comfort you. For the time of salvation has not yet come, but you must first learn what the devil is, what the world is, what children are, what brothers are, and even what death is, so that my grace may be all the sweeter and more pleasant to you.
and that you see that I have nevertheless still cared for you, even in adversity and in the midst of death. For not a hair will fall from your head without my will, provided you do not become despondent but learn patience and bear the cross. I will surely and faithfully keep the promise I have made to you. I have promised to bless you: I will also keep this promise, I will not lie to you. Your flesh will grumble and become impatient, but resist it and reign in faith and wait for salvation.
V.28. And when the Midianites, the merchants, were passing by, they drew him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; and they brought him into Egypt.
Joseph is sold for even less money than Christ; and I believe that this purchase money was twenty talers. For I do not like to dispute too precisely about these silver pieces: but Zechariah undoubtedly took his prophecy of Christ from this text, since he says Zech. 11, 12: "And they weighed how much I was worth, thirty pieces of silver." For the matter and all the circumstances rhyme very well, and there can be no greater similarity than between Christ crucified and Joseph. The selling and the death of both of them coincide finely with each other. For as Isaiah Cap. 53, v. 8, says of Christ, "He departed from the land of the living," so Joseph was also taken from the land and out of his father's sight, not unlike the fact that he would never return to see his father.
Sixth part.
How Reuben behaved when he did not find Joseph in the pit; how Jacob's sons sent Joseph's skirt to their father, and how the father was helped.
I.
V. 29, 30: When Reuben returned to the pit and did not find Joseph in it, he tore up
** **1138 n. 14S-I45. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 29. 30. W. N. ie7o-is7s. 1139
his garment, and came again to his brethren, and said, The lad is not there; where shall I go?
The Hebrew word means a little child, as Is 9:6 says: "A child is born to us. Now this is another exhortation that came through Reuben, who truly showed himself and let himself be heard as if he were serious, and for this reason he may also be justly excused. For he was not at all afraid of his brothers' hatred or displeasure, but protected the boy Joseph to the best of his ability, and was angry when he saw that he had been led away. Where is the boy? he says; "he is not there!"
293 But it occurred to him that he might have been taken away by others, since the brothers had spared him and had not wanted to kill him, either by the devil or by murderers, or by the neighbors, the Amorites or Cananites, who had also secretly stalked Jacob's household; or that some shepherd had found him and handed him over to the Shechemites or other pagans who lived with them, to be put to death. So he thought that the boy had perished after the time his brothers threw him into the pit. For it seems as if Reuben was afraid of the unreasonable violence and hatred of the neighbors; and yet he confesses that he wanted to keep Joseph alive, and also condemns the evil deed of his brothers; yes, he also accuses himself, saying, "Where shall I go?" and will repeat the same punishment afterwards. Not that in this way he has atoned for the sin of the incest committed, for he is still under severe punishment, namely, that he has lost the firstborn and is deprived of other great liberties: but because he recognizes this sin, and is careful not to consent to the other sin and make himself a party to it, he deals primarily with it by testifying that Joseph is innocent, and that he may therefore save him and keep him alive. But Simeon and Levi have even despised him because of the sin of the committed incest: therefore they break through and continue with their presumption.
294 But the punishment that Reuben inflicted on his brothers was just and right, because he said, "What have you done? Look, the boy is now out of our hands and power, and even if we all wanted him to be healthy, free and free, we could not redeem him with any money, no matter how much it might be. For where the Canaanites might find him, they will undoubtedly take him away to distant lands, and either kill him, or else afflict him with miserable and eternal servitude.
Therefore Moses excused Reuben, but did not report what his brothers answered him. But it seems that he secretly indicated that Simeon and Levi had persuaded him to keep silent and to consent with the brothers to the atrocious murder of their brother Joseph. But all this came from the cursed theology, which the Jews always kept afterwards, namely, that they thought that he who does not kill with his hand is not a killer. With this argument they persuaded him that he should only keep quiet, so that he would not make the noise so much greater with his intercession, where perhaps his words and this cry would be brought before their father, and threatened him that if he would not keep this deed secret with them, he would also have to experience just such violence and constant hatred of his brothers. And it would have been no wonder if they had wounded or slain each other over it. Which the devil would have undoubtedly sought with all diligence; he would also have brought about such a thing, where God had not pleased him. For this reason, Reuben kept silent and agreed, since he saw that the others also wanted to keep silent and conceal this, so that he would not give cause for his father to become even more confused or distressed, and so that his brothers would not get into further quarrels among themselves. But in this way, he has now also made himself complicit in this murder, which they both committed against their father and brother.
296 Although this was not done by Moses in this way, the
1140 L. IL. 145. 146. interpretation of I Genesis 37:29, 30. w. ii. 167S-I67S. 1141
Although it is not explicitly described, it is nevertheless not indistinctly indicated in the text. For he tears his garment and grieves vehemently about such danger and death of his brother. But because he was afraid of a greater noise or death blow and also of his brothers themselves, he kept silent. The Lord Sharioth, Simeon and Levi, Caiaphas and Annas might have struck him on the mouth and said, "Silence, help cover, or all misfortune will take you. Remember, this deed of ours must be kept secret from the Father, lest we be thought to have killed our brother. For if he should find out, he would immediately cast us all out of the house and congregation together, and put us under banishment, as he will do afterward.
For this reason, it is a great wisdom that we see bestowed upon them by God, that they have concealed this deed from their father in this way. For everything else in history is evil and shameful. This one piece of advice is good (although there could have been some good in this great sin), namely, that they might persuade their old father that Joseph had been torn apart by a wicked animal. Therefore they came to their father, and stood and showed themselves as if they themselves were grieved for his sorrow and lamentation, and testified how they had a great desire for their deceased brother. Yes, they will have pretended and said: Oh, if we still had our dear brother! God would want him to be alive! But it was all falsehood and hypocrisy with them; and yet this hypocrisy of theirs was not so evil as if they had revealed the whole bargain to the Father.
But with Reuben it seems as if he has his excuse, although it is very weak. As he himself spoke harshly to the others: "Did I not tell you when I said, 'Do not sin against the boy,' and you would not listen? 2c., Gen. 42, 22. And it certainly seems as if he advised them wisely and well. But there is hypocrisy
I have said before that they thought it was no other death but that which is done or committed with the hand. If Reuben had wanted to be completely blameless, he would have secretly run to his father and reminded him that he wanted to diligently investigate among his sons themselves, who might be the one who had committed this murder against Joseph. But he was too afraid of them and let their threats overcome him, so that he finally agreed with the lords, Simeon and Levi, with Judas, the traitor, and Caiphas. For they also ruled over the others, commanding and forbidding them.
Therefore Judah and Reuben, and the others, were not allowed to open their mouths to this evil deed, and Reuben, along with the others, has polluted and stained his soul and conscience with this horrible death of both his father and brother Joseph. In the meantime, they were able to decorate their cause and deceive their father so that he would not find out about this deal.
(300) Now I would very much like to know what these brothers have been thinking in their hearts all these two and twenty years? For that is how many years it was from the time Joseph was sold until Jacob went down to Egypt. It was indeed a very great distress, and I believe that all this time they did no good at all, nor could they in good conscience have let themselves be heard to sigh a little with invocation and prayer to God, the Father in heaven; that is certain. For the blood of Joseph, the death of their father, and the lamentations of the whole family were always in their hearts. But where the conscience is weighed down with such a great burden, it cannot call upon God or pray.
If I were guilty of a small injury or envy, I would not be able to pray. Therefore, the heart must be completely free from all dislike, hatred and envy toward one's neighbor, so that it will not grant evil to anyone, but rather good to everyone and gladly forgive. For where our ministry thus
1142 L n. iis-iLS. Interpretation of Genesis 37:29-33. W. n, is76-is7s. 1143
If we have to punish the vices of people whom we would like to bring to repentance with such punishment, it should not be thought that love stops there. For such punishments are not inflicted out of hatred, or because we want to harm someone, but only because we want people to be improved by them.
Therefore, I say, if one wants to pray and call upon God, the heart must be free from all hatred, although we must hate and detest the sin and vice of men. So we also pray rightly for the godless bishops. For we should not be so inclined as to wish them evil, that is, their ruin or damnation; but we punish their ungodly nature and sin only in the opinion and to the end that they may be improved thereby.
For this reason I would really like to know what these brothers may have done during the two and twenty years in which they saw their father always sitting in sackcloth and ashes, miserably weeping and wailing for the sake of the death of his dear son. I would not have been able to watch the great and so pitiful lamentation for so long, I would not have been able to refrain from saying: Oh, we poor unfortunate people, what have we done! But now these fellows hear their father teach and preach daily, and are also considered members of the church and of the house of Jacob: and yet there is none of them who can call upon God to do something good; or even if they would like to do something good, such a thing is vainly ungodly and rejected. For they are still deep in grave mortal sin, namely, the murder they committed against their father, brother and grandfather. Such a shameful thing can raise and drive hypocrisy; yes, hypocrisy, I say, can do such terrible things and still persist in such great wickedness.
If Reuben had died within the same years, he might have recognized the sin, confessed it to his father and asked for mercy and forgiveness. But the rest of the people would have concealed the sin and would have died like that. For in so long a time no one has repented of them, and
have been hardened more and more over time, since they felt the sin in their conscience. Although the horror of the conscience often returned, which they could not erase or suppress, so that they could forget the sin, because the lamentation and the bitter tears of their old father stood daily before their eyes and hearts: These sons, harder than a pebble or a diamond, have despised such terror, for they have been possessed and hardened by the chief of the devils, since they have been able to endure such a long time that their conscience itself has always accused them of such sin.
Now there is no doubt about it, as the Scriptures testify elsewhere, that God must have been very angry about it, and must have detested those who began and committed such great and horrible sins, namely, killing their own father and brother. It is therefore a hard and frightening thing to read and understand such things from the great noble men and rulers in the church, from the children and heirs of God's promises, which they had heard and learned in their father's house from their youth with great diligence and earnestness from their grandfather Isaac and Jacob their father; it still happens.
306 We are also corrupted by original sin, so that, alas, we are also inclined to sin. But we should do one thing, and take care that in such great weakness of our corrupt nature we may still retain a brotherly and childlike heart and natural affection or love, so that we do not burden ourselves with punishment and destruction. For these brothers, since they take pains to oppress their innocent brother, because they hate him so intensely, have become their own fierce enemies and devils, so much so that they have done themselves more harm than Joseph could have done if he had become their master.
II.
V. 31-33 Then they took Joseph's skirt, and slew a kid, and dipped the
1144 D n. 14S-IÜ0. interpretation of Genesis 37:31-33. w. n, 1678-1681. 1145
And they sent the coat of many colors, and brought it to their father, saying, We have found this coat; see whether it be thy son's coat or not. But he knew it, and said, It is my son's tunic: an evil beast hath eaten it, a ravening beast hath torn Joseph.
307 They tried another deceit and trick, so that they could cover up their evil deed all the more easily, and so that they could grieve and torture their father all the more severely and harshly. They took Joseph's skirt, and after dipping it in the blood of a goat, they sent it to his father to convince him that Joseph had been torn by a wild animal.
How far is God from their eyes? How surely and without any fear do they arrange all this? They do not think that they would have thought how the good old father would have been when such sad news came to him unexpectedly. They alone should have been careful not to frighten him with such an unusual and cruel sight of the bloody garment, since otherwise nothing more distressing and miserable could have been brought to the poor old man. It would have been a little easier if they had told him that the boy had been attacked and led away by the murderers on the way, or that they had not seen him and did not know how he might have perished: he might have fallen into the hands of the enemies who lived nearby, or of the Ishmaelites or Midianites, to whom they had sold him. But none of these things occurred to them, and they did not spare their old father at all, but increased and increased the pain of his heart with such a sad and frightening object.
Therefore, this is a great and utterly diabolical wickedness, in which Satan takes pleasure, so that he would like to pour out all cruelty and rage on the pious old man. But they will be drowned in horrible, terrible sins, and
They remain stuck in it against their own conscience, without all repentance, without all feeling of love, and have lived thereafter for the whole two and twenty years without true invocation, without fear of God and all spiritual exercises, which they could not do godly, unless they had first recognized their sin and reconciled themselves with their father and brothers.
But now what does our Lord God do about it? Where are the great glorious promises, Gen. 15, 1: "I am your shield and your very great reward"; Cap. 35, 11.: "Be fruitful and multiply"; Cap. 31, 3.: "I will be with you"? Is it not true that everything here seems quite contrary to these great promises? For it seems as if our Lord God does not know Jacob and Joseph and does not respect them at all, but rather as if he has thrown them to the devil, since he allows the very holy father Jacob to be so miserably martyred and afflicted by the rage of his fierce sons. Shall we say that God was thinking of His promise? One cannot say or judge anything less than this. But David saw it and spoke of it only after the fact, which otherwise could not have been seen in the real struggle of the heavy challenge. For so he says in the 105th Psalm v. 17: "He sent a man before them", who should help Jacob.
But what kind of sending is this? What kind of speaking is this: to send a helper or savior to Egypt to help Jacob and his whole house? How is he sent, after all? He is thrown into the pit, is sold, his father is also killed. Does this mean sending a savior? Yes, it does, but in the way our Lord God used to speak. For Joseph is set to be a great king. But God alone sees it, Jacob and Joseph do not see it; they are in the greatest fear and bear only sorrow. Therefore this is a special and heavenly language, to send a savior or helper and to make him a king just so that he will be thrown into the pit and into hell. We must accustom our hearts to this language,
1146 D- n. isa-isr. Interpretation of Genesis 37:31-33. w. n, issi-iest. 1147
That we may understand what David says in another place, Ps. 37:12, 13: "The wicked dreads the righteous, and gnasheth his teeth at him. But the LORD laugheth at him: for he standeth to see his day come," in which he shall perish and go down to the ground 2c. We cannot do this, we cannot see so far and hold on to faith, but only with great weakness; but God holds very firmly over His promises, so that He does not forget them alone, but is also intent on their fulfillment, and the adversary laughs. And about this he also pronounces judgment on them, as the 2nd Psalm v. 4. says: "He that dwelleth in heaven laugheth at them, and the LORD mocketh at them."
(312) Yea, saith thou, do I not see it? This is also true: therefore these examples are held up to us, that we should also think in our temptations that our adversaries are now also being laughed at and that a punishment has already been decided upon them; but that we, although we are afflicted and afflicted, are nevertheless loved by God, and that he certainly cares for us and takes great care of us, but in a very hidden way, as Isaiah Cap. 45, 15. says: "Truly you are a hidden God, you God of Israel, the Savior."
For this reason we should be content with the fact that we have the Word and the holy sacraments, in which God reveals Himself to us, but the fruit and the end of such signs of grace will also follow in its time. In the meantime, we should uphold and comfort ourselves with these thoughts: I have the sign of grace, and with it the word, and I will hold fast to it, however fiercely the world and Satan rage and rage against me, and shower me with all manner of misery and calamity; only that we watch and take care that we suffer all these things, whatever they are, with a good conscience. For there is no doubt about it, we are certainly in very great favor with God, and He holds us very dear and valuable, but the adversaries are ridiculed and mocked by God, and kept so that they will finally suffer the heaviest punishment and plague. For the laughter of our Lord God gives the hellish fire, as follows in the 2nd Psalm v. 5: "He once weaved with them
speak in his wrath, and with his fury he will terrify them." Yes, beware of such laughter.
So Jacob and Joseph are children of grace before God. But these sellers are children of scorn, wrath and condemnation. And would God that we could learn this and keep it only to a certain extent. For the flesh is always in our way, and yet it is certain that such a life, in which one must always suffer so much, is the very best and most delicious life, so also that no forgiveness of sins is necessary for it. For it is without sin. But this I say of the pious and godly, that is, of those who suffer in the right faith in Christ. For they do not sin with it, but bear it and suffer for the sake of other people's sins, and this is well said by Socrates: It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. For he who suffers does not sin by it; but he who wrongs others and grieves them sins. He who knows himself innocent, and realizes that he is unfairly afflicted and afflicted, can hold on to his innocence, and at the same time also looks to the promise of redemption. Therefore he is not afraid, nor does he fail in his heart; for he knows that he offends no one, but only bears other people's wrong and sin. If the rupes and petra, that is, the rock, stands there, namely, a good conscience, nothing can hurt; even if Caiphas and Iscarioth come and are angry, we still have won. A good conscience is like the hardest rock, on which the pious and godly rely in their affliction, and with great and high courage despise the threat of all adversaries; as it is written 1 Peter 3:13, 14: "And who is there that can hurt you, if ye do good? Even if you suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. But do not be afraid of their defiance, and do not be dismayed."
Again, when those who have unjustly offended others are afflicted and punished, they fear and are terrified, and as the poet says, they turn pale and are terrified when they see even a flash of lightning. Alas, they cry, woe is me,
1148 D- IX. 1SS-IS4. Interpretation of Genesis 37:31-33. **W. II, 1684-1686.** 1149
I have deserved this punishment with my wickedness, my willfulness and my disobedience. What shall I do now? Where shall I turn or go? This is truly a miserable torture of the conscience, which thus accuses and condemns itself.
For this reason Jacob and Joseph are very well off, even though they cannot laugh or realize happiness and well-being as long as the heavy tribulation is with them. For he is truly blessed who is so minded in adversity that he can consider himself to be so: If the highest should be turned down, and the world should crash and fall over a heap, yes, how fiercely the world rages and rages with its prince and all infernal gates, what is it to me? I know myself innocent here; for I bear other people's crosses, by which I am unjustly afflicted. I am not sorry for anyone, I do not sin. I have my absolution and the holy sacraments. Let me go, I will not be moved nor frightened. But woe to those who sin in this way and afflict me! For it behooves Christians not to be angry or impatient when they are afflicted. Though the flesh, after its own manner, is always apt to murmur; but the spirit is not angry, but rather thinks thus: Woe unto thee! thou hast not done it unto me, thou hast done it unto thyself; thou hast not offended me, but thyself most of all. So Jacob and Joseph also could have said: You do not sell, reject and kill me, but yourselves. The flesh understands it much differently: but the spirit is actually so minded.
But now someone might ask: What should we do now? Should we therefore leave the bridle and reins to the ungodly nature, and not control or ward off the anger and malice of men at all, neither with laws nor punishments; but moreover thank a bad boy for having done us harm, and say to him: You have done me no harm at all, only do what you like, I will gladly suffer anything? In this way the wicked are tempted to increase their sins and to heap them up, since we teach,
that the harm done to us by others should be suffered with joy and a good conscience.
318 Answer: We are commanded the ministry of the law and the gospel according to the teaching of Paul, 2 Timothy 4:2: "Punish, rebuke, whether in season or out of season. To rebuke and punish, even to be angry and displeased with sins, belongs to the office of the law, and is also the office of the fathers, schoolmasters and authorities. Yes, it is also due to common private persons for the sake of the brotherly punishment and admonition, which is especially commanded to us all by God, namely, that we should, to the best of our ability, each in his own place, control and ward off the evil, and prevent the bad boys from going freely unpunished, raging and raging against us and other people. If this has been done and still will not help, then I shall be content and say: You will not punish me, who taught you, but yourself. And if we can do nothing with all this, we still have this before us, that we may be content in our hearts and wait only for the divine punishment; for the wicked wilful knaves will learn to their great hurt that they offend not others but themselves most grievously. The devil will torture them well enough.
But we have this consolation: the more they trouble, afflict and torture us, the greater they make our honor and crown in heaven. In the meantime, however, they must be admonished and punished; not that we harm them with this, but that we may bring such wicked people to the right path, so that they may mend their ways and not fall into God's severe wrath and displeasure, which is a worshipful fire to impenitent men. In this way, we resist evil, namely, through the office of the word and worldly sword, and yet suffer the misfortune that we cannot resist; which will be of great benefit and piety to us, but harm and destruction to them.
This is the theology and wisdom of Christians, and even though we have not yet attained it, we should daily
1150 L. IL, 1S4-1SS. Interpretation of Genesis 37:31-33, W. II, I686-IS8S. 1151
be exercised in this, and accustom ourselves so that in the spiritual struggle and tribulation we suffer, we can say with a steady and quiet heart: You can do me no harm, I am a Christian, you do me no harm, you promote me; look to yourself. What harm did it do Joseph, since he was sold and driven into misery? indeed, to what end was it not useful and good for him? or how could his brothers have brought him to greater honor and glory? for just so that they tried to hinder and oppress him, they finely exalted him to the majesty of becoming a great lord; as he had dreamed shortly before.
321 On this opinion the saying of Gregory is also praised: The godless do us good, even if they do evil. And Augustine says about the underage children killed by Herod: The enemy Herod, with all the power and supreme fortune of his kingdom, could not have done these children any greater good than by killing them.
So God humbles His own, that He may exalt them; He kills them, that He may revive them; He disgraces them, that He may honor them; He throws them down, that He may exalt them. But it is an art above all arts, and wisdom above all wisdom, which is not without great labor, and is learned and understood by so few; yet it is true and certain, as this example testifies. For God has truly, as it says in Psalm 105, v. 21, made Joseph king in Egypt and lord and helper of her many. How then? That he was sold, rejected and killed; these are God's works, which cannot be understood unless they are fulfilled and accomplished. But when they are done, they cannot be understood or comprehended except by faith alone. For this must be simply adhered to, that we say, "I believe in GOD the Father, Almighty Creator of heaven and earth."
In the same way, when I pass away from this life, I will hold on to this comfort, that I believe in the Son of God. Yes, I will be buried in the earth,
I am eaten by worms, and must rot and be consumed in the flesh; as Job Cap. 17, v. 14. says: "I call decay my father, and worms my mother and my sister"; I do not see God's counsel that even though I must die and rot, I should come to life once again. But God has promised and said: You will live again; for "I live, and you also shall live", Joh. 14, 19. I am the Lord, your God. But how will we live? Answer: In eternal life, and in such a body more beautiful and clear than the sun. This I do not see or feel now, but I believe it and endure this very slight delay. For life is already prepared, and in the meantime also the crown of the kingdom and glory is prepared, "which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day, not to me alone, but also to all who love his appearing," as Paul says 2 Tim. 4:8.
324 But all this is done in secret; therefore one should suffer and endure with patience that God thus conceals Himself wonderfully. Jacob and Joseph did not see the crown of the kingdom, nor did his brothers bow down to him, as will happen afterwards in Egypt; but with this selling the future is prepared. And with our Lord God it is just as if it had happened; it will surely come.
This is written for our instruction, that we may learn to understand and practice the faith which can suffer death and all misfortune, and yet in all things wait for life and salvation, which faith, I say, can endure the violence and injustice which others inflict on us; although it severely reproves and punishes them, yet it hates no one, but gladly forgives, blesses, hopes, desires, and does good without all desire for revenge. For we see this clearly in the example of Joseph, who remembers no injustice done to him, desires no revenge, but does all the good he can to the most wicked boys who sold him and killed him.
In this way their hearts shall be accustomed to patience, faith and love the-
1152 D. IX, 1SS-IL8. Interpretation of Genesis 37:31-36.**W. II, 1689-1692.** 1153
Those who have the power to chastise and punish others, whether with the word, or with the sword, or with the rod. "Patience," says St. James, Cap. 1, 4, "shall stand firm to the end." For he that is patient sinneth not. "He that is dead is justified from sin," Rom. 6:7. A patient man is truly holy in the faith of Christ, there is no sin left in him; for all that he suffers is pure righteousness.
327 These things were written and happened in the histories of the dear saints, but everything happened very weakly and imperfectly, as can be seen in Jacob and Joseph. They neither wished nor did anything bad to their sons and brothers, but it can be assumed that there must have been a great conflict in both of them against the weakness of the flesh. For how often do you think Joseph will have looked with weeping eyes toward Hebron, where his father lived, as he passed by? How miserable he will have been, when he was suddenly and unawares taken out of his father's sight and out of his house, and came into the power of other people! The flesh will not have been able to refrain from grumbling, but the spirit, which fought and sighed against it, has won and kept the victory, has endured the unreasonable violence of his brothers without all vengeance, since the very bad boys have been quite senseless, and have always hung on and followed their hatred, which they conceived against him.
328 And Moses also added this, how they miserably and unjustly martyred the wretched old man by falsely inventing what had happened to Joseph. For this is evidenced by the miserable and deadly lamentation Jacob made when he said, "It is my son's skirt; a wicked beast has eaten him" 2c. This he took from the words of his sons, which they spoke when they showed him the bloody garment. Then he adds that this must be an argument and sign that Joseph was torn by an evil animal. Now it was much more likely that a human being must have strangled him; and where the father was a little more diligent in the matter
If he had investigated through all and every circumstance, he would soon have found out the deception. For he might have said: How is it that the skirt has remained whole? And where did you get it? There is no sign of teeth or claws of any wild animal? For if a wicked beast had torn him, it would not have taken off his skirt beforehand, nor would it have left it whole, but would have torn it off with his body. But the good father did not think of that. For he was drowned and swallowed up in great heartfelt pain and lamentation. That is why he was easily persuaded in such great sadness and the heaviest temptation.
III.
(vv. 34-36) And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned 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 wept over him. But the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's steward and chamberlain.
Now they have done well, the nobles. Since they sold and killed their brother, they also became the cause of their poor old father's suffering and torture to death; indeed, they plagued him even more horribly than their brother. For they make him suffer two and twenty years in succession, and for a long time they have always seen him walking in sackcloth and great miserable sadness, always sighing, sobbing and weeping miserably. For I believe that after that time he never used cheerful clothes nor had a cheerful face. Help God! How rash and cruel people must have been, that they could have seen that their old father had to mourn and suffer so unreasonably and for such a long time! How that the people should be so full of devils!
1154 **D. ix. 15S-1M. Interpretation of Genesis 37:34-36. W. ir, IM-I6S4.** 1155
I would not have believed that a man could ever have committed such a great sin that he could knowingly and deliberately see his old, weak father die before his eyes and go down into the pit, for which he had given cause with his sins, and in all of which he should have no compassion for him, indeed, should feel or feel no human kindness, or natural inclination or love, even though all animals are implanted by God, toward father and grandfather. Does this mean to honor father and mother? And in addition the old father Isaac must also see this. For his pain and lamentation was also added, who, after Joseph was sold, lived twelve more years, and at last, without a doubt, died of heartfelt melancholy, because he had lost his son. This excellent man, who should be called the prize of betting, should still weep and mourn to death?
Nothing is more wonderful than that such fellows have heard the word of divine promise and blessing for so many years, and yet not a single one of these brothers has improved, since they have often been admonished by the sincere teaching and godliness of their father and grandfather, and have not been moved by such miserable sadness of the pious old holy men, that they would have had compassion on them and taken pity on them. You are hard, dear fellows; so you should serve the devil. But they did not harm their father, their grandfather, or Joseph, but themselves most of all. Simeon and Levi were driven to this by the hope of the firstborn and the desire for it; Simeon was a priest, Levi a cardinal; Judah is a little more sincere, but was still afraid of the power and authority of the two brothers; Reuben had no standing at all with them, but was even despised because of the disgrace he had committed, therefore he had to keep quiet for the sake of Iscarioth and Caiphas. It would have been no wonder if our Lord God had let them become Sodom and Gomorrah, and if fire had fallen from heaven, and they had thus been made an example of.
Sodomites would have been destroyed. And they would undoubtedly have perished and perished in just such a way, if it had not been for a few pious, godly people who still kept up this lineage, namely Isaac, the grandfather, and Jacob, the father, and Joseph, his son. These were the right three atlases at that time; the three men bear it, otherwise God would have struck them with brimstone and pitch.
332 So their sin, as much as possible, must only be made great and heavy enough to comfort us. For since they have finally obtained forgiveness for such sin, we should not despair even for the sake of our sin. But so that you do not tempt God at the same time. For Judas, despairing, put a rope around his own neck, and so in despair died horribly. Therefore see to it that you do not bring disaster and destruction on yourself. But if such a case arises that a man is overtaken by a fault, as Paul says in Gal. 6:1, then such examples are necessary that you consider that the holy patriarchs were also poor sinners and fell terribly. I do not know myself guilty of such horrible sins, except that I served the Antichrist for fifteen years, since I held the abominable sacrificial masses daily. But where my conscience frightens me, I had such examples and promises of the gospel and console myself with them. It is true that no incest could have been as severe as the unrighteous evil deed of these brothers, so that they martyred and killed their father and brother, as well as their grandfather, through sadness and heartfelt pain. And at last, no doubt, they will have felt a great horror of their conscience, as they looked upon their brother and the king in Egypt, and were terrified before them. And above all this, all the misfortune they and their descendants suffered under Pharaoh was the right punishment God inflicted on them for these sins. They will have felt it in Egypt.
- Until now, therefore, we have heard how Joseph was led into Egypt, and of the
1156 ü. ir. iso-iss. Interpretation of Genesis 37:34-36. W. ii. iss4-i""7. 1157
Ishmaelites and Midianites were sold to Potiphar, the kitchen master or courtier of the king. God allows this to happen, and is silent about it, sleeps, is deaf and completely hard of hearing, has no compassion at all, and acts as if he does not know such a dear son. All the angels are also silent, and such a great treasure is snatched away to Egypt and sold for a small amount of money, namely twenty pieces of silver, who was supposed to become such a great patriarch, prophet and regent. What does our Lord God do with His chosen ones? What kind of a wonderful government is this, so that the chosen children of God are led and governed? What is it that He thus abandons them and afflicts them so miserably?
The poor wretched Joseph was carried away by his buyers and had to pass by Hebron, since it must have occurred to him that he had thought: "Behold, my dear father lives there, he does not know how it is with me now, and I cannot speak to him, nor can I look at him, or say my last goodbyes to him. This has truly been a great and miserable misery. I will keep silent about the old father, who, when he heard about the deal, cried out with weeping eyes and said, "I will go down with sorrow into the pit, to my son," and let myself be buried with him, and because I have lost this son, this life will now no longer be dear or pleasant to me.
- But these are also called merchants, who pass such a precious treasure by Hebron and bring it to Egypt, which will then be the salvation of the whole kingdom, so that the people will be helped in body and soul. For he will establish there a church and a right doctrine of God, and will accomplish great things that will be beneficial and good for the whole kingdom. For this reason he had to be crucified and killed before the day of his resurrection and glory came, so that he would not become proud, but would consider what he had been before and from where he had been raised to such great glory.
So this is described for our consolation. For in this terrible cross
of the Father and the Son, God has been deaf and dumb, does not think, does not know about the things that have happened. But faith is still there, and God speaks to him inwardly in his heart and says: Dear Joseph, wait, believe and do not despair, hold fast to the promise, so you heard from your father. So, I say, God speaks to him through the word of his father: God promised a seed to the great-grandfather and grandfather, and to your father as well; now remember that you persevere in the same promise with firm faith and remain steadfast. But he speaks these things to him by miraculous silence, seeing or hearing nothing. For God is as if he were blind and dead, and Joseph lives and abides by the common promise alone: God promised Abraham a seed 2c. I believe in GOD, in whom my fathers also believed. After that he will speak to him gloriously and in deed, when he will make him king and helper over all Egypt. But now Joseph is buried and dead, and has his Char Friday and Sabbath; his father also dies: but they shall both rise again by divine power, which is able to quicken the dead. The heart of a believer must live and rise again from the dead, even if it were oppressed by the immense burden of the whole world.
These examples are held up to us so that we may become accustomed to patience in tribulation, so that we may not be impatient and grumble against God, no matter how much and how great the tribulation, anguish and distress may be that weighs us down. It is a woe; as it will undoubtedly have been a woe to the young heart. It is true that a human heart cannot bear such things, let alone overcome them, without great pain and anguish. Just as Joseph undoubtedly suffered great pain and was greatly distressed when he felt that he had been so unjustly torn from his father and thrown to strangers, and that he had thus been given over to eternal servitude, since he could never get anything of his own or hope for freedom and redemption, but had to be servus servorum, a servant of his father.
1158 n> 162-164. interpretation of Gen. 37, 34-36. cap. 38, I-5. W. n. 16S7-1702. H5K
Be a servant. For servitude is difficult and miserable enough in itself, if other burdens are not added to it. But it was so much more vexatious to this pious youth that he had to be deprived of his parents and all the comforts and advantages of this temporal life even in the time of his blossoming youth. If our Lord God allows such things to happen to his children, let us also bear with a patient heart when we encounter sad and disgusting things. For these are not signs of wrath, or that God has forsaken us, but rather signs of grace and tests of our faith.
Therefore, such a life is the most important of all.
The most holy, in which also the highest patriarchs lived, with whom our monks and papist bishops are not to be compared at all. It is nothing with the fasting and with the miraculous works, so in the legends of our saints, as, the Franciscus, Ambrosius, Augustinus 2c., are told. That means lived: that is vain child's play. These, I say, are examples that teach and indicate what a right Christian life is, what the right true exercises of godliness and Christian patience are. Well, Joseph is gone; let us leave him to rest in the pit. He is now buried; let us leave him to rest in the pit, in the scheol, as his father says, in his school.
The thirty-eighth chapter.
First part.
How Judah went to Odollam, took a wife and begat three sons.
It came to pass about the same time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and went to a man of Odollam, whose name was Hira. And Judah saw there the daughter of a Cananite man, whose name was Shuah; and he took her. And while he slept with 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 bare a son again, and called his name Shelah: and he was at Cheshib when she bare him.
(1) I have often reminded you that you should pay careful attention to the order of history in the account of the death of Isaac and how Joseph was sold. For Moses uses the figure called hysteron proteron after the manner of the other historians. At the end of the 35th chapter, v. 28, 29, he said: Since Isaac was a hundred and eighty years old, he died. Afterwards in the 37th Cap. V. 35. he says: "And his father" Isaac "wept for him."
(2) For the sake of the cause, this chapter must also be looked at diligently, and it must be noted that what is contained therein happened long before Isaac died, or Joseph was sold. For Isaac still lived until Joseph was raised up and set over Egypt, which was nearly thirteen years. And Judah went down to a man of Odollam, named Suah, and took the same man's daughter to wife, begat with her three sons; two of whom were slain while Isaac the grandfather was still living, and his brother Joseph also was still with the father fresh, healthy and free; only seven or eight years after this time Joseph was sold. Therefore everything that is written in this chapter preceded the death of Isaac; which can be clearly concluded and proven from the account of Jacob's years. And this order should always be kept in mind, as if it were written in a tablet, so that the reader will not be confused if he does not take good care of it.
003 And it seemeth that Judah went down from his brethren, which dwelt not in Hebron, but in Shechem, unto
1160 n> ibi. 1". Interpretation of Genesis 38:1-5. M. n, 1702-1705. 1161
where Jacob had come from Mesopotamia, and where he had pitched a tent. And I think that he did not stay longer than two years with his father, since he was still a young man; but left his father's house and his brothers, and went with his own belongings to the Odollamites, perhaps asked or invited by them. For one does not really know what else might have been the reason that he went there.
But it is probable that there must have been friendship and acquaintance between the same Gentiles and their guests, the Jews. And it is a certain sign of excellent politeness and friendliness that they were able to tolerate such foreign guests in their country, who built the fields with them, carried on trade and otherwise dealt with other ordinary works of this common life. It seems that they were not so rich and powerful in those days, as it is said above. The sins of the Amorites were not yet fulfilled, and they were still pious and hospitable, until they were corrupted because of great money and good things, and also because of excessive abundance. For this reason they are said to have been kind and good-willed to receive the Jews and to tolerate them, and they did this out of natural law without any written law. Such people were Aner and Mamre, the Amorites and Gentiles, Gen. 14, 13. And above, Cap. 20, 15, we also heard that Abimelech and others kindly sheltered the fathers and showed them respect.
(5) It may also have been because Judah was displeased that his brothers were so proud and tyrannical, especially Simeon and Levi, who had given themselves the glory and the privilege of being the firstborn, that he departed from them because he was a little more quiet and humble for his own part, and could not bear their pride and their wild and abominable ways.
(6) Lyra was greatly distressed why Judah had left his father's house and departed, and here he is leading the Jews' childish antics so that they will be able to
Nearly stained all the holy scripture, that the other brethren out of compassion for their father, seeing that he was almost consumed with pain and sorrow, which he had borne, began to be angry with Judah, and reproached him, because he had caused them to sell Joseph. For if he had not given them counsel, they would not have sold him. But with the reckoning of the years and the right order of history these fables are finely refuted. For Judah already had a wife and three sons before Joseph was taken to Egypt.
007 Now Shechem is quite far from Odollam. For they are cities that were not located in the same tribe. Shechem was situated in Ephraim, which was later called Neapolis. Odollam, however, was located toward the evening, where the tribe of Judah dwelt. And it seems as if he moved by special sending of God into the same country, which afterwards his descendants had.
008 And he lodged with a pious honest man, who was very kind to him, and dealt kindly with him; and with him he lodged for some time, I think, not as if he had been his servant, but as a stranger, tending his cattle at Odollam, the city of Judah; and there he saw a Canaanite's daughter, and took her to wife.
(9) But someone might doubt this: whether he would have asked his father for advice, both because of his parting and because he also wanted to marry in foreign places? And it seems that the words in the text almost read as if he had done this without asking his father for advice. For it is not thought of the father's authority that he took her to wife at the father's command or advice, as it is said afterwards that Judah gave a wife to his son Ger. Nor can it be proved that he took a Canaanite woman as a wife without his father's consent; or if such a thing were to be proved, it would not follow that, according to this exh.
1162 L. IL, 165-IS7. Interpretation of Genesis 38, I-s**. W. II, 1705-1707.** 1163
empel may also do the same. For he himself kept a different and better order with his son Ger. And because he had favor with his father for and for, he will undoubtedly have obeyed his teaching and admonition with the utmost diligence. For we shall hereafter hear that the father of the other brethren did not command or trust his son Benjamin to any but Judah, and waited with great anxiety for his return from Egypt.
(10) And I do not suppose that he so departed and went away, that he never returned to his father after that; but doubtless he visited him from time to time, to see what he was doing, and how his father and grandfather Isaac were. And perhaps, when Joseph was sold, he also went to visit his brothers, or came home again to his father's house from his landlord, with whom he had stayed for several years. Unless we want to take it for granted that he alone had the pasture and his cattle at Odollam, and thus would have moved from time to time from one place to another, either to shear the sheep or otherwise for other reasons.
(11) There is also a question concerning the grammar of the word, namely, whether the word "Cananite" is a proper name and is to be understood for one of the same people of the Cananites; or whether it is a generic word, so that it means as much as a merchant. For it is often used in the Scriptures as such a generic word. As, in the Proverbs of Solomon on 31 Cap. V. 24: "She makes a skirt and sells it; a girdle she gives to the Cananite," that is, "to the merchant." Therefore, it is uncertain whether this man was a grocer or not. For there is nothing in it from which one would like to assume and understand this.
- The word "Suah" is not the daughter's name, but the father's; but the woman's name is not expressly put, nor is it enumerated in the genealogy of Christ. But Thamar is famous and became a mother of Christ. The sons of Judah Have
Nor did they have to have the honor, even though their lineage was quite large. So Judah's wife conceived and gave birth to their first son, whom his father named Judah Ger. To the other two sons, Onan and Selah, the mother gave their names. The name Onan came from the pain and difficulty of childbirth, just as Rachel, overcome by the great pain of childbirth, named her son Benoni. To the third she gave a better name and called him Sela, because she gave birth to him a little easier and happier.
The last part of the text: "And he was at Chesib when she gave birth to him" was given by Jerome: When he was born, she ceased to give birth. For this is what interpreters tend to encounter, that they sometimes interpret a word that is a proper name as a generic word, so that proper names generally derive from generic words and may be understood in the same sense. Chesib is the name of a city in Judah, which is otherwise called Achsib, Micah 1:14, where the name of the city is referred to, indicating that the king of Israel will fail there; for the words of the prophet are: "The city of Achsib will fail with the kings of Israel" 2c. There was also another Achsib, situated in the tribe of Aeser, about midnight; but this one in Odollam belongs to the tribe of Judah, or rather to the tribe of Dan, about noon. Jerome follows Aquila, and has thus given it to be a generic word, which I do not like. For such liberty to speak by peculiar figures or ways, and to make up new interpretations, which are somewhat strange, is not pleasing to me; as this reads very hard: She has been in the lie, she has ceased to give birth. For so it reads in the Hebrew, if it is a generic word: It has been lie with her childbearing, or, the birth has missed her.
14 Therefore I understand that it is a name of a special place, which is often mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. For there were two cities that had this
11642 . IL. M-1". Interpretation of Genesis 38:1-5. W. n, 1707-1710. 1165
Name had, as Jerome also says; and the same interpretation rhymes with the history. For Moses wants to prove what he indicated right at the beginning, namely, that Judah was separated from his brothers, because he did not live with his wife in Shechem, but left his parents and brothers and went down to a man from Odollam, where he had been a sojourner and a stranger, and there he moved from one place to another, herding cattle according to the opportunity of the pasture, where he could have it best. He lived in Achsib, in Thimnath, and in Odollam, all of which were cities in the tribe of Judah, or rather in the tribe of Dan. Simeon subsequently held a wedding at Timnath.
015 Now therefore Moses saith, Judah had no certain place where he dwelt, neither had his fathers: but while his brethren abode at Shechem with their father, he went about, and had much communion with Hira of Odollam, who was his good friend and father in law. And it seems that there were still some pious Cananites left there, who showed Judah much kindness. For if they had dealt unkindly with him, he would not have made a brother-in-law with them. And afterward, when they were slain in Shechem, they doubtless came to the aid of the sons of Jacob, to avenge the violence done to them by the Shechemites, and to protect Jacob, that he and his household might not be slain by the neighbors.
16 But whoever wants to keep the way Jerome has given and interpreted it in Latin, and wants to look for secret interpretations, may well do so: as if it should be indicated herewith that Judah's wife has now failed to give birth and that she has ceased to give birth. For Judah did not bear any more children for nine or twelve years after that, as we shall see hereafter.
017 Now it is diligently to be noted, that all things hitherto related were done before the death of Rachel and Deborah, before Benjamin was born, Bilhah was defiled, and Dinah was weakened. For Judah was not born of his brethren.
He went away in the second or third year, after his father Jacob had arrived in Shechem and had lived eight or nine years in good quiet rest. But in the eighth or ninth year, or almost at the same time, the many tribulations came as a storm, when Dinah was weakened, Rachel died, 2c., and finally Joseph was sold. But what Moses goes on to tell about Judah's marriage, and the death of his sons and his wife, all this happened before.
(18) After this also shall be considered the reckoning of the years of Jacob and Judah. For when you compare what is told in this chapter with the years of Judah's age, it will seem almost incredible, and that not everything could have happened in such a short time between Jacob's going down to Egypt and Judah's birth. For when Jacob was four and fourscore years old, he took Leah and Rachel to wife; and when he went down to Egypt, he was a hundred and thirty years old. But Judah was born in the fourth year after Jacob was given in marriage: so there remain almost two and forty years between Judah's birth and Jacob's going down to Egypt. In that short time Judah became a husband and also weakened his daughter-in-law. For when he took his wife, he was thought to be twenty years old.
19 Now let us also suppose that the three sons were born within two years, to whom the father gave the daughters of the Canaanites after they had grown up and reached their twentieth year. Soon after the sons died, Thamar remained a widow for a year. The next year, Judah, her father-in-law, committed incest with her and fathered two sons, Perez and Zerah, with his daughter-in-law. Now if you add up all these years, there are four and forty years, but not more than two and forty years between Judah's birth and Jacob's going down to Egypt. And yet this is still the other generation. For afterward in the 46th chapter are enumerated two
1166 ". ix. iss-lTi. Interpretation of Genesis 38:1-5. W. n, ino-ins. 1167
The sons of Judah's grandchildren, Hezron and Hamul, whom Perez begot before they went to Egypt, must also be given twenty years before he grows up and is fit for marriage and childbearing. And if these twenty years are added to the previous ones, it will make sixty years. This is such a time that far exceeds the common and true reckoning of years.
20 Therefore we conclude that at that time nature was much stronger and more possible in male and female than it is now, so that the married couple could have children in the twelfth and thirteenth years of their age. For we will not be able to balance the chronology with history in any other way. Therefore we must consider that Judah was not more than twelve years old when he became married, and that within two years after that his three sons were born; at which time he was fully fourteen years old. In addition there were the twelve years of his son Ger, to whom he gave Thamar in marriage at the same age, when Judah was four and twenty years old: in which year also Ger and Onan were slain, or the next year after that, namely, in the fifth and twentieth year. Therefore Tamar did not give birth until the sixth and twentieth year of Judah, and waited until Selah grew up, who was two years younger than his brother Ger, perhaps eleven or twelve years old. But we will assume that she sat in her house as a widow for a year, and then it will follow that Judah was seven and twenty years old when he weakened his daughter-in-law. For we must not give more time to the widowhood of Tamar, because at the same time the women feared barrenness, contempt and cursing, from which they were most anxious to escape. After that, twins were born from the incest in the eighth and twentieth year, one of which, Perez, also took a wife in the twelfth year, which was Judah's fortieth year;
and he begat Hezron and Hamul. The same must also be given two years, unless perhaps they were twins. Finally, when Judah was two and forty years old, he went down to Egypt. This calculation of the years seems to be the closest to the order of history, and whoever wants to, may look for it in our chronicle, in which it is calculated even more precisely and diligently.
(21) But this must be admitted, that the fathers begat children much sooner at that time, when nature was still stronger than it is now and in this last time of the world. Therefore, I truly believe that it was a special work of God that Judah could have been able to beget children at the same age. At the present time there are very few of them who are mature enough in the eighteenth year of their age to be married and to beget children. The patriarchs, however, became capable of this within a few years by virtue of their strength, so that they also begat children before they were quite manly.
22 Since this chapter contains nothing else but the story of how Judah fathered children and left his brothers and went away, and about the most shameful incest he committed with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, a common question arises here again: Why did God and the Holy Spirit have these so shameful and unspeakable things written and kept so that they would be told and read in the church? For it seems that he did not do right in this, that he passed over other greater things, and that these, which are not worthy to be brought to light and to be kept in memory, were nevertheless worthy of it. For who would believe that such things can be taught for the salvation or betterment of the church? He tells how Judah departed from his brothers, took a foreigner as his wife, and then defiled his daughter-in-law with incest. It would have been better if this had been covered up and forgotten for eternity.
23 The canonists and papists can easily dispose of this question, as those who are there
1168 n. in. err. Interpretation of I Genesis 38:1-5. w. n. i7is-i7is. 1169
Saying that the Old Testament is a book of intercourse and fornication of the Jews. But with this they show their lack of understanding, and prove sufficiently that they are swine and coarse asses, by speaking of such things of which they have no understanding and of which they know nothing at all, and with this they also revile the Holy Spirit, as if he did not know what should be written or held against the church and congregation of God. Jerome also answered this question. But it is not the only reason, which he mentions here, that Christ wanted his genealogy from the beginning to be praised in the holy scriptures; and because Thamar was his mother, her name should therefore be known to everyone: But over this we have here a great consolation, that the holy fathers and such great patriarchs' children, Judah and the others, are described as having been so full of weakness and great blemishes or sin, with which this poor nature is burdened, and that God wonderfully governed and guided them with the Holy Spirit, but in such a way that He decreed that their own innate inclination, that is, the sin and fruit of original sin, was stirred up and broke forth in them. For this is a terrible sin of both Judas and Thamar, which can by no means be excused, even if it may be somewhat reduced.
- but such examples are told us for teaching and comfort, and also to strengthen our faith, that we should thereby consider the great grace and mercy of God, who not only saved the pious and righteous, as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but also the unrighteous, as Judah, Tamar, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, who were very great sinners. So that no one should be presumptuous or proud because of his righteousness or wisdom, and again no one should despair because of his sins.
(25) Now in the Holy Scriptures the most beautiful examples of the dear fathers are praised, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are like lights of the whole world, and in the church or congregation of God, like stars, the sun.
or dawn, were perfect in faith, hope and love. At the same time, however, great terrible sinners are described in it, who are as wicked and shameful as those who were pious and righteous. Reuben does his father as great a wickedness as the righteousness of Abraham was. Thus the righteousness of the greatest saints is held up to us, and also the sin of those who were extremely wicked, who nevertheless came from one lineage and one blood.
(26) This is the preaching of repentance, and of faith, or forgiveness of sins, lest any man be presumptuous or proud for his righteousness' sake, and that they also which are fallen should not therefore despair. For Judas and the other fathers' infirmities and faults, even their great monstrous cases or sins, are also told. And in this way the poor hearts, who know themselves guilty of sins, are to be raised up and comforted, namely, that one says to a poor sinner: Do not despair, for God calls you to trust Him and to believe His promise; and He can also make you righteous, holy and blessed, as He made those poor sinners blessed. It is the same God who humbles the proud and exalts the lowly. He does not want us to rely on our righteousness or to despair in sins, but to trust in His grace and mercy alone.
Therefore, these examples of the church and congregation of God are very necessary. For where would we remain? And what hope could we have if Peter had not denied Christ, if the apostles had not all been angry with him, if Moses, Aaron and David had not also fallen? For this reason God wanted to comfort the poor sinners with these examples and thus saw: If you have fallen, turn back, the door of grace is open to you; but you, who know that you are not guilty of any sin, do not be presumptuous or proud because of this; but leave both of you and put your trust in my grace and mercy.
28 This is the right reason why such stories, so full of disgraceful
1170 L. IX, 172-174, interpretation of Genesis 38:1-5, W. II, 171S-1NS. 1171
The most important things are the fruits that are mixed into the legends or histories of the holy patriarchs. Moses with special diligence told at the same time the most evil fruits with the best ones. As in the New Testament Judas is also among the apostles, as a great miraculous example, for the comfort of the church, so that the godly do not despair. But not that the ungodly should have an example to follow, but that the penitent should keep it, so that they do not abandon all hope in God's grace and mercy, as if they could not be saved.
29 The Holy Spirit did not intend to write these pieces as an example to live by, but as a consolation, not to confirm the freedom to sin for the willing, but to awaken hope and faith. For by it he commands and keeps us from the forgiveness of sins, which is strong enough; for by it he comforts us to raise up, awaken, and strengthen those who have fallen in the church. And this teaching is not found in the books of the pagans or papists; the Holy Spirit has taught it in the Bible book alone.
(30) Then we are shown how the most holy men were, that they were not of stone or of iron, nor of coarse blocks, without understanding, without flesh and blood, but were men and like unto us in all respects: and where they did any good, that they did it not of their own strength of our flesh, but by the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore it may well happen that the same thing will happen to us that happened to them while they were still living in the same flesh that we also have in us.
(31) Secondly, the Holy Spirit also saw the Messiah and the birth of the Son of God, which is the most prominent cause. For this fall had to happen also in the same line, in which the Son of God was to be born. The supreme patriarch Judah, a father of Christ, has committed this unspeakable incest, so that Christ might be born from such a
Flesh, which would be exceedingly sinful and stained with a very shameful sin. For Judah begot twins with his daughter-in-law, a harlot so defiled with incest, which is how the line of our Lord and Savior Christ came to be. Then Christ must become a sinner in his flesh, as shameful as he can ever become. The flesh of Christ comes from such a storehouse, stained with abominable blood; likewise the flesh of the Virgin Mary, His mother, also, and of all the offspring of Judah: that thereby the unspeakable counsel of God might be signified of His grace and mercy, in that He took the flesh, or human nature, from an unclean flesh, which had been abominably stained.
For the scholastics dispute whether Christ was born of sinful or pure flesh? Whether God retained from the beginning of the world a pure droplet of flesh, from which Christ was to be born? To this I now answer: That Christ was truly born of true and natural human flesh and blood, which in Adam was corrupted because of original sin, but so that it could be healed again. As we then, who are surrounded with sinful flesh, believe and hope that it will happen that on the day of our redemption the sinful flesh will be cleansed and separated from all weakness, death and shame. For sin and death are such afflictions as are separated from us, and from them we may yet be redeemed. Therefore, when it came to the virgin, or to the drop of the virgin's blood, it was fulfilled what the angel Luc. 1, 35. said: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. The Messiah was not born of the power of flesh and blood, as John 1:13 says: "Not of the blood, nor of the will of a man" 2c., but nevertheless he wanted to be born of our flesh and of the corrupted blood. But at the moment of the virgin conception, the Holy Spirit cleansed the sinful flesh.
1172 n, 174-17". Interpretation of Genesis 38, 1-5. W. n. 1718-1721. 1173
and sanctified, and the poison of the devil and death, which is sin, wiped away. Although death still remains in the same flesh for our sake, the leaven of sin has been swept out, and has thus become the purest flesh, cleansed by the Holy Spirit, and thus united in One Person with the divine nature. Therefore, in Christ there is truly no human nature other than in us. And Christ is a Son of Adam, of his seed and of his flesh: but as I said, so that the Holy Spirit overshadowed, wrought, and cleansed it, that it might be sent to that most innocent conception and pure and holy birth, whereby we might be cleansed from sins and redeemed.
For this reason this is written for the sake of Christ, whom the Holy Spirit wanted to put as deep into sin as was ever possible. Therefore, he had to be stained with blood and born of such stained flesh.
Thirdly, it should be noted that the Holy Spirit wanted to indicate in this history that God had thus accepted and chosen the seed of Abraham, but that He would not reject the poor Gentiles according to the flesh. The Jews have no reason to boast that they alone are Abraham's seed. For after Isaac they are no longer Abraham's seed alone; for Rebekah did not come from Abraham, but from Nahor. So Leah and Rachel were Bethuel's children; there the seeds were mixed: the seed of the Gentiles is mixed with Abraham's seed. Likewise Thamar is a Canaanite woman.
35 Therefore Christ did not spurn this Canaanite mother, but wished to be born of the seed of the rejected people, lest the Jews should exalt themselves exceedingly, and boast of their blood. For they must confess that they are also Idumeans and Parthians; and that even according to the natural right the Gentiles of our Lord Jesus Christ are mother, brothers, cousins, mothers and sisters, least of all for the mothers' sake. For they all came from this Tamar, which is the mother of the whole tribe of Judah.
and the flesh of Perez is composed of the Canaanite children and Abraham's seed. Therefore, Israel, by necessity, must recognize the Gentiles for its blood friends, relatives and brothers, and the same for the sake of the mothers. For the mother also makes sisters, brothers and wives, no less than the father. Although the order of the genealogy is not based on the mothers and the wives are not counted among the descendants, they are also listed and these wives are expressly and especially remembered, namely, Tamar, Ruth, Rahab, Bathsheba. There the Gentiles come into the community of the Israelite people, and that they become their companions not only of religion and faith, but also of one flesh. For indeed male and female become one flesh. Therefore the Jews and Gentiles are also one flesh and born of one flesh.
In this way God wanted to dampen the pride and foolishness of the most hopeful people, the Jews, who have always been hostile to the Gentiles. For they will have to admit, even against their will, that Jews and Gentiles are also brothers naturally and according to the flesh; for they will not be able to reject this mother, Tamar, even though the paternity and genealogy are not derived from the mothers. Moab says of Ruth: This is my daughter, and a mother of the Messiah, therefore it follows that also the Messiah is my son. Canaan also said the same of Thamar. And finally Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph, are they not also born of an Egyptian mother? Therefore it follows that the royal tribe in Israel is Egyptian, and Egypt rules over the people of Israel, if not from the line of the fathers, nevertheless because of the blood relationship and the nature. In addition to this, doctors say that the mother gives the child more nourishment than the father, because she nourishes the child in her womb for ten months from her blood alone, and after that, when the blood is changed into milk, she suckles the child with it.
37 Therefore the Jews have no cause to boast, but to humble themselves.
1174 D. ix. 17S-I7S. Interpretation of I Genesis 38, I-5. W. n, 1721-1723. 1175
and to recognize the maternal blood. For by father they are Israelites, but by mother they are Gentiles, Moabites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Cananites. And this is also what God wanted to indicate, that the Messiah would be a brother and a brother's son or cousin of both Jews and Gentiles, if not according to the paternal genealogy, then because of the maternal nature, so that there would be no difference between Jews and Gentiles, except that Moses subsequently separated the Jewish people from the Gentiles with special worship and political rule.
38 But this is written, that every man might know that the Messiah would gather both Jews and Gentiles into one and the same church, even as they are joined together by nature and blood. And that is why I thought that the word "Canaan" should be understood as a generic word. For Christ wanted to be born of the Canaanites, as a Gentile people, and in this way he wanted to make peace between Jews and Gentiles. For all things must be gathered together again in Christ and, as it were, brought into one order; for he is not only the God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. We Gentiles actually came from Japheth, but Ham and Canaan were related to Shem by blood. Although we are now somewhat strangers, we also come to the fellowship and unity of Christ by the same right as the Assyrians and Egyptians came to it.
039 These things have I said against the vain boasting of the Jews of Abraham's seed. For the whole nation of Israel came from Leah and Rachel, which was not Abraham's seed; the tribe of Judah came from Tamar, and David himself came from Moab. For this reason the pride of the Jews is to be punished greatly, so that they despise and hate the Gentiles in a completely hostile manner, since they are their blood friends for the sake of Tamar, their mother, and also for the sake of others, whom we have listed before, through whom the blood of the Gentiles and the Jews has been mixed.
40 Now these are the reasons why the Holy Spirit did not want to pass over this history: First, for the comfort of those who have fallen, and of the penitent; then for the glory of the Gentiles. Although the mothers do not belong in the genealogical register, which honor belongs only to the fathers, nevertheless both father and mother have the same flesh and blood, and in the descendants the blood friendship with Perez and Judah is raised. Thamar is now no longer sister-in-law, but mother according to nature. And the mother is just as much the substance, blood and body of the child as the father.
- The same, however, should be held against the disgraceful, unrighteous canonists, who consider such histories, which originated and were described by the Holy Spirit, to be disgraceful and despise them, and, in the meantime, hold them harshly above the godless laws of the popes concerning the impure celibacy or celibate state, so that they have so darkened the right chastity and the whole life of married couples that even many good, pious hearts have shied away from marriage as a godless state, and that the youth has no longer been educated in housekeeping and other good works that belong to it and are necessary. As a result, the poor consciences have been terribly entangled and many other innumerable disorders have ensued in matters concerning the domestic and world government, since the inheritance is often not distributed properly.
Therefore it is the word of the wicked Satan when they say that in Genesis alone is told and written of the intercourse of the Jews. For Satan, out of his great, bitter hatred of the human race, has at all times taken it upon himself to disfigure, defile and destroy this poor nature, because he saw that God would accept it and honor it with eternal life. This must grieve and annoy the devil. And we see that this poor human nature is subjected to the mockery and power of the devil by God's decree, but God has nevertheless begun to adorn it, and in the life to come will shower and crown it with greater glory. It
1176 D. IL, 178-180. Interpretation of I Genesis 38:1-7. W. **II, 1723-1726.** 1177
In this life, everyone should certainly think highly of child rearing and also desire it, as it is also desired by all kinds of animals. But among men there are many who despise it; this was caused by the pope and the devil. There is no farmer who would gladly have or tolerate a cow that is barren, but should not fertility be much more pleasant and desirable in the nature of man than in unreasonable animals? To this is added the great weakness and disorder in man, which has been brought in by sin. But wait, God will cleanse and redeem this poor flesh again, as He has already showered it with the greatest honor and glory, because of the unspeakable union of human nature with divine nature.
43 I say this so that no one will accuse the very holy patriarchs of shame, for we see how the holy women also desire children with such great desire, so that they have also almost become senseless, that they would like to have children, as was said above, Cap. 30, v. 1, is said of Rachel; for this alone was her unique and special adornment and glory. Solomon also counted the womb of a woman among the three things that cannot be satisfied, Prov. 30:16. For this was planted in her nature, and she was created for this purpose, that she should be fruitful and bear children. Therefore she cannot but desire such multiplication; as God Himself says Gen. 1:28: "Be fruitful and multiply." And a woman who does not give birth still desires without ceasing that she may bear children, and is never satisfied with them. She does not stop. With us, however, this order of nature has been changed because of evil custom and for the sake of the papal statutes, from which we have learned to despise the rule of men and the world. For this reason, these examples should be diligently pursued and again drawn out of the filth of the canonists, so that we can judge them correctly and see and understand the intention of the Holy Spirit in such stories.
V. 6, 7: And Judah gave unto his first son a wife, whose name was Tamar. But he was wicked in the sight of the LORD: therefore the LORD slew him.
44 What is told in this place about the marriage of Gers, followed after Joseph was sold, and after other tribulations more, so shortly before have been told. But above, when the marriage of Judah is described, Moses does not remember the paternal authority. But I have no doubt that he entered this state with the will and advice of his father Jacob. But here is a clear text that Judah himself gave his son a wife; and I believe that this happened when his son Ger was twelve years old and Isaac was still alive, and when Joseph had already been sold and taken to Egypt.
45 The woman's name was Thamar, but whose daughter she was is not known. We have the assumption that she was a Cananite, as Judah's wife was. But that she is thus remembered is highly necessary, and this chapter is written for the sake of Thamar alone; for she is a mother of our Savior, the Son of God, for whose sake all the holy Scriptures were given, that he might be known and glorified. So then, I say, the Messiah came from this Tamar and was born, even though through fornication and incest. We are to look for him in this book and learn to recognize him; and although it is uncertain whether she was a Cananite or an Amorite (for the name of her people, from whom she came, is not so clearly expressed), she undoubtedly belonged to Canaan.
(46) Christ therefore became partaker of the blood of the Canaanites, and thus had in himself a body composed of the seed of Abraham and Ham, or Canaan, so that he would soon testify in the beginning that he did not want to reject the Gentiles, whom he had taken in, and had made worthy to receive into his own person. He did indeed punish the wicked atrociously, as is shown by the examples of the ungodly Canaanites and Sodomites, whom he drove out or even destroyed; just as he did not spare the Jews, as the natural branches, so that he should not also reject them.
1178 LIL, 180-182. interpretation of I Moses 38, 6-8. D. u, 1726-1729. 1179
have rejected. And the glory of the blood, whether of the fathers among the Jews, or of the mothers among the Cananites, has been of no use to them at all; for Christ does not want to have children of the flesh. He alone is a child of the flesh without all sin of the flesh; of all the others this saying remains firm, John 1:13: "Who are not born of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh" 2c. So now both Jews and Cananites may boast of the flesh, that sin is taken away and they are cleansed from it; just as the Son of God therefore took human nature upon Himself, so that He was completely clean from all sin, so that He thereby cleansed our blood and flesh, both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews. There now stands the dear Thamar; and Christ is the cousin of the Jews, not brother-in-law, but kinsman. Judah, when he gave a wife to his son and became a grandfather or father-in-law, was four and twenty years old.
(47) Moses added another thing, that Ger was evil in the sight of the LORD, and therefore the LORD slew him. But why did he not spare this holy seed, as the son of the patriarch Judah? To this I answer thus: The children of the flesh are not counted for seed, but of the Spirit, Rom. 9, 8. The Holy Spirit must come to purify the flesh, otherwise the fleshly children of Abraham as well as the Gentiles will be rejected and killed. Now follows in the text:
V. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and take her in marriage, so that you may raise up your brother's seed.
48 The Hebrew word, which is placed in this place, is not found anywhere else, except in Deut. 25:5, where it is commanded that a brother shall take his dead brother's wife in marriage 2c. This was not the law of Moses, but of the fathers before the law of Moses; from this it is clear that Moses collected many ceremonies and statutes that the holy fathers had previously established or instituted. Of the laws this was one, so still preserved or received and from the high patriarchs always came from one to the other. But it is
This law has truly been a heavy and vexatious one beyond measure, for it compels you to take your brother's wife in marriage, even against your will, if he has died without an heir, even though you have neither desire nor love for her, since it is considered impossible to love with chaste and conjugal love one whom you yourself have neither chosen nor desired, unless it is out of a violent passion for fornication. But how if she were barren, like the one reported in Matt. 22:24 ff. is reported? Therefore, I say, this was a very hard and severe law. But in these laws of outward ceremonies one must also look to Christ, whom one must seek in them.
- but when in the 5th book of Moses Cap. 25, v. 5, that a brother should raise up seed for his dead brother, polygamy is included, that is, that one may have more than one wife, and the same is confirmed by Moses. And this was also the reason why Solomon had so many wives, some of whom will certainly have been related to him by blood or affinity, and if there was a poor female in the family, she will have kept herself to the king as to her blood friend or brother-in-law. Then they have joined themselves to the cousin, who will have fed many, and yet no doubt some have been his concubines besides the queen for the sake of this law: which truly has been a vexatious and unpleasant thing, namely, to be burdened or weighed down with so many wives or concubines, to whom you held neither desire nor love.
50 The word jabam means to make such a marriage alliance, as a blood friend is forced by law to take the widow, whom his deceased brother left without children, in marriage; or where no brother was left, according to the same law the other blood friends were obliged to do so. But who instituted this law in the first place, or where it came from, I do not know. Judah commanded his son Onan to take his brother's wife in marriage, which he reluctantly accepted.
1180 L. IX. 182-184. interpretation of Genesis 38:8-10. w. II. I72S-I732. 1181
and it seems as if he dealt with the woman all the more unkindly because of that, or since he was forced to take her, he refused to sleep with her. For he could not bear this annoying law.
51 Therefore Thamar, who was very fertile by nature, did not conceive by these two, Ger and Onan, and perhaps other sins were added to them. How then such an end of both indicates that their wickedness was very great; for the Lord killed them both in one year. We would like to say that the one was killed in the beginning of the other year, when he was twelve years old and was forced by his father to marry Thamar.
- it has been truly a marvelous freedom, so the women had with it, that they may have free one after the other all brothers or relatives of their previous husbands, and where the woman has been barren, it has been truly a very unpleasant and heavy burden. And that is right, to force the evil desire, which is forced, because it does not want, and if it is thus forced, it flees nevertheless and turns away from those, so it was forced on her without her will. Therefore, I believe that this law will have been kept only by the pious and godly; but the wicked and ungodly will have despised and transgressed it altogether. It is written in the history of Ruth Cap. 4, v. 1. ff., how he who was her nearest kinsman, when he was to take her as his wife on account of the kinship, preferred to let the field or the piece of land go, and to take off his shoe, and to become a barefoot monk, and to give it to another (which was the punishment of those who transgressed the same law), before he would bear such servitude. This would truly be a terrible discipline against evil lusts, if this law should also bind us. For we learn how much trouble and work the love of spouses, so initially voluntary and very heated, tends to entail, since Satan often misleads the hearts and incites them to much unreasonable hatred, strife and quarreling.
053 Judah therefore saith unto Onan, Lay thee with thy brother's wife, and take her in marriage, (for so much is the meaning of the Hebrew word, not merely to be married, but to take thee to be his blood-friend, and to take her to wife,) "that thou mayest raise up thy brother's seed. This has been the final opinion of this law, and the brothers or otherwise the relatives, if still alive, have had to take care of this, so that the deceased brother's name would not be erased or extinguished in the country. Because in the people Israel everyone must leave children. But now follows in the text a terrible and shameful deed of the most wicked boy Onan.
V. 9, 10: But Onan, knowing that the seed should not be his when he lay with his brother's wife, let it fall to the ground, and destroyed it, lest he should give seed to his brother. Then the LORD was displeased with what he did, and he killed him.
This must have been a wantonly desperate knave, for this is a shameful sin, even more heinous than incest or adultery. We call it a sin of the soft, yes, also probably a sodomitic sin. For he lay with her, made her asleep, and when it came to the seed, he poured it on the ground, and corrupted it, lest the woman should conceive. Truly, at that time one should follow the order of nature, created by God for birth. Therefore, I say, it has been the most shameful sin to lure the seed and provoke the woman with it, and yet deprive her of it soon at the same moment. He was inflamed by evil envy and dislike, therefore he did not want to suffer that he should be forced to bear this unpleasant servitude. For this reason he was killed by God. It is an evil deed, therefore God has punished him.
55 And this is also what I said, that those who kept this law must have been especially pious. For it is a great burden to serve another, to raise up heirs, and to keep his offspring, to beget other men's children, to bring them up, and to keep them alive.
1182 L. ix. IS4-1S6. Interpretation of Genesis 38:9-11. W. ii. 1732-173". 1183
and feed them, leave them the inheritance, and all this under the name of the deceased brother. The world knows nothing of such love. It is an annoying thing to be the guardians of the orphans, to govern and provide for them; which in our lines is done according to imperial law. Help God! How many complaints and how great disloyalty are found in all the world! For it is quite difficult and an excellent work of love to apply faithfulness and diligence there, so that one may preserve others' goods and keep them. Therefore, this law contains great ardent love, which this prankster did not want to practice or prove, but would rather stain himself with such shameful sin than to raise up his brother's seed. Now Judah has also sinned, so a terrible punishment will soon follow.
Second part.
Of Thamar, and of Judah's incest with Thamar.
I.
V. 11 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 too might die like his brothers.
56 In this place the scribes dispute who might have been the father of Tamar, and the Jews, after their own fashion, have pleasure in buffoonery and fables, and say that she was the daughter of the priest's sem, and they want to conclude from this that Judah afterwards ordered her to be brought forth, that she would be burned for adultery, therefore that the priests' daughters, when they have given birth, are used to be burned.
(57) But I will leave off these antics, for they can be despised as easily as they have been invented. Shem was then fifty years old when he died, but Ger and Onan were twelve years old: Judah would not have allowed them to free Tamar, who was fifty years old. Therefore she was a Cananite like
Rahab, and how Ruth was born a Moabitess of the heathen flower.
Now this was also a very hard and strict law, that if the daughters were not fertile or their husbands died, they were easily cast out and returned to their parents. Therefore, it was a difficult thing to marry the daughters. But other peoples also have other laws. This or other such laws do not bind us at all. Judah, however, thinks that he has justly denied his daughter-in-law the third son, for otherwise he would not have refused to give him to her in this way, and yet he sins by being so strict about it. And this was a very cold and loose excuse, that he said: "Perhaps the third son would also die" and I would therefore have to remain without children, since my wife also died to me. But it will become clear from the following text that he gave his son Selah another wife, and thus despised Thamar and left her. For he sent her again to her father's house, and so despised and forsook her. He did not keep this law, which commanded that a brother should take his dead brother's wife in marriage 2c. For Moses will say in v. 14 that Shelah had grown up, and that Tamar had not been entrusted to him.
Therefore, this Thamar was a poor, miserable woman, and it seems that everywhere else among the Jewish people the female sex was almost subservient and despised, and that they had to support themselves out of great need with their work, as with spinning and weaving. For it also seems to have happened with Thamar that she maintained herself at home with her father in the female way, as, with spinning and washing, quite difficult and miserable.
(60) And above, chap. 31, we have heard that Laban also increased his food and became rich from the work of his daughters Rachel and Leah. Likewise it is written in Isa. 4:1: "Seven women shall take hold of one man at that time, saying: We will feed and clothe ourselves; let us only be called by thy name.
1184 LIX. 1M-IW. Interpretation of Genesis 38, II. 12. w.n. i73s-i7ss. 1185
called." And that was also a hard law. Now they are wonderful, splendid ladies. But among the heathen, and according to our custom, this law is not to be kept, nor is it to be held up as an example to be followed; but we are to follow and obey our rights and laws, and the present authorities, provided the worldly ordinances are not in themselves ungodly and contrary to the word of God. We shall not see what statutes and ordinances the Syrians or Philistines had; for every country keeps its own laws and customs, as it is said in the German proverb: So many a country, so many customs.
So Thamar went and stayed in her father's house.
All of this happened within three years. Ger and Onan died almost in one year, in which they were married. Thamar waited for the third to grow up, and in the meantime she remained a widow. Judah, however, saw through the fingers, and thus left the written law and gave his son another (for we may conclude from this); so that Thamar could have had no hope at all. And even though she had a good right to demand the third son according to the law, she will still have thought: I am a Cananite, despised, rejected and condemned. What should I do?
(v. 12) And it came to pass, when the days were expired, that the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, died. And when Judah had mourned, he went up to shear his sheep at Timnath, with Hira his shepherd, of Odollam.
022 It is said above, that the time of these many days shall not make more than one year together; for otherwise the other time would not be sufficient to beget the children and the children's children of Judah, who, when he had weakened his daughter in law, was seven and twenty years old, and in the eighth and twentieth year shall give birth to Thamar; whom Thamar's sons shall also beget children in the years that remain, until the two and twentieth year.
fortieth year. Let this be a year of these many days, of which it is said in the text that Judah's wife died in it after his two sons were killed. But if you count or reckon these days, not from the time that Tamar was rejected, but from the time that Judah was married, thirteen years will be added to them; and the same year will be ascribed to Tamar's widowhood.
63 Now Judah also was a widower, though not more than half a year, because his wife died after the rejection of Tamar and after the death of his two sons, Ger and Onan. It was also decreed in the law that they had to suffer for several months. And this is a very praiseworthy custom among all peoples, to mourn the dead, especially if they are relatives or parents. Moses did not remember that Judah had married when he was still of perfect and possible age, that is, seven and twenty years old. Therefore he abstained from marriage, but nevertheless did not live without wives. For thus the lives of the fathers must be described, that they might be like us in all respects according to the flesh, after sin and death, that the immeasurable and inexpressible love and mercy of God, that he might love us, might be glorified.
II.
64 Moses said, "Judah should rejoice and go out with its head held high to shear its sheep. For these days were kept yearly as holidays, on which they also lived a little more gloriously and deliciously with food and drink, as 1 Sam. 25:2 ff. says of Nabal, that he prepared a feast for his shearers, where David also sent his young men 2c. As also happens with us in the time of harvest. For those who are tired from work and heat need food and drink. But these are teachings of good outward and civil manners.
But the cattle, as said above, Cap. 37, 13, has not been to Shechem with the father, although he will at times
1186 L. ix. is"-i9o. Interpretation of I Genesis 38, 12-14. W. n, 1739-1712. 1187
but at Odollam, which was near Thimnath. Achsib was in the tribe of Judah, in the valley of the land of Judah. For therefore it is also said of Samson that he went down. And Lyra interprets it thus, that it went downhill from Jerusalem to Thimnath and again from the sea to Jerusalem it went uphill.
(66) I have interpreted the Hebrew word reeh into German, shepherds, because of which word the Hebrews quarrel fiercely, and so they plague us. For they say it means a friend, or one who is our neighbor, yet not our blood friend. As it is rightly given and interpreted in the Gospel, Matt. 22:39: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Jerome deals with this diligently and says that it is called shepherd, if one writes it with the little dot, which the Hebrews call cholem, thus roeh. But if one reads real, then it is to be interpreted that it means a friend. And he himself gave it in Latin, pastor seu opilio, that is, shepherd or shepherd. I will command it to the Hebrews. It seems as if it originally came from the Hebrew word reell, and it reminds of this meaning when it says in the beginning of this chapter that Judah stayed with a man from Odollam, who was an honest pious citizen and who gave Judah shelter. But it seems that Judah was a little higher than him. For Judah sent the goat through him, as through his servant. Therefore, I think that it was not his friend or neighbor, but he who was a little lower than he, who held Judah in honor. But I do not want to consider any of these opinions so certain, I would rather leave it undecided, as Jerome does, and leave it to the Hebraists to judge. Both interpretations are appropriate, although I am more inclined to the one, if the word real is understood to mean a shepherd. For so was the life of the patriarchs Isaac, Jacob and Judah, as of the peoples called nomads, who had no permanent place, but came from one place to another.
They wandered from one place to another, as their fathers did and as the shepherds and oxen drivers do in our day. So they also wandered in the wilderness, seeking new pastures daily, renting meadows and fields, and other places that were convenient for their cattle and flocks. Therefore David says in the 39th Psalm, v. 13: "I am both your pilgrim and your citizen, as are all my fathers. And so Jacob's sons were also scattered from time to time through various places and families for the sake of their marriage and affinity, which they had made; for they had nothing of their own in the land. Now follows in the text:
V.13. 14. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy brother goeth up to Thimnath to shear his sheep. Then she put off the widow's garments which she had on, and covered herself with a mantle, and sat down at the door of the way to Thimnath: for she saw that Shelah was grown, and that she was not given to him to wife.
(67) Judah did wrong in not giving his daughter-in-law Tamar to his son as a wife according to the law, as he himself will confess later. But now she also sins in the same way. The Hebrew word, zaiph, is also found in the story of Rebekah, Cap. 24, v. 65, who came from Mesopotamia, and when she saw Isaac walking in the field, the text says that she took the zaiph, that is, the cloak, and covered herself with it to show reverence and discipline. For these were the customs of this people, that a woman was clothed differently from a virgin, and a widow also differently, which is a sign that they must have been fine chaste people, who were well brought up, before they went out of their way and fell into all kinds of sin.
68 But I think that this word must mean the great veil that women use to cover not only the hair, but also the whole head down to the armpits: it is a long veil, or a veil with a long line.
1188 L. ix, iso. wi. Interpretation of 1
Genesis 38:13, 14. w. u, 1742-174p. 1189
large cover around the head. We will hear later that also the men had their own cover, so that they covered the whole head. As in the colleges were the student caps, so that they also covered the whole head and armpits. Such a covering, I believe, was also common among the Chaldeans; as Ezk. 23, 15. is told that the princes of the Chaldeans came with pointed, colorful hats on their heads 2c. They will have been large wide caps. So both men and women had their special ornaments to cover their heads up to the armpits. And in our times, in some places in Germany, it is also customary to wear several covers or caps, so that both neck and mouth are covered, so that only the eyes can be seen.
(69) This was not an adornment for widows, but for other matrons who did not want to wear mourning garments, but joyful and festive garments. So Thamar took off her mourning clothes and put on the mantle (in Hebrew? zaiph), and not only covered her head with a proper and honest veil for matrons, but also adorned her whole body beautifully and honestly. I hear that it is also common among the Turks that the women cover both the head and the whole body in this way. And there is a tale of one who was a prisoner in Turkey, in which he testifies that he never saw a housemother talking to her husband with her head or face uncovered. The Greek word is theristrum, which they interpret to mean a summer garment that is useful and comfortable for reapers in the harvest.
(70) Now when Tamar came forth adorned and adorned to provoke or entice Judah, Moses says that she sat down at the door (in Latin: in ostio oculorum), that is, on the sheath, which is a peculiar figure or way of speaking in the Hebrew language and not at all common in Latin, and reads as if one would say in Latin: in janua vel foribus duorum oculorum. For it is the dual,
The first is that in Latin it should be expressed as follows: us, via sinistri oculi, altera dextri, in German: one way of the left eye, the other of the right eye. Therefore, on the crossroads, the eyes tend to be directed on two sides, namely, to the right and to the left. The others have given it in Latin: in divisione fontium, at the division of the sources. Jerome, however, interpreted it in Latin: in bivio sive in compito, that is, on the crossroads, where one who travels over land must diligently watch which way he wants to go.
(71) So Thamar sat on the sheath, but in such a way that she was most inclined and went on the way that went to Thimnath. But this is her intention, that she wanted to deceive her father-in-law. Which was truly daring and dangerous enough, and not without great sin. For this reason, Thamar was a foolish and wicked woman, whom God so defiantly tempted.
(72) And it seems that she was not driven by fornication to do this. For the reason is clearly stated in the text, namely, how she saw that she was despised, and that she did not marry Judah's third son, Sela, which was due to her by right and according to the law. For this law was kept most strictly, namely, to raise up heirs to the deceased brother and to preserve the descendants, and that this must be done through the brother or else one of the closest friends. But whether the Gentiles were also bound by the same law is uncertain. The fathers kept it honestly and very strictly; for that is why Judah so earnestly commanded his son Onan to lie down with Tamar, who was his deceased brother's widow, and take her in marriage.
73 But when Tamar saw that she lacked what she had hoped for, and that she could not have the third son in marriage, she made this cunning plot, not as if the heat of fornication had tempted or driven her to it (for otherwise she might well have attached herself to another), but to carry out her right. For she has the
1190 D. n, M-IW. Interpretation of Genesis 3b, 13. 14. w. II, 1745-1747. 1191
There is no doubt that they had the most just cause to be angry and to demand the third son as a husband. For the betrothal was not only de praesenti, as they were wont to call it, that they vowed such to each other themselves, but also the consent of the parents had come to it. For God's law commands that Sela be this Thamar's bridegroom by virtue of divine right, and such a command is much stronger than where the parents, or even the consent of the bridegroom and the bride would have been; for they are both compelled to it as by God. Therefore, Thamar has a glorious cause to desire Sela in marriage, for he was her bridegroom, and was guilty because of the commandment of God that he should have taken her in marriage.
(74) This law, I say, though very sharp and severe, has been strictly kept by others, and according to the same law Sela is the husband, and Thamar the wife, that they should not be divorced, according to the rule of Matt. 19:6: "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. She kept the same commandment and boasted of it in her heart. This Sela, she will have said, is my husband, I am his wife and am the right matron in this house, I belong to the house; why then should I suffer that he should be taken from me or be deprived of me? Judah will have provided the match, sins against this law, and wants to divorce, which is thus joined together, gives his son another, despises and rejects this one.
(75) Therefore Thamar rages and is not angry without a cause. Although she acts foolishly, she has felt more anger in her heart than lust; for she thinks: "Behold, I am now despised and rejected without any cause, and I will have to bear this disgrace forever, because I was the rightful wife according to the law, but I was rejected by my father-in-law without any fault on my part, and because I did not forfeit this with any sin. And so I will now be deprived of the fruit of my womb, and there is no hope that I could otherwise be married, but will spend my whole life in miserable pain.
I will have to spend the rest of my life complaining that I will be abandoned and despised forever. Therefore she tries as hard as she can and tries to deceive Judah. And I will believe that if she had been able to deceive Shelah herself, she would have done so with all her diligence. The law made her courageous, even though she should have shied away from it because of her blood, for it is a blood shame; but out of anger and impatience that she had to bear such shame and scorn, she dared to commit such an abominable deed, which was by no means befitting her.
(76) But such grave sins of the saints are told so widely and in so many words for our comfort, that we may know that the patriarchs and holy matrons were like us, who sometimes did great high things, which we cannot understand and follow; as some of them are told Heb. 11:7 ff. But sometimes they also did foolish and blasphemous things, even the most horrible sins, so that God alone might be praised and glorified in our works, both good and evil: in good things, which he himself did in us; but in evil things, which he forgave us out of grace and mercy.
(77) And Judah and Tamar became great sinners, not that God told them to do so, but that He made it happen and wrote it down, holding it up to His church as an example and a consolation. Thamar cannot excuse herself, but she has overcome her impatience and the shame that she should remain lonely and barren. For she has been completely inflamed with great desire and eagerness to beget children and heirs, and wants to become a mother in the house where the law has assigned and given her the right of motherhood. She wants to have it, should she also get it from the father-in-law himself.
This is a woman's impatience, so that she sins greatly against the laws in which all men are commanded to be chaste and modest, and it cannot be denied that this sin should not have been an incest. For since she could not have become a mother of the son or next of kin
1192 **L ix, iss-iW. Interpretation of Genesis 38:13-18. W. ii, 1747-i7so.** 1193
Blood friends, she provokes and moves the father-in-law himself to have slept with her; which is dishonest and lewd enough.
79 Thus one sin brings another: the sin of Judah brings with it the sin and shameful incest of Tamar, and the same thing happens as they say: Nulla calamitas sola: No misfortune comes alone. For the poor woman lets herself overcome the contempt and disgrace, because she sees that Selah, as Moses says, had become great, and she is rejected, because she was not given to him as a wife. I think that Judah had done this secretly, and that Thamar had not been publicly rejected in court and given to another wife, but that she had nevertheless suspected and noticed this; for hardly a year had passed since the death of Judah's wife; as the text does not speak of years, but only of days; although otherwise the Scriptures tend to understand years when they speak of days. Since her previous husband, the other son of Judah, died, Sela was eleven years old, and Thamar could have waited another year for him to become old enough to marry. But she sees that there is no hope at all that she will get him; therefore she is now driven and moved to commit this great sin because of the disgrace and that by divine right she should have been the housemother in the house. Then she thinks: I also want to do something that should be called done.
V. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.
80 In this place it is asked, How was it that Judah did not know Tamar his daughter in law, whom he should have known least of all by her eyes, which were open and unveiled, and also by her voice? for he talked with her, and was well acquainted with her before, and was his companion two years, when she was the wife of his two sons, Ger and Onan, since he heard their language daily, and could easily distinguish it from others? For there is such a great difference of voices that even the little birds distinguish their mothers from their mothers.
by the voice. Therefore it is a strange thing that Judah did not become aware of all this. What then was the cause? Answer: When a man is particularly anxious about something, he has neither sense nor thought. For he that is so earnestly intent on one thing sees or hears not at all what else comes before his eyes or ears; as may be seen in the daily experience of this life, and it is commonly said thus: Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus, that is, When one is intent on many things, he cannot wait so well for any one in particular. When I hear one word and diligently attend to it, my mind is in my ears, and cannot be so much concerned with what otherwise comes before my eyes. So also, if my mind is occupied by one of the other external senses, whichever it may be, its effect in the others is weaker. Therefore Judah is completely of the opinion that a whore is sitting there, and because this alone is in his mind and before his eyes, he has been able to pay attention neither to the voice nor to the eyes of the woman. But if someone is not satisfied with such an answer to this question, he may think that it was a miracle, or that Judah was blinded either by God or by the devil, that he neither saw nor heard.
V. 16-18. And made his way to her by the way, and said, Dear, let me lie with thee. 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 flock. And she said, Give me a pledge, till thou send me. And he said, What pledge wilt thou that I give thee? And she said, Thy ring, and thy cord, and thy staff, which thou hast in thine hand. So he gave it to her, and lay with her; and she conceived by him.
(81) According to this account, it seems that Judah may have been accustomed to fornication and whoredom, as if he had also been burdened with vice before. For how is it possible that Tamar should have made this consolation to herself in her heart?
1194 ix, isv-197. interpretation of I Genesis 38:16-18. W. n, i7"-i7ss. 1195
that Judah might be deceived under the appearance that she was a harlot, when she had not known that he had dealt in it, and had indulged in improper mingling?
- And why did Judah not go straight to the flock, having resolved in his heart to do only this one thing, to shear the sheep, but left them, and suddenly, seeing the harlot, was inflamed with evil desire? How does he come to this so suddenly? But we do not want to have such suspicions, so we would rather conclude: Thamar thought Judah was a good, pious man, and only wanted to see if she could get her due rights in this way, since she had often tried in vain. It seems as if she had made various attempts and had been asked several times by her father, her brothers-in-law, the sons of Jacob, and her blood friends whether she could obtain something from her father-in-law with good will; but it was all in vain. Therefore, she now attacks the matter in a different way, not that she suspected him of fornication, but that she would like to get her way, no matter what.
(83) But if anyone thinks that this suspicion was justly laid on Judah, I will not excuse him. For it is nevertheless no small sign of recklessness to feel such shameful heat so soon, as if he had been very inclined to it by nature and his way of life. But no matter what, Thamar thought that she would try everything she could to the utmost, because otherwise she would have missed all the other attempts. However, she could not put off herself how this attempt would turn out or what the outcome would be, nor could she rely on divine government. For she could not call upon God for help, just as Judah did not pray; for the Holy Spirit does not provoke or drive anyone to fornication or incest: and where one lies in sin, no prayer can be right. Therefore we conclude that they were both sinners and guilty;
even though their sin was subsequently forgiven and remitted.
(84) But Judah prayed that he might go in unto Tamar, as the scripture saith, that is, to lie with her; and it was not added in what place they committed the incest, because Moses saith, as they sat openly by the way, that they saw them that passed by. I do not think that they were lying together in public in front of the people after the manner of the philosophers, so called Cynics, but may have gone into a house stone or cave, or into the next forest. And there she became pregnant through the shameful incest, and the flesh came out of the loins of Judah, from which Christ was to be born, and thus, stained with sins, has always been reproduced until the conception of Christ.
This is how our Lord God deals with our Savior. He allows Him to be conceived in such a shameful blood disgrace, so that He may take true flesh to Himself, just as our flesh is also conceived and nourished in sins. But afterwards, when the time came for him to receive our flesh in the virgin body of his mother, it was cleansed and sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit, as the words of the angel read, Luc. 1:35, when he said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you," 2c.; and yet in truth it was stained flesh from Judah and Tamar.
For this reason, I say, all this has been described for Christ's sake, so that it might be known that he would indeed be born of sinful flesh, yet without sin. Therefore, what David says of himself in the 51st Psalm v. 7: "Behold, I am conceived in sins," the same is also said of Christ's flesh, which was not yet accepted, nor yet cleansed, but as it was in the body of Tamar: but afterward he accepted it, when it was cleansed, that he might bear the punishment of sins for us in his body.
- But Moses also continues to tell what Judah gave Thamar for a pledge, until he
1196 L. n. 197-199. interpretation of I Moses 38:16-18. W. II, 1753-1756. 1197
would send her the promised goat, namely, a petschier ring, its string and staff. The Hebrew word pathil means a thread. In the plural pethilecha, as it is set in this place, panniculus tuus contortus ex filis factus, a woven, knitted cloth, and has been a garment so the men used to cover the head with it. It was not a mourning garment. For Moses said before how Judah mourned and was comforted over the death of his wife. For this reason he has now again clothed himself gloriously. And I think it must have been a plaited linen cloth to cover his head, according to the common usage of the same people. For the Hebrews interpret it to be a double and plaited cloth, as Luc. 16, 19. is said of the rich man, that he clothed himself with purple and fine linen: which actually was a clothing of the head and neck. And now the Turks also need such clothing. Likewise it is also written in Ap. 19, 12. is written about Paul that they also kept sweatcloths and coils of his skin over the sick, which were clothes so that he could cover his head and neck. So Thamar asked Judah to give her the woven linen cloth, in Hebrew pethilecha, which covered both the head and the neck, as in Greece they cover both. We have hats or berets that we use. This place will not have been far from Thimnath, therefore he thought he would soon be able to claim his pledge again, as, the ring, the cloth, so that it covers the head, and the staff, so especially belong to the men, Arrhabo is a Greek word, which afterwards the Latins also used, but it came without doubt from the Hebrews, who in their language call a pledge erabon.
In addition to this, one can see here what kind of life the people led at that time. There was a very good and beautiful peace in the whole country, therefore they did not use any weapon or sword, and this patriarch did not carry any bag, money or weapon, since it would have been fitting that such an excellent man, who was such a
The man, who had to govern a large household, should have been equipped with food, at least with one or two florins. But he carries nothing more with him, but his ring, the staff with the dress. O what a fine blessed peace that is! Therefore he cannot give the woman any money, but promises her a he-goat. At the same time, the merchants and traders of our time were not the same, but they exchanged goods, gave cattle for grain, bread and other necessities.
89 Thamar did not ask for money or a pledge, but wanted to have semen. She wants to be a mother, and sets out, goes away from there, does not wait for the goat, which was promised to her, but keeps the pledge; so that they want to indicate, as it seems, that they do not yet want to be satisfied with the coitus. And I wonder how she could have known that she was pregnant. She was a wonderful woman, and it seems that she wanted to try this even more, where she lacked this, which she had hoped for. But she tried it to the utmost and succeeded. For it was a great honor among the people, where the women were fruitful, for the sake of the blessing and law of God. With us it is not greatly respected, therefore we cannot understand such histories. Among them, nothing was more shameful than the celibate life and barrenness, because the female sex was created for childbirth and child rearing. We do have a desire and love for fertility in cattle, so that our property and food may be increased, and cattle that are barren and do not bear young are soon led to the slaughter; but in the married state, no attention is paid to this.
The pagans also made a very fine law (they may have taken it from the fathers, or followed nature in it), as can be seen from the comedy: by virtue of it, they were forced to marry their closest blood friends, or to give them the bride's dowry or dowry.
91 Therefore, the disdain for the marriage
1198 8 IX. ISS-2M. Interpretation of Genesis 38:16-18, W. II. I7SS-I7SS. 1199
The first thing is to punish the state, especially when people are involved in unseemly mingling. If you can live chastely, it is good: if not, it is much better and more honest to become married than to indulge in unseemly lust. And even though you will not have much good, you will still be able to live chastely and modestly in the fear of God. So such customs and laws have been useful and beneficial in common regimes, for which it is very useful that the cities be full of children and young people. And if now such order and law were also customary and confirmed in our common life, as the Jewish people had been bound to it, then there would also be less disgrace and fornication. But the very great wantonness that is now being practiced is going violently through the whole world and is disfiguring human nature with frightful aversions. People who are inclined to pleasure and good days are afraid of the work and toil that the married state brings; or, if they do enter it, they look to it rather as a remedy for fornication than as a means of desiring to beget children in it. And these are the proper fruits of the celibate state of the papists.
The holy fathers took wives for the desire and love of begetting children, whom they also raised with great diligence, and governed their family with great labor. That was their own thing. We have become priests, we have desired to lead a priestly life, we have turned to idleness, gluttony and other pleasures of this life, and we have put aside care and housework. The popery still clings to us very much, and this damage and evil cannot be repaid with any help or in any way, which the celibate life of the papists has brought to this holy state, which God Himself has instituted. For there is no help for it, if it comes so far that one makes habits out of public vices, only to sin freely without all shyness, as Seneca says; as it also happens with us, who should seek and understand the right price of the married state from the holy scripture. For the
People who are corrupted in pleasure and idleness despise both the domestic and the worldly regiment; after that, they also mock the spouses as such people, who are said to be drowned in pleasure and fornication.
The married state is by no means such a tender life, but is full of innumerable care and toil, even full of sweat and hard work; the pleasure is well atoned for. But you, monk or priest, who lead an unmarried life, are drowned in idleness and pleasure; as someone has rightly and wisely said: The monks do not lead a spiritual life, but a life of pleasure; they despise and diminish the other classes, so that they may feed on other people's goods, and have the rule over the whole world and live in the highest glory. This is actually the highest and most tender idleness, namely, enjoying other people's work and gathering the goods of the whole world in heaps.
(94) For the sake of Thamar's sin, let this be considered all the more diligently, lest we think that she sinned out of unchastity. She has indeed sinned very grievously, but she has done so out of impatience for the shame that was upon her, which gave her cause for this sin. For she is grieved that the highest honor of women should be taken from her, namely, to be a wife, and especially the son of this Judah, and that she should thus be deprived of all the adornment with which a housemother was once adorned. This was a justifiable anger, which can also be excused. For we see how badly it upsets us when we suffer even a small "damage" to our honor, dignity or goods. But what is left for the poor woman, since she has been deprived of her glory, that she cannot be a mother, and must be deprived of the house, children or offspring, and in addition of the whole household? For this reason she has great cause to be angry and should not be condemned so easily, although she is not to be excused. For such a woman must be captive and as it were in bondage. She was called and ordained by God that she should honor the house of God.
1200 L IL, rvl-203. interpretation of Genesis 38:16-19. **W. II, 17S8-17S1.** 1201
and praise, but is now rejected by Judah. And so they have both sinned against God's commandment.
V.19. And she arose, and went, and put off her mantle, and put on her widow's garments.
From this it is evident that Thamar must have been a piously honest woman, for she is not proud, has not made herself mean to others, does not seek unseemly pleasure, and is only concerned that she may become a mother in the house into which she was placed by God. Therefore, she took off her clothes so that she could be clothed and put on her widow's garments again, sitting and suffering, and because she became pregnant, she continues to wait for God's blessing.
It is a marvelous diligence of the Holy Spirit to describe this disgraceful, lewd history, that he also elaborated everything to the utmost, that he also did not hesitate to speak of the birth of the twins and how the afterbirth made a rupture. Why did the very pure mouth of the Holy Spirit thus descend to such lowly, despised things, which are also lewd and unseemly, and in addition, condemnable, as if such things should be of any use to teach the church and congregation of God? What does the church have to do with it?
(97) To this I reply, as before, that all this is told for the sake of Christ, who is described throughout the Scriptures as our brother, our blood friend, and our kinsman, who is also somewhat more closely related to us than any of our beloved friends. For he is brother and cousin after the line of Abraham of all the children of Israel. According to the mother he is a brother, cousin, sibling of all the Egyptians, Cananites, Amorites; for he is born of Tamar, Ruth, Rachel, and Bathsheba, Uriah's wife.
- But with us, who come from Japheth, he is not a sibling, but he is our brother-in-law even according to the flesh. Yes, if we go up to Adam, he is our brother.
He is also our cousin and a sibling of ours as well as of the Jews, and we may boast of this kinship no less than they do. Although such kinship does not matter, it is even condemned, John 1:13 and Romans 9:8, unless faith is added to it and the word of the begotten seed, through which the flesh is regenerated and raised again, so that it is corruptible, sinful and condemned, which is why only the Jews boast with such great pride. But what is the use of being a brother or mother of the stained flesh, which is subject to the eternal judgment of God? Although it is useful to know that such glory is not peculiar to the Jews, or that it belongs to them alone, but that it is also common to the Gentiles and belongs to them, if not after Abraham, then after Adam and all the patriarchs up to Noah, for there the whole human race is divided into three brothers. By the way, we were all at the same time in the loins of Noah. But the blessed seed was not yet there, which should again raise the heavy fall of our corrupt nature. Therefore, I say, it is nowhere fitting to boast of the fellowship of nature, if not yet raised again; and this alone is the right honor, that Christ is promised and given to Eve.
- Now the blessed seed is described, which came from the corrupt, lost and damned seed and flesh, but in such a way that the same seed in itself remained without sin and uncorrupted. By nature Christ's flesh is one with our flesh, but in His conception the Holy Spirit came and overshadowed and purified the flesh that He took from the Virgin, so that He might be united with the divine nature. Therefore in Christ the flesh is wholly holy, pure, and clean, but in us and in all men it is altogether corrupt and unclean, save only as it is regenerated in Christ.
100 And so the Holy Spirit descends with His most pure mouth, and speaks also of the abominable sin, and of the sinfulness of the body.
1202 n" SOS-2ÜS. Interpretation of Genesis 38:19-22. W. II, 1781-1764. 1203
The Holy Spirit is near, both in the righteous and the unrighteous, in the shameful and the honest, in the vile and in the beautiful people, although he is not near, but he is not near in the righteous and the unrighteous, in the shameful and the honest, in the vile and the beautiful people, although he is not near in the righteous and the unrighteous, in the vile and in the beautiful people. The Holy Spirit is near, both to the corrupt and the incorrupt, to the righteous and the unrighteous, to the shameful and the honest, to the abominable and to the beautiful; although he does not do this, he is not the originator or founder of sin and corruption, but if he were not present there and near to the sinners, who would purify and amend the shameful and sinful flesh again?
Therefore, the narrative in this 38th chapter testifies to the presence of the Holy Spirit, that he is so close that he also gives his tongue and uses it for such vile and shameful things. Yes, where he describes such things, he uses many more words than in other things, so that it seems to be a matter of course and not necessary to talk about it at length; so that we may know that God is always striving for his creature and especially for the Messiah and Christ, whom he thus brings through sinners and sinful birth.
V.20-22 Judah sent the goat by his shepherd from Odollam to fetch the pledge from the woman, but he did not find her. 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; and the men of the same place say, There was no harlot there.
102 I have said above that the Hebrews dispute whether in Hebrew one should read ro or re; for some have given it or interpreted it, friend, but the others, shepherd. And this is also Jerome's interpretation, and it seems that this text agrees with him, since the man of Odollam is considered a servant of
is sent to his Lord. That is why I like this better than the interpretation of the Jews. For although Judah lodged with him, it must be taken for granted that he was of great reputation and had special favor with the host, and also with the other Cananites, who held him in great honor, and kindly gave him and shared with him what he needed for housekeeping.
103 Perhaps he also cultivated the teaching and priestly office with them after the manner of the other patriarchs, who practiced worship in all places with teaching and praying; as one finds many examples of this in their histories. For where faith is, it is not silent, but teaches and instructs the people, exhorts the people to faith, to prayer, to sacrifice, and to praise God; as Rom. 10:10. is written, "If a man believe with his heart, he is justified; and if he confess with his mouth, he is saved." If you firmly believe and have the word in your heart, it is impossible that you should not also confess and speak of it with your mouth. So from the word in the heart comes also the confession of the mouth, that you praise God and thank Him for His benefits, that He revealed the teaching of His word, and that you also teach the same to others and thus publicly confess it; as Judah taught his household, his host and neighbors and brought them to the knowledge of God, and as the apostles went about the world, spreading the teaching and calling on God. Otherwise Judah would not have been able to dwell safely and without danger in the land of the shirts, but would have been cast out by those who were not pious, if he had not made some of them his friends by teaching them rightly and serving them with the word. One of them is his host, whether he was a shepherd or a good friend, who was converted to the God of Abraham through the word that Judah taught.
104 But Moses needs to speak here again in the same way as he did shortly before, which was common among the Hebrews, and reads in Latin: ostia.
1204 L. n. 20p. 206. interpretation of I Moses 38, 20-22. W. II, 1764-1766. 1205
oculorum super viam, that is, on the sheath, as it approaches and is opened as it were; that is what they are called ostium oculorum, as one would like to give it in Latin. Thamar sat there, in the place that goes to Thimnath. That this place was not far from Thimnath is indicated by the fact that while Judah went there to shear the sheep, Tamar went away. For as soon as Judah came there, it is believed that he sent her the he-goat. All this happened in one day. Therefore, the shepherd's path must have been close to the herd of Thimnath. I think it was almost as far as a quarter of a German mile, and that Judah thought she would stay there until he sent the goat.
105 One might also suspect that they had made themselves a little house or hut in the same place, which would have been convenient for such a lewd business, in which they sat by the road; perhaps Judah had gone into this, that the shepherd was waiting for him outside. For it is quite consistent with this that they did not devise the deception of themselves, but that they may have informed and ordered their friends or relatives to do so, who had heard how they were to be rejected and put back into their father's house. Therefore they will have taken pity on Tamar and her accident, and thus secretly pursued Judah; and with such deceit and trickery they also brought him into the snare and caught him. For it is not believable that they should have sat openly in the open air.
This assumption of mine is confirmed by the answer of the neighbors. For when the shepherd asked about the harlot, the people of the same place answered that there had been no harlot, since they had undoubtedly seen and known Thamar, but had still concealed it. And as it seems, they wanted to say thus: We do not want to report it yet, but soon after you will know it yourselves.
107 In this way, I think, they will have trained Thamar, so that by such deceit they will restore her to her rightful place.
place and honor. And it is almost such a deception as that Jacob deprived his brother Esau of his blessing by his mother's giving. For Thamar was cast out with everlasting shame, and had to despair that she would yet beget children, as the words of Judah are, when he said to her, "Remain a widow in your father's house," in which he sinned grievously. For he should have kept her at home in his house and given her his son Sela in marriage according to divine right, which he himself transgresses, and does her wrong with great dishonor and lies. Therefore it seems that this deception is right and just. For otherwise Thamar would have had to despair of her honor. Therefore her friends and relatives were moved to advise and help her in view of her misery, so that she might, rightly or wrongly, as she might or would, regain and appropriate her maternal honor. And because Judah was in great esteem and too powerful for them to force him to restore Thamar to her rightful honor, they attacked him with cunning and overcame him with it.
(108) I take it from the answer, where the neighbors say, Why do you ask us much about the whore? Do you think that we entertain such loose women here? These words indicate that they had knowledge of this deed and instigated it, since they answered him with such pride: Do you think that we have whores here? For they keep the deception secret, cover it up, do not say that she is their blood friend, and thus secretly wish that she would only be pregnant, then they would reveal the thing; as it will be announced afterwards to Judah who the whore was.
The Hebrew word kadeshah has not yet been used in this book of Genesis. For above Moses said that Judah meant that Thamar was a sonah in Hebrew, which actually means a whore, as Rahab also was. But the rabbis want to have, it is such a word, which has many meanings, and means, whore and also hostess. And therefore it comes that Et-
1206 D. ix, ""-208. interpretation of I Genesis 38:20-24. w. n. ivss-inv. 1207
Some argue that Rahab was not a whore. But from what we have heard above, it is clear what the true meaning of this word is.
The word kadeshah, which Moses uses in the Hebrew language, means holy, as Isaiah says in chapter 6, v. 3. V. 3: "Holy, Holy" 2c., and is a very common word. From the same comes another Hebrew word, mikdash, which means the sanctuary or temple; and the sanctified are those who are ordained or prepared for something; as when one says, The kings of the Medes are sanctified, that is, they are prepared for war. So Moses often uses this word in various meanings, Deut. 23, 17: "There shall not be among the children of Israel, neither whore nor knave", which is in Hebrew, neither kadosh nor kadeshah, there shall be all husbands, husbands and wives.
(111) But it seems that the shepherd wanted to speak a little more chastely and honestly: therefore he calls her in Hebrew kadeshah, a hostess, not like Judah, a whore, as the Hebrew word sonah actually means. For there are many words in the Hebrew language, as in other languages, which not only have various meanings, but are also used in such a way that one must understand the opposite; which figure is called antiphrasis. Thus in the Latin language, bellum, lucus, sacrum, etc., as the poet says: Auri sacra fames sacred hunger for gold, that is: You cursed and damned avarice. The same is also very mean in the German language; as when one says: Ei! das ist ein fromm Kind, ein pmer Gesell; ei! der will gut werden. For there the word "good" or "pious" is understood for shameful or evil, by this figure called antiphrasis. So in this place he calls this woman a holy whore, as if he wanted to say, "The holy child, a pious little daughter;" for the neighbors answered cunningly, as said, namely, they have not seen a whore there. The Holy Spirit has told everything so diligently that it is a wonder that he has lost so many words in such stories. But he is not afraid that he also tells about ungodly things.
and shameful things, so that they may also be held up to the church for teaching and comfort.
V.23. Judah said, "She has it, she cannot bring shame on us; I have sent the goat, and you have not found her.
Judah does not want to argue. "She habs her," he says, as she wills, and adds one more thing, "Surely she cannot bring shame upon us." For this is the right understanding of the Hebrew text. But what that is said, I do not know. Our interpreter gave it: "She can't tell us lies, as if I hadn't sent her the goat. The rabbis of the Jews interpret it: That this shame be not revealed and come to light. Which interpretation is not only wrong and unjust, but also ridiculous. For this thing is manifest; how then can it be kept secret? Judah sends her the goat, and the shepherd clearly asks about the harlot, indicating that he has brought the goat and wants to pay the harlot's wages. This does not mean to hide the deed or to keep it secret. The neighbors asked what he meant by the goat, and he answered: The goat was sent to the whore; there was nothing secret about it, neither in words nor in deeds.
Third part.
Of Thamar's pregnancy; how she is to be burned over it; and how she finally gives birth to two sons.
I.
V. 24. For three months Judah was told, "Your wife Tamar has prostituted herself; and behold, she has conceived by prostitution.
No doubt these were the words of Thamar's relatives and friends who looked after her and cared for her. Otherwise, they would not have cared whether she lived honestly or dishonestly. But because they told this to Judah as soon as they heard it, it seems that they had made this counsel with fornication.
1208 ix. A"-sio. Interpretation of I Moses 38, 24. **W. n. 1770-1773. 1209**
have. Before they concealed it with diligence, because they did not know yet that she was pregnant. For if Tamar had not been with child, they knew that it would be better to conceal it than to reveal it. But now that they know that she is with child, they have gladly told Judah. Then the gospel began.
(114) Moses says, "About three months, when the child began to live, they did not wait until she had grown a little stronger in her body and the child had also grown, but they hastened and defied, and mocked Judas, as it were, that he had been so craftily deceived by Tamar, and now they have revealed who the harlot is, whom they did not want to know before, when the shepherd was looking for her. As if they wanted to say: You hurry too much with the shepherd and with the goat, you come too early. Listen now: Thamar, your daughter-in-law, has fornicated. But who has committed the sin with her, you may see; for there is no one whom we can accuse of this sin except you alone. Now Judah pronounces judgment on his own neck, as David did when Nathan came to him, 2 Sam. 12:5-13; but he also confessed his sin.
II.
And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.
(115) Then you see that this law also came from the fathers, as did the other, that a brother should raise up seed for his dead brother. For at that time there was also a punishment inflicted on the daughters of the priests when they had given birth, namely, that they should be burned with fire, even if they had already been married. Therefore Thamar also demanded that such punishment should be inflicted on her. For she was a priest's wife, and perhaps in the other line and family of the Cananites also a priest's daughter. However, this cannot be known exactly.
116 For the Jews to dream that she should be born of Melchizedek is too far-fetched, is also unrighteous.
hear. For Melchizedek was then dead at fifty years of age; and if we were to say that she was begotten at the last age, it would follow that she must have been fifty years old when she took Judah's sons in marriage, which is impossible.
I believe that not only the daughters, but also the wives and all other women in the families of the priests were subject to this law and judgment. For God wanted to make a great difference between the secular authorities and the office of the priests, and the priesthood had to keep the laws of discipline and respectability with greater seriousness than the others by virtue of such laws. Therefore, he also decreed greater punishment for the transgressors. Jacob was a priest with all his sons, who were scattered from time to time, and each one taught, prayed and sacrificed in his own place, as Ishmael and Isaac did in the house of Abraham, and one of them was the firstborn, a lord and ruler over all the others. So Reuben, before he was rejected by his father, was the firstborn, to whom also two parts of the inheritance were due. The Gentiles to whom they came also took them for priests, and when they heard their teaching, they were very glad and rejoiced that such holy people had come to them, who taught and reported to the people about the knowledge of God and about invocation or prayer, and would pray for them; and therefore they received them with reverence and dealt with them kindly.
118 Therefore, when Tamar was married to the sons of Jacob, who were priests, and was accused of fornication, the punishment was immediately given to her, that she should be burned for the stain, so that she would defile the whole family and the priesthood. Perhaps Judah also took this cause as a remedy, since he saw that she would thus be taken away and killed with good reason, so that she would no longer be a burden to him and his family.
1210 2 IX. 210-S12. Interpretation of Genesis 38:24-26. rs. **II, 1773-177."** 1211
he soon condemned her to death without all consultation, yes, even without all compassion; and has truly passed a sad and horrible sentence on this woman, who nevertheless went with a heavy body, if one should have spared her for the sake of the fruit. Unless this had been the custom, that she had been kept in prison and kept until she had given birth. But if the fruit was punished at the same time as the mother, then it was truly an exceedingly harsh law.
V. 25 And when she was brought forth, she sent unto her husband, saying, Of the man that this is, I am with child. And she said, Knowest thou what this ring is, and this cord, and this staff?
(119) Now Judah is in the snare, where he was brought by the deceit and trickery of Tamar and her kinsmen. Well then, they will have said to him, you wanted to see this whore, who she was: she was our blood friend and your daughter-in-law, whom you rejected. Take the staff, the ring 2c., recognize from where they have come into our hands?
V. 26. Judah knew it, and said, She is more righteous than I; for I have not given her to Shelah my son. But he slept no more with her.
120 Judah has accused himself very severely, and absolved and absolved Tamar; he does not excuse or conceal his sin at all. And it is truly a wonderful accusation that he would rather lay all the blame on himself than on Thamar. Therefore it is asked, which of them has sinned most grievously, Judah or Tamar? He did not commit adultery or incest, but only fornication; but Tamar is guilty of both sins, because she was a bride and a wife of Judah's third son, Selah, who is her husband according to divine law and who could have accused her of adultery; but that she lay with her father-in-law is a very shameful incest.
121 Therefore, they cannot rely on any
way be excused, although the sin of Judah is somewhat smaller. But if there had been a righteous speaker, who would have taken up the cause of Tamar, he could have made it more violent and greater. And will perhaps the friends of Thamar have spoken thus to Judah and accused him: Thou hast not only reproached Tamar, but also all our family; thou hast deprived us of the honor that Tamar had not become a mother, thou hast deprived us of thy son; thus hast thou spoiled all our descendants, as much as was in thee. Such pieces they will undoubtedly have put on Judah, although they are not written, and will have said: Thou art a priest and teacher of the divine word, governing other people with doctrine and invocation: but thou dost shamefully disfigure thy office with such evil examples. It should have been your duty to stand firm over the laws, in which justice and honor were commanded; but in spite of these laws, you now revile those whom you should have honored and nurtured. Therefore you should be punished much less than Thamar, our kinswoman, whom you have deprived of her highest honor, namely, the maternal and priestly honor, and where this honor is lost, this life is also bitter and completely repugnant to one.
(122) Therefore Judah was right to say, "She is more righteous than I," even though incest is a great sin. But he has committed more and greater sins, which are grossly contrary to God's law and justice, and might well be accused of church robbery, capital murder, and all other kinds of sins and wrongs. But Judah was humbled so that he might recognize and confess his sin, namely, that he had cast her out of the house and deprived her of her priesthood and maternity, and even of all her descendants, children and heirs.
123 And in this way this patriarch had to be described, so that he would know that he was a sinner, so that he would not despise other sinners before him, as if he himself could not also fall, because he had priestly authority and honor and also led the teaching office. For many things are found here
1212 L. IX, 21S-S14. Interpretation of Genesis 38, 26. W. II. I776-I77S. 1213
Sins, all great and ghastly, have come together in one heap.
But this is held out to us for our consolation. The great saints must make great falls, so that God may show that he wants all men to be humbled and to be included in the register of poor sinners; and if they recognize and confess this, they will find grace and mercy in him. If there is a case, what should be done to him? For those who crucified Christ heard Christ's prayer, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. One should be careful not to sin, but if someone has fallen, he should not despair. For God has forbidden both despair and presumption, on the left hand and on the right. On the right side one shall not be proud or presumptuous; but on the left side neither shall one despair or despair at all. On the straight highway one should remain. A poor sinner shall not drop trust in God's mercy; a righteous man shall not be proud. "The Lord is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His goodness," as the 147th Psalm v. 11. says. He hates those who are presumptuous and proud, and loves those who still persevere in fear, hope and confidence, not in ourselves, but in God's mercy.
(125) Thus the saints are humbled and their sins made known, so that they may instruct us with their examples and show us the right middle way between despair and hopefulness or presumption.
126 Last of all, Judah, recognizing his sin, inflicted a punishment on himself to show that he had repented sincerely, because he had abstained from Thamar and other wives. No doubt he also asked his relatives to forgive him because he had weakened their friend, and they in turn asked him to forgive them because they had deceived him and provoked him to commit such a grave sin.
127 And so a great heap of sins is gathered here, namely, Judah, Thamar and their friends. But the
Judah's sin is greater for the sake of the magisterium and church regiment, which he administers until then. But since all their sins were forgiven, so that they hurt each other, they were reconciled on both sides, and Tamar was restored to her former honor in the house of Judah, although she would rather have freed his son Selah. But since this could no longer happen, it was pleasant for her that she was again led from her father's house, since she was in danger of eternal barrenness, into the house in which the maternal honor and the house rule had been assigned to her by God.
What the office of the holy matrons was, as Sarah's, Rebekah's, Leah's, Rachel's and Tamar's, is evident from the histories of the patriarchs. They were shepherd-wives, therefore they governed their house, looked after the cattle, milked the cows and goats, collected the wool, milk, cheese, butter and such other things and held consultations. This was the housework of the patriarchs, and Mrs. Thamar presided over such work. Sela's wife may have had her own place in the house, but I think Thamar would have been the most distinguished. They have been fine, splendid matrons, have not been spoiled in idleness, lasciviousness or good days, but have been diligent in the office of housekeeping. It was also with the cattle breeding a far-reaching and laborious thing and full of hard work, in addition much domestic servants belonged. For so Jacob says afterwards before Pharaoh Gen. 47, 3: "Your servants are cattle herders, we and our fathers."
Therefore, from nothing can one better determine what kind of life these matrons led, than precisely from what their husbands had for possessions and goods. They did not have their own houses, fields, wood or mines, but cattle, milk, butter, cheese. They were vain cattle maids, as now with us also noble matrons deal with such housework and cattle breeding. And at the same time kings and princes have also endeavored with it and have taken care of it; and at that time there was no other handling, but that they had cattle for others.
1214 D. ix. 214-ris. Interpretation of I Genesis 38, 26-30. W. n. i77s-i7si. 1215
They gave him goods and exchanged them with the goods. So Judah gives a goat for a whore's wages, who was a great prophet and priest and has a large and numerous family at home, but has neither penny nor farthing, which he could have given to the woman. But there is no doubt about it, these matrons must have been very diligent in their office, since to the cattle breeding belongs particularly large diligence, care and work. And they were not ashamed to take upon themselves such a small, unworthy work; for God was also pleased with it and was a lord and guardian of these very holy matrons and archmothers, since he did not pay much attention to other princes and kings.
III.
V. 27-30. And when she was about to give birth, twins were conceived in her womb. And when she gave birth, one hand came out. Then the womb took and tied a red thread around it, saying, "He will be the first to come out. But when he drew his hand in again, his brother came out; and she said, Why hast thou for thy sake made such a breach? And they called him Perez. Then his brother came out, having the red thread around his hand. And they called him Serah.
See how diligently the Holy Spirit has described this wretched and miserable birth. For he delights in his creature and creature. But when we look at it, we not only have no special joy in it, but are also so blinded that we do not see the works of God. There is a great marvelous thing about procreation and birth even in unreasonable animals, as when a cow brings forth a calf, a sheep a lamb; how much more is it to be marveled at and honestly held that a woman conceives and gives birth to a man! For we are all born out of the womb of woman into the world by birth, that is, by death; for mothers with children are in certain danger of death. And even among the pagans, a special respect and reverence for this work has remained; like the
Romans allowed women to wear golden ornaments for the sake of childbirth, so that they would be honored and comforted by this heavy burden, toil and labor that they must bear when they give birth to children. Because God extends this miracle over the entire human race, as well as over all animals on the face of the earth, and makes it so common, it is held in contempt because it happens every day: but the Holy Spirit adorns and honors His creature, and delights to look upon it and to praise it.
In this place, not only is the birth described for the sake of the children, but also the great danger of the mother when she gave birth is told. Thamar herself did not know that she was carrying twins in her womb, just as pregnant women cannot know this before they give birth. But now that she is in childbirth, the twins are appearing, and the trouble has begun. The matter has put them both, Judah and Tamar, in great fear and terror. For they have been in the greatest fear and danger, and no doubt will have been very hard pressed, thinking of their sin, of which their own consciences have accused them. Ah, Judah said, what have we done now! The Lord will kill the mother and I will be deprived of the two sons. For always, when tribulation and danger come, the conscience and the newcomer also come, that a man then first of all becomes fearful and anxious, because he has committed sin. And if the human heart cannot refrain from this, it must tremble, be frightened and accuse itself and say: "Behold, I have sinned; now I must also suffer this punishment for such sin.
So we see that because of this danger, this birth was very difficult, which caused not only the parents, but also the whole family such great terror and fear. Sela, the son of Judah, the shepherd or innkeeper and the other people of Odollam sighed miserably and called upon God for help with sighs and prayers. And this was the proper practice of the priesthood, that they should exhort with exhortation,
1216 L n. 216-218. interpretation of Genesis 38:27-30. **W. II, 1781-1784.** 1217
The people who have gone through the process of invocation and confession of sins have said: Dear Lord God, we confess that we have sinned; have mercy on us and forgive us our sin. These signs, in which we accept such things, are not uncertain and vain. For such things often happen in the lives of the saints, and the conscience of sin is never so stirred or so strong as when one is in trouble, anguish, and harm. When we are well, sin rests and sleeps, and we always live so securely. For without the law sin is dead, as St. Paul says of himself Rom. 7:9: "I lived without the law." But tribulation or misfortune opens one's eyes and awakens the conscience so that it can no longer rest, but always bites and tortures.
We must think that it also happened here in this whole family. For when Thamar began to give birth, the twins were seen in her womb and one of them gave up one hand. There was certainly great distress and they saw death before their eyes. For this is a great danger when the foot or the hand of the child first comes out in the birth, and the mother cannot give birth to the child properly unless the head first comes out so that the womb can take hold of it. But where hands or feet come out first, it is very inconvenient and dangerous, so that where God does not help miraculously by grace, the fruit must often be torn out of the mother's womb by individual pieces. The tickling sensation of the poor women passes, and great mortal pains arise instead of the previous pleasures they may have had. There the joke is over and the dying begins. How in this place three souls die at the same time, as, the two twins and the mother. How should Judah's heart have trembled in his body?
The wistful mother did what was due to her office, she posed as if there was still hope and strength that she could make a heart for the mother with it. "This one," she said, "will be the first.
Come out." For these words comforted the mother and indicated that there was still good hope; just as the wailing mother said to Rachel, when she wanted to comfort her, but did not want to tell her beforehand how it would go: "Do not be afraid, for you will also have this son," Gen. 35:17. But Rachel passed away, was overcome by the hard work, so that she had to die over the birth.
But it behooves the mothers of sorrow to be courageous, and as Virgil says of Aeneas, to present themselves outwardly as if they still had good hope, and to comfort the poor mothers in their work and say that they themselves also want to have good hope. For hope makes those who suffer harm, sorrow and hardship still wonderfully comfort themselves in their hearts; as Aeneas says there in Virgil: Dabit Deus his quoque finem, that is: God will one day also put an end to this misfortune. A mother of sorrow should have such prudence and strength in herself that she still has good hope in her heart even in the present open distress and danger, and that she also gives such hope to her mother in her work with comforting words.
But now the child is not yet born, and it seems as if the danger is getting greater and greater, because the child pulled his hand in again. Although the wistful mother comforted them and called them to be confident, their hope was still very uncertain. Therefore they will have sighed and prayed more and more, and said: "Lord, now help! There was a little hope before, but now it is gone. Therefore sin came to life again and reigned, and since they thought of the blood shame, both Judas' and Thamar's hearts were greatly troubled and afflicted. This repentance and atonement was hard enough, and it was also a great sorrow and bitter remorse. For there was the danger that the pains of childbirth would cease, without which no mother can give birth. And the first work of nature, when it should have given birth, was in vain, after the child pulled the hand in again. Therefore
1218 D. IL. SIS. SIS. Interpretation of Genesis 38:27-30, **W. II, I7R-I787.** 1219
Judah cried and prayed in great anguish and tears that the mother and the twins would not perish. And at that time, the temptation of the epidemic of lust and other disgrace or frivolity did not take place, which people usually enjoy in idleness and good days, when everything is full. It is a matter of life and limb that mother and children stay with each other when the labor pains are over. The whole house was filled with weeping, sighing, wailing and sorrowful lamentation.
But at that very moment God the Lord was present, and by a new miraculous work He helped to bring about such a birth. The first, where the text says: "And when she now gave birth, one hand came out", is pitiful and miserable: but the other, which reads: "And behold, his brother came out", is full of consolation and joy, which followed the pitiful terror and fear. For this one was born right and happy, therefore she did not want to despair because of the previous one, who has now become the other one. And the wistful mother was, as it were, horrified by this and cried out with great astonishment: "Why have you torn such a crack for your own sake? As if she wanted to say: "You mischievous one, may God protect you, you have almost made a wicked tear.
The word pariz means among the Hebrews a murderer, a highwayman, a thief of shrubs, who does not walk on the right army road, but goes to and fro in the woods and along the byways, secretly pursuing the people who go overland, robbing and damaging them: or who otherwise refuse to submit to common laws and orders, but go there by force, raging and raging according to their mad wild head. That is why, said the wistful mother, this rift is
for your sake, so that you would come out first. The right order of nature has not been kept here, but you have come forth and been born through such a rift, and for your sake both mother and twins have suffered great violence; for you almost killed them with such violence.
(139) Thus the mother of sorrow rejoiced and made merry for the sake of such blessed violence, which was pleasant to both mother and children. For she has gained a happy and joyful end, because she has brought salvation and life to those who, because of her, were worried that they would perish and die. It is now well advised that they no longer think of the fear, especially that which was so frightening and dangerous, as Christ says John 16:21. For beyond all hope and quite unexpectedly, the mother with the twins was kept alive through this rupture and the other birth also happened happily and easily.
140 Until then, the history of Judah and Tamar, which I would rather have explained in a simple way than to create strange allegories and secret interpretations from it. For it is much more useful and necessary to treat and explain the history solely for the sake of the clumsy and unrhymed glosses of the Jews, which even confuse and confound the order of the history. For this reason, we should remember how it was indicated at the beginning of this history, and in other places as well, that Judah was given in marriage before Joseph was sold, which Moses began to tell above and which he will fully explain in the following chapters. For as this is the most grievous of all the other calamities and afflictions that Jacob had, so it was also the last.
4220 L IX, 214-221. interpretation of I Genesis 39, I. W. n, 1787-1790. 1221
The Thirty-Ninth Chapter.
First part.
How Joseph was sold into bondage to Potiphar.
V. 1 Joseph was led down into Egypt, and Potiphar, an Egyptian man, Pharaoh's steward and chamberlain, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who brought him down.
Genesis repeats in the beginning of this chapter some of the things of which he began to speak above, namely, how Joseph was sold; which selling he described before the narration of the previous chapter by the figure hysteron proteron, so it happened -first, however, when Judah had already been divorced from his brothers and had become legitimate, and also when his three sons had been born. But after that, when Ger and Onan died and Tamar was violated by her father-in-law, Joseph was four and twenty years old and had already been taken to Egypt: so that the first part of the previous chapter preceded before Joseph was sold, but the other part followed, as can be seen from the chronology.
(2) From this it may be inferred that Joseph was sold three times: First to the Midianites, then to the Ishmaelites, and third to Potiphar. For perhaps the Midianites did not enter Egypt, so they handed him over again to the Ishmaelites who had gone there. But first we want to explain the words, which give the interpreters a lot of trouble. The word "Potiphar" is almost a German word, pot, fett, pharr, as if one wanted to say, a fat thick Farre. But we cannot know what is the correct derivation of this word, because it is an Egyptian word.
(3) The Hebrew word saris is interpreted by all to mean eunuch. And this word is almost common in the Scriptures, and the Jews commonly understand it to mean cut. But its origin,
where it comes from is somewhat more honest. For it comes from the chamber service. That is why we have translated it as chamberlain, who is commanded to wait on the chamber. And I believe that this was the right and proper meaning; but later, when the royal families were divided, the sarisim, that is, the eunuchs, were used in the queens' wives' quarters. Otherwise, the eunuchs are not mentioned in Scripture, only Isa. 56, 3 and Matth. 19, 12. In other places, it is always called chamber servants or other servants of the kings. As in the history of Esther Cap. 1, V. 14, seven chamberlains are listed who served before King Ahasuerus, who were appointed to wait on the king's body and were his closest and most loyal servants.
4 Therefore I must praise Lyra, who says that the word "eunuch" is understood and used in two ways: first, for those who were cut off, who waited for the queens in their chambers; and secondly, for the chamberlains of the kings. And these are commonly understood in the Scriptures by this word, as Isa. 39:7, where it is said to King Hezekiah, "For this purpose shall they take thy children, which shall come of thee, and thou shalt beget, and shall be (eunuchs) chamberlains in the court of the king of Babylon." I do not think that this word is to be understood for those who wait in the women's room, but that it indicates that they will have to be chamberlains in the court or hall of the king of Babylon. For it does not rhyme that Daniel and his companions were chosen and appointed for the service of women, but they were for the king; as is evident from Daniel. And in the histories of the kings Joram and Ahab it is also said: He gave one of the eunuchs, that is, of his closest secretaries or chamber servants.
1222 **L. n. WI-SSS. Interpretation of Genesis 39, 1. W. II, I79V-I7N.** 1223
I am hostile to the Jews' folly and condemn it utterly. Jerome tells from their interpretations that Potiphar, because he was handsome, bought this boy to abuse him shamefully. Because of this, God is said to have punished him in such a way that his male member withered away, so that he could not abuse the boy. Afterwards he was said to have been elected high priest in the city of On, and that his daughter was Asnath, whom Joseph had taken as his wife, and that the priests were used to be circumcised, as happened among the Gentiles to the priests of Cybele, who were called galls. But all this is quite false and a vain lie. For there was another of the Potiphera, whose daughter took Joseph in marriage; who had the name of Pharaoh, as if one wanted to say in Latin: crassities Pharaonis, the thickness of Pharaoh. The others, so that they may answer how he could have had a wife when he was a eunuch, make such a poem that when he was cut, he nevertheless kept the sinew unwounded, that he nevertheless could have kept himself to his wife, even though he was barren. These are disgraceful and abominable lies, which are befitting for Jewish swine, who are wont to invent everything that is disgraceful from the Gentiles, and to boast of their own praise beyond measure. But I have told it for this reason, that the reader may know what their mind is of the eunuchs, and then much rather accept this true interpretation of the same word, namely, that this Potiphar was one of Pharaoh's nearest and most faithful chamberlains. And in addition to this, the king honored him so highly and made him the chief of the butchers.
Here we will have to deal with the grammarians again. Jerome has interpreted the Hebrew words, sar hattabachim: a supreme commander or commander. But it is certain that the Hebrew word is thus, and means as much as, to strangle and slaughter what is to be sacrificed. Therefore they have it also
in Latin interpreted: principem mactatorum, which we have given in German, court master, who rules at Pharaoh's court, yes, not only at the court, but also in the temple and what concerns the sacrifice, that he gave out to the butchers, what one should slaughter, it would be equal for the worldly, or however for the spiritual and holy use. Such a regent or bailiff, so more honestly and more splendidly has been held than other court servants, I consider, if this Potiphar was, a marshal or steward. After that it will be remembered, Gen. 40, 2., the chief over the bakers and taverns. These were special, different offices in the kingdom of Egypt, and may have been divided in such a way that one looked after the slaughter of the butchers, for which one also wanted to use the slaughtered; another, however, governed the bakers and again another the taverns. And the same not only at court, but also in every city and in the whole kingdom; as the same was very well ordered and ordered with the most beautiful laws.
(7) Therefore, I think that this should not be attributed to the court system alone, which, in my opinion, was not as extensive and splendid as the court system of our princes is now; for at that time, it was necessary to be very moderate: but over the entire land of Egypt, the bakers, butchers and tavern keepers had their own regents and rulers, who governed them by virtue of their received prestige according to the common laws and regulations of the same kingdom. The same regents also collected the annual interest and the tribute, which had to be paid to the king, from each estate for the maintenance of the kingdom. Thus we shall hereafter hear that Joseph was made regent over the corn and grain. And such a chamberlain of the king of Babylon was also Adan the Nebuzar, 2 Kings 25:8 ff. But this is a falsehood and a lie, which the Jews say, that Joseph first appointed these offices of bakers, waiters, and cooks or butchers. For before Joseph came to Egypt, all these things had already been decreed and appointed.
1224 D- IX, 223-WS. Interpretation of Genesis 39, 1. 2. **W. II. I7S3-17S6.** 1225
8 And up to this point we have spoken of the words. Now we want to come again to history, which really needs another interpreter or master. And I would also like to give room and give way to others, who are still somewhat more possible in strength and also have greater gifts from God: but we want to do as much as we can, in his time God the Lord will give me rest and a rest from work and release me from this office.
V. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, that he might be a blessed man: and he was in the hand of his lord the Egyptian.
(9) Here we have an excellent and splendid example, the like of which is not found in any other history. Joseph was a very happy young man, and was also well instructed and brought up by his father. The discipline turned out well. It was not in vain that Jacob loved this son above all others, for we see that he heard and kept his father's teachings most faithfully and diligently through the help of the Holy Spirit. For this reason a very fervent faith shines and is shown in him, since in his first and blossoming youth he is challenged and tempted not only with extreme tribulation, but also with the highest pleasure, and yet he is not overcome by it and driven to sin.
(10) The young journeymen should imagine this example and judge themselves by it. How great was this faith, discipline, chastity and patience, that it cannot be sufficiently explained in words. For when he was sold, he was a youth of seventeen years, and so he was torn away from his father and grandfather, whom he had honored and loved, and thrown into heavy servitude without any hope of being discharged or that he might one day return to his own. This truly required firm faith, incredible strength and patience.
011 And the word which Jacob his father planted in the child's heart was wholly pure and very fruitful, and yielded much abundance.
As it is written in Luc. 8:15, he brought forth fruit. For one of the others, even if he had been of the same age as Joseph, would either have been overcome by impatience or pain of heart, or would soon have accepted the opportunity to commit fornication. But in Joseph you see none of these, but in him so many beautiful virtues shine at the same time, as are only possible in this nature of ours. And, I say, there is no other example that could be compared with this one. Therefore, the other brothers did not listen to their father with such diligence or fruitfulness, even though it was the same teaching and word, which Jacob will undoubtedly have held up to his entire house with diligence and faithfulness. But they become murderers of fathers and brothers, yes, they become vain devils. Joseph alone is an angel, who alone accepts his father's word, grasps faith, hope, love, and holds fast to it, so that he has not let himself be taken away from it by force or by the secret cunning of Satan.
It is a great pity that he is torn so far from his father's sight, and will certainly not have left his father's house without the greatest pain, lamentation and tears, both for himself and for his father; God is silent about it, pretends not to see this pity; Joseph sighs and howls, and is considered as if he were rejected; there is nothing. But why did he not become timid in his heart and not cry out as a despairing man: "I see that I am abandoned by God and man, and that I am burdened with such unjust misfortune without my merit, who has honored my father and obeyed him in everything? And there is no doubt that his heart also suffered and endured such hard blows and storms. For he was a youth of seventeen years, and we must not think that he was a block or a stick, that he should not have felt this great misfortune at all, since he was thrown into this terrible challenge of despair, anger and enmity against God, and was also challenged with fornication, and ended up in the same way as he had been in the past.
1226 L n. SA-2S7. Interpretation of Genesis 39, 2. W. n. i7ss-i7ss. 1227
He was forced to serve strangers and unknown people, like the lowest and most serf-like servant, and was betrayed and rejected by his biological brothers. See if this is not a terrible and unbearable misery, with which our misfortune is far from being comparable?
(13) So he is truly an heir of his father, that is, of the afflictions which his father also suffered. For even though Judah did not have a small cross, it is nothing to be counted against this cross. Joseph is still young, it is too early with him; for he was still a youth of seventeen years, was deprived of all the comforts, advantages and help of which youth needs, came into a strange unknown country to godless idolatrous people, where he saw neither doctrine nor example, from which he might have been taught or strengthened; He has seen nothing but barbarism and the most shameful examples before his eyes, but inwardly he will have felt and experienced the devil's cunning and his fiery arrows.
(14) And yet the word which he heard from his father still reigned in his heart, which he firmly kept. My father, he will have said, has taught me: "Let God leave me as long as he wishes, so I will wait and wait with patience for his help: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord," says the 27th Psalm v. 14. 14 For he will have known the whole Psalter by heart, for in deed and in work he has accomplished and proved all that is taught in the Psalms concerning faith, patience, and hope, and how to wait upon the Lord. He always waits and rests on the divine promises he has heard from his father, does not despair, nor does he grumble against God.
15 And with such great trials he had to struggle alone; he had no one who knew such things, with whom he could have talked and who could have given him a word of comfort. Therefore, the danger Joseph was in was much greater and more severe than that of the patriarch Lot, who, as St. Peter says in 2 Epist. 2, 7, 8,
He lived among the wicked people of Sodom, heard their ungodly words and saw their wicked examples. But in such great afflictions his servants, his wife and daughters were not far away from him; they were able to help him remember the previous words and examples; and Abraham, who was still present there, was also able to raise him up, comfort and strengthen him verbally. Having such a man at hand is a great refuge, help and comfort. Therefore Lot was blessed, if one wants to compare him with this pious holy youth, who was alone in the midst of lions, dragons, crocodiles and devils. Yes, he even surpasses Daniel.
These are truly miraculous works. For the Holy Spirit is in Joseph, and the word planted in his heart is so imprinted, rooted, and kept in it that it becomes an immovable rock against the devil, both on the right hand and on the left. This, I say, is a marvel above all other marvels that are held up here to the whole world. The story itself is simply told, but it understands the greatest things in itself.
(17) But the other misfortune is that at such an age he will have felt the harm of original sin, by which all men are inclined to fornication. He will undoubtedly have felt the same flames from his seventeenth year to his seventh and twentieth and will have struggled with them for such a long time. Perhaps he may also have been challenged by many other incitements and evil examples, not only of his master's wife, but also of the maidens, to unseemly bearing, although this is not expressed in history. For a servant who does servile work, whether in the house or out in the field, must deal with women and girls who are either household members or neighbors; and we know well how great is the fierce wrath of Satan, who always secretly pursues the youth, so much so that neither wife nor maid tempts them to fornication, that it is nevertheless the devil's unspeakable fault.
1228 D. IX, 227, 228. interpretation of I Moses 39, 2. w. n, I7SS-I8V1. 1229
He tries to deprive them of their chastity or to violate it. But the boy Joseph overcomes all this by a special and divine miracle.
Now he has been in such servitude for almost ten years, until he reaches the seventh and twentieth year of his age, and has presided over all the household servants and maids with great diligence and faithfulness, ruling them both in the house and in the field, keeping himself chaste and shamefaced in both words and deeds, even in all gestures. For the gestures are generally indications of how a person's heart is set or what he is inclined to do.
19 Now Moses describes the servitude of Joseph and how he administered it, and says of it thus: "The Lord was with Joseph", the Lord did it. He received the word from his father Jacob, which he kept firmly in his heart, from which he was taught to believe and to rely on God's mercy. With this faith he overcame everything. Not that his flesh did not feel the terrifying storms of many severe temptations; since it is almost soft and tender, it cannot well bear the temptation, nor can it well refrain from going out and raging against God; but the Holy Spirit strengthened him. Therefore Moses also says, "The Lord was with him"; for the Lord delights to deal with such people. He was not with Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and the rest of Joseph's brothers, but with this one he is who believes God and considers him true, merciful, and gracious.
20 From this also followed the fruits, although they are not told in this place, namely, right invocation and faith, which he learned from his father. And even though he did not have the space or time to sacrifice in such heavy service, he was able to pray, give thanks and praise God in the field and in all other places, and also to repeat the word he heard in his heart, and thus always practice godliness, faith and right confession. For
The Holy Spirit does not allow this; he always stimulates and awakens the godly to such spiritual exercises. That is why the text says that the Lord was with Joseph. But where he is, there is also the spirit of grace and prayer, and there the invocation and thanksgiving does not cease.
21 Then he did not leave the priestly office in the whole house government, because he was a born priest and firstborn. Therefore, he not only prayed for himself and for his Lord, but undoubtedly also taught his fellow servants and handmaidens how to call upon God and serve Him properly; he also punished their sins and thus converted some of them to right repentance and knowledge of God.
(22) Therefore, behold, how many good works he had done, how in such great affliction and tribulation he was still devoted to godliness and holiness; and God had preserved him in all these things, that he should not fall into impatience, and had graciously kept him from the devil's pursuits, that is, on the right hand from fornication and lewdness of the women and maidens of the house, and also on the left hand from impatience in tribulation. These things are only indicated with obscure words in this place; but we see that all things are to be concluded from them by a good and manifest consequence. For where the Lord is, there follow also the right fruits of the word, as confession, doctrine, thanksgiving, and all manner of sacrifice and right worship. Let this be said first of all of Joseph's theology and priesthood, that is, how he was devoted to and cultivated godliness and the teaching office.
23 Now further in the text this is also added that Joseph had been a blessed man. Here Moses first thinks of happiness in general, then he will explain this in particular, as far as the temporal welfare is concerned. But this is not only to be applied to the happiness of his master's goods, but also to Joseph himself. For everything he did pleased not only his master, but also his fellow servants and all the household, and even his wife herself, so that she loved him. Therefore,
1230 D IX. 22S-230. interpretation of Genesis 39, 2-4. W. n, 1RI-I80S. 1231
I say, they all held him dear, who saw his piety, patience and other virtues in him, through which they also saw that he was motivated and moved to lead an honest life, to avoid sin and all evil. Then they all unanimously said all the good things about him, and praised such a pious, godly young man, to whom everything he had started had turned out so blissfully and well, not only in the house rule, which was for his master's benefit and piety, but also in his whole life and everything he had done, so that he was loved by God and man at the same time.
024 Now why did Moses add, And Joseph was in the house of his lord the Egyptian? Answer: Because he was not mischievous, unfaithful or disloyal, thinking how he might escape from his master, or otherwise desiring to do harm or damage to anyone; but voluntarily remained in his office, and endured such servitude with a patient heart, thinking thus of himself: Lord God, you have led me away from my father's house, brothers and whole family; I know well that at home my father and grandfather are sighing, weeping and crying, and have great desire for me as someone who is absent. But what shall I do? Shall I free myself from this servitude and run away? No, I will not do that. Therefore he stayed in the house of his master, the Egyptian, that is, he offered himself as a sacrifice to God, thinking: "Because I am sold under the power of a stranger, I will stay there and be content with my happiness and my status, even though it is miserable and annoying, and I will make every effort to please not only the servants, but also my master and my God, as St. Paul says in Ephesians 6:5. Paul Eph. 6, 5. Col. 3, 22. teaches that servants should be obedient to their masters, not with service before their eyes, but as before God 2c.
(25) Such a faithful servant was Joseph, and if anyone would have such servants like Joseph, he could easily become rich. But now to
In our times, there are few of them. For they are all thieves and murderers, stealing, corrupting and embezzling everything, and yet they are freeborn, they are not bondmen or bought servants, as the servants were at that time. And there is no more shameful people in the household, both in these lands and otherwise over all Germany, than the very servants are. And it is wonderfully well said that one has said: A lazy thief is better than a lazy servant. For the former steals slowly and little, but the latter misses every day, even every hour, that which would serve his master's benefit and piety.
026 Therefore they are not worthy to be called servants, but rather thieves and murderers. And truly Potiphar was very happy because he had such a faithful and pious servant in Joseph, who was as obedient to him as a cow or an ox, and who was so well satisfied with his position and was content with it; who so faithfully performed his commanded office, and thought nothing of how he would avenge himself, or run again to his parents; for "he was," says Moses, "in his master's house"; and who ought not to have had the name of a servant, yet became a servant of all servants. But now follows further in the text of his temporal happiness and welfare.
Second part.
How Joseph is lifted up and honored by Potiphar because of his faithful service, and how Potiphar's house is blessed because of Joseph.
V. 3, 4: And his lord saw that the LORD was with him: for whatsoever he did, the LORD prospered through him, so that he found favor in the sight of his lord, and became his servant. And he set him over his house, and all that he had he put under his hands.
Here Joseph begins to excel, grow and become great, and has undoubtedly been a great fortune and rich blessing to God,
1232 D. IL. 230-232. interpretation of Genesis 39:3, 4. w. II, isos-isos. 1233.
What he has done, he has adorned. His master has seen that he has been chaste, temperate, modest, honorable, and that he has done and administered everything rightly and blessedly; therefore he thinks that he has now received a servant according to his will. This is a servant for me, he thought. And the words are almost as if he had set him free because he had served him so faithfully and sincerely. Although I cannot say this for certain. But the Lord heard his prayer, and blessed the Lord first, and then Joseph also, so that he was set over the whole house and all that Potiphar had.
(28) This was a great miraculous blessing, that the Egyptian entrusted all his goods and chattels, and all that he had to do in the field and in the house, to a bondman who was a stranger. Now Joseph is a great magistrate, so his loyalty and faith must have been very great and very well-known, for which reason he also found favor with his lord, who now no longer worries about any danger or deceit on the part of the servant: he has no evil suspicion of him that he might steal something from him and embezzle it, and then immediately run away, as servants are wont to do, after he has put all his goods and possessions in his custody, so that he should rule over them. He was undoubtedly afraid of the unfaithfulness of the other servants, but he never took it into his mind to do so to Joseph. For he voluntarily and with full confidence put everything under his hands, as if he himself ruled over the servants and was personally present. For he had well experienced his faithfulness, that he was sincere. Then he saw that he had done what a godly man and one who fears God should do. Not that this Egyptian, Potiphar, would have recognized God the Lord, or that he would have said this to Joseph: I see that the LORD is with thee: but Moses and the prophets speak after their manner. For the wicked and the rude do not hold it so, but when they see a pious holy man, they esteem him worthy to be loved by the gods.
Potiphar thought the same of Joseph.
(29) Now this is a very great and glorious state, and at the same time a very difficult state and regiment, which Joseph led. For who could so easily suffer and endure this, if he has suffered and endured? He bore this heavy, miserable servitude for eleven years, earning nothing at all, unless he had received or gained something after he was set free: but while he was serving, all his work was not for his benefit, but only for the benefit of his Lord. For this reason he had nothing more than food and blankets, and with these he had enough to live on; which is also to be praised in him, namely, that he bore such extreme poverty with patience. For in his old age he should have taken up marriage, begotten children, and maintained and nourished his own household. But he had to lack all this and still sees no end to this difficult servitude; and yet he has endured it so well and held on with firm hope and faith in divine help. For he thinks to himself: "Even if I have to bear this burden a little longer, I will not become fainthearted or despondent. For I have learned from my father how I should wait for the Lord, hope in him and call upon him. I will therefore keep this teaching and practice it as long as I live.
(30) He who will diligently consider these things will easily see what a great burden it has been with such heavy and miserable servitude. For that is hard enough, to be a prisoner and subject to foreign power, and on top of that to carry poverty and hard work, so that you are exhausted and the other, who is a tyrant, becomes rich, great and glorious.
(31) We complain much about the Turk, but impatience will not make us better, nor will it remove us from the misery or overcome it. But let us rather look at the example of Joseph and imagine the same. For though our miseries and servitude are also very grievous, yet they are not to be compared with that of Joseph.
1234 IL. 2S2-234. interpretation of I Genesis 39:3-6. W. n, I808-1S11. 1235
with the sorrow that Joseph suffered. Therefore, when we think of the tribulation Joseph had, we may well be ashamed of our impatience, which we use to serve the devil and to anger God in many ways. For rather, see what happened to this priest and young man, who was favorable to God and man.
V. 5, 6: And from the time that he had 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 all that he had in Joseph's hands; and he had none of it, save the bread which he did eat.
This text teaches us how God, for the sake of a godly and pious man, blesses even unworthy and godless people; as Jacob says to his father-in-law Laban, Gen. 30:30: "You had little before I came here, but now it is spread abroad, and the Lord has blessed you by my foot. Now as Jacob was a blessing in the house of Laban, so Joseph also was with his master the Egyptian. This is the way of our Lord God. He loves his own who call upon him and wait for his help and gifts, so that for the sake of one man he may do good to a whole country and bless it. Even though Joseph himself received nothing, he remained a servant, unless perhaps he had been given free, since he had been set over the house of Potiphar and over all that he had.
(33) All the good things that happen to the whole world should be recognized and praised with a grateful heart, and we should know that God gives peace to many thousands of people for the sake of his chosen ones and also performs other good deeds. Even though he does not spare even the elect; as he served Joseph for so many years, and finally had him thrown into prison with the greatest disgrace as a reward for his faithful service. So he rewards the most holy people, who are very useful; yes, who are the real blessing of the world, they get such shameful reward.
34 For this reason it should be diligently noted that God blesses the ungodly for the sake of His church. For if the world were without them, and if the gospel were not taught and learned, it would have passed away long ago. So God is also with us in our time, for we have the Word and the holy sacraments: he speaks and works through us, thus redeeming many people from death and eternal damnation. We are the helpers and saviors of the world, and everything that Germany has that is good should not be attributed to its great power, not to its virtue or piety, not even to its wisdom, but to the rejected, despised and cursed people, who are called Christians, and thank them for it.
(35) The pope, cardinals, and the whole company of the same wicked men enjoy honors, good, violence, and all pleasures for the sake of the gospel alone, and our people must confess the same. And yet the pope deals with his own of their highest fortune only in that they thank us rightly for it, namely, with sword, fire, hunger, and all kinds of other punishments and plagues, as they may only invent such. Yes, look at our own audience. The peasants and the nobility, the burghers and the authorities, plunder and rob those whom they should feed cheaply, whom they should help, whom they should maintain and to whom they should add, so that the church may be uplifted, in which all its salvation and welfare are concerned. It has to be like that, nothing will come of it.
There was no measure in the papacy, and there was no end of giving and adding to maintain the ungodly false worship with it. Hence came the monasteries and convents, the princely bishoprics, the mighty kingdoms of cardinals and popes; there the devil was able to blow against Christ and drive the people to such weariness and ungodly gifts. For such things pleased him well, and the people thereby served the idolatry and blasphemy that was publicly taught at that time. That is why the bishops, bishops and abbots have had it all, even though they have been a common shame and ruin to the whole world. They have become fat, strong and fat: we
1236 LIL, 234-2S". Interpretation of Genesis 39:5, 6. W. II, 1811-1814. 1237
But those who teach the word faithfully and with great diligence, purely and unadulteratedly, and with it seek nothing else but the welfare and happiness of the German country, must bear the bitterest hatred and envy from all classes, and if they could take away the morsel of bread that we eat, they would. Why is that? Answer: Because it must be so. The world must be the devil and honor their own, as Christ says John 15:19: "If ye were of the world, the world would love their own." But that loose group of wicked, shameful people it gladly feeds and honors. For they are of the devil and of the world. If a pious Joseph comes, she will not give him a crumb of dry bread.
Wherever there is a prince who nourishes and sustains the church with his charity, his heart has undoubtedly been stirred by the Holy Spirit; the others are almost all predatory, that they seize everything for themselves. Look at the parish priests in the villages now and then, how so many of them have to pine away from hunger and thirst, often they do not have enough money to buy a shirt for their children. The nobility is snatching away the church estates, not only of the monasteries, but also of the parishes, which they should abstain from, so that the parishes and church servants can be fed and maintained. Therefore, it will soon come to pass that the parish lords will have to die of hunger. There is no earnestness, no diligence, no heart for godliness, because no one takes it seriously and from the heart.
38 We demand and receive our due wages from our listeners, as Christ says Luc. 10, 7: "A laborer is worthy of his wages," that is, he can accept them with a clear conscience; item 1 Cor. 9, 14: "The Lord also commanded that those who preach the gospel should also feed on the gospel"; item 1 Tim. 5, 17: "The elders, who stand before us, are worthy of twofold honor. Yes, indeed they are worthy of double honor. But where? Answer: With God, but with the world they are considered worthy of the sword, the gallows, hell, or anything else that is worse.
(39) What then do we ask of it? We, who serve the ungrateful world, have the promise and hope of the kingdom of heaven, and the recompense and retribution of this misery of ours will be so great that we will also reproach ourselves greatly for ever having let a tear or a sigh escape us for the sake of such contempt and ingratitude of the world. Why, we will say, did we not suffer something more severe? If I had never believed that such a great glory would be in eternal life, I would not have been afraid of it, even if I had to suffer much more.
(40) This is the comfort and hope of the godly, that our salvation and glory is not sought in this life, but we long for another and better life. But all that we do in this world we do together only for the glory of God, so that many people may be converted and saved. Therefore we also eat and drink, do the works that both belong to the house and world government, likewise we gather a church with teaching and preaching, all so that we may seek only another life. Like Joseph, who had no hope of freedom or redemption, or even of rule in Egypt, but hoped and waited for eternal glory and blessedness in the kingdom of heaven. This is what we also want to hope for, although God also showers the blessed with many goods in this life. This, however, is not their most noble reward, but eternal life and eternal joy is finally the right reward of the blessed in heaven, which Christ and all the saints have also received.
41 For this reason the world may always go where it belongs with its rapacious miser. But let us carry out our commanded office, as we still teach by the grace of God and suffer great tribulation with the greatest patience. For we still gladly grant good things to ungodly and ungrateful people, so that they may be advised and helped, and are satisfied with the fact that we know that such our diligence and work pleases God. What we cannot take away,
1238 8. IL. 236-238. interpretation of Genesis 39:5, 6. w. n, 1SI4-18I7. 1239
We may leave that behind, if only we have a favorable and gracious God, who says: Behold, dear child, your service pleases me well. I will be your reward, I will pay you richly for serving ungrateful people. This promise and comfort is much richer than all the treasures of the whole world may be.
The first thing to be learned from this passage is that the world can by no means boast that it is worthy of this temporal life, even for a moment; but that God, for the sake of the gospel, for baptism and the forgiveness of sins, gives everything, and that even to the most vile and worst enemies of the church, such as Turks and Papists: he throws it into the rapuse.
043 And now let this be said of the blessing that was in the house of the wicked for the sake of the godly and pious Joseph. For Potiphar the Egyptian became great and rich, not by his own diligence but by Joseph's diligence and labor, since he had good days in the meantime and snored in idleness. Just as Laban in Genesis 30 laid the entire burden of his household on Jacob alone, so that he also demanded from him what he had lost through theft. So the Lord also gave happiness and salvation to the godless king in Syria for Naaman's sake, 2 Kings 5:1. And if our prayer had been done by the word, Germany would have been different, it would have been very bad. Our gospel is the right Naaman and Joseph. The adversaries do not recognize this, nor do they believe it; but let us recognize it and be grateful to God for it.
44 After this it is also to be noted that the blessing of the Lord does not come to those who sleep and are lazy, as it is said of Polycrates, who was a pagan, that he drew the net in his sleep, and in the 127th Psalm v. 2. it is written, "The Lord gives to his friends while they sleep. For David did not forbid work, but wanted the conscience to be quiet and peaceful: it should not be such work as would hinder the spiritual sleep of faith and hope; but at the same time it should be accompanied by a quiet
Heart and a good peaceful conscience, as Christ says Matth. 6, 25. 34.: "Do not worry about your life" 2c., be of good cheer: "It is enough that every day has its own plague". Do not make yourselves miserable. V. 31: Sleep, and say not, "What shall we eat, what shall we drink?" Yet I would not have you to be lazy brethren, and to walk idly, but to work. For God does not give His blessing to those who lie after the flesh and snore and are lazy. He wants the flesh to be always exercised and put to death, as St. Paul says Gal. 5, 24: "Those who belong to Christ crucify their flesh together with lusts and desires."
45 Although work does not accomplish what the blessing gives and brings, God wants us to carry out our commanded office and work diligently, so that the flesh may always be exercised, so that it does not snore and become lazy; as the pagan poet says that all men are inclined to good lazy days according to their nature, and that they may only be overburdened with work. Therefore we are not to go to idleness and sloth, but are to take upon us the work with all diligence and faithfulness, as the same brings and demands of every man's profession: and at the same time, even in all toil, labor and persecution, we are to have a merry heart, and alfo expect blessing from the Lord. For so Jacob, Joseph, Rachel and Leah were also not lazy. Leah says to Jacob Gen. 31:15: "Did not our father Laban consume our wages?" As if she wanted to say: We had to bear the toil and work in the house, namely, to tend the cattle, to milk the cows and goats 2c. But all that was earned by our diligence was eaten up by Laban our father. And no doubt Rebekah and Sarah were also as diligent in their work; yet with good peace and quietness of conscience.
46 In this way, Joseph was very diligent in governing the household, being the first to get up in the morning, inspecting the whole house everywhere, decreeing what should be done in the house and in the field.
1240 IX, 238-240. Interpretation of Genesis 39, 5. 6. ' W. II. 1817-1820. 1241
and everything in particular diligently distributed and ordered, did not wait until the servants did of their own accord what was due to them. For this is almost never done. As can be seen in our people, who are so exceedingly lazy and careless that I have never seen them more sluggish in any place than in this country and in this city. If one has to eat only until tomorrow, they do nothing at all, or else they do their work, which is their due, unfaithfully; that is why they are loose people and poor beggars, and all they have, which they got from the prayer of the Christian church, they can never become rich, because they are so inclined to lazing about, sleeping, eating and drinking. They are a lazy, shameful, gluttonous people 2c. But those who are diligent and industrious in their work can easily become rich. For to such people God wants to give the blessing, as Solomon says Prov. 10, 4: "The diligent hand makes rich."
47 And we see that it is the same in the courts of princes, where two or three bear the whole burden in the regiment, as for instance the prince himself, or some of the clerks; the other bunch lies and snores day and night, eats and drinks; or if they do something, they do it not for the sake of their office, but only for the sake of avarice and vain honor: that is why such great expenses are incurred by the court.
48 Joseph was a very diligent householder, who himself diligently watched over all the work of the servants and demanded an account of it, which is of more use than manual labor, even though it requires great diligence and is always done. Therefore Joseph was not only pious and chaste, and also prayed very diligently to God for his lord, for the king and for the whole land of Egypt, but also very diligently promoted and administered all kinds of household work, since he also judged and accounted for everything most diligently according to the number, according to the weights and measures. This is actually the office of a good householder; as is also attested by the common proverbs, where it is said: "The eye of the Lord, and the dung that falls from his feet, makes the field fat, and the land is made more fertile.
fertile. Item: Frons occipitio prior est, that is: The forehead is closer than the back of the head. For where there is not a right Joseph, nothing is rightly aligned.
49 Therefore, I say, it is necessary to be always watchful and diligent. As the ancients have finely painted the scepter. At the top, where a small crown is now placed, a watchful and open eye has been engraved to indicate that for the administration of the police or regiment it is absolutely necessary to keep a diligent watch over all things. If a prince is not valiant, nothing will come of it. Alexander the Great would never have been able to accomplish such great things in such a short time if he himself had not been particularly diligent and concerned about everything. The rulers must keep an eye on the top of the scepter. And as far as housekeeping is concerned, it is also customary to say of the presence of the housemother: The eyes of the woman boil well; the eyes of the maid never boil.
(50) Now this is the other teaching in this place, namely, that the blessing of God is given to those who love Him, and are vigilant and willing to work. For although diligence in itself is good for nothing, God wants it nevertheless, so that the flesh may be contrite and crucified, which devout people do for God's sake. Therefore they are the salvation and blessing of the whole world. As Joseph is described here as the image of a righteous and perfect man, who was adorned with all kinds of virtues; and when his Lord saw this, he also left everything he had under his hands, as the text says.
(51) But the little piece that follows in the text: "And he had nothing of it, save the bread which he did eat," has been sullied in many ways by the peevish talk of the Jews. Some interpret it thus: Joseph ate nothing but dry bread, and yet, through God's special blessing, was beautiful in form and also quite healthy. The others want to understand it from Potiphar, namely, that he let such a faithful servant be commanded to do everything,
1242 L. IX. 240-242. interpretation of Genesis 39:5, 6. w. n, 4820-1322. 1243
so that he did not care about anything else, but only that he ate at home and then soon went back to the court. Still others understand by the bread the wife, thus that the gentleman knew nothing in his house but only his wife; and in the same way they also interpret the words in the Proverbs of Solomon in the 5th Cap. V. 15: "Drink water from your pit" 2c. But the Jews are worthy to believe such lies and to teach in this way.
52] Furthermore, the Hebrew word lechem means not only bread, but all food in general, as bread and water, eating and drinking; as Dan. 4:9 ff. it is written that the king saw in a vision a tree from which all things were to eat, 2c., that is, that bore apples and other fruit, from which all animals ate; and Jer. 11:19: "Let us destroy the tree with its food," that is, with its fruit.
(53) Therefore I consider that these words must be applied and interpreted to Joseph, that he bore all the toil and labor of the whole house, and that through him the Lord blessed Potiphar: even as Laban increased by the labor of his son-in-law and his daughters, and yet, when they departed from him, he gave them not one farthing or penny for their hard and faithful service, which they rendered him so many years.
(54) So Joseph received no reward from his ungrateful master. For the world is very desirous of the blessings and labors of pious holy men, and delights in them; as the drones that work not, yet enjoy the honey which the other right bees make and delight in. Just as princes and tyrants today are greatly benefited by the gospel, which is now being taught and spread more and more. For they become rich, either from many great gifts of the bishops and cardinals, or from the robbery of the church goods, which they seize; yes, finally, they also need with the highest pleasure of peace and good quiet, good and all kinds of welfare; all of which the Christian church obtains only with its prayer from God. But the
They do not give anything to poor, hard-pressed church servants. If one has to give a poor priest a shirt, there is no one at home. Such cruel unkindness and stinginess has also been shown to Laban and this Potiphar the Egyptian, who will subsequently reward the work of his faithful servant with bonds and imprisonment.
55 All godly children have this happiness in this life, namely, that they work and obtain the blessing of the ungrateful world, and are satisfied with their daily bread. In the meantime, however, they can build themselves up on this comfort, that they know that their right goods are in heaven, where also their walk is, Phil. 3, 20.; for they are not of this world, but they are from heaven, from which they also wait for the Savior, who will give them the right reward; meanwhile they are satisfied with the partaking, that they have food and clothing, 1 Tim. 6, 8. which nevertheless our Lord God always decrees and gives to them, but nevertheless in such a way that at times many still have to suffer hunger and sorrow over it.
This is the meaning of these words: As long as Joseph was with this godless lord, he did not know or have anything of his own, he was not predatory or stingy, nor did he desire anything, but only his daily bread, which he ate, the rest he commanded all to God. Therefore you see here what an abominable beast the world is, what righteousness it is, that it only eats and consumes the work of other pious people; it uses a pious servant no differently than an ass or an ox, and leaves him his food and clothing for the utmost need. For this is called "daily bread," the necessities of life, what we need for this life, not for great good, wealth, hope or avarice, but only for necessities. And this godless lord gave him the same in a miserable and evil way. He could not clothe himself with it or live well. For he who works is given the chaff and only the remaining crumbs, but the others live from his work, although he himself hardly has so much to live on.
1244 n. str-244. interpretation of Genesis 39:5, 6. w. ii, i8ss-is2s. 1245
57 Therefore Joseph had a great heavy burden on him, since, as Moses says, his master put everything he had under his hands. To Potiphar, however, this was a fine, gentle life, since he had his nourishment from other people's work, care and toil, just as the drones also feed on the honey of the other right bees. For he will have thought thus: Behold, this servant I have bought for a little money; but I see that he is gifted with such skill that I myself do not need to look after the work of my household. For this servant does everything by himself and does it with great diligence. Pharaoh will do the same afterwards.
The whole world is full of such drones, that is, such lazy brothers, who desire to live only from other people's work. Those who are skilled and willing to work are held in high esteem by almost everyone, and they desire him primarily so that others may turn away their burdens and burdens that are incumbent upon them, whether at court or at home in everyone's house, and place them on his shoulders, and they are nevertheless almost very eager that they may enjoy his work the most, since this is an explicit commandment of God: "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat," 2 Thess. 3, 10. 3, 10. Yes, there are still many of them who act as if they knew nothing about anything, or they do not even want to know anything, just so that they will not be drawn into the common, ordinary work of this life. As I well remember a monk in Erfurt, when he was punished by others for always fleeing from the housework that was done in the monastery, even though he was tall and strong in body, that he answered that he was not fit for such work, and that he knew that if he once put his hands to work, he would often have to do it again. For if one notices that one can do a thing, then one lets him do it gladly.
(59) Now Joseph is a young man who has had all the virtues in him, and what is in him is not in him.
Everything is glorious and praiseworthy. He is content with what is given to him, suffers poverty with a generous heart, has patience and faith in God, and is mild and kind to his tyrannical master Potiphar in that he rules the house with great diligence and faithfulness, and is himself poor and needy. Therefore he was the most precious treasure of the whole kingdom of Egypt, although he was not recognized by anyone, and at that time he had no one like him in the whole world, except his father Jacob and his grandfather Isaac, and yet the same great treasure was unknown and even hidden from the world. This glorious light of beautiful virtues could not have shone forth if he had not had such a miserly master, who with his cruelty awakened the beautiful, glorious nature in the young man, so that he showed such patience and gentleness in his heart in the difficult service he had.
(60) These virtues are indeed marvelous, and far exceed the wonders and tales which he wrought with Pharaoh, which shall be told hereafter. The latter appear outwardly as if they were more glorious, but these are hidden and concealed, like the waters of Siloam that run still, and not like the strong and many waters of the river of glory and hope of the Assyrians, Isa. 8:6, 7. Therefore no one sees or understands them, even though they are marvelous and very great miracles that Joseph does every day. Potiphar sees them, but with a stingy and ungrateful heart like Laban. There lies the most precious stone hidden in darkness, covered with servitude as with dung or other dung, so that no one can see it.
(61) The works that follow will be a little more obvious, since he will interpret the dreams and give a reminder of the future harvest, and will provide the whole kingdom with grain that has been kept and stored up during the seven fruitful years. But in truth these works are still somewhat greater. Therefore, it is gloriously said by Augustine that the miraculous works that take place daily in the world,
1246 L- n. 244. 24S. Interpretation of I Genesis 39, 5. 6. W. II, I82S-1828. 1247
greater than that which was done by Christ while he still lived on earth.
(62) This was a great and marvelous work, that with seven loaves Christ fed four thousand men: but he still feedeth the whole world every day. We would be much more astonished at this, if it had not come into contempt with us, because it happens daily and is so common. For this reason, the miraculous works that we see before our eyes are much less than those that we hear have been done. The works that Joseph did when he served Potiphar are greater than those that he did when he was in charge, though they are more dear to people's hearts and move them more than those hidden works do. For here one does not see in Joseph a particularly great figure or glory. He goes about badly, and has the burden of the household government upon him, and is poor and despised, until afterward the great honor and glory of his miraculous works come forth; all of which can hardly be compared to the fact that Joseph is a child of God, and a priest full of the Holy Spirit, godliness, and the highest virtues, for which the whole house of Potiphar was so richly blessed and made great.
This is why Augustine says that God has reserved for Himself a number of miraculous works, which are somewhat smaller and stranger, so that, because they are so strange, He may remind the world of the greater ones. Every human being is a great miracle in itself, and even if the whole world and the angels themselves were to put all their abilities together, they would not be able to do a single thing to man. So we see that the heavens are moved, that the sun shines: but we are not particularly moved by it. But when it is taught from God's Word that these very beautiful heavenly bodies were created out of nothing, then we can reasonably suppose how great the marvelous building may be, which cannot be comprehended with the eyes, but which can only be recognized and understood with the ear, where it is shown by God's Word.
- such a marvel is Joseph at
Potiphar was also in Egypt. Therefore this is a glorious thing, that he is described here in this way. And by the special counsel of the Holy Spirit, this is presented as an example to the whole church, even to the whole world. For there is no other example in the holy scriptures that could be like it. The lives of the other fathers, both before and after the Flood, have not been described so diligently and precisely as to tell at the same time what they did and did in their youth and early years, without only the time of their birth being indicated. But what they did especially in youth and what they were most inclined to do, what kind of danger, sorrow, or affliction they suffered, is nowhere else told like this than in this history of Joseph alone. His brothers were also painted and described before as very bad boys and stained with unspeakable great sins: but this Joseph alone seems to stand out like a beautiful rose among the thorns, who was adorned with all kinds of virtues, such as holding fast with patience and constancy to the right doctrine of godliness, as he received it from the fathers, as well as with chastity, discipline and moderation. For he was carried away at the time that he could have no fellowship with his father, nor did they see each other, when he most needed his father's teaching and admonition. As in our times, the Turk drags the children away at the age when they easily forget the teaching they first heard and may be tempted and accustomed to Turkish teaching.
- For tender youth, although it does not lack disciplinarians and others who wait for it and admonish it, is nevertheless, as the poet says, like wax, that it is easily inclined to sin, is sacrilegious, They are unruly and disobedient, and original sin then also begins to stir and rage in them, with which sin the devil secretly pursues them and tries to catch the poor youth with the ropes of his flatteries and pleasures of life. For this reason it is a great
1248 L. n. 24Ü-247. interpretation of I Moses 39:5, 6. W. n, 1828-1831. 1249
It has been a great pity and danger that this young man, not yet fully confirmed with right doctrine and good examples of discipline, has been snatched away, as it were, from the best and most holy doctrine or instruction and delivered by his brothers into the hands of the ungodly, who have led him away into an unknown country, so full of idolatry, where he has had to see and hear devilish doctrine, which was completely contrary to the doctrine he heard from his father. Likewise, he had to see the most shameful customs and life of the pagans; and yet, with great miraculous constancy, he still kept the pure doctrine and worship as he received it from the fathers.
66 Therefore the 81st Psalm v. 6. 7. praises Joseph miraculously when it says: Joseph heard foreign languages in Egypt and that his hands got rid of the pots. He had to listen to the unknown language of the Egyptians, and not only to the language that was their mother tongue, but also to foreign doctrine and worship, which did not rhyme with the doctrine of his father: in this foreign worship he nevertheless kept the doctrine of his father with the greatest faith and godliness, and was not deceived by the holy or worldly speeches of the Egyptians. It must have been the Holy Spirit who strengthened and confirmed in him the faith and right understanding of godliness, so that the tender weak heart would not soften, and would not let the supposed worship and the great glory of the godless teachers move him to fall away from right godliness. Often, when he saw either the use of their worship or their corrupt pagan life, he would have thought of the most holy discipline or discipline and teaching of his father, and would have protected himself with it against all kinds of trouble. He must have been a fine child. He studied diligently and well; the Holy Spirit must also have been there.
Now, in our time, when, unfortunately, the youth is so wanton and insolent, we can hardly maintain the good laws of discipline and respectability, even if we have the best disciplinarians. But this
A young man of seventeen years of age, he held to the teachings of his father with such great diligence and faith that he could not have been led away from true godliness by any example or other doctrine, even though he would not have endured so much trouble and suffering outside of his church or congregation without great pain in his heart.
68 He did not deserve this cross with his sins, but suffered as Christians are wont to suffer, who are persecuted and tormented for the sake of truth and righteousness, and not for sin or evil. St. Peter teaches that Christians should beware of this, as he says in 1 Ep. 4:15: "But let no one among you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or one who takes hold of a foreign office." Here the Greek word actually means a rebel who forces his way into another's office: these are the fellows who want to rule, since they have not been commanded anything.
(69) Therefore the causes why the pious and godly are thus exercised and afflicted in this life are not their sins and misdeeds, but only the will of God, righteousness and their good chaste life. So today the Turk, the pope, the heretics and the mobs persecute us, not that they could accuse us with truth for the sake of thievery or fornication or other vices, but for the sake of the doctrine and right use of the holy sacraments, which we teach. Nevertheless, we have to suffer the insults and reproaches from them, that they call us rebels, rebels, or disobedient and stiff-necked envious people; that is what we have to be called. For the sacramentalists know no other sin to accuse us of than that we act against love, and divide and prevent unity 2c. And although all this rests truly upon them, that they may be justly accused of it, yet they impute it only to us. They do it, but we must bear it. So it shall be.
(70) Joseph is grieved and distressed, not because of disobedience, but because he is obedient to his father, and is a godly, holy, chaste youth; as soon after he is grieved for
1250 L- n. 247-S4S. Interpretation of Genesis 39:5-10. W. II, E-IM. 1251
For the sake of discipline and chastity he will also be thrown into prison. And until then, the devil has attacked him on the left, tempting him with poverty and sorrow in the heavy and vexatious bondage, and he is still in the highest dungeon of hell; but soon he will also be thrown into the lowest. It must become still worse with him.
Third part.
How Potiphar's wife is inflamed with evil desire against Joseph and tries to seduce him, and how Joseph behaves.
V. 6. And Joseph was beautiful and comely of face.
(71) Moses put this bit in, so that he would be able to add to it what follows. He says that Joseph was beautiful and handsome in appearance. For even though he did not eat delicious food, nor did he have any other special maintenance, his beautiful face and free form were in themselves a great adornment and honor, especially in him, as a young man and still in the right bloom of his youth. And in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells, they also tend to have a free, erect, joyful face. For God awakens in them the right joy, which also gladdens the face; just as sadness, on the other hand, also disfigures the face. And this is added to the fact that he was born of very pious parents and that his mother Rachel herself was also beautiful in appearance: and besides the fact that Joseph was beautiful in appearance, he was also godly and of good honest manners at the same time. Therefore his wife, Potiphar's wife, was so inflamed in her heart with lewd love toward him that she wondered at so many glorious virtues in him, which stood out all the more in him for the sake of beauty. As the poet Virgil rightly says: Gratior est pulchro veniens e corpore virtus, that is: Virtue is all the more pleasant when beauty of the body is added. If many fine virtues are added, then beauty becomes the more pleasant.
and figure so much more excellent and higher. As a beautiful woman is not so highly adorned that she is beautiful in body, as that she has fine, chaste, humble manners, is not bitter or unkind. Such virtues far surpass all beauty of the body, and make those who are unformed nevertheless praised and honored for them.
(72) Therefore Joseph was very excellent in all his gifts or virtues, both outwardly in the body and inwardly in the soul, pleasing and acceptable to God and man. For it is a greater ornament to man that he is virtuous than that he is beautiful in form. But when virtue and beauty come together, it is an insurmountable bond of love, it must catch one. But there are few such people at present who are adorned with so many virtues and are so attractive and pleasant to everyone. For there are many who, inflamed with fornication and anger, and with impatience, gluttony and indulgence, disfigure and corrupt their beautiful bodies in the most shameful way; but inside they also drag themselves with such a conscience, stained with many sins. But Joseph, even in the right bloom of his youth, is an excellent example of all virtues, and in whom the women and also his master's wife had a lovely spectacle. But now the devil comes and tries him on the right side, after he has not been able to overcome or trap him on the left side with hard work, bondage and misery in which he lived. And this we should diligently remember, that we also may be conformed to the dear fathers, both in well-doing and also in suffering.
V.7-10. 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 taketh nothing for himself from me that 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, except thee, in that thou art his wife. How then shall I do such great evil?
** **1252 ix, asssi. Interpretation of I Genesis 39, 7-10. W. n, isss-E. 1253
and sin against God? And she spoke such words against Joseph daily. But he did not obey her, that he slept near her, nor was around her.
The devil has seen that this pious holy youth has overcome all misfortunes and hardships of his misery with great incredible patience and strong courage, in which he has been torn away from his brothers and friends, deprived of the greatest glory and hope of the firstborn, and has had to live among the rude idolatrous people; by all these hardships, however, his heart has not been able to tire or weaken for almost ten years. For although he was attacked by Satan with countless arrows and other hard blows from his seventeenth year to the seventh and twentieth, which he reached at that time, he alone survived all this, remained steadfast and unconquerable, if he had no one around him who could have admonished him or who could have been in the same tribulation with him; Finally, he had no examples at all before him, but the ones he saw every day were quite repulsive, so that he could easily have been led away from the right doctrine of true godliness; therefore there must certainly have been a great power of the spirit and divine gifts in him. For he would have been a little more sorry if he had had only one companion. But he alone, without exhortation, without sacrifice and without holy sermons, still kept true godliness and how to live godly with great constancy, and in this he did not change his mind at all, so that it seems that he always, the longer the more, increased and was even confirmed in such constancy.
Now the devil also attacks him on the right side, that is, with flattery or inducements to fornication and pleasure, which challenge is much more severe and dangerous, especially in a young man, because otherwise all the storms and hard blows can be, so come from the left. For around the eighteenth year original sin begins to stir and to
and then in the hearts of the young men are found frightening movements and thoughts, so that they are provoked to fornication or unseemly mingling. And at that time Joseph lived under the worst examples of the pagans, so that the nature, which by itself was inclined to fornication, could be irritated and inflamed even more, especially in such a fine healthy person. For thus Augustine says in one place: The healthier we are in the body, the greater and more senseless this plague becomes. It is not so hot in a weak body, which is weighed down with worry and sorrow, as in a strong healthy body.
This young man has lived for ten years in such a temptation of evil desire, and has fought manfully, since he has not been tempted once, or by one woman alone, but often and by many to lewd love. For the girls also tend to feel this misfortune and temptation, and where they live with young fellows, they try themselves on them in various ways, so that they move their hearts now here and then there, whether they would like to tempt them to love, especially where they see that they are beautiful in form and strong in body, so that the young fellows often have greater difficulty in resisting such temptations than in resisting their own lusts. For these things are thus painted in the writings of the poets, as that peasant says in Virgil:
Malo me Galatea petit lasciva puella?
Et fugit ad salices, et se cupit ante videri.
that is:
Galatea, the cheeky Metz.
Almost plays a lot of jokes with me, Gets me fine with an apple, Wants to be seen by me with it, Then already hides behind a willow tree, AIS she didn't do that, And still won't go idle with me.
In addition, the devil comes with his art and cunning, so that he teaches the girls and incites them to cheat the young journeymen, who have no care for their things. "The devil can train a matzo for one.
1254 LIL, M. 252. interpretation of Genesis 3S, 7-10. w. n, IW7-I840. 1255
(76) But over the mean inducements of the girls who have been either companions with him or otherwise neighbors, by whom Joseph has undoubtedly been tempted in many ways to set aside his chastity and discipline, he is severely challenged by the woman of the house herself, who tries to incite him to fornication and whoredom with her words of flattery. Now this is out of the way. This challenge is among all the others the strongest and most powerful for the sake of such a fine opportunity and vacation to sin; because the woman and the right housemother herself has a desire to court him. Verily, whoever can abstain and refrain from such a wife, you may know that such a one knows how to keep himself right in his life, that he does nowhere too much or too little. For what others would have accepted willingly and gladly in such a case, or would have followed of their own accord with the utmost diligence and desire, as youth is wont to indulge in fornication and to approach it freely and thoughtlessly, Joseph freely despised and rejected, regardless of the fact that such things had been impudently offered to him, and that the woman had stopped with him daily, almost impetuously, and had always urged and driven him.
Now Joseph was a youth, handsome in form and strong in body, in the midst of the bloom of youth, when he could easily have been softened and overcome by such a handsome and famous woman, who so persistently and unceasingly provoked him to fornication. And he would have had the power to do her will, so that this would not only have been without any danger for him, but he would also have been able to benefit greatly from it. For it seemed as if nothing else would have served him so well to attain great honors and higher status than to have the favor of a woman and to be favored by her, who was the wife of such a great man, who was held in great esteem and favor by the king before others, and who had been appointed chief over the cooks and butchers at court. Which honor and dignity the Hebrews make very great, and say that he was in Egypt like a
High priest or pope. Therefore, Joseph could have been praised and promoted by the woman on many occasions.
(76) Joseph, however, despised this convenient opportunity, which would have been quite safe and without danger for him, and would also have brought him great power, favor and pleasure, and he even rejected it and let it go. This is truly a clear sign of the greatest piety and chastity; which virtues had their origin in the fact that in his heart God's word, along with the right honor and fear of God, adhered, and that there faith ruled through the Holy Spirit. I have also heard examples of other young men who lived chastely and modestly with women and virgins: but here is the shameful love that incited and drove him, which could also easily and at any moment have turned and overcome the young heart and the flesh, which by itself was inflamed with fornication. Therefore, it was a very evil challenge.
Let him who is able to learn learn, and let us diligently remember this example, and thereby learn how pleasing it is to God the Lord to hold fast to the faith, to fear Him, to shrink from His commandments, and not to depart from Him, but to persevere in true, heartfelt godliness. Christ exhorts us to this in Luc. 21, 19, where he says: "Take hold of your souls with patience"; item Matth. 24, 13: "He who perseveres to the end will be saved. For the devil does not tire, cannot rest, but always persists, seeking cause and opportunity to drive people to sin. For this reason it is not enough to fight and contend against him with toil and labor for only one day or one year; but it is necessary to have patience and to persevere in such contending with constancy until he either wins or is overcome and his head is crushed. But it is very difficult for a young man to fight for a whole toe years with such great enemies as the flesh and the devil, who come at him with so many projectiles and such a convenient and good opportunity. For here is the thing
1256 **IL, 252-254. interpretation of Genesis 39:7-10. w. n. I84P-I843.** 1257
None of the things that are necessary for Joseph to overcome have been omitted. And yet he still remains steadfast with an unconquerable heart and persists to the end, so that for the sake of this highest degree of chastity he has led himself into the burdensome danger of prison and bonds. This is truly the true suffering of the saints, and is just as bitter as physical pain can always be, and would truly be worthy of being magnified and highly praised by others who are especially well-spoken.
- Furthermore, this woman has spoken very insolently to the young man, saying, "Sleep with me. Although I do not think that she began with these words in order to incite him to fornicate, but she must have taken care to win him over at first with special cunning and flattery, and must have shown herself to him as if she were especially fond of him and loved him no other way than in honor, as a pious matron would, because of his great virtues and skill. She might also have smiled at him from time to time and talked to him in a friendly manner and asked him how the house regiment was going, how the other servants were doing in their office, whether they were also waiting diligently. She would also have given him some gifts from time to time to indicate that she and her master were particularly fond of his faithful service. She did not go out soon with these words: "Sleep with me"; but she challenged his heart with many flatteries, with conversations and many a secret cunning, and thus prepared a fine entrance for herself to make this request to him.
81 But because Joseph was gentle and chaste by nature, he answered her kindly. For it was not fitting for the servant to speak proudly against his master's wife. Because she saw that he sometimes laughed at her in a friendly manner and spoke to her in all humility, she grew more and more hopeful in her heart, until she thought that he would
Now, through her kindness and friendly conversation, as well as the kindness she has shown him, he will be overcome, and she will undoubtedly become powerful. Now it is time, she thought, and goes out: "Sleep with me. For she thinks he is now completely taken in and overcome with so many flattering words, gestures and beckons, which women know how to use. Which Moses also wanted to indicate, as it seems, when he says that she cast her eyes on Joseph, that is, she fixed her eyes on this young man, always looked at him, marveled at his beautiful figure and virtue, often praised him because of the fine honorable manners he had about him, and also because of his innocence; She also praised his excellent great skill, and thus finely prepared for herself the way to the disgrace he was to commit with her. Finally, however, now that she is no longer ashamed to conceal the love she has long held in secret, she comes out and incites him to fornication with explicit words. Then Joseph suddenly changes, adopts a different manner and henceforth also needs different words. He is no longer Joseph, who used to fear her as his wife and shy away from her, which deference she interpreted as if it were a certain sign that he would stick to her and cultivate lewd love with her, and also thought that she had already granted it.
For this reason, he has now changed the previous kindness into a holy and manly constancy, which will undoubtedly have greatly annoyed his wife, but she has not ceased to persist with her unreasonable and shameful request, even though Joseph has tried to contradict her and distract her from her shameful love. He then preaches an earnest and holy sermon, so that he may turn her away from the heat of her immorality.
For these are not words of flattery, as the grammarians uselessly wash them; but it is a very serious and wise speech, so that he sought to extinguish the shameful and unseemly rut of fornication in her. But this misfortune cannot be countered with words.
1258 L. n. 254-2SS. Interpretation of I Moses 39:7-10. D. n. 184L-I845. 1259
and no other remedy helps, as the poet says: Aegre scitque medendo: The longer one cures it, the sicker one becomes, and the more medicine one uses, the more it stirs up; as can be seen from Dido's description in Virgil. For everything that is done to alleviate this disease or to take it away, rather increases it and sets it on fire more and more, not unlike putting oil on the fire. It is a wicked, senseless rut that cannot be easily conquered, for it is blind and deaf, and is simply a passion and frenzy instilled by the wicked devil. It is not a chaste and holy love, since one desires a woman or young journeyman for marriage, but rather an evil pestilence, yes, a frenzy and nonsense; as it is also described by the pagans.
(84) So this pious holy youth preaches to the senseless woman and holds up three arguments to her. The first is that he says: "Far be it from me that I should sin against God. O dear woman, consider what a great sin this is, to abandon the fear of God, not to shrink from Him and to anger Him for the sake of such a small, brief pleasure. But there is no help from God, she does not consider what God has promised or what He has threatened, nor does she think of any reward or punishment. The other argument is: You are my Lord's wife, look at the same as yourself. If you are not afraid of God's wrath, even if you think that you should not respect your blessedness, examine your own conscience, and consider what the name and glory of a housemother require: consider that you alone are given to your husband, and that such an excellent man, whose dignity has been a great adornment to you, should be held in all honor and dignity. This is truly a fine and wise speech. The third argument is still the most foolish, namely, that he now cites ingratitude and disloyalty and says: "My lord has highly honored me in your house, has made me lord and regent over the whole house; but how would such a great ingratitude and unfaithfulness be justified?
To be sinful, to forget such good deeds, and to betray my Lord in the hope he has placed in me!
These arguments are certainly enough, and I cannot see what stronger argument could be used to overcome fornication. He holds against her the fear of God, the office of a pious wife and her own conscience, finally ingratitude and infidelity, so that he does not want to burden himself. But the more bravely, earnestly and holy she is admonished, and the more she stands that Joseph's heart is fixed to keep discipline and chastity, the more fiercely she flares up. Therefore, this has been a fierce battle between the constancy of keeping chastity and fornication, which has been most vehemently opposed to it. There, two hostile spirits clashed with all violence. The devil came upon Joseph in a very friendly manner and with fine, smooth words, but it is still a terrible cruelty. For where he sees that the pious godly children cannot be overcome by any chastisement or torture, he attacks them at last, and tries to overcome them with fornication and pleasure; as Jerome says in one place.
And Cyprian writes that the pagans used to punish the martyrs with slow punishment, and did not allow them to die soon, since they wanted to die very much. But after that, since they could not overcome them with painful punishment, they had lewd women, who were very beautiful in appearance, brought here, who were supposed to stimulate the evil lust of the flesh with coasts and other flattery. For they knew well that Christians praise chastity, and also say and hold that God is hostile to dishonest intercourse; for this reason they wanted that in this way the unsullied consciences of pious Christians should be defiled and the doctrine also profaned. Joseph was also challenged in this way by this lewd woman, who violently attacked him and did not refrain from doing anything, so that the holy martyrs were also challenged and harshly denied.
Jerome tells that one of the.
1260 ' **21- n. SS6-M. Interpretation of I Genesis 39:7-10. W. II. I84V-N848.** 1261
It is said that the first martyr, feeling that his hands and feet were bound and that he had been led into fornication with a painting, bit off his own tongue and spat it in the face of the harlot. This was truly a very hard and powerful remedy to extinguish the flames of fornication, namely, that one bites off his own tongue. But it is clear from this that such an evil desire for fornication must be an exceedingly cruel misfortune and evil thing, which can neither be increased nor controlled by any means. And it is indeed much more difficult to overcome flattery and inducement to pleasure than otherwise an outward cross; as Augustine says. It is harder to struggle with fornication than with the cross. It is a great misery to be bound and to lie in prison: but it is a much more wicked and dangerous thing where one is to contend against fornication. For there the strife lasts daily, to and fro, and it is a strange thing to gain the victory in such a strife.
(88) The crude godless people have little concern about how to maintain chastity: therefore the devil does not bother them with it, because he already has it in his snares beforehand. You are already mine, he thinks. He does not tempt them by such an obvious opportunity, for which they have a great desire; yes, he drives them so that they obtain what they desire even with great danger, with the greatest burden to body and soul, and also with the loss of their health. For he knows that they are now already subject to him: therefore he deals with them a little harder, so that they may receive the right reward of their ungodly shameful nature, and that they may not find the opportunity to fulfill their evil desire without sickness, without shame and other hindrances; which opportunity he otherwise gives of his own accord and without any difficulty to those who are godly and have the Holy Spirit.
The passage in the text where Joseph says, "Behold, my lord does not know what is in the house" is somewhat obscure, and the Jewish rabbis have interpreted it in many ways. I think that this is the right understanding: My master does not know what I know, has no knowledge of the things that are in the house.
house. I do not tell him about the things that concern the house regime, I rule the house freely and honestly, he does not ask me for an account of all and any things; therefore, he does not know what I know, how high it is with his own gained property, how many cattle he has, how to sow or harvest; I alone know such things. That, I said, was an argument he took from ingratitude and disloyalty. As if he wanted to say: My lord has shown me such great honor that he has not only made me lord over everything, even though I am his servant, but he has also given me the freedom of the entire household, so that he never demands a special account from me, because he sees that his property and the entire household is miraculously increasing and being increased, and does not think where this comes from or how it may happen. Why then, he says, should I, with this sin and unfaithfulness, anger such a kind and gentle Lord?
90 Now it also follows in the text how he emphasized this argument, since he says: "And my lord has nothing so great in the house that he has hidden from me", which Jerome interpreted a little too freely in Latin. According to the Hebrew it reads: He has hidden nothing from me, except you alone, because you are his wife. In our German we have interpreted the accusative, eum, with the dative, ei, and this is the right understanding of the words: In this house my lord has nothing so great and dear, so delicious, that he should not trust me and let me rule over it. In other places, grounds or places, he may prefer something else than to command or trust me with it; but in this house, among all things, there is nothing over which I do not have power, without you alone.
The Hebrew word, chasach, is often used as, Gen. 1, 4: "Then God separated the light from the darkness. But it often means as much as, to hide or conceal, which is done by the figure, metaphora, called. For what is in darkness is concealed so that it cannot be seen, as in Genesis 22:16, when God speaks to Abraham:
1Z62 **D.IX.WS-260. interpretation of I Moses 39, 7-10. w. n, IS48-I881.** 1263
"Because you have done these things, and have not spared your only Son" 2c. There it reads after the Hebrew also thus: Non tenebrasti filium tuum, which the Latin interpreter gave: Non pepercisti, and is so much said: You have not hidden him or concealed him, have not withdrawn him from me, but have given him to me for a sacrifice, as I commanded you. So it reads in this place also in Latin: Herus non posuit a me aliquid in tenebris etc., that is: My Lord has not hidden or concealed anything from me, but has put everything in my power and under my hands. We gave it in Latin: Nihil excepit a me: He has nothing so dear in this house that He hides from me. All things are delivered unto me, except thee; thou alone art hid in darkness, and kept secret from me: I shall not see thee, nor know thee, because thou art his wife. He does not deny that he should not owe her obedience and all the other services she needs along with the children, but except for that, if you are his wife, he says, you are forbidden to me. To have conjugal duty and right over your body is forbidden to me.
(92) In this way Joseph preached to the woman, who had been foolish, and reminded her of the diligence, obedience and faithfulness he owed to his master, and reminded her of her marital fidelity. As if he wanted to say: You should have admonished and awakened me to be diligent and faithful in my office, and should not have driven me to such unfaithfulness of adultery and ingratitude, which also includes innumerable other vices; as it is said: Omnia convitia dixeris, si ingratum dixeris, that is: If you rebuke someone unthankfully, you rebuke him with it, as if he were also afflicted with all other vices. And Bernard says: Nullum vitium perniciosius est ingratitudine, eo, quod exsiccat fontem bonitatis, that is: No vice is more harmful than ingratitude, because it dries up and empties the well of goodness or benevolence. Therefore, we see that Joseph was a very holy and wise man who had all kinds of virtue about him; such a man our Lord God made.
Now he concludes in all seriousness, saying, "How then should I do such a great evil and sin against God? As if he wanted to say, "It is a great sin to violate my master's wife, who has commanded and imposed the whole household on me: but it would be a much greater sin against God. This is also the most noble and strongest argument. But in the world it is the easiest; for the world does not respect the wrath of God, but the godly are greatly moved by the judgment and vengeance of God. When the world hears that the divine threats and punishments are remembered, it can laugh at the same time with a loud voice, and is of the same opinion as that shrub thief who stole the wanderer's skirt, and when the latter cried out that he would have to give an account for such an evil deed at the last judgment, the murderer answered: "Oh, if it is still so far until this sin of mine is to be punished, then give me the shirt as well. So it goes, if Master Hans is not there with the rope and sword.
(94) But in the hearts of the godly, it helps a great deal that they guard against sins when they remember the punishment of God, who is seriously angry with those who sin. For Joseph also set his heart and eyes on God, since he had great cause and opportunity, if it had been without danger to him, to sin, so that he might have received his wife's favor and grace, as well as her goods. But he decided in his heart that he would not follow her will and evil desires, even if she wanted to give him all the goods of the whole kingdom. But this argument would not be valid with the tyrants and other godless people; just as this woman is not moved by it, because she does not stop to urge this young man to do her will. Therefore Moses now says: "She drove these words against Joseph", which, that is, all days, "daily". For this is a Hebrew way of speaking, which is to be understood in general. As, Ex. 8, 14. states: Fecerunt tumulum, tumulum, that is, they have made there a heap, there a heap, and many innumerable heaps. And in the prophet Ezekiel it says
1264 D. IX, 2M-262. interpretation of Genesis 39:7-10. w. II, ISSI-I8SS. 1265
also, homo, homo, man, that man, that is, in general, all men. Item virgam, virgam (Ruthe, Ruthe).
(95) In the same way, this woman has driven the young man all day long and has tormented him with this very powerful temptation. But he did not want to obey her, did not want to sleep or live with her, but put his bed in a special place so that she could not come to it at night. And this is truly the greatest miracle, which is to be praised highly, that there was such great chastity in a young man, who had not yet experienced what a thing it would be for the love of women. For this reason, the spirit of fornication fought there with the spirit of chastity in the most violent way. And to sin on such an occasion was no less a miracle to overcome the flames of fornication than that the three men of whom Daniel writes came back from the furnace of fire healthy and unharmed.
96 St. Bernard, on the Song of Solomon, reproaches some clergymen who lived with women and yet pretended that they kept chastity. How before that time the papist priests took their relatives or sisters-in-law to themselves in the opinion that they could well live chastely with the same. And since I was a young boy, I still remember that the priests were not suspected of adultery or fornication, even though they lived with wives, until afterwards they committed incest, adultery and fornication quite brazenly, and also stole other men's wives. This is how much the fornication and lechery of the priests has increased since we remember. That is why Bernard says to his clergy: It is not good to believe that you should live chastely; for to live with a woman and not recognize or touch her is more than raising the dead.
97 But he speaks of the first heat of those who have not yet felt the flames of fornication, for whom it is impossible that they should not be inflamed with love. It is somewhat easier for a husband who has lived with his wife for a while. Above all this, love in the married state is also
that it seldom tends to be constant and to last forever, as Jesus Sirach Cap. 25, 2. among the things that please both God and man: "When a man and a woman are well pleased with each other. And where the Germans see that a marriage is well arranged, they praise it as the highest good. Well, they say, that is a good marriage. For Satan is wont to scatter among them the seeds of strife and contention, by which the hearts are torn from one another, so that afterwards they also stain and sin with adultery and other unseemly mingling. In the beginning, before they were married to each other, they were inflamed with love for each other; but when they were married and now live together in marriage, the devil is soon there, who then tries in many ways to extinguish such heated love. For he can blow both cold and hot out of one mouth.
- and if the youth of love and fornication is so senseless, this is not simple natural love, but is the breath of the devil, so that he blows on it, as Job says in 41. cap. V. 12: "His breath is like a bright flame, and out of his mouth go forth flames." Therefore he blows into the blood of the harlot and the fornicator and thus awakens a very fierce fire in them. Again, he blows into the hearts of the spouses a cold breath, from which the heat of conjugal love grows cold and passes away. Hence come these and such words of the adulterers: Uxor est honestatis nomen, mulier vero voluptatis, that is: "Wife" is indeed a fine honest name, but "wife" is a name for pleasure. In such adulterers the heat of the woman against the man ceases, and again also of the man against the woman; for the devil blows from the north a frightful cold and frost. Therefore, whoever wants to take a wife should ask God for mercy, so that he may live in peace with the wife and that they may love each other, so that their hearts are not torn apart. And if there is unity between husband and wife, so that the devil with his icicles does not come in, then it is a manifest blessing and gift from God.
1266 n. 2W. SS3. Interpretation of Genesis 39:7-12. W. II, 18W-I88S. 1267
- But Bernhard speaks of those who are not married to each other, whom Satan drives more and more to unseemly love and fornication, who have not yet tasted what gall or honey there is in love, and hope to gain much more than they will find when they have been granted their desire.
100 Cyprian also disputes the church servants of his time, who also used to sleep with naked women. And Augustine says that there were some special heretics who called themselves Abelonites. For they wanted to lead an unmarried life after the example of Abel, who was not married, and yet lived with women, as married people do, only that they did not bear children. But all around, in villages and towns, they gathered together strange children, whom they made heirs. And this, says Augustine, was very pleasant to the neighbors, who were poor, and their sect increased greatly as a result.
But I will now return to the text. Surely Joseph must have been a young man of great and excellent spirit, not only to suffer misfortune and adversity, but also to overcome the carnal temptation to fornication, and to drive back the hard blasts or storms of Satan, both on the left and on the right. For he not only attacked him once, but every day he tempted him to fornication with the most powerful flattery and inducement. Therefore, this example of chastity in Joseph is rare and incomparable; as it is written in Jesus Sirach Cap. 42, v. 14, it is written: "It is safer to be with an evil man than with a kind woman who makes a mockery of him," as if to say: "It is safer to deal with evil, strange men than with a woman who is kind and attractive, especially if she is also beautiful. For she is able to attract and capture hearts. In order for Joseph to overcome this difficult challenge, he has always looked with great constancy to God's commandment, and since he sees that no advice or help can be found to overcome his wife's unreasonable lust, he has always been very cautious.
He has avoided all opportunities to deal or talk with her, and he has fed her so that she could not come to him in any way.
Fourth Part.
How Potiphar's wife tries to force Joseph into fornication, how Joseph runs away, and the woman accuses him of terrible things.
I.
(v. 11-12) 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. And he left the garment in her hand, and fled, and ran out of the house.
Behold, how wicked and foolish is the woman, who again and again, and unawares, is hard upon this young man, that she may unawares oppress him by force and stealth, and compel him to sleep with her. Therefore it is a very powerful challenge. But it is written in the Hebrew: secundum diem hanc, about this day; where now the same should be drawn, I do not know exactly. Perhaps the Hebrews have taken this from the statutes of the fathers, that they say it was a special holiday, and the woman pretended to be sick, so that she would not go out with the others among the people, and Joseph was free, so that he did not have to be at the idolatrous sacrifices; and because of this, since the others all went to the sacrifice or idolatry, Joseph remained alone in the house. And this choice is quite probable. For it seems as if she had long before with special diligence sought cause and also a convenient day, so that she, if no one else was present, would force the young man either with threats or flattery words to commit fornication with her. Joseph, however, thought of nothing evil and was not afraid of anything.
1268 L. IX. 2SL-S68. Interpretation of Genesis 39:11-15. W. II, 1858-1860. 1269
He thinks that there is no danger with him now that his wife is ill. Otherwise, he would not have remained alone with her in the house, as he had previously abstained from their company with the utmost diligence.
But when the woman got such a convenient time and place, she thought, "He will not run away from me this day, because he has done my will. That is why she attacks him, since he did not worry about it and was not afraid of it; but since he wanted to do his usual business in the house, she fell around his neck and certainly hoped to overcome him in this way. But the Holy Spirit is still stronger. For the devil is now already overcome with his noonday breath, so he blows a new challenge from another place. For Joseph flees from it and leaves the dress in the woman's hand. From this it is clear that she attacked and held him with all her might, and that she tried to soften him not only with kisses and that she fell around his neck, but also wanted to keep him by force, and that she threatened him that if he did not do her will, she would call all the neighbors with a loud shout to chastise him as much as they could, when he stood by her honor to deprive her of it.
This has truly been a very fierce battle that Joseph has had with this wicked, evil harlot. For she has seen that all her arguments, even the most powerful ones, her secret stalking, her opportunities, her desires, her thoughts, and all her attempts have been in vain and in vain. Therefore she now despairs and gives up on overcoming such a hard diamond heart, and now her love turns into rage and madness; as it is wont to happen when such brats can do nothing with their whorish flattering words, they become quite senseless, so that they would even like to kill those with whom they cannot indulge in shameful love. Thus it is read of St. Agnes that, since she had male growth and resisted the fornication that the judge's son had inflicted on her, she could not be made to do so in any way.
He wanted to force her to sacrifice herself, and because she also despised it with a generous heart, he finally brought it about that she should be punished in the flesh.
For this is the devil's way, that he may extinguish the fear and honor of God in the hearts of men, by whatever arts he may or may not be able to do, and drive them to all manner of sins and disgraces. And where he is driven back both to the right and to the left, so that he cannot soon accomplish this, he nevertheless tries to weaken and tire those whom he has once begun to challenge and dispute with constant persistence: or where he cannot accomplish anything by force, he otherwise needs deceit and cunning for this, so that he may finally even strike down such a man of war, who has now been so tempted for a long time that he has almost become weary over it. For this reason, he now turns again to the left side, as he has tried in vain on the right.
For Joseph is now in danger of life and limb because he will be accused of adultery. Now this is a true saint who, for the fear of God, and because he has kept faith and loyalty to his Lord, and for the sake of other excellent virtues, finally brings this reward, that he is thrown into prison, and soon after that he should have been carried away, so that he would also be punished in the flesh. Thus it is with the life of Christians, and of those who believe in God, that they must suffer for the sake of virtue, truth and godliness, and not for the sake of sin or shame.
II.
V.13-15. When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was escaping out, she called to the servants of the house, and said unto them, Behold, he hath brought in the man of Egypt, 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 out, he left his garment with me, and fled, and ran out.
** **1270 2. IX, 265-2S7. Interpretation of . Genesis 39, 13-15. **W. II, 1860-1863.** 1271
(107) The harlot sees that the youth is so steady that he could not be overcome and that he left his dress in her hands; therefore the female heart now turns to other devices. For she makes such a calculation with herself: Perhaps he will make a cry and say: I wanted to force him by force that he should sleep with me, and that he escaped about it and left his dress with me. I will reverse the same argument and give it another form, which should be repugnant to it; I will say that he tried to deprive me of my honor, but he was frightened by the shouting and so fled away and left his garment in my hands. This is a beautiful rhetoric, yes, it is a real devil's art.
- Now Joseph also comes into great danger before the world because of his certainty and good report, and with it dies not only the faith by which he believed in God the Lord, but also the faith by which he served his Lord completely faithfully; yes, all his excellent virtues are also extinguished by this, and he is now accused of adultery in its place, as well as of hypocrisy and all other sins: as if he had shown such simplicity, faith and fidelity in his commanded office with special cunning, that he would have robbed his wife of her honor by such an occasion.
So he must bear the disgrace of this whore, by which his very best works are disgracefully distorted and sullied with the devil's poison: what he has done well in the house and otherwise throughout his life, he must have done for the sake of mischievousness, as if he had thus wanted to pave the way for himself to accomplish this sin.
The same thing happened to Christ. For why did he raise the dead, heal the sick, and perform other miracles? Annas and Caiphas answered, "He did this for no other reason than to become king, and to destroy this place," they said, "and all of us. Away with him, crucify him. He
has wanted to deceive and corrupt us with his hypocrisy, so that he has listened to the poor, foolish people until now. Yes, even afterwards the people themselves cried out, "We thought he wanted to do us good, but with just such good deeds he would have destroyed us to the ground. For such a hypocrite is the devil, who sometimes does good, so that he may do more harm. But he then attaches these bells to the works of godly children, as if they also do what they do in a godly and useful way because they want to do harm and destroy the whole world with it.
(111) As in our day the adversaries interpret and interpret our good works. They say that they are pious, learned people, but they do not favor the common things and the Christian church, but rather confuse and hinder them. That is why they cry out against us that we are heretics and the most wicked people, so that they may persecute us under a just pretense and shed our blood, and thus fulfill the diabolical hatred they have conceived against us.
(112) We see the same thing happen in this example. The woman calls her housemate and says: "Behold, he has brought in the Hebrew man, and he has left his dress with me. This is the devil's dialectic and rhetoric, and not only a proof of probability, but a compelling proof. For this is a compelling conclusion: If he left the dress there, then he certainly wanted to do violence to the woman. So she is the chaste, chaste and holy Lucretia, while she cries, sighs and howls: Joseph, however, must be the most impudent adulterer, because he fled and dropped his dress. That is the devil. Who can prevent this but the Holy Spirit, who does not forbid or prevent it, but only in his time, and sometimes allows it to happen, so that he may try and test his own?
But how could she call the servants in the Hanseatic League so soon, since these Lucretia and Joseph were alone? I think that because these things have happened
1272 2- IX, 267-sss. Interpretation of Genesis 39:13-15, W. II, 1S6S-I866. 1273
or shortly thereafter, the servants had come home again; or that she had not cried out the very hour Joseph fled and left her, but only afterward, when the servants had come again, she thus invented how he had run away at that very moment, when he had made off and gone out an hour or more before. And will have said: O my dear servants, how you have come at the right time! How I have longed for you! For if you had not come at the right time, I would have been deprived of my honor and my welfare. Now the most shameful adulterer has run away and left me and his dress here.
Yes, this is the cunning of women, and is actually the devil's secret stalking and deceit. She has now set her sights on disgracing him and depriving him of life, so she seeks out all kinds of sin and disgrace that she can and may lay on him, as many examples of beautiful, glorious virtues have shone on Joseph up to this point and even at this time.
These things are held up to us in the Church by the Holy Spirit as doctrine, so that we learn to believe in God and fear Him, and then always fight and resist the devil, who is always watching our faith and chastity, just as he challenged Joseph's faith through fornication. For where discipline and chastity are violated and weakened by adultery and other unseemly mingling, it follows that faith is also violated immediately. Therefore let us stand firm, and hold to the word, to right faith and good conscience, both on the right hand and on the left, through good rumors and evil rumors. Until then Joseph had a good name because of his fine, honest life, and because of this his wife's heart was wonderfully inflamed and moved to fornication, and for this reason he was truly a happy and blessed man, and all the household held him dear. But now that he has lost the good rumor, he has to deal with the most evil rumor, which has come to him.
And when he is slain, he fighteth: there also he passeth through. Now this is not written for Joseph's sake, for he did not know that Moses was ever to describe this: but it is held against us that we also should follow such examples of godliness and chastity. For in the end, such history should be kept in the church, always practicing and learning it.
After the other members of the household had heard the complaint and accusation against Joseph from her wife, those who had been pious among the servants would no doubt have been saddened by such a serious case, or would have considered the complaint of the wife suspicious, because they knew well how Joseph led such a fine, chaste, modest and innocent life. Oh, that the woman would not do him wrong! they thought. For it is well to be believed that he would have taught many rightly about God and right worship, and would have led them away from idolatry and other sins. Some of them will have lamented this miserable case, but others may well have been annoyed by it and said, "Did the prankster have this in mind? Such annoyances will undoubtedly have arisen, for who can prevent them? Just as we cannot prevent the most venomous blasphemies of Cochleaeus and Faber in our time, so that they do not write to Rome and to the emperor himself, and in their letters blaspheme us and our doctrine as if it were a rebellious and confused doctrine. Christ himself was also crucified as a murderer. So it is with this excellent great doctor, who taught many in this house with great honor and urged them to godliness and chastity, who has now had to annoy the whole household with his example, so that both doctrine and exhortation with all their fruits perish and fall away; just as all his virtues are soon obsolete and extinguished by this evil cry, which the woman has raised against him.
This is a great and tremendous pain, and it is all the more terrible because the one who has fallen is also greater and more excellent. The martyrdom is still a great pain over the
1274 L. IL, sss-271. interpretation of Genesis 39:13-15. W. n, I8W-I86S. 1275
The previous torture was horrible enough, since he was taken away from his parents and sold to unknown idolatrous people for eternal servitude. But at that time, through his virtue and discipline, he rose again and made a glorious name and fame for himself among the entire household. But this same name is now gone, and Joseph is thus spiritually killed, and with him die the beautiful glorious examples of virtue that were in him. Behold, they will have said, how have we had such a wicked master or teacher, how should he have taught us godliness and good honest morals, since he himself is such a wicked knave? Oh, these are real passions, which are very painful.
118 Christ himself also complains about such severe suffering in the 109th Psalm v. 2. 3. 4: "They speak against me with false tongues, and they speak poisonously against me everywhere, and fight against me without cause. Because I love them, they are against me" 2c. For thus the enemies of the truth are wont to darken, disgrace, and destroy the fruit and prosperity of the gospel, salvation, and blessedness in devout simple hearers. To such blasphemy Eck, Cochleaeus, Pighius and many others are right good masters, who adorn themselves with false and skillful praise, but they disgrace us, so that they may make us hated by those who do not agree with our teaching. Therefore, what would be the most beautiful and best, to capture the hearts of good simple people, they secretly snatch away, namely, the favor and the good inclined will of the people, through which we could win and teach many with the word. We must stink, that they may be beautiful. But the Lord will ultimately cut off all hypocrisy and the tongue that speaks proudly, as the 12th Psalm v. 4 says. As D. Eck recently came to a terrible end, which he well deserved by his words and works, since he went out of his mind without recognizing and calling upon God and thus died miserably. The others must also wait for such an end.
(119) Now therefore, concerning the lamentation of the adulteress and the slayer against Joseph
The house mates also had to listen to various unjust judgments. However, Joseph could not have been suspicious of his wife, that she should become so mad and nonsensical. He hoped that he would secretly get his dress back and that she would be reconciled; he did not know that she was inflamed with hatred toward him and that she thirsted and longed for the most innocent blood.
120 If the members of the household had been of sound mind, they would have considered the complaint and accusation made by the woman a little more diligently, and they would have found that this complaint was not quite probable, but that the arguments were rather to be drawn on the woman herself. For it was not credible that the entire household should have been out of the house, unless Traun had been sent to another place by the woman herself with deliberate counsel, so that she might be alone in the house with the only young man: Or if it had happened approximately, or rather if Joseph had done it out of sacrilege, that he remained alone in the house and came to her in the bedchamber, thinking that he wanted to ravish her, he could have done such a thing to her by force, however hard she would have resisted, and would have resisted him in vain or fed on him; as the story of the Romans says about Lucretia. And Deut. 22:25-27 is also written about a harlot who was violently asleep in the field, that nothing should be done to her; "for she," says the text there, "has committed no sin worthy of death: but just as a man rises up against his neighbor, and strikes his soul dead, so is this also. For he found her in the field, and the familiar damsel cried out, and there was none to help her." For where the evil desire for fornication is still mixed with nonsense, it breaks through and can easily overcome everything.
(121) Now if Joseph had had an advocate to represent him, he would have been able to prove his wife false, and to turn the arguments she had attracted and use them against herself. For where he would have been able to give her
1276 L. IX, 271. 272. interpretation of Genesis 39, 13-18. W. II, 1869-1871. 1277
If the woman had committed adultery, or if he had ever intended to do so, he would not have left his dress with her so that the adultery would not come to light, or that he would not be overcome by any sign that he had wanted to do violence to her. Therefore it is clear and evident from the story itself that the woman is guilty, but Joseph is innocent. According to this, the wife of the fortune would not have been able to take the garment by force and keep it.
But Moses indicates that Joseph must have had a special intention, that he rather wanted to run away than to fight with the adulteress. For she will undoubtedly have tried, with whatever flattering words, kisses, or other lewd gestures she could, to keep him with her and to soften him. But it is an uphill struggle for a young man to fight such a battle with a beautiful woman. Therefore it was a great constancy and the wisest advice that Joseph thought it would be better to run away than to have such a fight with his master's lecherous and flattering wife. For youth is in itself inclined to fornication; and when the devil comes along, he makes the coals burn with his breath and womanish flattery. Therefore the next and best advice is to run away, as Paul says in 1 Cor. 6:18: "Flee fornication." It is better to abstain from the company of such fornicators altogether than to quarrel with them for a long time. And if this had occurred to anyone at that time, it would have been very useful and good to excuse Joseph and accuse his master's wife.
(123) She has also mixed in her complaint some lies, saying that she has cried out, for everyone is well aware that she has invented this. Thus no sin is alone, but one always leads to the other. And this tends to happen in all cases of sin. He who does not soon rise again, repent and amend himself, soon falls into another temptation.
After the sin of fornication and adultery, lying soon follows, then death, and the habit of shedding innocent blood, and finally despair. It is the same with heretics. No one becomes a heretic for the sake of one article: but where they lack right understanding in one article, that they have allowed themselves to be deceived by the devil, they soon err more in other articles. Thus in adulterers many sins come together in one heap, such as lying, theft, death, and the like. Therefore, the story of this adulteress is not only cold, powerless and contrary to itself, but is also a fictitious, false and lying thing.
V. 16. And she laid his garment beside her until his master came home.
124 Moses used a very emphatic word in this place, which is also found in Exodus 20:11: "The Lord rested on the seventh day. And here she means that she kept the garment with diligence, so that no one would touch it or put it aside. This also indicates her lust, that she had a desire to strike death in the future, and that she could not rest in her heart until she had killed Joseph, because she saw that all hope was now cut off from her to commit fornication with him for her own pleasure.
V. 17, 18. And he 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.
This shameful whore speaks very ugly and shameful, so that she may adorn herself and make the young man hateful. Therefore, she needed a wonderful and even diabolical dialectic and eloquence to make the sin of which she falsely accuses him only great and heavy. "This Hebrew, your servant," she says, of whom you thought so much, "whom you brought in to us." As if she wanted to say, "We also have Egyptian servants, none of whom ever did a bad thing.
1278 L. IX. 272-274. interpretation of I Moses 39, 17-19. W. 2, 1871-1874. 1279
But this stranger, who is not worthy to dwell with us, who has been rejected and sold by his own fellow-citizens, has been allowed to do such an unjust evil deed. So she takes this from his name and country, that she may magnify sin; for the Israelites were greatly hated among the heathen, as the Christians are also.
After that she also takes an argument from her person, namely: If some Egyptian servant or also this Hebrew had weakened a neighbor or maid, I could easily forgive him and hold it to his credit, and the disgrace would not be so great: but to do something lewd to the woman or housemother herself, that is a great sin and cannot easily be forgiven or atoned for. That is why the emphasis lies in the word "me". As if she wanted to say: Is this not an unreasonable thing that such a noble woman should be so reviled, who has been the most chaste Lucretia in this whole kingdom and an example of good discipline to all other matrons. And this, she says to her master, is your own fault, because you believed this stranger so easily and trusted everything that has to be done in the whole house, including the honor of the housewife herself. It can certainly be inferred from this that you held this Hebrew servant in greater honor and dignity, of whose vice and misdeed you were perhaps not more unaware than I myself. Am I then so utterly despised and scorned by thee that thou didst not shrink from entrusting me to such a loose, shameful, unfilial servant, regardless of how it might affect my welfare and honor? But listen to how much work I have done. There was not so much strength in me that I could have overcome him by force and pushed him out: but when I made a shout, he was frightened and left his dress with me and fled out.
This is the grievous complaint that Potiphar's wife made against Joseph, and when the man heard it, he was very angry. For there is nothing so grievous as for one to hear that his wife is
The other part of the text is not to be heard or questioned, which should be done in all fairness. Therefore, reason cannot think or conclude that the other part should also be heard or asked, which should certainly have been done. For it is suspicious that she shows him a strange dress, and one might have asked, who took off the young man's dress? And although she would have wanted to give the matter a pretense and say that he himself had thrown the dress off, so that he would be that much more ready to run away: but if Potiphar had considered every part of the matter a little more diligently, and had also called the youth to him and had him answer the woman's complaint, then the youth could have countered with a splendid defense or excuse. Finally, if he had wanted to do violence to her, he would not have fled. But he could easily have advised and defended himself against the screaming; as Tarquinius says to Lucretia: Ferrum in manu est etc.: Behold, I have a sword in my fist; if now thou shalt cry out, yet shalt thou die at my hands. But Potiphar is overcome by the affection or love that a husband has for his wife, in addition to the fact that the matter itself is so utterly unjust and wicked: this, I say, was in Potiphar's way, that he did not inquire more diligently into the matter through all the circumstances.
V. 19 When his master heard the words of his wife, which she said unto him, Thus hath thy servant done unto me; he was very wroth.
Potiphar did not hear the young man's word, but only his wife's; therefore she wins the case and moves her husband's heart, so that he becomes angry and impatient, and he seems to have become justly angry about it. But where is God now? Where are the great and rich promises that He will love His saints and believers, that He will keep them and guard them as the apple of His eye, that He will be merciful, and that He will do good in a thousand ways to those who love Him? For now Joseph is utterly forsaken and is deprived of all help and comfort. First of all, he has been taken from his parents and led away, so that he has come into bondage to strange idolaters. What is this
12802- n. 274-276. interpretation of Genesis 39:19. w. II, 1874-1877. 1281
for a love? After that he felt relief in such bondage, when his lord put all that he had under his hands; but after the same refreshment he fell again much more grievously and miserably than ever before. For there he is brought to be punished like an adulterer, and so must die the most shameful death, because his good report, by which he had gained favor with his lord and all the household, and had won the praise of righteousness, holiness, chastity, and prudence, has at the same time gone out with him.
This is truly the greatest and heaviest cross, and especially an unreasonable reward, which is given to him for his faithful service, which he faithfully rendered for thirteen years: not only his toil and labor, but also his beautiful virtues are paid for with such punishment and shameful death. Now let him who will serve serve the world: but no servant belongs to the world but the devil and his mother. Joseph has diligently kept his goods and chattels for his master, and ruled the house most faithfully: but this shameful harlot gives him the most grievous recompense.
For this reason, pious Christians must not expect any other reward from the world, nor should they think that they want to be faithful and diligent in their ministry for the sake of the world. For the world is not worthy that Christians should serve it even with a little finger, but rather that the devil with all his angels should rule over it, which he does in a truly terrifying way. But as Paul says in Romans 8:20: "The creature is subject to vanity, and for the sake of Him who subjected it," we serve, teach, admonish, suffer, comfort, and do what we are commanded by God, according to the more part of unworthy people, since we gain nothing by our faithful service but hatred, envy, and that we are also driven into misery. And our whole life is nothing but a vain loss of all good deeds.
For this reason, you must never hope that the world will recognize and reward your faithfulness and diligence. For it does quite the opposite,
as this example shows. Therefore see to it that you look elsewhere with your service and life than to the favor and grace of the world, which can very soon be changed into fierce anger, and think thus: If I am called and appointed pastor, or schoolmaster, or any other office, then I will perform my office diligently, not that I want to expect reward for it from those whom I serve, for I have no hope at all that they will be grateful to me: But I will follow the kindness of my heavenly Father, who distributes his goods, and gives gold, silver, fruits, peace, health, even to the most ungrateful and wicked of men, and will remember the admonition of Christ, who says Matth. 5:48: "Therefore you should be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect," that is, you should also serve the wicked, unworthy and ungrateful, and not only the worthy, grateful and pious. But there will still be a few who will recognize it and be grateful for it; the others, however, will also be grateful for your life; as this example of Joseph teaches, what one should expect in the world even for the highest good deeds, namely, bonds and imprisonment.
132 Thus there are now many who in the beginning meant the gospel with all fidelity and loved it fiercely, who are now both hostile to the doctrine and also to the teachers. Therefore we must arrange our lives in such a way that we prepare ourselves for such an outcome and fruit of our work. And if something else happens to us, which we had not hoped for, we may count it all for vain gain. You will not change the world, but you should say: I have to go through it, because I did not accept this office because of the ungrateful world, but for the sake of God. As the vine gives abundantly and superfluously the fine sweet wine even to the most wicked of men: so we also, because we are children of God, should follow such weariness and goodness of our heavenly Father and the example of the other creatures, and not become impatient at such ingratitude of the wicked world, since God has given us
1282 LIL.S7S-278. interpretation of I Genesis 39:19, 20. W.N,IN7-ISA. 1283
We have been born into this life, since each one is set and appointed in his special place to serve the world and to gather the elect to eternal bliss. If there are some pious people who recognize our service and ministry, we should rejoice; but if it is the case that the other part curses us, condemns us and even strangles us, we should know that this is our reward, and that we should thereby be conformed to the Son of God and all the saints, who have also experienced and felt the greatest ingratitude of men for their highest good deeds.
Fifth part.
How Joseph was thrown into prison.
V. 20 Then his master took him and put him in prison, where the king's prisoners were lying inside, and he lay there in prison.
133 Then he has his reward. Joseph was thrown into prison, not that he should be kept there and have a good time, but that he should await the day when he would be judged and given the punishment that had been decreed for adulterers. For his lord thought that he would have him punished with imprisonment and corporal punishment and finally even killed. Therefore he dies right now by a very miserable misfortune, and in addition in the most shameful matter, as if he had defiled and polluted the whole house with adultery and the most shameful fornication, although it had previously been considered that he had been the pillar and salvation of the house.
- Where then is Joseph's God, who may redeem and save him? Why then does he forsake him? Answer: He does not abandon him, but tries him as an example and comfort to all the other saints and believers, so that we may learn to persevere, hope and trust in God, no matter what, in great patience, in tribulations, in hardships, through honor and disgrace, through evil rumors and good rumors, as Paul exhorts 2 Cor. 6:4, 8. For this is certain, that even so the church and the angels of God must honor us: we should be content with this.
and should not become fainthearted. When the devil and the world rebuke us with their lies and blasphemies, or even kill and destroy us, God looks with open eyes at our anguish and distress, laughs at us, and delights in our virtue and victory in our tribulation.
(135) Therefore we must know and believe that God is not angry with us when we are afflicted and distressed. For so Joseph also thought, Though this prison, this shame and disgrace, be very grievous to my flesh, yet will I look to the promises which I have heard, and to the examples which I myself have seen, and will keep them, and wait for help from the Lord. For he has come into the utmost trouble and danger; it cannot get any worse with him now. Over all the previous misfortune he suffered, he must now also be killed by force; therefore he is a true martyr. For now his wife speaks of nothing else but that he should die; and he is also thrown into prison, and now truly knows that he must die and perish in it. For it was a prison in which the malefactors who were to be punished in the flesh were put; just as the magistrate will be led from this prison over the bakers and hanged on the gallows.
Therefore, like a true martyr, he shed his blood for the sake of a whore, just as John the Baptist had to die for the sake of Herodias. Now he is already taken out of the land of the living according to his own and others' judgment and feeling. And there he truly offered the most delicious sacrifice before God and the angels. How should the angels have rejoiced? Meanwhile, his father sits at home, consumed by sorrow and bitter tears, while his son awaits corporal punishment in prison from one hour to the next.
(137) Then we shall learn to know the goodness and power of our Lord God, who raises the dead and makes alive again those who are already condemned to death. And this is what he wanted to teach with this example, what kind of God he is.
1284 D ix. 27s-s". Interpretation of Genesis 39:20-23. W. ii, issi-is". 1285
and how he will be honored, namely, with suffering and that one waits for him in suffering; as the Scripture exhorts from time to time, as, in the 27th Psalm v. 14: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord"; item Hab. 2, 3: "The prophecy will still be fulfilled in its time" 2c. "But if it be consumed, wait for it; it shall surely come, and not be pardoned." After that I think that it also happened that at least some of the household had compassion on him and otherwise showed him other services and wills, so that they tried to alleviate the heaviest cross that Joseph carried.
138 And we will hear soon after that the jailer also loved him. This shows that not all of them believed the complaint and accusation that the woman made against Joseph. Although he is not yet completely redeemed, he has not lacked refreshment and consolation, so that he has been able to recover somewhat. And now follows a very beautiful text, which shows that God has also turned his eyes to the prison, to the bonds and to the most shameful death, as to the beautiful bright sun. Hell, death and damnation are open to the Lord and nothing is dark or dead before Him. Joseph is indeed condemned before the world, but our Lord God judges much differently than men, although neither Joseph nor the other saints feel or understand such grace of divine insight in the face of adversity. For if we could consider it certain that Christ is the right bishop of our souls, and if we were all so minded with one another and each in particular, that we could say: I know that the Lord of the whole world, Creator of all things and conqueror of the devil is the right bishop, who looks upon my soul, body and life, and that he also looks upon my death and all hell, then we would truly be able to overcome all suffering, and in addition all tribulation and distress.
- But Moses needs a repetition here, that he repeats and says: "And Joseph lay there in prison", so that he thereby indicates that all help, all hope and comfort was taken from Joseph and withdrawn,
and that there was no one who respected him. Therefore, nothing else can be seen in Joseph but death, and that he must now lose his life, his good reputation and all virtues, which shortly before the whole household praised in him and of which they marveled. Now Christ comes and shines into hell with merciful eyes.
V.21-23 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 bring under his hand all the prisoners that were in the prison, that all things which were done should be done by him. For the keeper of the prison took care of no thing: for the LORD was with Joseph, and what he did, the LORD blessed.
140 Christ, who is the bishop of our souls and who can also see into hell and death, sees alone and takes care of Joseph alone, and is glad that such a beautiful sacrifice is made to him. Therefore, when it seems that all is lost, and there is no more help or comfort, the help of the Lord comes, who says: "Behold, dear Joseph, I am with you; be content that I look upon you. Therefore this text is full of comfort and joy, saying, "The Lord was with Joseph." For even though he is not yet redeemed, God is already thinking about how he will raise him from death and hell, now that his blood has called to heaven long enough, and has accomplished so much that the Lord has become a bishop of his soul and has inclined his favor toward him.
The Hebrew word chesed means good deed, gift, grace, mercy. It is not the word chanan, but chesid, from which comes chasid, which Paul interprets to mean as much as, benevolence, 1 Tim. 6:2: "Those who are partakers of benevolence." It means not only favor or grace, but also the gift of the Holy Spirit; for grace alone is not felt or sensed, but the gift must also be added. Christ gave him the Holy Spirit in prison, the Spirit of truth, who preserved him in death, disgrace, and
1286 D- ix, 2SV-2S2. Interpretation of Genesis 39:21-23. W. n, isst-i8S6. 1287
Shame, and has given him this meaning: Fear not, be of good courage, be of good cheer, wait for the Lord.
This is a whole and very great consolation, that God looks upon him and inclines his gift to him, that is, breathes into him the spirit of strength, of counsel, makes a firm, strong, living saint out of him. For he makes him alive in the midst of death, he kills him in condemnation, so that his heart can close: However fiercely my Lord rages and rages against me, I will not die; my virtue and good report will not perish. This is what chased or the spirit speaks into his heart, that he had no thoughts of hell or death, but only of life and good quiet rest.
So he is made alive in the spirit and raised from the dead. For the shameful, evil harlot had already taken his life with her lies, and in addition had frighteningly misled his conscience, since he saw that he had been accused and condemned because of such great shame; then he had already died both before his own eyes and also before the eyes and minds of others, and thus had also lost his good name and everything that pious people thought good of him. But now his conscience is opened again and is gladdened, for God speaks to his heart, that is, he speaks to him kindly and comfortingly, 2 Cor. 12:9: "Be content with my grace," I give you my spirit that you may not perish, I will give you a merry heart that you may endure. And this has been the first consolation, since the conscience inwardly has been rejoiced, satisfied and healed; and thus life and salvation itself has been restored to it.
144 The other consolation is external, since the text continues: "And the Lord made him find grace," that is, made him pleasant and pleasing in the eyes of the magistrate who was over the prison, because he noticed that this young man had a peculiar good nature. For where the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to men, it also shines outwardly, so that such grace may be seen in the face, in the words, in the mouth, and in the gestures. Therefore, since the others, who are in the same prison
Even though Joseph had been imprisoned, sighing, crying, and raging with impatience, he alone was of good cheer and well satisfied, taught the others, comforted them, and even though he had been with them in the same danger, he had not behaved otherwise than as if he were completely free and certain of his deliverance.
The magistrate was surprised at such steadfastness and joyfulness of heart, thought that there must be something special about him, and asked him what he had forfeited because he had been imprisoned. Then Joseph told him the whole thing one after the other and could easily prove his innocence. Therefore, he finds mercy with the magistrate, who alleviates his torment somewhat. He is now no longer subject to the whore, but has received a lord who has the power to punish him in the flesh, but he has seen and felt from his words, face and gestures that he should have been falsely and unjustly reported to his lord and accused before him, and the Holy Spirit makes him blessed in his speaking, admonishing and comforting. For this reason, the magistrate commanded him his entire office, just as Potiphar had previously commanded him to administer the entire household regiment.
This magistrate, however, was the supreme judge and had the power to punish the wrongdoers; whom the ancient Germans called a "Grimmwalt", that is, a power of wrath. And when he saw that this youth was skilful in words, and had a cheerful, honest face, and was of a peculiarly good nature, he thought how he might postpone the judgment of the neck a little longer, and set him free altogether; and for this reason also he set him over the other prisoners. So Joseph must become a lord, if he would already go to hell. For the dream in which he was promised that both his parents and brothers would bow down to him, Gen 37:10, must be fulfilled. For this reason, he must rule over others, not only in his servitude to Potiphar, but also because he was bound in prison, since he was not allowed to be a lord.
1288 L- IX. 2W-284. interpretation of Genesis 39:21-23. w. II, 1886-1889. 1289
The king was commanded there to punish the wrongdoers with the court and the sword, so that he himself did and performed everything that was due to the judge, gave the prisoners Estonians, and where they quarreled with each other, he had to decide, acquit the innocent and punish the guilty: in short, he must be lord.
He administered this office with great honor, so that the governor of the prison did not require him to give an account of his administration. He gave him complete and free power over everything that was to be administered there. Therefore Moses also says that the magistrate kept nothing under his hands, that is, everything that the judge had in his hands or power, he ordered all of it to Joseph and made him the supreme judge. Moses says that he did not keep anything in his hands, as is also said above about Potiphar, that is, he did not take care of the things that belonged to his office. For he had a governor who was very diligent and faithful. And now in this way the most holy martyr Joseph has come to life again from death, and after being raised from death he will also go to heaven and be set up as lord or regent over Egypt.
And this is the way that God is wont to keep, as He leads and governs His saints. Therefore, the example of this young man should be noted with care, for it is full of all kinds of virtue and godliness. From this it can be seen how our Lord God has polished and prepared this very dear and precious gemstone, and how, by slaying and killing it, he has performed a beautiful, lovely and pleasant sacrifice. For these things are held up to the Church of God and the consciences of godly people for their own sake, so that they may understand how it is with the counsel and works of our Lord God, namely, as he says to Moses in Exodus 33:20, 23: "You cannot see my face, but you will see behind me. And Hagar says above in 16 Cap. V. 13: "Surely here I have seen the back of him that looketh upon me." There is nothing else.
The beginning of divine action is that he turns his face away from his own and that he seems to be not God but the devil. Thus, in this story, his face is also turned to the harlot and the tyrants, whom he alone sustains and protects, and does not respect Joseph, as Jeremiah also complains Cap. 12, 2: "You let them boast much about you" 2c. Therefore they exalt themselves and boast that God is with them, is favorable and gracious to them. Here dwells GOtt, they cry; but Joseph, Jacob, Abraham have not turned this face upon Himself. They say: Here dwells the devil: "My face you cannot see" 2c., 2 Mos. 33, 20.
For thus God leads and governs His own, as it is written in Psalm 77:20: "Thy way was in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; yet thy foot was not felt. And Isa. 30, 20. 21. "Thine eyes shall see thy teacher, and thine ears shall hear the word spoken after thee." And Christ says to Petro Joh. 13, 7.: "What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." You want to look me in the face, you want me to do what you think is good and useful: but I will do it in such a way that you will think that a fool has done this and not God. You shall look me in the back, not in the face. Thou shalt not see my works and my counsel, that I may make thee after my own pleasure, and make thee again. It shall seem foolish unto thee, thou shalt not receive such of my works, but as if it were death and the devil himself.
Therefore, let us learn this rule and order that God uses in the government of His saints. For I have also often tried to prescribe to our Lord God certain ways in which He should conduct Himself in the government of His Church or other things. Oh, Lord! I said, I would like this to be done according to the order and that it would gain such an outcome. But God did that which was contrary to what I had asked. Then I thought the same time: "Now my counsel is not contrary to the will of God.
1290 L. IL, 281-286. interpretation of Genesis 39:21-23. W. n, I88S-1SS2. 129t
God's glory, but will be of great benefit, so that the name of God will be sanctified, His kingdom will be gathered and increased, and the knowledge of His word will be further spread; in short, it is very beautiful advice and very well thought out. But God undoubtedly laughed at such wisdom and said: "Well, I know well that you are an intelligent, learned man; but I have never had the use that Peter, or D. Martinus, or whoever it may be, should teach, instruct, govern or guide me. I am not such a God who wants to teach me or let me rule, but who is used to lead, rule and teach others.
Now it is very annoying that my wisdom should be taught and guided only by myself, and that I should kill it. And truly many have fallen horribly because of this, since they could not bear this death. For this is what the devotees of the sacraments do. They can teach God finely how it can happen that the body and blood of Christ can be in the bread and wine, since Christ has gone to heaven? if they think: Because I cannot understand that the body and blood of Christ is present in the Lord's Supper, therefore I will prescribe to God a way and measure by which it can be there.
So they force God finely to keep to their order and doctrine, want to assign him a special place in heaven, and yet do not know what or where heaven is. Why don't you rather close your eyes and ears and listen to the word, and when you have heard it, follow it and be satisfied with it, as it is said in the 37th Psalm, v. 7: "Be still unto the Lord, and wait for him" (he shall not wait for you, only do not be afraid of him)? If only the devotees would close their eyes and ears, and thus conclude with themselves: "Behold, I will take the bread and the wine, and believe that I am truly eating the body of Christ and drinking his blood, then they could easily be delivered from their error. But because they have heard the words
They want to measure and understand Christ in a mathematical way and argue a lot about heaven and earth, therefore they can never reach the true and proper understanding of the words of Christ, because they are completely deceived by the judgment of reason, which is blind.
Therefore, close your eyes, and all disputes from heaven and earth will disappear from your sight; indeed, just as they were nothing six thousand years ago, so now, when you close your eyes, as if they had been destroyed, they will not hinder your faith and the words of Christ. For the Word, which created all things, is to be held against the creature, which is nothing at all, if one would compare it with the Word. "He gives, and it is created," says the 148th Psalm, v. 5.
This is the way of our Lord God, which he has always thought to be and to be, and of which it is right to be astonished, namely, that he makes everything out of nothing and destroys everything again. Let us be accustomed to the same way, and cleave to the word, that we put away out of our sight those things which would confound or hinder faith, however great their appearance may be, or however great they may be in themselves. Where Joseph would have said: Lord God, let me stay with my father in Hebron, or had raged against God because of the unjust accusation and imprisonment, and God had fulfilled his desire and granted him that he would not have come into such servitude, nor been thrown into prison, according to the wisdom of his reason, which can hardly render this obedience to our Lord God: then he would never have been raised to such great glory. But because he was full of the Holy Spirit, he endured the will of the Lord with patience until he was finally exalted, not only to his own comfort and glory, but also to the land of Egypt for temporal and spiritual salvation and welfare: which country's salvific instrument he became through this tribulation and imprisonment, because he saw the back and waited until God revealed Himself and showed His salvation much more richly and gloriously than he himself could ever have asked for.
1292 D.H,SW-M8. Interpretation of Genesis 39, 21-23. cap. 40, 1-4. w. II, 1892-iMa. 1293
or hope. Therefore, our wisdom is truly foolish, and we are not only fools, but also foolishness itself.
These examples are held up to us for our teaching, and that we may be strengthened by them, that we may learn to believe in God and hope in Him. But faith is not of those things which are seen, but of those things which are not seen, Hebr. 11:1. As Joseph believed in the Lord, whom he did not see, and hoped that he had found grace with Him, which he did not see either, but felt and sensed that everything went against him; and yet he finally received what he had believed and hoped for.
157 Therefore he has walked like a blind man in the thickest darkness, and has neither God, nor Father, nor anything else, but only God.
He saw death and ruin before his eyes, but he kept the word that he had heard from his father: I am the LORD thy God, and the God of thy fathers. The word has been his life and from it he will be raised to great honor and glory hereafter.
Now this is an example of the works of God, which shows how God leads His saints so wonderfully that they learn to have patience in adversity through faith and hope; although hope is actually patience itself. For our life should thus be hidden, and should mean: Close your eyes, and keep to the word, not only when there is need and danger, but also in the highest articles of Christian doctrine.
The fortieth chapter.
First part.
Of the chief gift-giver and baker, and of their imprisonment and dreams in general; especially of the dream of the chief gift-giver and its interpretation.
V.1-4. And it came to pass afterward, that the king's tavern keeper in Egypt, and the baker, sinned against their lord the king in Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth with his two officers, with the officer of the taverns, and with the officer of the bakers, and put them in prison in the chamberlain's house, where Joseph was a prisoner. And the chamberlain set Joseph over them to minister unto them: and they sat in prison some days.
(1) There is nothing special in this chapter that needs to be dwelt on for long. For it contains only what was the occasion of Joseph's exaltation and how our Lord God revealed His face to him.
We have just said about the magistrate over the butchers, although it is not really possible to know how the police or house regiment in Egypt behaved. In my opinion, this magistrate was appointed over all those who slaughtered the cattle, either in the whole kingdom or in the city alone. He was ordered to take care of the slaughtering, whether it was for sacrifice or otherwise used daily in the house: he gave orders to the butchers on how to sell the meat; how to fatten the cattle that were to be sacrificed. We call it a marshal or court master. This was Joseph's master, as can be seen from the above, who bought him and threw him into prison.
3 Here, however, several other offices are also mentioned. And I believe that these were not simple taverns or bakers, but the chiefs, who were set above the other bakers and taverns. And it would have this city Witten-
1294 LIX, 28S-2Z0. interpretation of Genesis 40:1-4. w. n, IN"-I8sg. 1295
berg also needs such people, so that the bakers, wine taverns, and butchers do not so horribly strip us of our bodies and slaughter us more than the cattle. For they do not follow any lawful order, but slaughter, cook and bake only according to their own liking. Therefore, the kingdom of Egypt must have had very good order. In the imperial laws there is also a bishop over the bread, that is, who was appointed over the bakers and had supervision over them. And in the police of the city of Nuremberg, the same offices are administered with great honor.
(4) But I hold that this bailiff over the taverns was before the king's tavern at court, and that the other baked bread and cakes, which the king himself and also the court servants used; he was the chief tavern keeper and chief baker, as Joseph's lord was a chief over the butchers, and bishop or overseer over the meat.
005 Now these two have sinned against the king. But what their sin was, Moses does not indicate. Lyra tells from the Jewish commentaries that the innkeeper sinned by dropping a fly into the king's cup; but the baker is said to have brought cakes in which the king found small grains of sand. These are the dreams of which the Jews are well worthy, who mock the Gentiles and hold them in low esteem, praising only their own wisdom and holiness.
(6) But it is clear from the text that they must have been grave sins, because one of them was hanged for his sin. Perhaps they mixed poison with the king's food and drink. For the king was not so foolish or tyrannical that he could have raged so horribly against his servants for so little sin; but I believe that he was a wise, understanding and pious king, especially because our Lord God honored him by sending to him a great patriarch, Joseph, who performs great miracles; therefore it seems that he was a pious, kind prince. And such princes are easily despised, and
are considered fools by the court servants, because they think they have the power to do whatever they want. Therefore, I believe, they secretly stalked the king in order to harm him alive, and when this was discovered and they were apprehended, they were thrown into prison, where they kept the culprits who were to be punished in the flesh.
(7) From this it is evident that Joseph's lord, the chief of the butchers, was also the jailer, as the chief magistrate, who had the prisoners in his power, and is now somewhat more meek. In the previous chapter, Moses thought of another magistrate over the prisoners: but here we see that the lord who bought Joseph was also appointed jailer by the king. And that he forgave Joseph and gave him life is evident from the fact that he set him over the other prisoners. And it seems that the previous magistrate reconciled him with his master, who will have said: He is a very pious young man, my dear, spare him and do not take his life; for such a diligent and faithful man will be very useful.
(8) These wonderful works of God are to be recognized and highly praised. For he is able to convert even those who are enemies to peace; as Solomon says in his Proverbs, Cap. 16, v. 7: "If anyone" who believes "pleases the ways of the Lord, he also makes his enemies content with him"; or if not all, yet some are converted. This friendship or favor of the Lord came from the fact that, as it is said in Cap. 39:2, the Lord was with Joseph; as it is written in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 10:13, 14: "Wisdom forsook not the righteous that was sold, but kept him from sin, and went down with him into the prison; and in the bands she forsook him not, till she delivered unto him the scepter of the kingdom, and authority over them that had done him violence." And I like the text in the same book very much because it attributes it to wisdom that Joseph was thus wonderfully governed and protected. The Lord, who is wisdom
1296 L- IX. 290-292. interpretation of I Moses 40, 18. w. 2, 1899-4902 . 1297
that is, God's Son, who was to become man, was with him. For Solomon in his Proverbs undoubtedly also calls wisdom the Son in the divine essence, and we also teach from St. Paul that Christ led the people of Israel out of Egypt.
(9) Therefore Wisdom, the Son of God, who was to become man, is in prison with Joseph, and obtains mercy for him until he is lifted up. These are God's works, which should teach us to be patient in times of trial, and to hold fast to the faith, so that we may not let the word be taken from us, whether it be inwardly in our hearts, where we mean it, or outwardly, where we are to put it into practice.
(vv. 5-8) And they dreamed, both of them, the king of Egypt's minister and baker, in one night, every man his own dream; and every man's dream had its meaning. When Joseph came in to them in the morning and saw that they were sad, he asked them, "Why are you so sad today? They answered: We have dreamed it, and have no one to interpret it to us.
This is the beginning of the future glory and honor of Joseph. These two had a dream in one night and the dream with its interpretation affected them both. But when Joseph saw that they were sadder than they used to be, he asked these two eunuchs or officials what the cause of such sadness was. It is said that they had not been cut, but had been the king's servants and great courtiers, as there were many at the Turkish court at that time.
011 And the place where the prisoners were kept was in the house of the chief of the butchers, that is, in the house of Joseph's lord, which the king had commanded to his faithfulness. For it is clear from the histories of the kings and Jeremiah that the kings had prisons, which they gave and commanded to their nobles or officers. But Joseph is set over the prison. Therefore he will also have been forgiven the sin for which he was taken from his wife, Potiphar's wife,
and perhaps she will also have to atone and pay, since the Lord has realized that she herself was guilty of sin.
V. 8 Joseph said, "Interpretation belongs to God, but tell me.
(12) From this it is clear that Joseph was not celebrating or idle, for the Holy Spirit did not rest, but stirred his heart and drove him to punish and teach the others, just as these two eunuchs or ministers had done. He could not keep silent when he saw that they were so inclined to idolatry and had taken to it; just as he could not tolerate it from the woman that she provoked him to adultery, but advised her against it with an earnest and courageous sermon. And there is no doubt about it, he will also have preached this; although the conversation he had with these bailiffs is described in short words. They complained that they had no one to interpret their dreams, and when they could get rid of the band, they wanted to go to the Egyptian priests, to the soothsayers and astrologers, so that they would interpret their dreams for them and remind them how it would go with them from now on. Then Joseph answered: You will not get anywhere with your soothsayers and superstitions, you must not ask the interpreters about future things, they can't remind you of anything, they are devil servants. "Interpretation belongs to God"; from him one must seek the interpretation, pithronim, and ask for it from him.
(13) On this opinion he preached a very beautiful sermon; for the Holy Spirit was busy and powerful in him. And he immediately attributes everything to God; as he also said to the woman in Genesis 39:9, "Shall I sin against God?" For God was in his heart, in his mouth and in his deeds; therefore all his counsels and deeds were well advised, according to the teaching of Psalm 1:3. And he could not hide or conceal the confession of the name of God, for he is a priest and prophet. That is why he must have suffered so much misfortune.
1298 D- n. SS2-2S4. interpretation of I Genesis 40:8-15. W. ii, isos-is". 1299
suffer, as it says in the 116th Psalm v. 10: "I believe, therefore I speak. But I am greatly afflicted" 2c. And yet he is delivered from all this affliction. "Interpret," he says, "belong to God," call upon him, who commands your life, and ask him to give you an interpreter of your dreams.
14 Now then, although I know that you are inclined to superstition and idolatry, tell me your dreams, if I might be able to interpret them. For he already felt that God was with him, as it is said above, Cap. 39, 21: "The Lord inclined His grace toward him and gave him the Holy Spirit, so he began to understand and hope for all good things, and he truly interpreted both dreams quite wonderfully. Perhaps other dreams will have been recited to him from time to time, and at the same time he will have thought of his own dreams about the sheaves, the sun, the moon and the stars. From this it can be assumed that he will have been ready and well tempted in such interpretation; and yet he says: "To interpret dreams belongs to God. This is especially to be noted. For he does not conclude that it is up to human wisdom to interpret dreams. For our interpretations are uncertain and may be lacking.
(15) According to this, the devil also has the power to prophesy through visions and dreams. For he knows the order of causes. He sees the causes that are present and existing, from which he deduces how things will turn out in the future. He sees how the princes hate each other and have secret enmity among themselves, that one is not good to the other; he sees the practices of the emperor; and from this he makes his calculation and concludes: There must be great uprisings in Germany. And he is not lacking in this, where a good angel does not ward off such misfortune. So, I say, the devil argues and concludes from visible causes. But divine dreams come from invisible causes. Therefore one must ask for the same interpretation from God. Therefore Joseph says: "Tell me", I am God's servant; perhaps he will reveal to me what the dreams mean.
V. 9-n. Then the chief jarer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "I dreamed that there was a vine before me that had three branches, and it was green and growing and blossoming, and its grapes were ripening; and I had Pharaoh's cup in my hand, and I took the berries and crushed them m the cup, and I gave the cup to Pharaoh in my hand.
(16) This is a description of a vine that is greening, blossoming and growing. The vine brings forth the branches, which then turn green and produce grape leaves. Third, it causes the eyes to shoot forth when the small leaves burst forth at the same time as the grapes. The Hebrew word eskol means grape. "His grapes became ripe." Sachath means to express how we can see and take this from this place. For this word is found in no other place in the Bible, of which we have had many words above, the meaning of which is uncertain among the Jews.
V. 12--15. Joseph said to him, "This is his interpretation. Three vines are three days. For three days Pharaoh shall lift up thy head, and set thee again in thy office, to 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 thou 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 Eberians by stealth; neither have I done anything here, that they have set me up.
(17) Before these words, prayer and invocation will undoubtedly have gone forth. Because this did not happen so soon, as Moses has described it recently. After Joseph heard the dream, he went to a special place, bowed his knees and prayed. For the saints or believers do nothing without blessing and prayer; they do not immediately fall to the tasks they have to perform, but approach them with the fear of God; and because they hope in the Lord, they also call upon him. And though the outward gestures do not always come to them, yet they pray in their hearts and with sighs; as he said before.
1300 L. IX, 294-29". Interpretation of Genesis 40:12-15. W. n, 190S-I907. 1301
He also testifies to this when he says: The interpretations are gifts of God; and interpreting dreams does not come from our wisdom or art, but the Holy Spirit must come to it, without which there is no gift or interpretation. Therefore, he will have said: I will ask God to give me grace to bring forth such an interpretation as is actually appropriate and rhymes with this dream.
18 The Hebrew word mispath is often used to mean wise or customary. As in this place, where in Latin it is written, secundum judicium suum, that is, according to
the previous way; and Ex. 21, 9. of the householder who entrusts his maid to his son, jiixta judicium, that is, "who shall
daughter right to do to her". And in the 119th Psalm, v. 132: secundum judicium diligentium nomen tuum, that is, "How you should do to those who love your name," and how you should deal with those who love you; not how you should punish the wicked.
019 But Joseph's asking and desiring that the priest remember him, and Pharaoh's reminding him that he would have mercy on him, 2c. the Jews exaggerate, saying that he sinned in this, and that for sin's sake he must remain two years longer in this prison. But he is therefore unfairly and unjustly rebuked and punished. He did not put his trust in the chief giver, because we have so often heard that he bore this cross with patience, and was ready to suffer death and extreme hardship and danger: but this is an example of the teaching Paul gives 1 Cor. 7:21: "If thou be called a servant, be not afraid; but if thou canst be set free, much rather need it." For we are not to burden ourselves with misfortune or danger, but if we are troubled or distressed by chance or according to God's will, then we are to suffer all misfortune with a steady heart, but in such a way that we nevertheless do not despise good counsel and proper help, by which we might be saved. For this is to tempt God, when one despises the means that God shows to help us and does not want to use them.
20 Thus God has given us the body, not that we should kill it with hunger and many waking hours, but that we should wait on it with food, drink, clothing, sleep and medicine, as Paul punishes the hypocrites who do not spare their own bodies (Rom. 13:14, Col. 2:23). Just as I, too, was such a shameful death-slayer and persecutor of my own body a long time ago. For I fasted, and prayed, and watched, and wearied myself beyond my ability; that is, to kill and slay myself.
(21) We should be ready and prepared for both, to save and preserve our life and also to suffer death with patience according to God's gracious will and good pleasure. As God wants us to be lords over death and life, as Paul says in Romans 14:8: "Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's," and not only the Lord's, but we ourselves are also lords. For if we are the Lord's, when we die and live, as Christ himself is, we also truly rule over life and death. We cannot and should not inflict or charge ourselves with either, but both are to be received with all humility and patience. Thus we have above Cap. 20, 2. 11. about Abraham, how he had his life in good hands when he called Sarah to say that she was his sister, so that he would remain safe from the king's power. Jacob also fled from his brother Esau when he was angry with him, Cap. 28, and after that Cap. 32, he sends him gifts to reconcile him and tries everything he can and may to be safe from him. The same thing Isaac did Cap. 26, fled, gave and gave, so that he might have the favor and friendship of his neighbors and of King Abimelech.
22 Therefore Joseph did not sin in that he desired the king's gift, that he might be of service to the king, that he might be delivered from prison. For in the beginning of his misery he soon sighed and begged his brothers that he might not be sold; but since he could not help it at that time, that he might be sold by his brothers, he did not sin.
1302 L. IX, 296-29S. Interpretation of Genesis 40:12-15. w. n, IS07-I9I0. 1303
He has patiently borne the cross imposed on him by the Lord, but now that he sees that another opportunity presents itself for him to be set free by this chief benefactor at the king's court. But now that he sees that another opportunity presents itself for him to be freed, namely, through this chief steward at the king's court, since he knew that he would be in favor with the king, he thinks that he will try to see if the Lord will grant this opportunity and thereby save him from such a burdensome prison. And no doubt the other bailiff over the bakers will also have asked for the same thing and asked for it, although in vain. But if Joseph would not have done this so that he could be freed, he would have tempted God, who wants us to use the means and opportunities that he offers, and in turn also gladly do without those that he denies us; and so we should exercise our patience in the cross, whether on the right or on the left.
(23) Therefore the Jews' poem is not true at all, it is false and untruthful, and the counsel Joseph followed is to be praised for reminding the priest of the benefits he showed him in prison, both physically and spiritually, and asking him to remember them. For Joseph was a prophet, full of the Holy Spirit, who not only fed the prisoners and waited on them as he was able, but also comforted them and taught them how they should be confident, have good hope and wait for divine help. But this example should be noted with diligence, since Joseph sought this opportunity with special diligence, so that he would be free, so that he would not tempt God. Otherwise his conscience would have accused him afterwards, as if he had despised and neglected this means and this opportunity of his deliverance.
(24) In this way, I have said, one should also take care of his body, his good reputation, his wife and child, and all the provisions in the house, and do everything that is proper for its preservation, as much as possible. For where anyone would not respect his thing, his office
I would also say, if I were to leave my commanded office, what need is there for us to preach, teach and baptize much? God did not create us and place us in this world to live in idleness, pleasure and abundance, and to place all our worries only on God, as if we had to do nothing at all and be only good lazy brothers: but if everyone carries out his office with diligence, then God should be entrusted and commanded to make it prosper, and how everything should go and turn out. So does the husbandman: he does not command God to take care of the cultivation of the land in such a way that even if he does not want to do anything that belongs to cultivation, he does not want to plow or build the land or the field; but when he has done and arranged everything, he first asks God to give it prosperity and good weather. If God hears us and grants us our request, we should thank Him for it; but if not, we should also suffer patiently and obey our Lord God, so that we may learn what is the good and pleasing will of God in us, Rom. 12, 2.
(25) After this Joseph also excused himself for the sin for which he was cast into prison: he pleads his conscience, and does not justify those who falsely accused him, lest it appear as if he himself were guilty.
26 For we must not so despise our good report, or throw it to the winds, as to confess the sin or vice which is falsely and untruthfully imputed to us, and to be silent about it, and so strengthen the accusers and blasphemers with our silence; but we must say, I have not sinned. "I have no devil," says Christ to the Jews, John 8:49; and again John 18:23: "If I have spoken evil, prove it to be evil." And there are several of Augustine's sayings that are very important and should be remembered and acted upon. For example, he says: "He who does not respect even his own good rumor is a cruel man.
1304 L. IL, 298. 299. interpretation of Genesis 40:12-15. W. II, 1910-1913. 1305
Man. He says, "It is necessary for us to have a good conscience before God and also a good report for the sake of our neighbor. That one is innocent is enough before God, but not with men. For there it is necessary to have a good reputation. If a bishop or preacher is falsely and untruthfully accused of dishonesty, theft, adultery, or that he has stolen from the common treasury, he should not remain silent about such wrongdoing and thereby confirm it. If, however, he has shown his innocence, and the adversary will not be satisfied with it, he shall tolerate it in the name of the Lord and suffer such unlawful accusation or blasphemy, and shall not persecute or avenge himself on the one who arouses and incites the blasphemy against him. For it is enough that he has proved and shown that he was wronged by being so blasphemed. As the examples of Christ and the apostles also teach.
027 Joseph therefore saith, I am not to blame for this, that I am come unto this place. For I am carried away out of the land of the Hebrews, and this misery and calamity have been brought upon me by those who should have saved and protected me. Nor have I sinned in my master's house, but have been falsely and untruthfully accused of adultery by a very wicked harlot. Therefore I ask you to represent me to the king and plead for me. And this he has been able to spread out and magnify in a somewhat expansive and rhetorical manner, so that he would have the opportunity to commemorate his innocence and good deed. But by this means he will not yet be freed, therefore he remains longer and longer in faith, hope and patience, is content, does not grumble, is not angry, does not curse God or men.
For the very holy patriarchs had the right, certain, constant faith and knowledge of the heavenly doctrine, which we also have by the grace of God, that is, they believed in Christ and hoped to attain eternal life through Him. The article of the resurrection is in their hearts.
characterized. For they remain and remain constant not only in death, but also above and after death. For death is so often thought of for Joseph, he is so often killed, that one may say with truth that he also remained constant far beyond death. But he will have thought thus in his heart: Why should I torture myself, or rage and rage against God? I know that the Lord is my God not only in this life but also in the life to come.
Thus the belief in the resurrection of the dead also shone in the Old Testament, although not as abundantly and obviously as in the New Testament. Christ says Matth. 22, 32: "God is not a God of the dead, but of the living." Therefore, all the fathers who hoped in God believed without a doubt in the resurrection of the dead. For this can be clearly shown and proven from the disputation of Matth. 22, where he argues and concludes thus: Abraham, Isaac, and the other patriarchs persevered in the faith and remained steadfast unto death: therefore they also believed in the resurrection of the dead.
(30) For if after this life there is no other and better life, what need have we of faith, or what need have we of God Himself, or of hope in God above or after death? And if we cannot wait or hope for the resurrection, then there is no faith and no God. And again thus: If there is faith and hope in God, then there must also be a God who is God to all those who trust and hope in Him, for whose sake they also retain the hope of immortality and eternal life. For since all men must die and the godly nevertheless place their trust in God, they thereby confess on account of necessity that after this life there will be another and eternal life.
An Epicurian man has no need of faith in God, for he leads a beastly life. Therefore, he thinks that it does not matter much to him, he dies or lives. Julius Caesar has said that the quick death is the very best. For he was a pagan and unbelieving man who had no knowledge of God.
1306 IX. 2W-30l. Interpretation of Genesis 40:12-19. **W. ll, ISIS-I217.** 1307
word. Therefore, no faith, hope, love or patience was necessary for him. When life is over, everything is over with the Epicureans.
(32) Let us consider these things, that we may see how this article of future immortality shines forth in the Old Testament saints, who undoubtedly believed also in the resurrection of the dead, and especially put their trust in Christ, who is the Lord, the founder and the beginning of the resurrection.
- After this we have said that the example of the request Joseph made to the donor is also to be well remembered, by which we are admonished that goods or gifts, and all opportunities or good means that are available, should be used to nourish, preserve, and save our bodies, as well as the police or secular government, the church, and our wives and children. Each one shall do in his place and in his commanded office what is due him, and what he can and may do. If it is the case that he will lack prosperity and that he will not prosper, he should be ready for life or for death, for sorrow or for joy, and that he may endure good and evil, so that God the Lord may be our hope and trust not only in this life but also in the life to come; as it is written 1 Tim. 4, 8: "Godliness is profitable for all things, and hath promise of this life and of the life to come," that is, one should hope and trust both for this life and for the life to come, that the Lord is our God forever.
Second part.
Of the dream of the chief baker and its interpretation; item of Joseph.
I.
V.16-19 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also dreamed that I was carrying three white 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. Joseph
answered and said: This is his 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 thy flesh from thee.
This dream is the same as the previous one, but the interpretation is different. For the baker thinks he also wants to be redeemed after three days, as the other had been promised deliverance. But here the similarity stops, not of faith, but of things. Therefore, he does not conclude correctly: "Because the chief baker has not been punished, he will also get away unpunished in the same way.
35 The Hebrew word chori actually means white and is also called löchericht. Therefore Jerome did not give it right in Latin: canistrum farinae, bread basket. However, there is a difference between this word and the other Hebrew word laban, which also means "white". For the same word means that which is very white and shines splendidly; as Dan. 7, 9. is written of the old man, whose garment was snow-white, bright white; it does not mean dark or red-white, but that which is very beautifully white. And in the history of Esther Cap. 8, 15, it says: "But Mordecai went out from the king in royal garments, yellow and white" 2c. Therefore, throughout the Scriptures, the nobles, great lords, princes, overlords and rulers of the people are called chorim, that is, white; as can be seen in the book of Nehemiah. For it was a common usage, especially among the peoples of the East, that they wore white garments, as is also said of the rich man Luc. 16:19. And nowadays the Turks also have white clothes, as the Romans used to wear purple, and even now the Arabs are called Loban, from the word laban.
(36) Here, too, canistrum, a basket, is called by this name because it has many holes, because it is woven thinly from many rods like a net, a snow-white basket.
(37) Now the dream is this: In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked foods, cakes, and light breads. This is still
1308 L H.M1-"". Interpretation of Genesis 40:16-19. W. n. isir-isss. 1309
Everything is happy and good enough, and rhymes well with the dream of the gift-giver. For above, v. 10, three vines are shown, and here three baskets: but there Pharaoh's cup was in the hand of the gift-giver, here the basket is in the hand of the baker, but not of the opinion that Pharaoh should be fed from it, but the birds should eat from the basket. Therefore it meant for him that he should be hanged on the gallows, so that his flesh would be torn apart by the birds.
But it has been said above in general about the dreams and their interpretations, of which matter Lyra acted disorderly enough. But now it is asked: If and how the dreams are to be believed? Moses says 5 Mos. 13, 3. that one should not believe dreams, and Sirach in the 34th Cap. V. 1. ff. has also discussed this very diligently. Again, in the prophet Joel Cap. 3, v. 1. praises dreams, and we know that many dreams from the beginning have been shown to both the godly and the godless in the church.
39 Cyprian had a dream about Christ, how he was sitting and an enemy had put ropes on him and was chasing him and his saints. And Augustine tells a dream that his mother Monica had, to whom, when she was weeping, a youth appeared with a cheerful face and in a shining dress, who asked why she was weeping. She answered that she was weeping for the destruction or damnation of her son because of the Manichaean sect to which Augustine had belonged. Then the young man said to her, "Do not weep, for where you are, there he is also. Monica accepted this voice as a heavenly answer, and happily went to her son to tell him the dream, in which she was shown the hope that he would be converted to true godliness. Augustine, however, at first scoffed at the same dream, and thus scornfully despised it, saying: "You have not understood it well. For perhaps the young man said: Where he is, there you will be also. But Monica is still firm in her opinion. And Augustin says, he is by the same word of his courage...
ter has been moved very violently. For it was a dream, which was given, believed and interpreted by God's effect. That is why it finally happened the way it is supposed to happen with divine dreams.
The other dreams, however, which do not come from God, are uncertain and false. Therefore, it takes a special mind to distinguish the dreams.
Now I have often said that from the beginning of my cause I have always asked the Lord not to send me dreams, visions or angels. For many of the spirits of the wicked have attacked me, one of them boasting of dreams, another of visions, and another of strange revelations, so that they dared to teach me. But I answered them that I did not desire such revelations, and even if some of them occurred to me, I did not want to believe them. And with earnest prayer I asked that God would give me a right understanding of the Holy Scriptures. For where I have the Word, I know that I am walking on the right path, and that I cannot easily be deceived or fall into error. And I would rather have David's understanding than prophetic visions, which, in my opinion, David himself did not desire very much. But see how he had a certain understanding of the Scriptures.
The dreamers tried to drive and move me with their dreams, one here, the other there; and if I had wanted to obey any of them, I would have had to change my teaching thirty or forty times. But when I rejected them all, they cried over me that I was stiff-necked and had my own way, and so left me alone. Therefore I do not pay much attention to visions and dreams; and even though they have the appearance of meaning something, I despise them and am satisfied with the certain understanding and credibility of the holy scriptures. If I have the Word, I am sure that God and angels are with me, even if not visibly, but that they nevertheless give their brilliance and guide me on the path of truth. This is
1310 D. IX. SV3-A". Interpretation of I Genesis 40:16-19. W. n, I92V-IS2S. 1311
actually my opinion, which I do not know how to change.
- However, not all dreams are to be completely despised, although I have no desire to do so, but one must notice and pay attention to the right signs of the right true dreams. For the dreams that are given by God are soon followed by the fact that they are so imprinted that the one who has dreamed can by no means forget such a dream, or if the dream has almost slipped his mind or gone out of his mind, it will soon come back to him again; as can be seen in the history of King Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2, 1. ff. can be seen. For the seed, cast out by God, brings forth its fruit by reason of necessity. So it is in this present example that the two magistrates, and then the king himself, have had their dreams so firmly impressed upon them that they have been greatly moved and disturbed by them, and cannot be satisfied until they hear the interpretation of the dreams.
44 Therefore let us learn from this chapter what Joseph said: "The interpretation belongs to God", who gives dreams, and at the same time gives the interpretation, which no one else could invent. Pharaoh had many wise and learned people in his kingdom, as priests and other rulers over the worship of the Egyptians, as will be seen hereafter, among whom were astrologers and those who had experience of the celestial sphere, which arts were found almost exclusively among the Chaldeans. But the same interpretations are very uncertain and doubtful, although they sometimes agree with the outcome that it thus takes place, as the dreams have sounded, as one says in the proverb: Saepe jaciendo jacitur Venus: Where one often throws, one must finally hit Venus.
45 Julius Caesar had a dream that he had weakened his mother. The same dream was shown to him by Satan, who is the ape of our Lord God. For this reason, interpreters have attributed this dream to the civil war, so that it distressed and afflicted the homeland. Item, he dreamed that he flew. And in Suetonius there are many other dreams about
Nero and Claudius. These are not prophetic interpretations, but are considered as much as divination, of which Cicero wrote several books, as Tusculanae quaestiones and De divinatione.
The devil is a mighty and strange spirit, who can deceive both those who are awake and those who are asleep. And it sometimes happens that his dreams and interpretations come to pass, but sometimes they do not. For they have their origin from such causes as are before his eyes. He sees for twenty or thirty years at a time the council and the court, according to how the instruments are skilled in body and soul; likewise he sees how the princes are brought up and taught; sees what their ways and customs are; from this he can conclude a great deal. As Duke George saw before that his two sons would die while he was still alive.
(47) Therefore Satan can easily give dreams and then interpret them, as he otherwise stirs up the imagination and inspires people with all kinds of images, frenzy and fornication. Then he has his own priests and dreamers, as there have been many of them among all nations and also among the people of Israel, who vehemently rebuke the prophets and punish the godless nature of the people. But the same priests and dreamers are also often absent in the interpretation of the dreams. And if Satan had heard these dreams of the two magistrates, he would not have been able to understand the disparity in them so easily; he would have known beforehand what Pharaoh and also the magistrates had in mind. God also often prevents such dreams from being interpreted in the way they were intended, and from having the outcome that was announced beforehand, namely, when the causes are changed from which Satan concluded them. Therefore, such dreams or their interpretation should not be believed.
46 But the first and noblest degree of dreams is a divine kind of divination, of which Joel Cap. 3, v. 1. says: "Your elders shall have dreams," namely, divine dreams, which are certain imaginations.
1Z12 L. ix, rvv-so7. Interpretation of Genesis 40:16-19. w. 2, iWs-isss. 1313
They are inspired by God; and in the case of them, not only the interpretation, but also the faith of those to whom they were shown, who believed them, and finally also the right effect, that is, the fulfillment and execution, are set at the same time. The other degree of dreams is diabolical. The third one is natural, which is discussed by physicians and from which they deduce and conclude how the blood or the whole body of a human being is. Therefore, it is not asked what such dreams mean according to the external life or according to the Scriptures. And from these two degrees of dreams one should keep to the rule, which is written in Sirach, and which Cato also gave, when he says: Somnia ne cures etc.: Thou shalt not pay attention to dreams. .
II.
We will now return to Joseph. Until now, we have heard how God turned His grace upon him, and that He also gave him grace before the ruler over the butchers and over the prison, as well as before the two prisoners, who saw in him that he was especially fortunate and had a fine mind in all his doings. After this he also had inward comfort, feeling and sensing that he had been gifted with this great gift of prophecy by the Holy Spirit.
50 But wisdom went with him into the pit. Therefore he has good hope, and promises himself deliverance because of this glorious gift, and because of the grace and mercy with which, as he knew, the Lord had regarded him. He also believes, according to human thoughts, that he will have help and comfort from this gift. This is a human confidence, but it is not to be despised or punished. For he concluded thus: God has enlightened me with a prophetic spirit, therefore he will not abandon me, and gives me this opportunity to interpret his dream to the chief prince, who will be able to ask Pharaoh to release me. Such advice and thoughts are to be praised. For we should not despise the means that are available,
if they are also possible and natural, so that we do not tempt God. But if it is the case that we are deceived by such an opportunity or hope, we should be satisfied with it and not become impatient about it.
Now this trust that Joseph had is not so human. For he relies on the gift bestowed upon him by God, thinking: Behold, God has looked upon me with favor and has appointed for me only this supreme gift as a helper. Therefore I will try if I can obtain something from the king; and if I am advised to do so, well and good, but if not, then let the will of the Lord be done.
- and this example is presented to us for our comfort, so that we may know that we may seek help without sin, and use the means given or presented to us by God, whether of course to feed us, to save us, to preserve our bodies, or otherwise in a civil and domestic way, to preserve peace, and that we may both remain unharmed for ourselves and in general in our possessions and good. And let us not heed the words of the godless people, such as the Turks and others, who say that those things, once ordained and decided by God, cannot be hindered. It is, they say, a fate, a sending from God, therefore this or that will necessarily have to happen. If it is to happen, it is possible. But such things have not been revealed to you. Otherwise, faith, hope, patience and love would have no place, but would result in the hearts of men either despising God, or else that he would become hated by us, that we would not believe, or that we would expect no help from him. Therefore, God orders and sends the coincidental things to happen. Therefore, God orders and sends the coincidental things that are to happen, so that faith and hope may have their exercise.
053 And we have said, that Joseph shall be unreasonably punished of the Jews, as if he had put his trust in a man. For where one is to ask something of a prince, one must not despair of his goodness and mercy, otherwise I would
1314 2. IX, 307-309. interpretation of Genesis 40, 16-23. W. n, 1925-1928. 1315
I must not ask anything, but I must be confident and trust in him that he will graciously hear my request. If I am deceived with it, it is without sin for me. If I obtain what I ask, I thank my dear gracious God for it.
V.20-23 And it came to pass on the third day, that Pharaoh made his feast; 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 he restored the chief paster to his office, and gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: but the chief baker he hanged, as Joseph had signified unto them. But the chief baker remembered not Joseph, but forgot him.
(54) Here again the pious and godly Joseph is challenged, for he realizes that his hope and confidence, which he had held, has failed him, namely, that the time and hour of his deliverance is now at hand. He had asked the Father to remember him when he would be well. But what happens? Joseph is forgotten, and God allows him to be challenged and afflicted again for two whole years over such hope and comfort. Dear Lord God, will it not be difficult? it will last too long.
55 It is commonly said: Patientia saepius laesa fit furor, that is, where one is made too much, he cannot be patient in the long run, but patience becomes impatience. Which is rightly said of human or pagan patience. For this is turned into wrath and impatience, where one is to suffer too much injustice. But it shall not be; but Christian patience shall always persevere and remain constant, and the same saying of Jerome is pagan and not Christian.
Here we are also taught about the ingratitude of the world, what it is used to give as a reward for the highest good deeds. And it is truly a frightening painting or picture of the highest ingratitude of the world. Joseph had served his wife, Potiphar's wife, not only in thankfulness but also in ingratitude.
according to her liking, but in such a way that she became senseless from lust and love. What does she now give him in return? Death and all kinds of misfortune. Who then wants to serve the world? Who wants to wait on the regiment and the church? Who will teach and educate children and pupils, if he is to bring no other reward from it than the highest ingratitude for the highest good deeds? Of course, the world will not do that, for it does not want to lose its good deeds, but wants to have thanksgiving, honor and praise for them. And where it does not receive such things, it soon ceases to do good to others. Therefore St. Bernard also says: "Ingratitude is such a vice, which dries up the well of goodness; which is to be understood of human and not of divine goodness, nor of the goodness of the children of God, which is not to be exhausted. For they do not cease to do good. This vine does not grow a thistle or a thorn, but a good tree always bears good fruit.
So Joseph had to tolerate this wickedness and unfaithfulness, so that his gift would be forgotten, and so he would be kept longer and longer in the most severe servitude, and in the greatest misery and poverty. For he had nothing in prison but meager bread and a poor, coarse garment, and the misery would not end with him.
The world, on the other hand, is of such a nature that it devours and seizes all kinds of good deeds, which it never recognizes. And it also behaves in such a way toward God, who lets his sun rise over the good and over the evil, yes, he even pours out the entire world and divides it among the most hopeful and ungrateful people, who are despisers and blasphemers of God. But there is no one who sings what is written in the 34th Psalm v. 2: "I will praise the Lord always", and in the 148th Psalm v. 3: "Praise him, sun and moon" 2c. Yes, cursing, scolding, blaspheming and that one kills his saints, that is given to him for his innumerable bodily and spiritual good deeds. Yes, finally the Son of God Himself, when He was sent into the world, was killed, and yet He is of infinite and immeasurable goodness. Therefore he
1316 L. ix, sag. sia. Interpretation of Genesis 40:20-23. w. ii, is2S-iRi. 1317
Christ admonishes us in Matth. 5, 48, item v. 44: "You should be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Do good even to the wicked, pray for them.
(59) Joseph was well versed in this art, and studied and learned the gospel aright from the very best teachers. For he was sold in the seventeenth year of his age, after he had heard his father preach for ten years, and had also heard the right teaching from Rachel his mother and Deborah his wet nurse, all of whom instructed him with special diligence and loved him very much. For they saw that he was a fine, quiet youth and of a good nature. The wet nurse Deborah was in the grandmother's place. And the memory of the patriarchs Noah, Shem and Eber was still fresh and undimmed. And Isaac was also still alive; he will have diligently held up to him the examples of Jacob's tribulations, along with the stories, words, examples and tribulations of the other fathers. And Joseph himself also saw to a large extent the life of his father in Syria, and after that the tribulations that Jacob, his father, had over Dinah, when she was weakened, also over the death blow of the Shechemites and the blood shame of Reuben. He saw his father's tears and sighs, heard his lamentations and those of the whole house, and with him alone were his father's sermons powerful. For he was the best part of the good field; the others both killed his brother and father. Joseph alone was the most precious stone, who kept and preserved the words and examples of Isaac, Jacob and the other fathers. He has been like a diamond in faith in God, in hope and patience, and his heart has not been able to overcome with any impetuosity the many severe trials he has suffered.
(60) Therefore, in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 10, 13, 14, it is rightly said that Wisdom, that is, the Son of God, did not leave the sold righteous man, but went down with him into the pit and the dungeon. Yes, he had the same one as a teacher, who gave the prosperity that he could do the
He kept the word he heard firmly in his heart. He also had before his eyes the punishment of the flood, the fire that burned the Sodomites, and other tribulations; after that also various salvations of the godly, as his father tells. Therefore, the fear of God, faith, hope and other virtues increased and strengthened in him more and more, so that his heart could not be weakened by any impetuosity.
So now he is kept in the dungeon and, as it were, in hell, and although he has the hope that he will soon be freed, he sees that such hope is in vain. But he has a prophetic spirit that comforts him, that he always keeps himself upright with the teachings of the fathers, and thinks: Now God will help, but he is dragging on too long. But now it is very annoying to hope and always be deceived about it, and that the hope is in vain and in vain; this makes the sorrowful and miserable people's pain greater and greater. That is why the admonition in Psalm 27, v. 14, was necessary for him: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord" 2c. In the meantime, however, while he is departing, one must always pray and groan for salvation. According to this, you should also seek means, make every effort to be saved from your present distress and affliction. For if it were without hope and diligence that I might desire to be heard and delivered, I should have no need at all of invocation or prayer. But prayer should be diligent and unceasing, never ceasing, never wearying, always resisting distrust, unbelief and despair.
(62) For even Joseph, though he was patient in the Spirit, was still a man, as are all the other saints who remain in the flesh, though they do not live according to the flesh, as Paul says in Gal. 5:17: "The flesh lusts against the Spirit. And the same strife continues in all saints or believers throughout their lives, in some more, in some less. Although Joseph believed, hoped and thanked God in his affliction, there is no doubt that he had
1318 LIX, 310-312. interpretation of Genesis 40:20-23. w. n, 1S31-1SZ3. 1319
He also felt a law in his members that was contrary to the law in his mind, Rom. 7:23. He had such opposition according to the flesh and some impatience, but he overcame it, not that he always felt it, but for about a day or half a day, often two or three days, according to God's pleasure, who allows His own to be challenged, but makes the temptation come to an end so that they can endure it, 1 Cor. 10, 13. Someone must be afflicted for a day or two. The flesh must have its murmurings. But the spirit should rule over the flesh, as it is said in Genesis 4:7: "Do not let sin have its way," so that you finally close your mind, as if you had to give up everything and even despair.
The flesh, which we still carry around and drag with us, makes that the joy of the spirit cannot be perfect, nor can it accomplish what it should. For it does not come off in this life without grumbling. And yet the same flesh must be kept in check and forced, so that grumbling and impatience do not rule, even though it always drives man, irritates him and forces him to anger.
Now spiritual trials have also added to the misfortune, making the flesh outwardly weary and very hard to bear. For it is a wretched thing to be thus humiliated in prison, to suffer misery and contempt, to be neglected and left alone without all help and comfort; in addition, to have to experience nothing but the highest ingratitude for the highest benefits. Therefore this has been the greatest patience that no man can have by himself. But after the devil saw that Joseph was struggling with the temptation of grumbling and impatience, he first pointed his fiery arrows at him and struck him with them; just as one of those arrows was when he said to Christ in Matt. 4:3, "If you are the Son of God, say that these stones will become bread." So he will also have said to Joseph here: You see this miserable and protracted need; you see that your prayer is in vain and in vain; you cry out, call upon God, and
You believe in him, but it is all in vain. Now you had the hope that you would be freed and elevated by the interpretation of the dream that the innkeeper had. Well then, let God save you, if he desires you. These fiery darts of Satan were much harder on the heart of Joseph, who was already weak and wounded.
When the godly rejoice in spirit and sing, "The Lord is my power and my psalm," Psalm 118:14, the devil is far from them, and murmuring and impatience cease. But when the fence is trodden down, then comes the mischief. As long as the words of praise and thanksgiving sound and are heard, that they say, as it is written in the 34th Psalm v. 2: "I will praise the LORD always; his praise shall be in my mouth forever." I will rejoice in the Lord my Savior 2c.: so long will all temptations of sadness and misbelief disappear, and heaven and paradise open wide, hell is extinguished. But when they are abandoned again, then the thought of tribulation, abandonment and misery comes again. How Joseph thought to himself that he had been sold by his brothers, who now had good quiet days at home and lived in happiness, while he had to lie miserably bound and locked in the dungeon, when he had never deserved such things and had done nothing wrong. This is the devil; when the water becomes turbid, he likes to fish, and comes with the murderous blows, namely, with the challenge of unbelief and despair.
Now Joseph lay all alone in this misery, he had no one to talk to; there was no confessor, there was no one to comfort him and lift him up, since he had been oppressed by so many heavy misfortunes. Well, there the dear child lies for another two years: that is how long he is kept in prison. If it had only been two months or two weeks, he would have been able to bear it a little easier, indeed, with good will. But the head of the tavern forgot all about him, and would never have thought of Joseph's request for the rest of his life.
1320 n, 312-314. interpretation of Genesis 40:20-23. W. n, 1S33-1S37. 1321
If Pharaoh had not been given the dream by God, which will be the cause and beginning of his salvation and welfare.
In the meantime, however, when the inn had been freed, Joseph counted all the hours, days and months on his fingers with great sorrow and said with heartfelt sighing: "Oh, when will it be, now a year has already passed and the other one is also coming. At last, since the two years had also passed and still no deliverance had taken place, he thought that it was now lost with him, that he would not be able to be helped. Now nothing will come of it, he thought. These are all such arguments that lead people to despair. And has undoubtedly been the highest and heaviest challenge and is also the last.
- So this beautiful light sits in darkness, and learns to understand this word, Deut. 8:3: "The Lord humbled thee, and caused thee to hunger," 2c, "that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread alone, but by all that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. If Joseph had not had this food with him, and if the Holy Spirit and the Son of God had not entered the pit with him and sustained him with the words he learned from his father, he would not have been able to endure or overcome the hard blows of Satan. For spiritual temptations far surpass all human strength and power; as many are killed by such hard blows and thunderbolts of the devil; when he shoots the deadly spear and fiery arrows into man's heart, and man has no word of God, he is extinguished in an instant. And the same does not kill the sword or a man, but the devil directly pierces the heart and soul with his fiery arrows.
(69) Therefore Joseph learned to live by the word of God, and not by bread alone, so that he would not have been able to sustain his life in such great tribulations. For if he had not had comfort from the Holy Spirit, he would have died of sorrow, especially in loneliness, deprived of all human fellowship and help, and with no one at all.
He was not comforted by thieves, murderers and other evildoers whom he served in prison. For this reason, he did not need human help and comfort to overcome and stand against Satan, the world and his own flesh, nor did he live in any other life than the one in God's word. For he simply clings to the promise, is willing to suffer even something greater; even though he desires to be finished according to the flesh and also according to the spirit. However, seeing that God wills it so, he is satisfied with his will, and kills the flesh that cries out and murmurs, saying, "The will of the Lord be done. But it is a very difficult fiat (be done). My father was promised by God, he will have said, that he should have heirs and descendants and be blessed; and my father has taught me to wait for such a promise until it is fulfilled. Now I am held back and weakened according to the flesh; but in the word I am strengthened and made strong again.
(70) And so the very holy and pious Joseph was crucified, died, and was buried in these two years, and descended into hell. Now the Lord will come and save him, honor him and make him great, as he called him, justified him and gave him the Holy Spirit and his Son, who went with him into prison. Now the week of torture is over! For he will now soon be made alive and rise again. And this is truly a very beautiful example, which should be held up to the Christian church and to all afflicted and challenged people, in whatever way they may be afflicted. We would hardly suffer so much. And in this way one should learn to recognize God, that he is wonderful in his saints, as the words in the 4th Psalm v. 4. read: "Know ye that the Lord leadeth his saints wonderfully: the Lord heareth when I call upon him." The exaudiet (hearing) follows well, but the clamavero (calling) lasts especially long. Joseph has now lived thirteen years in misery, and two years in prison. He was imprisoned for two years because of his faithful and diligent service and his chastity.
1322 **D.H. 314. x.s. 4. interpretation of Gen. 40, 20-23. cap. 41, 1-7. w. n. IS37-IS4I.** 1323
But God hears His own in such a way that He deals with them wonderfully, as can be seen here with Joseph. He himself does not know the reason why the Lord delays salvation so long, but has commanded it to God and calls upon Him in the meantime.
This example should also strengthen us in our trials, which we have not yet fought with such great tribulations and difficulties. And the sufferings of these patriarchs far exceed not only the sufferings of the monks, but also the sufferings of the saints.
in the New Testament, except for the apostles, Paul and others, who also had such severe trials and great honor as the patriarchs. For we see that the life of some Joseph was also full of torture and suffering, so that he was tormented and afflicted bodily and spiritually for the most severe part of thirteen years; and he nevertheless performed such miraculous works, which may be far preferred to the works of the saints in the church, who were gathered from the Gentiles.
The Forty-First Chapter.
First part.
From the traumas of Pharaoh.
B.1-7. After two years Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the water and saw seven beautiful fat cows coming up out of the water and walking in the grass by the pasture. After them he saw other seven cows coming up out of the water; they were ugly and lean, and they stood beside the cows on the bank by the water. And the ugly and lean ones ate the seven beautiful fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep again, and dreamed again, and saw seven ears of corn growing out of one stalk, full and thick. Then he saw seven thin and scorched ears coming up. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven thick and full ears.
We have now heard the excellent, incredible example of faith, hope, love, patience and all virtues in the young man Joseph. But I believe that Isaac, his grandfather, whom we see buried above, Cap. 35, 29, although he was still alive after Joseph was sold, died around this time, since he has not yet received his son Joseph again. And he will undoubtedly be filled with sorrow and sadness of heart.
and finally fell asleep in faith and hope in the divine promise.
These are holy and spiritual histories, and when carnal men, as the papists, read them, they do not look into the heart, and do not see in them the great miracles of faith, hope and patience, that Joseph was able to suffer and endure such great misfortune and for so long a time with undaunted heart, firm enduring faith and hope.
(3) This is a very great example, with which others cannot be compared, because of the many innumerable tortures that all came together in this one man, which lasted such a long time and during which no help or consolation was felt. Otherwise, the martyrs, like the children killed by Herod, are used to get rid of their torture and torment in one or two days; here it would be too long. And you should find few who would be so miserable and abandoned that they would be able to refrain from grumbling, anger, or impatience. Yes, Joseph himself sometimes grumbled and wept after the flesh, and the flesh drove him to the point where he sank and became almost fainthearted. For the saints or believers are not lumps or stones, but.
1324 L.L. t-L Interpretation of Genesis 41:1-7. **W. II. I94I-IS44.** 1325
are human beings born of other human beings. Therefore one should keep to the teaching of Paul, since he says Rom. 6, 14: "Sin shall not be able to reign over you, because ye are under grace." Indeed, where grace has reigned and ruled, they have thereby swallowed up and overcome the weeping and sorrow of the heart.
4 From such examples flowed the beautiful and excellent exhortations in the Psalms and Prophets. For example, in the 27th Psalm, v. 14: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted" 2c. Hab. 2, 3: "The prophecy will be fulfilled in its time, and will finally come to pass, and will not remain outside. But if it be consumed, wait for it; it shall surely come, and shall not fail." item Isa. 49:23: "Thou shalt know that I am the LORD, in whom they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." The flesh and human weakness say: "It is getting long, the shell is warping five, ten or twenty years, and there is no end to the temptation. But remember that you have a divine promise, and in addition you have God as your friend and father, who out of immeasurable goodness, grace and mercy has promised that he will take care of you in a fatherly way, and that you shall be his little son. He is your father, you are his dear son. Yes, but nothing comes of it, says the flesh? Answer: Wait with all the saints and believers, and at last what Christ promises in Matt. 24:13 will come to pass: "He who endures to the end will be saved.
(5) Thus, in our lines, we are plagued and afflicted in many ways by Satan and the evil world. We are persecuted by the pope, bishops and cardinals; we are also plagued by the heretics or the spirits of the red, as well as by sacramentalists, Anabaptists and others. But what else will you do, but wait for the Lord? For you have the promise that God is your Father. Let hope come to faith: do not doubt the promise at all, and wait, even if that which is promised is not given so soon. For even though "the hope that is consumed anguishes the heart," as Solomon says, Prov. 13:12, one must
but hold fast to it; to this end the epistle to the Hebrews in 12 Cap. V. 7. exhorts: "God beareth you children."
(6) After this, we are to raise ourselves up, comfort ourselves, and awaken ourselves with such examples of suffering all kinds of hardships, dangers, and pains; and even if we should be killed, it is certain that we will truly be delivered and saved from all evil. Just as nothing bad happened to the dear martyrs in the past, when they were killed, but they thereby attained the end of all tribulation; but if we are preserved, we should persevere and always wait in hope and faith for the final redemption. For God does not hate or despise us as an enemy, even though he shows himself otherwise against us. But we should conclude and say: I know that I have been baptized, that I have eaten the body of the Son of God and drunk his blood, that I have been absolved by God and absolved from all my sins; indeed, that all my sins are forgiven me, and that I am promised victory over the devil, death and hell; what more do I want?
(7) Joseph did the same: although his deliverance was delayed for a long time, he still kept the teachings and words of his father Jacob, and did not doubt that the promise made to his father would be fulfilled. And if God had delayed it a little longer, he would still have waited and hoped for it; as Job Cap. 13, v. 15, also says of himself: "Even if he would kill me, I will hope in him." For these are words of faith, hope, and love toward God and neighbor. No matter how fiercely the world and its prince in the Pabst and the Turk rage and rage, they shall not take away from me the trust in God that I once had. Satan, much less the Turk, should not make it so sour. They may well take away our lives, our goods and possessions, our wives and children, and our health; but I will hope in my dear God for all that.
(8) In this way, the Scriptures awaken and strengthen our faith in God, so that we can
1326 LX.S-S. Interpretation of I Genesis41, 1-7. W.n, 1M-1S47. 1327
say: O Lord God, you have absolved me through a brother, baptized me and fed me with your body and blood; do with your servant as it pleases you; I will not be angry with you nor blaspheme you, but I will bear everything with patience. For I will not that thy covenant, which thou hast made with me in holy baptism and supper of the Lord, should be broken. Christ himself certainly pronounces such people blessed who persevere and remain steadfast in this way to the end. But of the others Sirach says Cap. 2, 16: "Woe to those who do not persevere. For they hope for a while and wait for the Lord, but soon become fainthearted, sink, despair and even despair; as is exemplified by the wife of Tobias and also of Job, who perhaps did not soon murmur in the beginning, but afterward, because of the long delay and because the calamity had become so great, they went out and spoke horrible blasphemous words; as, Job 2:9, "Bless God and die." As if to say: You still have patience and good hope, and yet you are deceived about it; you do not need any advice or help, you still continue with praising and blessing; ei, praise always and die in the name of the devil. But Job answered v. 10 and said to her, "You speak as foolish women speak. Have we received good from God; and should we not also receive evil?" "The LORD gave, the LORD hath taken away; the name of the LORD be praised!" Cap. 1, 21.
(9) These examples should be diligently remembered and held up and impressed upon the hearts of godly men. For what carnal men are, they despise, and look not to the substance of the virtues which are written and held up to the church for consolation, that we may learn that our affliction is a certain proof and pledge that we are the children of God.
(10) There is a saying of Tauler, although in it he does not speak in the manner of the Holy Scriptures, but rather uses a different and strange speech. Man, he says, should know that he has done great harm if he does not submit to God's work, namely, if God wants to crucify him, to kill him, to kill him, to kill him, and to kill him.
and destroy the old man, which only happens through the cross and suffering. For there you will experience God's work in you, who prepares you, planes you and cuts off the rough branches; and who cuts off everything that may hinder you from edification and improvement to eternal life with the axe, with the saw and plane, as David says in the 37th Psalm v. 7: "Be still unto the Lord, and wait for him."
(11) In this way Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Joseph submitted themselves to our Lord God, kept quiet to Him and expected help from Him. As in this present example God is now also present, and finds the time and hour to save Joseph: who himself could not see any way or manner in which he might have been delivered, but simply left it to God alone, and while remaining in darkness, did not worry about how he might be helped.
This was a good faith. Therefore God comes and saves him miraculously. David also praises this way in Psalm 105, vv. 18-20, when he says: "They bound his feet in a rod, his body was bound in iron; until his word came, and the speech of the LORD was made clear to him. Then the king sent and loosed him, and the Lord of nations loosed him." O what a wonderful and marvelous redemption this is! For if Joseph had been given the choice in the dungeon, whether he wanted his father to represent him, or whether he wanted the priest to remember the good deed he had done him shortly before, he would certainly have accepted the same conditions with great eagerness; yes, his master or wife, if they had repented and been sorry for the sin they had committed, could have testified to his innocence. But God did not want to use any of the wise men, but the king himself and the lord over nations had to call him out, so that his redemption would be quite conspicuous and glorious; as he will finally be raised to royal dignity through this redemption.
013 Let us therefore learn to trust in the Lord, and wait for him, as Joseph believed, though he knew not on whom he trusted.
1328 L. L, 8-10. interpretation of Genesis 41:1-7. w. 2. 1947-1S4S. 1329
how he would be redeemed, and has also been able to endure the long time and delay with patience. And so let us conclude: Though my flesh begin to murmur, yet will I restrain myself, and constrain the raging of the flesh. We should be astonished at such examples and love them. For they far surpass the fasting of the monks and the hard clothing of the Carthusians. For these examples change and inflame the hearts of godly people through faith, hope and love.
14 Therefore now follows a very beautiful preparation or beginning of the redemption of Joseph. For now the Lord comes after two years of days, as it is written in Hebrew, that is, after the days of two years, and gives the king a dream, the interpretation of which he will ask of Joseph, and will also hand over to him the administration of the things previously announced by the dream.
15 As for the grammar, I will leave it to the Hebrews, although the description is clear enough. And the two meanings in the Hebrew words rioth and dakkoth, which are somewhat the same, are especially to be noted. Now it becomes clear what God's counsel was with Joseph and how he dealt with people. For Joseph was lost and condemned, crucified, dead and buried; but while he remained and believed in God, he had to become a savior of the world, which never occurred to him that he could have hoped, wished or desired. For he would have been gladly satisfied with the blessing, if only he had been led out of the pit of the heavy prison and had been delivered to his father again, and in addition had received a gift, so that he could have come back to his own so much more honestly and gloriously. But God says thus: Dear Joseph, you are far lacking; you do not know that you have such a Lord, who is mighty, and "can do abundantly above all that we ask or understand," Eph. 3, 20. For in this way God is wont to hear His own, and His hearing is also adorned and praised with this praise, so that they will not forget our request and understanding.
and the human heart cannot grasp or comprehend all that God thinks of the prayer of the blessed.
16 Consider our own example of how small and weak we were against the pope in the beginning. Our sighing at that time was almost petty, "like a straight smoke," which is reported in the Song of Solomon, Cap. 3, 6. is reported. But we were not allowed to hope for such great light and glory, as we see before our eyes today, praise God, that the teaching of the gospel suppresses the power of the pope and breaks the tyranny of the devil, since so many people have been saved from the power of darkness.
Thus Joseph sighed and longed, desired to be finished and to be in his father's house, wanted to forgive his brothers, only that he might hear the teaching of right godliness in the right church. But God answered him: "I am the Lord, your God, whom you call upon, who burns incense and offers "straight smoke," Ecclesiastes 3:6. I smell and take great delight in the lighted incense, for the smell of your prayer, faith and hope has filled not only my nose, but also the whole heaven. I will redeem thee, that it may be called, above all things, if thou canst understand.
(18) But it is right to lament the sorrow and weakness of our flesh, which makes us not believe what we ourselves teach. For we have the word, and know that it is true and certain: but in the use and practice thereof our faith is weak and trembles miserably. Therefore it is a great blessing of God that he has revealed this comfort to us, Isa. 42:3: "I will not put out the smoldering wick. On the last day, however, we will accuse and punish ourselves because of our impatience, and we will say: If I were still on earth in my former life, I would not refuse to suffer baptismal death and the cross. But now it is time for us to awaken our hearts to patience and obedience.
(19) But our weakness grieves the Lord, and without our merit he showers us with many countless benefits, which we ourselves have never thought of. As St. Augustine's mother shows that God has given her
1330 L.X, 1O-IS. Interpretation of Genesis 41:1-7. W. n, 1SLS-1SS2. 1331
She was given more than she was allowed to ask or desire. For sitz prayed and sighed for her son, that he might only be baptized, and when he was baptized, she gladly died. For she was well satisfied with the same gift and conversion of her son, and thought that her request had thus been done enough. But after her death, Augustin became an excellent teacher in the church and, after the apostles, the most distinguished teacher, who saved many countless souls from manifold errors and also overcame many horrible heretics. The same was actually accomplished by his mother with her weeping and groaning. Our Lord God is a fine God, if only we could believe it.
20 The same may be seen in this present history. The king in Egypt himself had to have a dream by God's sending only for the reason that Joseph might be led out of the dungeon and delivered with great grace, honor and glory. Pharaoh was a pagan and knew nothing of the God of the Hebrews, but God condescended to speak to a pagan king through a dream, not for Pharaoh's sake, but for the sake of his dear son Joseph, who was in prison. Then Pharaoh must serve this prisoner, and all Egypt must have refuge in this son, who was to be freed from prison, not so much for the sake of Joseph himself, but also for the welfare and bliss of the kingdom of Egypt and other surrounding countries.
21 Therefore the grain of wheat brings forth fruit a hundredfold, when it is cast into the ground and dies, John 12:24. For who could tell all the fruits thereof? This is still a small thing and only something physical, that he saves all the Egyptians from famine and torment, and also delivers Pharaoh himself from death with other peoples of the surrounding countries; although it is a great blessing to receive so many thousands of people that they do not perish; or even if in such hardship of the prolonged torment some died, that nevertheless the greater part was preserved. But these are
Finally, the great gifts that David praises in Psalm 105, v. 21, 22, where he says: "He made him lord over his house, ruler over all his goods, to instruct his princes in his ways, and to teach his elders wisdom. This is a great miracle, that Joseph, who in his father's house lost both kingdom and priesthood through the envy of his brothers, has been given dominion and rule over all Egypt, which he saves from death and famine, both bodily and spiritual. For he has become a regent and teacher of the promises of God.
So David looked into this history a little deeper and realized how useful and beneficial Joseph had been to the kingdom of Egypt. How many fine people he will have made! He taught the princes and the king himself, and even converted the whole royal court to the faith; yes, he showed the right way of worship, and also appointed priests to show others the way and instruct them. And to speak of it recently, he was the real Christ in Egypt, and even more, as our Lord Christ says John 14:12: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and shall do greater works than these." Christ converted a small nation in the narrow corner of the united land of Judah, fed several thousand people with little bread: this Joseph fed all Egypt and the surrounding nations and kingdoms, both bodily and spiritually. This is John 15:16: "I have set you to go and bring forth fruit, and your fruit shall remain," even among the uncircumcised Gentiles, who are not subject to the law of the fathers; as Joseph brought forth fruit in Egypt.
Therefore learn to trust, believe, hope and wait for God, and to hold fast to the word and say with St. Paul Rom. 8, 18: "This time's suffering is not worthy of the glory that is to be revealed in us", it is too little; item 2 Cor. 4, 17. 18.: "Our affliction, which is temporal and light, creates an eternal and exceeding glory for us, who do not look at the visible but at the invisible" 2c.
1332 D- X. 12-14- Interpretation of Genesis 41:1-7. W. II, ISSL-ISSS. 1333
(24) And Joseph will no doubt have been angry with himself and said, when he came out fresh and healthy, "Why did I murmur in prison? I see that the most gracious God stood by me when I was sad and grumbling. I should rather have rejoiced, laughed and been happy in my distress and affliction. Oh dear Lord God, forgive me my weakness! For I could not have earned these great benefits, which you have shown to so many people through me, with any weeping or groaning, with any cross or suffering. You are such a God who gives more than I have ever been able to hope for or understand. Yes, this is how I help my own, says God; this is how my works are done, so that they surpass all understanding and human reason. As the example of Daniel in Babylon also testifies. But this is a great blessing, that God also spares and forgives the crushed reed and the smoldering wick, and is satisfied even with a little spark, if we already grumble, if we only do not fall away from faith, nor from hope, but that we say with Job Cap. 13, V. 15: "Even if he would kill me, I will hope in him."
In this way God awakens a glorious and famous savior for the young man Joseph, namely the king of Egypt himself, whom the Lord dignifies to visit him so kindly and graciously through a dream. Such dreams are truly true prophecies, even though Pharaoh does not yet understand them, but simply keeps our Lord God silent by speaking to him.
- But since our Lord God cares for us so much and so diligently, and takes care of us, and is so very near to us, what is it that could make us so very mad or despondent? For this example teaches that God not only preserves and provides for those who are awake and working, but also in sleep, when we do nothing, even if we do not know that we are alive, He also takes care of our dreams and counts all the worries and sighs of those who are asleep.
I am the enemy of my flesh,
because I know that all this is true, and yet I do not take it seriously to my heart. For what man would not be moved by the great diligence and care that God has for us to count not only the hairs of our head, but also our tears, and to gather them into a bag, as the 56th Psalm v. 9 says: "Count my tears, gather them into your bag. Without a doubt, you count them"; no tear must be in vain, it is marked with great, mighty letters in heaven.
Therefore we do not groan, weep and suffer in vain. Everything is written and recorded in the book of our Lord God. That means to look right into it. God does not look at us from afar, but is close to us, and counts my imagination and thoughts, sadness and pain, even at night, and wants them to be repaid much more abundantly than I have desired or understood myself. Hence came the saying of Paul, which should be in our minds and hearts forever, 2 Cor. 4:17: "Our affliction and what we suffer is temporal and very light, because we know that the glory and salvation will be much greater than we can achieve with a few thoughts or words; and yet God is so careful about the light and short temporal suffering of the godly.
29 What then is the cause of our being so miserably afflicted and distressed? Namely, the weakness of our faith and hope, and the wickedness of our flesh. O strike dead, dear Lord God! Shall I have such a God who is so careful that He keeps me even at night when I sleep or dream? Is it not enough that He protects those who are awake and guides our walk? He also takes care of our sleep and dreams? This is truly having a gracious God who preserves us and does not allow a hair to fall from our head, or the eyeball to drop, or every drop that falls from the eyes to be counted. If you weep, he has a golden basin or bowl and catches the tears. But who are those whose tears he catches so accurately? Answer: They are poor miserable sinners. Who
1334 D. X. 14-I". Interpretation of Genesis 41, I-8. W. n. I98S-1M. 1335
is it then that gathers? It is God, the Creator of all things. This is what we should often think about, to awaken faith, hope and love in us, because we have the Word, the examples and our own experience of the immeasurable goodness of God.
30 Now the first thing that God speaks to Pharaoh in a dream is God's word, and He speaks it so that it may finally be revealed and understood. For it is not given to remain hidden and dark, as the Lord says in Isa. 55:11: "My word shall not return to me void," but it will have its effect, although at some times it will be somewhat darker, and at others it will be clearer.
(31) How we have had the word in the ministry, and no doubt many have been saved by faith in it. And the word of God's grace rings out in our churches even now, but much brighter than in former times. But we increase daily from one clarity to another, as from the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3:18. For we understand it more and more clearly from day to day, and yet learn nothing else, but are transfigured into the same image. The longer we learn, the more we learn, and yet we learn nothing else. As when I walk in the open field and see a man walking along from a distance, at first he seems to me to be a peasant or a tree; but when I come closer, I gradually begin to recognize more and more that 'it is a man, until I see this or that man, a certain person. It's the same with our knowledge: at first it's still confused, but then it becomes clearer and clearer. For at first, when God's word is presented to us, it is not immediately fully understood, but is nevertheless grasped and accepted, even though in weakness; not as if the knowledge of Christ were to be obscured, but so that it may be practiced and increased from day to day until it may finally become perfect.
The same also happens in the change of our will, which also increases daily, when we learn to hope, trust and be patient more and more. Therefore it is one and the same faith,
who begins, increases, and is perfected. For we are always being transfigured into the same image; but the word was given for this reason, that it should be practiced, and that it should also practice you daily and every hour, until you grow and become a perfect man. Thus Pharaoh does not yet understand nor does he recognize God who speaks to him through a dream.
V. 7 Then Pharaoh awoke and realized that it was a dream.
Dreams inspired by God are imprinted on the dreamer in such a way that he feels and experiences more intense and greater movement than in the common dreams of other people and even unreasonable animals. Such a feeling was also in Pharaoh, and God moved his heart that he paid attention to the dream and kept it, especially since it occurred to him for the second time. Like Nebuchadnezzar, when he no longer thought of the dream, he could not forget it because it was so deeply impressed on him. And such dreams are commonly interpreted by God, because they also came from God.
V. 8 When morning came, his spirit was troubled, and he sent out and called all the soothsayers of Egypt and all the wise men, and told them his dreams. But there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
Pharaoh feels and senses that it is a revelation, yet he does not understand it. Therefore, the Holy Spirit comes and interprets it to him. Pharaoh's distress was not so much intense and frightening, but his heart was a little frightened and eager to know what these dreams might mean. Therefore he sent out and called all the soothsayers and wise men in Egypt.
35 Harthummim, in Hebrew, find Ex 7:11, the priests who sat against Moses. For every nation has had its teachers: the magicians in the Orient, the Chaldeans in Babylonia, the Sophoi or wise men in Greece. The sapientes or wise men were famous among the Romans like prelates or priests, like the Romans next to the lawyers.
1336 x. is-rs. Interpretation of Genesis 41:8-14. w. ii, isss-iosi. 1337
The people of the city also had priests and teachers who publicly taught the doctrine of religion, as well as other natural and magical arts. And they did not lack listeners who also learned the same arts.
(36) Or if it please any man better, we may take it that these wise men were employed and paid by the king to instruct and teach the youth, and that they had their schools, wherein they taught religion, and otherwise all manner of arts, both good and evil. For this is commonly mixed among themselves, although the teaching is purified and properly arranged, especially in large countries or kingdoms. As we in our time teach the true religion, but the others, as those at Paris and the teachers at other universities, teach the papist and false religion; and yet they bear the title and name that they are called theologians, doctors and masters. So there have been sects among the pagan philosophers in the past. For Satan always has his own teachers in all kinds of studies.
(37) These were the forerunners, masters and interpreters of the religion and of the miracles of the future, all of whom the king called, and to whom he told his dream, which they could not interpret. But this is the right way, by which they are to be led and prepared for the school of Joseph, who is to lead them all to the school, teach them and teach the right true religion. And this is a preparation for the fruit which Joseph was to bear in Egypt, and is the thanks which he gave to his traitors and masters of the sticks. For he repaid and paid for the worst and most horrible deeds they committed against him with the very best fruits. As our Lord God lets his sun shine over grateful and ungrateful people.
V.9-13. Then the chief baker spake unto Pharaoh, saying: I remember my sin this day: for Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in prison with the chief baker, in the chamberlain's house.
We both dreamed in one night, each of us his own dream, the interpretation of which concerned him. There was a young man from Ezra with us, the court master's servant, to whom we told the story. And he interpreted our dreams to us, to each according to his dream. And as he interpreted us, so it came to pass; for I am restored to my office, and he is hanged.
38 All this is said to be an occasion for the deliverance of Joseph. The innkeeper spoke to the king with due deference, recounting his sin and thanking the king for his mercy and grace in redeeming him. He told these things so extensively that he could justifiably remember the young man Joseph. He may have been long enough in telling them, unless perhaps he did not have the opportunity to tell them before that time, or, more likely, the king and the court despised them as useless or futile, since the king never had a dream, nor did he need such an interpreter. In the text above, Cap. 40, v. 23, Moses said that Joseph had been forgotten; therefore this gift cannot be held so innocent; although it is almost common in all courts to neglect and despise such things until the water goes over the baskets. Now, however, time and great need require that attention be paid to Joseph as well; that is where it begins.
V. 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and let him out of the hole in haste.
(39) Throughout the kingdom of Egypt, an interpreter was sought from among all the wise men and diviners, and no doubt a great reward was set upon it. As Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar do in the history of Daniel. So everything happened with great glory and great preparation. And because they all competed for it, as it were, and one wanted to please the king before the other and earn his gratitude, they now hurry to release Joseph from prison and prevent them from doing so.
1338 D. x, 18-20. interpretation of Genesis 41, 14-16. W. n, issi-i"". 1339
Nothing that he is a stranger, miserable, imprisoned and bound in the dungeon. For they realize and understand that it is very important that the king's dream be interpreted correctly. And it is certainly true that even the great dominions and kingdoms have their dangers and evils. But there is generally more fear of evil than hope for future good. And these dreams were such that it could easily be felt that the fat cattle must have a good and blissful interpretation, but the lean ones would not mean anything good.
(40) Therefore they have all been somewhat distressed and troubled; they have had hope, and yet they have always been troubled; and they cannot figure out whether the dreams mean peace or war, good or evil. And there has been no lack of some who have wanted to guess and who have also guessed many things; as Lyra tells from the Jewish commentaries. And each one has wanted to earn the king's gratitude and do the best he could, so that he might bring glory from it. But as the 113th Psalm v. 7. 8. says: "The Lord raises the poor out of the mire, that he may set him beside the princes." He does not want to give the gift of interpretation to the great men and wise men of the royal court, nor to the priests and teachers in the churches and schools; but He gives it to the poor, miserable, despised and condemned Joseph. And now it follows that he is suddenly exalted.
Second part.
How Pharas requires Joseph to interpret his dreams, and how Joseph conducts himself.
V.14. 15. And he was besieged, and put on other 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 you say that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.
41 The king spoke to Joseph very graciously and kindly, and told how others had praised him. Others, he says, have praised
praised by your excellent wisdom and high gifts, that you can interpret not only your own dreams, but also those that others have had or seen, who can understand neither their own nor other dreams. This is a great honorable glory and great rewards will follow, although the king does not promise him anything yet.
V. 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh and said, "This is not for me; surely God will prophesy good things to Pharaoh.
This is a beautiful text, which is especially good to remember, namely, of worldly authority. For they are not the words of one who would have hypocritically said to the king, "God will yet prophesy good things to Pharaoh," but they are the words of one who duly honors authority. Nor should they be understood as if Joseph doubted whether he could understand or interpret the dream that was held up to him. For he was undoubtedly a pious, holy man, full of the Holy Spirit, and did not do anything according to his own discretion and presumption; just as we, when we hear of Alexander the Great, Scipio, and other brave heroes, who accomplished great glorious things without God's word and without right invocation, let ourselves dream and imagine that we are equal to them in strength and other virtues, and that we could also perform all their glorious deeds and imitate them. But such virtues and deeds of theirs have been only accidental and special gifts peculiar to them, and are not examples presented for us to follow.
(43) Joseph was not such a man, who relied on reason or his own free will, counsel and wisdom, but spoke of the law of the Lord day and night and called upon God with fervent faith. But faith is not idle, does not remain without fruit, but always exercises itself in word and prayer. Again, although godless pagan men, who are without word and without prayer, accomplish many glorious things, like Alexander and other valiant heroes, they are accidental and
1340 L. x,M-22. interpretation of I Moses 41, 16. W. ii, E-isss. 1341
Isolated gifts; as the sun spreads its radiance on the good and the bad at the same time: so are all temporal goods.
44 The Bible or Scripture teaches that one should not administer the temporal government out of his own discretion and authority, but that one should walk in all things godly, in the Word and in right invocation. Therefore Joseph did nothing without praying to God, especially when he was called to interpret the king's dream: Lord God, I am now called to interpret the king's dream; give me grace and the Holy Spirit, so that I may interpret it correctly. Therefore he comes in right faith and does not doubt the interpretation of the dream; as Daniel Cap. 2, 18, with his humble prayer he obtains from God that the face of King Nebuchadnezzar and at the same time the interpretation of it is shown and revealed to him.
45 Therefore these are the words of one who humbles himself before the authorities, saying, "God will prophesy good things to Pharaoh. As if he wanted to say: If I would not answer or report the king, who is unworthy of these great gifts, God will find another interpreter.
This reverence of Joseph to the king is well to remember and we should always keep it in fresh memory. For we are to take it for granted that worldly police or government is God's order. Just as the marriage state and the church, and everything that is good in these states, is divine, and the godly have obtained this from God with their prayers. For thus says the wisdom of God in the Proverbs of Solomon in the 8th Cap. V. 15. "By me kings rule, and the councilors establish justice." Again, however, Solomon also says Cap. 28, 2: "Because of the sin of the land, many changes are made in the principalities"; item in the same chapter, v. 15: "A godless man who rules over a poor people is a roaring lion and a greedy bear." And Job says in 34 Cap. V. 30: "He maketh a hypocrite to reign over them, to oppress the people." Of them it is not said, By me the princes rule; but when our Lord GOD
When he is favorable to a country, he rules it himself through pious authority; but when he is angry, the rulers make unpleasant commandments and ordinances, oppress the poor people, and make a lot of ungodliness and idolatry in the country; as can be seen in Manasseh, Ahab and others.
Because Joseph knows that the temporal police is a divine office and order, he humbles himself and shrinks back when he is called to advise such high majesty. For he has been a wise man of understanding, therefore he has thought: What shall I poor man be able to advise or help the kingdom of Egypt and such a mighty king? It is a divine estate: to administer it does not belong to children, nor to godless people. Sometimes, however, it happens that our Lord God gives a brave hero, such as Alexander, Scipio or Augustus, by a gift of about 2c. But where one wanted to follow their example, that is no good at all. As Absalom seized his father's kingdom by force and arrogated to himself the authority to hold court and otherwise administer the entire royal office, 2 Sam. 15:4: "O who shall make me judge in the land, that every man may come to me that hath a cause and a judgment, that I may help him to judgment?
(48) Unintelligent ambitious people do not understand what a great thing it is to serve such divine order in the regiments. For either they dream that, as it is written in the comedy, as that fool says: Me regem esse oportuit, that is: I ought to be a king; or if kings and princes understand that they are born to rule, they can soon ascribe to themselves and presume such wisdom and ability as is useful and necessary to rule. Now it is truly not up to a man's counsel, wisdom or understanding to rule over other people, and there is an obvious foolishness and nonsense about it in the godless people who desire to rule and force themselves into the regiment, which they finally turn around and even ruin, unless our Lord God takes pity on such common misery and for instance gives an Alexander or the-
1342 L.x.rs.rs. Interpretation of Genesis 41:16. w. u. isw-ini. 1343
The same brave heroes. Nevertheless, it is not right to follow such examples and conclude something certain from them, saying: "Those have blissfully and with great glory administered the rule over others without divine light: therefore I will also have such happiness; this, I say, does not follow, for it is a great, infinite inequality.
(49) Those who therefore take up the regiment or other offices, who are consulted at court, should above all send themselves to humility and the fear of God; as Pharaoh, who is a pagan king, does not rely on his wisdom, but seeks counsel with reverence from others who have understanding in worldly matters concerning the regiment and also in religion. And Joseph feared and honored God even more, and therefore answered the king with all humility: "Ah! what am I! God can do it through another.
(50) These examples should be diligently noted, and not doubted, that the temporal government is a divine estate, ordained by God for the benefit of this temporal life, and also of the dear church, which the government serves, if it loves and keeps the peace; although the church has for itself another office, which belongs to the life to come. Then, knowing that it is God's order and not in our power, counsel, or wisdom, we should bow our knees and call upon God with all reverence and fear, saying: "Dear Lord God, I am a prince, regent, councillor, magistrate, preacher, doctor, or teacher; but now the government is yours, yours is the kingdom, judgment, and all counsel; grant me the grace and power that my counsel and deeds in this office may be blessed.
(51) One should not be so minded, as many foolishly boast of themselves, that they have so much understanding, counsel and art with them that they could preside over ten regiments and administer them. Such arrogance or boastfulness is one reason why there is so much disorder and unrest in the secular regime, in countries and cities.
Our princes and monarchs do not have the gifts to turn their money, their power, their armies and armies on the foreign enemy, the Turks, and to fight for the church; but they go to and rage among themselves with strangleholds and deaths, and thus destroy even the dear fatherland; for they do not pray, but are proud and presumptuous. They know that they are kings and lords, dreaming and thinking that the reign is in their power: therefore they fall upon each other and beat each other to death. That's right, that's how it should be. They rely on their wisdom without fear of God: the voice of wisdom has no place with them: "Through me kings rule, and the rulers set the law," Prov. 8:15. They also set and order, but only unjust and useless things, which are sometimes harmful to the country and the churches.
(53) If David were to rule over us now, he would pray and extend the empire more and more and protect it against the enemies. Our kings allow the Turks to fall in with their warriors and do harm in Hungary, Austria and Germany, and do not protect their poor subjects. For they do not even consider that the government or administration of their rule is God's work, but rather a work of their own intellect and wisdom. This is the origin of the common saying: Aut regem, aut fatuum nasci oportuit: Either a righteous king or a fool must be born. For it cannot be otherwise, unless God by chance distributes a special gift into the world and gives a wise and blessed prince without his word.
(54) This is the lesson of the example of Joseph, who humbles himself and considers himself unworthy to be called to the office of interpreting the king's dreams and being the counselor of such a great king. As if he wanted to say: God does not need my service, he can find someone else who is much wiser and more learned than I am; but I will do what I can. In this way
1344 L. X. SS-2K. Interpretation of Genesis 41:16-24. **W. II, IS7I-IS74.** 1345
In this way, one can take up church office, worldly rule and all other offices with true humility and the fear of God. For where the Lord does not rule the counsels, the outcome will not be happy and salutary, as he himself says: "Mine is both counsel and action"; item: "I have understanding and power" and victory. If I do not advise, one goes astray; if I do not do it, one does not succeed.
(55) So also in marriage, do not intend to be such a husband who is skilled enough to rule the house by himself. Neither should you look primarily to the senseless beasts of carnal lust, so that you may embrace the woman kindly and cultivate all kinds of pleasures without all vexation, burden and cross; but you should diligently keep in mind that it is a divine office and that God Himself has joined you and the woman together. For God created man and woman and joined them together. Therefore you shall pray: Lord God, this estate is your order; I pray that you give me such a maiden, so that I may live peacefully and honestly, and also in mutual love; and that my will be her will, and in turn her will be my will also; may you also give me children and heirs by your blessing, whom I may bring up Christianly and well.
(56) But as the rulers in the temporal police despise this teaching, so also the husbands in the domestic regime do not think of it. That is why we see that the world is full of lamentation and misery. And the same comes from God's righteous judgment, because people do not walk in words and prayers, but only walk in their own presumption, and make up great fortunes for themselves and that their thing will have a glorious outcome, when it finally turns out much differently than they had thought. They do not believe that God created man and woman, but think that it is such a union that happened accidentally, and that our Lord God does not take care of it and does not pay much attention to it.
For this reason, it is not in vain that special ceremonies and orders are used.
It is used in the church to bless and unite the spouses, as well as to ordain the ministers of the Word. For we bless the bridegroom and bride, wish them happiness, read the words of the institution of this state, call upon God to keep it, and to protect and preserve it. We lay our hands on the ministers of the Word and at the same time pray to God only to testify that it is God's order, both in these and in all other offices of the church, secular police and household regiments.
. In the papacy, this doctrine was completely unknown and, as it were, buried and extinct. For there men conceived that the church was nothing but a bunch of popes, cardinals, bishops 2c. They have not had the light of the divine word, nor the prayer or proper invocation, nor have they had such humility and reverence for this divine institution.
59 Therefore, the example of Joseph should be diligently remembered, who did not come without a calling, nor without prayer, but with due reverence and contemplation of the Word, to give counsel to the king and to interpret his dream. Therefore, everything turned out well, since God gave His help and blessing.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I dreamed I was standing on the bank by the water, and I saw seven beautiful fat cows coming up out of the water, walking by the pasture in the grass. And after them I saw seven other cows come out, scrawny and very ugly and lean. I have not seen such ugly ones in all Egypt. And the seven lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. And when they had eaten them, it was not known that they had eaten them, and they were as ugly as before. Then I woke up. And again in my dream I saw seven ears of corn growing on one stalk, full and thick. After that, seven thin, scorched ears of corn grew on one stalk. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven thick ears. And I have told it to the soothsayers, but they cannot interpret it to me.
** **1346 **X. 2S-2S. Interpretation of Genesis 41:17-25. W. n, 1974^-1977.** 1347
60 This is a repetition of the previous dream. But as for the grammar, I will leave it to the Hebrews to interpret or explain it. The east wind is described everywhere as being dry and hot and consuming everything. For where this wind blows, the ground becomes hard and dry, and it is more harmful than the heat of the sun. For from this comes the rust or blight in the fruit, burning black grain, so that the stalks cannot grow because of the great drought. The Hebrew word zenumoth I will command the Hebrews; for it is one of those words in the Hebrew language which are quite unknown, and one must take the interpretation of the same word from the circumstances, because it stands nowhere else but in this place. The others have given it small or thin; we have also followed them.
V. 25 Joseph answered Pharaoh: "Both of Pharaoh's dreams are the same. Pharaoh tells God what he is going to do.
This text belongs to what has been said before. For it is not a random, arbitrary dream, but an inspiration and revelation that made a deep impression; yes, it is a real prophecy, because Joseph confesses that this dream is the word of God and prophetic; as his words show, when he says: "God tells Pharaoh what he intends to do" 2c. And this is the right quality of prophecy, which is nothing else than a word about the future deeds or works of God. Now because Pharaoh's dream is of this nature, it is rightly and properly called a prophecy of God.
(62) And Joseph did not produce these words from his own imagination or delusion, or from the teaching of soothsayers and priests, which are only uncertain opinions and false delusions, but he follows the united and certain understanding of the divine word. Therefore, the Holy Spirit was also present, which he obtained by meditating on the Word and by prayer, as Daniel Cap. 2, 18, 19, and he sees that he is duly called to rule in the kingdom of Egypt, to which he now also willingly commits himself without any doubt.
(63) Reason could understand to some extent that the seven lean cows must mean something bad in general and that something good must be proclaimed by the fat cows; which Pharaoh himself and no doubt the other wise men could easily have guessed. But what it would be in detail, they could not conclude anything certain. Similarly, one would draw the cows to the female gender, as if seven damsels from the royal tribe would die and seven others would remain; or that it would be interpreted as seven rich and seven poor and miserable genders.
(64) This has the appearance of wisdom and does not seem to be an unrighteous judgment, but it is still far from the right prophetic understanding. For no one could have said with certainty that the seven cows would mean so many good years or so many evil years. But since the interpretation has been shown with its outcome and fulfillment, it seems so simple and clear that one thinks that anyone could have understood it that way. And you should still find many who should have let themselves dream and think that they also wanted to have understood this so easily and without all effort. Just as now the red spirits and enthusiasts attribute to themselves what they have heard from us, and therefore want to be highly praised and glorified that they can blame and despise other people's work.
(65) There is no doubt that this interpretation will be enough to trouble the wisest and most learned in the kingdom, but they have all tried and labored in vain. For the dreams of the kings and of the persons who preside over the church are prophecies, and they want the Holy Spirit to interpret them; but to the others they are even closed and hidden. Like the prophecies of the kingdom of Christ, that he would conquer the whole world, in Isaiah and other prophets, although they are clear, yet they are not easily understood by everyone. For the Jews have their dreams of swords and bodily force, which he will need for this. And are such prophets
1348 L.x,ss-Zo. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 25. W. n, isrr-isrs. 1349
The prophets have been sealed and hidden until Christ and the apostles have broken all the locks and taught that it would be a spiritual me who would redeem us poor people from eternal death and make us rich with heavenly and eternal goods. But to the Jews everything is still closed and hidden, which the prophets have both proclaimed about Christ and his mother before, as Is. 29, 11. says: "All (prophets') visions will be to you like the words of a sealed book."
Therefore Joseph has a prophetic spirit; therefore he also answers Pharaoh correctly and says: "Both dreams of Pharaoh are the same", although they were two different visions, of cows and of carrots. But reason, if it had been without the Holy Spirit, would necessarily have judged that they were not one and the same dream; although it seems to everyone to be one and the same dream, since it is revealed by God.
- As Lyra also poetizes quite finely some causes of the interpretation. For he says that by the lean and fat cows are quite appropriately signified the dear and fruitful years, since the land is built by the work of the cows, and that the same is also appropriately signified by the ears of corn, since the ears of corn are gathered at harvest time, whether they are small or large. So Lyra gives cause to this interpretation a posteriori, that is, from that which followed afterwards with the deed, since the same interpretation has been revealed beforehand by God. If I knew that by any cow any year should be understood, and by the fat its fertility and again by the lean theurung, then I would also easily guess the other everything and be able to conclude from it.
But if it were not for the prophetic spirit, they would undoubtedly all be missing in the interpretation of the cows. For cows in the holy scripture often mean nations, cities, authorities; as in the 68th Psalm v. 31.: "The pack of oxen among their calves", Las is, among their people. There oxen are called the princes and authorities, cows and calves the cities and countries. Therefore it would not have rhymed badly, that he would have named seven rich countries or cities by the seven fat ones.
Cows would have understood, and again by the seven lean cows seven countries or cities, which would be also lean and poor. This interpretation concerns the secular government. To this one can also add a theological and spiritual interpretation, namely, that the ox means the teacher or preacher in the church, but the cows mean the people or sacrifice. But who is to judge which is the true and certain opinion or understanding? For the prophetic spirit should not be ambiguous, and it is not fitting for it to speak uncertainly, but should speak actually, clearly and intelligibly, so that something certain may be concluded from it.
69 Therefore, no one would have been able to invent and understand this from his own mind or acumen, that the vision of the seven cows should be understood by the household. This was the work of the Holy Spirit alone, who enlightened Joseph's heart; as he himself confesses with reverence and thanksgiving, when he says: "God tells Pharaoh what he intends to do," and not me. And above, cap. 40, 8, he also says: "To interpret belongs to GOD." As if he wanted to say: This dream is truly a divine prophecy, in which God teaches and reports what good and evil times are ahead, and thus indicates that he cares for you. This is a divine face and not human. Therefore, the interpretation is also certain and true, namely, that God Himself has also revealed and shown.
(70) This is also to be added to the teaching of which we have just spoken, namely, that when God is favorable to a country, he gives the people pious princes and governs them, as the words of Prov. 8:15 read: "By me the kings govern, and the" princes or "councilors establish justice. This cannot happen except through divine wisdom, which governs the princes for the benefit and welfare of the subjects, namely, when it speaks to the kings and princes, and not only speaks, but also interprets their speech. Such regiments are truly the best and are very good. For the princes, as Isa. 32, 8. stands, "will have princely thoughts, and will hold over them." There one must however such Re-
1350M . si. Interpretation of Genesis 41:25. w. ii, ins-isM. 1351
The people of the land must have advisors or counselors, such as Joseph had, who are given by God, who himself must give wisdom and counsel to the rulers, either in his own person or through Naaman the Syrian or Nathan, such as David had, who have the counsel of God and his word and prophecy. This is the salvation and welfare of the land and the true blessing, since our Lord God not only establishes and decrees police and government, but also governs it with special kindness and grace.
(71) Therefore, this is a good sermon, to be diligently remembered and retained, which Joseph preaches before the king: God, he says, is speaking to you, dear king, and proclaims to you very great things that he will do in your kingdom. I am not the man who will explain these things to you, but God Himself reveals them to you in a dream through a vision. Now it is due to you that you recognize this blessing.
(72) Therefore there was prophecy among this people, and Joseph was the savior of Egypt. But if there is a lack of prophecy in the land, then the regiments are disturbed, as Solomon says, Prov. 29:18: "When prophecy is absent, the people become wild and desolate. But if the prophecy is there, that is, God's counsel and word, and the ruler obeys them, you can truly call such a country or regiment blessed and say that it is very well off. And such a regiment was then in the kingdom of Egypt, which was not defiled or polluted with gross vices, sins or defilements, for whose sake God is wont to punish the sovereigns and regiments and to destroy them by tyrants; but such a regiment was in Egypt, which was pleasant and pleasing to God, because He so graciously provided for that country against the future turmoil.
Therefore Joseph says to the king: God loves you because he reveals his work and will to you. And so he also praises and adorns the police or the secular government. For he wants to serve and advise in it with humility and the fear of God, and he also admonishes the king himself that he should think that he is in a
He was told that he was in the divine office and that he needed to pray diligently and call upon God for help. For what would he have been helped by all the wise men and priests' counsel, since they themselves knew nothing of the future disaster? Yes, the king himself and the whole kingdom would have perished at the same time. Therefore, dear king, consider that you humble yourself and learn to recognize God, who gives the word and also the interpretation. For if you accept it, your kingdom will be blessed and praiseworthy in the eyes of God and man.
74] It should also be noted in this place that Joseph did not impose the law of circumcision or other statutes of the fathers on the Egyptians, for he was a teacher in Egypt and also of the surrounding peoples, as the 105th Psalm, v. 22, testifies: but he held nothing else before them, but the knowledge of the right true God, Creator of heaven and earth. He did not command them to be circumcised or to keep the statutes of the fathers, but simply taught them the right doctrine of the God whom he himself also served. He was a bishop over all Egypt, teaching the king, the princes and priests, and all the people. Therefore, at that time, the kingdom was very prosperous, not only because of the fertility of the land and other physical goods, but also because they had the light of the divine word. And no doubt the king himself also kept good discipline and order, as can be seen from the example of the magistrate over the bakers. Therefore, God also honored and gifted him with his word and prophecy of what he intended, as the text says above.
(75) Such examples are to be set against the Jews and Sabbath-keepers, who recently stood up in Austria and took it upon themselves to force people to be circumcised, as if they could not be saved because they had to be circumcised. Abimelech and Pharaoh also taught the right way of circumcision while Abraham was still alive.
1352 b.x, 3i-st. Interpretation of I Genesis 41, 25-32. W. n, isss-isss. 1353
Doctrine of God accepted without circumcision. Likewise, the Ninevites and Babylonian kings were not circumcised either, but were satisfied that they had the word and knowledge of the true God, without the outward ceremonies of the people of Israel and without circumcision.
V. 26-31. The seven beautiful cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are also the seven years. It is one dream. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years; and the seven lean and scorched ears of corn are seven years. Now this is what I said to Pharaoh, that God would show Pharaoh what He is about to do. Behold, seven years of plenty shall come upon all the land of Egypt. And after them shall come seven years of evil time, that all such abundance shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt: and the evil time shall consume the land, that they shall know nothing of the abundance of the land, before the evil time that cometh after; for it shall be almost heavy.
The number seven means seven years in both cases, and both signs have the same meaning, as when two witnesses are drawn to the same thing. There is no inequality in both visions. Incidentally, in the interpretation of the seven ears of corn and seven beautiful fat cows, fertility is not explicitly mentioned, which is remarkable. In the sign of the lean cows, however, the meaning of the dear time is set, and from the contrast the seven good fertile years can easily be understood.
He repeats that God will give the land of Egypt both a prosperous time and fruitful years. This, he says, is near at hand; therefore God shows it to you by a vision, and with this wonderful work he honors and adorns you before other kings of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Therefore, thank our Lord GOD, He means well with you.
- saba and sheba are two words because of the difference of the points, and mean as much as: seven. Fullness or saturation, and, oath. Therefore, in the 21st chap. V. 31. the place Bersaba is thus called for three things
Causes: First, for the sake of satiety, then for the sake of the oath, and third, for the sake of the lambs. By the way, these words are written with the same letters without dots; which sameness of words could have deceived a prophet or interpreter, if the Holy Spirit had not been present. But this interpretation and prophecy is certain, since the Holy Spirit speaks to Pharaoh through Joseph.
V. 32. But the fact that Pharaoh dreamed another time means that God will surely and quickly do this.
Now he gives the reason why the dream is two things and yet only one thing. For what God speaks is certain and will also have its outcome in a hurry. Therefore, there are, as it were, two witnesses in one thing, and Joseph recently wants to say to the king: It shall be certain and come soon, God will not leave you in doubt or uncertain delusion.
The Hebrew word nachon means certain and constant. As, in the 51st Psalm v. 12: "Give me a new certain spirit"; and in the 5th Psalm v. 10: "In their mouth is nothing certain", that is, they have no certain doctrine, but only uncertain delusion, doubt, superstition, uncertain opinion: they are battologi, that is, useless washers, but they teach nothing certain or constant, on which the conscience would want to rely.
81 Therefore this is a right certain spirit, which makes us certain of the will of God, does not make us doubt, but establishes that of which St. Paul exhorts us in Romans 14:5, that each one may be certain of his own mind; item 1 Thessalonians 1:5: "Our gospel has been with you, not in word alone, but both in power and in the Holy Spirit. This assurance is also necessary in all kinds of teaching and especially in Christian teaching. For I must be sure what I am to think of God, or rather, what He thinks of me.
And it has been an abominable error in the papist doctrine, so that they have brought people to the point of doubting the forgiveness of sin and God's grace. You shall, they said, recognize.
1354 X. 34-36. interpretation of Genesis 41, 32. w. n. ISSV-1SS8. 1355
that you are a sinner, and such a sinner cannot be sure of his blessedness. So the whole world has been drowned in such doubt and other erroneous opinions of God.
- therefore let it be learned that god is not an uncertain, doubtful, or changeable, ambiguous god, like an uncertain reed; but that he is sure and certain, saying, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; I absolve and absolve thee from thy sins 2c. Then God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit do not err, are not driven to and fro by the wind, but are like a hard rock and sela; as God is often called in the Psalms, that he is completely certain, on whom you can certainly rely, and say: I am holy and blessed, am a child and heir of God; for I have been baptized.
- and one should put the doubts of the monks far behind, should not say: See, I have done what I should have done, but whether it pleases God or not, I do not know. One should not walk on the uncertain, or as those in the air, as Paul says 1 Cor. 9, 26. Our walk should be sure and steady, so that we say with certain confidence: I sleep in the name of the Lord, and know that even my sleep is pleasing to God. But when I awake and do my ordinary work in my profession, writing, reading, contemplating, and praying, I have no doubt that such work is also pleasing to God; and if I knew that it would displease Him, I would much rather abstain from it. But I am certain that I please God with all my work, not for my own sake, but for the sake of God, who has mercy on me, forgives my sin, loves me, guides me, and rules me with the Holy Spirit.
This certainty and plerophoria (joyfulness) should be kept. Otherwise, baptism, absolution and even the custom of the Lord's Supper are useless and in vain. As it happened to us in the baptism, as Paul says in 2 Tim. 3, 7: "They are always learning, and they can never
come to the knowledge of the truth." It was a terrible blindness and error, which is absolutely to be condemned, even if there was nothing else wrong or sinful in the Pope's teaching, namely, that they taught that we should always go back and forth in doubt, waver, be uncertain, and doubt our salvation. For such uncertainty or doubt takes away my baptism and God's grace. I am a Christian in vain, working and living in vain.
That is why the prophet prays in Psalm 51, v. 12: "Give me a new certain spirit," that is, give me a right certain faith that does not limp on either side; as the Baalites did, who were ambiguous and unstable in their worship: they worked, sacrificed, hurt their bodies, crucified their flesh, and yet were uncertain whether they were pleasing to God.
87 Therefore learn first of all and accustom your heart to it, that your whole life may be sure and constant, according to the saying Heb. 12:12: "Restore the lazy hands and the weary knees, and make certain tread with your feet" 2c.; and 2 Petr. 1:10: "Establish your profession" 2c. Stand firm in your profession, and conclude with yourselves thus: I am baptized, I have received the body and blood of Christ, I am absolved, God will not deceive me. Why then should I deceive myself and doubt, knowing that God's works are good and sure? Whatever I do after that, I can say that it is a good work and without doubt pleases God, because faith does not doubt. Again, everything that does not come from faith is sin, Rom. 14:23. Where you doubt, you always sin without ceasing. For you do not believe that you are pleasing to God, and it would be much better for you to just stop and be still with all your works until you become certain, rather than to run and work on the uncertain. For we must become right nechonim, as the Hebrew word reads, which is to be sure, steadfast and firm.
88 This is what Joseph meant when he said to Pharaoh, "God has given you two dreams.
1356 L L, sk. 37. interpretation of Genesis 41:32-36. W. n. 1S8S-1SS2. 1357
Not that thou shouldest be uncertain, or think that by the ears of corn any other thing is signified than by the oxen; but therefore hath he dreamed it unto thee the second time, that thou shouldest know that it shall soon come to pass, which was declared unto thee before. Therefore he has no cause to waver or to doubt. Because the king pleases God, he gives him a certain constant interpretation, which is useful and beneficial for him and for the whole kingdom. As our Lord God, for the sake of the people's sin, is wont to give godless, unskillful kings and rulers; but if the subjects are faithful and godly, he gives them pious and wholesome rulers. He always raised up pious prophets in the police of the people of Israel, who ruled the people by word outside the royal power; therefore they were also killed by the kings.
(89) The rule should be diligently observed, that it is not in vain in the Scriptures where a thing is spoken or repeated two or more times in the same words, but that it is done to strengthen our faith. As Isaiah almost always expresses the same thing in two ways; not that he should be praised for being so eloquent, or for being able to speak so many words, but to strengthen us in our faith, so that we may be sure of what God promises us and speaks to us.
(90) Joseph undoubtedly composed and took many glorious sermons from this prophecy. For he did it diligently and in many ways with teachings, disputations, and that he talked about it with the most distinguished lords and priests of the same kingdom, and thus planted the word and right worship in Egypt.
91 But now he also gives counsel for the interpretation. For the Holy Spirit is pleased to speak to the king through him, and gives the king more than he could have hoped or desired. He alone had asked to interpret the dream; such an interpretation is given to him in abundance, and Joseph also gives him advice on how to bless the dream.
The purpose of the seven fruitful years was to control and advise against the poverty and the evil time that would come in the following years.
Third part.
About the advice Joseph gave to Pharaoh, and what this advice and the interpretation of the dreams did for Pharaoh and his servants.
I.
V. 33-36. Now Pharaoh shall look for a man of understanding and wisdom, whom he shall set over the land of Egypt; and he 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, that they may pour out corn into Pharaoh's granaries, for a store in the cities, and keep it; that food may be found ordained for the land in the seven precious years that shall come upon Egypt, lest the land perish with famine.
92 Chokmah, the Hebrew word, means wisdom or judgment and skill, or a diligent attention, which belongs to the art of dialectics, so that one can diligently pay attention to it and beware of the snares, cunning and sophistry, which are devised and used to pervert and suppress wisdom with it. Joseph wants the king to choose such a prudent and wise man, who is cautious and has a sharp mind, and who cannot easily be deceived or misled. He wants that first of all an intelligent, shrewd and skillful man should be appointed over the whole country and that after that other officials should be appointed. This advice would never have occurred to Pharaoh or any of his advisers. And Joseph wisely considered that it would be necessary to assign a chief, bishop or overseer to many of the other officials who were appointed over the grain, so that the others would be guided by him.
- the Hebrew word, pekidim, have
1358 L- x. 37-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 41:33-36. W. ii. isse-issz. 1359
In German, the word is interpreted as "Amtleute" (ministers), as it is also used in the 109th Psalm, v. 8: "His office must be received by another. But in the 111th Psalm v. 7. it is used somewhat differently, where it says: "All his commandments are righteous. But I will let this be commanded to the Hebrews. For the word pakad is one of the most beautiful words in the Hebrew language, and means as much as, to visit, to set or order, to tell, to count, and also, to lay something down with one in a faithful hand.
But I think that they themselves, the Hebrews, have not yet completely recovered the perfect knowledge of their language. For the fact that they give so many meanings to one and the same word shows sufficiently that they do not know their own language to a large extent, as far as expressions and figures of speech are concerned. For it often happens that, depending on the connection in which a word stands, its meaning is different. As in the German language, the word "Recht" is very widely spread, and often departs from its right natural meaning. For example, if I say, "This is the right mischief," its meaning is quite different from the previous one. Or when I say: The field would be right for me. We understand this easily and are not offended by the fact that this word has more than one meaning: but if in the Hebrew language there is also such a change in the meaning of the words, which is not so common or usual to us, then we cannot reach or understand the true meaning of the expressions.
(95) In this place the word pekidim signifies the officers or superintendents who have charge of the grain in Egypt, and who are to take care of it, grain masters or grain scribes. For we have heard above that such bishops or superintendents were appointed over the butchers, tavern keepers and bakers. Now, however, great diligence is required to ensure that the grain is taken care of and that it is well supplied. Joseph saw the same examples in Egypt and followed them. For such orders belong to the political and external life. And is this truly the divine counsel and prophecy of the Holy One?
Spirit, that he sees that such administrations by the officials, overseers and bishops are necessary, because no regiment of kings or princes can be administered without such visitators, overseers and bishops, who look up, are valiant and guard.
We also have knightmasters or tax officials, mayors and other officials who, by order of the prince, look after interest and justice and otherwise administer the other offices. But these administrators are very different from one another. For some are pious, some are wicked; they are hard and strict enough to look after all things, but not for the common good and the prince's good, but only to benefit themselves and soon become rich; they act like wolves, foxes, vultures and harriers.
(97) But Joseph would have such officers or overseers to take the fifth part of the land, which the Hebrews express in one word, chimmesh; as if it were said in Latin, quintare: of all the corn, saith he, that shall grow in the fruitful years, the fifth part shall be kept for the time to come. But how it happened that they took the fifth part is not told by Moses, nor is it probable that Joseph should have given this advice that Pharaoh should take the grain from the people by force; but I think it was ordered to the officials that they should buy for the king's money and at his expense the fifth part of the annual fruit or income in the whole kingdom. And in the fruitful and rich years, the subjects could be satisfied with four parts and be content with that, so that the fifth part would be collected in the common barns. The Holy Spirit thus indicated through Joseph that in such rich and fruitful years, four parts would be sufficient for daily needs, and that the remaining part should be set aside to relieve the future hunger and poverty of the subjects.
98 For this is a political and necessary teaching, given here to the princes who are commanded to care for the people, and who are to be the leaders of the people.
1360 L. L. ss-ti. Interpretation of I Genesis 41:33-36. w. n, isAi-isss. 1361
Therefore, the subjects should be provided with the necessities of life, such as meat, grain and wine, especially when grain is expensive and not readily available; this is the office of kings and princes, which Joseph reminded Pharaoh of here. For they are to be fathers of the fatherland and shepherds, not bears or wolves. And this is the order of the Holy Spirit, who commanded the princes to care for the grain and other daily necessities of their subjects. The example of the most illustrious lord, Duke Frederick of Saxony, should be remembered, who not only built barns and common granaries, but also several pits in the open field, and had them filled with grain and the cellars with wine. But when he was punished by Staupitz and the councilors for this, he answered: He did not do this for the sake of avarice or profit, but because of the laziness of both the citizens and the farmers, who did not think about future prosperity at all, but lived in the day, only badly, from hand to mouth, as one is wont to say. But he would have the grain collected and stored, so that the people would have their need to preserve their lives during the theurung. And it was indeed a very wise advice, useful and beneficial for the whole country. For with his prudence he prevented that during his life and the time of his reign no oppressive theurge became in the country.
These are works that the princes in their office should do, and they are also especially necessary in these times. For we Germans are real beer bellies, proci Penelopes, fruges consumere nati, as the poet says, that is, we are good full brothers, we muddy and dam, we always live in a frenzy and waste everything. When the time comes, we have nothing left at all, so that we can ward off hunger and help others in their need. For this reason it behooves princes to take care of the poor, especially the young, so that they do not die of hunger. As Joseph counsels the king, not that he should take the fifth part by force, but that he should take the second part by force.
The same shall buy out for its money, collect and store for the sake of future misgrowth and theurung, so that Egyptland and other surrounding countries may be preserved and nourished.
We, who are not so prudent and cautious, do not "consider" that when the grain is well grown and the years are good, that dangerous theurge might come afterwards, we often have to experience that we are suddenly and unawares plagued with theurge. For we do not have such barns and granaries; hence it also happens that the grain soon rises and becomes expensive, even if the income or annual crop is already quite good. Thus the prudence which the Holy Spirit teaches us in this example is not miserliness, but wisdom and godliness, which is good for pious princes and befits them.
The Hebrew word bar means wheat, and the officials commanded that the fifth part of the grain be brought into Pharaoh's hand, that is, into his barns. They left four parts for the people to eat and sow. There is no doubt that some farmers and citizens took the same precaution in their households. For the income and crops in the seven good fertile years were immeasurably great, which were all consumed in the following seven years: and in all the cities there were such officials, who thus took the fifth part of the fields, which lay all around. For the kingdom was very beautiful, well ordered and arranged. The chief bishop was Joseph, who visited and inspected the granaries throughout Egypt and demanded an account from the officials.
102 However, the fifth part will be remembered again in chapter 47, v. 24. At this point, we want to stick to the opinion and keep our wits about us that it was not a regular interest, but only ordered for the seven years on Joseph's advice. Afterwards, however, it will become a common order and has been very tolerable during these seven fruitful years.
1362L .x, 4i-43. Interpretation of I Genesis 41, 33-38. W. n, i9ss-2ooi. 1363
In our times, taxes in Germany have risen too high. Until then, it was somewhat tolerable and moderate, since one gave one out of twenty florins according to the imperial laws, in which five out of a hundred florins are required, that is, not the fifth, but the twentieth part. The Jews had the tithe, gave two out of twenty, both of the grain and otherwise of all their possessions and goods. That is why we Germans have been happier than them until now. After this, Egypt was more severely burdened than the Jews; although it was still bearable enough, if Egypt was not burdened with any other tax, but only that they gave the fifth part. In our times, when usury, taxes and avarice have increased so much, we must give not only the fifth, but the fourth and almost the half part. The usurers in Leipzig and the nobility are sucking us dry, taking twenty guilders out of a hundred, which is the fifth part. The authorities still do not take that much, but the private boys, who are not in office, take the fifth part almost by force with their usury. In addition, there are other taxes and ordinary interest. Those who previously paid the twentieth part must now pay the third and half part, so that they are completely sucked dry. The nobility and merchants, and other tyrannies, make it so that we keep almost no penny.
The Jews' interest also ran over the tithe, for they gave the priests the tithe and the kings the eighth or ninth part; after that there was also a special, certain interest from each head, which they had to give. Finally, they have been sucked dry by avarice and other robberies and drudgery; as in our times such robberies and drudgeries have arisen a great deal among the Germans, and the subjects have indeed been miserably cut down and weakened in their goods and also the regiments in their supplies.
105 Now this has not yet been a common order in Egypt, to give the fifth part, but the grain is
were thus collected at the king's expense. But this was also a wise and necessary council that he wanted such supervisors to be appointed. For behold, our common city government lacks such officials over butchers, bakers and taverns; there is no one to make order as to how much one should pay for any goods. That is why the peasants, the nobility and the usurers go about robbing us and sucking us dry at their pleasure.
After that Joseph will have that this gathering of the grain to the whole country shall be the seven dear years le pikkadon, as it reads in the Hebrew, that is, to a supplement above treasure of it. Although it cannot actually be interpreted as meaning a supplement, as it is used in Leviticus 6:2,4 and in other places. I would like to give it so that it is called repositum or sepositum, that is, set aside, namely, that such grain should not have been used, neither in general nor by anyone in particular, but should have been set aside and kept for future need; and thus, that it at the same time includes and comprehends the supervision and office of the papacy or the supreme administration.
Jerome has described this whole chapter more in broad terms than that he should have interpreted it. We have followed the Greek word Ιπισχοπεϊν,
and have made it in German thus: "Auf dass man Speise verordnet finden dem Lande", that is, that it may be preserved and decreed for the future Theurung. The other I will leave to the Hebrews and jurists, namely, from the fifth part. But they will not find in their books the usury and the draining, as the usurers and counterfeiters do today. The old laws say: One should give one out of twenty florins; but now they want to have two or three, and every day new arts and other drudgeries are invented.
II.
V.37. 38. 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?
** **1364 4S-4S. Interpretation of Genesis 41:37, 38, **W. II, 2001-2003.** 1365
(108) It is also a gift of God that the speech of this prophet Joseph is pleasing to the king and all the princes, rulers, officials and subjects, for he calls them all the king's servants. Therefore, it is not only a special grace of God to be able to teach others, but also to listen to and follow the teacher, because here the devil is excluded, who is powerful in blaspheming and hindering the listeners and leading their hearts away from the word they have heard, especially where God's word and prophecy, not only spiritual, but also in the church and worldly government, first arise. Therefore, it is a very great gift that the king and his officials accept this divine word so soon and allow it to be accepted; as Solomon says, Prov. 20:12: "An ear that hears and an eye that sees, the Lord makes both of them.
(109) It is a divine work to have an eye that sees and an ear that hears; for the devil loves to hinder both, and delights in eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear but are deaf. The pope also has ears, as he is wont to roar in his bulls: It has come before our ears 2c. But there are eyes and ears of gold and silver idols, which have ears, and hear not 2c., Ps. 115, 4. 6.
- But if God is gracious and visits us in mercy, He gives an eye that sees and an ear that hears. As in the kingdom of Egypt Joseph is a seeing eye, and Pharaoh with his princes and servants is a hearing ear. Otherwise, when the ear wants to hear and has no eye to guide it, it is a great pity. As we in the papacy were quite eager to hear the interpretation of even one psalm. I wanted to follow such an eye until the end of the world. But the pope was blind, we followed him and thus both fell into the pit. Again, when the eye sees and the ear heeds not, that is, to pour out the spirit in vain; which, as Sirach Cap. 32, 6. which should not be done: Ubi non est auditus, ne effundas sermonem: Where one does not listen, there also keep silent with speaking.
111 For this reason, this is an excellent large
Beneficence, so that God honors Joseph by giving the seeing eye also a hearing ear, namely, such a great king. This gift was also praised by the poet Hesiod, who says that there are three kinds of people: the first are the very best and most excellent, who are wise and understanding by themselves; the others are those who gladly follow and obey the one who admonishes them; but the third are the very worst, namely, those who neither know nor understand by themselves what they should do, do not hear others either, and do not obey those who see and understand.
(112) Thus Joseph became a very famous and blessed teacher in the kingdom of Egypt, indeed, as it seems, almost in the whole world, and ears were given to him that were open to hear. For all the princes or officials in the land have accepted and approved his counsel. This means that he will flourish in the ministry of preaching and speaking. And Joseph was first exalted according to the Spirit, since he had received so many and great disciples who had heard his teaching, namely, the king himself, his princes and councilors. There were many beautiful sermons.
The first honor is spiritual, as far as the church is concerned, because he becomes a prophet, a teacher and a shepherd of souls. None of the other patriarchs was adorned with such great honor and glory. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob taught their church and congregation and also converted some of the Gentiles, such as Cananites, Syrians, Philistines, etc., but their school is not comparable to that of the other patriarchs, But their school cannot be compared with the audience Joseph had from all Egypt and other surrounding countries, as it is written in the 105th Psalm v. 22: "He instructed his princes in his own way, and taught his elders wisdom", yes, he instructed and taught the whole kingdom of Egypt with the king himself and his pekidim, that is, officials, and the peoples who were nearby.
(114) This is truly exalting one after the tribulation, if only we could persevere in the trials; just as Joseph remained steadfast with a generous heart even in the greatest trouble and affliction. Therefore also now follows an unspeakable
1366 L X, 45-47. interpretation of Genesis 41, 37-39. W. 11, 2003-LOOS. 1367
great fruit, as far as the church, the police and the domestic government are concerned. Now you may see a new form of all things in the world, because Joseph kept silence to our Lord GOD and let himself be prepared by his divine hand. Now Pharaoh is converted to GOD; and first of all he recognizes the Holy Spirit, so that GOD may rule his church, saying, "How could we find such a man in whom is the Spirit of GOD?" Although it seems that he was also pious and godly before, there will undoubtedly have been idolatry involved: but here, when he hears God's word preached, he now accepts the right knowledge of the true God and abandons idols and idolatry.
This beautiful light will undoubtedly have been recognized by the other princes and noble people in the country, including the king. For it is a great grace and blessing when the worship of God and everything else that belongs to religion is improved and established in the land, just as faith and the light of the heavenly teachings were given to them at that time. For how did Pharaoh recognize the Spirit of God? It may well be that he had previously known it to some extent, as his ancestors had taught him, and the same may have been taught by Abraham and extended further and further: but the knowledge in him would not have been so great that he could have recognized the Holy Spirit in the saints and believers.
Therefore, this knowledge was revealed to him and gradually increased in him through the conversation he had with Joseph. Therefore, he soon judged Joseph and his teaching and said: "This is God speaking; this is a man who is speaking the spirit of God. This is the greatest and most important thing in this history; as one should seek first the kingdom of God, Matth. 6, 33. But what concerns the worldly police and house rule, we will deal with that later. Here Pharaoh's door is opened to the kingdom and to the knowledge of God and the Holy Spirit without circumcision and without all the other outward ceremonies of the old fathers. For Joseph did not force him to do this, nor did he ask him to do it.
The Holy Spirit told him that such ceremonies were only to be imposed and commanded on him and his descendants, but the king in Egypt or other nations were not to be burdened with them. Circumcision was necessary for the seed of Abraham for the sake of the future Messiah, who was to be born of the same seed. But this Pharaoh became a Christian and was instructed in the word of faith and right godliness, just as other Gentiles were saved without circumcision, and the Holy Spirit spoke from him.
V. 39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Because God hath made all these things known unto thee, there is none so understanding and wise as thou.
Behold, how this ear listens so diligently and is so obedient, how it recognizes with such diligence the seeing eye and the gifts of God in it. It confesses God, who reveals what is hidden, and who has made this eye seeing and so wise, and so well able to advise. Even though, he says, I am a king over all Egypt, I will gladly hear and obey you with a good will. That goes nicely. But would not such a great king have said more justly, "The government is mine, and it is my duty to advise it, and the power, wisdom and understanding are all mine; it is your duty to obey us and to obey our mandate and command. As it is now with the nobility, counts and barons, they do not hear another so soon, especially if he is a stranger and of low servile status and standing. Yes, our merchants, burghers and peasants also rely on this: if they are famous, have a lot of money and property, they therefore do not want to suffer that they should be persuaded, punished or admonished. I, they say, am the magistrate's son in the village or the burgher's son; shall the priest govern me? I can read it as well as he.
- For the ministry of preaching is now and then despised and trampled underfoot by both high and low classes, because the foolish, senseless people let themselves dream and think that this great heavenly gift is innate and inherited by men.
1368 D. X, 47. 4S. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 39. W. II, 2006-2009. 1369
If he was born of a father who was a noble, famous and generous man, then he must be like him in virtue and generosity. For it does not follow that he was born of a father who was a noble, illustrious and generous man, and therefore he must be like him in virtue and generosity. No, nature does not give him such virtues; although this birth is natural, namely, that from a prince or count also a prince or count is born. But gifts, especially spiritual gifts, do not come to the heirs of external goods, because original sin stands in the way and prevents this. And the same must be understood of the other great external virtues of the valiant heroes. Pyrrhus is nowhere equal to his father Achilles; nor is Astyanax equal to Hector. Yes, the opposite tends to happen, as the common saying testifies: Heroum filii noxae: Great people's children rarely turn out well.
(119) Therefore it is a vain boast to boast of a great lineage or nobility of parents; as the Jews also boasted of their father Abraham, John 8:39. But Christ answered them thus, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do Abraham's works." Where the virtues and honest deeds are not equal to the nobility of the ancestors, the descendants wonder and boast in vain of the great titles, shields and coats of arms of their ancestors.
(120) It is, by the way, common for such people to be naturally proud for the sake of their fleshly birth, if it is a little glorious, as can be seen in the descendants of Joseph himself. For I believe that among the people of Israel there was never greater pride and hope than among the children and children's children of Joseph. For thus they have boasted, especially the Ephraimites: Our father was the wisest, most learned, most pious prince in Egypt, therefore we may justly boast and be proud; as can be seen in the histories of the kings and judges. God help us, how did they live with such
They murmured with great pride against Gideon and Jephthah! And since their father was still alive, they took up arms against their neighbors, the Philistines, who also slew all the Ephraimites in battle, because they would not hear the seeing eye, namely, their father Ephraim. After that, only Bria remained, who was given the name of pain, sorrow and grief, 1 Chron. 8, 13. Proud asses are made of the sons of heroes, who boast of the virtue of their fathers, and yet do not think to follow them, but let themselves dream that they are also great heroes, because they are descended and born from such brave heroes.
But God distributes the gifts according to His good pleasure, and by nature they are not inherited and passed on to others. For in this way Pharaoh might well have said to the gift-giver who praised the wisdom of the Hebrew youth: "What is it that you praise so highly the art of the poor little servant, as if I myself were not wise enough, or as if my princes and counselors could not do the same? There would truly have been no listening ear, and all would have ridiculed Joseph's wisdom and mocked him with it, as our people are wont to do. Yes, the devil could easily have found some detractors and blasphemers about it, so that he could have brought up what Joseph had said and advised. But Pharaoh did not despise this poor little servant, who was miserable and imprisoned, but with all humility he gave way to the son of the shepherd or cowherd, as Joseph's father was at that time. He listens to a shepherd boy, who were indeed despised by the Egyptians in those days, as we will hear later. And Pharaoh and his princes were well pleased, and yet they marveled so greatly at the speeches of this most despised man, and at the word of God that is in him, and were heartily pleased with the word of God in him'. This is truly a glorious and excellent gift of a seeing eye and a hearing ear. Our Lord God, as if he knew of no nobleman or prince, takes a
1370 L. L, "-so. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 39. m. n. 200S-MI. 1371
Cowherd, and through him rules kings and princes, and the best part of the whole world.
It would seem, however, that God is not right in not giving wisdom along with the nobility and other noble classes. Just as in our times the princes, because of their rule and power, ascribe to themselves such wisdom and understanding that they can judge all things very well. But so that we may know that we are born in original sin, we are governed by God in such a way that the gift of nature does not always follow and the children are not always like their parents in wisdom and virtues.
(123) Pharaoh saw this in Joseph; therefore it is no less a miracle that Pharaoh heard Joseph and obeyed him than that Joseph taught. For God rules his heart in such a way that the king is not offended by the fact that he becomes a disciple with his princes of this very poor shepherd who was condemned to eternal imprisonment. No judge's son in the village would do that now. You would not easily find such humility and modesty now even in the lowest ranks of our officials or tax officials; let alone among princes, counts and noblemen. But "God," says the 113th Psalm vv. 5-8, "hath set himself on high, and looketh on the lowly, to lift up the poor out of the cote, and to set him beside the princes."
So David was also a poor servant of his father, the cowherd, and was raised to the highest power and glory. Although his descendants also sinned with pride and pride and were often terribly punished because of it.
So the Romans were also foolish and senseless because of their great boast and hope. And the Turk does the same now. But the Jews in particular are very proud and boast that they are Abraham's seed, as much as Christ contradicted this when he said John 8:39: "You are Abraham's children, but you do not do Abraham's works. So also Joseph's descendants will have said:
I am Joseph's son, blessed by Jacob, my grandfather, therefore I must take the land of the Gentiles. And for this they have had the right mischievous masters and supporters, namely, the false prophets. But, as said above, they have often been punished quite severely, they have had to pay dearly enough; they were purely put to death because of it.
For this is the right reward that is due to the worthy, and this will also happen to our nobility in time to come, since they despise all others who are of a lesser lineage and class than they are with the greatest pride and, as it were, trample them underfoot, which is a sure sign of their ruin. God will not be able to tolerate this hopefulness in the long run, therefore they will perish.
(127) There must be a distinction of persons and ranks in this life; as a Jew is properly distinguished from a Gentile, and what more of the same ranks there are. But whoever, for the sake of some highness or privilege, prides himself on being a pope or otherwise the most powerful monarch, he is already dead before God. For it is written in John 1:13: "Who are not born of the seed, nor of the will of man" 2c. It is true that our origin is from blood, and the different ranks of kings, princes, doctors 2c. are also necessary, which all come from nowhere else but from blood. But however glorious and noble this origin may be, one should not be hopeful because of it; since that alone is our ultimate glory and blessedness, to be born of God and not of blood.
This is why this king is to be praised so much, because he thinks so little of himself and is so humble, and does not despise the poor shepherd at all. For our Lord God is to be feared, who distributes his gifts without regard to person, even though the world cannot be without distinction of persons. For there must be pekidim, as it is written in Hebrew, that is, princes, officers and other overseers. The gifts, however, do not follow the same distinction. GOD does not look at the person, but sees
1372 x. x, so-82. interpretation of Genesis 41:39. 40. w. ii. soii-sois. 1373
on the lowly in heaven and earth, that is, both in the church and also in worldly police. He cannot suffer pride or arrogance in his kingdom; and if I begin to become proud, God comes and soon raises up another who is inferior to me, and casts me out altogether. He soon casts a doctor into hell. So on earth we must have pekidim, that is, rulers and governors; but to those who are hopeful, God resists and gives grace to the humble.
In this way the king was converted to faith and godliness, and by the special grace of God he praised and glorified Joseph above all his other wise men and rulers. And now, first of all, his theology and bishopric in the spirit are described in short words, so that Joseph instructed the king, his princes and all Egypt. He will also have performed the same ministry, which he led, not only in one sermon, but has often taught, and appointed priests, who have also taught the same.
130 Now the bodily exaltation follows. Because Pharaoh was endowed with divine light, he appointed him bishop and supreme ruler in his kingdom, even in temporal matters. For thus he saith unto him, Thou commandest me to look for a man of understanding and wisdom, but in truth thou art the right nachon; for thus saith the Hebrew word. I must adorn thee otherwise; thou art truly a right prophet, and the Holy Ghost speaketh by thy mouth: therefore it is meet that I obey thee, and prefer thee above all my princes and my courtiers, and set thee over all the kingdom of Egypt.
So Joseph is truly restored to his former position, after he has received the glory of the kingdom and priesthood or the firstborn, of which he was deprived shortly before in his father's house by his brothers. For God wisely used the envy and disfavor of his brothers, so that he would thereby elevate him to the priesthood and regiment, and give him the entire
He was allowed to subjugate the land of Egypt in such a way that he did not need any external force for this. Therefore, it is now also described how he was ordered to administer the worldly regiment.
Fourth Part.
How Joseph is raised to great honors by Pharaoh.
V. 40. You shall be over my house, and to your word shall all my people be obedient; of the royal throne alone will I be higher than you.
Now this is a very great glory, which comprehends in itself the dominion or regiment over all Egypt. And Pharaoh here puts Joseph above all the other princes and officials of his whole kingdom, except him, the king himself.
But the grammarians quarrel with each other about the Hebrew word, and I do not know its origin, nor have the Hebrews, who are accustomed to explain words that have more than one meaning, been able to find it out, nor are they able or skilled to grasp and indicate in other words or passages the right and proper understanding of the way of speaking; but to obscure and confuse the words and right understanding of them, they are very skillful. But a right teacher should not speak ambiguously, that is, deal with such words as have more than one meaning, for otherwise he will teach nothing right: but all such uncertainty of words should be done away with from the predicaments, as the dialecticians speak in the schools, that is, a teacher or orator should abstain from them; for he must use such words as are certain and clear. He must take care that he speaks properly and intelligibly. This is why the Hebrew commentators teach very badly, since all their study and diligence consists only in dealing with the words that have more than one meaning, and they are only limited to sophists.
1374 L.x, 52-54. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 40. D. II, 2016-2019. 1375
rei, they become useless washers and not true dialecticians or teachers, but sophists, deceivers and seducers.
But let us use their malice to the end, that we may find the use of the language and the proper meaning of this word. But where there is a peculiar figure in such a word, which has various meanings, this is not a deception, but rather an adornment, so that the right actual meaning of the word nevertheless remains.
135 Therefore the Hebrew word naschak, which means to kiss, is a derived time word, as the grammarians call it; and they say it has its origin from the root word neschek, in Latin, arma vel instrumenta bellica, that is, all kinds of armor or armament of war. Hence, they say, it means to arm oneself, or to take up arms; that this is the meaning here, as if Pharaoh were to say to Joseph, Let all the people arm themselves according to thy word or command, and send them to arms.
Others say that this word comes from shakak; but what the true meaning of the word is, they are uncertain, and yet interpret it thus, that it should mean as, to go along hurriedly, or, to move with a sound and noise, in German, rauschen, as one says: Du hast mich überrauscht, item, lassen rauschen 2c. By this is signified a low murmuring and rushing with the feet or with arms and armor; item, the raging of men, as of a rushing water, which flows along swiftly and with a sound or roar. In which sense it is used Joel 2, 5. and Is. 13, 4.; and therefore I would also derive it, if it were granted. For I give no credence to the points and various meanings that the Jews have for the words. And our German word "rauschen" rhymes very well with it; for it comprehends both regiments in itself, as, at home in peace, and otherwise outside, when one is to make war, and that one is to make both in time of war and peace, as if Pharaoh would say to Joseph, Thou shalt be the chief ruler in war and also in peace; thou shalt be both the police and also
administer the ecclesiastical government. You shall ordain priests and teachers, then also set up governors in the cities, as the law and police of this kingdom indicate; and where necessity requires, you shall also wage war and defend the enemies. In this way the king exalts the miracles of God and honors Joseph highly, as he will then say: "Without your will no one shall move his hand", that is, all the people shall move and stir, do and act as you say and want. The noise shall stand with you.
From this it follows that Joseph was also a commander in war. For where one is to rule a country or kingdom, one not only needs provisions, but also war armor, if there is a danger that the enemy will break in and destroy the country. And Solomon also says, Prov. 21, 31: "Horses are also prepared for the day of battle." At the time of peace, one must prepare the things that will be needed to defend and resist the enemies. Thus it can be seen that Joseph was commanded to take care of both, that he should be a father of the fatherland, to nourish and govern the people; after that he should also be their Alexander the Great and Achilles, if war should arise.
Therefore Pharaoh was a very wise king, because he saw that the Holy Spirit was in Joseph and that his advice and all his actions would go out happily. He thinks that the man will do it. And who would want to argue against such a man, since the Holy Spirit is the commander and counselor? I would certainly rather be used as a warrior under Joseph, who was to be a general, than under Alexander the Great. For although one might occasionally find some who are manly and pugnacious by nature, there are almost few of them. But there are now and then a great many thrones, that is, who can boast, throb and snore: but as soon as these see the enemy, they take to flight. These are the Störzhansen, Marterhansen 2c. But where our Lord God has such an army-
1376 x. x.si-se. Interpretation of I Moses 41:40. w. ii, 201S-2022. 1377
If there is a leader and a warrior like Joseph or Moses, he can overcome and put down a great troop of lions, that is, the great iron eaters, with a few warriors who are as fearful as deer. For it is written in Prov. 28:1: "The righteous is as confident as a young lion" 2c.
There is no doubt that Joseph had great courage, and in addition to this, he had great experience and practice in many things, since he endured his misery and imprisonment with such an undaunted heart. He goes into the jaws of the devil and death, and yet he is not afraid, nor does he despair; for the Holy Spirit is with him, who gives him faith. Under the same commander, he could have laid down three mighty heaps.
140 Thus Moses was commanded to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, even against the king's will; which neither Scipio, nor Hannibal, nor Alexander the Great would have dared. For it could not have been done without great indignation and terror on the part of the kingdom, which was also punished very severely because of the change. To such a glorious deed truly belongs an undaunted heart and strong constant faith from the Holy Spirit, which all Moses had to have.
And if an emperor or a supreme commander would have such warriors, who would be so steadfast in faith and hope of divine help, he should certainly fight and conquer the whole world with a small number. For such men of war not only have that about them that they can despise death and other dangers, but also have such a heart that is certain of victory and the government of divine power. Such a heart teaches their hands to fight and their fists to war. These pieces are not to be found in Alexander, who, though he may have had great courage, yet does everything by chance, by accident, without faith and right invocation. Abraham or Joseph and other pious godly military leaders attack it and meet the enemies in strong faith and undoubted hope. That is why they break through, win and keep the field.
(142) And beloved, behold the little multitude of the Jewish people with the city of Jerusalem, when the heathen were round about, how little land they had, and how they were compassed about with great multitude and violence of enemies, all of whom lacked neither great power, nor wisdom, nor even the bitterest hatred to destroy this people altogether. And while the land of Canaan has been no larger than thirty miles in breadth and fifty in length, it has nevertheless multiplied and held its own against so many glorious and mighty kingdoms. A handful of beggars sit there in defiance of so many kings and fight with them; for the Spirit of God has protected them.
143 Hence have come so many glorious victories of the judges and other heroes, who have triumphed and remained unharmed and escaped. As can be seen in Gideon, Jephthah, David 2c., who were never wounded by enemies; but the others, who were slain, perished because of their unbelief and despondent hearts.
Without a doubt, Joseph was also such a hero, although I do not know whether he also waged war. But where necessity required that one had to fight against the Moors and Arabs (as it is well to be believed that there were many enemies or recalcitrants in the empire who had to be stopped and forced), then I truly believe that he was not less than Joshua or David. I would gladly stand in battle order with such commanders if the Turk were to wage war against us with all his armies. For they had great courage to despise death and all other dangers, because of their strong, unconquerable faith, and finally because of the hope of the most certain victory they had.
Therefore Pharaoh very wisely and very well advised and presided over his kingdom, when he appointed this man as its ruler, in whom he saw that he had the Spirit of God. And as he made him bishop or overseer of the grain and the granaries, so he prepared all Egypt for war through him, after he had preached the sermon.
1378 L X. sa. S7. Interpretation of Genesis 41:40. w. n. 2022-2024. 1379
and indicated how one should serve God properly.
(146) Therefore, this way of speaking, populus movebitur, that is, the people will make themselves heard and become awake, in general, to all the works of the people, whether they have to hear sermons, hold meetings, or even go to war. For all these things cannot be done, that they should not be moved about them, and make a noise. And the people and the king himself were well pleased with such a chief captain or ruler: they went gladly into the field, were well satisfied, safe and brave when they fought against the enemy. For they saw in him a special piety, that he dealt rightly with all things, and in all that he did he had happiness and salvation.
147 Such gifts are very rare, and they are few to whom they are given by God, to whom Moses gives this title and name in Exodus 15:3: "The LORD is the right man of war, the LORD is his name. When he comes into the field, beware of horse and man. Again, it is written of him in Psalm 76, v. 13: "He taketh away the courage of princes, and is terrible among the kings of the earth"; then, however, there is no happiness in war. For God has broken the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword and the battle, so that the proud are robbed and fall asleep, v. 4. 6. They drop their armor and spear.
Those who are experienced in warfare also say themselves that before the battle and before meeting the enemy, one can see and know by certain special signs which house will win and keep the field. They say that one of the troops that is to be defeated is completely silent and fearful, both men and horses, and that there is no sound at all, neither of men nor horses. But in the other company they are very merry and valiant for battle, and have such a heart that tells and promises them beforehand that they shall prevail. For the LORD is the right man of war, which teacheth the hands to fight: who
also gives the princes the courage and takes when he wants.
Thus we have heard above, Genesis 14:14 ff, that Abraham, with a small number, namely with three hundred and eighteen servants, born in his house, who were not accustomed to war before, and whom he then equipped for it for the first time, was allowed to chase after four mighty kings and attack them; and when he put them to flight and laid them low, he nevertheless brought all his household and also his brother Lot away unharmed with all his possessions and great spoil. Shall we now take it for granted that this happened without great and heroic strength of soul? Truly, he will not have attacked them with a doubtful heart that would have faltered and said: Who knows what the Lord will do? Perhaps we will be victorious and keep the field. Rather, he will have gone forth as a man full of spirit with strong courage and, as it were, with a storm of faith, and he will have brought this certain conviction into the battle line through the Holy Spirit, that he would certainly be victorious and save his brother. If God would give us such warriors, we would not be afraid or frightened by the great power and violence of the Turks. The knifemen and torturers do not, as we have experienced to our great detriment.
This is the glory of Joseph, who for thirteen years was humbled unto death, having waited two years or more in prison and in hell every hour to be executed and put to death. But he overcame all this misery and so much affliction with great undaunted courage. For mocking and overcoming death and hell does not belong to a weak despondent heart, but must be an unconquerable undaunted lion's heart. Therefore the king says to Joseph: "All my people shall obey your word," no matter whether they go to war or otherwise come together in the church to worship in times of peace, or in the town hall when it concerns the police. In sum: It
1380 ". "7-ss. Interpretation of I Genesis 41:40. m. n, 2024-2027. 1381
You shall have authority to assemble all the people of the land at any time, regardless of their status, and to command them how to conduct themselves. In this they shall obey thee.
151 Thus I understand the Hebrew word without all secondary meaning, which I leave aside; and this interpretation is also more certain and better than that of the Jews, who cannot teach such proper and certain understanding. For I am primarily concerned with whether the interpretation of a saying rhymes with faith and is in accordance with it. There the ambiguity is lifted, and there the right simple natural understanding of the words and sentences is brought to light, which the Jews never reach.
(152) And he adds, "To thy word shall all my people be obedient; only of the king's throne will I be higher than thou. Therefore I do not think that I am mistaken in interpreting the previous words about the two kinds of rule, in peace and in war, since both belong to the royal power that the king gives to Joseph. Therefore he is the supreme ruler in Egypt both in time of war and in time of peace. And it is to be believed that he has waged war and has also had glorious victories.
- It is also said of Moses that he made war against the king of the land of the Moors. Although this war is not mentioned in the holy scriptures, it is very probable that he waged war for ten years, from the thirtieth year, when he fled to the land of Midian after slaying the Egyptian man, to the fortieth year, and that he performed great glorious deeds among the Midianites. For he was a court servant, since the king's daughter had adopted him as her son, and he soon became skilled in warfare from his youth. And I believe that at that time the king himself would often have used him. Therefore, I easily believe that he was a commander or captain in the war against the Moors, as the Jews say. For he was a man full of faith and spirit, and of an undaunted spirit.
heart. But when it was known that he had slain the Egyptian, and he heard from another, "Will you slay me also, as you slew the Egyptian?" Ex. 2:14: Then he left Egypt and fled to the land of Midian. For he was not armed with weapons, neither was he mighty, neither would he tempt the Lord: but when he was come again, he brought forth the people out of Egypt.
From this we can assume that he must have been gifted with special skill, counsel and strength. For people who have lost their courage cannot dare anything; but those who have a high spirit and are quite manly or chivalrous also accomplish many great and glorious things. It is said of Moses in Deut. 33:5: "He administered the office of king, and gathered together the heads of the people with the tribes of Israel." For it was a great and excellent work to lead such a great nation and to govern it for such a long time: this requires a great strong courage and the Spirit of God, and also a hearty confidence in God. In this way, the sacred histories in the Holy Scriptures are described recently, but they conceive great glorious things in themselves, all of which are very important.
You see in this present history how gloriously and highly God honors and exalts those who wait and hope in Him, and can endure and bear His hand and fatherly guidance. Therefore, this example should be diligently memorized and held up to all people, both in the secular police and in the church, so that they may learn to wait on the Lord and remain steadfast in the face of adversity. Hold fast! Hold fast! "If you believe," says Christ to Martha, John 11:40, "you should see the glory of God." Faith must precede and follow, that one may wait on the Lord, as Joseph waited on the Lord in the stocks and in the prison, where his body lay in iron and his heart was humbled, and yet he always waited on the Lord and remained steadfast.
- how right it is that St. Paul says in Eph. 3, 20: "God is able to do abundantly above all that we ask.
1382x . 5s-ei. Interpretation of Genesis 41:40. w. n, 2027-2030. 1Z83
or understand." Our prayer is all too small and little; and Joseph did not dare to ask for that which he finally obtained, but had in his heart a smoldering wick and a crushed reed; yes, he had the inexpressible sighing, which was like a straight smoke going up to heaven. O! a beautiful thuribulum and censer has been his heart, and God is very pleased with such a smell of our heartfelt sighing and humility that one thinks he will sink. But it does no harm. Hold fast: it still holds; only do not despair. Therefore we should hold fast to what the 27th Psalm, v. 14, exhorts us to do: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted. For the Lord will not quench the smoldering wick, but will kindle it; neither will he break the broken reed, but will strengthen it.
For it is God's way and nature that He does not give according to our weak requests. Just as Joseph at that time desired to be rescued and led out of prison, and to come back to his father: He will not have asked or desired anything greater. Then our Lord God lets him burn incense and good smell in heaven for a while; but he still answers him with the words of Paul: "You do not know what you are asking. I am in the habit of doing more than you can ask or understand. That is why I have to stall you a little longer, you have to hold on a little longer. I desire still more of the straight smoke, Shel 3:6, which ascends to heaven. After this, Joseph received what he had not understood before, nor had he ever hoped or asked for.
These are truly high and marvelous examples, which we should learn for ourselves and also hold up to others, so that we may know the divine wisdom, goodness, mercy and great power, which are certainly with us. Bonitas, that is, His goodness is certainly there, His wisdom is certainly there, and His power also. But God does not act according to our will. If he governs us according to his goodness and wisdom, we do not understand it, because we think that God does not know us, does not want ours either.
or think about how our temptation might come to an end. Thus our reason judges. But this does not mean to recognize God according to Christian doctrine or in the spirit. Nor can I boast of great perfection, and I am hostile to my flesh, which is always contrary to the spirit. Therefore, these things should often be considered and practiced, so that we may test which is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God, Rom. 12:2.
For what it is that God is wise, kind, powerful and merciful, no one understands anything about it, except insofar as he can speculate about it and form thoughts about it; just as one can form some idea about the kindness or wisdom of a prince, which is only a mere speculation and nothing more. But when it comes to practice, that is, that one should experience it and feel it with the deed, as when God tears Joseph away from his parents, grandfather, father and the whole family, and he is thrown into prison in foreign lands, as if he had broken the marriage, because he then lay for a long time in great fear and had to expect death every day: would anyone interpret the same that it was a good gracious will of God?
180 Therefore, we should know that God hides Himself under the guise of the worst devil, so that we may learn that God's goodness, grace and power cannot be understood or comprehended by speculation, but must be experienced in action. Only hold fast and wait for the Lord, be satisfied with His word; as Joseph has the word of faith, he knows that he is Jacob's son, who received the promise from God of the future seed and blessing. And since it all seemed absurd with this promise that was given to his father, he undoubtedly sighed and complained that he was in such a bad way that he had to be pitied. But the Lord gave him comfort: Wait for the Lord, be undaunted, hold fast! But then it must have come into his mind again that he sighed and longed: Oh how I would like to go back to my father
1384 x. ei-6". Interpretation of Genesis 41:40. w. n, 2030-2032. 1Z85
pull! Then he hears God answering him in his heart: "Hold fast! Or that I would only come out of prison! Hold fast! Yes, how if I had to perish in prison with shame? Hold fast!
This alternation of comfort and sorrow was always in his heart until Joseph finally looked around and said with great amazement: Oh, how I could never have hoped that I would be saved in this way, nor could I have understood the great power and goodness of God that He has exercised and demonstrated in me! Then his heart leaps with joy, rejoices with all his heart, and now he feels good that he has been in such disgrace, in death and in prison. And so Joseph is a good example on both sides, in that he sighed, and in that he rejoiced again, since the challenge has come to an end.
162 Therefore learn that God is so merciful and kind that He can and will give more abundantly than I can understand or ask, Eph. 3:20. His grace and mercy is much greater than that I should be able to attain the same greatness with thought.
At the same time, however, one must also notice how he tempts his saints and leads them so wonderfully, even mocks them, as it were. Therefore we see how the prophets cried out when Isaiah, Jeremiah and the others also: "Lord, why are you asleep? Ps. 44:24; and Jer. 12:2: "Thou sufferest them to boast much of thee, and chastenest them not." And even though they groan, complain and cry out, they still persevere in their temptation, always holding fast to faith and hope. We see nothing else but the incense they offer to God in their anguish and redness, but at last they are saved much more gloriously than they could have promised or thought for themselves.
164 This is the example of Joseph, who became a ruler over all Egypt, and was appointed high priest, to preside over the churches and parish priests with right doctrine; then also to be the supreme ruler in times of peace and also in wars, to appoint captains in war, and to have judgment, justice, and authority in cities.
shall decree. And if he had not been thus tempted or challenged, he could not have administered all this with such great praise and skill. Tentatio, the
Temptation makes a man, as Sirach says: "He who has not been tempted or challenged, what can he know?" For certainty makes vain swarming spirits, as Carlstadt and others have been, who measure our Lord God according to their speculation and include Him in their thoughts. Therefore they are useless washers, are quite inexperienced in spiritual as well as in bodily matters; but in temptation they tremble, are fearful and finally even despair. Therefore, when the temptation comes and strikes you, learn to be of good cheerful courage and to celebrate fearlessly; or, if you cannot, hold fast, see that you persevere and remain steadfast.
(165) Yea, sayest thou, how then shall I persevere and abide in such great mourning and affliction? Have at thy word, and conclude thus with thyself, saying, I am baptized, I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Let the devil and death follow, and it will do nothing. Pestilence, death and hell will not harm you, for the Lord will keep you with his hand as long as you have his word. So you will know what is the good, pleasing, perfect will of God. But you will not attain this knowledge without renewal. For this precedes, Rom. 12, 2: "Change your mind by renewing your mind"; and then only will you recognize God's goodness. But how are we renewed? By killing and discarding the old man, which is very painful to the flesh, but we are always being renewed from day to day, just as before the redemption of Joseph there was the most severe death in prison and iron.
(166) Therefore, from his example, which is full of all virtue, we are to learn the divine wisdom and goodness, and the way of government in which God deals with us, and that one should always wait without ceasing; and that no time of anguish and affliction should be so great or protracted.
1386 D. x, es-". Interpretation of Genesis 41, 4V. W. 2. AW-sass. 1Z87
that should make us soft and fainthearted, or take away the word of faith, which is the power of God for salvation to all who believe in it, Rom. 1, 16.
The same has been said above, since we have had great examples of faith, hope and patience in the fathers. But in this history, after Joseph was heard, we are now taught that God is not only able to help, but is also completely willing, inclined and ready to save and exalt His own, only that He hides Himself for a time. And whoever wants to be a Christian should take it upon himself to consider these things diligently, to consider them and even to learn them by heart.
But we have not yet finished all the beautiful and glorious virtues of Joseph. For until now we have thought of more of them, which are still hidden and not so obvious. But now those will follow, which are so much higher and more glorious, which I cannot reach with words or sufficiently explain. After he has overcome so many tribulations, adversities and misfortunes, he will now also be adorned and, as it were, overloaded with immeasurable glory, honor and happiness. Now it takes a great, unconquerable courage to do this: yes, it takes a man to do this. You may well find some who can easily persevere in adversity and can follow Joseph with patience and faith to some extent, but in these virtues, as in such modesty, humility, fear of God, and that he was able to keep himself so low with great happiness, he never had his equal.
For in such great honor and happiness, since the whole world is now, as it were, laughing at him, honoring him and holding him so high before its eyes, to hold oneself in such fine esteem, to force oneself, not to pride oneself, not to elevate oneself at all, but always to think of our Lord God, and whatever he may be of himself, that God alone by grace has brought and elevated him to such great happiness: this is not in the mind or powers of any man. And the pagan poet Virgil also saw the same thing, when he says: Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae, et servare modum rebus sublata
secundis, that is: the human heart cannot know beforehand what happiness or unhappiness it will encounter, nor can it keep moderation when it is raised by happiness, that it should not therefore soon become proud. The poet simply concludes that no man can moderate himself in happiness and pause, that he should not therefore exalt himself somewhat. Alexander the Great, who truly had great courage, was nevertheless a poor servant of his courage and could not conquer himself. Look at Achilles, who was the strongest and most virile of all the Greeks, how childishly he thought he could overcome his own heart, since for the sake of the Briseis he let the whole band of his warriors go.
Therefore, it is not in our nature that a man could overcome himself in happiness and good days. Themistocles and many other great people have not been able to do it either. I know only one Scipio in all the histories of the ancients who had this fame; the others all became puffed up and proud for the sake of luck.
Now Joseph was made ruler over a beautiful land, in which it was very prosperous everywhere; and his authority and majesty were great, since he had the administration of the regiment, in war and also in peace; he made laws and ordinances, decreed punishments for those who had sinned, and also carried them out with great seriousness. This was a great honor and very great power, and yet he kept such moderation, was as humble as he had been with his father in Hebron, and still remembers that he is the son of a shepherd, still remembers his misery, his heavy servitude and imprisonment, remembers God's word, which teaches that we are conceived and born in sins. That is why he always keeps the fear of God and the right humility, as he did before in prison and heavy servitude. He is indeed a bit more cheerful and thanks God for the salvation, but everything with reverence and fear of God. We will see hereafter how he behaved so kindly toward his brothers, how he talked with them, and how he was a good friend to them.
1388 Interpretation of Genesis 41, 40. W. n. soss-A-M. 1389
The great prince was not ashamed of the fact that he was the brother of the shepherds or the cowherds.
But look at our pride and pride: whoever has more money and property among us, whoever is of higher rank or sex than others, would gladly lift his head to heaven. Thus the princes exalt themselves beyond all measure because of their great power, they are not at all afraid, neither before God nor before men. So also those who have some understanding before others, who are learned, theologians, jurists, poets, who have made a name for themselves with their writings, let themselves think that they are so great that they can also reach far above heaven. But why do we not look at this, where we have come from and how we are otherwise? For are we not all born of women, and come into this world with weeping and crying? As it is written in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 7, vv. 3, 4, 5, 6: "I also, when I was born, drew breath from the common lust; and I also fell upon the earth, which bare us all alike; and weeping also, as of others, was my first voice; and I was brought up in swaddling clothes with sorrow. For no king has a different beginning to his birth; but they all have one entrance into life, and the same exit."
Therefore, we should always think of our own lowliness, misery and wretchedness, and look at our birth, that by nature we are all children of corruption, sin, death and the devil, and guilty of eternal damnation. Why are we nevertheless so proud? If one were to compare all the miseries of this life on earth and the pride that men exercise toward one another, he would necessarily have to curse the nonsense and foolishness of hopeful men, who should be put in chains and irons more cheaply than other poor people who are not in their right mind. For these same hopeless, hopeless people are also as if they were deprived of common sense and reason, that they cannot see where they have their origin, who they are and what their end will be. They do not consider that they
are also born to all kinds of misery, and that they will also have to die, and that they are in danger of death almost every moment because of sin, and also because of Satan, who rages and rages against the human race in a terrifying way.
It is obvious that we are so poisoned with the devil's poison of hope that we are much more senseless than the poor people who are deprived of their senses. For the same are scarcely the shadows of these mad and frenzied people. But if you were to look at a proud and glorious Thraso, dressed in a beautiful robe and wearing a golden chain, boasting of his power, his beauty, and his great wealth and possessions, you would think that all these things are vain larvae, so that the most hopeful, that is, the most insane man, is dressed, no differently than if you were to see an insane man with his hands and feet bound. For if the proud wretch were in his right mind, he would think to himself where he had come from, what his situation would be, and what his final end would be. For it often happens that someone who is healthy and strong today, who lives in pleasure and great glory, can suddenly be stricken with illness tomorrow and soon be forced to desire death.
And this is added to the fact that with such hopefulness we incur God's wrath upon our necks and thus lose His grace and favor. Therefore, no one is poorer and more wretched than a hopeful person. For he cannot call upon God or trust in Him, for he does not know that he is subject to sin and death; neither does he call God his Father, but excludes himself from such fellowship and self-willingly resolves himself again into the devil's servitude and obedience; indeed, above what is most grievous of all, he does not recognize, feel, or understand this misery of his, but treads pompously and proudly, as if he were a god to be worshipped. Truly, such people lead themselves into great ruin with their nonsense and foolishness. Therefore, we should be sorry for the blindness of such poor people, and we should be
1390 L X. 67. 63. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 40. W. II. 2038-2V11. 1391
cry that they are so bad at it, and that their cause is therefore so bad.
But what is to be done about it, since all human nature is inclined to hope? And such hopefulness tends to increase in us when we have honor and power in the regency, for example, or have otherwise attained special glory or majesty in other states. But should one therefore flee the office of government and refuse to accept it if one were duly appointed to it? Answer: Not at all. For Joseph has had in abundance great glory and all the other honors that come with government: he has had to ride in the king's chariot, he has also been given royal honors, and finally Pharaoh has given him the royal seal. And this life is indeed such that it must have princes, kings, nobles, authorities, learned people in the holy scriptures, in good honest arts, in philosophy, and cannot do without them; as Egypt land must have had a prince, as Joseph was.
(177) But thou shalt take care that Joseph's example and his conduct or life be always before thee, and that thou have it in thine heart, and remember the fear of God, and that thou have him before thine eyes, and forget not thyself: but consider thyself who thou art, what thou hast been, and what thou must yet become again. For no one has ever had such great glory or honor, whom nevertheless the worms have not finally devoured and eaten. "What then arises," says Sirach on Cap. 10, v. 9. V. 9, "the poor earth and ashes," thou child of malediction and wrath? Yes, you say, I am nevertheless born of noble and great staus, I am a doctor of law, I am a great philosopher. It is right and good, but these gifts of all should be used and not enjoyed; as Augustine makes a distinction, and as St. Paul Ap. hist. 13, 36. says of David: "Since he had served the will of God in his time" 2c.
178 So Joseph was not worthy of royal splendor and honor, and that he was such a high person, prince and king.
But which is the will of God? That is, that for the preservation of this life it is necessary to have authorities, doctors, learned people and princes, so that the will of the common rabble can be resisted, to protect the poor and to punish the wicked. For where there would be no peace and tranquility without these estates. Therefore, it is God's will that we lead a quiet and peaceful life in the worldly government through such a difference of status, not offending one another, not killing or robbing.
The authorities are, as it were, a rod of God, as Paul calls them "God's servant" (Rom. 13:4), "an avenger of punishment for the one who does evil. In this state you should live in such a way that you always remember God's fear and humble yourself before Him, and remember that you are a child of Adam, of sin, of death and condemnation, as well as other people, as Moses teaches in his 90th Psalm. Psalm; but so that you may serve God, who has appointed you to rule, so that peace may be maintained in cities and lands, and thieves, murderers and death-rowers may be restrained and punished; likewise, that wars may be waged against the enemies who disturb and hinder worldly peace and tranquility. And all this is to be done with humility and heartfelt invocation or prayer to God.
- and a pious ruler shall say thus: Lord God, I am the son of a poor cowherd, and a child of sin; but because thou wilt have it so, that the world shall be governed, and peace kept, and the disorderly, turbulent, wicked wretches punished, and now callest me to the same office, I will gladly follow thee. I would rather be without office and be a private person, but since your will and command are to be obeyed, I will carry out my commanded office in your fear and with all humility. There remains the humility under the beautiful golden chain, crown, rings 2c. For I am not a prince to myself, but to the will of God and to the service of men in their need. I do not need for myself a kingdom, a pulpit, or a church.
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I do not need a congregation in the church or a preaching ministry. For I can read at home what I teach or preach publicly in the church. Yes, why do you preach? Answer: Because God wants me to be a pastor or preacher of his word, and because the people need instruction and teaching. So you truly and rightly walk in the fear of God and in love for your neighbor.
But now you will find few people who direct their works to God alone. For now they are all princes only to themselves and direct everything only to their lust and self-interest. Therefore they are real harpies, birds of prey, yes, they are devils, who should be princes and fathers of the fatherland, because they raise themselves so high and are puffed up because of their dignity, or glory, and for the sake of their high tribe, and also other inner gifts, which belong to and are necessary for worldly government. I, they say, am of royal or princely stock, I am of nobility, I also have a head, I am a great doctor, I am a jurist 2c. Yes, such people are learned only to themselves, are kings and nobles to themselves alone. But in their titles, which they boast so highly, one should write thus: O how thou art so beyond all measure a great nonsensical man! For they are so blinded by their glory that they do not know that which all men ought to know very well, namely, the misery in which they were conceived and born, in which they still live, and are guilty of the eternal death and wrath of God that is upon them; nor do they see how grievously they sin in that they so shamefully abuse their high person and office, to the harm and destruction of the poor subjects or listeners.
Therefore, there is no more miserable, unhappy person on earth than a trustworthy doctor, king or prince. For above the common misery to which we are all subjected, the person or office also condemns them, and makes them guilty of many countless misfortunes, so that they should obey and serve the will of God. Therefore conclude
I therefore believe that the world is nothing but a dungeon of mad, senseless people who are blind and recognize neither the common nor their own misery and wretchedness.
How great a virtue is it in great men of distinction when they are able to humble themselves finely and to resist court! That a servant is humble is not so conspicuous, it is also a small thing: but when a king, a prince, a nobleman, a doctor, or otherwise a great rich man is humble, that is the most beautiful thing, there such humility shines as the sun and moon shine. When a regent, or any other person of higher rank than others, thinks to himself, "Oh, who am I? Why would I prefer myself to others, but only because I have a heavier burden on me for the sake of the regiment? The honor and glory is greater than that of others, but because of that I will also have to give a much greater account of the office that I have administered.
But how many are those who are so minded? It is truly a rare gift, such heartfelt humility, so that one can attain blessing and glory with God and man; whereas the hopeful, be they tyrants or doctors, are both hostile to God and man. And it can be seen that they voluntarily make such enmity for themselves and always increase it; for they are mad and nonsensical in the extreme.
Therefore you have in Joseph an excellent and remarkable example of right humility, after he was raised so high. For although outwardly he had attained great dignity, honor, and glory, and such honor had always been increased, it can be seen that at the same time as such dignity and glory had increased in him, so had his humility. Therefore, he diligently followed what Sirach exhorted us to do in Chapter 3, v. 20. V. 20, where he says: "The higher you are, the more you humble yourself.
This humility is not found in the world in those who are exalted and have high and great offices, but it is found in Abraham, Joseph, David, Jehoshaphat. And it is true that no one can be seen to have any
1394 2--0-72 . Interpretation of Genesis 41:40. w. II, 2043-201". 1395
Let there be a difference between their office and the rule of tyrants, for they also wage war, punish the wicked and are instruments of God's wrath. And yet they are much kinder and humbler at heart than anyone else among the common rabble can be, who also weep with the people; as Joseph showed himself quite kindly toward his brothers, and wept when he saw them, forgiving them easily and gladly, since they had sinned so harshly against him.
187 Therefore this example is like a great mighty projectile aimed at the terrifying hope of this world, and puts to shame all princes, kings and doctors. For this righteous virtue in Joseph far surpasses all others, so that he has first overcome the hardship and fear of prison. Here the fear of God shines, before whom he shied, and whom he also honored, and in addition one sees in him contempt for himself and love for his neighbor. For he knows well that he still drags himself with the flesh, which is full of sins, and is also subject to the malediction and wrath of God, just like other people. After that, he had the heaviest burden of ruling over all of Egypt, both spiritually and secularly, and knew well that he would have to give an account of it. He understood all this very well, and he had many reasons to humble himself in this way; we do not pay attention to this, and we do not think that everyone will also have to give an account of his office and how he administers it. For if we thought about it, we would be much more humble than we usually are.
(188) The outward covers are necessary, namely, that one must have judges, authorities, teachers, doctors and lawyers, but these offices are only to be used to administer them rightly, and not to derive enjoyment from them. For you are not the man who should be worshipped by others; but this is God's will, that this life should thus be governed and preserved, that the works of the devil may be destroyed, and that peace and discipline and respectability may be preserved. This shall be the end, thither
all regiment shall be judged. For God does not look at any person when He gives us blessedness. Why then does he create and ordain these classes and levels of human society in this way? Answer: He does it because he wants to humble you under the burden and lead you to the realization of your weakness, sorrow and misery. But you misuse this same counsel of God, and turn it around, as it were, and even use it for the opposite, namely, for preservation of hope and pride: since it is God's will that you should serve the order of God and of men for their need under such outward coverings; which need of men God has thus wanted to help, and therefore has commanded that one should hold the authorities in honor; as Rom. 13:7, it is written, "Give fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due." For without these outward sheaths, offices, or estates, no peace and no discipline and order could be maintained.
Therefore, you should use such offices for God's glory and common benefit, and thus think: Lord God, I would rather be hidden in silence without office, without a scepter, without a crown, gold, silver, and without all such great glory and honor. But you have called me to this position, you have wanted me to rule over others: therefore I will now obey your will, and will serve the common good and not my own desire or pleasure. And always remember how all people are, how frail and miserable they are, and in what danger you stand, how great a burden you have to bear in the office you are commanded to administer, so that you may humble yourself and be awakened to call upon God for help and assistance.
- as this most excellent example of humility in Joseph teaches in such great glory and majesty, which is far more glorious than the example of his patience he had in the cross and suffering. For it was much more difficult for him to hold fast to the word after salvation than it was for him to do so in adversity and temptation, which he endured with patience and did not allow to happen to him.
1396 L X. 72-74. Interpretation of I Genesis 41:40. W. II, 2046-2049. 1397
He has not fallen away from God and has not sinned against God with impatience, anger or grumbling. But to this belongs a much greater courage, since he overcame himself. For this is the highest and most beautiful virtue, as Solomon says, Prov. 16:32: "A patient man is better than a strong man, and he who is master of his own courage than he who wins cities."
191 In this life, the honor that is gained in war, if one is honest and good in it, is the highest of all; as in Achilles, Alexander the Great, and Scipio, the most glorious gifts have been: but Solomon has preferred the same strong heroes to Joseph, David, and Moses, and none can be compared to Joseph. For he is master of his courage through humility.
Therefore, first of all, we should diligently consider these examples, and then remember where we have come from and what misery and hardship we are all subjected to in general. The same, I say, should always be in our hearts, where we have come from, what we have been and what we must become again, and finally what a hard laborious office each of us has in his position. So we will get used to humility in general, and that we will keep ourselves in mind and not become hopeful.
193 But you will find in almost all people what Virgil says: Nescia mens hominum etc., that is, that people cannot well resist hope when they come to great honors, fortune and honor. And this example must always be held up to the people, that Joseph is honored here with the greatest dignity and glory, and adorned with gold, precious stones and the greatest power; all of which tend to excite people to ambition, pride and pride of place. But Joseph was able to conquer these great monsters, which otherwise set men's hopes on fire, which neither Achilles nor Alexander ever did.
194 For consider how he has been held in such great honor! All eyes and hearts in the country have had to look at him, who also honored him highly and spoke much of him.
have held. He walked along in purple robes and golden chains, being led in the king's chariot, and yet he was so minded: O Lord, I will serve thee, and take care of my neighbor in his trouble. I am indeed a prince, but if I am to say it rightly, I am more a servant of all servants.
And so let every prince, pastor or church servant, overlord or regent conclude and think. What is a schoolmaster but a servant of the pupil? The one is master, the other is servant. So God wants us to serve one another in this life and to have fellowship with one another. When I show honor to the authorities and obey them, I am not obeying the son of a shepherd, a prince or a nobleman, but the will of God and the common needs of men.
- And because reverence and obedience to the overlords among the common people is quite necessary, such outward covers, persons or offices must be decreed in every way: And these must also be outwardly adorned and honored with purple, fine linen, royal chariots, with great titles and such other honors; not that the one to whom such honor is shown should become proud and hopeful of it, as if the honor were his own and was primarily due to him, but that God's work should be seen in him, and that the office which he administers is also God's.
For if I do not honor the authorities, I cannot live so that I may remain unharmed and safe from murderers; indeed, I cannot have peace or be safe from an evil neighbor. Therefore I honor the prince or the priest for my benefit, that I may lead a quiet, calm and honest life, that I may learn true godliness and good arts. So all this must be based on God's will and on the common needs of men. Those who consider this and make an effort to follow it, will become good rulers and teachers, both in the worldly regime and in the church, as Joseph was.
1398 L. X, 74-76. interpretation of Genesis 41:41-43. **W. II, 2AS-M53.** 1399
Fifth part.
Of the other graces and titles of honor, so Joseph received from Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Behold, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And he 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 he made him ride in his other chariot, and proclaimed before him: He is the father of the land. And he set him over all the land of Egypt.
198 Pharaoh combined and understood both offices, as Joseph was to administer them in times of peace and afterward in times of war. At home or in the country, when there was peace, he was master builder and bishop or overseer of the bakers, taverns, butchers and of the grain. In war, he ordered the warriors or made the order of battle, indicated how the borders had to be ordered and kept now and then in order to drive away the power and violence of the enemies. This was the royal power, for which it was necessary for him to have special skill and understanding.
(199) Yea, the king also put his ring upon Joseph's fingers, that he might be chancellor or secretary of the kingdom of Egypt. Therefore we see that the king was in no way higher than Joseph, only for the sake of the royal throne, as he said above. As for other things, he placed the entire burden of the land and the kingdom on Joseph.
For this reason he was a great and excellent man and a true savior in Egypt. And in the life to come we shall see how this great and excellent man, who has been useful to so many people with great praise and honor, will shine in heaven with great light and glory. For he must be placed far ahead of his fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He alone has administered the office of government with fear of God, humility, and in addition
with great diligence and wisdom, to which many other people belong, to carry the same burden. Therefore, we should not think that he was much idle or lazy, but that he was always brave and diligent in all his business.
This is indeed a wonderful praise, that he was exalted to such great glory in the land of Egypt, which was also like the king's power; and his honor was much more glorious than David's, or the other kings of Judah. Verily, such children as Joseph and Daniel were, are really like their father Abraham, and can boast of him more cheaply than the other common multitude of the Jews.
The king also gave him a gold chain and a white silk robe. And now it has often been said of the inequality of dress which was common in the countries of the east, and among the peoples who dwell toward the setting of the sun. For they wore white garments and gold, and these purple and gold. And it is said that they still use such clothing in Egypt.
After that Pharaoh made him ride in the other chariot next to him, and it was also adorned with royal glory and emblem. Thus Joseph was completely adorned with the honor and power of the kingdom of Egypt; as is written of him in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 10. V. 14: "Until she gave him the scepter of the kingdom and authority over those who had given him power" 2c. And yet his heart is not moved, under so much stimulation of hope and pride, that he should exalt himself in it beyond measure. But this is a great strength of a generous and heroic mind.
204 Finally, he also made the people proclaim before him, "He is the father of the land. And no doubt such a solemn procession must have been, since Joseph was thus inaugurated before the princes and officials of the whole Egypt land and all people. All
1400 L. X. 7". 77. interpretation of Genesis 41:41-14. W. rr, 205S-ASS. 1401
they saw that the king had given him the ring, the scepter, the gold chain and the silk robe, and had made him sit in the royal chariot.
(305) But here the Jews let themselves dream too sweetly, as if they also had the same honor and glory with Joseph. For they all desire such honor very much, but it is in vain and in vain. For they desire only the outward covering and person of the regiment, that is, that they may shed the blood of the Gentiles and bring them into their service: they do not inquire after the regiment itself, neither do they regard the fear of God and the humility that was in Joseph; that is, to be seven times foolish and senseless, as I said above.
But the Hebrews have also prepared a cross and torture for themselves and for us with the word abrech. For they interpret it in many different ways. Most of them consider it to be one word; others make two words out of it, ab, that is, father, and rech, as much as, tender. Father, for the sake of wisdom, and rech, for the sake of youth. I am hostile to the Kabbalists' grammar. They also say that in the Syriac and Chaldean languages the word rech means as much as the Latin word rex, king. But if one would like to kabbalisiren thus, then I would still more easily draw the word reell on the German word "reich". Therefore, I will follow those who take it for a word and interpret it to mean a very tender father of the fatherland.
The others derive it from the word barach, which means to bless, or to bend the knees. But because it seems that the letter a is contrary to it, therefore that it is one of the letters heemanthi, as they call them in Hebrew grammar, they say that a is put instead of the letter ll; which change or alteration of letters is common among the Hebrews. They interpret it in this way, that Pharaoh commanded everyone to bow the knee to the prince Joseph; which honor is still shown to all princes in all courts. And the pope also desired the same honor so vehemently that they did not bow the knee to him,
When the most holy father is carried on his chair over the guests, he is beaten with a stick, and it is not proper for him to walk with his feet on the ground. For thus they have taken or drawn from all histories all manner of ceremonies and royal pomp, and have applied it to the damned man.
I understand this word to mean that it was an exclamation that the people called out to him when they called him a father of the fatherland and praised him with a loud voice. Just as now, in our day, when people pay homage to the emperor or prince, they answer and say, "Gracious lord," to testify and indicate that they recognize him as their lord and want to be faithful and loyal to him. So the princes and officials together with all the subjects in Egypt, when Joseph was consecrated, will also have called out: abrech, that is, gracious lord 2c.
V.44. 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.
This is spoken by a figure called periphrasis, as if one must express or describe a thing with many words, since one cannot actually express it with one word. For outwardly, according to the common manner of the house rule, it cannot be forbidden that both hands and feet should not be moved when one is to perform the housework. Therefore, this opinion must not be understood, as outwardly the words read. For to lift up feet or to stir them up is to raise them up; and he will say and give all this to be understood: No one shall be judge, prince or authority in the land without your will and order; they shall receive from you the right according to which they shall rule, all who are in the regiment, that they may preside over others. Thou shalt appoint and establish authorities and superintendents or overseers from time to time over all the land of Egypt, and no man shall arrogate to himself an office or regiment to administer the same without thy will. So you must speak this figure or way
1402 D. X. 77-7". Interpretation of Genesis 41:44, 45. w. n, 2056-2058. 1403
It is a concept that relates to civil life, and it comprehends in itself the greatest power and glory given to Joseph.
V. 45. And (Pharaoh) called him the secret council.
Now this is another cross for the Hebraists to torture themselves with, for they do not know whether this is a Hebrew or Egyptian word. Jerome disputes that it means in Hebrew. One who can invent or guess what is secret, dark or hidden. But I see no real cause for this interpretation, especially in the word paneach. For the other name seems rather to give this sense. But there are many words common to many languages. As the Hebrews, the Latins, Greeks and Germans keep the word "sack". So vinum in German means wine; fenestra, window. For the languages are not so different from each other that some of them are not sometimes the same and should not rhyme with each other. Therefore I think that this name was common among many peoples. However, I cannot judge to which language it actually belongs, to the Egyptian or to the Hebrew, and the grammarians do not assert anything certain about this. But Jerome is of the opinion that these are Egyptian words, which are called as much as salvator mundi, savior of the world, by the Latins, and that because Joseph saves the world this time from the impending doom, which can arise from the theurge. But I simply confess with Lyra that I do not know. However, there is no doubt that it is such a word, which means a special dignity, or a high office, or a merit and reward because of the interpretation of dreams and special wisdom that Joseph had.
211 Moses described how Joseph was exalted over all Egypt, so that not only the citizens, peasants, and other common subjects, who were private persons and without office, but also the princes and officials were subject to him. He himself, however, did not have to obey or be subservient to anyone but the king. And is truly a
Wonderful thing, how he alone could have accomplished such great things. He will undoubtedly have chosen a number of intelligent, skilled men who could have given him good advice and helped him. For it often happens that the least rulers need the help and counsel of many others; just as in the villages the judges are in the habit of taking the magistrates to themselves. How much more has the help of many people been needed for the administration of the whole regiment in such a large kingdom! So Moses, when he administered the office of king among the people of Israel, also took to himself other princes and councils, item captains over a thousand, and else captains over ten, and such like others. For it is toil and trouble enough for one man alone to rule and preside over ten others.
- But it can be seen with this text, as if the same should gloss over the ambition and hope and defend it, because Joseph so easily and willingly accepted without any refusal the ring and golden celts, and in addition the heaviest office, to govern both the authorities and subjects of the whole kingdom of Egypt, also took upon himself, so that no one in the whole country could do anything without his will and command: that, I say, seems much too hopeful and ambitious. For why did he not reject this with the same humility and refuse it, as he said to the king when he was to interpret his dream: "This is not with me, God will prophesy good things to Pharaoh"?
To this I answer thus: It has been said before that in all reigns one should look primarily to God's order and will, and in this place the very same doctrine is also held up to us and commanded to judge us according to it, namely, that God, out of special counsel, has willed that in this life there should be such outward shells or persons, that is, distinguished estates and offices among men, who have civil fellowship with one another.
- for it is necessary that the authorities, kings and princes, with special-
1404 L.X. 7S-81. interpretation of Genesis 41, 45. w. n, 2003-2061. 1405
They are surrounded and adorned with outward splendor and ornamentation. As, call the city servants to follow the judge, this has a semblance of courtliness and ambition: but God wills that such a distinction of the classes should be. Thus the king wears scepter and crown, the nobility also has its ornament and coat of arms before others. For such ranks are established by God's will and order. As in the high schools, for the same reason, we also keep the degrees, that some are made masters and doctors; although in truth such a thing is bad and small in itself, but one must serve the people in their need, which demands and wants such a difference of persons. For otherwise the subjects would despise the authorities and trample them underfoot, if they were not somewhat higher in rank and dignity or glory.
(215) Therefore Sirach says rightly: He who is chief among the brethren and is their ruler shall have the greatest honor. For our Lord God wills that the rulers be held in honor, as Paul teaches Rom. 13:7. He wills that the authorities be held in contempt. For the devil, who is a prince of this world, is subject to confound and even to reverse or destroy kingdoms, regiments and households. And we would not be able to remain unharmed and safe from thieves and murderers if we were without the regents. All cities and families would be filled with fornication, adultery, thievery and murder. For it is still difficult to maintain discipline in this way, since we have authority, lest sometimes wicked, unruly people attack our body and property to damage us. Therefore, such bad boys must be forced and punished with fire, sword, wheel, prison and all kinds of other punishments, by which the devil is driven back in the disobedient unruly people. Otherwise, all vices would soon take over by force, so that people would want to do everything they desire with impunity.
216 Therefore, the persons and offices must always remain, of which St. Paul says Rom. 13:3, 4: "If you do not want to be afraid, you must not be afraid.
before the authorities, do good; then you will have praise from them, for they are God's servant too good for you. But if thou do evil, fear; for she beareth not the sword in vain." These are outward sheaths or offices of wrath against the wicked, and of comfort to the pious, and good to them that are oppressed or afflicted.
Joseph understood this very well. For he is a man full of the Holy Spirit. Therefore he accepted the rule over all Egypt in the fear of God and humility, and had much more work in the same office than before in slavery and imprisonment; as the Gentiles also lamented. For of this they still have the saying of Bias, who was one of the seven wise men of the Greeks: Magistratus ostendit virum, that is, Where a man is commanded to hold a magisterial office, it is evident what kind of man he is. And Cicero also says of himself: O! me falso, quod nunquam fui, sapientem habitum: O! how have I been so unreasonably taken for a wise man, which I never was. And Demosthenes is also said to have said: If two paths were presented to him, one leading to death and the other to the regime, he wanted to take the path that led to death.
In this regiment, Joseph kept himself reverent and humble toward God. For he knew well that this burden was imposed on him for God's sake. He must also have often wished that he would rather be in prison or at home with his father's herd or cattle and eat goat's milk than in such a high state to which he had come, where he ruled well and blissfully. So he was undoubtedly of such a mind that he thought and said: I would rather that this office be given to another and that I live in silence for myself alone. For he who is diligent in his office, as Paul exhorts Rom. 12:8, so that he punishes the wicked in earnest, and keeps above the law, good order, discipline and righteousness, will truly provoke and invite upon himself the wicked restless men, as well as the devil. Therefore it is a manly work and
1406 2- W- Interpretation of Genesis 41:45. w. n, sv8i-2ve4. 1407
a great virtue, so that we do not soon become angry and fainthearted when the devil comes against us with all his might.
(219) Yes, it is also necessary in the house government, when one has to govern the servants, wife and children, that one has a manly heart and is undaunted. That is why all the wise men of the world have complained about the hardships of ruling, and that is also why tyrants tend to come. When they see that their . When they see that their counsels and their actions, which are all very finely ordered, have no progress or happiness, or that others resist them, they become mad and senseless, and turn pious princes into tyrants, who then try to break through by force and other people's harm, which they think is in their way, and thus maintain their power. For they are not brave heroes who could force themselves, but hang on and follow their anger and desires. This is not what Joseph's regiment was like.
220 I still remember that D. Staupitz said of his government that he had wanted to rule according to the strictness in the first three years, but that it had not been advisable for him. In the next year, he ruled according to the laws, according to the advice of his ancestors and elders, but he did not want to do the same. In the third year, he began to rule according to God's will, calling upon God and praying; and yet he was not always fortunate. So he says at last: I did what I could do, since I had despaired of all this counsel and wisdom. For although God wants us to call upon Him, He does not hear us according to our wishes and thoughts, in which we are in the habit of prescribing to Him very wise and beautiful counsel.
Therefore, we should do what we can, and when obstacles arise, we should be patient and adhere to the common saying: Mitte vadere, sicut vadit, quoniam vult vadere, sicut vadit: Let go as it goes; for it will go as it goes. And as it is also said in the German proverb: He who cannot lift the heavy stone, let him lie. For it is
never been a regiment without complaint and the greatest trouble. And Joseph will no doubt often have wished that he would only let the golden chariot drive and have his being at home in silence among the shepherds. For the devil loves to hate and destroy all regiments and authorities, which also forbid the works of the prince of this world and punish death, unjust violence and theft. The devil opposes this with all his might: "Thou shalt not resist me," he says, "for this is my office, to mix everything up and throw it into a heap with hatred, envy, fornication and adultery. But because thou resistest me in this office, thou shalt know that I will also set myself against thee for and for. The rulers, who are fainthearted, soon become despondent, sleep on both ears, become sure of themselves, lazy and careless, let all things go as they may, leave all the care that they should have in the government. But these people are hardly sinning against the teaching that Solomon gave in his Ecclesiastes.
They say of Duke Frederick, Elector of Saxony, that he finally grew tired because of the great burden and many worries, and said how he often looked at all kinds of people and asked which would be the very best and most blessed life in the human race, after which all scholars and philosophers had previously researched with great diligence. But he is said to have judged it in the same way as Virgil in his book Georgica, where he says: O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint, agricolas etc.: O how overjoyed the country people would be if they knew their own goods. For he said that pious princes and overlords lead a miserable life and status: but those who deal with agriculture have the most blissful life and good days, because they live safely and quietly under the protection of their lords with wife and child.
For the authorities are everywhere and yet are nowhere, if they want to carry out their office rightly and faithfully. But he who governs only for his own benefit will never govern honestly or happily. For
1408 L. 83. 84. interpretation of Genesis 41, 45. w. II, 2064-2066. 1409
It is not enough to wear a gold chain or purple robe and to be driven in chariots or to ride on great horses, so that you may only follow and indulge your own lust or desires; but it is part of this that you should serve your subjects and the common good.
But when others see that the burden of administering the government is greater than the honor that comes from it, they flee from such toil, even though they know that they are born to the same state and called to it by God, as are nobles and princes. For why, they say, should I take on such great labor in vain, not knowing how it will turn out? I would rather live alone and have quiet days, put on a cap 2c. But see what follows from this, and what the monks do with such escape; and is a true word, as one is wont to say: Desperatio facit monachum: Desperation causes people to become monks. For they are in despair not only for sin's sake, but also for the sake of housekeeping and worldly rule, that they do not want to bother with it.
(225) So we see that there are many who look only to carnal pleasure in marriage, dreaming and waiting that in that state alone there will be pure pleasure. But when they do not succeed in having such pleasure, but all kinds of tribulations occur daily, then they begin to complain about the marriage state, to curse it and say that they are miserably deceived, they had not hoped that it would be like this for them.
. 226 Against such aversions, which tend to occur in all states, the Scriptures teach that one should by no means flee from it, where one is called to the regency, as Saint Paul says 1 Tim. 3, 1: "If anyone desires a bishop's office, he desires a delicious work," that is, which is useful and pleasing to God. It may be burdensome, unpleasant and not good for you, but it is highly pleasing to God and very useful for the church and the whole community in the countries and cities. Do not stand like the bullfinches and monks after bishoprics and prebendaries, or parish priests.
The people of this country are the ones who try to bring to themselves those who are the spoils of the devil and cannot be saved in the state in which they live outside of God's order, only waiting for their pleasure with drinking and eating and other idleness.
Therefore, one should not lead such an idle, tender life. Epicurean life, because one withdraws from all kinds of rule. For God says Gen. 1, 28: "Fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea" 2c. But that I may somewhat restrain thy evil desire and ambition, the field shall bear thee thorns and thistles, and "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, until thou return unto the ground from whence thou wast taken" 2c., Cap. 3, V. 18. 19.
Yes, but who can bear the sharp thorns, sadness, all kinds of toil and labor? I would rather flee, people say. No, you should not flee from it, but soon from childhood you should get used to serving not pleasure but the common good in this life. For this reason you should go to school, learn good arts, and train yourself so that one day you will serve the community, whether in the church or in the secular police, and this requires a learned, patient, and strong man who has courage. You must accustom your heart to such virtues and awaken it to them. But if you choose the life of a monk and prefer it, Satan will certainly throw you out of paradise headlong into hell. For the monks are nothing but inutilia pondera terrae, a useless burden of the earth, which devours and consumes the houses of widows and the goods and chattels of poor orphans; that is not a godly but a devilish life.
For this reason, you should remember that you were born and called by God to serve your neighbor. And among the other punishments of original sin, being a ruler is not the least; it is almost the other punishment next to death. Indeed, some of the pagans, like Demosthenes, did not consider death so bitter as the administration of the regiment. And Augustus, who was a very wise and blissful emperor
1410 L. X. St-ss. Interpretation of I Moses 41, 45. w. n, AM-soos. 1411
The others, however, as Nero and Caligula, have become women of diabolical nonsense, and have left the bridle free to their evil lust and desires, and have freely done everything that they only desire.
- We are indeed by nature and because of original sin eager that we may rule, and have drunk this poison by inspiration of Satan in paradise, since he says Gen. 3, 5: "You will be like God" when you eat of this fruit. Then God said again: "Well, I will atone for your lusts; because you desire to be like God, and that you may preside over others and rule over them, I will give you enough to rule.
231 Therefore, to be a ruler and to preside over others is truly not a light or small punishment, but a severe and horrible punishment against original sin, so that we may learn how great is the wickedness of men who are ruled, and of Satan as well. For no one understands or believes the same except those who are in the reign, which the devil resists with all his might. And the prince Michael contends not only in the church, but also in worldly police with the evil angels. For robbery, theft, fraud, and death are works of the devil, which the authorities cannot remove from the hearts of men, but they punish the outward vices with the sword and other punishments as they can and like best. For it therefore carries the sword by divine command and because of God.
For this reason, those who are in authority should always remember their office and keep themselves manly in it. For this reason God has adorned them before others and honored them with special dignity and glory, with purple, gold and other ornaments, to frighten the devil and the wicked. For original sin rages and is senseless, and the devil drives men to all kinds of sin and shame.
- yes, now this is what God says Gen. 3, 22: "Behold, Adam became when
our one." The "one" has a good year. It is true that all men desire to wear purple and gold, and to bear great titles and names; but when difficult questions arise, special cases and great business, then we see first of all that it is a great heavy burden. It is therefore necessary to have a manly heart and strong courage, and not a womanly or pusillanimous heart, knowing that it must bear the burden and punishment of original sin.
For this reason, I have often been comforted by the text in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 13, v. 36. V. 36, where David is said to have served the will of God, yet his regime was very wretched, full of turmoil and all kinds of confusion in both the political and domestic regimes, so that there was no great difference between his regime and that of Herod. How often we may think that he sighed and said: O! if I would now tend my father's sheep at home, how gladly would I hand over this royal scepter and crown to another!
But this is our consolation, that we know that we deserved these punishments in paradise, because we let ourselves be lusted after by God. Therefore God tells us that we should also be gods and rulers; and yet he turns such punishment into grace and mercy, and not into wrath or disgrace; indeed, he considers it an obedience and pleasant service. You, he says, shall serve me in the ministry; I will have you thus to preside over the common benefit. Then the great misfortune and the common misery will be alleviated to a certain extent. Yes, everything will be wonderfully adorned, since we can be sure of God's will that he will accept his order in the office of the authorities for the most pleasant obedience. Therefore, I know that I am serving the will of God when I am fulfilling my duties according to my ability. And if my diligence and counsel are hindered, then my evil desire is kept in check: but if I am successful and succeed, then all this is to God's glory.
236 I say this for the sake of the carnal dreams of the Jews, who only have the desire
4412 D. X, 86-88. interpretation of Genesis 41, 45. w. rr, 206S-2073. 1413
and the outward appearance of the rulers, they also desire to ride on golden chariots, and hear that the people before them want to proclaim them and rejoice for them: but the heavy burden, toil and work, which belong to it, they do not intend to carry and do not want to carry. Now a regent must be a righteous and courageous man who can bear the burden of the common regiment with great fortitude. He must be able to eat sour soups and bite into a sour apple, as we bit into a sweet one in paradise. God has decreed the punishment, which is severe enough, in paradise itself, and yet uses it for his service, and wants it to be a remedy or help against sin, so that the hope and ambition of men may be killed, according to which we want to be gods. Therefore, I say, one should not seek pleasure in it, since one is to serve the will of God, but the killing of ourselves, divine order, and that the neighbor may be helped with it.
I have no doubt that the honor and glory of Joseph would have been more burdensome than his imprisonment and other miseries. Therefore he is presented to us as an example, so that we do not become fainthearted and despondent when we have to administer a regiment; and that we also do not indulge our own lust and flee from the regiment: but if we are called to it, that we then carry out our office with steadfastness, whether we are well or ill.
238 And let the young journeymen soon resolve in their hearts from their youth that they will do this: I will diligently study the Scriptures and other good arts, that I may serve God in my office. For I am also one of the poor sinners in paradise, therefore I must also have thorns and thistles in my field. In the meantime, however, I will be content with this honor, so that in this office and obedience I may be sure of God's grace and gracious will toward me.
Sixth part.
Joseph's marriage, and how he goes out to gather grain.
I.
V. 45. And he gave him a wife, Asnath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.
Joseph was now given free, and was powerful in his own right, and was set over the entire Egyptian land as regent, and yet he did not want to enter the marriage state without his king's advice and will, so that he would prove his obedience. For he did not ascribe to himself the highest and royal dignity, nor did he want to arrogate the same to himself. He also did not abuse his power to make the kingdom restless or to drive Pharaoh out through rebellion, which sometimes happens to restless people among the wicked, since he did not lack opportunities to cause turmoil or unrest. For he had the whole of Egypt in his power, and will no doubt have had great prestige and favor with many, and some may have offered him the scepter and the royal crown. But he remains fine in the fear of God and gives the king his due honor, shuns him with reverence; and since he does not do without the king's will what he would have been free to do, how could he have started something greater without the king's command?
(240) Then it is not only shown here how Joseph was most willing to be obedient to the king, but it is also an excellent sign of Pharaoh's love and favor for Joseph, because he wanted to honor him in this way, namely, by giving him an honest, virtuous virgin of good lineage in marriage. For she was a daughter of a great man and high priest among other priests, who were held in great dignity and honor among the Egyptians, as will be seen in chapter 47, v. 22. V. 22, where the priest's land is freed, that they were not allowed to give the fifth part of it for valuation.
1414 2. l, 88-so. Interpretation of I Moses 41, 45. W. n. 2073-2076. 1415
For this reason, out of the special advice and favorable will of King Pharaoh, he took as his wife this virgin, who was born of a high lineage. For the king took care to honor him as highly as he always could, so that his prestige and power would be much greater and more glorious, also for the sake of his father-in-law, who was a high priest in the kingdom of Egypt.
242 But almost all who have interpreted this book have disputed in this place whether this Potiphar is the same man who was Joseph's master and bought him from the Ishmaelites. The Jews and also Jerome, who followed them, put forward great lies here. For after the same chief over the butchers and Joseph's lord was mentioned above, Cap. 39, is called in Hebrew saris, that is, a eunuch or a man of the blood, they ask how it is possible that he could have begotten a daughter. For the shameful blasphemers and hopeful people only make a point of speaking evil of the Gentiles, and that they may also blaspheme what is good in them, and if they have done right. For they only want to be God's people, and do not grant the poor Gentiles what they have ever done honestly or praiseworthily. Therefore I gladly resist their spirit, because I know that they always speak evil of the Gentiles out of a spiteful and proud heart. And so they have written how Potiphar bought the young man Joseph, and because he was very beautiful in form, wanted to abuse him for fornication. But God had prevented such a sin, namely by withering Potiphar's male member so that he could not beget children. This they have easily invented, but they bring no cause or testimony to prove their poem with it.
243 Augustin also let it get sour to resolve this question, and finally decides thus: If someone wants to believe that two Potiphar were, he does not sin with it against the holy scripture, and if one wants to believe it, this can happen without danger to the faith.
- I firmly believe that their two
of one name, and that this was a common and customary name also with many others; as our people also like to take names from kings and princes and to use the same, as, Maximilian, Ferdinand, Carl, but much more from those who were holy, as, Heinrich, Kunigunde, Conrad. And in Saxony from Lothar or Luther, as Caesar calls him, a famous name and great lineage was born, namely, the Lüder. So in Egypt their many have used the name Pharaoh with an addition. Phera is actually Pharaoh, and Poti: but what the correct etymology of the same word is, I will order the Hebraists to investigate.
(245) Therefore I consider that this priest Potiphar is another man than Potiphar above, so that Joseph did not marry his master's daughter. And it seems that he had wisely foreseen and guarded against it, because the example of the mother, who had been an adulteress, was in the day. Therefore, I think that the pious, honest and chaste young man would have abstained from the same marriage with the daughter, who had a dishonest mother, with diligence and good intentions.
246 For thus the monk advised: Whoever wants to marry a girl should not look at the father, but rather at the mother. For the daughter generally follows the life of her mother. And the Germans also say in a proverb: The beer tastes like the barrel. If the mother is a whore, the daughter is not pious. However, it may well happen that a dishonest mother or godless father beget a pious honest son or daughter, and vice versa. Now it is my opinion that there were two men of the same name: the former was a magistrate who looked after the flesh over all Egypt; but this one was a bishop over the church and who looked after the worship of God, whose daughter Joseph had freed on the king's advice. But I will leave it undecided whether this opinion is true or not, because faith and Christian religion are not in danger.
4416 L. X. so. 91. Interpretation of I Moses 41, 45. w. n, 2076-2079. 1417
247 One should rather have asked why this holy man Joseph had taken an idolatrous wife, who was the daughter of a pagan and godless priest? For it is quite plausible that all the priests in Egypt, as well as among the other heathen nations, were godless, and knew nothing of the promises made to the fathers. Why did he not rather take another from his people and family on the advice of his father?
248 But to this I answer thus: There is no doubt about it: all these priests, even though they knew nothing of the teaching and promise, will have been honest and righteous men in a worldly way. And it was not a sin to take a Gentile's daughter in marriage. For Abraham also took Sarah to wife in Ur in Chaldea, which was a predatory and godless city of the Babylonians. Yes, he himself, Abraham, was also initially a godless man, as is written in the Book of Joshua in 24 Cap. V. 2: "Your fathers dwelt in times past beyond the waters, and served other gods. It would not be proper for me to say this about great men, but Joshua is purely shy about calling them to account for their former godless ways. And it was a great blessing that God called Abraham from Ur in Chaldea and revealed to him the promises of Christ.
249 So Rebekah was in the house of the wicked Bethuel; Leah and Rachel were born of Laban, who was an idolatrous man. But Jacob's sons did not take pastors from their family, but from the families of the Cananites. Abraham took Hagar, who was an Egyptian maid; Boaz took Ruth, a Moabitess; Salma, the prince of Judah, took Rahab, a harlot; and after that there were more marriages in Egypt. Although Asnath was also godless and had not yet been instructed in the right knowledge of true godliness, she nevertheless took Joseph as her wife without sin and thereafter taught her the right worship of God and how to call upon the true God. But now it can well be
It may be that many of the Egyptian priests, having heard Joseph preach and marveled at so many beautiful virtues in him, have been converted to right godliness and have renounced their idolatry; as David says in Psalm 105, v. 22, that Joseph was a bishop of all bishops and teacher above all other teachers in Egypt.
250 And that the king also was godly, or even had some light of it, can be understood from his words, because he said above, v. 38, that Joseph had the spirit of God. From this it is clear that he did not have or honor many gods. For these are the words of such a man who serves God alone. And perhaps in Egypt there are still some signs and a small remnant of the teachings of the fathers that Abraham taught there, although they have generally been somewhat obscured. As it tends to happen, where the teaching of religion is spread, that the devil mixes in his weeds for and for. In our time, the teaching of the gospel, since it has again been purified and established, has won and brought over many people who had previously been burdened with the tyranny of the antichrist, the pope; but at the same time, Anabaptists, sacramentalists, and other red spirits have gone out from us, who have brought forth such teaching about the holy Trinity and the incarnation of Christ, which is obviously false and ungodly. For they were not of us, although they were with us for a time, but they did not mean or seek the pure doctrine, but only their honor and a great name.
251 Thus the Egyptians first heard the pure doctrine and promises from Abraham; but these were subsequently obscured among them by the false teachers, until at last Joseph renewed such doctrine again.
252 And from this I conclude that Joseph had a holy and godly wife in marriage, whether she was taught by Joseph immediately before or after his marriage. And she became a mother in Israel and a real old mother, as Rachel, Leah and Tamar also were.
1418 L.X.VI-SS. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 45. 46. W. n. Ans-sosi. 1419
For she gave birth to Manasseh and Ephraim, who were the fathers of two very powerful tribes.
253 And this is to prevent the pride of the Jews, that they may know that they do wrong in so despising the Gentiles, especially the descendants of Harn. For were not Ephraim and Manasseh born of a heathen mother? Moreover, they may look upon Rahab the harlot, and Ruth the idolatrous, and Tamar the Cananite, who was defiled with the incest of her father-in-law. Why then art thou so proud, O wicked Jew, when thou art born of heathen seed, and hast been nourished and suckled with the milk of a woman that was a stranger?
254 So Asnath is also counted among the holy old mothers and matrons of the house of Israel. For she is a mother of two very illustrious and royal tribes. After Reuben lost the firstborn, Ephraim and Manasseh took his place; as the same is told in 1 Chron. 6:1, 2: "The children of Reuben, the first son of Israel (for he was the first son, but by defiling his father's bed, his firstborn was given to the children of Joseph, the son of Israel; and he was not counted among the firstborn)." This is how great God esteemed the Gentile women, so that He would testify that He had not rejected the Gentiles as those who were to be maledicted, as they even curse the Jews, who are an obdurate and blinded people. For since they impose the Gentile blood upon us, they do not see that they thereby defile and condemn their own origin and birth.
Now our Lord Christ hath given birth to many nations of the blood. For he has Rahab, Ruth and Tamar as mothers. And because he is not ashamed of them, and Egyptian, Cananite and Moabite women are also counted in his register of births, why do the unholy Jews have such a great abhorrence of our blood, as of something stained and defiled?
256 The same may be said of David and the other kings, as well as of the other kings.
have been born of the same mothers. "For with God there is no respect of person," Acts 10, 34. 10, 34. Col. 3, 25. And this is written for our comfort, so that we may know that God is not only God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, Rom. 3, 29. For even though the Gentiles were not circumcised, they are just as dear and pleasing to God as the Jews, and in the most famous and greatest generation of Judah there was a mixture of the blood of Tamar. Finally, although no promise was made to the Gentiles, they are also included in it. For thus the promise reads: "In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."
V.45. So Joseph went out to see the land of Egypt.
The first year he stood before Pharaoh, and ordered what belonged to the house regiment, discipline and good order at the court of the king, before he took on the political or world regiment. For this reason, he did not go out to gather grain, but only to see the country, to inquire about the state of the religion, the courts and the authorities, and what life and customs were now and then in the cities and among all classes; and yet he remained at the king's court. And this, in my opinion, happened in the first year, before the fertile and rich years began.
V. 46 And he was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.
258 At the time Joseph interpreted the dreams and took a wife, he was thirty years old: which Moses therefore tells, that it might be inferred how long he had been in prison and bondage. In the seventeenth year of his age he was sold, but in the thirtieth year he was raised to royal glory. For this reason he served his master faithfully and well for ten years, improving his house and increasing his goods and possessions so that he became rich. But he was in prison three or four years, having been accused of adultery by his master.
1420 x. W-ss. Interpretation of I Genesis 41, 46-49. W. ii, sosi-AM. 1421
Mr. Wife, the adulteress, had been accused.
Now this is written for our learning, so that we may understand the great sorrow and misery Joseph suffered, of which the 105th Psalm v. 18 says: "They bound his feet in a rod, his body was bound in iron. You may understand the iron to mean that his body was bound with chains, or in the sense that Simeon said to Mary, Luc. 2:35, "And a sword shall pierce through thy soul." It does not rhyme badly that in the first storm and fury of his master he was put into the stocks, but afterward he found favor with the jailer, who loosed his fetters and commanded him to keep the prisoners.
This example is held up to us, so that we may become accustomed to patience, and also to hope and constancy in the cross and in adversity, even though the long delay before we are helped greatly troubles and torments our hearts. For God sees the end of our affliction, as He says to the children of Israel Jer. 29:10, 11: "When seventy years have passed in Babylon, I will visit you, and will raise up My gracious word against you, and bring you again to this place. For I know well the thoughts that I have toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of sorrow; that I may give you the end that ye wait for." He says that the prison of Babylon will not last forever; it is to last seventy years, but it hurts to be patient and to wait for the end.
For this reason all these things are written, that we should read and consider them, and that we should learn to bear and endure the hand of God, who is kind and fatherly to us. For the time of punishment or tribulation is not an infinite time, as it seems, but God has determined certain hours and moments. Therefore it is only necessary that we persevere and remain steadfast, as Christ says Matth. 24, 13: "He who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- look at the example of all the other patriarchs, how with great constancy they persisted in their mourning and affliction; so
you will also see in them the right fruit of patience and constancy. As this divine and high work of the honor and exaltation of Joseph shows, who would never have come to such great honor if he had not been so afflicted, killed and oppressed. "Unless," says Christ John 12:24, "the grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
This is presented to us diligently and always by the Holy Spirit, so that we may know that we believers are indeed tempted, but not corrupted and brought to nothing, so that we may also follow their faith, and hold to it and build ourselves up. Virgil says of Aeneas that he also raised up, comforted and strengthened his companions with examples of the previous salvation and said: O dear companions, we know well what misfortunes we suffered before; o! we suffered much more before; God will also put an end to this misery and misfortune. Item: Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est that is: One must overcome all misfortune with patience, and one must neither cease nor slacken. If the Gentiles have overcome all kinds of misfortune and hardship with such great courage, why should we Christians fail to do so?
II.
V.46-49. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh, and passed 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 were 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, as the sand of the sea, so that he ceased to count it, for it could not be counted.
This is now a different departure than the one above. For now he is taking up the regiment in the country, and is not only staying in front of Pharaoh, but has ordered the court regiment to another, and he rarely comes back to court. For he now has to travel again through the whole of Egypt, which he has to
1422 L. X. g". 97. interpretation of Genesis 41, 46-49. W. II, 2084-2087. 1423
And now he orders the barns or granaries and other things from one place to another and from town to town, and counts the annual income in the whole country. Everything is going well, and the subjects of the whole country have willingly submitted to him, have paid homage to him and are obedient to him with the utmost willingness. Thus the kingdom was beautifully organized and well ordered everywhere, and it truly seems that there was a golden age in Egypt.
Now Joseph bore a great burden, which he could not have borne if Pharaoh had not stood by him with his power and helped him. For in this way Pharaoh won the hearts of his subjects, so that they also became favorable and obedient to Joseph. And where these two things come together, it easily follows that one also honors the authorities and shuns them, and that in all counsel and in everything one does or acts, there is happiness and salvation. is happiness and salvation. For the authorities are not feared for the sake of punishment, but they are honored and kept in view for the sake of their virtue and wisdom. But when a henchman, in Hebrew maabir, rules, by which name Seleucus Philopator is called Dan. 11, 20, there is no willing obedience. For there the person is despised who does nothing that is proper for the authorities to do. Therefore, in a ruler these things should be together, namely. Reputation and authority and reverence, although this is a common commandment of St. Paul, Rom. 13:7, where he says: "Give honor to whom honor is due, fear to whom fear is due."
The people are awakened and moved to reverence by the virtue, wisdom, justice and moderation of those who are in power. For this reason Joseph is held in such high esteem by Pharaoh, and likewise by other rulers and subjects in the land, that if he so much as looked at anyone and waved, or so much as lifted a finger, obedience followed immediately on everyone's part, and everything went off happily. He has them by force
This is what tyrants are wont to do, whose rule is enforced only by force, and who nevertheless do not succeed in making their subjects obey them from the heart; on the contrary, they make it so that they cannot be favorable to them.
It is a great blessing when the people are astonished at the wisdom, godliness and happiness of princes, and take pleasure in their sight and vision, in their rule and praise, so that they think they must be obedient to their lords out of special favor and love. But if the princes, because of their sin and shame, have an evil cry among their subjects as well as among everyone else from time to time, so that people say, "Our prince is a villain, a murderer," that is a very wicked, unfortunate regiment.
For this reason, Joseph continues to fulfill the office of a pious ruler by gathering the grain and appointing special barns or granaries for it in all the cities. For he has not been negligent or lazy. And even though he had a very great reputation and great authority because of his wisdom and all other virtues, and also because of the Holy Spirit, which Pharaoh had inspired in him, it is still necessary to be diligent and brave.
For people never perform their duties so diligently that they do not need the lord or ruler to look at them himself. The ancients indicated this by writing that Jupiter had a human eye in his scepter, which is a very beautiful sign. For so it is said in the common proverb: Oculus domini impinguat equum: The eye of the Lord makes the horse fat; item: Frons occipitio prior est: The forehead is closer to us than the occiput. This is said: It is useful in all regiments and also necessary that one visitire and has a diligent attention on all things, so that it happens right everywhere. That is why Joseph also diligently inspected everything in the whole country; he kept his eyes on the land and not outside the land, which lazy and rash people are wont to do.
1424 D- 07-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 41:46-19. W. n, 2087-2090. 1425
270 Therefore, faithful bishops and overseers belong to the church office, who keep the pure doctrine and the right use of the holy sacraments with seriousness, who know how to distinguish the false ungodly doctrines from the right doctrine. And such bishops must watch so much more diligently, as much more eagerly do the ravening wolves seek to kill the poor little sheep. As we can see, the heretics and the pope are very brave, do not sleep securely, nor do they snore, but wait very eagerly for all kinds of opportunities through which they would like to deceive and seduce the hearts of the godly.
But now I want to come to the text again; because there I do not like at all that our interpreter in Latin took too much liberty and interpreted this passage by himself, as he pleased, by a paraphrase, that is, as he expresses one word by many other words, and yet did not understand himself what he spoke. For thus our Latin text reads: Venitque fertilitas septem annorum, et in manipulos redactae segetes congregatae sunt in horrea Aegypti, that is, And there came a fruitfulness of seven years, and the harvest was bound in sheaves and brought into the granaries of Egypt. It is an untimely rhetoric that he used all here. For one should keep the words in the text, and interpret the same. Therefore one should give it from the Hebrew text in Latin thus: Et fecit terra in septem annis fertilitatis ad acervos, et congregavit, scilicet Joseph, as we have also rendered it: "And the land thus the seven rich years; and gathered all the food of the seven years." For Jerome and Lyra also understand it to mean: segregare in manipulos, that is, to gather into the sheaves.
272 But when it was threshed, he gathered together great mighty heaps in seven years. After the land was carried, he gathered all the food for the people to use in the barns or granaries. He was a very prudent man, so that he did not put all the income of the seven years in one heap, but had the food of the field laid out in each city, which was to be used by the people.
Joseph decreed that in each city he would collect the grain that had grown in the surrounding fields, not collectively, but distributively, so that each city would have its own granaries.
In this way, the order in which Joseph kept the grain is praised. Which order is also highly praised in other things. For what one arranges in an orderly manner always turns out better and goes more happily from place to place, both in the world and in the home, than mail does without a certain order. One always wastes more if the regiments are not ordered properly and in good order, as can be seen at our prince's court. For if the latter would reform it and bring it into proper order, there would be no need for so great an innumerable expense; for good order preserves nourishment, but disorder scatters and brings everything through. So we see that those who are good housekeepers, and have their house in good order, according to which they govern everything, easily become rich.
274 I say this against Jerome, who, by giving the text so broadly, has obscured and perverted this order. For there is no doubt that everything was very well ordered and arranged, namely, with the harvest, with threshing and how it should be collected in heaps, yes, also how one should deal with horses and wagons, and otherwise with the very smallest things. He leaves to each city the income from its fields, takes only the fifth part of it without any harm to the people, and collects the same and puts it down, pours it on the granaries, so that the supply of food against the future drought may always increase and become larger. For this reason he adds in the text: "So Joseph piled up the grain in abundance, like the sand of the sea, so that he stopped counting"; which is not to be understood of individual grains, but of the bushels of grain that had been gathered. And yet the same many grains very beautifully arranged
1426 L. L. SS-101. Interpretation of Genesis 41, 46-51. W. n, 20S0-2094. 1427
and sent each one to its place. This is the first piece of wisdom Joseph used in his government.
Seventh Part.
Of the two first sons born to Joseph, and of the Theurung, which arose after the seven rich years.
I.
V. so. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the precious time came, which bare him Asnath the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On.
We have said about the seven rich and fruitful years, with which Joseph collected the wheat and other grain into the barns, which were decreed in Egypt. But what is now told about the sons of Joseph seems to be useless and futile. And also the words do not rhyme very well. For thus it reads according to the Hebrew: Joseph. natus est duo filii: Joseph is born two sons 2c. But I will order the grammarians to explain why such an excellent great orator, as Moses was, spoke so inconveniently.
This, however, belongs to what has been said above, against the foolish hope and boasting of the Jews, who despise all Gentiles, regardless of their own maternal blood, which was Egyptian, Chaldean, Ammonite and Moabite. Just as if I wanted to condemn the Jews, and they would also convince me with the holy scriptures that I was born of a Jewish mother, then I would be justly accused and charged with my sacrilege. But they are impudent people and cannot be moved by any testimony or way to recognize their error and to mend their ways.
277 Therefore this is an excellent text, which testifies that two very famous and notable tribes of Israel were born of an Egyptian mother, to the shame of the Jews and to the glory of the Gentiles. And we shall hear in the judgment and life to come how
David and the other patriarchs will greet these pagan wives, namely, Rahab, Ruth, Tamar and Asnath, the mothers from whom they were born according to the flesh.
278 Although there is no doubt that Joseph had both sons circumcised, he was wise enough not to force the other Egyptians to be circumcised. For it is not read in any place that the king himself or anyone else in the land was circumcised. And we will hear later in 43 Cap. V. 32, that it was not proper or even an abomination among the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrew shepherds. And though it was lawful for the sons of Jacob to go to the court, that they might eat there, because of the great renown, honor, and glory which their brother Joseph had there; yet Joseph and his brethren did eat alone, especially in a place of their own.
Thus Joseph ruled over the kingdom of Egypt, which despised the ceremonies and customs of the Jews and was abhorred by them as far as circumcision was concerned, and yet he heard the other parts of the right doctrine from Joseph. God led him strangely in this reign, since his religion was accepted in part and rejected in part, namely, that faith and the knowledge of God were accepted, but circumcision was rejected.
B. 51. And (Joseph) called the first Manasseh; for God, he said, has made me forget all my misfortunes, and all my father's house.
280 This is a wonderful speech, that Joseph says he has forgotten not only all misfortune, but also his father's house. For Manasseh must have been at least two or three years old before the time of the rich years was half over. But why did he not send some envoys to Hebron in the meantime, who could have asked about his father and brothers? Yes, he indicates here that he, as it were, with diligence and by God's command, has taken care of his father's house with all its miseries.
1428 L.x.ioi. 1". Interpretation of Genesis 41, 51. W.n. 2094-Mse. 1429
and misfortune. For so much is the word amal among the Hebrews; as in the book of Job, in 5 Cap. V. 7. it also says, "Man is born to misfortune, as the birds soar to fly." So Joseph calls the whole history of the thirteen years amal, that is, misfortune, tribulation and sorrow.
But it seems that this very wise and holy man, who undoubtedly loved his father and brothers, spoke such words here, which do not rhyme with godliness. For no one but an ungodly man may say that he has forgotten his father's house. Now Memphis, where the royal seat was in Egypt, is not more than forty or fifty miles from the Promised Land, through the land of the Philistines, and through the wilderness called stony Arabia, according to the reckoning of the geographers. Hebron, where Jacob Joseph's father dwelt, was almost on the border of Egypt. Why then did Joseph, who was such a mighty and powerful lord, and had horse and chariot in his power, not send out spies to Hebron to his father? Is this the reverence that children should pay to their parents, and that you should boast that you have forgotten your father's house? It would have been more grievous if he had said, "He has forgotten all his miseries and misfortunes," and yet had not added this about his father's house, that he had forgotten it also.
I do not know what to say about this, but it seems that from this text the words of the 45th Psalm v. 11. are taken, where it says: "Listen, daughter, look at it, and incline your ears, forget your people and your father's house. But it is a very hard word in which he boasts that he has forgotten his father's house. And I see no reason here why he should not have taken care of his father's house. Whether he perhaps thought that both father and brothers must have died of great heartache; or whether he gave up all hope of obtaining his paternal inheritance. For thus the words are, "I have forgotten all my father's house," that is: I will now be no heir to my father's estate, like the dreams that came to me before.
The words that were given to me seem to mean that I would become a lord over brothers and parents. Then he will have thought that such would have been fantasy and only human dreams or deception, which would not have such an outcome as he would have hoped. And can this therefore be understood to be a new cross or death, so that God would kill Joseph and drive him to believe that the same dream would be in vain and for nothing. Then he will have thought: I want to stay in Egypt, so that one day, when I have died, God will provide my descendants with another inheritance. So he faithfully renounced the honor and glory of the firstborn, which he had in his father's house, and promised himself and his children another blessing from God in a much different way than he had hoped for before.
However, the question still remains why Joseph did not send envoys or spies to his father? For although it is a great virtue in him that he has completely abandoned all hope that he had in his father's inheritance and is content with what he might otherwise receive in Egypt from elsewhere, it is still strange that he did not send some to Hebron to visit his father and brothers and bring back news of their life and condition. Either God prevented such thoughts, or he was delayed by his many affairs and affairs, which were incumbent upon him; and yet these affairs were not so great that he could not have dispatched some servants to Hebron. Or it may have been the reason that he sent no one there, because the Egyptians despised the Jews and the shepherds and had an abhorrence of them. Therefore he had no desire to call them to him. Or he must have seen through the prophetic spirit that his brothers and their father would soon come to him in Egypt. Or if he should be accused of having sinned by not sending anyone to the Father, let us put him among those who have sinned.
1430 D. x, 102-104. interpretation of Genesis 41, 51. 52. w. n, 2096-2099. 14Z1
Count them as sinners, because they do not do what they ought to do. Whatever the cause, it is truly a strange speech in which he says that he has forgotten all his father's house.
V. 52. The other he called Ephraim, because God, he said, has made me grow in the land of my misery.
He still remembers the misery and sorrow he suffered, and will say this much: "Behold, I have been wretched and poor, and God, who looks upon the lowly, the miserable, the afflicted, the lost and the damned, has had mercy on me also, and has given me a son, named Manasseh, that I might forget all my misfortunes. Then he gave me another son, Ephraim, that I might grow and become great in the land of my affliction and misery.
For this is the meaning of the Hebrew word onji, and it is also used in this sense in Isa. 53. I was, says Joseph, imprisoned in the dungeon, having thrown away and lost all hope of my life and deliverance, so that I might almost have been called a dead trunk or log, which would never again grow green or bear fruit. But as Isaiah speaks of the rod that will come up from the tribe of Jesse, so Joseph also says of himself that from a barren and dead tribe children and heirs will still come and be born, and the same from an Egyptian woman; this is a wonderful God.
These are examples of how faith can be established and strengthened. For if we were able to persevere in this way, we would truly recognize the same name and nature of God, namely, that He is not only able to make us forget our misery and unhappiness, but that those who have been corrupted and brought to nothing must also grow again and be strengthened.
- and this has been an excellent praise and great glory of God, so that Joseph praised the wonderful works of God, namely,
that he can make everything out of nothing; which works we should also recognize and practice. For we must be humbled, killed, and, like the grain of wheat, cast into the ground and die, and then rise again with abundant fruit. For he is a God ephraim, that is, of increase and multiplication; but in the land, that is, of death and misery. And this is a certain rule, which endures for and for with the divine works, namely, to make everything out of nothing.
288- For thus we are buried and entombed in the earth, to rot therein and be devoured by worms: we are sown in weakness, corruptible, in dishonor and decay, so contemptible and shameful a form, that it is almost to be wished we had never been born, because in such dishonor we are to be devoured and worshipped by worms and decay. So we are made nothing at all. But God says: I will raise you again from nothingness and onji, from decay, worms, dust and earth, and will make of you not only a Manasseh, but also an Ephraim, much more beautiful and brighter than the sun is. And this will certainly happen at last, for we have the most certain promise. Even though in this life we do not always have it our way and as we would like it to be, in the life to come we will also boast of this and say: God has made me forget my father's house and all my misfortunes.
But this forgetting should also come to us in this life. For although we cannot now refrain from thinking of worms and decay, because we have them before our eyes, it will one day come to pass that God will wipe away all tears from our eyes, as is written in the Revelation of St. John in chapter 7, v. 17. V. 17. Therefore, faith must begin to forget the tears and shame that it does not see. Although the eyes see the decay and the ears hear the wailing and groaning, the nose smells the stench of the dead body, faith must say: "I know nothing about it, I see it.
1432 **L. L, iot-1". Interpretation of Genesis 41, 52. w. n, AM-2102.** 1433
not this; yes, I see an increase and a clarity that surpasses the sun and stars.
For this reason, such examples are held up to us, so that we may learn from them that God is the Creator of all things, who brings the dead to life and is the transfigurer of worms and the most shameful decay. And he wants us to recognize and praise the same in faith in this life, but afterwards we will also experience and feel it in truth and with deed in the life to come.
Joseph did not become such a great ruler in Egypt, nor did Jacob see the seed of such a great people before they were both killed. And Joseph has learned this from his own experience. Therefore he says: It must come to that, that one forgets everything, which he has to hope on earth. I was the firstborn and heir of the most noble mother; all that is lost, and there is no longer any hope of obtaining the inheritance or firstborn in my father's house.
Therefore he calls his son Manasseh in honor of God, because God had brought him to nothing and made him forget all his father's house. But because he again granted him an increase, having given him children, he now calls the other son Ephraim, to whom Jacob, his grandfather, will later give a beautiful and glorious blessing. And it is also true that this tribe was the most powerful; as the same is seen in the books of Joshua, Judges and Kings. Jeroboam was from the tribe of Benjamin, and therefore in the prophets he is called the kingdom of Israel, among which the most excellent prophets were born from this tribe, such as Elijah, Elisha, Hosea and others.
But we are to learn here that death is wont to precede exaltation. For we must first be annihilated by Manasses, that is to say, although the flesh cannot tolerate and endure such death without great pain. As nature everywhere flees decay and its destruction; nor is a tree or shrub cut down, lest it make a sound.
from himself. And Christ himself also cries out on the cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matth. 27, 46.
294 After this we should make an effort to follow the heartfelt humility that was in Joseph. For he did not exalt himself to great honor, glory, and fortune, nor did he strut about, but remained finely humble.
295 His government in you was wonderful, because he let the Egyptians stay in the foreskin and circumcised his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and thus kept his father's law. For thus he became all things to all men, that he might save some, as Paul also says of himself, 1 Cor. 9:22. For he did not so forget his father's house as to forget at the same time the promise made by God; but because he had the Holy Spirit, and also great wisdom and understanding in spiritual things, he kept the promise of Christ and his future kingdom with the greatest diligence. For this reason he suffered death in prison and yet did not let himself be deprived of the faith and hope of the resurrection. But what other things were kept in the law of his father's house, and concerning the firstborn and bodily promises, of these he forgot and kept only the promise of eternal life.
Joseph was a man full of wisdom and spiritual understanding, and knew how to keep the distinction, of which Saint Paul says 1 Cor. 9, 20: To the Gentiles I became a Gentile, to the Jews a Jew 2c. I would not have had such a great spirit or faith, nor would I have been able to rule Egypt in such a way that I would have left their customs or ways and worldly rights, and perhaps also a part of their religion, which was not completely contrary to the true knowledge of God, and set it aside, since he had a special religion of his own for himself and his children. I would have said: I cannot govern the uncircumcised Gentiles. As the apostles reproach Petro, Apost. Hist. 11, 3, and say: "You have gone in to the
1434 L, 10S-1M. Interpretation of I Genesis 41, 52-56. W. n, 2I02-2I0S. 1435
the men who have foreskin, and have eaten with them," or as some taught, Apost. Hist. 15:1: "Unless you are circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
- but he had an apostolic spirit; as Peter, being admonished by a vision, says: "You know how unusual it is for a Jewish man to go or come to a stranger; but God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean" 2c., Acts 10, 28. 10, 28. Joseph not only went to the uncircumcised, but also governed them; which the apostle said none would have done before the Holy Spirit was given to them. Neither would Joseph have dared to do it if there had not been a prophetic and apostolic spirit in him.
Thus Moses has introduced the history of the two sons of Joseph. For they were to be adopted as children by Jacob and were to become princes of two tribes. Therefore they are mentioned in this place, so that the promise, so Jacob was given, would be fulfilled: "You shall grow and be multiplied" 2c.
II.
V.53-56. When the seven years of plenty were ended in the land of Egypt, the seven years of plenty 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 all 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 it came to pass, when there was a famine throughout all the land, that Joseph opened cornhouses everywhere, and sold unto the Egyptians. For the longer the famine continued, the greater it became in the land.
We have said above that the Hebrew word lechem does not only mean bread, but in general all kinds of food; which can also be seen clearly in this place. In the Latin translation, however, one who made himself believe that he also knew something, used the word xanis, bread, or
Food, the word fames, that is, theurung, put. For there is no doubt, Jerome will have interpreted it in Latin, esca, that is, food. At that time, there was no food in Egypt, but there was still a rich supply to make up for the lack of food. But then follows in the text: "Since now the Egyptian land also suffered hunger" 2c.
300 But it is to be noted in this place that Joseph did not gather all the grain in the whole land of Egypt during the seven rich years. For private individuals, believing his word, built their own barns or pantries at home, without the king's common granaries, which were erected from time to time in the country. And that it is said that Joseph gathered the grain in Egypt is spoken synecdochically, since the whole is understood for a part, as we have just heard about the fifth part of the grain. For what the common subjects had left over from the fifth part, they also kept for storage during the seven rich years.
For this reason, they will have had food for at least a year, so that they could have maintained their lives, since the common granaries were not yet open, and they were not burdened with the drought for a whole seven years, but for the most part for five or six. The fact that every citizen or farmer collected something for himself helped a lot in one or two years. Incidentally, the plague soon depressed the surrounding lands, because they had not provided for themselves against the future plague: but Joseph's reminder of the future plague helped the Egyptians a great deal. That is why they did not feel the need so soon, since the surrounding countries were already in short supply. For in Egypt there was still a Bethlehem, that is, a house of bread or a store of food. In the third and fourth year, however, the theurge finally took over; as Joseph will later say in the 45th chapter. V. 6: "There are yet five years, that there shall be no plowing nor reaping," and the same theu-
1436 L.X.IOS-U0. interpretation of I Genesis 41, 53-57. W. II, 2105-2107. 1437
The need for grain will have become greater and greater, and in recent years it will undoubtedly have been the most burdensome. That is why the people, out of great need, had to ask for grain from the king's granary.
302 And then it was publicly seen what Joseph's counsel had been useful for, and what it had served them for, that the king himself was also pious and godly, who with all fidelity and the greatest diligence saw to it that his subjects might be helped and advised by this man, to whom he had imposed and commanded the whole regiment; just as he also told them to go to Joseph and do what he would tell them.
This was a great heavy burden that Joseph carried all the time, and it gave him more trouble and work to divide the grain during the seven years of the storm than before he gathered it. For the world is at all times equally evil, and in such great hardships, when so many poor people were in want, there was no lack of thieves and robbers; However, not only in the time of the plague, but also during the prosperous years, he always diligently admonished the people and urged them in many excellent sermons to recognize the benefits of God, to humble themselves before him and to repent of the plague that was present. The rabble, however, will undoubtedly have despised this, and in the meantime will have lived, feasted, and demented in the meantime; indeed, even the godly would not have gathered any of the grain if they had not believed his words.
He will also have diligently prayed in addition to the teaching, so that he called upon God for the people that they might be helped. And afterwards, when the trouble came, he reminded them that the present punishment now corresponded to what he had told them before, so that they would think all the more about how they could improve their lives and conduct, and accept the right doctrine of the knowledge of God, and keep the
He put up with them. And he not only taught himself, but also had the people taught by the officials or other servants, not only in Egypt, but also in the surrounding countries close to Egypt. For he was a pious, godly and diligent man who administered both the secular and the ecclesiastical government, and he did both with prayer and preaching, so that everything would be godly and according to God's word and will; although many people despised all this and made a mockery of it.
305 Now when the famine had gone over all the land of Egypt, and the granaries, which every man had for himself, were empty, Joseph opened all the granaries (though the word "granaries" is omitted in the Hebrew text; I know not how it may have come). But it is to be understood that now and then he opened the granaries in every city and sold the grain from them. For the kingdom of Egypt was very well ordered, and everything in it was well arranged by Joseph's wisdom, as was said above. There was no disorder in the buying of grain, so that all the cities had to get grain in only one city, but there were granaries in all places, and Joseph opened one in each city and let the others go until the need arose again in later years, so that the people could have grain from them for their food. For he first helped those in the land so that they would not die of hunger, since in the meantime many others in the land of Canaan and the surrounding countries had died before they thought of buying grain from Joseph.
V.57. And all the countries of Egypt came to buy of Joseph: for the famine was great in all the countries.
Afterwards, Gen 45:7, Joseph will say to his brothers how God sent him to Egypt to keep them and their descendants alive. Even though the wicked and the sinners perished, the
1438 L- X. 110-112. interpretation of Gen. 41, 57. cap. 42, 1. 2. W. II, 2107-2112. 1439
The pious, his father Jacob and his brothers, have been preserved.
307 The Hebrew word, scheber, I will command the grammarians; for we have not had the same word in Moses until now. The word bar has many meanings. It means, son, chosen one, pure or undefiled, and probably also means, grain, as in this place. But why the word scheber is interpreted as meaning to sell, I do not know. It is otherwise called, zer
break, or something that is contrite. I think it is such a word or way of speaking, as in the German language is, since one says: He has neither to bite nor to crumble, from breaking. So also these have come to break, that is, to buy, that synecdochically the matter is understood for that, so one makes out of it. Just as the word "iron" is used for "sword". But I will leave that to the Hebraists.
The Forty-Second Chapter.
First part.
How Jacob's sons travel to Egypt.
When Jacob saw that grain was on sale in Egypt, he said to his sons: Why do you look around so long? Behold, I hear that there is corn in Egypt: go down, and buy us corn, that we may live, and not die.
(1) Everything that happens here is intended to be an occasion to honor Joseph and to show the miraculous works of God. And the history is easy enough in itself, except that one has to act and explain several pieces that belong to the grammar and also to the doctrine of the holy scriptures. Moses said at the end of the previous chapter how the famine had been great in all the lands, and that therefore nations had come from all the lands to buy food in Egypt. In the meantime, however, Jacob and his family also suffered from hunger. Therefore he addresses his sons, as the text says, and exhorts them to go down to buy grain.
- But here again the Hebrew word scheber occurs, which we have just interpreted as "to break", and the words in this place according to the Hebrew text are thus: "He saw that in Egypt there was a
Breaking was. We, however, who are inexperienced in the Hebrew language, must get used to these peculiar ways of speaking, and to the new words, so that we learn to understand their meaning and peculiarity.
(3) The Jews make a jest of it, and say that it is therefore called breaking, that it may break or appease the hunger. But I am quite hostile to such loose talk and the frivolity of the Jewish rabbis, who forsooth try to force their antics upon us, that we should take them for the grammar and right doctrine of the holy Scriptures, regardless of what other peculiar ways the holy Scriptures have of speaking, from which the right interpretation of this word and others may be taken. For thus speak the prophets, as, Isaiah Cap. 58, v. 7: "Break thy bread to the hungry." And Jeremiah in his Lamentations Cap. 4, 4: "The young children ask for bread, and there is no one to break it for them," that is, to give it out. For the Jews had bread like cakes, and did not need knives to cut the same bread with. This can also be seen in the history of the Gospel Luc. 24, 30. 35. where the disciples recognize Christ by the breaking of bread, item, when it is said of Him Luc. 22, 19. that He took bread and broke it. After this it was also drawn to the soul, as in the 14th Psalm v. 3: It is in their ways.
1440 D. X. IIS. IIS. Interpretation of Genesis 42:1. 2. W. v, 2II2-2IIS. 1441
vain contrition and unhappiness. Item, a "broken spirit", that is, a sorrowful miserable spirit, which is divided to and fro into many thoughts and counsels, since one does not know where from.
4 For this reason, this way of speaking should be remembered and retained, namely, that among the Hebrews, "to break bread" is as much as to distribute it; or else that one now and then buys and sells bread or food, and has been taken from a parable. In the prophets, however, it occurs more often than in other passages of Scripture. Solomon in his Proverbs, 11 Cap. V. 26, also used this way of speaking when he said, "Blessing comes upon him who sells grain," that is, he who distributes it. For the Hebrews use not only actual words, but also such words as are spoken by special figures; as the same is common in other languages. Yes, it seems that they have more desire than others to use such figurative speech.
(5) Then it is also to be noted that the Hebrews do not have the auxiliary word "I am," and use the pronoun "I" instead. As: "I the Lord, your God." There the "I" is put instead of the tense word: "I am". Item, the word "Himself" is put about instead of the tense: "He is." So, the Lord your God, He is. Therefore, the Hebrew word, yesh, is not used as a case word in this place, but it means as much as: It is available, or, it is abundant, grain is left over enough. This is where the word tushiyah comes from, Prov. 8:14, where wisdom says, "Mine is both counsel and action," I give counsel and also tushiyah, that is, action, happiness and execution in every matter, that it may be well advised and carried out. Mine is the word and the deed, it is mine to speak and to do, that is, what I advise, all this I also direct and bring it to fruition. For this is what the word tushiyah means, namely, to put each thing in its place. Otherwise it is also a word that means together: cause, wisdom, honor; but actually it means, when the things, so one consults, are accomplished.
will be. So, God gives us counsel in verbal words and tells us how we should conduct ourselves: if we now keep the same word, the tushijah also follows that what He promises will certainly be given to us and that it will not be lacking. So also in this place it is not mere words or an uncertain cry of the breaking or dividing of the grain, but the truth and the deed are also there, and in Egypt grain and provisions are full.
Therefore Jacob says to his sons: Why do you continue to look at one another for a long time? Because the Hebrew word is a time word of the fourth conjugation in Hithpael and reads in Latin thus: Quare facitis vos videre? that is, why do you look at each other long? And Moses wants to indicate with it that Jacob's sons have argued with each other and have disputed, what is to be done, because the theurge took over. You Reuben, you Judah, they will have said, what advice do you give that we may find help in this trouble, and that we may save our own lives and all the lives of our household? And when they had thus contended, and looked one at another, the father said, How stand ye, and look one at another? Because ye thus counsel in vain, we must die of hunger. Behold, I have heard that in truth there is grain enough to distribute and to sell. Go down and buy us grain. See that you also enjoy the same distribution.
007 And Moses shewed that all these eleven patriarchs dwelt with Jacob their father in Hebron, being married and heads of households, having children and children's children, and menservants and maidservants. Therefore it is a miracle, how so many families, in it so many persons were, in a strange country all at the same time could have lived? I believe that Leah and the other old matrons of Jacob's family had died, and that other young women had taken their place, namely, the wives of his eleven sons, as well as other servants and maidservants. Benjamin, who was the youngest among them, had ten sons, and we will see how they died.
1442 L X. 1I3-1IS. Interpretation of Genesis 42, I. 2. W. n. SIIS-21I7. 1443
Afterward we hear that Jacob went down to Egypt with seventy souls, and the wives, menservants, maidservants and other people from the Gentiles who joined this family for the sake of the doctrine of godliness and the right worship of God were not counted. For only those souls are counted and reckoned who came from the loins of Jacob, as his sons and grandsons; but the granddaughters are not counted, and the other company of servants and maids will not have been small.
008 Therefore they dwelt all together in Hebron, as sojourners and strangers among the Canaanite nations. And the same is very strange and almost unbelievable to us today, that Jacob with so many sons and his sons' sons was able to dwell in a foreign land among the Gentiles, and there rent fields and meadows, have gardens and keep cattle. And I am not surprised enough how these eleven brothers and the large number of servants got along with the people of the same place. It is not told how the heathen dealt with them; but so much seems to be indicated that they suffered and bore patience. And perhaps the good matrons, as, Leah, Zilpah and Bilhah, will have died of heartache and melancholy. For they have suffered much injustice, not only from their neighbors, but also from their own households, by which, it seems, they have been cast down, bowed down, and consumed; for they are not remembered at all in the procession that Jacob went down to Egypt.
9 But why does Jacob say to his sons: Buy us grain, that we may live and not die? Why does he not trust God, and why is he afraid of death, since he has a divine promise that God will preserve and protect him? In addition, he has the experience that he has felt and experienced so far that God has helped him and ruled him in the foreign land of Canaan with so many sons and grandsons and with such a large household. Why then is he frightened here, and does not believe the
Promises of God, which he undoubtedly had in fresh memory, and which he also always diligently taught in the church, or congregation, which he had in his house? For he said to his people: Do not be fainthearted in temptation or affliction; the Lord our God has promised us the land and also food according to our need. Where then, dear Jacob, is your faith? Where is the promise? (10) Answer: We are commanded to believe, and to trust in the goodness of God: but neither shall we tempt God. For we cannot live by the rule that he hath, but by opportunity, and as the time gives; nevertheless, that faith and hope may remain unhurt. Therefore Jacob does not say, Stay and wait; the LORD is mighty enough to send down bread from heaven; perhaps he will rain grain in this land and so feed us. No, the opinion does not have it with the promise either. There is no doubt that God should not be able or willing to feed and protect you; but you should not flee or forsake the opportunity and means by which you can be protected and helped, which you can use without sin; otherwise you would tempt God.
(11) Therefore, one should not ask whether God will help and sustain us according to His unchanging counsel and will; but rather we should keep it and say: I believe that God will sustain me, but His counsel is unknown to me, as are the means by which He will fulfill His promise. Therefore, one should use the means that are available: each one should seek his food with work and diligence in his profession, and create need for himself to sustain life with, as, milk, cheese, wool 2c. You shall cultivate the field, gather the fruit or grain; you shall not be idle or lazy, as if you did not need the care of the house, or as if you should not make the servants work, because you have God's promise that He will feed you; for God does not want you to be lazy and indolent, but He said Gen. 3:19: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou keep thy bread.
1444 D. x, iir-117. interpretation of I Genesis 42:1-4. W. n. 2117-2120. 1445
Eat bread until you return to the earth from which you were taken." Item v. 18: "The field shall bear thee thorns and thistles" 2c. I grant thee, saith God, the nourishment and preservation of thy life; but I will that thou use such creatures and means as are present, and do as much as thou canst, that thou tempt me not. But if thou shalt be without all help and counsel, then first of all I will also provide and sustain thee by a special miracle. But if there is any good means, think that it is shown and given to you by me, so that you should use it, so that you may be preserved.
12 In this way Jacob also has a certain promise, which he cannot lack; yet he does as much as is in him. He hears that grain is being sold in Egypt; therefore he is careful not to tempt God by sitting at home and waiting for food elsewhere, but he sends his sons to Egypt to buy grain there. What will you be long about? he says to them. It will not rain grain down from the clouds. Go, believe in God, trust in Him, and in so doing do what is right for you: use the creatures created by God in this natural life and given to us, that we may use them in our need.
So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, would not let Jacob go with his brothers, for he said, "He may meet with an accident.
(13) Here Jacob is in trouble and danger with his sons and grandsons, and it seems as if he does not trust God. For he keeps Benjamin, the eleventh son, with him and will not give him away in danger with the other ten sons, which is contrary to the promise and faith. Nevertheless, Jacob believes the promise.
(14) How then shall we reconcile these things, that they may rhyme together? Faith does not doubt;
but the believing Jacob doubts something. We have just heard the same thing about the patriarch Abraham, when he was worried about Sarah in Gerar, that she might meet with an accident, and Isaac was challenged in the same way, although both had clear promises. But does it not now seem as if they had mocked our Lord God, because they did not keep the same promise without all fear and trembling? Jacob often doubted and was frightened when he saw Esau, his brother, and he did not do otherwise than if God had never promised him anything. And so the holy patriarchs became like us in every way. For Jacob was as afraid in that place as if he had no faith at all.
(15) I believe that the reason Jacob the patriarch was so afraid and anxious was because he knew that the promise would have to be understood and applied to the son born of his firstborn wife, Rachel. For since he had lost his firstborn son Joseph, it was not fitting that the other son should also be put in danger, lest he be deprived of his descendants and the promised seed.
(16) Why does he not rather consider this for himself, that God promised him to give him a seed forever, and that therefore he would preserve his son for him even in the midst of death and hell? It is truly a great weakness that he keeps Benjamin at home, regardless of the divine promise, and has given the ten sons born to him, Bilhah, Leah and Zilpah, in danger of death. For he could have no certain hope for himself that they would come back to him healthy and unharmed. Should we not punish such human and carnal advice, such doubt and weakness?
(17) Though I do not desire to excuse it, for it is held up to us, that we may see examples of both faith and weakness, even in the greatest of fathers, and in addition to this the
1446 " x, 117-iis. Interpretation of Genesis 42, 3-5. W. 2, 2120-2123. 1447
Strife of the flesh with the spirit. For this is truly an example of the greatest weakness in the father Jacob and his sons, who went to an unknown people, who, although they heard the word of promise, still tremble, hope and worry, still believe and doubt. For thus we all tend to be strong and manly at the time when the spirit triumphs over the flesh; but when unbelief attacks our hearts, we soon sink.
(18) It is a human and foolish counsel of Jacob to keep Benjamin with him, lest he perish: as if he might not die at home; or as if Benjamin's welfare and life were in the power of Jacob his father. Why should the great patriarch, who had such a great promise, be so weak? What do you think you or I will be like when the danger and challenge come?
(19) Therefore, all this is written for our instruction and comfort, so that we may learn to trust in God continually, and that we may nevertheless also take care of our descendants and of the ministry that God has commanded us. For one must not think thus: I am a pastor or a church servant, and I know that God cares for the church; therefore, I do not want to do anything about it, nor do I want to take care of my office. Just as a householder must not be sluggish or lazy, but everyone should be brave and work diligently in his profession. For God does not forbid work, and does not want us to be idle, even though He governs everything with His presence and according to His will. But the flesh should and must be exercised and tempted with danger, challenge and terror, and with the uncertain outcome of our work. However, the promise and faith, which must go first, must remain unharmed, and the prayer and work, which every man's profession requires, must always be practiced and done with it. And even though such work does not matter, God wants us to eat our bread by the sweat of our brow, Genesis 3:19.
- ason, the Hebrew word, means death or other harm, as in Ex 21:22: "When men quarrel, and hurt a woman with child, that her fruit be cut off, and yet no harm befall her" 2c. There is also in Hebrew the word ason, which is a deadly calamity or heartache. Otherwise, it is not used much in the Scriptures.
21 Jacob feared that Benjamin might perish, that he might be torn by a wild beast or captured by enemies; just as he thought that Joseph must also have perished. He considered this danger for himself, and the fact that he was afraid did not happen in vain. For he was surrounded by unknown neighbors and enemies in a foreign land. And it seems that he was also afraid that he would lose the promise together with the son of whom he thought he would become the firstborn. For he did not know at that time that Joseph was still alive and that the same glory of the firstborn would be his; which he will learn and experience later in Egypt.
(22) Thus the dear holy fathers had rich promises in this way, and even though they had already believed, they still felt weakness of spirit and flesh, so that they still had to do, but so that the elect and faithful had everything to gain, and that their faith would be exercised and tried, grow and increase. Jacob was afraid of the wild beasts or that his son would be captured and perish; for he held the promise in great honor, namely, in the son of the most noble wife, even so that he preferred the health of this son to the welfare and life of all the other ten sons.
V. 5 So the children of Israel came to buy grain, along with others who went with them, because it was also expensive in the land of Canaan.
(23) They did not go to Egypt without companions, but joined other righteous and honest neighbors, whom they found faithful. Let it now be
1448 8- x> iis-121. Interpretation of I Genesis 42:5, 6. W. ii, 2123-212." 1449
They did this either at the admonition of their father or out of their own concern that they might have faithful companions to make the same journey, since the way through the Cananite and Midianite lands was dangerous.
(24) Now this counsel and help is also human, but it is written by the Holy Spirit so that we may learn to believe God's promises and not to doubt. Even though we are weak in faith, we should always repeat the same thing daily, and diligently inculcate in ourselves that God is true in His promises. Afterwards, however, when some opportunities and external means present themselves, we are to know that one should also use them and that human counsel is not to be despised. For this reason the children of Israel did not go this way alone, but united with the Hebronites and Cananites, so that they might be half sure of such companions. And it is probable that many were related to them because of the marriage they had entered into with the daughters of the Cananites. For such help was necessary for them, and that they united and befriended honest people against violence and injustice, which they had to expect as guests and strangers in the country from bad guys. Therefore, in times of need and danger, they also needed human advice and help.
V.6 But Joseph was the ruler of the land, and sold grain to all the people of the land.
25 The Hebrew word, shalith, is also a new word, which we have not had before. It comes from the tense word shalath, which means to rule, and will often be used in the same sense in the Scriptures; as, in Ecclesiastes Solomon, 8 Cap. V. 9: "One man ruleth over another at times, to his misfortune." Hence comes the word shalith, lord; and the Saracens call their emperor Sultan; and Gen. 49, 10. says, "The scepter shall not be taken from Judah until the hero (sultan) come." From this comes the word shield, in Latin scutum or clypeus, which the Germans use to refer to the scepter.
have to keep. Therefore Joseph is the shahth, that is, the sultan over all Egypt, and is the mashbir, as it is in Hebrew, who sells grain. The manner of speaking and the pronoun used instead of the tense "I am" have been spoken of above.
26 This is a great praise of wisdom and special diligence to Joseph, who rules everything alone in such a large kingdom. Pharaoh is also a sultan, but he is not a mashbir and does not care how the grain or food is distributed and sold; the care and burden is borne by Joseph alone. It is a wonder, however, how he was able to look at and get to know everyone in such a large crowd of buyers. For he himself recognized his brothers among the other crowds that arrived there. From this it can be assumed that he must have paid close attention to the strangers and to everyone in particular; for this he needed great diligence and had to be brave.
27 But I think he would have kept this way and order in it, that he opened one granary after the other, so that he could so much more easily take care of everyone, when the buyers had to come to a certain place. And although he had many officials and servants who sold the grain on his order and always had to wait for it, the buyers all had to come before him himself, so that he allowed them to buy grain there. It was a very nice order and a necessary diligence, so that those who were enemies of the kingdom would not sneak in with the other strangers and neighbors and cause any noise or trouble in the country.
The same example should be diligently observed by the authorities in every place, and they should follow it so that they think it is their duty to keep watch, and that they take good care not only of their citizens and subjects, but also of foreigners and aliens, so that the latter do not go astray so carelessly and without danger now and then, to the detriment of the common people. '
- for so is the kingdom of egypt
1450 L- x, 121-123. interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7. w. n, siss-siso. 1451
The Holy Spirit was appointed and ordered, whether such an order was established before Joseph or was only begun by him. And where Joseph first established and made them, we obviously see that the Holy Spirit was also involved in the physical government. In the beginning of his reign he ordered the churches in the seven rich years, then also the secular police and house regiment. Now that the grain is to be sold, he sees that it will be necessary to take care of the strangers who have come and gone. And it may well have been a wicked, untamed people who needed such attention; that is why he took care of it.
Second part.
Of the behavior of Jacob's sons against their brother Joseph, and of Joseph's behavior against his brother.
V. 6, 7 When his brothers came to him, they fell to the ground on their faces before him. 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.
(30) Now follows at last the right outcome and fulfillment of the dream which Joseph had before of his brothers. And Moses hastens that he may describe this fulfillment of the prophecy and dreams of Joseph. But Joseph's brothers do not yet know him, nor do they know before whom they fall to the ground on their faces. Therefore, this is only the beginning and an imperfect fulfillment, as they fall to the earth before their brother, whom they do not yet know. But afterwards they will also fall down before him, since they have recognized him, after the death of their father, so that this outcome will perfectly coincide with the dreams of Joseph.
(31) This is not to be looked at or read above, but this pleasant example and spectacle, or rather this beautiful mirror of this divine government, is to be diligently noted. And is there in this a clear allegory or secret interpretation and
figure of Christ, which the reader should also imagine at the same time. But the most important reason why the Holy Spirit wanted to write this history was that he wanted to show a wonderful spectacle, and a certainly credible example of the government, how God used to lead his saints. Which actually agrees with the saying of the 4th Psalm v. 4, where it says: "Know ye that the LORD leadeth his saints in a wonderful manner.
(32) For here we see Joseph dealing strangely with his brothers, and playing a strange game with them; but such a game as greatly humbles and exercises them, and involves great serious things. For in this way they are brought to the knowledge of their sins and cast into danger of death and hell.
(33) And in the same way God behaves toward His saints and believers in temptations, as Joseph behaved toward his brothers, who did not play with them in such a way as to desire revenge against them or to be an enemy to them: therefore, I say, He did not show Himself so hard toward them. For he weeps at last, and his heart in his body is moved against them. But outwardly he presents himself as a tyrant who wants to destroy and kill them for the most shameful sin of treason, so that they would deserve the highest disgrace, even the gallows and all kinds of punishment. This he does, I say, not out of alienation or hostility, but out of a brotherly and kindly heart, and for no other cause than that he may thereby investigate and test their repentance, and thus drive them to the knowledge of their sin, and to the grace and mercy of God.
- just such a game does God in the world also according to his divine goodness, as wisdom says in the Proverbs of Solomon in the 8th Cap. V. 31: "I played on the face of the earth, and my delight is with the children of men." Thus speaks the wisdom of the Father, the Son of God, since he became man, and thus indicates that he plays with men and has his pleasure, and only deals kindly and sweetly with them, and that he has the greatest pleasure in such play.
1452 L. x, 123-120. interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7. **w. n. 2130-2133.** 1453
(35) But to us it is a very sorrowful and miserable death. For is gambling to bring man to naught, to cast him into death, to afflict him with many countless miseries and troubles? It is a cat's game with the mouse, which is the death of the mouse. Therefore this is written, that we may learn to understand the counsel of divine wisdom and how wonderfully God guides His saints: which seems so grievous and bitter that the angels who see it, and the devils and the world, think that we are all devoured and corrupted; yea, we ourselves also make ourselves think that we are all forsaken, despised, and rejected of God.
- that is where these words of lamentation actually came from, as, in the 31st Psalm v. 23: "I am cast out from your eyes"; and in the 44th Psalm v. 24: "Awaken, O Lord, why are you asleep? Awake, and do not cast us off so utterly" 2c. Such cries to God will no doubt have been repeated by Jacob many times throughout his life in so much sorrow and distress. And this has been the constant sighing and lamenting of all the patriarchs from the beginning. For what could be said or thought more miserable and pitiful than the first fathers were, than Adam, Noah and Abraham?
- and yet at the end of the same game it is seen that God played with them quite kindly, and did not deal with them differently than with His most beloved children. For thus teaches the epistle to the Hebrews in 12 Cap. V. 5, 6, 7: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, and do not despair when you are punished by Him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth: but he chasteneth every son whom he receiveth. If you endure chastening, God will reward you as children" 2c.
(38) But as it is in the household, where the children are chastened, it is not at all pleasant to them; so it is thought that the chastening of the Lord is very hard, bitter and severe. But "blessed is the man," says St. James, Cap. 1, v. 12, "who endures the chastisement; for after he is proved, he will receive the crown of life, which God promised to those who
love him." Therefore, we should certainly believe that our misfortune or affliction, sighing and lamenting, and even death itself is nothing but a very merry and beautiful play of divine goodness with us.
(39) How many are there who understand or believe this? If we could bring this into our hearts, we would be truly blessed; then we would also be ready to suffer all misfortune with a cheerful heart. But when I think that I am a poor sinner and am punished because of sin, I judge much differently. For then I do not feel that God is my Father, that he is kind and merciful, but that he is the devil himself.
40 Therefore you should know that God is almighty, and therefore such a serious game is fitting for Him, and the same rhymes well with such great majesty. And one must truly learn and get used to such his pleasure and play, as the 4th Psalm v. 4. says: You must learn. Nature or reason does not teach it; otherwise it would not be necessary for you to learn it from me. The Psalm says: "Listen, let it be said to you, when you are challenged with all kinds of troubles, with all kinds of sorrow and hardship, remember that God is playing with you; which game is strange to you, but God is happy. For if he did not have a fatherly heart toward you, he would not play with you in this way.
41 Therefore, it is a sign of God's great and unspeakable mercy toward you that you are numbered among those with whom God delights, with whom His delight is. Therefore he gives you his promise, his word and sacraments as the most certain signs and testimonies of his grace, namely that he has adopted you as his child: and demands nothing more of you than that you endure and tolerate his play, which is pleasing to him, but beneficial to you.
42 Yes, you say, but I do not understand this? Answer: That is right. For the Holy Spirit does not call this Lord a miracle worker in vain. Therefore, in this history, the godly are given great consolation and excellent teaching when they see that Joseph, with his brothers
1454 X, I2S. 126. interpretation of Genesis 42, 6. 7. w. n, 2133-2136. 1455
not that he desired to take revenge on them, or reproached them for hurting or destroying them, but rather that he wanted to help them in body and soul and preserve them. For they were fat, thick and strong, hated chastisement or punishment, and had despised their father's speech, did no repentance, but thought that their sin, which had been dormant for so long, was now entirely forgotten. But it is said: Old guilt does not rust. Sin cannot be covered or eradicated, but even if you deny or hide it, it sleeps or rests at the door, so that it will be revealed soon after, as Genesis 4:7 says: If thou art not pious, sin is not sure nor hid.
For this reason, he first tries to bring them to the knowledge of their sins. Therefore he tries and searches their hearts wonderfully, so that he may learn what their minds are. And because he sees that they do not yet repent of the sin they have committed, he tries them until he teaches them and reminds them of their sins, and thus drives them to repentance.
(44) But one should not argue here, as the papists are wont to do, about atonement, as if God demanded atonement from us for sin, which we cannot make at all. For Joseph did not demand the same from his brothers, since, if he had wanted to deal with them severely, he could have killed them with the greatest justification, because they had done him such great violence and injustice. But he does not do this. For he knows that in the human race there is no other atonement for sin than that which is worldly or civil, which the authorities demand of those who have transgressed and acted wickedly. But this atonement has nothing at all to do with the theology and teaching of the holy scriptures. For in it is only the one sacrifice, namely, our Lord Christ, with whom the wrath of God has been satisfied. For our sins are much greater than that they could be paid for or blotted out by some atonement.
(45) Therefore, the word "atonement" should be removed from the church, or else used with greater caution than Cyprian and others have done, to the great detriment of the church. The forgiveness of sins is a much higher thing than our atonement can be. For where this has already been done and kept, sin still remains.
- For this reason, Joseph tries his brothers so much harder that he may drive them to repentance and knowledge of their sins and kill their security and drive them to despair, since he threatens them with death and all kinds of punishments: Not that in this way they will do enough for sin, as the papists do their useless washing; but that he may awaken in them pain and remorse because of their committed sin, so that they may seek help themselves, how they may be cleansed of sins.
(47) So God also afflicts us with various misfortunes, not that he wants to punish us seriously with them, although in truth it is a punishment, but he has no pleasure in it. But what does he mean by so many miseries, plagues and diseases? 2c. Answer: He only means that you may be brought to the knowledge of your sins. He knows well that you cannot do enough for this, nor does he punish us according to our merit. For we deserve nothing but death and hell. But the sin that is in our nature and clings to us is hidden from our eyes; he brings it to light, as it says in the prayer of Moses, in the 90th Psalm v. 8: "You set our iniquity before you, our unconcealed sin in the light before your face," as if to say: You see our misery and misfortune, which we ourselves do not see. We are unclean in thy sight and most shamefully defiled; but such deformity and shame of our depraved nature is unknown to ourselves. Therefore, in order that it may be revealed and cleansed, God needs such a powerful and bitter remedy. And if he is to sweep out the evil, he must take a straw mop and sharp sand and scour it so that the blood comes.
48 Now here belong the punishments and
4456 D X, 12S-128. interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7. w. n, 2136-2138. 1457
the misfortunes that lie upon the human race, such as pestilence, war, and the time of trouble, so that the sin in us may be punished and revealed, so that it may be grasped until we learn to understand what we are in God's eyes. Yes, we must also do a very shameful gross fall, so that we learn to recognize our misery and weakness. So David fell terribly because of his security and hope, so that he would also be taught what sin was, and could say this from his heart Ps. 51, v. 6: "In you alone have I sinned"; as if he wanted to say: "I now see that we are all accused and condemned in your law; but there is no man who understands this. But now I confess that I am nothing more than a poor sinner, deserving nothing but vain wrath, and worthy of eternal death; in short, that I am nothing else but vain sin: "that thou mayest be right in thy words, and pure when thou art judged" by those who want to be pious and righteous.
(49) Let us therefore learn to hold fast to this comfort, though guilt bites our conscience, though the sting of law and death drives us; that we may know that this is not for our destruction, but rather for our teaching and instruction, and that we may at last be cleansed from sins, that we may come to the knowledge of ourselves and of our corrupt nature. Therefore we are to tolerate the hand of God, who thus sweeps us, that is, who laughs and plays with us. For those who refuse to tolerate the hand of God dispute about satisfaction, and if it is not sufficient, then they must necessarily despair. God does indeed sweep the hypocrites and the wicked, but before the cleansing is complete, they break as a glass breaks.
(50) Thus, in ancient times, the sophists taught that one should strive and suffer until the repentance of sin would be sufficient. But what is the use of repenting and suffering over sin and not understanding the smallest bit of God's grace and mercy? For thus
Saul and Judas were also tempted, afflicted and swept away, but they only repented of the sins they had committed; therefore they soon became fainthearted and despondent, because only the law ruled with its authority. The devil also has his repentance and trembles, as Jacobus Cap. 2, v. 19; but this is not repentance unto salvation. Therefore it must be added that the Lord says Ezk. 18, 23: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he turn from his way of being and live. In all distress and terror, the little spark of divine mercy must remain in our hearts, so that the heart that repents of sins may be stirred up and comforted; as Manasseh also does, when he says in his prayer v. 8: "You have not set atonement for the righteous, for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," but for the poor sinners 2c.
(51) Let this be diligently and carefully considered in this present example, that we may understand the causes of our affliction. For though we do not sin in deeds and outward works, and have some outward discipline, yet the flesh with which we drag ourselves is unclean, and we do not understand how great our sin and sorrow is, which must be put away. All sins have been forgiven and covered, but they have not yet been completely swept away; and we still have not only the gross leaven of fornication, pride, hatred, anger and other evil desires clinging to us, but also the inward evil parts and secret defilements, such as doubting God, unbelief, impatience, grumbling against God. Which unhappiness then manifests itself and comes to the fore only when the conscience is attacked and plagued by the law and the terror of sin. We do not pay attention to it, nor do we sigh because of the shameful defilement: But God sees it. Therefore He also tries to sweep our unclean nature, thinking: "You are now enlightened and baptized, but you still stink, and your flesh is full of great infirmities, defects and faults; therefore I must cleanse and sweep it. For that which is unclean and defiled,
1458 D. X, 128-130. interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7. w. 2, 2138-2141. 1459
will not enter the kingdom of heaven, Revelation 21:27. Then our Lord God's game begins, not that we should perish or be lost, but that he should try us, test us and bring us to the knowledge of our disgrace; but so that we do not despair, but rather cry out to him and call upon him for grace and mercy; so that we also learn that he is such a God who wants to prove his wonderful goodness, as the 17th Psalm v. 7 says. Psalm v. 7. says; for he meant the same thing by his play.
(52) The sophists, as stated above, did not understand this. For they have taught that if you have perfect repentance, God will pour out His grace to you de congruo, that is, if not as a deserved reward, yet according to equity; and thus they want to have it that man can earn God's grace only by punishment. But this is wrong; rather, faith and right invocation must be added, and God's goodness and promise must be felt; from this comes the crying and groaning when the conscience is troubled and challenged, so that at the same time the taste of eternal life begins.
But what should I shout or scream, one would say. I feel well that I will be killed. God answers and says Ezk 18, 23: I will not have the death of the sinner 2c. Yes, what then, dear God? I will have thee cry unto me, that I may lead thee wondrously, and that thou mayest understand thine uncleanness, which I will take away in this way. The same way is a game to me, but to you it is death, and yet it is useful for you to know and recognize that such cleansing is necessary for you. The "recognize" in Psalm 4, v. 4, must therefore be learned. But it is much different with those with whom I do not play in this way. For they are also driven to and fro, are tempted and afflicted; but they do not cry out to me, nor do they think that I am playing with them.
54 Therefore, we will see this spectacle in Joseph's example. For as God is minded toward his saints or believers, so is Joseph toward his brothers.
He is also compassionate, full of love and kindness. He seeks nothing else with the purest heart, but her welfare and bliss in body and soul. That is why he first frightens them, so that he may remind them of the horrible sin, so that they had recently grieved their old father heartily, but had put their brother in danger of life and limb. And perhaps he was worried that Benjamin, his brother, had also perished through their wickedness, or that their father had recently died of great heartache.
Therefore, he plays such a divine and sharp game with them, which is very beneficial and to God's glory. For they are thereby led to the recognition of their sin, but still without despair, and thus come to true godliness and holiness. For after such cleansing they have become better and softer, since before they hid their sin and even wanted to conceal and forget it, and thus remain in eternal sorrow and condemnation. Therefore such a remedy was needed, which had to be strong, as it is described in the prophets, as, Hosea Cap. 6, V. 5.: "Therefore I will punish them by the prophets", says the Lord, "and kill them by my mouth" 2c.; and Ezk. 24, 12. God calls the city Jerusalem such a pot, in which the unburned sticks and does not want to come off, if it is not first melted again 2c. There this play of our Lord God is described, by which we are afflicted and killed, until we again become the earth, from which we were taken, and are buried.
- But why does God act so ungraciously with us? He answers this question himself in the prophet Ezekiel, saying that the rust or unbaked material will not come off the pot otherwise; it is too hard unbaked. Therefore he says that he will melt it in the fire, so that it may be boiled and purified.
- so he also says about the future of Christ, Mal. 3:3: "He shall sit and melt, and purify the silver; he shall purify and cleanse the children of Levi, as silver and gold." Therefore the prophet adds the still
1460 x, 1A--13H. Interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7, W. n. 2141-2141. 1461
added v. 2: "Who may suffer the day of his future?" 2c. So God plays a fatherly game with us, when he lets pestilence, hard times, sickness, sadness of life, and perhaps a serious case with children or all kinds of misfortune come upon us in this life, so that he may melt and purify us. But who can bear the same? The Jews did not hope for such a Messiah, but they wanted one who would make them kings and lords of the whole world. No, says Malachi, with this they will fail; for he will sweep sharply, and as it will seem, abominably. And however horrible this purification may be, our Savior plays with us, not that we should be corrupted by it, but that we should be improved.
(58) Now Joseph is very kind and gentle toward his brothers. For he turns from time to time and weeps bitterly; and by such weeping he shows that he is quite inclined to forgive them. And yet he deals with them outwardly so ungraciously, rages and is angry with them as if they were spies, throws Simeon into prison, and frightens them as much as he can and might. Therefore this is a wonderful example, for he cannot refrain from weeping because of his great love and mercy. But if you look at the words and outward gestures, he shows himself much stronger and harder against them than a pebble or a diamond can be.
(59) God also guides His saints wonderfully in this way. Yes, the schoolmasters and parents also chastise the children with rods and blows, so that something good may come out of them. As the German saying goes: The better the child, the sharper the rod. And yet this is a game of divine majesty, even of pious parents and teachers, who no doubt do not want to kill their children with it. For the heartfelt affection they bear toward them, as it is implanted in parents by God, does not permit them to do so; rather, fatherly love and mercy demand that they stop at the children with blows and sticks, so that they may become pious through them; although such a thing is not permitted.
This cannot be done without pain and anger. Joseph acts as if he were a stranger and enemy to his brothers and punishes them severely, threatening them with death and all kinds of punishments, yet his heart is completely kind and loving and thinks nothing less than that he would punish them or take revenge on them. Yes, he deals with it, that he may exalt them and put them in honor, and adorn them in all ways.
Therefore, we should consider that this is a sign, figure or example from the holy Scriptures, namely, how God uses to lead and govern the godly, so that we do not soon become fainthearted and despair when we feel that we are also chastised by God, or even rejected, and neglected and despised, as David laments in Psalm 31, v. 23: "I said in my anguish, 'I am cast out of your sight'" 2c. For in truth God does not play thus with the wicked; but the same "grow old in good days," as Job says Cap. 21, v. 13, "and scarcely for a moment are afraid of hell." He did not play with Sodom and Gomorrah in this way, because there was peace, hope, and everything was full; but Lot and Abraham were severely afflicted, and they must suffer.
Thus, we will finally come to know God and understand His good and merciful will. For it is not at all the opinion of the punishment that God inflicts on His own, as the papists pretend with their foolish and foolish repentance, as if God wanted to be reconciled with our sufficiency. They do not know what sin is; they do not know that God plays with the saints and believers in such a way, not that they should perish or be lost, but that it should be recognized in Him what He boasts about Himself and says Jer. 3:12: "I am merciful and will not be angry forever"; and after that also the other thing, which He adds and says in v. 13: "Only know your iniquity, that you have sinned against the Lord" 2c. Likewise, in the clasps of Jeremiah Cap. 3, vv. 31-33: "The Lord does not cast off forever, but grieves and has mercy again according to his great kindness, because he does not afflict and afflict men from the heart.
1462 L. X. IS2-IS4. Interpretation of I Moses 42:6, 7. w. n. 2144-2147. 1463
clouds." And Job on the 10th Cap. V. 8, 9: "Thine hands have wrought me, and made all that I am round about, and have sunk me. Remember that thou hast made me of glue, and wilt make me again of the earth." 2c.; vv. 12, 13: "Thou hast done life and good to me, and thine eye hath preserved my breath. And though thou hidest these things in thine heart, yet know I that thou rememberest them" 2c. As if he wanted to say: You know that; how do you then stand on it? You will take me for your creature, you will not reject me, as if I were not your creature and you the creator; even though you stand like this, as if you knew nothing about it, and show yourself differently as a creator.
(62) This wisdom and play of God is for those who cry out, who have a broken and bruised heart, and who are a smoldering wick. These are the ones who feel it, to whom this consolation must be held out, so that they may not despair, but be strong and manly, as the 27th Psalm v. 14 exhorts: "Be of good cheer and undaunted, and wait for the Lord." For this is a sure sign of life, where one feels God's wrath.' The pope, bishops and cardinals do not feel it, neither do the Turks and all the ungodly, adulterers, fornicators, covetous 2c.; therefore they do not live. But to those who feel that God is angry, one should say: Dear children, recognize and learn that God does not humiliate and reject the children of men from the heart. Here you have a very nice example of this. Joseph deals very harshly with his brothers, throws them into prison, and after that, when they bring Benjamin to him, he shows himself even more cruel. But you should know that he is not serious in the way he presents himself outwardly: it is not his opinion at all; so that one might well say: he does not speak or do this from the heart. Yes, who could believe it!
- Therefore, learn and get used to the fact that you can persevere in temptation, and then you will learn that God is in truth quite kind and loves you very much. Yes, you say, why does he play so unkindly? Is he lying when he pretends to be so? Not at all, as Joseph
cannot accuse anyone of lying. Augustin and others disputes about it. But ask a father who chastises his child whether he is lying? He beats his son, but not in order to destroy and kill him, but in order to make him pious, and yet he does not lie. He loves him dearly, even though he punishes him severely. For foolishness is in the heart of the child, but the rod of discipline shall drive it far from him," Prov. 22:15. Thus original sin, which we received in paradise, is attached to us, the leaven of the devil, so that our nature is poisoned: this is the foolishness of the heart and of our own will, namely, the drowsiness, security and contempt of God, so that we let ourselves dream that we are pious and pure from all filth. Then the rod of discipline is necessary, as Solomon says, and that the boy be chastened, that he may know his sin and error, so that he may not fear his father, or love him again, who nevertheless loves the son dearly; not that thereby enough may be done for sin, as the papists can uselessly wash away, but that the boy may be pious and the foolishness removed.
For with us is born a terrible darkness and ignorance, and a complete turning away from God. Then the Lord says: "I will forgive you out of grace, without any merit on your part, not because of your repentance or satisfaction. For the sin was not done in such a way that it could be atoned for by ourselves, or paid for with our repentance and satisfaction; but the Son of God Himself had to atone for it and pay for it.
65 But this I will do, says God: if I forgive your sin, I will make you an heir and a child of God in my kingdom, and I will show my love for you, but first I will wash away your filth. I must first wipe and wash you; just as the mother does not put the baby in the cradle, because she has first wiped and washed it, and in the meantime asks nothing about it, that the child howls and cries miserably, that she should not wash and clean it because of that.
1464 2 X. 134-1W. Interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7. W. n, A47-SI4S. 1465
So we have been called to the kingdom of God, we have forgiveness of sins, we are children and heirs of God, but we are still sluggish, lazy and sleepy in body and soul. Our Lord God intends to take away this evil addiction and put it to rest in our whole life.
But this doctrine was unknown to the Sophists and their listeners or disciples in the Pabstics of old. And since I initially let some short sentences go out in print and taught how the whole life of the Christian believer would be pure repentance, the papists became sheer mad and foolish about it. For they taught that original sin was forgiven and even taken away in baptism, and that there was nothing left of it in us but a little tinder, that is, a natural weakness in man. Therefore they thought nothing and taught nothing at all about sin, how it must be purified and swept out of us; but the real sins, such as theft, fornication and the like, they said, should be atoned for with good works, with one's own atonement, with watchfulness, prayer, monastic vows 2c. This was their doctrine of repentance, that we should make atonement for sins with our own merits and virtues, when a much greater payment and atonement belongs to it, namely, the Son of God Himself. But because they did not know what sin was, they considered it small and insignificant, and let themselves believe that it was only a weakness or infirmity and sluggishness of our nature. But how sin must be swept out, they have cared little about that. Thus, through such wretched darkness and falsification of sound doctrine, people have been grievously deceived, with the exception of a few who have still been preserved, to whom this light has been sent by God, that man must become righteous by faith alone.
(68) Therefore we teach this diligently, namely, how the old leaven of sins must be swept out of us throughout our lives; but we teach nothing of the worthiness of our own powers and sufficiency, as if sin should be purged thereby.
and pay, as the papists falsely taught, if original sin had first been taken away through the blood of Christ and baptism. And they have taken Jerome's saying to mean that those who have fallen, as after shipwreck, must take hold of the other plank of repentance, that is, repentance and satisfaction, and adhere to it.
(69) This is the uncertainty of sin, and the impurity of the doctrine of the monks in the priesthood, so that they have persuaded men that there is no sin left in them, except a little tinder; which is truly a very wicked and abominable error, yea, a loud lie. For we are received into grace through baptism, not only for the remission of sins, but also that the same should still be purged out of us. The forgiveness comes from pure grace, and happens to us only for the sake of the Son of God, without all our worthiness, merit and repentance.
(70) After this forgiveness comes punishment, anguish, persecution, and death, all of which are intended to remove sin, so that it is not only forgiven and pardoned by God's grace and mercy, but that it is also still being swept away by the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that you may understand how great is the wickedness of men and how human nature is so utterly corrupt. For the great darkness and blindness that is innate in us makes us realize neither our own sorrow nor the immeasurable grace and mercy of God, and has made body and soul completely rigid and numb.
In order for this dullness and insensitivity to be removed, severe and painful punishments are necessary, which can drive away the sleeping sickness and laziness. It takes a sharp yelp to awaken in us, through the action of the Holy Spirit, the knowledge and admiration of God's infinite goodness and great love, so that He may love us. For Judas and Saul could not bear this purification, but they despair and cry out everywhere that they are eternally rejected by God.
1466 D. X. 136. 137. interpretation of Genesis 42:6. 7. w. n, 2149-2152. 1467
They are therefore tormented, martyred and killed.
Therefore, the afflicted who are afflicted in this way should be diligently reminded that God is not angry with them, and that they interpret the abandonment as nothing other than the most certain sign that God has accepted them in favor, since He chastises every son whom He receives, Heb. 12:6, lest he perish and be lost in the stupor and blindness of original sin, which original sin people can neither see nor understand by their own reason.
In this way Joseph does nothing else but reveal the sin of his brothers with this hard work and speech. For they go down to Egypt with other companions to buy grain, are safe, and pay no attention to the horrible sin of which they knew themselves guilty, as if they had never sinned against their old father or innocent brother. They think Joseph will have died long ago, but the father knows nothing about all these things. What is it to us? they will have said. The rough fellows do not repent. These hard pebbles and diamonds must be broken and contrite, and their eyes must be opened, that they may see the cruelty of their sin. And Joseph, having done the same, soon showed himself more kind in words and in deeds, and dealt honestly with them.
(74) This was also a cause that he searched and tried their hearts so that he was concerned that they might have sinned even more against their father and youngest brother. For since he was sold by them into Egypt, and saw that they were not yet sorry for it, he was concerned that they might have fallen into other greater sins because of such security and impenitence, and that they might also have harmed the other son born of Rachel, to whom the firstborn was due, and might have done violence to him because they wanted to be lords and have the rule alone. For other things he took little care. He only asks
after the father and brother. Because he knows that they were after the firstborn through his death and desired it, he was worried that they might have been moved by malice and ambition to kill both father and brother, and that the whole house of his father would be very confused and disrupted. For the sake of the cause, he seems to have said above, Gen. 41, 51, that he had forgotten his father's house and had not even thought of returning to his father's country.
Therefore, this concern and cruelty of sin caused Joseph to search and examine his brothers' hearts so much more closely that he not only wanted to bring to their minds the previous sins they had committed against him, but also their evil thoughts and remind them of them. And truly, this inquisition and investigation was very unwelcome and harsh enough, and yet came from the most serene heart. I would have dealt with them a bit more harshly.
- But this bitterness or unkindness, which he showed them outwardly, is not as if he wanted to take revenge on them because of the violence they had done to him, but only so that they might come to salutary repentance and be humbled, so that they might also say, as it says in Psalm 32:5, "I said: I will repent to the: I will confess my transgression unto the Lord. Thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sin" 2c.
(77) Therefore we have said that this should be added to the doctrine of repentance, which is to have heartfelt remorse for sin and to acknowledge it sincerely, and also to grasp and accept the divine promises in Christ with faith. Judas had none of these things in his repentance. He was more hostile to punishment than to sin; he was sorry that he had to be cast out, and yet he did not take hold of the grace and mercy of God in Christ.
- after that, all punishments, plagues, miseries, and calamities shall also be drawn there, and
1468 L L. I37-I3S. Interpretation of Genesis 42:6, 7. W. ri. 2152-2155. 1469
interpret. For this is done so that people are led to their own knowledge and also to God's knowledge. The punishments and misfortunes that we suffer fight against the flesh and against sin, which is not to be paid for by such atonement, but swept away, and remind us that we recognize God's goodness and grace, who does not reject or destroy us when he chastises us, but wants to make us righteous through it. For it is not wrath, but only chastening; not disinheritance, but purification. If you will therefore diligently remember and impress this upon yourself, then you will easily tolerate and endure any chastening of the Lord; indeed, you will also desire and long for God to strike, burn, and purge out the remaining leaven of original sin. Then the right children will come out of it, who do not fall away, but persevere and remain steadfast in temptation and tribulation.
This should be done diligently and always reproached to the people for the sake of the gross asses, the papists, who use to boast about the great worthiness of their repentance and confession, as if they could thereby do enough for sin de congruo et condigno, that is, in such a way that God would have to be gracious and kind to them according to justice and equity. But this is the real wisdom of Christians, namely, that they know they were born in sins, and that sin is still in the flesh and clings to it until death, and that we cannot be fully saved and cleansed from it, but only through death, worms, and the last fire. In the meantime, however, God still has patience with us according to His immeasurable grace and mercy, and does not reject or destroy us, but purifies and washes us daily with His hand.
(80) And this is the right doctrine in all this history, which is truly higher than I can understand or comprehend, much less act and interpret according to its dignity. Joseph shows himself whimsically hard and unkind to his brothers; and yet with such kindness that he is softer than wax can be, even though he shows himself as if he were harder than wax.
He does this only so that he can help them in body and soul.
(81) For this deed is not to be taken as an example to follow, as if to punish and avenge ourselves on those who have offended and wronged us. For there is no evil desire on Joseph's part to avenge himself, but it is the kindest play with his brothers, as he was afterwards called to put the silver cup into Benjamin's sack, the youngest. But is not this the kindest and sweetest game? But the hour in which it is played does not seem so, but there it is death itself. But when the temptation is over, they see nothing but the greatest favor and love. Well, they say, how Joseph, our brother, has been so kind to us! We also feel the same way, that after the redemption of God we also have to judge and keep, who therefore lets us be challenged and afflicted, so that we may examine which is the good and pleasing will of God.
(82) The discussion of lying is unnecessary in this place, for some ask whether Joseph is lying, since he presents himself as if he did not know his brothers, or as if he were a stranger to them. But he is not lying, just as a father does not lie when he chastises his son, as I said above. For one might ask in the same way whether God is lying when he punishes us with all kinds of misfortune, misery and hardship, as Job says in Cap. 10, vv. 12, 13. V. 12, 13: "You have done life and good to me, though you have hidden these things in your heart"; which truly also means to punish God with lies. The same might be said of a father who is angry and chastises his son.
83 So I answer: We are liars. But to punish and chastise is not to lie, but to show and reveal who and what kind of people we are. For we hide our sin, not wanting to be guilty of the sins we have committed; indeed, we make believe that we have never angered God or our parents. But if we confess our sin and say:
1470 x, iss-m. Interpretation of Genesis 42:6-8. W. ii, 2155-2159. 1471
Oh, dear Father, I have sinned; forgive me, and we shall not be judged or punished by the Lord, 1 Cor. 11:31. But because I conceal these things, and lie, as though I had never sinned; yea, I am yet well pleased to sin, and that the Father knoweth not of my sins; as Joseph's brethren therefore rejoiced with one another: therefore God put us to shame, and bring such hypocrisy to light, that it may be made manifest.
(84) Therefore Joseph does not lie, but only deals with it, that he may cleanse his brothers from their sin. God does not lie either, but I myself lie, because I am safe and snore, not otherwise than as if there were nothing evil in me at all. But he plays with us and says: "Because you yourself are so pleased with your hypocrisy, caress yourself, and let yourself dream that you are completely pure from all sins, I will reveal to you and show you what and who you are in my sight, and I will take off from you the mask of security and hypocrisy.
So it is a lie if one does not want to recognize the guilt or sin, and with the lie there is also this folly that one does not want to understand the punishment, chastisement and medicine. However, the physician continues with cleansing, burning and cutting, even though this is not done without pain. But because you do not understand the counsel of God, and lie about it, in that you do not recognize your sin, it is necessary for such a remedy to reveal and expose your foolishness.
Third part.
How Jacob's sons do not know Joseph, how Joseph speaks very sharply to them and how they behave in this.
V. 8. But though he (Joseph) knew them (his brothers), they did not know him.
(86) This Moses showed to be an extraordinary miracle. For two and twenty years had passed since Joseph's brothers had seen him, and yet he knew every one of them.
nyone among them knew him. But it was not only the age and shape of the body, which had been changed in such a long time, but also the royal majesty and glory of Joseph that hindered them from seeing him adorned.
(87) Then the evil of blindness was also added, so that, as we have just heard, the Sodomites were also defeated. Therefore they think nothing less than that this prince should be their brother Joseph, whom they had sold ages ago. Yes, they have persuaded themselves in their hearts that Joseph must have died long ago.
Thirdly, he speaks to them through an interpreter, so that they may not know the voice. Therefore, it is no wonder that they did not know him. For melancholics are so often in the habit of walking with their thoughts, or having other serious thoughts, that they neither see nor hear what they have seen and heard before. Therefore, it was not necessary that he presented himself so strangely, since he was still hidden under the great splendor and power.
89 But the fact that he has put himself in this position is because he wanted to show them how he would be minded. For he did not want to reveal his friendly and brotherly heart to them at that time; therefore he showed himself harsher with words and gestures against his brothers than otherwise against other foreigners. For he was set over the grain to sell it, and instead of the king he asked each buyer in particular who he was, what his business was, and from where he came, from the land of Canaan or from Idumea. And this was indeed a very beautiful order, which would have been necessary in our countries and cities for the sake of the common good, namely, that one would not so easily take anyone into the cities if one had not first inquired about him. For that such things are despised and not kept is a cause of much misfortune. In Egypt, everyone had to come before Joseph and give an account of his dealings. And in this way he also asked his brethren, "Whence come ye?"
1472 x> 141-143. interpretation of Genesis 42, 9-11. W. 2, 21SS-2161. 1473
V.9-11. 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. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord; thy servants are come to buy food. We are all sons of one man, we are honest; and your servants have never been spies.
90 The Hebrew word meraglim comes from the word regel, which means footman. Therefore, the Hebrew word that we have translated as scout is actually a footman, or one who walks on foot. But the Hebrew language uses this word for scouts and traitors, which we could not have taken from the derivation or grammar if circumstances and examples did not teach us this. Therefore, we cannot know the emphasis and meaning of many words in the same language. For the Hebrews have largely lost their understanding of words. I wanted to have it interpreted, runners: but they call the scouts so, who run around to see the fortresses and where the land is open.
91 For this is the correct meaning of the word ervath, which Moses often used, as, 3 Mos. 18, 6. 7. and in other places more, and actually means, naked or bare. But because a man is not said to be naked or bare unless his shame is uncovered, and the fig leaves or the apron are taken off, Moses uses it for shame. So we do not cover our eyes, for they are not naked, just as we do not cover the other honest parts of our bodies. Original sin, however, makes us naked when the limbs, so ordained for birth, are uncovered. Therefore he calls it here by a similitude the nakedness of the land, where the land is open, that is, such places as are not specially fortified and cultivated. Thus God threatens in the prophets that he will uncover the shame of the Gentiles, that is to say, he will desolate and ruin their land so that it will be ugly, unbuilt, disgraceful and even desolate.
- Accordingly, it can also be seen from this what diligence was applied at that time to the announcement of the
The people of the land were the ones who were turned over to the rulers and how well they took care of them. Therefore, it seems that Joseph was not only a regent in the time of peace, but also a ruler in war, who had the power and command to protect and nourish the subjects, and had a very heavy burden on him. Therefore, he also needed great wisdom, skill and God's grace to govern the great wide kingdom that was in such great prosperity.
(93) This is also part of the hardness and unkindness with which Joseph tries his brothers, accusing them of being spies or traitors, as if they had not come to Egypt to buy grain but to explore the land. And he might have asked and tried other unknown people in this way, but here he had no reason to do so. For he knew well who they were and from whom they had come. He knew well that they had been forced to seek food for the sake of their time, and that they were not holding out any evil. How, then, did he sin or lie in this, since he accused his brothers of such a sin of which they were not guilty, and thus reviled the innocent?
(94) We also answered above that one might ask in the same way, whether God also sins when He says to us, "You are guilty of eternal death and are condemned. In this he truly does not lie, but is the most evident truth: but my heart is lying and hypocritical, which conceals and covers my vanity and foolishness.
95 For this reason, Joseph cannot or should not be punished for his rough and unkind attitude toward his brothers. For it is a very kind and sweet place, and he sought nothing else with it, but the welfare and happiness of his brothers in body and soul: it is not a harmful, but a wholesome and helpful lie to them.
96Then the other cause that he spoke so harshly and sharply to them is that which Moses himself added, namely, because he was thinking of
1474 L X, 14Z. 141. interpretation of Genesis 42, 9-11. **W. II, 2161-2164.** 1475
remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them. For he wanted them to be fulfilled rightly and completely: he wanted to be honored by them from the heart, and that they should bow down before him not only as before a prince in Egypt, but also as before their brother Joseph; as they will also show him this honor afterwards, after the death of their father. For he knew that the dreams were given to him by God and that they were prophetic dreams, therefore he desired that they be fulfilled truly and not hypocritically.
In the end, Joseph had a legitimate reason for his suspicion, as is evident from history. For he had left eleven brothers at home, and now only ten come to him. He sees that the youngest brother Benjamin, whom he most desired to see, is not there. This was a natural suspicion, without any sin. Therefore he wanted to know the truth, namely, whether Benjamin and Jacob were still alive, or whether they had both perished through the wickedness of his brothers. He was in earnest to go about it, and it would have occurred to anyone to fear that these wicked men had done even greater harm. For it is no sin to have the worst suspicion of wicked mischievous people. As above, Gen. 20:2, 11, Abraham told Sarah to say she was not his wife; which was a very shameful lie: but he himself answers and excuses this lie, saying, "Perhaps there is no fear of God in these places." For he had well learned in Babylon and Haran that original sin reigned in all men everywhere: why then should Joseph have a good opinion of death-slayers?
98 Not that one should easily and quickly judge others and speak evil, but to have suspicion of those who are obviously evil is not a sin, but is most just and right. And the evangelist John says of Christ himself, John 2:23 ff: "Many believed in his name, when they saw the signs which he did. But Jesus
He did not trust himself to them, for he knew them all, and knew well what was in man. Yes, even pious, holy, understanding men are not always without suspicion: much less can I think anything good of the pope, cardinals or bishops of Mainz. Although it sometimes seems as if they pretend delicious and useful things, there is no doubt that deceit and trickery are hidden among them; for I know that they are traitors, murderers and the most wicked of boys. And with complete confidence I hold that they are damned and possessed by the devil to boot.
- For this reason I say that it is good and right not to think good of impenitent, hardened people and those who are obviously evil, and not to think good of them. But if I believe them and am harmed by them, it is my own fault that I am in danger, because I know that one should not believe godless, evil people any more than the devil himself, even if they promise and pretend things that seem true and good. For in the Gospel, Marc. 1, 24. 25, Christ punishes the devils who confess that he is the Son of God, and commands them to be silent. In the same way we should deal with those who are obviously evil, if they do not repent, and we should rather give them evil than good, so that they cannot deceive us with any pretense, under the pretext of godliness and respectability.
(100) Therefore Joseph acts very wisely with his brothers, since he suspects them of their wickedness, and investigates how they have behaved in the meantime against the old father and Benjamin, his brother. And in this investigation, which is the most important thing in this history, he considers how they may be helped to their recovery and happiness. For this reason he was the slower to make himself known to them, so that he might have cause and space to show them their sins and sweep them out, so that they would not be so sure, and consider it such a small thing, to kill their brother and put him to death.
1476 X, 144-146. interpretation of Genesis 42, 9-13. **W. n, 2164-S167.** 1477
that they themselves would also like to recognize how great it would be.
For this reason it was not in vain that Joseph behaved so harshly and abominably against the sojourners and strangers, even against his brothers. For he had to deal with the most wicked people, who were murderers of fathers, brothers and mothers. And it is unnecessary for Augustin and Lyra to make so much of a lie here. For it was right and just that Joseph should have thus presented himself, that he might remind them of their sin, and so save them from eternal death and damnation.
102 And they answered him humbly and modestly, saying, We are no spies, but thy servants are come to buy meat. Again Moses used the Hebrew word, scheber, which means breaking. But there must have been more words exchanged between them, which are not described here. For it seems that they did not steel in vain that they were all sons of one man. Perhaps Joseph also took from this the cause of his suspicion that so many of them came at the same time? What is this, he will have said, that you rush upon me in such numbers? It seems as if you have joined together and sworn to do me or the whole kingdom a misfortune. It would have been enough that one or two in particular had come in. I do not know what this lot may mean or what they intend to do. You come, therefore, among other buyers, of many thieves and the worst of knaves gathered together in one heap: you will have something in mind 2c. This he thus devised to frighten them with it, and yet plays with them out of a kind and brotherly heart. They said again, "We are not a bunch of murderers or bad guys who have come along with sacrilege to do harm to other people. "We are all sons of one man, we are honest." The Hebrew word means that is, perfect, pious and upright.
103 This word is very common throughout Scripture, and we have remembered it in our German preface to the Psalter, as we have given the reason for our
The interpretation of the words. It is written in the 5th Psalm v. 10: "In their mouth is nothing certain"; and in the 51st Psalm v. 12: "Give pur a new certain spirit"; item 1 Kings 2, 46: "And the kingdom was confirmed by Solomon's hand", that is, constant, certain and righteous, which is not vainly empty or hollow like a reed. We have Germanized it in this place: pious, upright. We are, they say, kenim, that is, righteous, pious, sincere and honest, we do not speak otherwise than we have it in our hearts, are not driven to and fro like a fickle and loose reed, but are in truth so minded as we let ourselves be heard with words and outward gestures. There is no false pretense or hypocrisy hidden underneath, but there is a righteous, certain and constant spirit in us, since one can certainly rely on it. There is no hollow thing in us; you must not fear, but may rely on us. This is a very fine answer and apology.
V. 12. 13. He said to them: Nay, but ye are come to see where the land is open. And they answered 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.
104 Joseph continues to press on them, making the sin of accusing them harder and harder, because they do not yet confess their sin. You have not come, he says, to buy food, but rather "to see where the land is open"; for this purpose you have attached to yourselves this bunch of thieves and bad boys. But these are but half words, and are here somewhat omitted. For he will no doubt have asked them something more. Dear, he will have said, how is it that you come to me in such numbers? Why don't you bring more or less people with you? Then they give this answer: There are ten of us, but in truth we are twelve brothers, sons of one man, and are not vagrants, but our father certainly dwells in the land of Canaan. So this he brought out by several questions, and he had cause to inquire after this number; for Benjamin
1478 2. X, 14S-148. Interpretation of I Genesis 42, 12-17. **W. II, 2167-2170.** 1479
was then three and twenty years old, and the father of ten children, so that age was no hindrance to his going to Egypt with the other brothers. Therefore Joseph says: "You are loose, deceitful people, who speak differently and yet think differently. I hear that you have twelve brothers, but why are there so many of them not present?
(105) To which they answer, Behold, the youngest is yet with our Father. So they declare themselves to be righteous, honest and sincere in this matter, and not loose or hypocrites. But not everything is out yet, he still has to thresh out a lot. That is why they now add, "The one is no longer there." There we see that they have even failed in Joseph's life and that he should still be healthy. For they do not think that he should still be alive; therefore it cannot occur to them that this prince should be their brother Joseph, since so many circumstances lay in their way, first of all, as the great glorious appearance of his majesty, and that their hearts were so much troubled with the thought that Joseph must certainly be dead; which alone could have been a cause that they were so careless.
V. 14-17 Joseph said to them: This is what I have told you; you are spies. By this I will test you; by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not come from thence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you to fetch your brother, but you shall be captives. So I will test your speech, whether you deal in truth or not. For if not, then ye are spies by the life of Pharaoh. He kept them together for three days.
Joseph still maintains his harshness. "That's it," he says, "that I told you; scouts you are." I stand by that, traitors ye are. Now you have said that you are pious and honest, and are twelve brothers, sons of one man, and yet only ten have come here: you truly deal in lies. He will not stop playing with them until he brings out the confession of sins.
(107) But what shall they do here, because they are not heard and he does not believe their words? They tell the truth, but Joseph does not believe them, because they had previously told lies to their father and deceived him by telling him that a wild animal had torn their brother Joseph apart, Gen 37:32, 33.
(108) Yes, so the gross ignorance of our nature and original sin, which does not understand that it is impure and condemned, but rather thinks that it is righteous and pure in its works everywhere, must be threshed out. Therefore, it must be brought to light, so that this may be revealed and known. For this reason Joseph always stops, saying, "By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not come hence, except your youngest brother come hither." I do not ask about the one who is to be dead, but because the youngest is still at home and you have not brought him with you, you betray yourselves like a shrew with your voice. For why have you left him alone at home? That does not have to be true.
But here Joseph contradicts the truth, for he knows that they speak the truth, only that he is suspicious and is still worried that they might have killed the youngest brother as well. Since you now boast that you are sincere, pious and honest, well then, so that I may do my duty enough, I will try whether you are scouts or not. If I see your brother coming, then I will believe you; but if he does not appear, then it will certainly be known that you must be loose men and liars. So he has caught and ensnared them in their own words and counsel.
(110) And from this may be taken a likeness and an example of divine works and government. For this was done with good, well-considered counsel and will of the father, that Benjamin had to stay at home, so that no accident might befall him. And Jacob himself will repeat this afterwards, when he says to them in v. 38: "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left; if he be not brought down with you, he shall not go down with you.
1480 2. X, 148-iso. Interpretation of Genesis 42:14-17. W. II, 2170-2172. 1481
If an accident should occur on the road on which you are traveling, you would bring my gray hairs into the pit with heartache. But by this advice, which seemed to be so wise and fine, these brothers come into the greatest danger and trouble, who now only wish and desire that their brother would also be there, and if he were present, then all things would be easy and without any danger with them. But through the caution of the father they have been led into danger of life and limb.
So it should happen that we start when we are at our cleverest. And in such a way often the things, so we advised best of all, turn out worst of all. As Jacob, out of great wisdom and most rightful cause, kept the youngest son at home, thinking that he would thus certainly remain safe, fresh and healthy. But God, out of his own counsel, has caused his son's ruin and serious accident.
Therefore, no counsel is valid against the Lord when he wants to punish us; no counsel, no reason, no wisdom helps against God when he wants to afflict us. This counsel of Jacob was indeed very good and wise, but there is no happiness in it: it does not help. For the Lord is wont to break even the most wise counsels, and to set up and build against them such as are very weak and contemptible, and on which everyone must despair, and which are most contemptible; and he would have us do as he commanded in Psalm 50, v. 15, and elsewhere. 15 and other places, saying, "Call upon me in trouble, and I will deliver thee"; item in the 37th Psalm, v. 5: "Commit thy ways unto the Lord, and hope in him; he will do it well"; likewise in the 55th Psalm, v. 23: "Cast thine affliction upon the Lord. He will provide for you." For when all is lost and corrupt, and, as the 107th Psalm v. 27. says, when men know no counsel at all, when all is ruined, one cries out: We must perish and perish: then God is there and says: I will not have your seemingly wonderful counsels to help you, or that you should perish. For I am able to give even the most beautiful advice.
The people of the world will be helped by the fact that they can break and destroy those who strike them, and by the fact that they can awaken others who are very contemptible.
So also in this present example, everything was so bad that they knew neither counsel nor help, thought they were completely damned, and would now soon die and perish: but soon in the 45th chapter, v. 3. V. 3. will follow: "I am Joseph." And when they hear this word, they will come to life again, and the most miserable and lost will be set up, so that the things will be advised. Before, however, they were safe and feared no danger. But God finds fault with them and a cause against them, even though they had advised their thing in the best way and had ordered it well.
For this reason we should trust in God, even if we are already equipped with the very best and wisest counsel, and not despair when we lack wisdom and human help; but conclude and say: I believe in God the Father, the Almighty, who can destroy the most beautiful counsel and change it into hell, and again make heaven out of such counsel, which is the most contemptible. For he is an almighty creator. I cannot fall too low for him, he can lift me up; I cannot sit too high for him, he can topple me.
(115) Therefore let us not be presumptuous or proud because of our wisdom, nor despair because of our sin. For he is above, and beside, and under all things. Before him all things are nothing, and nothing is everything. For "he maketh alive them that are dead, and calleth that which is not, that it may be," Rom. 4:17.
(116) Indeed, Jacob and his sons experienced the same thing. For they did not think that they could run away and be in danger, but now that they think they have answered Joseph's questions well, so that he will be satisfied, he turns their answer around and concludes that they must be loose men and liars. Ye confess, saith he, that your brethren are twelve and one man's sons: where then is he, of whom ye say he is yet alive? From your
1482 IL0-1SL. Interpretation of I Genesis 42:14-17. W. II, 2I72-2I7S. 148A
I judge you by your mouths that you must be careless people and liars. They could not have foreseen or prevented this; indeed, it never occurred to them that the prince who was set over the grain would ask about their brother Benjamin, whom they had left at home.
In this way God also plays with us, so that we may recognize and believe that he is an almighty Creator and also merciful, who is able to lift up those who are oppressed or weighed down, and to overthrow the hopeful, however good and just the matter may be. Therefore we should humble ourselves before the Lord and say: You alone are the Most High; therefore you are also higher than my righteousness, wisdom and counsel are, indeed, than the whole world can be.
In my life I have also suffered not a little danger in the teaching I profess and in lectures to others; but I have experienced several times that such danger has had a very fortunate outcome, and that it has turned out well, since things, as it seemed to me, stood as if it were quite lost. Again, however, it has often happened that the things that had previously been best considered and discussed have subsequently turned out worst.
(119) Therefore we should submit ourselves to God, even though we may think that we are well equipped and preserved in righteousness and wisdom, for He is over all. And we must be diligent to take the right middle road, lest we sin, either with presumption or with despair.
120 So the sons of Jacob were very pleased with themselves that they had remembered their father and brother, and hoped not otherwise, for Joseph would be well pleased that they had told him these things: but he hath turned it back, and hath been so hard to turn back unto death. For he abandoned the words and resorted to blows, and went with them straight to the prison, telling them how they had joined themselves together and had invented and lied about all this, only that they might give the matter a pretense, and so cover up the deceit with which they had gone about. They think they
They are well prepared, and they are taken into a bath in which they sweat. By the life of Pharaoh, he says, either bring your brother, who is still present, here to me, or you shall all die. So their sin will be brought to light, and they will come to their own knowledge.
Augustine asks in this place: Whether it was proper for Joseph to swear by the life of Pharaoh, especially because he lied and did not keep this oath. For he let the nine brothers go and kept only one. But there is no need for this question. For first of all one may swear, not only by God, but also by heaven, by the soul, by the head; as these formulas are told of Christ, Matth. 5, 34-36. And because he forbids such oaths, he shows that they are right, we swear equally by our head or by our soul's blessedness. Thus the Hebrews say: Vivit Dominus. As God lives; as your soul lives; by the life of the King. Such oaths, I say, are not in themselves false or unjust; but Christ punishes the levity in swearing, and the vanity of them that swear. So Paul says 1 Cor. 15, 31: "By our glory which I have in Christ JEsu our Lord, I die daily" 2c. There St. Paul swears by the church or congregation; as it was a custom to swear by Jerusalem, the city of a great king; and in the 63rd Psalm v. 12. it says: "He who swears by him will be praised."
For this reason, one may swear, especially before the authorities and in court cases, to bear witness to the truth. For swearing is nothing else than calling upon God; as Paul says, 2 Cor. 1, 23: "I call upon God as a witness to my soul" 2c.
But Joseph did not sin by swearing by the life of Pharaoh, who was greater than he; as it is said in the epistle to the Hebrews 6:16: "Men swear by a greater than they are; and the oath put an end to all strife, that it might stand fast among them."
- however, why does he not keep what he ge-
1484 x. 1S2-154. interpretation of Genesis 42:14-20. **W. ii. 2175-siso**. . 1485
has sworn? Answer: It is enough that he keeps one of his brothers with him. For since he keeps the same one, it is just as much as if they had all stayed there. Let the others go, he said, and bring their brother here; but let this one remain here as a token of the oath I have taken, until I know whether Benjamin is still alive. But if he has perished, it is certain that you are spies; then I will punish you also for the same sin.
No doubt they will have begged him with weeping and wailing for mercy, that he may show them mercy. Alas! they will have said, most gracious prince, you do not want to bind them all! Let it happen that at least some of our people may bring this matter to our father! But he will not relent so soon; first he keeps them together for three days, which is hard enough. But he does not do it because he wants to take revenge on them for the violence they did to him, but because he wants to diligently inquire how his father and brother in the flesh is doing, and he does this with great sincerity and faithfulness; then he wants to remind them of the sin they have committed, and bring them to their own knowledge and sweep out their sin.
(126) How do we suppose that they have been grieved for the three days? For this is a great lamentation and heavy affliction, that they see themselves torn from their father, wife and child, and all the household. And now the same punishment is upon them, that they before had afflicted their brother; yea, they are yet a little worse for it, because they were husband and wife, and were grieved for their father's sake. For they know that this message will bring him the greatest pain when he learns that his sons are being held in prison by the Egyptians. This is what the Scripture 1 Sam. 2:6 says: "The Lord killeth, and quickeneth; he leadeth into hell, and bringeth forth again." And yet all this is done out of kind and supreme love. But this game has been death and hell for them, and they have undoubtedly been grieved and distressed to the highest degree for the whole three days, taking care of their
wife and child, and for the old father. That was the right week of torture and Good Friday in the greatest sadness and anguish.
127 There is still a small breeze of good hope, namely, that he will bring the eleventh brother. If they bring him, they have good hope that they will get away unharmed; and yet they know that the father will not easily let him go, unless one of them is sent to Hebron. Then they will continue to discuss with each other which of them would be best able to carry out this mission, and who would have so much favor with the father that he could demand this of him. And so there will have been many things that Moses did not mention, namely, how they wept, sighed and pleaded, first with the jailer and then with others, that they would plead for them with the prince, soften his heart and tell him how their father would never let his dearest son go from him because of the danger in which, as he would hear, the other nine had fallen: Yes, he would probably suspect that they had all already perished and that the youngest was now also being secretly pursued.
(128) So the flesh is put to death and cleansed from sin. For they were then rightly in hell and in purgatory. Furthermore, their complaint was reported to Joseph, who soon somewhat eased the sentence he had pronounced against them, for he considered that it was fitting that he should also consider the health and welfare of his father and the rest of the household, and therefore commanded that only one be imprisoned until he knew for certain how the youngest brother was doing and whether they were honest and upright people.
Fourth Part.
Joseph's request to his brothers; what such worked; and how Joseph was finally moved to compassion.
V. 18-20. But on the third day he said to them: If you want to live, do so; for I
- L. X, 154-156. Interpretation of Genesis 42, 18-20. W. n, 2180-2183. 1487
fear God. If you are honest, let your brothers lie bound in your prison; but you go and bring home what you have bought for the hunger. And bring your youngest brother unto me, and I will believe your words, that ye die not. And they did so.
In the Hebrew text here again the usual way of speaking occurs, namely, of the breaking of the hunger. And the Jews say that this way of speaking is derived from the fact that it breaks the hunger, the precious time; thus they show their ignorance, and are people who are not only ignorant of the teaching of the holy Scriptures, but also of the understanding that grammar gives. Therefore "to break bread" means nothing else than food, and is not to be understood actively but passively, that is, not that which breaks, but that which is broken. As it is said of the disciples of Christ, Luc. 24, 35, that they knew the Lord by the breaking of the bread, that is, when the bread was broken. Likewise 1 John 6:12 says that Christ took up the remaining pieces of bread. So in this place the breaking of bread is put and understood for the precious time, as he has passively called the rich years fractio saturitatis et fertilitatis, that is, a breaking of satiety and fruitfulness.
130 It is very necessary in the Holy Scriptures to note and pay attention to this, namely, when words are to be understood actively and when they are to be understood passively, as it is called in grammar. For the whole speech is changed according to the active or passive meaning. As, Rom. 3:23: "They are sinners all at once, and lack the glory which they ought to have in GOD." When this is put activically, the word has a different meaning, and also has a different meaning when it is to be understood passively. Therefore, both meanings are important, so that the right understanding can be taken from them. Thus, when one says: "the righteousness of God", item, "the work of God", "the power of God", these words may be interpreted in both ways. According to the Latin and Greek grammar, by
the righteousness of GOD understood the righteousness so that he is righteous. But this interpretation is somewhat dark and also makes the whole text in Scripture dark and incomprehensible. But if it is understood passively, then we have salvation and comfort in it. For it is called the righteousness of GOD, through it I am justified by GOD's grace and mercy. So, if you want to interpret the speech where it is said "the faith of God" according to the Latin language, that it should mean as much as faith, so that God Himself believes or keeps His promise, such an interpretation obscures Paul's understanding. But if I understand it for the gift of God in me, through which I believe in God, then it reads much differently and better. So this is God's work, not that He suffers from others, but that He works in me.
In times past, when one should read and pray the 31st Psalm v. 2: "Save me through your righteousness," I was completely frightened by it, and was wholeheartedly hostile to the same word, thinking: "Do not save me through your righteousness, that you may be justified (active). Therefore let it be understood for righteousness, that I may be made righteous (passive).
In this way, in the Hebrew language, the active and passive meanings tend to obscure the text very much. But he who knows the right difference between both kinds of speech should know that he has not gained a little in the understanding of the Scriptures. Therefore, the saying of Paul in Romans 3:23, where he says, "All lack the glory of God," should also be understood passively, that it means as much as if I say, "I have nothing to boast of before God. We cannot boast of our Lord God. This brings great light to the Scriptures. On the other hand, the rabbis of the Jews obscure everything with their glosses, when they interpret the words actively, which are to be understood passively.
Laurentius Valla rightly says that the Greek language does not have this subtle difference in the use of the pronouns: mei and meus, tui and tuus. For it is another to say: amor mei, that I am loved, and another: amor meus, love,
1488 D- L, 156. 157. interpretation of Genesis 42:18-20. W. II, 2183-2185. 1489
that I may love others; item, odium tui et odium tuum, etc., that is, hatred against you and your hatred. Now the Hebrews lack these words much more. But the Latin language says neatly: Hoc facio amore tui, hoc est, quo tu a me diligeris, this I do out of love which I bear to thee, not out of thy love, that thou also mayest love. It is the same when I say in Latin: Gratia tui ignosco tibi: I will forgive you because I am favorable to you, not because you are favorable to me. From this it is easy to see what a great difference there is between the active and passive meaning. And great diligence is needed to notice this in the Hebrew language and to take good care of it. For this language does not have these pronouns. And Paul is therefore somewhat obscure in his epistles and not easy to understand. For he has many speeches after the manner of the Hebrew and Greek languages. The German language can also express itself more skillfully, because it has the little word "will"; as if one says: for your sake.
(134) I say this not only for the sake of this present passage, but also so that this disparity in the way of speaking may be diligently observed in many other places. For it has troubled me much in the past when I have come upon these phrases: the righteousness of God, the works of God; item: your work, your righteousness. For where these phrases are understood actively, they are death; but passively, they are life and blessedness.
When I used to pray: Save me, Lord, through your justice; oh no, I thought then, dear Lord God, not through your justice, if one wants to speak in a Latin way or philosophically; but through your grace and mercy. And did all the Fathers, Augustine, Ambrose, and others, fail in this and take offense at it, as in the 25th Psalm, v. 10: "The ways of the Lord are goodness and truth." There they interpreted the words: "the ways of the Lord" activically and said that God by His truth judges the devil and all ungodly and damned men; but the saints
through mercy. But with this the right understanding of the Psalm has been completely obscured, and they have understood nothing of it, because they have not rightly understood the word "of the Lord" as it is put here. For the Psalm actually speaks of the ways and works of the Lord, which he works in us; of the faith of the Lord, by which he makes us blessed. So that this is the meaning of the same words: All the ways of the Lord, that is, what our Lord God does with us, is all grace and mercy.
I.
(136) Therefore we must remember that in this place the words, "break bread," are not understood to mean break the bread or break the theurung; but to mean the giving of the bread for or against the theurung. Take, says Joseph, and bring home what you have bought for the theuration of this present time. For now he shows himself more friendly, so that he may give advice and help to the old father and his household, so that they do not die of hunger in the meantime. Therefore, he now lets the others go with grace, keeping only the one bound in custody.
He has not yet completely dropped the suspicion of sin, which he reproached them with and of which he accused them, but pretends that he fears and shuns God, by which he has also been moved to moderate his anger against them. And now, as is often said, he plays quite friendly with his brothers; which is a wonderful game, and according to the outward appearance is quite bitter and unkind. His heart is full of love and brotherly inclination, so that one would not find anything friendlier or more loving than he has just been, because soon after he turned away from his brothers, he wept bitterly: and yet he was able to conceal the natural inclination that he threatens to kill them.
Therefore, such examples of God's mercy toward us should be diligently noted and remembered. Joseph loves his brothers dearly, does not want to harm them, and yet outwardly treats them so horribly and leaves them to their own devices.
1490 X. 1S7-15S. Interpretation of Genesis 42:18-20. W. II. 2I8S-2188. 1491
almost come into the danger of death. They had previously behaved much more abominably toward Joseph, for they intended to kill him, as was said above in 37 Cap. V. 18. But Joseph's only concern here is that he might bring them to life and salvation, even though his outward attitude is different.
(139) So it is with the kingdom of Christ, and he is such a king; for he always intends something good with us, who could only understand it. And one should not believe him when he is angry, as if he meant evil with us; for in truth Christ, that is, God who became man, is not angry: but outside of Christ there is no dispute or any hope from God; as the Jews', Turks' and Papists' religion or faith certainly is.
But the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of grace and mercy. Although it seems as if he is hostile to us, despises us and wants to reject us, when he lets the devastation, pestilence and death and all kinds of plagues come upon us, at the same time he allows this and tells us that we should trust in him. And we are also to know and believe the same, confessing his goodness and mercy even unto death. In this way he allows John the Baptist to be beheaded for the sake of the worst whore; item, that his dear mother was also greatly afflicted, and the dear martyrs were tormented with miserable and, in addition, especially selected horrible torment and torture. But does it not seem that he is angry? No, he is not angry, and you should not let yourself be persuaded of this, for it is not real anger, but a disguised anger.
So Augustine says of himself and of his mother: "When I was beaten at school and came home and told my mother, she laughed at me and mocked me for being beaten, but she did not mean me any harm. But how can father and mother laugh when their son is beaten? It really does happen that way. The parents chastise their children, the schoolmasters their pupils, the authorities punish those who are to blame, and are a servant of wrath and sword, that they should hang thieves and murderers.
and yet has no desire for such punishments. For she would rather that everyone did what was due him in his profession, and deserved no punishment at all.
This is the case in the realm of wrath and death; therefore the home and school regiments have a different opinion. For the parents or schoolmasters do not want or think that he who is chastised with rods and suffers pranks will think and believe that they do not seek his destruction, or that he should thereby do enough for sin; with which most insipid error the papists have defiled and falsified this doctrine: but they do just as Joseph did here also, who deals harshly with his brothers and tries them well, so that they may be instructed and reminded of their committed sin. For without knowledge of sin there is no salvation, and without it no one can be saved.
So God gave the law to reveal sin and to cause wrath. Therefore it is a chastening and a rod, or, as Paul says in Gal. 3:24, "our disciplinarian," without which our flesh cannot understand sin. Just as a disciple, on whom the teacher spares the rod, can never increase in doctrine, but will remain a clod and a coarse fool; for he does not know or understand his own folly and misfortune, if he is without the chastening and punishment of the teacher. Therefore, the knowledge of sins is necessary in all things, although this alone is not enough. But God does not give His grace, nor does He want to help us, unless the foolishness that is in the boy's heart and the wickedness that is also in the man's heart are revealed, so that they may become capable of grace and share it.
This is the measure and goal of all punishments and plagues; just as parents chastise their children so that they may become pious and improve themselves, but not so that they want to corrupt or disinherit them. For such would be contrary to the love and natural inclination implanted in their minds by God. And St. Paul diligently admonishes Eph. 6, 4. and Col. 3, 21. that the
1492 2- x. iss-161. interpretation of Genesis 42, 18-20. W. n, 2188-2191. 1493
Parents are not to provoke their children to anger, not to provoke them, so that they do not become shy. And such chastisement should be so that love and childlike confidence in parents and schoolmasters may remain, and so that the children may understand that they do not suffer the punishment for their own destruction, but rather so that they do in their office what is due to them, and that they do not give the father cause to disinherit them by their malice; This is what happens to those who will not let themselves be forced by words or tricks to become pious, and then, because of thievery, murder, or other such evil deeds, they come into the hands of the judge and executioner, and they must be punished by them, because they did not want to obey their father before.
145 In this way, the example of Joseph should be applied to the kingdom of Christ, who also punishes, not to reject or disinherit people, but to preserve the inheritance he acquired with his blood. For foolishness is in our hearts; we are conceived and born in sins, and remain stuck in them all our lives, and cannot even get rid of the horrible damage. There is a devilish indolence or carelessness in us, we are cold to prayer, and in other exercises or works of godliness and right worship we are quite lukewarm, are not so fervent to the love of Christ: we are not so serious about this as about temporal goods and what more belongs to this present life. Such laziness and that we are so sleepy comes from our cursed flesh and from the devil. Therefore St. Paul cries out Rom. 7, 24. 19.: "I wretched man, who will deliver me from the body of this death! For the good that I want I do not do, but the evil that I do not want I do.
This foolishness and folly of original sin is not only to be punished in children, but also in adults. That is why God sends plagues through the authorities, the plague, pestilence, war, the Turks, the Pope and the devil 2c. But why does he do that? He does it so that we may cry out to him when we are struck. Yes, you say, listen
He does not laugh at us, or at our cries and weeping, just as Augustine's parents laughed when he complained that he had been chastised.
Thus, when the devil rages against the Christians through Diocletian or through the Turk, and is hard on them, they groan and cry out: Oh dear Lord God, hear our cry, behold our misery and wretchedness! Why do you laugh at our affliction and misery? Then God answers: Dear child, I do it so that you may be purified. But I purify you so that you may be blessed and come to the promised inheritance, otherwise I cannot make you blessed. I must therefore kill thee and bury thee, that thou mayest rot and decay. For the poison has been poured out on your body, which I cannot take away, except through Diocletian, through the heretics, the Arians, whom I use as my rods.
Therefore we should consider that this example should be applied to our whole life, for it teaches us many things in a lovely way and for our great benefit. Christ is our very kind Joseph, who died for us and shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins; therefore he cannot be averse to us. Nor is the Father hostile to us, for he sends us his Son. But much less is the Holy Spirit hostile to us, for he teaches us all these things and comforts us with them, and yet conceals and often hides this love with terrible signs of his wrath.
So God chastises these fathers very severely not only for the original sin but also for the real sin. For they were murderers of father, mother and brother. And if God had not miraculously preserved Jacob, he would undoubtedly have died of great heartache and sadness, namely, that he always had one misfortune after another. In one year he saw that Bilhah was weakened, Rachel and Deborah, the wet nurse, died, and finally that Joseph also perished, which Simeon and Levi had caused. To such coarse knots belongs a strong medicine, that they may be weakened below and above.
1494 L. x, 161-is3. Interpretation of Genesis 42, 18-21. W. ii, sisi-2is4. 1495
spit out. Therefore, in order that Joseph may counsel and help this great calamity, which is not temporal but infernal, namely, the poison of original sin, so that it may be abolished, he has used a violent and strong cleansing agent for it through danger and fear of death and hell: otherwise nothing will come of it. For they do not yet think of repentance, because their hearts have become fat and strong. They have become fat and lazy, so that they do not worry about the sin they have committed. Now sin, where it is despised, does not make people good or pious; grace has no place there, unless we confess our sin and humble ourselves, indeed, unless we become nothing at all, so that we feel that we are lost and condemned. Otherwise it is not considered a sin.
(150) It is indeed a true and very good saying, that sin without law is no sin; as St. Paul says, Sin was in the world, but it was not known. For where there is no law, there is no sin, but righteousness. But when the law or commandment comes, sin, which has been asleep for a long time, is awakened again, so that man cries out and says: "Oh, if only I had never thought that I was so wicked and condemned; I have always pretended to myself and considered myself righteous and pious.
Thus Joseph practiced the right, true, and perfect use of the law upon his brethren. For this is to bring to hell, to kill, and to put to shame, not to their destruction, but rather to their life and salvation. For the law is not given to kill, though in truth it kills when it works wrath and reveals sin to us. But it does not kill so that one should remain in death and be lost, as Judas and Saul were lost; but only so that it may carry out its ministry to us. For this also the promise is to come, so that despair may not follow. How these brethren at last become fainthearted and almost despondent. And if they had not heard this voice, that he says to them, "I am Joseph," it would have been a temptation to them.
death. But Christ does not seek this, but wants us to humble ourselves, to repent and be condemned to life.
Therefore, repentance of sin alone is not true repentance, but must be accompanied by faith, which takes hold of the promise of forgiveness of sins through Christ and keeps it, so that repentant sinners will not be lost. These brothers, however, have not yet come to a perfect righteous knowledge of their sins; that is why Joseph tried them a little longer: they still have to get better through the role.
II.
V.21. And they said one to another, "This is the fault of our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear him; therefore this tribulation comes upon us.
Now it will begin. Here they reveal themselves and begin to confess their sin. Joseph might well have been satisfied with their confession, knowing that they speak the truth, but he continues to dissemble as if he knew nothing. For they would not have spoken such things if they had known that the prince of Egypt was Joseph. But because he does not need the Hebrew language, but speaks to them through an interpreter, they think that it is not necessary for them to reveal their own sin to him, but seek a cover over it, as it were, and still want to be pious, just and honest people, not before God, before whom they confess the sin, but before the prince of the land, whom they do not know.
After this, Joseph does not yet know for sure whether Benjamin and his father Jacob are still alive or not, for we will see clearly later that he still doubted both of their lives throughout this entire history. Therefore he cannot yet be satisfied, because he hears that only he is thought of and not the others. It must come out still better, and he wants them to do another report, which is somewhat clearer and more certain, from each of them.
1496 D- x, isL-iM. Interpretation of I Genesis 42, 21. W. ii, 2194-219". 1497
in particular, because of which he is concerned that disaster will befall them in his absence. He also saw in them that they had not yet sufficiently repented of their sin, even though they said, "We are to blame for this" 2c.
The Hebrew word ashemin means: we are guilty, and is a word that has several meanings, which Moses and Isaiah often used, means a
Trespass offering; as, Isa. 53:10: "If he hath given his life for a trespass offering, he shall have seed, and live unto the length of the days. "2c. In which place this word, as in Genesis, means as much as, a sacrifice for iniquity or sin.' In Latin it means reatus, guilt.
For this reason, Joseph's brothers say here: "We are guilty and wicked, we are guilty of death and damnation. For we have such sin against us, which may actually be called a misdeed, or rather a guilt. They say, "We are still in debt and have not yet paid, the matter has not yet been settled and reconciled, our Lord God still has a promise to us, we are in debt.
- so we are still daily debtors; and though we are righteous or godly, yet debts still remain with us; as Christ teaches Matt. 18:35, saying, "So shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not your brother his trespasses from your hearts. We are indeed righteous, and declared to be children of the kingdom; but original sin still remains in us and contends against the Spirit. Our Lord God still has a score to settle, a record against us, we are not yet entirely clean from all error and filth. This is the guilt, namely, that we are still indebted to our Lord God. If you now add to this the pride, ingratitude, and unkindness that is poured out on us against our brothers, the sin will be completely revived and the debt will not yet be forgiven. But then it shall be forgiven thee, if thou forgive thy fellow servant also; and the iniquity shall not hurt thee.
The servant owes ten thousand pounds, but the Lord forgives him the debt so that it does not harm him. He is not
owed to pay them or to do enough for them; and debt is now no longer debt. But from where? From the fact that it has been forgiven. But if the servant does not also want to forgive his fellow servant the hundred pennies, then the householder again demands the whole debt from him, Matth. 18, 23. ff. So we are not without guilt if God wants to deal with us according to the law and not according to grace and mercy. But if we ask Him to forgive our sins, and believe that He will gladly do so, and then forgive our brother, all our sins will be forgiven, even though they are debts. But if I am proud and insist, the debt is there again.
This is the correct understanding of the Hebrew word asham, which Christ, the wisdom of the Father, who is the very best grammarian and Hebrew, has interpreted in the Lord's Prayer, guilt. So these brothers also say: "We are guilty of this"; we are guilty of a great shameful sin, which we committed against our brother Joseph; this is now uncovered and comes to light, and we must now suffer punishment for it, as we have deserved: there our sin is found and serves us justly. This is truly a humble confession: they confess that they are guilty, and also recognize the cruelty by which they previously scorned the pitiful pleading and entreaty of their brother.
160 But Moses above, Cap. 37, 23. ff., that he tells zero in this place, namely, that Joseph fell at the feet of his brothers and pleaded. But Simeon and Levi were so stiff-necked that they dealt with their brother in the most abominable way, regardless of his fall and pleading, and for no other reason than that his father loved him above all others and that he had such dreams that signified his future glory, to which he was to be raised. They were so harsh and unforgiving toward him that they would not hear him when he fell at their feet, pleaded, wept bitterly, and was in the greatest fear and distress.
1498 L. L. 1SS-1S7. Interpretation of Genesis 42:21-24. **W. II, 2197-2199.** 1499
- Now this great sin, namely, that they have rejected and killed their brother, because he begged them in the extreme need and danger of life and limb, they must now recognize. And truly, if you compare these things more closely, the punishment that Joseph inflicts on them is much more lenient than their sin was in selling their brother. For is this not contrary to all kindness and godliness, that one cannot be softened or moved at all to have some pity on an innocent man who looks at you with folded hands, and does not ask strangers for mercy, but his own bodily brothers? Truly, it has been a terrible deed, so that they have sinned against their old father and Joseph, their brother, exceedingly grievously, whose cruelty they do not yet fully understand and recognize.
III.
Reuben answered them and said, "Did I not tell you when I said, 'Do not sin against the boy,' and you would not listen? Now his blood is 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 to them, he spake unto them.
It seems that Reuben was a little more pious than the others, and that he had hardly sinned as much as Simeon and Levi. For we have heard above, Cap. 37, v. 29, 30, that he was very frightened and saddened to kill, and tore his clothes when he returned to the pit and did not find Joseph, even though he had lost both his father's favor and the firstborn because of the incest he had committed. Therefore he says: What will it become now? "Now his blood is required." But the word went to Joseph's heart and made him weep, and that he now had compassion on them; then he softened and his heart overflowed. Simeon and Levi do not yet confess the sin, for they think that Joseph died long ago: therefore they are not challenged much,
That he may be remembered. Reuben and the others recognize the vengeance and punishment of God. He sees that the punishment is upon him and is terribly frightened by it. Because of this, Joseph can no longer hold on, lest he be moved by brotherly affection, since he has heard the confession and trembling, and lest he turn away from them and weep: he cannot bring himself to do so. Just as ours would not be able to refrain from weeping in such a case.
Do you see how Christ, our Lord, is moved when he punishes his own, what a fiery furnace of great love there is, not only spiritual but also physical love? How Joseph is so moved by the words of Reuben that he cannot overcome such a movement of his heart. He can no longer hold his heart. He thinks: They consider me dead, and I live in great honor and glory.
164 "But they did not know," as the text says, "that Joseph heard these things," that is, that he understood them, "for he spoke to them through an interpreter," which in Hebrew is meliz. Lez means, mocker, as it is written in Psalm 1, v. 1. But when the letter m is put in front of it, the Hebrews interpret it to mean interpreter, but they do not know the real cause, which is where this interpretation comes from. In the 1st Psalm the word cannot be understood for interpreter. For in other places it is also called mocker or hypocrite, one who speaks and thinks differently, or who interprets a thing differently from the words of Scripture. But whether the same of this word is meaning or origin, therefore that an interpreter uses foreign languages, I cannot conclude with certainty. In this place it is correctly given that it means interpreter. For Joseph pretended that he did not know the Hebrew language, so he used an interpreter; which was indeed necessary for him, since so many foreigners arrived there to buy grain.
(165) But the rabbis of the Jews here make a useless saying, as they are wont to do, namely, that Manasseh the son of Joseph this
1500 L. L. 167. IN. Interpretation of Genesis 42:22-24. **W. 2. 2199-2202.** 15Y1
He was an interpreter when he was only eight years old at the time. How could such a young boy be needed in such important matters? He must have been a serious, respectable man, who had a wide knowledge of things and languages, and who held this office with the prince in Egypt.
(166) It is important to note that Joseph is described here as being full of heartfelt love, natural affection and brotherly friendship. For although he spoke somewhat harshly to his brothers and dealt harshly with them, his heart was inflamed with natural affection and spiritual love. For faith and the Holy Spirit do not corrupt or break nature, but when it is corrupt and broken, he heals it and restores it. Therefore, the most natural affections and inclinations remain in parents, brothers and wives, which are not abolished but awakened by grace.
The monks of old wanted to make of men blocks and stones that could neither feel nor understand anything, and the devil wanted that this should be praised as a special praise of his saints, namely, that they were not moved by any affects at all, the right mad fantasists and seven-fold stoics. But grace and the Holy Spirit do not take away the movements of human nature in such a way that Jacob, the father, should not mourn the death of his son. For that would be contrary to nature, which was created by God to have such tendencies.
We saw some years ago, however, that the spirits of the mob also took upon themselves to introduce such apathy into the church that the Christians had to abstain from all natural affections and inclinations, such as sadness over the death of their dear friends: as Muenzer took upon himself to show the same in all his life and customs as a special holiness. For when it was once announced to him that a son was born to him, he stood before the altar as if he were mute and deaf, did not rejoice at all, did not thank God for it.
and answered nothing at all, that he thereby indicated that he was a stick and a block, and thereafter boasted how his nature had been changed and killed. In truth, this was a good gushing, and much worse than the Stoic philosopher's imagination could have been. For God wants nature to be preserved and not extinguished, and means that it should be improved, so that it may always become purer, and that the natural inclinations in the godly may be more moderate than in the pagans, who do not govern them with the fear of God and trust, but let such affections lead them recklessly and without certain rule of the divine word, wherever they want.
Therefore, you see that in this example of Joseph, the holiness of the most holy fathers is described and depicted, who had the same natural inclinations as other men, although less and more moderate; likewise, they also had their passions and weaknesses like other men.
The evangelist Marcus writes in chapter 3, v. 5. V. 5, Christ looked at the Pharisees around with anger and was saddened by the blindness of their hearts, so they disputed whether one could heal a sick person even on the Sabbath. 2c. But how can Christ be angry or grieved, who is without sin? And why does the evangelist attribute this to him, that he was grieved, saddened, and angry? Answer: Anger, if it is rightly measured and kept in its proper use, is a natural emotion and movement, implanted in the nature of man by God; just as conjugal love and lust, which man and woman have for one another, is also created from the beginning with other natural emotions and inclinations. However, since these affects are corrupted by original sin, one must make every effort to improve them.
This is the obvious nonsense of the devil, that one wants to boast of such holiness, when men even become blocks and stones and cease to be men. They say that those who are moved to anger are not holy; but those who are moved to anger are not holy.
1502 L- x. ies-170. interpretation of I Moses 42, 22-24. W. ii, 2202-2205. 1503
The Stoics themselves have not been able to free man from anger and other affects and take them away from him. For they pretend not to be angry, or else they flee the cause that would move them to anger and the company of other people who would enrage them. In this way I would also abstain from anger, if no one provoked me to it. This is the reason why so many foolish saints have run away into the wilderness and fled from the assembly and fellowship of the people, so that they would be considered as free from all human emotions and feelings, as their works and lives are described in the "Lives of the Fathers".
In one place, however, the example of a monk is told, which is particularly pleasing to me. For since he let himself overcome his stubbornness and impatience. For when he had overcome his obstinacy and impatience, and had even left the monastery for the deserts, hoping to live quietly and peacefully, without all anger and sin, it is said that he went out of the desert to a well to fetch water in a jar, and, having poured too much water into it, knocked the jar over unawares: then he is said to have become angry, taken the jar, thrown it to the ground, and broken it. But when he came to himself again, he realized that it was not the fault of the people he had been with that he had often been moved to anger, but of his corrupt nature and sinful flesh, which was always inclined to anger of its own accord. Therefore, he returned to the monastery and learned to moderate his affections and desires and to be patient with others.
- So it is also fitting for us to stay with the people and have fellowship and company with them, that we learn to force, break, and resist the sin of fornication, anger, and the like of other affections and evil desires; and thus learn to rightly use the anger and lust that man and woman have for one another, namely, that the pride, ambition, hatred, and fornication 2c. be swept out; which is done without great difficulty.
effort, work and pain can not happen.
Therefore, in the saints one sees not only that human nature, with its affections and inclinations, is created in this way, which the Holy Spirit does not extinguish; but one also sees weakness and corruption in them, against which they are always struggling, as they are always on standby, striving how they may kill the infirm inclinations in themselves.
So Jacob and Moses also suffered much, not without great pain, since at times anger, raging, grumbling and impatience, even blasphemy, were also involved: but they kept themselves in check and overcame such sinful movements.
There is no doubt that Joseph also felt natural impurity, but he did not refrain from it, but broke his anger and impatience, and other evil desires, and obeyed the Holy Spirit, who gave him the commandment that he should not grumble or repay evil with evil. Although he had the most just cause to be angry and to avenge on his brothers the injustice they had done to him, he did not carry out his right so strictly, but changed it and made the most friendly game out of it; and seeing that they were afraid and that they were grieving over their sins, he wept with them.
They still do not recognize their sin, even though they secretly confess it to one another. For they would undoubtedly have concealed it if they had known that there was one who would listen to their words and understand them. For sin has this way and nature that it makes people deaf and dumb, and there is no one who would like to have his sin revealed and to be scolded by others because of it.
(178) So these brothers of Joseph also hide their sin and adorn themselves before the prince of the land. Sin is still dumb and deaf, and they hope that sin will remain hidden forever. But because they have not yet come to terms with the Father
1504 2- 170-172, Interpretation of I Genesis 42:22-24. W. ii, 2205-2209. 1505
The fact that they were reconciled and had not yet revealed their evil deeds to him made it necessary for this to come to light and for them to be driven to recognize and confess such great sin.
But Joseph weeps, since he had the most just cause to avenge himself, and at the same time also cares for Benjamin, his brother, since he was moved by brotherly affection. For he worries about him, how he may fare, that he may not have perished; and therefore does not yet want to believe their words, nor is he obliged to believe them until he learns the opposite, namely, that his brother is still alive. As above, Cap. 20, 2, Abraham also said of Sarah for the same reason that she was not his wife, because he was concerned that there would be no fear of God among the people in the same place.
So Joseph also knew that his brothers were murderers of their fathers and brothers; therefore he did not immediately believe them until he saw his brother Benjamin. In the meantime he tries them wonderfully, so that he may find out the truth from them, and that he may remind them of the old sin, which had been hidden for almost two and twenty years, and bring it to their attention. For the long time they had seen that the most miserable father was almost consumed with great heavy heartache and lamentation, because they had told him and lied to him that his dearest son Joseph had perished.
181 Because of this, there were enough causes and opportunities for Joseph to have punished his brothers according to their merits. However, he treats them much less harshly than they treated him. For he thinks only of how he may help them and heal their harm.
- In the conversation that Moses described above, I have no doubt that Joseph would have asked about all things in particular, such as the father, brother, both their names and what kind of life and being they led: all this is not told here, but from the circumstances and from the history itself it is well understood.
can be stood. It is also probable that he will have asked about the age, mind, manners and life of each one in particular, who had been there before him, so that he might the more easily find out what he wanted to know, namely, about their committed sin, about his brother and old father.
Fifth part.
How Joseph binds Simeon; how he sends the other brothers away again with their money and food; how one of them opens his sack in the inn and finds his money again; and how they are all cheered.
I.
V. 24. He took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
183 This text shows that Simeon was the most distinguished fratricide and the most wicked of the brothers. For after Reuben lost the firstborn because of the incest he committed with his stepmother, or rather with his mother, because she was one flesh with his father, he had to give up all honor and glory at the same time and divest himself of it: and after that not only he, but all his descendants and the whole family were very bad and despised and did nothing remarkable, as can be seen in the books of the kings and elsewhere in the holy scriptures.
184 But Simeon will have thought to himself thus: Behold, Reuben now lies down and is considered nothing because of the sin which he committed with his stepmother; so now the firstborn will come upon me. Then the donkey becomes proud, goes onto the ice and breaks a leg. He has come forward, has become proud and arrogant, and has instigated and caused this horrible game in the first place, and has set the fire alight altogether. For the words that are told above, Cap. 37, 19. are told: "Behold, the dreamer comes," 2c., scream-
1506 L X. 172-174. interpretation of Genesis 42:24, 25. w. ii. 2209-2212. 1507
The Hebrews accuse Simeon of having spoken these words, for they could not all have spoken them at the same time. Therefore it rhymes well that Simeon, when he saw Joseph coming, not only broke out into such words, but also incited the others to commit the great evil against their brother. So he was much more cruel and unkind to Joseph than all the others; and where it would have been without him, the others might have spared their brother, since he pleaded with them to spare him. But this Simeon was so much harder on Joseph for the sake of the firstborn, and because his father loved him very much; then also because he was in the way of that which Simeon desired to obtain. Therefore, he thought it would be the best advice to kill only Joseph.
This is very probable and can easily be understood from history. For as from the beginning of the world the firstborn was a cause of great bitter strife and contention, so Simeon also lusted after the same. And at the present time we are fighting against the pope for no other reason than for the firstborn, that is, for the sake of the church. For the papists ascribe this glory to themselves, they want to be the church and God's neighbor. But we, on the other hand, consider them to be those who have been rejected and condemned by God, and we arrogate to ourselves the honor and name of being called God's people and His chosen children. For the same is the firstborn, that is, to be the church, and to govern and teach the people unto salvation: to be reckoned among God's people, and to be numbered with Abel's and other godly servants of God. Then, for instance, a heretic or a reprobate sets himself against us and boasts that he is a doctor and teacher of the church, condemns and despises all the others, and, as it were, tramples them underfoot. This is the origin of the quarrel and struggle that the true church has always had with its enemies and adversaries.
186 So Simeon, who was the chief and ringleader of this calamity, is bound, but he lets the others go; not that Joseph had any desire to go.
He has no desire to avenge him or to cool his temper with him, but only to bring him to the knowledge of his sins. Reuben and Judah with the others were sad because of the sin they had committed; but Simeon is stiff-necked and proud, and still does not intend to give up the hope of the firstborn, for he is sure that Reuben is rejected and Joseph is dead. When Joseph realized this, he had Simeon bound, so that his pride and presumption might be broken by imprisonment, and so that he would not think that he was the firstborn, but that he would be bound and imprisoned forever.
187 Afterward Levi might have comforted himself with this glory, and promised himself the same; but they shall both lack it, as shall be seen hereafter by the curse of the father. Judah, the fourth son, received the reign; but the glory of the firstborn, which Reuben had lost, was given to Joseph, and two parts fell to him, as to the king and priest, by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, from whom two tribes came.
V. 25 And Joseph commanded that their sacks should be filled with corn, and that their money should be restored every man into his sack, and that they should give them victuals out of the way: and they did so.
The word "sack" is a common word in four languages, as we indicated above. Here Moses used the Hebrew word kele, that it also means sack: and this is a common word for all kinds of instruments or tools, as, vasa belli, armor of war. And afterwards in 49. chap. V. 5, it is said of Simeon and Levi, "Their swords are murderous weapons. After this another word will follow, amtachath, which also means sack, and comes from mathach, which means to spread out. When the Elbe makes a bend here, we call it a sack in our language, item, a watery cloud; or the sails on ships, when the wind swells them, also have the shape of a sack. Thus, a sack, when it is filled, spreads out, and also has the name that it thus spreads out and inflates.
1508 X. 174-17". Interpretation of Genesis 42:25, W. II, S2IS-22I5. 1509
II.
But why does Joseph command that the money be given back to them? Answer: Not only was he moved to do this by the reverence he owed to his father, whom he wanted to present with it, but the natural inclination he bore in his heart toward his father and brothers, whom he loved dearly, also caused him to do this. This kind love, so just and right, is the cause of this gift; for it is in truth a right natural inclination, so he had to them. Nevertheless, he continues to be hard and cruel toward them. For he wants them to remain in fear and terror, so that they will not think that such money was given to them out of some friendship and grace; but that they will be afraid of suspicion and that he will bring an action against them, as if they had stolen and taken the money from him. Not that Joseph is in earnest, but only that they may be humbled, and that the original sin may be put to death, which was strengthened and increased by the real sin, namely, that they strangled their brother, which was now hidden and obsolete at two and twenty years. Therefore he now poses as if he wanted to make them with this false accusation and trickery that they would have to be subjected and servile to him forever, as they had sold him for servitude. This is the reason why he has made such a stand, which has made them very fearful indeed, so that they were afraid they would not get out of there without great harm and danger.
190 And he gave them, besides the corn and the money, victuals and food for their journey, that they might come to Jacob their father, and keep the sacks. The Hebrew word, zedah, means here, addition, and comes from the word zud, to say; as Gen. 10, 8. 9. is said of Nimrod: "Nimrod began to be a mighty lord on earth, and was a mighty hunter" 2c. Moses used the word in this place for food or fodder, as in the 132nd Psalm v. 15. it says: "I will feed their
Bless food, and give bread enough to their poor." Jerome has given it in the same place with "hunt". In the common Latin interpretation it is "widow"; but I think that this must be the fault of the scribes, who have substituted for the Greek word
191 There is a strange origin and meaning of this word, because it comes from the word zud and yet means food; as we have said several times about the word scheber, which means to break. And I say it often, that the Hebrews themselves do not rightly understand all the words in their language. For this is contrary to the way of grammar, if you would interpret "to break" for food, nourishment or grain.
192 We have indicated this cause, that the Jews were in the habit of breaking bread and not cutting it with knives. And this derivation of the same word is better than that of the Hebrews, who say that it has the name of breaking hunger. For the Jews had bread like cakes and pancakes, which we also use to break. So the Schaubrode were six cakes, put on each other. The Jews do not consider this, and yet the same interpretation is very appropriate.
193 So they also do not know why the word zeda, hunting, is called food. The hunt does not only concern pious men, but also murderers, yes, unreasonable animals, as, wolves, lions, foxes. And although I cannot say for certain, I believe that this is the origin of the word, so that hunting is done for no other purpose than that one may have food from the animals. For this is why one hunts the wild animals, so that the food and nourishment may be sufficient. The vultures and harriers and other such animals that live on predation seek the same thing.
194 And from this it is again to be seen that the Hebrew language is not yet so exactly investigated, but that the Hebrew grammarians themselves do not know many ways to speak, figures and derivations of the words. Now this is the first part of this history, where the sons of Jacob come to Egypt,
1510 L. I7S-178. interpretation of I Moses 42, 25-28. W. 2, 2215-2217. 1511
and have not yet known their brother Joseph. Now follows the other part.
III.
V. 26-28 And they loaded their goods upon their asses, and departed. And when one of them had taken up his sack to feed his ass in the inn, he perceived the money that was in the top of his sack. And he said to his brothers: My money has been returned to me; stand, it is in my sack.
The word malon means among the Hebrews such a place or place, where one stays for a while or stays for the night, that is, an inn or innkeeper's house. But they dispute in this place about who was the one who opened the sack. Now there is nothing to it, one says that Levi or Juda, or else one of the others did it. And it is clear from this that the burden of all things and the trouble must have been great, because the donkeys and men had the same fodder with each other; which undoubtedly would not have been hay or chaff, but grain, with which they filled the sacks in Egypt, and in which they also put the money.
The Hebrew word, mispo, is quite contrary in meaning to the word bar, which we had above. They say it means fodder, not of grass or actual grain, but which is grained, as, oats, vetches, or the like.
197 It is also asked why afterwards, Cap. 43, v. 21, the sons of Jacob say before Joseph, "When we came to the inn, and opened our sacks," when here it is said of only one who opened his sack. But in both places it is said that they were all frightened. Lyra answers that in the Scriptures some things are told by the figure called anticipatio or recapitulatio, when something that is said before is repeated. This rule is necessary and should be diligently observed in theology or sacred Scripture, and even in all histories. But it is taken from Augustine's other book, De doctrina Christiana, where he says that he has learned it with some
other rules received more from a heretic and Donatist, called Ticonius. For so he says there: In the Scriptures some things are reported in such a way, as if the narration observed the exact time sequence, while nevertheless the narration returns to earlier events, which were first omitted, unnoticed. As, Gen. 11, 32. it is written, "And Tharah was two hundred and five years old, and died in Haran." And in the following 12th Cap. V. 4. it is said, "Abraham was five and seventy years old when he departed from Haran." The given number of years of Tharah creates great confusion and confusion, if one does not pay attention to the order of the story. Therefore, this rule is of great importance in this place. For if one wanted to understand the exit of Abraham according to the order of the narrative in the text, as it can be seen that the words of Stephen, Acts 7, 4, almost read like this: it would follow that Abraham would have left Haran in the fifth and seventieth year after the death of Tharah, which is impossible.
198 Therefore this is the right order: Since Moses wanted to bring the story of Tarah to an end, he says: Tarah was two hundred and five years old and died. But he tells none of the things that happened before his death. Therefore he comes afterwards again on it, and tells also that, what happened in the two hundred and five years, before Tharah died, namely, that Abraham, his son, when he was five and seventy years old, went from Haran, since his father Tharah still lived. Otherwise, he would have to have gone out sixty years later than he really went out.
Therefore the words after this figure, called recapitulatio (resumption), read as if he had gone out after his father's death, when he had gone out almost sixty years before. Stephen, however, as it seems, has followed the common narrative of those who do not know this figure, has not wanted to dispute too precisely about the order in which things would have happened one after the other, but has been satisfied that he only put the words in their order, and has remained with the common opinion.
1512 L x> 17s. 179. interpretation of Genesis 42, 26-28. W. ii, 2217-2220. 1513
200 We have had another example above, chap. 38, v. 1, where it is described how Judah departed from his brothers after Moses told how Joseph had been sold; yet Judah had departed from them nine years before they sold Joseph. Therefore Moses tells by this figure, recapitulatio, that Judah had gone down from his brothers, so that he might come again to what had happened before, before Joseph was sold. For Moses intended to continue the history of Joseph without interruption to the end, and meanwhile to omit or postpone what would have happened before or after.
In the same way, it is also written about Isaac in chapter 35, vv. 28, 29. V. 28. 29. Isaac is written that he died when Jacob arrived in Hebron from Mesopotamia; yet he is still alive, and sees that Reuben committed the incest and Joseph was sold, and has lived until the year that first passed before Joseph's exaltation.
For this reason, this rule is to be well remembered in all histories and good attention is to be paid to it. For it is another order of words or speeches and another of time or history. And the historians, when they have undertaken to describe a deed, always continue the narrative in order and in context. As here Moses also tells that the brothers of Joseph found the money in their sacks, since they came again from Egypt; and says nevertheless after the figure anticipatio (anticipation) first only of one that he found the money, until he reports it later then also of the others. And it is quite probable that, since the money was found in one sack, the others were also frightened by it, and that everyone would have opened his sack and also looked for money in it.
It is not bad that they had more donkeys than ten. For one ass could not carry more than two sacks; which weight or burden would not have been enough for even one month for such a large household, in which so many sons, daughters, wives, servants, maids, and cattle lived.
beings. Therefore I believe that each of them would have loaded three or four donkeys with grain, so that they would not have to return so soon. For the way has been long from Canaan out to Heliopolis or Memphis. And I reckon it was about fifty German miles from each other; which way they could not have gone so soon, because the asses go slowly. That is why they bought so much that they had enough to feed their servants and cattle for several months. Assuming this to be the case, it would not be at all unreasonable to think that, by God's command, each of them had opened his sack, and yet one of them had found only the money, while the others had all searched through one or more sacks by chance, and had found nothing in them but grain. For they could not have spent so much time on the way that they would have inspected all the sacks so carefully.
(204) And I am especially moved by this argument, that though they are terrified here, yet afterward, v. 35, Moses will say again that they were terrified together with their father. For they would not have been frightened the second time if they had all seen beforehand in the inn that the money had been returned to them.
IV.
V. 28 Then their hearts fell from them, and they were afraid one of another, and said: Why has God done this to us?
This is a new way of speaking: Their heart went out, which can be rendered in German: The heart is gone out of them. But by this he indicates that all their comfort, wisdom and strength have gone out of them. For they are not only terrified that they have seen the money in the sack, but that their sin, which they have committed, has come before their eyes. For they have tried until now to cover and conceal it, and have taken a foolish comfort in their own hearts, namely, that the sin would remain forever concealed and forgotten, unless Joseph had already made this hope doubtful by the game he had played with them.
1514 L- X. 180. 181. interpretation of I Genesis 42, 28. w. n, 2220-2223. 1515-
But they are not yet truly sorry and do not yet recognize their wrongdoing. For this reason, their heart or the comfort they had in themselves, as if the sin should be forgotten, is now taken away from them. Although they do not yet confess the sin, but in their secret murmuring and silence they still think that they will get away, but not without fear and sorrow. That is why Moses says they were frightened and misled among themselves; one looked at the other and thought, "This is not right. But they lay the blame on our Lord God, who is the judge. How, they say, has God done this? And this came from the terror and anguish of conscience, which follows sin with great pain and heartfelt anguish.
The conscience is such an evil beast and evil devil. For all writers, both those who described the holy scriptures and pagan histories, have depicted this monster, this horrible beast, in a frightening way, as can be seen in Orestes and other evildoers. And the poets have therefore invented the horrible characters in the tragedies, the Erinyes and Furies, that is, infernal devils who avenge all misdeeds. They all speak of the same misfortune and heartache, which is called: Mens sibi male conscia, that is, a heart that knows itself guilty of sins. The holy scripture recently says: "The wicked have no peace", Is. 48, 22. and 57, 20. 21. There is nothing more unhappy and that brings more trouble than a frightened heart, which, if it only sees a flash of lightning, or even hears a rustling leaf, turns pale.
The sons of Jacob also have an evil conscience; therefore they tremble so terribly and are afraid of divine vengeance. They fear that he will strike with thunder and lightning, and yet they do not confess the sin. But this is a strange thing: the conscience feels God's judgment and his severe wrath; and yet it is ashamed to repent and confess the sin, even if it should remain stuck in eternal damnation and torment. And this happens because of the original sin, as can be seen in Adam. For since he had already overcome and fled from God, he was not able to
He knew that he was guilty of the fall, but that first sin in him was still mute and could not bear to have his ears opened, even though the voice of God had sounded in his ears: "Adam, where are you? Gen. 3, 9.
In one place, Erasmus writes of a Lacedemonian virgin who, when she became pregnant through fornication, would rather have killed the child when it was born than confess her sin; which action he interprets to have been great strength and manliness in her, when it is rather weakness, because she would rather have put herself in danger of eternal death and damnation than confess her sin and repent. Such is the madness, fury and folly of original sin that it will not allow itself to be disgraced or allow its shame to be seen. And it is quite against the nature of sin to confess that one has sinned.
So they say that St. Martin answered the devil when he mocked him and punished him for so easily forgiving the sins of the most wicked and mischievous people: If you could say from your heart, "I am sorry that I have sinned," I would also absolve you and absolve you of sins. For the devil would also be blessed, as we all are, if he could say from a pure heart: Oh God, have mercy on me and be merciful to me!
- Absolution and forgiveness of sin are certain; only that you recognize and confess with all your heart that you have sinned. But the devil cannot get there. Adam and Eve could not do this. For so Adam said Gen. 3:10, "I heard thy voice in the garden, and was afraid, because I was naked." He does not say, "Because I have transgressed your commandment," until God Himself forces him to do so and asks him further in v. 11: "Who told you that you are naked? did you not eat from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" He does not yet want to stink, and does not yet recognize or confess the sin, so he is accused of, but blames it on the
1516 L x. 1S1-1W. Interpretation of Genesis 42:28. w. ii, 2223-2225. 1517
Woman, v. 12: "The woman," he says, "whom you brought to me, gave me of the tree and I ate. Behold, since he was already frightened and timid, and trembled, feeling that he had sinned, yet he does not yet confess the sin.
212 We also have an example of this in Saul, who says 1 Sam. 15:30: "I have sinned, but now honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel," as if he wanted to say, "Cover the sin. But the same is no good before men. For to commit sin and to deny it makes the sin even greater, seven times greater, than it otherwise is in itself. If people who are not evil are angered, they can easily forgive those who ask and confess the sin, and the sin is soon dead; but if one still wants to cover and adorn the sin, the hearts are thereby provoked more and more to anger. This is the nature of the conscience; although it feels the sin, and the heart is frightened and shaken to the point of condemnation, it does not yet confess the sin.
Therefore let every man learn in the name of the Lord, when he hath sinned, to confess it: and the sin shall not only be forgiven, but all men shall have compassion on him, and mourn his fall. But there is no one who will do this, except in general. But to confess guilt in particular is not the nature or characteristic of this depraved nature, even though it confesses to be guilty before God. For the example of these brothers finely shows this: Joseph plays with them and turns their hearts to and fro in various ways: but they do not think that this should be Joseph, for they think that he died long ago. They feel that God remembers their sin, but the confession is not yet pure. Therefore Joseph presses upon them, always urging them that he may bring them out by force, as it were, and force confession of their sins from them, so that they may come to the forgiveness of their sins.
- but how is this such a great pity and foolishness in us, that we thus flee from the door, by which we enter into salvation?
should go. But if we were wise and without this damage and corruption of original sin, and the conscience in us were not so stubborn and disobedient, then the sins of the godly would truly be nothing else, but the corrections, instructions and effects of the Holy Spirit for the good, as Paul says Rom. 8, 28: "To those who love God, all things are for the best," also the sins. But why is that? Because where we have fallen into sins, we are humbled and instructed by them, we are warned to learn better to beware of sins, and we are also caused to thank God when we confess our sin and repent. There is so much fruit in sin, if one could use it spiritually. There is death and condemnation in the right use of the law, but one must also take the spiritual use or benefit to it. This is said so much: one must recognize sin, open the heart, confess, seek help; then sin will be useful to us. And the more you are humbled, the sooner you will receive grace and forgiveness.
David also kept silent for a while; as he says of himself Ps. 32:3: "I wanted to keep it quiet. I had slain the pious Uriah, I had defiled his wife; I smeared and would not come forward; I covered and concealed the sin, I could adorn it finely. For original sin does not like to have its deformity and shame seen, nor can the devil suffer his shame and stench to come to light and be revealed; but wants both to be taken for innocence and righteousness. Our Lord God cannot suffer this. That is why David adds in the 32nd Psalm v. 3: "For when I would have concealed it, my bones fainted," 2c. I would have almost perished. For the torment and erosion of an evil conscience is not overcome by silence, concealment or covering. Therefore, when Nathan comes to David and says 2 Sam. 12, 7: "You are the man" who has done this, he is frightened and killed; and yet he says through the spiritual use of sin: "I have
1518 x, iss-iss. Interpretation of I Moses 42, 28. w. 2. ssss-WW. 1519
sinned." When the prophet hears the word that David is not afraid to disgrace, disgrace and condemn himself, he soon says to him, v. 13: "The Lord has taken away your sin" and forgiven you of it. But if he had wanted to excuse himself and adorn himself as Saul did, and cover his sin, and not be considered a sinner, but be righteous and innocent, he would have been eternally lost and condemned. This is why he is a pious God, if we could use original sin properly; and if one had fallen, so that he soon turned to the spiritual use of sin, he is therefore a rich God with his grace and forgiveness.
- Therefore let us learn that we may use our misfortunes and sins for good; and so we shall know how gracious and kind the Lord is. If thou hast fallen, and canst say from thine heart, I have sinned; seek to say, I have forgiven thee. But if you deny and conceal your sin, he will say that he cannot forgive you either.
Therefore it is better to follow the words of David and say with him Ps. 51:6: "I have sinned against you alone, that you may be justified in your words" 2c. For this is also praiseworthy in the eyes of the world, and one can easily obtain grace with it. For this is also what God demands of us. Let me, he says, be right in my words, and remain pure when I am judged; then I will forgive you: if not, yet I will be right, and you shall be lost. We deserve God's wrath, death and eternal damnation; but God is merciful, long-suffering and gladly forgives iniquity, if only we could recognize and confess our impurity and unworthiness, if only we could open our mouths.
- And it is truly a great pity that our heart is so completely poured out through original sin, and all confidence in our worthiness and merit is taken away. For the heart becomes pale and trembles when it only sees a flash of lightning; and yet it is still so proud and does not want to show itself before God.
humble yourself. Therefore, if you have this light, thank God that He will forgive the sin of those who recognize it. For He does not demand vengeance or satisfaction for it, if you have confessed it sincerely and from the heart, for only as much as is necessary to others as an example and correction; as the 32nd Psalm v. 5 says: "I said: I will confess my transgression unto the Lord. Thou wilt forgive me the iniquity of my sin.
- But the sons of Jacob still flee from this confession. The death of Joseph is in their hearts and deprives them of all comfort. And they feel that whatever misfortune befalls them comes from the wrathful God, who is an avenger of all misdeeds. For the law is within the heart, which terrifies people and is God's law. Therefore, it is certain that all the terror and trembling of the conscience is due to God's cooperation.
For this reason you cannot shake off the law, but it shakes your heart. For it is God's eternal and unchanging judgment, and you will not be able to easily endure its accusations and storms, as Judas and others, who were terrified by it, were lost, since they could not overcome the terrible torment in the heart and the infernal fury of the evil conscience, which always drives and chases the heart through God's law, which is almighty, as is he himself, who gave it and imprinted it on the hearts of men. And you will never be delivered from these terrors, except by the help that God Himself has shown in the 32nd Psalm, v. 5, where He says: "Confess your transgression against yourself, and I will forgive you. First say, Psalm 51:6, "I have sinned against you alone, that you may be justified in your words," and I will blot out all your iniquity.
This is the salvation and peace of all the saints from the beginning of the world, Adam, Abraham, David, in all of whom was original sin, which terrified and condemned them. But by this salvation, which consists in the knowledge of sins, they have been saved and redeemed from the terrors of the law.
1520 L X. 185-187. interpretation of I Moses 42, 28. w. n. 222S-22SI. 1521
In this way, these brothers also begin to feel the sting of God's conscience and wrath, which punishes them. Therefore, they say, "Why has God done this to us?" What does God have in mind? These are the words of a shaken heart, which has lost all its comfort and confidence and has lost its security; as the words of those who are frightened and grieved because of the sin they have committed tend to be: O God, what have I done? So these brothers also see that this thing that happened to them must not have come from Joseph, for they knew that all the money had been paid to him and that they had not stolen or taken anything from him. Therefore they think that someone must have been secretly appointed by God, a man or a spirit, to accuse them of theft before the prince in Egypt. Therefore they will have thought: What shall we do? Now some will come, sent by the prince, to attack us and drag us into prison. So they see that they will not be safe enough either in Egypt or in the land of Canaan where they lived. And this terror is increased not only by the danger of suspicion, but by the memory of their former sins and other misdeeds, which they had invented or really committed out of fear and which they remembered at that time.
223 For it should be diligently noted that an evil conscience, which is guilty when it is judged and punished, not only feels torment or torture and the devil's bite because of the right sins, which it knows it has truly committed, but it also imagines many other innumerable sins from one sin. Similarly, it tends to take countless suspicions with it, so that the terror is always increased, and yet all this is just a fictitious thing.
This is because the Scripture says Deut. 26:36: "A rustling leaf shall chase them. Yes, a dry leaf shall frighten the evil conscience so that it thinks it is thunder and lightning. It is truly a great pity that a leaf, when it is only slightly rough
The one who hears it should not tremble and be frightened in any other way than by thunder and lightning. I have indeed often fought with this dreadful beast, not without a great struggle, and Deut. 28, 65-67. is added to this, namely: "The Lord will give you a trembling heart, and faint eyes, and a withered soul, so that your life will float before you. Night and day thou shalt fear, and shalt not be sure of thy life. In the morning thou shalt say, Alas, that I might live to see the evening! In the evening thou shalt say, Alas, that I might see the morning! for the fear of thine heart shall terrify thee."
In this way, the Holy Spirit describes the terrifying torment and erinyes of an evil conscience. That is why our whole life is always hanging by a thread, is in doubt and uncertain, is full of fear and terror every moment, is afraid of the evening and the morning, and even of all the hours.
226 So these brothers of Joseph are in great fear, not only because of the sin of which they knew themselves guilty, although they have covered it up and concealed it with diligence; but they are also afraid of all their own words and works, and in all their works and thoughts they concoct a new guilt. And in such great terror and trembling they are still dumb and do not confess their sin.
227 Adam also did the same in paradise: since he had almost died out of fear of the voice and wrath of God, he still would not open his mouth and could not say, "I have sinned. And just such foolishness and a wrong heart follows in all Adam's children after the original sin, just as such foolishness and stubbornness was felt in our first father in the beginning, until the spiritual fruit of the sins is added by the word of Christ Marc. 7, 34: "Hephatha, open thyself!" In the meantime, the bond of the tongue remains, so that the devil blocks the mouth, so that even though the person is very frightened in conscience, he nevertheless does not seek help. For the devil does not let the sinner say from the heart: Lord God, I have sinned against you, forgive it.
1522 L. X. IS7-ISS. Interpretation of I Genesis 42:28-34. W. II. 223I-223S. 1523
I am very sorry for what I have done!
Therefore, this description of sins should be diligently remembered, which so frightens these brothers that they begin to cry out, "Why did God do this to us?" as if they do not know why God did it. Dear sirs, your heart knows well that you have killed your father, brother and mother. For if Rachel had still been alive, she would undoubtedly have died of great heartache. But God miraculously preserved the father, so that he himself did not die from pain and suffering. You should not know about this? Yes, we are ashamed that we should confess it, and reveal the sin we have committed to the Father; for this perverse shamefulness has been in their way. Therefore, bear this cross, sighing and crying out, "Why has God done this to us?" For do you think that this will happen to you, that you will go unpunished because of it, or that God will excuse or praise your sin? He will never do that. Do you ask why God is doing this to you? How is it that you do not rather say, "Why did we do this to God? Or, why do you not confess your sin? But since you do not yet desire to make this confession, be afraid a little longer, tremble and be terrified every moment you hear a dry leaf rustling, and say in the morning, Oh that I might live to see the evening, and in the evening, Oh that I might live to see the morning. 2c., 5 Mos. 28, 67.
229 In this way, the example of the holy fathers teaches us what a terrible thing it is to have an evil conscience. And it is a very good text, which is worthy of being clearly acted upon and interpreted, although I do not consider myself capable of doing so. But because they do not yet confess that they have sinned, nor do they ask God for mercy, nor do they ask the father or Joseph for forgiveness, the torment and temptation do not end until the confession and recognition of the sins is forced from them by force. Joseph has to beat the sack even better.
Sixth part.
How the sons of Jacob come to Hanse, and tell their father how they fared; how they pour out their grain and recover their money.
V.29-34. So when they came home to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him everything they had encountered and said: The man that is master in the land spake hard unto 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 with our father in the land of Canaan; said the lord of the land unto us: By this I will know whether 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 honest: and I will give you your brother also, and ye shall go forth into the land.
230 This also belongs to the previous description, in which we said that Moses delineated the nature of original sin so that it would not be sin. And the devil has brought it about with the papists, namely, that the damage of original sin has been completely eradicated and is no longer considered condemnable. Now the ignorance of sins certainly and necessarily brings with it the ignorance of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and all things, that is, that one does not know God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, and does not know anything about anything where one does not know or want to know sin first. For no one may think that he will become a theologian, or that he will read or hear the Holy Scriptures rightly, who so minimizes and disregards the harm of original sin, or does not yet understand it rightly. Indeed, there is no man who can sufficiently consider or understand the power of original sin. For we are not to think that it is such a small or easy thing that God sent His Son to become a sacrifice to redeem us.
1524 2- x, iss-isi. Interpretation of Genesis 42:29-34. w. ii. 2235-2238. 1525
The papists teach that original sin is taken away in baptism, and that only a little tinder and weakness of the flesh, or a tendency to sin, remains. Therefore, they do not understand what grace or forgiveness of sin is, nor what the Holy Spirit and God are.
232 In this chapter there is a description of this terrible damage, or original sin, which should always be remembered, namely, that it is such a poison, so deep in our soul and body, that it also wants to be considered as righteousness; as David indicates, when he says in Psalm 51 v. 6: "That you may be right in your words. For why does he speak thus? Is not God pure and just? Answer: He is indeed just; but with us he is not considered to be so: we are rather just, but God is unjust. Sin can adorn itself so finely and cover its impurity. As can be seen in these brothers, who do not want to be scolded or condemned. Although they say: We suffer this justly, and: Why has God done this to us? yet they always cover their sin and conceal it; and here, even before their father, they do not want to be considered as having sinned.
Now God cannot be pure or righteous if we are not impure and unrighteous, that is, God is not recognized as righteous if we do not confess our impurity. Not that I must first become unrighteous now, for I am unclean before: but this is the question, Whether I will also become unclean in spirit, that is, recognize and confess my sin? For as original sin was at first intended to be covered and adorned, so also real sins follow afterward, as a child follows its father and mother, and keep strictly to the saying, Si fecisti, nega: If thou hast done it, deny it. For he who denies or conceals his sin before men is already justified. But it is in truth the devil himself who thus disguises himself into an angel of light. Everything wants to be pure, and what God does should be impure. Finally, however, this saying must still stand firm
remain and be affirmed, namely, that we say, O Lord God, thou art righteous, thou art pure; but I am unrighteous and impure; and must all say with David Psalm 51:6, "In thee only have I sinned, that thou mightest be just in thy words."
But St. Paul has gloriously spoken of this in Romans 3:8. And from this it is also clear how inconsistent and frightening this teaching is in the ears of carnal men. For some said: The apostles taught that one should only sin freely and do evil, so that good may come from it. If our unrighteousness praises God's righteousness, then I will confidently sin on it. This is not a philosophical doctrine, but a spiritual and divine one. For you will then become unrighteous, when you will feel, recognize and confess that you are truly a sinner, and will say: Lord, I have sinned, forgive me!
We want to have this supernatural art. For behold these brothers, how greatly they have grieved and offended their old father, and yet cannot be brought to confess their sin together. They do not admonish one another to go to the Father and confess that they are fratricides, by which confession both God and their father would have been reconciled.
Therefore it is necessary that you say with knowledge and will: I am a poor sinner and unjust. But why this? Ei, "that thou mayest be right in thy words," Psalm 51:6. Only cast thine eyes down to the earth, and say, God be merciful to me; for I am born in sins, and my whole nature is corrupt, is full of blindness, evil desire, ignorance of myself and also of sins.
237 And if ye will usefully study theology and the holy scriptures, that ye enter not into the scriptures, which are closed and sealed, learn first of all to understand sin aright. And let the epistle to the Romans be to you as a door and key to the holy Scriptures; otherwise you will never come to the right understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures. Then you will understand what an evil thing sin is.
1526 L. X, IS1-I9S. Interpretation of Genesis 42:29-34. **W. II, 22SS-2241.** 1527
sin for which God sent His Son, that we might be cleansed of it by the blood and unspeakable sacrifice of the Son of God. For this reason, the damage itself must also be unspeakably great.
But as these brothers are stiff-necked and still continue to cover their sin, so this terrible plague and lamentation goes through this whole world, that sin does not want to be uncovered, does not want to be what it really is, because it wants to be pure and beautiful, contrary to its nature. It wants to be beautiful. We see the same thing happening in the domestic regime and the secular police. For everything that is sinned there is laid only on the "no one": he must have done everything. For no one can easily bear to be punished and reproved for sins. Otherwise they are all pious, no one wants to have done wrong. So in the real sins the evil corrupt nature can also be seen. Who then has sinned? Who will have to pay? Only the Son of God is a sinner, no one else. He alone bears the sin and says: Have mercy on me, because I have sinned against you. Item in the 40th Psalm v. 13. he says: "My sins are more than hairs on my head." He recognizes and confesses sin freely, and is serious about it, not for his own person, which is holy and righteous, but as a patron and intercessor before the judge, and also pays for us.
- Therefore learn diligently this matter of original sin, and do not dispute why God has allowed it, which is the question of the forward minds: but rather ask how we may be saved and redeemed from this harm, and that we may know that God speaks with us, that he may awaken us to recognize the same harm of original sin. For where he is recognized, he says: "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you", Matth. 9, 2.; for I have given my dear son for you, an innocent little lamb from the beginning. If you recognize and confess your sins and iniquities, then my Son will be the propitiation for your sin.
be. He will be your sanctification, redemption, righteousness and wisdom, 1 Cor. 1, 30.
Then the holy Scriptures are opened, and you will see that they teach nothing else than that God holds up to us His Son, who was crucified, resurrected, and given for our sins. But such things will not go to your heart, nor will you understand what Christ is, unless the Scriptures first remind you and teach you what you are in the sight of God. You will learn the same from Genesis 3:19, where it is taught that the punishment of death is imposed on the entire human race because of original sin.
But how great is the wickedness of this sin, and how utterly wicked it is, the fruits show. For how soon in youth there is such great reluctance and disobedience in children! What a raging and burning of lusts, hatred, avarice, envy in youth and in the whole of life. We are indeed born without real sins, but afterwards an infinite number of sins bursts forth with force. Dear, from where do such horrible monsters come?
The philosophers Socrates and Cicero know nothing of this; but the Scripture says: We are born children of wrath, and subject to the corruption of original sin; and the wiser, more learned, and more prudent we are, the more hopefulness and other sins are found in us. For nature is even corrupt. But the papists reproach us that it should be healed again in baptism and that sins are also forgiven in it. This is well said, but sin is not yet entirely taken away, as Augustine says. But because they do not know this, they can never come to the right light or understanding of the Scriptures, the kingdom of Christ and the whole theology.
The wounds of the man, Luc. 10:34, who was half dead, have been dressed, and oil and wine have been poured into them; the gift of the Holy Spirit has begun, but the wounds are still deadly. He is accepted to be healed by the physician, but he is not yet completely healed, and the wounds are still deadly.
1528 D X, ISS-I9K. Interpretation of I Genesis 42:29-34. W. II, 2241-2244. 1529
has been restored. If you now want to say that there is no wound and also no danger, dear, then try whether he, who is half dead, can walk and stand, work, and otherwise do what a healthy person is used to doing. He is carried by the animal on which he is placed, does not work, and does not walk or stand. Thus, through baptism, we have also been taken up onto our Lord God's animal, that is, onto the most holy sacrifice that was made for us, or onto the humanity of Christ. By this we are carried. And although we have been accepted once, we are still being joined and healed from day to day.
244 But now we want to come to the example of these fathers again. They are truly desperate boys. They have killed their brother and their parents, as much as was in them; and yet they still remain in impenitence, even so grossly that, since they have already been overcome and put to shame, they still do not want to freely confess that they have sinned. If they had confessed that they sold Joseph, they would have been received much more graciously and kindly; but sin is still holy, righteous and proud with them, and there is no one among them who has sinned. That is why they can adorn themselves in such a whimsical way and weaken the story of how they were treated in Egypt, and no doubt they will have heard about it on the way, how they would like to tell the father about it in the most simple way and not remember the prison, so that he would not be caused to ask more precisely what the cause was that the foreign people were treated so horribly: And yet they cannot conceal the fact that Simeon stayed away, and was not there, when they desired him to send Benjamin down with them.
- So now they tell what they had encountered, saying: "The man who is lord in the land spoke harshly to us" 2c. We have been harshly and severely challenged: we holy and innocent men have had to experience wonderful bitterness and unkindness. But why this? It is not that we are to blame for it, but that
You, Father, may have earned this cross by some sin. "And he took us," they continue, "for scouts of the land."
They were kept in prison for three days, and yet now they do not want to remember any prison. Otherwise the father would have asked: Why were they thrown into prison? Therefore, out of special concern, they told everything they encountered in the most simple way, so that the father would not be angered by such an unusual act and would not be moved to ask them about the cause of such an unusual act. Thus sin always does what it does: it wants to be pure, chaste, beautiful and holy, but it accuses and condemns God for being unjust and acting unjustly.
247 But we will interpret it a little less, namely, that they kept silent about the prison, so that they would not grieve or frighten the father. But then they wavered, uncertain how to get him to do what they wanted, namely, to take Benjamin with them. Therefore, in order to initiate this request, they try to persuade their father with great zeal that all this had happened to them as undeserving and innocent people, so that original sin would not start.
But why does Moses call Joseph adone, that is, a lord of the land, and speak in the plural as of many? 2c. Because with such sayings the Jews seek to ridicule the majority of persons in the Godhead, which we use to prove from the fact that God is often called elohim in the plural. Only the German princes and the pope follow this way of speaking of themselves in the plural. Therefore we should know that the Hebrew language often connects a noun in the plural with a tense word in the singular; as the Greeks often put the verb "is" (in the singular) to words of the neuter gender in the plural. So in this place: The lord or lords of the land has spoken. Droben, cap. 39, v. 16, we also had the same way of speaking when the adulteress, Potiphar's wife, took the garment.
1530 x. iss-197. interpretation of Genesis 42:29-34. W. n, 2244-22." 1531
put beside him until the time when "his lords" would come, although Moses speaks only of the one Potiphar, Joseph's lord. In the same place, a pronoun in the singular is placed with a noun in the plural. It is not a fine way and manner of speaking, but the Hebrew language has its own way and manner, of which one cannot give a cause so exactly; as in other languages also causes cannot be indicated of all kinds of ways of speaking. It is enough that we know that this is the manner of the same language. As the Germans put the neuter article without cause to a noun of the feminine gender when they say: This is the virgin; item: This is the city. For these are idiotisms and idiosyncrasies in this language.
But now they continue to tell their answer, how they apologized before the man, namely, that they were honest and sincere, that they meant no harm. And all this still belongs to the fact that they have adorned themselves with it, so that the father would not think or suspect that they themselves had caused or been responsible for such punishment of the prison or that they had been received so unkindly, and that he would therefore undertake to inquire further about it. Therefore they say that this happened to them through no fault of their own, and that they also publicly declared their innocence before the lord of the land. But they tell only those things which served them to diminish the sin; yea, that they might also obtain such a name, that they might be accounted holy and righteous.
(250) But because Simeon was not present, whom Joseph had kept in prison with him, they also lately say why they left him behind in Egypt. They say that because he took us for scouts and was not satisfied with our excuse, he ordered one of the brothers to stay with him until we brought our youngest brother to him. But they leave out the fact that they had been in prison for three days, as well as this, that the lord of the land had been in prison for three days.
ben Pharaoh swore he would not let them go. Nor do they add that Simeon was bound and detained in the land by the Lord's command, for all this would have been somewhat harsh and dangerous. Therefore they did not want to express the same thus, but cover and soften it as they only can and may.
Therefore you see how very cunning original sin is, how it can so artificially adorn its deformity. And all men are such fine talkers to diminish and excuse their sin. Hence the need for so many witnesses, judges, and whatever else is in the right in court and in the police, so that people are convinced and driven to confess their sin. And such things show nothing else than the great insurmountable stubbornness of sin. For if it were not thus covered and adorned, there would be no need of courts, laws, or rights, of cane-masters, or punishment: but because sin wants to be holy and righteous, such honor and innocence must be exposed and revealed by the sword, gallows, and fire. 2c.
In this way the sons of Jacob use such a word, which is very mild, as if the lord of the land had asked out of a kind and good heart that one of the brothers might remain with him, who would also be kept there in peace and safety without all fear and danger. For they are hypocrites and worksaints, who cannot well suffer the righteousness and holiness of sin to be put to shame. God's righteousness and truth have no place there; sin alone is righteous and holy. They do not say that Simeon has been captured and put in prison, but that the Lord of the land is very kind to him and will let him wait, who will keep him with him as a guarantor so that they will not do anything evil against the Egyptians; but he could easily be released if they would only bring Benjamin to him.
- but in this place Moses again troubled the grammarians, that they were troubled with the Hebrew word
1532 L. L, IS7. 198. interpretation of Genesis 42:29-34. W. II, 2246-2249. 1533
raabon, namely: Why he called the grain so, if it is called otherwise Theurung; and reads after the Hebrew thus: Take the Theurung, not: Food, your houses. What kind of grammar is this, that he calls grain "Theurung"? The Hebrews and especially the rabbis get very angry about it, and it can be seen from this that they do not have the knowledge of both things and grammar. And no one can establish the Hebrew grammar again, but only the Christians, who understand that about which the Scriptures primarily deal, that is, who recognize Christ, the Son of God; for where He is rightly recognized, everything else becomes finely clear and transparent. But this can easily be interpreted, if one pays attention to the way of speaking and also to the figures. For no language has more figures than the Hebrew.
Now it is a common and ordinary figure not only among the Hebrews, but also among the Latins and Germans, which is called antiphrasis, as when we call a wicked desperate boy a pious man. And especially in the household regiment this figure is much used against servants and children; as when we say: Dear Squire, dear pious 2c., when we ironically command or admit something and yet mean the opposite. And what is irony or sarcasm but antiphrasis, only that the latter lies in a single word, the latter in the whole speech.
(255) Now as Moses called bread "breaking," because they used no knives, but the bread which they were about to eat was broken; so in this place also he says, Bring raabon, that is, theurung, or really the antithesis, abundance or fullness against hunger. As the physicians speak of pestilence pills, not because they bring the pestilence, but because they drive it away.
256 Thus chesed is a very beautiful word; as, Matth. 9, 13. and Hos. 6, 6.: "I am pleased with mercy, and not with sacrifice"; item in the 4th Psalm v. 4: "The Lord leads His saints (chasid) whimsically";
Likewise also Isa. 40, 6: "All flesh is hay, and all its goodness is like a flower of the field. There it reads and means actually so much as, honor, goodness, wisdom and what can only be good in the flesh. But the same word is also used by Moses in the 3rd book at the 17th and also in the 20th chapter, where it is called a great vice or blood shame, and yet it actually means mercy, good deed or other good work; as, 1 Tim. 6, 2: "Because they are partakers of good deeds," that is, of divine grace and good deeds. Therefore, when Moses says that those who have committed chased are guilty of death, he means that they have not done a good work, but have committed a great vice, for which they must suffer death.
257 Thus Christ is called sin, when he is the sacrifice for sin, that sin may be paid for. For this is the use of this language, in which it is entirely up to him how he will speak, and what the force and manner of the words or speeches shall be: Quem penes arbitrium est et vis et norma loquendi, as the poet says. And one cannot indicate a cause for such figures, which the common usage has thus introduced and brought along; but the rules must give way to the same usage, and one must look for figures from grammar, so that one may explain or excuse such speeches, which the usage gives and brings along. And in all languages it must be allowed that they may have this freedom in such speeches as are somewhat contrary to common usage. Similarly, we must also help ourselves out of this torture.
258 But what follows in the text, where Joseph says: "And you may advertise in the country", these words also have a special power. For the word sachar actually means as much as to go about, to buy and to handle. And Moses above, Cap. 23, 16, also uses the same word when he says of Abraham that he bought the field for burial and spent four hundred shekels of silver for it, which was common in the purchase; according to the Hebrew, this is silver that is put into circulation by the merchants. For therefore the merchants
1534 L. x, i98-Ax>. Interpretation of I Genesis 42, 29-36. W. u, 2240-22". 1535
They are called by the Hebrews because they wander about in the country and run from one place to another like flies. Therefore Joseph said he would give them power to go about in the land, and to handle or advertise, if they would bring their youngest brother to him. For all things are come upon Benjamin, that he may be brought into Egypt.
V.35. And when they had poured out the sacks, they found every man his little bundle of money in his sack. And when they saw that they were bundles of their money, they were afraid together with their father.
The Hebrew word, rik, means to make single. From there comes Racha, Matth. 5, 22. which means a loose, vain and despised person. Now here they open all the sacks. For we said above that they had many of them, but they did not open them all in the inn. But now each one has emptied his sack, and the grain is kept in a common pantry, over which the father has had power, who is to take it out again for all their daily needs.
260 And when each of them found his money in his sack, they thought that it must have been specially ordered and arranged by Joseph, or that the money must have been returned to them by an angel or a devil through divine intervention. Because of this, they were greatly frightened and anxious that they should be punished for the theft; but they still conceal from their father that they had sold Joseph, and they do not think otherwise than that Joseph had died. And again, Joseph himself doubts whether his father and Benjamin are still alive and well. And this is the reason why he does not stop frightening and scaring them more and more, which he meant to bring them to repentance and confession.
But the old father was also afraid with them at the same time. He must also bear with them. For so it must be, when the wicked are punished, that the godly must also bear a part of the punishment. That is why they are all frightened,
both the brothers and the father. For Simeon was a prisoner, whom they had hoped to free again without any trouble, if only they would bring Benjamin. But now that they have opened their sacks, they are again dismayed, and fear that they have been secretly pursued; and when they come again to the lord of the land, they will all be wounded for theft. All this is only to humiliate them. For Joseph will not harm them, but will do them good and honor them, and when they are humbled, he will bring them to the highest glory.
Seventh Part.
Of Jacob's conduct, when he hears that Simeon is to be left behind, and Benjamin is to be sent with him to Egypt.
V. 36. Then Jacob their father said to them: You are robbing me of my children; Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, Benjamin you will take away; it is all over me.
262 We have heard before how the sons of Jacob have spoken so fine artificially, and indeed thought that they would get away in this way. For they said that the lord of the land had dealt so harshly with them without their merit and through no fault of their own, and that their brother had not been imprisoned, but had only had to remain there as a guarantor, without any danger; but they kept silent about the imprisonment, so that they would not frighten their father with it, and that he would not take cause from it to inquire a little more diligently about all things.
But it seems as if the words of his sons did not count much with him and that he believed them little. For he says: You are killing all my children. And this is not a fictitious complaint, but he speaks out of a fatherly heart and concern in the potential indicative (that is, he pronounces as certain that which they possibly intended), as if he wanted to say: You now want to take Benjamin.
1536 2 X. 200-202. interpretation of Genesis 42:36, 37. w. II, 2255-2258. 1537
You say that the lord of the land kept Simeon there out of good gracious intention; and when I sent Joseph to you in the field that time, you brought me the news how a wild beast had torn him apart. What else could I think now but that you boys are dealing with it, that you want to rob me of the children I had most dear? Joseph, who was born of my most noble wife, perished; now you want to take away his brother by force, so that nothing remains of Rachel, but all her children and heirs perish. Devour one by one.
These are all fatherly thoughts and suspicions, which would have troubled me myself. And so God tempts the patriarch Jacob through his own sons, so that he must not believe or trust them at all, but must think and have suspicion that it is all a set-up, as one is wont to say, that he is only to be robbed of his dearest children.
Jerome has even obscured and falsified the correct historical understanding of this passage by translating the text too freely, namely: Simeon lies imprisoned, and now you also want to accept Benjamin. For the Hebrew text does not say this, and the other brothers have diligently concealed the fact that Simeon was bound and imprisoned, so that they would not increase his father's pain. Therefore Jacob knows nothing of the prison; otherwise he would not have let Benjamin go. He had already decided that he would rather let Simeon stay in Egypt than let Benjamin go down with the other brothers. If they had said this: We have been imprisoned three days, and Simeon is still imprisoned, and will not be released unless Benjamin is sent there; then they would have gained nothing at all from the father. Therefore they say that it was for a good reason that Simeon remained in Egypt as a guarantor, so that they might return and prove before the lord of the land that they were not spies.
With this rhetoric and finely decorated speech they intend to persuade the father to send his son Benjamin with them. But Jacob again meets them with a short dialectic and says thus: I have now been warned so often to my detriment that I have also become wise about it, and for this reason I cannot so easily believe you. Simeon and Joseph are no longer present. He thinks that both of them will have perished, and he cannot be persuaded that Simeon should have remained there as a guarantor, but says: "As often as I send you out, whether to the field or to unknown places, you come again, and always leave out one whom you have either lost or killed. You boys, he will have said, you yourselves will strangle one another.
So the pious old man is tempted hard enough by his own sons, and he will not have made this complaint without great pain of his heart, that his two sons would no longer be there. If Benjamin should now go down to Egypt, he says, he would also perish through your wickedness. And this is also truly a frightening example of godlessness against their father. And because God has made these wicked boys blessed, He will also make us blessed. But they have finally had to suffer severe punishment enough because of their ungodliness. Reuben now takes the rhetoric he has begun to the full, as follows in the text:
V. 37 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 back to you.
Reuben, as the firstborn, wants to earn gratitude and offers his father to make his two sons his guarantors. But this is a very unwise thing, and he has not done it wisely. For what could be more foolish than to make your grandchildren your guarantors, so that he should punish them when you would not believe him? Or, how do you know that you will surely return? How, when you are with Simeon and
1538 D. L, 202-204. interpretation of Genesis 42:37, 38. W. II, 2258-22SI. 1539
Benjamin would also be imprisoned? So Reuben has lost all sense and common wit or reason; for there must be much another pledge or surety. For this reason Jacob despises him, even with his two sons, because he prefers Benjamin to Reuben and all his children. Benjamin alone is left of Rachel, in whom the father had put all his hope and comfort for the firstborn; therefore he would rather keep Benjamin than Reuben and Simeon. And it seems as if he also considered him lost and perished.
V. 38. He said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone remains; if an accident should befall him on the way you are traveling, you would bring my gray hairs into the pit with sorrow.
Jacob has firmly decided in his heart that he will not let his son Benjamin go, and so he says: "Those of you who want to go, let them go; but I will not allow this one to be torn away from me. He does not pay attention to the other sons, he commands them to fortune, they may go as God wills; he is also silent about how Simeon would like to be redeemed again. Although they told him, the father, that he should only have good hope for Simeon's sake, because there was no danger with him. He did not believe them, however, but thought that Simeon had also perished.
But Benjamin is the only one he cares about now; he is very concerned about him and prefers him to all the others; and he has important and necessary reasons for this, namely, because he was Rachel's son and the honor of the firstborn belonged to him. But of all the others he could think nothing good. I see," he says, "that your counsels, and what you undertake, are all unfortunate and come to a bad end; therefore I will not so easily put Benjamin in such fear and danger. Nevertheless I will not hinder you, lest ye all go down with one another, or lest some of you go down among yourselves.
- this fear and suspicion of Jacob is
human and natural. For those who are in temptation always think in their hearts of that which is most evil and sorrowful: just as those who are punished and miserable also think nothing good of God, for only such things occur to them in their minds, by which their misery and unhappiness are only made greater. Yes, over all this they let themselves think that all circumstances and what might only happen by chance are unfortunate and highly dangerous.
And this is the devil's work, which he is especially wont to practice in a poor conscience that is guilty before God; he attacks it with poisonous bites and his fiery arrows in a very frightening manner. Just as again, when everything is well with us and goes according to our will, no one thinks of how close to us death, the devil and all kinds of danger may be; as the old man wisely says in the comedy: Quamobrem omnes, cum secundae res sunt, maxime meditari secum oportet, quo pacto adversam aerumnam ferant, pericula, damna, exilia, that is: We should all, when we are well, think most of all how we will bear the misfortune, danger and harm that may befall us. He who travels through the fields and returns home should always remember either that his son has sinned, or that his wife has died, or that his daughter has fallen ill, because these are common things and can easily happen to anyone; and that he should not let himself think in his heart that such things are new. But everything that happens differently than we had hoped for before may be counted as a gain.
But this does not occur to us when we do not encounter any misfortune; indeed, we tend to sleep on both ears as if there were no need at all, just as we tremble and tremble in temptation and where punishment is present. For this is the nature of man. That is why we are poor people on both sides, for better or for worse. We often make up for ourselves one sin, for the sake of which we are punished, many other innumerable sins more. And again, when we are safe and at peace, even though we have many sins, we are not at peace.
1540 D. X. 204-206. interpretation of I Moses 42, 38. w. n, 2261-2263. 1541
We don't think about any of them, and we don't fear any danger.
274 We should recognize this weakness in ourselves, namely, that our conscience, when it is secure and joyful, gathers much innumerable joy: but when it is sad and sorrowful, it can gather nothing but vain harm, misery, and unhappiness. For this is shown both by the examples of holy scripture and by each man's own experience. When my heart is burdened with sadness or anger, many thoughts seem quite true; but when I come to myself again afterwards, I can easily understand the error.
275 But the sons of Jacob were delayed at home a little longer than they had hoped. For they thought they would soon return to Egypt, so that they could keep their promise and release their brother. And they had a good enough reason to come to Egypt again soon, but their father stood in their way, so that they could not accomplish what they had planned. For he would rather that Simeon should be put in danger than Benjamin, and he puts forward a fine dialectic argument against all the rhetoric they had used, saying thus: "For if Benjamin should meet with an accident on the way, you would surely kill me.
The Hebrew word, ason, means harm or injury, whether it is fatal or not. Dear sons, he says, consider what a misfortune it would be if I were to die of pain and suffering through your fault, which could happen if you were to take Benjamin away and he were to come into danger, as we did for Joseph and Simeon: I would also have to die a very heavy and unworthy death. Yes, he also cites his gray hairs about this; which is movable enough. "You would," he says, "bring my gray hairs into the pit with heartache." I want to die gladly, and because I am now almost old and weary from many worries, I long for death. But it's pathetic that my sons are thinking about it.
are to blame that I, an old man, should now still die of sadness and suffering, and that I, who have been well tried and almost consumed for a long time because of so many misfortunes, should still end my life in such great sorrow, lamentation and pain.
277 These are indeed hard arguments, which he sets against their rhetoric, by which they had pretended that the Lord of the land had dealt graciously and kindly with Simeon, their brother, and was still favorable and gracious to him. But Jacob answered them, saying, Be it what it may; Simeon was not kept from among my sons alone without a cause, when nothing of the kind happened to the others. I see that you have agreed with one another and have devised this cunning among yourselves, so that you may lead Benjamin away and thus deprive me.
Such arguments are very good, and are taken from the necessary, impossible, honorable and conscience. For this is a great sin, that one should put his old father into such sorrow and grief that he is completely consumed by it and dies.
279 Lastly, in this place also the Hebraists dispute about the word sheolah, which they understand of the grave and translate "pit. But they mock us for interpreting it to mean hell. But we ask nothing of the unlearned asses, who have been given a wrong meaning and have already been plunged into utter darkness, so that they cannot understand even their own native language.
But the word keber must mean something else and scheolah must also mean something else. And as the Latin word sepulchrum, grave, in Hebrew liver, is a common word for both the godly and the godless: so it is also with the word sheolah. This is certain and is taken from the common usage of the holy scriptures, only that this is the difference: the word liver, grave, actually means the earth that is dug up, and in it the body of the deceased is laid and buried. For many die who are not buried in the ground, as those who are buried in the ground.
1542 2 x, S06-20S. Interpretation of Genesis 42, 38. w. u. 22S3-2266. 1543
torn apart by wild animals, or who are hanged or burned, they cannot have a burial, and yet it is said of all that they descend from this life into the pit.
281 Therefore these words are properly distinguished, that "grave" is a place where the body and bones of the deceased are buried in the earth, there being a certain definite time, person and place. Sheolah is a common place or receptacle, not only of bodies but also of souls, where all the dead are gathered. Augustine, in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium, calls it: abdita receptacula animarum, that is, secret places where souls are kept. Therefore, this chaos, this chasm, although unknown to us, in which there is no difference of place, time or person, is where those go who have no graves. It is a common place, where it is otherwise called a place, not for the body, but for the soul.
In the apostolic symbol we say that Christ suffered, died, was buried, and descended into hell; since these two things are distinguished in the manner of the Hebrew language, namely the burial and the descent into hell. And in the 16th Psalm v. 10. Christ says: "You will not leave my soul in hell."
Therefore Sheolah is actually, if one wants to describe it correctly, the place or container of the souls. But what kind of place this is, the ancients have made many countless questions and disputations. We should be content with this distinction: that as the body is preserved in the earth, so the soul, when it is separated from the body, also comes to its certain place, Sheolah. And are not distinguished sheolah or receptacles of the godly and godless. The others dispute about it somewhat sharply, and there are various arguments on both sides, which give me little to do.
284 In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus Luc. 16, 22. 23. it is said that the rich man was buried in hell, which was not a grave of the body, but of the soul; and yet we must think differently of the godly than of those who have been buried in hell.
The wicked, both of whom are in the same sheolah with each other. As Jacob says here and above, Cap. 37, v. 35, also: "I will go down with sorrow into the pit to my son"; item: "You will bring my gray hairs with heartache into the pit." And of the death of the godly is a certain and very clear text in the prophet Isaiah at 57th Cap. V. 2. "And the righteous come to peace, and rest in their chambers"; item Gen. 15, 15. "And thou shalt go to thy fathers with peace, and be buried in a good old age"; and in 25. Cap. V. 8: "Abraham was gathered to his people." This is the Sheolah, that is, the place where the godly are gathered, which Isaiah calls "peace," since in 57th Cap. V. 2. he says: "The righteous come to peace, and rest in their chambers"; for they have walked rightly before him. There he speaks of the dead. So it is said to King Josiah, 2 Chron. 34, 28. "Behold, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave with peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof."
All this is evident and certain from the holy Scriptures, that the saints or believers go after the body into their pit (keber); as Abraham was buried in the field of Ephron near Mamre, Gen. 25:9. But after the soul they go into their chambers, into the Sheolah, where they are gathered together with their fathers. And the godly also have their pits, wherein they go; but that they may rest therein. And though they go thither with sorrow, yet there they come to rest and peace. And this descent of the godly is nothing else, but that this life is changed into another state, since one no longer lives under the sun and on earth; but while they leave this life, they now go into their sleeping chamber and little resting bed, in which they sleep and rest, until body and soul come together again in the future and eternal life.
286 Therefore the Scripture does not say anything about purgatory, but it says that the saints and the righteous go into it sheolah, as
1544 2- 2VS- AK. Interpretation of Genesis 42:38, W. 2. 2WK-22SS. 1545
they enjoy the most pleasant and sweetest peace and tranquility. But he is righteous who, though a poor sinner, believes in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and receives absolution, so that he is absolved of his sins through the ministry of preaching, is baptized, and has used the sacrament of the altar; and is thus truly absolved of sins and also righteous before God. There is no purgatory prepared for him, but the grave of the soul, the Sheolah of the blessed, peace and rest in his bed of sleep.
Before the time of the incarnation of Christ, it was called "the bosom of Abraham. And Christ Himself also uses this name, which He undoubtedly took from the speeches of the godly and the dear fathers, since He says Luc. 6, 22: Lazarus was brought into Abraham's bosom, but the rich man's sheolah was flames of fire. And this state and condition of the wicked alone is known to God, and cannot be comprehended or understood by us; but the rich man's body was laid in the grave (keber). This, then, is my opinion as I understand these words or names.
There is another question about the soul of Christ, which, united with the Godhead, descended to hell. And how this descent took place, we do not know; for this was something special about Christ, of which he says in the 16th Psalm, v. 10: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor wilt thou suffer thy saint to perish. For hell did not keep his soul, sleeping or resting, nor did the grave keep his body, that it should rot therein, as Martha says of her brother Lazarus John 11:39: "Lord, he stinketh already; for he hath lain four days." Therefore he is called the firstborn of the dead, Col. 1, 15.
Those who have been raised by Christ have not been able to testify otherwise than that they slept and lay in a bed of rest, and were preserved in the bosom of Abraham, as they are now preserved and preserved in the bosom of Christ.
(290) And this much we may know of the places where the body and soul are preserved and kept, namely, that keber, that is, the grave, is the place for the body; but sheolah for the soul that sleepeth, either of the godly, or of the wicked; but yet with a difference. And what kind of rest this is, we do not know.
But I often think that we cannot reach or understand such a thing, since we cannot even understand how man can live in this life when he sleeps. For if we were not accustomed to sleep through constant and daily use, we would be frightened by it, as by death itself, since sleep is nothing other than, as it were, an exit from this life, so that you yourself do not know where or who you are. While I am alive, I do not sleep, but take note of what is around and beside me, and go about bravely and uprightly: but when I sleep, I know nothing of myself, nor do I know the place where I may be, and it seems as if I had been placed in another life.
Because sleep is such an ordinary thing, no one is frightened by it, as we are used to being frightened when we see an unusual, frightening disease, or hear about it, as the disease called epilepsy is the falling sickness. When people are attacked with it, they are soon deprived of all their senses, and cannot move or move at all, as one usually does in this life, yes, they seem to be driven into another life, as it were, even in such a way that they feel nothing at all, if they were already burned by fire or immersed in water, they also see and hear nothing: therefore, those who are afflicted with the same disease are dead alive.
In this way also the children sleep in the womb for and for. And no one can achieve such miracles either with thoughts or words. And if we did not know that sleep is useful and healthy and does us no harm, we would not shy away from it any more than from death. But now this rest is
1546 **L- x. 2W-2U. Interpretation of Genesis 42:38. w. ii, 2260-2272.** 1547
The sleep of the deceased people is even more miraculous, which the Scriptures use to call a sleep.
But since we, still living in this world, can sometimes feel or understand nothing less than that we should live, and yet God preserves the life of those who sleep and do or work nothing at all, why would we not ascribe to Him such great wisdom and power that He could preserve the soul even in death? For while the soul still dwells in the body, it is mocked in many ways in sleep, since in dreams loose or vain figures of many things occur to it, which are not true; yet it lives, regardless of the fact that it is so weighed down with sleep that it cannot exercise its effects and actions; the body, however, lies like a log without all sensation. Therefore, no one can easily say what sleep is, what waking is, or what the soul is 2c.
Until now we have spoken of the grave of the saints and also of the ungodly, and it is difficult to say something certain about it; we are also not so concerned that we should know so exactly how it is with the ungodly, because we must believe the words of Christ, who says of the deceased little girl Matth. 9, 24: "The little girl is not dead" 2c. The godly have enough of such knowledge and faith.
The theologians, called scholastics, make four spheres, that is, four places of hell. The first one they call limbus patrum, where they put those who died before the birth, suffering and resurrection of Christ, who were waiting for the redemption of Christ and descent to hell from this life. For heaven was not yet open. But they themselves do not understand what they say or hold. We call it Abraham's bosom, as the gospel teaches us, which they call limbus patrum, wherein all the saints and godly are set before the future of Christ. And I will not dispute about the name, because it is truly known that the bosom was Abraham's, which is now the bosom of Christ.
297 For while Moses and Elijah were with Christ
Matthew 17:3, it is clear that he has all of these saints in his hand and power and that he is their God. They sleep and rest, as is known of all the blessed, so that Christ can raise them up when it pleases Him. Therefore, it is not necessary to pray for them, and it is much less necessary to spend so much money uselessly to deliver souls from purgatory, as is done in the papacy.
But if Augustine or other fathers have a different opinion, we should know that their writings must be read with right understanding and that no articles of faith should be made from the sayings or opinions of the fathers; as in former times, through such foolishness, terrible darkness and error were brought into the church.
Gregory alone was the beginning and founder of the many lies about Purgatory and the sacrificial masses for the dead. He wrote in one place that there had been a steward in his monastery who had left three florins among his books or letters, approximately and out of carelessness. When Gregorius found them after his death, he became extremely impatient with the deceased steward and cried out that he was damned for the sin of theft and would have to suffer eternal torment for it: although it was credible that the same monk had more opportunity to steal in other things, he never stole or embezzled anything; but this money had thus secretly lain among the letters or books, so that he himself knew nothing about it. And yet, as he said, Gregory's example and cry had so upset and frightened the others that from then on none of them wanted to keep even a penny. Finally, however, Gregory ordered that thirty masses be said for him, and when these were said, he writes, the same administrator appeared to him and thanked him most sincerely for such a great blessing, through which he was delivered from the chastisement and curse of God.
- these were actually the powerful errors of which Paul writes, 2 Thess. 2, 11. and is from this example of Gregory
1548 L. X. su-213**.** Interpretation of Genesis 42:38, **W. II, 2272-2274.** 1549
The infinite number of abominations and sacrifices for the dead have come into the whole world. But the ghost that appeared to him was the mischievous, wretched devil himself, who came out of hell to deceive and seduce the whole human race. For the frightful and outrageous lie of the purgatory and the masses for the dead is so great that no one can sufficiently understand or explain it.
It is a long fable, and long are the puffery activities, so that the pope and cardinals have brought about and obtained countless amounts of money and property. For there have been innumerable of the same horrible monsters, as, church robberies and other drudgeries. Yes, look at all the churches and monasteries, which were built with no other costs than with such money, which was given to buy sacrificial masses for the dead, and also the whole world gave their money and goods in heaps, namely, to redeem the souls from purgatory with it.
- And there is no doubt that Christ spoke especially and particularly about the profanation and abuse of the Lord's Supper, so that they made the mass a sacrifice for the living and the dead, as he says Matth. 24, 15: "When you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, that it stands in the holy place (let him who saw it take note)" 2c. For this has been a real idol and devilish monster, but has served them very well for their profit, money and property, and also to gain power over all the kingdoms of the world with it.
The doctrine of the gospel, which testifies that the godly sleep and rest in Christ, refutes and rejects all this ungodly and idolatrous nature of the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ, which they made in their masses for the dead. Therefore, the godly, who have fallen asleep in the Lord, are not afraid of any chastisement of the purgatory, from which they could redeem the living with gold or silver. For it is written Isa. 57, 2: "They that have walked rightly in the sight of Him rest in their chambers." Item,
Revelation 14:13 says: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yea, the Spirit saith, that they may rest from their labor." They themselves often use this saying, but they have wrongly applied it to the salvation of souls from purgatory. Therefore, there has been a devilish malice in the pope and his apostles, as well as a pitiful blindness of foolish people, who have had no senses at all, and have been too careless to believe and to give money to such shameful and unbelievable abuses.
- but we should fortify our hearts with the sayings of the holy scriptures against such strange opinions and false delusions, namely, that the souls of the saints do not lie in torment after this life, but rest from their labor; as Christ says Joh. 8, 51: "If anyone will keep my word, he will not see death forever"; item Joh. 11, 25. 26: "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die." He himself, the Lord of heaven and earth, was sent into this world by the Father to teach the same thing, which is to be grasped and held fast. But if we are deceived by this, how shall we have it so good, if we are deceived by our dear Saviour, and since we believe in the Son of God!
These things must be remembered for the sake of the young boys who are now growing up, and who do not know how great darkness, error and misery have been in the papist religion, which they still intend to defend and preserve by force; and above all they hold fast to the purgatory and abomination of their sacrificial mass for the sake of the great profit they have had from it over all Europe.
The third place is assigned by the scholastics to the damned, which is none of our business, since Christ alone redeems his saints so that they do not taste death; but we do not want to and cannot redeem the others, but rather consign them to the judgment of God. But there is no sheolah of the godly,
1550 L.L. 21L-2IS. Interpretation of Genesis 43:38. W. II, 2274-2277. 1551
but the pit of the wicked. And how it is about the same, nothing can be said for sure; and this place they actually call Gehenna. Jerome says that the Lord Christ himself invented this word.
The origin of this word is that it may have come from the valley or the beautiful meadow in front of Jerusalem, where there was a forest towards the exit of the sun, which is remembered in Jer. 7, 31, where it is called the valley of Hinnom. For there the Jews sacrificed often and gladly, and thus despised the priesthood and temple that was in the city and had God's word and promise, namely, that God would accept the sacrifice and prayer of this people there. But they had more desire for the beautiful and pleasant valley, which was covered with many trees. This is the constant nonsense of the people at all times and among all peoples, namely, that outside the Temple and against divine order they always like to follow the beautiful pleasant forests, fountains, and water flights, just as if the sacrifice and prayer there should be more pleasing to God than in the place which He Himself has appointed for worship in His Word. But there they built altars and chapels, as can be seen from time to time in the sermons of the prophets.
3i)8 And before that time it also happened that people despised the right parishes and the preaching ministry and ran into the woods and to the sanctuaries of the dead saints. And the papists still persecute the right doctrine of the divine word, and often run away from the gospel and from their domestic and ordinary profession to St. Jacob's, to Our Lady's, and other such places.
So no one has been satisfied with his baptism, or with the church, having had the Word of Christ and the holy sacraments, having been called, baptized, and absolved, having had, heard, and felt God Himself speaking with him in the Word: but in every place they built churches and altars, and left off the Word and the sacraments; just as the Jews did, so did the people.
The king and queen, the princes, the priests, the prophets and the people went there in great numbers.
So great is the power of the devil, to whom the same is thus imposed by God, that he may thus mock the temple, the worship service and God's people. And it is no wonder that many people are annoyed when they see this disorder, so that they either say that there is no God at all, or cry out that God knows nothing about it, and does not pay attention to what people do on earth, so that he allows the devil so long and lets him have his way, and does not punish the great abomination and blasphemy of his holy name and the right worship.
For look at the impudent godlessness of the popes, how they still defend their mass, pilgrimages, monasticism and other such abominations with great boldness and outrage. With what abominations our Lord God is frighteningly angered, there is no doubt about it; and yet he lets the devil play his devilish game so impudently and nonsensically, mocking God Himself.
312 Now such a valley the Jews had instead of the right church, and called it Topheth of the children of Hinnom, and near it was the Oelberg and the valley Rephaim, which was very fertile, as in Thuringia there is a place called the golden meadow. They built a church there, which in reality was a real whorehouse, so that the poor souls were deceived and seduced. And they were so eager, foolish, and foolish in their imaginary worship that they not only sacrificed unreasonable animals there, such as goats, sheep, and oxen, as was done in the temple at Jerusalem and was despised at that time; but they also sacrificed people there, as in a place that was more holy, and even slaughtered their sons and daughters for it.
- it says also Lyra and the others that in the church, so built there, the idol Moloch had been, whom they called a
1552 L.x, 215-217. interpretation of I Moses 42, 38. W. II, 2277-2280. 1553
God, or their king, or a severe judge, whom they must atone for with the sacrifice of their sons and daughters; as Ahaz sacrificed all his sons or dragged them through the fire, so that he did not leave an heir to the kingdom. Now there was an idol of brass, hollow within, made in the likeness of a man, and filled with fire behind, until it glowed and burned as it were. In the hand of the idol the child was placed, which was to be sacrificed to the idol, and the priests rang the bells with bells and timpani, so that the parents should not hear the cry of the dying child, and they had a special cry, so that they cheered the parents. They wished for happiness and thanked God for accepting the child without pain and suffering. Help God, how this has been such a terrible inhuman tyranny and cruelty! And yet it is certain that these sacrifices were very mean with them; as the 106th Psalm v. 37. 38. says: "And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the devils, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, which they sacrificed to the idols of Eanaaüs" re.
314 Therefore God threatens to destroy the same place to the ground, as He says Jer. 7:31-33: "The children of Israel are building the altars of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters; which I have never commanded nor thought of. Therefore, behold, the time cometh, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Topheth, and the valley of Ben Hinnom, but Chokethal; and they shall bury in Topheth, because there shall be no more room. And the corpses of this people shall become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, from which no one will scare them away" 2c. It shall be called the valley of death and the valley of strangulation, that the same holy place may become the burial place of the slain for the sake of idolatry.
315 The word "Thopheth" comes from toph, which means drum or kettledrum, as if to say: A temple of drums, so beaten, when the
Children are killed; in German, a drum church or pipe church.
In the 30th chapter, Isaiah poetically depicts the torment and torture that was to come upon the king of the Assyrians in hell. He makes him a song dance in hell. "It will," says Isaiah Cap. 30, v. 32, 33, "shall pierce the rod utterly, and shall well strike, when the LORD shall bring it upon him, with timbrels and harps, and shall strive against it everywhere. For the pit is prepared from yesterday" 2c. Which almost all who interpret the prophet understand of hell, Gehenna.
317 And with this name Christ also wanted to indicate eternal damnation, which name is taken from the bodily death stroke. For as there was the Gehenna or slaughter of the children, so God afterwards avenged their blood with a very great battle or defeat of the Jews, who were slain in the same place by the Chaldeans.
(318) But I hold that the children who perished in the same sacrifice became cowards; for the 106th Psalm v. 38 says, They shed innocent blood, that is, the blood of their sons. And as the children of Herod were slain, so were these slain and burned. But the foolish parents, who sacrificed such victims, have also finally received horrible punishments for it.
- the word chinnam means free, free of charge, from chanan or chen; as, Ex. 21, 2. it is written of a Hebrew servant, who shall go out free in the seventh year, 2c.; and Isa. 52, 3.: "You are sold for free, you shall also be redeemed ohue money"; item in the 96th Psalm v. 5.: "They haffen me ohue cause." Hence comes chen or chamnah, that is, grace and mercy. Hence comes the name John. But I think that this valley was called so because it was a common place, where everyone could freely go for a walk; as with us are the forests, which are appropriated to no one in particular except the sovereign, and are otherwise open to all his subjects, that they may go out and come in there.
- but Joshua in 15 Cap. V. 8. where he
1554 L. X. 217-2IS. Interpretation of Genesis 42:38, W. II, 2280-2283. 1555
the boundary to the tribe of Judah, the boundary line goes up through the valley of the son of Hinnom, passing by Jerusalem, but in such a way that it is excluded and remains at midnight, because it is not located in the tribe of Judah, but in Benjamin. Others say that Hinnom is the name of a man. But I will leave this to the grammarians.
321 I would rather interpret the word ben to mean a son, not of a man, but according to the custom of the Scriptures, which, according to their peculiar way of speaking, are wont to say "a son of death," item, "a son of the quiver," that they may understand an arrow; item, "a son of life. Likewise in Ecclesiastes Cap. 12, v. 4: "daughters of song," that she may have her ears understood. And in the 80th Psalm, v. 15, 16: "Seek out this vine, and keep it in the building, which thy right hand hath planted, and which thou hast firmly chosen for thyself." There he does not speak of a man, but of the place. And Is. 5, 1.: Vinea facta est dilecto meo in cornu filio olei: "My beloved has a vineyard in a fat place", which is situated high. For filius olei, a son of Oel, has no meaning for us; we also do not use the figure or manner of speaking: therefore we have rightly interpreted it to mean a fat place, a lard pit, in which everything grows well. Just as much is the word "Gethsemane," Matt. 26:36, the place where Christ was betrayed and taken, which Jerome has given as a fat valley, and writes that there were very fine gardens there; and Josephus also remembers it.
322 But I hold that Christ suffered the pains of hell in that same merry place; therefore he is hostile to it, and hath called it Gehenna, hell. For when he prayed in the garden, he was rightly in Gehenna and in hell. Perhaps the tree of knowledge of good and evil also stood there. For this reason our Savior Christ had to come into this valley and sweat bloody sweat; which sweat sufficiently indicates that he had tasted death, which is hell. Therefore
He does not call it a fat valley, but turns it around, like Jeremiah, and calls it Gehenna, hell, or, stranglethroat.
So Christ, our Lord and Savior, was in hell itself for us, for he truly felt death and hell in his body. What he did and felt when he departed from the body we do not know, but in life and in the body he truly tasted hell.
324 And I hold that his suffering on the cross was not so great as that in the garden, for nature could not have borne it. And this was truly a great thing, that he was able to endure the hard, difficult struggle that drove bloody sweat from his body; as Lucas Cap. 22, v. 44: "His sweat was like drops of blood that fell to the ground"; this was not just water, but pure blood that flowed from his body to the ground.
No one knows what kind of trial this was, and we should pray that we may never again struggle with such terror and fear. For we would not be able to bear it; indeed, our body and soul would soon perish with each other over it.
326 Therefore we should know that Christ at that time had to suffer the torment of hell, but still in the flesh; for what the soul did in hell, many dispute about in various ways. Whether he robbed hell and redeemed his own, who were gathered into the bosom of Abraham before his coming, is not necessary to be asked or investigated too closely. This we know for certain, that all saints or believers are eternally redeemed from the power of hell. And Christ has revealed this same grace to us in the gospel.
In the meantime, the grave, Sheolah, remains for the deceased godly people. Gehenna, however, is not a place of the godly; but the wicked have there their receptacle, since the place, called Thopheth, that is, the drum or pipe church, will be changed into an eternal howling and gnashing of teeth. will be changed into an eternal howling and gnashing of teeth; as Christ says Matth. 8, 12. The hell of the wicked is not a sheolah, will be
1556 L X, 21S-22U Interpretation of I Genesis 42, 38. W. n, 22SS-WW. 1557
We do not know whether they sleep or how they sleep after death. This is what I wanted to say in this place about the difference between the two words grave and Gehenna, which is called hell, so that it would not be necessary to deal with or talk about it in more detail at another time.
We will now come back to the patriarch Jacob, in which example a very beautiful doctrine is held up to us, namely, that the holy men were also men and not stones, blocks or sticks. For Jacob here forgets all the most glorious promises and falls away out of human weakness, and becomes of Israel, who before had fought and prevailed with God, Gen. 32, 28.Now again he is a very despised little man, disputes and is worried how his sons will fare, whether they are alive or dead, and behaves as childishly and womanishly as any man could do, no different than if you saw the pagan Cicero weeping over his daughter Tulliola, or David when he mourned over his sons Ammon and Absalom, in whom you see true and righteous men.
329 Thus Jacob is also described here as having been such a man, and the same is often said of the most high and holy men, who had their own promises, so that they alone were especially affected. As we have baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the promise of the gospel given to us, let us hold fast to these things and take comfort in them, so that we may never grow fainthearted or despair, for better or for worse. For why should I be afraid of the pestilence, of the Turk, of other dangers, and of the death of my children? Why am I so foolish, when I have a gracious God who protects me, who is favorable to me and comforts me?
But Jacob complains childishly here, because he says: "You rob me of my children" 2c. He could not have spoken more carnally, that of the promise given to him.
would be more repugnant. For in the same promise God clearly says: You shall grow and be multiplied; I will be your God. But now he knows nothing of all this; indeed, he knows nothing of himself, nor does he think that our Lord's promise must be certain and true. He has completely put it out of his mind and is becoming a naive child.
331 This is what we have often said, and to which the Scriptures bear witness, that though we are righteous, we are still in the flesh, and have the Holy Spirit and remission of sins, because we confess Christ to be our Savior; which would be impossible if the Holy Spirit were not in us, glorifying Christ.
Therefore, whoever praises and glorifies Christ with earnestness and a good conscience has a gracious God; as the Scriptures and the words of the apostles and the Son of God Himself testify, which cannot deceive us or fail us. Why then do we lament so vehemently and are so grieved? Why does Jacob, who also has a promise, complain and yet so completely forget about it, is completely carnal? Sin not only contends in his limbs, but wages a mighty war and takes him captive. Is it not unreasonable that we should be thus exercised and weakened by our own flesh? And on top of that comes the devil, who takes cause from the flesh and helps to increase unbelief in us, so that we cannot trust God, yes, he makes us forget God.
333 Therefore, all this is written for our comfort, that Jacob hardly sinned against his promise, which he received from God. For he should have said thus: What do I care if my son dies or lives? It is about a son. I have a God who has made me a promise, who comforts me, protects me, who is gracious and benevolent, who can show me many more and greater benefits and accumulate them. Why then do I complain? Why am I so distressed? But against all this he still says: "I will go down with sorrow into the pit. Well, that the great, excellent man should be so effeminate and childish....
1558 L.X, 221-223. interpretation of I Moses 42, 38. cap. 43, 1-3. W. II, 228S-22S1. 1559
And so easily forgets all the promise! For it is no wonder that his sons sin so hardly; for they are unrepentant and quite sure, do not want to know anything about the great grave crime that they have had on their hands for almost two and twenty years, which they still conceal and do not want to confess: they are real bad boys. But it is not good for the father to tremble and hesitate.
Therefore, in this example, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is held up to us, which is highly praised in all the histories of the dear Fathers, and is also taught and indicated in other places, namely, that the natural affections and inclinations that bring about this lamentation and mourning still remain in the saints or believers, and that God is not such a God who wants to break nature, but to heal it. The Holy Spirit does not make people into
They are not lumps or mad fancies when he gives them faith; but they preserve and increase all that is good in nature, as such are the paternal and filial affections and inclinations that parents and children have toward one another, for they are God's creatures. They are indeed weakened in many people, and are taken away and lifted up by the devil; but God lets them remain, and does not abolish them, as the monks and the spirits of the rotten do. For Joseph is also a strong and holy man who had great courage; yet he also weeps, as we heard above, v. 24.
- But although this weakness in Jacob is sin, yet it is useful and good for him for humility, for the fear of God, for faith and right invocation or prayer, and for a greater joy in his heart; as we will see in the following chapters.
The Forty-Third Chapter.
First part.
How Jacob commands his sons to go to Egypt again, and they demand that Jacob send Benjamin with them; and how Jacob behaves against it.
I.
V. 1-5: And the famine oppressed the land. And when they had eaten up all the corn that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them: Go again, and buy us a little food. Then Judah answered him, and said, The man sand us hard, and said: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If then thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for thee. But if you do not send him, we will not go down. For the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, but your brother shall be with you.
Now that Jacob has answered his sons to their request, so much Benjamin concerned, that he should send him with them to Egypt, and has refuted their rhetorical adorned causes, so they attracted, with the most important arguments: now another better opportunity offers itself to request the father, and to dissuade him as it were the son, of whom he decided completely in his heart to keep him with him. For the theurge has so far pressed the whole country so hard that all his household would have had to die of hunger if they had not again gone to Egypt and fetched grain from there. And I have no doubt that many other people in the land of Canaan and other places will have died of hunger.
Therefore, with this few arguments, they force and overcome their father, who was quite firm in his opinion. And this is their argument,
1560 X. 223. 224. interpretation of I Moses 43, 15. W. II, 22SI-2294. 1561
that the father himself, with the little children and all the household, would die of hunger, and Benjamin would not be able to stay alive and healthy, even if he stayed at home with his father, unless he would now give him over to the uncertain fortune and will of the prince in Egypt. For, my dear father, they will have said, "See what you are doing, so that you do not destroy all of us or yourself, because you do not want to put some of your sons in danger, which cannot be very great; or there may be no danger at all when we get to Egypt. Therefore, since the father has been overcome by this extreme adversity, he will now change his mind and let his son Benjamin, whom he loved especially, go down to Egypt with them.
(3) But why does God allow this to happen? Did not God promise Jacob that He would say to him, "I will be your protector, you shall grow and become great; you shall be stretched out toward evening, toward morning, toward midnight and toward noon" 2c.? Gen. 28:14, 15. And his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac, were also promised that their seed would remain forever. But now Jacob, contrary to all these promises, is led into the greatest fear and distress, so that he and all his household have come into the most certain danger of life and limb. Where then is his faith in the promises of God? Why does he not do miraculous works and obtain from God with his prayer that his children and household may be saved in the precious time? It can truly be seen that the outcome and the deal itself did not want to rhyme with the so great: glorious promises, with which God had as it were showered him. Truly, in such great fear and extreme distress, a miraculous work should have been done; but he is in the same danger and is also oppressed with the same anger, so that the other heathens and idolatrous people are oppressed.
4 Now it has often been said that the patriarchs lived a very holy life, that they were full of faith and blameless, and that they also had many glorious things.
They did all these deeds, and with great courage and firm faith in the promise they had, they endured and overcame the most difficult dangers: But this was the greatest miracle of all, that they lived in the faith of divine promises, since it was as if they had disappeared and were completely in vain; as Jacob here and his sons with their wives and all the household came into danger of life and limb, not otherwise than as if they had been completely abandoned and rejected by God.
Therefore, in the histories of these holy patriarchs, we do not see that they fasted on specially appointed days, or abstained from household rule or secular police, or chastened their flesh in a special way; which works other people praise and marvel at in Franciscus and Bernard. Nor do we condemn or reject them, but we dispute about faith and trials, whether Bernard, Anthony, Dionysius, Dominic, when they were in great distress and danger, had such great faith in their monasteries as Jacob had in his house? For he suffers the extreme hardship and danger no differently than the other godless and idolatrous people suffered the same. And in such a case there is no difference between Jacob's family and the families or households of the Cananites, his neighbors.
But what does he do now? Answer: He does what all saints are wont to do; which examples teach us, as I have often said in other places, that one should not judge our Lord God by divine providence, and should not despise the means prescribed to preserve this life and prevent danger with it. How many quite freely and frivolously disputes de fatali necessitate, that is, of such compelling necessity that cannot or may not be prevented, and say: If God wants to preserve me, then I will remain alive in the theurge or pestilence, if I need neither food nor medicine. But if I am to die, all this will not help me at all.
1562 X, 224-22S. Interpretation of Genesis 43:1-5. W. ll. 2294-2297. 1563
(7) These are ungodly thoughts and forbidden by God, for he has not revealed to us his secret counsel in this matter, namely, how or when he will help you, nor should he be given a place, time or person. For he will not suffer himself to be thus bound by reason and human wisdom; but he will have thee to wait for thy calling, and therefore hath created heaven and earth, and all that therein is, to feed and sustain thee. Therefore know that you should use such means, and do not search too closely for his hidden way of ruling.
(8) For this life is in his providence and in your faith, since he has promised to be your God, to preserve you and to make you blessed. Therefore you must not say, "I will do what I will, but I will not be able to prevent God's will from doing what he has decreed, for these are the devil's words and are condemned forever. But rather do so and walk in simple faith, and if you are in danger or distress, use all the proper means you can, so that you do not tempt God. If, however, you find no help in the same means that God has created to banish the danger or illness, then cast your concern upon the Lord, command your life to Him, that He may govern you according to His wisdom and goodness.
(9) But those who despise the means and recklessly put themselves in danger, sin grievously against the promise and tempt God; as the 78th Psalm v. 18, 19 says of the Jews, who also prescribed a certain way for God to help them: "And tempted God in their heart to ask food for their souls, and spoke against God, saying: Yes, GOtt should well be able to prepare a table in the wilderness." But God will not suffer you to take Him captive and force Him to do it according to your wisdom, and His foreknowledge and providence are none of your business. But lest you tempt God, do rather this: listen to what he says to you, and see that you comply with it.
and rely on it with firm faith. For this is the example of the patriarch Jacob. For although he is in danger of death, since all the food his sons brought from Egypt has been eaten, he does not despise the means he used before and tells his sons to go back down to Egypt and buy grain, so that he will not kill himself and all his household with hunger.
(10) So he keeps the promise and calls on God in faith, not tempting him, thinking that he will not be abandoned and that the promises will not be in vain; and yet he does not despise the means that are offered to him, as we heard above, Cap. 12:10, that Abraham went to Egypt because he was oppressed.
(11) This is to be diligently noted against the fools, who think that it is great wisdom and strength to dare and attempt anything that seems great, splendid and unusual, outside of and without God's word, through iniquity. As it is said of two brothers who traveled with each other in a pagan country, and when they were hungry and the inhabitants of the same country offered and gave them bread, the one did not want to eat it, because they were godless people and pagans who gave them the bread, and if he would not be fed from heaven, he would rather die. Therefore he died of hunger and was buried in hell. But the other was a little wiser, who accepted and ate the food given him by the Gentiles and was thus kept alive.
(12) So it would have been great foolishness to abstain from the grain or food that was brought from Egypt, because the people there were ungodly and unbelieving. For is not the bread of the Egyptians a good creature of God, as is other food and nourishment? So we use the same market, earth, water, pleasure and sun, knowing that the ungodly also have need of it. Un-
1564 **L. X. 22S-22S. Interpretation of Genesis 43:1-5. W. n, 22S7-22SS.** 1565
he Lord God will not send you an angel from heaven to feed or nourish you in a special way, because otherwise there is plenty of food here on earth for you to live on.
In this way Christ also answers Satan in Matth. 4, 7: "It is written: Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord God." As if he wanted to say: I do not need the angels to lead me down from the temple above, because there is a good stairway there, where I can go down.
(14) This is how to deal with those who argue about the providence of God and the necessity of divine foreknowledge, when it is none of their business. For that is not necessary for them, which is necessary with God; but they should accept the promises and commandments of God, and use the creatures that are created to preserve this life with them. And if they are helped by this, it is good; but if not, they should know that they should nevertheless be obedient to God, who, if necessary, will also perform miraculous signs and richly reward their faith and hope.
(15) Now here again in Judah's answer the Hebrew word jesh, "it is now", comes from the word tushiah, Prov. 8:14: "Both counsel and action are mine"; that a thing may be done, I give not only counsel, but also action. And Prov. 3:28: "Say not unto thy friend, Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give thee; if thou hast it," that is, if thou hast it, that thou mayest give it. It is not the auxiliary here, "I am," but it means to be there, or, to be present. "Is it then," says Judah, "that thou sendest our brother" Benjamin "with us?" that is, if thou hast decided this with thyself, we will go down.
016 And it came to pass, that Judah had more honour in the sight of his father than the rest of his sons. For Joseph was no longer there; Simeon, Levi and Reuben had angered their father. Although Judah also committed incest with Tamar, he did so unknowingly, and then departed from her, and
contain. Therefore I consider that Judah was dearer to his father than the other sons, because his words were more valid with him than those of Reuben or the others, who also acted with their father in the same matter and therefore stopped with him.
(17) After this we see how wonderfully our Lord God guides His saints. For Jacob was deprived of his most beloved son, and all his wives were dead to him. For none of them went down to Egypt with him, but he ruled his house with his sons' wives alone. But I hold that Dinah was in the place of the matron, and that she succeeded Jacob's four wives in the government of the house. And these wives will undoubtedly also have been very disciplined and honest matrons, who ruled, increased and improved the house of Jacob and all that belonged to it with great skill, as well as with diligence and faithfulness; they were not lazy and careless; just as great diligence and care also belong to cattle breeding.
18 But Judah puts forward the strongest argument that scholars in the schools call a necessario et impossibili, which is taken from necessity and impossibility, which surpasses all the others, which are taken from utili, honesto, decoro, that is, from utility, from what is proper and fitting. Nevertheless, the father still opposes it. So everything is arranged by human counsel and action, just as it is with us.
(19) And it may be reasonably asked, why the Holy Spirit should tell such lowly, childish, servile, womanish, worldly and carnal things of such very holy men, who have such beautiful clear promises; which lowly things are also common to them with any godless man? Why does he not write other brave and higher things of them? For what great thing is it that they should toil in such filthiness of domestic care and labor? Answer: "Away with the wicked, that he see not the glory of the Lord", Is. 26, 10. God hides His saints under such outward coverings and carnal things that nothing seems so contemptible as them.
1566 2- X, 228-230. interpretation of Genesis 43, 15. w. II, 2299-2302. 1567
What is the difference between David and Scipio or Julius Caesar? If you look outwardly at the hand, sword and blood, there is no difference at all. For David has no desire for self-chosen and special services, religions and devotions of the monks, but also suffers common misery and hardship with other people, as they are used to be in the house and world regiment. But this is the difference. David lives in the promise and commandments of God: Julius Caesar has neither God nor devil, yes, he is the devil's serf; for he is not governed by God's commandments, nor does he believe God's promises, but arranges everything randomly and haphazardly, as it appears to him.
(21) Of this difference the monks know nothing, nor do they understand the holiness of the patriarchs; for they are offended at the outward appearance of the common domestic works, that the father of the house governs his children, daughters, his sons' wives, maids and cattle, and provides for them, that he counts money, buys, sells, and thus lives generally among the heathen. No holiness is seen there at all; but that they walk in the faith and obedience of God, the papists pay no attention to that.
(22) Now this should truly be our first and foremost concern, that we look to the promises and commandments of God, according to which our whole life should be arranged; for this is the right holiness of godly people. In addition, there is also the use of the holy sacraments. And where this will be righteous and unadulterated, there will be many Christian exercises and services, so that we can test and prove our faith and love before God and man. And there will also be no lack of the devil, who will stalk and harass us, with whom we will then have to fight day and night.
(23) But all this the papists arrogantly despise. What the Ten Commandments! What faith! they say: this has all been taught before, it is a common thing; I want to choose something that is better and higher; I want to renounce the house rule, the secular police and the church, I want to go to a desert or a monastery 2c.
Therefore, such histories of the dear holy fathers should be defended and exalted with all kinds of rhetoric and dialectics as one can and may, so that we may learn to recognize that the state of God is the dearest and most pleasant, which is governed by divine promise and protection. If, however, it is the case that you do not have your way in everything you intend to do, you should not lose heart; or if you fall because of weakness, turn back and do not defend your sin, there will be no need, for the way is still open for you to return to the promise.
(25) In this way, the legends of the holy fathers far surpass the foolish lies and fables about which we were so astonished in the papacy. For what is Antony to us, who, against his conscience, went into the desert, knowing that one should not accept anything outside of God's word and command, neither in life nor in doctrine? We know that there are three kinds of authorities in this life, namely, the domestic regime, the secular police and the church regime. If one wants to pass them by and despise them, and everyone wants to follow his own chosen works and make use of them, who then wants to be a pastor or priest? Who will baptize, absolve, and comfort those who are afflicted because of their sins? Who will administer the secular government or otherwise protect the common society of men? Who will bring up the children or cultivate the fields? And yet these estates and works, which were instituted, commanded and confirmed by God, were despised and rejected in the papacy, and the devil forced the strange miracles of the monks upon the people with frightening nonsense, so that they were greatly astonished by them and had to think a lot of them.
26Therefore these things ought to be spoken of often, and they ought always to be impressed upon men, that we may learn that God is not displeased with these things, but rather delights and pleases in them; only that they may be kept in His commandments, and that they may not be displeased with them.
1568 L X. rso-Wr. interpretation of Genesis 43:1-6. W. ii, 2302-230s. 1569
Do not step over it. Where you cannot govern or teach others, you will no less be able to be godly obedient, or to be taught by others, provided you serve our Lord God in these three divine states alone, and do not let yourself be found in the desert with Antony, Hilarion or Malchus.
(27) This is especially to be held up to bachelors and inexperienced people who do not yet know what sin is, what the devil is and what the flesh is; and they are to be shown the examples of the fathers, the prophets and apostles, who did not despise the household rule, the police and the church office, nor did they abhor the works that belong to agriculture, which are servile and lowly; and yet they were able to live in the faith and commandments of God. But they kept themselves in this common life in such a way that it seemed to the eyes of the flesh as if there were no difference between Abraham, Isaac and other fathers, who were God's friends, and pagan princes, who knew nothing of God and even hated Him. For the flesh does not see the promise and love of the saints, just as the papists and perverse jurists do not see it, judging their lives according to their own chosen rules of holiness and justice.
II.
(28) In this way we have heard how the holy fathers and this Jacob speak and complain, as other peasants and poor, bad, despised citizens do; as Cap. 42, 36. and Cap. 43, 6, where Jacob says, "Why have you done so evil to me? It is all over me." Which words are almost as if he no longer believed the promise of God. Such a great and holy man, who had so many rich promises, should weep miserably over his son, who is still alive, whom he has not yet lost? Why does he not rather say: "Let Benjamin go down with you in the name of the Lord, who is well pleased, of whom I think much more than of my whole family? But all his words and thoughts are carnal and worldly.
ly. He does not act differently, as if his son's life and limb were important to him. Yet faith and love still shine forth, for he does not want to put his son in danger so easily. That is why he spoke so harshly to the other sons.
V. 6 Israel said, "Why did you do such evil to me, telling the man how you still have a brother?
The patriarch Jacob still has the suspicion as if his sons had slain Joseph and also Simeon, who had remained in Egypt, and is worried that they are now dealing with a new deception, so that Benjamin will also be taken away and destroyed. These are quite worldly and carnal actions and movements, which are here attributed to such a man, who had many rich divine promises and yet was still somewhat weak; who drags himself along with sin, which has always quarreled with him, resisted him and captured him, as it were, but in such a way that he still remains holy. For he does not fall away from God, does not blaspheme Him, but only weeps over His misery and wretchedness.
(30) Which is therefore held out to us for comfort, that though we are weak and grieve greatly because of our miseries and distresses, yet we learn to temper our sorrows so that we do not despair. For faith is thus exercised and challenged with the sharpest arrows and great battering rams; it must thus strive and struggle because of sin and other misfortunes, and also because of the weakness of the flesh, and yet it finally wins and triumphs.
The papists and monks, who are drowned and blinded in their own devotion, do not see this struggle and victory of faith. As I well remember, when I was a monk, I could not be satisfied in my heart if I did not read a mass every day. What God commanded, we left undone; but what men invented and taught, we followed as if we were senseless. As Ahaz slaughtered and killed all his sons against God's will, which is publicly reported in Jer. 7:31, where he
1570 L. X. 232-234. interpretation of I Moses 43, 6. W. II, 2306-2307. 1571
says: I have never thought of it in my heart; I have neither said nor commanded such things.
For this is the great weakness or rather nonsense of human nature; of which also the pagan poet has finely said in the beautiful verse: Quod licet, hoc fugio, quod non licet, acrius urit, that is: What is fitting for me to do, I flee from; but what is not fitting for me, that is always on my mind, that I want to do it.
Therefore, the papists do not understand such glorious histories. For they ask neither for the promises nor for the commandments of God; how then can they know which are good works or not? For these lie hidden in the life of the patriarchs, and are covered and as it were darkened with carnal works and words, that they might have dealt in this life in their stewardship. As we see here, Jacob thinks and speaks everything that would otherwise come to the mind of a carnal man.
(34) Therefore we should know that the histories of the holy Scriptures must be regarded and considered somewhat more diligently than the secular histories or stories of the pagans. For if these histories of the fathers were described by the Latin or Greek writers, they would be considered as not worthy of being brought to light and commemorated, especially in the church and among God's people. But now it must be noted that this book has another master, namely, the Holy Spirit, who gives the stories of the saints a great unchanging power and governs their hearts through faith and promise. And because the Holy Spirit is not afraid or unworthy to describe such small things, which seem to be of no use, we should not be displeased to read and ponder these histories with great diligence.
(35) It is indeed a small contemptible thing that a father, who had so great a promise, should weep and wail in such a pitiful and almost servile manner. Why is there not such a fine cheerful faith in his heart, which can thus say: What is in it,
If my son is in danger in Egypt, he also has God there who can protect him and help him. You hear none of these words from him; everything he says and does is completely weak and effeminate.
(36) These things should be taught in the Church among God's people, so that we may learn from them and be taught that we should believe God, who has given us His promise, and that He will always take care of us, even when we are weak and miserable and sad. For we please God not only when we are strong in faith and do great miracles, but also when we are weak and like other people. Just as Jacob is not rejected, even though he has almost lost the strong faith in which he was able to boast of God so gloriously; just as such faith is also praised in Psalm 31, v. 7, 8, where the prophet says: "But I hope in the Lord. I rejoice and am glad in your goodness"; and Ps. 32, 11: "Praise the Lord, and rejoice, ye godly"; item Ps. 34, 2: "I will praise the Lord always" 2c. Yes, this is said when we are well and there is no misfortune; but in times of trouble our hearts soon become frightened and fearful, so that Jacob now seems to be abandoned by God and to have no hope and comfort.
This is held up to us as a comfort and example, so that we may learn that God is with us both when we are in trouble and distress and when we are well. And this should be diligently impressed upon the people, as often as we see that the saints are thus frightened, troubled, anxious, and so very weak. For if you were to look at the outward appearance, it is true that they are punished and afflicted in the same way, and live and die in the same way as other pagans and carnal people do, except that faith still shines in them, however weak it is, and in truth is nothing but a broken reed and a smoldering wick, as Isaiah chap. 42:3 says. 42, 3, which nevertheless has not yet been extinguished. And does such terror and danger really belong to it, that we have to be in un-
1572 D. X, 234-23". Interpretation of I Moses 43, 6. 7. W. n. 2307-2310. 1573
I want to be uplifted and strengthened in the face of adversity and hardship. Otherwise, I am not concerned with the unflattering and carnal history that appears to be on the outside.
(38) The pope and the red spirits write and make such saints, who are stoic, that is, stubborn and unkind, and should feel neither pain nor joy. As Muenzer knew how to boast of his great strength, that he could abstain from pain and overcome the creatures; he said that the things that were present, whatever they were, did not bother him at all, and that he would not let himself be challenged or moved by them.
But God hates and condemns this apathy, that is, such inhuman or unnatural insensitivity, and does not love the academics (who tried to kill all natural feeling), but wants to have such people who should be Christian and kindly inclined towards parents, children, etc., as God's word testifies Hos. 6:6: I will have mercy. There is commanded the love towards the neighbor, which truly cannot be fulfilled without outward feeling and hearty natural affections or inclinations.
40 For this reason, let the apathetic spirits always go to the devil. The holy patriarchs take it to heart and grieve when things go wrong for themselves and other people, and all their works and miraculous signs are nothing but suffering, sorrow and anguish; which they suffer with faith, and with the wick still smoldering. Although such things seem small and contemptible in the sight of men, in the sight of God, they are truly delicious and very good sacrifices.
(41) So does a householder, who suffers poverty and other misfortunes in his faith; if he is not strong, he is weak, because he is a Christian, and is willing to suffer much worse. But the papists do not consider such a man holy, for they are blocks and sticks, without all understanding, without care, without love, who have no compassion at all for other people, and who serve only the belly and their food.
(42) These examples teach us wonderfully and strengthen our faith, so that we believe that God is with His saints and cares for them, even if it seems as if He does not respect them and does not know anything about them, or does not know them at all; as it says in Psalm 4:4, "Know that the Lord leads His saints in a strange way. He does not lead them in such a way as reason and papist saints prescribe; but he gives us his promise, and wants us to have it, and to boast and rejoice in the Lord.
- But there is another time of joy and another time of sadness. When it is a happy time, they are joyful and sing: "I will praise the Lord always, his praise shall be in my mouth forever" 2c., Ps. 34, 2. and then also the reason and the flesh rejoice and praise the mercy of God and his goodness. But when things are evil and there is misfortune, their singing is mixed with weeping and lamenting, and goes half to weeping and half to singing. It laughs badly when one cries. Nevertheless, it must be taken for granted that God will not abandon His own, no matter what misfortune they are afflicted with.
- ungodly and worldly men mock and despise this doctrine, for they do not see the smoldering wick of faith, nor do they know the Holy Spirit, who is powerful in the hearts of the godly, and keeps and awakens the same smoldering wick. That is why I have often said that we should look to the foremost master of these histories, namely, to the Holy Spirit, who does not have a careless tongue or speak vain things, but teaches us the most important, useful and holy things.
V. 7. They answered: The man inquired so closely of us and of our friendship, saying, Is your father yet alive? Do you also have a brother? Then we told him as he asked us. How could we know that he would say: Bring your brother down with you?
Here they tell how Joseph investigated all things so thoroughly,
1574 L X, SS". 237. interpretation of 1 Most 43, 7-16. w. n. 2310-2314. 1575
so that he also spoke to them all one after the other about what kind of parents, blood friends and brothers each of them had. And he did this not only to play and joke with them out of special love and favor, but also to ask about his brother and father. Therefore they said above, Cap. 42, v. 13, they answered: We are not a bunch of loose boys or born of different parents, but we are all brothers and sons of one man. For he wanted to be sure of this, even if they were both still alive and well. Therefore they did not make this report of their own accord, but when they had been forced with so many questions, they said, "One brother has died, but the other is still alive and at home with his father.
46 From this we can understand the interpretation of the previous chapter about the game Joseph played with his brothers to put them in the greatest fear, so that he might find out from them whether their father and his brother Benjamin were still alive. And since he understood this from their answer, he still did not want to free them from all fear and danger, into which he had led them, but had Simeon imprisoned and kept in custody, so that he could not so easily believe their words. For he was still worried that either both of them or one of them might have perished.
47 But when they had confirmed with great earnestness all that they had said, and especially of their brother, whom they had left at home, and when they now pretended that they were quite faithful and sincere, they first of all ran quite fine, and hounded themselves into the rope.
(48) As they themselves confess in this place, saying, "How could we know just now that he would say: Bring your brother down with you?" Thus God tends to mock our wisdom and counsel, and to disgrace them, when we make ourselves believe that we are very wise, and can well advise ourselves that that from which we hoped to derive great benefit must be harmful to us.
Second part.
How Judah tries to persuade Jacob to send Benjamin with him; how Jacob finally agrees and orders his sons to take gifts with them; item of Jacob's prayer and lament, which he does.
I.
Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Let the boy go with me, that we may make up our minds and travel, and live and not die, both we and you and our children. I will be guarantor for him; you shall take him from my hands. If I do not restore him to thee, and set him before thine eyes, I will bear the guilt all my life. For if we had not gone away, we would have come back twice.
(49) Judah defended his cause vigorously, refuting his father's accusation and compelling him with irrefutable proof. For Judah was held in the highest esteem by him, since he was somewhat displeased with the others because of various vices they had committed. But he thought more highly of Judah, and afterwards he will praise him and prefer him to the other brothers, because Christ should have come from his tribe. And even though he committed the incest with Tamar, he did it unknowingly. Otherwise, I believe he was a pious, honest man and an excellent example of housekeeping and good manners among the family of Jacob.
(50) And the Father loved him not only for the sake of stewardship, but also because of the excellence of his understanding and skill in all that he did. For since he was the right and true heir of the promise, he will undoubtedly have taught God's word purely and correctly, punished the vices and sins of his brothers and the household, and ordered and arranged everything wisely. For this reason Jacob thought highly of him, and Judah in turn also showed love and friendship to his father and a good disposition.
1576 L. X. WS. WS. Interpretation of Genesis 43:8-10. **w. ii. 2314-2317.** 1577
from him, which otherwise no one in the whole house should have asked or desired of him. For he does not say, Let Benjamin go down with us; but he alone comes forward and becomes guarantor for him. He would not have had the prestige and power with his father if he had not seen that he was virtuous and godly before others.
051 Therefore saith he unto his father, If thou be of opinion that thou wilt not easily trust Benjamin to any one of us, commit him unto me upon my faith, to whom thou hast committed the government of the church and of the house. "I will be surety for him, by my hands shalt thou require him." This is a very heavy and hard surety, but nevertheless necessary; for it concerns the life of both the father and also his sons. What else shall we do? he says. If we do not go back to Egypt, we will all have to die, as many other people from other neighbors have already died of hunger. And now you must not doubt my faithfulness and belief, because you have long since recognized me as sincere and faithful, and because I have been commanded to preach and govern the house in your stead.
Thus Judah tries to persuade the father with all possible reasons, just as another man usually persuades another to grant this or that. And there seems to be nothing special or sacred about them here; but father and son talk to each other as two of the common crowd of other people are wont to exchange words with each other, and one indicates this cause, the other that cause, in matters of which they have to act.
It is no different from the way it is done in other common and ordinary dealings in this civil life. And yet there is still a great difference. For these two are governed by the Holy Spirit and believe in the right true God, although with great marvelous weakness, so that it seems as if they have lost and abandoned all the promises they have heard and received from God.
54 Therefore, the dear holy fathers are to be excused in this way, that we have
Nevertheless, we cannot deny that they were also people who fought with flesh and blood. But this is a great consolation, that such errors are all swallowed up by the infinite riches of divine promise. How great is the ignorance and error that Jacob, the father, Judah and his other sons all do not know what they are doing, do not know that the prince in Egypt is their brother Joseph! They have God's promises, but do not understand and do not know themselves how their lives will be governed according to them.
(55) For this is the life of the saints and believers, and all their miseries and misfortunes, so that they are weighed down, are nothing more than a fine game that God plays with us. Just as a father deals with his little children, whom he sometimes commands to do something, knowing that it is too difficult for them and that they are not strong enough to do it. He tells his sons to bring the jug, tells them to take off his socks or boots. And when the child is able to do this, regardless of the fact that he is much too weak to do it, the father also lends a hand and praises the son for being so industrious and strong, so that the boy will be accustomed to obedience and will in turn become fond of his father.
(56) Such are the games that the divine majesty plays with godly and faithful people, who are God's children and call upon him as a father, and who do not doubt his fatherly love and his willingness, which he has promised them; and they finally experience in truth that he reaches out to them and shows them fatherly help. But whatever they do, however small and weak it is, it is still praised by God and pleases Him; just as a biological father of little children, who would gladly do something that is too difficult for them, nevertheless allows himself to be pleased with their work and diligence and therefore praises them.
57 Thus Jacob and Judah know nothing of their own history, nor do they think that Joseph should be favorable and gracious to them, and that he should exalt them, make them rich, and exalt them to great honor.
1578 L.X.WS-24I. Interpretation of I Genesis 43:8-10. W. II, 2317-2320. 1579
For it is not yet time to recognize the wonderful counsel of God and His great works. In the meantime, they sleep and snore, as it were, and pay no attention to the promise of God. They let themselves think that they are being seriously afflicted and punished, and that they are in earnest, and yet everything they say and do is no different than if it were happening in their sleep. But after this, when Joseph will say, Cap. 45, v. 4: "I am your brother," they will realize and see that everything they thought was serious was only dreams.
(58) So we also live this life as if we were asleep. But it is not yet visible in us that we are asleep, nor are we yet redeemed from sleep. But one day we will be resurrected and our eyes will be opened, if only we can believe in the word of God. But if we cannot have such great confidence in our hearts as the truth and strength of God's promise demands and wants us to have, let us nevertheless believe with the dear fathers in our weakness, and that we do not grumble against God, nor grow weary in calling, praying and crying out to God. Just as Jacob undoubtedly prayed diligently. For where the calling remains and one still continues with prayer, there must also still be promise and faith. And even though it is a smoldering wick, it does not rage or grumble against God, but sighs; and in the same inexpressible sighing is surely the Holy Spirit, who does not let you grumble or become impatient.
(59) Therefore, since you cannot believe so firmly and praise and pray to God as you have been doing, since you have been doing well everywhere, believe and pray as you should in time of need and as much as you always can, as it is written in Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in time of need, and I will hear you" and "save you.
This is to be held up to the church and community of God for the strengthening of our faith, so that we do not fall away from God when we are challenged and somewhat severely tempted. For at last we will see that our life, however poor and miserable it is, cannot be otherwise.
For it has been like a sleep; and since we have let ourselves think that we are in hell, we shall soon, when we awake, feel and know that we have been raptured into heaven, and shall marvel at such sudden elevation as we could not have dreamed of before.
61 Yes, it is also said in the 90th Psalm v. 5. 6. about the life of the wicked: "You let them go like a river, and they are like a sleep" 2c. The pope and all the wicked, who are almost glorious in this world because of their great wealth and power, are like those who sleep in such a life and their great glory, and only let themselves dream that they are the most blessed people; but afterwards, when the time of judgment comes and when they go out, they will see that all their wealth was only a mere dream, and will say, "What is it now? We thought we were rich, but we are in the abyss of hell.
62 The Hebrew word arav in another place means to be airy and cheerful, but here it means to pledge or become a guarantor for one. Now Judah adds to this, "So I will bear the guilt all my life." For this is how it reads according to the Hebrew text; but it is not to be understood of real sin, which, according to all theologians, passes away and does not remain through this life; but it means a debt that lasts for ever. By this he does not mean the hour in which sin occurs, or the work of sin, which is present and soon passes away, so that the sin is accomplished; but this is what he means, that he will bear the guilt all his life long, as if he had committed the sin at any moment. This is what the Hebrew word chatha means, so in the book of Job Cap. 41, v. 16. of Leviathan: He despises and devours all the fish in the sea, for they are guilty before him: he consumes them like the guilty. Item, 1 Kings 1:21, Bathsheba says, "I and my son Solomon will have to be sinners," that is, we will have to be considered as having sinned before you; we will have to be guilty.
63 But Judah promises his father both: "I will," he says, "vouch for him.
1580 241-2". Interpretation of Genesis 43:8-14. W. II, 2320-2323. 1581
be", and for your son, our brother, "bear the guilt". So finally the father is overcome. And we do not see anything unusual here or that would not be common otherwise, but it happens according to human ways and with great weakness.
II.
11-14 Then Israel their father said to them: If it must be so, do it, and take of the best fruits of the land into your sacks, and bring down gifts to the man, a little balsam, and honey, and spices, and myrrh, and dates, and almonds. Take also other money with you; and the money that was returned to you in your sacks above, bring also again with you. Perhaps there has been a mistake. To this end, take your brother, get going, and come back to the man. But may the Almighty God have mercy on you in the sight of the man, so that he may let you have your other brother and Benjamin. But I must be like one who is deprived of his children.
(64) Finally faith overcomes and conquers, and now he gives his son Benjamin to Judah, not despairing nor blaspheming, but concluding and saying thus: I have resisted you until now, and have tried and done everything before sending my dearest son to Egypt: I did not want to tempt God. Yes, I have sought many means to prevent the danger into which he might have fallen. But now, because we are pressed by the greatest need, I will entrust him to God's providence and goodness.
This is a good example for us to follow in everything we do and in all our lives. For when we have done all that was possible for us in our anguish and distress, as Jacob here with great diligence resisted the counsel and will of his sons, and yet we find no help in the same means, then we may say, "Well, I have done what I could, I have not tempted God; now it is for me to keep the promise that he made to me, and to command all things only to his will and good pleasure.
let it be. For then you will have a good excuse that necessity has forced you, and God will miraculously save you, or give you something better than you could have seen before. But see to it that you do not despair.
66 For so Jacob was overcome, not so much by the speech of his sons, as for fear of death, that he let his son Benjamin be torn away from him, yet still he feared. The wick is smoldering, the reed is crushed. He should not be afraid or terrified, but because Joseph and Simeon were no longer there, he is still afraid everywhere. And although he has God's promise, he does not know what will become of this son, whom he would like to keep alive and healthy before the others. But because he sees that he cannot keep him with him, he no longer resists his sons, but does as they admonish him and what they desire of him in such a case; he lets Benjamin go and first gives them orders as to what gifts they should bring Joseph; then he wishes them happiness and asks God that it may go well with them.
- minchah, in Hebrew, actually means gift, as we give sacrifices or gifts to God; as, Gen. 4:4: "The Lord graciously looked upon Abel and his sacrifice"; not that God desires to be satisfied with our gifts, for He has no need of them, as the 50th Psalm v. 9 testifies: "I will not take bulls from your house, nor goats from your stalls." As if someone wanted to give a penny or a farthing to a prince or a great monarch. But it pleases him that one should show him a humble and grateful heart, so that one may indicate that he will gladly hold the prince in honor as his lord and show him due reverence.
(68) In this way Jacob also sends gifts to Joseph, that he may know from them that they also wish to show him due honor and respect. It was almost a small thing that Jacob gave him honey and almonds. And because it is commonly said that one can reconcile both God and man with gifts
1582 L.X.S4S-S4S. Interpretation of Genesis 43:11-14. **W. II, 2323-2325.** 1583
If you want to make them your friends, they should be drawn from the humility and gratitude of the heart, so that the minds of the overlords may be reconciled.
(69) As it pleases God that I honor and serve him with all my heart, so Abel's sacrifice was dear and pleasing to him, that he offered it with fear and right faith and wanted to prove his grateful heart with the same offering. For where the heart is sacrificed, that is a very pleasing gift to God and the king. But the heart is not always so fine, sincere and pure in those who give gifts to others.
70 For this reason it was customary among the ancients that princes could be propitiated even with small bad things, and they did not consider how great or glorious the gift was, but only the reverence, humility and gratitude of the heart. For he who has given the heart to one will also give him the bag. In this way Jacob instructs his sons to bring gifts to the prince of Egypt, so that if he is angry, he will be more easily reconciled and give him his son back. And so the holy patriarchs were preserved by faith in the promise of God, and yet they did everything that could and should have been done humanly, so that they did not tempt God.
Now the words that occur in this place should also be interpreted and explained. But I will command the Hebrews to consider them a little more diligently and precisely; and some of them have also been interpreted above, in the 37th chapter. There is still trouble and work to be done with the Hebrew language and grammar. The word bothnim is interpreted in many ways. I accept the opinion of those who say that it is terebinthina, a special gum or balsam, although this is a general name for all kinds of sap that flows from spruce or fir trees. The balsam (called terebinthina resina) is highly praised, therefore it has a great use in medicine. And such gifts cultivate
The first is to be very pleasant, which nature produces in some certain places, as in Arabia the incense, item, balsam, myrrh, and in Prussia the amber 2c. Although there is no doubt about it, there will have been plenty of all these in Egypt, and it is almost unimportant that he added honey and almonds to it. But, as said before, such is a sign of a heart that fears God and also honors his prince, of whom he did not know that it was his son Joseph.
So the father honored the son and bowed down before him, as the dream says, and did everything that was necessary to make atonement for him; he also commanded his sons to return and pay the money they had found in the sacks, so that it would not seem as if he had missed something, or as if he wanted to tempt God. But this is the most consoling gift, that he sends his son Benjamin with him.
III.
(73) Thus far we have spoken of the commandment which Jacob gave to his sons. The other part is the prayer he made. Here again the life of this very holy patriarch is described in such a way that it was very small and had no reputation. All that he does is a small thing in our sight, but in the sight of God it is very precious and glorious. You will not find any strange miracles in him, he did not go through any special fasting or vigilance, you will not see any ropes or monk's caps; all of which the monks have chosen for themselves out of their own discretion and by the will of some loose unlearned people without and outside of God's word. But this is a truly blessed and holy life, which is directed according to the rule of the profession, and the commandments and promises of God, which Jacob adhered to, and which he endured such a great and difficult struggle, which the papists even despise; but he thereby performs the most pleasing service to God, which is commanded in his word. For after he has done what could and should have been done to prevent the danger, he now adds the prayer, so that he shows that he has not broken the promise.
1584 L X. 24S-247. interpretation of Genesis 43:11-14. w. II, 2S2L-232S. 1585
or rejected, even though in his anguish and distress he sighs, howls and complains so piteously that he seems to have forgotten the protection and help that God promised him. For there still seems to be a smoldering wick, if not yet extinguished, and a crushed reed, if not yet broken, while he cries and prays and yet not without great heartfelt groaning.
(74) Though it was a very short prayer, yet it was a fierce and fervent prayer of faith. For it came from a crushed reed and a smoldering wick; and so he poured out words of faith and unbelief at the same time. For by faith he calls upon God; but unbelief makes him still in fear, and almost despairs of Benjamin.
(75) But why is he afraid and trembling, as if the thing were lost? Why does he not rather rejoice, leap and jump for the sake of the promise he has had? Because, when we are well, we can easily remember it; but when God hides His face, ah! we soon become fainthearted and sorrowful. However, it is enough that the wick is not extinguished, and that we still call out, as Paul says in Romans 8:15: "Abba, dear Father." Although we do not hear the cry ourselves, just as Moses himself knew nothing of his cry at the Red Sea. "But he that searcheth and proveth the heart knoweth the mind, the desire, and the longing of the spirit," Rom. 8:27. He understands well how great this cry is; we cannot know it because of our weakness; as the Lord says to Moses, Ex. 14:15, "What cryest thou unto me?" when he could not open his mouth, because he was in the greatest distress, anguish, and danger. His heart beat strangely in his body, and he had no courage in any other way; he saw nothing else before his eyes but certain death; he looked at Pharaoh, who was hurrying after them, or turned his eyes to the Red Sea. Therefore, he was terrified and silent because of such great danger, and may have thought to himself: How, if we all
would be drowned or slain by the Egyptians? Then God says to him, "Why do you cry out to me?" He does not cry out, but he who searches the heart understands and hears the cry.
(76) In this way Jacob also prays and keeps the promise, but very weakly, for he still weeps and mourns pitifully. But because there is still a spark of faith and the inexpressible groaning in his heart, he does not despair, but prays. But he will not have finished the prayer with so few words and thoughts as Moses has recently described and written; for he has called upon God, thanked, praised and prayed with the most earnest words for Simeon and Benjamin.
- but we have had above some times this name of God, in Hebrew, el shaddai, which is called from the breast or from nourishing; as the Greeks called their Diana ποΛύ/ζαστος, which they called to
Ephesus and other places, as seen in Acts 19:27. 19, 27, that they might nourish and sustain men. They took the name from the Jews and called their idols the same way the Jews called the true God.
78 Thus Jacob says el shaddai, that is, God, who is almighty, who gives and does all things, who feeds, governs, satiates, provides and sustains all things, that they may remain in their state or being: may God grant you grace and mercy in the sight of the man who is lord in Egypt. By the word shaddai they understood such majesty, which nourishes everything; and rechem means body, comes from racham, which means to have mercy. For the whole human race, and especially the female, is created to nourish, rear and sustain others, both cattle and men; as the 110th Psalm v. 3. says: "Thy children shall be born unto thee as the dew out of the morning glow"; there is also the word merechem in Hebrew. Therefore the woman has her name from the sewing office, which the Greeks wanted to give with the word πολύμαστος***,*** as they called Diana. And Jacob praises God here also so that he has a
1586 L.L. 247-S4S. Interpretation of Genesis 43:11-14/ W. II. W2S-23S1. 1587
He is the governor who sustains and cares for people like a mother's womb, as Isa. 46:3, 4 says: "You who are carried by me in your womb and lie with me in your mother. Yes, I will carry you until you are old and gray. I will do it, I will lift and carry, and save." God says that He will carry us in His womb as a woman carries a child, not only to old age, but forever.
Thus God presents Himself to us in the form of a woman and a mother. And the same can be seen in the good deeds He shows to mankind; as Paul says in Acts 14, 17: "God has not left Himself unwitnessed, He has shown us many good things. 14, 17: "And indeed God has not left Himself unwitnessed, has done us much good, and has given us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
This prayer has been the most pleasant balm in the sight of God and the sweetest smell. Therefore, even if we are weak in faith, we should be accustomed to pray; then we will experience what Paul says in 2 Cor. 4:8, 9: "We have tribulation in all places, but we do not fear. We are afraid, but we do not despair. We suffer persecution; but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed; but we perish not. "2c. "If any man suffer among you, let him pray; if any man be of good cheer, let him sing psalms," Jac. 5:13. Only that we may not despair of God's help and grace, who thus tempts and punishes us for our salvation and blessedness.
(81) In the common Latin translation, the words are in vinculis (in bonds), but they are not found in the Hebrew text. As we remembered above, that these brothers with careful counsel refrained from remembering the prison in the presence of their father, so that they would not further mislead and frighten him. God undoubtedly heard Jacob's prayer, and it is a fine airy error that the father does not know that his son Joseph is still alive and a lord in Egypt. For God plays a fine game with His saints, but in such a way that they understand the opposite. Jacob sends his sons
and Benjamin went down to Egypt with an instruction and a gift, praying diligently, not knowing what our Lord God's counsel or will was.
The examples of the hermits and the monks are contrary to this. For they do not have such a promise from the state and life they lead; therefore they have not had such faith and temptation. But if these are not there, the devil laughs and mocks at all their works.
IV.
83 The last part is especially moving, that Jacob says: "But I must be like one who is completely robbed of his children. He must have spoken this with tears, and these are the words of one who weeps miserably and is, as it were, despondent. And this is truly a wonderful story. Such a holy man, who has been tried and tested everywhere in the faith of divine promise, should still cry out, scream and lament so miserably: "Schacholti! Alas! I am robbed of my children. I poor man, what shall I do? Since my dearest wife and Joseph, my son, whom I also loved very much, have died, I am now to be robbed of Simeon and Benjamin as well!
- Why does God not hear this cry, which he did with tears and anguish? For he repeats the complaint twice, how he must be deprived of his children, and says: I have no child, I poor man; what am I now in my misery? He despairs and yet does not despair. These actions and movements of the saints no one understands, unless he learns it by experience; for there has been the greatest power in the utmost weakness. "Almighty God," he says, "give you mercy before the man"; and soon he says again, "But I must be deprived of my children." He prays and despairs at the same time; he cries and laments no differently than an unbelieving man, and yet he cannot pray without faith. For this reason, these are excellent examples of the godly, which instruct us that we should believe, even though everything is lost, that one cannot believe in God.
1588 L L. 2ts-Wi. Interpretation of Genesis 49, II-17. W. II, 2331-2338. 1589
And when the tears are flowing down the cheeks, the heart should still say: God Almighty help me! But let us not break out into words of despair and blasphemy.
How here the despair was not far; but there is still a small sighing, the same is so strong that it can fill both ears of God; yes, it fills heaven and earth. And this is what Solomon says in the Song of Songs Cap. 3, 6: "Who is she that cometh up out of the wilderness like a straight smoke, like a fragrant trocis?" It is a very thin smoke and a fragrant globule; nothing more subtle and weak can be conceived. But who forces the same thin smoke to rise? This is done by the fiery power of faith and prayer, which fills the whole heaven. Jacob has indeed made few words: "I am robbed of my children altogether," he says; but it has been a very great groaning before God; but before him, Jacob himself, and before us quite little. Such prayers are very good, and they should be diligently remembered and heeded.
This lamentation, that Jacob complains that he is robbed of his children, is almost the end of all the tribulations, miseries and misfortunes he has had. Now something more cheerful will follow, after Moses has now described all his tribulations. But this prayer he will have often repeated all the time, while his sons were out: Morning and evening he will always have repeated this lament, saying: I poor man! I poor man! both with loud voice and sighing. And such a prayer was, as Luc. 18, 1. is described, since Christ says that one should always pray and not cease. So Jacob also prayed without ceasing until his sons returned and told him that his prayer had been answered.
And so, now that his affliction has come to an end, he is brought to bear this sorrow, to cry out and sigh over it: Alas, I am bereft of my children! I am alas bereft! 2c. He must also sacrifice his son. How
As Abraham slew Isaac, so Jacob slew both his sons, Joseph and Benjamin, knowing that all the hope and faith of the promise was upon them. This was indeed a very heavy cross; therefore he is also exalted.
These examples are held up to us so that we may learn to follow them. And although we should always have the suffering of Christ before our eyes, the low and weak examples of the patriarchs move us even more than the high example of the Son of God. In Christ there was greater humility; he lowered and humbled himself more deeply than all the patriarchs have done: but it does not enter our hearts, for it is contrary to our knowing that Christ is true God. The patriarchs, however, move our hearts and feelings even more, since they were only men and were like us everywhere, when they were in the greatest need and trouble. The example of Christ is more wonderful because it is both a sacrament and a gift of God, through which Christ was made for us by God for salvation and blessedness.
Third part.
How Joseph's brothers arrive in Egypt, and Joseph commands them to enter his house, and how they are encouraged; how Joseph's steward encourages them and leads Simeon out to them; item, how he washes their feet.
I.
V.15-17. Then they took these gifts and the money with them, and Benjamin, and rose up, and went into Egypt, and stood before Joseph. Then Joseph saw them with Benjamin, and said unto his steward, Bring these men home, and slay, and prepare; for they shall eat with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph had said unto him, and brought the men into Joseph's house.
- I hold that Joseph saw his brother Benjamin from afar, since they had not yet come near before him. He
1590 L. X, WI-W3. Interpretation of Genesis 43:15-18. W. II, 233S-2338. 1591
has been in the public place where strangers used to come when they wanted to buy grain; therefore he tells his steward to lead them into his house. The sight of them does not move him now, but later he will weep.
V.18. But they were afraid that they were brought into Joseph's presence, and said: We are brought in 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 our asses.
90] The reason they are afraid is that he did not take them to the common inn where the other strangers were staying, but to his house in particular. Then it occurred to them that they had done the most evil and the most harm to their brother, when he had meant no harm at all, but had only granted them all that was good. Thus Moses depicts an evil and troubled conscience, which trembles and is frightened even before a rustling leaf. For he who will not fear God with good holy fear in God's name, may fear him with false fear in the devil's name; yes, he may fear his own eyeballs. For this is the right punishment of safety. This is a true description of an evil conscience, which fears what it should not fear, and since it should fear, it does not fear, as it says in Psalm 14:5.
91 There is a beautiful saying of Augustine in his "Confessions", which one should always remember: Jussisti Domine, et factum est ita, ut poena sui sit omnis animus inordinatus, that is: Lord, you have commanded, and it has happened, that a disorderly and restless heart shall be its own punishment. He who does not fear God may be afraid that his own house or his neighbor's wall or pillar will fall on him. But why is that? God has commanded it, so it shall be. He who is not afraid of the truth may be afraid of the lie, and may honor an image or idol for the right true God, or else a ghost and shun it.
- Just as we were more frightened in the pope's house when we thought of Christ, our Savior, than when we thought of the devil. For we hoped that we could escape from him or be delivered from him in some way. For we had allowed ourselves to be talked into it in such a way that we thought Christ would judge and condemn us. And therefore we called upon the Virgin Mary and other saints. For a false fear shuns and is afraid even of a fly, and of God Himself, when He does us good and protects us; yes, he is afraid of food and drink, that he may be nourished. For this reason, an evil conscience finally drives man to despair, so that he must quarrel with himself and be like a scourge or stickmaster. As the poets have depicted Orestes, that he was driven by the infernal Furies, and the like.
So Joseph commanded that his brothers should be brought into his house, not that he would harm them, but that he would show that it was pleasant and dear to him that they had brought his brother Benjamin. And now he no longer considers them scouts, but honest, pious, sincere, constant and true. But they, contrary to all this, are terrified, and think of the money that was hidden in the sacks: the same has so tormented them that they cannot think in their hearts otherwise than that they will have to die at the same time as Benjamin. The terror of this rustling leaf is so great that they were not taken to the common inn, but to Joseph's house.
(94) Why, they will have said, did they not let us go into the inn with other strangers? We are truly spoiled now. He will undoubtedly have found in his register of receipts that our money was missing; therefore he will want to find out from us and will take the same money from us by force. There you can see no promise that they kept, but only vain terror and torment of conscience; although Joseph thinks of nothing less than that he would have them punished, tortured or punished, as they would have been punished.
1592 D- X, M.W4. Interpretation of Genesis 43:18, W. II, 2338-2341. 1593
dreams. They do not see in Joseph a brotherly heart and good will, but a few things are always in their hearts; the same thing moves them very much, they think about it back and forth, namely, that he will demand the money back from them and accuse them of theft. In addition, there is also the sighing and complaining that they took the son Benjamin from the father and led them both into danger of life. Now truly, they said, as our father's heart foretold, we will bring his gray hairs into the pit. We are brought here for the sake of money, and there is no doubt about it, he will punish us.
Now this is the right cross and torture of a troubled conscience. For why did they not fear God with right fear before? Now they have only the thought that nothing good will happen to them, and are thus miserably afflicted, when there is no one to persecute or offend them; but, as Proverbs 28:1 says, "The wicked fleeeth, and no man chaseth him." For this is the manner and nature of a guilty conscience, that is, to flee and be afraid, even when all is well and there is happiness, and to turn such happiness itself into danger and death.
96 It is such a great sorrow for an evil conscience that knows itself guilty. And this is also the true fruit of sin, which destroys man with all his counsel, sense, understanding and all the powers of body and soul.
- but they magnify the causes of their fierce terror, saying, "He will bring it down to lins, and pass judgment on us." 2c. It is just as much spoken as: He will suddenly overtake us, as the tyrants are wont to do; as Gen. 6, 4. says of the Niphlim, that is, of the tyrants, that they were mighty and famous men on earth, the great Hansen, who oppress the people. They are not called great and strong because they are great in body, as the Jews interpret it; but because of their works and office, because they rob and oppress the poor; as such violence is described in the 10th Psalm.
Therefore, they say, "He will bring it upon us" to oppress us. What will he do with us? If it comes to pass, we will have to be his serfs. But at that time there was nothing less to worry about in the whole world than such a thought, which was completely strange, vain, futile and foolish; and yet it plagued them so fiercely.
But why do they not take hold of the word, which could have uplifted, comforted and strengthened them, so that they should not have been afraid of death and other dangers? They were so terrified that they could not think of their father's promise and sermons, and they had missed them for a long time and did not pay much attention to them. But because they now despise the word, they may have the lie and be afraid of themselves: they may make up and dream of great tyranny and all kinds of punishments that may befall them.
(100) For these are the Erinyes, the infernal devils, and the great torment and torture of a troubled evil conscience because of the sin it has committed, so that it complains and torments itself in vain and without any cause. As a saying of a Cardinal is in everyone's mouth, since he said: Conscientia est mala bestia, quae facit hominem stare contra se ipsum, that is: Conscience is an evil wild beast, which causes man to be at odds with himself. And the Italians have a common saying that they say: Oportet conscientiam occidere, et dicere, quod sit nihil, that is: One must kill the conscience and say that it is nothing.
(101) But how long do you think this calamity can be satisfied? No longer than until the law comes: when it begins to accuse and terrify me, I am killed and persecute myself; I fight against myself and torture myself with vain and futile thoughts. So it goes: over that we hardly sin against God, we also afflict ourselves, stand and fight against ourselves, until a brother comes to us, who comforts us and sets us straight with God's word, and says: "Why are you so foolish? Why then do you allow yourself
1594 L. 2S4-WS. Interpretation of I Genesis 43:18-22. W. II, 2341-2344. 1595
dream? You err and fall far short: God is not angry with you; he has taken away your sin 2c. For such help and comfort from a brother is needed by a frightened heart, which thus devours and tortures itself.
V.19-22. Therefore they came to Joseph's steward, and spake unto him at the door of the house, saying: My lord, we went down a little while ago to buy food. And when we were come into the inn, and had opened our sacks, behold, every man's money was in the top of his sack, full weight; therefore we brought it down again with us. We also brought down other money with us to buy food, but we do not know who put our money in our sacks.
They did not go into Joseph's house, but stopped at the door, perhaps with the intention and hope that they might run away. And from this we can see how frightened and distressed they were. But the innocent Benjamin was also frightened with them, and the money, which was a sign of the greatest love and brotherly friendship, caused them great pain and sadness. For an evil conscience turns even the very best into the worst, and what is sweet and lovely because of its nature turns into vile wormwood and bitter gall.
(103) Yes, the whole creature, which is created for the use and pleasure of men, seems to be quite repugnant to them and to threaten pestilence and death; as in the book of Judges Cap. 5, 20. it is written: "From heaven they fought against them, the stars in their louses fought against Sissera" 2c. So the men of war were terrified that they were afraid of their own horses and weapons, yes, even of the stars, the sky and the sun.
(104) In the same way, an evil conscience is also against God. For although he looks upon us and is favorable and gracious, it is afraid of his wrath and thinks that he is displeased with him and angry with him. Therefore, this was a good word of a brother in our monastery, who used to say to those who were distressed and frightened: God is not angry with you, do not be angry with him.
for you are much more angry with him than he is with you. And the hearts that are terrified by fear, in truth feel no other way than this. For an impure heart cannot see God; as Christ says Matt. 5:8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Therefore, these are the most wretched people who do not have a pure heart, for they do not see God, but think that they see or hear the devil, even if they think of God, speak of Him or hear Him.
(105) And in the time of temptation, nothing so good or so pleasant can come or be offered to an evil conscience that it will not turn back and make itself vain fear, anguish, and terror, and can do nothing but testify against ourselves and contend with us; and when at last it lies down and is even despondent, the whole world is not able to raise it up again. For it is the death of the soul; and to raise and awaken consciences is nothing else than to raise the dead. Therefore the church, through the ministry of preaching or the oral word, which it has and needs, makes many more people alive than Christ himself did in his ministry; as he says John 14:12: "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and shall do greater works than these." For this reason, many greater miracles take place every day, which we do not see and the world does not pay any attention to.
The conscience is a much greater thing than heaven and earth, which is killed by sin and made alive again by the word of Christ. For this reason we should all take special care that we may be saved from this very evil and hellish wild beast. For if this beast were not there, hell would have no fire, or no torment at all. But this wild beast kindles and strengthens death and hell, and sets the whole creature against us. For all things are angry, and sad, and troublesome, and dreadful, and are against us; not because of the creature, which is good, and neither threatens nor harms us; but it is our own fault, that we are thus terrified, and flee from the creatures.
107 But again a happy and sure conscience breaks through, conquers and despises.
1596 ' L. SSS-2S8. Interpretation of Genesis 43:19-23. **w. ll, 2344-2S4S.** 1597
Both death and the devil; as this is beautifully described in the 112th Psalm v. 7. 6: "When a plague is about to come, the pious man does not fear; his heart hopes undaunted in the Lord. His heart is confident and does not fear" 2c. If the devil and the world are angry or laughing, it asks nothing of them: if he does not want to laugh, he is angry. But a heart that knows itself guilty is also afraid of a good rumor. For it is said: Conscientia mille testes: Conscience is like a thousand witnesses, yes, like a thousand camps, which are against us. But how to overcome such terror of conscience is taught elsewhere in the teaching of the gospel.
II.
V. 23. But he said, "Be at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and your father's God has given you treasure in your sacks. Your money has become mine. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
(108) This steward knew well what Joseph's plan and purpose was with his brothers. For Joseph would not have been able to do this, that he had placed himself thus and had given in another way, because it was too courageous for him, if he had not had a faithful servant; whom he would have used above all to sell the grain. And perhaps he also put the money in the sacks; otherwise he could not have given them this answer. Therefore he says: "Your money has been given to me", although he has not received it; but he says it because he wants to strengthen and please them with it. And it seems as if his Lord had instructed him in the doctrine of godliness; for he says, "Your God and your father's God has given you a treasure," that is, the God whom you and your father honor. You must not worry about your money: I have received it, "it has been given to me". And he says right about it. But he is silent about the fact that he gave it back to them and put it in their sacks. So this faithful servant finely follows the customs and godliness of his master, even though he was an Egyptian. He did not say, "I have it," or, "I have it.
not put in the sacks; but says, It came to me, I got it 2c.
- But the fear does not cease; indeed, the suspicion still grows, and a new distress comes over them, namely, how this steward could have gotten their money, or who put it into the sacks.
The Hebrew word mathmon, treasure, takes its name from hiding; therefore it is buried and hidden in the earth. Therefore it is not a new way of burying money, which at present the peasants do in their folly and in the strangest ways, but was also common among the ancients. And I think that a lot of money that is buried in this way is lost. And it is the same with money as with men; for it is also buried in the earth, sunk in the sea, when shipwreck occurs, just as the human race is wont to perish. Job also remembers the same use, since he says in the 3rd Cap. V. 21: "Those who wait for death do not come and dig it out of hiding"; item Jer. 41, 8: "Dear one, do not kill us; we have treasures in the field of wheat, barley, oil and honey" 2c.
After this, the steward brings Simeon out of the prison, that he may the more lift up and strengthen their hearts. I have no doubt that it was a reasonable prison, and not the kind of place where evildoers and those who deserved death were put and bound. But it is a great sign of special mercy and kindness that their brother will soon be brought out of prison before their eyes; and yet they cannot yet lay aside and let go of their sorrow, distress, and all fear.
This is a very beautiful example of an evil conscience, namely, how it is disposed against God; and again, how great is the favor and grace of God, which He bears against a frightened conscience. For when he tempts us, he sets up various obstacles so that we cannot see him straight in the face and come to the mercy seat; just as if one were to go to the
1598 L X.W8-2SI. Interpretation of Genesis 43:23. W. n, 2316-2349. 1599
We do not understand this game of divine grace and his good pleasure from the beginning, and we interpret the good deeds and grace themselves to our horror. But we do not understand this play of divine grace and his good pleasure from the beginning, and we interpret the good deeds and grace themselves, which we encounter and see before our eyes, to our horror and destruction.
The same thing happened to me when I was a little boy, and to my companions, with whom I collected the songs that we would like to hear in our studies. For at the time when the feast of the Nativity is celebrated in church, we used to go around the villages from one house to another, singing in four voices the usual psalms about the infant Jesus born in Bethlehem, and it happened that we came to a farmer's farm, which was situated in a place by itself and at the end of the village, and when the farmer heard us singing, he came out and asked with rude rustic words where we were, and said: "Where are you boys? and at the same time he brought some sausages with him, which he wanted to give us. We were so frightened by these words that we all ran away from each other, although we knew of no real reason why we should have been frightened, and the farmer presented the sausages to us with a good will and was willing to give them to us, except that perhaps our hearts had been frightened by the daily threats and tyranny that schoolmasters were accustomed to practicing with poor pupils at that time, and had thus become much more easily frightened by such a sudden fright. Finally, however, when we were on the run, the farmer called us again, and we put aside our fear and ran to him, and received from him the parcels he handed us.
In the same way, when our conscience is guilty and frightened, we tremble and flee: we are also afraid of a sausage, and of those who are our friends and grant us all the best.
Therefore, we should diligently guard against sins that wound the conscience, and we should learn to trust God and accept with a gentle, quiet, peaceful, believing heart whatever God sends us, whether good or evil; as the 112th Psalm v. 7 says: "When a plague comes, the pious do not fear; his heart hopes undauntedly for the Lord. Psalm v. 7. says: "When a plague is about to come, the pious man does not fear; his heart hopes undaunted in the Lord"'; item Prov. 28, 1.: "The righteous is confident, like a young lion."
For an evil conscience cannot in any way be satisfied or turn to God unless it has died; otherwise it always flees from God, from whom it should neither flee nor be frightened. Since God is such a good, to whom alone all despondents, and those who are otherwise abandoned by all creatures, desolate and without help, should have their refuge. But a poor heart that knows itself guilty would rather change into a thousand forms, and much sooner run through stones, fire and ore mountains, yes, finally to the devil himself, before it would turn to God and run straight to him.
Is it not a great and miserable pity that we fear and shrink from him of whom the Scriptures so often say that he is our refuge for ever and ever? even if our father and mother should forsake us and cast us off, yet he would receive the rejected; as the 27th Psalm v. 10 says, "My father and my mother forsake me, but the Lord receiveth me. Therefore, even if all creatures say nothing else than that you are lost, damned and condemned, you should still say with the 73rd Psalm v. 25, 26: "If I have only you, I ask nothing of heaven and earth. Even if my body and soul languish, you, God, are always my heart's comfort and my portion." What do I ask for that, if I only have a gracious God!
(118) Dear one, behold what the pagans do, who do not know the right true God, and yet run in all their needs to that which they consider to be God. They call upon Mars, Diana and Jupiter, 2c., by which invocation and idolatry they indicate that God must be such a God, to whom one can go.
1600 2. x. 261. 262. interpretation of Genesis 43:23-25. w. ii, 234s-23s2. 1601
in danger, fear and distress; although they falsely ascribe the name and glory of God to idols and creatures; as Paul says Rom. 1, 21. ff.
Therefore this knowledge is planted in the hearts of all men, that the afflicted who are in distress should have recourse to God. This is the upper sentence in the syllogism, as the dialecticians are wont to speak in the schools, and cannot be doubted except by the Sadducees and Epicureans. But the subordinate clause is wrong, if one wants to say: This idol is God. There our nature can be seen that it is corrupt. Therefore, we lack the right God and cannot find Him properly because of such a corrupt nature. Thus, all people know that God is our refuge and call upon Him for help and comfort. But no one wants to approach God, who has revealed Himself in His words, with true confidence. The conscience is frightened and flees back, for it is impure and does not know God well; therefore it does not see God. But "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God", Matth. 5, 8. They do not jump back, but stand firm in faith and right invocation. As the same strength and firm trust is praised in the 112th Psalm v. 8: "The heart of the pious is confident and does not fear," 2c., and in truth God is with such pious people and helps them when they are in need.
III.
V. 24, 25 And he brought them into Joseph's hansom, and gave them water to wash their feet, and fed their asses. And they prepared the present until Joseph came to the south: for they had heard that there they should eat the bread.
120 It was an old custom to wash the feet of guests, and is also praised in the Gospel history, and was also kept this way by Christ Himself, John 13:5 ff, when He washed the feet of the disciples. And Paul says 1 Tim. 5, 10. of the widow, "if she has raised children, if she has been hospitable, if she has not been a stranger.
washed the feet of the saints. It was a very beautiful custom among the Jewish people; in our times, however, it has completely disappeared, and only the ceremony has remained in use in the Pope's church, which kings, bishops, and elders are accustomed to hold on Green Thursday, that they put on an apron and wash the feet of twelve poor people, and then serve them at table. For in this way they wanted to follow the example of Christ, so that they might boast and strut about this work. In the meantime, however, they kill the true Christians, defend their false doctrine, persecute the Word, shed innocent blood, and in the meantime adorn themselves with this ceremony and cover their cruel tyranny with it.
In former times, the monks in the monasteries washed the feet of the foreign brothers, gave them new knives and shoes, and likewise led them to a special hostel, where they did them good and waited for them. This was quite in keeping with the old, laudable practice, which could not now be restored without great difficulty, effort and work. Some princes and the papists do not wash the feet of the poor all year round; but if they wash them at a special time, they take people who have been washed before. But this is pure hypocrisy, which does not rhyme at all with the example and will of Christ. Pious, godly pastors and poor disciples, and other strangers, who bring good testimonies and recommendations from honest people, are not respected; except that there are still a few common people who understand such works and know that they are pleasing to God; they do good and do good deeds to whom they should and where they can.
(122) Nevertheless, it is not so easy to receive and shelter everyone unless he has good testimonies from others. As those at Corinth did not receive Apollo without letters, that they might know whom they were receiving and to whom they were doing good. For the wickedness of the vagrants and other swindlers will one day force pious, godly people to be more charitable and benevolent towards the
1602 L. X, 2S2-2S4. Interpretation of Genesis 43, 24-28. W. n, L35S-23S". 1603
The poor must be moderate, because there are so many hypocrites running around who have become accustomed to begging and who, under the name and appearance that they are quite miserable, take away the benefits and alms from the mouths of the real poor. For those who are in great need of washing and other people's charity are often deterred by their own shame and modesty, so that they shy away from asking the church and other godly people for help and taxes; they keep quiet and eat their poverty inside themselves, so that they are burdened; they do not run around in the country, but suffer their poverty, lamentation and misery with patience, even though they often do not have enough bread to eat.
(123) But some deceiver can easily get in and take away what should be given to the right poor, and gamble it away and squander it, and then mock us that we have so easily believed him and given him what he desired. And in such matters the authorities do not do what is their duty, for they should drive such murderers and thieves out of their country and cities. And such unknown beggars should not be given anything, who come running without the testimony of pious men of God; although there are many of them every day, who bring letters and testimonies from other honest people. And whatever harm they have suffered, they come and ask for our alms; although we ourselves and our fellow citizens or neighbors do not have so much money and property left that we could compensate all the poor who come to us for their poverty and lack, and overburden them with it. And there are indeed quite a few poor citizens in our country, who should be fed and maintained first and foremost.
(124) But it is lost and in vain if we have long given such admonition, because now all discipline is abolished, and the people are so wanton and insolent. I do not believe that all in Egypt practiced such gentleness and kindness in general as the Jews and Joseph did; nor can it be known whether there was such a thing in Egypt.
It was a common practice throughout Egypt to wash the feet of foreign guests; or, there is no doubt, they would have made a distinction. For Joseph paid careful attention to the people, asking them all in particular who they were and from whence they came.
If it was a common practice in the country, then one could easily perform the same service, but only to those who were first inquired who they were; as we heard above, Genesis 24:32, that Rebecca led Abraham's servant into her father's house, and gave him water to wash his feet, and straw and fodder for his camels; for she knew that he was sent there from the lineage of Abraham 2c. And in those days there were not so many vagabonds and loose boys as there are now in the whole world.
But it behooves the princes and states to keep a diligent watch in the country and cities on such fraud and robbery of the many beggars, and should seriously punish such lazy rogues, who do not want to work and yet always want to eat. For they rob us and take away from the poor who live with us the bread that godly people would give them. For godly people know well that God wants us in the church of God to be mild and charitable toward poor people; therefore they also give the poor shelter, food and drink, clothes and shoes. The washing of feet, however, which is common among the papists, is a loud hypocrisy, so that they seek neither God's honor nor the neighbor's benefit, but only praise the same self-chosen work.
Fourth Part.
In which way Joseph receives his brothers, especially Benjamin.
(vv. 26-28) 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. And he greeted them kindly, and said, Be it well with your father the aged, from
** **1604 x. s "t-2M. Interpretation of Genesis 43:26-29. W. n, 2s°s-2sss. 1605
whom ye told me? is he yet alive? They answered: Thy servant our father is well, and yet liveth. And bowing down, they fell down before him.
The word "worship" means to bend the knees or to fall at the feet of another. Moses says they bowed down to the earth, that is, they fell down before Joseph and touched the earth with their knees. With this the dream is fulfilled, which he told his brothers above, Gen. 37, 6. 7. But Joseph greeted them kindly; interrogat ipsis pacem, wish them peace, as it reads according to the Hebrew. So in the 122nd Psalm v. 6. it says: Rogate, quae ad pacem sunt, Jerusalem, that is: "Wish Jerusalem happiness" and salvation. Just as we use our greeting to wish others happiness, when we say: God grant you grace! God grant you a good morning! good evening! God be gracious to you! bless you! give you happiness and salvation! For all this is called by the Hebrews the word pax, peace.
So Joseph still persists in demonstrating his good will and special love for his brothers, so that they may consider it certain that he is favorable, gracious and well-disposed toward them; and yet he conducts himself as befits a ruler who must always maintain good order and discipline. And it behooves the authorities in particular to be merciful and gracious.
129 Then Joseph asked, "Is your old father still well? For thus his words are, "Is your father, the old man, still well? is he still alive?" To which they answer, "He is well. "2c. And from this it can be deduced what the proper meaning of this word pax, peace, is. As in the 37th chap. v. 14, when Jacob sends his son Joseph to his brothers, he says to him, "Go, and see whether it is well with your brothers and with the cattle," that is, whether it is well with them, as we say in our German. Joseph had heard before that his father was still alive and well, but in order that he might be more certain of this, he asked again. And now they bend down for the second time.
or bend down before him, as we are accustomed in our times to doff our hats or bend our knees. To show honor and due respect to others.
V.29. 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.
(130) We heard above how Joseph saw his brother Benjamin from afar. Here he looks at him a little closer in his house, and Benjamin is called his mother's son, because he alone was Joseph's bodily brother; as the other brothers were born with him of one father. Here the right emotions and natural movements arise, and there the tears are also found, because he sees his brother and also thinks of his father. "God," he says, "be favorable to you" and "have mercy, my son" 2c.
These words must have gone very much to his heart. For he was moved not only by seeing his brother, but also by hearing his mother, his father and all that had happened at home. It occurred to him that his kind and loving mother had died in childbirth for the sake of her son, the year before he had been sold to Egypt. At the same time, he will have considered how much and how great misery his parents and he himself had had to endure all their lives, especially during the two years in which his mother died, and that he had been sold to the Ishmaelites at the end of the same year in which Benjamin was born.
(132) And there is no doubt that all these things occurred to him and came before his eyes when he saw his brother; and his heart was inflamed with tender love and affection for Benjamin and his parents. Therefore he says, "God be gracious to you, my son." As if to say, Alas, how did your dear mother give you birth with such great pain! How many great troubles, worries and fears my father and I had to bear until I was born!
1606 L. x. sss-sas. Interpretation of I Genesis 43:29, 30. w. n, ssss-sssi. 1607
that I may see you again and have fellowship with you! O God, how sour it has become to your mother, and to me and to your father, before I see you again! Now his heart will become like water.
V. 30 And Joseph made haste, for his heart burned against his brother, and sought where he wept, and went into his chamber, and wept there.
(133) Dear one, behold how strong nature is, which, the better and more righteous it is, the more excellent and fervent are its inclinations. And grace and the Holy Spirit do not abolish these, nor do they corrupt them, as the monks have dreamed; but where nature is corrupt, the Holy Spirit heals it and straightens it out, bringing it back into its proper state. For the same can be seen here in this example of Joseph, whom the natural inclinations so completely overcome that both his heart and eyes become water and can do nothing but weep. He is not at all with himself, and he also falls silent, as it were, from great heartfelt compassion, which he had with his brother and parents.
Therefore Moses does not say that he hastened in vain: he cannot wait for the honor that they do to him. After he has spoken the words in which he blessed Benjamin and wished him happiness, he immediately hurries to his chamber. They do not know what his haste means and that he turns his face away from them so suddenly; indeed, they secretly interpret it as a sign of disfavor and enmity. From the words they judge that he must be a kind, gracious gentleman; but what it may mean that he stops talking so suddenly, they cannot understand. But he has not gone into his chamber for any other reason than that he had to cry.
And these are truly excellent histories of the holy fathers, which testify that nature is not changed, but preserved by God. As the foolish people of the monks taught that one should leave parents, wife and world and go to a monastery. But what then will the community be, so that people with each other can be
Or what does the whole life of man want to be then? This has truly been no true holiness or godliness, as they have said, but a devilish nonsense. But if you are forced by necessity and God's commandment to leave your parents or wife, 2c. as when Jacob had to leave his sons, Joseph and Benjamin; or when Abraham is commanded to slaughter his son Isaac; since our Lord God forbids in the first tablet that one should prefer neither father nor mother to him, but fear and love him above all things: then you should be obedient to the word of God, which is written in Deut. 33, 9: "He that saith to his father and to his mother, I see him not; and to his brother, I know him not; and to his son, I know not: they keep thy word, and keep thy covenant. But in the other table, the better, more excellent, and more holy nature is, the more it honors parents, and loves wife, children, and brethren.
But the monks despise all this as a vain carnal thing and condemned by God, and trample it underfoot, as it were. In the first table they are idolaters and blasphemers, honoring the devil and serving him under the name of God. And in the other table, they leave the works that God has commanded and follow their own desires and the statutes of men. As Ahaz also despised the service of the first table and left it, and served God with the sacrifice of his children. For with this he intended to do a delicious work, that he sacrificed his sons after the example of the supreme patriarch Abraham. But who told him or commanded him to do this?
For this reason, in the second tablet God wants children to love their parents dearly, and parents to love their children. And this is not a worldly or carnal life, but the most spiritual, for the sake of the fourth commandment: "You shall honor your father and your mother," which is the next commandment after the first tablet. Likewise, it also commands the subjects to be obedient to the authorities, and that the authorities, in turn, should respect their unrighteousness.
1608 L.X, 2SS-270. interpretation of Genesis 43:30. W. II, WSI-S3S4. 1609
Therefore, one should not flee from the duties and works of the fourth commandment, but rather carry them out and administer them with the utmost diligence. But the world does as it is wont to do, and perverts all this as if it were nonsensical.
Therefore, one should diligently note such passages in Scripture, in which the natural inclinations and affections in the saints are praised, by which they have been so moved that they also seem to have been more tender than other worldly men and pagans are. For they are so sorrowful and grieved, and love their children so dearly, that they show themselves weaker than any pagan could have done. Yes, you can also see from them that they are very fierce and hot-tempered on both sides, that is, in happiness and in misfortune. Therefore, we should follow the teaching of Paul in Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with the joyful, and weep with the weepers.
139 Thus it will be possible to refute the apathy, that is, the unnatural or inhuman insensibility of the monks and hermits, for the sake of which their solitary life, which they led, was praised by the common man in former times; and they led many people with them into error and ruin. And in our times, Münzer took upon himself to reintroduce this inhuman insensitivity into the church and to bring it into pregnancy.
In the book which they call "Lives of the Fathers," many strange and terrible examples of the monks are told, both of which sufficiently indicate their nonsense and great ignorance of the past. For example, the example of the two brothers, to whom their mother came, that she wanted to see her sons, because she had not seen them for a long time; but they closed the door and hid themselves. And when the mother begged them that she might come to them, they bade her go away, saying, She ought to bear with patience, that she should be deprived of her sons until she should see them in eternal life. If I had been a lord or regent in that place, I would have wanted the same monastery cells.
burned with fire. Why did the wicked people not think that they sucked their mother's breasts and that they were people born of this mother into this world? But the monks can marvel at such works and praise them highly, and say that such fantasists were strong and steady men who could have despised their mothers, regardless of God's commandment, which does not command to reject or despise the mother, but that one should honor and serve the parents.
Therefore another hermit received his just punishment for his foolishness, to whom the devil had said that a ghost would come to him in the form of his father, when he heard that the father wanted to visit his son. When the father came, the monk came out, thinking it was a ghost, and took an axe and hit the father on the head with it, thus strangling him. Afterwards, however, he saw that it was not a ghost, but his own father. With such devilish deceit, however, those must have been driven around and seduced who chose their own ways and little fiefdoms and followed the same. Why do you not rather stay with your parents, wife and children, as God has commanded you, until Diocletian comes and takes away both father and children by force? 2c. Then you will be led to the highest service of the first table, that you confess Christ, and prefer the confession of his word and pure sound doctrine to all that which is most dear to you, even in this life.
By the way, the natural inclinations are not extinguished by the Holy Spirit, by the Word and faith, but are increased. As can be seen in these fathers, who were completely inflamed by such fierce affections. As is said here of Joseph, in Hebrew, nichmeru, that is, "His heart burned against his brother."
- but from the same word the Jews call our monks kemarim, and the nuns kemaroth, in their language, as that which is
1610 D. X. 270-272. interpretation of Genesis 43:30. W. Il, 2364-2367. 1611
wear black clothes. But they do it according to their own opinion and will; for they have no grammar, much less the right understanding of the words in the Scriptures. And we must take the right meaning of the words from the text and examples of the Scriptures. As for how to understand this way of speaking, this can be taken and learned from 1 Kings 3:26 of the mother whose child was still alive; there the text says: Incaluerant viscera ejus ob filium suum, that is: "Her motherly heart was inflamed over her son" 2c.
Therefore this derivation of the same word is better and truer, why the monks are called kemarim, namely, because of their special religion or worship, and their strict life, so they led. For they pretend to be much more fervent and have greater zeal for worship than other common people. For this reason, they escape and go to monasteries, thus withdrawing from the community of other people, not wanting to be married, not wanting to be rulers or ecclesiastics, and thus separating themselves from the three holy positions that God Himself has established.
145 The same word is found in 2 Kings 23:5, where King Josiah drove out the Camarim, which seems to have been a special sect of priests or clergy, who wanted to be better than the others, and were more ardent and devout in their pursuit of godliness; as the woman 1 Kings 3:26 trembled and burned in her heart over her child 2c. The same Camarim drove Josiah out of the kingdom, since he had established the right divine doctrine again, and had also destroyed and abolished many other idols and idolatries. Therefore, I do not think that the monks should be called kemarim because of their clothing, but because of the special devotion they showed.
(146) Such were the idolaters whom they called in Hebrew miplets, and the Baal apes, who also arrogated to themselves special religion and holiness before others, and boasted that they were close to God and so related to Him.
that they called him their bridegroom or husband. For so much is the word baal. And by the same name they exalted themselves above all other worship, as though the rest of the common people did not serve our Lord God with sufficient fervor or devotion. But they called themselves our Lord God's bridegrooms and brides. For this reason, they chose very strict and harsh rules and statutes, which they kept in addition to the sacrifice commanded by Moses, just as the monks did in our time, especially the Carthusians, who could rightly be called Baalites.
For they have despised the word, baptism, and sacraments, because they do not shine so gloriously, nor are they so exalted in the sight of men. What love, hope and faith! they said, which the apostles taught; we wear plates and have girded ourselves with stalks, eat no flesh, abstain from pleasure in marriage, item, worldly police and otherwise, that we have no fellowship with other men. We are true saints and Baalites: the common people are of no concern to us, who otherwise have no special understanding, except what may concern the works of this common life.
Thus monasticism is nothing else but a contempt of the divine and heavenly estate, and of the works which Christ Himself instituted and confirmed, such as the holy sacraments, the Ten Commandments, the Psalter, the Catechism, and all the holy Scriptures. But they have miserably deceived the poor people with all lies, dreams, and false appearances of holiness; and have thus made both the baptism and the blood of the Son of God to be utterly despised before their outward vestures. As if it were a small glory that one is baptized and cleansed with the blood of Christ, that one is a Christian and a member of Christ, yes, a fellow member of the prophets, apostles and angels, and also of all the saints. This is truly a great honor, which the monks have obscured and suppressed with their monkish, camaristic, and religious teachings.
1612 L. X. 272. 273. interpretation of I Moses 43, 30-32. W. n, 2367-2371. 1613
tic and Baalite self-chosen worship services.
Therefore let us contend against them with the greatest diligence, and let us exalt and glory in the honor and glory of holy baptism, of the Lord Christ, of the Ten Commandments, and of the gospel. These things are to be learned and practiced in this life, whether you live without marriage or in wedlock, whether you are a ruler or a commoner, that you only see to it that you learn the gospel, baptism and the articles of faith, and hold them in great honor and always remember them in your heart. But again, you shall trample under foot the abominable works of the monks, such as caps and ropes. For with these the people have been miserably deceived and corrupted by the man of sin and the child of perdition.
V. 31 And when he had washed his face, he went forth, and held himself fast, and said, Lay up bread.
The Hebrew word aphak means to abstain. But it is not such abstinence as keeping oneself moderate and modest in food, drink and clothing, but it is inwardly in the heart, in mercy and love, and is really nothing else than that one presents oneself outwardly as if one were altogether steady and strong, yet inwardly the whole heart is flowing with vain compassion toward those who are afflicted; as has been said of Joseph. And yet he holds fast that his brothers did not realize that he had wept. It actually means to hold on, and to force oneself to be different than one would want to be. As those who have a fearful and frightened conscience, and yet want to be thought strong and undaunted. As the monks pose as if they were fleeing from the world. But such abstention is a true Stoic hypocrisy, and is not a Stoic who in truth does as he pretends with outward gestures.
151 Thus all hypocrites can hold themselves in fine esteem, and outwardly imagine great strength, and pretend to be very hard; but it is all hypocrisy with them. Joseph, however, since he was completely inflamed with inward affections
He had already shed tears, but he still holds on tight and has a meal prepared, and in the meantime he also poses as if he were strong. By which strength he has somewhat tempered and covered his natural inclination toward his brother; but his heart meanwhile overflows with tears and fiery love.
- "To lay bread" is a Hebrew way of speaking, it means as much as to prepare a meal. For the word "bread" is understood synecdochically for food and drink.
Fifth part.
From the meal that Joseph gave to his brothers.
V.32. And they charged him specially, and them also specially, and the Egyptians also specially that did eat with him. For the Egyptians must not eat bread with the Ebrams, for it is an abomination in their sight.
153] In this passage is described the patriotic custom of the Egyptians, who had such an abhorrence of the Jews to have fellowship with them that no one would eat with a Jew. "For it is," as Moses says, "an abomination in their sight." For they have despised all other peoples, let alone the Jews, not only out of pride and pride, but also out of superstition. And the same is testified not only by the holy Scriptures, but also by the writings of the Gentiles; as in Herodotus and other writers their pride and superstitious religion is also clearly mentioned and described. And in the 87th Psalm v. 4. and Is. 30, 7. is called rahab, that is, proud and hopeful: "I will preach Rahab, and Babel" 2c. And after this Gen. 46, 33. 34. Joseph instructs his father and brother that they should say to the king that they are such people as handle cattle, that they may dwell in the land of Goshen. "For what cattle herders are," he says, "that is an abomination to the Egyptians."
For this reason, they have been a proud and hopeful people above all other nations in the whole world, for the sake of the great and mighty King.
1614 L. L, 273-27". Interpretation of Genesis 43, 32. w. n, 2371-2374. 1615
The people of Egypt, for the sake of the kingdom, in which it was so prosperous everywhere and which was very rich, also had a fertile land, over which the Nile flowed every year and thus made it fertile. Therefore, food and grain must have been very cheap in Egypt. Arabia was also close by, as well as the Red Sea, on which all kinds of goods were brought to Egypt. As France is now the most hopeful kingdom, so it is said to be such a fertile land. Therefore, such kingdoms also pride themselves before God, because they have such immense blessings; as the glory and honor of Egypt is also praised by the prophets, that it was like the paradise of God.
The other and most important reason that the Egyptians were so hopeful was their religion. For they believed that they surpassed all others in this, and for this reason they wanted to be considered purer and holier than other peoples. For it has been said above how great their superstition was, which is why the king kept many soothsayers, wise men, magicians and astrologers.
But I think that the Jews were so hated by the Egyptians because of circumcision. For every religion has its peculiar emblems and ceremonies, which are not like the religion of other nations, and of which the others have an abhorrence. Just as the Turks despise us Christians because of our baptism, so they do not consider Christians worthy to sit at table with them, hardly considering them worthy to be their servants. Thus said above, Cap. 39, 17, Potiphar's wife also said with great contempt: "The Hebrew servant whom you have brought in to us" 2c. As if she wanted to say: The unholy Jew wanted to do violence to me; it would not have been so unreasonable and shameful if an Egyptian nobleman had been subjected to it and not the circumcised man from the most shameful family and people of the Jews.
157 Not only did they abhor the Jews, but they also despised the herdsmen who were their own countrymen and fellow citizens. And
As it is said that in Constantinople, poor and unknown people are driven from the Turkish emperor's palace with shackles, so that they do not go before his eyes, so the Egyptians also despised their cattle herders as poor, rejected people, who were of low status and wealth, both in their police, order and religion, as if those who sit high above others should also be holier than others because of their high status.
Thus the Jews thought that the rich man, Luc. 16, 19, who dressed himself in purple and fine linen, was much more blessed and pleasing to God than Lazarus, who lay at the rich man's door full of swarms. And in the 144th Psalm, v. 15, such a delusion or opinion of the wicked is also told, where they say: "Blessed are the people who are so fortunate. So the Turks also consider us condemned people because of the tribulations, misfortunes and miseries we must suffer; but they promise themselves eternal bliss because they are in such prosperity in this life because of their many goods and great power. This is the philosophy of the Egyptians and the religion of the Turks, which finely refutes the Christian doctrine, as is taught elsewhere.
159 Thus Moses describes the custom of the Egyptians when they held and ate meals, namely, that the officials and councilors, whose work and counsel Joseph used in the administration of the commonwealth, ate especially in their own place. Lyra and the others indicate as a cause why the Egyptians were so hostile to the Jews, that the Jews used to slaughter some cattle, which the Egyptians worshipped. And the same cause is probable. For afterwards, Exodus 8:26, Moses says, "It is not fit that we should do so; for we would offer the abominations of the Egyptians unto our God the Lord: behold, if we should offer the abominations of the Egyptians before their eyes, would they not stone us?" For the Egyptians honored the idol Apis, which means "ox" in their language, and one was not allowed to slaughter an ox with them, which pulled in the plow. But I think that here still another
1616 L. X, 278-277. interpretation of Genesis 43:32. **w. ii, 2374-2376.** 1617
The reason for this must be that Joseph's brothers ate from his table and did not slaughter any sheep or oxen there because they were guests and strangers.
Another question arises here, which is somewhat appropriate to this story, namely: Why did Joseph, the pious holy man and prophet, consent to the use of these very godless and hopeful people and follow it? because it was said above from the 105th Psalm v. 22, that he taught them wisdom and instructed the rulers according to his ways. Why then did he not condemn this ungodly use? Yes, even though he was a ruler over the whole kingdom, he allowed them to set him apart and exclude him from themselves, and to eat them alone and specially. Now this is truly a wonderful thing. They knew that he was a Hebrew, before which people the Egyptians have an abomination, as he said of himself in prison Gen 40:15: "I am stolen out of the land of the Eberians secretly" 2c. And the king also says to the king Gen 41:12: "There was with us a young man who was an Ebrew" 2c. And yet he was made ruler and lord over all Egypt, so that everyone knew that he had come and been born of the same despised and abominable people. And with such fellowship, so Joseph and the Egyptians had with each other, still such habits and customs of both peoples with his knowledge and will thus remained unchanged.
To this question I answer thus: The histories in the holy Scriptures testify that never a people was so pure and without all lack. Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt in great numbers; and Balaam says of them, Deut. 23:23, "There is no diviner or idol in Israel"; and yet in the prophet Amos, Cap. 5:26, it is written, "Ye bear the tabernacles of your Moloch, and the idols of your images, and the star of your gods, which ye have made unto yourselves." And Stephen also confirms this, when he says in Acts 7:42: "God turned and gave them to serve the host of heaven, as He had cried out.
It is written in the book of the prophet. Therefore Moses did not have such a pure people, as it seemed, but some remained in their unbelief and godlessness. As he himself complains about it in Deut. 29:19: "And though he hear the words of this curse, yet he blesses himself in his heart, saying, It is well with me, because I will walk after the manner of my heart, that the drunken woman may pass away with the thirsty" 2c. There he indicates that some of the Jews were godless and idolatrous. But that 4 Mos. 23, 23. says: "There is no soothsayer in Israel", that is spoken synecdochically.
Thus, in the 105th Psalm, v. 6 ff., their godliness and their faith are praised with all the benefits that God had shown them out of grace. Again, soon after, in the 106th Psalm v. 21 ff., their unbelief is punished, since the prophet says: "They forgot God, their Savior, who had done so great things in Egypt" 2c. Therefore, we must not think that all the people of Israel were pious, even though they all passed through the Red Sea; but for the sake of the part that was pious and godly, the other part also enjoys the benefits of God, which it tends to give to its church.
The same is done at all times, and in our time the world exists and the regiments are preserved for no other reason than that God gathers a church in the midst of the wicked and naughty people. For the fact that there are still regiments and police forces in countries and cities must not be attributed or thanked to the princes and kings, who are generally godless and the most wicked of men; but everything is preserved for the sake of the Word and baptism, and because of the holy seed that is still left in the church. For if the blessed were not, and they that are yet to be blessed, the world would not endure; and if now the last saints shall live, the latter day shall soon come. For God does not ask for the worldly police or house regiment, but only for the sake of the Church.
164 There are, by the way, among the holy and believing people always also ungodly and hypocrites mixed in; as is the case in the
1618 ü. L, 277-279. interpretation of Genesis 43, 32. w. n. W7S-W7S. 1619
The history of David, who was a very holy king, can be seen. For behold his wretched lamentations, in which he accuses not only the tyrants in the political regime, but rather the godless false teachers. Therefore, since neither Moses, nor David, nor other kings and prophets, Elijah and Elisha, 2c., could not have done away with everything that was impure, and could not have set up and restored everything that was corrupt and wicked in their time, what wonder is it that we still have to live among godless and wicked idolatrous people at this time?
In this way Joseph will also have corrected what he was able to correct, and those whom he was able to help to be saved, he instructed and preserved; but a large part remained in error and with the superstition of their forefathers. Therefore, all that is written in Psalm 105, v. 22, "He instructs the princes and the elders according to his ways," must be understood synecdochically, namely, that they are not all meant by this, but only some. That is enough.
Now Pharaoh gives him all the same perfect power in the political regime and uses him as a faithful servant, although he was born in a very bad, low and despised people; allows him to use his law and ceremonies, that he abstains from the things which also his fathers abstained from; and the king does not change the whole regime in the kingdom, but lets the word and the teaching of Joseph have their course, allows him that he may spread his religion as much as possible. As far as the secular police is concerned, however, he has ordered him to administer the entire regiment. Such a great kingdom could not have been so completely reformed that there would not have remained some wicked people in it; just as there were undoubtedly many bad boys in the police.
So we may thank God that we also bring many to us through the Word; but we still have to live with other idolatrous people, whether under the Turk or under Emperor Charles. It will
This is what the prophet Amos imposes on the people of Israel when he says in Cap. 5, v. 26: "You have served your idol Remphan" 2c.
- What Joseph could not change or improve, he ordered to the judgment of God, and kept to the common saying: Let it go as it goes 2c. As he could not abolish this usage, that the Egyptians should not have abominations against the Jews. Neither did it behoove him to stir up the people for it, and to cause sedition. Therefore we must still suffer the wickedness and foolishness of the wicked, as Elijah and the other prophets had to tolerate the Baalites, Miplezet and the Camarim in the greatest number. For the seven thousand that remained at the time of Elijah were nothing when counted against the whole people. It behooves us to preach and teach: But God giveth prosperity; one time more, another less. We admonish, rebuke, convince and punish others as an example, but when we see that we can do nothing with it, we should say: Lord God, I will leave it all up to you and command you, you will do everything well.
(169) Therefore, when it pleased the Egyptians to eat especially alone, Joseph left them the same use of their fatherland and the statutes of their forefathers; but the others, who heard the word and had no abhorrence of him, he received kindly. And the same thing is wont to be done at all times and among all nations.
170 But there was such a use with this meal, which Joseph had prepared, as it was in the Pabstthum with the monks. They sat at long tables so that they could look at each other; as will follow in the text: "They were seated against him. The officials, however, sat Joseph on the right and on the left. And it seems that when they served the food, they kept this order, that the food was first brought before the prince, that it was distributed among the others according to his will and pleasure, and that the food was served at the right hand of the prince.
1620 L. x. S7S-SS1. Interpretation of Genesis 43:32, 33. w. **ii, 2379-2332.** 1621
The officials or councillors themselves would also be distributed.
This has been a praiseworthy and useful practice among the peoples of the Orient, that each one has been given his own modest share of food and drink. This was a great moderation, so that one saved a lot, and which would not rhyme with the German way. Everyone has had his modest share of meat and bread. They did not serve four hundred or five hundred bowls, which today our princes are wont to do with great abundance, so that much is wasted and done uselessly.
It seems that Joseph first invented and established this order, and it is also mentioned in the Book of Esther, Cap. 1, v. 8. Yes, the Romans and Greeks also gave each one his modest portion according to his health and strength, or according to how large or small his body was. This was truly a very praiseworthy order in the household regime, so that each one would not consume, devour and devour everything at once, as our people are wont to do. And especially the princes in our times are quite senseless with feasting, are skilled in spending and squandering everything without measure and cessation. There is no hope of improvement, but one must tolerate and let go the wild disorderly being in this last age of the mad world. If we were a little more moderate, and could only spare the costs that are annually spent on the intemperate drink, beer and wine, we would have much more money and property, both in general and in particular.
By the way, Joseph and the Egyptians ate each according to the way of his religion; only that the Egyptians assumed much greater holiness and purity. Joseph may have eaten veal or other meat at times, which was not proper for the Egyptians because of their idolatry of Apis. Therefore, they let Joseph keep his way, as long as they were not forced to keep it.
He will undoubtedly have taught faithfully and with the utmost diligence, as much as it may have been; but they have done what has pleased them.
V.33. And they set them against him, the firstborn according to his firstborn, and the youngest according to his youth. They were amazed among themselves.
This is a strange thing, that he set them over against each other, every man according to his age. The Hebrews say, and it is very likely, that Joseph posed as if he were a prophet, and his brothers saw that he was held in great honor and had a fine reputation, and that he ruled Egypt with special wisdom and counsel, because he said above, Cap. 42, 18, "I fear God." Therefore they considered him a godly man, and easily believed that he had the gift of proclaiming things to come; especially since they saw that he used special arts and ceremonies, which the prophets also used, as Jeremiah wore a wooden chain, Isaiah walked barefoot. So Joseph also: because he was in truth a prophet, he also used special ceremonies, so that his brothers took him for a prophet or Egyptian prophet.
The Hebrews say that when he had called them to sit one after another, as they should sit, he struck the cup, and with the same sound gave a sign that the firstborn should sit on top, and so on, one after the other. And it seems that this is the reason for what is said in the following chapter, v. 5: "The cup which you have stolen is the very cup out of which my lord drinks, and that he may know. Therefore it is very probable that he must have used special gestures, so that he could pretend to them, as if he had received a report from God, how they should sit at the table one after the other.
- but they could have understood that he only put himself before them in this way, because he knew so exactly everyone's age, as if he were also in their lineage and
1622 L. X. 281-28S. Interpretation of Genesis 43:33, 34, W. II, WW-WW. 1623
would have been at the time of everyone's birth. But Joseph concealed this by hitting the cup and being especially brave and earnest, pretending to know things to come, so that they would not know that he had made this pretense and deception before them.
177 But what kind of prophecy was in the cup, Moses does not indicate. So they let themselves be deceived all the more easily with this unusual way, because they had doubted their brother's life long ago; and they could not think that this should be Joseph, but it must otherwise be a great lord and holy prophet, who would be very well experienced in the Egyptian religion. In this way, Joseph plays quite friendly with his brothers, proving that he had a kind and friendly heart towards them, but still obscures and covers such friendliness and good will that they could not really understand it.
V.34. And they brought them food from his table, and Benjamin had five times as much as the others. And they drank, and were drunken with him.
The bowls were first placed on Joseph's table, and from them he gave each man his portion of food. Benjamin, however, received five times as much. And from this they might have assumed that Joseph had only acted in this way outwardly, namely, because Benjamin was given such an honor before the others. But they might have thought that this was the custom of kings and lords, that they should exalt whom they pleased, and again cast out whom they pleased.
179 This is a very funny spectacle and example, which is full of spiritual teaching, if it is drawn to the divine government, so that he may lead his saints whimsically; so that we do not soon despair when we are challenged and punished, and even in happiness and when it is well with us, do not presume
or become proud. For God tries us on both sides, with fortune and misfortune, so that we may be trained and praise the Lord at all times; whether He deals kindly with us or lets us be afflicted, we should be satisfied in our hearts and thank Him, for He plays with us just as Joseph did with his brothers.
- Moses says that when they had eaten, they became drunk. This is not to be understood of the excessive drinking of the Germans or Greeks, but is spoken after the manner, which is also common in other places in the holy scriptures; as, in the 65th Psalm v. 10: "You search the land, and water it", "inebrias eam" make it as it were drunk 2c. When it rains, God makes the land drunk, waters it and makes it fruitful. And Prov. 11:25: "He that maketh drunken shall be drunken also," that is, he that middly feedeth the poor, that they may be filled, shall be filled again abundantly. Item in the 23rd Psalm v. 5: Calix meus inebrians, id est, exuberans; in German: "Du schenken mir voll ein" 2c.
181 So then, according to the Scriptures, "to become drunk" means nothing else than to eat and drink one's fill, to become full and happy. It does not mean such drunkenness as is the drunkenness of the Greeks and Germans, who, in their pleasure and daily feasting, not only fill their bellies, but when they are full, they soon throw up and spit out what they have eaten and drunk. These brothers of Joseph, however, were cheerful, exhorted one another to eat and drink, and thus rejoiced over the grace and benefit that the same Lord had shown them. But this happiness will not last long with them, but will soon be changed again into a sudden and very heavy sadness. As such a change of the divine works always tends to be in the life of men, since soon sadness occurs, soon joy again; so that we may always be exercised and tempted in faith, hope and love.
1624 2. x, 283. 281. interpretation of Genesis 44:1. 2. w. ii. 238S-238S. 1625
The Forty-Fourth Chapter.
First part.
How Joseph sends his brothers away again, but how he soon has them brought back again and how Joseph's brothers are encouraged by this.
And Joseph commanded his steward, saying, Fill the men's sacks with meat, as much as they may carry, and put every man's money in his sack; and put my silver cup in the youngest man's sack, with the money for the corn. He did as Joseph had told him.
(1) I have often admonished, and one should always reproach and inculcate people with this, that the Holy Spirit allows such jocular and minor things to be written by such great patriarchs, when he would like to choose important and great holy things; as he also occasionally includes some of them and mixes them in with the histories of the holy fathers. An incomprehensible carnal reader, who thinks that these things are of no value at all, is easily annoyed by them and is surprised that such things are read in the church and congregation of God, and that the Holy Spirit can spend the time and work on them to tell such trivial things. For why does he not rather hold up to us great strange marvels, of the monks' fasting, of Stoic and Spartan hardness and unkindness of men, who were as hard as iron; as the Carthusians want to be taken for such hard men: as if in these ridiculous and trivial things there could be special great teaching. Likewise, they also dispute whether this game that Joseph played with his brothers could please God, and from what inspiration or spirit he might have done it.
(2) To this I answer thus: That Joseph did this, and that the Holy Spirit
For this reason it has been described, so that we may learn from it how to live rightly before God. For the life that we choose according to our own wisdom, skill and discretion is not acceptable to our Lord God, nor is it pleasing to Him. Moreover, God also hates and abhors the hard apathy, that is, the unnatural unkindness of the Stoic minds, which deprives man of all senses and natural affects or movements, and thus walks in wonderful things that are too high for it. And God says just the same to you that he also said to the Jews, Is. 1, 11. 12.: "What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? says the Lord. I am full of the burnt offerings of rams. "2c. "Who shall require such things at your hands?" As if to say, "Who told you to do all these things? And Isa. 58, 2. 3.: "They demand of me justice, and want to be right with their God. Why do we fast, and you do not see it? Why do we hurt our bodies, and you do not want to know?" For they wanted to do something great and excellent that would please God. Like the one who thought to kill himself by holding his water over power. But they had to hear from God: I have not commanded you such things 2c.
3 The other day, when the queen was ill in Spain, some people were brought to her and scourged themselves with iron scorpions, so that they might propitiate God with their blood and obtain from Him that He might prolong the queen's life. The word of God in Isaiah should also have been held up to them: "Who asks these things of your hands?
4 Therefore, let us learn that God has no pleasure or delight in works of our own choosing, nor should He be prescribed a way to serve Him according to our liking or convenience; but we are to be taught and guided by Him: our Lord God does not want to be your disciple; He is to be
1626 L.L. 2S4-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 44:1. 2. W.H.WM-WSS. 1627
Nor should he be; he should be doctor and gubernator (teacher and governor). But human nature is so wicked that we despise and abandon what God commands; but what he has not commanded, that we choose, the same pleases us, that we also gladly do.
(5) But they say, "We do all this out of good zeal and good opinion. For that is where all kinds of superstition and heresy came from, that is where the monks, the Stoic heads and Baalites came from, 1 Kings 16:28, who pricked their bodies with awls so that blood ran out, and hoped that they would be heard for it.
(6) Therefore we should know that Christians must walk and live in such a state, which is commanded and confirmed by God, so that when you wake or sleep, eat or drink, you may nevertheless say: I do this in the name of the Lord, not out of my own will or self-chosen good opinion. Then, at last, whatever you do or suffer will be pleasing to our Lord God, and you will see that He will play with you throughout life in the most friendly way.
Thus Joseph honored his king, and what belonged to the regiment in the same kingdom and was commanded to him, he faithfully carried out. From time to time, he adorned the political regime in the country and in the cities with laws, good customs and correct religious teachings, and he knew that such works were pleasing to God. Yes, he kept as Solomon admonishes in his Ecclesiastes Cap. 9, v. 8. 9. where he says: "Let your clothes always be white" 2c. "Need of life with thy wife" 2c. So do all that you do with words and with works in the name of the Lord Jesus, as Paul says Col. 3, 17. As Joseph with a good peaceful heart does his ordinary work and does nothing against God's command. But the papists with their apathy and that they miraculously do not grieve or suffer, using special holiness, do not understand these good works of Joseph, who walks in faith and spirit of fear towards God and His King, and who does not do anything against God's command.
He was a man who needed the power and glory he had come for, for God's glory and other people's welfare and bliss.
8 So Samuel says to Saul, 1 Sam. 10:6, 7: "Now when these signs come to you, do what comes under your hands, for God is with you." God will be with you and give you happiness. Happiness will be given to you, "then you will become a different man" when you come to the prophets. Therefore, if your heart and spirit are righteous and your faith is pure, whatever you do after that, however small and despised it may be, it is all delicious and good in the sight of God. For these works are done according to the will and government of faith and the Holy Spirit.
009 But here thou shalt say, I am not Joseph, or such a great patriarch. But look at his example, and see thy profession. If thou art a schoolmaster, a pupil, a ruler, a commoner, be diligent to perform thy commanded office faithfully, using time and person, that God may adorn thee. And where you are faithful and diligent in your office, you will find more than enough to do, and you will encounter many troubles and hardships, and so it will not be necessary for you to put yourself through voluntary torture; just as Joseph did not stab his body himself, as the Baalites were wont to do, but bore the plague and torture with patience, which was laid upon him by God.
(10) The monks and hypocrites are not in the habit of doing this, for no one is more impatient than they are when they are punished by God. But when they suffer what they themselves have chosen, as scourging, fasting and all other mortifications of the body, they pretend great devotion and humility. But this is the right humility, when the holy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were often burdened with great heavy toil, fear and hardship, and yet with great strength and firm faith they showed great patience in it. This is what the monks leave.
(11) Therefore, the papists do not understand at all the things that the Holy Spirit describes about the patriarchs, but they look at them as if they were childish, contemptible and carnal.
1628 2. X, 2SS-sss. Interpretation of Genesis 44, 1-6. W. n, 23SS-23SL. 1629
are things of their own choosing. For all this is contrary to their own righteousness and devotion, and teaches us to walk in the ways of God and to wait diligently for our profession.
- God despises and condemns all works of hypocrisy, for they are of no use other than to create obstacles, thereby closing the right highway and the way of God. And people are caused by this to turn to other paths and byways. Therefore Paul says to beware of this when he says Rom. 16, 17: "But I exhort you, brethren, to beware of them which cause divisions and vexations, beside the doctrine which ye have learned, and to depart from the same" 2c.
(13) If you are a husband, or otherwise diligently waiting in some other divine state of your office, God will always provide you with enough to do and enough to suffer. But we are lacking in this, because we do not pay attention to these things, to which we should pay special attention, but are more concerned with other things that are not commanded to us. That is why we remain so inexperienced in spiritual matters, always learning and yet never coming to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Tim. 3, 7.
(14) In this way the things which are held up to us in the histories of the holy Scriptures, and which seem to us to be bad and small, acquire an importance, a reputation, that we think more highly of them than before; and now we see that they are such great works that no Baalite or monk could ever have endured them. As I have said before about the impatience and hopefulness of those who walk according to their own choice and deal only with self-chosen worship. There is no more unpleasant and poisonous thing on earth than a barefoot monk. For they delight in their own ways, and want to be honored and praised in them, and that their dreams should be taken for divine truth, and can suffer no punishment, nay, want to be entirely unpunished. But we see that the patriarchs were well trained and tempted in faith, hope and patience, according to God's word and will, and that they were both
The people of the world have not used fortune and misfortune, as God has sent them, in any other way than in the fear of God.
(15) Therefore, think that the game Joseph played with his brothers was a very pleasing spectacle to God, and that he took great pleasure in the patience and punishment of his brothers, even though they did not understand it. And afterwards it will be seen how pleasing all this was to God.
(16) In the same way you should consider that your whole life is such a play of God, and that everything you do and suffer is pleasing to Him, provided it is done in right faith; indeed, that even death is a precious and delicious thing in the sight of your Lord. For thus we see that God was pleased with the life and all the works of the patriarchs. And if these were not described, we would all desire to know what Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did? but now, because almost all their words and works are described, we pay no attention to them, because they are so bad and small, or even despise them as vain carnal things. We make ourselves believe that we would do much greater works if we could attain such great honor and glory, but there is no one who could understand or follow even the smallest work that Joseph did.
(17) Now Joseph is still playing with his brothers, so that he may find out what their hearts are like toward Benjamin, and whether they love him dearly, since they did not sell him or kill him. About this he also hears from them that his father is still alive. Therefore he also desires to know how they feel toward him and what they think of him. And Joseph does not sin in this, for he does everything in faith and his works are therefore pleasing to God. But if a Stoic man or Baalite did the same, or if he raised the dead, it would still be a mortal sin. For their sacrifice is an abomination before God and their prayer must be sin.
V. 3-6: In the morning, when it was light, they let the men go with "their" donkeys. There
1630 L.x, 288-290. interpretation of I Moses 44, 3-6. W. II, 2SS4-2SS7. 1631
And when they were gone out of the city, and were not far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Go after the men, and when thou seest them, speak unto them: Why have ye repaid good with evil? Is not this where my lord drinks from, and that he may know? You have done evil. And when he had seized them, he spoke these words to them.
(18) From this it is seen, as said above, that the steward knew his master's intentions, because Joseph saw that he was so secretive and so faithful. Now this is a strange trick, that he left these brothers in the morning, full and happy, because of the great kindness Joseph showed them. And the outcome is a fine agreement with this trick, which I would not be able to follow; or, if one of us were to start the same thing, he would rather be clumsy than seem to play. For it is not the same intention, nor the same spirit or heart of such ardent love. For we have heard before that he was all in tears, and that he meant no harm, but only played with them thus in the highest and kindest love. Therefore, we cannot consider him an unskilful or carnal man, but a very wise and very holy man.
(19) These brothers, because they had been so favorably treated and so highly pleased, flattered themselves with whimsical rhetoric and fine words, and rejoiced with one another that their counsels, in their opinion, had turned out so well, that they had such a gracious lord, who was so well disposed toward them, that they would all go home with one another to their father. They would undoubtedly have wanted to praise the same at home, namely, how they had been received so kindly by the man who was lord of the land, and how he had invited them to his house and made them comfortable, not in the common inn, but in the prince's court itself; and how Benjamin in particular had been so highly honored, since he had been given five times more than the others had received.
20 For thus we are wont to rejoice in happiness; there we are without all fear and sorrow. How these brethren boast and triumph not only with glad hearts, but also with high spirits; and will now have entertained thoughts of blaming their father, because he had shown himself so very difficult in letting Benjamin go with them. Now he may well see for himself, they will have said, how with great honor and glory we are now coming home again.
21 But the same thing happened to them that Solomon says, Prov. 16:18: "He that shall fall to the ground is first made proud; and proud courage goeth before the fall." And so also a heathen poet said: Tolluntur in altum, ut lapsu graviore ruant: They are lifted high, so that afterwards they can fall so much harder. Item, so it is written in the 73rd Psalm v. 18: "Thou settest them on the slippery, and bringest them down to the ground."
(22) There is no fear of God, but they think that they have obtained this happiness through their merit, virtues and constancy, and because they have kept faith and loyalty to the Lord, since they brought Benjamin with them; and now they do not think otherwise than that, as the pious and righteous, such a reward will be given to them justly by God. Human nature does not know how to be modest when things go well for it, and does not know that weather gladly follows when the sun shines hot. But this glory of their righteousness and wisdom soon disappears in a moment.
(23) Therefore, we should learn to fear God, whether it is good or bad for us, with such constancy and regularity of heart that not only when there is a good time and happiness, but also when there is a bad time and it is not good, we sing a Te Deum laudamus in our hearts to God our Lord. If there is happiness and you are well, you may use it and thank God for it; but if there is misfortune and you are in a bad way, call upon God to take away the misfortune and misery, or to alleviate it somewhat. Yes, as you may be, see to it that God alone is your only and only
1632 X. 290-292. interpretation of Genesis 44:3-12. W. n. 2387-2400. 1633
be the highest consolation and refuge. For the confidence and glory in the merit of one's own wisdom and righteousness must be killed and done away with; as these brethren had such confidence that by their virtue or piety they had come to such great honor and glory.
V. 7-9. They answered him, "Why does my lord speak such words? Far be it from thy servants to do so. Behold, the money that we found in the top of our sacks we have brought back to thee out of the land of Canaan. And how shall we have stolen silver or gold out of thy lord's house? If he be found among thy servants, let him be put to death; and we also will be my lord's servants.
(24) These brothers rely on their righteousness and merit to deny the crime they are accused of and want to be completely excused from it. For so defiant is human righteousness and certainty that they think God is so foolish and weak that he cannot accuse such holy people of any sin. But they should have studied and learned the prayer of David, where he says Ps. 19, 13: "Who can know how often he falls short? Forgive me the hidden faults!" item, in Ps. 143, 2.: "Do not go into judgment with your servant"; and Job says in the 9th Cap. V. 2, 3: "I know very well that it is so, that a man cannot stand justified against God. If he has a desire to quarrel with Him, he cannot answer Him for a thousand." He shall bring a thousand sins upon me, of which I know not a word.
- And we are all such people from our conception and birth, namely, corrupted by original sin, that we may be accused in a thousand ways of being guilty before God, even if we let ourselves think that we are very pious and righteous. And if we want to be hopeful and not remain in the fear of God and in faith, then he puts a great burden of sins on us before him, of which we knew nothing; as David says Ps. 90:8. And there is then no other protection or shield,
By this we may be protected from God's severe wrath and displeasure, for only that we say, Have mercy on me, O Lord God; item, as it is written in 1^0. Psalm v. 3: "If thou wilt, O Lord, impute sin; O Lord, who shall stand?"
(26) But these brethren are not only safe from secret sin, but may also put on their innocence in a very wicked matter. There is no need, they will have said, we know ourselves innocent. Yes, they also pass the heaviest judgment on themselves, saying, "If the cup be found in any of thy servants, let him be put to death. Now this is the fruit of their own righteousness, which makes men so sure and stiff-necked, but especially in the monks and Baalites. For they do not have simple foolishness, but are even nonsensical. Through this nonsense they ascribe to themselves such great purity and innocence that they do not want to crawl in humility on the earth or bow down before God, as the poor sinners are wont to do, but may raise their heads high up to heaven. That is why they are thrust down from heaven to the lowest hell with thunder and lightning.
V. 10-12 He said, "Yes, just as you have said. With whomsoever he shall be found, he shall be my servant; but ye shall be left alone. And they hasted, and laid every man his sackcloth upon the earth, and every man opened his sackcloth. And he searched, and began at the greatest, even unto the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
27 Joseph's steward judges his cause rightly and mocks her finely. But he has somewhat eased the judgment they passed on him, which was very severe. He shall not die," he says, "for that would be unreasonable, that he should be put to death for this theft, or that you should all become servants for the sin of another: but with whomsoever I find the cup, he shall be my servant.
028 And they made haste, and laid down the sacks, and opened them: for they would put the steward to shame, that he should accuse them falsely and untruly of theft.
1634 L.L, 2S2-2S4. Interpretation of I Genesis 44:10-14. W. II, 2400-2403. 1635
would have been accused of. But because he was instructed by his master, he made his investigation quite circumstantial and important. For he began with the elders, knowing that the cup had been put in Benjamin's sack, that he might give them courage thereby, and that the delusion which they had entertained, as if they were righteous and would stand in their cause, might increase in them, when they saw that none of the elders were guilty. For to Benjamin they provide themselves no evil at all. If Simeon or one of the others, who had been in Egypt before, had not taken him, they would have said, "There will be no danger for us, and then we will freely give the lie to this steward.
029 Moreover they saw that every man's money was put into his sack, and they took it for a special blessing, though Moses remembered it not. But they will undoubtedly have drawn it to the former example, because the steward himself had said: Their God and their father's God would have given them the same treasure. Therefore they thought that it could not or would not be that he should find the cup with them, and that he had acted very unwise and ungodly in accusing them of theft, since he had seen that God had blessed them so often with immeasurable grace and had made them richer. So they draw everything to their honor. As the world eagerly accepts human and divine benefits and attributes them to their own merits, righteousness and piety; as these brothers of Joseph also consider themselves worthy of the great benefits and grace of the prince in Egypt.
(30) But they are so puffed up and proud by the false delusion of their own merit and innocence, that afterwards they must have fallen so much more shamefully, because they were so puffed up. Which also happened to the greatest monarchs, as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and others, who relied on their power and glory, that they had to fall suddenly.
(31) Although there is a different opinion here with these brothers of Joseph. For God does not think evil against them, also goes with it.
He does not want to destroy them, but only to humiliate and kill them, so that the honor, salvation and joy that will follow and meet them will be so much greater and more pleasant. For this reason, Joseph's steward does not cease to inspect each man's sack and search for the money, but continues to search for the cup and finds it in Benjamin's sack, who was the most innocent of them all.
Therefore, all their hope, security, joy and triumph soon fell miserably in an instant, and even vanished from them, since they were now most certain and could not doubt Benjamin's piety, and since the others were all innocent. Suddenly their courage is gone, and all the comfort and confidence they had had is taken away. All joy is gone and so completely gone that nothing could be more shameful. This is what our Lord God does.
Now they would rather that the cup were found in Reuben's or Simeon's sack than in Benjamin's, who had gone to Egypt against his father's will, foreseeing this danger. And what can we think, how Judah must have been at that time, who had become guarantor for his brother Benjamin? But they do not understand this game, nor do they do anything about it, but are only driven around and led in a wonderful way. For it is much more useful for us to be driven and led by God than to do, understand, foresee and arrange things of our own accord according to our own counsel or discretion. Our suffering is the most holy life. So these brothers were soon thrust and driven in an instant from heaven to hell, from life to death.
V. 13, 14: Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man upon his ass, and returned into the city. And Judah went with his brethren into Joseph's house, because he was yet there: and they fell down to the ground before him.
- now they no longer triumph, but rend their garments, and it is over the
1636 L X, 294-296. interpretation of Genesis 44:13 13. W. II, 240S-2407. 1637
They have become fearful and anxious, so they come back to Joseph's house, since he had remained calm, at the very place where they had eaten, and now he also acts as if the cup had been stolen from him, which was impossible. Therefore, he is now playing a little rough with them; but later he will reveal himself to his brothers and make himself known. But they were so afraid and frightened that they could not understand anything.
Judah had become Benjamin's guarantor, therefore he first fell to the earth before Joseph; and the others with him are also full of despair, who a short time before had been drunk with joy, as it were, and had let themselves gently dream that they were in paradise and in heaven, since the prince had shown himself with such great mercy toward them. For they now feel and sense that the same is now their enemy, and such a tyrant who can and will bring them into eternal bondage. So, in their opinion, they have been damned. And that means to humble the worthy and to push the mighty from their seats.
036 For how shall we think that they were minded, when they came again to Joseph? How will they have blamed and confronted Simeon and Levi, their predecessors and ringleaders, with such great sorrow and sadness, who had caused all this misfortune and lit this fire by selling their brother Joseph? For with this they will have spent the time on the road, so that they will have raised up one another and confronted them. Then Simeon and Levi will have been terribly frightened, and they will have wept miserably, and they will not have been able to deny the deed. The others will have said, "Why did we follow your advice? What shall we do now? Shall we go back to our father and let Benjamin stay here? How, if he would still let us all go into prison? For they knew in their hearts no other way than that they would all die. That is why they poured out their anger on Simeon and Levi. They will be pissed off on the way among the people.
scolded one another. Then the miserable and final lamentation of Jacob, that they would deprive him of all his children, will come to their minds. Then their hearts will have overflowed with great sorrow. Then the newcomer will have come to them. And now they have had sorrow for the sin they had committed, which is not yet true repentance, for now they see only their own harm and danger.
(37) And I consider that Simeon and Levi there were the most wretched, despised, and despondent, because the rest of the brethren had severely afflicted and confronted them, and had often reproached and rebelled against them: You killed our father and we all with you. Who then will deliver our brother Benjamin to his father again? Or, who among all of us will be allowed to come before his father's eyes from now on? Oh God! oh God! they will have said, what have you done? In this way Joseph, the pious holy patriarch, will bring them to right heartfelt repentance and perfect penitence and humility; not that he will destroy them with it, but rather that he will make them better and punish their sin, so that they may rightly recognize it and repent, and also diligently guard against such sins from now on.
Second part.
How Joseph speaks harshly to his brothers and what his brothers say back to him. Item, from the speech of Judah.
I.
And Joseph said unto them, V. 15: How could ye do this? know ye not that such a man as I am could guess?
(38) He saith not that he was a diviner, but speaketh that which served his cause, which he had in mind. For Egypt has always been inclined to various superstitions, and has thus confused and hindered the true religion in many ways. And Joseph could not eradicate all error, nor could the other prophets and apostles. And will never
1638 2L, 2S6-298. interpretation of Genesis 44:15-17. W. II, 2407-2110. 1639
a preacher change or abolish all that is erroneous or infirm in the church. We gather some out of the world through the preaching ministry; the net is thrown into the sea and gathers both evil and good. Therefore there is no doubt that the rule Joseph led was very good and praiseworthy, so that he corrected many things and set them right again, but he also had to let Satan have his part, since no prophet was ever able to convert all those he taught. And it is to be believed that at that time many sorcerers went about in Egypt from time to time.
(39) Joseph therefore plays thus, and feigns that they should have taken him for such a wise man as could divine. As if he wanted to say: You should have thought that there were many diviners, soothsayers and sorcerers in Egypt, and that especially the prince himself must be experienced in such arts 2c. So he poses as if he knows about their secret advice, and by such passages their terror is so increased that they almost want to die of pain.
V. 16. Judah said, What shall we say to my Lord, or how shall we speak, and what can we justify ourselves? God has asked for the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we and he with whom the cup is found are servants of my lord.
40 Hiztadek is a time word of the fourth conjugation; like that also, so in the 34th Psalm v. 3. stands: In the LORD my soul shall glory, that is, "My soul shall glory in the LORD." We cannot, they say, pretend to justify ourselves; we are actually guilty and confess our sin. And now this is the other part of this game. Joseph has now brought them to the last struggle, that they now say: We are thieves and bad boys; how can we cleanse ourselves or excuse ourselves with any pretense? If we were to say that the theft took place in your house, we would be accusing either yourself or the members of your household. And yet they are innocent, and know that they are not guilty.
But they must not and cannot stand firm about their innocence and protect themselves with it; they can do nothing else but say: We have sinned, God has found our iniquity. Therefore, they may not accuse either God or Joseph.
41 And this is finally the confession of sin, which Joseph has as it were forcibly wrung from them. For they now surrender to servitude and confess more than they have done, so that with such humility they may soften his heart to some extent, which grace they had also experienced before.
V. 17 And he said, Far be it from me to do this. The man with whom the cup is found shall be my servant, but you go up in peace to your father.
(42) Joseph shows himself to be very hard on his brethren, and pretends to be peculiarly righteous. Far be it from me," he says, "that all should be my servants; I desire nothing less than that. For I do not accuse you all, but only desire that he with whom the cup is found should be my servant.
43 Therefore this is a very fine play, and a beautifully excellent poem of this poet, the like of which I could not have written; for I have not such a great mind or spirit. From this it is clear that Joseph was a very excellent man and a splendid theologian, although he did not yet have the books of the prophets and was torn from his father's womb as a young man of seventeen. Yet he learned the right divine doctrine from his father very faithfully and with the utmost diligence; and not only did he keep his father's words about the promised seed, but he also received his spirit, and so, even through many trials, tribulations and sufferings, he always increased daily.
44 Because the good nature and the Holy Spirit came together, he had to become a great, excellent poet. And there is no doubt about it, he will have performed such plays or fine poems much more, and otherwise also other clever works throughout the whole time of his reign, which are just in this
1640 L. X. 2S8-300. interpretation of I Moses 44, 17. W. II. 2410-2113. 1641
Book are not written. But from this one example it can be seen what a prophet he was and what a high intellect and great spirit he must have had. To which gifts also the use and the daily practice of many things, so he experienced in his manifold miseries and plagues.
(45) Therefore he plays this game very nicely and leads his brothers into despair, death and hell; and since everything was lost and they were now even despondent, the remedy comes into the play, as it is wont to do in comedies, and drives away all danger, makes everything good again. Joseph was a very wise man, and well experienced in matters concerning faith and salvation; and yet he did not have the books that the church now has, and did not read Moses completely, nor Isaiah: some histories of the fathers except Jacob, otherwise he had nothing. Therefore, this was a great gift of prophecy.
46 After this it should be noted that this play is not only to be drawn on the divine government, to learn from it how he used to lead his saints; but that it also serves for our comfort, namely, when things are so bad and corrupt that one sees no more hope how they might be helped or advised, that one should then know that it has now come to the highest in the play, that it will soon change and come to a happy end. For this is how it is with the divine poems, as Paul finely says Eph. 2, 10: "We are the work of our Lord God" (poem). He is the poet, we are the verses and poems he makes. Therefore there is no doubt: our work and all our deeds are pleasing in the sight of God because of the special power and grace of faith.
47 In this way, the histories of the holy fathers, which the monks and those who are inexperienced in spiritual matters consider to be futile and useless. Denll they marvel that Joseph has thus dealt with the game and has so badly invested the good time, which rather the
Time is said to have fasted and prayed. What is it, they say, that such a wise man, who is full of the Holy Spirit, should spend his time so vainly in mocking and deceiving his brethren, that he should afflict and torture the innocent Benjamin and the others so miserably, and so mislead and distress them with such antics and jesting?
(48) But this is what I have often said: He who believes in God and serves Him from the heart, and is careful not to anger Him with words or works, all his works, yes, even his sleeping and waking, as well as his gambling, are done in the name of the Lord and are pleasing to God. But some other, who lives without spirit and faith and does not fear God, becomes puffed up and proud because of his righteousness and holiness, and chooses great works, and has an abhorrence of these games and works of the saints, because they are, in his opinion, all too mean, civil, carnal and worldly. He also flees from the household regiment, police and church offices. He lives without marriage, mortifies and kills his body. And finally he tries to escape from all creatures. As it is said of a forest brother who did not want to look at the sun, so that it would be a bodily light; but in the end he saw in his face that hell was full of monks. God undoubtedly abhors and condemns such foolish superstitions of the saints.
49 Therefore, those who want to live godly should fear God and trust in him, and wait for their profession; then they will find enough to do. They shall command the Lord their way evening and morning, shall sleep in the name of the Lord, and rise again, and do whatsoever cometh before their hand, no matter what their state. As Samuel says to Saul, 1 Sam. 10, 7: "Do whatever comes under your hand; for God is with you." Then everything must be well done, and all your works, even the jesting ones, will be fine and merry plays in the sight of God and His angels. As this play is also pleasing to God. Otherwise, the Holy Spirit would not have praised it in this way.
1642 L- L, svo-302. interpretation of Genesis 44:17, 18. w. II, 2413-2415. 1643
For we were not created to live a solitary life, to be separated from the fellowship of other men, but to do the common and ordinary works of this life with such diligence and pleasure as we are best able; as Solomon says in his Ecclesiastes, Cap. 9, 7: "Go, then, and eat your bread with gladness, and drink your wine with good courage; for your work is pleasing to God" 2c. And therefore God has also given to each one his office and position and what works he should do therein, so that we should not be free to deal with works of our own choosing according to our own devotion and as we please.
051 But now let us see what Joseph answered. "Far be it from me," he says, "to do such a thing. The man with whom the cup is found shall be my servant." There he meets their life. He does not call it theft, but says: "With whom the cup was found" 2c.; for it has only the appearance of theft. The others, however, he absolved, set free and released, so that they might go to their father in peace. This was said graciously and kindly enough, but it was an unpleasant word in the hearts of these brothers, especially Judas, who had become a guarantor for Benjamin. If the cup had been found in Simeon's house or in someone else's, whoever it might have been, then this misfortune could have been dealt with a little easier: but here they are now in danger of life and limb, the water goes over the baskets; everything is over and there will be a miserable weeping and wailing.
Therefore Joseph has now brought this game to the end, which he undertook in the beginning. For this is the right struggle and has now come to the highest with this history. Now he will bring them to the point that they will completely despair, so that there will be no more advice or help, but they will have to perish themselves and even kill their father. Here it is time for the rope to break.
II.
V. 18 Then Judah came to him and said, "My lord, let your servant speak a word.
in your hearing, my lord; and let not your anger be kindled against your servant; for you are but Pharaoh.
(53) This is Judah's speech, which was very violent and ardent; he would not have done it without much weeping and groaning. And though I could not speak thus, I cannot sufficiently interpret or explain such emotion and heartfelt movement that he poured out these words before Joseph. For behold, what causes drove him to it. He had left his old father at home, but not in the hope that he should have known that all of them, or at least the youngest, whom he loved dearly, would become servants in Egypt. But when he sees that Benjamin, contrary to all their opinion, has fallen into such miserable bondage and will never again come to his father, he becomes so sad and wistful that nothing but pure sorrow and despair is found in his heart; and such sorrow and heartache has forced him that he will have shed many bitter tears while he was speaking. Therefore he spoke these words and each one in particular out of the right reason of his heart.
(54) But he cometh of his own accord, unsolicited; yea, Joseph had already refused him: for he had said unto them, Go ye up in peace unto your father. But the extreme distress and the fact that he was so violently moved in his heart drove him not to see or consider what was good or bad for him. Before he was fearful, he humbled himself, he fell to the ground before Joseph, but now he does not even bend his knees, but comes straight to him, because the great accident and sorrow has overcome him.
(55) Oh, that we could call upon God with such great fervor as this Judah prays before his brother! I would give much that I could pray before our Lord God as well as Judah prays here before Joseph. For this is quite a perfect example of prayer, indeed, it is the right heartfelt desire or eagerness that should be in prayer. This Judah is bold and confident.
1644 L. X, 302-süt. Interpretation of I Moses 44, 18. **W. II, 24IV-24IS.** 1645
He does not remember the power or authority Joseph had, nor his own lowliness. The prayer and the great need made him bold, that he stepped before Joseph without any fear.
(56) Even if we could pray so fully, especially in the name of our Savior and mediator Jesus Christ, it would be impossible for such a prayer not to be heard. As Joseph will now no longer be able to abstain, he must weep and explain himself. For in our times we are also much afflicted with misery and tribulation, especially in the preaching or church office, since one challenge always follows another, and when one is over, seven others soon follow, which are far more severe.
(57) Now let it be known above all things that we have the good word; for this is the just ground on which we rely, that we are hearers, and that God speaks with us. Let no one doubt this. For he who does not know this, or who doubts it, may well make a long babble with prayer, and mumble much with his mouth, as the hypocrites are wont to do; but he cannot pray aright.
- but where this foundation is laid, which is the word of God, then prayer is our utmost help, yes, not help, but our strength and victory in all temptation and distress; as God's word itself is, when He says Ps. 50:15: "Call upon Me in trouble, and I will deliver thee"; and Isa. 65:24: "And it shall come to pass, before they call, that I will answer; while they yet speak, that I will hear." And the angel Gabriel said to Daniel, Dan. 9:23: "When thou beganst to pray, this command went forth."
For where the heart prays earnestly and fervently, it is impossible that such prayer should not be heard by God as soon as it is begun. I can truly say and testify to the same. I may not boast much about my prayer, but there is no doubt that the word of the angel Gabriel, Dan. 9, 23, is true; although we cannot always pray with such secret desire and fervor. The inexpressible groaning is not always there; for it is not in our power either: but it is in our power.
but when the spirit within us cries out: Abba, dear Father, then the mouth is silent and cannot understand or express this groaning. But when the cry of the Spirit breaks forth, as Isaiah says, nothing is more certain than that such a fierce prayer has already been heard. And even if the Turk, the pope, the emperor and all the gates of hell were to oppose it, they would be of no avail if the church could bring this unspeakable groaning to prayer. For we fight against the devil and the infernal gates. But what is flesh and blood in the enemies of the church? Since we can kill the devil with prayer, why should we not also be able to drive out the Turk and the Pope? For thus says Isaiah Cap. 31, 3. of Egypt: "Egypt is a man, and not God, and her horses are flesh and not spirit."
(60) The same should be said of our adversaries and persecutors, as we have so far stopped the hostile power of the emperor, the Turks and the pope 2c. with our prayers for four and twenty years. But the church in general, or the saints and believers in particular, have not always been so fervent in such prayer. As the theologians have a common saying that they say: Spiritus Sanctus non semper tangit corda prophetarum, that is: The Holy Spirit does not always stir the hearts of the prophets. The illuminations of the prophets do not always last for and for, without ceasing. As Isaiah did not always have revelations of great things, but only at special times.
61 The same is shown by the example of the prophet Elisha, when he says of the Sunamite woman 2 Kings 4:27: "Let her go, for her soul is troubled, and the LORD has hidden it from me and not told me. There he confesses that God does not always stir the hearts of the prophets. Sometimes the Spirit came when they played the harp or psaltery and sang some psalms and spiritual songs.
62 And this I say as an example, that prayer is not always so fervent as it tends to be where the Holy Spirit is
1646 k. X, 304-306. interpretation of Genesis 44, 18. W. n. S418-2421. 1647
Stirs up the heart in a special way. And yet this is a very good help and counsel to awaken prayer, so that it may become fervent and fierce, namely, that we may gladly read, sing, and hear God's word, and that we may diligently read the Psalter, or also go to the common assembly of the church: then the heart will be generally warmed, and the spirit will be kindled in us.
63 For this is the common rule and usage, that the Holy Spirit does not always touch the hearts with the inexpressible groan; but when He touches them with it, then it is already decided and certain that the prayer has penetrated through the clouds, and that what is asked for has been obtained in heaven and on earth, or heaven and earth should rather break.
This is why it is a good prayer to first imagine the word and then the urgent need, and to ponder it in the heart. When the devil drives us by force and the world afflicts us, the more grievously we are afflicted, the more fervently we pray. For the heart of the faithful is moved violently and cries and inexpressible groans are awakened in it, and the prayer, when it is first begun, is then also soon heard; as the angel says to Daniel Cap. 9, 23: "When you began to pray, this command went out."
(65) Thus in this place is described an example of a fierce prayer made by Judah, who forgets the great majesty and power of Joseph; and when he is pressed by necessity, he goes up and prays without all the reverence which he should have paid to Joseph.
It is the same with us. When there is happiness and we are well, we think of the high majesty and glory of God, whom we invoke, we also remember our own unworthiness and fear His power; therefore, prayer is not so strong and fervent. But when we are in distress and temptation, we do not pay special attention to the high majesty, but say straight away: Help, dear God! now help God! have mercy on us in heaven 2c. We do not make a long preface. So the utmost need makes us bold.
and confident people, they break through and finally win. But the word should always be the foundation and basis of prayer, to which faith should adhere, who believes in God and comes to Him with right trust in the mediator Jesus Christ.
If we could pray in this way, we would easily despise the threats of the whole world. As we have endured the violence and storms of all our enemies until now; and even though we have been cold in prayer, the power of prayer is always before God.
(68) The fierce anger of Behemoth and all devils is so great against us that no one can believe it, but they cannot subdue us. But if God would let them loose for a moment, they would soon devour all our wisdom, our strength and our resistance. For our own help, or strength, or counsel, is like a small form, or outward larva, that God may mock the adversaries, that they may think it is great strength, and be afraid of the same larva. But why is that? Because this is the title of our Lord God, who takes away the courage and strength of princes, Psalm 76:13. But who judges the same? Answer: He who believes, who has the word, who prays and calls on God, that is, the Spirit of grace and prayer itself, Zech. 12:10.
(69) How Judah comes here with fervor, without any fear, because he is driven by extreme distress. Therefore he thinks: "Behold, my father Jacob is waiting at home with great longing for his sons to return soon. He has lost Joseph before, now Benjamin is in danger of life and limb. I, as a guarantor, will be killed by my father; but he, the father himself, will also have to die from great pain and suffering. Thus Judah is the most miserable and sorrowful, and has been deprived of all hope and help.
70 Therefore he says in Hebrew, bi adoni: My Lord. The little word bi is an exclamation, in other places it means as much as, in me; but here it is a word, so that one pleads and asks. Just as the same word is used by the harlot in the presence of King Solomon, 1 Kings.
1648 D. X, 306-308. interpretation of Genesis 44:18-24. W. II, 242I-L42L. 1649
3:26, saying, "Alas, my lord." Judah is frightened and even grieved, therefore he cries out so vehemently and repeats the whole story at length. And Joseph listens to this, not without bitter tears and movement of his heart, although he still conceals such movement. Until then, however, the preface lasts, which, although finely humble, did not befit such great majesty of Joseph.
V. 19-24 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 born 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 unto thy servants: Bring him down unto me; and I will shew him mercy. 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. Then we went up to thy servant my father, and told him by my lord's speech.
(71) Benjamin is called a son of old age, because Jacob begat him in his old age. For though he begat the others also, being already old in years, yet he took special care of the two that were born of the most excellent wife, Rachel. But why is Benjamin called a young boy, since he stood with the other brothers before Joseph and was already the father of ten children? This is because he is the youngest of them all and was loved tenderly by his father. In addition, he was born twelve or sixteen years later, after the others had all been born into the world. When Joseph was sold, he was still in the cradle after his mother, Rachel, died miserably in childbirth. Therefore, because he was born in such misery and affliction, he is appropriately called a young boy.
Seventy-two: And he remembered Joseph, Benjamin's brother, who was present, but unknown unto them. And of course
He could not have listened to this without a great stirring and emotion of his heart, especially since Judah's speech was full of sighing and tears, which prevented him from speaking so well. But Joseph still holds his ground.
73 Judah also mentions the dead mother, not otherwise than as if she were still alive, that he might thereby move the heart of Joseph the more. For thus his words are of Benjamin, "And he alone is left of his mother." Therefore some others ask: Why Judah may have said this? But this interpretation is finely plain and easy according to grammar, if the dative be changed into an ablative: Relictus est de matre sua: "He is left over from his mother", as our German reads. Therefore these words are spoken by a boy very miserably, namely, he is the smallest, the youngest, is left by his mother alone; but she died miserably. And if his brother has also perished, he alone is left, he alone is his father's desire. This, I say, is an agitated and violent speech, full of the highest emotions and inclinations.
74 And Judah was moved with this speech of his, not only because of his brother, but also because of the great love and care of his father toward the same Joseph. "Where the lad," he says, "shall leave his father, the father shall die." But we have rendered thee obedience. Therefore, I pray that you will have mercy on us, because we have done more than we should have done.
(75) Yea, and this is more, he also cites Joseph's promise: Thou hast commanded us to bring him unto thee, that thou mightest see him, and shew mercy. But this will not be a sign of grace or favor, namely, to take by force from the father his son, whom he loves especially and whom he has let go with great lamentation very unwillingly, and even to deprive him of him. And we should never have asked or desired the same from our father if you had not bound us with such a strict commandment that we had to commit ourselves to it against you. For thus thou saidst unto thy servants, Wherefore
1650 L. x, sos-Lio. Interpretation of Genesis 44:19-34. W. rr, 2124-2127. 1651
if your youngest brother does not come with you, you shall see my face no more." Therefore we have diligently kept thy words and thy commandment, and relied upon thy promise and thy commandment: but now we find that thou dealest so unkindly with us and with our old father, that we had never provided for ourselves, nor deserved that thou shouldest now utterly destroy us all, and have us dead.
25-29 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 bare me two sons: one went out from me, and they said he was torn: and I have not seen him hitherto. If you take this one also from me, and an accident befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs with lamentation into the pit.
76 Then he remembered his father again, and told what he had reproached them with, and his sorrow and distress, and his lamentation, and all his words, that he might soften and move Joseph with them. He omitted or forgot nothing that might have served him to move Joseph, and to capture and conquer his heart. "If you also take this one from me," says our father, "and an accident befalls him, you will bring my gray hairs down with lamentation into the pit." Up to this point, however, the story continues, in which Judah recounts Joseph's command and his request, as well as his father's answer. Now follows further in the text the conclusion of this speech, which is very agitated and violent.
Now if I should come home to thy servant my father, and the lad were not with us, because his soul hangeth on this soul, it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not there, that he shall die; and we thy servants would bring the gray hairs of thy servant our father into the pit with sorrow of heart. For I, your servant, have become guarantor for the boy against my father.
And he said, If I bring him not again unto thee, I will bear the guilt all the days of my life. Then let your servant stay here in the boy's place, to be the servant of my lord, and let the boy go 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.
He finally said this with heavy sighs and hot tears: If I do not bring the boy back, then our father will surely die of heartfelt sadness, and so we will bring his gray hairs down into the pit. What do you think you will gain if we kill our old father like this? That's what you want to see: What good will it do you if we kill our old father? We should have nothing better in this life, and we should be more concerned about it, than the welfare and health of our father; therefore I will let you be commanded to do the same, and ask that you will not cause such a miserable and unjust accident and death with your disgrace. For Judah is afraid and anxious, and is trying very hard, because he had become guarantor for the boy against his father. Joseph knows all this, or at least he will have believed their words. Otherwise, Judah says, we will not be allowed to come before our father again unless we bring the boy with us. I will be your servant forever for my brother; only let me obtain this from you, that I may be your servant; for how can I go up to my father?
He will have spoken all this with weeping and groaning, stretching out his hands as those who fall at another's feet do. For this is the last part of this speech, in which the highest movement of his heart and also of his brothers was. They are very brave and important words, full of heartfelt emotions and movements, which no one, even if he is well satisfied in his own heart, can read without tears. Cicero
1652 L. X, 3I0-S12. Interpretation of Genesis 44:30-34. w. n. 2427-2429. 1653
says in one place: My tears prevent me from speaking 2c. But these are not true tears, which have come or arisen from the most important causes and affects, as when words and weeping are mixed together and thus speech is prevented.
- And God wanted me to be able to call upon God with the same fervor as often as I would like. For when I have once prayed in this way, I have felt that this answer would be given to me visibly or understandably: "Let it be done what you ask; let it be yes. And no man would be able to despise such a prayer, which thus goes out from the bottom of his heart; much less will it be able to be in vain or in vain with God. The Holy Scripture testifies to this, as it says Sir. 35, 21: "The prayer of the wretched penetrates through the clouds"; item, that the angel says to Daniel Cap. 9, 23: "When you began to pray, this command went out." Quickly Gabriel must be there when Daniel prays. Run, says our Lord God, and answer 2c. Oh! if we could pray and believe, we would obtain everything that we might need in body and soul. Or, if God were to deny us something, He would give us another that would be much better and greater. Yes, there would be no delay in answering if such a fervent prayer were to come before God's ears.
80] As the example of Daniel shows, who desired that Jerusalem and the temple there might be raised up again. That was his intention, that is why he was concerned: he saw the wretched devastation and was moved by it, and took it to heart. No doubt this is why he prayed with heavy sighs and bitter tears. Immediately the angel comes and says: "You have not only obtained this; for this is a small thing in the sight of God: I will tell you even more: "Seventy weeks are appointed for your people, and for your holy city; so the transgression is increased, and sin is sealed, and iniquity is atoned for, and everlasting righteousness is brought" 2c., Dan. 9, 24. Gives him the beautiful glorious prophecy; yes, the beautiful bright revelation.
the angel adds to it and describes with it the certain time of the future of Christ. This is what I have said, that such a fervent prayer as this, as soon as it is only begun, obtains everything it wants, and much more and greater as well.
81 Therefore let this be an example and sign to us, which should also move and stimulate us to pray with perfect confidence and strong courage, without any doubt. It is not always in our power, as I have said, to pray with such great spirit, but we should be diligent, especially in time of need, that our prayer may be entirely fervent. Hearts do not always feel such confidence that they should thus be inflamed with prayer; for it is in our way and hinders us that our flesh and blood are so careless and slothful; item, original sin darkens our senses and minds, making them weak, feeble and sluggish for right heartfelt prayer; and our business also hinders us, we are pulled to and fro by various worries.
But when the greatest need comes, the Holy Spirit also comes and throws it at the feet of our Lord God. At the same time the spirit of prayer comes and cries out in us: Lord God, you have called us to ask, to pray, to knock and to seek 2c. So you will truly know that such prayer is not in vain or in vain, but can accomplish great wonderful things, which the world and we also cannot see.
- In this way, these brothers of Joseph weep and pray before him with the greatest anguish, groaning and crying of their hearts. There, I say, the dear brothers stand in the groaning of their hearts, wringing their hands, weeping and wailing, tearing their clothes 2c. And not only do they weep, but Joseph also sheds many tears, even though he conceals it and still eats the deep pain of his heart. But now he can no longer refrain, when he sees that Judah and his other brothers have a righteous heart and steadfast prayer, as well as an uncontaminated love for Benjamin, and that there is now also true repentance. For
1654 L. x. 3i2-3it. Interpretation of Genesis 44, 30-34. cap. 45, 1. 2. w. n. 2420-2434. 1655
This is not only an example of prayer, but also of a true and very great repentance; as I reminded you in the beginning.
84 And here we would have cause to speak of right true and false repentance; but we will save this until another place, and also this doctrine has already been abundantly dealt with in other books. We will now continue in the history and further consider the great pain and groaning of these brothers. For so they will have thought: Ah, what will become of this in the end! If Judah stays here and Benjamin goes up to his father, the father will still not be satisfied. And we are not yet free from all sorrow and distress; but the chief cause is still behind, wherefore we may be justly grieved and sad, which shall also kill the father and ourselves. For how can Judah remain here, who is the chief steward of our Father's house? Simeon, Reuben and Levi are of no account, but Judah is the head of our whole family. Wherever they turn, there it will not go: it is all sorrow and heartache.
- it is, they will have said, all full of great mourning and lamentation with
For if we obtain from the prince that we may go up and bring Benjamin back to our father, that he may not die of great heartache, how will he die of sorrow, when he shall lose the steward who governed the whole household? Then the father would say to us: You also want to deprive me of the son, and thus cause me to have the heaviest sorrow and heartache for and for, you bring Benjamin again and leave Judah out: you bring me in all sorrow. Thus, wherever they turn, they find nothing but misery and distress, both inwardly in their hearts and outwardly in their eyes; even that they have now grown weary and tired from much weeping and wailing, and may now ask nothing more. Oh, God would that they could still be granted and shaped, that Judah could be a servant for Benjamin! But they do not yet know whether they can obtain the same from the Lord and whether he will also release Benjamin? Therefore the highest pain and heartfelt remorse for the sin committed is described here, so that Joseph will also soon be overcome. He is now imprisoned.
The Forty-Fifth Chapter.
First part.
Joseph makes himself known to his brothers.
Then Joseph could no longer refrain himself from all who stood around him, and he cried out, "Let everyone go out from me. And there stood no man with him, when Joseph confessed with his brethren. And he cried with a loud voice, so that the Egyptians and Pharaoh's servants heard it.
(1) I have no doubt that Joseph will have trembled at the whole of Judah's account and request, and that his heart will have softened.
have been. For every word that Judah spoke stirred his heart because of the great faithfulness and love he bore to his brothers. They were all heartfelt words. For he was not cruel or tyrannical, but completely pious and kind, full of the Holy Spirit and wonderful affection for his brothers.
(2) And Judah has told almost all the pieces that served to awaken Joseph's affections and natural inclinations, so that it was harder for him to expect the end of this speech than for Judah himself and his brothers to hear it.
1656 2- X. 3I4-SIS. Interpretation of Genesis 45:1-3. w. n. 2434-S4Z7. 1657
to conclude the speech he had begun. Therefore he says to the Egyptians who were standing around: "Let everyone go out from me." He cannot hold any longer. His heart was softened by the sweet fire and the pleasant moisture that had flowed from his tears and sighs. He tells them all to go away, and does not want anyone else to be with him except these foreign guests, perhaps because he did not want the Egyptians to see his weeping and sighing. For the outburst of his affections and friendly inclination toward his brothers and father was so strong that he could not bear that strangers should be present and look at the same. Therefore, he now begins with a short word:
V. 3. And said to his brothers: I am Joseph.
3 Then he tears out. Wouldn't it have been a miracle if all of them, having heard the word, had both died of fright and joy? He could no longer speak out, even though the others were not present, but poured himself out completely, and could do nothing but weep, sigh and wail, and all this in a loud voice, so that even those who had gone out and all Pharaoh's servants could hear.
004 Wherefore he hath hitherto refrained and constrained himself with great strong courage, while Judah spake, and the Egyptians that stood round about went out. Then it went out like a cloudburst, and the whole house marveled at the weeping and crying, and asked, "What has happened to the Lord because he is crying like this? What might the weeping mean? Whether perhaps the foreign guests had done him violence?
That is right, touching and moving the heart, and both with words and at the same time with bitter tears prove the great movements of the heart. I cannot explain or explain this thing with words, nor can I reach it or understand it sufficiently with thoughts.
- but that is a very kind word,
and that serves very well for the battle they had to fight, that he says: "I am Joseph. This serves the purpose very well. And there he did not use the Egyptian language, as he had spoken to them before through an interpreter; but now he uses the mother tongue, since his brothers did not believe that he should know it, because he had used an interpreter. But now, since the mediators and negotiators were not present, he speaks to them in Hebrew, not saying, "I am Abrech, Zophnath, Paneach," as his brothers undoubtedly called him before, because of the great power and glory he had in Egypt; which honor the name the king gave him also signified, for "he called him the secret council," as it says above in 41 Cap. V. 45: but now he says to them, "I am Joseph."
This is another hard struggle and the climax of this story, when Joseph so suddenly reveals himself to his brothers, whom they had previously thought to be a horrible and terrifying tyrant, because he showed himself to be so strange and terrifying to them. And even though he gave many signs of hope that kindness and mercy were still hidden under such a hostile form, they could not understand this. Here, however, he did not need a long digression nor an interpreter, but went straight out with these words: "I am Joseph.
(8) Therefore, this is a very good example of how God should behave toward us. For if he punishes the godly, and pretends not to be our God and Father; or if he shows himself to be rather a tyrant and strict judge, who only wants to torment us and even destroy us, then he finally says in his time and when his appropriate hour comes: "I am the Lord, your God. Up to now I have not dealt with you differently than if I had wanted to reject you and push you into hell; but this is the way I play with my saints. For if I had not been favorable to you with all my heart, I would not have played such a game with you.
1658 316. S17. Interpretation of Genesis 45:3. W. u, St37-2tM. 1659
(9) This, then, is pictured to us in the government of the saints for our comfort, that we may learn to tolerate the hand of God which instructs and tests us, that we may learn to know and humble ourselves, and that thus in us the terrible calamity called original sin may be put to death. For it is not that we should be condemned or rejected, though our cross and punishment, which we bear, is very like destruction and death: but that the sin which by nature clings to us may be swept out, that we may learn what is said, which the Lord saith 1 Sam. 2:6, 7: "I kill, and make alive; I bring into hell, and bring out again; I make poor, and make rich."
These are God's works, of which Isaiah, Paul and Christ Himself in the Gospel so wonderfully disputes, Matth. 10, 38: "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me"; item Joh. 12, 25: "Whoever loves his life will lose it" 2c. But then reason asks: Why then does God afflict the innocent Christians in this way? Answer: He does not do this in vain or in vain, but in order to make the sins less and to put them away. After that, because we still have many faults and sins on us, we can by no means boast of innocence. For only look at those whom he lets go so safely and unpunished according to their own lust and desire, leaves them the bridle and that they have no challenge at all. Dear, what do they do? Well, they fall from one sin to another, into fornication, death, adultery, hatred and other dreadful, horrible sins and disgraces. As the same can be seen today in the See of Rome and all the Curtisans or papal clusters. For what are the cloisters of the bulls and cardinals but vain whorehouses? And Rome is such a place, where all villains and knaves, and all vices have taken the upper hand. "For they are not in misfortune like other people, and are not afflicted like other people," as the 73rd Psalm v. 5. says. Sin is not thus swept out of them, and they have no chastening in it; but where
the death and repentance cease, there is no more counsel or help for salvation.
(11) Therefore we Christians must learn that the Scriptures everywhere teach this chastening, by which we are humbled. But if we are righteous and counted among those who desire the kingdom of heaven, as we certainly are, we must know that we have been baptized into the death of Christ, Rom. 6:3. We must follow Him as our chief man, so that the body of sins may cease. And our life is nothing else in the sight of God, except that we must always be destroyed, killed and led into hell. Not that we should be destroyed by this, but to help us, to save us and to purify us. But such death must not only consist in words, but also in works; as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 4:20: "The kingdom of God is not in words." Sin still clings to us, since we were conceived and born in it; our flesh is corrupt, which the devil tempts to all kinds of sins and vices: what else should God do with us, but to purify us always? although this cannot happen without pain and suffering. It must hurt and must be felt.
(12) In this way Joseph was wonderfully tried and well exercised, until he was humbled, chastened, and finally exalted. For thus he came to such great knowledge and understanding of godliness, and to such great wisdom, that he could counsel and preside over others, yea, even rule the whole world. The whole kingdom of Egypt was not large enough for his wisdom, although he was useful to many people and instructed not only the common people but also the king himself and the priests in true blessedness. But from where did he get this, that he was able to do this? Answer: Because he was killed beforehand and led into hell, was despised and in a desperate situation; and yet, with great strong courage, he still retained true faith and hope in the face of adversity.
16608- x. 317-319. interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. w. n, 2440-2442. 1661
(13) In the same way he tempts and humbles his brethren, that he may exalt them. Therefore this is a righteous and excellent example of the divine government, "who spared not even his own Son, but gave him for us all," Rom. 8:32, that he should be sufficient for our sin. But we are not humbled that we should thereby be made sufficient for sin, but that we should only be purified and swept away. He did not need cleansing or purification for himself, because he was completely innocent; but by his suffering he deserved that our humiliation, death, condemnation and damnation should be pleasing to God.
14 This is to be learned, as it is taught in the Holy Scriptures. For the papists and the Turks know nothing of these things, thinking that they are blessed, perfect and holy, and that they please God with their obedience and supposed worship without such purification. Therefore, they do not ask anything about God, nor do they fear Him. And I do not speak now of Pope Julius or Clement, as hideous monsters among the popes; but let us look at the examples of the good pious saints, as Augustine, Bernard and many others have been, except for the faith in them. They think they are pious and healthy, they teach patience, but they are very cold. And if you ask why they fast, why they mortify their bodies, why they allow themselves to be scourged, they bring out the cause, saying: "That they may thereby earn to be exalted above other common Christians in the kingdom of heaven.
This is not the ultimate cause of the cross imposed on Christians, but rather that they may be put to death in the flesh, and that sin may cease, and the original sin that naturally attaches to us may be somewhat controlled. And the more you are swept or purified, the more you will be blessed in the life to come. For there will undoubtedly follow honor and glory after the sorrow and affliction we must bear in this world. But of all these afflictions the final cause is the ringing
which is quite necessary and useful, so that we do not snore, become sluggish and lazy from the sleep addiction of our flesh. For where we have peace and rest, we do not pray, we do not consider the Word, but deal coldly with the Scriptures and with everything that concerns God; or else we finally even fall into shameful and harmful security.
(16) Therefore we must be afflicted and humbled. If it is not through bloodshed and imprisonment, as was the suffering of the holy martyrs, then it must be through spiritual challenge, through sadness, pain and fear, which we have in our hearts. For otherwise we would perish in sins, because our flesh is corrupt, poisoned, and even leprous, and needs a physician to come to the rotten flesh through the cross, torture, sorrow, shame, disgrace; for this is the proper medicine, that God may purge out sin.
(17) The Scriptures are full of such examples, namely, that the saints must serve. For out of affliction they forget spiritual exercises, pray, believe and praise God all the more diligently. But again, in distress and affliction, they cry out, sigh and lament, and are thus trained and instructed in words; as Isaiah Cap. 28, 19. says: "Only the trial teaches to remember the word."
- But at last, when the temptation has come to an end, the most gracious Father and Savior of our souls lets himself be seen, and says, "I am the Lord your God; I have punished you. As Joseph also says here with a loud voice, "I am Joseph"; I have troubled you very much and tempted you in many ways; not out of a hostile spirit or that I would have a desire to destroy you, but rather that I would awaken in you repentance and the purification of sins, that you might become righteous and godly. Therefore do not fear, for I am not the man you think I am, nor the man you have imagined me to be, that is, a terrifying and horrible Egyptian tyrant. No, there you are far wrong.
- In the same way it is with the thoughts, grumbling and suspicion.
1662 2. x. 319-321. interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. w. n. 2442-2445. 1663
of the godly, if they draw from themselves from God. For this is all a vain false and fictitious thing. For we cannot understand what God actually means by His counsel. "What I do, you do not know now," says Christ to Peter John 13:7, "but you will know later. I will wash your feet now; but what the same washing means or what I mean by it, you do not understand now.
20 Thus, we do not understand God's counsel and will at the time of suffering. That is why those who are afflicted and punished tremble so terribly and fight against God with unbelief, anger and impatience, and also with despair. But if they hold fast to faith and hope with God's help, so that they do not despair, there is no need. For God does not count their complaining and murmuring as sin. But after that he comes and says: I am the Lord your Savior.
(21) But this I knew not, saith reason, and could not think otherwise than that the devil had thus raged and raged against me. For our nature cannot bear with patience to be corrupted and destroyed; nor does it understand that temptation is only a purification: therefore it is afraid of it, and is angry or rages against it. For this reason, faith in the Word is necessary, so that we can endure and bear the hand of the Lord and know what we should hold on to and what we should rest on.
(22) Those who are punished and afflicted feel nothing else and also complain, they must perish and even go to the ground, and nature cannot think otherwise when it is killed; it cannot say otherwise than: I am lost. But what a blessed comforting word and voice of the Christians, when they can hang on the word and say: I am baptized; I believe in God the Father; I believe in Jesus Christ. If only this remains firm and certain in the heart, then all will be well.
(23) The flesh is troubled and afflicted; it is in pain; our reason despairs; our will grumbles; and at last, all the senses are utterly dumbfounded and dismayed. Like David
says of himself in the 31st Psalm v. 23: "I said in my anguish, I am cast out of your sight. But such words and thoughts are to be punished, and one must resist the corrupt nature and reason, which cannot understand or speak anything else. But what shall I do then, you may say, when I am already set in the gates of hell and in despair? Shall I say, as it is written in the Psalm: I am lost, I am even cast out? 2c. Not at all, but you should conclude with yourself and say: I am baptized, I am called by the word; I believe in the Son of God, who suffered for me. "My father and my mother forsake me; but the LORD receiveth me," Ps. 27:10.
(24) Yes, you say, but I do not see the gracious and favorable Lord. That is right. But hear that he is such a Savior and Helper: though he conceals and hides mercy and help, and thus shows himself as if he knew nothing about you, yet he sits at the right hand of God the Father, governs you, cares for you, and is concerned about you. Christ himself also laments in the 38th Psalm, v. 12: "My loved ones and friends stand against me, and my affliction is shunned, and my neighbors are distant."
(25) This is very burdensome to the godly, when all this is not done in jest, but in earnest. And because it is reality and not just a vain pretense, it is very painful to the flesh. As when a boy is chastised with a rod because he has not studied diligently, he truly feels the pain, cries and howls; and it cannot be otherwise where discipline and obedience must be kept. Much less is the sin of adults, where original sin is evident, swept out without pain, so that they should not cry out, that they are rejected by God and even lost. But one should not conclude in this way. Just as a child does not think that his father is an enemy to him because of the chastisement of his father or disciplinarian. And what are we but children before God?
26 Therefore the 118th Psalm v. 18 says gloriously: "The Lord chastises me, but he does not give me over to death. And Solomon
1664 L.L,SA-WS. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. W. L. S44S-2448. 1665
Prov. 22:15: "Folly is in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline shall drive it far from him." The same is to be said of divine chastening, especially because he has given us the word to which we are to adhere, namely, that it is not pain, or sorrow, or repentance to fear and despair; but however severely he is angry, that we may yet believe that he is our Savior and dear Father. As Job says, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him," Job 13:15.
For this is the difference between the children of God and the unbelievers, who rebel against the punishment and do not want to bear the chastening of the Lord. But the chastening is necessary for the Godly because of the corrupt flesh, which is full of sin and security, contempt of God, anger and fornication. That is why they do not pray, do not believe, do not hope and do not respect God.
(28) These infirmities and serious diseases and sicknesses still afflict the saints and believers. Therefore, so that God may heal them, He uses such punishment for them, and He kills them and leads them to hell. Which remedies and works of God are occasionally described in the holy Scriptures and in the examples of the godly, but they have never been understood by the world and by reason, for they do not have the book from which they could learn this art. Nor is there any other book that teaches this, except the book in which the Holy Spirit speaks to us in this way: "I am a God who kills and makes alive, who leads into hell and out again, who makes poor and makes rich," 1 Sam. 2:6, 7. And I do not do this in particular, or one thing without another, so that I alone should say: I kill; no, that would be the devil: but I am such a God, who killeth, and also quickeneth. I lead into hell, but in such a way that I lead out again.
(29) This should be repeated often and done diligently. For it is the wisdom of Christians and their own doctrine that they should have such strong courage that nothing can be done to them.
They have the Word, and absolution, and baptism, and remission of sins, and the promise of eternal life, and whatever calamities they may suffer, whether in death or in hell, no calamities excepted, whether they be inwardly or outwardly afflicted or affrighted; that they may say, "I am the Lord of death, and of sins, and of all calamities: I am joyful, triumphant, and proud; for I am Lord of death, of sins, of hell, of the world, and of all calamities; that with Him there is no difference between life and death, riches and poverty, shame and honor; and that therefore a Christian may become a Lord, mighty in battle, set over the terror of death, hell, and all adversaries. And this not of ourselves, for nature cannot accomplish it, but because our Savior, our Lord and Victor, the Son of God, sits at the right hand of the Father, who saves, protects and governs us. Therefore, death may terrify us, Satan may drag us into hell: what is the matter with that? My Lord and Savior is still alive.
This art surpasses all reason and human wisdom, and the saints, such as David and Paul, could not fully attain or understand it. Paul, who was a high apostle, confesses of himself 2 Cor. 12, 7-9: "I have been given a stake in the flesh, that is, the angel of Satan, to smite me with his fists, because I have thrice confessed unto the Lord that he departed from me." He would have gladly been rid of his. "And he said unto me," namely, the LORD at the right hand of God, "Be content with my grace." What do you think this is, dear Paul, that I love you? My power cannot be mighty except in your weakness. You must be weak, you must suffer, groan, be miserable and weak, too good for yourself, so that with suffering and struggling you may finally prevail and become a great apostle. If you are not weak, my power has nothing to do with you. If I am to be your Christ, and you in turn my apostle, then you will overcome your weakness with my power, your foolishness with my strength.
1666 L. X, S2S-32S. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. **W. II, 244S-24S0.** 1667
ner wisdom, my life must rhyme with your death.
(31) This is the doctrine of Christians, which neither philosophers nor lawyers teach; neither do they understand the causes, neither where they come from, nor where they are to be directed, nor how they are to be brought about. Philosophy teaches something about patience, but at the same time it demands that one should be innocent. Therefore we should diligently remember that we suffer as the innocent, but who nevertheless need this ruth. As the Lord says in Jeremiah against Edom, Jer. 49:12: "Behold, those who were not guilty of drinking the cup," like Daniel and some others, "must drink; and thou shalt go unpunished? Thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou must drink also." Item, so he also says against Jerusalem, Jer. 2, 35: "Behold, I will be right with thee, and thou shalt say, I have not sinned." As if to say, "For this reason I will punish you, so that you will not forget your sins, in which you were conceived and born. For otherwise thou wouldest say, Why punishest thou me, or why must I thus be tormented; why dost thou not rather inflict this punishment on Moab and Edom? For I am thy people, I sacrifice unto thee, I praise and glorify thy name. I do this, says the LORD, only so that you may not boast of your innocence before me. But I will not chasten thee in mine anger, but with moderation in judgment, as a father loveth and chasteneth his child. Therefore you shall not be lost.
- yes, do you want to say, what have i sinned? what have i been guilty of? Answer: Ask the apple in paradise. Moab and Babylon have no cause to punish and persecute you, but you are not innocent before me because of the sin of your first parents in Paradise. Therefore you shall give me glory and recognize your uncleanness with humility, and say: Lord God, you do right in chastising us; as Daniel says Cap. 9, 7: "You, Lord, are righteous, but we must be ashamed."
- God knows and recognizes what is hidden in our hearts and how corrupt our nature is; therefore He punishes us graciously and
fatherly. And finally, when the punishment ceases, he reveals himself to us and says: I am your God, who love you and embrace you kindly; I meant it warmly and kindly. Then the souls are again generally raised up and can then comfort themselves with the grace and kindness of God. And that is God's comfort in this life. But how great will be their joy on that day, when the Son of God will appear and say: Behold, I am your Savior and Redeemer, whom you have accused as if I should not care for my church and congregation, and have no regard for them, as if I were not God and did not care for you. Behold, here I am. For this reason I chastised you, that your sin might be purified and swept away, and that you might recognize me as your God and Savior.
This game and how wonderfully God governs His saints is what the Holy Spirit wanted to portray in this example of Joseph. And beloved, think what a sweetly pleasant word it will be in the ears of the blessed on the last day: "I am Joseph" 2c., yes, what a joy it is now, when God gives even a small drop of comfort through His word to those who are afflicted and challenged. How one is so heartily glad when the challenge is over! Therefore, this will be a much greater, yes, an unspeakable joy, since the God of all comfort will reveal Himself and pour Himself out over us in eternal life.
(35) The sons of Jacob felt a little relief from the sorrow and grief they had before, because Joseph drew them to his table and dealt graciously with them, and gave them a delicious treat, and gave their youngest brother five times as much as they had given to one another, and at last restored to each of them his money in particular.
And God plays with us in just such a way when he gives us temporal comfort. But what will it be on that day, when not a little drop, but the whole heaven will be opened, and the whole Godhead will be revealed and seen? Then we will be glad and rejoice in this word: "I am Jo-
1668 D- r, 32S-Z27. interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. W. n, siso-siss. 1669
seph" 2c. May our dear Lord God strengthen us and give us patience, so that we may wait for this great hope presented to us with such faith and constancy, as we ought to do. For this joy is also praised from time to time in the Psalms, and several exhortations are also made to strengthen the hearts of the godly with it. For example, in the 31st Psalm, v. 20: "How great is thy lovingkindness, which thou hast hid from them that fear thee, and hast shewed to them that trust in thee before men"; and in the 27th Psalm, v. 14: "Take heed unto the LORD, be thou confident and undaunted, and take heed unto the LORD."
(37) But in this life the alternation of comfort and affliction remains, for otherwise the godly would perish through constant temptation if they never had a little comfort. As Joseph now invited his brothers to him and received them kindly, he soon frightened them again. Thus God also leads us wonderfully, and sustains us so that we do not despair in adversity and tribulation, since we are thus purified from our sins; for such purification will cease in the life to come. Now follows in the text:
Is my father still alive?
38 He asks about the father, not as if he doubted that he was still alive, but that he proves that he loves them with all his heart and that he talks to them out of such love. At the same time, however, it is such a word that contains an astonishment. As if he wanted to say: I could hardly believe that my father should still be alive; I have always thought that he could not have lived so long. For I still remember how fiercely he loved my mother, and since she died miserably in childbirth, I have seen how miserably he grieved over her death, and I have also seen that he has had many other miseries and accidents in the house, by which he has been greatly distressed. For his nature is quite kind, and he loves his own dearly, not only out of natural inclination, but also out of the love of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, it often occurred to me, after I had left, that he would.
I was also dying of pain because I knew that he had such a tender and soft heart, even though it was big and strong in the glow.
39 For the weakness of nature still clings even to the saints, and the sadness and sorrow is so strong and powerful that it kills many people. In this life many of them die, even godly people, because of the sorrow of their hearts, which in itself is true death, and which is much sharper than a sword can be; as Sirach testifies in chapter 30, v. 25. V. 25, where he says: "Sadness kills many people, and yet serves nowhere"; and Paul 2 Cor. 7, 10: "The sadness of the world works death." And the more tender nature is in men, the sooner they die.
40 Now the very grievous afflictions and sorrows which Jacob had have been described above, as that Dinah and Bilhah were violated, that Rachel and Deborah, the nursemaid, died so miserably to him. Now the excellent man had to be very distressed because of such afflictions and many accidents, since he was wistful and compassionate because of his natural affections and inclinations, and also full of the Holy Spirit. For such people are greatly moved to mercy, and have great heartfelt compassion for others who are sorrowful and grieved. But such affections or movements destroy the nature also in the saints.
(41) Joseph was therefore astonished that his father had been able to live through two and twenty years, when he had not been at home, in such a great accident and so much grief. I do not doubt it, he will have said, my father must have been so distraught and frightened in his heart at losing me that he was not easily comforted. Therefore I thought that he must have died, if not from hunger, then it must have happened from sadness and sorrow. Joseph will have said: Oh God, I have always thought that my father will have wept himself to death. For although the godly believe in God, nature is so weak that it cannot cope with great pain and sorrow.
1670 " W7-S2S. Interpretation of I Genesis **45, 3. W. n, 24sr-24ü8.** 1671
and Christ Himself also says Matth. 26, 38: "My soul is sorrowful unto death".
Second part.
How the brothers of Joseph are afraid when Joseph makes himself known to them; and how Joseph deals with them.
I.
V. 3 And his brothers could not answer him, so they were terrified before his face.
(42) The fact that Joseph revealed himself to his brothers so suddenly, which no one could have imagined or imagined, awakened such great joy in their hearts that they were terrified and almost died of fear and joy at the same time. The soul is something more excellent than the body, and the body cannot bear such movement and heartfelt joy when it is in the highest degree. But what the soul is in speculation, or, as the philosophers speak, metaphysically, supernaturally, we cannot know, but from the affects or movements and fruits we can infer that it must be a very delicious, noble and wonderful being, which is so strong and powerful that the body cannot bear violence or storm. For example, if a great pain arises in the heart and reigns in the person, the body must necessarily die. And the same also happens with great, excessive joy; as many examples in the histories of the pagans testify.
Such movements were also in Joseph and his brothers; and he must have been close to death because of the violent movement of his heart; so that he could no longer speak anything, except that the tears ran down his cheeks.
The soul has such great power that where it alone reigns in man, the body with all its senses, smelling, tasting, touching 2c. must even freeze. It is a strange little creature. Aristotle, after speculation, could easily describe what the soul is, since he says:
Anima est actus primus corporis organici physici etc. (Pierer: The soul is the principle of life, the first form, entelechy, of the body). But he cannot really express what it is, because only objectively, that is, when he compares it with something else. But to understand or feel rightly what the soul is, as far as its affects and the great violent movements are concerned, does not belong to such knowledge of speculation, or to comparing it with something else, but must be practiced, exercised, and tried. As when a great intemperate joy takes over the body and almost kills it, or when the tears of great joy flow from one's eyes; of which the monks and devout fathers write much, that nothing is sweeter or more sweet than such tears of joy; but again, that no thing is more sorrowful and bitter than the weeping of those who bear sorrow. Therefore, I say, the soul is a wonderful creature and unknown to us.
I remind you that we should not only look at or read this revelation of Joseph superficially, but we should look at the great movement of the hearts, by which both Joseph and his brothers are so completely shocked. I don't know how I should have taken a stand on this, since he says, "I am Joseph." And they do not know it either. What then will happen when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes, who in this life also tempts us in many ways, and causes us to be greatly afflicted, chastised and killed. Oh what a great joy it will be when he will change so suddenly and unawares, since we felt before and let ourselves think that he was the most horrible tyrant, who wanted to kill us all together in one hui! Then he will say: "I am Joseph", your Savior.
(46) I cannot sufficiently interpret this revelation of Joseph according to its meaning, but it should be read and remembered often, so that we may learn to pray diligently after his example and that of his brethren, hoping and waiting for divine comfort, and that in the meantime, with strong and steadfast hearts, we may endure the hand of God, who plays with us and thus tempts us for the sake of sleeplessness,
1672 L- X. 329-331. interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. W. n, 2458-2461. 1673
That we may be afflicted, and for the coldness of original sin, whereof the hearts of the godly are lazy and slothful, and also weak and languid unto faith, hope, and prayer, and other spiritual exercises. For where this divine play is not, we snore and are cold. Therefore, God pricks us with this thorn, as it were, and drives away the coarse, lazy donkey, our sinful flesh, which weighs us down greatly with its burden.
Now we must also say something about Joseph's godliness, which is truly wonderful and well worth considering. For the great prince and savior in Egypt and surrounding countries could have despised his brothers with great pride and concealed his origin and kinship from them. How often examples of such unfeeling, unloving people occur, or who are such lumps and so even stone-hard that they cannot or will not show any reverence or kindness to their parents or relatives. For even though nature is created by God in such a way that it has a friendly inclination, and there still remains in man a little good affect or movement (of which the scholastics understood the saying in the 4th Psalm v. 7. The scholastics understood the saying in the fourth Psalm, v. 7: "The light of your countenance is lifted up above us"; as that the father naturally loves his child, and the child in turn also loves the father; likewise, such natural inclinations are implanted in all men between brothers and sisters): but such inclinations are sometimes confused and corrupted by the foolishness of men, by anger, arrogance, unjust enmity and envy.
(48) Now Joseph was full of the Holy Spirit, and did not destroy the natural inclination, but increased it. For the Holy Spirit is not given to take away and abolish the affections and inclinations planted in nature, but to revive the dead nature, to raise up the weak and sleeping nature, and where it errs and has gone astray, to make it better and right again. Therefore, the Holy Spirit and the grace of God are a medicine for nature, by which everything that is in the innate nature of man is restored.
The corruption caused by sin in us is weakened and corrupted, but it is raised up again and brought to its rightful place.
49 Joseph did not therefore despise his brothers or his father, because they were shepherds, unknown people, and almost the least of the people, before whom the Egyptians had an abomination. For he feared that this would harm him among the rulers and officials in the same kingdom, and that his honor and glory, and the great reputation he had, would be weakened by it. For we have heard that the councilors did not eat with him, and now they seem to have two causes to justly despise and hate him: because he was a Hebrew man, and because he had his origin from the lowest race of cattle herders. Therefore it is a beautiful and glorious virtue in him that he kept more of the fourth commandment and natural inclination than of all his great honor and glory, yes, even of his power, which was not small, but almost the highest and equal to the king's power in Egypt. He is not ashamed of his father and brothers because they were shepherds. He may have played a sad and sharp game with them until now, but out of great love and right natural inclination he carried to them, because he was worried that they might have killed his old father and youngest brother. But now that he has learned that they are still alive, his heart is truly filled with great love and joy for his brothers, so that the whole house of Pharaoh has heard him weeping and wailing with great joy.
50 In this entire history of Joseph, we see nothing but great and innumerable virtues in him, and the same in all situations of his life, in prison, in disgrace and misery, and when he was completely abandoned, and afterwards also in his great honor, majesty and power. For thus he was driven up and down, before him and behind him; and yet he always remained steadfast, and had God before his eyes, and waited for his help with very great faith and patience.
1674 x, ssi-sss. Interpretation of I Genesis 45, 3. W. n, sisi-sis". 1675
(51) Here we are not only given an example of all the virtues that Joseph had, but we are also given a fine description of God, so that we may know what God is. The philosophers discuss a lot and search for God with their speculation, and get to know him to some extent; like Plato looks at and acknowledges the divine government. But it is all speculation without application; it is still far from the knowledge that Joseph had, namely, that God cares for us, that he hears and helps those who are afflicted and miserable. Plato could not conclude this; he always sticks to his speculations and supernatural thoughts, like a cow looks at a new gate.
(52) This is the right knowledge of God, by which we know the will of God, and that He alone is wise and able to help, and that He will have mercy on us, since Joseph considers this to be certain, and says, "God will not abandon me, even if I should die;" item, so that he can conclude: God does not look at you or care for you because you are so great and powerful, even if you were already a lord over the whole world. On the left side he does not despair when he is oppressed by misfortune, but on the right side he does not rise up when he is well and there is good fortune.
(53) This then is the right knowledge of God, that one may know that his nature and will is that which he has revealed in his word, when he promises that he will be my Lord and my God, and calls me to grasp this same will of his in faith. For there is laid the right certain foundation, that the hearts may be satisfied. But the practice also follows, that is, the practice and experience afterwards, when it is put into practice, since Joseph has now been practiced and tried with misery, imprisonment, danger and false accusation. So he thought and concluded to himself: I see that this is God's will, who undoubtedly has in mind and intends something greater and higher than I can now understand; I am certain that he will not abandon or reject me; his will is incomprehensible, but nevertheless very good; and I have no doubt at all that he will do it.
not, he wants to and can also well save me from this misfortune.
54 Thus he upholds himself and perseveres in the extreme distress and danger of his body, his good name, and all his goods and welfare that he had in this world. For after he was cast into misery and bondage, he also lost the praise and good name of chastity and innocence, for which he was praised and held dear by everyone, so that he had to stink and be despised before the other members of his household and before the whole world. And over that he was such a despised wretched man, before whom the Egyptians had an abomination, he is also still considered worthy because of the adultery, so that Potiphar's wife accuses him, that everyone should be justly hostile to him and that he should be justly punished with all kinds of plague and torture. But he still persists in this hope and faith, so that he closes and says: "God will not leave me; but what he intends to do with me, I do not know. I am tossed and turned about in the world, and well tempted; but I know that he is thinking of something better and more beautiful than I can now know or understand. I know that he is well pleased with me according to his gracious will; therefore I command and surrender myself to the Lord my God, who alone is wise, almighty and gracious.
55 Therefore, as he believes, so it is done. For he could never have thought or hoped for the great honor and glory to which he has come. But because he was able to bear the hand of God even unto death, he is also temporally exalted and graced with bodily honor. And this means to know God rightly, that is, to know that He alone is wise, that His will is the best and most pleasant, but ours is foolish and very evil. As St. Paul says in Romans 12:2: "That ye may prove which is the good, and which is the acceptable, and which is the perfect will of God." Therefore, Joseph is a great doctor and teacher of the wisdom and will of God.
- again, when he is raised to the highest dignity of the earth, to
1676 X. S3S 334. interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. w. n, 2464-2466. 1677
In the time when the kingdom of Egypt had been the most prosperous empire, he humbled himself in such a way that he disregarded the great honor and thought that this was not the right good or inheritance promised to him by God. Therefore he does not become proud, is not at all ashamed of his friendship and his family, from which he was born, and remains faithful to the fourth commandment; just as he previously kept the sixth and seventh commandments with the greatest diligence and in the most faithful manner, namely, because he served his master faithfully and sincerely and increased his goods and possessions, and kept his wife in honor. Are these not great and excellent virtues? He does not think that if I recognize my father and brothers, the Egyptians will soon push me away from this high office to which I have come and deprive me of the same glory; but he prefers his father and brothers, thinks more highly of them and prefers them to his great glory, however lowly and wicked they may have been, before whom the whole kingdom of Egypt had an abomination; and he gladly confesses that he is the son of a shepherd and pays great homage to his father according to God's command.
(57) This is truly the greatest courage, which hopes for a much higher thing than the kingdom of Egypt was, or the whole world can be; for it has faith and hope of the resurrection of the dead.
(58) All this is taught by history, and by the violent emotions and movements of Joseph. He was not afraid of death in prison, but now that he has been redeemed, he has not hoped for the kingdom, nor does he respect the power and authority of this world; rather, he holds in low esteem in his heart the highest and greatest thing in the whole world. Therefore he hopes and waits for another and better life. For this is a great thing, that he should have despised the kingdom of Egypt for his father's sake, who was a shepherd, and for his brethren's sake, who sold him, and slew his father with him, as much as was above them. But so the heart is sent, when the Holy Spirit comes, who then shows reverence to the parents with all his heart.
Joseph could have provided for them in another way if he had given them several thousand guilders, so that his honor and great name would not be endangered. But he humbled himself so deeply and sincerely and testified to his heartfelt affection for his father and brothers that he filled the entire court of Pharaoh with great weeping and crying. That is to say, he honored his parents with great love and reverence. And this is a great honor, especially for such a great man.
(60) Therefore we see that he was gifted with the highest virtues, which no one can sufficiently explain in words, and that he was gifted on both ropes, namely in fortune and misfortune: which is then held up to us as an example and lesson.
(61) After this, God is also beautifully portrayed to us in this image, namely, what His nature and character are, so that we may learn to recognize Him and trust Him. For his nature is always the same and will never be changed for our sake. But this is his nature, that he is longsuffering, that he tempts his own, and that he wreaks havoc on them, and that he leads them all to death. But again, when it has come to the extreme danger of life and limb, that he then suddenly and quickly comes to the aid of those who are so challenged and saves them. Therefore, one should hope in God and wait for Him, as the examples and admonitions in the Psalms and Prophets remind us.
- Above that, he is also such a God, who not only makes everything out of nothing, but can also make nothing out of everything. When, in the beginning, he made Joseph into nothing, and now that it seemed as if he was even corrupted and as if it was completely lost with him, he again makes everything out of him, that is, he makes him the greatest man in the world. But the same great man now again expresses all his honor and glory, descends from his royal throne, and takes care of the very least people, and stands by them, namely his father and brothers, and says: "I am Joseph." Now here he is destroyed again
1678 L.L,rs4-sss. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 3. W. n, 2466-2469. 1679
He is again the same Joseph who was thrown into the pit and sold before, and who had to bear the heavy bondage. He again becomes the son of a shepherd, saying, "I am your brother, the son of a shepherd, just like you.
63 Therefore, we see here what a truly godly and manly or chivalrous heart is, namely, one that always has right faith and trust in God even in the greatest poverty and all kinds of severe trials; but again, in happiness does not exalt itself or become proud, but fears God. Such people can truly rule the world well, who manage everything with such a heart that they are not satisfied with the goods of this life, but hope and wait for another kingdom, and yet still retain the natural inclinations and affections that are planted in nature. For the Holy Spirit does not extinguish them, but miraculously raises them up again, kindles them, and also sustains them. This is to be diligently remembered for the sake of the devilish teachers in the papacy, who despised parents as if this were a good godliness, and highly praised the monasteries in which they were situated, before which one might well despise the parents and, as it were, trample them underfoot.
(64) As there is a terrible saying of Jerome, which reads: "When your father lies at your door and weeps miserably, and your mother shows her womb and breasts so that she may suckle you, she always tramples them underfoot and runs straight to Christ. God forbid, what a harsh word that is! And although I believe that he has been saved, I would not like to be the author of such a saying.
(65) And they did not run to Christ, as they thought, but ran from Christ to the monastery. For are not the parents, wife and child also holy and Christians? St. Peter had a wife and child, but when he was challenged and carried away to torture and suffering, he left them. Or, is it such a delicious thing to go to the monastery, what should one think of the patriarchs and other saints? And
They have taught this way before, and the pope has confirmed such godlessness with his decrees, in which he has placed the holiness and highest virtues of the Christians in the monastic life and order of the monks. This, however, is not godliness, but a real abomination and strong error; as St. Paul said before 2 Thess. 2, 11.
If you trust your parents for the sake of Christ, you do right and well; but because of your superstition, or out of free will and self-chosen devotion, to despise them and trample them underfoot, as it were, is neither Christian nor human, but diabolical. I have often seen that mothers, when they went to the monastery, followed their sons weeping and were extremely and painfully distressed: but since I was also afflicted with the same error, I used to punish such feminine melancholy, and thought that the mothers were not doing right by it, since they were distressed about it, since their sons were holy and blessed. For thus we had been taught and deceived that this was the highest service of God and righteousness, if one could despise the power of parents, which they have over their children.
The monks in Egypt first conceived and raised these errors, but the pope accepted them and confirmed them with special laws. And he also does the same by defending the secret engagements, so that he may fight against God and the fourth commandment, and that he is in truth what Paul calls him in 2 Thess. 2, 3, 4, namely, "the man of sins, and the child of perdition, who is an abominable man, and exalteth himself above all that is called God and God's service.
68 Therefore we should know that God does not reject or abolish the natural inclination in man, which He implanted in nature in creation, but that He awakens and preserves it. But if necessity so requires, then you shall say with Joseph, "God has made me forget all my father's house," Gen. 41:51. Or, since Abraham is commanded, by a special command of God, that he should be-
1680 L.X,WS-SSS. Interpretation of I Moses 45, 3. 4. W. n, 2469-2472. 1681
Isaac, then he shall say: Isaac, I do not know you now; or vice versa, as Deut. 33:9 commands. But if God does not call you outside of or above the fourth commandment, know that you must necessarily obey Him.
69 Therefore the pope and the monks are a shameful monster, even an abomination, which abomination stands in the holy place, as Christ dressed the same Matth. 24, 15. from the prophet Daniel Cap. 9, 27. For no one can believe what an abominable and horrible error this was, which was held to be the highest service of God, so that reason can easily be caught and deceived with the outward appearance of hypocrisy.
(70) Therefore, such examples should be diligently observed, that the hearts may be equipped against this folly of Satan. We see how strong the natural affections and movements are in both Joseph and his brothers, whom the Holy Spirit wanted to praise with special diligence. For Joseph first of all wanted to raise them up and comfort them with this word, saying, "I am Joseph." I am not the Abrech, the great lord of Egypt, who until now spoke to you through an interpreter; now I need my native language. But with the same word he has killed them.
71 Now he adds another consolation, when he asks them, "Is my father still alive? This is not only to be understood as if it were only a question, but as I said, it is such a word to indicate that he was surprised that he should still be alive. Rather, he says, is he still alive? As if he wanted to say: I have forgotten my father's house, that is why I have searched so diligently for all things; but your father is also my father, you are my brothers. Then they are astonished and almost die; therefore Moses says: "They could not answer him, so they were terrified before his face.
72 And that was no wonder, because they had many and important causes for it.
They were so horrified that they had such a great prince for an adversary, who played with them until death, and now suddenly comes out and reveals himself to them in his mother tongue. For they had not thought that they would ever hear the Hebrew language in the land. Because of this, since they have been so violently moved and so completely frightened in their hearts, the same fright makes them so much that they almost become stones and blocks. For the innermost part of their heart is stirred in them with great joy and fear, so that they cannot answer, and would have stood all their lives hearing the same word: "I am Joseph. They cannot grasp or understand this at all; therefore he must still use so many words, so that he may awaken them.
II.
V. 4. But he said to his brothers: Come near to me. And they came near. And he said: I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold in Egypt.
They are still frightened and must not open their mouths, nor can they believe that this man is their brother, because the great majesty of his person is in their way. And yet it does not seem proper to ask him or to contradict him. Therefore he puts himself before their eyes and gives them an exact description of his person. I am not a new or fictitious Joseph, he says, but I am the Joseph whose father is Jacob, whose sons you also are; I am the Joseph who is your brother. They all hear this, but the great terror prevents them from directing their hearts to think about this matter or to give him an answer.
74 But he adds to this, saying, "whom ye have sold. But is this not a clear enough description? I think they will soon have understood that this was truly their brother, for they had sold no one else but Joseph. Therefore, there should have been no doubt in their minds. Moreover, they would have known this from the
1682 8. x, SS8-340. interpretation of Genesis 45:4. 5. w. n, 2472-2474. 1683
They were able to accept the things that had been talked and traded between them until then, such as that the money had been put into the sacks and that the cup had been thrown into Benjamin's sack. But they were not yet able to applaud him, for the terror was too great and had settled too deeply and hard in their hearts. Dear God, let this be Joseph! they always think.
75 Now Moses said above, v. 2, that the Egyptians who had gone out heard his crying and howling. Now, however, he does not address them in such a loud voice and calls them to come a little closer. As Lyra indicated, he did this so that the Egyptians would not hear that he had added this, as they would have sold him. Joseph was a man full of the Holy Spirit; therefore, since necessity required that he reveal himself to them, that he should remind them how they had sold him, that they might the more readily applaud his words, he nevertheless did not want the same sin to come to light among the Egyptians.
This is the right brotherhood, namely, to reduce and cover the sins of his brothers. He does not want them to be maligned for it, but desires that their honor and good name remain unharmed among the Egyptians, so that they will not be condemned or scolded as fratricides and patricides. Therefore, this is an excellent example of true love and forgiveness of sins.
(77) He can only so clearly prove to them that he is their brother, that he at the same time remembers their sin: therefore he speaks to them in the gentlest and kindest way, has not magnified sin according to its dignity. He does not say, "I am he whom you wickedly threw into the pit, whom you secretly longed for life and limb, who so bitterly grieved your father;" but says only gently and quietly, "whom you have sold." He lets go of everything that sounded a bit harsh. As if he wanted to say: "You know very well how I came here: I did not separate myself from your community of my own accord, or leave my old father, but was led here when you sold me.
had chewed. This means, truly, not only to forgive sin, but also to palliate and cover the shame and disgrace of his brothers, and to do them good with the utmost diligence and love.
Thus the Holy Spirit is in the fathers, who can overlook their brothers or neighbors, forgive them and cover their sin. He had to remember the selling when he revealed himself to them, so that they would not think that all this was a fictitious thing. Therefore, so that they would have a certain sign or indication that they could not contradict, he secretly added this to the other words, which was supposed to be hidden and unknown among the Egyptians. Therefore he calls them to come near, because before they had moved a little further away from him and did not dare to approach him. This is truly true forgiveness of sins and pure uncontaminated love.
V. 5. And now do not be grieved, and do not think that I am angry because you sold me here.
79 Here he has absolved them and absolved them of their sin, and has not only absolved them, but also proclaims to them very abundant grace and that he is favorably disposed toward them from the heart. I am he whom ye have sold, saith he; your sin is manifest, and well known unto all. Even though they did not know it, it cannot be denied; it is evident in itself.
80 Now behold how graciously and kindly he speaks to those who betrayed and sold him. There is no sense of revenge in his words, no ill will, or that he intends to offend them, but only mercy and kindness, which comes from the bottom of his heart. It is true, he says, I was sold by you; but you will not grieve over it. And here in this place stands the very word that Christ also uses Joh. 16, 21. when he says: "A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow." Gen. 3, 16: "I will cause thee much pain when thou art with child" 2c., that is, much grief and sorrow 2c. This word is called ezeb, and is also used hereafter.
1684 D.X. 34V-S4S. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 5. W. n, 2474-2477. 1685
to idolatry or idolatrousness. As Ps. 16, 4, where in our Latin translation it says: Multiplicatae sunt infirmitates eorum etc., it should rather say idola, as we have translated it: "Those who hasten after another" 2c. For idolatry and superstition, which the wicked practice, is misery and distress, that they may be afflicted and martyred, as a woman that is about to give birth. Item in the 127th Psalm, v. 2: "It is in vain that ye rise early, and eat your bread with sorrow," that is, your bread becomes too sour for you: ye shall not thus be troubled.
- So Joseph also says here, "I do not want your burdened and weighed-down conscience to be troubled, devoured and tortured; but I say and will have you to be satisfied with my favor and good inclined will, and to rejoice over it. For I will gladly forgive you this sin; you must not grieve over it. This is a very beautiful absolution. "Do not grieve," he says, that is, do not think that I am angry about it, be of good cheer, do not be displeased; you have no cause to be sad and grieved. Like a poor conscience that knows itself guilty, is cheaply afraid and trembles. For from this comes all terror and sadness according to the common saying of the theologians: Si est dolor et tristitia, nemo novit, nisi mala conscientia, that is: Where there is pain and sadness, no one knows about it except the evil conscience alone. And again, happiness is also nowhere but in a good conscience. As Solomon says, Prov. 14:10: "When the heart is sad, no outward joy will help"; and Prov. 15:15: "Good cheer is a daily good life" 2c. What other joy is, it cannot be perfect; it may outwardly tickle a man a little, but it does not come inwardly into the heart.
(82) Nor is there any more grievous affliction than sorrow of heart, for that is death and hell itself. Therefore, you have to avoid it, whether it weighs you down or another person. Then shut up hell and open heaven, whoever can, lest such a weakly afflicted heart die when it feels sin and has such pain over it.
(83) As Joseph here deals with his brethren in the kindest and gentlest manner, that he may give them courage; for he was a wise man, well acquainted with such struggles of conscience: therefore he hath used the right medicine in time, that this pain may be soothed. Do not worry, he says, and do not think that I am angry; all is forgiven and forgiven, and even forgotten; I love you brotherly and from the bottom of my heart.
This means to forgive his brother's guilt from the heart, especially when he is in such fear and distress. So that Joseph had gone about humiliating his brothers until then, so that they would have no fear of their welfare and return to their father, and would see nothing else before their eyes but certain eternal bondage and lamentation. But since they were so grieved and frightened, he has now forgiven their sin with such grace and kindness that he himself weeps with those who weep.
For this reason, this is an excellent text that should be memorized with special diligence. For no one can say or believe how difficult it is to raise up and revive a heart and conscience that are drowned in sorrow. Those who are without temptation can easily be happy, but it is a great effort and work to bring a person who is weighed down with spiritual sadness and affliction back to right knowledge and faith, and to comfort himself with the grace of God and His goodness.
We see how Christ, after his resurrection, dealt with his disciples with such long-suffering and kindness, how friendly he addressed them, showed them his hands and sides, and allowed himself to be touched by them; he allowed himself to be heard and seen, ate, and conversed with them in the most friendly manner. But they did not soon pick themselves up again and get along. And when the angel tells the women, Marc. 16, 7, to announce to the disciples that Jesus has risen, he tells them the same thing.
1686 D X. 342-344. interpretation of Genesis 45:5. w. n. 2477-24M. 1687
The first thing he had to show was Petro, because he was in the greatest fear; he could well declare the ezeb. He had denied the Lord three times, had cursed himself; the others had fled. Therefore, because of necessity and in due time, the angel adds this, that they should proclaim it especially to Petro. Oh how warmly Zechariah speaks Cap. 4, 6. ff. to Zorobabel and the rest of the Jews, who had been led out of the Babylonian prison and back to their own land, before he could gather them together, strengthen them and, as it were, raise them from the dead. For it is much more difficult to comfort a sorrowful conscience than to raise the dead.
St. Paul does the same. After he in the first epistle to the Corinthians Cap. 5, 1. ff. had severely punished the man who had freed his stepmother and thus caused great trouble to the Christian community, he shows in the other epistle Cap. 2, 5. ff. he again shows his great concern for the same man, that he might not have done too much to him with the severe punishment; although he had not acted contrary to his office, and also did not cancel the previous punishment, as if he had done wrong with it, but calls the Corinthians to raise him up and comfort him again, so that he might not drown and perish in sadness.
But to the hard insensitive heads one can never say enough that they should repent of their sin and humble themselves, for they are not afraid of God's wrath when God strikes them with His lightning. Just as the pope and the cardinals do not ask for any threat. But if one were struck with lightning from heaven, he would also feel that the conscience, being without all consolation, is struggling hard and is very distressed, and that it is neither easy to advise nor to help him. These must be helped with comfort, which is taken from the word of God, as, Matth. 18, 14: "It is not the will of God that any of these little ones should be lost"; and as Christ commands Petro, Luc. 22, 32: "If you are converted one day, strengthen your brothers. God wants you to be humbled and not to perish or be lost. He is angry
He did not strike you with this lightning in his wrath, but that he might bring you to the knowledge of sins, and then, when you were humbled, raise you up again and strengthen you; which could not have happened if your heart had not first been frightened and made fearful.
These are examples of the Holy Spirit, which are told to us in the Holy Scriptures for teaching and comfort. For it is much more difficult. To raise one up than to kill, as daily experience teaches. We often strike the pope, cardinals, bishops and usurers with the hammer of the divine word, as if on an anvil, but it is all in vain. But those whose hearts are stirred by the word to bind, learn that it is true what God says through the prophet Jeremiah Cap. 23, 29. "Is not my word like a fire, saith the LORD, and like a hammer that breaketh in pieces the rock?" There is no rock too hard, it must break. Paul was a very hard rock; but when the light from heaven shines around him, and the divine voice is heard, "I am JEsuS whom thou persecutest," 2c., Acts 9:5 ff, he soon falls down as if he were dead.
90 Joseph therefore comforted his brethren again, seeing their temptation and anguish, though they had not yet confessed their sin. He says, "Do not be distressed; do not think that I have said or done anything to destroy you, but rather that I may bring you to repentance. But now death is cast out, hell is closed, sin is forgiven, and heaven is opened. This is the right pope and high priest, and here absolution has its rightful place.
But this we put here in the text from the Hebrew in the Latin: Ne sit ira in oculis vestris: Think not that I am angry because of this: the same thing the others have not given right, saying, Non irascantur oculi vestri (Let not your eyes be angry). For Joseph speaks of his anger and not of his brothers' anger. And how should they be angry, since they are miserably afraid and terrified?
1688 L.X,L"-L". .interpretation of I Genesis 45, 5. W. II, 2480-248S. 1689
before Joseph, that they also should not open their mouths. And for this very reason they also need this strengthening, that Joseph may show and reveal to them his fraternal and affectionate heart. You must not think, he says, that I have thought to disgrace you by selling you, but rather that you may know me assuredly and trust me. I am not heated or angry with you, I am not averse to you as I have been until now; therefore do not be sad.
But now he not only comforts and absolves them, but has also preached a long sermon on the counsel of God, whose wisdom and great goodness he now also praises. For this is the noblest and highest wisdom in the Christian school, as I said above, namely, that one may learn what God is, not by speculation, but by practice, that one may experience it by deed and by work. For this reason, he will now excuse his brothers and place the whole matter on God's counsel and wisdom.
Third part.
How Joseph preaches to his brothers about the counsel of God, who is led out by his sale.
V. 5. For your life's sake God sent me before you.
Behold, what a wonderful doctor and excellent theologian and interpreter this is, both of the words and works of God. You, he says, have betrayed and sold me, that is certain: but now listen and learn God's counsel in what you have done and not done. You have destroyed and killed me, which cannot be denied: but this destruction and killing that you have done, what has it been in the sight of God? For there is another thing about God's counsel and another thing about your counsel in one and the same work. God has used your very evil counsel and will for life; not for my life alone, which would be a small thing, but in general he says: For life's sake God has sent me here. You
have not sent me, but the Lord has sent me through you.
This is truly speaking with new tongues. For what manner of speaking is this? It is truly an unusual way and strange way to preach, to send one to salvation and life, not only of the messenger, but also of the whole world. Such a tongue is nowhere to be found. For men would thus say: The angry and envious brothers betray, sell and kill their poor innocent brother. But the Holy Spirit says: This selling shall be the salvation and life of Egypt and the whole world. This is a new outrageous speech and an unbelievable answer that no one could have hoped for. But it is a divine way of speaking.
95 Therefore this text is to be remembered especially well from the counsel of God, which is also praised in the prophet Isaiah in the 55th chapter. V. 8, 9: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord: but as the heaven is higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts"; and Joh. 3, 31: "He that is of the earth is of the earth, and speaketh of the earth: he that is from heaven is above all." This is an earthly tongue, saying, Joseph that is sold is also lost, and is utterly finished. But the same thing in heavenly language means a mission to salvation and life. This is our Lord God.
(96) Therefore let us learn that we are not to follow our own thoughts, and that we are not to measure, judge, and understand cases or works according to our own counsel, and how they may obtain an outcome.
(97) It is true that this matter is being presented to men in a human way, and the human tongue calls this mission the destruction and downfall of Joseph. But there are two different countries and different places in heaven and on earth. Therefore the works and ways of speaking are not the same. Christ is killed before the world, is condemned and goes down to hell; but this is salvation and blessedness of the whole world before God from the beginning to the end.
1690L .L,S4S-S48. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 5. W. n, AW-21SS. 1691
Therefore, in all works and thoughts, especially in suffering, when Christians are afflicted, where you are a believer, you should not judge your life and works; otherwise you will err. You are dumb, you are a fool, you are tempted, you are like a prisoner, and you cannot speak or judge your own things. It is said, "Wait for the Lord," Ps. 27-14, and do not fret or murmur or despair, for you do not give your works or sufferings their right name. Your judgment is wrong, your speech is false, your wisdom is foolishness. But this is the will of God, that the old man should be destroyed and the flesh be put to death. But when it is thus corrupted and put to death, it speaks falsely and judges foolish things.
In this way, God has Joseph crucified and thrown into prison and reviled, which is nothing other than to be erased, cleared away, and even obliterated. For in the sight of the world this does not happen in any other way: but the same is in the sight of God, as it says here, to send one to salvation.
This is such a way of speaking that is common and customary to God. Moses does not speak in this way, nor do the lawyers and philosophers; but it is a theology of promise, and are words of God who makes the promise, which words he speaks among his angels in heaven; but we do not understand them until his counsel is accomplished. This is why the prophets so often praise the counsel of the Lord. And in the 107th Psalm v. 11. it also says: "They have profaned the law," or counsel, "of the Most High." Now this is to be taught, that we may be informed of it, that we may know what is the right theology and doctrine of the gospel.
The teaching of the philosophers and the Law is a different teaching. Moses does not have such a ready tongue, but it is somewhat slow to him, and he lisps and stammers with his tongue: he cannot rightly utter this word. But he that doeth the promise, and the Saviour, Jehovah, speaketh thus.
But nature, being foolish, and the flesh, being corrupted by sin, does not understand such things, for only when suffering
as the Lord said to Moses: "You will look behind me", Ex. 33, 23, when he wanted God to show him his face, that is: You will only see my thoughts after the deed. As here Joseph and Jacob with his sons do not see his face, but also look behind him. For when Joseph was sold, and his father mourned, the face of God was hid, and there was no God to be seen; but the whole world seemed full of devils. But now that His counsel has been fulfilled and revealed, they see clearly and also now recognize the good pleasing and perfect will of God.
(103) Thus, Genesis 16:13, Hagar also says: "Surely here I have seen the back of Him who sees me. As if she wanted to say: When God looked at me, I did not look at him; now I see the back of him who looked at me before, since I did not know anything about all his counsel and works. So also Christ says to Petro Joh. 13, 7: "What I do, you do not know now." Thou wilt forestall me, and teach me what I shall do: this is far from the truth, dear Peter; for it behooveth thee to suffer or to bear with my hand. Let me do it, but afterward you will know and understand what I meant by this foot-washing.
This, then, is the way in which the saints are governed by God, and is the right wisdom of the church and congregation of God, namely, not to be offended at the counsel of God, and not to be offended at His face, that He may meet us. For he sometimes wraps it up and hides it, so that we cannot recognize or see it. He is indeed a God of life, honor, salvation, joy and peace, which is the true face of God, but he hides it and puts on a different disguise, so that he meets us as a God of wrath, death and hell. Therefore see that you are wise and understanding, learn and hear what he means or intends with such an unusual and strange form. For this is the thing sought, that thou mayest be humbled, and the hand of the Lord, and his face,
1692 As-sao-interpretation of I Moses 45, 5. W. II. 2488-2490. 1693
that he reveals to you, endure it and learn to wait for it.
(105) Jacob would not have been unreasonably offended at the miraculous work of selling his son Joseph. For God had promised him and his brothers that they would grow and multiply and that their seed would be preserved forever. But what happened? His son, whom he especially loved, is taken away, who was born of his most noble wife and on whom alone the whole hope of his descendants had rested. Why then does God act contrary to the promise He made? He promised to be Jacob's God when he said to him, Gen. 35:11, 12: "I am the Almighty God, be fruitful and multiply; nations and multitudes of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your 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." Now does this mean to bless and multiply, since he not only abandons the father, but also throws the son into bondage and into prison, and this among ungodly idolatrous people?
(106) How could a man think or be of any other mind in his heating than that God should be angry and that he should want to revoke His promise? Our flesh actually believes this and speaks of it in this way, but the spirit overcomes this and concludes: "What our Lord God means by His counsel, I do not understand, nor do I desire to know; but I will tolerate the hand of the Lord, and say: You are my Lord, Your promise and the word remain forever. With this I will comfort myself against the dreadful trouble.
(107) In this way Joseph, too, was undoubtedly moved most violently according to the flesh, so that he was sold and had to bear the great danger of his body and good name. He had heard the promises and sermons of his father Jacob, but in so many great and various miseries and distresses he experienced the opposite. Therefore his flesh was terrified and lamented, because he was so miserably abandoned and
have to bear the great burden of the many accidents. But' the spirit always straightens up again and clings to God's word with great patience and hope.
But the people of Israel did much differently in the wilderness, of whom it is said in Psalm 78 v. 18, 19: "They tempted God in their hearts, demanding food for their souls, and spoke against God, saying: Yes, God should be able to prepare a table in the wilderness!" They grumbled and were angry with God, crying out that they should die of thirst and hunger; they could not bear the Lord's counsel.
Against such murmuring and anger, the Holy Scripture equips and strengthens us, and admonishes us to learn and become accustomed to such marvelous government of God. For the same is indicated by his name, namely, that he is wonderful and does only miraculous works in heaven and on earth. As we must also stand in great danger in our time because of the fierce wrath of the Pope, the bishops and their followers, who will soon rage against us in terror and will come down hard on us. And there is no doubt that we will have to expect many misfortunes to come our way.
(110) But what shall we do when persecution comes? Shall we then say that our doctrine and religion are false and unjust, and therefore that kings and princes condemn them and persecute them horribly? Not at all, but we should conclude thus: The Lord is still alive; I am baptized, I have God's word, however mad and senseless the world is about me and takes away all my goods and also my life by force. And even if the world should break over it and even go to ruins, and in addition everything should be filled with blood and murder: what do I care? But the flesh cannot have such constancy. And if we could keep this faith firmly, then we would feel in truth that God, in whom we believe and whose word we have, is almighty.
- What he means by raging against the Turks and the Pope against the Christians?
1694 L- x> 3S0-3S2. Interpretation of I Genesis 45, 5. W. n. 2isv-L4ss. 1695
I do not know, of course. His face is very frightening, when the Turk, the pope and the tyrants rage with the sword and death, but the heretics also tear down with their heresies, heresies and agrivities: who wants to show us the face of God, which we would like to see? But nothing will come of it: You will look behind me, says the Lord. Cling to my word and believe it, and let me be commanded to rule and uphold all things. Let me do it, but you must put your wife and child, and everything you have, in danger before you let go of my word and deny it. If you do not see, Peter, what I am doing now, you will know it later.
(112) It is a wonderful thing that in Egypt the children and descendants of Jacob, under Joseph, who was master of the land, were so well off, and lived in such peace and quiet, and in such honor and glory. But since Joseph died, another lord and tyrant has come in his place, who knows nothing of Joseph; there the underage children are severely tormented and killed, and the people of Israel are burdened with hard servitude.
But why does God allow the same thing to happen? How is it that He makes the Egyptians forget the great gifts and benefits that Joseph showered upon them, and that the people of Israel are repaid evil for good? Hold still. It seems as if this ingratitude is an unjust and offensive sin; but soon after God comes again with His glory and honor and with many greater and higher miracles, and leads the people of Israel through Moses out of Egypt with glorious redemption, and drowns the king with horse and chariot and his whole army in the Red Sea.
(114) So even after the destruction of the Babylonians, the people of Israel did not return to their former glory, which they had in the days of David and Solomon, after the people with their prophets and kings had been greatly weakened and almost destroyed, and from the time of the Babylonians, the people of Israel did not return to their former glory.
suffered many miseries and anguish. But after five hundred years Christ came, the Savior of the world.
This is the only consolation in the greatest anguish and distress, that we cast all our care upon the Lord and surrender to His will and good pleasure, that He may try us in general, or each one in particular. Let go; thank God that you have the Word and its promise. Take heed that with great strong courage you may endure and overcome all the power of Satan, death and tyrants.
(116) As St. Peter greatly commends such diligence and faith in the word, when he says in 2 Epist. 1:19: "We have a strong prophetic word, and ye do well to hearken unto it, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the morning star arise in your hearts. He tells us to fix our eyes and minds only on the Word, and on baptism, and on the Lord's Supper, and on absolution, and to regard all the rest as mere darkness. I do not understand, nor do I pay attention to what the children of men do in this world, because they crucify and torment me. I cannot escape from the same frightening veil that hides the face of God from me, nor can I take it off; but I must remain in darkness and in the greatest darkness until a new light shines for me.
Thus Jacob and Joseph had a sad appearance before their eyes and hearts. But how with great joy did God let them see his back? So their descendants' sorrow, lamentation and distress in Egypt were also very miserable, but the outcome of this temptation was very glorious. For it is very comforting that St. Paul says in I Cor. 10:13: "God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted above your ability, but will bring the temptation to an end so that you can endure it," so that one may rejoice.
118 Therefore we see how sweet and so full of comfort is the answer of Joseph, who so completely forgets the unjust maltreatment that his brothers had practiced on him, that he
1696 X. 352-354. interpretation of Genesis 45:5. **w. n. 2483-2496.** 1697
He says, "I am not angry with you, nor do I desire that you should be frightened, that you should be disgraced, that you should be reviled. I am not angry with you, he says, nor do I want you to be frightened, disgraced and reviled. And why should I be angry with you, knowing that all this was done by divine counsel? As he will say to them afterwards, Gen. 50:19, 20: "Do not be afraid, for I am under God. You intended to do evil to me, but God intended to do it well" 2c. And in this place he also says, "For your life's sake GOD sent me before you," that you might be preserved, which they truly did not deserve. And it is seen in David that he took special delight in the word "send"; since in the 105th Psalm v. 17. he says: "He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant." God is called the sender, and the same to others for comfort and salvation, since he had the pious boy Joseph sold and killed, and that the father was quite miserably frightened and grieved about it. This is neither a Greek, nor a Latin, nor a Hebrew way of speaking. But the way of sending is wonderful and unheard of.
119 Therefore, we see how kind and sweet the Holy Spirit is, who calls this terrible deed, that Joseph was thus torn away from his father, and the very heavy cross, by which they were almost both killed, a mission to life. And it is truly a proper name, which is also very pleasing to God. Therefore it should also be pleasing to us, for it is a word and teaching of salvation. For this is how Joseph learned to speak when he was raised from the dead, after he had seen the counsel of the Lord and of God, namely, what he meant by the very severe affliction, and that he would be with his own in their greatest need, when they were hated, killed by their brothers, sold, thrown into prison and reviled, and otherwise got into all kinds of misfortune.
- and this is to be held up to the church and congregation of God, so that God's
blessed may be awakened by such examples to faith and patience, and learn to believe in GOD the Father, Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth 2c. We can lose nothing with GOD if we believe, but all loss is a hundredfold gain. Jacob had lost his son, and he himself was also lost, as he himself and all men could not have judged otherwise; but God answered and said of Joseph: "He is not lost nor corrupt, but I need him as an ambassador in Egypt, so that through him not only his father, brothers and household, but also the whole kingdom and all the surrounding countries may be advised and helped. And the same, that this should not only be a physical, but also a spiritual help, namely, that he instructs the king, the princes and the people in the country in the faith and knowledge of God. This is truly a very excellent and great message. For this is how Joseph himself interprets the selling. As if to say: You have sold me, but God has bought me, redeemed me and given me to Himself as a shepherd, so that I should be a prince and savior of the nations, precisely in the same way that I seemed lost and corrupt.
121 This example teaches us that even when we are afflicted and afflicted, we are not lost or destroyed, but preserved, provided we believe. For faith must be there; unbelief does not think of things. For these are spiritual examples of the most perfect faith, which neither the Jews nor the Papists understand, nor do they pay much attention to them. But we are to consider this diligently and impress it upon our hearts, namely, that this is a mission for the salvation and comfort of many people, since Joseph was sold into Egypt.
The holy scripture also speaks in such a way of the death and burial of Christ. For thus says Isaiah in the 11th chap. V. 10: "And his rest shall be honor," that is, his burial, which was considered by all men to be the utmost disgrace and wretchedness, is an honor in the sight of God. For thus he himself also says in the 16th Psalm
1698 2". AS. Interpretation of Genesis 45:5, W. II. Aw-Stgg. 1699
V. 10. 11.: "You will not allow your holy one to decay. You make known to me the way to life" 2c.
Therefore, the power and goodness of God should be held up against our weakness, poverty, and finally death itself. As the Germans have a fine saying, when they say: God has even more than he has ever forgiven. With this they wanted to show how great and inexhaustible God's goodness is. For if we die, we will not be lost, but will live, if we believe in his promise, even if he lets the pope or the Turk take our life, goods, wife and child by force. What happens then? This present life will be taken from us, so that another and much better one will be given to us. For God can and will undoubtedly give even more than he has ever given.
This teaching is especially necessary now, when we see that the pope and his followers are raging so horribly, and that many pious and holy men are being driven into misery with their wives and children, and are being robbed of all their possessions and goods, and are also being killed horribly. Likewise, the Turk is also raging quite horribly. Therefore we are as it were in the midst of death, and the world threatens as if it would fall over a heap. But the Lord is still alive. It is all of the Creator, who is the Father Almighty. Therefore we should not consider how great the calamity is, and how powerful are those who persecute us. Nor should our own danger, or that of our wives and children, frighten us so much; as Joseph did not look at prison, disgrace, death, and whatever other sadness and frightening accidents he encountered; but always cling to the Word, and believe in God the Father Almighty. If now the Turk or the Pope would already devour us alive, dear, what is the point? They swallow up our death, sorrow and misery, and make a change, namely, that we get an eternal life for this miserable life, if we believe otherwise in God, the Father Almighty.
- yes, you say, in the meantime, it's about to be
probably destroyed our religion? Answer: What is the matter with that? Let God rule and take care of it, the Lord will be well pleased and commanded that His Church be preserved and that a holy seed may still remain on earth. Joseph was indeed sent to the Egyptians, a rude and godless people, who knew nothing of God, since there was great danger that the young, tender heart might be poisoned and seduced by false doctrine and superstition: but the outcome and end indicate that this very same mission and danger was a cause of much good.
So it is still possible for God to preserve some among us who will be the seed for the church to grow and increase, even though the Turk and all of God's enemies have gone down and into ruins. For he does not let them rage and rage for any other reason than that they themselves should be destroyed and ruined by it. But in the meantime the light of the gospel is being spread more and more. Let us only continue with faith, teaching, suffering and dying; for the enemies and adversaries will themselves also have to perish.
Yes, you say, but all the same you are strangled by it. What is the matter with that? I know well that I must depart from this life. Therefore I ask nothing of it; I am about to be killed by the priest or the Turk. I believe in Jesus Christ, and I confess him and call upon him, whoever is angry or laughs.
(128) In this way the most holy fathers all put their trust and hope in Christ, and by faith overcame death, hell, and Satan with great strength of courage, and thus attained the eternal glory which is also reserved for them and for us in heaven. If Joseph had remained in his father's house and with his household, he would have spent his life there as a private person or a common man and would have been of little use to anyone. But when the grain of wheat fell into the earth, it became the salvation of many countries, both physically and spiritually.
129 And yet what are we to think that
1700 x. SSS-SS7. Interpretation of I Genesis 45:5-7. w. ii, Ass-ssoi. 1701
What will happen to the Turk and the Pope? For the evil they think and intend, God can easily turn to good. There is a beautiful, glorious and holy saying of Augustine, which reads: Tam bonus est Deus, ut nullo modo permittat malum, nisi inde norit elicere bonum, that is: God is so good that he does not allow evil to happen, if he cannot take something good from it. For so also out of Joseph's prison, bondage and misery he gave salvation, life and great glory to the whole land of Egypt.
130 Therefore, according to his miraculous counsel, he also sends us danger of body and good, and also of our good name. But faith in the heart breaks through and rises again from death to life.
This is to be noted from the way Joseph speaks, so that he interprets and explains the miraculous counsel of God when he says, "God sent me before you" to keep you alive, otherwise you would all have perished. But you have not been able to see or understand our Lord's counsel until now. As Christ says Joh. 13, 7. to Petro: "But you will know it later". And it is also said of the disciples, "They did not fail to hear the word, for Jesus had not yet risen from the dead." And God does this, because He wants to exercise and test our faith. For if he would show us his face from the front, faith would have no place. Therefore, from what follows we can conclude (a posteriori) that so much suffering cannot happen to us or be done to us that God cannot, on the other hand, give us much more and greater goods and, as it were, shower them on us.
Therefore this is the consolation of Joseph's brothers, so that he not only forgives their guilt and torment, but also makes them confident and of good cheer, because according to God's will and command he was given to them as betrayers, that he should keep them alive and set them in honor, and that Joseph's death was thus changed into life. For such an almighty Creator is our God, who makes everything out of nothing, who has created death, hell and all evil.
The only way to deal with this is to ensure that everything that comes their way is for the best for the chosen ones.
V. 6 For these are two years, that it is dear in the land; and yet are five years, that there shall be no plowing nor reaping.
In this place they dispute much what the causes of this flood may have been, and take it from this that the Nile came out, by which Egypt land was moistened, since otherwise the sky gave no rain. For, as they write that Babylon is fertile when the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris come out: so they say also of the Nile, that the same goeth forth in the middle of summer, about the time of the solstice, and when the sun passeth through the three signs of Cancer, Leo, and Virgo; And if it grows less than twelve or more than sixteen cubits, it is said to mean theurge, but if it is thirteen or fourteen cubits, they say it is a cause of the greatest fertility and a good season, so that the small waters cannot make all the land moist, but the large ones, by running off too slowly, make it impossible to cultivate the field. Just as in our country infertile years sometimes come from great drought, sometimes also when it is too wet. And we have to bear this damage almost every year. However, it has more danger to suffer from this than from that damage.
This proclamation of the plague in Egypt was prophetic, namely, that it would not be good for those who cultivate the field, whatever the cause; which he expresses hyperbolically by saying that there would be no plowing or no harvest, meaning that no plowing would help and the harvest would be very small. For the same plague has been inflicted not only on the Egyptians, but also on the other surrounding countries; and this has happened out of God's special counsel and wrath.
V. 7. But God sent me before you to preserve you on earth and to save your lives through a great salvation.
** **1702 s. x. W7-W9. Interpretation of I Genesis 45, 7. W. n. svoi-ss". 1703
Joseph repeats the word: "God has sent me," 2c., and needs many words to magnify this wonderful counsel of God, so that it may satisfy them in their hearts, and make them certain that their sin is forgiven, and that God will be gracious and merciful to them. For by God's mercy, their selling, which was full of envy and hatred, has been changed into a wholesome mission; and almost in every word seems the greatest godliness and honor that he has shown to God. For he cannot wonder enough, nor boast highly enough, how great the honor is that God has been able to awaken and bring forth so much great good, life and salvation from such great sin, since one would be hard pressed to think of one that could be greater and more atrocious. For this is not the nature of sin, that anything good should come from it; but this is the effect of divine grace and goodness, which can turn evil to good; as Joseph will say later in the last chapter, v. 20.
Therefore, this is a teaching only for Christians and children of God, who can let pass over them and eat into themselves whatever misfortune comes to them, and meanwhile wait with right confidence that they will again have a thousand benefits for one harm or accident. For we believe in God, who is an almighty creator, who can make everything out of nothing, and out of that which is evil work good, and out of that which is corrupt and lost work salvation and blessedness. As Rom. 4:17 is attributed to Him, since St. Paul says: "He calls that which is not, that it may be"; and 2 Cor. 4:6: "God, who caused light to shine out of darkness." Not out of coal a speck, but "out of darkness the light," he says; just as out of death he can make and bring forth life, out of sin righteousness, out of the servitude of the devil and hell the kingdom of heaven and freedom for the children of GOD.
So Joseph still remains with this wonderful counsel of God, and only insists on it and praises it very highly. Before, he said: "You should not
be sorry that you have sold me, for God sent me before you for the sake of your lives in general': but here he now repeats it and sharpens it, and draws it out to them, saying, "God sent me before you, that he might preserve you." As if he wanted to say: The common help, which God's goodness and grace has worked for all peoples according to his unspeakable counsel, also belongs to you. Your sin, though great and terrible, has not harmed you, so much so that it has brought help and comfort to all the nations around and especially to you. As if he wanted to say: God could have preserved you in another way; but this was decided and determined by Him, that you should be preserved by me; otherwise you would have died of hunger and because of your evil conscience, and our very holy father would have been worn out by sadness of heart. Therefore, do not doubt the grace and mercy of God, who has forgiven and pardoned your sin.
- and know that I am not set or appointed to avenge or punish sin against you, for God does not seek that, nor does he want it; but because you have repented, all your sins are forgiven you, even so that you may henceforth be safe and content, and also without all fear of punishment, and only be provided with certain help.
(139) In this way, Joseph sharpened the unspeakable counsel of God, and again he alleviated sin and made it low, as if it were an honest and praiseworthy thing, not by its power and nature, but rather by God's goodness and mercy, so that it was made low and taken away. And Paul says Rom. 5, 20: "The law came in next to it, so that sin might become more powerful. But where sin has become mighty, grace has become much mightier"; and Rom. 3:7, 8: "If the truth of God is made more glorious through my falsehood, to His glory," 2c., "then let us do evil, that good may come of it."
- but of those who abuse such abundant grace of God, says
1704 L. x. Lss-ssi. Interpretation of I Genesis 45:7. w. n. ssa4-2so7. 1705
Paul Rom. 3, 8. himself also: "Which condemnation is quite right. For God did not command or promise that He would bring forth from your sin wonderful, glorious and salvific works; Or if he has mercy on those who have committed sin and disgrace, so that he may prove his great grace and mercy, then this is a special divine counsel, from which this comes, and only happens to comfort the poor sinners who have fallen, so that they may not despair, but turn to God's mercy, and so that they may not fall into other greater and more serious vices, present or future. For God knows well the great power and tyranny of sin, which soon kills a man when it again comes to life. So Saul killed himself, Judas hanged himself on the rope, since they were both overcome by the terror of sin.
Therefore, the same misfortune must be prevented, and the poor failed hearts, which have been struck down by the power of the law and sins, must be raised up again, when they say: "I have unfortunately sinned, I confess it; but God is gracious and merciful, to Him I will flee, and ask that He may forgive me by grace. But if one sins out of presumption, intentionally and knowingly, and in addition despises God's threat and His severe wrath, he sins mortally, and is not far from sinning against the Holy Spirit.
For this reason, everyone should be careful and carefully consider in his heart what Sirach says in Cap. 5:2-7: "Do not follow your own will, even though you are able, and do not do what you desire, and do not think, 'Who will prevent me? For the Lord, the chief avenger, will avenge it. Think not, I have sinned more, and no evil hath befallen me: for the LORD is patient, but he will not leave thee unpunished. And do not be so sure that your sin has not yet been punished that you would therefore sin for and for. Also, do not think: God is very merciful, he will not punish me, I will sin as much as I want. He can become angry sooner than he is merciful, and his wrath against the wicked has no end.
hear." The wrath and judgment of God are indicated by the law, that we should not sin; but if we have fallen, we have the word of divine promise, wherein it is commanded that we should not despair, but consider that God's grace and mercy are immeasurably great, who gave His Son for us, that He should be our satisfaction, and by His blood our sins should be swallowed up and blotted out.
One should not and must not tempt God to be presumptuous of His mercy; rather, one should ask and hope for forgiveness of sins in faith and right heartfelt humility and repentance. As Joseph, when he praises the wonderful government of God, did not attract the merit, sin or defiance of his brothers, but only God's grace and mercy, who does not want the poor sinners to be lost, but that they should all be saved.
144 And he says that he was sent so that, even though the others all perish, he may still preserve some who remain in the church and community of God from the house and lineage of Jacob, who was a pastor and bishop and kept the promise he received from God. And thus indicates that God wants to preserve this small group, and for its sake give regiment, police and peace, and in addition house regiment, rain, fruitful time, how miserably Jacob was also tempted and driven about. For where it would have been without the same church, the world would soon have passed away. Therefore, says Joseph, the land of Canaan, Egypt and other countries will be preserved more for your sake, so that there may still remain a small number of God's people, through whom many others may also be converted.
145 For we have heard above that the holy patriarchs were like great lights in the world at that time, that they not only served them with teachings and that they spread the word, but also many others joined them who were not saved, as some were not saved.
1706 L X, 361-L63. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 7. W. n, 2S67-Mo. 1707
They are called Jews, proselytes, or strangers in Scripture, who were not of the lineage of the patriarchs, but Gentiles. Such people are called in the Scriptures fellow Jews, proselytes, or strangers, who were not of the lineages and families of the patriarchs, but Gentiles; and yet were related to them by friendship or affinity, as maidservants and servants, who were gathered to the church of the fathers, so that they were also incorporated into it.
(146) Thus Joseph has greatly benefited the whole kingdom of Egypt by converting the king, the priests and the princes of the land. That is why he says: "God sent me before you to keep you on earth. But you are the ones who are left, and the small group, for your sake I was sent.
(147) As in our times emperors, popes and mahometists live and remain in the world for no other reason than for the sake of the church, the word and the sacraments. When these are abolished and taken away, they will soon perish; as Daniel testifies, Cap. 12, v. 7: "When the scattering of the holy people is ended, all these things shall come to pass." In the meantime, however, the police and regiments remain, and the procreation and education of the children. For the number of the elect is not yet fulfilled, whose many are not yet born in this world. But when the number is fulfilled, Pabst and Turk shall see where they remain.
The church alone sustains all things, and is like a place where one plants or sows in the world, through which the word and the sacraments are spread and sustained. The same church is joined daily by a number of proselytes who also hear and accept the true heavenly teachings. Meanwhile, the pope, emperor, and Turk still rage against us, as if they were nonsensical, and fight against those who maintain them like strong pillars. And our Lord God would not esteem them worth a bean; but only for the sake of the church he puts the crown on them, gives them money and goods, power and honor with heaps. For this they thank the church
God that they miserably persecute the remaining poor Christians and would like to destroy and exterminate them completely, if only they could.
But the holy patriarch adds even more, so that he may magnify the wonderful work of God. I am sent, he says, so that all peoples around may be preserved through me; but this benefit is primarily for you: your salvation and welfare are sought most of all, and for your sake even your enemies must have it good. I have been brought here for the sake of your life, that you may be preserved in the natural life, which is then accomplished by a miraculous salvation. For this is a great, immeasurable gift of God, namely, that God saves you from the future destruction, which will last five whole years, by which all of Egypt and you Cananaeans with other surrounding peoples would also be destroyed, if God had not, out of immeasurable mercy, brought about this salvation through great miracles, by which so many peoples would be preserved for your sake.
150 For Joseph to make this salvation so great is so that faith may be established and awakened in their hearts. For no one will easily believe it, unless he has experienced it, what a terrible misfortune sin is when it is revealed and recognized, which so completely destroys the conscience that it cannot easily be comforted and raised up again. As one of the scholastics pointed out about the saying Proverbs 15:15: "A good courage is a daily good life," and said that there is no greater joy than the joy of the conscience, and no greater joy than in the spirit or heart. For the pleasure with which the flesh amuses itself is by no means to be compared with the pleasure that is in the heart; indeed, the same air is generally always mixed with wormwood and gall. But "a good spirit" and a merry heart "is a daily good life" that is very well prepared. On the other hand, a heart that knows itself guilty of committed sins feels only pain and vain sadness, as can be seen in Judah and Saul. For the
1708 L.x, ssz-IW. Interpretation of Genesis 45:7, 8. w-n, mo-2512. 1709
Sin, where it is recognized, is nothing other than the jaws of hell wide open.
151 The same thing can be seen in these brothers, who cannot rise again, even though Joseph alleviates their sin and makes it very small, and calls it a mission ordained by God's counsel, and which was done for their salvation and the salvation of other people. They are still standing there with him, fearful, trembling, frightened and even terrified. And he has done little for them, whether he has long comforted and healed them, whether he has minimized their sin and covered it up, since he has often led the divine order, and how this thing has come to such a beautifully blessed end, which is so beneficial and healing for many peoples, that he wants to strengthen them himself and then also comfort the afflicted and frightened father through them:
It takes so much effort and work to raise up and strengthen the poor hearts that are afraid of God's severe wrath and judgment. Yes, look at the apostles, with whom Christ walked forty days after his resurrection, strengthening and teaching them about the kingdom of God, and the appearances and sermons of the angels had also come: and yet they could not hold fast to it and be quite satisfied with it. Sin and an evil conscience are such a sad and miserable thing.
Therefore, we should guard against sins with all diligence and fear of God, or if we have sinned and our hearts are troubled, all men should counsel and help one another, so that such a troubled heart may be saved and awakened from its sorrow and pain, or be exhorted to right faith in God's grace and mercy. As Joseph also preaches to his brothers here most diligently, saying: "Oh, dear brothers, do not grieve in your hearts, but be of good cheer, and certainly believe me that your sin is forgiven, which is indeed great in itself, but the salvation and redemption, both bodily and spiritual, is much greater. They hear these excellent sermons from him, and yet they still doubt and do not dare to speak a word.
V. 8. And now, you did not send me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord over all his house, and a ruler in all the land of Egypt.
Joseph often tells them and impresses upon them that his brothers sold him and how it turned out. 2c. And says: "That you sold me did not bring me to this place; your sin did me no harm: but God took it, and used it to disgrace Satan, who deceived you, that he might bring forth a great good out of so great an evil. God, through His immeasurable goodness, has seized this opportunity that you have thus sold me, and has given Pharaoh, the Egyptians and other peoples more for all good, welfare and happiness.
(155) And so Joseph is most diligent to be an evangelist and a preacher of grace to his brothers, praising and magnifying God's mercy before them. For he says, that ye might be preserved, "God hath set me for a father to Pharaoh," that he should hear me and obey me, as a child obeys his father, or a pupil his schoolmaster. Now this is a great honor, namely, to have such a great king and so many princes in the land who are his hearers. But this, he says, neither I nor you have arranged, but God has graced me with this glory. They are vain divine works. Be still and know, for he alone does miracles. And these are truly greater miracles than the raising of the dead.
For this reason he attributes everything to God alone. For what was I to do? he says; I was sold and brought into bondage, was accused and condemned as if I had committed adultery, was put in prison for it: but from this I was redeemed and now raised to this honor and glory, that I should be a father, master, teacher and regent of all princes and priests and of this whole kingdom. I can see that you are very shocked and astonished, and that you can hardly believe my words that I am to be a father and prince over this whole land.
1710 L- X. 362-367. interpretation of Genesis 45:8-11. **W. II, 2S12-W17.** 1711
But I tell the truth, and all this is in the daytime, that you can see it before your eyes.
157 And it is no wonder that they still have some doubt about it: I could not easily have believed it myself. Therefore, he was not able to persuade them without great effort and work that he was Joseph, their brother, especially since they saw that he was a prince over Egypt, whom the king and the other great lords in that kingdom held in great honor and according to whose counsel and will they administered everything. That is why he makes the mercy of God so great and praises it so highly, so that he may achieve so much with them that they believe his words and take it for granted that everything that happens does not happen according to human counsel or will, but as the divine majesty itself orders and governs.
And until then the preaching and the word of promise of the grace and mercy of God, of the forgiveness of sins, and how God had shown them all benefits, so that they might be sure that they had been saved from destruction and that God had showered them with many gifts, which we call the gospel. But since this comforting sermon has come to an end, he now gives them a command in which he indicates what he wants them to do.
(159) Just as when the gospel is taught, we hear first of all that forgiveness of sins is preached to us. For we are justified by faith, through the grace and mercy of God, which He showed us in His Son Christ, when before our sin was known and our conscience was troubled. Just as these brethren are also terrified and afraid, because they have been struck down by the knowledge of their sins. Wherefore the gospel cometh shortly after, that they should not despair, as Saul and Judas did; but believe, being now established, justified, and comforted, and having received forgiveness of sins, and the Holy Ghost. This is a fine example of a very fine teacher to preach repentance, or to bring people to the knowledge of their sins and to the forgiveness of their sins.
To exhort them to believe in God's grace and mercy in Christ. Now follow words in which the command is written what they are to do.
Fourth Part.
How Joseph commands his brothers to go to the Under and proclaim Joseph's glory to him; how he kisses his brothers, weeps with them; and how finally his brothers talk to him.
I.
V.9-11. Make haste therefore, 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: thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy sons' children, and thy cattle great and small, and all that thou hast. I will provide for thee there; for there are yet five years of theuration; that thou perish not with thy house, and with all that thou hast.
160 He tells them to hurry up and go to the Father, for he has no less need of comfort than his sons. You, he says, have now known God and me also; therefore go, and do this work also which you have heard; and what I have said in your ear, the same is now yours to preach on the housetops, Matth. 10, 27.
161 Therefore proclaim it to my father, and to all his household and neighbors. As Christ commands his disciples Marc. 16, 15: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" 2c.; so Joseph also sends out his brothers, saying: "Make haste, do not delay, but without delay spread what you have heard. For if we have known God in His Son Christ JEsu, and now have received forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit, who makes hearts glad and content, by which peace we despise sin and death, what more is there to do? Let it follow immediately: Go now, do not be silent, that you alone may not be saved, but that you alone may be saved.
1712 D. X. 367-S69. Interpretation of Genesis 45:9-11. W. n, W17-SS20. 1713
that the other lot may also be preserved with you.
(162) Therefore Joseph commanded his brothers to do this alone with great diligence, namely, to present this word of comfort and salvation to his father and to proclaim to him that his son had been made Lord over all Egypt. But he knew well that it would also be difficult for his father to believe this. For he thought, "My father has been grieving for me for almost two and twenty years, and his heart is almost worn out and dead with sadness, for he has long since despaired of my life and well-being. He has long since despaired of my life and well-being, because he has not been able to experience anything certain or happy from me in such a long time. For his heart is so full of trepidation that he cannot believe or hope for any help or comfort, much less believe that I should live as a prince and lord over Egypt. Therefore he diligently impressed this upon his brethren, that they might tell and declare these things one by one unto their father.
163 And this account was quite difficult and unbelievable, just as the angel did at the tomb, Luc. 24:5, when he said to the women, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? And afterwards, when the women proclaim the same to the apostles, they do not believe it. For the great incomprehensible works and counsel of God cannot be understood so soon: they are so high and great that we cannot believe them so soon.
164 In our time, too, the church is being unfairly plagued and persecuted. The Turks and papists shed the blood of many of God's saints, and such blood flows freely from them. "Outwardly," as Paul says in 2 Cor. 7:5, "is strife," and is everywhere full of the worst examples; "inwardly" is terror and "fear" of the heart: all of which makes this light and life sour for us, so that we even become enemies of it.
But what will finally come of it? Answer: After so many miseries and tribulations, there will undoubtedly follow immeasurable joy and the greatest glory, in which we will rejoice and triumph through
miraculous and desired victory, as 1 Pet. 1, 11. says about the suffering of Christ and the glory that will follow.
- and God would that the day of our redemption and judgment would come very soon; for I have a much greater desire for the same day than otherwise for bodily redemption. For we would get another Mahomet and Pope. It would be better that everything would be thrown over the heap and annulled at once with all the misery and misfortune of this life, than that another temporal change should happen. For we know that for all eternity an unspeakable joy and unfading crown has been prepared for us, which we do not see now. We see only vain sighing, weeping, wailing, oppression and affliction of the poor. We see the devil's butt, but we do not see God's face. But let us believe, hope, wait, pray, hear the word diligently, and cleave unto it. For this is what God means when He says in the 55th Psalm v. 23: "Cast your desire on the Lord, and He will provide for you"; and as Peter 1 Epist. 5, 7 also says from the same Psalm: "He provides for you, do not fear"; item Paul Phil. 4, 4-6: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice. Let your joy be known to all men. The Lord is near. Do not worry; but in all things let your petition be made known in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving before God." Let Him care. We are far too foolish and too poor or lowly to bear the heavy burden of worry in our own affairs, even for a moment.
Therefore, the best thing is to trust in God alone, although we cannot be without tears, sadness and pain. How shall we do to him? Our flesh is in such a state that it cannot refrain from groaning, weeping, sorrow and lamentation. Yes, even the unreasonable animals, when they are slaughtered, indicate with their cries that they are in pain, and the creatures that have no life, as wood, when they are cut down or
1714 8. X. sss-sn. Interpretation of Genesis 45:9-13. W. II, 2520-2523. 1715
When they are broken, they also make a sound and crack. But we should hold fast to the word and faith, and not doubt that it is already decided with God that he will turn and turn the pain, sorrow and cross, which only lasts a short time, so that the pope, emperor and Mahomet weigh us down, into eternal and the highest joy. With such trust and hope we will easily alleviate our sorrow and grief: he will do it well.
Jacob could not easily believe that this message was true, because he doubted the life of his son for two and twenty years. For it often happens that in just one year we forget those for whose sake we have suffered. Therefore, this joy came quite unexpectedly and was not to be believed. Therefore, it was necessary for Joseph to repeat so often that he was sent and appointed by God as Lord over Egypt.
But he does not tell them how he was sold by them, otherwise they would have had to tell the father by what occasion and order all things happened in the same matter. For it is such a perverse thing about original sin that it will not let its shame be seen, but adorns and covers it most diligently. Therefore Joseph gives them no command to tell how they sold or killed their brother; but he himself also helps to cover the shame of their sin, and does not tell them to confess the sin, but only to tell that he is a prince over all Egypt and a father of Pharaoh. These great, miraculous works of God, he wants to be praised, namely that the son of a poor Hebrew shepherd was raised to such high great honor and glory.
170 But because he knew that the father would hardly believe what the sons told him, as will be seen hereafter, he added a number of dialing signs or indications so that they could make him believe their words. You shall, he says, in the land
Gosen live. But what kind of land it is, I do not know. Some say it is the same land they call Thebais. But this is certain, it will not have been far from Joseph; as the text says, "Thou shalt be near me." Therefore we will not dispute the name of this place, since there is no doubt that both in these and other countries the name of the places has often been changed. So far we have heard what command he gave them; now he also adds a confirmation.
See, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that I speak to 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.
He wants his brother Benjamin to be his witness and to be with his father instead of a guarantor, so that he may believe all the more easily that Joseph is still alive. He strengthens and confirms them with this sign that he speaks to them in his mother tongue and does not need an interpreter now, as he did before. And we are not to think that out of vain honor he has thus boasted, since he calls them, that they should tell the Father all his glory, which is what ambitious and discreet people are wont to do. For we see that the highest and especially chivalrous virtues are described in him, the like of which did not exist in Achilles, Scipio or Alexander.
Since Joseph was in the highest honor, he kept himself finely humble and lowly toward his brothers, so that he did not despise them, but addressed them in the most friendly manner, and began to weep bitterly with great joy, because he was seen and recognized by them; yes, that is even more, he kissed them and took them kindly in his arms. Therefore, you will not find another example in which there is greater kindness, more loving manner and manners than in Joseph. He does not even remember the death or other sins they had committed against him, their brother, but all of them are swallowed up by the immense sea of
1716 L X, 371. 372. interpretation of I Moses 45, 12-15. **W. II, 2S23-2S2S.** 1717
Gentleness, kindness and love so have been to Joseph.
These virtues and excellent works shine in him and are described to us as an example and correction; as Paul says 2 Tim. 3, 16. 17.: "All Scripture, inspired by God, is useful for teaching, for punishment, for correction, for chastening in righteousness, that a man may be perfect in God's sight, fit for all good works. For this is abundantly testified by the Holy Spirit, who caused this to be written, namely, that God delights in such lowly and carnal things, which are outwardly bad and contemptible enough to look at, but in God's sight they are very delicious, because they are done in spirit and faith.
II.
V.14. 15. 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. Then his brothers talked with him.
(174) Behold, what a goodly kindness and wonderful love is this that Joseph had toward his brethren. For not only did he kiss Benjamin, whom he especially loved and in whom he also honored his mother Rachel and his father, but he kissed all the others without distinction. And I wonder how he might have been minded when he came to Simeon and Levi with kissing and weeping. For these were the ringleaders and forerunners of the sins they committed against him, as we have heard above, chap. 37; and yet he also took them around the neck and kissed them like the others.
There was indeed a gentle and humble spirit in such a great prince, who was so wise and holy. For is it not a great miracle that he was able to kiss Simeon, his enemy and killer, while weeping and with such great compassion?
176 But this could not have been left undone, for his heart must have been greatly moved when he fell on the neck of his brother Benjamin in the flesh and kissed him, for he owed him more because he was Rachel's son than because he owed the others.
were born of Leah. For our Lord God allows this preference to remain in the flesh, and it is just, namely, that the natural inclination is greater among those who are born of the same parents, than otherwise against strangers. As Joseph loved Benjamin more than the others, and especially the enemies who were after his life. Yet he did nothing evil against them, nor did he intend to do them any harm, but kissed them very kindly. All this the Holy Spirit wanted to praise, so that he would obscure and suppress the terrible works of the monks. For since these works are done according to the Word of God and in the Holy Spirit, they are higher than all the works and virtues of the greatest heroes.
177 Therefore Simeon, who killed Joseph, is still very dear and pleasant to him. The father, however, will be a little harder on them, and will not forgive their sin so easily and forget it so completely, for he will curse Simeon and Levi.
When Moses blessed the children of Israel, he did not remember Simeon; but the tribe of Levi, of which he was born, he blessed abundantly. And in all the places where he remembered the twelve generations, Simeon was nowhere omitted; but when he was to recount his blessing, Moses was silent. Jerome says, either according to his own discretion or according to the opinion of others, that Moses did not want to remember Simeon, so that the betrayer of Judah would be born from him.
179] And even now, among the loose multitude of the rest of the Jews, the tribe of Simeon is the most contemptible; as Lyra testifies concerning Genesis 49, when he says, "The Hebrews add to this the dispersion of Simeon, saying, 'There is no poor scribe or disciplinarian anywhere but of Simeon. This is said because those of the tribe of Simeon wandered about through the places which were attached to the other tribes by lot, seeking their sustenance by writing and teaching the children; as the poor clerics are wont to do among the Christians. This is what Lyra says in the place mentioned above.
1718 L. X, 37P. 374. interpretation of Genesis 45:14, 15. w. II. MSK-WSS. 1719
180] After this, nowhere in all of Scripture is it found that they ever did anything worthy. So Simeon was not held up well before God, but tumbled along among the other twelve as a poor beggar. For Jacob has denied him, and Moses is silent about him. Therefore Joseph is much more gentle and merciful than his father Jacob or Moses toward his brother, because he kisses them all; and when he fell on the neck of the murderer of his brother, he also wept over him.
181 But I think that they will not all have accepted the kissing of him with the same mind. Simeon's mind must have been much different from Judah's or Issachar's, because his heart was wounded, because he had an evil conscience because of sin, from which he undoubtedly felt biting and stinging, and could never forget the sin he had committed. After their father died and was buried, they could not be satisfied, especially Simeon. When they returned from the land of Canaan, they asked him not to remember the sin they had committed against him, citing their father as the one who told them to ask him. There they show that the wound of their conscience was not yet completely healed, since he had shown them so many signs, in which they could certainly feel nothing but great kindness, mercy and benevolence.
182 Judas' and Benjamin's hearts were much more peaceful. But Simeon and the others trembled greatly, thinking that perhaps he had been more humble for his father's sake, but if he died, he would do as he had done before and avenge the sin on them. A guilty conscience is so very poor and suspicious, and sin and transgression come to it much more easily than it comes to it that it should be healed again. Sin goes in sweet, but out sour.
183] Therefore you see that Joseph surpasses his father and Moses in the forgiveness of sins, because when they forgave him
had sold, does not remember. But the father will curse Reuben, Simeon and Levi, and Moses is silent to Simeon. But Joseph speaks to them in a friendly manner and treats them with kindness. Ah, my dear brother Simeon, Levi, he will have said, I will forgive and pardon you all with all my heart. At that time they were in his power, and he could have justly avenged the shame he had met with on them. But he could not do so because of the great compassion and kind heart he had for them, which thought of nothing else but that he might forgive their sin, do them good and comfort them. For their consciences have been grievously wounded, and they have always wrestled with great sore pains, which cannot easily be relieved or removed.
Therefore he had mercy on them and thought to himself, "Well, I will become a theologian, a preacher, a physician, a servant of all servants, so that I may win over those who wanted to destroy me; and he sought their salvation and happiness not only with words but also with deeds. Nevertheless, there will still follow some punishments of righteousness, which God will bring upon them through Jacob and Moses. For our Lord God will not let it go that way.
III.
After the excellent example of the meekness and love of Joseph, they now begin to answer their brother. For they had hitherto been terrified, and had been quite frightened at the great joy that had suddenly befallen them, so that they had been silent about it, and could not speak a word. But the great gentleness and benevolence they have experienced in Joseph gives them courage, so that they now speak to him all the more confidently.
The scripture does not remember the speeches they had among themselves, but it can be easily deduced from the way each of them was minded, what the conversation might have been. Those who were innocent, as Dan, Isaschar, Benjamin 2c., may have said: Oh my dear
1720 L. X. 374-37S Interpretation of Genesis 45:14, 15. W. n. 2S2S-2L3I. 1721
Brother Joseph, we have shunned the great sin with all our hearts; but you, Simeon, know well how greatly you have grieved our father. Simeon will have recognized this and will have confessed it to him with all humility and said: Oh, my dear Joseph, I am the knave 2c., I would be worthy to be wheeled and wheedled by you. Judah and Reuben said, "We would have gladly saved you and brought you back to your father, but it was in vain. And yet they sinned, because they gave counsel that their brother should be sold.
They will also have often repeated the great sorrow and heavy affliction, as well as the bitter tears of their father and the other mothers, such as Bilhah and Zilpah 2c., who in the meantime had died of sadness of heart, and will have spoken of other things as well, concerning the housekeeping. And recently to say of it: It will have been a humble confession or confession of them all, and that they have renounced him what they had sinned against him.
And he himself sees their sorrow and anguish, the shameful wound; therefore he makes himself believe that he only has to make an effort to restore and heal those who were afraid, as he said above, v. 5: "God sent me before you for your life, and that he might preserve you on earth. 2c. For just as "good courage," as Solomon says, Prov. 15:15, "is a daily good life," so also a troubled conscience, and one that knows itself guilty of sins, is like a constant hell, which will also be nothing other than an evil conscience. If the devil did not have an evil conscience, he would be in heaven. But the evil conscience lights the infernal fire, and awakens in the heart the terrifying torment and infernal devils, the Erinyes, as the poets have called them. From the outside, the devil will not be afraid of stones, fire, or any other torment, whatever it may be; but inwardly in the heart he will be quite martyred and tormented. The wrath of God is the real hell of the devil and all the damned.
(189) On the other hand, how great joy and strength a peaceful heart has, is well seen in the holy martyrs, who in the midst of suffering and death laughed and praised God, which the wicked cannot do because of their evil guilty conscience; hence they blaspheme God, are angry with Him, and are wholeheartedly hostile to Him.
(190) Therefore let us also learn for fear of pain, and for the sake of the great damage that cannot be healed, which is a wounded conscience, that we should beware of sins. For it is such an exceedingly hard struggle which one must hold with a conscience that knows itself guilty of sins. The fall is easily done; but to step back and again gain a desire or craving for the comfort of divine goodness and mercy, that takes great effort and work.
191 We have now several times taken the example of Christ's disciples, who were terrified and dismayed, not otherwise than as if they themselves had strangled their Lord with their hands, because they had departed from him. But what does Christ do about this? He spoke to them for forty days about the kingdom of God, about the forgiveness of sins, about God's grace and mercy, item, about His suffering. You did not kill me, he says, nor did you anger me; but this was the counsel and will of my heavenly Father, that I should suffer death and rise again, that the forgiveness of sins might be preached in my name. But he did not raise them all up with this; they were greatly distressed, no doubt because they had thus forsaken him. They will have said, "We are sorry!" and still let themselves be comforted with the words of Christ. Nevertheless, their hearts could not have been so peaceful and pure as if they had done nothing wrong.
When Peter was asked the third time by Christ, John 21:16, "Simon Johanna, do you love me? Feed my sheep," John the Evangelist adds that he was very saddened by this. Why is that? Answer: The sting of sin and the fact that he thought of it frightened him;
1722 D. X, S76-S7S. Interpretation of Genesis 45:14, 15. w. n, LSSI-2SS4. 1723
Although Christ speaks to him in a very friendly way and wanted to awaken and strengthen his faith, he nevertheless says, "Lord, you know that I love you," when he thinks of his sin. Previously he had said, Luc. 22, 33: "I am ready to go with you to prison and to death"; and Christ might well have imposed this on him.
193, But he is even so toward Peter and the other disciples, as Joseph is here also toward his brethren. He gathered them together when they were frightened, comforted them, and poured out on them his heartfelt mercy and the riches of the grace of forgiveness of sins; yet he had forty days to bind them and heal them. So Joseph took care for several days to heal the wound of his brothers by the kindest of conversations; and he dealt with them in the most intimate and brotherly manner, so that through them he might also take away his grief from his father, who was also in a difficult struggle because of his accident, not because of the sin or misdeed he might have committed, but because of sadness and many other fears and hardships.
Therefore, the example of Joseph is a true and beautifully clear picture of the resurrection of Christ. And such works are still done daily in the church. For this is the proper office of bishops and pastors or preachers, that they should teach, raise up, and comfort, not those who are hardened and insensible, who will not be comforted by any words, which may much rather be ordered to the bailiff or executioner; but that they should administer and communicate the balm of the holy Scriptures to the afflicted and sorrowful hearts, saying to them, "Fear not." 2c. "Be of good cheer, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee." Matth. 9, 2.
But how difficult it is to bring such comfort from the Scriptures to oneself, both my experience and that of others testifies to this. I have been reading the Bible for thirty years with the greatest diligence and effort, but I am not yet so completely healed that I can read it with perfect understanding.
I would like to be stronger and have a greater faith, but I cannot do it. I would like to be stronger and have a greater faith, I would like to be more trusting in Christ, so that I could comfort myself and boast more, but I cannot manage it.
For this reason the wound is healed when oil and wine are poured into it in the inn. For the churches are nothing else than such common inns, where the people are healed, who feel their sin and death, as well as the terror and plague of the poor wounded conscience. Truly, the church servants must see to it that they heal these wounds faithfully and diligently, that they pour oil and wine into them.
For sin is the most dreadful disease, and the conscience is a very tender thing, and like a little woodworm, as the old interpreter of the Bible says of David. For where such a little worm is only a little injured in the skin, it soon dies. And the common and good saying also teaches the same, which thus reads: Non patitur ludum fama, fides, oculus, that is: With the good name, the faith and the eye it is not good to joke. For as faith, that is, conscience, can be injured in a little moment: so also the eye and a good rumor is a very delicate thing, which can easily be injured or damaged. It often happens that many countless blasphemies and after-talks have come from a word that was spoken carelessly or was not properly understood. So now the reconciliation and healing of these brothers has been established, even though they are not yet completely straightened out. This is a very beautiful example of the healing that is done in the church by ministers and teachers.
- Moses has very sweetly illustrated how Joseph and Benjamin fell around each other's necks. For thus the words in the text are, "And he fell on the neck of Benjamin his brother, and wept; and Benjamin wept also on his neck." So Gad, Naphtali, Zebulun, and the others also clung to him, and he wept with great delight at the speech of each of them from his
1724 L.x, 373. 37S. Interpretation of I Genesis 45, 14-16. **W. II, 2534-2533.** 1725
The others, who were older, were not allowed to come so close, although they also told something about how things were with the father and how anxious he would have been. The others, who were older, were not allowed to come so close, although they also told something about how things were with the father and how anxious and worried he would have been.
And so the rumor went out all over the king's court, how Joseph and his brothers knew each other, and how they conversed with each other, and the Hebrew shepherd and poor beggar, who had scarcely a poor shepherd's hut in the land of Canaan, was highly praised throughout all the land of Egypt. Before that, no one knew who this Joseph was, or who his parents were, from whom he was born.
- and it is truly a miracle, since he was so highly exalted and had the rule in the country, that he did not send messengers to investigate the situation of the whole family. But he himself gives reason why the same had not happened, since he interprets the name of Manasseh, his son, and says Gen. 41, 51: "God has made me forget all my misfortunes, and all my father's house." For since two and twenty years had passed since the time he was sold, he thought that his father would have died in the meantime from grief and sorrow, but that Benjamin would also have perished through the wickedness of his brothers, so that Simeon might have the reign alone.
201 And the whole game he played with his brothers was aimed at him wanting to find out all the more exactly how his father was, whether he was still alive and well with all the household. So he almost gave up all hope that his parents and brothers would still be alive, and thought that his father's whole house must be miserably broken up and even confused. For you have heard how diligently and exactly he inquired about Benjamin, and how he tried to dissuade them, even with bands and imprisonment, that they should give him a true report of the actual state of Benjamin, until he could see him himself.
Fifth part.
How the cry of Joseph's brothers came to Pharaoh's house, and Pharaoh and his servants took pleasure in it; item, how Pharaoh gave orders to bring Jacob and his family to Egypt.
I.
V. 16 And when the cry came into Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brethren were come, it pleased Pharaoh well, and all his servants.
The cry of Joseph's brothers has come over the whole royal court, and they are now and then praised throughout all Egypt and in the lands next to it with their father Jacob, who was despised and unknown in the promised land where he once dwelt. But in the land where he is a stranger, he now becomes great and his cause is quite prosperous there. Therefore it is a wonderful thing that he is so despised and unknown in the place that was especially promised and appointed to him by God, and that he does not possess a hair's breadth of the goods that he should have expected from the land of Canaan. And what is more, there he is terribly afflicted and martyred, since Bilhah and Dinah are weakened, and Joseph has been sold and lost, and in addition Rachel, his most beloved wife, has died miserably in childbirth. There is no honor at all, but the highest shame with great pain and sadness.
(203) Joseph could not boast of his lineage and origin before, because he thought that his father had died long ago of great desire for him, and so he named his firstborn son Manasseh, saying only that he was a Hebrew man and had been taken away secretly and had come to Egypt. But now that he had recognized his brothers and seen them again, and the cry had gone out from them for some days over the whole kingdom, Jacob was exalted and praised again and again by everyone in the foreign land.
1726 n. x. S7S-S81. Interpretation of Genesis 45:16. w. ii, 2533-2510. 1727
Servants gladly listened to this message and very much enjoyed the same.
The reason why this pleased the king so much is shown by Lyra: Although he was fond of Joseph because of the great good he had done the whole kingdom, he considered it not very praiseworthy that a bought servant, who had been led out of prison, should be lord over such a large kingdom. For we see, as Cicero says, how people who rise and become great because of their virtue and skill, when they are otherwise of lowly parentage, are so much hated and opposed by some of the nobility. Therefore, Lyra says, the king was very fond of this and was pleased that he now knew Joseph's family and parents, from whom he came.
Both the king and the nobles in Egypt must have been devout men who loved Joseph so much and marveled at his incredible wisdom, holiness, godliness and all other virtues. However, there will also have been some detractors and opponents. For the text does not say that this was equally pleasing to all servants. Thus the devil of the court is not dead, and in the courts of kings and princes the seven deadly sins reign much more than otherwise among the families of other common people. And how great the power of the devil is there is shown by the words of the prophet Daniel in the 10th chapter. V. 20, where the angel says: "Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will go again and fight with the prince in Persia; but when I go away, behold, the prince will come out of Greece."
- So, no doubt, the devil was also in Egypt; but the blessing of the Lord overcame his fierce anger, and God exalted this stranger, and gave him a king who was gentle and kind, and some princes and lords in the land, who were also honorable and godly men, who loved him and held him in honor; as is evident from the 105th Psalm.
V. 21. can be seen. The others, however, who were his detractors and envied him, also often tormented him severely, just as Daniel was in the kingdom of Babylon. For though he was a holy, pious and innocent man, yet at last he was cast into the lions' den by false and unlawful accusation, so that the courtiers had denounced him to the king.
This is common in all courts, that the pious are oppressed by the lies and deceit of the blasphemers. Dobben, Cap. 39, 20, the severe trial when he was thrown into prison is described: but what misfortune or resistance he subsequently encounters in the regiment is not told in the text.
Although the whole race of shepherds was an abomination among all the Egyptians, the king was so godly and pious that he did not take offense at such a lowly, contemptible status. Let me tame the shepherd, he will have said. He was dearer to him than many others of the nobility and great lords in the same kingdom. Yes, this is the hand of God, "who raises the lowly out of the dust, and exalts the poor out of the dung, to set him beside the princes, beside the rulers of his people," as the 113th Psalm v. 7. 8. says.
209 There is no doubt about it, he will have told the king his whole family, back to Tharah and Noah, and that he has shown and proved how he was born from the famous family of the most distinguished men. And this was very pleasant and dear to the king. For Lyra to add that Joseph's brothers were so handsome and beautiful in appearance that it was easy to assume from their handsome appearance that they were famous people does not seem to me to be true. For they were shepherds, who had such a figure and clothing, as the same people tend to have. The king and his nobles did not pay much attention to this, but loved Joseph because of his virtue and great wisdom.
1728 f. L. S8I-LW. Interpretation of Gen. 45:17, 18. w. ii, 2510-2543. 1729
II.
V. 17, 18 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers: And when ye are come into the land of Canaan, take your father and your household, and come unto me; and I will give you goods in the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the marrow of the land.
210 Although Joseph had commanded his brothers by his own authority to bring his father to him from the land of Canaan, and promised them that he would feed him with his whole house and all his family, it is now expressed more clearly that he does not want to do this without the king's permission and command. Therefore he was not hopeful, and did not exalt himself beyond measure because of the great glory and dominion he had over all Egypt; but kept himself finely humble and lowly, honored the king and did nothing without his will. Again, the kindness of the king is praised here, who soon agreed with Joseph in this matter and was eager to do him and his father every good.
211 There was no such pride and sacrilege in Joseph as is found in our times among tax officials or rentmasters who, out of their own presumption and malice, dare to do all kinds of things in the affairs of princes and their lords, since the princes and lords themselves often know nothing about it, or it even happens without their will. Joseph was not such a man. For he was not puffed up or proud because of the great honor to which he had come, but knew how to keep himself moderately and humbly, and recognized that he was obliged to hold the king in honor and to look to him.
Such a heart is truly powerful in itself, which does not exalt itself in happiness, but keeps itself fine to the same extent as it did before it came to such dominion and honor. But this is a very rare and wonderful virtue. As the pagan poets and historians also spoke about the great weakness and
Impermanence of the hearts of men lament. Virgil says:
Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae, Et servare modum, rebus sublata secundis;
That is: The human heart cannot know beforehand what happiness or unhappiness it will encounter, nor can it measure up when it is lifted up by happiness.
Man's heart cannot let go, it must exalt itself when happiness is present; and again in misfortune and adversity it becomes very fainthearted and despondent; as all histories of even the greatest men testify. They say of Casus Caesar that when things did not go his way, he always looked sour and hung his head. Therefore it is a great thing that a man is constant, whether in fortune or in misfortune. And to this belongs such a heart, which has a certainly perfect trust in God alone, and which does not forget God when everything goes blissfully and according to his will, and also does not despair when it sees and hears that his thing does not want to go out as blissfully as he would like it to. Yes, faith is also stronger in adversity than in happiness, according to the saying 2 Cor. 12:9: "My power is mighty in the weak."
Therefore Joseph was a great and wonderful man, who was able to keep this measure in his great happiness, which he had also kept before in prison and bondage.
This Pharaoh is also counted among the pious, godly kings, whom God undoubtedly blessed for Joseph's sake, and because he himself was especially devoted to godliness, as he was instructed and reported on by Joseph in matters of religion and police. For Joseph was not idle in Egypt, but spread the true divine teaching with the greatest diligence, and presented it to the king, the nobles of the land, and the whole nation. The Lord gave him an obedient king, who gladly obeyed him, and many princes, priests and other rulers, who followed the same right teaching.
1730 2. x, 333-385. interpretation of Genesis 45, 17. 18. w. **ii. 2543-254."** 1731
The people have been eager to hear and learn the same teaching.
216 And it is no wonder that some other ungodly and unbelievers have also been among them. It is enough that the kingdom in general has had the word. Even though there are many wicked people in our country, the church and school are in the main godly. For nothing is taught therein that is ungodly or immoral, but what is godly and honest is taught therein. But if there are some among the multitude who misuse such gifts and benefits of God, we do not inquire into their wickedness, nor do we allow ourselves to be challenged, so that we should not judge according to the right substance or essence. Just as more filth, rubbish and dirt accumulate in the body of man and are thrown out by food and drink than flesh and blood, and yet it is said of the body that it is healthy and pure if its substance or essence remains intact. For we judge not according to that which is vile, but according to the substance and right being. But if the sermons, the court and the authorities, or the offices in the church and the police are corrupted and found wanting, that is the most wicked thing, and a devilish disorder and counterfeiting can easily be found there, even though everything has a great appearance of holiness; just as the heretics can boast of their good works to the highest degree.
217 Therefore the kingdom of Egypt was very beautiful and in great prosperity at that time, not only physically but also spiritually. But now it is becoming even greater and more glorious because of the honor that the patriarch and prophet Joseph has had. And God is now gathering the whole church into the same kingdom, and great honor and glory has come to this king, that he has become a host and caretaker who has housed and entertained the whole church, since he has called Jacob to come to Egypt with his sons and daughters and all the household.
218 For Jacob was not only a shepherd or a householder; which the papists consider in him alone, and can do nothing more than to make the married state and children
We should only despise him because he was a patriarch, a prophet and an angel of God, who had the word of God with him wherever he went. But we should honor him all the more because he was a patriarch, prophet and angel of God, who had God's word with him wherever he went, which is nothing else than having God Himself and His holy angels with him. For where the church is, there is also the ministry and service of the dear angels; as the 34th Psalm v. 8. testifies: "The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who fear him, and helps them out"; item in the 125th Psalm v. 2. thus stands: "Around Jerusalem are mountains; and the Lord is around his people, from now on until eternity."
219 Therefore the pious holy king Pharaoh did not receive and harbor a lowly despised guest, when he gave Jacob and his children lodging, but became such a host, harboring the church of God and the holy angels; which was truly a great honor for Egypt. Afterwards, however, this country does not remember the favor it has received (as the ungrateful world is wont to do), and has not thanked its guests as it should have done.
220 Therefore, it is not only the fact that the fathers were shepherds, milked the goats and did other domestic work that must be considered so important, but rather what was most noble about Jacob and the others, namely, the divine promise, which reads: "Through your seed all nations shall be blessed," Genesis 26:4. The Savior of the world shall come from you. For the most noble and most important treasure and ornament in the histories of the patriarchs is the word of God.
The monks lack this light of God's will altogether; and that God should confirm their order and make it pleasing to Him is far lacking, for they cannot boast that their state is founded in God's word or promise. And if you will diligently consider or move them, you will see that they are entirely carnal men and without God's word. Therefore, there is no doubt about it, they
1732 x" SW-S87. Interpretation of Genesis 45:17, 18. w. n, 2S4S-2S48. 1733
must be from the devil. Yes, they say, I do not sleep with a wife, I have nothing to do with daily worries or domestic work, I only wait for my prayer, reading and meditation. It is rightly done; but you cannot be sure that your position is established by God or confirmed by the word of promise.
How much better you would do, dear Franciscus, Dominic, and all popes and cardinals, if you milked the cows, swept the house, or did any other housework. For a householder also has a temporal promise, therefore God has instituted the marriage state in the fourth commandment, saying: "You shall honor your father and your mother" 2c. Therefore the fatherhood or the office of a householder and the whole obedience with all domestic works is ever sanctified, adorned and instituted in the fourth commandment. And on top of all this, a special promise is added, namely, that the children who honor their parents shall live long; which cannot be said of the pompous ones, pope and cardinals.
But at last, when they are in the last stages and are now to die, they have no real light or constant comfort, but must despair. As I have known a tamer in Erfurt before this time, who had two and twenty spiritual fiefs for his person alone: but when he was in the last stages, and did not know where he would go from this life, he spoke these words with miserable sighing and weeping, which were full of despair: O that I had been the servant of some poor shepherd or swineherd all the days of my life. For they live so crudely, when they are healthy, without God, without light, without cross or suffering, and then also die so crudely.
Therefore, we should take care that in our state we may also have bodily promises from God, on which the heart can rely. As St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 4, 8: "Godliness is useful for all things, and has the promise of this life and the life to come"; just as the fathers had the promise of the household government, the police and also the church or eternal life.
Therefore, Pharaoh did not take in a lowly commoner who was only a householder or a worldly ruler, but he took in the church and congregation of God Himself, which he sustains, nourishes and protects. This is a great honor and royal glory, so that he may rightly be called a holy, godly king, whom God has especially honored. For he was raised by God to this great office, that he should preserve the church, that he should give it a place, time and protection, so that the same church might be gathered, strengthened and built up.
226 Now this is a very beautiful text in this place, that Pharaoh had so great delight and pleasure in the cry of Joseph's father and his brethren. And though the Egyptians were an abomination before the shepherds, yet he esteemed this house and family of Jacob and Joseph great. For when I look at your father's house, he will have said, I see that it is very beautiful and magnificently adorned and honored by God. But you, Joseph, are full of the Holy Spirit, surpassing in wisdom, godliness and counsel all other princes and great lords in the whole kingdom; who indeed have an abomination before the shepherds; and I also cannot punish, mend or change this worldly statute or custom of the land. But be that as it may, I desire to see thy father and all thy family, though they be shepherds, and to receive and harbor them.
Ah, would to God that we had many such princes in our time! For this was a great and excellent virtue in Pharaoh, the like of which is not much to be found, and which is praised by everyone. And that he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit is clearly evident from the fact that he fed and maintained the church so willingly and for nothing at all, and that he desired nothing in return. For at this time you will find many who also accept the teaching of the gospel and are devoted to it until they have plundered and robbed the parishes and parish goods, monasteries and convents. But unfortunately, there are very few of them, who for the sake of godliness
1734 D. X. SS7-3SS. Interpretation of Genesis 45:17, 18. W. **II, 2Ü48-2SSI.** 1735
The people who are not, are not, for their own sake and from the heart, quite favorable to teachers, pastors, or church servants. But those who are such follow Pharaoh's example, which is truly the most Christian and holy thing they can do. For Pharaoh did not seek his own benefit, nor does he look anywhere else, since he nourishes and preserves the church, but only on godliness and the right worship, that only the same may be promoted. He does not take or snatch anything for himself, but rather gives his own goods and devotes them to the preservation and nourishment of the house of Jacob.
This is truly such an example that all kings, princes, authorities, and also those of the nobility should set for themselves and follow with the greatest diligence, namely, to nourish and maintain pious and godly pastors, church servants, and students. Unfortunately, however, the opposite is happening in our times, not only by the popes, but also by those who establish reformation and improvement in the churches, and under such pretenses deprive the church of the goods that should be invested for the preservation of the preaching ministry and the schools.
229 But by the "house of Jacob" he does not mean wood and stones; for he did not dwell in houses with his children, but in huts, after the manner of the shepherds of Arabia, or of the peoples called nomads, who could not stay in one place, but had to seek pasture in various places and always follow it. Therefore, by the "house of Jacob" we also understand his entire family, his sons and daughters, as well as the sons' and daughters' children, blood friends and brothers-in-law, who were all with him; and there will undoubtedly have been a large number of them who went down to Egypt with Jacob. After this it is said, "All the souls of the house of Jacob that came into Egypt were seventy." But the wives, the daughters and granddaughters, servants, maidservants, and brothers-in-law with their wives are not counted, but only the most distinguished principal persons were numbered.
- about which Pharaoh promises that he will
to give them "the marrow of the land" to eat, that is, to give them the most fertile and best part of Egypt. The Hebrew word chalab means milk, but cheleb means marrow or fat; as the scripture Genesis 4:4 says of Abel: "He offered sacrifices to the Lord from the firstlings of his flock, and from their fat, that is, from the very fattest sheep: from the firstlings of his flock he selected the best and the most beautiful. Pharaoh is also so mild and benevolent that he will gladly give them the very best and the choicest of all the land and turn it over to them. Come here, he said, I will honor the church, God and his prophets, and all that I have that is good I will give and share with you. You shall choose the very best pasture and everything that will be necessary for your livestock. You shall be given the best.
Therefore this is a very good example, which was also seen by the prophet Isaiah, when he says in the 49th chapter, v. 23. V. 23: "The kings shall be thy keepers" 2c. Such kings were Theodosius, Constantinus and many others before times. Our princes now only tear everything away and rob the churches. And although there are many churches that have a rich income, there are few lords who give so much of it that the church servants and parish priests can be maintained with it for their necessities. They give too little of it, but the fat and the very best that the monasteries and convents had, they accept; which we may tolerate to some extent now that the princes must have such great expenses. But they should think of this example, if they do not want to give the fat or the very best, that they do not give the chaff for the bread.
By the grace of God, we have a very good, pious prince, and there are others who still earnestly care for the churches and protect and nourish the parish priests; but there are almost few of them. The avarice and the pride that reigns at the courts of princes is a root of all evil. And if the priests also have superfluities, they even indulge in avarice, as before lines were drawn.
1736 D. X. 389-SSI. Interpretation of Genesis 45:17-20. **D. n. 2M1-r "5t.** 1737
and do not study as diligently as they should. Now Pharaoh turns to Joseph.
V. 19. 20. And command them: Do to him thus, take unto you out of the land of Egypt chariots for your children and your wives, and lead your father, and come; and look not to your household goods, for the goods of all the land of Egypt shall be yours.
This is a repetition of the previous command, in which Pharaoh gave Joseph his golden ring and chariot and made him lord and ruler of the whole kingdom. Just as Joseph himself praised this authority given to him a short time before, namely, that he was appointed father of the king, although he did nothing without his will and command. Therefore Pharaoh will say this much: You know that I put up with everything you do in the whole kingdom, and that this is as valid as if I had done it myself; therefore you will also let this be commanded to you. You have command and power over all things; therefore say that they take wagons, if perhaps they cannot come here because of poverty or other hardship, or that they have to move too slowly with the small children and cattle. As is shown above, Cap. 33, 13. 14., Jacob excuses himself against his brother Esau, that he had to move "foot by foot" because of his household and cattle, which delayed him.
234 Pharaoh also considers the same here, and considers by himself what would prevent or hinder them on their journey. Therefore he will have said: They have small children, and their wives, and perhaps also some who are weak and feeble, so that they will not be able to walk, and they have no chariots ready, nor will they be able to obtain them easily from their neighbors. Therefore take chariots with you from Egypt, so that you may accomplish this journey all the more comfortably. Thus Moses is very extensive and makes many words, since he praises the generosity of the king, so that he may paint and decorate the same diligently and exactly for us as an example.
- about that, he says, I know that you are
you also have various and much household goods (as farmers' and shepherds' household goods are wont to be); you will not all be able to bring them here without damage: therefore "only do not look at your household goods" and do not spare them. -According to the Hebrew it reads in Latin: Oculi vestri non parcant vasis etc.: Let not your eyes spare the vessels, that is, let not your mind be troubled, if ye should leave any thing behind you, which ye could not take with you; "for the goods of all the land of Egypt shall be yours."
The word "vessel" in the Hebrew language means all kinds of household utensils and tools, or other provisions in the house. After Gen 49:5, Simeon and Levi are called "vessels of iniquity. And in the New Testament Rom. 9, 22. 23. our bodies are also called "vessels of wrath" and "vessels of mercy"; item 1 Thess. 4, 4. 5. Paul says: "Let each man keep his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lust", that is, his body and his wife's body. So in this place Moses also calls all the household goods "vessels". And Pharaoh says to them, what they cannot take or sell from there, they are to leave only for the others there.
237 The Jews and their rabbis interpret this piece in such a way that their intellect is strictly contrary to it; since in the Latin text it is written: Ne parcatis vasis vestris, they interpret it thus: See to it that you leave nothing behind you in the land of Canaan. But this is Jewish, and does not rhyme with what follows. Therefore it is much better interpreted as follows: "Only do not look at your household goods," so that they may not hold you up or hinder you. But why this? Because "the goods of the whole land of Egypt shall be yours.
238 For this reason, they first received the command from Joseph, and then from the king. Which Moses diligently described, that he might thereby glorify the king, because he had been hospitable, and had shown great mercy and beneficence to the church. For it was also a great good deed against the strangers; for he knew well that the people of his kingdom were abominable to them. But he serves the dear
1738 L.L.SS1.S92. Interpretation of Genesis 45:19-22. **W.H. M4-2WS.** 1739
Church for the sake of the Word and worship and in honor of God. He is a true holy king.
Sixth part.
How Joseph prepares his brothers for the return journey; how they arrive at their father Jacob, announce to him that Joseph is still alive, and how Jacob is frightened.
I.
V. 21, 22: So the children of Israel did. And Joseph gave them chariots according to Pharaoh's commandment, and victuals for the way. And he gave them all, every one, a ceremonial garment: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five ceremonial garments.
(239) Just now, v. 19, in the king's command only the chariots were meant, but Joseph also gave them provisions on the way; no doubt also by the king's command, although the same was not so clearly expressed. The Hebrew word, from zajid, actually means food, provisions on the way. Thus it is said of Nimrod in Gen. 10:9, "He was a mighty hunter," where the word zajid is found in Hebrew; and in Gen. 27:3, 4, Isaac says, "I will eat of thy venison." But in this place it means, provisions or victuals, of the chase; and of this meaning no cause can really be indicated.
240 For this is the custom of almost all languages, that they use the words in various ways, regardless of where they actually originate. Thus it is written in Genesis 3:21: They made themselves chagoroth, which is actually: field or camp utensils. But nothing can be thought of in this place, and from the etymology one cannot recover the meaning of the word; but the usage shows that it means skirts.
In this way the Latins, through the figure autiphrasis, call bellum, war, as that is not good at all, or that to those who are inexperienced, war seems to be a good and delicious thing. The young warriors are even foolish, they call it bellum. So are
of the same words much more, which therefore mean this or that, that they have thus come into use; although it does not rhyme with their actual derivation. But if these people have fed on the hunt, it does not rhyme badly if one takes the word "hunt" for "provisions" or "sustenance"; as in the 132nd Psalm v. 15: "I will bless their food"; there it also reads from the Hebrew: I will bless his hunt; but so much is said: I will provide the kingdom of Christ with food, drink, clothing, and everything that will be necessary for this life.
242 Now one sees in Joseph in particular how he has shown himself to be so godly toward his father and brothers, since he gives them sufficient food and provisions by order of the king, and above that also money, plus fodder for their cattle, and everything they needed on this journey to the land of Canaan and out of it again to Egypt. He will also give each of them his clothing, and to his brother Benjamin he will give three hundred pieces of silver, and to his father he will send ten donkeys loaded with grain and other goods from Egypt. Therefore, the text in this place is to be especially remembered for the sake of the beautiful example of the excellent caretaker of the church and congregation of God.
243 The clothes, so the text calls, chalipoth, change clothes, we have interpreted in our German Bible, "Feierkleider. They are not bad, common or daily clothes, which one uses when doing daily housework, but which one needs on the Sabbath or holidays for adornment, so that one dresses the body a little more delicately than otherwise.
244 Thus in the 102nd Psalm v. 26. 27. it says: "You founded the earth before, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will pass away, but you remain. They will all become obsolete, like a garment." The heavens and the earth will all be changed, they will become obsolete and come closer and closer to destruction, but afterwards they will put on a new garment. For God will not only make the earth, but also heaven itself much more beautiful, when it now takes off the old garment. This is
1740 L. x, ssr-ssi. Interpretation of Genesis 45:21-23. W. n, Wss-sssi. 1741
After that, they will put on a paschal robe and a Pentecostal garment. Now the light of the sun does not have such great clarity and glorious radiance as it will have after this life, nor do the other creatures have such great power as they had in the beginning of creation. As the farmers also testify that nature generally grows old, and that the trees both in forests and in gardens grew up much sooner thirty or forty years ago than now, and that now the trees hardly increase as much in six or seven years as they did in only one year before.
Therefore, I say, the earth will be adorned with a different garment, and the sky and the great lights will also become brighter; as it is written in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 30, 26: "The moon's light will be like the sun's light, and the sun's light will be seven times brighter than now." An old coat that tears must be mended with a new one.
In the same way God cleanses us from sins and delivers us from death, which is the work of the six days in this world. But when they have passed and we have entered into His rest, then our torn and filthy garment will be changed into the garment of the eternal Sabbath.
247 But what the pieces of silver that Joseph gave to his brother Benjamin may have been worth at that time, I do not know. In the time of Judah the betrayer, it can be reasonably calculated that at that time a piece of silver was worth as much as a Joachimsthaler or Rhenish florin now. And Joseph honored Benjamin with this gift before the others, because he is his biological brother, born of the same father and mother, among whom the kinship and friendship tend to be somewhat closer and greater. The Germans call it, whole brothers.
V.23. And to his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with goods from Egypt, and ten female donkeys with grain, and bread and food for his father on the way.
The Hebrew word chamor means donkey; hence it is also the name of a measure, into which goes as much as a donkey can carry, a bushel or malt. But the feminine, in Hebrew athon, in Latin asina, donkey, does not follow the derivation among the Hebrews, hence the Latin and German have taken their designations. But what the goods in Egyptland had been, I do not know for sure. No doubt he would have sent grain and other fruits of the earth, so that he would honor his father and thus convince him that he was still alive. But it will not have been a small load of the best goods from Egypt, as much as ten donkeys could have carried. Joseph will have thought, as it was the truth: My father will hardly be persuaded that I should still be alive, especially when he hears that I have come to such great honor and glory. Therefore he prepares such a great, glorious and royal gift, so that his father may understand from it that it is not the gift of a lowly common man, who would hardly have sent an ass, but of a prince or lord in Egypt. Therefore he sends him not only food and clothing, but also the very best and noblest fruits of Egypt.
249 Moses mentions three kinds of food: First, lechem in Hebrew, which actually means all kinds of food, but here is understood to mean bread, or baked rolls. Then dar, which means sacks of grain, and actually means choice grain, as wheat or rye. For the adjective means choice and pure. This he gave them to live on for themselves on the way and at home with their father, and what they had left over they were to sell in the land of Canaan when they returned to Egypt. The word mazon is used for giving, or to present and give something to someone. As, in the 144th Psalm v. 13: "Their chambers are full, and they give out one store after another"; to understand all the store in the house, as, bread, meat, drink, butter, cheese, eggs, and the like.
1742 L L, sst-sss. Interpretation of Genesis 45:23, 24. w. n. 2861-2383. 1743
more, which one must have for daily need.
For this reason he brings forth all kinds of provisions for his father and brothers, because they had different families, and could not all live in one house and eat at one table with Jacob. Benjamin was already father of ten children; so the others were all also fathers of the house, since each had his own special supply with their wives, children and cattle. 2c. Jacob, who was a widower, also had his own servants and maids in particular.
251 Until now we have heard of the gift that Joseph sent to his father and brothers, and that he honored them with. And the Holy Spirit has gladly condescended to describe it in so many words, although it seems to be almost a bad and small thing, as far as the matter itself is concerned. For what is so great to us, or to the whole church, that Joseph sent cheese, butter, and all manner of provisions to his father Jacob? Why did this great orator, the Holy Spirit, not much rather want to tell something about prayer, temptation and other miraculous works of such great men?
But these are the foolish works of God, of which we have often said that He delights to nourish His saints in this way, indicating and testifying that their works, which are the most contemptible in the sight of the world, are the most delicious in His sight; therefore they are all done, as St. Paul exhorts, Col. 3:17, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason, the daily housework of a poor faithful servant is much more pleasing to our Lord God than the abominable worship and fasting of all monks. For these are works that are done in the spirit and right faith. And the fact that the works are worth something and should please God does not consist in their being great and many, but rather in their faith and spirit.
So also a maid who sweeps the house or milks the cows does a very pleasant service to God; as Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, chapter 9, vv. 7, 8. V. 7. 8: "Go, then, and eat your bread with gladness, and drink your drink.
your wine with good courage; for your work pleases God. Let your clothes always be white" 2c. If the heart is sure that what you do in all places is pleasing to God, you should not doubt that they are the very best and most holy works. Thus, a disciple who listens to his schoolmaster in faith should know that he is doing a golden work. But again, a monk, with all his pretended worship, is an abomination in the sight of God; for he goes about and walks without word, without obedience, as commanded by God.
V. 24 So he left his brothers and they went, and he said to them: Do not quarrel on the way.
The Hebrew word ragaz means to rage, to rage and to quarrel, and is found in the 2nd and 4th Psalm. And here the Latin text says: Nolite commoveri in via: Make no noise. Joseph was a wise man of understanding, and knew well that his brothers were flesh and blood, as well as other men; therefore he thought that quarreling and strife might easily come among them in a moment, because all understood well how great and abominable was the sin they had committed, and many of them were innocent, as Benjamin and the other youngest, Jeshachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Therefore he was afraid that they would quarrel with one another on the way and accuse one another of what had happened, and so accuse and blaspheme one another. For thus those who are innocent are wont to excuse and adorn themselves, and to lay all the blame on those who began and instigated the sin.
For this reason he interposes the rule of love and forgiveness and says: "Well, I have forgiven your sin and am satisfied with your humility and confession, and have not only forgiven and pardoned you, but have also shown you much good and abundant kindness. For this reason I ask you to follow my example and be at peace with one another and refrain from quarreling and strife.
- this is a wholesome and very nö-
1744 L X, S9S-3S8. Interpretation of I Genesis 45:24-26. W. II, 2SS3-MS. 1745
This commandment, that he might cut off and abolish all cause of strife, and nought, that all should be buried and forgotten. Simeon was the foremost instigator of this sin, and Joseph saw that all the others would be a cause of trouble to him. Therefore he admonishes them to be careful and not to renew the grievous wound, which was already somewhat overgrown and healed, or to stir up a new quarrel; especially now that the whole matter is to be brought before and reported to the father, who will diligently investigate the cause of the whole affair that has taken place, until he is sure that Joseph is still alive and has come to such great honor and glory; He would certainly also ask how and by what means Joseph had come to Egypt, and who were those who had instigated this. Therefore he saw that Simeon and Levi would be accused and blamed before the others, and that it would follow that they would be disgraced by the Father. For this reason he also wanted to prevent the same, so that they would not cause themselves and the father any new displeasure and sorrow with their quarreling and complaining.
This is truly an example of the most perfect and ardent love, and of a very pure heart, that he so easily forgets and erases from his mind and lets go of all bitterness and revenge, and with the utmost diligence deals only with reconciling them among themselves and with Jacob, their father. The monks should also look at this and marvel at it, who otherwise look at nothing else, but only at the cheese and the stock of Jacob.
II.
V. 25, 26 So they went up from Egypt, and lambed in the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him, saying: Joseph is still alive, and is a ruler in all the land of Egypt. But his heart thought very differently, for he did not believe them.
- you will no doubt all come out with great glee with these words.
"Joseph is alive!" "Joseph is alive! But especially those who were innocent will have cried out in unison, as tears flowed down their cheeks with great joy, with a loud voice: "Joseph is still alive, and is a lord in the whole land of Egypt. And they could not think otherwise, for their father would soon believe their words. But Moses adds: "His heart thought much differently.
- but the Hebrews dispute these words: vajaphag libo, and put them
in many ways. Some have given it thus: His heart has become soft. Others, such as Jerome, have rendered it as follows: He felt as if he had awakened from a heavy sleep. But it seems to me that I have reached the right meaning and the end, to which these words are directed and meant, from the consideration and comparison with other examples of the holy scriptures. For I think that these words mean the gesture that is common when we move our head or wave our eyes to indicate that we do not believe what has been said and that our heart is far from it; that we let ourselves think that it is not credible and even impossible; shake our head and say, "Ei, it is a fool's hiding, nothing will come of it. This is actually the Hebrew word, pug, which means to think differently and to think the opposite of what is said.
- Rabbi Solomon comes very close to this explanation; for he interprets it thus: His heart escaped him, he held it much otherwise; it did not enter into him. I would have liked to give it thus: He respected it not; as in the prophet Habakkuk, 1 Cap. V. 4. it says, tapug thorah, the law must waver 2c., as if the prophet wanted to say: Where is law in the world? It is not here. In our time, then, we may justly lament that injustice reigns everywhere in the world and has taken over. As it is commonly said in the German proverb: Gerechtigkeit ist todt, der Glaube leidet Noth. The same saying has now become quite true, and the jurists also say:
1746 x, 398-400. interpretation' of Genesis 45:25-28. W. n, 2s "s-Ms. 1747
Judicium non venit ad victoriam. The right cannot come to that, that it may win. The law or right, as it is written in the books, teaches and admonishes what one should do, but nothing comes of the right. And in the 38th Psalm v. 9, where the usual Latin translation reads thus: Afflictus sum, et humiliatus sum nimis: I am afflicted and too much humbled, there is also indicated by the same word that it was different about him than before. Therefore we have given it in German thus: "It is quite different with me" than before, "and I am very crushed." As those who struggle with unbelief and despair, and cannot lift up their heart nor draw hope, are wont to sigh and lament. Item, so it is written in Jeremiah 2:18: "O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears flow down day and night like a brook; cease not, neither let the apple of thine eye cease." Item Cap. 3, 49: "Mine eyes flow, and cannot cease; for there is no cessation." In the same passages is the Hebrew word pugath.
261 So also in this place, when Jacob hears the message that his son Joseph is still alive, he shakes his head, indicating that it does not seem credible to him, because he had been gone for two and twenty years, and if he had not perished in the meantime, he would have reported it to his father long ago. Therefore Moses adds with express words: "Because he did not believe them", that is, he considered it a lie, which they must have invented. His thoughts were, it would be nothing; because he did not believe it. As Habakkuk Cap. 1, 4. also says about the law: "Therefore it is not at all right, and no right thing can win", as if he wanted to say: Law is nothing, the right is gone.
Therefore Jacob also has no heart for this matter, which his sons brought before him. This does not mean that he has awakened from sleep, or that his heart has become soft, or weak, or despondent, as others interpret it; but it actually means that he does not want to accept it, and he even thinks the opposite.
V. 27, 28: And 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 lead him, the spirit of Jacob their father was quickened, and Israel said: I am satisfied that my son Joseph is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.
263 Now a long story was necessary to repeat the whole history from the beginning, how they came down to Egypt and how they fared there. For they will have revealed to their father all that he did not know before: how Joseph played with them and had them imprisoned twice; also how he prophesied with the cup; and all the rest together. Moreover, they will not have been able to keep silent about their sin. Therefore they asked their father to forgive their sin, because their act of selling Joseph was made known to all the brothers, who also told the same to their children and household; so that they detested their sin, humbly confessed it, and praised and glorified the great abundant grace and mercy of God that had befallen them.
In this way, the father learned how his son's condition was so strange and weird; and now there is also an obvious proof to clarify this, namely, the chariots that Joseph sent to fetch him, as well as the great magnificent gifts that no one else could send, except he who was lord over Egypt.
Because of this, his spirit came to life again, and because of the great joy he had when he heard that his son was still alive and had come to such honor, he gladly forgave and pardoned their sin, dropped all anger, was reconciled with them and received them into grace for Joseph's sake. But he does not forget the sins his sons committed, as will be seen hereafter, when he pronounces severe punishment on those who were chiefly guilty of them. For this is a divine rule: The sins shall be
1748 D. X, 4oo-tos. Interpretation of Genesis 45, 27. 28. W. n, WSS-W71. 1749
and we must forgive one another, so that God may also forgive us. But it is not always necessary to let up on the punishment.
But if I take God's word in such a way that I know that God is so gracious to me that He does not want to condemn me for sin, then it does me no harm at all if I am chastised or punished as an example to others; as the 118th Psalm v. 18 says: "The Lord chastises me, but He does not give me over to death.
This is what happened to Moses. Even though he was a holy man, he did not enter the promised land and had to suffer this ruthlessness of God, so that he said to him, "You will not enter the good land, even though you have done great miracles," as he himself relates in Deut. 3:23-26, where he says, "At that time I asked the Lord, saying, 'O Lord, Lord, you have raised up your glory and your strong hand to show your servant. Let me go, and see the good land beyond Jordan. "2c. "But the LORD said unto me, Let it be enough; tell me no more of it." For this is a great mercy and good deed, that God forgives sin and promises to be gracious and favorable to me. I do not want to harm or damage you, I do not want to destroy you; but so that you may always have a reminder of your sin before your eyes and that others may also be instructed by such an example, I must chastise you.
268 The same is taught by the example of Paul 2 Cor. 12, 7-9, who complains about the stake that was given to him in the flesh and about the angel of Satan who beat him with his fists: "For this," he says, "I confessed three times to the Lord that he departed from me. And he said unto me, Let my grace be sufficient for thee." Only cease to ask of me, this affliction is good for thee; "for my power is mighty in the weak:" I am not ungracious to thee. He therefore that believeth the same thing in his heart assuredly, and can think it that he hath a gracious and
He will easily despise all the power of the devil and the wrath and anger of the whole world.
269 So Jacob proved and showed his fatherly heart by forgiving his sons their sin, but they must not forget it. Therefore he is angry with them afterward and still punishes them for it, although he now spares them, since he was softened after the example of Joseph, which special kindness and grace they had all now experienced. And he is now overcome by their evidence, which they have attracted, that he is satisfied, saying, "I am satisfied that my son Joseph is still alive." I desire nothing more in this life, but that I may see Joseph, for whose sake I have been afflicted and crucified for two and twenty years.
For thus God tempts His saints in a wonderful way. He does indeed send them trials and all kinds of danger, but in such a way that he restores them and provides them with great, abundant comfort. As Jacob had given up all hope that his son Joseph was still alive; and since he had lost Rachel shortly before, and Leah and Bilhah had also died, he had spent his life at home as a widower in constant lamentation, and had managed the halls with the help of strangers. That had become sour enough for him over the two and twenty years.
Therefore, after such a protracted plague, there follows a great and excellent consolation, namely, that Joseph is not only still alive, but also a great ruler. Our Lord God can do this. And these are the works of our Lord God, which cannot be understood beforehand, because He does not let us see in the beginning how abundantly He can and will comfort us; but, as He says to Moses in Exodus 33:23, 20: "Thou shalt look behind me, but thou shalt not see my face; for no man shall live that seeth me."
1750n . s-interpretation of Genesis 46, 1. W. n, 2s7s-sv7s. 1751
The Forty-Sixth Chapter.
First part.
How Jacob travels to Egypt and sacrifices to the Lord; and how the Lord appears to him.
V. 1 Israel went with all that he had. And when he came to Beer-saba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
(1) There is nothing else in this chapter except the genealogy of Jacob and how he went down to Egypt; therefore it seems to be of little importance to the wise men of this world. For they consider it a small thing, not worthy to be written by the Holy Spirit and to be read in the church before prophets and apostles. But the godly, who look more closely and diligently at the Scriptures and the works of the Holy Spirit, look especially at this and marvel at the fact that the whole life of the saints is led in faith in God, who promised His Son. For so Jacob lived in faith in Christ; therefore his works, though despised and unworthy, pleased our Lord God, because the promise sanctifies everything and makes everything precious in the sight of God, and nothing can be so small that is done in such a state or profession that God has ordained and appointed, it is all pleasing to God; and when it is done in faith and word, it far surpasses the miracles of all popes and monks.
I.
The same was the teaching of the holy patriarchs, who understood all this gloriously and well and taught it diligently and often in their churches. As the sacrifice Jacob made is described in the beginning of this chapter, there will undoubtedly have been a sermon and instruction or teaching about the promises of God and also about his entire life. But how the monks
and papists despise the domestic works of the fathers: so they know nothing of their spiritual exercises, which they had in the church. For when Moses writes how Jacob offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac, they think of nothing else than how he slaughtered oxen and sheep, and how the same flesh was burned on the altar; for they despise the holy Scriptures, and therefore have themselves been rejected above such contempt, so that they are not worthy to read and understand the Scriptures.
- But from what has been said above it is evident what kind of altars and sacrifices Adam and Noah and the other fathers after them had, namely, that they were like our schools and churches, that they came there in crowds to teach, pray and give thanks: Not only did they slaughter and sacrifice oxen and other cattle, as the words say (and as a secular man would dream that they went there like cooks or other butchers), but they were household fathers, prophets and priests, who had this use, where they came together, that they built and erected altars there, and sacrificed oxen or sheep on them; but this was not done without teaching and preaching. For they also preached at the same time, teaching and instructing their family and neighbors, who heard the word of the promise of the future Savior of Christ and of the seed of Abraham. And they preached exactly the same sermons that we now reproach the church and congregation of God with, except that they taught about the future Christ who was yet to come, but we now say of him: Christ has come, since they said: He will come.
This is why Jacob preached to his household in Cap. 35, v. 2. v. 2, preached to his household: "Put away from yourselves the strange gods that are among you.
1752 L.LI,^-Linterpretation of Genesis 46, 1. W. u, W76-W79. 1753
2c., that is, repent, be godly, hear the word, believe in God, call on Him and give thanks to Him. For Jacob was a high priest full of the Holy Spirit, who diligently taught his church and congregation, and kept feasts for his household, neighbors, and others who also came to be present at the service, to hear the sermon, and also to pray with him.
5 Since Moses says of Jacob that he sacrificed to his father's God, let this be understood to mean that he preached the gospel of the Son of God, exhorting his hearers to fear God, believe in Him and hope in Him, and to live holy and honorable lives, praying and giving thanks to God and hoping for eternal life.
(6) To what God, then, did he sacrifice? Answer: He did not sacrifice to any idol or idolatrous god, which he himself had made or invented, but "to the God of his father. For Moses emphatically added the same: He sacrificed to the God who made the promise, whom Isaac, Abraham, Shem and Noah also served. For this is also the true God, who promised the blessing to all nations in the blessed seed, who was to crush the head of the serpent. He served him, preached about him and called upon him; therefore this was also the highest work of the created table.
(7) But why did he take such pains to sacrifice and call upon God when there was no need or danger? For both Pharaoh and Joseph have summoned him to Egypt with all his household, and are the wagons already there, and is there enough food and grain? It seems that he was a little frightened or must have had some other difficulty that he prayed so anxiously. He no longer doubted his son's life, nor the mercy of King Pharaoh, and was quite willing and ready for this journey; but he must have begun to wonder within himself whether this advice would please our Lord God.
would like. For it was not enough that he was demanded by his son Joseph and also by the king in Egypt himself; but one had to ask afterwards also whether it would please God that he should make this journey? He must have had a great disputation with himself, and perhaps he also had a discussion with his sons when he came to Bersaba, where he would have said: Watch, dear sons, what we do. We were promised the land of Canaan, that God would bless us in it: but how if God should so tempt me that I should go out there and die in Egypt? For I am going there without God's word, yes, against the word, of my own counsel and will, without divine appointment. I see that I am going against the promise, which includes the land of Canaan and not Egypt.
8 With these thoughts, it seems, his heart and also his sons' hearts were troubled, and therefore he will have said: Let us tarry here a little, and I will call upon God, saying, O thou dear merciful Father! O God, who art marvelous in thy counsel, I desire to see my son Joseph before I depart from this life; but I am still uncertain whether I sin in it, or whether it is pleasing to thee: therefore govern and send my conduct and my works according to thy will; help, dear Lord God.
9 Thus it is seen that he had a purely holy conscience and looked only to God and His will, in whose fear and honor he always walked. But he still cannot conclude for himself what he should do and whether he should dare to do it. For it is ever a great thing to forsake the promise of the land wherein Abraham and Isaac, Jacob's father, dwelt; therefore he thought, Behold, this land was given to Abraham and to me, and now I leave the same with all my household: how if I were slain in Egypt with all my children and my seed?
(10) These are the trials which the saints have had; and shall all these things be unto us for a prelate?
1754 L. xi,"-s. Interpretation of Genesis 46, I-4. W. n, ssw-sssi. 1755
They were prescribed examples, namely, how they sacrificed and how the father prayed with his sons with one heart: Dear Lord God, you will govern us so that we do not follow our flesh and blood, now that we are to go to a foreign land! O dear Lord, that we may not perish, and that I may not sin in this and fall into perdition, because I long for my son so much and love him so much! For that he had the thoughts and spoke thus, one can well assume from the following text.
11 Beer and sheba are two different words. One can see from the geography that Jacob, since he wanted to go to Egypt, had to come to Bethel; but he turned too much to the midnight, since he should have gone to the morning. Therefore, I believe that he went the next way to Jerusalem, through Etham, through which God did not want to lead the people of Israel when they left Egypt, because of the Philistines, but He led them through the desert.
II.
V. 2-4. And God said unto him in the night in his vision, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said: I am GOD, the 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.
12 From this it can be seen what the challenge was that Jacob had. For the divine promises and consolations are not absolute, but relative, that is, they always and certainly presuppose the challenge. For God speaks of the greatest things, and is not a useless launderer, who talks out all sorts of things lightly and without thinking; but when he speaks, he holds out to us the greatest things. Because he says to Jacob, "Do not be afraid," since you are about to go to Egypt, it necessarily follows that Jacob must have been terribly frightened and very afraid, otherwise he would not have gone.
he would not have needed the comfort that God calls him to be confident and forbids him not to be afraid. There is no doubt about it, he will have been afraid that he would lose the promise, because it was based on the land of Canaan, which he now wanted to leave and move out of, and therefore he will have said, when he became quite mad about it: Oh dear sons, we will sin! Do therefore rather, and call my son Joseph hither unto us. For with the same temptation and fear he frightened the whole house, so that they could no longer conclude anything certain about their journey. Therefore he said, "Let us come together, let us sacrifice, let us pray, and let us call upon God, that we may strengthen and comfort ourselves with the word of God's grace and promise; and let us pray that he may govern and direct our conduct according to his will.
013 Therefore God appears to him in his face, and says to him thus: "Fear not," and do not despair, as if you were sinning against my promise; but I command you to continue, and will hereby confirm your passage in Egypt. I will bless thee, and thou shalt see Joseph thy son, and his hands shall cover thine eyes.
14 From this it can be assumed that even though God cannot lie or fail in His promises, He still reserves the right to fulfill them and make them real, and to do what He has promised, in such a way that everything seems completely absurd and contrary to the Word. Therefore, such a heart is needed that is wise and able to understand the mind and counsel of God. For God keeps His promise faithfully, can never be changed, and yet allows the opposite to happen, so that He may tempt us.
This is the wonderful rule of our Lord God, of which Paul exclaims with great amazement, Rom. 11, 33. 34: "O what depth of riches, both of wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and his ways unsearchable! For who has known the mind of the LORD, or who has been his counselor?" 2c. For I am baptized,
1756 L. xi, s-io. interpretation of I Moses 46, 2-4. W. ii. sssi-ssst. 1757
I am absolved of my sins by divine power, Matth. 16, 19: "Everything that you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. I have such a promise, which I cannot lack. The pastor or shepherd of my soul comforts me and says: You are accepted by God, that you shall be His child, yes, you shall be an heir of eternal life. Nevertheless, God throws me into a severe challenge, makes me doubtful, distressed and despondent, since He allows such things to happen to me that are completely contrary to His promise. As he proclaimed in the prophets before: I will raise up the king of Babylon against you. Item, the Satan fights against us with all kinds of weapons and cunning. I already feel and see that God is punishing me and putting me in great distress and danger, but he has mercy on me, because I have his promise. But who can understand these things, which are so contrary to each other, or balance them with each other? I am to hope for eternal life, and must perish miserably and die there: do you think that God fulfills his promise in this way?
(16) Therefore it must be diligently observed that the doctrine of God according to his promises is different from the doctrine of the righteousness of the law. So the gospel preaches: You shall die, and yet live when you die; you shall live, and yet die when you live. This is a peculiar wisdom, far surpassing reason and all human understanding, which the lawyers and papists do not understand. Thus, at the same time as the promise, God gives Abraham the seed of Isaac, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed; but immediately he commands him: "Go and slaughter your son; he is the same God who gave him the son and takes him away again.
(17) Now this is a special teaching for the church, namely, that one should know that God is an almighty Creator who creates for this life, and then breaks again what he has created, so that he may make it alive again for another life. This is the promise, when he says: You shall
live. But the experience, so contrary to the promise, is thus: You shall die. Does this mean to keep the promise? It is indeed very difficult to teach and believe such things, which are utterly contrary to one another, and there is no one who can remain steadfast in the same faith, except he alone who understands the mind of the Lord; as Paul says in 1 Cor. 2:16, "Who has known the mind of the Lord? or who will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
(18) And it rhymes, therefore, that in this sacrifice and prayer Jacob remembered and imagined the example of his father Isaac, and that he said thus: O Lord God, as you redeemed my father Isaac from the ashes and burnt offerings, so rule me and help me also! Behold, I go in great trembling and fear, because I have no certain profession. For it is a heavy thing to do anything out of one's own discretion against the promise. And would this excuse not have been enough if he had said, "He wanted to do this out of good will, out of fatherly love and zeal for his son, since he has no command from God to do so? Therefore, God appears to him as he sacrifices and says to him, "Do not be afraid. Why are you afraid? Go down, and I will deliver you and bring you out again.
19 In this way we see that the divine consolation is such that where it is given there must be sadness; therefore one must receive and grasp such consolation in faith. And one can certainly conclude and assume from this that Jacob will also have been saddened to the point of death. For God raises up no one, nor strengthens or comforts anyone, but only those who are afflicted, who are now to die, with whom it is all lost. For the word of life and salvation belongs to those who are in anguish and despair, to whom it is rightly said: You are afraid and your conscience is tormenting you, the devil with his sting and the flesh is also tormenting you; be confident, do not despair, God is not angry with you 2c.
20 For in this place God does not only exhort Jacob to go down to the land of the LORD, but also to the land of the LORD.
1758 L n. 10-12. interpretation of Genesis 46:2-4. **w. ii. 2Ü84-2SS7.** 1759
He comforted him and delivered him from the fear he had in his conscience, but also overloaded him with a rich promise, and gave him a fine and glorious gloss on the previous promise, saying: "That I have promised you the land of Canaan, you must not understand so strictly and precisely, as if it were necessary that you should always remain in it. I am not only a God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles: I will also gather a church for myself from the Egyptians. As the people were scattered in Babylon and among the Assyrians, that they might call many to the gospel. Therefore, says God, I will gather many people through you and your seed, and I will give them to be converted to one church and to adhere to you. For the promise was given to you alone, but you are not to accept it alone. For it is not fit that ye should say thus: We alone are circumcised, therefore we alone are God's people. I will call the Gentiles as well as the Jews, that they also should come and turn to me. Therefore you do not sin by going to Egypt, but only continue that the Egyptians and other people may also be saved, "for there I will make you a great nation.
21 Now this is not contrary to the previous promise, since God had said: I will give you this land; which cannot be understood of the land of Canaan alone, for God is Lord of the whole world. And truly this was a wonderful counsel of God, that through the Jews, when they were thus scattered to and fro, the Gentiles also should be gathered together and converted to God. For in this way Daniel the Persian converted kings, Joseph Egypt, Christ and the apostles the whole world; as St. Paul says Rom. 11, 11: "From their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles"; item v. 12: "Their loss is the wealth of the Gentiles." As often as God punished the Jews for their sin, such punishment and sin has been a cause of salvation for many other nations.
22 Therefore, since Jacob thinks that the
When he hears from the Lord that the promise and his calling should only go to the land of Canaan, he says to him: "I will make you a great nation there," I will be with you. As Christ also promises His church when He says Matth. 28, 20: "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"; but still not without challenge. And God says further to Jacob: You must not worry about how the promise can be fulfilled, because you are commanded to go to Egypt to your son, for whom you have heartily longed for so many years; for "I will lead you out again"; and it shall be the same, I will lead you out dead or alive. For thou shalt live in Egypt, though thou die; for I am a God of the living, and not of the dead. "And" finally "Joseph shall lay his hands upon thine eyes." You shall have a beautiful death, you shall die in good peace of a fine, gentle, and quiet death.
023 And it is a marvelous thing that he called him to go down to Egypt, when his son, if he died, should shut his eyes; and that he would bring him up again with his seed, when he was dead. Therefore God is the God of the patriarch Jacob, who lives, even though he has already died, and since Jacob has departed from this life, he has not died.
(24) It is clear from this great and very rich promise that Jacob thought and felt many things during this journey and was terribly confused. Therefore God promised him that He would make him great in Egypt and be with him, help him and govern him, and that he would finally die gently, so that Joseph would lay his hands on his eyes.
(25) For thus dying men are wont to pass away with their eyes broken and open, and the relatives or friends that are with them are wont to shut their eyes, which was the office of the dear fathers of the noblest men of their generation, and not of the old women, or of other women, that are wont to bear grief over the dead; but father or mother hath given their children the eyes of the dead.
1760 L- n. iL-LL. Interpretation of Genesis 46:2-7. W. n. E-ssso. 1761
Eyes closed for the hope and honor of the future resurrection. And it has been a fine, praiseworthy and honest custom and a fine ceremony or order that either the parents cover the eyes of the children, or the children and especially the firstborn cover the eyes of the parents. It is a special and the last benefit that can be shown to the deceased in their last hour. And this usage undoubtedly originated with the fathers, and is such a way that should be kept in the Christian church for the sake of the hope of immortality, which is promised to us, and the resurrection of the dead. As in Germany in some places is still the use, where one buries the dead to the earth, that there the nearest friends throw first of all earth into the grave and testify with such sign the hope and expectation of the resurrection.
(26) In this way, Moses diligently describes not only the domestic works that Jacob did, but also the worship and spiritual exercise that he had, his prayer, and how he praised and thanked God. These practices far surpass the miracles of the papal saints.
27 We are taught from this example that nothing in the Christian church is to be accepted or begun against or without the word of God. Therefore, we should live our lives in such a way that we may be certain that we are walking according to the rule of the divine word, whether we are awake or asleep. And finally, that we know that everything we do is done by God's command, who has called and blessed us for this. For the life of men on earth is miserable, is subject to your devil, to death and many innumerable temptations, and is full of the heaviest miseries, toil and labor. Therefore, the godly must be armed with God's word against Satan, sin, and all kinds of hardship and danger. And if the papists had kept to this teaching, the world would not have become so full of human statutes that it would have been flooded as if by a deluge, and the church would not have been defiled with so much abominable error.
Therefore, it is a great gift from God,
That we may live in the light of the word and the divine calling. For this is the beautiful golden crown that shines on the heads of the saints, as it is commonly painted, namely, the word that directs the course of our lives day and night, as David says in Psalm 119, v. 105: "Your word is the lamp of my feet"; and 2 Petr. 1, 19: "You do well to look to the word as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns" 2c.
Reason lies in darkness; therefore it needs the light of the divine word, which must guide and govern it. For so does Jacob: since he is afraid to make this journey against God's command, he stays at Bersaba for a while, until he sacrifices, prays and hears God's word. And having heard this, he is now happy about it, for he now knows that this journey is blessed and confirmed by God's blessing.
(30) We must remember this diligently, so that we know that nothing should be done, advised or undertaken lightly, for we have God's word, whether it is written in the book or where something special is to be done, that this may be commanded by parents or authorities, so that we do nothing against the obedience and honor of God. One must not ask the devil as a guest.
Second part.
The register of those who went with Jacob to Egypt.
(vv. 5-7) Then Jacob departed from Beer-saba, and the children of Israel brought Jacob their father, and their little children, and their wives, in the chariots which Pharaoh had sent to bring him, and took their cattle and their substance, 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, he brought with him into Egypt.
How Jacob's prayer was heard and God's word was fulfilled is described here. But there are also questions that belong to grammar and arithmetic. Because
1762 n> 14-16- Interpretation of Genesis 46:5-15. w. n. ssso-sssz. 176A
Genesis tells how Jacob came to Egypt with all his household goods and possessions that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. As it is also said about Abraham and Lot in Genesis 12:5: "Abram took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son, with all their possessions that they had acquired and the souls they had begotten in Haran" 2c. Here, however, Moses refers to "his possessions" in general, not only his goods, but also his servants and maidservants, whom they used to buy and sell in those days, as now happens in Turkey. And it seems to have been truly no small heap. For the twelve patriarchs had children, children's children, servants, maidservants and perhaps also relatives.
32 And it is asked, Why Moses saith that Jacob took daughters and children's daughters with him, when in the following genealogy there are but two daughters enumerated, Dinah, and Zerah the daughter of Ezer, Jacob's granddaughter. How then did he speak in the plural of a single daughter, as if they were many, when there were no more of them in the whole number? Answer: This is the use of the holy scripture, that it sometimes uses the singular synecdochically, when it speaks of many, as it says in Exodus 4:22: "Israel is my firstborn son"; item: Ephraim sins and worships the calves; which is to be understood of the whole people and tribe of Ephraim. So in the Latin language one also says: Romanus proelio victor, that is: The Romans have kept the victory in the dispute.
(33) The other is somewhat rarer and does not happen so often, namely, that one speaks of many, where one wants to have understood only one; as afterwards, Cap. 46, v. 23, it says: "The children of Dan: Husim", since only one is mentioned, yet he pretends to speak of many. And in this place it is also written, "His children's daughters," which is spoken of Serah alone. This is the use, and a special liberty, so the holy scripture has, namely, that it names approximately a whole line, family register or birth, if also no more, but only one is enumerated.
- Augustine thinks that by this one must understand the wives of the sons of Jacob; but
The reason does not rhyme with the text, which expressly says about the daughters and his children's daughters. Now the names of the children of Jacob follow; we want to run over them recently.
V. 8-15. 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 sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Saul the son of the Canaanite woman. The sons of Levi: G erson, Kohath and Merari. The sons of Judah: Ger, Onan, Selah, Perez and Zerah. But Ger and Onan had died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Jesashar: Thola, Phua, Job and Simron. The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel. These are the children of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Mesopotamia, with his daughter Dinah. All these are sons and daughters, three and thirty souls.
35 Only Saul is said here to have been the son of a Canaanite woman, and the rabbis of the Jews have invented various reasons for this. However, I do not believe their poem, nor do I know what to say about it. Some say that this Canaanite woman is supposed to be Dina, who was put to sleep by Shechem the Hivite: she is supposed to have been given to a Canaanite man afterwards; finally, however, she is supposed to have taken Simeon to wife, so that she should preside over his house and rule it, which does not seem probable to me.
(36) But if it be said, I would rather say that this was an honest beautiful matron, whom Simeon loved, and whom he also took to wife, even as his former wife was yet living, or else was dead, who had already before with another man this son Saul; so that he was a stranger in this tribe, and born of Canaanite parents on both sides. And for this I have chiefly this cause, that Saul is left in this number of the three and thirty souls; for where thou didst find them all after one another
1764 L n, la-is. Interpretation of Genesis 46:8-27. W. ii, AW-Ass. 1765
If you count the number of people, there are four and thirty in the text.
37 And I do not like to follow Lyra here, who even excludes Dinah against the clear words in the text. And about that Dina, Jacob's daughter, was an Israelite and not a Cananite. But where one person is to be left out and separated from the others, I think that this Saul should rather be excluded. Although I do not want to say anything certain about it, because there is no place in the whole first book of Moses, which has been pulled back and forth by the interpreters in so many different ways, as this one, about which they have all tried hard and racked their brains, namely, Lyra, Augustin, Burgensis and Jerome.
V. 16-18. The children of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Suni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The weary Affer: Jemim, Jesua, 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.
- Serah is a daughter of Asher. Only two wives are enumerated in this line, and each one is called by itself "daughters",-in the plural, as if speaking of many. The same happens according to the use of the Scriptures. If, however, to the previous four and thirty souls are added the sixteen from the other wife, together they make fifty souls. Now follow the sons and the sons' children of Jacob's first wife Rachel.
V. 19-27. 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. The children of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Asbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Ros, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. These are the children of Rachel, which were born unto Jacob; all fourteen souls. The children of Dau: Husim. The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Sillem. These are the children Bilhah, which Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and bare Jacob the seven souls. All the souls that were born with
Jacob's children who came into Egypt from his loins (except his children's wives) were all together six and threescore souls. And the children of Joseph, which were born in Egypt, were two souls: so that all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
39 Then you see how the Holy Spirit does such great honor to Rachel that he calls her Jacob's wife, which he did not say of Leah, Zilpah and Bilhah. For she was the true wife of the house, whom Jacob first loved, desired and trusted, but Laban betrayed him by an ungodly exchange, as we have just heard, Cap. 29, 23.
40 Now here again he says, "the children of Dan," when he had only one son, Hushim, because in the Scriptures the births or generations are mentioned in the plural, as if they were speaking of many, when only one is mentioned.
(41) And until then the register of the names and the list of the people who went down to Egypt continues. But the account is so confused that no interpreter has been able to put it right. However, Lyra was the closest; only that he excludes Dina, whom the text clearly and explicitly counts. For if you count them all together, then one person is left, since in the text four and thirty are put, while Moses alone counts three and thirty. But I think that it is much better to omit Saul than Dinah, as I said before.
42 Now follows another number, which is no less confused, since he says that six and sixty souls came with Jacob to Egypt. But in order that we may understand the same number, it seems most convenient that we divide this account, so that the first register concerns those born of Jacob, in whom Joseph and his sons are included; but the other register concerns those who went to Egypt, since Joseph and his children are excluded, as well as Ger and Onan, and there remain five and sixty persons.
- from Leah came in two
1766 " n. 18-20. interpretation of Genesis 46:19-27. w. II, SSS6-AVS. 1767
and thirty souls, if Saul is absent from it; of Zilpah, sixteen; of Rachel, eleven (for Joseph and his two sons were already in Egypt); of Bilhah, seven. Now when these are all added together, it makes six and sixty persons. But where are we going to get the Audern, so that the seventy will be full? If Joseph and his two sons are added, it makes nine and sixty. But Jacob, the last, becomes the seventieth.
44 Therefore, the text must be understood disjunctively and copulatively, that is, by dividing and adding together. All the souls that came out of Jacob's loins, except himself, are six and threescore. For Jacob himself did not come out of his loins. Joseph and his sons, though born of him, do not go with him into Egypt; likewise, since Ger and Onan died in Canaan, Saul came in their place. But he is left out of the first account, and these two are counted with him, so that they also belong to the descendants of Jacob.
The seventy interpreters of the Bible have interpreted five and seventy souls 2c., and Stephanus, Ap. Gesch. 7, 14, also gives the same number. But this is an obvious error or wickedness, that those have dared to put nine for the two souls that were born to Joseph in Egypt. And in Deut. 10, 22, only seventy souls are explicitly mentioned. Augustine tries to excuse them, and thinks that a special secret or secret wisdom is hidden among them. I do not know, however, whether this error happened or came from the interpreters, or from ignorance of the book writers, or that it might otherwise have been falsified. The text clearly speaks of the souls that came to Egypt. And although Ephraim was born in the other fair year, and Jacob went to his son in the other year of the Theurung, yet it is impossible that a boy of eight years should have a wife or children, on whom they looked.
46 Therefore, it seems that the seventy interpreters have been too bold with their
Or, perhaps, a wicked villain has falsified her book. For one must not remain silent about this error. And there are even more places in which they have also erred, either out of ignorance or out of mischievousness. That is why they have a small reputation with me and do not count for much with me.
But we want to keep the common number, which agrees with the fifth book of Moses. And that we may so much more easily help ourselves out of this confused confusion, I have said that two reckonings are to be made, the one of birth, that I call it thus, since two die, Ger and Onan, and yet are counted, and yet do not go to Egypt; though they also came out of the loins of Jacob. The other account is with the six and sixty and seventy souls, since Jacob and Joseph with his two sons are added to them.
Muenster follows the rabbis of the Jews and says: One more person should be added, who was born in Egypt, namely Jochebed, the daughter of Levi and mother of Moses. But this is an audacious and free invention of the rabbis, which does not concern us at all.
49 But why was such precision necessary in this genealogy? Or: Why did God want us to practice and strive for this number? which seems to be of no use at all; for what do I care if sixty or seventy souls go to Egypt? I have often said, and shall always be impressed upon the people, that God intended the Israelite people to have a certain and glorious origin for the sake of the Lord Christ, who was to be born of this people. Therefore, the order or lineage of the fathers is recounted with such great diligence in the entire history of the Holy Scriptures, in the books of Judges, Kings and Prophets, so that everyone may know who the Lord Christ's forefathers were, that he was not born in an unknown and unnoticed place, but was sent and called by God himself, and did heavenly teachings and divine miraculous works in this world. For
1768 xi. 20-22. interpretation of Genesis 46:19-27. W. n. Mss-ssos. 1769
He was not born in a family of dishonest loose people and tramps, like the Pope and Mahomet, but from the most famous people.
- then this is written for our sake, that we may learn how God so diligently cares for His saints and believers, that He does not leave out even one person, that He should not have counted them with the utmost diligence and faithfulness. As Christ says about the hair of all of us and of each one in particular, Matth. 10, 30: "The hairs of your head are all numbered.
For this reason, Christ is the most important reason that this account is described so precisely. The other is that the godly may be comforted by it, whom God wants to encourage so that they will not be afraid of the pope, the Turk or the emperor, since they are so precisely described in God's hands that not only not a finger, not an ear, but also not a hair will fall from their head and perish against the will of their heavenly Father. As the beautiful sweet saying in the prophet Isaiah in the 49th Cap. V. 14, 15, 16: "But Zion saith, The LORD hath forsaken me, the LORD hath forgotten me"; God answers, No, I have not forgotten thee: "Can a woman forget her child, that she have not compassion on the son of her womb? She will certainly not do so; nature does not permit such a thing. Or if she be a harlot or a loose woman, and forget her child, "yet will I not forget thee. Behold, in the hands I have marked thee; thy walls are before me for ever" 2c. As if he said, "All that I do in heaven and on earth is directed to serve you. I am concerned only about you. I cannot and will not forget you: I have such great care for you and love you so much that even though you are now buried in the earth and eaten by worms, not a hair will perish.
52 And so also the 34th Psalm v. 21. says: "He preserves all his bones, that not one of them be broken. Although the world rages and rages with sword and fire against the godly, as Johannes Huss says in the Conciliar
burned by the papists at Costnitz, God has nevertheless gathered all his bones, plus the smallest limbs and hairs, into a bundle, so that they would not be trampled on by the enemies. Let them burn. Skin and hair go there, everything is wrapped in a bundle, so that they shall not perish. Yes, that is even more, he also gathers the claws of the cattle, not only the hair of the godly; as Exodus 10:26 says, "Not a claw shall remain behind." Finally, he also counts their tears, as the 56th Psalm v. 9. says: "God, count my tears, put them in your bag. Without doubt, you count them."
- But is this not a great honor to the saints and believers, that everything we do and suffer in the name of Christ is written as in a tablet and is always before God's eyes. For thus the family of Jacob, being called by God and also governed by Him, is so diligently enumerated that even now its memory endures. That this doctrine is always kept and diligently practiced in the Christian church is very useful to strengthen and uphold the faith and hope of the future life and eternal glory in us.
54 But I will now deliberately leave aside the question which Lyra and the others have raised, namely, of the seventy souls which came out of Jacob's loins. Likewise also, that a plural, that is, a word that signifies many, is put to a singular that signifies only one; as that here in Latin it is written, septuaginta anima, etc., that is, seventy souls. For this is very common in the Scriptures, and the Hebrew language, which does not have such a strict rule that a proper word and a noun, as is the case in Latin, must stand together in the same number; as we have had several examples of this above, as: Vixit septuaginta annum, et unum annos: He lived seventy years and one year. And here it is also written: Omnes anima sexaginta sex: All soul six and sixty. And the same is commonly held in words for counting, or number words. This belongs to grammar and is in itself simple, so that everyone can understand it.
1770 L. xl, 22-24. interpretation of I Moses 46, 19-28. W. u. ssos-2s". 1771
- The Hebrew word nephesh is called a soul everywhere in the holy scriptures, and the whole man is thus called, of whom we say that he has body and soul, and call him either a living body, since there is a soul in it, or an animate being.
(56) But we do not want to discuss here whether the soul comes from the body, that is, from the seed of the Father; of which discussion the Sententiarchs deal much, namely, whether the soul also comes ex traduce, as they say, from the seed like the body, and agonize over it in various ways; although I cannot understand with what fruit or benefit they thus quarrel among themselves. Therefore let us postpone this question until another place. Some hold that it does not come ex traduce, from the seed, but when the body is prepared and created with all its members, the soul is poured into man soon and in a moment, and when it is thus poured in, it is also created at the same time, so that both things happen at once and at the same time. Augustin does not want to conclude anything for sure, and freely confesses that he does not know.
Third part.
How Jacob sends Judah ahead to Joseph; and how finally Jacob and Joseph come together.
I.
V.28. And he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to instruct him in Goshen: and they came into the land of Goshen.
57 Judah is sent ahead of Joseph by his father, which honor would have been rightly due to the first three sons, Reuben, Simeon and Levi. But he prefers the latter; as he also did above, Cap. 44, 18. ff., he spoke for the others before Joseph alone and directed their cause. Therefore, it is clear from this account that his father thought highly of him, and that Judah must have been held in special esteem by him, for he took care of him with special diligence and spirit, as will be seen hereafter.
The blessing the Father spoke over him, prophesying that Christ would come from his tribe.
(58) Judah was then about two and forty years old, the father of two grandsons by blood, and at the same time king and priest in the patriarch Jacob's house against the right common order of birth, and taught and governed the church or congregation that was gathered in Jacob's house. Therefore Jacob sent the son, who was the most honest of the others, before him to Joseph, lehoroth, as it is written in Hebrew, that is, to instruct (for jarah, in Hebrew, means to teach, to instruct, from which comes the word moreh, teacher, and thorah, law), that Judah should report to his brother and tell him that his father was now coming, and admonish him to come to Goshen, for there the father would go away and wait for his son. For Joseph was to be reminded of his father's coming, that he might appoint certain places, and order the lodging.
(59) Now this seems to be a small thing and nothing, that Jacob sends messengers before him to Joseph his son. But the holy fathers were very wise and full of the Holy Spirit. And we have heard before that Jacob was grievously afraid when he went into Egypt. For these people were not so imprudent in their counsel, actions, and deeds as we are: they were not so plump as we mad fools. For after Jacob had left the land of Canaan with all his household, and with great joy and gladness, he nevertheless went to Bersaba on the way, being greatly distressed and grieved that he should go into a foreign land without promise, without divine command and testimony. But when he was raised up and strengthened there with God's word, he was not yet completely free of fear, but a new fear and sorrow seized his heart. But why is that? Because it is written in Psalm 146, v. 3: "Do not rely on princes. For out of the comfort that
1772 2- n> 24-ss. Interpretation of I Moses 46, 28. W. n, 2sos-26üs. 1773
When he gave God the answer, he could not know for sure what Pharaoh's and Egypt's will would be, even though he did not doubt God's will, and had often experienced beforehand how wonderfully God fulfilled His promises.
(60) For from his youth, and from the time that he received the blessing, he had been exercised and tried in many ways. He had left his father's house for fear of his angry brother Esau and had been in misery for twenty years, and in such misery had also borne the heaviest servitude under his father-in-law Nabal, who was an ungodly and miserly man. In addition, Bilhah, his wife, and his daughter Dinah were put to sleep; item, the death of Rachel; and finally, his son, whom he especially loved, was sold and taken away to Egypt.
(61) This marvelous government of God cannot be comprehended by reason, nor can it understand the way, the time, the path and the counsel of God, and finally the flesh must come out and say: God is a liar. For does this mean to keep or fulfill His promise, to take away the son who is the heir of the promise? And whoever has been struck so often, he finally becomes wise through his own danger, which he encounters, learns to be careful and is easily angered; as one is wont to say: He who burns himself so often, becomes shy at the last.
(62) Although Jacob had a very certain answer from God concerning his journey to Egypt, in which answer he was also promised that God would bring him up again and make him a great nation (which is all true and certain, and he could not have lacked), he still has some doubts about Pharaoh. Therefore he thinks: What may it become with the king and the princes in the same kingdom? How many and many obstacles will come and happen because of this, that the people have so many wills and are so very unstable in the foreign land and great glorious kingdom, in which they have been living?
They will not easily suffer or endure foreigners, and that those of such lowly birth should become great among them, especially when they see them growing and ruling among them. For the histories of all times bear witness to this, and experience also brings it.
(63) Joseph has been a lord and teacher of the princes and priests of the land and also of the king himself, 2c., and will undoubtedly have brought forth great fruit. Now and then he has appointed and ordered many churches, but he has not been able to convert the whole kingdom, for the greatest part of it is always idolatrous and of the devil. Just as there is no doubt that Daniel and his companions at Babylon, Mordecai, item, and Esther did not also convert many. But they were not able to reform the whole kingdom everywhere. So Jonah converted the king and princes of Nineveh, but not all of them, and most of them fell back into their former sins and vices.
Therefore it is enough that we may convert a portion of the people, and even the least of them, so that they may be reformed and become pious. God, however, reigns miraculously and lets idolatry remain. But he sends his fishermen, such as Daniel, Joseph, Esther, and Mordecai, who are like poor little worms, and yet sometimes gathers kings and other great monarchs into his church. But the kingdom of this world remains the devil's kingdom. Cyrus did not come to the kingdom by the word of God, but when he became a king and a great monarch and a lord over Babylon, he first heard Daniel and his companions and accepted their teaching; as the Lord says in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 45:4: "Before you knew me, I gave you kingdoms and great cities.
(65) So the king and princes of Egypt were also pious, speaking synecdochically; for only the lesser part were converted by Joseph, or by Jacob and his sons.
(66) So also in our day we have the word which the prophets and apostles had, converting many princes and rulers.
1774 L- xi, LS-28. interpretation of Genesis 48, 28. W. n, Aas-seii. 1775
and even one or two kings, but the greater part remain godless and always rage for themselves until God comes and destroys everything. For the word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord shall not return to him void, but shall do what pleases him, as Isa. 55:11 says. But the papists and other opponents and despisers of the word shall finally perish. They will perish because of it.
67 Therefore Jacob will have thought thus: Behold, we are going down to Egypt, and there we shall find some of the pious princes who have hitherto heard Joseph preach; but how if they should again fall away from his doctrine? Who knows whether he is still in favor with the king and the princes? What will happen after his death? How, if the other prelates, councils or priests had again deceived the so pious king? Therefore he wants to find out all things beforehand, and for this reason he sends Judah before him and commands him to report all things to Joseph, and to order and prepare everything most diligently for him and the inhabitants of Egypt. For although he has the promise, he cannot yet conclude that he will immediately go through with it without any hesitation.
(68) We should also learn to do this. Although we are certain that God cares for us, we should know that we should nevertheless use the things and means that God has ordained, so that we do not tempt God. We should not plump down and say, "Well, it must be done, because I have a promise from God; therefore I will only go into the midst of the lions and wolves, since God has promised me that He will preserve me. I will not eat; for God will otherwise feed me well. Yes, God wants us to use the help that is created for the preservation and government of this life: and if we are not able to do anything with it, then we should not lose heart, but hold on to God's help, which He has promised us.
69 For so did the fathers. Since they had certain promises, they have
Nevertheless, they did not despise the proper means, but used their skill and understanding to guard against danger and otherwise govern their whole lives. At the same time, however, they always had the Word before their eyes and relied on it when their work and what they knew were not enough.
70 For our Lord God governs us in such a way that he does not want us to be idle. He gives us food and clothing, but so that we may plow, sow, reap and cook. He also gives us children, who are born and grow up by God's blessing, and yet must be fed, cared for, raised and taught by their parents. But when we have done what is right for us, then we should command the rest to God, and cast our concern on the Lord, who will do it well, he will provide for us well, as the 55th Psalm v. 23. says.
So God could well govern the church through the Holy Spirit without the outward preaching ministry, but He does not want to do this without means. Therefore he says to Petro, Joh. 21, 16: "Feed my sheep"; go, preach, baptize and absolve the people. In the secular police he says to the authorities: "You shall watch, protect, use the sword. That is why Paul calls the apostles "God's co-workers", 1 Cor. 3, 9. He may work alone, but he does it through us.
- So he could have created children without Adam; as Adam did nothing at first, since he was made from the earth, and Eve neither, since she was created from Adam's rib; but after that he said to them, Genesis 1:28: "Be fruitful and multiply", as if he wanted to say: I will now create children through your cooperation.
(73) So it is in all the other works of this common life. I shall not cut the tree with my nose, nor shall I use a straw, but I shall use an axe or a saw; and therefore God has given man reason, sense and strength, which you shall use as the means and gifts of God.
1776 L XI, 28-so. Interpretation of Genesis 46, 28-30. W. n, WU-LSI4. 1777
This is to be repeated and practiced at all times in the church or congregation of God, so that we remain on the right middle road or military road and do not deviate to the right or to the left. For one should not doubt the promise, nor should one tempt God to abandon or despise the means that God has ordained.
75 In this way Jacob, not fully knowing or understanding the king's heart, sent word to his son Joseph of his coming to meet him in the land of Goshen, where he had called him with his household. And no doubt he will have heard that Joseph did not eat at the same table with the proud Egyptians, of whom we have heard that they were very proud and defiant because of the kingdom of Egypt, which was so rich in all kinds of goods, power, and many other innumerable gifts of God. They were idolatrous and the most hopeful people, so they despised others beside themselves and only thought much of themselves. They considered the Greeks and Israelites as rude people. Just as now the loose people of the Italians, out of special pride and inherited malice, call the Germans, Spaniards and other peoples also rude and ignorant people.
- Those who were converted from Egypt were undoubtedly good and righteous people, as happens in the conversion of those who were previously particularly wicked.
It was, by the way, a strange and difficult reign, since a foreign man, before whom the hopeful people had an abhorrence, ruled in Egypt. But his virtue and prophetic wisdom, and the fact that all his advice and deeds went so well and turned out so well, earned him respect and favor. Therefore they were able to bear his rule and honored him because of the special and excellent gifts they saw in him, although they did not remain humble, but remained in the use of their country.
- where the place had been, which is called here Gosen, I do not know and the Geogra
phen disputiren also from it. It seems to have bordered on the land of Canaan. Jerome writes that this place was called Ptolemais in his time; which I will leave to the geographers to decide. But it is certain that it must have been not far from the land of Canaan, by the waters of the Nile. For they have not yet come to Egypt, but have remained in front, since one first moves into the place, where afterwards Raemses was built, since one has moved to Palestine through the Red Sea and through the desert.
79 Therefore they remained in Goshen until Judah came to Egypt. And Jacob was careful not to tempt God, because he was afraid that something might happen through carelessness or negligence that might bring him harm: therefore he wanted Joseph to be diligent in ordering and prescribing all things. This is godly, good and holy counsel, just as all the works of the holy fathers are holy and good. For where they walk in faith, their skill and wisdom of reason is also pleasing to God. But again, God hates and abhors the works of the wicked, even though they seem outwardly very holy.
(80) Both the father and the son will no doubt have longed fiercely for them to come together. How will their hearts have throbbed? How then their desire and longing, as well as their immense joy in what will follow in the text, can be seen.
II.
Then Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up to meet his father Israel at Goshen. And when he saw him, he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a long time. And Israel said unto Joseph, I will gladly die, when I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive.
81 It is probable that Jacob will hardly have known his son Joseph when he came before him; for his face will be something within two and twenty years.
1778 L. XI, 80. 81. interpretation of Genesis 46, 29-34. W. n, 2614-2617. 1779
especially since he was dressed in royal clothing and jewelry. Their great desire for each other is illustrated by the fact that they embraced each other in this way: since Joseph fell around his father's neck and was always clinging to him, he became completely joyful about it, so that he did not want to tear himself away from his old father immediately, since he embraced him and kissed him. And the father, who until then had spent his life in the greatest sadness and pain, is now, as it were, raised from hell and death to life again.
(82) Therefore this is indeed a bodily joy and gladness; but the same has also been full of righteous, hearty and kindly affection, which has pleased God exceedingly. And there is no one who could attain and explain this in words, or even understand how great this heartfelt affection has been, unless he will also experience it one day.
The father says: I will now die happily and gladly, as our interpreter has given it in Latin: Jam laetus moriar, etc. As if he wanted to say: I wanted to die now this hour or moment, if God would have it so. These are very moving words, that he says: "I am ready to go to death now; for my poor heart has been miserably afflicted with miserable lamentation and sadness for two and twenty years, because I had despaired of your life: but now that I may see you alive and well again, I feel that I have passed from death to life, and am quite rid of all sorrow and burden.
(84) But he has not yet allowed the honor and glory of Joseph to be challenged or moved. For when he saw that his son was still alive, he had such a great desire for him that he did not particularly care for the great glory and royal power that Joseph had, and was satisfied only that his son was still alive. Yes, that is even more, he thinks thus: Even if you would be the most miserable man and even deserted, I would still have enough left, that I may see that you are still
I do not regard the glory and the great good that is not only in Egypt, but also in the whole world; for I will gladly leave the world and go out of this life willingly and joyfully.
These were undoubtedly the words that Jacob spoke from his father's heart, which Moses describes only recently. As he is silent about everything else that was said or happened when they came together. It will have been however truly a long disputation, and will have held a discussion with each other of various cases and many changes. Joseph will have told his father at length how his affairs were everywhere and how he was so wonderfully fortunate. And they stayed the same night at Gosen, and dined together. And at last all the house of Jacob and all his servants were gladdened, and had many discussions of all things that had happened before, of the brethren and their wives, and especially of the great affliction which the father had borne all that time. All this Moses has only just shown and could not have done otherwise. For it is very good to think of the sorrow that is now over and of the past toil and labor. As the poet says: Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit, that is: It will perhaps do us good some day that we may remember this hardship and danger we suffered. There will have fallen questions of the mother Bilha, Silpa, Lea 2c. Joseph said to his father and brothers the next day or the day after, "I will go up" to King 2c.
Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's house, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh and speak to 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 cattle, both small and great, and all that they have, they have brought with them. Whom therefore Pharaoh shall call unto you, and say, What is your meat? then shall ye say, Thy servants are men that handle cattle; from our
** **1780 L. XI, 31-33. interpretation of Genesis 46, 31-34. **W. II, S6I7-2SIS.** 1781
Youth till now, both we and our fathers; that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen. For the shepherds of cattle are an abomination to the Egyptians.
Joseph knew well how honorable the Egyptians were and what their ways were, namely, that they used to despise the Hebrews, not only because they were foreigners, but also because of their status and the way they lived. But since he also knows and recognizes that the supreme authority was with the king, he again needs human skill and prudence and proves the honor he owed to his sovereign, as he had never done anything without the king's will and command. And such prudence was indeed necessary for the sake of many a burden and discomfort, which is customary for rulers in such great dominions.
(87) Therefore he saith unto his brethren, and to his father's house, I will go up, and hear what the king's mind and will be. For ye are come into a very great kingdom, where all the people abhor you for the cattle: therefore it shall be necessary for me to give you access unto the king. Above all this, you must be reminded that you must strive with the utmost diligence to conform yourselves to the ways of the Egyptians who will harbor you, so that they will not be offended by your coarse, rustic customs; but you must get accustomed to gentleness, friendliness and courtesy: you will have to get accustomed to the ways of this hopeful land, so that they will not soon find something in you to blame and punish in the beginning.
- you will be brought before the king and the princes of the kingdom of egypt, and you must be careful to
You must keep yourselves modest and humble, and say, "We are people who handle cattle. The Egyptians will be offended by this word, but it is better for you to confess freely and honestly where you come from and what your rank or office is, than to pretend something else or to conceal it. This is the best way to get through.
(89) I will also tell the king that you have brought your flocks and herds with you. And I will have reminded you of this beforehand, so that you may have a certain form of answer when the king calls you; for you are not to restrain him, but say: "Your servants are people who handle cattle, from our youth up to now" 2c. Confess at once; and that ye may keep besides this place Gosen, which is not in the midst of the kingdom, but on the border of the land of Canaan. For if, for my sake, I or the king himself would place you in a better place, which would be more honest, it would be repugnant to the princes and subjects of the kingdom of Egypt, and they would envy you. But I deal with this, that you may remain in such a place, where you have good pasture, and do not fear that the Egyptians may offend or envy you. For what cattle herders are, that is an abomination to them; not that they have none at all, but because they despise them. As with us also the cowherds and shepherds are considered the very lowest people; or as masters of sticks, butchers and executioners are not drawn according to our usage to honest offices or company: so among all classes of the same kingdom the cattle herders have also been the very most contemptible people.
1782 L.H, "-M. Interpretation of I Genesis 47, 1. W. n, 2W0-SW4. 1783
The seven and fortieth chapter.
First part.
How Joseph reports his father's arrival to Pharaoh; how he presents five of his brothers before Pharaoh; and how Pharaoh holds a conversation with them.
I.
V.1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, saying, My father and my brethren, their cattle great and small, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are found in the land of Goshen.
(1) Behold, how Joseph persevered in keeping the king in mind and in honor. For he has shown him such honor that he has not thought to do anything or to start anything out of his own free will, but has first sent everything to the king himself, when he has not wanted to do anything without his will.
This is a very excellent virtue, and it is very rare in all officials, tax officials, or rentmasters, who do not follow Joseph's example, but often transgress the goal of their office and command in a brazen and impudent manner. And if someone has a handful of orders from the prince, he takes a whole cubit. That is why there is so much disorder in the regiments of the provinces and cities, and it must follow that they will be reversed and corrupted. For the magistrates should be faithful and true to their sovereigns' command, and should not do anything or undertake anything without their will and command. If they did that, there would be so much less misfortune, misery and distress in the regencies and dominions.
- as without doubt Egypt was a very beautiful kingdom, which stood everywhere in prosperity, not only because of riches, which were the least, but good
Order and justice half. And. Joseph was a very excellent man, who ordered this kingdom very well, and even set a good example of virtue and obedience to the other officials and subjects, because he did nothing without the will and command of the king.
In our times, there are more complaints at almost all courts about the drudgery and unjust violence of tax officials and other officials than the citizens and peasants exercise among themselves. However, all kinds of disputes between officials and subjects cannot be brought to the attention of the princes, who have such a heavy burden on them, namely, that they give orders, decree and forbid what should and should not be done. In addition, they must also hear many complaints about the unfaithfulness of those whom they have appointed as officials. We do not have such Josephs in our countries and common regiments as this one was. Just as we have no Pauls or Peters in the church now, or else there are almost few of them, and they are especially rare.
Therefore, since Moses praises this example so much, he wants to show that Joseph not only taught, but also gave others a good example of teaching and obedience to the king, who, as he saw, was pious and godly. And this is truly a beautiful image of a pious prince, which should always be remembered, who for his own person has presided well over the subjects and has been useful and with good example, by which he has worked on others; so that the other councillors or officials have been awakened and admonished, that they have also been faithful and finely modest in their profession. For after his father and brothers came, he ordered all things so that they should not dwell in the land of Gosen without the king's will.
1784 L. xi. "-"7. Interpretation of Genesis 47:1. 2. W. n. 2024-2027. 1785
And although he had already decided by special counsel that he would put them there, he would not take it or do anything in it without the king's command, but would have them stay there until they were told what the king's will was.
6th He abused not his power, which was given him of the king, nor his favor, nor his grace; but stood up humbly and with due submission unto the king, and said, My father and my brethren are now come out of the land of Canaan: I will therefore shew thee, that thou mayest direct us what place of the land thou wilt give them to dwell in. This is a beautiful humility and obedience, that Joseph should submit himself and all his father's house to Pharaoh. And if now in our times this humility and obedience were also so kept, there should truly be much more happiness and blessedness in all the states of this life than otherwise.
II.
V. 2 And he took five of his youngest brothers and set them before Pharaoh.
(7) According to the Hebrew text it is thus: He took from the end of his brothers; and can be understood from both ends, either the highest or the lowest, that is, from the first or from the last five brothers. But here I will leave each one free to his own judgment and opinion; for there is no danger to faith or religion in this: so also here no heresy is spoken of that one should have to worry about.
008 I am of opinion that Joseph put his youngest brethren before Pharaoh. For the word "end" in the Hebrew language means the outermost or the last in every thing; as among these brothers Dan, Naphtali, Issachar and Zebulun were the last. But others may have another opinion and follow it without any danger.
(9) But here it is asked again, What cause might Joseph have had that he did this? The rabbis of the Jews therefore bring a useless babble.
and lying, namely, that he had chosen those who had the least reputation among the others and were also the least in person. For if he had presented to him the strongest and those with a manly reputation, Pharaoh might have used them for war. But if you look at all their ages, none of them was under thirty or forty years old, and there is a small difference of ten years, which one may have had more than the other; which time could not have made a great and obvious difference among the brothers. Only Benjamin is the youngest among them; one could hardly recognize a difference in the others, if one had looked at them outwardly and compared the persons with each other. For they were almost all born within ten years of each other in this world. And especially for those who are grown up, the difference of these years does not matter much. Benjamin was already the father of ten children.
010 Therefore I suppose that he took the last of them, and honored his brother Benjamin, whom he specially praised before the king, that he might be commanded before the rest, and gave him the other four youngest brothers, which were born of Bilhah and Leah.
011 But for the Jews to dream that Joseph had this plan out of fear, or that he was anxious about something, is, in the first place, idle gossip. For why should he be concerned that the king should use them for war, when it is often said that the Egyptians were abominable to all shepherds? Therefore, there was no danger that they would be used for warfare, since he knew that the nobility in Egypt and the captains or chiefs in war despised all herdsmen. And the king himself will say afterwards, v. 6, "If you know that there are men among them who are capable, set them over my cattle." He knows that they are despised by his subjects, so he calls them to feed his cattle, both large and small.
- and from this you can now see that
1786 8- xi, 37. ss. Interpretation of Genesis 47, 2. W. n, 2M-Wso. 1787
the abhorrence that the Egyptians had for the shepherds must be understood as meaning that they despised them in relation to other classes of people, relatively and synecdochically, namely, as far as the great glorious classes or the most distinguished and famous offices were concerned, that they were not drawn to them or used them, but were even despised by them. Just as even now the nobility and burghers in cities do not like to have much fellowship with the peasantry, and the peasants themselves also despise the shepherds or sowherds and consider them inferior to themselves. And the same also happens with various peoples who are not from the same country, as the French regard themselves better and higher than the Germans; and especially the Italians despise the others all together in a haughty way and also have an abomination before them.
(13) Yet there may be, and ought to be, several different offices or ranks in this outward and civil life. For there is another office which is held by a captain, and another by a common man of war; a citizen has another office than a shepherd. Thus, if the Egyptians had not sinned in court, they might without sin have esteemed the shepherds inferior to the captains of war, or else to others of higher rank and nobility than they.
014 And Joseph himself was free from this abomination, though his origin and generation were abominable before the Egyptians. The Egyptians did not eat with him, but he did eat before them and in their presence; and he had come and been raised to such great dominion because of his virtue and excellent godliness. As the emperor Justinus is said to have become a captain from a cowherd and finally attained the imperium. And Sforza, Duke of Milan, is said to have been the son of a farmer and a cook or sudeler (cook) in war; but because he was strong in body and also had a great, joyful and warlike courage, he came to the dukedom and took the previous duke's daughter in marriage. So also Matthias, the king
of Hungary, came out of prison to the kingdom. And Solomon also says in Ecclesiastes Cap. 4, v. 14: "One comes from prison to the kingdom."
For these are the special works of God, of which it is said in the 113th Psalm, vv. 5, 6, 7: "Who is like the Lord our God, who has set himself so high, and stands on the lowly in heaven and on earth; who lifts up the lowly from the dust, and exalts the poor from the mire. This is God's power, and yet He keeps the distinction of offices and ranks in this life, as citizens, peasants, princes, nobles 2c. Although today it also happens, as the old verse says: Et genus et formam regina pecunia donat, that is: Money, which rules everywhere and floats above, can give both great lineage and beautiful gifts; money can make people noble and beautiful 2c. Yet the common distinctions of human society remain, that each one should keep his office and administer the same that is assigned to him by God, be he a prince or a peasant. This is what I want to say against the useless talk and poetry of the Jews.
016 For Joseph had so much to signify unto the king, that he and they were of honest birth and descent, though the place wherein they were born was very small and unknown. Therefore, even if they had been cattle herders, they would still have been pious, honest men, whom he would have wanted to use in his kingdom without any danger. For the rulers must also have this concern, that they diligently watch what they receive or accommodate for foreign guests. That is why Joseph brought these strangers before the king, so that he would see that he and his entire kingdom had nothing to worry about because of them, and even more, so that he would prove that such people, who are pleasing to God, can be useful to the church and beneficial to the entire kingdom of Egypt.
017 And it seemeth that Jacob gave this counsel, that Joseph should not present his eldest brethren before Pharaoh, as, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, whom he was a little displeased. Although I do not know what he thought of Judah; unless you have these
1788 L.LI, ss-40. interpretation of Genesis 47: 24. w. II, 2S30-2632. 1789
The words in the text "from the end of the brothers" you want to interpret so that they should mean so much that he took some from the eldest and some from the last or youngest. But I cannot say anything certain about this, and as I said above, there is no danger at all here, let it be interpreted in whatever way one wishes. For even though the elders among these brothers were forgiven their sins, they still had to await punishment, as we will hear later.
III.
(18) There will undoubtedly have been many more conversations between the king and Joseph's brothers than are described here in the text. The king will have asked them about Joseph, how he was snatched away from his father's house and led to Egypt, and what happened 2c. Only the most important question is told in this place.
V. 3. 4. Then Pharaoh said to his brothers: What is enre food? They answered: Thy servants are shepherds, we and our fathers; 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 is the drought oppressing the land of Canaan: now therefore let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
Nineteen Pharaoh asks about their status and the work they do, and they answer him and say, "Your servants are shepherds" (for this is how it reads in Hebrew; as we have had other examples above, since the words are not always placed together as the rules of grammar require). "Thy servants," they say, "are shepherds of cattle;" remembering also their fathers, "we and our fathers." As if they wanted to say: We are not such people, who have arisen so recently or suddenly; but our whole family and all our ancestors have been cattle herders. Therefore we can say nothing else of ourselves, and claim nothing else, except that we can feed the cattle and tend the sheep.
20 So they are saying that they do not seek great glory or high honor.
The Jews' poem is therefore a useless, futile chatter, as if they had spoken out of fear, so that they would not be used for war. For this reason the poem of the Jews is a useless, vain babble, as if they had spoken thus out of fear, lest they should be used by force for war; but they mean to say this much: Though our brother be the chief ruler in thy kingdom, yet do we not at all desire such or such a dominion; for otherwise we have honor enough for our brother's half, because of the glory and great honor to which he has come.
(21) And I doubt not Joseph gave them this instruction, and taught them thus, not only for humility, but also for their profit. For he that can keep himself from going into the court of any prince is truly a blessed man, not only in our day, but also in all other days. It has a great appearance, and the glory of court life is certainly beautiful and necessary, and people always have more desire for that which seems beautiful and glorious than for that which is useful and necessary; for they desire only great money and goods and their own benefit, and in addition such a fine gentle life, where there is such great honor and glory. But for the offices and work of administering them, no one takes on nor desires them; indeed, they are all hostile to work and flee from it as much as they can and may. And all princes, kings and emperors have always complained about this. As they say, Emperor Maximilian is said to have once answered his nobility, when they complained before him and spoke harshly to him about the fact that he used such a man in all offices and business, who was of lowly descent and only a priest, who then became a cardinal and bishop of Salzburg. To them, I say, he answered: Why do you not do it? It would have been your duty to take these offices and work upon yourselves and to administer them diligently. I must have a skilled and industrious man around me through whom I can carry out my business, but you flee from such offices; that is why I had to choose and accept this scribe, who will take on the work that occurs in my court.
1790 L. XI- 40-12. interpretation of I Moses 47, 3. 4. W. II, 2632-2632. 1791
and tell me the same thing. If the nobility will not do it, then the clerk or the priest must do it. I can easily make knights or men-at-arms, but I cannot make men who are fit for the regiment and who can carry the work and burden of the kingdom. For it is indeed a very difficult thing about the regiment.
(22) Therefore Joseph diligently and wisely warned his brothers. For his own part, he may have been a little displeased because of the unpleasantness and heavy burden he has had to bear, and he does not want his brothers to be forced to do the same, or to be dragged by force into such great danger, which is the duty and responsibility of the common government.
(23) And he that can beware may well do so. But not in the way Diocletian and many other kings did, and also the Turkish tyrant Mahomet, who went and hid themselves in the desert or wasteland, like monks or hermits, so that they might flee from the burden, care and work of the regiment and be freed from it. For those do not do right who are called and duly appointed to the regiment, and who desist from it and leave such office when they become fainthearted and despondent because of the great burden and worries that are placed upon them. But they should rather remain in their office, to which they have been called and appointed by God, and show themselves to be brave and fine men of steadfastness, who do not soon become fainthearted or despondent because of the danger and impetuosity with which the common regiments are often severely burdened. For it is necessary to have dominions and regiments in this life, and this requires industrious and hard-working people who are skilled. And there is also outward glory, honor and good in every such office, whether secular or ecclesiastical; but it does not want to have lazy people.
Our sovereign, Duke John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, works so hard in so many great affairs that in truth it could be said of him: "Jsaschar will be a donkey with legs,
Gen 49:14, namely, to have and to bear the immense burden of the many labors upon him. For the kingdoms and regiments must be administered and governed in all ways. Matters and disputes must be recognized and decided in the courts and in the council chambers, which cannot be done without great vexation, difficulty, effort and work. That is why the Emperor Maximilian rightly said that he wanted to make knights or knights-at-arms much more easily than scribes. I can make a knight, he says, but I cannot make a scribe. Both our noblemen and our clerks are useless at home in peace and in war, neither for the regiment nor to do anything else: they give themselves either to avarice, which cannot be satisfied, or to drinking, feasting and stewing; but they can be wellware of the burden and danger that are part of the common regiment, and if it comes to a meeting in war, they will see to it that they are not the first at the head.
(25) And we have also said above that it is almost a difficult thing to administer the common regiment; as people who are practiced and experienced in something, and are not ambitious, but flee from high ranks wherever they can or may, know well.
(26) But they do not do right who leave the office and position to which they have been duly called. It is indeed a chore enough to be a preacher, to be a pious householder, or to administer any other office faithfully and godly; but nevertheless one must not flee from the work, but step up straightway and take it upon himself, and whatever hardships may arise must be overcome with great and strong courage. Whoever does not want to do this, let him stay away from it. For God has not ordained and appointed His offices and positions so that those who administer them should be idle. As St. Paul says in Romans 12:7: "If anyone has an office, let him wait for it" to serve his neighbor. Those who are called and appointed to the offices should not be lazy, idle bumblebees who only want to live off other people's work, but should do what they are commanded to do in the office.
1792 L- n. Interpretation of I Genesis 47, 3. 4. W. n, ssss-sess. 1793
their: They know that they are placed in office by divine appointment and order, that they should be strong and courageous, and not soon become fainthearted when dangers and impetuosity occur, so that the regiments are challenged and disrupted. And this is what they should do, so that they may indeed be the people they are called, namely. Strict, Noble, Great, Serene 2c., so that they may be quite firm and honorable in honest things. For in all things there must be diligence to godliness and virtue, and to the fear of God in all regiments.
27 Therefore Joseph advised his brothers manfully and faithfully to remain in their profession and in the office in which they had hitherto been; only not to seek great honor or glory in a foreign land, but to be content with their position and office, and not to think that for the sake of the great high honor in which they see their brother seated, they should also seek the same honor and glory after him.
The same is not done in our country, and we do not see such examples now. For now you see many of them among the courtiers, when they have come to an honorary office, that they then soon try to elevate their relatives and closest friends and make them rich. Joseph, however, tells his brothers to be content with their status. And even though they have the promise of the land of Canaan, they do not have to anticipate the time that God has provided before; as it is told afterwards in the books of Chronicles, 1 Chron. 8:20, 21, about the children of Ephraim, that they were destroyed because they wanted to take the land of Canaan before the right time.
029 Therefore the sons of Jacob spake unto the king, saying that they had a loathing of all high offices, and that they came hither out of great necessity, beseeching and desiring that they might abide in the least place in the land, and wait only for their pastorate. We have not come, they say, to rule here or to do anything else great.
so that you may not have any evil suspicion of us; but only desire to stay here for a while, because we have no pasture or food in our country, which we have left. We have been driven out of there by hunger and grief, and by the fact that we have lacked all necessities. We are very poor and have been driven into misery; therefore we ask that we may only be granted and allowed to have our dwelling for a time in some place in your land, at least in the land of Gosen. All this Moses said in few words, but no doubt much more was said; and they will have answered the king's or the other lords' questions somewhat more expansively.
(30) You see that Joseph's virtue and piety are again praised here, as he ruled and administered everything with the highest wisdom and faithfulness. For these beautiful chivalrous virtues are well suited to such a great prince. And this example is actually much greater than that of any other great hero, whoever he may have been, in all kinds of worldly regiments. How wisely and how with great strength of courage and virtue he has directed all things, and how great godliness has been in all this! What a beautiful knowledge of the right heavenly doctrine shone in him, also in such a way that he could justly be called a right skilful political man and in addition an excellent theologian!
(31) But here is another question, saying, What pasture was there in Egypt, since there was none in the land of Canaan or in the places near it, nor in Egypt itself, because of the barren years? To this question I answer thus: I do not believe that the whole of Egypt was so completely withered that there were not some fields and meadows left that still had pasture, because they were over-wetted by the abundance of the waters of the Nile, however small it may have been; as was said above about the difference of the overflowing. Although the same also seems to serve little here, and we can not know for sure, how they all the time
1794 L- n. Interpretation of Genesis 47:3-6. w. ii, 2sss-26". 1795
about the cattle may have grazed. But the land of Gosen may have been near the Nile in a low place, since it could have been moistened so much more and longer. And it is a great thing that they had pasture there, which was otherwise lacking almost in all of Egypt. As it will be said hereafter, that the inhabitants of Egypt still had cattle, which they gave for grain; so that it is indicated, as it seems, that at that time there must still have been pasture left for the cattle, and that the barrenness is thus to be drawn and understood solely from the lack of grain or from the feeding for the large cattle.
But now, in our time, the land of Egypt has been changed, as the 107th Psalm v. 33. 34. says about divine punishment and change of the land: "Whose brooks were dried up, and the fountains of water were dried up, so that a fruitful land bore nothing, because of the wickedness of them that dwelt therein. For where God punishes a land, He not only takes away the people, but also the sap from the earth. As in our times Italy, and also our Thuringian land, which was almost the most fertile land in all of Germany, is also somewhat lacking in fertility. For they say that the income of seven years should now hardly yield as much as three years yielded before that time. This happens because of the wickedness of the people, but mainly because of usury and avarice, which no one can control. For this same seductive avarice dares to do anything it wants and sucks these lands dry.
(33) Goshen, as I also said above, seems to have been the place where they built Raemses afterwards, where they also went out. And it was situated on the extreme borders of Egypt, towards the land of Canaan and Arabia, where the waters of the Nile had their first entrance into the sea, towards the east; which entrance is called Pelusium. It seems that it must have been a very fertile and fat land.
V. 5. 6. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "It is your father, and your brothers, who are at
The land of Egypt is open to you; let them dwell in the best part of the land, let them dwell in the land of Goshen; and if you know that there are men of valor among them, set them over my cattle.
(34) The king answered Joseph graciously and mildly: "They are," he said, "your brothers," and you may do with them as you please. If there are people among them who are somewhat capable and skilful, then put them above my cattle. For though my subjects despise them, yet will I not cast them out, because I have so highly exalted thee, who art born even whence they came. But they, as they themselves ask and desire, shall remain common people and have no rule. You shall keep your righteousness and privilege, for you have become a prince from a shepherd through a special freedom that goes to your person alone. For God's gifts have an exception, which God has reserved for Himself alone. It belongs before our Lord GOD. Therefore, let each one remain in his place or station until fortune draws out of the common order which God wants drawn out.
35 The king wants to have skilled and diligent shepherds. A fine shepherd who knows how to handle his office and who not only knows how to handle his office, but who is also brave and wants to do diligently what he is commanded: he wants such a shepherd to be chosen.
(36) And here thou seest that the shepherds also are called men of virtue, fit and virtuous men, that is, laborious, diligent, and faithful: who wait for a thing. As Prov. 31, 10. f. is also said of a virtuous woman, that is, one who carries out her spousal duties, and is a fine mistress and matron, who diligently waits on the house, and brings up the children well; and who diligently and faithfully does what is due to a pious godly matron. Thus Boaz, Ruth 2:1, is called a man of virtue, that is, an honest man. And every man should behave in this way in his office and position.
1796 L- n. Interpretation of I Genesis 47:5-7. W. n, ssio-sstt. 1797
(37) Such faithful shepherds and servants are also desired by kings, princes and heads of households today, and almost all of them complain that there is now no one healthy among all the servants who is faithful and faithful. And perhaps this was also the reason why Pharaoh desired a good, skillful and faithful shepherd, so that at the same time under such a blessed king and in such a very beautiful kingdom very few pious and faithful servants were found.
Second part.
How Joseph presents his father before Pharaoh, and Pharaoh would have a conversation with him; item, how Jacob is provided with his own.
V. 7 Joseph also brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
(38) We have just heard that Jacob did not go to Egypt of his own accord, but that he was very fearful, and that great need urged him to go there, and he did not like to stay in Egypt, nor did he want to be buried there. For the Holy Spirit has a good memory, and still remembers the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 15:13, 14, when God said to him, "Know that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and there they will be forced to serve and toil for four hundred years. But I will judge the people whom they must serve." So now faith also has an excellent memory. For faith and promises are such that one thing cannot exist without another, and one thing is always related to another. Therefore Jacob goes out of the land of Canaan, but with fear, until he receives comfort at Bersaba. For if this comfort had not come, he would never have left.
I.
39 But now that he is coming to Egypt, he sends himself into time, and keeps himself as the ge
If the present distress requires it, think therefore, Behold, I come hither into a strange land, wherein I and my seed shall be afflicted. For since the text says Genesis 15:16: "After four generations they will come here again," it has made this calculation: The first generation was Abraham's, the second Isaac's, the third mine, the fourth my son Joseph's. Therefore I go now, as it were into the purgatory and into the hell, do not know how it will go for me and when I will come back. He has honored the king, and yet he does not doubt that he will finally pursue his seed or his descendants.
040 But what was he to do? God has called him down and promised him that Joseph would close his eyes when he died. He is satisfied with this, and now he thinks about how he might be led out of Egypt again the sooner the better, even if he had already died, since such a thing might not happen to him during his life.
41 Now that Joseph had brought his brothers before Pharaoh, he brought his father also. As the king undoubtedly wanted and ordered, for he was pious and godly, who understood and recognized God's gifts to Joseph after he had been converted and learned the right doctrine and heavenly wisdom from him. The other king, however, who will reign after this one, will not know Joseph and will plague his descendants severely. Now that he has seen his brothers, he desires to see and address his old father, who had such a son, gifted with such great gifts from God, such a great prophet and full of the Holy Spirit. For the more understanding and wise one is, the more one desires to see the father of such a pious holy son.
42 Therefore Jacob follows his son Joseph and comes before the king; but he speaks nothing, asks nothing of him, but only blesses him, and honors the worldly and royal majesty, of which he knows that it is God's order. And will no doubt
1798 n. 48-so. Interpretation of Genesis 47:7-^10. w. n, 2S44-2S47. 1799
the king talked much more with him through his interpreter and asked about many things, namely, who his grandfather and his father had been and what each had done; what miseries, toils and labors they had and suffered? Which is not told by Moses, who alone writes how Jacob blessed the king, that is, he wished him happiness and salvation, called upon God and asked that he might preserve the king and the whole kingdom, and that it might go well with him, the king, in all places.
(43) But otherwise it is proper that the greater should bless the lesser; as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 7:7: "It is without contradiction that the lesser is blessed by the better"; as that Melchizedek blesses Abraham, Gen. 14:19. But this must be understood of the divine blessing. In other places, however, to bless means to wish one happiness and all kinds of blessings. In other places it means to give thanks, to praise, as in the Psalms, Ps. 103, 1: "Praise the Lord, my soul." Item Ps. 117, 1: "Praise the Lord, all nations," that is, give thanks to Him, praise Him.
44 Therefore Jacob blessed the king as the lesser the greater, and made a speech before him, praising his mercy, and thanking him for the benefits he had received from him, namely, that he had so exalted Joseph his son, and had so graciously received him and his other sons, and had given them a special place in the land to dwell, and also that he had sent them grain and food into the land of Canaan. 2c. This was truly a brave and fine speech. For we must not think that Jacob was a child or an unlearned farmer; but he was a prophet, a bishop and learned in spirit. Therefore he was able to speak well of his affairs, and thanked the king with a magnificent long speech for all the benefits with which he had showered him, as it were; he also added a request, namely, that the king would show him and all his descendants such grace from now on.
V. 8-10 Pharaoh asked Jacob, "How old are you? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty years: little and evil is the time of my life, and not as long as the time of my fathers in their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from him.
45 Now this is another speech that the king made to Jacob, in which he asked him his age. But no doubt other speeches were also made, as is usual in such friendly conversations. And perhaps the king looked at his gray hair and wrinkles, which indicated that he must be much older than he had previously heard from his sons, or that he himself had been able to calculate. Therefore he asked him, and said, I see that thou art a very old man; dear man, tell me, how many years old art thou? Jacob answered, "I am not as old as my face shows. I have a hundred and thirty years on me and no more. My fathers lived a little longer: Isaac reached his hundred and eighty years; Abraham lived to be a hundred and five and seventy years old. I have not come that far, though I am now a sorrowful and broken old man.
46 For Pharaoh, as it seems, will have taken cause to ask about his age, since he saw in him the long gray hairs and the weathered wrinkled face. But there are two kinds of gray hairs. Some come from old age, the others from fear and gloom. One says of the people that they become gray from worries and sorrow of their life; after German idiom: I would like to become gray. And in the 6th Psalm v. 8. it says: "My form is gone down with sorrow, and is grown old; for I am troubled in all places." As if to say: I am surrounded with enemies and other plagues, so that whenever one is gone, soon three others come, so much heavier. For no misfortune comes alone, as they say.
(47) But such afflictions and miseries make man so much sooner
1800 n.". n- Interpretation of Genesis 47:8-10. w. n. 2 "t7-ssts. 1801
gray hairs and wrinkles, and that he must die sooner. Hence come the miserable lamentations of those who are sorrowful and sad, saying, Thou wilt make me gray, thou wilt kill me. For grievous afflictions do indeed grieve and kill many a man. For this reason Solomon also exhorts in his Ecclesiastes on 11 Cap. V. 9. and says: "So rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart be of good cheer in your youth." A young person should be joyful, should not devour or torture himself with anxiety and biting worries that consume his strength and suck out the juice of his life. Do not begin to trouble yourself early; when old age approaches and all kinds of things and business come up, worries and all kinds of misery will follow. For where there is business, it will learn itself well.
Therefore Jacob says, "I am old, but not so much from years as from many misfortunes and sorrows, which kill a man much sooner than many years can do. And if we now want to look at our time, how many are now people who reach sixty years? How many thousands of people perish by the sword? How many die of pestilence, item, of sadness and affliction before the proper time? And now is a great age, when men live to be fifty or sixty years old. But of sorrow Solomon says Prov. 17:22, "A sorrowful spirit dries up the bones." For when the heart is troubled, the body also languishes, and when the heart is afraid and anxious, it takes away the sap of life. Jacob also complains about this here, when he says: "The time of my pilgrimage is few and evil"; for I have suffered many serious accidents and miseries, and my whole life has been nothing but a pilgrimage. As can be seen from his history, he was a very unhappy and sad man almost until his fourth and seventieth year. When he was still young, he was cast out of his father's house by his brother Esau, since he had also been despised at all times before; and therefore he abstained from marriage and housekeeping until his fifth and fortieth year.
year. But when he received the blessing, he served twenty more years in Mesopotamia. Oh, how he had to suffer so much injustice there from his father-in-law Laban! After that, when he left him to go to Shechem, he suffered even more serious misfortunes there. For there his daughter Dinah was put to sleep; Simeon and Levi slew Hemor and the Shechemites; Rachel and Deborah died; I will not mention the struggle and the fight he had with the angel. These are all such pieces that any one of them could make one gray even before the right age. Finally, Reuben has also weakened his father's wife; Joseph has been sold; and since he has thus departed, the father now knows nothing else but that his dearest son must have perished. This is truly the greatest misfortune he has had among others. These are the evil days that shorten a man's life and make him ugly, gray, wrinkled and old. For then the evil days break in and fulfill what is otherwise lacking in old age by the half of the years.
49 But that he calls his years or days the time of his pilgrimage, these are words of the spirit and faith, which thinks of another life. For he does not even want to consider this miserable life, so full of crosses and misery, worthy of being called a life; but calls it only "a pilgrimage", a very sorrowful life, which one must serve, because God has thus commanded and it is His will, which assigns to every man his own place and time, so that he may be preserved and governed, as long as it will be pleasing to the same dear God. By the way, this life is so dreadfully miserable, burdensome and sorrowful because of many tribulations and plagues of all devils and the whole world. And there is no doubt that Jacob will have suffered many other tribulations, not all of which have been described here. Therefore, this life is not a true life, but is a death and plague of life. But this hope still sustains us, namely, that we know that it is only our pilgrimage. As the epistle to the Hebrews both this text
1802 V- xi. si-ss. Interpretation of Genesis 47, 8-12. W. n, seio-sgss. 1803
and other similar passages are very finely interpreted in the 11th chapter. V. 8-10: "By faith Abraham was obedient, when he was called to go forth into the land which he was to inherit; and he went forth, not knowing whither he went. By faith he was a stranger in the promised land, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise. For he waited for a city that has a foundation, whose builder and maker is GOD."
50 For this hope, that they would wait for a better life, they made the most difficult pilgrimage. That is why Jacob does not call his life the days of a dwelling, of rest and salvation, even if he had already had a kingdom. As David also says of himself in the 39th Psalm v. 13: "I am both thy pilgrim and thy citizen, as are all my fathers." For this life is only a pilgrimage for those who believe and have divine promise, in which they will be exalted in the hope of a future and better life. And it seems that David took from these words of Jacob, when he says: "The time of my pilgrimage is not long since the time of my fathers in their pilgrimage," these words of the Psalm, when he says: "Like all my fathers." Therefore, before God we are all citizens in hope, but before the world we are only poor pilgrims in fact.
The godly must diligently consider this and live their lives in this way. For few want to contemplate the same. Most of them follow and seek the benefits and pleasures of this world, which they consider to be paradise and their kingdom of heaven, and always leave behind the hope of the "other better" life.
52 Accordingly, the time of Joseph's birth can also be reckoned from this text. For the Holy Spirit did not desire in vain that the years of the fathers should be numbered; but it was done that the godly might have a certain order and reckoning of time. That is why the number of years is so emphatically and so precisely set in the text. Therefore Joseph is now nine and thirty years old, and Jacob a hundred and thirty. From this one can now
easily reckon when Joseph was sold, as we have indicated in our chronicle. For it pleases God that one knows the time in this world. And even though we do not know the hour and the moment, God shows us the time when the Last Judgment will approach, through the signs that Christ himself tells us in Luc. 21, v. 25 ff.
Finally, Jacob went out from the king again with thanksgiving, as he had also greeted him kindly at the beginning, and declared himself to be grateful to him from the bottom of his heart for his royal clemency, which he had shown him and his family. He blesses him not in the manner of a greater, but of a lesser. There are not such petitions in which something is given or promised; but there are such blessings in which something is desired. For we ask that God may give the blessing, but we do not conclude or command anything with it; for the same is due to God alone. As afterwards Jacob blesses his sons with certain real blessings, in which he determines, indicates and proclaims something certain to them.
II.
V.11. But Joseph made a dwelling for his father and his brothers, and gave them an estate in the land of Egypt, in the best place of the land, that is, in the land of Raemses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
54 Here Moses concludes the journey of Jacob's descent into Egypt, and now he wants to return to the place where the whole kingdom was. For Joseph carried out Pharaoh's command, and set his father and his brothers in a fertile land, namely, in Raemses, which geographers say is in Gosen, from where they then departed again, as can be seen in the 2nd book of Moses, when they ate the first paschal lamb. There Jacob and his sons lived with their cattle by the kindness of the king and Joseph.
V.12. And he (Joseph) provided for his father, and for his brethren, and for all his father's house; for every one after he had children.
** **1804 L.XI.VL-". Interpretation of Genesis 47:12-14. W. II, AS2-2 "a. 1805
- It is a Hebraism when it says: "according to the mouth of the child. There we must guess what is actually meant or understood by it. And first of all, there is an exchange of the numerus here, since the word "of the child" is used for "of the children. But what he means by this is that Joseph fed his father and brothers according to the manner and measure in which small children are fed; as it is done in the household, where the small children enjoy the work of their parents, eat the bread; but they themselves do no work, do not acquire the bread, but help to eat it: they do not build the field, nor do any other work, but eat what the others have acquired with their work and diligence. And since Paul says in 2 Thess. 3:10, "He that worketh not, neither shall he eat," we are to know that nevertheless the little children are excepted, who also eat, though they work not; yea, that is still more, they do their parents all sorts of displeasure, that they are brought up by them so faithfully, and with so great toil and labor.
(56) Now to feed after the manner of children is as much as to say, to feed or provide for one without his labor. For Jacob and his sons, with all their household, had no fields to cultivate, were only shepherds, and received grain or food from Joseph free of charge, by order of the king and out of kindness. So he provided for his father and brothers and fed them, as little children are fed, but they are not allowed to do any work.
57 Now Jacob was led to Egypt, although he did not love that country and did not like to go there, but because he was troubled by anger and had a desire to see his son. For he remembers the promise that the children of Israel would be hard-pressed and harassed in the same land, and knows that the fourth man's life is now actually present. He will indeed be received and welcomed with joy, just as Christ was received with joy on Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, but after this
He was also dealt with as Christ was dealt with on Charlemagne. Therefore, he does not wish to stay long in Egypt with his people, but wants to return to the Promised Land as soon as possible.
Third part.
How Joseph brings together all the money, livestock and fields of the Egyptians, makes the Egyptians serfs, and confirms this serfdom.
V. 13, 14: And there was no bread in all the land: for the famine was so sore, that the land of Egypt and Canaan fainted for the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in Egypt and Canaan for the corn which they bought: and Joseph put all the money into Pharaoh's house.
- Moses now comes again to the description of the Theurung. It has often been said that in this whole book the wonderful government of God is praised, that in the times of the greatest fathers and prophets the greatest theuras were always present; as can be seen in the history of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; therefore God punishes the world with theuras, where the word in the church is going on. However, He does it with the punishment in such a way that He still nourishes and sustains His own; as the saying reads in the 37th Psalm v. 19: "In the torment the pious will have enough. And this present example also shows the same. So in the time of Elijah and Elisha, and likewise of David, there was a great and terrible tribulation.
Therefore, it is a strange thing when God shows the highest grace to men by sending them His word, since this world has no more precious treasure than this, and yet under such bright light of the word He still sends theurge, pestilence and many other innumerable plagues or punishments.
(60) But with this he tempts his saints and believers and strengthens their faith, and at the same time he punishes the ingratitude of the world. In our time we are abundantly gifted with the sermon of our beloved
1806 L.n.ss-07. interpretation of Genesis 47:13, 14. ss. n, 2Ws-265g. 1807
Word of God; but how the same is accepted by the ungrateful listeners, we also see well. For the tyranny of princes, usury, deceitfulness, robbery, which people practice among themselves in particular, and which is also practiced publicly in general, enters with a vengeance into the church. Through such drudgery and robbery, the whole of Germany will be sucked dry; and where people thus continue to let their own lusts run wild and to exercise such courage among themselves, a terrible change will undoubtedly follow. Germania will gain a much different shape, if it is to stand like this for a long time. For it will one day come to pass that the many fairs and the great opulence with the excessive building, clothing, food and other splendor will be put down; but this will not happen without great harm and ruin to Germany.
The world does not understand, nor does it thank God for the immense and innumerable benefits, so that it is daily showered by God; and the sins of men are, unfortunately, all too much and inordinately great. For one does not sin now out of ignorance, as happened under the papacy: we now know and recognize the truth in our time. Therefore there is no error in understanding, nor is there any lack of it, that one should not know it; but against all understanding people do not want to be persuaded to send themselves to correction and become pious, however faithfully they are taught and admonished. For we work every day to teach and admonish them in this beautiful, great light and richness of the gospel, and to awaken them to repentance. But there is no help in fighting: the more one preaches, the more one gets angry.
The papists persecute the known truth without ceasing and rage against the godly as if they were nonsensical, as in the days of the prophets: they are inflamed with madness and foolishness. That is why they are becoming more and more insane in their presumption and desire to exterminate the Christians. So Germania wants to pass through and Germany
follows the kingdom of Israel and Judah in this. For although the prophets in the same kingdoms have persisted with God's word clearly and most diligently, they have achieved nothing with it. It was all of no avail. How the LORD reproached them for such horrible nonsense and punished them for it, Jer. 2:23, 24, when he said: "See how you do it in the valley, and consider how you have done it. Thou walkest about like a she-camel in heat; And like a wild beast in the wilderness, when it is in great heat, and runneth, that no man can endure." You run along like a mad dog. God has often repeated this word to them: Be converted and do not sin so, hear my word. But they did not want to hear all this until the king of Assyria came, who stopped their mad run and forbade them to do so. So now our Germans will not stop sinning until one day an enemy from a foreign land will come along and stop and abolish their ungodly nature and their raving and raging.
But we who have the word and love it should pray and sigh that God will have mercy on us, or at least gather the wheat into His barns, and that He will not throw us with the chaff into the eternal fire and burn us up. And God has already begun to thresh and to sweep his threshing floor. But what will be the end of the chaff and stubble will finally be felt by those who do not want to be admonished now and do not intend to improve at all. We are well excused.
In those days the kingdom of Egypt had a very good prophet, who ordered all things very well, as far as the priesthood and secular offices were concerned; who taught the whole kingdom how to pray and how to call upon the right true God, and gave them laws on how to live rightly and honestly. But they will have accepted the same doctrine without any doubt and will have kept it as the world is wont to do. As such the end also showed finely, since the great and heavy theurung had been.
1808 L.XI.S7-SS. Interpretation of Genesis 47:13, 14, W. II, WSS-S6W. 1809
I.
This is a wonderful description, which I cannot understand sufficiently. For we have not been present, have also not seen the form and how the kingdom of Egypt has been ordered, before eyes. And I cannot think how such an empire and regiment could be ordered or set up in Germany. For, first, all the money will be collected; then, the cattle; and, third, the people will also be made serfs by the king. Therefore, it must have been a beautifully well-ordered kingdom, because in the theurge the money, cattle, fields and people were sold. And it was truly a great heavy servitude; and as I said, I cannot understand how such a thing could be done in Germany without outrage and revolt of the common rabble.
66 It is clear from this that Joseph must have kept good order, discipline and obedience with special diligence and earnestness, and that he kept the people in right doctrine and in the fear of God through the office of priests and teachers. For this is a very great protection that the people had to give at that time.
But the Hebrews are not at one with one another in the interpretation of the word thelah. For some have given it in Latin "to become senseless"; others, "to depress. We think that it should be interpreted correctly as "to languish," as we have also interpreted it in German: "verschmachteten vor der Theurung. And it seems that the theurung was not so terrible and so great in other countries as in Egypt and Canaan, which countries had the word that Jacob and Joseph had spoken to them.
(68) Since there was a shortage of grain throughout the kingdom, Joseph gathered all the money found in Egypt, for the subjects gathered it together to buy grain and save their lives. For the drought, which lasts seven whole years, takes away all grain, however large a supply of it may be. Those who have collected some for themselves in their barns have
Perhaps they had already emptied them and consumed their supply, so that they had to buy grain from Joseph. In the same way, after three or four years, almost all the money of the common subjects in Egypt and Canaan was spent to prevent them from starving.
(69) And Joseph collected the same money, not by usury, robbery, or unreasonable, unlawful treasure, but only by gathering the corn of the former years throughout Egypt into granaries, which were now and then erected in the kingdom, not only from the king's fields, but also from the common subjects, who sold the corn in the good years, of which they had no need for their household. Joseph used and spent the king's money for this, which he has now collected again, since he sold the grain to the people.
(70) This has truly been a great and marvelous affliction, in that the money of the subjects has gone with the fruit or crops of the land. We have not seen such things in our time, nor have our ancestors. And yet there, in Egypt, there were people who lived very modestly, who kept house precisely and miserably: they were not gluttons, gluttons and drunkards, as we Germans are, whose one person consumes so much food and drink in one day that a hundred Egyptians could have provided for themselves.
For, my dear, look at what is happening in this little town of ours, since the citizens have found, according to their accounts, that every year more than four thousand guilders are spent on barley. What is the point of spending money so uselessly? We drink day and night and fill our bellies with beer. But if we had a desire for thrift and moderation, as we have for abundance, we could save and keep two or three thousand guilders every year. But how much wine do the full brethren drink away besides beer? What goes on the luxury in clothes and other useless things, which our merchants bring here from foreign countries to our lands? Yes,
1810 **"n. SS.">. Interpretation of Genesis 47:13, 14, W. II. 2SS2-2SS4.** 1811
How much money do the Frankfurt fairs eat up, since it is said that in each of them, thirty times a hundred thousand guilders are brought from Germany. I will keep silent about the Leipzig markets and the others. And yet it seems that all this cannot be compared with the great abundance of clothing, wine, beer and other things, which we shamefully and evil go through without any benefit.
The usurers have truly brought about a very harsh reformation, and if our Lord God continues to be angry with us, they will drain us so completely that we will barely have enough water for our daily needs. After that, there will also be the estimates that the secular authorities will impose on their subjects. That is why Germany is now being severely burdened and sucked dry, which until now had more freedom than other kingdoms and countries, such as France, Spain, Italy and others. But now treasure and servitude are breaking in with force. For people no longer want to be punished for the sake of sin; and when sins thus run rampant, it is also impossible to stop the punishment and prevent it from getting the upper hand. Therefore we may suffer the punishment and bear the damage, because we do not want to refrain from sins and do not want to improve ourselves.
(73) As Augustine beautifully says, when he interprets the 85th Psalm, where v. 11 says: "Righteousness and peace kiss each other. Augustine says about this: "Be pious and practice righteousness, and you will have peace; so that righteousness and peace may kiss each other. For where you do not love righteousness, you will not have peace. For these two love one another and kiss one another, so that he who practices righteousness will also find peace who kisses righteousness. They are two good friends. You may want to have one of them, but you do not want to have the other, because there is no one who does not want to have peace, but they do not all want to be righteous and do justice.
- because we desire to sin freely and unpunished, and thus to rage and rage against God, let us
we, on the other hand, also carry the punishment. For unrighteousness and unpeace also kiss each other. Sin and the punishment for sin are also connected, as Paul says Rom. 6, 23: "Death is the wages of sin"; and: "The sting of death is sin", 1 Cor. 15, 56. After the raging of our evil lust and desires, we must also suffer the raging of punishment.
How now in our time there is no more discipline, no more righteousness and no more shame among the people. We preach, shout and scream, always stopping at the right time and at the wrong time, as Paul says 2 Tim. 4, 2. But the authorities are silent about it and look through their fingers at the vices. We say what we want, the authorities remain silent: it does not want to go anywhere. That is why the punishment must follow. Then we will cry out, but God will not hear us when we cry out to Him in the punishment, because we did not want to hear Him in our sins, since He called us through His servants. We want to lead the sins out, so we must also have the punishment out.
76 Therefore it was a great pity that Joseph collected all the money of the subjects, not by appraisal, but by selling them grain that they themselves had collected, divided and sold. And this collection of money, which Joseph made, was fair and lawful; for he sold the king's grain, for which he also demanded the money cheaply and justly. And he had long before proclaimed this theuration unto them, and ordained that every man should gather so much as he should have for his daily necessities for a whole seven years. But some will believe what he has announced, but the others will have despised it. And yet it was a great mercy that they could still get grain for money, which Joseph will undoubtedly have sold to them at the same price the first, the next and the following years. This has been a proper and lawful contract and purchase, that he has thus sold them the grain under his honest title, and has not charged them every month and year with new treasure.
1812 L.xr. so-". Interpretation of I Genesis 47:13-20. W. n, sset-sssi. 1813
or drudgery: he made it so that the people might come to it. But in the course of time, because the affliction lasted so long, the common subjects were gradually exhausted and drained of their possessions and goods. And it could not have been otherwise; for in such distress one had to help the poor subjects, so that they were not allowed to die of hunger.
II.
(vv. 15-17) Now when money was lacking in the land of Egypt and Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Provide us with bread. Why do you let us die before you because we are without money? And Joseph said, Bring forth your cattle, and I will give you for your cattle, because ye are without money. So they brought Joseph their cattle, 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 livestock.
When the money was collected from the grain that Joseph sold to the Canaanites and Egyptians, the king had a wonderful treasure. But whether the people had anything left over, I do not know; for I cannot think that the subjects should have been completely stripped of all their money and so drained that they had nothing left to pay their day laborers, craftsmen, and others whom they used daily for work. Or perhaps one would like to understand it in such a way that it would be spoken synecdochically, namely, that he had collected all the money, except what they needed for their daily necessities, to buy clothes, shoes and other necessities. Or they may have paid their farmhands and laborers with grain they had bought. Therefore they now bring their cattle, for which Joseph gave them bread and provided them with it for a year.
78 The text does not say what year it was, but after the money of the previous year was consumed, now they bring in the cattle: not that the king has gathered their cattle, both large and small, in one place, but he is talking about the cattle.
The price of the livestock that they themselves have kept and grazed. This is what happens in our contracts, as when one sells the income from an estate that bears fruit every year, and yet retains ownership of it. That is why they consumed their livestock or gave money from it during the year. And I think it was the sixth year and the last except one, after the money was consumed in the fifth year. The first two years they might have lived on the stock they had gathered in their own barns; likewise the third year, except that it was a little scarcer; but in the fourth year buying and selling began.
III.
(79) It was truly a terrible deed and a marvelous rule that Joseph kept, so that all possessions and goods, as well as the people themselves, came into the king's power throughout the kingdom and all became his servants; so that they had nothing of their own, neither at home nor out in the field, nor even livestock. And it seems that this poverty, since they lacked everything, did not last long with them. For they were so great and rich again that they had much gold and silver when the people of Israel came out of Egypt and robbed them of it. Therefore this theuration did not last always, except that in Egypt the custom remained that they had to give the fifth part of their goods.
**V.**18-20 When the year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from our Lord that not only the money but also all the livestock is gone to our Lord, and there is nothing left before our Lord but our bodies and our field. Why hast thou caused us to die before thee, and our field? Buy us and our land for bread, that we and our land may be in bondage to Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the field be not desolate. So Joseph bought Pharaoh the
** **1814 L XI, S2-S4. Interpretation of Genesis 47, 18-22. M. n, 2887-2870. 1815
all of Egypt. For the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was too great for them. So the land became Pharaoh's own.
80 The other year is not the year that followed the first, but the year that followed the one in which they gave the cattle to the king. Now this was a great and grievous affliction, and the uttermost affliction, that they lamented, having nothing left but their bodies and their fields. Joseph also takes this away; and yet this is not robbery, but they have sold it, and it was a lawful contract. Nor did they lose the use of their field, but only had to give and pay the king the fifth part of the fruits that grew on it. Although it seems that the field was sold outright, and that the king used those who built the field for his servants, that they had to build the fields for him.
This regime, though hard and severe enough, has been lawful and not tyrannical, and since no one has been wronged, it has been God's wrath and punishment on their sin, so that God has punished this people with punishment, and thus made them servants, which servitude they have had to bear because of sin. For where we sin, we should know that we must also suffer punishment for it. So now they have nothing of their own, neither money, nor cattle, nor fields, nor even their own bodies; the king has taken everything; not that he has robbed or taken it from them by force, but has sold grain to the subjects for it. And this was the last year except for one, and after that the last year at all.
V. 20, 21: And the land was Pharaoh's own. And he divided the people into cities from one place of Egypt to another.
- Now this is a new and special thing, which Joseph did as a seal to confirm the buying and selling which they did, that the subjects of the kingdom should so move from place to place, that they might know
that all their goods and chattels were the king's because of the purchase they had made with each other. But he let the people go from one city to another as a testimony and public emblem, so that he sealed the servitude of the people, as if now the citizens of Wittenberg had to go to Thuringia and the Thuringians to Saxony. He gave them the fields and cattle that were the king's, but they had to give the fifth part of the income to the king, as from his land.
(83) This was indeed a strange and grievous sealing, by which they were reminded that they had lost the ownership of all their goods, not through Joseph's fault or the king's, but because of the purchase that had taken place between them. And this was a great mercy and a special blessing, because they were servants in bondage, that he did not kill them for his own pleasure, but nourished and preserved them, and also placed them in the royal fields and estates. For this reason, the kingdom had to bear and suffer the punishment and chastisement of God for their sins, as Joseph had announced to them long before, and had them instructed and admonished by the priests and princes or officials in the land, so that they would patiently suffer this servitude.
V. 22 Except for the priests' field, which he did not buy; for it was Pharaoh's decree for the priests that they should feed on what he had given them; therefore they were not allowed to sell their field.
This is an excellent text, which one should remember particularly well. For what we Germans think now or what kind of people we are, I do not know. It is certain that in natural and divine law it is decreed that those who serve the altar should also live from the altar; as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14: "Know ye not that they which sacrifice eat of the sacrifice? and they which keep the altar enjoy the altar? So also the Lord commanded that they which preach the gospel should eat of the gospel.
1816 n. 64-". Interpretation of Genesis 47, 22. W. n. sero-sns. 1817
gelio nourish." And in this place it is written in the text with great diligence and repeated for the second time that the priests in Egypt had their special humble portion decreed and named, that they were not allowed to sell their field.
Therefore, this is a very beautiful text, but we do not follow it and do not allow the same in Germany. It is true that in other countries it is customary that those who administer public offices, such as the lords' servants, cane masters, soldiers and the overlords, are themselves also maintained on public pay. Similarly, the princes also take customs and wages from the subjects. But how it is held with the schoolmen and servants of the word, we see before our eyes. If something had not remained of the plunder from Egypt, which we have stolen from the pope, we would all have to die of hunger. For there is now no city or principality that feeds or maintains its priests and schools, regardless of the great hard work, plus the faithful diligence and service of devout priests and pastors. And if they were to be maintained by the allowance of the common people, they would truly have to live poorly and miserably. Therefore I still say that we are nourished by the plunder of Egypt, which was collected under the papacy; and yet the same, if there is anything left of it, is also snatched away by the authorities; the parish priests and schools are robbed, not otherwise than as if they wanted to let us die of hunger. If it will now exist in this way, it will be seen.
(86) Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, will arise at the last judgment of the future and will condemn the princes and authorities of Germany, because he has honored and nourished his priests, and has not taken their goods, even though he might have taken them by force of the contract that was lawfully established; but he gives them liberty and decrees for them a named portion of grain and food, by which they have lived without all their harm. Now which of all the kings and German princes will you give me who is like this Pharaoh?
(87) Our sovereign does not feed us from his own, but from the spoil of Egypt, and would not be able to feed or keep us from his own. But that we owe it to the priests and ministers to feed them, there is no doubt about it; and if we will not give anything in return, this text will condemn us, from which we will have great shame. God wills that he who is instructed in the word shall impart all good things to him who instructs him, Gal. 6:6. And Paul adds one more thing there, v. 7, saying, "Do not be deceived; God is not mocked." In the same way Christ says to his apostles Luc. 10, 7: "Where you come into a house, stay in it, eat and drink what they have. For a laborer is worth his wages." But what shall we do? They neither like to have us nor to hear us; and even if we wanted to give our listeners pay and money, they do not like to hear us or to suffer us.
Therefore, the sins in Germany are ripe, and the punishment will not be delayed and will not fail. For even now the princes are being sucked dry by the usurers, and many a valuation and drudgery arise daily, and so it serves us right. What you do not give to our Lord God, give to the devil; as they say: Quod non tollit Christus, tollit fiscus: What Christ does not take away, the fiscus takes away. If you do not want to give to the disciple, then give to the brother Veit and Scharrhansen, who waste it with heaps and take ten, thirty, fifty pay at once. Since one does not like to give a penny to a poor disciple or servant of the Word for the sake of God and for the sake of our souls, you will have to give a thousand guilders to a godless warrior servant and to Satan himself.
(89) Therefore, I say, let this text be diligently remembered, namely, that the king, who is so pious, in this greatest affliction, which was then in the country, has thus honored the word and preserved the service, delivering the priests from the great distress and very heavy burden of theurge and bondage. He preserves their children and their
1818 L. LI, 6"-"s. Interpretation of I Moses 47, 22-25. W. n. 2673-SS77. 1819
He not only gives them freedom, but also provides each of them with a modest portion of grain, so that they may be nourished. It is truly a very godly king, the like of which we do not have in our times. Yes, our princes rob and steal away everything they find in monasteries and parishes, and there are very few of them who give anything so that the preaching ministry may be preserved, or that a few students may be maintained. That is why it will come to this that they will again also suffer. It will come to that, you will also have too little.
Fourth Part.
How Joseph restores the fields to the Egyptians; and whether the priest's field became Pharaoh's own.
I.
V.23-25 Then said Joseph unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day, and your field unto Pharaoh: behold, ye have seed, and sow the field. And of the corn ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh: four parts shall be yours to sow the field, for your meat, and for your house, and for your children. They said: Let us only live, and find grace in the sight of thee, our Lord: we will gladly be servants unto Pharaoh.
90 From this it is clear that after six years had passed, a relief followed, namely that the people were again granted the fields, but with the condition that they should give the fifth part of it to the king. This should be easily tolerated in our lands, especially where the arable land would have been the property of the king. We now sell our fields to others for half of the fruits that grow on them, but the farmers have to pay for the costs and do all the work. This is even more difficult, since half of the property is demanded, so that the husbandman may own and use the field hereditarily. Some take even more than the half and third part. Although Joseph has a good right to give the fields of the subjects to the king, he has no right to do so.
He bought them, but he lent them to the Egyptians again, so that they used them and paid the king no more than the fifth part of the income.
This was truly a great blessing and a special grace, which Lyra also praised. For they were the king's fields, and no other treasure was laid up on them, except that they gave the fifth part of it, which was a small amount, especially of such fertile land. In this way, they undoubtedly redeemed their fields and increased their food supply somewhat; especially those who were more moderate and lived more conscientiously, and did not consume and waste their goods with eating and drinking, as we Germans are wont to do, and therefore do not know how to keep the treasures in proportion, since they are commanded to give the fourth and fifth parts.
For some years ago it was customary to give the twentieth part, since one gave one out of twenty florins or pennies. The Jews have had the use of giving the tithe. The Romans centesima, which was also the tenth part. With the Jews one gave the priests the tithe, and it came almost so far that one had to give the ninth. But since with us the twentieth part was given, the same was still reasonable. Would to God that we could preserve the same now, that it would remain so, especially because the fields or estates are the people's own. And in Egypt it was not an unreasonable imposition or interest that they gave the fifth part, especially in such servitude. Yes, it was a special prudence and mercy of Joseph, who divided the fields among the subjects and returned them to them, that they themselves should keep four parts and give the fifth to the king.
None of our kings or princes will do the same now. For there are already many treasuries about the fact that one must give the twentieth part, thus
1820 L. xi. ss-70. interpretation of I Genesis 47:23-26. W. n. A77-ssso. 1821
that I almost don't know whether we have to give half or the third part, or whether they even want to accept what we have. The beer tax has stood for a long time and there is no end to the ham.
94 And usury is growing beyond all measure; as I heard the other day of a usurer who took eighty guilders out of a hundred. That is almost worse than taking the whole thing. In Leipzig, it is a common rule that for every ten guilders, they demand four. Thus Germany must be exhausted, for the princes and nobility, as well as the citizens, are being sucked dry by the usurers' drudgery. Then there are the rapacious, thieving and gluttonous servants, who take away almost the third, if not the other part of our goods. For this reason, we would be much better off and richer if this practice were followed in Germany, that is, giving the fifth part, as was done in Egypt.
(95) And we do not only complain about the household servants, who are the people's damage and ruin in the household, but also about many other innumerable and obvious thefts, such as the great cunning and deceit practiced in trade, in buying and selling, and whatever else people, citizens, farmers and neighbors have to do with each other. These are terrible punishments that Germany must now suffer, because we do not want to give God what we owe Him, namely, what is necessary for the preservation of the preaching ministry, for no one wants to give anything for that now.
Now Joseph has earned great gratitude from the subjects of the same kingdom. For they answered him, saying, "You have kept us alive these seven years by your wisdom and kindness, so that we have not died. Thus his power and prestige, which he had, were greatly vindicated, and all with one another unanimously paid him homage and called him father of the fatherland, because he fed and kept alive the great multitude of people, who were so miserable and afflicted. For that we are still alive,
they said, we alone may thank you; you will only continue with us and let us find grace before you, we want to serve Pharaoh gladly, want to give him the fifth part with the highest will. And they were able to do this without any hardship from such a fertile land, as was said before. Therefore they honored Joseph and recognized him as a savior, as the one who had preserved Egypt; which praise and honor he received through the whole kingdom of Egypt because of this good deed.
V.26. So Joseph made them a law until that day concerning the field of Egypt, to give the fifth to Pharaoh; except the priests' field, which was not Pharaoh's own.
97 Moses says here that this law has lasted until this day, that is, until the time when he described this history. But whether it was changed afterwards, we do not know. It is probable that they have again redeemed the fields, and also again increased in goods and became rich.
II.
98, But we have said that at that time the priests were held in very great honor and remained free from the common bondage of the whole kingdom by the king's command; for they also had great prestige and dignity among the pagans. Kings and princes have listened to their counsel and wisdom and have always had them with them, as the histories of the pagans show. For they have instructed the subjects in religion, and taught them the worship, which at first was not so unclean as it has become in subsequent times.
(99) Now the question is asked here: Whether Joseph was right in obtaining this freedom for the idolatrous and godless priests? For it seems that in the same kingdom there were still many idolatrous people among the priests and also the common people. But it has often been said that David gave Joseph a beautiful praise, because he says of him in the 105th Psalm v. 20-22: "Then sent the
1822 n. 70-72. interpretation of Genesis 47:26. w. n, 2SS0-2SW. 1823
The king let him go, and the lord of nations let him go out. He made him lord of his house, ruler over all his goods, to instruct his princes after his manner, and to teach his elders wisdom."
In this way David, who was full of the Holy Spirit, praised Joseph and made him a teacher, priest and prince over the other princes. And this is a very glorious and important testimony of Joseph, who had grace and favor with the people, because he saved such a great multitude from the harm and destruction that was then in store for them. But this honor is even greater, that he was a teacher, who taught the princes, elders and priests.
He did not teach them the art of astronomy, the course of the heavens, or astrology, as the Jews dream; but he showed them how to recognize and serve the true God. And he had a wonderful reason for this from the beautiful great miracles that God had worked through him during the seven precious years. For in addition to the teaching, living experience came, and the people saw before their eyes how wonderfully the whole kingdom and some of the surrounding peoples had been preserved. They all marveled at how Joseph had acquired such great wisdom that he was able to proclaim the doctrine so precisely beforehand and, moreover, to order and prepare with such great skill what would be necessary for the people's entertainment in this life.
To this end, Joseph preached many beautiful sermons, which the priests heard from him, and accepted the doctrine of the right true God and then spread it throughout the world. For he taught the true religion and the divine wisdom, and yet did not force them to observe the Jewish ceremonies, circumcision or other outward things; but rather he diligently impressed upon them that they should believe in the God who had promised the future Seed, and perhaps still has some of their
The first time, I let go of ceremonies that were not at all ungodly and had patience with them, not condemning them, but showing how they should be used properly and serve God with them.
For this reason Joseph was an excellent great man, especially in spiritual matters, although he was no less in political matters, as David Ps. 105, v. 21, 22, praises both of these things about him. Nor was he lazy or idle, but wherever he could and had opportunity, he instructed and taught the people, exhorting them to accept the pure doctrine. And there is no doubt that many Egyptians were brought to the true knowledge of God through him and became blessed.
He taught them from God, who gave the promise in the beginning, in paradise, and repeated it many times afterward, and spoke to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For he alone knew so much, and had nothing of the Bible, but only the history of Abraham, which is in the 12th chapter of this 1st book of Moses. And in addition he also had the previous ten chapters of the creation; and what he knew and understood of it, he had from the fact that the fathers had taught it one after the other and thus had come from one to the other. For at that time the Bible was a small book, but it contained the greatest and most important things.
105 We must not think, however, that he converted all Egypt and all and every ruler and citizen. For nowhere do we have an example that a kingdom or any country with all its subjects was so improved and so well ordered that no godless people or idolatry remained in it. Look at the kingdom of Judah and Israel, even under David and the most pious kings and prophets; for when they ruled and taught, many wicked and ungodly people were still among them, and yet it was a holy and godly kingdom for the sake of the church and congregation of God that was in the people of Israel at that time.
1824 L- xi. 72-74. interpretation of Genesis 47:26. W. ii. ssss-"ss. 1825
For this reason, even though many and great miracles take place, not all the people believe, and there are still some wicked and hypocritical people among them. The listeners of the prophet Isaiah dealt with him in an ignominious and evil manner, as he reproaches them in chapter 57, v. 4. V. 4, where he says: "Whom will you delight in? Whom will you open your mouths at, and stick out your tongues at?" And David often repeats the pathetic complaint about the false teachers and unrighteous worship. Moses also says Deut. 29:18: "Lest there be among you a man, or a woman, or a servant, or a tribe, whose heart is turned from the Lord our God this day, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and peradventure become a root among you, bearing gall and wormwood." And in 32 Cap. V. 17, he speaks harshly to the people, accusing them and saying, "They have sacrificed to the devils of the field, and not to their God; to gods they did not know. "2c. Item, Stephanus Ap. Gesch. 7, 43.. also says: "And you worshiped the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the images which you had made to worship them."
Therefore it must not be thought that there should not be some wicked men among the pious; for Satan is among the children of God, even in the house of Job. And it is enough that a part, even if it is very small, is corrected and brought to the right true light or knowledge of God. For thus Joseph taught the king himself and some princes, and the priest also taught many, and through them spread the knowledge of God, who had promised the Messiah or Christ; but the others despised it.
(108) Therefore let us answer this question in this way, since it is asked: Whether Joseph was right in applying this benefit of liberty to the ungrateful and ungodly priests, namely, that he did it not for the sake of the idolatrous or ungodly, but for the sake of the pious whom he had converted. Although I will also easily believe that at that time in
Egypt were less abominations and abominable false worship, than in subsequent times have arisen. For what strange and wonderful superstitions there were in religion later on can well be inferred and understood from the Greek and Latin poets; which superstitions and strange idolatries were nevertheless not accepted or praised, since Joseph taught and instructed the people.
For this is how experience has taught us from time immemorial: when one godly generation, which has known God, is over, another soon takes its place, which is much more wicked and godless. As it is said in the book of Judges Cap. 2, v. 10: "When all who lived at that time were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them, which knew not the Lord, nor the works which he had done for Israel. But when the descendants fall away from the right knowledge of God, they devise horrible, strange and abominable services; and when those who had served God faithfully before are gone, they retain the outward works of the fathers, but they always multiply them with new services, and thus mix the false service with the right true service, and thus fall into abominable idolatry; As can be seen in the people of Israel, who sacrificed to Astaroth and Moloch for no other reason than that they wanted to serve God more devoutly and spiritually than their fathers had done.
This is what happened in the church in the New Testament. Soon after the apostles, the heretics came in; item, the bishops who did not know the Lord rightly, then the monks, and finally the whole papacy, plus all the abominations standing in the holy place. And all of them cried out: Let us serve God a little more zealously and with greater holiness than has been done before us. For the apostles, they have said, have left much that the church should also add to its teaching. The first fathers had little devotion and ceremonies, we must do even more.
1826 L xr. 74. 7S. Interpretation of Genesis 47:26, W. II, S6M-268S. 1827
They set up outward ceremonies and services. And in this way so many new ceremonies have arisen in the church, because the devil has mixed all kinds of falsification with the truth, and the descendants have generally fallen away and become more and more angry.
(111) Thus, when Joseph died, the Egyptians sacrificed calves and kept other sacrifices of the fathers; but the descendants wanted to increase such sacrifices, and did terrible monstrosities in addition, which are told now and then in the histories. For where one loses God, who has given us His promise, and also abandons faith, nothing remains but an unholy following of outward works. Like the children of Israel, when they lost the promise and the word in which God had commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, they finally fell into the trap of outwardly imitating this work only for the sake of appearances and sacrificing people or even their own children. This, they said, Abraham did, therefore let us do the same. And in the papal church we see nothing else, but that they only outwardly imitate the works that the saints did before: they said that they fasted, that they abstained from this or that time; we must truly follow them in this, it is therefore fitting.
- but rather, and above all things, keep that which is written in the epistle to the Hebrews in the 13th chapter, v. 7: "Remember your teachers who have told you the word of God, and follow their faith. V. 7: "Remember your teachers, who have told you the word of God, which end look upon, and follow their faith." For in the case of the saints, one should pay attention primarily to their faith. One should see what they believed and what they hoped for, and what word they had: follow them and then sacrifice. But this they despise, as if it were no business of theirs, and become the very apes of the saints, following outward appearances only, without word and faith. So also when the Egyptians lost the word, they kept the outward ceremonies as they received them from Joseph, but afterward they still
and worshiped their idol Apis and the four-footed crawling animals as well 2c.
(113) Yes, these are the right fruits that come from ceremonies and human statutes, which people like to do, and they leave the word and the faith behind. What our heretics and enthusiasts will still do will be seen as miracles. For the Anabaptists and sacramentalists now also despise the Word and abandon the teaching of the faith, and yet they can pretend the greatest semblance of holiness and respectability. And I hear that among the Swiss a very strict order and discipline is kept as far as outward appearance is concerned; for they do not gamble, they do not drink and feast in this way, they do not indulge in superfluous clothing, or in immoderate living with eating and drinking. This is their religion, of which they know how to exalt themselves and boast, as if they were far more pious than we. But where is the word? The body of Christ, they say, is in heaven, but bread is bread, wine is wine: they believe nothing, have fallen away from the word and faith.
Thus our descendants, when they have lost the pure teaching of the Word, will also invent strange and hideous whimsical opinions, as the Egyptians did; and thus God will punish the ingratitude and contempt of His Word with terrible plagues.
We now teach that God is not the God of the Jews alone, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, although He gave the word and circumcision to Abraham and his seed alone. For St. Paul says Rom. 3, 2: "To them is trusted what GOD has spoken." And in the 147th Psalm v. 19. it also says: "He shows Jacob his word" 2c. God has ordained the ministry of preaching in this seed and people of Israel, but not only the Jews but also the Gentiles are to enjoy it and may also enjoy it, as we said above about Abimelech and the Cananites. And we have more examples of this than Job, Balaam, Jethro the priest of Midian and Moses' father-in-law, who were not trusted with the word and the ministry.
1828 L. LI. 75-77. interpretation of I Moses 47, 26. w. n, S68S-2SS1. 1829
and yet they have also been made partakers of it, since they have heard the same word.
(116) So we also say that many Gentiles have been saved, even from the lineage or family of Cain. For many have been converted by accidental grace and mercy, since it happened to them that they also joined the church or congregation that had God's word. Although the promise of Christ was not given to them, the fruit of such promise came to the Gentiles when they heard the preaching and teaching of the fathers.
(117) The same shall be thought of the Egyptians, who have not had the promise and use of circumcision. For when Jacob or Joseph taught them the word, they heard the same, and also married them, and made themselves brothers with them, that the Israelites and Egyptians might become one church. God did this before Christ was born; much more will He keep the same manner and order in the gathering of His Church after He has come into the flesh and become man, and now that the Gospel is being spread and preached among all nations.
But the Jews do not believe this, and our enthusiasts have also misused this doctrine and have fallen into a shameful error. As Zwingli recently wrote that Numa Pompilius, Hector, Scipio and Hercules will also rejoice with Peter and Paul and the other saints in paradise of eternal bliss. This is nothing else than that they publicly confess that there is no faith and no Christianity. For if Scipio and Numa Pompilius, who were idolaters, were saved, why did Christ have to suffer and die? Or what need is there for Christians to let themselves go, or for much preaching about Christ and pointing people to him alone? The enthusiasts fall so horribly when they abandon the word and lose it, and know nothing of faith, but hold and teach the very same thing that was also taught in the papacy: if a man does what is in him, he will be saved by it.
So this is a very harmful error, which we can by no means praise or defend. And yet I hear that Zwingli takes my interpretation of this first book of Moses and refers to it, since I said that some of the lineage of Cain have become blessed; just as I now also teach the same. But I do not say that they were saved as Cainites or Egyptians, but as those who were incorporated and united with the church and congregation of the blessed.
For we have heard above, as often as Moses tells us, that Abraham and the other fathers set up altars, that they taught their families there, and that other people also came to them, listened to the sermon, and accepted the word which the fathers taught, and that they also called upon the right true God with the godly, and united their prayer with that prayer. I have not said that the Gentiles should have been saved by themselves, or from themselves, or by their ceremonies, but by the word of the fathers: which the 105th Psalm, v. 22, praises so highly of Joseph, when it says: "He instructed the king, the princes and the elders in Egypt, and taught them wisdom. 2c.
What kind of theology is this, that one does not want to make a difference between the word and, since one has no word, between light and darkness? For where the word is, there is light; but where there is no word, there is darkness. But shall those who have the light and the word be placed with those who are in darkness? This is certainly how it goes, namely, if one lacks an article and errs in it, then there is no number or measure of error. For thus also the Egyptians fell into ever more shameful idolatry, until at last they were not ashamed to worship cats and mice. Just as the pagan poet Juvenal mocked and laughed at their nonsense when he said: "Felices, quibus haec nascuntur numina in hortis," that is: "How blessed are these people, who have these gods growing in their garden, for they have garlic and onions as well.
1830 r. XI. 77-7V. Interpretation of Genesis 47, 26. W. n. "SI-2S9S 1831
Gods honored. Therefore, those who have once deviated from the right path will be driven by Satan to other and more serious cases. And the Zwinglians will also fall much more horribly and shamefully, because they still continue to defend their errors.
(122) Therefore I do not say with Zwingli that the Cain church, or Numa Pompilius and such other heathen have become more blessed and heirs of the kingdom of heaven; but that some pious men and women from the lineage and tribe of Cain have heard God's word and the teaching of the dear fathers, and through such faith have also come to the fellowship of the kingdom of heaven with the church or congregation of the patriarchs.
For God has always taken care to gather a church from among the Gentiles; as Ruth was a Moabitess, Rahab a Cananitess, both of whom are listed in the genealogy of Christ. And these were not alone among the blessed, but also many other Cananites with them. Not that Ruth or Rahab in her error or idolatry obtained forgiveness of sins and became a partaker of the same; but because she was converted, she accepted the word from the Israelites. For this is properly called becoming a believer from a Gentile and unbeliever. For after she believed the word that she heard, she was no longer a Gentile, but a right member of the church. So Naaman was also converted by the word and teaching of the prophet Elisha.
I know that five years ago many were of the opinion that every man would be saved in his faith. But what is that but that one wants to make one church out of all the enemies of Christ? From this it will soon follow that the Word and the Son of God, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, was sent and given to us in vain and for nothing, and in this way there will be no difference at all between Turks, Papists, Jews, and us who have the Word of God.
. 125 I do not exclude the Gentiles, but I say that they can be saved in no other way than only through
the word of Christ. Jethro, the priest in Midian, will have come to the knowledge of God either through Moses or Joseph. For Joseph was not idle or lazy, but taught diligently and faithfully, and brought many generations of men to the knowledge of God, with whom he lived and interacted. The word does not come from the Gentiles, but, as Christ says John 4:22: "Salvation comes from the Jews." However, it did not remain with the Jews alone, but was also spread among the Gentiles, who received it from the Jews.
Therefore it is a great boldness of the Zwinglians and they are impudent people that they teach such things and dare to abuse my reputation and example in this way. For I have never taught, understood or held otherwise than as I have now several times in this history drawn and repeated from the 105th Psalm v. 22, namely, that the princes in Egypt were instructed and taught by Joseph. For because they were Gentiles, they were by no means saved by their ungodly, idolatrous sacrifices, but learned the right wisdom and the true knowledge of God from Joseph's preaching.
127 And in the same way he also converted most of the common people, and his word had a right place there, because his office and authority, which he was commanded to do, was confirmed by the miraculous government during the whole time of the reign and also during the pleasant years. Now Jacob with his sons and his family also came to it and was a very beautiful church and congregation. The king is pious and devout, the princes are also godly, the people keep from God what is right to keep from him and to believe; and yet they remain without circumcision and other Jewish ceremonies: yes, they have also given in and allowed themselves to keep some Egyptian ceremonies and have also slaughtered and sacrificed some unreasonable animals.
(128) Although afterwards they rejected the right, true, and pure doctrine, and kept only the outward works and sacrifices, which they had not done.
1832 D. XI, 79-S1. Interpretation of Genesis 47, 26-30. W. n, SSSS-S6SS. '1833
The descendants of the holy fathers also imitated and followed them, as when they worshipped the golden calf and what else often happened to it. They may have had the sacrifices of the fathers, but they have misused them and have fallen into abominable idolatry. For thus the devil is wont to make hell out of the church of God. And we Germans, who have to enjoy the great light of the Gospel and are admonished daily to be grateful to God for it and to keep the Word with the utmost diligence, have to fear it, too. And God also threatens that He will bring the heaviest punishments and darkness upon the despisers of His Word. But it can easily come to this, that soon afterwards everything will again become full of error, fantasy, sectarianism and fanaticism of the red spirits, who even now in our life publicly dare to let their will to be brave be seen, and now and then spread the falsification of the right doctrine. Therefore, let us be grateful to God and learn to beware of their cunning.
129 And until then the history of the time of the rebellion and also of the pleasant years has lasted. Now Moses will come again to the children of Israel and also to Jacob, the father himself. And from this place to the end of this book are now described the things that have been dealt with between those who were then the church and had God's word.
Fifth part.
How Jacob notices his approaching end, calls Joseph to him, makes a request of him; and how he finally lies down on the bed.
I.
(v. 27, 28) 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.
130 Now they dwell in the land of Raemses. There they will also undoubtedly be Egyptian
They took wives, because they could not have others from their own lineage; and the other Egyptians also heard the word and showed the works of love to these foreign guests. I completely believe that it will have been a beautiful well-ordered church. And the time is also shown here, how long Jacob lived in Egypt, namely, seventeen years; in this he was able to be useful to many people. Because Joseph produced so much rich fruit during the fourteen years, both in the good years and in the cultivation, his father and the other sons and all his household were much more useful, since he always taught and punished the Egyptians, so that they would learn to know God and call upon Him. His whole age was an hundred and seven and forty years. And all that will follow until the end happened in the last year of Jacob.
V. 29, 30: And when the time was come for Israel to die, 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 love and keep 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 sepulchre.
The pious holy patriarch Jacob realized that the time was now present for him to depart from this life, which he recognized either through prophecy or because he felt that he had become very weak in old age.
132 And this is a very beautiful description of his death. For no sudden or violent death affected him, but he fell asleep with a fine, gentle, quiet and peaceful heart; thus he departed from this world, in which he lived a hastily bitter life, which was full of heavy sorrow.
Now behold how he speaks to his son, and how he honors his majesty. He might well have commanded him by his father's authority, but he recognizes that he is to be justly honored because he was a prince and lord in Egypt, without which he could not have had dominion and authority in the land of Canaan.
1834 k. XI. 81-83. interpretation of Genesis 47:29, 30. w. n, 2698-2700. 1835
be guided. Therefore he honors the royal majesty in his son, and holds him before his eyes, and does not command him what he should do, but beseeches him and says: "Have I found favor in your sight" 2c. He submits to his son as one who would fall at his feet and plead with him, knowing that he is exalted by God above his father and brothers.
(134) And so the dream is fulfilled, when he saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon bowing down to him. For his mother Rachel had already died: but the father bowed down before the son, and confessed that he was under the son. For this is what it really means to bow, not only to bend the knee, but also to think highly of one as of his sovereign and commanding lord. So Joseph was higher than his father in authority and rule, though he was lesser than him in obedience and honor, which children owe to their parents. And although it seems as if this also belonged to the paternal authority, since he took the oath from his son, he also only requested it from him.
The two Latin words, misericordia and veritas, actually mean in German, Wohlthat und Treue; therefore, that he says to him, Facito bonitatem, et serva, is said as much as: Hold on to this, that faithfulness and faith be.
(136) But why, when he swore, he put his hand hot under his thigh, the Jews have made much useless talk about it; and if they had not our books, from which they secretly take a great deal, they would be the poorest and most clumsy people who live there. For this reason they think that with this gesture the circumcision is meant, which Jacob wanted to honor with it. But the fathers meant something much greater by it, which is both for honor and time higher and more than circumcision. For the promise of the seed was first given to Abraham, Gen. 15:6 and Rom. 4:3, where it says: "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. There was already the promise and the faith.
From the seed that was to be born from the loins of Abraham. Circumcision was the sign of this promise. Therefore Jacob honored the hip because of the promise the hip had and because of faith in that promise. For from the hips of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob should come the seed that would bless all nations. For God has bound His word, holiness, truth and goodness to the hips of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore it was a true sanctuary; not because it was flesh and blood, but because of the promise, which was bound to these hips and as it were implanted in them; and they swore in the name of Christ and the Lord, of whom it is said Deut. 6:13: "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and swear by his name." For this God or God's Son was to come forth and become man from the hips of Jacob.
137 It also says above, Gen 32:25, that when Jacob wrestled with the angel, the joint of his hip was dislocated above the wrestling. For Christ came from the flesh and yet not from the flesh. He came through the hips of the fathers from Abraham to the Virgin Mary, where fleshly procreation ceases. For even though Mary was of the stock and flower of the fathers, she had no seed of human origin, but conceived by the Holy Spirit. Thus the holy fathers recognized Christ and believed in Him as God the Lord, who was born of the flesh, but not through the flesh, but through the Holy Spirit, so that it could not be said of Him: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh", John 3:6.
In this way Jacob the father honors his son Joseph and takes the oath from him in the name of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and Joseph swears to him on his hips in the faith and confession of the future seed. From this it is easy to see that the fathers diligently taught and steadfastly and continually declared to the people that Christ would come into the flesh, the true God and the Son of God.
1836 L XI. 8S-". Interpretation of Genesis 47:29-31. W. II, 2700-27W. 1837
Man would be. Moses may have told all this recently, but the fathers will undoubtedly have talked about it widely and seriously and acted with one another.
139 Joseph is a figure of Christ, before whom, although he is Jacob's son, the Father bows down: as David calls Christ a Lord, yet he was his son, Matth. 22, 45. In the same way Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the patriarchs were fathers of Christ, whom they served, honored and called.
V. 30. 31. He (Joseph) said: I will do as you have said. And he said, Swear to me. And he swore to him.
It is probable that the patriarch Jacob wanted to lie in the burial of the fathers for the hope of the resurrection. For these great holy men and heroes of the church and congregation of God did not doubt the immortality of the soul at all, which is why they were so careful about burial. For if the Holy Spirit had not taught them this firmly and surely, it would have been superfluous for them to have been so anxious about how or where their bodies would be buried, as they are the least of all parts of man. Although the pagans also prepared the graves of the deceased honestly and splendidly. But they took the same from the fathers and sought only the transient honor of glorious burials, even though they had no hope of eternal life. But the fathers firmly and surely believed in the future resurrection of the dead, so that they also did not doubt in the resurrection of the body.
According to this, Jacob knew that he would have a great seed in Egypt, but when he died, he wanted to lie in the grave of his fathers, where Abraham, Isaac, Leah 2c. also rested. And it is well believed that Jacob was one of them who rose again with Christ. That is why he was so diligent that he might be buried in the land of Canaan, where Christ rose from the dead, and many of the fathers and their family were also raised with him.
II.
Then Israel bowed his head on the bed.
In this place the interpreters of things are not one because the dots in the Hebrew text are not the same, which in the Hebrew language give rise to manifold doubts; for the way of placing the dots is very uncertain. And if we did not have the New Testament, the Hebrew language would be of no use to us and we would not be able to conclude or understand anything certain from it. Which is well to be seen in the Hebrews, who miserably and horribly falsify and darken the holy Scriptures, so that they are deprived of the right true light of the Scriptures, have in such darkness nothing else to follow, but only the way with the dots, which is nevertheless almost doubtful and uncertain. The holy language was well known to the fathers and prophets, and they were quite sure of it; but the language perished at the same time as their kingdom. And today the Jews take much from the New Testament, without which they would not know or understand anything.
I cannot deny that there should not be a special way with the dots in the Hebrew language, but I have no desire at all, because such a way is so very doubtful; which doubt also makes the Scriptures uncertain and tears them back and forth from each other.
In one place Münster cites a Jewish rabbi who says: Sine supra, et infra non potest intelligi Scriptura sancta, that is: The holy scripture cannot be understood without the upper and lower points. And the same is true with the Hebrews. But they do not indicate who is the one who taught or ordered that these words should be read according to the dots; nor do they give any arguments or proofs as to why the dots should be added in this way; indeed, they leave it entirely up to each one whether to use the dots or not. I believe that another word, for example
1838 D- n, W-87. interpretation of Genesis 47:31. w. ii, 27W-270." 1839
must also be read and understood differently, as here mittah and mittah. But who will tell me for sure which reading is the best? although they say that one should read the words according to the dots that are placed above and below each letter.
In the time of Jerome, it seems, dots were not yet used, but the whole Bible was read without dots. But I do not accept the new Hebrews, who ascribe to themselves that they have the right sense and understanding of the Hebrew language, if they are not friends but enemies of the holy scripture. That is why I often speak the words from the dots in a strictly contrary way, unless the previous opinion agrees with the New Testament and rhymes with it. For from the dots one cannot have more than that one may guess whether one is to read mattah or mitteh; and thus also from many other words more, which are written with one and the same letter. Therefore I do not ask much about the Jewish rabbis above and below. It would be better to read the Scriptures according to the within; and the New Testament gives us the right inward understanding of the same, not the upper or lower. But this text remains in doubt because of the various points about which they cannot become one.
- The seventy interpreters gave it thus: Et adoravit Israel fastigium virgae ejus; and they keep the preposition al, super, fastigium, and read matteh, that is, rod or trunk; which word is often used in Moses, and above it are many other words, which mean the same thing. Therefore they understand that Jacob, when his son swore to him, bowed his head or his body to Joseph's scepter and thus bowed down to his majesty.
Augustine has also racked his brains over this, and makes it very sour, and brings another reason, namely, that Jacob, who was now a crooked old man, held himself, when he walked, by a stick, as the old people are wont to walk on three legs, and that he thus leaned over his stick.
and called upon God. Such disagreement, that one had this, the other another mind about these words, comes from the fact that they doubt in the grammar with the points thus.
The seventy interpreters have a simile of their interpretation from the history of Esther, when the king Ahasuerus stretches out the golden scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she, the queen, comes and touches the tip of the scepter with her hand. Esth. 5, 2.
It may have been such a usage, as it is held now, when making masters or doctors, that they had to swear on the extended scepter, or kiss the same, to prove the humility and obedience to their overlord with it.
150 Therefore I cannot come out of this text because of the grammar, since one must only guess and follow the circumstances; as it seems that the seventy interpreters looked at the gestures, so Esther had, which touched the top of the scepter and kissed in the sign of the reverence to the king. But I keep our common interpretation, as we have given it in German, and understand the word mattah so that it means bed. And I am moved to do so primarily by the reason that Moses did not use the other word, matteh, until then. For above, Gen. 30, 37, when Jacob peels the staves, item Gen. 32, 10, when he crosses the Jordan with his staff, the word makkel is written. Therefore, I will leave to the grammarians their many meanings and disagreements.
(151) I have said above that Jacob the father is pleased with his son, for he speaks to him very humbly, saying, "I have found favor in your sight. Which words are of a lesser man, honoring the majesty of him whom he esteems greater and more worthy. And let us compare with this example what is said of David, 1 Kings 1:47, 48, where it is written, "And the king worshipped in the camp. And the king said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which this day hath made one to sit upon my throne, that mine eyes might see." From this you can see what
1840 L.xi,s7-W. interpretation of Genesis 47:31. w. u, 2706-2709. 1841
adorare super lectum, to worship in the camp; for it is a prayer or thanksgiving to God for the benefit received. And David performed the same service or worship to God in his camp, since he could now neither stand nor walk.
The same thing happened here with Jacob: because he was weary due to old age and many other afflictions that he suffered in this life, he could not stand or sit on a chair, but lay in bed when he was supposed to die; as he now does nothing else or speaks nothing else, but that he only sends and prepares himself for the journey out of this life. For now his son has sworn to him, when he put his fingers on his thigh, that is, believing the promise of Christ, who will raise the dead, which God and man came from the thighs of Jacob; which thighs are blessed because of the promise, which is attached to them and connected with the promised seed. Therefore he proves his faith, godliness and reverence with whatever outward gestures he can and may. And even though he could not do it by bending his knees, because his limbs were almost weak and feeble, he still moved his head and leaned against the bed, as he was best able to do.
Lyra and the Jews say: He turned to the land of Canaan and thus worshipped. I do not want to argue about this very much. But as for their talk of circumcision, I have said before that this is useless and vain talk, for Jacob and Joseph both looked to the promise of blessing in the future seed, which blessing was in the hips or loins of the fathers. Therefore Jacob wanted to honor this promise, since now his faith has been challenged.
As we do, not only when we pray, but also when we baptize, absolve, and are absolved, and when we go to Holy Communion, and also when we hear the divine promise or the text of the Gospel read, we should bend our knees, or at least stand erect as a sign of adoration, reverence, and gratitude.
For this reason, even if nothing else is served in the Lord's Supper but bread and wine, as the sermonizers blaspheme, the promise and God's Word are there, and the Holy Spirit also works and is powerful through the Word in the Supper. Therefore it is fitting that we go to it with all reverence. But how much more is it fitting to do this if we believe that the true body and the true blood of Christ are also there with the Word! For thus the fathers worshipped God and His divine promise, and also the signs of the promise, for they knew that it was God's word and promise. They did not honor the sanctuary of the dead saints, as is done in the papacy; they did not worship the legs or garments of the dead; but they held sacred the promise and works of God, which were worthy to be honored and worshipped.
(156) As has been said here about a divine thing, namely, about the oath under the thighs of Jacob, in the faith of Christ, who was to become man and was to be the resurrection of the dead and eternal life. Now that this has been remembered, Jacob moves his body with such a gesture as one is wont to have when worshipping. Like David, when he saw that his son Solomon was to become king after him, he also bowed his head and chest, called upon God and thanked Him for it.
157 Here Jacob honors the promise and bows his head, not behind him, but in front of him on his face, indicating and testifying with the same gesture that he believes in Christ and looks to him alone, who should come and be crucified and also rise again, that he might give life to all who die. In such hope and faith he folds his hands, bows his head, not in the middle or at the end of the bed, but at the heads; that it is nothing else at all, but only such a gesture of reverence and adoration in such a great important matter, namely, because he thinks of the divine promise, which he had in word at that time and which afterwards also has to be fulfilled with the deed.
1842 L.n, 89-91. interpretation of Genesis 47, 31. **28. 11, 2709-2711.** 1843
We must do likewise. When we hear God's word, we should receive it, if not with genuflection, then with a humble heart, with reverence, and also with special godliness. It is also good to honor the sacrament of the altar with genuflection. For there is the true body and blood of the Lord; likewise there is also present the Holy Spirit and the promise or the divine word, which one should hear with due reverence. For God works there and the Lord is seen there; which is called the face of the Lord several times in Moses, because God is there and reveals Himself to me. Then it is truly fitting for me to stand up before him or to fall down on my knees. And in fact, the revelations and appearances of God that we have are equal to all the revelations in the Law of Moses; indeed, they are even greater.
When I go to baptism, I should truly believe that nothing human is done there; but the water in baptism is like a covering or an instrument, as is also the word, so that God is covered. Behind it stands our Lord God, and the water and Word is God's face, through which He speaks and works with us, with each person in particular. He baptizes me, absolves me, gives me his body and blood through the servant's tongue and hand. For God works in baptism the salvation and blessedness of men. And this is the presence or form and appearance of GOD in these means or instruments. Therefore, if we do not bow our bodies, it is right and proper that we bow with all our hearts and honor God who speaks to us there.
160 In baptism, one should always fix one's eyes and heart on the beautiful, bright revelation in the Jordan, where the voice of God the Father is heard from heaven, the flesh of the Son of God is seen, and the Holy Spirit is seen in the form of a dove. So also in our baptism. And in the Lord's Supper, the former is the outward means and sign, so that Christ gives me his body; and in truth, God himself feeds and nourishes us, and
not the servant. In baptism, one hears the voice of the Holy Trinity of God, and the words of baptism should not be heard or understood otherwise. Therefore, this reverence is necessary, and if it is not done outwardly with genuflections, it is necessary to show spiritual reverence.
In our time, however, with so much contempt for the Word and the holy sacraments, there are few people who take care whether they sit or stand where the divine Word is read or preached. And in the priesthood, as among the people of Israel, the right knowledge and understanding of the Word and of true godliness were left behind, and the people resorted only to outward ceremonies, both when the text of the Gospel was read and when the holy sacraments were administered and used.
The Latin text says caput lectuli, which may mean Christ spiritually or figuratively, but I understand it to mean the foremost part of the bed, that is, the top of the heads.
Now what do we say to the text in the epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 11, v. 21? V. 21, where it says: "By faith Jacob, when he died, blessed both sons of Joseph, and bowed himself to the head of his scepter"? There it is not said that he worshipped God directly, but the top of the scepter is put there for the one before which he bowed down. For it is well believed that Joseph carried a scepter, as well as the ring which Pharaoh gave him above; although the same is not so clearly expressed in Moses. The scepter, however, is the proper sign not only of the supreme power, but also of the other lesser offices, such as the judges, who are accustomed to carry a staff. Thus the pope instituted in his church that the confessors should also carry staves in their hands; which usage he took from the saying of Christ, when he commanded his disciples that they should carry nothing with them on the way but only a staff. And that is where the crozier came from. So Joseph carried a scepter, whether it was wooden or golden, and in front of the top of it
1844 Ll, 91. 92. interpretation of I Moses 47, 31. W. II, 2711-L7IS. 1845
Jacob has inclined himself. But what do we want to say about the text in this place?
Augustine plays his game with allegories or secret interpretations that do nothing for the matter. The others are also not at one with each other. One has interpreted that it should be called "bed," the other "staff," since the points are also not the same. But we follow the understanding that is the most simple and that rhymes best with the Scriptures and David's example. The others follow the example of king Ahasuerus in the book of Esther. And I do not presume to be a judge of which mind is the best. But I would very much like to have only one interpretation; for I have no desire at all for such texts, which are so diverse and unequal; indeed, I am very hostile to all equivocation, that is, since words have more than one understanding. And one should endeavor, as much as is always possible, to take and grasp from the words of the text a right simple understanding that rhymes finely with the grammar; and if we have this, then it does no harm afterwards, whether one also wants to search for figures and secret interpretations in the text.
Like St. Paul 1 Cor. 15, 55, when he says: "Death, where is your sting?" 2c., he makes a figure out of the text of the prophet Hosea according to his spirit. And Bernard is a wonderful master in using the sayings from the Scriptures in a special way. For it often happens that he draws a text in the Scriptures, which otherwise should be drawn on a certain teaching, for instance on a common mind. In this way, this text may also be drawn elsewhere by the figure called catachresis, which is also a good understanding; but that the grammar in its simple understanding may remain unharmed. And I believe that the scribe who wrote the epistle to the Hebrews also understood this word by the same figure catachresis, so that it has more than one meaning, and that he read virga (which we have translated: the tip of his scepter), since we read lectulum, that is, on the bed at the heads. For I know otherwise
not how I could help myself out of it and answer the question presented.
166 But I wanted to wish from the bottom of my heart, I also want to have admonished and asked all who want to learn the Hebrew language, that they draw every text on a single simple and certain mind. Then we will also easily allow everyone to have a little of his own will (as the poets do) and to seek a freer interpretation, but in such a way that only a certain, right and proper understanding remains. Now it may well have happened that in this place, too, the disagreement of the understanding of these words came from such misuse that they thus, as it were, played their game with each other on the lower and upper points. But I, as has been said above, have more desire for the inner understanding of the Scriptures.
Now that Jacob has almost grown weary because of his age and the many miseries he suffered, he has reached the final goal and the end of his life, as the poet says:
Optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus aevi Prima fugit, subeunt morbi tristisque senectus. Et labor, et durae rapit inclementia mortis.
That is: The best time of this life runs away for the poor people on earth soon with the very first one; after that come various diseases and the sad old age, in addition much toil and work; finally then comes the cruel bitter death and tears them away completely.
168 For until now, Jacob has been almost driven and weakened throughout his life by countless worries and accidents, which cause man to grow old and die so much sooner. Because of this cause, as he complains above, v. 9, the time of his pilgrimage could not reach the time of his fathers in their pilgrimage. Therefore, now that he has lain in bed, he has been unable to pay homage to his son in any other way than with this gesture, that he has reclined on the bed at his head. For the old, who can now hardly walk at all due to old age, must finally remain lying on the bed, or else if
1846 n. S2-S4. Interpretation of Genesis 47, 31. cap. 48, 1. 2. W. II, S7IS-S7I." 1847
they must take a stick in their hands and walk on three legs (as little children are wont to walk on four feet at first), since all the senses and powers of body and mind gradually diminish and hasten to the grave. As the beautiful and excellent description of old age in Ecclesiastes 12:3 testifies, "At the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong are bowed down, and the millers stand idle, because they have received so little, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak, and they are so weak.
faces become dark through the windows" 2c.
Now Joseph stood by his father and swore an oath to him that he would do as his father had said. After that, he left him again, since he had not yet been fatally ill, but since he had generally declined, and since it was nearing the end of his life that he should depart from this life. Soon after this he will come to him again, as will be told in the following chapter.
The forty-eighth chapter.
First part.
How Joseph travels to his sick father Jacob; and how the latter accepts Ephraim and Manasseh in the child's stead.
I.
(v. 1, 2) Then 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 made himself strong, and sat down in the bed.
- Genesis goes on to describe how Jacob blessed his sons and says: After some days, in the same year, one of them announced to Joseph (for that is how it reads in Hebrew) that the sickness and weakness of Jacob's body was increasing and growing; and the physicians undoubtedly also indicated to him that a deadly aggravation had occurred and that it was now almost at the end with him; for which end Jacob had also long since waited and hoped with strong, constant courage. Joseph therefore feared that his father might die before blessing him and his sons, and had already spoken to him about this matter, especially and most of all.
Most of all for the sake of the tribe of Levi, that it might be divided and separated from the others. Therefore he brought his two sons with him, so that death would not befall their father before he had decreed, according to his fatherly authority, how each tribe was to be treated according to his will or according to the counsel they had previously held with each other.
(2) For this ordinance was most necessary, that there should be no strife or dissension among the descendants. And this was done by the special counsel of the Holy Spirit, that the tribe of Levi should be set apart and ordained to the priesthood, and therefore should have no goods or lands of their own, as the other tribes had. But in order that the number of the twelve sons of Israel might be fulfilled again, Jacob divided Joseph into two tribes, taking his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, in his place, who were put in Joseph's and Levi's place. And the holy scripture uses the two names, Ephraim and Joseph, without distinction; as is seen in the prophet Hosea, and also in the 77th Psalm, v. 16, where it is written, "Thou hast mightily redeemed thy people, the children of Jacob and Joseph."
- Jerome has in this place the seven-
1848 2 XI. S4-S6. Interpretation of I Genesis 48:1-6. W. II 27IS-2722. 1849
The interpreters have been punished for interpreting the same word differently and differently. Here they want to have that mittah means "bed", and afterwards they will also interpret it in the same way. They have no reason to make so many different interpretations and to be so inconsistent, and I do not like such inconsistency at all, for it seems as if they have taken special care to introduce so many different interpretations.
4 Since Jacob did not have the strength to stand up or sit on the chair, he made himself strong as best he could and sat up in bed, remembering that he had resolved to take his son's two sons in his place.
II.
The blessing which Joseph received with his sons is not the special and particular blessing which will be described in the following chapter, v. 22 ff. but it is only a general blessing, because Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons as children. And though there may have been more such examples before in the generations of the patriarchs, yet this is the first place in Scripture where it is mentioned. And I do indeed dispute and hold that Sarah, Abraham's wife, was also Tharah's daughter, that is, that he adopted her as his daughter and brought her up. For this reason Abraham calls her his father's daughter and not his mother's, and also calls her his sister. Therefore this is the first example of adoption or adoption in the place of a child in the holy scriptures.
(6) This is the basis of the great fame and glory of the tribe of Ephraim, which has been very proud and exalted because of this text and the blessing that will soon follow, and they have often been severely punished because of this glory. However, they were not so proud without a reason, because it is a great glory that they were especially proud.
chosen by their grandfather, and as Jacob's grandsons to be joined with their cousins and made like them, to take the inheritance and possess the land. Hence came the pride and great hope of Ephraim, as they had arrogated royal power to themselves under Jephthah and Jeroboam, and had stood fast for it; and David also praised them highly, indicating that this tribe was the most powerful of all the others, saying, "Ephraim is the power of my head," Psalm 60:9. 60, 9. And 1 Chron. 8, 21. is told that the children of Ephraim out of their own iniquity and presumption took the right to fulfill the promise; for they wanted to be the forerunners of those who went out of Egypt and to take the promised land before the proper time. That is why they were severely punished by God and almost exterminated by the men of Gath or the natives of the same land.
7 Therefore we see how the descendants of the patriarchs have generally become naughty and not at all like their ancestors. For there was no such modesty and humility in them as there was in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were able to constrain and restrain their minds when things went well with them according to their will. But these became puffed up and proud when they had great honor and happiness.
(8) For it is much harder not to become proud in happiness than to have a peaceful heart in misfortune, to remain patient and constant in it; and the human heart can much more easily bear all kinds of misfortune than great happiness and when it is full; as it is said in the German proverb: There must be strong legs that can bear good days. So we should think that the Ephraimites also became proud because of this adoption, because Jacob had adopted them as children and blessed them; although God had not showered them with so many goods that they should become proud of it.
V. 3-6. And (Jacob) said unto Joseph, The Almighty God appeared unto me in Lus, 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 multitude of people; and
** **1850 L. LI, 96-SS. Interpretation of Genesis 48:3-6. **W. n, 2722-2724.** 1851
I will give this land to your seed after you forever. Now therefore thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came in unto thee, shall be mine, even as Reuben and Simeon. And they that thou begettest after them shall be thine, and shall be called as their brethren in their inheritance.
(9) Thus Jacob began his discourse, which he cut short, and told how the Lord had appeared to him in the land of Canaan, and had promised to multiply his seed, which must be repeated from what has been said above. For he had two appearances, at Lus and at Bethel. First, he saw the Lord on a ladder, with the angels of God ascending and descending on it, in the 28th chapter above. V. 13. The second time, when he came again from Mesopotamia, Cap. 35, 1. when Simeon and Levi had slain the Shechemites with the edge of the sword because of the shame they had committed with their sister Dinah, Cap. 34, v. 26. ff. For when they made the same noise, Jacob was so distressed by it that he feared that if perhaps the neighbors would avenge such unjust tyranny, he would perish with his whole house and be slain, and therefore there he spoke harshly to his sons and accused them, saying Cap. 34:30: "You have caused me misfortune, so that I stink before the inhabitants of this land, the Cananites and the Perizzites." Now when Jacob was so distressed and in such fear, God spoke to him and told him to go up to Bethel and live there, and also to make an altar there, Cap. 35:1. 35, 1. But when he had done this, he appeared to him a third time and spoke to him, changing his name and saying, Cap. 35, 10. "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but you shall be called Israel."
10 Now Jacob actually and primarily looked at this same appearance. Therefore, this text should be carefully noted, because it repeats the promise. For there God says to him Cap. 35, 11: "Be fruitful and multiply"; but here
he says, "I will make you grow and multiply." And perhaps this is the reason why he seems to break off so shortly, as an old childish man is wont to speak. For he starts so high, and yet so suddenly stops talking again.
Now it is often said why God is called el shaddai in Hebrew, and the same name is also found in the 91st Psalm v. 1, since our interpreter has given it thus in Latin: Sub protectione Dei coeli commorabitur, "He who remains under the shadow of the Almighty. And the Lord also used the name several times above, when he spoke to Abraham and Jacob; and it comes from the word schad, which means breast; it is also called desert or spirit; as the Jews now call the devil sched in Hebrew. It is such a word, which has many meanings, but in this place it means only one; as if we wanted to say: God is such a God who nourishes, Deus alumnus, as the Greeks called the goddess Diana in their language polymastos, in Latin mammosa, who had many breasts, so that she was a wet nurse or mother of Asia and the whole world, who gave food to all animals and nourished them all. And the name belongs to God alone, for he alone is the one who nourishes and sustains all that he has created. We have translated it: "The almighty God" 2c.
(12) Now, although it seems that Jacob stopped his speech very short, he who looks at the words a little more diligently will find that they are not the words of an old childish man, or that he does not finish his speech because of his age, but that they are actually the words of a man who has been full of the Holy Spirit. For from this repetition, as he repeats the promise of the increase of his seed, it is clear that he understood from the Holy Spirit that it would come about that Ephraim, Joseph's son, would be adopted into the number of the twelve tribes of brothers and his children.
- And this can often be seen in the holy scriptures, as the prophets, through special enlightenment and gift of the Holy
1852 XI, SS. 99. Interpretation of Genesis 48:3-6. W. II, 2724-2727. 1853
Spirit from comparison of the things and words much have been able to read out. When in the 51st Psalm v. 9. David says: "Defile me, Lord, with Ysophen" 2c., he took the same way of speaking of the sprinkling of water and ashes, of which 4 Mos. 19, 4. 6. is written; because from this he concludes: It will be a much different sprinkling than the one of which the law of Moses says. So they could also decrease at the sacrifice of the paschal lamb and understand the right true lamb, which carries the sin of the world.
14 And they had a very beautiful rule of such figures and models in Moses himself, since he says 2 Mos. 25, 40: "See that you make it in their image, which you saw on the mountain," namely, the tabernacle and the rest of it. From this the prophets could easily understand that the same whole building must signify another pattern and image, namely, the Lord Christ. The outward image according to the Law is that they had incense, blood, sacrifice and tabernacle to go around. But God gave Moses another meaning in the heart and also in the mouth; although He cannot give anything else but only the shadow, an outward painting and image of the things He has seen; as He says of Himself, Deut. 18, 15: "A prophet like me, the LORD your God will raise up for you" 2c. As if he wanted to say: I am not yet the right prophet; I am only a shadow and outward image: but another will come, whom God will raise up from you 2c.
(15) In this way the fathers and prophets, by the inspiration and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, from the comparison of things and words, understood gloriously and well what was done in the law by outward ceremonies. And just in such a sense Jacob repeats here also the words of the previous appearance, and concludes from it that this son Ephraim, so of Joseph was born, is actually entitled to him. As if he wanted to say: Now I realize why God said to me in Bethel: "Be fruitful and multiply". For since the promise was made to him at Lus, when Jacob went to his father Isaac, his wife Rachel died on the way, from whom he had hoped for children and
He was unable to beget children because his wife had died and he was also very old.
(16) For this reason he thought: I see that miraculously what was promised to me at Bethel is yet to be fulfilled. For this reason God has especially preserved Joseph, that heirs should yet be born to me from him. And as he was the greatest of Jacob's sons, so the tribe of Ephraim was also the greatest and royal tribe when it was joined to Manasseh. Jacob saw this in his mind and concluded that the increase promised to him would take place in Ephraim, whose name comes from the Hebrew word parah, which means to bear fruit. Fruit-bearing; as Joseph interprets it in 41 Cap. V. 52. where the text says: "The other he called Ephraim; for God, he said, has made me grow in the land of my misery." And for this reason he will be preferred to his brother Manasseh, so that he may fulfill the meaning of his name.
(17) Therefore the words of the speech which Jacob hath here hang together very closely. For if you want to ask: What is his reason for adopting Joseph's sons as his children? he answers thus: Because the Almighty God appeared to me in Lus, and promised that I should be multiplied. So both the appearance and the promise of God are in perfect harmony with the name of Joseph's son. That is how he interprets it. As if to say: You, Joseph, were a prodigal and a sold son, but I have now received you back by a rich and glorious restitution; for I will accept your two sons, born of you, into the number of my sons and of the twelve tribes.
18 Therefore it is also said in 1 Chronicles 6:1 that the firstborn of Reuben was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel. According to the law, the firstborn was entitled to two inheritances: the kingdom and the priesthood. Joseph was born of Jacob's right wife, whom he loved best, although Reuben, the firstborn of Leah, went before him in time. But when he had left his father's bed
1854 " n. ss-ioi. Interpretation of Genesis 48:3-6. w. ii, 2727-2730. 1855
unclean, he has lost his right and glory. And in the next chapter v. 4. the father will say to Reuben: "You shall not be the chief"; and Moses adds one more, Deut. 33, 6. and says of Reuben: "And his rabble be low" 2c. Therefore the increase is taken from Reuben and given to the youngest son and his brother Joseph. Just as Jacob does not apply it to the other brothers, but especially to Joseph and his sons, who were to grow and become great before the other tribes. And this is the reason that Jacob took Joseph's sons as his children. Therefore he says to Joseph, "You and your two sons shall be mine. Why is that? Because, he says, God appeared to me in Lus, and said to me, Behold, I will make you grow and multiply 2c. So everything Jacob says here is finely connected, if you consider the promise, namely, as the cause and the effect.
019 And he called his two sons Reuben and Simeon, that Ephraim and Manasseh should come in their stead. For the firstborn would have been theirs, but the father punished Reuben because of the blood shame, and Simeon because he had been a ringleader in the sale of Joseph, and deprived them of such glory. Therefore these two tribes were the least and most despised of all the people, and are still the least in that yeast of the Jews, as we have said many times. But the tribes that came in their place, that the number might be fulfilled, are sometimes called after Ephraim, sometimes after Joseph, and sometimes after Jacob.
020 And the rest of the sons, whom Joseph shall beget, saith Jacob, shall be called by their brethren's names; that they may be as the nephews of them whom he shall make like unto his sons, when he shall receive them for children: and these shall be written children of Israel, and shall be called brethren of the rest of Jacob's sons, though they were his grandsons. Therefore Ephraim and Manasseh are the brethren of Judah, and of Joseph their father, for the adoption of Jacob.
They have therefore inherited and possessed the Promised Land with the other tribes, and Ephraim has also attained the royal glory.
21 Therefore God honored the holy man Joseph, so that his sons would not be considered lower or inferior to Judah and the other sons of Jacob.
022 Now this last part Lyra and the rest that wrote of this book have interpreted otherwise, that the other sons of Joseph should not make a separate tribe, which is rightly said, but that they should be reckoned with their heirs among Ephraim and Manasseh. But this is false and unjustly spoken. But thus will Jacob say, These two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, will I accept, that they shall be mine, and not thy sons. You are their father by nature, but they will not be counted or reckoned according to their natural sonship, but as I have adopted them as my children. They will not keep your name, but will be called after me, the children of Israel.
023 But that Jacob adds, These shall be called as their brethren; this is not to be applied to Ephraim and Manasseh, as Lyra interprets it; but he saith, The brethren without, these two excepted, shall have thy name. As the pronoun sufficiently indicates, it is added: "in their inheritance. As if to say, "The others will have their own property, which will be distinct from the inheritance of Ephraim and Manasseh, which is mine in the land of Canaan and which I will distribute among my ten sons, to whom I will add these two, born of you, for they will be included in their number. The others shall have their possessions elsewhere, whether in Egypt or in Arabia 2c. And they shall be called either by thy name, or by the name of any other, so shall they be called.
1856 2- n. 101-103. interpretation of Genesis 48:3-7. **W. ii. 2730-2733.** 1857
They are not called the children of Israel, but they may be called Josephites; for after these two, who are to be called Israelites, some have already been born in this world, and some will be born of you in the future.
V. 7 And when I was come out of Mesopotamia, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan, in the way that was yet a highway to Ephrath; and I buried her there by the way of Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem.
(24) This also does not seem to fit in well with what has been said above. Therefore, the others written about this book raise many questions, all of which I leave unanswered, for they do not indicate what Jacob might have omitted in his speech. Jacob says that Rachel died in childbirth in Hebron on the way from Luz to his father Isaac, as is evident from what has been said above. Bethlehem or Ephrathah was not far from Hebron and Jerusalem, and I believe that these two cities were about five miles apart. Bethlehem, however, is about halfway between the two places and is two miles from Jerusalem.
- they also dispute the word kibrat; but we understand it simply to mean a field way, as we have also Germanized it; in Latin, stadium.
(26) But what does Jacob mean by this account, which does not seem to belong to this place at all, nor does it seem to be connected with that which is spoken of here? We have previously indicated the reason why he had put on the promise, namely, that he wanted to establish the sonship of Ephraim and Manasseh through the Holy Spirit. Now this also belongs to it. For he is not such an old childish man, but he wants to say this much: Since God had promised me that he would make me grow and multiply, and my wife had already borne me two sons, I hoped to beget more children with her, so that my children would be many and my family would be multiplied according to the promise: but that same wife has come to me unawares, whom I never expected.
died, having been overcome by the pains of childbirth. Therefore it was necessary for me to adopt your sons as children, since I myself had no children in the flesh, and the promise could not be understood that the increase should come from myself, since my wife had died and was buried. So this also, what Jacob says here, belongs to the reason why he took Joseph's sons as children.
(27) The rabbis of the Jews bring forth useless gossip, that Jacob should have apologized before his son Joseph, why he buried his mother at Bethlehem, and not in the twofold cave. But this is a vain loose talk. For he could easily have had the body of the deceased Rachel carried several miles to the burial place of the patriarchs. Therefore, it is not an excuse, but a simple narrative. Nor have they in this place rightly drawn the text from the prophet Jeremiah about the weeping and crying of Rachel; but this our opinion and understanding I hold to be quite certain, namely, that Jacob, when he was very poor and miserable because of many temptations and afflictions which he suffered, raised himself up and strengthened himself in this way: If my seed is to be multiplied, it will be necessary for me to adopt others as children, for the woman from whom I understood this promise has died. For I never thought that the promise should go to Leah; but I have a son by Rachel, Joseph, and another, Benjamin, in whose birth she died miserably. But now that my hope is gone, says Jacob, I will accept your two sons as my children. For two reasons: first, because the promise was made to me; and second, because my wife died to me, and the promise cannot now be fulfilled from myself.
This is such a cause and opinion, which history itself brings with it and so that it also rhymes finely, and is the first part of this chapter. For up to this point, the foundation of this filiation has been laid, which
1858 2. xi, 103-105. interpretation of Genesis 48:7-12. W. II, 27LS-273S. 1859
is in the divine promise, which Jacob understands by the illumination of the Holy Spirit from the sons of Joseph.
V.8-12. And Israel saw the sons of Joseph, and said, Who are they? Joseph answered his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here. And he said, Bring them hither unto me, that I may bless them. For the eyes of Israel were dim with age, and could not well see. And he brought them unto him. And he kissed her, and blessed her, 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 bowed himself to the earth toward his face.
29 This is the other part of this chapter, in which the adoption is dealt with, for which Jacob has made a preface up to now. But why does he ask, "Who are they?" as if he had not known his son's children, who had already come to their years. For he had been seventeen years in Egypt, and Manasseh was born in the second or third year, and Ephraim in the fourth year, and now they are three or four and twenty years old. Moses himself put the cause afterward, saying, "For the eyes of Israel were dim with age." For they did not stand so near to him as Joseph did, but remained a little farther from him out of humility and reverence. But the other brethren were not with him. Therefore, when Jacob saw them standing far away from him and could not recognize them by sight, he asked, "Who are they?" and told them to bring them both to him, so that he might at least touch and feel them, since he could see so badly with his eyes.
(30) For old age dimeth the eyes, and dulleth the ears, and all the senses. According to the Hebrew it reads: Oculi gravescebant prae senio, erant gravati: The eyes had become heavy before age, which could not see well still stiffly. Jacob was old and cold to see, to hear and to believe. So Isaiah also speaks
On 6 Cap. V. 10: "Let their ears be thick, and blind their eyes." As if he wanted to say: They are hard to hear the gospel, do not allow themselves to be moved by the preaching of the gospel, do not ask anything about it, but despise it, no differently than if they heard an unknown foreign sound from afar, which they could hardly hear; as one says in the Latin language: graviter audire, to hear badly.
031 And when they were come nigh, he kissed them, as the sons of his son, and embraced them, and did the same with great delight and joy, though they were of old age. All this served that he wanted to accept them as his children. Therefore he rejoices in the Holy Spirit and says: "I never thought" or hoped for this. The Hebrew word is pillalthi,, in Latin: Non judicavi, non feci hoc decretum vel judicium etc., which is: I could not have decided this for myself, nor should I have taken it into my mind that it would come to me that I should have seen your face. So now he goes out with an exclamation, rejoices and gives thanks with all his heart, thinking of this immeasurable goodness of God. As if he wanted to say: You were dead in my heart and I had despaired of you. But are not the works of God marvelous in the government of the saints and believers? O how great and marvelous is this good deed of God, which hath restored thee unto me, that I may not only see thy face, whereupon I had no hope that I should see thee again; but he hath also caused me to see thy seed, which are very beautiful godly youths.
He said all these things when he was full of joy and of the Holy Spirit, and there this adoption is confirmed by the Holy Spirit, as are the other works of the patriarchs, both of which they did in the temporal and domestic government, although there were no other witnesses, nor were letters or seals made.
033 And when he had kissed her, and was about to bless her, Joseph came near; and fearing lest peradventure
1860 XI, I0L-I07. interpretation of Genesis 48:8-14. W. n, 273S-27S8. 1861
the father with his dark eyes cannot distinguish the two brothers and perhaps prefers the disciple to the eldest, then he takes them from his bosom and bows to the earth against his face. The Hebrew word aph they have commonly interpreted in Latin, facies, nares, face or nose; as, in the 18th Psalm v. 9. stands, as they have given it from the Hebrew: Ignis accensus in naribus ejus etc. Joseph inclined his face or nose, that is, Jacob turned his face toward Joseph and his sons, and since the same were now accepted as children and among the number of the children of Israel, Joseph comes forth with both and now waits for the blessing of the father.
34 Now this is a strange thing, that the two sons of Joseph, who were already so great and old, should yet have sat in their father's bosom. But I think that when he was lying in his bed of rest, they sat with him, which Moses calls sitting on his lap or knees, that is, at his side or at his feet. Therefore Joseph called them up from the side and fell down with them on his knees before Jacob, who was sitting in his little bed. For this was the way that they received the blessing, with bending of the knee and with such gestures as those who pray are wont to have.
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.
The use and manner of laying on of hands is a very old use and has come from the fathers also into the New Testament; as can be seen in Paul, since he says 1 Tim. 5, 22: "Lay hands on no man soon." Moses laid hands on Joshua. And such has been a ceremony of the fathers, prophets and the whole church, which has been used at all times,
when they have commanded an office or regiment.
(36) Now it is easy to understand the narrative and what is reported in the text. Joseph takes his son Ephraim as the youngest at his right hand, as he should be placed at Jacob's left hand; but he brings Manasseh at his left hand to Jacob's right, as the firstborn. For he knows well that he who is on the right hand is to receive something more and greater, and fears that there will be confusion or disorder between the blessings of the elder and youngest son. The firstborn had a double portion and preference, which he wanted to be given to Manasseh and that only one part be given to Ephraim. This is evident from the outward gestures that Joseph made.
(37) Behold, what a great spirit of divination was in Jacob, the weak old man. He sees that Manasseh is placed on his right and the other on his left; he also understands well that Joseph would have liked to have turned the glory of the firstborn to Manasseh: but Jacob abandons the ordinary opinion according to the law and according to the common order and according to the law given by God, and takes another way and follows the same.
- it is described 5 Mos. 21, 15-17. describes the right of the firstborn, since Moses thus says: "If a man have two wives, one whom he loveth, and one whom he hateth; and they bear him children, both the lovely and the hostile, that the firstborn be of the hostile; and the time come that he should divide the inheritance unto his children, he cannot make the son of the lovely the firstborn son, for the firstborn son of the hostile; but he shall acknowledge the son of the hostile for the firstborn son, that he may give him double all that is present; for the same is his first power, and the right of the firstborn is his." According to this rule, the firstborn son remains the firstborn by virtue of the law and divine command. But God, who is the founder and Lord of the law, also moderates or breaks it again, and makes Jacob and Isaac the firstborn and the firstborn.
1862 L. XI. I07-I0S. Interpretation of Genesis 48:13-16. **W. II, 2738-2743.** 1863
rejects Esau and Ishmael. He does the same thing in this place with the two sons of Joseph.
39 For here that does not apply which one is accustomed to say: Legem patere, quam tuleris, the
is: You must also judge yourself according to the law that you have made. God is not subject to the law, and often does what is contrary to the law, so that we may honor His works, wisdom, counsel and wonderful judgments; yes, that we may also walk before Him in all humility.
40 Although David was the least and most despised of the brethren, yet he was exalted to the kingdom of Israel. Because of this, God knows how to give and establish a law in His own way, and yet sometimes acts wonderfully without and against the rule of the law. Joseph wanted Manasseh to be the firstborn, but God did not like it that way and wanted to do it another way. Therefore, Jacob corrects and changes the mind that Joseph had made up, and he does this through the special inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and has moved him to do so, the promise that God gave him, that he should be fruitful and grow, which promise he has often and diligently considered and pondered in his heart.
41 And so Ephraim, the youngest son, to whom the Father gave the name of growing, becomes the firstborn, and that by the grace of God, which is a mistress or master over the law, and gives not out of debt according to the law, or out of merit, but freely, Rom. 4:16. And yet the law is to remain in its discipline, constraint and order; but grace always has its exception and is over the law.
But when Joseph saw that his father made a change with his hands and reversed the common order, he might have thought that he must have been deprived of his reason and all his senses; as we say of old people that they tend to become childish when they have greatly diminished their strength, memory, and almost also their reason and common sense. For Joseph, out of a special intention, had put his two sons in order so that he could avoid this confusion.
But his father gave the firstborn to his youngest son, which Joseph did not mean or expect.
Second part.
How Jacob blesses Joseph and his sons.
V. 15. 16. And he (Jacob) blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, God, who hath nourished me all the days of my life unto this day, the angel that redeemed me from all evil, bless the children, that they may be called by my name, and by the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, that they may grow and multiply upon the earth.
In the common Latin translation, it is added without cause: Filii Joseph: The sons of Joseph. For Jacob, the father, blessed Joseph himself, although he laid his hands on the two sons and also blessed them. But in the Hebrew it says, "He blessed Joseph," namely, in his sons. For he had chosen him that two tribes should come from him to receive the inheritance and divine blessing, and he gave him the right of the firstborn in the land of Canaan.
44 Therefore these two tribes were not chosen and accepted by their merit or worthiness, because the father is blessed, and they should not have been called Josephites, but rather Jacobites; and the prophets sometimes use the name Joseph and also sometimes the name Ephraim; as they also kept the name Jacob, although it was changed by God, when he said to him Gen. 35, 10: "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but you shall be called Israel."
45 These are words of blessing or dedication: "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked" 2c. The Hebrew word is written in Hithpael as if to say: Qui se ambulare fecerunt, as it would be rendered in Latin; that is, "Those who have so sought that they might walk rightly before God, that is, in whom they have believed with steadfast faith, and who have been able to walk in the presence of God.
1864 **r: xi, I09-IH. Interpretation of Genesis 48:15, 16. w. ii, 2743-27."** 1865
In the trust and promise of which they also died, in the sure hope of the resurrection to come; as was said above of the faith of Abraham and Isaac.
46 And he adds: "God, who has fed me all my life," 2c. "I am his sheep, for which he has cared like the most blessed shepherd, whom he has redeemed, saved and protected in many great tribulations until this day. Therefore Jacob speaks almost as if there were two gods. Thirdly, he says: "The angel who redeemed me", in Hebrew goel, not podeh, but a true savior and redeemer, and like a kinsman; of which Moses says Deut. 19, 6: "Lest, goel, the avenger of blood pursue the slayer of death" 2c., that is, the one who has power by right to avenge and punish the one who did the death stroke.
So Job also says in chapter 19, v. 25: "I know that my Redeemer is alive. V. 25: "I know that my redeemer, goel, lives." This is a different word than padah, which Hosea uses in chapter 13, v. 14. v. 14: "I will save them from death." The same word means one who has power to save others. As Christ the Lord became our podeh and goel; for he not only redeemed us, but by right he also delivered us and brought us to himself in such a way that the devil and hell also had to let him go according to the strict law, because they had killed the innocent Son of God. Because of this, the law burned itself on him, death cheated itself, the devil, hell and sin committed crimes; so they all became guilty of God and his son Jesus Christ, who is now well justified against his enemies. For why did you, O law, crucify the Son of GOD? Thou devil, death and hell, why hast thou slain the innocent? "We have a law," said the Jews John 19:7, "and by the law he shall die; for he hath made himself the Son of GOD." Therefore look at him now, since he has risen from the dead and has kept the victory against you. I, he says, am the Son of God, am such a person who is invincible. What will you, Satan, you law, death and hell, say now? "Death
is swallowed up in victory" 2c., 1 Cor. 15, 55. I have lost, they all cry out together, thus recognizing themselves that they have overcome according to the highest and complete right.
(48) And of these things Christ commanded, after his resurrection, that they should be preached in all the world, and that the gospel should be preached to every man. Come, he says to us, believe in me, be baptized, I will give you my victory; you shall not be condemned, but though you die, you shall live in my name: you shall never die. For "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," John 11:25.
49 This is now our goel, our redeemer, whom Jacob calls an angel in this place. As if he wanted to say: The angel or redeemer, who was able to redeem and protect me from all evil of conscience, the law, sin and death, also from the violence of my brother Esau, and from all misery and distress, so that I had to struggle all my life.
50 From this it can be seen what kind of people the holy patriarchs were, of whom the 4th Psalm v. 4. says: "Truly, the Lord leads his saints in a strange way. For when they begin to speak of faith and of the promises of God, they as it were ascend high above all the heavens. But again, when they become weak, as when Jacob wrestled with the angel, and in other places more, they are so utterly struck down that they appear no other than as poor men; so that it seems as if they almost despair and are sunk into the deepest hell. Just as we have seen such fear and marvelous terror and trembling in Jacob above, not otherwise than as if he were one of those who are utterly rejected and condemned to eternal torment. But again, as here in this place, he is so joyful, triumphant and exultant, as if there is no more danger or fear that would meet him.
(51) Thus the holy patriarchs, when they desired, were fathers of the household, and administered the political government,
1866 L. LI, m-us. Interpretation of I Gen 48:15, 16. w. u. 274S-274S. 1867
They have ruled over their wives, children and servants, have quarreled with their wives, and have dealt with worldly affairs to such an extent that they have been regarded as the lowest of the low among those who are to be found in the household and in government. Sometimes they soar high above all the heavens, sometimes they are in hell, but sometimes they get stuck in the middle of the world. They are vain miracle-workers.
Their life is wonderful, their speech also wonderful. As Jacob here calls God an angel, just in the same way as he says above, Gen. 32, 30, when he had fought with the angel: "I have seen God face to face." For this angel is the same Lord, or Son of God, whom Jacob saw, and who was to be sent by God into the world to proclaim to us salvation from death, forgiveness of sins, and the kingdom of heaven. And this angel is our savior, our redeemer or avenger, who saves us by all right and frees us from the power of the devil, who is now subject to the law, because he has slain the Son of God; and for this reason the law, death and the devil must now fall silent, and reach out their hands and give Christ the Lord, as the right victor, victory.
(53) Therefore it is to be diligently noted that Jacob here speaks of Christ, the Son of God, who alone is the angel or messenger, in time a true man born of the Virgin Mary, not the Father, nor the Holy Spirit. For he clearly distinguishes the three persons, and yet at the same time adds, "He blesses the boys." He clearly attributes the blessing to God alone. He does not say, "bless them," as if he were speaking of many, nor did he repeat the previous; but rather, in the One work of blessing, he puts together the three persons, God the Father, God who feeds him and is his shepherd, and the angel. Therefore, these three are One God and One Blesser. The angel does the same work that the shepherd and the God of his fathers do.
54 Thus the Fathers understood this article of the Holy Trinity quite well, which we also teach today.
And Jacob walks in the same right perfect faith and word over all the heavens. For he says: I do not bless these boys, but God blesses them by my mouth, namely, the God of my fathers, the God who is the right shepherd and feeds us, and the angel; the one who is triune and yet one, he blesses them. Therefore Jacob understood well that the Son of God was to become man and be sent into the world, crucified and raised from death. Although he does not say this so clearly and distinctly as is now taught, he says it emphatically enough; and the others who believed this article also understood it clearly in this way.
(55) The word "bless" must be understood broadly and emphatically, so that its power may be properly grasped and understood, as we have reminded you above. For if the blessing comes from God, it must be understood not so absolutely, but relatively; and is thereby indicated that those who are blessed are previously subject to the curse. Such emphasis (emphasis sive epithasis) of the same word must be diligently considered. For all men in Adam are damned, are subject to sin, to the law, to death, and to the power of the devil; as Paul says Gal. 3:10: "Cursed be every man that abideth not in all things which are written in the book of the law." The law accuses and condemns all men, for it punishes and convinces them that they are sinners, and brings their sin and iniquity to light.
Therefore, when God says, "I will bless you," both physical and spiritual blessings are offered to man. How in this place not only the bodily blessing is to be understood, so that these boys may grow bodily and be multiplied, but that the angel may be with them, who also saved Jacob from all evil.
57 And this is the blessing of the New Testament, of which St. Paul speaks abundantly in his epistles to the Romans and Galatians, holding these pieces against each other: being cursed and being blessed, sin and grace. And the angel blesses at the same time the seed of Abraham
1868 **".xi,iis-us. Interpretation of Genesis48, 15. 16. w.n, 2749-2721.** 1869
or the Jews, and also the Gentiles; as the saying is Rom. 9:8: "These are not the children of God, which are children after the flesh: but the children of promise are counted for seed."
- Therefore these are very high and important words, in which Jacob says that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless these boys; and that in the Gospel of John Cap. 5, 17. Christ himself also says: "My Father works until now, and I also work"; item, there he says further v. 21.: "As the Father raises the dead and makes them alive, so also the Son makes alive whom he wills." Now this agrees very finely with this present text. To make alive is only God's work, which happens according to God's will and by His grace. As then the Father wills to be gracious and to make alive, so will I also do, says Christ; this is one will and one work, and are nevertheless three different persons. Therefore Augustin rightly said: Opera divinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa, that is: What God does towards the creature, all three persons do without distinction. Thus, the blessing of God and His Son, who is called an angel here, are one and the same.
The holy fathers understood and taught this rightly. Therefore, you can see the great and excellent knowledge of God and the faith that they had; and when they speak of it, you can see in them especially no other works, domestic, worldly or political, no sin, no trembling; but they are led high above the clouds and the air. For we see that the patriarch Jacob is, as it were, drunk and full of faith and knowledge of God, and that he does nothing else but speak words of faith, and always insists on the promise and repeats it, and lives, rules and is blessed in it completely; and now, by divine power, he imparts the same promised blessing to these children, and also promises them temporal life and all welfare therein.
(60) For now they are assured and certain that they shall live until they beget children. So the death is taken away from them and with the same
the wrath of God, the devil and hell, and the inheritance, which he himself had not obtained, namely the possession of the land of Canaan, is distributed among them by this blessing of the Father. For he did not doubt that he would receive it and that he and his descendants would become lords and kings of the land. In which blessing all kinds of benefits, both physical and spiritual, have been included.
61 Although the flesh and reason have not seen or understood any of these things (for what is it that he says about the promise of God, about the blessing angel and about the land of Canaan, because they are now in misery and servants in Egypt? But all this notwithstanding, Jacob, full of faith and with great strong courage, says freely: I have the promise, I know and believe that I shall inherit and possess the land of Canaan; I am more certain of this in the promise than if I had already possessed it and lived in it.
(62) How we can and should take more comfort in the goods God has promised us, as if we already had them in our hands. I have the kingdom of heaven, baptism, the word, the Lord's Supper: these goods are more certainly mine and more mine than this life itself, in which I live here. Yes, you say, but I do not feel it. Answer: You must learn to hope with your fathers that you do not see, and you must look up to heaven. You must learn to ride on the clouds with your fathers. The kingdom of heaven is already yours, your sins are forgiven by the blood of the Lamb; see that you believe. It is no joke with God's promises, God does not lie. He says that you have been justified, that you are holy and blessed; as these same goods are presented and offered to us in the clearest and most splendid way through the Word and the ministry; but it is only because we do not hold firmly to the Word and the promises of God and applaud them with right faith that we lack them.
- After this also the fathers had this specially before us, that this life should be prolonged unto them, of which we cannot be sure; for we have no
1870 L. XI, 115-117. interpretation of Genesis 48:15, 16. w. II, 27S1-27S4. 1871
Word of God about it. But they certainly thought that they would grow and possess the land, as their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had it in faith and promise; which possession was more certain to them than when they possessed the land outwardly by deed itself without faith; as their history testifies, when Ephraim is cast out into Assyria and Judah is led to Babylon. This is indeed a small thing, if it is only a factual and legal possession; but if it is theological and conceived according to the Scriptures, then the dominion remains, even if we already die over it.
(64) So now we have in the fathers examples of perfect enduring faith. Jacob not only offers them this life in the flesh, but also promises it to their seed and descendants.
(65) Finally, your faith is followed by the good in the true deed. But where faith and spiritual possession do not exist, the possession that exists in fact cannot last long.
(66) Jacob also adds one more thing, that the children should be called by the names of their fathers. These are only words of faith and promise, and are not understood by the Jews, who only boast of the fleshly seed. But Paul gloriously refutes this same boast, saying Rom. 9:8: "These are not the children of God, which are children after the flesh: but the children of promise are counted for seed." For the fathers have put the bodily and spiritual fatherhood together, that is, they have inherited the faith of the promise, and not only the outward goods which they should have possessed.
(67) Therefore faith is the sum and chief of all commerce, which the flesh almost oppresses and greatly hinders: but we must comfort and uphold ourselves with the promise and with the word, and not be afraid of any danger, so long as we do not deny and fall away from the angel who is our Savior. For we must also become a little weak at times; as the strength
and the great courage of the fathers has not been granted for and for. In this place Jacob is very strong in his faith in the promise; there is now no weakness, no trembling in him; everything is vain and highly heavenly, so that he can go about. But up there, when Joseph was sold, Jacob was the most miserable and weakest man on earth.
Therefore, we should pray to God not to lead us into temptation, but to deliver us from the evil, and to compel and restrain the unbelieving, senseless, evil beast, our flesh and body of death, so that we must drag ourselves, which always torments and kills us. For it resists faith and promise, insisting that it may draw and drag us only to that which is now present and before our eyes. It wants to be only a jurist and not a theologian. But righteousness does not lead us to heaven, but the promise and faith, which are heavenly gifts and surpass all miraculous deeds and all works, both political and domestic, but rather the dreadful self-decreed works of the monks, and the whole discipline or outward ceremonies of the law.
69 Therefore let us remain in the simplicity and purity of the Christian faith, that we are the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not according to the flesh, but rather according to the Spirit. For if I believe the divine promise, I am sure that my life is pleasing to God, and better than all monastic orders can be; for it makes a heavenly man who conquers death, an heir of eternal life, and who tramples the devil underfoot; as the 91st Psalm v. 13. says: "On the lions and vipers you will walk, and tread on the young lions and dragons" 2c. Such strength and violence is especially peculiar to Christians.
(70) As here Jacob is even an angel, yes, he is a great and excellent preacher of the Godhead, who presents the right power of promise and divine blessing to his descendants and heirs. For he looks to his descendants or seed, not according to the flesh, but chiefly according to the spirit and faith; which spiritual seed the
1872 L- n. H7-119. interpretation of I Moses 48:15-18. **w. ii, 2754-2757.** 1873
Jews should also know and boast that they are children of the fathers and heirs of the divine promises. But these promises they shamefully trample underfoot, spitting upon them and blaspheming them, while boasting highly only of the fleshly kingdom.
- but these are the true children of Abraham, heirs of the angel who spoke to Jacob and through Jacob. And if God does not find such children, he calls them his people, who were not his people before, and in a foolish people he enrages the carnal seed of Abraham, Deut. 32:20, 21, that Abraham is the father of the Gentiles, who accept the promise in faith, without flesh and reality; since the Jews, contrary to this, follow the flesh without the promise.
What follows now belongs to the bodily blessing, as what we have heard so far concerns and concerns the spiritual blessing. For so the words in the text read: "That they may grow and become much" 2c. And yet Jacob also wants to indicate here that the spiritual blessing should also be wrapped up in it, and that Ephraim should not only be multiplied and grow in the land or in any other corner or place of the world, but that the faith of Abraham's promise should be spread over the whole world.
The Hebrew word, dagah, means to grow or to be fed, like fish. As if to say, piscescant, as one would express it in Latin, that is, like fish they shall grow 2c. It comes from dag, which means, piscis, a fish. It is a verkam nominale, as it is used to be called in grammar; that is, a time word formed from a: noun; as in every language nouns become tense words and vice versa. For there is no animal that grows and is fed in such great numbers as fish. Birds also have their fertility and multiplication, for one bird often hatches four or five young, but among all animals none is so fertile as fish. Therefore, the same word is metaphorically applied to and used of immense multiplication.
Now Joseph comes along and wants to be wiser than his father. And according to the law, he judges rightly, but he still runs and falls far short, even though he is a great and excellent man and a prophet full of the Holy Spirit.
(v. 17, 18) And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon Ephraim's head, it displeased him: and he took 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.
(75) Here are two very holy men arguing and quarreling with each other, disagreeing about the whole main thing; though they agree in their hearts, but the things are very unequal. The father wants to bless Ephraim, the youngest son, but Joseph does not want that. Now they are both very spiritual men, but there is great strife among them concerning matters and opinions, and one will have this and the other will have that.
76 We also had similar examples with Abraham and Sarah Gen 16:5, Isaac and Rebekah Gen 25:28, where the same husband and wife, who loved and valued each other very much, were against each other. Abraham wants to prefer Ishmael, but Sarah considers Isaac the firstborn. Isaac thinks of Esau, but Rebekah thinks of Jacob. And they quarreled hard with each other, not because of temporal or small things, but because of the descendants or heirs and about the divine blessing. And if they had been loose, frivolous people, easily angered, they would have had real cause for great enmity; for they quarreled among themselves over a very great matter of importance.
Our kings, princes, and bishops often wage great harmful wars and shed innocent blood for the sake of minor offenses; yet they do not quarrel with one another for any benefit, nor for the sake of pleasure or honor, but fight against one another only out of pure malice and atrocious nonsense. Here, however, these great and noble men are disputing with each other about a great and important matter,
1874 2- xi, us-121. interpretation of Genesis 48:17, 18. w. n, 2757-2790. 1875
and have very good and important arguments on both sides. Abraham, Isaac and Joseph stand firmly on God's law, which is the highest wisdom, so it also agrees with the natural right. For they conclude thus: Ishmael, Esau, Manasseh is the firstborn, therefore he is entitled to two parts of the inheritance. And Isaac is very firm about this calculation: Esau is my firstborn son, therefore the glory of the firstborn will be due to him by nature, according to the law and finally also according to all right. So Joseph also insists on it, as if he were hardened in the wisdom of the law and of nature; but Jacob resists it, just as Rebekah and Sarah also challenged the same law and opposed it.
78 Now nevertheless the woman ought to have yielded to such a great and excellent man, who is the father of the promise, and to have justified him. But Sarah goes out freely and says to the man, "Cast out the maid with her son; for the son of the maid shall not inherit with my son Isaac," Gal. 4:30. And Moses says that the word was very evil to Abraham. So Isaac is not in agreement with his wife about such things either. For who would speak or do anything against him who has divine right and the law of nature for himself? This is certainly a difficult dispute, and yet Abraham and Isaac have been brought to confess their ignorance and revoke the law of the law and of nature.
(79) How Joseph must put up with the opinion of his father Jacob, and what he does against the law. At first, he lies against his father, as if to say, "Dear father, you are mistaken about the blessing. But Jacob answers him, "I am not mistaken; indeed, I do all this with good counsel, and with knowledge and will. I do not sin through ignorance, though my eyes are dark; but I see and know them both well.
80 But why do you do this? Because it must be done this way. For Jacob very firmly grasped and kept this promise made to him at Bethel, now that Rachel was about to die, and therefore
there was no hope that he could have heirs. He was a man full of the Holy Spirit and took much from the promise through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and remembered the previous examples with Abraham and Isaac, where Sarah preferred Isaac, who was the second-born son; but this Isaac also preferred the younger son Jacob to the greater, namely, Esau. He saw from these examples that they rhymed with what the Holy Spirit had given him. The sins of his sons were also added, so that Reuben, Simeon and Levi, who were the oldest, lost the firstborn. Therefore he thought: I now have no firstborn son, nor do I have any other sons by Rachel, and God has shown me something special by a miraculous appearance, since He said of me: "Be fruitful and multiply", Gen. 35:11. Therefore he certainly sets this before himself in his heart, that he would prefer Ephraim to Manasseh.
Now this must be applied to the two doctrines taught and practiced in Christian theology and law, namely, to the grace of the promise and to the law. The teaching of the law must be kept, for it is necessary for the preservation of discipline and peace. Therefore one should keep it most carefully: as Abraham keeps to Ishmael, Joseph to Manasseh 2c. For the promise of grace does not mean that the law should be thrown away; but it should and must be taught, so that discipline and the doctrine of good works may also be preserved, and that we may be taught to know ourselves and to humble ourselves after sin. This is the right and necessary use of the law. For we must have authorities and parents in this life, who keep discipline and honesty with rewards and also with punishment, and who keep the law, and govern their lives Christianly and well, and judge according to the law. These are righteous, and God also rewards such outward righteousness. For one should and must honor God, and not go astray like the wild cyclopes, which neither disciples nor teachers can do.
1876 L.XI.I2I.I2S. Interpretation of Genesis 48:17, 18. w. n, 27M-27SS. 1877
Nor shall any other state be permitted in this life to live without laws, without all discipline and order, as if God had not demanded that one should obey his commandments. For where the commandments are not kept, various punishments soon follow, whether by the authorities, schoolmasters or parents, or otherwise by common misery and misfortune. For the common misery or harm is like a dungeon or prison of the human race, into which they are led when the law is transgressed and the authorities are also tardy with the punishment.
But God Himself is free from the law, nor should He be subject to it, so that He must do according to the law. For he is a lord over the law, who can dispense and do otherwise than the law commands. There is another thing about the kingdom of grace and another thing about the kingdom of the law. The law forbids sin, shows the rod and proclaims the wrath of God and severe punishment to those who sin. This is actually the right office of the law, and it is part of it that the boys, the disobedient, the courageous, the secure people are to be restrained by it.
But the kingdom of grace is a kingdom of mercy, pardon, salvation and redemption from sins and punishments that people have earned with sins.
(84) And among the jurists there is also a fine and excellent doctrine of epieikeia, as it is called in Greek, that is, of equity, so that the strict law may be somewhat alleviated; according to it one should diligently judge in all regiments, if both concern the police and housekeeping. It is necessary for a householder to have both the law and the epieikeia, that is, the equity, in his household regiment.
Aristotle also taught very finely about this epieikeia in the fifth book of Ethics, which is the most noble. The authorities are appointed to rule and judge according to strict law, and they are also to observe and administer it in every way. However, because the cases and cases are infinite and innumerable in number, which cannot all be comprehended in the Scriptures and in the law, for the sake of many a case.
For the sake of circumstances, and there are few who can see and understand where the law should be wisely alleviated: therefore Aristotle has indicated a fine way how to keep in it. As he also draws the definition or description of virtue, since he says: Virtus est habitus electivus, in mediocritate consistens, quoad nos, ratione aliqua, ut sapiens judicat, that is: Virtue is such a skill, when a man does what is right out of well-considered counsel of reason, but in such a way that he keeps the middle in it and does not do too much or too little, as an understanding sensible man knows to do and to judge of it in this life. Thus fortitude is the right middle between anger or insolence and sloth.
But this measure or alleviation is subject to the affects or desires of men; therefore Aristotle adds to it: As a wise man of understanding can judge or judge it. For such judgment could not be comprehended in any laws, but there must be a living law, namely, the authorities, who are the heart or life of the law, and should diligently see where and how the law must be kept, and should alleviate the same where an impossible case occurs.
Just as a householder prescribes a certain way and order for his servant to do his housework, so he must get up at five in the morning and then wait for his work to be done; he must take his modest share of food and do the other work faithfully and diligently. This one law, however, cannot foresee all cases that may arise that could hinder and destroy the prescribed order. Therefore, when a servant wants to go to the field and wait for the land to be cultivated, he suddenly and unexpectedly encounters an obstacle: that his master has fallen ill, or that the weather is not convenient or suitable, or that the householder must otherwise use the servant for other work that is more convenient for him. Then such a householder thinks and concludes with himself thus: I am the living law in my Hanse, and have in my hand and power the epieikeia or equity, and have
1878 D. XI. 122-124. interpretation of I Moses 48, 17. 18. **W. II, 2762-2762.** 1879
Right and power to moderate and mitigate the law. Therefore the severity of the commandment, which I gave before to my servant, shall cease. There he breaks a hole through the law with the epieikeia or equity because of the case that happened suddenly and unawares.
So also the jurists seek such a measure or alleviation of the strict law, according to which the circumstances or cases are various, and some of them demand and want either that the law be made stricter, or else that it be alleviated, so that the law is perhaps impossible.
Therefore, the great constraint of the statutes or rules in the monasteries is not to be praised, since the monks, without distinction or equity, forbid all monastics to eat meat, to bathe, to wear linen clothes 2c. For the physicians, too, are in the habit of prescribing these foods, exercises and medicines to some people, and other foods, exercises and medicines to others, according to opportunity and moderation. And if they see that a monk is somewhat weak in the body and that because of this he cannot abstain from eating meat without injury and danger to his health, they order that the severity of the monastic rule be eased so that the weak brother does not die. For the Carthusians have practiced such great tyranny that they have killed many with their sour and hard fasting, whom they could well have kept alive, for example, with a chicken broth or a piece of meat, or also with a clean or clean garment, since they have in vain reminded the physicians, who were called upon to treat such patients, and have admonished them, namely, that one must always change the order of eating and drinking according to the constitution of the body. This was truly a real pit of murder and not a proper monastic life, namely, killing a poor sick person whom they could have kept alive and healthy with a little broth or soup.
(90) Yes, at last superstition has become so strong and great that some fantasists have not wanted to kill the lice or the fleas. And I have seen a priest who thought that he would be able to make God a
He spared the vermin and did not kill them. For he did not clean his garments; indeed, he put the lice that came from him back into the cap, indicating this reason why he was so unseemly, namely, because he knew that his parents would be eaten and devoured by worms even in the grave. God has not commanded us to kill our bodies, but wants us to honor them, even though they need to be kept in check and restrained.
Therefore this was the highest foolishness and nonsense of the devil, who, as it were, mocked with these hideous and nasty works of the human race; for many good pious people have been miserably caught in these pieces. I myself have been such a person that I had almost killed myself with fasting and fasting, with hard and heavy work and clothing, since I had horribly spoiled and debilitated my body.
Nowadays, young people know nothing of these dreadful monastic works, nor is it hard to challenge them when they are remembered; indeed, the young people are now becoming exceedingly wilful and disobedient, completely like wild animals. One must mortify or tame the body in every way, and burden it with work, study and other common works of this life; but one should not kill it. Rather wait for your profession, there will be enough toil and work for you. It is not necessary that you voluntarily burden yourself with evil or impose death; it will come to you in its time, if God wills it.
Therefore, St. Augustine is to be praised (as the bishop of Dalburg praised and extolled him) because of the rule he wrote, which indicates that he must have been a very wise and understanding man. For these are his words: Non aequaliter omnibus, quia non aequaliter valetis omnes, that is: one should not hold you all equal, or put equal burden, because you are not all equally strong. One must keep the geometrical proportion, that is, consider the difference of the persons, and according to the same one
1880 L. XI, 124-I2S. Interpretation of Genesis 48:17, 18. w. II, 276S-276S. 1881
Assigning to each his own place and thus sharing out the burden and work.
But this was a tyrannical word, which the monks used to say: "It shall be done to you as it is done to me, no one is wronged here. This means acting according to arithmetic proportion, since the persons are counted equal to each other and the burden also becomes equal: since as much is imposed on a child to carry as on one who is grown up, or on a strong servant; or if one wanted to impose on women that which is due to men. There the persons are unequal, and the burden or work is also unequal.
(95) I saw a brother in the monastery who could devour five rolls, as I had enough of one. If the prior had commanded him to be satisfied with only one roll, or if he had commanded me to eat as many rolls as he did, the brother would have died of hunger and I would have perished from eating so much.
For this reason, first of all, the distinction of the person should be taken into account, and then the office or order of each person should be considered. If a Carthusian needs to bathe, let him bathe; if he cannot eat herbs or fish, let him eat meat; or, on the contrary, if he cannot eat meat, let him eat herbs or fish. And of this Aristotle deals very finely, namely, with geometrical proportion, and with epieikeia or equity. For this is a part of the grace that must take place with the authorities, house regiments and police. If the woman in the house is weak, I throw away the law until she gets well. The law should be kept, but in such a way that the authorities always keep the geometrical proportion in hand, that they consider the difference of the persons, and make right measure and fairness. For Aristotle says, as we have heard above: Virtus est habitus, consistens circa mediocritatem, ut sapiens determinabit: Virtue is a skill that lies in the middle, as a wise, sensible man can rightly determine and judge.
In this way Joseph and his father also disagree. Joseph has a very good cause and has the law to himself according to his understanding; for the firstborn is rightly commanded and honored by God Himself. Adam loved his firstborn son Cain, and all his hope and welfare was in him: but God's blessing draws out another, and chooses Abel; and so Adam loses his firstborn. Manasseh was the firstborn of the patriarch Joseph; therefore he says, "Oh, my dear father, what are you doing? You do not know my sons, you are far lacking. I have arranged it with special diligence, that Ephraim should be on the left and the other on the right, and so the law should be kept by the firstborn and the divine right should not be changed. You are truly sinning now. I should obey you and follow you, as the son obeys the father: but the obedience of the law is better and goes first. You are a man who can fall and err. Therefore, dear father, take your right hand from Ephraim's head and lay it on Manasseh's head; for this has its right cause and is founded in God's law. This was well said and was a good cause. I would have done the same, and indeed should have kept above the order and opinion of the law. And if Joseph had done otherwise, he would have done wrong; for it behooved him thus to keep the law, and to follow thy right of the firstborn. Therefore he will not have the right of grace.
98 But Jacob answered him thus: My dear son, I understand well that you defend the right of the firstborn very hard according to the law, which you want to have kept and honored; and I myself also desire that it may remain firm and immovable. But now is not the time of the law, it has no place here now; but here only the divine blessing applies, which is not subject to any law, not even to our right or wisdom. Therefore he does not punish or reject Joseph's opinion, but lets it stand in the means and remain in its dignity. He does not abolish the law, but he aligns that which the promise holds and brings with it.
1882 L. XI, 126-128. Interpretation of Genesis 48, 1p. 20. W, II, 2768-2771, 1883
V. 19. But his father refused, saying: I know well, my son, I know well. This one also shall become a nation, and shall be great; but his youngest brother shall become greater than he, and his seed shall become a great nation.
Now this is a confirmation of the blessing, to which he has given a certain and clear definition or description of the promise, and almost agrees with the answer given to Rebekah above, Gen 25:23: "The greater shall serve the lesser"; although she did not obtain the firstborn for her son Jacob without great difficulty, toil and labor, since her father Isaac resisted her in this, and his brother Esau persecuted him. And Ephraim also lost nine sons who had already grown old, of eighty or ninety years, as Lyra discusses, 1 Chron. 8, 21. 22. Because they wanted to take the land of Canaan before the right time, as if the promise had already been fulfilled, they were slain by the Philistines. And the text says there in addition: "And their father Ephraim bore long suffering, and his brethren came to comfort him." Then were the firstborn slain, that they might not receive the inheritance which was ordained for them of their father, and of the law of God; and they which he begat last obtained the promise: of whom afterward was born Joshua the son of Nun.
God wants the law to be kept, but in its own wonderful way, so that we become proud and presumptuous because of the righteousness of the law. And it cannot come otherwise, from such righteousness of the law must follow presumption and hopefulness, as can be seen in the small and common examples. For where will you give or show me a pious, chaste matron or a young, beautiful virgin who would not be somewhat proud and puffed up because of such gifts? But the courage and hopefulness of those who administer the regiments in countries and cities is beyond measure. For the righteousness of the law is such a hopeful and presumptuous thing; therefore
And when he sees that you become exceedingly proud because of the righteousness of the law, he abandons it and acts according to the righteousness of grace.
Thus the Jews followed the righteousness of the Law, but did not attain righteousness through it, and the firstborn were slain, so that God might thus humble the proud and the proud. For he wants us to hear Daniel's confession in chapter 9. V. 18 with all our heart and also orally, saying, "We lie before you with our prayer, not on our righteousness, but on your great mercy"; likewise in Paul's epistle to Titus, 3 Cap. V. 4. 5. "But when the kindness and brightness of GOD our Savior appeared, not because of the works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his mercy, he made us blessed. "2c. The works of righteousness are what we have done; but GOD does not look at the same. Grace reigns over the law, which does not make man perfect, but only proud. Therefore, God turns His mercy on poor sinners and prefers the righteousness of grace to the righteousness of law. Then the world becomes mad and foolish, angry and cries: "Should we not do good works? Is not the law good? Yes, it is good, and we always exhort you to do it and keep it; but so that you say, as Christ teaches Luc. 17:10, "If we have done all things, we are unprofitable servants.
V.20. So he blessed them that day, and said, Whosoever shall bless any man in Israel, let him say, God set thee as Ephraim and Manasseh.
(102) It does not matter whether you understand this speech actively or passively, as one speaks according to grammar: Israel shall bless, or shall be blessed in thee. For the Father wants to say this much: You shall be an example of blessing, so that it is said: As Ephraim and Manasseh are blessed, so shall God also bless you. So in the history of Ruth, the women and all the people wished Boaz and Ruth well and said:
1884 L.XI, I2S. 12". 'Interpretation of Genesis 48:20.' W. II. 2771-2775. 1885
"The Lord make the woman who comes into your house like Rachel and Leah, who both built the house of Israel," Ruth 4:11. 4, 11. Jacob's wives are presented as an example of blessing.
Now you see how great and wonderful men the holy patriarchs were, how confidently and without doubt they spoke freely of the future blessing. For now Jacob speaks like God, for he also does all this in the person of God: he gives his sons the blessing and the inheritance of the promised land, which he himself did not yet have, except in faith. That is why I said: What we have in the promise is so certain and so firm that neither the devil nor death nor hell could take it away by force. But what we have in our hands, or what is in our box or bag, is not so certain and safe: thieves can steal it, or others can rob it; indeed, mice and moths can eat it. But what is offered to us in divine promises, no one can take from us. As God promised the pious and godly in the 37th Psalm v. 19: "They will have enough in the time of trouble. They know that their kitchen and cellar are well provided for, even though nothing special is prepared in their home; indeed, they often do not have a penny or a mite at their disposal.
Where did they get it from? Answer: They have it in the word that God says: "In the time of theuration they will have enough. He who believes has it without a doubt, and even though he is the poorest of men, he has everything he needs. As Jacob here is quite sure that he will take the promised land, and gives his sons the same blessing no other way than as if he were now leading them into it, so that they might indeed take it: yet he has given them nothing but these mere words. But he held the land of Canaan more surely than when his descendants possessed it. For since they did not possess it by faith, but with
They became proud and proud because of the righteousness of the law and the service of God, and therefore they could not keep it. The king of Assyria and Babylon came and drove them out. The promise was given to them without law and without merit, but when they took the land of Canaan, the covenant of the law was added with the condition Deut. 8:19, 20: "If you do not keep the law, you will be destroyed and perish, just as the Gentiles whom the Lord kills before you.
They received it without merit, and it was given to them without any condition, by grace; but they did not possess it thus without condition. Therefore, because the law is not kept, the right of the possessors cannot be defended, but is a bag of holes. But grace is a firm certain ground. Here we should extol and praise the great glory and riches of Christ's graces and benefits, which are also given to us with the blessing of the fathers, if not in body, then in spirit. But further on there is a better opportunity for this.
Third part.
As Jacob, blessing Joseph's sons, preferred Ephraim to Manasseh.
V. 20. And so (Jacob) set Ephraim before Manasseh.
(106) Moses used this piece to praise the great and miraculous work of taking the firstborn away from Manasseh, to whom it belonged according to the common law, and giving it to Ephraim, his youngest brother, to whom it did not belong according to any law. For this is almost like a miracle and a strange, unnatural thing, according to all laws and statutes, since the firstborn was assigned to the eldest according to the law of nature and according to the written law of the land and also according to divine law. And one has especially among the same people
1886 n. I2V-13S. Interpretation of I Genesis 48:20, W. n, 2775-277." 1887
would hardly allow such a law to be changed, since both the royal and the priestly dignity were given to the firstborn son. That is why Esau hated his brother Jacob so fiercely, became bitterly hostile to him and persecuted him when he deprived him of such great honor and inheritance.
The same order is still maintained in the Roman Empire and in all other kingdoms. The Dauphin in France soon follows his father in the empire or regiment. The Duke of Saxony, who is the first-born or eldest, becomes Elector, and because they divide the inheritance, he seizes the Chur and the estates belonging to it before his other brothers, and does not divide them with them. For this reason there is still great glory in the firstborn. And Joseph did not marvel in vain at this change; for Ephraim by grace became the firstborn, who according to the law was the youngest and last.
The Mailn, who wrote the epistle to the Hebrews, be he who he will, Paul, or, as I think, Apollo, draws this text fine artificially, because he says Cap. 11, 21: "By faith Jacob blessed, when he died, both sons of Joseph. He does not remember the blessings described in the 49th chapter; but he remembers this blessing when Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh. For this blessing is also much more wonderful than those that follow. For Ephraim receives the firstborn without any merit; but Manasseh is deprived of it without all his guilt. But why does Jacob do this against the law and against common usage and custom? It is true that much has been taken: no king or prince would suffer such injustice, with whatever great excellent gifts or virtues his youngest brother might be gifted or adorned. Answer: Jacob did this in faith and by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, because the promise that he would grow and be multiplied rhymes finely with the name Ephraim. Therefore the right cause of this deed must be taken from faith and promise, and not from the law, nor from rights, nor even from nature.
Now let us compare the honor and glory of the blessings of the fathers with the glory we have in the New Testament. For there is no doubt that the kingdom of Christ is higher and more glorious than the kingdom of Moses and the fathers; as the 145th Psalm v. 10-12 says: "Let all thy works give thee thanks, O Lord, and let thy saints praise thee, and let them magnify the glory of thy kingdom, and let them speak of thy power, that the children of men may know thy might, and the glory of thy kingdom. And it was a great honor that the fathers were able to bless, that is, to promise both physical and spiritual goods. Although the blessing is not primarily for flesh and blood, it is also for the body. And in this respect it has the condition of keeping the law attached to it: but inasmuch as it is drawn to the spirit, it has not the condition, but comes by grace.
(110) Therefore Ephraim is severely punished and accused in Hosea and other prophets because of the abominable sins of Jeroboam, the first king of the same tribe, "who sinned and made Israel sin," as it is written in 1 Kings 14:15, 16. 14:15, 16, when he sacrificed to calves, which idolatry all the prophets abhor and punish, and for this very reason the people were finally scattered and carried away to Assyria, because they did not keep the condition attached to the law. For this threat is written with the foregoing: "The LORD shall smite Israel, as the reed is moved in the waters, and shall pluck up Israel from this good land, which he gave unto their fathers, and shall scatter them upon the face of the waters; because they have made them groves to provoke the LORD to anger."
111 And the same threat is repeated many times afterward by the prophet Hosea. But even though he deals harshly with them and threatens all kinds of plagues and misfortunes and that they will even perish, he sometimes adds comfort from the spiritual promises; as the beautiful comforting text Hos. 11:8, 9 indicates: "What shall I make of you, Ephraim? Shall I protect you, Israel? Shall I not cheaply make an Adama of
1888 L. xi. iW-irt. Interpretation of Genesis 48:20. w. n, s778-27so. 1889
and make thee like Zeboim? But my heart is of another mind, my mercy is too fervent, that I will not do according to my fierce anger, nor turn to destroy Ephraim at all; for I am God, and not a man."
In this way he mixes the promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life with the bodily promise, and has previously announced to them that according to the same bodily promise they will be destroyed and corrupted, because they had forgotten and neglected the condition of keeping the Law, and had departed from God, their Creator, who had made the promise to them. But because in the same bodily blessing the spiritual and eternal blessing was also included: I am the Lord, your God, and the promised Christ, therefore he says: I cannot even reject or destroy Ephraim, but I must have mercy on him. I am indeed grievously angry with the idolatrous people, but I am God and not a man; therefore, for the sake of my promise, I will still help and preserve Israel.
And so he makes a distinction between the godless idolatrous Jews and those whom God has left for Himself, who have not worshiped Baal and the calves and have not kissed their hand. This can also be seen in the history of the kings, when it is said to Elijah: "I have left me seven thousand in Israel, namely all the knees that have not bowed to Baal", 1 Kings 19:18.
Although we do not have a perfect temporal promise of the physical kingdom at this time, there is no lack of such promises, namely, that the church will be preserved and nourished even in this life. But the spiritual promise in the New Testament is much more glorious; as Paul says 1 Tim. 4:8: "Godliness is profitable unto all things, and hath promise of this life and of the life to come." We are promised all that we need for this life, to receive the same with it; as the 8th Psalm v. 7. says, "All things thou hast put under his feet"; and Luc. 10:6, 7, 8. Christ says to his apostles, "Where ye are brought into a
Come to the house, stay there, eat and drink what they have. For a laborer is worth his wages. And where ye come into a city, and they receive you, there eat that which is set before you." And 1 Cor. 9:14: "So hath the Lord commanded, that they which preach the gospel should feed on the gospel." Such promises we have; and though they be few, yet have we in them enough for the necessaries of this life.
But the promises of spiritual goods are very glorious, and we should also magnify and exalt them, namely, that the church should remain, that it should have shelter, food, drink, and protection, even though some suffer persecution and are killed; for the old church was not without torture and the cross. But though we are not kings, neither have we a temporal kingdom like the Jews, yet we retain the spiritual kingdom, wherein we live in Christ Jesus.
This glory should be made very great and highly exalted, and so much more, so much more terrible it has been darkened and suppressed by the pope. For there has never been heard in so many churches, monasteries and high schools a word or some teaching of God's Word, as at present, when the light of the Gospel has been given to us again. When we hear the Word called, we understand by it the promise and the ministry of preaching. But when at that time the "word" was thought of under the pontifical term, I turned my mind and thoughts only to the Donat, in which the verbum is described thus: Verbum est pars orationis cum tempore et persona etc.: The verbum, i.e. word, time word, is a part of speech with time and person etc.; for nothing at all was taught there of the promises of God.
117 And what shall I say much? In the beginning, when the Gospel first came to light again, I heard a monk say that he had put aside the papal superstition and had now heard and understood the pure doctrine: Help, dear God, all my life I have never heard of the promises! And this was dear to his heart, that he would now hear and understand the same word "promise".
1890 L. LI, 134-136. interpretation of I Moses 48, 20. w. II, 2780-2783. 1891
For this reason, our theology and the New Testament should be primarily concerned with this part of the heavenly doctrine, although the law must also be taught; however, the kingdom of God does not consist in it, but in the word of promise. Nowadays it is said that he loves the word of the gospel or the ministry of preaching, but in the pope's decrees or canons you will not find a single syllable of the word. They only cry out about how one must confess sin, repent, and do enough for it; item, how one should be obedient to the pope and keep the rule of the monks; but about the promise of the gospel they are completely silent. Therefore, the realm of the pope has been a terrible devastation of the church, and even now, with the pope and cardinals, "promise" is an unheard-of word.
(119) Our kingdom of the New Testament is also to practice the doctrine of the law, in order to maintain outward discipline and discipline, also obedience in worldly police and the honor of the authorities and parents: but the kingdom of God does not consist in this, but in the word, that is, in the promise, which is the right and true ministry of the New Testament. But the pope has obscured and even eradicated the doctrine of faith, and has brought in nothing but hideous and strange wonders of human statutes; except that God, out of immeasurable goodness, has preserved and allowed to remain a little light in some.
120 As I well remember, my father despised the monks and all priestly and papal garbage, of which only the Decretals and their scribes speak. Therefore, when I first went to the monastery of the Augustinian Order in Erfurt, this made my father very angry; and afterwards, when he was invited to my first mass, as was the custom, and when, at a luncheon, distinguished men of the Augustinian Order praised this monastic life and said that it surprised them why he was so unwilling that I had entered the same order, he recently answered thus: "Dear sirs, know also that it is written: You shall honor your father and mother. Or do you know that
Commandment of God not to honor parents?
For this reason, the kingdom of the pope is to be detested and abhorred, because it has destroyed the very best and noblest part of Christian doctrine and, instead of the divine promise, has held up to the people unrighteous and shameful laws of decrees, monastic vows and pilgrimages.
- At present, by the immeasurable grace of God, we have the great glory of Christ, as can be seen from our sermons and the whole ministry. See the baptism, the Lord's Supper, the absolution, the gospel. These great gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be praised and extolled by everyone, and by the same gifts one is to recognize and praise God, who has given such power to men. For I am not the patriarch of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob, but behold what I do: I take a young child, and when I baptize it, I save it from death, from the devil, from sin, and transfer it from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. This is done by the priest or church servant and, in case of need, by every Christian.
(123) Therefore, we should marvel at the great mercy and goodness of God, and boast that He blesses us with spiritual and eternal blessings, so that when the devil sees the infant being baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, he will flee and leave. For there I destroy not the kingdom of the Turk, nor of Augustus the emperor, nor of the king of the Persians, but the kingdom of the prince and God of this world.
In the same way, when a poor sinner comes confessing his sin and complaining about it, I also say to him: I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. For there I draw him out of the depths of hell, who was terrified, lost, despondent, and swallowed up, and in his sins should have died and perished eternally. So, in the Lord's Supper I eat the body and drink the blood of Christ, the Son of God, given and given for me.
1892 D. n, 13S-13S. Interpretation of I Moses 48, 20. **W. u, 2783-2786.** 1893.
for the forgiveness of sins, that is, for eternal life.
(125) Therefore this glory is far greater and more glorious than the glory of the fathers. But this alone is lacking in us, that we do not open our eyes, ears, and hearts, and do not esteem and hold these glorious gifts high enough according to their dignity and glory. This is true in itself and is a certain thing: Whoever is baptized and absolved by the hand of the pastor and in the case of need of any Christian brother is without a doubt holy and blessed. There the kingdom of the devil, death and sin is destroyed. Dear one, by what? By the mouth of a poor man, the priest, or any other brother. These are truly great and immeasurable miracles, and we have been given such power by God, which is incomparably greater than that of the fathers, which was very high and great, because Christ said to us, Matth. 28, 20: "I am with you to the end of the world"; item Joh. 14, 28: "I go away, and come to you again"; likewise v. 23: "We will come to him, and make our abode with him."
The church shall be my fortress, my castle, my chamber; as it is written in Isa. 31:9, "The LORD hath said, that he hath a fire in Zion, and a hearth in Jerusalem. Therefore, when we baptize, Christ himself baptizes through the mouth and hand of the servant.
Are not these truly the great deeds of God, which the apostles spoke of with many tongues? Acts Hist. 2, 4. 11. It is truly a wonderful thing that a church servant or any brother is a servant of the kingdom of God and eternal life, the forgiveness of sins and destruction of hell, yes, finally the opening of heaven and the kingdom of God. Therefore, we are children of blessing, not only passively, that we ourselves are blessed, but that we also bless others. And so the promise made to Abraham was fulfilled: "Through your seed all nations shall be blessed", Gen. 22, 18.
God does not promise us great riches or bodily abundance, but food and clothing; and yet it is a
Great glorious promise, when Christ says Matth. 6, 33: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest will be added to you", that is: First save the poor sinners from the power of sins, hell, death and the devil, and bring them into my kingdom, and then I will also provide the body with food and drink. But how or with what shall I do it? Christ answers this and says Matth. 28, 19: "Go and baptize them in the name of the Father"; item v. 20: "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you": you are not to baptize them in your name, but in mine.
Dear one, who can reach these great and rich blessings and miracles with thoughts, or talk them out with words? Why then do we not cry out with the apostle Paul 2 Cor. 9, 15: "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift"? For is this not a wonderful thing, that a man who is like me in every way should give me eternal life, should take away from me death, sin, condemnation, the tyranny of the devil, the poison of sin, which is still in our flesh? But by what does he do this? Answer: By God's command, "Go and baptize them," 2c., and by divine promise.
130 Yes, you say, but I do not see the good in itself? Answer: If you believe, you have it; but if you do not believe, you will have nothing. For thus the promise is, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," Marc. 16:16. There is the sacrament of the altar, there is baptism, there is the word in the sermon: but as much as thou hast, so much thou believest: if thou believest, thou hast all things, and art able to do all things.
(131) But I would gladly see the same, you say. Answer: You will not see it; but as I said, what we have in the word is more certain and lasting than what we have in fact; for the same can be taken from us, and at last all will be taken from us by death; therefore it is uncertain. But if I believe, it is impossible that I should die of hunger; and though I have not all things so superfluous and even abundant as the stingy and rich wives have, yet I shall have the same-
1894 L LI. 1M-. 14a. Interpretation of I Most 48, 20. W. II, 2786-2788. 1895
I will not lack anything that I need for this life in the flesh; but if first of all the name of God is sanctified 2c.
- but if you do not believe, you have nothing; but through faith and the promise you already have the kingdom of God; the fellowship of the saints is certain and firm enough for you, no different than if you were already in heaven. For the children of Israel also did not obtain this promise without faith. Jacob gives them the land, but how does he give it to them? He does not give them the property with that and yet he gives it to them. He does not give it to them in cash or in kind, as a hundred or a thousand florins are given into the hands of a man, but in the promise he gives it to them, just as Abraham, Isaac, Israel and Joseph received it. But as I have often said, they had it more surely in the promise than when they dwelt therein in deed and in sight, with the condition of the law attached, which they were commanded to keep.
For this reason, we should be diligent to magnify the promise of the word and to exalt it as much as we can or may. To this end, we should also ask God to increase our faith and keep it. For where we do not believe, we will receive nothing. Just as the unbelieving Israelites did not enter the Promised Land, but were struck down and died in the wilderness, except for two, Joshua and Caleb.
So we also, being baptized, know that we are God's children and citizens with the saints in the Kingdom of God. The thing is certain. But who gave you this assurance and comfort? Answer: The minister of the Word or the priest did it. Dear, what does the same poor man teach, who is so despised, who is even a poor beggar and can hardly pay a rope, that he could not be poorer? how should he give you the kingdom of heaven? For so ungodly, unbelieving people are wont to speak, as is said of the people of Israel in the 78th Psalm v. 19: "They spoke against God, and said: Yes, God should be able to
How can he give bread and provide meat for his people? And the Capernaites also said John 6:52: "How can this one give us his flesh to eat?" But the same Psalm also tells the punishments of the unbelievers, as it says v. 33: "Therefore he sent them to die, that they should gain nothing, and be afflicted all their days."
- Therefore, it is to be considered certain and firm that a pastor or church servant has the power to open heaven to those who want to be baptized, absolve, and teach and report with God's word, because he has authority and command from God, and can and should also absolve and forgive sins; as Christ has expressly given them this authority John 20:23, when he says: "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them" 2c.
This is not taught in the papacy, but is obscured; indeed, the child of perdition has even suppressed and destroyed these great gifts and benefits that were in him. For they have taught that it is not enough to be baptized and to believe in Christ, but that you should also kiss my feet. For this reason, I am a sworn enemy of the Antichrist, who has taken away from us the glory of the promise, faith and the kingdom of heaven, as well as eternal life, and in the meantime I am called to obey a fictitious person and the shell of a man of sins. He badly assigns me to the devil in the butt. This has been a terrible punishment of ingratitude.
- Therefore, we should take care that we are grateful to God for the great glory and honor of Christ's kingdom, which has been purified again by the light and teaching of the Word of God Himself. For it is not such laws that are now held up to us as are found in the Pope's Decretals, but the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins. But the pope only imposed his human statutes on the poor church by force, he taught neither law nor gospel. Yes, if he had taught the Law, he would have been tolerated to some extent; but the right understanding of the Ten Commandments was also
1896 2 n> Interpretation of Genesis 48:20. W. n, s7ss-r7si. 1897
have even left the church. For look at Peter Lombard and the other scholastics, how coldly they treat the Ten Commandments; indeed, they pay no attention to them and pass them by. After that, the canonists did not even think about the interpretation of the Ten Commandments. And yet both of them have filled the world with many great books, in which nothing is written, but only darkness and error of the monastic rules and vows, of their belts, caps and fasts, so that they have moved almost the whole world, and especially the simple, unintelligent people, to marvel at this foolish work and to praise it.
Therefore it has been a great pitiful blindness, and it is just and right that all monasteries and convents should be turned back and destroyed, except that some of them should be left standing in memory of the sins and abominations that have been lodged and committed in them, as the houses of Baal, Moloch, and Thopheth were in the Old Testament of old.
- Therefore, when we remember the great and marvelous glory of the fathers, when they could believe that both the present and the future kingdom, or the bodily and the spiritual promise, clung to each other, since the bodily was like a covering in which the promise of Christ was also wrapped: Rather, we are to praise our baptism, the Lord's Supper, the keys, and the ministry, so that we become accustomed to them, and learn to honor and love the Word and the sacraments, also to think highly of them and praise them, and speak honestly of them; which is truly a very glorious power that opens heaven, closes hell, takes away sin and death, and gives life. But all this happens only in faith. For we still hope and wait for it, and do not yet see the goods before our eyes; as Paul says Rom. 8:24: "But the hope that is seen is not hope; for how can one hope for that which is seen?"
In this way, the promises of the New Testament must be held against those which the fathers had in the Old Testament. Although these were also included in the Old Testament, they were at that time still
not so publicly spread over the whole world, as now happens in the New Testament. At that time the Jewish people alone had the promise, but now the whole world has the promise, the word and the great deeds of God, and in the time of need every brother is commanded and entrusted with the ministry of preaching.
When I teach or preach, it is not I who teach and comfort people, but Christ who dwells in us. Therefore believe not me, but Christ, who baptizes, comforts, and administers the sacraments through me; as he promised when he said Matt. 28:20: "Behold, I am with you to the end of the age." For this is the power and glory of the kingdom of Christ, of which the 145th Psalm v. 11. says.
For this reason, I wish that the godly would become accustomed from their youth to speak most magnificently and gloriously of our firstborn, of our kingdom, and of your dear ministry, and that we would be grateful to God for them, even that we would honor these gifts with due reverence of heart and offerings of the whole body; for they are divine things, and such gifts give us the eternal kingdom.
143 I have said this in this place, because it was necessary to speak of the promises of the fathers, to remind you of the great goods we now have and the great glory of the kingdom of Christ. For though their bodily promises are somewhat greater, yet ours are less (for in the New Testament no bodily kingdom is set up, but rather is forbidden, lest our hearts be weighed down with devouring and drinking): yet we are satisfied that Christ said Matt. 6:33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all the rest shall be added unto you." As if he wanted to say: First of all my name shall be sanctified, with all reverence, with spiritual joy, with words, with heart and mouth, then you shall also have daily bread.
But first of all, we should boast about this and push this teaching of ours fiercely against the pope, to disturb this abominable kingdom. For if I already had a hundred tongues and so many mouths, I would
1898 L. n, 142. 14S. Interpretation of Genesis 48, 20. 21. W. n, 27SI-27SS. 1899
But you cannot say in words what a monstrosity the kingdom of the pope has been. And one cannot speak so sharply or vehemently against it, lest this godless being, and the abomination that stands there in the holy place, surpass it all. For I have been miserably caught in the same papal ropes, and have done and suffered everything with all seriousness, which today the greatest part of the papacy does not respect and no longer holds.
Therefore whoever is able and willing, let him always be angry, curse and malign the pope, for he has done more harm to the kingdom of Christ than Mahomet. The Turk kills the body, takes away the goods of the Christians by force, ruins and devastates everything: but the accursed pope presses much more cruelly on his alcoran, namely, that Christ should be denied. They are both enemies of the church and servants of the devil, for they both reject the gospel, but the pope wants his canons and decrees to be worshipped, so that the light of the gospel may be suppressed and extinguished. Therefore he is lost and damned for eternity, and all angels and saints shall curse this monster of the papacy. For I would have died in the same pit of murder if God had not saved me. For I knew nothing of divine promises, of the use or benefit of the holy sacraments; as I have just recounted the words of a monk who was surprised that so many doctors in the papacy had never taught anything about the promise of God. Yes, when I heard the word and the name of our Savior Christ JEsu mentioned, I was completely frightened by it, so that I thought he was presented to me as a judge and not as a Savior. I rather wondered and held in greater honor a priest who walked along in a long skirt or sacrificed for the living and the dead, than the doctrine of Christ together with the promises and sacraments, yes, I thought that this doctrine did not concern me at all. Therefore, we have been talking about the blessings of the fathers, and I have said that our honor and glory and that of the New Testament should also be praised.
Fourth Part.
How Jacob announces his death and the return of his family to Canaan; and how he gives Joseph a piece of land in advance of his brothers.
I.
V. 21. 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.
146 Jacob speaks of the land of the fathers according to the promise. For since they were miserable and strangers in Egypt, and had left the land of Canaan, how could they have it in any other way than in the promise, in faith and hope? But what he said to Joseph must be understood synecdochically, for he was there with both sons. Therefore, what was said to Joseph also applies to them, and they are also meant by it.
147 And, beloved, behold the faith and excellent comfort that Jacob had. For he does not doubt that God will take care of them and provide for them, since he says, "God will be with you," just as we are now certain in the New Testament that Christ will be with us to the end of the world. Above this he also promises them that they will be brought back to the land of their fathers. As if to say, I leave you now and depart from you out of this life; yet you shall not be forsaken or without comfort. For the same God and Savior, God, who has been with me in so many great tribulations of this life, will also be with you, and will lead you again into the land that is promised to you.
These are truly strong words. As when I say to one who is now to die, I absolve you from your sins, and command you to God and all His angels who want to protect you and lead you to eternal life. For I can freely say the same thing with all confidence, and I should do so for the sake of Christ's command, and because of the untrustworthy promise of God on which such absolution stands. Therefore, we can absolve those who believe the word.
1900 L. n. 143-145. interpretation of Genesis 48:21. w. ii. 2796-2798. 1901
viren and send them into the kingdom of God, so that this blessing of the fathers has also been given to us.
The pope, however, sends the poor afflicted consciences out of purgatory, and promises them nothing certain about their salvation, but demands of them repentance for sin, confession, and atonement, whether God might be softened and reconciled with it. Your repentance, he says, would be so great that God would look at it. So he always leaves the poor hearts in doubt, and finally brings them to the point that they become hostile to God and even despair.
(150) And we therefore lift up the troubled consciences, saying unto them, Believe that thou art baptized into Christ Jesus, and I absolve thee from thy sins in the name of Christ, who died for thee, and rose again, who said, John 14:19, I live, and ye also shall live. This is a certain and constant consolation, on which alone godly hearts can rely; therefore the devil also challenges it for and for, and always opposes it. Just as the rude asses of Leuven recently wanted to defend Purgatory in their articles that went out in print under the name and seal of Emperor Carl, with which articles they show their rude mind and foolishness, and thus publicly prove that God has blinded them a hundred times more, because they dared to extinguish the light of promise, which God has now, out of wonderful grace and mercy, again kindled in our churches.
Therefore, these words of strong, perfect faith should be diligently remembered, in which Jacob certainly concludes that God will provide for him and his descendants even in misery and death; that such words should be held against the doubt introduced by the papal sophists, and that the same error should be refuted with them. For Jacob says: "I do die, but not like an Epicurian sow, as if there were nothing left in me but death and the dead body; indeed, I proclaim to you beforehand with true and constant faith that God lives, and that he is with you who live, and with me,
when I am dead, I will also be and help us; for I believe in him.
From this it can be seen that faith is nothing other than the right true life in God Himself; and from these words one should learn to recognize eternal life and the resurrection of the dead. I may die, but God lives. Thus do not the epicureans or despairers speak, but this is the word of a believer who waits with certain faith and hope for the eternal life and resurrection of the dead. For he says: "Death will not harm me or you, for God will be with you and me, yes, I will be with him. He is so certain that God will comfort them and lead them back to the land of their fathers, as if they were all going up together and had the land before their eyes.
Faith has such great power that when we have died, it brings us back to life: in fact, in the same hour that we begin to believe and take hold of the word, we also begin to live in eternal life. For the word of the Lord endures forever, and God who speaks to us is eternal and will be with us forever.
For this reason, death and life are set closer to each other than we ourselves can see. For Jacob dies, but death is close to life, indeed, it is the very life. Again, Adam lived in paradise and knew of no death, although God told him beforehand how close death would be to him. For the words of Genesis 2:17 read: "The day you eat of it, you will die. But he could not believe it, since he still felt life and all that was good and had not yet experienced evil. But God reminded him of both. As if to say: You feel life, but you do not feel death; you do not see the misfortune that may befall you: but beware, death is certainly not far away. For this thou shalt know, that thou shalt die the same day that thou eatest of the tree; so near are death and life to each other. But God could not persuade Adam of this, and he thought he would never die.
1902 2. XI, 14S-I47. Interpretation of Genesis 48:21, W. II, 2798-2801. 1903
Faith reigned there, therefore he is not afraid of death at all.
So we are also in death. We see that we die and give up the spirit, that the body rots and is consumed by worms; but we also do in death what Adam did in life. Adam did not believe that death was so near, but was sure, and his security and hope was a holy and praiseworthy security, since he felt no evil and no destruction at all. So we are also crushed and humiliated in death, and yet we have life just as close as Adam had death; for the promise is certain and true, Marc. 16, 16: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved"; so life and blessedness are very close to us who are in death, just as death was close to Adam. But he that believeth, as Jacob did here, with strong assurance of life, reckoneth death nothing: for faith bringeth life near, and thus concludeth, Though I die, yet am I baptized, and believe on Jesus Christ; therefore am I alive and blessed.
Just as Adam was able to boast that he lived, and yet should also believe this word: "The day you eat of it, you will die of death," and be afraid of death, so we, on the other hand, should not fear death, but hope for life. For GOD, who said to Adam: Death is near you, the same GOD also says to us: Life, peace and blessedness are near you. And God, who speaks to us in this way, cannot lie or deceive; as Paul says in Titus 1:2: "God, who promised us eternal life, is true and does not lie," which is a word of faith that already has life in itself, even though it is hidden; for faith begins life in us and has life in itself.
157 And we who believe have this beginning, that even though we now feel death, we are not afraid of it, as others, who are troubled by an evil conscience, turn pale and are terrified when they hear death mentioned. But the godly and holy martyrs despise and mock death. Like St. Agnes, when she went
was torn into the dungeon and was to be tortured, said: It would not be otherwise to her courage, as if she were led to the dance. Dear, from where may the maiden have had such great courage that she is not at all afraid or frightened, but is cheerful and in good spirits, as if she were seated at the table, since vian wanted to do her a great favor? It was not an Epicurean disdain for death, but right wisdom and right understanding, from which she could conclude and take it for granted that life was very close to her. Therefore she mocked the devil and death and laughed at them, as it were; for death was swallowed up in her by life.
This is the theology we teach, so contrary to that which the blind and foolish scholastics and papists hold so harshly, knowing nothing of it and despising the faith. Therefore let us listen to the patriarch Jacob, who speaks of death as of sleep. For if thou shalt ask him: Dear Jacob, how can you not be afraid of death? he answers: I shall indeed die, and be laid in the grave: but God liveth, who hath promised us the land, wherein he will bring you: but he will set me in another life, which is far better; for he hath promised it.
Therefore all his life was swallowed up in this promise: God has promised to be gracious to me, so also that the Messiah shall be born of me; therefore He will also give the land and the place where this Messiah shall be born. In faith and trust I will die and sleep in peace.
160 This is now held up to us as an example, which we should follow, so that we may also greatly esteem our promises. For before times in the papacy, when I was a monk, these words were not needed, and no one knew to say anything about them, which was "word" or "promise"; and I thank God that I may live at this time, since now "word" and "promise of God" ring in my and all godly ears. For whoever hears the Word can easily understand the divine promises that are contained in the entire Pabst-
1904 L H, 147-14". Interpretation of Genesis 48, 21. W. n, SS01-2804. 1905
thum were dark and unknown to all theologians.
The word that God promises must be connected with faith, which faith they did not understand in the Papacy, just as little as the word and promise. For this was their usual teaching: the sacraments give God's grace to those who need them, without word and without faith: if one is baptized, he does not need faith; the sacraments have so much power that they give grace because of the outward work.
This is the main point of our teaching, that no sacrament can work grace in itself without faith. For the eunuch, Acts 8:36, 37, heard Philip say, "Behold, there is water; what hindereth me to be baptized?" "If thou believest with all thine heart, it may be so." Philip will not baptize him, because he believes. For he does not say, "Baptism is of use to you and makes you righteous, whether you believe or do not believe, as the papists dream that grace is poured out even to little children by the power of the sacrament. This is most false. For they are saved by the power of the promise, and receive the Holy Spirit, because Christ said Matt. 19:14, "Suffer the little children to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Therefore, let us learn from such examples the right power of faith, so that we may be saved from death and enter into eternal life. As Jacob says here, "I die, but God lives, and He will be with you. I am going to the grave, you will neither hear me nor see me; but I will leave you a much better father, who will be able to provide for you much better and more faithfully than I. For neither I, nor my son Joseph, but the God in whom we believe and whose promise we have, will Himself be your God, your Father, your Guide and Redeemer.
Jacob could not have said all this without faith. For the promise and faith are necessarily connected, as St. Paul says in Eph. 3, 17: "Christ dwells in your hearts through faith"; and in the Book of Wisdom Cap. 1, 4. it is also written: "God does not dwell in a man.
unbelieving people. If the Turk heard that something was promised to someone, he would soon understand that faith was required there. For what is a promise which no one believes, but only a useless thing in vain? But then it is a true promise if a person believes it and firmly relies on it, and believes God to be true.
(165) Historical faith does not hold to the word in this way, nor does it put its trust in it, but says, "I hear that Christ suffered and died" (2c); but true faith holds to this and says, "I believe that Christ suffered and died for me," (2c) and I have no doubt about it, and in this faith I am satisfied and rely on the word against death and sin.
This light and grace God has revealed to us at this time; for this we should be grateful to Him. And we have a glorious example of faith in these words of Jacob, which truly have great important things in them. For Jacob dies, not as one who doubted or wavered in his heart, but out of the most certain and steadfast faith he freely says, "God will be with you." Thus he has life in death, and since he is already dead, he nevertheless lives, he is brought to the grave full of faith; for he trusts in GOD and His promises. This faith devours death. For it is not a knowledge according to history, which alone comprehends history in itself, but does not dispute, nor does it stand firm in the challenge against death and hell; just as the devil also has such faith and knowledge.
But this is the true faith of the promise, which ascribes to God the honor that He is true; which believes His word and puts its trust in it. Such faith overcomes death and, as it were, defies it; as Paul does, saying 1 Cor. 15, 55: "Death, where is your sting? Where is your victory?" Even though you will swallow me up, I will come to the light again and to life.
- such passages of scripture are to be held up to the church for the sake of examples.
1906 L. n. I4S-1S1. Interpretation of I Genesis 48:21, 22. **W. n, Wüt-Nvs.** 1907
of the holiest men, who have shone before us with the most constant faith, which faith we should also learn to follow, so that we may boast in this way and say: I have been baptized and absolved, and I will die on it. Whatever further temptation and distress may come my way, I shall not be deceived. For he who said Marc. 16, 16: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved"; item Matth. 16, 19: "Everything you bind on earth will also be bound in heaven"; item Matth. 26, 26. 28: "This is my body, this is my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins": he can neither lie nor deceive; that is certainly true.
II.
V. 22. I have given you a piece of land apart from your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow.
Now this is a very wonderful thing, that this very holy man, who is now completely swallowed up in the faith and lives securely in the Lord, believes and hopes in the resurrection of the dead, still cares about a small, poor piece of the holy land; and even though it was small, he did not want to forget it.
Thus these holy men did: although they were sure of the life and resurrection of the dead, they did not leave their office and profession, nor their temporal goods; they no longer cared for themselves, but they ordered and arranged everything properly for their descendants, so that they would not leave anything behind from which their children or relatives might have cause to quarrel or fight with each other. So also does a pious, godly householder: before he departs from this life, he decrees and orders everything in his house, and wants that of his goods and possessions a part be given to his wife, a part to his son or daughter. For he thinks thus: These goods have been commanded and entrusted to me by God; I will now order and distribute them rightly in peace and in faith.
So Jacob said to Joseph, "Apart from the division of the land that you are to share with your brothers, I am giving you this special piece of land, which you are not to share with the others. You also have two other portions for your two sons, but over them you shall have this portion especially for yourself. So he honors his son with a special gift in view of his glory and godliness. For he was a great and excellent man, adorned and endowed with all kinds of virtues.
Although such outward things and bodily goods were perishable in Jacob's house, as in other places, nevertheless, because the church and the kingdom of God were to be there, and so many prophets, kings and noble men were to be raised from the house, who were great miracle workers in the world, God, for the sake of the future descendants, esteemed this place so great, where he wanted to dwell, speak and send Christ the Lord. This has truly been a very excellent and very great honor, which far surpasses all temporal goods, namely, to have God Himself present in the kingdom and worship with Him; as Christ says John 14:23: "He that loveth Me shall keep My word; and My Father shall love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
These are very great and immeasurable things, and if one were to compare them with the glory of all the kingdoms and precious stones and all the money and goods of the whole world, and what they all cost, all these things would disappear together. For what a great thing is it that the Son of God says: I and the Father want to come to him and make our abode with him? Therefore, the most distinguished honor of that land was that in the fleshly place there was eternal life, victory over sin and death.
But the grammarians quarrel with each other about the word and the meaning of the word.
brewers make a distinction between the shoulder or armpit and the piece worn on the armpit. Now the word schekem is everywhere called armpit; but from
1908 ". n, isi-iss. Interpretation of I Moses 48, 22. w. n, 28os-ssos. 1909
For what reason it should be called the piece that is worn on it, I cannot understand, for only because it has pleased the Jews to interpret the same word in this way, that a piece or part is worn on the armpits, as they fable about it or speak uselessly; or else because the armpit is a part of the body. But it is a very harsh and Jewish unrhymed metaphor or simile.
For this reason I greatly hate the Jewish rabbis, and even despise them for being so completely obsessed with the various meanings of words. And Quintilian teaches and admonishes rightly that one should beware of such a word, which has more than one meaning, as of a cliff, where one is wont to buy. And those who teach others should take special care to avoid such diverse interpretations of words. There is also an old verse that was very common in the schools, which reads: Erroris mater est aequivocatio semper, that is, error always comes from words that have more than one meaning.
It can happen, however, that some words are ambiguous in kind and nature, which in schools are called aequivoca a casu, that is, ambiguous by accident. Such ambiguity cannot be avoided in languages, or even abstained from. As in the German language we express with One Word the two words, molere and pingere, and say, "to paint." There we have only one word, and no difference can be deduced from it between the two Latin words molitor and pictor. Similarly, the German word "Reif" also means two things in the Latin language, pruina and maturitas. So also, the word "nail" means unguis and clavus. And the same thing happens in other languages, too, so that a word, according to the common usage of the language, means more than one thing in kind and nature, and one cannot actually recognize its right force or meaning, for only from the circumstances, which at the same time as the construction given by the grammar, that is, according to which they are placed with other words, indicate the right meaning. As when
One would say to the painter: Paint me the grain, he would soon take the brush and paint a einkorn. And again, if you were to bring a paper or letter to the miller and tell him to paint you a picture on it, he would not be able to understand what you mean. We do not speak of such words in this place.
177 But it is a different equivocation, since the words do not mean more than one thing in kind and nature, but as is customary for the sake of language or speech. As when one says in Latin: Homo et homo pictus, a man and a painted man. Such an equivocation may be called in Latin artificialis, voluntaria, or arbitraria; that is, artificial and voluntary. And the rabbis have been very much concerned about this, so that one may well be hostile to their efforts in this respect. Whenever they see that something has been said by means of a figure called either metaphor or synecdoche, they immediately attach new meanings to such words. For they are unlearned people who know nothing of good arts; therefore they do not understand the figures.
It often happens that some words, because they are somewhat like one another, are also drawn from other things, which happens in metaphors. But in words that, by their nature and kind, mean more than one thing, there is no likeness other than, among the Latin words, molere and pingere, both of which are called "to paint," and no cause can be shown for this.
- So in the history of Abraham is the word beer scheba, Gen. 21, 31, which is interpreted in Latin, fons saturitatis, or juramenti, or septem, that is, a fountain of plenty, or of oath, or seven; for all this is called the word scheba. Its proper original meaning is that it means oath; as, in the 110th Psalm v. 4. "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent." But why it should be rendered seven, or an abundance, I know not, except that in the Hebrew language, as in others, such words are prefixed to the word sheba.
1910 ". xi. isr-u". Interpretation of Genesis 48:22. **w. il, 2svs-28i2.** 1911
The words that come in the schools are called aequivoca a casu, accidental ambiguities. But how to interpret them is indicated by the circumstances in the text.
180 Thus shekem is also a word that has more than one meaning. For sometimes it means a piece or part, and sometimes an armpit; but which meaning is best in each place must be judged, as I have said, from the circumstances. As, in the prophet Zephaniah at the 3. cap. V. 9, it says: "Then I will preach differently to the nations, with friendly lips, so that they will all call on the name of the Lord, and serve him with one accord," in Latin it says: ut serviant ei humero uno, which the commentators interpret: parte una, vel opinione, vel consensu unanimi, that is, on one part, or of one opinion, or with one accord; so that many bear Christ as on one armpit, and are true Christs (Christ-bearers).
181 In the same way Jacob says here also in one meaning: "I have given you a piece of land", and nevertheless it also points to the proper name "Sichem". For there are three meanings here when the name of this city is added to the previous meanings, and so Jacob plays with the word, which has so many meanings, and says, "I give you this piece of land," and wants to have understood the place called Shechem. With the generic word he assigns this part to him and says: This shall be your part. But with the proper name he wants to have meant and understood the city Shechem. As in Genesis 21:30, 31, where Abraham sets apart seven lambs, and Abimelech asks, "What is the purpose of the seven lambs you set apart?" He answers, "That they may be a testimony to me that I have dug this well. Therefore the place is called "Bersaba", namely from the seven lambs or from the oath that they both swore with each other there and made a covenant, in German, Eidstatt or Siebenstatt.
Now there are still some questions that belong to grammar and not to theology. For Jacob adds, and says, "Which I took out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow."
But we have heard above in 34 Cap. V. 25 ff. how Simeon and Levi killed Shechem and Hemor with the inhabitants of the city and plundered the whole city. Now Jacob speaks of the same death stroke and robbery or plunder here thus: I have won this piece of land with my sword and bow. Although, as Stephen testifies in Acts 7:5, God did not give him an inheritance in the land, not even a foot wide, and his sons did not slay the Shechemites at God's command, but out of their own devastation and fierce anger. And yet Jacob now approves of the same deed, and says that he did it, and thus confirms such an evil deed with fatherly force. Why does he now praise what he had punished and condemned above, since he said Gen. 34:30: "You have caused me misfortune, so that I stink before the inhabitants of this land, the Cananites and the Perizzites"? But contrary to all this he now boasts here and says: "I have taken this piece of land with my sword and bow."
We have answered this question above, and the same answer is to be taken here and repeated. For the sons of Jacob did not do this death alone, nor could they have done it without the help of the Canaanites, who gathered to them, moved by the unrighteous deed which Shechem had committed, in that he had weakened the daughter of such a great man, who was a sojourner and a stranger in their land. Zeal drove the Canaanites not only to help the sons of Jacob avenge the mistreatment they had committed against their sister, but also to grant them all the land. For no doubt some have heard the patriarch Jacob preach, and have thought it necessary to punish evildoers severely in order to preserve discipline and respectability.
184 Therefore, although the beginning was evil because of the wickedness of his sons, the possession of Jacob's land remained as it had been won by the sword, and the neighbors themselves had helped and consented to it. This is my
1912 L. n. ILS. 1". Interpretation of Gen. 48, 22. cap. 49, 1. 2. W. n. 281L-2A7. 1913
Opinion, and think that one must follow it therefore reasonably, because the history rhymes with this present text. This place is also remembered in Joh. 4, 5, where it is called Sichar; which came from the fact that in the grammar the writing was mistaken; because the writer of the book made a p out of the letter λ in the Greek text.
The last question belongs entirely to grammar, namely: Why does he say: "from the hand of the Amorites", since Shechem is called a Hivite above, and the Amorites and Hivites were different peoples? and the scripture testifies that the Amorites lived almost beyond the Jordan; as it is to be seen from the fifth book of Moses by Sihon, the king of the Amorites. How then is Shechem appropriated to them, which is this
since the Jordan? There I follow the common gloss, that such is spoken synecdochically, if one understands a whole for a part, or a part for the whole; as 5 Mos. 1, 20. also is said: "You came to the mountain of the Amorites", where likewise also Amorites are called, who lived in the country Juda. Therefore the word Amorrheus, Amorite, was either a generic word, or these peoples were related by affinity or alliance, so that Shechem had its origin from the lineage of a part of the Amorites and a part of the Hivites, which often happens among peoples so close to each other as among Saxons and Meissners. For this is how people tend to keep themselves. Therefore, not much is at stake in this question.
The uemmud fortieth chapter.
First part.
How Jacob prepares his sons for the curse and blessing he will proclaim to them; and how he proclaims the curse to his son Reuben.
And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the days to come. Come in multitude, and hear, ye children of Jacob, hear your father Israel.
Now this chapter is somewhat obscure and difficult, and that for the reason that it has many masters and interpreters who disagree about the understanding, and of whom one holds this, the other that, even so that we must make a smooth and straight path out of a wicked crooked one, on which we go. But we want to do what we can.
I.
2 Jacob awakens his sons and calls their attention to the fact that he wants to speak of excellent, noteworthy things, namely, the promise and the threat. And in truth it is a great thing to say and proclaim something about things to come.
(3) But we know from the Scriptures, and from living experience, that the divine promises and threatenings, when they are fulfilled, and go forth, as it were, in full swing and full course, are yet to be seen at all contrary. For the people of Israel had good promises; but when you look at history and how they are now, it seems that they are the poorest people and have been abandoned altogether, and that God is either not true in His promises, or does not pay much attention to them Himself: as we have had several examples of this from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
1914 6- XI, 1SS-ILS. Interpretation of Genesis 49, 1. 2. W. II, 2817-2820. 1915
For their histories indicate nothing else than that they have been without God, or that God has forgotten them and no longer cares for them, and has freely allowed their enemies and adversaries to reign, to triumph, and only to rage and rage against the godly innocent people.
(4) In the same way the people of Israel were severely afflicted by their neighbors, their enemies, the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Idumeans, the Egyptians and others, so that nothing was less in the day than that they should have a divine promise. And what can be more miserable than the history of the patriarch Jacob, which is full of all kinds of miseries and tribulations? But is this the promise and blessing he had? Does it mean to have a gracious God, to have life and eternal bliss? Truly, the godly have the opposite before their eyes, and, as it seems, all this is in fact contrary to everything that is offered and presented to them in the promises, which reason judges to be false and untruthful, and as it is said: That it is evil for the pious and good for the wicked.
5 Therefore faith belongs to the promise, which keeps and lives in the word of the promise. For where there is no faith to keep the promise and to live in it, it is true that the things which the godly encounter are utterly contrary to the promise, so that people are driven to despair. Therefore the multitude of the Jews who burned incense to other gods cried out, Jer. 44:16, 17, 18.He said to the prophet, "We will not obey the word you speak to us in the name of the LORD, but we will do according to all the word that comes from our mouths, and we will burn incense to the Melechites of heaven and offer drink offerings to them, as we and our fathers, our kings and princes, did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then we also had bread enough, and we prospered, and saw no evil. But since that time we have ceased to burn incense in Melecheth of heaven.
chern and drink offerings, we have suffered all want, and perished by the sword and by hunger" 2c.
This was the cause of all idolatry among the people of Israel, even in the wilderness, as the 78th Psalm v. 8 testifies, that there was an apostate and disobedient kind, "whose heart was not steadfast, and their spirit did not hold faithfully to God. For they desired to be led and governed in such a way that they would not have to live in the faith of the promise, but wanted to have it all present, by which they would live. On the other hand, God wanted them to keep the faith and not to gape or stand after the things that would do them good and be pleasant at the present time. Therefore they raged and were angry, as if they wanted to say: God should not feed us with words, but should now hand over to us in cash what we need. Thus they desired what was contrary to the will and government of God, and when they did not immediately receive what they asked and desired, they sought another God from that time on. And the same perverse nature of human hearts is described in the same Psalm: "They did not keep the covenant of God, and would not walk in His law, and forgot His deeds and His wonders that He had shown them," Psalm 78:10, 11; likewise in the 106th Psalm, v. 13: "But they soon forgot His works, they did not wait for His counsel," which is to say, they did not want to believe. And Stephen also reproaches them with the same thing in Acts 7:43: "And you worship the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your God Remphan" 2c.
Therefore, one must diligently observe and pay attention to this in the holy scriptures, which contain completely different histories than the scriptures of the Gentiles, which have no divine promise in them. On the other hand, God gives His people rich promises, but at the same time He tries them and tests their faith, and teaches them that they must live more on words than on bread, as Genesis Deut. 8:3 says: "God humbled you and made you hungry and fed you with food that you and your fathers never had.
1916 **". xi. iss-160. interpretation of Genesis 49, i. 2. w. n, 2820-2822.** 1917
that he may make known to thee that man shall not live by bread alone, but by all things that proceed out of the mouth of the Lord.
(8) This is to be diligently kept in mind, that God promises well, and yet always delays a little with that which He has promised before He gives it, and so tempts us that we may presently be in want and have to live in want, that He may instruct us in the faith of the promise, and that the same faith may be strengthened and confirmed, and that we may learn to trust God, not only when things are well and there is enough, but also when things are bad and there is want or need. The pope and all his doctors or teachers do not have such faith, nor do they know anything about it.
(9) This is the most important thing in all of Scripture, that we may know God in His promises and understand them correctly. For he also helps in deed and finally in work, but he first tests faith in the promise that he will let us lack what we need, so that we may learn to trust him and not tempt him, as the Jews did; for they immediately followed strange gods, if God did not immediately give them everything they desired, according to their liking and what he had in mind; for they could not wait for his counsel.
(10) Against this impatience so many exhortations are given in the prophets and psalms, as Hab. 2:3: "The prophecy shall yet be fulfilled in its time, and shall at length come to pass, and not remain without. But whether it be polluted, wait for it; it shall surely come, and not be pardoned." And in the 27th Psalm v. 14: "Harvest thou the LORD, be thou confident and undaunted, and wait for the LORD." But the Jews did not see this and did not want to learn it, so they chose other gods and sought gods like Astaroth and Baal, who would help them soon and immediately, without believing in the promise that they would feel the help and grasp it with their hands. As they then in their pride presumptuously said to Jeremiah Cap. 44, 17: "We will do according to all the word that proceeds from our mouth" 2c.; in short, we do not want your word.
hear. As if they wanted to say: We want to have a God who will hear us immediately and give us everything we desire, not who will delay so long with help.
11 God does not intend to destroy or abandon His own, but rather to fulfill His promise most abundantly; as St. Paul testifies of Him, saying Eph. 3:20: "Who is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or understand."
(12) Therefore God wants us to be people who can be patient in the face of adversity, and who will surely hope and wait for Him to give abundantly and richly what He has promised. Jacob also learned and attained the same, since the promise of the future seed was given to him and the land of Canaan to his descendants, and since Joseph was raised to such great honor and glory during his lifetime.
- But the flesh is so sure and so wicked that it not only despairs of the promises of God, but also despises the threats. For the same are also spoiled, that they are not so soon fulfilled; therefore the flesh does not believe God, when he threatens already for a long time. And when the despisers and foolish people hear that there is still a judgment and punishment to come against sin, oh! they say, that will be forgiven! meanwhile I would have money to count! However, God wants us to fear His threat and wait for His promise, which cannot be done otherwise than in faith.
(14) But if the world asks for none, it is as much as if it whistles at a goose. For God is patient, and both delay with his promises and threats before he fulfills them; but he does not lie about them, and will finally repay what he has delayed so long, either by punishing the wicked so much more severely, or by showing the pious, godly so much greater and richer benefit. For he will come at last, and he will come well.
15 Therefore the Scripture commands and teaches both, saying, Fear God and believe Him; and as the 147th Psalm v. 11. says:
1918 L. LI. IS0-I6S. Interpretation of Genesis 49:1. 2. W. II, 2822-2825. 1919
"The Lord is pleased with those who fear him, who hope in his goodness"; item in the 2nd Psalm v. 11: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." And faith must believe and fear that which is invisible, as Noah feared the punishment of the flood, which he did not see, and hoped for a redemption, which he also did not see before his eyes. We believe in the Lord Christ, whom we do not see, and believe that he will come on the last day and raise us from death and transfigure us, as Paul says Phil. 3, 20. 21. but will punish the wicked who do not know God and do not obey the gospel, 2 Thess. 1, 8. 1, 8. Thus the godly fear the threats and put their trust in the promise: but the ungodly fear, or believe, or hope nothing, nor ask after any God.
16 So Jacob began the speech he gave to his sons, "Gather around," dear sons, and listen to me, and I will teach you what will happen in the future. I am now making my will, and I would like you always to keep it in strict remembrance, that you fear the Lord, the right true God. I will preach to you and tell you of divine threats and promises, that you may have a God whom you should fear and in whom you should hope. This is what Jacob means by calling his sons' attention so that he may keep them in fear of the threat and in faith in the promise of God. As if he wanted to say: "I know that many of you will become wicked, disobedient boys and that there will be a loose rabble among you, who will be idolaters and despisers of God, who threatens with his wrath and also promises mercy: as Moses also, likewise Samuel and David and many others have prophesied of their descendants. However, among these my descendants there will be some who will fear God and trust in Him. For their sake this is said. The others despised this God, who thus delayed with His help; indeed, they would not have regarded the God. Therefore they worshipped all the gods of the heathen, as 2 Chron. 36, 14. is said. And
The books of the judges and kings also testify that they heaped idols, as it were, over all the land.
(17) As we have done in the Papacy, when we have made it much coarser, and have heaped and filled everything with nothing but idolatry of the deceased saints. One honored Erasmus, that he should give him money and goods; the other Margaretha, that she should help the women in need of children; and the Virgin Mary was honored by everyone as a mediatrix and emergency helper in all the needs at hand. No one wanted to hope and expect help and salvation from God. A woman who wanted to give birth desired only present help, therefore she did not call upon God, but upon Margaretha. The peasants, however, called upon St. Christopher, St. George and many other saints.
(18) So the flesh despises God with his threat and with his promise of salvation. For because he thus withholds salvation, and because something is long absent, he is despised. No one wants to get used to exercising his faith a little, but people want to live without faith and enjoy the goods that are present and available. They want to have their bellies full, but they let go of the certain promise; for although it speaks of invisible things, they will surely come and be fulfilled at last.
19 For this reason, Jacob is now awakening his sons with the utmost diligence to recognize his prophecies, which he will proclaim to them beforehand: that they may learn to understand God's wrath against sin from the threats held out to the three sons, Reuben, Simeon and Levi; but from the promises given to the others, they may recognize God's grace and mercy.
20 This is the most important teaching and the content of this chapter, why God threatens and promises, and where He wants this to be meant and understood, namely, that He may practice or test the faith in His word. And whoever wants to act with God must learn that "he does not live on bread alone, but on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord," Deut. 8:3.
1920 L. LI,. 1S2-1S4. Interpretation of Genesis 49:1-3. w. n. 2S2L-2S28. 1921
When there is a lack of bread, one should therefore not call upon a foreign god, but should strengthen the heart with faith in God's word, and thus say: God has promised me that he will be my God and my Lord: if he now wants me to die of hunger, then let him do so, but I will hope in him.
21 For there must be faith and the fear of God in the hearts of men. For promise and faith belong together, and threat and fear also belong one to the other. Promise is nothing without faith, and again there is no true faith without promise; just as there is no fear where there is no threat. But God tempts and tests us with both. And because the world does not want to suffer or endure this temptation, it therefore despises both, and does not fear him who threatens, and does not believe him who gives the promise.
II.
V. 3. Reuben, my first son, you are my strength, and my first power, the chief in sacrifice, and the chief in the kingdom.
- This speech is full of threat, although it also has some promise and blessing in it; but there is more curse in it. And all this is spoken as an example to others, and to frighten them with it. For though Reuben's sin was forgiven, because he had grieved enough over it and repented, and had also labored with the greatest diligence to save Joseph, and at last, after the sin he had committed, had again held his father in great honor, yet, because the sin was so great and abominable, it was not profitable or good that it should remain unpunished; but he must be punished as an example to all the other descendants. For otherwise the descendants might have said, "If Reuben could have done this and gone unpunished, why should I not be free to do it?
023 And now it was a great and abominable sin, the incest of his father's wife, that he should reproach the whole house and family, and his father with his father's wife.
the other brothers and sons of Bilhah. What could be said that was more unjust and shameful than that he had defiled his father's wife while he was still alive and while his other sons were still alive? Because it was such a shameful, wicked and outrageous deed, Reuben did not have to go unpunished for it, and therefore a very sharp and severe threat is set in this place.
(24) The father arises and reproaches him with all the honor and glory he had before, and holds out to him a punishment which he would have remain with the descendants: not that God would destroy or condemn those also who read this abominable and detestable example; but that they should have Reuben thus as an example of the severe judgment and wrath of God, which should be presented to others as a terror.
(25) This therefore must have been done, first of all, among the people under the law. For though there is mercy and forgiveness of sins among the people under the law, yet there is not only mercy there, nor only the pure kingdom of the gospel and grace; but there is also a part of the political or worldly regime, where there must also be examples of punishment. There Master Hans must wield the sword, use the gallows and the wheel, to frighten and teach others, even though sin is already forgiven. Just as a thief is forgiven for his sin, he must still be hanged on the gallows. The sin is indeed forgiven by God to those who are punished in the body; but the cane-master or executioner does not forgive them, that he should not do to them the punishment determined by law; Master Hans does not forgive them, but does them their right; as St. Paul says Rom. 13, 4: "The authorities do not bear the sword in vain, they are God's servant, an avenger for punishment on him who does evil." And yet the thief or the man who kills is not condemned, nor are other wrongdoers, if they repent and believe in Jesus Christ. And after death the thief does not feel or feel the shame of having been hanged on the gallows; but the
1922n , 1S4-1SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49, Z. W. II. 2828-ssso. 1923
The descendants will look at the disgrace and think, "If you steal, you will have to pay for it.
This is a necessary doctrine that must be kept in the world. That is why they say of the Emperor Maximilian that whenever he went to court, he uncovered his head and greeted it with these words, saying: God greet you, you holy righteousness. For where there was no punishment, we would achieve nothing with our preaching and forgiveness of sins, and the mob would shamefully misuse the teaching and preaching of God's grace and mercy for the sake of all courage and sin.
27 Because the kingdom of this people was also political or worldly, a special punishment had to be set for such a shameful evil deed, to frighten the others, so that they would know that there was also a God who threatens and punishes, and not only promises mercy. The church also has its punishment, namely, the ban; although one asks less for it than for worldly punishment. So Reuben, because of his sin, was presented to the others as a mirror, in which the wantonly disobedient boys and those who revile and dishonor their parents should be reflected and looked at, so that this very shameful evil trouble could be countered. That is why God did not want it to go unpunished in the secular government. And if the authorities are late with the punishment, the evildoers will still be punished by God.
028 Now therefore the father saith unto Reuben: Thou shouldest have been chief, but now thou shalt not be, neither shalt thou have that for which thou wast born: I will take it from thee, and deprive thee of all that was thine by right and by birth. This is a very severe curse: the greatest among the brethren becomes the very least. Birth gave you this glory, that you should be my firstborn son, my strength and power, and the chief of the kingdom: but sin has taken all this away from you and robbed you of it.
- the Hebrew word on sometimes means
Pain; as, above in 35 Cap. V. 18, Rachel called her son benoni, that is, a son of my sorrow, because she had a hard time in childbirth. But in this place it means something else, as also in Deut. 21, where Moses gives a commandment about the firstborn sons of two wives, namely, the one whom the man loves and the other who is hostile. "He shall," says Moses there, v. 17, "acknowledge the son of the hostile for the firstborn, that he may give him double all that is present; for the same is his first power." There Moses speaks of no punishment or harm, but of power or might. Therefore this is the honor and glory of the firstborn, that they are called the first power or might of the Father.
(30) Now others interpret this somewhat obscenely, which I do not like at all, namely, that in the first year of marriage love tends to be most heated, and therefore the first and noblest power is to beget children. But I think that the firstborn son is called the first force because he is the first. The other sons are also a force by which the family is increased in strength and power. For the father is strong when he has many sons, all of whom are his strength or power, and his family becomes strong because of the many children. But the first son is the first strength; when he is born, the parents soon think that they may build a house and bring forth food, and how they may nourish their house and all their heirs or descendants. But if it pleases you to follow the other interpretation or opinion, that is, the work of childbearing and the ardent love of the young spouses, you may well do so.
(31) But I think that this interpretation is more proper and rhymes better here. For Jacob means to say: My strength began with you; you are the first pillar of my house. Then I became a father of the house: that is what you began. But now see what thou hast lost. Thou art now deprived of such great honor and glory because of thy sin. You have only the privilege
1924 D. xi. i". is7. Interpretation of Genesis 49:3. w. n. sssv-AW. 1925
for the time being, but my house is neither built nor improved by you, for you have fallen away from the glory of the firstborn. For you were not only my firstborn, or my strength, my first pillar, but you were also lord over all your brothers, and two parts of the inheritance belonged to you; and this by two rights, namely, that you were the chief in the sacrifice (the Latin interpreter has given this: potior in donis: the chief in the gifts, namely, which are brought to God. Lyra, however, understands it from the gifts, so the people are used to give to each other) and for the sake of the regiment and dominion. For both of these things were due to the firstborn, as the same right is commanded in Deut. 21:17. Therefore two parts of the father's goods fell to him, and the other brothers had to obey and be submissive to him; but he was greater, holier and richer than all the others.
32 Therefore this is the correct description of the firstborn, namely, what it is, since he says: "The chief in sacrifice and the chief in the kingdom," that is, the firstborn has the glory of the priesthood, the administration and rule over the doctrine and word, and also over the police. This was truly a great honor, and the Jews had to keep this order, even though God did not always follow it. For He is free from the law and is Lord over all laws. Which examples do not abrogate the order instituted by God, but God Himself has thus exempted them, and no one has been allowed to transgress the same law. But what our Lord God does differently, no one can prevent him from doing.
In the 1st book of Chronicles, Cap. 6, v. 1. v. 1, it is said that the firstborn of Reuben was given to Joseph's children; as we have just heard, chap. 48, v. 5, where Jacob said to Joseph, "Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in Egypt before I came to you, shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon." So Joseph is a double child, having received as much as two others.
- but this way and order with the firstborn is probably under the law so ordered.
but in the kingdom of Christ the law ceases. For our Lord, the right firstborn priest and king, abolishes the law. But in the world, when there are many sons, the youngest inherits the father's house according to civil law.
35 But all this, as Jacob spoke, seems to have been cut short. For he uses such words, which are called abstracta in grammar, which are therefore also somewhat obscure. With us it would be clearer if he had expressed it in concretum, as it is called in the school. But he wants to say so much: The honor and glory would have been due to you; you should be my firstborn, my strength and first power, the chief in the sacrifice and the chief in the kingdom, that is, you were priest and prince.
(36) But I will leave the Hebraists to their quarreling; for I know not how to help myself, and to extricate myself from the confusion which the grammarians introduce. They draw the word seeth in various ways, one from there, the other from there. Which word no doubt has its origin from the word nasa, which has a very broad meaning. For it means: to take, to accept, to carry, to lift up, to deceive, to forgive; as, in the 8th Psalm v. 3: "Thou hast prepared one, os, power" (the Hebrew word, v8, means power, strength, kingdom), and in the prophet Daniel Cap. 11, 38. maussim and often elsewhere more: and means such a strength, which is a power to rule and reign. Above in the 4th chap. V. 7. it says, "If thou be godly, thou art pleasant." There it is written in Hebrew seeth, which means forgiveness. Item, of David it is written: I have chosen him to carry the ephod before me; so it is certain that it means to carry. For this rule is to be diligently remembered and well kept, namely, that from the construction in which the words are set one to another, the right proper meaning and understanding is to be inferred and taken. Thus Saul says to Samuel, 1 Sam. 15, 30: "I have sinned, but now honor me before the elders." There it says in the Latin text: Bear my sin, which should better have been given: take away or forgive. So it says Joh. 1, 29. where John the Baptist says: "Behold.
1926 L. n, 167-1SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49:3. w. n, ssss-rsss. 1927
God's Lamb who bears the sin of the world." And above, Cap. 45, 27, it has been said of Joseph: "He sent chariots to his father Jacob to lead him."
(37) Therefore one should be careful whether this word is put to the word "sin" or to a bodily thing, as, slugen, breath, hand, voice 2c., as, levare oculos, is to cast the eyes over; levare vocem, is to speak or cry aloud; capita levare, to lift up the heads, is to be joyful; item, levare faciem vel assumere, to lift up the face, is as much as to honor, to regard; as in the 62nd Psalm v. 2. it is written, "How long will ye judge unjustly, and prefer the person of the wicked?" that is, honor? as if to say, Ye shall not regard the sinner. So the other commandment says, "You shall not uselessly use or take the name of God your Lord.
38 Therefore, one should pay attention to the circumstances and "constructive", how the words are placed to each other. As is the case in other languages, especially in Greek and German, since often the same words, after being placed in various ways with other words, also have various meanings. As when one says in the Latin language: gerere rem, to direct a thing; gerere bellum, to wage war; gerere magistratum, to lead the regiment; morem gerere, to be at one's will 2c. Therefore, when this word seeth is put to the word "sin," it means as much as to pardon or forgive and take away the sin. As, Jerusalem will be called, neseth avon, that is, forgiveness of sin or iniquity, and Ps. 32:1 says, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven," that is, he who is delivered from his sins, to whom they are pardoned and forgiven. I use this rule, that I interpret the words according to their construction and after they are put together. I know that something else is indicated when I say of a bodily thing, levare saccum, to take up the sack, and that another is, levare faciem, to look upon one cheerfully; as 1 Kings 2: Non potero levare faciem meam ad Joab, fratrem tuiim: I should not come before his face.
(39) But let every man take care, and especially they that handle the holy scriptures, that they have a certain simple understanding of the scriptures, and that they walk not about and go astray, as the rabbis of the Jews, and the scholastics of the priesthood, have done, and as the lawyers that read in the law do, who strive for and against words that have more than one meaning. Therefore, the theology of the scholastics is nothing but a mere delusion. One must, they say, teach and believe in this way, or in another way. It is the same in law and philosophy. I remember that I once read Accursius, who could not go further in a dark passage and now listed various opinions: it could either be understood this way, or this way, or differently; he did not know, as he himself freely confessed. And I liked about the jurist that he confessed the same so freely and sincerely. For where one thus introduces and attracts various opinions, that is nothing else than that one does not know or understand it correctly.
40 But he that understandeth a thing aright doubteth not, neither bringeth in divers opinions, neither saith he that it must be understood this way or that. Therefore, beware of the rabbis with the utmost diligence, for they hinder the study of the holy Scriptures, they do not take care to interpret or interpret the words in the same way and in the right way. And if I am to read such uncertain Scripture, in which the words mean so many different things, I would rather read Virgil and Ovid. But I am hostile to the various opinions and views that the rabbis have in Scripture, and I detest them altogether.
41 Therefore I hold that in this place is the right and true understanding, as if Jacob would say to Reuben, Thou art the firstborn, my strength, and my first power, not in my person, but the strength of my house, the beginning of my seed, in whom the priesthood and kingdom shall begin. He acts or speaks nothing of bodily strength, that Jacob should have abstained four and fourscore years, and never have felt that seed come from him.
1928 2- n. 169-171. interpretation of Genesis 49:3. 4. w. n, 2836-2839. 1929
until he lay with Leah and she became pregnant with Reuben. For what is the use of stating or believing such things in this place? A young boy who is strong and healthy can hardly keep the seed with him. And Moses himself could not do it, who forbids it in the law. Even Ambrose could not refrain from it, who prays in a hymn sung in church: Ne polluantur corpora etc., that is, that our bodies not be polluted, yes, that is even more, it sometimes happens to those who are husbands. For the nature of men is such that they have such bodies, that they are fit and skillful for the rearing of children.
Therefore Jacob looked to the power by which his lineage would be expanded and multiplied. As if to say, "My descendants will be innumerable, of which you are the first king and the head, to whom the honor of this great lineage belongs, and you are not only the beginning of the people who will come from me, but you also have the glory, seeth, of the lifting up, which I said belonged to the priestly office. For we know that in the Old Testament there were many sacrifices and slaughterings of cattle, by which God was propitiated and sins forgiven, not by the power of sacrifices, but by faith in the sacrifice to come.
43 Therefore Jacob wanted to say this much: The people were to be reconciled to God through your sacrifice, which came to you because of the right of the firstborn: "You are the chief in sacrifice, and the chief in the kingdom," you are the head and the beginning of my lineage: the increase of my house arises from you. Above this, the priestly dignity is due to you, that you should be a preacher who reconciles people with God. Therefore, now admit what a great good you have lost.
44 This is indeed a very serious sermon and a terrible punishment, so that he scolded Reuben harshly. I would have wept myself to death over it, if Jacob had addressed me thus. He holds up to "him" all the glory that he could have had
The first power of the kingdom was to have the honor of the priesthood and the kingdom, which was glorious and splendidly great, not for the sake of Emperor Augustus or Alexander the Great or Scipios, but for the sake of the house of the patriarch Jacob, who had the promise of eternal blessedness and of the future Messiah.
V. 4. He went along recklessly, like water. You shall not be the chief.
(45) Here again the rabbis give us a hard time about grammar, and if it were certain, we could take the right understanding out of it without any difficulty. But they themselves make it obscure with their glosses and points, as this text is torn apart by them in many ways. For since they draw it against the spirit to a strange understanding, they have had to seek forced and strange interpretations, which is a rather devilish sophistry in the holy Scriptures.
Jerome has given it: You are poured out like water; and in this he has followed the rabbis, which I do not like. For he draws or points to it as to a vessel, out of which the water that is in it is poured down to the bottom, so that not a drop remains in it; which cannot be done with oil. Therefore I will state my opinion: The Hebrew word pachas does not actually mean to pour out, but to walk or be led wildly and rudely; as the philosophers in the schools say of that which is moist: Humidum est male terminabile termino proprio, that is: What is moist cannot hold itself in its place; and of what is dry they say: Siccum est male terminabile termino alieno, that is: What is dry can hold itself and needs no other limiting body. Water itself cannot set a goal, but where it is only open, it flows out, or where it is not contained, it has its free outflow, that it flows here and there; this is the nature and kind of water and all liquid bodies. But if you throw a pebble or any other stone into a vessel, it has its own place, since it remains by itself.
1930 D. LI. Ill-173. Interpretation of Genesis 49:4. w. n. 2839-2811. 1931
(47) So then, I say, pachas is the name of that which is wild and unstable, which goes. So, says Jacob to Reuben, you also are a pachas. You are great because of the glory that has come upon you, but you pass away like the waters, falling as it were with a tempest, as a blind man, on your evil desire and lust; you are not constant, you do not remain in your own place, where you were appointed; you act like the waters, which are also unstable, and easily pass away where they can only break out.
48 Hence it comes that in the prophet Jeremiah and also Zephaniah the prophets are called reckless and unstable, who recklessly and thoughtlessly wash away whatever comes into their mouths, and also make the people wild and unstable; as in the papacy the poor people were miserably led about, that they ran to and fro, there to Jacob, there to Catharines or Barbara 2c. There, too, everything that was taught and done was frivolous, uncertain, and unstable.
(49) But they that rule in the police, and in the church also, must not be pachas; for that is not fitting for them: they shall not be swayed, nor be moved with every wind of doctrine, Eph. 4:14. They shall not be as the reed which the wind bloweth to and fro, but shall abide in their appointed place, as an immovable rock, which neither the whirlwind nor the tempest can overthrow or sweep away. The Elbe rushes over, but the stone rock remains, although the fast water, which rushes down from the mountain, otherwise takes everything away with it and throws it to the ground, which it only finds on the field. In the same way, there should be a teacher and ruler in the church, in the house and in the secular police, who has his own goal and measure, so that he knows how to remain and persevere, and that he does not run with a storm, like a blind man, soon there and soon there;
(50) So let every ruler be at one with himself and be constant, and let him not soon give ear to the flatterers and to what the courtiers bring. If a sovereign follows one flatterer here, another there, and is led by the nose
he will not be a good ruler. It is also said of the false prophets in Jer. 23:32: "They deceive my people with their lies and loose theidings. Such loose, frivolous strings are also those who teach the pope's lies and loose theidings; as can be seen in the Sophists of Leo. And in the prophet Isaiah in 28. cap. V. 10. they are also met with, as he says: "Give here, give there; wait here, wait there; here a little, there a little." Therefore it is necessary for us to be constant: we should be steadfast, brave and rocky, so that we are not swayed or swayed by all kinds of winds of doctrine, Eph. 4:14.
51 Jacob therefore saith unto Reuben, Thou wast the firstborn; but thou hast despised the great, the glorious, the important things, thou hast gone lightly astray, as the waters go by, thou hast not been content with thy wedded state. This is my opinion of this text; for I cannot agree with the uncertain doubtful and loose delusion of the Jewish rabbis. It is necessary in all of life to have something certain and constant to hold on to at all times, but it is especially necessary in church doctrine; that is why David prays in Psalm 51, v. 12: "Give me a new certain spirit. Whoever does not want to be constant will finally lose the ministry and the word, which is certain. Therefore David asks for a certain spirit that does not doubt or waver, that does not go to and fro in error; as Jacob says that there was such an uncertain spirit in Reuben, as if to say to him, "You have acted like a reckless fool; you have followed your evil desires, you do not fear God, you do not believe Him; you have not lacked the gift of the firstborn, but you have lacked faith, for you have not thanked God.
052 Therefore he added unto them, saying, Thou shalt not be chief. There he takes from him both the glory of the priesthood and also of the rule. You shall not be called priest or prince in my house, which would have been your due according to nature. But thou shalt not reign over thy other brethren, neither shalt thou be in charge of the priesthood, and shalt
1932 D- n. ^73-174. interpretation of Genesis 49:4. w. **II, 2841-2844.** 1933
not to be placed above others, neither in the regiment nor in all other dealings. Genesis, Deut. 33, 6, says in the blessing of Reuben thus: "Reuben shall live and not die, and his rabble shall be few." There he interpreted this text: He shall not be multiplied, he shall not be like the other tribes, but shall be inferior to them.
For you went up to your father's bed, and there you defiled my bed with your ascension.
(53) That is a hard word, and he speaks in the plural as of many beds, makes it very hard. You have entered my bedchamber and taken your father's bed. The Jews introduce more strange lewd things here and in other places, which I do not like to think about. But this much Jacob wants to say: The sleeping chamber of my wife Bilhah was mine, I should lie with her in the bed; but you have robbed me of it. And by this is actually understood not the bed, but what happens in the bed. For the Jews lie when they say that Reuben did not weaken his stepmother, but threw his father's bed out of his mother's hut. In truth, this was a shameful act of murder and a real incest. Jacob kept silent about it up there, but now that he is to die, he no longer keeps quiet about it.
The rabbis quarrel about the word chilel, and turn a transitive tense word into an intransitive one, as it is called in grammar. I understand it as transitive and put an accusative to it, saying, "Thou hast defiled my bed." As also 1 Chron. 6, I. is said of Reuben just with the same words: "He has defiled his father's bed" 2c. There it is a transitive verb, and must be such in this place. And that we have given from the Latin "with ascending," ascendendo, they interpret that it should mean, ascendit, he has ascended, that is, as they interpret it, it is no longer my bed: the same is indeed a too forced understanding. But I have no desire for such a mind, which is thus forced by force, and if I don't teach or work on anything, then I'm in no mood for it.
I prefer to confess and say frankly that I do not understand it.
55 But with this text it can be seen that what Jacob says here is spoken, through the figure eclipsis or reticentia, which is called aposiopesis, namely, when the speech is cut short, or that the words are only half spoken and something is concealed; as when one becomes angry, or otherwise because of other affects. As Virgil says: Quos ego! Sed praestat motos componere fluctus. This figure is very frequent in all languages. So in this place Jacob also says to Reuben, "Thou hast gone up to thy father's bed; there thou hast defiled my bed." At these words, no doubt, the other sons were all frightened, and will have said, weeping: Alas, my dear father, how sharp these words are that you speak; dear one, change or soften the grievous sentence that you have spoken against your son. Therefore we want to help this text by the figure of eclipse. For I do not like the interpretation of the rabbis, that they say: It is no longer my bed.
This is, by the way, a frightening and very sharp sermon, put into few words, and Reuben will undoubtedly have stood there before all his brothers with great shame and a frightened heart. His father Jacob has been silent until now; but now that he is to die, he truly leaves behind him a sad, sharp and grieved valete. For this is truly a terrible judgment against Reuben, and yet not in one syllable is any consolation added to it, but almost in all letters and rattles he takes his life and yet does not kill him; as Moses also says Deut. 33, 6: "Reuben shall live, and his rabble shall be few"; and he has also been the very weakest tribe, which has never accomplished anything glorious. In the book of Judges, 5 Cap. V. 15, Deborah reproaches him for being proud and slothful, saying, "Reuben thought highly of him, and separated himself from us." Reuben also had this infirmity.
57Therefore, this has truly been a severe and horrible punishment for his sin.
1934 " xi. 174-ns. Interpretation of Genesis 4S, 4. 5. W. n, 2344-2349. 1935
followed. He was not denied forgiveness of sins, as we said above, but the punishment still remained: not that the Father wanted it, for he says in clear words, "You are my strength," as if to say, "I would have liked you to keep this first honor, but you lost it through your own fault.
(58) How is it, then, that he is so hard on his firstborn son? Answer: Jacob is a patriarch to whom great glorious promises were made that he would become great and have many descendants, and Reuben was the father of a tribe. Therefore it was necessary that the killing took place beforehand. For Jacob was afraid that his descendants, whom he knew would be many and mighty, would also commit the sin of his firstborn son. Therefore he punished him as an example to the others, to deter them from committing the same sin. For not all the children of the promise who are children according to the flesh have received the Holy Spirit, but the majority of the people have become completely carnal and have boasted only in their carnal advantage.
59 Therefore it was useful and good to have such a memory of a terrible punishment, which is always granted for and for. Otherwise they might have said, "Oh, there is nothing wrong with my sleeping with my stepmother, for our father Reuben did the same. So it was necessary for the sake of the descendants that Jacob had spoken so harshly against Reuben, namely, that they should beware of such bloodshed and remember that this tribe had been so humiliated and greatly weakened because of the bloodshed Reuben had caused and committed with his stepmother.
60 And though it is true that the other brethren have prayed for Reuben, yet the father would not be moved, because the sin was so great, and not because he wished Reuben to die.
but that he might be saved and learn the greatness of the same sin, and that the memory of this punishment might always remain among the same people, saying, "Reuben deserved this terrible curse because of his great sin. Thus we also proclaim forgiveness of sins to adulterers, thieves, and slayers: but that the unruly mob and the common people may be somewhat restrained and compelled by fear of chastisement and punishment, we do not forbid that they should not be hanged or put to death, lest others also fall into all manner of sin and disgrace. Absalom sinned even more grievously than Reuben, but behold what a miserable and sorrowful end he came to, dying so miserably in his sins.
(61) Therefore, let the people always remember such punishment, that they may have a lesson in it for and for, by which they may be warned to be more on guard against such bloodshed and other such sins. For God is hostile to them and abhors them; just as this tribe has therefore been the poorest and most despised among all descendants. So there is no good word in all this blessing, and might well be called a maledictio, that is, a curse.
Second part.
From the curse that Jacob announces to Simeon and Levi.
V. 5. The brothers Simeon and Levi; their swords found murderous weapons.
62 In this place also the grammarians are not one with each other about the mind and the words. For the word mecheroth they interpret, first, that it means a dwelling; then, they understand by it a sword. We want to understand it in this way, that Jacob wanted to say: Simeon and Levi are brothers not only in nature, but also in wickedness; one is as pious as the other; they are brothers, yes, brothers, they are vessels or instruments of iniquity. For
1936 ".XI. I7S-17S. Interpretation of Genesis 49:5, W. II, 2849-2852. 1937
if you wanted to interpret it: their dwellings, as the Jews interpret it, that would give no sense at all; but one gives it much better thus: Their swords are murderous weapons. Furthermore, the Greeks took the word machaera from Hebrew, just as the word framea is Hebrew, and the Germans have many Hebrew words in their language.
For this reason Jacob also rejects these two and sets another example or punishment against the slayers, murderers of fathers and brothers; just as he also set a punishment against incest before. For both of these sins are harmful in the governments of the countries and cities. Therefore he cursed these brothers for the sake of the children after the flesh in the descendants who would live afterwards, so that they would not use such examples by force to defend their sin and shame. Jacob knew well that they would not all become children according to the spirit, but that the greater part would remain carnal; and because among them the church had to be appointed and provided with laws and world order from time to time, these examples of punishment were necessary so that they would abstain from blood shame and unjust death. After that there was a constant war between Judah and Ephraim, who were brothers. But the priests of the tribe of Levi brought Christ to the cross, and, as some testify, Simeon is said to have been Judah Iscariot's father; and they want this to be the reason why Simeon was not also listed in Moses' blessing.
64 Therefore it occurred to Jacob the patriarch, when he was about to die, that he was thinking: Perhaps the descendants of Simeon and Levi will also become bloodthirsty and patricides. For children commonly follow the manner and nature of their fathers, and so their poison and evil is spread among all their descendants. Therefore he does not speak of these two brothers alone, but of all their descendants, as if he wanted to say: They will also become bloodhounds like their fathers. But if they are changed by the Holy Spirit, then they will be changed.
They must be pious and godly, just as Reuben gave signs of true repentance on several occasions and others. Jacob, however, did not change his prophecy or prophecy, nor did he cancel the punishment; indeed, he made their wickedness grievously great. "Their swords", he says, "find murderous weapons", which only cut, stab and kill people by force. So he sees that the descendants would also become like them if they were not corrected by the Holy Spirit; and therefore he punishes them so severely that they would be admonished and warned by the example of these two brothers, and would know how to refrain from such cruel deeds and deaths and would not sin in this way. The brothers Simeon and Levi, says Jacob, are desperately wicked boys, who have only a desire to strike death and unrighteous violence, that their swords are weapons to practice murder and tyranny with.
65 And indeed this blessing, or rather this curse, was finally fulfilled in Caiaphas, Annas, and the other chief priests, who fiercely persecuted Christ and the apostles. For these two tribes, Simeon and Levi, persuaded the whole multitude of the Jews before Pilate that they should ask to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus.
The holy patriarch saw all this so many centuries before, and concluded that nothing good would come from these two tribes. Many prophets and holy men have come from them, but from the Holy Spirit. But the paternal blood has always snorted with "wrath and murder", as Paul says in Acts 9:1. For this reason it was useful to have an eternal memory of these sins and the punishment that followed.
67 Jacob sees the stories that have happened in his house; he also sees the examples of his ancestors, what happened to Abraham for the sake of Ishmael and what happened to Isaac for the sake of Esau. Therefore he thought, "By my life, I who am the father of the divine promises, in which the eternal goods are so abundantly offered; yes, I say, while I myself am still there....
1938 L. XI, 178-180. interpretation of Genesis 49:5. w. II, S8S2-S8S4. 1939
when I am fresh and healthy and rule the church, this happens: what will happen to the descendants after my death?
68 And in this way Moses also speaks Deut. 31, 27: "For I know your disobedience and stubbornness. Behold, because I live with you this day, ye have been disobedient against the LORD; how much more after my death?" So Jacob saw me that the descendants would be of two kinds: a part of them who would be saved through faith in the promise of the Savior of the whole world, who would come from Jacob's flesh. They were truly counted among the number of the children of Israel or of God; for they have added to the glory of the flesh, that they were Abraham's seed, also the promise of the Messiah, and therefore they are also called by the prophet Isaiah the remnant of Jacob. The other part, however, would be the carnal Israelites, who would boast of the seed of Abraham and other fathers. Just as even today the Jews pride themselves and despise all other nations, and promise themselves that they will become lords over heaven and earth. Yes, they will get hellish fire on their heads.
69 Therefore John the Baptist punishes them very harshly, Matth. 3, 9. 10: "Do not think that you want to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father. I say to you: God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, whatever tree does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Item, there further V. 12.: "And he has his shovel in his hand; he will sweep his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with everlasting fire." The chaff on the threshing floor were the Israelites according to the flesh; the same, he says, shall be cast into everlasting fire; which at last shall prove the end. All the prophets have also inculcated the same thing in them to excess; but they have achieved nothing at all with it, so that they have finally been slain by the people and the false prophets.
70 So today the Church is also
gathered from the saints and the ungodly. But we cannot persuade the papists that they are Simeon and Levi: they also want to be Abraham's children and ascribe to themselves the name and title of the church.
For this reason Jacob wanted to establish such a horrible memory of this sin and the punishment of his sons, that they had something to reproach their brazen foreheads and iron necks with. But they could not be softened or improved by any sermon or example; indeed, they still retain their iron foreheads to this day; just as our papists are also hardened and hardened. All the prophets have been slain over this.
Therefore Jacob thinks, "If my sons have been allowed to do such evil deeds in my lifetime: Reuben has gone up to his father's camp, which is indeed a wicked outrageous deed (for what honor can it be to do such an unrighteous deed to one's father and mother, to bring his parents to horrible contempt and disgrace, since Jacob himself was still alive and present and had himself witnessed such a sin and disgrace? If he had been born of a pagan or Canaanite father, he should have paid homage to him by the guidance of nature: but now he does so to me, his father, who have divine promise and according to it teach and govern my church and community. Even though I have forgiven and pardoned his sin, there must still be a punishment for the sake of the descendants who will live hereafter, because the sin is so abominable and great. For Reuben could not have despised and trampled underfoot his father more shamefully than with this very incest. Therefore, he may bear this punishment as an example to frighten others into learning to obey God and their parents, or they may know that they will be subject to the executioner and the devil himself.
73And cannot these examples be sufficiently impressed upon the people at all times, since Jacob, the patriarch, himself
1940 L. XI. 180-182. interpretation of I Moses 49, 5. 6. **W. n. 2884-2857.** 1941
taught and preached, his sons have sinned so shamefully. And we must not think that he saw such things and preached them before without great pain. You well remember, he will have said, how with such great diligence and faithfulness I have exhorted you to believe in God and to honor your parents; and you have also heard many other salutary sermons concerning spiritual things and also concerning the worldly police. But these godly sermons all unnoticed and even put aside, you have not refrained from reviling your father, nor from killing your brother. I do not condemn you eternally, but only announce to you the punishment of God, which will pass over your house and your family, so that others may be deterred from committing the same sins.
- and from this it is seen what a vain and futile boast it is that the Jews boasted that they had come from the fathers according to the flesh, where the Holy Spirit and grace were not present. For look at the descendants of Jacob, from whom Christ was born, as we will hear in the blessing of Jude.
75 And this prophecy or curse was not in vain, but passed over the whole generation of Simeon and Levi, except a few, as Moses, Aaron, Samuel, and some others, who separated themselves from the wicked; and in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 6, v. 7, it is written that a great multitude of priests were converted to the obedience of faith. Otherwise the prophets now and then complain about the tyranny of the priests, who raged against the pious godly teachers and who always thirsted for their blood. These were all Simeon's and Levi's brothers and descendants.
V. 6 My soul shall not enter into their council, neither shall my glory be in their church.
76 Jacob does not speak here of the soul of a single person, but of all descendants. For he calls his "soul" and his "honor" the whole people and all the saints, who are not according to the flesh alone, but
would also be true Israelites according to the spirit; as Paul describes them Gal. 6, 16. He knew well that he was promised by God that he would have many and glorious descendants. He commands his descendants to beware of these boys. As if he wanted to say: I admonish and beg you to beware of the example and advice of these two brothers: what is of my body and soul, beware of them. And this I will have testified with this my last will, that my soul shall not come into their council, neither shall it unite with their church and assembly. For thus it is written in the Hebrew, "my honor," not that which concerns my person alone, but that of all the people that would come from Jacob. All those who shall ever be born of me, may God preserve and keep them from uniting with such a church and from granting their thing; But let my people and my blood remember to keep the divine promise and commandments, and not to depart from the faith, nor to turn away from the right works of faith, and to turn to the evil works of the lost, as these tyrants and slayers, even the abominable murderers of fathers and brothers, Simeon and Levi, have done.
(77) As this hard speech and request was necessary for the blood and descendants of Jacob at that time, so it should be repeated and diligently practiced at all times and throughout the world. And we should ask God not to let us fall into such horrible vices. God forbid that we become fratricides, for these are far too crude. There have been truly horrible cases and unheard-of examples of patricide and incest among the people, the like of which can hardly be found in the histories of the pagans. It is the devil. So great is the power and tyranny of the devil that the holier the people, the more wicked and evil they are. The richer and brighter the light of the word shines, the greater the contempt of the word. Jacob is also concerned about his descendants, especially Simeon and Levi, that nothing good will come from them,
1942 xi, iss-M. Interpretation of Genesis 49:6. w. n, 2W7-28M. 1943
but he proclaims the very worst of them beforehand.
78 He does not speak of grace, but of nature. For we are by nature the children of wrath, and are therefore also inclined and bent upon all manner of sins, upon abominable murder, fornication, robbery, etc., where grace would not help and save us. Therefore Jacob curses such a corrupt nature, which is so very shameful and evil, by which also these vessels of sins have been blindly driven, and prays that God will keep the descendants by the promise and in His grace.
For in their wrath they have slain the man, and in their boldness they have spoiled the ox.
79 The commentators have various opinions about this text. Jerome and many others interpret the first part as referring to the men who were slain in Shechem because of the desecration of Dinah, and say that here the singular is used synecdochically for the plural, that is, by the word "man" "men" are to be understood; but the other part they refer to Joseph, which I do not like, and I think that both should be understood of Joseph alone. For that these brethren sold Joseph, and slew so much of them, is so great a sin, that it was needful that a memorial should have been kept of it, for an example, and for the terror of wicked men, who would follow Simeon and Levi in it.
(80) And Jacob at that time had in mind and looked upon all the descendants. He knew well that the priests would rage and rage cruelly against the prophets and other godly people, as Simeon and Levi trampled their brother Joseph underfoot during his life and grieved their old father to death. This was truly a great contempt for paternal authority and can never be made great enough.
(81) Now there was no other cause of such great enmity against their brother, but only the love and favor which the Father bore to this Son. Therefore are
They were thus embittered against him and hated him so fiercely, and decided among themselves that they would not spare their father's old age, nor Joseph's life, but would only rage against Joseph in the most horrible way, and would enfeeble and kill his father with sorrow and pain, which he had to bear for two and twenty years, regardless of all the commandments and promises of God, which Jacob, as a very faithful bishop and teacher, had held out to his whole house. These were the fruits of such godly and diligent teaching. It would not have been surprising if thunder and lightning had struck it.
82 Therefore I understand these words from no one else but Joseph alone. For the men of Shechem had well deserved the punishment, and the other countrymen and neighbors had admitted it and consented that Jacob should keep their place of land. But Joseph sinned against his brethren nothing, but that he had chosen a dream without any interpretation, or desire to rule over his brethren; which was signified and signified that the sun and eleven stars were inclined before him. He was a very pious innocent youth, whom the father loved very much, and Simeon and Levi also sinned so much more grievously because of it; for they had no cause for such cruel tyranny as they exercised over him.
For this reason they were justly rejected and punished with this physical curse. And if the Holy Spirit had not, by special gifts, raised up some prophets from their descendants (as many excellent men came from them, such as Moses, Aaron, Samuel and others), this tribe would have remained unknown and despised.
84 But it is asked here, Why these two, Simeon and Levi, are called brethren, when the ten others also were brethren? Lyra and some of the other Hebrews answer very well, namely, that Moses wanted to put these two together in an abominable sin, because they were companions when they killed their brother. For Reuben had rebelled and multiplied,
1944 k. xi, is-iss. Interpretation of Genesis 49:6. w. ii. ssao-ssss. 1945
that they should not kill Joseph, and had devised counsel how they should not slay or kill him, but rather cast him into the pit, that he might deliver him out of the hands and tyranny of his brethren. But because he stank with them at that time, and had no reputation for the incest which he had committed, Simeon and Levi despised him therein also.
Judah did nothing against Joseph, and he advised them to sell him, so that he might save his brother's life. The other brothers, Dan, Asher and Naphtali, were not the founders or initiators of this cruel tyranny. For Moses said that Joseph had always been with the sons of the concubines and had stood by them. Therefore Simeon and Levi despised Reuben with the other sons born of the maidens, and with the great pride and pride of the two brothers, the same sons of the concubines must have been despised and rejected. But where Zebulun and Issachar did something, they did it not out of their own discretion, but on the advice and instruction of these two. For they were twelve or thirteen years old when this sin was committed.
86 For this cause Simeon and Levi were the first founders and ringleaders that Joseph was sold, who after Reuben were more excellent in age and glory than the rest. Therefore Jacob is angry with them now that he has learned the matter, though he does not disinherit them, but concludes that the children after the flesh and their descendants will be ungodly, who will do no good. Except for a few, such as Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, who were not born of the flesh, but by the grace of God were godly and holy. For God sometimes makes the worst out of the best and the best out of the worst. Just as Petro, when he denied the Lord Christ, became an excellent, fearless man who then freely confessed Christ. In the same way, Paulo, who before was a blasphemer and persecutor of Christ, became a great apostle.
Otherwise, where it is without God, they remain the worst, as can be seen in the Levites Korah and Dathan, who sat down against Moses, who was called by God and performed miraculous signs. This was Simeon's and Levi's family, whom they were like when they tried to kill Moses and Aaron. Yes, look at Miriam and Aaron, who also murmured against Moses.
(87) Jacob therefore willed that this example should stand there, that the descendants should have it before their eyes for ever, and remember it in their hearts. For what could be more unjust, says Jacob, than that Simeon and Levi should do such violence to my dearest son, born of my most noble wife, while I myself still govern the church and teach the gospel of the future seed, and with such great diligence inculcate in them the commandments of God? Joseph was also very harsh and unkind to his brothers, especially Simeon and Levi, because he was afraid they would have strangled Benjamin.
008 Therefore the guilt is all of them together upon these two brethren, of whom Jacob saith, For in their anger they slew the man. For though they did not indeed slay him, yet they did not lack good will, and they refrained from slaying him, when Reuben and Judah would not have withstood them. This is clear from their words when they say, Cap. 37:20, "Come, and let us slay him, saying that an evil beast hath devoured him." There was not only the will, but rather a fierce anger and nonsense, yes, it was also the right action; and he would have had to die in the same hour, if the other brothers had not opposed their nonsensical action and resisted it. And Joseph could not see or think anything else than that now the danger of death was present. That is why Judah also says Cap. 42:21: "This we did unto our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him." Item there v. 22. Reuben also says, "Now his blood is required. "2c. They speak traun
1946 n, rs". is7. Interpretation of Genesis 49:6. w. ii. S863-2S6S. 1947
even before Joseph, whom they considered the lord of the land, no other than as if his blood had been shed. For there was a perfect purpose, which is counted and counted for the work; for the will to slay Joseph was perfect with them. Therefore Jacob says, "They have slain the man." And for this reason he calls Joseph a man, because he was so excellent and great, as if to say, They have slain me an excellent man. I mean that he became a man, the man that the whole world does not have.
- And he can truly be compared to the great men of the Old and New Testaments, to Moses, to David. Should they remain unpunished for having slain the holy youth and such a great man? It is still enough that they are not destroyed and annihilated. And the same is done for my sake, says Jacob, God spares them, that they are not utterly cut off, as they would have deserved with their sins. But I want the descendants to always remember this death they committed against their father and brother, so that their children's children and those who will be born from them may learn how to honor their parents and love their brothers. Therefore, my dear sons and grandsons, who want to be true Israelites, take care that you do not become Simeonites and Levites: always flee from these murderers of brothers and fathers.
When the other brothers heard this sad and sharp sermon, no doubt their tears would have run down their cheeks, they would have sighed miserably, and even Joseph; and the father would not have been able to pronounce this curse without sighing and weeping. Truly, I would not be able to speak out or hear this without great movement of the heart and all the bowels.
- But the world and the wicked do not allow the wrath and curse of God to move them; and yet this curse has been much applied to those who have been spiritual Israelites. As, David, Solomon and others more are
were moved by this example to think for and for how they should honor their parents and have them before their eyes. But Absalom and others despised it. I do believe that Simeon and Levi were saved as far as their souls were concerned, but the shame and stain remained on their entire family. And it was indeed such an example, which ought to have been remembered for good, that thereby the descendants might be awakened and admonished to show due reverence to their parents and brethren, lest they also bring upon themselves the same curse and punishment which Reuben, Simeon, and Levi bore: Behold, dear child, how it hath befallen Simeon and Levi. As we now exhort the youth to be obedient to their parents and schoolmasters, lest they get the thief-stealer and Satan for a master, and must follow and obey the same.
(92) The Hebrew word razon means will; as, in the 51st Psalm, v. 20: "Do well to Zion according to thy mercy," or good will, and here means so much that they have willed to slay their brother, though they have not done the same, and that the same will be counted for the work. Just as the jurists also condemn him who is found to be certain of intending to do something evil, namely, if it does not stand with him who has undertaken to do something, that he cannot do it.
(93) Now Jacob's saying, "And in their will they destroyed the ox," has the same meaning as the previous words, except that it repeats in other words what he said before. For often in the Scriptures the same thing is expressed in different ways, so as to indicate that it is certain. As Joseph was given two different dreams, both of which had the same meaning, that is, through the sheaves and through the sun, moon and stars. And we have heard that in the dreams of Pharaoh by the ears and cows also one was meant. According to this, the prophets also very often use this figure, that is
1948 D. n. IS7-1SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49:6, W. **II. 286S-WS8.** 1949
is called tautoIoZia, when one repeats the same thing with other words, to express that what they have proclaimed is certain, and that it will thus come. So Isaiah very often speaks the same thing with two different sayings. So also in this place it is said of Joseph that they slew him, "They slew the man, and they slew the ox." This is a peculiar way, which the holy scripture needs for and for, and belongs to the fact that thereby the listeners should be strengthened, so that they do not doubt what is said.
94 The word sheor means more than one thing. Those who understand this text of the men of Shechem interpret it to mean wall; in which sense it will be used later in the blessing of Joseph. Shir means song; sharah means dominion, wall, or perhaps kingdom; it is often used in the third book of Moses; and the word shor is everywhere understood to mean ox.
The newer or present Jews commonly use the word shorbor, which Lyra also remembers, and say that it is an ox, of which they fable that it is fattened with the grass on the mountains and also in the valleys, that it is slaughtered on the last day, and that those who are to be saved will eat of its flesh. As Mahomet also writes in his Alkoran about the fish Leviathan, which is a great Welsh fish in the sea, of which in the 104th Psalm is written v. 26: "There are whale fish, which you have made to jest in the sea" 2c. From the same fish Mahomet also lets himself dream that he will be nourished in this life and that he will serve a beautiful virgin afterwards 2c. But I want to let go of the lie heiding.
(96) The word sheor in the Hebrew language means not only wall, but also ox. Therefore one should read at this place: They have choked my ox sheerly. And Genesis 5 Mos. 33, 17. says of Joseph, "His glory is like a firstborn ox." A firstborn ox is highly praised in the Scriptures, because it feeds and provides for the house, and one was not allowed to sacrifice an ox before the
He was like the head of the household and a pillar of the house. And the heathen also abstained from using the same oxen for plowing; for they not only plowed, but also threshed. Therefore the works or labor of the ox are highly praised in the law. Solomon also says Prov. 14:4: "Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean; but where the ox is busy, there is much income." The law also forbids, Deut. 25:4, that the ox that threshes should have its mouth tied.
- Therefore Jacob wants to say this much: The man, who in the long time of the drought not only fed all Egypt, but also all of us, who otherwise, where it would have been without him, would have had to die of hunger, and whom I loved especially, because he was born in my age, and whom everyone held dear and valuable because of his good nature and great godliness: They have taken away the strength of this ox, says Jacob, but they have not killed him, and would gladly have prevented him from being the firstborn, or father and king, and from succeeding me most closely in my family. Now, however, he has been raised to such great glory that he has yet to become a father in Egypt and in my whole house. Oh, how their counsel and their will, their secretum, have gone on so finely!
Such examples and deeds of the wicked should always be taught and held up to the church or congregation of God, so that we may know how their attempts are hindered and thwarted by God, so that they may gain a clean course, even though they lack neither great power nor wisdom. How Jacob finely illustrates this to his sons, namely, when he says: "How finely you, Simeon and Levi, prevented Joseph from being the firstborn and the dear son of the father! Behold, he is now a prince, and feedeth us all.
(99) Thus the tyrants, with their atrocious and bloodthirsty edicts and counsels, accomplish nothing but to raise the godly whom they persecute to ever greater glory and, at last, to eternal bliss; for they also want to bring peace and happiness.
1950 L. xi. iN-isi. Interpretation of I Genesis 49:6, 7. W. ii. rsss-seii. 1951
The pope could not tolerate the same ox and pious man. So the pope also strangled the holy martyr John Huss, could not tolerate the same ox and pious man. But what benefit did he get from the murder? He is dead now. What does, I say, the pope get out of it? From that time on, praise God, the light of the gospel began to shine much more clearly in the hearts of the godly than before, and Christ began to kill him with the spirit of his mouth, 2 Thess. 2, 8.
In this way, God willed that there should be an example in the whole world of how Simeon and Levi were punished for being murderers of fathers and brothers, so that we would not follow them and become like them, because, unfortunately, we see that such sins are often committed in the world with all violence, when people are safe, and are tempted by Satan, so that they will not let themselves be forced and restrained either by laws or by examples of punishment.
V. 7: Cursed be their anger because it is so fierce, and their wrath because it is so troublesome. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
There is nothing more harmful among the people and in the whole government than fierce anger, cruelty and tyranny, especially against the blood of the brothers and against our own flesh. Therefore Jacob calls it an accursed anger, that it is so fierce and strong, that is, so tyrannical and fierce.
102 Now where the curse of these two brothers and the dispersion were fulfilled cannot easily be seen from the histories. There is no doubt that the tribe of Levi and the other sons of Israel had no inheritance and no place of their own in the land, and the same is well known of Simeon's descendants. Although this curse seems to be very small and light, it is true that if it is considered and considered correctly, there is a great wrath in it.
But all things are reserved for grace, which has made of the worst sinners the very best pastors or shepherds of souls.
As the example of Paul testifies, who was a great persecutor and blasphemer, and yet by God's grace became the highest apostle, and worked more than any of the other apostles. So from the tribe of Levi came great prophets and rulers, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Samuel, Korah, very excellent men, that it also seemed as if God had forgotten this threat and curse. And you will not easily find such excellent men in any other tribe, except the tribe of Judah. For whom shall we compare with Moses, Aaron, Samuel, item, Zechariah, John the Baptist and many other great men? all of whom were of this lineage. And Deut. 33:8 ff. Moses prophesied great things in the promise of the tribe of Levi, although Jacob does not speak a good word of it here, not considering such excellent great men who came from this tribe.
For this reason I have said above that this rule should be diligently observed, namely, that God may indeed be angry and punish, but that He does so with mercy and compassion for the sake of repentant sinners. When he proclaimed that Nineveh was to be turned back and destroyed, and the Ninevites turned to God after hearing the admonition, the threat was changed and God spared them. But if they had continued and persisted in their sins, ruin would undoubtedly have followed, and they would have perished.
105 And Jacob, understanding and knowing the manner and nature of Simeon and Levi, because they had slain the men of Shechem, and sold Joseph, thought that their seed would be no less tyrannical when they came into the regiment, unless grace came and broke it. Thus, I say, he thought: If they come to the regiment, they will not do well. They are by nature so vicious, cruel and bloodthirsty that if it were to be hoped that some offspring would be born from them, one could not doubt that those same offspring would also be bloodthirsty.
1952 " n. isi-iss. Interpretation of Genesis 49:7. w. n. 2S71-2873. 1953
become greedy, fierce and tyrannical. Therefore, God forbid the example.
- But God's grace is all possible. Thus Korah arouses a great uproar and he himself perishes. But the great miracle follows that, since he was swallowed up with all his possessions, his children are still preserved, who were praised afterwards for their great virtue, since they wrote many beautiful psalms, which can easily be compared with the psalms of David; and yet they were of the family of Levi and Korah. But those who followed the cruel tyranny of their father according to the blood and cursed flesh, and original sin, they perished. But the others, who were preceded by the grace and mercy of God, were holy and blessed.
Therefore, God keeps this rule for and for. He holds up his threat to people and yet chooses something good out of evil people and sinners. As from the whole human race, which was lost because of sins, he still makes some blessed. As Cain and his descendants were lost, and yet many were undoubtedly converted. Thus Ishmael, the Edomites and Moabites were enemies of the people of God, and yet among them many also came to the true knowledge of God and were saved. For Christ was born of a Cananite and a Moabite. These are exceptions of grace and special gifts; but nature always proceeds in the curse, as Levi's and Simeon's curse was: the kind is not good. I condemn, says Jacob, the evil kind and nature, because of which also some pious people will fall and suffer, although they will be set apart from the others by God's grace.
(108) What harm and misfortune these tribes suffered is not known, nor is it all understood in the Scriptures. It is enough that it is shown that they had no inheritance or property of their own in the land of Canaan. Simeon received a small piece of land and a corner, as it were, in the tribe of Judah, which tribe had a very large portion.
Simeon was allowed to stay in one place in the land of Judah, and it was not a small pity, even in time.
(109) And was not this a small trial, that the Levites had no part or inheritance with their brethren, but as it is said in Deut. 10:9, "The LORD is their inheritance. For they have eaten of the sacrifice of the people, and have dwelt in some suburbs, being scattered now and then through all the tribes, without kingdom or government. They were shepherd boys and cow milkers, who had to feed themselves now and then scattered among the other tribes. Although it is honest and praiseworthy to be fed by the inheritance of the Lord and by the sacrifice. But it is a miserable life because of the wickedness and great avarice of men. Grace GOD to those who are to feed on it! In Nehemiah and other places you can see how they fed the Levites, and how they feed us now.
(110) For the Christians also have a commandment and a commandment that they should keep the priests and ministers of the word, as Christ says Luc. 10:7: "A laborer is worthy of his hire"; and 1 Cor. 9:14: "The Lord hath commanded that they which preach the gospel should feed on the gospel." But some are better fed than others, and they are done more good. Some are also kept small enough, but they are almost all maintained together in such a way that they need more. In addition, the parishes and the goods that belong to them are not hereditary. In the same way, we have to think that it also happened with the Jews. Both citizens and peasants in the other tribes kept the Levites poor enough, so that this prophecy and curse of Jacob affected them hard enough, and that also pious holy men had to experience the same curse, Moses, Aaron, Samuel, who did not have much other good, although they did much hard work and accomplished many great things for the sake of God. And they themselves boast of this before God; as it says in 1 Sam 12:3, where Samuel says: "You know that I do not want anyone's
1954 L- n, iss-iss. Interpretation of I Moses 49, 7. M. n, 2374-2376. 1955
No one has taken oxen or donkeys, nor has anyone done violence or injustice" 2c.
The pious also had to bear the curse, but they suffered with patience and overcame such poverty with patience in faith. The other tribes have for their entertainment, as the prophet Malachi laments Cap. 3, v. 8. 9, gave only the lees of their goods; as the Hebrew says. What they themselves did not like was good for the priests.
(112) Hence the terrible misfortune of idolatry in the tribe of Levi, even in that part which was holy (for I am not speaking of the priesthood of Jeroboam), that they devised such practices that they might gain much. Because they were despised and neglected for the sake of the right true worship and the pure sound doctrine, they invented other worship services, which had a great appearance, and were outwardly before the eyes of the people, that they enjoyed them, so that the priests might be more honored and obtain money and goods with them. Such were the services they performed for Baal Peor, Astaroth and Camos, to which all the people gave with great willingness and devotion, and were thus justly punished for their foolishness. And since they gave nothing before or gave evil and unfaithfully for the preservation and spreading of the right true worship, they then made the Baalites and other idolatrous priests rich and honored them with the highest willingness. Thus 1 Kings 18:19 Jezebel fed and sustained four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred other prophets who practiced false worship in the groves.
The same thing happens in our times to faithful priests, to whom farmers and citizens do not give much more than black bread, and as the prophet Isaiah says in chapter 30, v. 20. V. 20: They are fed with bread in tribulation, and with water in distress 2c. Therefore, God is also provoked to wrath by their false worship, sacrificial mass, purgatory, indulgences and invocation of the dead saints.
As Paul says in 2 Thess. 2, 10-12: "For not having received the love of the truth, that they might be saved, God will send them strong errors, that they may believe the lie. That all may be judged who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness." Hence the glory and power of the pope and his bishops have become so great, for they are now princes and lords over the whole world. But why do they preach the gospel and wait so diligently for souls? Not at all. Why then? Because they practice idolatry with indulgences and sacrificial masses. This gives them much money and goods, with which they have erected great monasteries and convents, and the most magnificent palaces, which the Turk could not do with all his money and goods. They did not want to listen to the right priests and pastors, so God sent them powerful errors, so that they would honor the God of Moses, as Daniel proclaimed in the 11th chapter, v. 38. V. 38. and honored the God of whom their fathers knew nothing with gold, silver, precious stones and jewels. This is how we want it.
And if the light of the gospel should go out, and the darkness, from which God would graciously protect us, should again prevail, the common people would be no less senseless, and the people would give much money and goods with even greater eagerness and foolishness to confirm the errors than has happened before. For the nature of men is idolatrous and superstitious, flees from the right true God, from right worship and fear of God: but the trust in their self-devised worship and works they always exalt very highly. From this the priests become rich and great lords. Just as in the papacy there was no number or measure of useless giving and gifts. The barefoot monks have deceived and sucked the people with their lying theatrics in a very gruesome way with the rosaries and ten Our Fathers; they stopped at all the doors. The people took a liking to this and accepted such things with great eagerness, and even gave freely and, as they say, with both hands.
1956 XI, ISS-IS7. Interpretation of Genesis 49, 7. W. n, 2876-287S. 1957
hands to it. But what is now being directed at schools and ministers of the Word must all be designed to be most evil, as the common people judge of it; yes, they would also like to rob the church ministers of the spoils of Egypt, which they still have left over from the papacy.
So some holy men, priests and Levites among the people of Israel, bore this punishment because of their father's sin; though they were not like their father, they bore this curse. But the others, who did not follow the example of Moses and Samuel and their godliness, were much worse than Simeon and the other descendants. They have completely given in to the idolatrous worship and persecuted the true prophets, and have not abstained from the sin that Jacob so vehemently cursed.
How today the pope in Rome deals with it only according to his highest diligence, that he strangles pious godly people, and is such a horrible fratricide that no one can understand his cruelty, neither with words nor with thoughts. Above this, he also robs the whole world and seizes all earthly goods by force. So great is the wrath of God against the ingratitude of men. Because they do not want to listen to the good, pious pastors, they may listen to the evil and murderers, the Simeons and Levites, who are cursed by nature, and because of that are drawn to idolatry and all kinds of sins.
But a few godly and pious people in the same lineage, who were preceded and preserved by God's grace, thought that it was their due to be satisfied with what God had bestowed upon them and allowed them to have, and so they said, "We will be content with the fact that the Lord is our inheritance, and He will abundantly reward, restore and repay us for what we lack in this life.
- How nowadays pious and godly church servants in such great tribulations and hardships are able to maintain themselves with this consolation?
since they conclude with themselves: The Lord of glory himself was crucified and died for us, so why should we not also suffer with patience when something unpleasant happens to us?
And truly, if we were not helped by God's grace and mercy, we would also fall into the same sins that Jacob, the father, imposes on his sons, Simeon and Levi, and for which he chides them so severely. And if I had remained a monk, I would also help to persecute Christ with other enemies of the gospel of this time, and pious godly teachers who oppose the papacy. But grace has changed my nature so that I would not join the enemy and shed innocent blood. For this reason, the punishment of these two brothers should be diligently remembered. For this has been the cause of many great sins among the wicked, who thereafter have wrought false worship and idolatry, and have also caused the persecutions of holy pious people.
- but Moses countered this curse with a beautiful, glorious blessing, Deut. 33:9, so that you may understand from it that this tribe is not completely deprived of all blessings, even though Jacob took everything from it in this place; but he wants to condemn the evil nature and the old example with it. But Moses preached to those who would be among the spiritual descendants, saying, "He that saith to his father and to his mother, I see him not; and to his brother, I know him not; they keep thy speech. "2c. Then Moses interprets the curse and moderates or softens it, as if to say: Levi, you were cursed by Jacob, if you want to follow nature and boast that you belong according to the flesh among the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Levi 2c. Therefore it is necessary that you put on a different nature and say: I do not know you 2c., and that you do not rely on the paternal blood and defy it, if you want to teach and keep the commandments of the Lord correctly. As stated in the 45th Psalm v. 11.
1958 n. 1S7-1SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49:7-9. W. II, 2874-2887. 1959
which seems to be taken from here: "Listen, daughter, look at it, and incline your ears, forget your people and your father's house" 2c. Therefore, you will have to become a different man, regardless of how or who your grandfather, father, and all your flesh and nature have been. Yes, you must be of such a mind that you say, "I know nothing of my fathers and brothers, 2c. I know only the Lord Himself, and will boast of Him alone; as John 1:13 says, "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God."
(121) But this admonition the Levites and Simeonites despise; therefore they know of nothing more to boast of than that they are born of the lineage of the fathers, and therefore cannot be rejected of God. But Moses teaches the opposite and says: "You shall say, 'I know not the blood, neither my father nor my brother. And Paul says Rom. 9, 8: "These are not the children of God, which are children after the flesh: but the children of promise are counted for seed." And the same is also firmly concluded in this place. For Simeon and Levi are children, and come of the blood that is blessed, and yet are accursed and scattered.
But they boasted nothing less because of the blood of the father, and hold a disgust for the promise and grace. As the pope also always drives and repeats some piece: We are the Church, we are the Church; therefore we cannot err and the others shall obey us. Against this glory it is said here, "Cursed be their wrath." Therefore, that you may be saved from this curse, hearken to this admonition of Moses, and say, "I know you not. "2c. We are not the church because of the ordinary succession as it came to us from the ancestors, but we believe in the Son of God.
- So we have heard two curses of three sons of Jacob, which are very hard and sad, which Moses alleviates afterwards, when he says Deut. 33, 6: "Ru
2c., which Jacob also wants to have understood in this way; "but his people are few," says Moses. Item, Simeon shall be scattered; but if he shall say to his father and mother, I know you not, he shall not abide in the curse of nature and blood; but if not, he shall have no happiness, shall be wicked and ungodly; as Caiphas and Annas were afterwards. Now follows the fourth blessing, which is very glorious.
Third part.
From the blessings and promises so received by Judah.
Judah, thou art, thy brethren shall praise thee. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's children will bow down to you. Judah is a young lion. You have come up high, my son, by great victories. He hath bowed down, and lain down like a lion, and like a lioness: who shall rise up against him?
124 Now this is a beautiful and glorious promise, for he says nothing evil of Judah, but only the very best and most glorious, even though this tribe also had very wicked kings. Therefore, as he is silent here about all curses, so he did not even think about blessings above, and only presented nature as an example, as he now extols grace in this place. For in this tribe there have been godless kings, such as Jeroboam, Ahaz, Shallum, Manasseh, and others; and yet nothing but good is said here of Judah.
The cause and origin of this great rich blessing is the one flower, which should come into the world from this people of God, namely, Christ Jesus, for whose sake all good things must be said, not of nature, but of grace. And this is a peculiar wisdom or revelation, that he distinguishes it so clearly in this tribe from the seed; to which light belongs not only prudence of reason and worldly understanding, but a peculiar spirit, which was in this Shepherd; for it is not
1960 L. LI. 1SS-soi. Interpretation of Genesis 49:8, 9. W. N, 2887-2889. 1961
He was not a political or secular shepherd, but a shepherd of his flock and of his church, to which church he preached such great and certain things.
No doubt the sons of Jacob waited with great longing and weeping and groaning for the other thing their father was about to say, because they were very upset and frightened when they heard such harsh and cruel curses. And it was indeed very hard that the father, now that he was to die, had shown himself to be so hard and stiff-necked, and as it seems, so cruel, in rejecting the three sons. Then they will have cried and prayed: Oh not, dear father 2c. Nevertheless he continues, but does not change at all what he once said or ordered for the sake of the descendants; for he has well seen that their vices and sins would have to be prevented with imprisonment and other punishments.
(127) And Judah also could not refrain from weeping, and it occurred to him that he would have feared what would become of him, or of the rest, because the three were so rejected? He will have thought: Help God! What will become of me! Now it comes to you. Very sad thoughts will have risen in his heart about his sins and vices, about the fornication he committed with Tamar, and about the advice he gave them to sell Joseph. It is a frightening thing when consciences are frightened and terrified, especially when such a great patriarch preaches; and there was no other consolation, except that they should still live and have descendants. I would truly have died of sorrow and tears, and would have said: Stop it, dear father, I am dying of sorrow.
(128) And soon there followed a sweet dew and a sweet balm, and restored their hearts. For Judah is blessed temporally and spiritually, and the father says to him: "Judah, you are", that is, you are the firstborn prince, father and head of my people. Joseph also has many blessings, and Judah would have deserved to be blessed by his father.
should have cursed; but that God may show and prove that He gives His blessings by grace and not by merit, therefore He applies this blessing to Judah; that we may know what we are, that we are by God's goodness and grace alone. As Augustine says: We know that we are what we are by God's grace. We know that we are creatures out of God's goodness, not out of merit. It has pleased God that no one should boast except in the Lord.
But Jacob prefers Judah and sets him above his other brothers, saying, "Your brothers will praise you," that is, you will be famous, great and glorious in the sight of all the others, so that your brothers will also praise you. 2c. And at last it came to pass, as Jacob hath declared here before.
130 And Jacob saith, Thou shalt not only be glorified among thy brethren, but thou shalt also be victorious against thine enemies. Thou shalt have many enemies: but be of good cheer, and do not fear; there is no need.
But very few have believed these promises, as Obed, David, and those like them; the rest have not believed. And yet it is a certain and firm word, in which he promises him honor and victory against the enemies. "Thy hand," saith he, "shall be upon the neck of thine enemies:" that is, thine enemies shall not overpower thee, but shall flee before thee, and thou shalt hasten after them. And "thy father's children shall bow down to thee," as if to say, "Those who have the same origin and power from their father shall all be called the seed of Jacob, but thou shalt be the captain and prince of the people; they shall hold thee in honor, and wonder at thee. The same was subsequently fulfilled both in the others, but especially in David. And Jacob has very magnificently portrayed the great power and strength of Judah, when he calls him a young lion. For there is no doubt that more and greater things were accomplished than are written in the Scriptures. Just as the curses against Cain and Ishmael are not all described.
1962 L. n. M1-AK. Interpretation of Genesis 49:8, 9, W. n. 288S-28S2. 1963
But these promises are to be understood in spirit and faith, even concerning the temporal. As can be seen in the history of David, where it seems as if God had forgotten him and what he had promised him, because it was so difficult for him to be chosen and confirmed as king. And since he was already chosen, he could not have a certain place or seat in the whole kingdom for ten years. That is why there were so many psalms, all of which were made because of the countless dangers and persecutions he suffered at the hands of Saul. And at last, having come to the kingdom, he falls shamefully into great abominable sin, and is very severely afflicted, having borne the punishment for such sin, and having been in distress.
For this reason I said in the beginning of this chapter that the divine promises require and want faith, and that the two things, promise and faith, belong together: they are correlativa, as they are called in the schools. For without the promise we cannot believe, and without faith the promise is nothing and out of force, if we want to accept it according to the deed and the work. Therefore it is necessary that a man who has divine promise knows this art rightly and well, which Paul teaches and describes in the example of Abraham, Rom. 4:18; to believe in hope where there is nothing to hope for, and to hope in a thing and believe it, when it is already all absurd. For if a man does not know this, he will not be able to stand and will never be saved.
As we have in the New Testament the promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the sacraments and in the gospel. But if you look at the work itself and want to follow the judgment and understanding of the flesh and the eyes, you will have to judge that nothing can be less true than that which is proclaimed and promised to you of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the gospel. For we see before our eyes that men die and are buried with great dishonor, that they are also eaten by worms.
and consumed, so that no animal's carrion is more shameful or disgusting than the dead body of man. Does this mean to have an eternal life, to be miserably destroyed and buried in the earth, to be consumed and turned back into dust and ashes, and the same so utterly hideous and disgraceful that, as the dead bodies are commonly painted, toads are born from the brain of man and snakes from the intestines? Still, the faith there should certainly conclude, hold and hope that there will be a resurrection and the body will come back to life.
It is such a great and wonderful art to believe and hope, and faith is well described in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 11, v. 1. V. 1: "Faith is a certain confidence in what one hopes for, and not doubting what one does not see. For Noah believed that he would be preserved in the flood, when he saw with his own eyes that the whole world was drowned and perished. And he that knoweth not this art is not a Christian, neither shall he be heir of the things which are spoken of and promised to the faithful in the word.
In the same way, when the history of David is compared with these words of Jacob, it seems very strange and contrary to this promise. For if David had not been full of faith, he would never have done and suffered what is told in his history and story. Behold how he fought with such great courage against Goliath, and suddenly laid him low with a stone; how he so boldly and confidently mocked and despised the magnificent words and threats of that same great giant. Shall we think that he did this without faith? Yes, that is how David was minded: I have a favorable and gracious God, therefore I will confidently continue and fight against this proud Philistine. He could not see God, as he saw before his eyes the great giant who mocked the witness of Israel and offered him battle.
1964 L n, 2M-2O5. Interpretation of Genesis 49:8, 9. W. II, 2892-289S. 1965
He went out to comfort the enemy, so that he did not doubt that with God's help he would put him down and slay him, as the story of 1 Sam. 17:36 ff. testifies.
137 So you will see nothing else in the other histories of David, but only wonderful fights and quarrels, and especially when it is described how he broke the marriage and killed Uriah. This was truly a terrible trial, and everything went against hope, since he defiled himself with the very grave vices of adultery, murder and blasphemy, for which sin he was afraid that he would be rejected and condemned by God; therefore he prays the 51st Psalm v. 13: "Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Therefore, if we had looked at his life and the whole history with all his works, we could never have believed that this prophecy of Jacob would be fulfilled. The enemies raged against him everywhere, both within the country and from without, and everything was full of despair, so that no one could think that he should have attained the kingdom and how he would remain in it, since he had already obtained it. Yet he tore through and overcame the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Syrians, and wherever he turned, he was always victorious over his enemies.
139 Therefore this must be understood spiritually, so that faith holds fast to the promise, as David himself says in Psalm 21:2: "O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength"; item in Psalm 44:5-7: "God, you are the same my king who promised Jacob help. Through you we will crush our enemies; in your name we will subdue those who oppose us. For I do not rely on my bow, and my sword cannot help me" 2c. He is a king of faith and his kingdom is also a kingdom of faith, and even though he is a temporal king, he was nevertheless equipped and surrounded with divine promises at all times.
- and this is the right way how to
read the histories of the saints, which are to be preferred to all writings in which the stories of Hannibal, Scipio, Alexander the Great, and other pagans are described. Which histories, though highly praised by the Greeks and also by the Latin writers, are not at all to be compared with these histories; for they lack this spiritual honor and have no promise, and therefore they are of little account and altogether uncertain. But although in the histories of the saints small and bad things are described, as it seems, they are in truth very great and glorious in themselves. For here it is not a nation, or the Philistines and Moabites, 2c. that is overcome, but the prince of this world, who wanted to destroy and annihilate this small little kingdom. Therefore, in the sight of God, these histories are very glorious and delicious, for they are more important and have greater merit than all other writings, which are uncertain and contain such stories that are accidental, especially before the fact, and cannot boast of how they will turn out or what outcome they will have, but only when they have already happened.
The kingdom of the people of Israel, too, is being challenged with such great weakness and hardship that it seems as if it would fall away at any moment, especially when sin and the punishment they had to suffer for it have fallen in, as after David's adultery with Bathsheba, and often more. But it still remains constant in such heavy temptations for the sake of the promise. For "Judah is a young lion" who comes from robbery, or who brings great spoils from the enemies, not only because he took much silver and gold from the Moabites, Ammonites and Syrians, so that the temple was built afterwards, but there have been many more excellent histories against the devil, who resisted him and set himself against David's kingdom with all his power and might.
- "He knelt down," says Jacob, "and encamped," that is, he made a well...
1966 n, A". 206. Interpretation of Genesis 4d, 8-10. W. n. WSS-2S98. 1967
kingdom, in which he has also had peace and tranquility to some extent; "who will rise up against him? Who wants to wake up the young lion? No one has ever rebelled against him, whether it was Moab, or Ammon, or Absalom, or anyone else: All who have rebelled against him have come to evil, and have not prospered. For he is a king of promise and faith, mightier than all the earth, devil and hell.
But up to this point the Jews go along with us in this sense and easily put up with the interpretation for the sake of their honor; but that which now follows in the text: "The scepter of Judah shall not be taken away," 2c., they have so shamefully falsified and torn apart with their glosses that no other place in all the holy Scriptures is so shamefully corrupted and defiled by the wicked desperate boys.
V. 10: The scepter shall not be taken from Judah, nor a master from his feet, until the coming of Shiloh, and the nations shall cleave unto him.
(144) The matter and the meaning of these words are clearer than that he could be denied or concealed; and we have also spoken of this in our book against the Jews. But the Jews argue against them as if they were nonsensical, just as the pope today opposes the very bright and certain light of the gospel. Such people are not men at all, but devils. For to turn away from it, to despise it, and to be hostile to what one does not understand, or to think, perhaps through error or ignorance, that it is not true, that is human: but to persecute the revealed and recognized truth, that is utterly diabolical. Therefore, it is not human, but devilish falsifications, so that the Jews have corrupted this text. Just as the papists and the lions' asses, overcome by their own judgment and conscience, feel and understand that they are defending an evil, ungodly cause, and yet they do not stop persecuting and killing our people. Since
It is not man against man, but the devil and the princes of the air contend against us. It is truly a frightening thing to knowingly and deliberately fight against the known truth, so that you must confess and say yourself: I know well that the people have a good cause; but let us also help to destroy them ourselves with God and His word.
So the Jews cannot deny, nor open their mouths against it, that we conclude from this text that the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem have now lain low for fifteen hundred years; which is the manifest truth, and brighter than the noonday light can be. This scepter of Judah, the young lion, as the text says, which the lion has ordered and rightly taken, will stand and will not be taken away from him until the hero comes. But when he comes, the scepter will also cease and last no longer.
- Now it is evident and known to everyone that this prophecy of Jacob was fulfilled fifteen hundred years ago. Therefore we now surely and confidently despise the mockery of the Jews, which they are doing against us. For the matter is certain, clear and bright, and has been sufficiently confirmed by obvious experience. The kingdom or scepter has fallen, the Jews are scattered over the whole world, therefore the Messiah has certainly come, against which future the scepter should be taken from Judah.
(147) But because they cannot deny this, they go out against the words which are written in this place, as if they were nonsense, and try as they may to avoid it, that they may not agree with us, but that they rather put this article, saying, Messiah shall not come till after fifteen hundred years: when in this place the contrary is said, that he shall come when the scepter shall be taken from Judah; as experience clearly proves. And the kingdom itself is expressly meant by your tribe. But Jerusalem, which was the royal seat, does not now reign, has not had a scepter within fifteen hundred years, and
1968 **L LI, 206-208. interpretation of Genesis 49:10. w. II, WSS-M00.** 1969.
There is no sign at all that they could ever again come to the kingdom or reign. Therefore Christ must have come from necessity, and it also follows that the Jews do not fight so hard for their delusion out of ignorance, but that they contradict the revealed and recognized truth, as the pope also does; that I can never be sufficiently surprised, nor could I have believed, that the mischievousness and wickedness of men should be so great, and that the prince of this world should be so powerful in his children, whom Paul calls Eph. 2:2 "children of unbelief".
But these are truly the works of the devil, knowing, confessing and understanding that a thing is true, and yet not wanting to accept it or publicly confess it, yes, rather brazenly and stiff-neckedly contradicting it and saying: "We do not want to know about your ways", Job 21, 14; item Luc. 19, 14: "We do not want this one to rule over us", and as it says in Psalm 2, v. 3: "Let us break their bands" 2c. But what will finally happen? Answer: Just what follows there in the 2nd Psalm v. 5: "He will one day speak to them in his wrath, and with his fury he will terrify them." But they do not believe the same threat until faith comes into their hands; just as it finally happened to the Jews what God had threatened them before. The same will finally happen to the pope and his companions. But, as I have said, this thing is so certain that it needs no proof. Therefore, let us now look at the text.
But I do not desire to recount all the falsifications of the Jews that have come from the devil. There is such a storming and raging against this text that it is a wonder. Satan cannot stand the light, and where he sees it rising, he storms against it with all his might, so that he may only extinguish it, he throws stones and dirt at it. We oppose the Jews with the fifteen hundred years of fulfillment; they serve us and rhyme with the clear words of this text.
- however, without other lie theidings, they have mainly two arguments, which they
drive. For first of all, while we understand the word "scepter" or rod to mean a kingdom, as it is also written in the 45th Psalm, v. 7, where he calls the very scepter a scepter of the kingdom, they interpret it to mean a mace, that is, punishment, fear and persecution. And those who follow the same understanding like themselves very much in it and are considered the noblest and best. But the text just before these words is repugnant to the understanding: The lion is such a scepter, against which no one may lay himself. Therefore he does not speak of such a scepter, which is to suffer something, but of the kingdom of the lion, which is already erected, firm, and insurmountable against all gates of hell, so that no one could lay himself against it. Therefore he says, "The scepter shall not be taken from Judah until the hero come"; and adds, "nor a master from his feet." The same word, mechokek, means, lawgiver, regent, or prince; it may be called a chancellor, court judge, or scribe, that is, one who makes laws and writes mandates. It comes from the word chok, which is in the 2nd Psalm v. 7. "I will preach of such a manner." Therefore the kingdom and the princes together with their rulers will remain. And even if the word "ruth" or "scepter" should be understood to mean persecution (as the kings of Egypt and Assyria were ruths to this people), the passage that immediately follows these words in the text does not suffer from this interpretation, namely, when it says, "another master from his feet," that is, Judah will retain ruths, or as they are called by the evangelists, the high priests and elders of the people. Which word is taken from Moses, who appointed two and seventy men of the elders of Israel to help him govern the people; and they remained afterward for ever in the kingdom of Israel, even among the kings; and the Jews called them Sanhedrin, the great council.
- Although they think up a distortion of the former word, they cannot draw the other word to any other mind,
1970 n. 208-2W Interpretation of I Genesis 49, 10. W. n, Wm-Wvs. 1971
and remain this mind and opinion certain and firm. The proper kingdom shall not be taken from Judah, nor a master from his feet. By the way, the reader must be reminded of the peculiar way of speaking of the Hebrews, which is also used by St. Paul in the Apostles' Tale in chapter 22, v. 3, where he says: "I was educated in this city. V. 3. where he says: "I was brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught with all diligence in the law of my father" 2c. For the counselors who teach and govern the people have their hearers sitting at their feet. Therefore Jacob says: "There will be no lack of such masters and rulers in this kingdom.
But now all things together are utterly desolate. Where is Jerusalem now? Where is the great council and the audience? The Jews have not had them for fifteen hundred years. Therefore, without a doubt, the Messiah has come.
They also drag the word shiloh back and forth and interpret it in various ways. But I like the opinion of Bernhard Ziegler, who says that it comes from schiljah; as one of the rabbis challenges the deity of Christ with this argument and argues against it, namely, since he says: "Since he was from the head to the feet in his mother's womb, schiljak, how could he be God? We call it the afterbirth, as Deut. 28, 56. 57. says: "A woman among you, who before lived tenderly and in lusts" 2c., "she will devour the afterbirth, or give it to her son and daughter", that is, the children who are fruits of her womb. There it is put continens pro contento, as it is called in the schools, that is, the afterbirth for the uninfant little children. That is why I like this etymology, that is, the derivation of the word, which the grammar brings along, very much.
But the others reproach us and say: and the other letter h, which is put at the end, the two letters are to be signs, thereby one recognizes the female gender of the word, in which gender the word schiloh is put here. But this does not bother me; because the Latin people
have many words of the masculine gender, especially those that are proper or baptismal names, but which end in the suffix of words of the feminine gender, such as Cotta, Cinna. That is why I like it better to read schiloh than schilo.
For some of the rabbis interpret the word shiloh also for the place of the tabernacle; which tabernacle, as we know, from the lines of Joshua, was sometimes in Shiloh, sometimes elsewhere; as the Lord saith unto David, when he would build him an house, 2 Sam. 7:6, 7: "I have not dwelt in any house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt unto this day; but I have walked in the tabernacle and in the tabernacle where I went with all the children of Israel" 2c. There he gives to understand that the tabernacle before David's lines had not been in a certain place or tribe. Therefore they draw this piece in the text: "until the hero comes", to the king Saul, to David and Jeroboam, who lived after the destruction of Shiloh. But the thing itself and the whole history is against this interpretation, as they themselves sufficiently notice, only that they would like to mislead the simple inexperienced people in these words and the right understanding of them.
For the word shiloh means a son of the womb or of the afterbirth, and ends, as words do, which are of the female gender, as one speaks in grammar; and that for the sake of the first promise, so given to Adam, Gen. 3, 15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. The same shall bruise thy head"; and as Eve says afterwards Cap. 4, 1: "I have the man, the Lord." There it is clearly said that the seed of the woman, that is, the son of the virgin will come and destroy the power and the kingdom of the devil.
The holy fathers and prophets have diligently observed this promise and have made it even clearer, as Isaiah Cap. 7, 14 says: "Behold, a virgin is with child and will bear a son" 2c. The same Abraham and Isaac have also practiced and practiced, in addition to their descendants always impressed that they have the same common
1972 8. XI, 2I0-2IL Interpretation of I Genesis 49, 10. W. II, 2903-2906. 1973
and would very well like to be known. For he was not to be the seed of a man, nor was he born of a father, but is the son of a virgin.
(158) And Jacob is also speaking of this female here, when he says: "This kingdom of the lion and this lion, which has been ordered by God Himself and placed in the kingdom, will stand and be ruled by princes and elders of the people and by its rulers until the coming of the virgin's son, that is, the son of the womb, the afterbirth, as one might say. We are not children of the body, not seed of the afterbirth, but are man's seed, which came out of the loins of the Father into the afterbirth. But he grows and is born without male seed; as the angel says to Mary Luc. 1, 35. "That which is born of thee"; he does not say that which is born of Joseph. Your son will be a virgin's son, will be a fruit of the afterbirth, will be a shiloh, that is, only a fruit of his mother's womb, will have no father on earth.
159 Therefore, behold how beautiful and glorious sermons the fathers took from this one word, both before and after the flood, all of which, with the prophets, also describe the Messiah as truly being the blood of David, but as being a son of the afterbirth alone; and have looked at the third and fourth chapters of this first book of Moses, where Cap. 3, v. 15. it is said, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head"; and Cap. 4, 1. "I have the man, the LORD." And is truly an excellent passage in Scripture, and are very beautiful arguments, that our faith may be confirmed and strengthened, and is also signified thereby, what the holy fathers have taught from the beginning unto the prophets and Christ Himself, yea, even unto our time, and unto the end.
160 Therefore we reject and even condemn the nonsense of very wicked men who presume to obscure this doctrine from us. For Jacob did not use a special word in vain, but he wanted to praise this son, who was promised to him and to the other fathers. And we also enjoy this day from God's
Grace of the bright light of the Gospel, by which the word shiloh is explained and interpreted to mean the Virgin and also the Son of God at the same time. This grammar pleases me well and I rest in it with the highest confidence.
The last part of this text the bloodthirsty rabbis draw on their evil lusts and cruelty, because they only snort with eitelem murder and death. For they declare it thus: Under the kingdom of the Messiah we want to bring all the Gentiles under us, we want to kill and slay all the kings of the whole world, as the Pope and the Turk also do. Therefore they interpret this text without any reason and against the grammar: The nations will be terrified of him and he will weaken them; for in the Hebrew it says: "The nations will cling to him" and have refuge in him.
The Scripture does not want the kings or rulers to be killed, but to remain and be instructed and chastened in the kingdom of God; as the 2nd Psalm v. 10 says: "Let yourselves be instructed, you kings, and let yourselves be chastened, you judges of the earth" 2c. The Hebrew word lakah means to hear, to obey, and to be obedient, and according to the Chaldean it is interpreted: The nations will be obedient and obey him; and they nevertheless falsify the right natural understanding of these words against the same Chaldean interpretation; as the same also accedes to our opinion, and clearly interprets the word shiloh, that it is the Messiah.
This is why this is a beautiful golden text, which is especially good to remember, namely, that the kingdom of Christ will not be such a kingdom as David's kingdom was, which indeed lasted until Christ. But of David it is said in 1 Chron. 29, 3, that he was a man of war and shed much blood, and therefore could not build a house or temple for the Lord. Therefore the kingdom that was ruled with weapons or armor, with sword and external force, has now ceased, and the kingdom of Shiloh that followed is not such a mighty or bloody kingdom, but consists only in hearing the word,
1974 XI. 212-414. interpretation of Genesis 49:10. w. II. MOk-ssog. 1975
obey it and believe that it will be governed or administered; as it is said in Psalm 110 v. 2: "The Lord will send the scepter of your kingdom out of Zion"; Isaiah 2:3: "The law will go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem"; Romans 1:16: "The gospel is a power of God that saves all who believe in it"; Psalm 110 v. 34: "Behold, he will send the scepter of your kingdom out of Zion. 1:16: "The gospel is the power of God that saves all who believe in it." In Psalm 68:34: "Behold, he will give power to his thunder," that is, to his preaching. There is divine power and wisdom in this word; whoever believes it will be saved.
164 Therefore it is a very mighty kingdom in the word against death, sin and devils, and against all their power and tyranny, which has power to help, to save and to protect to eternal salvation.
The rabbis of the Jews know nothing of these things, neither do the Papists and the Turks: but it behooves us to impress these things diligently upon the people, and that we may well remember and keep this excellent distinction between the kingdom of Christ and the other kingdoms, and also David's kingdom. For this much Jacob meant to say: The kingdom of David my son, which cannot be ruled without sword and bodily weapons, will not last forever, but it will be followed by the kingdom of Shiloh, which alone will be ruled by word. As Christ says Marc. 16, 15: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." For the word is very powerful, which can help and save from the hand of death and the devil, and from the power of hell, and can bring people into the kingdom of God. Therefore the nations shall obey this king, that is, they shall be ruled by word: it shall be with preaching, that shall be the sign, so that the kingdom of Christ may be distinguished from the other regiments of this world, which are ruled by the sword and bodily force. "The weapons of our knighthood," says Paul 2 Cor. 10:4, "are not carnal, but mighty in the sight of God, to disturb the fortifications. "2c. For thus says a minister of the gospel: I absolve you, I baptize you, I declare and declare you to be a
I proclaim to you the forgiveness of your sins, I promise and offer you victory over the devil. Believe, and you will be saved.
166 Therefore Jacob speaks very actually, as one who is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and has even had a sharp face from afar, when he says: Velo Velo jikhat ammim; that is: The nations will adhere to him and obey him. And the same word is also written in the Proverbs of Solomon in 30 Cap. V. 17: "An eye that mocks the father, and despises to obey the mother, the ravens must peck it out at the brook." In which place in the common Latin interpretation (for it is not by Jerome) it is wrongly written: partum instead of auditum matris, that is: And despises the birth of his mother, instead of: "And despises to obey his mother." But Solomon speaks there of the fourth commandment, and of the honor which children owe to their parents. And it serves very well to confirm the meaning of this text that the jikhat means so much as obedience. For the gospel is a hearing, as Isaiah speaks, when he says Cap. 53, 1. "Who believes our preaching?" This shiloh will not rule with sword, with fire, or otherwise with external force, but with hearing and teaching of faith; and not only the Jews will obey him, but all the nations of the whole world.
The Hebrew word, am, is a well-known word, which in my understanding means people, but with respect to God; as Hosea says in 1 Cap. V. 9: "Ye are not my people (ammim), neither will I be yours." I will call that my people, which is not my people 2c.; that it may thus be understood together, Deus, populi et populus Dei, that is, GOD of the people and the people of GOD. So Isaiah says in 31 Cap. V. 7. 8. 9. that all idols over the whole world shall be lifted up and thrown away, and that in all the world there shall be unity in the obedience and service of the one God. For so says the prophet there: "In that day shall every man cast away his idols of silver and of gold, which your hands have made sin for you. And Assyria shall fall, not by man's sword, and shall be destroyed.
1976 D- n. 214-21". Interpretation of Genesis 49:10-12, W. II, ssos-ssis. 1977
shall be torn, not by the sword of man: yet shall he flee from the sword, and his young men shall become tame; and their rock shall depart for fear, and his princes shall flee from the banner, saith the LORD, which hath fire in Zion, and hearth in Jerusalem."
So the kingdom of Shiloh is a kingdom of the word, for he calls and rules his people by word alone, without weapons and external force. But those who do not want to hear the word do not belong to the kingdom of Christ. Therefore the people should let themselves be drawn with the word. Therefore the people should let themselves be drawn by the word and not be forced in a servile way with rods, prisons and blows, as in worldly regimes the people are forced to obey by force. And so it has been fulfilled, as it is proclaimed here by the patriarch Jacob and the prophets before.
The kingdom of the church has not wielded a sword, but has its power only from the word, and that from the mighty word of the Holy Spirit, so that God has drawn the hearts to believe. That is why it is added here quite strangely in the text: "The nations will adhere to the same" and obey it. This is said so much: The word will make and order this kingdom; the people will be gathered by the word alone and come to this shiloh.
V. 11. 12. He will tie his fill to the vine, and his ass's son to the noble branches. He shall wash his garment in wine, and his mantle in the blood of the vine. His eyes will be redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
- Moses here has given the grammarians much cross and torment, or else they have inflicted the plague and torment on themselves; as we have heard of the word shiloh and the obedience of the peoples, where there is also innumerable confusion because of the disparity of the various understandings, and also because of the ignorance of the interpreters, among whom none understands the matter itself.
The Jews are always dreaming of the sword and are bloodthirsty, through the
whole holy scripture. Just as the pope does not intend to rule the church with words, but with force, and both with physical and spiritual tyranny, namely, with the sword and ban. For God has given them a wrong mind, so that they do not know what the Scriptures are, what the Church is, or what Christ is. Yes, even Gregory, who was a bishop before the tyranny of the papacy began, did not know Christ very well, nor did he understand the word of the gospel very well: therefore, the statutes of men have taken over the whole papacy with great violence, and it is no wonder that they could not come out of the torture and confusion because of the darkness and ignorance in the heavenly doctrine.
- But fact itself teaches that the church was gathered by the word alone, and not by outward force or the sword; just as even now we compel no one by force to the knowledge of the gospel. And yet men are caught by the word, and gathered together unto one doctrine and one faith, as many as will be godly and members of the church of Christ.
The rabbis, however, not only torture the mind in this place, but also the grammar or the text miserably for the sake of the letter, which they say is superfluous. For this reason, I have no help from any interpreter, and must seek and pick out the right natural understanding of these words alone.
174 But above all I reject the interpretation of Lyra and the other interpreters, even the very best, who understand this text to mean the tribe of Judah, as if Jacob had spoken nothing more of Christ after the previous words. For they admit that the former words are spoken of the king; but what follows they all refer to the tribe of Judah. But it seems to me to be a very clumsy thing if we want to take it for granted that the Holy Spirit broke off the speech so soon after he had begun to speak of Shiloh and Christ, and that he no longer wanted to remember him. The Glossa ordinaria, as it is called, Lyra
1978 L. xi, 218-218. interpretation of Genesis 49:11, 12. w. n. 2912-22." 1979
and Burgensis lead among each other quarrels with interpretations, and one wants to have this, the other another. Therefore, I must follow my spirit, because I have no one else to follow.
Lyra interprets it thus: The tribe of Judah shall be so fruitful and rich even before the coming of Christ, that they shall bind the son of the ass to the vine, and that one vine or branch shall bear so much wine as to load an ass. But this is useless talk. For even in our country, and not in the Promised Land alone, a vine could easily be so fruitful that it would bear enough wine to load an ass. And I do not understand how the rhyme of tying a donkey to the vine could mean loading the donkey with wine. Therefore, so that it would not be so clumsy and unrhymed, they say that it should be spoken hyperbolically, that is, that one makes a thing greater than it is in itself; as it should be in the other piece, where he says, "He will wash his clothes in wine"; as Job also speaks of his happiness through this figure, in 29 Cap. V. 6: "When I washed my footsteps in butter, and the rocks poured me streams of oil." But all this does not serve the proper understanding of this text.
For this reason we must not allow the sayings of Christ to be torn asunder, of whom Jacob began to say that he would be the Lord of the Gentiles, and that the nations of the whole world would hear him and obey him. With the same intention of speaking of Christ, let us remain, and let no strange figures, as, hysteron proteron 2c., poetize and draw here. But where we lack understanding, let us leave the mastery to the Holy Spirit, only that we do not admit that the text thus becomes confused and torn; for I will rather confess that I do not understand.
I also understand these words to mean that at the time of Christ, or when the Messiah or Shiloh comes, this will happen, that the donkey's son will be tied to the vine. But this is not true, that
in the tribe of Juda so superfluously much vines have been. And if this had been so, what has the donkey to do with the vineyard? And he is not bound to the vine to bear grapes, but to drink and become full of wine. Therefore the words seem to have this meaning, that the donkey is to be fed and made drunk with grapes and wine as otherwise with other food. The donkey shall have good days and drink wine.
178 The Hebrew word sorek means a chosen vine, and one thing is said as much as another, "He will bind his fillings to the vine," and that he says, "and to the noble branches." Isaiah on 5 Cap. V. 1. is also the same word, saying, "My cousin has a vineyard in a fat place. "2c. It was with the Jews a special kind of noble vine; from there also the word "Sirach" comes. And I hold that this is the right understanding: At the time of the Messiah there will be such great glory, abundance and fruitfulness that even the donkeys and the donkey's colts will eat grapes and grapes. The donkeys shall eat something sweet, shall drink their fill.
179 And it is not spoken hyperbolically, that is, to make it greater than it is in itself; but it is spoken actually, only that by a figure the ass is called, as above, "a young lion," and means this much, that the asses shall not eat chaff or hay at that time, but that among the fruits is the very best and most delicious, as wine is, "which maketh glad gods and men," as is said in the book of Judges, Cap. 9, v. 13. V. 13. For wine is the most noble of all fruits in the whole world, refreshing and gladdening the heart of man, from which both divine and natural men become merry and joyful. They all become merry from wine. And in the Proverbs of Solomon it is written in 31 Cap. V. 6. 7. "Pray strong drink to them that perish, and wine to the afflicted souls, that they may drink, and forget their miseries, and remember their calamities no more." For wine cultivates cheerfulness in men,
1980 L. n, 218-220. interpretation Of I Moses 49, II. 12. **w. II, 2914-2917.** 1981
To give him courage and form. Therefore he will bind the donkey and the colt and the donkey's son to the vine and to the noble branches, so that he will have a stable there and be fed with choice grapes, and so that the holy donkey will be drunk with the very best juice.
180: According to nature, it is very unusual that the donkey should be tied to the vine, and he might better have said the same of the goat or the deer, which delight in the vine. But the vineyard or the grapes do not serve the donkey, but thistles and chaff. Therefore I understand Jacob to be speaking through the Holy Spirit of the wonderful kingdom of Christ and of his riches, in which the donkeys and young asses also eat grapes and drink wine and become drunk. As Paul says to the Ephesians in 5 Cap. V. 18, 19, 20: "And be not drunk with wine, whereof a disorderly manner ensues; but be full of the Spirit, and speak one to another of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing unto the Lord in your hearts; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ", which is also said of the apostles, Acts 2, 4. 2, 4: "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit," and spoke of the great deeds of God.
So the godly become full of the Holy Spirit that they cannot abstain from leading out and giving thanks to God, confessing and praising Him, and teaching and speaking the word of the gospel. Such people were the apostles and martyrs when they were drunk with the Holy Spirit. For this is the noblest kind of vine, of which Wisdom says in Proverbs 9 Cap. V. 5: "Come, partake of my bread, and drink of the wine that I give," and you will drink and be drunk, but with spiritual drunkenness.
- so I understand this text here, that in Christ and in the time of Christ we are to become drunk with the riches of his house, as the 36th Psalm v. 9. says, that is, we are to receive the Holy Spirit from the Word and hearing, from which we become other men; as a drunken man
much differently than one who is sober and hungry. For the former is merry, laughs, rejoices, sings and rejoices or exults: but the latter is afraid and anxious, he is sad and can do nothing but complain.
- Now Jacob rejoices for his own sake and for the sake of all his descendants because of these riches, and says, "He will bind his fullness to the vine. As if to say, "Such a kingdom will be the kingdom of Christ and of my shiloh: he will not rule with law or sword, which is the instrument or tool of the law, and makes men sad, lean, weary and despondent, but he will fill them with his goods, he will make the subjects of his kingdom drunk and glad, and they will become different people, and will be fed, not with chaff, but with grapes, and with the very best grapes, so that they will be full and full. But spiritually they will be drunk, so that people will not think or see anything different about them, except how they judge the apostles to be full of sweet wine, Acts 2:13. 2, 13.
184 For is it not a great sacrilege in the sight of the people that Peter and the other apostles should stand up and teach and preach, when they have not yet asked permission of the proper authorities, either spiritual or temporal. But they are full of the Holy Spirit. Therefore they set out freely and travel through all the streets of the city of Jerusalem, preaching about the crucified Christ, whose name was hated by all the people and was even offensive. Yes, they go and rebuke the Jews severely because of the unjust violence and cruelty they practiced on the righteous man when they crucified him, and the apostles are not afraid of anyone in all of this, nor are they afraid of the great violence of the priests and elders. And at last, when they had been beheaded and heard, and had been commanded that they should speak no more in the name of Jesus, they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they had been worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus.
(185) No preacher of the law will ever do this; indeed, he will fear Caiphas, the rulers and the chief priests.
1982 n. 220-222. interpretation of I Moses 49:11, 12. w. n, 2S17-2S20. 1983
The apostles, on the other hand, defy all their power and tyranny, thinking that heaven and earth are ours, for Christ is King of heaven and earth. They are drunk with the Holy Spirit, so they speak of the great deeds of God without any timidity or fear of the chief priests and fill the whole city with their sermons.
After that they attacked the whole Roman Empire in the same way, and punished the idolatry of the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, and in all this they do not hold themselves otherwise than as if they were lords of the whole world. They appear before kings and princes and proclaim to them that they will die and perish if they do not hear and accept the teaching of Christ, who suffered and rose again. They ridicule and scoff at the majesty and great power of the Roman Empire and of all nations; and this is done not only by men, such as the apostles and their disciples, but also by women, and they are so proud and defiant that they are not afraid and terrified of any torture: even if they are burned or drowned, they do not ask anything about it. Does it not seem then that they are drunk and mad? What is it that the most miserable people and fishermen, yes, even women and virgins, set themselves against such a great monarchy and attack it, as in the time of the Romans there was monarchy, in which there was so much power and all kinds of wealth, money and goods? Reason had to conclude that they were mad and senseless, and the wise men of the world did not think otherwise than that they were mad and foolish and that the devil possessed them.
187 They say of Anastasia, who was a virgin, that when the judge threatened to kill her, she answered, "She has done nothing wrong. And when he reproached her: She had despised the idols, which she had trodden down and burned, she is said to have laughed at the judge and said how she had honored her gods most highly; for she had purified them by fire, and from the mice and cobwebs, and from the cobwebs she had burned.
from the dust, so that they were surrounded, but some she cooked and gave to the poor. Yes, she said, give me your Roman gods, too, and I will play with them as I played with my father's gods. For if they are gods, as you say they are, let them protect and defend themselves against a poor woman. That is to make the ass drunk.
This is a drunkenness of faith and of the promises of the Holy Spirit, as Paul interprets it, whom he poured out on us abundantly at the time of the Messiah, preaching and spreading, so that they all became full of the Holy Spirit, despising death and the devil, and overcoming all adversity.
This was done primarily at the time of the martyrs. But it is necessary for the whole church, and for us today, that we become drunk with the Holy Spirit, and that we not fear the pope and all tyrants and devils' fierce wrath, raging and fury. For this is the voice and glory of the church, that we are bound to the vine, that we should become full of the Holy Spirit. Christ has called us and bound us to his vineyard, that is, to his spiritual gifts, with the most loving bond, so that he may fill us with fear of none of the things that can harm us.
Oh, God would that we understood the divine promises and imprinted them on our hearts, namely, that our sins are forgiven, that death and the devil are conquered, and hell is extinguished and destroyed; as all this is gloriously praised in the 91st Psalm, v. 13: "You will walk on lions and vipers, and tread on young lions and dragons. He who believes this firmly drinks in these promises, as it were, and is delicately nourished by these vines, and is a lord of death.
- I also have Satan as an enemy, who is so fiercely hostile to me and has often been after my life; but when he has done something to me by force, I have easily despised it, and have never asked for it, even if he should take this life from me, since I know that
1984 ". XI, 222-224. interpretation of Genesis 49, I I. 12. W. II, 2S20-2S22. 1985
all the hairs on my head are counted. But when he attacks us with false doctrine and that the enthusiasts plague the poor consciences with it, then we have much more to do and the fight is much harder than where one should defend oneself against external and public violence. And here we also despise all men, and all wisdom and hope or defiance of the world, and tear through it. For we are drunk, not with the wine, which makes such a wild and disorderly life; But this is a holy drunkenness, whereby we are accustomed to discipline, and to use diligence, to govern and to arrange our morals so that it may be useful and wholesome for us in this life, and that we may beware of fornication and all shame and immorality, so that we may abstain from even the slightest cursing, and have such a tongue that can only bless, heal and comfort. For true pious Christians do not curse and blaspheme, nor do they swear a false oath, as drunkards and senseless people do; but from this spiritual drunkenness follows a fine wholesome life, when they abstain from all vice and sin, and only speak and praise the commands of God.
192 This drunkenness shall now reign in the time of the Messiah: when the nations shall adhere to him and obey him, they shall become drunk and joyful, and defy the devil and death, so that the world will consider them to be senseless and delusional people, and yet they will be good, pious and useful people in human affairs, who also love their enemies in this world, and arrange their lives so that they are not disorderly, desolate or wild. As indeed we Christians do no harm to anyone, but desire with all our hearts to be useful and to serve everyone, even though they are hostile to us. For we are spiritually drunk, have forgiveness of sins, redemption from death and hell, and mock the devil and the pope, who rages and rages more cruelly than Diocletian and all tyrants have done. Although the pope with his cardinals is much more foolish and clumsy than Diocletian, who was nevertheless a wise and prudent prince, these are the most cruel and cruel of all tyrants.
They are nothing but rough asses, without all senses and understanding. Therefore I do not respect the pope at all, and the more he is angry, the less I give it. I know that we will also judge the angels, 1 Cor. 6:3, and also emperors, kings and other evil worms with all princes and angry squires.
193 So this promise of the Holy Spirit is signified by the likeness of drunkenness in this text, as one becomes drunk on the very noblest wine. For as a drunken man becomes bolder and more courageous than he otherwise is; as the poet says, Tunc pauper cornua sumit, that is: Then also a poor man is proud and courageous, and sets himself up as if he wanted to cut wounds, so that one alone may set himself against a hundred others: So this spiritual drunkenness, which is also holy and wholesome, gives much more courage to the godly, who are puffed up by divine power through this shiloh, which has bound the ass to the vine and noble branches, that they should mock the devil with all his scales and tread him underfoot. This, I hold, is the right natural understanding of this text.
Now one must also interpret why he calls us donkeys and asses. Jerome only touched on it a little and thought of it recently when he says: "That Jesus Christ took the colt of the ass, on which he sat, that is, the people of the Gentiles, to the vineyard of the apostles who came from the Jews, and tied to the noble vine, that is, the chosen vine, the ass, on which he sat, that is, the church gathered from all nations. I do not dislike this way. A donkey is a simple and stupid animal, but it is nevertheless very delicious, because it carries Christ, the Savior of the world. So we are also the donkey, the ass, and the colt on which Christ rides through the whole world. But this likeness is somewhat mitigated when you realize that the patriarch saw the use or manner that was in his time and among his people, which most of all used the ass. A horse is a warlike animal and armed for battle; as it is described in the Book of Job at 39 Cap.
1986 L. XI. 224-L2S. Interpretation of Genesis 49, II. 12. W. II. 2922-2SA. 1987
V. 22, 23: "A horse mocks fear, and is not afraid, and does not flinch from the sword, though the quiver rings against it, and both spear and lance shine. The donkey, however, is not at all fit for war, but only to carry such burdens as are to be carried in the house. Just as Jacob was led to Egypt on donkeys with his household and small children. For it is a servile and domestic animal, just as donkeys are still used today as they were in the time of the fathers, except that we use horses. Therefore Jacob does not say here that the horse is to be tied to the vine, but directs his speech to his time, in which they primarily used donkeys to carry such burdens as one has to carry in the house.
- but the patriarch adds to what he has said here, saying, "He shall wash his robe in wine, and his mantle in the blood of the vine." This is no less inconsistent and strangely spoken than that he said of the ass, how the same should be bound to the vine, and to the very noblest branches. Yes, this seems more like a curse than a blessing. For what can be more clumsy or inconsistent than to wash the clothes in the red wine? In that way you would rather defile them than wash them. And the Scripture commends the white garments; how then can it be understood of such outward washing according to the letter?
But what follows is the most absurd, because he says: "His eyes are redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. For this is rather an infirmity or disease of the eyes, which physicians call a river, than, in the Proverbs of Solomon, 23 Cap. V. 29. 30.: "Where is woe? Where is sorrow? Where is strife? Where is lamentation? Where are wounds without cause? Where are red eyes?" (there it says in our Latin text: suffusio) "namely, where one lies with wine, and comes to drink up what has been poured out." Such redness of the eyes is shameful and is an infirmity or defect in the eyes. Those who are always mad and full get red eyes; hence the German saying: You have on the eyes
drink, drink once on the ears. Therefore this does not apply to the tribe of Judah, that it should be spoken hyperbolically, nor can it be applied to wealth or abundance, unless you want to understand by it a curse and fault or infirmity.
197 But let the understanding and the thing which I have said to be certain be diligently kept in mind, namely, that the patriarch speaks of the promises of Christ or Shiloh, to whom we shall obey and cleave in his word. As Paul also says Rom. 1, 5: "Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to establish the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles"; item Rom. 10, 16: "But they are not all obedient to the gospel." The kingdom of Christ consists in the obedience of faith, and the same thing Paul calls the promise of the Spirit; as also Christ Ap. Gesch. Cap. 1, v. 4, "that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father"; item, also there v. 8: "Ye shall receive power of the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you." This promise is found in all the prophets, that blessing shall come upon all nations through the seed of the woman; and this rich and unspeakable blessing he willed to signify in these unrhymed and obscure words; as indeed it is a great thing, not easily understood or comprehended, that the Holy Ghost is given through Christ to all them that hear his word, and believe on him. For whosoever heareth this Shiloh, which is the blessed seed, shall receive the promise made to Adam, Abraham, and the rest of the fathers. So this is very certain and constant.
198 Now let us see how the washing of the garments is to be done. It was very common in those lands for them to wear white garments of fine linen, especially at the high feasts; as is said of the rich man Luc. 16:19. And Solomon also says in Ecclesiastes Cap. 9, v. 8: "Let your clothes always be white" 2c. And the Turks keep the same thing today,
1988 **m. SA. 227. interpretation of Genesis 49, II. 12. W. n, ssss-ssM.** 1989
and all the nations that dwell in the east. Likewise, in the resurrection of Christ, the angels appeared in white garments, Marc. 16, 5, which is a sign of life and immeasurable joy. The Romans used purple and scarlet garments. But how will the white garment be washed in the red wine? This is an inconsistent, clumsy thing, just like the tying of the donkey to the vine.
For this reason this passage must also be understood of the riches of the Holy Spirit, that when it is given, everything will flow with milk and honey and delicious wine, in which they will also wash their clothes; and there will be no need of water, for there will be wine in abundance everywhere. Therefore, because it is so inconsistent, necessity compels us to depart from the carnal understanding, as Augustine used to say, or to abstain from the washing of the bodily garments, and to give ourselves to this spiritual or allegorical understanding. For this, according to the letter, never happened in the tribe of Judah, much less under Christ.
200 Now this is the right and proper understanding, namely, that Christ threw His own under the cross; as He says Matt. 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." But is this a bodily blessing, to die, to be crucified, to be consumed with the sword and fire? Yes, we would more cheaply call that a curse. Therefore it is a new speech in that richness of the spirit, after which godly men speak with new tongues.
For as I have said, if we could believe what a great thing is the forgiveness of sins, even of those which are still present and remain in our flesh, that God would not impute them to us or condemn us for them; yea, that he would deal with us in this way, as though there were no sin left in us at all, and crown us with eternal life; that he would be our Father, and that we should be his dear children, and eternally blessed; as Mark 16:16 says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. 16, 16: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved": then only would we understand this. For those who believe are
holy asses and colts, bound to the vine, and are drunk with the Holy Spirit.
As the holy martyrs, and the holy virgins, Agatha, Lucia, and many others, were bound to the vine, they took death for a joke, sin and hell for nothing. And because they were sure of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and also of the good gracious will of the Heavenly Father, they were joyful and fearless even in the midst of death.
Thus they say of Vincentius, the excellent martyr, that when he was first beaten with knuckles and then tortured, and forced to walk barefoot through burning coals, he said that he was walking on roses. Thus he mocked the cruel torture, as it were, and laughed at the burning coals and took the fiery iron for a game and joke. All this shows how great the riches of the promise of Shiloh are.
If we should die, or if any pestilence, theurge, war, and all the fierce wrath of the devil and hell should fall, we shall also, if we believe, say: I wanted to cheat you, you shameful devil 2c. The church has truly believed and still shows itself with such great courage. For this is to become truly drunk with the wine of the Holy Spirit and to speak with new tongues of the great deeds of God.
- and there the prophets also saw, as, Amos Cap. 9, 13.: "And the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall be fruitful." The kingdom of Christ is a delicious reign. Whoever believes that he has a gracious God, yes, that he has God for a Father; that Christ, the Son of God, has destroyed death, sin, hell and the devil: should he not be glad and rejoice in this? Yes, he should go through iron mountains and through all kinds of adversity with an undaunted and unconquerable mind, and should certainly consider it that everything flows from pure honey, milk and delicious wine. Yes, he should also go through it with the highest joy.
1990 L. XI. 227-WS. Interpretation of Genesis 49, II. 12. W. II. 2SSS-2W0. 1991
praise and glorify God with joy and gratitude, as He is no longer mortal, but leads an eternal life.
206 We should all be of this mind. For these are the promises in Christ Jesus, as Paul speaks of them, which do not give the purse full of gold or silver, but make the heart full of joy, peace, and assurance of eternal life: all of which we see in the apostles, Peter and Paul, and in the martyrs, Vincent and others, who do not allow themselves to be challenged at all, even when Annas and Caiphas are angry; yes, they completely despise their threat, not unlike the angels in heaven.
And we laugh this day also at the terrible lightning of the papal ban that is upon us. For we believe in Shiloh and are among those who follow him, obey him and believe in him. Therefore, I am sure that nothing can harm me, but everything must serve me for good and salvation.
- But that we still tremble, are so frightened and fearful, is the fault of the weakness that is still left in us, and does not come from faith, but is a remnant of the old Adam, who feels sin and fears the wrath of God; especially in us, who under the papacy have been taught to tremble, to doubt and to flee from Christ. And it is still difficult for me now to discard and throw away the teaching of the pope, not only because of the old man, but also because of the weakness of faith, after which I am still afraid to look at Christ. And we have certainly hardly begun to hope to call upon Christ as our Savior, that he would come through death, temptation or war and redeem us; which we were not allowed to ask for under the papacy. Although I still think of this redemption through the future of Christ in great weakness and desire it for the sake of the shameful and damned teaching of the pope.
So we have to fight against this damage of original sin in three ways.
First of all, one must learn the doctrine, which the pope has obscured and which has also taken away the promises, that we did not know what Christ was, but were completely Gentiles, Turks and Jews. But now that we have become the firstfruits of God's creatures, as Jacobi says in 1 Cap. V. 18, we must wean ourselves from the papal leaven, which still clings to us until it is completely swept out, and we must get used to the riches and faith of the promise. Third, the grumbling of the flesh must then also be forced and stopped.
But you are so much more blessed, who bring to this beautiful light of pure doctrine only the corrupt nature, not evil habit and ungodly teaching. Therefore we should thank God that we have been baptized and absolved on the promise of the forgiveness of sins. But if there are any remaining sins in us, they are not imputed to us. Likewise, we are also called to the certain hope of eternal life and the kingdom for which we wait, and to contempt of death and the devil. Let us only become more fully drunk with the consolation and joy of the grace and benefits of Christ Jesus, for which cause the ass is bound to the vine and noble branches, that is, to the most excellent and best vine, that he may drink good muscatel and Corsican.
211 In this way we also understand this piece, that he says: "He will wash his garment in wine", namely, red; because the wine in the land of Canaan was commonly red; and that he then says: "his coat in grape blood". For by the blood the Scripture understands the red color, as Deut. 32, 14. says: "And watered him with good grape blood," that is, with the very best red wine. This is the characteristic and nature of this language; grape blood is red wine. And this is a repetition (tautology), as above also with the tying up of the donkey, since he also repeats the same opinion twice and expresses it with different words.
But what kind of washing is this?
1992 L. XI. SSS-WI. Interpretation of Genesis 49, II. 12. W. II. ssso-ssss. 1993
I have said that the commentators do not agree on this, and I have indicated what my opinion is. The Glossa ordinaria, as it is called, interprets it spiritually from the passion of Christ; which is not an evil interpretation, but it is still somewhat strange. But this must be said and diligently kept, that we are all baptized into the death and blood of Christ JEsu, that we may be washed; as 1 Cor. 6:11. is said, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified by the name of our Lord JEsu, and by the Spirit of our God." The blood of Christ must also be counted among the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as it is said 1 Pet. 1, 2: "Through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of JEsu Christ." For the Holy Spirit was not given, but only through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who obtained the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and this riches of wine and grape blood, and in addition that we have been so wonderfully renewed, all this was obtained through the blood of Christ. Therefore it is not evil spoken, that we are baptized and absolved in the blood or in the power of the blood of the Son of God: Christ with his blood must be present.
Among the papists the word still remains that they said: The sacraments flowed from the pages of Christ; for they have their power from the wounds and blood of Christ; therefore it is a very fine, good, and godly word. And the gospel, as we hear, and the adherence, as one obeys and gives ear to the shiloh, is the very same blood of Christ, as St. Peter calls it, 1 Pet. 1, 2, "for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of JEsu Christ." Those who hear the gospel word of Christ are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, the Son of GOD. It is all the beautiful red blood of Christ. Which therefore may be understood, that all things are purchased by the power of the blood of Christ, which we have by the Holy Ghost in word, in baptism, in the Lord's Supper, in absolution, in consolation; and all things for the remission of sins, and for eternal life.
Life belongs to the blood of the Son of God.
214 For this reason, those who interpret this text in this way, even though it is not actually spoken in this way, are in fact speaking the truth. For the gospel, the Lord's Supper and baptism do not have to be separated from the blood of Christ, since they are all in the same; as Paul says several times in Eph. 1, 7, Cap. 2, 16. He has reconciled and cleansed all things by his blood 2c. After that, actually speaking, we are washed daily by the word, and that we give ear to the shiloh, obey it, and cleave to it. As Paul exhorts Col. 3:9, 10, saying, "Put off the old man with his works; and put on the new"; item, 1 Cor. 15:53: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." This poor, miserable life is like a garment, and as St. Peter calls it, a hut, about which the saints or believers complain harshly, 2 Cor. 5:4: "For while we are in the hut, we long and are weighed down; for we would rather not be unclothed, but clothed"; we would gladly keep the old robe and put on the paschal robe.
- Now this garment is washed daily in red wine, the most delicious juice, or in the great abundance and richness of the promise and blessing of the seed of the woman; which blessing is understood by this figure or similitude.
We are first made drunk, like the donkey and the donkey's son, from the wine in this vineyard, that is, from the divine promise in the Holy Spirit, which is the vine, the grape, and the wine, so that we become proud and despisers of the devil and death. But what is left of the old man, he washes and cleanses, until we rise again incorruptible; then we will be clean. In the meantime we have been upright with forgiveness of sins, and certainly have eternal life in hope, and are full of wine or Holy Spirit, and are washed in the bath wherein the old man is killed and washed, and is renewed from day to day.
1994 L. XI. 231-23". Interpretation of I Genesis 49, 11. 12. **W. II. 2933-2S3S.** 1995
In this way the holy fathers spoke of the kingdom of Christ with a full mouth and great joy from the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And from this it is easy to see what their speeches and sermons were. It is true that Jacob did not teach and preach these things only in this last hour or day of his life, but what he received from Abraham and Isaac he diligently taught and impressed upon his children and his children's children, namely, how the kingdom of Christ would be very glorious and rich, and that there would be a washing away and cleansing of sins in those who are spiritually drunk.
As Agatha is said to have said to the executioner: If you do not crush my body, I will not be able to enter into life; so, she says, I should be dealt with, and I will enter paradise. In the same way Vincentius considered the torture as a game and a joke. In them the spirit killed the cursed and unruly flesh. And he acts in the same way with us when he reproaches the Turks for tearing us apart and strangling us, or when we are otherwise afflicted with other misery and tragedy; then he washes our clothes in blood in the midst of the dungeon, torture and torment. And then we should think that Christ speaks these words to us: "I will wash you not only with water, but with the very best wine, if you can only be quiet and patient; only keep quiet for me. So that one understands this will of God even in the midst of death, does this not mean to be drunk?
But now we want to come to the last part, where he says: "His eyes are redder than wine" 2c. The whole text speaks, as is now often said, of the drunkenness and riches of Christ's gifts, and that we are so wonderfully changed that, having before feared the last day and fled death, suffering and plague, we now desire Christ's future and cry out: Come, dear Lord, come. When we are afflicted, we thank God for it, and are washed as in a bath with the best wine. So we keep the same matter and opinion in this place, namely, that Jacob here
Describe the fullness, abundance and drunkenness we received from divine promise and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
220 In the interpretation of the word chaklili, I follow Solomon, who is very fine in the Hebrew language, as we have just quoted a saying from Prov. 23:29, where the word chakliluth means the redness of the eyes, which comes from excessive drinking of wine, which is a very strange deformity of the face and eyes. And I cannot understand it in this place otherwise than from too great drunkenness and fullness, whence comes such affliction of the eyes. For just as those who are always drunk have this defect or affliction in the flesh, and shout about it in the wine houses, blaspheme, curse, and make a noise; as can be seen in our citizens and farmers, who now and then howl and listen to the beer in the houses where beer is served, even during the sermon: So again, spiritual drunkenness makes people cheerful, courageous and proud, so that they praise God, give thanks and praise and extol His divine grace and benefits.
For this reason Jacob wants to indicate here that in the time of Christ he himself will have red eyes in all his own and will be like a full and drunken man: he will look like a mad and full man, not in the sight of God, but in the sight of the world, which considers those who belong to Christ to be fools and senseless. For he who speaks of the life to come, and despises everything that the world marvels at, people consider him foolish and nonsensical. Just as the Italians, when they want to be very clever and wise, and hear that someone believes in Christ and hopes for the future and eternal life, they call him Bon Christian.
Thus, in the eyes of the Roman Cardinals, we Christians are like blocks and sticks, mad, full people. Behold, they say, how red they look, who can do nothing but preach about their Christ. They take us for drunken and shameful people, yes, for fools, donkeys and children, who have poured wine on their clothes,
1996 D.XI. 2SS-WS. Interpretation of I Genesis 49, II. 12. **W. II, 2SSS-2SS0.** 1997
and still stink from yesterday's food and drunkenness, from which their eyes are so red. This is what the pope reproaches us with, and the martyrs have also had to hear the same, as if they were insane and mad, so that they underestimate the Roman Empire, mock and laugh at the imprisonment and torture they have been subjected to. They take us for drunken people, who can no longer see as sharply as others, who are much wiser, wiser and more learned in worldly matters than we are, who do not blink as much as those whose faces have been weakened and spoiled by gluttony and daily feasting, who lie day and night in bed and drink their eyes away.
The white teeth also mean foolishness, milk children, milk eaters. They will eat milk, he wants to say, as the little children nurse. But before God we will be fed with rich milk and honey. For he does not mean that which the Jews dream of, namely, that there will be so much milk in the tribe that its teeth will become white from the fact that they always eat or use so much milk; for in this way both Turk and Pope could also become white: but it means a constant continuance (as he also wants the tying to the vine to last forever), that we will never cease to have white teeth and red eyes, or to wash our clothes in wine.
For the grammarians get very angry here and rack their brains over the letter j, which is superfluous. But it means an entelechia, as they call it in Greek in the schools, that is, not both a skill, but rather such an effect that lasts forever, so that Christianity should be a constant washing, binding, and such a white milk color that lasts forever, that we never cease to drink milk.
(225) The whole Christian life is not a drowsy idle skill; as the philosophers make a distinction between actus and habitus, that is, between the work and the skill; and as in the schools they have defined or described faith thus, that it is a skill, and that it is not a skill.
that nevertheless such a skillful faith does nothing more than that it alone brings forth the work of faith. These are nothing but monstrous and strange words, which they themselves have not understood. And with these dreams of theirs they have obscured faith, and have thus mixed the theology and philosophy of Aristotle. For this reason, we should always let them go with their skills and the difference between faith and the work of faith.
226 And we are to know that the patriarch Jacob wanted to express and indicate in this place that this binding and other things, of which he says, will last forever and go on forever. He does not describe such a Schiloh, which binds only once and goes thereafter soon again away. As the asses' heads to lions babble and wash uselessly of faith, and say that in no place in the holy scriptures is it taught that the Holy Ghost is given by faith; yet all the books of the prophets and apostles plainly say the same.
This hearing and washing of clothes, and the white teeth are actually such a thing, which should and must last forever. For have we not forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake? And this is a Christian who always, whether he sleeps, wakes, stands or walks, and no matter at what moment it may be, is so minded in his heart that he says: I believe in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for me for the forgiveness of sins. He always believes this without ceasing, and he could not or would not be a Christian if he did not believe this every moment. This faith the sophists deny to lions, that is, they deny the substance and the right essence of the Christian faith and life.
For this reason I consider that I have attained and met the right and proper understanding of this text. The Jews' clumsy interpretation, however, and the vanity they introduce here, I will pass over and have the grammar commanded to the Hebrews; for they say that the letters j and h are threefold.
1998 D- n. 235-237. interpretation of I Genesis 49:11, 12. w. n, 2939-2942. 1999
are superfluous. I do not attribute this to myself, that I have such a perfect understanding of the Hebrew language; and at present there is no one, and in my opinion there was also no one in the times of the apostles, who could have mastered this language properly and completely. It is enough that we deal with studying this language and grow and increase in it, because we cannot reach perfection in it, so that we could speak and judge as Samuel, David and Isaiah spoke. Therefore, I do not know what the opinion of the superfluous letters might be. It would have been enough if he had said osor and not osri.
229 But it seems as if he wanted to use a special word or name, which comes from the name of the ancestors or a people, or should mean the same. As these words "Eber", "Edom" and "Moab" are also names of persons: and if you add the letter, it becomes patronymica, gentilia or possessiva, so that the fathers or peoples are understood. I would have liked to say the same thing here, but I do not dare to do it, that the word osri means as much as, vinculator, one who always binds; so that it is not such a work that perishes and ceases, but that this binding is understood as always inheriting from one to the other, which binding has never ceased, but which was as it were hereditary to all the lines of the apostles and fathers, as Augustine and the others.
I also understand the word chaklili to mean that it should always last for and for, even from one to the other with the red eyes. Likewise, that in the donkey's son children are conceived. But I cannot say anything certain about it.
The letter h is such a letter and ending, which means the female gender, but especially a relative and affix, as it is called in the Hebrew grammar, as it is written here iroh, serekah 2c. Therefore I would like to interpret it in this way, that Christ and the church, which is his filling, are one, that is, the bridegroom and the bride.
are One Body, as one would say, suus et sua, pullus et pulla, are One and One in the Church. My beloved is mine, that is, he is mine and I am his. Therefore we are one. I am Christ's and Christ is my righteousness and wisdom and justification. I am his filling. Again, he is my sin who says, I am your sin-bearer; and I say to him also thus, You have borne my sin; you are the Lamb of God, who bear the sin of the world. Here the Bridegroom and the Bride are joined together in One Spirit, and all that they have is made common between them.
232 Hence Christ complains so much in the 40th Psalm, v. 13, when he says: "For sorrows have surrounded me without number; my sins have taken hold of me, that I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head" 2c.; item in the 41st Psalm, v. 5: "Lord, be merciful to me, heal my soul; for I have sinned against you. There he simply becomes a colt and ass, or the church; Christ becomes his body, and says, "I have sinned against you," when he has never sinned anything; he lays the sins that are ours upon himself, and imputes them to himself. Why does he do this? Answer: He does it because he concludes: She is my bride, I am her bridegroom; therefore her sin is mine, and my righteousness is hers. This I say as one who has thus guessed, and not that I would have thus agreed for certain, and I would rather that it should have the opinion of these letters than that I should thus be certain.
Let us diligently consider this great, rich, and bodily blessing of Judah, and oppose it to all the strange and weird dreams of the papists and scholastics, who not only have confused the text of the Bible and the beautiful bright light of the promises with frightening darkness, so that no one has been able to understand or know the doctrine of Christ and his kingdom, or what good we can expect from him; but even now they want to extinguish and destroy by force and sword the light of the gospel that is rising again. And they have already for a long time used the sword and the word against each other in the church and its kingdom.
2000 L- Ll, 237-239. interpretation of Genesis 49:11, 12. w. II, 2942-2944. 2001
They have finally laid aside the word altogether and kept only the sword, although the opposite is clearly taught here. For in this whole speech of Jacob there is nothing at all of external force.
He has said that the Shiloh alone will rule by the word and reign over his church; and we have reminded above that this should be diligently remembered. On the other hand, the pope boasts insolently and with great hope, saying: "The emperor's sword is in my hand, and even though the emperor has it in his scabbard, he may not draw it unless I allow him to do so. Thus they have perverted and changed the kingdom of Christ, which is spiritual, into an external kingdom, which deals with the sword.
235 Therefore we are to learn that the kingdom of Christ consists in the nations obeying him in his word. For Christ has determined that he will be present and powerful through the word; and where the word is heard, he will confirm it with signs, as Marc. 16:20 says. He promised this, and he keeps it without sword, without death, without wounds, blood and war.
I am baptized and taught only by the Word, and I am also absolved, and I partake of the Lord's Supper; but with the Word and through the Word is the Holy Spirit and the whole Holy Trinity, working the blessedness of men, as the words of baptism read.
In this way Jacob depicts a wonderful kingdom, which is not at all like the worldly regimes, which are administered by law and external weapons, and are therefore also kingdoms of commandments, laws and external weapons. But this is a kingdom of promise, where God alone is present and works all things through the Word; for thus teach all the promises and prophets.
For this reason, the difference between the secular authorities and the church government should always be carefully noted. The weapons and secular kings are to serve so that there may be peace in the kingdom of Christ, so that the gospel may be spread.
to teach and spread the gospel: but this kingdom is not to be administered or governed by laws; for laws do not make Christians, but the word and the holy sacraments, as, the Lord's Supper and baptism, 2c. make and build the kingdom of Christ.
This is to be learned and kept with the utmost diligence, that we do not become like the pope, the monks and the sophists, who are the most abominable enemies of the church and congregation of God; as now the sophists of Louvain, Paris and Cologne do nothing but incite and arm the kings and princes against us. And what is written in Proverbs 1:16 rhymes with them: "Their feet hasten to shed blood" 2c. They do not teach, nor do they understand what the kingdom of Christ is or what happens in it. May God punish them and forbid them.
240 So Jacob says clearly, "The nations will follow him," and obey. It will happen with the promise, and the Shiloh will be present, and will work and be powerful through our tongue and mouth. But we teach and administer the holy sacraments without all outward power and sword, and yet are born children of the eternal kingdom through the Word, baptism and communion or Lord's Supper. And Isaiah also clearly says the same in Cap. 11, 6. 9.: "The wolves shall dwell with the lambs, and the leopard with the goats. A little boy shall drive calves and young lions and fatlings together. "2c. "Nowhere shall anyone perish on my holy mountain; for the land is full of the knowledge of the Lord, as it is covered with the waters of the sea." The Christians will not hurt anyone or make war on this whole mountain, that is, they should become Christians in the way the Turks and Mahometists dream of; but the knowledge of the Lord Christ will abound as the sea overflows and breaks out over the whole wide world. This knowledge of Christ will bring about the laying down of weapons and arms, and the turning of swords into plowshares, 2c., Is. 2, 4, namely, as far as the kingdom of Christ is concerned.
- from this description of the empire
2002 L. XI. 23S-24I. Interpretation of Genesis 49, II. 12. W. **II. Svt4-29t7.** 2003
Christ's pope is still far, who is a tyrant and enemy of the church and congregation of God; and because he can do nothing with the ban, he now resorts to fire and sword. As his sophists to lions, the coarse unlearned asses, only deal with it, that we should be unjustly inflicted with cruel tyranny and sword. But we are by God's grace now understanding, learned and mighty in words to teach, to admonish, to overcome and to punish the unruly. But the pope does not ask about all of you, even those who contradict him he kills with the sword and burns with fire. This was not done by the apostles, whose successors and heirs to the throne he boasts of; but they teach that the adversary is to be punished by the word, which is in accordance with sound doctrine.
242 We have heard the same thing, that in the other parts of this blessing of Jacob, it is actually taught, in which he describes with this unrhymed speech the riches and immeasurable promise of the Holy Spirit, which was brought to us through Christ. For this gift of the Holy Spirit does not bring with it external weapons or fire, which the pope now uses, but it brings with it such good as makes one drunk. And the Holy Spirit with his gifts is this wine and vineyard, to which Christ binds his fill, that is, the church and her descendants, the fill and but the fill. For this kingdom shall not cease, and shall be fed for ever with riches, and with the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
This, I have said, is the right and proper understanding and interpretation of these words. For Jacob speaks not of the fleshly vineyard and asses or fillings, but of the asses and fillings of the other fillings unto the end of the world. The Holy Spirit is never of the church, but always finds some whom he makes drunk.
244 In the time of John Huss the church seemed to be destroyed, and yet God filled both him and his companion Jerome of Prague with the Holy Spirit and spiritual drunkenness, so that one or two men could fill all the nations of the Germans, Bohemians and Spaniards.
have despised. A man has resisted the Council and the whole world. That is to become quite drunk with the Holy Spirit and to become a fool and a heretic, yes, an arch-heretic, before the sages and saints of this world. But the Holy Spirit does not ask for their judgment, and God takes away his saint or his fillings and raises him up, leaving those to be Epicurian swine, and to remain blocks and sticks, who know nothing at all about holy or spiritual things.
These are true gifts of the Holy Spirit, which make people drunk with the very rich knowledge of the Son of God. As John Huss, when he was led to the torture, prayed with great courage and undaunted heart: Jesus, Son of God, who suffered for us, have mercy on me! This is not said without the Holy Spirit. No one else could have said this, except he who was drunk with this wine. Now he was one of the fullnesses that are bound to the noble vine.
Not only are we made drunk with the Spirit, and know what is the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel and strength, Isa. 11:2, but we are also washed daily. For sin is still in our flesh, and the spirit and the flesh are contrary to one another. But the promise of the Holy Spirit works in us, and always washes his garment, namely, us, all the time of our life. For he always sweeps out the sin that is still left in us, and we are thus washed and cleansed, not with water, but with wine and grape blood, with reddish wine, that is, with the full gifts of the Holy Spirit.
For sin is not blotted out, as the sophists dream, with our repentance, readiness, and atonement; which the rude asses of Louvain falsely put in their articles the other day, namely, that after baptism and absolution no sin at all remains in man. For if the same foolish and loose theology should stand, that after baptism there is no sin left in us, what need is there of washing? Does not Christ say John 15:1, 2: "My Father is a vinedresser.
2004 L. LI, 241-243. interpretation of Genesis 49:11. 12. W. **II, M47-ssso**. 2005
Every branch of mine that bringeth forth fruit shall he cleanse." The vine is pure, and yet is purified, as it is written Revelation 22:11: "Let him that is godly become more and more godly." We are not in the perfect being, but must still become godly, and so continue, or turn from one virtue to another, from day to day, from one purification to another, and those who are sanctified must still be sanctified.
This is not understood by the sophists, who always want to presuppose this: No sin is to be cleansed, but one should only accumulate much merit, which we can also sell to others. As I, when I was still a monk, used to confess daily, to read, to fast, to pray, to hold sacrificial masses, to the end and for the cause that I could communicate and sell something from the vigils, masses and other works to the laity. For this the monks took money, grain and wine; as there are still many letters and seals from such buying and selling of the monks and priests, in which they have committed themselves to the people: We want to have given you N. for a bushel of grain our fasting, vigilance, prayer, discipline, mass 2c., all by virtue of this ordinary contract and bill of sale 2c. So we used to write in our letters and sell our good works. For we were, in our opinion, completely pure after baptism and had no sin at all.
And the same thing is still taught by the Sophists of Louvain and Paris. But when the temptation came, we were all terrified, even pale at it, and there was nothing more confused, more terrified or more afraid than our conscience. No one was more afraid of death, of God's judgment and of hell than the monks. I am well aware and guilty of how terrified I have been of God's judgment and of the face of Christ, as a severe judge and tyrant.
250 And the papists today still keep this most ungodly
Opinion, and if the death goes along, they tremble and frighten just as much. If they are monks, they hold their patrons up to them and imprint them as Augustine, Franciscus, Dominic 2c. But is this not a pitiful and frightening thing? But if they are laymen, they become monks and still put on caps at the hour of death, and may still defend such godless beings with violence and unreasonable cruelty; which violence they exercise on those who do not want to follow them.
For this reason we should give thanks to God, who have Christ, the bishop of our souls, to whom we can lift up our eyes and hearts with a good and happy conscience and say: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, which we could never have done before this time. Therefore beware of such theologians, and believe that we must always be washed from day to day, and that the old leaven must also be swept out. For we are not so pure as the law requires of us, nor are we so perfect and fiery in faith and love. Therefore, we must always pray and sigh that we may grow in purity from day to day.
252 And this is what Jacob means here, when he says: "He will wash his garment. That is, he will wash the church in this life, which is still defiled and stained according to the flesh. But in the other and future life he will present the church or congregation of God to have no wrinkle or spot, but to be clean. In the meantime, we need to pray always: "May your name be sanctified, forgive us our debts, and do not lead us into temptation" 2c., Matth. 6, 9. 12. 13.
253 Let us always let the sophists go with their vain glory, so that they may dream that they may say: I am holy, I have purified myself through my repentance and confession; all the good I will now do is superfluous, I will sell the same to the peasants and laymen, so that I may only feed my body well and do it good 2c.
254 But a truly Christian life is one in which one daily believes in the vine.
2006 D. XI, 24S-A5, interpretation of Genesis 49:11, 12. **W. II, 2950-2SS2.** 2007
That is, to the word, and to become drunk with the gifts of the Holy Spirit or with the word. Secondly, not only to become drunk with the Spirit and filled with joy, which is the most salutary drunkenness for the new man, but also to be washed in wine after the old man. The old rogue must still be washed, not with soapy water, but by the Word, by the blood of the Son of God, which is sprinkled among us through the ministry of preaching. For when we teach and preach, we do nothing else, except that we pour out and distribute the power of the blood of Jesus Christ among the people; as was said above in 1 Pet. 1, 2. In the church we are not to teach Aristotle or the Pope's decrees, but we are to preach the blood of Christ, the Son of God, so that it may purify us from day to day until I am completely clean, so that I can meet the Savior Christ when he comes and go under his eyes.
(255) Here also belongeth the troubles of the eyes, or the dull, full, drunken eyes of Christ in his people and believers. Which trouble must be understood not only when we ourselves are drunk, but when we have the Holy Spirit, and are daily swept and cleansed from the old leaven. After this we should also care for others, and teach and govern them. For the eye in the Scriptures signifies a ruler or teacher, and by the teeth also are understood the teachers, which are to bite and to blast the vices and sins. This is a right and good allegory, indeed, it is the spiritual and right proper sense of the text.
256 Therefore, when I am drunk and have the Holy Spirit in His gifts, as in faith, in the knowledge of Christ, baptism and the Word, which are the greatest of all gifts and the most delicious, which lead us to life, and also have the bath for the old man, then God the Lord thrusts me into His harvest, and so our Lord God sets me on the wheel and on the disc.
257 For one must have church servants.
who teach the Word, and there must be the ministry of preaching, which cannot be dispensed with. They cannot all wait for the Scriptures. The necessity of this life requires all kinds of craftsmen, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, potters, etc., as Sirach Cap. 38, 26. ff.; these all cannot be dispensed with in a city. They are not to leave all the agriculture, the housekeeping, the administration of the police and other offices or works of this common life. Therefore, certain special days are appointed and ordered for preaching, on which days the laity or the common people are to come together to hear God's word; there, indeed, the eyes must be red and the teeth white.
- But this trouble of the eyes is shameful, does not look well, is not beautiful, as in the golden yellow rainbow, and in the brown eyes, which from the Greek are called love eyes; nor are the eyes shining like fire from love or anger, or otherwise from other violent affects or desires, as they are seen in dogs and wolves: But here the corners of the eyes are defiled or stained with this redness, that is, the ministers of the word, who are the eyes in the church, by which office God executes the tying to the vine and the cleansing of the garments, are not beautiful, but contemptible and shameful, without any beautiful form, and are looked upon when they speak, like fools and drunken people, as if they had drunk too much yesterday; have eyes as if they had lain in salt, like salt meat.
So the servants of Christ are scorned and despised because of this drunkenness of the Holy Spirit. For they speak not that which is gladly heard, that which pleaseth men, that which is fair, and comely, and acceptable unto men; they have not such fair love's eyes as maidens have, but have sorrowful eyes, and that are shamefully red. For carnal men have no desire to hear God's word; as Paul says 1 Cor. 2:14: "The natural man hears nothing of the Spirit of God; it is foolishness to him." One soon says: It is a
2008 L. n, 2tS-2t7. Interpretation of Genesis 49, 11. 12. W. II, 29S2-SSW. 2009
full of fools, a hostile person, a heretic 2c.
- Such a ministry is the ministry of preaching according to the judgment of the whole world, which is quite pure and beautiful in the sight of God, for there are not red eyes, but angels' eyes. But because it is such a hostile and contemptible doctrine, not pleasant and fun to listen to, yes, it rather punishes and enrages the listeners, and speaks of such things that do not rhyme with reason at all, and which are quite contemptible and foolish: therefore people cry out and say: The apostles and other ministers of the gospel "are full of sweet wine", Acts 2,
- 2, 13. And yet these eyes are very pleasing to God, who govern, teach, raise up and comfort the poor afflicted hearts with the Word.
261 After that the teeth are also "whiter than milk," for they are full of consolation. And though they bite, yet they hold up to men that which is very good and sweet. The punishment done by the preaching ministry does not kill, but rather heals and helps the poor frightened consciences. And even though we punish very severely and set our teeth on edge with punishments, scolding and banishing, the teeth are as white as milk, that is, the punishment of Christ's servants is wholesome and sweet.
In this way, I have said, I understand this text of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of the ministry of preaching, by which the Holy Spirit is distributed among the people, and thus the kingdom of Christ is appointed and established. The church hears the drunken, and the red eyes, and the white teeth, and are all washed daily by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of heat, as it is written, Isa. 4:4, unto life eternal. For thus the patriarch has painted and described the church with unrhymed words; and in the same words one should seek a spiritual understanding and not an allegorical one. For they are real and clear words, and there is no allegory in them. But one must have other eyes, ears, and senses than carnal men have.
Christ does and judges all things with the word alone, not needing a sword. The world knows nothing of this;
because it does not understand or believe that the Word can accomplish such great things. As Christ says Jn 14:17 about the Holy Spirit, "whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. It hears the gospel, it sees that we are baptized, that we use the Lord's Supper, but it does not see that the Holy Spirit is powerful through the Word and our ministry, which, I say, it does not know, and yet it is present when we preach and distribute the sacraments, but it is there as in a dream.
But they that believe, and are moved by the Holy Ghost through the word, know and receive the Holy Ghost, though it seemeth not so in the sight of the world. Therefore it is a different word and a far different government than that of a man, namely, God's word, which he speaks through us and through which he is powerful in the church. He judges all things by the word alone: he enlightens people with it; he raises them up and makes them blessed by it; therefore it is a word of promise, of grace, of eternal life and blessedness.
The world knows nothing of this power of the word, and yet it is so, namely: as Christ casts out devils in the gospel by the word, so the servant of Christ also says to the sinner: I absolve you of all your sins. And it also happens in this way. For it is not the word of a man, from whose voice the devil will not flee. And even if all lawyers and philosophers would gather all their books, nothing would come of it. But the absolution of the servant of Christ is certainly followed by the redemption from the devil and sin. If the Holy Spirit gives you grace to believe, he casts out Satan and death with one word.
And in that part, the Pope also exalted himself above Christ, since he made his decrees and ordinances equal to the words of God. But we do not want to hear the Pope speak in the church, but God alone, as the 60th Psalm v. 8. says: "God speaks in his sanctuary, I am glad of it", that is, among the crowd or assembly of those who have been called and baptized, God should speak in his sanctuary.
2010 D- XI, 247-249. interpretation of I Genesis 49:11-13. w. n, 2985-2961. 2011
hear and speak alone. But where the hearing of God is not, always flee away as far and as much as you can. For it is decreed by God that Christ alone will speak in His church and will not tolerate or suffer any other teacher besides Himself; as the voice of the Father from heaven says, Matth. 17, 5: "This is the one you shall hear. Likewise he also says Joh. 10, 27.: "My sheep hear my voice." But we want to point to the secret chamber of the pope's decrees.
Because the salvation and blessedness of my soul compels and presses me, I will be bound to the vine and to the noble branches like a colt; I am a poor ass, but I like to eat good grapes and drink good wine. I will be washed in the blood of this shiloh, and with the blood of grapes, or gifts of the Holy Ghost; I will also hear my chaklilim, which have red eyes, which are despised, and white teeth in the world, because they punish me, and teach Christ: they bite me with their teeth, but they seek not my destruction, but my salvation.
But let us trample underfoot the rude asses of Paris and lions, whom God has given in a wrong way, so that they do not know the difference between God's word and a man's word. But is this not a terrible punishment, that they are so rude and ignorant that they do not know this?
Therefore let us learn that in the church or congregation of God only the word of God is to be taught and heard, and that this is to be done so that we may be sure of it, according to the command of the eternal Father, who says Matth. 17, 5: "You shall hear him," and also of the Son, who says Joh. 10, 5: "My sheep do not know the voice of strangers. So all Scripture contends against the doctrine of men, of the pope, cardinals, and sophists 2c., and gathers and keeps us in the sheepfold, wherein Christ alone is the one shepherd. There we go in and out; and whithersoever Christ leadeth us, there we find pasture everywhere; without and within he bindeth us to the vine, and washeareth our garment through the red eyes and white teeth.
(270) Up to this point we have had the most important part of these promises; the others, which follow, are almost all temporal promises, so Jacob passes through them briefly.
Fourth Part.
From the blessings and promises on Zebulun, Zsashar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali.
I.
V. 13. Zebulun shall dwell at the ford of the sea, and at the ford of the ships, and shall reach unto Sidon.
271 The blessing of Zebulun is short, and seems that the patriarch Jacob made prophecies or divinations from the meaning of the names in many tribes. As then he said of Judah, "Thy brethren shall praise thee." So he says afterwards of Gad, "Gad, gedud, armed, will lead the army"; item, of Dan, "Dan, jadin, will be judge" 2c. So it seems here also that he looked at the word sabal, which means to dwell with one. Therefore Leah also gave the name to this son when she said: "Now my husband will join me again" 2c., Gen. 29, 34. And therefore also Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, has her name.
272 But now he says: "Zebulun will dwell", he will become a real Zebulun "at the ford of the ships", so that he reaches Sidon with his side. Now it would be necessary to have a good geography and a map of the Promised Land, which would be somewhat better than the common table. Many have labored very hard over this description and worked diligently in it, and I do not know whether they have understood it all, or achieved and attained it, according to which they labored. For the scripture is not one with them in many places. In the tablets that are commonly used, Aster is painted in the place where Sebulon is placed here. For to the same Aster are attributed the harbors and fords of the sea, which is the location of Sebulon.
2012 L XI, 24S-SS1. Interpretation of Genesis 49:13, W. II, 2S61-29S4. 2013
lon. But how the same rhymes, let them see; unless thou wilt understand the ford beyond the sea, toward midnight, and toward Antioch.
Sidon is the outermost border of the Promised Land, as well as Joppa, Caesarea, Ptolemais, Tyre 2c. Read the 19th chapter of the book of Joshua and almost the whole book, and you will see how these tribes were divided, whether it rhymes with this text and whether the tablets also agree with it. For I leave it undecided and command it to the grammarians and geographers.
274 Jacob blesses Zebulun and assigns him a certain dwelling place before the others, namely, the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, which he does not do to any other tribe. But he blesses this tribe and praises it from the place of the dwelling, namely, that it should dwell on a shore rich in harbor, where the ships lie at anchor; of which nothing is written in the holy scriptures. For in no place is it read what Zebulun did, as he used this anchor. For the power of the two cities Tyre and Sidon remained, which were as it were the queens of the sea; as Tyre is called in the prophets the strength of the sea, because it was the most powerful city among those that were situated at the sea, and a glorious and highly famous trading city, which all nations remember and praise in their writings and books. So that the tribe of Zebulun never had these cities, although Jacob says here, "He will dwell in the land where Tyre and Sidon were.
275 But it is clear from this text that at the time of the patriarch Jacob the city of Tyre was not yet built, but Sidon, which is older than Tyre. After that, however, Tyre arose and became much more powerful and famous than Sidon. As in our time Venice is in the Adriatic Sea, so at that time Tyre, the island, was situated on a very solid rock, so that it was not conquered by Alexander the Great without great difficulty, toil and labor. But in Jacob's time, it was either very unknown or not yet built, and in subsequent times it was not built.
Times it has become such a great trading city, which has been famous over the whole world.
276 Therefore the certain dwelling of Zebulun is at Sidon and Tyre, almost to Mount Carmel and the city of Ptolemais. This is the summa and content of this text, that the Father promises Jacob full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and leaves this certain promise, although it is physical, namely that Zebulun should occupy this place.
277 And though the promises are bodily, yet faith shall come that Zebulun shall dwell in thy land. For the devil is not only hostile to our souls for the sake of the life to come, but is also hostile to our possessions and food, our dwelling place, our bodies and other goods of this life. But no matter how fiercely he rages and rages, and how hard he persecutes the church, here the Holy Spirit sets a goal for the devil, as if to say: "Even though you rage and rage through the sea, through the Philistines, through the Syrians, you will still have to leave this place to my son Zebulun, which I have chosen and determined for him beforehand.
278 This faith shall be diligently considered and regarded in these bodily promises. So Judah is a lion also in the flesh or in the world and has the reign until the Shiloh comes, who will then remain until the end of the world, in the midst of his enemies. The kingdom of Judah must nevertheless remain until the Shiloh, when the devil is already very angry. No doubt the devil will have been diligent to cut off both the political or outward kingdom and the spiritual kingdom of this people; and he could easily have driven out all and every tribe, if the Holy Spirit had not first declared that this border should be Zebulun's, and the others should have their border in other places. And Joshua hereafter appointed the lot, as it is here prescribed and ordained, and set every tribe in his place; which tribes also were thus circumscribed in their bounds, preserved and kept.
- after that it is also to be noticed that
2014 L. Xl, WI-2A. Interpretation of Genesis 49:13. w. n. ssai-ssas. 2015
all bodily promises and the belief in them necessarily includes the belief in the spiritual promise. For whoever wants to call upon God must conclude in his heart and believe that God is reconciled to him, that He is favorable and gracious to him, and that He wants to hear him. Even though the sophists of Louvain strongly dispute this doctrine and are hostile to it, it is nevertheless certain and the truth. You will never call upon God the Father, the Almighty Creator, who created you, feeds you with food and delivers you from all evil, unless you believe and are certain that you have a gracious God in him.
So today we cry out against the pope and the last fierce wrath of Satan, and pray for the worldly government, for peace for princes and all the needs of this time, not only for the word, but also for the belly and the daily bread. But we could not pray earnestly and rightly if we did not believe that God was our Father, and that He would hear us and be gracious to us. Thus it is all drawn to the One Christ, as Paul says Col. 1, 16. 17. All creatures and all things in heaven and on earth are brought together into this sum and into one Christ, so that he should be the mediator, whether we ask for spiritual or physical goods.
In this way, the Holy Spirit speaks through Jacob of the physical promise, which is nothing unless faith in the spiritual promises is added. For this is why it is often said in the histories of this people how the children of Israel cried out to God the Lord and were not heard or redeemed. For they wanted to propitiate God with sacrifices and by always slaughtering and heaping up the sacrifices; yes, that is even more, they also sacrificed their children to Him, and their own bodies, which they stabbed with knives and awls until they became bloody, or otherwise led a hard and strict life. But they were idolatrous people and honored God with self-proclaimed worship; therefore they were not heard.
- So Ahaz also wanted to be a very holy and godly king, who would
God, called upon the gods of Syria and many others, but God did not hear him. So does the pope, who always heaps prayer and other supposed services with the utmost diligence: they go barefoot, command the people to fast, and that they should confess their sins and go to the sacrament; but with all this, God is more angered than reconciled, or softened to show help.
283 We have the promise in Psalm 50:15: "Call upon me in time of trouble, and I will deliver you"; in Psalm 145:18, 19: "He does what the godly desire. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in earnest"; item in Psalm 32, v. 2: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit." We keep this promise and rely on the fact that we are reconciled with God and that he hears our sighs and prayers.
The pope with the whole bunch of monks cannot call upon God properly, for they come before God's face and boast of their merits and self-invented services, as the Baalites did. And because of this superstition and reliance on works, the prophets always had to argue with the people of Israel, who condemned all their supposed worship and their entire kingdom as being maligned and rejected by God.
Therefore, I say, all bodily promises comprehend in themselves faith in the spiritual promises. God will not give even a morsel of bread to those who cry out for it when they have no faith, unless he grants us bodily goods as the unworthy, just as he grants some goods to his enemies and the wicked. But that he may be favorable to us, and nourish and protect us out of a fatherly heart, for this faith is necessary even in outward worldly works,' and when one asks for something that is also very carnal. I must always take hold of God the Father, who has a Son in whom he has revealed and transfigured himself.
286 There has never been anything holier or more godly than the outward chastisement of the
2016 **2. n> 2W-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49:13. w. ii. 2966-2969.** 2017
false prophets: they let their children go through the fire, and burned their heart-loving children and fruits of their body without any mercy or compassion. By this they wanted to honor and serve GOD, as it is said in the prophet Micah on 6 Cap. V. 7. it is said: "Shall I give my first son for my transgression? or the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" But the prophet answers there and says v. 8: "It is told thee, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requireth of thee, to keep the word of God, and to love, and to be humble before thy God." But the idolaters cried out against this, saying that such things were heresy, ungodly and unrighteous. For it is always greater diligence and heat among men to hold above superstition and idolatry than to accept and hold fast to the right doctrine and true faith; as is well to be seen today in the Papacy, and the world is at all times full of examples.
Now I could not tolerate or endure the work, the vigilance and mortification of the body, which I had borne and tolerated before, when I was still a monk. For since I had begun to study the good arts and philosophy at the university in Erfurt, and had grasped and learned so much in them that I had become a master, I could have taught and instructed the youth there again, following the example of others, or I could have continued and studied further. But I left my parents and relatives and, against their will, went to the monastery and put on a cap. For I had allowed myself to be persuaded that I believed I would be doing God a great service in the same condition and with such hard, hard work.
But the Scripture testifies and says Romans 14:23: "Everything that does not come from faith is sin," and again, everything that comes from faith is righteousness. Therefore, where one has a house and farm and administers the worldly government, and in this entire temporal or carnal life, we should always pray in faith in the Mediator Christ, and we should consider it certain that such prayer is pleasing to God, and that it also
be heard. In our time we have achieved a wonderful victory against the pope through prayer and faith. Even though there is no lack of external weapons and swords, the church overcomes the pope and kills him with prayer alone, thus taking away his weapons and the flash of the ban even from his own subjects and companions. And we want to do something even greater, if we will persevere in faith and prayer.
289 So Zebulun was set by his father in this place of the land, which is at Sidon, a mockery and a scorn to Satan, who raged fiercely against it, even to all the gates of hell. And he remained there as long as he kept the faith: but when he forsook it, and when sins prevailed, he was carried into Assyria; and it was in vain that the Israelites opposed it, crying out and boasting that they were God's people.
For this is what God the LORD has diligently done through the prophets, always reproving the people: This is my people who believe and call upon me as such a God, as I have revealed myself; for thus I will be known and honored and not otherwise. But where this faith ceases, and this calling or prayer is also in vain, they are no longer God's people; but I will call those my people who believe that I am the Father of Christ, the promised Shiloh; these I will hear and keep in the land which I have given them to possess; the others I will cast out and reject.
291 But what this tribe did and what they handled, the scripture does not express. It may well be that they carried grain, oil, wine and cattle from the fruits of the land to the nearby cities of Tyre and Sidon, and in turn brought goods from those cities into their country. And it seems that they had fellowship with the heathen that dwelt round about, more for covetousness and ungodliness than for any other necessity, and that they profited thereby. For they soon found themselves
2018 **L. XI, 2SS-W7. Interpretation of Genesis 49:13-15. W. II, 2g "s-2g72.** 2019
fall to the idolatry of the Sidonians, Astaroth 2c. And being thus defiled by the idolatry and fellowship of the Gentiles, they perished and were reduced to ruins.
II.
V. 14. 15. Jashar 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; but he hath straitened his shoulders to bear, and is become an interest-bearing servant.
This tribe is more correctly named in the common tablets as Zebulun. For he dwelt with the other two, Zebulun and Naphtali, in the borders of Mount Tabor, as Joshua Cap. 19, 10. ff. testifies and Matth. 4, 15. also states; in addition, the same is also indicated Isa. 9, 1, 2. Jerome says that Mount Thabor was at the end or border of the four tribes of Ephraim, Jashar, Zebulun and Naphtali; and Asher was at evening, Ephraim at noon, Naphtali at midnight, but Jashar was almost in the middle of the Galilean country.
But why does he use this metaphor or simile, that he calls him a "legged donkey," that is, one who cannot get tired, who has strength, who is not only strong in flesh and veins, but is all legged? And what might he mean by that which follows, robez, that is, one who lies down, as the four-footed animals do when they draw the legs to the body; likewise in the word hamish ketajim, that is, border? The grammarians have a great cross to bear, for they want the word saphat with the point on the left to be called lip, but if the same word has another point on the top of the right side, then it is called saddle or reef, on which the donkeys carry their load, and they quarrel with each other, and no one has yet been able to decide; so I cannot decide the same quarrel either.
But it is the same word that is written in Ps. 68, 14: "When you lie in the field" 2c. In the same place they torture themselves very much, and one is drawn here, the other there. But I will leave the interpretation of the newer Gram.
The author of this book is not to be confused with the historians and rabbis who interpret the word to mean saddle, reef, or burden of donkeys or oxen, and in that place keep the common Latin translation and that of St. Jerome, which reads: Si dormieritis intermedios terminos, as we have given it in German: "Wenn ihr zu Felde lieget zwischen den Grenzen" ("When you lie in the field between the borders"). For the captains and chiefs in war must make the camps between the borders and ends of the countries.
Isaschar is a good priest, is such a tribe, who has a desire for good peace, who has nothing so dear and valuable as peace and a good room; even if he should bear a great burden and burden about it, he suffers it all with patience, so that he may only have peace and peace. He is a lazy priest, as they say, he would have wood hewn on him, that he might only have peace; but he is wise. He was situated in the best part of the Galilee, around Mount Thabor on the Jordan, between Asher, Zebulun, Ephraim and Naphtali. He had his brothers and relatives as neighbors in all the places around, and was enclosed and protected in the midst of them like a border.
So I interpret it that he did not live on the outermost borders, but that he was surrounded everywhere with the help of his brothers and thus had good peace and quiet, and where he had to suffer or tolerate something about it or spend money or serve others, he refused none of them only for the sake of peace and a good room. There may have been good lazy priests, but they were wise.
In this way the Holy Spirit has ordained this tribe to dwell within the borders of the other tribes, and has assigned to it a rich and fertile land, in which it lies down like a donkey with legs, bought with labor or money, that it may have peace and rest. There he lies like a lazy father. If he is asked to give money or a lap, or to perform any other service, whatever it may be, he does not refuse; for he wants to have his peace and good quarters unhindered, and he will gladly stay there.
2020 **L n, 257-253. interpretation of Genesis 49:14-18. w. n, 2372-2975.** 2021
He may be an ass, but he is not without understanding: he suffers much, gives much, costs much, endures and endures much, that he may possess only the good land, and is even of the leg, and can suffer all things; he lies between the borders, and has the country of the other tribes, which reach to the border of the heathen, lying about him like a wall and strong fortress.
Therefore this is also a bodily promise, and is to be understood in the same way as we interpreted the one above from Zebulun. And God has thus preserved this rest for them according to His promise, as long as they lived in faith and fear of the Lord.
But he adds: "And he saw that the rest was good," that is, he had a desire for it. Because it is a fine thing around the rest; as a farmer on the next village here with us to Dabrun is to have said: Whoever has two cows, should gladly give the one to the other, so that one may only keep peace. It is better to have one in good peace than two in war. "It is better to have one hand full of peace, than both fists full of trouble and sorrow," as Solomon says in Ecclesiastes Cap. 4, 6.
This donkey, he says, will so much more easily tolerate and endure everything; for he will have no desire for war, but will see that rest is a fine pleasant thing in the good fertile land, and will think it is better to lose the money than the land. Therefore he holds and bends his shoulders to bear what will be imposed on him, gladly bears the burden imposed on him, and has, says the text, "become an interest-bearing servant," not only of his judges and kings, but perhaps also of strangers, that he might buy peace only with gold and silver, or with whatever he could; and it is well bought. For much greater expense and much more must be expended if one is to fight for the border with war and weapons.
302 Thus the bodily blessing of this tribe is confirmed, which they kept as long as they had the spiritual blessing. But when the spiritual blessing came to an end, they lost their fields and land and were taken to Assyria and settled there.
- Last of all, notice also that he points this 'so finely to the name; for Jsaschar has the name of wages, as if to say, a day laborer. Therefore also Lea gave this name to her son. And Judas Iscarioth is thus called of wages, because he sold Christ for wages. This is also what he sees in this tribe, namely, that he takes pleasure in his wages and is satisfied with his portion and does not desire the portion of others. But I will let go of the useless talk of the Jews, who are inclining their shoulders to the law, so that he will apply himself to it and labor under it.
III.
V. 16-18. Dan will be a judge among his people, like 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. Lord, I wait for your salvation.
304 Now here is a play on words: dan jadin, that is, Dan shall be judge. But it seems as if this is spoken in general, and that nothing more is assigned to this tribe than to the others, which were separate and distinct, so that each tribe had its judges, officials and house fathers for itself. Therefore what is said here about Dan belongs to his house regiment, and not to the political or worldly regiment, so that he should rule and reign over others; as if he wanted to say: The office and status of this tribe is agreed with his name; as he is called, so he will also have a judgment, the promise will be firm and immovable. Dan shall not perish, but shall remain to judge his tribe, as every tribe among the others hath its judge, and its rule, and its people, according to the law of Moses; yet shall he rule his tribe, that he may rule the others also. What a blessing was fulfilled in Samson, as we shall say.
But in which place his inheritance was, one must see from the geographical tables, namely, in the inheritance of Benjamin
2022 **n. w." 2SV. Interpretation of I Genesis 49, 16-18. W. II, 2S7S-2S77.** 2023
by the sea, as Simeon's inheritance was in the tribe of Judah. For these four tribes were at an angle toward the south. But toward the north, and after the tribe of Zebulun and Ephraim, they took the city of Laish, which they called by their father's name Dan, as it is written in the book of Judges, 18 Cap. V. 27. ff.
306 And what Jacob saith of the serpent, so doth Lyra apply unto Samson, which bit the cattle and the footmen of the Philistines. For he never had such an army as the other captains or judges of the people of Israel; but he himself alone, without foreign help and weapons, being driven by the Spirit, directed the most important things; he broke the cords and bands, so that he was bound as if they were thread or yarn, as one is wont to do; he laid down great bands of horsemen and servants, and with one ass's chin he slew a thousand men at once, Judg. 15:15, and many trembled before him and fled; and at last, when he should have died, he slew and slayed more men than others while they lived. Judg. 16, 30.
For this reason Samson was a miraculous warrior and savior above all others, who did everything through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which drove him to it, even in death. That is why Moses portrays him so wonderfully, as his whole life is full of great miraculous works. "He will," he says, "become a serpent," not against his people, but against his enemies and adversaries. And says One Thing twice: "He will be an adder on the path," which, when it is trampled underfoot, soon stings and takes venomous vengeance on the one who trampled it. So did Samson, whether he was in Israel or with the Philistines at Gath or Esthaol, he trusted in God and attacked the enemy with the same storm.
308 And in no history, neither of the Gentiles nor of the Holy Scriptures, is such an example found of such a strong, unconquerable warrior, who could have laid himself against a whole nation and fought against it, and who won so many glorious victories.
He was not unequal to others in body and form, although he had greater strength and was very impetuous and fierce.
309 Therefore Moses says: He shall be put down or cast down, that is, the Philistines shall humble him, so that his horsemen shall fall back like a serpent or an adder. He will carry no weapons, have no sword, no bow or horse, but will seize the jaws of an ass, and with them do a great battle, the like of which others could not do with force and the greatest artillery: he will bite like a serpent. Yea, he bindeth the foxtails and fires together, and setteth on fire with them the fruits of the Philistines, and burneth them; and when he is at last come into their hands and power, they have not been able to subdue him, or to deliver him from all fear and danger. Such a war has never been waged with any people. That is why Samson is rightly compared to a snake. For even though it has no weapons or weapons, it still knocks down both horse and rider with its poisoned sting. But I think that they did not understand this until it was accomplished and the prophecy of Jacob was fulfilled.
The other interpreters follow a different opinion and interpret this text thus: He will judge the people as one tribe, that is, all the people. Which is not true. For it is nowhere found that one judge ruled the whole nation of Israel. Therefore it is spoken synecdochically: "He will be judge in his people, like Israel", that is, he will judge a part, so that Gideon, Jephthah, Deborah are understood in the nominative, not in the accusative, as one speaks in grammar. As the other tribes judge, so will this one judge; as the Lord says to David 2 Sam. 7:7: "Have I ever spoken to any of the tribes of Israel, to whom I have commanded to feed my people Israel?"
311 It is a common opinion among all Christian or ecclesiastical writers that the Antichrist would come from the tribe of Dan, which they had named under the serpent.
2024 xi, sso-sas. Interpretation of I Genesis 49:16-18. W. u, 2977-2980. 2025
and such an opinion has been accepted and approved by everyone as a noble article of faith. But the opinion does not rhyme with this text at all, and is quite wrong and unjust. Where it came from, I do not know; but it is also found in the oldest writers, and has always been a common rumor from the beginning of the church that the Antichrist would come, as St. John I Ep. 2, 18. says: "There are many antichrists."
312 They have said that he will be born in Babylon of the tribe of Dan, and this lie has gone through all the churches or congregations, so also that I have often wished that our forefathers had held and impressed the doctrine of Christ on the people with such earnestness and diligence.
- But whether one should take an allegory or a secret interpretation from the name Dan, I do not know; because this word "Dan" means as much as judgment, as Gen. 6, 3. says: "The people do not want to let my spirit punish them anymore" 2c., so that it will be drawn that the Antichrist will lead the office of a judge and not of a savior. This, I say, I do not know. Truly the pope has made the church full of laws and invented statutes of men, and has even extinguished and destroyed the word and the faith in the divine promises. Dan, that is, the pope can do nothing, but only vain decrees and decrees, and such Danite laws shit. But according to the letter, no one will be able to understand that the Antichrist will be born in Babylon and will be circumcised in the Jewish way.
And I believe that the devil has invented this fable, and that he has invented this gloss, so that he may lead our thoughts away from the real present Antichrist. For among all the high schools and papist teachers there is not one who considers the pope to be the Antichrist; they are all of the opinion that he will come from Babylon. But in the meantime, while they are dreaming of him and waiting for him, they are oppressed and devoured by the real true Antichrist, namely, the Pope of Rome, who is a true Danite and comes from Babylon.
Babylon, not from that which is in Assyria, but from Rome, which is the right Babylon, wherein Dan, that is, the pope reigns.
For this reason the devil has deceived us with his trickery and blinded our minds and eyes, so that we would not be able to see the Antichrist sitting in the holy city. For it is through the devil's counsel and lies that the Antichrist should sit in the church, and yet not rule with God's law, promise and grace (for he could not do that), but contrary to it all. Where Christ, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, forgives sin, redeems consciences from sins, death, hell and the power of the devil, the Pope of Rome, on the other hand, has filled the world with innumerable cords and lies before we have seen the same or can judge from it. For what else does he do, since he sits in the temple of God, but that he lays ropes, so that he only catches the poor consciences, and also kills them with his foolish innumerable laws and unnecessary human statutes of eating, drinking, clothing and such foolish works more, and flashes and thunders horribly against those who do not want to obey him, and even gives them to the devil?
316 This is what it means to teach against Christ and his gospel. For Christ redeems us from the power of the law of God, from the accusation of the law or the Ten Commandments, and from the obligation of the outward ceremonies of the law. But the pope has said that even our hair, food, drink, house, wife 2c., and everything else that is living, is subject to sin and defiled, where it is not permitted by him and sanctified in his decrees.
317 In this way this Danite with his laws has extinguished the gospel, and was born and came from the right Babylon, namely from Rome; as Augustin also calls Rome the other Babylon, which began and arose, since that Babylon has declined. And Dan or the Pabst is the right serpent in the way of Christ, who with his poison and violence kills those who walk in it.
2026 L. Ll, 262-284. interpretation of Genesis 49, 1618 . **w. II, 2280-2983.** 2027
I say this only so that you may know how to reject evil and choose good. If the sophists of Paris and Louvain heard this interpretation, they would cry out: I teach heresy, and that would be against the accepted opinion of the fathers, which has now been taught and spread in the church for almost a thousand years. But be it the opinion of the church or the opinion of the synagogue, it is truly not right and is actually not appropriate here. For the text speaks of the blessing of the tribe of Dan and not of the curse. Jacob apparently cursed Levi and Simeon; but here the opposite is promised, namely, that Samson would redeem his tribe with the others who were soon to be with him.
- But if someone likes the allegory, he may understand it spiritually of the Roman Babylon, and of the shameful monster, the Pope of Rome, who is the real devilish Dan; "For he has annihilated and devoured the Church, especially those who have grown up and come of age, who have relied on their monastic life and works; whose soul, body and goods he has corrupted, and what God wanted to be good, wholesome and free, he has made harmful and damnable. The cursed wretch of Rome. One should curse him.
- Finally it is asked: Why Jacob added this piece: "Lord, I wait for your salvation"? Some answer thus: Because Samson should have become such a great and excellent man that he could have been taken for the Messiah himself, the patriarch Jacob did this as a warning, that however great things Samson would accomplish, one should still wait for the real true Messiah. But how much the same may apply, others may see. To my mind it is not the right opinion of this text. For in the people of Israel before Samson there were some who were by no means inferior to Samson in the great things they did. Gideon, with a small band, defeated a great and mighty army of Midianites. Jephthah smote the Ammonites, and there were other strong and mighty men.
There have been more noble captains in Israel, of whom the same may be said.
Methinks not that these words must be applied to Christ, of whom Jacob spake above in the tribe of Judah; but he speaketh generally of salvation, according to the manner of the holy scriptures, wherein salvation is often set for victory; as, 1 Sam. 11:13. Saul says, "No one shall die on this day, for the Lord has given salvation to Israel today," that is, he has given victory; and David says in his last words, 2 Sam. 23:5, "My salvation has not yet fully sprouted," as if to say, "I have also brought about salvation and many victories, but they cannot be compared with Christ.
322 But Samson is almost the last savior in the book of Judges. For Samuel comes soon after him, and the people ask for a. King. Then Saul, David, Solomon follow one after the other, and the twelve tribes are gathered into One Kingdom and One People. But before that it was a scattered and torn kingdom. For God raised up judges from this tribe and from another, as the book of Judges testifies. Therefore the tribes were scattered and were often very divided among themselves, as can be seen in the song of Deborah in the book of Judges, chapter 5, which accuses almost all the tribes of having been abandoned by them, since they had been silent in the meantime, or had been trading on the sea. "Why," she says Judg. 5:16, 17, "do you remain among the hurdles, hearing the bleating of the herd, and think highly of yourself, and separate yourself from us? Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And why did Dan dwell among the ships?" The Ephraimites revolted against Jephthah when he returned and conquered the Ammonites, because they said to him. Judges. 12:1: "Why did you go to battle against the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you?" And earlier in 8 Cap. 1 of the book of Judges, the people of Ephraim also quarreled fiercely with Gideon because he did not call them when he went to battle against the Midianites.
323 Therefore, in the time of the judges, many great miraculous things were accomplished;
2028 L. Ll. 264-266. interpretation of Genesis 49:16-18. w. ii. SS8S-2S8S. 2029
But the people never obeyed a single captain: God ruled them piecemeal, as it were, so that each tribe had its own captain, only that sometimes those who lived closest to one another kept together, as Manasseh and Zebulun; but all Israel was never gathered together under one head, but only under the kings.
324 I understand this to mean that this great man and patriarch Jacob foresaw that much grave calamity and danger would come upon this people, from whom Christ was to be born, and that they would therefore have to be specially governed and preserved by God; and that this could not be done without great struggle and trouble among the heathen and enemies, of whom he knew that they would devote all their power and utmost ability to destroy and exterminate these new guests in the land of Canaan.
For he will have thought thus, as one who prophesies and proclaims things to come: It will be a new unheard-of thing when they begin to drive the Canaanites out of their place, as God has promised them that they should do. Then the Canaanites will call their neighbors, brothers-in-law and blood friends to them and ask for help, so that they may protect and preserve their borders; then great heavy uprisings will follow, by which the Israelites must be plagued very hard. Therefore, they will need divine help to defeat and overcome their enemies and take the land. You, O LORD my God, he will say, have promised this land to my descendants until the future of Shiloh; but because there is great danger that they will encounter from the inhabitants and neighbors of the land, I pray that you will come to their aid and give victory to your people, that you will not allow the Israelites to be destroyed for the sake of your promise and word.
326 So this piece is rightly added to awaken faith, which is also necessary in bodily things. As Isaac must first of all have received by faith
before he was bodily begotten by Abraham. For if Abraham had not believed that he would certainly be born of him, that is, that God would be true in His promise, he would never have begotten him.
In this way, the faith of physical things, which are not yet seen, is the same as the faith of justification and forgiveness of sins, by which we conclude and believe that God is favorable and gracious to us, and will faithfully and surely give what He promises.
328 Therefore Jacob desires and prays here for the children of Israel and for his descendants, saying, "Lord, I will wait for your victory. But where? Answer: In my seed, and in this land which is promised unto him, until the coming of Shiloh. And what I say unto this Dan, I will remind and admonish you all, that ye believe not, neither be dismayed for the danger that is to come. If one day the enemies, the Philistines and the Syrians, want to rule over you, and will plague you very hard and trample you underfoot, you should not become fainthearted, but wait for the help that is promised to you by God. For there is no doubt about it, my seed will inherit this land up to the Shiloh. This promise I will give you and teach you, and I will have it spread out by you, and you shall keep it and hold fast to it. God will not forsake you, but you will take the land that is promised to you, even though all things go over and over and the whole world should break over it. And as I wait for victory, so you should also hope and wait for happiness and salvation for yourselves, and that you will be preserved.
329 Therefore this word that Jacob says, "Lord, I wait for your salvation," is a word of faith also in these bodily things, which one cannot ask or expect from God, unless we believe with certain faith that God cares for us, is favorable to us, forgives our sin, and wants to help us in all kinds of distress and danger, not only spiritual, but also in bodily needs. For thus
2030 **L. Ll. 268-268. interpretation of Genesis 49, 1619 . w. n, 2888-2988.** 2031
Jacob also strengthened this tribe of Dan and all the others, as if to say: Be undaunted, God will not leave you; as it says in the 27th Psalm v. 14: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord."
IV.
V. 19. Gad equipped, will lead the army, and again lead around.
The grammarians have agonized over the correct meaning of these words. In the two words gad gedud, that is, "Gad armed," he alludes to the name, as also in the preceding; but what is meant by this I do not know. Neither do the Hebrews and all the commentators. For what we Christians do not understand or interpret, neither can they; for they have not the understanding or sense of the sacred Scriptures. But to read the Scriptures without faith in Christ is nothing else than to walk in darkness; as Christ says John 8:12: "I am the light of the world." And because the Jews are deprived of this light, it is impossible for them to understand even one passage or saying of the promise. As that which is said of Shiloh in the blessing of Judah is unknown to them, for they do not walk in the light. And when they come upon such sayings, they boast of their works and worthiness, and in the meantime let themselves dream and invent such a Messiah as Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar were. Those who read the holy scriptures with such a heart would spend their time much better if they read Ovid's Metamorphoses.
331 Such people are also the sophists of Louvain and Paris, who are drowned and perverted in the delusion of their works, which they have conceived in themselves, and are deprived of the light of faith and of Christ. But when they teach in the best way, they inculcate in the people the works of love and the outward letter of the law. Therefore, it is not possible for them to understand or act rightly on the holy Scriptures. For it is as much as if one would seek the day or the light in the dark night.
- so now I want to put their opinions on
count. Gad means among the Hebrews as much as, blessed, from where also this son of Jacob got the name; but from there comes gedud, which is a common and well-known word and means as much as murderer, and not a lawful army, but a bunch or assembly of murderers or soldiers, who are sent out on a skirmish, or to destroy and plunder the country; as 2 Kings. 24, 2. It is said of Jehoiakim, "And the LORD sent upon him soldiers out of Chaldea, out of Syria, out of Moab, and out of the children of Ammon." And 2 Kings 13:20 reads thus, "When Elisha was dead, and they had buried him, the men of war of Moab fell into the land of that same year." From this we may infer that they are such a band of warriors as roam now and then and spoil the country, but not those who fight with a lawful army: the vanguard, the lost band, the roving band, of which the Turkish tyrant has many, who often fall out, and attack and damage the neighbors round about. The Easterners call it the "sackman".
In the county of Mansfeld, which is my fatherland, there is an image hewn or carved like a great giant, which is called "Gedud"; and the inhabitants of the country say that there was a war there between the bishops and Emperor Henry the Sixth, and that at the same time this word "Gedud" is said to have been heard. But where it came from, I do not know; whether perhaps Jews lived in the place, or whether it came from the devil.
334 Therefore Jacob says that a band of soldiers or other robbers and murderers will fall into the tribe of Gad because of the enemies who were their neighbors, such as the Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians and others. This tribe will have to suffer that the soldiers will attack, rob and plunder them, and the nearest villages or spots on the borders they will plunder especially to their liking, but with a lawful army they shall not be warred against, as Jerome interpreted it in Latin; for he dwelt on the borders of Israel. Therefore both horsemen
2032 LI. SSS-L70. Interpretation of Genesis 49:19, 20. w. n. 2SSS-SSS1. 2033
and footmen, Syrians, Ammonites and Moabites attacked this tribe very hard with robbery and plunder, and destruction of the land. But with this hope Jacob still holds up: "Lord, I wait for your salvation", as if he wanted to say: We will not possess the land without great effort and work; but still we want to keep it with God's grace and help. The soldiers will attack Gad, plunder him and plunder him; but he will also plunder and plunder, and his enemies will plunder and plunder him again. But how? Answer: Because I will wait for your salvation.
This seems to be the most simple mind. I will leave it up to the Hebrews and grammarians to come up with something better. In the 94th Psalm, v. 21, there is also the same word, jagodu, since the common Latin translation reads: Captabunt in animam justi, which is: "They are ravening for the soul of the righteous. The same should have been better rendered thus: Concursant, turmatim conveniunt, as our German reads: "They arm themselves," they run together 2c. For he complains of the chief priests, Pharisees, and false prophets, who gather and heap themselves together, and help one another, and counsel with one another against the right teachers, that they may thus deprive the people of the right doctrine. Just as today the sophists of Louvain and Paris are gathering against us, killing our brethren and tearing the poor churches apart, twisting and wounding all they can or may. These are now our gedudim. We have given it thus in the Psalm: "They arm themselves against the soul of the righteous", that is, they are lions, parisians, kohls.
336 In the same way Jacob also says here: The soldiers will gather together and assemble a bunch of robbers and will attack this tribe, which is situated so that the neighbors can easily offend it; there they will rob it and capture some. But Dau will be on their heels again, he will come after them, he will run after his murderers and robbers of Moab and Ammon with divine help. As he said above of Judah
"The hand of Judah will be on the neck of your enemies," indicating that Judah will rule over his enemies. Likewise it is written in Isa. 10:27: "In that day shall his burden depart from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck." In this way Gad will not overcome his enemies, but will protect himself and rush after the enemies at his heels, and in turn press them and drive them away with God's help. Therefore, Jacob tells his descendants to trust in God so that they may be safe from enemies by His help and assistance.
Now I would like to put Elijah and Jehu, the king of Israel, into this tribe; as we have indicated in the German Bible in the blessing Moses 5 Mos. 33, 21. And it seems that Moses actually meant this; but primarily I think that Elijah is to be put and counted there. But I may not say it with certainty. The text 1 Kings 17:1 clearly says that Elijah was the Thisbite from the citizens of Gilead, which almost reads as if he belonged to the tribe of Gad. But nevertheless, not everything rhymes with each other. Because there are two kinds of Gilead, in the tribe Gad and also in Manasseh. As in Germany there are two kinds of Pannonia: the one is called Pannonia superior, that is Eastern Austria, the other Pannonia inferior, that is Ungerland. So Gilead has always been divided into two tribes; one part was held by Gad, the other by Manasseh. Therefore I would like to place Elijah in the part of Gab, which is the highest Gilead. Jehu was anointed king in Ramoth, but it does not follow that he was born in the tribe of Gad. Therefore I cannot conclude anything certain from this; and this question also belongs more to the blessing of Moses, Deut. 33, 20. But I keep the previous understanding, namely, that Gad had to suffer much from the neighbors, whom he nevertheless, since they attacked him, drove away with God's help.
V.
V. 20. From Asher comes his fat bread, and he will give cute food to the kings.
Here nothing is said of the war or lamentation of the gedudim. The fat bread,
2034 L. XI. 270-27S. Interpretation of I Moses 49:20, 21. W. II. 2S91-29S4. 2035
means the fertile land. For the Hebrew word, leckem, not only means bread, but generally includes all food, including the fruit of the trees. You will not easily find the same in any other language. That is why Jacob wants to say so much: Asser is the most beautiful tribe because of the fertility of the land, and also because of the abundance or richness of the things that belong to the necessities of this life, and that very good wine grows there, as well as oil and other grains, as in a fat and fertile place, on the border of the sea and almost in the best place of the Galilean land; As we have just described the place where Issachar dwelt, about Mount Thabor, and from Thabor unto the sea, and, as the Jews say, unto Sidon; though I doubt it somewhat. But this is certain, that in Galilee there is a very good and fertile land, so that the tribe of Asher might rightly be called Bethlehem.
- but he makes this fruitfulness and abundance very great, because he says, "He will give the kings sweet food," that is, his grain and other fruits of the earth will be so good and delicious that they will also be carried on the tables of kings and princes; as it is said of Nabal, 1 Sam. 25:36: "Then he had prepared a meal in his house like a king's meal." Indeed, Mount Carmel is highly praised for its great fertility, which was close to the tribe of Asher. Therefore Jacob proclaimed to the tribe of Asher nothing unpleasant, but only the very best, and said, It shall be a good land, that kings may eat thereof.
VI.
V. 21. Naphtali is a swift deer, and gives beautiful speech.
340 This tribe is situated on the farthest border of the holy land toward the north, near the Syrians, and reaches to Damascus and Mount Lebanon. But the words of the patriarch Jacob are very obscure and have been understood by almost no one. The Jews bring forth nothing else, except that Naphtali is a fast
As a deer is the very fastest animal, so the land of Naphtali shall bring forth its fruit quickly, which shall be offered in the temple, where God is praised and glorified with very beautiful speeches. As if the same could not be said of the other tribes, such as Judah and the others. Therefore, they are harsh and Jewish interpretations that do not know anything about the promises.
- it pleases me better that the quickness of the hind is drawn to the hunt and salvation, or else to the tenderness and beautiful form; as if he wanted to say that this tribe would become highly famous and very tender, as a hind or roebuck is wont to be, namely, the most beautiful and loveliest among the wild animals; as Solomon says Prov. 5, 18. 19: "Rejoice in the woman of your youth. She is as lovely as a hind, and as lovely as a deer." Because the tribe of Naphtali was first in Syria, toward Damascus and Lebanon, the neighbors were able to attack it and do it wrong and violence, just as the hind is subjected to hunting, so that she is oppressed. The kings of Syria have had many opportunities to exercise their tyranny and hunting there, but this tribe has nevertheless been saved from the same snares by the faith of the fathers, that is, the promises made, and by divine protection; it has always escaped from the hounds and from the spears of the hunters, so that it has nevertheless remained whole and unharmed.
342 Thus I understand it, although others want to understand it in another way. As there is no place in the whole of the holy scriptures that has been torn and pulled to and fro in so many ways as this chapter. It is said in the German proverb: "Where there are many ways, there is none good. Ignorance gives birth to many opinions. Because the Jews do not understand the things in themselves, that is why they write all sorts of understandings or interpretations.
- methinks this mind is the closest, and which rhymes with the thing most very best. For we keep these two
2036 L. XI, 272-274. interpretation of Genesis 49, 21. w. II. SS94-2S96. 2037
perfect sayings, that Jacob should speak first of the spiritual promise of Christ, and then of the bodily blessing of the other tribes. For this is the promise, This land will I give unto thy seed after thee; and out of it shall be held up the bodily promises unto the other tribes, that they may be protected and preserved until the Babylonian prison, or the future of Christ. For that prison has not so completely destroyed and annihilated everything that there should not still remain some who have come again from all over the world into the Promised Land. Therefore, it was necessary not only to give them this land, but also to preserve it, and God often saved them from their enemies, their neighbors, even though they always wanted to destroy and even exterminate the Israelites, and they themselves sometimes disagreed with each other.
The devil has always been an enemy to this people for the sake of the divine promise and for the sake of the church that was gathered among the people. For although there were always many idolatrous people among them, there was no doubt that God was honored and recognized there; as the 76th Psalm, v. 2, testifies, where it says: "God is known in Judah, in Israel His name is glorious"; and in the 147th Psalm, v. 20, it says: "Thus He does not do to a Gentile, nor does He let them know His rights. Even if they were not all righteous and pious, the right church was still there and the right doctrine of God was heard among the people of Israel. Therefore, these two things of which we have spoken are certain, namely, of the Shiloh and of the temporal blessing and preservation of all the tribes in particular, as we have heard of Gad, Aeser, and Dan.
345 Jacob also says of Naphtali, "The neighbors will hunt him down and attack him and pursue him, which neighbors will dare to catch him and even devour him; but he will be called a hind who has been saved and not caught or kept in the snares of the enemies. Therefore I hold that this mind is the right natural one.
The mind of all the tribes is the same: I will give them this land and keep it; although we do not know the history of each tribe in particular. As for the tribe of Gad, I cannot tell how it has been plagued by the robberies and raids of the gedudim, and how it has resisted such danger and protected itself against it. So the hunting dogs will plague and pursue the tribe of Naphtali, they will chase it with spears and nets; but it will be called and shall be called to me a boisterous Hind that is saved.
346 The histories also testify that Naphtali suffered much, and the king of Assyria attacked him first, as seen in the 9th chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah. But although this does not agree with the interpretations of the others, it is not at all contrary to the matter itself and the promises. For as the spiritual promise was fulfilled in Judah, so the temporal promise was also fulfilled in the other tribes.
347 But what does he mean by the following words, when he says: "And gives beautiful speech"? Others interpret it of the sacrifice; but the same belongs to all the other tribes, and especially to Benjamin, wherein Jerusalem was situated. Therefore I do not know what kind of speech this may be; and as others interpret it, I do not like it, and yet I know nothing else to say about it. Some relate it to the song of Deborah, Judges. 5:1, who was a prophetess of the tribe of Ephraim, and called the son of Abinoam of the tribe of Naphtali, and called him to gather a host against Sisserah. And when she had overcome him, she sang the beautiful song, which Jacob called a beautiful speech in this place. This may be so, because we have nothing better to follow. But the word imre, which Jacob used here, still lies in our way. For it would rhyme better with this song if he had said simre.
348 But if I wanted to write a poem, I would rather interpret it this way: Because Naphtali was the outermost tribe in the land of Canaan, situated very close to the Syrians, it often passed through them.
2038 2 n. 274-27". Interpretation of Genesis 49:21, 22. w. II, 2SS6-S00I. 2039
The people of the Holy Land have been taught and accustomed by so much adversity and affliction to take care of God's word with greater diligence and love, as the prophet Isaiah says in chapter 28, v. 19: "Only the adversity or accident teaches to remember the word. 28, v. 19: "Only the trial" or the accident "teaches us to pay attention to the word"; and in the common saying: "Sour makes sweet; the cross and persecution or affliction makes the word taste sweet to us. For he who is idle and secure does not let himself be moved by the comfort that God gives him in the Word, does not ask anything about honest things, much less about that which is divine; as Isa. 26:16, 17 says: "Lord, when there is trouble, they seek you; when you discipline them, they cry out in fear. Just as a pregnant woman, when she is about to give birth, is afraid and cries out in her pain, so it is with us before your face"; and in the 78th Psalm, v. 34: "When he strangled them, they sought him and turned early to God."
349 But when there is happiness, and that everything goes according to our will, we become lazy and corrupt; for happiness makes fools of men. As the pope is deafened by the abundance of all things and by security, and is choked by the cords of Satan. A poet says: Stultitiam patiuntur opes, that is to say: Those who are rich, have good days and rest, these become too horny to live in all pleasure and do not do anything honest or serious, but always go about with joking and fooling. But to those who are tempted, tormented and martyred, the sleeping sickness is driven away, so that they learn to cry out and ask God for help and salvation.
(350) Of this understanding I think that it does not rhyme badly with this text; and yet I do not want to have taken away from others their opinion, because one is not sure of the right actual understanding, namely, that when people are driven out and persecuted, they flee to God, call upon Him with prayer and thanksgiving, praise, extol and glorify the dear God; which are very beautiful and lovely speeches of our mouth, and a very beautiful praise and excellent worship, namely.
That we first offer our bodies in anguish and distress, and then offer the sacrifice of praise to God; as the 50th Psalm v. 14. 15. teaches, "Offer up thanksgiving to God"; but it says just before, "Call upon me in distress."
This interpretation flows from two promises, as I said above. The land was given to the people of Israel, after which they were promised that they would be preserved against the fierce wrath of the devil and the surrounding nations, who had taken upon themselves to destroy this people, whom God had chosen for Himself, that the Savior Christ should be born of them; for this reason all things must be done.
Fifth part.
Of the blessings and promises of God upon Joseph and Benjamin.
I.
V. 22. Joseph will grow, he will grow like a spring.
Now Rachel follows with her sons, whom she bore to the patriarch Jacob, and the blessing of these sons is just as dark as the previous ones were. The word, ben porath, actually means increase, and here one should draw, which Jacob put on before Joseph, Gen. 48, 3. 4.: "The Almighty God appeared to me in Lus, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said to me: pere urebeh: Behold, I will make you grow, and increase" 2c. But this appearance happened when he fled from the men of Shechem, because Rachel had died to him, and Bilhah of Reuben had been weakened, which he had to abstain from, so that there was no hope left at all how he would be multiplied and grow. And yet God said to him: "I will make you grow" 2c. Therefore Jacob repeated this promise when he saw Ephraim, thinking that this growing and multiplying must concern Joseph, who was born of the most noble woman and whom he considered the firstborn. And because it pleased the Holy Spirit otherwise, who taught him that Judah should be the father of Christ,
2040 n. 27S-S7". Interpretation of I Moses 49, 32. D. n. "ooi-soot. 2041
He has placed two tribes in the descendants of Joseph. And in this place he looketh out the name of Ephraim the son of Joseph, saying, ben porath, that is, a son of increase, or of growing.
353 And in the word den one should notice the way of speaking that the Hebrew language has. For where this word is put to such a word as signifies a thing which is not alive, it signifies no son, but signifies the very same thing that we say in Latin, res, a thing, or ens; as when I say, Thou art a son of death, death is not the father, but such a thing as has no life in it. Likewise, when one says, filius gladii, filius vaginae, that is, a son of the sword, a son of the sheath. And in the prophet Jeremiah, Clagl. 3, 13: filii pharetrae, sons of the quiver, which there is called arrows. And in the 80th Psalm v. 15. 16. it says: "Seek out this vine, and keep it in the building, which thy right hand hath planted, and which thou hast firmly chosen for thyself." There he calls the son a vine and speaks of the people of Israel. The same is written in Isa. 5, 1: "My beloved has a vineyard in a fat place." There it says in Latin: in cornu filio olei, hoc est, in angulo, qui est res pinguis, locus fertilis, etc., in a fat or fertile place.
354 Therefore, when Joseph ben porath is called a son of increase, it does not mean a natural son or a son of man, but the son of such a thing that has no life, that is, a son of increase. As if to say, He will be something fruitful, and will bear much fruit, not only of the land, but also of the whole tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh, which will have much people, and will grow to be a great multitude of people. For he does not speak of the person of Joseph, but of the descendants of the tribe, and he praises them for their fruitfulness, and that they will grow and increase so much.
- others interpret it: a son of a branch; and I will not dispute that it may be called a branch or a small tree; as Jerusalem in the 48th Psalm v. 3. a beautiful fruitful branch.
is called. But here Jacob speaks more generally of a fruitful thing than of a tree or forest; for he understands by this the multitude of this tribe, and especially Ephraim, which had a great multitude of people.
And he adds still more and says: "as at a spring", as if he wanted to say: He will thus grow and bring forth fruit, like a tree that is planted by a well. And it seems as if David had seen here in the 1st Psalm, since he says v. 3: "He is like a tree planted by the rivers of water" 2c. For where it is dry and arid, it also tends to be unfruitful. Therefore also the 24th Psalm v. 2. says: "For he hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it by the waters." For without water we cannot live, and all villages and cities are commonly built on the waters.
357 Now in this way Jacob praises the place or seat where this tribe dwelt, saying, There shall be a fruitful thing with this tribe, which is by a fountain and streams of water. By this he indicates that this people will grow and increase miraculously, and that it will become a very numerous tribe; as can be seen from the book of Judges and also of Kings. Ephraim had a beautiful kingdom and many excellent men and noble captains, although they were godless. In addition, he also had excellent prophets. From Manasseh came Gideon, a pugnacious prince, and Jephthah, and other excellent men. And David says in the 60th Psalm v. 9: "Mine is Manasseh, Ephraim is the power of my head", is the noblest power and strength of my people, is the best people I have, "and Gilead is mine", which is also good for me. From this it may well be seen that David also thought highly of Ephraim and Manasseh. And so the blessing of Jacob has been fulfilled, who says that these two tribes, like a spring that springs up forever, will grow beautifully and be multiplied.
The daughters join the regiment.
- almost all commentators, and even Jerome, tell a fable about the beautiful
2042 D- LI, 27S-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49:22-24. W. II, AM-NX". 2043
Joseph, who is said to have been so exceedingly handsome and beautiful that the virgins and women looked after him with great crowds from the walls, towers and windows where he walked through the streets. But these are Jewish fables and lies. For Jacob does not speak of the person of Joseph, but of the whole tribe that came from him.
359 Therefore we say that the word shur comes from scharar, which means to have the regiment or rule, to fight and win. Therefore Sarah also has the name, that is, Sarah should be a mistress, an overcomer and a true housemother; for she will have many temptations, which she must overcome and thus conquer. Therefore, we would rather give it in Latin, which is also better: Filiae incedunt super regimine, that is, as we have also translated it: "The daughters step forward in the regiment. Since this is also to be noted, that here the plural is allied with the singular; as it is common in the Scriptures, that adjective and noun have different numerus (number).
The word does not mean to walk around, but to walk along stately and splendidly; as Juno says in Virgil: Ast ego, quae divum incedo regina, etc., to swan about and step majestically in.
Therefore, Jacob will say, my Joseph will become the most beautiful tribe, his kingdom will grow miraculously and increase abundantly. But what will become more? The daughters, he says, will stand in regiment, that is, the cities and daughters of the cities will be gathered into a fine order and regiment, in which there shall be good laws, discipline and customs.
362 And this is also a peculiar way of speaking in the holy Scriptures, when one says: "The cities and daughters of the cities", which is often used in the book of Joshua; and Jerusalem is called Zech. 9, 9. a "daughter of Zion". And therefore the pope has drawn the same names to the church, when he said that the small churches are daughters of the great parishes; for the highest churches he has called the parish or episcopal see.
Now this is the right understanding of these words, that he wants to say: This will be a beautiful kingdom, will be very well ordered and arranged with laws, with officials and other necessary statuses, will not be a rebellious loose bunch of people; as Ahab is praised because of the beautiful and glorious rule, which he kept in the people of Israel, although he was a godless Baalite king. For Jezebel said to him 1 Kings 21:7, "What kingdom would there be in Israel if you did this?" These are temporal goods, so that God blessed this tribe, that it should be great and fruitful, and should have a police or regiment well ordered with princes, persons in authority, and soldiers of war. But he will not have or use all this with peace and tranquility. For thus follows further in the text:
V. 23, 24: And though the archers anger him, and war against him, and persecute him; yet his bow shall stand firm, and the arms of his hands strong, by the hands of the mighty one in Jacob.
This is a Hebrew way of speaking: viri sagittarum, that is, men of arrows, who are good shooters; as they also say, filius vaginae, that is, a son of the sheath, and as it is written in the 127th Psalm v. 4: "As arrows in the hand of a strong man, so do the young boys go" 2c. Jacob tells how it will be with this tribe and what luck he will have. He will have adversaries and suffer much, but he will still prevail.
By these archers I do not mean the tribe of Judah, as others would have it, but the Syrians, who plagued this kingdom greatly and were excellent archers; as Ahab was shot with an arrow by a Syrian and died of it. At that time there were also very good soldiers and archers, and they were more needed in battle than those who had swords and slings, as even now the Turks shoot with many arrows. But those who use big guns still overcome all those who fight great battles with them.
2044 D- XI, 2S0-282. interpretation of Genesis 49:23, 24. w. II. sms-soog. 2045
- For this reason, these Syrians will often plague and afflict this kingdom, attacking it with weapons and persecuting it with bitter envy and hatred, and will want to bring it down and destroy it for the sake of happiness, so that they will grow and increase; But especially because the voice of God and his word are taught and heard there, as the prophets speak to the people, there will be great enmity, which cannot be settled, between this tribe and the Syrians, but not the tribe of Judah; although the latter has also attacked Ephraim several times. But the Syrians have raged against them much more grievously, and several times they have shot at them fiercely, that they might destroy and cut off this people: as it is written in the 137th Psalm, v. 7: "Purge out, purge out, even to their ground."
- but he will sit in his fortress, let them rage, let the mighty archers from Syria come here; here are also people, their bow can also shoot. "The arms of his hands are strong", that is: he also has a fist, Ephraim is also able to do something with his fist, bow and arrows. But this is the difference between them: there with the Syrians are more archers, who are stronger, more armed and in all ways greater. But whence they have this their strength he indicates, saying, "by the hands of the mighty one in Jacob." The Hebrew word, abir, in some places means ox; but it is often and commonly attributed to God; as, in the 132nd Psalm v. 2. 5: "David swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob." We have translated it, mighty.
This is truly a great glory, that Jacob may speak thus: The bow, the arrows, the fists and the arms are firm, strong and powerful. But whence come they the same? Answer: "By the hands of the Mighty One," who is the God of Jacob. Now because God has promised, He will also preserve this tribe, which is a fruitful thing, that is, mighty and powerful of many people, whose "daughters," that is, cities, "stand forth in the" political "regiment. But the adversaries have bittered him very hard and have been at loggerheads with him; for the devil contends against the godly,
not only with bodily weapons, but also with spiritual weapons. Yet his bow remained firm, and his arm strong and unconquerable, not by his own strength, but by the hands of the Mighty One in Jacob.
For this is the right Christian teaching, which is also held up to us in the 44th Psalm, v. 7, where he says: "For I do not rely on my bow, and my sword cannot help me. It is true that one must have weapons in readiness and everything else that is necessary to administer the regiment with them, and how one should govern both in peace and in war; one must, however, also do something, must use the means that are available, must take counsel and consider everything well; but when all this is ready and well ordered, one should by no means rely on it, but should pray, as in the 70th Psalm, v. 2. Psalm v. 2: "Make haste, O God, to save me, O Lord, to help me"; and in Psalm 124 v. 8: "Our help is in the name of the Lord" 2c. For the adversaries are far superior to us in counsel and strength.
From them are come shepherds and stones in Israel.
This piece is somewhat obscure because of the peculiar way of speaking in the Hebrew language. But the word "stone" is taken in the Scriptures by a simile for a corner, for a ruler, a head or king. As, Hezekiah was a corner or head of the people. And Jacob wants to say so much that in this tribe of Ephraim there will be shepherds and stones. For he needs the singular for the plural, which is. One for many. As then the same figure is common in all languages, as that the Latins say: Romanus proelio victor: The Roman has kept the victory in the quarrel, that is, the Romans have conquered 2c.
- and this word "stone" is not taken or understood for a king alone, but for all the shepherds and rulers in this tribe; for the same before David held the reign with Manasseh; as it is written in the 78th Psalm v. 67. 68: "He rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim; but chose the
2046 XI, 282-284. interpretation of I Genesis 49:24, 25. w. n, 300S-M12. 2047
Tribe of Judah" 2c. But after David and Solomon Jeroboam reigned, as 1 Kings 1:31 ff, and the Lord raised up the kingdom of Israel; there were many excellent kings and prophets, such as Ahaz, Hanain, Jonah, Micah and many others, and before them Elijah and Elisha, who were shepherds and shepherds. And the word "shepherd" means in the Holy Scriptures both, namely, to rule physically and spiritually; as, in the 2nd Psalm v. 9: "Thou shalt smite them with a scepter of iron."
372 Therefore it has been a great grace that this tribe has had so many glorious stones, prophets, and kings; although many have been idolatrous, yet they seem to have repented before their death, for the Scriptures say of many, "And he slept with his fathers.
By the way, God has preserved this kingdom and nation for the sake of the elect; just as He still makes His sun rise over the wicked and over the good. Yes, heaven and all creatures serve the unrighteous or the wicked much more than the righteous and the pious; and yet the wicked are well off only for the sake of the pious. The wicked enjoy the blessings of the saints and believers, to whom they are enemies, since all good things happen to them only for the sake of the fellowship and good deeds of the pious.
374 Therefore, even though several of the kings of the people of Israel were ungodly and false prophets were among them, the Lord says to Elijah, 1 Kings 19:18: "I have left me seven thousand men. 2c. For the sake of the same crowd God also preserved the ungodly and idolatrous. Likewise the hundred prophets, whom Obadiah hid, who were trampled under the feet of the wicked, when they had to flee into misery: they were the ones who protected and preserved the land.
So today the papists hold the reigns and have power and authority in the world; there the sun shines with them, and everything stands very well and is full. But our parish priests and church servants suffer lack and are despised.
and are cast out; as it is written in Ecclesiastes, Cap. 8:14: "There are righteous, and it is as if they had the works of the wicked; and there are wicked, and it is as if they had the works of the righteous."
Therefore the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh has had some excellent men who have been "stones," that is, princes and prophets. For God is an excellent and wise ruler, who even through the most evil authorities can administer the regiments and police, and keep peace and also judgment in pregnancy, one time better than another. They also had the word of God in the tribe; and although few of them accepted it, some were still devout and godly, and seven thousand remained who did not bow their knees to Baal, as is said above in 1 Kings 19:18.
V. 25. You are helped by your father's God.
This is a very great and rich promise, and Moses is right in saying that which is written in Deut. 4:7: "Where is there such a glorious people, to whom the gods draw so near, as the LORD our God, when we call upon him? "For this is a great glory, where one has God for a helper in all that one does. Therefore the kingdom of Israel was not such a kingdom, where everything that was done in it was done by chance, as it was with the Roman or Persian empire, but a certain word was conceived and understood.
It is God, says Jacob, who helps this kingdom and the prophets; for the sake of the seven thousand, that is, for the sake of the elect, the kingdom of Israel must have the word to be taught publicly and must have a police force. For the company of the seven thousand men will undoubtedly not have run to the idols or images at Dan or Bethel, but served and called upon God in the temple at Jerusalem. Hosea, the prophet, labored eighty years to "teach" the people and to punish idolatry, and will no doubt have converted many. Likewise, Jonah and Micah have also converted many to the pure sound doctrine and
2048 s. xi. 2s^-2". Interpretation of
Genesis 49:25. w. n. soi2-sois. 2049
Amos also taught in the kingdom of Ephraim and preached in the kingdom of Ephraim. Amos also taught and preached in the kingdom of Ephraim.
Thus God raised up many prophets for the children of Israel, from which it can be sufficiently understood that he was the helper of this people. But Jacob says: "From your father's God", that is, who made the promise to your father, or, my God, whose promise I have, He will not abandon you, but will help you in everything.
And from the Almighty dn are blessed, with blessings above from heaven, with blessings from the depths that lie nuten, with blessings on breasts and bellies.
Here he understands only recently the bodily blessing. Shaddai and, as the Greeks speak, πολύμαστος*,* is the GOD, who all he
who nourishes, who feeds and sustains all things in general, who has many breasts. For the Hebrew word, shad, means breast; as then he calls it a blessing of breasts and bellies.
381 And it is truly a fine description, which he gives in short and glorious words. The whole heaven, he says, shall be thine, the earth and the sea, and all that is therein shall be thine. Almost in the same way Isaac blesses his son Esau Gen. 27, 28. above, saying to him: "God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and corn and wine the abundance." So in this place Jacob says, "The heavens shall serve thee, and the sea, and all that the earth hath. It is truly a great blessing when God gives good weather, rain early and late, plus the sun and comfortable winds to the fruits that grow from the earth. For where it does not rain, everything withers and perishes when it is so exceedingly dry. But when the power of heaven is there, as those who cultivate the field may wish and desire, then the soil does not bring thorns or thistles, but good grain and other fruits, which are not injured or spoiled by excessive heat, dander, hail, or such other accidents that damage the fruits of the field and trees. Truly, the farmers are over such fertility of the year, because
Everything is so plentiful and well-disposed, cheerful and in good spirits, that they may use it all; which gift is very rare in our times.
382 The depth that lies below means not only the great sea that goes around the whole world, but all deep waters, as, the stagnant waters, lakes and puddles.
Finally, he also promises him the blessing of the womb and belly, so that he may recently understand the fruitfulness of men and cattle, and everything that is created for the need of men. All this, he says, will be fruitful. The mothers shall not only be fruitful, but shall also have milk enough to suckle and nourish the little children. The cows shall give calves, milk, butter and cheese, likewise the sheep and oxen shall give meat.
Now these are truly great bodily benefits, but because they are so common and happen almost daily, they are despised. I have often calculated and found that people consume more milk than wine. The flocks of sheep are like clouds that rain nothing but milk. But we pass by such gifts and despise them, because they have become so contemptible because of age and the fact that they are used daily; and yet they are nothing but miracles and immeasurable benefits of God.
- Again, it is also a very heavy curse if we are deprived of them; as the prophet Hosea threatens the same misfortune to the ungrateful, when he says Hos. 9, 14: "Give them barren bodies, and dried up breasts." Mothers are praised because of fertility and childbirth, and are adorned and graced by God with these gifts before men. The fruit is wonderfully nourished by blood and milk in the womb and when it is already born. For this reason, greater benefits are seen in women than in men; which fornicators neither see nor marvel at, but pious, godly husbands recognize and praise such wonderful works of God. And so far it has been said of the blessing of men and cattle.
2051
2050 L- n, 2SK-288. interpretation of I Genesis 49, 26. w. ii. svis-Mi?. 2051
V. 26. The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of my forefathers, according to the desire of the high ones of the world; and shall come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crowns of the Nazarite among his brethren.
This text is somewhat obscure; and I have often said that I do not like the gloss of the Jewish rabbis, who draw these words and others more to the person of Joseph. "The blessings of your father," says Jacob, "go stronger," that is, what has been promised to me, your father, is still much greater than the blessings of my forefathers. You, my firstborn son, and your sons, whom I have adopted as children, have greater gifts than the gifts of your forefathers, which they have used in this life. I have begotten twelve sons that God might multiply my house, and have seen the children born of these my sons, so that I went down to Egypt with seventy souls, menservants and maidservants excepted: these are truly great glorious gifts.
387 For Abraham hath bought a special place in the land of Shechem, where he buried Sarah: but Ephraim and Manasseh shall have and possess two great parts in the land of Canaan, and shall be wonderfully multiplied, and shall grow, that a great nation may be of them. Therefore, says Jacob, the blessing of your father upon you is greater and stronger, and there was none before me of our forefathers who became so strong and mighty as you have multiplied and grown Joseph in your sons. Abraham and Isaac had nothing more than a foot wide or no space at all from this land to Shechem. Therefore the promises made to me have been fulfilled in you.
388 That he adds: "according to the desire of the high ones in the world", the Jews draw this on their desire and lust. For they interpret and replace the words "according to the desire" with "end," and do this for no other reason than that they may lie about how the tribe of Ephraim will have and possess the whole world. As they have often dreamed of more such lies
They have gone against the clear and bright Scriptures, and have especially torn up this chapter with their most harmful glosses.
389 Of the tribe of Judah, Jacob says, "The nations shall cleave unto Shiloh" and obey; and in the 72nd Psalm, v. 8, it is written, "He shall reign from sea to sea, and from the waters even unto the end of the world. Likewise in the 19th Psalm v. 5. it is written, "Her cord goeth forth into all the earth, and her speech unto the end of the world"; and in the 2nd Psalm v. 8. it is written, "Cry from me, and I will give thee the heathen for an inheritance." There the kingdom over the whole world is promised not to Ephraim, but to Judah, and moreover not to Judah in the flesh, but to the Shiloh or Messiah. Why then do the Jews ascribe the rule over the whole world to Ephraim, since they were taken captive under King Hezekiah and carried away to Assyria, so that they had no hope of returning to the land of Israel, and there they had no prophecy nor any prophet with them, but were rejected and scattered among the Gentiles without all hope and promise of the Second Coming? But when Judah was taken captive by the king of Babylon, he was not altogether deprived of all hope and promise, but had comfort that after seventy years they should be brought again into their own land. And he also had prophets who went to Babylon with them, namely Daniel, Ezekiel 2c. There was a certain promise and hope of salvation. But the ten tribes had no word at all, and all hope of returning to the land was cut off from them. And they never returned, except under the Lord Christ, when the prophecy of the Shiloh was fulfilled, to whom the nations were to cleave and obey.
Therefore the Jews obviously falsify and blaspheme this text, because they interpret it in such a way that the tribe of Ephraim should arrogate to itself the rule over the whole world. Therefore this piece is given in Latin: Usque ad desiderium collium in mundo, that is: "according to the desire of the high ones in the world.
2052 "L- XI, 288-290. interpretation of Genesis 49:26, 27. w. II. 3017-3020. 2053
of the world"; and thus want to have rejected the rabbis' interpretation. And in this place is the same Hebrew word that Moses uses, Deut. 5:21, where he says: "Do not lust after your neighbor's wife.
391 But the "high ones" are taken by a likeness and understood for kings and kingdoms of the world. And Jacob will say this much, Ephraim, thy kingdom is like a kingdom of this world, that it may contend; as David often contended with the Syrians, Ammonites, and Moabites, and took their land. But the worldly rulers and regiments have had no prophets, no word, no worship ordered by God Himself, but have arisen and been gathered about as God scatters the rain and makes His sun rise on the good and on the evil, Matt. 5:45. But this kingdom is established and ordered with a certain word and certain laws, and has many glorious men of valor, prophets and rulers. But as the rulers of the world desire and wish that they may have riches, a blessed government, and a fruitful land, with all the necessities of life: so, says Jacob, you also have such a kingdom, "according to the desire of the rulers of the world. Joseph will have that which the worldly rulers desire and covet. This, he says, will be on Joseph's head and on no other tribe. For Judah and the other tribes have their own land which they possess.
392 "They shall come upon the head of Joseph" 2c. With these words he repeats the same thing he said before, only that they are different words. But who the Nazirites were, can be inferred from the description of Moses 4 Mos. 7, 2. ff. Samson was a Nazarite, hence Nazareth has the name; and of Christ it says in the 132nd Psalm v. 18: "But over him his crown shall blossom", which one would give in Latin, nazareitas ejus. And Matth. 2, 23: "He shall be called Nazarenus" comes from the Hebrew word nasir, which means to separate and to be holy. For the Nazarenes had their special ceremonies, did not drink wine or anything that made them drunk, nor did they shave their heads.
In the times of the father they have not been yet, or, however, have not been so famous yet. Also their religion and life is not described in the histories. Moses, as it seems, was the first who wrote about this way and use. But it was such a religion, which either granted a certain time, as Paul shaved his head at Kenchrea,Ap.Hist. 18, 18, and such were Nazarites a month or two after each man's good pleasure; or else it was such a vow that vouchsafed for and for as long as they lived, as was Samson's vow.
394 Therefore Jacob magnifies the blessing of Joseph, not only that he will have all the good things that a king of this world would desire or obtain, but also that it will come to him with a certain word of God, and that he will be kept like a Nazarite, so that this blessing will be special and excellent compared to other tribes, and will have a great advantage over the others, except for the tribe of Judah.
395 And I believe that this title, or name, Nazir, hath deceived the Ephraimites, and made them somewhat proud, that they have persuaded themselves, and made themselves believe, that nothing could be done, or ought to be done, without their counsel and power; as therefore they reproached Gideon, Judges. 8:1, saying, "Why hast thou done this unto us, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to battle against the Midianites?" and quarreled fiercely with him. From this carnal honor, I say, the descendants of Joseph became proud and puffed up, especially since the glory of the firstborn was added, which their father Joseph had obtained when he was born of the most noble wife of his father Jacob.
II.
V. 27. Benjamin is a ravening wolf; in the morning he will devour prey, but in the evening he will divide the spoil.
396 This is a short blessing, and that very much has been interpreted on the apostle Paul, but according to the allegory or secret interpretation. Although it is almost a mind
2054 XI. 2A>. 2S1. Interpretation of I Moses 49, 27. 28. W. II. soso-soss. 2055
is according to the letter. For he devoured St. Stephen like a wolf, and after that he distributed the spoil over the whole world, leading and administering the apostleship and the church, and thus spreading the teaching of the gospel from time to time.
397 Many point to King Saul, who destroyed and plundered the Amalekites and then governed the kingdom. But it does not run well that he should be called a wolf who wages war by God's command. The wolf does not wait until the sheep are condemned to death or for the command of the shepherd, but rages and rages against the poor innocent sheep without and against the will of the Lord.
I understand that this tribe was like a ravening wolf because the Levite's wife was weakened. For the sword of Benjamin devoured and consumed forty thousand men out of all the tribes of Israel in two battles. After this there was no tribe more godly than Benjamin, not only for St. Paul's sake, but also because they had joined the tribe of Judah against Jeroboam the king and the other tribes of Israel, when they might have joined the other tribes for more just cause; for he was Joseph's brother in the flesh. His seat or dwelling was between Ephraim and Manasseh; he had Judah on the south.
Sixth part.
Of the blessings and promises so Jacob laid upon his sons; item, how Jacob commanded his sons to bury him in Canaan, and thereupon died.
I.
V. 28. These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, each with a blessing.
- Moses says in general of all and every son of Jacob, how the father has blessed every one of them with a blessing of his own.
blessed them. But with Levi, Simeon and Reuben it seems that he did not bless them, but rather cursed them. How then does he say here that each one received his special blessing from the Father, when these were cursed with express words? For he says of them: "Cursed be their wrath, that it is so fierce" 2c. And, "My glory be not in their church."
I answer thus: The patriarch Jacob has condemned the example and sin of the murder they committed against their brother and the blood shame of Reuben, but he has not cursed or rejected Reuben at all; he has only said of him that he should not grow, that he should not be the ruler, and has taken from him the firstborn, or the priesthood and rule, that he should not have two parts, but should be content with a small part, and should not die. As Moses says Deut. 33:6, "Reuben shall live and not die, and his people shall be few"; he interpreted these words of Jacob, saying, "Thou shalt not be chief," that is, thy people shall be few.
Levi is blessed very gloriously in the 5th book of Moses. But Simeon is the most despicable tribe, because he is cursed by his father, and Moses is silent about him and does not remember him with a word. Jerome, as I said above, is of the opinion that Simeon is not remembered because Judas Iscarioth was born of the same tribe. But whoever wants to, may believe the same. Jacob does not want them to perish at all, but to be preserved until the dispersion in Jacob. He does not give them a special seat, dwelling or honor, as he does Judah or Joseph, and accuses and punishes them of a very great evil and abominable vice, and asks that God will save him and his own from it. "My soul", he says, "come not into their counsel", that is, my descendants, and "my honor", that is, the right Israel. Therefore Simeon, like Reuben, lived without honor and in contempt among the other tribes, without special gifts; yet for the sake of Jacob his father, he will be included among the descendants and the twelve tribes.
2056 2. XI, AI-MS. Interpretation of I Moses 49, 28. w. n, 3025-3027. 2057
counted. And until now it has been spoken of every man's blessing, as Moses calls it.
402 From this we should take examples and make comparisons between our revelations and those which the holy fathers had. For this was an excellent and very clear prophecy or prophecy of the Shiloh or Messiah, the son of the virgin, in the blessing of Judah, when I said that Shiloh is called as it were the son of a womb or virgin. For the same birth was only a virgin birth, out of the womb of his mother (in Hebrew schiljah), was lischt a son, so from the loins would have come or born. In addition, this virgin Son was to become both King and Lord of the world, who would tie the head to the vine and wash his robe in wine, that is, he would bring forgiveness of sins, salvation from death, and make us all blessed.
This is a very high revelation of the Son, who is to come from the body and at the same time be a Lord in divine nature and power. For to wash the robe, to have eyes red and teeth whiter than milk, to take away sin, to bite and devour, this is not only due to the son of a virgin, but also to be the Son of God.
404 For this reason the fathers had great light and knowledge of the two natures in Christ. And Jacob indicates in this place what the holy fathers' discourses and sermons were about the Seed of the woman, namely, the same or similar to those we have heard from him, which he received from the other fathers before him, namely, about the Son of the Virgin and his kingdom, who would purify the whole world and make the faithful drunk with the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts; as St. Paul abundantly interprets the same to the Romans and Galatians.
405 Therefore glorious prophecies are now held out to us in this place; but if we were to compare them with the New Testament, we have a far clearer prophecy. For the fulfillment, and the fact that this Savior was now presented and sent
which is much greater and more excellent than that which is first promised; only that we do not take heed of it, and do not inquire much about the unspeakable majesty and infinite riches of the Holy Spirit which is given to us; as Paul says in Titus 3:6: "Which he hath abundantly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
- For this reason, the prophets and the whole Bible should be read with great diligence; and I, indeed, when I compare these things with one another, am angry with myself and ashamed of myself and of my life, and I am sorry that I should live, because, now that Christ has been presented and has come, we are nevertheless so cold, and regard our gifts so lightly, and believe the word so weakly; when the fathers believed with so great constancy, and lived in the faith of the promise, by which they overcame great danger and many troubles. If you want to compare them with us, they were the last, but they became the first; and since we were the first, we have now become the last. For they have so firmly clung to the promises of the future Shiloh that when we are compared to them, we are cold, sleepy and lazy in the face of this richness and great glory of the presentation and appearance of our Messiah.
If it were not a sin for us to pay so little attention to the great majesty of divine works, one would do himself harm. For is this not a great gift and glory, that even a woman in distress can baptize and say, "I deliver you from death, the devil, sin and all misfortune, and give you eternal life; I make a child of the devil into a child of God. But this riches of the Spirit have become small among us, so that we do not consider them so great, because they happen daily, and yet they are a true thing in themselves. A minister of the gospel who preaches and baptizes is a greater prophet than Jacob or Moses were: the clarity of our prophecy far surpasses that clarity. They have had the same spiritual food, drink and faith: but our goods are so rich that
2058 n. 2S8-29Ü. Interpretation of Genesis 49:28, W. II, S0S7-S0S0. 2059
could also absolve a child and transfer it from the realm of the devil to the realm of God; and this by nothing else but by the word; as Isaiah Cap. II, v. 6. 8. says: "A little boy shall drive calves and young lions and fatlings together," 2c., "and an infant shall delight in the hole of the adder, and a weaned man shall put his hand into the basilisk's den."
408 Therefore also St. Peter 2 Ep. 1, 19 says: "We have a firm prophetic word, and you do well to pay attention to it. O beloved, he wants to say, pay attention to it, only hold fast to it with faith, for it is a sure thing. We have holy baptism, salvation from death and sins. For the Son of God Himself says John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
409 In this way we should now hold our glory and riches, which we have in the New Testament, against the revelation of the fathers in the Old Testament, that we may be awakened and revived by this great light, and so accept and keep the gospel with a joyful heart.
But it is a shameful thing, and to be pitied and wept over, that we are so very slothful, and that the pestilence of sleep has taken us so completely, that we regard so little such great gifts, and keep ourselves so drowsy. The shameful damn "sin, which always clings to us and makes us sluggish," as it says to the Hebrews in 12 Cap. V. 1, does not allow us to trust, praise and thank God with such diligence, fervor and wonder as the greatness of this thing itself demands. For it would not be a miracle if one believed that he would die of joy.
411 Therefore I often complain and am sorry that I cannot believe, although I know that what is presented to us in the Word is true; which I have not only learned from the holy Scriptures, but also experience itself has taught me this in many a challenge and has assured me of it. For this reason, I often wish that I could only go out of the filth of my flesh.
I hope to be delivered from so many obstacles to faith, either by the last day, for which I wait with great eagerness and for which I have a great desire, or in some other way, however it may happen. For I am ashamed and disgusted of the shameful unbelief in the great riches of the many promises, so that we are overwhelmed and made drunk, as it were, when I consider and see that the holy patriarchs had such great faith in the promises that had not yet been fulfilled or put into practice. And other holy godly men also complain of this, in whom nature also contends against faith, and cannot keep the old man in check and subdue him so hard that he should not contend against the spirit.
412 Then there are also the scholastics and the pabst's scholastics, who teach and hold that we must still be in doubt, as if we were not already by nature disputing the promise. Therefore it is a cursed nonsense to the sophists of Louvain, who may impudently say that in no place is it taught in the holy Scriptures that through faith in Christ we are given forgiveness of sins and given eternal life.
- Since the holy fathers lived in the promise, they believed that which Jacob said of the Shiloh, who would bind the full to the vine. And all the prophets cry out that we have forgiveness of sins through faith. And against so many and such glorious testimonies of the Holy Spirit, these swine and asses dare to deny this teaching. Is it not an abominable and strange monstrosity that we in the church should teach and keep that which we do of ourselves, because we are broken and corrupted by original sin?
- But this is to be repeated often and diligently, that we learn to honor the ministry of preaching, and thank God that we are even more excellent prophets than the fathers and prophets were in the Old Testament. For now also a child or a woman can say to me: "Be of good cheer, my dear son, I proclaim forgiveness to you.
2060 **L. Ll, LSS-W7. interpretation of Genesis 49:28. w. II, 3030-3033.** 2061
of sins, absolve yourself 2c. Is it not then, that whosoever heareth and believeth these things hath remission of sins and eternal life? Is it not a great and dreadful frenzy and nonsense to teach that we should doubt it, and to say that all this is not held out to us in the holy Scriptures, and even to argue vehemently that the Scriptures are utterly contrary to this doctrine? O what a frightful time this is, and full of great danger, into which we poor children have come and fallen!
(415) There is no doubt that he who gives and distributes the holy sacraments is a prophet, and he who receives and believes them is also a prophet. For these are the words of a great prophet who says, Matt. 26:26, 28: "This is my body, this is my blood." Christ is the prophet who was promised in Deut. 18:15, 18, 19, when Moses said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me, from you and from your brothers, and you shall obey him. I will," says the LORD, "put my words in his mouth; 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 require it." Shall we then not believe this prophet, when to this promise is added a grave threat, which at last will disgrace and damn the raving and blasphemous spirit of the sophists to lions?
416 Therefore it is necessary that we magnify and magnify the dear ministry of the church, which is our glory. For our faith now holds not only to the promises, but also to that which was promised and is now given to us. We now have the Lord Himself speaking to us, holding out to us much more glorious and clear promises than those given to the fathers. In baptism Christ says: I redeem and deliver you from the power of the devil, and hand you over to my heavenly Father. Then I must truly believe that Christ does not lie; and the more firmly I believe, the holier and more blessed I am. And we have no reason to doubt everywhere, since we have no reason to believe.
Christ himself promises forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And yet the rough asses may say that one must not believe such promise, but rather doubt it.
417 I cannot think of such blasphemy or say anything about it; I am moved violently in my heart. For what do unholy people do but confirm original sin, which otherwise, by its nature, they do not like to believe? Because of this, I am often bitterly angry with myself, because I would gladly believe with such great faith as truth, certainty and assurance of promise demand and want, so that I could break through a brazen mountain, and fearlessly despise all danger and harm that may occur to me; yet the law in my members contends against me and takes me captive. Now the sophists praise and extol this evil, depraved and shameful nature to lions, and teach the very same thing that nature otherwise compels us poor men to do. It is as if I said to a fornicator or a thief, "You do not sin in this, but do right in this, that you commit fornication according to your desire and indulge in other sins and defilements; since nature itself brings this about, that young people are inclined to fornication; just as all men by nature are also inclined and inclined to other vices and sins, to pride and avarice, and such sins more.
418 The sophists do not understand what is faith or what is unbelief. Therefore they condemn Christ in his speech, and also condemn as heretics those who teach that one should believe the promises of Christ. No one will be able to make such horrible and infernal nonsense of the devil great enough; it truly surpasses all understanding, and no one can sufficiently explain it with words. Nothing more abominable can be spoken or conceived than that they force and drive people to sin. It is good, they say, that you are not sure of your faith; Christ does not speak the very words of the promise to you, and if you doubt the forgiveness of sins, you are a Christian.
2062 2. LI, 2S7-2SS. Interpretation of Genesis 49:28-32. **W.ll, AK3-SÜW.** 2063
This is the theology of the pope and his theologians, and is the Antichrist himself. The Turk is still a little more modest, and does not want to be so rude, who confesses that Christ is a prophet and that he sits at the left hand of God. But the rude asses of lions obviously deny that Christ is a prophet. Although they say the same thing in word, they contradict it in deed, saying, "We do not have forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ. They deny and reject, as much as is in them, the beautiful bright sayings, which are full of comfort and life, as is the one when the Baptist John says John 1:29: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world"; item, when St. Peter says Acts 10:43. 10, 43: "Of this all the prophets testify, that through his name all who believe in him shall receive forgiveness of sins." Likewise he also says Ap. Gesch. 4, 12: "There is no other name given to men, wherein we shall be saved."
I say this to exhort and awaken you to the contemplation and high admiration of the faith of the dear fathers, and of our glory and revelations which we have in the New Testament; that we may weep for our weakness and unbelief, which is unworthy of the great things offered and presented to us in the gospel. For since salvation is now much nearer to us, as Paul says Rom. 13:11, we believe almost with difficulty, and are weak, so that we fall in with the word of God. The fathers were very fervent in their faith in the Christ who was to come, and who was yet to be sent, in whom they gloried and overcame the devil, as well as all the afflictions they encountered. But we do not become particularly joyful about the promises of Christ, who is now present and reigning. And about this the whole papacy goes on and condemns this doctrine publicly.
421 Let us therefore be diligent to magnify our glory in the New Testament, and from day to day to grow and increase in knowledge.
nce he has believed in Christ, that is, in faith, who does not doubt, but has had the assurance of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life in Christ. For whoever believes this is a true Christian and is included in the number of the children of God.
422 The raging, senseless, and blasphemous sophists are not men, and, what is more, they are not worthy to be called swine, but are to be called devils, and to be reckoned among devils, because they presume to teach before the Christian church against the Holy Spirit, that one should doubt the grace of God and the forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake. The Turk, as I said before, is not at all impudent; for if he had the Holy Scriptures, he would certainly never dispute this.
423 But we must learn to magnify and exalt our rich blessings, which are far greater and more glorious than the blessings which the fathers had. We have the keys, the gospel, the holy sacraments and abundant forgiveness of sins, and eternal life, which is offered and presented to us in many ways. May our dear Lord God help us through the Holy Spirit and His grace to accept and keep all this with firm faith.
II.
V. 29-32. And he commanded them, and said unto them: I am gathered unto my people, bury me with my bitters in the cave of the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the twofold cave that lieth 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 I buried Leah there, in the field, and in the cave that was bought of the children of Heth.
Enough has been said about this cave above. But here you see that the holy father Jacob died in very great faith. For these blessings sufficiently indicate what he confessed and taught, and also how he lived. In this Shiloh, he has given
2064 2- n, sss-soi. Interpretation of I Genesis 49:29-33. W. n, S0SS-MS8. 2065
In the same he dies in peace, and commands his sons to bury him, not in Egypt, but with his fathers in the land of Canaan; not only for the sake that the people may have an everlasting remembrance of their fathers in the land, lest they flee again to Egypt, or else to the help of the heathen, but also that they may know thereby to remember that the fathers had the promise, and so remembered: Those sleep with us with whom God spoke, from whom we received the word and promise that we should not follow strange gods. This was a great important reason why Jacob wanted to be buried in the field, namely, for the testimony and preservation of the preaching and right teaching among the descendants. This was not the only reason, but he also indicated that he hoped and waited for the resurrection of the dead, which would take place in the resurrection of Christ, as many were raised with Christ, Matt. 27:52, 53, and appeared to many.
425 This then was the first cause, that the people might have an everlasting and living remembrance of their father, that they might know that they were not born of the Gentiles, but of the Father who had the promise, who preached of the virgin Son, in whom Jacob himself also believed; and the same faith their descendants have also kept, and still keep.
And though I am weak, I do not doubt, but hold to the gospel, though Satan opposes it, and sin, which clings to nature; which evil the sophists of lions presume to magnify, and provoke the flesh to superstition and godlessness, which otherwise drives us poor men to doubt.
427 The other cause of this burial is, that I certainly believe that these fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, were among those who rose again together with Christ. Therefore Jacob diligently commands and commands that they should lay him and bury him in the burial place of the fathers. And this is the confession of his faith, whereof
He wanted it to be written not only in the word he taught while he was still alive, but also in his death and burial, so that their descendants would always have this memory before their eyes, and that they would hear the fathers who, as it were, held up to them from their graves the very teaching they had also held up to them in the past while they were still alive, namely, about the bodily promise of the land and about the blessed seed. There they lie, they should say, who have told us and taught us: Therefore we will also now believe and wait for that which is promised to us.
Thus truly the prophets believed, as their writings testify; though there was not one of them who did not complain of his own weakness, and desire that he might have been stronger in faith; as we also are weak, and yet desire and sigh that we may have a perfect faith, and so be assured in our conscience that we may not at all doubt the grace and benefits of Christ, which he has shown us.
429 Therefore let us rejoice that we are worthy of this nonsense and persecution which we must now suffer for this confession; and let us pray for our enemies, that some may be converted from those who are now allowed to doubt the doctrine and faith of Christ so brazenly before our ears and during our lifetime, and who dare to destroy them. Let the Lord have mercy on those who are yet to be converted, and let the devil take away the others.
V.33. And when Jacob had finished the commandments unto his children, he put his feet together upon the bed, and passed away, and was gathered unto his people.
- you have heard above this way of speaking, that the holy scripture calls the death of the saints, yes, also Ishmael's death, "to be gathered to the people of his fathers." So in this place it is not said that Jacob died, but he put his feet together on the bed, became weak, and was gathered to his people. For the Holy Spirit has thus willed to describe this with special diligence, so that he may give us
2066 n. AN-A". Interpretation of I Moses 49, 33. W. II, 3V38-SV4I. 2067
that the fathers died believing in the promise and hope of future immortality and eternal life. For if they had been papists, bishops or cardinals, who scoff at the future life of both the righteous and the wicked and consider it only a fable, they would not have ordered their burial so diligently in a certain specific place.
431 These are truly great, glorious, full words, when Moses says: "He was gathered to his people. And this is such a way of speaking that belongs entirely to the saints and the godly. And I therefore hold that Ishmael also was saved; for it is also written of him Gen. 25:17, "He was gathered to his people." Therefore this way of speaking should be dear and pleasant to us, because it shows that the saints have fallen asleep in faith and hope of the resurrection from the beginning of the world.
432 Those who dispute whether the saints have been brought into the bosom of the fathers, limbus patrum, as they were called, or whether they have been received into the fellowship of angels, argue about it without ceasing; and it is a vain thing for them to argue about it. It is better that we stick to your certain word, as we have said several times above; which word testifies that after this life there is a people. For Jacob hath not ascended up to heaven, neither hath he gone down to hell. Where then did he go? God has a special place or container in which the saints and elect rest without death, torment or hell. But how this place is called, or what kind of place it is, no one knows; but it is certain that a people are called and are there.
The rabbis of the Jews write all sorts of things they can and like. But Christ alone says, Luc. 16, 22, that Lazarus died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's womb. This interpreter and teacher is to be believed, for he is God and man. The bosom of Abraham is the place to which all the righteous or believers are led and taken after death, and Abraham is therefore attracted to it.
because he was a father of the promise. Noah is not mentioned here, nor Adam, who were also gathered in the same womb. For Adam is not the first among those who died, but Abel, who was strangled by his brother Cain. Enoch was taken away alive from the Lord, so that he would not see death, and yet he is not called the bosom of Adam or Abel, but of Abraham: either because the promise made to Adam was not so clear, or else for some other reason.
434 As it is said of us in the church that we are gathered to our people through baptism, the gospel, and the sacrament, and that we know that we are among our people, so when we die in the promise of Christ made to Abraham, we are also led and received by the angels into the bosom of Abraham, or to our people. And we have often said that the promises of the fathers belong to the resurrection and the life to come, and not only to this temporal life, but also to the other spiritual and eternal life, in which the works of this natural life, how we are nourished and begotten, and such other works more, will cease. But where this same people is, we do not know.
The pope writes that there are four orders of the dead. The first is the hell of the damned. The other is purgatory. And Thomas Aquinas says that hell is the middle point, as it were, where purgatory is. With the same, however, is the third district or place of the underage children who have not been baptized. The fourth place, they say, is limbus patrum, the bosom of the fathers, where the blessed were before the resurrection of Christ.
These are all dreams and human poems. Peter and Paul clearly say, Eph. 6, 12, that the evil spirits hover in the air, and 2 Petr. 2, 4 is also said that God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them into hell with chains of darkness, and delivered them to be kept for judgment. I am well satisfied with this, and
2068 xi.?os-A". Interpretation of Genesis 49:33. W. ii. so"-so".' 2069
does not want to seek something higher than what was taught by the apostles. The Holy Scripture does not even think of the purgatory, but it is the devil's poem that the papists have several fairs and want to chase the money with it. The sophists hold it with the pope for the sake of Thomas, but Thomas does not concern us. Augustin commemorates the sweeping fire in several places, but he speaks very darkly. Therefore I do not believe that these four orders are true. For the Scripture does not speak in this way, but testifies that the dead saints are gathered to their people, or to those who believed in the Messiah and waited for his future; just as Adam died with all his descendants in the faith of Christ. But how they are kept in special places, we do not know.
437 We have enough proof that the Scripture testifies that from the beginning of the world those who believed in the seed of the woman were not lost, and that they were not forgotten, but were gathered to their people. But what the same place is, no man can tell.
433 I have drawn a rough likeness above of the life of the fruit in the womb. For there is no one among all men now living who can know where he was the first two years he lived in his mother's womb, and when he was born into the world and sucked his mother's milk. He does not know what the days and nights or times were like, or even who they were that governed him and waited on him: and yet he lived then, and united body and soul with each other, and was fit and skilled for all natural works. Therefore, this is the most certain argument and sign that God wants to preserve man wonderfully in a way that is completely unknown to him, the man himself. Behold the great misery and hard feelings of those who are afflicted and weighed down with the falling sickness and insanity, by which they are so far from themselves that it seems as if they are completely deprived of all their senses. Yes, even at night, when we lie down and sleep, we do not know in which place we are sleeping, whether we are with friends or enemies.
How is this such a great folly and sacrilege, that we want to enclose the divine wisdom and grasp it in the narrow human reason! Can we not think that he will preserve and uphold the soul, that I cannot know where I am, and yet I am in a certain place, because he does the same thing every day, as the examples we have just told indicate.
- Therefore, we should give glory to God and honor Him by believing that His wisdom is immeasurably great and that He has more and more wonderful ways of preserving us than we can comprehend with our senses and intellect. He preserves and sustains us differently in the womb, differently in the cradle, differently in sleep, and differently when we are sick. We have enough from this that we know that the saints in the Old Testament died in faith in the Christ to come, and that the godly in the New Testament, dying in faith in the same Christ who has now come, will be gathered to their people.
But how or what kind of place it is, we do not know. But it is certain that it is not an evil place, and that they are not tormented or afflicted with any pain, but rest in God's grace. Just as in this life they sleep soundly and are in God's and the dear angels' protection and shield, and are not afraid of any danger, even if they were in the midst of the devils: so also after this life the souls of the righteous are in God's hand, as it is written in the Book of Wisdom in 3 Cap. V. 1.
442 But what manner of rest there is, or how it is, no one has ever known, except those who were raised with Christ, or whom he raised from the dead, such as Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, and others, as well as the widow's son of Nain, and the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, Jairus.
443 But there is no doubt, those who are gathered to their people rest in peace. Yes, you say, but how is this done? Tell me how it is that you sleep, or in what way the fruit is preserved in the womb. Your mother has felt well.
2070 A. XI. AS-A7. Interpretation of Genesis 49:33. w. n. 3V44-SV47. 2071
that you stirred and moved in her womb and lived, but you do not know how you lived, felt with your hands and saw. You also sucked your mother's breasts, not knowing anything about it; and now you want to know and understand how God keeps you in peace and preserves you after death!
For this reason we are to believe that there is a special place for the elect, where they all rest, except for those who, according to God's will, should rise with Christ. For God was pleased to honor the day of the firstfruits, the resurrection of Christ, with their resurrection. And I believe that Joseph also was raised from the dead, all of whom lay in the graves until the future of Christ. This we are to believe, and not to inquire so forwardly and exactly into the manner of this rest. Rather, let it be your command and concern that you be one of God's people and believe that Christ has risen from the dead. God will see to it that you will also be among the people of the elect, who made and made it possible for you to be healthy and alive in the womb, in the cradle and in sleep.
It is truly a wonderful thing that God makes us more like unreasonable animals in sleeping, waking, and other things. For the soul of man sleeps in such a way that all the senses are buried, as it were, and our bed is like a grave, in which there is nothing troublesome or burdensome. So also in this place, where the dead are led, there is no pain at all, but, as they say, they rest there in peace; just as no sign of any pain or trouble is felt by those who have been raised from sleep and are now awake, although they do not know what has happened in the meantime while they were asleep. The same thing happens when a man is raptured in his mind, which they call ecstasis; as Augustine tells of a rapture that he himself and also his mother are said to have had, that neither of them knew anything about it, since they again came to themselves, in which place they had been.
446 Therefore the death of the saints is honest, and as the 116th Psalm v. 15. says, it is precious and worthy in the sight of the Lord. The cows and oxen have no place where they are gathered, as the saints have, although we do not know it in this life, as we do not know many other things either. I have often tried to remember the moment of time when I either fall asleep or wake up again, but I have never been able to grasp it, or that sleep has not overtaken me and entered me before I thought or meant it. Our death and resurrection will be the same. We go there and come back on the last day, before we become aware of it, also do not know how long we have been out.
447 Therefore we say that there is no purgatory, or limbus patrum (bosom of the fathers), in which they say that there should still be a certain hope, waiting for salvation; but the same is nothing but the poetry of some crude unlearned sophist. For this very hope and expectation would afflict them; as the saying is Proverbs 13:12, "Hope consuming the heart"; as we suffer in hope, though we are not ashamed of it. But those people of God after this life suffer no anguish of longing for salvation, but sleep the softest sleep and in good quiet rest; as Christ Matth. 5, v. 39. says of the daughter of Jairus: The maiden is not dead, she lives and rests 2c.
448 Lastly, that Jacob put his feet together on the bed indicates that this was a special way of the people. And Moses shows that Jacob sat in bed while he talked with his children; but when he had finished talking, he laid his head on the bed, and on the bed he drew up his feet again. This also shows that he willingly and with knowledge gave up his spirit in faith and hope in the future Lord Christ. He put his legs from the earth on the bed and said: "I am going there in the name of Christ.
2072 L.xl "W7-"L Interpretation of Genesis 5V, 1-6. W. II. SO46-NVI. 2073
The fiftieth chapter.
About the funeral ceremony and burial of Jacob; about the fear of Joseph's brothers, and how they try to reconcile Joseph; how Joseph behaves against them; and how finally Joseph demands to be buried in Canaan.
1.
Then Joseph fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him. 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.
1 In this last chapter the funeral ceremony of Jacob is described. And such reverence of Joseph, which he shows to his father, comes from the faith and hope of the resurrection; for he believes that his father is alive, otherwise he would neither anoint him nor kiss him. Now it was a very beautiful religion, usage and ceremony that they anointed him forty days and mourned him thirty days. For when the two numbers come together, it becomes seventy days.
- it has truly been a great splendor. God buried Jacob with greater glory than His Son Christ Jesus. And Moses did not count in vain the days in which Jacob was anointed and mourned, but with special diligence he praised the very honest burial of Jacob.
(3) It is a great thing that this stranger was held in such honor and favor by Pharaoh the king and the princes of Egypt, that they mourned him for so long a time, and rendered the last service or benefit, which the godly are wont to render one another, to Jacob, when he was dead, so willingly and with so great favor.
cher have shown and proven great reverence.
(4) Then it may be seen by this anointing that the Egyptians had many wonderful and excellent spices, such as myrrh, balsam, and cassia, which preserved the body seventy days. For this power is ascribed to myrrh, that it should ward off and drive away, that the body should not rot and stink. When Augustus came to Egypt, they showed him the bodies of Alexander the Great and Ptolemy, which had been kept in tombs for many years, and he was very surprised that they could have been preserved in such a way that the skin and all the limbs were still on them. They say the same about the body of the emperor Titus. Therefore, it was very delicious seasoning, so that they prepared the corpses so that they are not rotten or decayed in so many years, since it is a very hot country, which heat makes the bodies very soft.
In winter, instead of myrrh, we use frost to preserve the meat so that it does not rot, especially in the places situated towards the north, such as Denmark and other places. This is our German myrrh. But that they could have preserved the corpses in Egypt in the hot sun, that they did not become rotten and stinking, is very strange. God wanted to indicate that the dead in Christ are truly anointed with myrrh. Christ is our myrrh, just as the wise men also offered myrrh to him, Matth. 2, 11. For if we believe in him, we are anointed with myrrh, so that we do not rot, but are preserved and kept until the future resurrection.
(vv. 4-6) Now when the days of suffering were ended, Joseph spake unto Pharaoh's servants, saying, If I have found grace in your sight, speak unto Pharaoh, saying, My father hath sworn an oath.
** **2074 2- n. soo-su. Interpretation of Genesis 50:4-14. W. II, M3I-Z0S4. 2075
And he said, Behold, I die, bury me in my grave, which I have digged for myself in the land of Canaan. So I will go up and bury my father and come back. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, as thou swarest unto him.
Joseph asks for permission to bury his father with Pharaoh's will, not only because he wanted to show his reverence for the royal majesty, which God's commandment demands and wants, 1 Petr. 2, 17: "Honor the king"; but also for the sake of the common offices that he had to administer and that were necessary for the reign of the kingdom, which he could not have left with honor without Pharaoh's will. After that, he was also concerned that perhaps the Egyptians would think that he was going around it, that he wanted to flee from it and go away from them, or that they would think that Joseph despised them because he thought it would be better for his father to be buried in the land of Canaan than in the beautiful, glorious kingdom of Egypt. And they might have thought, "We surpass the other nations far above the whole world in nobility, in power, and in money and goods; why then does Joseph seek another grave for his father than in the land of Egypt? For this reason, he cites the oath he took to his father and promises them that he will return, and that he will not move a foot out of the way if he has not been forced to do so by the oath and if he has not received permission from the king; as if to say: I am not an enemy of this country, nor do I desire to escape from it, but I must keep faith with my father. For this reason, the king was moved by this cause to let him go with grace, and he gave him several companions who went with him, as follows in the text.
(vv. 7-14) So Joseph went out to bury his father. And with him went all Pharaoh's servants, and the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt; and also the
All Joseph's household, his brothers and his father's household. They left their children, sheep and oxen in the land of Gosen. And they went up with him chariots and horsemen, and were almost a great host. And when they were come to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is on the other side Jordan, they made a very great and bitter lamentation: and he bare his father's grief seven days. And when the people of the land, the Cananites, saw the lamentation at the threshingfloor of Atad, they said: The Egyptians have a great lament there. Therefore the place of the Egyptians is called Lamentation, 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 had purchased with the field, for the sepulchre of the inheritance of Ephron the Hittite toward Mamre. When they had buried him, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
007 Pharaoh permitted Joseph not only to go into the land of Canaan, but all the king's household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and his brethren with their children, and their servants, went with him, leaving only the little children and the cattle in Egypt: which indeed was a very great pomp and burial. Joseph wanted to bury his father honestly, so that he would fulfill his promise and make it known throughout Egypt and Canaan that Jacob had died. Therefore he tarried in the land of Canaan seven days more than the seventy days in which he had mourned, and in which he had anointed and mourned his father, not for guile, but because he had desired to mourn those same days.
Some understand the word atad as an appellative, that is, a generic word, and interpret it as a thorn bush, or another kind of thorns, so that the same place was fenced; as with us the fields or gardens are also fenced with thorns around, with blackthorns or groves. There has been a place or threshing floor, fenced with thorns, on which one has used to thresh the grain. Others make from this word the
2076L- n. su-sis. Interpretation of Genesis 50:7-15. W. ii. sost-sosa. 2077
Proper names of a man, as there are many of them in the German language: Dorn, Birnstiel 2c.
(9) But here is a question that troubles and grieves me greatly: How Moses could say that Joseph went over Jordan out of Egypt. Because it is the straight way from Egypt through the desert Ethan, and is such a journey to Hebron, which one can do within forty days: but the Jordan lies against the exit of the sun. But I resolve this question thus: Jacob was not led over Jordan by the same way that the children of Israel went; for they went over Jordan from the morning or from the going out of the sun. The Hebrew word understands both in itself and means, on this side and on the other side of the Jordan. Hebron is a little nearer to Egypt, or as near as Jordan is; but Joseph did not lead his father over Jordan, for he did not come there, because Atad was beside Jordan.
II.
V.15. Now Joseph's brothers were afraid because their father had died, and they said: Joseph will be angry with us and repay us for all the evil we have done to him.
(10) First of all, here you see what a terrible misfortune sin and an evil conscience are: it is almost such a wound that cannot be healed. The sons of Jacob had heard how they were blessed by their father; and although the two, Simeon and Levi, were told of such punishments, which are sad enough, yet their sin and iniquity was forgiven them. For the Father blessed them, that they should grow and be multiplied. The other tribes were all blessed and made rich, especially Judah, and lived with Joseph in Egypt for seventeen years during their father's life. They received many great benefits from him and experienced his grace and mercy, as their father, without interruption. They had also seen and felt the brotherly love in him, that he loved his brothers warmly and showed himself completely friendly toward them. How he had
They had not only addressed them with very kind words, but had also let them go, so that they would return to their father, since he had honored them with the greatest gifts.
(11) For this reason, nothing but merciful compassion can be seen in Joseph, if one wishes to speak thus, both within and without. His heart was very ardent and, as it were, inflamed with fatherly love; his hands were full of great good deeds toward his brothers; and yet their hearts are still troubled, and they are filled with an evil conscience that they have committed such a grave sin, and are so tormented and martyred by the sting of death that they cannot even trust the man, nor do good to him, who until then had already done them much good, and had not shown himself otherwise than in the most kindly way.
12 Is not sin a terribly horrible thing? It is easily committed and accomplished, especially out of temptation, when people sin safely and freely, thinking there is no need; but when the sin is revealed, and the biting and the sting of the evil conscience follows, then no forgiveness or comfort is strong enough to drive away or resist such biting and the same sting.
Therefore, the Pope and his followers are to be cursed as the devil himself, who has filled the world with many countless sins and taught that one should doubt the mercy and grace of Christ. For it is not without great difficulty that a poor heart desires God's mercy and that its sins may be forgiven, from which God by nature flees and is hostile to it; when it feels that He has been angered by many great and grievous sins, it is difficult to be comforted. The forgiveness of sin clings to the heart almost miserably, even though it is confirmed with many promises and signs of God's grace. From this it can be deduced what a sharp poison sin is in the nature of man. But the same cannot be
2078 L Ll. S1S-3IÜ. Interpretation of I Moses 50:15, W. II, sovs-RW. 2079
soon see, if only the law is simply held up to man, unless it comes to its power and sin begins to come alive; then it is found, as a horribly poisoned infernal evil and misfortune it is, also in such a way that the death and blood of the Son of God can hardly cover and wipe out sin.
14 Behold what Peter and the other disciples have done, how hard, how unbelieving, and how foolish their hearts are to believe the resurrection of Christ. So the sin of these brothers of Joseph is also most grievous, that until now it could not be quenched or taken away by such great benefits, and that Joseph spoke so kindly to them, and gave commands to their father, which were full of kindness and good will, and finally, since they had dealt with each other for so many years in the most friendly way. For this reason they are now so frightened, since their father died, and fear, as they know themselves guilty, that Joseph will be angry with them, and that he will repay them for the evil they did to him, and that they will pay evil with evil. Who thinks or speaks otherwise than the poison of sin itself, which is now awakened by the law? They cannot overcome or heal it, since it has already been healed and alleviated for almost seventeen years. But how easily and gently it happened when Simeon and Levi and the other brothers sinned! But how difficult it is to heal and satisfy them again, that is what the Scriptures testify in this place. And that is why many who do not hear the word of grace are driven to despair and jump into the water, or hang themselves on a rope and die. For they cannot or may not bear the power of sin, now revealed and alive in them. When sin still sleeps at the door, as is said of Cain in Genesis 4:7, one does not pay attention to it and is still heaped up with other more heinous sins; one falls into one sin after another. But when it is awakened and brought to life, then the
The blood of the Son of God must be applied to it, so that it may be abolished and taken away. Yes, such a great and precious remedy and help belongs to it, namely, the Godhead that became man and the blood of the Son of God Himself.
Since there is so much misfortune and misery of original sin in which we are conceived and born, the shameful papists are also to be cursed so much more, who still increase and aggravate our harm with the real sins and laws of the pope.
(16) But he that is able to keep himself from sinning, let him cover himself that he may do so; and they that are fallen, let them learn to rise again, and to believe firmly. And in such struggles we learn to understand what faith is; which the sophists do not know, and simply think that faith is only such a delusion as is conceived by human discretion. For they know nothing of the law and of sin; and therefore they also do not understand the gospel and God's grace, thinking that they are small things, which can easily be dealt with by good works and natural powers. But if they had learned and experienced in temptations how difficult it is to be established and awakened in faith in the Savior Christ against sin and death, they would teach much differently. But since they know nothing of this, they lie and snore, and let themselves dream that sin is nothing but the lust of the flesh. But of doubt and unbelief, and that one is an enemy of God and flees from Him, of this they know nothing. Therefore they are not worthy to be called theologians, for they know nothing at all about the most important main points of Christian doctrine.
(17) Therefore we are to learn that sin is a terrible calamity, not when it is committed, for then it pleases us exceedingly, and we have great pleasure in it: but when it is awakened by the law. Then we are to learn that it is hell itself, and a much more formidable thing than heaven and earth can be, even so that grace cannot be grasped or taken hold of without great effort and labor, that a heart weighed down by the law and by sin
2080 L- xi, 3i5-3i7. Interpretation of Genesis 50, 15-18. W. n. 3059-3osi. 2081
can conclude in himself that he has sinned: Although I have sinned greatly, yet God sent His Son into the world, not to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved, John 3:17. If this consolation is not there, there is no other help and counsel against sin and its sting, though you have tried on a thousand caps and have gone to the ends of the earth.
(18) As in former times, when I was still a monk, I had the hope that I would be able to satisfy my conscience with fasting, praying, and many vigils, so that I miserably tormented and tortured my body. But the more sour I let it become, the less peace and tranquility I felt, for the true light was gone from my eyes: I was without faith, and called upon the departed saints and the Virgin Mary, offering masses to them, until now, again, by the great grace of God, we have come out of such darkness, and recognize Christ, whom the hideous monster, the pope and his sophists, have buried. I know now, praise God! that he did not die only according to history fifteen hundred years ago, but that his death lasts from the beginning to the end of the world, and that he comes to the aid of all the saints throughout the whole time of the world, as Adam, Eve and the others 2c. Christ is still as new to me now as if he had shed his blood this hour. I did not know anything about this in the papacy, because then I thought that Christ's death belonged only to original sin, or else the past sins committed in my childhood days; but it does not concern me now.
19 But now let us learn, and hold fast, that the bones of sinners can have neither rest nor peace, but only through the one faith which looks upon the serpent lifted up by God, John 3:14, 15: "As Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It is faith that makes consciences quiet and at peace until the end of the world. Not that the sins of the whole and
should not be remembered at all; for God wants us to remember and thank Him for the immeasurable good deeds He has done in leading us out of the prison of the devil and redeeming us; but the same so that the conscience is not tormented, but knows that it has forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ.
020 Now follow the speech of these brethren, which they direct to make an atonement for Joseph: and some say that Ephraim was their messenger and orator.
V.16-18. Therefore they said to him, "Your father commanded before he died, saying, "So you shall say to Joseph, 'My beloved, forgive the iniquity of your brothers and their sin, because they have done so evil to you. Dearly beloved, forgive now the iniquity of us, 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, saying, Behold, we are thy servants.
- They need a special rhetoric in this speech, not only that they repeat their father's command, so that they want to force him as by a law that he should forgive their sin; but that they may also adorn themselves with it and praise themselves, since they call themselves servants of his father's God; as if they wanted to say: We are also servants of God, serving the same God whom you and your father also served: therefore forgive us our sin for the sake of the common God, whom we all fear, honor, and have before our eyes. They do not doubt that God has forgiven all their sins, but they are uncertain how their brother is disposed toward them, what kind of heart he has for them, who for seventeen years had testified with many good deeds that he was already reconciled to them and had forgiven them everything with the greatest willingness. But they still feel the opposite, and they think that he has not forgiven them yet, and they cannot be satisfied with so many signs of good will and brotherly love. Now, as I have said, this is the nature of sin, which the conscience also
2082 n- 317-zis. Interpretation of I Genesis 50:16-23. W. n, sosi-sosi. 2083
They are horribly tortured before men, but before God they are accused and frightened even more severely.
III.
V. 19-23. Joseph said to them: Fear not, for I am under GOD. You intended to do evil to me, but God intended to do good, to do as it is now in the day, to preserve much people. Fear not therefore; I will provide for you and for your children. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt with his father's house, and lived an hundred and ten years. And he saw Ephraim's children unto the third generation. And the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh were like unto them, and begat children in Joseph's bosom.
22 Joseph answered his brothers very kindly and peacefully: "You," he said, "attract God, for whom you claim to be servants, which I gladly hear and believe. And ye shall think the same of me also: for ye have heard the same of our Father also. Therefore, I acknowledge and accept this message or advertisement from you very kindly and humbly, and do not exalt myself above God, and do not want you to do anything evil to me, or to cast suspicion on me, as if I wanted to do something against God. If you consider me a servant of God, do not think that I would do anything against Him. If God has forgiven your sin, if you have a good conscience, and if you are sure of the promise and forgiveness that God has given you, why should you doubt me? For I am not above God, but under God. You also remain with me under God, and let us hope that he will be gracious to us and that we will be reconciled to him.
(23) These words are full of heartfelt affection and love, which Joseph bore to his brothers; and because he is overcome by such kindness and mercy, he could not refrain from weeping. And now, because he hears that his brothers still doubt whether he has forgiven them, after they have received forgiveness from God and also from Jacob their father, he has to cry.
he says to them, "If God has forgiven your sin, why should I not also forgive you all the evil you have done to me? And he adds a very serious saying, saying, "It is true that you intended to do evil to me," but God is wonderful in his counsel, who has turned your evil thoughts to the benefit and good of us all.
(24) For this reason Joseph does not want them to deny sin and their plans to kill him, or to forget them, but see, he says, what a wonderful work of God this is, who has turned all this to the highest good, so that I might serve and help many peoples who would have died of hunger, and would also never have known God, nor heard his word, if I had not been sold by you into Egypt. So God has made something that is very good out of something that was so very evil. Therefore I will gladly forgive and pardon you, because I see that God has done so much more good to me and countless other people through your very evil counsel. And this is what St. Paul says Rom. 8, 28: "We know that all things are for the best to those who love GOD, who are called according to purpose" 2c. And St. Augustine also says in one place: God is so kind that He does not let anything evil happen unless He could make a great good out of it.
25 But from this does not follow what the godless people want to conclude and St. Paul has refuted, Rom. 3, 7. 8.: "For if the truth of God becomes more glorious to His praise through my lie, why should I still be judged as a sinner? And not rather do as we are blasphemed, and as some speak, that we should say: Let us do evil, that good may come of it?" For Paul himself adds, "Which condemnation is quite right." "The law came in beside, that sin might be made greater," that is, by the law it is shown how great sin is, and is not only not healed nor taken away by it, but becomes greater and more powerful: but this greatness makes grace also more powerful. Therefore the greatness of the
2084 L- XI, 319-^21. interpretation of I Moses 50, 19-23. w. II, 3064-^067. 2085
sin should not drive anyone to despair, but so much more should one boast and magnify the greatness of the grace that swallows up sins, however great they may be.
(26) This is a clumsy and ungodly argument if one wants to conclude: If God's grace and mercy are praised through our sin, then we only want to sin freely. For God does not want to have or admit this; neither does He prescribe a rule for you according to which you may sin freely. He does not say that He wants to do good to someone for the sake of sin. It is another to do good for the sake of sin, and another to come to the aid of someone for the sake of sin, so that he may be rid of it.
(27) For God is totally hostile to sin and hates it very much, and yet puts the promise before us: He that is fallen shall not despair. He does not command us to sin, but forbids it, and wants us not to sin. But when sin is committed, and the law accuses and terrifies the conscience, "that sin may become exceeding sinful by the commandment," Rom. 7:13, as the same is seen here in Joseph's brothers: then God will not have death reign; as he testifies by the prophet, Ezek. 18:23, where he says, "Do you think that I delight in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he turn from his ways and live?" For as he is hostile to sin, so he will not have him that is fallen to abide in sin, when it is quickened, and by the law woundeth and tormenteth the conscience; but then he giveth promise and help, that such a heart as is wounded may be preserved, that it despair not. A Pharisee or a saint of works shall not be saved because he is so presumptuous and relies on his piety; neither shall David or the thief on the cross despair because of sin, as if he had to be lost because of it.
(28) Rather, one should remain on the right middle road and beware of sins. For although God has promised mercy and forgiveness, as Augustine says, He has not yet given the
You have not been promised that you will come back just as surely after the fall as Saul and Judas did not come back. It is not in our power to take hold of grace, and you do not know whether you can accept the forgiveness that is offered to you. Therefore you should fear God, who is both hostile to presumption and also to despair. As I have no pleasure, he says, in the sinner; so also I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner: But if by the wickedness of the devil thou hast been driven to sin, and the law condemn thee therefore, and the devil shoot thee with his fiery darts, and deal with it, that he may plunge thee into hell; yet will I not that thou shouldest die, or despair; but thou shalt straightway flee unto Christ the Saviour, who hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, Ezek. 18:32, just as he has no pleasure in the sinner.
In this way God makes something good out of evil: not that he wanted evil to happen, but that his goodness is so great, even in our wickedness, that he cannot refrain from forgiving sin when the sinner sighs and asks for mercy. Not that he wanted the evil to happen, but his goodness is so great, even in our wickedness, that he cannot leave it alone; he must forgive the sin when the sinner sighs and asks for mercy. If this happens, it shall be forgiven.
(30) This great comfort should be diligently impressed upon the hearts of the godly to awaken and strengthen faith. But we must be careful not to abuse it, as Sirach admonishes in Chapter 5. V. 5, 7: "Do not be so sure, although your sin is not yet punished, that you would sin for it. Do not think either: God is very merciful, he will not punish me, I sin as much as I want. He can soon become as angry as He is merciful, and His wrath against the wicked has no end." We use to say in German, Thou shalt not sin on mercy. And just before, v. 4, Sirach says, "Think not, I have sinned more, and no evil hath befallen me: for the LORD is patient, but he will not leave thee unpunished."
31 Therefore, the greater the grace and mercy of God is, the less it should be abused; but he who is willing and able to do so should not be allowed to abuse it.
2086 xi> 321. 322. interpretation of Genesis 50:19-23. W. ii, 3067-so "9. 2087
If anyone has fallen, let him have recourse to the grace of God. Then he will see how difficult it is to be lifted up and comforted. But when you have taken comfort, your sin is already healed. But if you rely on God's goodness and mercy and knowingly and deliberately transgress His commandments, there is great danger that sin will oppress you before you receive forgiveness in His Son, just as Judas, Saul, Ahithophel and Absalom could not have desired it, who were previously so hardened that they sinned against God's grace and mercy.
32 Therefore, what Sirach says: "Do not be so sure, even though your sin has not yet been punished," 2c. belongs to the future sin, so that no one dares to prove the error of the sophists, who teach that one should not believe in the forgiveness of sins, and that it is uncertain; but this is the right understanding of the words of Sirach: "You shall not sin henceforth. One should not so rely on God's grace and mercy that we would abuse it; for such are the people who say, "Let us do evil, that good may come of it," Rom. 3:8.
- Because God has forbidden sin, He wants you to flee from it and beware of it. But when it is committed, and bites you and drives you to despair, as Adam fled from God in Paradise and hid himself from Him, after he realized that he was naked and could not stand before the voice of God, then the sin was in its rightful effect and in terrible judgment of accusation and condemnation, and Adam was in truth quite dead, according to the judgment that God had spoken before, Genesis 2:17: "Which day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die. 2, 17: "The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die": then thou shalt hasten to the word of grace, as Adam also came to life again when he heard the promise of the seed of the woman, Gen. 3, 15: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. The same shall bruise thy head" 2c. That is so much said: Adam and Eve shall not die, but live, and shall have seed,
who will receive them. Then they both came to life again and became blessed.
34 Therefore it must be diligently remembered and well kept that God has no pleasure in sin, nor does He do anything for sin's sake, for He is its enemy and punishes it, as it is written: I will render to every man according to his works. But to those in whom sin is powerful through the law, he offers grace and blessedness. Before, saith he, I forbade that thou shouldest not be presumptuous: but thou didst not obey me. Now I forbid that thou shouldest not despair. Thou must beware of both sin, and shalt not say, Sin is forgiven and paid for, I will live without fear. In such assurance thou shalt not continue; for it may well happen that thou shalt be assailed with despair before thou seize upon mercy. Thou knowest not the hour of death, neither knowest whether the devil will not attack thee before thou beginest to repent, or whether thou mayest not be hurried by him, and have not space or time to be converted.
(35) For sin or death is not such a thing, that it may be put off and cast away at our pleasure, as a garment is taken off and cast off: but it pierces through the marrow of the flesh and spirit: as we see, that they which are in despair, in the grievous temptations which they have, are consumed with a grievous anguish of heart, and with consumption. And David felt and sensed this power and tyranny of sins horribly, when he heard the severe punishment from the prophet Nathan, that he said to him, 2 Sam. 12, 7: "You are the man" who has done the sin 2c. Then he cries out with a loud voice, v. 13: "I have sinned against the Lord," and there is nothing else before his eyes and heart but death and eternal destruction. And he would have died at the same moment, if the prophet had not soon said to him: "You will not die, but the Lord has taken away your sin", 2 Sam. 12, 13. Such a powerful thing is it, I say, about despair and sin, that it consumes both body and soul.
2088 D. XI. 323. 324. interpretation of Genesis 50:19-26. W. n. 308S-3071. 2089
Therefore, see that you do not easily sin in the comfort of God's grace, but rely on it alone and hold fast to it when despair comes. And there the pastors and church servants should help diligently, and there one should magnify and praise the grace and mercy of God, which is much more powerful than sin can ever be; as Nathan raised David from death with this comfort, saying to him, "The Lord has taken away your sin." How doest thou? Wilt thou therefore die in thy sins? Yet he could not overcome it for a long time, for he struggled with the sting and bite of sin for a long time afterward, even though it was forgiven and pardoned. For behold, how miserably and wretchedly he complains about it in the Psalms, you will see what harm sin does. It is an unbearable burden and a quite devilish poison.
37 Therefore, do not be so sure of doing evil that good will come of it. For although God uses this sin of Joseph's brothers to help many people, and many more examples of God's grace and mercy are found from time to time in Scripture, there is still a danger that those who are without fear may be overtaken by death and go to hell before they can have recourse to God's mercy.
38 For this present history also testifies to the same thing, and shows how difficult it is for one to repent after having committed sin, and to believe in this help, that God will be merciful in vain for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus to those who confess their sin. And especially those cannot get out of despair without great effort and work, who are brought up in the law and prison of the pope and are bound in the bonds of human statutes. We always want to bring some merit here, and desire that God will look upon our repentance and satisfaction; which error even now the Sophists of Louvain want to confirm impudently and quite unchristianly.
- but we have rejected the same
and condemned. For repentance comprehends in itself the terror of conscience and faith, that is: it teaches that Christ helps the poor sinner in vain and by grace, with whom it is now that he would have to despair, and who nevertheless still straightens himself out by faith and cries out: God, have mercy on me for the sake of Christ JEsu, in whom I believe, who suffered death for me! And if you persevere in faith, you will surely be saved.
(40) But at the same time you will feel a terrible struggle of the law, of nature, of habit or long use, and finally of the whole world, which is opposed to this faith and trust of salvation. Therefore, we cannot make it with our own strength; it is not a self-acquired faith, but as Paul says: It is God's gift and does not come from ourselves.
(41) For this reason Joseph shows himself so kind to his brothers and speaks to their hearts, comforting them with such kind words as he always can and may, only that he may take the doubt out of their hearts that they can trust in him, that he will be favorable to them, and that he will give them courage, so that they will become confident and certainly believe that all their sin and wickedness is forgotten with him.
042 And Moses added, that Joseph saw of his sons children unto the third generation, and lived an hundred and ten years: in those days this people increased greatly, and waxed great.
IV.
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.
(43) Joseph proves his faith here, as he desires that he may be placed among those who have faith in him.
2090 D XI. 324. 325. interpretation of Genesis 50:24-26. W. II, 3071. 2091
who were to be raised with Christ. And I believe that he came to life again with the other saints that are mentioned in Matth. 27, 52, 53. He definitely wants to rest in the land of Canaan, although the place and burial are of little importance, for he could have been buried in Egypt. And would it not have been more difficult for Christ to raise the fathers from Egypt or elsewhere, but to testify to his faith in Christ, he commands that his bones be taken to the land of Canaan. Likewise, because he knew that the people of Israel were in the land of Canaan.
The land promised to the fathers was to be fed.
44 For this reason, he requested that his burial be kept before the eyes of all his descendants, so that the children and their children's children would remember their father and their ancestors, and, according to their example, would persevere in the same faith and promise in which he had fallen asleep with his fathers.
This is now the dear Genesis. Our Lord God grant that others may do better after me! I can no longer: I am weak. Ask God for me, that he may give me a good hour of salvation.
I.
Hebrew word register
Containing
the Hebrew words explained in the first two volumes of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften.
2094 Hebrew word register. 2095
2096 Hebrew word register. 2097
2098 Hebrew word register. 2099
II.
Saying register
Containing
the scriptural passages explained in the first two volumes of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften.
Genesis.
- I, 4. ff.
1, 9. I, 1371.
1, 14. I, 1116.
1, 20. 24. I, 522.
1, 26. I, 1352.
- I, 90.ff.
2, 21. II, 702.
- I, 172. ff.
3, 16. I, 1078.
3, 20. I, 1732.
- I, 290. ff.
4, 4. 1I, 1735.
4, 6. I, 1248.
4, 7. 1I, 1103.
- I, 404.ff.
5, 8. I, 713.
- I, 436.ff.
6, 5. I, 391. f.
- I, 530.ff.
7, 2. I, 521.
- I, 556. ff.
- I, 588. ff.
- I, 656. ff.
- I, 684.ff.
- I, 728. ff.
12, 2. 3. I, 818. f.
12, 3. I, 875.
- I, 826.ff.
- I, 876. ff.
14, 18. I, 1242.
- I, 920. ff.
15, 15. I, 1754.
15, 16. II, 239. 891. 1797.
- I, 968. ff.
- I, 1006. ff.
- I, 1130. ff.
18, 1. II, 775.
- I, 1206. ff.
19, 1. II, 775.
- I, 1300. ff.
20, 18. I, 812.
21 I, 1368.ff.
21, 25. II, 202.
- i, 1480. ff.
22, 12. I, 295. 700.
- I, 1602. ff.
- i, 1640. ff.
25, 1-10. I, 1742. ff.
25, 11. ff. II, 1.ff.
25, 22. I, 712.
- II, 122. ff.
26, 8. I, 1377.
- II, 246. ff.
27, 40. II, 63.
- II, 358.ff.
28, 12. f. II, 775.
28, 16. ff. I, 1543.
- II, 456. ff.
- II, 528. ff.
- II, 608. ff.
31, 15. II, 1239.
- II, 722. ff.
32, 20. II, 839.
- II, 814. ff.
33, 5. I, 1653.
- II, 848. ff.
35th II, 900. ff.
35, 1. II, 949.
- II, 982. ff.
- II, 1020. ff.
- II, 1158. ff.
- II, 1220. ff.
- II, 1292. ff.
- II, 1438. ff.
- II, 1438. ff.
- II, 1558. ff.
- II, 1624. ff.
- II, 1654. ff.
- II, 1750. ff.
- II, 1782. ff.
- II, 1846. ff.
- II, 1912. ff.
49, 5. 6. II, 874.
49, 10. II, 324. 678. 823.
- II, 2072. ff.
50, 20. I, 1327.
2 Genesis.
1, 21. I, 161.
8, 14. II, 1263.
11, 2. 3. II, 631. f.
11, 12. II, 311.
12, 40. I, 769. 959.
14, 15. II, 289.
17, 5. II, 854.
20, 24. I, 1094.
21, 6. I, 873.
21, 22. II, 1447.
25, 40. I, 1590.
32, 6. II, 166.
33, 7. I, 1116.
33, 15. I, 308.
3 Genesis.
10, 1.,ff. I, 1282.
4 Genesis.
12, 6-8. I, 930. ff. II, 421. 1048.
16, 15. I, 936.
18, 23. I, 873.
23, 23. II, 1617.
30, 3. II, 445. ff.
Deut. 5.
1, 20. II, 1913.
6, 4. I, 1718.
10, 16. I, 1015.
18, 15. II, 1852.
21, 17. II, 1923.
22, 29. I, 973.
23, 17. II, 1206.
23, 21. 22. II, 445.ff.
** **2102 Saying - Register. 2103
24, 6. I, 1204. f.
25, 5. I, 974. f. II, 1179.
29, 19. I, 1562.
31, 29. I, 504.
32, 21. I, 634.
33, 9. II, 640. f. 1607. 1957. f.
34, 10. II, 1010.
Joshua.
2, 5. II, 172.
2, 18. I, 915.
Judge.
5, 20. II, 1594.
6, 17. 36. I, 1695. f. 1698.
9, 13. II, 1979.
11, 13. II, 1017.
20, 13.ff. I, 1256.
Ruth.
2, 1. II, 1795.
1 Samuelis.
11, 2. I, 1194.
15, 3. ff. II, 314.
15, 9. ff. I, 529.
15, 17. II, 242.
15, 30. II, 1925.
19, 13. II, 649. f.
19, 17. II, 171. f.
2 Samuelis.
2, 14. I, 1377. II, 166.
12, 7. ff. II, 1517. f.
15, 25. 26. I, 934.
23, 5. II, 2027.
1 Kings.
1, 21. II, 1579.
2, 29-33. I, 365.
2, 46. II, 1477.
6, 29. I, 289.
12, 28. 30. II, 672. f.
13, 24. I, 1282.
18, 17. I, 458.
18, 21. II, 432.
2 Kings.
3, 5. II, 692.
5, 18. f. I, 1023.
6, 18. ff. I, 1237.
13, 20. II, 2031.
20, 8. I, 1695. 1698.
20, 19. I, 1255.
23, 5. II, 1610.
24, 2. II, 2031.
1 Chronicles.
8, 20. 21. II, 1792. 1849. 1882.
Esther.
1, 14. II, 1221.
Job.
2, 9. II, 1326.
10, 8-13. II, 1462.
13, 15. II1325.
28, 13. II, 393.
31, 24. II, 83.
37, 18. I, 29.
38, 10. 11. II, 656. f. 815.
40, 20. I, 1425.
Psalter.
2, 7. II, 114.
4, 2. II, 714.
4, 4. I, 928. 1327. ff. 1355.
5, 10. II, 1353.
5, 11. II, 187.
6, 2. I, 825.
7, 7. I, 1501.
8, 3. II, 1825.
8, 14. II, 1440.
10, 10. I, 175.
12, 2. I, 1842.
14, 3. I, 504.
14, 5. I, 1537. II, 701.
16, 4. II, 1684.
18, 26. I, 1328.
18, 26. 27. II, 547.
18, 27. I, 1328. f.
23, 4. I, 1148.
23, 5. II, 1623.
27, 14. II, 1324.
30, 7. ff. I, 922. ff.
31, 2. II, 1487.
31, 23. I, 1004.
32, 2. 3. II, 1517.
33, 15. I, 1481.
34, 2. 3. II, 142.
34, 3. II, 109.
35, 16. I, 1156.
37, 16. II, 265. f.
37, 19. I, 784.
37, 25. I, 784.
38, 9. II, 1746.
39, 13. I, 738. f. 774. 1626. f.
II, 1802.
40, 13. II, 1999.
41, 2. I, 784.
41, 5. II, 1999.
41, 10. I, 977. f.
42, 6. II, 378.
44, 7. II, 2045.
45, 11. II, 1428.
45, II. 12. I, 736.
47, 4. I, 1117.
51, 5. I, 295.
51, 6. II, 1456. 1518. 1524.
51, 7. I, 1454. II, 600.
51, 9. II, 1852.
51, 12. II, 1355. 1931.
51, 13. I, 1445.
55, 11. I, 1423.
56, 9. II, 469. f.
60, 8. I, 862. f. II, 229. f. 2009. f.
62, 11. I, 832. 918.
65, 10. II, 1623.
67, 2. II, 837.
68, 14, II, 2018. f.
68, 21. I, 242.
68, 31. II, 1348.
74, 5. I, 1539.
74, 8. I, 1116. f.
80, 11. I, 849.f.
80, 15, 16, II, 2040.
81, 6. 7. II, 1248.
82, 2. II, 1926.
85, 11. II, 1810. f.
89, 36. I, 1557.
90, 5. II, 1054. s.
90, 8. II, 1455.
90, 10. II, 857. f.
91, 7. 11. I, 1502.
94, 21. II, 2032.
100, 3. I, 961. 1443.
102, 26. 27. II, 857. f.
104, 2. I, 31.
104, 16. I, 850.
105, 14. I, 1321.
105, 17. II, 1145.
105, 22. II, 1365. 1618.
107, 6. 7. I, 1319.
107, 11. I, 811.
109, 10. I, 359.
110th I, 1583. ff.
110, 4. I, 904. f. 1557.''
110, 6. I, 453.
112, 7. I, 784.
116, 7. I, 1450.
116, 11. I, 1433.
119, 50. I, 1498. 1501.
120, 5. I, 659. II, 17.
122, 8. II, 393.
127, 2. II, 1238. 1684.
127, 3. I, 1079.
132, 11. I, 1557. 1586. f.
132, 14. I, 552.
132, 15. II, 1739.
139, 1. I, 961.
139, 16. I, 961.
Proverbs.
3, 27. I, 1013.
5, 15. II, 1242.
8, 8. II, 548.
8, 30. 31. I, 304.
8, 31. II, 1451.
11, 22. I, 1713.
11, 25. II, 1623.
12, 18. II, 349. f.
15, 15. II, 1707.
20, 12. I, 1633. II, 1364.
26, 4. 5. II, 690.
28, 1. II, 701.
30, 16. II, 1176.
31, 10. 11. II, 1795.
31, 11. I, 800.
Preacher.
1, 9. I, 608.
12, 4. II, 1554.
High Song.
3, 6. II, 1588.
5, 2. 5. I, 1262.
+----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | 2104 Saying | | | | register. 2105 | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | Isaiah. | 23, 4. II, 989. | Matthaus. | | | | | | 1, 2. II, 692. | 38, 2. I, 658. | 3, 9. I, 1398. | | | | | | 3, 9. I, 1227. | 44, 7. I, 1015. | 3, 16. I, 487. f. | | | | | | 5, 1. II, 1554. | Daniel. | 4, 1-7. I, 131.f. | | 2040. | | | | | 2, 29. II, 420. f. | 5, 8. II, 1595. | | 5, 7. I, 1197. | | | | | 4, 9. ff. II, 1242. | 5, 19. I, 1537. f. | | 6, 1. I, 487. f. | | | | | 5, 23. I, 910. | 5, 20. II, 1000. | | 6, 3. I, 1065. | | | | | 7, 13. I, 487. f. | 5, 22. II, 1534. | | 6, 10. II, 1859. | | | | | 8, 10. I, 871. II, | 5, 34. I, 1464. | | 7, 1. ff. I, 1499. | 430. | | | f. | | 5, 34. 36. I, 1547. | | | 9, 20. 21. I, 1705. | II, 1483. | | 7, 14. I, 237. | | | | | 9, 24. II, 1652. f. | 5, 44. I, 796. ff. | | 8, 12. 13. II, 721. | | | | f. | 9, 26. I, 378. | 6, 9. I, 155. | | | | | | 10, 15. II, 816. | 11, 36. I, 1062. | 6, 12. I, 1347. | | | | | | 11, 2. I, 1493. | Hosea. | 6, 23. I, 1671. f. | | | | | | 11, 10. II, 1697. f. | 2, 14. I, 652. | 6, 33. II, 1893. | | | | | | 14, 3. I, 28. | 2, 17. I, 1322. | 8, 25. II, 342. | | | | | | 14, 12. I, 137. | 3, 4. II, 650. | 10, 16. I, 624. f. | | | | | | 14, 13. II, 401. f. | 12, 4. 5. II, 775. | 10, 30. II, 470. f. | | | ff. | | | 18, 2. I, 1000. | | 10, 37. I, 1417. II, | | | Joel. | 640. | | 26, 20. I, 1754. | | | | | 3, 1. II, 1311. f. | 11, 19. I, 1737. | | 28, 13. II, 5. | | | | | Amos. | 11, 23. 24. I, 816. | | 29, 13. I, 1493. | | | | | 7, 1. I, 930. | 11, 29. 30. I, 1344. | | 30, 32. 33. II, | | | | 1553. | 7, 12. 13. II, 959. | 12, 32. I, 1277. | | | | | | 37, 24. II, 816. | Jonah. | 15, 5. I, 1597. | | | | | | 39, 7. II, 1221. | 3, 3. I, 849. f. | 15, 27. 28. II, 793. | | | | f. | | 41, 2. I, 730. | 3, 10. I, 675. | | | | | 16, 18. I, 1546. | | 41, 8. I, 1117. s. | Micah. | | | | | 16, 24. I, 1304. | | 42, 3. I, 1188. | 2, 6. 7. I, 458. | | | | | 17, 5. I, 1526. | | 45, 15. I, 1373. | 2, 7. I, 496. | | | | | 18, 23. ff. II, | | 46, 3. 4. II, 1586. | 4, 8. II, 972. | 1497. | | | | | | 49, 23. II, 1324. | 7, 5. I, 800. | 19, 4. 5. I, 165. f. | | | | 1248. | | 53, 10. II, 1496. | Habakkuk. | | | | | 20, 21. 22. I, 1110. | | 54, 8. I, 1003. | 1, 4. II, 1745. | f. | | | | | | 57, 1. ff. I, 1754. | 2, 3. II, 1324. | 22, 32. I, 1059. II, | | | | 215. | | 63, I. II, 1014. | 3, 15. I, 1373. | | | | | 24, 15. II, 1548. | | 64, 5. I, 1700. | Zephaniah. | | | | | 24, 23. I, 1047. | | 64, 8. I, 103. | 3, 9. II, 1910. | | | | | 28, 18. I, 1279. | | 65, 11. II, 562. | Zechariah. | | | | | Marcus. | | 65, 16. I, 1584. | 9, 11. II, 1120. | | | | | 1, 7. I, 915. f. | | 65, 20. II, 1034. | 11, 12. II, 1137. | | | | | 10, 29. I, 1597. | | Jeremiah. | 12, 10. I, 838. | | | | | > Lucas. | | 2, 13. II, 692. | Malachi. | | | | | 1, 30. I, 498. | | 2, 35. II, 1666. | 2, 15. I, 1747. | | | | | 1, 34. I, 295. | | 8, 22. II, 1125. | 3, 2. 3. II, 1459. f. | | | | | 1, 48. II, 522. | | 9, 26. I, 1015. | 3, 8. I, 459. f. | | | | | 1, 50. I, 1056. | | 10, 24. I, 825. | 3, 8. 9. II, 1954. | | | | | 2, 35. I, 693. f. | | 11, 19. II, 1242. | Wisdom. | | | | | 9, 62. I, 1281. | | 12, 2. II, 1043. f. | 3, 1. I, 1764. | | | | | 10, 28. I, 620. | | 12, 20. II, 220. | 10, 13. 14. II, 1295. | | | | s. | 10, 34. II, 1527. f. | | 23, 5. 6. II, 853. | | | | f. | Sirach. | 12, 32. I, 1112. | | | | 1208. f. | | 23, 6. II, 938. f. | 5, 5. 7. II, 2085. f. | | | | | 14, 26. II, 644. | | 23, 29. I, 1346. | 22, 10. 11. I, 1616. | 943. ff. | | | | | | 31, 22. I, 1224. | 42, 14. II, 1266. | 16, 8. II, 826. f. | | | | | | 33, 15. 16. II, 853. | | 16, 19. II, 1196. | | f. | | | | | | 16, 22, 23. II, | | 33, 16. II, 938. s. | | 1542. | | | | | | 44, 17. II, 1916. f. | | 17, 10. I, 1577. | | | | | | 49, 12. I, 823. | | 18, 1. II, 1588. | | | | | | Lamentations. | | 18, 11. I, 484. | | | | | | 3, 13. II, 2040. | | 22, 19. I, 904. | | | | 1664. | | Ezekiel. | | | | | | 23, 43. I, 108. | | 1, 5. I, 522. | | 1763. | | | | | | 13, 19. I, 622. | | 24, 16. I, 1237. | | 1211. | | | | | | John. | | 13, 22. I, 1211. | | | | | | 1, 1. I, 20. | | 16, 49. 50. I, 1217. | | | | 1218. | | 1, 9. I, 1591. | | | | | | | | 1, 13. I, 1028. | | | | 1399. 1448. | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | | | | +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
2106 Saying register. 2107
I, 47. ff. II, 395. ff.
4, 22. I, 646.
6, 63. I, 1248. f.
8, 25. I, 12.
8, 44. I, 137.
8, 56. I, 750. 1103. f.
II, 143.
8, 59. I, 1237.
9, 1.ff. I, 824.
11, 8. 9. II, 342.
11, 9. I, 1342.
13, 5. I, 1215.
14, 12. I, 1582. II, 1595.
14, 23. I, 1404.
15, 5. I, 482.
15, 9. II, 968.
16, 5. 7. I, 1165.
16, 12. 13. I, 1526.
16, 20. I, 1206. f.
20, 15. I, 1237.
Acts.
3, 21. I, 122.
7, 2. I, 769. f.
7, 2. 3. I, 724. f.
7, 4. II, 1511. f.
8, 19. ff. I, 1618. f.
10, 10. II, 268. f.
10, 34. 35. I, 1072.
12, 9. ff. I, 939. ff.
14, 15. I, 1311.
15, 5. I, 1017.
19, 12. II, 1196.
Romans.
1, 16. I, 1502.
1, 17. II, 320. f.
3, 8. II, 1525.
3, 20. I, 201.
3, 23. II, 1486. ff.
3, 29. I, 1029.
4, 11. 12. I, 1043. f.
4, 19. ff. I, 1096.
4, 23. 24. I, 1097.
4, 33. II, 50. f.
7, 19 25. I, 1670.
7, 23. II, 201.
8, 1. I, 1667.
8, 20. 21. I, 250.
8, 26. II, 288. f.
8, 28. I, 1327.
9, 6. 7. 8. I, 1029. 1397. f.
9, 8. I, 1028.
9, 10-13. II, 32. ff. 64. ff.
10, 4. I, 1010.
11, 11. ff. I, 646.
12, 19. I, 1265.
12, 20. II, 227.
14, 6. 7. 8. I, 857.
14, 7. 8. II, 234.
14, 8. II, 1301.
15, 4. I, 1186. II, 472.
15, 8. 9. II, 758.
1 Corinthians.
1, 31. I, 1439.
3, 9. I, 1245. II, 1775.
4, 9. I, 1519.
6, 18. II, 1276.
8, 5. 6. I, 906.
10, 6. I, 1186.
11, 11. 12. II, 1758.
11, 32. I, 1282.
13, 5. I, 319.
13, 7. I, 955.
15, 31. I, 240. II, 1483.
15, 47. I, 105.
2 Corinthians.
4, 6. I, 21. II, 1702.
4, 17. 18. I, 1339. f. 1343. f.
5, 6. I, 1626.
6, 17. I, 1265.
10, 4. II, 408.
12, 4. I, 108.
12, 7. I, 823. 923. f.
12, 7-9. II, 1665. f.
Galatians.
2, 20. I, 1562.
3, 16. ff. I, 1397. f.
3, 17. I, 769. 959.
3, 24. II, 1491.
4, 22. ff. I, 1150. f.
4, 28. I, 1028.
4, 30. I, 1427. f.
5, 2-4. I, 1009.
5, 17. II, 286.
Ephesians.
2, 10. II, 1640.
4, 30. I, 454. 486.
Philippians.
2, 14. I, 1271.
4, 5. I, 848.
Colossians.
2, 18. 20. I, 866.
1 Thessalonians.
4, 4. 5. II, 1737.
2 Thessalonians.
2, 3. I, 1317.
2, 4. I, 1063.
2, 11. II, 1547.
3, 10. II, 1804.
1 Timothy.
1, 9. I, 131. ff.
2, 13. 14. I, 222. f.
2, 15. I, 1570. f.
3, 2. I, 1034. f.
4, 2. I, 1537.
4, 8. II, 1306.
2 Timothy.
3, 17. I, 1718.
Titum.
1, 2. I, 1555.
2, 5. I, 1161.
1 Petri.
1, 2. II, 1992. f.
1, 12. I, 1519. II, 397. 775.
3, 6. I, 1170. 1605.
3, 7. I, 987. 1353.
3, 19. 20. I, 535. f.
3, 21. I, 616.
2 Petri.
1, 9. 12. I, 271.
1, 10. I, 1123. 1535.
1, 19. II, 1695.
2, 5. I, 500 f. 900. 1274. f.
2, 8. I, 1223.
3, 5. 6. I, 10.
Hebrews.
6, 16. I, 1464.
7, l.ff. I, 900. f. 912. f.
7, 3. I, 898..
7, 9. I, 960.
7, 11. I, 904. f.
11, 21. II, 1066. 1843. f.
12, 16. II, 313. ff.
12, 17. II, 123.
Jacobi.
1, 13. I, 1534.
2, 21. I, 1536. f.
3, 2. I, 1347.
Jude.
V. 6. I, 137.
V. 14. 15. I, 418.
Disclosure.
13, 1. I, 1404.
13, 5. I, 1064.
14, 13. II, 464.
18, 4. I, 1258. 1265.
18, 4. 5. I, 765. II, 105.
22, II. I, 1124.
** III.**
Subject Register
to the
The first two volumes of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften.
Abel. I, 295. ff. 307. ff. 330. ff. - Meaning of the name I, 383. A. lives, whether he was probably slain I. 403.- S. Cain 2.
Abelonites. Heretics, why so called II, 1266.
Holy Communion. In it there is something else than in baptism, namely: the body and blood of Christ I, 279. f., whether he is at the right hand of God I, 1487. f.; but not if one does not enjoy it I, 727. One should not leave open sinners to it II, 385. The words of institution strengthen the hope of forgiveness I, 1066.; it makes the individual certain of his blessedness I, 1066.; God feeds us, not the servant II, 1842. f.; one should use it in the common assembly II, 779, honor with genuflections II, 1842. The pope has robbed the chalice, from which A. I, 844. 1063; how he wants to confirm the error of the One Form I, 727. 1175. f.; Christ did not offer bread and wine I, 902; the papists have turned the Eucharist into idolatry I, 1664; make it an external work to prove obedience to the church II, 38; only the priests were allowed to read the words of institution, and not in a loud voice I, 1664. - S. Means of Grace.
Superstition. Arises from right worship II, 13; remains one time like the other I, 727. f.; is even a harmful regent I, 731.
Apostasy. A. from God and His grace is possible I, 520. 676.; occurs commonly after 20 years I, 1636.; the descendants commonly fall away I, 1453. f. 1455. 1638. s. 1662. f.; II, 1825. f.; occurs first in the heart.; occurs first in the heart, then the outward sins follow I, 635, and manifold idolatry II, 912. f.; will not go unpunished I, 553; entailed the confusion of language I, 692; whither it finally leads I, 480. - S. apostates.
Idolatry. A. usually has a glorious origin I, 1667. f.; arises from the right religion I, 663.;
II, 13; follows from apostasy from the true God II, 912. f.; already applied by Cain I, 304. f.; is all worship without God's command I, 778.; is the origin of all sin II, 910-; is misery and distress II, 1684.; is known from God's word alone I, 736.; one punishes him I, 730. - S. celestial service, idolatry, calf service, Moloch.
Abimelech. 1. A. was king's name, not name of a single person II, 185.
2 Abimelech, Abraham's contemporary. A. was pious I, 1463. 1478. f.; faithful I, 1322. ff.; godly I, 1313. 1318.; chaste I, 1322. f.; loved the preaching ministry I, 1356. f.; was a bishop in his kingdom I, 1335. 1340. - He sinned by not knowing as an authority that Abraham was wronged I, 1466. ff. He came to repentance and a clear knowledge of God I, 1335. 1345. - S. Abraham 20.
3 Abimelech, Isaac's contemporary. Probably not the same A., who was Abraham's contemporary II, 192. but his son II, 225. f. Was more cunning than his father II, 225. f.; pious II, 192.; God-fearing and hated adultery II, 185. ff. - S. Isaac 12.
Indulgence. S. Purgatory.
Abortion. Is Sin I, 1748.
Abraham. 1. in general I, 717. ff. his history is despised by the world I, 1300. ff. and the papists I, 1302. in place of the lineage of A. rst the lineage of Christ I, 1056.
- honor and importance of A.. With A. begins a new church I, 718. f. ; a great man, adorned with promises I, 1064. ; stands above the other patriarchs I, 1054. f. 1332. ; the head of all saints I, 918. 921. ;
- ; 1155. 1355. s.; surpasses Aeneas, Achilles, Agamemnon I, 919. The Jews do not know how to praise him enough I, 733. but is not praised in Scripture like Noah I, 729. f. His special honor is that God speaks with him I, 718.
- birth of A. Whether he was the firstborn I, 298. 435. 720. f. 769.
- f.
- names A.'s. Hebrews I, 715. f. 885.; God's Friend and Beloved I, 1117.; Prince of God I, 1628. 1631.; Blessed of God I, 908. f. - Of the change of his name from Abram to Abraham I, 1036. 1043. f. 1052. f.
5 A.'s poverty and wealth. I, 826. ff. - The monks and others are offended by his wealth I, 829. f.; he did not "hang his head" on it I, 918.; he was quite poor, not like the monks I, 1164. who cannot be compared with him I, 738. f., especially not in the way he left everything I, 739. 761.
** 2110Abraham** Subject register. Abraham2111
- journeys of A. I, 770. ff. 783. ff. 826. ff. 1300. ff. - A.'s journeys happen according to God's will I, 1352. f.; how the prophets regarded his wanderings I, 1305.; they were arduous and dangerous I,
- f.; 1302.
- appeal of A. I, 728. ff. How old A. was I, 1600; probably called by Sem I, 711. f. 734. f.; called by grace I, 730. f. 732. f.; thereby a new man and patriarch I, 731.
- apparitions and revelations. With no other God spoke so often I,
- f.; this happened probably eight times I, 1544.; God speaks with him as with a friend I, 938. f.; this is the most distinguished in A.'s history I, 861.The appearance of the three men I, 1130. ff. 1154. ff.
- ff.; of the angel at Isaac's sacrifice I, 1522. ff.; the Lord appeared to him before he came to Shem I, 777.
- promises, A. given. I, 740. ff. 860. ff. 936. ff. 951. ff. 1035. ff.
- ff. 1091. ff. 1547. ff. 1559. ff. - In which A. was ahead of us, we are ahead of the A. I, 1385. The bodily promises include Christ and eternal life in themselves I, 1096. ff.; A. understood the bodily promises at the same time spiritually I, 1107.; A. let himself be satisfied with the spiritual ones I, 908. 916. ff. A. did not tempt God with this, that he desired a sign to confirm the promise of the possession of Canaan I, 953. ff; God gave this promise that it might be known whence the promised seed should come II, 141.; A. was a stranger in Canaan in his life, after his death he possessed it I, 1060. f.; had to wander to and fro like Cain in spite of the promise I, 782. The promise that Christ should be born of him he received as a reward, since he was already righteous II, 143.
- faith and religion of A.. A. had Noah as a teacher I, 655. f., Shem I, 898.; became an idolater I, 722. 711.; a "pious" man, but the devil's serf I, 731. - A. had the knowledge of the holy trinity I,
- f., of Christ I, 748. 1627. that the promised seed is the Savior of the world I, 1657. and the Son of God I, 1674.; of the ministry of the holy angels I, 1684. ff. A. increased in knowledge II,
- f.; how he understood the promise that the greater should serve the lesser II, 80. f.. A. believed in a resurrection of the dead and an eternal life I, 964. f. 1060. ff. 1064. 1488. f. - A. believed in the future Christ, we believe in the coming Christ I, 949. f. Scripture extols his faith I, 739. 773. 791. 804.; the greater the danger, the stronger his faith I, 809. which was greater than Gideon's I, 891. not to be compared with ours I, 743. f. 772. f. He believed though the promise of reason was dark I, 1098., and seemed impossible I, 740. ff; believed the sign given by God, asked for I, 958.; kept the promise of Isaac I, 1384. wherein he proved his faith I, 758. 771.; 775.; 1487. f.;
- His faith began to stumble I, 789. f. A. also had weaknesses I,
- f.
II. A.'s Covenant with God I, 1054. ff. Was a double one: of circumcision and of promise I, 1114. f.
- circumcision. I, 1036. ff. 1108. ff. Similarity of the B. A.'s and Christ's B. I, 1024. f.
- righteousness of A. before God. A. was righteous before God by faith I, 940. ff. 952. f.
- f. 1580. 1583. f., not by works I, 944. 1536. f. 1579. ff., not by circumcision I, 1017. f.; before he went forth in obedience from Ur I, 760., or was circumcised I, 1010. f. 1017. f. 1038. The papists assert that he was justified by works I, 1579. ff.
- virtues of A.. In general I, 915. ff.; in A. is found a large number of spiritual and secular virtues I, 1640. s. - A. was modest I,
- f.; steady I, 781. f. 826. ff.; cheap and righteous I, 919.; humble and reverent I, 915. ff. 1142. ff. 1148. 1182. 1476. f. 1596.; pious I, 899.; hospitable I, 1137. ff. 1142. ff. 1154. ff., whence he learned this virtue I, 1134. ff. 1144. ff. 1154. ff.; patient I, 840. ff. 908.
- f.; II, 237.; obedient I, 736. ff. 755. ff. 869. f. 1074. f.
- ff. 1262. ff. 1375. 1412. ff. 1496. ff., with A.'s obedience cannot be compared that of the monks I, 758. f. 1412. ff. 1417. ff.; not stingy I, 915. ff.; courteous I, 1475. 1628. ff.; chaste I, 1170. 1744. f.; loving I, 840. ff. 1197. ff.; compassionate I, 1286. f.; truthful I,
- ff. 1313.
- works of A. In general I, 826. ff. 886. ff. - A. is a father of good works I, 1141. f.; performs them all in faith I, 1305. 1682. ff.; uses his reason I, 786. 890. f.; acts like a spiritual, understanding I,
- ff. and worldly wise man I, 1474. ff. 1638. f.; does no special works, but proves faith and love I, 919. f. with them. f.; is despised by the monks because of his little works I, 1521.; against A.'s works of the papacy are stinking dirt I, 774.; it does not follow: What pleased God in A., pleases him also in us I, 779. - A.'s works as a house father I, 918. f.; his pilgrimage I, 1305. f.; plants trees I,
- f.; buys burial place I, 1616. f.; II, 103. f.; provides a wife for Isaac I, 1682.; as husband I, 1742. ff. 1749. f.; in intercourse with others I, 1675. s.; as bishop and priest he was I, 778. 1521.; how he administers his office I, 781. f.; was a blessing to others I, 746.
- f.; built altars and preached I, 778. 781. 839. 874.; 826. ff.
- f. 1631.; taught I, 805. 819. 837. f. 1332. f. 1352. 1361.; II, 80.; I, 773. 957. 1661. f. 1667. f.; probably compiled a small history I, 1753.; prayed I, 1197. ff. 1321. 1360. ff.; 1107. ff. 1288. f. 1362. f.; as a war hero I, 886. ff.; is a greater hero than Alexander 2c. I, 889. ff. and Samson I, 890.; an example to us I, 889. f.
- sins of A. That he mistook Sarah for his sister among the Gerarites was sin I, 1325. f., which, however, served for the best I, 1328. p. above 10.
17 A.'s temptations and sufferings. A. had to endure severe temptations before other patriarchs I, 1482; one followed the other I, 1482; is a martyr above all martyrs I, 1417; his flesh was always killed I, 1350; A. was saved from presumption 923. ff. 928. f.. In him we see two kinds of killing of himself I, 1421; how he killed his flesh I, 1505. f.; against the killing of his flesh the mortification of the monks is nothing I, 1414. f.. A. was challenged I, 783. ff.; 802. ff. 810.; 874.; 920. ff. 928. f. 932. f. 934. f.; 1070. ff.; 1284. f.; 1286. 1313. f.; 1298.; 1318.; 1482. ff.; 1503. f.; 1528. f.; 790. In these temptations he kept the promises I, 1487.; was comforted I, 920. ff. 929. 1060. 1323. 1340. ff. 1342.; conquered by faith I, 785. 814. 874. 1318. f. 1421. f. 1487. ff.
** 2112Abraham**Subject register. Adam2113
- ff; II, 784. - A. had to dwell among enemies I, 776., was persecuted I, 780. f. 839. f., mocked I, 1131.
- servants of A.. Was great I, 772. 887.f. 1618.; a holy church I, 773.; pious and obedient I, 919. 1129. II3I.; more pious than the present I, 739. 773.; to be praised for following A. into misery I, 773.; this was very comforting to A. I, 774.
- church. Receives in A.'s time a greater light I, 719; a new one begins with A. I, 718; A.'s house was the right one I, 1193. f. 1360. f.; many persecuted followed him I, 1213; church was increased and comforted I, 907; A. converted many I, 1303; his church stood in reputation I, 1631. ff.
- A. and Abimelech. I, 1300. ff. 1330. ff. 1345. ff. 1356. ff. 1360. ff. 1460. ff. A.'s suspicion of Abimelech I, 1465. ff.
- A. and the Egyptians. I, 802. ff. 811. ff 818. ff. A.'s suspicion of the Egyptians I, 794. ff. 798. 801. f. Whether A. taught astronomy in Egypt I, 805.
- a. and eliezer. I, 1640. ff. 1656. ff. 1681. ff. 1706. ff. 1722. ff.
23 A. and Hagar. I, 974. ff. 983. ff. 1410. ff. A. did not lie with Hagar out of unchastity I, 969. s. 972. f. 987.; thereby not an adulterer I, 971. ff.; loved her I, 1389. f.; expulsion was hard for him I, 1394. 1411. f. 1420. ff. 1422. f.
- A. and the Hebronites. I, 1628. ff.
- a. and isaac. I, 1091. ff. 1368. ff. 1496. ff. 1522. ff. 1640. ff.
- A. and Ishmael. I, 1108. ff. 1386. ff. 1410. ff. - A. considered Ishmael to be the promised seed I, 1007. 1035.; loved him I, 1108. 1389. f.; his expulsion was difficult for A. I, 1394. f. 1411. f. 1420. ff.
- A. and Ketura. I, 1742. ff. - Marry them not out of lust I, 1744. f. 1746. ff.; perhaps because Isaac's marriage remained barren for so long II, 3.
- A. and Lot. I, 840. ff. - Why Lot chooses the region at the Jordan, A. stays in Canaan I, 853.; how A. receives the news of Lot's imprisonment I, 886.; Lot saved for the sake of A.'s prayer I, 1288. f.; Lot and his daughters received by A. I, 1297. 1342. f., comforted over the blood shame I, 1300. f. 1342. f.
29 A. and Mamre. A. is included in Mamre I, 874. f. 1141; brings him to recognition I, 875. f.
- A. and Melchizedek. I, 897. ff.
31 A. and Nahör. I, 1592. ff.
- A. and the Philistines. I, 1457. ff.
- A. and Sarah. I, 968. ff. 974. ff. 983. ff. 1386. ff. 1602. ff.
- ff. Had much trial and tribulation I, 968. ff; their conduct therein I, 976. ff; hoped in God I, 813.; prayed I, 991.; loved Ishmael I, 1007. 1035.; comforted Hagar and Ishmael I, 1412. f.; why A. Sarah wanted to bury in Canaan I, 1627. to admire as husband and wife I, 793.; an example of husband and wife I, 1160. 1163. f. 1353. f.; 794. 986. f. 1253.; 793.; had long violent quarrel I, 1386. ff. 1390. ff. 1410.; II,
- f. A. did not give Sarah the order to sacrifice Isaac I, 1490. f.
- A. and Shem. A. probably sought out Shem on his travels!, 774. f.; was commanded by him to obey Sarah I, 1395.
35 A. and the Sodomites. I, 895. 913.ff. 1181.ff.
- death of A. I, 1752. ff. How God can be A.'s reward since he dies I, 964.
- children or seed of A.. The Jews are not I, 1669; physical and spiritual seed I, 1396. ff; holy and godless I, 1585. A.'s children are made by promise and faith I, 1053. 1101. 1132. 1396. ff. 1438.; II, 1872.; A.'s lineage was hated by all nations II, 1133.
Abraham's seed. The doctrine of it is the most important in Scripture II, 143.; in the promise of it is comprehended almost the whole Christian doctrine I, 1578. 1583.; true God, true man, without sin I, 1570. f. 1674.; II, 143.; is Christ I, 1560. 1569. f.; is himself the blessing I, 1566. f. His blessing is a spiritual one I, 1564. f.; without the same no people are blessed I, 1591. f.; takes away death and all curse I, 1571.; makes full of good fruits I, 1578.excludes all glory and righteousness I, 1572. f.; concerns all men I, 1571., also the heathen I, 1560.; one becomes a partaker of it by faith I, 1367. f.; worksaints have no part in it I, 1368. f.; the saints of A. T. heartily longed for it I, 1591. Whether God could have awakened him if Jacob had been strangled by Esau II, 762. Jewish interpretation of A.'s seed I, 1564.
Absolution. Any Christian can pronounce it II, 1003. also a woman or child II, 2057. ff.; to be sought from the parish priest or a Christian brother II, 779.; not to look at the absolving man in this II, 287.; is pronounced by divine command II, 300. f. 1899; God himself absolves II, 435. 437; it gives forgiveness of sin II, 298. f. 369; redeems from sin, devil, hell II, 1891. 2009; proclaims and gives the kingdom of God II, 411; formula of absolution in Luther's time II, 299.
Apostates. Persecutors of their order I, 689; the greatest enemies of the Church II, 629.
Arcursius. Jurist, confesses his ignorance II, 1927. Achilles. Not to be compared with Abraham I, 919.; a hero and yet friendly against Briseis II, 603.; could not conquer his heart II, 1387.
Achsib. 1. city in Ässer II, 1163.
2nd city in Dan II, 1163. 1186.
Cultivation. Commanded by God I, 1479.
Arable farmer. A. have the happiest state I, 259.; II, 553.
Ada. II, 990. - Means jewelry, collar I, 386.; II, 989. - S. Esau 3.
Adam. 1. adam. I, 66. ff. 101. ff. 124. ff. Meaning of the name and reason for it I, 383. 410.; II, 68. f.; whether only a married man could be called A. I, 412. A. had excellent intellect and wisdom I, 145. f.; knew well from inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Abel was slain I, 346.He prophesied in Paradise I, 167, 170; had the hope of eternal life I, 269; his knowledge of natural things, even after the fall, was much more excellent than our laboriously acquired knowledge I, 146. f. Had to sweat the sweat of domestic, governmental and church life at the same time I, 261. A greater teacher than Mosel, 328; taught of faith I, 328. Died in the time of Lamech I, 391; where buried I, 1610. f. Contemporaries of A., I, 407. 416. Was a figure of Christ, I, 268. p. Schooß.
- adam and eve. In general I, 160. ff.; 172. ff.; 196. ff.; 207. ff.; 223. ff.; 242. ff.; 268. ff.;
** 2114Noble**Subject register. Challenges2115
- ff.; 302. ff. 317. ff.; 330. ff.; 347. ff.; 410. ff. - In which A. and E. were equal I, 81. 141. 226., in which unequal I, 84. 185. 268.; the scholastics hold A. for the highest, E. for the lowest part of reason I, 195. - They had the hope of an eternal life I, 269. f.; held in faith to the first promise 1, 235. ff.; wherewith they comforted themselves after the fall I, 244. 304.; II, 919. f.; begat children to obtain the promised seed I, 290. f. - Out of fear of God and obedience they cast out Cain I, 375. f. - Their temptations over Cain's fratricide I, 342. ff; they did not have the consolation that it had already happened to others 1, 344; their heartache over Cain's expulsion I, 347. 375. f.; they were of one mind and of one will I, 82; A. taught E. in paradise I, 176.; A. did not vow eternal chastity after Abel's death I, 413. - Probably had a promise before Seth's birth 1, 395.; how they taught and brought up their children I, 301. ff. 408.- S. state of innocence, fall of man.
Nobility. Shall be dedicated to virtue and serve his own I, 879.
Adoption. Is very mean in Scripture II, 1000; A. Ephraim and Manasseh II, 1848.
Affects. The natural affects are not to be rejected I, 1614; are good in themselves, but corrupted by original sin II, 1501, 1672. The natural affects are good in themselves, but corrupted by original sin II, 1501. 1672; remain even in the godly II, 1669. f.; when to be suppressed II, 1679. f. - S. Nature 3.
Agamemnon. Not to be compared with Abraham I, 919**. Agatha.** Martyr, confident II, 1989. 1994.
Agnes. Martyr, chaste II, 1268. f.; deathly courageous II, 1903. - S. Monastery.
Agricola. Toller, inexperienced spirit I, 1212.; wanted to be considered holy and just II, 708.
Ahab. Godless, had a glorious regiment II, 2043. Ahalibama. Means castle woman II, 989. - S. Esau 3. Ahaz. Idolatrous II, 2014; wanted, after Abraham, to sacrifice his son I, 1496; acted thereby contrary to God's word I, 1524., became a murderer I, 1179. f.
Albrecht, Bishop of Mainz, knowingly rejected the pure doctrine I, 1646. - S. Brschof 3.
Alexander the Great. He supervised everything himself II, 1241; no Jewish or Christian king can be compared with him II, 462; he was not such a war hero as Abraham I, 889, or Joseph II, 1376; he could not conquer himself II, 1387; his history cannot be compared with the histories of the Holy Scriptures II, 462; he was fortunate for the sake of the church I, 1409; he was hopeful and fell II, 1634; his body was shown to Augustus II, 2073.
Alkoran. Why Mahomet gave this name to his book II, 223; the devil is the master of A. II, 401; is a monster, mixes law and gospel I, 1009; what he says: about the fall of the devil II, 401, about Leviathan II, 1948; when interpreting A. the Turks use allegories II, 559. - S. Mahomet.
Allegories. I, 610. ff. - Coming from the foolish monks I, 559.; for a time preferred to the historical understanding I, 284. 610.; are like a beautiful whore II, 559.; which fathers were concerned with the A. II, 557. Harm and benefit of A.: dangerous, obscure doctrine I, 284.; II, 557. f. 802.; prove nothing I, 230. f. 286. 903. 952. 1150. f.; II, 235. 802.; adorn only I, 285. f. 610. 1150. f.; II, 774. 802. Use.
of the A.: one should not seek mere A. II, 774.; find only the foam of the holy Scriptures I, 285.; one should not reject them altogether I, 611.; one should use them with caution 1, 611.; II, 559. f.; which and which not to reject I, 611.; to distinguish between the A. of the fathers, one needs a good mind II, 811.Not everyone is fortunate with A. II, 774. Requirements of good A.: the literal sense must be the basis of A. I, 286. f.; II, 802.; must go on faith I, 612. 616. f. 626. f.; II, 402. 560. examples of A.: silly I, 225. f.; good I, 286.f. 514. f. 603-627.; 903. 952. 1204. 1495. 1541.; II. 235. 402. 475. 811. ff.
Omnipotence. What is to be understood by God's ordinary and by his immediate authority I, 1250; authority is revealed in creation I, 31. 60; can make everything out of nothing II, 1677. 1700. 1702, out of evil good II, 893. f., preserve and increase what has been created I, 1540. s.; according to God's ordinary authority we are to judge ourselves I, 1250.
Omniscience. Everything is present to God I, 960. 963. altar. What is called "building an altar" I, 778; II, 222.
- 1751; for which we have altars in the churches I, 115. Age and childhood. Are not to be compared II, 249.; Influence of the A. on senses and powers II, 1846. 1858.
Amalek. 1, 994.
Amalekites. Descendants of Esau of Amalek, maternal Hittites II, 994.; very proud id.; lived between Egypt and Canaan I, 881.
Ambrose. Marriageless, waiting for his profession I, 1320. f.; struggled with the heat of the flesh II, 530.; took special delight in the work of Christ's incarnation II, 400.; did not interpret Scripture as well as Augustine II, 79.; did not understand the active and passive meanings of words II, 1488.; A.'s opinion of Job II, 1014. f..
Amiris. Escape from Sibaris I, 1258. f.
Ammi. Meaning of the name and occasion I, 1298. ff. Ammonites. Gloriously blessed before other peoples I,
- f.; not admitted to church offices in Israel I, 368. 1298. f.; many blessed I, 368.
Amos. Taught in the Kingdom of Ephraim II, 2048.
Amram. I, 959.
Amraphel. Whether A. Nimrod was I, 876. f.
Office. The office discovers the man 1, 834. In the office one serves God II, 1411.; how one should conduct one's office II, 1394. f.; one should not flee the complaints II, 1408. f.; foolish to be proud of an office II, 1395.; offices are punishments II, 1395.; make us servants II, 1397.; once account is to be given II, 1394. One should not withdraw from worldly offices I, 833. f. - S. profession, estates.
Ana. Whether begotten by incest II, 995.; whether he invented the muzzle horses II, 997. 1007. f.
Anachoretes. Are hermits I, 997.
Analogy of Faith. What the A. d. G. is I, 1531. Anastasia. Martyr II, 1982. f.
Worship. Various types of A. I, 1635. II, 306. 820. f.; what "worship" means I, 1058.; II, 1046.
AeneaS. Is not to be compared with Abraham I**,** 919. Aner. A devout, pious man I, 886. 888; adhered to Abraham's church II, 1069.
Beginning. What Moses calls "beginning" I, 12.
Challenges. 1. the doctrine of the a. must be practiced for the sake of future preachers II, 783. s.
** 2116Contests** Subject register. ^utiviMio2117
- the nature and type of the a. Various a. fall before the godly I,
- 1532.; II, 417. f.; one follows the other I, 1482.; the more pious the Christian, the more a. 1, 1486.; when they are there, they seem to argue with the promise II, 823.; in it, it is difficult to take comfort in the grace of God II, 968.; the Christian often wavers between impatience and hope II, 1317.The main part of all a. is that one doubts whether God has really said this or that I, 187. To the bodily a. Satan also adds spiritual a. I, 1424. ff. 1484.; the bodily ones become more violent when the terror in the conscience is added II, 967. f. First Satan tries to lead us away from the word, then the sins against the second tablet follow I, 199. There are a., when God seems to contradict Himself I, 1487. f.; when one does not feel God's grace I, 927.; when one thinks he is abandoned by God I, 556. ff.; II, 1092. and given entirely into Satan's power II, 733. f. We are challenged about the greatness of sin I, 1177; about whether we do not believe II, 179; whether we will be blessed I, 1177. The most serious a. are: when one disputes why God made this or that so I, 186; unbelief and despair II,
- st 1319. which a. not everyone can grasp ib.Presumption, ambition, self-confidence 1, 924. st; the very highest A. is when one becomes hostile to God in the heart I, 1484.; in the high A. one has to fight with God II, 786. The youth challenges ardor of the flesh, the male age impatience and revengefulness I, 558. st; II, 20. ff. 1227. f. 1252. ff.; married couples have severe A. I, 984. 1392.; likewise the very highest saints, of sins against the first tablet I, 923., unbelief and despair II, 782. f. In A. everything is black and sad II, 797. f. 1538. f., the saints become fearful I, 927., doubt the promise I, 934., think God does not take care of them I, 1003.; the senses go astray II, 787. f. 792.; the body enfeebled I, 1451. High A. come when we are alone I, 939., in the night II, 771. st
- author of the A. Satan addresses the A. I, 1140.; how he speaks to us in the A. II, 755.; he challenges us without ceasing to make us dull 1, 938.; II, 1269.
- dangerousness of the a. The a. are unbearable to the flesh without the spirit I, 560.; spiritual a. kill many II, 1320.; where consolation did not follow, faith would sink I, 828. and no man blessed I, 777.
- consolation in A. God is certainly with us in the sins I, 777. and favorable to us II, 968.; God does not let the sins become greater than we can bear them I, 784. f.; God cannot lie in his promises I, 1489.; even if one does not feel the grace, it is unchangeable I, 927. Of comfort when Satan makes sin great I, 1177.; when it seems that one is given entirely into Satan's power II, 733. st; at the A. on perseverance in faith II, 180. about whether one will be saved I, 1177.
- f.
- battle in A. and victory. Without the Holy. Spirit, victory is not possible II, 787.; God helps I, 807.; godly must yet finally conquer II, 800.; faith fights II, 1098.; how it goes about it II, 762.; faith conquers II, 897. f. 1098. st, through the word I, 786.; II, 417. f.; how to fight against A. to fornication II, 20. ff.; joy follows A. 1, 811.; II, 800. u. Erkenntnisniß d. Liebe Gottes II, 808. f. -S. Faith II.
- right conduct in A. In A. one should flee solitude I, 840. f.; not take the thoughts of A. into judgment and conscience, but drive them back by God's word II, 785. f.; be patient II, 1296.; persevere in godliness II, 1255.; be constant in faith II, 193. 1384.; trust in God II, 744. ff, not to despair II, 57. 1569.; how to strengthen faith I, 771.; to keep the promises I, 1484. ff. 1489.; II, 754., to the Word II, 52. ff. 56. 197. 201. f. 305. 763. 1090. f. 1385. f., to the Sacraments II, 1092. st, to seek comfort in secret confession II,
- st, to consider the A. I, 1490; II, 806, 900. st, praying I,
- In temptations because of high gifts, one should look to the forgiveness of sin as the highest gift I, 926; if one thinks that God has rejected one, one should think that he has him in his arms and is holding him close II, 806; in the question of whether God wants to make us blessed, we should keep the promise I, 1484.
- the purpose and benefit of the gifts. apart from the gifts we think ourselves strong II, 741. f.; gifts are necessary to us II, 193.
- f.; we are sent so that we do not overburden ourselves with gifts I, 926. ff.; we produce many fruits I, 826. f. 1457.; II, 306. 1365. f.; we are taught to remember the word I, 1391. f.; II, 2038. 1384. f.; teaching to remember the word I, 1391.; II, 2038.; by means of A. the flesh is killed, the spirit made alive II, 797. 1094.; encouraging in knowledge and faith II, 1096. f.; teaching to pray I, 939.; II,
- f.; teaching patience I, 559.
- treatment of the afflicted. Challenged hearts are not helped so soon I, 574; II, 1685 ff; how to comfort II, 784. 1686; to them one must talk certain, strong consolation 1, 574; how Luther comforted a challenged person who thought he did not believe II, 179. - S. conscience 2, 3.
Cf. Abraham 17, David, Isaac II, Jacob 15, Joseph II, Lot 1, Noah II, Rebekah, Sarah, Fathers II, 10, Temptation.
Face. 1. of God. Means his grace, but the back means his wrath I, 1004; what it means "God's face shines" II, 837; God's face is that by which he reveals himself I, 13. f. 376. f; when he shows us his friendly face and when he turns it away from us II, 837; by which one recognizes his friendly face II, 838.
- a. of the people. The Holy Spirit makes a free, cheerful face I,
Calling. "Calling on the name of the Lord" I, 398. st; difference between "calling on the name" and "in the name" of the Lord I, 837. f.; II, 223.
Anthropomorphism. The Scriptures often speak of God as of a man I, 18. st 487; examples: I, 701. 1195. s. 1535. f.; why it does this I, 487. st 1535. f.; how to explain such passages I, 487. ff.; such A. is very lovely I, 1535. f. - S. human words.
Anthropomorphites. What they taught I, 17. ff. 487; wrongly condemned by the pope I, 17. ff; in which case rightly condemned I, 487.
Antichrist. Of the opinion that the A. comes from the tribe of Dan II, 2023. ff; as he is described in Scripture I, 554.; Pabst and Turk are the A. I, 649. 1062.; Pabst the actual A. I, 506. 1062. ff. 1404.; II, 1679. 2024. ff.; the A. has long reigned in spite of all sacraments and signs of grace I, 1668.; the Pabst, the A., is a cheap enemy II, 1895.
Anticipatio. Speech figure II, 548. f.; must be observed in Scripture II, 1510. f. - S. Hysteron.
** 2118Antilogists**Subject register. Eyes2119
Antilogists. Who and why so called II, 1023.; accuse the Scriptures of darkness II, 1023. f.
Antinomians. What they wanted and taught concerning law and gospel I, 1188. 1205. ff. 1244. 1301. 1429. 1669. f.; their doctrine false and dangerous I, 1189. f. 1207. f. 1212. 1259. 1426. f.; are foolish inexperienced spirits I, 1212.; enjoy the goods of this world, postpone repentance II, 116.; wanted to protect themselves with Luther's example I, 1428. f.. God is not an A. I, 1330.
Antiphrasis. Figure of speech I, 1379.; II, 911. f. 1206.; examples: II, 1206. 1532. f. 1738. f.
Antonius. 1. sanct A, one may count him among the saints I, 1320; was directed to a tanner in a dream I, 1181. 1436. f.; one should not follow his example I, 1075.
- vr. A. English Martyr I, 352.
Apis. Abgott der Egypter I, 455; II, 1615. 1827. Aposiopesis. Figure of speech, examples I, 370; II, 1933. apostles. Spiritually drunk after Christ's resurrection II, 1981 ff; had their special revelations I, 536; declared the promise: I will be your God I, 1067.
Arabs. Ishmaelites II, 14; robbers I, 997; quarrelsome people I, 1454; hostile to Persians and Romans I, 998; now under the Turks II, 14; God had a numerous church among them I, 997; were called Loban II, 1307.
Aram. Country name I, 680; earlier: Haran I, 772.
Ararat. Mountains I, 562,
Arbares. Probably the Arphachsad of Scripture I, 679. f.
Work. To the A., not to idleness man was created I, 126.; God wants to have work II, 1239., blesses it II, 1239.; burdensome through sin I, 124, f. 257. f.; now a punishment I, 125., remembrance of sin I, 100.; through work we shall crucify the flesh II, 1241.; men flee it II, 1789.Whoever is sent to A. and willing, is held worthy II, 1244.; whether all men should be tillers or work with their hands I, 258.; we should work, commanding the other to God II, 1443. f. 1446.; A. should not hinder the spiritual sleep of faith II, 1239.; in the church A. means: teaching, etc. I, 261. - S. Prayer 12, Homework.
Ark. I, 512. ff. - Sophisticated questions I, 516.; whether one found pieces of the ark I, 562.; why God just through the ark wanted to save Noah I, 526. 541. Noah wanted to save I, 526. 541.; had the proportions of the human body I, 514.; allegorical interpretation of the same I, 514. f. 616.; papal allegories I, 612. - S. Thiere 2.
Aergerniß. Quarrels and acrimony are found in all classes I, 984; acrimony given by orthodox believers is more harmful than when given by persecutors of the truth II, 1090; how to overcome such acrimony I, 636; one should not be conscience-stricken about acrimony taken alone I, 793.
Arguments. From the Necessary, Useful, Proper II, 352. 1565. - S. Evidence.
Suspicion. Is slander I, 794.; harmful I, 795.; should not be among spouses I, 800.; what the pagan philosophers held of it I, 795.; yet how Scripture can enjoin it I, 795. f.; A. against manifest evildoers is not wrong II, 1474. f. - S. Ehe leute 4, Freundschaft.
Arians. Taught that before the "beginning" the angels and the Son were created I, 13.
Aryan. King, probably in Assyria I, 878.
Aristotle. Surpasses Cicero I, 681; his 5th book of ethics is the most glorious II, 1876; says: Truth.
is the mutier of love I, 795., the office discovers the man 1, 834. A.'s opinions about: God I, 1551. ; matter I, 7. ; eternity of the world I, 5. ; the nature of heaven I, 32. ; eternity of the sun and man I, 151. ; the first and last man I, 150. ; origin of man 1, 681. ff. ; procreation of man I, 151. ; definition of the soul II, 1670. f.; virtue, definition II, 1877. 1880., man was created to practice it I, 159.; epieikeia or equity II, 1876. 1880.; reason of man, it strives for the best I, 577.; natural causes of the rainbow I, 605. f.; origin of mice I, 63.
Arius. Had to fall into error, because he did not believe the Word I, 17; taught that Christ was created, but before the other creatures I, 15. f.; considered this teaching to be wisdom I, 196. s.; was applauded I, 1283. f..
Poor. One should help them II, 84. f.
Armuth. Right behavior I, 836. - S. Abraham 5. Arnold. Had the spirit of divination II, 1050.
Arphachsad. When born I, 713. f. - S. Arbaces. Medicines. Discovery of new medicines for new diseases happens through the ministry of angels I, 1246; medicines should be used I, 525.
Physician. Young, must have new churchyard I, 847.
AskenaS. Hero and pious man 1, 663; which peoples father, ancestor of the Germans I, 660.
ASnath. Joseph's wife, holy, blessed II, 1417.
Aesser. 1. Jacob's son. Meaning of the name I, 564; Jacob's blessing over him II, 2033. s. - S. Jacob I, 19; II; Joseph 12.
- the tribe. Residence II, 2018.; fertile land II, 2034.
Affur. 1. son of Shem. Why moved out from Babel I, 674. f. 679. 713.; builds Nineveh I, 673. 713.
- are the Assyrians I, 680.
Assyria. In the Scripture vowed I, 675. f.
Astharoth Karnaim. Kingdom I, 880.
Astrologer." Has in Gen. I, 14. has no reason I, 54. f.; is not a science I, 54. s.; not to be despised at all I, 38.; one may well occupy oneself with it I, 54.; it is foolishness to worry about the future I, 55.
Astronomy. Lobenswerth I, 35.; therein Egypter and Chaldeans famous I, 805.; teachings of the A. I, 33. ff. 49. f.
Asthanux. Not equal to Hector II, 1368.
Atlases. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph were A. II, 1155.
Resurrection. Will once rise again in spite of decay I, 965. Proofs of this from nature I, 63.; II, 16. f. from A. T.'s writing I, 243. 348. f. 406. 420. 428. 1517. s. 1519. f. 1755. f.; II, 16. 141. 214. ff. 981. Testimony of this had the world at all times I, 426. f., also in A. T. II, 1305. This doctrine is an art of the saints, transcends reason I, 1518.; II, 16. 1962. f.; to believe for the sake of the promise I, 1384. f.; is comforting I, 1488. f. 1509. ff.; he who denies it believes nothing I, 1520. f. 1764.; II, 1305. - S. Death 2, Immortality. Christ's A. s. Christ 2.
We should walk uprightly before God II, 259. rebels. Christians are not rebels I, 1465. Supervision. With the servants more important than their own work
II, 1240.; nöthig in Regiment II, 1423. and Church Office II, 1424.
Eyes. Various types II, 2007; beautiful, lovely A. a rare gift II, 491. f.; hawk eyes especially praised II, 492.; disfigure small, stupid A. II, 492.; get reddish A. that are always great and full II,
** 2120Augustine**Subject register. Benno2121
- f. 1995. f. A. mean in the writing Regents and Teachers II,
Augustine. Before his conversion he had a concubine I, 1750; as a Manichaean, he despised the patriarchs as the most lecherous people II, 556. 570.; what he especially liked about the Manichaeans I, 451. After his conversion he did not live in peace and cultivate himself 1, 260.; suffered from the rut of the flesh II, 530.; once began to doubt the credibility of Scripture II, 1023.; did not want angelic apparitions I, 1527.; what he did for a monk's life I, 847.; II, 1879.; was wise and understanding II, 1879. Is a better interpreter of Scripture than Ambrose II, 79.; did not understand: the active and passive meaning of words II, 1488., nor the figure hysteron. proteron II, 1067.; allegorisirt I, 285. 610.; examples of allegories I, 6. 612.; II. 774. 810. f.; they are erroneous I, 612. 626.; thus deducted from allegorisiren II, 557. - Doctrines and opinions about: Gen. 46, 8. ff. II, 1762. 1764.I Mos. 47, 31. II, 1838. f.; Ps. 85, 11. II, 1810.; Abelonites II, 1266.; evening confession and morning confession I, 1535.; Abraham's banquet I, 1382.; omnipotence of God I, 525.; ark I, 514.Trinity I, 60. f. 1151.; husband loving his wife II, 168.; purgatory II, 2068.; gifts of God II, 1390.; danger II, 764.; conscience, evil II, 1590.; equality: Non aequaliter omnes etc. II, 512.; grace of God I, 1346.; II, 1961. 2084. f.; God, what he made before the beginning I, 13.; goodness of God II, 685. 1700. 2083.; Job II, 1014. f.; hysteron proteron II, 1510. f.; Isaac II, 1067.; Jacob II, 490. f. 836.; Joseph II, 1065. 1130. f. 1483.; children killed by Herod II, 1150.; Church Fathers I, 1316. 1382.; Lot I, 1230.; Lies I, 788.; Materre I, 10th; Monica II, 1308th; name, good II, 1303. f.; Potiphar II, 1414th; Regulus l, 581. f.; Rome II, 2025th; Sacrament I, 1045th; Sheol II, 1542nd; Soul II, 1770th.; the Seventy II, 1766.; immortality I, 53.; fornication and temptation thereto II, 1253.; works of God outwardly II, 1868.; will, free I, 480.; Deus coronat intus voluntatem etc. II, 1115; Miraculous works II, 1245. f. - S. Monica.
Augustus. Wise, blissful emperor II, 1409; he was given a heavy regiment II, 1409.
Chosen. For their sake God does good to others II, 1234. f., as Cain's example teaches I, 368. f. 370.; for their sake he received the Jewish empire II, 2046. f..
Exceptions to the rule must often be made II, 511. f. Lepers. Violently provoked to fornication I, 75.
Averrois. Considers the spheres reasonable I, 35.
B.
Baal. Meaning of the word II, 1610. f.; why the idols were called B. I, 1322.; II, 1109.
Baal Hanan. Meaning of the name II, 1017.; becomes "Hannibal" by conversion II, 1017.
Baal Peor. Abgott I, 1665. - S. Priapus. Baal servants. Called themselves brides of God II, 1611. Baal service. Among the Jews II, 1109.
Cables. City and Empire I, 672. ff. 694. ff. 877.; on which its fertility depended II, 1701.
Babylon. S. Babel.
Balsam. All resins king II, 1124.; various varieties II, 1124. f.; where it grows 1, 851.; use II, 1582.
Ban. A punishment of the church, is despised II, 1922; whom to banish I, 1034. f.; takes everything away I, 1450; Cain banished I, 347. f. 365; Hagar absolvirt I, 1448; the papists' B., an abuse of God's name I, 1403.
Barefoot monks. No more unpleasant and poisonous thing is on earth than a B. II, 1628.; cleaned the churchyard when a woman person had gone over it II, 164. f.; deceived and so-called the people from II, 1955.
Mercy. 1. of God. God is merciful to those who walk in his ways I, 512. f.; praised by Abraham's profession I, 730.; one must experience it II, 1383.
- of the people. Which are the works of the B. I, 1136; where it must stop I, 1208. - S. Hospitality.
- b. and fidelity. Difference II, 757. f. Basmath. Meaning of the name II, 989. s. Esau 3. peasant revolt. I, 823.
Tree. 1. b. of the knowledge of good and evil I, 115. f. Stand Probably where Christ was crucified I, 678. 851.; II, 428.; would have been a main temple I, 116. 129. 188.; by it Adam was to prove his worship and obedience I, 114. f. 118. 189. 278.; whence the name I, 114. 118.; in itself a good tree I, 118.; why he killed I, 280.
- b. of life I, 112. ff. stand probably where later was Gethsemane II, 1554.; had power to preserve youthful freshness by God's word I,
- f. 277. ff. 280.; whether Adam and Eve would have overcome death if they had eaten of it after the fall I, 277. f.; even then Satan could have tempted them again I, 281.; why Adam was not allowed to eat of it after the fall I, 280. f.
Bavaria. Galten für närrisch II, 851.
Bazra. Name of two cities in Idumea II, 1014. officials. Riots of the same II, 1782.
Beelzebub. Originator of the Fall of the Angels I, 138.
Burial. Abraham bought a burial I, 1616. ff; sense of Christian customs at the B. II, 1760. - S. Funeral burial.
Greetings. In doing so, one wishes happiness II**,** 1604. The most distinguished power of it consists in consolation II, 1003; the secret B. should be kept II, 1002.
Example. Is not immediately a rule I, 1233. f.
Conversion. Does not happen without horror over sin I, 1324.; those who were before, especially wicked, become splendidly pious people II, 1776.
Confession. 1. b. of sin. Difficult II, 1514 ff, 1518 ff, 1526; without hope of forgiveness, man does not want to confess I, 217 s., 221 f.; is not a disgrace II, 871; God wills it I, 346; necessary to obtain forgiveness II, 1515 f., 1518; overcomes God's wrath I, 336 f., 339. - S. Faith 8.
- b. of faith. One should confess Christ and his word I, 1553; this is followed by persecution II, 1297. f. - See Patience 3, Faith 8.
Affliction. "God grieved" I, 492. f. - S. Betrübniß, Menschenworte.
Benjamin. 1. Jacob's son II, 550. ff. Name changed from Benoni to B. II, 969. f.; why he is called the son of the right II, 969. f.; Jacob's blessing over him II, 2053. f. and fulfillment of the same ib. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II.; Joseph 12.
- the tribe. Residence II, 2054. Benno. Meissen Abgott I, 1531.
** 2122Bernhardus**Subject index. Circumcision2123
Bernard. He understood religion well and was above Franciscus and others I, 759; he took special joy in the Incarnation of Christ II, 460; he tortured his body I, 1711; II, 211; he drank oil for wine in deep thought II, 291. His interpretations II, 1844. Scripture: Letter to Pope Eugenius I, 1470; opinions and sayings about: prayer I, 1704; Mary's faith II, 417; the devil's fall II, 400; ingratitude II, 1262. 1315; dwelling with women and not recognizing them is as great a miracle as raising the dead II, 1264. 1266.
Amber. Resin used as medicine II, 1124. f. Bersaba. Location I, 1423; II, 199; whence the name
II, 1352. f.; cattle breeding there I, 1423. f.; to wonder that there was no idolatry there I, 1478.
Profession. 1. 1. how to get the profession I, 954.
- holiness of the profession. Holy is the profession that has God's word I, 567.; Let everyone rejoice that he has a divine b. I, 1310.; we can be sure in it of the divine word I, 1500.
- diversity of the B. is necessary I, 1073. f.
- conduct in the B. Few are satisfied with their profession I, 1071. f.; do not seek special works I, 1525.; do not follow works, but the faith of the holy fathers 1, 568. ff.; see that one also has bodily promises in it II, 1732.; stick to the moral law and the common law II, 514.; in danger, which must be expected in every profession, Christians call upon God and are saved I, 1320.; call upon God for blessing and understanding II, 277.; act wisely I, 1638. f.; be obedient to God I, 1073.; wait the B.'s diligently I, 1500.; II, 460. f., 467. f., 1626. f., even if folly cannot be avoided II, 276. and command the rest to God II, 468. 748. 1302. f.; do not fail, even if sins occur and not everything goes as desired II, 1567.; each do his own in humility, for God's sake II, 1344. 1391. f., ask nothing of others I, 1071. 1073. f. 1270. 1281. 1525. In spite of all ingratitude, serve others II, 1237. 1281. 1315.; in spite of hatred, teach and punish in one's B. II, 1040; in the face of the cross, take comfort in God's word I, 1502, f.; II, 139, f. 753. We should wait for the B., whether we should trust in God II, 1446. To walk faithfully in one's B. is godliness I, 867; to wait for the B. is right worship I, 1058. 1071. f. 1478.; Christian should not abstain from worldly things I, 1477. f.; remains in good standing, even if he waits for his brother I, 858.; waiting for his brother and not worrying about others is great wisdom I, 1071.
- works of the B. Exceed all the works of monks and nuns I, 858. f.
- f.; are adorned with God's word I, 867.; God also demands various works I, 568. f.; are the right good works I, II8I. All done in faith find good I, 858. f. 866.; a service of God I, 1164.; pleasing to God I, 1309.; II, 459. f.; even the meanest I, 1310. f.; II, 468. ff. 472. f. 474. f. The papists despise the works of the B.'s I, 1180. 1302. 1367. f., likewise the world that wants something special I, 1300. ff. 1305. ff.
- leaving and changing the profession. Let each one remain in his profession I, 262. 1075. 1281.; let us not leave the B. self-willedly I, 993. 996.; monks and nuns leave the B. I, 1071.
S. Office, Estates.
II. B. of the children of God, of the Jews in A. T. I, 1075., of the Christians I, 1075.
III. b. to teach. To be accepted as God's B. I, 763.
IV. B. and election shall be made firm I, 1123. 1535.
Modesty. Humble people must be forced to accept charity I, 1216; they should practice charity I, 1216; the angels practiced charity I, 1215. f.
Circumcision. 1. in general I, 1006. ff. 1036. ff. 1067. ff. It is important to speak of circumcision I, 1009. f.; a sacrament I, 1019. 1021. 1049. ff.; a suffering, not a work I, 1088.
- who should be circumcised. Only the Jews I, 1014. f. 1022. 1028. f.; why I, 1014. f. 1026. f.; so the Gentiles should be provoked to faith I, 1028. f. 1031. 1043. f. 1055.; not all peoples I, 1012. ff.
- ff. 1037. 1052. 1055. 1075.; II, 228. f. 1351. f. 1367.; proselytes should not have been circumcised II, 229.; whoever wants to impose it on the Gentiles sins I, 1024.; Christians free from the B. I, 1027; only the male gender among the Jews I, 1041; why I, 1077.
- f.; believing women without B. blessed I, 1041. 1078. - S. Joseph 15.
3rd limb on which the b. should be performed. Why at the foreskin I, 1040. IO80. f. 1658.
- time when the b. should be executed. Why on the 8th day I, 1082. f.
- f.; spiritual interpretation of the 8th day I, 1087. f.; not to condemn children who died before I, 1040. f. 1078. 1083. f. 1086. 1090. f.
- how long the b. should last. Instituted only for a certain time I,
- f. 1068.; only so long as Abraham's seed would be a people I,
- f. 1100.; until out of Christ I, 1014. f. 1024. f. 1037. 1043. 1050.; until instituted by baptism I, 1015.; now abrogated I, 1069. ff. by Christ I, 1092. 1129. f.
- purpose, use and effects of the b. The b. served: for the separation of Israel from other peoples I, 1044.; so that one knew where the Messiah should come from II, 229. f.; for a sign of the church I, 1045. 1048. 1068.; for the training of faith and obedience I, 1012. 1020. f.. Was a sign representing sin and grace I, 1081. f. ; a sign of righteousness I, 1012. 1019. 1038. ; a sign to Abraham's descendants that they should be heirs of the promise I, 1020. f.; the mere work of circumcision did not make righteous I, 1010. ff. 1015.
- f. 1019. 1037. 1039., not God's people I, 1012. 1015., not blessed I, 1049.; it rendered righteousness I, 1038. f., made the faithful righteous I, 1021. 1050. and blessed I, 1044. 1116.; the babes came to faith through her I, 1039- 1041. f., were blessed I,
- necessity of the b. for salvation. In the Old Testament, the punishment for contempt was: spiritual extinction I, 1090, damnation I, 1041; see above 4. In the New Testament: Jews claim the necessity of the B. I, 1018. ff; no Christian sect has yet demanded it as necessary I, 1008. f. except the Sabbath keepers II, 1351.; without good knowledge one easily believes such necessity I, 1010.; it could be proven with apparent reasons I, 1009.; the apostles had to fight against the fallacy of necessity I, 1009. 1016. f.; B. is not necessary I, 1010. 1022.
- spiritual B. is killing of the flesh I, 1129. f. fulfilled in eternal life I, 1088. - S. crucifixion.
** 2124Durability** Subject index. Penitent 2125
Consistency. We should not look for another way or gospel I, 1282; B. in faith, necessary and difficult I, 559.
Best. This often becomes the Aergste II, 996.
Consternation. In the B. one comes from oneself I, 1450. f., one does not see and feel II, 500. 1122. 1193., believers often commit sins I, 1292. f. - S. agitation, thoughts.
Visit. Decent, common II, 844. f. 853.
Prayer. Must believe I, 1365.; one should honor him I, 1363.; God hears him I, 1542. f. - S. prayer.
Bethel. Location I, 780.; II, 425. ff. 903.; meaning of name I, 781.; II, 426. f.; formerly called Lus I, 781.; famous place II, 958.; much idolatry practiced there I, 779. 781.; II, 425. f. 903. f. 958. f.; whether the B. where Jacob saw the ladder of heaven was Jerusalem II, 427. ff. 438.
Bethlehem. meaning of the name II, 971.; location II, 1856. to the children to B. Herodes could prepare no greater benefit II, 1150.
Bethuel. Younger brother of Laban I, 1720.
Deceived. How will we have it so good, if we believe Chrrsto and are deceived by him II, 1549.
Affliction. Believers are grieved when God moves with His judgment I, 506. 508; when they feel God's wrath on the world for sins I, 462. f., which the Holy Spirit works I, 493; in the saints God is grieved I, 454. f. - S. Bekümmerniß.
Afflicted. Satan increases their affliction II, 392. f.; strikes them down I, 1425.; only those who are afflicted over their sins receive the blessing of Abraham I, 1569.
Fraud and trickery. When allowed II, 265. 311. f.
To deceive. How one must begin to deceive one II, 274; it is easy to deceive the gullible, but difficult to deceive the unbelieving II, 273. f.
Beggars. The devil also has his beggars I, 1136; to which beggars one should give nothing I, 1140; II, 1602; which are the right beggars one should help I, 1136; the right beggars are modest II, 1602; the wrong beggars take what the right ones should have II, 1602.
Evidence. Not rhetorical, but dialectical ones should be used I, 1175, especially in theological matters I, 1177; B. a posteriori can also be valid 1, 570. - S. arguments, fallacia.
Bias. Opinion on: Friendship I, 795. f., Government Office II, 1405.
Bible. What the B. would have been in the state of innocence I, 128.; Abraham's B. I, 1684., Joseph's II, 1823. - S. Scripture.
Figurative language. Used in the ancient world I, 1476.
Balaam. Who B. was I, 1601. ff.; II, 383. f. 1015.; great man and prophet I, 1601.; II, 385.; deeply fallen I, 1601. ff.; II, 1016.
Bilha. S. Jacob I, 18, Reuben 2.
Equity demands that we do not force others to follow our play I, 919; befits the handling of laws II, 1876. ff.
Bishop. 1. what his office is I, 628.
- "B. in our neighborhood". Had M. George murdered II, 1108.
3 B. of Mainz. Wanted to be considered holy and just II, 708; asked nothing for Christ's honor and the divine truth. Truth II, 671. f.; went about with cunning II, 1099. crosier. Origin II, 1843.
Bitumen. What it is I, 513.
Blindness of the Sodomites I, 1236. f.; other examples of such blindness I, 1227.; II, 1471.
Blood. Blood eating forbidden in A. T. I, 595. f.
Incest. God is the enemy of B. II, 1935; B. with the father's wife, also an abomination to the pagans II, 978.
Incestuous. Reuben a cautionary example II, 1922. ff. Bow. Formerly used in war I, 1454.
St. Bonaventure. He loved the Incarnation of Christ II, 400; he resented the conjugal life of the Holy Fathers II, 556; his opinion on the married state II, 166.
Burnt offering. Whole burnt I, 571.
Bride. Stealing someone's b. is the greatest violence and disgrace II, 495. ff.
Bridal gifts. Useful I, 1683; not to be discarded I, 1738. - S. gifts.
Bride love. A creature of God II, 477.; not condemned in Scripture II, 493.; impatient II, 490. f.; when most fiercely II, 493.; tender II, 496.; Jacob's B. ruled by the Holy Spirit II, 491.
Courtship. Is right when B. praise the bridegroom I, 1728. f.; Eliezer courts Rebekah I, 1722. ff.
Brechen. "Brechen" means "food," II, 1486.; "Brod brechen," II, 1439. f. 1489. 1509. 1532.
Breitenbach. On the Arabs and Troglodytes I, 997. Bria. Where the name comes from II, 1369.
Letter and seal. I, 1638. - S. Bund.
Brigitta. From her revelations II, 559.
Brod. B. often means food and drink II, 1613; "to lay bread on" II, 1613. Eating unleavened B. was free until Moses' time I, 1221. f.; in Lot's time I, 1220. f.; Moses' law no longer applies I, 1221. - S. Breaking.
Brother. Often referred to as: brother's child II, 307. 478. f., relative II, 695. f. 714.
Bruges in Flanders. No longer has a port I, 595.
Fountain. Difference between puteus and fons II, 203; B. of the great deep, as it broke out at the Flood I, 546; B. of the living and seeing, whence the name I, 1005. f.; II, 9.
Books and commentaries have pushed the Bible into the background I, 1299. f.; what the church fathers did so that the B. would not become too many I, 1289.; which one should read alone I, 1290.
Buhlteufel. What to think of it I, 447. f.
Covenant. B. and treaties are faithlessly broken I, 1473.; so the B. between Maximilian, Ludwig and the Pope 1, 967.; customs in Abraham's time I, 1472. ff.
Burgensis. Converted from Judaism to Christianity I, 1566; speaks of: a law of the Jews that they may kill the Gentiles II, 889, Jacob's love for Joseph II, 1034. ff.
Bus. Residence I, 1601.
Repentance. What it means to repent II, 316. 663.; does not consist in an outward work, as, fasting II, 1108. nor in mere repentance II, 1495. but in repentance and faith II, 1457. f. 1467. 2089.; thereby one seeks God's grace II, 314.; difference between right repentance and gallows repentance II, 313. f.. Sincere repentance always finds room with God II, 313. f.; cancels sin II, 866. 872.; is the only salvation from God's wrath II, 1632. f.; one should not postpone repentance II, 116.; the papists do not know what repentance is II, 1464. - S. Esau 1st, gallows repentance, hypocrite.
Penitent. S. Law 2.
** 2126Caiphas**Subject register. Christ2127
C.
Caiaphas. From the tribe of Simeon II, 1117.
Calah. A Part of Nineveh I, 674.
Camarim. Jewish Secte II, 1610.
Canaan. 1st son of Ham. Meaning of the name
I. 665. f.; most famous son of Ham I, 665. C.'s descendants I, 677. f.; had luck despite Noah's curse I, 677. f.; finally driven out and exterminated I, 678.
- the land. A beautiful land I, 678.; rich in spice II, 1124. f.; destined for Shem, taken by Nimrod I, 776.; promised from how long Abraham's seed I, 872. f.; its noblest honor was that in the fleshly place was eternal life, victory over sin and death II, 1907.; now barren I, 121. Cananites. Meaning of the name II, 1162; probably some C. pious in the time of Abraham I, 787. 837. and Jacob II, 1164.
Canonists. They filled the world with books about human statutes, did not think about the interpretation of the Ten Commandments II, 1896; put their canons above the Scriptures I, 1642; definition of marital status I, 1645; opinion about: Simony I, 1618. ff, secret betrothals I, 1641. ff.
Caphthorim. I, 676. f.
Carl V missed the opportunity against the Turks II, 98; God took away his courage II, 932; had what he had for the sake of the church I, 1409.
Carlstadt. After whom named I, 1610.; a swarm spirit II, 1385.; made doctors of theology, although he considered it sin I, 697.
Carmel. Fertile Mountain II, 2034.
Carthaeans. Smd Baalites II, 1611; keep strictly to their rules: not to eat meat I, 845. 1316., not to sleep I, 845.; brought sodomy to Germany I, 1222.
Caesar, Julius. An unbelieving pagan II, 1305. f.; in how far no Jewish or Christian king can be compared with him II, 462.; several of his dreams II, 1310. f.; opinion about a quick death II, 1305.
Casluhim. 1, 676.
Cataenresis. Figure of speech II, 1014. 1844.
Cato. Surpassed Cicero in advice, but was not so eloquent
I, 998; saying about dreams II, 420. 1051. Cerberus. What the poets fable about him II, 701. Ceremonial Law. Should exist only until Christ
I, 1026.; sets aside I, 873. f.; II, 925. ff.; one must seek Christ in it II, 1179.
Ceremonies. Useful and necessary in worship II, 6. f. 293. 914; do not make righteous II, 914. - S. worship 3.
Chaldeans. Worshipped the fire I, 1665; famous in astronomy I, 805.
Cherubim. Angel with young lovely figure I, 288.
Chesib. City, otherwise called Achsib II, 1163.
Christian. Who is a Christian I, 1239; II, 1997. 2063;
Christians are brethren, therefore the danger of their fellow-Christians concerns them I, 337.; have the same spirit, though not in the same degree I, 1367.; are Abraham's seed from Jews and Gentiles I, 1101.; blessed ones I, 1567.; II, 142.; children of blessing, passive and active II, 1892.; pilgrims I, 427. 1304. f. 1617. 1626.; II, 1801. f.; men of war II, 408. marks of a C. II, 464. glory: to be a C. is great glory II, I6II. f.; have great preference over Abraham I, 863. 868. f.; more cause for joy than he I,
1105.; their glory II, 66.; are a spectacle of God and the angels I, 1519. 1522.; II, 1098. f.; in them nothing is small in God's eyes II, 471.; God loves them I, 1342.; in them everything pleases God II, 479. 617. f.; are all prophets I, 1367. and God's people I, 963. 1401.; blessed people I, 862. f.; holy donkeys, drunk with the Holy Spirit II, 1985. ff; can boast and defy the world and the devil I, 1589.; everything must serve them for the best II, 848. even their faults II, 685. 705.; are conquerors of God II, 796. 811. f. 952.; sent to all good works I, 1581.; obey God voluntarily, fearlessly II, 703.; lords of eternal life II, 358. f. Life: their profession is to believe what is invisible II, 1917. f. 1920.; to be spiritually drunk II, 1983. 1989.; not to fear II, 836.; to believe, to be baptized, to wait for earthly profession I, 1075.; their life consists in faith and calling I, 1321.; II, 706.; to be Israelites and Jacobites II, 957.; to fight II, 408., to have healing tongues II, 349. ff., honor God in one another I, 1144. f.; let everything pass over them for the sake of the brother I, 1147.; are not always driven by the Holy Spirit, who in some things makes them use their reason I, 1308. f.; look only to God's honor and the church's benefit I, 695.Laws do not make Christians, but the Word does II, 2001. - S. flesh 2, pious, faithful, godly, saints I, children 2, 4, life 9, authority 13, prophet I, union, world 3, born again.
Christophorus. Patron saint of peasants II, 1919.
Christ. 1. person and name of Christ. Is the blessing promised to Abraham I, 754; Abraham's seed I, 1569; is and had to be true God and true man I, 1570; II, 404; and without sin I, 1570; f.; is important and certain that he is true man II, 409; f.; his humanity was a bait by which Satan was deceived II, 312; the union of the two natures is a mystery even to the angels II, 396. f., of which we shall rejoice in eternity II, 397. f. 400.; is called "the fear of Isaac" II, 703. -S. Community, incarnation, communication.
- states of Christ. Conception and birth: was born of a virgin I, 237, without the help of a man I, 1167. 1570. f., who carried him to the tenth month I, 1167. Was born of sinful flesh, which the Holy Spirit cleansed at the moment of conception II, 1170. ff. 1195. 1201. f.; wanted to have great sinners among his ancestors I, 733.; had pagan and Jewish blood II, 1172. f. 1177. 1200. f. 1418. - Life and suffering: why he was baptized I, 1021. 1024. Had ownership I, 835. f. Compared Christ's suffering with the suffering of the patriarchs II,
- 1589.; not as comprehensible as the patriarchs' suffering II, 1078.; we cannot comprehend it II, 345. 1553.; suffering on the cross not as great as in the garden II, 1555.; suffered the pains of hell in the garden II, 1554. f.; was challenged by not feeling God's grace I,
- S. Cross 10, Rock. - Death: C. is killed by the tribes of Simeon and Levi II, 1117. f. 1936. f.; his death a real one, whether C. probably did not decompose I, 1609.; difference between his death and the death of other saints I, 1609.; his death is a sacrament which assures us that our death is nothing, and makes us alive I, 1607. ff. - S. grave. -
** 2128 Electorate of Saxony**Property Register. David2129
Ascension into hell: how it happened II, 1344.; what he did in hell II, 1555.; what Peter teaches I, 535. f. - Resurrection: who rose with C. I, 1606.; II, 2064. f. 2070. 2090.; by this C. resurrection should be honored II, 2070. - Ascension of C.: more important than Enoch's or Elijah's I, 427.; proves that the serpent's head was crushed I, 427.
- work and office of Christ: C. was destined from eternity to our Savior I, 1541; is also according to human nature I, 280; he alone is, not also Mary I, 235; he was necessary, human nature could not redeem itself I, 241.Apart from him all things are cursed I, 1573; no salvation and blessing I, 1591; in him alone grace and righteousness I, 1025; redemption is a wonderful act of God I, 749; from which Christ redeems us I, 240. fi; intimate connection of redemption from devil, death, sin, law I, 240. f.; C. is the end of the law I, 1010.
- f.; II, 2025.; what good works he did I, 1367.; is the true way to righteousness I, 760.; by his chastity makes us chaste and blessed I, 1661.; changes punishment of sin into blessed cross I, 244. f. Christ is a king I, 1558. 1585. f. 1589.; has taken away the devil's power I, 233. f., always has something good in store for us II, 1490.; a priest I, 1558. 1585. f. 1589. eternal 1, 901. 1589. f. according to the order of Melchizedek I, 904. f., his sacrifice is perfect I, 904. f.; has spread blessing over all peoples I, 748. f.; comes from Abraham's loins, sanctifies the marriage state I, 1659. f.; a prophet: the great prophet II, 2060. f.; has abolished circumcision and all the law I, 1092. f., brought a new doctrine and ceremonies I,
- c. will not reject the Gentiles II, 1177.
- Christ in the A. T. The promise of C. is made increasingly clear 1, 519.; prophets drew from Moses I, 749.; C. the gem also in the bodily promises II, 704.; why Canaan was promised to the fathers I, 719.; II, 141.; promise of Christo passed from Abraham to David I,
- ff. Models: Adam I, 268.; Melchizedek I, 900. ff.; Abraham's ram I, 1541.; Joseph s. Joseph 2.; C. must be looked for in the outward ceremonies of the A. T.'s II, 1179. Has often appeared to the fathers II, 800.
5 Recognition and contempt of Christ. Where C. is not recognized, there is disunity and blindness I, 692, where sins become virtues I, 1671; contempt for Christ comes from the devil, the world and the flesh I, 432.
- Christ and the Holy Scriptures. Scripture. For his sake the same is given II, 1177; we are to look for him in it I, 1047; C. almost in all places in the A. T. revealed under the name of God II, 853.
Cf. Abraham's seed, Messiah, myrrh, Shiloh, Sheol, woman's seed, Word 1.
Electors of Saxony. Took care of the church and school I, 1357. 1632.
Chus. Ham's son I, 665. f.; father of the Aethiopians I, 665.; his residence I, 666.
Cicero. Is Aristotle not equal 1, 681. sayings: O me falso etc II, 1405.; My tears hinder 2c. II, 1652. opinions about: Gifted II, 1726. friendship I, 795. happiness of the godless, misfortune of the pious I, 808. God I, 683. 815. the soul I, 683. the unlimited I, 682.
Clement, pope. Said to have been unbaptized I, 1091; hideous monster II, 1660; robbed the temple at Toledo II, 587.
Cochlaeus. Blasphemed Luther's teaching I, 1151; II, 1273. f. Celibacy. S. celibacy.
Conversus. Who so called II, 554; Conversus Dominus II, 554.
Crates. Threw money away, lived on begging I, 830. 856.; seemingly defeated money ambition, succumbed to ambition I, 856.
Creatures. Are only words in God's grammar I, 60; in them characteristics of the Godhead I, 1613; essence, form and goodness of the creatures I, 1613. f.; their use is recognized only by the pious I, 1613. f.; one should use them I, 832. f. 836.; misuse of them proves the wickedness of the human life I, 855. f.
Creuciger, Dr. Caspar I, 1.
Cybele. Pagan Goddess II, 1222.
Cyclopes. Fables of the Poets I, 475. 596.
Cyprian. His dream of Christ II, 1308.; needs "satisfaction" carelessly II, 1455. sayings about: Martyrs tempted by fornication II, 1259.; of church servants who used to sleep with naked women II, 1266. f.
Cyrus. Recognized the true God I, 1023.; II, 1773.; re-adjusts the service I, 585.
D.
Dan. 1. son of Jacob. II, 544. ff; meaning of name II, 545. 2024.; blessing of Jacob II, 2021. ff, fulfilled in Samson 1d. - S.JacobI, 19.; II; Joseph 12.
2nd tribe. Residence I, 891. 2021. f. - S. Antichrist.
3rd city. Was formerly called Lais II, 2022.
Daniel. Created from Moses II, 430; a prayer I, 1705; prayed for Jerusalem and the temple II, 1652. f.; converted many II, 1773. - S. Prophets 2.
Give thanks to God for great and small things I, 1718. 1738., for bodily goods II, 296. f.
Thank-offering. All the works and sufferings of Christians are II, 446. f.; God's grace should drive us to this II, 451.
Darius. Recognized the true God I, 1023.
David. Faith: he recognized the benefits of the word I, 862. f., Christ would be king and priest I, 1558. f. 1585. f. 1589., Christ's priesthood would last forever, the Levitical would cease I, 1589. ff.; full of faith II, 1963. ff.; distinguished himself by faith from Caesar 2c. II, 1566.; appropriates to himself the oath which God swore to Abraham I, 1557. life and walk: led a holy walk in all three estates II, 460.; was a Pilgrim I, 738. f. 774. works: served in his office the will of God II, I4II.Did great things by faith I, 1501; II, 1964; overcame Goliath II, 287, 1963; pleased God in his wars II, 459; had a godly kingdom II, 1823; in him Jacob's blessing on Judah is partially fulfilled II, 1961. ff. Marital life: Lived after Absalom's incest without a wife II, 977. Sins: fell when he was puffed up I, 1558.; how sin was punished with Bathsheba II, 1116. Challenge.
and suffering: Struggled with flesh and unbelief II, 287. f. 2087., with despair II, 443.; doubted the promise I, 934.; how he comforted himself II, 304. Writings: Diligently considered Moses I, 1618.; drew from Moses in his psalms I, 1559. 1585. ff. 1685.; II, 1133.; made many psalms for the sake of his persecutions II, 1962.; Ps. 1. II, 2041.; Ps. 107. I, 1319.; Ps. 110. and 132. I, 1557. ff.
** 2130Debora**Subject register. Egypt2131
Deborah. II, 942. ff. Was holy II, 942.; godly and wise II, 946.; prophetess II, 949.; grandmother in Jacob's house II, 946. f.; honored and loved II, 942. 947.; did not live to see Joseph's sale II, 1102.
Dolphin. King in the Sea I, 62.
Demosthenes. Sayings on the Office of Government II, 1465. 1409.
Humility. A rare gift II, 1393. f.; greater virtue than patience II, 1395. f.; beautiful virtue, especially in high places II, 1393.; a pleasing smoke offering to God I, 1453.; fft also in worldly things a good work I, 1629. f.; therefore should ask who has an office I, 635.; what should drive us to it II, 1396., our follies II, 276. f., our misery and sorrow II, 1388. 1390.; the cross serves as an exercise in this I, 823. f.
Humble. God is a God of them I, 1446; comfort them I, 1430; Christians should be humble toward one another I, 1144. f.
Humiliation. God humbles the high and gifted I, 437. f.; D. thut wehe I, 988.; serves for purification, not satisfaction II, 1660.; how we should pray in it I, 1434.; God comforts in it I, 1444.
Deucalion. Fable of D. I, 687.
Germans. Their progenitor perhaps Askenas I, 660; their ancestors great, excellent people I, 663; were always considered the most praiseworthy nation 1, 660; are beer bellies II, 1360, Schlemmer II, 1809. 1819. - S. Askenas.
Germany. Has magnificent gifts I, 663; not united against the Turk I, 706. - S. Prophecies 2.
Dialectic. 1. what belongs to it II, 1357; demands: that one distinguish and divide I, 1580; uses the words only in one meaning I, 1407; II, 1373.
- D. and Rhetoric I, 1149. f. 1153. 1175. f.; II, 203.
Diana. Was called πολϋμαστος I, 1016.; II, 1585.
Densities of the human heart. What that is I, 483. f. 579; is evil I, 579.
Dina. When born II, 551. 571. f.; was cheeky, went out without her parents' knowledge, since she was weakened II, 862.; became housemother in Jacob's house II, 1565. - S. Sichem 2.
Diocletian. Wise and prudent, persecuted the Christians II, 1658. st; 1984.
Dionysius. 1. D. the Elder, from Syracuse. Plundered the image of Jupiter II, 923.
2 St. Dionysius. Was not St. Paul's disciple I, 287. f.; is said to have had apparitions I, 1120.; opinion about the hierarchies I, 287. f..
Dodanim. Extinct Peoples I, 662.
Donat. Textbook II, 58. f.
Double-tongued. They speak differently than they mean II, 583; pious people are not two-faced II, 255.
Thorns and thistles. Only since the case I, 46. 255. f., or before harmless I, 94.
Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity I, 1148 ff; the difference of the persons refers to the works and revelations of God I, 71; the Father gives, the Son explains, the Holy Spirit fulfills the dreams II, 1053; it is pleasant to look for footsteps of the Trinity in all creatures I, 1151. Now, as in former times, this doctrine is not believed I, 25 f; II, 940; Jews and Turks scoff at it I, 71 f. 1149 f. 1278 ff; II, 213.
- revelation of the doctrine of the D. This doctrine has become increasingly clear in Scripture I, 274.; the clear revelation belonged to the N. T. I, 22. 707. ff; II, 940.; why I, 72. revelation.
in the A. T.: one should take care to prove this doctrine from the A. T. II, 915.; plural persons indicated where Elohim is spoken of II, 939. f.; what the Jews reply to this proof II, 1529.; repeatedly taught by Moses and elsewhere in the A. T. I, 24. ff.; by Moses I, 11. f. 14. f. 24. ff. 70. f. 707. 1278. f. 1352. 1584. 1718.; II, 213. ff. 703. f. 853. 915.; difference of persons indicated I, 20.; unity of essence and plurality of persons indicated I, 273. ff.; trinity of persons I, 60. f.; whether this doctrine can be proved from Gen. 18, 2-5. I, 1148.ff. 1152. f. 1183. Revelation in the N.T. at the baptism of Christ I, 1152.
Threats. 1. threats of God. Threats against the wicked often seem to be fulfilled in the pious I, 360.; God is puzzled by the fulfillment I, 641.; II, 1917.; world despises and ridicules them I, 550. f. 641. 1243.
- d. and promises of God. Always with one another I, 1076.; do not dispute against one another I, 550. ff.; God warps with fulfillment II, 1917.; then fulfills them the more gloriously or terribly ib.; fulfillment often seems contradictory II, 1813.; demand fear and faith II, 1917. f. 1920.; D. is to be restricted, the V. extended I, 1083.; the flesh despises both II, 1917. ff.; the natural heart prefers to hear V. than D. I, 1185. f. - S. Prophecies 1. Dudaim. What fruit II,
- f.
Drought in 1540. 1, 594.
E.
Image, the divine. Difference between "image" and "likeness" I, 72. f. 410. f.; wherein it consisted I, 74. ff. 145. 172. 411.; the first man had it essentially in himself I, 76.; probably to be seen in his face I, 104.; what it was, we shall only really know in eternal life I, 79.; is lost I, 75. f. 411.; through faith, yet not completely, restored I, 78. ff.- S. hereditary righteousness, renewal.
Boar. Shem's great-grandson I, 680.; whence name I, 885.; singled out as ancestor of Christ I, 679. f. 715.; steadfast against Nimrod's church I, 715. 885.; taught and ruled the church II, 89.; rieth Rebekah II, 262. f.; lived with Jacob 80 years I, 716.; II, 89.; many of his descendants priests II, 456. f.
Eck, Dr. Frug nothing according to the truth of the gospel II, 671. f.; blasphemed Luther II, 1274.; terrible end II, 1274.
Eden. Means desire I, 106. f.; name of a place I, 106. f" not of the whole earth I, 119.; wide space, destined for the permanent dwelling of men I, 118.; whether the rivers of E. had a source I, 119.; that the description of E. now does not fit to any place of the earth, comes from the Flood I, 120. f. - S. Paradise I.
Eder. Meaning of the name, location of this tower, later converted into a Christian church II, 972.
Edom. 1- Name of Esau. - S. Esau 1.
- name of a country II, 984. 993; how long the kingdom of Edom was granted II, 1018.
- the Jews call the Christian Church and the Roman Empire Edom II,
Edomites. Residence I, 880.; Israel subjected II, 822. f. 1009.; apostate II, 1018.; many blessed II, 828. - S. Edom 2, Esau 2.
Egypt. Beginning of the empire I, 712.; well-ordered II, 1782. st 1808.; had many magnificent spices II, 2073.;.
** 2132Egyptian**Subject register. **Marital status2133**
rich and fertile II, 1613. f.; condition in Abraham's time I, 789. 804. 814., in Joseph's time II, 1223. 1293. 1350. f. 1358.; fertility lost I, 852.; II, 1794. Egyptians. Religion: priesthood in prestige II, 1413;
had knowledge of God I, 812. f., in Joseph's time still remnants of the teachings of the fathers II, 1417; had a strange superstition II, 1825, worshipped cats and mice 2c. II, 1829; were not allowed to slaughter an ox that had been pulled in the plow II, 1615; detested other peoples II, 1613. f. 1776, the Jews II, 1613. f. 1780., the herdsmen also of their own people II, 1614. f. 1785. famous in astronomy 1, 805.; made use of hieroglyphics I, 1476.; understood the art of embalming corpses II, 2073.; customs at meals II, 1615. ff. 1619. ff.; temperate II, 1809.; punishment of adulterers I, 814. - S. Abraham 21, Joseph 15.
Adulterers. With them the rutting of the man to the woman and vice versa ceases II, 1265.; how to preach the sure, like the frightened E. I, 1188. f.
Adultery. Always Sin I, 818.
Marriage degrees. In Abraham's time, one was still allowed to marry his brother's daughter I, 1601; marrying one's brother's stepdaughter is not forbidden I, 1351. f.
Spouses. 1. honor. God is well pleased with them II, 568.; have greater praise in Scripture than virgins II, 571.; more agreeable among the heathen than all philosophers II, 568. f.; shall also be agreeable among Christians II, 569.
- types. Various types of E. I, 1749.; what to think of those who do not want children II, 579.
- relationship to each other. The men have no cause to exalt themselves above the women I, 314; they have everything in common I,
- f. The man is the sun, the woman the moon I, 84; dominion is with the man I, 248; is master of the woman I, 268; rule kindly, with love I, 794, 987; do not be domineering I, 1353; the woman should not rule I, 1676; subject to the man for the sake of sin I, 141. 168. 248.; shall obey I, 793. 1388.; is a helper, which is not true of female animals I, 143.; shall follow the man when he draws 1, 269. 382. f.; II, 665. f.; few follow Sarah's example I, 1170. f. - S. suspicion, love 5.
- mutual conduct. Nothing more beautiful than love and unity among E. I, 800. f.; shall be kind and serene II, 159. ff.; may jest and sting each other II, 158. f.; forgive each other I, 1354.; II, 161. Trust must have its measure I, 801.; no suspicion should be I, 800. f.; trust the noblest virtue I, 800. Shall keep each other temperate and chaste II, 167. f. - S. Love 5.
- behavior of the man. Let him recognize his wife as a building of God I, 163; be more attached to her than to his parents I, 169; love her, not merely lust after her I, 1743; kindness a beautiful virtue in a man I, 159 ff, bitterness contemptible and sinful II, 162 ff; 602 ff; let everyone be satisfied with his Eve I, 294; dwell with her with reason especially during pregnancy II, 602 ff.
- behavior of the woman. Pious woman has pity on her husband when he is burdened II, 969; is right when she desires to please the man through fertility II, 564.
Cf. marital status, husband, wife.
Celibacy. 1. in general. Surpassed by marriage I, 1165; afflicted with impurity II, 530.
- in the papacy. Why ordered I, 293. 1374.; not by God I, 1164.; against God's word I, 165. 1033.; a temptation of God I, 525.; stinks before God II, 562.; abominable sins and fornication followed from it I,
- f.; II, 539. 1198.; this was God's punishment II, 163.; hence many illegitimate children to Rome I, 293., countless infanticide I, 293., contempt of the marriage state I, 1378.; should be abolished II, 364. husband. His works glorious, but laborious I, 249.; nothing so unpleasant to him as if another were after his wife's honor or did her violence II, 1278. f.; can live chastely sooner than he who was not yet married II, 1264.- S. Spouses, sexes, man. Divorce. God is displeased with it II, 162; why permitted by God to the Jews I, 169.
- f.; Papist grounds for divorce I, 1729. f.
Marriage. 1. the teaching of marriage is the most important part of the Gospel II, 359; to be diligent II, 358; to act chastely I, 1644; to instruct youth in it I, 976; to thank God for it II, 167.
- what the E. is II, 359, wrong and right definition I, 1645. 1653.
- founder and sustainer of the E's. is God I, 1658. f.; II,
- 538.; he has instituted it I, 163. 1373. f.; confirmed it after the Flood I, 588.; has ordered it and governs it I, 972., loves and sustains him I, 990., protects him I, 1323., has pleasure in him I,
- 1730.; II, 477. f.; brings man and woman together I, 1737. f. 1740.; II, 161. f., through the ministry of angels I, 1684. ft.
- the persons who are to be married. Whom one should choose I, 1675. ff; none whom one does not like II, 487.; the strong should marry the strong II, 486.; the old may marry the young I, 1752.; parents should not betroth their children to the ungodly I, 1243. f.; marriage to unbelieving women has danger I, 468.; the pious of the first world forbade their children to marry Cainites I, 445. f. 470. f. 470; the Jews should not mix with the Canaanites I, 445. f.; in the Old Testament it was not a sin to marry a Gentile II, 1416.; the Gentiles had a law that they had to marry their nearest blood friends or give them the dowry II, 1197.; a second marriage is permissible I, 1748. f.; in the Old Testament it was not a sin to marry a Gentile.
- indissolubility of the E.'s. II, 487.
- purpose of the E.. Final cause of it I, 1673; increase and reproduction II, 579; Christian education of children II, 360; avoidance of fornication II, 486; reproduction and avoidance of fornication I, 142. 144. f.; II, 360.
- sanctity of the E.'s. A holy, honest state, not equal to fornication II, 365; does not hinder holy works I, 1162; not carnal and unfilial I, 164. 1684. 1691; not the E., but the abuse of E. punished before the flood I, 470; corruption of E. comes from sin I,
- f.; infirmities of E. are not to be magnified and laughed at I, 293. f.; is sanctified by Christ I, 1659. f., by God's word II,
- works of the E. God sees in E. childbearing and chastity I, 1752; the works of E. are among the greatest 1, 528; are holy I, 1164; sanctified by Christ I, 1665; coitus no impurity II, 168, but sin is attached to it II, 168, for which forgiveness is needed II, 487;
** 2134Marriage** Subject register. Oath2135
God covers the sins and infirmities I, 1648.; II, 157. 163. f. 167. f.
- honor and glory of the E.'s. It is despised, yet glorious I,
- f.; one need not be ashamed of it II, 365.; nothing more excellent in this life I, 1644.; a remnant from the state of innocence I, 162. 167. f.; God praises it in the fourth commandment I, 1738. f.; one should honor it I, 293. f. 1680.; II, 1198.He who has the gift of chastity should not despise it I, 1172. f. 1735.; II, 1073.; to bring it to honor, a necessary and useful work I, 165. 1681.; the holy fathers honored it I, 1746. ff.; the pagans esteemed it I, 969. 976.
- f.; we should not despise above it the gift of chastity II, 538. f.
- enemies and despisers of the E.. Satan is an enemy of E. I, 292; II, 359, 487, 1264, f.; the world and the flesh do not appreciate him I, 294; II, 358; despised by some pagans I, 1063, 1680; monks II, 166, f.; papists I, 1172, f.; II, 1175, roll around in fornication II, 556, Papists I, 1162. 1172. f.; II, 1175., wallow in fornication II, 556.; they consider it fornication I, 1652.; have railed against it 1, 292.; sin grievously 1, 291. f. Despisers of the E.'s., monsters I, 163.; how to meet them I, 1733. Causes of contempt: original sin I, 144.
- f., celibacy I, 1063. 1378., one does not want to be bound to One Person 1, 975.; II, 487. Causes of marriage shyness: the complaints I,
- f.; II, 361., poverty II, 542. From contempt follows great harm I, 975.
11 Necessity and Usefulness. It is necessary I, 1176; the pagans recognized it I, 169; after the fall it is more necessary than before I, 164. It is useful I, 976. 1680; where it is fulfilled, all order falls I, 1227; it is a nursery of the three states I, 294; without it the human race would perish II, 1073.To praise for the sake of benefit I, 1162; benefit recognized also by the heathen I, 169. Is a good estate, therefore a friendship, if one gives his daughter to one I, 1736; if God had not appointed him, all would desire him II, 163. f.; we are not worthy of E. II, 168. f.; a sign of God's love I, 588. f.
- fertility and barrenness of the E.'s. Marital cohabitation would not have occurred in the beginning without fruit I, 295; in spite of sin, this blessing of God remains I, 294. Fruitfulness a work of God II, 518 ff; always considered a great blessing II, 523. 532; the holy women desired it II, 1176; not respected in Luther's time II, 532; it should be desired in man no less than in cattle II, 1176; the opposite happens II, 1197.It is inhuman to despise it II, 532. f.; when it began to be despised, the whole world changed I, 1378. Barrenness a consequence of sin I, 163. f.; considered a shame and curse in the Old Testament I, 724. 1079. f. 1378.; II, 25. 545. 577. ff. 1197., now no longer I, 1079. f. 1378.; II, 578.; what to think of those who desire barrenness II, 579.; not entitled to take a second wife I, 972. ff.
- woe of the E.'s. Good marriages are rare I, 1353. f. 1678. 1680.; II, 1264.; where this comes from I, 1353. f.; is the devil's fault II, 160.; comes from seeking only pleasure I, 1672. f.; if one does not start the marriage right II, 1344.; without the will of the parents I, 1457.; without Christ and faith the marriage can only turn out badly I, 1672.; becoming married is no joke I, 1644. f. The E. is not vain
Pleasure II, 137; be prepared for temptations 1, 984. f.; there are many evils, afflictions and death I, 1730. s.; one gradually discovers vices 1, 979.; much worry and toil II, 1199.Much unpleasantness and temptations I, 983. f. 1392. f.; there are quarrels I, 986. f. 1386. ff. 1392. to which Satan tempts II, 1180.; the first love grows cold II, 488.; often one does not recognize the cause of the misery I, 821. f. These sufferings are exercises of faith, hope 2c. I, 1392. f. How to overcome hardships II, 360. f. 363. 368. f.; take comfort in the fact that God wills it I, 1644. f., that it pleases Him I, 1486., that parents have consented II, 366. 1107. f.; think of the good, the children I, 1734.; pray I, 1679.; II, 364.; God's word makes one patient II, 126. f.. It is easier to overcome the cross if one starts the stand right I, 1652. f. 1678. f.
- right beginning of the E.. Right attitude at the beginning II, 1344; do not seek mere pleasure I, 1672; caution in choosing II, 1415; pray I, 1354. 1650. ff. 1677. f. 1682. f. 1707; do not look at money, but piety I, 1707.Whether one may look at beauty and strength II, 484. ff; consent of parents is necessary I, 1455. f. 1682.; II, 364. f.
- ff. 1161. f. and of children I, 976. 1647. f.; II, 361. 367. 506.- S. Betrothals 2.
15 Who and when to marry. He who has the gift of chastity does not need it I, 1735; II, 1073, but he who does not have it II, 165. 361. 368. One should not immediately resort to marriage when one feels the flames of fornication II, 21. f.
Cf. husband, husband, wife, household, Jacob 9, levirate marriage, polygamy.
Wife. Pious E. comes from the Lord II, 22; benefit of E. I, 1614; infirmity balanced by motherhood I, 1731. ff; even a godly one wants to be loved, or yet not despised II, 519. ff; let her be domestic I, 248; death of a godly E., but not of a wicked one, is a great pain to the husband II, 964. f. - S. spouses, sexes, wooers.
Glory to God. All our works serve this purpose II, 1191. Words of honor. What is called E. I, 1215.
Reverence. God wants to show reverence to the worldly authorities II, 829; one should show it to the other I, 1444. 1634; love should also be shown to lesser people II, 824; whether one should show such reverence to strangers as Abraham once did I, 1146; the Holy Spirit works reverence to parents II, 1676.
Ambition. World drowned in E., hence Unfriede I, 844.
Oath. 1. oath of God. Only once is it written that God swore I, 1557; God swears by Himself I, 1547; what this means I, 1556; God's oath is holy and important I, 1548, f., comforting I, 1549, f.; His oath by the promises, a sign of love I, 1548, f.; purpose of the oath: we are to believe I, 1554, f..
- e. of the people. Every E. contains an invocation of God and a curse I, 1674.; II, 1483.; a very holy thing and worship I, 1656. f.; the Scripture makes it as it were a sacrament I, 1465.; God and man ern pleasant service I, 1464.It is a service of God I, 1674.; which E. is reprehensible and which good I, 1464. f.; one may swear by heaven 2c. II, 1483.; swearing by the soul is swearing by God I, 1547. f.; customs in E. I, 1656. ff. 1673., in Joseph's E. II, 1834. ff. 1840;
** 2136jealousy**Subject register. Ephraim2137
Christians may swear I, 1692. f., when I, 1464.; II, 1483., shall not do it without necessity I, 1675.; Christ punishes frivolous swearing II, 1483.; false swearing denial & contempt of God I, 1674. f. -Swear.
Jealousy. Makes marriage hell II, 161. self-praise. Jacob praises his faithfulness 2c. II, 585. property. Whether one may have E. I, 835. f. Inspiration. Do not follow every II, 95. ff; mark whether it is of the Holy Spirit II, 96. f.
Unity. Cannot be where one does not seek reconciliation II, 871. f.; to obtain it give of your right according to 1, 842. 847. f., but not of God's law I, 848.
Loneliness. Thut wehe I, 841; one does not retreat into the E. II, 1642.
Hermit. Created in the persecutions I, 1320; find little saint I, 1320.
Elam. Father of the Persians I, 679. 713; expelled 1, 713. Elaffar. Probably Assyria I, 878.
El Bethel. Place name II, 937.
Elements. Changeable, whether also decomposable I, 35; Teaching of the Philosophers I, 32. f.
Elijah. Descent II, 2033; had human affections I, 1308. f., original sin II, 843; was comforted I, 1341.
Eliezer. Meaning of the name I, 937.; good theologian I, 1699. f.; pious I, 1655.; faithful servant I, 1722. ff.; perhaps later free I, 1655.; has prayed I, 1695. ff. 1702. and given thanks I, 1718. f.; whether his prayer was a temptation from God I, 1695. ff. - S. Abraham 22.
Elihu. Whether he was Balaam I, 1601. f.
Eliphaz, Esau's son. II, 990. ff; good, pious man II, 991.; kept circumcision and divine teaching II, 999.; whether he was Job's friend II, 990. f.
Elisha. Japheth's grandson, Peoples' Name I, 661.
Ellipse. Example of an E. II, 596.
Parents. 1. parents. In them one honors God I, 1635. and obeys him I, 346. 762.; have a priestly office I 302. f.
- and children. The love of the E. for the K. is natural II, 627, a great, violent inclination II, 328; the K. do not understand how great it is and how great the pain when the E. is grieved by the K. II, 328 ff; they can easily become murderers of the E. II, 328 ff. Hopes of E. often fail I, 655.; children do not always turn out according to E. II, 1415.; how E. should console themselves over misguided children II, 979. The mother gives the child more nourishment than the father II, 1173. E. should keep children in check II, 864. f. 870. f., punish them ex officio I, 347., out of love I, 800.; II, 807. 1460. f. 1462. f., so seek their best II, 1491; the children should be able to notice this II, 1491; E. should reconcile the children after punishment I,
- which children are preferred by the father, which by the mother II, 91; three E. prefer pious children to godless ones II, 1036. E. should help the children to a godly marriage I, 1682.Children are to obey II, 259; so they obey God I, 1456; obedience blesses God I, 1456. f.; disobedience terrible sin, cause of many misfortunes II, 1102; are not to obey if the e. command something against God's word II, 267. 943; are to honor the e. I, 1597; II, 328. ff, pray that they may do so II, 330.; such reverence to God the most pleasing sacrifice I, 638.; Shem and Japheth examples of reverence I, 638.; E. easily killed by the C. through sadness II, 328.; if the C. grieve the E., curse them I, 1597.
they the same II, 329.; contempt God punishes I, 639.; II, 330.; one should not despise E. except where profession demands it II, 943.; how K. should punish E.'s sins II, 232. - S. marital status 14th, father, daughters, betrothals 2nd.
Emim. I, 880.
Conception. In humans and animals, the fruit easily takes on a special form and stains II, 601. - S. Reproduction, birth, pregnancy, procreation; E. Christi s. Christ 2.
Enallage. Exchange, Example II, 1804.
Angels. 1. general. Scripture is silent about their creation I, 27.; are spirits II, 394. 735.; not begotten like men I, 137.; all created good, there are good and evil I, 28.; could fall like men I, 137.; did not help in creation I, 14.; can well take the language of men, but not confuse them I, 707.
- the good E. nature and being: can no longer fall I, 136. 138.; strong I, 1244. f. 1540. f.; II, 661.; understand the wonderful government of God II, 731.; humble and kind, full of knowledge of God and his goodness I, 1687. f.; best friends of the faithful I, 1689. Office and works: reason does not know the doctrine of the office of the E. II, 726.; God makes use of them I, 1540. f.; office in heaven and on earth II, 724. 730. f.; are messengers and soldiers II, 735.; are with us, watch our works I, 1522.; II, 200.; serve us I, 1685.; have pleasure in them I, 1690. f.; govern our works I, 992.; helpful in matrimony I, 1684. ff. 1691. 1694.; punish the wicked, protect the pious I, 1245. ff.; II, 661.; watch, govern, contend for the pious and the wicked II, 724. ff.; in all states our guardians I, 1686. f.; their protection certain, though it may not seem so II, 733. f.We need their protection I, 1246; II, 729; we should comfort ourselves I, 1246; II, 200; f. 730; we should thank God for it, follow the guardians I, 1688; recognition of the protection of the guardians necessary and useful for the faithful II, 732; their service a blessing I, 1690; recognized by only a few I, 1686; f. One should not worship the E. I, 1247. - S. Arzenei, Freunde.
- the wicked E. of their fall the scripture is silent, some poems about it I, 27.; what the scripture reports I, 28.; probably a rebellion and fight between the E. I, 28. 137.; probably fallen by hope I, 28. 137. f. 299. 1689. f.; when fallen, uncertain I, 184.; many I, 138.; have a kind of monarchy II, 724.; strong I, 1245.; direct all kinds of misfortune and sin II, 724. ff. - S. devils.
- the good and the evil E. Constantly fight in all divine works I,
- ff.; II, 725. ff., for the people II, 724. ff.; the good protect us against the attacks of the evil I, 1246.; from where then nevertheless so much evil II, 726. ff.; God uses the service of both II, 1051. - S. apparitions, devils.
Enos. Meaning of the name I, 398. f.; State of the church in his time I, 398. ff. 401. 417. f..
Delight. What kind of state this is II, 2070. Epha. I, 1751.
Ephraim. 1. Joseph's son. Meaning of the name II, 1430. 1432. 1853. - S. Jacob I, 21, Joseph 4.
- the tribe. Residence II, 2018.; proud of origin II, 1368. f. 1848. f. 2053.; therefore severely punished II, 1848. f. 1887. f.; led to Assyria II,
** 2138Ephratha**Subject index. Frightened2139
- the tribes E. and Manasseh had many people II, 2041. excellent men II, 2041. 2047.; David thought much of them II, 2041.; how Jacob's blessing is fulfilled in them II, 2046.
Ephrutha. Meaning of the name II, 971.
Ephron. I, 1628. ff.
Epictetus. Philosopher, went begging I, 830.
Epicurus. Thought that man was created only to eat and drink I, 68.
Epicureans. Opinion on origin of the world and man I, 150; ridicule immortality II, 15. 1305; despise heaven II, 115, word and sacrament II, 116; animal life II, 1305; allegory on them I, 618; took to Luther's time I, 1764.
Erasmus. 1. the Saint of the Papists II, 1919.
2 Desiderius E. Learned and eloquent, understands nothing in matters of faith I, 998th; opinion about: Original sin I, 132., a child murderess II, 1515., Socrates I, 581., virtues of the pagans II, 461. f.
Inheritance. It is easier for brothers to fall out over this than for strangers II, 1110.
Hereditary righteousness. Something natural I, 201. ff; what it was I, 138. f.; to know from original sin I, 139. - S. likeness.
Original sin. Is a great ruin of the whole human nature I, 139. f. 203. f., which is not only inclined to evil I, 577., also has not only lost supernatural powers I, 201. ff.; a frightening darkness and turning away from God II, 1463.; that is the E., if one wants to become like God I, 1086. not merely a punishment, but sin I, 131. ff. 816. f.; damnable II, 1523.; the greatest and gravest sin I, 77.; one should not diminish it, but make it great I, 174. ff. 575. f.; is deep in our nature II, 1524.; a great pity II, 1525. f.; its greatness is known by its fruits II, 1527., Adam's fear I, 209. and from contemplation of the lost gifts I, 173. clings to all II, 1143., also to the born-again I, 576. 816.; II, 148. 1496., until death II, 1486.; the papists teach that it is abolished by baptism, and that only weakness remains II, 1464. f., this is false II, 1523. f. 1527. f. The E. does not want to be sin II, 1479. 1523. 1526. not to be revealed II, 1514. 1517. 1714. wants to be beautiful II, 1524. is cunning to adorn itself II, 1531. is his painted in the brothers of Joseph II, 1523. Is the origin of all sin I, 630. f.; how it gradually bursts forth I, 583. f.; how it shows itself in youth and later years 1, 575.; from it comes unbelief I, 1552. f.; II, 146. f., Pride and presumption I, 631; despair I, 809; abuse of earthly gifts and divine blessings I, 852; f. 855; f.; contempt of the marriage state and inclination to fornication I, 144, 205; f. 975; f.; II, 486; f.; no understanding of Scripture without knowledge of it II, 1523. A penalty of it is to be a regent II, 1409. ff. It can be resisted, but it cannot be eradicated I, 585; we are to fight against it II, 1143; the faithful do so, the wicked follow it I, 576. Why God allowed it is a rash question II, 1526. - S. flesh 2, 3, sin, will II, 2.
Earth. 1. the earth. The center of creation I, 42. f.; means "dry" I, 41. f.; why not flooded by the sea I, 41. ff. 545. ff.; prepared for the dwelling of men I, 43. ff.; before the fall everywhere fresh and fertile I, 251.; cursed for sin I, 251.
I, 94. f. 249. f. 355.; wherein the curse consists I, 125. 250.; it is increased by the Flood I, 250. ff., increases with sin I, 252.; the E. shall be cultivated for the benefit of men and cattle I, 1479.; will cease one day I, 587. - S. Heaven 5, Creation, Flood.
- the soil. The reddish soil is said to be the best, then the black and yellow II, 69.
Preservation. Creating and preserving a thing I, 1539; what God creates, he can also preserve and increase I, 63. 1540. f.; God preserves the creatures by his word I, 61. f. 91. f. 1480. f.; II, 370.; thus preserves us every moment I, 545.; E. is necessary I, 61. f.
Memory. E. past Leiden thut wohl II, 1779.
Eris apple. Greek Fable I, 706.
Recognize. "Recognizing a woman" I, 294. f.
Knowledge. 1. e., which God has in eternity and in time I, 1535.
- e. from God. Also found among the pagans I, 1058; the truth of God is right wisdom II, 1688; which is the truth of God II, 1674. f.; we are to know God, not as he is in himself, but as he has revealed himself I, 1551; II, 177. f., from the word, not by speculation I,
- f.; from the truth of God follows the right worship I, 1058.
- e. of sin. Comes through the law II, 1494; necessary and important II, 1491. 1523. ff, the beginning of salvation I, 482. f., but alone not enough for salvation II, 1491.
- e. of words and things. I, 998. f. 1359. This twofold E. makes a good teacher I, 1000.; the E. of things is the more important I, 998.
- f., it is E. and mind of N. T.'s I, 1004.
- growth in the E. in what it consists II, 1334; is necessary II,
- ff. 740. 1334. - S. Abraham 10, Isaac 6, Jacob 6, Fathers II, 3.
Redemption. S. Christ 3.
Renewal. How it happens II, 1385. - S. Image.
Ernst. S. Elector of Saxony.
Agitation. In the case of sudden agitation, the heart freezes I, 1104.
Appearances. 1. general. There are E. I, 1120.; test them according to God's word I, 1120. 1122.; II, 782. st; much deceptive in the Pabstthum I, 1119. 1121. 1528.; II, 1047.; in the N.T. also E. II, 145. st; in the means of grace we have more glorious than Abraham I, 1119. ff, than the Jewish people II, 1842. st; there are none better I, 1118. f. 1527. st; other new E. not to be compared with these I, 1120. st; we are not to desire others I, 1120. st; Augustine, the martyrs, Luther desired none I, 1526. f. In which case the E. in Scripture are to be interpreted as E. of angels II, 775. f.
- e. Gotte s. In Dream and Face II, 1145.
- e. the angels. Often appeared I, 991st; II, 723rd, in white garments II, 1038th; spoke and acted like men I, 1167. st; take the form to themselves I, 991st, not always the same form I, 992nd; who appeared to Hagar I, 991st, in what form I, 1439.; who were the three who appeared to Abraham I, 1134. ff. 1198th; E. at Isaac's sacrifice I, 1522. ff.; E., which Jacob had II, 723.; in the N. T. not so frequent I, 1525.; marks of good and evil angels I, 1529. ff. 1532.
Cf. Abraham 8, Ghosts, Isaac 3, Jacob 5.
Frightened. Do not rest until they hear what their sin is.
** 2140Firstborn** Subject register. Meat2141
so that they may find help I, 1347; God does not reject them I, 1437. f. - S. Conscience 2.
Firstborn. The father's first power II, 1923. f.; often rejected by God I, 298. f.; II, 987. 1862. 1881. ff.
Firstborn. Held dear among Jews and pagans I, 298; II, 1924; rights of E. II, 92. f. 102. f. 1853. 1861. f. 1886. 1924, in France and Saxony II, 1886; probably applies in secular, not in Christ's kingdom II, 1925; hatred often arose over E. II, 1110. 1506; what E. is in spiritual Smne II, 1506.
Election. God chooses out of the whole human race some whom He will save, II, 1952.
Esau. 1. Is an image of the false church II, 118, of all Jews II, 320, f., of those who do false repentance II, 317, of saints of works and hypocrites II, 99. Of his three names II, 101, f.; of the name Esau II, 75. Was reddish and rough, which means II, 76, f.. Had great power and authority as he went to meet Jacob II, 765. f. Sins of E.: fell into many vices as a hunter II, 83. 85.; was a hypocrite II, 87. 90. 257.; hopeful II, 81. ff. 85. 240. f. 307. ff-, and was therefore rejected II, 81. 242. 382. f.; earthly minded II, 88. ff, 102. f. 115. f.; fickle and treacherous II, 87. f. 97^ f. 115. f. 121. f. E.'s repentance, since he sought blessing with tears, was not sincere II, 313. ff. 386. f. Virtues and praise of E.: was a great, pious, brave man, had learned from Isaac's sermons, kept his evil desires in check II, 834.; reverent toward the father II, 982. fi Works: preached of the promises made to him II, 826. f.; kept to the right church II, 983. and was well blessed II, 123. 828. 830. - S. Isaac 16, Jacob 23.
- E. and his descendants. II, 983. ff. 997. ff. 998. ff. Religion: have kept Abraham's teachings, way of sacrifice and circumcision II,
- Sins and virtues: Most of E's descendants were godless and hopeful II, 1013. f.; among their kings some were holy, the others yet worldly pious II, 1014.; among them were many excellent and glorious men II, 984. 1010. Blessed: they were not all rejected II, 999. and excluded from grace II, 984. ff.; probably many blessed I, 1032.; II, 65. f. 828.
- e. and his wives. II, 235. ff. 372. f. 987. ff. The two Hittite wives were proud II, 240.; ruled in Isaac's house II, 344.; wanted to introduce idolatry in Isaac's church II, 244. f. 998.; smeared Isaac and grieved Rebekah II, 257., despised Rebekah II, 331. f.; probably became somewhat lenient with time II, 991. 993. - S. Ada, Ahalibama, Basmath, Judith, Mahalath.
Esrol. 1, 882. ff. Blissful, pious I, 886. 888.; II, 1069. ass. Useful, not fit for war II, 1985. f. Eston. Often means "believe" in Scripture II, 813. Esther. Has converted many II, 1773.
Euelio. Proverbial for Avarice II, 612.
Eunuchs. What is to be understood by it II, 1220. f. Euphrates. Separates Mesopotamia and Canaan II, 654. eve. I, 140. ff. Her name a joyful and lovely one I, 269.; meaning of the same I, 383. A holy woman, full of faith and love I, 296. 395. f.; erred in mistaking Cain for the promised seed I, 296. f.; what she did and suffered I, 417.; had to
how long they lived I, 417; why the Roman church did not canonize them I, 397. - S. Adam 2.
Evangelists. Often give only the summa of the conversations I, 1165.
Gospel. 1. the gospel was from the fall of Adam in the world, remains eternally I, 625.; praises common works I, 527. effect: never without fruit I, 625.; by it we only lose the evil, attain salvation I, 235.; without the E. we only get deeper into enmity against God I, 220.Separates the wheat from the chaff 1, 462. Came to the Arabs I, 997. Admission: our hearts are hard and callous against it I, 527. 1105. f.; must be to blame for sedition II, 641. and theurung I, 527. Of the E. the papists teach nothing right I, 1386.-S. Law 2, grace, contempt 2, word 3.
2 The E. and the secular kingdoms. It does not abrogate civil law I, 1465.
Eternal. Often means a finite time I, 873. f.
F.
Faber. Blasphemed Luther and his doctrine II, 1273. Fallacia compositionis et divisionis I, 132. ff. Fall. Heroes of the church often fall I, 723. 789. Fatum. Raises the faith II, 1313.
Laziness. The world is full of lazy drones II, 1244.; God does not bless F. II, 1238.
Purgatory. Scripture teaches nothing of it II, 1543. 1548. f. 2068.; origin of the lie of Purgatory II, 1547. f.; who comes to it according to Pabst's teaching I, 1761. II, 1547. f.; whoever goes there according to the Pabst's doctrine I, 1761.; from the doctrine of Purgatory follows that of indulgences I, 1761. f.; whoever is in Purgatory is in hell I, 1762.
Ceremonial dresses. What celebration dresses are II, 1739.
Holidays. Where the habit of eating better and dressing more cleanly on holidays comes from I, 1598.
Enemies. 1. people. Pagan philosophy teaches that one should hate them I, 801; do them good 1, 978; let their hearts be your concern I, 1254; suffer injustice patiently, but punish sin II, 1148; God can make friends of them II, 1295; one can make friends of enemies through earnest prayer II, 828; through patience II, 226. ff.
- the devil is our worst f. I, 1689.
Generals. Few quite brave II, 1375; a Christian F. can do much with little crew II, 1375. ff. - S. men of war.
Window of Heaven. I, 546. f.
Fortresses. Help without God nothing II, 932. f.
Humid. Definition of the F. II, 1929.
Fire worship. From whence arose I, 725. f. 1665.; among the Chaldeans I, 1665. and Persians I, 727.
Heaven of Fire. What is written about it I, 34.
Fire signs in the desire. Opinions about it I, 606. f. Filial. Origin of this expression II, 2042.
Darkness. I. Darkness. Makes men and animals sad and despondent II, 771.
- eclipse. Sign of things to come 1, 52. firmament. S. Heaven 2, Best.
Fish. Not unlike the birds I, 59.; now still by virtue of divine word begotten from the water I, 66.; the most fertile animals II, 1872.
Meat. I. Food. Eating meat cannot be a sin I, 591.; In the beginning, only the meat of pure animals was eaten I, 592.; Some eat the meat of unclean animals I, 592. f.;
** 2142Diligence**Subject register. Pious2143
After the permission to eat F., people's lives became shorter I, 712.
2 Original sin. What the sin is I, 460 f.; counts for nothing before God II, 71 ff. 77; is contrary to God I, 460; does not like divine but devilish promises I, 757 f.; despises pure doctrine I, 461; does not keep himself right in fortune and misfortune I, 809 f.; is impatient II, 1228. 1323 f.; loves temporal goods, despises eternal goods I, 424.; is hopeful II, 71. ff; soon drops all hope II, 741.; hinders prayer II, 752. Even the saints still have F. II, 736. 741. 836. 1457. 1465., in spite of the forgiveness of sins II, 1457. 1465.; hence the laziness and sleepiness of Christians II, 1492.; F. is F. even in the saints II, 380.; they still retain F., so that they are not idle I, 678; live in the F., not according to it II, 803. II, 803; must fight against it II, 22. 146. f. 201, keep it in check II, 1318; they fight against it II, 736. 741. ff; must always be killed I, 1350; II, 1659.- S. original sin, justice 4.
- flesh and spirit. Always fighting against each other in the justified I, 1670.; II, 526. f. 1871., through the whole of life II,
- f., especially when we are in misfortune I, 809. f.; the F. hinders joy in the Holy Spirit I, 1105. f. - S. Faith II, Crucifixion.
Diligence. God blesses him II, 1238. ff.
Curse. Follows sin, especially murder I, 35o. f. 594. f.; often arrives later than one should expect after the threat I, 643.; the land becomes worse and less I, 594. f. 852.; II, 1794.; through sin the F. came over the earth I, 95. 121., and the cultivation and preservation of the land is burdensome I, 124. f. Under the F. we are to be patient II, 306. - S. earth 1, countries.
Reproduction. Is something wonderful I, 152. ff. and good I, 141. f.; happens by virtue of the divine word I, 65. f. 91. f. 155.; happens in a special way with the living bodies I, 64. f. - S. procreation.
Questions, cheeky. What to think of it I, 13; warning against it I, 1085; by it probably fell the devil I, 1085; examples: I, 13. 21. 46. 53. 111. 136. f. 1084. f. 1540. - Vorwitz.
Franciscans. They do not follow Franciscus, they only take care of their kitchen I, 831; condemned by John XXIII I, 831. f.; why they did not punish the avarice of the popes more' I, 832.
FranriScuS, St. Despised earthly goods, begged, shared with the poor I, 831; forbade to have anything of his own I, 835; what to think of him I, 831.
France. Fertile II, 1614.
French. Hoffährtig II, 1614; despise the Germans II, 1786.
Freedom. In what man has freedom I, 859. f.
Stranger. Meaning of the word I, 1617. f.; who is a right F. I, 1136.
Joy. 1. general. One can die from F. I, 1104; no true F. except that which the word brings I, 1370.
- Spirit. Is inexpressible I, 1104.; a foretaste of eternal life I, 1106.; one experiences it only by faith I, 1106.; Abraham had it I,
- ff. 1370. and Sarah I, 1378. f.; Christians have more cause for it than Abraham I, 1105. - S. suffering 2, drunkenness.
Friends. A faithful F. the most delicious treasure in the
whole life I, 840. f.; do not forget each other I, 1286. f.; quarrel at times I, 1392.; the best F. of Christians, the holy angels I, 1689. - S. enemies.
Kindness of God. Example I, 1331. f.
Friendship. Cannot be with suspicion I, 795.; often fades away I, 797.; of the true one philosophy knows nothing I, 798., it springs from the Holy Spirit I, 798.
Iniquity. Meaning of the word I, 504. f. 511.; preserves the appearance of holiness I, 504. f. 506. f.; follows where one loses God's word I, 504.
Peace. Necessary, so that one can practice God's word II, 223; for the sake of peace one should also sacrifice II, 2020; what "peace" means in Scripture II, 1604 - p. Justice 5.
Frederick, Elector. Compensated the peasants for the damage caused by the hunt II, 86; took precautions against theurung II, 1360; got tired of governing II, 1407; pronouncement on the status of the peasants II, 553. 1407.
Fromm, just. Difference I, 499.
Pious. 1. pious. They are not two-faced, they are either nothing or they are even II, 255; there are always quite a few II, 773.
- f. and the ungodly. The F. are the church, the G. the school of Satan I, 1193. f.; the F. are taken for sinners, the sinners for F. II, 670. 675. 708. 711.; the G. only look at the sins of the F. and are annoyed by them I, 634.; the benefit of the creatures is recognized only by the F. I, 1613. f.; F. and G. are alike outwardly with inward difference, when they think God is asleep I, 697. f. 1195. ff, when they hope and fear I, 698. f., in their works and virtues II,
- ff. 472. 479. ff., when they sin I, 1326., when they fall into equal punishment I, 823. 825. 894. sf, 896.; II, 337. f. 1534. 1571.
- fortune and misfortune: the devil tempts the f. more than the g. II, 1260.; the f. have a kingdom, but in faith, the g. possess the kingdoms of this world I, 644.; the g. have bodily blessings, the F. seem under the curse I, 648. the F. are in misfortune, the G. in fortune I, 665. ff. 677. f. 860. so it seems before reason II, 861.; so it has always been I, 667.; whence it comes II, 726. ff, that the angels understand, we will also understand it one day II, 731. Reason is offended by the happiness of the G. and the unhappiness of the F. I, 807. f. 854. f., likewise the F. I, 360. f. 667. 807. 853. f" this comes from original sin I, 809.; we should not be offended by it I, 824.; II, 1013.; how one should overcome this annoyance I, 808. f.
- and console oneself I, 667. f. From the F. the G. have much good I, 383. 892. ff; II, 895. ff. 1234. f. 1238. conduct in fortune and misfortune: Do G. abuse even the very best things, the F. can well use even the evil things I, 857.; the G. console themselves with promises which are none of their business, the F. are frightened by threats which do not affect them II, 372.; the G. are secure, while the F. sigh and are frightened I, 933. f. 1195. f. 1238. f.; II, 1263.; the G. are frightened, while the F. rejoice I, 701. f.; the F. take comfort in divine benefits, the G. forget them I, 1343. f,; different behavior in chastisement II, 1664.; Sodom's downfall shall comfort the F., terrify the G. I, 1276. Reciprocal behavior: the F. must live among G., who exalt themselves I, 937. f., are ungrateful II, 1235.; the F. are to be brought to the attacks of the
** 2144Fertility**Subject index. Prayer2145
If the F. apologize against the accusations of the G., they accuse the G. severely II, 681, they accuse the G. severely II, 681. Success and outcome: The F. are more blessed in their misfortune than the G. in their happiness II, 1085. I, 1326. ff; the G. do good to the F., even if they do evil to them II, 1150.; the misfortune of the F. turns into happiness, the happiness of the G. into misfortune I, 648. 855. 860.; II, 1011. ff. 1018. f.
Fertility. S. Marital status 12.
Leadership. It is better that God lead us than that we lead ourselves II, 1635. - p. Government.
Fear. 1. fear. A consequence of the case I, 76. f.; II, 703.; there is a legitimate fear II, 174.
- God is called our F., why II, 721. f.
- f. God. God wants to be feared I, 1204; is the highest service of God I, 1538; casts out all other fear II, 721; where it is missing, the most atrocious sins follow I, 630. f. - S. Fear.
- f. Isaac. Means the God of Isaac II, 701. ff; is Christ II, 703. f.
- faith and hope. In Christians both are I, 699; one has commonly more F. than H. II, 1338; the godless mock God in F. and H. I, 698.
Fear. To fear God is to serve God I, 1493. 1537; to fear God only in his word I, 1537. f. - S. Furcht 3.
God's care. God cares I, 1511. long before II, 1068. before we can care I, 48. like a mother II, 1586.; cares for our best even against our will II, 1068.; his F. gives over waking and sleeping II, 1332. f., over Christians II, 660. f. 716., over each individual person of his faithful II, 1768. f., which God protects against the world and the devil II, 657. 659.; of which Christians can also take comfort in earthly things II, 617.; extends from great and small things I, 1693.; II, 469. ff. 473. 518. ff. 617. 1074. 1769.God cares more for us than for Himself I, 43; makes Himself known in creation I, 47, f. 87, in the preservation of men and animals in the ark I, 524; only faith can take comfort in this II, 617. f.
Footwashing. An old usage, especially also in the church II, 1600, f.; comes from the patriarchs I, 1146.; what Christ teaches us by it I, 1215.; papal F. is mere play I, 1215.; II, 1601. and hypocrisy II, 1601. 1603.
G.
Gifts of God. 1. nature and kind. All that we have are gifts of God I, 1654. f., also bodily goods I, 1710, 1718; II, 296; we need bodily gifts for the sake of spiritual ones II, 294; the highest gift is to be a member of the right church I, 448; the blood of Christ belongs to the gifts of the Holy Spirit II, 1992. Gifts do not inherit II, 1368; God distributes them as he wills II, 1371, by grace, not by merit I, 1418; ff, the very best among the ungodly I, 996; they do not repent of him II, 309. f.
- purpose of the gifts for which God gives them I, 299. f.; that we serve others I, 722.; the more gifts, the more we serve I, 985.
3 Recognition of the G., use and abuse. One should recognize the G. I, 985; one despises them because they are commonplace II, 2049; how one should praise them in people I, 759. Use: that we should
To serve God's will II, 1390. f., to use it for God's glory and the benefit of one's neighbor II, 263. f., to give thanks to God for it I, 1718., not to overburden ourselves with it I, 448. 911.; II, 819., also not to overburden ourselves with it, that one is a member of the right church I, 448. f.; that we enjoy the bodily G. I, 1710. 1714. Abuse: The G. come to the harm of the wicked I, 1330.; they abuse the G. I, 1328. f., I, 299. f.; one exalts oneself in the heart I, 985.; the more goods, the greater the pride I, 438. 923.; so exalted were men before the Flood 1, 441.; such pride is diabolical 1, 985.; God punishes the abuse I, 300. 437. f. - God cannot refrain from adorning us with gifts, we cannot refrain from exalting ourselves with them I, 440. f. 477.
Gabriel. Derivation of the name I, 1013; meaning of the same I, 1198; which angel is said to have been called so I, 1198.
Gad. 1. son of Jacob. Meaning of the name, occasion for it II, 562. f. Jacob's blessing II, 2030. ff. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II.; Joseph 12.
- the trunk. II, 2030. ff.
Galatians. Waren Deutsche I, 657.
Fidelity to the gallows. What G. is II, 313. ff. 336. 663. 1467. - S. Conscience 3.
Galilee. Fertile Land II, 2034.
Gall. Cut priests of Cybele II, 1222. Garizim. Mountain, location I, 779; on it a temple 1, 779. guest. One soon gets tired of him II, 482.
Hospitality: glory and praise: surpasses all the works of the Carthusians I, 1162. f.; where it is practiced, a little hut surpasses a palace I, 1158.; it praises Christ I, 1213., the Epistle to the Hebrews I, 1133. Duty: Christians should practice hospitality I, 1133. f. 1136., even if tramps often abuse it I, 1139. On whom to practice it I, 1720. f., not only to parents, but also to brothers I, 1158, especially, but not exclusively, to comrades in the faith I, 1140 ff; which are the right strangers to practice it on I, 1135 f. How to practice: with humility and reverence I, 1142. f. 1148.; gladly and with the best I, 1156. f.; with prudence II, 1601. f.; many only present themselves hospitably I, 1215. f. Why to practice: one takes up God in doing so I, 1143. f. 1721., God's Son I, 1134. 1146. 1159.; he who is not hospitable repudiates the Son of God I, 1134. G. is rare: there is a lack of it I, 1159.; not so frequent as formerly I, 888.; we are indolent to it I, 1145., whence it comes I, 1147. 1154. f. 1158. f. Where it is found: in all places where the church is I, 1133. there is much opportunity I, 1135.; only in the church I, 1138. 1146. f., not in the papacy I, 1138., not in the world I, 1146. f. How to console oneself when G. is rewarded badly I, 1721.
Banquets. Banquets are held in happiness and merriment I, 902. 1381. ff. 1154. ff.; are right to make hearts merry I, 1383. f.; hired to promote marital status I, 1682.; it should not be done in silence I, 1159. f.; beware of gluttony I, 1715. - S. wedding banquet.
Gaza. Situation 1, 678.
Giving birth. "Giving birth on the womb" II, 544.
Giving. Anger and love are revealed in it I, 319. Prayer. 1. God's will. We should pray I, 1110,
God wants to be asked I, 1267.; II, 903. 918.; Christ has prescribed for us a way to pray I, 1267.; we should, because this is the ordered will of God I, 1268.; why God wants us to pray II, 760. f.; G. is God
** 2146Gkiet**Sach-Rkgist-r. Birth2147
a pleasant service and sacrifice I, 1332. 1334. 1699.; II, 788.; omission of G.'s angers God I, 1272. f.
- what it is. What praying means I, 1112; G. a part of the prophetic office I, 1366; the papists know nothing about the essence of G. I,
- parts of the G.'s. I, 1268. f.; II, 766.
- properties of the right gene. What is the nature of the right faith II, 28, f.; when is it perfect and strong II, 575, ff. Characteristics of the right prayer II, 760; one must have faith in the promise II, 57, 756; pray in faith I, 1110, 1364, II, 31; pray with courage I, 1203; believe that one is heard I, 1704; in the name of Jesus I, 1705, f., without murmuring and doubting I, 1271. The right prayer should be humble II, 759, f., devout II, 31, f., stopping I, 1204; II, 28. f. 60.
- 1317; when to stop I, 1702; II, 47. f., how long II, 794, such stopping pleases God I, 1204; II, 58. 796. 818; G. should be fervent II,
- f., is not always equally fervent II, 1644. ff. 1653, how to arouse fervor II, 1645. f.. The right G. does not ask for much words, makes much sighing II, 756.
- necessity of the G.'s. Is necessary in all states II, 277 ff, especially in the regiment II, 276 f; necessary to us, a service to God I, 1332. 1334. 1699; necessary because Satan drives men from sin to sin I, 1226.
- power and dignity of the G.'s. G. has great power I, 1705. f.; II,
- especially the common I, 1705.; accomplishes great things I, 1547.; II, 29.ff.; by it we overcome God II, 952., our enemies I,
- f.; II, 828. f. 1645. 1647. 2016. f., we alleviate the common need II, 818.; the weak G. should not be despised II, 58.; the papists know nothing of the power of G. I, 1366. right G. priceless I, 1363. f.; we do not understand the greatness of the things we ask for I, 1109. III2. f.
- hearing of the G's. Not to doubt it I, 1113; II, 57. f. G. cannot be in vain I, 1361. f.; hearing promised I, 1267. is certain II, 57. f.
- f.; God hears I, 1269. 1288. f. 1319. 1362. f.; II, 58. 61.
- f., as soon as we pray I, 1703. f.; II, 5. 1644. f.; God also hears the desires and wishes of the pious I, 1697.; God's proper title is: Hearer of prayer I, 1109. Manner of hearing: God gives more than we ask I, 1107. ff. II1I. ff; II, 818., about asking and understanding I, 1705. I7II.; II, 61. f. 574. 577. 1328. f. 1381. f., we always ask too little II, 818. f.; God hears in other ways than we hope I, 1111., gives something better I, 1272. f. Delay in answering: God sometimes seems to be asleep I, 700; by delay our prayer should become stronger and more fervent II, 575 ff; right conduct in delay II, 576 f.; how to be comforted when one sees that the prayer is in vain for the world I, 1395.
- what one should pray for. Also for bodily things II, 29. f.
- time, place and manner of the G's. We should pray without ceasing, and how this is done I, 1365. f., in everything we begin I, 1700; II, 1299; in distress II, 750; 754, 920; a lonely place is suitable for prayer II, 771; why one seeks it out II, 771; manner: one asks in bodily things with condition I, 1702; how one may thereby dictate to God time, place and person I, 1695. ff. 1702; G. also happens without outward offering II, 1299.
- hindrances and encouragements. Prayer hinders: Satan I, 1704, f., our flesh II, 752, our business and various worries II, 1656; always have to struggle with unbelief I, 1109; the prayer is hindered by an evil conscience II, II4I, hatred II, 1141, f., when one is in sin II, 1194; the greatness of the need and the requested benefit should not deter us from prayer I, 1108, sf, nor our unworthiness and God's majesty I, 1110, 1271, f. The examples of other prayers should encourage us I, 1704. f.
- who can pray alone. Prayer is a great art I, 1109., hard work I,
- f. 1272.; II, 30. f.; he who does not have the word I, 456.; II,
- cannot pray, he is a godless man I, 494. but only a prophet I, 1366.The G. of the papists is a mockery II, 58., an abomination to God I, 1364.; the G. of the monks is good for nothing II, 756., is a blasphemy of Christ I, 1364. f. - S. Creator.
- g. and work. Pray and Work I, 1270.
- g. and sermon. Belong together I, 838.
- G. and predestination of God. Pray, although everything happens as God has decided II, 47. f.
15 G. and Word of God. G. follows the Word II, 137. Cf. Prayer, Faith 7, Jacob 10, Monks 2, Sighing, Our Father.
Commandments of God. I. General. Our house, body and heart are full of God's commandments I, 1501; God often commands small, ridiculous and annoying things I, 527; do not look at what is commanded, but at the one who commands I, 527; he makes everything that is commanded great I, 528 ff. 1497 f; not every command of God applies to all people I, 568. Conduct: one should not do any of these things nor add to them I, 526. f. 847. 1495. f.; without God's command nothing should be done I, 567., with it one may freely dare I, 1499.; from obedience to the same I, 1261. ff.; we should render obedience without delay I, 1413. f. 1417. 1497., without asking why? and for what? I, 1125. 1127. f. 1260. f. 1496. f., which forwardness brings to ruin I, 1125. without hesitation, and where ability is lacking, yet be ready to obey I, 1261. f. 1497. f.; obey, however foolish and vexatious what is commanded I, 1129., though we be mocked I, II3I.
2 The Ten Commandments. The second table must give way to the first I, 1421; II, 266, 640, ff, 645, f.; the first table must be practiced first, then the works of the second will not be lacking I, 399, ff; sins against the first table are followed by sins against the second I, 441, f, 443, ff, 469; sins against the first table are commonly hidden under the appearance of holiness, not so those against the second table I, 503, f.. Content: the works required therein are not easy I, 1180; the G. also condemns the evil desire in the heart I, 1348; content of the first tablet I, 400; of the first commandment I, 1057. Commandment I, 1057. f. 1452. 1517. f.; II, 8.; of the 2nd Commandment I, 1402. ff.; of the 4th Commandment I, 1735.; II, 329. f.; of the 5th Commandment II, 1115. 1127. f.; of the 6th Commandment I, 1323.
Cf. law 1. 2.
Birth. 1. the bodily birth of man is a great work I, 1371; II, 16, in spite of the sin attached to it I, 1374; now still as wondrous as once Isaac's birth I, 1370; the Holy Spirit delights in it II, 1214; the pagans had special respect for it II, 1214; we have no delight in it II, 1214; we despise it I, 1371; examples of dangerous births I, 1371; ff.
** 2148Birthday**Subject register. Stingy2149
II, 68. ff. 1216. f.; to be proud of bodily birth and origin is foolish 1, 312. f.; II, 1368. f. 1371. - S. procreation.
- carnal and spiritual faith There are two kinds of faith: according to the flesh and according to the promise II, 33. ff. 65. one should not boast of the carnal I, 1031. f.; the natural man relies on the carnal faith in order to be saved I, 1430. f.; it is not valid before God I, 328. ff, to become blessed I, 1430. f.; the false church relies on it II, 35., Turks, Jews and papists II, 36. ff.; counts for nothing before God I, 328. 1132. 1430. f.; II, 70. ff. 1177. ff, is of no use for salvation I, 1030. f. 1398. f. 1427. f. 1430. f.; II, 23. ff. 66. f., is harmful for salvation without spiritual faith II, 43. f.; also the carnal relationship with Christ is of no use for salvation II, 1201.; God has accepted some from all nations II, 985. f.; the insistence on the carnal faith has deprived the Jews of body and soul I, 1032. - S. Mensch 2.
Birthday. Celebration of the same I, 1382.
Thoughts. G. the Scriptures often call words I, 1696.; own G. we shall not follow II, 211. f.; evil G. we cannot hinder, but one shall not carry them out II, 785. f.; state of one lost in thought II, 290. f. 500. f. - S. consternation, agitation.
Gedud. Image in Mansfeld II, 2031.
Patience. I. G. of God. Is shown in that he forgives our sins daily I, 1553., that he still gives the wicked time to repent I, 965. f., that he bears sinners II, 729. - S. Langmuth.
- the virtue of the children of God. Is a virtue hidden from reason II, 27.; what philosophy teaches of G. II, 1666.; by G. one does not sin II, 1152.; in spite of all G. one should punish sin I, 986.; II,
- ff.; G. must cease if one would lose God II, 243. f.; does not leave to shame I, 827., bears abundant fruit II, 1421. 1430. f., has almighty power, makes friends of enemies II, 226. ff., God rewards them gloriously II, 1381. f.; should not turn over in impatience II, 1314.; let those who have power to punish II, 1152. get used to G.; we should learn G. from the fathers' examples II, 380.
- confession and confession. Shall be with each other 1, 986.
- g. & hope. Actually the same II, 1293. danger. One should not burden oneself with danger if one also has promise II, 637. f.; one should protect oneself in it as best one can I, 764. not despair even if there is no more hope I, 615.
Prison. The kings had prisons over which they placed their nobles II, 1296. The Jews knew how long the Babylonian prison should last I, 961. f.; in their prison they complained in vain I, 989. f.
Callousness. Is frenzy, not strength II, 944. f., unnatural and inhuman II, 1608, unchristian II, 945, 948, 1500, f. 1573, hated and condemned by God II, 1572, 1625, diabolical II, 1679, conceived by the monks in Egypt, confirmed by the pope II, 1679, exemplary of their G. II, 1608, f., how to meet the G. of the monks II, 1608, - S. unkindness, monks 2.
Contrasts. There are many kinds I, 267. f.
Secrets of the Scriptures. There is no shame in not knowing some of them 1, 536.
Gehenna. Origin of the word II, 1550. ff; this is what the scholastics call hell II, 1550.; is the place of the
The godless II, 1555, different from the Sheol of the godless II, 1555.
Obedience. Type and nature: word and profession belong together 1, 767.; word and profession alone make right G. I, 764.; the right one sticks to the word, does nothing of it, nothing to it I, 526. f. 1493.; does what God has commanded I, 761. f., and indeed has commanded him I, 762.; does not ask long why? I, 1125. f.; slow G. is no G. I, 1503.; G. rendered to men is rendered to God I, 1725. f.; right G. is the G. against parents I, 762. and authorities I, 763.; the outward G. must follow the inward, not vice versa I, 760.; G. without God's command is devil's obedience I, 764. f. 767. G. praises God's wisdom and goodness I, 529.; is comforting in misfortune I, 763. f.; blessed by God I, 1726.; a pleasing sacrifice to God I, 1523. Christians prove G. by willingly sending themselves into suffering I, 375. ff.; right G. is lacking I, 1726.; the devil is an enemy to it I, 1126. In the papacy much talk of G., but they did not know what G. was I, 761; the self-chosen one demanded by the pope is shameful I, 1523, leads to hell I, 764; how to answer the pope when he demands G. I, 765; the monks' distinction between G. who has something and G. who has little of himself I, 1124.
Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not come without the Word II, 263; his office is: to punish the world I, 458. 482; to make alive I, 12; is near to sinners to sanctify them II, 1202; can alone heal our naughtiness and harm I, 483; teaches only to understand the Scriptures rightly I, 452.Works true, constant friendship I, 798; makes meek and humble I, 1420; drives to honest, godly works II, 483; moves hearts by outward things: Word and ceremonies II, 293; is grieved when the pious are grieved at the world I, 454; the gift of the Holy Spirit can be noticed in outward gestures II, 1286. f.
- g. of Christ. Necessary to understand the Scriptures I, 456.
- g. of grace. What he is I, 456; on it hangs the spirit of prayer I, 456.
- G. of the Lord. The Holy G., not the wind I, II.
- certain G. What that is II, 1353. ff; nöthig II, 1931.
Cf. flesh
Spirits. How to test them I, 1531.
Clergymen. Who the papists call so and who really is a G. I, 1620.
Avarice. The most abominable of all abominations II, 612; a world of all shame and vice II, 614; a terrible monster that leaves no rest II, 654; foolishness I, 1627; suspicious II, 686; what it does to man is shown by Laban II, 508; makes him an unman II, 595, 597, 627 ff, is harmful to individuals and the whole community II, 614.; how God punishes him II, 586. ff., envy is the just punishment II, 612.; sticks to all I, 1627.; one must warn against it, even if it seems futile II, 588. 590. f.
Misers. Are like silver and gold idols, which have no sentiment II, 597. f., a harmful earth burden II, 598. 610.; lead the name of God, but useless II, 582. f., begrudge themselves nothing II, 612., do nothing good, except when they die II, 598., deal only in cunning and deceit II, 588., begrudge the after-
** 2150Money**Subject register. Stories2151
They will not escape the judgment of God II, 592; their riches are their ruin II, 592; they are unhappy with all their goods II, 612; they do not keep what they have gathered II, 205; their children live in want and beg II, 590; they are condemned by all nations II, 610; they are not to be admitted to communion II, 610.
Money and good makes proud 1, 440. f., makes, according to the proverb, noble and beautiful II, 1787.; G. bury an old habit, so much G. is lost II, 1597.
Opportunity. Is to be perceived I, 1262. f.; II, 98. f. Vows. G. of faith and love II, 452 ff;
G- are called in Scripture thanksgivings II, 454.; stand freely II, 453. 455. f.; when G. become a natural and moral commandment II, 453.; G. shall one keep II, M). f. 454. f.; "God a G. thun" II, 450. ff. - S. Jacob 9, monastic vows.
Community of qualities in Christ. What this is II, 398; the world, reason and the devil are annoyed by this article II, 398 f; the devil is an enemy of this mystery II, 403 f.
Generatio aequivoca. I, 66.
Genugthnnng for sin. The word "Genugthuung" should be taken out of the church II, 1455; G. is impossible for us II, 1463; Teaching of the Scholastics II, 1456.
George. 1. patron saint of peasants II, 1919.
- duke G. ordered to keep the papist religion in his country II, 652; foresaw that his two sons would die before him II, 1311; some think that he converted before his end II, 116.
- magister G. assassinated II, 1108. ger. Judah's son II, 1177. f.; with the 12th year husband II, 1166. 1177.; his wickedness was great II, 1180. - S. Judah I, 2.
Gerar. Location I, 1306.; II, 199.; accepted God's word I, 1340. f.-; Isaac's birthplace I, 1358.
Righteous. "Righteous in the sight of God" I, 537. not by works I, 620. is he who believes in Christ II, 1544.; the righteous in the sight of God also have sin, but it does not condemn them I, 1670. f. - S. Pious, righteous.
Justice. 1. in general. With any kind of G. is confidence and trust I, 1575. f.
- g. of God. It is not that he condemns people, but protects the wretched, punishes the guilty I, 1323. f.; comforts us when our conscience terrifies us I, 1324.; is the God by which we become righteous II, 1487.
- g. before God. Is twofold: perfect by faith, imperfect by life I, 1011.; God demands personal G. over fleshly birth I, 1451.; is found in Christ I, 760. 1022. 1025., obtained by faith I, 1451., known by works I, 1537. - S. Abraham 13, righteousness, holiness, justification.
- g. of the flesh. Not valid before God I, 1572. f.; II, 7O.ff.
- g. and frrede küffen each other II, 1810.f. Courts. 1. g. of God. G. a priori and a posteriori, what that is II, 70. f.; God warps with it, finally looks at it I, 506. f. 540.; are incomprehensible, annoying to reason I, 1128. f. 1285.; II, 71. f.; G. and accusation of God no godless or devil can bear I, 362.
- civil G. Wherefore ordered I, 599.
Gerson. He was annoyed by the marital life of the fathers II, 556; his books should be read, but with care I, 1253;
Opinion about: the contemplative life I, 1252. f., unreasonable strictness of the monks I, 845.
Odor. "Lovely smell" I, 572. f.
Rumor. S. Name 4.
Gerundensis. Missing in the interpretation, has probably good knowledge of words, but no knowledge of facts I, 322. f.
Gifts. Forbidden in the A. T., harmful in the regiment I, 1473.; whether one may make or accept them depends on the intention I, 1473. f.; G. propitiate II, 766. 1581. ff.; G. have made Eliezer I, 1694. 1711. ff. 1738., Jacob II, 766. ff. 832. ff. - S. bridal gifts, wedding gifts.
Stories. Imprint of five fingers on an altar II, 790. Agatha, the martyr II, 1994. Amiris flees from Sibaris I, 1258. f. Anastasia before the judge II, 1982. f. Challenge: how a nun overcame spiritual a. II, 182.; a "challenged" means that she does not believe II, 179. Antonius directed to a tanner I, 1181. dowry of 30 florins II, 206. peasant sharpens the tires of his wheels II, 275. f. A monk does not want to accept the office of bishop I, 763. A mother commits incest with her son II, 1003. Dompfaff at Erfurt has 20 fiefs II, 1732. Adulteress confesses on her deathbed II, 1006. Celibacy of priests abolished by Gregory I, 292. f. Marriage stood: Censorius recommends it I, 1176.A man calls his fertile wife a sow II, 532. f. Desire for honor: a bishop prays that he may be preserved from E. I, 923. Hermit wants to drown his weeping son I, 1523. Purgatory: origin of the lie of the F. and sacrificial mass II, 1547. Thoughts: council concerning evil G. II, 785. f. Insensitivity of the monks II, 1608. f. Miser who indulges himself II, 602. grace of God: whether one can infer it from earthly happiness I, 1430. f. Hannibal's dream II, 1049. f. Captain at Antioch abuses his power I, 820. henning, dr, as a disputator I, 1178. Hippocrates rescues an adulteress from condemnation II, 601. shepherds: infidelity and malice of the same II, 700. Jphigenia's history depicted by a painter I, 342. Child murderess: a Lacedemonian K. II, 1515; a K. betrays herself by her behavior I, 335. Klosterneuburg: dead children to K. I, 292. Life: a nun who led a contemplative life, mocked by the devil I, 1253. f. Lucia, St. II, 505. Luther and the Rottengeist, who claimed that before the fall there was no law I, 130. f. Martin, St., punished by the devil I, 336.; II, 1515. martyr bites off his tongue II, 1259. f. Mechtilde overcomes in temptation II, 783. miscarriage: a woman gives birth to a rat II, 602. monk: a m. who did not want to work II, 1244.; a m. puts lice in his cap II, 1878. f.; a m., who never heard of promise in Pabbism II, 1889. M o nica: dream of Augustine's conversion II, 252. f. 1308. f.; is heard I, 1111.; makes peace among women II, 350. Moles: a man whose face was like that of a dead man II, 602.; queen gives birth to a Moorish child II, 601. Pope: Leo's opinion on immortality I, 1243; Sixtus commands the sea to revel I, 1545. papists seek to keep a queen alive II, 1625; giant who was a good fighter II, 791. f. Schiffer's vow, pledged to St. Nicholas I, 895. Staupitz
** 2152Gender**Sach-R-gist-r. Violent2153
deposes a complaining prior II, 542. f. Shrub thief II, 1263. Baptism: a physician takes comfort in it and courageously confronts the devil II, 513. f. Turks mock Christians who have fallen in battle II, 51. Turks mock Christians killed in battle II, 51. Ingrate brings his benefactor to the gallows I, 977. Immortality: a physician is convinced of the same I, 930. f. Our Father: the value of a V. U. I, 1363. f.; how one, while praying it, lets his thoughts wander II, 32. Trying God: two brothers who traveled in foreign lands II, 1563. Vincentius, the martyr II, 1989. Forest brother who did not want to look at the sun II, 1641. Anabaptists interpret a bow in the clouds, with it was a bloody hand II, 423. Wrath: a monk in the desert overcome by anger II, 1502. Chastisement: a peasant does not want to be chastised by God II, 809.
Gender, male and female. Boys and men have a different disposition than girls and women II, 91. f. 159. 497.; women have special gifts before men I, 147.; are more merciful by nature I, 1362.; have special gifts for comforting, and also sometimes surpass men II, 946.They are quick to find good counsel, but are not fit for public office II, 686. f.; they are seen to be of greater use II, 2049.; they have not so many and great infirmities as men I, 1730. f. Each has its seed I, 1169.; the male is created to beget, the female to give birth II, 569. f., to nourish and educate others II, 1585.; the natural inclination of the g. to each other is God's work II, 477. - S. girl, man, women.
Gender register. 1, 404. ff. 708. ff. Why in Scripture confused II, 845. f.; give rise to innumerable questions I, 719.; one should not research in them II, 845. f.
Sexual parts. Sanctified by Christ I, 1666. Sexual instinct. Corrupted by the Fall I, 76.
Law. 1. law. Type and nature: G. existed already in the state of innocence I, 130. ff; distinguish between the G. before and after the fall I, 133. Moses and the fathers II, 144; what actually belongs to the G. Moses II, 14-4; the written G. concerns only the Jews, to the Gentiles it is written in the heart I, 1018, e.g. the commandment to love one's neighbor I, 339; the G. deals with the 4 pieces: Vice and virtue, punishment and reward I, 1077.; punishment and sword belong to the G. I, 988. Purpose, benefit, effect: what the G. served for before the fall I, 133. f., for what purpose after the fall I, 133.; it reveals sin, judges wrath II, 1491., makes sin alive I, 201.; II, 1494. and powerful II, 2083., terrifies I, 992., strikes down I, 1444., is an office of death I, 621. 1429., blows up I, 988.; II, 1883., does not make Christians I, 1077., cannot comfort conscience I, 619.Does not make righteous I, 769. 949.; II, 1018. Binding: G. concerns all I, 1017.; God is not bound to G. II, 1862. 1876. 1924., can dispense from G. I, 1231., also change moral law II, 515. Fulfillment: impossible even to believers 1, 948. End: Christ is the end of G. I, 1010. 1024. f., of the G.'s Moses II, 144. f. - S. commandments, grace 6, natural laws.
- law and gospel. Divorce, and mixture: to separate G. and E. rightly II, 392.; in it a preacher should be skillful I, 1430.; rightly
Divorce is wisdom above all wisdom I, 1068.; one has mixed both early I, 1009., so also in the Koran I, 1009. Office and effects: of both office I, 1427. ff.; only the E. can help the sinful nature I, 223. f.; G. without E. only directs wrath I, 218. 221. f.; to what end G. is useful in the church I, 1189. f.; to. teach G. so that we recognize our misery and desire grace I, 949.; God first preaches G., then E. I, 1330., so shall we also do I, 1426. ff; both are necessary, G. and E. II, 1875. f. 1890. 1922.; first G. must humble and frighten, then E. comforts and straightens I, 992. 1444.ff.; II, 1705. 1710. 1876. 1981. f.; G. kills, E. makes alive II, 1494.; when G. and E. come together, Christians become I, 1077. to whom to preach: for whom both are I, 1186. ff. 1205. 1208. f. 1210. f.; G. for the secure I, 1205.; E. to the brokenhearted I, 1427., to the afflicted, challenged II, 616.The natural man puts up with the E., if only he should not confess his sins I, 1569. Both must be taught in the church I, 1186. ff. 1204. f. 1208. f. 1210. f.; also the G. I, 1190. 1301.; the G. in the church necessary for the sake of the wicked and because even the saints still have flesh I, 1190. f. 1244. - S. Antinomer, Law Preacher, Grace 4.
- Jewish G. No longer applies I, 1221.
- worldly law is a wise man's counsel I, 846; law that disputes against love is not law I, 847; all laws and rights should be used for peace and directed to it I, 843. ff. 846; need a wise man to handle them I, 846. - p. love 6, law.
Cf. law.
Preachers of the law. Depicted by Noah's ravens 1, 619. ff; what they preach I, 619. f.; surpassed by Cato, Cicero in moral sermons I, 620. f. '
Visions. What a vision is I, 930; Satan can also produce them I, 931; II, 1049; divine visions lead people out of themselves so that they think they are dreaming I, 939.
Servants. Status: this status has the same honor as the masters' status I, 1728.; God loves servants and masters equally I, 996. Works: one serves faithfully for God's sake II, 483.; the least works, done in faith, please God II, 1742. f.; G. wants to be master in the house II, 554.; sins often, of which the Lord knows nothing I, 1467. Faithful G. is a blessing I, 1655.; II, 1231.; faithful serves not men but God I, 1725.; faithful is rare II, 483.; by faith Isaac had pious G. II, 129.; unfaithful G. a punishment I, 1655., makes household burdensome II, 700.; complaint about G. is general I, 1655. 1722. f. How servants who have a stingy master may act to come to their due reward II, 606. - S. Abraham 18, oversight, occupation I, Jacob 22.
Ghosts. By this Satan has moved many, I, 1525.
Conversations. One should lead G. at banquets I, 1159. f.; Christian G. refresh the heart I, 1159. f.
Celestial Service. How originated I, 18. 663. 1663. f. - S. Celestial bodies.
Gethsemane. Meaning of the name II, 1554; Christ suffered the pains of hell II, 1554; Christ called G. Gehenna II, 1554.
Mighty in the world. Why the tyrants before the
** 2154Conscience**Subject index. Belief2155
Sintfluth so called I, 477. f.; had their power from the devil 1, 478. - S. tyrants.
Conscience. 1. good G. One's thing II, 1106.; makes confident and cheerful II, 1595. f. 1684. 1721.; a rock in tribulations II, 1147. f.; how blessed he who has a good conscience II, 1107. f.; easily hurt II, 1723.
- frightened G. The miserable condition of a frightened G. I, 210.; II, 1960.; is difficult to comfort II, 2077. ff.; how to comfort I, 1351.; II, 1900.; faith soothes it II, 2080. f.; when we are punished, we take refuge in God I, 339.; the pain of God always returns despite the comfort of forgiveness II, 1107.- S. Anfechtung 9, Erschrockene, Traurig keit.
- evil G. is a terrible thing I, 351, a great misfortune II, 1106, the greatest punishment I, 719, an evil beast and Erinnye II, 1514. ff. 1521, a wound that cannot be healed II, 2076.A proof that one has sinned I, 215. What it does: it fears where it should not fear, and vice versa II, 1590. ff, 1684., flees from God II, 1599., exposes even the best in the worst way II, 1594. f. 1597. f., torments us because of false sins II, 1520. f., causes great torment II, 1514. ff., increases suffering II, 1148., makes fearful I, 207. ff.; II, 712.
- ff, makes enemies of God II, 1721., hinders prayer II, 1141., makes hell a hell II, 1595., lights the infernal fire II, 1720. It follows all kinds of sins II, 1106.; is power of sin I, 207. f. 209.; II, 1106.; death-witnesses and those who sin to death are tormented by remorse I, 351. f. Help: the blood of the Son of God is the right remedy II, 2079.; God's word calms it II, 1593. ff; confession of sin is the remedy for it II, 1522.; one accepts Christ's blood in faith II, 2080. f. - S. Anfechtung 9, Galgenreue, Reuel.
Certainty. G. in doctrine necessary II, 1352. ff.; G. on forgiveness of sin and blessedness a Christian should have II, 1353. f.
Gideon. From the tribe of Manasseh II, 2041; G.'s faith not like Abraham's I, 891; G.'s prayer no temptation of God I, 1698.
Giants. Origin of the fable of them I, 687. Gihon. The Nile I, 119. 123.
Gilead. There were two kinds of G. II, 2033.; famous place II, 715.; called differently in Jacob's time II, 663.; metaphorically: Jerusalem II, 715.
Faith. I. The Creed. From the words: I believe a holy Christian church I, 1408.
II. faith (fides). 1. importance of faith. It is the main part of Christian doctrine I, 1315; it is mentioned in praise for the first time in Scripture I, 940.
- the nature and character of faith. Faith is a gift of God I, 1554; II, 2089; not a ridiculous, cold quality and skill II, 381, as the papists think II, 418, but something living II, 381, a heavy thing II, 618; I, 556; II, 146 f.; a wonderful art II, 1963, different from all arts II, 284, not everyone's thing I, 757. f.; what the G. is I, 941. f. 943. f.; is more a suffering than an effect I, 756.; is a change of the whole nature I, 756. f.; "to believe" is to bless oneself in Christ I, 1567.; is a pleasing sacrifice to God I, 1319., the some and most pleasant service of God I, 1557. Our G. is another than that which is
Adam had before the fall I, 188. f. What historical faith is II, 287; the same does not put its trust in the word, does not exist in temptations II, 1905; historical faith also has the devil II, 1905. The faith is not always equally strong II, 288. f., sometimes strong, sometimes weak I, 530. f. 789. f. 927. 1553. II, 151. ff. 897.; wrrd often weak II, 1556. when he sees the attacks of the enemies Against the church and forgives God I, 704. f.; the weakness of the G.'s is of a different kind in experienced Christians than in young Christians II, 927. f.; the weak G. makes the heart despondent II, 927.It is strongest when it is weakest II, 750; God tolerates with long-suffering the weak G. II, 836, does not despise it II, 412, does not reject it II, 288; God allows that the G. often becomes weak, so that we do not become proud II, 928, comes from the flesh II, 411; we should be ashamed of our weak G. II, 2057; if we have no strong G., we should endure in the weak one, we should endure and fight in the weak one II, 305. f. - S. small faith, weak believers.
- object of the G. He does not deal with things present and visible, but with things future and invisible II, 4, 353, 757, 1292; clings to what is nothing and waits until it becomes everything II, 284; accepts things that are contrary to each other II, 1756, f.; believes the promises I, 1556, f.; grasps the blessing of Abraham confidently I, 1572, f. 1583.
4 The G. and the Word of God. By the Word of God, not by speculation, the Holy Spirit works the faith II, 290; we are to believe the Word I, 1552; Word and faith belong together I, 944. 1495; II, 1904. f. 1914. 1962; cannot be separated I, 567; faith is necessary where the Word is I, 188; all threats and promises demand it I, 940.The right faith trusts in the Word II, 1905; is necessary in order to be comforted by God's care II, 617; the faith has a good memory for the promise II, 1796; holds fast to it II, 284; in the greatest distresses I, 1318. f., in the battle against the flesh II, 287. f., whether he also feels the opposite II, 381. f., when God's counsel runs contrary to our thoughts II, 1290. f., when there is also nothing to hope for II, 1962. f.; the G. does nothing to or from the word I, 526.; the G. who stands on the word cannot be absent I, 792.; of the G. and the promises one must often preach II, 382. - S. Promise 3.
5 Exercise and growth of the spirit. The faith is always exercised in word and prayer II, 1339; grows gradually II, 1334; is stronger in adversity than in happiness II, 1729; needs exercise through works I, 1123, through crosses and adversities I, 1422.whose purpose is such exercise II, 755. f. 1011. f.; grows also by falling into sins I, 1327.; is strengthened by running together the examples of divine benefits II, 756. We never become masters in G. I, 1554. f.; we should ask for the increase of the G's. II, 1894.
- the power and effects of God: he does things that seem unbelievable and impossible II, 289; he must succeed in everything I, 891; II, 271 ff. 286; he obtains what he hopes for 1, 809; II, 1870; he makes all things possible for the believer II, 283 f; he does not despair when a plan does not immediately succeed II, 274 f; he sanctifies all things II, 468; he can do nothing wrong with God II, 468.
** 2156Belief**Subject register. Happiness2157
All loss is gain II, 1697.; nourished also in theurung II, 303. Through the G. the image of God is restored to some extent I, 411. and all we have lost is restored I, 1690. f.. The G. makes peace where otherwise there was enmity I, 691. f.; through the G. one attains righteousness before God, he makes just and blessed I, 941. ff. 952. f. 1018., he alone I, 1577. f. 1584., not insofar as he first receives his being through love (fides formata) 945, ff, not as a work, but because he takes hold of God's grace in Christ I, 316. f., not as our work, but as God's work I, 945.; he makes righteous, which David and the prophets recognized I, 1590. f.; he has influence on the bodily powers I, 414. f.; obtains God's grace I, 324. f.; II, 1893. f.; is the right True Life in God II, 1901.Makes one a heavenly man, conqueror of death, heir of life II, 1871; makes us, when we have died, alive II, 1901; proves itself in a hearty desire for Christ and for redemption from sin and death I, 430. f. - S. likeness.
- faith and prayer. Faith precedes, prayer follows II, 571; one should ask daily for faith II, 147; praying even if the faith is weak II, 1586; where there is prayer, there is also faith II, 1578.
8 G. and confession. Belong together II, 1297. f.; Confession follows where G. is II, 1203. 1228. f.
9 G. and works. Belong together, but should not be mixed together I, 1577. but kept far apart I, 945. ff. 1457.; are inseparable I, 1582. f.; the G. should precede I, 1706., the works follow as thanksgiving II, 446. f.; the G. is the main thing, then the works are good II, 471. f.; the G. cannot be without works I, 1510.; the works should follow II, 467.; from G. follows the obedience of the woman and servants I, 773. I, 1684; the G. is necessary in all states II, 542. f.; nothing pleases God that does not come from the G. I, 323. 1706; II, 2016; all works that come from the G. are pleasing to God I, 316. 858. ff. 866. 954. 1367. 1667.The G. makes them delicious II, 463. 471. 1750. even the minor works II, 479. ff. and those in which man is left free I, 860.; God looks on the G. I, 316. 328.; the works reveal and exercise the G. I, 1123. f., are fruits I, 1537. and testimonies of the G. I, 317.
Virtues that arise from the G. The G. is not without love, hope and other virtues, I, 946. 948; works glorious virtues. I, 948. f. The G. and love must be distinguished I, 947. f.; the G. is not without love I, 946. 948., is the mother of love I, 949.; fides informis II, 381.; the G. is the contemplative, love the real life II, 560. f.; the G., not love, makes just I, 948.
II. battle and victory of the G.. We are to prepare ourselves for the battle and exercise of the Lord I, 783; the Lord makes us brave I, 1554, performs great miracles I, 1498, f.; II, 129, looks to God's command and thus overcomes all enemies II, 286. The Lord is afflicted by temptations II, 381, tempted I, 786, tested by suffering II, 772.He does good works in peace, fights in temptations II, 658. f. 762. and overcomes II, 897. f.; cannot prevent evil thoughts II, 785. We should strengthen the G. in temptations I, 771.; if consolation did not also come, he would fall I, 828.
Thing, makes all suffering child's play I, 1067. The G. is an almighty fight Against the flesh II, 287. f.; is often hindered by original sin I, 1567. f., injured by fornication II, 1272. The G. triumphs over law, sin, and death, as promised already in Paradise I, 232. f. ; overcomes God if he persists II, 793. 795. f. 811. f.; God does not like to resist him II, 790.; through the G. one becomes master of sin I, 329.; he overcomes death I, 1513. ff.; II, 286. f. 1905.; proves his power especially in death II, 381.; the stronger the G., the weaker death, and vice versa I, 425. reason must be killed where G. is to have room II, 56.; G. is an unknown and hidden thing to reason II, 706.; appears small to it and like a vain delusion I, 556.; II, 289.; we are not to be misled in G. by reason II, 285. f., to dispute against its doubt I, 756., to take it captive under the obedience of G's. I, 193; the G. can unite things that are strictly contrary to each other, such as, life and death I, 1515. 1552. f. 1556. 1661. f., and also believes what is difficult to believe I, 1513. f., II, 618. II, 618. The G. stands alone against the whole world even under heavy adversities I, 466. ff. and against its judgment I, 537. f. and overcomes II, 382. overcomes world and devil II, 412. 906. - S. temptations 6, constancy.
12." False teachers. The papists know nothing of the right faith I, 1364. 1556. f.; II, 1569. 1904.; despise it as a small thing 1, 556. 1310., likewise the world I, 1306.
The gift of God. Is the gift of the G.'s II, 1487.
Cf. Abraham 10, constancy, David, Isaac 6, Jacob 6, Joseph 7, Lot 1, Noah 6, Rebekah, religion, Sarah, Fathers I; II, 3.
We are to believe the God who has revealed Himself in the Word I, 1552.
Fellow believers. To them before change Wohlzuthun I, 1140. ff.
To become a believer is to accept the word II, 1830.
Believers. 1. in general. Are Israelites II, 811. f.; to them, what is wrath, grace, and out of death life I, 615. f. 1519. f.; God loves them I, 1342.- S. Christ.
2nd G. of the A. T.'s. Had the same doctrine as we, preached of the future Christ II, 1751; believed the doctrine of the Trinity I, 708; how far they understood the promise of the woman-seed 1, 236. ff; live by the hope of redemption through the woman-seed, just as we do I, 241. - S. Fathers I; II, 3; models.
- g. & unbelievers. S. Pious 2. concurrence. What G. is II, 117.
Glossa ordinaria. Of the Ladder to Heaven II, 394 f.; Interpretation of I Mos. 49, II. 12. II, 1992.
Happiness. 1. happiness. World concludes from G. to God's grace I, 1218. f. 1430. f.; II, 343.; is a wrong conclusion I, 1217. 1400. ff.; II, 1615.; G. does not prove that a people is God's people I, 1400. f. Without the Holy Spirit G. works. Spirit works G. I, 1218.; II, 1386. ff. 1390. 1729.; makes fools II, 2038. behavior: in the G. one does not think of the possible misfortune II, 1539.; to bear G., it takes a man II, 1386. 1729.; in the G. we are not to boast of our merit II, 1631., not to exalt ourselves, but to humble ourselves I, 1217.; the God-
** 2158Grace**Subject index. Worship2159
The lesser ones become defiant and presumptuous in the G. I, 687., consider themselves the cause of all blessings I, 894. - S. grace.
- happiness and misfortune. Are with each other I, 1354.; G. harder to bear than U. II, 1386. 1395. f. 1849.; we are poor people in G. and U. II, 1539. f.; through both God tempts Christians II, 1622. f.; God is with us in G. and U. II, 1571. f., should be our refuge in both II,
- f.; should keep God's promise in both II, 194.; it is better to be with a gracious God in U. than in G. when God is angry II, 526.; to be humble in G., undaunted in U., requires a believing heart II, 1729., so Christians should behave II, 154. - S. Pious 2.
Grace. 1. grace of God. Is found only in Christ I, 1025; by the accidental grace many heathens in the OT became blessed 1, 368; what a great benefit is the grace revealed and given in the gospel II, 410; it is grace that God speaks to us in the ministry of preaching I, 869; it shines out from the curse on Satan in paradise I, 231; it remains when God speaks to us in the ministry of preaching I, 869, that God speaks to us in the ministry of preaching I, 869.; it shines forth from the curse on Satan in Paradise I, 231. ff; abides even when God seems to be angry II, 1490.; restores idolatrous men I, 723.Our heart does not understand God's exuberant grace I, 1109; how we come to grace and blessedness I, 1433; it is not within man's power to take hold of grace II, 2084; man by nature wants to earn it II, 108. ff; we must accept God in faith, otherwise we are lost II, 411; we should not doubt God, as the papists teach I, 1550; from divine promises we should conclude that God is merciful I, 1402.not from earthly happiness I, 1217. ff. 1400. ff. 1430. f.; II, 343. 1615.; one can fall from the G. I, 520.; G. abuse people to avarice II, 109. f.; examples of the G. serve the fearful for comfort 1. 732.f. -S. Happiness 1, nature 3, signs 2.
- find G. This expression excludes all merit I, 497. f.
3 G. and merit. Cannot coexist II, 448.; with God there is no V. but only G. I, 1420; doctrine of grace without merit confirmed by Abraham's calling I, 730. f.; whether man can earn grace by his natural powers, si non de congruo, tamen de condigno I, 580.
- g. & anger. G. the afflicted, Z. the secure I, 1191. f. - S. Law
- on G. we shall not sin 1, 376.; II, 2083. ff.; God punishes it II,
- ff.
6 G. and the law. G. is master of the law II, 1862.
Means of grace. Spiritual eyes are needed to recognize their glory II, 434 f.; where they are, there we find God I, 1048; II, 2000; in them heaven is spread over us II, 1098 f.; God could save without them II, 778; without them the Holy Spirit does not work I, 1251; God gives them to us for salvation II, 1049 f.; they are not given for external works, but that we may remember the benefits of Christ II, 1251. Without them the Holy Spirit does not work I, 1251; God gives them to us for our salvation II, 1049. 2000; they are not given for the sake of outward works, but that we may remember the benefits of Christ II, 918; by them Christ wants to remove the doubt about salvation from the hearts I, 1066.They are also vigorously administered by the ungodly I, 1405. 1408. e. g. among the papists I, 1405.; because they are commonplace, they are despised I, 1118. f.; human nature does not want to be satisfied with them II, 561.; we are to adhere to them II, 778. f., use them reverentially II, 1842.
- S. appearances 1, preaching office, sacraments, key, word 3, 4, sign 2.
Gog and Magog. Gog means roof I, 658; which peoples are G. and M. I, 658.
Goyim. No shameful name I, 744.
Golgotha. S. Place of the Skull.
Gomer. Meaning of the name, occasion for it I, 664.; residence I, 657. f.; which peoples father I, 657. f.
Gosen. Location II, 1715. 1776. f. 1794.; fertile II, 1776. f. 1794.
God. 1. God. All consider G. to be a divine power that is benevolent II, 758. When dealing with the essence of the Godhead, distinguish between the hidden and revealed G. II, 176.; from the hidden and revealed G. II, 184. f.; G. is a spirit I, 487., unified and triune II, 213. ff, which doctrine, of course, cannot be comprehended II, 214.; the divine essence in itself is incomprehensible 1, 21.; G. is in his essence quite unknowable and incomprehensible I, 487. f. before as after creation I, 13.Man cannot find G. through his reason I, 1046. f.; we are not to inquire about him II, 176. ff.; whoever wants to inquire about G., let him look out of the service of God I, 1059.; apart from the word one does not have the right G. I, 1718.One should stick to the Word, not speculate beyond it I, 17; G. is where the means of grace are I, 780. 1048. 1116.; only from the G. revealed in the Word is life to be hoped for I, 1064. Is a G. not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles I, 1023. 1029.; II, 909. 1408. f.; what this means: "to be someone's G." I, 1057. f. 1064. 1067. 1518.; II, 758.; was in a special sense the nourisher and protector of the Jews I, 1016.; is our father I, 155.; does not look at the person I, 328. We have a G., who talks and deals with us I, 1118.; he does not deal with us according to his majesty, but condescends to us I, 1442. 1448. f. 1549.; this is necessary, but we despise G. precisely because of this I, 1442. f. 1448. f. Jews, Turks and Papists have an Aristotelian G. I, 1551. - For G.'s qualities see under: Omnipotence, Mercy 2c. - S. furthermore: face, threats, honor, oath 1, knowledge 1, 2, appearances 2, gifts, grammar 2, help, life, human words, name I, repentance, rest, creator, mockery, punishment, providence, works I, will, benevolence 2, word, wrath I.
- the strong G. Isaac. Is Christ II, 853.
- tree, garden, city G.'s. What this means I, 849. ff.; II, 546. f.
Worship. 1. right G. What it means to serve God I, 398.; consists not in ceremonies, but in invocation and thanksgiving I, 400. f. 778. 1058. f.; II, 921. in honor and fear I, 1493. 1537. f.; II, 721., in faith, hope, love II, 4. 8. in waiting for the profession I, 1058. f.; the highest G. is to believe God to be true I, 1182. 1537.; II, 64. 129. ff. 183. in waiting for his help II, 4. ff. II, 4. ff.; the right, highest command is to teach and pray, followed by the killing of the flesh II, 936. f..
- false, self-chosen G. False G. exists at all times 1, 727. f.; the G. is not Sadducian or Epicurean I, 1059.; the G. of the hypocrites does not please God II, 721.The G. of the wicked is forced and in vain I, 1537. f. Self-chosen: without God's command, do not address a G. I, 567. ff.; II, 906. f.; reject all self-chosen G. I, 1538.
** 2160Fear of God**Subject register. Good2161
- ff. 1597. f.; it does not please God I, 1437.; II, 778. f.
- ff.; is sin, idolatry I, 567. 778.; whether Noah's sacrifice was without God's commandment I, 567. ff.; self-chosen G. arises when one forsakes God's word II, 779.It pleases people II, 912. and is found among Turks, Jews, monks, papists I, 567.; II, 777. 907. 1109.; the zeal for self-chosen G. is always greater than the zeal for the right II, 2016.
- place, time, ceremonies of the service. Place: one cannot serve God anywhere if he has appointed a certain place for it II, 777.; G. in the A. T. bound to Jerusalem II, 776. ff.; G. in the open would be good for the sake of many causes I, 348. The morning time was ordained in Scripture and custom for prayer and preaching I, 99. Ceremonies in the state of innocence simple, G. without much trouble and expense I,
- S. Ceremonies.
Fear of God. S. Fear 3.
God-fearing. S. Christian.
The wicked. God gives them the very best in the flesh I, 853. f.; God's gifts are detrimental to them I, 1330.; God laughs at their plots I, 703., nullifies them II, 1949. f.; God dislikes everything about them II, 848.; usurps the name of the church 1, 933.; draw the promises from themselves, despise the threatenings I, 497. 936. f. 1274. f.; confess God only in words II, 675.; do not fear God where he is to be feared I, 1538.; are punished with an evil conscience I, 373. f.; II, 712. 719.; cannot pray I, 494.They prophesy their own misfortunes I, 695. 699.; what they fear befalls them I, 699.; the misfortunes they threaten others with befall them II, 695.; they sin only to exercise their will of courage I, 1194.In times of need they are despondent, but then again the old ones I, 895; they fall again and again into sin I, 1334; a single person can make a whole city go astray I, 1100; death always comes to them unexpectedly I, 544; their happiness does not have a good end II, 373.
Godlessness. G. and superstition remain one time as the other I, 727; G. and foolishness are with each other I, 340; G. follows from contempt of the word II, 98; G. the greater, the purer and more abundantly the word preached I, 1200. f.; increases from day to day I, 506. Godly. Are miracles and gifts of God II, 773; do not only wait for spiritual exercises II, 1076; must suffer persecution I, 1393, expect temptation and cross II, 126 f. 139, that is necessary and salutary II, 807 f.; must finally be victorious in the battle II, 800; God helps them II, 899, counts their tears II, 772; must walk carefully for the sake of their enemies II, 1028.
- g. and hypocrites. The hypocrites have a greater appearance than the Jews II, 308; they talk like the Jews but do not mean it sincerely II, 709; they try to deceive the Jews physically and spiritually II, 712; they murder the Jews under a good pretense I, 331; it is difficult for the Jews to deal with the hypocrites II, 708 ff. 713; the Jews should flee the community of the Jews II, 713.
Godliness. One practices G. when one goes along faithfully in one's profession I, 867.
Idols. From which made II, 923. f.; gave such among the Jews in Moses' time II, 651., David's II, 650. f., among the Germans in Luther's time II, 650. f.; Jacob buries them II, 924. f., Moses b:etet them to be buried.
burn II, 924. f.; whether this is still necessary II, 925. f.; the church has melted them down II, 925. f.
Idolater. Who is a G. I, 183. f.
Idolatry. What thereby the main thing II, 9I3.; one did not intend to worship wood and stones II, 674. f. 922.; driven in the funniest places II, 939.; driven by the Jews II, 960. in the valley Thopheth II, 1550. ff., also in the Pabstthum II, 913. f. - S. idolatry.
Tomb of Christ. Whether there where Jacob saw the ladder to heaven II, 428.
Tombstones. The fathers in the Old Testament adorned the graves with them II, 971; they remind us of eternal life II, 971; the pagans decorated the graves splendidly II, 1836.
Degrees in the universities. Purpose II, 1404.
Grammar. 1. grammar. Alone it is not sufficient for scriptural interpretation I, 364. 451. f. 998. ff. 1002.; clumsy interpretation comes from the G. I, 451. f.
- g. of God. In it all creatures words I, 60. grammarian. Task of a good G's. II, 849. Gregorius. Did not recognize Christ very well II, 1977;
Did not understand what real and contemplative life is II, 956; believed all apparitions I, 1527. f.; by his alleged apparitions he caused much harm to the church I, 1121. f.; founder of the lie of purgatory and masses II, 1547.His decree on priestly celibacy I, 293. Opinions and sayings on the recognition of guilt I, 1347. f**.**; the ungodly II, 1150.; the ladder to heaven II, 395. II, 884.
Gnechen. The very worst people I, 854; their kings very inclined to fornication I, 804.
GE. S. Agricola.
Grimmwalt. II, 1287.
Greater Greece. I, 658. f.
Reasons. In G. the land is arid II, 199.
Good. 1. Distinguish between what is worldly good and what is theologically good I, 483.
- good and evil. God's word makes something good or evil I, 117. f.
Good. Honestly acquired good is blessed by God II, 206; wrongful good does not prosper, brings punishment II, 205. f. 586. ff. 590. f. - S. goods, sweat.
Goodness of God. Is immeasurable, infinite, incomprehensible II, 729. inexhaustible II, 1698. 1700.; surpasses the malice of evil angels II, 731. f.; where God is, there is everything II, 569.; God is so kind that he would not let anything bad happen if he could not make it good again II, 685.God delights in doing us good I, 573; God's goodness must be experienced, cannot be known by speculation II, 1383; has revealed itself manifold I, 47. f. 50. 87. 1087.
Goods. I. Temporal, physical, earthly. They are good gifts and creatures, but are misused I, 830, 832, 855, f.; II, 296, but therefore not to be rejected I, 857; God distributes them as he wills II, 1071, and gives them to us for comfort I, 828, f.; they should not be despised II, 297, but used I, 833, f., be thankful for it II, 296. f.; let a pious heart be brought to use it I, 833.; the natural man abuses it, the renewed man needs it rightly I, 856. f.; how believers look at it and use it I, 739.; II, 121.; do not set your heart on it I, 918. - S. gifts, riches.
- clerical G. What is meant by it I,
** 2162 Good and evil**factual register. Heathens2163
- f.; the highest are: Knowledge of eternal giving, faith, hope of resurrection I, 1421. f.; what does not belong to it II, 103. f.; it cannot be bought or sold II, 107. ff.; how to use II, 111. f.; what the papists call "g. G." I, 1619. f. - S. gifts, simony, time 2.
- heavenly life is more certain to us through faith than earthly life II, 1869.
Good and evil. Much more G. than B. in the world II, 728. ff. - S. Good.
H.
Hair. Causes of gray H. II, 1799. f.
Greed and ambition are found in Noblemen, Lords and Princes I, 915.
Hadad. II, 1016. f.; pious ib.
Hadar. II, 1017. f.
Hagar. I, 990. ff. 997. ff. 1435. ff. Was faithful and righteous I, 1001. f. 1006.; an excellent matron II, 9.; had bodily and spiritual temptations I, 1424. f. 1435. ff. 1448. f.; became a mother in the church and what she taught I, 1439.; an image of carnal men I, 990. and of the false synagogue I, 1000. f. - S. Abraham 23, Ketura.
Halberstadt. Where the name comes from I, 1610.
Hall. Salt well at H. I, 546.
Ham. 1. Noah's son. I, 627. ff. 640. ff. Meaning of the name and occasion of it I, 654. f.; Noah's youngest son I, 435. 502. 664. f.; believing before the Flood, afterwards rejected I, 519. f.; first disturbed the blessed state after the Flood I, 684.; had gradually fallen I, 630. f. 640.; original sin made him presumptuous and proud I, 630. ff.; was a despiser of God, hence also of his father 1, 638.; of the greatness of his sin against Noah 1, 639. 687.; why his name does not appear in Noah's prophecy I, 640. 650. f.; despised the curse I, 641. f.; of the fulfillment of the curse I, 642. f. 647. f. 665. f.; held the best lands I, 666.; resemblance to Cain I, 648. 655.; his terrible example should be diligently held up to the youth 1, 639. - S. Noah 14.
- H.'s gender. I, 664. ff. Residence I, 657.; despised Noah's curse I, 657.; pffanzte the idolatry in the Orient I, 656.; not All damned I, 644. 1033.
- the land of Ham. Not further known I, 880. Laying on of hands. An ancient usage II, 1860. trading cities. Always the most famous cities I, 665. f. Hanna. Despaired that she would have children II,
Annas. From the tribe of Simeon II, 117.
Hannibal. His command after the battle of Cannae II, 749.; his dream and its interpretation II, 1049. f.; God set a goal for his march against Rome II, 815. f. 931.; vincere scis, H., etc. II, 931.; no hero like Abraham I, 889.
Hanoch. I. Meaning of the name I, 383. f.; location of the city I, 668.
2 Hanoch and Enoch. Hanoch, Cain's son, a beginning of the bodily, Enoch of the spiritual blessing I, 384.
Haran. 1- Abraham's brother. I, 722"; Jewish opinion of his martyrdom I, 722.
- the land. 1, 772.
- the city. Shall also have been called Charran
II, 387; the Romans defeat there II, 387. 475; H. was a church and excellent school II, 1015.
Wait. The doctrine that one should wait on God is ridiculed by the worldly II, 5; waiting on God is difficult II, 4, not a work of the flesh or of hypocrites II, 4; right worship II, 4 f., does not disgrace II, 6 f.; Isaac waited II, 3 ff - see Help.
Resin. Various species II, 1124.
Hatred. Human hatred decreases, devilish hatred against the saints of God increases daily I, 343; hinders prayer II, 1141; makes one flee a man II, 1070.
Capital. The other cities are usually based on it I, 1223. f. 1227.
Housework. For this Rebekka stopped I, 1707. f.
Matron. Her office II, 625. f., highest praise I, 1171.; is afflicted and humbled I, 1165.; Sarah a holy H. I, 1165.; Leah and Rachel godly H. II, 540. - S. Household.
Household. Founded by God II, 1073. beloved I, 990. governed and protected I, 992. f.; II, 523. 562. 617. adorned with promise II, 1732. necessary II, 458. f. 1073. f.; laborious I, 979. f.; II, 700. works of the H.'s are pleasing to God, do not hinder worship II, 1072. ff; domestic works are to be distinguished from self-chosen ones I, 1178., are commanded I, 1479., if done in faith, pleasing to God I, 1162. ff. 1724.; II, 569., . delicious I, 1172. f., held high by Christ and the apostles I, 1163; they surpass all the works of monks I, 858. f. 1161. f. 1479; have no appearance before the world I, 1180. The right doctrine of the works of the H. should be impressed on the youth II, 1074; H. does not depart without sin I, 821; those who do not want to be chastened should be expelled from the house I, 1034. f.; H. must not be evaded II, 1072.; it demands believers II, 542.; Christians must also administer the domestic regime II, 458. ff.; the papists despise H. and his works II, 1072. ff.; Satan, an enemy of H., wreaks havoc in it II, 327. f. - S. Marriage, maternity, paternity, estates, fathers II, 7.
Head of the household. His office II, 88. f. 1240.; responsible for the deeds of his subordinates I, 1034.; how he should conduct his office II, 279. - S. household.
Hazelon Thamar I, 881.
Midwives. S. Wehmutter.
Hebrews. 1. the people. Where the name comes from I, 679; occasion I, 715. 885.
- the letter to the authors II, 1886; sees Cap. 13, 2. on Gen. 18, 2-5. I, 1133.
Hebron. Location II, 199. 853.; royal city I, 782.; fourth holy I, 672.; earlier names of H.'s I, 1609.
Hebronites. Fell after Abraham's time from I, 1631. 1635. f. - S. Abraham 24.
Fence and stealers equal II, 885.
Heathens. 1. in general. How far they know God I, 1056.; have no hope because they do not believe I, 1514.; God has not rejected them II, 1172. ff, shall be saved I, 1114.; the promise of Abraham's seed also concerns them I, 1560.; held sin for worship I, 455.; "Gentiles," according to the language of Scripture, are the peoples on the Mediterranean I, 878. - S. Jews 3.
- in the A. T. Should not be circumcised, but be made partakers of the blessing of Abraham I, 749. 1028. f. 1032. f. 1036. 1044. 1046.; II, 228. f. 1418. f.;
** 2164Heal**Subject Registry. Jerome2165
for which the circumcision of the Jews served them I, 1028. f. 1031. 1043. f. 1055. 1068. 1093.; could not become God's people through circumcision, but through faith I, 1052.; many H. have been made partakers of spiritual blessings I, 767. f. 875. 884. 1014. 1023. f. 1026. 1345. and blessed I, 356. f. 1031. ff. 1044. 1055.; II, 1952., by accidental grace I, 368. f. 644. f. 1033.; II, 984. f., but not as Gentiles, but by the Word II, 1705. f. 1827. ff., by faith I, 1078.; their calling was prophesied by Noah I, 646. f. 653., really happened I, 654. 706. 876. f. 909. 920. 1302. 1307. 1332. f. 1631.; II, 908. ff.; have received the Word from the Jews II, 1758. 1831.
Heil. Comes from the Jews I, 646.; H. often means victory II, 2027.
Saints. 1. the true H. who are holy II, 459. 705.; Christians should not be ashamed to call themselves H. II, 391.; still have sin, infirmities, and grievous pestilences I, 1669. f.; II, 664.; even the best fall II, 8^.; God preserves them from sins I, 1331. f.; how to preach of them I, 734.; the H. were men like ourselves I, 1309. - S. Christian, flesh 2.
- the H. of the pope. The pope makes them pure angels I, 723.; they are very unlike the true monks in Scripture I, 1309. f.; these, not the monks of the pope, we are to follow I, 1310. 1315. f. - S. Monks
Saints. Means: to set apart for worship I, 96. f. Halo. The right H., the word of God II, 1760. f. Holiness. What right holiness consists in II, 456 ff. 1566; is of two kinds: perfect holiness through the word, imperfect or works holiness through love and works II, 390 ff.; both kinds of holiness to be distinguished II, 392. 413 ff.; both should be together, works holiness follows the holiness of the word II, 415 f.; works holiness is necessary II, 414 f., The world is pleased with it II, 413. f.; it must not be preferred to holiness of the word II, 414.f.; what holiness the papists boast of I, 528.; they consider only celibacy to be holiness II, 238. - S. Monks 2, Holiness of Work.
Sanctification. Must increase II, 2003. ff; will not be perfect in this life I, 241. 411. - S. Saint 1, Nature 3.
Secrecy. Shall not reveal II, 1002. Henry, Duke of Saxony. Supported church and
School II, 450.
Heinz Mordbrenner. Wanted to be considered hasty and just II, 708.
Helena. II, 882.
Hemath. Is Antioch I, 677.
Hemor. II, 864. ff. Is called ass II, 883; proud II, 870. f. 881. f.; despiser of God and man II, 872; makes himself partaker of the sin of Shechem II, 872; hypocrites II, 872.
Henning, Dr. Could disputiren well I, 1178.
Hcnoch. I, 417. ff. Why his story was recorded in Scripture I, 427; it teaches immortality, victory over death and sin I, 403. 405. 419. 427; what reception it found among his contemporaries, the pious I, 419. ff. 424. f. 428, the godless I, 427. H. was also a sinner like us I, -M5. 422. 426; as he walked before God I, 421. f.; a husband and householder, not a monk I, 419. 428; led his godly life in public preaching I, 418; was great because of his profession and preaching I, 419; courageous before others against Satan and the Caini.
I, 418. f.; then Adam dead, Seth high priest I, 422.; now lives a divine, eternal life I, 421. f. 426. - S. Hanoch 2.
Hercules. II, 516. - S. Theseus.
Origin. S. Birth I.
Herod. Ruled illegally and tyrannically over the Jews II, 324. f. - S. Bethlehem.
Herodotus. What he says of the Egyptians II, 1613. Glory. S. Suffering 3, Lowliness.
Dominion, over the animals. We have only a remnant I, 82. 162; after the Flood increased by God I, 589. f.; we have it, although we are afraid of animals, which rage against us I, 593. f.; when sins increase, the H. decreases 1, 593. f.; that Satan does not have it, a great boon I, 162. - S. Thiere I.
Desire to rule. Comes from Original Sin II, 1410.
Heart. God sees into the heart I, 259., wants to have the heart above all II, 258., has man's heart in his power II, 815.; he alone can change it II, 815.; to change man's heart and will is the most glorious victory II, 816. f. A sorrowful heart often repeats the complaint I, 541. ff.; "to steal one's heart" II, 653. ff.
Hesiod. Saying: of becoming married II, 488, of three kinds of people II, 1365.
Hittites. From where the name II, 993; mighty people, the worst among the Cananites II, 993.
Hypocrisy. Is suspicious II, 686.; can do frightening things II, 1142., cannot deceive God II, 259.; godly shall be enemy of H. II, 258.
Hypocrites. II, 481. ff. Have no God II, 679.; are treacherous and cunning II, 132. wolves in sheep's clothing, deceive others II, 258.; their hatred is not human but diabolical I, 343.; make many words that have a great appearance II, 307. 710. f. 715. 720.; disguise themselves II, 1612.They pretend to serve God and neighbor I, 333; go to church, but inwardly despise God's word II, 90. 721; boast of God and godliness II, 716; act friendly until opportunity comes to harm I, 331. f.; accuse others unjustly II, 680.They adorn themselves, despise others II, 717; are stiff-necked and hostile even in manifest sins, want to be the holy of holies I, 337. f. 339; cover up or deny their sins I, 336; consider it the greatest shame to confess a sin II, 871.They accuse God rather than be accused, I, 340; they cannot be made to repent properly, II, 699; a sinner is such a monster that he cannot sin, nor can he be converted, II, 708; of sinner's repentance, II, 660. ff. Christ punishes H. most severely II, 1128.; their service is not pleasing to God II, 721.; their punishment is an evil conscience II, 719.; God does not leave them hidden for long I, 340.; an image of H. is Cain I, 331. f., Esau II, 99.- S.Godly 2.
Locusts. In 1542 I, 594.
Hevila. Which countries H. encompassed I, 119. 123; now still a rich country I, 123.
Hiddekel. The Tigris I, 119. 123; a swift water I, 123.
Hierarchies. I, 287. f.
Hieroglyphics. S. Picture language.
Jerome. 1. the church father. Complains of lewd dreams II, 530th; prays in a hymn: Ne Solluantur etc. II, 1928.; was moved by a single word to a violent diatribe I, 1356.
** 2166Hilarion**Subject register. Holle2167
As translator and interpreter of Scripture: translates too freely II, 1261, erroneously II, 1307, obscures the text II, 1336, 1425; translates Gen. 49, 4, II, 1929, v. 6, II, 1942; praises the allegories I, 284, allegorizes I, 284, II, 557, his allegories are erroneous I, 612, 626, II, 774, 811. 626.; II, 774. 811. opinions & sayings about: Gen. 38, 14. II, 1189.; Gen. 49, 11. 12. II, 1985.; the Anachoretes 1, 997.; Judah's incest with Thamar II, 1168.; repentance as the other board II, 1465.; "Chesib" and the patriarch Judah's wife II, 1163.; Abraham's marriage with Keturah I, 1744.; the conjugal life of the fathers II, 556. ; the second marriage I, 1748. ; "Gehenna" II, 1550. ; the miserly II, 612. ; Gosen II, 1777. ; "Israel" II, 795. ; Jacob II, 1745.; Joseph's honorific title II, 1402., beautiful figure II, 2041. f.; Judas Iscarioth II, 104. 1717.; kibrath II, 961. f.; a martyr who bit off his tongue II, 1259. f.; the monastic life I, 1596. f.; II, 642. 943. 1678.; the breeding of horses in Spain II, 602.; Potiphar II, 1222. 1414.; reeh and roeh II, 1186. 1202.; sar hattabachim II, 1222.; the seventy II, 593. 1847. f.; the tribe of Simeon II, 1117. 1717.; Thabor II, 2018.; the tower Eder II, 972.
Jerome of Prague. A righteous, holy member of the church I, 459; had undaunted courage and constancy I, 538; was drunk with salvation. Spirit II, 2002. f.
Hilarion. His austere life I, 1355; what to think of it I, 865. f.
Hilarius. Opinion: of the difference of the persons in God I, 61, of the days of creation I, 6. 45.
Heaven. 1. meanings of the word I, 35. ff. 40. 52.
- the firmament I, 29. ff. From where the sky in Hebrew has its name I, 40. 52.; it is a wonder that it does not melt or break 1, 29. f.; thinner and its than the air I, 30.; why it appears blue I, 30. - S. fire sky, crystal sky, spheres.
- the heavens of all heavens. The whole firmament I, 37. f.
- heaven of the blessed. We cannot say anything certain about it I,
- h. and earth. Have now a work dress, will one day wear a Pentecost dress ll, 1739. f.
- H. and hell. Better with God in hell than without God in H. II,
Ascension of Christ. S. Christ 2.
Kingdom of Heaven. In it, everything is divided equally among the unequal I, 1074.
Celestial Army. The stars and planets I, 90th - S. Star service, sign 1.
Celestial bodies. The celestial bodies were ordered and preserved by God's word I, 36; they were considered to be rational creatures I, 57, eternal and, as it were, gods I, 50.
Ladder to heaven. Mancherlei Auslegungen II, 394. ff; wo Jakob sie sah II, 428.
Job. The name H. is found in the German nobility II, 1015. Who was H. I, 1601; II, 383. 1014. ff; mighty, wise, understanding in the word of the Lord I, 1601.; II, 383. 1015.; God tested his faith and constancy I, 822. H.'s wife did not murmur right in the beginning II, 1326.; H.'s friends wise, learned men II, 1016.
Hippocrates. Saves a woman accused of adultery from condemnation II, 601
Hiram. Recognized the right God I, 1052.
Shepherds. Can contribute much to the fertility of the herd II, 697.
Hezekiah. His prayer no temptation of God I, 1698.
Hoba. I, 891.
Hochmuth. S. Court ride.
Wedding. Vom rechten Maß der Fröhlichkeit und des Gepränges I, 1717. f.
Wedding gifts. Not reprehensible I, 1694. - S.
Wedding banquets. Not to be rejected I, 1692. f.; purpose of the same I, 1693. 1714. - S. Gastmähler.
Courts. The seven deadly sins are more prevalent in the courts of princes than anywhere else, II, 1726; blessed is he who can take care not to go to the courts, II, 1789.
Hoffahrt. Type and nature: is devilish I, 985, a sin against the 1st commandment I, 1452, foolish II, 1388, f.; glosses over God's word I, 994; leads to carnal vices I, 441; makes people mad and senseless II, 1388, f. 1392. f. In whom it is found: all men find hopeful I, 440. 980.; II, 1370. f. 1390.; would not be fit for angelic service I, 1687. f.; H. is implanted in us I, 312. f. 985.; II, 1389. 1631.; we cannot but pride I, 924.; H. is found in all estates I, 981. f.; What men are proud of II, 1388.; we always abuse honor to H. I, 314.; H. the greater, the greater the gifts I, 438. 477. 923. f.; H. follows where the doctrine of grace expires I, 1453. f.; H. was the sin of the first world I, 439. Punishment: H. makes unholy men II, 1389. f. 1392. f.; God is their enemy I, 299. ff. 477. 994. 1430. 1444. 1453.; II, 1372. 1389. 1393., punishes them I, 313. 437. ff. 1689. f.; II, 81. ff. 263. f. 1370. f.; by H. one loses the divine promises II, 243., most of the firstborn in Scripture become wretched II, 987.God overthrows the hopeful II, 242. Fighting: God wants to dampen the pride, we do not want to suffer that I, 312.; how to resist the pride II, 1390.; we should remember the examples of punished pride 1, 439. Recognition: the pagans have not recognized why God humiliates the high I, 313. f.
Hope. Is comforting II, 1217; hope in God's promises seems vain II, 50; is not I, 695; right hope does not disgrace I, 810, 827; God is gracious to those who hope in him I, 806; we should not lose hope even when we feel God's wrath I, 1004; when in danger and distress there is no hope I, 615, 810. f. - Parents 2, fear 5, patience 4, waiting.
Politeness. S. Sitting.
Court henchmen. Found at all courts I, 1474.; seek only their own benefit I, 1460.; often hinder the will of the princes I, 1467. f.
Hosteufel. Is not todt II, 1726.
High priest. From his dress II, 1039., his forehead leaf I, 1713.
Holle. What and where it is II, 2067. f.; H. is the wrath of God II, 1720., being deprived of God's sight I, 1762.; punishment all the more severe because it will be recognized as deserved I, 255.; the greatest chastisement will be that the wicked cannot escape, whether they want to I, 211. - S. Gehenna, Conscience 3, Heaven 6.
** 2168 Hell of Christ**factual register. Isaac2169
Ascension of Christ into Hell. S. Christ 2.
Horites. Whence the name II, 1001; Edomites in stony Arabia I, 880; driven out of Seir by Esau's family II, 999.
Hosea. Prophesied against Israel I, 779; labored 80 years, converted many II, 2047. - S. Prophets 2.
Hugo. Aergert sich am ehelichen Leben der Väter II, 556. Hülfe Gottes. God can and will help II, 1386.; his help begins when all seems lost II, 1285.; God is a helper I, 777.; II, 893. f. 901. ff, helps the godly I, 806. f. 818. 826. 899.; he may well forgive, but certainly helps in due time I, 777. 807. 883. f. 891. f.; II, 5. f. 1677.; H. G.'s closest when distress is greatest II, 1640.; from this one should wait patiently I, 561. 1692.; how one should comfort oneself when God tarries II, 5. 1324. f. - S. Prayer 7, Harren.
Whore houses. Not to be allowed I, 1231. f.
Fornicators. Also have misery, like husbands II, 362.
Fornication. Original sin makes one inclined to it, I, 975; displeases God, 1, 294; brings bodily and spiritual harm, I, 975; single man is sin, I, 204. 1225.
Huss. Righteous member of the church I, 459; had undaunted courage and constancy I, 538; was drunk with the Holy Spirit II, 2002 f.; punished the papacy for simony II, 105. Spirit II, 2002 f.; punished simony in the papacy II, 105; his death was of no use to the pope II, 1950.
Hyperbole. Speech Figure II, 69. f. 1978.
Hypotheses. Are useful I, 33. f.
Hysteron proteron. Figure of speech II, 548. f.; often makes the narrative dark II, 572.; very common II, 549. ff., also in Scripture II, 1066. f. 1158.; examples: II, 982. 1067. 1158. 1220. 1511. f.; one must pay attention to the same in interpreting Scripture II, 549. 1510. ff. - S. Anticipatio, Recapitulatio.
I.
I can't. Beware of the "I. k. n." II, 751. idumea. Former inhabitants II, 1008. f.
India. S. Hevila.
Islands. Whether I. rise from the sea I, 662 Iphigenia. Paintings of her history I, 342.
Ir. Theil Ninives I, 674.
Irad. Meaning of the name I, 384. f.
Heresies. One brings the other II, 1277. 1829. - S. Teaching 3.
False teachers. Through them God tempts us I, 1533. f.; distressing when they disturb the doctrinal unity II, 245.; to them one brings itching ears I, 726. f. - S. Heretics, Prophets 3, Rottengeisters.
Error. Follows from rash disputations I, 16. f. 192. f.; God's grace brings back from it I, 723. - S. Irrlehren.
Isaac. 1. birth of J.. I, 1368. ff. I.'s birth was miraculous, not the result of carnal pleasure I, 1376., happened by virtue of the promise I, 1101., he was first conceived in faith before he was bodily begotten II, 2028. f.; is a picture of the resurrection I, 1096.
- name J.'s. Where the name comes from I, 1104.
- apparitions and revelations. II, 138. ff. 210. ff. God does not speak to him as often as to Abraham II, I., only once or twice II,
- promises I. happen. II, 138. ff. 210. ff.
- covenant of God with I. A twofold: of circumcision and of promise I, 1115.
- faith of J. II, 3. ff. In the knowledge
muh he still grow II, 77. ff. 93. ff; has understood the doctrine of the Trinity and resurrection of the dead II, 215. In I was a great light of faith I, 519., great desire for the promised seed II, 704.; how his faith was shown I, 1508.ff.; II, 128. ff. I3I.ff. 136. f. 703.; for the sake of his faithful service God is called the fear of I. II, 703.
- virtues of J.. I. had become accustomed to patience II, 130.; was very patient II, 237. f., not vindictive II, 206. f.; how his patience showed itself II, 128. ff. 136. 195. 204. f. 209. 226. f.; obedient I, 1512.; chaste II, 23. f.; loved his mother I, 1647. 1742.
- works I.'s. Domestic works II, 203. ff. 234. f.; I. Sermons II,
- ff. 999., punished sin II, 231. ff., comforted Jacob over his misfortune II, 980.
- j.'s travels. II, 122. ff. 198. ff.
- sins and weaknesses of I.. I. denied his wife II, 150. f. 155. f.
- f.; was a melancholic II, 291.
- temptations and sufferings of I.. In I. we see how wonderfully God governs His saints II, 1. I.'s temptations surpass all mortifications of the monks II, 135. ff; of his various a. II, 10. f. 128. f. 190. f.
- ff. 199. f. 219. f. 344. f.; fought against the flames of fornication until his fortieth year II, 20. f.. I. had to experience many and severe adversities II, 236. f. 982. 1023. f. 1158. f., also much toil in his household II, 191. and scorn for the sake of Rebekah's barrenness II, 27. f. In the A. and L. he kept God's word II, 198. ff., he was comforted II, 7. 191. f., he conquered by faith II, 189. ff.
- p. below 15.
- i. and Abimelech. II, 150. ff. 169. ff. 203. ff. 225. ff. I. instructed A. in the right knowledge II, 185. 227. f.; A. humbled and converted II, 232. f., became a patron of I.'s church II, 230.
- I. and Ishmael. I. was born of promise, Ishmael not I, 1029. f.; I. had spiritual, Ishmael bodily promises I, 1395. f.; Ishmael had grosser bodily blessings than I. II, 10. f.; are a picture of the right and wrong church II, 67.; the Saracen fables of them I, 1504.
- I. and the Philistines. II, 189. ff. 203. ff. I. brings the Philistines to the right knowledge II, 227. f.
- I. and Rebekka. I, 1741. ff.; II, 19. ff. 32. ff. 150. ff. Both had to endure temptations and sufferings II, 25. ff. 45. 235. ff. 343. ff.
- f. 993.; therein they took honorable refuge in persistent prayer II, 27. ff. 33. and asked counsel from Shem the Lord 1, 712.; II, 55. f.
- f. 59. They lived chastely II, 80.; had friendly dispute about the promise that the greater should serve the lesser II, 250. ff.; R. ruled the house since I. became blind II, 331. f. 352. - S. Esau 3.
- i. and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. II, 67. ff. 246. ff. 261. ff. 269. ff. 280. ff. 292. ff. 307. ff. 325. ff. 335. ff. 358. ff. 369. ff. Esau knew how to ingratiate himself with his father, Jacob with his mother II, 256. ff; I. preferred Esau II, 92. ff, R. Jacob II, 91. f., acting on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit II, 95. ff. Spirit II, 95. f.; Esau was licentiate to the papacy until Jacob obtained the blessing II,
- and led the dominion II, 330. ff.; whether deceit, since R. procured Jacob the blessing, was sin II, 261. ff. 310. ff. was a
** 2170Jsaschar**Sach register. Jacob2171
Godly deceit II, 244.; why I. did not notice the same II, 501. Jacob's blessing includes all three estates II, 317.; Esau's blessing is actually no blessing II, 322. ff.; why they send Jacob away II, 444. ff. f. and even to idolatrous people II, 382. ff; in Jacob's absence Esau led the rule II, 344., he administered the priesthood II, 999.; Esau was not even rejected by his parents II, 1001.
17 Death and burial of I.. II, 979.
Dgl. Abraham 25.
Isashar. 1. Jacob's son. When born II, 551. 570.; how to read the name II, 571.; Jacob's blessing II, 2018. ff. -S. Jacob I, 19; II; Joseph 12.
- the tribe. Residence II, 2018. ff; a good lazy father II, 2019.; led to Assyria II, 2020. Ishmael. 1. ismael. I, 993. ff. 1451. ff.; II,
- ff. Derivation of the name I, 1013. meaning I, 996.; was hopeful and presumptuous I, 1387. ff. 1420. 1428. ff.; II, 242. an antinomian epicurer I, 1429. became a child of promise I, 1437. f. 1452. 1455. a skillful and learned preacher I, 1452. and great theologian II, 12.; kept Abraham's worship II, 12. 984.; was a man of war, brave I, 1454. and pious II, 13.; became well blessed I, 1002. 1030. 1051. 1418.; II,
- S. Abraham 26, Isaac 13.
2 Ishmael and his descendants. I, 997. ff. II, 9. ff. I.'s descendants were not excluded from the blessing promised to Abraham I, 1023. f. 1113. f.; many had the right knowledge I, 1114. 1418. 1420.; I.'s descendants kept the circumcision I, III4.Many were blessed I, 1002; II, 12; were mixed with the Turks I, 1114; left the right doctrine II, 13; Arabs, Saracens.
Ishmaelites. Traded in spices II, 1124. f.; hated Jacob's lineage II, 1123. - S. Ishmael 2. Israel. I. The name. Meaning of it II, 795.
- f.; Is used in Scripture with blonder emphasis II, 976.; sets a difference between flesh and spirit II, 951. - S. Jacob 3.
- the Kingdom I. Was also called the K. Joseph II, 1071.
Israelites. Israelites According to the Flesh and According to the Spirit II, 1938.
Italy. Greek used to be spoken there I, 658. f. Italians. Despise other peoples II, 1776. 1786;
greet very politely II, 737; mock Christians II, 1995; conjugal life II, 156.
I.
Jabal. Meaning of the name I, 386. f.
Jacobus. Makes a foolish conclusion in his Epistle I, 1536.
Hunting. Is not sinful II, 86. f.; does not usually go off without sin II, 85. f.; purpose of the same II, 86. f..
Hunters. Are not sincere II, 87; often sin II, 83. 85.
Year. Beginning of the same before the Flood I, 543. f.; Jewish division I, 543. f. 586.
Jacob. I. J., the patriarch. 1. honor and meaning. J. was not an unlearned peasant, but a prophet and bishop II, 1798. 1959. f., a patriarch, had God's word, God himself, and his angels always with him II, 1731., a patriarch and light of the world II, 374. f.; is honored by the name "Israel" II, 953.; stood in esteem among the Egyptians II, 2072.
2 The life of J. J. is a wonderful example of the divine government II, 1068. 1091. f.; Chronological, concerning his life II, 1024. 1062. f. 1065. f.
- j.'s name. Cause of the names Jacob and Israel II, 795; similarity of both names II, 952; is called J. from the sole of the foot II, 78; gets the name Israel II, 793. ff. 950. ff; was cheaply called Israel II, 817; why J. later was not always called Israel II, 956. f.; "Jacob" should denote the real, "Israel" the contemplative life II, 953. - S. Israel 1.
- knowledge and gifts of J.. Had learned the art of obtaining colored lambs II, 601. 607.; was clever II, 592. f. 604. f.; initially very poor with his four wives II, 541.; from where he had the money to pay Laban what was stolen or torn II, 698.; became very rich through the art of obtaining colored lambs II, 606.; he had not stolen his wealth from Laban, he had received it from God II, 622. ff. 636.
- apparitions and revelations. II, 390. ff. 405. ff. 419. ff. 722. f.
- ff. 948. ff. 1750. ff. J. had various apparitions II, 1850; God did not talk to him as often as to Abraham II, I. - S. Ladder to Heaven.
- J.'s faith. J. knew the doctrine of the Holy Trinity II, 941, of the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Son of God II, 1867, of the good angels II, 725. f. He believed in the Trinity II,
- ff, the resurrection of the dead and eternal life II, 1800. f.
- f. 1903; was full of the Holy Spirit, by whose enlightenment he took much from the promises II, 1875; grew in knowledge II, 1852. f.; did not at first rightly understand the promise of the multiplication of his seed II, 962. f. 977. f.; only thought that the promised seed would come from Joseph II, 970. 1061. f. Had true faith II, 1905. believed in Christ II, 1841.; believed, therefore all things were possible to him II, 814.; had a chivalrous, strong G. II, 379.; his G. Was soon strong, soon weak II, 1870. f.; was strong II, 750. 840., became weak II, 744.
- ff. 1444. ff. 1556. ff. 1568. ff.; how his G. showed itself on various occasions II, 541. ff. 619. f. 635. f. 689. 1899. ff.; when he came to Egypt, he remembered the promise Gen. 15, 16. II, 1797.
- virtues of J.. J. was humble II, 81. toward God II, 759. 829., Laban II, 580. ff. 590., Esau II, 768. 819. 830. ff. 839.; reverent toward the authorities II, 1797.; industrious II, 1239.; kind toward the female sex II, 935.; pious, sincere, constant, not silly II, 87. f.; patient II,
- f. 494. ff. 498. ff. 580. f. 680. 701. 899. 1090.; obedient II,
- ff. 366.; chaste II, 488. ff. 491. 498. f. 529. ff. 551. f. 555.; loved his own II, 944.; compassionate and merciful II, 510. 516. 1669.; faithful II, 589. 696. ff.
- works of J. J. was not a man of war, sought first the kingdom of God II, 88. f.; all his works pleased God II, 616. f. 1098.; had to bear the burden of the regiment alone after Isaac's death II, 980.; took care of the household, looked after his own and his belongings II, 1071. f. 1076.; used in his undertakings the means offered and available II, 637. f. 746. ff. 763. ff. Individual works: that he rolled the stone from the well, was a W. of faith and love II, 476. ff.; swore by the true God II, 721.; purchased a piece of
** 2172Jacob**Subject register. Jacob2173
The land and other plunder of the Shechemites II, 874. f. 877. 890. 1070. f.; leased fields II, 1069. f.; often visited Isaac and Esau II, 853. Jacob is not an example to us in his patience, since he was deceived by Leah II, 506. in his polygamy II, 510. ff. 533. since he increased his wages through art II, 608. f.
- J.'s vows. II, 438. ff. He vowed to build and maintain a church and school II, 449. ff; acted according to God's word II, 440.; this was a vow of thanksgiving II, 449.
10 J.'s prayer. Jj. prayed in the various distresses II, 750. 771. 898. 1753. f.; his prayer, as Esau goes to meet him, has all the characteristics of a good G.'s II, 752. ff.; by it he made the enemy Esau a friend II, 828. f.; his example should provoke us to G. II, 919.
- the church in J.'s time. II, 922. ff. 934. ff. I. was a high priest, full of the Holy Spirit. Spirit II, 1751. f.; engaged in prayer and God's word II, 958.; had in his congregation also strangers II,
- ff.; built altars II, 853. 939.; built the first church where he saw the ladder of heaven I, 779.; taught II, 854. f. 907. ff. 936. ff. 1833.; how and what he preached II, 875. f.; taught the Trinity II,
- ff; preached of Christ II, 563. 1751. f.; punished II, 891. ff; comforted II, 753. f. 762. f. 934. f.; caused a reformation of his church and began teaching II, 910. ff; converted in the house of Laban Well Some II, 649.; his sons were an evil fruit II, 1087. f.; probably gave tithes to the children of Eber II, 961.
- marital status of J.. J. abstained from marriage for almost 70 years II, 90. 248. 484. f.; his polygamy offended carnal people II, 528. f., the papists II, 539. ff.; his marriage was very chaste II, 572. f.; he kept to the four wives for the sake of offspring II, 491. 531. f.; after Ruben's incest he kept to no woman II, 977. - p. below 18.
- J.'s Travels. II, 375. ff. 456. ff. 475. ff. 608. ff. 636. ff.
- ff. 763. ff. 844. ff. 848. ff. 922. ff. 1750. ff. 1761. ff. 1782. ff. J.'s journey to Haran was unsightly and contemptible II, 465. a heavy work, so came from the word and faith II, 473. f.; how long he stayed in Suchoth II, 844. f. 856.; moved as a stranger to and fro in Canaan, but did not leave Isaac II, 1024. f.; when he moved to Egypt I,
- sins and weaknesses of J.. Had also to struggle with the flesh and weaknesses II, 805. f. 1503.; from his flesh it came that he feared cruelty from Esau II, 749., postponed prayer too long II, 752.; acted rashly and almost delivered Rachel to the flesh bank II, 683. He did not sin, since he bought the firstborn II, 102. f., obtained the blessing by fraud II, 264. ff., went to the idolatrous Laban II, 385., loved Rachel for her beauty II, 484. ff, took two sisters in marriage II, 510. ff, increased his wages by art II, 606. ff, departed secretly from Laban II,
- f.; did not defile himself with idolatry with Laban II, 735. f.; was not hypocritical in his conversation with Esau, did not become an idolater thereby II, 836. ff.; did not lie when he promised Esau to come to Seir II, 843. f.; had no part in the murder of the Shechemites II,
- ff.
15 J.'s trials and tribulations. J. had to suffer misfortunes just as we do II, 1077. f.; had many and heavy crosses and temptations II, 301. ff. 1062. f.
- f. 1135. had from his youth training in the cross II, 1772. 1800. f.; his life was miserable according to the flesh II, 1095. f.; a pagan could not fare worse than J. II, 1094. f.; suffered more than a martyr II, 701.; temptation and misfortune came upon him like a storm II, 900.
- f. 1094. 1120. 1165.; in his house the devil had great power II, 1094. 1120.; from his sufferings he had long gray hair and a weathered wrinkled face when he came to Pharaoh II, 1799. He was challenged II, 380. 386. ff. 389. 392. f. 657. f. 740. ff. 766. 855. ff.
- f. 867. 896. ff. 942. 946. 962. ff. 973. f. 976. 1752. J.'s struggle: II, 774. ff. 792. ff.; Was a struggle with God's Son II, 780. ff. 799. f. 1866.; Lasted about two hours II, 771. 788.; Was a high contest II, 774., a struggle of faith with disbelief II, 787., of the highest works one II, 1076., a struggle more of faith than of the poor II, 787. f.; whence it came that J. was stronger than God II, 789. f.; with what blessing the man blessed him II, 799.; J. probably did not always limp II, 850.; is in this struggle a picture of all believers II,
- f. Joseph's sale was a heavy cross II, 1021. f. 1094. 1123. 1127.; a severe challenge II, 1020. f. 1152.; plunged J. into the abyss of hell II, 1063. f.; this suffering won a lovely outcome II, 1022. J. was despised by Esau and his wives II, 240. f.; had to suffer much at Laban's II, 608. ff. 615. f.; Judah's blood shame tasted him II, 1022.; Ward oppressed by theurung despite the promise II, 1560.God tempted him by his own sons II, 1536.; J. grieved at Dina's weakening and Joseph's sale more at the trouble than the misfortune II, 1089. God strengthened and comforted him in the A. II, 396. 424. f. 624. f. 902. ff. 948. ff. 1063.; in this his faith fought II, 380. against the flesh and unbelief II, 762. 1584. f. 1587. ff.; he kept the word II, 658. 752. ff. 1081. f. 1095. f.; how he comforted himself II, 1022. 1092.
- death, burial, resurrection of J.. II, 1832. ff. 1899. ff. 2054. ff. 2072. ff. Died in great faith II, 2063. f.; why he wanted to be buried in Canaan II, 2064. f.; buried more gloriously than Christ II, 2072.; is probably risen with Christ II, 1836.
- contemporaries of J.. II, 80. f. 89.
18 Jacob and his wives. II, 620. ff. 636. ff. J. had the maids as wives only because and as long as Leah and Rachel wanted this II, 551. f. 555. J. and Leah: II, 493. ff. 518. ff. 544. ff. 564. ff. Leah was forced by Laban to betray I., but was not averse to it herself II, 498. 502. f.; what to think of their intercourse on the bridal night II, 503. ff.; J. should have been allowed to divorce Leah according to the Pope's teaching I, 1729. f.; kept her out of mercy, love and patience II, 510. 516.; she gave J. her handmaid because she had a desire for the promised seed II, 555. f.. J. and Rachel: II, 479. ff. 507. ff. 518. ff. 528. ff. 544. ff. 564. ff. 639. ff. 961. ff. How Rachel behaved when Laban defeated Leah to Jacob II, 495. 497. f. 502.; J. and Rachel loved each other warmly II, 493. 965.; quarreled II, 538.; R. was a faithful companion of J. II, 963. 969.; J. did not know that R. Laban's idols had stolen II, 648. f., therefore brought her into great danger II, 686. f.; her giving J. her handmaid is a work of the Spirit II, 545. J. and Bilha: II, 544. ff. 972. ff. J. and Silpa: II, 554. ff. 564.
** 2174Jacob**Subject register. Jobab2175
S. is called J.'s Kebsweib, but was his legal wife II, 973.
- j. and his sons. II, 1143. ff. 1153. ff. 1438. ff. 1523. ff. 1535. ff. 1558. ff. 1575. ff. 1738. ff. 1927. ff. 1935. ff. 1959. ff. 2011. ff. 2039. ff. 2054. ff. Each had its particular housekeeping II, 1742. f.; I. would have preferred to do without the Others rather than the sons of Rachel II, 1035. f.; they were unnaturally callous toward J. and Isaac II, 1054. 1144. f.; J. had suspicions about his sons II, 1569. f.; how J.'s last blessing was fulfilled in detail is not known II, 2036. f.
- Jacob and Joseph. II, 1032. ff. 1037. ff. 1770. ff. 1796. ff. 1832. ff. 1846. ff. 1863. ff. 1873. ff. 1881. ff. 1899. ff. 2039. No wonder that I. loved Joseph better than the other sons II, 1224. that was right II, 1032. ff.; why he loved him more II, 1026. ff. 1034. ff.; according to J.'s will the firstborn was due to Joseph II, 1057. 1060.; J. hoped from him the promised seed II, 1060.; what kind of "colored" skirt was I, 1037. f. 1040.; by this J. wanted to Joseph as supreme regent and heir II, 1040.; I. puts up with Joseph's first dream II, 1057.; his thoughts on the second dream II, 1060. ff; how the second dream is fulfilled II, 1066.Why Joseph did not send envoys from Egypt to his father II, 1427. ff. 1724.; they probably consulted with each other about the tribe of Levi II, 1846. f.; J. honors Joseph by giving him Shechem II, 1907. - S. above 15.
- j. u. Ephraim u. Manasseh. II, 1846. ff. 1863. ff. 1885. ff. Why J. accepts them as children II, 1853. ff; does it, not from their merit II, 1863.; prefers Ephraim, not from Ephraim's merit or Manasseh's fault, but from inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Spirit II, 1886. 2039.
- J.'s servants. Had many servants from the relatives of Nahor and Tharah II, 695; some went with J. to his home II, 695. f.; was pious through J.'s teachings II, 773.
23 J. & Esau. II, 67. ff. 97. ff. 325. ff. 722. ff. 738. ff. 763. ff. 814. ff. 825. ff. 840. ff. J. comes into danger at birth II, 70.; by her birth God wills to cut off all righteousness of the flesh II, 70. ff; God prefers J. to Esau II, 41.; J. gets the firstborn II, 91.; why I. buys the firstborn, since it belongs to him II, 103. 111. ff; the lentil dish was the purchase price II, 117. f.; of the difference of their names II, 78. f.; were taught by Abraham II, 60. f.; how they behaved when Isaac went to Gerar II, 137. f.; difference of both by profession and disposition II, 81. ff.; E. had greater bodily blessing than J. II, 248. 251. f. 1011. 1013. f., but J.'s glory is greater than E.'s II, 1012.; E. despised J. II, 82. f.; J.'s humiliation before E. does not dispute with the promise II, 769. 821. ff.; J. probably visited E. II, 844. f. 853.; were reconciled at Isaac's death II, 982.; are an image of the right and wrong church II, 67.
- i. and Laban. II, 479. ff. 493. ff. 507. ff. 580. ff. 591. ff. 608. ff. 620. ff. 636. ff. 654. ff. 664. ff. 686. ff. 707. ff. 713. ff. Laban envied I. II, 615.; desired to take all of J.'s goods II, 635.; probably reviled him at times as a thief II, 596.; had probably forbidden him the house II, 621.; suspected him of not being faithful and God-fearing II, 711. ff., as if he were an adulterer II, 717.; J. served L. faithfully II, 483.; his "deception" of L. with the staffs
was necessary and right II, 582; J. punished L. for stinginess II, 585. f., for harshness against his daughters II, 589. f.; an angel comforted J. over L.'s injustice and stinginess II, 624. f.; what J. had to expect if he had informed L. of his intention to move away II, 681. ff. L. is a picture of a hypocrite, J. of a pious man II, 723.
Cf. Isaac 16.
II. J.'s sons. 1. the twelve sons. II, 977. ff. Order and time of their birth II, 547. ff. 1035.; took Cananites for wives II, 909. 934. f.; Used at first to marry their daughters only to circumcised ones II, 878. f.; were priests among the heathen II, 1209.; proud of the promise that they should become lords of the land II, 876. 879.; the sons of Leah were proud, despised the sons of the maidens II, 1026.; wanted to be honored by Joseph II, 1031. ff.; Satan involved them in abominable sins II, 978.; it is to be wondered at that they were so godless II, 1026.; became blessed in spite of their sins II, 43.
2 J.'s sons and the Sichemites. II, 864. ff. 879. ff. They did not do right, that they acted fraudulently II, 873. ff. 877. ff.; their attack on the S. was a bold deed II, 878., Others helped them II, 879., ,was wrong II, 889. f.; were punished for it
III Jacob, St., in Spain. An idol I, 1531. f.; people went on pilgrimage to him 1, 864.
Japheth. 1. Noah's son. I, 627. ff. 640. ff. Meaning of the name I, 651. ff.; Noah's firstborn I, 435.; when born I, 435. 502.; called by the heathen Japetus I, 659.; fulfillment of Noah's blessing on J. I, 653. ff. 665. - S. Noah 14.
- j.'s gender. I, 656. ff. Who belongs to it I, 654. 659.; residence I, 656. 663. f. 666.; the names of the sons of J. not meaningless I, 664.; among them the holiest fathers I, 662. who are an example for us I, 664.; gradually fell into idolatry I, 663.
Javan. 1. Japheth's son. 1, 658. ff.
- J.'s descendants. His sons were the most powerful kings l, 662.; instructed by Japheth in the doctrine I, 662.; his descendants were experienced shipmen I, 662.; kept well the right worship I, 662.; which peoples "Javan" designates I, 658. f.
Jehovah. Name of God, not of a creature I, 274; why "Jehovah" is called Tetragrammaton II, 937.
Jehu. King. Whether from the tribe of Gad II, 2033. Jekel. Toller, inexperienced spirit I, 1212.; wanted to be considered holy and righteous II, 708.
Jephthah. From the tribe of Manasseh II, 2041.
Jeremiah. Had to endure enmity and danger because he punished I, 457. - S. Prophets 2.
Jericho. Location I, 780.
Jeroboam. Of the tribe of Benjamin II, 1432; wise, prudent II, 425. f.; his idolatry at Bethel II, 425. f. 959; how he defended the same II, 907.
Jerusalem. Location II, 1186.; various names I, 1492.; II, 427. f. 851. 903. 936.; metaphorically called Gilead II, 715.; there reigned Shem I, 1492. - S. Bethel.
Isaiah. Read and interpreted Moses diligently I, 1754.; often repeated II, 1356. 1948. - S. Prophets 2.
Jethro. By whom brought to knowledge II, 1831. Jisra. Whether I and Sarah are the same person I, 723.
Jobab. II, 1014. ff. Whether he was Job II, 1014. ff.
** 2176John**Sach register. Joseph2177
John. 1. meaning of the name II, 1553.
2 J. the Baptist. That his special works at God's command I, 868.
3rd J., Churfürst. Bekannte zu Augsburg I, 1336. f.
- J. Friedrich, Elector. Diligent in his office of government II,
- f.; took care of the church and school I, 1632. , II, 453. 633.
5 J. XXIII, Pontiff. S. Franciscans. Jonah. Has received many at pure doctrine II, 2047. joseph. 1. in general. II, 1312. ff.
- honor & meaning. No one else's life is so accurately described in Scripture II, 1247; his story is the most beautiful in the first book of Moses II, 1022; an excellent man, more excellent than Abraham and the other patriarchs II, 1365. 1398.; may be compared with the great men of A. and N. T. II, 1946.; greater than Achilles, Scipio, Alexander II, 1396.; a teacher of the world II, 1365.; a figure of Christ II, 1119. f. 1127. 1136. f.. 1156. 1321. 1328. 1836.; the morning star in Jacob's house II, 1028. where he was highly honored II, 555.; an example to all bachelors II, 1224. f.
- birth and education. When born II, 547. ff. 572.; learned God's word from youth II, 1316. f.
4 Names. The names J. and Ephraim are used in Scripture without distinction II, 1847. 1863.
- gifts. J. was richly gifted II, 1036. a political man and excellent theologian II, 1688. 1793. 1823.; had high intellect, great spirit, experience II, 1639. f.; was wise and understanding II, 1341.
- f. 1793.; an experienced, courageous commander II, 1375. ff.; had the Holy Spirit II, 1295. f. 1339. Spirit II, 1295. f. 1339. which was active in him II, 1297. f.; was full of wisdom and spiritual understanding II, 1433. f.; understood the struggle of conscience II, 1685.; had a prophetic spirit II, 1302. 1348., the gift of divination II, 1640. and to interpret dreams II, 1298.; was priest and prophet II, 1297.; of his beauty II, 2041. f.
- dreams of J. II, 1045. ff. How the second dream could be fulfilled completely, since Rachel had died II, 1062. f. 1065. ff.; find fulfilled II, 1066. 1718. 1834.
- faith of J. J. was a good tinder, easily caught the fire of the word II, 1096; what his Bible consisted of II, 1823; realized that he had to give an account of his ministry II, 1394; had the faith and hope of the resurrection II, 1676; his faith was fervent II, 1224, firm II, 1316. f.; he confessed and practiced the same II, 1228. 1297; with it he overcame everything II, 1228. - See below 11.
- virtues of J.. II, 1025. ff. J. is a marvel II, 1246. ff; had all kinds of virtues, was such a man, whom our Lord God made II, 1262.; the discipline was well advised II, 1224.; was virtuous II, 1036.; had all virtues in himself II, 1244. f. 1251., as much as is only possible with this our nature II, 1225.; had greater virtues than Achilles, Scipio, and Alexander II, 1715.; was a firm, strong, -living saint II, 1286.; his virtues manifest themselves in all situations II, 1673. 1677.; is image of a pious prince II, 1783. f., an example to us II,
- J. was constant II, 1248. in faith and hope II, 1287. 1312., in faith and doctrine II, 1225. ff. 1305. 1433. 1674. f.; humble II,
- ff.
- f. 1676. ff. 1715. ff. and deferential to Pharaoh II, 1339. ff. 1343. 1386. ff. 1403. f. 1413. 1728. 1782. 1784.; honorable, watched over the good reputation of the House of Jacob II, 1028. ff. 1072.; diligent II, 1228. 1239. ff. 1437. 1449.; patient II, 1027. 1224. f.
- f. 1233. 1291. and practiced the psalter II, 1226.; obedient II,
- 1413.; not stingy II, 1243.; godly II, 1672. ff; temperate in fortune and misfortune II, 1729.; chaste II, 1224. f. 1255. 1266.; loved father and brothers, was not unfeeling II, 1672. f. 1676. f. 1682. 1715. ff. 1743. f.; manly and courageous II, 1405. f.; not vindictive II,
- f.; meek II, 1256.; demure II, 1027. 1715.; faithful II, 1228.
- ff.; neither pusillanimous nor presumptuous II, 1674.
- works of J. Did nothing without prayer II, 1339. f.; did greater works than Christ II, 1331. - See below 12. 13. 14. 15.
10 J.'s sins and repentance. J. also had impatient flesh on him II, 1317. f. 1323. f., with which he had to repent II, 1152. 1503. Whether he sinned by seeking to become free through gift-giving II, 1300. ff, ff., forgot his father's house II, 1427. ff., declared his brothers to be scouts II, 1472. ff., swore by the life of Pharaoh II, 1483. How he repented of the murmuring of his flesh II, 1332.
- temptations and sufferings. J.'s temptations and sufferings are all the more severe because he stood alone II, 1-226; J. had many temptations II, 1228. 1252, severe, from within and without II, 1318. ff; by his temptations he was prepared for his high profession II, 1659. He was challenged by the Egyptian false doctrine II, 1225. ff, by his flesh, which tempted him to fornication II, 1227. f.; his temptation and temptation to fornication was severe II, 1252. ff. 1259. 1264. 1268.; challenged by impatience II, 1317. f., since the gift forgot him II, 1314., by doubting the truth of his dreams II, 1428. f.. I. had to suffer misfortune as we do II, 1077. f.; is m of tribulation an heir of his father II, 1226.; his life was wretched according to the flesh II, 1096.; his martyrdom was greater than the martyr II, 1323. did not have to suffer for sin II, 1249. f.; had to experience the ingratitude of the world II, 1314. f. J. was not dull and callous to his suffering II,
- f.; God comforted him II, 1157. 1286. ff.; Christ was with him in prison II, 1295. f.; J. kept his word II, 1095. f. 1157. 1283. 1286.
- f.; how he comforted himself II, 1317. 1320. f. 1325.; looked to God's command in temptation to fornication II, 1266.; overcame his torture with undaunted courage II, 1379. f. 1384.; his cross had a glorious outcome II, 1085. f. - See below 12. 13. 14.
12 Joseph and his brothers. II, 1020. ff. 1045. ff. 1069. ff. 1087. ff. 1115. ff. 1137. ff. 1450. ff.
- ff. 1485. ff. 1505. ff. 1589. ff. 1603. ff. 1613. ff.
- ff. 1637. ff. 1654. ff. 1670. ff. 1688. ff. 1711. ff.
- ff. 1784. ff. 2076. ff. 2082. ff. The sin of the
J.'s brothers shall be made great for our consolation II, 1101. Their hatred: they hated him because Jacob preferred him to the others II, 1032. ff., because he brought before their father what they did wickedly II, 1030. f., for the sake of the firstborn II, 1110. which was due to Joseph II, 1025. 1057. 1111.; their hatred was unreasonable and groundless II, 1040. 1088., greater than Cain's II, 1088., they were murderers of brothers, fathers, mothers, grandfathers II,
** 2178Joseph**Sach-R-gister. Judah2179
- 1101.; their hatred increased by Joseph's dreams II, 1045. f. 1059.; were not all equally inflamed with hatred II, 1041. 1058.; perhaps out of hatred against him they went to pasture gm Shechem II,
- They despised him II, 1032., therefore called him "dreamer" II,
- f.; snapped at him II, 1041. why Joseph told them his dreams II,
- f.; they despised dreams II, 1064. and for the sake of the same also Jacob and I. II, 1065. their bloody plots against I.: age of J. and his brothers at that time II, 1100. f. i Simeon and Levi ringleaders II,
- f.; Judah and Reuben did not willingly consent II, 1100.; Reuben resists in vain II, 1101. 1115. 1138.; the other brothers were still too young II, 1100.; were possessed by the devil in their plots II, 1100.They were cunning II, 1099; in their cunning they are a picture of the murderers of Christ II, 1100; they thought that their attacks would be hidden II, 1113; they cut the colorful skirt II, 1121; their sin was greater than Cain's II, 1111; with one sin they committed many others II, 1102; how God punished their bloody attacks II, 1102. ff. How I. behaved when he was thrown into the pit II, 1118. f.; his brothers were relentless II, 1119., their cruelty greater than that of the Jews against Christ II, 1119.; wanted to let him die of hunger in the pit II, 1120.Being thrown into the pit was worse than death for I. II, III 9; he was without a comforter II, 1121; how J.'s brothers were punished for this deed II, 1116. Why Judah advised to sell I. II, 1126. f.; was sold to his cousins II, 1123. f.The Midianites and Ishmaelites were one company II, 1130. ff; why he was not sold to the neighbors II, 1132. f.; what cause was given for the sale II, 1131. ff; in this sale Jews and Gentiles joined II, 1133. f.; how many times Joseph was sold II,. 1130. f.; how I. was grieved at the sale, Moses passes over with silence II,
- f.; he probably wept miserably and pleaded II, 1134.; the sale was worse for Joseph than bodily death II, 1126. f., therefore the sin of his brothers more grievous than if they had killed him II, 1128. f.; their deed was terrible II, 1498.; how hard it was for him that he should become a servant II, 1157. f., since he was torn away from his father II, 1225. passed Hebron II, 1156.; the intention to conceal the deed from Jacob M is good II, 1140.; Reuben conceals the sin with II,
- ff., should have revealed it II, 1140. ff.; the sale gave great offense II, 1089.; God's government is wonderful, since he lets J. sell II, 1155. f. The brothers were not guilty in the same degree II, 1154; did themselves the most harm II, 1154. f.; in the 22 years until the march to Egypt their conscience slept II, 1141. f. 1144. f.; were desperate boys and unrepentant II, 1528. ff; did not recognize the sin at first, finally repented II, 1108.They were proud of their virtue II,
- f. 1634.; could not do anything good during these 22 years, could not pray II, 1141. f.; their sin was punished in Egypt II, 1155.; they had an evil conscience II, 1520. ff. 1590. ff.; came to the realization of their sin in Egypt II, 1459. ff. I. is full of mercy and love toward them II, 1458. f.; exercises on them the perfect benefit of the law II, 1494.; his play with them was pleasing to God II, 1629.; posed as if he were a prophet II, 1621. f.; J.'s and Simeon's and Levi's feelings as he kissed them II, 1718. ff.
- I. in Potiphar's house. II, 1220. ff. 1231. ff. 1250. ff. 1267. ff. I. did many good works there II, 1229. ; offered himself to God II, 1230. ; taught and punished the servants II, 1229. ; instructed in the doctrine of godliness II, 1596. f. ; converted many II, 1272.Potiphar's wife preached a sermon II, 1257. ff.; suffered and endured much II, 1233.; lost honor and good name, had to be a hypocrite and wicked II, 1270. ff.; it was a heavy cross for him that he was accused of adultery.
- year in prison. II, 1282. ff. 1292. ff. 1306. ff. J.'s works in prison II, 1287. f.; defended his good name II, 1304. f.; sought his freedom in the right way II, 1300. f.; prayed II, 1299. f.; taught and comforted II, 1286. f. 1297. f. 1302.
- j. at Pharaoh's court. II, 1322. ff. 1338. ff. 1357. ff. 1373. ff. 1398. ff. 1421. ff. 1434. ff. 1725. ff. 1805. ff. 1818. ff. J. was to do great things in Egypt II, 1156; was the right Christ, a savior in Egypt II, 1331. 1398; was a blessing there in body and spirit II,
- f.; Egypt stood under him in great prosperity in body and spirit II, 1730; prayed II, 1436; practiced the 4th, 6th, and 7th commandments II, 1436. ff., 6th and 7th commandments II, 1676.; despised earthly things II, 1676.; led the regiment for God's sake II, 1405. f.; was supreme in war and peace II, 1374. f.; had reputation and favor with the Egyptians II, 1776. 1820. f.; preached to the Egyptians II, 1356. 1365. 1372. 1436. f., presented to them the right doctrine II, 1351. 1729. 1822. ff; did not burden them with the circumcision and statutes of the fathers I, 1014. 1023.; II, 1351.
- 1831.; did not abolish all Egyptian customs II, 1616.; could not do away with all that was wrong II, 1618. 1637. f.; set a good example for them II, 1783.; converted many II, 1331. not all II, 1436. f. 1773. 1823.; also had his detractors II, 1726. f.; there was a beautiful church II, 1831. 1833.; many Egyptians blessed II, 1828.; the Egyptians later fell away II, 1831. f.
- J.'s Eheestand. II, 1413. ff. 1426. ff.
17 J.'s death and burial. II, 2072. ff. Why he wanted to be buried in Canaan II, 2089. ff.
Cf. Jacob I, 19. 20.; II.
Josephus. Lies often in honor of his people, otherwise an excellent man II, 889; writes that pieces of the ark have been found I, 562.
Josiah, king. Distribution of the Camarim II, 1610. Jubal. Meaning of the name I, 387.
Judah. I. 1. Jacob's son. II, 1158. ff. 1165. f. 1959. ff. When born II, 548. ff.; whether he married with his father's consent II, 1161. f.; married, 12 years old II, 1165. ff.; remained widower after his wife's death II, 1185.; had the Pharisaic opinion that a murderer is only he who kills himself II, 1127. f.; was pious, honest, an example of good morals II, 1575.; obedient II, 1162.; kept discipline in house II, 1575.; probably administered priesthood among Cananites II, 1202.; had reputation and authority among Cananites II, 1203. 1205., special reputation with his father II, 1564. f. 1575. f.; king and priest in Jacob's house II, 1771.; sinned II, 1183. 1185. 1187. 1191.ff. 1210. ff., was also reckless II, 1194.; confessed his sin, did penance II, 1210. ff.; Jacob's last blessing on him asked to be partially fulfilled in David II, 1961. ff. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II; Joseph 12.
** 2180 Judas Iscarioth**factual register. Cain2181
2 Judah and Ger. I. gives Ger the name II, 1163; gives him a wife II, 1162.
3 Judah and Thamar. II, 1177. 1185. ff. 1207. ff. When the incest was committed II, 1166.; why it is told II, 1167. ff.; I. did not keep to T. later II, 1564. f.
II. the tribe. Has its origin from a pagan II, 1172. ff.
III The Empire. Had in the Babylonian prison the hope of return II, 2051.
Judas Iscarioth. Said to have been of the tribe of Simeon II, 1041. 1044. 1117. 1717. 2055.; What his repentance lacked II, 1467.
Jews. 1. the people of the Jews before Christ's birth. Was set apart from all other peoples by circumcision I, 1027. ; a great, wonderful people I, 741. ff. 744. f.; II, 1377. ; distinct from all other kingdoms II, 2047.; in spite of all plagues a blessed people I, 745.; famous I, 745. f.; moderate I, 1155.; proud of being God's people II, 876.; compared in the A. T. with a sacrifice 1, 958.; devils and world raged against it II, 2036.; God protected it II, 1965. 2013. historical: was 430 years in a foreign land I, 769. 959. f.; drowning of the babes in Egypt was a punishment, for the bloody assaults Against Joseph II, 1102. ff.; robbery of the Egyptians no sin II, 631. f.; was among the judges not A people II, 2027. st; had schools in the cities I, 1117.; never subject to the Edomites II, 823.f. Religion: their profession was to be circumcised I, 1075. st; as they were comforted in Egypt and the wilderness I, 955. ff; in the Jewish people was the right church II, 2036. st; where they were to sacrifice were disobedient I, 779. f.; fell into error I, 1046.; often without faith, wanted to propitiate God by self-chosen worship II, 2014.; very idolatrous I, 1592. st; II, 650. f. 776. ff. 960. 1616. f. 1825. 1914. ff. 1918. f. 1954.Shameful people by their sins, rebellious against the prophets II, 995. f.; did not believe the prophets and Christ I, 495. f.; rightful successors of Joseph's brothers II, 1100. 1111. Customs: the female sex was subservient and despised II, 1183. st; were not allowed to wear garments of many kinds of yarn II, 1040.; did not take off the hat in the temple II, 821.; disciples sat at the teachers' feet II, 1970.; taxes and tributes II, 1362. - S. Baal service, Judah III, calf service, Moloch.
- the I. after Christ's birth. Are unjustly proud of circumcision I, 1008. 1100.; are hopeful and boastful II, 547. because of their carnal descent II, 34. 37. ff. 995. f. 1940. as if they were God's people II, 618. Are not the right church II, 39. f. Are not now a people l, 750. 1053. 1099. f.. Attempts and hopes to restore their kingdom in vain I, 1100.; are not the right seed of Abraham I, 750. ff. 1396. f. 1669., seek, unrivaled by Abraham, earthly goods I, 917. f.; cannot palliate their usury with Abraham's example I, 829. f.; are no longer God's people, but outcasts I, 754. 871. ff. 876. f.
- ff. 1053. f. 1056. 1099. f. 1102.; have lost body and soul by their insistence on carnal birth I, 1032.; are given by God in perverse mind II, 995. ff, possessed by the devil and his wickedness I, 1152; have no knowledge in spiritual things I, 1553; reject the doctrine of the Trinity I, 1149. f. 1278. ff; II,
- ff; do not have the true God I, 1551.; do not distinguish between law and gospel I, 1030.; do not know about the right understanding of the holy scriptures I, 998. f.; do not understand the prophecies of Christ and his kingdom I, 1097. I, 998. f.; do not understand the prophecies of Christ and his kingdom I, 1097.; II, 1347.; cling to the covenant of circumcision and reject the covenant of promise I, 1116.; do not understand anything about circumcision I,
- f.; still ask for the Messiah II, 319.; have self-chosen worship services II, 777.; all exhortation to them is in vain I, 1033.; do not want to do true repentance II, 320.How contempt of the word is punished on the backs II, 319. f.; those who keep it with them have no blessing from it I, 751. In Luther's time: situation of the Jews I,
- ff. 961. f. 1109.; were traitors to Germany I, 750.; had sojourn with the Turks I, 750.; practiced usury I, 751. of which they themselves had no blessing I, 752.; customs: did not eat of the tension vein II, 801.; gave their children names of flowers 2c. I,
- S. Rabbis.
- Jews and Gentiles or uncircumcised. The Jews, not the Gentiles, had the promise of the seed and were trusted with what God had spoken II, 984. f.; the J. were not God's people alone I, 876. f.; J. and H. wanted to gather Christ into One Church II, 1174.; J. and H. are related II, 909. 1172. ff. 1418. 1426.; the J. despise the H. I, 1434. 1564.; II, 833. f. 888. f. 975. 995.; the I. monkey with the Roman Empire and Christendom and pray against it II, 984.; they hate the H. and impute vices to them II, 1007. 1174. 1414.; think they may strangle the H. II, 889.; they wish to rule over the H. and kill them II, 1400.; the I. fall and dispersion served to convert the H. II,
Judith. Is called praise singer II, 989. - S. Esau 3.
Youth. They should be cheerful II, 1800; they are easily seduced II, 1247; they should be taught about domestic, civic works I, 1179; they should be encouraged to be polite and respectful I, 1635; they should be diligently reminded of Ham's example I, 639. - S. Anfechtungen 2. 6.
Julius, Pabst. Formerly called Julianus II, 988; hideous monster II, 1660. - S. Bund.
Disciple. After Christ's resurrection difficult to comfort II, 1721. f. - S. Apostles.
Virgins. Rebekka a model for 1. I, 1706. ff.
Virginity. Virgins are not praised in the Scriptures as married couples II, 571.; he who loves the I more should not despise the married state I, 1164. f. Young man. It is difficult for him to remain chaste II, 1255. f. Youth. Representation of J. in figurative language I, 1476.
- S. Dionysius 1.
Lawyers. Their office II, 889. f.; I. would not be needed if everything were done according to law II, 889.; one of their arts is that they use ambiguous words II, 584. 1927.; young I. confuse everything in strife I, 847.
Justinus, Emperor. Formerly Cowherd II, 1786.
Juvenal. Saying about the evil conscience II, 712; mocking the superstitions of the Egyptians II, 1829.
K.
Kabbalists. Teachings: In lege non esse prius aut posterius II, 1024.
Kades. Location I, 1006. 1306.
Kahath. I, 959.
Cain. 1. I, 295. ff. 307. ff. 317. ff. 320. ff. 330. ff. 334. ff. 347. ff. 361. ff. 379. ff. Meaning of the name and occasion for it I, 296. ff. 383.; II, 75.;
** 2182Cain sign**Subject register. Church2183
had a sister as wife I, 377. 381. ff; was hopeful and therefore rejected I, 310. ff. Was taken to task by Adam, not by God, for fratricide I, 334. 346. 350.; still had room to repent I, 360. 368.; despaired I, 363.; of the sign he received I, 374. f.; how he died I, 370. 373. 389.; is a father of all who kill the saints I, 343.
2 K. and Abel. I, 295. ff. 307. ff. 317. ff. 330. sf. 334. ff. 347. ff. 361. ff. Are a picture of the hypocritical and right church I, 303.; K. sacrifices in self-righteousness, A. in faith I, 307. f. 315. f.; to A., but not to K., his sacrifice is a sign of righteousness I, 1045.; K. is rejected for not thinking there are two churches I, 1050. f.
3 K.'s and the Pious Family. I, 383.f. 408. ff; II, 379. ff. 394. ff. K. established a new church with special divine rites I, 356. f. 384. ff.; K's. K. and his church oppressed the right church I, 391. f. 408. 466.; Some of K.'s family kept well to the right church, became blessed I, 356. 368. 372. 382. f. 388. 1031. 1050. f.; II, 12. 1828.
Sign of Cain. In what it consists I, 374. - S. Cain I. Calf service. Why the image of the calves
II, 672. f.; the prophets were zealous against it, the Jews defended it II, 425. f..
Kalne. Later called Seleucia I, 672. - S. Seleucia. Fighters. Have their artifices II, 791. f.
Emperor, Leonh. martyr I, 352.
Kebsweib. Meaning of the word I, 1750. f.
Kedar. Meaning of the name II, 13th; is the stoned Arabia I, 659th; II, 17th.
Kedar Laomor. King in Elam I, 878.
Cup. Means distress and danger I, 617; Satan's cup is sweet, but one must give it up again I, 617.
Cup Drawing. S. Communion.
Kemuel. Father of the Syrians I, 1601.
Ketura. Meaning of the name I, 1750.; whether K. and Hagar the same person I, 1418. f. 1744. f.; who K. was I, 1750. f. - S. Abraham 27.
Heretics. Always rise in the church II, 99. out of arrogance II, 245.; despise the right church II, 245.; are hopeful and sure that their thing pleases God II, 82., rich in words II, 715.; pious Christians often become heretics I, 676., apostates, persecutors I, 191. f.; are followers of Satan, seek to suppress pure doctrine under a holy pretense I, 181. 187. I, 181, 187; are applauded I, 1283. - S. false teachers.
Chastity. 1. in general. Three kinds of chastity: of virgins, widows, married couples I, 1160. f.; does not consist in mere celibacy II, 530.; what the monks declare to be chastity I, 430. f.; papists understand nothing of right chastity II, 489. f.; in the papacy no such chastity is found, as with the patriarchs 1, 434.; their chastity, no chastity II, 528. ff., belongs to the common house II, 540.
- the virgin K. Special gift I, 165; II, 539. - S. Marriage 9, 15.
Children. I. In general. A gift of God I, 1079.; can believe I, 1041. f.; all circumcised or baptized children blessed I, 1049.; are preserved in a way of which we know nothing I, 1199. Education of children by sin burdensome I, 125.; commonly take after the fathers II, 1936.; children of great people seldom take well II, 1368. f.. May think on a spouse I, 1682. "Children" are called in the
Scripture also children's children II, 307. - S. circumcision 4, 7, Bethlehem, parents, Moloch, Sodom, baptism.
- k. of God. How we become c. G. I, 1033. 1433. f.; II, 35. 813.; Pride and presumption follows where the teaching goes out that we become c. G. by grace I, 1453. f.. Who were the K. G. of whom Moses speaks I,
- ff.; they despised the virgins of their . I, 470. f.; in what their sin actually consisted I, 471. f.; begot tyrants I, 473.
- k. of the world. Interpret the Scriptures in their favor II, 826. f.
- the arts of the world and the arts of light. The latter know how to make their gifts much more splendid than the latter II, 826. f.; the latter are much more zealous and more active in their arts than the latter in heavenly things II, 827.
Infant baptism. S. Baptism.
Becoming Childish. What that is II, 1862.
Childhood. S. Age.
Church. 1. nature and essence of the church A correct description of the church II, 436 f.; what and where it is II, 430 ff. 437; is a gate of heaven II, 436, a kingdom of grace, apart from it is only threat I, 1194; is the kingdom of heaven II, 429 f.. The title of being the church is not valid before God I, 458. f. 496. 1405.; the crowd does not make the church I, 554. 1431. ff.; the church is those who hear the word and keep it I, 554. f. 1407. f. 1431. ff.; II, 42.; we Christians are the church I, 963.; the church is only where Christ reigns I, 1102., where God speaks I, 1446.I, 1044, 1102, 1402, 1404, even in the midst of the enemies of God II, 424, f., and papists II, 430, ff.; who is the true church will be revealed on the last day I, 459; where the church is, there is God and the ministry of the angels II, 1731.
- a holy, general C. There is only One C. and One way to it I, 1053. one from many peoples I, 1095.; all receive equal gifts in it I, 1074.; the devil always awakens sects I, 938. the C. is holy for the sake of the word II, 391; weeds are always mixed with the good seed II, 651; abominable sins occur in the church II, 976; evil and hypocrites are found there II, 384. f. 652. 1128. 1617. f. 1938. f., but this does not detract from its essence II, 1730.; it is pure when the teaching is pure II, 651. f.; this is not always equally pure II, 709.; this is a great pity when the preaching and offices in the church are corrupt II, 1730. The church is general, already gathered in the Old Testament from Jews and Gentiles I, 646. f. 1044.; II, 909. 1830.; no longer bound to certain persons I, 709.The church exists at all times from the beginning to the end of the world I, 708. ff. 1103. 1341.; it does not perish II, 342.; it is still present as long as God still blesses the world I, 894.; the Holy Spirit always finds some whom he makes spiritually drunk II, 2002.
- enemies and benefactors of the C. The C. always has enemies I,
- 755.; the devil is its enemy I, 393. 637. 695. 938.; II, 407. f.
- who brings disaster II, 327.; defiles it II, 438. f.; the godless persecute and plague it I, 936.; the wicked persecute and afflict them I, 936.; tyrants and earthly-minded afflict them I, 391. f.; the holiest persecute them I, 310.; apostates become the greatest enemies I, 689. the K. prays for the enemies I, 494;
** 2184Church**Subject register. Church2185
God watches the attacks of the enemies, laughs at them II, 1113. f.; punishes them I, 394. 644. 747. 1462. f. God blesses the benefactors of the C. I, 747.
The false church is a church only in name II, 119, which is often misused I, 1403, f.; it arrogates to itself the name of the church II, 99; has its origin in the grove I, 685; misuses the name of God I, 1402, f.; wants to prophesy from its own head I, 390.Boasts of her happiness as a proof that she is God's people II, 72. f.; wants to please God by works 1, 317. Characteristics of the false C.: lying and murder II, 76. f.; preservation of hope II, 118.; contempt of spiritual, love of earthly goods II, 118. ff. Esau a picture of the false C. II, 118. - S. Pabst I, Pabstthum, Papists, Turk 2.
- the true and the false K. There are two kinds of K., the true and the false I, 308. f. 1406.; II, 119.; it was like this in the beginning I, 380., it will be until the end II, 648. f.; the right C. is Adam's, the false Cain's I, 356.; images of the false and right C. are Cain and Abel I, 303., Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob II, 67.; Cain is the beginning of the false, Abel of the true C. I, 308. f.. With the right one God is, with the false one He is silent II, 73. f. 77. ; the right one has the Word, the false one only bodily gifts II, 39. ff. ; the false one blasphemes and persecutes the Word, the right one keeps it and suffers persecutions I, 1406.The false one takes God's name in vain, the right one keeps it holy I, 1406. f.; the false one is well, the right one is ill I, 309. f.; II, 50. ff. 71. ff.; the right one must be inactive and fleeting, the false one not I, 360. f..The wrath of the false against the true is diabolical I, 318. f.; there is a constant struggle between the two I, 466. 632.; II, 34. ff. 118. for the firstborn II, 1506.; the false pretends to be the right, the right must be considered false and heretical I, 309. 311. 388. 688. f. 933. f. 1504.; II, 308. 675. f.; the false one wants to rule for the sake of the first birth II, 35.; the right one is despised by the heretics II, 245.; the false one does violence to the right one and condemns it I, 310. f.
- f., turns them back and disturbs them I, 380., excuses their tyranny I, 392.; the true one must give the false one its blood to drink 1, 393. God rejects the false one I, 552.; God punishes it and saves the true one I, 380. 551. ff; II, 13. - S. Pabst 1, Pabstthum, Papists, Turk
- cross and consolation of the true C. God rules and leads it wonderfully II, 50. f.; it bears the image of the curse I, 1002.; II,
- f.; is hidden under the terrible cover of shame and the cross II,
- ff.; must bear cross, has neither honor nor good I, 478. f.; is always of the same form: mobs and aversions 1, 711.; is despised 1, 310.; never has rest I, 716. f.; persecuted from the beginning I, 394.; II, 456. f.; must suffer persecution I, 1408.; II, 1136.; Satan causes much distress and misfortune I, 1135. f.; must be poor and live on robbery I, 1461. f.; II, 632. f. 647.; is a small despised herd I, 709.; II, 806.; the very worst is when one seeks new doctrine and disturbs doctrinal unity I, 1283. f.; II, 245. God presses the K. with the cross I, 1080. so that she may remain humble I, 823. how she is to be comforted in suffering I, 309.; II, 52. 72. ff. 805., in persecution I,
- f. 350. 643., in contempt I, 497., in the earthly power of false K. I, 649. f., against the plots of the enemies I, 703. ff., over her small number 1, 899.; she has eternal promises of grace I, 372. f.; she sighs to God for
Vengeance Against the Wicked I, 507. f.; recognizes God's love after the tribulation I, 1003.; II, 808. f.
- foundation and preservation of the church The church is established before the household regiment and police I, 126. ff; has the divine majesty present II, 369.; has certain testimonies in the word that God takes care of it I, 962.; God takes care of it, protects and defends it I, 231. 716. 728. f. 755. 776. 963.; II, 406. ff. 656. f. 1016. 1095. 1114.; the church finally wins over the godless I, 699.; God does not always leave them under tyrants I, 1357., raises up pious princes who care for and protect them II, 186. ff. 229. f.
- marks of the true C. There have been marks at all times where the C. and God's people are to be found I, 1044. ff.; now they are other than in the A. T. I, 1056.; they are the means of grace I, 709.; II, 112.
- The pope gives false marks I, 1047. f.; earthly happiness is not a mark I, 495. f. 1400. ff., rather cross I, 310.
- c. and word of God. The church cannot be where God's word is not always practiced I, 669; it is the daughter, not the mother of the word I, 554, Christ's disciple I, 863, 867, f. 1317; in it the word is to rule I, 766; in it nothing is valid but what God does II, 436, f.; in it nothing is to be accepted or begun without the word II, 1760; there only God's word is to be taught II, 2010.
The church has always been a refuge for the wretched and the poor I, 1135, so it should also be given the means to provide for them I, 1133, f.; one should have reverence for it and its name and shy away from it I, 1407, f.; not everyone should make his own church, as the mobs do I, 1095.
- the church and the world. The world has nothing more delicious than the church, although it is much despised I, 1372; the church is always a wall against the wrath of God against the world I, 494, which would have been destroyed long ago I, 893; from the church the world has bodily blessings I, 768; II, 1235; for its sake God preserves the world II, 895; yet the church must be subject to bondage II, 552. ff, the ungodly deprive them I, 776.; the W. is Lamech's kind, the K.'s enemy I, 393.
- c. and secular kingdoms. In the kingdom, pay attention to who speaks, in secular kingdoms to what is said there I, 1266. 1595.; in the kingdom, the rule of the jurists does not apply that whoever once commits an evil deed, it is to be assumed that he will always do evil I, 796.; the kingdom does not raise the other estates I, 1465. 1477. f.; for the sake of the kingdom, God does good to the secular rulers I,
- I, 1409. and preserves them II, 1607. 1705. ff; the prayer of the church preserves them I, 1409.; where the church decays, so do the twitch and order I, 1192.; the church has bad thanks 1409. f.; II, 1706. f.; the secular rulers should make peace that the church may teach II,
- f. - S. Authority 12.
The Lutheran Church was right to separate from the Papal Church I, 1265; it is the right Church I, 1405; II, 42, 112; whether all were lost before its separation I, 1281; in which it differs from the Papal Church II, 42 f.; it does not reject good works I, 1347; how it is in harmony with the Papal Church I, 1347. II, 42. f.; does not reject good works I, 1347.; how it deals with the Papal properties II, 9. Church properties II, 926. f.
14 Historical. Gen. 12, 1. ff. is a short history of the C. of all times I, 754. f.; beginning and increase of the C. is to be regarded sweetly I, 729.; the C. got in the time of Noah on Abraham a great
** 2186Church Fathers**Subject register. Cross2187
Thrust I, 728.; at the time of the downfall of Sodom there was a church like after that not again until Christ I, 1200.; the church of Rome was quite holy, adorned with excellent martyrs 1, 448. Abraham 19, Enos, Ham 2, Jacob II, Cain 3, Nimrod, Sodom, Fathers I; II, 11.
15 Churches and schools. We should maintain them II, 453, ff. 455, f.; build and maintain them, a glorious work II, 449, ff.; what should drive us to it II, 451; the world is an enemy to them II, 455.
16 Churches, the buildings. Purpose of them I, 778; what works to perform in them II, 222; are hostels for wounded consciences II, 1723; pure doctrine their right ornament l, 839; II, 222; when they are houses of worship II, 433. f. 939.They are rather cowsheds, if there is no preaching in them II, 917.; in them one comes together honestly and demurely II, 914.; in the papacy they were theaters of the devil II, 917.; what a church Isaac had at Bersaba II, 222.
Cf. Christ, Hospitality, Kingdom of Heaven, Union, People 2.
Church Fathers. They are to be held in honor, but not to be equated with the apostles and their writings I, 148; one does not make articles of faith from their opinions II, 1547; one does not follow them, but the Word II, 79; one accepts only what agrees with Scripture I, 1290, 1316, 1382; one does not deviate from Scripture for their sake I, 149.It is pleasant and sweet when they agree with us in doctrine, even if they often do not speak comfortably and actually I, 1153; at times they give weak proofs I, 1149. ff; commonly follow the rabbis I, 364; do not find without danger and deviate from the right understanding of Scripture I, 953; read them carefully and do not be deceived by their reputation I, 285; II, 956; the fact that they are mistaken is a comfort to us I, 148. 1382.
Churchyards. Only later, with the Christians I, 1625.
Kiriath Arba. Meaning of the name I, 1609; reason for it I, 1610; is Hebron or Mamre I, 1609.
Kittim. Peoples' Name I, 661.
Clothing. 1. in general. A reminder of the case I, 270. f.; honest and proper is to be praised I, 272.; one may adorn oneself, but avoid excess I, 1715.; the Orientals had white silk clothes, the Romans' costume was purple II, 1001. f. 1037. 1039. 1307. 1987. f., the Turks wore white silk II, 1307, likewise the Egyptians II, 1399; the Jews wore furs II, 1689; one does not only use excess, but nonsense I, 272. - S. state of innocence.
- individual items. Bracelets wore the Jews, also the Germans in Luther's time I, 1713. f.; who and what kind of berets they wore I, 1713.; earrings wore the Moors, Cleopatra I, 1712., also the Jews I, 1713.; student caps II, 1188.
Small faith. Is a shame for us II, 379.
Monastery. The Cardinals seized the monastery of St. Agnes in Rome II, 105; the monastery and convents were to be destroyed II, 1896.
Monastic vows. Not pleasing to God II, 448. f.; are idolatry II, 449.; reprehensible II, 447.; how the monks seek to confirm them with Scripture II, 445. ff.
Boys and girls. S. Sexes.
Servants. S. Servants.
Genuflection. K. happens before God and Princes II,
1046.; the pope demands K. II, 1400. f.; a beautiful custom in worship II, 1840. ff.
Cologne. The theologians of K. incited the princes against the Protestants II, 2001.
Comets. Are Terrible I, 607.
Kings and princes. Their highest office is to protect and preserve the church I, 1356. ff.; II, 229. f.; were called saviors in Abraham's time I, 879.; cannot stand contempt, fall into tyranny over it I, 819. f.; the names of all pious kings and princes can be engraved on a ring I, 789.They are often good, but their advisors and servants find evil I, 1458. f.; for the sake of the king, God blesses or punishes a whole people I, 1324. f.; great pity when pious kings and princes depart I, 1325.; pious ones easily despised II, 1294. f.; they should not be deprived of their regalia II, 84. - S. Courts. Kingdoms. God gives them and sets their time I, 741. f., thent them also out among the ungodly I, 1409., rules them I, 741. f. - S. Gospel 2, Church 12, government, regiments.
Künigsthal. 1, 897.
Korah. Perished himself, his descendants composed many beautiful psalms II, 1952.
Koran. S. Alkoran.
Forces. 1. the physical. Are increased by terror and consternation II, 789. f.
- the natural ones. Which were the natural gifts in man I, 202; the Sophists teach that they are intact I, 577; traces of this teaching are also found in the Fathers I, 577; other erroneous teachings follow from this I, 580; they are not intact in man I, 173, 201, 204, 584, ff, much less in the devil I, 174. 202.; wherein corruption consists I, 202. 210. f.; they are directed toward evil I, 578. ff, man can do no good I, 731; man by nature does not recognize God I, 578. 580. f., is inclined to laziness and vice I, 584; how corruption shows itself in youth I, 585.; how unspoiled they are is shown by the chastity of the monks 1, 831.; man by them cannot resist the devil 1, 334. - S. Man 2, Will II, 2.
Diseases. 1. in general. New ones always arise for the sake of sin I, 253. f.; the pain is most severe on the 3rd day II, 885.
- individual K. The English sweat I, 253; the French disease I, 253; the stone II, 885.
Cross. 1. originator of the cross. It does not come from outside, but from God's counsel for our blessedness II, 1086; comes even from friends, housemates and children II, 1088. f.
- who carries K. muh. A Christianus must also be a Crucianus II, 467; the holiest are subject to the same II, 860. f., the Christian life is hidden under the cover of the K. II, 802. ff. 1130.
- k. is a sign of grace II, 1083. ff. 1158. 1282. ff. 1466. 1490., of filiation II, 1326., a fatherly chastening II, 1468., a fatherly play II, 1123. 1453. f. 1577.; God is well pleased with us in k. II, 1146.; life under k. is the most delicious II, 1147.
- II, 846. f. 920. f. 1492. f., for the sake of original sin II,
- purpose and benefit of the K.. God sends the k. for our good I, 1327, from his counsel for our blessedness II, 1086; it is better to be under the k. with the hope of eternal salvation, than without the k. into eternity.
** 2188 Cross of Grammarians**Subject Register. **Hobo 2189**
Purpose: K. should serve for punishment II, 730. 734. f. 1158. 1282. ff., for improvement II, 1326. f. 1455. ff. 1459. ff. 1493. 1994. 2003. f., for preservation in humility I, 929., to keep us in the right center II, 761., for promotion in patience and humility I, 883.; should drive to prayer II, 903. Benefit: K. is very beneficial I, 822. ff.; II, 302. ff. 306. 1084. ff.; serves us and others for salvation II, 1079.; serves that we learn to understand God's grace and mercy, in addition to the mystery of faith and right hope II, 1082.; drives to prayer II, 1215.
- c. and consolation. Are with each other I, 1080; always follow each other I, 400. 921. 929. 1289; II, 191. f. 209. 234. 528. f. 732. f. 739. 846. f. 948. 1749, so with Abraham I, 1340. ff. 1357. 1370; the consolation precedes I, 420. f. 938. f. 958. 993.This change is necessary II, 846. 1668. and useful II, 761. which is the right consolation II, 50. ff; the right consolation is God's will and promise I, 1412. f.; God also consoles through bodily goods I, 829. - p. church 6.
- behavior in the C. C. hurts the flesh I, 958. f.; it flees from the C. I, 996.; C. makes the heart bitter against God I, 988.; we are ungrateful and flee from the C. II, 920. f. How believers should behave in it II, 1151; we should not flee I, 979. f. 1374, not despair II, 755. f. 1225. f. 1587. f., but hold to the word and prayer II,
- f., obey and send ourselves into it II, 1136., be patient I, 825. 828. f. 1130. f.; II, 1086. f. 1157. f. 1420. f., provoke us to it with the examples of the fathers I, 693. f.; II, 855.
- f. 900. f. 1078. ff.; wherewith we are to comfort and strengthen ourselves in the K. II, 567, f. 920. f., with God's word II, 1082. f., God's care II, 706. f., His wonderful guidance II, 354 ff., the alternation of comfort and consolation II, 739 f., that God does not make it too difficult II, 739 f. 846, with the examples of others I,
- 974; II, 1078 ff. 1135. Believers boast of their comfort I, 784.
- end of the K.'s. It is a happy II, 1083.
- c. and glory. K. precedes H. II, 964.
10 Cross of Christ. Where it is said to have stood II, 428.
Cf. temptations, matrimony 13, land plagues, afflictions, distresses, tribulations, despised, persecutions, adversities, chastisements.
Cross of the grammarians. What that is I, 719.
Crucifixion of the flesh. In what it consists I, 1423. 1505.; II, 354.; is necessary II, 354., difficult I, 1523. - S. Abraham 17, circumcision 8, flesh 2, monks 2, self-denial.
Wars. Are punishments of contempt of divine word I, 882; arise because the kings are not satisfied with theirs I, 878; killing the enemy in it by order of the authorities is a good work I, 763; the saddest thing in K. is that marriages are separated I, 892. is that marriages are separated I, 892. f.; in ancient times one killed the inhabitants of conquered cities II, 886. - on K. one must arm oneself in peace II, 1375.; K. in Abraham's time I, 876. ff. 886.ff. - S. generals, men of war, cunning of war, battle, victory.
Men of war. God is a right man of war, under him is good to fight II, 928. f.; God gives and takes the K. the courage II, 1378. f.; few quite brave II, 1375. f.;
Ishmael a pious man of war II, 13 - S. Generals.
Cunning of war. Whether it is unjust II, 311.
Crown. Origin I, 1713.; multiple K. I, 1713.
Crystalline Heaven. Opinion of it I, 34.
Cows. Mean peoples II, 1348.
Artistic expressions. They are right and useful I, 57. f., but not understandable to everyone I, 1359.
Arts, good. Study them I, 525, practice them II, 827. Kissing. Kiss the hands I, 1635.
L.
Laban. 1. laban. Meaning of the name II, 481; Nahor's grandson, Bethuel's son II, 475; Bethuel's older brother I, 1720; his possessions II, 593; his reputation among neighbors not good II, 494; probably invited only loose Fähnichen to Leah's wedding II, 496; was hospitable to Eliezer I, 1720. ff.; was in Jacob's time: a hostile hypocrite and work-saint II, 481. ff. 582. ff. 665. ff. 708. ff. 714. ff. 720. and should be called Nabal II, 482. 581.; an idolater and soothsayer II, 584. 643. 648. ff.'; a mischievous man and drowned in avarice II, 494. 580. ff., wherein his avarice showed itself II, 497. 508. f. 593. ff. 599. 605. 621. f. 624. f. 679., his avarice made him a fiend II, 627. sf. 682. f. 693. ff., his name was to become proverbial, to indicate avarice II, 612.; a tyrant II, 701.; was suspicious II, 621.; false II, 583. 597., only went about with intrigues II, 581. f.; haughty II, 662.; ungrateful II, 696. ff.; had an evil conscience II, 712. 718. f.; not to mend II, 660. 662. ff.; is an example that everyone should curse and flee II, 630., image of a hypocrite II, 680. 720. 723., idolater II, 720., of the godless world II, 713., of the pope II, 680. - S. Jacob 24.
2 Laban's children. Stingy and envious II, 610. ff.
3 Laban and his daughters. L. a tyrannical father II, 502. f.; held his daughters in contempt II, 626. ff.; they justly complain about him II, 625. 630. 639. f.; console themselves in their misery II, 630. f.
Laughter. Various types II, 165; Signs of joy I, 1103.
Lais. City, was later called Dan II, 2022.
Lantech. 1. meaning of the name. 1, 385.
- l., the patriarch. I, 428. ff. Names his son Noah I, 428. ff; died five years before the Flood I, 531.
- L., Cain's descendant. I, 385. ff. A man of excellent intellect, formidable and famous I, 391st; proud and boasts of his sin I, 392nd; enemy of the Church I, 391st; a man approximately like Julius II or Clement VII. I, 393; the first polygamist I, 391; why he took two wives I, 386; sought to take dominion at Adam's death I, 391; whether he killed Cain I, 370. 389. 391; his punishment is said to have been the Flood I, 371; is an example to the world I, 393. His wives were probably God-fearing, grieved at his death stroke I, 390.
Countries. Are happy if God's word dwells in them II, 1350.; in the best L. dwell the worst people I, 854.- S. curse, people 1.
Plagues of the land. The ungodly think that God's word is to blame for them II, 132. ff; are punishments for contempt of the word II, 132. 134. f.; hit the faithful for testing and practicing their faith II, 131. f. 135.
Vagrants. The authorities should intervene against them II, 1602. f.
** 2190Langmuth** Subject register. Teaching2191
God's long-suffering. God is long-suffering I, 195.,' II, 1677.; but therefore do not always allow the punishment I, 353. 507. f. 540.; Satan abuses it to plunge people into 'security I, 195.
Lasa. Location 1, 678.
Lästrygonen. I, 596.
Lazarus. Meaning of the name I, 937.
Lea. I. Lea. Very poor II, 541.; honest, pious, strong, but not beautiful II, 491. f.; wherein consisted her stupid face II, 491. f.; a godly matron II, 540.; chaste and pious, sought not carnal pleasure, but children for the sake of the promised seed H, 539. ff. 544. 549. 556. 561. 563. f. 570.; recognized her fruitfulness as a gift of God II, 521. ff. 571.; industrious II, 1239.; kindly toward the widows of the Shechemites II, 935.; challenged by contempt, comforted by her fruitfulness II, 519. ff. 527. f. - S. Jacob 18, Laban 3.
- L. and Rachel. II, 518. ff. 528. ff. 551. 565. ff. L. the wife of the left, R. of the right II, 969. f.; R. is preferably called Jacob's wife II, 1765.; L. despised, R. honored II, 519. ff. 524.; R. preferred, with her dwelt Jacob II, 525.; quarreled, because each wanted to become the mother of the promised seed II, 563. f.; signify, according to papist allegory, the contemplative and the real life II,
- ff.
Leabim. Shall be the Libyans I, 676.
Life. I. L. of God. God is a living God, therefore we also shall live forever I, 1005.; II, 1759.; is a God of life, not of destruction I, 1016., gives eternal life I, 1059., a God of the living I, 1059.
II. life of the people. 1. temporal life: God has pleasure in it I, 601. f.; no other good can be compared to it I, 269.; it is a vain dream II, 1054. ff, a steady walk to death I, 240; after the Flood more dangers than before I, 253; becomes shorter and shorter I, 803; every man's life is full of changes I, 1604; full of hardship and misfortune I, 423; the purpose of life is faith and blessedness II, 950; we should seek to preserve it, but also gladly suffer death according to God's will II, 1301; for the preservation of life we need the natural means II, 1306.
The civil life with its customs, orders and works is not displeasing to God I, 1464.
- the spiritual L. A certain sign of it is when one feels God's wrath II, 1462.
- divine L. To lead a divine L. is to lead God's cause publicly I,
- ff. 500. f. - S. change.
- holy L. Which L. is a holy one II, 1583; the holiest L. is under the cross II, 1158. f.
- godly L. What it is II, 1641; the world does not understand what it is II, 480.
- self-chosen L. Does not please God II, 1625.
8 Speculative or contemplative and real L. Papal opinions and allegories of it II, 558; according to which one must distinguish both II, 956. What the monks called contemplative L. II, 954; their contemplative L. is devil's fraud I, 1253; II, 558; the same pleases reason I, 1252; leads to despair and damnation I, 1252. Their contemplative life is devil's fraud I, 1253 f.; II, 558 f.; the same pleases reason I, 1252; leads to despair and damnation I, 1252; beware of it I, 1252 f.; II, 954 f.; an old father warns against it I, 1251; wherein the right life consists I, 1252 f.; II, 954 f.; an old father warns against it I, 1251. L. consists I, 1252. f.; II, 560. 954. f.; an example of this is the cana
naean woman II, 955. f. What the monks have called real L. II, 954; the right w. L. is the love II, 561. 955. f. - S. Speculations.
- l. of the Christians. Is a constant battle of the spirit against sin I, 329.; consists in killing the flesh I, 1495.; stands by faith and hope I, 642.; is a merry play of God with the Christians II, 1577.
- f. 1629.; is a pilgrimage II, 1801. f., a passage through the Red Sea I, 42, a constant walk to death, but the hope of eternal life remains in it I, 240. 242, a sleep II, 1578; how we fall into serving God in it I, 427. The Christian life is not a sleepy, idle skill II,
- f.; is to be spiritually drunk and washed daily II, 2005. f. - S. Christ, change.
- l. of the godless. A sleep, their happiness a dream II, 1579. - S. Godless.
- eternal L. There is an eternal life I, 964. ff. 1064. because our God is a living God I, 1005. 1059.; the Scriptures teach it I, 406.; we have the promise of it more abundantly than Abraham I, 1066.; there is restored to us what we lost in Paradise I, 82.; there the sinful infirmities are abolished I, 136. 1088.; as our faces will be there I, 289.; since no more bodily works I, 79. f.; is reserved and ordered for men I, 421., prepared for the saints I, 421.; Abraham lives I, 1060.; the hope of the eternal L. should make us courageous I, 1066. f.We should have a desire for the eternal life I, 423. f.; our flesh does not ask for it 1, 424.; reason cannot believe it II, 1962. f. - S. heaven 4, man I, blessedness, death 3, immortality.
Life of the Fathers. The book "L. d. V." brings examples of the insensitivity of the monks II, 1608. f.
Legends of the Saints in the Papacy. They are pernicious, teach nothing of the faith I, 1315; to be read with care I, 1121.
Teaching. I. In general. Is threefold: of promise, works, ceremonies II, 223. f.; on the L., not on church buildings, one should look I, 839.; in the L. one should rely on the Word, not on men I, 79.; fft not always equally pure in the church I, 709. - S. certainty, reformation, religion.
- the pure L. effect of it I, 1133; II, 911; where it is spread, the devil also mixes his weeds into it II, 1417; how it spreads in the A. T. II, 1015; behavior against it on the part of the common crowd I,
- f., I, 637; the papists, I, 1646; it is persecuted, I, 840; II, 779, f. 1249; preachers are to watch over it, II, 1424; all contribute to its preservation, II, 648; it is to be adhered to, I, 538, f. 1283, f.; one does not make a conscience out of the annoyance one takes at the pure L., I, 793; one does not make a conscience out of the annoyance one takes at the pure L., I, 793. I, 793; do not keep silent when it is blasphemed II, 681, 691; in the struggle for it, keep one's word and do not worry about the insults of one's enemies 1, 936, f.; in the struggle, give good evidence I, 1149, ff; ask for its preservation I, 534.
- false doctrine, which does not agree with God's word, is of the devil I, 695. f.; all kinds of sins follow from it I, 1551.; the fight against it is harder than against external violence II, 1983. f. - S. Irrlehren, Irrthum.
- the pure and the false L. Blessed is he who has the pure L. and has not first put in the false one II, 1991; the false one clings to one for a long time II, 1990. f.;
** 2192Teaching unity**Subject register. Lot2193
people give more abundantly for the wrong than for the right L. II, 1954. ff.
Doctrinal Unity. This is the most distressing thing when it is disturbed II, 245.
Teach. L. and exhort must be driven differently I, 1149.; The simple should be taught I, 18.
Teachers in the church. They should not use ambiguous words I, 1407; II, 1373; they should ask against ambition and presumption as their most harmful enemies I, 928.
Body. One should tame it, not kill it II, 1879; care of it commanded 1, 859. 1710. f., to keep in it the middle road I, 1716; how and for what one should maintain its I, 846.
Serfs. God loves serfs as much as free men I, 995. f. Serfdom. Is civil death, often worse than bodily death II, 1126. f.; existed among the patriarchs II, 1762, among the Turks II, 1762.
Funeral. One should keep it II, 971. - S. Begräbnrß.
Gullible. Are easily deceived II. 273. f.
Leiden. 1. suffering. The heaviest suffering is sadness of heart II, 1684; sufferings are no satisfaction for sin II, 1454. f. 1461; all sufferings of the saints please God II, 772, are inscribed before him II, 1769; God wants to be honored by them II, 1284; life in suffering the holiest II, 1158. f. 1635; Christians suffer not for sin, but for good deeds II, 1270. 1273. f., for righteousness' sake II, 1249. 1269.; they are a mockery and a curse of men for God's sake II, 676.; in this let faith exercise itself II, 1151.; hurt be patient II, 207. 1148. ff. 1157.; for God will punish enemies II, 680. f. 965; by this Christians should be kept in humility I, 823; how one should comfort oneself II, 676; the L. of the patriarchs is more comprehensible to us than the L. of Christ II, 1078.- S. Abraham 17, Isaac 11, Jacob 15, Joseph 11, Sarah.
- l. and joy. L. is followed by F. I, 883. 922; II, 1623. 1712- f.
- l. and glory. L. is followed by H. II, 1330. f. 1431. ff.
Cf. cross. L. Christi s. Christ 2.
Loins. Although the seat of fornication, it is a sacred thing according to Scripture I, 1656. ff.
Leo, Pabst. L.'s opinion of immortality I, 1243. Levi. 1. Jacob's son. When born II, 548. ff.;
why L. called II, 525. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II; Joseph 12, Simeon 2.
- the tribe. Had nothing of their own II, 1110; from where they had their sustenance II, 451. f.; were poorly fed by the others II, 1953. f.; from L. came great prophets and rulers II,; 1951. - S. Simeon 3.
Levirate marriage. What it was II, 1178. f.; difficult and vexatious I, 974. f.; II, 1179. ff.; purpose II, 1181.; commanded by God already in Jacob's time II, 1190.; then kept most strictly II, 1189. f.; probably observed only by the pious II, 1180. f.; punishment of the transgressors II, 1180.; whether the Gentiles also had this law is uncertain II, 1189.
Levites. They created false worship in order to gain more honor and goods II, 1954 - S. Levi 2.
Light. The L. created on the first day was probably movable, similarly as the sun I, 23. f. 51.; whether it disappeared after creation of the sun and the moon 1, 48. L. means good II, 76. Allegory of the Pabst.
vom großen und kleinen Licht I, 612; allegorical interpretation of both lights on Christ and the church 1, 616. f. Lichtenberger. L.'s prophecies are of the devil II, 1050; predicted the Bavarian war II, 1054.
Love. 1. in general. According to the doctrine of the sophists, a little love is enough to attain eternal life I, 1334.
- God's love for mankind. God loves his faithful I, 1342; this love must be learned by experience II, 809; in which G.'s love is shown 1,
- f. 590. 592. 604. 1548. f. 1690.
- l. to God. We should love God more than wife, child or our own life I, 1412. 1420. f. 1422. f.; reason for this I, 1690.; whether man by his natural powers can love God above all things I, 580. - S. Faith
- L. to the people. The natural L. is fickle I, 7W. L. is patient and also does what one would not do for money II, 491; right L. is not suspicious I, 799; the highest work of L. is to instruct in true religion I, 805; one should love all men, good and evil 1, 797; L. is justly greater against whole brethren than against strangers II, 1717.; L. to brethren is called Philadelphia I, 1142.; fraternal L. is much greater than general I, 1146., surpassing the friendship of Pylades and Orestes I, 1147.; both kinds of L. are alone among Christians I, 1146. f.; L. manifests itself in intercession for enemies I, 1198. ff, also shows service and reverence to the lesser II, 824. - S. brewing love, parents 2, faith 10, inclinations.
- conjugal and unchaste L. The pure conjugal L. does and suffers much II, 491, the unchaste one turns into hatred II, 1268. f.
- L. and human laws. L. is the goal and master of all human laws I,
- ff. 846. f.
Unkindness. Is sin II, 944. - S. Unfeelingness.
Song. Quoted: Mitten wir im Leben sind I, 1514.
Limbus patrum. Doctrine of the Papists I, 1762; II, 1546; what to think of the l. p. I, 1762. f.; II, 2066. 2071.
Lindigkeit. What L. is I, 848.
Lentil dish of Jacob. How prepared II, 121.
Cunning of the women. II, 1272. - S. Cunning of war.
Livius. His interpretation of Hannibal's dream II, 1049**.** f.
Praise to God. The Most Pleasant Service I, 1000. 1005. f.
Lot. 1. lot. I, 1240. ff. 1254. ff. 1288. ff. Appearance I, 1206. ff.; hrelt the vrei angels for holy men I, 1236. Faith of L. 's: he recognized the doctrine of the Holy Trinity I, 1214.; the Scriptures praise his faith I, 739. Virtues of L. 's: was hospitable I, 1213. f. 1219. f.; loving I, 1254. f. 1264. ff. L.'s works I, 858. ff; saved by his prayerZoar I, 1271.; his request is a right model prayer I, 1267.; whether he was justified in giving up his daughters to the Sodomites I, 1229. ff. 1232. Sins: his hesitation in leaving Sodom was sin I, 1260. f; see below 4. How Lot repented of his fall I, 1298. L.'s temptations: the Sodomites tormented his soul by their ungodly works I, 693; had his own around him to comfort him II, 1226. L.'s sons-in-law I, 1243. f.; had
** 2194Lions** Subject index. Luther2195
probably kept to his church I, 1243. his servants probably perished with him in Sodom I, 1241. f.
- l.'s wife. I, 1273. ff. Is an example to us I, 1281. Was a faithful, holy woman I, 1280. f., sinned out of weakness I, 1282. f.; her death I, 1280. ff.; the pillar of salt was probably destroyed at the same time as Zoar I, 1280. f.; has probably become blessed I,
- f.; it is to be praised that she followed Lot into misery 1,
3 L. and the Sodomites. I, 1222. ff; for his sake good things happen to the S. I, 893.
- L. and his daughters. I, 772. 1240. ff. 1288. ff. 1298. ff. L.'s daughters were holy virgins I, 1255; L.'s incest with them should be judged mildly I, 1294; L. acted with consternation I, 1292. 1294; II, 500 and also the daughters I, 1295. f; their foolish behavior was not out of carnal pleasure I, 1292. 1295. f; their example should serve us as a warning I, 1296. f. - S. Abraham 28.
Lions. The sophists of L. are loose, frivolous strings II, 1931; do not know the difference between God's word and man's word II, 2010; do not understand the Scriptures II, 2030; fight against the known truth II, 1966. f.; say that the Scriptures do not teach that the Holy Spirit is given by faith II, 1997, nor that one attains forgiveness and blessedness by faith II, 2059. Spirit is given by faith II, 1997, nor that one obtains forgiveness and blessedness by faith II, 2059, denying that Christ is a prophet II, 2062, teaching falsely about prayer II, 2014, the rough asses defending purgatory II, 1900, inciting the princes against the evangelicals II, 2001. f., and the rulers against the evangelicals II, 2001. f..
Luria, St. Her answer, since they wanted to force her to idolatry and fornication II, 505.; considered death a joke II, 1989.
Lucretia. Did not commit adultery II, 505. - S. Tarquinius.
Lud. Völkername I, 680.
Lüder. Comes from Lothar or Luther II, 1415. Ludim. Shall be the Lydians I, 676.
Louis of France. S. Bund.
Lie. Classification into joke, emergency, and harmful lies I, 788. f.; II, 171. ff.; example of a harmful lie II, 875.; there is only one kind of lie, joke and red lies are not lies I, 788. 1317. f.; one lie gives birth to another I, 335.
Liar. Must be clever and cunning and have a good memory I, 334; II, 272; betray themselves I, 334; II, 1121. f.
Lus. Location II, 736. 936; later called Bethel II, 935. f.; whether L. and Jerusalem are the same city II, 936. - S. Bethel.
Airs. What L. of the flesh are I, 224.; carnal L. are the devil's breath II, 1265.; this rut of the flesh is not to be cured II, 1257. f. -S. Fornication.
Luther. I. Hans L. Discarded the Monastic Life II, 1890.
II Martin L. 1. L. himself. Complains about himself I, 1338; calls himself the very least I, 1, one of the asses' feet and carnal I, 1516. 1523. Luther's sayings about himself in relation to: Abraham's and Melchizedek's history, as he read it in former times I, 909.; absolution, when denied him I, 1426.; allegories I, 284. f. 610.; II, 474. 557. f. 561.; his contestations of unbelief II, 146., evil conscience II, 1521., about oversight II, 181., of works righteousness I, 1433.; II, 463., because of contempt of the gospel II, 804.; his hostilities I, 936. f. 1186. 1465.; II, 245. 1273. f. 1309.; challenged as he comforted them II, 179.; his an
I, 1329.; II, 1482.; antinomians, invoked L.'s example I, 1428. f.; his works and business I, 920. 967. 1301.; his vocation to the teaching office I, 1102.; II, 267. f. 278. f.; his translation of the Bible II, 937. 1836., justifies his translation of Gen. 47, 31. II, 1839. 1844.; his blindness in the papacy II, 1889.He is surprised by the malice of men against the recognized truth II, 1966, 1968; Bratwurst, he was frightened by it II, 1598; his books I, 1289; his covenant with God II, 1047, 1053; Concilium, struck off at Schmalkalden I, 1329; his knowledge, he comes to understand Romans I, 17 II, 320 f; marriage, he considered sinful as a boy I, 164 f., why he is so eager about it I, 1679., as a monk he considered it a condemned state II, 166.; to abolish celibacy II, 364.; ambition did not particularly challenge him I, 924.; falling asleep and awakening he wanted to observe II, 216. 2071.; Eliefer's gifts, given to Rebekka, is surprised that Scripture makes so much mention of it I, 1711. f.; appearances, does not desire them, how he would behave about them I, 1118. f.; 1527. f.; II, 782. f. 1047. 1309.; his errors and follies II, 272. f. 275. 685.; fortresses, is hostile to them II, 932.; his flesh II, 1322. f. 1383.; his piety II, 772.; his gifts and knowledge II, 1022. 1224.; his faithfulness to the gallows I, 313.; his prayer I, 1547. 1581. f. 1702. 1704. ; II, 60. 756. 1142. 1144. 1487. f. 1643. 1644. f. 1652. ; external dangers, he despised II, 1983. f. ; his health I, 1338. ; II, 174. f.; his faith and little faith II, 286. 411. f. 434. 469. 1722. f. 2057. 2061. 2064. f.; God: rather with God in hell than without God in heaven II, 569.; what God might have thought if L. II, 1289. f.; his grief, about which II, 1090.; household, as a monk he despised it II, 1075.; court servants, often thwarted his intention I, 1467. f.; his hope of the efficacy of the church's prayer against the pope and Turks I, III2. f.; heresies of Pabstism, clung to him II, 1990. f.; error, he confesses II, 845. 856.Isaac's sacrifice, could not have watched I, 1511. f.; Ishmael's and Hagar's story, moves him greatly I, 1423.; his doctrine I, 1428. f. 1573., of the revealed and hidden God II, 184. f.; serfdom, death would be preferable to him II, 1127.; lying, is not skilled for it II, 272.; see Majesty; Melanchthon I, 1286.; his reading the Mass II, 30.Milk consumption, he calculated II, 2049.; his monastic life, I, 1576.; II, 318. f. 320. 988. 1107. III5. 1301. 1569. 1879. f. 1890. 1957. 2004.; mothers, grieved because their sons went to the monastery, as he punished them II, 1679.; Pabst's doctrine, by which he judged them I, 696.; threats, he despised them I, 1407.: II, 1985.Papists, held against him the ram of the church I, 790; Pliny, is an enemy to him I, 1344; Rabbis and their writings, he knows them I, 370, does not agree with them II, 698., refuted them II, 997. ; red spirits, they challenged him I, 130. f.; II, 1309. ; his scriptural research and interpretation I, 1712. f.; II, 703. 1380. 1487. f. ; his sinful weakness I, 636.; pious son-in-law, esteems him highly II, 694.; the seventy do not count for much with him II, 1767.; Sintfluth, history of it moves him greatly I, 1206. 1209. f.; Sodom's downfall likewise I, 1206. 1209. f.; Hebrew language he does not understand perfectly I, 322. 5tk7.; II, 546. 678. 1998.; see Staupitz; last day, waits for it with eagerness II, 1713. 2059.; his will I, 422. f.; his death
** 2196Luther**Subject register. Lyra2197
I, 409. f. 1061. f.; II, 1150. f.; dreams, he does not desire, nor can he interpret them II, 1047. 1050. f. 1053. 1057. 1309.; consolations I, 1073.; II, 1411.; his ignorance II, 1932. f.; comparisons: L. compares himself with Isaac II, 128. f. 204., Jacob II, 270. f. 283. 684., Jacob's sons II, 1034. 1142., Joseph II, 1433. 1881., Judah II, 1960., Leah II, 495. f., Leah and Rachel II, 630., Noah I, 537. f., the patriarchs II, 300. Reuben II, 1928.; his postponement of prayer, communion 2c. I, 1740.; his temptation to desire a sign I, 1527.; delay of grace, his contestation of it 1, 927.; Vincentius, Summa angelica, he acquired this book, then resented it I, 815. f.; woman, body of it, his wonder at it I, 247.; world, grieved at its wickedness I, 457. f., hopes God will punish her I, 509., thinks she must be possessed by the devil I, 1341.; his works and actions II, 463. f.; his adversaries I, 936. f.; benefits of God, complains that he easily forgets them I, 1338.; his audience not attentive II, 940. f. - S. Prophecies 2.
2 Luther's writings. His books are not read by some in order not to know the doctrine I, 817; will be twisted II, 184. f.; of his great interpretation of Genesis I, 1. 1480. f.; of his book de servo arbitrio II, 176; mentions his book Wider die Juden II, 1966.
3 Luther's time. Sayings of L. about his time in relation to: Apostasy to the Turks II, 51. f.; nobility: proud I, 312.; II, 1371.; mutual robbery II, 105., employment of noble matrons II, 1213.; officials, tax officials 2c. II, 1359. 1728. 1783. ; funeral customs II, 1760. ; salutations and salutations II, 478. 821. 832. 1604. f. ; fraud in trade and commerce II, 1820. ; beer tax II, 1820. ; bishops, tyrannical 1, 811.; brandy, as used I, 712. ; Germans: coarse, boorish I, 409. 1629. f. 1709., drunkenness of same II, 1623. (see Vollerer, below), conduct of same against Turks II, 931.; Germany I, 989. f. 1307.; Donat II, 58. f.; matrimony: secular rights II, 856., despised I, 164. f.; II, 187., shunned I, 144.; II, 1198., marrying for money I, 1707., one did not want children I, 1748.; II, 532. 579., special sleeping chambers of married couples I, 1719.; oath customs I, 1657. 1673.; epicurer I, 1764.; law of succession II, 1925.; harvest II, 192. 1185.; Protestants: meager, oppressed one another I, 1138. f. 1193., they were accused of apostasy from the church I, 555.; holidays I, 1598.; surnames II, 2076.; meat protected from rotting by frost II, 2073.Piety lacking I, 1478.; princes: tyrannical I, 811., advised the princes of his time to buy peace from the pope II, 112. ff. 117.; princely courts harbored many drones II, 1240.Gardens, fenced with thorns II, 2075.; hospitality, dangerous I, 1214.; avarice, intemperate I, 1197.; II, 586. ff.; geography of Palestine II, 2011. f.; servants, unfaithful I, 1722. f. 1726.; II, 696. 1231. 1795. 1820.; s. like purchase; divine services, customs thereby II, 1840. 1843.; impiety I, 453. 506.; idols II, 650. f.; degrees of doctors 2c., as conferred II, 260. 1839.; commercial cities of Germany, in ill repute I, 1314.; shepherds, very wicked II, 697. 699. f.; marriage customs II, 260. 499.; courtiers I, 1461. 1467. f.; fornication, generally I, 433., considered no sin I, 1225.; indifferentism II, 1830.; see Jews; youth, impudent I, 1636. f.; II, 1879.; youths, at 18 not yet mature to beget children II, 1167.; purchases, as confirmed II,
117.; church, need and meager provision of the same II, 60. 449. f. 632. ff., whereof preserved II, 926. 1816. f., deprived I, 1461. 1816.; II, 1733. ff.; church buildings, splendid I, 839.; clothes: luxury I, 272.-1708. 1713. 1715.; II, 1039. f. 1809. f., of furs II, 1039., protection of same against moths II, 293. f., headgear. II, 1188. 1196. ; diseases I, 253. f. ; vagrant plague I, 1139. 1146. 1720. f. ; II, 1602. f. ; vices I, 253. ; age of life I, 1312. ; II, 1800. ; feudal healing II, 260.Doctrine, the false increased I, 253, the pure pursued II, 1249; Monks and tamer monkeys I, 165; II, 223 f.; Nepotism II, 1792; Necessity increased I, 785.; authorities, complaint about it II, 1392.; new revelations I, 1525. f.; ordination customs II, 261. 1345.; pope, had good fortune II, 1113. (see below persecutions); rent II, 1818.; papists, merciless I, 1138., paid sharp attention to change of evangelicals II, 1029.; practices of burghers and peasants II, 1099.; preachers, had regalia II, 281., persecuted, deprived I, 1358. 1396. 1459., suffered hardship I, 1139. 1218.; II, 1235. f. 1242. 1735. 1816. 1956.; preaching ministry, despised I, 1632. ff. 1636.; II, 1367. (cf. below Word of God); Reformation, as judged II, 245. 276.; Regents, lamentation over them II, 186. 1343.; see Rome; Rottengeister II, 1347.; Saxony, refuge of exiles I, 1138.; shield guards I, 282. ; security II, 1811. ; sodomy I, 1222. ; estates, some despised II, 1781. 1786. ; taxes II, 1362. 1810. 1817. 1819. f. ; sins, adorned with the name of holiness I, 509.; exchange customs II, 513.; wills, 7 witnesses I, 1476.; marriage ceremonies II, 1344. f.; Turk II, 1113.; impenitence II, 336.; ingratitude! 1341.; subjects, oppressed II, 85. f.; persecutions by pope and Turk I, 264. 311. 507. 960. 1135. 1138. f. 1255.; II, 53. f. 1698. 1712. 1954.; gluttony I, 88. 256. f. 712. f. 858. 1219. 1384.; II, 1620. 1809. f.; Wittenberg: lazy and gluttonous people II, 1240., complaint about butchers 2c. there II, 1293. f.; Word of God: spread rapidly I, 1711., many enemies converted II, 817., should be blame for theurung I, 784. f.; II, 132. f., despised I, 409. 457. 462. 501. 527. 882. 1105. 1255. 1335. ff.; II, 321. 804. 1033. 1806. 1811., could be read at home II, 90., went on as in the time of the Flood I, 462. f.; usury I, 1197. 1218. 1636. f.; II, 880. 887. 1362. f. 1806. 1810. 1817. 1820. - S. absolution, Cologne, lions, Paris, prophecies, Reformation, Sacramentirer, wine.
Lyra. A connoisseur of the Hebrew language I, 998; follows the text diligently, which is why Luther prefers him to all other interpreters I, 626; his rule of the twofold understanding of Scripture I, 950; follows the rabbis I, 1002., thinks much of their lies I, 998.; sticks diligently to history, but sometimes steers to uncomfortable allegories I, 114.; examples of his allegories 1, 283. 1004. opinions and sayings on: Gen. 46, 8. ff. II, 1764. f.; Gen. 48, 6. II, 1855.; Gen. 49, 11. 12. II, 1977. f.; Gen. 49, 17. II, 2022.; Bethel II, 904.; Trinity I, 274.; Egypter, hostility against the Jews II, 1615.; vows II, 453. f.; faith, fides formata I, 945.; ladder of heaven II, 394.; Job II, 1015.; Isaac's death II, 1067.; Jacob's struggle II, 774. 780., love for Joseph II, 1064. f., Jacob's and Ishmael's names II, 953., Jacob and Leah II, 499.; Joseph's honorary title II, 1402., colorful skirt II, 1037., second dream II, 1059. f. 1065., why he calls his brothers to come near II, 1682.; Joseph's brothers II, 1727.; Judah's departure to Odollam II, 1160. f.;
2198Macedonia Sach Register. Man2199
Leah's temptations and consolations II, 527. f.; life, contemplative and real II, 953. 956.; Lot's incest I, 1294. 1298., hereditary bidding to give the sodomites his daughters I, 1220.; matter I, 10.; Melchizedek's bread and wine I, 900. ff.; Messiah, should be God II, 938.; twofold envy II, 534.; Pharaoh II, 1726., his baker and gift-giver II, 1294., dreams II, 1348.; figure of speech anticipatio and recapitulatio II, 1510.; Simeon and Levi II, 1943.; Simeon, the tribe II, 1717.; Teraphim II, 649.; dreams II, 1308.; tyrants before the Flood II, 479.
M.
Macedonia. Derivation of the word I, 661.
Power of God. One cannot recognize it by speculations, one must experience it II, 1383.
MacrobiuS. Writes about dreams II, 1051. Madai. Are the low I, 658.
Girls. Shall not be wild and window gazers, but domestic, not going out without permission, nor without companions II, 863.
Maid. S. Occupation I, servant.
Magog. S. Gog.
Mahalath. II, 989. ff. Meaning of the name II, 989. - S. Esau 3.
Mahanaim. Place name II, 733; location II, 763. 846. Meals. Customs of various peoples II, 1619. f. Mahomet. Teaches that everyone can be blessed in his own religion II, 777; his promises are devilish I, 757.
Mahujael. Meaning of the name I, 385.
Milan. Good location, therefore much war over M. I, 878. majesty of God. Luther avoids questions that draw us to the throne of divine M. I, 486. f. 1253.; abstain from thoughts of mere M. I, 520. f. 1084.; disputations about it, the most dangerous I, 486. f. 489. f. 1084. f., lead to despair I, 521. 1252.; we should stick to the signs in which God has revealed Himself to us I, 490. f.; on the last day we will see the divine M. Himself I, 491. f.; we should not be disturbed by the signs in which God has revealed Himself.
Mameluke. A Persecutor of His Order I, 689**.**
Mamre. Personal and city name II, 980. who was M., his residence I, 875.; was God-fearing I, 875., affable and pious I, 886. 888., kept to Abraham's church II, 1069. what the grove M. was I, 1141.; later names of the same I, 1609. - See Abraham 29.
Manasseh. 1. Joseph's son. Meaning of the name II, 801; occasion II, 1427. f. 1432. - S. Jacob 21.
2. the tribe. See Ephraim 2. lack. Why be patient in this I, 257. Manichaeans. Doctrine of sin I, 451. that trees weep II, 556.; ridicule the patriarchs II, 556.
Man. His work laborious I, 257. f. - S. Sex.
Mardachai. Has converted many II, 1773.
Margaret. Patron saint of women in childbirth II, 1919**.**
Mary. 1. the Virgin M. born in wedlock I, 235.; her honor is that she should remain a virgin and give birth to God's Son I, 235.; her faith a great miracle II, 417.; papists assume I Mos. 3, 15. from her I, 225. 234. f.; considered in the papacy for the helper in all hardships II, 1919.; in her honor a 10th choir iin heaven invented 1, 288. - S. Christ 2.
2 M. Magdalena. Why she had 7 evil spirits I, 824.
Martin, St. In which case he also wanted to absolve the devil I, 336; II, 1515.
Martyrs. The Christian M. sought to cut down by fornication II, 1259. f.; did not overcome death without a great struggle II, 288.; by which they overcame I, 1238.; the hope of eternal life made their suffering child's play to them I, 1067,; their blood cries out to God I, 352. f. Who is a m. of the devil I, 263.
Measure. Size of the same with the Jews I, 1155.
Materia. What Various So Called I, 7. 10. f.
Matthias, King of Hungary. Learned, friendly, pious, but often tyrannical I, 822; came from prison to the kingdom II, 1786. f.
Mouth horses. Breeding them is contrary to God's order and nature II, 997. 1007; are barren II, 1007.- S. Ana.
MauS. Emergence, creature of God, has beautiful form I, 63.
Maximilian, Emperor. Overloaded with business I, 260; kept a priest for a clerk II, 1789. ff: how, when he passed a court, he greeted it II, 1922. - S. Bund.
Mechtilde. Contested by disbelief II, 783.
Sea. 1. In general. God has set a goal for the sea II, 930. f.
- midland M. Only since the Flood I, 120.
- Rothes M. Before the Flood a fertile land I, 120, means the baptism I, 612. ff.
- dead M. Also called salt sea, formerly the valley Siddim 1, 879; a terrible pool I, 852. 879.
Mehetabeel. Meaning of the name II, 1017; a noble and excellent woman II, 1017.
Reproduction. S. Reproduction.
Opinion, good. Does not apply without God's command II, 1757; hence came all superstition II, 1626.
Melancholic. Are often lost in thought II, 290. f.; often do not notice what is going on II, 500. f. 1471.
Melchizedek. May well have been Shem I, 898; why not called Shem, but king of Salem I, 900; got his name from the office I, 899. 905; was king and priest I, 899, a poor king I, 899, despised by neighboring kings I, 899; taught forgiveness of sins through the future seed I, 899.received tithes from Lot and others I, 912; did not offer bread and wine at Abraham's victory I, 900. ff; greater than Abraham I, 912. f.; the pope cannot be compared to M. I, 900; figure of Christ I, 898. 900. f. 905; his history has been sung in papal songs I, 900. - S. Abraham 30.
Man. 1. in general. God is the poet, man is his poems II, 1640; is a miraculous work II, 1246, the most glorious creature I, 102. Origin of man: only Scripture teaches about it, not philosophy I, 152. 156. 680. f. 683. f.; Scripture teaching about it is ridiculous to reason I, 102. f. 156.Scriptural teaching of it is ridiculous to reason I, 102. f. 156; every man was co-created in the very beginning I, 92. Similarities and differences between man and animals I, 68. 81. 98. f. 101. f. 127. 421.; II, 486. f. Before the fall he had a bodily and an immortal life I, 69; God had his special pleasure and joy in him I, 83. After the fall he has a natural and a spiritual life I, 105; God still thinks the best of him I, 83. Goal of the M,: for what purpose he
** 2200 Human Blood**Sach Register. Mizraim2201
is most important to know I, 159; for what he is created I, 160, for God's service and knowledge I, 97. f., for a higher life than the animals I, 68. f., for an eternal life I, 55. f. 98. f. 402. f. 421. 678.; according to which one should judge M. I, 797. ff.; one should not flee the fellowship with M. II, 1642.
- the natural man definition of the same I, 579; is flesh, what that means I, 460, a sinner I, 404, simply godless and in the deepest darkness I, 484, apart from grace, under the curse I, 1427. f. 1568.
- 1942.Is an enemy of God, has no knowledge of God I, 485; his nature is to err and be lacking I, 1595; takes the most shameful things for worship I, 455; cannot understand spiritual things 1, 449; does not understand the abundant grace and mercy of God I, 1109.; prefers to hear God's promises rather than threats I, 1185. f.; interprets even evil signs in his favor II, 75. f.; the more glorious the text of Scripture, the more shamefully he falsifies it I, 450.; is hard and callous against the gospel I, 1105. f.; despises the ordinances of God, holds up the ordinances of the devil I, 1593.; is fickle and credulous I, 797. f. 867., idolatrous and superstitious II, 1955., defiant and desponding I, 1438., hopeful I, 1687. f., self-righteous I, 1449., earthly-minded II, 121. 1789., murderous I,
- f.; Il, 43., his own worst enemy I, 440.; bent on all kinds of sins II, 1942.; may well beware of gross sins I, 1552.; in spite of sin the hope of eternal life is left to him I, 405.; Hagar is an image of the same I, 990. -S. Birth 2, powers 2, philosophy, reason, world 2, will II, 2.
Human blood. The commandment not to shed blood was necessary I, 595. 597. f.
Children of men. Whom the Scripture so calls I, 703.
Human statutes. They have a great appearance II, 246- God does not dwell in them II, 437; ceremonies devised by men, to whom forgiveness of sins is attributed, are idolatry and abuse of the divine name I, 280; devotional prayers and examples of the saints do not help in this I, 280; they are not good, even if they come from the fathers and conciliar I, 1376.They lead away from the right Christian works I, 1163. f.; they make one presumptuous to think oneself holy I, 1165.; they arise when one leaves God's word II, 1760. The papist m. are contrary to God's word and to be fled II, 431.; they are different from our ecclesiastical orders II, 436. One can tolerate m. if they are not declared necessary I, 1419. - S. Gottesdienst 2, Pabst 1.
Human joke. Does not protect against blindness and godlessness I, 499.
Words and works of men. Often the thoughts and actions of the godly are interpreted to God Himself I, 459. f.; God is sorry when those who preach are sorry I, 486.; when the words and works of men are the words and works of God I, 165. f.. f. 320. f. 346. f. 453. f. 460. 531. f. 735. 1183. 1247. f. 1395.; II, 59. 949.; God sees when those who are in the preaching office see I, 486. - S. Bekümmerniß, Betrübniß, Reue.
Incarnation of God. The teaching of this cannot be done enough II, 403. f.; it is something great that God gave his Son for us II, 1130.; the same was implied in the A. T. I, 106. 748. ff.; II, 395. ff.; God became a man, that we should not be afraid of
should fear him I, 1449.; is a high honor for the human race I, 1571. f.; whether Satan from it ur
sache to his case took II, 400. ff. - S. Christ 1.
Meritum congrui and condigni. What both is I, 580; II, 1458. 1468.
Mesach. Peoples' Name I, 659.
Mesopotamia. From where the name I, 772; almost all the time with Babel under Emem kings I, 772; good pasture, rich in livestock I, 772; II, 695; had not much water, so they kept the wells with diligence II, 476.
Mass. Origin of the lie of sacrificial monkeys II, 1547. f.; terrible that the pope has made a sacrifice out of the mass II, 921. ; the sacrifice of the mass is a Levitical sacrifice I, 901., superfluous I, 904., a blasphemy of the sacrifice of Christ I, 904. f.an abomination which has brought in much money I, 1664; II, 1548, hence the Papists hold so firmly to it II, 1549; a sufficient reason to separate from the Pabstacy I, 904; on which the Papists base the sacrifice of the Mass I, 900. 903. ff. 1242.
Trade fairs. The Frankfurt M. II, 1810.
Messiah. Had to be God and man I, 748. f. 1352...;
II, 937. f., which the Jews deny II, 937. f.; should not be an earthly king I, 917. f.; false earthly hopes of the Jews from him I, 753. f.; the patriarchs did not know the time and hour of his future I, 297.; has come I, 753. 1100.; the Jews still expect him II, 319. - S. Christ, Shiloh.
Metaphor. Figure of speech II, 1909.; examples: I, 357.; II, 715. 1261. f. 1909. 2018.
Metellus. Admonished to Marriage I, 1733. f.
Meteors. Opinions about it I, 606. f.
Methusael. Meaning of the name I, 385.
Methusalah. When he died I, 532; his will to Noah I, 531; mourning time at his death I, 532.
Metonymy. Examples: I, 224. 229. f. 267.
Micah. Received many at pure teaching II, 2047.
Michael. Derivation of the name I, 1013; which angel is said to have been called so I, 1198.
Midas. Fable of him II, 598.
Midian. 1. descendant of Abraham. Courtly, had idolatrous worship in addition to the teachings of Abraham II, 1016.; smitten by Hadad II, 1016. f.
- the land. Where the name comes from, Location I, 1751.
Midianites. Indecent, served Priapus I, 1662. f. Milchverbranch. II, 2049.
Miplezeth. Idolater II, 1610.
Mispat. The Born M. d. i. of the court I, 881. miscarriages. Causes, examples II, 601. f.
Distrust. Necessary II, 798; right nature II, 799. means. God uses the natural means I, 525. f.
- f. We are to need the natural M. 1, 525. f. 890. f.; II, 1302.
- f. 1443. 1448. 1774. ff. and not invoke Providence II,
- ff. 346. ff. 444. f. 746. ff. 764. ff. 1561. ff., even though we have God's command and promise II, 466. ff. 637. f. 746. ff. 1774. ff.; one should need them, command the other to God II, 1580. f., to rely on God II, 2045; to despise the means is sin II, 1562; where they are not to be had, we are to suffer and expect help from God I, 526. - S. Danger, Promises 3, Try, Trust.
Communication of the properties. What is so called II, 775. mizpah. Meaning of the name II, 716.; famous
Site II, 716.
Mizraim. Is Egypt I, 665.
2202Maar Sach-R-gist-r. Genesis2203
Moab. Meaning of the name I, 1298; why Lot's daughter called her son so I, 1298. ff.
Moabites. Gloriously blessed I, 1298. f.; not admitted to church offices in Israel, yet many blessed I, 368. 1298. f.; were tributary to Israel, fell away II, 692.
Moloch. How designed II, 1552. origin of the Moloch service I, 1663.; how the children were sacrificed II, 1552. f.; the Jews served him II, 1551. what they referred to 1, 568.; the children sacrificed by the Jews became blessed II, 1553.
Monks. I. Religion and doctrine of the M. They are called Kemarim II, 1609. f.; they do not run to Christ, but from Christ to the monastery II, 1678. f.; they live without a word in a made religion I, 760.; they choose their own services II, 1108.; what they consider to be the way to heaven I, 760.; they reject wealth I, 829. f., seek to defend their alleged poverty 1, 835. f.; what they declare to be chastity 1, 830. f., have foolish thoughts about marriage II, 166. f., resent the life of the patriarchs I, 1315.; II, 1566.; abrogate obedience to parents I, 1597.
- life of the monks. Their life is not pleasing to God, but to the devil II, 773; is without God's word II, 124. f. 643. 1731. f.; Enoch did not lead a monastic life I, 418. f.; they do not follow their founders I, 759.; in their life nothing good is directed I, 1263.; it cannot be compared with the life of the patriarchs II, 127. ff, is nothing at all compared to the domestic state I, 979. f.; is not as hard as the married state I, 1392. f.; it is cheaply punished I, 126. 760.; it is impiety I, 1419., a temptation of God I, 525., a disruption of all estates II, 1606. f. 1610. f., contempt of the right profession I, 1071. a contempt of all works instituted by Christ II,
- a hypocrisy II, 847. f.; their solitary "angelic" life is devilish II, 943. Their spirituality and holiness: their spirituality is benevolence and good living II, 128. f. 1075. 1199.; their holiness is a false one I, 1315., self-same and filth I, 1392.; they cannot stumble before the devil in the monasteries I, 1374.; are Baalites II, 1611.; consider it holiness if they do not talk about table I, 1159. f. Self-denial, killing of the flesh: there is no right killing of the flesh I, 1392. f. 1417. 1423.They did not kill their flesh like Abraham I, 1505.; their killing is when they see that another is given better bvod I, 1414.; their killings are nothing compared to the killing of the flesh with Abraham I, 1414. f., or Isaac's temptations in Theurung II, 135. f. Their poverty is foolishness and ingratitude I, 836; they seek earthly goods II, 297; find more in monasteries than they leave I, 738. How chaste they have been I, 831. ff. Their obedience is self-chosen and disgraceful I, 1523; devil's obedience I, 764; full of contempt for God and true religion I, 759; they let outward obedience precede inward obedience I, 760; they insist on their rules with unreasonable severity 1, 845 f.; II, 1878 ff; want to beat every shoe over the same last I, 1074.They follow arithmetic instead of geometric proportion II, 511. f. They do not keep their word and fall into error I, 17. They despise common, domestic works and sin with them I, 527. 1477. 1596. Their works: they do not find any good works I, 1163. 1311.; they do everything without God's command I, 569.
they torture and corrupt the body II, 1878. f.; sell their works, form of a contract II, 2004.; want to earn forgiveness and blessedness II, 447.; their prayer is careless and a blasphemy of Christ I, 1364. f., According to the pope's decree, they do not need to pray, but only to read the Psalms, paying attention only to the words I, 1365; they cannot pray properly II, 2015; they sell their prayers I, 1363. 1365. They boast of their insensitivity to parents and relatives II, 943.They boast of their saints beyond all measure I, 733. f. They do not repent properly II, 320. f. Their sanctimoniousness is contrary to the blessing that Abraham's seed should bring I, 1565. f. They are afraid of death and hell II, 945. They are afraid of death and hell II, 2004; they point each other to their patrons in times of death II, 2005.
Cf. barefoot monk.
Monastic life, monasticism. Monasticism stems from the blindness of human reason I, 1093; II, 7W; it has a great appearance before reason II, 122. ff; before the Reformation, monasticism was considered to be the most holy state I, 1263, but it is not a divine state I,. 1374; it was compared with baptism I, 761; through monasticism men have been horribly seduced by the man of sin II, 1731; it is an abominable error that one should run into the monastery against the will of one's parents II, 1679; f. What to think of the founders of monasticism I, 759; what has been done for M. Augustin I, 847. - S. Monks 2.
Moon. I, 49. ff. - S. Characters.
Monica. Prayer for Augustine answered I, 1111; II, 574. 1329. f.; laughed at him when he was punished at school II, 1490. f.; made peace II, 350.
Murder. Murder and manslaughter are generally forbidden I, 597; it is an atrocious, horrible sin I, 340; committing the most horrible murder, killing the saints I, 343; it entails terrible punishment I, 355; it should be punished by death I, 598.
Murderer. Various clasps of the same I, 597. - S. Death Slayer.
More. Occasion for the name I, 776; location I, 780; probably the mountain Garizim I, 779.
Tomorrow. "Land v. M." I, 694; II, 473. f.
Monjah. 1. the mountain. Derivation of the name I, 1492. f., allegorical explanation I, 1495.; location I, 1491. 1494. f. 1506.; is not Bethel II, 903. f.; Abraham calls it "der HErr siehet" I, 1541. f.; was famous I, 1494. 1543.; there one asked the Lord for advice I, 1544.; events there II, 438. 452.; fates of the place II, 438. f. 903.
- the country I, 1491. ff.
Genesis 1. Had a strong faith II, 286. that had to fight with the flesh II, 288. 742. f. 1503.; recognized the benefits of the Word of God I, 863. He was full of the Holy Spirit and faith and of an undaunted heart II, 1380. f.; an undaunted warrior II, 1376. 1389. f.; he saw the suffering of Christ II, 1048.; he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, even though his sin was forgiven II, 1748.
- M.'s writings. M. does not follow the chronological order I, 920. f.; differs from pagan writers by brevity I, 542., indicates much with few words I, 340. ff. 408. f.; why he repeats some things I, 541. f.
- f.; II, 992. f.; uses in telling earlier stories the usual ones of his time.
** 2204Münster**Subject register. Nimrod2205
The first book of Genesis: the verdict of some jurists on it I, 294, 968, and of the papists I, 434, 968, 1172, II, 1167, f.; among the Jews, no one was allowed to read it before 1, 4; the church has always been very concerned about it I, 434, 968, 1172, II, 1167, f.; among the Jews, no one was allowed to read it before 1, 4.Among the Jews, no one was allowed to read it before the age of 30, 1, 4; the church has always been very concerned about it, I, 716; a mighty and excellent book, I, 59; the most beautiful book in Scripture, and in it again the history of Joseph the most beautiful, II, 1022; we should think that the Holy Spirit is the master of it. The first chapter of the book is about the most important and darkest things I, 4; no one has yet interpreted it properly and correctly enough I, 4.
- m.'s and the fathers' law. Difference II, 144. f.
Münster. 1. Dr. Sebaldus M. Died I, 1480; yet lives I, 1488.
- Sebastian M. His explanation: of the name Naphthali II, 546., From Gen. 46, 8. II, 1767.
Coiner. A rebellious spirit I, 610; ambitious I, 924; turned everything into allegories I, 610; incited the peasants to revolt II, 515. 533; wanted to imitate the patriarchs 1, 955; wanted to copy Abraham's example with his peasants I, 889. f. 1233.Luther began the gospel but did not carry it out, II, 245; boasted that God spoke to him in visible form, I, III9; always cried out: Spirit, Spirit, I, 1668; boasted of his insensitivity, II, 1500, 1572, ff, which he also tried to introduce into the church II, 1608; what he called "coarse" II, 954.
Music. Invented by the Cainites I, 387.
Muth. God gives and takes him II, 1378. f.
Birthmarks. Where they come from II, 601. f.
Myrrh. A resin II, 1124.; protects from decay II, 2073.; Christ is the myrrh of the faithful II, 2073.
N.
Descendants. One should pray daily for them II, 1942, that the doctrine be preserved pure I, 534. f.; should not despair of the blessing, even if their ancestors incurred God's wrath I, 1299. - p. waste.
Next. Christians do not trust anyone, nor are they enemies of anyone I, 801; Christians should keep everything evil hidden and turn it to the best II, 348. f., should warn him of danger II, 350. f.
Night. S. Day2.
Nightshade. Fruit and use of the N.'s I, 565. f. Going naked. Was an advantage of man before the fall, since then a disgrace I, 170. ff. 202. ff., which only Scripture teaches I, 206.; is disgraceful because we have lost faith I, 204. ff.
Nadab and Abihu. Not condemned I, 1282. f.
Naema. Meaning of the name I, 387.
Naaman. Converted by Elisha II, 1830.
Nahor. I. Nahor. Older than Abraham I, 1599. f.; ruled a large and famous church I, 1601.; II, 1015.- S. Abraham 31.
- n.'s gender. I, 1599. ff. Inherited the teaching of Nahor II, 1015.; still had God's word in Jacob's time II, 383. f. 385. f.; had excellent teachers, many from N.'s G. blessed II, 385.; whether Job and Balaam belong to it II, 383. 385.
Nutritional status. S. Household.
Food. Obtaining and preserving it has been difficult only since the fall I, 125. f.
Names. I. God's name "God the Most High" I, 906; Hagar calls Him: "He who sees me" I, 1001; "el- shaddai" I, 1013. f. 1015. f. God's n. can be used rightly and wrongly I, 1406. f., is often misused I, 1403.; is also attributed to angels and men I, 14. f. - S. Jehovah, Zebaoth.
- "The N. of the Lord" is Christ I, 399.
- n. of the people. The n. of the M. are not meaningless in Scripture, examples: I, 383. 398. 416. 664.; II, 13.; in Hebrew the N. of God is often attached to them II, 937.; N. are readily taken from kings and saints II, 1415.; in the N. there is great disorder in the Hebrew language II, 1016.; change of N. is very common II, 988. ff.
- In baptism we get a new N. II, 950. f.
- good n. Is soon robbed II, 1723.; one should keep it true II,
- f.
Naphtali. 1. Jacob's son. When born II, 548. ff.; meaning of name II, 546. f.; Jacob's blessing over N. II, 2034. ff. and fulfillment of blessing II, 2037. f. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II; Joseph 12.
- the tribe. Residence II, 2018. 2034. f.;. suffered much II, 2037. f..
Foolishness. "To commit a n." II, 868. f.
Nazirites. They were sometimes for a short time, sometimes for life N. II, 2053; they had special ceremonies II, 2052.
Nature. 1. the whole n. & world. Will old II, 857. f.
- servile natures. Must be treated with severity I, 989.
- n. & grace. The Holy Spirit does not break the n. in the saints, does not kill the affections, but heals them I, 1411. f.; II, 1500. f.
- f. 1606. ff. 1672. f. 1679. f., but the healing is not perfect II, 1503.; the saints also have human inclinations, yes, more violent than others I, 1508.; the holier the man, the more tender the inclinations I, 1613.; II, 1606. f.
Laws of Nature. Do not bind God I, 33. 37.
Nebajoth. Son of Ishmael, dwelling place II, 17.
Nebathea. Part of Arabia, whence the name II, 17. Nebucadnezzar. Recognized the true God I, 1023.
Envy. Is twofold II, 534. f.; a virtue of the devil I, 1457.; gives birth to injustice I, 1459.; just punishment of avarice II, 612.; by Other N. the pious are afflicted I, 1459., which gives occasion for patience and good works I, 1459.
Inclinations. The natural inclination to parents 2c. is not a sin II, 944. f., is also found in the animals II, 947. f.; cordial inclinations of humans to each other please God well II, 1778. - S. Affecten, Brautliebe, Natur 3, Väter II, 5.
Nepotism in Luther's Time II, 1792.
Nicaea. There 318 bishops gathered I, 888.
Nicolaus, St. Patron of Shipmen I, 895.
Lowliness. Divine glory is hidden in N.
II, 482.
Nile. Egypt's fertility depends on the N. II, 1701**.**
Nimrod. I, 668. ff. Meaning of the name I, 668.;
was either the first Turk or the first pope I, 668. ff; sought temporal and spiritual power I, 669.; sinned against church and police I, 687.; founded Babel I, 877.; disturbed the blessed state after the Flood I, 685.; instituted new church services I, 670.
** 2206Nineveh**Subject register. Authority2207
- 726.; he and his followers established a new church I, 687. ff.; his religion had the greatest semblance I, 731.; his mob multiplied I, 722.f., seduced Tharah and his family I, 725.
Nineveh. Built by Assyria I, 673. ff; fourth holy 1, 675.; when and why destroyed I, 676.; "great place of God" I, 675. 849.; II, 546. f. - S. Assyria.
Ninivites. Conduct to Jonah's sermon I, 676.; their repentance consisted not in fasting but in groaning II, 1108.; not circumcised by Jonah I, 1014.
Noah. 1. in general. I, 428. ff. 432. ff. 449. ff. 497. ff. 509. ff. 521. ff. 530. ff. 541. ff. 556. ff. 566. ff. 588. ff.
- name N.'s. Meaning of the same I, 429. ff. 443.
- honor and meaning of N.. N. is the highest prophet I, 464. f., the highest among the fathers after the Flood I, 711.
- revelations. N. received them first through Methusalah I, 531. f., then directly I, 532.; God had a special desire to talk to N. I, 539.
- covenant of God with N. I, 518. ff. 598. ff.
6 N.'s faith and justice before God. I, 497. ff. N. was full of salvation. N. was full of the Holy Spirit I, 639. 644. f.; had a strong faith I, 466. f. 537.; believed the threat of the Flood I, 466.; God strengthened his faith I, 518. f.; N. alone was righteous before God I, 499. 533. 537.
- virtues of N.. N. is an example of all virtues I, 501st; was pious I, 499th, patient I, 501st, obedient to God I, 466. 526. ff. 530. ff.
- 566th, chaste I, 432. ff., courageous I, 500th, steadfast I, 467.
- N.'s office and works. N. had the priesthood I, 569; was bishop, regent and father of the house after the flood I, 628. 637; of N.'s toil in the church office I, 710. f.; of N.'s preaching before the flood I, 461. 463. f. 501; how he comforted his own I, 558. f. 573. fi; N.'s sacrifice I, 567. ff. 572., divination I, 696. f.
9 N.'s marital status. Why he wanted to abstain from marriage I, 433. ff. 443; why he entered into it I, 433. 435. f. 464. 501; because of it his preaching was despised I, 463. f. 502; he did not have any children when the 120 year period began 1, 465; from his marriage a new world and a new church I 502.
- sins of N. I, 627. ff. 711. Why the Scriptures relate N.'s case I, 628. f. 637. f.
N.'s temptations and sufferings. N. was a martyr above all martyrs I, 442. f. 693.; was challenged in many ways I, 530.; his faith was challenged and weak I, 497. 556. ff.felt despair 1, 558. f.; it was a great distress to be driven about so long in the ark I, 560.; was frightened and afflicted I, 467. 531. 541., hostile I, 498. ff, Despised I, 478. f. 503. 537. 656. f. 693.; how he sighed I, 506.; of the comfort he received I, 537. 564. ff. 604.; kept the promise 1, 557.
- death of N. 1, 655.
13 N.'s time and contemporaries. N.'s time was the very worst I, 467; N.'s contemporaries I, 407. 639. ff. 710.
14 N. and his sons. I, 640. ff.
15 N. and the first world. N. preserved the world spiritually and physically I, 502.; could not preach without danger 1, 495.; his preaching despised I, 463. ff.; one
probably held N.'s sermon against God's promises I, 510.
Nod. Meaning of the name, Location I, 377. f.
Nuns. Are surpassed by Sarah I, 1181; despise and abandon the right profession I, 1071; their works, idolatry I, 1628; are called kemaroth II, 1609. f. - S. monks.
Need. It is likened to a cup I, 617. God lets distant believers fall into trouble and danger so that they will not be safe II, 760. f., but does not leave or forget them I, 557. 560.; II, 687. 901.; in it one should neither tempt God nor despair II, 341. f., cast all care on God II, 1695., rely on God's help I, 1319., keep one's word I, 1342.; II, 1695. - S. Cross.
O.
Authority. 1. God's order is the order I, 601; II, 1340, f., the pagan as well as the Christian I, 1054, also the godless I, 1409; leads the regiment by God's command I, 1456; what it does, God does I, 211, f.; if one obeys it, one obeys God I, 763; is ordered for the benefit of this temporal life II, 1342.
- profession to it. Without a profession, one should not push oneself to this state II, 1341. f., for the sake of complaints, one should not flee it II, 1408. f.
- the state of O. is a difficult, laborious one I, 259. f. 1371. f.; II, 1405. ff.; she is servant of all servants II, 552. f.; a necessary state I, 1461. f.; II, 1397. 1404., useful II, 1397. 1404., pleasing to God I, 1371. f.
- office and works of the governor Their office is to maintain peace, discipline, respectability II, 1394. f.; shall be savior and physician I, 879. f., protect the pious I, 821., II, 86., punish the wicked I, 821. 1259. 1319., even if God has forgiven sin II, 1921. f. 1935.; if the governor fails to do so, God punishes the wicked II, 1922, If the authorities fail to act, God punishes the wrongdoers II, 1922; they must provide for the needs of their subjects and for food during the hunger period II, 1359, f.; they must intervene against vagrants II, 1602, f.; they must take care of foreigners II, 1449, 1471, 1787. Their works are among the greatest of all I, 528; if done in faith, they are better than the works of monks I, 1320; pious authorities want to benefit and serve their subjects I, 1467.
- conduct of office. The minister should wait for her office I,
- f.; must be diligent in her duties and watch II, 1241.; needs a teacher and assistants II, 1403.; should be humble I, 1471.; II, 1342. f. 1391. 1393.; pray II, 278. 1391. f.; only believers have the necessary courage and strength I, 1319. fi; II, 1410.; bad counselors often hinder a pious organization I, 1467. f.; should not listen to sycophants and courtiers II, 1930. f.
- sins of the O. She often sins 1, 821.; that an O. who is not governed by the Holy Spirit sins is no wonder. Spirit sins is no wonder I, 822.; sins with it when it does not know where injustice is done I, 1466. ff; such sins inevitable I, 1469. ff; how God punishes the s. of the O. I, 821.; its evil examples are worse than those of its subjects II, 865. f.
- powers and rights. Earthly power is not evil in itself I, 669; it has power over life and death and everything that is less 1, 599; II, 644; reason and philosophy consider the power of the authorities to be tyranny 1, 600; the power of the authorities is a benevolent act 1, 599; it should not be separated from punishment by the commandment of love.
** 2208Oxen**Subject register. Pabst2209
I, 800; the O. must not do what she wants, she must keep herself chaste and godly II, 865; womb, pensions and interest are given to her I, 259; external adornment is right and necessary II, 1397. 1403. f. 1410.
- bad and good O. bad O. a punishment II, 1340. f. 1356.; godless O. are as it were God's mast sows I, 476. f., are devils and tyrants I, 1468.; O. becomes tyrannical if not governed by God's word I, 789., by the devil's goings-on I, 882.; even by the most wicked God can administer the regiment II, 2047. Good O. God gives when he is favorable to a people II, 1349. f. 1356.
- enemy of the O. is the devil I, 637.; II, 1404. 1406. f.
- scripture and o. The Scriptures command to honor the O., but do not seem to honor them themselves, but punish them I, 475. f.
- o. and subjects. Wise O. and obedient U. are a great gift of God I, 1632; where O. and U. are pious, there is a right paradise I, 1476. f., likewise, where the O. is pious and protects the pure doctrine I,
- f.; both become fools only when they are to be punished II, 880.; U. must atone for the foolishness of the O. II, 880. ff.; the O. should not be feared for the sake of punishment, but honored for the sake of virtue and wisdom II, 1422. f.; Christians should be subject to all divine order II, 831.; one should obey the O., but not against God's word II, 267. 645. 831. f. 943.; the pope cannot release from this obedience II, 642. f. 645.; one should honor her II, 1404.; whether it is flattery to call her "most gracious" 2c. II, 832.; one should pray for her I, 821. 1468.; one should punish her I, 1469.; II,
- ff.; pious O. is not angry when one punishes her I, 1469.; the sins of a pious O. should be covered I, 1468. f.; one should report to her the wrong committed I, 1470. ff.
- o. and church. O. should take care of the church II, 1734. f.; where she does that heartily, that is a great gift of God I, 1335.; O. serves the church when she receives peace II, 1342. - S. church 12.
- Christian and O. Christians may call upon the help of the O. I,
- f.; must also administer the world regiment II, 458. ff.
Cf. kings, kingdoms, regiment, estates. Oxen. Firstborn oxen praised by Scripture II, 1948. f.; oxen harnessed to the plow were not allowed to be sacrificed II, 1948. f.; their work praised by Scripture II, 1949.
Oekolampad. Ambitious I, 924.
Odollam. Location II, 1161.
Revelation. 1. the revelation of God is the revelation of all three persons I, 71; God has always revealed by signs where he is to be found I, 1044. ff; God reveals something to the lesser and not to the greater I, 1410; different ways of revelation I, 13. f. 487. ff; three kinds: face, dream, oral word I, 930. 1117. 1321.; II, 904. f.; revelation by inspiration is the highest kind, then by visions, then by dreams II, 1048. by inspiration is the highest kind, then by visions, then by dreams II, 1048.; O. by the oral word is the most certain kind I, 931. f.; O. by visions, dreams, apparitions is a gift II, 1047. 1053.; two kinds: by the preaching office and by inward O. I, 533.; God appears to us in the N. T. in Word and Sacrament I, 1118.; II, 177. ff. 1048. f. Inward O.
are rare, only in special cases I, 532. f.; God does not want to give special orders to everyone, but directs us to the Word II, 560. f.; we should not wait for special orders where the preaching ministry is I, 532., should keep to God's orders I, 14. 16. ff.
- Spirit does not teach by new preaching, but by preaching I, 674; are unnecessary I, 1527; are suspect I, 1120; we should not wait for them I, 1526; should flee them I, 1526; must be similar to faith I, 1526 f. 1531; whoever boasts of them I, 1525 f.
- o. of the devil. The devil gives O. through visions and dreams II,
Cf. apparitions, visions, dreams.
Og. When he lived I, 884; whence the name I, 1156. Oel. Means grace and forgiveness I, 624.
Oelung, last. Has no promise, works no forgiveness, is abuse of God's name I, 280.
Onan. II, 1178. ff. Where the name comes from II, 1163.
Sacrifice. I, 302. ff. The habit of sacrifice was from the beginning of the world I, 302.; sacrifices were not first ordained by Moses I, 539. 571. f.; were preserved by Adam I, 966.; were only put into certain order by Moses I, 302.; the manner described by Moses was observed earlier II, 916.; the O. of the first parents were connected with preaching and invocation I, 303. and with a sacrificial meal I, 1598. f.; in the O. it is not the work that counts, but God's grace and promise I, 306.; they were signs of grace I, 303. f.; God revealed his grace by lighting the O. set on fire from heaven I, 304. 307. 725.; are a testimony that one has a God whom one honors and fears I, 573.; to what and for how long ordained II, 917. f. 921.; reconciled God by faith in the future O. II, 1928.; were not allowed to happen everywhere I, 1495.; Scripture does not boast that the patriarchs sacrificed animals II, 916. f. O. were needed among the heathen in covenants I, 967.; how these O. were instituted I, 967. Right O. are preaching and hearing,. Thanking and praying II, 917. 922. - S. Thank-offering.
Ordination. God makes and ordains the preachers II, 435, 437; ceremonies at the ordination II, 261, 1345.
Order. Which order God uses to keep when he does something I, 505. f.; God's order is despised by the natural man and the order of the devil is held high I, 1593.
Orestes. S. Pylades.
Origen. Aergert sich an dem ehelichen Leben der Patriarchen II, 556.; praises allegories I, 284.; allegorisirt I, 284.; II, 557.; his allegories are faulty I, 612. 626.; II, 774. 811.; allegory of paradise I, 109.
Orimasda. Was O. sei I, 727. 1665.
Regalia. Wore preachers in Luther's time II, 281.
Easter skirt. We would like to keep the old dress and put on the O. II, 1993. - S. Heaven 5.
East wind. Was arid and hot II, 1346.
Ovid. Was allegorisirt II, 559.
P.
Pabst. 1. pabst. Is called at Rome Father of the Foundlings I, 293.; is not called the Antichrist, but the Most Holy I, 479.; wants to be the governor of Christ I, 505. in spite of all knavery, Lord of the World and Church I, 765. f" Lord over the Word I, 766.; arrogates to himself the name of the Church II, 112. f., but is not
70
** 2210Pabstthum**Subject register. Papists2211
the church I, 1402. 1431. ff. 1454.; II, 112. f. 119. f. 431. f-, but a descendant of Cain and Ham I, 650. similar to Nimrod I, 668. ff.; has Cain's and Lamech's conscience I, 392. f.; a tyrant and equal to the sodomites I, 473. 478. f. 1147. f., a robber, thief and murderer I, 1621. 1623., a Simonist I, 1621. ff.; II, 110. f., a God-fearing and learned allegory-master I, 612.; is the prophesied sin-servant I, 766. 900. 1062. f. 1317. his religion is all hypocrisy I, 765,; indulges in pomp with the consecrated host, as the Persians with the sacred fire I, 727.; lives and dies without God II, 1732.; enjoins harmful things I, 766. f., false works I, 867. pope and Christ cannot be united II, 431. he has even buried Christ I, 1063.; exalts himself above Christ, makes his decrees equal to the word of God II, 2009.; does not want to be punished like the Sodomites I, 1229.; does not believe the divine threats I, 551. f., nor the resurrection of the dead I, 1521.; practices the highest sacrilege under the name of religion I, 505.; wants to abolish the office of preaching I, 534.; argues against the recognized truth II, 1965. ff.; makes the sacraments a human work I, 905.abuses God's word and name for blasphemy I, 905; has abandoned the right path to salvation and chosen his own I, 1071; his sermons are only sermons of terror I, 1205. has a diabolical hatred against the church I, 343.Waits only for the opportunity to rage and rage I, 332; persecutes the Christians II, 53. f. 2002; rages against them more cruelly than Diocletian II, 1984; makes the world full of murder I, 1275. Presses hard for obedience I, 764; has plunged many into hell through the demanded obedience I, 765. 767; how to answer his demand to be obedient I, 765; falsely presumes to exempt from obedience to the authorities II, 642. f. 645.; declares the observance of his statutes to be necessary and makes ropes for the conscience I, 1316. f., has thereby filled the world with sins II, 2077.; demands that his feet be kissed I, 766.; deprives the whole world II, 1956.; takes earthly goods to himself I, 649., uses the keys for this II, 115.; his promises are devilish I, 757.His threats are not to be feared I, 1407; like all the wicked he is well I, 667; God will scatter him I, 702 ff; changes his name at the beginning of his reign II, 988; has a triple crown I, 1713. Whoever acknowledges him as master has no part in Christ I, 868. One could well tolerate it if he wanted to be supreme by grace I, 1419; one could tolerate his statutes if he did not declare them necessary I, 1419; under which circumstances one could also kiss his foot I, 766.He should prove to us from your word that he is Christ's governor, not by miracles I, 1546, as he tries I, 1545. His decrees belong to the secret chamber II, 2010; one should be angry with him and curse him II, 1898. 2026. 2077. 2079. - S. Simony.
- pope and Turk. P. even worse than the Turk II, 53. 1898. 2062. f.; they have long blasphemed, God seemed to sleep I, 1195. f. - S. Antichrist.
Papacy. It arose because people fell into error through contempt of the means of grace I, 1046. 1595. f., through the ambition of the bishops and laziness of the authorities I, 1461. f. Boasts that it is the church I, 458. f. 507. 790.; II, 99.; despises the right church I, 649,
Is bitterly hostile to the evangelical church II, 42. f.; relies on Christ's promise of the church I, 510., on the succession I, 1406., on the great multitude, appearances and persons I, 495. f. 554. 649.; II, 72. f.; is not the right church I, 643. 1402. f. 1406.; II, 39. 119. f. 437. f., a Cainian church I, 311. 318. ff, of the devil's church I, 554. worse than Sodom I, 1276. an assembly of devils and most infamous men II, 105. a monstrosity II, 1897. a ghastly desolation of the church II, 1890.; how the pabstry is represented in the image of the ark I, 612. blindness and darkness in the p.: II, 1345.There is a blind eye and a hearing ear I, 1633; the whole P. does not have the wisdom to rightly divide the word I, 1211; many teachers did not know the 10 commandments and requests of the Father Unsers I, 1063; the right understanding of the 10 commandments was lost II, 1895; the whole teaching of the P. is the question why? I, 1127., is frivolous, uncertain II, 1930.; has only rhetorical, not dialectical proofs of his doctrine I, 1175. f,; teaches nothing right from the Gospel I, 219. 1386., seeks to suppress the Gospel I, 459.; the N. T.'s spiritual promise was obscured and suppressed II, 1889. f. 1903. f., the doctrine of forgiveness of sins was completely lost sight of I, 220; people were more afraid of Christ than of the devil II, 1591. 1990; in distress one pointed to Mary I, 220; there was not to hear the interpretation of a psalm II, 1364.Husbands confessed that it was a sin to joke with their wives II, 164. Worship in the parish is self-chosen II, 777. full of idolatry I, 778.; II, 913. 922. f. 1919.; there is vain foolishness I, 864. f.There is nothing but human statutes I, 367; II, 1977, which they put in the place of the promise II, 1890; f. 1895; there is mischief with pilgrimages, masses and other abominations II, 1550.f.; the P. cannot exist without simony II, 104. f. 107. f.; there prevailed fornication and immorality I, 164.; II, 1264.; the people were forced to confess once a year II, 316.; there was no end to giving to monasteries 2c. II, 1235. The souls in the monastery are unstable and fleeting I, 367., oppressed and afflicted I, 219. 1428. ff. Some are still blessed in the monastery I, 220, 368; II, 1334. It still has the means of grace and their agitation is strong I, 962, 1405. One should hate the monastery I, 1417; II, 108; go out from it I, 1275; it should be destroyed I, 220. - S. Papists, Simony.
Palestine. Each city had a king I, 1306.
Pallium. Price of the same I, 1620. f.
Pannomen. Twofold P. II, 2033.
Papists. Are like Noah's raven I, 621. f., like Ham I, 632., like the Hamites I, 698. arrogate to themselves the name of the church and yet only care for the belly II, 674., of God's people II, 618.; boast of carnal birth II, 38. ff.; do not look at the word but at the outward work 1, 528. f., I, 1546; do not have the right God I, 1551, no knowledge in spiritual things I, 1553; rely on their own merit, because they do not understand the article of creation I, 1441. f.; their life is full of avarice I, 1546; they do not have the right God I, 1551, no knowledge in spiritual things I, 1553; they rely on their own merit, because they do not understand the article of creation I, 1441. f..Their life is full of avarice, ambition, contempt for God II, 459. Behavior against the pure doctrine: had an affected ignorance of Luther's teaching and persecuted it I, 817, perverted and reviled it I, 1151, rejected it wantonly I, 1277. f. 1646, persecuted the he-
** 2212Paradise** Subject register. Potiphar2213
knew truth II, 1806. f., hardened themselves II, 1111. 1265.; defended false worship against their conscience I, 736.; praised their canons and despised faith, love, hope I, 1310. over it; plagued Luther with the argument: Do you think that the fathers all erred? 1, 498. f. Behavior against the Protestants: traced their sins and revealed them I, 632; raged against the church I, 700; persecuted pious and learned preachers I, 1010; despised the Protestants as drunken fools II, 1995. f. Their punishment: for their sake Sodom's downfall is described I, 1274. f., but they do not ask for it I, 1275. 1288.; they incur condemnation I, 1277. f.; they will meet with an affliction that cannot be advised I, 634.; God will reject them I, 553.No pope will be blessed because he is a pope II, 67; how they can become members of the church I, 1433. They had to be preached the law, not the gospel I, 1187. f.
Paradise. 1. in general. I, 106. ff. 124. ff. Paradise means garden I, 106. size and location of paradise I, 107. 109. 678. 851.; opinion of some of the center of paradise I, 378.; had a gate after sunrise I, 282.; more beautiful than the rest of the earth I, 109. 111. f.. 276; in it constant spring I, 177; whether wild beasts in it I, 522. f.; should be a common temple of the whole world I, 282. Paradise and the guard by the angels remained until the Flood I, 109. 282. f., by which it was destroyed I, 107. 120. 378. Allegorical explanation of the paradise I, 109. ff. - S. tree 1, 2, Eden, snake.
The word "paradise" also means the being, in which Adam was before the fall I, 108. - S. state of innocence.
- from the place where the avenger came I, 1763. paris. The theologians of P. did not understand the Scriptures II, 2030; the princes agitated against the evangelicals II, 2001.
Paronomasia. For this the prophets have desire I, 727.; examples. II, 166. 2011. 2021. 2030.
Pathrusim. Who they were I, 676. f.
Patriarchs. This name deserves Abraham before others I, 1054. f. - S. Fathers.
Paul, the apostle. He, not one of the seventy disciples, was chosen by grace to be an apostle I, 732; had something of his own I, 836; was first self-righteous I, 1434. f.; had a stake in the flesh I, 823; II, 1748.; was challenged II, 744. f.; had to struggle with the flesh II, 288. 442., Against unbelief I, 1555.; drew from Moses I, 945. 952. f. 1559. 1571.; is the best interpreter of Moses I, 1029., the highest teacher of the sacred Scriptures I, 953. Scripture I, 953.; deals diligently with circumcision and the whole law I, 1088., with grace and merit I, 1435.; in him the blessing of Jacob over Benjamin II, 2053. f. is fulfilled.
Peleg. I, 693.
Peripatetic. Their opinion of earthly goods I, 854. Periphrasis. Figure of speech, an example II, 1401**.**
Persians. With them, traces of the Nimrodian heresy are found in the holy fire. In the case of the Persians, traces of the Nimrodian heresy can be found in the holy fire I, 727.
Person. God does not look at them I, 553. f. 1434. 1441. 1446. f.
Pestilence. One may flee from it I, 1480. f.; how to take comfort in it I, 1500.
Peter. 1. the apostle. Was lost on the sea
I, 535; the promises of Christ do not apply to him any more than to the other apostles, I, 994.
- p. Lombardus. Seeks in the creatures footsteps of the Trinity I, II5I; his opinion of the uncircumcised children who died before the 8th day I, 1083; deals coldly with the 10 commandments II, 1896.
Horse. Warrior II, 1985. f.
Pharan. Desert, abuts Judah I, 880. 1455.
Pharaoh. Is the name of a king, not a person II, 185, Joseph's contemporary: a Gentile, knew nothing of the God of the Hebrews II, 1330; brought to right knowledge by Joseph I, 1031; II, 1366; Joseph did not require him to be circumcised II, 1367; full of faith and Holy Spirit II, 1733.; holy king II, 1737. f.; humble II, 1342. 1369. f.; kind II, 1728.; pious and godly II, 1294. f. 1417. 1436. 1726. 1729. 1797.; wise II, 1294. f. 1375.; fed the priests II, 1816. ff.; became a caretaker of the church II, 1730. f. 1733. f.
Philadelphia. Called Brotherly Love I, 1142.
Philistines. See Abraham 32, Isaac 14.
Philosophers. Seeking great name, despising wealth I, 829; their disputations about God are vain ignorance and blasphemy I, 484. f.; the opinion of some philosophers about wealth I, 830.
Philosophy. Its doctrine of the final cause of creatures I, 607; does not recognize natural corruption I, 798; teaches what one should do, but not where to get the strength I, 621; cannot satisfy the conscience, gives no hope of eternal life I, 621.Doctrine of immortality I, 406; knows nothing of true friendship I, 798; doctrine of patience II, 1666, love of enemies I, 801; teaches that he who has been evil is always to be thought evil I, 801.
Phoenicia. Custom before the wedding 1, 455.
Phrath. Is the Cuphrat I, 119.
Pighius. Blasphemed Luther II, 1274.
Pison. Is the Ganges I, 119. 123.
Plato. Has probably gathered scraps of truth from the sermons of the prophets I, 6; what he knew about God II, 1674; for which three things he thanked God I, 312. f.; opinion: of the heavenly bodies I, 57, of matter and idea 1, 6, of the creation of the world I, 6.
Pliny. Calls the eyes the king of limbs II, 492; considers nature a stepmother I, 1344; ridicules immortality II, 15.
Pniel. Meaning of the name II, 799; location II, 846. police. Deal with it to resist sin I, 127.;
not necessary before the fall I, 127.
Polyerates. Is said to have drawn the net in his sleep II, 1238.
Polygamy. Purpose: multiplication of the people I, 386; introduced by Lamech 1, 391; custom in Abraham's time II, 239, also in Jacob's II, 532; permitted, yes, commanded in the A. T. I, 974; included in the law of levirate marriage II, 1179.; permitted in the A. T., .not now I, 972. f.; cannot be justified by Abraham's example 1, 974. 976.; of Jacob's polygamy II, 510. ff. 528. f. 533. 539. ff.
Pommer, Dr. Fromm und godtselig II, 773.
Potiphar. II, 1222. ff. Meaning of the name II, 1220.; not to be confused with Potiphera II, 1222. 1414. f.; what he was II, 1222. f. 1293.
** 2214Potiphera**Sach register. **' Prophets2215**
Potiphera. Meaning of the name II, 1222. - S. Potiphar.
Predestination. S. Predestination.
Boaster. Their words greater than their deeds I, 1156. Praesumptio pietatis What that is I, 527.
Preaching. "Of the name of the Lord p." I, 781. f.; how Melchizedek did it I, 907.
Preachers. 1. their ministry. They are God's co-workers, God works through them II, 1775, Christ acts through them II, 1897; eyes and teeth II, 2006. f., Men of war II, 408; men of war and judgment I, 457; it is a good sign when the world calls them men of war I, 458; their office is "to judge" I, 457; to teach and pray I, 456; to teach, to comfort II, 1722; to teach also of temporal things, how to conduct themselves therein II, 170; to comfort and to punish II, 2007; to punish sin I, 1259.II, 1141. f.; have power to open heaven II, 1894. f.; are greater prophets than Jacob II, 2057.; must watch over pure doctrine II, 1424.; should be Constantine, a rock in doctrine, not a reed II, 1930. f.; pious, pure teachers, a gift of God I, 1631. f.; II, 1364.; are necessary, all cannot wait for the preaching office II, 2006. f., very useful II, 231; are few God-fearing teachers, then also few pious people I, 534; their office is worrying and laborious I, 260; eat their bread by the sweat of their brow I, 258; do not have many good days I, 1339, f. 1341; godless teachers are generally more fortunate, because they have their roots I, 1632.
- conduct of office. They should lead their office, even if they are sinners themselves I, 636. f., wait for their profession, order the success to God II, 748. 1619.; cannot abolish everything that is wrong II, 1637. f.; enough if they convert the least part II, 1773. 1824.; should resemble doves as well as snakes I, 624. f., pray and study before they teach II, 395; ask God for wisdom II, 277; study the Scriptures I, 1462; let speech grow out of the heart, not out of the mouth I, 1000; divide the word and distinguish the hearers I, 1208. f, be able to distinguish between law and gospel I, 1430; a young priest fills hell with souls I, 847; should not present individual works of the saints as an example, but rules I, 1233; may punish sin a little more severely than others II, 232; those who want to become rich must not punish sin II, 633; how they should meet those who are challenged II, 784. 824.They should beware lest they fall into disgrace by their conduct and theirs II, 1030; how they may be guilty of simony II, III. f.; they should defend their good name II, 1304.Whether they may take a salary I, 1623; II, 1236 and take something from their savings I, 1624; become lazy and stingy in abundance II, 1735; how they should comfort themselves when their preaching bears little fruit II, 1026, when they have few good days I, 1339. f. 1341. f. 1358. when they are despised II, 634., when they are miserable II, 1956. f. - S. Challenge 9, Adulterers, Law 2, Law Preachers, Sure Criminals, Persecuted.
- behavior against them. They are still today, as Noah was, I, 497; when they punish sin, violence and tyranny come over them, I, 470; they are considered to be betrayers of the people, I, 458; they are despised, II, 2007, f., respected less than swineherds.
and beadles II, 634; contempt for them is followed by punishment I, 1632; they must starve, they are not allowed anything II, 632. ff. 637. They are worth their bread I, 260. f.; they and their own should be fed I, 258. f.; II, 450. ff. 1815. ff. 1953; it is enough if they have a skirt and a head I, 1461.
Cf. teacher.
Ministry of preaching. 1. the office. Church office and secular government are to be distinguished I, 1462; is ordered by God I, 1594; so that God speaks with men I, 532; in this God acts with us through men I, 869. 1448. f. 1456.; the word we hear is God's word I, 1736. f.; II, 905.; how comforting this is II, 906.; the preacher's words and actions are God's II, 433. f. 949.; it is to punish and comfort I, 628. 1208.Where public preaching ceases, neither faith, nor prayer, nor righteous use of the sacraments can exist I, 534; is the highest benefaction I, 456. f. 736.; in it blessings are bestowed, not only desired II, 298. ff; in it the blood of Christ is sprinkled II, 2006; the preacher's ungodliness does not take away the power of the sacrament II, 119. f.; in the last time it will almost completely disappear I, 534; it is represented by Noah's doves I, 623.
- behavior against it. The world despises it I, 333; II, 300, f. 1367, f. 1550; it is so in all classes I, 467; the pope and the papists raise it up I, 533, f. 1593, f.; God has preserved it against the pope and the Turks I, 963; where it is, we should wait for no better revelation I, 532; through it, not through new revelations, the Holy Spirit teaches. Spirit I, 624; it should be praised II, 2059, f., held in honor I, 1448, f., 1456; so did the patriarchs I, 1199, 1596; preserving it is a glorious work II, 449, ff; God punishes if one does not want to preserve it II, 1820.
Cf. Occupation III, Word 3, Estates.
Sermons. To which all should be directed II, 222. f.; every good sermon should also be followed by a good Our Father II, 370.; arouse hatred and enmity I, 50l. - S. Prayer 13.
Priapus. Which peoples served this idol I, 455. 1663. 1665.
Priest. Who is a right P. I, 1521. f.; Abraham was a P., but not anointed and smeared I, 782. 1521.; their office is to teach, to call, to sacrifice 1, 456. 837. f.; II, 370.; clothing in A. T. II, 1039.; some heathen P. were blended II, 1222.; had great reputation among the heathen II, 1821. - S. blessing.
Priesthood. The Levitical was only shadow and model I, 1590., should cease I, 1589. f., could not give the right blessing I, 1591.; the P. is handed over to the parents I, 302. f..
Prophets. 1. in general. A prophet is one who understands the Scriptures and can teach others I, 1366; one who distributes or receives the sacrament II, 2060; every Christian I, 1367; Noah is the highest prophet I, 464. f..
- the P. of the A. T.'s. Are seers I, 1349; have not had unceasing illuminations II, 1645; many have not come to Jerusalem to teach there I, 1530; have diligently contemplated Moses, the Scriptures I, 97, 106, 1055, 1559, 1584; by special illumination have gleaned much from comparison of words and things II, 1851. f., drawn from Moses I, 749.
- f. 871. 961. 964. f. 1115. f. 1559. 1569. 1571. 1584.; II,
- 430., Moses explained I, 1067.; how they Abra-
** 2216 Prophecies** factual register. Rachel2217
hams pilgrimage I, 1365; zealous against idolatry II, 959; recognized that one is not justified by works I, 1591. f.; complain about their weakness II, 2065.
- p. of the devil. There are also II, 1049. 1051; the false p. are called frivolous and unstable II, 1930.
The great prophet. S. Christ 3. prophecies. 1. in general. Prophecies, threats and promises are to be understood spiritually 1, 648.; in the OT glorious prophecies are from Christ II, 2056. f.; the prophecies of Christ and his kingdom are not easily understood II, 1347.; prophecies must be believed, apparently the opposite happens I, 642. f.; why the prophecies, whether threats or promises, are not believed I, 642; their fulfillment is delayed I, 643; fulfillment of various promises I, 655. 994. 1588; II, 296. f. 302. ff. 317. f. 323. f; Noah's promises surpass all others I, 464. f. - S. threats, promises.
- Luther's P. Germany faces a great calamity I, 1255; after L.'s death the most dangerous times will follow I, 457. f.; whereby God will be urged to punish Germany I, 511. 641; God will punish the contempt of the word to Germany after L.'s death I, 409. f. 864. 882. 896; II, 881. f. 886. f.; Germany will be punished because of vice, Ir.'s death I, 409. f. 864. 882. 896.; II, 881. f. 887. 1806. f.; Germany will be punished because vice and false doctrine increase I, 253., because one sins and will not be persuaded II, 1043., because discipline and respectability have fallen I, 641., Because of avarice II, 586. f., because of drudgery and usury II, 1806., because of meager preservation of the preaching ministry II, 1817. f.; God will deprive Germany of His word through all kinds of false teachers I,
- f., one will give way to the rern doctrine of justification I,
- 1670., the descendants will fall away I, 1455.; II, 1827.; Luther will die in peace, before the misery starts over Germany I,
- Miracles will be seen at the heretics and enthusiasts II, 1827.; Pabst and Turk will shortly get their deserved punishment II, 55. 220.
Proportion. Arithmetic and geometric I, 847. 1074.; II, 511. f.
Proselytes. Who was called so II, 1706. - S. Circumcision 2.
Psalter. S. David, Korah.
Ptolemy. His body was seen by Augustus II, 2073. Put. Peoples' Name I, 665.
Puteole. Flooding there I, 1277.
Pylades and Orestes. Their friendship is nothing compared to the brotherhood in the church I, 1147.
Pyrrhus. Not equal to his father II, 1368. Pythagoras. Opinion of Harmony of the Spheres I, 153.
Q.
Quinctilian. Warns against Ambiguous Words II, 1908.
R.
Rabbis. 1. in general. From them one may expect nothing good and pure in the interpretation of Scripture I, 410. 812.; they do not believe, therefore cannot interpret Scripture rightly II, 2030.; do not understand the Bible II, 869.; are grammarians, not theologians I, 362.; think that Scripture can be understood only through grammar II, 451. f.; understand nothing of things, stick to words, give awkward
Interpretations I, 322. 328. f. 998. ff. 1002. 1004. f.; II, 45.; do not understand things, therefore do not understand words I, 1381.; do not understand much in Hebrew II, 677. 961. f. 1610.; cannot teach anything good, have lost the truth I, 1359.; despise the light of the N. T. I, 369. f. 1004. f.; would not understand the Hebrew language without the N. T. II, 1837.They secretly took much from L.'s writings II, 1834; obscure the power of words I, 1698; mix their meanings strangely together II, 677; are eager for various meanings of words II, 1908; do not understand the figures II, 1909; crucify Moses with their interpretation I, 450; falsify the sense of Scripture almost everywhere I, 361. f. 429.; II, 789. 849. even knowingly II, 1966. ff.; draw the spiritual on the corporeal I, 429.; pervert the passages from the Son of God II, 853. f.; have clumsy harsh interpretations II, 801. 1929.; have made of the Scriptures a secret chamber of their blasphemy I, 1292. f. 1297. f.; II, 44. f.; like to boast of their ancestors I, 813.The fathers commonly follow the rabbis I, 364. 452. 1005.; one should not II, 704.; they hinder the study of Scripture II, 1927.; read them carefully I, 361. f. 370. 381. f.; why Luther sometimes cites them I, 370.; they make him much work 1, 370.; he is an enemy to them I, 362.
- examples of their interpretation of Scripture, concerning: Gen. 38, 23. ii, 1207.; Gen. 49, 10. ii, 1968. ff.; Gen. 49, 11. 12. ii, 1996.; Gen. 49, 21. ii, 2034. f.; Gen. 49, 26. ii, 2050. ff.; Abimelech I, 1331. 1361. f.; Abraham I, 722. 733. 805. 828. f. 1198. f., the messenger who reported Lot's captivity to him I, 884. f.; Adam I, 85. 397. 410. 413. f.; Ahalibama II, 995. f.; Ark I, 515. f.; Circumcision I, 1040. 1077. f.; Buhlteufel I, 446. f.; Canaan, Ham's son I, 650. f.; Caphthorim I, 676. f.; Casluhim I, 676. f.; Egypter 1, 812.; barren matrimony 1, 974.; Hagar 1, 995.; Haran and Abraham 1, 722.; Enoch 1, 425. f.; Isaac II, 44. f. 157. ff. 310., his sacrifice I, 1539.; Jacob II, 389. 466. 780.; Joseph's interpreters II, 1499. f.; Joseph's brothers before Pharaoh II, 1784. f. 1789.; Judah II,
- f.; Cain I, 307. 370. 387. f. 389. 397.; Lamech, Cain's descendants I, 389. f. 397.; Lot's wife I, 1280.; Noah I, 433. 563.
- f.; Pathrusim I, 676. f.; Pharaoh's bakers and gift-givers II, 1294.; Philistim I, 677.; Potiphar II, 1222. 1414.; Reuben's incest II, 1932.; Sarah I, 802. 813. 1381. 1602. f.; Shorbor ll, 1948., Shem I, 434.; Seth I, 397.; Teraphim II, 649.
Raven. Noah's R., whether he came again I, 563; allegorical interpretation I, 618. ff.
Racha. What R. Means II, 1534.
Revenge. God takes R. on the persecutors of the church I, 354.- S. Injustice.
Avenge. Do not take revenge II, 874. 877. 1151. Raema, grandson of Ham I, 666.
Raemses. Layer II, 1803.
Rahab. Whether whore or hostess II, 1205. f.; obtained forgiveness through faith II, 1830.
Rachel. In what her beauty consisted II, 492. f.; was diligent II, 1239., pious and godly II, 965., chaste and pious, sought not carnal pleasure, but children for the sake of the promised seed II, 536. ff. 539. ff. 544. 556. 561. 563. f. 570. 573., and rejoiced in childbirth for love of the fruit of the womb
** 2218Raphael**Subject Registry. Government2219
Dans II, 545., Naphthalis II, 546. f.; was a godly matron II, 540., kind to the widows of the Shechemites II, 935., a loving mistress II, 964. Her barrenness was a heavy cross to her II, 573. ff.; Leah's fertility aroused hatred and envy in her II, 523. f. 528. ff, which she fought II, 536.; was proud of Joseph's birth II, 555.; was very poor II, 541. steel Laban's idols, what induced her II, 639. 643. ff, whether she did wrong in it II, 639. ff. 648.; deceived Laban by a white lie II, 687. f. Died unexpectedly II, 965., before Joseph's sale II, 1102., in faith II, 968. ff.; her death caused great sadness II, 964.; immediately after the same there was disorder in the house II, 973. - S. Jacob 18, Laban 3, Leah 2.
Raphael. Derivation of the name I, 1013; meaning of the same I, 1198; which angel's name I, 1198.
Rath. Is usually knocked out I, 978. God's R. and ways II, 1689. ff. 1702. ff.; is another than ours II, 1689.; incomprehensible, one should not be offended by it II, 1689. ff.
City Hall. In Morgenlande am Stadtthor I, 1213.
Advice. The very best often turn out worst II, 1479. f.; the contemptible ones God leads out II, 1480**.**
Robbery of women and virgins arouses war, murder and lamentation II, 496. 863.; is sin II, 873.
To be rough. Means cruelty and hypocrisy II, 76. Rebekka. I, 1706. ff. 1722. ff. Gifts: was beautiful from
Face I, 1707. f.; II, 156. adorned with beautiful gifts I, 1707. f., of great spirit and strong courage II, 262., cunning and understanding II, 339. 348. f. 466. Faith: had a strong faith II, 283. ff., from the Word and illumination of the Holy Spirit II, 285. 289. f.; how the same reveals itself II, 26. f. 269. 271. f. 289. 342. Virtues: had many virtues I, 1706. ff.; other virgins were not to be compared with R. I, 1708.; R. was nimble I, 1710. 1719., ready to serve I, 1709. f., respectful I, 1708. f., hospitable I, 1708. 1717., patient II, 26. f., godly and fearing God II, 339, chaste I, 1743, not a wicked mother-in-law II, 243. R. had temptations II, 45. ff. 157. f. 196. 219; how she behaved in them II, 52. f.; probably asked Shem, since she asked the Lord for counsel II, 55. By sending away Jacob she taught that one should not tempt God II, 346. f. When she died II, 348. 947. 1102. - S. Eber, Isaak 15, 16.
Recapitulatio. Figure of speech II, 548. f. 572.; must be observed in writing II, 1510. f. - See Hysteron.
Rights. For the sake of peace, one gives in to it I, 844. f.; so did Abraham I, 848.; the highest right, the highest wrong I, 1235. "R. of the Lord" II, 144. "Secular right" I, 814.; in the secular R. the rule applies: He who once commits an evil deed is to be presumed to do evil all the time I, 796. - S. Law 4.
Justification. Essence: The R. of believers is well to be distinguished from their transfiguration I, 1579. ff. 1587. f.; what the R. is I, 1672.; comes by grace through faith, not from the law by works I, 942. ff. 949.; II, 446. f.; the doctrine of R. by works is Turkish I, 734.; the papists reject the doctrine of R. by faith I, 1441. ff, Lutherans call it Solarii I, 1573; made a turn, taught: faith and works justify I, 1573. ff.
Effects: the R. covers sin I, 1672.; sin still remains in the justified I, 1670. f.; does not forbid good works I, 1151. Importance: the article of the R. by faith is the most noble, world and devil are enemy to it I, 941. 943.; II, 446.By the same the church exists, God keeps his glory I, 1441; if one falls from this main doctrine, simony follows II, 110. Scriptural ground: Luther did not invent this doctrine I, 949. 1573, it lies in the promise of Abraham's seed I, 1583. - S. righteousness, faith, forgiveness, works.
Administration of justice. Some peoples first hanged the thief, then they asked for justice II, 889.
Redemtio vexationis. II, 112. ff.
Figure of speech. "God willing" I, 1168.
Ways of speaking. Every art has its special r., so does the Holy Spirit. Spirit, one must get used to it I, 57; one should not master it I, 58. - S. Artistic expressions.
Speaker. Who is an R. I, 1005.
Reformation. All reformation must begin with doctrine II, 910. f. 914. f., then follows the reformation of life and then of ceremonies II, 914. f.; the papists begin with ceremonies II, 910. f. 915. Luther's reformation: was a great good deed I, 1337., initially weak II, 1329.; of the attacks of the enemies against it and how God prevents them II, 659.
Rainbow. There are completely round R. I, 606.; R. would not exist without the Fall I, 94.; did not exist before the Flood I, 607. ff.; of the natural causes of R.'s I, 605. ff.; indicate God's wrath and grace, I, 608. f..preach fear of God and faith, I, 607; only theology, not philosophy, knows the causa finalis of the flood, I, 607; means that no more general flood shall come, I, 605. f.; meaning of the colors, I, 437. 512. 609.
Regent. In him shall be prestige and power and reverence II, 1422. f.; must be courageous II, 1412.; shall be pious in all commandments I, 1035., diligently look to his office II, . 1423.; who rule with justice and law are called shepherds and princes I, 475.; shall be in truth strict, noble 2c. II, 1792.
Governing office. A punishment of original sin II, 1409. ff; very burdensome II, 276. 1405. ff. 1791.; he who can guard against it may well do so II, 1790.; he who is called to it should administer it II, 1790. f.; with what one should console oneself in it II, 1411.; requires a godly, chivalrous heart II, 1678.; does not want to have lazy, despondent people II, 1790. f., nor unstable, frivolous ones II, 1930; in it prayer is necessary II, 276. f.; does not go without sin I, 822. - S. authority, regiment.
Government, divine. The article of God's government should be diligently pursued II, 932. God governs everything II, 930. f., like a householder I, 909. f.; governs the kingdoms I, 741. f. 850., also the lowly estates II, 552., all men's hearts II, 815. 928. ff. God is wonderful in his counsel II, 50. 353. 1112. f. 1151. 1156., he humbles the firstborn and great, chooses the lowly I, 298. f.; II, 242. 552.; reason cannot comprehend the r. of God II, 1772.; why we do not understand it II, 731. f. 804. f.; is intolerable to the flesh II, 354. 1092. ff. 1291. f.; is full of aversions I, 784. 855. but we should not be vexed II, 1689. ff. God seems weak and foolish: where the gospel goes, also bodily distress arises I,
** 2220Regiments**Subject regiments. Reuben2221
- f.; God often seems to be asleep I, 1195. ff.; often silent on evil plots II, 1087. ff.; why evil so often gains the upper hand I,
- ff.; II, 1113. f.; when the devil rages, God is also present II,
- God does not let himself be talked into it II, 1289. f.; the sacramentalists want to master God II, 1290. f. God's R. shines in the histories II, 931. f. R. un d guidance of the saints: God plays with them like a father II, II. 781. ff; leads them whimsically I,
- f. 890. ff. 922.; II, I. 354. ff. 375. ff. 1090. 1288. f. 1565.; we cannot grasp it II, 1382. f.; God seems often to forget his promise and mercy II, 1090. 1289. 1384. 1692.; he makes them alive, but first kills them I, 958.; II, 1068. f. 1150. f.; whereunto God thus leads them II, 928. 1090.Preserves them that they sin not against him I,
- f.; makes good what they corrupt II, 685.; he leads out all things gloriously II, 1694.; God led the patriarchs as he leads us II, 1077.ff.; a beautiful mirror of how God governs them is Joseph's play with his brethren II, 1450. ff.; we are not to murmur at this II,
- but comfort ourselves with God's word II, 1692. f. God rules His church wonderfully II, 553. f. Means: God governs everything by his word I, 36; uses the help of men and angels I, 1245. 1249. f., the means ordered by him I, 1267. f. - S. King rich, regiments.
Regiments. They have only temporal promises, but the church has eternal promises 1, 372; God appoints, maintains, and protects them I, 850; they should primarily strive to maintain common peace 1, 846.
Reguel. Esau's son, when born II, 993.
Regulus, M. Attilius. Augustin praises him beyond measure I, 581. f.
Rehoboth. Theil Ninives I, 674.
Kingdom. 1. kingdom of God: is doing good, serving 1, 977.; is given to all by grace I, 1418.; whoever seeks it first, the other falls to him II, 88. 90. f. 98. f.
- glory of Christ: more glorious than the kingdoms of Moses and the fathers II, 1887.; is spiritual II, 828., in it the word rules, not external power, as in other kingdoms II, 1973. 2000. 2008., which difference to notice II, 2000.; a glory of grace I I, 1490.; is in the word mighty against death 2c. II, 1974; consists in the obedience of faith II, 1987. 2000; in it there are strong and weak II, 152. f.; for the glory of the R. of Christ we should thank God II, 1875. R. of grace, what it is II, 1876.
- R. of the devil: is ingratitude I, 977.
- kingdoms of the world: what is understood by a R. I, 1099.; have fallen through confusion of languages I, 704. - S. Gospel 2, Church
Rich (divites). "Rich" and "godless" are synonymous in Scripture II, 85.; is hard for them to be righteous and godly II, 84.; are in danger of failing to help the poor II, 85.; Job and David were rich II, 85.
Wealth. Is not evil in itself II, 84; a good creature I, 836; gift of God II, 84 ff, nothing against 'Christian virtues I, 1707.; dangerous because we are flesh II, 83. ff; not to be rejected but to be used I, 834.; philosophers, monks and Anabaptists reject it I, 829. f.; as to be used I, 835. f.; he who does not practice love with it commits theft II, 84. f. - S. Abraham 5, goods 1, abundance.
Religion. Each has its special emblems and ceremonies II, 1614; in it one should not do anything according to one's own discretion I, 1594. ff; religion should not be dictated to II, 267. f; where it is well with religion, all kinds of trouble arise I, 784.The highest abominations are in the highest R. I, 504. f.; what order one should keep in the teaching of religion I, 399. f.; leaving the paternal R. is difficult 1, 737.; the papal R. is obviously godless I, 737.
Rephaim. I, 879. f. - S. Tyrants.
Resen. Ein Theil Ninives I, 674.
Repentance. God's repentance: with God there can be no change in His will or counsel I, 573; God's repentance over the creation of man I, 480; "It repents God" I, 486; God's repentance does not argue with His wisdom I, 485. f. N. of men: only through repentance one becomes Abraham's seed I, 1438.; through repentance one does not deserve blessedness I, 1438.; Sophists' doctrine of repentance II, 1458.; through its doctrine of repentance the papacy teaches doubts about God's grace II, 1900.
Reuel, Reuling. Is the little dog "evil conscience" I, 719. 1104. ff; bites us after the transgression II, 1104. ff.
Rhetoric. S. Dialectics 2.
Judge. Means: to punish wrongdoers, to spare the innocent I, 1202.; we should not judge, i.e. not be suspicious I, 796.; we should not judge immediately if someone falls I, 633. f. 636.; to judge is to preach, by which we are punished, admonished 2c. I, 453. 500.
Judge. Condition of the Jewish people under the R. II. 2027. f.
Riphath. Peoples name I, 6M. f.
Chivalrous. What a godly and chivalrous heart is II, 1678. Rock of Christ. What kind he was II, 1038.
Rome. The old R.: getheilt into four estates I, 672.; the women were allowed to wear gold II, 523. 1214. f.. In Luther's time: could not be worse 1, 698. 1225. f.; II, 1658.; only theft and beggar's sack were considered sin I, 821.; is the other Babylon II, 2025.
Romans. The ancient R. were called torquati II, 1002.; were Epicurian people I, 854.; had besides the legal experts also priests and teachers II, 1335. f.; ibre kings were very inclined to fornication I, 804.
Rorarius, M. Georg. I, 1.
Horse beetles. Their emergence I, 63.
Rothe. What R. Means II, 76.
Rotren. Must come I, 711. - S. Secten.
Red spirits. Promise much of their teaching II, 912. - S^ false teachers.
Reuben. 1. son of Jacob. When born II, 548. ff.; occasion of name II, 523. f.; finds 8 or 9 years old Dudaim II, 565.; somewhat more pious than Simeon and Levi II, 1498.; Jacob announces curse to Reuben II, 1920. ff.; is not even cursed II, 2055. - S. Jacobi, 19th; II; Joseph 12th.
2 R. and Bilha. II, 972. ff. The Jews falsely deny that they committed incest II, 975. f. 1932.; it was an abominable sin II, 973. f. 976. 1921. 1939.; happened by Reuben out of carelessness, Bilhah was beautiful and fickle II, 973.; this act gave rise to hatred and enmity II, 975.; was a disgrace for Bilha's sons II, 975.; thereby R. lost his reputation as firstborn II, 1101. 1109. 1138-, he harmed his descendants II, 974.; wiedivites
** 2222Mcksall**Subject register. Schilob2223
R. tried to ingratiate himself with the father again II, 1116. f.; the sin was forgiven by R., but he was punished for it II, 1920. ff., Others as an example II, 1922. 1934.
- the tribe R. Weak, despised, the least in Israel II, 974.; the weakest tribe, proud, lazy II, 1933.
Relapse into sin is dangerous I, 276.
Rest of God. "God rested" I, 94.
Ruth. Moabitin, Old Mother of Christ I, 368. f.; obtained forgiveness through faith II, 1830.
S.
Sabu. The queen of S. recognized the right god I, 1052.
Sabbath. It is ordained for man, not for animals I, 98; God has sanctified it I, 96; for which purpose it is ordained I, 96 ff; its proper work and office is that God's word be preached and heard I, 99; Adam observed it after the fall I, 97.
Sabbather. Doctrine of this Secte I, 873. f. 1009.; II, 1351.
Zechariah. Drawn from Genesis II, 1137. - S. Prophets 2.
Saxony. The country takes its name from the Sachsenburg I, 1492; the S. call their nobles "Gutmann" I, 879.
Sackmann. II, 2031.
Sacraments. What a sacrament is I, 1045; are signs of the divine will to blessedness I, 1049, pledges of grace I, 1105; circumcision was a sacrament I, 1049; oath is as it were a sacrament I, 1465; the sacraments of the N. T. are not only distinguished from the heathen but make God's people and blessed I, 1050.'s do not merely distinguish from the heathen, but make them God's people and blessed I, 1050.; in the S. find the creatures comprehended in the Word and therefore have their power I, 279.; S. are nothing without the Word I, 1248. f.; have flowed from Christ's side, have their power from the blood of Christ II, 1992. f.; nothing may be changed in S. I, 844. 848.; usually despised I, 1045.; the pope makes human works out of them I, 905., teaches they give grace because of the outward work II, 1904.; cannot work grace without faith II, 1904. - S. appearances, means of grace, word 4, signs 2.
Sacramentarians. Are rich in words II, 715; despise the sacraments because they do not pay attention to the fact that God's word is there I, 1248. f.; follow their reason, want to master God II, 1290. f.; how they prove that Christ's body and blood is not in the Lord's Supper I, 1487. f.; consider their doctrine, Brod sei Brod, as wisdom I, 196; found applause I, 726.; accuse Luther of separation of unity II, 1249.
Saeculum. Meaning of the word I, 477. f.
Sadolet. Learned, eloquent, ignorant in matters of faith I, 998.
Salah. Lived with Jacob 33 year II, 89.
Anointing. Happened with oil or wine II, 960, to separate persons, clothes 2c. from worldly use II, 440. 960.
Salem. Meaning of the word II, 850; obs was a city name II, 851; Jerusalem was also called Salem II, 851.
Solomon. 1. the king. Had many of his wives under the law of levirate marriage II, 1179.; asked God for wisdom II, 276. f.; took many of his sayings from Abraham's history I, 1156.; the Jews consider him to be the promised seed of Abraham I, 753.
- rabbi S. Is fine in the Hebrew language II, 1995; his opinions on: "Hebrews" I, 715, Jacob's attitude at the news, Joseph lives II,
Samaritan. S. Shechemite.
Seed. Cause that he grows and keeps his kind I, 44. f.; strong boys and husbands lose p. II, 1928.
Sanctes Pagninus. Scholar, diligent grammarian I, 363; how he explains "naphthali" II, 546.
Sanctum saeculare. What it is II, 829. 1001. Sanhedrin. Origin of the S. II, 1969.
Saracens. They are actually Hagarenes I, 994; they do not want to be called so II, 13; Ishmael's apostate descendants I, 1453; why they call themselves S. I, 1453; their poem about Isaac's sacrifice I, 994.; boast of the promise of Ishmael I, 113.; Ishmael's name made them proud I, 996.; boast of being heirs of Abraham for the sake of circumcision I, 1008.; were very mighty, overcome by the Turk I, 994. - S. Ishmaelites.
Sarah. White daughter she was I, 720. f. 723. 1351. f. 1848.; change of her name from Sarai to Sarah, meaning of both names I, 1094. f. 2042. Is praised like no other in Scripture I, 1605. 1626.; surpasses all nuns I, 1161.; is a queen and matron above all others I, 1615.; an abbess more glorious than those in the papacy I, 1628. Faith: was a believing woman I, 972. 1171.; Scripture praises her faith 1, 739.; rejoiced in the Holy Spirit at Isaac's birth I, 1378. f. Virtues: was a wise, godly woman, adorned with many virtues 1, 970. f.; pious I, 737. f.; in her one can learn the highest and most difficult virtues of a holy mother. I, 1160. ff. 1170. ff.; reverent I, 1170. 1389.; diligent II, 1239.; patient I, 1174. 1603. ff.; obedient I, 773. 793. 1389.; chaste and modest I, 1169. f. 1173.; chaste and modest1, 972. temptations a. sufferings. Sufferings: courageously endured many and various misfortunes I, 1603.ff.; her barrenness I, 723. f. 1080. 1378.; probably did not believe when Abraham told her she would still give birth according to divine promise I, 1131. f.; laughed incredulously I, 1168. f., which weakness was forgiven her I, 1169. 1174. beauty in old age I, 802. f. 1312. honored the marriage state I, 972.; of the command to sacrifice Isaac S. probably knew nothing I, 1490. f. Is em exemplary for wives I, 970. ff. - S. Abraham 33, Jisca.
Satan. Derivation of the word II, 207.
Saul. Means: demanded I, 385. Jacob's grandson, in how far Simeon's son II, 1763. f.
Saumseligkeit. Physically and spiritually harmful I, 1262. f. Scepter. Shape of the scepter II, 1241; Jupiter's scepter II, 1423; sign of violence II, 1843.
Skull site. Location I, 378.
Schadenfreude. Dem Fleisch natürlich II, 738.
Sheep. Carry in some places twice of the year II, 697.; springs better than late II, 604.
Shame. The conjugal limbs I, 145. 205. f. Disguise of a maiden, a great disgrace II, 859. Sweba. Hain's great-grandson, residence I, 666.
Scheol. Was Sch. sei II, 1541. ff. - S. Gehenna, Schooß.
Navigation. Invented by humans I, 66; Javan's descendants skilled in it I, 662.
Shiloh. Why the word is written with h at the end II, 1970. ff.; meaning of the word ib.; has come II, 1967. ff. - S. Messiah.
** 2224Battle**Subject index. **Scripture interpretation 2225**
Battle. Outcome can be noted before II, 929**.** 1378. f.
Sleep. What it is is not known II, 1546; we live in it and yet do not live II, 216. f. 1545; a picture of the state of the soul after death II, 216. f. 1545. f.; various kinds of sleep I, 157; a gift of God I, 157; one may well drink something to get sleep I, 1716.
Snake. The serpent was used for divination II, 583. In paradise it was the most beautiful animal I, 94. 228.; shape I, 185. f. 230.; cunning I, 178.; was a natural serpent, by which Eve was tempted I, 226. f. 266. f.; she spoke from Satan's inspiration 1, 618.; punishment because she seduced Eve I, 186. 227. 229. The brazen S.: whence the power to make well I, 278. f.; worshipped by the Jews I, 568.; Christ's allegory of it I, 611.
Serpent seed. The Devil's Seed I, 266. ff. Silesia. Of the six towns in S. I, 675. Key. The oral preaching ministry I, 1066.
Scholastics. To be read with care I, 1086.; why they are not rightly understood II, 849. f. They should not be called theologians II, 2079.; their theology is philosophy, mere delusion 1, 581.; II, 1927. 1997.; pass by the 10 commandments II, 1896.; obscure the promise II, 1999. Concerning their teaching: Ps. 4, 7. II, 1672.; whether Christ was born of sinful or pure flesh II, 1171.; original sin II, 1464.; satisfaction II, 1456. 1464.; God's grace I, 815.; spheres in hell II, 1546. sf.; repentance II, 1458. 1464.; sin II, 2003. ff.; uncertainty of forgiveness II, 2059. - S. Sophists.
Beauty. In what it consists II, 492. f.; gift of God I, 856. 1706. f.; inferior to virtue II, 1251.; makes virtue all the more pleasing II, 1250.; not to be abused I, 856.; one may choose a woman for her S.'s sake II, 486.; Jacob loved Rachel for her S.'s sake II, 484. ff. - S. Rachel, Sarah.
Schooß. Abraham's S. is the promise, happened to Abraham I, 1049. 1757, Abraham's faith I, 1052; all believers came there after death II, 2066. f.; why he is called Abraham's S. II, 2066. f.; is no longer in the NT I, 1757. Adam's S. is the promise, given in paradise I, 1757. In the NT we have Christ's Schooß I, 1757. - S. Sheol.
Creator. God as creator has everything in his hand II, 929. f.; holds the sea II, 930. f.; the S.'s work is: to make rich, to raise the dead, to raise the afflicted, to overthrow the hopeful II, 928. The article of God the S. should be diligently driven II, 932.; casts great trust II, 930.; Only should trust in the S. II, 933.; our trust is often very low II, 929. f.; we can call upon him only when we know that we have a gracious God II, 2014. 2029. - S. trust.
Creation. I, 1. ff. 8. ff. 27. ff. 40. ff. 48. ff. 58. ff. 66. ff. 90. ff. 140. ff. What each person in God did at the S. I, II. f.; the means or instrument is the Word I, 19. 22.; All created from nothing I, 2. 12. 22.; All creatures that were and will be, are immediately created with I, 92. f.; Whether God also created after the
Fall created new I, 93. f.; the six days of creation are actually to be understood I, 6. f. 45. 84. f. 147. ff.; berm 2. day's work does not say that God looked at it and it was very good I, 38. f.; God first decorates the earth, then the sky I, 46.; the S. can only be understood from
understand the word rightly I, 152. 159., reason cannot comprehend it I, 150.; how far one may go in one's thoughts about the S. I, 22.; whether God created the barren trees and shrubs, thorns and thistles I, 46.; whether the S. happened in spring or autumn I, 45. f.
Creation word. Creates and works still now I, 92. f. 155.
Horror. What the right S. is I, 701.
Writing could perhaps the patriarchs I, 418.
Scripture, the sacred. I st God's letter to us I, 1055. 1069.; in it a lamb can found, an elephant swim I, 2.; is a fountain that awakens thirst II, 2.; the most precious treasure I, 684. f.; right wisdom alone I, 152.; surpasses all appearances I, 1122. f.; teaches of higher things than all other books I, 1554.; where it deals with lesser things, delicious gems are hidden II, 543. f.; in it nothing is so small, it serves for betterment I, 793.; surpasses with its histories all worldly histories I, 717. f. 861. 960.; II, 1925. 1964; why she describes such minor childish things II, 566. f.; sometimes speaks of bodily things at length, of spiritual things more briefly I, 1712.; the whole of S. is given for Christ's sake II, 1177. 1200.; her histories are pure and chaste II, 557.From the seemingly impious histories of the S. II, 1167. ff. 1200. ff.; in it the former agrees with the latter I, 654.; it does not deceive, neither in the past nor in the future I, 961.; it cannot deceive I, 1047.; no wonder if some things in it are not understandable to us I, 1359.What is then written is written to teach us I, 1712.; serves to improve our lives I, 794.; breaks down into threats and promises I, 1190.; cancels the stowaway on people, but teaches love I, 801.; acts the doctrine of good morals better than Cicero and Aristotle I, 802. She shall govern our whole life II, 211.; to her shall our thoughts yield I, 32.; she shall reign in the church l, 766. What she teaches we may confidently teach, but no more I, 1657.; she alone shall remain judge and master among all books I, 1290.From it we can judge everything I, 863 ff; what does not agree with it is of the devil I, 695; what does not agree with it in the canons is to be rejected I, 1311; we must stick to the S. way of speaking I, 36; add nothing to it I, 1064.I, 1064; do not add to it, I, 844. 848; do not go beyond it, I, 1084; the papists teach that it does not contain all that is to be believed, I, 1526; the papists falsify it, I, 902; from falsification of the Scriptures follows corruption, I, 180. ff. We should hold them in high esteem I, 960; men set works of men above God's word I, 1544; we should read them diligently I, 1055, 1069; II, 2057; study them for life II, 79; seek Christ in them I, 1047; if one reads them as divine wisdom, then one also has the right benefit from them II, 2; the Holy Spirit blesses reading I, 1544. The Holy Spirit blesses the reading I, 1055. He who reads it without the Holy Spirit walks in darkness II, 2030; one should read the Scriptures, not rely on human commentaries I, 1281. - See Bible, Christ 6, Mysteries, Authority 10, Contradictions, Word 3.
Scripture Interpretation. Understanding the Scriptures requires the Holy Spirit. Spirit I, 452. f.; the natural man cannot understand spiritual things I, 449.; the more glorious the text, the more shamefully reason falsifies it I,
** 2226Debtor** Subject index. Self-righteousness 2227
450.; examples of martyred texts I, 389. 449. ff.; II, 1966. 1968. 1976. f. 2018. 2035. rule for interpretation of Scripture, concerning: meaning of words II, 1486. ff. 1610.; the letter of Scripture I, 626. 903.; the Trinity II, 915.; dark passages I, 719.; II, 695. 997. 1978.'; appearances II, 775. f.; freedom in interpretation I I, 1784.; certainty of faith II, 1380.Commandments and ability to keep them I, 329; infirmities of the saints and good works II, 836, 843; their deeds I, 695; plural instead of singular I, 1381; plural used by God I, 70, f.; as men judge, so Scripture often speaks II, 654; reprinting of words II, 702, f.; names II, 18, 988; preaching office: where it can be reasonably said that God has spoken through men, it should be done to the credit of the Rev. I, 531; subject, which is dealt with I, 322. f. 364. 451. f. 596; "days" II, 1192; translations 1, 321; promises and threats 1, 648. 1083. 1106. f; understanding of Scripture: fourfold I, 950. ff; II, 1844. 1927., literal and historical I, 284. f. 950. ff; II, 774., carnal II, 1988., figurative I, 1150., furtive II, 1644. f.; word and factual! s. above Subject; words of God, what Scripture so calls I, 1183. f.; time and chronology 1, 95.; II, 1159.; context I, 370. f. - S. allegories, threats 2, appearances 1, grammar, hysteron, words of men, prophecies 1, rabbines, recapitulatio, falsifications, promises! Recapitulation. Debtors. Remain also the Christians II, 1496.; remain God as long as one does not forgive the brother II, 1496. f.
Schools. Had the Jews in the cities I, 1117.
Pupils. A student who listens to the teacher in faith does a golden work II, 1743; such who prepare themselves for the preaching ministry should be helped gladly II, 449. ff; the rich do this unwillingly II, 633.
Schoolmasters. Their profession is to teach and educate 1, 978; it is enough if one of ten pupils learns diligently and lets himself be pulled I, 978; the pupils should chastise II, 807, out of love II, 1460; seek the best of the pupils II, 1491; the pupils should be able to notice this II, 1491. f.
Swabia. Galten für närrisch II, 851.
Weak believers. Comfort themselves more easily with the death of the saints than with the death of Christ I, 1607. ff; please God also II, 1571.; God has patience with them II, 1332., does not abandon them II, 927. f., wants to strengthen them, not condemn them I, 1160.; one should not despise them I, 1555. f.; we must at times become somewhat weak II, 1870.
Weaknesses, sinful. Coming from the flesh II, 836.; Isaac's s. II, 150. ff.; God has patience with it II, 151. f. 173. 517. 836. 1329., does not reckon it to us II, 526. f., turns it to the best II, 274. f.; then we are to comfort ourselves with thy example of the holy. Fathers II, 151. ff. A Christian is not condemned even if he is overtaken by death in a sin of weakness I, 1282. f.
Pregnancy. One should not hinder it I, 1748; external impressions have a great influence on the fruit II, 601 f.; especially during it the man should live with the woman with reason II, 602 f. - S. Empfängniß.
Swarmers. Often missing in evidence I, 132. Swarm spirits. Are useless scrubbers II, 1385.
Sweat. This is cursed property that is acquired with other people's sweat II, 699; S. des Angesichts ist mancherlei I, 259. ff.
Switzerland. Constitution of the S. I, 675.
Swiss. Keep on breeding, but not on the word II, 1827.
Schwenkfeldt. Discarded sermon & sacrament I, 1249. sister. Meaning of the word I, 1351.
Mothers-in-law. Commonly hate the daughters-in-law II, 243. 993.
Daughters-in-law. Do not suffer gladly the rule of the mothers-in-law II, 331.
Swear. What swearing means I, 1674. - S. Oath.
Scipio. No Jewish or Christian king can be compared with S. II, 462; was not proud in happiness II, 1387; no hero like Abraham I, 889.
Srotus. Opinion: of the fire of the last day I, 1540, of the natural powers of man I, 580. f.
Seba. 1, 666.
Zebulun. 1. son of Jacob. II, 551. 571. blessing of Jacob II, 2011. ff. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II; Joseph 12.
- the tribe. Residence II, 2011. ff; handling II, 2017. f.; led to Assyria II, 2017.
Sects. They break into the church without commandment and confuse everything II, 278; they arrogate to themselves the name of the church II, 99; new ones always rise up to plague the church I, 938; II, 99; it is impossible to block all their paths II, 938.
Soul. Origin II, 1770; a wonderful creature, unknown to us, capable of great joy and sadness II, 1670. f.; has great power, dominates the body II, 1670. f., makes it alive I, 596. - S. condition.
Blessing. The divine blessing is the work of all three persons II, 1866. 1868.; is not a wish, but communicates what it says II, 298. ff. 369. f.; we have such actual blessings in the N. T. II, 298. f.; the blessings in the N. T. are greater than in the A. T. II, 300. f.; if God blesses, it indicates that man is previously under the curse II, 1867.; divine S. is forgiveness and eternal life I, 909.; S. are also the bodily goods I, 1652.; II, 296.; in God's S. bodily and spiritual S. is offered II, 1867.; God's S. is not without a cross II, 301. ff; God's S. cannot be tolerated by men for the sake of original sin I, 852. f.; to all S. God gives for the sake of the pious I, 893. f.; to the spiritual S. we also need the bodily II, 294. ff. 950.; the bodily precedes the spiritual II, 1000.; the bodily S. has a great appearance, not so the spiritual II, 827.
Blessing. Various meanings II, 1798; means to increase 1, 65. 744. 1563; happens with words and with action I, 1563; God blesses with action I, 1563; blessing belongs to the priestly office I, 1558. 1585. f. 1589. f.; the greater tends to bless the lesser II, 1798.
Seeing. "God saw" I, 485. f.
Seir. Meaning of this name Esau II, 101. f. 1001. Also name of a country II, 101. f.; location of the same II, 987.
Sela. Occasion to the name II, 1163.
Self-righteousness. Makes sure and stiff-necked II, 1633.; condemns I, 1420. 1428.; also challenges Christians I, 1433.; clings to the best II, 1660.; God alone.
** 2228 Self-aggrandizement**factual register. Simeon2229
can exterminate them I, 1428.; should be killed on Hagar and Ishmael l, 1420. 1428. - ^ work righteousness, work sanctity.
Self-exaltation. Aergster Feind der Lehrer der Kirche I, 928. - S. Vermessenheit.
Self-denial. In what it consists I, 1392. f.; Abraham an example I, 1497. - S. Crucifixion.
Self-confidence. This sin is in our nature I, 923.; God is enemy to the S. I, 923. - S. Presumption.
Selenria. Formerly called Kalne I, 672.
Blessedness. Of the joy of the blessed II, 1431. 1667. f. How one comes to it I, 1433. ff; no pagan attains as a pagan II, 1829., None, he is led except by death and despair I, 1430. f.; is not attained by fleshly birth I, 1030. f., on which men nevertheless rely I, 1430. f.; not earned by repentance I, 1438.; not obtained by doing what is in one II, 1828., not by works but by grace I, 1440. f. 1447. f., by regeneration I, 1030. f., by faith in the promise I, 1431. 1437. but not of each according to his faith II, 1830. why the papists reject the doctrine of salvation by grace alone I, 1441. ff; how Isaac, Jacob and also some of Esau's lineage became blessed II, 65. f.; how under the pope and Turks still some became blessed II, 67. A Christian should be certain of his blessedness I, 1066; II, 1353; we cannot be certain of it if we do not attain it by grace alone I, 1441; in the papacy it was taught that one must doubt of blessedness I, 1066; II, 1353; - S. Certainty, Life 4, Transfiguration.
Sem. 1. meaning of the name I, 652.; when born I, 435.; whether he was the firstborn of Noah I, 434. f. 502.; why he is preferred to Japheth I, 435.; called father of all children of Eber I, 679.; was father of all churches II, 89.; reigned at Jerusalem I, 1492.He lived in Salem, where he taught, I, 732; preached to his own about the flood, I, 898; was held in high esteem by his grandchildren, I, 711; II, 55; despised by the Nimrodites, I, 722; a great martyr, I, 693; his contemporaries, I, 710; II, 89; - Abraham 34, Melchizedek, Noah 14.
- s.'s gender. I, 679. ff. Residence I, 657. 666.; displaced by Canaan's descendants I, 677.
Seneca. Sayings: Do not pay attention to who speaks, but what is spoken I, 1595, about vices I, 821; II, 1198.
Sententiaries. Handeln vom Ursprung der Seele II, 1770.
Sephar. Probably Ararat I, 680.
Septuagint. S. Seventy.
Seraphim. Their shape I, 288. f.
Seth. Meaning of the name 1, 396. ff. 414.; had a certain promise, Cain was inactive and fleeting I, 367.; is the first to whom the promise of the woman's seed is directed I, 395.With him a new generation begins I, 397.; was similar to Adam's image I, 413.; God's image was established in ibm through the word I, 414.; was high priest after Enoch's reception I, 422. f.; his contemporaries I, 407. - S. Adam 2.
Sighing. God understands it II, 574.; the inexpressible S. is sweet music to God I, 1435. f., a pleasant sacrifice II, 755.; is also still found in temptations II, 535. 573. f., resists unbelief and disbelief I, 1435. f., a pleasant sacrifice II, 755.
duld I, 810.; by it the godly arouse themselves Wider despair II, 754.; apparently it is often weak, but ineffable and strong II, 750. f. 1080, f. 1584. f. 1587. ff., not without great fruit I, 1110. 1112.; II, 814., brings ruin to enemies II, 1080. f.
Sforza, Duke. Peasant son, Cook II, 1786. sibaris. Destruction of S. I, 1258. f.
Sichar. Misspelling for Shechem II, 1912.
Shechem. 1. hemor's son. A spoiled child II, 864. 866. f.; proud II, 882.; unrepentant II, 886. 871. 873. 882.; hypocritical II, 872.
- p. u. Dina. II, 855. ff. 864. ff. 879. ff. The desecration of Dina was a great sin II, 875. f.
- the city of S. whence the name II, 852; later called Neapolis II, 1161; location I, 775; II, 851. 853. 1161; rebuilt by Jeroboam II,
- S. Sichar.
Shechemites. Proud, foolish I, 776. 779.; II, 851.; strangled by Jacob's sons II, 885. ff.; their murder unjust II, 874.; built a temple on Garizim I, 779. - S. Jacob II, 2.
Sure. Satan makes them hard I, 1425.; Lots Eidame ern image of S. I, 1243.; S. should be punished, despondent consoled II, 1686. f.
Safety. Satan plunges men into S. I, 195; follows from contempt of the word II, 98; consequences of S.: blindness and foolishness II, 882, abominable sins II, 98, misfortune II, 333. f.; S. should be avoided I, 376. 723.
Siddim. I, 879.
Sidon. Location I, 678.; famous trading city I, 666.; mighty II, 2012.
Seventy, Septuagint. Not skilled to her great work I, 321st; II, 1766. f.; Jerome complains of her translation II, 593. 1847. f.; translation of 1 Mosi 47, 31. II, 1838. f..
Victory. In war, S. comes from God II, 929.; the most glorious is to change man's heart II, 816. f.
Silver piece. Value of an S. I, 1360; II, 1740. Silo. Location II, 851; what happened there II, 851. silpa. S. Jacob 18.
Simeon. 1. Jacob's son. When born II, 548. ff; held wedding at Thimnath II, 1164.; the worst uniter Jacob's sons II, 1505. f. - S. Jacob I, 19.; II; Joseph 12.
2 Simeon and Levi. Were the junkers and most harmful boys in Jacob's troop II, 1101.; more hopeful than the others II, 1026.; had to take first-born and rule II, 1045. f. 1058. 1109. ff.; ringleaders in the murder of the Shechemites II, 888., their punishment for it II, 888.; ringleaders in the hatred against Joseph II, 1041. 1044. 1058. 1100. 1943. f., therein "brothers" II, 1943. f.; ancestors of Christ's murderers II, 1117.; Jacob cursed them II, 1925. ff.. Others as an example II, 1936. ff.; the curse was especially fulfilled in Christ's suffering II, 1937. also in the persecution of the prophets 2c. II, 1940, 1942; are not even cursed II, 2055; their hope shall be magnified to the praise of divine grace II, 1027; are well saved II, 1947.
- the tribe of S. residence II, 2022.; is omitted by Moses in his blessing II, 1717. 1936.; the most contemptible tribe II, 1717. f. 1854.; consisted only of poor scribes and schoolmasters II, 1110.; from S. and Levi also came excellent men II, 1943. - S. Judas Iscarioth.
** 2230Simony**Subject register. Language2231
Simony. What simony is I, 1618 ff; II, 106 ff; what the laws and canons declare for it II, 104; where the name comes from I, 1618 ff; is in the hearts of all men II, 108 ff; follows where one falls away from the doctrine of justification II, 110.; the Turks are Simonists II, 110. also the papists I, 1620. f.; S. is the sun in the papacy II, 104. f.; ruled in the papacy II, 107.; examples papist! S. I, 1620. f.; also in monasteries was S. I, 1623.; S. in the papacy is actually secular robbery II, 105. f.; pope is guilty of real S. I, 1622.; II, 110. f.; S. was punished by Huß I, 105.; Abraham was not a Simonist II, 103. f.; how a preacher can be guilty of S. II, 111. f.; if he takes salary, that is not S. I, 1624.; it would not be a s. to buy freedom from the pope to preach the gospel purely II, 112. ff. - Gifts 2, Pallium.
Samson. No hero like Abraham I, 890.; a wonderful war hero and savior, driven by the Holy Spirit II, 2022. f.; in him Jacob's blessing on Dan II, 2021. ff. is fulfilled.
Sinear. Plain, since Babel was built I, 672. 694.
Senses. When the mind is occupied by one sense, its effect on the other senses is weaker II, 1193.
Flood I, 541. ff. 556. ff. Why the description of it is so short I, 409; proclamation of it not believed I, 517; when it broke in I, 543; came because also the children of God fell into sin and vice I, 448.Why the animals were corrupted with it I, 503; effects on the shape of the earth I, 120. 378, the paradise I, 378, the ground I, 110. 495. 511. f. 1610, the powers of men I, 511. f., the fruits I, 415.; not only Lamech's, but a general punishment I, 371.; indicates the exuberant wrath of God 1, 406. f. 437. 548.; shall terrify the wicked I, 1087.; whom this example does not move has a stony heart I, 388. f.; indicates that the pious generation will last for eternity I, 437.; whether coitus was forbidden during the s. I, 570. f.; allegorical meaning of the s. I, 611. 613.; there will be no more general s. I, 605. - S. Paradise 1.
Sirach. Derivation of the Name II, 1979.
Kindness. Pleases God I, 1629.; one should make a point of it I, 1709., encourage the youth to it I, 1635.
Sixtus, Pabst. His Miraculous Works I, 1545.
Socrates. Taught immortality I, 102; his answer to the question: whether one should take a wife II, 362; Erasmus makes him a perfect Christian I, 581.
Sodom. Fall of Sodom I, 849. ff. 1181. ff. 1206. ff. 1222. ff. 1240. ff. 1254. ff. 1273. ff. Location I, 1212. 1266. f.; area of S. was a garden of God I, 849. ff.; there was probably paradise I, 851.; cursed for the sake of sin I, 594. f.; went on in S. probably more abominable than before the Flood I, 1191. ff. 1199. f. 1225. ff.; which patriarchs lived at the time of S.'s downfall I, 1200.; how the same endeavored to convert S. I, 1200.; S. rejected God's word I, 1340. f.; probably had a feast day in S. the day before the fall I, 1218. 1224.; the sin against the three angels was a sin of the whole city I, 1256.; whether perished at Easter I, 1220.; a more terrible spectacle than we read elsewhere I, 1274. 1276.; wherefore described I, 1087. 1273. ff. 1288.; of the children of S. Luther will not judge I, 1199.
Sodomites. Good things happened to them because of Lot I, 893; through Abraham's faith I, 896; were uncircumcised I, 1075; had good fortune and good days I, 1217; fell away again soon after Abraham's victory I, 896.; were without fear of God and love of neighbor I, 1217.; were not hospitable, practiced dishonor and ill-will toward strangers I, 1216. f.; did not seek to hide sins I, 1219. 1223. ff. 1226. - S. Abraham 35, Blindness, Lot 3.
Sodomitism. In what this sin consists I, 1223. 1226.; Onan committed a sodomitic sin II, 1181.; by whom the S. was brought to Germany I, 1223.
Apples of Sodom. Beautiful on the outside, full of ashes and stink on the inside I, 594. f. 759. 851.; a monument to past sin I, 851.
Solarii. Name of the Lutherans I, 1573.
Sun. A wonderful work of God I, 31. 49. f.; is called a great light I, 49.; by it, say the astronomers, the moon and stars shine I, 49.; Lord of the day, its light sent to work I, 51.; was brighter and more beautiful before the Fall than now I, 95. - S. Light, Sign 1.
Sophists. Their doctrine: of the natural powers of man I, 577. ff, a little love is enough to attain eternal life I, 1334. - S. Scholastics.
Sorbonne. What the theologians of the S. taught about beatification II, 130.
Concern. Shall be cast upon God II, 1713.
Tension vein. The Jews do not eat it, many make a delicacy of it II, 801; allegorical interpretation of it II, 812. ff.
Speculation. Thereby None Blessed I, 1251. f. - p. Life 8.
Food. Vegetable food healthier than meat food I, 44; food of men before and after the fall I, 256; original food of men and animals I, 88; food before the flood I, 44, 524, when everything was stronger I, 415.We should enjoy the food with thanksgiving I, 525. 868. and use it in such a way that we do not harm our health I, 868.; we harm ourselves in body and life through our food I, 415. 712. - Meat I, animals 1.
Spheres. What various of them taught I, 32. ff. 153,; the acceptance of the S. is not certain, but useful I, 33. f.; their order, nature and property is very lovely and wonderful I, 153. - S. Heaven.
Mirror. S. the Soothsayer II, 1056.
Mockery of God over Adam I, 272. f. 275.
Language. 1. in general. Uniformity of languages serves for unity I, 684. 690; diversity of languages leads to enmity and war I, 690. ff; kingdoms fall through confusion of languages I, 704; languages should be studied I, 525; all languages have their peculiarities II, 1529. f.
- the German. has Hebrew words II, 1936.
- the Greek S. has Hebrew words II, 1936.
- the Hebrew Scriptures are not perfectly understood II, 677. f.
- ff. 1035. 1358. 1373. 1472. 1509. nor did they have it in the time of the apostles II, 1997. f.; the N. T. has been of great help for a correct understanding II, 678. f. 1837. f. 1837; if the Holy Scriptures are to be fully established, it must be through Christians II, 849. 1532, without whose help they would be much darker II, 961; from where it comes that they are incomprehensible to us II,
- f.; their
** 2232 Language use**Subject register. Estates2233
The way of speaking is foreign to us I, 1168.; II, 1529. f.; of the expression: Man thut nicht also II, 507.; rst figurative than other S. II, 1440. 1532.; of puncta II, 1007. f. 1837. ff., disorder in proper names II, 1016., numerus II, 1769. 1788., conjugations I, 1561., the auxiliary word "to be" II, 1440.; students of theology should study the Hebrew S. I, 1563.; II, 912. God speaks to us Hebrew II, 964. 1145. -S. Rabbis.
- the Latin S. is more dexterous than the Greek and Hebrew II, 1487. f.; has Hebrew words II, 1936.
Language use. All rules must give way to the same II, 1533; to pay attention to this II, 677. f.
Taglines. 1. after beginning: Aut regem, aut fatuum II, 1343; The longer, the angrier I, 575; Let go, or: Mitte vagere II, 1406. 1619.; O formose puer II, 1012.; Pluribus intentus II, 1193.; Qui quae vult, dicit II, 1042.; Si fecisti II, 1524.
- according to the keywords: waste II, 629. ; achivi II, 881. ; commonplace I, 1118. 1371. ; aequivocations II, 1908. ; working - enjoying II, 203. ; suspicious I, 794. ; ^rs II, 312. ; doctor I,
- ; postponed II, 377. f-; interpreter II, 1053.; belly II, 591. ; eloquence I, 1005. ; doing better than one can I, 2. ; beer II, 1415. ; thief, lazy II, 1231. ; lonely I, 834. ; angel II, 629. ; ass II,
- ; lazy II, 319. ; enemies II, 877. ; fire I, 1354. ; fiscus II, 1817.; wife, housewife II, 1241. ; peace I, 1076. ; frons II,
- ; princes 1, 447. ; II, 865. ; letters of princes I, 1055.
- ; II, 214. ; princes, exemplars II, 865. ; favor of princes I,
- ; gift I, 1263. 1710. ; guest II, 482. ; patience II, 1314.; money II, 1787.; opportunity I, 1262.; making oneself mean I, 1442.; justice - faith II, 1745.; gifts I, 1474.; II, 1581. f.; law II, 1862.; conscience II, 205. 1593. 1596. 1684.; won - torn II, 205.; equals 1, 690.; happiness I, 1218.; II, 1914,; God II, 1698.; good I, 1218.; II, 86., unjust good II, 205. 590.; what is good I, 878.; covetousness II, 588.; hooks II, 81.; lord, house-father I, 1723. f.; II, 552. 1240. f. 1423.; yard-keeping I, 980.; chickens in basket I,
- ; hunger I, 1390. ; II, 1087. ; hunting 1, 54. ; youth I, 585. ; lawyer I, 847. ; buying I, 1262. ; children of great people 1, 313. ; II, 1368. ; churches - heathen 1, 839. ; church II, 1002. ; rattling II, 257. ; servant, lazy II, 1231.; disease I, 894. f.; art II, 451.; land I, 852.; land - custom II, 478. 1184.; run of a thing I, 1192.; louse I, 980.; ruse II, 877.; lions II, 162.; lies I, 335. 1533.; liar 1, 334.; II, 1121.; maid II, 1241.; mameluke 1, 689.; Middle inne I, 1438.; II, 761.; Monk II, 1408.; Night II, 772.; Name, good II, 1723.; No one I, 1226.; Authority 1, 846.; Horses - oxen II, 385.; Phrygians II, 866.; Prophets II, 1645.; Smoke - fire II, 363.; Law II, 1745. f., the supreme right I, 843. 1476.; right - right execute II, 874. 877.; riches II, 2038.; Romans 1, 337.; ruth II, 1460.; sowing - reaping II, 203.; sour II, 1087. 2038.; harm I, 1314. 1462.; rogue - fortune II,
- 727.; debt, old II, 1116. 1454.; swallow I, 54.; stone II, 1406.; sin 1, 575.; II, 1121.; days, good, I, 1218.; II, 1849.; devil I, 1424.; II, 103.; theologian 1, 847.; Turk II, 1986. f.; ingratitude I,
- 1340.; ingratitude II, 1262.; misfortune I, 180. 1294.; II, 392. 1192.; injustice II, 207. 1147.; discontent.
I, 1071st; Vacation II, 889th; Venus II, 1310th; Hidden II, 1002nd; Burning II, 1772nd; Despair II, 1408th; People I, 852nd; II, 884th; Ways II, 2035th; Woman I, 1372nd 1672nd; Strike Again II, 874th; Words II, 720th; Time II, 830th; Wrath II, 340th.
- proverbial sayings. To hew oneself in the cheek I, 1576.; to carry the tree on both armpits II, 122.; one must besiege it I, 1476.; let me tame the shepherd II, 1727.; to ask from heaven to earth II, 1118.; to milk a goat, to maintain a sieve II, 107. f.; to thrust into the harvest II, 2006.; like a donkey sent to the bagpipe 1, 3. ; like a fist to the eye 1, 761. 1227. ; pouring oil and pitch on the fire II, 350. ; fishing in the doldrums II, 1319. ; I want to go gray II, 1799. ; he would have wood hewn out of him II, 2019. ; having a good year II, I4II. ; the child must have a name II, 760.; to louse with cobs II, 691; like a wreath on a sow's head I, 1713; to stretch over the same last I, 1074; to wipe one's mouth II, 1099; not a nesting pin I, 915; non propter te, sed propter tuum te II, 257; for the ravens to eat thee 1, 622.; to put on the wheel and on the disc II, 2006.; to throw into the Rappuse II, 1238.; to hang a clip on II, 712. 714.; to throw the keys at one's feet II, 278.; piece by piece II, 878.; for a pigeon's droppings I, 801.; until the water goes over the baskets II, 1337. state. One should get used to serving the same from youth II, 1409. ff.
Cities. The first St. built by Cain 1, 384.; often named after its builders II, 852. - S. trading cities, capital.
City gate. Court in the Orient I, 1213. State of innocence. A middle class, in which the
Man could sin I, 128; very glorious I, 88. 94. 128. Created gifts of man: Immortality I, 135, freshness of youth I, 112, f.; knowledge I, 81, 128. f. Life of the human being in the St. d. U.: a natural life I, 105.; eating, drinking, childbearing I, 69.; food of men and animals I, 46. 87. f.; digestion I, 112. 135.; clothes I, 171.; going naked an honor I, 170. ff.; dominion of man and woman I, 167. f.; marital status I, 86. 125. 128. 142. ff. 163. f. 206. 265. 291.; Procreation and Birth I, 125.; Education of Children I, 88. 125.; Marriage of Children I, 162. 168. f.; Labor 1, 79. 100. 124.; Dominion of Man I, 77. 80. 87. 146. Worship I, 18. 96. f. 131.; Bible and Subject of Preaching I, 128. 188. f.; Law of God I, 130. ff. Adam and his descendants would have lived in faith I, 188. How d man would have been placed in eternal life I, 69. 135. 145.; of which Adam's sleep in Paradise a model I, 158. Remains of this state I, 82. 130. 161. ff. 167. f. 250. 412. We should often think of the good we have lost I, 130. - S. likeness, Paradise.
Stands. 1. in general. Are ordered by God, not to be despised I, 1164. f.; find different, as, rich and poor, many take offense at 1, 995. f.; this difference is ordered by God II, 1404., necessary and useful to this life II, 1371. f. 1390. f. 1394. f. 1403. ff. 1786. f., in the sight of God such distinction is not valid I, 996. 1089.; God's word sanctifies all spirituality II, 125.; Christians should walk in such spirituality as God has commanded II, 1626.; God also takes care of the low spirituality.
** 2234 Steadfastness**factual register. Sin2235
II, 552; in each one be faithful I, 1180, not idle II, 1791, f., virtuous II, 1795; in this one remain until God takes one out II, 1795; patience in all the states God's word works II, 126, f.; from the states be not stott II, 1371, f..
2 The three main orders. The whole life is divided into three states I, 1180, into the domestic regiment, the secular regiment, the priesthood II, 297, f.; these are the right hierarchies I, 1394; life in these states is the most spiritual II, 1607; whoever lives outside them lives in a damned state I, 1394. I, 1394. are ordered by God I, 532. 1321. 1373. ff; II, 1567.; necessary II, 1567.; in them God acts with us through men I, 1456.; ordered for God's glory and the neighbor's benefit II, 264.; duties of them I, 532. 1256. f.; II, 297. f. In it is found unwillingness and unwillingness I, 261. f. 982. 984. 987. f. 1371. ff.; II, 24. 139.; whoever wants to live godly in it must suffer persecution I, 1393.; Satan is an enemy of it I, 1459. In all St. faithful people are necessary II, 542. f.; in it one should stick to God's commandments II, 1567. f.; one should ask for wisdom, otherwise everything will turn out bad II, 277. ff.; one should be patient and look to God's word I, 1371. ff. 1373. ff.One can be sure of God's help in this, I, 1321; the angels are our guardians in this, I, 1686; all three saints are always in need of forgiveness of sins, II, 487; how they make themselves partakers of other people's sins, I, 1257. They are held in the highest honor before God II, 1061. f.; it is Satan's masterpiece that he brings the church into contempt I, 1456., as happened in the papacy II, 1567. 1606. f. 1611. - S. household, preacher, preaching office, authority.
Cf. Occupation I.
Steadfastness. St. in doctrine against the whole world is difficult I, 498. ff. 537.; we should be steadfast I, 538. f.
Starke. Her consolation against death I, 1607. ff
Strength. Definition of this virtue II, 1877. - S. Fortitude.
Staupitz. How he governs II, 1406., Luther comforted II, 180.
Stone. Often means a colonel II, 2045. f. - S. Krankh eit 2.
Stars. What they are I, 50.
Taxes. Heavy St. a penalty II, 1817; among various peoples II, 1819. f.
Pens. Eitel Whorehouses II, 1658.
Voice. Very different II, 1192. f.; gives man the very most to recognize II, 270.
Frontal leaf. S. High Priest.
Stoics. Are hypocrites II, 1612; their doctrine of temporal goods I, 830. 854. f.
Penalty. 1. in general. Punishment arouses grumbling and hostility I, 989-; punishment from parents, teachers, authorities should be endured with patience I, 999. f.
- divine st. type and nature: st. and promise cannot be united by our reason I, 509. ff; from st. it does not follow that God is fickle I, 510.; with st. there is still grace II, 1951. the ordinary st. are pestilence, famine, war, wild beasts I, 517.The greatest, when God takes away his word I, 455; new sins follow, when new sins increase I,
- Whom the sins affect: not only the sinner, but also the creatures, his possessions I, 224. f. 503, country and people, when the authorities sin I, 822. 892. 1324. f.; the pious, the poor, the poor, the poor, the poor.
often have to carry the st. with II, 337. f. Purpose and benefit: St. is a benefit II, 1103. f., should humble us I, 1440., lead to repentance I, 895, serve as a test of faith and patience I, 822. f., but not for satisfaction II, 1103. Success and effect: St. adheres much more firmly than benevolence 1, 604.; becomes more difficult when recognized as St. 1, 255.; is often in vain I, 989.; the ungodly force God to ever harsher St. I, 896. Conduct: God takes care of us in st. I, 999.; Christ transforms it into blessed cross I, 244. f.; different behavior of the pious and the godless II, 838.; our nature grumbles and despairs I, 999.; the world bears sorrow over st, not over sin II, 336. f.; send oneself with patience to St. II, 338.; if we lament sin, St. becomes milder I, 990. delay and haste with St.: it is a wrath of grace when God hastens with St. I, 702.; II, 1043.; wretched people with whom God pardons with St. II, 1042. ff.God pardons whether the wicked still want to repent I, 966; when God pardons, God seems to be asleep I, 699; God finally follows I, 509; 701; 811; 965; II, 1043; 1103; when the measure is full I, 700; the longer he is silent, the greater the wrath afterwards I, 702. - S. curse, sin 4, wrath, chastisement.
Stage Years. Bring Changes I, 1604.
Suah. II, 1162.
Suchoth. Where the name comes from II, 844; location II, 846.
Suetonius. Recounts dreams of Nero 2c. II, 1310. f.
Sin. 1. in general. 1. nature and kind. Sin is in the heart, not in the eyes, ears or other creatures I, 833; it is something natural, otherwise no redemption would be necessary I, 203; it clings to us in such a way that we can be completely cleansed of it one day II, 1171.Sin is what happens without God's word I, 567; consists above all in disobedience to God's word I, 179; boasting of sin is no small sin I, 697; ignorance can be sin I, 1466. ff. Types of s.: the chief sins are not the gross, external ones, like adultery, but contempt of the word, parents, authorities I, 1199.; the Papists' persecution of the gospel is a more serious s. than David's adultery I, 1277. f.; the greatest sin is when men do not want to be punished by God's word I, 456. ff, the s. of the first table remain commonly hidden under the appearance of holiness I, 503.; God complains more about the violence that happens to man than that happens to him I, 511.; what heaven-sent s. are I, 1197. what sodomitical ones I, 1219.; s. we have, even if we do not know it I, 1348., one can sin from ignorance 1, 814. ff; s., done in consternation are not so grave as those done prudently I, 1296.; s. of commission and omission II, 692.; sins of commission are more atrocious than sins of omission I, 1365.; s. thut, not only who commits them, but also who approves them I, 1224. Gradual progress: sins follow when one departs from the Word, I, 18; they first happen in the heart, I, 635; one gets deeper and deeper into sins, I, 210; one sin leads to another, I, 214, 219, 336, ff, 480; II, 1192, 1276, f., if one does not repent II, 884. awakenings and excuses of S.: S. goes in sweet, out sour II, 1718.; one does not feel it when one commits it I, 199. f. 699.; its nature is that it lies and rests for a time I, 701.; rests like a wild animal that has fallen asleep, because it is in the works I,
** 2236Sin** Subject index. Syncope2237
- f.; the law makes it alive I, 201.; it soon awakens. becomes, soon reveals I, 326. f. 346.; then it frightens us II, 1103. f. 2077. ff. and becomes formidable II, 2079., Satan seeks to plunge us into despair I,
- f.; II, 1704. 1707. f.; awakens in some to damnation, in others to repentance II, 1107. The S. does not want to be revealed I, 222; II, 1503; does not want to be S. I, 218; II, 1524; one tries to deny and cover it up I, 206. f. 212. f. 215. f. 991; one throws the blame on God I, 214. f. 217. f.; II, 1529; betrays itself 1, 335; accuses itself with what it wants to excuse itself I, 212. f. 334. f. 338. f. 992.
- the greatness and abomination of sin is an abominable stench before God I, 573, the most abominable disease II, 1723; it is as great as the word against which it is done I, 198; it is greater or lesser according to the person against whom one sins II, 875. f.; is less when one is ashamed of it than when one boasts of it I, 1219.; the greatness of the S. is learned from the punishment of the first world, Sodom and the angels I, 415.; how horrible it is, teaches the Dead Sea I, 852.
- originator of the S. God does not work the S. I, 1481.; Satan drives from one S. to another I, 1226. - S. Teufe l.
- consequences and punishments of the s. The fall is easily done, but it is difficult to get a desire for mercy again II, 1721. 2077. ff; the further man has come from God, the further he seeks to escape I, 211. f. 214; the sinner hates the punishment and therefore God I, 217. f. 214; the sinner hates punishment and therefore also God I, 217. God is angry with the S. II, 2084. 2087. which, of course, the world does not believe I, 1205. f.; the S. entails severe punishments I, 242. ff.; II, 1102. f. 1259.; S.,which the authorities do not punish, quickly draws punishment I, 1256.; punishment follows when the s. become habitual I, 1222.; with the s. the punishments also increase I, 252. f. 255. 264. f. God can bring good out of the S. I, 1326. ff; II, 1703. 2083. ff, but the S. still remains evil I, 1328. ff, and we are not to sin on it II, 2083. - S. punishment.
5 Help. There is no help, "if God does not hasten to help us with his mercy I, 214.; God lets us fall to open our eyes II, 1456.; knowledge of the sin is the beginning of our salvation I, 482. f.; one day we will be completely free of it II, 1175. f.. Only God's Son can overcome it I, 198; no work or sacrifice can erase it I, 323; through faith we become free and lords over it I, 324. 329. f.
- sins of the Christians. Even the best Christians fall I, 633. 789. f.; II, 683. 2003. ff.; Christians must fight against sins II, 467.; do well in consternation what they should not I, 1292. f.; if they fall, we should not judge immediately I, 633., not be angry 1, 635. f.; even if they sin, they are not lost I, 1467.Even if they sin, they are not lost I, 1467; their s. gain a happy outcome II, 272; even the evil they do must serve them for the best I, 1326; God lets them fall in order to have the opportunity to do many good things I, 1326, to humble them I,
- f. 1558.; we should lament our s. before the punishment is there and it is too late I, 989. f.; before God, but not before men, one should be guilty of all s. I, 1348.; when we fall, we should not despair II, 2084. ff., but think of God's wonderful guidance and purposes I, 1329.; II, 1212., comfort ourselves with the examples of the fathers I,
- f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., I, 1326. f., 1558.
sten II, 1155., rise again II, 2079.; we should ask that we do not sin II, 1941.-S. Weaknesses.
- sins of others. One should not help to conceal the sins of a fellow citizen or a fellow believer from the authorities I, 1258; one should be patient with the sins of others, but not justify them I, 986; sins should be punished, also against the great Hansen II, 231, et seq. II,
- f.; parents, teachers, authorities, also private persons should punish sinners II, 1149.; if the punishment does not bear fruit, leave the matter to God II, 1149. foreigners should not be made part of it I, 1256.; how to do it I, 1208. 1257.; whoever does it must also suffer the punishment II, 886. f.; from hardened sinners one should depart I, 1264. f..
- to avoid a greater s., one must not commit a lesser one I, 1229. ff.
- of our s. preaches the whole creature I, 256., our clothes I, 270. ff., food I, 276., the loss of paradise I, 281. f.
Cf. Abraham 16, Confession 1, David, Marriage 8, Original sin, Knowledge, Esau, Conscience 2, 3, Isaac 10, Jacob 14, Joseph 10, Lusts, Noah 10, Authority 6, Sodomites, Fall, Fathers I; II, 9, Watch.
II. Spirit. Was committed before the Flood, in which it consisted I, 479. f.; whoever intentionally and knowingly sins is not far from it II, 1704.
Fall of man. I, 172. ff. 196. ff. 207. ff. 223. ff. 242. ff. 268. ff. Why God permits temptation, a cheeky question I, 176. f. ; why Moses does not clearly say that the devil tempted Eve I, 177. f. ; Eve did not fall because she was a woman 1, 469. ; considered sin to be something minor I, 528.; by rashly inquiring into the reasons of the prohibition, Adam and Eve came to fall I, 193. 1084. f.; II, 184. The sin consisted not in biting the apple, but in falling away from God I, 117. 183. 194196. 198. 208. 278.; thereby Adam assaulted the person of Christ and divine majesty I, 274. f.. Consequences of the Fall I, 75. ff. 89. 172. f. 272. in the soul I, 75. 81. 197. 212. ff. 216. 221. in the body I, 122. 253. 414. in conjugal life I, 128. 265. in external nature I, 78. 94. f. 110. 120. f. 249. f. 254.; Paradise is lost I, 275. ff. Memories of the fall are food and clothes I, 270. ff. 276. ff. Only God's Son can overcome this sin I, 198. When the S. happen I, 85. 99. f. 171. 176.
Sinners. Are all men, even the best I, 633. 789. f.; II, 683. 1632. f. 2061.; S. do not like to be kept in check II, 1042.; flee death as a punishment I, 369.; scorn and shame assail them at last 1, 480.; S., whose lusts God does not resist are wretched people II, 1042. ff; God finally leaves them in their heart's conceit I, 480.; no S. should despair because of the greatness of his sin II, 978. f., he still has the consolation of eternal life I, 405.; if a man has fallen, one should not immediately judge him I, 633. or despair of him II, 342., one punishes him II, 690. f.
Sin. S. Grace 5.
Sur. Location of the desert I, 991. 1306.
Susim. Meaning of the word I, 880.
Syncope. Example of a p. II, 678.
** 2238Symkdoche**Subject register. Devil2239
Synecdoche. A figure of speech common in writing II, 1065. ff. 1762.; examples: I, 915.; II, 593. f. 623. 651. 673. 1065. f. 1438. f. 1617. f. 1913.
Syrian. Good Shooters II, 2043.
T.
Day. 1st day. Double meaning I, 51; among the Jews I, 24.
- day and night. Purpose of Variety I, 51.
- last day. Time of the same hidden I, 721. 1600.; conditions before the same I, 409. f. 448.; if eclipses of several days precede, the wooers seven years before no longer give birth I, 587.; God will hasten with it I, 448.; from where God will take the fire I, 1540.; there the wicked will condemn themselves I, 213. f.; joy of the faithful II, 1671.; ask God that you expect him with joy 1, 437. - S. Time 3.
Dances. Not all reprehensible, their purpose I, 1682. Bravery. Different from foolhardiness II, 174. - S.
Strength.
Tarquinius. Forced Lucretia to fornicate II, 1279. - S. Lucretia.
Doves. Properties I, 623.; meaning in Scripture I, 618.; Noah's doves I, 563. ff., allegorical interpretation of them I, 623. ff.
Baptism. God baptizes II, 437. 1842., Christ baptizes II, 1892.; goes to all the people I, 1042., also to the children I, 1041. f.. Whence the water has its power I, 279.; we are baptized into Christ's death and blood and washed with His blood II, 1992.; swarm spirits baptized without water I, 197. T. is a right one, even if the baptized obtains it by trickery II, 310.; is to be performed only once I, 1037., even if we had fallen away, not to be repeated I, 1042. Effects: it is a sign of righteousness I, 1045; outside of baptism there is no blessedness I, 1044; in it one receives a new name before God II, 950; by it we are restored to the hope of life I, 240; it destroys the works of the devil, transfers us into the kingdom of light II, 1891;
makes righteous I, 1020. f. 1024; not only promises, gives forgiveness of sins II, 369; makes blessed I, 612. ff; children receive the Holy Spirit in it, become blessed by virtue of the promise II, 1904. It makes all baptized children, though not all adults, blessed I, 1049. It is necessary for blessedness, but God is not necessarily bound to it I, 1250.; of children dying without T. I, 1040. f. 1091. 1250. 1761. f.; in eternal life we no longer need T. I, 1027. contempt of T. damns I, 1041. allegories of T. I, 611. ff. Death and T. consort and compare with each other in Scripture I, 613. T. is not less, but more glorious than circumcision I, 1042. 1065. f.; he who could fairly wonder at T. would mock the devil II, 147. Of the consolation of T. II, 513. f.; Christ's and our T. compared I, 1020. f. 1024.; in case of emergency any Christian may baptize II, 1891. even a woman II, 2057. In administering T. one should be reverent II, 1842. f. - S. Means of grace. T. Christ: see Christ 2.
Baptismal names. It was used in the papacy from II, 988.
Tauler. Saying about impatience in Cross II, 1326. f. Tautology. S. Repetition.
Temple. Is any place where God's Word is preached
I, 839. The T. at Jerusalem: Location I, 1491...;
Signs on it before Jerusalem's destruction II, 76; Figure of Paradise I, 282.
Teraphim. Opinions about it II, 649. f.
Terence. Saying: the highest right 2c. I, 846.; Opinions on: earthly goods I, 857., corruption of human nature I, 584.
Testament. By a T. one is to prevent quarrels I, 1752. f.; II, 1906. The New T. makes the Old clear I, 266. ff. 273. f. 1004. - See Christ 4, Believers, Time 2.
Tetragrammaton. S. Jehovah.
Tetzel. Did not want to exchange with Petro II, 568.
Devil. From where to take the doctrine of the T. I, 230. f.. Condition: whereby he fell I, 1085.; II, 400. ff.; what the Alcoran says of his fall II, 401.; what he lost I, 174. f. 230.; his evil conscience II, 1720.; has no hope of salvation I, 245.; in which case he might also be saved I, 219.; II, 1515. What he is and is able to do: is hopeful I, 1687. f., cunning I, 184. 1177., hypocritical and wicked II, 1271., lying II, 1049., only a spirit II, 439., wicked and presumptuous I, 184.; an enemy of God I, 689. 695., of the Word I, 194., of all God's ordinances, even of the marriage state II, 487. 1264. f., of the church I, 689. 695.; II, 438. f., of Christians II, 194. f., our worst enemy I, 1689. in the physical and spiritual II, 2013.; faith and the Word of God are darkness to him II, 1056. f.; God mocked his in the first promise, which he did not understand I, 236. ff. 239.; did not see Christ's deity obscured by humanity II, 312.; he is unable to see into a believing heart II, 1057.; may well have the will, not the power to harm I, 231.; II, 727. ff. 733. f.; God hinders him II, 2013.; Christ hinders him I, 231. ff, has crushed his head, death and sin I, 233. His effects: What he did: hid in the serpent out of envy, deceived man I, 99. f. 266. f., at all times tried to deform and destroy our nature II, 1175.; raged for the promise of the woman's seed against men in general and against Christ's ancestors I, 236. ff.; always raged against the church II, 407. f.; raged against Christ from the manger to the cross I, 239. What he does and how he does it: sometimes does good, that he may do the greater harm II, 1271; has his own teachers in all kinds of studies II, 1336; helps his servants soon, does not forgive like God II, 8; rages I, 245; throws obstacles in our way everywhere I, 1699. f.; wreaks havoc in the household II, 327. f.; is father of all wars and discord I, 692.Incites to fornication II, 1227. f.; drives from one sin to another I, 1226.; once he has got his head in, the whole body soon follows II, 884.; makes the secure hard I, 1425.; rages now against the Christians, because he can no longer harm Christ I, 239. 696. 1140. 1238.; fights against good works II, 702. f..Makes sins out of the very best works of Christians II, 393; makes our burden and sorrow ever greater, therefore called Leviathan I, 1424. f.; II, 392. 967. f.; seeks to wear us out by persistent temptations II, 140. 220.; is God's monkey, builds his chapel next to God's church I, 1663. ff.; leads away from the Word I, 180. f.; falsifies God's Word I, 181. f., leaves us what does not suit him I, 131.; is a cunning disputer! I, 1177; also dwells in the wilderness I, 1374. Christians should be enemies of the devil's church I, 689; fight against Satan II,
** 2240Thamar**Subject register. **Death burial 2241**
- 202.; need not fear him II, 569.- S. Engel 3, 4, Feinde 2, Fragen, Hofteufel, Werke IV.
Thamar. 1. Judah's daughter-in-law. II, 1177. ff; Cananaean II, 1177.; famous, mother of Christ II, 1162.; fruitful II, 1180.; a wonderful woman II, 1197.; by incest a great sinner II, 1191. ff; sinned not for lust II, 1189. ff. 1199. f. - S. Judah l, 3.
- daughter of David. Wore a white coat II, 1038. f.
Tharah. Seduced by the Nimrodian mob I, 725; set right by Shem I, 725; when died II, 1511. and where I, 725. - S. Nimrod.
Tharsis. Shall be Cilicia I, 661.
Theman. Grandson of Esau II, 994; the land of T., a part of Idumaea II, 994; the understanders of T. were Esau's descendants I, 1032.
Themistocles. Could not control himself in happiness II, 1387.
Theology. In it one should practice II, 646. ff.
Theseus and Hercules. Their friendship is nothing against the brotherhood in the church I, 1147.
Theurung. The gospel must be to blame for this I, 784; many children of God have had to experience T. II, 131. f. 1805; examples of T. I, 783. st; God sustains His own in T. II, 1805; promises of believers in T. II, 135; Isaac's behavior in it II, 131; one should take care of it in good years II,
Thideal. King 1, 878.
Animals. 1. in general. Difference between: living T., T. and cattle I, 521. st; were created immediately in great quantity 1, 46.; were there immediately by the word I, 67.; are called God's footsteps I, 83.; have a certain sense of accidents I, 523. f., no knowledge of their Creator I, 81; the law of the 1st and 2nd tablets is none of their business I, 502; whether they were so corrupt before the Flood that the various species were mixed I, 502; why they were corrupted in the Flood I, 503; the difference between pure and impure T. is already found in Noah I, 1220.Whether there were wild animals in Paradise I, 522. f.; why they were afraid of man 1, 590. 592. f.; whether this was already the case before the Flood I, 589. f.; man only got the right to kill them after the Flood I, 591.; about the slaughter of the animals I, 596. f. 601.; God makes use of them to punish sin I, 594.
- the T. in the ark. I, 521. ff. How Noah could conquer the T. I,
- f.; what the 7th pure animal was destined for I, 540.
Thimna. II, 994.
Thimnath. Layers, 1186.
Thiras. I, 657; meaning of the name 1, 659**.**
Thogarma. Peoples' Name I, 661.
Thomas Aquinas. Opinion of Hell and Purgatory II, 2067.
Clay pits. What was dug there I, 881.
Thopheth. Thal. II, 1550. ff.
Thor. "To the city T. from and enter" II, 884. f. - S. Stadtthor.
Folly and error are inevitable in Christians II, 275; should humble ourselves II, 276.
Thubal. Peoples' Name I, 659.
Thubalcain. Meaning of the name I, 387.
Thu. "Thun what is in one" II, 746. 764. 770. 819. Thuringia. Unfruitful for the sake of sin I, 852; formerly fruitful II, 1794.
Thurmban of Babel I, 684. ff. 694. ff. In what the sin consisted in the construction 1, 685. ff.; how the pious behaved in it I, 705.; hence the fable of the giants who wanted to overthrow Jupiter I, 687.; fables of the common rabble of it I, 686. - S. confusion.
Tobias. His wife did not grumble in the beginning II, 1326. daughters. Gerathen after the mother II, 1415.
Death. 1. in general. Death and destruction hurt man and other creatures II, 1713 f.; How reason views death I, 406. Originator: God does not love death, death is of the devil I, 602. Cause: in the state of innocence there was no death I, 425.; is punishment of sin I, 263. ff. 404. 425. 453.; is proof that we are sinners I, 404. f. Horror of T.'s: of body and soul of death I, 1512. st; the terror of death is the death of the soul and more terrifying than the T. of the body I, 1512. st; the T. is not a T., but a sleep when the terror is gone I, 1512. f. Victory: the T. is defeated 1, 427. st; the T. with its power is contemptible with God, he plays with it I, 1512. ff; faith overcomes the T. I, 1513. ff; the stronger the faith, the weaker the T., and vice versa I, 424. f. T. of believers and unbelievers seems the same and yet is different I, 613. f.; comes unexpectedly to the ungodly I, 544.; the T. of the saints is gentle and quiet I, 1754. f., is child's play to them I, 1513. ff, a sleep I, 424. st, em blessed change I, 1756., a cause of life I, 614. st; a lovely description of their T.'s is "to go to the fathers" I, 964.; this doctrine of T. the ungodly do not understand I, 1513. f. 1515. f.; the T. of the saints is held worthy before the Lord 1, 348. st 1754. st conduct against the T.: the sinner flees the T. as a punishment 1, 369.; Christians should not fear it II, 1902. st, comfort themselves against it by the blessed seed and its T. 1, 405. f. 1607. ff. and with the T. and burial of the patriarchs I, 1605. ff. 1609. 1765.; with the T. of the relatives comfort yourself with eternal life II, 969., at their T. in your absence with Abraham's example I, 1612.; in the T. console yourself II, 1150. f. with the fact that one can escape the T. only through the T. I, 615., with the resurrection 1, 428.; the martyrs mocked the T. II, 1902. f.
- T. and resurrection of the believers is like falling asleep and awakening II, 2071.
- T. and life are closer to each other than we can see II, 1901.
T. Christ 4. S. Christ 2.
Death penalty. Not allowed before the Flood I, 347, 598, 600, would be wrong without God's decree I, 599; why ordered after the Flood I, 598; must be imposed according to God's decree I, 599; what to do when a pregnant woman is sentenced to death II, 1210.
Deaths. Life in God's eyes I, 963; mourning for them is right I, 1612; II, 944; f. 1185; mourning should have its measure I, 1615; how to behave when they die in mortal sins I, 1616; to close their eyes, the last good deed, belongs to the relatives II, 1759; one should praise them I, 1603. Burial of the dead. Was originally funeral, later
** 2242Death stroke**Subject register. Turks2243
Cremation I, 264; Sarah's burial I, 1615. ff; the dead should be buried honestly for the hope of the resurrection I, 1625. 1756; also the pagans had honest ceremonies I, 1625. -S. Burial, churchyards, fathers II, 12.
Death. A cruel misdeed I, 357. f.; why forbidden I, 600. ff.; done by order of the authorities is a good work II, 763.
Death stroke he. Have an evil conscience I, 351. 373. f.; lose the natural sweetness of the eyes I, 374.; shall be killed again I, 600.; punishment of the same in Isaac's time II, 845. f.; shall take an example in Simeon and Levi II, 1936. ff. - S. murderers.
Dream interpreter. Err often II, 1311.
Dreams. Are, when images occur to the mind during sleep I, 930; the Scriptures sometimes reject dreams, sometimes praise them II, 1047. f.; there are diabolical, natural and true or prophetic or divine ones II, 1049. ff. 1311. f.; of the natural ones applies: Somnia ne cures II, 1051; prophetic ones are not to be despised II, 1051; of the dreams, in which something future is indicated II, 419. ff; how T. differ from other phenomena II, 419.; are revelations, one step lower than visions I, 9M.; how to distinguish melancholy and true T. 1, 420. ff; some come from God, others not II, 1309. , the devil can also cause true T. 1, 931.; II, 1049. ff. 1054. 1056. 1298. 1311.; to distinguish between T. requires a special understanding II, 1309.; by which one can recognize divine prophetic T. II, 1051. ff. 1056. 1308. ff.; the divine ones make a deep impression 1, 931. 1361.; II, 660. 1052. 1335.; God gives with the T. both interpretation and fulfillment II, 1052.; the Father gives, the Son explains, the Holy Spirit fulfills the T. II, 1052. The Father gives, the Son declares, the Holy Spirit fulfills II, 1053.; one should examine the T. according to God's Word I, 1321. f.; II, 421. ff. 1049. 1057.; some T. concern worldly, others ecclesiastical matters and blessedness II, 419.; worldly T. had Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar II, 420.; when worldly T. find wrong and in vain II, 423.; godly and godless have T., which come true II, 419. 1049. ff; human interpretations find uncertain II, 423. 1310. T. are a picture of our life II, 1054. ff - S. revelations.
Dreamers. Are not to be despised II, 1057.
Sadness. T. sometimes makes one sleepy, sometimes sleepless II, 388. f.; often kills II, 1669.; God is its enemy I, 1716.; is a sign that God has departed from us 1, 927. T. of the Holy Spirit, what it is I, 454. T. of the heart, the most severe suffering II, 1684., cannot be talked out of it I, 1103., it is difficult to help II, 1685. f., everyone should help against it II, 1684. - S. conscience 2, 3.
Marriage. Ceremonies in Luther's time II, 1344. f. Fidelity. S. Mercy 3.
Dry. Definition of T. II, 1929.
Troglodytes. Robbing and Stealing I, 997.
Consolation. It is a great comfort to be sure of the divine commandment I, 1501 ff; Christians also need bodily comfort I, 777 f. - S. Anfechtung 5, Kreuz 6.
Comfort. To comfort the miserable is God's own work II, 746; he only comforts those in need of consolation II, 1754. ff, in various ways I, 574; one should comfort oneself with the examples of divine grace I, 732. f..
Tribulation. Found in all classes II, 139; Christians must enter the kingdom of God through much T. II, 236; all T. of Christians comes from the devil I, 1238; in it we see God from behind, after which he lets us see his face I, 1003. 1005; T. makes gray and wrinkled II, 1799. f.; is necessary I, 245. useful I, 246. f. 784.; how believers look at T. 1, 739.; in it one should not lose hope I, 1004.; how one should comfort oneself I, 244. ff. 261. f. 263.; II, 139. f.; one should forget it by faith II, 1431. f. - S. Cross.
Drunk. What this means II, 1623.
Drunkenness, spiritual. Of the spiritual drunkenness of believers in the kingdom of Christ II, 1980 ff; is a drunkenness of faith II, 1983; of the gifts of the Holy Spirit II, 2003. Spirit II, 2003, far different from the drink of wine II, 1984, 1995, is necessary II, 1983; makes courageous II, 1985, 1994, f.; shall reign at the time of the Messiah II, 1984; found in the apostles and martyrs II, 1981, ff.-S. Joy 2.
Virtues. What is virtue II, 1876.; reverence, discipline, morality are pleasing to God I, 1629. f.; virtues do not inherit II, 1368. Virtues of the heathen and the godless and of Christians must be distinguished I, 582. f.; the heathen had virtues I, 484.; the splendor and appearance of outward political virtues please people I, 581.; the virtues of the heathen are not pleasing to God II, 461. f., are not good I, 582., find vice I, 585.; in spite of all the deeds, man is simply godless without the Holy Spirit I, 484. Spirit is simply godless I, 484.; how far the deeds of the godless are still deeds I, 583. - S. Abraham 14, Esau 1, faith 10, Isaac 7, Jacob 7, Joseph 8, Leal, Noah7, Rachel, Rebekah, Sarah, beauty, fathers II, 4, love of fatherland, truth.
Turks. 1. in general. Are Scythians, speak Arabic II, 14; honest, wise people II, 36. f.; keep strict discipline I, 989.; in war cruel II, 886., foolhardy II, 176.; boast that they do not build splendid buildings, fortresses 2c., and therefore despise alterers I, 658.; their emperor is said to have a sixfold crown I, 1713.; recruit unknown, lowly people with shillelaghs from the sultan's castle II, 1614. f.; create with arrows II, 2043.; clothing of men II, 1196., of women II, 1188.; it is well with them as with all the wicked I, 667., have great fortune II, 50. ff.; fiegrerch, because Germany was not united I, 706.; successful, because they perceived time and opportunity II, 98.; have overcome the Saracens I, 994.; held serfs II, 1762.
- religion of the T. They are Simonists, want to be saved by works II, 110; fatalists II, 176. 748. 1313; have dreams and prophecies of the end of the Roman Empire II, 1053; rely on the carnal birth II, 36. ff.They think their faith is right because they are so victorious I, 496; they exalt themselves in their fortune, not believing that God is angry I, 1196; they boast that they are God's people because of fleshly advantages and fortune I, 1400. f.; II, 36. ff. 72. f. 220.
- are not the right church, will not be saved I, 1432. f.; II, 38. f.; have no right prophets II, 1053. f.; are Cain's and Ham's descendants I, 650.; have not the right God I, 1551.; mock the doctrine of the Trinity II, 213. ff; have no knowledge in spiritual things I, 1553; have self-chosen worship II, 777; no one is blessed because he is a T. II, 67; the T. is the animal of blasphemy prophesied in Revelation I, 1064.
** 2244Tyranny**Subject index. Fornication2245
- behavior of the T. against the Christians. They despise the right church I, 649.; despise the Christians for the sake of baptism II, 1614.; had considered themselves more pious and righteous than the C. 1, 894.; are enemies of the C. II, 51.; as they mocked at C., who had fallen in battle II, 51.; make heaven full of martyrs II, 53.; adorn their cruelty with the name of religion I, 505.; even to them the prayer of the church helps I, 1409.; God will disperse the T. I, 702. f.; are a chastisement for Germany's sin II, 880.
Cf. Antichrist, Pabst 2.
Tyranny. Follows original sin I, 880; harmful II, 1950; leads to sins I, 820; how kings got into it I, 820.
Tyrants. Are depicted in the description of Nimrod I, 671.; pious princes become tyrants II, 1406. The T. before the Flood I, 473. ff, are equal to the Pabst 1, 473. - S. Violent, Rephaim.
Tyre. Location, when built, mighty and famous II, 2012. f.; most famous trading city of Asia I, 666. 678.
u.
Uebel. Choice between two evils I, 1230. f. Abundance. Gift of God, misused by us I, 856. translation. One cannot reproduce everywhere the emphasis and the figures II, 100. The Chaldean U. of Gen. 49, 10. II, 1973. - S. Seventy, Vulgate.
Ulrich, St. fed a beggar I, 1363. f.
Handling. Do not flee from the U. with people I, 1502. f. Unlimited. Doctrine of the U. I, 680. ff.
Impenitents. God punishes them in spite of his promise and in spite of their quantity and violence I, 553.
Impenitence. Makes sin great II, 866. 872. Ingratitude. A great vice II, 614. 1262. 1315;
is natural I, 978; is in the devil's kingdom 1, 977; how ungrateful we Christians find, compared to the patriarchs I, 431. f.; the world is ungrateful 1, 979., we may only expect ingratitude I, 977. 980; one complains about ingratitude and becomes unwilling I, 977.The world is angry about it I, 979; how Christians should console themselves about the ingratitude of the world II, 1237. f. 1243; we should learn to consider ingratitude 1, 979, and not let it prevent us from doing good I, 979. 1139. f.; we should do good to the ungrateful I, 977. f.
Disunity. A Babylonian calamity, the most harmful plague I, 706. f.
Unpeace. S. Injustice.
Infertility. U. of the trees and herbs has occurred only after the fall 1, 46. - S. Marriage 12.
Impatience. Stirred up when God refers with his promises H, 377.; of U. one should be ashamed II, 1233. f.; we will punish ourselves on the last day about our U. II, 1329.; is of no use II, 1283.; by U. in crucifying ourselves II, 1326. f.; consolation Wider disobedience. General complaint about U. I, 1726; punishment of the same I, 1726. f. - p. parents 2.
Injustice and discord kiss each other II, 1811. vermin. Whether created in the beginning 1, 65. 77. f. 94. 255. Unbelief. The origin of all sins I, 180. f. 182.
199; the very worst sin I, 1552; U. punishes God lies I, 1550. 1552. ff; comes from original sin I, 1551. f.; is in Allen I, 1550. 1552; against it have
Christians also have to fight and should therefore humble themselves I, 1554. ff; II, 146. f. 201.; punishment of the same I, 884.; the right redemption from it happens in death I, 828. f.
Unbelievers. They become proud, self-righteous, and seek strange works II, 1641.
Misfortune. Christians have to suffer a lot of misfortune 1, 360. f. 811. 1416; they are offended by it I, 361. Purpose and benefit: Christians are to be proved by it I, 822. f., tested I, 822., kept in humility I, 823., improved I, 824.; serves for God's glory I, 824.; comes to tempt the pious and punish the wicked II, 728.Misfortunes over whole countries are attributed to natural causes, but they are divine punishments I, 1185. God takes care of His own in the world I, 806. 818. 826. f.; is with them II, 1573. Behavior: in the world and danger our conscience makes us fearful II, 1215.The wicked are despondent I, 895; therein flee to God II, 1599; do not fear, but believe the promise II, 933, and look to the hope of eternal life I, 649; God's good deeds provoke patience I, 1338; the pagans also exhorted to this II, 1421; one should not burden oneself with evil, if God sends it, bear it patiently II, 1300 - see Happiness 2.
Injustice. One should bear it, not avenge oneself II, 207. f., bear, but not approve I, 986.
Innocence. We cannot boast of this before God II, 1666.
Inexperienced and fleeting. What this means I, 366. ff; is who has no divine promise I, 367. f.; are the souls in the papacy I, 367.
Immortality. Evidence for it from the abilities of the soul 1, 53. 55., from the form of man I, 151. f.. U. is indicated by the rest of God I, 97. f., by the way man was created I, 102., by the words: man became a living soul I, 105., by the words: to be gathered to his people II, 15. We are immortal, otherwise God would not speak to us II, 218. f., The God of Abraham II, 404; U. is taught in Enoch's history I, 403. 405. Reason cannot grasp U. II, 16; pagans and epicureans ridicule this doctrine II, 15; some philosophers have taught U., others have ridiculed it I, 102, they knew nothing certain about it 1, 406. - S. Resurrection, Life 11.
Subjects. They are to be governed by the laws of their own country, not those of another II, 1184.
Immutability. God is unchangeable II, 1677, not changeable and ambiguous II, 1534; does not change or revoke his judgment II, 292.
Ignorance. Is twofold: of right and of wrong I, 814.; wrong of right does not excuse I, 814.; what wrong of wrong is I, 814. f. Division of theologians into unconquerable, lazy, affected wrong I, 815. ff, into rude and unconquerable U. II, 504; the unconquerable U. does not excuse in spiritual things I, 815. ff; II, 504. U. of the authorities about where injustice occurs is sin I, 1466. ff. U. gives birth to many opinions II, 2035.
Fornication. Follows when one rejects the first tablet I, 445.; when it tends to stir in man II, 20. f. Stimulation to it: with this especially the youth is challenged II, 1252. f.; the healthier the body, the greater this challenge II, 1253. f.; the devil stimulates
** **2246Ur Subject register. Bitter2247
II, 1265. especially the youth II, 1227. f.; when he can do nothing by the cross, he seeks to fell the Christians by U. II, 1259. and offers them the opportunity that the wicked seek II, 1260. Punishments and consequences: U. does not remain unpunished II, 863.; through U. the faith is violated II, 1272.; from U. all kinds of misery and misfortune and other sins arise I, 444. f.; before U. frenzied care to despise the female sex I, 1228. Behavior: the pagans have followed the U., the holy. I, 1080; to fight against it is a torture II, 2124, harder than the fight with the cross II, 1260; how to fight against it I, 1666, f.; II, 20, ff. 24, 1276; it cannot be resisted by not looking at a woman I, 832, f. - S. Lusts.
Ur in Chaldea. Origin and meaning of the name I, 727. 729.; whether name of a place or idol I, 725. ff.
Uriel. Derivation of the name I, 1013.
Verdict. Do not make it hastily I, 348. 1196. f.; listen to both parts II, 1279.
Uz. Derivation of the name, Father of the Syrians I, 1601.
B.
Valla, Laurentius. Opinion on the Latin and Greek Language II, 1487.
Father. The inclination to wife and child is the strongest I, 1411. 1417.; shall protect the honor and breeding of his daughters even with danger of his life I, 1230.; how em pious V. should speak to his daughters and sons-in-law II, 709.; shows his love by gifts II, 709. f.; the more understanding and wise one is, the more one desires to see his B. II, 1797.
Father, Patriarchs. I. The V. before the flood and their time. They were not common people, but the greatest heroes after Christ and John the Baptist I, 407. Faith: hoped and longed heartily for the restitution of what we lost in Paradise I, 430. f.; held their little revelations dearer than we do our richer ones I, 432.How they were comforted by the reception of Enoch I, 424. f. 428. Had desire for eternal life for the sake of Abel and Enoch I, 423. f. Are excellent examples of chastity I, 434. Had also evil inclinations 1, 426. Their sins are told us for consolation I, 628. f. 633. f. What they suffered will be revealed at the last day I, 407; were despised when men multiplied I, 416; their sayings and works were perpetuated orally, or perhaps written down by themselves I, 418; they passed away believing in the resurrection II, 2066. Ecclesiastical conditions: their time is to be called a holy and golden one I, 416. f. 436. f.; the first world was the best and holiest, then it has become worse and worse 1, 431. f.; many gray fathers have lived together I, 431. f..; many gray fathers lived together I, 407. f. 416. 467. ; there were also a bunch of the very worst people I, 409. ; from the sins of the same I, 436. ff. 480. ff. ; hopefulness was the sin of the first world I, 438. 440. f. ; there were probably not yet any bloodsheds in the first world I, 438. f..There were no incestuous marriages or sodomites I, 445. f.; it became worse and worse in Noah's time 1, 449.; for the sake of sin God corrupted the world 1, 436. f.; the fathers laid themselves like a wall between God's wrath and the world I, 494. f.; admonished with one
Voice to repentance I, 461. ; how the world behaved against their preaching I, 453. f. 458. 461. ff. 495. ff. ; the V. were harassed by the Cainites 1, 408. ; they taught their church the more faithfully I, 408. ; warned against the Cainites I, 468.; did not want conjugal unions with the Cainites I, 470. how they brought up their daughters I, 469. men were more temperate than now I, 256. f. 415. healthier I, 253.; their long life was a piece of the happy condition of the first world I, 414.; causes of their long life I, 414. f. The men did not marry until they were 80-100 years old II, 23. The fruits and herbs were more vigorous then than now I, 415.
II. the V. after the Flood and their time. 1. life and histories. Reason considers their histories ridiculous and contemptible I, 2; II, 122 ff; carnal men do not understand them II, 1323; the papists despise the life of the V. as worldly and carnal II, 459. 1096, but the "holy" life of the monks and papists is not to be compared with it II, 127. f. 458. f.; the histories of the V's are to be praised II, 1567., more diligently pondered than others II, 1570.; they surpass all others, since God speaks with the V's I, 860. ff. 901. 1054...; in their histories one pays attention primarily to God's word I, 860. f. 1544; II, 211, 390, 415, 417; this is their true ornament II, 2; this distinguishes them from other histories I, 861; II, 567; this, the promise of Christ, is the most important treasure in them II, 1731.The most distinguished parts are the promises, their faith, their cross II, 906, 1097, f.; God spoke to them in three ways II, 904, led them wonderfully II, 1452; their life is full of miracles II, 129, f.; it is a great blessing that their Histories are preserved in the Holy Scriptures II, 1. It is a great blessing that their histories are preserved in Holy Scripture II, 1; the V's are described to us for our consolation as lowly people II, 458; we should look at their lives as an example II, 1272; look at their faith and God's promise II, 1096.
- honor and importance. The V. were great lights in the world II, 1705.; their right dignity is that they hear and believe God's word and are tempted in faith and suffering II, 456. f.
- faith of the V. The V. had to increase in knowledge II, 79.; believed the doctrine of the Trinity I, 708. 1718.; II, 940. 1866.ff.; knew that the seed of a woman should be the son of a virgin II, 1971. f.; had a great knowledge of the two natures of Christ II, 2056; believed in Christ as God the Lord II, 1835; believed the doctrine of the good angels II, 725. f.. and of the resurrection of the dead and eternal life I, 405. 1755. f.; II, 1304. ff. 1836. but did not leave their earthly profession and goods II, 1906.; were wise, full of the Holy Spirit II, 1771.They had a great, wonderful faith I, 1501. ff; II,
- f. 1560. f. 1870. 1884. which we should consider I, 814. and be ashamed of our weak faith II, 148. f. 2057. 2062.; they also became weak in faith. II, 1445. ff. 1865; were saved by the knowledge of their sins II, 1519; secretly longed for Christ, believed in him I, 1591; II,
- 1306; hoped for eternal life from him II, 1304.They took comfort in the oath which God swore to Abraham I, 1549; they and we have the same faith in eternal life I, 1764; they believed in the Christ who was to come, we in the Christ who has come I, 1757. f. 2069.
- virtues of the V. Their humility and patience
** 2248Fathers**Subject index. Fathers2249
was great II, 238.; were hospitable, merciful, beneficent I, 1142.; II, 130., hoped to shelter angels I, 1145., did not think themselves worthy to shelter poor brethren I, 1146.; find examples of chastity I, 1173.; II, 489. f., though the Papists and Manichaeans accuse them of lechery II, 556.
- affects & tendencies of the V. Had human n. like us I, 1308. f.; II,
- ff. 967. 1501. which the Holy Spirit ruled I, 1614. f. and were much more cordial than our I, 1613. Spirit governed I, 1614. f. and were much more cordial than ours I, 1613.
- works of the V. One should judge their works carefully I, 955. 1232. 1294.; they were people like us, what they did good, they did through the Holy Spirit. II, 1170; they did not seem to differ from the pagans in common life II, 1568; they remained in their profession and did not seek any special wonders I, 1309; II, 1098; they did not despise natural means II, 1774; but sometimes they were quite different from others and were miracle workers II, 1865; the papists take offense at the fact that the Holy Spirit did not take notice of their minor domestic works. Spirit tells so much about their little domestic works II, 537. f.; why their common works are described II, 1565. f. 1624. ff, it is for our consolation II, 468. ff. 516. ff. 566. 568.; not all of their w. are examples for us I, 890. 1232. ff.; II, 506. 890.; if we want to follow them, we must see if we also have the same command I, 1496.In their particular ways they are not examples for us I, 568, 954, 972, f.; II, 510, ff, 533, f.; we should not ape their ways and let their spirit go I, 1233, ff, 1668.
- domestic and conjugal life of the V. They wandered like nomads II,
- f., lived in huts I, 1168.; honored marriage for the sake of child rearing I, 1746. ff; II, 1198.; they hastened to beget children I, 714.; the men married at 40, the women at 30 years II, 23. 238. 856. f.; the dwellings of men and women were separate I, 1719.; II, 499.; their conjugal life a mirror and exercise of chastity and all virtues I, 1173.; barrenness was considered a disgrace II, 577. f., fertility a great blessing II, 532; it was the custom for barren women to give their maidens to their husbands as wives II, 532 and to take them when they wanted II, 551. f. 555; the V. dealt kindly with the female sex II, 935.They already had levirate marriage II, 1178; paternal authority was great II, 502; taught their children hospitality and deference I, 1134, f, 1214, 1708, f, 1717, 1720, f; had serfdom II, 1762.
- the women of the V. Did not live in idleness and good days II, 1213.; waS their office and work was II, 1213. f.
- sins and infirmities of the V. They all had original sin II, 1519.; had infirmities and infirmities like us I, 1354. f. 1466. ff. 1471.; II,
- and yet were holy II, 19. f.; also had sins in themselves I, 1325. f., but where they can be excused, one should do eS I, 1234. f.; the holiest had to struggle with the heat of the flesh II, 530.; fornication was forbidden under corporal punishment II, 869., was punished more severely than otherwise in the priestly sex II, 1209. Their sins reveal to us God's love and mercy II, 1185.; are told to our comfort I, 628. f. 723. f. 354. f.; II, 151. ff. 441. ff. 805. 843. 942.
- f., also for our warning and glory of divine grace
II, 1167. ff. 1200. of their s. one should judge cautiously I, 1294., their weaknesses do not justify II, 445., their s. make us great for consolation II, 1041. f.
- temptations and sufferings of the V. God ruled and guided them as He does us II, 1077. f.; they were true holy martyrs II, 983.; were always burdened with temptation and affliction II, 49.; their distress and temptation was greater than ours I, 716.; II, 196.; their sufferings compared with Christ's sufferings II, 345.; needed happiness and misfortune in the fear of God II, 1628. f.; in the A. one sees their faith II, 1098.; were well weary in the A., but strengthened again by God's word II, 620.; their examples should serve us for comfort and awaken patience II, 374. 900. f. 967. f.
II The public preaching ministry and ecclesiastical conditions. There were glorious and great men who had a special desire for Christ I, 431. f.; Shem, Salah and Eber ruled the church II, 55. f.; the V. held the preaching office in high honor I, 1199. They had power to bestow blessings, not merely to desire II, 299. f.; with which ceremonies they bestowed and received blessings II, 260. f. 268. f. 280. ff. 293.With what ceremonies they gave and received blessings II, 260, f, 268, f, 280, ff, 293, 1860; they had special priestly garments II, 280, f, 293, f; what churches they had II, 88; the altars were in the open I, 348; they had services everywhere I, 1307, all the time I, 669, teaching and praying II, 958, 1203. Whereof they preached II, 1750. f.: preached of the kingdom of Christ II, 1994. of the seed of the woman II, 1971. f. 2056. of Christ as God the Lord II, 1835. as distinguished from the law of Moses and the fathers I, 144.; sought to bring many to the knowledge of God I, 877. converted many II, 908. 1829.How the pure doctrine spread from Shem's time II, 1015. f. They lived in a blessed state which was disturbed by Harn and Nimrod I, 684. f.; they prophesied the dispersion of the wicked, how this threat was accepted by them I, 696. ff.; state of the church in Abraham's time I, 1368., in Jacob's time II, 456. st
12 Death and burial. The V. died and were buried like other people I, 1605. ff; they fell asleep in the hope of resurrection II, 2066.; the relatives covered the eyes of the dead II, 1759. ff.They were buried where they wanted II, 1634; why the V wanted to be buried in Palastina I, 1606; II, 1836. 2064. 2066; have kept the graves in honor II, 971; their death encourages patience I, 1609.
- the people in the time of the V. were more moderate, stronger and more beautiful than now I, 803. 888. 1312.; II, 156. f. 489. 856. 1063.; married in Jacob's time at 12 years of age II, 1665. ff.; became bad in a short time I, 898. f.Of the sins of that time I, 436. 445.; how to punish death-beaters II, 345. f.; God did not spare them I, 436.; the people were not so rough and wild, had honest customs and good laws II, 869.; clothing II, 1187. f. 1196.; how fornication was punished in the priestly sex II, 1208. st; barrenness a disgrace II, 1197. ; one bore sorrow for a dead wife II, 1185. ; widows could easily be cast out II,
- ; the days of shearing sheep were holidays II, 1185.; kings raised cattle II, 1213. f.; trade was barter II, 1196. f. 1213. st; polite salutations and greetings II, 478. 737. 821. 832.; one lived in huts II, 1734.; how one traveled II, 841. 1986.
Cf. foot washing, believers 2.
2250 Fatherland love factual register. **Promises 2251**
Love of country. Sonderliche Tugend I, 581. f.
Our Father. How to think when praying it II, 64.; in every petition heaven and earth is included II, 62.; One V. U. cannot pay the whole world I, 1363. f.; "Father" contains thanksgiving I, 1268...;
1st petition interpreted I, 1366; 2nd petition interpreted I, 1366; if we knew what the 4th petition contains, no one would dare to say it I, 1112; "daily bread" II, 2W. 1243; 5th petition: we need daily forgiveness I, 1347; "guilt" II, 1497. The papists do not understand the V. U., cannot pray it properly I, 1366.
Venus. As painted I, 248. 1161.
Despised. On earth nothing is more despised than Christians II, 567.; it is better to be despised and grieved when God laughs than to be happy when God is angry II, 526.; God takes care of the V. II, 518. ff. 522.; how V. should comfort themselves II, 567. f.
Contempt. 1. in general. We are inclined to contempt for the commonplace I, 1118.; V. of parents, of the preaching office, of the authorities is a certain sign of anger and unhappiness I, 441. - S. parents 2.
- v. of the word and preaching ministry. The Word must not surprise us I, 1307. f.; the Word would be despised if kings and angels also preached I, 1335. f.; the alleged reason is that nothing good follows from the Word I, 1336. f.; V. comes from the flesh and the devil I, 432., therefore, because the Word is thought to be the word of men II,
- f., because God speaks through men, since we should thank Him precisely for this II, 905.; V. and apostasy usually occur after 20 years I, 1635. f.; the richer and brighter the word, the greater the V. II, 1941. Consequences of V.: with such V. neither counsel nor help can be hoped for I, 456. f.; from this follows: godless nature and security II, 98. f., all kinds of sins I, 470. 504.; discipline and respectability lie low I, 1192. Punishment: V. arouses God's wrath I, 1182.; God punishes them severely I, 869. 1291. 1681.; II, 134. 881. f., with all kinds of misfortune I, 863. ff., with theurung 2c. II,
- false doctrine II, 212. 1832. taking away his word I, 460. 1333.; when God takes away his word, his wrath is terrible I, 455. then it cannot be easily recovered II, 318. then iniquity follows I,
- how the V. have been punished on the Jews II, 319. f. and in the Pabstthum I, 1528. - S. Gospel 1, war, land plagues.
Criminals. How to comfort V. sentenced to death II, 317; God forgives their sin, but they should be punished by the authorities. They are an example to others II, 1921. f.; after death they no longer feel the shame of punishment II, 1921.
Verbum nominale. Was das sei II, 1872.
Condemnation. Is twofold: V. of wrath to death and of grace to life II, 1106. ff.
To be corrupt. What that is I, 504. merit. S. Grace 3.
Union of the faithful and the Church with Christ II, 402. f. 1998. f.
Distortions of the Scripture. The papists read I Mos. 3, 15. "the same" instead of "the same" I, 225. 234.
Persecutors. Cain a father of all V., kie die die Heiligen tödten I, 343.; God will punish them if they do not ask for forgiveness I, 354.
Persecuted. How to comfort I, 1140.
Persecutions. Christians have to suffer much V. I, 1136.;
He who wants to live godly must suffer in V. I, 1393; God does not forget Christians in it I, 352. ff; one should pray diligently in it II, 60; hold fast to doctrine II, 1698. f; how one should comfort oneself in V. because of doctrine II, 1693. f; how, if one loses one's life for the sake of faith II, 53. f. 1699; over V. the Church does not perish II, 1698. f.
Seduced. Punished with the seducers I, 765.
We should forgive one another, but the punishment is not always necessary II, 1747. f. 1920. ff. 1934.
Forgiveness of sins. God is pleased to forgive I, 460. ff; it makes sin not condemn, but does not destroy sin in us I, 1670.; II, 1457.; does not abolish corporal punishment and chastisement II, 974. 1748. 1920. ff. 1934., or the evil conscience II, 1116.; V. is not obtained by denying or excusing sin I, 336.But by faith II, 2059.; a Christian should be certain of the truth II, 1353. f.; we should rejoice most of all in the truth II, 1988. f.; he who has the truth should boast of God's grace, so that others may also be saved II, 1711.; the doctrine of the truth is foolishness to the natural man II, 1525.
Measured. Whether God can forget his saints I, 557. 560.; sometimes it seems to be so I, 556. ff; then it is difficult to pray I, 557. f. We easily forget evil and good I, 271. also sin and need memorial signs I, 283.
Bury. Money and other v. is an old habit II, 1597.
Ratio. S.Proportion.
Promises. 1. nature and kind. Characteristics of the divine and diabolical V. I, 757.; V. of the devil are apparent, enter with pleasure, make safe and insolent I, 756.; Mahomet's and the pope's V. are diabolical I, 757. V. are of two kinds: the passive, which happens to us, the active, which we accept in faith I, 1399. The bodily and temporal V. include in themselves the spiritual and eternal I, 1097. f.; II, 371. 412. f. 1888. if they are not done over our works and if they are without condition I, 1106. f.; the V. in Scripture do not belong to this miserable and poor life I, 916.; the bodily V. are conditional, the spiritual not II, 1887. f.; the bodily V., which are attached to the condition of our obedience, are only bodily I, 1107.; the spiritual v. also comprehend the bodily in themselves II, 294. f. Are of two kinds: of law and grace, difference of both I, 371. f.; those of law are conditional, those of grace unconditional II, 736. f.; v. of the law are better than none at all I, 375.; the v. of forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God is the highest, a new light I, 932.; the v. ofChristo become clearer and clearer in A. T. I, 1008. 1092. 1526. 1585.; we have basically the same v. as the fathers I, 1385. f., in baptism and the Lord's Supper I, 1385.; in which we are ahead of Abraham in the V. I, 1385. f. V. are firm and immovable II, 374. f.; what we have in the V. is more certain to us than what we have in our hands II, 1869. f. 1884. f. 1893. f.; God confirms them with an oath I, 1548. f.; are repeated when something new is to be added to them I, 1585. f.; how V. and threats rhyme with each other 1, 551. f.. If we have a V., then the angels are also with us II, 200.
2nd fulfillment. God holds on to his v. more firmly than we take hold of them in faith II, 1145. f.; he holds them
** 2252Inverted**Subject register. Misalignment2253
I, 1342; II, 1916, even if he seems to forget them II, 1091; it is God's way that he delays the fulfillment II, 29, 375; why he delays II, II, 377, 1915; the spiritual v. are fulfilled very slowly II, 1010. ff.; God often fulfills the v. differently than men desire 1, 551. f.; often the opposite of what is promised seems to happen II, 417. f. 1755. ff. 1914.; God fulfills them as he wills II, 1755. ff, not without means II, 444. f.; warps to fulfill all the more abundantly afterwards II, 1917.; how God did not abrogate the promise of man's dominion over the earth through the Flood I, 552. f., fulfills the v. of Jerusalem and preservation of the temple I, 551., fulfills the v. of the preservation of the church I, 551.; the fulfillment of the v. is enjoyed even by those to whom the v. are not given I, 768.
- behavior. Satan perverts the v. by his dialectic I, 935. The flesh does not like the divine but the devilish v. I, 757. f.; it becomes impatient when God delays the fulfillment II, 377. f.. The Jews do not understand the V. of the OT I, 1097. The ungodly usurp the divine V. 1,
- The V. demand humility, by hopefulness one spoils them II, 243.; the V. are to be made great II, 1894., the V. of the gospel are to be esteemed great II, 1098.; V. and faith are by nature with each other I, 755.; to become partakers of the Gospel, one must believe it I, 647.
- f. 1384. f.; also the bodily Gospels require faith II, 2013. which includes faith in the spiritual Gospels II, 2013. f. 2015. 2029.; we should rely on God's Gospels I, 792.We should believe in God's words even in adversity II, 200, f., and not be afraid II, 933; if we adhere to them, we overcome God II, 796, 812; with God's words, faith must stand in battle I, 756; we should believe them even if the opposite seems to happen II, 353, 1962. f.; when God forgives, we should be patient II, 28, 1916, f.; if we are patient until men fulfill their promise, why not also when God forgives II, 377, f.; even if one has a V., one should not sleep, but be valiant and work II, 467, - p. means.
Cf. Abraham 8, Christ 4, threats 2, Isaac 4, punishment 2.
Reversed. With the V. God is perverse II, 891.
Transfiguration. We cannot now say anything certain about the future V. I, 37.; the future clarity is brighter than the light of the sun I, 24.; V. would also have occurred in the state of innocence on the bodily and temporal life I, 79. f. 105.
Forsaken. It is the most serious challenge to think that one has been abandoned by God I, 558.
Slander. A great sin I, 794. f.
Engagements. 1. in general. Require consent of parents as well as of the fiancées I, 1730. 1740; right conduct of parents and children when they want to become engaged I, 1641. ff; parents should see to it that their children become legitimate, but not abuse their power I, 1647- 1651; children should obey the advice and will of parents I, 1648. ff; by the v. the bride already becomes the bridegroom's legitimate wife II, 493.
- secret V. V. without the knowledge and will of the parents are against the 4th commandment II, 1479., are an injustice to the parents I, 1650. f., shameful and a devil's fraud I, 1728. ff., a mortal sin II, 1104. ff.,
reprehensible II, 365 ff, not valid I, 1641 ff, 1648, 1652, against imperial rights II, 367; followed by unhappy marriages I, 1651 ff, unhappiness and sin I, 1643 ff; II, 1104 ff. The canonists teach that they are valid I, 1641. ff; the pope defends them II, 1479., has opened the gate to the bawds and whore-mongers by forming secret v. I, 1648. - S. Marriage 14.
Presumption. 1. presumption. A particularly dangerous sin I, 928.; the most serious challenge I, 924. f., which affects the very highest saints I, 923. f. - S. teacher, self-conceit, self-confidence.
- v. and despair. God does not want both II, 1168. f. 1212. 1481; we are to take the middle road II, 1482. 2084. ff.
Reason. Is blind for the sake of original sin I, 156; without God's word in the spiritual realm, gets caught up in inconsistent thoughts I, 16; its very best thoughts of God are the deepest darkness I, 484; what is order with God seems disorder to it 1, 39; it cannot believe or understand God's wrath I, 509; resents the divine promises I, 758; cannot find God I, 815. 1046. f.; seeks him on wrong paths I, 1093, seeks him in wrong ways I, 1093; does not get far with the prayerfulness of the creature I, 151; considers the world eternal I, 5. f. 150. f.; does not know that the world is preserved by God's word I, 43; does not know the doctrine of the good angels II, 726; knows nothing of man's first origin I, 156. 680. f., cannot conceive of a first man I, 150; the scriptural doctrine of man's origin is a ridiculous fable to her I, 156; does not understand the birth of man as a divine work II, 16; does not grasp the doctrine of immortality II, 16; is annoyed by divine government 1, 855; is offended by the happiness of the wicked and the unhappiness of the pious I, 807; is not satisfied with God's commandment, but asks why and for what purpose? I, 1260; faith, patience and other Christian virtues are hidden from her II, 27; judges that one should love the pious, hate the wicked I, 796; does not understand why we should distrust all men equally I, 796; despises the right good works, takes pleasure in false ones I, 758; f.wrongly concludes: what pleases God in Abraham, pleases Him also in me I, 779; judges earthly goods wrongly I, 855; despises the histories of the patriarchs II, 2, 19, 122, ff; cannot understand many natural things I, 193; II, 216, ff; if one follows it, one loses the honor and glory of the Holy Scriptures and the majesty of the Creator. I, 158. is hostile to God I, 175. it drives to the best but only political and civil way I, 175.; the Jews' and Sophists' doctrine of it I, 484. use of the v.In external bodily things we should follow her, not in spiritual things I, 1313. 1376.; she understands no more than what is good for the body I, 484.; can advise in bodily needs 1, 786.; one should use her in earthly things II, 746. f. 765. f. One should put to death the v. II, 56, take captive under the obedience of faith I, 193. - S. Mensch 2.
Betrayer. He who tells the authorities where injustice has been committed is not a traitor.
Gathered to the fathers are only the godly II, 2066. provision. What is provided must be done II, 747.; according to the V., outside the Word we should not for-
** 2254Reconciliation '**Subject index. Vorwitz2255
I, 1549. f.; II, 174. ff. 181. f.; disputation of it is foolish II, 747., dangerous I, 492. f.; one should not despise the means ordered by God for the sake of the V., God wants to lead the V. out by means II, 340. f. 346. f. 444. f. 747. ff.; doubt about the V. is a work of Satan II, 180. f.; how one can and should avoid this doubt II, 179. f. 182. f.; how some abuse the doctrine of the V. for security and indifference II, 174. ff. 444. f. - See election, majesty, means.
Reconciliation. God works it among men by His Spirit and outward means II, 833.; Apology and gifts work V. among men II, 766. 828. 834.
Impenitence. When God punishes with V. II, 1065.
Tempt. "Tempt God" I, 791.; one should not v. God by false confidence in the promise II, 895. by putting oneself in manifest danger II, 383. 637. f., by contempt and neglect of the means II, 346. ff. 444. f. 74". ff. 764. 1774.; God v. is as grave a sin as not believing Him II, 347.
Temptation. Type and nature: the origin of all temptations is when reason wants to judge God and his word without the word I, 189.; God tempts men, e.g. Abraham I, 1483. ff., when he presents himself differently than he offers himself in his promise I, 1486. 1532. ff, by false teachers I, 1533. f.; when he tempts us, he fights with us II, 809.; Satan seeks to lead us away from the Word or to counterfeit the same I, 179. f.; this v. is more severe than the v. to adultery! 179. f. 182.; when Satan praises God, he wants to cut man's throat I, 194.; if one first gives in to Satan a little and doubts the word, he becomes bolder and bolder I, 190. f., and one falls into greater and greater sins I, 191.; the farther man gets from the word, the wiser and more learned he makes himself seem I, 196. f. Purpose: God tempts His saints to awaken faith and love I, 177. 1534. f.; Satan tempts men to evil I, 1534. f., wants to lead us from the right to the wrong God I, 187. Behavior: one asks God not to lead us into V. II, 1871.; one is defeated if one disputes rashly I, 192. f.; one holds fast to word and promise I, 193. f. 1534. f.; so that Christ I, 182.; in V. to sin one thinks of God's wrath and punishment II, 1263.; God's V. takes a glorious outcome II, 1695. - S. Anfechtung.
Trust. 1. in God. God has commanded trust in Him I, 1500. f.; thereby the first commandment is fulfilled II, 8.; we are to trust in Him, whether we know counsel or not II, 1481., especially when all seems lost II, 743. II, 932. f.; we should trust in God and yet wait for our calling II, 1446. and not leave the natural means unused II, 1443.; we should not let God's goodness put us to shame 1, 982. - S. means, creator.
- on people. V. on people is dangerous and ungodly I, 797.; which is the right V. on people I, 798. f. - S. spouses 3.
Transform. Commonly unfaithful servants II, 483. f.
Confusion of languages. I, 690. ff. Was the most certain and easiest way to prevent the building of towers I, 704, the work of God, not of angels I, 707, a terrible punishment 1, 690, ff; caused great damage: in all estates I, 691, f. 706, in the church I, 898;
People still suffer from this punishment I, 692. 706.; this harm is abolished by Christ in the N. T. I, 691. f. - S. Thurm bau.
We should despair of ourselves I, 438. - S. Hope.
Delay of grace. What this is I, 558. 926. f. - S. Saumseligkeit.
Despair. A sin against the first commandment I, 1452; condemned by God I, 1501; with it all are challenged I, 1486; what one should do in such a challenge I, 1486, f.; the torment of those who despair and do not repent is terrible I, 363.V. consumes body and soul II, 2087; in V. people speak in broken sentences II, 48; in it nothing is too much nor enough for the heart to be informed of God's will I, 539.
Best. Has the name of spreading I, 31; is placed between the waters I, 32; was and exists by God's word 1, 31. - S. firmament.
Victor, Pabst. Banished the Oriental churches I, 706. Cattle breeding. Requires great diligence and care II, 1565;
V. in Spain II, 602.
Vincentius. Mocked the torture II, 1989; Luther's judgment on his book Summa ang. I, 815.
Virgil. Deals with Aeneas II, 1217. 1421.; sayings about: agriculture II, 1407., happiness II, 1386. f. 1396.
Birds. I, 59. f. Are not unlike the fish I, 59.; fertile II, 1872.; where they go in winter time I, 63.
People. 1. in general. What a "people" is I, 744. 750. 1053; no people can be compared with the Jewish I, 741. ff. 745. f.; there is none so pure that there should not be some ungodly among them II, 1616. 1823. f.; the holier the people, the more evil and wicked they are II, 1941; expulsion and extermination of a people is a punishment of sin I, 660. f. - p. countries.
- v. of God. Is only he who believes II, 2017; pleases God well even in the least things II, 618; the belief that one fei God's V. is not easy II, 618; how one can become certain of it II, 618. f.; is not known by earthly happiness I, 1400. f. - S. Church.
Gluttony. Is abuse of God's gifts I, 1715. f.; one should avoid V. I, 1715. f. - S. Gastmähler.
Models in the A. T. The faithful knew that they were only V. II, 1852.
Ancestors. One should follow godly V. in faith, not only in works II, 1826.
Guardianship. Irritating but excellent work II, 1182. providence. God's V. for us is much greater than all our care and effort I, 57.; from which it shines I, 30. f.; by the divine V. the Gentiles are called to the gospel I, 654. - S. Care, Prayer 14.
Precaution. S. Care.
Prejudice. God cannot suffer the V., since one inquires into the causes of God's commandments, I, 1125. f.; such a v. is foolish I, 1127., an abominable sin I, 1127. f.; through it we have lost paradise I, 1128.; V. was Saul's sin and downfall I, 1127.; by it we fall into blasphemy I, 1128. f.; by it one can make his calling and election uncertain I, 1126.; this sin is attached to us by Satan I, 1085. f., he tempts us to it I, 1126.; the papists teach the rash question why? I, 1127; the right
** 2256Vulgata**Subject register. Wett2257
Answer to this is: because it is so pleasing to God and useful to us I, 1128. - S. Questions.
Vulgate. The common Latin translation is not by Jerome II, 1975; translated dunket I, 515. negligent I, 598. wrong I, 234. 250. 577. ff; II, 1424. 1434. f. 1509. 1586. 1975.
W.
Guarding against sin, necessary I, 275. f.; II, W. f. Growing. S. Erkenntniß 5, Lernen.
Truly. God is w. II, 416. - S. Truth.
Truth. Is among all virtues the most beautiful 1, 581. Leads simple simple words I, 389.; must be dearer to us than friends I, 149; To argue against the recognized W. is a terrible Dina II, 1966. ff.
Divination. For this, snakes were needed II, 583. whale fish. All kinds of large fish in the sea I, 62.
Change. The judgment that one has from man's life and conduct alone is deceptive, I, 797; in what a godly or God-fearing character consists, I, 418. f.; the character of Christians is sincere before God, II, 259, careful for the sake of enemies, II, 1029.
Walk. "Walking before God" I, 1011. 1034.
Hiking. What that means I, 1352.
One should warn those in danger II, 350. f.
Water. Is above and below the earth I, 545. W. above the sky I, 32. 36. ff., are different from our waters I, 40. f., broke down at the Flood I, 544. ff.
Sheath. As the Hebrews call them II, 1188^s.
Wistful. Shall be courageous and comfort the poor mothers II, 1217.
Wehrstand. Is necessary II, 458. f. - S. Authority.
Women. Destiny: are not destined for public office I, 248; II, 686; should be domestic and do the housework I, 1160; are created for child rearing II, 485; f. 702; desire to be fertile by nature II, 1176; women who are not beautiful are generally the most fertile II, 485; women who do not have their time are barren I, 1169, who do not have their time, are barren I, 1169. virtues and weaknesses: their right adornment is good morals II, 1251.; of W. cunning II, 1272.; discipline and modesty of W. surpass all nuns' works I, 1161.; have an evil name for the sake of curiosity and gossip I, 1160. contempt: one should not revile them I, 469.; the heathen call the W. an evil or misfortune I, 82., a mutilated man or monster I, 85. f. Afflictions have the W., but which are surpassed by good I, 1731. ff; have also their circumcision I, 1078.; their sex is not cause of fall I, 469. honor: the W. is a building of God I, IM. ff; II, 702.; excluded from no honor of human nature I, 84.; a joint-heir of grace I, 84.; also created for eternal life I, 141. 143; was blessed in the A. T. without circumcision I, 1078; called male I, 167. f.; maternal honor is to be highly respected I, 247. f.; one should love the W. primarily for the sake of child rearing II, 485.; W. were therefore allowed to wear gold in Rome II, 523. The preservation of the female sex is a great benefaction I, 144. f. W. have often caused destruction of great kingdoms I, 469. - S. sex, robbery.
Woman's seed. The promise of the W. was better than if Adam had eaten from the tree of life.
may I, 280. f., is a promise of grace I, 371. f.; how it became clearer and clearer I, 237. f. 645. 718. f.; II, 1971.; how far the believers of the A. T.'s understood it I, 236. f. He crushes the serpent's head I, 349.; the blessing through the W. is obtained only by faith I, 647.; should be a virgin's son II, 1971. f., to be born in Canaan I, 719.; is Christ alone, all other men are man's seed I, 237. - S. Christ.
Sissies. In what their sin consists II, 1181. willows. Often means to rule in Scripture II, 2046. incense. A resin II, 1124.
Holy water. Has no promise, is idolatry and abuse of the name of God I, 280.
Wine. The noblest fruit II, 1979; makes merry II, 1979; different effects on different people I, 629; children were already used to it in Luther's time I, 712.
Wisdom. 1. God's wisdom must allow itself to be rebuked like no pupil I, 1737; it cannot be recognized by speculation, it must be experienced II, 1383.
- the personal W. is Christ II, 1295. f.
- man's truth The natural truth is foolishness II, 275. f.; our truth tends to mock God II, 1574.; the world's truth makes God a fool II, 150.; the right truth is to believe in the gospel I, 197.; the highest truth is to know God II, 1688.
Diviners. Are not to be despised II, 1057. Divinations. S. Prophecies.
World. 1. the world building. Various opinions of the beginning of the world I, 5. f.; reason holds it to be eternal I, 5., which is a dangerous delusion I, 5.; God sustains it by his word I, 42. f. 1480. f.; grows older and weaker I, 803. - S. Nature, Creation.
2 The unbelievers. World are not people of low status alone, but the very best I, 1338. keeps their kind always 1, 427. is flesh I, 463.; their wickedness is great II, 1136. falls from the spirit to the flesh, seeks good days, honor, etc. ff. II, 81. f.; in her reigns suspicion, hatred, enmity I, 801.; is ungrateful I, 979.; II, 1314. ff.; ascribes all good to herself for her own glory II, 1634.; will not be punished I, 458. 506.; persecutes those who punish her sin II, 1033.; does not believe that God is angry with sin I, 1205. f.; the more afflicted, the more hardened I, 254. f.; becomes more and more angry the nearer the end I, 264. 442. and when God raises up people who punish them I, 449.; becomes more and more sure and insolent I, 463. the nearer the end I, 1243.; is not worthy to do em good work II, 1135. All that is in the W. is nothing, God's Word is All II, 77. - S. Children 3, 4, Man 2.
3 Christian and world. Christians despise the world with its riches and wait for another life I, 1401; cannot completely avoid contact with the world II, 385; must fight against the world II, 22; grieve over the wickedness of the world I, 693. f., when they feel God's wrath over the sins of the w. I, 492. f.; pray for those so plaguing them I, 494.; are like a wall against God's wrath over the w. I, 494.; resemble Atlas and carry the heavenly building I, 1289.Are a blessing and useful to others II, 483. 767. f. 894; where good is done, it is done for their sake II, 726; for the sake of a Christian, God often does good to a whole country I, 1202; II, 894. f. The world understands the works of God and Christians
** 2258World Age**Subject index. **Work saints '2259**
not I, 1519. f.; the world rejoices and mocks them, while Christians are afflicted I, 493. f.; considers Christians foolish I, 1241. f., the cause of all unhappiness I, 786.; traces their sins and reveals them I, 632. f.; is not worthy that Christians serve her II, 1280.; is ungrateful to her II, 1242. f. 1280. f. - S. Cain 3, Church II, 12.
Age of betting. The 7 ages of the world I, 1088. World escape. Is not Christian I, 979.
World children. S. Children 3, 4.
Works. I. W. of God. Are the works of all three persons I, 71; II, 1868; are either works of mercy or of wrath I, 1190; it is a work of God that he makes everything out of nothing II, 1430. f., out of the best the worst and vice versa II, 1944, out of the worst sinners the best pastors II, 1950, f., that he chooses something good out of evil sinners II, 1952, that he comforts the miserable II, 746; God executes his will through angels I, 1540, f., through men I, 15, through natural means II, 1775; are so great that we cannot grasp them nor believe them II, 1712; to know them rightly one must look to God's word I, 1373. f.; the world does not understand them I, 1519.; carnal men resent them II, II; the works of God, which are done according to the order of nature, are as great as miraculous works, but we do not respect them because they are so common I, 1370. f.; we do not recognize the glory of God's works, because so much trouble, plague and annoyance is attached to them I, 1371. ff.; even the least should not be despised II, 477.; God's works should be proclaimed, so that men repent I, 1190. - S. Prayer 7, help, care, government.
II. W. of the people. Work and will. A work is complete when the will to do it is complete II, 1115. 1945. f. 1947.
III. good truths 1. the nature and kind of good truths. God's word, not reason, must be judged about truths I, 1163.; truths are to be judged according to whether God has commanded them 1, 865. f. 1179. f.; everything should be done according to God's commandment I, 570., nothing should be done without it 1, 567. ff. 1375. f.; without God's commandment no truth is good I, 1497.; II, 124. 211. f., I, 1544. f.; good actions are only those which God has commanded I, 866. 1180., but an express command is not always necessary I, 868.; God must have commanded the action even to you I, 762.; good actions are only those which are done in faith and obedience I, 1324.; actions are not good because commanded by the pope or the church I, 867.; actions which are not in harmony with God's word are not good, that do not agree with God's word are of the devil I, 695.; those that are not commanded by God are sorcery and idolatry I, 866. God does not look at the words, but at the heart II, 258.; it depends on the heart whether the words are good or evil I, 1473. 1493., the natural corrupts our words I, 575. f.; words are pleasing to God as thanksgivings, not if one wants to earn something with them II, 448. f.. God first looks at the person, then at the work I, 214. f. 315. f.; if the person pleases God, then the work I, 214. f.; II, 461. pleases him, and vice versa, if the person displeases him, then the work I, 315. f. must be good, if the work is to be good.Person must be good, if the word is to be good I, 1018; words do not make righteous, but the righteous person does righteous words I, 1123; thus the glory of the Jews and the Popes falls from their words I, 316. Words of the law are the highest virtues.
The common civil rites should not be avoided by a Christian I, 1477. f.; he who deals with low rites is pleasing to God, as well as he who does high and great ones II, 518.The greatest of all are the rites of the authorities and of husbands and wives I, 528; the greatest rites are praying and giving thanks I, 571. We should not be moved by the appearance of self-chosen rites, but look at the word I, 867; beware of self-chosen rites I, 1181, 1376; they are superfluous II, 1627. f., reprobate I, 867. harmful II, 1628.; do not please God I, 1496.; II, 1625. f.; God is angry with them I, 529.; II, 1628.' He who can do good: only a righteous man I, 316. f., who keeps his word I, 1503.; the works of unbelievers are not good II, 542. f.; do not please God II, 1777. for the sake of unbelief II, 472.; deserve reward in this life II, 472.; the works of the papists are good for nothing I, 774. 1311.; the works of the believers, however small and impious they are, are great and glorious II, 705. f., are miraculous works I, 1520, are all inscribed before God II, 1769, are all good II, 706, are all pleasing to God I, 859, f, 953, f, 1710, II, 772, 1577, 1777, also their sleeping and waking II, 1640, f, also the small ones II, 847, 1742, one should begin all works with prayer II, 1340, - p. Occupation 5.
- necessity. We should do good deeds I, 1577; II, 467; they are necessary II, 414; the Lutheran church does not forbid them I, 620.
- enemies and despisers of the good truths. the devil fights against the good truths II, 703. reason despises the right ones, takes pleasure in false ones I, 758.; reason and the world do not understand what right good truths are II, 705.; the human heart despises the common truths and only wonders about strange ones I, III.; the world judges the truths according to outward appearances II, 463. 468. f.. What the pope has declared to be good truths I, 1671; the papists do not know what good truths are I, 528, f.; II, 1570; what the papists consider to be good truths I, 1367; they despise the truths commanded by God, and do harm to the wisdom of God I, 529; they despise domestic and civil truths I, 528, 1161, f.; they do not know what good truths are I, 528, f.; II, 1570; what the papists consider to be good truths I, 1367.
- the effects of good words By nature we want to earn something through words, so the teaching that we do not earn anything is very necessary I, 1444. 1449.; it is foolish to want to earn something with them I, 1441. f. 1443. f.; good words are good for nothing in God's courts I, 1347.; to become righteous through words and to do words when one is righteous are two different things I, 1012.I, 620, 949, 1018, 1123, 1582; reason already recognizes this, I, 1018; cannot make righteous, for they are defiled, I, 944; are of no use for salvation, I, 1577. We should make our calling and election firm through righteousness, I, 1123. God rewards the righteousness of his faithful, I, 1581. ff.
Cf. Abraham 15, David, marital status 8, Esau, faith 9, household status, Isaac 8, Jacob 8, Joseph 9, monks 2, Noah 8, authorities 4, fathers I; II, 6.
IV. W. of the devil. What is to be understood by it II, 725.
Work righteousness. S. Sanctity of works.
Work saints. Their nature and behavior I, 315.; are
** 2260 Werkheiligkeit**factual register. Charities2261
under the curse I, 1568. f.; Cain was one I, 315.; Esau an image of the same II, 99.
Sanctity of works. In this one trusts in his works I, 1575. ff; is idolatry I, 1576. 1583.; makes proud and presumptuous II, 1882. f.; is excluded by the blessing which Abraham's seed was to bring I, 1565. f.; God makes them ashamed II, 1883. - S. Holiness, monks, self-righteousness.
Wetzet, Georg. Hypocrite, apostate blasphemer, what he accused Luther of I, 1252. 1630. f.; reversed Luther's teaching II, 1151.
Contradictions, apparent, in the Scriptures. One should not be quick to accuse the Scriptures of an error I, 721. 725. Examples of such contradictions and their resolution: of the 60 years lost in Abraham I, 721.; how is it true that we should be suspicious and yet not judge? I, 795. ff; how can Arphachsad have been born 2 years after the Flood? I, 713; how could there be pasture in Gosen during the seven barren years? II, 1793. st; how can the wise God repent? I, 485. ff; how can the Scripture say: God saw, since he foresaw everything? I, 485. ff; how could Jacob beget 12 children within 7 years? II, 547. f.; how does the register of those who went with Jacob to Egypt agree with itself? II, 1762.ff.; Sarah is called Haran's and also Tharah's daughter I, 1351. f.; how does the devastation of the earth by the Flood rhyme with the promise? I, 550. ff. Scripture passages: Gen. 2, 2. and Joh. 5, 17. I, 91.; Gen. 2, 24. and Matth. 19, 4. f. I, 165. 1248.; II, 59.; Gen. 14. and 17. I, 365. ff.; Gen. 6, 5. 6. and 8, 21. 1, 576. st; Gen. 8, 21. and the destruction of whole cities and countries I, 574.; Gen. 11, 31. f. and Acts 7, 2. 3. I, 724. f.; Gen. 12, 4. and Acts 7, 2. I, 769. f.; Gen. 15, 13., 2 Mos. 12, 40. u. Gal. 3, 17. I, 959. f.; Gen. 25, 1. 2. u. Rom. 4, 19. I, 1743. ff.; Gen. 25, 23. u. 33, 1-3. II, 323. f.; Gen. 48, 22., 34, 25. ff. u. Apostg. 7, 5. II, 1911. ff. - S. Mysteries.
Repugnances of the Christians. They are not signs of divine wrath I, 1239. f.; they all come from the devil I, 1238. f.; we should not despair in them, but keep the promise II, 210. 220. f.; how a Christian should comfort himself in them I, 1239. f. 1343. f., when he is to lose goods and life II, 153.; God's benefits should provoke us to patience in them I, 1338. ff.; our trials are small compared to those of the patriarchs I, 237. - S. Cross.
Restoration of all things. I, 122.
Born again. Original sin is still powerful in them II, 148.
Rebirth. Nöthig zur Seligkeit II, 33. ff. - p. Birth 2.
Repetition. In Scripture there is no futile W. I, 541. ff. 547. f. 602. ff. 1132.; II, 1356. 1947. f.
Anabaptists. They despised the word, pretended a great pretense of holiness II, 1827; why they like the dark books of Scripture so much I, 610; they like to allegorize I, 610; they do not consider a Christian who has something of his own 1, 829; they taught that a Christian must not call upon the help of the authorities I, 1468.They thought that the water in baptism could not touch the soul, which they considered wisdom I, 197; they wanted to live in such a way that they would not sin anywhere I, 485; they were mistaken in the interpretation of a sign in the sky II, 423; why they were applauded by the people I, 726.
Will. I. God's Will. Is distinguished in the will of the sign and good pleasure I, 485; from the will of the will of God I, 485.
various meanings of these expressions I, 485. f. 488. ff.; we should not inquire so closely into God's counsel and will in all things I, 371.; we should not inquire into the causes of God's will I, 1082.God wants all men to be saved I, 1434; He proves and reveals His gracious will in Word and Sacrament II, 183; we should be certain of God's gracious will and not doubt it, as the papists teach I, 1550 f.
II. the human W. 1. in general. Is very fickle II, 1772. f.; can only be changed by goodness II, 817.; if the W. is changed, everything else follows II, 830.; is the queen who rules over goods II, 830. - S. Works II.
- free will What the doctrine of free will is about I, 483, f.; we have free will over the things that are among us I, 103, but not in the things that concern God and are above us I, 103. is opposed to the will of God to the highest I, 175. 485.; without the Holy Spirit man is simply godless and in darkness I, 484., he cannot resist Satan I, 334., he can do nothing but sin I, 481. ff. The erroneous doctrine has its origin in the doctrine of the image of God I, 74; the false doctrine of free will does not follow from the command to Cain not to leave the will to sin I, 329. The sayings of the church fathers about this doctrine must be read with consideration I, 74. 480; the Jews and Sophists teach that reason is not the only thing that can be used for sin. I, 484; the monks and pagan philosophers held that free will is good, which is only seduced by earthly goods I, 830; the papists teach falsely about free will I, 482; how important the pure doctrine of it is I, 482.f.; I, 482. - See freedom, powers 2, man 2, reason.
Wind. Was not immediately in the beginning I, II.
Wittenberg. Around W. must have lived formerly the very poorest people 1, 595.; gave under the Pabstthum the monks annually 1000 guilders II, 109.; annual expenditure for barley II, 1869.
Widowhood. He who loves him more should not despise the married state I, 1164. f.
Women in childbed. Weakest on the third day II, 885. 1. in general. One forgets W.
lighter than the punishment I, 604.
- w. God. They are much greater than all misfortunes I, 1339. f.
- f.; they should lead us to the knowledge of God's goodness I, 1098., to patience in adversities I, 1338. ff.; we should recognize them and praise God I, 1001., especially in misfortunes I, 1339. f.; our flesh obscures them through unbelief I, 1339. f.; the world forgets them I, 1337. f.; the godless forget them in misfortunes, Christians think of them through unbelief I, 1337. f..Our flesh obscures them through unbelief I, 1339; the world forgets them I, 1337; the wicked forget them in adversity, Christians remember them I, 1343; even Christians forget them in minor harm I, 1338; where it comes from that God's spiritual gifts are so despised II, 148.
- people's wishes. They should be performed with a sincere heart I, 1216.; the world thinks that one should buy them for the sake of them I, 979.; they are mostly performed for the sake of gratitude I, 977.; we should not be deterred from performing them by the fact that there are so many unworthy people I, 1140.; they should be performed intelligibly, but not exclusively, to fellow believers I, 1140. ff, to the grateful and the ungrateful I, 978. st, to the enemies I, 977. f.; W. should be nimble and willing I, 1263. 1710.; one should not ask
** 2262Clouds**Subject register. Teeth2263
I, 1216; one should not boast of one's own words I, 1143. 1148. 1156; we must only expect ingratitude I, 977. f.; in the case of ingratitude, one should, like God, continue with words 1, 979.; words given to an ingrate are not lost I, 978.; humble people must be forced to accept words I, 1216. Clouds. Are held in place by the word
I, 545.
Word. 1. the personal word is eternal, a person distinguished from the father I, 20. ff.; as the uncreated word is distinguished from the created I, 26. f.; it has distinguished and adorned the shapeless matter created from nothing I, 11.
- words of God. God has other words and a different grammar than we humans, his words are immediately essential things I, 26; a word of God makes possible what is unbelievable I, 60; examples I, 116. f. - S. Creatures.
- the word of God. The price of the Word: it is the right adornment of a church I, 839., the highest treasure I, 1376-, more than the works of angels II, 211.; he who has the Word has everything I, 555.; where the Word is, there is the church, the spirit, Christ, everything I, 709. Without it the Holy Spirit does not come II, 263; where it is in the momentum, there is God I, 780; it is a great blessing I, 862. f. 1338; if one has the word pure, one can easily judge everything else II, 1057; it is the only light in the darkness II, 805; without the word all is darkness II, 646. f. 1055. 1761; the whole life is uncertain and in vain I, 367.Whoever relies on it will not be put to shame 1, 870; it is the most important thing, then our actions come I, 1117; the world does not recognize the value of the Word II, 211. Effects of the Word: it makes all things glorious II, 567 ff; without the Word all external things, even the sacraments, are of no use for blessedness I, 1248. f.; it sanctifies everything I, 779; II, 125, 468; makes every place a holy temple 1, 839; sanctifies us II, 705; without the Word nothing pleases God II, 907; where it is revealed it spreads its splendor II, 987; does not depart without fruit and effect I, 1000. 1023. 1332. 1439; II, 773.It is like a hammer and a two-edged sword I, 1346; II, 1687; some are converted, the rest despise it I, 45:3; it is a source of offense to the wicked I, 115; it often bears fruit, as with Simeon and Levi II, 1942; it teaches us to recognize God's works I, 1373; it gives the Holy Spirit II, 2009. Spirit II, 2009; it works faith II, 289. f., awakens and strengthens II, 1325. f.; saves from death and the devil II, 1974.; makes alive and comforts I, 1451.; II, 904.; washes us II, 1993.; works a Christian life I,
- 1546.; II, 134.; makes fit for good works II, 125.; works righteous works I, 1544.; prayer follows W. II, 137.; works patience in temptation II, 126. f.; whoever recognizes the benefits of the Word will be blessed I, 862. f.; always gather a multitude and also bring in those who are strangers, namely, those who are provided for it II, 909.; one experiences its divine power if one adheres to it II, 54. Proclamation of the Word: one must divide it rightly I, 1187. 1205.
- f., It requires great wisdom I, 1209. ff., which the whole papacy does not have I, 1211.; at times the Word is revealed more clearly, at times more darkly II, 1334.; it is taught in peace, so that one can use it in turmoil and challenge II, 223.
are tired of II, 137; where it goes in the swing, soon follows bodily theurung 2c. II, 131. 1805.; it is not the fault of physical unhappiness II, 132. ff. Behavior toward the world: God directs us to his world and does not want to give special revelations to everyone II, 560. f.; one should need it as long as one has it II, 318. ff, listen to it, accept it with faith I, 1182. 1522.; cling to it, close one's eyes to everything else II, 1291.; do not inquire further II, 218.; cling to it, let it be as it will II, 357.; do not let reason be misled II, 285. f.; he who does not adhere to it is soon seduced II, 561.; following it is a great virtue I, 869. f.; one should rely on it, not on his own greatness, power 2c. I, 553.; on the W., not on men one should rely in doctrine II, 79.; to hold God's word high is not hope 1, 866.; to prefer the word to all things I, 1421., to set it above all the works of men I, 1544.; to flee where the word is not II, 2010. How men behave when the Word is proclaimed I, 453. f.; many despise it, some accept it I, 1333. 1341. f.; the world soon tires of the Word I, 727. 1304.; it has been despised at all times I, 1307. f.; it seems foolishness to men II, 1064.; it was despised soon after the Flood I, 899.; the wicked think it is to blame for all misfortunes II, 132. ff.; the more abundantly it is preached, the greater the ingratitude I, 864. f.; the world does not believe that it is preached.The world does not believe that it accomplishes great things II, 2008. f.; the pope misuses it for blasphemy I, 905.; Satan seeks to lead us away from God's word II, 416. f.; misuses it for blasphemy I, 905.; rages against it I, 839. f. 1135. f. How the world will behave against it before the last day I, 409. - S. Threats, gospel, prayer 15, law 1, 2, obedience, faith 4, church 9, prophecies, preaching ministry, creation word, Scripture, promises.
Word and Sacrament. Where they are missing, horrible errors follow I, 305. f. - S. Means of grace.
Words. Their meaning often cannot be learned from derivation, but only from usage II, 1738. f., from context II, 1910. 1925. f.; there are W. which are ambiguous by accident II, 1908. f., others are made so II, 1909.
Usury. Is a sodomitic sin I, 1218. f., Against nature, brings no blessing I, 751. f.
Usurers. Do not keep what they scrape together II, 205.
Miracles. The angels, but not men, can do such by their own powers I, 1244. 1247.; are not greater than other works of God, which happen according to the order of nature I, 1370. f.; W., which are done daily, we hold in low esteem I, 153. ff. 546.; this is ingratitude I, 154. f.; the daily works are greater than those done by Christ II, 1245. f.; we should not pay attention to works, if one comes without the word I, 1545. f.; how to meet the papal works I, 1545. ff.- S. Works I.
Z.
Numbers. The numbers indicate that man is a special creature I, 53; meaning of the number 2 I, 39, of the number 7 I, 1088, of the number 8 I, 1087.
Teeth. In writing often mean teacher II, 2006.; white Z. often mean foolishness, milk children II, 1996.
** 2264**
Quarrel
Subject Register.
Anger
2265
Quarrel. Also occurs between friends and spouses I, 1392.; Jacob and Rachel quarreled II, 537. f.
Wizards. Awaken sudden thunderstorms II, 8.
Zebaoth. Why God is called so I, 90.
Toes commandments. S. Commandments.
Tithes. From whom Melchizedek received the tithe I, 912. f.; as the epistle to the Hebrews deals with the tithe that Abraham gave to Melchizedek I, 912. f.
Characters. 1. in general. In what way sun, moon and stars are signs I, 51 ff; evil signs are interpreted by natural men in their favor II, 75 f; the godless err in interpreting signs. Il, 423.
- grace. They are an inexpressible gift of God I, 306; they are to be esteemed higher than all miraculous works I, 1093; their nature is to comfort, not to frighten I, 306. f. 604; they are necessary I,
- f. 1093. 1093; God has always given, besides the Word, visible signs of grace I, 303, f. 401, f. 603, f. 953; of the signs in the Old Testament I, 303, f. 1050, 1093; in the New Testament we have more glorious signs. I, 1066. the Son of God and the means of grace I, 305.
- ff. 1093.; we are not to demand Z. d. G. at our own pleasure I,
- f.; we are to hold above them, follow them I, 305. f. 1047. ff.
- f.; they are despised I, 1045. 1094. by reason I, 1047.God punishes this contempt I, 305. f.; they fall into ruin I, 1046.; the pope wants to lead us away from the Z. of the G. I, 1047.; Satan seeks to put the right Z. out of our sight and to give us wrong ones I,
- ff. 1094. - S. Means of Grace.
Time. 1. in general. The division of time into days and years is God's gracious order I, 53; why children and unreasoning animals know nothing of time I, 53. "Time" means "festival" among the Hebrews I, 58.
- the Z. of the N. T.'s. Is pictured by Noah's doves as a time of grace and forgiveness I, 625.; has a great preference over the Z. Abraham's I, 863. 869. 1118. f. 1122. f. 1385. f.; of the ebre and glory of blessing in the A. T., compared with that in the N. T. II,
- ff.; the glory of the N. T.'s cannot be praised enough II,
- f.; the fathers who had divine appearances in the A. T. are not more blessed than we are in the N. T. II, 145.ff.; angels do not appear so frequently now because the Son of God has appeared I, 1525.We have much more glorious appearances than Abraham I, 1527; the time of the N. T. is richer in revelation than the time of the patriarchs I, 432, has more glorious prophecies II, 2056. ff; we have a clearer knowledge of the resurrection than the Fathers in the A. T. I, 1755. s.; we have a clearer knowledge of the resurrection than the Fathers in the A. T. I, 1755. ff.; we have much more abundant, glorious promises than Abraham I, 1065. ff.; II, 443. and the believers in the A. T. II, 2060. f.; in the A. T. the bodily promises were greater than in the N. T. II, 1897.; the promises of the A. T. contained those of the N. T. II, 1896. f. ; we have also bodily promises, but the spiritual is much more glorious II, 1888. f. 1892. f. 1896. f.; in the N. T. one must also do law, but its proper office is the gospel II, 1890. ; a woman can baptize, a woman and child can absolve II, 2057. ff.; we have greater blessings than they batten in the A. T. I, 300. f. The 3rd time, the time of the N. T., is full of grace, but also full of blasphemy, must be punished with the deluge of fire I, 437.; is the last and worst time of the world, God will not spare it I, 432.
soup of the world, despises Christ I, 432., God must punish them I, 442.; is very ungrateful I, 431. f.; the nearer the last day, the greater the contempt of the Word I, 462. f.; punishment will follow I, 462. - S. Se. blessings, promises 1.
The last time. It will be terrifying, like the time of Noah I, 533. f.; the sins will be so horrible that the punishment cannot be averted by any intercession 1,1202.; the light of the gospel will be almost completely extinguished I, 533. f.; the colors of the rainbow applied to the punishments of the last time I, 512. - p. Day 3; above 2.
Ages. The golden age was before the Flood I, 436; how the poets know something about it I, 436.
Temporal things. Temporal things, which belong to the house and world regiment, should not be despised I, 169. f.; also of temporal things one should teach in the church II, 170.; our flesh rages for love of the Z. I, 424**.**
Chronology. Study of the Z. is necessary and useful II, 845. 1158. f.; it gives rise to beautiful thoughts II, 983.; pleases God that one knows it II, 1802. f..
Disconnection. A harmful plague I, 706.
Procreation of Humans. From the work of the Z. I, 290. ff. Is a wonderful work I, 102. f.; II, 50. 1214. f., the noblest in nature I, 205.; a creature of God I, 291.; II, 49. f.; a gift of God in spite of the unchaste rut I, 86.; a gift which the heathen do not recognize I, 589.; a blessing which remained even after the fall I, 412.; a blessing in spite of our original sin I, 724.It is a blessing in spite of our original sin I, 724; a blessing in spite of our original sin I, 1078; it was considered a blessing in the Old Testament I, 723. f. 1079. It is done by mixing the seed of man and woman I, 1169. f.; it is corrupted by it I, 228.; through sin the devil's poison has come to it I, 291.; it is now done with unchaste heat I, 86.; II. 600. f.; through sin it is connected with pain and shame I, 128.By sin it is a work of which one is ashamed I, 205. 248. of which one can hardly speak without shame I, 144. f.; by the fall it is connected with discomfort for women I, 245. how one should comfort oneself in the discomfort I, 246. f. 1078. f. Is sanctified by the promise in Paradise I, 233.; God is pleased with it I, 1748.; Moses condemns at the first world not the Z. but the abuse I, 444.; the Heil. Spirit is not afraid to speak of this work I, 291. f. One should uphold and desire the c. II, 1176. - S. Marriage, conception, procreation, birth 1, state of innocence.
Zibeon. Opinion of the Jews about him II, 995. f.
Brick. I, 694. f.
Ziegler, Beruh. Explains the word "Schiloh" II, 1970.
Zilla. Meaning of the name I, 386**.**
Zoar. Was previously called Bela, why the name has been changed I, 1273.; location 1,1274.; warred in Abraham's time I, 878. f.; saved by Lot I, 1271.; destroyed like Sodom I, 1290. f.
Wrath. I. Wrath of God. Reason cannot believe nor understand it I, 509. f.; how it is to be united with God's promises I, 509. ff.; it is a wrath of mercy when punishment hastens I, 702.; it is all the more unbearable the longer it has been silent I, 702.; the wrath of God as it revealed itself in the Flood, no one can conceive I, 548.; then it is
** 2266Wrathful**Subject register. **Zwinglian 2267**
very terrible if God takes away the word I, 455. 460; the name of the church and the great crowd do not protect against this I, 496; there are many examples of the word I, 437. ff; we despise them I, 439; they should be inculcated I, 1193.To what purpose these examples should serve I, 438. ff. 465. 1185. 1207. 1277.; contemplation of God's examples makes one fainthearted I, 497.; God's goodness also shines in the examples of the Z. I, 1210. - S. Punishment 2.
- the people. It is a natural emotion and not a sin in itself II, 1501; it is in us, even if we are not provoked by others II, 1501; it makes us bold to do all kinds of evil deeds II, 339; there is a holy anger against sin II, 691.
Angered people get out of the way II, 340.
Discipline and respectability lie low where one despises the word, is ungrateful to God I, 1192.
Chastisement, divine. The right doctrine of chastisement does not know reason, is only found in the word II, 1664. f., even the philosophers and jurists do not know it II, 1666.; the same should often be practiced II, 1664. kind and nature: when God chastises us, he fights with us II, 809., he poses as if he were not our father, yet finally reveals himself as such II, 1657. 1661. 1666. f.; in the Z. we do not fail his counsel and will, but only afterwards II, 1661. f. 1667.; in the Z. we struggle with unbelief and despair II, 1662.; it hurts II, 1663.; a beautiful picture of how God chastises is the treatment that Joseph gave his brothers II, 1657. Z. is necessary and salutary for the godly II, 807. f. 809. f. 1660. f. 1664. 1671. f.; it is to serve their
Purification II, 1658. 1660. and humiliation II, 1658. f. Behavior: to endure the Z., this requires faith II, 1662; the art of having courage and triumphing in the Z., only Christians can do II, 1664, and even they not perfectly II, 1665; in the Z. the flesh complains and murmurs II, 1662. f.; we should fight against this murmuring II, 1663; we should not refuse to endure the sin II, 809; we should bear it with patience I, 999, 1001; II, 1044; we should keep to the word and baptism II, 1663. ff. - S. cross, punishment.
Satisfaction. How to obtain Z. I, 1654.
Listeners. Are often not devout II, 940. f.; the devil leads their hearts away from the Word II, 1364.; God gives a listening ear II, 1364.
State of the soul after death. The condition of the believing soul I, 1758. ff; II, 216. ff. 1542. ff, of the godless I, 1761. 1763.; the condition of the believing soul is different from the condition in which Christ lives I, 1763, I, 1763; of the five kinds of containers of the papists I, 1761; what to think of the different containers, of which the fathers dispute I, 1760 ff; one does not search too carefully for this number of the soul II, 2070.
Zütphen, Heinr. v. A Martyr I, 352.
Doubt in God's grace. A grave sin I, 1550. ff; the pope teaches doubt in God's grace II, 1900. 2059. ff; a shameful teaching II, 2061. 2064; whoever teaches like this is to be counted among the devils II, 2063.
Zwingli. Driven by Ambition I, 924; his Doctrine of the Blessedness of the Gentiles II, 1828, in which he mistakenly referred to Luther II, 1829, 1831.
Zwinglians. Will fall ever deeper II, 1830.
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